With Christmas approaching, our entertainment feeds are being filled to the brim with holiday movies. Some are the classics we watch every year, some are the strange kids movies everyone skips, and some are the Hallmark movies, a modern genre in their own right.

Nowadays, Hallmark is famous, or infamous, for its cheesy rom-coms. Often the butt of the joke, these flicks spark some debate between the die-hard fans and the film reviewers asking for improvements.

Hallmark movies tend to be most heavily criticized for their formulaic and predictable format. You know the one, a guy meets a girl, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to work out, but then, magically, in the end, everything is perfect. This plot may not be exclusive to Hallmark but is the one most commonly connected with the brand.

The belief that these movies should be held to a higher standard is usually focused on making the plotline more unique or detailed. However, predictability isn’t always a bad thing. It’s nice to be able to sit down and watch a movie where you know what you are getting into. Sometimes, people don’t want a lot of plot twists or emotional moments. 

The message of the movies themselves is also pretty recurrent and is mainly centered around having hope, finding love or just spreading holiday cheer. Though this message isn’t deeply profound, it is universal in its theme. Having a movie about optimism and positivity can spread the good attitude and is always good to have during the holiday season.

The production quality of movies is the second aspect most people draw attention to. One thing that people may not realize though is that low-budget movies allow for plenty of opportunities for up and coming actors looking for a breakout role. The lead role is usually held for more experienced actors, but plenty of other secondary characters can be ways for aspiring actors to get noticed. In that way, lower budget movies hold an important role in the film industry. Not all movies in existence should be expected to be perfect, just like athletes shouldn’t all be expected to compete at an Olympic level.

The lower budget also allows for more of these movies to be made, meaning that whenever you turn on the TV, there is always a new holiday movie to watch. This is great for people who don’t always want to rewatch the same Christmas classics over and over again. Even if the overall plot seems similar, the smaller differences and story details also bring some variety, meaning there is something for everyone.

Though Hallmark movies may not be winning Oscars, they shouldn’t be held to the standard of Hollywood blockbusters because every area of the movie industry serves a different purpose. An entire category of movies shouldn’t be discounted simply because of stereotypes. In doing that, plenty of gems could be missed.

There are both advantages and disadvantages, but those differences allow for growth and development that shape the industry into what it is now.