A Cozy Christmas Quilt | 2024 Christmas Movies

This picture for A Cozy Christmas Quilt is hysterical. Ferelith Young’s arm disappears in the space between her face and Harmon Walsh’s. And I’m not sure what she’s supposed to be holding in her hands, which are at weird angles. It makes no sense. Almost like the movie itself.

Liam (Walsh) is a firefighter whose sister got engaged and wants to get married before the couple moves to Rome. Their family tradition is to get married at Christmastime so they only have a few weeks to get everything together. On top of that, it’s also tradition that the mother of the bride gift the couple a handmade Christmas quilt. Liam, not knowing how to sew, turns to Amy (Young), a fiber artist, to teach him how to make a quilt.

The most interesting thing about this movie is the sort-of rivalry between Amy and the woman that taught her how to quilt, Miriam (Jennifer Wigmore). Unfortunately, it is never expanded upon. Miriam says awful things straight to Amy’s face for absolutely no reason. They are both finalists in a competition but I don’t think that gives Miriam any reason to be terrible.

As for the rest of the movie, it’s fine. It’s the same boring stuff. Amy and Liam have very little chemistry, they spend most of their time doing non-quilting things, and they are just dull people. C’mon, Great American Family, give me something good!

Rating: The dullest Christmas quilt

Flipping For Christmas | 2023 Christmas Movies

We are back in the real estate game with Hallmark’s Flipping For Christmas. Historically, real estate Christmas movies have not done very well. But this one also adds in house renovation. Will that make it better?

Abigail (Ashley Newbrough) is a realtor who agrees to help her sister, Claire (Natalie Lisinska), with a simple house flip. Little does she know that Claire’s husband wasn’t the only one to inherit said house. Handyman Bo (Marcus Rosner) wants to turn the house into a bed & breakfast. Who will win?

While there were some sweet moments between Abigail and Bo, there were also some weird ones. Shortly after they first meet and start working on the house together, Bo initiates a paint fight with Abigail. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think I’m starting a flirty fight with someone I just met. A few days later, he does the same thing when they are looking for a Christmas tree. Abigail wasn’t really putting out the “Hey, I like you” vibes but Bo takes every opportunity to play-flirt with her. It felt odd to me.

After all that, I didn’t find the movie unwatchable. Maybe a little uncomfortable but it could have been worse.

Rating: Barely a flip but not a flop

The Enchanted Christmas Cake | 2021 Christmas Movies

My least favorite Christmas movies are the ones where everything could be solved if someone just asked a question. Why are people so averse to talking, especially to family members?

After her grandmother passed, Gwen (Erica Durance) took over her bakery. Unfortunately, the secret ingredient on her grandmother’s recipe for the Enchanted Christmas Cake was torn. As she struggles to figure out the missing piece, a celebrity chef comes to town to film a Christmas special. Gwen is pressured by the show’s producer, Gavin (Robin Dunne), to appear on the show to talk about the cake. Will Gwen be able to perfect her grandmother’s cake or will Christmas be ruined?

There are two big conflicts in The Enchanted Christmas Cake. One is figuring out the missing ingredient but the other is whether Gwen should give out the recipe once it’s completed. Both of these could have been solved if Gwen simply asked her grandfather. She seems to be pretty close to him so I have no idea why she never thought to ask him in the first place. If I was in her position, I would have immediately asked him if he knew what the ingredient was when I saw the rip on the recipe. If he didn’t know, my second question would have been if anyone else had the recipe. Of course, then the movie would have been over before it ever began.

Looking past the stupidity of the plot, the rest of the movie wasn’t too bad. Both Durance and Dunne are decent actors. Though I think the shining star here is Kyana Teresa as Gwen’s friend, Becky. She is a delight in every scene she is in.

The Enchanted Christmas Cake is worth watching if you can look over the gaping plot hole. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a ton of bakery-themed Christmas movies this year. So, if bakery movies are your thing, this may be your best bet for 2021.

Miracle in Motor City | 2021 Christmas Movies

Describe a plot badly: A couple harasses an old man to work for them for free on Christmas Eve. I mean, that is the basic gist of Miracle in Motor City.

Amber (Tia Mowry-Hardrict) has taken over planning her church’s Christmas pageant. In order to make the pageant special, she promises that Smokey Robinson (himself) will perform. Except that Smokey doesn’t know about it. Amber teams up with her ex-boyfriend, Eddie (Mark Taylor), to convince Smokey to appear.

There are two sides to this movie: The creepy “Let’s call everyone who has ever known Smokey Robinson to get them to get him to come to the pageant.” Then there is the sweeter “Amber takes care of a foster child, Lily (Markeda McKay).” I really wish they focused more on the foster child situation than the Smokey Robinson stalking.

The writers could have done so much more with this story. Make the main story Lily coming to live with Amber and how Amber’s life has changed since she’s taken on caring for a child. Show Amber teaching Lily how to love Motown music as much as she does. Then, if you really need to have Smokey Robinson in your movie, have Smokey find out about this orphan girl learning how to love Motown so he shows up at the Christmas pageant and surprises everyone with his rendition of “Silent Night.” First, it’s a more intriguing story and the audience learns a bit about Motown. Second, it would put the “Miracle” in Miracle in Motor City. Because the story as it is has no miracles.

I don’t think this movie is worth watching. Even if you are a Smokey Robinson superfan, he’s not in the movie all that much. The best part of the movie really is Markeda McKay but I’m not sure she’s enough of a reason to sit through this whole thing.