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

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, Ele said:

Love by Chance is on tomorrow morning and I think it’s one of Ben Ayers’ first Hallmark movies. I remember him looking handsome in it. Brenda Strong’s character was very meddlesome. 

I like Brenda Strong as an actress so I think I wanted her to hook up with Ayres character.  I thought it'd be a nice change of pace for Hallmark.

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Thanks for the heads up on Love By Chance. I enjoyed it, had the usual Hallmark  writing.  Yes,Brenda Strong  played the meddlesome Mom ,but she's such a good actress,she played her part so well.  In fact they all did, this could have easily been written as a comedy with everybody thinking that Brenda Strong's character was  trying to snag the younger Ben Ayer's character all the way through. 

21 hours ago, norcalgal said:

I really liked this movie!  A mark of how much I like a Hallmark movie is remembering the plot without reading up on it either in this forum, or generally on the internet.  The plot sorta reminds me of Because I Said So, the movie with Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore. 

 

[Kemper]

I don't get the Hallmark Mystery Channel, so I was looking forward to "Dial 1 for Murder" on the regular channel tonight.   I really like Chris McNally; had never seen the actress before...Holland Roden. 

It was not good. To me, the actress was annoying (truly) and took me out of every scene she was in. Maybe in a different movie, different character.  It was also not particularly well-written. Just me? Was there more than one of these made? Like "The Crossword Mysteries"...the Hannah Swenson ones...., Aurora Teagarden,, et. 

[Ele]

21 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I like Brenda Strong as an actress so I think I wanted her to hook up with Ayres character.  I thought it'd be a nice change of pace for Hallmark.

I can’t unpicture this. I watched a little bit this morning before work and all I could picture was her asking him out when she first sees him in the bar. 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Lol, well it had the whole scenario going there, older woman sitting in the bar , waiting to meet younger man who then shows up  thinking he's meeting a woman his age. 

[Ele]

20 hours ago, One4Sorrow2TooBad said:

Lol, well it had the whole scenario going there, older woman sitting in the bar , waiting to meet younger man who then shows up  thinking he's meeting a woman his age. 

I know! They had good chemistry too. Maybe they should make a movie together! 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Saw My One and Only last night, have to say what a shitfest.  The only good thing that kept me watching it was the beautiful scenery. Maybe it's just me ,but the ending was so ridiculous and left everybody wondering is that it??? The actors are better than this,  they didn't deserve this stinker. I'll pass on watching this one again.

[Fostersmom]

I watched Hearts Around the Table: Jenna's First Love last night and I have a serious question..... was this written by AI? The story was super weak, but okay, but the diaglog was clunky at best and weirdly generic. Like the random AI generated captions that pop up on You Tube or Instagram clips. 

[Orcinus orca]

1 minute ago, Fostersmom said:

I watched Hearts Around the Table: Jenna's First Love last night and I have a serious question..... was this written by AI? The story was super weak, but okay, but the dialog was clunky at best and weirdly generic. Like the random AI generated captions that pop up on You Tube or Instagram clips. 

I have a feeling this will be happening more often. Pour all of the plots and dialog from past movies of the same genre into a machine and press a button. Out pops a watered down version of a combination of past scripts.

[Chippings]

Oh gosh ..  that's kind of distressing, isn't it.  I'd been thinking of posting on this subject -- a few second level actors whom we see a lot in these movies.  It's kind of like watching several plays at a summer repertory company, and watching them do different roles.

My fave is Matty Finochio, who I first saw as "M" in Bridal Wave (the brother-in-law).  He had almost no lines.  But he's shown up often again, notably in Autumn Dreams, with better roles.  I hope he's having a good career.

Sometimes I mistake him for Erik Athavale, who played the lawyer in Love Strikes Twice.  I think he was also a hotel manager in another.  Always good to see him again.

And there's also Fiona Vroom (Autumn Dreams again) but more others than I can count.  Often she has barely any lines, but sometimes a bit more.  I think she was one of the women in Three Wise Men and a Baby ?

Do you all have others that you see often and like ?  

Edited March 23 by Chippings
spelling

[BuckeyeLou]

A couple of things I enjoyed about "Hearts Around the Table: Jenna's First Love" were the beautiful house they all lived in on a beautiful Lake(I read that it was filmed in Ontario)..how did the Foster Mom afford such a big house?!  But, I did enjoy Mindy Cohn(from "Facts of Life") as the Foster Mom, she was very loving and down to Earth.  The other Foster siblings were funny with their comments about Jenna's love life.  I read that this is the 1st of 4 movies of "Hearts around the Table", each of the Siblings has a story.

[Kemper]

"Hearts Around the Table" ... was not a very good movie. But sometimes the actors can overcome the usual tired dialogue and indifferent writing. But the lead actor - Jake Epstein? - was just snooze inducing. And it wasn't just this movie - I have seen him in other movies and he is just as dull. Monotone voice. 

Ashley Newbrough? Don't know - I have seen her in other Hallmark movies. She maybe isn't the strongest actress, but I think she is going to get a big "push" from the network. Other than the leads? The cast was not bad at all. 

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, Kemper said:

But the lead actor - Jake Epstein? - was just snooze inducing.

No.  Jake Epstein got second billing but I think it's because he's going to be prominent in all four of the movies.  Or three?  He played the brother.  He's one of my favorite leads, actually, so I hope his movie is good.

Steve Lund played the lead love interest.

I don't love billionaires but I was a little more interested in the unexpected than the old high school flame.  Following one's own dreams at 18 is the only smart choice.

 

 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

I had a feeling the movie was going to be a stinker, I passed on it and watched something else Sat. night. Looks like I'll pass on the other  3 future  Sat. night movies. 

[Maelstrom]

This first Hearts Around the Table wasn't the best, but I didn't expect it to be - I mostly watched because I plan on watching next week's starring Mishael Morgan and figured I'd better start with the first. I liked the foster family aspect, which was a refreshing change from Hallmarks' usual "nuclear family" vibes. And I liked the male lead, and hope to see him in more (hopefully better) movies in the future. Ashley Newbrough has never impressed me, I find her... unengaging somehow, I never feel connected to or invested in her characters (and also, the tremendous amount of face work/fillers she's had done majorly puts me off).

Looking forward to the next one, since Mishael Morgan was one of the few bright spots on Young and Restless back in the day.

[Kemper]

I love Mishael Morgan, too. Ashley Newbrough? It is the eyebrows that get to me. Everytime I see her. But they didn't look so pasted on in this movie. I will now lap from my saucer of cream.

Seems the network is destined to search for the next Lacey C, Rachel Boston, Jennifer something who went to GAC (not one of my faves), Jill Wagner, the one who grins maniacally (I actually like her), and a host of others that I like but can't remember right now. So far....it is not going all that well. Just my opinion. Same with some of the actors. 

I did see that Brendon Elliot's wife passed away.

 

[Ele]

1 hour ago, Maelstrom said:

This first Hearts Around the Table wasn't the best, but I didn't expect it to be - I mostly watched because I plan on watching next week's starring Mishael Morgan and figured I'd better start with the first. I liked the foster family aspect, which was a refreshing change from Hallmarks' usual "nuclear family" vibes. And I liked the male lead, and hope to see him in more (hopefully better) movies in the future. Ashley Newbrough has never impressed me, I find her... unengaging somehow, I never feel connected to or invested in her characters (and also, the tremendous amount of face work/fillers she's had done majorly puts me off).

Looking forward to the next one, since Mishael Morgan was one of the few bright spots on Young and Restless back in the day.

Not a fan of Newbroguh either for all the reasons you mentioned. I skip her movies. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:04 PM by Ele

[bankerchick]

On 3/23/2025 at 8:12 PM, Kemper said:

But the lead actor - Jake Epstein? - was just snooze inducing. And it wasn't just this movie - I have seen him in other movies and he is just as dull. Monotone voice. 

He reminds me too much of Mark Ruffalo (gag) to even consider liking him.

 

On 3/23/2025 at 5:16 PM, Chippings said:

My fave is Matty Finochio, who I first saw as "M" in Bridal Wave (the brother-in-law).  He had almost no lines.  But he's shown up often again, notably in Autumn Dreams, with better roles.  I hope he's having a good career.

He was great as the boss in Window Wonderland.  He draws his moustache on!  (or eyebrows.)

I saw very little of Hearts Around The Table but my eyes did roll back in my head when she walked 10 blocks in stilettos looking for the foster kid and didn't seem in any discomfort.

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Finally got around to seeing Love and Jane. I actually enjoyed it and just went along with it. Loved the scenes with the group who would get together to discuss Jane Austen's works. 😀

[Ele]

https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/journey-to-you/about-journey-to-you
This new movie has the recycled, I’m going in a vacay bc I lost a promotion plotline, but the setting looks pretty. I’m not a l’m Erin Cahill fan, but the setting might get me to watch it. 
 

I haven’t watched any of the Hearts Around the Table movies, but Jake Epstein is the lead in next week’s. He’s a strong Hallmark actor. Kathryn Davis is in the final one and I like her too.