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vchimpanzee's rating
This is not a Hallmark movie. However, it could be on Lifetime. It just so happens I saw it on The CW. The formula is there. Intelligent, independent and pretty woman needs help and won't admit it. Good-looking rich male villain will come in to solve all her problems except the big one: she will lose the farm that means so much to her family. But in this case, there is deception. Villain won't succeed by admitting who he is, but he will charm the pretty girl into doing what he wants.
But this is not the cute Hallmark movie couple. She isn't even that pretty if she's not trying to be. And not pleasant at all. But that soon changes, and she can be quite appealing when she's more relaxed and not bossing her employee around. She is a loving and caring daughter to her sick mother. And she looks good in shorts or tight jeans. And Joseph isn't the rich spoiled jerk he seems like he will be. He hates the work but he really tries, and he is appealing as well. For those who care, he takes his shirt off from time to time. Will they ever become a couple? There have been plenty of movies where the man and woman hated each other more, and it still worked out. And there is the obligatory second good-looking man who we don't want the girl to end up with.
The standout actors, though, are Ali Ashfar as the reluctantly obedient and capable chauffeur who gets things done, and David Del Rio as the funny ranch hand who is having a really good time getting to make money for doing nothing beyond giving advice.
Amanda Detmer Is also good as the mother who looks sick but doesn't really act like it. She knows she might not have much time left but seems determined to live.
The movie is not quite believable but Christmas fantasies usually aren't. The sun is out in the Northern Hemisphere at 6 A. M.? Shorts at Christmas? I know it's California but where exactly? The Golden Gate Bridge was shown at the start and people were dressed warmly. One person works that entire farm with a sister who is too young to do that much? And she has to hire someone to help but can't really afford it. And what is so special about that farm, out in the middle of nowhere? Perhaps it's because the farm has so much debt it will be easy for Snidely Whiplash (I mean Amy Van Aston) to come in and take it cheap.
But of course there is a solution. For all her intelligence, Callie hasn't seen the obvious.
Family friendly? Naked woman in bed in the first scene, two bleeped bad words, a bar fight. Other than these concerns, yeah, I guess it's fine.
The music isn't great in my opinion, except for Liz in the bar and singing "O Holy Night", which is really good. A couple of scenes have heavy metal. Not much Christmas music, and in fact, Christmas is hardly mentioned at all.
This is better than the average corny Christmas movie, though.
But this is not the cute Hallmark movie couple. She isn't even that pretty if she's not trying to be. And not pleasant at all. But that soon changes, and she can be quite appealing when she's more relaxed and not bossing her employee around. She is a loving and caring daughter to her sick mother. And she looks good in shorts or tight jeans. And Joseph isn't the rich spoiled jerk he seems like he will be. He hates the work but he really tries, and he is appealing as well. For those who care, he takes his shirt off from time to time. Will they ever become a couple? There have been plenty of movies where the man and woman hated each other more, and it still worked out. And there is the obligatory second good-looking man who we don't want the girl to end up with.
The standout actors, though, are Ali Ashfar as the reluctantly obedient and capable chauffeur who gets things done, and David Del Rio as the funny ranch hand who is having a really good time getting to make money for doing nothing beyond giving advice.
Amanda Detmer Is also good as the mother who looks sick but doesn't really act like it. She knows she might not have much time left but seems determined to live.
The movie is not quite believable but Christmas fantasies usually aren't. The sun is out in the Northern Hemisphere at 6 A. M.? Shorts at Christmas? I know it's California but where exactly? The Golden Gate Bridge was shown at the start and people were dressed warmly. One person works that entire farm with a sister who is too young to do that much? And she has to hire someone to help but can't really afford it. And what is so special about that farm, out in the middle of nowhere? Perhaps it's because the farm has so much debt it will be easy for Snidely Whiplash (I mean Amy Van Aston) to come in and take it cheap.
But of course there is a solution. For all her intelligence, Callie hasn't seen the obvious.
Family friendly? Naked woman in bed in the first scene, two bleeped bad words, a bar fight. Other than these concerns, yeah, I guess it's fine.
The music isn't great in my opinion, except for Liz in the bar and singing "O Holy Night", which is really good. A couple of scenes have heavy metal. Not much Christmas music, and in fact, Christmas is hardly mentioned at all.
This is better than the average corny Christmas movie, though.
This was a pleasant enough movie with nothing really special. Pretty, intelligent girl with a good job dating a man we aren't supposed to like, introduction of a good looking successful man who would be ideal, and villain who threatens to ruin the holiday.
Unlike in so many movies, the ideal couple doesn't start out bickering. No, they knew each other and like each other, so the question is whether they can become a real couple again. There is a meddling best friend who stands out from the rest of the cast but still isn't that special.
And the villain isn't obviously a villain. There is a plot that will potentially destroy something that makes this ideal Christmas town not so ideal. But no one is truly evil here.
Lots of pretty decorations and a gorgeous old house that is one of the centers of Christmas celebration. The girls wear pretty clothes.
I am told Spectrum upgraded me without my permission without charging me more and I could watch Hallmark or Lifetime. I don't even have time. I saw this on The CW.
I don't recall anything that keeps this from being family friendly.
My one objection is the Motown style Christmas music. To me that sounds contemporary and I want nothing that sounds like it was recorded after 1960, or even Chuck Berry. There is plenty of background music that is fine and can't even really be heard.
If you watch many of these movies, I find nothing to make this any more special than the others, unless you like them all. But it's pleasant enough if you plan to watch a few.
Unlike in so many movies, the ideal couple doesn't start out bickering. No, they knew each other and like each other, so the question is whether they can become a real couple again. There is a meddling best friend who stands out from the rest of the cast but still isn't that special.
And the villain isn't obviously a villain. There is a plot that will potentially destroy something that makes this ideal Christmas town not so ideal. But no one is truly evil here.
Lots of pretty decorations and a gorgeous old house that is one of the centers of Christmas celebration. The girls wear pretty clothes.
I am told Spectrum upgraded me without my permission without charging me more and I could watch Hallmark or Lifetime. I don't even have time. I saw this on The CW.
I don't recall anything that keeps this from being family friendly.
My one objection is the Motown style Christmas music. To me that sounds contemporary and I want nothing that sounds like it was recorded after 1960, or even Chuck Berry. There is plenty of background music that is fine and can't even really be heard.
If you watch many of these movies, I find nothing to make this any more special than the others, unless you like them all. But it's pleasant enough if you plan to watch a few.
The best thing about this was Snow's sarcastic jokes. Other than that, I can only say that there were plenty of times where the action was fast and furious. Including a chase that makes the movies with the names I just mentioned look like a NASCAR event. Recording everything and being able to back up is helpful. I actually found myself enjoying the movie at times, but people this violent aren't really what I find entertaining. Watxhing Snow work toward his very difficult goal was exciting.
The president's daughter was pretty and mostly pleasant, but once she meets her rescuer, she becomes quite snarky like Snow and ... wait, this isn't going to be a romance, is it? One important detail is that regardless of how badly she is hurt, she can walk with no trouble, or even run when the situation calls for it, without pain. The same is true for Snow. That's nothing compared to an indestructible character in another movie I may or may not get around to reviewing, but let's face it. Scientific accuracy is not a priority in this movie. That just gets in the way of the excitement.
I;ve heard the name Guy Pearce but none of the other names ring a bell. Maybe Maggie Grace.
Joe Gilgun stands out as a prisoner so demented and wacko he should be a Batman villain. In fact, I've never seen a Batman villain this bad. He does calm down in some scenes with the help of his brother played by Vincent Regan, who for some reason comes across to me as George Clooney as James Bond if Bond were a bad guy. Another standout performance where it's never quite clear if he's helping or making things worse.
Lennie James is good as the one government official we believe we can trust. And Peter Stormare is also good as someone who may be on the side of good, but we root for the one he considers the bad guy.
And Tim Plester turns into Dustin Hoffman's "Rain Man", though not quite on that level, as a side effect of stasis.
I wouldn't say, like some people, that this has been done before. It's a prison riot in space. When was that done? The CW series "The 100" had something similar, and the prisoners were kept frozen there. If this is similar to anything else, it is different because outer space is different. Visual effects aren't exactly groundbreaking but I would say they are well done. As one might expect, this resembles "Star Wats" at times.
The music is loud but appropriate, I guess.
It's an exciting adventure if your expectations aren't too high.
The president's daughter was pretty and mostly pleasant, but once she meets her rescuer, she becomes quite snarky like Snow and ... wait, this isn't going to be a romance, is it? One important detail is that regardless of how badly she is hurt, she can walk with no trouble, or even run when the situation calls for it, without pain. The same is true for Snow. That's nothing compared to an indestructible character in another movie I may or may not get around to reviewing, but let's face it. Scientific accuracy is not a priority in this movie. That just gets in the way of the excitement.
I;ve heard the name Guy Pearce but none of the other names ring a bell. Maybe Maggie Grace.
Joe Gilgun stands out as a prisoner so demented and wacko he should be a Batman villain. In fact, I've never seen a Batman villain this bad. He does calm down in some scenes with the help of his brother played by Vincent Regan, who for some reason comes across to me as George Clooney as James Bond if Bond were a bad guy. Another standout performance where it's never quite clear if he's helping or making things worse.
Lennie James is good as the one government official we believe we can trust. And Peter Stormare is also good as someone who may be on the side of good, but we root for the one he considers the bad guy.
And Tim Plester turns into Dustin Hoffman's "Rain Man", though not quite on that level, as a side effect of stasis.
I wouldn't say, like some people, that this has been done before. It's a prison riot in space. When was that done? The CW series "The 100" had something similar, and the prisoners were kept frozen there. If this is similar to anything else, it is different because outer space is different. Visual effects aren't exactly groundbreaking but I would say they are well done. As one might expect, this resembles "Star Wats" at times.
The music is loud but appropriate, I guess.
It's an exciting adventure if your expectations aren't too high.