_**Families unite at a special rundown lodge in the Oregon wilderness**_ A woman working for a historical preservation firm in Seattle (Erin Karpluk) stumbles upon a lodge in the Oregon wilderness that was special to her & her family when she was a little girl. She seeks to get it fixed up before Christmas with the blessing of the proprietor and his daughter (Michael Shanks and Michelle Creber). “Christmas Lodge” (2011) is a family drama that premiered on TV. While it’s obviously a Christmas movie, the bulk of the runtime involves the handful of months leading up to the Holidays and so it can be appreciated in any season. It’s just the ending that takes place during Christmas. Despite being a TV production with the limitations thereof, this flick is a breath of fresh air and was just want I needed – something warm, hopeful and encouraging. Not only do you get the beauty of the Great Northwest wilderness and the lodge, you also get Erin Karpluk and a refreshing air of goodwill and love amidst the inevitable challenges of life. I’ve only seen Erin in one other movie, the well done “Wyvern” (2009), and her winsome spirit and all-around loveliness are perfect for this type of picture. You don’t have to be concerned about the script absurdly checking ‘progressive’ (degenerate) boxes like in “Holiday in Handcuffs,” which was eye-rolling. This is a true Christmas movie without being preachy or sectarian. Secular critics naturally complain about the scenes involving saying grace, the Bible and words about God but the two families are clearly believers and this is how Christians are in everyday life. They’re not perfect, of course, but love & peace are their general standard of conduct and the Creator is dear to them. Besides, like I said, none of this is overdone. How any of this could be construed as “inappropriate” or “offensive” is perplexing. The film runs 1 hour, 26 minutes, and was shot in Langley, British Columbia, which is about 15 miles southeast of Vancouver. There are some establishing shots of Vancouver (or maybe Seattle), as well as at least one street shot of Manhattan. GRADE: B

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