The thing about “best of” lists is that everything in this world is subjective. What makes people feel and what touches their hearts. Every year Countdown to Christmas is appointment television for me. It’s been there for me when times have been tough and when times have been good. A lot of the time The Hallmark Channel feels like coming home.
Though I watched every single movie this year, I missed reviewing three, and for that, I do feel bad. But I also know that life happens.
This year, there were a lot of hits and a lot of misses, but regardless of what they were, they were perfect. Sometimes perfect chaos, and sometimes, they hit you in the feels, can’t stop crying, remind you of just how filled with love Christmas can be.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was shocked when making this list, which movies I thought were the best of the best this year. But here we go.
#9 – THE CHRISTMAS BABY
Stars: Ali Liebert, Katherine Barrell, Barbara Niven
Logline: When a baby boy shows up on their doorstep days before Christmas with a note written specially for them, Erin (Liebert) and Kelly (Barrell) must learn how to navigate their new relationship and career dynamics while unexpectedly caring for a newborn. As the couple spends more time with the baby as a temporary solution until he can be placed permanently or they can find his mother, they begin to realize that they want to adopt him themselves and go about navigating the complicated world of fostering to adopt all while their business is booming at the busiest time of the year: Christmas.
Why We Loved It: The Christmas Baby was a surprise hit for us, but it was great. The reason? Ali Liebert and Katherine Barrell‘s performances. Their characters were an example of what love should be – unconditional and challenging; pure and strong; happy and sad. Yet with all of those moments, the pace of the show, and the joy that it gave, it is why it’s made our list.
#8 – CHRISTMAS IN THE CLOUDS
Stars: Erin Krakow, Tyler Hynes
Logline: When workaholic CEO Ella Neezer (Krakow) tries to skip Christmas by flying to Australia, she’s in for the flight of her life. Haunted by her past, present, and future, she’s forced to confront the choices that led to her success yet left her flying solo. With the help of three quirky spirits and a surprise reunion with her ex (Hynes), she might just rediscover the magic of Christmas — and the love she thought she’d lost.
Why We Loved It: Over a decade ago, I once took a flight to miss New Year’s, so I admit that I loved this movie in part because of that. I felt seen. That all aside, any variation of A Christmas Carol makes us excited. Krakow as Ella – was obsessed with the stoic workaholic nature and then the way she grew with each visit from a ghost – couldn’t ask for me. Hynes played Jake, and his laid-back IDGAF nature tracked for how many of us think our exes are.
Even if you aren’t thinking that you’ll love (based on the premise), watching their college throwback scenes was more than enough. Those were EVERYTHING.
#7 – A MAKE OR BREAK HOLIDAY
Stars: Hunter King, Evan Roderick
Logline: Liv (King) and Daniel (Roderick) are hosting their families for the first time this Christmas, and stress is at an all-time high. When unspoken irritations within their relationship finally reach a boiling point, Liv and Daniel find themselves at odds and decide they need to take a break from each other. However, relaying this news to their families will most certainly ruin Christmas, so they decide to move forward with their original plans and will pretend to be a happy couple while everyone is under one roof. As they navigate the complexities of their respective families and work together to create a holiday celebration they’ll all remember, Liv and Daniel begin to rediscover what they love about each other and may not have to pretend much longer.
Why We Loved It: Two of our favorites – Hunter King and Evan Roderick in a movie together. Yes please. The winner of Finding Mr. Christmas in the movie? Yes please. King and Roderick were so much fun together. But with this one, they just made everything seem better. You were rooting for them because everything that their characters did – well, I at least, recognized it as some stupid thing that I or one of my friends had done before. It just felt modern and engaging. Hallmark is doing their best to usher in new talent, and I am loving that. But what I am also loving is that the channel is investing in talent, community, and making sure that they can bring in more viewers.
#6 – SHE’S MAKING A LIST
Stars: Lacey Chabert, Andrew Walker
Logline: Falling on Santa’s Naughty or Nice list used to be a call made by Santa and his elves. But with the number of kids worldwide skyrocketing, Santa has outsourced the job to the Naughty or Nice Group, a consulting firm that has cornered the market on determining a child’s niceness thanks to an airtight formula. As a top inspector with the group, it’s Isabel’s (Chabert) job to make the tough calls, by assessing the children on her list and assigning a verdict. When she is tasked with evaluating a mischievous 11-year-old named Charlie Duncan, she expects a routine case. But things get complicated when Isabel unexpectedly falls for Charlie’s widowed father, Jason (Walker), and begins to question the rigid rules of her job. As Christmas approaches, Isabel must choose between following the holiday algorithm or following her heart.
Why We Loved It: Can you name a movie that Lacey Chabert has done on Hallmark that is bad? Ya, I can’t either. She’s just so great, calm, and knows how to draw you into the story. Lacey is a fantastic actress, but her and Andrew Walker in a movie together (again) is everything that I didn’t know I would need. The two just make a movie, and they make it well. More of them – more movies with these tw,o please.
#5 – A KELLER CHRISTMAS VACATION
Stars: Jonathan Bennett, Brandon Routh, Eden Sher
Logline: Christmas this year is going to be a little different for the Keller family, as parents, Anne and Ben, buy their three adult children — oldest son, Cal (Routh), middle son, Dylan (Bennett), and daughter, Emory (Sher) — a river cruise down the Danube River from Germany, through Salzburg, to Vienna, touring beautiful European Christmas markets and towns along the way. The one problem? The very different siblings, who are each going through their own personal life challenges, have naturally gone in separate directions over the years and the idea of spending 10 days cooped up on a river cruise together makes each Keller child cringe for their own reasons. But they say “yes” because that’s what families do, never expecting it to turn out to be a glorious once-in-a-lifetime experience full of missed connections, new friendships, stunning vistas, relationship upheaval, budding romances, shipboard games, family bonding, and a secret that brings them all together in time for Christmas.
Why We Loved It: As I get older, it gets harder and harder to maintain relationships, and sometimes that means with family, also. Brothers and sisters have trouble staying in touch or keeping up on things. I have to admit that this is a movie that I wanted to jump through our screen and join the fun. Jonathan Bennett, Brandon Routh, and Eden Sher shine in this movie as siblings reconnecting, a European cruise and remembering the joy of family and the holidays. It was just fun, emotional, and felt like therapy for the soul.
#4 – THREE WISEST MEN
Stars: Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker, Margaret Colin
Logline: The Brenner family is back, and their lives are more chaotic than ever! As Luke (Walker) is expecting twins, Taylor (Hynes) is debating a monumental job opportunity out-of-state, and Stephan (Campbell) attempts to plan for his upcoming nuptials, everyone’s stress heightens when they learn their mom (Colin) has put their childhood home up for sale, marking their final Christmas in the Brenner house. With unexpected in-laws visiting, wild animals lurking in freshly cut Christmas trees, and a hesitant mall Santa, the boys will have their work cut out for them as the holiday begins to loom. As they navigate adulting at a level they have yet to reach, they must learn to once again lean on one another to rise to the needs of their growing family, conquer the newest challenges in their lives and, most crucially, have the best Christmas ever.
Why We Loved It: I’ve definitely enjoyed the entire franchise, and I love the entire cast. The normal Brenner hijinks, relationship drama, and bonding. Not to mention the way that this family does Christmas. They make it fun, no matter the chaos that happens around the holidays. The way that these brothers grow with every single movie, every single lesson, and every single experience – it’s just to show the great writing and execution of that writing. The franchise is an institution, and we loved it.
#3 – SINGLE ON THE 25TH
Stars: Lyndsy Fonseca, Daniel Lissing
Logline: For Nell Duke, nothing is worse than being single at Christmastime because everywhere she looks, couples are kissing under the mistletoe. After her family cancels holiday plans at the last minute, Nell decides to spend the week of Christmas having fun on her own! When she crosses paths with her neighbor Cooper, a financial analyst who prides himself on being happily unattached, he notices Nell struggling with being alone and decides to share tips on how to keep the holidays festive. Cooper inspires Nell to challenge her insecurities and find happiness in being on her own. In turn, Nell helps Cooper realize he’s missing out on real connection. In the fun partnership that forms, the friendly singles’ Christmas together starts to feel like something more. Their special connection falls apart when Nell finds out Cooper only offered to help because he felt sorry Nell had to spend the holidays alone. To make Christmas truly magical this year, Cooper must show real growth of character while Nell finds her own strength in being single during the holidays.
Why We Loved It: Being single on the 25th or any day is not the best or the worst. It depends on who you are. But what I do know is that Lyndsy Fonseca and Daniel Lissing were perfect. Exact opposites who can learn from each other and were able to see that their way may not be the best way. As the two learned from each other – how to adapt, but also open their hearts to the possibility of love – well, I am here for it.
The movie was emotional, funny, and filled with so much Christmas. It’s definitely a favorite. We won’t hold against anyone the tears.
#2 – WE MET IN DECEMBER
Stars: Autumn Reeser, Niall Matter
Logline: On an unexpected layover in mid-December, Annie Lane (Reeser) and Dave Weeks (Matter) meet as strangers in a beautiful hotel all decorated for the holidays. It’s love at first sight, and they end up having a magical night of sharing hopes, dreams… and a perfect kiss. But when they fail to exchange numbers and miss each other the next morning, Annie and Dave fly back to Chicago with no easy way to track the other one down. The only clues they have are those shared about plans for the upcoming holiday season, and the two embark on separate quests to find one another. Along the way, insightful wisdom shared during their time together leads Annie and Dave to make important changes in their lives, leading them both to find ways of making this Christmas special for themselves, their families, and their loved ones.
Why We Loved It: I’ve got to admit that I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I knew that I wanted it. Heading into this movie, I knew that no matter what, I just wanted to love it because I love Autumn Reeser. What ended up happening was that I was smiling, laughing, and getting frustrated all in one. But it was this reminder that magic and love exist. Reeser and Matter were just so inviting – they brought their characters to life and gave the viewer the feeling that everything would be okay if you just believed.
And I believed.
#1 – A GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMAS
Stars: Nikki Deloach, Kristoffer Polaha, Rob Mayes, Eliza Maher, Luke Benward, Sharon Lawrence, James Denton
Logline: Gentry Wade (DeLoach), daughter of late country music icon Jett Wade (Mayes) — half of the famed duo Winters & Wade — abandoned her dream of a songwriting career and distanced herself from her father’s legacy following his tragic accident 30 years prior. When the Grand Ole Opry invites her to represent Jett at their centennial celebration at Christmas, she’s hesitant to return to the place steeped in bittersweet memories. Encouraged by her good friends, Gentry visits the Opry and, while seated in one of the vaunted venue’s oak church pews, is suddenly transported to 1995. Gentry’s lifelong friend Mac (Polaha), a country music talent manager, finds himself in 1995 as well. Thanks to some Christmas magic, Gentry gets precious time with her father, creative inspiration to finish the song she began decades earlier as a teen, and learns surprising answers to questions about her father that have followed her for the last three decades.
Why We Loved It: It was so much more than the music. It was about friendship, love, history, and music. The time travel element, as well as the way that Nikki Deloach and Kristoffer Polaha’s chemistry shines, made me stop and really pay attention to what their characters are saying.
It was the whole element of Deloach’s character getting to spend time with her father that made me cry my eyes out. We all wish for five more minutes with someone that we love, and seeing her character of Gentry get to spend more time with her Dad was the best thing ever.
The ending had me crying my eyes out and watching it over and over again.
What was your favorite movie this year? Tell us all the things!
