Countdown to Christmas 2024

[ECM1231]

30 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I also appreciated how both of these stories were told around their work as first responders instead of things like cookie baking contestants or hot cocoa. 

Totally agree. Very enjoyable.

Edited Saturday at 05:47 AM by ECM1231

[Notabug]

5 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Totally agree. Very enjoyable.

It was finally a different twist for Hallmark. It was refreshing to see characters in a realistic setting, one that almost everyone has some experience with.  A change of pace from the usual tiny town with daily Christmas events.  Nice also to see characters with realistic jobs who were proud of their work

[absnow54]

I liked Christmas on Call too. I wouldn’t necessarily put it on my rewatch list, but I actually watched it all the way through and paid attention most of the time. They get extra points for properly portraying someone whose too busy to unpack their apartment. 

I also thought all the Eagles references were vague and unauthorized (the first Eagles sweatshirt looked really fake) but I guess it was a part of Donna Kelce’s Hallmark contract that she fairly represent both of her sons’ teams if she was going to do their Kansas City Chief’s movie. I have a feeling that Christmas on Call will be the better of the two. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I liked it well enough. The last fire was ridiculous. The lead actress was a bit wooden.  Wes was kinda hot/flirty. He had no chemistry with the lead. But I enjoyed all the stories about the locals and how everyone knew him and loved him. 

[chitowngirl]

It’s “Three Wise Men and a Baby” and “Three Wiser Men and a Boy” day!

[Orcinus orca]

I lived Christmas on Call for my entire nursing career beginning as an EMT.  Trust me, life is nothing like Hallmark fantasies.  I kept trying to like it but, well, nope.  They broke so many rules as first responders that none of them would have still been employed within six months.

I realize this isn't a documentary but the lack of chemistry (which has plagued this season so far) was a big turn off as well.

[bankerchick]

 

7 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Wes was kinda hot/flirty. He had no chemistry with the lead.

True.  I really liked both of them and thought they would be fun friends but there was no spark.  I did really like the movie though.

[DanaMB]

16 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I enjoyed Christmas On Call.  The lead couple had a sexy flirty vibe that worked for me more than many of the couples on Hallmark usually do.  And I liked the secondary couple as well.

I also appreciated how both of these stories were told around their work as first responders instead of things like cookie baking contestants or hot cocoa. 

I really enjoyed it too. It didn’t feel like a typical Hallmark movie. 

[Notabug]

4 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

I lived Christmas on Call for my entire nursing career beginning as an EMT.  Trust me, life is nothing like Hallmark fantasies.  I kept trying to like it but, well, nope.  They broke so many rules as first responders that none of them would have still been employed within six months.

I realize this isn't a documentary but the lack of chemistry (which has plagued this season so far) was a big turn off as well.

I guess I've become immune to bad medicine on TV over the years.  There was a lot of unrealistic stuff, but no moreso than any other Hallmark movie. Tonight, we've got a sequel to 3 Wise Men and a Baby in which one of the characters took an infant to the ER for treatment of a rash.  He didn't know the baby's full name, didn't have any way to contact the mother, no information on the baby's overall health or insurance coverage.  Nada.  Not only did the ER doc treat the kid, she spoke to him as if he were the kid's legal parent or guardian. Not a social worker in sight.

There was that one with Candace Cameron Bure where she ended up in Alaska working as a family practitioner after her father the doctor was unable to get her into the surgical fellowship she wanted,  She walks right into the clinic and practices as a family practitioner despite having absolutely no training or experience in the field.  There was another one where Patrick Duffy played the father, a family practitioner.  His daughter, also a doctor with subspecialty training in something other than family practice comes home for Christmas and steps right into his practice seeing patients.

I'm sure that attorneys, accountants, bartenders and mail carriers also see the big  errors in the way their jobs are portrayed, too.

Edited Saturday at 10:35 PM by Notabug

[EtheltoTillie]

31 minutes ago, Notabug said:

I guess I've become immune to bad medicine on TV over the years.  There was a lot of unrealistic stuff, but no moreso than any other Hallmark movie. Tonight, we've got a sequel to 3 Wise Men and a Baby in which one of the characters took an infant to the ER for treatment of a rash.  He didn't know the baby's full name, didn't have any way to contact the mother, no information on the baby's overall health or insurance coverage.  Nada.  Not only did the ER doc treat the kid, she spoke to him as if he were the kid's legal parent or guardian. Not a social worker in sight.

There was that one with Candace Cameron Bure where she ended up in Alaska working as a family practitioner after her father the doctor was unable to get her into the surgical fellowship she wanted,  She walks right into the clinic and practices as a family practitioner despite having absolutely no training or experience in the field.  There was another one where Patrick Duffy played the father, a family practitioner.  His daughter, also a doctor with subspecialty training in something other than family practice comes home for Christmas and steps right into his practice seeing patients.

I'm sure that attorneys, accountants, bartenders and mail carriers also see the big  errors in the way their jobs are portrayed, too.

Yes. I posted last week about the legal ethics in Holiday Crashers. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I'm rewatching Three Wise Men and a Baby before the sequel comes on. 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Yes. I posted last week about the legal ethics in Holiday Crashers. 

Lol, yep, when it comes to Hallmark movies or really most movies,tv series etc... , just gotta  scratch reality off the list and go with the flow. 

[chitowngirl]

Loving the mini story going on in the Burger King commercials during Three Wiser Men…

[Artsda]

I love Three Weiser men sequel, great comedy with them. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I really liked the sequel too!  It’s great how this series is about people with human foibles. It really elevates it above the other offerings.  

5 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

Loving the mini story going on in the Burger King commercials during Three Wiser Men…

Now I have to go back and look!  I was fast forwarding through the commercials. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I went back to watch the Burger King commercials.  I liked the story but the guy had the most hideous wig/hairstyle.  I couldn't take my eyes off it.  What were they thinking?

[Notabug]

I enjoyed 3 Wiser Men, too.  It helps that the 3 leads are just about the most charismatic, talented actors in the Hallmark stable.  The story was also fairly relatable and the characters acted in fairly believable ways, even the silly stuff.  Loved Kimberly Sustad's cameo with a wink to sequels.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 11/11/2024 at 5:17 PM, kirinan said:

I also watched 'Tis the Season to be Irish (hmm, I just noticed that I seem to have a thing for leading apostrophes this year). I really enjoyed it—maybe not quite as much as 'Twas the Date, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The actors were good, the scenery was beautiful, and the story was not too fluffy for my fluff tolerance level. I absolutely loved the friendship that developed between the three women (I cried a little when the singer sang Danny Boy on the cliff), and I thought there was chemistry between the two leads. Yes, there were a fair amount of the Ireland stereotypes you see in Irish-set movies and books, but I guess I was in the mood for them, and I was able to hand wave things I might have picked on in another movie.

 

I finally tried watching the Irish movie, and I could not finish.  I found their clashes annoying and just overall dull.  I guess I should fast forward and watch the singing.

[kirinan]

2 hours ago, Notabug said:

I enjoyed 3 Wiser Men, too.  It helps that the 3 leads are just about the most charismatic, talented actors in the Hallmark stable.  The story was also fairly relatable and the characters acted in fairly believable ways, even the silly stuff.  Loved Kimberly Sustad's cameo with a wink to sequels.

I really enjoyed it, too. I laughed out loud a lot. And all the new people were well cast, I thought. In fact, my favorite part was the Tyler Hynes-Erin Karpluk storyline. They were SO good together. Like you said, Notabug, Andrew, Paul, and Tyler are pretty much the royalty of Hallmark, and this movie showed why. They brought the comedy, and they handled the feels just as well. (And the Kimberley Sustad cameo just makes me want more Kimberley/Paul movies! C'mon, Hallmark, go with your strengths instead of more bland newcomers.)

I will say, I haven't watched many new movies this season, but the few I have seen, I've been happy with. Over the last couple of days, I saw the Christmas race movie with Ashley Williams and Andrew Walker and enjoyed that (I don't really have any problems with Ashley Williams, though).

And last night, I saw Confessions of a Christmas Letter was on after the Three Wiser Men movie and was too lazy to change the channel. However, I ended up liking it. The mother drove me bonkers, but the end kind of redeemed her. Really would like to see more of the actor who played the author—he was very good—and I can't be unhappy seeing Sara Botsford aka Ann from E.N.G. (loved that show!), even as the villain.

I have to check, but I think the next movie I plan to watch is the one with Kristoffer Polaha and Lacey Chabert. Oh, and the football movie with Tyler Hynes. I hope they both meet my expectations, but at least I know I'll like the actors.

Edited 6 hours ago by kirinan

[Irlandesa]

I thought the sequel last night was okay.  I thought the first one was funnier but overall, I wasn't as into the original as others.  I liked it a lot but it wasn't one that I feel like I absolutely have to rewatch. 

I think my biggest issue with the sequel was how stagnant 2 of the 3 brothers were.  Andrew Walker's character was the one character who had progressed to a different place in life being married, a chief and had a new struggle of feeling like he's not as hip as he used to be. He's still a good person but just going through a little mid-life something.  But Paul's character and his girlfriend waited 5 years for a proposal or even discussing marriage.  These people are in their late 30s/early 40s.  Five years is a choice. 

And Tyler's character had actually regressed from where we left him.  His ex is now his ex again and not mentioned.  It's one thing for him to have standards and not sell if he could support himself but his business is failing, he's getting kicked out of his apartment and he's using deception to move into his mom's basement.  Then, his new love interest (who was a fun character) is basically the female version of him.  Maybe I missed something but did this end up being a couple who are choosing to be broke out of principle and living in their parents' basements?  I guess people not changing is at least realistic.

[ehall1052]

To me, Christmas on Call felt almost like a pilot for a show: lots of extra characters, subplots not having much depth but the possibility of added depth there, settings in police station, fire station, and hospital which is very popular settings in TV now. I liked it ok except for the so called climatic rescue of the fireman at the end. 

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I thought the sequel last night was okay.  I thought the first one was funnier but overall, I wasn't as into the original as others.  I liked it a lot but it wasn't one that I feel like I absolutely have to rewatch. 

I think my biggest issue with the sequel was how stagnant 2 of the 3 brothers were.  Andrew Walker's character was the one character who had progressed to a different place in life being married, a chief and had a new struggle of feeling like he's not as hip as he used to be. He's still a good person but just going through a little mid-life something.  But Paul's character and his girlfriend waited 5 years for a proposal or even discussing marriage.  These people are in their late 30s/early 40s.  Five years is a choice. 

And Tyler's character had actually regressed from where we left him.  His ex is now his ex again and not mentioned.  It's one thing for him to have standards and not sell if he could support himself but his business is failing, he's getting kicked out of his apartment and he's using deception to move into his mom's basement.  Then, his new love interest (who was a fun character) is basically the female version of him.  Maybe I missed something but did this end up being a couple who are choosing to be broke out of principle and living in their parents' basements?  I guess people not changing is at least realistic.

These are great comments. I thought of every single one of these problems also while watching the movie.  I kept slapping my head.   I still liked it, though. I like the actors a lot, I guess, and the premise about how they stick together and help Thomas. 

Edited 3 hours ago by EtheltoTillie

[kirinan]

40 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

These are great comments. I thought of every single one of these problems also while watching the movie.  I kept slapping my head.   I still liked it, though. I like the actors a lot, I guess, and the premise about how they stick together and help Thomas. 

Oh, I thought of those things watching the movie, too—especially about Tyler's character—but I still liked it. I also admit my standards for what qualifies as a "good" Hallmark movie have come down over time. But that's partly due to needing some escape these days and being more willing to settle than I used to be. This one fit the bill.

[DanaMB]

1 hour ago, kirinan said:

Oh, I thought of those things watching the movie, too—especially about Tyler's character—but I still liked it. I also admit my standards for what qualifies as a "good" Hallmark movie have come down over time. But that's partly due to needing some escape these days and being more willing to settle than I used to be. This one fit the bill.

I looked at it like what I’ve seen people refer to as popcorn movies. Nothing to take seriously, just watch and enjoy. I need that distraction these days.