Tag: military

Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine Review (Golden Double Double Feature Part 1)

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Thanks for joining me for the first part of my Golden Double Double Feature! The majority of my review of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine is spoiler-free. If you’d like to learn more about why I chose this year’s double feature theme, you can check out the introduction in the link below.

Announcing The Golden Double Double Feature!

Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine poster created by Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Ridini Entertainment, and CBS

1. Out of the movies from Betty White’s filmography, why did you select Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine?

When I created my Hallmark Hall of Fame tier rank list in 2020, I not only placed The Lost Valentine in the “Get It On Sale for Half Off” (a.k.a. Good) tier, I also recommended the film because of the use of flashbacks and recognition of Valentine’s Day. But it’s been over eight years since I’ve seen The Lost Valentine. While selecting the 2011 Hallmark Hall of Fame picture for this review, I didn’t know if my opinion on the film would remain the same as it was years ago. On my Year-Long Bingo Card, three of the bingo squares are “Review at least 2 Hallmark Hall of Fame films”, “Revisit a movie you haven’t seen in over 5 years”, and “Review a holiday themed movie that isn’t Christmas”. So, when I saw The Lost Valentine on Betty’s filmography, I remembered liking the movie, as well as how the movie would complete those aforementioned bingo squares.

2. In Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine, Betty portrays Caroline Thomas. How is Caroline Thomas similar or different from Rose?

On The Golden Girls, Rose Nylund is known for her innocence and naivete. These qualities add charm to Rose’s character, as well as provide some of the show’s comedic moments. Betty’s character in The Lost Valentine, Caroline Thomas, lacks Rose’s naivete for two reasons. Caroline’s experiences during World War II and even afterwards give her an awareness of how unpredictable life can truly be. Her lack of naivete also makes sense with the story itself, as The Lost Valentine is a serious drama grounded in reality.

3. Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine is based on a book by James Michael Pratt. What book adaptation would you have liked to see Betty star in?

    For 2024’s Eurovisionathon readathon, I read The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald. From what I remember of the book, I could picture Betty portraying a character from that story. Katarina crafted characters that sounded and felt distinct from one another. Plus, the small-town setting seemed Hallmark-esque, creating a sense of community through dramatic and comedic character interactions. The “golden girls” have distinct personalities on The Golden Girls, allowing each character to be unique. Even though the show is classified as a sit-com, there were emotional, serious moments woven into episodes. With all that said, I think a story like The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend would have complimented Betty’s acting talents, as The Lost Valentine perfectly showcased her comedic and dramatic timing.

    4. Was there anything about Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine you liked or didn’t like?

    As I mentioned in answer number one, I recommended The Lost Valentine because of the use of flashbacks. These flashbacks added context to the events presented on screen, especially when it came to Caroline’s part of the story. Meghann Fahy portrayed Caroline’s younger self while Billy Magnussen portrayed Caroline’s husband, Neil. Both Meghann’s and Billy’s acting performance was strong. But together, their on-screen chemistry effectively sold the believability of Neil and Caroline’s relationship! What works in the favor on this relationship is the emotional depth Billy and Meghann bring. A great example is how Caroline’s and Neil’s eyes possessed the pain of being apart from each other. Watching Meghann’s and Billy’s performance felt like witnessing a couple upholding their promise of love instead of two actors simply portraying characters. I wish Billy and Meghann had been cast in more Hallmark projects together.

    Jennifer Love Hewitt stars in The Lost Valentine as a television reporter named Susan Allison. Susan received a subplot where she contemplates her future with her boyfriend, Andrew. This is one of those subplots where you know the relationship isn’t going to last because the film’s female protagonist will eventually fall in love with the male protagonist, which, in The Lost Valentine, is Caroline’s grandson, Lucas. That creative decision led to Susan’s subplot being predictable. Instead, her subplot should have prioritized her reconciliation with her family, especially since Susan mentioned toward the beginning of The Lost Valentine how she doesn’t have a strong relationship with them.

    5. The Golden Girls didn’t receive any television films (like other shows such as Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote, etc.) In your opinion, why do you think this creative decision was made?

    A typical episode of The Golden Girls is about thirty minutes long. Meanwhile, most television movies receive a run-time between an hour and thirty minutes to two hours. If a tv show’s creative team chooses to make a made-for-TV movie, they need to create a story that justifies a longer length of time. So, I’m guessing the creative team behind The Golden Girls never figured out a story that couldn’t be told in half an hour.

    Rose illustration image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

    6. Did you develop any thoughts and/or questions while watching this film?

    Like I said in my number one answer, it’s been over eight years since I’ve seen The Lost Valentine. Because of this, I had completely forgotten the humor woven into the story. Comedic moments sprinkled throughout the film was such a pleasant surprise for me. One of my favorite scenes was when Caroline reads a sports magazine to a group of veterans at a local hospital. While she’s talking about the New York Yankees, Caroline says she doesn’t hate the team, she just doesn’t like it when they beat a team she likes more. How that piece of dialogue was written, as well as Betty’s sweetly honest delivery, created a scene that was genuinely hilarious. Moments like the one I described alleviated some of The Lost Valentine’s heavier scenes yet never overshadowed the story’s serious subject matter.

    For this part of my review, I will spoil The Lost Valentine. If you have not seen this movie and are planning on watching it, skip ahead to question number seven.

    Toward the end of The Lost Valentine, after Caroline welcomes Neil home, she discovers rose buds growing on a rose bush in her garden. That specific rose bush was not only the first plant Caroline and Neil planted when they moved into their home, the rose bush was believed to be dead for the majority of the movie. When Caroline discovers the rose buds, she reminisces about Neil as she dances to music from the past. All of a sudden, a man who I assumed was Neil’s ghost appeared behind Caroline. After that, the hose Caroline was holding falls to the ground. But the scenes that follow are flashbacks of Caroline and Neil and scenes featuring Lucas and Susan. Is the fallen hose implying Caroline passed away, joining Neil in the afterlife? Or was Caroline so caught up in remembering the past, she dropped the hose by accident? That part of the story was, in my opinion, too open-ended for a stand-alone film. But because The Lost Valentine is based on a book, maybe the source material would provide a clearer explanation than the adaptation did.

    7. Throughout The Golden Girls, cheesecake became an iconic staple of the show. What would you say is the iconic staple of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine?

    You’d think I’d pick the titular valentine, as it plays a significant role in The Lost Valentine. But, instead, I’m choosing the red rose. When it comes to growing roses, it takes time, patience, commitment, and care. Even as Lucas wants to uproot a rose bush he believes is dead, Caroline reminds her grandson how she doesn’t give up on things that easily. These aspects perfectly represent some of the major themes of The Lost Valentine; like serving others and putting your love toward something you believe matters. Caroline’s rose bush also provides the story with a nice full-circle moment.

    8. The Hallmark Hall of Fame collection overlapped with The Golden Girls (in terms of existence). Why do you think Hallmark Hall of Fame didn’t try to capitalize on the popularity of the “golden girls”?

    From 1979 to 2011, Hallmark Hall of Fame movies aired on CBS. The Golden Girls existed on NBC. While Hallmark Hall of Fame and The Golden Girls overlapped (between 1985 to 1992), there were two to four Hallmark Hall of Fame films released per year, implying tighter production schedules. Though a typical season of The Golden Girls ran from September to May, a certain amount of time needed to be set aside to film episodes, especially since The Golden Girls was filmed in front of a live studio audience. These factors may have made casting any of the “golden girls” in a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation difficult, but not impossible. However, trying to accommodate any of the “golden girls” schedules could have affected the schedules of the other cast and crew members of a Hallmark Hall of Fame project.

    9. Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine was released in 2011 (19 years after The Golden Girls ended). Is there any element from the movie you wish was incorporated on the show?

      One of the overarching themes of The Lost Valentine is serving others. A great example is when Caroline visits veterans at a local hospital. On The Golden Girls, there were two episodes involving veterans; ‘From Here to the Pharmacy’ and ‘Charlie’s Buddy’. However, these episodes prioritized Rose’s and Blanche’s attempt to finding romance. As far as I know, there wasn’t an episode of The Golden Girls where the “golden girls” took the time to honor veterans. Therefore, I wish this type of story had been incorporated on the show. One example is the “golden girls” volunteering at an Honor Flight ceremony.

      10. After watching Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine, is there anything you can take away from your movie-viewing experience?

      For years, Hallmark’s motto has been “When you care enough to send the very best”. Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Lost Valentine perfectly represents that motto! The amount of care that Caroline put into waiting for Neil is a beautiful display of putting the needs of others before oneself, one of the major themes of The Lost Valentine. Other parts of the story represent this theme as well, such as Susan’s quest to find the truth about Neil’s whereabouts. By revisiting the 2011 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, I was reminded why I like it. Strong elements, such as the acting performances and the screenwriting, made my movie-viewing experience enjoyable. I was also reminded of things I had completely forgotten, like the humor woven into the story. As I said in this review, the comedic moments alleviated some of The Lost Valentine’s heavier scenes yet never overshadowed the story’s serious subject matter. This is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie that still holds up, even fifteen years later. Therefore, it will stay in the “Get It On Sale for Half Off” (a.k.a. Good) tier of my Hallmark Hall of Fame tier rank list!

      The Golden Double Double Feature banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original image created by Touchstone Television, Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, 20th Television, and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

      Thank you for being a friend!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Take 3: The Disappearance of Flight 412 Review

      On By 18cinemalane8 Comments

      Aviation is one of the broadest topics when it comes to the world of cinema. However, I was determined to find a movie to review for Taking Up Room’s Aviation In Film Blogathon. While visiting the Youtube channel, Cult Cinema Classics, I came across a film titled The Disappearance of Flight 412. As this title suggests, there is a plane within the story. But the story itself is what led me to ultimately select the movie for this review! The idea of the military possibly crossing paths with a UFO is fascinating, especially in film. I also don’t receive many opportunities to review tv movies from the 1970s. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for takeoff, as we’re about to start this review of The Disappearance of Flight 412!

      The Disappearance of Flight 412 poster created by Cine Films Inc., Cinemobile Productions, and NBC

      Things I liked about the film:

      The use of time-stamps and a voice-over: Throughout the movie, a male voice-over can be heard explaining what was happening on screen. His tone is serious, which complemented the film’s tone. The inclusion of this technique reminded me of The Twilight Zone, where the narrator is presenting the film as a case study. Another technique used in this film was time-stamps. These showed how much time had passed since the mystery started. The time-stamps also shared locations, informing the audience when a scene transition took place. This technique added to the film’s intended delivery; a classified file the audience is given exclusive access to.

      A different side of the military: When one thinks of the military’s presence in a film, movies involving war/combat typically come to mind. However, there are films that depict the military in less combative environments. The Disappearance of Flight 412 is one of those films, as members of the Air Force are performing daily operations or testing a plane. The 1974 tv movie also focuses on the leadership within the military. As the story revolves around the military’s approach to unexplained phenomena, various military leaders handle the situation in a way they feel is best. With all that said, The Disappearance of Flight 412 presents a different side of the military, allowing the film to have its own unique identity!

      The mystery’s start time: I’ve stated before how I prefer mysteries start sooner rather than later. This is so the audience can get, and stay, invested in the mystery. In The Disappearance of Flight 412, the mystery started six minutes into the movie. Because of this, it allowed the audience to get hooked into the story. It also allowed the story to get straight to the point sooner.

      Military plane image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by brgfx – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      What I didn’t like about the film:

      A misleading title: This movie is titled The Disappearance of Flight 412. But throughout the story, the audience follows the members of the titular flight. Therefore, they know exactly where this plane ended up. There were two fighter jets, named Tango 1 and Tango 2, that did disappear. However, the title does not acknowledge those jets. With that said, I found this movie’s title misleading.

      Few opportunities to know the characters: According to both IMDB and the title of the Youtube video, The Disappearance of Flight 412 is classified as a mystery. But because the story primarily revolves around this mystery, there aren’t many opportunities to get to know the characters. Sure, the audience learns a little bit of information about them, such as some of their military history. However, this information isn’t enough to truly get to know the characters. If anything, the audience simply becomes familiar with them.

      The prolonged mention of UFOs: At the beginning of the movie, the aforementioned voice-over provides explanations and details about possible UFO sightings. This sets the stage for what’s to come in the story. After this introduction, though, the subject of UFOs isn’t brought up until about thirty-seven minutes into the movie. If that introduction hadn’t been included in the film, the first mention of UFOs would have been an unexpected surprise for the audience. But because of the introduction’s inclusion and because the introduction felt more like a news reel, it, in a way, presented false expectations of more serious UFO discussion.

      Detective work image created by Photoroyalty at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/investigation-background-design_1041877.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Photoroyalty – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      My overall impression:

      There are movies where the subject itself is more interesting than the film. Some examples are Over the Edge and The Last Full Measure. In my opinion, The Disappearance of Flight 412 fits in this category. As I mentioned in my review, the story primarily revolves around the mystery of the disappearing fighter jets. Since the movie also covers the subject of the military dealing with unexplained phenomena, I think this topic would serve as an interesting documentary. That way, more time could be given to the subject, while also exploring the debates and perspectives surrounding it. At the end of the movie, a series of text states how the film’s characters and events are fictional. Maybe if The Disappearance of Flight 412 had been based on a real-life story, the project would be more memorable than it was.

      Overall score: 6.2 out of 10

      Have you seen The Disappearance of Flight 412? Are there any films involving aviation you like? Let me know in the comment section!

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Word on the Street: Story for Jen Lilley’s Hallmark Christmas Movie Revealed + News about Upcoming Christmas Hallmark Films

      On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

      Yes, I know I haven’t written a Word on the Street story since June. This is because I either wasn’t able to find a movie news story that interested me or I didn’t get around to discussing movie news. However, I did find some Hallmark related news that I had to write about. The first story features Hallmark favorite, Jen Lilley. In an article from soaps.com, Amy Mistretta reports how Jen revealed the plot of her new movie, which will likely air during the Christmas season. The article states that the film will revolve around a reporter who goes on a Tiger Cruise with members of the United States Navy. Amy explains that “the Navy puts on the special event once a year where their families can come on the ship for Christmas”. From what I can recall, the only film about Tiger Cruises that is known is the 2004 Disney Channel movie, Tiger Cruise. However, that film revolved around the events of 9/11. This news about Jen’s movie is interesting because it fills a creative void that hasn’t been revisited in sixteen years. Also, Hallmark can make a good military related film when they put their mind to it.

      Source for this movie news story: https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/574825/days-of-our-lives-jen-lilley-hallmark-christmas-movie-2020/

      Children holding American flags during a sunset image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      These next two stories come from the Twitter account, Hotline to Hallmark! In a tweet that was retweeted by Hotline to Hallmark, Rochelle S. Aytes, the star of the upcoming film, A Christmas Tree Grows in Brooklyn, announced that her movie has wrapped production! While the film’s synopsis is not known at this time, the movie will apparently feature horses, as Rochelle mentions petting a horse in her tweet. Another retweeted tweet from Hotline to Hallmark reveals that Will Kemp will co-star alongside Lacey Chabert in the Hallmark Christmas movie, Christmas Waltz! Denise Petski, from Deadline, shares that “Christmas Waltz reunites Kemp and Chabert, who starred in last year’s Valentine-themed Hallmark Channel movie Love, Romance & Chocolate.” As someone who liked the aforementioned Valentine’s film, it’s nice to see actors who had good on-screen chemistry work together again! I’m hoping Will and Lacey’s Christmas project is just as enjoyable to watch as their previous creative endeavor!

      Sources for these movie news story: https://deadline.com/2020/08/will-kemp-lacey-chabert-christmas-waltz-hallmark-channel-movie-1203012813/, @HotlineHallmark on Twitter

      Blue sparkly Christmas tree image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-card_2875396.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      What are your thoughts on these pieces of movie news? Is there a Hallmark Christmas film you’re looking forward to seeing? Please tell me in the comment section!

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s After the Glory Review + 195 Follower Thank You

      On By 18cinemalane5 Comments

      I spent Memorial Day with my family, so I didn’t publish a post on Monday. This is the reason why this week’s schedule will be shifted. However, Memorial Day has inspired me to choose a patriotic film for this blog follower dedication review. When I first watched the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Blind Spot, I saw a commercial for another film in this collection titled An American Story. The film looked intriguing and exciting, enticing me to want to check the film out. Recently, Hallmark Drama aired this film with a different title. This time, the movie is called After the Glory. Anyone who pays attention to Hallmark will know how the network loves changing their film’s titles after that project has been announced. But Hallmark changing a movie’s title 20+ years after its release seems like a strange decision. Despite this unusual choice, my family chose to watch this film in honor of Memorial Day.

      Because I saw this film under the title, After the Glory, I chose to use this poster for my review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

      Things I liked about the film:

      The acting: Last August, I reviewed I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. One of the strongest aspects of that film was Kathleen Quinlan’s performance, as it was well-rounded, emotional, and powerful. Kathleen’s portrayal of Hope in After the Glory contained those same qualities. In one scene, Hope is reacting to George recalling her husband’s, Tim’s, final minutes. She goes from being pleased about George’s visit to the Veteran’s Office to crying for her lost love. This scene is an example of how much emotionality Kathleen brought to her role. Speaking of George, Brad Johnson effectively adopted the persona that’s expected of a character like George, one of the returning veterans. He appeared confident and sure of himself. But what I also liked about Brad’s performance was how he incorporated a sense of humility. During the film, there were times when George was held accountable for his choices and faced his mistakes. This made the character more relatable. Tom Sizemore portrayed another returning veteran named Jesse. His performance was versatile and highlighted his adaptability. When he was introduced, Jesse is happy to finally return home. A few scenes later, he is angry over the corruption taking place in his town. The well-rounded nature of Tom’s performance helped his character stand out!

      The discussion of a veteran’s mental health: In the world of cinema and society as a whole, it seems like the subject of a veteran’s mental health has been recognized more in recent years. When this film was released in 1992, I don’t think there were many films released before or during that year that addressed this topic, especially when a movie takes places around the time of World War II. In After the Glory, the mental well-being of veterans was one of the recurring ideas of the story. During the war, Hope went back to school to earn her psychology degree. She did this in order to provide psychological services to returning veterans. She even tries to use her psychology skills to stop Jesse from committing suicide. The way this idea of a veteran’s mental health was written into the script was done with respect and realism. It made the movie feel like it was kind of ahead of its time.

      The veterans’ transition period: An important part of this story was the veterans’ transition period to civilian life. Because the movie focuses on three different veterans, their journeys toward civilian life look and feel unique from each other. When he returns home, George is welcomed to an elaborate parade. He is even offered a job at his father’s law firm and is given an opportunity to be a running mate in Mayor Cantrell’s election campaign. Meanwhile, Jesse is only greeted by a small group of his family and friends when he comes home. He also struggles with issues relating to his physical and mental health. Like the aforementioned subject of a veteran’s mental health, this part of the story was written very well, making the film come across as reverent toward military veterans. It shows that within the uniform is a person that has their own thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.

      Love of mental health image created by freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      What I didn’t like about the film:

      Juan’s limited presence: One of the soldiers that was highlighted in this story is a Texas local named Juan. Despite facing racism in his civilian life, he still felt the world was bigger than his own backyard and that change was on the horizon. He was also starting civilian life as a newlywed. Compared to George and Jesse, Juan was featured on screen for a limited amount of time. His story was also weaker than George’s and Jesse’s. I’m not sure if this creative decision was meant to show how racism can negatively affect story-telling or if it was just a coincidence. But I feel Juan should have received the same amount of screen-time as George and Jesse.

      A drawn-out first half: In the first half of After the Glory, the majority of the story focused on the veterans transitioning to civilian life. While this was an important part of the plot that provided context, it caused the film’s conflict, the town’s political corruption, to be placed on the back-burner. The conflict does maintain the plot’s primary focus in the second half of the film. But I think the conflict should have had a more consistent presence.

      A limited amount of suspense: Because of the town’s election, it allowed the story to incorporate suspense. The process toward the conflict’s resolution was wrapped up in mystery, keeping the audience guessing what would happen next. However, the suspense in this movie was limited. This is the result of the aforementioned drawn-out first half. The creative team’s choice to adopt a more dramatic tone is also what caused the suspense to have a limited presence. Like the film’s conflict, I think the suspense needed to be more consistent.

      Children holding American flags during a sunset image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      An overall impression:

      During Hallmark Hall of Fame’s 69-year lifespan, there have been some films that took place either during or around the time of World War II. If you look at my post where I tier ranked every Hallmark Hall of Fame movie I’ve seen, you will see that I have enjoyed these films. It looks like After the Glory will be joining that tier with a “good” status! This movie shows how innovative and compelling a project in this collection can be! The subject of a veteran’s mental health being incorporated in this story shows how Hallmark wanted to start a conversation among their audience when it came to important topics. While this is not a new concept for Hallmark Hall of Fame, it has been a consistent part of this collection. While watching this film, I realized that if After the Glory had not been released in 1992, it probably would have never been created. This is because, ever since the Hallmark Hall of Fame branch was moved to Hallmark Channel in 2014, the network has placed an emphasis on trying make the films adopt the same tone and feel as the movies that usually air on Hallmark Channel. I still hope that Hallmark can take more creative risks with their films and promote more creative freedom. To my 195 followers, thank you so much for helping my blog come this far! This review would not have possible without you!

      Overall score: 8 out of 10

      Have you seen any of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s military related films? Which movie would you watch on Memorial Day? Tell me in the comment section below!

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Word on the Street: Exciting news about upcoming Hallmark movies!

      On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

      Last month, I talked about several movie titles that belong to either confirmed Hallmark movies or potential Hallmark movies. A few days after I published that post, there were some details revealed about three of the movies I mentioned! There was also a movie that was recently discovered on Hallmark Channel’s website! In this post, I will talk about these details and what they mean for these specific movies. I will also share my thoughts on these pieces of movie news. So, now let’s talk about these movie details, the moment you, my readers and followers, have been waiting for!

      299832-P7FMT8-686
      Popcorn and movie ticket image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/cinema-tickets-in-bucket-with-popcorn_2303439.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/layout”>Layout image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      In my aforementioned Word on the Street story, I listed several movie titles that could belong to potential Hallmark movies. Two of these titles are “Flip That Romance” and “Picture Perfect”. When I revisited the website, What’s Filming, I noticed that there were names of cast members listed who are now attached to these projects! For “Picture Perfect”, the stars of this film are Arielle Kebbel, Alexa PenaVega, and Carlos PenaVega! After making this discovery, I wondered if this could be the movie that Hallmark was talking about last year. At their Winter TCA Event last January, Hallmark announced that Alexa and Carlos PenaVega would receive their own mystery movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Within their announcement, Hallmark shared that Alexa’s character would be a photographer. Based on this information, the casting, and the title, I wouldn’t be surprised if “Picture Perfect” ended up being the movie that Hallmark talked about all those months ago. For “Flip That Romance”, Crystal Lowe has now been attached to the project, according to What’s Filming. The chances of this movie being a Hallmark film are, right now, 50/50. On the one hand, Crystal has been in several Hallmark films, including the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. On the other hand, Crystal’s involvement does not guarantee that this will be a Hallmark movie. As of early February 2019, Hallmark has not confirmed or denied that “Flip That Romance” is their movie. We’ll just have to wait for more information to be revealed about this project.

      If you want to check out the sources for this movie news story, here’s the link:

      http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (after February 6th and 15th, “Flip That Romance” and “Picture Perfect” will be taken off the “In Production” page)

      https://www.crownmediapress.com/PressReleaseList/?SiteID=142&NodeID=144&page=18 (the announcement can be found in the article titled “ALEXA PENAVEGA AND CARLOS PENAVEGA IN DEVELOPMENT WITH NEW MYSTERY MOVIE FOR HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES”)

      Camera
      Retro camera image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/camera_1552643.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      While on Hallmark Channel’s official website, I stumbled across a title for an upcoming Hallmark film! The movie is called Lost & Found and it’s scheduled for a March 23rd release. Nikki DeLoach and Michael Rady will star in the film. An official synopsis was also posted on the website, which is the following:

      From the website of Hallmark Channel:

       

      “Two single parents come head to head when their kids want to adopt the same dog. Agreeing to co-foster, free-spirited Kate and type-A Eric must work together to find the dog’s forever home.”

       

      While I think the synopsis sounds fine, it does remind me of the film, Puppy Love, starring Candace Cameron Bure. That film was ok, but I thought the idea of two complete strangers sharing a pet was a bit too unrealistic for my liking. Despite the similarities that Lost & Found shares with Puppy Love, I’m still willing to give this film a chance. I’ve enjoyed Nikki’s and Michael’s acting performances in the past, so I’m hoping that their performance in this new movie is just as good.

      Here is the link to the movie listing on Hallmark Channel’s website:

      http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/lost-found

      110502-OO11BG-704
      Dog collection image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/dog”>Dog vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      In my previous Word on the Street story, I talked about how a Hallmark Christmas movie was planning on filming in Stonington, Connecticut. Last week, a short article by The Westerly Sun revealed a new detail about the film! The article’s author, Harold Hanka, says, “The cast and its plotline haven’t yet been revealed, but the director said the story involves military veterans”. While looking at the photo within this article, I noticed three business signs that were located over some of the buildings. Wondering if any of these signs were associated with real businesses, I did my research for each sign. The only business that I couldn’t find any information about was A & J’s Coffee Shop. This makes me wonder if Hallmark made this business up specifically for this movie? Maybe the protagonist’s parents are “A & J” and the coffee shop is a family business? We’ll just have to wait for more details to emerge for this movie.

      If you want to check out the article from The Westerly Sun, here’s the link:

      https://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/stonington/photos-it-s-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas/article_4a8fcd6a-2399-11e9-9e5d-5729dc583ec6.html

      204659-P02UXR-453
      Christmas family image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/nice-family-christmas-scene-singing-together_1458033.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      What are your thoughts about these pieces of movie news? Are you excited for any of these films? Tell me in the comment section!

       

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Take 3: The Christmas Card Review

      On By 18cinemalane10 Comments

      For Moon in Gemini’s The Greatest Film I’ve Never Seen Blogathon, I put a lot of thought into what film I would review. When I thought about which movies I had never seen up until this point, one of the first films that came to mind was the Hallmark movie, The Christmas Card. Since the movie’s premiere in 2006, it seems like a significant amount of Hallmark fans love this movie. The Christmas Card is so beloved that it almost always is included into one of Hallmark’s Christmas movie line-ups. This film also won Hallmark Channel’s first Christmas movie March Madness contest last year! Since 2006, fans of The Christmas Card have asked Hallmark on numerous occasions to give this film a sequel, wishing and hoping that their dream of revisiting this story would come true. Because of my participation in this blogathon, I was finally given the chance to not only watch this movie, but to see if it was truly as beloved as people had made it out to be. So, take a seat on this sleigh ride as we travel through this review of The Christmas Card!

      20181118_212816[1]
      Thank you, television of mine, for reminding me that I watched this film. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
      Things I liked about the film:

      The acting: For the most part, the acting in The Christmas Card was fine. However, the three stand-out performers in this film were Edward Asner, Lois Nettleton, and Peter Jason! Their performances were so lively and animated when it needed to be, but also contained the emotions required for the film’s dramatic moments. It was always a delight when these three actors came on-screen, with the interactions involving their characters being enjoyable to watch. Because of their ability to provide the right amount of versatility to their roles, Edward, Lois, and Peter brought a good amount of believability to their performances, even more than the other actors in this cast.

       

      The scenery: Any time the characters went into the forest, the setting surrounding them was beautiful to look at. The story’s natural landscape were showcased very well in the film and really captured the spirit of the season. Whenever the Spelman’s “special place” was featured in the movie, it was absolutely breath-taking. The natural beauty of the film’s snowy environment was definitely a highlight to this film!

       

      The reverence and respect toward the military: Hallmark usually does a good job whenever the military or military families are incorporated into their stories. The Christmas Card is no exception. When the subject of fallen military members was brought up in the film, the creative team associated with this movie not only made sure the right emotions were featured in those moments, but that those moments were presented in a respectful and appropriate manner. During the Christmas Eve Service, the pastor said a prayer where he hoped the members of the military would stay safe during the Christmas season. I thought this prayer was well-written and handled by the film’s creative team with great care.

      78758-OFLC5Q-374
      Christmas card image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-card-with-watercolor-mistletoe-decoration_965555.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/watercolor”>Watercolor vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

      What I didn’t like about the film:

      A weak and drawn-out plot: The main plot of The Christmas Card is Faith (one of the main characters of the film) writing and sending a card to Sgt. Cody Cullen (the film’s protagonist), which causes him to travel to her hometown in order to thank her for the card. Because Cody doesn’t thank Faith for the card until the last ten minutes of the movie, it made the plot feel weak and drawn-out. Before I watched The Christmas Card, I was hoping there would be two interesting subplots to complement the main plot. Sadly, the only plot in this film was the main plot, with the story being filled with “filler” material just to keep the movie going. The scenes that show Cody working at the Spelman family lumberyard, one of the film’s “filler” material, were the most boring scenes in this movie.

       

      The character of Faith’s boyfriend: The incorporation of Paul, Faith’s boyfriend, into this story was meant to add conflict for the protagonist. However, I found this conflict to be just as weak as the main plot. It felt like Paul and the conflict he brought were included in this story just for the sake of adding something to the plot. If Paul had been written out of this story, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

       

      Being forced to suspend more of my disbelief than I wanted to: More often than not, Hallmark asks their audience to suspend their disbelief when it comes to their movies (which, as a Hallmark fan, I am more than willing to do). However, there were moments in The Christmas Card where I felt Hallmark was asking me, as an audience member, to suspend more of my disbelief than I had wanted to. For example, I thought Faith’s card, while written with the best of intentions, was very unrealistic. I’ve participated in several activities that required me to write a letter or card to a military service-member. During my participation in these activities, I was always told that the only information I could share about myself was my first name. The idea of Faith not only sharing her full name, but also sharing other personal aspects of her life, such as where she lived and photos of what her family’s house looked like, seemed so ridiculous to me, that, to a certain extent, I was taken out of the film.

      Greatest Film I've Never Seen blogathon banner
      The Greatest Film I’ve Never Seen Blogathon banner created by Debbie from Moon in Gemini. Image found at https://debravega.wordpress.com/2018/09/09/announcing-the-greatest-film-ive-never-seen-blogathon/.

      My overall impression:

      At best, I thought The Christmas Card was ok. While there were a few good things about the film, it wasn’t enough to sweep me off my feet, as it did for some Hallmark fans. When I reflect on this movie, I can think of Hallmark movies with similar themes that are better than The Christmas Card, with Operation Christmas and Home for Christmas Day being two good examples. While I was watching The Christmas Card, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “this won Hallmark Channel’s very first Christmas movie March Madness”? Over the twelve years that this movie has existed, I feel that it has been over-hyped. I don’t think this movie is bad, but I do think it could have been stronger. I’m glad that Moon in Gemini created The Greatest Film I’ve Never Seen Blogathon because I now have an honest opinion about one of Hallmark’s most beloved films.

       

      Overall score: 6.2 out of 10

       

      Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts on The Christmas Card? What Hallmark Christmas movie do you cherish the most? Please let me know in the comment section!

       

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

      Take 3: Lawrence of Arabia Review

      On By 18cinemalane16 Comments

      For Maddy Loves Her Classic Films’ blogathon, The World War One On Film Blogathon, I had originally planned on reviewing the movie, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero. However, because the film changed its DVD release date several times, with December 11th being the latest date, I had to come up with a different movie to review. Remembering MovieBabble’s list of the Top 10 Best World War I Movies, I visited this post to see what options were available at such short notice. I decided to pick Lawrence of Arabia because a) I’ve never seen it before and b) I’ve heard a lot of good things about the movie throughout the years. In fact, until I read MovieBabble’s aforementioned list, I had no idea that Lawrence of Arabia had anything to do with World War I. Despite the change of plans, I was looking forward to finally seeing this movie. Was it truly as good as almost everyone says it is? Let’s find out in my review for Lawrence of Arabia!

      Lawrence of Arabia poster
      Lawrence of Arabia poster created by Columbia Pictures. Image found at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/4455/Lawrence-of-Arabia/#

      Things I liked about the film:

      The acting: The cast of Lawrence of Arabia was really good! Everyone on-screen brought a significant amount of believability to their roles. Peter O’Toole gave such a great performance, bringing the emotional depth that made his performance so memorable. Two of the stand-out performers in this movie were Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn! Both of their performances were so good, it felt like their characters were truly coming to life as the events played out on-screen. The acting overall was definitely a highlight to this film!

       

      The scenery: The scenery in this film is great to look at! Any scene that took place in the desert was filmed very well, making that environment appear beautiful. I also liked the architecture that was featured in the film. My favorite building in Lawrence of Arabia was the British offices in Cairo because that facility looked majestic and breath-taking.

       

      Seeing World War I from a unique perspective: Whenever events from World War I or World War II are depicted in film, either characters are shown fighting on the European front or the conflicts of World War I or II are shown affecting various European countries. In Lawrence of Arabia, however, the effects of World War I are shown through the eyes of those stationed in Arabia. Like a lot of war movies or movies discussing the subject of war, there were several shared ideas in Lawrence of Arabia, such as looking out for fellow comrades, questioning the ethics of war, and individuals from various backgrounds coming together to reach a common goal. There were also ideas in Lawrence of Arabia that added uniqueness to this perspective, such as religion and the characters’ views on the two Arab tribes that were amongst Lawrence’s troop. These shared ideas and unique views of World War I make Lawrence of Arabia an interesting and compelling war movie!

      2018 WWI on Film Blogathon
      The World War One On Film Blogathon banner created by Maddy from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films. Images found at https://maddylovesherclassicfilms.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/announcing-the-world-war-one-on-film-blogathon/

      What I didn’t like about the film:

      An interesting four minutes: During the first four minutes of this movie, the screen was blank while the film’s score played. I was so caught off-guard by this, that I thought something was wrong with my television.

       

      Some scenes feeling more drawn out than others: While watching Lawrence of Arabia, I noticed that some scenes were drawn out more than others. The scenes that were drawn out were any of them that involved the characters traveling in the desert. Because these scenes didn’t involve a lot of action or intrigue, this affected the continuity of my interest in the film.

       

      A limited amount of battles: When one thinks of a war movie, the idea of the characters fighting in at least one battle is almost always expected. Before I saw Lawrence of Arabia, I thought it would contain two smaller battles and one big, climatic battle. However, this movie contained several military confrontations and political negotiations. While these things made the film interesting, I was expecting a little more action.

      Seamless pattern with chamomile and poppies flowers
      Poppy and chamomile pattern image created by Klyaksun at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/seamless-pattern-with-chamomile-and-poppies-flowers_1308007.htm’>Designed by Klyaksun</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Klyaksun – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

      My overall impression:

      One three-hour movie and a film review later, I can honestly say that Lawrence of Arabia was a good movie! However, I, personally, feel that it’s not as great as some people have made it out to be. Over the years, I think it has become a bit over-hyped. But, I can definitely see why people like it as much as they claim to. This film does have its merits and has stood the “test of time” for good reason. Lawrence of Arabia is a film that is worth checking out, whether it’s your first time seeing it or if you’re re-watching it for the billionth time. Looking back on it, Lawrence of Arabia does make a good war movie. Its unique perspective and cinematic qualities set this movie apart from all the rest.

       

      Overall score: 7.7-7.8 out of 10

       

      Have you seen Lawrence of Arabia? What’s your favorite war movie? Leave your thoughts below in the comment section!

       

      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen

       

      If you want to check out MovieBabble’s post that I mentioned in this review, you can visit this link:

      https://moviebabblereviews.com/2018/08/22/top-10-best-world-war-i-movies/