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

[Woopwoopkitty]

Kris Polaha hair is a big ass NO.  And he’s too old for that woman they’ve paired him with.

i watched Game of Love.  It was ok, made so mostly because of Brooks being so beautiful to look at.  I wonder how he would pair with the luminous Heather Hemmins? 

I have two asks of Hallmark. First, stop programming movies with the same lead back to back.  If I just watched a movie with Lacey and Brendan, the next movie should not have either of them in it.  No matter how much I like an particular actor, I don’t want to see them with one romantic lead then an hour later a different one.  Space it out.

second, whomever writes the blurbs for the TV synopsis needs to stop writing “Sparks fly.....”. I’ve seen this in a ridiculous number of them.  As in Sparks fly when a big city developer tries to steal the small town girl’s farm, who just happens to be his high school sweetheart.  Not only is it over use, it’s rarely true.  There are some pairings that have great chemistry but not enough to warrant to use.  And never if the movie stars Luke McFarlane or Erin Cahill.

[bankerchick]

On 3/12/2023 at 5:13 PM, kirinan said:

But I did DVR it, so I'll FF through for the Antonio Cupo parts and then get rid of it

It will be a short watch for you.  Maybe 5 minutes tops. I think he's actually only in 2 scenes (or maybe3.)

8 hours ago, Woopwoopkitty said:

And never if the movie stars Luke McFarlane or Erin Cahill.

Couldn't agree more.  Luke has no hetero-chemistry, and Erin is a vortex of suck.  There are many actresses I don't like, but she is one of the few that I actually cannot watch under any circumstances, regardless of her co-star.  God help me if she makes a movie with Paul Campbell or Travis Van Winkle.

[Daff]

All of the comments above are hilarious-completely and utterly correct, but so hilarious. Haven’t seen a thing in promos of interest. Sad.

[Ele]

11 hours ago, Woopwoopkitty said:

Quote

Kris Polaha hair is a big ass NO.  And he’s too old for that woman they’ve paired him with. 

Ha! Which is why I think his hair is like that; to make him younger. I can't get over it because he is too good looking for that. 

Quote

i watched Game of Love.  It was ok, made so mostly because of Brooks being so beautiful to look at.  I wonder how he would pair with the luminous Heather Hemmins?    

They would pair well together. I think he and Susted would have been an ok pairing if her charater hadn't been so unlikable.

Quote

 

 

[Woopwoopkitty]

I looked tonight at tomorrow’s schedule.  Sure enough, there’s a movie with Alexa PenaVega and Luke McFarlane.  Description: Sparks fly between a ballet instructor and a hockey player....

edited to add:  this is funny, when I got home from work I turned on Hallmark to see Lacey in a movie with Carlo Marks, followed by.........wait for it....drum roll please.....another Lacey Chabert movie, this time with Will Kemp.

i like both the of the movies but this exactly what I was talking about. With their vast vault they could have shown something with different leads.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Woopwoopkitty
Edited to add the back to back Lacey

[kirinan]

Interesting little article: An interview with Kristoffer Polaha about his upcoming movie. I have to admit, it sounds like one I'll probably watch.

Edited March 15, 2023 by kirinan

[MerBearHou]

26 minutes ago, kirinan said:

Interesting little article: An interview with Kristoffer Polaha about his upcoming movie. I have to admit, it sounds like one I'll probably watch.

Thank you for sharing this.  I absolutely love Kristoffer -- his personality and his humor are favorites -- but sadly, I'm just not drawn to this one.  And oh my, the hair is just SO BAD.  He is truly one of the best-looking guys around, but this look is not good at all!

[bankerchick]

2 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

And oh my, the hair is just SO BAD.  He is truly one of the best-looking guys around, but this look is not good at all!

He has beautiful hair normally.  I'm not sure why they thought this was a good look.  I am convinced that Tyler Hynes got plugs and his ever-changing hairstyle is an effort to either hide the plugs or find a flattering style going forward, but I don't think that's the case for Kris - just a bad decision.

[Clawdette]

Saw this on Heavy today.

Kimberley Sustad & Paul Campbell Working on 2 New Movies at Once

[kirinan]

20 hours ago, Clawdette said:

Saw this on Heavy today.

Kimberley Sustad & Paul Campbell Working on 2 New Movies at Once

Acting or writing, I love anything these two do together. I just hope both these movies are on a channel I can watch! (The only streaming channel I have is Disney+, which doesn't seem like a candidate.)

Edited March 16, 2023 by kirinan

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, kirinan said:

I just hope both these movies are on a channel I can watch! (The only streaming channel I have is Disney+, which doesn't seem like a candidate.)

I'd imagine it's very likely the movies will land on Hallmark.

[Cetacean]

A Winning Team - Polaha is 46 years old, Hatta is 32.  I just couldn't get past that.  Plus I have no interest in sport stories so this was a big no for me.

[Infiltr8]

A Winning Team…not sure I can keep watching the hair on Polaha….and he is one of my faves…..

[WhyAmIHere]

I gave Polaha's movie 30 minutes and it didn't hold my interest.   Couldn't get past the age difference and his hair.  

I will try Paul Campbell's mystery tonight, but the previews look ridiculous.  2023 has not been a good year for Hallmark movies so far. 

[bankerchick]

I'm not sure I made it 30 minutes.  The hair was ridiculous but she's a bitch!  I know I'm a broken record, but why oh why does Hallmark have to make everyone a bitch before they start to soften?  No way is anyone interested in that.  She's pretty but not out of this world gorgeous and I don't believe for a second that any guy is up for that sort of abuse.  My frustration made me turn to the time-shift channel which was carrying the road-trip movie (whose title I don't know and whose actors I have never seen) and it was the same thing.  A guy volunteered to drive out of his way to deliver her to Nebraska, but she was such a bitch to him that I can't believe he didn't change his mind and tell her to take the bus.

I don't know when the Paul Campbell movie will play here.  I'm sure I'll check it out though.  At least it will have him, which is more than pretty much any other movie has had this year.

[Cetacean]

7 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

I know I'm a broken record, but why oh why does Hallmark have to make everyone a bitch before they start to soften? 

And, of course, she only sees the error of her ways because of a guy.  No way a woman can find self awareness without the guidance of a big, strong male and truuuu looooov.  Females are only worthy of being subservient in Hallmarklandia.

[kirinan]

7 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

 I know I'm a broken record, but why oh why does Hallmark have to make everyone a bitch before they start to soften?  No way is anyone interested in that.  She's pretty but not out of this world gorgeous and I don't believe for a second that any guy is up for that sort of abuse.  My frustration made me turn to the time-shift channel which was carrying the road-trip movie (whose title I don't know and whose actors I have never seen) and it was the same thing.  A guy volunteered to drive out of his way to deliver her to Nebraska, but she was such a bitch to him that I can't believe he didn't change his mind and tell her to take the bus.

I feel the same way, @bankerchick—out of any movie (usually romcom) trope, I detest that one the most and swear, one day I'm going to write a screenplay where the man is an SOB at the beginning and send it to them. And then they'll send it back to me and say, "This isn't realistic! No one acts like this." And I'll say, "Yeah, tell me about it..."

But I watched A Winning Team through, and I ended up liking it way more than I thought I would. Of course, she got more tolerable as the movie went on. And I was able to not pay attention to Kris Polaha's hair after a while, thanks to him being...well, Kris Polaha. And I did like that the ending kind of gave the best of both worlds, instead of her abandoning what she loved to live in the small town. Was it the best HM movie I've seen this year? In the glory years, I'd say no, but given what they've given us so far...yeah, kinda. 

Just now, kirinan said:

I feel the same way, @bankerchick—out of any movie (usually romcom) trope, I detest that one the most and swear, one day I'm going to write a screenplay where the man is a total SOB (not just stuffy or corporate, but a full-blown bitch) at the beginning and send it to them. And then they'll send it back to me and say, "This isn't realistic! No one acts like this." And I'll say, "Yeah, tell me about it..."

But I watched A Winning Team through, and I ended up liking it way more than I thought I would. Of course, she got more tolerable as the movie went on. And I was able to not pay attention to Kris Polaha's hair after a while, thanks to him being...well, Kris Polaha. And I did like that the ending kind of gave the best of both worlds, instead of her abandoning what she loved to live in the small town. Was it the best HM movie I've seen this year? In the glory years, I'd say no, but given what they've given us so far...yeah, kinda. 

 

[DanaMB]

1 hour ago, WhyAmIHere said:

I gave Polaha's movie 30 minutes and it didn't hold my interest.   Couldn't get past the age difference and his hair.  

I’m at the 30 min mark and am ready to turn it off. I don’t find either lead to be likeable. And I usually love KP in anything. 

[Cetacean]

I bailed when the "strong, independent woman", knowing she was afraid of heights and was invited to zip line or some stupid thing, didn't simply do the mature things and say "No, thanks, not my thing".  Instead she gets goaded into it and ends up stranded.  The Strong but Sensitive Sweet Prince gently coaxes her across and she throws herself into his arms in gratitude.  

Barf.

[MerBearHou]

Antonio Cupo appeared for a short moment in a couple of these last movies and he’s listed in the opening credits as an Executive Producer.  I like him so much — hope to see him in a full movie soon.  I wanted to see if I could watch the Kris Polaha movie (because of him solely) and I lasted about 8 minutes.  Ended up watching Gone with the Wind which I haven’t seen in decades.

[Ele]

5 hours ago, bankerchick said:

I'm not sure I made it 30 minutes.  The hair was ridiculous but she's a bitch!  I know I'm a broken record, but why oh why does Hallmark have to make everyone a bitch before they start to soften?  No way is anyone interested in that.  She's pretty but not out of this world gorgeous and I don't believe for a second that any guy is up for that sort of abuse.  My frustration made me turn to the time-shift channel which was carrying the road-trip movie (whose title I don't know and whose actors I have never seen) and it was the same thing.  A guy volunteered to drive out of his way to deliver her to Nebraska, but she was such a bitch to him that I can't believe he didn't change his mind and tell her to take the bus.

I don't know when the Paul Campbell movie will play here.  I'm sure I'll check it out though.  At least it will have him, which is more than pretty much any other movie has had this year.

I chose March Madness over this movie, but caught some snippets during commercials. The hair was bad and you could see some of the grays which looked good on him, but not with that hairstyle. The female lead was annoying and I’m glad she softened up at the end. Athletes can be competitive without being rude. I missed how she ended up in the small town to begin with. 

[Irlandesa]

6 hours ago, kirinan said:

I detest that one the most and swear, one day I'm going to write a screenplay where the man is an SOB at the beginning and send it to them. And then they'll send it back to me and say, "This isn't realistic! No one acts like this." And I'll say, "Yeah, tell me about it..."

There have been plenty of movies where the man is a jerk in the beginning, many times in the same movie where the woman is a bit of jerk, but it doesn't seem to get highlighted as much.

Even in this movie, Kris's character responds rather harshly to something light-hearted Nadia said. 

6 hours ago, WhyAmIHere said:

2023 has not been a good year for Hallmark movies so far. 

I think it has been pretty good.  There are already a few movies I'll rewatch and only maybe one or two I've completely bailed on.

Last night wasn't one of the ones I'll rewatch.  I stayed through the whole thing but things didn't click.

6 hours ago, bankerchick said:

She's pretty but not out of this world gorgeous and I don't believe for a second that any guy is up for that sort of abuse. 

Both men and women date people who are total jerks.  Even more date people they don't get along with in the beginning.  I get why people might not want to watch it but it's realistic.

Edited March 19, 2023 by Irlandesa

[Guest]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:07 AM, kirinan said:

I feel the same way, @bankerchick—out of any movie (usually romcom) trope, I detest that one the most and swear, one day I'm going to write a screenplay where the man is an SOB at the beginning and send it to them. And then they'll send it back to me and say, "This isn't realistic! No one acts like this." And I'll say, "Yeah, tell me about it..."

But I watched A Winning Team through, and I ended up liking it way more than I thought I would. Of course, she got more tolerable as the movie went on. And I was able to not pay attention to Kris Polaha's hair after a while, thanks to him being...well, Kris Polaha. And I did like that the ending kind of gave the best of both worlds, instead of her abandoning what she loved to live in the small town. Was it the best HM movie I've seen this year? In the glory years, I'd say no, but given what they've given us so far...yeah, kinda. 

You wrote everything I was thinking. That is the trope that usually ruins a Hallmark movie for me but beyond the first scene and it didn’t bother me that much. Mostly because her brother and niece went a long way to humanize and humble her.

I think I also had more patience for it since the arrogant professional athlete who find their heart coaching kids is usually a male plot. So this felt somewhat different the the normal Hallmark female lead with a chip on their shoulder. 

I’m not sure I would say it was a good movie but I still enjoyed it. 

[anniebird]

On this week's episode of Ted Lasso, he explains Hallmark Christmas movies to an Englishman: "And Hallmark Christmas movies are films that feature women from the big city falling in love with their childhood crushes. It's usually some fella that owns a Chrismas tree farm. Sometimes he's also Santa Claus or a prince. They suck but they're great. But they also mostly suck. But they're also kind of great. They're good with the sound off."

I laughed during this entire explanation because it was perfect!

Edited March 22, 2023 by anniebird

[voiceover]

Sooo…<looks around the room>…I’m the only one who found Kris yummier than usual, all due to that gray in his hair?

Eh.  More for me.

[Cetacean]

14 hours ago, anniebird said:

Sometimes he's also Santa Claus or a prince.

That's hilarious - and so true!

[Guest]

Great Pedro Pascal cosplay this guy is doing in this A Picture of Her movie.

[BuckeyeLou]

I rather enjoyed "A Picture of Her"...I thought the leads had decent chemistry & I found her "Make-over" for the TV commercial humorous...her Aunt was honest, I liked the 1st Meet-up in the Dog Park...it was a good way to spend the evening, and I thought Tyler Hynes looked sexy on his motorcycle.

[kirinan]

16 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I rather enjoyed "A Picture of Her"...I thought the leads had decent chemistry & I found her "Make-over" for the TV commercial humorous...her Aunt was honest, I liked the 1st Meet-up in the Dog Park...it was a good way to spend the evening, and I thought Tyler Hynes looked sexy on his motorcycle.

I enjoyed it, too. Granted, I'm pre-disposed to like anything with Tyler Hynes, but I thought this one was good (although I'm not so sure about the picture—which was lovely, don't get me wrong—being SO BREATHTAKING OMG that it was a media sensation everywhere).

I liked Rhiannon Fish, and I thought she had Tyler had a lot of chemistry (and there is just no one better than him at making you believe he is totally top-over-tail in love with his leading actresses). I also loved the fact that her job was as a first mate on a fishing boat—a decidedly non-Hallmarky heroine-career that she chose over something more glamorous. And I finished the movie feeling that Tyler was going to leave the big city for her and the small town rather than the other way around. Good job on subverting those tropes, Hallmark!

I'll watch this one again.

Edited March 26, 2023 by kirinan

[Cetacean]

A Picture of Her - the whole premise was just so silly.  The "misunderstanding" was blown way out of proportion.

Out of the usual recipe - a kiss before the very end of the movie. 

I hate Fish's voice, it's like fingernails on blackboard to me so that didn't help.

I really liked the aunt although how she could be walking on a "compoud fracture" within days was an eye rolling minute.

Once was enough.

[ShelleySue]

14 hours ago, Cetacean said:

A Picture of Her - the whole premise was just so silly.  The "misunderstanding" was blown way out of proportion.

Thereis a movie trope that I hate --  "the big secret." This is very common in Hallmark movies. She thinks he's just a guest at the inn, but he's really there to scope it out for a big city investor. She thinks he's a run of the mill guy who happens to have an English accent, but he's really a prince.  She thinks he's just a photographer, but he's really the one who took the picture that's on the front page. At the 90 minute mark someone will spill the beans and the relationship will be over. Then, over the next 30 minutes they will realize that despite the lies that were the basis of the relationship, they love each other. All is forgiven.

[MerBearHou]

15 hours ago, Cetacean said:

I hate Fish's voice, it's like fingernails on blackboard to me so that didn't help.

Ditto here -- too cutesy / little girl for me.  That is 100% a "loathe" for me.

Such a shame because I so enjoy Tyler Hynes.  I couldn't stay with this one, though I did like the different angle of boat captain father and mate.  

[Irlandesa]

I thought Fish and Hynes had a lot of chemistry but the premise was too much for me.  Not only did I find it ridiculous he didn't tell her the truth about who he was as soon as they started hanging out (keeping it a secret makes it seem stalkerish), but the hardest part for me to believe was that such a basic photo would go viral and make its subject famous.  She's beautiful but there's nothing creative about a pretty woman smelling a flower.

[Cetacean]

2 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

...but the hardest part for me to believe was that such a basic photo would go viral and make its subject famous. 

And having people cluster around her on the street taking pictures with their phones.  Megan Markle, maybe, but not some stranger who is on the cover of some tabloid. It was just stupid.

[Guest]

14 hours ago, Cetacean said:

And having people cluster around her on the street taking pictures with their phones.  Megan Markle, maybe, but not some stranger who is on the cover of some tabloid. It was just stupid.

I can almost maybe sort of buy that part, because the magazine had just come out, and she happened to be standing right by the rack where it was being distributed. I can see people in this day and age thinking "ooo this must be a promotion/viral moment of some kind, let me get in on it" and whipping out their phones. Especially once one person did it, everyone else would follow suit so as not to miss out on being part of the moment. Dumb, but kinda accurate.

Now, that TV or web show wanting to interview her? That's a bit harder to swallow. "So, you're photogenic and like roses. What's that like?"

[Daff]

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

I can almost maybe sort of buy that part, because the magazine had just come out, and she happened to be standing right by the rack where it was being distributed. I can see people in this day and age thinking "ooo this must be a promotion/viral moment of some kind, let me get in on it" and whipping out their phones. Especially once one person did it, everyone else would follow suit so as not to miss out on being part of the moment. Dumb, but kinda accurate.

Now, that TV or web show wanting to interview her? That's a bit harder to swallow. "So, you're photogenic and like roses. What's that like?"

I think you nailed it. FOMO to the max. I believe developmentally, most normal people grow out of it by 25, and even that’s late.

[BuckeyeLou]

I am ready to pack my bags & fly off to the Maldives!  I want to sleep in that cool room under the Sea...fishing swimming around my head.  Rae was an annoying girl at the beginning but I enjoyed her more at the end as she broadened her point of view.  I liked the widow woman who also expanded her world.  The young man, Jarod, is cute & did not pressure Rae, but let her find her own way.  Great PR for the Maldives Tourism industry :)

[MerBearHou]

I wasn’t planning to watch Love in the Maldives but decided to give it a try.  I was hooked in the first few minutes.  I liked Rae and Debra right away and the Maldives is truly breathtaking.  I googled Maldives and the resort and the actors during the movie.  Fun to learn that Rae and Jared are married in real life.  Yes, the plot was similar in parts to Pearl in Paradise but it didn’t bother me because I liked the plot parts that made it different.  I will watch it again.  

[Ele]

12 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I am ready to pack my bags & fly off to the Maldives!  I want to sleep in that cool room under the Sea...fishing swimming around my head.  Rae was an annoying girl at the beginning but I enjoyed her more at the end as she broadened her point of view.  I liked the widow woman who also expanded her world.  The young man, Jarod, is cute & did not pressure Rae, but let her find her own way.  Great PR for the Maldives Tourism industry :)

The Maldives is gorgeous and it was good PR for them! Definitely on my bucket list. I enjoyed this movie. Jocelyn Hudon and Merritt Patterson look alike. They should make a movie where they are sisters. The preview for Erin Kraków’s movie looks like the opposite of Love in the Maldives. Hallmark films movies in quality locations with decent/good acting and others that are cheap looking or have  bad acting. 

[bankerchick]

I couldn't get past the fact the lead actor didn't look old enough to order a drink, never mind go to med school, practice for a while and then decide medicine wasn't for him.  I can't make a handsome/not handsome decision about an actor who looks like he should be in college (or the senior year of high school.)  The Maldives were beautiful and I like Merritt Patterson, but I couldn't get into this one.

[Ele]

7 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

I couldn't get past the fact the lead actor didn't look old enough to order a drink, never mind go to med school, practice for a while and then decide medicine wasn't for him.  I can't make a handsome/not handsome decision about an actor who looks like he should be in college (or the senior year of high school.)  The Maldives were beautiful and I like Merritt Patterson, but I couldn't get into this one.

The guy was young looking. He and the female lead, Jocelyn Hudson, are married in real life. She’s 28 and he is 30 or 31. Yes, she does look like Merritt Patterson. 

[Irlandesa]

I thought the scenery was beautiful and ended up being the reason I watch the movie.  I liked the lead actress too.  I was distracted by the very very blond look of the male lead.  It does look like a teenager's cut. 

The story was kind of meh, though.  A mish-mash of themes--travel writing, lost treasure, a weird "program" the male lead came up with that isn't innovative in the least.  Yoga and meditation?  People might come to the Maldives because it's the ideal location for yoga and meditation but they're not going to go specifically for that.

[luvthepros]

Just finished watching A Picture of Her. I noticed Tyler Hynes has a scar in his left eyebrow. Anyone know what happened to him? I don't recall ever seeing that scar before.

[norcalgal]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:09 AM, bankerchick said:

I couldn't get past the fact the lead actor didn't look old enough to order a drink, never mind go to med school, practice for a while and then decide medicine wasn't for him.  I can't make a handsome/not handsome decision about an actor who looks like he should be in college (or the senior year of high school.)  The Maldives were beautiful and I like Merritt Patterson, but I couldn't get into this one.

This!  Because the male lead looked like he should be in high school, I couldn’t buy his backstory nor him as a believable love interest for Rae (notwithstanding that the two are married IRL).

Also, I felt the story was just “meh” and nothing new or interesting. 
Lastly, I grew up in the tropics so I’m not as enthralled about warm, blue, sandy beaches and the other razzle dazzle which comes with tropical life. Sorry Maldives.

For both reasons above, I gave up on the movie about a quarter of the way in. 

(Although I gotta say I do miss the year round warm weather). 

[Cetacean]

I guess if you are entralled by the tropics, Love in the Maldives might hold your interest because it was a generic plot.  Personally, I have always disliked anything tropical (including Hawai'i which is a paradise to everyone else) so I bailed as well.  The story was so bland.

Now give me something actaully filmed in Alaska (not using Canada, although also magical,  as a stand in) and then we'll talk.

[bankerchick]

My vote for the most insipid, bland, meh movie of the season is The Professional Bridesmaid.  Even the things that would normally drive me crazy (everything about her job, the whole fake name/fake job business, the idea that the wedding of the daughter of the mayor of a small town would be of interest to anyone, never mind enough to have a reporter follow her around for a month, the fact the intrepid reporter would fixate on the condominium question like it was Watergate) faded into a fugue of boredom, given that the female actress was terrible and the male actor wasn't hot enough to get me to overlook everything.

 

[Irlandesa]

I find Chandler Massey charming and kind of like Hunter King so I enjoyed it more than recent movies like the Maldives last week (which I mainly watched for the scenery) and the Fish/Hynes movie where even the Hynes/Fish chemistry couldn't save the movie from its ridiculous plot.  The plot for this movie was absolutely ridiculous too, but I did laugh at some of the things they did--intentionally--so I kind of enjoyed it. 

 

[Kemper]

It just seems that some of the recent Hallmark movies are not really landing for one reason or another. I know they are trying to get away from many of their old troupes. But for me (probably just me) a lot of the newer cast is not clicking. Maybe age, maybe talent, maybe writing. Possibly a combination. I can’t explain it.

 

[WhyAmIHere]

4 hours ago, Kemper said:

It just seems that some of the recent Hallmark movies are not really landing for one reason or another. I know they are trying to get away from many of their old troupes. But for me (probably just me) a lot of the newer cast is not clicking. Maybe age, maybe talent, maybe writing. Possibly a combination. I can’t explain it.

 

I feel the same way.  The newer actors aren't clicking for me either.  But three of my favorites were in movies recently (Polaha, Sustad, and Hynes), and I didn't last more than 30 minutes with those movies either, so for me it's a combination of factors.  I wish Hallmark would focus on quality over quantity.  

[Artsda]

I enjoyed Professional bridesmaid more than last week but probably because I liked both leads and remember them from their soaps. 

The bridesmaids and maid of honor were all really selfish. Glad the cousin changed in the end.