Hallmark Movies ❤️ comfort & joy

[flyingdumbo127]

I also truly liked Christmas Town. I rewatched another touching movie called A Kindhearted Christmas.

Here are ten of my very favorite Christmas movies! Yes, it was hard to narrow it down. As a P.S. I have now watched 3 of the 4 Christmas in Evergreen movies and have loved them all

A Gift to Remember
A Veteran's Christmas
Angels in the Snow
Bringing Christmas Home
Hearts of Christmas
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
Miracle on Highway 34
The Christmas Doctor
The Perfect Gift (with Jefferson Moore)
Shoelaces for Christmas

 

[Imzadi]

On Great American Family Thanksgiving weekend:

GAF has a special presentation of I Heard the Bells on Thanksgiving night. It is the inspiring true story behind the beloved Christmas carol (of the same name,) and its author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The movie will repeat as an encore presentation on Saturday night.

There is an extra new movie Friday night!

On Thursday:
I Heard the Bells is on GAF at 8pm ET, 7CT.

Re-airs:
Saturday, November 30 at 8PM ET

Starring:
Starring:[/B] Stephen Atherhold, Jonathan Blair and Rachel Day Hughes.
Description: I Heard the Bells is the inspiring, true story behind the beloved Christmas carol and the song’s author, America’s beloved poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Known as America’s Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow leads an idyllic life…until the day his world is shattered by tragedy. With a nation divided by Civil War and his family torn apart, Henry puts down his pen, silenced by grief. But it’s the sound of Christmas morning that reignites the poet’s lost voice as he discovers the resounding hope of rekindled faith.


On Friday:
A Cinderella Christmas Ball is on GAF at 8pm ET, 7CT.

Re-airs:
Sunday Dec 1 at 6:00 PM ET
Tuesday Dec 3 at 8:00 PM ET
Thursday Dec 5 at 2:00 AM ET
Thursday Dec 5 at 12:00 PM ET
Friday Dec 6 at 6:00 PM ET

Starring: Danica McKellar and Oliver Rice
Description: A dance instructor finds an old photo of a couple who may be her mother and father. Hoping to solve the mystery of her birth family, she travels to Havenshire where she meets a charming prince who dances with her at the Christmas ball.


On Saturday:
I Heard the Bells is on GAF at 8pm ET, 7CT.

This is an encore presentation of the movie premiering on Thanksgiving.


On Sunday:
Home Sweet Christmas is on GAF at 8pm ET, 7CT.

Re-airs:
Sunday Dec 1 at 8:00 PM ET
Tuesday Dec 3 at 8:00 AM ET
Wednesday Dec 4 at 8:00 PM ET
Friday Dec 6 at 4:00 AM ET
Saturday Dec 7 at 6:00 PM ET

Starring: Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison.
Yes, Candace is in a second movie this season.
Description: Sophie Marlow (Bure), a successful mergers and acquisitions attorney, is called home to Waynesbridge, Washington, following her great uncle’s passing. Uncle Henry left Sophie 60% ownership in his Marlow Maple Meadows, a sprawling patch of sugar maple forest. Though Sophie hasn’t been on the property in decades, she immediately begins retracing the happy steps of her youth before encountering Sam (Mathison), her long-lost, childhood friend. Sam has returned to the farm after learning Henry left him the other 40% of the property. The legacy property means a quick sale is likely, though Sophie and Sam will discover neither of them is ready to let go just yet.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thanks, Imzadi. I just set Home Sweet Christmas to record on FRNDLY which I trult have been enjoying.

Wishing all of you in this merry kind thread a blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you for making a kind difference in my life. God Bless you all.

 

[Imzadi]

On the Lifetime Channel this weekend:

On Saturday:
BeBe Winan's We Three Kings is on Lifetime TV at 8pm ET/PT, 7CT and repeats 4 hours later at 12:01am ET.
Starring: BeBe Winans, Lisa Berry, Faith Wright, Bethany Brown, and Deborah Joy Winans.
Description: Bebe plays Lincoln, retired musician turned record store owner, and proud father to the three King sisters, Lydia, Gracie and Abigail. For the first time since their mother’s death, the three estranged King sisters return home for the holidays. Lincoln hatches a plan with family friend, Genelle to bring his girls back together again this Christmas. Living under the same roof and hearing their father sing joyful Christmas melodies sparks old family memories. Holiday love songs and mistletoe are found around every corner, and the sisters end up finding love in the very town they tried so hard to leave behind. It isn’t long before the sisters face the facts; life’s better when they are together.

Re-airs:
Sunday, Dec 1 at 12:01 AM
Sunday, Dec 1 at 6:00 PM
Saturday, Dec 7 at 4:00 PM

On Sunday:
Make or Bake Christmas is on the Lifetime TV at 8pm ET/PT, 7CT and repeats 4 hours later at 12:01am ET.
Starring: Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Jasmine Aivaliotis, and Landon Moss.
Description: With Christmas fast approaching, Leslie (Vivica A. Fox), known for her expertise in all things domestic and top lifestyle brands, is looking to expand her business. She sets her sights on the bakery, Sugar Bakers, owned by Denise Sugarbaker (Jackée Harry) and run by her son, David (Landon Moss). Determined to make a deal before the end of the year, Leslie sends one of her top employees, Emma (Jasmine Aivaliotis), to go undercover as a seasonal employee in order to convince them to sell. Emma unexpectedly finds herself falling in love with the quaint bakery with its Christmas spirit, staff and especially, David. ‘Tis the Season to make or bake Christmas and discover everything sweet during the holidays, including love.

Re-airs:
Sunday, Dec 1 at 8:00 PM
Monday, Dec 2 at 12:01 AM
Saturday, Dec 7 at 6:00 PM

 

[Imzadi]

Welcome to everyone who waits until after Thanksgiving to start watching Christmas movies.

You can scroll back a few pages to read up on the new Christmas movies out this season and ways to watch them. Included are Hallmark, Lifetime Channel, Great American Family, UPtv, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Roku, as well as other streaming platforms. Also, there are directions on how to find the better Christmas movies from seasons past that we recommend, just a few posts back. (Of course, your own tastes may vary.)

Feel free to post your own thoughts/opinions/reviews on any movies you watch. With so many Christmas movies coming out, it helps all of us to move movies up or down our individual watch lists.

Happy start of the Holiday Season!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I tried watching Christmas Under the Lights and didn't get into it at all. I did enjoy Christmas in My Heart about Sean, a country star and his daughter Katie. The best character to me in this was Grandma Ruthie. She was great. I also liked Sean's love interest Beth's dad, Tim.

I hope each of you enjoy a merry movie today. Happy Saturday, friends.

 

[Imzadi]

On UPtv this Sunday:

It was mentioned in a couple previous posts that UPtv has been showing movies they purchased the rights to which previously aired on other channels or streaming platforms. (Some not very good.)

During the month of December, UPtv will be premiering their own original movies on Sundays.

On this Sunday:
A Bluegrass Christmas is on UPtv at 7 pmET/PT, 6CT.
Starring: Amanda Jordan, David Pinard, Shaun Johnston.
Description: Katie’s family’s horse sanctuary is on the brink of closure, but in a last-ditch effort to raise the money, Katie must coax her reclusive grandfather, Bluegrass legend Ben Pendleton, back onto the stage for a Christmas benefit concert.

Re-airs:
Sunday, Dec 11 at 11:00 PM

On LAST Sunday but re-airs:
Festival of Trees is on the UPtv.Festival of Trees
Starring:Kate Miner, Greg Perrow, Josie Davis.
Description: Jacquie Miller is an interior designer desperate to catch a break. The city’s annual Festival of Trees decorating competition, known for putting local artists on the map, may be just the answer! But competing with the city’s top designers is not for the faint of heart. With the help of her quirky assistant, a charming stranger and an inspirational young girl, Jacquie embarks on a humor-filled and heart-warming journey to create a tree that will knock the stockings off Santa himself.

Re-airs:
Friday, December 6 at 7:00 PM

 

[Imzadi]

Okay, can I get a 'cheat sheet' ....a list of better-than-normal hallmark or other Christmas films?

There have been a few that we watched and were pleasantly pleased, and others, we had to turn off.

I started watching some movies some older though that I hadn't had the chance to watch and was able to re-record them.

Lifetime's Single and Ready to Mingle was from 2022 and I enjoyed it, predictable and a bit rushed at the ending but I liked the banter between the leads and thought the side characters were likeable 7/10 rating for me

Hallmark's A Not So Royal Christmas was from 2023. I rated it 6/10. I saw where they were going with it but felt it was too big of a plot hole that a Royal family would not actually look up if someone was from a gossip rag company vs a more reputable one. I know it's a plot device to create conflict but it took me out of what could have been a more understandable deception into a "huh how could you let that pass" one. However, I like Brooke D'Orsay and Will Kemp so that helped.

Over the summer I watched Hallmark's Rescuing Christmas from 2023 and really enjoyed it with an 8/10 rating for me. The plot is something only mildly reused and Rachel Leigh Cook's sarcastic acting worked well with the plot point. I liked the chemistry between her and Sam Page. Another one watched over the summer but on Hallmark Movies Now was this year's Operation Nutcracker. I rated that a 6/10. Something about it just did not work for me. I think maybe the significance of the nutcracker combined with the original method of travel to get it to an appraiser didn't make sense as in if this thing was so important to the family why on earth would you travel with it the way he did, then the search for it fell a little flat for me.

A few weekends ago we watched Hallmark's 'Twas the Date Before Christmas. I rated that an 8/10. The concept was modern (the going about getting a date) and it was a light-hearted enough movie. The conflict at the end felt a bit forced in her reaction but I loved how the family's games created a more playful way of getting to know each other and be around each other.

I'm thinking on waiting to watch Three Wiser Men and a Boy as well as Holiday Touchdown for when they release the extended cut versions, which at least they call attention to them on Hallmark's website. I still plan on recording the non-extended versions in case the extended ones don't air or my box doesn't record them which happened earlier this year with the extended cut of Three Wise Men and a Baby which I was able to watch it eventually on Hallmark Movies Now (well now Hallmark+ but it was before the switch over). Hopefully they still plan on airing the extended cuts but I'll at least have the other ones as backups.

I haven't been taking notes this year (other than posting brief thoughts here) but I was making a project of it for a while, and you're welcome to what I have for some of the older movies. I'll see if I can screenshot the file:
View attachment 916281
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(H = Hallmark, M = Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, L= Lifetime)

The scale started out as: "Personal Favorite, Decent - Really, Honest Fluff, and Dud, but for a while we were doing a number one on here, so that's mixed in too.

The IMDb ratings are likely out of date.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the newer movies, try putting the name of the one you're considering watching in the search (upper right hand corner of your screen) and select "this thread" -
View attachment 916301
It should return posts where anyone has mentioned that particular movie in the chat.

Later, I can put together a quick cheatsheet of the movies I like on Lifetime, as they have the better ones listed on their webpage, where one can watch them On Demand / streaming free. If one actually gets the Lifetime Channel, one can DVR them as they re-air.

But, mostly, I think many of us have different favorites according to the different actresses who star in them. (Just like with some A-List movie stars.) Some actresses I won't watch anymore. I tend not to like their work. Luckily now, there's enough other Hallmark/Lifetime movies to watch.

These are some of my favorite Hallmark actresses. (Your mileage & tastes may vary a lot.) Due to their popularity, they tend to get the better scripts and bigger movie budgets. Some of them executive produce their own movies now, so they have the clout and decision making abilities to get rid of stupid plot points or lines they would normally be forced to say as just an "actress." (Maria Menounos executive produced her last two Lifetime movies, which is why they are so good. You can also tell her heart went into making those movies.)

Actresses: Lacey Chabert, Autumn Reeser, Rachel Boston, Jill Wagner, Tricia Helfer, Kimberley Sustad, Danica McKeller, Alison Sweeney.

Actors: Ryan Paevey, Marc Blucas, Andrew Walker, Paul Campbell, Jesse Metcalfe.

(Again, your mileage & tastes may vary a LOT.)

I also truly liked Christmas Town. I rewatched another touching movie called A Kindhearted Christmas.

Here are ten of my very favorite Christmas movies! Yes, it was hard to narrow it down. As a P.S. I have now watched 3 of the 4 Christmas in Evergreen movies and have loved them all

A Gift to Remember
A Veteran's Christmas
Angels in the Snow
Bringing Christmas Home
Hearts of Christmas
Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
Miracle on Highway 34
The Christmas Doctor
The Perfect Gift (with Jefferson Moore)
Shoelaces for Christmas

Adding to everyone's list above, the Lifetime movies I've watched that I would watch again:

The first 9 are my favorites on Lifetime:

The Spirit of Christmas
Christmas at Plumhill Manor
It Takes a Christmas Village
The Holiday Dating Guide
Christmas A La Mode
Christmas on the Menu
Christmas PenPals
A Christmas in Tennessee
Snowed Inn Christmas
The Holiday Fix Up
A Nanny for Christmas
Christmas at the Chalet
The Christmas Contract
A Christmas Wish
A Christmas Spark
Christmas on the Bayou
Poinsettias for Christmas
The Christmas Setup
A Gift Wrapped Christmas
Every Day is Christmas
A Christmas Kiss
A Christmas Kiss 2
Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune
Reindeer Games Homecoming
Toying With the Holidays
A Christmas Cruise

Here is Lifetime's website to watch many of their Christmas movies online, free with ads. They've culled some of their better Christmas movies for the page. (The rest of the year this site is loaded with their cheerleader's murdering mom & neighbor-turned-serial-killer movies.)

https://play.mylifetime.com/movies

Make sure you click: SEE ALL so all the movies show up. It's easy to miss below the few movies listed.

After you click on a movie, (click on the Multiple ads box as the left side is a bit weird to negotiate through.)

If you see a pop-up box asking if you have a LMN subscription, (their premium Lifetime channel,) just click the black "Dismiss" button and it should bring you to the regular Lifetime page. You may have to refresh the page a few times to get a movie to play. And turn off your Adblock app if it's on so the page will load correctly to play.

 

[Imzadi]

I watched Jingle Bell Run. It was fun and the race and the challenges held my interest for the most part. Yet, I am not a fan of Ashley Williams. She tends to be a bit too "cheerful" for me. And she had many, Many, MANY moments to be overly cheerful and overact to the extreme for me. I almost turned the TV off those moments, but stuck with it to watch the competition.

 

[Imzadi]

I also watched Debbie Macomber's Joyful Mrs. Miracle. Having seen the other two Mrs. Miracles, Doris Roberts and Caroline Rhea, I wondered how recasting Mrs. Miracle would work.

In my opinion, it didn't. I felt that Rachel Boston was miscast. Has anyone read the books these movies are based on? Did Debbie Macomber rewrite Mrs. Miracle to be younger? Or was this purely a Hallmark decision to appeal to a younger audience?

While I didn't really care for Doris Robert's character, I understood her "meddling" so to speak.

I liked Caroline Rhea's portrayal, as she was able to talk about her own loss and really humanized her Mrs. Miracle, who was softer and more likeable.

BOTH of those women, being older, had a wisdom that would often come out when needed. Wisdom that some elder people have. A wisdom that is now lost with this recasting to Rachel Boston, who I normally really like.

I felt like this movie should have been a sequel of Rachel's Angel Falls movie, where she plays an angel. That movie and her portrayal of her character would have made sense. As Mrs. Miracle, I feel she missed the mark. She's too young for that character. She was too joyful for a family in grief. I get that she should have been a breath of fresh air to shake up the family. I don't feel she gelled well with them. And where were the moments of wisdom? She seemed more astute than having ages old wisdom.

As for the story, I didn't buy the two romantic leads. They had no chemistry between them. Ironically, there is a scene when Rachel bends down to talk to one of the brothers, while he is grieving. And Rachel has a moment with him that has more openness and vulnerability, that for a moment I flashed on Rachel normally being the romantic lead, and could have seen the brother falling for her in that moment if this had been a normal Rachel Boston movie.

Did someone tell Rachel Boston that she's too old to play romantic leads anymore, so she's going for these types of roles now? Almost every time her character came on, I was shaking my head.

Why would Hallmark, which normally highlights elder characters take one away and give it to a 42 year old actress instead? I have to wonder, if they are doing this to appeal to younger audiences, did the Hallmark execs also bring up the idea of Hunter King to play Mrs. Miracle too?

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I have a vague memory of watching part of the first Mrs. Miracle movie. I'm sorry this latest version wasn't better, Imzadi. I did like overall My Favorite Christmas Tree and Ms. Christmas Comes to Town. I did not care for deception in either. Also by my faith belief holiday when Christmas is meant doesn't sit right. I look forward to watching tbe last Evergreen movie later. I hope all of you have had a good weekend. Today for me is the start of Advent leading to Christmas.

 

[CGB]

DH watched most of a Hallmark movie with me!!

It was The Christmas Quest which was filmed in Iceland. He was stationed in Iceland for a year-long remote assignment about 20 years ago. I visited him for a week while he was there and he took me almost everywhere. He got a kick out of the different locations in the movie that he recognized. He wasn't that jazzed on the storyline, but I liked it.

The KC Chiefs movie is playing now and I'm really surprised he's still sitting here....

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I just finished watching an older movie from 2012 called The Wishing Tree. It's about a professor at a Christian boarding school and three of his teen students over Christmas break. Very touching story of faith, healing, and friendship. I would have enjoyed a few more minutes!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Just finished watching Festival of Trees. It was cute!

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I finally saw the 4th and final Christmas in Evergreen. I did enjoy but overall was disappointed in how the story ended especially spanning 4 movies. I wish all of the town's characters had been apart of the movie. I loved Hannah and Elliot in the other movies especially the third one. To me their sudden angst in this last film was out of nowhere and did not translate well. Thankfully they make up at the end. I also could have done without Sonia and her dad. Enough! Finally, did anyone else think iymt was odd we never did get to see Michelle marry Thomas? The movie just ended! Brighter note, David was the star of this one for me. The young actor playing him did a wonderful job. I also liked Allie's mom Carol and that she became church choir director. Not the best Hallmark movie I have seen, but it had some touching moments.

 

[Imzadi]

Hallmark+ has uploaded the season premiere, full episode, of their original mystery series, Mistletoe Murders, onto YouTube, free, to try to entice people to sign up for Hallmark+. The series stars Sarah Drew. She also executive produced it, so hopefully it is better than average.

https://www.youtube .com/watch?v=CbDpz0tvnYo
(Remove the space between youtube and .com to copy and paste into your browser.

 

[Imzadi]

The Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at Rockefeller Center, NYC is on NBC tonight. Starts at 7pm ET, hosted by Kelly Clarkson. Other performers include: the Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE and Thalia.

The 72 ft. Norway Spruce tree is originally from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The last time the tree came from this area was in 1959.

In past years, the tree has also come from upstate New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, and even Canada.

The Christmas tree will be lit just before 10 p.m. Eastern.

(Pic of a previous tree.)

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I watched Home Sweet Christmas. It was refreshing to have a movie where the two main actors and love interests of each other were friendly throughout. I Googled Candace and Cameron and learned they are 48 and 55 respectively. Somehow he seemed older than she did in this. I did love his character's genuine care and imagination especially as a little boy. I could have well done without the realtor and lawyer colleague. Overall, I did enjoy this one.

 

[Kennywood]

 

[Imzadi]

Submit your personal wish, goal or dream

ONLINE and have it added to the confetti that floats down at midnight onto the revelers gathered in Times Square in celebration of the new year.

The New Year's Eve Times Square Wishing Wall​

"Whether it's a personal goal, a dream for the future or doing something for the very first time, these wishes are added to over a ton of confetti that floats down at midnight onto the revelers gathered in Times Square in celebration of the new year. Be a part of this most magical night by making your wish in person through our mobile Wishing Wall on the plazas or by sharing your New Year's wish with us below or on Twitter and Instagram using #ConfettiWish. We will add it to the thousands of others released above Times Square at midnight on New Year's Eve for all the world to see!

Please note that all wishes submitted digitally after December 28th will be printed for the New Year's Eve celebration on December 31st of the following year.

The Wishing Wall will be closed on December 25th.

The Wishing Wall is presented by Planet Fitness."

Online Wishing Wall Form:​

https://www.timessquarenyc.org/events/nye-wishing-wall

May all your wonderful wishes come true.