Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas (2011) starring Kelly Washington, Amanda Waters, Joanna Daniel, Glennellen Anderson, Joy Chapman directed by Joy Chapman Movie Review

Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas (2011)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Kelly Washington in Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas (2011)

Christmas in the Attic

Christmas is coming at Miss Heathwood's School for Girls and Mandie (Kelly Washington) is discovering it tough to live by the rules and regulations of the school and the expectations to act and behave like a lady. Sent to the attic along with room mate Polly (Amanda Waters) to retrieve the Christmas decorations a coat rack which mysteriously falls down spikes her curiosity as to the mystery of the attic and the noises she hears coming from it late at night.

I am not nor have I ever been a 10 year old girl, I say that to validate when I say I just didn't like "Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas". From my understanding this movie along with two others are adapted from a series of books which I have been told are popular with young girls. And it seems this movie is also popular with those young girls with this story of a girl's boarding school at the turn of 1900 and a mystery surrounding an attic. But for those who find themselves stuck watching this who are not in its target audience it is a forced children's movie but one which admittedly has a good heart.

So if I was a little girl I am sure the cuteness of this Christmas movie would be fantastic as it does have a nice touch of sweet mystery about it. It also has a good moral message which would mean if I was a parent to a little girl I would be happy to let them watch it especially as there is nothing to offend on show. Plus it is bubbly, colourful and very pretty with bright old fashioned dresses and night clothes as well as plenty of Christmas decorations. Basically I can understand why for a certain audience "Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas" works.

But as an adult who found himself watching this I found it annoyingly forced with the whole thing feeling too full on. Basically whilst it goes for the look; the cleanness of everything, the brightness of the clothes and so much more it simply did my head in. So did the characters and the acting as it bordered on the cheesy which is fine for younger audiences but not for anyone else.

What this all boils down to is that "Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas" did nothing for me and in truth annoyed me due to its look and forced styling. But whilst it wasn't for me I can imagine this would be entertaining for young girls.

Tags: Christmas Movies


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