Christmas on TV: Casting Isn't Everything

Several of the movies I've watched this season have plenty of actors you've actually heard of and seen before. But that hasn't made those movies amazing. Each of them is worth watching once, if nothing better is available. But their all-star casts prove that when it comes to holiday movies, writing is worth more than a big name.

November Christmas

The synopsis of this one did not sound like my kind of Christmas movie--a town bands together to bring a early Christmas to a terminally ill girl. Call me heartless, but I'm not a fan of movies about dying children because they are usually super sentimental. But the cast of this one made me take a chance: John Corbett, Karen Allen, Sarah Paulson, and Sam Elliott (who I honestly don't really know, but he's billed first and according to imdb.com, he's been in a lot of westerns). I'd give it a four on the Sentimental Scale (with five or over being unwatchable to me) and an 8 on the Predictability Scale. But this movie was a good attempt at making a Christmas movie that really isn't about Christmas at all.

A Season for Miracles

This offering from the Hallmark Hall of Fame also features a surprisingly strong cast, at least on the feminine side. Carla Gugino from Night at the Smithsonian, Kathy Baker, Patty Duke, Laura Dern, and Mae Whitman in her pre-teen stage--even Lynn Redgrave. But ultimately the plot failed to capture my attention. The most captivating character was the love interest/town police officer. Overall, meh.

One Christmas (available on Netflix)

Although this movie is based on a Truman Capote story, even Katherine Hepburn (way past her On Golden Pond age) and Henry Winkler can't make it interesting. This Paper Moon knock-off falls in the category I call, "Netflix Movies that Make Great Background Noise." Just say no.