2015 Christmas TV Roundup

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Gifts to buy, cards to write, parties to attend – the demands of the holiday season can leave the most optimistic person drained and stressed. What’s desperately needed is a hearty infusion of Christmas spirit. So pull up an easy chair, brew a cup of hot chocolate, and flip the television selector to a roster of the networks’ specials, ranging from humorous classics like Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol and the 17^th annual heart-tugging A Home for the Holidays, that introduces children adopted from foster care by loving families, to Lifetime’s premiere scheduling of happily-ever-after romantic tales.

Here are a few of the holiday offerings this year:

Friday, Dec. 5 on Lifetime – The Flight Before Christmas – After a totally unexpected breakup, Stephanie (Mayim Bialik from The Big Bang Theory) boards a red eye flight home where she meets Michael (Ryan McPartlin.) They detest each other at first sight, but when the plane is diverted to a small town in Montana they are forced to share the only remaining room in the entire hotel. Upcoming weeks feature Wish Upon a Christmas on Dec. 12; Christmas in the City on Dec. 14; The Spirit of Christmas on Dec. 19; The Merry In-Laws on Dec. 21; and Sons of Mistletoe on Dec. 23.

Friday, Dec. 5 throughout the holiday season on ABC Family – Meet the Santas; This network promises a month long programming of entertainment specials, classic movies and returning favorites. Meet the Santas recounts the story of a woman planning her Christmas Eve wedding only to discover that the intended groom has taken over the role of Santa Claus at the last moment. Continuing to build momentum The First Christmas brings into focus a young, blind shepherd who experiences a miracle that enables him to see snow for the first time. The animated tale is narrated by Angela Lansbury. The month long programming concludes on Dec. 26 with The Year Without Santa Claus.

Sunday, Dec. 6 on UP – Beverly Hills Christmas; Donna Spangler and Dean Cain share star billing in the tale of a spoiled materialist teen who learns the value of assisting others with the help of a guardian angel.

Monday, Dec. 7 on ABC – The Great Christmas Light Fight; For the third year, Taniya Nayak from Restaurant Impossible and Carter Oosterhouse go scouting the nation for the most extreme holiday home decorating. With $300,000 in prize money at stake, the winner will need the money just to pay the utility bill. Three more weekly episodes air through Dec. 21.

Monday, Dec. 7 on ABC – The Great Holiday Baking Show. Based on the UK reality hit series, amateur bakers compete with an emphasis on cookies and sweets. Numbered among the judges is England’s “Royal Queen of Baking” Mary Berry. The series continues next week in the same time slot.

Wednesday, Dec. 9 on truTV – Santas in the Barn: This topical series pits 10 wannabes against each other for the title of “America’s Best Santa.” Just how kid savvy the contesters are will be judged by their pint-sized fans, beginning with opinions on their choice of toys. Additional episodes air Wednesdays and Thursdays through Christmas Eve.

Wednesday, Dec. 9 on History Channel – Christmas through the Decades; This nostalgic trip down Memory Lane spotlights excerpts from Bob Hope’s Christmas Tour and A Charlie Brown Christmas, along with must-have toys like Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Star Wars action figures first popularized in the 1970’s.

Thursday, Dec. 10 on NBC – Michael Buble’s Christmas Special; Returning for his fifth holiday special, the crooner welcomes Celine Dion, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, along with the comedic bits with Jay Leno, Eva Longoria, William Shatner, and Blake Shelton.

Thursday, Dec. 17 on CW – iHeartRadio Jingle Ball; A star studded concert headlines Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato plus 5 Seconds of Summer, hosted WHTZ-FM’s Elvis Duran.

Thursday, Dec. 17 on PBS – National Christmas Tree Lighting; Joining President Obama and the first family for this annual holiday tradition.

Friday, Dec. 18 on CBS – 17^th annual A Home for the Holidays; With LL Cool J serving as host, the special travels across American bringing musical headliners like Christine Aguilera, Jason Derulo, and Rascal Flatts face-to-face with their fans as they introduce children adopted from foster care. Profiled are the Levy Family from Canyon Country, CA., the Oden Family from Los Angeles, and the Alfonso-Monreal Family from Long Beach, CA. They’re representative of the 400,000 youngsters currently in foster care awaiting adoption.

Sunday, Dec. 20 on PBS – Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; With an able assist from Santino Fontana of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella fame and the Muppets, the choir performs holiday favorites.

Thursday, Dec. 24 on NBC – Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol; Holding distinction as the first animated holiday program produced for television stars, Jim Backus supplies the voice of Magoo in the musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved story.

These are just some of the great holiday shows this season. There are plenty more and there is definitely something for everyone.

About the Author

Winnie Bonelli is a former entertainment editor for a daily metropolitan New York City area newspaper. She is passionate about movies and television and loves to take readers behind the scenes.

Holiday Crafts and Recipes

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Download some fun and check out The Original Christmas Classics Anniversary Collector’s Edition on DVD and Blu-ray.

‘Walt Before Mickey’ on DVD and VOD

Posted on December 3, 2015December 3, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Many Disney fans are unaware that before he created Mickey Mouse and all his other memorable characters, Walt Disney was not as successful with his endeavors. As a matter of fact, he had many ups and downs on the road to his big success. Walt Before Mickey chronicles Walt Disney’s life and work as he climbs the ladder to ultimate success.

Walt Disney never gave up on his dreams. At a very young age he knew he loved drawing and telling stories with his drawings. But how far could that take him? We all know the answer to that now, but this movie fills in the gaps between his childhood and the culmination of his success with Mickey Mouse, the mouse that started an empire.

Writer and producer Armando Gutierrez says, “We based the film on Timothy S. Susanin’s brilliant and popular book about Walt’s early years. Our goal was to stay as true to the story as possible, and to embody the essence of the legendary man – and, I believe, we succeeded, with the help of our brilliant cast.”

Viewers will see the hard work and most importantly, the determination Disney had through his life. He was steadfast on making animation a mainstream commodity, and he did. It took many years and several misfortunes, but he never really gave up. He knew his vision and dream would ultimately come to fruition. His ambition was matched only by his imagination.

By combining his ideas with talented friends who came on board to help fulfill the idea of animation as a main category of entertainment, Disney kept moving forward. Although his initial Laugh-O-Gram Studio flopped, he never gave up.

Laugh-O-Gram was his first endeavor at animation for a profit. He wasn’t a great businessman, which is where his brother Roy came in handy. Roy was the quintessential businessman and Walt was the visionary.

Oswald the Rabbit was a success but Walt’s relationship with the studio caused him to ultimately branch out on his own and today Walt Disney Studio is thriving and growing. From Oswald Walt moved on to Mickey and never looked back. And to think it started with a mouse. How did Mickey get his name? That’s just one of the interesting tidbits brought out in this film.

Managing Director and CEO of Vision Films, Lise Romanoff says, “The film is so inspiring and a treat for the entire family! Not a lot of people know about the struggles Disney faced, before becoming the legend he is today.”
While today we think of Walt Disney as a big success, and indeed he is, the challenges he faced were enormous. But he had a dream and he never forgot this advice given to him by his father. “Always finish what you started and anything worth doing is worth doing well!”

Walt Before Mickey will be available on DVD and VOD beginning December 5, 2015, which is Walt Disney’s birthday. Starring Thomas Ian Nicholas as Walt and John Heder as Roy, this is an inspiring story of a man who endured hardships and setbacks but never gave up and is now a household name around the world.

Walt Before Mickey is rated PG for period smoking throughout, mild thematic elements and language. For more information, go to the website.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Signature Collection is Coming!

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Featuring In-Depth Brand New Bonus Material Including “In Walt’s Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Iconography,” “@DisneyAnimation: Designing Disney’s First Princess,” “The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Facts You May Not Know About Snow White,” “Snow White in Seventy Seconds,” “Alternate
Sequence: The Prince Meets Snow White” and Much More! The new Signature Collection is filled with great entertainment.

Available for the First Time Ever on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) January 19th
and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack February 2, 2016, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs launches this new collection.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation on Combo Pack

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

The Impossible Mission Force (IMF) is at a critical junction. Will they survive or be dismantled and absorbed by the CIA? Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is the fifth in the movie franchise and with this storyline it could be the last. But as viewers know, the IMF always comes out on top.

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in this high-octane movie about good versus evil. Hunt is on the trail of “The Syndicate” a group of former agents from around the world who are intent on causing havoc. But CIA chief Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) has seen to it that the IMF is no longer a viable agency. It has been terminated, leaving Hunt out in the cold.

Eventually he is joined by his teammates Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames), and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) in a global manhunt that involves cunning, car – and motorcycle – chases, and a lot of intrigue. With no one to oversee the team, they are literally rogue, with Hunt certain that they can track down the illicit Solomon Lane (Sean Harris) and end the Syndicate.

Like the other MI films before – Mission: Impossible (1996), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Mission: Impossible III (2006), and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) – Tom Cruise and the cast delivers an edge-of-your-seat adventure with plenty of spy ingenuity as well as the stunts for which MI is known. The movie franchise is based on the popular TV series (1966-1973). On the big screen the stunts are larger than life and the scope is wider than ever. And the sixth major motion picture is scheduled for release in 2017.

The Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation combo pack includes a Blu-ray, a DVD, and a Digital HD code. There are also plenty of bonus features.

“Lighting the Fuse” is a feature looking at the origin of the story and how it and the characters evolved throughout the process. The heart of every MI film is Tom Cruise, and in the featurette “Cruise Control” he states, “I love making movies.” He acknowledges, “I make my movies for audiences.” Cruise is a hands-on producer who is involved in every aspect of the film.

Another bonus looks at the IMF team. “This movie is about friendship,” Cruise admits. After all, the IMF has been outlawed but the team remains committed to each other and the cause. “It’s a new beginning for the IMF” states Simon Pegg.

Yet another feature looks at the stunts, mainly carried out by Cruise himself who always wants to go bigger and bolder than the time before. How far can they go to do something amazing without killing the star?

In this movie there is a dangerous underwater scene. It’s dangerous for Cruise, or so the viewers think. Actually the majority of the sequence was animated. After all, they really couldn’t kill the star in this scene! The moviemakers had another challenge with the intense motorcycle chase. How did they do that? Check out the bonus feature to find out.

Mission: Impossible is famous for intrigue and action, and this latest movie delivers both. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity.

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‘Downhill Racer’ on Blu-ray

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Downhill Racer was one of the first feature films to focus on the sport of downhill skiing. It is the story of a self-centered loner who is a gifted skier yet doesn’t quite know how to handle being a teammate. This 1969 movie includes plenty of action as the skiers race down the mountains of Europe in preparation for Olympic gold.

Robert Redford stars as David Chappellet, a cocky, self-absorbed young man from a small Colorado town. He might not be good in a social environment, but when he’s racing down a mountain he is in his element. He has the guts and the talent but only lacks social skills.

Gene Hackman stars as the American coach who sees the talent oozing out of Chappellet and needs to find a way to harness his cockiness and make him a team player. With all this raw talent, Chappellet can bring home the gold for America, but he lacks consistency. So he undergoes a rigorous training to prepare his body for the long haul of downhill racing on the world stage.

The movie has the appearance of a documentary, in many ways, which is something the filmmakers intended. It isn’t a flashy Hollywood ski film. It is a movie that takes viewers into the lives of the skiers as well as the harsh and unforgiving mountains on which they race. With amazing photography, viewers get the sensation of being with the racers as they speed down world-renowned mountains to make it to the finish line a fraction of a second quicker than the previous guy.

The bonus features on this new Criterion edition are just as interesting if not more so than the actual movie. Robert Redford and screenwriter James Salter discuss forming the concept of the story and how it evolved over time. They also talk about director Michael Ritchie and producer Richard Gregson, who was married to actress Natalie Wood at the time. Behind-the-scenes clips of Wood on set with the actors and helping Redford with his makeup are just snippets of the backstage insights viewers get with this highly interesting featurette.

Another bonus is a 12-minute documentary with Robert Redford narrating information about the movie and the sport of downhill racing. And in another featurette, viewers see how they got the impressive skiing footage. This was 1969 and technology was not as advanced as it is today. There were no GoPro cameras. So how did the filmmakers get the shots of the skiers racing down the mountains? Watch this featurette to find out.

This Criterion special edition includes a booklet about the story and making the movie.

Downhill Racer was produced in 1969 yet it is not outdated. Skiers loved this movie in 1969 and continue to hail it as one of the preeminent skiing feature films of all time.

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Shanice Williams Stars in ‘The Wiz’ on NBC

Posted on November 30, 2015November 30, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Just as Dorothy was magically transported to Oz, Shanice Williams is taking an equally magical one based in reality. Chosen from a talent pool of hundreds of young hopefuls, the 19-year-old New Jersey miss heads the cast of NBC-TV’s The Wiz Live! airing Thursday, December 3, 2015.

It was a tall order finding a real-life Dorothy as producer Craig Zadan explained, during a break in the rigorous rehearsals at Grumman Studios in Queens, NY, “We needed to find the one person who was not only the right age, but could also sing well, dance, and have a presence capable of carrying the story.”

Zadan remembers the exact moment Williams bowled over the producers and director and knew with certainty they had found their Dorothy. It was her rendition of “Home.” the production’s final number. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” he interjected.

Poised, and confident with a bubbly personality reminiscent of a young Janet Jackson, Shanice seems to be taking the challenge in stride. Her secret is prayer. She elaborated, “I’ve always lived by that advice, whether it’s a school play or something more to pray. I’ve done a lot of praying lately. So now I’m going to lay it all on the table and do my best.”

Ironically, Shanice”s first brush with L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy dates back to middle school although she was too nervous to audition for the part of Dorothy, and comfortably settled into the role of Addaperle. That case of jitters proved to be fleeting. By her senior year at Rahway High School she had already played Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and the diva Dorothy Brock in 42^nd Street. Such exposureearned her a rising star award nomination from Paper Mill Playhouse, a regional theater in Millburn, NJ.

Following graduation, Shanice headed west to study at the American Musical Dramatic Academy’s Los Angeles campus. A major case of homesickness cut short her plans. That exact day, June 6, she landed back East coincided with casting call for The Wiz Live!

The parallels between real life and fiction haven’t escaped Shanice’s awareness. She revealed, “I went to LA and found out I didn’t belong there, like Dorothy, who wants to go to Omaha. But once she does, she misses home. In the beginning she’s struggling to find out who she is and where she belongs. I feel everyone has a little bit of that inside them, especially at my age, trying to figure out who I am. So we really connect.”

Produced in association with Cirque du Soleil, The Wiz Live! is actually a restaging of the Tony-winning Broadway show that was set to an R&B beat and boasted an all black cast. Brought in to overhaul the score and make it more contemporary was Grammy winner Harvey Mason Jr., who produced the Dreamgirls movie soundtrack.

The production, which runs upwards of two hours, is the third live show produced by the television network, following “The Sound of Music Live” in 2013 and “Peter Pan Live” last season. The former, starring Carrie Underwood, attracted nearly 19 million total viewers, while the latter faltered at 9.1 million viewers. It proved to be a valuable lesson.

Zadan concedes that the title alone isn’t always enough to rack up the big numbers, so as added insurance they’ve recruited some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Celebrities like Queen Latifah in the title role, Mary J. Blige as the Wicked Witch of the West, Ne-Yo as The Tin Man, David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion, and Elijah Kelley as the Scarecrow with Common as the Emerald City gatekeeper/bouncer. The show also features Emmy winner Uzo Aduba of “Orange Is he New Black”) and Amber Riley as the two good witches of Oz.

Pulling it all together is Tony Award winning director Kenny Leon of A Raisin in the Sun and Fences fame.

Far more than a routine gig, both Queen Latifah and Blige both claim to have an emotional attachment to The Wiz. Latifah shared her early exposure to the production, “My mom took me there (Broadway) as a kid. I don’t know how she hustled up those tickets. I know money was tight. I was blown away. It changed my whole mind frame. Seeing a story that I was familiar with and told though the lens of people who looked like me, it felt like a place that wasn’t a fantasyland, but rather a place I could go to.

“So I became more inclined to audition for the school plays and really see it as a real possibility. It definitely changed and shifted my mind in a big way.”

Blige felt equally grateful, The Wiz is the only reason why I am here. As a kid, growing up in the inner city, it’s hard to leave. But when you see Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, who are both the untouchables and the biggest entertainers of our time, it gave me hope. It inspired me. It told me I had in me what I needed already to make it in the world.

“So to be a part of something that can do the same thing for another generation, I could not ask for anything more in my real life right now,” Blige concluded.

About the Author

Winnie Bonelli is a former entertainment editor for a daily metropolitan New York City area newspaper. She is passionate about movies and television and loves to take readers behind the scenes.

Disney Animators’ Collection Interactive Sven

Posted on November 27, 2015November 27, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

The new interactive Sven will amaze everyone. This nine inch high fellow is cute to look at and sweet to hold. But he is much more than a simple little plush, although those are nice too. This Sven is interactive. Yep, he responds to commands.

There is a tiny button on his left shoulder. When that is pressed Sven grunts his sweet little grunt. Now he is ready to play and interact. Say, “Would you like some carrots?” and he stands on two legs and you can hear him chomping his favorite food – carrots.

Tell him, “Sven, sit” and he sits on his rear end. Tell him, “Sven, lay down” and he stretches out on the ground. Ask him to “come over here” and he moves forward. Ask him if he wants to play and he gets very excited, jumps on his hind legs, wiggles his front legs, and basically plays with you.

After a little while you will hear him sniff. This basically turns him off and if he is lying down or sitting at the time, he will return to standing on his four legs where he awaits another push of his button to start again. This way, if he is left “on” he automatically turns himself off so he can’t get into any trouble. He can always be turned off manually by pushing the button. One push he grunts and is “on” and another push he sniffs and is “off.”

Whether he is being used in his interactive mode or just sitting on a table or bed or being held by a loving child, this little guy is adorable. He is from the Disney Animators’ Collection and represents Sven when he was young. In the beginning of the film Frozen, Sven and Kristoff (and Anna and Elsa) were young and just starting out. This is the young Sven. But young or old-er Sven never fails to deliver an endearing expression.

This Interactive Sven makes a great gift for any youngster. He is so darn cute to look at, plus he is interactive.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products to bring the latest and greatest to her readers. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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‘A Royal Night Out’ – Movie Review

Posted on November 27, 2015December 1, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

It is V-E night, May 8, 1945. Princess Elizabeth (19) and Princess Margaret (14) are eager to celebrate with the rest of London. But they are the heirs to the British crown. How can they simply go out on the town like common girls? It doesn’t matter how they got out, but in truth, the two girls did leave the palace and spend some time with the revelers in London. That part is true. A Royal Night Out is a story about the two princesses’ night of celebrating. While the fact that they really were able to spend the celebration with the “common” people, this film looks at one scenario that could have happened.

Director Julian Jarrold says, “It’s a true story by which everybody is intrigued. But we don’t know exactly what happened. [The movie is] a little fantasy inspired by that true story. It’s also a romantic comedy adventure about an odd couple, Jack is a working–class guy and Elizabeth is a princess. They are thrown together by chance and have to make their way through London on this crazy, unbelievable night.”

Margaret is young and naïve. She is also a fun-loving girl who has no idea what lurks on the other side of the palace walls. All she wants to do is go dancing and celebrate. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is eager to go out but also knows her role and how to behave, something completely foreign to her sister.

The Queen has seen to it that the girls have military chaperones, however it’s not long before the men “misplace” the princesses who are by now well on their way to experiencing this wild night full of merriment and patriotism.

Margaret goes on a wild tour of London and gets involved with some not-so-savory types. Elizabeth follows after her, trying to find her sister. Along the way she meets an airman who helps her. Jack has no idea “Lizzy” is the princess. Together they have an amazing time as they traipse around London looking for Margaret who has gotten herself involved with, of all people, some ladies of the night.

While Jack is accompanying Lizzy, she learns a lot about this man. They form an alliance that lasts the entire night and well into the next day. Once the princesses return to Buckingham Palace, Jack enjoys breakfast with the royal family. And Lizzy, aka Princess Elizabeth, takes on one last duty to the military. She escorts Jack back to his squadron. Their fabulous night together will ever remain a secret.

With Queen Elizabeth as she is today, it might be difficult for people to imagine – or remember – her as a teenager. Originally she was not destined to be the queen. Her uncle was the King. Well, we know the story of that debacle. So, Elizabeth’s father inherited the throne and therefore Elizabeth became the next in line. Once entrenched in Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth and her sister Margaret had their fates sealed. But on this one night they managed to experience the jubilance of the end of the war with their countrymen and countrywomen. That was a treat for the girls.

This movie is a fun bit of fantasy involving two women of history. The night World War II ended in Europe, the entire country and world celebrated. Things were about to change. Their lives would get back to normal. No more bombings or blitzes. This night, however, was still a reminder of what they had all experienced together.

Elizabeth and Jack (Sarah Gadon and Jack Reynor) are fun to watch. Margaret (Bel Powley) shows her exuberance for life and excitement. The queen and king (Emily Watson and Rupert Everett) are steadfastly aware of their duties but also that their daughters are young and excited. The casting is well done and the story is whimsical. While no one knows what really happened that night, this is one way to think about the excursions of the two princesses.

For more information, please visit the official A Royal Night Out website.

A Royal Night Out is rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief drug elements. It opens December 4, 2015

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‘Crown for Christmas’ Premiers on Hallmark Channel

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Francine Brokaw

Crown for Christmas is the latest “feel good” holiday movie from Hallmark Channel. It’s a little The Sound of Music, a little Mary Poppins, a little The Prince and Me, and a lot of enjoyable holiday entertainment.

Danica McKellar stars as Allie Evans, a 31-year-old woman living with her sister and brother in Brooklyn while they are all trying to survive and pay off their bills. Allie basically raised her siblings after their parents passed away, so she is no stranger to dealing with youngsters. This comes in handy when after being fired from her job as a maid in a fancy hotel she is hired as the nanny to a little girl in the country of Winshire.

Back to the beginning…Allie was a maid in an upscale hotel. The King of Winshire occupied one of the rooms she was servicing. She had no idea who he was and actually ran into him, literally, with the cart. There was an instant attraction but he went his way and she went back to cleaning rooms. Then when his assistant Fergus (Pavel Douglas) overhears Allie being fired, he has an idea. She is offered the job as a governess for the two-week holiday period. Not wanting to leave her family but in dire need of the money, she takes the job and travels to the country of Winshire, where she learns she will be taking care of King Maximillion’s (Rupert Penry Jones) daughter Theodora (Ellie Botterill).

Princess Theodora is a handful. She starts off by informing Allie she doesn’t need a governess. And she puts a rubber snake in Allie’s dresser drawer. If that doesn’t bring back memories of The Sound of Music, nothing will. This is a modern Sound of Music without the singing, one child instead of seven, and with a king instead of a captain.

Allie’s down-to-earth ways of doing things, combined with her love of children endear her to everyone in the palace, including Princess Theodora. The Chancellor (Colin McFarlane) is put off by this newcomer to the palace. He is scheming to get the king to marry the Countess Celia who would complete the royal family by being the new queen. But Theodora doesn’t like Celia and Celia doesn’t like Theodora. (Another nod to The Sound of Music.)

While the king is preparing for the holiday gala and the chancellor is forcing Celia on him, Allie and Theodora form a wonderful relationship. Theodora misses her mother and Allie is not a stranger to dealing with this herself. They both don’t have mothers and they both share a love of life. It is Allie who actually brings Theodora out of her shell and back to enjoying her life. Along the way, she also brings the king out of his funk and makes him realize his daughter is more important than giving the country a new queen.

In the end he realizes he can do both. He can give the country the queen they have been waiting for since his wife died. It just won’t be Countess Celia. It will be Allie Evans of Brooklyn.

Over the last week Allie and the king have fallen in love. Well you knew this was going to happen so this is no surprise. After all, it’s a Hallmark Channel holiday movie. It’s supposed to make viewers feel happy. And, take it from me, it delivers.

Crown for Christmas is completely enjoyable from start to finish. It premiers Friday, November 27, 2015 on Hallmark Channel.

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