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

[Bronx Babe]

I opted for Olivia de Havilland on TCM in The Snake Pit last night because I just could just not take another "Royal" anything.

Looking forward to Christmas at the Golden Dragon tonight.   I love Chinese food!  Wonder if they'll reference A Christmas Story with the Bumpus hounds who destroy the Thanksgiving turkey so the family has to go out for Peking duck.  (one of my favorite dishes btw)

[Cetacean]

20 minutes ago, Bronx Babe said:

Wonder if they'll reference A Christmas Story with the Bumpus hounds who destroy the Thanksgiving turkey so the family has to go out for Peking duck.  (one of my favorite dishes btw)

"It's....smiling at us".  WHACK!

[Kaoteek]

As usual, I'm starting watching those movies mid-nov, so I've got a few to catch up, going back to July's Christmas in Toyland : I liked the leads, I liked the BFF, but overall, it felt like a big ole pile of Hallmark clichés from 10 years ago. Also, it kind of felt cheap (the snow, the graphics, the toy store...). Meh.

Contrary to most, I liked Noel Next Door : the cast was solid, the tone was just light enough, the snow was nice, and although it wasn't without its writing faults, it worked for me.

Cozy Christmas Inn bored me, tbh. I'm not a fan of CCB, but Christmas under Wraps was fine on its own, it didn't need an half-assed sequel, esp. without the fantasy bits. I still like Sweetin as a lead (although her Merry Swissmas, for Lifetime, didn't work for me either), though, and snowed in Salt Lake City somewhat worked as Alaska, but that's about it.

[norcalgal]

5 hours ago, luvthepros said:

The lead actress in The Royal Nanny, with her hair pulled back, strongly reminded me of Jaime King when she appeared in The Mistletoe Promise with Luke MacFarlane. Honestly, at first, I actually thought this lead actress was Jamie until I looked at the info on my DVR.

I didn’t watch The Royal Nanny but I saw the preview so I know the female lead Rachel Skarsten.  She was also in Little Men with Corey Sevier (one of my faves). Rachel has done a few of these movies before. On the show Little Men, their characters had crushes on each other, so it’d be cute if they made a Hallmark movie together as love interests.  
Britt Irvin is another alumnus of Little Men and Hallmark movies, so it’d be lovely to see her and Corey together as well. Hey, if they could do that with the cast of One Tree Hill, why not Little Men!

[NYGirl]

I've seen Corey Servier in about 5 movies so far just this past week!!  He's my new crush. You really have to be good looking to steal me away from Luke MacFarland.

I liked Noel Next Door even though it was a tad depressing.

 I started Mistletoe Lake last night and I'll finish later.  The lead was a little too perky.

I enjoyed the Christmas Shopper in England.  I loved both leads.

I found a new favorite lead actress Sarah Drew.  She was in Christmas Pen Pals.  Who doesn't like anything with Michael Gross playing the father?

I have Reindeer Games in my DVR to watch sometime this week also with Sarah.

I've really had nothing to do this week so I watched the Bobby Flay and Duff movies on Discovery and the one with the Designing Christmas.  Fluff

I don't remember the name but I did see one with Markie Post as a not so intrusive mother.  They all meld together after awhile. 

[Bronx Babe]

12 hours ago, Cetacean said:

"It's....smiling at us".  WHACK!

LOL

"Sons of bitches BUMPUSES!"

 

[Bronx Babe]

Oh my stars, Christmas at the Golden Dragon --why did I even entertain the idea that it would be anything but AWFUL, lol??

What were there, eight stories?  And every one of them LAME, BORING, DULL, SNOOZEVILLE.   Me with my adventurous exotic Nancy Drew expectations, I am so ashamed of myself.

Golden Dragon daughter corrects rude waiters (at some sort of pan-Asian restaurant she is at with boyfriend and his family in Vermont) then becomes disrespectful herself when she suddenly stands up (before the dinner is even served) and exclaims "I have to go home NOW!"  Is his family upset as a normal human family would be?  Not at all -- they smile and tell her "That's okay, we'll get your tickets and drive you to the airport"

The great wtf moment, however, comes at the end when Golden Dragon son's bitchy girlfriend arrives at the family restaurant, stepping out of a cab in winter (and fake snow falling) WITH NO COAT AND WEARING A FLIMSY SLEEVELESS gown, also NO PURSE so how did she pay the taxi driver?

A character stands  in front of a place called Recreation "Centre" O Canada!  It is supposed to be Wichita, Kansas but I won't begrudge our neighbors to the north for a little national pride, authenticity be damned, lol.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Bronx Babe

[luvthepros]

I thought Golden Dragon son was 18 years old. Looked at the DVR info for him and see he is 36 years old. What???? Has that actor found the fountain of youth or is it his very youngish voice that threw me off?

Edited November 14, 2022 by luvthepros

[Cetacean]

Christmas at the Golden Dragon was a total loser from start to end  (although watching becaming, well, spotty within the first few minutes) .  Who in the heck writes something that bad? Wait, it's Hallmark, never mind.

Every tired Hallmark trope thrown into one two hour debacle like the vegetables in chow mein.  Just awful.

[ctlady]

I'll keep my thoughts on My Italian Christmas Memories to myself.  The lack of authentic Italian actors, the woke pandering, the social pandering, the 'finding it at the 11th hour' contrivance, the 'purchasing ingredients on Christmas morning and starting complicated recipe that takes hours and still able to serve while still light out'.

I just....can't.

[absnow54]

I always appreciate this thread on Monday morning, when I've fallen behind on all the new weekend releases. Now that Lifetime is airing their new movies too, it's even harder to keep up with!

[ECM1231]

1 hour ago, ctlady said:

I'll keep my thoughts on My Italian Christmas Memories to myself.  The lack of authentic Italian actors, the woke pandering, the social pandering, the 'finding it at the 11th hour' contrivance, the 'purchasing ingredients on Christmas morning and starting complicated recipe that takes hours and still able to serve while still light out'.

I just....can't.

I agree and will add a few thoughts. I like Beau Bridges but casting him as Nonno Colucci was just plain wrong. However, there were a few actors of Italian ancestry (by way of Canada) in the film. Nonno's daughter, who went on the trip, was played by Gwenda Lorenzetti. The character's name was Madelyn Colucci. Younger Madelyn also had an Italian surname.  Also, at the very end when the Christmas gifts are exchanged, the gift is a framed recipe of Nonna's sugo, with a photo of Nonna. Nonna, never seen in the film, is named Donata, and the photo is of the beautiful Michele Scarabelli.

I cosign the ridiculousness of putting that whole feast together so quickly, not just the sugo. But it was pretty authentic as to the sheer quantity of food. Lol.

And Christmas cannoli? Is that even a thing? Cannoli are served year-round, not just at Christmas. Now if they had said struffoli, maybe.

Also, (sheepishly), I liked Christmas at the Golden Dragon, and its many subplots.

2 minutes ago, absnow54 said:

I always appreciate this thread on Monday morning, when I've fallen behind on all the new weekend releases. Now that Lifetime is airing their new movies too, it's even harder to keep up with!

I'm so behind! So far, I have seen Lifetime movies on the weekend, but just realized they're airing Christmas ones during the week, too.

Plus, I have seen some of the new GAF Christmas films. I've taken to just deleting if my interest isn't piqued within the first 15 minutes or so.

[absnow54]

15 minutes ago, ECM1231 said:

I've taken to just deleting if my interest isn't piqued within the first 15 minutes or so.

This is exactly how I watch them! There just aren't enough hours otherwise, especially since I already have a pretty long list of annual rewatches to keep up with too!

[kirinan]

I didn't love Christmas at the Golden Dragon, but I didn't hate it either. I thought Romy was kind of a spoiled brat, the dinner scene @Bronx Babe mentioned above had me rolling my eyes so hard they hurt, and all the stories just seemed like too much going on. On the other hand, Antonio Cupo. 😍 He will always win out over a meh story (although he wins more when he's paired with Autumn Reeser). So I watched the whole thing. I would probably watch it again in the background, while I'm doing something else.

So far this year Ghosts of Christmas Always is still my winner. Fingers crossed that Three Wise Men and a Baby at least equals, if not exceeds, the bar Ghosts has set.

[bankerchick]

1 hour ago, kirinan said:

I didn't love Christmas at the Golden Dragon, but I didn't hate it either. I thought Romy was kind of a spoiled brat, the dinner scene @Bronx Babe mentioned above had me rolling my eyes so hard they hurt, and all the stories just seemed like too much going on. On the other hand, Antonio Cupo. 😍

Of course in Canada we didn't get either of these movies this weekend, but am I to understand that the always reliable, charming and sweet Antonio Cupo (who can make me watch an Autumn Reeser movie) was in the Chinese movie, not the Italian one??

1 hour ago, kirinan said:

Fingers crossed that Three Wise Men and a Baby at least equals, if not exceeds, the bar Ghosts has set.

From your lips to God's ears.  The commercials for this movie look hilarious so I hope it's not like some Hollywood movies where the only funny scenes are in the promos.

[kirinan]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

Of course in Canada we didn't get either of these movies this weekend, but am I to understand that the always reliable, charming and sweet Antonio Cupo (who can make me watch an Autumn Reeser movie) was in the Chinese movie, not the Italian one??

Yep, Antonio was in the movie about the Chinese restaurant. (And something you can look forward to: He plays the single father of two daughters. By choice, my husband and I have never had kids, but OMG, watching Antonio and the girls sent my hormones into overdrive, LOL.) 

[ctlady]

3 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I agree and will add a few thoughts. I like Beau Bridges but casting him as Nonno Colucci was just plain wrong. However, there were a few actors of Italian ancestry (by way of Canada) in the film. Nonno's daughter, who went on the trip, was played by Gwenda Lorenzetti. The character's name was Madelyn Colucci. Younger Madelyn also had an Italian surname.  Also, at the very end when the Christmas gifts are exchanged, the gift is a framed recipe of Nonna's sugo, with a photo of Nonna. Nonna, never seen in the film, is named Donata, and the photo is of the beautiful Michele Scarabelli.

Although the gift at the end was beautiful, that wasn't enough for me.  I kept thinking that if these actors were placed in the same movie with the word 'Italian' replaced with 'Hispanic' there's be outrage - and rightly so.  Heck, even Cher was more believable in 'Moonstruck' (but only because they had the incredible Vincent Gardenia, Danny Aiello and a bunch of old timers in the background that even made me forget Nick Cage!)

Plus the lead actress only made me think of Cassie's horrible cousin on Good Witch. 

 As I probably thought, the Italian heritage was from the mother's side and not the father's so referring to Beau Bridges as 'nonno' was just a no-no.

3 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

And Christmas cannoli? Is that even a thing? Cannoli are served year-round, not just at Christmas. Now if they had said struffoli, maybe.

Ahhhh, honey soaked struffoli.  My guess is that the writers went with a popular Italian pastry rather than do some research.  

3 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I cosign the ridiculousness of putting that whole feast together so quickly, not just the sugo. But it was pretty authentic as to the sheer quantity of food. Lo

And was definitely less time consuming had they done the 'feast of seven fishes' on Christmas Eve

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, kirinan said:

I didn't love Christmas at the Golden Dragon, but I didn't hate it either.

I agree.  It was okay and the different stories moved things along.  I agree with you on Antonio Cupo.  He looked especially good with his ruffled hair and I liked his love interest. 

My Italian Christmas Memories didn't need the Italian in the title.  It was more about dealing with a family member with dementia and Italian wasn't necessary.  I didn't hate it but it was unnecessary.

[Bronx Babe]

When did the Italian Christmas movie air?  I missed it.  

Nick Cage is Italian -- real last name Coppola, related to the director.

I read that Cher was so impressed with Nick in Peggy Sue Got Married that she lobbied for him in Moonstruck.

 

[Bethany]

3 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

My Italian Christmas Memories didn't need the Italian in the title.  It was more about dealing with a family member with dementia and Italian wasn't necessary. 

I thought Beau Bridges was awesome.  I don't know if a Hallmark movie (of recent vintage) has ever got anyone an Emmy nom but IMO if he were to get it it would be well deserved.  That said it is so weird to be watching My Three Sons where Beau Bridges keeps showing up as a teenage friend of Mikes and then tune into this movie where he is playing the patriarch.  Time marches on...

[Bronx Babe]

Speaking of Nick and Moonstruck, it seemed to me that the Golden Dragon screenwriters cribbed from that movie, with the lead actor telling Chinese girlfriend "Life is not perfect, Christmas is not perfect, we are not perfect" which sounded awfully close to Cage's speech to Cher:  "Snowflakes are perfect, the stars are perfect, not us, not us"

[argrow]

I think what really annoyed me about Golden Dragon is that this is the first(?) Hallmark Christmas movie with Asian lead and story, and they decided to add all the other characters. Why? Do they both think that an Asian led story will not do well with ratings? They could have expanded the multi generational Chinese story and instead went with that instead.

Edited November 14, 2022 by argrow

[ECM1231]

3 hours ago, ctlady said:

As I probably thought, the Italian heritage was from the mother's side and not the father's so referring to Beau Bridges as 'nonno' was just a no-no.

No, Beau's character's heritage was also Italian, as his surname was Colucci, and it was the Colucci Family farm started by Nonno and Nonna Donata. The eldest granddaughter Anna, was supposed to resemble her grandmother, I guess, because Nonno, in his confusion, called her Donata once. The grandmother may have had Sardinian roots, but they didn't delve into Nonno's. I guess it could have been worse; at least there were no Mafioso types or stereotypical fat women with mustaches. Lol

[kirinan]

I know she's at GAC now, but this article is definitely Hallmark-related, too:

Candace Cameron Bure Explains Why She Left Hallmark for GAC Family: They're 'Christians That Love the Lord'

[Cetacean]

Well, I guess that shows all of us liberal, non-Christians.  The Pearl Clutchers will be thrilled.  I guess some sinners are exempt -they signed Lori Loughlin.

Good riddance.

[catrice2]

1 hour ago, kirinan said:

I know she's at GAC now, but this article is definitely Hallmark-related, too:

Candace Cameron Bure Explains Why She Left Hallmark for GAC Family: They're 'Christians That Love the Lord'

I was just coming here to discuss this.  She is such a mediocre actress and I am glad she found a place she feels she "belongs."  Hallmark is not very inclusive, so the fact that she is going somewhere that is even less inclusive is frightening. 

1 hour ago, Cetacean said:

Well, I guess that shows all of us liberal, non-Christians.  The Pearl Clutchers will be thrilled.  I guess some sinners are exempt -they signed Lori Loughlin.

Good riddance.

She was very vocal in supporting that as well. 

[twoods]

She can go shriek about CHRISTMAS JOY on GAC for all I care and take her manic smile with her. Good riddance.

[catrice2]

14 minutes ago, twoods said:

She can go shriek about CHRISTMAS JOY on GAC for all I care and take her manic smile with her. Good riddance.

And take that very bad wig with her....the one they made her share with Holly Robinson Peete....in fact, maybe that was the big draw? She would get better hair? 

[Irlandesa]

Hilarie Burton had some strong tweets about the article and Hallmark under Abbott.

She flat out calls her a bigot in another tweet.

I will say this, though.  Even though GAC has tried to emulate Hallmark's secular "religious" movies with most of their creations or acquisitions, with CB's, they're going all out religious.  Probably more religious than anything Hallmark has done other than the Godwink movies. So I guess that's at least one movie living up to the faith plan.

Edited November 15, 2022 by Irlandesa

[norcalgal]

13 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

Also, (sheepishly), I liked Christmas at the Golden Dragon, and its many subplots.

10 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I agree.  It was okay and the different stories moved things along.  

Count me in as someone who really liked Christmas at the Golden Dragon. I didn’t mind the disparate, separate stories and then seeing how they all coalesced at the end. I also liked that the movie touched on some IRL stuff, like the daughter resenting her deceased dad not being present in her life because he was busy with his coaching job, or how this same character had multiple failed IVF treatments. It wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns in the storylines.
My quibbles about this movie are:

• Romy’s boyfriend proposed when her family had never met him until Romy and the boyfriend came to Kansas last minute!?  
• Romy’s brother’s love interest forgave him too easily for flaking out on her yet again (and I agree it was ridiculous she wore a spaghetti strap dress in the supposed cold/snow!)
•  That Chex concoction Antonio and his daughters made looked gross
• for a Kansas setting, that was quite the diverse cast (Asian, Jewish, Black and Latino).  If someone here is familiar with Wichita, can you let us know if that seems plausible for Wichita?

Finally, Antonio’s love interest will always be the aunt from The Vampire Diaries to me.

6 hours ago, argrow said:

I think what really annoyed me about Golden Dragon is that this is the first(?) Hallmark Christmas movie with Asian lead and story, and they decided to add all the other characters. Why? Do they both think that an Asian led story will not do well with ratings? They could have expanded the multi generational Chinese story and instead went with that instead.

I think one of the points of the movie was about community and how the restaurant was a focus of the community and the relationships built from that community:   People donating an ornament to the restaurant tree, Miguel who got to know the customers and in his way, helped his “community” (fixing light fixture, mowing, emergency babysitting), and the regular customers coming together to help with the last hurrah for the restaurant. Thus, I didn’t mind that the movie didn’t have a 100% (Or even 75%) Asian cast. 

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

Hilarie Burton had some strong tweets about the article and Hallmark under Abbott.

She flat out calls her a bigot in another tweet.

I will say this, though.  Even though GAC has tried to emulate Hallmark's secular "religious" movies with most of their creations or acquisitions, with CB's, they're going all out religious.  Probably more religious than anything Hallmark has done other than the Godwink movies.

Props to Hilarie for having the courage to speak out publicly.  Who knows how her career might be (or already have been) affected by her speaking out? Bravo Hilarie Burton!

 If GAC wants to narrowly limit their audience to straight Christians (presumably white as well), then…let the marketplace decide if that’s a winning strategy. 

4 hours ago, Cetacean said:

Well, I guess that shows all of us liberal, non-Christians.  The Pearl Clutchers will be thrilled.  I guess some sinners are exempt -they signed Lori Loughlin.

Good riddance.

I won’t make this too political except to say there’s a huge gulf between what (Evangelical) Christians profess they believe/follow and how they truly act. 

Edited November 15, 2022 by norcalgal

[Irlandesa]

6 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

That Chex concoction Antonio and his daughters made looked gross

Ha. I forgot about the Chex product placement in the movie.  But what they made is "puppy chow" (otherwise known as muddy buddies and probably some other names too.)

https://joyfoodsunshine.com/puppy-chow-recipe/

It's pretty darn addictive. I believe they sell it now but, like Chex mix, the store version doesn't quite capture making it yourself.

[Schnickelfritz]

6 hours ago, norcalgal said:

for a Kansas setting, that was quite the diverse cast (Asian, Jewish, Black and Latino).  If someone here is familiar with Wichita, can you let us know if that seems plausible for Wichita?

Wichita - Race and Hispanic Origin (July 2021)

White alone, percent 72.6%

Black or African American alone, percent 10.3%

American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent 0.9%

Asian alone, percent 4.9%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent 0.1%

Two or More Races, percent 6.4%

Hispanic or Latino, percent 17.4%

White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 62.5%

Overall, it's more ethnic diverse than Kansas as a whole.... (74% white)

[ctlady]

8 hours ago, norcalgal said:

Props to Hilarie for having the courage to speak out publicly.  Who knows how her career might be (or already have been) affected by her speaking out? Bravo Hilarie Burton!

You see, this is what I don't understand.  Sounds like a double standard here.  CCB can voice her views on her faith and as to why she won't continue to work with a certain network because certain portrayals go against her beliefs and she gets slammed.  HB takes to Twitter with profanity and sarcasm and she gets applauded.  Intolerance to someone elses' beliefs is not, Ms. Burton, because it doesn't line up with the mainstream social agenda.  

I'm a born again Christian who also has beliefs about certain behaviors.  I'd love to watch Yellowstone, but I just can't deal with the 'F' word every 5 minutes.  There are shows we watch that contain portrayals that, as a Christian, I don't personally agree with (which is my religious constitutional right as with any other religion's right), but I shouldn't have to get called out for being a racist, bigot, Jesus freak - whatever - because what I believe in doesn't line up with theirs.  THAT is intolerance.  CCB has the right to do what's right for her.  The right to her beliefs should be respected, even if you don't agree.  Just as HBs right to her opinion should be respected, even if you don't agree. 

To me personally, Hallmark's attempt to be inclusive just seems like forced pandering - and that puts me off even more.  And I've seen other shows attempting to do it as well which come across as them waving their woke, virtue signaling flag saying, "hey....look at us....we're on board here.  Hey....over here.!

You can boycott the network, the actors/actresses or just don't watch a particular show or movie if you feel something might be in it that doesn't line up with your beliefs - which is your right, regardless of what hollywood B/C list actor or actress spouts off about you on social media (which is their right too).  

18 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

My Italian Christmas Memories didn't need the Italian in the title.  It was more about dealing with a family member with dementia and Italian wasn't necessary.  I didn't hate it but it was unnecessary

I think you summed it up perfectly!

[norcalgal]

4 hours ago, Schnickelfritz said:

Wichita - Race and Hispanic Origin (July 2021)

White alone, percent 72.6%

Black or African American alone, percent 10.3%

American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent 0.9%

Asian alone, percent 4.9%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent 0.1%

Two or More Races, percent 6.4%

Hispanic or Latino, percent 17.4%

White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 62.5%

Overall, it's more ethnic diverse than Kansas as a whole.... (74% white)

@Schnickelfritz thanks for posting those stats.  The Native American number seems low for Kansas, but I'll go with it. 

2 hours ago, ctlady said:

You see, this is what I don't understand.  Sounds like a double standard here.  CCB can voice her views on her faith and as to why she won't continue to work with a certain network because certain portrayals go against her beliefs and she gets slammed.  HB takes to Twitter with profanity and sarcasm and she gets applauded.  Intolerance to someone elses' beliefs is not, Ms. Burton, because it doesn't line up with the mainstream social agenda.  

I'm a born again Christian who also has beliefs about certain behaviors.  I'd love to watch Yellowstone, but I just can't deal with the 'F' word every 5 minutes.  There are shows we watch that contain portrayals that, as a Christian, I don't personally agree with (which is my religious constitutional right as with any other religion's right), but I shouldn't have to get called out for being a racist, bigot, Jesus freak - whatever - because what I believe in doesn't line up with theirs.  THAT is intolerance.  CCB has the right to do what's right for her.  The right to her beliefs should be respected, even if you don't agree.  Just as HBs right to her opinion should be respected, even if you don't agree. 

To me personally, Hallmark's attempt to be inclusive just seems like forced pandering - and that puts me off even more.  And I've seen other shows attempting to do it as well which come across as them waving their woke, virtue signaling flag saying, "hey....look at us....we're on board here.  Hey....over here.!

You can boycott the network, the actors/actresses or just don't watch a particular show or movie if you feel something might be in it that doesn't line up with your beliefs - which is your right, regardless of what hollywood B/C list actor or actress spouts off about you on social media (which is their right too).  

I think you summed it up perfectly!

IA that folks have the right to publicly air their opinion/views, but with that comes the consequences for speaking out. It's the "I want to say whatever I want to say without consequences" part that some in the public eye seem to want as part of free speech. By speaking out (or not speaking out on an issue), people/corporations/organizations/etc. take their chances with public reaction. 

And yeah, I do sometimes feel like Hallmark is bending backward to show their inclusivity. That may be long overdue, but as I've posted before on this forum, if tv had routinely had all kinds of people (race, religion, disabilities, sexual orientation) prominently featured when tv began, it wouldn't look like virtue signaling now, or like media is going overboard trying to be inclusive. They're now making up for deliberate decisions to exclude certain folks since the history of tv began, so this "cramming" seems ham fisted at times.

[DeafAngelboy23]

It’s about the future. You know that better when you see new changes coming for every generation. If you want to stay with the past then you know where to watch… no one is going to stop you. Ok? Good. 
 

[anniebird]

While you do have to respect the right of everyone to have an opinion, you do NOT have to respect that opinion, particularly if it means denying equal rights to others. CCB won’t be missed - Hilarie Burton’s movies were always far better anyway.

[catrice2]

I said, what I said, that Candace SHOULD go where she feels comfortable. I have no issue with anyone having an opinion or believing something different than what I do.   

My opinion of her acting talents have NOTHING to do with her beliefs.  Personally, I hated Hilarie on White Collar..and I am never a fan of anyone airing what they feel about another person on social media instead of in a constructive conversation.  Candace can say or believe whatever she wants, and I can ...not watch her....which as more to do (at least for me) with ther acting as much as it does with her words.  I don't watch Hilarie either, because i don't enjoy her acting. 

I have posted somewhere the same thing that was stated above...it seems odd to me that people feel like including a few minorities in some movies is "slamming" inclusivity down the throats of others.   Did it ever cross anyone's mind how it felt the opposite way?  I do feel like the reason is because they are now doing what they should have been doing all along....how sad. 

Hispanic/Latin people may soon be the majority in this country, and already have signifcant numbers.  Should we make art using mathematical equations....well, there are only 13% Black people, so they only get xxx number of movies, etc. or should we be humans and tell stories and use all people to represent what this country looks like? 

I too hate that there seems to be a flurry of a certain type of movie (many of them with the worst stereotypes) because I'd rather there be none than to continue to perpetuate false narratives, but  I also balance that with the desire for a different generation to grow up with choices of who they see on the screen because I didn't have that. 

What it must be like to be able to watch old movies and not be reminded that the only people of color were either in a servant role, were shown doing something stereotypical (or their language like the Charlie Chan movies) or were dipicted by someone in makeup playing a Native American or person of color.  I can't even imagine that privilege. 

[Makai]

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

You see, this is what I don't understand.  Sounds like a double standard here.  CCB can voice her views on her faith and as to why she won't continue to work with a certain network because certain portrayals go against her beliefs and she gets slammed.  HB takes to Twitter with profanity and sarcasm and she gets applauded.  Intolerance to someone elses' beliefs is not, Ms. Burton, because it doesn't line up with the mainstream social agenda.  

I don’t think that it is a double standard. The opposite of being intolerant to LGTBQ individuals isn’t being tolerant of every other opinion. Everyone has their own lines when it comes to tolerance. It’s not about any mainstream social agenda. 

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

I'm a born again Christian who also has beliefs about certain behaviors.  I'd love to watch Yellowstone, but I just can't deal with the 'F' word every 5 minutes.  There are shows we watch that contain portrayals that, as a Christian, I don't personally agree with (which is my religious constitutional right as with any other religion's right), but I shouldn't have to get called out for being a racist, bigot, Jesus freak - whatever - because what I believe in doesn't line up with theirs.  THAT is intolerance.

I agree but I also imagine that who aren’t a public figure responsible for speaking on behalf of a network while doing national interviews. 

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

CCB has the right to do what's right for her. 

No one is interfering with that right but the public also has a right to disagree with what she is saying. 

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

The right to her beliefs should be respected, even if you don't agree.  Just as HBs right to her opinion should be respected, even if you don't agree. 

Their right to have an opinion should be respected but that opinion doesn’t have to be respected. 

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

To me personally, Hallmark's attempt to be inclusive just seems like forced pandering - and that puts me off even more. 

I understand that sentiment but as a POC who has been purposefully excluded or ridiculed for decades I’m fine with being pandered to. It’s not always well done but at least they are acknowledging my existence on the planet and trying to appeal to me rather than ignoring me or openly mocking me. 
 

12 hours ago, ctlady said:

And I've seen other shows attempting to do it as well which come across as them waving their woke, virtue signaling flag saying, "hey....look at us....we're on board here.  Hey....over here.!

Also much better than the alternative. 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Makai

[Shorty186]

Does anyone know if the actors with movies on GAF (but not the ones with exclusive deals) were aware they were doing movies for that channel? I know a lot of times Christmas movies can end up being bought by any channel, but not sure what the deal is with GAF since I hadn’t even known actors could be signed exclusively until they started doing it (or making an actor their CCO). There are a lot of Hallmark actors with Christmas movies on GAF that would surprise me being okay with their narrow-minded viewpoint. 

[Irlandesa]

33 minutes ago, Shorty186 said:

Does anyone know if the actors with movies on GAF (but not the ones with exclusive deals) were aware they were doing movies for that channel?

I read a Twitter thread by someone who keeps track of holiday movies and it sounds like a large majority of them are acquisitions.  I don't know what they knew when they were filming but it was mostly for production companies that weren't GAF.  And a lot of the movies end up on streaming on the same day or even before they air on that channel.

Speaking of streaming, it sounds like Peacock is starting to add some of the movies that aired on Hallmark before the deal was finalized.  It'll be interesting to see whether they're going to extend the window instead of having it be just 3 days.

15 hours ago, ctlady said:

To me personally, Hallmark's attempt to be inclusive just seems like forced pandering - and that puts me off even more.  And I've seen other shows attempting to do it as well which come across as them waving their woke, virtue signaling flag saying, "hey....look at us....we're on board here.  Hey....over here.!

Mostly all white casts with few to no interracial romances, little racial diversity and absolutely no members of the LGBTQ+ community was an effortful, intentional and extremely pandering choice too. It just felt more "natural" because it's what we were accustomed to seeing.  It was also virtue signaling (wink wink, our "family friendly" movies will let you pretend these people don't exist.)  Artful or subtle has never been Hallmark's calling card but I do think increasing the diversity has led to more variety in the movies and different ways stories have been told.  Not just in the cast but even some of the ideas are new and clever or the dialogue comes from a different POV.  People still might not like the movies but at least some of them are offering something different.

[Makai]

9 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I read a Twitter thread by someone who keeps track of holiday movies and it sounds like a large majority of them are acquisitions.  I don't know what they knew when they were filming but it was mostly for production companies that weren't GAF.  And a lot of the movies end up on streaming on the same day or even before they air on that channel.

From what I’ve read on twitter only 7 or 8 of GAF’s Christmas movies were developed for GAF. All but 2 or 3 of those were also done by other production companies so the actors could have signed on without knowing what network was airing them. I remember Andrew Walker saying on Deck the Halls that he once thought he was starring in a Hallmark movie until he got to set and discovered it was a Lifetime movie. 

[absnow54]

I'm still catching up on my DVR. I just watched Next Stop, Christmas again from last season's offerings. I'm bummed that Lyndsy Fonseca doesn't look to have any Christmas movies this year! That was a fun one. 

[Bethany]

On 11/15/2022 at 9:14 AM, ctlady said:

To me personally, Hallmark's attempt to be inclusive just seems like forced pandering - and that puts me off even more.  And I've seen other shows attempting to do it as well which come across as them waving their woke, virtue signaling flag saying, "hey....look at us....we're on board here.  Hey....over here.!

Hallmark is in a no win situation - also called "you can't please everyone".  People feel as you do but there are also people out there feeling that Hallmark hasn't gone far enough.  They make changes, they get critics, they don't make changes. they get critics.  I'll take the make changes option and I can choose not to watch those movies that I feel are telling a story I am not interested in watching.

[ctlady]

7 minutes ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

I'll take the make changes option and I can choose not to watch those movies that I feel are telling a story I am not interested in watching.

Absolutely agree - and this is what I plan to do also.  I personally don't make my choice to watch/not watch a movie based on diversity/inclusion.  If I like a particular actor/actress, I'll watch them.  If I've found them annoying in past roles (yes, CBB and HB - looking at both of you, Rachel Boston, Lacey Chabert, sometimes Autumn Reeser) I just don't even bother.  Frankly, I much prefer new blood/non HM-franchise faces or else I could be really missing out on a potentially good movie due to an actress I find insufferable

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Artful or subtle has never been Hallmark's calling card but I do think increasing the diversity has led to more variety in the movies and different ways stories have been told.  Not just in the cast but even some of the ideas are new and clever or the dialogue comes from a different POV.  People still might not like the movies but at least some of them are offering something different.

From your lips to the writer's ears!  You can have the most diverse cast on the planet, but if it's just another cookie cutter, formulaic, plot, I will not watch. 

You can only have so many 'big city, single executive woman' having to suddenly drop everything to go back to quaint home town to save something from being extinct, going under, selling off in a foreclosure auction, etc.  You'd think long time quaint home-towners can't fix these things themselves because, you know, having lived in quaint home town for so long.   But it's all to get big city executive woman and small town, single, hunky ex-boyfriend back together so they can magically fix everything with his long time home-town-ness and her big city executive-ness that she'll eventually give up because home-town-ness trumps executive-ness.  

It's all the same - just change the season, holiday, big city executive profession (are they all writers, fashion designers, advertising agents?) and quaint home town problem du jour and - BOOM - you've got a HM movie hot off the contrived conveyor belt.

Wake me when it's January and, hopefully, the dang Christmas movie train is over.  I'll settle for watching some oldies On Demand and hoping for some new mystery movies

[bankerchick]

1 hour ago, ctlady said:

If I've found them annoying in past roles (yes, CBB and HB - looking at both of you, Rachel Boston, Lacey Chabert, sometimes Autumn Reeser) I just don't even bother. 

You and I should get a table together.  I thought I was the only person on this site who doesn't like Lacey Chabert.  Though I have watched some of her movies, I can't say any of them stand out as faves.  Autumn Reeser only occasionally (Glenbrooke Christmas, barely yes, Love At The Thanksgiving Parade is a no.)  I mostly won't watch Rachel Boston, with the only exception being the bridesmaid movie with Paul Campbell and even then, I would rather watch Wedding Every Weekend if I need a date with my Hallmark husband.  Another actress who I cannot abide and I think is a clone of Rachel is Erin Cahill.  I'm not sure I have ever made it through a whole movie with her.

I don't care about CCB or Hilarie Burton or their opinions on anything.

Not that I am counting, but only 3 days until Three Wise Men and a Baby.

[norcalgal]

2 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I'm still catching up on my DVR. I just watched Next Stop, Christmas again from last season's offerings. I'm bummed that Lyndsy Fonseca doesn't look to have any Christmas movies this year! That was a fun one. 

Although she's done a few shows (Desperate Housewives, Agent Carter), she will always be kick-ass but also vulnerable Alexandra Udonov from Nikita for me.

1 hour ago, ctlady said:

You can only have so many 'big city, single executive woman' having to suddenly drop everything to go back to quaint home town to save something from being extinct, going under, selling off in a foreclosure auction, etc.  You'd think long time quaint home-towners can't fix these things themselves because, you know, having lived in quaint home town for so long.   But it's all to get big city executive woman and small town, single, hunky ex-boyfriend back together so they can magically fix everything with his long time home-town-ness and her big city executive-ness that she'll eventually give up because home-town-ness trumps executive-ness.  

Lolololol! I love your use of home-town-ness and big city executive-ness.  So funny because it's so true!

[norcalgal]

Help  - could someone post the link for the Lifetime etc. holiday movies?  (Or direct me where I can find the discussion.)  I can't find it even after looking high and low.  I want to comment on Six Degrees of Santa which aired last weekend on Lifetime.

Thanks!

[absnow54]

5 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

Help  - could someone post the link for the Lifetime etc. holiday movies?  (Or direct me where I can find the discussion.)  I can't find it even after looking high and low.  I want to comment on Six Degrees of Santa which aired last weekend on Lifetime.

Thanks!

The general, catch all Christmas movie thread is here (linked to most recent year):

And the Lifetime specific one is here (although no one has discussed a Christmas movie in it yet.):

[Cetacean]

7 hours ago, bankerchick said:

9 hours ago, ctlady said:

If I've found them annoying in past roles (yes, CBB and HB - looking at both of you, Rachel Boston, Lacey Chabert, sometimes Autumn Reeser) I just don't even bother. 

You and I should get a table together. 

May I join you?  Spot on with these and not a fan of Cahill, either.  I honestly thought Chabert and Reeser were the same person until they were in a movie together.  All one note actors.

Please, please. please don't let us down with Three Wise Men.....

[memememe76]

I don’t know why Hallmark movies featuring actors of colour suddenly have to also be good? It’s not like past Hallmark movies were winning Emmys.