From Hot Frosty to Trivia at St. Nicks, Should You Add These to Your Watchlist?
The holiday season has officially arrived! From holiday party crashing best friends to a showdown at Christmas trivia, Pop Culture Planet breaks down which movies you should add to your watchlist.
A Carol For Two
It’s a very Wicked holiday at Hallmark Channel! Broadway stars Ginna Claire Mason and Jordan Litz lead the Cyrano de Bergerac-style Christmas movie A Carol For Two. When a talented New York newcomer gets a job as a singing waitress, she gets paired up with a Christmas duet partner who thinks she only got the job because of nepotism. But things get complex when he starts to develop feelings for her… after setting her up with his cousin.
A Carol For Two is a beautiful love letter to theater kids who love Christmas and New York. Mason and Litz are a breath of fresh festive air! It’s such a treat watching them sing so many classic holiday songs together.
A Carol For Two debuted on Hallmark Channel.
- Kristen Maldonado
Holiday Crashers
Best friends Toni (Lyndsy Fonseca) and Bri (Daniella Monet) spend their time working at a card shop as they try to discover their true passions and dreams. As the holiday season approaches, the duo decide to use the invitations printed at their store as an opportunity to crash holiday parties. It is all fun and games until Toni is mistaken for a lawyer and brought on a work trip to a remote mountain retreat with a man (Chris McNally) she has fallen in love with. Even Bri has found herself in a romantic situation with someone (Jag Bal) who had been lying to her.
For a Hallmark movie, this checks all the boxes. A niche yet festive job, a woman seemingly lost in her career, and an excuse to meet someone new at a flashy holiday party. Though the characters feel a bit cliche at times, the dynamic between Toni and Bri feels real and sisterly while the chemistry with their respective love interests is equally as palpable. A fun watch for those looking for reprieve from the holiday stress.
Holiday Crashers aired on Hallmark Channel.
- Jordan Bohan
Hot Frosty
The Queen of Christmas Lacey Chabert makes her way to the Netflix Holiday Cinematic Universe in Hot Frosty. Chabert plays widow Cathy who magically brings a snowman to life — but not just any snowman, a hunky one! As they bond, his innocence helps heal her heart.
This was a sweet and silly romance that will hit you right in your frosty heart. Dustin Milligan is perfectly cast as the charming himbo snowman Jack, making it easy to see why Chabert — and the whole town — falls for him. Despite its spicy premise, Hot Frosty has a surprisingly heartwarming ending where you can’t help but root for Cathy and Jack. And, of course, you can’t miss the Easter eggs to Mean Girls and A Christmas Prince!
Hot Frosty is streaming on Netflix.
- Kristen Maldonado
Jingle Bell Run
Unadventurous schoolteacher Avery (Ashley Williams) is secretly signed up for a Christmas-themed reality competition called The Great Holiday Dash by her sister. There, she finds her competitive side and learns opposites can attract when she’s paired with former hockey player Wes (Andrew Walker).
It was such a blast to see this unlikely duo team up for Christmas challenges all across the country in Jingle Bell Run. The reality show brings such a great energy to the film, so much so that I think the idea could even work as a real standalone reality series. Their brain and brawn dynamic is a ton of fun, especially when they add in some of the classic reality romance drama to spice things up.
Jingle Bell Run aired on Hallmark Channel.
- Kristen Maldonado
The 5-Year Christmas Party
Theater school rivals Alice (Katie Findlay) and Max (Jordan Fisher) find themselves reconnecting year after year at a catering company working holiday parties to make some extra cash. As the two struggle to get their acting careers off the ground, they seem to have undeniable chemistry but can’t seem to get on the same page.
While the plot sets up a cute idea, the chemistry was flat. The two seemed more like friends than love interests and, when they reunited, it didn’t feel like the stakes were high enough. There was a lack of longing that would have made these two characters feel more invested in their relationship. This flick would’ve been more impactful with a tumultuous friends and coworkers relationship than a romantic one. Might be worth skipping this season.
The 5-Year Christmas Party aired on Hallmark Channel.
- Jordan Bohan
Trivia at St Nicks
When students leave an elite college campus for the holidays, the faculty is left to entertain themselves with a high stakes trivia tournament at a local bar. Celeste (Tammin Sursok) is a trivia veteran known for her studying discipline and astronomy knowledge who is left with a missing team member when the tournament starts. Against her wishes, her team recruits the school football coach (Brant Daugherty) to fill in the gap which leads to an unexpected romance.
Hallmark seems to be stepping out of the box a bit this year and Trivia at St. Nicks is a prime example of a fresh idea. The movie still has the classic Hallmark tropes featuring a nerdy type A woman and an athletic football coach as love interests, but putting them in a new environment. The Christmas trivia was fun to play along with and the characters felt genuinely spirited. This is a great watch, especially if you are a die hard holiday fan.
Trivia at St. Nicks premiered on Hallmark Channel.
- Jordan Bohan
