What I’m Watching: Netflix’s new original ‘The Knight Before Christmas’

Date: 12/17/2019

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of writing a guest opinion column explaining my love for all things holiday related – more specifically the festive music and warm, fuzzy feelings that come along with the holidays. My column was so well received by readers (thank you, by the way, to everyone who reached out) that I thought I would continue with a “What I’m Watching” holiday edition.

In addition to my review of “The Knight Before Christmas,” I’ve included some new and some old holiday films that I think are worth the watch.
    
What I’m watching: Netflix’s new Christmas offerings and a whole lot of classic holiday films.

The Knight Before Christmas

If you haven’t figured out the theme of basically every single Hallmark or simply a romantic holiday movie yet – let me clue you in on a little secret. All of these quintessential Christmas movies are different versions of the same plotline. I readily admit that most of them are formulaic.             Let me simplify the theme for you in no eloquent terms: male and female character meet. They are meant to be together. They fall in love. Something happens that tears them apart. Then they realize whatever happened isn’t a big deal, they find each other again and they fall back in love. Usually the end of the movie ends in a marriage proposal despite the fact that the pair only met a few weeks or days prior. Happily ever after.

I know the way I just described these types of movies sounds cynical, and it reads as if I don’t like these movies. Don’t get it twisted – these movies are my bread and butter.

“The Knight Before Christmas” is a new film that came out at the end of November on Netflix. The film begins on Dec. 18, 1334 in 14th century medieval times where we meet our first main character, Sir Cole, who is played by Josh Whitehouse. We learn that Sir Cole is not yet a true knight – and he must fulfill a quest by Dec. 24 at midnight to become one – a quest that leads him to time travel to present day Ohio.

The movie then whisks us to  Bracebridge, OH, on Dec.18, 2019 to a high school science teacher’s classroom. Vanessa Hudgens stars as Ms. Brooke Winters, who we find out has been burned by love in the past – a classic storyline – an ex-boyfriend who did her wrong.   
Both Brooke and Sir Cole attend the same winter festival – Brooke with her niece – who requests Santa bring her aunt a new boyfriend. Both Brooke and Cole experience a meet–cute and there’s a clear spark between the two.

Though I won’t give too much more away, the characters in the present-day believe that Sir Cole has amnesia as he learns how to function and fit in to the modern world. Brooke takes Sir Cole under her wing and attempts to help him adjust, and – you guessed it – they fall in love along the way. Brooke’s sister Madison is played by Emmanuelle Chriqui, who adds a bit of humor to the film.

Overall, the movie follows  the classic storyline that I highlighted before. It gets the job done, and follows the stereotypical romantic plotline that many people know and love. I found it to be a bit cheesy at times, but most of these movies are. I did have to push through the initial quirkiness and cliche's for the first quarter of the movie, but I did become more invested in the film as time progressed. By the end, I found myself shedding a lone tear as I rooted for the couple. Though it isn't one of my favorite holiday films, I do think it's worthy of a watch.

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Last year I watched 24 Christmas movies, and this year, I was determined to beat that number. So far, I’m up to 28 films. The goal was 30 – so I’m well on my way! Here’s a list of holiday movies that I consider to be must–sees, in no particular order:

•Prancer (1989)

•Rudolph the Red–Nosed Reindeer (1964)

•Frosty the Snowman (1969)

•The Santa Clause (1994)

•The Santa Clause Two (2002)

•The Santa Clause Three: Escape Clause (2006)

•The Polar Express (2004)

•Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

•Jack Frost (1998)

•Home Alone (1990)

•A Christmas Prince (2017)

•A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

•A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

•A Christmas Carol (1984)

•A Christmas Carol (2009)

•How the Grinch Stole Christmas  (1966)

•How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)