Tag: movie reviews

Take 3: The Story of Us Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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 Story of Us poster
The Story of Us 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=The+Story+of+Us.

Things I liked about the film:

  • 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.
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Valentine’s Day themed items created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • 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.
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Pink themed image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

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!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Valentine in the Vineyard Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Even though Valentine’s Day is next Thursday, Hallmark has wasted no time in starting their line-up of Valentine’s Day themed movies, “Countdown to Valentine’s Day”. Starting this line-up is the anticipated third installment, Valentine in the Vineyard! Last month, in a Word on the Street story, I not only announced that this movie would be Hallmark’s first Valentine’s Day themed movie of 2019, but I also said that Crown Media Family Networks released the film’s synopsis on their website. I was looking forward to see Valentine in the Vineyard, especially since I’ve seen and enjoyed the first two movies in this particular series; Autumn in the Vineyard and Summer in the Vineyard. However, I was concerned about how the possible “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché would be incorporated into the film’s narrative. But I still chose to watch this film because I wanted to know what happens in this series’ next chapter. Thanks for joining me for this review, as I’m about to talk about Valentine in the Vineyard!

Valentine in the Vineyard poster
Valentine in the Vineyard 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=Valentine%20in%20the%20Vineyard&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I really liked the cast of Valentine in the Vineyard! What helped was having the main cast members from the first two films return for the third installment. Once again, Brendan Penny and Rachael Leigh Cook did a great job portraying Nate and Frankie! Both of their performances appeared very natural, as if they were reacting to real-life situations. This made it easier for me to stay invested in what was happening in Nate and Frankie’s lives. I also liked the performances of the supporting cast! As I’ve mentioned before on my blog, I have seen Teryl Rothery is several Hallmark productions. Therefore, I knew how talented of an actress she is. Her portrayal as Frankie’s aunt was such a pleasant surprise, her character’s sweet and sassy personality was a joy to watch on-screen and it was hilarious! Stephanie Bennett’s portrayal of Shay Michaels was also a pleasant surprise, with her performance being so good that it made her character very likable!

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Like in the first two movies, Brendan Penny and Rachael Leigh Cook had really good on-screen chemistry! Because of this, it made it look like Nate and Frankie’s relationship has truly been growing over the course of the series. I also liked how the other on-screen couples had good on-screen chemistry. Marco and Lexi appeared as if they truly got along because Marcus Rosner and Tegan Moss did that good of a job with their acting performances! Seeing Gabe and Shay’s relationship evolve over the course of the film was nice to see! This is not only because of Stephanie Bennett and Madison Smith’s performances, but also because the audience got a chance to learn more about these characters.

 

  • A unique perspective on Valentine’s Day: Hallmark usually does a good job at incorporating Valentine’s Day into their films. While Valentine in the Vineyard has no shortage of decorations and a festive color palette, this movie looks at Valentine’s Day from a unique perspective. The story put a lot of focus on what exactly makes a relationship romantic. A great example of this are the gifts that Frankie and Nate plan on exchanging for Valentine’s Day. These gifts not only help them better understand their significant other, but the gifts also help them improve their own lives. I have never really seen Hallmark explore the building blocks of a specific couples’ relationship. But because this is the third movie in a series, I think this creative choice worked well for Valentine in the Vineyard.
Vineyard in France
Vineyard on a sunny day image created by Jcstudio at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/green”>Green photo created by jcstudio – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A slower pace: While watching this movie, I noticed that the pace was slower than in the first two films. This caused the film is feel a little drawn out.

 

  • Too much going on at once: In Valentine in the Vineyard, there were five plots within this story. Because of this, I honestly felt a little overwhelmed by what was going on in the film. It seemed like there was too much going on in the movie, as if the creative team behind the project tried to accomplish too much at once. This aspect of the film affected my overall movie-viewing experience.

 

  • Limited amount of humor: I found this movie to be not as funny as the previous installments. While there was humor to be found, there wasn’t as much of it as I was expecting. An example of this is any scenes involving the vineyard’s llama. In the first two movies, the llama provided some of the film’s comic relief. In Valentine in the Vineyard, however, the llama just seems like an after-thought.
Sale, Happy Valentine Day lettering with bunch of balloons
Heart shaped balloons image created by Katemangostar at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by katemangostar – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Valentine in the Vineyard was a decent movie. However, this film was not as strong as the first two films. My biggest issue with the movie was how much material was packed into this story. This not only affected my experience of watching this film, it made me feel just as overwhelmed as the situations made the characters feel. But it was nice to see Nate and Frankie’s relationship progress through-out this movie as well as this series. Everything about their relationship is so sweet and genuine, which helps make these characters so likable. I don’t know if Hallmark is planning to continue this series, but I hope a fourth movie is made and called “Christmas in the Vineyard”. If you think about it, we’ve never received a Hallmark Christmas movie that takes place in a vineyard. It would be something new for the network to incorporate into one of their stories.

 

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of Hallmark’s “Vineyard” movies? Would you like to see Hallmark create “Christmas in the Vineyard? Tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Phffft Review + 65 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Earlier this week, I received 65 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! With my blog’s first anniversary coming up next Saturday, I found this recent gain in blog followers to be a pleasant surprise! As I’ve been doing before, I have chosen to review a film that was released 65 years ago (in 1954). While researching movies with 1954 release dates, one film in particular instantly stood out to me. The reason is because of the title alone. Phffft (yes, that is the real title of this film) is a movie that seemed like it was begging for me to watch and, eventually, review it. So, because of everything I’ve just said, I decided to pick Phffft as my movie of choice this time around. Was this film as funny as this title suggests? I’m glad you came to this review, as we’re about to find out!

Phffft poster
Phffft poster created by Columbia Pictures. Image found at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/86629/Phffft/#.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I thought the cast of Phffft was good! Judy Holliday shined the brightest with her portrayal of Nina. Her performance appeared very natural as well as believable. I also thought that Jack Lemmon did a good job with his portrayal of Robert. Everything that happened with Robert seemed so convincing because of how versatile Jack’s performance was. Even though this is a movie about a couple experiencing a divorce, Jack and Judy gave a good performance not only as individuals, but also as a pair. Whenever Robert and Nina were together, I always had the impression that Judy and Jack had good on-screen chemistry. In a scene where Nina and Robert unexpectedly become each other’s dancing partner, it looked like they truly enjoyed one another’s company.

 

  • What it means to be a “hero”: During a flashback scene that explains how Robert and Nina met, it was revealed that Robert was a military lawyer. In this scene, his self-esteem has fallen a little bit because he doesn’t see himself as a hero. I found this character choice of Robert being a military lawyer very interesting. In fact, it seems like we, the audience, don’t get many portrayals of military lawyers in film. Besides A Few Good Men, I can’t really think of many movies that feature the importance of military lawyers. Phffft does take the time to show how lawyers can play a significant role within the military. The film does this by having Nina remind Robert, as well as Robert reminding himself, that if he wasn’t keeping an eye on the military’s finances, the military would have lost a lot of money. This message of how a hero can mean different things to different people was a good addition to this film.

 

  • Showing both perspectives: As I’ve already mentioned, Phffft is about a couple who experiences a divorce. In movies where divorce can be found in the film’s narrative, the main perspective is usually given to just one person in that relationship. Also, in movies about divorce, there are times when one person in the relationship is portrayed as an antagonist and the other is portrayed as a protagonist. In Phffft, however, the story is told from both of the perspectives of Robert and Nina. Each side of the story is given an equal amount of time for the characters to grow as individuals and experience their own personal journeys. It also shows an unbiased view of what each character is going through. To me, I thought this was a good story-telling choice.
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Breaking heart image created by Kjpargeter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/broken-heart-valentine-background_1041991.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Kjpargeter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Lack of comedy: Despite the humorous title, I didn’t find Phffft to be very funny. While I did chuckle at some moments, there were no moments within the film that made me burst out laughing. I’m not sure if this movie just didn’t correlate with my sense of humor or if the comedic writing in this film was just that weak. But I, personally, found the lack of comedy in this movie to be very disappointing.

 

  • Too dialogue-heavy: In every movie, dialogue is a necessary component to the overall story. However, there is such a thing as too much dialogue. Phffft featured many scenes where characters were having conversations with one another. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough situations and conflicts happening in this movie to balance out the dialogue. Having too much dialogue in this film did not work its favor.

 

  • The premise being too basic: While Robert and Nina’s divorce was the main plot in Phffft, it was the only plot within this movie. Also, I found this plot to be so basic, that the scenarios Robert and Nina get themselves into feel like they were incorporated in the movie just for the sake of keeping the plot going. Like I just mentioned, Phffft didn’t have enough situations and conflicts to balance out the dialogue. To me, this movie needed, at least, one secondary plot in order to keep it interesting. Because of the lack of subplots, it caused the other characters in this movie to feel like they were just there because they knew either Robert or Nina.
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Money plant image created by Dooder at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Dooder – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watering-the-coin-plant_1076121.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

At the end of the day, Phffft was just ok. Because of how funny this title sounds, I was expecting the film to be just as funny. Unfortunately, this movie was somewhat disappointing for me. All of the comedy in Phffft felt weak, almost like it was poorly written. However, I would never say this is a bad film. There were things about it that I liked, such as Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon’s performances. But when it comes to comedies from the 1950s, I think there are movies out there that are better than Phffft. Now that this review is coming to an end, I just want to take the time to say thank you to each of my 65 followers. When I started this blog a year ago, I never expected to receive this many followers in such a short amount of time. It just makes me appreciate all the success this blog has achieved, including the increase in readers and followers.

 

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts about this review? Are you looking forward to the 70 follower thank you post? Please tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Howl’s Moving Castle Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know who Jean Simmons was before I signed up for The Wonderful World of Cinema and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies’ 90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon. So, I had to take a trip to Jean’s IMDB Filmography page. What I discovered was a voice acting credit for the film, Howl’s Moving Castle. Since I’ve never seen this movie and since no other blogathon participant was planning to talk about this movie, I decided to contribute to this blogathon by reviewing this film! Before watching Howl’s Moving Castle, I had seen three other Studio Ghibli films. These movies are Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo, and Tales from Earthsea. I have enjoyed all three of these movies, so I had a feeling that Howl’s Moving Castle would be somewhat enjoyable. How does this movie compare with the other three? Fly through this review if you want to find out!

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Howl’s Moving Castle poster created by Studio Ghibli, Toho, and The Walt Disney Company. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Image found at https://movies.disney.com/howls-moving-castle.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The characters: Like any movie, Howl’s Moving Castle has a cast of characters that are very unique from one another. Not only do these characters have their own distinct physical features, they also have their own personalities. A good example is Howl himself. He has characteristics that help him stand out from the other characters (his hair can change colors more than once) and has a personality that adds to the uniqueness of his character (he is a powerful magician who has his fears and insecurities, but doesn’t let these feelings show easily). These two major concepts make Howl an interesting character. They also help shape the rest of the characters in this film.

 

  • The animation: Studio Ghibli films are known for their artistic animation. Howl’s Moving Castle is no different, filling up the screen with exquisite creations. In fact, the animation in this movie was so good, it honestly looked like priceless art. Everything that was featured on-screen was very detailed, even down to the very look of Howl’s castle. I also liked how the use of color was applied to this film’s animation. The bright colors that were found in some scenes complimented one another and, for the most part, made these scenes feel cheery and light-hearted. Whenever darker colors were used in other scenes, it never looked dull or devoid of color. Instead, these colors accompanied the darker moments unfolding on-screen.

 

  • The humor: When I watched Howl’s Moving Castle, I knew there would be some light-hearted moments sprinkled throughout the film. However, I wasn’t expecting this movie to have as much humor as it did. There were several moments in this movie that I found to be genuinely funny. One of these scenes was when Howl was freaking out over his hair changing from blonde to orange. These scenes, as well as the other humorous moments in this movie, were not only well-written, but also well-executed.
90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon banner
90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon banner created by Virginie from The Wonderful World of Cinema and Laura from Phyllis Loves Classic Movies. Image found at https://thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/coming-up-next-year-90-years-of-jean-simmons-blogathon/.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Lack of exposition: While Howl’s Moving Castle had a basic story that was fairly easy to understand, I found this movie to have very little exposition. Characters were not really given fleshed out backstories and certain events within this story aren’t given a significant amount of explanations. Within this film’s narrative, there’s a war that happens which affects the characters’ environment. However, it is never explained why this war is taking place or how the war started. I was very frustrated by this flaw of Howl’s Moving Castle.

 

  • An underwhelming villain: This film actually has two villains and I found both of them to be very underwhelming. Not only were they not given strong backstories, but they weren’t given any villainous qualities that made them very memorable. Because of this, the only real sense of danger that was found within this story came from the war itself. When it came to the villains themselves, I did not find them to be threatening or scary. To me, both of these villains were wasted potential.

 

  • The run-time: Howl’s Moving Castle is approximately two hours long. This caused the story to feel more drawn out and a little bit too long. Because of this, I felt that the first half of the movie was stronger than the second half. In my opinion, I don’t think this particular story needed this long of a run-time. Having the movie be an hour and twenty or thirty minutes long would have worked better for Howl’s Moving Castle.
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Fairytale castle image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fairy-tale-castle_837803.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/design”>Designvector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

At best, Howl’s Moving Castle was decent. It was a fine movie-viewing experience and I enjoyed the film for what it was. However, out of the now four Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen, Howl’s Moving Castle was weaker than the previous three films. This movie does have its merits, but it also has its flaws. It felt like this story was trying to accomplish too much at once, causing some of the film’s meanings and messages to get lost in the shuffle. But, like I’ve already mentioned, most of these issues within the movie’s narrative come from the length of the run-time. I would suggest that people, especially those who haven’t seen this movie, give Howl’s Moving Castle a chance. However, if you have seen other Studio Ghibli films before watching Howl’s Moving Castle and if you really enjoyed those movies, you might want to lower your expectations.

 

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of Jean Simmons’ films? Do you like watching movies from Studio Ghibli? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Mystery 101 Review

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

Because my review of Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was fairly successful (with 55 views and 5 likes), it made sense for me to continue reviewing mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The next film that the network released was Mystery 101. I was pretty excited to see this film because of Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in the movie. One of my favorite Hallmark movies from last year was Pearl in Paradise, so I was looking forward to seeing Jill and Kristoffer lead another Hallmark production. However, I had low expectations for this film. This is because Mystery 101 appeared to have some of the same aspects of other mystery movies from this network. But, because I enjoy watching the mystery films on Hallmark’s second channel, I decided to give this movie a chance. Was this film as enjoyable as Pearl in Paradise? The only to solve this mystery is by reading my Mystery 101 review!

mystery 101 poster
Mystery 101 poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Mystery+101.

Things I liked about the film

  • The acting: The cast in Mystery 101 was one of the best parts of this film! As I said in my introduction, Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in this film was what excited me about the project. Their performances did not disappoint, as both of their talents appeared very natural and believable on-screen. I was also impressed by the acting performances of the supporting cast. I was pleasantly surprised to see Preston Vanderslice within this film. I’ve really enjoyed his performances in other Hallmark productions, like Cooking with Love. His portrayal of Amy’s teaching assistant, Bud, was very good. I also liked Andy Thompson’s portrayal as Eldon, the university maintenance employee. His performance was so memorable, I’m still thinking about it as I write this review.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Because of their on-screen chemistry in Pearl in Paradise, I had a feeling that Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha could also have on-screen chemistry in Mystery 101. Like their acting performances, Jill and Kristoffer’s on-screen chemistry did not disappoint either. Anytime Amy and Travis interacted with one another, it always came across realistically and convincingly. The banter between them was good to hear and the situations they were a part of were interesting to see. If this movie is the start of a new series, seeing Amy and Travis’ relationship grow will be something to look forward to.

 

  • The mystery story: In most mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, there are one or two mystery stories within the overall film. In Mystery 101, there were four mysteries within this movie’s narrative. This was a creative and ambitious approach, trying to do something different from the other movies on the network. Having more than one mystery with the film’s story allows the audience to stay engaged in what is happening in the narrative. It also made for an interesting interactive experience.
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Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A slower pace: Throughout Mystery 101, the pace was on the slower side. It almost seemed like the film wanted to take its time with each mystery instead of being as suspenseful and fast-paced as possible. It didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the film, but it was something that I noticed.

 

  • A delayed start of the mystery: As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I feel that a film’s mystery should be introduced within the first few minutes of the movie. However, the mystery in Mystery 101 was introduced toward the end of the film’s first 20 minutes. I understand that this is a first movie to a potential new series, meaning that the film’s first few minutes are crucial to setting up the world of the overall series. But I still feel that this film’s mystery should have been introduced within the first 10 to 15 minutes of the film. This way, the story could have jumped right into the mystery and the audience could have started their mystery-solving journey a lot sooner.

 

  • Some of the mysteries not connecting with other mysteries: I won’t spoil Mystery 101 if you haven’t seen it yet. But some of the mysteries within this narrative didn’t connect with the other mysteries in this movie. Out of the four mysteries that were introduced in this story, two of them were stand-alone mysteries. They kind of felt like they were there just for the sake of being there. If Mystery 101 becomes a new series and continues to include more than one mystery in their films, I hope these mysteries have some connectivity with each other.
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Library image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/stack-of-books-on-library-desk_2509490.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/school”>School image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Like Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, Mystery 101 was a good start to this specific series. But, after watching Mystery 101, I liked this movie more than Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness. When comparing the two stories, I think that Mystery 101’s story had more creativity to it. The very idea of having more than two mysteries being explored within one movie is something that isn’t often seen on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It’ll be interesting to see what’s in store for Mystery 101 in the future. Even though Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films, to a certain extent, seem to follow a formula, it looks like the network is putting in a good amount of effort to create movies and series that are unique and creative from each other. Hopefully, these efforts can continue as new series are welcomed and returning series come home.

 

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10

 

Have you seen Mystery 101? Would you like to see this series continue? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Ben-Hur (1959) Review + 60 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

Two weeks ago, I received 60 followers on my blog! Because of this exciting milestone, I decided to review Ben-Hur. While this movie was released 60 years ago, in 1959, it is also a movie that I have never seen before (yes, you read that right). Ben-Hur is one of those movies that a lot of people have said should been seen at least once in your life. Since I now had a good excuse to watch this film, I decided to choose this movie for this specific blog follower dedication post. Over the years, I have become familiar with this film’s general synopsis as well as the existence of the film itself. I also knew that there was some Christianity that was associated with this film. Other than those things, I didn’t really understand the hype surrounding the movie. What did I think of this juggernaut of a film? You’ll just have to read this review if you want to find out!

ben-hur 1959 poster
Ben-Hur (1959) poster created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Loew’s, Inc. Image found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ben_hur_1959_poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I really liked the acting in Ben-Hur! All of the performances were captivating, keeping me invested in what the characters were going through. The three strongest actors in this cast were Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, and Haya Harareet. These actors brought the emotional intensity that was not only required for their roles, but also complimented the scope of the overall film. Their performances, as well as the performances from the rest of the cast, helped make this film an enjoyable experience!

 

  • The sets/scenery: I was very impressed by the sets/scenery in this film! All of the sets were magnificent, feeling larger-than-life and beautiful. Whether it was Judah’s family home or the chariot-racing stadium, these sets were very grand in scale. The scenery was also great to look at! There were various landscapes throughout Ben-Hur, from the desert to the ocean, that were captured very well on film. The natural beauty of these landscapes was eye-catching and visually appealing. The locations in this movie were so great, that it made the experience of watching it so immersive. This aspect of Ben-Hur added to its overall quality.

 

  • The incorporation of Christianity/faith: In “sword and sandal” movies, faith is usually not found within that story’s specific narrative. For Ben-Hur, certain Biblical events were incorporated into the overall story. One example is how the movie starts with showing The Nativity, using this event to introduce the audience to one of the film’s characters, Balthasar (who happens to be one of The Three Wise Men). These events were included in a way that seemed to fit within the context of this particular film. They were effortlessly woven in with the main plot of Ben-Hur. It was also interesting to see how faith affected the characters and their actions. With the protagonist, Judah, faith played a significant role in his character development. It showed how he made decisions and chose to live his life. Before the chariot race begins, Judah says a prayer to God to forgive him for seeking vengeance and to place his life in His hands. This component was an interesting and crucial aspect of the story.

 

  • The cinematography: Ben-Hur had some interesting cinematography. One example of this was how Jesus’ face is never shown on-screen. While Jesus’ identity is not explicitly revealed in this story, certain events and references make it clear that Jesus plays an important role in this particular narrative. Another example is when Esther meets Miriam and Tirzah after a few years time. During this interaction, Miriam and Tirzah’s face is barely shown. But, this choice in cinematography was effective in showing both the heartbreak and emotional strain that their particular situation would have caused. Because of these faces being either barely shown or never shown on-screen, it keeps the film engaging for its audience, making them wonder if or when these faces will ever be seen. Creative choices like these helped make Ben-Hur as good of a story as it was.
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Chariot statue from the Roman Empire image created by Michel Meynsbrughen at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Michel Meynsbrughen.”

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Feeling too drawn-out: Throughout Ben-Hur, the story felt a little too drawn-out. What made me feel this way was how some scenes seemed to drag on more than others. An example of this is how the introduction to the chariot race felt like it was a few minutes too long. The reason for the length of these scenes is, probably, to satisfy the film’s three-plus hour run-time. To me, I think this movie could have been cut down to, at least, two and a half hours. This way, the main plot could have kept the film’s main focus while having the overall story get straight-to-the-point.
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White horse image created by Gabor Palla at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Gabor Palla.”

My overall impression:

Over these 60 years, this movie has gained “classic” status. From being archived and preserved to appearing on best movie lists, Ben-Hur has earned a respectable reputation as well as many fans. Now that I have seen this film, I can honestly say that the hype was well-earned. I really enjoyed Ben-Hur! I was so engrossed in what I was watching, those three hours felt like they flew by so fast. If you have never seen Ben-Hur, I would highly recommend it! Please don’t let the three-hour run-time intimidate you. This is such a well-told and well-crafted story that truly deserves to be seen. To tell you the truth, if it weren’t for 18 Cinema Lane receiving 60 followers, I might have never seen Ben-Hur. But I’m glad I chose to review this movie for this blog follower dedication post because I had a good time watching it. Once again, I want to say thank you to all my 60 followers!

 

Overall score: 8.7 out of 10

 

Have you seen Ben-Hur? Which 1959 released film is your favorite? Please let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

Though Hallmark Movies & Mysteries doesn’t have seasonal themed line-ups like Hallmark Channel does, they have not wasted any time in starting their mystery movie series for 2019. After two wonderful months of Christmas movies, the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are such a welcoming sight to see. For the first movie of this new year, Hallmark’s second network decided to premiere the start of, potentially, a brand-new series: Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness. Last November, in a Word on the Street post, I speculated that Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness could be a first movie in a new mystery series. As the “Miracles of Christmas” line-up started to wind down, this speculation became a reality as Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was, indeed, a Hallmark movie. Because this film’s synopsis shared several similarities with other series from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I kept low expectations for this movie. However, since this network has, for the most part, had a good track record when it comes to their movies, I chose to watch this film with an open mind. As this is the first review of 2019 for a Hallmark mystery film, let the Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness review begin!

ruby herring -- silent witness poster
Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Ruby+Herring+Mysteries+Silent+Witness

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: For the most part, I thought the acting in Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was good. During her time in the Hallmark community, Taylor Cole has primarily appeared in movies on the Hallmark Channel. This is the first time she has appeared in a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film. To me, Taylor was one of the strongest actors in this cast! She embodied the character of Ruby Herring with versatility and a well-rounded performance, bringing a sense of believability to her role. Stephen Huszar is no stranger to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, with Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness being his fourth film from the network and his second Hallmark mystery movie. Just like Taylor, Stephen embodied this character in a way that appeared very natural and believable! His performance in this film was very enjoyable to watch.

 

The on-screen chemistry: While Taylor and Stephen gave a good acting performance individually, they also gave a good acting performance as a pair. Through-out Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, Taylor and Stephen effectively portrayed two people who have feelings of dislike/like between each other. Their banter was not only well-written, but also well-delivered. Taylor and Stephen’s performances complimented one another, which I thought was good to see in this film. I hope they can appear in more Hallmark movies together!

 

The mystery: I thought this mystery story within Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was well-written! There were enough clues and suspects to keep the story satisfying. I also liked how the story was written in such a way that it leaves the audience guessing until the end. This makes the story intriguing and engaging. Having a consumer investigative reporter solving murder mysteries is an interesting idea for a mystery series, as it provides a unique perspective to a commonly used type of mystery on the network. It shows that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is putting in a conscious effort to give their series its own identity.

Journalist Reporter Profession Isometric Banner
News reporter being filmed image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/journalist-reporter-profession-isometric-banner_2875517.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>, Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The time stamps: In order to break up certain scenes, the creative team behind this film decided to put time stamps throughout the movie. For example, in-between the first and second scene of Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, the words “Day Two – Tuesday” appeared against a black background on-screen. At first, I thought this was an interesting concept. But, as the movie went on, it didn’t seem to add anything to the story. Overall, these time stamps felt random within the context of the movie.

 

A drawn-out story: While watching Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, I felt that this story was a little too drawn-out. Even though the pace of this film was on the slower side, the story itself seemed like it went on longer than it might have been intended.

 

Lack of subplots: As I’ve already mentioned, I really liked this film’s mystery story. It also served as the film’s main plot. But this plot was the only one within the entire movie. Personally, I couldn’t find any substantial subplots while watching the film. Yes, there was a wedding and a baking convention that was brought up within the film’s narrative. However, it felt like these events only served the main plot and didn’t have their own stories to tell.

OYHKOT0
Newspaper image created by Zlatko_plamenov at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/newspaper-mockup_1386098.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Zlatko_plamenov – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was a decent film. However, it was a good start to this particular series. Ruby Herring Mysteries has the potential to be a strong mystery series, like Garage Sale Mystery and the Aurora Teagarden series. Who knows? Maybe there could be a Ruby Herring month! While Hallmark hasn’t made any official announcements yet about any more movies within this series, there are more mystery movies that are on their way on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries! As of January 2019, there are six new mystery movies that have been officially confirmed for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premieres. While most of these movies are brand new series on the network, only one of these movies is a continuation of an already established series, which is Emma Fielding Mysteries: More Bitter Than Death. As I fan of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I am grateful that this network continues to try their best at not only making good mystery movies, but also quality mystery series that are worth celebrating.

 

Overall score: 7.1-7.2 out of 10

 

Have you seen Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness? Which mystery movie are looking forward to seeing? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

 

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: One Winter Proposal Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

Last November, I shared with my readers and followers that One Winter Weekend would receive a sequel. At the time, I had mixed feelings about the idea of this film. On the one hand, One Winter Weekend was placed in the Dishonorable Mentions section of my list of the Top 10 Worst Movies I saw in 2018. On the other hand, I thought the best part of One Winter Weekend was Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams’ acting performance, on-screen chemistry, and their characters. But, like I do with every movie I see (and sometimes review), I decided to watch this sequel, One Winter Proposal, with an open mind. However, because I was not a fan of the first movie, my expectations for the sequel were very low. Did I end up liking One Winter Proposal? Keep reading my review if you want to find out!

one winter proposal poster
One Winter Proposal poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=One+Winter+Proposal.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: One thing that I liked about One Winter Weekend was the performances of Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams! In fact, I thought their performances were better than Jack Turner and Taylor Cole’s performances. In One Winter Proposal, not only did Rukiya and Dewshane give good acting performances, but Taylor and Jack’s performances were stronger than they were in the first movie! The quality in these acting portrayals helped me stay invested in the characters and their stories. Cardi Wong’s performance in this film was such a pleasant surprise. Ethan, a new character in this series, was a very likable character. If this series does receive a third movie, I hope Ethan makes an appearance.

 

The on-screen chemistry: Both One Winter Weekend and One Winter Proposal are character-driven films. This means that one of the things that this story relies on is the on-screen chemistry of its stars. Like I said earlier, the starring cast did a good job when it came to their acting performances. Each on-screen couple also had really good on-screen chemistry, with both of them appearing as if they truly cared about one another. It was nice to see Megan and Sean spend some time together again, as I really liked seeing their relationship develop and progress over time. I also thought Ben’s proposal to Cara was really sweet and romantic.

 

The connections to the first movie: I really liked the connections to One Winter Weekend that were incorporated in One Winter Proposal. An example of this is the inclusion of the wine charms. When Ben and Cara arrive at the resort, Ben presents Cara with her pineapple wine charm from the first movie. Ben also starts his own snowboard company, which is named “Charmed”. Another example is when Megan and Sean participate in a trivia game. Only this time, they are joined by Sean’s niece. These connections were a good, creative way to give the first film recognition.

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Ski lodge during winter-time image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/ski-station-background_3423830.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 I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of conflict: In One Winter Weekend, the main characters not only had to deal with sharing a resort cabin with completer strangers and getting caught in a snowstorm, but they also had to deal with their own personal issues. In One Winter Proposal, there really wasn’t an over-arcing conflict and the characters dealt with very few issues. In fact, the plans in this movie seemed to go more smoothly than in the first movie. The lack of problem-solving made the film a little less interesting.

 

A weaker plot: Like I just mentioned, One Winter Proposal did not have an over-arcing conflict. This movie also didn’t have an over-arcing plot. This caused One Winter Proposal to be fueled on several, smaller stories. These stories felt closer to real-life situations, such as Ben’s business meetings getting cancelled due to last minute interruptions. Because of this creative decision, it made the film feel like a “slice of life” story.

 

Some of the characters’ decisions: There were a few times when a character made a decision that, to me, seemed ridiculous. A perfect example is when Cara decides to create two main characters for her novel that are based on her and Ben, but forgetting that she made this choice until after her book was published. I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief for a Hallmark movie. However, I found decisions like Cara’s to be a little too unbelievable.

Woman in ski suit looks over her shoulder going down the hill on
Snowboarder on the slopes image created by Freepic.diller at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-in-ski-suit-looks-over-her-shoulder-going-down-the-hill-on-her-snowboard_1620624.htm’>Designed by Freepic.diller</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/tree”>Tree image created by Freepic.diller – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Movie sequels from Hallmark can be very hit or miss. Some sequels have been really good, such as Wedding of Dreams. Other sequels ended up being disappointing, like All of My Heart: Inn Love. As a movie, I thought One Winter Proposal was decent. As a sequel, I thought it was better than the first movie! For me, this is a huge improvement as well as a step forward. One Winter Proposal surpassed my very low expectations and I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would. This gives me hope that this particular series could grow into a really good collection of films. So far, I have enjoyed the films that “Winterfest” has offered. I hope that the rest of the films, as well as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ upcoming films, are just as enjoyable!

 

Overall score: 7 out of 10

 

Did you watch One Winter Proposal? What are your thoughts on “Winterfest” so far? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Moon-Spinners Review + 55 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Last weekend, I achieved 55 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! What a great way to start the new year! As I did last year, I will continue to review films that were released in the same amount of years as the number of followers I received. Because 55 is the number of followers I now have, this review will be about a film that was released 55 years ago (in 1964). I ended up choosing The Moon-Spinners because a) It happened to be on my DVR and b) it was a movie that I was meaning to watch last year, but never got around to it. Before last year, I had never heard of this movie or the Island of Crete. Because of this location and the story itself, I was really excited to see this film! I also have seen some of Hayley Mills’ other films, which were The Parent Trip, That Darn Cat, and pieces of Pollyanna. Because I have enjoyed those films, I had a feeling that I would probably enjoy The Moon-Spinners. Was I right in my prediction? Join me on my 11th review in my blog follower dedication series!

the moon-spinners poster
The Moon-Spinners poster created by Walt Disney Productions and Buena Vista Distribution. ©Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Image found at https://movies.disney.com/the-moon-spinners.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I really liked the cast of The Moon-Spinners! Everyone was so talented in this film, bringing the best of their acting abilities to their specific role. Hayley’s portrayal of Nikky was such a highlight in this film, making her performance as believable as possible. In the scene where Nikky has to escape from a windmill, the emotion of fear appeared so convincingly, that it truly made me believe that Hayley’s character was actually afraid of heights. I also liked Peter McEnery’s portrayal of Mark. Peter brought just as much believability to his role as Hayley did, helping me to stay invested in Mark’s involvement in the overall story. Whenever Mark was in pain, Peter affectively conveyed that emotion of pain on-screen.

 

The mystery story: In some mystery stories, the event that caused the mystery is usually shown within the first few minutes of the movie. This leads the rest of the movie to show how the characters solve the mystery. In The Moon-Spinners, the mystery unfolded as the story went along, allowing the audience to experience the surprises and react alongside the characters. I feel this was an engaging experience because it made me feel like I was on this journey alongside the protagonist, not just sitting in my seat and watching things happen on my screen.

 

The setting/scenery: The Moon-Spinners not only took place in Crete, but the movie itself was also filmed in Crete. The scenery that is found on this island was showcased very well in this film. What I liked about the scenery was how the different parts of Crete were incorporated into the story. While one part of the story took place at the beach, another part took place within ancient ruins. This showed the variety of locations that Crete had to offer, giving viewers a well-rounded depiction of this beautiful Greek location.

Beautiful clean sea and waves. Summer background for travel and holidays. Greece Crete.. Amazing scenery on the beach.
Beach in Crete, Greece image created by Montypeter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/beautiful-clean-sea-and-waves-summer-background-for-travel-and-holidays-greece-crete-amazing-sce_2924526.htm’>Designed by Montypeter</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Montypeter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A small presence of musicology: In The Moon-Spinners, Nikky’s aunt, Frances, is a musicologist. This aspect of Frances’ character really fascinated me because I had never heard of this particular occupation before. I became more interested in musicology and how it could play a role in this film’s mystery story. However, there was only one scene that actually featured musicology in action. Also, musicology did not play a role within the mystery narrative. This was really disappointing because what I thought was such an interesting concept ended up becoming under-utilized.

 

Some of the night-time scenes: While watching this film, I noticed that some of the night-time scenes looked like were filmed in the day-time, but with a dark lens placed over the camera. I understand that film technology from the early to mid-60s is very different from the film technologies of the 2010s. However, this is just something that I noticed, with this knowledge staying in the back of my mind as these scenes played out on my television screen.

 

A limited presence of Greek culture: As I mentioned in my introduction, I had never heard of Crete prior to watching The Moon-Spinners. So, I was interested in seeing how the important parts that make up Crete (the people, customs, traditions, etc.) would be incorporated into this story. While this movie touched upon a wedding, a parade, and how The Moon-Spinners Inn acquired its name, the customs and traditions of Crete did not play as large of a role in the film as I had hoped. Plus, these things were not incorporated into the film’s mystery narrative at all.

Greece Symbols Touristic Set Flat Composition
Essential items from Greece image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/greece-symbols-touristic-set-flat-composition_2869836.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/poster”>Poster vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I really enjoyed The Moon-Spinners! Even though there were things about the film that could have better, I still thought the movie was good. The Moon-Spinners was an engaging and suspenseful mystery, with really good pieces incorporated into the film. Out of the two and a half films of Hayley Mills’ that I’ve seen, this movie is very different from those aforementioned movies. But, if you are a fan of Hayley Mills, I think you will enjoy The Moon-Spinners. I’m really glad I was finally able to see this film! It’s always great to discover new films, possibly find a hidden gem, and share them with others. Thank you to all of my 55 followers, as this review would not have been possible without you.

 

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on my review? Which Hayley Mills film is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Winter Castle Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

For my first movie review of 2019, I decided to talk about a Hallmark movie. Since the last Hallmark movie I discussed was When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing and since Hallmark Channel’s “Winterfest” line-up just started, I figured this would be a good time to talk about Winter Castle. My primary reason for wanting to see this film was because of the ice hotel setting. This is the first time that an ice hotel has ever been featured in any kind of Hallmark movie, so I was really excited to see the creativity that this story had to offer. I was also looking forward to seeing Emilie Ullerup and Kevin McGarry’s performances in this film. Besides Chesapeake Shores, I have seen Emilie appear in some of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered films, as well as With Love, Christmas. When it comes to Kevin’s acting abilities, I have seen his performance in A Song for Christmas and Love at First Bark. This is also the first Hallmark movie where both Emilie and Kevin starred as the film’s leads. Did I think this movie was cool? Or did it make me feel bitter cold? Bundle up and grab some hot chocolate as I prepare to review Winter Castle!

winter castle poster
Winter Castle 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=Winter+Castle

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I really liked all of the performances from this cast! The acting in Winter Castle was so good, it made the characters feel like they were real-life individuals. As I said in my introduction, I have seen Emilie and Kevin’s acting performances before. In this movie, I ended up being really impressed by both of their performances! In the scene where Jenny, Emilie’s character, was visiting the ice slide, the joy and excitement that she expressed in that scene looked and felt genuine. Kevin’s performance appeared genuine as well, making his portrayal of Craig as well-rounded as possible.

 

The setting: According to IMDB, Winter Castle was filmed at Hotel de Glace, a real-life ice hotel in Canada. I think this hotel and the areas surrounding it were captured very well on film! Everything about this hotel was so beautiful, it makes me understand why someone would want to get married there. All of the artwork on the walls was exquisite and magnificent, with the ice chandeliers being really cool to look at! From the snowy forests to the quaint little town, all of the settings look great in this movie and served the story well.

 

The relationships between the characters: As I just mentioned, I liked the acting performances from Winter Castle’s cast! Because of how good these acting abilities were, it helped make all of the relationships amongst every character feel very realistic. All of the on-screen couples in this film had good on-screen chemistry, each of them appearing like they truly cared about each other. The non-romantic relationships also appeared like the people involved in them really got along with each other. A good example of this is any scene where Jenny, Craig, and Sara were spending time together. The relationships that these three characters had with one another came across really believably.

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Fairytale castle image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fairy-tale-castle_837803.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/design”>Designvector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The changing of locations: In Winter Castle, almost every member of the wedding party stayed at the ice hotel. However, they ate the majority of their meals in a restaurant that was separate from the hotel. I found this to be really confusing, especially since most hotels have restaurants within their facilities. Because this movie was filmed in a real-life hotel, I’m not sure if the change in locations was a hotel related or movie production related decision.

 

Very few strong conflicts: While there were some conflicts within Winter Castle’s narrative, I was only able to find one that I felt was strong. The subplot of Jenny writing a story based on her trip was my favorite, as her struggle to grow her career was the strongest conflict in the film. The other plots in the film were fine, but not as compelling as I had hoped. This didn’t make me like the movie any less, but it left more of this movie’s story-telling department to be desired.

 

The wedding subplot getting overshadowed: When I watched this movie, I noticed that the wedding subplot seemed to get overshadowed by the main plot of Jenny and Craig falling in love. It got to the point where I questioned why this movie needed a wedding subplot at all. This narrative could have simply been about the protagonist going on vacation with her family and it really wouldn’t have changed the story. Maybe I would have felt differently if the wedding subplot was a main plot instead.

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Snowy mountain image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-background-of-snow-track-and-mountains_968656.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.

My overall impression:

Winter Castle was not only a good start to the “Winterfest” line-up, it was also a good start for Hallmark Channel’s new year! While this movie had its flaws, I still thought it was a good film. As I’ve read the synopsis of the other films in the “Winterfest” line-up, I’ve noticed that Hallmark is starting to incorporate more creativity into their films. This makes me happy because, to me, Hallmark has what it takes to be as creative and imaginative as they want to be. Take Winter Castle for example, the setting itself was very creative and it made the movie that much more enjoyable for me. I really hope that Hallmark continues to incorporate more creativity into their films because there are so many more stories that I could see them sharing with their audience. If Hallmark keeps bringing imagination, creativity, and quality into their films, then I think they can continue to find success.

 

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

 

Have you seen Winter Castle? Which “Winterfest” movie are you anticipating the most? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen