Hallmark Christmas movie – Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs..

Billy and I have been watching a boatload of Hallmark Christmas movies lately! This one was definitely escapist, with little tension, a focus on family, and highland dancing. Oh and an awesome castle! Because who would not want to spend the holidays in a castle? And then… find out that the castle belongs to your family and you could totally live there and be a Lady or a Lord? Because that absolutely happens in this movie. A little far-fetched but who doesn’t dream about something like that sometimes?

This movie stars Scott Wolf as Brad, who I know from the new Nancy Drew series, and Lacey Chabert as Lindsay who is apparently a Hallmark movie queen in her own right but I know her from Mean Girls best – the total opposite of her Hallmark movie persona.

Anyway, they are not the love interests in this movie. Well she is, but not with Scott Wolf, who plays her brother. This is the first time I have seen her in something other than well, Mean Girls, and I found her adorable.

Again, Hallmark kills it with the setting. Billy and I are suckers for a good setting and like I said, a Scottish Castle is like a dream for me. And this castle is a real one, the Duns Castle Estate near the Scottish Borderlands, which has been standing since the 14th Century. And you can really actually stay there!!!

This movie, like I said, was a bit far-fetched and one of our least favorites of the four we have watched. Brad and Lindsay find out that there mom ran away from her titled family and estate to run off with an American musician as a young woman and never looked back. Her brother (their uncle) passes away, and the estate is left to their mom to decide what to do with. And she wants the kids to take it over. And believe it or not, they don’t immediately jump at this chance. I was in disbelief. So there is a lot of hemming and hawing over that, some romance for Lindsay, and my favorite part, the bonfire and highland dancing!

I was a highland dancer for a year of my life a child. I loved it but was too afraid to compete so I didn’t proceed further. My mom and my aunt however were highland dancers most of their lives. My mom always hated it but my aunt loved it. They were both so good at it!

My mom is the dark haired one, my Aunt Barb the blonde. Aren’t they just beautiful in their regalia?

Anyway, the movie had a highland dance off and I was there for it! I would love to visit a pub with a dance off like that!

Overall, this movie was ok. The plot was a little overblown, but the setting was perfection. We enjoyed it even though it was not our favorite!

Have you watched this one? Yay or Nay?

Hello all! Welcome to the corner of the internet where we are going all out for the holidays this year! Today I want to talk about the delightful Hallmark movie Navigating Christmas.

So I know that a lot of people are not into Hallmark movies or shows, considering them too cheesy or corny or whatever. However, I am a huge fan. They are all just so happy and cheery and sometimes I need that. I don’t want a lot of drama; I want feel good. And this movie was a feel good film all the way!

From the Hallmark description:

Recently divorced Melanie and her son Jason visit a remote island for Christmas, only to find themselves running a real working lighthouse where she connects with the curt but cute owner.

Short but to the point!

This movie had a lot of elements that I loved and made me want to watch – a lighthouse vacation at CHRISTMAS (how awesome!!), an island named St. Nicholas Island, and of course, romance.

I was so excited to watch this. My husband thought it was hilarious that I was so geeked out over it, but he is a good sport and watched along.

This movie stars Chelsea Hobbs, a Canadian actress I was unfamiliar with until this movie. I looked over her film and television credits though and she stars in a series of Hallmark movies called The Martha Vineyard’s Mysteries and those are totally going on my to-watch list. It also stars Stephen Huszar, another new to me actor, but I really enjoyed his er…acting. Ok, I really did enjoy his acting, but also he was pretty easy on the eyes as well. He also seems to be in a mystery series, called the Ruby Herring Mysteries, so adding that as well!

So this movie has Melanie scrambling to find a fun way to celebrate the holidays after her ex-husband has to cancel his Christmas plans with their son Jason. She finds this lighthouse and think it looks perfect until she gets there, and learns that not only does she have to decorate the entire place for the holidays, she also has to run it! Thankfully, it is not an active lighthouse in the sense that she has to run the actual lifesaving aspects of it, so there is that. She is pretty peeved at first, then as she connects with the community and their Christmas spirit, she gets into it. Her son is still reluctant until he meets the mayor’s daughter, who totally has mermaid hair and no one mentions this at all, even though she lives on an island and could possibly be a mermaid. (spoiler: she is not) There is also one of those comfy cozy little diners that are full of joie de vivre, and this one seems to serve up some amazing looking pancakes. Like, I wanted pancakes while watching even though it was like 9 pm.

The island is full of Christmas traditions and I would 100% love to visit there, if it were a real place. I don’t want to share them because you will just have to watch and see!

I am a sucker for a good setting, and I think after watching Fisherman’s Friends the other day, I am in the mood for fisherman and boats and the sea. The setting was perfect for this. I feel like I see so many Christmas movies set in a snowy cabin in the woods or the mountains – which I also love – but I loved how this one was a bit different. The lighthouse was beautiful, and was exactly how I would like a vacation lighthouse to look. I had to do a little googling because I wanted to know where this lighthouse is located. What can I say, I am a Michigander and we love our water and lighthouses here. Even my little 8 year old is a fan.

Anyway, the lighthouse used in filming is a real lighthouse, located in Colwood, British Colombia, Canada, according to the website Atlas of Wonders. It is named the Fisgard Lighthouse, and shone its first light on November 16 (my birthday!!), 1860. You can tour the innkeeper’s house part of the lighthouse, which I will do if I ever make it over to that side of the world.

In true Hallmark Christmas movie fashion, this movie is low stakes, with a low level of drama but a high level of joy. I always say there is nothing happier than holiday romance, and this movie left me feeling cozy and cheery.

If you are looking for a Hallmark Christmas movie to watch this year, I highly recommend this one!