It is that time of year where I take of my thriller, mystery and horror loving hat (I don’t share that one a lot by the way but I do love a good scare – note scare…not gore) and slide on my Christmas hat. I have set my DVR and scoured my streaming services for some Christmas movies and I thought that once I check them out, I’d share them with you. Why? Well, because I love Christmas movies and because I have had recommendations that have delighted me and some that made me scratch my head in wonder. You know how it is, everyone tells you how much they love a certain movie and you see it and wonder what it is you missed.
Hopefully you will see something you like…me too. The majority of these movies will be firsts for me.
So lets begin. First up: Lucky Christmas
Lucky Christmas
–Hallmark Christmas Movie
–About the movie– Holly Ceroni, a single mom trying to get back on her feet, is crushed when she learns her winning lottery ticket is in the glove compartment of her recently stolen car. Mike Ronowski, the construction worker behind Holly’s missing property, goes along with a plan to befriend Holly and coerce her into giving him half her winnings. Mike unexpectedly falls for Holly and learns there are more important things than money just in time for the holidays.
–Cast– Elizabeth Berkley as Holly Ceroni, Jason Gray-Stanford as Mike Ronowski, Mitchell Kummen as Max Ceroni, Mike Bell as Joe, Megan MacArton as Rose and Robert Huculak as Bob Ronowski.
–My Review– Christmas movies that are made for video and tv can be hit or miss with me so when I find a gem, I am more than happy to spread the word. Lucky Christmas is one of those gems. Here is what I like: I like that Holly is a hard working single mom who is doing what she can to make ends meet for herself and her son. She has a warmth and kindness in her and it flows to those around her. I like the pairing up of Mike and Holly. Neither character is living the perfect life which makes them ripe for some Christmas magic. Both Holly and Mike have issues with their pasts that they are struggling with that go beyond the elephant in the room…the ole lottery ticket. Holly’s ex left her not fully willing to trust a man but she also sees the need for a father figure of sorts for her young son. Mike has the disappointment of his father and brother weighing heavily on his shoulders. Their delight in connecting with someone is sweet. There is an easy chemistry between Mike and Holly that slowly builds and although all Christmas stories have their happy sappy moments, this is not a forceful shark jumper. Love that! There are some nice lessons in the movie with young Max, Holly’s son as well. All in all, Lucky Christmas is a treat for those who want a little Christmas romance that is not over the top unbelievable. Elizabeth Berkley and Jason Gray-Stanford have great chemistry (I’m not talking steamy stuff here) on screen and really make the love story believeable. The dialogue works, the actors fit the story and it is well worth the watch. In fact, it was so well worth it, I decided to buy the DVD.
Now the great news. I recorded Lucky Christmas with my DVR from the Hallmark Channel when they started showing Christmas movies again. As I first began to write this review, I thought I might not be able to share a way to stream it or view it, BUT it is airing again on the Hallmark Channel in their Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. The next airing is Wednesday, December 9th at 9 pm/8 pm c. Other upcoming dates and times include December 10, 21, 22, 26, 27, and two showings on the 30th. Find out more here at Hallmark Movies and Mysteries – Lucky Christmas. If you would like to purchase Lucky Christmas, I found it as part of a Christmas movie four pack and single both at Amazon. You might be able to find them for purchase at the Hallmark site, but I couldn’t.
PS – This is a great movie for snuggling up with a loved one or enjoying a girls Christmas movie night in. It is also VERY family friendly.
I enjoyed this review and I tweeted it.