A California Christmas: City Lights
A California Christmas: City Lights | |
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Directed by | Shaun Piccinino |
Written by | Lauren Swickard |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Brad Rushing |
Edited by | Brett Hedlund |
Music by | Jamie Christopherson |
Production company | ESX Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
A California Christmas: City Lights is a 2021 American Christmas romantic comedy film created for Netflix, directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino, written by Lauren Swickard and starring Lauren Swickard, Josh Swickard and Amanda Detmer. It's a sequel to the 2020 film A California Christmas.[1] Its story follows Callie and Joseph who one year after falling in love are now running a dairy farm and winery, however business and family obligations threaten their relationship as Joseph is called back to the city.[2] The film was released on December 16, 2021.[3][4]
Cast[]
- Lauren Swickard as Callie
- Josh Swickard as Joseph
- Amanda Detmer as Wendy
- David Del Rio as Manny
- Ali Afshar as Leo
- Laura James as Victoria
- Emelia Hartford as Lindsey
- Julie Lancaster as Ms. Van Aston
- Daniel Booko as Kirk
- Gunnar Anderson as Connor
- Natalia Mann as Hannah
- Katelyn Epperly as Liz
- Noah James as Owen
- Shaun Paul Piccinino as Veterinarian
- Riley Dandy as Tiffany
- Kane Lim as Kane Kim
- Raquel Dominguez as Brandy
- Elise Berggreen as Lily
- Tony Panterra as Rogelio
- Bethany Walls as Ainsley 'Mother Mary'
- Derrica Barbee as Derrica
- James Markham Hall Jr. as Jaren
- Rayana Ragan as Gina
- Cindy Wade Kelly as Homeless Woman
- Johnny Afshar as Sergio
- Will Dao as Harry
Production[]
In December 2020, it was reported that the sequel to A California Christmas had entered a pre-production, and would begin filming in 2021.[5]In addition to Petaluma, California, the city where the original was filmed,[6] parts of the film were also shot in San Francisco.[7]
Reception[]
Critical reception[]
John Serba of Decider was critical of the film's dialogue and plot, calling it "cornball holiday schmaltz" and comparing it negatively to Hallmark Christmas movies.[8] Jennifer Green of Common Sense Media gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, concluding that it was "easy to watch" but rehashed much of the previous film.[9] Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal gave the film four out of five stars, praising its script, direction and cast.[10]
Audience viewership[]
In its opening week, the film logged 22.8 million viewing hours and reached Netflix's Top 10 list in 73 countries around the world.[11]
References[]
- ^ "This Holiday Rom-Com Is A Top Movie On Netflix Right Now". HuffPost. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ Thompson, Avery (2021-12-23). "Josh & Lauren Swickard On A Possible Third 'California Christmas' Movie: We'd 'Love That'". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ "What's New on Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and More in December 2021". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- ^ White, Abbey (2021-12-03). "Netflix's New Releases Coming in December 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (2020-12-22). "Netflix Holiday Hit 'A California Christmas' Is Getting a Sequel (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ Leibrock, Rachel (December 15, 2021). "Sequel to Netflix's Bay Area-set 'A California Christmas' doubles up on love and holiday lights". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- ^ "New Movies Added! Your Guide to Every Holiday Movie on TV This Season". Us Weekly. 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- ^ "'A California Christmas: City Lights' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It?". Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- ^ "A California Christmas: City Lights - Movie Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- ^ Papadatos, Markos (2021-12-16). "Review: 'A California Christmas: City Lights' is a beautiful sequel". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ Papadatos, Markos (2021-12-22). "'A California Christmas: City Lights' is a commercial success on Netflix". Digital Journal. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
External links[]
- 2021 films
- English-language films
- 2021 comedy films
- 2021 romantic comedy films
- English-language Netflix original films
- American Christmas comedy films
- American Christmas comedy-drama films
- 2020s Christmas comedy films
- American films
- Films directed by Shaun Piccinino