Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘One December Night’.

​It is definitely safe to say that Hallmark Holiday movies, have something of a unique reputation. In that, they are formulaic in nature and revolve around a broken character of sorts. One that is so overwhelmed or lonely, that the only way they can heal or find direction or love, is to return home during the holidays and face their past and along the way, they manage to find what they were looking for all along. Plus, someone in the story is Santa Claus. But while some may lament the formula used here, make no mistake about it, it works, and it draws viewers in. For these movies are incredibly popular this time of year, and the demand for them is continuing to grow, as evidenced by how many are on the air right now.
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But what’s fascinating about these films, is that Hallmark is starting to realize that in order to keep their popularity going, these types of stories need to grow and offer more to their viewers. Plus, they need to include bigger names and it just so happens, that last night saw the premiere of an impressive Hallmark Holiday movie, that checks off every box on that list in One December Night. Which are feats that this movie accomplishes, by outright surprising us. Because early on, it seems as though we are going to be treated to the same old song. Since the story features a young woman named Quinn Sullivan who is reluctantly heading home to Pineville to complete quite the task for her boss. Wherein she must reunite her famous musician father, Mike, with his old singing partner Steve Bedford to bring a reunion show to life. An act that will be no easy task since Mike and Steve split up under ugly circumstances.

Of course, while she is there, she reunites with her old sweetheart, Jason Bedford, and therein is where it seems the formula is going to come into play. But that’s where this film outright surprises instead. Because rather than have everyone immediately embrace the wonder of the season for old times’ sake and find love and what they need under the wonder of multicolored lights, as one might expect, it turns out Mike and Steve are bitter old men. Who truly believe that life has sent too many curveballs their way and there is little they can do to reclaim joy or the magic they once shared on stage. Not to mention, there is serious tension between Mike and Quinn, since the death of Quinn’s mother… forced a rift to form between the two of them. Which is a storytelling decision that adds incredible depth and realism to this film, the kind this writer hasn’t seen all that often in these types of films, and the surprises storytelling wise, don’t end there.

Because we need to talk about the shocker of a twist revolving around Steve Bedford. In that, he’s suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and part of his desire to reunite, is because this might be his last performance in show business before the disease sweeps his mind and his memories away. Which in turn adds even more depth to this story and makes it clear that the chief theme to this story, is that life is short and fleeting, and while it will indeed challenge us and throw some curveballs our way… we need to celebrate its wonder, and we do so, by not being bitter and by not holding grudges. Instead, we must cherish every single moment that comes our way, for they will never come again and that is quite the deep and beautiful message to be found in this story, one that is sold by an outright incredible cast.
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For Brett Dalton (Jason Bedford) and Eloise Mumford (Quinn Sullivan) sell the frustrations that children should and would have when family is feuding with a raw honesty that the audience can relate to. Plus, Peter Gallagher (Mike Sullivan) does a phenomenal job of reminding us of how easy it is become a bitter individual when we let life’s surprises eat at us. But truly, the man that steals the show is Bruce Campbell, who plays Steve Bedford. Simply because his performance here is nothing short of electric and there are several key scenes, specifically where Steve opens up about his diagnosis, where Campbell will bring you to tears with the fear and honesty, he helps Steve exude, and if this is the beginning of a dramatic run for Bruce, then look out world because he is about to wow us all. 

In the end however, this really is quite the impressive Hallmark Holiday film. Because this one really does manage to shake off the tropes of Hallmark movie past and offer up something real and raw and uplifting and fun. Plus, it is complete with dynamic characters and philosophical notions and well, if you get a chance, see this one as soon as you can. Simply because this movie will draw you in with its fine acting and solid plot and one can definitely argue that One December Night might be viewed in years to come as the turning point for Hallmark Holiday movies. Since this one makes it clear that they can offer so much more to the audience and hopefully they continue to do so in years to come.

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture ‘Eternals’.

There are a great many reasons as to why fans of superhero movies continue to flock to the theaters to see them. For some, it is all about the technological marvels these movies can accomplish from a special effects standpoint, since there are few limits now in that industry, allowing for the imagination to be completely realized on the silver screen. For others, well they simply cannot get enough of these films, because they’re finally being taken seriously by studios, which allows for quality stories to be told and for A-list casting to take place. But while everyone has their own specific reasons for enjoying these films through and through… there is surprisingly, one connective reason that motivates us to be at the theater to see the latest superhero movie on opening day.
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In that, superheroes represent the best of us, and there is something supremely inspiring about seeing a hero on the screen shed the doubts and worries that we all carry, to accomplish incredible wonders and keep people safe, and we genuinely try to embody what they stand for, wherever and whenever we can, so we can be a better person and hopefully become the beacon of hope they are. And this ‘inspirational purity’ is so engrained in the genre, that no one has ever dared to tinker with it… until recently. For Kevin Feige and the Marvel Studios team, are starting to understand the genuine connection that audiences share with superheroes and how much they mean to fans. So, if by chance, their stories were tinkered with and had a little real-world strife and challenges injected into them… then perhaps we could find new strength and guidance from these icons. 

Which is why the most recent run of Marvel Cinematic storytelling via Disney+ has focused on the power of grief and the trauma that comes from it, and the importance of self-care and tackling racial injustice, to see how audiences would receive it and if they were ready to go deeper, and since the reception for those concepts was indeed quite positive… Marvel has decided the time has come to roll this kind of realism out to the silver screen, by way of its latest MCU release, Eternals. Which is a motion picture that outright surprises the audience with its realistic themes since early on… this appears to be more of the same from Marvel. For we are immediately introduced to the Eternals, a group of immortal aliens that came to Earth thousands of years ago to protect mankind from hideous monsters known as Deviants. But once their mission is finished, and they are able to enjoy our world while waiting to be recalled home… is when this film dives into painfully realistic territory.

For our heroes come to learn, they’re inadvertently the villains of the story, for reasons we won’t go too deep into here. Because instead, we need to talk about what that revelation does to these characters mentally and how that relates to what the MCU is currently trying to do. Because that revelation… outright breaks beings that can achieve wonders and save the world with a mere flick of their wrist, and it leaves them mired in doubt about themselves and who they are and what they stand for, and this is… a brilliant route to take with a superhero film. Primarily because, it makes them the most relatable MCU characters presented to audiences to date. Because they are in essence… each and every one of us. For so many of us, share in the doubts these characters do and we too are unsure of what it means to stand tall in this world and be a voice that stands out and that humanity, allows for the story to offer up some powerful moments of realistic inspiration.
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Because as the story continues along, and these lost and fallen heroes try to figure out their next moves, we see them struggle with doubt and watch them fail or choose to walk away…. before coming to understand that they can in fact… accomplish wonders if they put their mind to it and they can also be everything they ever wanted to be and that genuinely stays with you. Because it asks and tasks everyday folks to put aside their fears and just… try. Try and see what would happen if we chased our dreams or went after what we want and that’s the perfect message to send across to audiences since it doesn’t ask us to be a fictional character, it asks us to be our own hero and that is beautiful to find here, and the wonder of this film’s messaging doesn’t end there. Because it also reminds us, that sometimes that taking the time to chase what we want, will reveal that such a path isn’t for us and that’s okay. 

Plus, it also takes the time to teach us, that unity is hard, and it takes great effort on all parties to compromise and come together and that is perhaps the most important message of all to find in a story such as this, at a time when America is desperate to find unity. One that is hammered home by a supremely diverse cast of characters that come from all walks of life, adding to the realism of this magnificent story, one that you need to see as soon as possible. Because this really is a revolutionary superhero film, one that sheds the mystique to point out that we don’t have to look to fictional heroes to find inspiration to be better, we simply need to look within and tackle the darkness we grapple with and when we do and when we exhibit that bravery amongst others… wonders can in fact be achieved, and you simply cannot go wrong with a superhero movie that takes the time to look at humanity in such a positive and hopeful and downright inspirational light.