***^ In Theaters: Smallfoot (2018)

***^ Small Foot (2018)  Here is a cute animated movie about a reporter who is willing to bend the rules, even using an impersonated Big Foot for a news story, but gets a huge awakening when one actually kidnaps him to take back to his village to prove that the Smallfeet actually exist.  Then follows a confrontation, and two cultures deciding if they can live together. Among other voice contributors are Channing Tatum, LaBron James, Danny Devito, Common and Zendaya.  

Movie Review: ***^Welcome to Marwan (2018)

Welcome to Marwan 

After a man, Mark Hogencamp (Steve Carroll) is brutally attacked, and "the memories kicked out of his head" he says, he develops PTSD which he deals with by creating a village based on a WWII theme and fighting the Nazis, his PTSD.  One of his attackers had a swastika which fuels the connection. This movie is based on the true story of Hogencamp and his dealing with his PTSD.  A recurring theme is the women of Marwen saving him from the Nazis.  Some of the women who star in the movie are Leslie Mann, Merritt Wever, Leslie Zemeckis and Eiza Gonzalez.  The characters are all doubled with real life persons, and then their doll counterparts.
I enjoyed this as an example of PTSD and one man's attempts to deal with it. 

More Christmas/Holiday Movies

***Kung Fu Panda Holidays (2010)  This is a made-for-tv short animated feature about the importance of family and friends for the holidays.  It concludes with those dignitaries joining the family celebration and learning something in turn.  This show includes the voice talents of all the Kung Fu Panda regulars including, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan.  This is available on Netflix

***Journey Back to Christmas (2016)  In this movie a WWII nurse gets sent back in time somehow by a comet.  She helps people in the modern era remember some of the things about Christmas, like caroling.  She does meet a couple old acquaintances, who give her hope.  This movie would have been better if the plot had been more believable.  Hallmark

**** Christmas Harmony (2018)  This easily is one of my favorite in this genre because of the music.  Harmony (Kelley Jakle) returns home after a bad breakup.  She has been pursuing music, writing for someone else (her jerk boyfriend) but in returning home she reacquaints with her father (she hadn’t been home since her mother passed away) and a new man in town, Luke (Adam Mayfield).  Together they make some beautiful music, with only one momentary fly in the ointment.  These shows always have that fly someplace.  I really enjoyed this film. 

***^ Sons of Mistletoe  (2001)  This is a story about a man (George Newbern) who grew up in a boys home, and has taken over the running of the home.  However their benefactor, and landlord passes away.  Everything passes to his daughter (Roma Downey), who is more interested in getting away than continuing the family interest in the home, and the family mercantile business.  A large conglomerate from “the city” is willing to pay big bucks.  So while the young man is struggling to save the home, it seems his benefactress is sabotaging his efforts.  But what is she were to become attached to the boys? BYUtv

Movie Review: ***^ Creed II

***^ Creed II  (2018)  This is an excellent movie if you like the Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) movies.  This has the same feel and the same tension, especially of Rocky III.  In this movie, it is the son, Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu)  of the boxer, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren)  who killed Apollo Creed in the ring, who is now taking on Creed’s son (Michael B. Jordan).  In the first match, Creed is badly beaten and injured; but escapes with a victory when Viktor hits him after Creed is down and time is called by the referee.  However there has to be a rematch.  Rocky comes in to manage.  I new style and a new toughness is needed; which is found in the Nevada desert.  But will it be enough?

**** Movie Review: Invincible (2006)

Invincible:  This is a crazy good football movie.  This is the story of Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a sandlot football player, who when the invitation came to tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles, takes the opportunity.  He was down on his luck, and the Eagles had not been good for some years.  The brought in a new coach, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear), who had the idea of the try out.  This was mostly a publicity stunt, but Papale stuck, based on his speed, and his guts.  This movie talks of the struggle it is to play in the NFL; but also of self-confidence.  He meets a new girl, a New York Giants fan, Janet (Elizabeth Banks).  The movie ends after the first season, but Papale actually played three seasons for the Eagles before retiring due to a shoulder injury.  He actually played semi-pro football for a couple years before the try out.  He did not play college football, but participated in track and field.

More Christmas Movies 2018

***^ Shoelaces for Christmas  (2018) This is a Christmas Carol type movie with a major twist, the scrooge is a spoiled teenage girl who has some growing up to do when her mother gets sick with cancer.  Jennifer Miller (Mia Topalian) is only focused on her friends and fashion, planning a trip to Paris with her best friend.  However a homeless shelter intervenes, at the insistence of her father.  Jennifer grows up, and even forms attachments with people at the shelter; which relationships change her focus on life.  It is directed by Craig ClydeThis could be considered a Mormon movie and made in Utah movie.  t was on BYUtv.

***^Finding Father Christmas  (2016) After her mother passes away, Miranda (Erin Krakow) embarks on a mission to find her biological father.  All she has to go on is an old picture leading to a town.  There she discovers her father is a famous actor who has also passed away.  But he sponsors a Christmas Carol every yer in his town where he lived with his wife.  Miranda’s mother was a interim affair.  The family eventually accepts her, on the premise that things be kept secret.  More importantly, Miranda finds a love, Ian (Niall Matter).  In this case Father Christmas refers to Miranda’s birth father who also had a special place in his heart for Christmas.  She is returning to her job in the city, with a promise to return next Christmas. Hallmark

***Engaging Father Christmas  (2017)  We are back for more, and Miranda has been true to her word of keeping things secret; except for divulging her father to her ex-boyfriend who encouraged her to seek him out.  She is over heard by a reporter, and this revelation could ruin everything.  Of course her stepmother is disappointed; but she realizes the truth cannot hurt them, but the divulge this to another reporter who has been writing a story about the family; and of course Miranda and Ian become engaged.  Hallmark

***Marrying Father Christmas (2018) The wedding would go off without a hitch, except the venue (Her father’s old home) may not accommodate everyone, and another man has entered the picture, Miranda’s uncle whom she has never met.  I enjoyed this series of feel-good Christmas movies. Hallmark

*** The Santa Incident (2018)  This show starts with a very nice premise, two kids hop on Santa’s sleigh and go for a ride.  When they reveal themselves they scare Santa enough that he crashes the sleigh, the reindeer get away, and Santa loses not only his bag of toys but also his magic Santa hat.  Mrs. Claus always told him to take a spare.  So the kids are about to be left hundreds of miles from home, when they join Santa on a quest to get the toys, hat and everything and save Christmas.  In the meantime Santa ends up in jail for abducting two children.  The kids have to find what is needed.  Kurt Russel portrays Santa Claus, and this Netflix movie is very cute.  However the elves are short and mean and sort of ruin the spirit of the movie.  Santa rocks out in jail and the elves rescue him.  Of course first the kids had to get Santa through the sack to inform them of Santa’s plight.  This is a Netflix movie.

****The Christmas Secret (2015) This is one of those Hallmark type movies with lots of coincidences.  Christine’s (Bethany Joy Lenz) life is falling apart.  Her ex is threatening to take the kids, he does not pay child support.  She gets an eviction notice.   Social services in on her case, she loses her job, everything is headed downhill.  However a man, (she initially thinks he is spying on her for her ex)  Jason (John Reardon) turns out to be a keeper.  He is tasked with finding the lady who saved his mother from death when she had a heart attack.  He cannot find her anywhere.  It is saving her that caused Christine to lose her job, but she finds a new job at a bakery.  Jason befriend Christine’s kids, but is known as “clutch” to them.  Eventually everything comes together.  And turns out that the person who hired her at the bakery is actually Christine’s grandmother on her father’s side.  She had just a locket from her father, and the bakery owner has the key.  The woman who was saved runs a toy store, so the kids are spoiled for Christmas.  And she gives her money for back rent.  And then Jason and Christine have a thing going on.  Hallmark

**^Romance at Reindeer Lodge  (2017) Her is a movie where romance is the key word.  We have a young couple, hoping to see reindeer, which have not visited for some years, and a new couple who start off as rivals, but are forced into the same room.  Romance is bound to happen.  Hallmark

***Christmas Dance  (2012) This is a Hallmark movie.  It is also known as “Come Dance with Me.”  It stars Andrew McCarthy as the business executive, Jack, who is putting together a purchase of a building for his company, and Michelle Nolden as the dance teacher, Christine,  whose studio is in the same building.  They clash on one level, but on another level Jack is taking lessons from Christine so he can impress the boss’ daughter to whom he has intentions of marriage.  However, as their relationship blossoms into love rather than just professional, or a way to get ahead, Jack is left with a conundrum.  He wants to save the dance studio, while also looking good for his boss.  Hallmark

Hallmark Christmas Movies: 2018

I just love the Hallmark Christmas movies.  Here are a few I has watched this year.

***Once Upon a Christmas (2000)

Santa is discouraged due to a lack of Christmas spirit.  His daughter is tasked with getting a family from the naughty to the nice list to save Christmas.  Kristen Clause (Kathy Ireland) has a pretty big task.  Especially since her sister, Rudolfa (Mary Donnelly Haskell) is intent on changing the Holiday to Christmas Fools Day.  In the end the sacrifice Kristen is called upon to make may be larger than she is prepared to do.  This movie was fun.  Ruldolfa is an evil soul but her father gets back at her in the end.

***^Twice Upon a Christmas (2001)  Her is a sequel with Kristen and Ruldolfa still at it.  However, as a result of the first movie Kristen has lost her memory of her life with the Clauses as well as her immortality.  Ruldolfa comes back from her banishment with the goal of selling the North Pole.  In this way Christmas will be done.  She sends pieces all over the world.  She even plans to sell the real estate to Donald Trump for a Trump Tower.  And without her memory Kristen is not likely to intervene; although she knows something is not quite right.  It is a doll that they kids have gotten as part of the pole that jogs her memory and puts Kristen into action.  Here is a sequel with a bit more magic than the original.

****A Town Without Christmas (2001)

Peter Falk plays the role of the magical manipulator who is getting everyone together.  In the end, two people, a writer and a reporter, (Rick Roberts and Patricia Heaton) who are both in Seacliff, Washington pursuing the story of a boy Chris, who has sent a note to Santa hinting at suicide.  They have different motivations however, as the writer has received some paintings which portray the past and the future and include a picture of the letter.  However their two pursuits merge and leads to a romance.  However the big question is finding and saving Chris. 

***^A Town Christmas Forgot (2001)  When the Bensons (Rick Roberts and Lauren Holly) at stranded with their two children due to car issues in Nowhere, Colorado, they come upon a town that is dying due to the loss of the coal mining industry.  The people are depressed, many having left, and the mayor has failed at finding any other business to come to town.  No one will finance a ski lift up the mountain behind town.  But in the end they find likeable people, and even though their car is fixed so they can travel on to the fancy resort they have reserved, the turn around to join the locals for the Christmas Eve Pageant.  And the Bensons are in position to help the town with their problems. 

****A Christmas to Remember (2016)

I think this is my favorite of the Hallmark movies I have watched.  The romance just seems to jump off the screen more.  This is the story of a woman, Jennifer Wade (Mira Sorvino) TV personality, cooking show, who needs to get away.  She is headed to a rural Colorado, and while doing so, she slides off the road and bumps her head, and loses her memory.  She has no memory of who she is.  She is taken in by a single man and his family.  John Blake (Cameron Mathison) and his children are still dealing with the death of his wife and the kids’ mother three years prior.  Even though she does not remember her name, she still remembers her cooking and domestic skills.  Through these skills the family begins to heal, as well as herself.  A romance ensues; but this is interrupted when someone recognizes her and she is forced back to her urban life.  However Jennifer has other plans.

***Santa Incident (2010)  Santa (James Cosmo) is shot down by the Air Force, and he is found with a cracked skull by two siblings who are taking a restricted short-cut to school.  The little girl’s smile is very infectious.  She believes in Santa, while her brother is not sure.  Santa was gathering supplies and Christmas is coming.  On his tail are two people from Homeland Security who pursue Santa as a threat to national security.  Santa has enough magic to make toys.  He sets up shop in an abandoned warehouse where the older brother likes to spend time.  However he still needs to be rescued by the elves.  The eventually show up with the restored sleigh and Christmas is saved.  However not before Santa sparks a romance for their mother.  Father ran away a couple years prior. 

***^A Carol Christmas (2003)  Carol Cartman (Tori Spelling) is the diva of the talk show scene.  Everyone is scared of her and she doesn’t hesitate to fire those who displease her.  That is until she is visited by four ghosts.  First her Aunt, who mentored her in the business to be sure everyone is always waiting for you, and treat everyone as you inferior.  She even chased off her love interest.  Then the Ghost of Christmas Pat (Gary Coleman) and the Ghost of Christmas Present (William Shatner)  And of course the Ghost of Christmas Future.  When they are through with her, Carol is a changed woman.  The mood of her show is changed from being cynical to being uplifting.  She even offers to pay for all her cast to travel to Hawaii.