The Christmas House 2
Reviewed by Lisa Sue
So of all the Christmas movies I watched in 2020; The Christmas House was actually my favorite. Was it the clips of Handsome Justice? Was it the maniacal sibling rivalry between Brandon and Mike? Or was it because Katy Perry’s ‘Cozy Little Christmas’ made it to the playlist (never to dethrone Mimi, never)? Yes to all. Now as pointed out in The Nine Kittens of Christmas, these movies really don’t need a sequel, and the ending of 2020’s Christmas House seemed to be sending them off into happily ever after land. However the Mitchells are back, with the sibling rivalry in full swing and Mike and Andi are still together, but after all this time (with maybe 2 Christmases that have past, and Brandon’s baby son has now a toddler) Mike still hasn’t proposed. We assume Andi and Noah live with Mike in the Christmas house, leaving Andi’s mom’s house (which is next door) now available for Brandon and his family of four to occupy while Andi’s mom is out vacationing in the Caribbean. The living arrangements do strike up questions, but we get that the setup is needed so that Mike can be roped into a Christmas Lights Reality Competition against Brandon.
Mike just wants to rest this holiday season, and actually was fully planning to let the Christmas House stay dormant this year (after some roof mishap with iron reindeer, it was probably a good plan) But the producer Kathleen, who I know as Barry Allen’s mom (On the CW’s The Flash) and shall be referred to in this article as the Speed Force, is forever hustling and pimping out her star. What better way to generate buzz than for the King of Christmas himself to enter the reality competition ‘Deck the Halls’? Initially the plan was to have Mike go against some other actor, however that fell through. But Speedforce will not be so easily deterred; when what does she spy? But brother Brandon, staying next door, and when she witnesses the two brothers just talking and turning up the sibling rivalry, Speedforce spies a ratings bonanza! With the other actor gone, the reality show is now solely promoting Handsome Justice and Brandon is all in with the thought of winning the trophy, beating his brother on national TV, plus seeing the Deck the Halls Judge Macie Stevens in person? Well, Mike is essentially bullied/forced into doing the reality show.
The setup of this movie is interesting; as the movie is interspersed with the reality competition footage of the family on the couch discussing the Christmas House, traditions, and basically themselves. Kathleen gets the brothers some Personal assistants as help; and the brothers drew straws to see which parent they get to help decorate. Brandon gets Mom and Mike gets Dad. It is like guerilla warfare, with the adjoining hedge the demilitarized zone. Turns out Mom is pumping Dad for info, like a spy to get intel back to Brandon about what Mike is planning. For his part, Mike seems to be keeping to the Christmas House tradition which is lots of lights, trains and animatronics. He did initially ask the family for a theme, like re-do a classic like the Polar Express or Reindeer Romper Room but honestly, now he’s just trying to one up Brandon. A trip to the store for more lights and garland becomes an epic mess, I’m surprised more people weren’t hurt or injured in just that trip alone. Mike does get some help, not just from the Personal Assistants that Speedforce and the Reality Show have provided but some fans from down the street came by to offer their services. Well randos showing up on the porch to help out Mike really upsets Brandon, who is taking this competition way too seriously. What’s funny is that one suspects that Brandon’s obsessiveness and in general the brother’s competitiveness is inherited; it was after all Mom and Dad Mitchell who started and grew this monstrosity known as the Christmas House.
Mike has other things to stress him out like proposing to Andi, and then the unexpected showing up of Andi’s ex, and Noah’s dad Zane, to be that focused on the decorating competition. Brandon seems to have gone to crazy town, staying up all night creating licorice ribbons then asking his architect of a husband to design a cupcake runway. I believe Brandon’s stated theme was Rockefeller center meets the gingerbread house of your dreams? I mean I think individually I understand the words, combined I’m at a loss as for the vision. What I did see in the final walk through with judge Macie was the moving cupcakes, and some baked goods with Brandon’s face on it? Lots of sweets, which is not surprising since Brandon is a baker. And apparently that is what tipped the scales for Macie, since obviously both houses were over the top, but Brandon used her signature peppermint pie as inspiration. If only Mike had thought to ingratiate himself with the judge like that! On the way to winning the trophy, feelings were hurt, mostly the parents because the boys’ fighting of course breaks out in the debut as co supporting leads in “You Sleigh Me” which honestly, much like Handsome Justice, I’m here for. We didn’t get much into what the play was, and the boys were kicked out for their fighting pretty early on in the play but it would appear the play is a combination social commentary on gender roles in the media, a farce, all intertwined with a commercial for Sears? If that doesn’t sound like a hoot, I don’t know what is.
All the fighting made them forget what doing all these over the top decorations and the Christmas House really was about, spending precocious time with FAMILY. Because as is the theme of 2021 Christmas movies, it is all about family. The parents started the Christmas House (and admit to letting things get out of hand) for the whole family to spend the holidays together, something that is lost on Brandon and Mike in this competition. But family will eventually triumph, some poor PAs hit the gas instead of the brake and damaged some of Brandon’s decors. A stark reminder to both brothers that Christmas House is about family and Fun. Brandon decides to move in next door, so his kids can be closer to family. Noah just wants his dad, mom and Mike to be one big happy family and turns out Zane kept his promise to stay close by. And finally with Mike proposing, Noah gets that family he’s had, but now it is official. So Mitchell Family, you’re welcome to Sleigh Me anytime with the Christmas House 3. Just Saying.
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