The Christmas Project (PG)
The Buckleys — Mom, Dad and the four Buckley boys — have one of the nicest Christmas traditions imaginable: They “elf” another family over the Christmas season, secretly showering them with gifts. But when the Buckleys decide to elf the Hagbarts, family of Finn, a notorious middle-school bully (who especially enjoys tormenting poor Matthew Buckley), the Buckley brothers find a particularly difficult challenge to their Christmas spirit. But as December wears on, Matthew begins to realize that Finn’s more than just a bully: He’s a person with his own merits, and troubles, too. This explicitly Christian film isn’t the best acted movie on this list, but it can be pretty funny at times and it comes with some sweet, timely messages of acceptance, kindness and truly embracing what Christmas is all about. And except for a bloodied lip or two, the movie doesn’t warrant much of a caution.
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