Talkie Tuesday: The Royal We

 

"You are the author of your own story."

 

Hello everyone!

 

And welcome back to a Hallmark movie blog.

 

I know, it's been a while!

 

I had a full on faze for a while where the ONLY thing I'd watch were Hallmark movies, but then I got over-saturated and I stopped.

 

Now, I'll still watch one every once in a while, but for the most part I've moved on.

 

I was kind of hooked on the trailer for tonight's movie of choice, however, mostly because of the wardrobe depicted within that reminded me VERY strongly of Catherine, Princess of Wales.

 

And turns out I was right in that it IS quite reminiscent of it!

 

But the movie itself falls kind of in the middle of the scales, neither horrible nor good, so without further ado let's have a look at The Royal We.

 

Talkie Tuesday: My Norwegian Holiday

 

"It's a good thing I don't believe in fate." 

Hello everyone!

And welcome, once again, to the Christmas extravaganza that's been a part of this blog for, oh, many, many years now.

Like in previous seasons, each year I choose movies and books specifically themed around Christmas to read, watch and review for you on here, and most of the time we even have plenty of hits (even if we have a couple of misses along the way too).

Tonight's choice is no different.

Somehow, I've been lucky, because I usually manage to hit the jackpot with the first choice each year, and this one's no exception.

Of course I also always (or almost always) turn to Hallmark to provide all my holiday celebratory movies, so it should come as no surprise that that's where tonight's choice is from.

Countdown to Christmas on this blog begins right now, with My Norwegian Holiday!

Talkie Tuesday: Carrot Cake Murder

 

"If you respect the process, you could end up with perfection."

 

Hello everyone!

 

This week, we take a look right back into the world of sleuthing.

 

That's right, if you know me, then you know that detective stories are among some of my favourites - and that Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot take the cake, with Sherlock Holmes either right there with them or close behind, depending on my mood.

 

Tess Gerritsen is also an author that I truly enjoy, so can you see a trend forming here?

 

A while back - this is now probably a few years back, actually - I very accidentally ran into a series that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries did called Murder, She Baked.

 

I was originally enticed into watching because of its male lead, but stayed for the adorable stories.

 

They rebranded into Hannah Swensen Mysteries and have just released its second installment out into the world in this new series.

 

Which means that we got to put our thinking caps on, everyone! Because it's time to solve a murder, and not just any kind, but a Carrot Cake Murder.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Gingerbread Miracle

 

"There are no coincidences at Christmas."

 

Hello everyone!

 

This week's choice of movie is one of the rare few I've actually enjoyed while watching this year's Hallmark lineup.

I don't know what it is, to be honest, because I usually like more than just a few.

This year seems to be a weird one, however, either with the lineup in question, or just because of the weird year altogether.

ANYWAY, tonight's choice is still a good one however because it has one of the most popular actresses for the production, and that's saying something with all the other veteran ones out there, but the camera does love her, so.

Either way you look at it, it's a movie that's got a little something for everybody that wants to watch it if you ask me.

So let's not waste any more time and jump straight into Gingerbread Miracle, shall we?

Talkie Tuesday: South Beach Love

 

"Sometimes two ingredients may not look like they go together,

but just give it a chance and it might surprise you."

 

Hello everyone!

 

As we move further and further into autumn (we'll be transitioning into daylight saving time soon!) I find myself eyeing Hallmark's movie schedule more and more, because lo and behold they're headed right into Christmas-ville already.

 

I can understand them, in a way. That particular holiday makes up about half of their yearly production and they need to make sure everything they make gets out to the audience.

 

But come ON. Starting mid-October and never really having any Halloween movies is a bit much, even for Hallmark!

 

Still, it is what it is, and maybe at that point I'll end up watching other movies instead of what they have in their lineup, because as of right now I still make sure to double check the schedule and then work through if I want or don't want to watch it.

 

Tonight's topic was on the want to watch list because of the two leads, and I have to say I'm not regretting it, but there were definitely some interesting choices made in the movie.

 

South Beach Love, coming up!

 

Talkie Tuesday: Taking the Reins

 

"Sometimes you have to step away from something to realize how much you love it."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Okay, OKAY.

 

I did sort of imply I would be watching the new Cinderella movie, but then I got side-tracked by a commercial for the new Hallmark Channel Fall Harvest release, and of course I ended up watching that instead.

 

Sorry Cindy, I'll be seeing you soon, I promise.

 

Maybe.

 

But I'll admit Hallmark is my guilty pleasure, though I also make sure I don't start watching their Christmas programming until way after November 15th, considering starting mid-October, while it might make sense for them as this is their biggest flagship, makes zero sense for me. I need it to at least SMELL like Christmas before I watch those movies!

 

Anyway, I digress.

 

Tonight's blog post is all about horses and finicky women, in Taking the Reins.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Roadhouse Romance

 

"A bad thing can take you to a good place."

 

Hello everyone!

 

When fall starts to show its colours, I start looking at the Hallmark fall releases, because, well that's just who I am.

 

Gotta get into the spirit, right?

 

Right!

 

But I will admit we've basically had an Indian summer over here right now for some time, so it's been a little bit difficult to try and see how this is going to suddenly turn into the usual, rainy, grey-ish and misty land that we know.

 

However, weather report does say temperatures seem to be dropping after the official first day of fall, so we'll see!

 

And thus my first fall movie blog can actually make an appearance without the need to feel silly about it, even if I probably COULD have watched one of the remaining summer ones.

But Roadhouse Romance wanted to be seen, so here we are!

Talkie Tuesday: Her Pen Pal

 

"The real triumph is not in the final product - it's in the journey."

 

Hello everyone!

 

You'll never believe what happened this weekend.

 

Or maybe you will, who knows?

 

Either way, what happened was I watched a Hallmark channel movie from this year's lineup - and I actually really, REALLY liked it.

This is a monumental thing, because I haven't really enjoyed any of their productions this year yet, not the way I have in the past.

I don't know what it is, whether I've finally reached my limit or what, but the movies just aren't as good anymore, in my opinion at least, and they come across as even more ridiculous in terms of plot twist twenty minutes before the end than they would normally do.

But this weekend, they FINALLY delivered.

And it's apt, because the movie was Her Pen Pal.

Talkie Tuesday: Don't Go Breaking My Heart

 

"Broken hearts do heal."

 

Hello everyone!

 

I am back to my regularly scheduled movie reviews each Tuesday, now that Men in Kilts has ended and there is no more show episode in sight.

 

But I'm still in the throes of Hallmark films, because reasons LOL.

 

To be fair I've sort of picked out my favourites from the lineup they have this year, and I will say I think said lineup is actually much shorter and the choices narrower because of the pandemic, but it might just be my imagination.

 

In any event, however, there does seem to be less to choose from, and I choose every other weekend or so.

 

Mostly because this year has been a disappointment in movie choices, to say the least. Hallmark is either losing its magic for me or something else is happening! Who knows.

 

I'm just not as enamoured with everything as much as I used to be, though I will admit that there are still exceptions.

 

I just can't decide where Don't Go Breaking My Heart falls.

 

Talkie Tuesday: It Was Always You

 

"You don't regret the things you do - you regret the things you don't do."

 

Hello everyone!

 

I'm taking a mini break from what our two favourite Scotsmen were doing this weekend (hint: it has to do with sheep) because I kind of haven't had the time to catch up on the show yet.

 

Sorry Men in Kilts!

 

BUT.

 

I did actually watch a movie not too long ago, another Hallmark production as a matter of fact, which I thought could be an interesting topic for discussion.

 

To be fair, however, Hallmark hasn't exactly vowed me this calendar year yet, which is kind of funny and sad at the same time since I usually find at least one or two movies up until this point which I genuinely enjoy and giggle over.

 

Alas, not in 2021, it seems.

 

It Was Always You promised a heck of a lot, but to me personally didn't deliver.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Snowkissed

 

"What is the answer to life?"

 

Hello everyone!

 

So.

 

It's always the January movies, I've found.

 

Generally speaking, I usually manage to avoid, or mostly avoid, Hallmark movies that actually make me cringe or look up at the sky while asking for patience. Over the years of watching them I've kind of developed a bit of a skill at weeding out exactly what would tick me off.

 

It doesn't always work out that way.

 

I was super excited for the movie in tonight's blog post because I love the leading actor and think he should be featured in more things, plus the movies he's done before are pretty good. The lead actress is also one of those I have no trouble seeing different takes on.

 

But something about this particular movie did NOT actually click.

 

Snowkissed, here we go.

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Christmas Bow

 

"No matter what curve balls come at you - just keep swinging."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome to the last Christmas movie review of the season!

 

Whew.

 

It's been a doozy this year given everything, but then again I suppose we're all feeling the effects of it being 2020, right?

 

I've seen so many memes floating about that it's hard to say who's had more fun with them, the year itself or the people who made them, but all of them are so relatable, and honestly I can't WAIT for 2021. It's got to be better than what we've had so far, right?

 

Fingers crossed.

 

But for the time being we're taking a look at one last Christmas-y movie before starting something else next week, and in honour of that I've chosen one that I truly enjoyed yesterday while watching.

 

The Christmas Bow knew exactly what it wanted from audiences, and delivered.

 

Talkie Tuesday: A Glenbrooke Christmas

 

"Not everyone with money is a bad person."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Back with yet another Christmas movie, though this time I switched things around, as I will normally watch something and then end up waiting a bit before I work on a review of it, but yesterday as I was watching some evening entertainment (which these movies inevitably are) I couldn't not.

 

Every once in a while you run into something that either makes you really happy, makes you laugh a whole lot, or just makes you shake your head.

 

Depending on that criteria you can then decide just how good the whole she-bang was. 

 

For me, the movie started out a bit meh and I thought it would be just okay, but by the time the action started going I was beginning to think it might just be the funniest I've ever seen. Why? Well a lot of it has to do with how certain scenes were written, though I'll admit that most of it comes down to the two leading actors.

 

Though if you read reviews on IMDB they're all saying how the writing was meh, I kind of disagree. Was it cheesy? Sure thing. But was it meh? No, not really.

 

Let's check out A Glenbrooke Christmas.

Talkie Tuesday: Christmas with the Darlings

 

"You should do the right thing because it's the right thing to do, not to brag about it."

 

Hello everyone!

 

So I thought initially to swap between my blog posts and do one good Christmas movie review and one bad, but in the end decided, you know what? We kind of need more good than bad in the world right now, and I can keep the ones that weren't quite the way they could have been to myself.

 

Instead, I'll be doing all the goodies this month!

 

And boy, is Hallmark delivering.

 

True, there have definitely been a few misses, especially given the fact there have been an almost whooping 50 movies or so between their regular programming and Movies & Mysteries, but hey, it's enjoyable overall!

 

For tonight, I'm picking out one that's about as heartwarming as you can get, and then some.

Yeah sure, I can hear you saying on the other end, but EVERY movie is that, it's the point!

Okay yes, but Christmas with the Darlings adds just a little bit of extra sugar plum.

Talkie Tuesday: On the 12th Date of Christmas

 

"And a partridge in a pear tree ..."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Happy December!

 

Today being the first of the month, it marks the next four weeks or so of what the content of this blog is going to be. Christmas, Christmas and some more Christmas!

 

Mainly because of the fact that these COVID times have forced most of us to have to stay at home and deal with it from there, there's a lot of content to be had when it comes to the holiday season.

 

And I mean, A LOT.

 

Here's the thing: every channel and every entertainer knows that Christmas is when you can cash in the most. Also of note is the fact that people start feeling nostalgic or mellow because of the season, and sometimes all you need is to sit down and watch something cozy and happy.

 

Hallmark or Lifetime are the places to go, though I prefer Hallmark for its long-standing history.

 

This year is no different, with hits and misses all around! Tonight, we're taking a look at On the 12th Date of Christmas.

 

Synopsis Saturday: LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special

 

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away ..." 

Hello everyone!

I hope you're having a lovely weekend so far and that all my friends who celebrate Thanksgiving are going to enjoy it (or are enjoying it) to the maximum!

Here it's finally starting to get a little colder, which means that it's time to pull out all the music and movies that makes us all want to be all cozy and happy at home. For me, this generally means Hallmark because, let's face it.

NOBODY does Christmas like Hallmark does it.

No matter how many other movies they film and other subcategories they have at their disposal, Christmas is still their biggest marketing niche of the year. They normally release at least 30 new movies, though the number may be lower this year due to the pandemic, but they've been up to the 50 already.

However, nope, not Hallmark tonight.

Tonight, it's just Disney. And Star Wars.

And Life Day in the 2020 LEGO Holiday Special!