I love cheesy love movies but this, wow somebody turn that music off...not up, off! It really ruined it. The running with the shirt off takes up half the movie. But the music takes up 99% of the movie. Who the h decided on this? It could be in the musicals genre. You try to turn up the volume to hear them talk and instead you get this crappy music blaring. My suggestion. ...mute and put the subtitles on. I can put up with a lot...matterr of fact im still tolerating the movie cause I have to finish but I did create an account cause I feel people need to know about it. What do I not want for Christmas? The worlds longest movie soundtrack ever.
81 Reviews
What's with the constant score music?!
Tweetypez16 December 2017
The story kept my attention, although the script was awkward and stilted. But the music during the ENTIRE movie was so invasive it ruined the movie. The male lead was attractive and Duff was refreshing because she is a normal weight woman, not a stick figure. The setting was beautiful.
Background music EXTREMELY loud!
jewelch19 December 2020
Background music EXTREMELY loud!
Actually I thought the movie was kind of cute. I went into it knowing it was based on "Beauty and the Beast." However, what I couldn't get past was the music. The so-called background music was so extremely loud in some places that I couldn't hear what the actors were saying. I got through it just to see how it ended, but the chances of me watching this again are slim. And that's a shame because I love Christmas movies. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 12/18/2020
Make the "music" stop... please, make it stop.
flackjacket14 December 2014
This movie is one-of-a-kind, in that it's the only movie I've ever watched where the "music" never stops and is far too loud to be background music. If you love listening to painfully sad slow piano and strings while trying to watch a movie, you'll love this film. It's like having the radio tuned to the easy listening station with the volume on 11, while watching a poorly scripted movie on the TV with the volume on 1.
Here's a basic rundown of the storyboard... 30 seconds of stale uneventful dialog (with loud background music) followed by 5 minutes of location shots and actors giving thoughtful heartfelt looks or running shirtless through the field (with even louder background music). Repeat throughout the rest of the movie.
On the good side, it would be useful for inducing a coma.
Here's a basic rundown of the storyboard... 30 seconds of stale uneventful dialog (with loud background music) followed by 5 minutes of location shots and actors giving thoughtful heartfelt looks or running shirtless through the field (with even louder background music). Repeat throughout the rest of the movie.
On the good side, it would be useful for inducing a coma.
So many problems
luedtkeam1 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Here's the thing: I'm usually a big fan of romance movies, and especially Christmas movies...but this one has a lot of problems. First of all, Hunter (who is our Beast figure in this Beauty and the Beast retelling) does a complete character change out of nowhere. For the first few days he is super rude to everyone, then our Mrs. Potts character has a chat with him and all of a sudden he's head over heels in love with this random girl he met a few days before. I'm sorry, but no. Also, the cheesiness is unbelievable in this movie, including the two lovebirds walking outside, one of them trips (I still don't understand how?) and falls on top of the other one and they stare at each other longingly before getting embarrassed and standing up. Also, the music is super dramatic for a movie with almost no real drama and it is very loud and distracting. Also, the Gaston figure in the movie is just ridiculously unrealistic and honestly, pretty useless to the romantic plot. Overall, this movie drove me crazy, but I will say that I honestly wasn't expecting Hunter to propose to Belle A FEW DAYS after they met.
Bad acting & unbelievable script destroy this movie.
P3n-E-W1s323 December 2016
I like holiday movies and I like "Bad" movies as most have redeeming qualities. However, this slice of festive fun is neither festive or fun. The story is loosely based on Beauty and The Beast. Sadly, when The Beast isn't a Beast, just a man whose beastly, then it becomes difficult to have the love interest fall for a man, who shouts at her, degrades her, and lashes out at her.
However, this gaping whole in the script isn't the only let down. The acting is below average. Even C Thomas Howell cannot lift the cast... to be truthful he takes it a bit further into the quagmire; his high-pitched effeminate portrayal of the father is cringeworthy. It made me smirk the first time I heard it, but by the end of the film I'd had enough. Which is a shame as I think C Thomas Howell is a pretty decent actor.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.
However, this gaping whole in the script isn't the only let down. The acting is below average. Even C Thomas Howell cannot lift the cast... to be truthful he takes it a bit further into the quagmire; his high-pitched effeminate portrayal of the father is cringeworthy. It made me smirk the first time I heard it, but by the end of the film I'd had enough. Which is a shame as I think C Thomas Howell is a pretty decent actor.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.
A brilliantly bad movie
japclarke15 November 2020
Hilarious!
brookenichole-9805423 November 2020
This movie is hilarious! The script is goofy, but luckily the acting saves it. Well, somewhat. I thought it was funny watching the main guy run; like after the first time we get that he runs shirtless through his field. And the music is really something. It plays in every single scene. There's never a break! Plus, the music is louder than the dialogue.
I enjoyed the leads chemistry but thought the whole proposing moment is way too fast that it is insanity.
Overall, if you want a good laugh, this is it.
Dull Take on a timeless theme
olympicator28 July 2020
Okay, this was clearly "Beauty and the Beast." Lots of easter eggs - girl named Belle who lives with her father, arrogant suitor, big house with scary reclusive owner, roses in a private room, gorgeous home library, even fancy candlesticks. I don't mind a variation on an old story. Shaw wrote "Man and Superman" based on the Don Juan myth, and it came out great.
But you have to breathe some life into it.
This movie had almost no emotional range, very shallow characters, monotonous music that played again and again in scenes that it clearly did not suit, amateur photography, and scenes that just dragged on and on with no apparent aim. Take for instance a scene where Belle digs up a homemade edition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that Hunter put together himself when he was seven. And he sits and reads it to her, and we just hear him reading it. We don't even get to see the book itself, which could have added a personal touch to the scene. We already know how "Twas the Night Before Christmas" goes! We don't need to hear him read it - unless he read it in such a way to imply that he felt a personal connection to the story, which he didn't.
Belle's father was a complete twit. This feels like a step down from the other versions of "Beauty and the Beast," where the father at least knew how to take care of himself. And Tony, the "Gaston" figure, was a self-righteous, self-obsessed, self-deluded dunderhead. Anyone can see that. And yet, somehow, Belle's father and Hunter both trust every word Tony says, whenever they need to believe him in order for the plot to go in a certain direction. Lazy writing.
Some bad movies can shock you (i.e. "Birdemic," "Garbage Pail Kids"). This movie was just plain boring. We knew it was based on the fairy tale, so we knew how it was going to play out, and it did not give us one surprise. The dog was cute. It's a bad sign that the dog outperformed everyone else.
If you can't be original, then at least try to understand what made your source material interesting in the first place. What do Belle and the Beast believe in? Where are they coming from? A derivative story can branch out experimentally ("Hoodwinked," from "Little Red Riding Hood"), or it can examine its roots ("Ever After," from "Cinderella"). This movie does neither, it just trims away any fantastical elements and then tells a minimalist, impersonal story that is as forgettable as it is harmless.
But you have to breathe some life into it.
This movie had almost no emotional range, very shallow characters, monotonous music that played again and again in scenes that it clearly did not suit, amateur photography, and scenes that just dragged on and on with no apparent aim. Take for instance a scene where Belle digs up a homemade edition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that Hunter put together himself when he was seven. And he sits and reads it to her, and we just hear him reading it. We don't even get to see the book itself, which could have added a personal touch to the scene. We already know how "Twas the Night Before Christmas" goes! We don't need to hear him read it - unless he read it in such a way to imply that he felt a personal connection to the story, which he didn't.
Belle's father was a complete twit. This feels like a step down from the other versions of "Beauty and the Beast," where the father at least knew how to take care of himself. And Tony, the "Gaston" figure, was a self-righteous, self-obsessed, self-deluded dunderhead. Anyone can see that. And yet, somehow, Belle's father and Hunter both trust every word Tony says, whenever they need to believe him in order for the plot to go in a certain direction. Lazy writing.
Some bad movies can shock you (i.e. "Birdemic," "Garbage Pail Kids"). This movie was just plain boring. We knew it was based on the fairy tale, so we knew how it was going to play out, and it did not give us one surprise. The dog was cute. It's a bad sign that the dog outperformed everyone else.
If you can't be original, then at least try to understand what made your source material interesting in the first place. What do Belle and the Beast believe in? Where are they coming from? A derivative story can branch out experimentally ("Hoodwinked," from "Little Red Riding Hood"), or it can examine its roots ("Ever After," from "Cinderella"). This movie does neither, it just trims away any fantastical elements and then tells a minimalist, impersonal story that is as forgettable as it is harmless.
A charming film that isn't as bad as everyone makes out
london_scorpio24 December 2013
This movie has had a lot of negative press and it is all undeserved. I found this film incredibly charming. It's a sweet twist on the tale of Beauty and the Beast. The story (although nothing too original) was well told and I found myself caring about the characters almost from the start with the exception of Tony who is the bad-guy of the film anyway.
The location is just breath-taking. I was totally immersed in the beauty of the house and its grounds and would visit it in a heartbeat. Yes OK the music is overdone but I thought the acting was very good and I truly believed in the love between the 2 main characters. It's adorable and made me smile which is all I ask from a holiday romance film.
The location is just breath-taking. I was totally immersed in the beauty of the house and its grounds and would visit it in a heartbeat. Yes OK the music is overdone but I thought the acting was very good and I truly believed in the love between the 2 main characters. It's adorable and made me smile which is all I ask from a holiday romance film.
Please shoot the piano player
thewildeman218 December 2017
What others are saying about the music is spot on. Let me try to expand on the ear grinding experience you will undergo for trying to watch this long winded drag you through the mud movie. On top of flat acting and slow slow slow pace the drab piano recital for soundtrack never stops throughout the entire movie. Not while people are talking, not ever. And it only changes for about 1 minute during the "Christmas party" and then takes right back up again. By the time you sit through the whole experience you will have felt every note pounding into your skull like a 10 penny nail. I can handle most romantic films because there is at least change of pace built into them, but not this snoozer. Of course if you just want to stare at some guys pecs half the movie is built on that.
Well done!
msarajoy23 July 2020
I really have no clue why there are so many negative reviews of this show.
Hunter is supposed to be the Beast. He is, as he should be, a tortured soul who lashes out but who has enough courage to know when he is wrong and who is man enough to apologize. And hey, anybody who loves a dog has beauty within him.
Belle is not a doormat as some reviews say she is. She stood her ground, refused to accept being yelled at and even quit when she felt Hunter's behavior was too much. She is a modern day heroine.
I suppose Angie is the sole accumulation of the furniture that talked and acted as a go between between Beauty and the Beast.
I don't think the love story was contrived and not believable. I think Hunter saw Belle's beauty, outside and inner beauty and I think her standing up to him woke him from a stupor he had fallen into. And I don't get the complaints about the love story happening too fast either. They did wait one year before finally getting married.
Tony is supposed to be Gaston and so of course, he is to come across as a womanizing jerk. And there are complaints about the actor who played Belle's father but in the fairy tale, her father is pretty 'useless' in that he is wrapped up in his own world and is not really looking after his daughter very well so actually, this actor is doing a pretty good portrayal.
Haylie Duff is beautiful as Belle and Nicholas Gonzalez ... why would anyone complain about seeing him with his shirt off? Haha ... no complaints here. He portrays the quiet but strong man really well. He is a bit of an idiot for believing Tony though but oh well, love makes people crazy 😊
I was fine with the music. I felt it was a good sweeping backdrop to the story line.
And ... I love that scruffy dog!
Hunter is supposed to be the Beast. He is, as he should be, a tortured soul who lashes out but who has enough courage to know when he is wrong and who is man enough to apologize. And hey, anybody who loves a dog has beauty within him.
Belle is not a doormat as some reviews say she is. She stood her ground, refused to accept being yelled at and even quit when she felt Hunter's behavior was too much. She is a modern day heroine.
I suppose Angie is the sole accumulation of the furniture that talked and acted as a go between between Beauty and the Beast.
I don't think the love story was contrived and not believable. I think Hunter saw Belle's beauty, outside and inner beauty and I think her standing up to him woke him from a stupor he had fallen into. And I don't get the complaints about the love story happening too fast either. They did wait one year before finally getting married.
Tony is supposed to be Gaston and so of course, he is to come across as a womanizing jerk. And there are complaints about the actor who played Belle's father but in the fairy tale, her father is pretty 'useless' in that he is wrapped up in his own world and is not really looking after his daughter very well so actually, this actor is doing a pretty good portrayal.
Haylie Duff is beautiful as Belle and Nicholas Gonzalez ... why would anyone complain about seeing him with his shirt off? Haha ... no complaints here. He portrays the quiet but strong man really well. He is a bit of an idiot for believing Tony though but oh well, love makes people crazy 😊
I was fine with the music. I felt it was a good sweeping backdrop to the story line.
And ... I love that scruffy dog!
Bless their hearts...
kz917-14 January 2021
Beauty & the Beast themed Christmas movie. Shirtless "prince" running around, cute dog named "Beast". IsaBELLE lover of rare books & libraries. Irritating Gaston trope character Tony. It was a cute movie, but could have been much better!
Cute plot - unnecessary scenes and bad use of music
eastercarol8 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
While the acting was great, the actual making of the movie wasn't. If you have seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast, you know EXACTLY everything that goes on. It is essentially the same plot down to the characters and scenes except everyone is human, there isn't a curse and a more modern take on the story (although there is a less violent ending to the male "bad guy"). The music is rather annoying after the first few minutes (and it continues through the rest of the movie) and the plot goes SOOOO slow! Also the music is very depressing - ruined the whole romantic feel. There could have been much better crafting of the film itself. There are many scenes that just seem redundant and unnecessary. The actors seem to be perfect for their roles. They did a great job. The set is also very pretty and fits well for the premise of the movie.
Torture
utgard146 December 2015
I'm not someone who rags on TV movies. I enjoy them most of the time, despite their flaws. But this one is absolute garbage that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. For starters, the other reviewers were right about the music. Oh my God the music! It's this cheesy canned e-card piano music that never ever stops for one single second. It will drive you insane! I cannot stress enough how awful it is and how it ruins any chance this movie had of being a good experience. However I did try to look past it and see if there was anything of worth in the movie that the ear-bleeding music was hiding. Sadly, there was nothing.
The story is a flimsy take on Beauty & the Beast. The Christmas part is irrelevant. Haylie Duff is the beauty and, while she's certainly giving it her best, after awhile you get tired of her character being a doormat for every man in the movie and you just give up caring what happens to her. Nicholas Gonzalez is the beast, a jerk with few redeeming qualities who seems to suffer from an unfortunate shirt allergy. His character's tragic backstory does little to make us care about him. We just want him to shut up and (some of us) want him to put on a shirt. He also "gets the wrong idea" repeatedly just to give the movie some manufactured angst. So annoying and yet another character trait you'll find yourself asking "Who wants to deal with that?" It's nonsense like this that makes it hard to root for the main characters to get together. Supporting cast is not much better, led by a supremely annoying C. Thomas Howell as the worst dad ever. Then we have Mark Famiglietti as one of the most despicable characters I've ever seen in one of these TV movies. He's the 'other guy,' the one the girl is never going to end up with and we all know it from the first minute of the movie but have to suffer through feigned uncertainty for the sake of the predictable plot. This guy is given no positive traits and, as the movie goes along, you begin to wonder if there's some kind of fake-out going on and this is actually going to be a thriller where he kills Haylie Duff and the beast guy must solve her murder. At least then some of the movie would have made more sense. Anyway, avoid this trash at all costs. It's poorly acted, written, and directed. It's sappy, schmaltzy, corny, cheesy, dumb, obnoxious, and offensive to the senses. That music! That *expletive deleted* music!
The story is a flimsy take on Beauty & the Beast. The Christmas part is irrelevant. Haylie Duff is the beauty and, while she's certainly giving it her best, after awhile you get tired of her character being a doormat for every man in the movie and you just give up caring what happens to her. Nicholas Gonzalez is the beast, a jerk with few redeeming qualities who seems to suffer from an unfortunate shirt allergy. His character's tragic backstory does little to make us care about him. We just want him to shut up and (some of us) want him to put on a shirt. He also "gets the wrong idea" repeatedly just to give the movie some manufactured angst. So annoying and yet another character trait you'll find yourself asking "Who wants to deal with that?" It's nonsense like this that makes it hard to root for the main characters to get together. Supporting cast is not much better, led by a supremely annoying C. Thomas Howell as the worst dad ever. Then we have Mark Famiglietti as one of the most despicable characters I've ever seen in one of these TV movies. He's the 'other guy,' the one the girl is never going to end up with and we all know it from the first minute of the movie but have to suffer through feigned uncertainty for the sake of the predictable plot. This guy is given no positive traits and, as the movie goes along, you begin to wonder if there's some kind of fake-out going on and this is actually going to be a thriller where he kills Haylie Duff and the beast guy must solve her murder. At least then some of the movie would have made more sense. Anyway, avoid this trash at all costs. It's poorly acted, written, and directed. It's sappy, schmaltzy, corny, cheesy, dumb, obnoxious, and offensive to the senses. That music! That *expletive deleted* music!
What is up with that soundtrack
tommy567725 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I love a good sappy Christmas movie as much as the next person but the music ruins this one. This isn't the first one I've seen with this issue. A nice scene with dialog and the absolute worst music ever. I know exactly what happened here. The producers were too cheap to score this movie. It's like someone just flipped through their personal library and picked one.
It's too bad really because this one is high on the sap list. Haylie Duff is a rom com sap staple and I love her. Then there's the male lead. Handsome, swarthy, muscles and actually plays on The Good Doctor.
The movie is routine and predictable and often painful to watch. The guy's a jerk, she doesn't deserve it. He warms up and they become a thing. Wannabe boyfriend enters and ruins everything. New guy acts childish, misunderstanding resolved, they live happily ever after. Oh brother.
It's too bad really because this one is high on the sap list. Haylie Duff is a rom com sap staple and I love her. Then there's the male lead. Handsome, swarthy, muscles and actually plays on The Good Doctor.
The movie is routine and predictable and often painful to watch. The guy's a jerk, she doesn't deserve it. He warms up and they become a thing. Wannabe boyfriend enters and ruins everything. New guy acts childish, misunderstanding resolved, they live happily ever after. Oh brother.
STOP THE MUSIC!!!
disneyroo3 December 2018
This movie had music throughout the ENTIRE movie. SO annoying. The story was iffy as well. AS others have mentioned it had a Beauty and the Beast feel to it. Hunter even has a dog named Beast. Hilary Duff isn't one of my favorites. C Thomas Howell was a disappointment.
Christmas Belle
jocelynbruno19 December 2014
Haylie Duff has grown into such a beautiful woman, I really enjoyed her performance in Christmas Belle. I think so many stars are led to believe skinny is that only acceptable size and they struggle like hell to achieve that, and I'm sure a large part of the male population probably like skinny and are responsible for that attitude, I on the other hand appreciate a lady with that nice natural beauty, a bit thick and curvy in the right places, like Haylie Duff. From my point of view, all too often Hollywood have these really beautiful stars like Haylie Duff and they do not produce enough movies while these stars at the peek of beauty! We see so much violence and special effects being used as a substitute for talent. It's like a breath of fresh air to see a sweet love story, as in the movie Christmas Belle, I'm sure I'm not alone in saying, please keep it up! More of the sweet beautiful Haylie Duff!
A fan!
Josh
A fan!
Josh
Better than others.
kkocher61225 December 2018
Yeah, It's Pretty Bad.
emortland29 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I really can't disagree with the reviews here that lambaste this film, there are just too many moments when the dialogue & acting will make you cringe. Plot aside, I think I'm most bothered by that first dance in the barn, when the camera appears laser-focused on Ms Duff's nose & nipples. Was that necessary?
What's actually confusing here is why Hallmark calls this "A Fairytale Christmas," but IMDB lists it as "Christmas Belle." Was it disowned? Disavowed? Is their a parallel universe version that exists, and is it better? Hope we find out someday.
What's actually confusing here is why Hallmark calls this "A Fairytale Christmas," but IMDB lists it as "Christmas Belle." Was it disowned? Disavowed? Is their a parallel universe version that exists, and is it better? Hope we find out someday.
A Beauty and The Beast Story
Christmas-Reviewer22 December 2016
BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THAT PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 Christmas MOVIES. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM FARE ABOUT THESE FILMS
This film had allot going for it. A likable star and a writer that knows how to write a good story but this film at times failed to keep me interested. Now I like Hailey Duff her co-star Nicholas Gonzalez fails at almost every scene that he has his shirt on.
With her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. But, as the two spend more time together, his icy demeanor begins to melt. Although their relationship is budding, Belle's long-time suitor, Tony, arrives, sending mixed signals to Hunter while adding chaos to the holiday season.
This film might of worked better had they of cast a better actor for the part of Hunter. Nicholas Gonzalez just doesn't have the charm to elevated a pulse.
Andrew W. Walker would of been a better pick.
This film had allot going for it. A likable star and a writer that knows how to write a good story but this film at times failed to keep me interested. Now I like Hailey Duff her co-star Nicholas Gonzalez fails at almost every scene that he has his shirt on.
With her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. But, as the two spend more time together, his icy demeanor begins to melt. Although their relationship is budding, Belle's long-time suitor, Tony, arrives, sending mixed signals to Hunter while adding chaos to the holiday season.
This film might of worked better had they of cast a better actor for the part of Hunter. Nicholas Gonzalez just doesn't have the charm to elevated a pulse.
Andrew W. Walker would of been a better pick.
Worst Christmas Movie Ever
Rachelgrotto23 November 2018
Christmas Belle
cjhineline26 December 2020
Annoying M U S I C
frogster19548 December 2019
See also
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