Christmas Wonderland (2018 TV Movie) User Reviews

The Ghost of Romance Past

[rossmcfarlen · 7/10 · 9 December 2020]

The embers of a teenage love affair are rekindled in this lighthearted engaging drama in the Christmas romance genre, which is nicely sewed with a thread of humour and light banter throughout.

The two leads work very well together, in character, and both have a relaxed acting style that brings a strong note of authenticity to the proceedings.

Beneath the seasonal fluff & glitter is a poignant streak about why this couple separated in the first place - Heidi moved to New York to pursue a professional career as an artist (but ends up as a gallery assistant) and Chris remained in hometown to pursue a career in teaching at the high school, he attended with Heidi, with extracurricular activities as ice hockey coach...and now has last-minute duty to organize the annual high school Christmas Ball, just as Heidi returns to town on brief visit.

Though they pursued different paths, both have not found new partners in the romance department.

However, after many years of estrangement, Cupid now intervenes and conspires to bring the two lovebirds back to a place of reconnection & self-reflection, with the old doubts and aspirations casting shadows on their reignited romance.

This movie is well above average for the genre and I could watch again without complaints.

not memorable but cute

[novagirl11 · 6/10 · 6 January 2019]

I can't say it wasn't predictable, but a very cute story. Not going to be very memorable or stand out in a crowd of made-for-tv holiday movies, but also not the worst I've ever seen. I really loved the mural she painted!

Easy going.

[adamjohns-42575 · 5/10 · 9 December 2020]

It's a cute story and Ryan Rottman is nice to look at, but it's not a wow! I don't believe the kids would get along so well for a start and I'm pretty sure there's no way the boss would give that time off, but I suppose a lot of these films are a stretch of the imagination and an idea of a better life, something to aspire to.

Also, as I've said before with these films, if you're going to make it about an artist who is suddenly recognised, at least try and get a good artist! The work in this would never adorn my walls!

It's worth a watch if you've got a Jigsaw Puzzle to do at the same time, but the story has been done many times before.

Cliche but a nice easy watch to get you in the Xmas spirit

[omearafitness · 6/10 · 6 December 2020]

Put me in the Christmas spirit. Relatively predictable but a pleasant watch

Emily Osment elevates this

[rebekahrox · 7/10 · 13 December 2020]

Pretty standard fair but Emily really shines. She may not be the most conventionally beautiful Hallmark actress, but she is down to earth and likable. Her acting in this was so natural and really brought a lot to an otherwise boring character. Her partner was good too.

Christmas Cringeland

[athunderstorm · 5/10 · 1 November 2020]

I lost track of the number of times I had to pause this movie, because it was so cringey.

Heidi is supposed to be a very talented artist, who forgot how much she loved painting. But when she finally does paint, her art work is infantile and silly looking, still everyone acts like she's amazing. That was quite funny.

The chemistry between her and Chris is non existent and the final kiss one of the driest I've ever witnessed between two lead charachters..

I did like the theme of "Do I live a life that makes me happy or just how I think I should live..?"

It was a cute film. Silly and cringey, but sweet somehow.

Unmemorable

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 11 December 2018]

I watched this movie all the way through a week ago and literally could not remember it. Even after starting it and ten minutes into it again, I couldn't remember anything about it except that I had seen it. I didn't watch it all again, but scanned some and re-watched some of it for these comments.

The acting was fair at best. Something was missing in line delivery. The story was more of the same stuff recycled with nothing special to make it stand out.

The climax and ending didn't sell. Choices didn't really make sense. I will say one thing positive about it. They didn't magically tie up half-a-dozen or more loose ends in a nice overly neatly wrapped package so that everyone down to the Christmas mouse was happy.

There is also nothing really wrong with the movie other than less than stellar acting. It was still pleasant. If you aren't in the middle of binging dozens of Christmas movies and you have time for this one, it will probably be fine. But in the midst of Countdown to Christmas and Miracles of Christmas not to mention at least two other channels premiering several movies a week, this one is easy to lose in the crowd.

Christmas dunderland

[TheLittleSongbird · 3/10 · 13 July 2021]

It does pain me to say that. Not all Hallmark festive films are bad, actually saw some surprisingly good, very good even to my pleasant surprise, ones recently (while still not being masterpieces). Really wanted 'Christmas Wonderland' to be one of those films, regardless of making me unsure as to whether it would be good or not with its corny title. Plenty of Hallmark Christmas films are average or less, some are terrible. But not all. So there is no bias on either side here.

'Christmas Wonderland' sadly is one of those average or less films, even when taking it for what it was intended to be it was a weak film and didn't work for me. The premise is not a terrible one, though not an exceptional one at the same time, but it was like watching the same Hallmark Christmas film for the hundredth time. While there are a few elements that 'Christmas Wonderland' does decently, there are a lot of big drawbacks that bring things down significantly.

Am going to start with the good. The filming and scenery are very nice. Some of the music, though this is very uncharacteristically sparse, is pleasantly nostalgic.

There are definitely parts that are cute.

Sadly, so much frustrates. The acting is not good, especially from Emily Osment whose performance is completely lifeless and without any charm and a sense of her not wanting to be there. She has no spark or chemistry with a rather bland Ryan Rottman, and their relationship has so little to it and a case of it going nowhere for a while and then abruptly being rushed. Didn't connect to any of the characters, who all lack any interesting personality and what little there is isn't appealing at all. There are too many unrealistic and stupid character decisions.

Especially at the end, which is a senseless damp squib. Even for Hallmark, the dialogue is incredibly cheesy and awkward and makes one want to reach for the sick bucket. Hallmark festive films are very formulaic and one knows how things map out and end long before happening. That is the case here but even worse is that every single thing (plot points, motivations and types of character) has been used so many times elsewhere that it all feels forgettable on the most part.

Very weak on the whole. 3/10.

Really nice movie

[jrbusiness-64499 · 7/10 · 4 November 2020]

This is a nice, feel good movie that I enjoyed and thought it was Christmassy too.

I picked this as my son told me to watch it and im glad I did.

It was part of my 100 Christmas movies before Christmas day challenge that is now up to 31 movies watched so far with 51 days to go.

I would watch this again.

A good idea but bad execution

[shell_webb · 4/10 · 22 December 2020]

I really don't normally like to write a bad review as I take a movie for what it is, good fun. But I can't overlook the bad acting of some of the main cast, especially the lead actress. It's a shame because some of the secondary parts are good actors. As a Xmas movie it does what it says on the tin, it's feel good and set at Xmas suppose I shouldn't ask for much more, but there is better out there, trust me I've watched.

Script and Acting have integrity

[lammi · 8/10 · 19 December 2018]

Though relatively formulaic, I found the story warm. Every actor gave solid performances. I really appreciated Emily Osment's acting. There is something refreshingly authentic about her that stands out, making you look forward to more of her work.

Boring

[HallmarkGuy · 8 January 2021]

The leading actor is more boring than the boring leading actress in my opinion. Hardly any emotion at all from either one of them. We watched the movie to the end but it was added to our "don't bother again" list.

Cute...

[RosanaBotafogo · 7/10 · 16 May 2021]

But a film about Christmas, which I would like to have watched at Christmas, but like this one coming out of Netflix, I had to anticipate it, very cliché and cuddly, like every Christmas film about Christmas... It just bothers me to always put one love of the past, at least now they value professional fulfillment...

Boring

[kirstengrimbeek · 3/10 · 13 December 2020]

I can't understand how people rated this film highly - maybe my expectations of entertainment are too high but this must be one of the most boring Christmas movies I've seen! Christmas movies are meant to be cheesy and are rarely going to be chart toppers - one expects that but this movie had no original storyline, characters lacked depth or any personality whatsoever, and I noticed how it lacked music or christmassy background soundtracks. What can I say - it was just so, so boring...don't waste your time....unless you're looking for something to put on in the background while you snooze on the sofa ;-)

Christmas wonderland

[mitchellrharl · 6/10 · 21 October 2019]

Only I minor both supposedly graduated high school 2007 Ryan born in 1984 and Emily 1992 shouldn't the 2 leads be same age.Emily and Ryan good together though.hallmark movies women seem so cold unfeeling guys like Ryan seem genuine and caring Emily is not a good actress compares to Danica McKellar(diva)Candace Cameron Bure awful voice like chalk on à blackboard

A bit much even by TV movie standards, but passable

[I_Ailurophile · 6/10 · 26 December 2021]

Contrived, ungenuine, broadly predictable, with a soundtrack that maintains a tone as consistently upbeat as the smiles that mostly adorn the cast's faces: This is most definitely a Christmas-themed Hallmark Channel TV movie. Characters' personalities, interactions, personal relationships, and dialogue overflow with artifice, as do the scene writing and overall narrative. Direction, technical craft, and rounding details are a little too perfect. In fact, that rather goes for everything about this production, a concoction of pure movie magic - glaringly overfull of good will and charm, and unrealistically improbable but familiar and unsurprising plot progression. I don't think 'Christmas Wonderland' is bad, but even compared to other "made for TV" features, this is a great strain on our suspension of disbelief. Only viewers receptive to the most extreme of ham-handed kitsch will be able to abide what this picture represents - but in fairness, most who sit to watch it will surely already be well aware what they're in for.

Difficult as it may be, the assembled actors do what they can to infuse their roles with believable personality. As is sometimes true with Hallmark or Lifetime original movies, there are even some very recognizable names involved. Melanie Stone and Jake Stormoen have no small number of credits - I've seen a number of their movies, and have found them both to be very capable. Kelly Hu has a similarly small supporting role, and hers is an even more well-known countenance. They and their co-stars are coerced into portrayals that feel as fake as the story we're watching unfold. That's not to say that any of this isn't done well - on the contrary, I think 'Christmas Wonderland' is generally well made, competently constructed all around. But it's clearly, unmistakably geared toward a very particular slant, one of unremitting inauthenticity and holiday happiness - practically to the point of smug pretension. Only a select audience will appreciate this.

For as much as nigh everything here is terribly campy, unreal, and less than credible, there are nonetheless occasional touches of meaningful light humor. With that significant caveat in mind, this is actually modestly enjoyable, even as we're presented with the same themes and ideas that are get time and again in such features. I do think this variation struggles even more with its indelicacies compared to its brethren - viewer beware. Flawed and gauche though it may be, however, this is more passable than it's not. Bearing in mind that this is a film only for those amenable to the direly forced cheese of Christmas-themed TV movies: you could do a lot worse. Though overbearing, against all odds 'Christmas Wonderland' manages to provide the simple entertainment it intends. If you're in any way open to the storytelling and film-making approach of these pictures - just sit back, relax, and soak in the warmhearted silliness.

I couldn't get over the art...

[missmaycg-785-871541 · 4/10 · 8 December 2020]

She's meant to be an artist and the 'art' is sooo bad. They look like badly coloured in drawings from a 5 year olds colouring book. I just burst out laughing every time her 'talent' with discussed with apparent sincerity.

I'm assuming that in a cut scene a real friend has a realistic word with her about her art and that's why she picks the guy.

The kids make this movie better than bad

[MickyG333 · 7/10 · 24 December 2022]

7.0 stars.

Take Emily Osment unadulterated and pure and you have an average leading female, and that's what we have in this movie. She is generally a one trick pony, basically the same character for every role she plays. Pluck her from this movie and place her in that movie and there is no change to the personality, or plot whatsoever. She is an easy going woman who likes kids, gets along with everyone equally, and is charming and cute. There is no grit, no anger, no frustration, no angst, no joy, no excitement, no depth, no x-factor. Ok, enough about that, but it's kinda the point of this review. If this role had been played by a higher caliber leading female, I bet you dollars to doughnuts (that's an old timer phrase, I feel like I'm 70 right now) that this movie would get a noticeably higher rating.

Ryan Rottman does fine, although I've not seen him often in Hallmark films if ever. I can't remember the last time I saw him and if I did, he blended in to well it wasn't memorable. In this he does an ok job, not great, not bad, just so-so.

What makes this good are the kids. The son and daughter are phenomenal in their aphoristic like statements and adult-like qualities. The boy is hilarious how he states the obvious but in such a way that you feel like a teenager right along with him and it's a fun and cool feeling. He has a crush on a girl and he is really smart, and they integrate his learning and boyhood dreaming very seamlessly into the storyline. The girl is equally fun, and very likable. She is very bubbly, but endearing and lively in a very personable and real way. She is a character that you really get to know, you feel comfortable with her, and she sings like a bird. The kids are what make this film watchable.

The kids' mom is not bad either, although her part is limited. I liked how she has sage advice now and again, she also comes to life somewhat. I feel if she had been in more of this it might be a more rewarding experience to watch this movie. The leading male's best friend (principal) and his wife are ok, they don't add much to the depth of the story. I think they could've improved upon that aspect as well.

Overall it's a decent film, but there are some massive faults with the chemistry, maybe the x-factor and some of the timing. I'm not exactly sure. It was actually entertaining because the kids are so darned cute and fun.

This is probably a good family film, maybe even good for a teenage boy to watch, and learn about some of the pitfalls of being a teen boy and how to navigate the challenges of being a teenage boy. The part where the the little sister makes a generalization about teenage boys - BRILLIANT. And then he's also taught lessons such as you gotta take a chance, give it a shot, you only live once.

It's bad

[andzia_x · 3/10 · 13 November 2020]

The actress playing Heidi is very bad, no emotions, very plain, the kids are so unreal, everything is sooo cheezy...

Boring

[LtlHippo · 1/10 · 6 November 2019]

Another dyed blonde having to choose between a man and her career. And another obligatory kiss at the end. Boring.

Wonderful in this Wonderland for romcom lovers

[inkblot11 · 8/10 · 28 December 2018]

Heidi (Emily Osment) is from a small town but has resided in NYC for several years. Although she once dreamed of becoming an artist, she now helps run an art gallery for a very demanding lady. She paints on canvas very little. Yet, a call from her sister soon has her flying back to her little city. An opportunity too good to miss has come up for her real estate agent sis and her hubby so Heidi is asked to babysit for a few days. Once there, Christmas is fast approaching and her niece is preparing for a singing solo at the elementary school pageant while the nephew has a crush on a girl student. The crush has meant nephew can't concentrate on his studies so his caring teacher and hockey coach, Chris (Ryan Rottman) is trying to help bring his grades up. Wouldn't you know, Chris is also a former flame of Heidi's and neither of them has married! Soon, they are crossing paths as Chris is put in charge of decorating for the Snowball dance and Heidi is signed up for the same by her sis. Just what went wrong so many years before and is there hidden embers of love that can be flamed again? You betcha! This beautiful romance is one of the endless string of quality films by Hallmark, the pinnacle producer of modern romantic comedy. Osment and Rottman are two fetching and talented performers and backup cast, sets, costumes, script and direction all make for a winning view. Wonderland is wunnerful, wunnerful.

Kind of Terrible

[juanjevz · 1/10 · 8 November 2020]

I just logged in to make justice to the movie with an honest review. It wasn't even my idea to watch the movie, it was my mom who started playing it on Netflix, and then she made me watch it when I was passing by. It has all the clichés you could ever imagine or expect in a romantic Christmas movie: a dance, a city girl, an ex-high school love, even a Christmas recital! This movie has it all packed in a two-hour length. The movie is so terrible it's funny. Like, it has so many clichés that you already know what is going to happen every second, and even when normal people wouldn't dare to do something or think the way the actors think or react... they keep making strange and nonsense actions just to fulfill the cliché. Poor acting, poor directing, poor script all in one big mess. Cannot recommend it. My mom loved it though so, maybe hallmark nows best.

Strung out for the length of a film

[alanfisher2001 · 3/10 · 28 December 2020]

Not a lot happened but they managed to keep filming until the end. The actress has a plain face that seems to show little emotion which is a little confusing considering she is supposed to to be the lead. I did get little empathy for the characters apart from the long suffering teacher, seemed more like a tv episode than a film. I cannot recommend this.

Terrible ending!

[katier-868-270801 · 3/10 · 4 December 2020]

Sorry, but what? I was quite happy with cheesy, unrealistic nature of everything: that's what Christmas movies are for. But then she has an opportunity to finally be successful...and she gives it up to go to a school dance? Pretty sure a 16 year old wrote that one.

I thought that at least she'd get to be successful and go to the dance, but no. Just the dance.

Emily needs to vary her speech patterns

[phd_travel · 4/10 · 8 March 2019]

This run of the mill Christmas movie isn't great. An art gallery assistant and a high school teacher reconnect when she return home. They had dated when in high school. As they prepare a place for a Christmas dance they bond. Emily Osment needs diction lessons. She delivers her lines in a fast monotone that is unseen in trained actors. She has a little chemistry with Ryan Rottman. Nice to see Kelly Hu again as Emily's boss.

Nothing that special.