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

[Badsamaritan]

On 1/8/2025 at 12:59 AM, Irlandesa said:

I haven't seen this posted here but Lisa Hamilton Daly is out at Hallmark as EVP of Programming.  They've "eliminated" her position but I have to think the age discrimination lawsuit likely played a role in that decision.

https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/hallmark-lisa-hamilton-daly-lawsuit-age-discrimination-1236267450/

So they're moving everything under a 'chief brand officer', huh? If it's the same guy who suggested moving their The Way Home series to their streaming service and then had to quickly reverse that decision, I don't have high hopes for his ideas and tenure in the position. Honestly, they need to start moving into the 21st century. Their boomer audience is aging and my Gen X generation and the millennial generation have very different expectations, because times have changed. They can't really do any 'royalty' movies anymore because now a lot of us are just over that concept in our current world. So a lot of what they have used in the past is not gonna carry them into the future, and they need to come to terms with that. Even the discussion we're having about their syndicated programming, Gen Z doesn't have the relationship to these old tv shows like Golden Girls and Cheers that boomers and Gen X and millennials have. 

Again, I would love to see the ratings from this past Christmas movie season....

[Orcinus orca]

Probably the end to any type of diversity as well, although that has dwindled to almost nothing anyway.

[Kemper]

At 76....I am the Boomer Audience. I don't watch any of the sit-coms on Hallmark. Neither do any of my friends.  We watch drama, comedy and mysteries on the streaming services. But we also like the escapism of many of the Hallmark movies. 

I guess what I am trying to say is that age doesn't necessarily mean we turn into cliches. There is also no shame in loving those older comedy series and predictable movies. I would assume that If the ratings are not good, things will change. 

 

Edited January 10 by Kemper

[GeorgiaRai]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEm0mq2i7pS/

Heartbreaking interview with Cameron Mathison - one of many who've lost their homes in the CA fires. 

If you don't have an Instagram account, I think you can just cancel out of the "sign in" prompts and view as a guest.

Edited January 10 by GeorgiaRai

[Woopwoopkitty]

re: the end of the 24/7 Christmas movies.  Count me in on those who enjoys the 2+ months of the endless movies. The christmas them gets old but I like that there is usually something on one of the other channel that I can enjoy watching.  Not only am I sick of GG, Frasier, Reba, Murder She Wrote, Matlock, the schedule doesn't work for me.  Movies start at 8, when I start work. The last movie starts at 5, and I get home at 5:30. That leaves me with only 1 to choose from and by 7 it's the rerun crap again.

And yes I do know there are other channels, but HM is my default channel for wiling away the time.  I can abide even some of the worst movies if I pause for a while then FF through commercials that I can most other channels.  

I vote for movies or original series on both channels all the time.

[Ele]

On 1/5/2025 at 1:46 PM, Ele said:

Jan. 11: Polar Opposites has Rhiannon Fish. The male lead was in that cheap VDay movie a few years ago and his character was very obnoxious/unlikable. Not sure if he was in anything else until now.

 

Jan 18: My Argentine Heart I’m torn on. I like Julie Gonzalo a lot, and Argentina is such a different location for Hallmark, but I’m so tired of the reuniting with the ex-boyfriend storyline.

Polar Opposites: The stowaway situation was entirely unrealistic and bad. Once that storyline faded, the rest of the movie wasn’t that bad. 
I appreciated that there wasn’t the usual misunderstanding trope near the end like there usually is. 

[Orcinus orca]

Polar Opposites was patently absurd from the get go.  I finally muted it hoping for some nice scenery but got badly done CGI instead.  Entirely unrealistic doesn't begin to cover it.

[Ms Lark]

Glad I'm not alone with Polar Opposites. I was only there for the penguins.  The whole stowaway thing was beyond ridiculous and "Emma" has to be one of the most inutterably stupid ingenues they've ever had. So much for stock video of penguins.  Half-way through and don't think I will make it.

[Ele]

Having watched so few of the new Christmas movies, I kept my expectations low for the new ones in January. Maybe that’s why I tolerated Polar Opposites. I agree the stowaway arch and the CGI scenery were  bad, but at the same time the movie kept my attention. Who knows!!

[Artsda]

They cruise ship room sofa they were alternating sleeping on was a pull out.  That was probably the thing that bugged me the most about the stowaway illogical part. Lol 

Then the stowaway gets to go back on the ship back with return trip she didn't pay for. 

The penguin love story was cute. 

[Clawdette]

It was not until the Dad came into the cabin that I realized he was Dean McDermott. I really feel old. 

[Nacos for Rufus]

Having cruised many times, that stowaway scenario just ain’t happening. The worst part of the movie was the dad. I can see where she gets her impulsive, let others deal with the consequences energy from. The annoying acorn doesn’t fall far from the annoying tree. And why, as a researcher, was he so obsessed over the fate of a single penguin?! Has the man never seen a National Geographic documentary?! Those whales needed to eat too, y’know!

[Ms Lark]

6 hours ago, Artsda said:

Then the stowaway gets to go back on the ship back with return trip she didn't pay for. 

The penguin love story was cute. 

38 minutes ago, Nacos for Rufus said:

Having cruised many times, that stowaway scenario just ain’t happening. The worst part of the movie was the dad. I can see where she gets her impulsive, let others deal with the consequences energy from. The annoying acorn doesn’t fall far from the annoying tree. And why, as a researcher, was he so obsessed over the fate of a single penguin?! Has the man never seen a National Geographic documentary?! Those whales needed to eat too, y’know!

Yes, penguin love story was better than human story. BUT! I'm pretty sure those female penguins go off to forage for months while the males incubate the eggs on their feet. Then, before eggs hatch, females return, take over the egg, and the males go off to forage. None of this, "we must be together 24/7 business." 🙄 Do the homework, Hallmark! Sheesh. I think I'll go watch that 20-year-old "March of the Penguins" again...

You're right: daughter got the inconsiderate impulsiveness from dad. Not a good watch.

We watched it, you don't have to. 👎🏻👎🏻

[Kemper]

It is like Hallmark did listen to critics re the sameness of the movie plots... girl goes back to hometown to help the family candy cane factory, pumpkin farm, etc. Big cities are bad. Or girl finds out her boyfriend is a prince.

So now they have newer, more exotic locations, actors/actresses, storylines. But they seem to be just as/almost as unbelievable as their previous movies. And I liked those better; for the most part.

[Aliconehead]

Yea there was a lot of disbelief from me on this one.  1. Getting last minute deals for Antarctic cruises is pretty easy.  2. You have to scan on and off the ship everytime and they are really strict. 3. Emperor penguins are not that easy to find on most cruises there, they tend to live more inland according to the guides I was with. And the saving one penguin in a colony was ridiculous.  When I went and there were penguins that had open wounds, the researchers just shrugged. Also the emperors babies are full grown by December  

I will say I enjoyed the scenery and all the penguins   Makes me want to go back to see if we can find an emperor colony  

 

 

[KaveDweller]

On 1/13/2025 at 1:37 AM, Nacos for Rufus said:

Having cruised many times, that stowaway scenario just ain’t happening. The worst part of the movie was the dad. I can see where she gets her impulsive, let others deal with the consequences energy from. The annoying acorn doesn’t fall far from the annoying tree. And why, as a researcher, was he so obsessed over the fate of a single penguin?! Has the man never seen a National Geographic documentary?! Those whales needed to eat too, y’know!

What was ridiculous about how annoying they both were, 1) she has a dropped call and instead of calling the research base she gets on a plane and 2) the father knew they had a broken connection and didn't bother to call her again and tell her he was okay?

Also, did she really just quit her job to draw penguins in Antarctica? Does that pay the bills in Hallmark-land?

This is what I get for thinking it would be interesting because of the location.

[Notabug]

6 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

What was ridiculous about how annoying they both were, 1) she has a dropped call and instead of calling the research base she gets on a plane and 2) the father knew they had a broken connection and didn't bother to call her again and tell her he was okay?

Also, did she really just quit her job to draw penguins in Antarctica? Does that pay the bills in Hallmark-land?

This is what I get for thinking it would be interesting because of the location.

Another plot hole: if the father was so distraught over the penguin situation, why call the daughter thousands of miles away to have an emotional meltdown over it?  What was she going to do about it?  He seemed to have multiple friends and colleagues at the research station, yet, none of them seemed to know about the problem despite the fact that 1. they were right there and 2. they were far more likely to have a practical solution than the daughter.

The daughter quit her job to illustrate a non-existent children’s book about penguins. As you do.  Because getting a book contract is a fast and easy solution  for maintaining income over the short term.  Even if she is able to sell it to a publisher, it will be many months before she sees a dime, which is why people trying to break into the business have day jobs.  Except for her.

[Orcinus orca]

4 hours ago, Notabug said:

He seemed to have multiple friends and colleagues at the research station, yet, none of them seemed to know about the problem despite the fact that 1. they were right there and 2. they were far more likely to have a practical solution than the daughter.

Because, it the plot hole big enough to hold Antarctica, scientists study but do not interfere with what they study. In no way would anyone with a background appropriate for them to do research in Antarctic be allowed to interfere with nature's process.  I'm not saying they may have a favorite, say, penguin and even name it but interfering with the natural process is strictly forbidden. 

Not only was Emma one of the most idiotic characters ever ("I know I am on the ship illegally but I just GOTTA go running around the decks even though I know I shouldn't") but a really crappy actress.

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, Orcinus orca said:

Because, it the plot hole big enough to hold Antarctica, scientists study but do not interfere with what they study. In no way would anyone with a background appropriate for them to do research in Antarctic be allowed to interfere with nature's process.  I'm not saying they may have a favorite, say, penguin and even name it but interfering with the natural process is strictly forbidden. 

Not only was Emma one of the most idiotic characters ever ("I know I am on the ship illegally but I just GOTTA go running around the decks even though I know I shouldn't") but a really crappy actress.

Yeah, dear old dad essentially invalidated any research he was currently conducting by interfering with the penguins' environment.  And, as you stated, anyone with the sort of qualifications and experience this guy would have to have to be permitted to conduct research in Antarctica would not only know this, but be an absolute staunch supporter of the scientific method.

I don't mind the actress, but I think she's sorta quirky and definitely an acquired taste.  She's lucky that the first time I noticed her was in the Norwegian Christmas movie last year where the rest of the cast was so charming and funny, I wasn't paying much attention to her.  I've also been to Norway and loved it, so the scenery was also distracting.  Not so much with fake Antarctica.

Edited Wednesday at 02:12 PM by Notabug

[Nacos for Rufus]

13 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

What was ridiculous about how annoying they both were, 1) she has a dropped call and instead of calling the research base she gets on a plane and 2) the father knew they had a broken connection and didn't bother to call her again and tell her he was okay?

Also, did she really just quit her job to draw penguins in Antarctica? Does that pay the bills in Hallmark-land?

This is what I get for thinking it would be interesting because of the location.

And let’s not forget Andy.  His work is so important he needs a permit, but he can just disappear from work for days on end?! I need a Hallmark type job!

[KaveDweller]

10 hours ago, Notabug said:

I don't mind the actress, but I think she's sorta quirky and definitely an acquired taste.  She's lucky that the first time I noticed her was in the Norwegian Christmas movie last year where the rest of the cast was so charming and funny, I wasn't paying much attention to her.  I've also been to Norway and loved it, so the scenery was also distracting.  Not so much with fake Antarctica.

She was also in a new mystery movie on Hallmark Mystery/Movies about two sisters who inherit a detective agency. I did enjoy the movie and don't remember having any issue with her there.

[bankerchick]

On 1/13/2025 at 2:42 AM, Ms Lark said:

We watched it, you don't have to.

Thank you for taking one for the team.

On 1/15/2025 at 9:09 AM, Notabug said:

I don't mind the actress, but I think she's sorta quirky and definitely an acquired taste.

Aside from the While You Were Sleeping knockoff where she still bugged me but in a tolerable way, I haven't been able to watch her in anything else.  Since she appears to be a new favourite, that will be a lot more movies I won't be watching.

[Ele]

Tonight’s lineup is a good one : Royal Matchmaker and Sweeter than Chocolate. 
 

 

[Badsamaritan]

52 minutes ago, Ele said:

Tonight’s lineup is a good one : Royal Matchmaker and Sweeter than Chocolate. 
 

 

Is this a safe space? 

 

 

Eloise Mumford is growing on me... 🫣🤫