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

[luvthepros]

On 1/15/2023 at 10:43 PM, bankerchick said:

I was just going to post this.  He certainly fits the description.  Isn't he the husband in the Alison Sweeney veil movie?

I was thinking of Victor Webster also. In the short clip of him speaking in the movie trailer, his voice sounds raspy. Anyone catch that?

[norcalgal]

19 hours ago, voiceover said:

I liked it!  Liked the subplot romance (a sweet counterpoint, plus she had a very believable reason for being gunshy), liked Paolo still wooing his wife, reallyreally liked the fact that Autumn’s character hated meetings! and admin paperwork! and the never-ending clusterfark that is survival in today’s academia (finally a Hallmark plot where I can yell out a “Preach!” and not be ironic).

And I liked that little coda.  Not as laugh-out-loud as was Lacey & Kevin’s, but Paolo was adorable with that hidden smooch.

ITA.  The Autumn veil sequel was superior to Lacey’s in just about every way, but the main thing in a romance movie is well, the romance!  And I bought the romance/relationship between Autumn and Paola much more than Lacey/Kevin.

[Ele]

On 1/12/2023 at 2:05 PM, Bronx Babe said:

I'm seeing Mr. Piggy Nose everywhere.  Who is he -- Luke McFarland?

What is the name of that older (late 40's or possibly early 50's) male lead with -- and I apologize for not coming up with a better description -- what looks like a very light grayish-white chin goatee?  He also has turned-down lines on both sides of his mouth.  

Is the older actor James Denton?

[SonofaBiscuit]

Boooo! Autumn's installment of the second batch of Wedding Veil movies was the one I was most looking forward to, but too much time was wasted on Emma/Paulo being apart, as well as her teaching assistant's romance with Carlo Marks' character. 

I was so distracted by the cheetah print dress that Alison Sweeney's character was wearing. It had some black fabric draped over one shoulder and I didn't understand. Was it part of the dress? Did she just throw some black material over one side for no reason? What???

LOL, now the girls are going to crash Alison Sweeney's Greek honeymoon? How bizarre. If I was her husband, that would annoy me!

[norcalgal]

55 minutes ago, SonofaBiscuit said:

Boooo! Autumn's installment of the second batch of Wedding Veil movies was the one I was most looking forward to, but too much time was wasted on Emma/Paulo being apart, as well as her teaching assistant's romance with Carlo Marks' character. 

Yeah, although I preferred this sequel to Lacey’s sequel, I didn’t like that they took time away from the two main characters to focus on the cousin and TA romance, but:

1) they also introduced a new romance in Lacey’s sequel (hubby’s mom and her ex);

2) show wanted to continue the theme of the legend of the veil with it prompting new romances

[Bronx Babe]

It's Victor Webster! Thank you, guys!  Appreciate everyone who chimed in to help.  I was channel surfing yesterday and landed on Hearts of Winter and --- there he was!  

 

[bankerchick]

We should make a game of this.  @Bronx Babe will provide some vague, slightly unflattering characteristic (pig nose, turned-down lines on his mouth) and we can try to guess who it is.  We could try it with the women, but they would all be the same - long, ringlet hair (brown or blonde) bitchy, self-important, intractable personality, immune to charm, prone to eavesdropping on half a conversation, then jumping to conclusions that always make the other person look bad, can be hard to identify from a distance due to owning 6 or 8 winter coats.

[Bronx Babe]

Okay, who is the male lead with bizarre cheekbones who looks like Lon Chaney Sr. as The Phantom of the Opera?

[Bronx Babe]

#2:  What's the name of that lead actress who resembles a sanitized version of Fran Drescher?

[bankerchick]

1 hour ago, Bronx Babe said:

Okay, who is the male lead with bizarre cheekbones who looks like Lon Chaney Sr. as The Phantom of the Opera?

Cameron Mathison

 

1 hour ago, Bronx Babe said:

#2:  What's the name of that lead actress who resembles a sanitized version of Fran Drescher?

Danika McKellar

[MerBearHou]

2 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

Okay, who is the male lead with bizarre cheekbones who looks like Lon Chaney Sr. as The Phantom of the Opera?

Mark Deklin?

2 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

#2:  What's the name of that lead actress who resembles a sanitized version of Fran Drescher?

Jessica Lowndes (one of my can’t watch)?

[bankerchick]

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

Jessica Lowndes (one of my can’t watch)?

That sounds like a good guess.  I don't really like her but love December Bride for some reason, despite their mentioning that term 500 times during the movie.

[SusanwatchingTV]

There's one of the ladies I call Scarface.  I don't know her name, but she's been in a lot of things.  I saw her in an older one recently and she didn't seem to have the scar, so I'm thinking at some point she was injured and it left a scar on her forehead between her eyes.

[Bronx Babe]

16 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Cameron Mathison

 

Danika McKellar

Nope, not either of these.

15 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

 

Jessica Lowndes (one of my can’t watch)?

Nope.

15 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Mark Deklin?

 

Nope.

[Bronx Babe]

My Phantom of the Opera guy is very weird-looking.  His face seems to consist of nothing but those odd cheekbones.  He is tall and I believe Canadian.

The sanitized Fran Drescher actress actually looks a lot like her but in that non-threatening, Hallmark-y type way.

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, SusanwatchingTV said:

There's one of the ladies I call Scarface.  I don't know her name, but she's been in a lot of things.  I saw her in an older one recently and she didn't seem to have the scar, so I'm thinking at some point she was injured and it left a scar on her forehead between her eyes.

That's Julie Gonzalo.  I really like her.  And she's now married to another I like very much, Chris McNally, and they have a baby!  They fell in love IRL when filming The Sweetest Heart.

Edited January 21, 2023 by MerBearHou

[twoods]

She was fantastic in Veronica Mars. I’m glad to see her doing well since I’ve enjoyed most of her movies.

[Clawdette]

Andrew Walker, Victor Zinck, Bobby Campo, and Michael Rady all have high cheekbones and longer, thinner faces.

[BuckeyeLou]

I wanted to comment on the 3rd installment of the "Wedding Veil" trilogy...I enjoyed it the best.  I thought this one had everything I look for in an enjoyable Hallmark movie: it had Spectacular scenery, I loved All of Tracy's(Ali) outfits,  Victor & Alison have good chemistry, I loved the little actor who played Leo: he added an extra element to the story which was something different than most, the British Lady(Lady Dalton) was funny stealing the veil to help her Grandson's romance,  all in all I found it lovely & enjoyable.  And now I would love to take a trip to Greece!

[Clawdette]

Those of us of a certain age remember Jane Asher (Lady Dalton) when she was Paul McCartney's girlfriend during the early days of the Beatles in the 60s.  She was the envy of many a schoolgirl.

[MerBearHou]

I really enjoyed this installment of the Veil movies.  It was a very dear story and I actually got a little teary a couple of times.  It all hinged on how natural the young Leo actor was.  He wasn’t cutesy or precocious or actor-y so I really rooted for him.  The rest of the cast was delightful too and I enjoyed the little twist about Lady Dalton.  Alison and Victor are great together and of course, Greece was dreamy — moves to the top of my wish list for travel.  I have enjoyed this 6-movie Veil series all-in-all.  

1 minute ago, Clawdette said:

Those of us of a certain age remember Jane Asher (Lady Dalton) when she was Paul McCartney's girlfriend during the early days of the Beatles in the 60s.  She was the envy of many a schoolgirl.

Hold on — that’s the SAME Jane Asher??!!??  Oh yes, I remember that detail very well!  

[SonofaBiscuit]

Alright, the last Veil movie. 

It seemed a little cruel to make the ladies trek around in wedge heels. Lacey looked really unsteady climbing those steps!

There was literally no reason for Lacey’s and Autumn’s characters to crash the Greek honeymoon. No reason except for the actresses to get a Greek vacation, LOL.

It was kinda odd that the name Leo was being pronounced two different ways. Wouldn’t most people repeat it just as they’ve heard? 

The British guy was really familiar, and I know I’ve seen him before. Must Google that, I guess.

[Mittengirl]

I know nothing about lace, but would you really haul it around on an unprotected hanger?  I would think wrapping it with tissue and placing it in a box would be better. It would be protected from snags, dust and spills.  I guess I could get behind hanging it up upon arrival at your destination, if you were going to use it there.

I thought the school in Athens was supposed to be for students in grades 7-12?  Leo certainly didn’t look that old to me, maybe 10ish?

Perhaps I zoned out, but did we not get a solution to Victor Webster’s character wanting to cook more?  
 

Autumn’s character showing up from Italy for what seemed like a day and a half I can buy, but Lacey coming all the way from the U.S. made no sense.  And I swear, despite having a suitcase, she wore the same green dress in every scene.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Mittengirl

[ECM1231]

9 minutes ago, Mittengirl said:

Perhaps I zoned out, but did we not get a solution to Victor Webster’s character wanting to cook more?  

He hired his sister (Maria?) to handle the business end of things, thus freeing him to do the cooking that he loved.

[Irlandesa]

I liked the scenery but I had to roll my eyes at their decision to reserve a hotel room for one night and then "wing it" and then expecting to able to make their first night whichever night they show up because their plane was delayed.  You fly thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars and just hope you find nice accommodations?  And then snark at someone offering to help that they're trying to scam you when you put yourself in a position to be scammed?  Ugh.

I must have zoned out too because they kept talking about Leo coming to live with them but I don't think they ever spoke of adoption.  I did hope that if all three movies were about parenting that we'd get a different version for the third movie other than a pregnancy so I liked the guardianship/adoption angle they took.

[Bronx Babe]

15 hours ago, Clawdette said:

Andrew Walker, Victor Zinck, Bobby Campo, and Michael Rady all have high cheekbones and longer, thinner faces.

Thanks, Clawdette but no, not any of these.

[Bronx Babe]

I watched snippets of the latest Veil last night to see Victor Webster but must admit that as an actor he is a complete bore.  Hunky yes, but frankly without much screen presence.

He's in good company, though.  None of these Hallmark male leads have any imo.

[norcalgal]

15 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I wanted to comment on the 3rd installment of the "Wedding Veil" trilogy...I enjoyed it the best.  I thought this one had everything I look for in an enjoyable Hallmark movie: it had Spectacular scenery, I loved All of Tracy's(Ali) outfits,  Victor & Alison have good chemistry, I loved the little actor who played Leo: he added an extra element to the story which was something different than most

ITA with all the above, especially Alison’s clothes. In fact, I want some of the outfits for myself!  

14 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

I really enjoyed this installment of the Veil movies.  It was a very dear story and I actually got a little teary a couple of times.  It all hinged on how natural the young Leo actor was.  He wasn’t cutesy or precocious or actor-y so I really rooted for him. 

Yep, the young actor was quite good. However, I find it highly unlikely that Leo learned English from watching the Law and Order series. First, because that’s not the kind of show kids gravitate towards, and second, that’s not the kind of show a person watches to learn English. “Jurisprudence”, “Miranda Rights”, “entrapment”. Yeah, suuuuure, people just learning a language would watch such a show. 

My main problem in this movie (and had the same problem with Autumn’s first Veil movie) was the fact that the natives’ English speaking ability was amazing, and unrealistically, that they would speak in English *to each other*!  
If Autumn’s first movie and Alison’s second had been set in Northern Europe, I could maybe buy the two points I made above.

Having family in Scandinavia and visiting them there, I can speak to the high level of English spoken (and writing and reading) which abounds there. But Southern Europe, nope - at least *not at the level* presented in these Veil movies. 
I loved, loved Tracy and the headmaster’s discussions about art. How realistic or not it is to make a living from it, but also how art (in all its forms) is needed and celebrated (when it’s successful). 

Finally, I don’t understand why the grandma blithely assumes her grandson would live in Greece…?  What job does he have where he could do his job living in Greece?  

ps…as I’ve posted before in these Veil movies, soooo weird and awkward that the other two husbands aren’t there in the wedding scenes of whoever got married. I guess this allows the two who aren’t the focus of the movie to be each other’s wedding date!

[Irlandesa]

9 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

However, I find it highly unlikely that Leo learned English from watching the Law and Order series.

I loved that line so much that I didn't think how unrealistic is was.  And I believe part of the reason the Southern European countries don't learn English as well as some of the Northern European countries is because the Southern European countries use dubbing for American TV shows whereas I believe I read that Scandinavia usually has subtitles so they actually hear the language. (But I could be making this up so don't take my word for it.)

9 minutes ago, norcalgal said:

Finally, I don’t understand why the grandma blithely assumes her grandson would live in Greece…?  What job does he have where he could do his job living in Greece?

Oh I just assumed they were rich. For instance, she was going to take the letters and sell them to buy a small (and yet very large) house on the island and she'd have money leftover to provide for Leo.  I wouldn't be surprised her son has a trust fund.

Did they ever figure out the meal situation or is the bad cook going to continue to be an awful cook?

Edited January 22, 2023 by Irlandesa

[bankerchick]

2 hours ago, norcalgal said:

ps…as I’ve posted before in these Veil movies, soooo weird and awkward that the other two husbands aren’t there in the wedding scenes of whoever got married. I guess this allows the two who aren’t the focus of the movie to be each other’s wedding date!

No kidding.  Even with a young child, Lacey can skip over to Greece from Boston, not once but twice, but didn't even bring her husband to the wedding.  Why wouldn't he come with her to the wedding, even if only for a dirty weekend in Greece?  (I know, I know, Hallmark, but Kevin McGarry!)  Especially because neither he nor Lacey even knew the bride and groom.

2 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Did they ever figure out the meal situation or is the bad cook going to continue to be an awful cook?

I was pretty sure this movie was going to end up with Alison and Victor staying in Greece and him taking over the kitchen.  I guess that's progress;  5 years ago that's how this Hallmark movie would have ended.

 I wonder if a conscious decision was made for the couple to kiss at the end of every scene they had together?  Just random kisses between spouses, but it seemed like every single time they spoke!  Maybe I only noticed it because, although I know I differ here, I thought there was less than zero heat between them.

[norcalgal]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

And I believe part of the reason the Southern European countries don't learn English as well as some of the Northern European countries is because the Southern European countries use dubbing for American TV shows whereas I believe I read that Scandinavia usually has subtitles so they actually hear the language. (But I could be making this up so don't take my word for it.)

Unless things have changed, Scandinavia usually uses subtitles, so they get to hear American accents and how we pronounce words. 

What’s weird is Germans speak English fairly well, but Germany dubs tv shows (not sure about movies).  So for Germans, I guess their English ability is good due to schooling, not watching American productions. 

[Bronx Babe]

They never showed Alison and Victor, married three years and on a delayed honeymoon, in bed together.  Only Alison constantly waking up and looking at an empty pillow.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Bronx Babe

[Notabug]

23 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I loved that line so much that I didn't think how unrealistic is was.  And I believe part of the reason the Southern European countries don't learn English as well as some of the Northern European countries is because the Southern European countries use dubbing for American TV shows whereas I believe I read that Scandinavia usually has subtitles so they actually hear the language. (But I could be making this up so don't take my word for it.)

Oh I just assumed they were rich. For instance, she was going to take the letters and sell them to buy a small (and yet very large) house on the island and she'd have money leftover to provide for Leo.  I wouldn't be surprised her son has a trust fund.

Did they ever figure out the meal situation or is the bad cook going to continue to be an awful cook?

Can't speak to all Scandinavian countries, but, when I visited Norway, most of the TV programs were American or British and broadcast in their original language with Norwegian subtitles.  

In Norway and the other Scandinavian countries, there was recognition after WWII that English was going to be needed in the modern world and the schools set about teaching it to all kids.  When I was there, virtually everyone but the very elderly were able to converse in English without much trouble, and most were what I would consider fluent.  My traveling companion and I had gotten a CD with common Norwegian phrases and practiced before we left, only to discover that Norwegians speak excellent English.  We hardly had a chance to practice.

I loved seeing Greece again, it really is that beautiful.  Delicious fresh food, too.  Also great for history buffs, plenty to see.  Greeks don't speak much English at all, even in touristy areas and the fact that the alphabet is different makes it even more challenging for an American traveling there.  I would still be riding on a bus in Athens if the driver hadn't taken pity on me and, using sign language and a map, showed me what stop I needed.

I liked the movie probably more than most of the other veil movies, mainly because of the setting.  I was also very happy that they didn't try to pretend that Allison Sweeney was still young enough that getting pregnant and giving birth was likely to happen.  I did kinda wonder how a couple who have trouble carving out enough time for themselves was going to be able to deal with bringing a child into their home.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Notabug

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

They never showed Alison and Victor, married three years and on a delayed honeymoon, in bed together.  Only Alison constantly waking up and looking at an empty pillow.

Maybe not but one of their kisses had them falling down on what was likely a bed which I felt was positively racy for Hallmark.

[Bronx Babe]

You are right, @Irlandesa I forgot about that but remember thinking the same thing!

[Cetacean]

6 hours ago, Bronx Babe said:

They never showed Alison and Victor, married three years and on a delayed honeymoon, in bed together.

All Hallmarklandia pregnancies are probably by immaculate conception.

[Miss Bones]

On 1/20/2023 at 6:36 PM, Bronx Babe said:

Okay, who is the male lead with bizarre cheekbones who looks like Lon Chaney Sr. as The Phantom of the Opera?

Christopher Russell?  He is always an immediate NO for me.  I've seen others call him handsome, and I suppose he is objectively handsome, but I find him creepy... and he is an awful actor.

On 1/20/2023 at 6:46 PM, Bronx Babe said:

#2:  What's the name of that lead actress who resembles a sanitized version of Fran Drescher?

Kimberly Sustad?  

 

[Mittengirl]

4 hours ago, Miss Bones said:

objectively handsome,

Isn’t handsomeness entirely subjective?  I always yell at the TV commercial where some guy is referred to as “objectively hot”.  

[Miss Bones]

16 hours ago, Mittengirl said:

Isn’t handsomeness entirely subjective?  I always yell at the TV commercial where some guy is referred to as “objectively hot”.  

I would tend to agree, but I feel like some people are just good-looking in a way that others side-eye me when I say that I do not find them attractive.  I guess with using the word "objectively", I was just thinking ahead that someone would jump in and say how handsome he is, because he has one of those faces that probably reads handsome to a lot of people.  

[bankerchick]

7 hours ago, Miss Bones said:

I was just thinking ahead that someone would jump in and say how handsome he is, because he has one of those faces that probably reads handsome to a lot of people.  

Yes, his face reads handsome to me, but it's really his abs that I find attractive, and until recently, we could count on seeing them at least once in every movie.

@Bronx Babe, respectfully, I think we've waited long enough.  Who is The Phantom of the Opera, and who is Fran Drescher without (I'm assuming) the New Yawk accent?

[Guest]

Relatively new to these Wedding Veil movies, but I'm currently half-watching the second Autumn one, and I might be in love with her...teaching assistant? sidekick? Lily. She's cute and kinda twitchy in a fun way, and there's a naturalness to the actor's portrayal. When she pointed out that Autumn had a typo in her article about the veil, the way she said "you misspelled veil" as they walked out of frame 😆

Edited January 27, 2023 by tracyscott76
Missed a "the"

[Ghost Bear]

On 1/20/2023 at 6:46 PM, Bronx Babe said:

#2:  What's the name of that lead actress who resembles a sanitized version of Fran Drescher?

Rhiannon Fish?

[Chippings]

As I write this, they're just finishing re-running A Royal Winter from 2018, which I think was my first "favorite" Hallmark movie.  Did it stick in anybody else's mind especially?  It was one of Merritt Patterson's first, filmed in an actual European country (maybe Romania?), and it just caught my attention.  The settings were beautiful, and I think really filmed in the winter (what a concept!).

The Prince was perhaps the most seriously flawed prince they've ever shown, and the actor (Jack Donnelly) doesn't seem to have much of a bio since.  

But they both got to work with Samantha Bond (former 'Miss Moneypenny' in lots of James Bond movies), so that gave the thing some gravitas.  She has done one Hallmark, that I know of, since.

Anyway, just wanted to give it a shout out.  Has it stuck in anybody else's mind over the years?

[norcalgal]

6 hours ago, Chippings said:

As I write this, they're just finishing re-running A Royal Winter from 2018, which I think was my first "favorite" Hallmark movie.  Did it stick in anybody else's mind especially?  It was one of Merritt Patterson's first, filmed in an actual European country (maybe Romania?), and it just caught my attention.  The settings were beautiful, and I think really filmed in the winter (what a concept!).

The Prince was perhaps the most seriously flawed prince they've ever shown, and the actor (Jack Donnelly) doesn't seem to have much of a bio since.  

But they both got to work with Samantha Bond (former 'Miss Moneypenny' in lots of James Bond movies), so that gave the thing some gravitas.  She has done one Hallmark, that I know of, since.

Anyway, just wanted to give it a shout out.  Has it stuck in anybody else's mind over the years?

Yeah, I only watched this movie once - back when it originally aired. I remember that the prince was quite the step down in regards to physical attractiveness (height and face), but I did like that his “hook” was helping disadvantaged kids. I don’t recall anything else about the movie.

 I didn’t remember that Samantha Bond was in it, but she’s also in Downton Abbey as the Earl Robert’s sister/Dowager Countess Violet’s daughter.

[bankerchick]

Did anyone watch last night's disaster, Love In Glacier National Park?   Maybe I'm just over the whole thing.  I used to like Stephen Huszar, but this and his Christmas movie where he played a bodyguard were both awful and the lead female was just a bitch.  Why do they do this?  Who wants to watch someone who is unpleasant all the time and why on earth would a good looking guy give her the time of day?  Her sister was ridiculous and I won't even get into the masseuse who thought she would just show up at the guy's house with her pyjamas, and not just stay over, but sleep in his bed?  With his daughter there??  In a Hallmark movie???

I bailed early and had no desire to check back.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

Did anyone watch last night's disaster, Love In Glacier National Park? 

I had it on for the scenery because GNP is one of my favorite places although I highly doubt it was filmed there.  But, for all of the reasons you listed, I bailed as well.  Just awful.

[WhyAmIHere]

Maybe it's wedding veil fatigue, but I kind of enjoyed the glacier movie.  It had some weird, dropped threads though.  The sister took a negative pregnancy test near the end of the movie, but she never told anyone, did she?  The female lead didn't spend any time with her sister after that.  The redhead massage therapist also mentioned something she needed to share at the dance but then wasn't seen again.  

I can't pinpoint anything specific that I liked about this movie, other than relief that it wasn't another wedding veil movie.   

 

[bankerchick]

I get the relief over the end of the veil movies (for now) and sometimes we have to take the good where we can get it.  I am currently watching Winter In Vail with Lacey who I don't like and Tyler Hynes, who I do like, and I know I've seen it before, but I can't help thinking it's exactly the same as the movie where she and Brendan Elliott inherit the same house.  Maybe it is and he hasn't shown up yet, but I'm gonna bail on this too so it will remain a mystery.

[BuckeyeLou]

I liked the Love in Glacier Park just for the scenery, and the young daughter was delightful.  All these Hallmark movies are making me want to Travel!  Greece, Italy, Glacier National Park!  :)

[EyewatchTV211]

3 hours ago, bankerchick said:

Did anyone watch last night's disaster, Love In Glacier National Park?   Maybe I'm just over the whole thing.  I used to like Stephen Huszar, but this and his Christmas movie where he played a bodyguard were both awful and the lead female was just a bitch.  Why do they do this?  Who wants to watch someone who is unpleasant all the time and why on earth would a good looking guy give her the time of day?  Her sister was ridiculous and I won't even get into the masseuse who thought she would just show up at the guy's house with her pyjamas, and not just stay over, but sleep in his bed?  With his daughter there??  In a Hallmark movie???

I bailed early and had no desire to check back.

I don't know, I thought the male lead was a jerk, so maybe they were a good match after all. They explained part of it later, but not some of his assumptions that were somewhat mysogynistic.