Hallmark Christmas movies are corny, predictable and just what our critic needed to embrace the holiday spirit. The story of how a big-city culture critic, Amanda Hess, found love where she least expected it — in the monotony of Hallmark’s Christmas movies.
Oct 7
Three Vans, a Startled Farmer and an Iranian Plot Against the U.S.
What exactly happened near an air base in Britain used by the United States?Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times, discusses what he’s learned about the mysterious events around the base, including the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. Air Force bombers.G ... Show More
22m 35s
Dec 2021
Black Christmas Movie Bonanza
It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to press play on your favorite Christmas movies. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by essayist and pop culture critic Rebecca Theodore-Vachon to talk about what really makes a Black Christmas movie, and which clas ... Show More
18m 55s
Dec 2021
Christmas Movie Wars | An Iconic Holiday Tradition | 6
Over the past decade, made-for-TV holiday romance movies have gone from a seasonal guilty pleasure to a mainstream phenomenon, drawing in millions of viewers year over year. While Hallmark and Lifetime still seem to be guiding this sleigh, streamers like Netflix and Hulu are gett ... Show More
25m 30s
Dec 2021
The Holiday Special: Endless Christmas Movies and Celeb-Branded Products to Gift to Anyone but Us
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, which means Mariah Carey has a new holiday special, Kelly Clarkson has a new festive album, and there are approximately 200 new movies set at the North Pole to watch. It's impossible to sift through it all, but on this week's episode, ... Show More
39m 18s
Dec 2021
Christmas Movie Wars | The Scandal Express | 4
Hallmark faces a year of scandals. First, one of their marquee stars gets charged with committing fraud to get her daughters admitted to an elite college. Then, in the midst of their Countdown to Christmas programming, the channel’s decision to pull an ad featuring two brides gen ... Show More
22m 57s
Dec 2023
Psychopath Christmas Child, Barely Meat, Something For The Larger
<p>This week, we hear opinions about a Christmas classic movie, which we thought was universally loved. A personal item for the large, that may not be large enough. An iconic seasonal tourist spot, with a huge, but apparently not large enough, tree. A meat product that might not ... Show More
1h 5m
Dec 2021
Christmas Movie Wars | A Very Merry Rivalry | 1
In 2009 the Hallmark Channel launched "Countdown to Christmas," which included four original movies made on a modest budget that follow a predictable formula. It was an immediate ratings hit, catapulting Hallmark to the top of the cable charts. Competitors start to take notice, m ... Show More
24m 54s