Chippings

What struck me, for as long as I lasted, was that in the opening scene the heroine, fresh off the plane, was wandering through town pulling her rolling suitcase, and seeking the first fromagerie / gelato store / that she could find -- the absolute image of what Bethany Joy Lenz did (after a quick office scene) last week! I 'get' a series of overseas, food-oriented stories, but Jeepers. And yes, really tired of recipes and flavors .. and Indeed I remember that Kevin Kline movie too !!

I can see why they wanted to film another one in Malta, after seeing the 'dancing detective' one with Will Kemp filmed there a few months ago. And I will usually enjoy an Andrew Walker one. But nothing here drew me in, and I only lasted 25 minutes tops. You all were very brave to last as long as you did -- and it was very pretty, for sure. But generally, story-wise and chemistry-wise, I wasn't impressed.

In regard to your question, Haleth, the book says There are so few of us here on this page, and maybe you looked it up also.

Just found this page, and I hope there will be some more commenters, as with Episode 1. I was very nervous about seeing this dramatized, but am pleased actually at both the settings and the cast. I had never really had a visage in mind for the Count, and Ewan McGregor is suiting it very well. I haven't gone back to look at the book's episode about the mustache, but I thought that, in the barber shop, the fellow had very quickly cut off one side's extension of the mustache, and so he had to trim off the other side but the basic mustache, without the exaggerated curls, remained. Will go re-check that. After viewing Episode 2 I did get into the book and I'm really impressed about how very faithfully they showed the New Year's Eve conversation between the Count and the girl. They also capture the tone of his thoughts and the ways he speaks -- which is so much of it all, for me.

I've been thinking all day about impressions of Sense & Sensibility, and the reactions to it here. I agree that I saw no real chemistry between the romantic couples, for sure. The word that keeps coming back to me is 'cluttered.' It's just too many stories and too many people to cram, in any comprehensive way, into two hours of TV minus 20 minutes or more for commercials. Too many locations, too much doo-dad-ery on the costumes (Sorry, Kara Saun), 'way too many characters, to be comprehended. And step-siblings, half-siblings, who can keep track. Coming to specifics, the "cottage" the Dashwoods were reduced to was incredibly grand, with wide open spaces and high ceilings &c. (Of course I'm comparing it to the cottage in Emma Thompson's film, and I looked too at the description in the book.) Also I listened closely to the offer that Col Brandon has Elinor make to Edward Ferrars -- she speaks of "a house." Since he's been disinherited entirely, it was a mistake to omit that he also offered him "the parish", i.e. the 'job' of being the cleric at the church. But, in all the clutter, who can worry about that. I read the articles and saw the video of the team responsible for the piece. They're very proud. They mention, btw, little "Easter eggs" in it for the finding, but didn't say what they were, except the portraits on the walls of prominent Black persons of the period, and one poet. It'd be nice to know what the others were. Lovely countryside, though.

I'm sharing with you all the enthusiasm for Paging Mr. Darcy, and continuing appreciation for Will Kamp, and Mallory Jensen - I wanted to come here and note that Bridal Wave was on this afternoon, one of my top five Hallmark movies ever. The characters are so very specific, and delightful to spend time with, and then it's so well cast. 'Georgie's entire family are so much fun (including her mother with the really awful hairdo). It's all in the writing. (I even enjoy watching Matty Finocchio, seen in so many of these movies, in his smallest role ever. I think he had one sentence to actually say, but as an actor he's actually present whenever he's on camera.) Credit for the writing to the Dobrofskys, by the way. (applause emoji)

Yes, that's the one! Even though they're filming mostly in Vancouver or nearby, this is the first time a few of us have recognized a specific area. I still watch Just One Kiss when it comes on. Thanks for remembering the name, you guys!

I also watched the Betty's Bad Luck movie and liked it. I agree that the word "cute" kind of covers it -- attractive couple and their attraction sort of made sense. He wasn't the usual hero and it was a different initial conflict between them. So that was all good I think I recognized the hall of their apartment building from another Hallmark movie. Watching too many of them, maybe? But, thumbs up for this one. And, I hope it gets a few more of us posting here -- It's been really quiet!

A favorite for me was (this may be slightly off) Not So Royal Christmas with Will Kemp. The fun of it largely was watching him play one unusual character, and then that character impersonating a Count. He really shows a lot of acting range, more than the regular Hallmark leading men really ever have the chance to try. I'm remembering his Prince in Royal Matchmaker, then the American in London (struggling with that American accent) in Jolly Good Christmas, and this last season also the dance instructor-turned-detective in the one filmed on Malta. I'm a big fan, obviously, and think I read he has another film coming up.

I was just checking and see only one comment about Christmas at Notting Hill which premiered last Saturday night. (I was out so taped it, and have watched it in pieces since then.) Liked the guy - a new, likeable Hallmark hero is always good. Couldn't tell the two sisters apart, mostly, and the heroine was really quite unlikeable half the time. In a couple of points they definitely paralleled the movie "Notting Hill", which was fun, but then they'd drop it. I do like the way they use a foreign location and really lovingly show the streets and neighborhoods. That was fun here. But in the long bus tour the family made complete idiots of themselves wearing the touristy hats and being conspicuous. Also unlikable. So although it had some good features and I do love a London movie, this one left me kind of 'meh'. Too bad.

Am I the only one who has trouble following these characters by their first names? Y'all impress me very much in citing them all by first names. And I watched last night's episode 2-1/2 times! That said, also, Wow they have some serious Broadway talent on this show. I was surprised to see Dakin Mathews (Mr. Winterton / Judge in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and many other credits) and Laura Benanti. Not to mention Kelli O'Hara who's been there all along, and of course Nathan Lane. And finally I'm also distracted in every episode by the bustles -- good Lord, the bustles! How does anybody ever get around, or sit for any period of time. I need to look up how long that element of fashion lasted.

Wow I am really grateful to you guys for that heads-up about the Will Kemp sighting! I was really to abandon this until I came over here to see how the movie had been received, and realized that I should keep watching. Awesome! I hope the two of them do have another movie in the works for the future -- felt they were hinting at more at the end of the Malta 'detectives' movie.

I just watched the first 20 minutes or so of Joyeux Noel, but from the beginning the heroine was truly unlikable, and there's no way the hero should have to end up with her. Also, sending two people over to Europe, flights, hotels, &c, for a story they might or might not be able to find? Sounds unlikely. May check in toward the end, but I'm not hopeful about it. I didn't like the actress in her previous one about Fashion. Both characters were big complainers and not likable.

Indeed those two were an absolute caricature of the Sugar Daddy / Sugar Baby phenomenon. Hated the kid, and hoped the older guy would wise up, or at least scowl at him once or twice. You do wonder if production told him to play up the "I want it, you got to buy it" scenario. Not my business but I wonder what Sugar Daddy's family thinks of the kid. The behavior was so extreme, really, that I lost track of the houses from thinking about the relationship.

Dancing Detective, anybody? Beautiful scenery and I love Will Kemp such a lot. The plot (the mystery itself) seemed hard to follow, but maybe that was my fault. Thumbs up ?