Annie Claus Is Coming to Town

Am not somebody who hates Christmas or has a bias against made for television Christmas films. The complete opposite on both counts and have made that clear more than once and will continue to do so if necessary (though am refraining as much as possible from reiterating too much). Evident from a number of positive reviews for the Christmas output of Hallmark and Lifetime. The premise for 'Annie Claus is Coming to Town' did sound quite interesting and seemed at times like it was trying to do something a little different.

Over the past two years or so, my Christmas film completest quest (made up for primarily those from Hallmark and Lifetime) has been very interesting but also hit and miss. Some were very charming, easy to digest and lovely watches with good casts. Others were very dull, cheesy, too sentimental and badly written and acted. 'Annie Claus is Coming to Town' is mostly in the former category, though it is far from perfect or quite my definition of a great film.

Was not that taken with most of the supporting cast. Ryan Bittle for example really goes overboard making his already over the top cliched character as unlikeable as possible and is pretty much a cartoon. Peter Jason is also one of the dullest Santas personally seen and he doesn't look comfortable or like he wanted to be there.

Some of the music could have been toned down and been used more sparingly. Some very shoddy effects work going too.

However, there is a lot in 'Annie Claus is Coming to Town' that works. The best thing about it is a truly sparkling Maria Thayer, who really lights up the screen and is immensely likeable. While her character is very easy to be charmed by, she doesn't make her too perfect seeing as one is on occasion frustrated with figuring out what she sees in Dean. Sam Page is similarly amiable and their chemistry is natural and genuine, though more time could have been devoted to developing it more. The best supporting cast member is Vivica A. Fox, she gives her role energy and also integrity. Most of the characters are executed well.

Effects aside, 'Annie Claus is Coming to Town' looks good. The scenery is truly attractive and photographed with a lot of love. Enough of the music is pleasantly nostalgic and gives off a suitably festive atmosphere when necessary. The script is cohesive and doesn't come over as awkward, it also takes itself seriously without being dreary and the sentimentality doesn't become too much. The story is pretty conventional, but its endless charm, its good nature and warm heart more than more up for that.

In conclusion, not great but still liked it a good deal. 7/10.

Every now and then, the Hallmark Channel comes up with a different plot for a Christmas movie. And, most of those are quite good. "Annie Claus Is Coming to Town" is such a film.

Although it follows a familiar theme about the eventual replacement for the current Santa Claus, the plot is unique enough to make this a fine comedy romance for Christmas viewing. Most of the cast are good, and Maria Thayer is superb as Annie Claus. When she rents her room at the Candy Cane Motel, she tells Lucy her last name is spelled with a K.

Thayer's Annie is a constantly joyful person - it wouldn't be right to say she is "chronically" joyful. It's her nature, coming from where she does. And, her joyfulness is infectious. That's something that would likely be overdone, or come across as corny or sappy by many another actor. But Thayer makes it seem real, pleasing and refreshing.

This is a more modern film that most family members should enjoy over the Christmas holidays. The film has some funny and clever lines, and gets in a couple gentle digs about living in the Los Angeles area. Here are my favorites.

Martha Claus, "All right, Annie. Are you ready to see where sabbatical will be taking you?" Annie, "Oh, I'm so excited, mother. It could be anywhere. Paris. Prague. Pittsburgh."

Lucy, "Well, we're pretty comfortable around here living in fear of each other. We tend to not make eye contact if we can help it." Annie, "When I pass someone without a smile, I like to offer mine."

Lucy, to her daughter, "Don't you ever run after a man, hear me?" Mia, "Okay."

From the first moment of this movie, it was clear that there is no such thing as realism. So accept it for what it is and enjoy.

Having said that, there are still some flaws in this film, but Maria Thayer as Annie is such a delight that it makes up for it. Annie is the Princess of Christmas being Santa's daughter and Thayer does a good job spreading Christmas to everyone. Sadly she is naïve to the world and easily falls prey to Dean, the shark trying to lead her astray. Still her joy infects not just the people around her, but the audience as well. Thayer and Sam Page are good together, but for most of the movie that is muted because she thinks her love is Dean, so their relationship can't really take off. Almost all of the characters other than Thayer and Page are either exaggerated or flat. Santa is almost robotic.

The plot is mostly predictable and some of the effects are weak.

If you sit back this movie can be an enjoyable Christmas sleigh ride.

Daddy (Santa) lets his daughter leave The North Pole to go live on her. Welcome to Los Angeles where it's not so easy to have a wonderful yuletide feeling. Annie gets a job, transforms a business and falls in love, all of which adds up to a mountain of sugar-coated Christmasy schmaltz in its purest form. What's here is average at best but on the plus side it does have Christmas at its very core which makes it one of the better Christmastime made-for-TV movies. Plus the lead actress (Maria Thayer) is so cute to watch for 85 minutes!

5.7 / 10 stars

--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

This happened to be on True Christmas during the xmas period and I decided to watch it. The story is about Annie Claus who travels to sunnyside LA California where she meets a charming man whom she falls in love with. Problem is that the guy that she meets is a amateur actor that one of the elves hired so that he can stop Annie from coming back to the North Pole. Later though Annie does meet a cynical toy shop owner who's store is about to be closed down due to another store that just opened. But of course who does Annie love more Dean(the amateur actor who is only using her)or Ted(the toy shop owner who later falls for Annie)?

Bottom line this was a very sugar coated rom com that we all know the story to having witnessed it in A lot of romantic comedies. But for a Christmas movie it wasn't that bad. Its not an Oscar Worthy film but its a fine film to watch on a lazy afternoon. Give it a shot if you are in the Xmas spirit.

6/10