Is there anything better than sitting down and watching a formulaic holiday movie? While formulas can be tiresome in other genres, holiday rom-coms hope to do one thing – make us feel warm and fuzzy. This is what’s popular on Netflix hot frost Absolutely.
As with many holiday movies from Netflix (and Hallmark), hot frost It won’t revolutionize the genre. But there’s a reason it’s dominating the movie conversation now. Is it the snowman’s enlargement that touches the minds of some people, or is it the surprising setting and subversion of expectations that makes this movie a hot topic?
Actually it’s both! Let me explain.
The holiday movie formula
As with all genres, a set of classic tropes can make or break your story. Audiences are more tolerant of holiday story tropes than genres like horror or romance, as they expect formulaic plots that won’t challenge the concept of holiday movies.
Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t holiday movies that challenge the genre’s mold, but hot frost Not one of them.
The classic formula for holiday movies is based on the following trope:
- overworked protagonist
- Snowball setting
- Encounter – cute
- Christmas magic
- Supportive, Quirky Best Friend
- seasonal traditions
- great gesture
Reading this list, you can probably think of some holiday movies that fit this mold perfectly. again! That’s not a bad thing, since that’s what most viewers want: a movie that uses these tropes to create a compelling story.
Hallmark has made this formula its signature (sorry), and Netflix has been trying to emulate the success of Hallmark’s holiday movies, but with a twist. although hot frost Using all of these tropes with ease to create a story that meets audience expectations, it adds a few twists that make it a film that can cut through the noise of the world.
Read more: Writing a Holiday Movie (Christmas and Hanukkah Edition)
“Hot Frost” (2024)
magic hot frost
The premise is simple: Kathy (Lacey Chabert) is a widowed café owner who puts a magical scarf on a chiseled snowman during the town’s annual snowman contest. , which brings a snowman named Jack (Dustin Milligan) to life. Before melting away, Jack teaches Cassie how to love again through holiday traditions.
It’s essentially a cute encounter Frosty snowman and a romantic comedy, I know you have more and more questions about how Cassie and Snowman fall in love.
That The magic is hot frost— it gets you hooked into a familiar premise and makes it weird enough to keep you hooked. hot frost A very catchy, formulaic holiday movie.
Build a metaphor
From the beginning, viewers learn that Kathy is a still-griefing café owner who is having a hard time keeping the place afloat. Her husband was responsible for all the repair work in the shop, and she had been unable to find a suitable person to replace him.
To escape the cold of the cafe (the heater no longer works) and the coldness inside, Kathy eats lunch with her friends, who also own a store in the town. They encouraged her to find happiness and gave her a “destined” red scarf.
Enter the town’s annual Christmas tradition: the snowman-building contest.
Casey is attracted to a carved snowman and wraps a scarf around him. The next morning, the snowman comes to life and finds Cathy. As they spend more time together, Jack fixes up the cafe for Kathy, even the heater. Slowly, Jack begins to melt, and Kathy’s heart begins to thaw.
This is the midpoint of the film, and you can see that the film has touched upon most of the holiday tropes through its unusual premise. If the metaphor holds true, any holiday story can work, transporting the audience to a familiar place and understanding the rules through the logic of holiday magic.
“Hot Frost” (2024)
A twist on the classic holiday premise
I know you want to know how hot frost Finish. The same goes for millions of streamers around the world.
There are only two ways hot frost The ending could be: Kathy and Jack fall in love and live happily ever after, or, if we follow the traditional story Frosty snowmanJack disappears and Cassie learns how to love again. Either way, both endings reach the satisfying destination of a classic holiday movie.
Now, what if I also told you that Jack was arrested at the beginning of the third act for running around naked earlier in the movie? Because of this shift, the stakes are now even higher.
Twists and turns allow a formulaic story to appeal to an audience well versed in the language of genre. hot frost Screenwriter Russell Hainline understands this very well and has created a setup that promises to pay off.
When Jack is resurrected, he’s…well, naked. He also accidentally fell out of a store window and stole some clothes, unknowingly breaking the law. Sheriff Hunter (Craig Robinson) arrests Jack for these crimes at the height of his and Casey’s relationship, causing Jack’s heart to tick as he begins to melt in his cell.
There’s enough tension in a fairly low-stakes premise that helps the story pick up the pace and bring the entire team together to save the world.
hot frost know what you ultimately want
Although the entire community works together to save Jack from prison, Jack is unsuccessful. Kathy is devastated by the death of her new boyfriend, kisses him goodbye and gets her red scarf back.
Imagine a light-hearted holiday movie ending on such a somber note!
Yes, technically Jack does die, but the magic of love (and Christmas, which explains many of the questions raised in this story) turns Jack into a real person who can’t be melted away.
Here’s the thing – no matter what the premise of a holiday movie is, audiences want things to work out in the end. They long for the formulaic happy ending in holiday movies where everyone gets what they want, and hot frost Presented in the unique style of Netflix’s unique and fun holiday movies.
Read more: 7 Ways to Master Your Screenplay’s Ending
“Hot Frost” (2024)
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hot frost is the perfect holiday movie this season because it feels fresh while relying on a tried-and-true formula. You can capture the same magic in your holiday script, starting with a classic holiday premise, upping the ante with a well-crafted twist, and delivering the happy ending we all crave during this magical season.
Formulas and metaphors exist for a reason. It’s the screenwriter’s job to know when and how to use them to tell a story that grabs the audience’s attention and compels them to engage with the story.
Read more: 14 Scripts You Should Read During the Holidays
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