mbiv777

Trading Up Christmas is a movie about a sister who reads a story about a kid who, through trades, turned a rubber band into a house.

When her sister is forced to move several times, she decides to try to do the same to get her sister a house.

I really like Italia Ricci. The only other place Ive seen her was Catch Me if you Claus last year. That was a much better movie.

They have softened her look since then, and her character, Michelle, is sweet and sunny and warm-hearted.

Michael Xavier plays Dan, a journalist who is assigned her story and reluctantly follows her in her quest.

They really both turned in pretty good performances, but I'm not buying them as a couple.

I actually thought the movie got off to a pretty good, if unusual start, but things kinda fell apart about halfway through and stumbled to a standard Hallmark finish.

Meredith Forlenza as sister Kerri was a high point, and the supporting cast was generally good.

Not the greatest end result in the world, but I remain a fan of Italia Ricci. Hopefully they give her something better to do next year.

I actually watched this a month ago, but I held off reviewing. Then I saw all the tens and thought I had the wrong movie.

No mistake.

Well, we're all entitled to our opinion. Mine is this movie is barely a five.

It stars Ash Tsai as a young woman who operates an animal shelter, and Eric Guilmette as an embittered veteran who begins volunteering there.

There's not a great deal of story here, but it is, unfortunately, one of those GAC movies in which the actors are stiff, wooden and amateurish...at times painfully so.

You really have to be able to get past that to watch some of these. Clearly several people did.

I can understand that. Ash Tsai was in another movie last year I gave a similar review and doubted I would watch it again. But I was wrong. I did watch it.

I don't see an Academy Award in her future, but she does have an appeal that's hard to describe, and an ever-present sweet smile that makes it ok that she's not yet a great actress.

Guilmmette was much the same. I have seen worse actors refine their craft and become very good, so I will hold out hope for both of them.

All in all not the best year for the Christmas movies, but GAC is getting there. In fact, I think I liked them better than Hallmark this year. First time for everything.

Following Yonder Star is the story of a popular actress who discovers that everyone is the press in the social media age when a minor run-in with a store clerk blows up into a big scandal.

Brooke D'Orsay as Abby retreats to Vermont to let it blow over and winds up in a bed and breakfast run by John Brotherton as Tom.

He, among other things, is directing a children's Christmas play that includes his young daughter, but he is out of his element. Abby offers to help.

Commence bonding and all the usual Hallmark stuff.

D'Orsay is her usual sweet, vulnerable self. Brotherton has a nervous energy, totally appropriate for the part, but it made me uncomfortable.

Supporting cast is good, and as always, I really appreciate the inclusion of faith and the Nativity story in these movies.

Jack was right about the Astronomical stuff, that was silly. Made me laugh, Jack.

All in all, not the greatest ever, but very watchable.

Seven.