Runner-Up: A Carol for Two
If you’ve been to Ellen’s Stardust Diner in New York City, our runner-up pick, A Carol for Two (premieres Friday, Nov. 1 at 8 pm on Hallmark Channel), is for you. When aspiring Broadway star Violette (Ginna Claire Mason) arrives in Manhattan from Idaho, she learns the national tour she was set to join has been cancelled. Rather than admit the setback to her supportive dad, she asks a family friend (Charlotte d’Amboise) for a job at her theater district diner Fiore’s, famous for its singing waitstaff and its Christmas Eve show, where stars are born. Violette gets assigned a closing duet with icy server Alex (Jordan Litz), who just wants to finish writing his holiday musical and get his obnoxious cousin, Brad (Gino Anania), off his couch. To that end, Alex agrees to play Cyrano when Brad begs him for help wooing Violette. Of course, the more Alex gets to know her, the more he thaws and realizes they’re a far better match. Mason and Fitz, both alums of Wicked on Broadway, sound truly wonderful together. And it’s refreshing to see a movie on Hallmark in which the Big City is where dreams are made, not where Small Town priorities are lost.
The Best of the Rest…
Holiday Mismatch (premieres Sunday, Nov. 3 at 8 pm on Hallmark Channel)
They could’ve called this Sabrina the Teenage Witch reunion Merry Meddlers. Lovably disorganized Kath (Caroline Rhea) and recently retired accountant Barbara (Beth Broderick) are Christmas Committee nemeses with nothing in common. Until they discover they’ve accidentally set up their single children, workaholic architect Lauren (Maxine Denis) and commitment-phobic improv theater owner Shane (Jon McLaren). While the kids are only fake-dating (at first), the moms make real attempts to break them up. The ladies’ comedic timing remains magic.
My Sweet Austrian Holiday (premieres Thursday, Oct. 31 at 8 pm and repeats Sunday, Nov. 3 at 6 pm on Hallmark Mystery)
When chocolatier Charlotte (Brittany Barstow) and billionaire Henry (Will Kemp) meet, neither realizes his company’s latest acquisition is the developer trying to force her to sell the shop she inherited in Vienna. The inevitable solution — seen already in two other real estate-centric movies this season —  is predictable. Getting there is fun, thanks to the Love, Romance & Chocolate co-stars’ chemistry and the ever present twinkle in Kemp’s eye (like when he, also star of 2020’s Christmas Waltz, says Henry’s been working on that particular dance for years).
Tails of Christmas (premieres Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8 pm on Great American Family)
Wounded Army veteran Caleb (Eric Guilmette) is searching for purpose and finds it, and more, volunteering at the local animal shelter run by friendly, overwhelmed Amber (Ash Tsai). His leg injury has healed, but he’s still got a few issues to overcome: the crisis of faith that made him push away his parents, whatever is keeping him from adopting retriever Rex, and comparisons to Zac Efron in The Lucky One.
All these picks sound great!
Why would anyone waste 2 hours like this? Worst writing and acting on tv!
Loved the reviews and will watch and save them ro watch throughout the year.
Keep the reviews coming!
Can’t do GAC. Can’t get behind anything based on animosity, revenge and general “we’ll destroy you!” A discrase to Christians.
Love when Warren has his hair longer as he did in “The Most Wonderful Tine of the Year”. And, love Nikki regardless of her ever changing hair color. Can’t wait.
Love watching all of these wonderful new movies and the ones I have seen too
The best actresses and actors to watch and feel so lucky they chose this way to perform. I will look forward to seeing them for many many more! Have very happy holidays to all of you.