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

[kirinan]

4 hours ago, DanaMB said:

I really liked We Wish You a Married Christmas. Of course, I love Kristoffer Polaha so that helps. I liked the snarky humor. I felt the story was different enough not to feel like the same old same old. 

Same here! I wavered on Marisol Nichols' portrayal—some scenes, she came across to me as too unlikeably snotty in the way she talked down to people. But I thought she and Kristoffer Polaha (who I also love) nailed that stiff, awkward and even hurtful way partners often treat each other when they're mired in unhappiness and don't know how to get out of it. And it was so interesting to see the take on what can happen after the Hallmark "happily ever after" for a change. I would watch this one again.

Edited October 23, 2022 by kirinan

[norcalgal]

Random thoughts about Noel Next Door:

Why’d the kiddie carolers go to the condo complex if they could only sing for people living on the first floor?

the condo complex is a lawsuit (or two, three) waiting to happen with the electric cord not  taped down and the walkway not salted 

Jeremy’s blind date was such a horrid bee-yotch but also quite contradictory. If she had such a problem with his disability, weird she didn’t call it off the second she saw his cane. Second, she didn’t seem like the type to be ok eating at a casual diner yet she suggested the place.  

and co-signed to the person who posted that kid was so bratty choosing that one wall to kick his ball out of the many, many, many walls to choose from  AND he deliberately kicked a ball at a guy with a disability as well as lying about A) not kicking against Jeremy’s wall & B), “not on purpose” kicking the ball straight into Jeremy’s face. 

the whole time they were sitting talking about classical music, I couldn’t concentrate because of Nat’s ginormous ear muffs. Just way too big for a cozy intimate scene 

and GREAT point up thread how ridiculous it was the bunny got into Jeremy’s condo. How!? 

How the hell could “the neighbors” hear the confrontation between Jeremy and Noelle?  Nobody yelled or screamed. 

Are we supposed to believe they all got gifts for each other on Christmas Eve night!?  

how did Jeremy know how to contact Noelle’s sister for the “tree ceremony”?

only the chemistry between the two leads made this worthwhile to watch 

[Cetacean]

All of the ^ x 1000.  So many disjointed and idiotic plotlines. 

And the date said he was "making a scene" taking off his coat?  WTF?  

Definitely one for the dumpster for me.

[Irlandesa]

I still liked Noel Next Door more than some of you because the chemistry and the story were more interesting to me than many Christmas movies while some of the minor snafus---one of which I saw last night on rewatch--weren't as distracting.  A funny snafu I saw on rewatch was that at the concert, in the close up, the people behind Cory and Natalie's characters were black but in the wider shot, not a black person in sight. 

I did appreciate We Wish You A Married Christmas had good leads and some fun snark but all the Christmas stuff started to make the movie feel a little long. And I thought it was ridiculous that asking for two keys for a room was somehow seen as "oooh, marriage is in trouble."  That was the case for them but who doesn't want two keys?  Surely, at some point, they might want to do separate things even if it's one walking the dog. 

My bedtime movie was a recording of We Need A Little Christmas. It wasn't as sad or treacly as I feared.  I enjoyed the friendship in it and like that it didn't end with a kiss.  

Edited October 23, 2022 by Irlandesa

[kirinan]

18 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

And I thought it was ridiculous that asking for two keys for a room was somehow seen as "oooh, marriage is in trouble."  That was the case for them but who doesn't want two keys?  Surely, at some point, they might want to do separate things even if it's one walking the dog. 

My bedtime movie was a recording of We Need A Little Christmas. It wasn't as sad or treacly as I feared.  I enjoyed the friendship in it and like that it didn't end with a kiss.  

First item, totally agree! My husband and I always get two keys. What if my hands are full and I can’t reach my purse to get my key? What if my husband loses his key? What if I come back from a trip to the store and he’s in the shower? And yet somehow, two keys and all, we’ve managed to stay married for almost 35 years. So as much as I liked tho movie, that silliness made my eyes roll so hard they hurt. 

Second item, also totally agree. I was pre-disposed to like it because Erica Durance is a favorite of mine, but I just really enjoyed the whole thing. I thought Irene was a lovely character (loved her improvising the Christmas song with the kids), and I really liked the guy who played the restaurant owner. And I teared up at the memory box. 

Edited October 23, 2022 by kirinan

[twoods]

Yeah we always ask for two keys incase we lose one. Stupid reason to show strain to their marriage. 

[bankerchick]

6 hours ago, kirinan said:

10 hours ago, DanaMB said:

I really liked We Wish You a Married Christmas. Of course, I love Kristoffer Polaha so that helps. I liked the snarky humor. I felt the story was different enough not to feel like the same old same old. 

Same here! I wavered on Marisol Nichols' portrayal—some scenes, she came across to me as too unlikeably snotty in the way she talked down to people. But I thought she and Kristoffer Polaha (who I also love) nailed that stiff, awkward and even hurtful way partners often treat each other when they're mired in unhappiness and don't know how to get out of it. And it was so interesting to see the take on what can happen after the Hallmark "happily ever after" for a change. I would watch this one again.

I agree with all of this.  I wavered between snarking at her for being sort of a bitch sometimes, and having my heart break as I watched her realize she and her husband were living separate lives in the same house.  Kris Polaha was really good as usual.  Superficially, I found their height difference jarring and in some scenes, it looked as if they used shoepolish to fill in her eyebrows and shellac them into place.

Based on the comments here which I trust implicity, I am in no rush to watch Noel Next Door.

[norcalgal]

6 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I still liked Noel Next Door more than some of you because the chemistry and the story were more interesting to me than many Christmas movies while some of the minor snafus---one of which I saw last night on rewatch--weren't as distracting.  A funny snafu I saw on rewatch was that at the concert, in the close up, the people behind Cory and Natalie's characters were black but in the wider shot, not a black person in sight. 

I did appreciate We Wish You A Married Christmas had good leads and some fun snark but all the Christmas stuff started to make the movie feel a little long. And I thought it was ridiculous that asking for two keys for a room was somehow seen as "oooh, marriage is in trouble."  That was the case for them but who doesn't want two keys?  Surely, at some point, they might want to do separate things even if it's one walking the dog. 

Regarding what I underlined, what the heck!?  How does that happen? 
 

As for two keys, although I didn’t watch, I’m guessing the two keys is in reference to one hotel room? If so, every hotel we’ve stayed, reception just automatically gave us two keys. So yeah, weird to me that anyone would think that’s weird.

[Irlandesa]

49 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

Regarding what I underlined, what the heck!?  How does that happen? 

I suspect it's  COVID thing.  Like they had extras for an establishing shot or maybe they green screened around them and maybe put mannequins behind for the close ups.  The people in the background didn't look like they were moving.

We Wish You a Married Christmas also had some weird green screen looking close-ups at the end when they were declaring their love...again.

[bankerchick]

13 hours ago, norcalgal said:

As for two keys, although I didn’t watch, I’m guessing the two keys is in reference to one hotel room? If so, every hotel we’ve stayed, reception just automatically gave us two keys. So yeah, weird to me that anyone would think that’s weird.

Yes, exactly.  The hotelier handed them one key (the old fashioned kind, of course) and when she asked for a second key, there was the raised eyebrows and a bit of a snigger, as if there would be no reason for two people staying in the same room to need two keys unless there was trouble in paradise. 

[Bronx Babe]

"When the kismet cookie is under the pillow at night you will dream of your true love"

CLICK

[Irlandesa]

It was basically the long version of a fable from Let It Snow (which they aired earlier in the day.)

[ECM1231]

4 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

"When the kismet cookie is under the pillow at night you will dream of your true love"

CLICK

Would that I had done the same. What a clunker this one was!

[KaveDweller]

On 10/23/2022 at 12:42 PM, norcalgal said:

and GREAT point up thread how ridiculous it was the bunny got into Jeremy’s condo. How!? 

The bratty kid admitted he intentionally let the rabbit into Jeremy's place. Not sure how he did that, but that was the explanation.

The kid should have gotten in more trouble for everything he did. But, he played the divorced parents card and everyone just forgave him?

11 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Yes, exactly.  The hotelier handed them one key (the old fashioned kind, of course) and when she asked for a second key, there was the raised eyebrows and a bit of a snigger, as if there would be no reason for two people staying in the same room to need two keys unless there was trouble in paradise. 

That was the one part of Married Christmas I thought was really weird. The two bedrooms, definitely, super weird for a married couple to want two bedrooms. But the keys? Certainly every couple has reason to leave the room separately on a few occasions?

[Chippings]

I felt like mentioning, in this glut of Christmas movies (and my market has three  channels -- Hallmark, Hallmark / Mysteries, and Lifetime, all in a row and GAC elsewhere, total of 4) -- running endlessly, the good news is that in the last two days I've re-seen two of my absolute favorites.  One today was "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (an early Warren Christie, also with Henry Winkler), and the other was "One Royal Holiday", with four Broadway veterans.  Both have really good scripts that were 'different' from the norm.  But I guess you can't really enjoy the 'different' ones until the trope-filled ones have floated past a lot.

The one new one I have hopes for is the London one with Will kemp, although I think I've seen the story-line before.  

Looks like a long Christmas season, and didn't they also do 'Christmas in July'?    🤔

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Chippings said:

The one new one I have hopes for is the London one with Will kemp, although I think I've seen the story-line before.  

Probably although I think the girlfriend might be a new twist.  In 2015, there were two personal shopper movies. I did not know this by heart--I looked up one and the other showed up. 

The Hallmark one was 12 Gifts of Christmas.  And there was a Lifetime one with Meredith Hanger called A Gift Wrapped Christmas where she plays personal shopper to a widower with a child.  I remember liking that one quite a bit. (And it airs this Sunday at 6 Eastern.)

[Bronx Babe]

16 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Would that I had done the same. What a clunker this one was!

I'd like to see an Ordinary People version of a Hallmark Xmas movie.

"Maybe this is how they talk in the real world but we're not in the real world anymore"

[ctlady]

On 10/25/2022 at 2:10 AM, Chippings said:

The one new one I have hopes for is the London one with Will kemp, although I think I've seen the story-line before

While watching LHOTP yesterday I was inundated with Christmas movie commercials - this one being one of them.  IMDB has the title as Christmas In London, but could've sworn the tv said it was called A Jolly Ol' Christmas (or something like that)

I barely tolerated Reshma Shetty's character in Royal Pains (especially when she had to keep reminding everyone that she was a 'physician's assistant'), but her accent positively bugs when she says the cringy line, "They don't call me the 'gift whisperer' for nothing".

 A 'gift whisperer'?  Seriously?  If a 'horse whisperer' whispers to horse, does she roam the stores quietly murmuring to all the merchandise to see if they'll answer who they should be gifted to?

Edited October 26, 2022 by ctlady

[Bethany]

We get the Hallmark movies on the Women's Channel (W) here and I totally and completely did not realize they had already started the Christmas movies!  Haven't noticed any new ones on the schedule for today but am now watching Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane which is better than I remembered.  It seems early for Christmas movies but what the heck!

[Bronx Babe]

A Christmas Treasure, one of those infamous Hallmark Pavlovian productions where the word "Christmas" is literally in every other sentence out of the character's mouths.  

[DanaMB]

What happened to the hero’s wife in Kismet Christmas? I tried re-watching the beginning to find out but gave up. I didn’t care enough the first time to pay attention. 

[EyewatchTV211]

23 minutes ago, DanaMB said:

What happened to the hero’s wife in Kismet Christmas? I tried re-watching the beginning to find out but gave up. I didn’t care enough the first time to pay attention. 

They didn't last. Got divorced. She has some sort of job that involves a lot of travel, I forget what, to help explain why the hero has custody of the daughter. 

[DanaMB]

25 minutes ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

They didn't last. Got divorced. She has some sort of job that involves a lot of travel, I forget what, to help explain why the hero has custody of the daughter. 

Ty! 

[kirinan]

I saw something interesting this evening while flipping through our cable guide looking for something to watch: the movie Call Me Mrs. Miracle was showing on the new Great American Family channel. Wasn't that a Hallmark production?

It seems a little surprising that a Hallmark movie would show up on what could be seen as a rival channel. I know Bill Abbott, who used to be the CEO at Hallmark, is the head of the new channel, so maybe he's got something to do with it. But still, does it seem odd that he's not only luring away their talent, but showing their movies as well? 

Edited October 27, 2022 by kirinan

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, ctlady said:

While watching LHOTP yesterday I was inundated with Christmas movie commercials - this one being one of them.  IMDB has the title as Christmas In London, but could've sworn the tv said it was called A Jolly Ol' Christmas (or something like that)

I read Christmas In London was the original title but it was changed to Jolly Good Christmas.

2 hours ago, DanaMB said:

What happened to the hero’s wife in Kismet Christmas? I tried re-watching the beginning to find out but gave up. I didn’t care enough the first time to pay attention.

I believe the "travel job" she had was playing in a band but it was presented as amicable.  They didn't tell us until part way through the movie.

[Guest]

I am watching We Need a Little Christmas right now. It’s the first Hallmark movie I’ve watched in months. So far I’m not sold on it but liked that they waited a while to introduce the romance. 

41 minutes ago, kirinan said:

I saw something interesting this evening while flipping through our cable guide looking for something to watch: the movie Call Me Mrs. Miracle was showing on the new Great American Family channel. Wasn't that a Hallmark production?

It seems a little surprising that a Hallmark movie would show up on what could be seen as a rival channel. I know Bill Abbott, who used to be the CEO at Hallmark, is the head of the new channel, so maybe he's got something to do with it. But still, does it seem odd that he's not only luring away their talent, but showing their movies as well? 

Hallmark aired it but they didn’t produce it. I’m guessing there will be a lot more old movies that Hallmark acquired showing up on GAC. Hallmark was rarely airing them and GAC needs more content. 

[luvthepros]

"That's Garland for ya".

What is with this new movie, A Cozy Christmas Inn? From the promos, I take it this movie is a sequel to  Christmas Under Wraps with CCB. Did the good doctor break up with Santa's son? A Cozy Christmas Inn is set to record tomorrow. Can't wait to see if they touch upon the relationship between CCB's character and Santa's son.

Edited October 27, 2022 by luvthepros

[Guest]

4 hours ago, luvthepros said:

"That's Garland for ya".

What is with this new movie, A Cozy Christmas Inn? From the promos, I take it this movie is a sequel to  Christmas Under Wraps with CCB. Did the good doctor break up with Santa's son? A Cozy Christmas Inn is set to record tomorrow. Can't wait to see if they touch upon the relationship between CCB's character and Santa's son.

I was wondering the same thing. Interesting choice to bring back the Christmas Under Wraps character and have their actresses who is most closely associated with CCB star in it. 

[luv2lurk]

On 10/26/2022 at 9:52 AM, Elizabeth Anne said:

We get the Hallmark movies on the Women's Channel (W) here and I totally and completely did not realize they had already started the Christmas movies!  Haven't noticed any new ones on the schedule for today but am now watching Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane which is better than I remembered.  It seems early for Christmas movies but what the heck!

W Network is airing the new movies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday although not always on the same dates as Hallmark. There is a complete schedule of the new ones at www.wnetwork.com as well as a list of the daily offerings.

[luvthepros]

On 10/27/2022 at 4:01 PM, Dani said:

I was wondering the same thing. Interesting choice to bring back the Christmas Under Wraps character and have their actresses who is most closely associated with CCB star in it. 

Bit of a stab in the back to CCB, I would say.

[Cetacean]

Suffered through the Cozy Country Inn mess.  The title alone was should have been fair warning.  Lame, bland, boring, stupid, recycled material.  Just awful. 

[luvthepros]

23 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

Suffered through the Cozy Country Inn mess.  The title alone was should have been fair warning.  Lame, bland, boring, stupid, recycled material.  Just awful. 

Is there any mention of CCB's character from the original movie about Garland and Santa and his elves and reindeer?

[Cetacean]

4 minutes ago, luvthepros said:

Is there any mention of CCB's character from the original movie about Garland and Santa and his elves and reindeer?

Yes. "The doctor was offered a prestigious position in Seattle". No elves or reindeer. Andy has turned into a bumbling, clueless loser. Garland has magically moved to within a 2 hour drive to Anchorage. Santa is only seen on FaceTime calls. "That's Garland for you" is repeated ad nauseum.

That about covers it.

[MerBearHou]

9 minutes ago, luvthepros said:

Is there any mention of CCB's character from the original movie about Garland and Santa and his elves and reindeer?

I read online that there was a line saying the doctor moved to California.  Jodie posted on Instagram and CCB said to say “hi to Andy from Dr. Brunell”.  That’s Garland for ya.

[Irlandesa]

Oh I thought Jodie's character was supposed to be CCB's character. (It has been a long time since I've seen the first movie.) She's the doctor who movied away?  Ha! 

I enjoyed the first thirty minutes.  I often do.  But yeah, it started to be like too many other movies. 

Still, I hope Jodie does more Hallmark movies. I like her as a lead.  And I love Peter Jacobson so it was fun to see him turn up.

[KaveDweller]

44 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

Yes. "The doctor was offered a prestigious position in Seattle". No elves or reindeer. Andy has turned into a bumbling, clueless loser. Garland has magically moved to within a 2 hour drive to Anchorage. Santa is only seen on FaceTime calls. "That's Garland for you" is repeated ad nauseum.

That about covers it.

I'm not sure why they didn't just have Jodi's character's love interest be a brother of the guy from the original or just make it a totally different move about a son of Santa Claus. It's not like Hallmark has cared about originality before.

Not that I am super invested in these movies, but it negates any of them having a happy ending if we know some of the couples don't last after the credits roll.

Quote

Still, I hope Jodie does more Hallmark movies. I like her as a lead.  And I love Peter Jacobson so it was fun to see him turn up.

I'm pretty sure I also saw promos for her in one of Lifetime's Christmas Movies.

Edited October 29, 2022 by KaveDweller

[KLovestoShop]

Cozy Country Inn was awful.  Christmas Under Wraps is one of my favorite movies, and they ruined it with this silly sequel.  I have never been a fan of Jodie, and I think she’s a weak actor, so if I never see her in another Hallmark movie it will be too soon.  

[MollyMelrose]

Will any of this season's movies better than this one?  

[Guest]

15 hours ago, luvthepros said:

Bit of a stab in the back to CCB, I would say.

I thought they same thing. I wonder if they were originally planning a sequel with CCB and then decided to sub in her tv sister. Feels very pointed. 

10 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I'm pretty sure I also saw promos for her in one of Lifetime's Christmas Movies.

Yes. She is in Lifetime’s first Christmas movie this year. The horribly named Merry Swissmas (originally Christmas in Switzerland). Unfortunately, it wasn’t filmed in Switzerland. 

[norcalgal]

9 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

Cozy Country Inn was awful.  Christmas Under Wraps is one of my favorite movies, and they ruined it with this silly sequel.  I have never been a fan of Jodie, and I think she’s a weak actor, so if I never see her in another Hallmark movie it will be too soon.  

!!!!!  Wow, I had no idea they made a sequel to Christmas under Wraps. It’s been forever since I saw it but only remember basic details (CCB played a doctor who falls in love with Santa’s son). So based on the comments here, CCB and the son didn’t last…? 
 

[bankerchick]

12 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

Not that I am super invested in these movies, but it negates any of them having a happy ending if we know some of the couples don't last after the credits roll.

and

2 hours ago, norcalgal said:

So based on the comments here, CCB and the son didn’t last…? 

This.  It's fiction, of course, but we are theoretically watching a couple fall in love forever.  That's why we watch.  I am still mad about last year's Nine Kittens of Christmas.  Didn't we all believe that when Brown Eyes climbed on the top of the firetruck, they were mountain lions who would stay together forever? (It's scary that I know the movie well enough to remember these little details.)  Instead, she moves away to Florida!  Sure, she comes back to town and they fall in love again, but why should I believe them this time?

Since it's Saturday morning and I am apparently in a bitchy mood, I am going to once again bitch about something that makes me insane.  I was watching Christmas at Starlight, starring my Hallmark husband Paul Campbell and my favourite actress with him, Kimberly Sustad.  Her character Annie blurts out at a meeting that Will's company will be holding a fundraiser (next week, the week before Christmas.) Will is understandably upset and tells her that he will not help organize it.  However, everyone else she knows offers to help, but she turns them all down, then bitches about how much work it is to do it herself.  After one particular rant, Lyle takes her to the coffee shop to chill, and invites his husband, a 'foodie,' specifically to help her brainstorm ideas for the party!!!  When he arrives and asks how he can help, she says, 'oh, don't worry, I can do it myself.'  After she yells at Will about how she has to do everything, he shows up the next day and humbly asks if he can help.  Once again, she tells him she can do it herself, as she also says to her parents who offer their assistance.  For God's sake, either accept the help, or do it yourself and STFU.  I know this movie was written by Paul and Kimberly and I know the 'proud, independent woman' is a Hallmark staple, but I wish someone had realized how off-putting this is.  Having said that, this giant hypocrite will still watch this movie at least once more this season because when she's not whining, they are really fun together.

[Cetacean]

5 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Not that I am super invested in these movies, but it negates any of them having a happy ending if we know some of the couples don't last after the credits roll.

There was absolutely no reason for a sequel to Christmas Under Wraps.  The failing inn could have been in another state. If they were determined to use the male lead, fine, but he would have been a loser anywhere.  It's not like Garland was the end-all and be-all location.  Santa's wife wasn't the same actor and Santa only appeared in video chats. So what was the point?  Just stupid all the way around.   

I can't stand CCB but I did tolerate the original movie better than most so why dismiss it with this mess?

[luvthepros]

19 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Yes. "The doctor was offered a prestigious position in Seattle". No elves or reindeer. Andy has turned into a bumbling, clueless loser. Garland has magically moved to within a 2 hour drive to Anchorage. Santa is only seen on FaceTime calls. "That's Garland for you" is repeated ad nauseum.

That about covers it.

Thanks.

[Suzysite]

20 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Yes. "The doctor was offered a prestigious position in Seattle". 

They said she was a surgeon in San Francisco.

Boring, disappointing movie. 

[Cetacean]

4 minutes ago, Suzysite said:

They said she was a surgeon in San Francisco.

Boring, disappointing movie. 

Oh, that's right, San Francisco.  Another "s" city!

And totally disappointing.  Two hours of my life I want back!

[Valentine]

I just started it, and I'm sure this London movie will be the same old disappointment, but London looks great. 

[luv2lurk]

So Jolly Good Christmas was filmed in February. Impressed they dubbed in "Look, there's the King".

[Irlandesa]

22 minutes ago, luv2lurk said:

So Jolly Good Christmas was filmed in February. Impressed they dubbed in "Look, there's the King".

I was wondering when it was filmed.  I was going to go back to read her lips to see if it was dubbed but I'm too lazy.

I actually liked the movie.  I though it was well constructed which isn't how I usually describe these movies. And it took some turns I didn't expect. 

For instance, I liked that he didn't immediately change his mind about hiring a personal shopper.  It wasn't until after she sought him out to switch gifts that he decided to hire her which was after he spoke with his girlfriend and work friends making him reconsider his effort.

 I thought the running from the police shenanigans is when the movie really perked up for me.  It was silly but it made me laugh. 

Another thing I liked is that the "hiding his personal shopper from his girlfriend" only lasted about half of the movie before the truth came out. Because one small lie worked when it did but once she saw them a second time, he realized trying it again would be ridiculous. Refreshing.

And I absolutely loved his friend, Callum's, kitchen.  Gorgeous. 

The movie I did hate was Christmas Bedtime Stories.  I mean, I legitimately am INFURIATED by that movie.

The worst part is that I didn't know I'd hate it for most of the movie.  I though it had a more serious flavor to it but I misread it as a meditation in how grief can sometimes bubble up again with major life changes.  And I thought it was going to be a journey for her to move on into her new life.  It was pleasant enough operating as that.

But nope, [Major Spoiler Alert] --

It was a movie that ends with an insane soap opera twist. She dumps sweet Steve Lund just in time for her MIA for three years "presumed dead" husband to show up at a father/daughter dance.  Even though the general had just told her that all their intelligence said that he was dead and wasn't a part of the escaped prisoners.  How did he get home?  How did he know where to find her? How come he looks no worse for wear after being in prison for three years?  How did he get to the embassy?  How come the insurgents who had him never tried to leverage an American serviceman for money or a political exchange?

How come no one freaked the fuck out upon seeing him?  They all ignored him except for his wife and daughter who were like "yay" but no tears or fainting or screams? 

And does this mean his relationship with Steve Lund's character is going to be over since he dated his wife?

I kept waiting for this to be exposed as a dream but no....

[Chippings]

Well I saw most of Jolly Good Christmas, and my principal reaction was how marvelous it was to see so much London, outside, inside, and that huge office overlooking the city.  So much walking around along the Thames, in a park, city streets at night.  Awesome.

Mixing our TV shows here, I also admired that kitchen of his friend's, and it struck me that I've never seen a kitchen that grand in London in any episode of House Hunters International!  

I adore Will Kemp in all his roles so far (chocolatier, dance instructor, and prince) - but this time I was just distracted by his labouring at the "American" accent.  Hitting those "R"s so hard every time.  He did a pretty good job, but I kept hearing the effort he was making, poor guy.   So far as the story goes, it seemed pretty well set up - initially not hitting it off, learning more about each other, each having some personal things to work out, &c.  Surprised at the "One Year Later" bit at the end where I'm pretty sure it only concerned the book, not the people?

I did tune out in the middle for a while, and will watch it again to get a full sense of the story line, and see all the sights of London .. maybe a few times more.

[Irlandesa]

10 minutes ago, Chippings said:

I adore Will Kemp in all his roles so far (chocolatier, dance instructor, and prince) - but this time I was just distracted by his labouring at the "American" accent.  Hitting those "R"s so hard every time.

Yeah. That was the one thing I was going to ding the movie for but decided not to bother.  I get that since it's for Hallmark, having two British characters as leads might have been considered an accent too far but I did not like Kemp's flat American accent.  I probably wouldn't have been bothered but it sounded so much like Hugh Dancy's unnatural attempt at an American accent in Law & Order that I was distracted. 

There are so many Brits who can do a darn good American accent that it's distracting when we don't get one.

Edited October 30, 2022 by Irlandesa