Christmasland (2015)/ The Christmas Secret (2014)

This is not really a review.  It's a blog entry about how I related to these two Christmas movies that touched my heart.

After inheriting a 206 acre Christmas tree farm, a woman's plans to sell it change when she falls in love with the townspeople and meets a charming lawyer named Tucker.

Director: Sam Irvin

Writers:

Daisy MacLean,

Robin Archer and

Jay Cipriani

Casting By 

Dean E. Fronk

Jeff Johnson

Donald Paul Pemrick

In 1997 I learned that the Santa's Village at Lake Arrowhead was going to close.  I felt really sad about this.  Years later I wondered if it was still open.  I was directed to the Sky Park, so I guess in a way it's still open, right?  So I did more digging and found out that it did close in March 1998, but some people were kind enough to buy it in 2014, restored it, added more attractions, etc.  It has been fully operational for almost two years now, and I hope and pray I would get to visit it one day. 

As I was watching this movie I remembered a lot of places that I loved to visit that had to close down so the movie was so close to home.  Besides that, I was in love with a conniving sly serpent like creature that stepped on a lot of toes. To those who know about this, they know that when I tried to get off the relationship I had to fight for dear life.  I became like a paranoid person because when I look around there was no one, but then I would receive a text message stating what my friend and I were talking about. 

Jules'(NIKKI DELOACH) boyfriend(JASON-SHANE SCOTT) was not scary in a way Jules would fear for her life, but he was surely not worthy of loving.  Besides not being a caring beau, he stood Jules up several times, and when he learned about Jules' inheritance all he could see was a big 💲(dollar sign).

WHY DID I WATCH THIS MOVIE?

I grew up watching THE BRADY BUNCH, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY, and the like, so when I saw MAUREEN MCCORMICK played the role of Jules' grandma, then I was hooked.  

Not only that, I learned that LUKE MACFARLANE played the role of the male protagonist named Tucker, so it was a plus factor for me.

Oh...I love the village people.

#SafeForKids
#ChristmasStory
#Camaraderie
#ChristmasSpirit

Cast

Nikki Deloach as Jules (as Nikki DeLoach)

Luke Macfarlane as Tucker

Maureen McCormick as Glinda Stanwick

Cynthia Gibb as Ms. Nickerson

Richard Karn as Mason Richards

Chonda Pierce as Gretchen

Jason-Shane Scott as Mitchell

Annette Wright as Eloise

Wes Wright as Uncle Frank

Michael Flynn as Robert Hobbs

James Jamison as George (as James H. Jamison)

Jarrod Phillips as Walter Hayes

Both Photographs are from imdb

From Hallmark: Christine Eisley's life is coming undone. She's been fired from her job, evicted from her home and her ex-husband is taking her to court for custody of their children. To make matters worse, she's misplaced a very special family heirloom, a star-shaped locket handed down from her father, who disappeared from her life when she was a young girl. But things seem to be looking a little brighter for Christine when she lands a new job working with a gregarious bakery owner and a holiday romance begins to blossom with Jason, the handsome grandson of a sweet couple who own a popular local store. As she uncovers a long-standing family secret, Christine's luck might be starting to turn, bringing her good fortune and true love just in time for Christmas.

JOHN REARDON and BETHANY JOY LENZ

Directed by 

Norma Bailey

Writing Credits 

Wesley Bishop and 

Judd Parkin (teleplay)

When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love.

The movie was based on this novel

THE CHRISTMAS SECRET is one of the best stories ever told.  It's about believing in miracles whether you think you deserve it or not.

Christine(BETHANY JOY LENZ) was out of luck at first until she helped Judy(SUSAN HOGAN), then she started receiving inexplicable miracles, including meeting someone that she thought was a stalker at first.  For some reason she forgets to correct his mistake because at first she didn't correct him because of fear, but when she started enjoying his company she doesn't realise he still got her name wrong.

I'm just glad no one between Christine and Jason(JOHN REARDON) shouted at each other when one got stood up.  Oh, by the way, I love John Reardon here better than in LOVE ON THE SIDELINES, and to think I adored him there.  I still do.

I love the twists and turns of this story.  I love how the POLARIS/THE NORTH STAR led Christine to her true love, and her kin.

How?  Do watch the movie to learn about it.

MIRACLES ARE REAL

I for one believe in miracles.  Not all of the things I asked God were given to me because He knows what's best, but there were those miracles, big or small, depending on how you see things, that happened without my even asking.

One of them was when I fell from a commuter bus.  My foot slipped and my head almost hit the floor, but didn't.  The other passengers saw this, so I know I wasn't imagining things. I felt hands hold my nape and gently put my head down.  Even the driver and the conductor couldn't believe their eyes.  No one was there.  I came from Maranatha Christian Fellowship(Now Victory Christian Fellowship) then. My usual companions had to be somewhere, but I wanted to go home already.  One of our drivers could fetch me, but I would have to wait, so I said, it's the same thing.  I had money in my pocket, so I rode the bus going to Sucat.  This was the time when it wasn't forbidden(or maybe it was, but I didn't know) to go down the the toll gate.  Since there were lots of vehicles in front of the bus, it was in a temporary stand still, so I went down. I cried when I reached home.

Another one was when I was on my way to the university, and our vehicle was along EDSA.  There was a truck that had one of its wheels detached.  The truck almost did a 360 degree tumble, but it just spun.  I shouted, "Jesus, Jesus!" when it was about to hit us, then the truck stopped spinning in the nick of time.  How do you explain that? Even the driver of the truck and the man in the passenger seat was stunned. How do I explain that?

You would think because of those miracles and some others I would never sin, but I still do.  Repeated sins at that.  I really hope and pray God doesn't think I am abusing His love and mercy.

Back to the movie

When Christine was little she received a polaris/north star locket from her mother.  Her mother said it was from her father. 

The locket plays a big role in Christine's life, and the lives she touched.

It also led her to the right people, so I am awestruck. Yes, I know that it is only a movie, but gees, it's one great movie.

(source)

Great acting.  👏👏👏

	Bethany Joy Lenz	...	Christine
	John Reardon	...	Jason
	Susan Hogan	...	Judy
	Michael Hogan	...	Marshall
	Venus Terzo	...	Patricia
	Nicola Cavendish	...	Betty
	Karin Konoval	...	Mrs. Meredith
	Jaeda Lily Miller	...	Hayley
	William Ainscough	...	Zach
	Greyston Holt	...	Brad
	Christine Willes	...	Gloria
	Don Thompson	...	Rod
	Elizabeth Bowen	...	Rosemary
	Daryl Shuttleworth	...	Ed
	Chloe Babcook	...	Allie

note:  I find it amusing that the lead characters name is Angela Christine Eisley.  2 of my closest friends' names are Ma. Cristina Angela and Eise.  ;-)