GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Brainsbell The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

PartialMovieViewer "One Magic Christmas" is definitely a movie you will either like or hate. I was fortunate enough to watch this when it was first released. I will have to admit - the depressing tone set in the beginning almost chased me out of the theater. Unlike many of the recent film-failures I have successfully abandoned - I stuck this one out to the bitter end, and I am so glad I remained seated. I really enjoyed this movie. In fact, I honestly believe this is one of the last productions worthy of the "Disney" logo (I kid). Granted, the majority of the films plot was appropriated from Capra's, "It's a Wonderful Life," and reformatted it into the 1980's style. Normally, this kind of heavily borrowing would be enough to earn a major thumbs-down. But I let it go. To begin with, I think this is one of the only Mary Steenburgen movies I actually enjoyed. I felt this woman was excellent in her role as "Ginny." Even though she was not the nicest character, you could appreciate what she was going through and the people she was dealing with. The fellow playing her husband, Gary Basarba, delivered a performance I felt was spot-on as well. Now I do remember reading reviews just after the movie hit the screens. Some reviewers busied themselves harping about 'Gideon' possessing some nefarious visual attributes. Sorry, I didn't see it. Harry Dean Stanton performed perfectly. Honestly, the entire cast conveyed an outstanding Christmas story worthy of remembering. All this talent was skillfully orchestrated by a Phillip Bosros who sadly passed away ten years later. I feel his directing skills were very admirable. As far as recommending this movie goes…I do…with a couple of caveats. Before I let a young child see this, I would watch it first. There may be items a child too young may miss. Also, this might not meet the Christmas-movie needs of everyone and I completely understand that. Like I said in the beginning, you will either hate it…or you will thoroughly enjoy it. For me – I could watch this every year.

TheMegaCritic2000 . i'd never heard of this movie until this Christmas (2015). I decided to sit and watch it when I came across it in the TV schedules and it was a pleasant surprise to find a pretty good Christmas movie with a real heart.I've been a Harry Dean Stanton fan for many years and he turns in a great performance as the angel Gideon in this movie. Far from the conventional angel, he looks almost creepy, in his black hat and long back coat. But when he smiles, he lights up the screen.The rest of the cast do a very good job, too. Jan Rubes play an great Santa Claus and the kids play their parts very well.It's well worth a watch if you see it on the TV schedule!

sherryminou07 Warning....This review contains major spoilers.Ginny is grouchy, and doesn't like the idea of Christmas. Her husband lost his job and there's no money for presents for the kids.SPOILERS - WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD! Soooo. An "Angel" comes down and ta-da!! They kill off her husband by having him shot to death by a bank robber. Then they drown her kids by having the bank thief get into the dead husband's car and drive the car into a lake.That'll teach Ginny a lesson! After the traumatic events we all see on the screen, with our kids no less, we get Santa Claus to the rescue. What Santa and an "Angel" have to do with each other is never explained since one comes from the heavens and the other is just a present giver.After the audience including young children go through this gut wrenching chain of events, they turn around with one of the most schmaltzy, syrupy twists to make it better. Through the miracle of Santa.So all ends well for Ginny and family. They learn the TRUE meaning of Christmas.....Thanks to Santa Claus who can bring back the dead. There's presents for all.As someone else wrote......How on earth did Disney wrangle a "G" rating with all this violence and especially drowning of children. What twisted soul at Disney thought of this additional part is beyond me.I guess that in today's world, no one blinks an eye when a real parent kills off his or her own children. So this form of "entertainment" is now acceptable. Gee, I wish Santa could them back. Perhaps if I wrote him a letter........

Philly88 (Spoilers ahead)........When this movie came out from Disney we went to see it. How could we go wrong? It was from Disney and it had a sweet title. Boy, were we duped!! How on earth did the murder, drownings, depression, and other adult themes pass the ratings board?? Geez.The movie is stark, dark and unrelentingly depressing. Until the surprise ending, which, by the way.....we know nothing about during the movie.Mary Steenbergen is a good actress, but it is her personality to talk slowly and usually look like she's drugged. In this movie it was dwelled on and she's given a highly depressed role to play....she does it to the hilt. She's a mother with lots of problems and she's also contemplating suicide.While watching this movie, I was thinking of every sad event in my life and it had me wanting to do the same......Until we walked into the daylight.I'm so happy we didn't have children at the time.Yes, we always want our kids to know that bad things exist. They see it in the news and hear about it. BUT I won't pay to have my children exposed to adult themes which came posed as a heartwarming" and "Magic Christmas." I'd rather get a root canal.