Yule Logged (Falling for Christmas, A Christmas Number One, Getting to the Nutcracker, Rock ‘n Roll Christmas (1988),Fred Waring and more)
It’s that time of year again when an old man yells at the clouds to get off his lawn at Christmas. Here you'll find my poorly formulated and rashly espoused opinions on what I’m watching throughout the holiday season. Expect a potpourri of new releases and vintage offerings from across the globe, selected nearly at random. Thanks for stopping by!
Falling for Christmas (2022)
Netflix
At first, I expected I’d be including this new Netflix flick in my Ordeal by Hallmark series, after all, it’s a romantic comedy starring Lindsey Lohan as an (eventually) amnesiac heiress, I didn’t have high hopes. And then something incredible happened. I pressed play, and a movie began streaming on my TV, an actual movie with a decently written script, actors capable of delivering the words written in th4 script in a professional, entertaining way (for the most part), competent direction, and convincing production design. You know, a movie, unlike the majority of stuff from the greeting card network, the domestic violence network, and the country housewives network.
Falling for Christmas hits all the tropes without seeming like an algorithm-generated cliché machine. It just shows what a little bit more money and effort can do for even something so ephemeral as a holiday rom-com. Everything works as well or better than it should for this sort of thing; I was driven on the edge of giddiness by the sheer competence on display. It doesn’t suck, which qualifies as above average for the genre, but most amazingly, it’s pretty darn good. Even as a “movie” movie, it’s pretty good. I’m flummoxed; I’d forgotten such things could exist in the current year.
Highlights include all the main players and a side plot strong enough that another network would have turned it into its own crappy film. It’s still not It's a Wonderful Life and it’s a little bit long, but for what it is, it's pretty good.
So, if you're going to watch a “Christmas” TV movie this weekend, please make it this one. Your standards will appreciate not having to be lowered for a change.
Christmas rating 3.75
Out of season rating 3.0
A Christmas Number One (2021)
Tubi
Well made but less Christmassy than a tragic fourth of July BBQ fireworks accident. If your looking for a wanna-be edgy dramedy set in the music biz, with mostly unlikable characters doing unpleasant things with swooping tonal shifts, you could do worse.
I can see why some folks might think this is brilliant, but it’s basically fanfic, just as cliched and lazily manipulative as a Hallmark joint, just coming from a different corner with different tropes. But, as I say, it’s well made, and while I really didn’t enjoy it, as a film or a Christmas film, I have to give credit to the filmmakers for making an effort.
Christmas rating 1.75
Out of season rating 2.5
Getting to the Nutcracker (2014)
Tubi
Documentary that looks behind the scenes of staging what must be America’s most performed ballet. I’d like to describe it as an elevated Dance Moms, but I’ve never watched Dance Moms so I don't know how apt a comparison it is.
It’s fine. A fairly interesting look at how the holiday sausage is made, in one dance school at least, without being at all particularly Christmassy.
Christmas rating 1.5
Out of season rating 2.5
Rock ‘n Roll Christmas (1988)
Fun collection of rock and rock-adjacent holiday tunes. Hosted by Dennis Miller and featuring a mix of music videos and live or in studio performances and clips from classic acts like The Beatles, Beach Boys, Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix plus 80’s stalwarts U2, Pat Benatar, John Mellencamp, Run DMC, Buster Poindexter and Eddie Money.
Christmas rating 3.00
Out of season rating 2.0
General Electric Theater: The Fred Waring Show (1954)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Fred Waring thanks to being exposed to his music at an early age when a cousin sang with Waring’s “Young Pennsylvanians.” This television special precedes my experiences by a couple of decades, and it’s pure Christmas goodness. Terrific performances and marvelous arrangements help compensate for the early fifties era TV technology.
Christmas rating 4.25
Out of season rating 3.0
The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994)
Rather dire holiday episode of single season sitcom about the fractious relationship of four women and their domineering mother-in-law. The episodes only saving grace is Charles Nelson Reilly’s turn as a harried shopkeeper.
Christmas rating 2.0
Out of season rating 2.0
The Osmond Family Christmas Show
Guests include Peggy Fleming, Greg Evigan, and Doug Henning.
When you see Osmonds in the title, you know you're getting an amiably, earnestly, cheesy, campy slice of family-friendly entertainment. Even more so when Christmas is involved.
In this special BJ and the Bear’s Greg Evigan sings a brief yacht rock tune before putting the moves on Marie as thy duet on What Are You Doing New Year's Eve.Doug Henning performs some Christmas magic with the Osmond grandkids and Olympian figure skater Peggy Fleming; wait for it… skates! In between, various Osmonds sing.
It’s all very sweet and comforting and likely to be despised by anyone between the ages of 10 and 30. Their loss.
Christmas rating 4.0
Out of season rating 3.0
King of Kensington (1975)
Holiday effort Canadian sitcom from the 1970’s , think a Jewish Kim’s Convenience, Contains a fair amount of religion-themed jokes, as did The 5 Mrs. Buchanan's, but funnier. It was a different time, as evidenced by the cheery sitcom premise of inviting a suicidal man home for Christmas, played for laughs as much as pathos. It’s pretty good.
.png)
