I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 400 Christmas MOVIES.

BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I AM HONEST! I REVIEW Christmas MOVIES AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN!

In this follow up film to "Finding Father Christmas" It's Christmas time and Miranda (Krakow) leaves Seattle with a suitcase full of presents to join her long- lost family in Carlton Heath. Hoping She will experience the joyful traditions she missed as a child. Last Christmas, Miranda fell in love with Ian (Matter), a local man who helped her as she searched for her father, James Whitcomb, a famous theater actor she believed had a connection to the town. At his widow Margaret's (Malick) request, Miranda agrees to keep it a secret to protect the family from scandal. This Christmas, she fears the warm welcome she received from the Whitcomb family will soon turn cold when Miranda receives an anonymous text from someone who threatens to expose her identity.

Well what was great about the original film was a mystery of Miranda's father. there was also Miranda falling in love. In this sequel we only have a very thin plot and it just retreads what was done before. I still admire the cast. It is just needed a little more story to cover.

An American-Canadian TV film drama; A story about a young woman who travels to a small-town in Vermont hoping to spend the perfect Christmas with her boyfriend and long-lost family, but someone wants to reveal who her real father is. This is the second film in a trilogy. As a Hallmark TV movie it ticks the feel-good boxes and offers an upbeat story about truth and grace.

Found myself really liking the first film 'Finding Father Christmas', which did live up thankfully to its intriguing premise. It was not a masterpiece certainly, but it was one of the best 2016 Hallmark Christmas films and one of their better Christmas films overall too in my view. It similarly contained some of the best work of both Erin Krakow and Niall Matter. Seeing that they had returned for its follow up 'Engaging Father Christmas', expectations were far from low.

Despite worrying that, considering that it is a sequel (and Hallmark are very variable at best usually when it comes to their sequels), it would be too more of the same. Luckily, 'Engaging Father Christmas' doesn't feel too much like that. It is not quite as good a film perhaps as 'Finding Father Christmas', but as far as Hallmark sequels go it is up there as one of the better ones and doesn't disgrace the first film at all. They do go well with watching back to back.

'Engaging Father Christmas' isn't perfect. Will admit to not liking the story as much, this aspect had a good deal more freshness in 'Finding Father Christmas' and tonally it felt more focused tonally. Actually didn't mind that the film was predictable, but the moments of bizarre silliness and not always tight enough pace were less forgivable.

Again the ending was on the rushed side, contrived somewhat too, and the script could have been tighter.

However, there is so much to like about 'Engaging Father Christmas'. It looks pleasing, despite the location not being authentic to me it didn't look too fake and was attractive in its own way. The photography is slick enough. There is a tendency in Hallmark to have the music too prominent and intrusive, found neither to be the case (not distractingly so anyhow) here. The script may be imperfect, but it was light hearted and had good intentions, the cheese and schmaltz not feeling too much.

Likewise, the story has imperfections but for all its predictability as such it did make me feel warm inside, it was very charming and it did have heart without being heavy or over serious. Krakow and Matter return, as does Wendie Malick, and they don't disappoint. Krakow is restrained and sensitive while never looking phoned in or stiff. Matt is pleasantly understated and sympathetic too without ever being too low key, and he looks relaxed. While their chemistry was natural and affecting in 'Finding Father Christmas', it has even more spark and growth here in 'Engaging Father Christmas'. Malick is a breath of fresh air once again. Everyone is well above average and while the characters are not deep they were at least worth connecting with in my view. The direction is accomodating without being too deliberate.

Concluding, well done. 7/10