I stand firm on waiting until after Thanksgiving to listen to holiday music and watch holiday films — except for HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, which takes place primarily during Thanksgiving deeming it acceptable to watch then.

Now that the turkey has been officially gobbled and gone, holiday music and films are fair game. Consider such viewing begun!

To be quite honest, holiday films often seem cheesy to me. And corny. But that's okay, that's to be expected. And pretty much accepted. In that vein, I admit that the first holiday film I've watched this season — ANGELS SING — was indeed a tad cheesy, a tad corny. And that's okay. The film was also fun and uplifting and featured folks who made me smile.

Which is all I expect and hope for when it comes to heartwarming holiday fare.

ANGELS SING doesn't begin all that heartwarming, though. Harry Connick, Jr. plays Michael Walker, a Scrooge of sorts who wants nothing to do with Christmas. He used to love the holiday but has done all he could to avoid it for 30 years, due to a tragic accident related to the holiday. His holiday spirit has long fizzled, despite the best efforts from his wife, Susan (Connie Britton), and young son, David (Chandler Canterbury) to reignite it. His parents, played by Kris Kristofferson and Fionnula Flanagan, can't do it, nor can his festive musical neighbors (including Lyle Lovett). A mysterious man named Nick (Willie Nelson) and yet another unfortunate incident — this time affecting Michael's son and father — inspire Michael to reconsider his moratorium on merrymaking.

 

There were plenty of humorous scenes in ANGELS SING, especially those featuring Lyle Lovett, who plays a far goofier guy than I expected he might.

Best scene of all, I thought, was one in which Lovett and an unnamed woman harmonized beautifully on a few especially moving Christmas tunes. The songs made me want to get the soundtrack.

ANGELS SING features a lot of festive music, in fact, despite Michael Walker's refusal to be festive. Nearly every actor in ANGELS SING sings at some point, and many of them made me chuckle. Not with their singing (well, sometimes) but with their intentional over-the-top jolliness and enthusiasm for Christmas.

Most of the actors seem like they know they're playing over the top and that the story can be easily considered corny. That's part of the fun, though, and it's all in the name of wholesome holiday fare.

Which is exactly what I was looking for to start off the season focused on all that's merry and bright and inspires folks to break out in song.

ANGELS SING (rated PG for "mild thematic elements and brief language") was released in 2013 and is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming. Find out more on the official website.

GIVEAWAY

You can start your season off right, too, thanks to the opportunity to win a copy of ANGELS SING on DVD, courtesy Lionsgate. To enter, leave a comment below, answering the question:

What is your favorite holiday movie?

Entries accepted through midnight MDT Saturday, December 5, 2015; random winner to be drawn Sunday, December 6, 2015 and notified by email. U.S. residents only, please; prize and shipping of such is the responsibility of Lionsgate representatives.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I received this movie for review and the giveaway offer free from Lionsgate; opinions are my own. Prizing and shipping is the responsibility of Lionsgate representatives.