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

[SusanM]

1 hour ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

Nope, undecorated kitchen here.  The houses with every room decorated to the nines always makes me think about how long it must take them to put away all those decorations later!  

Speaking of over decorating I saw the start of one movie the other day where they even had the insides of the barn decorated.  Now that's dedication to the Christmas spirit!

[Starry-Eyed]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

Our kitchen gets decorated. Maybe not to the nines the way on some Hallmark movies, but nutcrackers (my aunt used to send us nutcrackers every year and now we all have loads) get set up on top of the cupboards, a poinsetta goes behind the sink, and usually there's either a little Nativity scene or a snowglobe or some other decorative knick-knacks on the sill of the kitchen window. All pretty far away from oven and stove, and I don't think kitchen smells have ever been a problem.

[memememe76]

I kinda liked Nantucket Christmas but I never understood the father’s pier project somehow done to honour his late wife. Why would she want the pier to be demolished for a marina and kick out the tenants? At least say it’s done for money. 

[ECM1231]

On 11/21/2021 at 10:35 PM, kirinan said:

Wow, color me surprised. I loved A Kiss Before Christmas. Not that I expected to dislike it; I just wasn’t sure if I would watch it or not. I never watched Desperate Housewives, but I always liked Teri Hatcher in Lois and Clark so I left it on for a few to check it out, and got sucked right in. She and James Denton were great together. And I was happy to see Marilu Henner. Plus I do enjoy the movies with the magical twists. There were probably flaws, but I didn’t notice (or care). I’ll definitely watch it again!

Ditto to everything you said, except that I did watch Desperate Housewives and Teri and James had the same great chemistry in this film, too. I absolutely loved everything about this movie and not embarrassed to say I shed a tear or two at the end. Nice to see older leads, too. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

I do. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen area so it’s where I enjoy the decorations the most. I just swap out some of the regular decor from Christmas decorations. Why would they get any more greasy or catch on fire any more than the regular things that go in kitchens?

[ECM1231]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

I have a baker's rack which I decorate with Christmas tzotches. My kitchen light fixture gets jingle bells and my window has Annalee elves  perched on the rod. Christmas tea kettle, spoon rest, towels, and my cabinet knobs have decorative pot holders. Yep, I decorate my kitchen for Christmas, as well as the main bath, dining room, living room, and computer room. 

[Bliss]

2 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

I have old style milk bottles in clear, red and green glass... inside, I put fairy lights. It's really pretty, and easy to clean! I agree about the excessive decor - gives me tinselitis! ;-)

[memememe76]

Count me in as a big fan of Kiss Before Christmas. James and Teri still have that chemistry, added with that level of comfort between to actors who worked with each other for a long time. My favourite sequence was him trying charm the Alternate version of Hatcher’s character. The restaurant scene with them where Hatcher questions why her other self didn’t end up going to law school (“You made me quit my career?!?!”) was funny and sweet. 

[Guest]

18 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

IDK. Do these made-for-Tee-Vee Christmas movies ever get awards? 

This year’s TV movie Emmy went to Netflix’s Dolly Parton Christmas movie so it’s not completely outside the realm of possibility. 

The old Hallmark Hall of Fame movies were regularly nominated but they would have to go back to that level of quality to have a chance at a nomination. 

Which reminds me that this is now the second year without a Hall of Fame movie. The CEO has talked about loving them so I wonder if they are working on something big or just waiting awhile to reset the brand after it’s been watered down over the last decade. 

[Crs97]

Oh, the Hall of Fame movies!!  For you youngsters out there, those were so special.  You’d get great actors and scripts like James Garner in Decoration Day.  Even the commercials were works of art designed to make you feel all the feels.  Just about everyone I knew would plan to spend the evening watching it - all the anticipation the weeks before and then all the discussion the next day.   It was truly an experience!

[MissyPoo]

I remember the more recent Hallmark Hall of Fame movies were kind of a let down to some of the long time fans that were used to stirring dramas rather than more romance focused ones like Remember Sunday and Just in Time for Christmas. (Though there was The Beach House that premiered that one summer). I enjoyed those a lot, but I wonder if they stopped doing them because of the complaints? I'm curious to see which way they'd lean if they do return.

The commercials in between the movies were everything, though. They always had me reaching for the Kleenex.

[Rootbeer]

13 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Inquiring minds want to know

P.S. I don't decorate my kitchen

I've got dishtowels and salt and pepper shakers with a Christmas theme,  Does that count?  

Does everyone string lights and hang garlands and wreaths in their bedrooms?  That's a Hallmark thing, too.  I do have a set of flannel sheets and a duvet cover that are sort of Christmasy, trees and dogs romping in the snow; but that's as far as I go.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Rootbeer

[GeorgiaRai]

22 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

 Choosing to watch the whole two hours is on the viewer.

True, my lost hours are my responsibility - lol - but in all honesty, if I had them back, I'd probably just waste them on another sappy, cheesy, unrealistic Christmas movie!

VERY rarely do I tune out mid-show, though.  I don't like having all that unfinished business hanging around in my head - or, worse, wondering if it got better and I missed out! Typically I find something to enjoy about a Hallmark movie, but not with Nantucket Noel. 

[norcalgal]

14 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?  Just about everyone on Hallmark does.  Don't they get greasy from all of that cooking?  Can't they catch fire while cooking?  

Nope - no matter the holiday, my decorating is minimal. 

For Christmas, over the fireplace mantel, we have fairy lights and Christmas stockings. We usually have a tree, but our newish adopted cats like to get into everything, so we haven't had a tree for 2 years. (Better safe than sorry).  It's OUTSIDE the house that we put a little more effort, but we still don't go crazy to the point we fry the electric grid. 

I find the Christmas decorations on these Hallmark movies way OTT. 

[SusanM]

24 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

I find the Christmas decorations on these Hallmark movies way OTT. 

The movies I like best are the ones that are more restrained with the decorations and keep the holiday frolics (ice skating, snow man making, hot chocolate imbibing) to a minimum.  Speaking of OTT decorating one thing I haven't noticed in Hallmark movie decorating though are  Christmas themed shower curtains - I was searching on Amazon for a new shower curtain the other day and was amazed to see that not only are there Christmas themed ones but ones for just about any holiday you can think of.  Do people really go to the trouble of changing a shower curtain for each holiday?????

Edited November 23, 2021 by SusannahM

[DeafAngelboy23]

If people ask me why I don’t decorate every year then I tell them Hallmark on TV is doing it 24/7 so technically it’s decorated at home too 😂 

[bankerchick]

22 hours ago, SusannahM said:

Funny you said that, my husband was in the room when I was watching a Hallmark movie the other day and his only comment about it was about how he doesn't know any men who drink hot chocolate, let alone order it in a restaurant.  Well clearly he doesn't live in a Hallmark town!

Perhaps they order 'hot cocoa' which I have never heard anyone in real life call it, not to mention, would you drink 'cold cocoa?'

15 hours ago, NYGirl said:

So tell me fellow Hallmark Christmas Movie watchers.  Do you decorate your kitchen for Christmas?

No.

Paul Greene is back for a movie this year.  I think it' been a couple of years since we saw him so I'm anxious for that one.  Tyler Hynes is also in a movie this weekend, unfortunately it's with Bethany Joy Lenz so it will be over-the-top and for me it's a 50/50 toss up as to whether his hotness and likeability can overcome her annoyingness.

I have watched 2 movies this morning (well, they're on in the background) and both have featured dissertations about types of Christmas trees, as if the average person knows the difference between Douglas fir and Blue Spruce and can point out the pros and cons of each type.

[Starry-Eyed]

A Kiss Before Christmas was SO good! I was legitimately blown away by how enjoyable the movie was and how charming the two leads were. It was held back by it's Hallmark-y-ness a bit (are they really "just getting by" when they live in such a nice home?), but I both laughed and cried at times. It was genuinely touching and very well done.

[SusanM]

Ok, colour me confused - The 12th Date of Christmas how the hell old is "Grandma Sue" supposed to be?   I get that actors don't always play their age but Grandma Sue only looks like early 60s so it's not like they've plopped on a grey wig and painted in some wrinkles.  Is Hallmark trying to butter up the grandmas who watch by pretending real grandmas of 30 yr olds look that young?

[EyewatchTV211]

On 11/22/2021 at 1:47 PM, SusannahM said:

Funny you said that, my husband was in the room when I was watching a Hallmark movie the other day and his only comment about it was about how he doesn't know any men who drink hot chocolate, let alone order it in a restaurant.  Well clearly he doesn't live in a Hallmark town!

My dad drinks hot chocolate. But his side of the family were chocoholics, which was also passed down to me. 

I'm culturally Jewish, so I don't decorate any room with Christmas decorations. 😄

I did watch 5 More Minutes or whatever that movie was called. I didn't find the whole movie to be super sad, but it included a lot of other tropes or things that bothered me about it. I predicted the ending of the movie, but that part actually made me cry a little unexpectedly. LOL. I guess as the Deck The Hallmark guys sometimes say, I knew what was coming, but it worked. Overall didn't like the movie, though. 

Even before watching A Kiss Before Christmas, I noticed the increased focus on some of the older characters and older couples in these movies, where their storylines were somewhat evenly split with the younger couples. I'm thinking it's part of their push for diversity, where they are also trying for age diversity a little more. 

I wonder if any Hallmark watchers really enjoy the "aspirational" aspect of the movies with the fancy homes, etc. I'd maybe like it on occasion, but seeing it so much just makes me annoyed and mad. I'd prefer some realism. 

[Cetacean]

48 minutes ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

I wonder if any Hallmark watchers really enjoy the "aspirational" aspect of the movies with the fancy homes, etc. I'd maybe like it on occasion, but seeing it so much just makes me annoyed and mad. I'd prefer some realism. 

They don't have to be hovels  but something with which we can relate would be appreciated.  McMansions with kitchens the size of my whole house make me depressed.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Starry-Eyed said:

A Kiss Before Christmas was SO good! I was legitimately blown away by how enjoyable the movie was and how charming the two leads were. It was held back by it's Hallmark-y-ness a bit (are they really "just getting by" when they live in such a nice home?), but I both laughed and cried at times. It was genuinely touching and very well done.

13 hours ago, Dani said:

The old Hallmark Hall of Fame movies were regularly nominated but they would have to go back to that level of quality to have a chance at a nomination. 

Which reminds me that this is now the second year without a Hall of Fame movie. The CEO has talked about loving them so I wonder if they are working on something big or just waiting awhile to reset the brand after it’s been watered down over the last decade. 

Knowing that A Kiss Before Christmas was delayed and otherwise impacted by the pandemic, I wonder if the CEO  @Dani heard/read had hoped/intended that movie to be a "Hall of Fame" movie (wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark_Hall_of_Fame).
Also, since the 2 leads are not getting any younger, I wondered if they didn't want to put off production for another year in hopes that the pandemic might possibly go away.
The adopted children seemed like barely sketched out characters amid the more fully developed adults--which seems like a result of vaccine unavailability for their age group during filming.

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by shapeshifter

[bankerchick]

1 hour ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

I wonder if any Hallmark watchers really enjoy the "aspirational" aspect of the movies with the fancy homes, etc. I'd maybe like it on occasion, but seeing it so much just makes me annoyed and mad. I'd prefer some realism. 

I'm with norcalgal on this one.  I don't want to watch a movie where they live in the Conner's house.  Everything else about the movie is unbelievable, the house might as well be too.  Having said that, it doesn't need to be decorated like Christmas threw up in their house.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, MissyPoo said:

 

I remember the more recent Hallmark Hall of Fame movies were kind of a let down to some of the long time fans that were used to stirring dramas rather than more romance focused ones like Remember Sunday and Just in Time for Christmas. (Though there was The Beach House that premiered that one summer). I enjoyed those a lot, but I wonder if they stopped doing them because of the complaints? I'm curious to see which way they'd lean if they do return.

 

Until 2016 the Hall of Fame movies were separate from Crown Media and controlled by Hallmark Cards.  The first year without a Hall of Fame movie coincided with the CEO switch so I am guessing that it wasn’t about complaints but because they quality had dropped. The last 2 or 3 had very little to distinguish them from a regular Hallmark movie. 

 

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Knowing that A Kiss Before Christmas was delayed and otherwise impacted by the pandemic, I wonder if the CEO  @Dani heard/read had hoped/intended that movie to be a "Hall of Fame" movie (wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark_Hall_of_Fame).

I doubt it. The new CEO had barely started when that movie was planned. If anything the delay would have made it more likely they could have turned into a HOF movie is the wanted. 

I am surprised that they didn’t make Christmas House an HOF movie. It had all the hallmarks of a HOF movie with the bigger names, family drama and being edgier than Hallmark normally is. 

[DeafAngelboy23]

Lacey Chabert’s sister just passed away today I think according to the post on her Instagram. 

Coincidentally, I watched Family for Christmas today. 

it’s almost Thanksgiving & to go through this tragedy is very difficult. 

TBH, she’s one of my favorites 

[Irlandesa]

5 hours ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

I wonder if any Hallmark watchers really enjoy the "aspirational" aspect of the movies with the fancy homes, etc. I'd maybe like it on occasion, but seeing it so much just makes me annoyed and mad. I'd prefer some realism. 

I watch for pretty scenery.  And if they have a cool house, I love that too.

But otherwise, I don't notice or care if it's an aspirational McMansion or far beyond their means for the most part. 

I do, however, raise my eyebrows at something like Terri's character in A Kiss Before Christmas talking about how "worth it" a law degree is as if this were the 80s and it was accepted as a universal truth.

But I didn't mind the lead being upset he didn't get a promotion.  Sometimes when you do good work, you want a promotion even if you otherwise earn a decent living.

17 hours ago, Dani said:

This year’s TV movie Emmy went to Netflix’s Dolly Parton Christmas movie so it’s not completely outside the realm of possibility.

Sure, but that's Dolly. :)  And Netflix has money to throw at a campaign.

[Guest]

36 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Sure, but that's Dolly. :)  And Netflix has money to throw at a campaign.

Absolutely true. Although, Hallmark has to have money to throw at a campaign if they wanted and Lifetime is regularly nominated in that category. Looking at the past nominees the bar isn’t as high as you would expect. Nothing they are making now would have a shot but if they really brought back an old style Hall of Fame movie I can see it happen. 

[ECM1231]

10 hours ago, SusannahM said:

Do people really go to the trouble of changing a shower curtain for each holiday?????

I absolutely have a friend who does this. She also loves to have parties throughout the year for different holidays like Valentine's Day, Cinco de Mayo, 4th of July, Halloween, etc. She not only has a shower curtain for each holiday, but she decorates her living room for each, too.

I will admit to having a beautiful Lenox Christmas shower curtain, whose pattern matches my dining room table runner. 😀

[bankerchick]

I watched A Kiss Before Christmas this evening, just as my lacrimal glands decided they needed emptying.  I loved this movie and I don't really know why it made me cry, but it did and now I feel so much better.

[Clawdette]

Regarding Christmas decorating:  I used to have a Christmas tree in every room - including the bathrooms.  But they were tabletop size in the kitchen, bedrooms, and baths with full-sized trees in the living, dining, den, and breakfast rooms. I would always host a Christmas brunch for my staff - over 20 people - and they always enjoyed coming to see the trees. My husband passed away in 2008, my three children don't live nearby, and my grandchildren are now teenagers so I don't do as much decorating anymore.  But I really enjoyed it for many, many years.

[norcalgal]

22 hours ago, SusannahM said:

Ok, colour me confused - The 12th Date of Christmas how the hell old is "Grandma Sue" supposed to be?   I get that actors don't always play their age but Grandma Sue only looks like early 60s so it's not like they've plopped on a grey wig and painted in some wrinkles.  Is Hallmark trying to butter up the grandmas who watch by pretending real grandmas of 30 yr olds look that young?

Oh @SusannahM don't get me started on the age of the onscreen characters!  😡🙄 Parents/grandparents are amazingly well preserved for folks who have kids/grandkids in their late 20s/early-mid 30s.

22 hours ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

Even before watching A Kiss Before Christmas, I noticed the increased focus on some of the older characters and older couples in these movies, where their storylines were somewhat evenly split with the younger couples. I'm thinking it's part of their push for diversity, where they are also trying for age diversity a little more. 

YES!  I too have noticed this. Appreciate that in recent years, movies have older lead characters.  Good job Hallmark.

21 hours ago, bankerchick said:

I'm with norcalgal on this one.  I don't want to watch a movie where they live in the Conner's house.  Everything else about the movie is unbelievable, the house might as well be too.  Having said that, it doesn't need to be decorated like Christmas threw up in their house.

Oh, @bankerchick, maybe my previous post(s) were vague or misleading. From my perspective, I *do* want a little realism. Characters shouldn't live in hovels, or drive beater cars, but I'd appreciate if the occupations of the characters reflected their lifestyle. So many Hallmark characters live a middle upper class lifestyle without the income that seems to support it. [Or else they are living far above their means]

11 hours ago, Clawdette said:

Regarding Christmas decorating:  I used to have a Christmas tree in every room - including the bathrooms.  But they were tabletop size in the kitchen, bedrooms, and baths with full-sized trees in the living, dining, den, and breakfast rooms. I would always host a Christmas brunch for my staff - over 20 people - and they always enjoyed coming to see the trees. My husband passed away in 2008, my three children don't live nearby, and my grandchildren are now teenagers so I don't do as much decorating anymore.  But I really enjoyed it for many, many years.

My friend and her husband love to have multiple Christmas trees in their home, each decorated a different way. The "blue" tree or the "cartoon" tree, or...where the decorations are all similar. But they don't go OTT on other decorations. Also, they normally have a Christmas party that's fairly casual. Just a few finger foods. They haven't had such a party (understandably) in recent years.

[chitowngirl]

I stopped worrying/wondering about actors ages in projects since Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft were only 6 years apart when they did The Graduate.

[SusanM]

I was flipping channels and caught the last 10 minutes or so a movie called Christmas Festival of Ice and am completely confused.  The lead tells her parents that she doesn't want to be a lawyer and instead wants to ?? carve ice sculptures?  Did I misunderstand that?  There must have been something else said but the dog was barking and I missed it.  Surely that doesn't make sense?  And had she already qualified as a lawyer?  She seemed a little too old to be just started law school.  I may have to watch this one if it airs again just to satisfy my curiosity!

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, SusannahM said:

 

I was flipping channels and caught the last 10 minutes or so a movie called Christmas Festival of Ice and am completely confused.  The lead tells her parents that she doesn't want to be a lawyer and instead wants to ?? carve ice sculptures?  Did I misunderstand that? 

 

Sort of. It was more that she didn’t want to be a lawyer working with her mom and didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do. It’s been awhile since I watched it but I think it set her up for some kind of community organization or fundraising job. 

3 hours ago, SusannahM said:

And had she already qualified as a lawyer?  She seemed a little too old to be just started law school.  I may have to watch this one if it airs again just to satisfy my curiosity!

Yes she was already a lawyer and had just passed the bar.

[bankerchick]

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/24/1053952631/the-2021-holiday-movie-guide-100-new-films-to-get-you-in-the-spirit

This:  

The Nine Kittens of Christmas

If you know anything about these movies, you know that The Nine Lives of Christmas, in which Brandon Routh played a firefighter who met a girl and got a cat, is one of the best ones. Now, there's a sequel that's been given prized placement on Thanksgiving. But it suggests that the couple from the first one is getting back together in this one, which means they broke up so that they have to be brought together at Christmas, and now all my old Christmases are ruined. (Hallmark, 11/25)

[Guest]

6 hours ago, bankerchick said:

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/24/1053952631/the-2021-holiday-movie-guide-100-new-films-to-get-you-in-the-spirit

This:  

The Nine Kittens of Christmas

If you know anything about these movies, you know that The Nine Lives of Christmas, in which Brandon Routh played a firefighter who met a girl and got a cat, is one of the best ones. Now, there's a sequel that's been given prized placement on Thanksgiving. But it suggests that the couple from the first one is getting back together in this one, which means they broke up so that they have to be brought together at Christmas, and now all my old Christmases are ruined. (Hallmark, 11/25)

Personally I’m glad they went the breakup route with this sequel than their normal one of throwing a stupid conflict or a wedding at the couple. That has ruined virtually every sequel they have made. Plus, it’s believable to me that those two would have a bumpy road since he was a complete commitmentphobe in the first movie. 

Edited November 25, 2021 by Guest

[SusanM]

12 minutes ago, Dani said:

Plus, it’s believable to me that those two would have a bumpy road since he was a complete commitmentphobe in the first movie. 

This is true but the ending of the first movie was so lovely and perfect that I think I am just going to have to pretend there is no sequel.  As Linus wrote to the Great Pumpkin "I don't wanna know".

[Cetacean]

28 minutes ago, Dani said:

 Plus, it’s believable to me that those two would have a bumpy road since he was a complete commitmentphobe in the first movie. 

Plus she said from the beginning that she wasn't going for any commitments until she was done with school  So my guess is that those will be reasons that they "drifted apart".

[twoods]

I’m also guessing it was a combo of her being too busy with vet school and him freaking out when they were getting more serious. Regardless, I’m hoping it’s half as good as the first one (my expectations are very low).

[shapeshifter]

8 hours ago, bankerchick said:

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/24/1053952631/the-2021-holiday-movie-guide-100-new-films-to-get-you-in-the-spirit

This:  

The Nine Kittens of Christmas

If you know anything about these movies, you know that The Nine Lives of Christmas, in which Brandon Routh played a firefighter who met a girl and got a cat, is one of the best ones. Now, there's a sequel that's been given prized placement on Thanksgiving. But it suggests that the couple from the first one is getting back together in this one, which means they broke up so that they have to be brought together at Christmas, and now all my old Christmases are ruined. (Hallmark, 11/25)

3 hours ago, Dani said:

Personally I’m glad they went the breakup route with this sequel than their normal one of throwing a stupid conflict or a wedding at the couple. That has ruined virtually every sequel they have made. Plus, it’s believable to me that those two would have a bumpy road since he was a complete commitmentphobe in the first movie. 

3 hours ago, SusannahM said:

This is true but the ending of the first movie was so lovely and perfect that I think I am just going to have to pretend there is no sequel.  As Linus wrote to the Great Pumpkin "I don't wanna know".

3 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Plus she said from the beginning that she wasn't going for any commitments until she was done with school  So my guess is that those will be reasons that they "drifted apart".

2 hours ago, twoods said:

I’m also guessing it was a combo of her being too busy with vet school and him freaking out when they were getting more serious. Regardless, I’m hoping it’s half as good as the first one (my expectations are very low).

So I'm watching "The Nine Lives of Christmas" (2014) now
--on a full stomach
--so if I stay tuned for "The Nine Kittens of Christmas" (2021) 
--no promises that I will stay awake.

 

_________________________________

ETA: If  "The Nine Lives of Christmas" had been written and shot in 2020 or 2021 instead of in 2013-14, no way would there have been a line about fixing up that house to sell it sooner. 
Fixing it up to sell it for more money, sure, but Not for sooner.

Edited November 26, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Spartan Girl]

My bar is set low for Nine Kittens of Christmas since I loved the first one so much, but I love the kittens!

[ehall1052]

Nine Kittens of Christmas- Paul Campbell sighting!!!  How fun!

[Clawdette]

RE 9 Kittens:  Besides the bonus Paul Campbell cameo, we also got a preview of Tyler Hines’ upcoming movie and his hair looked 100% improved, IMHO. 

[MerBearHou]

16 minutes ago, Clawdette said:

we also got a preview of Tyler Hines’ upcoming movie and his hair looked 100% improved, IMHO. 

I noticed that too!  Tyler, this is a great look for you — run far away from the slicked-back, looks-like-a-mullet toupee style!  

[bankerchick]

Is Nine Kittens of Christmas on now?  And Paul Campbell is in it??  We don't get it here until Dec. 5.  Bummer.  I guess at least I'll know whether it was worth waiting for.

23 minutes ago, Clawdette said:

Besides the bonus Paul Campbell cameo, we also got a preview of Tyler Hines’ upcoming movie and his hair looked 100% improved, IMHO. 

Is the movie on now?  And Paul Campbell is in it??  We don't get it here until Dec. 5.  Man, that sucks.

I agree about the Tyler Hynes hair.  At least that movie is coming this weekend.

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

Is Nine Kittens of Christmas on now?  And Paul Campbell is in it??  We don't get it here until Dec. 5.  Bummer.  I guess at least I'll know whether it was worth waiting for.

Paul Campbell has just a couple of lines in a single scene, but it was fun to see him.  As for the story; I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Like most sequels, just the fact that it isn't completely fresh and new makes 9K a little less than 9L.  However, the leads were charming.  I thought the reasons they didn't last the first time were plausible and in keeping with both characters' personalities and the plot point that brought them back into one another's orbit made sense.  And, how can 9 kittens (and Ambrose!) not be adorable?  

I thought it was well worth a watch and makes a nice bookend for the first film and I'd watch it again anytime.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Rootbeer

[NYGirl]

I really enjoyed Nine Kittens so much.  I didn't want it to end!  I may have liked it more than the original.  The leads have such great chemistry.  I loved the story.  

[Cetacean]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

My bar is set low for Nine Kittens of Christmas since I loved the first one so much, but I love the kittens!

Nothing cuter than a baby mammal.

I thought it was good but not great, I found my attention wandering quite a bit;  at one point I couldn't believe it was only half over.  The leads are great together and the Paul Campbell sighting was a cute surprise.

[Luckylyn]

Every Hallmark Thanksgiving Movie

This was hilarious.

 Hallmark doesn’t make Thanksgiving movies anymore.  I wish they would.  Maybe they could do some family dramas or comedies during November.  They could have a Hallmark Hall of Fame Thanksgiving movie.  It won’t happen because Christmas is too lucrative for them.  

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Nothing cuter than a baby mammal.

I thought it was good but not great, I found my attention wandering quite a bit;  at one point I couldn't believe it was only half over.  The leads are great together and the Paul Campbell sighting was a cute surprise.

I did dose off, as predicted, for about 20 minutes, but that is not what made the kittens less cute than real life kittens.
Maybe YouTube videos of kittens have spoiled me, but, seriously? 
YMMV, but it was a literal snoozer. I mean, yes, IRL it does take a seemingly endless amount of time and effort to find homes for kittens, but on a Hallmark movie, it really shouldn't.