Hallmark Movies: Small Town Royalty Magically Celebrating Rekindled Love! - General Discussion

[Bronx Babe]

"You are my North, my South, my East, my West...."

I also think the hearing challenged actor who plays Hugh Grant's brother is also adorable.  "He's somewhat of a dish" is what his female admirer at one of the weddings tells Hanna, who agrees with her!  "The dish can't talk.  Silent, but deadly attractive"

[Veronica]

This looks like fun! 

[norcalgal]

23 hours ago, Woopwoopkitty said:

Count me in with Bill Pullman love, pre-face lift.  He can lean in on me anytime.

also a fan  of Sabrina remake, An Affair to aremember, While you Were Sleeping, and Sliding Doors.

and......toe pick.  Hallmark should get the guy from Cutting Edge, DB Sweeney.  I wonder if he’s aged well.

Count me in as fans of all these movies, except I haven’t seen An Affair to Remember (except in clips while watching Sleepless in Seattle). 
And I also prefer Bill Pullman to Peter Gallagher in While you were Sleeping. Peter is not attractive to me at all.

[Woopwoopkitty]

40 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

And I also prefer Bill Pullman to Peter Gallagher in While you were Sleeping. Peter is not attractive to me at all.

Agreed.  But I thought Peter was great in the Hallmark December movie about two aging singers.

From WYWS I also enjoyed the guy who played Joe Jr.  i’ve Seen him in a few other things and can play something other than a schmuck. Not lead material but could play a Side character.

[Clawdette]

Michael Rispoli (Joe, Jr.) had outstanding performances on both Law & Order (the mothership) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.  In L&O, he plays a mentally handicapped man who was given away by his family when he was an infant because that was "what was done" back then.  In L&O:CI, he's in two episodes as a policeman/politician who is shady, shady.

On topic:  How about casting him in a Hallmark Mystery?  He could be the perpetrator or the investigator.  Or run the neighborhood bar that everyone visits!

 

 

 

[MerBearHou]

10 minutes ago, Clawdette said:

Michael Rispoli (Joe, Jr.) had outstanding performances on both Law & Order (the mothership) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.  In L&O, he plays a mentally handicapped man who was given away by his family when he was an infant because that was "what was done" back then.  In L&O:CI, he's in two episodes as a policeman/politician who is shady, shady.

On topic:  How about casting him in a Hallmark Mystery?  He could be the perpetrator or the investigator.  Or run the neighborhood bar that everyone visits!

 

 

 

Love that idea!  Michael Rispoli is excellent in everything I’ve seen him tackle.  Oh, and love the Joe Jr. character — he adds so, so much to WYWS.  

[kathyk24]

Diversity isn't a fad it's reality. I've seen tweets disabled people who never watch Hallmark movies but want to watch Lily D Moore. Hallmark needs more programs Hallmark Movies and Mysteries are running Monk and Murder She Wrote reruns all day long. Why not use books by diverse authors and create new content? 

[Cetacean]

9 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Why not use books by diverse authors and create new content? 

Because the writers would have to stray from the mandated crap they have in every movie - big city vs. charming small town, big business vs. homey little (totally unrealtic) hometown business, current smarmy love interest vs. past salt-of-the-earth significant other, misunderstanding within last 10 minutes, chaste kiss in last two minutes. 

No non-Caucausian, non-christian, handicapped actors need apply except for very minor background scenes.

Realistically, they will never stray from that.  It's racism under the guise of pleasing their vocal audience.  

The Hall of Fame movies are sadly a thing of the past and will never return.  They don't fit the formula.

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Cetacean

[Bronx Babe]

13 hours ago, Woopwoopkitty said:

Agreed.  But I thought Peter was great in the Hallmark December movie about two aging singers.

From WYWS I also enjoyed the guy who played Joe Jr.  i’ve Seen him in a few other things and can play something other than a schmuck. Not lead material but could play a Side character.

"Who told???"

[Bronx Babe]

12 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Diversity isn't a fad it's reality. 

So very true.

When people say Hallmark should not be all things to all people, I can sort of understand that on a political level because one could construe it as being in a sense totalitarian/Orwellian -- you know, "You MUST cater to everyone or we will complain/cancel" etc. etc.  But I think Hallmark at the outset had/has a very narrow view of what constitutes "family values" and "feel-good" storylines.

Family values naturally includes diversity, not as part of some political agenda but just as a human fact of life.  Hallmark's picture-perfert small towns are touted as being an escape from "urbanism" in the big city which of course is code for...well.....

[Cetacean]

37 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

"Who told???"

"I love black underwears."

28 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

But I think Hallmark at the outset had/has a very narrow view of what constitutes "family values" and "feel-good" storylines.

While at the same time purporting to be inclusive in their corporate marketing.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Cetacean

[Veronica]

This would be a dream team!

Aimee Teagarden inks deal with Crown Media.

[Bronx Babe]

54 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

"I love black underwears."

 

Poor Joe, Jr., lol

I'm watching Attack of the 50 ft. Woman on TCM and think Hallmark could successfully revamp that story.

(no, just kidding)

[luvthepros]

17 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Count me in as fans of all these movies, except I haven’t seen An Affair to Remember (except in clips while watching Sleepless in Seattle). 
And I also prefer Bill Pullman to Peter Gallagher in While you were Sleeping. Peter is not attractive to me at all.

Hubby spotted Peter Gallagher in Manhattan on his way to the theater where he was starring in "Guys and Dolls" as Sky Masterson. We were on our way to the same theater to see the show. Gallagher was very striking in person. Slender, dark and extremely handsome. That was a lot of years ago though.

[windsprints]

5 hours ago, Veronica said:

This would be a dream team!

Aimee Teagarden inks deal with Crown Media.

I'm looking forward to seeing Aimee in multiple movies.

[twoods]

I agree. I’ve enjoyed all of Aimee’s movies so far. She has great chemistry with her leads and is a natural with the humor and romance. 

Edited April 28, 2022 by twoods

[MissyPoo]

On 4/24/2022 at 12:04 PM, Scarlett45 said:

I liked Kat Graham’s movie! It was set in Seattle. I cannot remember the name though. 

Fashionably Yours! I loved Kat Graham in that but I wish they had a better script to move the story along as it was muddled a bit along the way. Sheryl Lee Ralph was fabulous in that one also. KG is supposed to be having a new Netflix romcom with the fella from Umbrella Academy but they keep moving the date. Last I saw, it had a Sept release. Still waiting eagerly for that one. I really liked her Holiday Calendar movie with Gregory Peck's grandson. 

I'd love to see Christina Milian leading more movies but she's staying booked and busy for other brands lately. Hallmark seems pretty low on her radar.

On 4/19/2022 at 8:22 PM, Bronx Babe said:

"These mashed potatoes are so creamy!"

11 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

"Who told???"

11 hours ago, Cetacean said:

"I love black underwears."

Haha my mom and I quote this movie all the time. I'm dying hearing the character's voices in my head. Such a classic movie.

Not so fun fact: there was a gender swapped version of this WYWS on Uptv about a year or so ago. I can't remember the name but I dipped out of that one so fast because it was cringey and never got better from the opening. Just...ugh.

On 4/25/2022 at 6:43 PM, Bronx Babe said:

I'd be interested to know what kind of movies the posters here are fond of, with stories that are similiar in spirit to what an ideal, revamped, refreshed, etc. Hallmark production would or should be like.  I mentioned that one of my favorites is While You Were Sleeping and was delighted to discover that many of you like that one. 

I'm a huge fan of the 90s/early 00s romcoms (and coms) and would love to see a resurgence of those types of movies on streaming/tv with new stories since we lost its theatrical appearances. Some of my faves are:

Romy & Michele's High School Reunion

Ever After

French Kiss

You've Got Mail

Only You

Sabrina '95 

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Kate & Leopold

Under the Tuscan Sun

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Dinner With Friends (not a romcom but a GREAT drama)

Loser

Someone Like You

Green Card (I was obsessed with this movie as a kid!)

Three Men and Little Lady

One Fine Day

The Mirror Has Two Faces

Before Sunrise/Sunset

P.S. I Love You

The Lake House

Monster-in-Law

I'm probably leaving some faves off but this is the gist of the ones that were on repeat for me. What stands out is how many were written with an original premise in mind and were often done on a low but creative budget. If Hallmark is to follow the way of these types of movies, they definitely have to get away from the Hallmark tenderizer a bit to make some better written content. Early Hallmark movies used to do knock-offs of big theatrical releases (A Crush On You, Eve's Christmas, Wedding Daze, etc.) so they are capable of doing more than just the big city bad/small town good story tropes. They just need to let the writers breathe a bit.

Speaking of, I miss some of those oldie Hallmark movies, too. They had different types of stories from disaster movies, to epic mythological adaptations, mysteries, dramas, and romances. I find myself watching my tapings/DVDs of those more than their newer movies. (i.e. Finding a Family, The Edge of the Garden, Elevator Girl, Flower Girl, Little John, Firelight, Wedding Daze, Just Desserts-this is a little smexy for a Hallmark entry today) Straight From the Heart, The Last Cowboy, Smooch, Ordinary Miracles, etc.)

On 4/26/2022 at 9:36 PM, MerBearHou said:

Love that idea!  Michael Rispoli is excellent in everything I’ve seen him tackle.  Oh, and love the Joe Jr. character — he adds so, so much to WYWS.  

I was so surprised to see him in another role around that time where he played Michael Vartan's (yum) best friend in It Had to Be You and he was serious while still being funny. Hallmark used to show this on rotation in the early days before they made their own movies and I thought it was a bit slow back in the day but have come to really appreciate the humor and slow burn romance between the leads. I also liked the chemistry between the secondary (with Rispoli and Olivia d'Abo).  It's free to watch on YT if anyone is interested.

See Jane Date is another cute one that I believe is free on rotation on the Roku Channel.

[Veronica]

Location movies this summer!

[Clawdette]

Speaking of Kat Graham . . .

I read an article today that her 2018 movie with Theo James is #1 on Netflix right now. "How is Ends" has only a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes so I wonder if there's a glitch in the algorithm.  

[MissyPoo]

17 hours ago, Veronica said:

Location movies this summer!

Very nice to see Heather Hemmens back with a new movie and Rachelle Lefevre on my screen again. I haven't watched Hallmark since last xmas since their latest movies looked so bland and uninteresting. I'm excited to finally see some that peak my interest! Adding these to my watchlist. The Caribbean and a french seaside town. I'm so there.

[ctlady]

On 4/27/2022 at 9:03 AM, Cetacean said:

No non-Caucausian, non-christian, handicapped actors need apply except for very minor background scenes

I don't have issues with diversity in the Hallmark moview, but as a Christian, it insults me to think that we have to to be ridiculed because we have certain beliefs. 

[Cetacean]

4 minutes ago, ctlady said:

we have to to be ridiculed because we have certain beliefs. 

No one is ridiculing your beliefs.

I am pointing out that no OTHER beliefs appear to deserve recognition or credence.  How many Muslim holidays have been included in a Hallmark movie?  Hindu?  Jewish other than Hanukah IF it is crammed into a Chrismas move?

From the Hallmark website:  Hallmark is, and always has been, committed to diversity and inclusion – both in our workplace as well as the products and experiences we create.   Unless, of course, you are a non-white, non-christian, non-hetersexual.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, ctlady said:

I don't have issues with diversity in the Hallmark moview, but as a Christian, it insults me to think that we have to to be ridiculed because we have certain beliefs. 

I am also a Christian and it bothers me that certain beliefs are viewed as synonymous with Christianity. Hallmark’s traditional version of family values excludes a large number of Christians, including me. Those beliefs have never been representative of the version of Christianity I was raised with.  

Edited May 1, 2022 by Guest

[ctlady]

12 hours ago, Dani said:

16 hours ago, ctlady said:

 

I am also a Christian and it bothers me that certain beliefs are viewed as synonymous with Christianity. Hallmark’s traditional version of family values excludes a large number of Christians, including me. Those beliefs have never been representative of the version of Christianity I was raised with.  

Yes!  This is exactly what I was trying to convey. I don’t like that this Christians a bad rap. 

[Cetacean]

59 minutes ago, ctlady said:

Yes!  This is exactly what I was trying to convey. I don’t like that this Christians a bad rap. 

It doesn't give Christians a bad rap. It gives Hallmark a bad rap.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, ctlady said:

Yes!  This is exactly what I was trying to convey. I don’t like that this Christians a bad rap. 

Actually, I was making the opposite point. The criticism I have seen has been for a very specific subset of Christianity and not the religion as a whole. To me, pointing out that Hallmark has become synonymous with white, Christian, heteronormativity isn’t ridiculing people who are one or all those three things. I was saying that the beliefs being criticized are not actually synonymous with Christianity and that they actually excludes a lot of Christians including me. 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Guest

[windsprints]

Hallmark Stars Reveal The Reasons Why They Love Working With The Network

 

Edited May 1, 2022 by windsprints

[MerBearHou]

23 minutes ago, windsprints said:

Hallmark Stars Reveal The Reasons Why They Love Working With The Network

 

I didn't realize Victor Webster's wife is Nina on FBI.  Learned that in the article.

Nice to see these quite varied reasons why the actors love working for Hallmark.  

[memememe76]

I also watched Love, Classified and really enjoyed it. The acting by everyone was a cut above, I liked the familial component, and the different romantic subplots. It featured three different relationships: older, interracial and gay. 

[bankerchick]

16 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Nice to see these quite varied reasons why the actors love working for Hallmark.  

Yet none of them said, 'well, it's a steady paycheque.'  Let's face it, if it weren't for Hallmark, most of these actors would not be working.  And I say this as someone who loves many of the actors who need never worry about making any type of acting awards acceptance speech.

[Veronica]

3 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Yet none of them said, 'well, it's a steady paycheque.'  Let's face it, if it weren't for Hallmark, most of these actors would not be working.  And I say this as someone who loves many of the actors who need never worry about making any type of acting awards acceptance speech.

Don’t most of us work for the paycheck?  

[bankerchick]

Yup, but most of us are not in the position of having to tell an untold number of people that we do it for 'the love of the work.'  We'd all do it for free, right?

[Irlandesa]

37 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Yup, but most of us are not in the position of having to tell an untold number of people that we do it for 'the love of the work.'  We'd all do it for free, right?

Not all of us, no.  But a lot of us. are supposed to do what we do because of a "calling." No one wants to hear teachers, nurses, doctors...etc. that they do it because it pays the bills.

[memememe76]

But I think most people ask why a waiter works at this restaurant over another restaurant, why a nurse works at that hospital over another hospital, why a lawyer works for this firm over some other firm, etc. Most people in those positions will have an answer to that question. 
 

I think the actors in question would be able to find work without Hallmark. This genre serves a specific audience so some company would step up. 

Edited May 3, 2022 by memememe76

[Cetacean]

11 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Let's face it, if it weren't for Hallmark, most of these actors would not be working.  And I say this as someone who loves many of the actors who need never worry about making any type of acting awards acceptance speech.

Most of them are one note actors.  I think their statements were just to toe the company line and stay in favor.  They basically play the same characters over and over because the scripts never change. Either you are the smarmy, unlikeable current love interest or you are the salt-of-the-earth, good hearted end game.  Not hard to "act" when you are one or the other in every single movie.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Yet none of them said, 'well, it's a steady paycheque.'  Let's face it, if it weren't for Hallmark, most of these actors would not be working.  And I say this as someone who loves many of the actors who need never worry about making any type of acting awards acceptance speech.

To me the money is an always implied reason. If someone asks me why I like my job I’m never going to say the money even though I wouldn’t work there without it or if I didn’t need it. I work because I need the paycheck. I work at my job for a lot of other reasons. 

[Clawdette]

I know I'm giving this thread too much credit but I saw where Hallmark is offering a day of Hall of Fame movies Sunday (actually I'm not sure it's this Sunday or a future Sunday).  And, just as  we've been talking about how much we miss those quality offerings.   

Coincidence, I tell ya'. 

[Cetacean]

57 minutes ago, Clawdette said:

Hallmark is offering a day of Hall of Fame movies Sunday

It's this coming Sunday, possibly for Mother's Day.

Looks like Magic of Ordinary Days, Loving Leah, In My Dreams, The Beach House, The Makeover.

Not all of these I would consider high on the HoF list of old but still....

[Crs97]

I swear I remember Melissa Gilbert once talking about her foray into TV movies as she only had to be away from her family a few weeks to make enough money that she could then be with them the rest of the year.

[bankerchick]

I wonder how much the lead actress/actor gets for a Hallmark?  Clearly some make more than others but I wonder what someone in their top tier would make.  I think I read it only takes a few weeks of filming per movie so someone who makes 2-3 movies per year might only have to work for a few months per year and still make a pretty decent living.

[Veronica]

Luke Macfarlane inks exclusive deal with Crown Media.

[Guest]

20 hours ago, bankerchick said:

I wonder how much the lead actress/actor gets for a Hallmark?  Clearly some make more than others but I wonder what someone in their top tier would make.  I think I read it only takes a few weeks of filming per movie so someone who makes 2-3 movies per year might only have to work for a few months per year and still make a pretty decent living.

There was an article about Hallmark movies last year that said the top talent makes, on average, $900 a day. So with 2-3 week filming schedule it would be $12,000 to $19,000 a movie, on average. 
How Hallmark Movies Get Made

8 hours ago, Veronica said:

Luke Macfarlane inks exclusive deal with Crown Media.

Yay! I’d love to see them let him branch out of his standard role. He was so good in Single All the Way. 

[twoods]

20 grand? I was thinking with the big names they were getting paid 100k per movie, but what do I know.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, twoods said:

20 grand? I was thinking with the big names they were getting paid 100k per movie, but what do I know.

These movies are very low budget. Paying just the leads 100k would be 10-20% of the total budget. 

[Cetacean]

7 hours ago, Dani said:

These movies are very low budget. Paying just the leads 100k would be 10-20% of the total budget. 

Quantity over quality - thus the mediocre writing and acting.

[LegalParrot81]

8 hours ago, twoods said:

20 grand? I was thinking with the big names they were getting paid 100k per movie, but what do I know.

That's why you see the actors listed as executive producers as well.  They get paid.  They probably make more with that title than on the acting side, because it gives them a percentage of international sales.

[Crs97]

2 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Quantity over quality - thus the mediocre writing and acting.

The problem with having your own channel (or 3) is that you need the quantity.

I finally watched Love, Classified and found it delightful!  The opening monologue was definitely a meta subversion of all things Hallmark movies.  More like this please!

[Scarlett45]

On 5/3/2022 at 4:14 PM, Cetacean said:

It's this coming Sunday, possibly for Mother's Day.

Looks like Magic of Ordinary Days, Loving Leah, In My Dreams, The Beach House, The Makeover.

Not all of these I would consider high on the HoF list of old but still....

My favorite HoF films are Loving Leah, The Magic of Ordinary Days, and Christmas in Conway.

[Cetacean]

36 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

My favorite HoF films are Loving Leah, The Magic of Ordinary Days, Christmas in Conway

Me, too of the more recent ones. 

Loved SO many of the older ones like Sarah, Plain and Tall, Riding the Bus With My Sister, The Russell Girl, Pictures of Hollis Woods, Fallen Angel, To Dance with the White Dog, The PIano Lesson, My Sister's Keeper, Follow the Stars Home, and The Boys Next Door.  Quality writing, quality acting, all gems indeed.

[Crs97]

My favorite HOF will forever remain Decoration Day.