Twice Upon a Christmas (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Around the holiday season, every TV channel seems to show yet another movie about somebody saving Christmas. Once Upon a Christmas / Twice Upon a Christmas has the benefit of being at least a bit original/different. In the film, Santa's two daughters, Kristin and Rudolpha, alternatively try to save and destroy Christmas. The movie doesn't focus so much on jolly St. Nick himself, but rather the naughty and very nice daughters.
However, this movie isn't going to make it into the holiday classics. The acting is decent, but not great. In fact, the movie seems to spend way too much time with Rudolpha, the evil sister/villain, whose acting was over the top, rather than developing the rest of the characters. Kristen Claus by contrast comes across as a bit too pure and kindly.
The film was made-for-TV, and definitely looks it. The production quality looks more like a late 1980s movie than something that came out only a few years ago. In fact, when I was watching it, I was sure it came out much earlier.
Other scenes were just flat out corny. The call to Donald Trump didn't really advance the story and wasn't particularly funny. The movie doesn't even use the real Donald. The ending came a bit too magically and suddenly (I don't want to spoil it, but you'll see what I mean).
If you like the The Santa Clause-type movies, you'll probably like Once Upon a Christmas / Twice Upon a Christmas. It's sweet, Christmas-y, etc. - just don't expect too much.

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Santa's first born daughter, Rudolfa, is secretly selling pieces of the North Pole, and plans to ruin Christmas and replace Santa's workshop with a brand new casino. But Santa's lost daughter Kristen returns to the North Pole with her two children who are desperate to save Christmas, and rebuild the shattered village.

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Once Upon a Christmas (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS is a made for tv movie filled with schmaltz, goo and Christmas sentiment; however, it's message is good and it's an enjoyzble movie to sip some egg nog with.
Kathy Ireland is gorgeous; can she act? Well, in the Christmas spirit, let's just say if anyone can get away with syrupy dialogue, Ireland's the one. The rest of the cast is mediocre with the exception of the delightful Liz Torres who is wonderful as the Tooth Fairy.
The plot revolves around Santa's disillusion with Christmas, so his youngest daughter Kristin (Ireland) convinces her pop to let Christmas go on if she can change one family's whose name has been crossed off the nice list. Matters are complicated by her witchy older sister Rudolfa, who wants Christmas to go in a new direction--Christmas Fools Day with whooopie cushions, etc.
The movie did well enough that it spawned a sequel TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS, which I haven't seen yet, but I don't have a burning desire since this one is just okay. Merry Christmas.

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Santa's good-hearted daughter, Kristen (Kathy Ireland), tries to save Christmas. Unlike her conniving older sibling, Rudolfa, Kristen, who embodies holiday cheer, is shocked to learn her father is fed up with the selfish mortal world and plans to retire from his duties. Unable to simply sit back and let Rudolfa take over the reins, Kristen cuts a deal with Santa: If she can convert a family on his naughty list---a single dad (John Dye) and his two bratty kids---by showing them the spirit of giving in time for Christmas, then Santa must continue to spread holiday cheer.

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Holiday in Handcuffs (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have liked Melissa Joan Hart since her days on Clarissa Explains It All so I was pleased to see she was back on TV again. This movie takes place at Christmas time and is basically a story about a woman who sees herself as a failure through her family's eyes and is hoping that bringing home her successful boyfriend for Christmas will prove she finally got something right, until he dumps her Christmas Eve and leaves her hanging.
She sees a very handsome man at the diner where she is working and tells her mom everything is hunky dory and kidnaps the handsome guy and takes him hostage (hence the handcuffs). From here the plot unravels in the typical romantic comedy faire where he is trying to convince everyone he's been kidnapped and she says it's a kind of joke he likes to play and we all get our happy ending. As I have said, it is the typically romantic comedy plot but there are some very funny moments and I can definitely see myself watching this movie again. If you like MJH, you will enjoy this movie.

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A ne er-do-well thirty-something (Melissa Joan Hart) attempts to appease her family by kidnapping herself an attractive boyfriend (Mario Lopez) for the family Christmas. Despite unlikely odds and dysfunctional family moments, the two fall in love and share a magical Christmas.StarringMelissaJoan Hart and Mario Lopez SPECIAL FEATURES: Cast Interviews! Film Trailers of ABC Family s Original Movies: Snow and Snowglobe Sneak Peek Trailer of ABC Family s 25 Days of Christmas Holiday Event!

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Hostage Negotiator (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I liked this film a lot. What can I say about it? Good story, good acting. The way the film starts is relevant to the story but it takes you a few minutes to get into the film. Very watchable none the less.

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Chasing Christmas (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved this film! I highly recommend it to kids and adults. It's a modern take on the classic Dickens story, "A Christmas Carol." I've seen a few versions of "A Christmas Carol," so I picture bleary blizzards, old grumpy guys, and poor, poor little Timmy--so depressing. But when I saw this film, I was pleasantly surprised at how funny and original it was. It's set in modern day, and dad (played by the always entertaining, Tom Arnold) hates Christmas 'cause it reminds him of his awful divorce. And all his daughter wants for him is to enjoy Christmas and move past his past. Cue the ghosts--but this time it's not what you expect, ghosts don't always cooperate...I won't give away any more, you'll just have to watch it. It's the perfect film to get in the holiday spirit!

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Christmas isn't coming early, late, or at all for the bitterly divorced Jack Cameron. This modern-day Scrooge hates Santa and any soul who loves Christmas. Jack gets a Christmas wake-up call from the Ghost of Christmas Past, who suddenly decides to take a vacation, leaving Jack in the past. Now Jack must team up with the gorgeous Ghost of Christmas Present to save the future of Christmas.

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A Boyfriend for Christmas (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I caught this movie on TV last year and thought it was very cute-- just like those romance novels I read. So, when it came out on DVD, I had to buy it.
She is the girl-next-door type who made a wish a long time ago for a boyfriend for Christmas and has pretty much given up on the wish ever coming true. He is a workaholic attorney whose path happens to cross hers--- and not in the best way. A little mistaken identity and holiday magic help the two fall in love. But, once the true identity is revealed, will all bets be off? You'll have to watch and see.
I would have given it 5 stars if I hadn't found myself thinking, "How did they get so much time off from work during the holidays?" (smile)
A delightful movie. Perfect for a chilly night when you need some help getting over your own bah humbug feelings.

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DVD: 05-51361 A Boyfriend for Christmas Kelli Williams (The Practice) is Holly Grant, an idealistic lawyer who gave up on finding Mr. Right in her stocking when she split with her last boyfriend. OSCAR nominee Charles Durning (To Be or Not to Be) plays Santa, who fulfills an old promise by bringing her and another attorney, Ryan Hughes (Patrick Muldoon), together. Due to an earlier misunderstanding, Ryan doesn’t want Holly to know who he is, so when Santa sends him to deliver a Christmas tree, he introduces himself as "Douglas Firewood." His well-meaning white lie threatens to derail a budding romance, and spoil Santa’s plan, in this warm-hearted holiday treat. Running Time: Approx. 100 MinutesColor/NTSC/Stereo

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A Carol Christmas (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a version of Christmas Carol. I have never been a Tori Spelling fan, but she did an excellent job in this movie. It is one I will watch year after year. It was very touching.

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DVD: 05-51363 A Carol Christmas Tori Spelling (Beverly Hills, 90210), William Shatner (Star Trek) and Gary Coleman (Diff’rent Strokes) shine in this light-hearted update of the Dickens classic.Carol Cartman (Spelling) says "Bah, humbug" to the clichés of her fellow talk-show host, Dr. Bob (Shatner), and especially to a live Christmas Eve show her producer has planned.But during a pre-show nap, her late Aunt Marla (Dinah Manoff) takesCarol on a holiday journey, complete with Ghosts of Christmas Past (Coleman) and Present (Shatner again).Soon, this Scrooge-like celebrity is shown the life she should have led, the life she causes others to lead…andthe fate thatmight await her, if she doesn’t show some holiday spirit! Running Time: Approx. 85 MinutesColor/NTSC/Stereo

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Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)This film was originally shown on the Hallmark channel in 2004 and I know it is being repeated this year. It's a sappy charmer but the best Christmas movies tend to be sappy charmers anyway and this one does a very good job. The movie stars Steve Guttenberg who had really kind of disappeared for a few years but seems to be making a but of a comeback even if it's not in A features.
Guttenberg is Nick, the son of Santa Claus. His dad is retiring and Nick is going to take over the job but before he can he has to find a Mrs. Claus. Now obviously this is same plot used in the Santa Clause 2 so while it's not terribly original, it's pulled off well for a TV movie. Anyway he heads to Southern California where he eventually meets Beth played by Crystal Bernard. He of coruse has to win Beth over and convince her to believe in Santa. Beth is a hard-working career woman, widower, and mother who has a son named Jake. She works for an ad agency and Nick actually plays Santa in commercials that the company does. Well of course you know how the film turns out, right?
Guttenberg is always a likable guy and brings a regular guy charm to his roles. Bernard is equally likable, always playing the nice girl. It's a good family picture. Hallmark had made a sequel called "Meet the Santas" which should be popping up any day now. As they say...check your listings!

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DVD: 05-51362 Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus Steve Guttenberg (Three Men and a Baby), Crystal Bernard (Wings), and Thomas Calabro (Melrose Place) star in a Christmas charmer about Santa’s son and his search for a wife.Nick (Guttenberg) is due to replace his retiring father, and needs a Mrs. Claus, so Santa’s adviser sends him down to Southern California.There he meets Beth Sawtelle (Bernard), a workaholic widow whose advertising job with Andrew West (Calabro) leaves precious little time for her son, Jake (Dominic Scott Kay).Concealing his identity, Nick stars in a series of Christmas commercials for the agency as he tries to make sure Jake and Beth both believe in Santa Claus-no easy task in her case! Running Time: Approx. 85 Minutes/Color/NTSC/Stereo

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Angel in the Family (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie is a find! It manages to deal with real people in a realistic way without resorting to the usual easy gimmick of making the people nasty and hostile. The people here are not perfect, but they are sympathetic.
Also, the relationships in this family are very realistic--again without making anyone a pain or an impossible person. Whoever wrote this had a lot of understanding of the relations between grown siblings and between grown children and their parents.
The film also explores some of the big questions of life and how important "little things" are in those big questions. The mother's admitting that she gave an incomplete version of her recipe to a friend who had admired the dish, and that she had been bothered by that and wants to make it right--this was priceless. Also, her determination to return the library book!
The transitions of the characters are well-developed and believable. They manage to work things out without everyone suddenly becoming angelic creatures without a fault in the world.
If you like human dramas about real but decent people, this is not a film to be missed. There are all too few like it.


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Get ready to believe the impossible. Sarah Bishop and her estranged sister Beth are reunited after their father Buddy suffers a mild stroke. Buddy, who's never accepted the loss of his wife Lorraine, wants only one thing - to return home for Christmas. With sweet memories of a life gone by, Sarah makes an impossible wish that her mother could be there, too. By morning, it is as if a winter prayer has been answered. Bearing a message of hope, healing, and everlasting love, a miracle has arrived...

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