holiday film 2025

‘An Alpine Holiday’ is a sisterly adventure

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Faith and Kelly (Ashley Williams and Laci J. Mailey) were brought up by their grandparents after their mother died and their father left. Faith, the adventurous and free spirited sister, left NYC and moved to Florida. Kelly, the cautious homebody stayed to look after their grandmother. After her death, Faith returned for their grandmother’s last request which set them both off on An Alpine Holiday.

The final request of their beloved grandmother was for the sisters to travel to France to relive and retrace the days that led up to their grandparents’ first trip when he proposed, setting them on a life of love and joy. Faith can’t wait to go, but Kelly is apprehensive. Faith is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of gal whereas Kelly is a woman who must analyze everything before making a decision.

Once in France, their guide Frederic (Julien Marlon Samani) helps them follow the daily requests specified by their grandmother. Even in death, she is there by their side, taking them on the same adventure she had been on years before. The trio stayed in the same chalet, experienced the same cold plunge and hot tub, and the same food. Then they faced their biggest challenge. They were to climb the mountain to where countless couples become engaged on Christmas Eve. 

This is not a problem for Faith, but when Kelly sees the cable car, her fear kicks in. But there is more to this mountain, much more. A second cable car and, yes, the final part is actual mountaineering are on the agenda. 

Throughout the time in France, the sisters face personal issues and confront their relationship. Meanwhile, Faith is wrestling with the proposal from her boyfriend back in Florida, and Kelly is dealing with her attraction to Frederic. It’s crazy. She just met the man, and it is not like her to plunge into anything, especially a romantic relationship. 

The scenery is magnificent. Although it is set in Chamonix, France and Mont Blanc, the movie was mainly filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria, with some scenes in the U.S.A. and France.

Faith discovers more about herself on this adventure, and Kelly discovers it is ok to take a chance. As their grandmother said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” These women decided to make it a daring adventure.

Grab some hot chocolate or a hot toddy, cuddle up with a warm blanket, and settle in for An Alpine Holiday with plenty of sisterly situations.

An Alpine Holiday premieres November 29, 2025 on Hallmark Channel and streams the following day on Hallmark+. 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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, and is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. Francine is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

‘Timeless Tidings of Joy’ is heartening and fun

Posted on by Francine Brokaw


Once again Candace Cameron Bure turns in a delightful performance – with a twist. This time Cameron Bure stars alongside Paul Greene and her real life daughter Natasha. Timeless Tidings of Joy is an entertaining new holiday film perfect to lift the spirits of viewers who want a sweet (not syrupy) story of family, life, and love.

Ally (Cameron Bure) is the founder of a Chicago tech company and into everything techie.  She was left her grandmother’s little shop, Timeless Tidings, which is a throwback to the past. When she gets word that there is a buyer for the shop, she heads off to Indiana to close the deal. But things don’t go according to plan. 

Ally meets Bennett (Green), the manager of the shop. He loves keeping the old tradition of personalized tidings alive. But for modern-day Ally, that is just not in the cards. It is too old-fashioned. She is a modern businesswoman.

While they are discussing the sale, a strange occurrence happens. The two are suddenly transported back in time to the days just after World War II when the store was new.  It is there where Ally meets her young grandmother Joy (Bure) who is happy bringing good tidings to the people of the town, and especially to the widows of the servicemen who died in the war.

Ally never knew her grandmother as a younger woman. Her memories are of an old woman. She feels her grandmother sacrificed so much for the shop. Now Ally thinks she was brought back to help her grandmother decide to sell the shop, thereby giving her a better life. But if she sells, will it really be better or just different? And who is to say that keeping the shop was not a bad idea? With a buyer (in 1940s) ready, Ally feels it is her job to entice Joy to take the offer.

Ally enlists Bennet to help with her plan. But while they are trying to get Joy to think about selling, Bennet has an encounter of his own. Things get a little twisted when the modern-day duo start meddling in the past. What is it they say about changing the past? Oh yes. If you change the past then you change the present, or something like that. It’s the paradox of time travel.

It is fun to see Cameron Bure acting alongside her daughter who is playing her grandmother. It is not the first time they have been together onscreen. It seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in this family.

So, this little time-travel story is filled with plenty of fun and frivolity. The question remains – will the modern-day duo make it back to 2025 from the 1940s? And how will this little trip to the past affect their lives in 2025?

As Joy always reminds Ally, God finds a way, and puts everything and everyone where they should be.

Timeless Tidings of Joy streams on Great American Pure Flix beginning November 13, 2025 and premiers on Great American Family and GFAM+ November 15, 2025.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 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 is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County. Francine is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

All images courtesy Great American Media