Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

After Santa Claus has noticed how many children have become naughty, he decides that he will not deliver presents to any children this year. But his daughter, Kristin Claus, thinks there is one more chance for a Christmas. Kristin took on the challenge of trying to deliver all the presents (just as her dad, Santa, would) in the Mortal World. She made a deal with people in the North Pole that she would change a family on "Santa's Naughty List" to be on the "Nice List". She uses her magic to go to the Morgan house, a family of a single father and two spoiled children, and try to change them to nice. But the children are tricked by Rudolfa, Kristin's sister, who wants to turn Christmas into a joking holiday. Kristin was mistaken as a nanny for the children and played along with the role. The children begin to resent Kristin, and Kyle even told their dad that Kristin was dangerous. Kyle tries to engage Brittany into it. They treated Kristin badly and she left the Morgan house when no one was at home. Bill Morgan became work-obsessed since his wife died. On a work-trip he carried along the children and their uncle and took a rest stop at a diner. They met Kristin there (she used her magic to meet them there) and Bill convinced her to look after the children on the trip. The family (and Kristen) take an unexpected detour. Rudolfa uses her magic to make a fake detour sign and sends the family in the middle of nowhere. She also sent an elf dressed as a deer into the middle of the road, causing them to swerve into a ditch. They spend the night at a nearby old, abandoned house, where Kristin confronts Bill about his own selfish ways. The kids continue to act selfish and bratty, but Bill and Kristin don't put up with it. Brittany soon realizes that she is behaving bratty and makes the family breakfast-in-bed from some food supplies she found in the house. A fire breaks out, and Kyle, the family's son almost dies. Kristin gives her immortality to save him, but she now cannot remember her past.The film is okay at best. Most adults might get a little bored however I loved the message this film sends. There is a little lesson in this film for not only kids but adults as well. If you see this being advertised watch it. Its cute for a one time showing.

This is one movie that, honestly, i cant go a Christmas without! I have read other reviews, and i do agree that some of the effects are very cheesy(im looking at you, sleigh ride ;) ) And Kristen Prout's acting, especially during the suspension scene, is not the best, but all in all it was a very cute movie with great acting, and a different story line than most Christmas movies! It shows something that can/and really does happen(a widower hiding in their work). John Dye and Kathy Ireland looked so good together on the screen. As a mother of twin boys this is a movie i love to watch, one that the whole family can watch,and you don't have to worry about anything inappropriate popping up!

This is one of my favorite movies of all time!! It is family-friendly and the characters are magical and fun. I wish Kathy Ireland was in more movies. I also liked John Dye and Mary Haskel Donnelly. It is hard to find a movie that is clean-cut these days. I like the special effects because they are not overdone, just enough to suspend disbelief. I watch this movie and the sequel even when it's not Christmas--it perks me up.Movies about Santa and his family are many, but this one stands out. Santa's village and castle look fun, magical, and not too much like a set. Rudolfa is so funny and evil at the same time! I recommend this film to all true Christmas-lovers!

I've been a fan of John Dye, since his performance in Touched By An Angel on TV and when Once Upon A Christmas first premiered on family channel it looked like a charming Christmas movie. Kathy Ireland's role as the younger daughter of Santa Claus was touching and sweet. What can one expect from two talented stars this movie is about the power of having faith again in the Christmas spirit and at an hour and 30 minutes it's enjoyable without being overdone.Christmas is about to be canceled because there's a majority of children out there who have been more naughty then nice and Santa Claus (Campbell) is deciding to go away on vacation putting his oldest daughter Rudolfa (Haskell) in charge. However his younger daughter Kristen (Ireland) doesn't like that plan one bit, she makes a deal with dad that if one family's name is returned to the "nice list" then Christmas will go on as planned.But the task is more challenging than ever because the family chosen is the Morgan clan Kyle (Kirk) & his sister Brittany (Prout) are two spoiled brats because their father widower & workaholic Bill (Dye) is always too busy. Then there's Uncle Johnny (Yorke) who is goodhearted but not the ideal guardian. Once she becomes the nanny the two siblings try everything in their power to get rid of her. During a vacation mostly to do with work the car breaks down and they're stranded at an old house in the middle of nowhere. They try to make the most out of this holiday soon everything begins to change not just in the kids but in Bill whose fallen in love Kristen.When Rudolfa's plans to stop Christmas goes out of control Kristen will make the ultimate decision for the family she loves.filled with heartwarming moments and romance Once Upon A Christmas is the ideal holiday movie.