I’ve already admitted that one of my favorite “guilty pleasures” this time of year is watching the Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” movies. They’re all very similar: sappy, romantic movies with a B-list cast and predictable plot, set against the backdrop of the Christmas holiday season. There are several old favorites that I look forward to each year–The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Christmas with Holly, the Nine Lives of Christmas–but I also enjoy seeing the new crop of movies. One that debuted recently: Christmas Incorporated.

I understand that these movies are not meant to be Oscar-worthy, and I adjust my expectations accordingly, but this one was really tough to watch right from the start. It felt low-budget, and the actors had zero chemistry or likability, but my daughter and I decided to give it some time and see if it would get better. 

Alas. About half an hour in, I spotted this sign on the front of a restaurant named “Ristorante Italiano”:

“EXPRESSO”… Really, Hallmark?!?

And, just like that, we were done. I just couldn’t bear to watch anymore.