REVIEW: The Hallmark Sequel "Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up" Is as Silly as the First One

Image
Emily and Jared are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together as a couple, and they prepare to work with their neighbors on Evergreen Lane to make this year's Christmas celebrations the best yet.  When a house on the block goes up for sale, the soon-to-be-neighbors are holiday royalty, but they are so competitive that they nearly ruin Christmas for everyone. Starring:   Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ellen Travolta, Melissa Peterman, Seth Morris, and Jennifer Aspen Image:  Hallmark Media Haul Out the Holly:  Lit Up Has a Moral When the residents of Evergreen Lane learn that their new neighbors are the Jolly Johnsons--famous holiday reality stars--they are thrilled to welcome them to the block.  Everyone assumes the Johnsons will fit right in since they share their same affinity for elf culture. Emily, Jared, and the rest of the holiday crew quickly realize that the Johnsons aren't interested in joining in on the fun--they plan to take over. Image:  Tw
1 comment

Christmas at Pemberley Manor

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC
Released:  2018

 Starring:  Jessica Lowndes and Michael Rady

 Summary:  When an event planner is sent to organize a small town's holiday festival, she meets an aloof billionaire with the perfect estate to host her event.

Have You Had an Awful Boss?

Elizabeth Bennett is a behind-the-scenes event planner who gets a chance to let her talents shine as she plans Lamden's annual Christmas Festival.  Her boss, Caroline, makes it abundantly clear her job depends on the event's success.

Have you ever had a boss like Caroline who made you walk on eggshells?  Fear is a motivator, but not a positive one.  Maybe you've had a boss who took credit for all your hard work. Women bosses are the worst kind.  Once in a while, you find an amazing one, but in general, women execs are far more back-stabbing, insecure, and emotional in how they manage, unlike men who tend to be more logical and stick to the bottom line without the added drama.

Do you agree or disagree?  Share your thoughts in the comment section.  Our perspectives are shaped by personal experience.

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Does This Happen in Real Life?

Billionaire William Darcy visits Pemberley Manor one last Christmas before he sells the estate to a company that plans to tear it down and build condos on the premises. It was his aunt and uncle's estate, and they willed it to him, but his board has decided it makes good businesses sense to unload the asset.  Despite the fond memories Pemberley holds for him, he agrees to let it go--at least until he meets Elizabeth.

Despite his aloof and private demeanor, Elizabeth uncovers his true warmth and charm, and he is equally intrigued by her.

How often does a girl meet a billionaire and fall for him because of who he is? Isn't the money and lifestyle typically the biggest attraction?  As always, Hallmark manages to make unlikely chance a believable reality.


What a Coincidence!

Like a typical five and dime romance, the story is laden with a series of coincidences that propel our would-be love birds together.

First, the venue for the Christmas festival is lost, leading Elizabeth to Pemberley.  Second, the man playing Santa at the festival gets sick, enabling the "real" Santa to take over.  Third, the soloist has to cancel, and the only one left to sing is Elizabeth.  Fourth, the celebrity news anchor can't read the Christmas story, and Mr. Darcy agrees to fill the spot.  

On top of it all, Jane, the mayor's assistant, and Travis, Mr. Darcy's assistant, fall for each other along the way.

Is this cheesy?  Heck no!  It's magical!

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Kristopher's Quote

The caretaker, Kristopher, whom we learn is actually Santa, made this statement that threads its way through the whole story:
The things you love are never too far away.
This makes about as much sense as the famous line from Love Story:  Loving someone means never having to say you're sorry.  Dumbest movie line ever.  You always hurt the one you love, so you better learn to sincerely apologize when you do.

Do you have family or friends who live out of state?  They are pretty far away, right?  I love the ocean, but it's over ten hours away.  We love a lot of things that are too far away, but Kristopher's quote is still sappy and sounds good in a Hallmark movie.  At Pemberley Manor, love never is far away, and I guess when you hold someone or something in your heart, maybe they seem much closer than they really are.

Own It!

You don't have to wait for Hallmark to re-air Christmas at Pemberley Manor, and you don't have to take up unnecessary space on your DVR.  You can own it!  Pick up your copy here:


Have You Joined Our Facebook Group Yet?

Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas reached over 68 million viewers last year--an impressive following!  Our Facebook group is a fun way to connect with other Hallmark Christmas fans who love keeping the holiday spirit alive all year long.  


Test Your Memory

Here's a nine-question quiz to see how much you remember from the movie!     

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Merry Movie Week 2023 Printable Schedule

Image
For those of us who are crazy about Christmas and eagerly anticipate a healthy dose of holiday cheer during the summer months, the wait is almost over! Hallmark Movies & Mysteries continues their annual tradition of bringing us Merry Movie Week 2023 , leading up to Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July event. Merry Movie Week kicks off the evening of June 23 and runs through June 30. Hallmark's Merry Movie Week 2023 Details If you're hoping Merry Movie Week means 24/7 Christmas movies for an entire week, you may be disappointed.   You can expect round-the-clock festive movies on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 & 25, but for the rest of the week, it's regular mystery shows during the day and twinkly lights and tinsel from 5pm-11pm Eastern.  No new premieres will be featured during Merry Movie Week, but Hallmark Channel will unveil two new Christmas movies in July. Hallmark's Merry Movie Week 2023 Printable Schedule Hallmark Movies & Mysteries currently has
Read more

Did MacFarlane & Patterson Really Play Their Instruments in "Chateau Christmas?" Find Out!

Image
Starring:  Merritt Patterson and Luke MacFarlane Released:  2020 Summary:  A world-renowned pianist returns to Chateau Newhaus to spend the holidays with her family and try to find her passion for music again. Chateau Christmas.  Image:  Crown Media Luke MacFarlane Is Julliard-Trained Julliard, located in New York City, is the world leader in training students in the performing arts--dance, drama, and music.  Luke MacFarlane's dad was a cellist, which inspired MacFarlane to start playing the cello by the time he was four years old.  He set his sights on attending Julliard, and he graduated from the prestigious institution in 2003, afterwards finding success off-Broadway, then on Broadway, and eventually on screen. The script for Chateau Christmas  originally cast MacFarlane playing the violin, but when he asked the writers to change his instrument to the cello, they quickly made the adjustment.  Luke MacFarlane really does play the cello.   While in quarantine before filming, Mac
Read more

REVIEW: Why Hallmark's "Never Been Chris'd" Is Such a Flop

Image
Home for the holidays, BFFs Naomi and Liz reconnect with high school crush, Chris Silver.  A complex love triangle forms, forcing them to take stock of their lives and find the value of friendship. Starring:  Janel Parrish, Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes, and Tyler Hynes Image:  Hallmark Media What Is Never Been Chris'd About? Chris Silver (Hynes) was the most popular guy in high school.  Like most girls, Liz (Lamothe-Kipnes) and Naomi (Parrish) both had crushes on him, but he never seemed to notice them. Whenever a lucky lady became Chris' girlfriend, she instantly catapulted into popularity.  Liz and Naomi dubbed this phenomenon being "Chris'd." The tables have turned.  Thanks to the innovative "Best Pals" app that Liz and Naomi have created, they are now local celebrities. The two are acknowledged by former classmates when they come home for Christmas and finally experience being the "cool kids."  Chris is a former marine and an English teacher at t
Read more

Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July 2023 Printable Movie Schedule

Image
Everything is on an app these days, including the Hallmark Christmas in July 2023 movie schedule. Many of us, however, still prefer a paper checklist that allows us to see everything at once without swiping through screens.   Some like the Hallmark app since they can set reminders to alert them about the movies they plan to watch.  The rest of us love pouring over a tangible copy so we can make notations and highlights.  We can also share the document on social media and with our friends and family who look forward to the Christmas in July movie slate.  Hallmark's Christmas in July 2023 --What You Need to Know Contrary to what many people assume, Christmas movies are NOT playing 24/7 on Hallmark Channel during the Christmas in July 2023 event. Don't despair!  According to Hallmark Channel's website, there are 5-7 Christmas movies on tap for each day of July. In between Christmas movies, you can expect the usual sitcoms:  Golden Girls , Frasier , Cheers , and Reba .  Hal
Read more

Review: Hallmark's "Joyeux Noel" Is a Good Story with a Bad Casting Choice

Image
When a romantic painting of a Christmas market captures the imagination of copy editor, Lea, she is sent to France with a moody reporter, Mark, to uncover the mystery behind the artist. Starring:  Jaicy Elliot and Brant Daugherty Image:  Hallmark Media Joyeux Noel Combines Romance & Mystery Joyeux Noel was written by Brant Daughtery and his wife Kimberly and tells the tale of a copy editor and aspiring journalist (Elliot) getting the break she's been waiting for.   After visiting an antique store and purchasing an old jewelry box, Lea opens it to find a journal.  While she's deciphering its contents, she tunes into the news where journalists are raving about a new painting featuring an unknown artist known only as "F." Lea is shocked to notice that a sketch in the journal matches the newly unveiled painting.  She reads on to discover that decades earlier, Mon Fleur had met and fallen in love with a woman at a Christmas market in a small French village.  The two s
Read more

Hallmark's "Haul Out the Holly" Is Simultaneously Entertaining & Disappointing

Image
Haul Out the Holly Plot Summary When a woman unexpectedly spends the holidays alone at her parents' house, their homeowner's association insists that she participates in its many Christmas festivities. Starring:  Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown Image:  Hallmark Media Fans' Response to  Haul Out the Holly is Divided A new Lacey Chabert movie each Christmas is always the season's icing on the sugar cookie.  Until recently, every Chabert romcom has been pure gold in terms of ratings and enjoyment.  For the first time in Chabert's Hallmark career, not everyone is raving about her latest movie.  One camp finds Haul Out the Holly  a sheer delight.  It's Chabert's first Hallmark comedy, and the emphasis is heavy on humor and light on romance.  Many love the change-up.  After years of the same recycled plot lines and cookie cutter tropes, fans are relieved to watch something new and fresh.  Life is too serious, so it's fun to laugh and be entertained. The other hal
Read more

Review: Hallmark's "Where Are You, Christmas?" Is a Shot at Creativity that Falls Short

Image
When Addy wishes for a year without Christmas, she wakes up in a world of black and white.  She must work together with the town mechanic to restore Christmas. Starring:  Lyndsy Fonseca and Michael Rady  Image:  Hallmark Media Hallmark Tries Something New with Where Are You, Christmas? As much as fans love Hallmark movies, most of us are growing bored with the same recycled plots.  In response, Hallmark enlisted the talents of seasoned writers Michael Reisz and Timothy Kuryak to deliver something fresh. Where Are You, Christmas? inventively imagines a world in which Christmas doesn't exist.  It's an interesting concept.  Without Christmas, the world is dull and colorless.  People have no joy. Christmas is a season of hope and a time for miracles.  Without it, people miss the chance to find healing from the things that are hurting them, which makes them angry and a little bitter. Addy's high-pressure job in branding means Christmas is her business every day of the year.  Af
Read more

Hallmark's "Mystic Christmas" Starts Off Great Before Taking a Hard Left Turn

Image
Juniper Jones travels to Mystic, Connecticut during the holidays to work at the rehabilitation center and aquarium.  While there, she reconnects with Sawyer, the owner of the pizza shop and the man she once loved. Starring:  Jessy Schram and Chandler Massey  Image:  Hallmark Media A Movie That Pays Homage to Mystic Pizza Mystic Pizza is a coming-of-age movie from 1988 that gave a young Julia Roberts the career breakthrough she needed.  The story followed three friends who worked together at a pizza shop in a seaside Connecticut town. Hallmark combines nostalgia with a modern love story to bring us a 2023 Christmas movie based in the same fishing town of Mystic, Connecticut where we visit a pizza shop and a planetarium, just like in the original, though the aquarium is the setting for a chunk of the story. Juniper Jones and Sawyer Adams were in love 10 years ago, but when Juniper shared her heart in an e-mail, she never received a response.   Now things are awkward as Juniper returns to
Read more

It's No Wonder Hallmark's "Christmas Waltz" Was the #1 Most Watched Original Movie Premiere for 2020!

Image
Starring:  Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp Released:   2020 Summary:  After a woman's storybook Christmas wedding gets cancelled, a dance instructor helps her face her fear in life by fulfilling her dream of learning how to dance.   Lacey Chabert & Will Kemp wow fans with their beautiful dance performance in Christmas Waltz  Image:  Crown Media Jilted at Christmas Getting dropped like a dense fruitcake during the most wonderful time of the year would ruin Christmas for most of us.  Each subsequent, annual celebration would be marred by the memory of heartbreak.   Right after Avery (Lacey Chabert) decides on a Nutcracker-themed wedding cake and pays for 10 ballroom dancing lessons, she learns her fiance, David (Jeremy Guilbaut) has accepted a job in Boston and will be leaving New York.  Despite David's feeble attempts to keep their relationship alive after the devastating blow, Avery calls off the wedding and ends things with him for good. You must admire Avery's spunk.  To
Read more

Review: "Ms. Christmas Comes to Town" Is Sad but Poignant

Image
A shopping channel host known as Ms. Christmas receives a terminal diagnosis, which inspires a multi-city excursion set to spread Christmas cheer before her farewell broadcast. Starring:  Erica Durance, Brennan Elliott, and Barabara Niven  Image:  Hallmark Media Barbara Niven Delivers Top-Notch Performance Move over, Santa, because MS. CHRISTMAS is coming to town! Barbara Niven is stellar in her role of Gale Storm--the woman who, for 24 years, has been selling merchandise every holiday season on HSC (Holiday Shopping Channel). Ms. Christmas oozes more sweetness than a hot chocolate bomb, even when she receives bad news about her declining health. While many of us might be tempted to wallow in despair following a terminal diagnosis, Ms. Christmas decides to focus on making it the best year yet for her loyal viewers by taking her show on the road.  Think of that--using time wisely to do good deeds in the time you have left.  If only we approached everyday life with this kind of attitude!
Read more