It’s time for the annual Hallmark Christmas Movie Rankings and roundups. These are just the 2022 movies for prior years thoughts here are some links: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017,2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 plus the whole pre 2015 summary. I’ve listed them in order of which one I liked best, with a description (in italics) and my thoughts (non italics) . As always I will be updating the post throughout December as I watch more movies and new films premiere, but we are starting with the 18 I’ve already watched.
The top of the crop ( i adored these 3 and can’t rank them)
In Merry Measure – When pop star Darcy returns home to spend Christmas with her sister and niece, she unexpectedly finds herself coaching the high school choir with her onetime rival, Adam. How was I not going to love this movie? It has high school choirs and Patti Murin (Who is amazing and I loved in Frozen on Broadway). This is all sorts of sweet
Three Wise Men and a Baby – Three brothers get the surprise of their lives when they are forced to work together and care for a baby over the holidays. I absolutely looooved this movie. First of all the three male leads are all amazing, and some wonderful Hallmark leads (I Love Tyler Hines!). The story, so cute, brought back the most wonderful memories of Three men and a baby, but with better closure. A Must watch cute Christmas movie.
A Holiday Spectacular – In 1958, Maggie is an heiress from Philadelphia who puts her high-society wedding plans on hold in order to sneak up to New York City and make her secret dream come true: dancing live on stage in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall Beautiful period costumes, The beauty that is the Rockets and Radio City, New York and empowered women- I loved all of it.
The Best of the Rest, in order of how much I’ve liked them
Jolly good Christmas –When by-the-book architect David hires free-spirited personal shopper Anji, he finds himself on a wild ride across London in search of the perfect Christmas gift but finds something he wasn’t looking for – There is always one3 Christmas movie that has the fabulous location and where 50% of the yearly budget went – and this might be it this year. The wonderful london locations make the movie. Also can I be a gift buyer as a career? I would be good at that
Haul out the Holly – When Emily unexpectedly spends the holidays alone at her parents’ house, their HOA insists that she participate in its many Christmas festivities Although I found Wes Brown’s character a bit annoying in this movie, Lacey Chabert can never do wrong in my book.
Lights, camera, christmas! – When a holiday rom-com movie shooting in her town needs a costume designer, Kerry, a local shop owner, steps into the role. While working on the movie, she rediscovers her passion for costume design and finds herself falling for Brad, the film’s famous leading man. Loved the behind the scenes look at a Christmas movie!
A Kismet Christmas – Sarah is a children’s book author who returns to her hometown, where she reconnects with her family and Travis, her teenage crush. She soon discovers that a long-held family legend might actually be true. First of all as a Parenthood fan, loved seeing Sarah Ramos in Hallmark. This was also extremely cute and I want a Kismet Cookie in my life.
The Royal nanny – MI5 agent Claire goes undercover as the royal nanny, and must overcome the challenges of her assignment, like resisting the charms of Prince Colin while keeping the family safe at Christmas. A bit of a spin on the fall in love with a royal at Christmas Trope, because her being a kick ass agent was an unexpected twist on it
When I think of Christmas – Sara comes home for Christmas to help her mom move, reconnects with a past love, and makes a surprising discovery for a holiday they will all remember. Great cast and great music
A cozy Christmas inn – Real estate exec, Erika, travels to Alaska during the holidays to acquire a B&B, only to discover it’s owned by her ex. Soon she is falling in love with the town and quite possibly him A fairly traditional storyline for Hallmark, this is not the first go buy a B&B in a remote town, but the cast is cute
Noel next door– A hard-working, single mom gets into a war of words with a neighbor who she feels is ruining Christmas, only to find that this misunderstood grouch just may steal her heart. I really enjoyed the cast in this modern Scrooge retelling
We need a little Christmas – Julie is juggling being a single mother to a grieving child and facing her first Christmas without her husband when she develops an unexpected friendship with a neighbor. the kid is adorable!
Undercover Holiday When returning home for the holidays, newly minted pop star Jaylen tells her protective family that her overzealous security guard Matt is, in fact, her new beau With So her voice is not good enough for me to buy that she is a superstar, but loved the latin christmas elements!
A Fabled Holiday – Talia and her childhood best friend Anderson unexpectedly reunite in a familiar looking town full of Christmas spirit that restores its visitors during their times of deep turmoil. Its a bit too fantastical but it had all the heart
A Big Fat Family Christmas – Liv is a photojournalist eager to make it on her own. To get a dream assignment – shooting the Chang family’s annual holiday party for a cover story – she doesn’t reveal that they are in fact, her family. When she finds herself growing close to Henry, the coworker covering the story with her, she wants to confide in him but doesn’t want to jeopardize her big break. I love the fact that this was a non traditional Christmas story. Great Asian American representation, as well a a beautiful showing of the city of San Francisco
Christmas Bedtime stories – When Danielle is left to raise her daughter after her husband goes MIA and is presumed dead, she begins to tell her daughter bedtime stories of her father This was a sweet tearjerker
A Royal Corgi Christmas – Prince Edmond hopes to win his mother’s love back with the gift of an adorable but unruly corgi. He hires American dog trainer Cecily to make the corgi presentable for the annual Christmas ball Its cute, just not that great. I feel there was a quite a bit of talent lost here
#Xmas –When Jen gets the chance to enter a brand’s design contest, she poses a family influencer, enlisting the help of her best friend, Max, and her baby nephew. When her video is selected as a finalist, Jen is torn on whether to go on with her perfect “family” or reveal the truth. I was very much not engaged in this. Ended up watching it whist I did other things but it lost me at 30min in
We wish you a married Christmas -A couple goes to a quiet town to reconnect at Christmas on the advice of their marriage coach- This was boring and I really wasn’t not into it – I might have needed to be married to get into this one
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