Hallmark Movies ❤️ comfort & joy

[PollyannaMom]

Currently watching Holiday Hearts - enjoying it so far

Spoiler

waiting for Payton to pick up on Lilly's snowflake obsession and make it her decorating theme for the party room

 

[PrincessShmoo]

JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS

Meh. Both leads seem better fitted as best friends of a lead character, not strong enough to be the one the story is about.

 

[Imzadi]

Finally back online and able to watch Hallmark movies again!

November 12th
Blessings of Christmas A Christmas Blessing (looks like maybe a title switch??)
7pm Central/8pm Eastern
In Blessings of Christmas, renowned TV star Mandy Gilmore (Loughlin) says goodbye to her hit culinary series, A World of Food, with plans to travel the globe dining in all 142 Michelin star restaurants. Before jetting to Paris, Mandy stops in Milwaukee with the deed to her deceased aunt’s food pantry, Angel’s Fare, recently purchased by adjacent business owner, Adam Carraway (Tupper). A simple transaction. Until pantry volunteer, Otto Nessen (Hutch) reminds all that Aunt Susie’s love of cooking was truly love of feeding and inspires one more holiday feast for those who need it most. Haul out the holly! For we need a little Christmas now.

Starring Lori Loughlin, James Tupper and Jesse Hutch

A Christmas Blessing (GAF) 7/10 but my husband and I felt the movie wasn't quite as good as it could have been and he would have rated it lower than me. Reading the synopsis you would think she was jet setting away to travel the world which is what made us start watching it and I hope I'm not spoiling it but she does not do that. I just wouldn't want someone to make that misunderstanding that we did.

A Christmas Blessing has been renamed Blessings of Christmas. It could be because there is already a couple of other movies with the same title and one got a horrendous IMDb rating of 4.5.

Anyway, this was the ODDEST "Hallmark" type movie I've ever seen. Seriously ODD. The story itself sounded great. Lori Loughlin was giving a good performance. But the two male stars were ODD. Their acting was really weird and BAD. And their characters were written oddly. I kept watching because it was sort of like watching a train wreck. I just couldn't believe what I was watching. And I was kind of intrigued to see if it would continue that way.

I didn't recognize James Tupper at first. He had such a bad hair dye job. The color and too much face powder just made him look so pale and OLD. Way too old for Lori. And he was acting really. . . bumbling.

So, then I'm thinking Jesse Hutch must be the love interest. Except he arrives on scene acting weird and looking off into space oddly. At one time he's alone with Lori, looking off somewhere and he says, "Do you hear what I hear?"

Lori's looking around because there's nothing making a sound? Huh?

Jesse continues to say in a deadpan voice, not sing, "Said the night wind to the little lamb." He just gave me chills for a moment, like I suddenly was watching at Lifetime movie and he turned into someone who was going to be Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs. That just put me so off him. Jesse acted weird for so long that it took me quite a while to finally figure out what was going on.

So, then we are back to James Tupper, who then it turns out, to put it politely, um, he has a mental issue, like Tony Sholub in Monk. And yet, he is the romantic love interest.

And I keep watching because I think this is the ODDEST "Hallmark" movie I've seen. And ironically, all the characters are calling each other ODD too.

Anyway, I really recommend watching it for THAT!

But, in the end, it really is a good, strong story about giving, about people in need at Christmas, and community. It just could have been acted so differently.

 

[Imzadi]

Great American Family (GAF):
My Christmas Hero
Starring: Candace Cameron Bure and Gabriel Hogan.
Description: US Army reservist and orthopedic physician, Nicole Ramsey is dedicated to serving military service members and their families at the Joint Military Base in Lacey, Washington, home of I Corps and the 62nd Airlift Wing. This Christmas, with the help of many dedicated heroes, Dr. Ramsey is on a mission to honor a special fallen soldier and bring much needed healing to her own family.

Candace Cameron Bure can be hit or miss. This one was definitely a miss for me.

The subject of teaching us more about the military and the soldiers who come back with PTSD is an important subject. But, I felt the message was delivered in the style of a high school, history class movie, where the characters talk in long, unnaturally wordy sentences, delivering important information in scenarios in which we'll all be quizzed at the end as to what we learned.
It's a watch once and done for me.

 

[Imzadi]

CHRISTMAS AT AN AMISH BAKERY
I managed to get through about an hour of it and gave up. Just too, I don't know, bland. I didn't feel any real emotion going on between the characters and the storyline.

Too bad, that one sounded interesting.

 

[sasywtch]

Anyone having trouble understanding Christmas on Cherry lane? A group I am on listed it out because some were having trouble keeping up with the story line. I listed it below. Don't look if you don't want spoilers.
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Lizzy and John Hamilton (Erin Cahill) buy the house at 7 Cherry Lane in 1973. Baby Ivy is born in the living room on 12/24/73 assisted by a local police officer. The cop tells John that his wife is due in March 74 and would love to have a house like this. The two couples become friends. The cops kids call John uncle Ham since they already have an uncle John. John Hamilton owns the local gas station/repair shop in town and owns the blue Chevy SS. You know it was 73 as they mention gas was 40 cents a gallon. Notice kitchen is 70's orange.

Regina and cop (Catherine Bell) have Conrad in March 1974 and Winnie sometime later? In 1979 they buy the house at 7 Cherry Lane from Lizzy and John who got a job in Michigan.

1999-Shows Regina with fiance Nelson (James Dutton), . Her husband, the cop had died previously (don't think they said when?) She is wanting to sell the house they'd been in for 20 years (hence the 79-99) and move to Florida. Now you see Conrad at 26 years old driving Uncle Ham's blue Chevy SS but it is rusted out. I thought I heard John Hamilton was ill but someone else said he died and they gave the car to Conrad. Either way, Conrad has the car Uncle Ham loved. Kitchen is now 90's brown. Conrad is upset and goes to visit Ivy (the daughter of Lizzy and Uncle Ham. ) Guessing she moved back from Michigan when she became an adult. She mentions Y2K so you know it's Christmas 99. She said she is fostering a little boy named Sam for 2 days during Christmas until the adoptive family could take him. They have stayed close as Ivy said Conrad was a groomsman in her wedding. *At the end of this segment-You see the picture of his dad in the hallway as the cop.

2023-Mike and Zian (he goes by Sam since Zian is hard to pronounce) are buying the house at 7 Cherry Lane. They are trying to foster a child. Zian talks about the young couple who took him in for a few days during Christmas years ago but he can't remember their name. (that was Ivy back in 1999). Winnie has become a famous singer and turned uncle Ham's gas station/repair into a cafe called Repair, Mike is the chef. She told Mike and Zian to buy the house. Mike is stuck at the cafe with car trouble on Christmas Eve, Winnie walks in to save the day LOL and they go get into the blue chevy SS that is now repainted and looking good and driven by an older Conrad with a mustache. ***Now the kitchen is going more modern.

Daisy is the neighbor who was the young college student when Lizzy and John moved in 1973. She became friends with Regina when they moved in 1999. She became friends with Mike and Zian when they bought the house in 2023. Someone also mentioned that Daisy was the manager at the restaurant Repair.

I wish they would have really tied it together and had Regina, Nelson and Lizzy come for dinner at 75 years old. As it is, Conrad, Winnie and Ivy were almost 50.

It's a movie you really have to pay attention to and can't be doing other things to get the clues.
Hope the list they put on this other group helps anyone that was confused. Lots over there were confused. They never said who had the house from 99-2023 which is what a lot of people were asking.

 

[PollyannaMom]

CHRISTMAS AT AN AMISH BAKERY
I managed to get through about an hour of it and gave up. Just too, I don't know, bland. I didn't feel any real emotion going on between the characters and the storyline.

Too bad, that one sounded interesting.

I liked it a lot better than PrincessSchmoo did, so I'd recommend giving it a try. I felt like it was "just educational enough" - they did a little explaining of Amish ways without it being the whole story (just enough to correct some misconceptions). I felt like the leads being a little tentative kind of fit the situation, and I really liked some of the supporting characters. How fast some practical stuff happened was a little unrealistic...but then again, that happens a lot in Christmas movies.

...Christmas on Cherry lane? A group I am on listed it out because some were having trouble keeping up with the story line. I listed it below.

That's a great synopsis! I enjoyed looking for the connections, but I agree that I had to pay attention - it's not a "put me on in the background and do stuff" kind of movie.

 

[Disneylover99]

Anyone having trouble understanding Christmas on Cherry lane? A group I am on listed it out because some were having trouble keeping up with the story line. I listed it below. Don't look if you don't want spoilers.
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Lizzy and John Hamilton (Erin Cahill) buy the house at 7 Cherry Lane in 1973. Baby Ivy is born in the living room on 12/24/73 assisted by a local police officer. The cop tells John that his wife is due in March 74 and would love to have a house like this. The two couples become friends. The cops kids call John uncle Ham since they already have an uncle John. John Hamilton owns the local gas station/repair shop in town and owns the blue Chevy SS. You know it was 73 as they mention gas was 40 cents a gallon. Notice kitchen is 70's orange.

Regina and cop (Catherine Bell) have Conrad in March 1974 and Winnie sometime later? In 1979 they buy the house at 7 Cherry Lane from Lizzy and John who got a job in Michigan.

1999-Shows Regina with fiance Nelson (James Dutton), . Her husband, the cop had died previously (don't think they said when?) She is wanting to sell the house they'd been in for 20 years (hence the 79-99) and move to Florida. Now you see Conrad at 26 years old driving Uncle Ham's blue Chevy SS but it is rusted out. I thought I heard John Hamilton was ill but someone else said he died and they gave the car to Conrad. Either way, Conrad has the car Uncle Ham loved. Kitchen is now 90's brown. Conrad is upset and goes to visit Ivy (the daughter of Lizzy and Uncle Ham. ) Guessing she moved back from Michigan when she became an adult. She mentions Y2K so you know it's Christmas 99. She said she is fostering a little boy named Sam for 2 days during Christmas until the adoptive family could take him. They have stayed close as Ivy said Conrad was a groomsman in her wedding. *At the end of this segment-You see the picture of his dad in the hallway as the cop.

2023-Mike and Zian (he goes by Sam since Zian is hard to pronounce) are buying the house at 7 Cherry Lane. They are trying to foster a child. Zian talks about the young couple who took him in for a few days during Christmas years ago but he can't remember their name. (that was Ivy back in 1999). Winnie has become a famous singer and turned uncle Ham's gas station/repair into a cafe called Repair, Mike is the chef. She told Mike and Zian to buy the house. Mike is stuck at the cafe with car trouble on Christmas Eve, Winnie walks in to save the day LOL and they go get into the blue chevy SS that is now repainted and looking good and driven by an older Conrad with a mustache. ***Now the kitchen is going more modern.

Daisy is the neighbor who was the young college student when Lizzy and John moved in 1973. She became friends with Regina when they moved in 1999. She became friends with Mike and Zian when they bought the house in 2023. Someone also mentioned that Daisy was the manager at the restaurant Repair.

I wish they would have really tied it together and had Regina, Nelson and Lizzy come for dinner at 75 years old. As it is, Conrad, Winnie and Ivy were almost 50.

It's a movie you really have to pay attention to and can't be doing other things to get the clues.
Hope the list they put on this other group helps anyone that was confused. Lots over there were confused. They never said who had the house from 99-2023 which is what a lot of people were asking.

I loved this movie! I loved that you had to pay attention to names, dates and details to follow it properly.

 

[Allison]

I loved Christmas on Cherry Lane.

 

[Allison]

I thought I heard John Hamilton was ill but someone else said he died and they gave the car to Conrad.

He gave the car to Conrad after Conrad's dad died not John.

 

[Imzadi]

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries:
To All a Good Night at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Kimberley Sustad and Mark Ghanimé
Description: A small-town photographer saves the life of a mysterious man, who may just be in town to buy her family's parkland – which is also the location of the annual Christmas celebration.

Has anyone watched To All A Good Night yet? What did you think of it? I just noticed it's at a high 7.7 on the IMDb .com. It might be the second highest movie of the season, behind A Biltmore Christmas at 8.0 and Holiday Road coming in third, so far at 7.2.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Has anyone watched To All A Good Night yet? What did you think of it? I just noticed it's at a high 7.7 on the IMDb .com. It might be the second highest movie of the season, behind A Biltmore Christmas at 8.0 and Holiday Road coming in third, so far.

I thought it was good. I think it was one of Kimberley Sustad's better performances.

 

[elgerber]

I thought it was good. I think it was one of Kimberley Sustad's better performances.

she is probably my favorite. Haven't gotten to this one yet.
I did Biltmore last night and Cherry Lane tonight. Really liked them both.

 

[redlight]

I’m watching the first Murder She Baked Hallmark with Alison Sweeney: the chocolate chip cookie mystery. I just got the series on DVD & I have never seen the first one before.

It’s a lot of fun. I like how she and Mike interacted when they first met.

I want the little black dress Hannah wore at the party.

 

[Disneylover99]

I really liked Holiday Road overall. I enjoyed the supporting characters and their backstories. I didn’t care for the lead actors who fall in love though.

 

[Imzadi]

Great American Family (GAF):
Peppermint and Postcards at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Ella Cannon and Christopher Russell.
Description: When a Christmas letter concerning her love life goes viral, one mom discovers that romance might be right at her door.

Peppermint and Postcards was renamed before it premiered on GAF. It's original title was It's a Christmas Thing. The original titled movie is now streaming free (with ads) on:

FREEVEE: (Amazon's free streaming platform):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/det...t_wbr_ovf__fdv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_ovf__fdv-20

Or on PLUTO (not the planet or our beloved Disney dog. ):
https://pluto.tv/on-demand/movies/6564dbfa2085480014f9fe2b?utm_source=amazon&utm_medium=ossearch
(Took about a minute to load. Also turn the sound ON.)

It's currently at 6.8 on the IMDb .com. But GAF movies tend to skew higher than Hallmark, at least initally, as I suspect, loyal fans want to really get people over to GAF and watching their movies. Also, being a paid network, they have a smaller, targeted audience rating their movies.

 

[redlight]

I really liked Holiday Road overall. I enjoyed the supporting characters and their backstories. I didn’t care for the lead actors who fall in love though.

Isn’t Holiday Road the song from the movie Vacation?

 

[Disneylover99]

Isn’t Holiday Road the song from the movie Vacation?

Yep. But they didn’t play the song. Lol.

 

[Imzadi]

New Christmas movies premiering Thursday & Friday:

We are down to the last TWO HM&M new Christmas movies.

Thursday:
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries:
Heaven Down Here at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Krystal Joy Brown, Tina Lifford, Juan Riedinger, Richard Harmon, and Phylicia Rashad.
Description: Inspired by Mickey Guyton’s song of the same name, “Heaven Down Here” tells the story of four disparate people who find themselves stranded in a local diner on Christmas Eve when a snowstorm hits the town. Imani is a widowed mother of two who’s having trouble making ends meet and reluctantly agrees to work the Christmas Eve shift, where she clashes with her boss Dan, who doesn’t exactly embody the Christmas spirit. Felix is a local pastor desperately trying to secure food for parishioners while his faith is challenged by his son's alienation. Clara is a hospice nurse with an obstinate patient and whose daughter is moving away, causing her to question her place in this world. Throughout the evening, these four bicker, bond and unwittingly provide each other with the answer to their respective prayers.

Friday:
Hallmark Channel:
The Secret Gift of Christmas at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Meghan Ory and Christopher Russell.
Description: Bonnie, a personal shopper helps her new, widowed client Patrick reconnect with his young daughter. Though Bonnie and Patrick’s ideas of shopping couldn’t be more different, she is determined to get Patrick and his daughter everything on their wish list.

 

[Imzadi]

New Christmas movies premiering this weekend:

Lifetime has a Double Feature Night this Saturday.

Saturday:
Hallmark Channel:
Sealed With a List at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Katie Findlay and Evan Roderick.
Description: This holiday season, festive Carley sets out to conquer her list of abandoned resolutions from last year. Aided by coworker Wyatt, she finds love and the confidence to chase her dreams.

Lifetime: Double Feature Night!
The Holiday Proposal Plan at 8pm ET and 4 hours later
Re-airs: Sun 12/17 at 12:01am ET
Starring: Tatyana Ali and Jesse Kove.
Description: Travel columnist, Sonny Kravitz, and her ex-boyfriend Kip are forced to team up to help their best friends Bree and Jarod get engaged. To set the backdrop, the four return to Sonny’s parents’ snowy chalet and set up twelve holiday traditions that are celebrated around the world to nudge Jarod to ask Bree to be his wife. But it seems that the proposal plan doesn’t just reignite the love between the engaged couple. Will Sonny and Kip rekindle what they once had?

A Christmas Intern at 10pm ET and 4 hours later
Starring: Jackée Harry, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Paré, Ciarra Cart.
Description: With the Holidays approaching, Cecilia (Jackée Harry) discovers that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, so she decides to make a surprise visit to her daughter Alexis (Ciarra Carter) who created and runs “Cyber Santa,” an online gift giving business. Seizing an opportunity to spend Christmas with her daughter and get back into the game, Cecilia becomes an intern at the start-up company and the two learn the importance of family during the most wonderful time of year, while also finding love.

Great American Family (GAF):
Designing Christmas With You at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Susie Abromeit and Liam McIntyre.
Description: With her career on the line, a decorator must work with an unexpected partner to showcase a house for an upcoming Christmas gala.


Sunday:
Hallmark Channel:
Friends and Family Christmas at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Humberly Gonzalez and Ali Liebert.
Description: When Daniella and Amelia are set up by their parents, they agree to pretend that they are dating, to appease them for the holidays. However, as they spend time in each other’s worlds, they soon build a connection that is deeper than either of them could have hoped for.

Lifetime:
Merry Magic Christmas at 8pm ET and 4 hours later
Re-airs: Mon 12/18 at 12:00am ET
Starring: Patricia Isaac and Andrew Dunbar.
Description: As Christmas nears, financial advisor Beth finds that her fortune is hinting all around her. She starts seeing a recurring number: 624, an angel number that will help make her heart’s secret wish come true. Taking on a pro-bono financial case for the local children’s theatre, Beth meets Nate, whose financial inexperience may cause the theatre to shut down. The two must work together to raise money for the theatre and possibly find love along the way.

Great American Family (GAF):
12 Games of Christmas at 8pm ET / 7pm CT
Starring: Johnny Ramey and Felisha Cooper.
Description: a group of old friends and neighbors are transported into a Christmas-themed board game during a Christmas party.

UPtv:
Dial S For Santa at 7pm ET
Starring: Sarah Dugdale and Julian Haig.
Description: A Christmas mystery with Lana, who comes back to her hometown to visit her mom for the holidays only to encounter Nick, a new police detective, with whom she teams up to discover who is behind a string of unusual burglaries in their town.