Something about the holiday season is magical. It might be the snow; it might be the hot chocolate; it might be the time spent with family and friends.
A tradition in many houses is to watch as many classic holiday programs as we can, including “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
Some television networks are now foregoing the classic holiday film for a more modern, lackluster interpretation of the holiday season.
Lifetime, one of these networks, has released many holiday films over the past few years. The newest of these films is “All About Christmas Eve,” starring Haylie Duff, Hilary Duff’s older sister, and “Laguna Beach” star, Stephen Colletti.
Haylie Duff plays Evelyn Wright, a party planner who must decide between advancing her career and spending the holidays on a romantic vacation with her boyfriend.
The “D-list” actors and lack of production quality are recognizable in the previews.
The bad acting and poor storyline will not deter Lifetime viewers from watching “All About Christmas Eve,” however.
Another original movie, “The Mistle-Tones,” is ABC Family’s first original musical.
“The Mistle-Tones” stars Tia Mowry-Hardrict of the 90s television show “Sister, Sister” and Tori Spelling of “90210.”
The cheesy acting and musical numbers look tolerable, and watching actresses from the 90s is nostalgic. However, the film may not be endearing or charming enough to appeal to a wide audience.
Remakes and sequels are just as bad as cheesy original movies. ABC Family released the fifth installment to the “Home Alone” series on Nov. 25 titled “Home Alone: The Holiday Heist.”
The first two “Home Alone” films featured Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister and were directed by Chris Columbus. The series continued in 1997 with a different main character and different actors.
After the second film, the “Home Alone” series started to become harder to watch because of the poor direction. The production company should have stopped after the second movie because the concept is old and tired.
The networks seem to be producing films just for a profit. Holiday films no longer capture the magic of the season and the joy of celebrating the season with family and friends.
The meaning is lost in the product placement, the horrible storylines, and poor acting.
The newer holiday films do not have the charm and happiness of classic holiday films.
Even the movie “Elf” has the charm and playfulness of a classic holiday film and is considered a classic movie by many.
Part of this charm is due to the hard work and love put into the programs. In the stop-motion film, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” one minute of film took over a week to make with painstaking intricacies.
The holiday season is a time for love, laughter and caring. With classic programs, the viewer falls in love with the characters and appreciates the magic of the holiday season. With the newer original network films, the viewer grows tired of the concepts and the lack of excitement in the films.
