Hallmark Movies ❤️ comfort & joy

[Imzadi]

I tend to sit on the movies a bit letting the reviews and score for IMDb come out. It's really just to get a vibe of the movie overall but I'll still watch majority of the movies regardless.

Last night I watched the most god awful movie on Lifetime: A Crafty Christmas Romance. Everyone stay away at all cost! Unless you want to stab your eyes out. I got suckered into watching because the title has to do with crafting - which there was really only 5 minutes of.

The acting was so bad. I've seen high school productions with better acting. Combined with a bad, stilted dialogue, even before the bad acting, made it worse. There was all these horrible dramatic pauses at the end of each line. And every line was played at the same high, dramatic tension. There were no casual moments like in real life. There was no need for all the overly dramatic moments. And there was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads. All their conversations and the writing seemed really awkward. Like first time meeting awkward, but stayed that way the whole time. I kept thinking, if she's interested in him, she must really feel desperate and she's forcing herself to like him.

It's movies like this that make me want to swear off of Lifetime movies completely. Don't they realize that it's THESE movies that give them such a bad reputation?

I looked on the IMDb afterward and the rating is a 5.5. That is HIGH in my opinion for such crap. It's a definite 3. Then I looked up my favorite Hallmark movies and most of them are between 6.6 - 7.2. with most averaging 6.8. I am definitely staying away from any Lifetime movies in the 5 and low 6 range from now on. That makes deleting stuff off my DVR so much easier.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Last night I watched the most god awful movie on Lifetime: A Crafty Christmas Romance. Everyone stay away at all cost! Unless you want to stab your eyes out. I got suckered into watching because the title has to do with crafting - which there was really only 5 minutes of.

The acting was so bad. I've seen high school productions with better acting. Combined with a bad, stilted dialogue, even before the bad acting, made it worse. There was all these horrible dramatic pauses at the end of each line. And every line was played at the same high, dramatic tension. There were no casual moments like in real life. There was no need for all the overly dramatic moments. And there was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads. All their conversations and the writing seemed really awkward. Like first time meeting awkward, but stayed that way the whole time. I kept thinking, if she's interested in him, she must really feel desperate and she's forcing herself to like him.

It's movies like this that make me want to swear off of Lifetime movies completely. Don't they realize that it's THESE movies that give them such a bad reputation?

I looked on the IMDb afterward and the rating is a 5.5. That is HIGH in my opinion for such crap. It's a definite 3. Then I looked up my favorite Hallmark movies and most of them are between 6.6 - 7.2. with most averaging 6.8. I am definitely staying away from any Lifetime movies in the 5 and low 6 range from now on. That makes deleting stuff off my DVR so much easier.

Now, see I enjoyed it. I also watched it due to the "crafty" in the title. It wasn't great, but I didn't think it was bad.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I think I have that movie recorded to watch! The "crafty" part was what drew me as well.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think I have that movie recorded to watch! The "crafty" part was what drew me as well.

Well, the storyline really doesn't have anything to do with "crafty", except that the woman in the story has a shop that does crafts.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I looked up the movie, PrincessShmoo and it came back to me. I was disappointed in it! I thought A Very Vintage Christmas (I may have posted this before in this thread) did a MUCH better job with a similar storyline!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It was cute. They sang a bit and did a nice job. But if it were any other actors would have been the same to me. Still, its nice they did it. I had almost seen both of them live in the past in some capacity but had missed out. MY DH read that since broadway actors were not working and CT opened up for filming thats how they were able to do it. I think I saw Laura Osnes in a movie this week that was actually from last year too.
In any case I love all hallmark holiday movies and this year especially they help keep me out of depression ( I really want to take a few days off from work and just watch these movies all night ahahah).

DD and I are big musical people and LOVE Aaron Tveit. That said, it was cute, but it was a bit slow at first honestly. I felt like they all tried too hard to be....something... at the beginning. It seemed like they were acting for live theater, if that makes any sense. About a third of the way through it got better. And when Aaron smiles.... The woman who played the Queen was the best though, she made the movie.

Christmas in Vienna is re-airing (so far):
tomorrow, Sun at 6pm.
Also next Thurs at 8pm.



Turns out, it has 4 Broadway stars in it. Since Broadway theatres are shut down now, they had this extra time to film the Hallmark movie up in Canada.

I knew the two leads are Broadway stars. But, when I saw the best friend, the black actress who plays the Mayor, sing a Christmas carol with the female lead, and had NO shyness or lack of confidence in holding her own singing with her, while knowing the lead is a famous Broadway actress, I just got the feeling she is a Broadway actress too. (Me, I'd be intimidated. )

So, I Googled, and it turns out she is/was in the Broadway, Motown musical. And the older actress who plays the queen is also a Broadway veteran. She was in Cinderella on Broadway with the female lead, Laura Osnes.

https://www.theatermania.com/new-yo...-one-royal-holiday-gives-broadway-_91596.html

I appreciate all the information y'all have given and I think that's really neat that at least some of the Broadway actors/actresses were able to get to do something during this time period. My husband's uncle is a stage manager for Broadway and while I'm not really big into Broadway I like the connections. Broadway actors/actresses def. can have a different take on a role and it looks like that sure played out that way with the movie lol. Glad it's a movie at least worth watching.
.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I thought I had misheard as well, Mackenzie! Next time it's on should I catch the beginning I'll try to listen extra close! I am a dog person so that was so sweet

Please do let me know if you rewatch it and notice it. I deleted it from my DVR box after watching it and as you can see by the earlier discussion recording space is at a premium during this time of year

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Last night I watched the most god awful movie on Lifetime: A Crafty Christmas Romance. Everyone stay away at all cost! Unless you want to stab your eyes out. I got suckered into watching because the title has to do with crafting - which there was really only 5 minutes of.

The acting was so bad. I've seen high school productions with better acting. Combined with a bad, stilted dialogue, even before the bad acting, made it worse. There was all these horrible dramatic pauses at the end of each line. And every line was played at the same high, dramatic tension. There were no casual moments like in real life. There was no need for all the overly dramatic moments. And there was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads. All their conversations and the writing seemed really awkward. Like first time meeting awkward, but stayed that way the whole time. I kept thinking, if she's interested in him, she must really feel desperate and she's forcing herself to like him.

It's movies like this that make me want to swear off of Lifetime movies completely. Don't they realize that it's THESE movies that give them such a bad reputation?

I looked on the IMDb afterward and the rating is a 5.5. That is HIGH in my opinion for such crap. It's a definite 3. Then I looked up my favorite Hallmark movies and most of them are between 6.6 - 7.2. with most averaging 6.8. I am definitely staying away from any Lifetime movies in the 5 and low 6 range from now on. That makes deleting stuff off my DVR so much easier.

Now, see I enjoyed it. I also watched it due to the "crafty" in the title. It wasn't great, but I didn't think it was bad.

Well at least we have differing views on the movie! I've got it recorded but I haven't watched it yet. 5.5 is low for a Christmas movie and for Lifetime. I actually feel like overall people rate Lifetime Christmas movies higher than they do their regular ones

 

[Imzadi]

Now, see I enjoyed it. I also watched it due to the "crafty" in the title. It wasn't great, but I didn't think it was bad.

Agree to disagree.

Well, the storyline really doesn't have anything to do with "crafty", except that the woman in the story has a shop that does crafts.

Probably why I am so hard on the movie. Come on! Where are all the crafts? About all the crafts shots we see in the promo and one more tiny part of a scene is about it for any crafting. The majority of the time, the woman runs out of the shop, leaving her assistant to run the shop.

 

[mandy200587]

Did anyone watch Christmas Doctor tonight?

There's also another godwink movie next sunday

 

[skeeter31]

Timeless Christmas last night on Hallmark was one of the best Hallmark movies of the past few years, in our opinion. Different story, and one that actually made you think a little, and had quite a bit of comedy intertwined. Highly recommend.

 

[AustinTink]

Tom Arnold in a Hallmark Christmas movie? I just looked up from my desk and sure enough there he is. Lol.

 

[skeeter31]

Tom Arnold in a Hallmark Christmas movie? I just looked up from my desk and sure enough there he is. Lol.

He’s been in a few. He’s a Hall-star by this point.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Timeless Christmas last night on Hallmark was one of the best Hallmark movies of the past few years, in our opinion. Different story, and one that actually made you think a little, and had quite a bit of comedy intertwined. Highly recommend.

Yes, I really liked it.

 

[AustinTink]

He’s been in a few. He’s a Hall-star by this point.

I had no idea!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Timeless Christmas last night on Hallmark was one of the best Hallmark movies of the past few years, in our opinion. Different story, and one that actually made you think a little, and had quite a bit of comedy intertwined. Highly recommend.

I'm pretty sure I set that one to record, but can’t check right now - as the remote is across the room, and there is a very comfortable cat sleeping in my lap.

 

[fly girl]

Ok, I will admit I am not a Hallmark Christmas movie gal. Just not my thing, please don't judge.

However, I saw this today and I cracked up. Hope you will get a giggle too ...

 

[fortwildernessishome]

Timeless Christmas last night on Hallmark was one of the best Hallmark movies of the past few years, in our opinion. Different story, and one that actually made you think a little, and had quite a bit of comedy intertwined. Highly recommend.

I agree! Loved it, thought it was great!

 

[Imzadi]

Timeless Christmas last night on Hallmark was one of the best Hallmark movies of the past few years, in our opinion. Different story, and one that actually made you think a little, and had quite a bit of comedy intertwined. Highly recommend.

Oh, good. Being a sci-fi geek, that's the one I've been looking forward to this season. I was going to watch it last night, but after the disaster I had with the last movie I watched, I wanted to save what I hope will be a good movie for later.

 

[skeeter31]

Oh, good. Being a sci-fi geek, that's the one I've been looking forward to this season. I was going to watch it last night, but after the disaster I had with the last movie I watched, I wanted to save what I hope will be a good movie for later.

Definitely some plot holes from a sci-fi perspective but that’s to be expected with a Hallmark Christmas movie, but it was still really good. And it seems plot holes with time travel movies is just par for the course. I love the movie About Time, but when you really stop to think about how the time travel works in that movie and the amount of times the rules are changed or just ignored you can go crazy!