I really enjoyed the band at the Christmas Party but I cannot find a credit for them.
38 Reviews
Band
rbella-0242622 October 2019
A Christmas worth remembering
TheLittleSongbird3 November 2020
Throughout my whole Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas film completest quest undertaken namely late last year through to early this year, an interesting quest but very mixed one, there was never the mentality of expecting a classic or the film in question to be flawless. Something that was never managed with Hallmark's output. There was always the expectation of seeing a film where one can see at least some effort rather than merely cash-in level. One could see that with most of Hallmark's output but not all.
'A Christmas to Remember' as far as Hallmark's Christmas films go fares quite well and is definitely worth watching and remembering. It is not flawless or a classic, but have come overtime to not expect any of those things watching a Hallmark Christmas film and have always tried to not judge them too seriously. Have seen the two leads in other things and they have shown that they can be good with the right material, which they do have once 'A Christmas to Remember' gets going.
It is a bit slow to begin with, the set up taking a little too long and Mira Sorvino's character is not easy to warm to at first.
Some of the dialogue early on is pretty ropey too, the cheese really stinking up the room. The music could have been toned down too tonally and in placement, too constant and too loud.
However, it is worth sticking with 'A Christmas to Remember' if in any initial doubt as to me it did get a lot better. The production values still manage to be pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Some of the music has some pleasant nostalgic moments. The dialogue is not great to begin with but improves when the plot properly kicks in, not being too sweet and it flows at least.
Furthermore, the story is light-hearted and really warms the heart without going into over-saccharine territory. The characters were on the most part ones easy to get behind and carry the film well. The acting is well above average, with Sorvino being very engaging once her character became easier to warm to and expressive. Even better is charming Cameron Mathison and the two have genuine and natural chemistry together. Hallmark have a variable track record when it comes to child acting performances (Lifetime more so), but the children here are great. They are not too cute and are not bratty either.
Concluding, worthwhile and worth remembering if not quite a must watch. 7/10
'A Christmas to Remember' as far as Hallmark's Christmas films go fares quite well and is definitely worth watching and remembering. It is not flawless or a classic, but have come overtime to not expect any of those things watching a Hallmark Christmas film and have always tried to not judge them too seriously. Have seen the two leads in other things and they have shown that they can be good with the right material, which they do have once 'A Christmas to Remember' gets going.
It is a bit slow to begin with, the set up taking a little too long and Mira Sorvino's character is not easy to warm to at first.
Some of the dialogue early on is pretty ropey too, the cheese really stinking up the room. The music could have been toned down too tonally and in placement, too constant and too loud.
However, it is worth sticking with 'A Christmas to Remember' if in any initial doubt as to me it did get a lot better. The production values still manage to be pleasing. It's not too drab or garish in photography, the editing didn't seem rushed or disorganised and the scenery has a real charm to it. Some of the music has some pleasant nostalgic moments. The dialogue is not great to begin with but improves when the plot properly kicks in, not being too sweet and it flows at least.
Furthermore, the story is light-hearted and really warms the heart without going into over-saccharine territory. The characters were on the most part ones easy to get behind and carry the film well. The acting is well above average, with Sorvino being very engaging once her character became easier to warm to and expressive. Even better is charming Cameron Mathison and the two have genuine and natural chemistry together. Hallmark have a variable track record when it comes to child acting performances (Lifetime more so), but the children here are great. They are not too cute and are not bratty either.
Concluding, worthwhile and worth remembering if not quite a must watch. 7/10
A Sweet Little Holiday Treat
kall669527 December 2017
Miro Sorvino plays a chef with a cooking show who is in an accident on her way to her friend's Christmas cabin somewhere in mountains? Her car crashes and she loses her memory. COME ON PEOPLE!!! PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD AND NOT TO YOUR PHONE!! or YOUR MAP!! ESPECIALLY IN NASTY WEATHER ON UNKNOWN ROADS!!! Miro is a great actress, but her character is a real wishy washy plaintive person initially. However, after she crashes and forgets who she is, she is much more bearable to be around. After the accident, she stays with Cameron Mathieson, who is, as always, Mr. Charm. He has three kids to deal with and does it charmingly. So the movie deals with her loss of memory and her absorption into the nice family living in the snow. I am AMAZED how incredibly clueless they all are, however, when she demonstrates Stellar Cooking Skills and do Nothing to investigate that.... Anyway, she finds herself fitting in with the country life and naturally, falling for the guy and his kids. But WHAT will happen when she goes back to her REAL LIFE???
See this movie every year
mjdsj3 November 2019
Recapture that Christmas Magic
kz917-19 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Even with the slightly hokey premise I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Mira Sorvino and Cameron Mathison are the stars and hey at least their names are immediately recognizable! The premise is a TV personality that doesn't much care for Christmas winds up with amnesia and is rescued by the local vet and stays with them over Christmas. She falls for the vet and his kids and learns to love Christmas again! Very enjoyable!
Mira Sorvino for the win
rwade-944-56452916 November 2022
(I've put enough negative reviews here on Hallmark Christmas movies, so I really need to comment on one that I like.)
By keeping the story small--meaning just the family spending time in the house with the few forays into town--there weren't opportunities for multiple implausibilities. I know that's a negative way to put it, but by contrast with other Hallmark Christmas movies I've seen, this one didn't have so many distractions. Mira Sorvino is very winsome in her role. It's easy to see how this family would come to love her. And Cameron Mathison plays the suitably low-key , gentle, and supportive man a lost woman would be glad to have helping her in such a situation.
By keeping the story small--meaning just the family spending time in the house with the few forays into town--there weren't opportunities for multiple implausibilities. I know that's a negative way to put it, but by contrast with other Hallmark Christmas movies I've seen, this one didn't have so many distractions. Mira Sorvino is very winsome in her role. It's easy to see how this family would come to love her. And Cameron Mathison plays the suitably low-key , gentle, and supportive man a lost woman would be glad to have helping her in such a situation.
Remember this is a Happy Happy Happy Christmas Movie
gehewe29 January 2017
The first and only review of this movie a month ago was so bad I decided not to watch it. Then I decided that since I liked the plot summary so much I would watch it. I'm so glad I did. I loved it. It was a well done Happy to watch movie. Mira Sovino in the lead reminds me so much of a Mrs Walton/Mrs Ingles and Sandra Bullock with her smile and mannerisms. Also loved Cameron Matheson in the lead. Now I see there are four more reviews for this movie and they are all great. The lead actor and actress are actually in their late 40's. Recognized the Grampa from the Christmas Lodge. Could have kept watching this movie loved it.
7 stars because the kids were sweet and their Dad played his part well
iranu-741951 November 2020
Well, it's not a spoiler to say that the central plot is that someone loses their memory. Which, on the list of "juvenile choices when attempting to write a script" comes in at number 7, on the Hallmark List of Amateur Writing. That said, most of the cast do a good job, with much less ham being produced, than you would expect. The female lead phoned in a fair amount of her performance, but she played it cute enough. Male lead was very well measured in his performance and the kids were super. A little spoiler: when the central character gets their memory back, they remember that they're a convicted axe murderer on the run and so they slaughter all the kids in a massive blood bath in the last scene.... No, not really - relax, they just put up a Christama tree and bake some cookies. Happy Christmas
A Christmas movie to remember
bobvonb21 December 2017
I have to admit I'm a sucker for these movies. I recorded them and then we watch at our (retired) convenience. Then I delete them after watching. Not so with this one. It's actually still there and we watched it a couple more times. This is a step above the rest of the Hallmark movies. The story was simple, and only a couple of small plot holes but overall quite good. It was well acted in as much of a minimalist way as is possible with the genre. We love ALL the characters from kids to sports writer who gave us a couple of chuckles as well as face palms. It's one we wished it was to be a hour longer to expand on all the characters.
Hmm...
idozah20 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The movie was good. I gave 5 stars only for the male lead and the kids in the movie. The female lead was so bad at acting, I was cringing at every scene with her...The scene when she wakes up in his house is incredible bad, her reactions are really annoying. Worth watching if you are a fan of the male lead.
Fun to watch.
tom-496-52210611 July 2019
Mira Sorvino?
soniaquebec10 July 2021
Male Lead and kids were great!
swinfree5 December 2021
I have seen every Hallmark Christmas movie and just love them! I only gave this a 5 out of 10 because the acting of the lead female character was bad and out of place. She plays the part as if she has had a brain injury giving her the mind of a ditzy teenager and less of somebody with amnesia. The actress didn't seem comfortable in this role for whatever reason, but overall good movie the family will love!
Decent enough
zdarov14 December 2021
Wonderful Christmas movie
jimlanders-739174 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Not your typical Hallmark Christmas Movie. The director took great care in making this movie a cut above. The family theme was so much greater than any other Hallmark Christmas movie. The interaction with Cameron and Mira was so excellent. The children played so perfect in this. They really seemed to act as their ages would dictate. And they weren't tokens either. They played into the story as much as Cameron and Mira did. Mira turned on the charm of being very motherly as well. It's a Hallmark movie - it doesn't disappoint in making the ending predictable. But the journey to the end is so family. As mentioned before, those acting were selected so well. The interaction with the kids were so family. It seemed so realistic, right down to the dog. Loved this movie. Thank you Hallmark!
Outstanding Hallmark movie
drsjerven@aol.com13 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is an outstanding Hallmark movie. Don't be looking for villains, angst, or high drama. This is a movie about belonging to a family. The characters are played to an outstanding perfection. There is no villain, only an unfortunate situation, played out by decent and well meaning characters, trying to make the best of the situation. The lack of evil intent in any of the characters is refreshing. It is a pleasant surprise to find Oscar winning Mira Sorvino in a Hallmark movie. I very much hope that it is the first of many for her. If you like to shed a few tears and have an expected Hallmark ending, this is your movie. Best line, "I don't think so."
Great movie
ellendolnick29 January 2018
Good movie!
ptodreamgirl-816-66651725 October 2020
LOVED this MOVIE
ilmbeaches7 January 2017
This is a very sweet story. May be predictable but loved the actors, the scenery, the ending. Happy ending as with most Hallmark movies have. There's enough depressing stuff out there. Nice Xmas movie for the whole family to watch! Cameron Mathieson is always a joy to watch. Have not seen Mira Sorvino in anything in quite awhile so she was a nice surprise. The actors Hallmark casts are always a wonderful to watch. Would love to see a sequel which might include the barn being used with John treating animals or also Jennifer's on site cooking show. Love this family. Jennifer & John having a baby together! Lots of possibilities.
Good show. Well worth your time.
rcpfellows31 December 2016
The screen writing was a cut above the usual fare on the Hallmark channels. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew when I saw that Mira Sorvino was the lead it was going to be good. I really dislike how women are usually portrayed, foolish, fly off the handle, just silly. It's a treat to see a woman with some sense. The children were also a treat. I give a lot of credit to the directing. A director can ruin the writing as I sure many writers can attest. This director did a very good job. Cameron does his usual fine performance as he does in everything I've seen him in on the Hallmark Channel. The supporting cast was well selected especially the elderly fellow who shows up to eat from time to time.
While writing for a genre that is formulaic the screen writer avoided some of the pitfalls that usually accompany these types of romances. I would love to see more of the same.
While writing for a genre that is formulaic the screen writer avoided some of the pitfalls that usually accompany these types of romances. I would love to see more of the same.
A New Christmas Classic
caubiz12 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
It's no secret that some of the best writing today is happening on the small screen. A "Christmas to Remember" is one of those hidden gems of television destined to become a Christmas Classic. There is hardly an off note in the whole production which is superbly written, directed, acted, and edited. The story works on several levels at once, as both story and metaphor, and a larger message about finding your good in the most unexpected places and what it takes to find the hidden life within. The excellent editing and story makes this seem one of the fastest 83 minutes of reel time you'll spend, like one of those great amusement park rides that seems over before it has begun. You will want to watch the many memorable moments again and again, alone or with family or friends. This film contains the "secret" formula that most of Hollywood has forgotten. And that secret is a truly touching story that rings true with few false notes, great characters, a magical story, a cast you can enjoy and appreciate, and something nice happening on the screen for once -- instead of your worst nightmare! It reminds me much of the beloved classic holiday films that many of us watch each year as one of our Christmas and holiday traditions.
We enter the story as Jennifer Wade, an emerging celebrity chef, is having a meltdown on the NYC set of her Christmas Homestyle show. Everything seems designed to disturb her plans to produce the "perfect" Christmas show. She mourns the loss of the simple and easy Christmases she spent with her mother, now deceased. Her sage and steadfast best friend and agent, Paula, correctly reads Jennifer's need for a break from the stress of success. She generously loans her chalet in Colorado for a quick get away but not without a string for she is a savvy agent. In return, she asks Jennifer to attend her Christmas party with her boyfriend --a successful sportscaster -- so she can be "seen." Everything revolves around their careers and it is from this life that Jennifer desperately needs to escape. Even though she is nearing the top of her game, deep down she senses that she is only living a "half life" but feels hopeless at finding the rest of it.
Meanwhile we see John Blake, a widower with three children, driving around the snow piled streets of North Creek Colorado making his veterinary rounds. At once we understand him to be a kind and generous man, but a man still mourning the loss of his wife three years before. Later that day he is called out to birth a foal in a neighboring farm. On the way back home with his young son, a serious snow storm begins and they almost hit a dazed and confused woman standing in the middle of the snowy remote road.
It is Jennifer Wade who loses her way to the chalet and has just crashed her car into the woods leaving her baggage, ID, and the memory of who she is behind. You can see the metaphors working already right? He takes her into his car where she sits on a pie and falls asleep on his young son's shoulder. And this is where the magic begins. She has no idea who she is and this allows her to become enveloped in their wonderful log cabin home, a beautiful cocoon of warm sights, their too cute dog Biscuit, 3 sprightly children, and easy family relationships. These experiences bring back the memories of her childhood Christmases and the joys she once felt in life but lost on the way to success. But one thing she does remember is how to cook and decorate which she does to the delight of all.
Over 7 days and 7 nights John, Jennifer, the children, and the in laws form a close bond and Jennifer, through many special and joyful moments, comes to realize what she has been missing in her life. This is a story of healing, of resurrection, of finding what one has lost, and all of it out of the personal control of any of the characters. The "lights" of Christmas show them the way back to Eden and wholeness, one day at a time, in the best possible ways, and away from the expectations and pressures of the modern high tech world. Above all, "A Christmas To Remember" shows us that Father really does know best, even if He was not listed in the cast of characters. In the end, to find one's best self, one must be willing to lose everything that is known, because "the unknown is where everything you don't have lives."
I hope that Hallmark will release this fantastic movie to DVD.
We enter the story as Jennifer Wade, an emerging celebrity chef, is having a meltdown on the NYC set of her Christmas Homestyle show. Everything seems designed to disturb her plans to produce the "perfect" Christmas show. She mourns the loss of the simple and easy Christmases she spent with her mother, now deceased. Her sage and steadfast best friend and agent, Paula, correctly reads Jennifer's need for a break from the stress of success. She generously loans her chalet in Colorado for a quick get away but not without a string for she is a savvy agent. In return, she asks Jennifer to attend her Christmas party with her boyfriend --a successful sportscaster -- so she can be "seen." Everything revolves around their careers and it is from this life that Jennifer desperately needs to escape. Even though she is nearing the top of her game, deep down she senses that she is only living a "half life" but feels hopeless at finding the rest of it.
Meanwhile we see John Blake, a widower with three children, driving around the snow piled streets of North Creek Colorado making his veterinary rounds. At once we understand him to be a kind and generous man, but a man still mourning the loss of his wife three years before. Later that day he is called out to birth a foal in a neighboring farm. On the way back home with his young son, a serious snow storm begins and they almost hit a dazed and confused woman standing in the middle of the snowy remote road.
It is Jennifer Wade who loses her way to the chalet and has just crashed her car into the woods leaving her baggage, ID, and the memory of who she is behind. You can see the metaphors working already right? He takes her into his car where she sits on a pie and falls asleep on his young son's shoulder. And this is where the magic begins. She has no idea who she is and this allows her to become enveloped in their wonderful log cabin home, a beautiful cocoon of warm sights, their too cute dog Biscuit, 3 sprightly children, and easy family relationships. These experiences bring back the memories of her childhood Christmases and the joys she once felt in life but lost on the way to success. But one thing she does remember is how to cook and decorate which she does to the delight of all.
Over 7 days and 7 nights John, Jennifer, the children, and the in laws form a close bond and Jennifer, through many special and joyful moments, comes to realize what she has been missing in her life. This is a story of healing, of resurrection, of finding what one has lost, and all of it out of the personal control of any of the characters. The "lights" of Christmas show them the way back to Eden and wholeness, one day at a time, in the best possible ways, and away from the expectations and pressures of the modern high tech world. Above all, "A Christmas To Remember" shows us that Father really does know best, even if He was not listed in the cast of characters. In the end, to find one's best self, one must be willing to lose everything that is known, because "the unknown is where everything you don't have lives."
I hope that Hallmark will release this fantastic movie to DVD.
Great Christmas movie for the family!
cellis-267615 December 2018
We just finished this one and I can not say enough good things. It's hard to get our husbands hooked and they were. I had my sister over with her family and all loved it! We didn't want it to end. I scanned the room a few times and many had smiles on. It was a happy Christmas take on the movie Overboard which is one of our family favorites. I would definitely watch this movie again next Christmas! Ps. I was nervous that Mira from one of my favorite movies growing up would affect my take on this movie but she absolutely nailed it! Hallmark, thank you for this Christmas movie!!! Great job!!
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