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Review: Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez star in their new holiday rom-com

On Saturday, December 7th, Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez’ new movie “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” premiered on Great American Family.

Courtney Lopez and Mario Lopez
Courtney Lopez and Mario Lopez. Photo Courtesy of Great American Family.
Courtney Lopez and Mario Lopez. Photo Courtesy of Great American Family.

On Saturday, December 7th, Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez’s new movie “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” premiered on Great American Family.

It was directed by Brian Herzlinger. Mario Lopez plays Mayor Brian Ortega, who is beloved in the idyllic community of Long Grove.

While decorating for Christmas with the residents, Brian discovers his childhood Christmas wish list which magically begins to come true, reminding Brian about the spirit and joy of the holiday.

Returning to town for Christmas is Brian’s childhood friend Nina Meyers (Courtney Lopez), and soon a connection becomes undeniable as she helps Brian face a new challenge for the town.

As Brian’s wishes come true, he inspires the town to showcase its warm culture and values in order to stop the modern world from stifling the charm and heart of Long Grove. 

Mario and Courtney’s affecting on-screen rapport in this film allows for more resonance.

Their real-life son, Dominic, delivers a true breakout performance as Joey, and Dominic shares some really poignant and sentimental scenes with Mario. It is evident that Dominic is poised for stardom.

Without giving too much away, this is a wonderful holiday film that needs to be experienced by the entire family.

Great American Family Christmas Festival

Speaking of Mario and Courtney, they will be at the Great American Family Christmas Festival this upcoming weekend (December 14th and 15th) at The Park at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

The Verdict

Overall, “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” is an uplifting and heartwarming holiday romance, which had some dancing involved. It has a retro, nostalgic vibe to it, but it is also refreshing and contemporary at the same time.

Mario Lopez is charming as Mayor Brian in the film, while Courtney dazzles with her dancing, acting, and her singing voice (where the listener can recall Kristin Chenoweth).

In this story, Mario and Courtney go on a journey of self-discovery where they learn the true meaning of Christmas. Dominic is a triumph as Joey.

This festive rom-com is like a warm cup of hot cocoa, and it will certainly put smiles on the faces of viewers. It was thoroughly engaging and entertaining. “Once Upon a Christmas Wish” garners an A rating. Well done.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 23,000 original articles over the past 19 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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