Christmas Miracle (2012)

Great Film overall

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Seven motorists are stranded in the snow at an old abandoned church. This should have been the miracle. Unfortunately, the movie shifted the 'miracle' from the motorists, effective in their own light for the situation they are in, to a small child. Our focus on seven people who are unable to find their way out of the snow, because a tree blocked their way, to first a woman who is able to find her way to the church in her SUV, tho she too gets her vehicle stuck in the snow, but it is when the child wanders out to the church as well, the focus awkwardly shifts. A child on foot is able to get close enough to the church, but the initial seven persons weren't able to wander the same path in reverse. The most remarkable aspect of the film is those vehicles sliding in the dark, quiet snow, with all parties having no idea when the automobiles will come to a stop. And now these seven people rely on one another. There is no bickering, really not the 'problems solved' as we get in other movies of this kind. If these people do not work together, any or all of them could meet an untimely fate in these woods. I saw this movie many years ago and have never forgotten it. Its a nice holiday flick, very low key but it delivers. Had the attention remained on the people in the church, it would have been stronger. And the child doesn't give a good depiction of autism.

Eight people get stuck in an abandoned church in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Here they evaluate their lives in the usual Christmas movie way. You know what you are going to get in most Christmas TV movies and the success of them in my opinion rests on the performance of the cast and the script. Personally I thought the acting was pretty good in this one, especially from Aaron Pearl, and the characters were more interesting than a lot of other Christmas movies. Although maybe a touch predictable the script stayed just on the right side of schmaltz. The wonderful snowy settings were an added bonus and added nicely to the good overall Christmas feel. This is a very easy watch, a film that puts you in the mood for Christmas and on that basis I think it does it's job. It's got snow, a Christmas Tree, Christmas carols, church bells and characters called Mary and Joseph. What's not to like. Although nowhere near perfect, for it's type, I thought Christmas Miracle was slightly above average.

I disagree with the 2 star review, yes it is a slow movie but it does actually have a point. Maybe you were just not paying attention. The freak snow storm was in the Pacific north west, as such it would be possible that the ladies insulin would have been chilled not frozen.... I understand that insulin can be refrigerated, NO? As for the walk to the town, I believe it was quite a distance, as the son walked for a long time and got lost in the woods, so maybe lesson learned there, stay put where everyone could be in one place, fire burning, sheltered and reasonably comfortable. Strangers sharing stories and wisdoms, and providing each other with a shoulder and support. I did find the idea that Matt would sneak out of his house a bit far fetched, but, since I do not have an autistic child, I do not fully understand how this would be portrayed in a character. The movie does have a point, when the final scenes are played out it becomes very clear when it comes to the ending. Possiblythe previous reviewer did not wait for the end of the movie to see the conclusion. Is this the absolute best Christmas movie out there? No, but it does share a message, it gives a person pause to reflect and maybe that is the point. Take the message from the movie an leave the sub-par bits behind!

Basically, a group of people who are unhappy with their lives end up in an abandoned church after getting stranded in a snow storm. I am not sure where the miracle came in although there was plenty to be thankful for. Mostly that it is only 90 minutes long. This is one of the slowest movies I have seen, with really nothing to redeem it. There was at least a lot of snow. I could have accepted the group being stranded and snowed in and talking to each other until resolving some of the issues they all had, mostly due to lack of communication between the couples. But when the autistic son ran away from his babysitter and walked to the church under his own steam, I had to question why 8 grown-ups couldn't walk home through the woods. That and the woman who lost her insulin in the snow was still able to use it after it froze, thereby rendering it useless. It looks like they stayed all night in the church without freezing to death, and it all ended happily ever after. Slowly and painfully.