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

[DanaMB]

Watching Moriah’s Lighthouse. Did this male lead seriously complain about not being able to order anything to eat because everyone spoke French? While he is in France??? Not sure I’ll finish this one. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by DanaMB

[Cetacean]

3 hours ago, DanaMB said:

Not sure I’ll finish this one. 

And it doesn't get much better.

[DanaMB]

16 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

And it doesn't get much better.

I gave up. 

[luvthepros]

On 6/23/2022 at 9:05 PM, Clawdette said:

I hadn’t really paid attention to the Two Tickets to Paradise preview that air during my Monk marathons, but after reading the comments here about Ashley Williams, I did watch today. I really didn’t see that she was not aging well; thought she looked fine. 

I'm glad to hear that. I haven't see the movie yet, just have seen the trailers.

[Bronx Babe]

Was watching one where the lead actress scores in a dart game and wins an adorable little white stuffed bear. Takes it to a restaurant with the male lead.  Next shot we see someone coming over to greet them.  But -- no bear!  Absent!  He is no more!  Bereft of life! Has gone on to meet The Toymaker!  This is an ex-bear! (with apologies to Monty Python)  I sobbed!

Moriah's Lighthouse, in "France" where the entire cast speaks with a French-Canadian accent.....

[Bronx Babe]

Then there's the one (more often than not, these titles escape me) where the leads order strawberry chocolate crepes from a food cart, where their order is finished in literally 3 seconds.  They sit down but don't eat a bite.  Lead male is strategically filmed at a side angle where we see him making fake chewing mouth motions.

[Bronx Babe]

Might have been Love to the Rescue or another of those men-look-sexy-and-nurturing-holding-small animals stories.

But this guy is the last person we see holding that bear -- segue into Dateline with Keith Morrison interviewing him!

[Veronica]

I thought Two Tickets to Paradise was cute. 

[giovannif7]

I enjoyed Two Tickets to Paradise a lot more than any of the recent new originals. I especially appreciated the handling of the endings of the two prior relationships that needed to end in order for the main couple to get together. Having the leads process each of their "dumped at the altar" scenarios throughout the movie, leading to mature, adult discussions that provided closure and allow everyone to move on without portraying any of the players as the total "villain" or "victim" was surprisingly insightful for a Hallmark script. Additionally, I thought Ryan Paevey and Ashley Williams had a nice chemistry throughout as Josh and Hannah, and I really enjoyed all of the secondary characters, especially Josh's second mom Alice and fellow honeymooners Cal and Nick, who were fun and supportive without overdoing it. Plus, the wildlife footage and location shots during their adventures were gorgeous.

My one minor quibble was that I never really bought the aspect of Paevey's character as being a self-proclaimed "constantly driven," "can't sit still" and "Go, Go, Go!" type, given the actor's natural laid-back, take it as it comes demeanor. I would have either tweaked the character in the script once Paevey was cast, or gone with one of the other Hallmark actors that exudes more of a determined, Type-A personality. The actress who played his dumper Becca didn't come across as the similar "can't slow down" character that was written either, so maybe a rewrite would have improved that aspect. A minor quibble though, as I said - overall, I enjoyed the film a lot, and would happily rewatch.

[ehall1052]

Re: Two tickets….. it looked like Ryan was really surfing!  And those Hawaiian waves aren’t very little! Good for him.

[memememe76]

I was impressed by Two Tickets to Paradise as well. The actors had good chemistry and Ashley Williams did a good job of handling the humour and sadness of her situation (when she tones down on the hamming, she can be quite compelling). The other couple and the hotel hostess were strong supporting characters. 

[Bronx Babe]

Two Tickets to Paradise -- Ashley as dumped bride sequesters herself in the hotel bathroom, where we see not only the toilet but toilet paper!  I was impressed! Hallmark finally realizing their characters are human beings!

Although -- the lead actor is sitting down with the family friend and plates of food are before them including full glasses of orange juice.  They have been having a conversation about his ex, then get up without eating and never return.  So....some things remain the same, including Williams acting like a squealing ten year old during the Haunted Hawaii tour.  "I'm so scared! I want to leave!"  

[Bronx Babe]

I know I'm a nitpicker, lol.....Ashley says she has always wanted to have a fresh coconut drink in Hawaii (out of the shell); then when she and Ryan find a stand, only takes an itty-bitty sip and plays with her straw....

[voiceover]

Very charmed by Two Tickets…, and this from someone who wasn’t a Ryan Paevey fan until today.

A nice story, with terrific support by the island scenery and the rest of the cast.  I really liked the long convos between the main characters — realistic about life change, and their gradual warming-up worked for me.

Needed more macking at the end tho 😜

[Irlandesa]

This was Ashley's best role since October Kiss. (And I think she looked the same as in that movie so I agree about her looking fine and age appropriate for Ryan, who had a gray streak.)

I think her character was written well with the right amount of humor, sadness and, even better, confusion.  Ryan's character was less developed but for once, I actually didn't hate him as a lead romantic interest.

Cal and Nick felt a touch over-the-top.  Are honeymooners really that eager to join another couple?  But I was happy to see them at the flash forward marriage. 

Since they were already planning to jump ahead, I think I would've appreciated the ending where the two decide to date instead of making Ashley say she finally did realize what love was.  I think it would have worked better had she said "I think I have a better idea now than a week ago" and had them just go out on a date.  Instead, it seems like they both realized what they thought was love wasn't love but they jump right into another "in love" relationship.

But overall, an enjoyable movie.  The travelogue aspect wasn't too rote and the character/story part was actually a cut above. For instance, I love that the sister or the mother was worried about her ruining the dress which sounds like it belonged to one of them.

[Artsda]

I saw 2 tickets to paradise. Ryan was good casting, Ashley wasn't.  I did like the movie though.

[voiceover]

Grazie, Tyler & Autumn.  That was the macking-at-the-end I was looking for!😬

PS: Made me overlook those new bangs.

[Clawdette]

Another thing I liked about Two Tickets to Paradise: no jealousy from misunderstood situations.  Everything was so straight-forward and the "getting to know you" part progressed very naturally. And the two lead characters - thanks to Ashley and Ryan - really appeared to be having fun.

Regarding Ryan's surfing:  yep, that's him.  I read an interview in which he talked about his love of surfing and how he lobbied to do his own (knowing that production companies often refuse to let actors do their own stunts).

[ShelleySue]

20 hours ago, giovannif7 said:

I enjoyed Two Tickets to Paradise a lot more than any of the recent new originals. I especially appreciated the handling of the endings of the two prior relationships that needed to end in order for the main couple to get together. Having the leads process each of their "dumped at the altar" scenarios throughout the movie, leading to mature, adult discussions that provided closure and allow everyone to move on without portraying any of the players as the total "villain" or "victim" was surprisingly insightful for a Hallmark script.

10 hours ago, Clawdette said:

Another thing I liked about Two Tickets to Paradise: no jealousy from misunderstood situations.  Everything was so straight-forward and the "getting to know you" part progressed very naturally. And the two lead characters - thanks to Ashley and Ryan - really appeared to be having fun.

I agree with both of those things.  I was ready for a big rebound romance that was going to make my eyes roll. I was sure I was going to be screaming, "TOO SOON!!!" at the tv screen. I actually liked the way that it was handled.

This weekend my husband and I went away for the weekend.  I think that something must be wrong with me.  We stayed at a very nice hotel.  We stopped and asked the concierge a few questions. But we didn't end up being best friends for the weekend.  She didn't even know my name. I'm not sure what I did wrong.  My expectation was that we'd be having coffee together at least once and that she would solve an existential crisis for me. I wonder what other false expectations Hallmark movies have given me about life.

[norcalgal]

17 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

This was Ashley's best role since October Kiss. (And I think she looked the same as in that movie so I agree about her looking fine and age appropriate for Ryan, who had a gray streak.)

I think her character was written well with the right amount of humor, sadness and, even better, confusion.  Ryan's character was less developed but for once, I actually didn't hate him as a lead romantic interest.

Cal and Nick felt a touch over-the-top.  Are honeymooners really that eager to join another couple?  But I was happy to see them at the flash forward marriage. 

Since they were already planning to jump ahead, I think I would've appreciated the ending where the two decide to date instead of making Ashley say she finally did realize what love was.  I think it would have worked better had she said "I think I have a better idea now than a week ago" and had them just go out on a date.  Instead, it seems like they both realized what they thought was love wasn't love but they jump right into another "in love" relationship.

But overall, an enjoyable movie.  The travelogue aspect wasn't too rote and the character/story part was actually a cut above. For instance, I love that the sister or the mother was worried about her ruining the dress which sounds like it belonged to one of them.

ITA to all this.  Great summation of my own feelings about this movie - one of the very few I've watched on Hallmark lately.

[Jaded]

Andie MacDowell Boards Hallmark's New Family/Time Travel Drama

 

Quote

MacDowell will play Del, matriarch of the Landry family and a pillar of the close-knit community of her small, Canadian farm town. She and her daughter Kat have been estranged from each other following tragic events that left their family forever changed and prompted Kat to move away. When Kat unexpectedly returns many years later with her teenage daughter whom Del has never met, the three generations of women embark on an enlightening journey to find their way back to each other and learn important lessons about their family’s past.

[Bronx Babe]

Do you think Hallmark will ever drop their tropes and do something along the lines of, say, MURPHY'S ROMANCE (James Garner and Sally Field) or THE MATCHMAKER (1997; Janeane Garafolo in Ireland)?  Or do they truly think "If it's not broke, don't fix it"?

[Bronx Babe]

On 6/27/2022 at 10:53 AM, ShelleySue said:

I agree with both of those things.  I was ready for a big rebound romance that was going to make my eyes roll. I was sure I was going to be screaming, "TOO SOON!!!" at the tv screen. I actually liked the way that it was handled.

This weekend my husband and I went away for the weekend.  I think that something must be wrong with me.  We stayed at a very nice hotel.  We stopped and asked the concierge a few questions. But we didn't end up being best friends for the weekend.  She didn't even know my name. I'm not sure what I did wrong.  My expectation was that we'd be having coffee together at least once and that she would solve an existential crisis for me. I wonder what other false expectations Hallmark movies have given me about life.

lol  I got the feeling that the overly friendly and helpful Hawaiian concierge woman was "filling in" for Ashley's stateside friend who wanted to come over but was told she wasn't needed.

[Cetacean]

5 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Do you think Hallmark will ever drop their tropes...

And despite what they think, it IS broke or at least redundant to the extent of being a major snooze.  But they won't change it because someone would have to rewrite the whole playbook. So we're stuck with repetitive schlock.

[Bronx Babe]

Unfortunately I think this is true, Cetacean.   

I get so turned off by Hallmark's "corporate"-ness.  Yes,  every company has to think of the bottom line but why does it have to seep into almost every storyline?   The competitive-ness, the robotic Type A workaholic characters who even when they finally stop and smell the roses, are still thinking how to market those roses into a more "gentle" business model.

It's just all very weird, lol.

Oh, and remember how I go on and on about a lot of science-fiction/alien/outer space references in many of their scripts?  Turns out to be not some crazy "conspiracy" type thing in my own mind, lol -- there's an online article stating that more than a few Hallmark writers come from that field -- horror/sci-fi movie directors and the like!

[Bronx Babe]

I know Hallmark certainly has the capacity to do better along these lines, but they choose to value quantity over quality.  Would it be so financially negative for the company to cut back on the sausage factory output and instead concentrate on more original productions?  Or do they view these tropes cynically -- "this is what the audience loves and keeps tuning in for without any critical perspective" 

But their audience from what I can glean are all highly intelligent and perceptive individuals who do see through the well-worn formula -- even to the point of snark -- and yet still embrace it on a deeply emotional level.  I know -- we all want a "perfect" world; hell so do I.   I'm not talking about substituting anything super-gritty or "distasteful" (although the latter is subjective), I just think escapism needs to be more.....down to earth, if that makes any sense!

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, Bronx Babe said:

Would it be so financially negative for the company to cut back on the sausage factory output and instead concentrate on more original productions?

I am guessing so although 90% of their commercials are repetitive and run 24/7.  How many St. Judes, Save the Elephants, Balsam Hill, and Persil commercials are paying for this schlock?  

[kirinan]

4 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

I know Hallmark certainly has the capacity to do better along these lines, but they choose to value quantity over quality.  Would it be so financially negative for the company to cut back on the sausage factory output and instead concentrate on more original productions?  Or do they view these tropes cynically -- "this is what the audience loves and keeps tuning in for without any critical perspective" 

But their audience from what I can glean are all highly intelligent and perceptive individuals who do see through the well-worn formula -- even to the point of snark -- and yet still embrace it on a deeply emotional level.  I know -- we all want a "perfect" world; hell so do I.   I'm not talking about substituting anything super-gritty or "distasteful" (although the latter is subjective), I just think escapism needs to be more.....down to earth, if that makes any sense!

You'd think, especially with the Hallmark Hausfrau contingent probably headed in large part over to GAC or whatever that new station is called, that they'd feel like they could ease up on the formula just a bit. I used to want to write a Hallmark movie, now I have no desire to because the tropes they rely on ad nauseam (especially the uptight workaholic woman, grr) are all the ones that will make me turn off a movie.

Edited June 30, 2022 by kirinan

[john Allday]

25 minutes ago, kirinan said:

You'd think, especially with the Hallmark Hausfrau contingent probably headed in large part over to GAC or whatever that new station is called, that they'd feel like they could ease up on the formula just a bit. I used to want to write a Hallmark movie, now I have no desire to because the tropes they rely on ad nauseam (especially the uptight workaholic woman, grr) are all the ones that will make me turn off a movie.

Hallmark might lose a substantial amount of its audience to GAC. If they change their format and abandon the tropes that made the channel what it was. They will speed up the process of audience turnover. If anything, they might double down on their proven methodology if the ratings warrant it.

It is too soon to tell as the movies that GAC are any good as they have not yet reached the market. If they are quality productions that might put a big dent in the Hallmark Channel, If Hallmark abandon their tropes, they will become like everybody else. If they are like everyone else why would you watch Hallmark?

It's the New Coke all over again.

Edited June 30, 2022 by john Allday

[Irlandesa]

I think Hallmark has already shaken up some of the formula.  There has been a time travel movie.  There are more family movies.  It's not always about big city/small town competition.  There has been LGBTQ romance and content. 

Yes, it still has movies that introduce stupid misunderstandings but where it used to be a requirement, a lot of movies have gotten away with not having them.  It still has movies with the small town/big town conflict but there has been a decided increase where it was not. 

Is it financially advantageous to keep turning out new movies?  Yep.  Apparently, they're very cheap to make and it keeps people in the habit of checking out the channel for movies.  People might have their attention wander if there is too much time in between movies.  Even when they did fewer movies, there were still plenty of duds. 

As for the financial advantage to the tropes--you can escape Hallmark but you can't escape the tropes.

[Bronx Babe]

Guys, guess what??  I saw AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT for the first time today and........I....kind of......liked it!  Yes, there were the usual Hallmark tropes -- ridiculous premise of developers wanting to tear down an authentic Irish castle and replace it with something modern; lead actress falling/stumbling (in this case almost tripping over a small mud pile); the interrupted kiss.....BUT!  I fell head over heels for the male lead!  Yes!  Not the usual wooden, bland, model type at all but a real Irishman!  Looked a bit like Gary Oldman or someone like that.  I couldn't believe it!  And the female lead was actually charming!  The two of them definitely had chemistry!  Filmed in Ireland, not some fake location!  And there is a real yearly matchmaking festival in some Irish town -- the name escapes me but they do feature it in a film I coincidentally referenced -- The Matchmaker.  (in fact, on the imdb board, a reviewer says As Luck Would Have It is the Hallmark version of that movie.  I agree)  

[Bronx Babe]

In fact, I was so excited waiting for the next appearance of "Brennan" that I (almost) didn't care about mermaid hair or the obligatory talk about marketing pitches!

[Crs97]

Allen Leech from Downton Abbey fame and JoAnna Garcia from Sweet Magnolias have good chemistry and such a nice rapport on camera that they really elevate  As Luck Would Have It.  Frankly, I don’t know how Hallmark got them on board.

[MerBearHou]

13 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Guys, guess what??  I saw AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT for the first time today and........I....kind of......liked it!  Yes, there were the usual Hallmark tropes -- ridiculous premise of developers wanting to tear down an authentic Irish castle and replace it with something modern; lead actress falling/stumbling (in this case almost tripping over a small mud pile); the interrupted kiss.....BUT!  I fell head over heels for the male lead!  Yes!  Not the usual wooden, bland, model type at all but a real Irishman!  Looked a bit like Gary Oldman or someone like that.  I couldn't believe it!  And the female lead was actually charming!  The two of them definitely had chemistry!  Filmed in Ireland, not some fake location!  And there is a real yearly matchmaking festival in some Irish town -- the name escapes me but they do feature it in a film I coincidentally referenced -- The Matchmaker.  (in fact, on the imdb board, a reviewer says As Luck Would Have It is the Hallmark version of that movie.  I agree)  

One of my very favorites!  I have watched it a few times -- delightful, different, gorgeous scenery, unique story, charming side characters, great leads with true chemistry!

[Bronx Babe]

MerBearHou, I was delightfully surprised!  Hallmark can indeed turn out a winner when they want to!

Now, from the sublime to the ridiculous -- Christmas Made To Order, another holiday "classic" where the scarily manipulative script has the characters repeating the word Christmas every five seconds in order to make the audience respond in a drooling Pavlovian way.

The Mistletoe Secret is playing in the background.

"Honey, where did you find this guy?" -- "Ah found him sneakin' into the restaurant askin' fer pah!"

Not making fun of the accent -- just glad that something is authentic in a Hallmark movie!

Of course, as soon as the lead actor takes a bite of her pie, he intones "This is the best I ever tasted!"  What else is new?

[bankerchick]

19 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Guys, guess what??  I saw AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT for the first time today and........I....kind of......liked it! 

This is exactly why we keep tuning in.  Some movies are just winners.  It's like when I golf.  It only takes one good shot per game to get me coming back.

Christmas In July starts tonight with Nine Kittens of Christmas.  At least for those of us celebrating Canada Day today.  My PVR will be working overtime over the next few weeks to make sure I grab all the good ones.  Then I can watch one of those when a really bad new movie is on.

[Cetacean]

47 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Christmas In July starts tonight with Nine Kittens of Christmas. 

It starts tonight?  They have been running Christmas movies non-stop for days!

Edited July 1, 2022 by Cetacean
spelling

[bankerchick]

6 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

It starts tonight?  They have been running Christmas movies non-stop for days!

W Network is starting tonight.  After all, yesterday would have actually been Christmas in June 😉

[Lugal]

On 6/21/2022 at 7:03 PM, Mittengirl said:

It made no sense that he seemed so shocked (confused?) that France was “different”, yet he presented himself as an experienced world traveler.  Has he only ever been to countries that have English as its predominant language?

It would have made more sense if everyone in the village spoke Breton.  Then he would have more of an excuse for not knowing the language/understanding the differences.

On 6/25/2022 at 10:17 AM, Bronx Babe said:

Moriah's Lighthouse, in "France" where the entire cast speaks with a French-Canadian accent.....

Brittany, Normandy and that area were where most of the early settlers to Quebec came from, so that could explain it.  Or maybe I'm putting too much thought into this.

[Justaguest]

On 6/19/2022 at 5:19 PM, Cetacean said:

I just started to watch and am immediately incensed because it's so far removed from the book that it doesn't deserve the title.

While I agree with you that if your end film is going to be nothing like a book, just call it something else. But there was a really interesting podcast with Paul Campbell. Toward the end they talk about Moriah's Lighthouse and he talks about various obstacles they encountered that continually made the film stray further from the book.
It's Technically Romance (w/Paul Campbell)

Definitely worth a listen for the Paul fans.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really like Christmas Under Wraps, and they're running it again this evening.   I think it's really fun, and the supporting cast members are all fun.   

[twoods]

Is that the one with CCB before she was a shrieky constant of Hallmark? I liked that one as well. 

[Bronx Babe]

Never Kiss A Man In A Christmas Sweater:

"These blueberry waffles are the best I ever had!"

 

Attack of the Puppet People on Svengoolie tonight.

I won't make jokes.

[CrazyInAlabama]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

Is that the one with CCB before she was a shrieky constant of Hallmark? I liked that one as well. 

Yes, it was made in 2014, and I like that she accepts the entire reality in Garland.   I like all of the supporting cast.  

[ECM1231]

So, all the Christmas in July Hallmark movies are reruns? When are we getting new movies?

[windsprints]

27 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

So, all the Christmas in July Hallmark movies are reruns? When are we getting new movies?

I don't know if it's the first new one but next Sat. there is a new one.

[voiceover]

Ages since I’ve seen Crown for Christmas (eh; “ages”, “last December”, same diff), and I was happier than usual to wade into it tonight.  Even though I knew it was coming, I still laughed at Ally’s/Danica’s toast (“…to those who’ve seen us at our best, and..at our worst…and can’t tell the difference!”).

Part of my thrill no doubt stemmed from switching over from Season 4 of Yellowstone.  It was like having a cleanse.  With ice cream.

[Bort]

I hate the Christmas in July theme. I’m sorry, but I do not want to watch Christmas movies when it’s 100° outside.

[Lisa418722]

3 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I hate the Christmas in July theme. I’m sorry, but I do not want to watch Christmas movies when it’s 100° outside.

I refuse to watch any Christmas movies when the feel like temperature is over 100 degrees.   I don't like them starting in October either,  but at least the weather is more appropriate.   

[Cetacean]

4 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I hate the Christmas in July theme. I’m sorry, but I do not want to watch Christmas movies when it’s 100° outside.

And it takes away the whole special feeling that the holidays should bring.  Watching the whole "snowball fight, hot cocoa, ice skating, snowman contests" whilst fireworks are going off is just plain wrong and cheapens the message.