Christmas Under the Lights (2024)
Underutilized alpacas - they should have played a larger role
Oh, bless. A Christmas carnival needs the help of someone from the “big city” to come and save it from ruin. I really hope these sorts of carnivals don’t charge more than $10 entry fee, because really, if you want to see a Christmas display centered around artistic displays of light, may I suggest In Search of Christmas Spirit in Banff, AB instead?
I digress.
“Why would I come to the farm? I don’t even like ranch dressing!” Honestly, Emily, same (once I saw said farm). Those poor “influencers” roaming around trying to entice the city mice to visit… they’ll never get the smell of manure off of their off-brand red soles.
From a quintessential distracted driving safety moment - Emily almost runs Luke over while fumbling with her coffee cup while careening like a rally driver through windy country roads. To a boring White Elephant gift exchange, this one really did nothing to get and hold my attention for two hours.
And, once again, we have something filmed in an absolutely stunning locale (Victoria, BC), and yet we get a poorly lit story about some alpacas on a family ranch. At least this time she doesn’t give up her own career to move “back home” to a type of work she seems to barely loathe, never mind actually enjoy. Instead, they both move! To Seattle! Ok…
Emily (Hemmens) is always reluctant to return home to her family’s animal rescue ranch -- but when her mother passes away, her brother Nick requests her help organizing the annual Christmas Carnival. When she arrives, she discovers Nick’s friend, Luke (Grazzini), staying at the ranch -- and that Luke was once a successful artist who works with light. Though initially reluctant to collaborate, Emily and Luke work hard to pull off the best, most light-filled carnival the town has ever seen, a healing celebration of Emily’s mother’s legacy and the magic of Christmas -- and along the way feel sparks of romance as radiant as the lights themselves. Starring Heather Hemmens and Marco Grazzini.
