Thursday, December 2, 2021

T&K's XMas (2021) Advent Calendar: Day 2 - Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa

2018, Sean McNamarra (Just in Time for Christmas) -- Amazon

OK, unlike Kent, this is my first proper proper Hallmarkie. Also of note, I have recently found out that the term I used for the movies ("Hallmarkies") is more often used to refer to the fans of said movies. I don't really consider myself a true Hallmarkie, as I don't watch them year round (thought, I am tempted on occasion) and only during this time of the year.

The Draw: 

We watched the first ECU (Evergreen Cinematic Universe) movie last year. So, wanting a true, dyed in the wool Hallmarkie to begin the actual Advent Calendar season, this was perfect. More than perfect. Required. 

HERstory: 

Last year we met Allie the vet, who was moving away, but stayed to be with Ryan and Zoe, who are from a neighbouring (assumingly) PST. At the beginning, Allie is nowhere to be found, apparently in Florida with Ryan and Zoe (yes, the trip that they never completed last year) so we have to be introduced to a new single, fetching once-resident of Evergreen - Lisa (Jill Wagner, Wipeout). Lisa was born here, but moved away when she was a wee lass. She now lives in Boston working as half of a successful visual merchandising team, who have dreams of opening their own store, instead of perpetually decorating other people's stores.

She's on her way back to Evergreen, but for the life of me I cannot remember why, as she hasn't been there since she was a kid. On the one-road-into-town she comes across Allie's truck, driven by Kevin Miller (Mark Deklin, Devious Maids), who she expertly assists with repairs. No, really, she does help. The meet cute is so meet-cutish, but she actually gets the truck going.

Of course, Lisa is staying at that ultra cute B&B / Inn from the first movie, and of course, everywhere she goes, she bumps into Kevin. Kevin is also once-resident, now spending most of the time on the road as a general contractor.

Catalyst time! Lisa finds out that Daisy's, the picturesque general store across the street from Kringel's Kitchen, has closed down, not long after Daisy's death. Apparently Daisy was a staple in town, but I don't remember her. Why don't I remember her? Anywayz, boo hoo, store closed and it might end up being bought by a Starbucks. I am sure this self proclaimed tourist town would kill to have a Starbucks, but nope, it would ruin the character of the street, so they need an Xmas Miracle. And in walks Lisa, who suggests to the mayor that they "stage" the place, to make it more welcoming to buyers. Great idea! And Kevin, the handy handsome fellow, can help out!

Now we begin the traditional working-together and running-errands tropes, used primarily so the characters can get to know each other, and learn that they are really compatible. Kevin's smile is broad and warm, but all the fake laughter gets a bit grating. But they learn that both have been avoiding the place for a while, due to troubled pasts.

Everybody now! Forced laughter!

Unfortunately, all the brilliant ability of Kevin and Lisa amounts to little, as the buyer is just not interested. Mayor is sad. Everyone is sad. And then Lisa, and Oliver who showed up surprisingly to help and figure skate, have a brilliant idea. Their best customer is looking to expand her empire and if they stage Daisy's with the work of all the local artisans, she will love it! Sure, let's drag the lady from Boston to Northern Vermont on Xmas Eve.

Meanwhile, love side story is rolling along well. Michelle (from last year; Holly Robinson Peete, The Christmas Doctor) did not argue when locals set her up with handsome lumberjack (ok, he just runs a lumber company) Thomas Tucker (Colin Lawrence, iZombie) who has come to town... for business? His son is running all over town trying to fit an antique key into modern locks. Not a bright kid. Of note, Michelle and Thomas are POC as Hallmark tries desperately to look diverse. I hate that in 2018, that is something to note.

Anywayz, rich store lady says No (boooo) but offers Lisa and Oliver their own store back in Boston. Xmas Miracles! It's just what they always wanted. But that would mean... no Kevin and his big, wide WIDE smile. She's already admitted to crushing on him, and they had a few (as usual) stalled kiss moments. Of course, Kevin overhears and misunderstands the interactions, and accepts his own opportunity in Maine. Oh woe is Kevin and Lisa!

But Lisa chases him down, tells him what is going on, learns some more heartfelt details about his Letters to Santa, and tells him that she is indeed staying in Evergreen because SHE bought Daisy's and Oliver will run the store in Boston. Everyone gets to stay in Evergreen, INCLUDING Thom Tucker and his key obsessing son. Yay! And everyone lived happily ever after. Maybe; we will learn in the THIRD movie coming to this blog soon!

FYI, the Key fit into the mechanism of a Bell Tower / mini-Church / town storage barn, which began chiming just in time for everyone to celebrate the miracle of Xmas!

The Formulae:

These pure Hallmarkies are chock full of the tropes! Of course, Evergreen is the epitome of PST,  possibly being the template for them all, given the stories/movies are inspired by actual Hallmark Xmas cards. The core of the movie is people coming back to Evergreen for Xmas. And montages! Not only a running errands sequence, but an actual Cookie Baking Montage where Thomas is terrible at cookies, everyone else is decent, but Kevin is a cookie MASTER. For me, that would be the only reason needed for him to be a keeper. Also, Xmas Tree hunt, and this time the farm is actually owned by Kevin's dad. Continuity! There is an Xmas event, but its rather glossed over. There are dead moms (Kevin's) and misunderstandings -- Kevin's good at misunderstanding, or more accurately, jumping to conclusions without even attempting to get the facts. Oliver was NOT Lisa's BF, and no, she was not running back to Boston. The saving of Daisy's is probably the "closing the candycane factory" analog for this movie. Both Kevin and Lisa suffer a bit of "work work work, no time for love" trait, but neither of them seem set on this, its more an unfortunate side effect of traveling a lot. Gawds, so many, I could just go on!

Unformulae: 

My favourite one doesn't play into it -- no red dress for Toast :( And one I was glad to see not used was the "he's a dick upon first meeting". That first meet was just delightful, but I think it was the magic red truck doing it all. The delightfully falling snow on Xmas Day was not much of a thing, in fact they even tried to make legit snow --- OK, more just shavings from the local ice rink dumped in melting piles all over downtown. The pursuit of the upwardly mobile job position was not key to this one either, as it was more about Lisa (and Oliver) finding out what their most logical and appropriate next step was. They had their dreams, but also were really happy doing what they were doing.

True Calling? 

Well yes, even though I didn't recap it. This whole "save Daisy's" had a design focus centred around a found-lost letter to Santa, which everyone assumes is from Kevin himself. His mother was the Queen of Xmas in Evergreen, and people always said it was never the same after she passed. The letter wants Xmas to be "like it used to be", so Lisa and Kevin decide to decorate with that in mind. That said, their decorating is pretty run of the mill commercial Xmas decorating, which is present in ALL Hallmarkies.

The Rewind: 

There were a few, usually initiated by the Peanut Galley (Marmy, who once again was live tweeting it), but the best was her first noticing of that oh so Hallmarkie hair both Lisa and her business partner Oliver have. Shiny, weird highlighted, not moving in a storm kind of hair. I kind of liked it but what the heck does a man over 50 know about women's hair.


The Regulars: 

Jill has done quite a few of these. Mark Deklin as well, when not voicing video games! Holly Robinson Peete has ... OK, pretty much all the main cast is Hallmark standard casting. More of note is Colin Lawrence, who is more of a staple in Canadian shot specfic TV series.

How does it Hallmark? 

Pretty damn well I would say, and I would have to say thankyou for them re-working the "turning the Xmas book pages" animation and dialogue, removing that utterly dumb reference to seeing the North Pole because Canada doesn't exist in the ECU.

How does it movie? 

Oh gawd no, do real Hallmarkies ever?

Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

3 comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)