If you’ve read my ramblings for any length of time, first of all, thank you. Secondly, and more to the point of this write up, you know I am TV movie junkie. Whether it’s Lifetime or ABC Family (now Freeform), I’ve discovered some cuties in the bunch. But what plays most at my house is Hallmark Channel.
More recently, Netflix also joins the “original movies” game. What do these services and networks have in common? They produce Christmas originals each year, with Hallmark Channel leading the way.
Not only do I adore their other 11 months’ worth of new premieres, it’s their Christmas movies that first caught my attention.
You all likely know this given how much I talk about these in various blog posts, on Twitter, and by the number of them I review here and elsewhere. Recently as I was doing prep work and writing a review for one I had recently watched, I discovered something. As I Google-d the title to double check spellings and search for official images, I spotted headlines. Headlines that are anything but complimentary to the film; and mock the actors and film in general.
Here’s what I know: I already knew these types of opinion pieces existed. I also know that I didn’t click on a single story, and instead was inspired to write a piece to defend these films.
Christmas Checklist! All the Fun Things on the To Do List
During the Christmas season, one of my guilty pleasures is to watch Christmas movies. They’re cute and best of all, happy. They are also a mood lifting bit of enjoyment. Christmas movies may be imperfect or sometimes suffer technical detail faults, but despite my sometimes uncontrollable giggles (sometimes over something the film does wrong), I love ‘em.
One common thing in these films is their use of tropes; so many of them follow the same lines in the pattern. You can almost predict the “next move” by the minute. However, in the last 3 years, what you might not know is that these TV productions have improved in a 360 kind of way. From the production to the cast, they’ve become better but equally as enjoyable productions.
This year, what I notice is that while the scripts still use common tropes, they’ve made changes. Some are subtle (like the way a snowball fight happens) while others are more obvious (nixing the return of an ex who almost ruins the new relationship). It’s been changes that impress. The creative differences in these films is, dare I say this, to be admired and in many instances, clever. Sure some of the romances might be unrealistic, but another thing most of the scripts have improved upon is omitting the “I love you” declaration. Instead of this, by the film’s end, most couples are in a hopeful place, which is exactly where they should be especially since most timelines are no longer than 2 weeks.
Since storytelling, no matter its format, is subjective, these types of stories aren’t going to suit everyone. That’s OK. I love them. Do I have favorites among the large TV library of Christmas movies? Of course. But I do like them all for their ability to bring some cheer, and for their branding, which 99% of the time is a wholesome movie. Furthermore, many of these movies offer nuggets of wisdom that the perceptive viewer will admire, and maybe even need to hear.
At the end of the day, I’m not about to give up my Christmas movie watching binges. I adore them because it’s Christmas, and why not? I like them because it’s something my mom and I enjoy together. Oh, and I cannot forget, I enjoy them because of the romantic notions and sweet love stories. Is this wrong? I don’t think so. These movies often carry a message that can be applied to our day-to-day lives. They have the ability to make a not-so-good day better, and if ever this is wrong, then I think our cinematic universe just might be askew. ♥
Do you watch #Christmas movies? If so, come by and tell me all your thoughts. Today I write a post in which I defend them - and talk about #AlltheFeels Click To Tweet #Discussion: How to Defend (and Enjoy!) #Christmas Movies Click To Tweet
I absolutely love Christmas movies! When I was a kid, I always looked forward to watching them in the afternoon. I love how Netflix and the other streaming sites make their own movies. I’m aware of how corny they are but it’s something that I always enjoy.