The Baker and the CEO: A Holiday Love Story
A guide to the cheesy movies we love to hate
Cheers to the small-town, baker boy who always gets the big-city, CEO girl that has forgotten the meaning of Christmas and begrudgingly returned home for the holidays in the end, right? Maybe not in real life, but bound to happen without fail in every cheesy holiday movie. You know the ones, we just love to hate them (and can’t help but watch when they are on). From the Hallmark classics to Netflix originals and Disney+ newbies, here is a round-up of ten that are worth the watch this holiday season.
The 2019 Newbies:
1.Write Before Christmas
Write Before Christmas is a brand new Hallmark film that centres around a newly single woman who sends Christmas cards to those who have impacted her life. It was released on Sunday, November 17 and stars Chad Michael Murry and Torrey Devitto. This is a pretty cute movie and has a similar vibe to The Holiday. It has yet to be rated on IMDb and can easily be found on the Hallmark channel, W-network, or on the Hallmark streaming service.
2. Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses
The name says it all: This is a feel-good movie! A little different from the normal Hallmark brand we have become accustomed to, there is not a baker in sight! The main character is a single mother who takes a big chance to become an interior designer. Released in late October, it stars Jill Wagner and Matthew Davis. This movie serves as good background noise for decorating or baking.
The Netflix Charmers:
3. Santa Girl
This movie brings the return of some Disney/Nickelodeon favourites, such as Jennifer Stone from Wizards of Waverly Place and Devon Werkheiser from Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. The cast was the best part of this movie, which lacked a good storyline. It was kind of awkward from the start, with off-putting interactions and a weird pace, but it is a fun one-time watch! This was not a great movie, but if you just need something to shut your brain off after exams, this would be for you!
4. Let It Snow
This may be the trendiest Holiday movie of 2019, even trending on Twitter when it was released on November 8th. This one is worth the watch! It has a great cast, a really good plot line and is overall super cute! It has all the Netflix stars from other originals in the franchise, such as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Santa Clarita Diet and so many others. It is very much a coming of age Christmas story and will make you smile the entire way through!
Jane Austen Vibes:
5. Christmas at Pemberley Manor
This is the Pride and Prejudice Christmas tale we have been waiting for! This movie is based on a historical estate, with -- you guessed it -- the main characters are named Elizabeth and Darcy. With back and forth banter, a charming backdrop and funny moments, this was overall a good, cheesy movie!
6. Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe
Hallmark chose to release two similar films in 2018, though this one is said to be based on a book of the same title by Melissa de la Cruz. This movie centers around a woman rebuilding her relationships and falling in love with the small town boy. Starring Lacey Chabert and Brendan Penny, this is another nice backdrop to your family activities and will make your heart happy.
Cheesier Than Most:
7. It’s Christmas, Eve
This movie is Hallmark to its core! A big city girl moves back home, where she discovers her work is affecting a town. She meets her cute neighbour and the rest is history! This movie stars LeAnn Rimes and Tyler Hines. It is more geared toward an older crowd, but it is still worth a watch during your holiday movie marathon.
8. A Christmas Detour
A Christmas Detour is pretty sweet, but the story is nothing special. The cast is good though, with stars like Candace Cameron-Bure from Full House and Marcus Rosner. It is centred around a cancelled flight where a woman named Paige needs to get to New York and a man she cannot stand helps her get there -- you see where this is going. This is an older movie for Hallmark, which came out in 2016. IMDb gives it a 6/10.
The Disney Specials:
9. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
This is a fun movie if you loved the Disney princesses and are in the mood for a throwback. It tells the tale of Belle and the Beast as they have one of their first Christmases together -- with a few twists and turns that is. This is almost 23 years old, but if you want to be brought back to your childhood, or you just want something to help you relax at the end of a long week, this should be your pick!
10. Noelle
Noelle is a new Disney Christmas movie and is a brother-sister film. The plot was not centred around a love story, which was a great change. It had a heavy focus on family and featured great actors, such as Anna Kendrick. It is new to Disney+ and is worth checking out! It is super heartwarming, very funny and overall, a great holiday movie!