Christmas Movie Review – STREAMING MOVIE NIGHT

Single Mom. Double Life.

Taylor Jacobson (Alexandra Breckenridge) is a struggling single Mom who has just been fired from her job at Clotz Cookie Company, right before Christmas. To top that she runs into her landlord who reminds her that she is four months behind on her rent. She then finds out her daughter has been accepted to an elite snowboarding camp at Sun Peaks ski resort which is very expensive. Desperate for cash, the next day she takes her vinyl record collection down to the record store. A customer in the store notices a record by a local band The Screaming Kittens in her collection. When the record store owner offers her a hundred dollars, he insists the local band record is worth a lot more. He then realizes that Taylor is on the cover and used to be the lead singer of The Screaming Kittens.

Matthew Layne (Ryan Eggold), the customer, follows her out of the store and offers to buy her a hot chocolate but Taylor turns him down. Taylor tells her brother about her situation and he discovers that employees of the resort get 50% off the snowboarding camp that her daughter has been accepted at. She goes down to the resort to apply for a job and finds out that the only job available is for a male Santa Claus that pays two thousand dollars a week. With her brother being a costume creator and makeup artist, she cooks up a scheme to impersonate a male who can get the Santa job at the resort. She goes down to the resort in the prosthetic costume and gets the job as Santa Claus, using the name Hugh Man. She is immediately surprised to meet Matthew Layne who is the General Manager of the resort and whose father owns the resort.

Christmas comedy ensues as Taylor tries to keep Matthew from recognizing the lead singer of The Screaming Kittens who turned down his offer of a date. As Taylor, ah-hum, Hugh Man, works with Matthew at the resort playing Santa, he keeps thinking that there is something familiar about “Hugh”. As they bond, he starts confiding in “Hugh” about the woman he met and is starting to have feelings for. Hilariously he asks “Hugh” for advice on how to better get to know Taylor, who is right in front of him. Things get more complex as the season rolls by, and Taylor tries to keep Hugh’s real identity a secret. Her daughter’s snowboarding aspirations and the rent are depending on it.

Alexandra and Ryan are good together in this, they pull off the Christmas Santa Chaos and hit it off with a rocking musical number on stage at the end. It is a little campy in it’s own cute way, but definitely worth a Holiday watch.

2025 Netflix

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 39min

Comedy ~ Romance ~ Christmas

Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson

Starring: Minka Kelly, Tom Wozniczka, Sean Amsing, Thibault de Montalembert, Astrid Whettnall, Flula Borg, and Xavier Samuel.

Christmas In France Is Always A Good Idea.

Let’s talk about Champagne, Champagne Problems, and the bubbles in between. Champagne isn’t just a Sparkling Wine from France, it is the most celebratory beverage ever invented. Champagne Problems sound pretty from a distance, Paris, promotions, perfect photos. But up close, they sting like any other heartbreak. The bubbles just make it easier to pretend everything is fine, at least until the glass is empty.

Champagne Problems isn’t just a fizzy holiday rom-com, it is a sparkling holiday movie that’s much more than just a cheerful romantic comedy. It’s a story about how a life that looks perfectly poured can still taste a little off once you sit with it for a while. At first glance, it seems like the usual pretty package, glamorous locations, stylish outfits, and plenty of champagne to toast every little moment. But beneath all that sparkle, it tells a deeper story about what really goes on when life isn’t as perfect as it looks.

The movie’s main character, played beautifully by Minka Kelly, feels trapped in a world where everything is supposed to be perfect and planned. Her life is all about control, schedules, and appearances, but when unexpected emotions start bubbling to the surface, she has to face the truth that not everything can be neatly organized or fixed with a toast. This contrast between the polished exterior and real feelings is what makes the film so relatable and refreshing.

Champagne Problems also does a fantastic job showing how problems in life aren’t always about big disasters. Sometimes, it’s the little things, the doubts, the disappointments, the quiet moments of vulnerability, that matter the most. The story gently reminds us that those “champagne problems” are real feelings that deserve attention, not something to brush off or pretend away.

This movie isn’t just about romance, although the chemistry between Minka Kelly and Tom Wozniczka is magical, it’s about finding the courage to be honest with yourself and others, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable. With heartfelt performances, relatable themes, and a beautifully crafted atmosphere, Champagne Problems is a must-watch holiday film that will leave you both smiling and thinking. If you want a movie that feels like a warm, honest conversation wrapped up in festive cheer, this one’s for you. You know what Bobby would say: