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First Viewing Plot: On the night of Christmas Eve, an extended power outage in New York City traps six groups of people in elevators.

Ensemble Christmas movies are nothing new - hell, just scroll up and see Noel - but the gimmick of the made-for-TV Christmas Eve is that all of the vignettes are set in elevators where people are trapped inside. It's a noble effort, especially since the varied stories prevent the banality that would inevitably set in if it was focused on just one set of characters for 90 minutes, but the results are decidedly mixed. This is a paint-by-numbers television Christmas effort that walks and talks like a Hallmark movie, and the lack of visual panache in the cinematography and lighting is a genuine concern considering the cramped elevator sets. Not helping things is the really obvious green-screening during the scenes involving Patrick Stewart's character; it really detracts from the sense of reality. There are some really contrived scenes, to boot, and the director lathers on the drama and dramatic music at times. Nevertheless, Christmas Eve does have its moments and its charms - I just wish it was executed better overall. I only watched this one because it was free to watch on Amazon Prime, though I feel I should try to vet my choices more clearly in the future. Not terrible, not great, and not a festive staple by a long shot.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 11th Via: Amazon Prime Video Plot: On the night of Christmas Eve, an extended power outage in New York City traps six groups of people in elevators. Rating: 5.3/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 10th Via: Stan. Plot: American GIs are assigned to hold an isolated cabin in the Ardennes against a handful of Germans cut off from their main force. Combat-weary and short of rations, both sides are determined to survive. Rating: 7.9/10

First Viewing Plot: American GIs are assigned to hold an isolated cabin in the Ardennes against a handful of Germans cut off from their main force. Combat-weary and short of rations, both sides are determined to survive.

Here we are with another Christmas war movie, though this is an extremely different experience compared to Joyeux Noël. Unlike several other titles on this list, I didn't actively seek this one out - I found it by accident while scrolling through Stan, realised it was a Christmas movie, and added it to the line-up. This is a strong anti-war film buoyed by excellent performances and convincing production values, placing us in the middle of an intense fictitious war story set at Christmastime, 1944. The pacing is a bit wonky at times, especially during the first act, but the characters are well-drawn and it's easy to become invested in them. I can't say that A Midnight Clear will have you full of festive cheer, but it is a terrific movie in its own right and I'm glad I had the opportunity to watch it.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 10th Via: Cinema Plot: When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. Rating: 8.1/10

First Viewing Plot: Two people search for each other years after the night they first met, fell in love and separated, convinced that one day fate would allow them to end up together.

This is another of those stealthy Christmas movies; the first act takes place at Christmastime, but the remainder of the movie unfolds at another time of year and there's not much more festive cheer to soak up. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed Serendipity as both a Christmas movie and as a standalone motion picture; it's fast-paced, funny, well-written and entertaining all the way through, with a superb cast who ably carry the movie. I found myself becoming invested in the story and the characters, and, although I know this is an American rom-com that will have a happy ending, I really wanted to see the leads end up together and I wasn't sure if it'll happen. It also avoids some of the hoariest rom-com cliches and it doesn't assume that the audience are idiots; instead, the dialogue is sharp and the characters aren't fools. The ending, too, is lovely without being too cloying. I could see myself watching Serendipity a few more times around Christmas.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 10th Via: Stan. Plot: Two people search for each other years after the night they first met, fell in love and separated, convinced that one day fate would allow them to end up together. Rating: 7.7/10

First Viewing Plot: The lives of several New Yorkers, each with their own respective problems and concerns, intersect on Christmas Eve.

We've seen this type of narrative done before on many occasions, and it's not the last time we've seen it (fuck, they've even used it for Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve). Nevertheless, Noel worked for me. It's not one of the all-time best Christmas movies, nor is it even Top 10, but the acting is sincere and the story is sweet and poignant. Indeed, some of Paul Walker's best acting to date is glimpsed here, and a late scene involving Robin Williams and Susan Sarandon triggered a little lump in my throat. Noel also dabbles in the fantastical which is a tough proposition, especially when contrasted against stories that are raw and real, but it still comes together effectively enough. However, inevitably, it's annoying when the film cuts away from one story to focus on another, less interesting story. Despite the film receiving a harsh critical reception, I enjoyed Noel and I'm glad I got to watch it as part of my line-up this year.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 9th Via: Stan. Plot: The lives of several New Yorkers, each with their own respective problems and concerns, intersect on Christmas Eve. Rating: 7.0/10

First Viewing Plot: On Christmas Eve, a not-for-profit crisis hotline is notified that they are being evicted and put out of business. The head of the hotline, Philip, tries to hide this information from his two employees, but the events of the day continue to grow wilder and wilder.

I simultaneously expected both less and more from this festive dark comedy, which is blessed with endless talent on both sides of the camera but was not exactly well-liked by either critics or audiences. Although it doesn't entirely deliver, I still had an enjoyable enough time watching Mixed Nuts, which carries a manic energy and delivers some pitch-black comedy, resulting in some sporadic scenes which genuinely work. The ensemble cast is terrific (including Adam Sandler in an early role) and it's intriguing to see a Christmas movie that explores the statistic about suicide rates going up at Christmastime. However, the ending feels like studio-mandated nonsense as it's extremely trite and predictable, right down to a child being born under a large Christmas tree in the street which is incredibly on the nose and doesn't feel in keeping with the darkly comedic tone. I wish that it just committed to being a black comedy and was armed an R rating, as that would've served the material and the performers better. Still, it's not bad.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 9th Via: iTunes Store Plot: On Christmas Eve, a not-for-profit crisis hotline is notified that they are being evicted and put out of business. The head of the hotline, Philip, tries to hide this information from his two employees, but the events of the day continue to grow wilder and wilder. Rating: 6.4/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 9th Via: YouTube Movies Plot: Two bumbling government employees think they are U.S. spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for Nuclear War. Rating: 6.6/10

First Viewing Plot: A group of unaccompanied minors bond while snowed in at the midwestern Hoover International Airport during the holiday season and ultimately create a makeshift holiday themselves.

Unaccompanied Minors is so overtly saccharine that it'll make your teeth rot. It's painfully generic, to the point that you can predict everything before it happens, and it's full of hoary cliches - I mean, we have unsecured air vents the kids can climb through, antagonistic adult characters that are painted in broad strokes of black and white, an unclaimed baggage room which is just a treasure trove for anybody who comes across it, and so on. I didn't find it overly funny, it lacks the poignancy and wit of something like The Breakfast Club, and it feels like exactly the type of mainstream Christmas movie that's aimed exclusively at small kids. I just wanted a bit more actual effort. And yet... I still found it somewhat charming and sufficiently enjoyable, especially as it runs a very brisk 90 minutes. It's slick and competently made with an effective cast, and I can't imagine anybody executing this script in a better way; its flaws are purely script-related. Also, it's not offensively bad or mean-spirited, so I can't bring myself to dislike it. I don't regret watching it, but I won't be watching it again.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 8th Via: iTunes Store Plot: A group of unaccompanied minors bond while snowed in at the midwestern Hoover International Airport during the holiday season and ultimately create a makeshift holiday themselves. Rating: 5.7/10

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 8th Via: Blu-ray Plot: An elite squad of Navy SEAL's, on a covert mission to transport a prisoner off a CIA black site island prison, are trapped when insurgents attack while trying to rescue the same prisoner. Rating: 7.3/10

First Viewing Plot: While out on parole, Dennis reluctantly takes a job selling Christmas trees with his old buddy Rene in order to make enough money to buy his estranged daughter the piano she's always wanted.

This is another Christmas title I've had on my to-watch list for some time, probably since it was first released back in 2013. Paul Giamatti + Paul Rudd + Christmas + Black comedy... I mean, how can you miss? Alas, the resultant picture is relatively hit-and-miss, though I don't regret taking the time to watch this movie. I laughed here and there, the banter between Rudd and Giamatti often sparkles, and this is a relatively charming story through its sheer simplicity. Indeed, it's all about the central duo selling Christmas trees and trying their best to go straight, and it doesn't get truly interesting until the final act. I was just left feeling like I wanted more; more laughs and more black comedy. This is a sedate movie that feels like a workprint in need of more work, though I guess that's the intended style. I can't see myself watching this one again or buying it on disc, unfortunately.

First Viewing Viewing Date: December 6th Via: Stan. Plot: While out on parole, Dennis reluctantly takes a job selling Christmas trees with his old buddy Rene in order to make enough money to buy his estranged daughter the piano she's always wanted. Rating: 6.0/10