Parents' Guide to Christmas All Over Again

This holiday movie is a far cry from the 1993 Harold Ramis classic, Groundhog Day, that inspired it. If you're only going to watch one stuck-in-time film, make it the original. But nevertheless, and after a rocky start marked by awkward character introductions and uneven pacing, Christmas All Over Again picks up about 25 minutes in when the main character, spoiled teen Eddie, gets stuck in time. The storyline is predictable: Eddie will learn to be a better person by repeating the same day (and his same mistakes) over and over again. So getting there has to bring the fun and convey the right messages without getting too repetitive.

A couple of key scenes do this: Eddie strutting around town in rap-star slo-mo, fur hoodie-wearing dog in tow, is one highlight. His inspired idea to set up the girl he likes with a salesboy at the shoe store he's been frequenting is another. And his finally-improved, heartfelt best man's speech at his brother's wedding is the culmination, where he acknowledges all the lessons he's learned: admitting he's still struggling with his mother's death, recognizing how important his best friend and family are in his life, and wishing the newly married couple happiness and love. He's learned the true meaning of Christmas, a voiceover tells us at the end (oddly, it seems to be the dog talking): "Good things happen when people are good to each other."