A Christmas Star

The story is alright, but the real gem is the surprise celebrity cameos. They are really big names and I wonder how the filmmakers managed to get the big names to appear in the film!

A Christmas Star (2015) -

Noelle played by Erin Galway-Kendrick was the real star of this film. She was the only one, in a cast of supposedly good actors, that could actually deliver.

Robert James Collier was not the leading man the credits would have had me believe. He was also awful and his accent was all over the place. He was so false and the "Junior" thing with his son got really gross, really quickly.

And Pierce Brosnan was worse than he was in 'Mamma Mia!' (2008), but at least he didn't sing in this one.

I suppose that the only saving grace, apart from Erin, was Liam Neeson as the Narrator/Radio DJ, but I did have to wonder why he and Pierce would ever lend their names to a production like this. I was also very disappointed with Kylie Minogue and Dermot O'Leary for agreeing to be in it. Neither of their cameos were impressive or even that necessary.

The story itself, was very old fashioned, making the people of Ireland look backwards and out of touch and most of it was contrived, far fetched and forced. Not to mention that the whole factory take over thing had been done many times before and much better. It didn't even feel like a budget TV production, it just felt cheap.

It was really unclear what the random numbers that kept appearing in baubles were too, but it turned out it was the date.

They tried to end with a feel good moment, like that of 'Nativity!' (2009), but failed terribly, because it was just a bit confused and out of nowhere, all of a sudden. It didn't help that it was so bad that I wished that I hadn't bothered, so by the time it did get to the end, I was just desperately waiting for the credits to roll.

I've definitely turned off better than this.

Never to be watched again, I will never see that time again and I might actually sue the producers for compensation.

It was so bad!

1/10.

Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan must have lent their fame to this film because they love children and families. Beyond their notoriety, this movie's script has no real hook.

The pottery town of Pottersglen is about to be purchased to make way for a casino and golf course. Coincidence with the name Potter being used (as in "Its a Wonderful Life" with Mr. Potter as the antagonist?) Maybe so, but even top stars couldn't save this oft repeated "save the town from a greedy, villainous corporate executive" theme. Liam Neeson's narration and his easily recognizable gravely voice add any magic. Cute kids. Good acting. Bad script.

This is better than most of your Christmas films, which seem to bog themselves down in sentimentality and Christmas Spirit. This isn't a bad thing since that's what Christmas is about. However, when you get a film like this which is set in more realistic situations it's a nice break from the over cheeriness of the usual Chrimbo fodder.

What also make this a movie worth watching is the acting, which, by and far, is superb. They actors did a great job and must have taken more than a few notes from the cameo "Stars" in the film, as this was the intended purpose of the Television Festival for Young People.

That said, the film could've done with a bit better script and direction, there were times when my attention would stray, and the acting wasn't enough to keep me glued to the gogglebox.

I recommend this film to all and we need more Christmas films like this - and more films helping young actors to come forward.

Creative story line twist amidst many Christmas shows that are all the same. Love wins!