Hallmark Movies ❤️ comfort & joy

[hdrolfe]

I watched California Christmas on Netflix, I think it's from a couple years ago, and someone up thread posted their offerings and I see a sequel. I'll have to watch that one! Only a few more days of work before I get a nice little break, no trips planned (boo!) so I'll have time to watch a lot of stuff

 

[RangerPooh]

Of course we cut cable at the beginning of this month when we moved, which means Hallmark Christmas movie withdrawal. We just got YouTube TV so yay for Christmas movies again! Doubt we get GAC, but I'm taking what I can get at this point.

 

[Imzadi]

I watched California Christmas on Netflix,

We just got YouTube TV so yay for Christmas movies again! Doubt we get GAC, but I'm taking what I can get at this point.

hdrolfe & @RangerPooh Since you both have the ability to stream, you can get the GAC channel movies via Peacock's free plan. We were just talking about it here yesterday. It really IS free too. They only required an email to sign up. Didn't have to give a credit card. And I didn't even bother filling out the profile section.

Works on a computer, yet I also downloaded the Peacock app to an old phone. I watched two movies last night. I know some people don't want to use their current phone for streaming as they want the ability to still use it while watching movies. If people have an old phone in a drawer they aren't using, the Peacock app works with Android: 6.0 or above, or iOS: 13 or above.

https://www.peacocktv.com/

If you don't know what GAC movies are, the former CEO of the Hallmark channels started his own TV network a couple months ago. GAC made 13 Hallmark-type Christmas movies with Hallmark stars who are loyal to him, as they owe their Hallmark careers to him. For them and us, it means more Hallmark-type movies for everyone.

Due to a loophole or oversight or lack of budget while negotiating the movie contracts, GAC didn't secure the streaming rights to the movies they made this season. So, the movie studio that made the movies made a deal with Peacock instead, to stream the movies. Peacock is streaming them on their free tier.

Here's the post I made yesterday listing the GAC movies on Peacock.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021-❤-comfort-joy.3816817/page-57#post-63605918

Peacock's search seems glitchy and sometimes doesn't bring up anything in the results you search for. Try just entering the word "Christmas" into the search to try to find all the movies. Also, clicking on one movie brings up more movie suggestions. I found movies that way when the search said they didn't have the movie, but I knew I had just seen it listed in the movie suggestions.

 

[Imzadi]

More from Christmas Con this past weekend in NJ:

A fan attending got Neal Bledsoe to act out her own Christmas romcom during her photo op that she got recorded. It was really loud there and is kind of hard to hear it. But, it's fun to watch even without hearing it all.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

She transcribed it:

"My dear Megan, I hope you know how much this time has meant to me. I have actually fallen in love, though it’s just been precious few hours, a few minutes really. This is how true love works. I do hope you’ll visit me in Concordia or Ancadia; whoever I happen to be ruling. I don’t know, just come. We will have cocoa, have a Yule log, make some art. Whatever you like, my dear. I just want want you on my arms."
(Neal and Megan embrace.) I’m verklempt. (Blows kisses.)
End scene.​

 

[Imzadi]

Reposting as more people may be in the mood to watch with family now.

Hallmark Christmas Movie BINGO CARDS!

Someone in another group posted a PDF file for Hallmark Christmas Movie BINGO CARDS to print out. There are 32 different cards, so many people can play and everyone has a different card. Whomever fills out their card first in a straight line wins. (Of course, you can keep playing just to fill out the whole card during one movie. )

Examples of some of the different cards: (click on it to enlarge)

Bingo winning patterns:

To download the Hallmark Christmas Movie Bingo cards file: click on the attachment file link at the bottom of this post. If it asks what to do with the file, SAVE the file, and remember what folder you saved it. Alternately, you may be able to open the file right in the browser without having to save the file.

(The file has already been scanned by McAfee antivirus to be virus free.)

Later, to print out only specific Bingo card pages, your printer has a setting where you can print out only pages 3-5 for example. Then next time, print out only pages 6-10. You do not have to print out all 32 pages at once.

 

[Imzadi]

I saw a commercial on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Candace Cameron Bure will definitely be back end of Jan/Feb to do more of her Aurora Teagarden series.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I watched "Blending Christmas" this morning (the one with the Brady cast members). Except for the aunt they kept FaceTiming in, I thought it was cute.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I made it through half an hour of Lifetime's "The Enchanted Christmas Cake" and gave up. I kept thinking it would have been so much better if the sidekick had been the heroine. I just couldn't get past her. It also felt pretty clunky...

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Followed up the dud with GAC’s “A Christmas Star.” Much better, and had a lot of heart

 

[Imzadi]

Followed up the dud with GAC’s “A Christmas Star.” Much better, and had a lot of heart ♥

I always try to follow up a dud with one I hope I like. That usually means not watching 2 Lifetime movies in a row, since Lifetime tends to have iffy-er movies.

 

[Imzadi]

I made it through half an hour of Lifetime's "The Enchanted Christmas Cake" and gave up. I kept thinking it would have been so much better if the sidekick had been the heroine. I just couldn't get past her. It also felt pretty clunky...

The lead actress you are talking about is Erica Durance. I can't stand her. Hated her since she was Lois Lane in Smallville. She mainly is snarky and unlikeable in my opinion. And I said in an earlier post here, a few weeks ago, when she was in a movie as Alison Sweeney's best friend, I wondered if perhaps Alison, (who was also an executive producer,) cast her as she didn't want someone who'd be liked more than she was.

I agree with you that in this movie the sidekick was much more likeable and had a more upbeat energy. She would have been better as the lead.

What is more ironic is that the actress who played Lana Lang in Smallville was much more luminous and magnetic in both looks and personality. I couldn't believe when, years later, they cast Erica Durance as Lois. She couldn't hold a candle to the actress who played Lana. Especially as Lois is the one who eventually becomes Clark Kent/Superman's love of his life. It didn't work for me.

And here Erica is in this movie where, again, another actress may have been a better lead.

I fast forwarded though most of this movie last night only because I like the male lead actor, Robin Dunne. A couple weeks ago, he was in the movie we both liked, Lifetime’s Christmas Movie Magic. The movie with the quest. He played the famous male actor in the old time movie. He was also in Hallmark's On the Twelfth Day of Christmas where he played a radio DJ, being sent 12 presents by a secret Santa and he talks about the presents on air, as they help him recover his Christmas spirit again.

Unfortunately, this movie was way overacted by a LOT of the cast. And it was a mediocre script.

 

[Imzadi]

That reminds me, there are 3 Hallmark movies with similar movie titles:

The 12 Gifts of Christmas starring Katrina Law as an artist who becomes a personal shopper of Christmas gifts to make money and falls for the guy who hires her. (One of my favorite movies.)

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas starring Robin Dunne
where he played a radio DJ, being sent a present a day for 12 days by a secret Santa and he talks about the presents on air, as they help him recover his Christmas spirit again.

On the 12th Date of Christmas where two game designers working at the same tech company are forced to team up to create a city-wide scavenger hunt.

Lifetime probably has a couple movies with similar titles, too.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

The lead actress you are talking about is Erica Durance. I can't stand her. Hated her since she was Lois Lane in Smallville. She mainly is snarky and unlikeable in my opinion. And I said in an earlier post here, a few weeks ago, when she was in a movie as Alison Sweeney's best friend, I wondered if perhaps Alison, (who was also an executive producer,) cast her as she didn't want someone who'd be liked more than she was.

I agree with you that in this movie the sidekick was much more likeable and had a more upbeat energy. She would have been better as the lead.

What is more ironic is that the actress who played Lana Lang in Smallville was much more luminous and magnetic in both looks and personality. I couldn't believe when, years later, they cast Erica Durance as Lois. She couldn't hold a candle to the actress who played Lana. Especially as Lois is the one who eventually becomes Clark Kent/Superman's love of his life. It didn't work for me.

And here Erica is in this movie where, again, another actress may have been a better lead.

I fast forwarded though most of this movie last night only because I like the male lead actor, Robin Dunne. A couple weeks ago, he was in the movie we both liked, Lifetime’s Christmas Movie Magic. The movie with the quest. He played the famous male actor in the old time movie. He was also in Hallmark's On the Twelfth Day of Christmas where he played a radio DJ, being sent 12 presents by a secret Santa and he talks about the presents on air, as they help him recover his Christmas spirit again.

Unfortunately, this movie was way overacted by a LOT of the cast. And it was a mediocre script.

I used to love Robin Dunne on a SyFy show, Sanctuary. He was also in the Aurora Teagarden mysteries for awhile. He was one of the writers for this awful movie, proof that not all actors should write…

Thanks for the Erica summary. Now I will avoid anything they let her do in the future!

 

[Imzadi]

The Hallmark streaming service, (Hallmark Movies Now,) had a second original Christmas movie that was only streaming there for a couple weeks.

Tonight it's on Hallmark at 8pm ET / 7CT.

Sugar Plum Twist
starring Jamie Gray Hyder, Ektor Rivera and Laura Rosguer.
After failing to get the coveted role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's production of The Nutcracker, Vivíana Serrano
(Rosguer), an aspiring ballerina, joins forces with Natalia (Hyder), a retiree from the New York Ballet.

They work together, with the help of the lighting designer Mateo (Rivera). Moreover, Natalia spends time with Viví’s big, loving Puerto Rican family. In addition, she encourages Viví to bring her Latin dance training to her ballet. Together, they create a surprise reprise of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy…with a Latin twist.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I made it through half an hour of Lifetime's "The Enchanted Christmas Cake" and gave up. I kept thinking it would have been so much better if the sidekick had been the heroine. I just couldn't get past her. It also felt pretty clunky...

We almost gave up. It was OK, you didn’t miss much!

 

[disney4us2002]

Oddly, I'm finding I'm watching more Lifetime holiday movies this year than Hallmark. Several of the Hallmark movies have been stinkers or actors I don't care enough about to sit thru a two-hr movie. I have watched several just today on Lifetime and many with Melissa Joan Hart. I really loved the movie she did last year with Jason Priestley.

I really liked all the 12 days movies mentioned above. I believe the one with Robin Dunne and Brooke Nevin is one I DVR'd and have watched several times.

 

[Imzadi]

New Christmas Movies premiering this weekend 12/17:
NOTES:
This is the LAST weekend of new Hallmark, GAC & ION Christmas movies.

The CBS channel will have another new Christmas movie around 8pm-ish, after footlball and other programs. On your DVR, add on an extra half hour to the end time, so the recording doesn't cut the end of the movie off, if football runs long.

No NEW Christmas movies next week, EXCEPT on Lifetime. Lifetime will still have one new movie each night through Christmas night.

ION will have a Christmas marathon on Friday, Christmas eve through Saturday, Christmas.

Space out and save some Christmas movies to watch throughout the week.


FRIDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: Sugar Plum Twist
starring Jamie Gray Hyder, Ektor Rivera and Laura Rosguer.
Description: After failing to get the coveted role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's production of The Nutcracker, Vivíana Serrano (Rosguer), an aspiring ballerina, joins forces with Natalia (Hyder), a retiree from the New York Ballet. They work together, with the help of the lighting designer Mateo (Rivera). Together, they create a surprise reprise of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy…with a Latin twist.

Lifetime: Mistletoe In Montana (8pm ET / 7pm CT and re-airs 4 hours later.)
starring Melissa Joan Hart & Duane Henry.
Description: Welcome to Paradise Ranch, where city slickers get to be cowboys and cowgirls. Merry (Melissa Joan Hart), who owns the ranch, has been unlucky in love, but that’s about to change when a single father, Mark (Duane Henry), and his two kids book the ranch for Christmas week. Adventure is on the menu, the holiday spirit is everywhere, and love is in the air.


SATURDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls
starring Robert Buckley, Ana Ayora, Jonathan Bennett, with Sharon Lawrence, Treat Williams and Brad Harder.
Description: The Mitchell brothers compete to see who can create the best Christmas House.

Lifetime: Toying with the Holidays (8pm ET / 7pm CT and re-airs 4 hours later.)
starring Chad Michael Murray, Cindy Busby.
Description: Workaholic designer Danielle (Cindy Busby) returns to her hometown of Holly Pines for the holidays with her young son Paul with hopes to introduce him to some beloved holiday traditions, in particular the town’s North Pole Express train. Once home, she discovers that the North Pole Express has been sidelined. Determined to help, Danielle reconnects with her former high school classmate Kevin (Chad Michael Murray), now a hobbyist and model train enthusiast himself. Together, Danielle and Kevin attempt to pull off a Christmas miracle that would get the old North Pole Express running–and quite possibly give Danielle many reasons, one of them romantic, to consider staying in Holly Pines for good.

GAC Family: When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas (8pm and 9pm ET / 7CT)
Starring Jocelyn Hudon, Morgan Kohan, RJ Hatanaka, Greg Hovanessian, Wendy Crewson.
The TV series When Hope Calls has moved to GAC Family from Hallmark with a two-episode premiere. The residents of Brookfield come together to celebrate Christmas alongside some familiar visitors. Lori Loughlin joins the cast. There will be an appearance by Daniel Lissing.


SATURDAY, 10pm ET/ 9CT
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries: Christmas for Keeps
starring Ashley Newbrough, Ryan Rottman, Christa B. Allen and Marielle Scott.
Description: At Christmastime, a close-knit group of childhood friends returns home after 10 years to take part in the celebration of life of their beloved high school teacher. Written by Nikki Deloach and Megan McNulty.


SUNDAY, 8pm ET / 7CT
Hallmark Channel: 'Tis the Season to be Merry
starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Travis Van Winkle and Adam Hurtig.
Description: Looking for a fresh angle to her book on relationships, Merry heads to snow covered Vermont. She finds a new perspective and Christmas cheer with charismatic aid worker Chris.

Lifetime: Under The Christmas Tree at 8pm ET / 7CT (re-airs 4 hours later.)
starring Elise Bauman, Tattiawna Jones, Ricki Lake.
Description: Marketing whiz Alma Beltran (Elise Bauman) and Christmas tree whisperer Charlie Freemont (Tattiawna Jones) cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration — right in Alma’s back yard. While they initially spar, romantic sparks soon begin to fly between the two women as the enchanting tree and some Christmas fairy dust from the town’s pâtissière extraordinaire (Ricki Lake) bring out the best in them and spark each other to take leaps of faith and fight for love and Christmas magic.

GAC Family: Joy for Christmas at 8pm ET / 7CT (re-airs at 10pm ET.)
Starring Sam Page, Cindy Busby, Erin Boyes, Madison Smith.
Description: When her family firm’s annual Christmas toy drive is in jeopardy, Holly Silver (Busby) must convince pro athlete Jack Kane (Page) to be the public face of the toy drive to help save it.

CBS: Christmas Takes Flight (Scheduled for 8pm ET, but NFL football is on in the afternoon and may run late. Add on an extra half hour to the end time, so the recording doesn't cut the end of the movie off, if football runs long.)
Starring Katie Lowes and Evan Williams.
Description: It's a holiday battle of wills between pilot Jenny Beckett and number-crunching CEO Matt Connor, who purchases Jenny’s family-owned, regional airline. Matt’s cost-cutting initiatives threaten Christmas when he cancels the airline’s annual holiday charitable benefit for under-served children. Determined to show Matt that the sweetest things in life are worth any price, Jenny rallies the community to help save the event and unexpectedly finds herself falling for the magnate in the process.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I just watched HMM “A Very Merry Bridesmaid” with Emily Osment. This was so much better than the title suggests. She was so enjoyable to watch, I highly recommend it!

And add me to those not enamored of “A Blended Christmas.” Way too many Brady Bunch tropes…

 

[Imzadi]

I watched A Godwink Christmas: Miracles of Love. I thought it was OK. It's my least favorite of this series. I think the acting was a bit clunky. This story is definitely geared toward a younger audience than the earlier movies, which have leads that are older. This movie may appeal to teens to thirties as the two leads are just out of college, still trying to discover who they are, where they fit in life. They and the supporting actors have volunteered for a service for two weeks, to gain work experience and help them figure out their next steps. I always like seeing the real life people these true stories are based on.

My favorite movies in this series are still the first and second ones, A Godwink Christmas and A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Each Other.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I watched A Godwink Christmas: Miracles of Love. I thought it was OK. It's my least favorite of this series. I think the acting was a bit clunky. This story is definitely geared toward a younger audience than the earlier movies, which have leads that are older. This movie may appeal to teens to thirties as the two leads are just out of college, still trying to discover who they are, where they fit in life. They and the supporting actors have volunteered for a service for two weeks, to gain work experience and help them figure out their next steps. I always like seeing the real life people these true stories are based on.

My favorite movies in this series are still the first and second ones, A Godwink Christmas and A Godwink Christmas: Meant for Each Other.

I haven’t watched that one yet. I’m not fond of the female lead, but I’m willing to give it a try…