We’re talking all about the cringe-y Christmas movies we can’t get enough of, from Hallmark to ABC Family to Netflix. Warning – Spoilers galore when we recap The Princess Switch and A Christmas Prince series.

Show Notes

Hi Everyone! Welcome to our 3rd episode

  • Wow! Can you tell I’m sick? That’s the first thing Jae asked me when we sat down to record today, so if my voice sounds stranger than usual, that’s why
  • Welcome to our fabulous cringe-y Christmas movie recap episode! We have some major spoilers in here, so if you would like to avoid them, skip ahead to 56:14 to avoid them
  • We are not Elf people, sorry not sorry
  • Just a little overview here: Jae watched The Princess Switched series and I watched the A Christmas Prince Trilogy. I haven’t seen TPS: Switched again and Jae has never seen any of ACP.
  • The idea is that we’ll summarize the plot for each other, then watch and see how accurate we both were. Warning huge spoilers ahead!
  • After listening to Jae describe Silver Linings Playbook, any thoughts?
  • Warning: Spoilers for The Princess Switch ahead!
  • Vanessa Hudgens 1 (Stacy) and Vanessa Hudgens 2 (Margaret) and Vanessa Hudgens 3 (Fiona)
    Netflix, we have a Big Question: How do Margret and Kevin watch A Christmas Prince and then Richard and Amber then attend Stacy and Edward’s wedding at the end of TPS 1? Particularly because Kevin seems to notice…Is this a greater hint at the Netflix Christmas universe overlap?
    Jae and I both in agreement that both of us would need a little more time to recover if we found out we were involved in a switch situation
  • Gilmore Girls S1 E3 (Kill Me Now) features a double wedding between 2 sets of twins. It has prime potential for a switch situation and Lorelai and Sookie even debate the morality of cheating in the switch sitch
  • More spoilers for TPS: Switched Again!
  • Kevin and Margaret broke up and now she is going back to run Montenaro after her cousin abdicates the throne – Wasn’t it implied that they eloped at the end of the 1st movie?
    SDE for all of you have haven been asking is Small Dick Energy, which is the opposite of BDE, which I’m sure you can all figure out now
  • Big Hans Energy – Love this phrase, and it will now be the official term used to describe questionable men royal settings
  • Fiona Penbrooke (Vanessa Hudgens 3) is a thief and cousin to Stacy and Margret. She finds out about the switch and plots to take Margarets place, but Stacy and Margaret have already switched when FiFi puts her plan into place – We want to know how long did it take Vanessa Hudgens to film this scene?
  • World Tour of Orphans – SMH and hand clapping emojis! How did no one figure this out! I really hope if I mess my name up 3 times in a row, people will intervene. Actually consider this my written statement that if I ever do mess my name up thrice in a row, you may call for an identity check.
  • Spoiler Warning: My recap of the A Christmas Prince and A Christmas Prince: Royal Wedding is essentially an oral history report. Avoid it if you do not want spoilers!
  • Why are12-year olds so adept at black mail? Why is this a central theme to all christmas movies with children?
  • Why are palace staff always so calm when they encounter people they don’t know wandering around the castle?
  • For Christmas Prince: Royal Wedding, Jae thinks that I totally underplayed the wedding planner, Sahil. Do you agree?
  • We settled on 1, 3, and the 2 as the best order to watch ACP movies.
    What’s your favorite ABC Family Christmas movie?
  • Once Upon a Christmas and Twice Upon a Christmas is apparently now a controversial topic between Jae and I – I wished I’d taken a picture of her face when I told her my first thoughts
    I haven’t been able to find either of these yet, but I’m keeping Hallmark on in the background!
    I’ll be watching Home Alone 4 and giving Jae my thoughts this week
  • Speaking of Smart Houses, Smart House from Disney Channel is a 10/10 movie
  • I do actually like setting Jae’s Alexa off (It’s great as well when we’re watching Grey’s Anatomy and the other character’s saying Alex set it off)
  • Shonda Rhimes wrote Crossroads. It explains so much about the movie doesn’t it?
  • Mario Lopez is actually in 5 Christmas movies, excuse my hyperbole
  • Fact Check: I haven’t been able to find the Candace Cameron Bure Walmart Christmas movie.
  • I’ve looked through every place I could, but nothing yet!
  • How do you feel about Christmas movies always ending on a happy note?
  • PSA: Practice being more compassionate and thoughtful to all people throughout the year, not just at Christmas time
  • Holidays have been overly commercialized and we think way too much about the shopping and the sales now
  • Consider not only your own family, but the families of the store associates who are impacted when stores on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, etc.
  • Shout out to the parents who go above and beyond to try and get their kids their perfect.Christmas gift – but please remember to please be respectful to the store associates!
  • There were a few times I had to wait for gifts, and it honestly didn’t make the gift any less special because I had to wait a few extra days to physically have it in my posession
  • Thank you to everyone who is doing essential work right now!!
  • Eloise at Christmas Time is a absolute gem and should be preserved and showed every year
  • I love Harry Potter and I love Star Wars with all of my being, but I just do not consider them to be Christmas movies. I appreciate that they’re on TV more at this time, but it’s just not in my Christmas rotation.
  • Love Jae’s attempt at my fav Love, Actually Quote
  • RIP Alan Rickman, Always
  • As soon as we can do so safely, I’m sitting Jae down and watching Love, Actually with her
    4 Weddings and a Funeral on Hulu is the one that I think did the Love, Actually sign drop the best, because they kept the same sentiments of sadness and hop

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Jae 0:00

I pledge myself to the pod loyal I'll always be appear to start at D at the end and an O sitting in between. Hello and welcome to and Omnia products. I'm Jae like the letter

Angela 0:16

like the letter and I'm Angela also known as AVO

Jae 0:19

we are to Gilmore stans diving into our own past and present evaluating if we were ever truly ready for anything, we discuss all things from problematic school dances to what no one prepares you for after college. We tell tales of elusive college boys and co workers more high strung than Paris Geller.

Angela 0:36

Hey, everyone.

Jae 0:37

Okay, well anyway, I normally have a question. But today I have a statement. I'm 100% vocal social justice soapbox at TED Talk level advocate for not starting Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Here here after the third or fourth Thursday and Thanksgiving is when you get to start celebrating Christmas. No November 1. No, early October. None of that bullshit. But this year, I have a podcast this year on being a responsible adult. And we are pre planning winter release this also this year sucks but so i j like the letter is watching Christmas movies starting on November 21. Welcome to the episode about our childhood underrated faves and Netflix series, our reviews and rants was a lot of words.

Angela 1:24

I like it. And even more. I hope you guys enjoy our little rants and raves here.

Jae 1:29

I'm just going to preface this thing if you want to hear about Elf and hear about how much, everyone loves elf. Go listen to any other person talk about Christmas movies.

Angela 1:36

Yeah, we're not elf people here. Sorry.

Jae 1:39

So the way we split this up is we made a list of some of our more obscure Hallmark ABC Family, one off movies. And then we each took a Netflix Christmas movie. I took very extensive notes because I don't normally remember certain what someone would say important details of things. And we had Angela watch the other. I took it upon myself to watch The Princess Switch and The Princess Switch Switched Again

Angela 2:08

I watched A Christmas Prince, A Christmas Prince royal Wedding and A Christmas Prince Royal Baby.

Jae 2:15

I'm just going to tell a quick story as to why I took notes here. So let's go back circa 2012 I believe my friends and I are going to see some movie and we miss it. Because one of our friends is a little less punctual than the rest. And we're looking for a different movie to see that says it starts around the same time as we got there. So there are a few movies and one of them is a poster ad for Silver Linings Playbook. I said, Oh, it's Jennifer Lawrence. I know that like she does a dance competition at the end. She's training for a dance competition. And like I knew kind of the background angsty mental health aspects. But like the one point that stood out is Oh, Jennifer Lawrence dances so I feel like they were thinking more of kind of a grease Do you think with a sock kind of I when they agreed to see it? Then we watched it good movie. I don't think she should have won her Oscar for that she should have won for Winter's Bone. But I feel like the Oscars are always like one season behind of when actors deserve to win them. So like we saw in their A j What is this movie about Bradley Cooper and hunter Florence and all these mental health problems going on in my boat like I wasn't wrong there. But we took something like that is not my problem that the part that I acknowledged about the movie that I had referenced that I knew about is not what you were expecting when you agreed to watch it and won the Oscar. So like, I still win.

Angela 3:40

I feel like this is one of those Twitter feeds where someone posts like oh, like Tell me something that sounds like a lie, but really isn't. And it's like Silver Linings Playbook is about Jennifer Lawrence training for a dance competition.

Jae 3:53

It's not wrong. No, it's

Angela 3:56

not wrong. But you totally Miss like a huge section of what's going on. So it's just it's hilarious imagining this.

Jae 4:06

Anyway, so I took notes this time. So I started off rewatching the princess which which came on 2018. on Netflix, we meet Vanessa Hudgens number one, Stacy, Chicago Baker and her BFF. Kevin and his daughter live in their little bakery in Chicago. They get invited to go to this fantastical baking competition and Belgravia first, what kind of name is that?

Angela 4:32

The country of bells and gravy?

Jae 4:33

You

Angela 4:34

I know it doesn't sound appealing at all.

Jae 4:36

Of course, will it all live is the one who invented Stacey and Kevin that they can take the time off and they go there. We meet Duchess of Montanaro Margaret Vanessa Hudgens. Number two Lady Margaret, Duchess of Montenegro is botros to Prince Edward of Belgravia, she wants a few days left of being incognito. And seeing the people of this new land she's going to roll. She meets Vanessa Hudgens one Stacy at the Bake Off competition. And they decide to switch places for a few days. As anyone who's ever seen the Parent Trap, the original Parent Trap, Hannah Montana, any kind of sort of switcheroo thing. You probably know how this goes. I'm just gonna read off some of my notes I have on here, Frank. Frank DeLuca sketchy, small dick energy. Gretchen wieners vibes and far quad are what I have heard of the Frank. How do they watch a Christmas Prince? If spoiler were at the end of the second movie, the couple and a Christmas Prince is at the coronation. Oh, so that's another question. Mike. Third question out of context is y'all don't check the plug of your mixer. And the reason you needed the mixer was to puree berries. That's literally the one thing you can do by hand. It's how you make wine with your feet. You don't need the mixer to puree and your cakes. Were already frickin down without the mixer. Why did you not plug it in at the beginning or try it? I bake often. So I feel I have some ground to criticize this.

Angela 6:15

I feel like it is a little weird to that when they did their complete test. It was two days prior

Jae 6:20

not the morning of so here's like the two big conclusions, one. So and switch movies. It kind of always ends with I fell in love with you, but not you. But because I know you will live happily ever after. Because we bonded even though I thought I was bonding with someone else. But I know your heart. But the thing is, I don't understand how in this instance, spoiler alert, Andrew will put timestamps for when or not spoiling, or frankly, this might be a whole spoiler episode in which we'll note that at the end. Kevin thought he was falling in love with his best friend who's he's known for so many years, I think actually of the number and they were friends for 10 years. They met in high school and they're not like adults. Right? He was building on a foundation that they already had a relationship and then it's just because she looks like her. So is that kind of fetishy. Like that feels a little fetishy on both of their parts on all parts involved, actually.

Angela 7:21

I mean, I never really thought of it that way. I do agree with you though, because it always seems to fall in with switch movies. Like there has been a major deception happening. But somehow because we've like grown feelings for each other. It's all okay, like, whatever, like security risks, like safety risks.

Jae 7:43

I also feel like it's very, I don't want to say it's the opposite of a superficial thing, but it's like, I found one of you even though it's the same actor attractive. Just I like the personality of this other one better. So we're gonna be okay with the situation. My second comment to go off of that is this feel similar to Susie's question and the second episode of Gilmore Girls, where the girl twins and the boy twins are getting married. With the swans super solid, Michelle put the post it on and Suki question. If one of them slept with the wrong twin, is it cheating? And I also think this also very much borders, kind of ancestrally because it's not like you're with someone in the family. Well, you are with someone in the same family line a few generations back, but they look the same if you just saw both of them, because especially because there's one actor, it's weird. This is weird. Switch movies are weird.

Angela 8:44

They definitely are like there's kind of no way around it. Especially when you look at switched movies and how they always take place in a very specific timeframe. That's usually very short, like less than a week or so. It's like I spent X amount of time before this like whether it's 10 years, a year, a few months, it's still a greater portion of time that you've spent with another person than with the person that you've then fallen in love with. But I mean, again to quote Suki back on this. I think she ended up saying or no was it Lorelei? No, it's not cheating.

Jae 9:19

It was a consensus. Okay, it's now switched again. Angela has not seen this one. So it was my job to do this. And I have not seen any of the Christmas princess. So it's kind of a full recap, review everything. We're going to start off with this point. If you've ever worked retail in your life. Christmas music is triggering. They start off with Kelly Clarkson song, the really upbeat one. I can hear it in my head. I

Angela 9:44

don't. I don't know what it's called. I want to sing it right now. And I'm holding that in. No but overall music in retail. It's just played on this continuous loop. It's not on a shuffle literally after two For three days, you know, the entire song selection and you know the pattern so you know exactly where you are in it as well.

Jae 10:09

So we switched patterns there were the same like few songs. One year though, where I used to work. They apparently played like six different versions of All I want for Christmas is you and then it covers of it in a row.

Angela 10:23

Oh my god.

Jae 10:24

So the song is called, it's called under the tree. It starts off with the song and all of a sudden a brings me back to standing with all the frills and shady gift sets and annoying people coming to shop during the holidays. Very triggering having to listen to that. Okay, so the biggest thing about switched again, which I'm going to say just stop listening now is that there's a third Vanessa Hudgens. I did not know there was a third Vanessa Hudgens going into this because it didn't say in my little no and it's not in the fucking trailer

Angela 10:55

release.

Jae 10:56

I wish shocked when I saw that which is why you were getting all these texts. They start with the Bake Off outside this year. I was like it looks like they downgraded a little since Stacy once I was a little bit offended like once you win and now you're the princess you're gonna like downgrade this competition. But it's fine. Then you see that? Margaret is on some tabloids it kind of gives me like digests Megan Markel vibes the way they were portraying her on these things of why she's lonely. Oh, interesting.

If we see that our boys if the fascinators The color is very similar, and kind of just the tabloids um, she and Kevin have broken up unfortunately they were going to live their very quiet normal life back in Chicago. Her uncle who is king dies, cork her cousin. Who is the prince abdicates so now she must go run Montanaro. She's not happy about it, but she feels duty and wants to do right by her family and her parents who have died in her country. Olivia and Stacey decided to play Hello Cupid's and try to like get them back together. In between this we meet Antonio who I call small duck energy Part Two very big hands energy Hans from Frozen energy from this dude. Oh, he's the chief adviser to the past few kings so she's gonna leave around. They were school friends. Blah, blah, blah. Then we have this ball. One we have an LGBTQ dancing couple. Very cute. During the wall. Everyone's going to greet the future queens. I Hi. First goes small dick energy Antonio doesn't Kevin with his big dick energy cuts in as like, oh like great song. Let's dance steals her away. They start dancing. This is where we get to meet Fiona penbrooke. Fifi kozy to Lady Margaret, who basically is Vanessa Hudgens. Number three and a blonde long wig and her two little minion posses. Reggie and someone I don't know, Iris. Is he something like that? She's purple hair. She gives me Lola From Degrassi the next gen nonprogressive Degrassi next class wives. Then you learn omg they're thieves. They're pickpocketing this ball. Because they run out of money because Fiona's portrait has run out. So what do they realize? Oh my god, we're cousins. We kind of look alike. So we can now switch like Stacy and Margaret switched. So Fiona can get in, steal the crown, set herself beside a nice little fortune and run away to Capri with her little minions.

Angela 13:38

Wait. So we're Stacy and all of us.

Jae 13:40

They see right now is just with Edward and they're Stacy and Edward are there to help Margaret with her transition and Stacy and Olivia are trying to pick are trying to play Cupid with Margaret and Kevin. Okay. So here's where the movie takes off. Jc wants Margaret to be happy whether that is with Antonio, or whether it is with Kevin. And she just wants mark to have a full chance to have a trial with Kevin but she keeps getting pulled into all of these royal meetings and everything. So Stacy is like the night of the Children's Choir ball. Margaret and Stacey are going to switch your day for her to get a full day with Kevin to really see if they're meant to be if it can work and Stacey is going to go to the choir. Of course, MVP, Mrs. Donnelly is in on it. Olivia is in on it. Unfortunately, they leave Edward out of it because they're trying to protect and not get married alone. Well, Kevin knows the truth. The day before this happens. Antonio pulls Kevin aside is like can you really be the man she needs? Can you be the CO captain of this country? Can you lead? Or are you going to be holding her back? So Kevin obviously gets like, scared about it. But then he has this great day with Princess Margaret. Stacy's Princess Margaret goes to the choir. Well, here's where everything gets great. Fiona wants to switch with Margaret and so she kind of is bringing a gift for the orphanage and is running into Prince Edward and talking like how he met his wife. They switched in the powder room. And that's where they made the big switch at this Christmas ball. Fiona and her little minions spill a drink on Stacy being Margaret get her into the powder room. And they chloroform oh god and take her into a van and kidnap Park because they think they're kidnapping Margaret.

Angela 15:21

Oh, my lord.

Jae 15:22

Margaret's off

with Kevin. You see the makeover to see the trades. You see everything happen.

Angela 15:27

Oh,

Jae 15:28

so now Margaret and Kevin come back in love, ready to like commit and be back together. And she goes to switch back with Stacy. Stacy refuses to switch back and is like, I'm Princess Margaret. I'm going to be queen like what are you talking about in the markets? Like, WTF like, no, give me my stuff back. And meanwhile, the minions have Stacy locked in the penbrooke estate basement and she's trying to tell them you have the wrong girl. You have the wrong girl on the rug. What this is when Fiona realizes that they kidnapped Stacy pretending to be Margaret and Margaret is coming back to reclaim her throne. Immediately. Lady Margaret goes to Edward and tells him what happened. And then along with Mrs. donnatella and Frank, they figure out what happened. They figured out they never switched back. The woman upstairs is not Stacy, and they have no clue where Stacey is. And then they recall Oh my gosh. The only time we left her alone was when she went to the powder room. And Edwards like oh my god, I told Fiona about the powder room situation. During all this. There were Stacy wears this so they go to the state. Meanwhile, first dumps Kevin says go home to America. Like I don't want you like get off the man I need to roll with me. He lives heartbroken. Like if I leave, I'm never coming back. And then she's like, okay, Antonio goes to see Margaret and talk about it cuz she's trying to push the coronation up. And Tony immediately realizes that Fiona has a tattoo on her Pinky. So you're not Princess Margaret, I'm going to tell unless you write me a big check to a foundation. Because I'm second in line. I'm not going to get my throne. See the big hands energy here. And I'll go along. I'll get the coronation crushed up for you. Then we'll both disappear. Wow. Okay. And as they're trying to get it moved up from Christmas Day Christmas Eve. She's like, I'm going on the world tour of orphans tomorrow like I want to be coronated tonight. In the end. Everything happens the way it's supposed to be the rescue Stacy. Edward and Stacy are going through a little TIFF but they make up and playa royal baby, if there's a third, Kevin and Margaret get married in the airport. They do kind of one of those Love Actually moments where they're running through the airport. Then Margaret gets coronated in this coronation. He happened to see the couple and baby from a Christmas print. You see the couple at the coronation. You see Fiona with like two guards, they let her calm because she gives the sob story of how I always looked up to you my parents ever loved me bla bla bla bla bla ends with Margaret becoming Queen Olivia and Kevin permanently moving too much Naro and Stacy and Edward promising to spend more time together the end. Oh my Lord.

Angela 18:06

That's a lot to happen. Okay, I really don't even know where to start with that. So I'm just going to go back to the thing that made me like laugh. What is the world tour of orphans? Please tell me that's better than it sounds. Fiona was

Jae 18:19

trying to explain why the coronation to be moved up. This is we're on Christmas Eve December 24 on December 25. Okay, which is the coronation day. She's saying no, I want to go spend time at the orphanage. She can't remember the name of the orphanage and so she keeps trying to imply that she's such a good person. So I'm going on the world tour of orphans tomorrow, like coordination. So when we're trying to get sworn in her full name is Margaret Katherine Claire delacourt. Fiona does not get the name right four times in a row that somehow neither the priest nor the Prime Minister thing is odd that she can't get her own name straight.

Angela 19:02

Oh, dear Lord,

Jae 19:04

it's fine. Everyone says that. I bet Yeah.

Angela 19:05

All right. I think I'm definitely intrigued to watch this movie. But now

Jae 19:10

I'm excited to get my education on a Christmas Prince. Well,

Angela 19:13

I'm very happy to hear you say that. Because I have three movies to get you through here. And I'm going to try not to make it too spoilery. But we'll see how this goes. Okay, so Amber's a budding journalist from New York as assigned her first big story get the scoop on the Playboy prints of a small nation called Aldo via I'm sorry, what? That's how that's how the story starts. No, I

Jae 19:39

know that country name again. Aldo vs.

Angela 19:42

Can you spell it a LDOVI a assumingly. somewhere within the Netflix universes map of Europe close to Belgravia. Okay, so

Jae 19:53

this is like a Prince Harry like peeing. naked in Vegas kind of situation.

Angela 19:58

That's what they want. You'd think, whoo.

Jae 20:03

I'm intrigued.

Angela 20:04

Like I said, Amber's up and coming journalists from New York. She's never had her own stories before she's been stuck on the copy desk. And then her editor tells her you're going to Aldo via to cover the coronation slash abdication situation that is happening in altova. Right now, Prince Richard is the supposed playboy prince who has been gallivanting all over the world, who is set to be crowned king on Christmas Eve, but has made no sort of formal proclamation, acceptance, whatever you want to call it, of the crown. Amber goes with all the other journalists and they're sitting in the castle, and of course, the prince of the no show again. So amber is with her fellow journalists waiting in a press conference to speak with the prince and again, the prince shuts it down, tells everyone to go home. He won't be speaking with the press today. So amber gets up and she asked, like, Can I speak with anyone else in the royal family? They tell her No, and they have them all. Leave the castle. But amber breaks away from the herd of reporters starts walking around the perimeter of the castle, happens to find a side staircase with an open door that leads right into the grand hallway. And while she's walking around taking pictures with her iPhone, she stumbles on to Mr. Little, who is in charge of like royal affairs and protocol. He's one of two people actually.

Jae 21:39

Is he a B, D or an S d?

Angela 21:41

He's an S d.

Jae 21:44

Oh, I know. It

Angela 21:45

was very sad by the third movie that's very much confirmed. But we'll get there. As soon as he asks her like who she is. And she tries to answer He's like, oh, American, like your princess, Emily's tutor, aren't you? And she's like,

Jae 21:59

yes, yes,

Angela 22:01

of course I am. And so then he brings her to the rest of the people in the palace for her like formal introductions and protocol training, and they're all incredibly confused, like, and asking her. Aren't you supposed to be here in two weeks? Aren't you busy? To the agency just send you Why don't you just show up here? She just rolls with it says yes to anything that they asked her and is immediately brought to the Queen and the prince that she hasn't been able to lay eyes on. Except in this moment as well. She finds out she actually has met the prince. At the airport. He stole her cab and she yelled at him for trying to take it. They recount their little meeting there. And she formally accepts this job in another woman's name. I think the real tutors name is Martha and she goes about setting up pretend lesson plans for the prince's younger sister thinks she's about 12 years old princess Emily. So immediately within two or three days, Princess Emily actually figures out that she's not who she says she is. She goes through her computer figures out she's a reporter, but promises not to tell anyone as long as amber is able to show her more of a good time. She wants to do more fun things. So a little bit on princess Emily. She actually has spina bifida and she uses crutches or she's in a wheelchair. And Emily, sorry, not Emily. Amber works to empower her to let her know she can do anything she wants to do. So Emily, basically black males, Amber tells her if we can do more fun things. I'll give you the inside track on my brother, I will tell you about the prince he really is and how the tabloids have it all wrong. So of course she agrees. And they start spending more time with her brother. And immediately Of course, he's very charmed by ambers American ways and wants to spend more time with her says

Jae 23:53

no one ever really though.

Angela 23:56

I think that's the biggest misconception we have in any sort of movie Christmas are not nobody is really charmed by our American ways.

Jae 24:04

I'm not even charmed by American ways.

Angela 24:06

So at this point, she's won over the younger sister. She's winning over the prince, she gets invited to a ceremonial Christmas tree decorating party, where everything starts to unfold here. And we're starting to get the real story the late King has passed away about a year ago now right before Christmas, and the family is very sad. And amber actually begins to bond with all the other members of the family by sharing the story about how she two knows what it's like to be without a loved one at Christmas because her mother's died. And she shares all of the things that she does to honor her memory during the season. everyone's hearts are full. They're really liking amber who's posing as Martha. And then we get to the two people who do not like her count Simon, Prince Richard's cousin, who is next in line for the throne should he abdicate. So he And HUGE favor of that. And lady Sophia, Prince Richard's ex girlfriend, who would like to be his girlfriend again, slash fiance slash Queen, she and Simon team up to make sure that they inevitably end up with the crown. So in the final days leading up to the coronation, Amber finds out that the prince actually not the Playboy that the media makes him out to be. He actually went on a soul searching trip after his father died because he did not want to accept the crown he wanted to abdicate. But because it was his father's final wish, he's decided that that's what he's going to do. But also when he was out traveling the world, he wasn't partying, he was actually doing volunteer work. And apparently he's known for doing quite a bit of volunteer work behind the scenes in altova. He doesn't like to go in through main entrances are meet with the press beforehand, he he'll sneak away from the rest of the family, like go into the side of an orphanage and play with the children. Amber has learned all this about him. And so as she's uncovering these secrets about his life, about his family life, she's very torn about whether or not that should make it into her story. But all the while she does keep sneaking around and spying on him. And everything comes to a head when she actually tries to follow him on horseback out into the woods falls off the horse wanders around in the snow for hours. It's getting dark she's confronted by wolves. And then the prince shows up and saves her takes her back to the secret hunting lodge. That was his father's. And while she's snooping around in there, she finds a secret compartment in the desk that reveals the biggest secret of them all. He is not actually their son, he is adopted. So he's not their blood son, which invalidates his right to the throne because the Constitution of altova says that it must be a blood heir assuming the throne, which means that Simon is actually first and why

Jae 27:01

Wait, does the prince know this?

Angela 27:03

He does not know this. So Damn, this

Jae 27:06

is a better movie than I thought.

Angela 27:09

Amber Of course brings the papers back to her room, Lady Sofia and count Simon break in find them. And at the coronation. When the Prime Minister asks, Is there anyone here who disputes Richards claim? Ladies Sophia pops up and says I do. He is not a blood air in line to the throne presents the adoption paperwork and the secret birth certificate and says that count Simon should be first. And by the way. This is all thanks to this girl amber right here who's not actually a tutor. She's a secret reporter from New York. Amber is immediately thrown from the castle. She's sitting at the airport waiting to go home. Simon and Lady Sophia have a quick little marriage ceremony and then they're calling for his immediate coronation and everyone's dragging their feet trying to delay it. And while she's sitting at the airport, Amber remembers not going to spoil this part because it's actually it's pretty cute. She figures out how Richard is actually first in line for the throne begs to be let back in the castle they let her in. She finds out where the secret information is containing the last final proclamation from his late father amending the constitution to include adopted males in the line of succession. And he becomes King.

Jae 28:31

Wait, so she knew that he said that somewhere?

Angela 28:35

No, she had a feeling that he did based on some things that had been told to her around the castle that she kind of needs to like put together this little puzzle like there's a secret riddle involved secret hiding compartment. And what did he make it so hard that if she wasn't there, his son wouldn't have gotten to be king. So apparently it was supposed to be given to the family on the Christmas previous but he died so suddenly he didn't get a chance to.

Uh huh.

Yeah, so amber figures it out, saves the day he's crowned king. And then she actually goes back to New York tries to get her I don't actually know if she works for a magazine or an online publication. But they reject her story they don't want to know anything about the real prints are now king of Aldo via they just wanted to know about the partying. So she quits her job and start a blog all about the royal family of altova to give them good press and share the real story. And about two weeks later or a week later on Christmas Eve he shows up at midnight outside of her father's diner and proposes to her and that is how we have a Christmas Prince to royal wedding. I don't know

Jae 29:50

how to do the movie seems more intriguing than I thought it would like there are more layers than I thought it would

Angela 29:56

like there's definitely quite a bit of like cheesy cringy moments like First of all, she was literally just in there as a reporter and she's discovered wearing her press pass. So how did they not put that together? she destroys multiple priceless works of art. So I don't know how she wasn't removed from the palace after like the second or third one of those. Clearly she's costing the money. Somehow it all comes together for her. A Christmas presents a royal wedding. So of course it takes you through the year amber has become this media darling. Her blog is super famous. Now she's on late night shows. She's doing interviews. They've had this long distance engagement where she and Richard are going back and forth from New York to La Jolla, and all these other places, and she's getting very recognized in the media

Jae 30:46

blog is on the internet. Why does she have to be in New York? Well, she

Angela 30:51

says she can never she can't leave her father, who's her only family. And he lives in New York during him.

Jae 30:57

Do people not need french fries? And although via

Angela 30:59

Oh, so they actually end up moving together to Ile de novia. But we're not there yet.

Jae 31:04

I know. But like for this year and a half engagement, like people need french fries. And although v2 and molts and milkshakes, you said it was a diner?

Angela 31:12

Yeah. Oh, yeah. 100%. But I guess it's like they it's like transitioning your life. I don't know. They they turned it into a process

Jae 31:21

where we these producers do not understand how the bachelor works and you get engaged and then you get married and you move in right away.

Angela 31:29

Mm hmm. How I describe this movie is that just to give you a quick setup here. It's like any of those common or marrying or royal movies, but it also gives me a little bit of a Megan Markel vibe and how we wish that things would have worked out for her.

Jae 31:47

I feel like I'm getting a pair two vibes.

Angela 31:50

Okay. I could see that a little too. So at their long distance engagement is coming to an end, Amber is moving to altova and bringing her father for the first time. And of course, we get this lovely meeting. So her father's this new yorker from Brooklyn owns a diner walks in wants to give everyone a hug. And Mr. Little and Mrs. Avril, who is also head of protocol and traditions, is constantly screaming, like that's not how it's done. It's not how it's done to him. And he's asking for everyone to lighten up. It's it's pretty funny. Like when he picks when he meets the Queen for the first time, he actually picks her up. Amber thinks like, Oh, this is fantastic. They're set to be married on Christmas Day, life is going to begin. But when she steps off the plane, she actually finds out that things and Adobe aren't what she thought. They're in the midst of a huge economic crisis. And people are blaming King Richard for it. So when she gets to the palace, she asks, immediately, is there anything she can do to help she wants to share and duties with him and she wants to make sure that the people know that the Royals are doing everything that they can. And she's just sort of pushed to the side, they tell her like, Oh, you have a wedding to plan. Here's your wedding planner, you're going to have the most spectacular wedding ever. You need to spend all this time learning, learning royal traditions and protocols and family history

Jae 33:17

down with a patriarchy

Angela 33:19

Yeah, while trying to balance her new life at the palace and honoring the traditions. She's also trying to remain true to herself and her work. So she's still reporting, like on her life on the blog, and now a little bit more intimately of the life of the royal family. And it actually comes back to this like very weird place where they are not really into her blogging. But King Richard promised her that so long as they were together, she would always have her work. And then on their first night, bad move, dude. Bad move. I think that's pretty nice. Like she should get her work.

Jae 33:57

No. Why not? You and I are affiliated to a Greek organization?

Angela 34:02

Yes.

Jae 34:03

If I were to spell everything about our initiations, our customs, all of our traditions and ritual on a blog, I'm telling the stories of the blog, I'm airing the dirty laundry.

Angela 34:14

I mean, that's one perspective. But if her blog is committed to portraying the royal family in a good light, I don't think she's there to air dirty laundry. She's just there to share her life. No. All right. Well, we can discuss this further. Then of course on her first night back in Aldo via as well, who shows up, but count Simon penniless after lady Sofia took him to the cleaners and their divorce, which apparently was called for five minutes after Richard was crowned king. sucker, right. And so he begs to stay with the family. He has no money, no car, no home. And so they tell him in the spirit of Christmas, he can stay with them, but they do. not trust him at all.

Jae 35:01

practice what you preach. Don't let him stay there that's not a good journey for you royal family, right? It's what's their last name? You can call them what is their name?

Angela 35:14

Oh, they're the Charlton's. Charlton. Charlton. Yeah, that's dumb. Yeah, like the dance, the Charlton

Jae 35:23

that's the Charleston.

Angela 35:24

Whoops.

Jae 35:30

Yeah, that's why I think it's not Charles, or Charlotte or Charlotte, tin, or Charleston.

Angela 35:37

And we're going to be very interesting if they were the charlatans.

Jae 35:40

I know but I'm saying all of these words sound similar. And they picked none of them.

Angela 35:45

I mean, probably because none of them have great connotations.

Jae 35:48

Okay, so these are the Charlton's. Yes, the Charlton royal Charlton's. Don't put him in your vicinity. When y'all can't throw

Angela 35:58

him basically, you know, some people need to like, learn a time or two apparently, all the while things are building up. Amber doesn't trust Simon. So she's constantly trying to keep an eye on him. She's trying to learn protocol and tradition. She's fighting and pushing back on her wedding because they try to put her in the most ridiculous wedding dress I've ever seen. It's kind of like, how would I describe it? It's almost like something out of 27 dresses like one of the bridesmaids dresses. Oh, and then all through the process. It's a little sad. You definitely go through the time period where you see amber and Richard drift apart. As she's pushing for modernization and to have more of a voice within the castle. The Royal protocol instructors are asking for her to just stay silent and do what she's asked to do. And Richard actually ends up caving quite a bit. So it's very sad, though she throws herself fully into trying to solve the country's economic crisis. In that way. She and Simon actually ended up teaming up together along with her bridesmaid, Melissa, and best friend Andrew from New York who have arrived for the wedding. Simon actually proves to be pretty helpful in that way. And also super shout out to Princess Emily here too, because she actually ended up solving the economic crisis with computer hacking skills.

Jae 37:23

Was it a real crisis, if you could just hack your way out of it?

Angela 37:26

Well, apparently the most trusted royal advisor who was helping Richard make all of his decisions had actually created different shell companies to direct money away from the government and the people. So while Richard was trying to grow the grow the country's infrastructure, all of the money that he was putting into it was actually being diverted to a separate offshore account that his younger sister discovered. So after several little fights, Amber and Richard have, Amber actually runs away. But then on same day, Princess Emily discovers the root of the economic crisis, sends Richard out to go look for her and apologize and tell her how wrong he has been and how right she has been. And this is the one thing that really got me most about this. Apparently, Amber ran away to the hunting lodge that she followed Richard to in the first movie, but I don't understand how she got there. Because she's terrible at horseback riding. There's no other way to get there. It's literally in the middle of the forest. So a little bit unbelievable. Name reference at several times during the movie, she's still pretty bad. So yeah, we'll just we'll let them have that one. He discovers her tells her that he's been wrong, that he'll do better, that they will make changes to polish traditions together and they will confront the advisor, she and then they come back, they reclaim the wedding. I think it's actually really funny too, because in this like, whole giant pivotal scene, they actually talk about love and family and hope and traditions and what their union will bring together. And the family has this nice, warm, heartfelt moment with the evil advisor guy in the room, that he tries to make a toast to them. And then that's when the dramatic switch happens. And they start yelling at him accuse him of stealing the money. And amber actually, like pulls a bow on him, like an archery and threatens to like shoot him and then they take him to the palace dungeon. And then of course, they get married at the end of this they actually end up having a very small church wedding her dress was actually very Kate Middleton. I think they could have done a little bit better on it eventually, so they end up married. Not my favorite movie in the franchise in the course of how everything's put together. It's all just a little bit been there done that. Let me take you to a Christmas Prince a royal baby. which actually gives me very strong Disney Channel vibes? Because we're now talking about two additional monarchs another country, ancient sorcery, and a baby. Yeah, I said sorcery. So like, we're in twitches territory. Like there's a witch and a curse. Damn.

Jae 40:21

Huh. Who done fucked up that the families first

Angela 40:27

another years gone by amber and Richard were married on Christmas. They went on their honeymoon, they've been ruling Aldo via together. And they've been working on this huge modernization effort and traditions to bring the country, the monarchy and the government together into the 21st century. And the people love her. They really adore her. And of course, now she's pregnant, and she's set to have a baby in early January. It's about five days before Christmas, and Amber and Richard have their last royal duty of the year before they go into maternity leave, they must renew a ceremonial peace treaty agreement that was set 600 years ago, between their country Elvia and a neighboring country penguia, who has now become their biggest ally, the night before the penguins are set to arrive, they take them through the treaty, and how the ceremony will work out because apparently, every 100 years, the reigning monarchs will come together again, share a formal handshake and then re sign the treaty, renewing the peace between the two countries for an additional 100 years. And of course, they tell Amber, that as charming as she is, there are very specific protocols that must be observed for this moment. So please be careful and do not offend the penguins. And what does she do j.

Jae 41:47

t offends the penguins.

Angela 41:50

She dies, my computer also corrects it to pangolins too. So there are multiple fun ways to go with this name.

Jae 41:57

What's that?

Angela 41:58

I think a pangolin is another type of bird as well also sounds mad, but apparently it's real. They meet the penguins. Amber immediately offends them because in Penguin, they are very into their old customs and traditions where the Kings speak first, and then they must introduce their queens. Amber freaks out over the awkward silence says hello welcome to although via so happy you're here. And they stare at her in disbelief. And then she starts talking to their attache behind them. Like hi welcome, who also rolled her eyes at her like oh my God, Who is this woman? What is she doing? And then they bring them inside to sign the treaty. Only the treaty has been stolen. The penguins are immediately angry suspicious. They think that the Aldo Viens have misplaced the treaty accidentally, in a way to force them to sign a new treaty and renegotiate the terms the alto aliens are trying to assuage their their concerns have them just like enjoy their time. They invite them to spend a few extra days while they find the treaty. That night. An enormous snowstorm hits so the treaty can't have left the castle. It's somewhere there. So someone has taken it. See, this is the thing that sort of throws me a little bit about this movie and really gives me Disney Channel vibes. So the only people in the castle are the Charlton's their staff, and these three representatives from panglima, their king queen and their top adviser.

Jae 43:38

So what's Mr. littles deal? why he's still the thing.

Angela 43:42

Good job, Jay.

Jae 43:43

Thank you.

Angela 43:44

So this actually goes back to the original agreement that was signed 600 years previously, his ancestor was one of the men who signed it and was mysteriously murdered a year a month after supposedly by somebody from panglima and his family vowed for generations and generations to get their revenge. He's playing the long game. He really is. They're spending time looking for this treaty. But then princess Emily finds going through her school book, but there's actually an ancient curse attached to the treaty as well, that says, whichever family breaks the treaty, a curse will fall upon their firstborn child, aka Charlton's, and their new baby to come in approximately two weeks.

Jae 44:31

Wait Is Mr. Little?

Angela 44:33

A Charlton? No, so he's,

Jae 44:36

so why this fall on Charlton's. And

Angela 44:38

so that's a little bit complicated. Mr. Little is a Devin on his mother's side. And apparently the Devon's were the family that actually signed the first treaty, but their line died in the line of succession with Mr. littles ancestor 600 years ago. So basically, his family has valuable Because they're very upset they no longer live in castles.

Jae 45:03

I agree. Yeah, I would be salty too, huh?

Angela 45:07

Yeah, so all the while they're all snowed into this castle, it's I don't know, like maybe just about like 30 of them, but they try to go about life as normal, which is pretty funny. So they end up throwing this baby shower for Amber. And they are inviting the penguins to go like to walk into town with them. So it really in a way brought the two countries closer together, and actually inspired the penguins to accept modernisation themselves, and to have their queen have as much of a political voice and power as the King. Honestly, I think a royal baby is the best movie out of the franchise, I would take you through a little more of it. But honestly, it all leads up to Mr. Mr. Little taking the treaty, and they have the baby, that's actually a very cute thing to like, I won't tell you much about what goes on in the middle. But of course, a royal baby, they have the baby at the end. And apparently where penguia is far ahead of eldo via is with their concern for Mother's services. So they actually have multiple different programs set up for mothers across the country for medical services, time off from work assistance, daycare, all of that which is run by their queen, anonymously. And she actually helps deliver the royal baby because the doctor can't get there because of course the doctor is in an accident in the snowstorm. And then she arrived in the very nick of time. So actually shout out to panglima there because I think they talked about a really great thing and they invited out jovia to participate in building their own services for mothers and more country should have that fake or not. Especially the real ones though. I don't know, Jay, that was a lot of information. And I feel like especially towards the end, they got a little piece but what do you think, would you watch?

Jae 47:05

I think I would watch the first movie sounded the most interesting. I feel like I'd probably go 132 just based on your descriptions, but I will watch an update and see if I feel the same way.

Angela 47:19

I agree. I think that's a good way to go. And well next year we can look forward to what maybe a Christmas presents adventures in daycare.

Jae 47:30

Like a royal baby royal toddler.

Angela 47:33

I would actually like to see princess Emily get her own spin off from this.

Jae 47:41

So Netflix seems to be competing with Hallmark for this Christmas demographic.

Angela 47:47

Oh 100%

Jae 47:48

but before there was Netflix, there was ABC families. 25 days till Christmas. Oh,

Angela 47:55

that was always the best time of year.

Jae 47:58

unpopular opinion. I didn't love the claymation they didn't have the animated ones. But there were some that I did really like and two of them which I feel like no one's ever talked about. I've never heard reviews. I've never seen even throwback videos in relation to them were once upon a Christmas and twice upon a Christmas with Kathy Ireland. She's the only actress I know. Oh, and I know the blonde one from something else. Not Nicollette Sheridan from Desperate Housewives, but she plays a similar role

Angela 48:23

we'll have we'll have to look it up for the show notes. But I think going back on this I was trying to find where you could watch it now. You can't like for streaming services, or even like related to a network can't find it. So I had to go through the synopsis on IMDB, Wikipedia, etc. I kind of see why it's not shown anymore because when you read it through it doesn't sound like a very good movie.

Jae 48:52

Excuse you

Angela 48:53

know, just purely from purely from the perspective of reading it because watching it. It's pretty cute. But when you read it bratty children Santos daughter stealing christmas, selling off the North Pole caught in a fire amnesia. I feel like I'm even making a little little sound a little bit more interesting than the Wikipedia or IMDb did.

Jae 49:20

You're just wrong.

Angela 49:22

Well, no, I'm not wrong. It's a good movie. It's just when you write down a synopsis. You're a little bit put off in the show notes. We will also be apparently posting Jays reaction to reading an IMDb description of this movie, and we'll see what happens.

Jae 49:39

No, these are very good Christmas movies.

Angela 49:42

I agree. Apparently, you can still see it on Hallmark. So I found a blog post where people were writing that they have seen it within the last few years but they show it at very strange times. So while we're working from home, I will have homework on quite a bit to see if I can catch this No, this

Jae 50:00

is a great Christmas movie. Sanchez daughter is trying to bring back the miracle and the magic of Christmas while the other daughter is trying to sell off the North Pole.

Angela 50:11

The other daughter annoyed me so much as a child. I don't remember her name. It was something like Kiki Rudolfo Rudolfo I don't know where I got Kiki from

Jae 50:21

other daughter.

Angela 50:22

Really? I honestly thought I was just drawing from a bad mom's Christmas because I watched that last night. Christian Claus and Rudolfo Claus. Okay, okay. Pretty close. Yeah, Kristen Claus. Amazing. Rudolfo Claus work worse than worse than jack frost in Santa Claus. Three. Okay, but

Jae 50:43

the commercial she filmed was like a plus. So Michael, you can buy your very own piece of the claws, like very catchy.

Angela 50:54

I'm not gonna lie child me totally would have tried to buy her own piece of the claws.

Jae 50:59

Exactly. And Kathy Ireland forgetting that she sent his daughter and then remembering giving up her immortality to save the son. That was so cute. Great lessons for children. Great lesson.

Angela 51:13

Mm hmm.

Jae 51:14

But other than that, this is a very unpopular opinion. Maybe it's the Gen Z CUSP and me maybe I'm just a terrible person. I don't know. I'm a huge home alone for Stan the one with the smart house.

Angela 51:27

I've never seen that one. I think because of the smart house I'm Oji home alone all

Jae 51:33

the way I get one and spree mixed up

Angela 51:36

I was not possible

Jae 51:39

to was in New York and one in three both aren't they in the house?

Angela 51:42

Yeah, but this isn't he like significantly older and three.

Jae 51:46

I don't know. But four is a different kit for his Billy from seventh heaven. Oh, Billy before is the one with a smart house and I love smart houses. I love technology, smart houses. I love all of the Google homes mini pods. Elliott says I have one of my rooms so I can never say it. Whenever. Oh my god, the most annoying thing is whenever facetiming with my big turns lights on and off with hers. And mine always responds

Angela 52:14

Oh my god. I mean I think my favorite pastime is setting yours on and off.

Jae 52:18

The funniest thing though was once my big went to set hers and it was a group FaceTime with me my twins and my grand four of us had them so they all responded when she said it.

Angela 52:29

Oh god no

Jae 52:30

my bed always causing a disturbance. I'm just kidding. We're 90 minutes in if she makes it this far. I'll like send her a bottle of wine home alone for the smart home. The butler like top of the line. Everything. Like all he had to say was like sesame Open sesame and a cool doors would open. He had like a 50 monitor like bedroom like it controlled the fridge. I'm a big Smart Home person. Love smart house. That is show Ryan Ryan Merryman. salovey from bewitched. All great things.

Angela 53:03

See, I think if you want to watch something about a smart home watch smart house. I want to see Christmas cookies. I want to see the fun of decorating. I want to see snowmen. You see all those. And you know what, I

Jae 53:16

actually liked the claymation I didn't do animation as a kid.

Angela 53:19

I feel like you missed out there.

Jae 53:21

I like to do it myself. Like I love to do like stop motion videos. They just weren't nearly as exciting. Did you see Pee Wee's Christmas special? Peewee Herman like a long time ago? I

Angela 53:32

don't think I've watched it since I was a kid.

Jae 53:33

I was so shocked recently when I figured out that Laurence Fishburne is the cowboy. Seriously? Yes. Oh my Lord.

Angela 53:44

I don't know if this blows my mind. More or less than the Shonda Rhimes Crossroads thing.

Jae 53:52

I've heard that before, but I forgot but someone was recently talking about the other day and I was like, Oh, yeah, that's a thing. I know. You were just bashing smart house. Or not smart house home alone for with the smart house? I don't know. I

Angela 54:05

just I think, Okay, well, I've never seen home alone for so I can't really tell you if this meets my Christmas criteria. But I think that one for to qualify as a Christmas movie. Either 40% of the plot or 40% of the activities need to take place at or around Christmas, or holiday themed things.

Jae 54:29

They do. Okay, there's a Christmas party. There's tree decorating. There's presents opening

Angela 54:35

Okay, all right. I can get behind that a little more. So it doesn't really fall into that like mad smart house territory.

Jae 54:42

Know what the whole point is? A kid going to his dad and his new girlfriend smart house for Christmas. Oh, okay. This might be Silver Linings Playbook thing where I'm focusing on the part I think is cool. But like the parts about like, ooh, they decorate the tree like are less relevant in my book.

Angela 54:58

Well, I think TBS FX one of those. It'll show it maybe sometime around this year. So we'll see if I see it.

Jae 55:07

If you want to talk about problematic Christmas movies. It's not once upon a Christmas, it's not twice upon Christmas. It's holiday in handcuffs if you want to talk about problematic Christmas movies.

Angela 55:16

Oh, I just watched that the other day.

Jae 55:18

She literally holds a shotgun to him.

Angela 55:21

Yeah,

it's I think that definitely came from ABC families like weird. We don't know what we're doing with ourselves phase.

Jae 55:29

Listen about our childhood.

Angela 55:31

I mean, I think our childhood was a little bit more substantial. I think maybe around like Middle School, things started to spin out a little bit. Okay. Doesn't that seem like okay, so Mario Lopez was in that one? Isn't he in 15 different Christmas movies as well. He's like a Christmas movie staple. Candace Cameron stun nine for Hallmark.

Jae 55:49

Oh, bears done. 10. Okay,

Angela 55:51

so this is not a Christmas movie. But did you ever see Candace Cameron? I don't know. She was Candace Cameron or fears Candace Cameron baray then she did? I think like a trilogy for hallmark, where she was a female detective

Jae 56:06

that Amy garden, whatever. I think the Aimee teegarden. One she still does those. Oh, I like those. This was like dirt. This was like during Fuller House. Wait, really? If these aren't old movies, the Aimee teegarden. mysteries are like recent. It's like when she was on the view. They feel so much older than that. So weird. Okay.

Angela 56:28

I really like those Candace Cameron. She actually did a Christmas movie with Walmart, too. It's literally a Walmart based production. I haven't been able to find it since the first time I saw it. But called she I can't remember. It's so sad. But I remember when I watched it specifically, like every single commercial was Walmart when it started. It was like a Walmart production. Insert film name here. And she teamed up with a no good Santa. like Santa had like just been kicked out of the drunk tank. And she almost hit him with her car. Is this ringing any

Jae 57:12

bells? No. Does she play twin? No. Okay, because I found switched for Christmas at Walmart. But Christmas Town Christmas under wraps a Christmas detour? I

Angela 57:22

don't know. I was just gonna bug me now. I promise I'll try to find this for the show notes. But this really sold me on what?

Jae 57:32

moonlight and mistletoe? No.

Angela 57:36

Do you have a plotline? So she almost hit drunk tank Santa with her car. And then she basically spent the day trying to like, help him rediscover his Christmas spirit.

Jae 57:50

journey back to Christmas.

Angela 57:52

Oh, maybe it's that one. Does it mention a drunk Santa?

Jae 57:57

This is a world war two era nurse.

Angela 58:00

Okay, nevermind. But I know overall, it was pretty funny because we're using my own qualifications for Christmas movies. It barely qualified. It was really more just that this guy happened to have been a Santa worker and wore a Santa costume for most of it.

Jae 58:17

Oh, Aurora teagarden not a meaty garden. My bad. I was getting her on the girl from Friday Night Lights confused. Oh, oops, Christmas detour. Let it snow. The heart of Christmas.

Angela 58:30

I don't feel like any of these are sounding familiar. These all sound like the same

Jae 58:33

movie. Okay, I give up Google.

Angela 58:36

Okay, I'll find it for the show notes. All right. Do you have any other problematic Christmas movies? Like, honestly,

Jae 58:42

I feel like the whole point of Christmas movies that makes them problematic, and this might make me problematic is that they're not really problematic. They're very like holiday spirit, joy and love, donate, go work at a shelter, go help people. And although these are all messages I support and try to live out. I also don't try to live out with them at the few months at the end of the year. So I feel like they can kind of gloss over and minimize things.

Angela 59:13

As in you only don't leave these out at the few months at the end of the year. Like it's something you practice all year.

Jae 59:20

Correct. And people are, oh, well, it's the Christmas spirit like, or like when families reunite? It's like, well, it's Christmas. And it's like, yes, it's good that Christmas can be a moment to come together. But it also doesn't disregard how families treat each other or how people treat each other the other 300 days of the year, right.

Angela 59:41

I mean, I definitely got that. But I think especially when we might lose sight of that. A Christmas movie or Christmas movie marathon might be sort of what we need to like, refresh us in that respect. Like I know like most most Christmas movies, you're not watching them for an outstanding performance stellar dialogue or, like amazing production value. Like they're pretty cheesy. They're pretty cringy. Sometimes like they have huge gaping plot holes, but they fill you with that warmth. And just that little bit of joy. Like I personally, I can't get through a Christmas movie without tearing up at least twice. Because there's just something about watching people either grow or remember the compassion, warmth and affection that they have. For others.

Jae 1:00:33

You can't get through a normal movie without crying twice. Ooh, Shay, did you think Christmas movies can reunite and can heal a lot. Because people can recenter themselves. I only problem was when people kind of use it as a crutch of like, I mean, just in general, when people fall back on things to justify other things. Like I put money into the I put money into the Salvation Army buckets. So when I yell at the shoe associate because they ran out of my size, it doesn't matter. Or when I go last minute to try to buy the number one tick tock or March for my kid and I can't get it. Like it's just a thing of I think it can be for people who are moving fast time to recenter I just think it also it's like packages get stolen more around the holidays, and I feel good brings out the best in people. And it can also bring out the worst in people. And I think if everyone had half the grace they did around Christmas all year long, we'd all be better off in general.

Angela 1:01:33

Oh, yeah, I 100% agree.

Jae 1:01:35

And I'm just gonna have an after it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Whatever you celebrate, if I missed any, I'm sorry, whatever result or the time these still apply. Just we're in America, in Christmas is frankly, part of the culture at this point, even if you do not have the religious affiliation to the holiday.

Angela 1:01:57

I definitely agree. And I think that if anything we really need to work, we really need to focus on getting this message out a little bit more. During the year, I think that we get so caught up in it. That's why we maybe start pushing Christmas out earlier and earlier every year. Like right now, I think it was in September, they started showing Christmas movies. And all of the all of the advertisements were saying because we need a little bit more joy this year, we need a little more Christmas.

Jae 1:02:27

That's not why businesses push it out. And that's not sorry, I'm being screwed over here. That's not why they show Christmas movies earlier. That's not why companies come out with their holiday sets in October. It's for profit, the same reason we're the same reason stores and retailers open on Thanksgiving because there's the public that will be there and it's profitable. If no one would go shopping on Black Friday, and no one would go shopping The day after Christmas businesses were not open and people would get to spend time with their families.

Angela 1:02:54

It's definitely a little bit strange to when you're at Thanksgiving, and you have to eat earlier so that someone in your family or multiple people in your family can go line up for a store that's going to open at like midnight or 2am or something.

Jae 1:03:10

Oh, so you're going for that side versus the other side as of working retail. You just have to leave because you have to go to work that day. You have to prep.

Angela 1:03:18

That is true. Yeah. No, I mean, thankfully, I only ever did that once. But it was it was really sad. I know I'm a little bit. I'm a little bit spoiled in the sense that I like having my I have like a leftovers schedule that I plan out for myself for Friday, Saturday, Sunday after Thanksgiving. And it was so sad not being able to do that because I was working on Black Friday. I think I worked like 13 hours. So by the time I came home, I didn't even want to eat. Oh goodness gracious. But no either way, whether you're a shopper or you're working on the retail side, you're losing out on time on time with your family that you're supposed to have. Because it's it's not even just like a kindness holiday it is a government holiday Thursday, the entire 24 hours you should not be working you should not be thinking of working

Jae 1:04:12

well the same thing for me that goes with Christmas Christmas movies are the value of family the value in treating others respectfully being kind. And you're watching these and you're like yes, I agree with these values. You're helping these channels with their ad revenue and these channels in return and businesses in return are not giving you the time off to spend the time with your family that they're advocating that everyone should be doing. And products like I may or may have not worked out the one retailer at the time. That sold a very popular influencer makeup palette. I had father's swearing at me because we were sold out and we could not put them on hold. And I understand how coveted this palette was. I understand but I had to Fathers driving one from the south by one from the East Bay, busting their butt to get to the store to try to get it, and a woman walked in and we had to sell it to her. And she was like, I guess it gets here and it broke my heart because it's like, these two dads were trying everything, it was sold out all over the country. And we couldn't put it on hold for them. And they were begging, and I'm so sorry. But it's like that consumerism that goes along with it.

Angela 1:05:28

I mean, shout out to those dads who are doing it. But at the same time, if you can't find your gift, please don't swear the store associates. They're having such days here. Like, if anything, do what my parents used to do. And if they couldn't find something that I wanted, they printed out the picture of it. And they said like, Okay, next week, we're going to go get this, or like, we've ordered this, it's on backorder. It's coming in two weeks,

Jae 1:05:57

I had some more things. But and or to kind of get back to a better note. Thank you to all retail employees, service people, baristas, app based drivers, essential workers, grocery store clerks who have to be out there right now, or who are choosing to be out there right now to help make this holiday as normal and fruitful for everyone else as possible. I know in California, we're heading back into the purple zone, at least in Northern California. I know Southern California is already there. It's not the holiday we're used to. But thankfully, with things like holiday movies, we're able to have some of that normalcy back,

Angela 1:06:41

thank you to all of the volunteers who are still running the food banks, and coat drives and all of that animal shelters, all of the things that are still regularly going on that we're not thinking about as much because we're not getting notices at work or school or anything like that. And also, thank you to all of our volunteer COVID testers are what so like, I don't know about all areas, but in my area, they've actually started taking volunteers to do intake forms, and all of that, and not necessarily administer your test. But they're as they're opening more testing sites, just in anticipation of people moving around a little bit more and having a little bit more contact. Like they're definitely expanding that. So thank you for volunteering, if you're not a medical professional, and if you are a medical professional, thank you for putting up with us as we increase our movement, and maybe don't make your job easier here here for non obscure Christmas movies. Which ones can you not be without?

Jae 1:07:47

There's only one correct answer. And that's always at Christmas time.

Angela 1:07:51

Yes. The season is not complete without elouise at Christmas time. Or Frankly, I'm going to add to this list to a miracle on 34th Street Matilda. Hmm.

Jae 1:08:04

I saw that movie once. I think it scared me.

Angela 1:08:07

Oh, it definitely scared me too as a child. But I I watched that all year long. That and a Santa Claus. Well, as you know, as Jay knows, I do Christmas in July as well. So I give myself to Christmas.

Jae 1:08:24

You mean the Santa Claus like the Tim Allen series? Yeah, I don't. Harry Potter is always on there. And I'm always like as Harry Potter. You're, you're the geek. So

Angela 1:08:34

hey, Harry Potter is not a Christmas movie. I don't believe it meets any of the criteria to be it just it happens to be one of those movies that covers the span of an entire year. So there are winter scenes, and they celebrate Christmas. But I don't think that maybe that 10 minutes of celebration or activity, or other activity relating around the holiday time. Makes it a Christmas movie. I also don't know why they show Star Wars at Christmas because I've never seen any evidence of a Christmas tree in the galaxy far, far away. One day when I get paid to watch Star Wars she will get that reference. No. Yes, guys, she got me a lightsaber for Christmas. So I'm gonna get her to watch.

Jae 1:09:21

You're not getting. I mean, I'm not gonna say you're not getting a lightsaber because I don't want to give you any hints. But like, sure, but I'm surprised you didn't name one of the most annoying Christmas movie to me, but somehow it makes me like the Scrooge cold hearted jack frost if my friend group the Grinch. No, I'm the Grinch because of this movie.

Angela 1:09:43

A Christmas Carol.

Jae 1:09:44

I think the line goes like it's Christmas. So I just thought I'd tell you love actually me.

Angela 1:09:52

Okay, so I love Love Actually.

Jae 1:09:56

Oh my gosh, you guys all it's like literally I think it's Multiple people's like, favorite movie, if not like favorite Christmas movie, and I watched I hadn't seen it until college and Were you there when I saw it?

Angela 1:10:10

I don't think so. I think it was you and your bag. Maybe one of your

Jae 1:10:13

twin grande cuts. I know we got pizza and they were like all swooning over it. And I was just annoyed. Oh God, Nanny McPhee, his husband. This is the thing I do with movies when I can't remember the actor's name or the character's name, but I remember they meant something else. Emma Thompson?

Angela 1:10:31

Yes.

Jae 1:10:33

Yeah, her husband dick. Oh,

Angela 1:10:35

yes. Yes. Just like you. I also do the association thing and her husband is Severus Snape and Harry Potter.

Jae 1:10:45

The only character I liked in that movie was the little ginger. Who played the drums?

Angela 1:10:51

Oh my god. Like you guys are so many motions when you watch that movie.

Jae 1:10:57

Like I didn't understand half a plotlines

Angela 1:10:59

how

Jae 1:11:00

music and weird sky with like his assistant. There was like the love triangle. Then there was the affair. Mm hmm. Like, I mean, I guess like I just say what they were just like, they were all boring.

Angela 1:11:16

Okay, I cannot remember his name in the movie. But oh, man, and now I can't remember his name in real life. What which plotline? Are we in Australia? The girl

Jae 1:11:29

from Hugh dancy Who?

Angela 1:11:32

grant? No, no, that's huge. Hugh Grant is the other half of him and Bridget Bridget diaries.

Jae 1:11:38

Oh, Colin Firth.

Angela 1:11:41

Yes, Colin Firth, and the lovely woman who plays Australia. And so they're caught in their own little love story. They don't speak the same language. So

Jae 1:11:51

I like that one of them. I like the little kid. Okay, that won't call. I forgot about column four.

Angela 1:11:55

Okay, I was gonna say I don't know how that one couldn't have spoken to you. Like, for that one was fun. Okay. Oh my god. There's so much fun. Everything about blood, the one with OSI,

Jae 1:12:06

the one with the sign and Keira Knightley. I like the memes that everyone does with that where they change the words on the side. Oh

Angela 1:12:13

my god. They actually did a call out to that in another mini series. That was very cute. Same sentiment, but still very cute.

Jae 1:12:24

I mean, they've done that in a bunch of other movies.

Angela 1:12:28

No, but that this one I think was specifically the best.

Jae 1:12:32

Why?

Angela 1:12:34

So it's the Hulu miniseries for Weddings and a Funeral. And I don't know I I liked it because so in Love Actually, it's it's a sad but hopeful scene. And in for weddings.

Jae 1:12:53

If you were the husband, would you consider that hopeful scene?

Angela 1:12:57

Well, no, it's hopeful because his best friend is like, I will move on from this. But for right now, this is where I'm at. And I'm a little sad. I'm a lot sad. He's crushed. There's no way around. That dude is crushed. But it's it's hopeful because he will find love again. I don't know. I I love all of their little love stories. Even if they don't really work out. It's just it's the feelings. I actually don't really watch it at Christmas though. But I do watch it any other time of the year. But it is a Christmas movie. It is a Christmas movie.

Jae 1:13:34

What's not a Christmas movie? Is the lion the witch in the wardrobe. I don't know why everyone classifies that. Just because it takes place in the snow does not make a movie a Christmas movie. Exactly.

Angela 1:13:42

That bothers me so much, or how they feel that snow needs to be an every Christmas movie. Like I watched a lifetime Christmas movie the other night a very charming Christmas Town. It takes place in Southern California. And they had it snow twice without logic. Wouldn't The Revenant be a Christmas movie?

Oh my god.

Oh my god. Yes. And Leonardo DiCaprio is missing out on a prime audience there. He should be asking for that to be on FX around November, December. That would make Fargo a Christmas movie. Although I think that actually does take place around Christmas. I've never seen Fargo.

Jae 1:14:24

It's a show now does the show have anything to do with the movie?

Angela 1:14:26

So the show follows a similar setup of American Horror Story and that each season is a standalone. But I think it was the first two seasons that were most closely related to the movie. And they've since now branched off. So it all takes place. Same same area, but like different stories.

Well,

I with the poodles Thank you for listening to this episode of In Omnia Paratus Grab your coffee bowl and don't forget to rate download and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts as always where you lead will follow. So head on over to @ inOmniapod on Instagram, and let us know what you want to hear about in the comments. Bye

Jae 1:15:18

happy holidays. Merry all holidays to all and to all a good night.