This Week in Made-for-TV Movies
And the last stop on "Murder on the Christmas Express!"
A lot happened this week!
James wrapped up Mysteries by the Mistletoe with a bang — see you sleuths at Sunday's first-ever in-person meetup!
The Bingemas podcast did a fun recap of Our Little Secret and The Christmas Quest.
Finding Mr. Christmas revealed its winning hunk on Hallmark+ last night. We finally know who will star in Happy Howlidays on December 21!
My mini-reviews of Netflix’s A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter and Hallmark’s Sugarplummed are up. Or just marvel at these special effects:
Book Review: Danny Pellegrino’s The Jolliest Bunch
Danny Pellegrino's holiday book of essays is the perfect company for decorating your Christmas tree. After watching his Hallmark debut in Deck the Halls, I dove into his 6.5-hour audiobook that had me cackling one minute and wiping away tears the next. Standouts were his tales of ‘90s Black Friday misadventures and one about a chaotic cross-country holiday journey home, but the fictional Mrs. Claus story fell flat for me. Pellegrino narrates the audiobook, bringing his signature blend of wholesome charm and spicy gossip. If you’re not ready for his whole book, check out his podcast recap of Hot Frosty.
What to watch this week:
Friday, Dec. 13 — Carry On (Netflix)
While most of us are just trying to get our presents through security, Taron Egerton plays a TSA agent fighting a mysterious blackmailer in this Christmas(ish) thriller. Also staring Jason Bateman and Sofia Carson of Descendants.
Hanukkah on the Rocks (Hallmark)
When jobless lawyer Tory's hunt for Hanukkah candles leads her to Rocky's bar, she ends up mixing cocktails, catching a charming doctor's eye, and turning the place into Chicago's most spirited "Hanukkah on the Rocks" celebration.
Sat. Dec. 14 — The Holiday Junkie (Lifetime)
When holiday-decorating queen Andie loses her mom (and business partner), she has to deck the halls solo for their company The Holiday Junkie - and finds herself wrapping up an unexpected romance. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and her real-life husband, Brian Hallisay, and featuring Kristen Chenoweth. (Lifetime)
The Santa Class (Hallmark)
When skeptical Kate inherits her dad's failing Santa School, she and her new colleague end up with the ultimate student - an amnesiac who might just be the real Santa Claus himself - leading to a crash course in ho-ho-hos as they race to save both the school and Christmas itself.
We have a Christmas Classic Babe Bracket Winner!
Catherine O'Hara didn't just win this bracket – she owned it. As Kate McCallister in Home Alone 1 & 2, her bond with Kevin gives the story its heart, while her desperate journey back to him – camping out at airports, trading away her belongings, enduring an endless polka concert – shows just how far a mother will go for her child.
If you need another dose of O'Hara's holiday magic, catch her in the Schitt’s Creek Christmas Special (on Freevee) or watch this sweet clip:
Treat Review: Trader Joe’s Rum Balls and O’Nog
Let's be fair to these Rum Balls - they're doing exactly what they promised. They taste intensely like rum, which is… maybe not for me. I learned something about myself today.
Then there's the O'Nog, which promised a dairy-free holiday in a glass but delivered something more akin to "festive soup." The flavor wasn't bad, but the texture was drippy and clumpy. I think I’ll go back to hot cocoa for a while.
