I don't wanna be alone when I die

Getting deeply into classic movies and holiday movies at the same time has had unexpected results.

Music in My Heart (1940) - "Hopeful musical understudy Robert Gregory (Tony Martin) is going to be deported. He’s given a chance to be the lead in a show as long as he gets on a boat at 12 a.m. His taxi wrecks with another taxi with passenger Patricia O’Malley (Rita Hayworth) who is racing to meet the same boat to marry a millionaire (Alan Mowbray). When they both miss the boat, Patricia takes in Robert and her younger sister (Edith Fellows) tries to play matchmaker while Robert is avoiding being deported."

source: DVD
I watched it because: it was included in a set of movies that I am offering for sale, so now was my best chance to see it
IMDB: 6.0/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 14%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "'You don't mean...the millionaire publisher? Say, he's got a lot of money!' 

    'Most millionaires have....'"

MPAA rating: approved [TV-G]

directed by: Joseph Santley

my notes: Rita Hayworth dancing is a revelation! It's charming (But, really - singing "Punchinello" to a dancing monkey?) Edith Fellows as Patricia's younger sister Mary is outstanding.

Academy Award nominee: Best Music, Original Song—Chet Forrest, Bob Wright, for "It's a Blue World"
overall:  recommended

The Christmas Venue (2023) - "Losing faith in Christmas after a break-up, Cait decides to escape the city and surprise her father at her family's inn. Upon arrival, she finds an empty inn and a handsome handyman named Drew who tells her that her father could be forced to sell because of mounting repairs. Luckily, Cait's friend is a wedding planner and one of her client's venues fell through. With Drew's help, Cait quickly puts together a plan to host the couple for Christmas and persuade them to have their wedding there."

source: Pluto
IMDB: 5.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A%
my IMDB: 3/10 🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

notable quote: "So, so much love."

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: Vincenzo Conrorio

my notes: Trite and stereotyped. The male lead, Drew (James Liddell) is weirdly intense, like a creepy stalker pretending to be A Nice Guy. The female lead, Cait (Jessy Holtermann) is just plain mean. There are a number of stupidly contrived fake romance(s) - no chemistry anywhere!

Santa character = Rick Montgomery, Jr., the hokey hippy Dad Phil, is an awful actor

Scrooge character = Steven the Brit (Jamie Craib) is too obnoxious to be believed.

overall: not  recommended except to appreciate the godawfulness

I'll Be Home for Christmas (2016) - "Jackie Foster (Mena Suvari), is a dynamic Assistant District Attorney and single mom. But when Jackie's estranged dad, Jack (James Brolin), a gruff retired police officer, unexpectedly shows up at her door, they will be forced to confront old wounds."

source: Pluto? Not sure.
IMDB: 6.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 36%
my IMDB: 8/10 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

notable quote: "A little crazy can be a good thing."

MPAA rating: TV-G

directed by: James Brolin

my notes: Giselle Eisenberg as Gracie Foster is the star of this show. Just the right combination of sass and heart, she shines onscreen and brings out something special in this already nice and heartwarming movie.

Santa character = John Reardon as Mike Kelly

Star Power: James Brolin, Mena Suvari
overall: highly recommended

Noel (2004) - "Christmas Eve in New York, and the lonely divorced publisher, Rose Collins, needs a miracle to improve the health of her mother, interned in a hospital with Alzheimer's. She feels sorry for another patient and meets his visitor. Meanwhile, Nina Vasquez breaks her engagement with her beloved fiancé Mike due to his suffocating jealousy, but misses him. Mike is stalked by a stranger, bartender Artie Venzuela. The poor Jules arranges to spend Christmas Eve in the hospital, where he spent the best Christmas of his life when he was a teenager. The lives of some of these characters cross with others along the night. "
source: Freevee (Prime)
I watched it because: with actual stars, it seemed like a good bet.
IMDB: 6.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 28% Audience: 48%
my IMDB: 4/10 🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻🤶🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

notable quote: "...your life matters; you've touched other people's lives in ways you don't even realize."

MPAA rating: PG

directed by: Chazz Palminteri

my notes: Almost overwhelmingly sad & bleak. The Penelope Cruz & Paul Walker storyline is unpleasant. Some characters (The hand-breaker?!) are inexplicable and awful. There is a totally inappropriate psychiatrist, who breaches ethics like they're nothing at all. 

Santa character = Robin Williams, Alan Arkin, Susan Sarandon (depending)

overall: not recommended

[the title quotation is from Noel]