Rueben's Ramblings

On December 1, the holiday themed movie Silver Bells will debut on the cable channel UP at 7 PM (with encores at 9 and 11 PM)

Bruce Dalt (Bruce Boxleitner from Cedar Cove) is an ambitious, gung-ho father and local TV sports anchor who approaches the holidays much like he approaches life: competitively. This Christmas he wants his interior designing wife Piper (Bridgett Newton from Franklin & Bash) to win the neighborhood’s annual holiday house decorating contest. He wants his son Jason (Kenton Duty from Shake It Up!) to be the winning basketball player on his high school team. And, of course, he wants everyone in the family, including daughter Kasey (Laura Spencer from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries), who is in her first year of law school, to win by securing the biggest Black Friday shopping deals before dawn. Bruce Dalt is all “for the win!” This philosophy, however, has put a strain on his family; especially Jason, who has more heart than competitive drive. When Bruce gets into a physical scuffle with a ref (Kevin Downes from the box office film Courageous) at Jason’s basketball game, the holidays take a turn for the worse. In no time, the video goes viral. Bruce is then sued, suspended from the anchor desk, and sentenced to community service with The Salvation Army. There, he meets Major Melvin Lowell (Antonio Fargas from Everybody Hates Chris), who patiently guides Bruce while managing his competitive streak. When Bruce encounters the people in his life from behind the kettle, everything – especially his relationship with his son – begins to change. The Dalts are about to embark on the most meaningful holiday season ever — all thanks to ringing that signature bell.

Here is a trailer for Silver Bells.

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On December 1, the ION movie Holiday Road Trip will debut at 9 PM.

Maya, a recently heartbroken pet supply employee, couldn’t have any less in common with her co-worker, Pat, who happens to be the company founder’s son. But, tasked with traveling across the country on a Christmastime social media tour for the company’s leading canine and most-prized possession, Scoots, fate finds a funny way to intervene. In their race against the clock, the two begin to fall for one another. Unbeknownst to Maya, though, her remorseful ex-boyfriend is in close pursuit, hoping he can win her back.

The cast includes Ashley Scott, Patrick Muldoon, Kip Pardue, George Hamilton and Shelley Long.

Here is a trailer for Holiday Road Trip.

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The Christmas Spirit is the latest Hallmark Channel movie set to debut at 8 PM on December 1.

Charlotte Hart (Nicolette Sheridan from Desperate Housewives), a distinguished journalist, is spending time with her family over the holidays when a real estate developer approaches their small town with quite an offer. Skeptical and looking for the real scoop, Charlotte drives to see the real estate head honcho to question him. While she’s en route, she gets into a terrible car accident and wakes up in the hospital only to realize that her body is in a coma, but her spirit is very much awake. She meets another spirit, who just happens to be the greedy developer. It turns out that he was on the other end of the accident, and he too is in a coma. With only a few days left before the town votes on the development, Charlotte must try to change the minds of the developer and the town, but that is no easy task when no one can see or hear her.

The cast includes Olympia Dukakis.

Here is a behind the scenes look at The Christmas Spirit.

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The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie Christmas in Conway will air on December 1 on ABC at 9 PM.

Andy Garcia plays Duncan Mayor, who decides the perfect Christmas present for his beloved wife, Suzy (Mary-Louise Parker), is a ride on a real-deal Ferris wheel, set up in their own back yard. Why? Because it was while riding one years earlier that Duncan asked Suzy to marry him. Mandy Moore is Suzy’s nurse, Natalie. Natalie and Suzy develop a deep bond almost immediately. Not so for Natalie and Duncan, he’s a bit of a curmudgeon and at least initially resents the time and attention his wife pays to her soul-mate nurse. But love is in the air, and not just between Suzy and Duncan. Natalie and a young landscape designer who’s helping Duncan assemble the giant Ferris wheel also fall under the intoxicating spell of romance.

Here is a trailer for Christmas in Conway.

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On November 30, the Dear Secret Santa movie will debut on Lifetime at 8 PM.

After breaking up with her boyfriend, Jennifer (Tatyana Ali from The Young and the Restless) moves back to the house she grew up in, bringing back memories of her recently deceased friend Jack (Lamorne Morris from New Girl). But after receiving a Christmas card from a secret admirer, she is stunned when she discovers the truth.

The cast also includes Jordin Sparks (Sparkle and American Idol), legendary actor Bill Cobbs, Della Reese (Touched By An Angel) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters).

Here is a behind the scenes look at Dear Secret Santa.

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The Hallmark Channel movie Let It Snow will debut on November 30 at 8 PM.

When Falcon Resorts acquires family-owned Snow Valley Lodge from retiring owners Karla and Paul, driven executive Stephanie Beck (Candace Cameron-Bure from Full House) must spend the week before Christmas in Maine, preparing a proposal on the property’s renovations. Determined to impress Falcon’s president, her detached father Ted (Alan Thicke from Growing Pains), Stephanie reluctantly departs her warm Arizona home to immerse herself in the lodge’s property and decide how to change it to fit the hip, young Falcon brand.

The cast also includes Jesse Hutch.

Here is a trailer for Let It Snow.

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On November 29, My Santa is the new original ION made-for-TV film will debut at 9 PM.

A young, single mother, Jen, begins to lose her faith in the magic of Christmas. However, when she takes her son Eric to see the local mall Santa, Jen immediately feels an attraction and connection with Chris, the young, attractive man filling the suit. As they begin spending time together, she begins to rediscover her belief in Christmas. Little does Jen know that Chris is the son and heir to the “real” Santa, and his mission is to find himself a Mrs. Claus. As the two fall for one another, Chris faces his inevitable return to the North Pole.

The cast includes Samaire Armstrong (from The O.C.), Matthew Lawrence (from Boy Meets World) and legendary actor Paul Dooley.

Here is a trailer for My Santa.

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The ABC Family movie Christmas Bounty will on November 26 debut at 7 PM.

Former bounty hunter turned elementary school teacher Tory Bell (Francia Raisa from The Secret Life of the American Teenager) was ready for a new life when she left the family business behind and moved to Manhattan. But when an old enemy is released from jail and vows retribution on Tory and her loved ones, she returns to New Jersey to take care of him once and for all. When Tory’s upper-class fiancé, James follows her home for Christmas, she tries to keep her bounty hunting ways a secret, but the plan backfires when James unwittingly becomes involved in the Bells’ mission. Further complicating matters, Tory must work closely with her ex-boyfriend, Mike (WWE Superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin) to bring down their target and keep James out of certain danger. But as Tory becomes further entrenched in her old life, she finds herself torn between whom she once was and her plans for the future. Will Tory choose her new life with James, or will the thrill of bounty hunting and unresolved feelings for Mike prove too powerful to ignore?

Chelan Simmons (from The L.A. Complex) co-stars.

Here is a trailer for Christmas Bounty.

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