Hallmark Movies ❤️ comfort & joy

[Imzadi]

This one was so bad, I just had to keep watching it to see if it was bad all the way through.

OMG, I thought I was the only one who did that. While watching, I keep thinking, they spent 3 weeks and then edited it to 2 hours of stuff for us to watch. With so many people working on these films, surely, it couldn't be as bad as I think it is. Surely someone along the way would have had a clue - or given one, that it is so bad, and they fixed it at some point.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I watched The Holiday Stocking last night. This may be the best movie of the season for me. At least of those I’ve seen, this one hit on all the notes. And it wasn’t even really about a romance. This was more like a Hallmark Hall of Fame, with a lighter story. Sooooooo good!

I love a good romance but sometimes it's nice for a movie to put that like a side plot point instead of the main one

 

[Imzadi]

I would be very interested in seeing their numbers and age breakdown of viewers. I think they are losing viewers with the changes and I find it hard to believe they're bringing in younger viewers to replace the older viewers who are not interested in their inclusive love stories. I have no issue with same-sex relationships but the movies do not appeal to me on a personal level to watch.

The ratings are actually made public and a few organizations do it. So, while Hallmark may embellish somewhat in their bragging, they can't make up or change the numbers.

From what little research I've done, (I'm interested too in seeing the rankings,) Hallmark told the truth.

(Bolding for those who just want to read the highlights.)

On Thanksgiving, Nov 24, of course NFL Football nabbed the most ratings of broadcast TV. But, in the Cable rankings, Hallmark came in 8th, after more sports. It actually ranked as the most watched movie after a couple Turner Network classics. Lifetime came in at a distant 78. Scroll down to the second box for Cable ratings:
https://www.spoilertv.com/2022/11/tv-ratings-for-thursday-24th-november.html

On Saturday, Nov 26, Lacey Chabert & Wes Brown's movie, Haul out the Holly hits highest ratings for Hallmark since 2020. It also ranked 11th on Cable after a whole bunch of sports again. It says the demographics are 18-49, but does not list gender. A Tale of Two Christmases came in at 15 and Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas is up there too. Lifetime again didn't even make the top 50 of this list.
http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2022/11/saturday-cable-ratings-112622-haul-out.html

The longest, most famous TV rankings company, and probably most credible, is the Nielsen Ratings. For their rankings for the week of Nov 21 - 27, Hallmark came in 10th. Scroll down to Week of Nov 21 - 27, then click the center tab for CABLE:
https://www.nielsen.com/top-ten/#tv

Also remember, this is for a very specific period of time. People are gathered together for the holidays. A great majority watch football or other sports. And the NON-sports families want to watch something G-rated, family friendly they can all watch together, and having to do with the holidays.

Hallmark is very specific with their branding. Their cards and holiday ornaments, and their movies are all about eliciting feel-good emotions.

They are the "family" brand. In the article where they bashed their nearest, second competitor for Christmas movies, which I assume is Lifetime, Lifetime isn't thought to be a family or Christmas brand really. They spend 98% of the year showing murdering cheerleader moms and neighbors-turned-obsessed-stalker movies and some reality TV shows. Their channel isn't the one that immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Christmas movies. Especially for people who don't normally tune in to watch these kinds of movies, except when the family is gathered for the holidays. Hallmark comes to mind. That's Lifetime dropping their own ball on their branding. AND, if I recall correctly, they immediately switch back to the obsessed stalker movies the day after Christmas. They seem eager to switch back.


Here is a list of ALL of Hallmark's "Countdown to Christmas" movies ratings, compared to each other. Haul out the Holly came in first with Three Wise Men and a Baby coming in second.
http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2022/11/hallmark-countdown-to-christmas-2022.html

Here is a listing of Hallmark's ratings compiled together each week:
http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/search/label/Hallmark movie ratings?max-results=10

 

[Imzadi]

There is only 1 Christmas movie premiering tonight, Thursday:

Lifetime: Scentsational Christmas at 8pm ET / 7CT
re-airs 4 hours later, 12:01am
Sat 12/17 at 10:03pm ET
and Sun 12/18 at 2:04am ET
Weds 12/21 at 6pm ET
Starring: Nazneen Contractor and Mykee Selkin.
Description: Ellie decides to go back home for Christmas, and help her dad with the candle-making business. Meanwhile, her father has charming, writer Logan staying with him, looking for inspiration for his writings.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That's Lifetime dropping their own ball on their branding. AND, if I recall correctly, they immediately switch back to the obsessed stalker movies the day after Christmas. They seem eager to switch back.

I don't think Lifetime is all that concerned though. It's a bit like the playful banter Universal has with Disney. Universal isn't trying to be Disney but it knows what works too.

I also don't think they are dropping the ball at all they have Hateful Grateful during November and Slay Bells during December that are outside of their normal Christmas movies. They know what they are and while they are trying to get into the more warm and fuzzy Christmas movies ring they immediately went to topics that Hallmark had to be pushed towards and that immediately set them apart. But it's just different strokes for different folks.

Hallmark IMO is at the point of oversaturation on the market, they have a ton of Christmas movies between the two channels plus exclusive movies released on Hallmark Movies Now that will be shown on cable eventually, they have Christmas in July that starts in late June, they have every Thursday (I believe that's the day) during the year (or is it part of the year?? can't remember) for Christmas movies and Christmas that starts before Halloween (this year it started on the 21 IIRC a full 10 days before Halloween). This is why people are starting to look elsewhere for content. I don't see them not staying on top but if they dip I don't think it would have to do with a shift in showing same sex relationships that are the main characters (and not just a side character). When they first showed the commercial that had nothing to do with them as a company during their movies with the same-sex kiss yeah I could see that but time has marched on, that issue is less and less a reason to flip the channel.

Nowadays we have cable tv movies, we have prime movies we have Netflix which has really stepped into this market. I bounce between all sorts of channels because it gives me enough variety. As much as I enjoy Hallmark they are really starting to lack on their storylines, guess there's so many you can come up with when you have what 40 movies each season each year.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

they are really starting to lack on their storylines, guess there's so many you can come up with when you have what 40 movies each season each year.

I still think they should play some of the "old" movies, from as far back as 1995. Made back "in the day" when they made good movies.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I still think they should play some of the "old" movies, from as far back as 1995. Made back "in the day" when they made good movies.

I noticed somewhere around maybe 2013-2015 the movies really started being more one track after that time period they really started to get more saccharine on their movies. I know it was considered a weak point when they launched Hallmark Movies Now where they didn't have new content (and that truly was a weak point) but it was nice to find that older content stuff that is harder to find now. Their content has always had sweet tone to it but it used to have more depth to it. Don't get me wrong I enjoy their movies now but there's less variety and I take breaks from them to go to other ones. Hallmark Hall of Fame stuff of yesteryear just has a hard time being compared to today's in terms of quality.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I’m rewatching “Christmas Movie Magic” and am enjoying it as much as I did last year!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m rewatching “Christmas Movie Magic” and am enjoying it as much as I did last year!

That's a pretty good movie IMO too!

 

[Imzadi]

I watched The Holiday Stocking last night. This may be the best movie of the season for me. At least of those I’ve seen, this one hit on all the notes. And it wasn’t even really about a romance. This was more like a Hallmark Hall of Fame, with a lighter story. Sooooooo good!

Thanks for the recommendation. I just finished watching it. I really liked it. It was very layered. I like how the brother's quest kept it moving forward. And while it did have a romance, it was really a movie about family.

+

 

[Imzadi]

2 new Christmas Movies premiering tonight, Friday:

At 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: The Most Colorful Time of the Year
(Not to be confused with the Henry Winkler movie titled The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.)
Re-airs: Sun 12/11 at 12pm ET
Thur 12/15 at 10:00 ET
Weds 12/21 at 6pm ET
Starring: Katrina Bowden, Christopher Russell and Ava Weiss.
Description: Ryan, a color-blind teacher turns to the optometrist parent of one of his students for help seeing red and green for the first time, in time for the holidays.

Lifetime: A Recipe for Joy at 8pm ET / 7CT
Re-airs 4 hours later, 12:01am
Sun 12/11 at 10:03pm ET
Mon 12/12 at 2:04pm ET
Starring: Erin Agostino, Dillon Casey and Deborah Tennant.
Description: A food writer goes to a small town to make a TV special about the reopening of her family restaurant, but faces resistance from a shy chef. (Filmed in Leavenworth, WA.)

 

[Nabas]

My spouse and I watched A Holiday Spectacular and thought this was the best Hallmark movie in a while.

https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/a-holiday-spectacular

We are big Marvelous Mrs Masiel fans, and it had a bit of that period-piece vibe (without the adult language ).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

"A Recipe for Joy". I liked this one. The two leads had a great interaction with each other, totally believable. This is one of those Lifetime movies that was released everywhere else last year, but not until this year in the US.

I was a bit put off by his over-reaction to "her" production, as in not even letting her explain what happened, but I guess we needed some sort of conflict at the last minute to spice things up.

+

 

[PrincessShmoo]

OK, currently watching "Christmas on Mistletoe Lake". I find it boring. Not a lot of chemistry between all the players, nothing really catching my attention.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

OK, currently watching "Christmas on Mistletoe Lake". I find it boring. Not a lot of chemistry between all the players, nothing really catching my attention.

Same, I started fast forwarding honestly mid-way through but caught the last probably 15 or so minutes (I don't do that often at all but sometimes a movie is like that). It's one of the movies where I did not like Corey Sevier but I also did not like Genelle Williams in this role. I've been watching Family Law and she's a lead there, like her a lot better there.

 

[Imzadi]

A little heads up:

We are down to the LAST 2 weekends of new Christmas movies on Hallmark, Lifetime & GA Family. Other networks/streaming will still have their Christmas/holiday specials, but this is it for these 3 networks. They are not doing new movies Christmas weekend.

Hallmark or HMM may do a marathon on Christmas of airing movies with no commercial breaks. (But, it's hard to know what the New Hallmark is planning.)

And if I recall correctly Lifetime stops showing Christmas movies on Dec 26, and gets right back to their obsessed stalker movies. And they will probably change out all their On Demand movies too back to their psycho killer movies.

So, if you do not have unlimited DVR recording to store all the movies, plan your watching and recording accordingly.

(I've already switched the dates of some upcoming Hallmark recordings to record after Dec 18th (the last day of new movies,) so I will still be recording new movies the following week. So, it will feel like I'm still getting new movies to watch up to Christmas. And I'm fitting in more Lifetime movies now that I'm interested in, before they go away.)

 

[Imzadi]

5 Christmas movies are premiering tonight, Saturday. I've included some re-air dates if you'd rather record them later. You can read a description on the DaySpring greeting card line below.

SATURDAY at 8pm ET / 7CT:

Hallmark Channel: Christmas Class Reunion
Re-airs: Sun 12/11 at 6pm ET
Thurs 12/15 at 8pm ET
Sat 12/17 at 4pm ET
Starring: Aimee Teegarden and Tanner Novlan
Description: A group of friends reunite for their 15th high school reunion at Christmas ready to ignite unrequited loves, reconnect with new friends and enjoy the holiday season.

Lifetime: Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas
(re-airs Sun 12/4 at 12:01am ET
Sun 12/11 at 12:01am ET <-- Not a typo
Sun 12/11 at 4pm ET
Sat 12/17 at 2pm ET
Starring: Naturi Naughton, Lorea Turner, Luke James, Aspen Kennedy, King Avery.
Description: Executive produced and featuring Kirk Franklin. A women and her resentful teenage daughter take shelter from a snowstorm in a local church, where they find a choral community that can help bring the daughter out of her shell and rediscover her voice. (Filmed in Atlanta, GA.)

GA Family: The Art of Christmas
Re-airs: Sun 12/11 at 10am ET
Tues 12/13 at 12pm ET
Fri 12/16 at 12am ET
Sat 12/17 at 6m ET
Starring: Brigitte Kingsley, Joe Towne, Kelly Kruger, Darin Brooks.
Description: An artist who loses her gallery in a fire takes a teaching job to make ends meet. Directed by Andrew Cymek; written by Brigitte Kingsley. These two are married in real-life, as are Kelly Kruger, Darin Brooks.


At 10pm ET:

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries: DaySpring Presents: The Gift of Peace
Re-airs: Sun 12/11 at 6pm ET
Tues 12/13 at 8pm ET
Sat 12/17 at 4pm ET
Weds 12/21 at 12pm ET
Starring: Nikki DeLoach and Brennan Elliott.
Description: DaySpring is one of Hallmark's greeting card lines. It offers Christian cards that encourage and inspire others with positive, inspirational, faith-based messages. This is the first movie, branching out the Dayspring brand. After her husband's death, long-time devoted Christian Traci stops believing, and on her second Christmas without him, she visits a support group in search of comfort and inspiration.


UPtv: A Royal Christmas Match at 7pm ET / 6CT
re-airs: Sun 12/11 at 11:30pm ET
Sun 12/18 at 1am ET
Mon 12/19 at 3pm ET
Starring: Jordana Largy, Matthew MacCaull, Ashley Alexander and Bruce Dawson.
Description: A princess traveling to a holiday convention is attracted to a professor, until she learns her father paid him to watch out for her.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Same, I started fast forwarding honestly mid-way through but caught the last probably 15 or so minutes (I don't do that often at all but sometimes a movie is like that). It's one of the movies where I did not like Corey Sevier but I also did not like Genelle Williams in this role. I've been watching Family Law and she's a lead there, like her a lot better there.

This one was hard to watch. And then the ending where the heroine decided the only way she could be happy was to give up her business and volunteer leadership roles to make crafts?!! Just nope. I would have been ok if she found some middle ground, but this ending was tough for my psyche

 

[Imzadi]

Lifetime: Steppin’ Into the Holiday
Starring: Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer, Cheri Oteri, Mario Cantone, and Mario’s wife, Courtney.
Description: A Broadway star turned reality TV judge is fired and returns to his hometown in disgrace, where his precocious nephew leads him to a local dance teacher who just might be his ticket back to the big time.

I was interested in watching Steppin’ Into the Holiday as both Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer were on Dancing With the Stars (during different seasons.) I figured that would at least mean they'd dance one great dance together in this movie.

They did.

However, there was a lot of other dancing in this movie too. Apparently, this movie was written to showcase Mario doing other styles of dances. And this movie had a lot of dancing by the kids in the movie. So, if you are into dancing, this is a movie for you. I just wish the kids did other styles of dances, other than the super fast hip hop(?) style of dancing. I would have liked to think some kids sitting at home could have seen dancing that they could think they could do.

As for the relationship part, I didn't think there was much chemistry between Jana and Mario. But, that could be me. Ever since I've known of Jana Kramer, I've always thought she kind of has a remote, frosty personality. Maybe it's because she was embroiled in a horrific, public divorce proceeding all that time. So, she has reason to be a bit frosty and distant.

As for Mario, you never forget you are watching MARIO LOPEZ in a movie instead of a character. Yet, he played a guy who was a big personality. And if, in real life, he was given the boot from his TV shows, he probably would act exactly as his character did. So, he was good in the role.

So, if you gloss past the relationship part and watch for all the dancing, it's a good movie. The movie is better than my review sounds. LOL!

It's re-airing on Lifetime:
Mon 12/12 at 8pm ET
Tues 12/13 at 12:01am ET

And on Spectrum Cable, it's On Demand.

 

[hdrolfe]

I was interested in watching Steppin’ Into the Holiday as both Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer were on Dancing With the Stars (during different seasons.) I figured that would at least mean they'd dance one great dance together in this movie.

They did.

However, there was a lot of other dancing in this movie too. Apparently, this movie was written to showcase Mario doing other styles of dances. And this movie had a lot of dancing by the kids in the movie. So, if you are into dancing, this is a movie for you. I just wish the kids did other styles of dances, other than the super fast hip hop(?) style of dancing. I would have liked to think some kids sitting at home could have seen dancing that they could think they could do.

As for the relationship part, I didn't think there was much chemistry between Jana and Mario. But, that could be me. Ever since I've known of Jana Kramer, I've always thought she kind of has a remote, frosty personality. Maybe it's because she was embroiled in a horrific, public divorce proceeding all that time. So, she has reason to be a bit frosty and distant.

As for Mario, you never forget you are watching MARIO LOPEZ in a movie instead of a character. Yet, he played a guy who was a big personality. And if, in real life, he was given the boot from his TV shows, he probably would act exactly as his character did. So, he was good in the role.

So, if you gloss past the relationship part and watch for all the dancing, it's a good movie. The movie is better than my review sounds. LOL!

It's re-airing on Lifetime:
Mon 12/12 at 8pm ET
Tues 12/13 at 12:01am ET

And on Spectrum Cable, it's On Demand.

I watched that one last night and enjoyed it. I thought some of the Mario jokes were funny, he was making fun of himself a bit. I enjoyed the kids dancing too.