Quickie Movie Review: "Christmas With A Capital C"

Rated: Not Rated (Dove approved for ages twelve and up)
Starring: Ted McGinley, Brad Stine, and Nancy Stafford
Released: 2011 (DVD)

Synopsis: In the small town of Trapper Falls, Alaska, mayor Dan Reed (Ted McGinley) is happy to see Christmas decorations all around.  Out of nowhere, his old high school rival who went on to become a big shot lawyer, Mitch Bright (Daniel Baldwin), moves back into town.  No sooner does Mitch arrive than he files a complaint with the city's government over a traditional Nativity scene and signs that say "Merry Christmas".  Dan and his family don't want to take Christ out of Christmas, but they end up in a legal battle with Mitch over the issue.  All the while, Mitch is also promising to help the town's businesses, and to run for mayor, possibly taking Dan's spot.  Will Dan be able to still display the true reason for the season, or will Mitch take over with his secular holiday traditions?
Produced by Pure Flix, makers of Marriage Retreat, Jerusalem Countdown, and What If...?.

My Review: This movie does a great job of showing what the spirit of Christmas is truly about: loving others, even your enemies or opponents.  It also vilifies the selfish Christmas traditions, such as selfishly buying a big-screen TV for your family in honor of Jesus' birth.  Even the acting is better than usual for a film like this; Ted McGinley reminded me of John Travolta, and Brad Stine was appropriately zany.  Unfortunately, the ending was a little too pat, the subtitles lagged and were full of errors, and the production values weren't as polished as they could be.  Still, fans of Christian cinema might want to at least give this a rental.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: The details of Jesus' birth are discussed, though in a lighthearted way. 4.5/5
• Nudity: A shirtless guy is seen briefly. 4.5/5
• Language: The euphemism "gee" is used once.  An erroneous English subtitle crudely uses the term "screw," though the person speaking only says the word "forget".  4.5/5
• Violence: A girl falls while skiing and hurts her knee, but the injury is mild, and no blood is shown. 4.5/5
• Drugs: None. 5/5
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: A comic monologue involves a guy making a scary face. 4.5/5

Score: 3.5/5