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

[Jaded]

Hallmark finally posted about Love, Classified on their FB page yesterday and the post has almost  300 replies.... 🤣

Edited April 11, 2022 by Jaded

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Hallmark finally posted about Love, Classified on their FB page yesterday and the post has almost  300 replies.... 🤣

All of them supportive, I'm sure.

[kirinan]

17 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

But was pleasant enough for a late night watch and I didn't fall asleep.  You might be wondering why a late night watch?  That's because I happened upon Hallmark Drama before the movie started last night and they were playing The Magic of Ordinary Days and Loving Leah back-to-back.  Seen them both many times and have them on my DVR so was I going to stop and watch them live?  Hell yeah.

My husband and I call that "watching in the moment." Just because I have all my Captain America and Avengers movies on DVD and on Disney+, doesn't mean I don't spend the occasional Sunday sitting on the couch all day <cough yesterday cough> watching them when they're broadcast live. There are a few Hallmark movies I'll do that for, too.  

[Pallida]

2 hours ago, Jaded said:

Hallmark finally posted about Love, Classified on their FB page yesterday and the post has almost  300 replies.... 🤣

I'm getting a kick out of all of the "women making out" comments, as if Hallmark movies have these super passionate kisses.

[ctlady]

2 hours ago, kirinan said:

That's because I happened upon Hallmark Drama before the movie started last night and they were playing The Magic of Ordinary Days

I adore that movie.  You can actually watch the entire movie for free anytime right here

[Artsda]

I really liked the Runaway Romance, was a good plot compared to the normal royal future king/queen plot.

[Bronx Babe]

Bumblebee?

Bumby?

Bugdery?

What the hell was that kingdom name, lol?  I have good hearing but just could not make it out.

Well, no Chicago pizza because Princess Amelia was on a road-trip and the Windy City (unrealistic that the bodyguard would just leave at that point) was her last stop, which she spent at the art gallery, no eating.   However, she did enjoy s'mores at a campsite along the way.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Bronx Babe

[Bronx Babe]

/thread/30620224-let-s-be-a-hallmark-channel-movie (datalounge.com)/thread/30620224-let-s-be-a-hallmark-channel-movie (datalounge.com)

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, Bronx Babe said:

Bumblebee?

Bumby?

Bugdery?

According to my closed captioning, it was Bundbury.  Stupidest name yet.

[Bronx Babe]

Thanks, Cetacean.  Bundbury.  Oy, lol.  Yeah, I think you're right.

Sounds like a cake.

[Justaguest]

23 hours ago, Cetacean said:

According to my closed captioning, it was Bundbury.  Stupidest name yet.

Bunbury is from The Importance of Being Earnest. Not sure if that was intentional by the writers or not. It fits in a reverse way -- she went bunburying in the US.

[Cetacean]

13 minutes ago, Justaguest said:

Bunbury is from The Importance of Being Earnest. Not sure if that was intentional by the writers or not.

I think that's giving Hallmark writers more credit than is due.  And it's not spelled the same.

[Guest]

On 4/7/2022 at 2:03 PM, luvthepros said:

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I'd like to see Candace Cameron Bure in some new movies. Seems she is MIA. Where are the old timers? Are they getting to old to be the leads? Whaaaaaaa.

It seems like Candace only wants to make the Christmas and mystery movies. That’s all she’s done for Hallmark since 2015. 

 

On 4/7/2022 at 8:34 AM, ctlady said:

I know they're not.  But showing couples - married or not - in bed (not even in an intimate way), kissing, etc. has been known to be *GASP* scenarios (or pearl clutching) on Hallmark.  They're rarely shown these situations.  So to jump right to homosexual couples touching, kissing, etc. when they can't even venture down that road with straight/married couples without worrying about the pearl clutchers doesn't make sense

Are there really that many opportunities for the movies to show married couples in bed? It would make more sense to show unmarried couple in bed given how much they like the plot where an engaged person falls in love with someone else. Although having the couple that is destined to break-up act at all like a real couple just highlights how awful that plot is so that will probably never happen even if they stop caring about pearl clutchers. Besides it’s really just a function of the genre. 

Hallmark has very little to do with the content of When Calls the Heart. No matter how progressive Hallmark Channel gets When Calls the Heart is always going to cater to the pearl clutchers because the producers are pearl clutchers. 

[luvthepros]

8 hours ago, Dani said:

It seems like Candace only wants to make the Christmas and mystery movies. That’s all she’s done for Hallmark since 2015. 

 

 

It never dawned on me that CCB is locked into the Christmas movies on the main Hallmark Channel but, you are correct.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will premiere a movie later this year centered on a lead character with Down syndrome. The cast includes Lily D. Moore (from Never Have I Ever), David DeSanctis, Erica Durance, and Benjamin Ayres.

Quote

Color My World With Love, which recently wrapped production, follows Kendall (Never Have I Ever's Lily D. Moore), a talented artist with Down syndrome who creates beautiful paintings in the impressionist style that reflect the reality of her subjects as she sees them. Thanks to the support of her mother, Emma (Erica Durance), and grandmother, Bev (Karen Kruper), Kendall is happy and thriving. Her life takes a turn when she meets Brad (David DeSanctis) in a cooking class at the local center for diverse learners and romance blossoms. 

 

[Irlandesa]

I love her character on Never Have I Ever.

[kirinan]

Crown Media Family Networks Signs Andrew Walker To Multi-Picture Overall Deal

I'm happy Andrew will be around for a while. 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, kirinan said:

Crown Media Family Networks Signs Andrew Walker To Multi-Picture Overall Deal

I'm happy Andrew will be around for a while. 

Hallmark’s been busy. That’s six exclusive deals in two months. With the exception of Lacey, I am happy with the direction they appear to be heading with this.

Although, both Lacey and Brennan Elliott having a Hallmark deal makes me hopeful that Crossword Mysteries isn’t dead. 

Edited April 15, 2022 by Guest

[Bronx Babe]

I really have nothing good to say about any Hallmark movie, holiday or otherwise, and because of this I feel I'm turning off a lot of people on this thread so I'll say goodbye.

I'm not a "hater" but am probably perceived that way.   Please forgive all my snark.

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by Bronx Babe

[Cetacean]

10 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I really have nothing good to say about any Hallmark movie, holiday or otherwise, and because of this I feel I'm turning off a lot of people on this thread so I'll say goodbye.

Sigh, now I am all alone.

[ctlady]

11 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

 

I really have nothing good to say about any Hallmark movie, holiday or otherwise, and because of this I feel I'm turning off a lot of people on this thread so I'll say goodbye.

I'm not a "hater" but am probably perceived that way.   Please forgive all my snark.

 

I’m right there with you, but please reconsider. The interesting thing about people is that we all don’t share the same opinions. Healthy debate is good. I loathe every Christmas movie and refuse to watch them, most of the lead actresses and formulaic storylines ( leaving my high powered job to go home and save the small town), but I hang in there for the one or two gems that appear once in a while. Plus I like snarking on the former!

[MerBearHou]

11 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I really have nothing good to say about any Hallmark movie, holiday or otherwise, and because of this I feel I'm turning off a lot of people on this thread so I'll say goodbye.

I'm not a "hater" but am probably perceived that way.   Please forgive all my snark.

 

Don’t go!  Paraphrasing ctlady, there are as many opinions as there are posters and “agree to disagree” happens often — I hope it won’t make you leave the forum, but I will say, if it’s making you unhappy, then by all means, you bet - cut this out of your life.  I am one who runs the opposite way from any royal themes and there are those who love them — Hands shrug — I don’t get it!

[bankerchick]

Agreed.  I don't agree with lots of things people say on this site, and I'm sure many feel that way about my opinions but it's hard not to notice that comments on this thread are way down.  Rather than people staying away because of the negative comments, for me it's more that most of the movies lately are not worth watching.  I only really started watching the movies over Christmas 2020, so it was easy to watch tons of movies because they were all new to me, running the gamut of excellent to terrible, but now I know the actresses I don't want to watch, the storylines that make me want to yell at the tv and the tropes that are too hard to ignore.  Now it's not unusual for there to be no comments at all on the Saturday movie until Monday, and then only one or two, with one person loving the movie and another hating it.  No particular reasons given, just 'I started it and tuned out.'  Compare this to a movie released in say Nov or Dec, 2020 where there would be a full page of comments either talking about what we liked about it or calling out the BS.  This was one of my favourite pages because of the snark!  Even a recent movie many of us were excited about that starred Eriq LaSalle and Gloria Reuben (which in my mind was ruined by the daughter) didn't really draw any commentary here.

In summary, I will keep coming back here to check, but the site seems to be dying a natural death and I for one am sorry, but also quite willing to keep spouting my inanities for anyone who will read them.

Tonight's movie is Love Classified, starring Melora Hardin who I enjoy in The Office.  Fingers crossed.  At least here in Canada that is the movie; I haven't seen any commentary here about it so don't know if it has played in the US yet.  We still have not had the Tyler Hynes movie that did generate commentary on his latest hairstyle, though nobody seemed to say much else about it.  Not even the usual discussion from those who like Autumn Reeser or those who, like me, always find her difficult and intractable and bitchy and unfriendly in ways that make it hard for me to believe that any man would willingly subject themselves to that on the off chance that she might warm up.

[norcalgal]

14 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Rather than people staying away because of the negative comments, for me it's more that most of the movies lately are not worth watching.    This was one of my favourite pages because of the snark!  

In summary, I will keep coming back here to check, but the site seems to be dying a natural death and I for one am sorry, but also quite willing to keep spouting my inanities for anyone who will read them.

 

I kept the parts of the post that made me say ITA!  This sums up how I feel 

[luvthepros]

I knew I enjoyed Just One Kiss and I'm enjoying it even more as I watch it as part of "back round noise" in the house as I do other stuff. I wind up stopping what I'm doing to watch again the parts I truly enjoy such as the singing parts.

I told my sister about this movie. First, a little history.........sis was watching Hallmark movies, mostly the Christmas movies, long before me. She introduced me to the Hallmark Channel and their movies and now I'm officially hooked for the past 3 or so years.

Anyway......my sister said she saw "bits and pieces" of Just One Kiss and was not at all impressed but recorded it and it is on the DVR". Well........sis was over the moon after watching the movie from start to finish. More history.......sis is so over Hallmark movies and is burned out on them. There is a very rare Hallmark movie she likes these days and Just One Kiss is one of them. She actually said she LOVED the movie.

Edited April 19, 2022 by luvthepros

[Bronx Babe]

Cetacean, ctlady, MerBearHou, bankerchick, thanks for your understanding and support.  

People who read me on other message boards (particularly Turner Classic Movies) know I'm not some contrary Negative Nellie who wants to stir up trouble; just the opposite.  I loathe divisiveness (in our country and the internet) and have my own thread there where I denounce in general some posters who seem devoted to making mischief (and not in a good way) by turning away from honest, healthy argument/debate in favor of incivility and chaos.   

I really try to find some redemptive qualities about these Hallmark efforts but they are so few and far between.  And once again I must state that I do not diss or make fun of viewers who find emotional connections with the stories.  For me, these productions are creepily synthetic while at the same time being cheesily "human".   This is a weird, formidable combination unlike anything I've ever seen on television. 

Last night "Christmas with the Darlings" ran -- some might remember a while back that I counted 80 to 100 times the actual word "Christmas" was used in every other sentence each character spoke.  I also mentioned the other Pavlovian tropes which are calculated to trigger audience response in one way or another.

Maybe this all has to do with my being a native Noo Yawker; I don't know.  We denizens who grew up on that fair Isle of Manhattan, boroughs and all, are known for being somewhat cynical, yet big-hearted, no-nonsense, very real, and inclusive.  Perhaps this background makes me impatient and irritated with the Hallmark formula which seems to equate family values with a kind of pristine inauthenticity that negates life itself.  We don't have to live inside a bubble to embrace good clean family values.  Yes, life is messy, destructive, coarse, lurid, stupid, suffocating, mindless and full of grief; who doesn't want to "get away" from all of it?  But not in some perpetually smiling small town where joy and passion seem tamped down to avoid even the sliver of a thought related to unpleasantness.

I don't want to come on this board and never say anything positive but it is getting harder and harder to find the golden nuggets!

Everyone -- have a Happy Passover and Blessed Easter!

[ctlady]

19 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

I really try to find some redemptive qualities about these Hallmark efforts but they are so few and far between

I know - which is why it's been hard to find positive things to say.  But critique is a 2-way street - it's not always positive.  But I do have to say that this board is far more active than the Lifetime Movie board.  I think I may have been the last one to post there.  Those movies are just as ridiculous, if not moreso

The last HM movie I really enjoyed was North To Home.  The only glaring eye roll was the small suitcase syndrome - fitting 2 weeks worth of clothes, coats, accessories and toiletries into one roller suitcase.

[bankerchick]

28 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

We denizens who grew up on that fair Isle of Manhattan, boroughs and all, are known for being somewhat cynical, yet big-hearted, no-nonsense, very real, and inclusive. 

As a mid-size city dweller getting on the subway in Manhattan and hesitating once I stepped inside the car, I was advised rather firmly to 'keep moving, this is New York.'  The next day when the bus driver insisted on exact change, nearly every single person on that bus reached into their pocket to either find change for a $5 or just to offer me what change they had towards the fare (which, as it turns out, the driver waived anyway.)  

[Bronx Babe]

I love the title "North to Home".  It's poignant and cozy, and gives me a somewhat bittersweet feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I haven't seen the movie, though.

That old adage "you can't go home again", is never true in a Hallmark movie and I frankly resent the characters who can take off to The Big Bad City but are able to return to their town, family business and beautiful old childhood house/ranch.  Sure, there is usually a change or two, such as the inevitable Hallmark parent who "passed away" (never "dies") when the lead was in high school, but other than that, they are able to pick up where they left off, secure in the knowledge that the whole town welcomes them back, lol.

[Bronx Babe]

4 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

As a mid-size city dweller getting on the subway in Manhattan and hesitating once I stepped inside the car, I was advised rather firmly to 'keep moving, this is New York.'  The next day when the bus driver insisted on exact change, nearly every single person on that bus reached into their pocket to either find change for a $5 or just to offer me what change they had towards the fare (which, as it turns out, the driver waived anyway.)  

Thanks for sharing this, bankerchick!

We're not all cranky misanthropes in The Big Apple!

[bankerchick]

18 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

That old adage "you can't go home again", is never true in a Hallmark movie and I frankly resent the characters who can take off to The Big Bad City but are able to return to their town, family business and beautiful old childhood house/ranch.  Sure, there is usually a change or two, such as the inevitable Hallmark parent who "passed away" (never "dies") when the lead was in high school, but other than that, they are able to pick up where they left off, secure in the knowledge that the whole town welcomes them back, lol.

Of course as members of a family that ranches or farms all of the kids would be involved, but if someone has moved away for 15 years, even if they come home occasionally (which none of them ever seem to do) they probably don't do much work when they're there.  Yet in times of crisis, not only can they come home, they know everything about ranching and can pick up right where they left off.  Apparently nothing about it has changed or modernized and that irritating yet ruggedly handsome former boyfriend turned farmhand who has been helping Dad every day has no idea what he's talking about.

[Bronx Babe]

What was the one where the spoiled Beverly Hills princess (not a real one) inherits a pumpkin farm and goes traipsing on her property wearing spiked heels?  She eventually falls into a pile of mud and of course is rescued by the handsome field hand.  Eventually she swaps her boutique wardrobe for something more mundane which is supposed to show a move away from shallow materialism towards the new country lifestyle.

I'll catch Love, Classified at another time when they re-run it, but Svengoolie has The Ghost of Frankenstein tonight!  One of my favorites!  Lon Chaney, Jr., Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, et. al.  

I caught Love and Sunshine.

I'm a sucker for a golden retreiver.  He was a sweetheart.  Forget that male lead -- I'd rather cuddle with the dog. (who has more personality than anyone in the cast)

[MerBearHou]

I’m watching The Irresistible Blueberry Farm for the umpteenth time because I seem to like everything Marc Blucas does.  He’s great with Alison Sweeney and the setting is just gorgeous.  I like the side characters and the story, so yep, it’s on rewatch for me.  I’m going to watch Always Amore which follows and will report back.  

To add to the things I roll my eyes at (like the huge coats that come out of one suitcase for the weekend), dumb shoes that are impractical for the situation.  I always feel like Hallmark must have very short actresses (like Lacey) who favor high heels regardless.  Stilettos walking in fields and at county fairs — craziness.  And Alison wears heels almost entirely in this Blueberry Farm movie — it just looks absurd for bright women to do so.

1 hour ago, Bronx Babe said:

What was the one where the spoiled Beverly Hills princess (not a real one) inherits a pumpkin farm and goes traipsing on her property wearing spiked heels?  She eventually falls into a pile of mud and of course is rescued by the handsome field hand.  Eventually she swaps her boutique wardrobe for something more mundane which is supposed to show a move away from shallow materialism towards the new country lifestyle.

Was Jessie Shramm in that one?  Another spiked heels idiocy!  

[bankerchick]

Don't forget all the movies where they show up to a ski chalet or other winter venue with knee high leather stiletto boots.  'What?  I'm wearing boots!  I'll be fine!' then a boring 5 minute sequence of her trying to navigate the snow before the hunky actor takes her to the local store to buy something more appropriate.

 

[Cetacean]

3 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I love the title "North to Home".  It's poignant and cozy, and gives me a somewhat bittersweet feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I haven't seen the movie, though.

Take the time to watch it.  It's a rare find, definitely different than the usual.  I have actually rewatched it which is one in a million for me.

[Bronx Babe]

That is praise indeed, Cetacean!  I will definitely check out NORTH TO HOME.  Thanks for this heads-up.

4 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

 

Was Jessie Shramm in that one?  Another spiked heels idiocy!  

I'm afraid Lacey Chabert and CCB are the only two I know by name.   All the rest are just passing mermaid-hair heads to me.

[Irlandesa]

I ended up enjoying Love Classified quite a bit.  In fact, one misstep kept it from being my favorite of the year but I'll get to the quibbles at the end.

First, I was not expecting it to be so lesbian forward. I knew one of the stories in the compilation would be between two women based on the commercials but I really thought it'd end up being a lower tier romance the way the brother's ended up being because that's usually the way it works.

And not only were they featured so prominently, I also thought they had terrific chemistry.  In fact, I think everyone in the movie, from romantic pairings to family, had good chemistry.  But I really felt it in a way that I didn't when Lifetime did its lesbian-focused Christmas movie.

It also was a really good blend of the more dramatic aspects (kids feeling abandoned) and the comedic aspects.  One of the biggest laughs I got was what happened when the son saw his mother for the first time.  Or when they were in the hospital and Steve Bacic's character asked Melora Hardin's character if they should call in a nurse and she's like "no nurse, my daughter is dating a doctor!"

But on to my quibbles:

I couldn't figure out what kind of app this was that allowed people to leave anonymous notes looking for people to hang out but it doesn't have an area for age or gender?  That just seems less than ideal even if it did lead to laughter and the lesbian meet cute.

And I tend to like Steve Bacic and wouldn't have had a problem with his inclusion as Melora Hardin's love interest BUT the Paul Campbell "cameo?" ruined that all for me. 

Because yes, people, he shows up in this movie too--once again as some random bartender.  Except, unlike in previous movies where it's blink and you miss him, he actually got a significant scene with Melora's character and they were fuckin' delightful together. He should have been her love interest.  I get that Steve Bacic is closer to her in age but I'd absolutely her to be the kind of woman who could easily attract men 10 years younger than she is.

And had they done that, this movie would have been darn near perfect.  As it is, I think it's very rewatchable for me. 

 

 

[bankerchick]

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

BUT the Paul Campbell "cameo?" ruined that all for me. 

I nearly stroked out when I read this, but I'm glad I kept reading.  You're right, he was delightful, as he always is and I did squeal when I saw him.  I think he's too young for her  (mind you I'm older than her and I'd do him in a NY minute!) and that pink blouse she was wearing was hideous.  And the hair.  The awful hair. I kept hoping he might become her sounding board and we might get a few more scenes.  But I wouldn't have objected to a love relationship between them.

Her drinking, which even her doctor mentioned, was very un-Hallmark but also realistic for a woman who ran away from her children.

I don't know, do 30 year old women suddenly realize they're lesbians?

And what about the flower store employee?  No happy wrap up for her?  She was the only one sitting at the dinner table at the end who was not matched up. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

I think he's too young for her 

Their age difference is 12  years.  Not nothing but we see that often with genders flipped.  I think the chemistry would've carried it.

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

I don't know, do 30 year old women suddenly realize they're lesbians?

The movie never labeled her.  Frankie is a lesbian.  Taylor just found herself attracted to Frankie so she could land anywhere on the spectrum from bi, pan (if her attraction is largely Frankie specific) or lesbian.

But women finding themselves attracted to other women or realizing they're attracted to other women happens at many ages. Realizing their sexuality is more fluid than they previously thought doesn't happen to most women but it's common enough that I've known women who entered into relationships with women for the first time in their 40s and 50s.

[bankerchick]

3 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Their age difference is 12  years.  Not nothing but we see that often with genders flipped.  I think the chemistry would've carried it.

I agree that Paul Campbell would probably have chemistry with anyone.  Strangely, I noticed he was not listed in the ending credits nor is it on IMDB, which has his Nine Kittens of Christmas (much smaller) credit listed.

[Woopwoopkitty]

To me there is a difference between snarkers and haters; love the former, loathe the latter.  I post less on this board than I used to because I choose to not add to the chorus of vitriol and negativity, so I only post brief positive messages.  It’s not that I don’t have plenty to criticize or things about the movies that I would change.  But in a way, I like them for what they are at the core - predictable, sappy, full of plot holes, and poor footwear choices included. They are feel good movies for me that surprisingly aren’t the life I lead nor the life I desire but fulfill a part of me nonetheless.

I’m for tweaking the movies but not changing what they are at the core  They are rom coms, that is the Hallmark brand.  I roll my eyes as much as anybody at the lack of pre-marital relations, but I don’t want them sexed up in the last.  I agree that it’s unrealistic that nobody swears in the movies, but I vote for keeping the language squeaky clean.  It’s been suggested that the women in these movies are out of the 1950’s.  I disagree.  The women in these movies are for the most part strong independent successful women.  Doctors, authors, aspiring marketing executives, and entrepreneurs who live in nice houses with nice clothes and nice cars.  Rarely a WALMart greeter or grocery store cashier living paycheck to paycheck. Even when the business they run is lame (e.g. a store that sells Santa hats), they are nonetheless not at home raising babies and sending the husband out the door in the morning with a brown bag a briefcase and a kiss on the cheek so they can go be as one with the vacuum cleaner. Just because they are looking for a loving meaningful committed relationship - which by the way is what most humans want - it doesn’t make them weak.  It’s been suggested that once in a while the woman choose no one. Again, these are rom coms, not women empowerment movies.

There are plenty of edgier alternatives on the tube for those who want it.  Should Hallmark stray too far from the formula they have they will lose more viewers. Why does Hallmark have to be all things to all people?

I came to this site from ones I PReVIOUSLY frequented with people who were WITHOUT PITY.  I’ve enjoyed the wit and intellectual banter and insights that some many contribute, but I don’t appreciate the name calling.  Referring to people as “pearl clutching hausfraus” and “nutty homophobes” does not encourage open dialogue and respectful debate.  While I’m not the group being targeted, I also have choice words for those at the other end of the spectrum who shut down dissent and engage in virtue signaling. 

Keep the snark alive!

 

 

[Kemper]

Woopwoopkitty….wonderful, wonderful post. You said it all; and it is exactly the way I feel. I came to Hallmark movies late…like two years ago.  I was always “above” the movies; I considered them sappy and not worth my time. I mean, come on…being courted by a prince; keeping a candy cane factory going, etc.  Then there were the handsome, vanilla men. Mary-Poppins-cheery women. Sadly, all with the same hairstyle. The movies seemed to be geared towards the twenty-something set.

Then the pandemic hit; we were isolated; there was simply no good news. So I started watching a few Hallmark movies. Here and there. Still thought they were sappy and a bit ridiculous. So….

Things started to get a bit better with the pandemic, things started returning to normal. And that is when we realized that our world was forever changed. We had to adjust to a new normal. But the Hallmark movies stayed basically the same. Pure, sometimes ridiculous escapism. And I will take it. 

I may be in the minority but I like the older movies better than many of the newer ones. I prefer the sappy and silly to aspirational. I don’t enjoy the match-making kids. Or a feel-good tearjerker.  Hallmark seems to finally be trying to embrace diversity.  Finally. But I am here for the over-the-top Christmas-decorated houses. Hot cocoa. Blinding white teeth. The many winter coats. Hometown past boyfriends. Pure escapism.  I have enjoyed some new faces taking the lead; but I would not like to see many of the familiar faces go completely.  Yes, a low bar.

 

 

[ctlady]

6 hours ago, Kemper said:

I may be in the minority but I like the older movies better than many of the newer ones. I prefer the sappy and silly to aspirational. I don’t enjoy the match-making kids. Or a feel-good tearjerker.  Hallmark seems to finally be trying to embrace diversity.  Finally. But I am here for the over-the-top Christmas-decorated houses. Hot cocoa. Blinding white teeth. The many winter coats. Hometown past boyfriends. Pure escapism.  I have enjoyed some new faces taking the lead; but I would not like to see many of the familiar faces go completely.  Yes, a low bar.

I'm in that same minority.  The HoF movies are just so much more well done.  I saw one when I was home sick in January called Pictures of Hollis Woods with Sissy Spacek.  You can just tell by the quality of the storytelling and original plot that it's not one of the 'churned off the conveyor belt' Hallmark offering

I can only take the OTT-ness if there is an unknown actress in the lead and not the usual suspects - especially Lacy, Danica, Jen Lily, Michele Williams - even Autumn and CCB.  Some of them still remind me of the kids/teens they portrayed in sitcoms long ago so it's tough to wrap my head around them being in a romantic lead.  I much prefer a new crop of unknowns, if I could only be that fortunate!

I really liked the movie about the food critic and the ice wine guy (forgot the name).  The actress was very likable, even with the black patent stiletto ankle boots trudging through crunchy icy vineyards

[luvthepros]

On 4/16/2022 at 8:35 PM, MerBearHou said:

I’m watching The Irresistible Blueberry Farm for the umpteenth time because I seem to like everything Marc Blucas does.  He’s great with Alison Sweeney and the setting is just gorgeous.  I like the side characters and the story, so yep, it’s on rewatch for me.  I’m going to watch Always Amore which follows and will report back.  

To add to the things I roll my eyes at (like the huge coats that come out of one suitcase for the weekend), dumb shoes that are impractical for the situation.  I always feel like Hallmark must have very short actresses (like Lacey) who favor high heels regardless.  Stilettos walking in fields and at county fairs — craziness.  And Alison wears heels almost entirely in this Blueberry Farm movie — it just looks absurd for bright women to do so.

Was Jessie Shramm in that one?  Another spiked heels idiocy!  

Yes, that was Jesse Schramm.

[kirinan]

Candace Cameron Bure Makes Move to GAC Family. I would normally say this is a mega-shock, except GAC is probably a better home for her now. But wow, this has to hurt Hallmark’s bottom line, because she’s popular among a big segment of their viewers.

[MerBearHou]

7 minutes ago, kirinan said:

Candace Cameron Bure Makes Move to GAC Family. I would normally say this is a mega-shock, except GAC is probably a better home for her now. But wow, this has to hurt Hallmark’s bottom line, because she’s popular among a big segment of their viewers.

Big news in the Hallmark world.  Since she covers both rom-com and her mystery series, that is a major loss for them.  

[ctlady]

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

Big news in the Hallmark world.  Since she covers both rom-com and her mystery series, that is a major loss for them.

Not a CCB fan - not even the sappy mysteries.  I really wish they'd bring back Kelli Martin's Mystery Woman series instead of having to watch CCB sleuth all over town in stilettos, pastel colored coat, beachy, wavy hair carrying an empty over the arm satchel and empty coffee cup.

Anyone who may have Spectrum (Charter), see if you can go to Hallmark On Demand to the movie list.  Two extremely well done movies are The Seventh Stream and Blackwater Lightship  Not very 'romancy' - the first one is more supernatural for lack of a better word and the latter is a small town family drama.  Both I believe are set in Ireland.  I enjoyed them very much and will most likely watch again

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Big news in the Hallmark world.  Since she covers both rom-com and her mystery series, that is a major loss for them.  

The article says it doesn't cover mystery series.  I'm not saying she'll continue with Aurora but unlike previous announcements, they're specifying the kind of movies she's exclusive for with GAC.

3 hours ago, kirinan said:

Candace Cameron Bure Makes Move to GAC Family. I would normally say this is a mega-shock, except GAC is probably a better home for her now. But wow, this has to hurt Hallmark’s bottom line, because she’s popular among a big segment of their viewers.

She is.  But she has only done maybe one movie a year on the regular Hallmark channel for the past few years? 

I think it'll depend on how loyal her fans would be to things she didn't create.

I am surprised that she waited this long before making the move. I wonder if she was playing both channels up against one another but GAC gave her more creative control over more than just her movies.

But it also explains why Hallmark seemingly has started to get into these deals as well.  Before GAC, I don't recall them ever doing these exclusive-type deals they've done with people like  Lacy.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Irlandesa

[Veronica]

Other than the Aurora Teagarden mysteries, CCB has only made Christmas movies for Hallmark. Her last non-AT and non-Christmas movie, was 5-7 years ago. 

I don’t think she’ll be missed as much as she thinks she’ll be missed. 

[norcalgal]

1 minute ago, Veronica said:

Other than the Aurora Teagarden mysteries, CCB has only made Christmas movies for Hallmark. Her last non-AT and non-Christmas movie, was 5-7 years ago. 

I don’t think she’ll be missed as much as she thinks she’ll be missed. 

I know I won't miss her if she doesn't make any more Hallmark movies.  Frankly, I enjoy her peformances as DJ on Fuller House more than her performances on Hallmark. (Maybe that's due to how she has a rapport with the rest of the FH cast).