Pete's Christmas (2013)

Was the director a student? Were the executives listed at the end the real directors? Was Walmart (who is given credit but not the missing director) involved with approving this tripe?How do projects like this get funded? It looked like the cinematographer from a Walmart ad got financing and hired a female film student to direct the writing of an arrogant moron who thinks Americans eat Crumpets and Beef Wellington for Christmas ... and endless other strange inside cliques. Like .. when the boy finally picks up on the girl, it's because he talks about cheese -- specifically blue cheese, and she is HIS. I mean, it's a very retarded script, folks.The actors are all film-student level, and if I did a casting call right now for a free student film, I'd get the same or better talent. The lead appeared to be in his mid-20's and is as one-dimensional in his performance as the script is to a non-existent clique story. I mean, this movie is AWFUL! Even though it was free on Netflix, I want the two hours back this movie stole.

Family safe - no bad language or encouragement to lie, cheat, steal, or mock This is one Christmas movie that doesn't need fake snow (although there's enough of that too). Partly filmed in Ontario, Canada, on the shores of the Great Lakes, it's got plenty of the seasonal white stuff around in all the outdoor shots. The actors don't look too hot in their heavy winter clothing, and their breath sometimes frosts quite naturally. It's refreshing.Zachary (Wimpy Kid) Gordon doesn't quite have the comedy chops of Bill Murray, but he's believable and sweet as a teen caught up in his own family's version of the day that keeps repeating until he gets it right. He's supported by some strong Canadian talent - Molly Parker as his overworked mom and Peter DaCunha as his too-perfect little brother - as well as Americans recognizable from a good range of decent television. Bruce Dern gives a solid performance as grouchy Grandpa.Some slapstick and pratfalls but a lot of the humour is sweet rather than mocking. This is a series of small stories framed by, rather than tightly focusing on, Pete gaining maturity enough to see what he truly does want most for Christmas.

This movie was well put together and I enjoyed the scheme of the movie. There was a few things I saw. I could see that in the end playing football they were wearing red matching jerseys, but they replayed the same scenes over from the beginning where the football was on the ground and they were about to start and it showed the beginning scene in the different unmatched jerseys and then all of a sudden they were wearing the red jerseys again. You could see they just replayed scenes over and over and they didn't coordinate it. It was a great movie and I did enjoy it. I just can't get over at how bad it was watching the fact that they couldn't make new scenes and make them match accordingly.

Pete's Christmas is a charming little film. It is not hugely ambitious, but it fulfills what is expected of it; namely to provide a little light holiday style entertainment. It follows the story of Pete, a slightly neglected middle child. His older brother is a jock, and his younger brother is a nerd. Pete falls somewhere in-between, and thus often gets overlooked. The basic plot is that after the worst Christmas day imaginable, Pete finds himself waking up to the same Christmas day again and again.The main character is well played by Zachary Gordon, who also starred in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. The other actors are all well cast and deliver competent if slightly limited performances. The relationships between the characters fall into a predictable pattern, but not to the extent of being groan inducing. The themes, namely "it's not what you get out of it, it's what you put into it", are all properly explored. The reason for which Pete repeats the same day over and over is never explained, nor does it need to be. The interesting part of this film is not the fantasy element, but the lessons learnt and the choices made. All in all, if you're in the mood for a bit of fluffy Christmas cheer, wanting something simple but not vapid, something thought provoking but not mind jarring, this could be the film for you.