The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Haul Out the Holly
TV Movie · Comedy · Drama · 2022
Emily arrives home, hoping to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities.
Movie details
Haul Out the Holly
“There glows the neighborhood.”
2022 TV Movie · Comedy · Drama 1h 24m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.1 / 10
Community rating
Emily arrives home, hoping to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Haul Out the Holly?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
'Tis the Season to be Merry
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Coyote Creek Christmas
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While throwing a "Christmas Around the World" party at her family's inn, an event planner discovers Christmas magic with a charming father-son duo whose presence brings about tension and joy.
A Kiss Before Christmas
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Ethan, always the nice guy, wakes up in a new reality at Christmas. Initially, he is enthralled with his new life but soon realizes that it's not what he thought it would be.
Picture a Perfect Christmas
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An extreme-sports photographer returns home for the holiday to take care of her grandmother, only to have a neighbor grab her attention as he needs assistance watching his young nephew.
An Unexpected Christmas
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Jamie hasn’t told his family that he and his now ex-girlfriend Emily broke up. After an inopportune run-in with Emily at the train station in his hometown, Jamie convinces her to pretend they’re still a couple to avoid ruining Christmas for his family.
Too Close for Christmas
Romance · 2020
When Hayley accepts an invitation to spend Christmas with her sister’s new in-laws, her seemingly perfect holiday takes a turn when Paul, Hayley's brother-in-law's brother, unexpectedly shows up. Still harboring a grudge against Paul for ending her last relationship, Hayley reluctantly spends time with Paul and slowly realizes she may have been too quick a judge on Paul
Christmas Cookies
TV Movie · 2016
Aunt Sally's Christmas Cookie Company is sold to a large conglomerate and executive Hannah must seal the deal and shut down the factory, which is the small town of Cookie Jar's lifeblood. What was supposed to be a simple assignment for Hannah becomes complicated when she meets Jake, the factory owner who's determined to keep the factory in town. Despite not being a fan of the holiday, the Christmas spirit in this small town is infectious and she gets swept up in the joy of the season while also falling in love with Jake.
The Royal Nanny
TV Movie · 2022
Claire is an MI5 agent who goes undercover as the royal nanny. She must overcome the challenges of her assignment, like resisting the charms of Prince Colin, while keeping the family safe at Christmas.
Jingle Bell Princess
TV Movie · 2021
An actual princess has some mechanical issues and is temporarily grounded. Does she have time for a lobster roll? It is Christmas time in Maine which means snow, quaint scenery, and lots of Christmas lights near the ocean. With the crew distracted attending to the repair, Princess Amelia deplanes to walk through a magical Christmas tree lot near the airport perimeter.
Christmas in the Air
TV Movie · 2017
Lydia, a successful professional organizer, is constantly trying to grow her business, but even her ambition takes a back seat to love when she meets Robert, a frazzled widower with two young children. A toy inventor, Robert is asked to present his new Christmas toy line to a superstore. His challenge is he only has 12 days to get his life and his business in order. Talk about a Christmas rush! Lydia shows Robert that this task goes way deeper than messy junk drawers and encompasses every aspect of his life. While she’s intent on helping him straighten out details he had long ignored, Robert teaches the buttoned-up Lydia that messiness can be a delightful part of life.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Maclain Nelson
Written by
Andy Sandberg
Lacey Chabert
Emily Melrose
Wes Brown
Jared
Peter Jacobson
Albert Melrose
Melissa Peterman
Pamela
Stephen Tobolowsky
Ned
Walter Platz
Bob
Ellen Travolta
Mary Louise
Court is in session
Put Haul Out the Holly on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.