A Snow Globe Christmas (2013 TV Movie)
4/10
It's a not so wonderful life
25 February 2020
The idea was sort of interesting, though it wasn't anything innovative. 'A Snow Globe Christmas' could have been either sweet and entertaining or contrived and bland, like a lot of Christmas films on both extremes and in between. Alicia Witt has always been mixed for me. When she has the right material, she can be good. There have even been times where she's been great. When she has characters that are annoying and not very interesting, she struggles to make it work.

'A Snow Globe Christmas' is not a terrible film and has its moments. It is sadly also not particularly good either and is very lacking in most areas. It could have done so much more with its concept, which turned out to be rather ordinary and muddled. It fits in the extreme of contrived and bland, though not one of the worst examples when it comes to Christmas films. It is yet another festive film where it was a struggle to like Witt or her character, though she is not completely to blame here.

Will start with the good things, as they are there. The scenery is lovely and quite idyllic and the photography is neither drab or garish, looking slick while not doing anything elaborate or too static. There is at times a nice festive feel to the music.

Christina Milian does a good job with what she was given, giving some spark. There are moments of charm and heart.

Neither Witt or Donald Faison come off particularly well, though she comes off better. It is a case of her trying too hard (though she does a nice smile), so everything feels too exaggerated, and he not enough. There is absolutely no spark or warmth to their chemistry and the rest of the cast are forgettable. Only Milian comes off unscathed. The direction mostly is functional but not much more than that. Other parts of the music felt intrusive.

Moreover, a lot of the dialogue is very stilted and corny, with too much cheese and schmaltz. And the execution of the film' concept is very predictable, very strained, completely lacking in energy and the lack of sense spoils it too. None of the characters are particularly interesting or likeable, and the main character's Scrooge-like transformation/character development feels too rushed to be believable.

In summation, has its moments but lacking. 4/10
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