Cheese, Wine & Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!  As you are opening up gifts from loved ones or traveling to a family gathering, listen to Brendan and Deirdre wrap up the last 24 days of Netflix Christmas movies (and others) and reflect on the tropes they ran into.  They also discuss their favorite Christmas movies and why (with quotes!)  No IMDB.  The eggnog is there if you want it, but thank you for joining Brendan and Deirdre for this wild ride!

Again, we're watching a movie that is totally based on something else... which isn't new in the movie world, but in this case, it's Home Alone, but a girl lead, and in a school.  The last movie in our project (but one more episode tomorrow, be on the look out!!)  So we end on this really.... bottom of the barrel movie.  From IMDB: Izzy is an energetic 9-year-old. Overscheduled and running late, her parents can't pick her up on time on the last day of school before Christmas break. A blizzard complicates the matter, but not as much so as a pair of bad guys who are freezing in an ice cream truck. The school janitor is kidnapped by them, and it's up to Izzy to save the day. Uhg, quite the note to end on.  Whatever you have left to chug for eggnog, keep it ready to go.

A holiday movie with Joey Lawrence?!  WOAH!!!!   Throughout the Cheese, Wine & Christmas project, we had not done a movie that referenced any other religious holiday... that's changing today with Hitched for the Holidays.  This movie was made prior to Holidate and is pretty much the same movie, on a much more compact scale.  And Holidate was better (and if you've listened to our Holidate review, that's saying something).  From IMDB: An attractive pair agrees to be each other's supposed significant other throughout the holidays to keep their meddling families at bay. Very limited things make this enjoyable, so you might want to pour yourself a nice, hearty pint of Eggnog for this one!

We're soooooooooooooo close to finishing our Cheese, Wine & Christmas project but we're still going in random for some of these movies.  The "Christmas" section of Netflix really oughta be ashamed of themselves for this one.  THE MOVIE STARTS DECEMBER 26th!!  And it only goes downhill from there.  There's a LOT to unpack here... so go ahead and run through those cobwebs!  From IMDB: Longtime friends and local radio hosts Maggie and Jack fake it as a couple for their families and listeners in hopes of getting their show syndicated. Also includes the worst possible sledding hill.  This one requires a funnel of eggnog.  Good luck!

A Cheese, Wine & Christmas first... A SEQUEL!  When we did California Christmas at the start of the month, we heard rumors that a sequel was coming and it finally is here!  What has happened to Callie and Joseph since the first one?  How is Manny?  WHAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD THEM BACK INTO THE CITY?  From IMDB: Sequel to "A California Christmas". Follows Callie and Joseph one year after they fell in love, now running a dairy farm and winery, but their romance is threatened when business and family obligations call Joseph back to the city. Something I did not know from before- The actors that played Callie and Joseph are married in real life.  Pour an extra shot of whiskey into your eggnog for this one! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/its-that-time-of-year License code: 8ZJFPSIDT6ATGYHP

Super tropes ahoy with minimal effort all around.  EXCEPT CLIVE!  CLIVE RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Listen to this episode and hop aboard the hype train for Clive!  From IMDB: Secret aspirations between a failed restaurateur and a celebrity chef threaten their blossoming Christmas romance. This one takes a lot to get through, even with Patrick Duffy from Dallas in it.  Grab the entire stock of Eggnog from your local grocery store for this one!  

What we are learning about the "Christmas/Holiday" section in Netflix (and we have touched upon this before) is there is a bunch of scripts that fall on the desk of a Netflix exec that will only green light it if "Christmas/Holidays" get included in a way that it can be marketed as such.  This is one of them.  Which is weird because it has Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis in it which seems like it's own selling point anyway?!  One to watch for its amazing scenery and great acting, less so because the Holidays are just a passing thing and takes up like 15 minutes.  From IMDB: Jilted by her husband on the eve of embarking on an African safari, a woman travels to the continent alone where she meets an elephant conservationist. If Parks & Rec and Sex in the City created an Eggnog beverage, pour yourself a glass of that and enjoy!

As we push forward, we step into different and unique situations.  Christmas Survival is no different.  We run into a situation where Deirdre was only able to watch part of the movie and we rely on Brendan's notes to get through the second part of the movie.  If that doesn't sell you on the craziness of Christmas Survival, then you might as well just listen to the episode!  From IMDB: Two sisters and their families spend--or rather, endure--Christmas at their late parents' dilapidated country house. Something like 82 major plots CRAMMED into one movie.  Get your pitcher of eggnog on the ready for this one!

Throughout the run of Cheese, Wine & Christmas, the one constant was that Deirdre would always enjoy or at least appreciate the movie more so than Brendan... even if they didn't like a movie or did like it... Deirdre's take was always a bit more... positive.  For the first time, we have the opposite!  Hear what the ruckus is about with this Jeremy Piven starred "Christmas" movie!  From IMDB: A 16-year-old tries to play matchmaker for her widowed father during Christmastime. That description is actually a big discrepancy for both.  For this one, a nice sippable glass of eggnog for Brendan and a heavy pint of it for Deirdre.  Enjoy!

Today Brendan and Deirdre breakdown Operation Christmas Drop.  A very under the radar Christmas movie featuring a plethora of "oh, I know that person from somewhere" actors.  If you were told you were to audit an entire Army base because of potential "reckless" spending and discovered it was the opposite, but had a promotion hanging in the balance of said base closing... what would you do?  Did that cross your eyes, because the plot goes ALL IN.  From IMDB: Congressional aide Erica forgoes family Christmas to travel at her boss's behest. At a beachside Air Force base, she clashes with Capt. Andrew Jantz, who knows her assignment is finding reasons to defund the facility. A full, hearty glass of eggnog should do the trick!

It was bound to happen, we guess.  To find a movie that is so out there that when the credits roll, Brendan and Deirdre look at each other an in unison ask, "What was this movie about?"  This attempt at a Christmas Anthology is certainly something else.  Unpacking Let It Snow and making sense of it was a chore, but believe us, it's worth listening to.  From IMDB: In a small town on Christmas Eve, a snowstorm brings together a group of young people. Makes sense, trying to add anything else would be trouble.  This one requires one of those baseball hats with cup holders and big plastic straws so you can hold TWO glasses of eggnog.  Enjoy! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/its-that-time-of-year License code: 8ZJFPSIDT6ATGYHP

For today's episode, Deirdre and Brendan unpack the (relative?) unknown Netflix Christmas movie, Santa Girl.  There are 2 different opinions going into this discussion, but as they make sense of this movie, one of their opinions does start changing.  Whose?  You'll have to listen to find out!  From IMDB: Santa's daughter gets a chance to attend college for one semester in the 'real' world before heading back to the North Pole to fulfill her duties under her father. A hearty pour of eggnog should get you in the mood for Santa Girl! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/its-that-time-of-year License code: 8ZJFPSIDT6ATGYHP

You all spoke and we listened!  Deirdre and Brendan watch and discuss Netflix's new popular hit, Single all the way.  While we're stoked that there is a Netflix Christmas movie that supports the LGBTQ+ community, there still is plenty of tropes to unpack.  LIke rental cars that appear out of thin air, how does this house have 10 bedrooms... and WHERE DO I KNOW THE PLOW GUY FROM?!  From IMDB: Desperate to avoid his family's judgment about his perpetual single status, Peter convinces his best friend Nick to join him for the holidays and pretend that they're now in a relationship. Sip your eggnog in enjoyment as you listen along!

A very much requested movie is finally touched upon!  It's hard to really say anything bad as both Brendan and Deirdre thoroughly enjoyed it.  But that doesn't mean it doesn't have the same generic tropes that all these other movies do, Love Hard does some of it better.  Still, there's plenty to discuss!  From IMDB: An LA girl, unlucky in love, falls for an East Coast guy on a dating app and decides to surprise him for the holidays, only to discover that she's been catfished. This lighthearted romantic comedy chronicles her attempt to reel in love. For this one, pour that egg nog because you LIKE it... not because you NEED it!

Today's episode, Brendan and Deirdre unpack the Christmas movie, Hometown Holiday.  Once again, we find ourselves on vanilla street in the town of generic.  2 Different "love" stories painted with the broadest of broad strokes.  How plain is it?  Well, we tried to figure out what the plot of the movie is if you watched it on mute!  From IMDB: Krista is starting this New Year with a new business and a resolution to be more selective with who she dates. When Krista meets Ryan Rourke, an entertainment lawyer from LA, the two really hit it off. Ryan is in her hometown to sign a local rancher turned viral signing sensation as his new client. Now with Krista also in Rust Creek, maybe there is more of a reason to stick around. Both are holding onto things from their past and are forced to make some decisions if they truly want to be together. Yes, its that long, because you need to cram in every detail you can in order to make it stand out... somewhat.  Line up the spiked egg nog because you're gonna need it!

We never realized we would be watching more than 1 Christmas theme Crime movie (let alone one at all), yet here we are!  One of the things Deirdre and Brendan have learned is that these movies have a strong sense of predictability.  But is it always a bad thing?  Sometimes things are predicted because it's the RIGHT thing to do and Christmas Catch is living proof of it!  From IMDB: A small-town policewoman falls for a suspected diamond thief at Christmas time. This description doesn't give the movie justice.  So pour your eggnog into your favorite mug and enjoy! Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/pecan-pie/its-that-time-of-year License code: 8ZJFPSIDT6ATGYHP

If you want the most basic, safe, vanilla Christmas movie you can find... well, we found it for you.  Snowbound for Christmas creates a line that is so thick, it's nearly impossible to walk over it.  It tells its story simply and with no flair.  If there was anything easier to unpack... it wouldn't be wrapped in anything.  From IMDB- Marketing exec lands a spot on a big project but before the presentation, a snowstorm traps her and her boss at a resort where they realize there is more to their relationship than just business. Nothing more to add!  Take your eggnog and sit down to enjoy us taking care of this movie!

CASTLES!  CASTLES EVERYWHERE!  Deirdre and Brendan sit and watch this surprisingly star-studded movie filled with to the brim with tropes that will all know and love... but adds a PG-13 spice to it, of the likes we were NOT ready for!  Bad Christmas signing, 4 fuses for a 12 bedroom castle and a shocking twist you will (totally) not see coming!  From IMDB: FATHER CHRISTMAS IS BACK centers around four sisters who have re-united for the Christmas Holiday in a Yorkshire mansion. misunderstandings that uncover the long-buried secret that tore their family apart, so many years ago. Misunderstands is an UNDERSTATEMENT!  Double up on the eggnog and enjoy!

If there was any movie we've seen so far that looked like it was going to be good and then totally fell off the rails... Christmas Wedding Planner is it.  It has everything you may want in a Christmas movie... if that includes crime drama and CSI-esque endings.  Also, if you've met someone and wanted to marry them after 4 days* of knowing them... this is for you *May need to be converted to movie time From IMDB - While planning her cousin's lavish wedding, Kelsey Wilson's world is turned upside down when Private Investigator Connor McClean shows up. Connor, hired by a unnamed source, disrupts the upcoming nuptials but manages to win Kelsey's heart. We need a lot of muscle to unwrap this one!

One of the biggest tropes we've come across is castles... and if you couldn't tell by the title of this movie... there is a castle.  And Brooke Shields.  And Cary Elwes.  And..... Drew Barrymore?  From IMDB-  To escape a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle - and faces off with the grumpy duke who owns it. Once Again, time is a mystery in a Christmas movie.  Will we be able to make sense of this?!