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Showing posts from November, 2020

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

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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
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"A Timeless Christmas" Reveals Something We Suspected About Ryan Paevey...

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Summary:  A man ends up traveling from 1903 to 2020 and meets a woman who helps him experience what Christmastime is like in the 21st century. Starring:  Erin Cahill and Ryan Paevey Released:  2020 Erin Cahill and Ryan Paevey star in A Timeless Christmas Image:  Crown Media A Well-Done Time Travel Romance When Hallmark produces movies that are based on novels by other writers instead of staffers, the refreshing contrast is unique and captivating, rather than heaven-laden with the same, tiresome tropes. Ryan Paevey plays Charles Whitley, an intelligent, successful, and wealthy entrepreneur, skilled in engineering--in 1903, a forward-thinking man ahead of his time.  Decked out in period-appropriate clothing and demonstrating all the proper etiquette of a respectable gentleman, what we suspected all along about Paevey is quite apparent -- he is HOT in any era ! To quote the movie Zoolander , Paevey is really, really, really ridiculously good-looking . A busy man trying to perfect his mos
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"Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater" Enjoyable, But a Little Empty

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Summary:  Single mom, Maggie, is facing Christmas alone until Lucas crashes into her life and becomes an unexpected house guest.  Together, they overcome Christmas while finding comfort in their growing bond. Starring:  Ashley Williams and Niall Matter Released:  2020 Niall Matter and Ashley Williams star in Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater   Image:  Crown Media Hallmark Could Have Chosen a Better Movie Title Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Sweater is the book that inspired this Hallmark 2020 holiday movie, which may explain why Hallmark felt stuck with the title.   The name makes no sense--we all know Maggie IS going to kiss the man in the Christmas sweater.  Maybe a better headline would be, Christmas Tree Calamity   or The Christmas Guest .  While both cast members poke fun of their Christmas sweaters, their apparel is a side note within the movie, not the main focus. Maggie believes there are no such thing as accidents , indicating fate has a deliberate hand in what happen
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Grow Our Facebook Group Giveaway!

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Invite Your Friends to Our Facebook Group We already have over 6,000 members in our Hallmark Christmas Movie Magic Facebook group , but we know there are a lot more Hallmark fans out there who haven't found us yet.  We don't want them to miss out on all the fun we're having!   We continue to build a thriving Facebook community of Hallmark fans who aren't embarrassed to admit they love watching and talking about Christmas movies all year long.  For us, Christmas isn't just one season out of the year--it's a magical kind of joy we keep alive in our hearts every day.   No matter what craziness is going on in the world, we can retreat to our happy place among friends where we immerse ourselves in discussions that give us the warm fuzzies and allow us to experience the peace of Christmas. Right now, if you invite your friends to our Facebook group and they follow through and join, you will have a chance to win a prize. What Are We Giving Away? We have three prizes av
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"On the 12th Date of Christmas" Thoughts & QUIZ!!

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Summary:  Two game designers, who hardly seem compatible with each other, work together to organize a large scavenger hunt with a romantic "12 Days of Christmas" theme. Starring:  Mallory Jansen & Tyler Hynes Released:  2020 Image:  Crown Media Have You Ever Done a Scavenger Hunt? The concept of this movie is delightful and fun, but can you imagine having the time to go on 12 dates in such a short period of time that require you to traverse an immense city like Chicago?  I guess we're not supposed to think about that tiny detail. Even though the scavenger hunt is open to anyone, clearly, only non-married couples would be able to find time for this activity.  The rest of us are trying to work, shuttle the kids, facilitate remote learning, cook meals, and stay afloat.  Singles, have at it! The impossible time element aside, Jennifer and Aidan put very creative twists on the classic, though painfully annoying, Christmas song to make sure each date is unique.  Uploading t
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Hallmark's "Cranberry Christmas"--Juggling Work & Family

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Summary:  A separated couple feign marital bliss on national television to help their town's Christmas festival and their business.  Their rekindled love becomes complicated though by new opportunities. Starring:  Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres Released:  2020 Benjamin Ayres & Nikki DeLoach.  Image:  Crown Media Making Time for Work & Relationships Can Be Tricky The premise of Cranberry Christmas reminds me of the once married couple from the HGTV television series,  Flip or Flop .  Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead built an enterprise flipping houses, and they appeared to be such a happy couple.  Fans were shocked when the two divorced because they had managed to create the illusion of a wonderful marriage onscreen despite their rapidly deteriorating relationship.   Hallmark doesn't let relationships die, so Dawn and Gabe manage to work through their struggles and find balance. Somewhere along the way, Cranberry Lane pushed Dawn and Gabe down different paths.  H
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Did Hallmark's "One Royal Holiday" Remind You a Little of Cinderella?

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Summary:  A woman offers a stranded mother and son shelter in a blizzard, but after learning they're a royal family, she shows the prince how they celebrate Christmas. Starring:  Laura Osnes, Aaron Tveit, and Victoria Clark Released:  2020 Aaron Tveit & Laura Osnes in One Royal Holiday.  Image:  Crown Media One Royal Holiday --A Modern Cinderella Story No spells are cast in One Royal Holiday to transform pumpkins into carriages and mice into horses, but the movie still delights fans with Cinderella-esque overtones. The animated, storybook opening scene pulls viewers into the fairytale. Anna's mom died when she was still in school, so she was raised by her dad. A prince sweeps a girl off her feet. The two share a carriage ride. Our couple attends a ball, and Anna's dress is lovelier than anything a fairy godmother could whip together. The pair waltz at the ball. James lives in a castle. The best part--James gives Anna an official pair of princess slippers that are the e
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Hallmark's "Deliver by Christmas" QUIZ Plus Trivia About Alvina August & Eion Bailey You May Not Know

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Starring:  Alvina August and Eion Bailey Released:  2020 Summary:  A bakery owner meets a widower and she is also charmed by a mysterious client, whom she's never met in person, but doesn't realize they're the same man. Alvina August and Eion Bailey in Deliver by Christmas .  Image:  Crown Media Getting to Know the Real Person Too often when a man and woman meet, physical attraction draws them together before they get a chance to know each other on a deeper level. Deliver by Christmas  is sweet because it's a story about two hearts connecting before two people are officially introduced.  Molly and Josh chat on the phone in the middle of the night and bare their souls on subjects they avoid with other people. Once Molly and Josh realize the person they are talking to on the phone is the same person they keep bumping into around town, they seal their budding relationship with a big kiss....in front of everyone....the first time they get together. In a Hallmark movie, kiss
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Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Merry Movie Week 2023 Printable Schedule

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

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

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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
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Hallmark Channel's Christmas in July 2023 Printable Movie Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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!
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