5 Ways to Improve Cable Holiday Movies

I watch a lot of movie that target the holidays. I even review a fair number of them. After critically watching so many movies, do I have any suggestions to the people who churn them out? Sure. (To be fair the cable nets have been addressing some of these issues over the years.)

Don’t neglect the score

Now, I’m not a huge background music person, but I do notice its absence when the atmosphere in a scene (or worse, sequence) is dead or hollow. Some directors feel this adds realism but more often than not it comes off as cheap. An investment in a good score (doesn’t have to be great) that matches the script and doesn’t overwhelm the audio pays a lot of dividends. Also — try not to recycle a score, especially a recognizable one. The [amazon_link id=”B002NZK5V4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Practical Magic[/amazon_link] music being used for A Princess For Christmas always draws me out of the movie.

Denouements are important

This is the bit after the story climax that ties up all the loose ends. Some movies just end after the climax, like the editor said, “Climax. Done. I’m finished,” without any regard to the lack of emotional resolution. Sometimes there is a small denouement, but it’s an anemic scene or montage that doesn’t really satisfy…or just barely does. For an example of a denouement done right, try The Christmas Spirit, where the whole of the final act is denouement.

Make believable love antagonists

Ease up on the BF/GF who is obviously, almost comically, wrong for the protagonist. It weakens the hero of our piece because of eir astonishingly poor choice. I’m not saying to not have them be incompatible, just not so far out there or obvious that it simply makes no sense. One of the joys of An Old-Fashioned Christmas was that while the suitors were very different, you could reasonably see the protagonist go with either of them.

Dare to risk

Too many Christmas movies are variation of [amazon_link id=”B003VS0CY2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]A Christmas Carol[/amazon_link], [amazon_link id=”B000HEWEJO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]It’s a Wonderful LIfe[/amazon_link], [amazon_link id=”B000HT3PPG” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Miracle on 34th Street[/amazon_link], or [amazon_link id=”B000068TQV” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Santa Clause[/amazon_link]. While some efforts are done well (I’ll cite this year’s Kristin’s Christmas Past), too often they engender a groan of “again?”. I’d argue that many of the most fun holiday movies are the ones that aren’t walking in another movie’s shadow. How about a Hanukkah movie? Or a Yule movie? Or a musical? Or Australia-based? Or…? (Note: this doesn’t mean the movie will necessarily be any good, but at least it sheds its “been there done that” vibe.)

Make it about the holiday

By this I mean that the holiday needs to be an important plot device. If the movie can easily be transplanted to another time of year with little to no change in the script, then you really don’t have a holiday movie. You might have a seasonal movie (because snow), and for some that’s enough, but it’s not really embracing the genre.

And those are the top five that come to mind. Sure, there are other issues such as over-use of the same locales, very poor fake snow, over-reliance on formula, and so forth. Most quibbles (other than formula) are budget related and tough to work around so it’s easier to let them slide. Sometimes actor chemistry or talent levels don’t quite mesh or the director doesn’t mesh with the rest of the package, but, again, this is often related to budget. And there’s also the fact that most things will just be average — it’s the nature of the beast.