It seems fitting that my last review for the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon would be published at the end of the month. While looking through the marathon roster for Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM’s) marathon, I came across a film titled, Return to Peyton Place. Despite the fact that I was not familiar with who Mary Astor is, as an actress, I found the film’s description to be interesting. When I was learning more about this film, I discovered that it was the sequel to Peyton Place. So, I decided to watch the 1957 production in order to educate myself on the movie I was about to watch. To me, Peyton Place was just ok. The run-time was too long and the story felt like it belonged on a television show. How will the sequel compare to the first movie? Read my review of 1961’s Return to Peyton Place to find out!
Return to Peyton Place poster created by 20th Century Fox. Image found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ReturnToPeytonPlaceFilm.JPG
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Some of the cast members from the first film didn’t return to reprise their roles. Two of them are Diane Varsi, who portrayed Allison MacKenzie, and Hope Lange, who portrayed Selena Cross. Taking their places in the sequel are Carol Lynley and Tuesday Weld. The great thing about their performances is how they were able to bring a sense of continuity to their characters. Just like in the first movie, Allison is a head-strong woman who is determined to make a name for herself. Meanwhile, Selena is trying her best to move forward from her traumatic past. While returning faces made their appearances in Return to Peyton Place, new characters were also introduced. One character is Mrs. Roberta Carter, who is the mother of Ted Carter. Portrayed by Mary Astor, Roberta was one of the most memorable characters in this movie! Mary effectively brought the unlikeable qualities that Roberta contains. With her demeanor, facial expressions, and reactions, Mary gave the audience a reason to dislike Roberta.
The subplots: Like Peyton Place, the sequel featured several subplots that come together to create one larger plot. What’s different about the subplots in this movie is they were much more interesting than those from the first movie. Return to Peyton Place features three subplots; Allison becoming a best-selling author, Roberta dealing with her son and his new wife, and Selena rebuilding her life after the events of the first film. These subplots led to the main plot, which revolved around the controversy of Allison’s book. These stories not only propelled the narrative from the predecessor forward, but also added depth to the returning characters. It gave new characters a reason to participate as well, providing some interesting interactions and conversations.
The ideas expressed: What I liked about Peyton Place was the ideas that were expressed in the story. A few examples are honesty, the effects of gossip, and reaching out to those in need. This was also a highlight in Return to Peyton Place! Through each story, realistic and relatable ideas were presented. For example, during the main plot, where the town is deciding what to do about Allison’s book, the subjects of censorship and which version of the truth should be respected are brought up. The way they were incorporated into the overall narrative felt natural and made sense within the movie. It also gives the audience the ability to connect with the characters as well as the world they reside in.
The run-time: Return to Peyton Place is a little over two hours. While it is shorter than the first film, I still think this story didn’t need to be that long. Personally, I believe that Return to Peyton Place should have had a run-time of about one hour and thirty minutes. This would allow the narrative to get to the point sooner.
Overshadowed subplots: As I previously mentioned, Return to Peyton Place is told through several subplots. However, some of these subplots received less screen-time than others. Because Allison is the film’s protagonist, her subplot is focused on the most. While this creative decision made sense, it put the other subplots at a disadvantage. Ted and Raffaella’s subplot is a good example of this. Since their story was explored for a limited amount of time, it didn’t receive a satisfying conclusion. I also felt the same way about Selena and Nils’ subplot.
No explanation provided: When Allison published her book, some of the people in Peyton Place had a problem with the novel’s content. While they complained about how the book was “vulgar” and “lewd”, an explanation for why the book was bad was never given. This frustrated me because, as a viewer, I wanted to understand both perspectives on the issue. Because the book’s content was barely referenced in the movie, it made the argument against the book seem weak. This part of the movie reminded me of Chesapeake Shores’ third season, where the O’Brien family had an issue with Bree’s book, but never shared what exactly was in the book.
As a movie, I thought Return to Peyton Place was decent. But as a sequel, I liked it more than the first movie! With more interesting stories, a smaller cast, and a tighter script, this movie was entertaining and enjoyable. Like its predecessor, Return to Peyton Place is a film that has something to say, providing ideas that are thought-provoking and relatable. While it does have its flaws, it also has its merits. There are things this movie does that improves upon the first one. One example is featuring a collective story that feels more cinematic. I’m really glad that I watched Peyton Place before watching Return to Peyton Place because I would have been so confused if I hadn’t. While there is less problematic content in Return to Peyton Place, some things would need to change if it were released in the Breen Code era. These things are:
There were several instances where unpleasant or questionable statements and phrases were spoken by the characters. One example is when Lewis says to Allison, “It takes two to make a love affair”. Statements like this would need to be rewritten.
On two separate occasions, Selena’s traumatic past is talked about by Selena herself. Because it involves dark subjects, this part of the story would have to be revised in order to meet Breen Code standards.
There is one scene where Ted and Raffaella are seen passionately kissing while laying on a bed. Even though these characters are married to each other and this act never leads to sex, this scene would have to be changed. The kiss itself would be shorter and would not take place on the bed.
Kisses in this movie are more passionate and last longer than kisses in Breen Code films. If Return to Peyton Place premiered during the years of 1934 to 1954, the kisses would be shorter in time length.
Some of the female characters wear outfits that have low necklines. These outfits would need to be changed to reflect more modesty.
There are two times when Allison is seen disrobing on screen. Even though she is shown wearing a full-body slip, these moments would end up being removed from the film.
Overall score: 7.1 out of 10
What are your thoughts on Turner Classic Movies’ Summer Under the Stars marathon? Which review from this blogathon has been your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
I was introduced to the book, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, over five years ago. When I heard what it was about, I became intrigued with the premise. Since then, the book has been added to my TBR (to be read) list. While I haven’t read I Never Promised You a Rose Garden yet, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to see the film. So, I recorded it on my DVR when it was airing on television. Out of all the movies in my roster of films for A Month Without the Code, this is the only movie that’s rated R. It’ll be interesting to see if it could be “breened”. I also wanted to see if the movie would encourage me to read the book. Film adaptations can be better or worse than its source material. While comparing them is fine, judging them on their own merit is also important.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden poster created by New World Pictures. Image found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Film_Poster_for_I_Never_Promised_You_a_Rose_Garden.jpg
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: For films that deal with serious subject material, you need a lead actor or actress that will give it their all, talent wise. Personally, I feel that Kathleen Quinlan did just that in her role of Deborah! Seeing this character experience trials and triumphs shows just how seriously Kathleen took this role. Her performance was so well-rounded, emotional, and powerful, that her on-screen presence was captivating. What surprised me about Kathleen’s portrayal was that Deborah seemed like a young woman who was beyond her years. Because I haven’t read the book yet, I don’t know if the character is like this in the book. However, Kathleen brought this aspect of the character to life with such realism.
The realistic depiction of mental health: When incorporating a real-life topic like mental health into a film, it’s better to depict it as realistically as possible. In I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, the portrayals of mental health appeared realistic. For Deborah’s schizophrenia, audience members can hear the “voices” in her head and see her imagined world come to life. Something that I noticed was how the patients had a sense of humanity to them. Some of them seemed to be lost in their own worlds more than others. But, at the end of the day, they had something important to say and a mind of their own.
The discussion of abuse toward patients: I’ve seen several films that talk about mental health, especially where the main setting is a psychiatric hospital. Usually, the treatments themselves end up being abusive toward the patients. In this film, some of the patients are abused because of a cruel employee. I’m glad the movie didn’t shy away from addressing this particular subject. In the films that I’ve seen about mental health, I don’t recall this topic ever being brought up. The fact that a movie from the ’70s that takes place in the ’50s would incorporate this issue in their film is pretty interesting.
A weaker plot: Like I’ve said before, I haven’t read I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. But, I know what the general premise is about from reading the book’s synopsis. After doing that, I believed that the story would be an insightful and thought-provoking tale of someone’s experience with schizophrenia. The movie’s plot, however, wasn’t as interesting as I had thought it would be. The story was very straight-forward, leaving little room for interpretation. While there were interesting ideas and concepts featured throughout the film, they weren’t thoroughly explored. Personally, I thought the movie was driven by a premise and not a plot.
The randomness of the “dream sequences”, To represent the imagined world inside Deborah’s mind, a series of “dream sequences” would appear at various moments in the movie. I think these “dream sequences” were important to the character of Deborah. But how these sequences were incorporated into the film was very random. Sometimes, they would suddenly appear without any warning or build-up. While the imagined world was addressed, it was never explored and dissected. I understand that this was meant to give audience members an idea of what living with schizophrenia is like. But the suddenness of these “dream sequences” was somewhat off-putting.
Very little character development: Because this story revolves around Deborah, she is going to receive the most character development. While this is true, she ends up becoming the only character the audience gets to really know. There’s about two or three other characters that also receive character development. However, the audience doesn’t get to know them as well as Deborah. For the rest of the characters, members of the audience just become familiar with them. This is very different from something like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, where the audience gets to know each of the characters in the story. Because of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden’s nature, most of the characters felt like they were there just for the sake of moving the plot forward.
Rushing the recovery process: In I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, the story was about Deborah’s experience in a psychiatric hospital. For most of the movie, it seems like whenever she took one step forward in her treatment, she would then take five steps backward. It wasn’t until about the last twenty minutes when Deborah experienced a break-through in her recovery process. Because Deborah’s end result happened way too quickly, it felt like it was achieved too easily. This reminded me of The Three Faces of Eve, where it seemed like everything was wrapped up in a neat little package. It’s understandable that, in a film, there’s only so much time to tell a novel long story. But maybe this is where the book succeeds more than the movie.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden is the only rated R movie in my A Month Without the Code roster. I figured this was because of how the subject of mental health was realistically depicted. While this is one of the reasons for the film’s rating, it was also rated R for content related reasons. As for the quality of the movie, I thought it was just ok. It’s not the worst thing to be put on film, but it didn’t impress me either. The story wasn’t as intriguing as I hoped it would be. However, there were things about the film that I did like. One of them is Kathleen Quinlan’s performance, which was one of the highlights of the movie! Despite how I feel about the film, I still want to read the book. Who knows? Maybe the book will be better than the adaptation. Speaking of the adaptation, we need to talk about the film’s content. Sure, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden could be “breened”. But only if several aspects of the movie were to change. These aspects are:
Language: There were several times when characters either swore or spoke unpleasant words. The words themselves would need to be omitted and replaced with better choices.
Blood: In the film, there were a few instances when blood was shown on screen. This would need to be reduced by a significant amount.
Violence: Some violent moments are featured in the movie. They would need to be significantly reduced.
Unpleasant imagery: In one of the “dream sequences”, there is a dead body featured on screen. This part of the film would have to be omitted.
Nudity: There are two scenes with brief nudity. These scenes would need to be removed.
Sexual references: At the psychiatric hospital, there was one character that constantly made sexual references. Their lines would be rewritten before production begins. In a “dream sequence”, it is heavily implied that Deborah has sex with a male from her imagined world. This part of that scene would either be completely eliminated or rewritten.
Overall score: 6 out of 10
What are your thoughts on this review? Do you think this film could be “breenable”? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
After being out of town this past weekend, I have returned to 18 Cinema Lane with another Sunset Over Hope Valley post! Season six has provided Hearties with a lot of content to talk about. Some of it has been related to the story, such as Lucas’ arrival in Hope Valley. Others have been unexpected, such as the “Abigail situation”. But, through it all, things have worked in When Calls the Heart’s favor. With a seventh season on the way, Hearties will continue to have more things to talk about! In this episode, there is plenty of material to address. From the legalities of Hope Valley’s new-found oil to Ally’s backstory, there is something for everyone to contemplate and think about. If you want to learn more about all the things that Hearties could talk about, keep reading this When Calls the Heart re-cap post!
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
One day, Jesse comes into Henry’s office to inform him that he is going to sued by Jesse himself. When Henry tells Bill what happened, Bill says that he has been appointed as Hope Valley’s official judge. This means that Bill has assigned himself to Henry and Jesse’s case. On the first day of court, Jesse asks Henry a series of questions relating to the case. He believes that Henry was purposefully trying to take advantage of Jesse, using connections with people he knows in order to steal as much money as possible. After this court session, Clara remembers that Lucas exchanged some money with Henry. Because of this, Jesse decides to question Lucas in the next court session. The next day, on the second day of court, Jesse asks Lucas a series of questions relating to his business relationship with Henry. Lucas answers the questions, but doesn’t provide a lot of details. After assessing the information, Bill declares that there is not enough evidence to determine if Henry intentionally took advantage of Jesse. The next day, Nathan notifies Bill that Johnny Boone, a famous criminal, is on the loose. They both track down Johnny and arrest him. As Johnny reminisces about the other time that Bill arrested him, Bill informs him that he is also the town’s official judge. Later that day, two other Mounties arrive to take Johnny to Union City. When Johnny asks Bill if he can stay in Hope Valley for one more night to receive a warm meal, Bill reluctantly agrees.
After several attempts, Elizabeth finally gets her library. In order for this wish to become a reality, Lucas surprises Elizabeth by donating one of the buildings that he purchased. With his help, Elizabeth and her students get to work on building bookshelves and stocking the library with used books. During this activity, Robert finds a copy of The Fall of the House of Usher. After Opal insists, Robert reads some of the story to the entire class. When the story gets to a good part, Elizabeth ends this impromptu story-time. As the students go back to preparing the library, Ally shares that she knows where a “real” haunted house is located. At first, Harper and Robert are uninterested. But, as Ally describes the house to them, Harper and Robert decide that they want to see this house for themselves. Opal wants to join them, but they tell her that she’s too young to come. Later, that night, Harper and Robert travel through the woods in an attempt to find the haunted house. On this trip, they discover that Opal has followed them in order to see the house. When they do find this house, the rocking chair on the porch starts moving on its own. This causes all three children to run away. When Robert gets as far away from the house as possible, he discovers that Harper and Opal are gone. He immediately goes to Elizabeth for help. Elizabeth recruits Nathan to help her find these children. While searching for Harper and Opal, Nathan tells Elizabeth that not only does he not know where Ally is, but that the “haunted” house Ally was talking about is just an abandoned house that she and Nathan found on a fishing trip. Moments later, Ally shows up and tells them that Opal has been hurt. When Nathan and Elizabeth find Harper and Opal, not only does Opal have a hurt arm, but Ally confesses that she was pulling a prank on Robert, Harper, and Opal by moving the rocking chair and pretending that the abandoned house was haunted. After they take Opal to Carson for medical attention, they discover that Opal’s arm has been sprained. When Nathan learns that this situation started because Robert read The Fall of the House of Usher in the library that Lucas was volunteering to coordinate, he feels that he has another reason to not like Lucas. The next day, when walking home from school with Elizabeth, Ally reveals that her grandfather is in jail. When Elizabeth confronts Nathan about this subject, she tells him that he needs to talk to Ally about her grandfather. The next day, Nathan and Ally have a heart-to-heart conversation about Ally’s grandfather.
Toward the beginning of the episode, Faith thanks Carson for helping her reconnect with her father. She and her father have been having more phone conversations in recent days. While eating at Abigail’s Café, Faith reveals that her father would like Carson to spend Thanksgiving with the Carter family. Carson agrees to her father’s request. Later in the episode, Faith tells Carson that her father had a heart attack. Because of this, Faith has to travel out of town to visit her father. After being with her father, she calls Carson to let him know that her visit might be longer than expected.
What was on Rosemary’s mind in the previous episode is still on her mind. While she is dealing with this, Fiona comes into the dress shop looking for a new dress. When Rosemary asks her if she has any personal requests, Fiona shows her a picture of a skirt from a magazine advertisement. Rosemary has her concerns about making this skirt, especially since she doesn’t know if women in Hope Valley would want to purchase it. Fiona reassures her that the skirt will, hopefully, be purchased by at least one customer. That evening, Rosemary finally talks to Lee about what’s been bothering her. She reveals that there’s a possibility that she will be unable to have children. Lee comforts her by telling her that they will get through this time together. Later in the episode, Rosemary finishes Fiona’s skirt and decides to have some of her friends model her new skirts. She is surprised by how successful her creation has become, with more people buying the skirts than expected. At the end of the episode, Elizabeth asks Rosemary and Lee if they would like to be Jack’s guardians. They both end up accepting Elizabeth’s offer.
The plots of the court case and the Johnny Boone arrest didn’t feel like they connected. If anything, these plots seemed like they were from two separate episodes. Based on the commercial for this episode, I assumed that the court case would last longer. Maybe this case will be brought up in another episode?
Even though her heart was in the right place, I found Elizabeth’s decision to make Rosemary and Lee Jack’s official guardians to be very confusing. Clearly, Elizabeth is not going to give Jack to another family, especially since it seems like she’s been doing a good job when it comes to raising Jack. Plus, in the synopsis for the next episode that was shown on my television, it said that “an old friend arrives with a new orphan”. So, it’s highly likely that one of the care-givers from When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing will arrive in Hope Valley and Rosemary and Lee will adopt this “new orphan”. This means that Elizabeth’s decision wouldn’t have much weight and meaning.
During the commercial for the next episode, the plot that was highlighted the most was about Lucas and his past. I really hope that Lucas’ story is worth the build-up. Throughout the season, it seems like the script has been working up to a big reveal when it comes to the character of Lucas. I do think it’s interesting that Lucas’ story is finally being told in the second to last episode of the season.
When I published my review of Meet Me in St. Louis, I posted my 75th movie review! In honor of this accomplishment and because it’s still National Reading Month, I’ve decided to participate in a book related tag! I’ve never done a tag on 18 Cinema Lane before, so this will be an exciting post not only to write, but also to share with my readers and followers! For this tag, I will answer a list of questions relating to book adaptations. I first saw this tag on the blog, Madame Writer. Before I begin, I just want to say that all of my answers are based on honesty and my own opinion. This post is not meant to be mean-spirited or negative toward anyone’s opinions/preferences. So, with that said, let The Book Adaptation Tag begin!
Meet Me in St. Louis. I didn’t even know this movie was based on a book until I saw the opening credits.
What book movie are you most excited for?
There’s actually two. The first movie is Rome in Love. While I haven’t read this book yet, it has been on my TBR (to be read) list for a while. Because this book is being adapted into a film, it’s actually encouraging me to read Anita Hughes’ book! The second movie is Words on Bathroom Walls. I haven’t read this book either, but I’ve heard really good things about it. According to his IMDB filmography, it appears that Charlie Plummer will star as the lead character! I’ve seen All the Money in the World and, in that movie, I was really impressed with Charlie’s performance. Like with Rome in Love, the novel’s aforementioned positive word of mouth and Charlie’s involvement in the film are encouraging me to read the book!
Which upcoming book movie will you definitely NOT see?
After. Based on what I’ve heard about the book (I haven’t read it and don’t plan to) and the teaser trailer that was released a few months ago, the movie appears way too inappropriate for my liking. Also, I have a feeling that the main relationship might be promoted as a romantic one, even though it appears to be problematic. Personally, I just think there are better cinematic stories that are worth my time.
Which book movie would you NEVER watch again?
The Twilight series and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. For me, the quality of the Twilight films seemed to get worse as the movies went on. I thought the third movie was so bad, I didn’t even bother to watch the last two films. The third movie was also the worst movie I’ve ever seen in the theater. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was the first movie I saw this year (I had never seen it before) and I did not enjoy it. The only two things I liked about the movie were the acting performances and the special effects (both practical and CGI). I have never read any of the Twilight books (nor do I plan on it) or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
Is there a movie you saw that made you want to read the book, if you hadn’t yet?
Last year, I saw Oliver! and reviewed it when I received 50 followers. I enjoyed this movie so much, that it was not only one of the best movies I saw in 2018, it also made me want to read Oliver Twist! Yes, I know that the book will probably not have as many light-hearted moments as in the movie. But as long as the story is as engaging as it was in the film, I think I might like the book.
Conversely, is there a movie that made you never want to read the book?
Lifetime’s adaptations of the Flowers in the Attic series and My Sweet Audrina. As I said in a Word on the Street post last month, these movies are not “Hallmark appropriate”. So, there’s a good likelihood that the books are also inappropriate.
My copy of The Beach House novel. Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
Name an adaptation that has almost nothing to do with the book it’s supposedly based on.
I can think of two; Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). Both of these movies made the exact same mistake: they only adapted 50% of the book. While the first half of The Count of Monte Cristo did a really good job at translating the literary material to the screen, the second half of the movie was just a mess. Several important details and story elements were either left out or completely changed. In Something Wicked This Way Comes, some of the plot points and details were exactly like the book. However, there were others that were changed just for the sake of being changed. One example is a character in the film that wasn’t in the book. Anyone who has read the book and seen the movie would know exactly what I’m talking about.
Have you ever left the theater during a movie adaptation because it was so bad?
No. I don’t go to the theater often, so I try to see films that I either have a strong feeling I will like or that are from a movie series I’ve seen before.
Do you prefer to watch the movie first or read the book first?
Personally, I try to read the book first so that I can form my own ideas about the text before the movie creates its own ideas about it. But I’m not opposed to reading a book after I’ve seen its respective film.
How do you feel about movie adaptations that age characters up? (ex. characters that are in middle-school, but in the movies they’re all 18)
I think it’s a case-by-case scenario. For an opposite example, in The Beach House, some of the characters were younger than they were in the book. At first, I was not a fan of this decision. But, when I watched the movie, I ended up ignoring this detail because I was more focused on how good the acting performances were.
Do you get angry when the actors don’t look like how you thought the characters should have looked?
Again, it’s a case-by-case scenario. I remember when Shailene Woodley was cast as Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars. Her portrayal of the character did not look anything like I had imagined the character to look in the book. However, this difference did not bother me because Hazel’s physical appearance was not emphasized within the book.
Is there a movie you liked better than its book?
Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House. I’m currently reading this book (I’m more than half-way through the novel) and I think it’s just ok. The biggest issue I have with this novel is how unnecessarily long it is. In my opinion, I don’t think this particular story needed to be 400+ pages. Because of the story’s page length, it makes the chapters and even the book itself feel longer than it might have been intended. Also, there were things that were included in the book just to satisfy this 400+ page length. In the movie, however, it felt like the screen-writing improved upon the narrative from the text. Only the important story-lines were translated to the screen and the length of the movie was just right. Also, the narrative felt more like a Hallmark Hall of Fame story in the film than it did in the book.
Name a book that you would love to see as a movie.
Definitely Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby! I think that book would make a great Hallmark Hall of Fame movie!
If you have never read Hurt Go Happy, I would highly suggest that you, at least, give it a chance. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Have you ever participated in a tag? What are your thoughts on book adaptations? Let me know in the comment section!
Happy National Reading Month! When this time of year comes around, I usually don’t do anything to celebrate the occasion. As a reader, I have felt bad about not doing anything to acknowledge it. But, now that I have a blog, I have the opportunity to commemorate National Reading Month! Over the years, I’ve observed how many Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are based on pre-existing literature. This inspired me to create the Hallmark Hall of Fame Reading Challenge! As I was researching the history of Hallmark Hall of Fame, I discovered that there are a lot of plays, short stories, and novels that were adapted into films. Honestly, there were so much pre-existing literature associated with Hallmark Hall of Fame, it took me several days to complete this list. Even though this reading list is very long, you do not have to complete this reading challenge within the month of March. In fact, you can complete this challenge whenever you want! Also, you can read as many or as few books as you like! If you want to watch the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies that these literary works were adapted into, that is completely optional. Now, I’ll explain the set-up of this reading challenge list!
Starting on the left, each book is listed in the chronological order of the film’s release. For instance, even though Richard Paul Evans’ book, The Locket, was published in 1998, the movie adaptation was released in 2002. The title of the book and the book’s author are listed next. After that, the title of the film is placed within parentheses. There are times when a film adaptation does not share the same title as its respective piece of literature. A recent example of this is The Second Sister being the basis for Christmas Everlasting. Feel free to scroll through the list and find your next piece of literature for the Hallmark Hall of Fame Reading Challenge!
2018 – The Second Sister by Marie Bostwick (Christmas Everlasting)
2018 – The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe (The Beach House)
2017 – The Christmas Train by David Baldacci (The Christmas Train)
2017 – Love Locks by Cory Martin (Love Locks)
2016 – A Heavenly Christmas by Rhonda Merwarth (A Heavenly Christmas)
2012 – Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas (Christmas with Holly)
2012 – A Smile as Big as the Moon by Mike Kersjes with Joe Layden (A Smile as Big as the Moon)
2011 – Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom (Have a Little Faith)
2011 – Nobody Don’t Love Nobody: Lessons on Love from the School with No Name by Stacey Bess (Beyond the Blackboard)
2011 – The Last Valentine by James Michael Pratt (The Lost Valentine)
2010 – The November Christmas by Greg Coppa (November Christmas)
2010 – The Lois Wilson Story: When Love Is Not Enough by William G. Borchert (When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story)
2009 – A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid (A Dog Named Christmas)
2009 – Irena Sendler: Mother of the Children of the Holocaust by Anna Mieszkowska (The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler)
2008 – Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen with Lisa Wysocky (Front of the Class)
2008 – Sweet Nothing In My Ear: A Play In Two Acts by Stephen Sachs (Sweet Nothing In My Ear)
2007 – Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff (Pictures of Hollis Woods)
2007 – The Valley of Light by Terry Kay (The Valley of Light)
2006 – Candles on Bay Street by K.C. McKinnon (Candles on Bay Street)
2006 — If Nights Could Talk: A Family Memoir by Marsha Recknagel (In from the Night)
2006 – The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy (The Water Is Wide)
2005 – Silver Bells by Luanne Rice (Silver Bells)
2005 – Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon (Riding the Bus with My Sister)
2005 – The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel (The Magic of Ordinary Days)
2004 – Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler (Back When We Were Grownups)
2004 – Plainsong by Kent Haruf (Plainsong)
2004 – The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin (The Blackwater Lightship)
2003 – Fallen Angel by Don J. Snyder (Fallen Angel)
2003 – A Painted House by John Grisham (A Painted House)
2003 – Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland (Brush with Fate)
2002 – The Locket by Richard Paul Evans (The Locket)
2002 – My Sister’s Keeper: Learning to Cope with a Sibling’s Mental Illness by Margaret Moorman (My Sister’s Keeper)
2001 – Love and War in the Apennines by Eric Newby (In Love and War)
2001 – Follow the Stars Home by Luanne Rice (Follow the Stars Home)
2001 – The Flamingo Rising by Larry Baker (The Flamingo Rising)
2000 – The Runaway by Terry Kay (The Runaway)
2000 – Looking for Lost Bird: A Jewish Woman Discovers Her Navajo Roots by Yvette Melanson with Claire Safran (The Lost Child)
2000 – Cupid and Diana by Christina Bartolomeo (Cupid & Cate)
2000 – Atticus by Ron Hansen (Missing Pieces)
1999 – A Season for Miracles by Marilyn Pappano (A Season for Miracles)
1999 – Caleb’s Story by Patricia MacLachlan (Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter’s End)
1999 – Durango by John B. Keane (Durango)
1999 – Night Ride Home by Barbara Esstman (Night Ride Home)
1998 – Grace & Glorie: A Play in Two Acts by Tom Ziegler (Grace & Glorie)
1998 – Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler (Saint Maybe)
1998 – Thunderwith by Libby Hathorn (The Echo of Thunder)
1998 – The Love Letter by Jack Finney (The Love Letter)
1997 – Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons (Ellen Foster)
1997 – What the Deaf-Mute Heard by G.D. Gearino (What the Deaf Man Heard)
1997 – For the Roses by Julie Garwood (Rose Hill)
1997 – The Wild Palms by William Faulkner (Old Man)
1996 – Calm at Sunset, Calm at Dawn by Paul Watkins (Calm at Sunset)
1996 – Lily Dale by Horton Foote (Lily Dale)
1996 – The Boys Next Door by Tom Griffin (The Boys Next Door)
1995 – Journey by Patricia MacLachlan (Journey)
1995 – Redwood Curtain by Lanford Wilson (Redwood Curtain)
1995 – The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (The Piano Lesson)
1994 – The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (The Return of the Native)
1994 – Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler (Breathing Lessons)
1993 – To Dance with the White Dog by Terry Kay (To Dance with the White Dog)
1993 – Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan (Skylark)
1992 – A Shayna Maidel by Barbara Lebow (Miss Rose White)
1992 – O Pioneers! by Willa Cather (O Pioneers!)
1991 – Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Sarah, Plain and Tall)
1990 — Decoration Day by John William Corrington (Decoration Day)
1990 – Father’s Arcane Daughter by E. L. Konigsburg (Caroline?)
1989 – The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher (The Shell Seekers)
1988 – The Tenth Man by Graham Greene (The Tenth Man)
1988 – April Morning by Howard Fast (April Morning)
1988 – Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr (Stones for Ibarra)
1987 – Foxfire by Susan Cooper (Foxfire)
1987 – The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden)
1987 – Pack of Lies by Hugh Whitemore (Pack of Lies)
1987 – The Room Upstairs by Norma Levinson (The Room Upstairs)
1985 – Love Is Never Silent by Joanne Greenberg (Love Is Never Silent)
1985 – The Corsican Brothers by Alexandre Dumas (father) (The Corsican Brothers)
1984 – La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas (son) (Camille)
1984 – The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson (The Master of Ballantrae)
1983 – The Winter of our Discontent by John Steinbeck (The Winter of our Discontent)
1983 – Thursday’s Child by Victoria Poole (Thursday’s Child)
1982 – Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie (Witness for the Prosecution)
1982 – The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
1981 – Dear Liar: A Biography in Two Acts: Adapted from the Correspondence of Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell by Jerome Kilty (Dear Liar)
1980 – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities)
1980 – Gideon’s Trumpet by Anthony Lewis (Gideon’s Trumpet)
1979 – All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front)
1978 – Stubby Pringle’s Christmas by Jack Schaefer (Stubby Pringle’s Christmas)
1978 – Homely Girl, A Life: And Other Stories by Arthur Miller (“Fame” is included within this book) (Fame)
1977 – The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer: A Novel by Douglas C. Jones (The Court Martial of George Armstrong Custer)
1977 – The Last Hurrah by Edwin O’Connor (The Last Hurrah)
1976 – Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (Peter Pan)
1976 – Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (Beauty and the Beast)
1976 – Meeting at Potsdam by Charles L. Mee Jr. (Truman at Potsdam)
1976 – Works of George Bernard Shaw by George Bernard Shaw (“Caesar and Cleopatra” is included within this book) (Caesar and Cleopatra)
1975 – The Rivalry by Norman Corwin (The Rivalry)
1975 – Valley Forge by Maxwell Anderson (Valley Forge)
1975 – Eric by Doris Herold Lund (Eric)
1975 & 1974 – Paul Gallico’s The Small Miracle by Paul Gallico and Bob Barton (Something Wonderful Happens Every Spring & The Small Miracle)
1975 – If Only They Could Talk & It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet by James Herriot (All Creatures Great and Small)
1974 – The Gathering Storm by Winston S. Churchill (The Gathering Storm)
1974 – Still Life by Noel Coward (Brief Encounter)
1974 – Crown Matrimonial by Royce Ryton (Crown Matrimonial)
1974 – The Country Girl by Clifford Odets (The Country Girl)
1973 – The Borrowers by Mary Norton (The Borrowers)
1973 – Lisa, Bright and Dark by John Neufeld (Lisa, Bright and Dark)
1973 – Peanuts & You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown)
1972 – The Man Who Came to Dinner by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart (The Man Who Came to Dinner)
1972 – The Hands of Cormac Joyce by Leonard Wibberley (The Hands of Cormac Joyce)
1972 – Harvey by Mary Chase (Harvey)
1971 – A Death in the Family by James Agee (All the Way Home)
1971 – The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk by Paul Gallico (The Snow Goose)
1971 – The Collected Works of Paddy Chayefsky: The Stage Plays by Paddy Chayefsky (“Gideon” is included within this book) (Gideon)
1971 – The Price by Arthur Miller (The Price)
1970 and 1953– Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Hamlet)
1970 – The Greatest Story Ever Told by Fulton Oursler, Henry Denker, and Warren Parker (Neither Are We Enemies)
1969 – The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell (The Littlest Angel)
1969 – The File on Devlin by Catherine Gaskin (The File on Devlin)
1968 – Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (Pinocchio)
1968 – The Works Of J. M. Barrie by J. M. Barrie (“The Admirable Crichton” is included within this book) (The Admirable Crichton)
1968 – Elizabeth the Queen by Maxwell Anderson (Elizabeth the Queen)
1967 – Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw (Saint Joan)
1967 – A Bell for Adano by John Hersey (A Bell for Adano)
1967 – Anastasia by Marcelle Maurette (Anastasia)
1966 – Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward (Blithe Spirit)
1966 – Barefoot in Athens by Maxwell Anderson (Barefoot in Athens)
1966 – Lamp at Midnight by Barrie Stavis (Lamp at Midnight)
1965 – Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee (Inherit the Wind)
1965 – The Magnificent Yankee by Emmet Lavery (The Magnificent Yankee)
1964, 1954, 1953, 1952, and 1951 – Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti (Amahl and the Night Visitors)
1964 – Painting as a Pastime by Winston S. Churchill (The Other World of Winston Chuchill)
1964 – The Romancers by Edmond Rostand (The Fantasticks is loosely based on “The Romancers” (The Fantasticks)
1964 and 1958 – Little Moon of Alban by James Constigan (Little Moon of Alban)
1964 – Abe Lincoln in Illinois by Robert E. Sherwood (Abe Lincoln in Illinois)
1963 – Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (Pygmalion)
1962 – Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand (Cyrano de Bergerac)
1962 – The Teahouse of the August Moon (play by John Patrick, novel by Vern Sneider) (The Teahouse of the August Moon)
1962 – Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring (Arsenic & Old Lace)
1961 – Victoria Regina by Laurence Housman (Victoria Regina)
1961 – Jean Anouilh: Five Plays by Jean Anouilh (“Time Remembered” is included within this book) (Time Remembered)
1960 and 1954 – Macbeth by William Shakespeare (Macbeth)
1960 – Lost Horizon by James Hilton (Shangri-La)
1960 – Captain Brassbound’s Conversion by George Bernard Shaw (Captain Brassbound’s Conversion)
1960 and 1956 – The Cradle Song and Other Plays by Gregorio Martinez Sierra (The Cradle Song)
1960 – The Tempest by William Shakespeare (The Tempest)
1959 – A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (A Doll’s House)
1959 – Winterset by Maxwell Anderson (Winterset)
1959 – Ah, Wilderness! by Eugene O’Neill (Ah, Wilderness!)
1959 and 1957 – The Green Pastures (play) by Marc Connelly and Ol’ Man Adam an’ His Chillun by Roark Bradford (The Green Pastures)
1959 – Berkeley Square: A Play in Three Acts by John L. Balderston and The Sense of the Past by Henry James (Berkeley Square)
1958 and 1956 – The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (Kiss Me, Kate and The Taming of the Shrew)
1958 – Johnny Belinda by Elmer Harris (Johnny Belinda)
1958 – Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott (Dial M for Murder)
1958 – Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge (Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates)
1957 – Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night)
1957 – On Borrowed Time (play) by Paul Osborn & L. E. Watkins and On Borrowed Time (book) by Lawrence Edward Watkin (On Borrowed Time)
1957 –Yeoman of the Guard by W. S. Gilbert (The Yeoman of the Guard)
1957 – There Shall Be No Night by Robert E. Sherwood (There Shall Be No Night)
1957 – The Lark by Lillian Hellman and Jean Anouilh (The Lark)
1956 – The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman (The Little Foxes)
1956 – Works of George Bernard Shaw by George Bernard Shaw (“Man and Superman” is included within this book) (Man and Superman)
1956 – Born Yesterday: Comedy in 3 Acts by Garson Kanin (Born Yesterday)
1956 – The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams (The Corn is Green)
1955 – Dream Girl by Elmer Rice (Dream Girl)
1955 – Works of George Bernard Shaw by George Bernard Shaw (“The Devil’s Disciple” is included within this book) (The Devil’s Disciple)
1955 – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland)
1954 – Moby-Dick, or, the Whale by Herman Melville (Moby Dick)
1954 – Richard II by William Shakespeare (King Richard II)
1953 – Imaginary Conversations by Walter Savage Landor and Charles George Crump (Aesop and Rhodope)
1953 – Favorite Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (“The Courtship of Miles Standish” is included within this book) (The Courtship of Miles Standish)
1953 – Of Time and the River: A Legend of Man’s Hunger in His Youth by Thomas Wolfe (Of Time and the River)
1953 – The Imaginary Invalid by Jean Baptiste Poquelin Moliere (The Imaginary Invalid)
1953 – The Trampling Herd: The Story of the Cattle Range in America by Paul I. Wellman (McCoy of Abilene)
1953 – The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke (The Other Wise Man)
1953 – Lincoln’s Little Correspondent by Hertha Ernestine Pauli (Lincoln’s Little Correspondent)
1952 – The Small One: A Story for Those Who Like Christmas and Small Donkeys by Charles Tazewell (The Small One)
1952 – Father Flanagan of Boys Town by Fulton Oursler (The Vision of Father Flanagan)
1952 – Mistress of the White House: The Story of Dolly Madison by Helen L. Morgan (Mistress of the White House)
1952 – Finding Providence: The Story of Roger Williams by Avi (The Story of Roger Williams)
1952 – Doctor Serocold by Helen Ashton (Doctor Serocold)
Will you be participating in the Hallmark Hall of Fame Reading Challenge? Which piece of literature from this list would you be interested in reading? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Before February has officially ended, I wanted to publish one more Word on the Street post for the month. February has been a very busy month for me on 18 Cinema Lane. From participating in two blogathons to achieving 75 followers, I’ve had quite a bit of blog related content on my plate. Fortunately, I’ve found the time to publish the material that I wanted to publish before the month was over. Some of that material is the four movie news stories that are related to Hallmark and Lifetime. While three of these stories are speculation, one of them has been confirmed as a Hallmark movie. Like I’ve done with other Word on the Street stories, I will talk about each of these stories and share as much information as I could find. I will also share some of my insight about these stories. Now that’s start discussing these pieces of movie news!
Last month, in a Word on the Street post, I listed several movie titles that had not yet been attached to any networks. One of those titles was “Puppy Party Romance”. At the time, the project was about to go into production in early February. According to an article from Soap Opera News, it looks like this movie might be a Hallmark production! In the article, it is said that Jen Lilley has been attached to the project. Other cast members have also been announced; they are Christopher Russell, Lindsay Maxwell, Mark Brandon, and Bailey Skodje. Christie Will Wolf has been attached to this movie as the director and Navid Soofi is the film’s producer. When I visited Jen Lilley’s IMDB filmography page, this movie was listed as “For the Love of Dogs”. As of February and early March 2019, Hallmark has not confirmed or denied that “Puppy Party Romance” is their movie. But, it wouldn’t be surprising if this ended up being a Hallmark film. Two years ago, Jen starred in Eat, Play, Love, a Hallmark movie where dogs played a key role in the story. No matter which network airs this movie, I think we’ll hear an announcement about it sooner or later.
If you want to check out the references that I mentioned, visit Jen Lilley’s IMDB page or this link:
In that same Word on the Street post from last month, another movie that I mentioned was “Web of Dreams”. At the time, the film was in production until February 11th. Recently, I found this project listed on Max Lloyd-Jones’ IMDB filmography page. Not only has Max been attached to “Web of Dreams”, but there are other Hallmark stars that have been cast in this film, such as Keenan Tracey and Cindy Busby. While looking at the IMDB page for this movie, I noticed that the film’s official writer is Virginia C. Andrews. When I visited her IMDB page, I discovered that she is known as V.C. Andrews, the author whose claim to fame was Flowers in the Attic. With this acquired knowledge, I did some research on Goodreads to learn more about “Web of Dreams”. It turns out that Web of Dreams is, indeed, one of V. C. Andrews’ novels and it is the fifth book in the Casteel series. I’ve never heard of this series until I learned more about this movie. However, I am familiar with V. C. Andrews. Even though I have never read her books, I have seen Lifetime’s adaptations of the Flowers in the Attic series and My Sweet Audrina. Let’s just say that those films are not “Hallmark appropriate”. Based on all the information I shared, it looks like “Web of Dreams”, as well as the Casteel series, could be a Lifetime presentation.
If you want to visit the reference that I mentioned, visit the IMDB page for “Web of Dreams”.
Speaking of Cindy Busby, I discovered on her IMDB filmography page that she has been cast in the movie, “Letter from My Mother”. This movie was another title that I shared in a Word on the Street post last month. Besides Cindy, the other cast members that have been attached to this project are Jordyn Ashley Olsen, Karen Holness, Jaime M. Callica, Heather-Claire Nortey, and Emma Oliver. While this film has not been given an official synopsis yet, Michael Scott has been listed as the film’s director. Michael has directed several movies for various networks, so it’s unclear, right now, which network “Letter from My Mother” could premiere on. When I first heard of this title, I thought that, maybe, it was a Hallmark Hall of Fame project. Because this movie doesn’t appear to be associated with Hallmark Hall of Fame, I’m wondering if “Letter from My Mother” could be a Mother’s Day themed story? I also wonder when we’ll hear any news about the next Hallmark Hall of Fame project.
If you want to visit the reference that I mentioned, visit the IMDB page for “Letter from My Mother”.
Two weeks ago, an Instagram account called joylenznews attached the hashtags #MessageInABottle, #hallmarkchannel, #hallmarkmovies, and #hallmark to a photo and video of Hallmark star, Bethany Joy Lenz. In the photo, there is a caption that says “Meet Abbey”, which implies that Bethany’s character could be named Abbey. In the video, not only does Bethany appear to be visiting a winery, the photo on the video says “The absolute best set! Nothing like the smell of oak barrels and wine in the air…oh, and hey @joylenz!” This means that a winery could play a role in this film’s narrative. When I clicked on the hashtag #MessageInABottle, two particular photos caught my attention. The first one was of Bethany at Hallmark’s Winter TCA Event. In this photo’s caption, which appears to come from Bethany’s official Instagram account, Bethany not only confirms that “Message In A Bottle” is a Hallmark Channel movie, but she also says that it will premiere during the “Spring Fever” line-up and that Andrew Walker will also be starring in the film. Andrew Walker, in a photo from his Instagram account, also confirmed that he and Bethany were going to star in “Message In A Bottle”. Hallmark has not yet announced this film’s release date.
If you want to visit the reference that I mentioned, visit the official Instagram account of joylenznews (at joylenznews).
On Valentine’s Day, when I published my review of The Story of Us, I published my 150th post! Because I’ve been busy with blog related matters lately, I wasn’t able to talk about this accomplishment as soon as I had wanted to. During that time, I had given some thought as to how I was going to celebrate this special occasion. Recently, I came across a video on Youtube called “My Bookish Bucket List”. The creator of this video, a dash of ash, talks about the book related things that she’d like to do in her lifetime. This got me thinking about the movie related things that I would like to do. So, I’ve decided to make a movie themed bucket list! For this post, I will be talking about the movie related things that I have always wanted to do! I have never talked these things before, so this list will, hopefully, be an exciting read for my readers and followers. Since a dash of ash discussed eight items on her bucket list, my list will feature five items. In honor of publishing 150 posts, let’s start talking about my movie themed bucket list!
One of my favorite quotes is from the book, Wonder, when Auggie says “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. While I have brought this quote up on more than one occasion, it has become an important part of 18 Cinema Lane’s identity. Whether it’s a movie review or a movie news story, I try my best to give the people, things, or topics that I care about the “standing ovation” that I feel they deserve. However, there’s only so much I can do as an independent blogger. For instance, I said last December in a post called “A Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List” that I would really like to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Hallmark Hall of Fame team up to create a Christmas movie musical that features and weaves Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s music in the story. But all I can realistically do is talk about my thoughts and opinions. If Hallmark were to make this movie a reality, I would feel like 18 Cinema Lane did its job. It would mean that what I had to say truly helped someone or something receive the “standing ovation” that they had probably worked very hard to earn.
Speaking of Wonder, I was so excited when this book became a movie! However, this was the most recent time when one of my favorites books was adapted into a film. Also, Wonder was a popular story before the film’s release, so that factor helped it become a theatrical movie. There are several books that I love which I think would make great movies! One of these books is The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight. In my post called “I completed my Small Challenge for The Blog Complainer’s Appreciation Award!”, I talked about how much I loved this book. I also said that this particular story would work well as either a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film or a Hallmark Hall of Fame film. If this book did become a movie, I would be really happy and excited to see the project!
I’ve always loved the idea of a movie themed restaurant! So, when I learned about Planet Hollywood, I knew that I had to go there one day! Seeing the various movie artifacts displayed throughout the facility is something I look forward to. It would also be interesting to see if the meals are named after well-known films. Someday, when I do go to Planet Hollywood, one of the first things I’ll do is get a Planet Hollywood t-shirt!
Several years ago, I heard of a contest where the grand prize was a sleepover at a movie theater. Ever since then, I’ve always loved this idea! Bringing some friends along to spend the night at the cinema (in the literal sleepover sense) sounds like so much fun! Because there are several key parts that make up a movie theater, different activities could revolve around them. An example is a scavenger hunt to highlight the importance of these areas. It would also be interesting to learn more about movie theaters while spending more than a few hours in one. I think this would be such a great experience to have this new adventure at the movies!
Over the years, I’ve heard of movie screening fundraisers that have benefited various non-profit organizations. Sometimes, there are activities at these fundraisers besides the movie screening itself, such as a fancy dinner. This concept has interested me for a long time. In fact, after hearing about these fundraisers, it made me want to host one of my own someday. There are several non-profit organizations that mean a lot to me. Combining that with my love of film would a meaningful way for me to give back. I also think that this would be a good opportunity to express my creativity. There are so many theme and design ideas that I have for an event like this, so I would really like to see them come to life someday!
What do you think of my list? Which things would you put on your bucket list? Tell me in the comment section!
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
If you want to watch the video that I referenced in this post, type in “MY BOOKISH BUCKET LIST” into Youtube’s search bar or you can visit a dash of ash’s Youtube channel.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! It seems like it has become a tradition for me to review a Hallmark movie on February 14th. Last year, I reviewed an appropriately themed film called My Secret Valentine. This film was also the first movie that I ever reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane! This year, I have decided to review another Valentine’s Day themed Hallmark movie called The Story of Us. While I thought the film’s basic premise sounded like other Hallmark movies I’ve seen before, I was looking forward to seeing Sam Page and Maggie Lawson’s performance in the film. So, even though I watched this film with low expectations, I still hoped that this movie was good. Was this movie as good as I had hoped? Keep reading if you want to see if my review of The Story of Us has a happy ending!
The acting: The cast in The Story of Us was very strong! I think that everyone in this movie did a good job portraying their characters! Even though I wasn’t a fan of My Favorite Wedding and Christmas Encore, I did enjoy Maggie Lawson’s performance in both of those movies. In The Story of Us, Maggie’s portrayal of Jamie was very believable, providing the right amount of natural reactions and expressions! Sam Page is another actor whose performances I’ve enjoyed in several Hallmark movies. His portrayal of Sawyer was great, giving his performance enough charm and talent to bring a sense of likability to his character! All of the performances in the supporting cast were very good as well! I really enjoyed Marco Grazzini and Zibby Allen’s performances as Rick and Lucy! Both of these characters came across as sweet and genuine. I hope that Marco and Zibby can appear in more Hallmark movies in the future.
The on-screen chemistry: Like I mentioned earlier, Maggie and Sam both gave a great performance individually. They also gave a great performance as a pair! Their interactions were fun to watch and their delivery of witty dialogue added to their on-screen presence. I also thought that Marco and Zibby had good on-screen chemistry! Seeing Rick and Lucy’s relationship develop over the course of the film was something that I liked seeing. Their interactions were so sweet and adorable, helping their on-screen relationship appear as genuine as possible.
The humor: Hallmark Channel movies are known for incorporating humor into their films. The Story of Us was no different, with several funny moments that were found throughout the movie. One of the funniest scenes in this project was when Sam’s character, Sawyer, accidently took too much of an important ingredient while he was having a disagreement with Jamie at a cooking class. This error that Sawyer made was hilarious because of how relatable the moment was. Having humorous moments that make audiences laugh with the characters and not at them is what makes The Story of Us so memorable.
Too many plots: In The Story of Us, there were six plots simultaneously going on throughout this movie. Because of this, some plots were given more focus than others. An example of this is how the Fire and Ice Festival was not talked about as much as Jamie’s efforts to save her bookstore. Personally, I think that The Story of Us should have had, at least, one main plot and two subplots. This way, all of the plots could have balanced out each other and had an equal amount of focus.
Limited amount of focus on the Fire and Ice Festival: Within The Story of Us, there was a Valentine’s Day themed festival called the Fire and Ice Festival. When this event was shown on-screen, I thought it looked like so much fun! Unfortunately, this festival was presented in the film for only a few minutes. It also wasn’t a part of the film’s main plot, causing the festival to feel like an after-thought. If Jamie used the Fire and Ice Festival to save her bookstore, this would have been a good way to incorporate both ideas into the film’s overall narrative.
The protagonist’s-ex-unexpectedly-comes-back-into-the-protagonist’s-life cliché: A cliché that I have found in several Hallmark movies is the protagonist’s-ex-unexpectedly-comes-back-into-the-protagonist’s-life cliché. This cliché was present in The Story of Us, when Jamie’s ex, a dentist who moved away to Texas, came back into Jamie’s life after hearing about her efforts to save her bookstore. To me, this part of the story felt unnecessary, like it was added to the overall narrative just for the sake of it. Within the movie as a whole, this part of the story didn’t seem to go anywhere. If this cliché were cut from the film, it wouldn’t have made an impact in the overall project.
I really liked The Story of Us! While this movie had its flaws, there were things about this movie that I enjoyed. To me, this movie was much better than My Favorite Wedding and Christmas Encore. The narrative of The Story of Us was not only a better written story, but the movie’s overall tone fit the style of a typical Hallmark Channel movie. So far, the “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” lineup has been good. The only other Valentine’s Day themed movie I’ve seen (and reviewed) is Valentine in the Vineyard. I’m really looking forward to Love, Romance & Chocolate because the story sounds very creative and takes place in Belgium (which I believe is the first time Hallmark has ever filmed there)! Hopefully, that movie can be just as good as The Story of Us.
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
What are your thoughts about this year’s “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” line-up? Which Valentine’s Day themed movie is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
As the sun sets for December, as well as 2018, lots of movie bloggers have participated in creating the lists of movies that they have liked and disliked. What I’ve noticed about these lists is that they’re filled with movies that are newly released films. While I have also decided to partake in making end-of-year movie lists, my lists will be slightly different from the rest. This difference is any movie that I saw within the year of 2018 is fair game. Like I said in my Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time post, both of my end-of-year movie lists are not only based on my opinion, but also based on movies that I have personally seen. Before I talk about the list itself, I just wanted to mention that both of my movie lists were not created to be mean-spirited or negative toward anyone’s opinions/cinematic preferences. These lists are simply a way for me to be honest about the films that I liked and disliked within 2018. Now, as the title suggests, this is the list where I will share the Top 10 Best Movies I saw in 2018. I’ve been very grateful to have had a really good year in terms of movie-viewing. I’m not going to lie, this list was not easy to create. There were a good amount of films I saw, and sometimes reviewed, this year that I really liked. However, with the nature of any Top 10 list, there are bound to be movies that don’t make the cut. Speaking of which, let’s begin with this short list of 2018’s Honorable Mentions:
Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Christmas Everlasting, The Dark Knight, Love, Of Course, Christmas at Pemberley Manor, Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, Escape to Witch Mountain, Return from Witch Mountain, Shoelaces for Christmas, Flicka: Country Pride, Strangers on a Train, Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, Pearl in Paradise, The Bad Seed (2018), Christmas on the Coast, Love, Once and Always, and Runaway Romance
Now, the moment has come to start the official list! Let’s start with number 10:
10. Wedding of Dreams
Like I mentioned in my review for Wedding of Dreams, I said that, in 2016, I would have debated about why For Love and Honor was more deserving of a sequel than Summer of Dreams. However, Wedding of Dreams was not only a good movie individually, but also a great continuation to this particular story! One of my least favorite clichés that Hallmark has ever incorporated into their films is the “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché. While this cliché does appear in Wedding of Dreams, it was written in a way that actually makes sense for that specific story. What also helped this movie is not having this cliché be the primary focus. Instead, it serves as an interconnecting subplot that works together with another subplot. To me, this was the best wedding themed movie that Hallmark released in 2018!
9. Avengers: Infinity War
Despite the fact that I wasn’t a fan of this film’s ending and end-credit scene, I still found it to be an enjoyable film. All of the key components of Avengers: Infinity War looked and felt like they are handled with great care. Every detail, from the acting to Thanos himself, were put at the right place and time in order to create an entertaining cinematic experience! Besides the ending and end-credit scene, I was disappointed by the movie being more of a “set-up” film than I had expected. But, as I said in my spoiler-zone review of Avengers: Infinity War, I will take Dale Travers’ advice to “trust the timing” as I patiently wait for the arrival of Avengers: Endgame.
8. Oliver!
Yes, I know I just reviewed this movie recently. But, when I look back on all the movies that I’ve seen, and reviewed, in 2018, Oliver! just makes me smile. Honestly, this has quickly become one of my favorite movie musicals, with an engaging story and memorable songs. Even as I list these movies one by one, I still think of the song “Consider Yourself”. A great thing about movies is they can have the ability to find a special place in your heart. For me, this is exactly what Oliver! did, finding a special place in my heart in order to be carried and remembered as time goes on. As I mentioned in my review, this movie is one of the reasons why I’m thinking about reading Oliver Twist in 2019!
7. Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa
Out of all the Christmas movies that were released from Hallmark in 2017, Christmas in Evergreen was one of the last movies I would have expected to receive a sequel. However, this sequel pleasantly surprised me by how good of a film it was! What’s so great about Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is that it adds something new to the story, as well as expand the world of Evergreen. It was nice to see two interesting, on-going mysteries in this film, with one of them leading to one of the best plot-twists in Hallmark movie history! Hallmark has proven that Evergreen is a truly special place, creating a likable environment filled with likable characters. I really hope Hallmark considers continuing the series, as I’m sure more stories can be found within this precious town.
6. Cowgirls ‘N Angels
This year, I was pleasantly surprised to find two horse themed movies that I really liked! One of these films was Cowgirls ‘N Angels, a movie that I had heard about, but never seen until 2018. The story within this movie was very sweet and emotional, keeping me invested throughout this cinematic journey. Bailee Madison’s performance was so great, it was actually one of her best acting performances that I’ve ever seen! Even though she was the youngest cast member in Cowgirls ‘N Angels, she still found a way to bring so much versatility and emotion to her character. It makes wish to see Bailee receive a dramatic role in a Hallmark movie. Yes, I know Bailee is an important member of the Good Witch television show. But, it’s been two or three years since we’ve seen Bailee star in a Hallmark movie that wasn’t Good Witch affiliated.
I think it’s safe to say that my friends, Bucky and Bucky, had a pretty good 2018! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
5. L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables: Fire & Dew
I have seen all of PBS’s Anne of Green Gables films starring Ella Ballentine, with the first movie being good and the second movie being just decent. However, I thought this third movie was the best one in this trilogy! Something that really impressed me about this story was the messages and themes that were found within the film’s narrative. These messages and themes, such as the importance of education, were not only worth promoting, but were also presented in a way that seemed very realistic. This made me feel good about what I was watching, like that time was well spent. I hope that PBS considers creating more movies for this series, as I would definitely like to see Anne’s story continue. For the most part, this particular Anne of Green Gables series has had a pretty good track record when it comes to quality. PBS has proven that they have what it takes to make entertaining and meaningful films.
4. Jurassic Park
I had such a great movie-going experience when I saw Jurassic Park at a Fathom Events screening. One of the reasons why is how great of a movie this was! For me, Jurassic Park has almost everything I could want in a movie, making the movie itself such a memorable masterpiece. I mentioned in my review that I saw Jurassic Park for the first time in 2018. Looking back on this film, I’m glad I chose to review this movie when I received 25 followers on my blog. Otherwise, I might have missed out on a truly spectacular film! I have not yet seen the other films within this series, so I might have to make time to see them in 2019.
3. Saving Mr. Banks
This is a film that I’m so glad to have finally seen! I said in my review of Saving Mr. Banks that I have wanted to see this film for a while. When I received five followers on 18 Cinema Lane, I decided to make the time to see this movie. I can only speak for myself, but I think I made a wise choice. There were several great things about this film that helped make it the gem that it is. Similar to what I said about Avengers: Infinity War, everything about Saving Mr. Banks seems like it has handled with such great care. Because of this, my experience with watching this film ended up being a great one!
2. Cooking with Love
This was the first movie to receive a perfect score (10 out of 10) out of all the movies I reviewed in 2018! Even after all these months later, I can still remember how excited I was to share my thoughts about Cooking with Love with all my readers and followers. This movie took something that I love (the Hallmark movie, This Magic Moment) and added even more creativity to it. There were so many great elements in this film, that it truly makes me smile just thinking about the film as a whole. While there were a few things that I didn’t like about the movie, these things were minor and didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the movie. I would definitely love to see Cooking with Love receive a sequel, especially since there are enough story elements within this narrative to naturally lend itself well to a second chapter.
1. Royally Ever After
While Cooking with Love was the first movie to receive a perfect score on 18 Cinema Lane, it was definitely not the last. Royally Ever After also received a score of 10 out of 10! There is no such thing as a “perfect” Hallmark movie. But, to me, this film was the first Hallmark movie I’ve seen in quite a while to be as close to “perfect” as possible. The best part of Royally Ever After is how the creative team behind this project went out of their way to use as few “Hallmark royal movie” clichés as possible. It felt like Hallmark had taken a concept that had been told so many times and give it a much welcomed “breath of fresh air”. Like Cooking with Love, Royally Ever After has enough story elements to naturally lend itself towards a sequel. Besides, as far as I know, Hallmark has never made a movie that featured a royal wedding. This would be a great way for this movie to, potentially, be the start of a new series!
Royally Ever After poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Royally%20Ever%20After&IsSeries=False.
What did you think of my list? What was the best movie you saw in 2018? Please let me know in the comment section!
On 18 Cinema Lane, I received a Christmas present early! I finally achieved 50 followers! This means that I now have to review a movie that was released fifty years ago (in 1968). While looking at my options for what movie to talk about, I realized that I haven’t reviewed a musical yet. So, I chose Oliver! for this special blog post. While I have never read Oliver Twist, I did see Oliver & Company in September. In fact, I reviewed that film back when I received 30 followers on 18 Cinema Lane. Because of this, I had a basic idea of what the story was about. How different was Oliver! from Oliver & Company? Check out my review in order to find out!
The acting: This was a very strong cast! Everyone pulled off a performance that appeared so believable, it made the actors seem like they disappeared into their roles. One of the most versatile actors in this movie was Ron Moody. His portrayal of Fagin was very memorable, bringing those elements of sneakiness and desperation that were essential to that character. I also thought that the child actors were talented as well. While Mark Lester’s portrayal of Oliver was definitely a highlight in this film, I also liked seeing Jack Wild’s performance! Dodger, Jack’s character, was portrayed so well. This is because Jack’s acting performance appeared so natural, making it feel like a child in that particular situation would truly react in that specific way. All of these acting performances added to my level of enjoyment for this movie!
The set design: I was really impressed with all of the set designs in this movie! Because this story takes place in 1800s England, the environment within this film is reflective of that time and place. What makes these set designs so great is how immersive they make the audience feel when they see the film. While watching Oliver!, I felt like I was transported to that world, experiencing situations and events alongside Oliver. The authentic look and feel of the film’s environment also helps add a sense of realism to the story.
The musical sequences: The musical sequences within this film were, for the most part, really enjoyable! I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of up-beat and catchy songs that were not only entertaining, but also complimented the context of the story. The musical sequence that I enjoyed the most was “Consider Yourself” because the song itself was so great! Some of the visuals in that scene were very creative, such as when, as Dodger and Oliver are walking past a butcher shop, they walk through a doorway which was created by a split piece of meat. It was also interesting to see how the different components of 1800s London came together to showcase the importance that they represented at that time.
The heavy dialect: As I have mentioned, the story of Oliver! takes place in 1800s England. This means that all of the characters have a dialect that reflects that time and place. However, because of how heavy the dialect was, I found myself having difficulty, at times, understanding what these characters were saying. While this didn’t make me enjoy the movie any less, I did have to pay extra attention to all of the dialogue in the film.
Very few emotional songs: Like I’ve also mentioned, most of the music in Oliver! was up-beat. But, when it comes to emotional songs, there are only two within this movie: “Where Is Love?” and “As Long as He Needs Me”. Because of the limited amount of emotional songs, it kind of undermines some of the seriousness that can be found in the story. While the up-beat nature of the songs is meant to make the movie less dark and dreary, a balance of up-beat and emotional songs would have worked better for the story.
I can’t believe this is my last movie review of 2018. Where has the time gone? Anyways, back to the review itself. I really enjoyed this film! As a musical and movie, Oliver! was such a delight to watch. Because I had seen Oliver & Company before I saw Oliver!, it made me appreciate the story as well as the original source material. Like I mentioned in my introduction, I have never read Oliver Twist. But, both of these films have encouraged me to want to read the book! Maybe I will read it in 2019. Speaking of the New Year, I’ve had a pretty good year when it comes to movie blogging. You, my readers and followers, are one of the reasons why 2018 has been great for 18 Cinema Lane. Thank you all so much for making this year such a memorable one for my blog. Here’s hoping 2019 brings more greatness for movie blogging!
Overall score: 8.6 out of 10
What are you looking forward to in 2019? Which movie review from 18 Cinema Lane has been your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
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