Christmas

The Holiday Sitter – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film The Holiday Sitter.

Story

This is the Hallmark Christmas formula at it’s best. I appreciate that they took a little time to show how hard it can be for gay men to date and the trauma involved.

Score: 0.5

Characters

I was worried at the beginning because the main character was a complete ass, but once he calmed down and started to open up about his feelings, he became a lot better. He was actually quite charming and funny when he wasn’t trying too hard to be a jerk.

The handyman next door who just wanted a family was charming and adorable and the two of them had pretty good chemistry.

The kids were cute if forgettable and the rest of the cast was good.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Some of the dialogue was terrible and the only thing that kept them from making the movie unwatchable was the earnestness and quality of the actors.

There are also a few cute quips and lots of family adorableness.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie was well filmed and showed that each shot was well thought out from a framing point of view. It bugs me in these movies when people leave on vacation and they still have food out. In this one his popcorn machine was still filled with popcorn.

Early in the movie the little girl wins a massive quantity of stuffed reindeer toys; from that point forward there are stuffed reindeer in almost every scene and it was a lot of fun looking for them.

The music was standard and did it’s job.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This is a Hallmark Christmas movie. You should know in advance if you’re into that sort of thing. I thought the romance was fun and the movie was easy to watch with little to no forced drama.

Score: 1

Overall

A nice gay twist on the Hallmark Holiday movie formula with two actors that had great chemistry. It’s cute, fluffy, and warm; everything a holiday romance should be.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Help for the Holidays  – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2012 film Help for the Holidays.

Story

Adorable story that didn’t take itself too seriously. Everything is wrapped up nicely and well explained.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The main character is adorable beyond reason. They manage to make her innocent and full of wonder without infantilizing her.

The kids were adorable and better actors than most, and the love interest was appropriately attractive and sweet.

The actor who played Santa was fantastic and did a great omniscient Santa.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Lots of holiday sweet and lots of optimism. There were several very appropriate confused moments that made for great humour.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The camera work is great, the sets simple but pretty, and the sparse special effects are good.

The music is jingly but forgettable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

If you like saccharine sweet and adorable Christmas movies, this one’s for you. Everyone in the family that watched it loved it.

Score: 1

Overall

Filled with the holiday spirit and lots of adorable charm, if you like your holiday movies with a little more magic, this is a great choice.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Queer Christmas Craft Fair

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We’ll be at one last show this year, so if you haven’t yet bought coffee for your friends, family, teachers, and neighbours, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!

Renaissance Press will also be attendance, and will have all our books! If you want to get them signed (you can buy the books at your local bookstore and bring them in to us too), we’ll be there!

From the organizer:

Get ready for a festive and inclusive event you don’t want to miss! The Queer Christmas Craft Fair is here, and we can’t wait to see you on November 25th from 10:00am to 2:00pm at The Good Companions (670 Albert Street).

This is not just your average craft fair – it’s a celebration of diversity, creativity, and community! By joining us, you’ll not only be supporting Ottawa’s small LGBTQ2+ businesses but also local service agencies that do incredible work for our community. It’s a win-win!

What’s even better? Parking is absolutely free, making it hassle-free for you to come and enjoy the day. And let’s not forget about our famous chili! For just $6.20, you can satisfy your taste buds with a delicious bowl of chili and a side of corn bread. Trust us, it’s the perfect fuel to keep you shopping and mingling.

But wait, there’s more! The Queer Christmas Craft Fair will showcase an array of incredible handmade products. From unique jewelry and fashion accessories to home decor and art pieces, you’ll find the most wonderful gifts for your loved ones (or even yourself). Support local artisans and find something truly special to spread love and joy this holiday season.

So bring your friends, family, and colleagues to this fabulous event. Together, let’s create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, celebrating love, diversity, and the magic of the holiday season.

Mark your calendars and don’t miss out on the Queer Christmas Craft Fair on November 25th. See you there!

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2019 film A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish.

Story

I’ve reviewed more Cinderella movies than any other archetype. This one managed to make it modern and Christmassy without losing the heart of the story.

The major deviations in this were mostly losing the whole secret identity and shoe thing. I like when the prince meets Cinderella before the ball.

Score: 0.5

Characters

I have never had so much cringe or secondhand embarrassment from the step sisters. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing though.

The protagonists were loveable and cute. There was some good flirting and the best friend was amazing.

My credulity was strained when the “king” character was a super nice billionaire.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

This had all the cheese needed and a lot of decent flirting. The wordplay was pretty good.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The choreography was fun and the camera work was clean. Everything screamed Christmas.

The music was nice. I was impressed by the catchyness of the songs.

Score: 1

Fun

This was fun. The family seems to have a fondness for Cinderellas. We all enjoyed it and other than the sisters, it wasn’t awkward or angsty.

Score: 1

Overall

If you enjoy modern takes on Cinderella and like Christmas romances, this is a cheesy no brainer. Lots of fun and good music.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

A Clüsterfünke Christmas – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2021 film A Clüsterfünke Christmas.

Story

This tried really hard to be every Christmas movie in one but it sort of missed the point and the heart of the genre.

Score: 0

Characters

The characters were hilarious. They were stereotypes of stereotypes. Unfortunately, that didn’t make them all that interesting beyond a few gags.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

This was stilted even for a satire of a stitled genre. Other than the gags and wordplay, which sometimes came off as a CollegeHumour skit gone too long, the dialogue wasn’t great.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

Over the top visuals with some surprisingly good sets and costume design.

The music was sufficiently cheesy and played well for gags.

Score: 0.5

Fun

When the wordplay or satire hit this was a lot of fun, but it really didn’t make me care about the characters or want to see how it ends.

My mother in-law was not impressed and the three year old was bored.

Score: 0.5

Overall

A valiant attempt at satirizing Christmas movies which doesn’t succeed at doing more then pointing out things about other movies. There were a few really good jokes, but it didn’t have heart or wonder.

Save yourself the trouble and watch A Christmas Movie Christmas instead.

Final Score: 2 Stars out of 5

Falling for Christmas – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Falling for Christmas.

Story

The second Netflix Christmas movie with a sexy single dad and a cute kid. The story was cute, but very cookie cutter with almost nothing new or unique.

Score: 0

Characters

The characters should have been bland and extremely cliché, but the acting saved the roles. The two leads did a great job as selling their characters and bringing heart to them.

The rest of the cast did well too.

Score: 1

Dialogue

At times it felt forced and a little cheesy but overall it wasn’t bad.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

I have to say I was impressed to see a movie take place in winter and be able to see their breath. This was obviously filmed in a cold location (Utah) and it gave it some authenticity that a lot of other movies miss. That being said the transition and establishing shots were overused.

The music was nice, but I was really disappointed to not see a proper duet between the two leads. They’re both accomplished singers afterall.

Score: 0.5

Fun

It was predicable, cheesy, and borderline satirical, but it had charm. The entire family watched and didn’t get bored. It’s a low angst lovely movie.

Bonus points for the positive portrayal of consent.

Score: 1

Overall

It might not be the most original or the biggest budget, but it’s charming and succeeds on the charisma of the leads. If you need a nice Christmas romance with low stakes, this is for you.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5

Christmas With You – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Christmas With You.

Story

This falls into the category of “Rich out of touch city person” is shown the joys of a modest Christmas category of movies. That being said, there’s a little more heart to it with the way the main character has missed out on a lot of Latinx traditions. So it feels less like she’s learning about the joys of being middle class and more like she’s re-learning her culture and how to have a family.

There’s also a wonderful level of respect and collaboration between the two leads. Made me think of writing with my wife.

Score: 1

Characters

The two mains were great. I loved the amount of emotion in their expressions. I liked the solid, priorities in the right place, dad. I also liked the vulnerable and genuinely nice pop star.

The main girl was great for the early hook, but sort of fell back after that.

The manager / best friend was amazing.

Score: 1

Dialogue

There’s a lot of cheese in this movie, but most of it is the right kind. The Abuela’s thirsty comments are hilarious and the small snarky comments throughout are great.

My only gripe was the teens. What little dialogue they had felt forced, like the movie was written by someone who’s only seen teens in the movies.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The visuals were good. The cinematography was acceptable and the sets were awesomely Christmas.

The music was mostly great, but I didn’t really like the final song. It was nice, but missing something.

Score: 0.5

Fun

It could have been very awkward and angsty, but the movie is a lot of fun. Mostly everyone enjoyed it. The three year old was restless, though.

Score: 1

Overall

A sweet and adorable Christmas romance. The leads are solid, but what makes the movie is the warmth of a loving family Christmas.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2022 film Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.

Story

It’s A Christmas Carol… mostly. If you’re a stickler for the original, it’ll annoy you at times. There’s some anachronisms and a few extra touches to soften Scrooge and make him more likeable. I don’t think they were necessary, but they did give more emotion to the songs, so I’m okay with it.

Score: 1

Characters

The characters are pretty much the same. I like that they kept Cratchet’s wife being angry with Scrooge. I liked the emotion and way they handled the love interest.

I like that they include the sister. In so many movie adaptations they forget about her or only make a passing reference. I approve of switching her from older to younger and making her frail.

The ghosts, which are often the best parts, are fun.

Score: 1

Dialogue

I’m a big fan of Dickens’ choices and language. The dialogue is quick and witty in the story. Unfortunately I find this movie’s updates to the dialogue to be pretty bland. A watered down version of the original where any older language just seems out of place.

Score: 0

Visuals and Music

The animation was pretty and captivating. I think they overdid the special effects and jarring camera work.

The music… Holy Marley’s Ghost it was good. They didn’t need to go that hard with the music. Any and all beauty lost in the modern language is more than made up for in the music.

Score: 1

Fun

Once I got over the anachronisms and the language, I greatly enjoyed this one. The 6 year old was captivated and the 3 year old was only a little bored during the last ghost.

The adults all kept being amazed by the music.

Score: 1

Overall

An interesting take on A Christmas Carol. Not for the purists or those who hate historical inaccuracies, but the animation was fun and the music was outstanding.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

The Knight Before Christmas – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2019 film The Knight Before Christmas.

Story

The story is Christmas-y and happy. They avoid awkward tropes and lean into the cutesy cheese. The least believable part was that a teacher could afford the property taxes on such a massive house.

Score: 1

Characters

The characters are sweet and heartwarming. They are also completely unrealistic. Brooke is a teacher, but throws money around like an heiress. She’s overly trusting and kind of naive.

Sir Cole is anachronistic in every way. His knight’s code is pure Romantic reconstruction, he speaks modern English, his armour is off a little and his sword is styled more like WIlliam the Lionheart than William the Third.

The rest of the cast are adorable and interesting.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Pure Christmas movie cheese and I loved every part of it. Once you get over the fact that the historical characters are not talking in middle English, it’s freaking adorable.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The cinematography is okay and the setting is picturesque. The leads are pretty to look at and the clothes are fantastic.

The music isn’t amazing, but it’s fun.

Score: 0.5

Fun

It kept the interest of the entire family and was a lot of easy fun.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a cheesy, angst-free, lovely holiday movie with a great cast and a lot of cuteness.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5