2018 Premieres We’re Most Excited For
Our household rule has always been, “You can’t watch Christmas movies until the day after Thanksgiving.” It didn’t seem fair to the other late-in-the-year holidays. Plus we could enhance our love of the season by shoving it into a few short weeks.
When we decided to start Very Merry Movies last year, we knew our steadfast rule couldn’t last. Many of the new movies we stumbled upon in December had premiered before Thanksgiving. And this year, new content is slated to start in late October.
So for 2018, the household rule has shifted slightly: “You can’t watch Christmas movies until the day after Thanksgiving…unless they sound like they have Very Merry potential.”
Here’s our list of the 2018 premieres that we are most excited for:
#7: A Very Nutty Christmas
Channel: Lifetime
Premiere: November 30, 2018
The draw here started with the words “Melissa Joan Hart.” We grew up with her as Clarissa, and “Holiday in Handcuffs” is a movie we watch every year. Once we read that she plays a harried baker whose Nutcracker ornament comes to life (Barry Watson), we knew we had to watch.
The risk lies in the potential cheesiness of the writing or acting. If the movie can avoid relying too much on the magical/fantastical elements, the holiday redemption of our busy baker could be the movie climax we hope for.
#6: Northern Lights of Christmas
Channel: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
Premiere: December 15, 2018
Reindeer Farm. “Dangerously Handsome Ranch Hand.” Conflicting ideas of how to run a seasonal business.
Hallmark knows how to write a plot blurb to pique our (but mainly Jess’s) interest.
The movie title implies there could be some beautiful skyline scenes, and Ashley Williams is always charming. There appears to be little risk of being Not Very Merry. The final designation will all depend if they can keep an upbeat pace and stay true to the spirit of the season.
#5: Mingle All the Way
Channel: Hallmark
Premiere: December 1, 2018
It seems to be Hate Becomes Love in the digital age: an app pairs busy professionals for social engagements without the expectation of long-term love, and the app founder gets paired with a man she doesn’t like. If Christmas can bring these two Career-Driven characters together in a joyous way, this movie could easily become a modern classic.
#4: Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe
Channel: Hallmark
Premiere: November 23, 2018
Of course anything starring Lacey Chabert will end up on this list. Thank goodness the premise sounds like a lot of fun:
Career-Driven Woman returns to her hometown and is forced into Charity Work gala planning with an old rival (aka, Hate Becomes Love). The description also includes our protagonist repairing a strained relationship with her father, which is bound to bring tears.
If they can balance these clichés with lots of Lacey screen time, this Black Friday premiere will be a charmer.
#3: The Princess Switch
Channel: Netflix
Premiere: November 16, 2018
We’ve heard little about this movie since the summer buzz. This we do know: Vanessa Hudgens will play two identical characters who trade places, both finding love through Mistaken Identities. But since one is royalty, Netflix seems to be playing off their A Christmas Prince success.
This description seems high-risk, high-reward. We trust Netflix given their 2017 foray into original Christmas content. But the lack of recent information could mean production delays or many script rewrites.
Here’s hoping this streaming option can live up to its cable counterparts.
#2: A Shoe Addict’s Christmas
Channel: Hallmark
Premiere: November 25, 2018
Candace. Cameron. Bure.
Do we need to share more? Probably, because the title turned us off, too. The premise, however, leans on one of our favorite plot devices: ghosts of Christmas. They haunt our shopaholic when she gets locked in a department store on Christmas Eve.
We trust Candace to make any movie at least a “Merry.” We’re betting that her character’s transformation from Shallow Spender to Christmas Crusader will be a treat.
#1: Christmas at Pemberley Manor
Channel: Hallmark
Premiere: October 27, 2018
We know, we know. A movie premiering in October is our top pick for the year? We felt the same way…until we read the cliché potential:
Event Planner goes to a small town and tries to convince a Scrooge-like billionaire to not sell a quaint estate but instead let her use it as her Christmas Festival venue. Hate Becomes Love is always a favorite, and when the movie stars A December Bride’s Jessica Lowndes, we’re easily sold.
We hope there are more clichés in store for us, especially since we’re starting our viewing so early.
Don’t let us down, Hallmark.
