Christmas on Mistletoe Farm is a kids’ movie. Unless you have young kids, I do not recommend you watch it. This is not a bad movie, but it is designed for a younger audience. While you won’t hate it if you sit through it, you will get bored and cringe at its general cheesiness.
Christmas on Mistletoe Farm is the story of an overworked father who learns to slow down and enjoy the time that he has with his young kids. Matt has trouble balancing his work life and home life as he attempts to raise his five kids on his own. One day, where he inherits a farm from his estranged father. He and his kids go to the countryside to find some peace and quiet, but what they find instead is the Christmas spirit they had been missing. It is very cheesy and over the top.
A lot of the humor is geared toward a younger audience, but it does have its moments. A lot of the acting is loud and over the top, but I appreciate the energy and enthusiasm the actors put into their performances. The actors seem to be having fun with their roles, and that energy was infectious.
The plot is simple and easy to follow, with a lot of pop-culture references. I doubt this movie will have any lasting potential, but I have sat through worse. This movie is loud, colorful, and full of cute animals. This is a solid Christmas movie to watch with your toddler. But if you don’t have kids, don’t bother. You can stream it on Netflix.
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I have been avidly avoiding Christmas movies this season, not because I am a Grinch, but because I couldn’t muster the strength to sit through them. Let’s face it, this genre is the recycling of the same movie every year, and it is getting harder to sit through them. I decided that today I would start getting into the Christmas spirit, but unfortunately, the movie is Something From Tiffany’s.
Something From Tiffany’s is the story of two lost souls who are stuck in their respective relationships. Fate brings these two unknowing souls together by way of New York City taxi. Ethan is at Tiffany’s buying his engagement ring when Rachel’s boyfriend comes in that same night to buy his girlfriend a cheap gift. In a brief moment, the boyfriend gets hit by the taxi, causing the events that will bring Ethan and Rachel together for Christmas. Ethen, being the generic and caring man that he is, rushes to check up on the generic boyfriend, but he ends up switching the ring with the cheap gift. Ethen and Rachel will meet in the hospital, and it is love at first sight. Fate keeps bringing them together, and in a matter of days, they fall madly in love with each other. You can guess what happens from here.
This movie is bad even by the genre’s standards. The acting was surprisingly good, but its narrative is terrible. I always feel bad for the significant others in these movies who have the cruel fate of being love’s cruelest obstacle. Ethan’s girlfriend seemed like a nice girl whose only fault seemed to be that she wasn’t quirky enough. Ethan was ready to propose, but one brief encounter at the hospital was enough to change his mind. Rachel’s boyfriend was a loser, but at least he wasn’t evil which is refreshing.
The idea was to show how the leads were stagnating, stuck in their routines. It was only through finding true love that they can move forward and live their best lives. But is it love that they share? Is it fate bringing these two together? Is it Christmas magic? They are only together for a day before they decide that they are meant to be together. I see this as a relationship fueled more by desire than love. Rachel and Ethan lust for something different and fresh, and this accident gives them that. It is less romantic to think about how this race to fall in love for Christmas is less about fate and more about a change in scenery. Even if they were meant to be together and were previously in bad relationships, they were ready to be engaged, and that is where I have my problem.
I am overthinking a movie that had no effort put into it, but I was bored. Let me have this. There are better movies in this genre. Go watch something like The Princess Switch or Falling for Christmas instead. They are bad too, but somehow they are a little better.
You can stream this on Amazon, but I wouldn’t.
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It has been a rough season for musicals; at least the ones I have sat through have been bad. I had the lowest expectation for Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. I believed this would be another of Netflix’s shameless cash grabs at a timeless IP, but I was mistaken. This adaptation does justice to the classic Dickens story and is one that I recommend you watch this holiday season.
There is a lot to love about this movie. The music is catchy, the voice acting is solid, the animation is beautiful, and the dog is so cute. I was initially captured by how pretty this movie is, but I stayed for the music that followed. I have mentioned before that I am not a fan of musicals, but this has to be the exception. A few of the songs still rattle around in my head as I write this review. If you are hesitant at all to watch this movie, give it a chance. It will be better than any hallmark movie you’ll have to sit through. For those wondering, this is better than Spirited.
There isn’t much I can say about the story because it is based on the classic by Charles Dickens. What sets it apart is the art direction. The animation is fantastic. The haunts take advantage of the dream world and create some truly breathtaking moments. I recommend it just for the art style, but trust me, the songs are pretty good as well. I particularly loved how they chose to handle Scrooge. Scrooge isn’t an evil man. Instead, he is a tragic character who has closed his heart because he doesn’t want to be hurt. His redemption arc may be rushed, but gosh is it pretty?
Unfortunately, the writer, songwriter, and director, and the reason we are blessed with this movie this season has passed away. I am truly grateful for the gift she left us for the season. May she rest in peace.
If you need a movie to add to your Christmas marathon, this should be somewhere on your list. It is colorful and wonderful, and the songs are great. Go stream it on Netflix.
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I was very excited about Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. I believed that Del Toro’s artistic vision would bring new life to this ancient fairy tale, but sadly I was mistaken. This movie ended up being a huge disappointment that I struggled to finish.
There is no real need for a synopsis. This movie is the story of Pinocchio set against the backdrop of WWI-era Italy voiced by British actors.
I wish this movie was voiced in Italian because I was not a fan of any of the voices. The singing would have been more tolerable in Italian. If the voices don’t turn you off this movie, the singing sure will. Admittedly, I am not a fan of musicals, but I at least expect the singing to be good and the songs to be catchy. This version of the fairy tale chooses to be a musical without any talented singers or catchy songs to alleviate you from the boring narrative.
The story may have been well-intentioned as it touches on an important moment in history, but it unravels much too slowly. With the added musical numbers, this movie feels longer than it is. This felt like someone was trying to tell in Guillermo Del Toro’s style, but it was an attempt that fails miserably.
This adaptation may look pretty, but it lacks any real substance. I was not impressed. Once again I am disappointed by another of Guillermo Del Toro’s projects, and it is becoming difficult to remain supportive.
You can stream Pinocchio on Netflix, but I wouldn’t bother. I understand that this movie is in select theaters, but that would be a waste of your money.
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The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will pass the time if you have nothing else to watch. While it may not be the worst entry to the MCU, it isn’t the breath of fresh air it promises to be. I thought it was fine, but I wouldn’t watch it again.
The special picks up with a devastated Flynn as he mourns the loss of Gamora. In an effort to cheer up Flynn, Mantis and Drax go on an adventure. They fly to earth in order to bring Flynn some Christmas joy, but they become distracted by Earth’s strange customs. The film focuses on the shenanigans of Drax and Mantis as they try to find Kevin Bacon.
The series is just okay, but it isn’t anything special. At least it isn’t something I would rush to. The performances were fine, and even got a few laughs out of it, but you have to sit through a lot of improv. There isn’t a real structure to this movie. Instead, this movie feels like a collection of skits, some of which go on for too long. You will not hate this if you watch it, so throw it on when you need a break from all those Hallmark movies I am sure you’ve been binging.
I don’t have anything else to say because this was a mediocre Christmas special. I wasn’t even going to review it because I found it unremarkable. It wasn’t bad, but it isn’t going to become a holiday staple. I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it, but if you need something to watch, sure. You can stream it on Disney+.
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Fantasy Football is another kid’s wish sports movie you’ve seen before. The gimmicks, slang, and magic used in this movie have been updated to fit into modern pop culture, but it follows the same tired formula. While it may not be the worst movie you will watch with your kids, it isn’t a great one either. Fantasy Football is fine for what it is, but it won’t be winning any awards.
Callie’s dad is a professional football player that is constantly being traded. As a result, her family moves around a lot, and playing Madden is Callie’s only constant. All she wants is to have a place she can call her home, but moving makes this impossible. When they move to Atlanta, Callie and her family have hope that this will be their final move. Callie joins a club and is starting to make friends. But hope starts to fade as her father’s career isn’t going well. Her father is getting older and is no longer as skilled as he used to be. He is overshadowed by the up-and-coming talent that surrounds him. At their lowest, a wish is made that will change everything. Callie finds that she can control her dad through her game. Together they start winning games and creating headlines. Can Callie balance her new life and her father’s career? Will the Falcons make it to the Super Bowl?
This movie is as cookie-cutter as it gets; there is no getting around it. One thing to note, there is a lot of shameless product placement in this movie. This is essentially a giant commercial for Madden and the NFL. It is still one of the better commercials I’ve seen, but it is something to keep in mind.
Fantasy Football is fine for a kids’ movie. The writing is sloppy and problematic at points, but it is good enough. The acting is inconstant, but there is only so much that can be done with this script. There is also no chemistry between the actors. Callie is a solid lead, although her story is a bit of a fumble. The emotional moments don’t hit as hard because there isn’t any proper development for any of them. This movie focuses mainly on Football and Madden, so Callie never gets a chance to develop her character or create the meaningful relationships the movie tells you she does. There’s enough story to make it a kids’ movie, but I found it a little lazy. You have to suspend all your disbelief for this movie to work, but you are probably not the target audience.
Although I found some of the dialogue problematic, I appreciate this story being about people of color. As a person of color, it’s nice to see that kids are starting to get movies with a more diverse representation. It meant a lot to me as a kid when I finally got to see people that looked like me on TV, and I can only imagine it is true for kids today. Fantasy Football is a step in the right direction toward more positive and diverse stories, but we still have ways to go.
What I liked most about this movie is that it doesn’t have a tangible villain. I found it interesting that the villain in this movie is pride. The dad may have a rival, but the rival isn’t a terrible person that needs to be defeated. Instead, it is pride that complicates the narrative and creates the adversities the characters need to overcome. The dad consumed with pride fails to see how his actions make him selfish. Callie, consumed by her father’s pride, is forced to make a difficult decision. It is refreshing to see characters not have to overcome some cartoonishly evil villain, but something more personal. It isn’t done well, but I appreciate that there was an attempt.
I have sat through worse movies than Fantasy Football. Don’t go out of your way to watch this movie because it isn’t worth it, but you won’t hate it if you have to watch it with your kids. You will get bored, but trust me, it could be worse. You can stream it on Paramount+.
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You should be watching The Bear on Hulu. It is a fast-paced, anxiety-inducing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. My heart is still racing from this hectic experience, and I love it.
After his brother’s suicide, Carmy moves back to Chicago to try to save his family’s restaurant. Carmy inherited this restaurant from his brother. Carmy is a classically trained chef, and he brings with him new innovative ideas. But saving the restaurant won’t be easy. The staff is stubborn, and his brother left the business in shambles. Can Carmy bring the staff together and help bring the change necessary to save the restaurant?
I am still shaking from the stress and anxiety this series gave me. The Bear does a fantastic job of showing a realistic view of the fast-paced and stressful environment that is in the kitchen. The series deals with hard topics such as depression, anxiety, and death while telling a powerful narrative.
This series is best at showing the worst of the human experience. You follow as characters are crippled by stress, anxiety, depression, and other complications in such a real way that it gets uncomfortable. Watching people live with their mental illnesses is something that resonated with me deeply, and I am sure I am not alone in this. it is an aspect of the show that is sprinkled expertly throughout the series as it tells its story.
What I enjoyed most is how the character processes their grief about the suicide. It is a slow process that all characters worked through as the series progressed. I loved watching the characters change through their process as they each went through the different stages in their own way.
The Bear is a fantastic series, and I hope I did it justice. If you like cooking shows, heartwarming shows, or shows about mental health, go check this out! Go watch it now on Hulu and thank me later!
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The People We Hate At The Wedding is another case of a fantastic cast wasted on a lazy movie. If you are interested in this movie, I suggest watching Brides Maids or Bride Wars instead. This movie feels like a cheap improved version of these movies, and it isn’t worth your time.
The movie focuses on a group of step-siblings who have grown estranged over the years. To reunite the family and mend the bond between them, the eldest invites her family to her wedding. But things are tense between the step-siblings, and things don’t go as planned. Instead of a happy reunion, there is sloppy chaos spilling onto the streets of London. It seems as if all the tension straining their relationship has reached its boiling point. Can they work through their issues and come together as a family before the wedding? Yes, they do. This movie sucks.
The acting is easily the best part, but I wish the story was better. The actors do a great job with what they are given and even share some terrific chemistry, but they can only do so much. The characters are a collection of misfortune and bad decisions without much more depth to them outside of being assholes. The story is a collection of poorly improved skits that go too long and pandering emotional moments that don’t land as they should. Whatever cookie-cutter narrative this film tries to develop throughout its run times instantly becomes predictable. I don’t know which is worse: the boring predictable plot or the jokes that go on for too long.
I liked that the focus is on a family that isn’t perfect, but there isn’t a real story here. This movie has too many plots, none of them which are given the proper time to develop. As a result, this movie takes too long to set up various big moments but then rushes through them to get to the end credits. This makes for a very disappointing conclusion to a movie without much direction.
Don’t watch this movie. It isn’t funny, heartwarming, or entertaining. Other movies have done this story a lot better. Go watch those instead. But for those still interested, you can watch it on Amazon if you have a Prime Membership.
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I have seen enough bad Netflix adaptations and spinoffs to be skeptical about the success of Wednesday. While the casting seemed perfect, I refused to get too excited. I was pleasantly surprised by this spinoff. While it may not be perfect, it is a solid series that you should consider watching.
After a terrible prank, Wednesday is sent to Nevermore, a school for gifted outsiders. The school is full of werewolves, vampires, and people who just don’t fit into the rest of society. Wednesday is resistant at first but slowly comes to tolerate the change. There is something sinister lurking in the woods around Nevermore, and Wednesday loves sinister. Wednesday finds herself in the middle of a mystery full of murder, mayhem, and conspiracy. It is enough to put a smile on her otherwise pale and gloomy face. Can she get to the bottom of things before the year is out?
This is the fourth show in this supernatural school genre I have seen this year. While I noticed that are a lot of parallels, it manages to be a unique enough narrative. The story and lore are tame and easy to follow, the aesthetic is visually appealing, and Wednesday is a fantastic protagonist. Some of the writing and acting aren’t great, but it isn’t bad enough to stop watching.
The mystery in this series is well-developed. It will keep most audiences guessing until the big reveal at the end. I can assure you that there is enough misdirection to muddle your theories as soon as you make them. If you are paying enough attention, there are enough clues to solve the mystery early on. It isn’t overtly obvious unless you know what you are looking for, so I would avoid spoilers. It is refreshing to see a mystery with good attention to detail. There is nothing worse than watching a sloppy mystery where the solution is over-rationalized nonsense at the end.
The characters in this series are fine, although they get sloppy the farther removed they are from Wednesday. The acting is inconsistent between the supporting actors unless they are close to Wednesday. It isn’t bad, but it is noticeable. This might be intentional since outside of Wednesday, most characters are one-dimensional.
Wednesday is a fantastic protagonist. I was afraid they were going to make her a generic brooding goth girl, but there is some surprising depth to Wednesday. I like that Wednesday isn’t perfect. She makes mistakes, loses, and is even wrong sometimes, but she learns from her downfalls. She may not admit when she makes mistakes, but she tries harder, attempts to make amends, and experiences meaningful character growth. The series does a tremendous job of building up her growth and highlighting those important moments. Wednesday will not end in the same place where she started her journey.
My only complaint about this series is that the ending is a bit sloppy. I lost interest because the pacing feels rushed as the series tries to close up all the different plot threads it’s set up throughout the season. It still remained an enjoyable experience and one that I recommend to everyone. This is a different tone than any of the source materials. This is a lot more serious dark and structured more like a teen drama. It has a lot of similar themes, but with a lot less fan service. That said, this is honestly one of the better ones of the genre I have seen. You can stream it now on Netflix.
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Disenchanted is another lazy sequel from Disney that no one asked for. This lazy and uninspired kids’ film is a waste of time, don’t bother streaming it. If you are a fan of Enchanted, watch that instead. If you have to watch it with your kids, you’re going to be bored.
Giselle is a Disney princess that has made a life for herself in the real world but finds difficulty adjusting. In an effort to have her happily ever after, the family moves out of the city and into a small town. The transition isn’t easy it puts a strain on the family, specifically on the relationship between Giselle and her stepdaughter. In her moment of desperation, Gisselle makes the wish that will change everything. Gizelle wishes for her stepdaughter to have the fairy tale life she deserves, but this wish comes with unintended consequences.
I already forgot I watched this movie because it is dull. This movie is lazy, and the plot has been done better elsewhere. This is the plot of all those slapstick babysitter movies that keep coming out, but a lot less funny and with a lot more singing. Giselle is nice and means well, but her moody teenage daughter doesn’t understand. It is by the end of the adventure that the daughter understands Giselle and learns to appreciate her as a mother. It is as cheesy and poorly written as you can imagine.
Disenchanted does attempt to poke fun at the fairy tale genre but isn’t good at making its criticism. This movie is a collection of songs sloppily strung together with a poorly written narrative and terrible meta-jokes. I am glad that at least the singing was good. If no one is singing in this movie, nothing is happening. I hate musicals, but I found myself wishing for anyone to start to sing just for something to start happening.
While the songs and singing are fine, I hope your kids don’t fall in love with Disenchanted. The endless loop of this movie will kill you.
This movie is boring, and there is no getting around it. If you have to watch this with your kids, you will be bored. At least the singing is nice, and you won’t be confused with the plot, but these remain negligible consolations. You can stream it on Disney+, but I wouldn’t bother.
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