Window Wonderland

I am a total Christmas nut - there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of some aspect of Christmas. Yep, am even happy about decorations showing up in stores before the end of summer. Window Wonderland is a delightful story which is well written and well acted. The main characters compete for the favor of their boss by decorating the front windows of the department store where they're employed. The plot weaves in and out, circumstances change, people interplay, and a story, which I believe could end up being a Christmas Classic, evolves. With a wonderful ending, it's sure to satisfy even the pickiest of viewers. It's a fairly new release (2013) so I'm having a bit of a problem finding a copy to purchase but I'm sure that will happen, too. Window Wonderland is well worth the watch and will help warm your heart for the Christmas season.

Was a little unsure as to what my feelings would be on 'Window Wonderland' before watching. The premise sounded very sweet and had potential to have more depth than most Hallmark Christmas films. Love Christmas, always have and always will, and have many childhood Christmas favourites that hold up well still. Did have a couple of reservations, with the title being cheesy and Hallmark's Christmas output being quite inconsistent, a fair share of them not very good.

One of the surprisingly very good efforts though is 'Window Wonderland'. While it isn't for me one of my favourites, for Hallmark (festive and otherwise) it was pretty close to great. As far as Hallmark Christmas films, even if with its imperfections, 'Window Wonderland' is easily one of the best, makes the most of its premise and much better than its title sounds. The title made it sound cheesy and saccharine, but it's neither or at least compared to other Hallmark festive films.

Its weak link is the music, will agree with others here who have felt the same, which is too overbearing and should have been used a lot less and less obviously.

At times the lighting is a touch drab.

However, 'Window Wonderland' is nicely photographed and the interiors and displays have a real charm to them. Despite the lack of authenticity, the locations are made good use of and are lovely in their own right. The direction is accomodating but still gives the right amount of momentum. The script has a nice flow, doesn't have any unintentional humour and doesn't get too sappy. Really liked the playful banter and lightness of touch while having some genuine emotion as well.

Despite the story being very cliched, 'Window Wonderland' executes its cliches a lot less obviously and more freshly than most Hallmark efforts. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the playfulness is to thank for that, while still having more depth and poignancy than most Hallmark Christmas films. Lots of charm and it's amusing, heart-warming and moving in equal measure. It is always great to have characters in a film that don't grate, aren't dull and don't feel pointless. The characters here may be familiar in type but did find myself investing in them and liking their development (not always the case with Hallmark). The acting is really quite good all round, with affectionate chemistry between the two leads.

Summing up, surprisingly very good. A distinction not usually given for Hallmark films. 8/10

This looks to start out as a standard Hallmark romantic comedy, where she is a brittle and uptight urban girl and he is a relaxed and casually brilliant guy. However, it quickly becomes apparent that they are both facades, come-ons to get people to buy the merchandise they offer, just like the windows they decorate in this good Hallmark Christmas romcom.

The essential plot points are all in place: the woman who has been decorating the store's windows for twenty years has left, taking her senior staff with her, leaving only Chyler Leigh and Paul Campbell to battle for the top spot.

It's a well-assembled romantic comedy that mostly works, even with Vancouver standing in for Manhattan and a mall standing in for what is, judging from the facade shown in the establishing shots, Bloomingdale's. While I have some issues with the flat, grey light that much of this movie is shot in and the usual overwhelming music, in sum total this is a good Hallmark TV movie.

The title for this film should be 'Don't try this at home' as mostly the story is implausible, but then, at the same time, possible. Whimsical is the best description, while being the reason it is so charming. For those expecting Happy Ever After, you won't be disappointed, but then it's a nice feeling to be left with.

A young woman and man are put up against each other for the position of chief window dresser in a major department store. There's no point choosing whose side you're on because you just know that they'll end up being on the same side, in fact it would disappoint if they weren't. What's enjoyable about the film is the route chosen to get them there. There are surprises and smiles; that is if you allow the director to lay out the course without prejudgment or criticism.

The he and she main actors are eminently likable and the characters they play suited to each other, while the supporting cast provide a varied selection to cuddle or curse. Like a stream, we know the course of travel, and when our little craft bumps into the river bank the supporting cast are there to push it off again. You might be surprised if you are surprised by the ending, but our hero and heroine seemed perfectly relaxed, perhaps having enjoyed the film as much as we did.

Conclusion: 7.5 Xmas points, for a simple story that leaves you smiling.

I'm a sucker for a good Hallmark TV movie, especially romantic comedies and even more especially ones that take place at Christmas. I've seen quite a lot of them over the last few years and, while there are some standouts, most tend to be of the "watch once and forget about it" variety. I'm happy to say this one is one of the standouts. As a matter of fact, I might go so far as to say it's the best movie I've seen from Hallmark yet. The story is a very simple one -- a woman and a man are both competing for a promotion as a department store's window decorator. He's an aspiring artist who's struggling to make ends meet in the big city and she's driven and ambitious to the point that she's lying about her background and pretending her bathroom attendant mom is a stranger. As they work alongside each other they grow closer and eventually...well, you know where it's going. But knowing that doesn't lessen the journey.

It's not perfect, of course. As always, Hallmark finds a way to bring wealth and status into things even when it's not necessary. I think someone should do a study on how often this occurs in Hallmark movies. It seems pretty common, particularly in the seasonal romcoms. There always has to be at least one rich guy. Sometimes he's a knight in shining armor and sometimes he's a villain. Anyway I have no quibbles with how it figures into this movie's plot but it did strike me as one of those familiar elements you see in virtually every Hallmark movie. Another slight negative is that the window decorations that are such a big part of the plot are just terribly unimpressive. I can't imagine any major department store in New York City allowing those cheap and lazy designs. Also a painting we're told is a great work of art is strictly amateur hour.

Those are minor issues in the grand scheme of things. They likely won't stand out to the average viewer who hasn't seen a ton of these movies. The strengths of this one far outweigh the weaknesses. The leads, Chyler Leigh and Paul Campbell, are absolutely perfect with an amazing chemistry that makes them easy to root for. It helps that the movie never pushes too hard for them to get together. We all know from the very beginning it will happen but the movie lets it play out naturally and without a lot of manufactured drama or angst. The tone of the whole movie is light and pleasant, which is another major plus. Naomi Judd is adorable in her supporting role as Leigh's mother. She steals every scene she's in. The biggest plus for Window Wonderland is the script, which is so much better than you usually get with these things. The characters are likable and three-dimensional, not just wooden clichés. The dialogue is really good. I love the playful banter between the lead characters. It's just such a good effort from Hallmark. Funny and touching with some great characters and a story that, while mostly predictable, is extremely satisfying.