The Christmas List

For John, BLUF:  Not every movie has to be serious.  This is a movie that relaxes and entertains.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH

Here is the sub-headline:

"CHRISTMAS ROMANCE MEETS OLD HOLLYWOOD MAGIC"

From Movie Guide, by .

Here is the lede plus one:

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH on Great American Family is a delightful “Christmas romance meets Old Hollywood” spectacular.  Mario Lopez stars as Brian Ortega, a small-town mayor who revisits his childhood Christmas wish list.  He discovers a deeper meaning of Christmas and a rekindled appreciation for his community.  Meanwhile, a real estate tycoon has plans to turn the town into something more modern, trendy and corporate.  With the help of his childhood sweetheart, played by Mario’s real life wife, Courtney, the Mayor must find a way to bring in more revenue to save his special town.

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH is an unusually highly entertaining Christmas romance promoting Christmas spirit and the importance of community.  Full of dancing, singing and festive fun, it’s a holiday delight.  Great acting and choreography keep viewers clamoring for more fun.  The movie opens with schoolchildren singing the classic Christmas carol “Silent Night.”  It also has plenty of delightful singing, dancing and Christmas cheer promoting the reason for the season and celebrating love and community.  ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH is a win!

I thorooughly enjoyed this movie, although I fully admit that it is corney.  It is, however, pure Christmas, with Saint Nicholas showing up in the guise of a local Santa playing helper.  The Christmas Wish List has been hidden in a wall in the back stage of the Elementary School Auditorium.  The Mayor, watching a Fourth Grade Student sing a Christmas Carol reminds him of his time in Fourth Grade and the list and why he hid it.  It was his Fourth Grade sweetheart announcing that the family was moving away that made him abandon the list.♠  When he pulled out the list he found the items on the list come to fruition.  And thus the story evolves as the list is completed.

I strongly recommend this movie as a good Christmas relaxation story.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Is there something about Fourth Grade?  The prettiest, smartest, strongest student in Fourth Grade, Susan Sawyer, moved away at the end of the school year.  He Father had been given the job of Assisstant City Manager for Philadelphia and they had to move to the City.  Tragivally, her Father died of a heart attack a short time later.  We never saw Susan again, unlike our Hero, Mayor Ortega, who gets to reacquaint with his Fourth Grade love.