'Tis the Season for Love (2015)

Sarah Lancaster was very flat and lacked passion in this movie. I don't recall seeing her before so I'm not certain if this is her acting style or if the director's aim for her character was to be dull and depressed. Brendan Penny is always worth watching but even he couldn't save this movie. I had a hard time getting to the end.

This movie stands out in the Hallmark Christmas buffet as one of the best. Of course you have the usual Hallmark fare with a dose of Christmas magic. However, this movie is more subtle, intelligent, and thoughtful than most. They addition of the former boyfriend and his wife as significant characters in the movie added a dimension and a little bit of comedy to the picture.The heroine had to make a life choice to continue to follow a dream that did not seem to be working out, (but maybe could if she continues to work on it) or to follow a new path for another dream. That is frankly a much more realistic choice pattern than the usual you can have it all theme for most movies or the Disney movie premise you must follow your dreams and if you do your dream will come true. The question in this matter is what happens when the dream does not appear to work out? This movie could be funny at times and in the right places that gives it a less melodramatic tone than a lot of these movies tend to have, especially in hour 2.I have enjoyed Tis the season as much or more the third or fourth time around than when I first saw it. Which when you have a two month movie marathon is a good trait to have for Hallmark.Also of note my nine scored is based on the genre and style of movie. A perfect Hallmark Christmas movie would be a 10. If you do not like the genre you are not going to see this movie the same way as I. So to be clear this is not the second coming of Cassanblanca or Gone with the Wind (which I think is overrated). But its fun around Christmas.

This movie had many of the usual formulaic ingredients of a Hallmark Christmas movie, but I think they were combined in a slightly different way than usual.We had the down on her luck, even failing (insert occupation here) actress, Beth, that returns home. She asks Santa for a wish. But this Santa has no magic to grant her, only good advice. Beth meets her old high school flame, but guess what - he's married and happily. She rekindles what could have been an old flame. And the stage is set. ***SPOILERS starting to pile up from here *** You know the phone call is coming and it does. And while she goes back to New York, she doesn't wait until the last minute to return. But here's a little twist - the show is canceled because of a sprinkler disaster. But Beth saves it. The story was smoothly put together. The acting was decent although Sarah Lancaster played her role so quietly it was easy to miss the spark. In fact, the first half, or so, of the movie was a little bit sad as Beth looked back on her (lack of) career. The sadness was necessary, but I enjoy leading ladies with a bit more quirkiness and optimism.I'm glad I watched this one.

'Tis The Season For Love' is a movie with a good heart. The main theme that seemed apparent was 'choice'; the far reaching ripple effect on our lives, from simple decisions made early on. Nina Weinmans story evolves with a perfectly timed pace and the main character, Beth ( Sarah Lancaster) is portrayed with honest sincerity, while her journey to become her authentic self unfolds. Terry Ingrams vision is very well executed, with beautiful cinematography – wonderful colors and rich set detailing make for an enjoyable visual experience. The attention to detail set this movie apart, placing it in the top tier of the TV Holiday Movie genre (which I must admit, I love). Brendan Penny (Dean) creates a believable love interest and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop on screen. This movie is about love, family and the importance of community and how the surface appearance of success can actually be a mask covering doubts and insecurities. The musical score by Hal Beckett is heartfelt and playful; twinkly and sparkly in all the right festive places. He perfectly accents the intimate romantic moments with his delightful piano and string moments and the fun woodwind motifs really make those light comedic scenes work. Heartwarming stuff indeed.