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Reviews
Trivia at St. Nick's (2024)
Celeste and Max are absolutely adorably perfect in this Hallmark holiday romance built around a six night holiday trivia contest near a Vermont University.
Brant Daugherty and Tammin Sursok, who play Celeste and Max, have wonderful chemistry together. They initially meet and don't hit it off...the astronomy teacher vs the football coach until Celeste's trivia team, The Quizmas Elves, is desperate for a sixth and with his sports knowledge and team building expertise, Max is the perfect fit.
Celeste has the need to study and get everything right while Max is more go with the flow, enjoy the process...but both want to win in the end. They especially want to beat the young whippersnappers "we came to sleigh". The competition is for bragging rights and the beloved "Stan" trophy. After some initial struggles, Max kind of takes over with some team building exercises that end up giving them the competitive edge in trivia, in addition to being fun. The whole process has Celeste reevaluating her process and well...Max
I loved the Christmas activities....and the "It's a Wonderful Life" references. This was fun, funny and had some decent writing. The first kiss needed a little work...but the rest was a Christmas romantic's dream. I highly recommend.
My Sweet Austrian Holiday (2024)
I really like Will Kemp, who was great with Brittany Bristow in this...but why were there no Austrians in this "Austria".
I thought Will Kemp and Brittany Bristow had great chemistry as Charlotte and Henry who randomly meet at a charity. The two develop a friendship over chocolate. Charlotte is trying to save her grandmother's chocolate shop which she inherited. The problem, a development company has bought up the entire block...with Charlotte being the only hold out as she desperately tries to get her shop historical status. What Charlotte doesn't know is that it's Henry's company that is trying to buy her shop...oh! And she is trying to win a chocolate competition.
I was a little weirded out that Austria was filled with Brits and Canadians. Where were the Austrians? This did seem a little derivative, but I just like Will Kemp so much I enjoyed it anyway.
This Time Each Year (2024)
I love both Allison Sweeney and Niall Matters, but this storyline was just too depressing for a Hallmark holiday film.
Personally I want the fantasy for the holidays. And what is an "occupancy license"? Is this something they have in other states, because we do not have them here in Washington State.
And the Christmas Carol being the "original OG".... I think Dickens is turning over in his grave.
A single child couple separate after Christmas last year, only Lauren still hasn't told her mother about it. So, when Lauren's mom shows up for Christmas she asks Kevin and her son Charlie to pretend that they are still one big happy family.
The couple got themselves into financial trouble and are now on the verge of selling Lauren's dream home. Kevin list his license, it's never explained why...drinking and driving? Kevin looses his job at the bar, where he was working for extra money, the two were in couple's counseling. Lauren has a childhood hangup about her mom calling her "little miss mess".
What I did really like is the family dynamics in Kevin's family...between his parents, his sibling and the family as a whole. It was really healthy to see how they treated each other and everyone they interacted with.
I still love both Allison Sweeney and Niall Matters...but I think they are both in better romances.
The Heiress and the Handyman (2024)
The pig and costumes are so over the top it's silly.
Humor abounds in the hallmark romantic comedy that focuses on a fish out of water who is an heiress who loses everything except an actual small farm she inherits, but doesn't know how to maintain, to the rescue comes boy next door. Corey Sevier, who plays Bart, is the best part of this movie. I'm not sure how he was able to keep a straight face through all the silliness...including pie disasters and pigs. I still am trying to figure out how you can dress like that and take care of a farm. She also doesn't really take ove4 the running of the farm as she gets lost in her quest to make a blue ribbon pie! I wish I could say I enjoyed the female lead...but beyond fish out of water in the roll, she wa# a fish out of water in the movie.
Sweet together, but not romantic.... I can't recommend.
Operation Nutcracker (2024)
I'm not sure a nutcracker is something you want to "snuggle" in bed...but this is saved by the two leads.
The best part of this Hallmark Holiday Romance built around a charity nutcracker theme is the two leads, Ashley Newbrough and Christopher Russell. Lottie and Tristan meet accidentally in an airport and end up on the same flight...one that Tristan wasn't supposed to be on. There ends up being a three-way mix up of luggage that has Tristan loosing a priceless nutcracker set to be auctioned off at a Children's Hospital Charity that Lottie wins the right to plan for Tristan's mother. In true conspiratorial fashion, these two pair up to try and find the missing suitcase via information left in the suitcase in their possession. It does introduce us to the quirkiest character (and the one most likely to get fired) in the guise of the airport lost luggage department. Tristan and Lottie run around the city...not finding the nutcracker...but don't worry everything eventually works out.
The leads are the real treason to watch this one. Their smiles and silliness around fate and the nutcracker are somewhat heartwarming. While not the most romantic, it is filled with holiday color and cheer...and it was nice to see a nutcracker theme. I highly approve.
Five Gold Rings (2024)
Deceased grandmother leaves beloved granddaughter a Christmas quest involving finding the owners of five gold rings.
I have enjoyed Holland Roden since her time on the Teen Wolf series. She plays the painter Audrey Moss, who after the loss of her grandmother returns home to help her mom potentially sell her grandmother's antique shop. While at the shop, Audrey discovers a quest her grandmother left for her to find the owners of five gold rings before Christmas...which is just nine days away. To help her locate the owners of the lost rings, Audrey enlists the private detective Finn O'Sullivan (Nolan Gerard Funk).
Finn and Audrey have a past, but their future seems to be one of potential as the two get along well together.
Christmas lasagne?
I enjoyed the artwork and the quests to find the owners of the rings, I did think that they could have added a little bit more romance to the romantic storyline. Overall a great holiday addition to Hallmark's Christmas vault without being too Christmas-y.
The Christmas Charade (2024)
Surprisingly good Christmas Hallmark romance that was unique and not cheesy.
I actually really enjoyed the two main characters in this Hallmark Christmas romance. I thought the serious FBI agent role of Josh was perfect for Corey Sevier, who had excellent chemistry with Rachel Skarsten. Whitney (Skarsten) is a play-it-safe librarian who stumbles into the middle of an FBI art theft operation being conducted by Josh.
Dropped down in the middle of the operation, Whitney gets read into the FBI sting by Josh and his boss. Whitney has to play Josh's fake girlfriend as they infiltrate a charity at an art museum in order to catch a thief before he steals a priceless necklace that only makes an appearance once a year.
I loved the Christmas-lite approach to this Hallmark Holiday romance...I also really liked the twist with Whitney's parents. The FBI training was fun and I really appreciated that Whitney actually had some skills that she brought to the table.
For me this was a surprise and I really enjoyed it and think fellow romantics will also.
I'm from Arkansas (1944)
This is a quirky romantic comedy built around an overly productive pig named Esmeralda.
"Guy takes a girl for a sleigh ride in the middle of July!"
Juniper and Ma Alden's pig Esmeralda has 18 piglets which apparently is news back in 1944. This is the quirkiest romantic comedy with music, ventriloquism, southern accents, and playing acting at being "yokels".
The real reason to watch this odd gem is really the music, particularly Jimmy Wakely and The Sunshine Girls. I particularly loved their western take on "You are my Sunshine". The other highlight is the handsome star Bruce Bennett, who plays Bob Hamline. Bob and his band take a break down in Arkansas in Pitchfork Springs, Esmeralda's hometown...which conveniently subverts a slick company from taking advantage of Ma Alden with the help of a theater girl he has his eye on named Doris.
Another musical highlight is " If You Can't Go Right, Don't Go Wrong" by Jimmy Wakely and The Pied Pipers.
If you are a music aficionado I highly recommend checking this quirky film out...especially if you like The Pied Pipers and their music like "The Hit of The Season".
Kentucky (1938)
Loretta Young is lovely, but the Kentucky Derby and it's thoroughbreds are the real stars of this classic film.
This 1938 film is a real love letter to the Kentucky Derby and it's Southern rooted thoroughbred history. It begins just prior to and during the Civil War, which sets the stage for a feud between the Dillon Family and the Goodwin Family. Then fast forward to 1938 and two grandchildren of the Dillion and Goodwin Family meet, have conflict and fall in love all over training thoroughbreds and racing in the Kentucky Derby.
Jack Dillon, played by the handsome Richard Greene, returns home to the family ranch in Kentucky from London England where he had been studying to go into the banking business with his father. The problem is Jack doesn't want to be a banker, he wants to be a horse trainer...when he has a disagreement with his father at the bank, he goes incognito as a trainer with the Goodwin Family after setting eyes on the lovely Sally Goodwin, played by the beautiful Loretta Young. The Goodwin family has all their hopes pinned on a single horse that they win from the Dillon Family making this year's Kentucky Derby high stakes!
There is definitely some Hollywood-ized Southern flair to this film, but it is worth seeing for its beautiful time capsule of 1938 Kentucky Derby and all it's fanfare. Great film for a Kentucky Derby family night.
Falling Together (2024)
Fall colors and a new transplant who is trying to unite her warring neighbors in this Hallmark romance...heavy on community.
Ashley Williams was lovely in this fall-centric Hallmark romance and Paul Campbell was an excellent foil or calm to her exuberant enthusiasm, but the real star was Rryla McIntosh who played the beautiful and quirky Drea.
Natalie moves from Florida to the city of brotherly love (aka Philadelphia) and finds her condominium complex is filled with anything but. She decides to try to bring her neighbors together and she eventually ropes the handsome young super Mark into helping reluctantly. Natalie befriends the local diner owner and pie maker, Rryla and volunteers for a local walk for Alzheimer's befriending Lynda Payne in the process. The Alzheimer's cause is near and dear to Lynda's heart and I think the addition of this cause was the heart of this romance which seems to be built around finding a balance between "me time" and bringing community together.
Overall, I think the message was good and I liked the fall backdrop. The two main characters supported each other well. I always find it funny to hear so many Canadian accents in the heart of America, but maybe others don't hear it?
Kind of a middle of the road Hallmark romance, but I think their core fans will enjoy it.
Kör Nokta (2024)
Legal series focused on a car accident and the fallout in four families with a love story in the middle.
This is a very short fall 2024 Turkish TV series, totaling just four episodes. It has an interesting premise built around a car crash that involves four families and some great actors.
Aslim Gencer (Rabia Sovtürk) is a young lawyer who works for one of the Alptekin family businesses. Her serious boyfriend is Cihan (Ismail Ege Sasmaz), the eldest and pride of the Alptekin family who is on the verge of proposing to Aslim, the love of his life. Gece Kutlu (Çagla Boz), is Aslim's troubled best friend and it is the occasion of her older brother Emre's return from military service that unites Gece, Aslim, Emre and Memo (Aslim's studious, soccer playing younger brother) in one of two cars that have a tragic accident one night. The other car involved in the accident belongs to Cihan's younger sister Ipek on the occasion of her birthday, which she has taken out to celebrate with her wealthy, spoiled friend Ugar Sayman. When the driver Emre comes upon the reckless driving of Ipek, he swerves to avoid a collision, sending their car over the side of the road and into a crash that results in serious injuries by most parties in the car. Ipek, stops the car and both she and Ugar end up outside observing the fallout of the accident. Instead of calling for an ambulance, Ipek returns to her car to flee the accident...and in her haste, runs over and kills Ugar.
The series is really about the fallout of this accident and it's effect on the four families involved...two rich and two poor. Aslim wakes up after being in a coma for a month to find out she lost her and Cihan's baby, her brother Memo and Ugar are both dead, with Emre taking responsibility for the "accident" and Ipek claiming to have not been there at all. As Aslim gets her memory back she not only tells a different story, but blames Ipek for being the cause...pitting her and Cihan's against one another as the Alptekin family has perpetuated a big cover up which includes paying Gece and Emre for their silence. Cihan is loyal to his love for Aslim and devastated for the loss of their child...but after a suicide attempt by Ipek, tries to determine if their is any truth to ipek's claims of being clean and sober and yet having no memory of the accident.
My favorite thing about this short series was the character of Cihan. I absolutely loved his unfailing loyalty to his love, Aslim. He understood her need for justice for her brother (and I think their unborn child), but stayed true to the vision of the two of them together forever. I liked how he consistently avoided and stayed out of Gece's clutches. Continually sidestepping her moves to insinuate herself in his life...including moving out immediately when she moves into his family home. There are so many men who could take a lesson from him on how to avoid even the idea of impropriety. Three cheers for that portion of the storyline. I also highly approved of Cihan's continued support of Aslim, even taking a rod to the head while she raged. His love and protection, where really the best part of the series.
My second favorite aspect was Aslim's drive for justice, in the face of so much adversity she persisted. Failed by her friend, family and eventually her boss, she kept looking for a way to overcome the cover up and get justice for what she knew was wrong. I loved the courthouse trick she pulled at the end of episode three and I also really enjoyed the introduction of a kind of trickster character in the form of Ugar's brother Kerem, who shows up and is an unlikely ally to Aslim.
Really short Turkish series that does tell a complete story if you are looking for some language practice or don't want to tackle a lengthy series.
My review is based on watching this series in it's original Turkish language with English subtitles.
Trap (2024)
Good premise that fell short on execution.
A little slow moving and the acting seemed stilted and awkward especially in the beginning. When it went full serial killer mode, I thought Josh Hartnett was great...but as quirky dad, he was uncomfortable and it showed.
There were multiple things that didn't make sense in this film and there wasn't a big M. Knight shyamalan twist, which was disappointing. It was a great vanity piece for his daughter, who did a remarkable job as the pop star Lady Raven.
When I initially saw the premise of this film I thought it would be really good and I feel a bit let down with the execution.
A dad takes his daughter to an afternoon concert of her favorite pop star only to discover that the FBI has set an elaborate trap for the serial killer they have given the moniker of "the butcher" to. And news flash...our goofy Dad is him! The rest of The film is about how he avoids getting caught...while dragging around his unsuspecting daughter.
84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
This is an absolutely charming film based on an even more endearing true life story.
I came to this film by way of Helene Hanff's book of the same name. I happened upon the book, which I purchased for $0.50 off of a local book cart. (A price I think that would thrill Helene herself, even if it is for one of the nasty American cardboard covered sort.) The book is so utterly and endearingly charming that I read it aloud to my husband over two consecutive lunches. I chuckled and cried I was so touched by this true story of starving New York script reader/writer Helene Hanff and her correspondences with a London "antiquarian bookseller". Over several decades and many correspondences, books, payments, gifts, etc. Helene manages to befriend the staff at 84 Charing Cross Road and their families...and in one case a neighbor.
There is beautiful history and a touching and very human story in this film that contains some phenomenal actors...Anne Bancroft plays Helene, while the purveyor of books is played by Anthony Hopkins with his wife being played by Judi Dench.
There were some letters in the books that I missed in the film...like some of the offers for a place to stay and the post card from her friends who visit and say they were treated like royalty at the mention of Helene's name (they barely got out of there alive!). I highly recommend the book and do think it is slightly better than the film, but the film is wonderful.
I think people who love books and cherish human relationships will absolutely love this charming film. You can't go wrong with 84 Charring Cross Road...it will brighten your day with both hope and love, especially in today's day and age.
Karadut (2024)
Great cast and an intriguing story that was cut short too soon.
This was a 2024 Fall Season Turkish TV offering that I thought had a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it was canceled prematurely leaving us with only 5 episodes in total...and an ending that not only feels rushed but abrupt. I was excited to see. I was unfamiliar with Irem Helvacioglu, who plays the lead Zuhal Erdem. She is a professional self help guru, who is celebrating success in her professional life, but has a sad story at home where she has taken care of her exacting retired military father and three younger sisters. Having been dedicated to family, she has been denied the normal and active social life that you would expect of such a lovely and successful young woman. For her birthday, her friend and colleague sets up a fake profile on a dating site where she meets the handsome photographer/former surgeon Tayfun Karca (played by Sükrü Özyildiz). He seems like the perfect match and is understanding of her unusual and oppressive home life, he also ends up being related to a good friend and work colleague of her younger sister Asli, Bora. Any dating on Zuhal's part seems like a betrayal to her father and the breaking of her promise to make him and the girls never miss their mother. Figan, is the next oldest sister and a bit of a daddy's girl. She is married to Ayhan Yüksel and they have two kids of their own. Resented by the others for not keeping their secrets, she seems to lack the empathy that she should have for her sister Zuhal. Asli, the next oldest, was almost entirely raised by Zuhal and is on the cusp of marrying her six year boyfriend Alp Velioglu. In her wedding dress on the way to the ceremony, Zuhal has to break the news to Asli of Alp's infidelity...which is only the beginning of their issues. Begüm Erdem is the youngest and most rebellious of the sisters...she gets caught stealing an expensive perfume that her sister won't buy her in order to impress the wealthy private school kids she attends school with. When she is subsequently teased for being a thief, she attempts to commit suicide. Meanwhile the relationship between Bora, his mother and his "cousin" Tayfun is not what it seems. There is some great acting in this series. I have always been a big fan of Sükrü Özyildiz, but was equally impressed with the lovely Irem Helvacioglu. I thought the two had excellent chemistry together and made for a striking couple. I really appreciated how Tayfun seemed to be perfect how he stepped up to handle just about any situation...leaving the relationship between him and Bora to be such an anomaly until the big reveals in the final episode (which as stated seems really rushed, but did explain a lot). Mert Dogan, who played the character of Batman, was fantastic. It seemed like a fun role to play and it suited him very well. He was great with his charming sly smiles to Begüm. Likewise Selin Türkmen, who played Asli Erdem, had a dream role. She really did a phenomenal job with her role which had the biggest emotional roller coaster of emotions in the series. She really put on an acting clinic, swinging from the happiest of moments to the depths of despair. I can't wait to see more from her. I'm left not knowing how I really feel about the series. I think for the acting alone it's worth watching...but be prepared for a quick summation like wrap up. My review is based on watching the series in its original Turkish with English subtitles.
Autumn at Apple Hill (2024)
Fall-centric hallmark film with two attractive stars on a lovely set.
The small town Inn in this Hallmark Rom Com is lovely and filled with charm and character until they put an ugly arcade game right in the middle of the lobby! Do young people really want to stay at a place like that? And are they so vindictive that they would try to turn away a paying customer to their struggling business?
I was bothered by these and other things in the film. I understand that they had to manufacture some animosity between the two at the beginning...but it seemed really artificial and forced.
On the flip side, the romance and chemistry between the two leads seemed genuine which will appeal to romantics and the overall fall setting with a Halloween party was delightful. I can't believe that any bank in the world would give her a loan after she failed to meet her financial goals just strictly based on a happy photo of their grandkids?!?!? Said no banker on the planet.
The two leads are lovely and the setting is fall-tastic. Those are the reasons to watch it if you are a Hallmark movie fan. Be prepared to overlook annoying and unrealistic bits of the storyline. And why did she have to divorce or be a divorcee?
Karadut (2024)
Intriguing storyline with great acting that was cut short before we really got to appreciate it.
This was a 2024 Fall Season Turkish TV offering that I thought had a lot of promise. Unfortunately, it was canceled prematurely leaving us with only 5 episodes in total...and an ending that not only feels rushed but abrupt. I was excited to see.
I was unfamiliar with Irem Helvacioglu, who plays the lead Zuhal Erdem. She is a professional self help guru, who is celebrating success in her professional life, but has a sad story at home where she has taken care of her exacting retired military father and three younger sisters. Having been dedicated to family, she has been denied the normal and active social life that you would expect of such a lovely and successful young woman. For her birthday, her friend and colleague sets up a fake profile on a dating site where she meets the handsome photographer/former surgeon Tayfun Karca (played by Sükrü Özyildiz). He seems like the perfect match and is understanding of her unusual and oppressive home life, he also ends up being related to a good friend and work colleague of her younger sister Asli, Bora. Any dating on Zuhal's part seems like a betrayal to her father and the breaking of her promise to make him and the girls never miss their mother.
Figan, is the next oldest sister and a bit of a daddy's girl. She is married to Ayhan Yüksel and they have two kids of their own. Resented by the others for not keeping their secrets, she seems to lack the empathy that she should have for her sister Zuhal.
Asli, the next oldest, was almost entirely raised by Zuhal and is on the cusp of marrying her six year boyfriend Alp Velioglu. In her wedding dress on the way to the ceremony, Zuhal has to break the news to Asli of Alp's infidelity...which is only the beginning of their issues.
Begüm Erdem is the youngest and most rebellious of the sisters...she gets caught stealing an expensive perfume that her sister won't buy her in order to impress the wealthy private school kids she attends school with. When she is subsequently teased for being a thief, she attempts to commit suicide.
Meanwhile the relationship between Bora, his mother and his "cousin" Tayfun is not what it seems.
There is some great acting in this series. I have always been a big fan of Sükrü Özyildiz, but was equally impressed with the lovely Irem Helvacioglu. I thought the two had excellent chemistry together and made for a striking couple. I really appreciated how Tayfun seemed to be perfect how he stepped up to handle just about any situation...leaving the relationship between him and Bora to be such an anomaly until the big reveals in the final episode (which as stated seems really rushed, but did explain a lot). Mert Dogan, who played the character of Batman, was fantastic. It seemed like a fun role to play and it suited him very well. He was great with his charming sly smiles to Begüm. Likewise Selin Türkmen, who played Asli Erdem, had a dream role. She really did a phenomenal job with her role which had the biggest emotional roller coaster of emotions in the series. She really put on an acting clinic, swinging from the happiest of moments to the depths of despair. I can't wait to see more from her.
I'm left not knowing how I really feel about the series. I think for the acting alone it's worth watching...but be prepared for a quick summation like wrap up.
My review is based on watching the series in its original Turkish with English subtitles.
Haunted Wedding (2024)
Fun Halloween offering by Hallmark that would have benefited from a tighter script and more screen time for Malcolm!
At first I was a little turned off by the ridiculous premise of two ghost hunting enthusiasts who get engaged and then want to get married in a haunted house, but the actor Dominic Sherwood kind of saved the day with his lovely Scottish burr used for his historic character Malcolm.
The soon to be married Jane and Brian arrive at their haunted B&B only to discover that they can actually see Angelique, the ghost in residence. She has a tragic love story and doesn't want to let Jane and Brian have their happy ending...which sends them in search of Angelique's other half, Malcolm.
Then there are some false starts to moving a reuniting the ghosts...but eventually the two kooky ghosts lovers persevere just in time for their own wedding.
Tons of goofy comedy, which really isn't my thing, centered around the maid of honor and best man who are continually running interference for the missing soon to be bride and groom.
Also, I am sure they wanted the two characters to be very different, Malcolm and Brian, as they were played in a dual role by Dominic Sherwood...but I found the awkwardness and dropping things by Brian to be really off-putting and Jane's manufactured previous jilting seemed unnecessary to the plot.
The one really bright spot of this haunted Hallmark Halloween offering was Sherwood's portrayal of the historic Scottish character Malcolm. His Scottish burr was fantastic and I really enjoyed the romanticism of his character.
In general really light hearted, but not quite strong enough of a story or offering for me to recommend. I do like that Hallmark is trying some new things and I really like that they are doing a more Halloween-centric movie.
Of note I loved the use of the Captain and Tennille song! Excellent choice which had me singing along and made me happy!
Drive (2011)
I found the driver to be one of the most interesting characters of the early 2000's...and probably the one I would be most interested in meeting.
I just rewatched Drive and was reminded all over again why I enjoyed it so much the first time. The film has a distinct Hollywood noir look, with great music, interesting camera angles, and unusual locations. The story is pretty simple, we meet the driver ...who interestingly goes the entire film without a name. We learn the driver is a part time mechanic, part time stunt driver, part time getaways driver for hire. He has discipline, rules for his clients to follow, and he isn't much of a talker. When his conscience paired with a broke down car set him up to help out a single mom from his building, he becomes drawn into their world. Irene's son's father Standard is released from prison and the driver witnesses him being beat up buy guys wanting him to pull a robbery to pay their boss back for protection in prison. Wanting to protect Irene and her son, the driver benevolently volunteers to be the getaway driver for the crime...which ends up going sideways. A few details of the crime are suspicious and have the driver questioning the job which resulted in Standard's death.
My favorite scene is the elevator scene when the driver goes into protection mode, first kissing Irene and then committing an act of violence. It's this pivotal moment that marks a true change in the film which is predominantly non-violent until this point. I loved the quiet, smart, efficient nature of the driver. The look and feel of the film is fantastic and worth watching. It was not lost on me the use of a song about a hero when our driver is going in to work mode. I don't think there was a bad actor in the group...but Ryan Gosling was particularly fabulous as the driver.
There was some comedy (intentional or otherwise) found in them eating Chinese food in a pizza place and a conversation and then violence happening in the dressing room of a stripclub where the con-versants are bracketed by mannequin-like topless women.
This is a wonderful and a bit art-y film based on a book of the same name by James Sallis. I highly recommend this film. I had forgotten a lot of the violence, which stood out the second time I watched it because I was in a more violence affected crowd.
The Real West (2024)
A mature romance set in the American West...horses, hats and cowboy boots!
In this Hallmark romantic film, Rebecca is a professor of the American West who is chasing tenure. She takes her kids, Ollie and Noah, to a working ranch with her Mother Maureen and her sister Cassidy. There she meets a handsome cowboy, who turns out to be a former rodeo star and current horse whisperer...who just happens to be her sister's new boyfriend.
I have loved Lucas Bryant ever since he played the romantic lead Nathan in the Haven series. So, I was thrilled to see him in this Hallmark film. My favorite scene was the meet cute in the hat shop, when Jake picks out three hats for the kind of woman Rebecca is. I loved seeing James Denton and I thought Lynda Boyd, who played Rebecca's mother Maureen, was wonderful.
Kimberley Sustad does a great job playing the widow Rebecca, who is not only trying to do the right thing...but questioning herself. I thought she and Lucas Bryant had great chemistry and I am hoping they will get more screen time.
I loved the song Cowboys Like Me...it was an instant Shazam for me and I will be adding it to my playlist.
This is a big recommendation to romantics who love hallmark films.
Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit (2024)
I am really warming to this mystery series and that kiss...wow!
I am loving how they are building the relationship between Goldy and Tom. The theme of this entry of the Curious Caterer is first date. Goldy and Tom are set to go on their first date and Tom has procured tickets to Goldy and Marla's favorite band from their youth.
I won't lie the fan girl and first date bits allowed for a dynamic that was stilted and awkward in the beginning...but that might have been intentional. As the show hit its stride, we got to see the Tom and Goldy that we know and are growing to love. And that kiss...let's talk about it because it was smoldering. Wow! Perfection. I think romantics like me will love it and as such love the Curious Caterer entry.
Before their first big concert date night, Goldy gets asked to cater the event at the last minute. I appreciated that Marla volunteers to help out so she doesn't have to skip her date with Tom altogether...and I appreciated that she brought him baked good by way of explanation and apology. I also appreciated how Tom handled the situation. I'm really starting to appreciate how they work together and play off one another to solve the actual crime. And the crime...murder. Before the first note is sung a member of the band is electrocuted once they touch the microphone.
Goldy and Marla make the most hysterical murder board ever, but my favorite scene has to be Tom and Goldy spit balling off of the murder board in between him guessing ingredients in her baked goods...but the kiss, well that was the best part for this romantic. I am happy to say it isn't the only one either!
This is one of the few Hallmark Mysteries that has really worked on building a solid partnership between the non-detective and detective. I really am starting to enjoy Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker working together.
This is a strong recommendation from me to fans of Hallmark mysteries and romantics like myself.
A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)
Lonnie is a suspect, Hannah and her family are on the case...and Chad still won't eat any of Hannah's baked goods!
This is the latest in the Hannah Swensen Murder She Baked series. I am not going to say that I don't miss Mike and Norman, because that wouldn't be true, but I am warming to Chad and the slow build of their romance. I confess, I was starting to get annoyed by Chad not trying any of Hannah's baked goods, I can't imagine how she feels about it.
In this entry Hannah caters a reunion party at a Bed and breakfast for her sister Michelle's detective boyfriend Lonnie's high school reunion. One of the attendees ends up dead in her own home after the party. For the first time Hannah is willing to stay out of it, until Lonnie becomes the police's primary suspect. Then in true Hannah Swensen fashion, she is all in diving in dumpsters and everything.
Hannah has a new venture, she has opened a new bakery and is getting into the coffee business, which seems smart for a businesswoman. The small town of Lake Eden is becoming more of a metropolis...loosing a lot of the small town charm that I loved and that made the show special. That is a little sad for me. I, like a lot of other viewers, was confused a bit by the radical change in Hannah's mother, who was always very squeamish and against Hannah's involvement in murder and it's detection...and who is now a private investigator herself? I don't hate it and Barbara Eden is great. Her role is and always has been hilarious. So, while it seems strange (the metamorphosis her character has taken), I love her so much I am willing to let it pass.
I know that Hallmark lost the actor who played Mike to another network, which is a shame because he and Alison Sweeney had great chemistry, but I love Victor Webster. I thought he and Alison Sweeney had great chemistry in the Wedding Veil series and I am looking forward to them smoking up the screen in Hannah Swensen's Murder She Baked.
I was really glad Hannah's sister Andrea is back on the show....but where is the rest of her family. I think it's odd we aren't seeing her with her husband and child.
All of that sounds like a lot of criticism, but I am being very critical because I am a huge fan of the Hannah Swensen series. In fact my three favorite mysteries on Hallmark have always been Hannah Swensen's Murder She Baked, Aurora Teagarden (the original, not the reboot), and Mystery 101. After I said all of that, I do have to say I liked this one better than the last and am hopeful that it is only going to get better and better. I do recommend it to Hallmark mystery fans, I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Longlegs (2024)
This was less horrific than I thought it was going to be.
The pacing of this film is slow, which normally I don't mind...but it started to feel a bit like an FBI procedural except Agent Lee Harker is a terrible FBI agent. She is sharing information outside of the Bureau and with her own mother, she goes into a suspects house without backup and allows her partner to do it as well.
I did like things like the coded letters and the creep factor of Nicholas Cage's Longlegs character. It was interesting. The dolls were disturbing and I liked the tie in with Harker's childhood.
I had trouble getting over what a terrible FBI agent Harker was and I am afraid that I expected the film to be much scarier than it was. The scenery was fairly stark, almost simple, and that combined with the pacing gave this an old fashioned look and feel. I'm afraid it's not a recommendation from me, which makes me sad because I do like Nicholas Cage. I guess I will be rewatching some of his classics like Moonstruck. "My hand...."
Ruhun Duymaz (2023)
I'm kinda hoping they are going to do a season two...I thought Ece and Onur had great chemistry!
I fell in love with Sükrü Özyildiz watching him in Nefes Nefese (which is a short but great series you should watch), then started seeking out other shows...like Kiz Günesi, and I haven't been sorry. I think he is a fantastic actor and have enjoyed him in every performance I have seen. (I am looking forward to the upcoming series Karadut.)
Now back to this short 2023 series that gave summer vibes in a fun forced proximity story that brings together a thief and an undercover intelligence agent for the Turkish police. They meet trying to break into the same household safe and team up for mutual benefit...Ece, to stay out of jail and to find her missing sister who was adopted when they were orphaned and Onur to finally arrest Civan Koral, the owner of Turkey's largest jewelry company with proof that he is secretly smuggling guns and drugs for an even larger international crime organization. Onur is the team leader of a secret five person team which has a wide variety of amazing skills and collectively are on a mission to catch Civan (and if possible get an in to take down the international crime organization). Their cover is a small jewelry store of their own with a massive secret war room buried in its interior. Onur's team and his boss are against reading Ece in and using her skills (especially as she has already got an in with the Koral family). Onur takes personal responsibility for Ece and her skills as a pick pocket and thief almost immediately come into play. She is imbedded in the family as a friend of Civan's sister Hilal with whom she is going to open a restaurant with...and Ece can really cook!
Ece and Onur have amazing chemistry. He is detailed and focused while she is fast talking and a fly by the seat of her pants. These two shouldn't get along, but somehow they just work. It doesn't help matters when they are each paired romantically in their undercover roles with the two siblings Civan and Hilal. Jealousy abounds in this series as does a really sweet rekindled love story between two older characters as instigated by Onur's aunt and colleague Ayla.
This is a sweet but short 9 episode season one and I am hoping that it might come back for a season two as we are left with a bit of a cliffhanger. The actress who plays Ece, Burcu Ozberk, is not only lovely but really seems to have fun playing this kwerky thief. I liked her amazing ability to improvise and I really thought she had great chemistry with Sükrü Özyildiz. I would like to see them paired together again.
This wasn't war and peace, but it was fun light weight diversion wrapped in a romantic comedy.
My review is based on watching the series in its original Turkish language with English subtitles.
Lost Horizon (1937)
This is an amazing Frank Capra classic that if you have an opportunity to see in it's entirety (or as close as you can get) you should.
This is an amazing Frank Capra classic that if you have an opportunity to see in it's entirety (or as close as you can get) you should. The film based on the immensely popular James Hilton novel about a small group of British evacuees from China who are kidnapped only to crash land in the Himalayas where the discover a small utopia called Shangri-La. It soon becomes evident that no one ages in Shangri-La and that it's idealistic leader has intentionally brought one of the evacuees, Robert Conway, their for a purpose. Robert's brother George becomes increasingly paranoid and insistent on going home...even resorting to tricking his brother in order to accomplish his goal.
"Age is a limit we impose on ourselves."- the high Llama
Ronald Coleman is wonderful as Robert Coleman, but the real star is the amazingly picturesque Shangri-La. The architecture and the film are sweeping! The film in it's entirety was lost, but they have pieced together all but seven minutes of it, that if you are lucky you hear the audio in it's entirety with some stills filled in for the missing seven minutes of original footage.
If you are a classic film fan this film should absolutely be on your "must see" list. I highly recommend it. The clothing is spectacular, I absolutely love the 1930's designs and the cast Carrie's them off well. Then there is the cast themselves...phenomenal! Even the side characters like Lovett played by Edward Everett Horton are like a clinic in character acting. The overall film comes across as idealistic and romantic without really having a true romance even though both brothers seem to be paired with a Shanghai-La female who has only known Shangri-La.
The Cases of Mystery Lane: Death Is Listening (2024)
I still love Aimee Garcia, but I wanted this to be far better than it was.
It's me, the Med Tech who loved Aimee Garcia and her character in Lucifer. As previously mentioned I was excited to see her in a Hallmark mystery, but was a bit dissatisfied with the first "The Cases of Mystery Lane". I was pretty critical of the poor handling of marriage vows and several other aspects of the first film. I was happy to see the morose topic of divorce wasn't part of this second offering and that they leaned in to the comedic aspect of this mystery. But it's possible that the pendulum has swung too far and maybe they have gone a little overboard with the two "geek" or "nerd" personas.
I am going to say again that I absolutely love Aimee Garcia. She really won me over as a fan playing a quick talking, quirky nerd...but what is really turning me off of this series is the male lead. (Not a complaint about the actor, but a complaint about the character he has been asked to play.) The character is an unemployed man-child, who is afraid of mice and willing to let his wife work as a lawyer while he sits at home in his bathrobe playing with robots? He is socially awkward and shows up to yoga like he is a 1970's track star saying that "people want see thighs like these". Here is a tip...no, we do not want to see those thighs.
I'm sure someone thinks this is "cute" and "fun", but I just see a train wreck. I am not sure how Birdie Case is keeping her job as a lawyer, her mom has some really unhealthy boundaries with her at work. Both of the Cases are taking the P. I. Course at a community college, with no real explanation of how they are paying for their big house or anything really since Birdie is randomly MIA at her real job. Also, they keep making a big deal about Birdie hiding from her husband that she is playing cards on line and she's good at it. (In most states on-line poker is illegal...probably not something the "heroine" should be promoting and then there is the lying to one's husband.) Maybe she is less of a geek/nerd and more of an addict and this is a real cry for help.
As a nerd there are a few things that I did enjoy like the Rube-Goldberg set up...although using it for a house mouse trap is entirely ridiculous as that mouse would have had his snack and been gone due to the noise LONG before the Rubbermaid container came down to trap him, just proving that this is a tame mouse and not a wild one. Darwin, people, look it up.
In general I enjoy quirky nerdy characters, it's in my nature. Normally there is one on a show and it just works. Occasionally, they nerd out with someone else...but then it goes back to the normals. You need some normalcy to keep the muggles interested in the story. I appreciate that Hallmark is really attempting to do a comedic mystery series, but I think some real tightening of the script and some major tweaking of the characters needs to happen in order for this to be truly watchable and a recommendation from me. This is very far from my favorite Hallmark mysteries (Aurora Teagarden, Hannah Swensen, and Mystery 101) and not in a good way. I am all for trying something new. I am thrilled that hallmark is putting out new mysteries. I am all in favor of geeky or nerdy characters (but maybe just one) and I am definitely in favor of Aimee Garcia! Hopefully this is a series that can be cleaned up and saved, because I would like to support it...but in it's current form I can not.