User reviews

Zoey Hathaway (Ashley Williams) really wanted to be a full-time pilot, but when she inherits a reindeer farm in the town she grew up in, she has to decide what she wants to do with the property. Ranch hand Alec Wynn (Corey Sevier) is resentful of her initial plan to sell it, but will fond memories of her hometown, reconnecting with old friends in a town where everyone knows her name and a blossoming friendship with the slowly thawing demeanour of Alec change her plans?

'Northern Lights of Christmas' has tons going for it if you enjoy the Hallmark brand of Christmas movies. Leading lady Ashley Williams is always a class act in these flicks, delivering so much genuine excitement and warmth, and she gets bonus points for those stunning eyes of hers (and let's face it, a lot of the time these films are ALL about that eye acting!). Leading man Corey Sevier has a rugged handsome quality and restraint to his performance that never drifts into that more grating 'pretty-boy' over-cuteness that often appears in these movies...although many of the female viewers of these probably don't mind that anyway! The rest of the minor cast are all friendly and charming, really helping to bring home that sense of community that is so important to the best of these type of films.

Yes, it falls back on that wonderful 'distorted reality' that comes out in so many Hallmark Christmas movies where every single little niggling problem or issue is perfectly resolved by the finale (actually all in the space of about five minutes in this particular instance!), but the lead and minor cast are constantly likable, the close community aspect is inviting, everyone will love the adorable animals, and the Alaskan backdrops add all the snowy atmosphere you'd want to see in one of these Christmas films...and you'll definitely decide within minutes that moving to a breathtaking reindeer ranch is the only logical next step in your life!

8 out of 10 for this tasteful effort if you're an unashamed Hallmark Christmas junkie - raises hand on that one.

Now scouring my box of personal files to see if I was due to be left a reindeer ranch in any inheritance I might have missed...

Zoey inherits a farm in Alaska, and she decides to sell it to in order to start buy an aircraft and later own a charter airline in Seattle. So, she decides to throw a Christmas festival, as the previous owner and her mentor used to do, with the help of Alec who was looking after the property and the reeindeer.

Ashley Williams always makes me smile, she radiates good energy, happiness and warmth and it's always a pleasure to watch her in these movies. I didn't mind the actor who played Alec, but I did enjoy his development. However, I ended up disappointed because I didn't feel much chemistry between them but Ashley made me forget about the romance with her energy.

I actually liked this more as a "coming-home" kind of movie than as a romance. My other favorite part was the fact that Ashley was a pilot (and Captain, thank you very much) and as a woman in and into aviation that fact was very important to me.

I won't probably watch again, but I will definitely watch Ashley again in the future, she keeps proving that she is an amazing lead for these movies.

Lately many Christmas movies suffer from overdone makeup main characters that makes them look more like dumb cocottes than charming leading ladies. Not in this movie. Here all the characters are more or less likable and there is a nice and charming feeling of happiness all along the film. This, combined with a modern style but not agressive leading lady who happens to be a plane pilot makes it enjoyable and worth watching. Beautiful Alaskan landscapes, inviting community and a more or less plausible story. Actors do it right and the movie succeeds in creating an endearing snowy Christmas atmosphere without being corny, silly or cloying. Not strange if you end wishing to have your own ranch in Alaska.

I have watched bunch of Hallmark Christmas movies. In every one, the actors always carry Christmas the tree with the top pointed in front. Even with they are tied to the roof of their car. Everybody knows (or at least should know) that trees are carried butt end first so the branches naturally flow backward. I always wonder when I see them carrying it "backwards," how many viewers must be thinking how wrong that looks.

All seems so predictible, you know the end from the first half of film but the life of community, the memories about past, Corey Sevier and his decent performance as a sort of little Scrooge and lonely stranger are good points of this seductive romance. And, sure, aurora borealis, a town named itself Aurora and three reindeers are good ingredients for a comfortable film like this.

This movie follows the typical Hallmark formula...guy and girl don't get on at first but fall in love during the movie. I appreciate that the makeup and hair of the female actors is more realistic and not so overdone, as it is in many Hallmark movies. Disregard the comments of jmlang-180-760580, as I am guessing he/she never lived in Alaska. I lived there for years and, depending on where you are located, there is plenty of bright light in the winter. People wear sunglasses during the winter so they don't suffer permanent damage to their eyes. The sun reflecting off the snow can cause snow blindness.

So the movie takes place in Alaska in mid to late December...and it's light out all the time, which would clearly be impossible for that time of year. Other than goof, a typically light and enjoyable Hallmark romance.f

This movie is about hometown love, community spirit, and finding what feeds your soul... and about reindeer! I loved seeing how everyone came together to make the tradition of a Christmas festival a reality again. Also loved the northern lights!

7.0 stars.

I agree with the other reviews that are positive about this movie. It's a great story, set in Alaska. Female pilot is the main character, and she is a very positive and super-optimistic sort. She returns home to sell a ranch, and her infectious optimism pervades the Alaska town where she once lived. She has forgotten how friendly and warm the town was, and she falls in love with it all over again.

She must win over one more soul, the male love interest, who is not thrilled about why she has returned, and he's not afraid to show it..

She eventually wins his heart with her assertive, but lovable, personality. She is a very easy going sort of domineering female, yet soft and fun.

I was intrigued how she is persuasive in her own way, and it's a very endearing quality in a female lead. She wears the pants in this relationship, and in this movie. Brava for her portrayal of a real go-getter, but that's not the main point of the movie. I think the theme is the importance of placing friendships and family above all else. She sacrifices a noble dream for friendship and the potential for love. Great lessons learned.

The story was good for a Christmas movie but Ashley Williams absolutely ruined it. Her constant toothy smile and laughing was obnoxious. I wish they had cast a different female lead. I will not watch another movie with her in it. The rest of the cast did a nice job.

I love Ashley Williams. She's always happy and smiling and it rubs off. Zoe even makes grumpy Alec smile. That's part of what makes this a good romance story.

The story isn't surprising, but that doesn't matter. There's some good lines and funny moments.

The movie was cute, but Ashley smiles the entire time and speaks loudly. Why can't she just act natural? Constant smiling and laughing distracts from the movie and the genuineness of the character. Corey was excellent. He carried the movie with "being himself." After a while, I just wanted to turn Ashley off. There is such a thing as over-acting.

Wow finnaly Hallmark has done it! It's a very nice movie, and I needed some kleenex... Very good job

This movie has two interesting and believable main characters, a fun supporting cast, with good dialogue. One of the best from 2019!

All the women end up in red dresses! Ashley was most beautiful in hers. She looked like one lovely woman and not a skinny stick with cleavage down to her belly button!

Just too contrived. One stupid thing after another. I ended up reading through most of it. They imply they are near Fairbanks, that would mean it is about 40 below with about four hours of daylight. When I worked there, you had to leave your car running and had to be a lot more bundled up than in the movie. Just not very believable at all.

This is a good movie. I love Ashley William's smile and the joy she brings to every movie. Yes this movie follows the typical Hallmark formula no, but it's still good. It flowed very nicely and I was able to watch it straight through without pausing.

I'm just seeing this movie for the first time in the summer of 2022. Hallmark romances had grown pretty stale for me after years of watching, and in the past I haven't cared for Ashley Williams's acting. To me, she always seemed to be grinning maniacally at inappropriate times, but she was very good in this movie. Her acting is so much more natural that before, and she brought great energy to the story. Of course, it's always going to be the standard "boy meets girl, etc." formula, but the setting and storyline felt fresh here. The male lead, Corey Sevier, is always superb as far as I'm concerned. I felt the chemistry between them was fine - enough that I really wanted it to work out for them! I recommend.

Why oh why must Ashley Williams grin through every single solitary movie she does? It drives me nuts!!! Can't her sis, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, sit her down and give her some pointers? Ashley, your endless grin is totally unnecessary!

Maybe it's time for Hallmark to create a few GOOD movies for Christmas instead of 30 barely watchable movies.

This one wasn't the worst but it's far from becoming a classic. So, so many things that are unbelievable in this movie. Too many to list really but here's a few: 1. If they are so far north the can see the northern lights is it daylight at 6am there in winter? 2. Do ppl ride motorcycles in the snow and ice and extreme cold of winter in Alaska? 3. Why spend so your entire savings on a festival to sell the farm? Would it not have sold otherwise? 4. How do you revive the ranch, refresh the barn, decorate numerous trees and plan an entire festival in less than a week?

I could go on....

'Northern Lights of Christmas' is a long way from being one of the worst Hallmark Christmas films, of the 2018 batch and overall. It is also a long way from being one of the best. 2018 was a very mixed year for Hallmark when it came to their Christmas output, most ranging between lacklustre and just above average with some very bad and surprisingly good ones as well. So very variable which was not surprising for such a big batch of festive films from that year.

As far as Hallmark's Christmas output goes for 2018, 'Northern Lights of Christmas' is somewhere around average middle. That is very much applicable for their Christmas output overall, the film is around average middle in this regard too. 'Northern Lights of Christmas' is a film with good things and moments, but for me it also had a lot of shortcomings (a few of them being the usual Hallmark gremlins). So feelings are somewhat mixed here.

Shall start with the good things. The production values are quite nice, the scenery being beautiful even. Regardless of questions about authenticity the film for me was easy on the eyes. Some of the soundtrack is nostalgic and appropriately festive. There is evidence of charm and heart and the joy of Christmas is captured well.

Corey Sevier does have a stereotypical role done to death in other Hallmark films, but actually is very charming in it and doesn't come over as too uptight and certainly far from dull. The supporting cast are better than average.

That cannot be said unfortunately for Ashley Williams, really did want to be another reviewer that liked her in 'Northern Lights of Christmas' but sadly that's not the case. Am another person that felt that she tried too hard to the point that she got annoying and rather shrill, she has a lovely smile but overuses it. Her chemistry with Sevier has sweet moments but on the most part it doesn't sparkle enough and when it comes to the development it's both rushed in how too quickly the relationship evolves and also under-baked. The characters are too much like recycled cliches.

Which is pretty much the case with most of the story too, especially in the final third capped off by the as ever too neat and hastily resolved ending. Everything is obvious and there are too many things that happen too conveniently or come over as contrived. The dialogue has too much awkwardness and over-sentimentality with a lot of cheese thrown in too. The music tends to be too loud and doesn't always gel tonally.

On the whole, rather mixed feelings here. 5/10

I was only 20 minutes into this film, and I needed earplugs. WHY does Ashley Williams need to shout her dialogue ???? she does it in all her films. The only actress who could get away with being jolly, joyful and smiley ALL the time was Doris Day, and Ms Williams is certainly not in her category. As we say in the UK "put a sock in it Ashley".