Christmas films are cheesy, mindless and widely loved. Why?
The obviousness is part of the appeal
THE STORY is set in a town called Hope Springs—your first clue to the film’s schmaltz—which hosts an annual snow-sculpture contest. A local Michelangelo has sculpted a snowman with a chiselled face and rippling muscles. On a whim, a young widow drapes a red scarf over the frozen figure; naturally, magic brings the ice-cold hottie, shivering, to life.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “The snowball effect”
From the December 21st 2024 edition
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