Tag: movie reviews

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Welcome back to my second review for this year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month! I’m so glad that guests of 18 Cinema Lane have taken an interest in not just the Garage Sale Mystery series, but other films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as well. I was pleasantly surprised when my Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders review received a total of 55 views and counting! It seemed that people enjoyed that review to the point where it encouraged me to review Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder, the second part of Garage Sale Mystery Month. I will admit that when I read the official synopsis for the film, it reminded me of Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters quite a bit. Because both films have a plot that centers around a storage facility, I was hoping that this latest Garage Sale Mystery film wasn’t a rehash of story material that has already been told. Did a brand-new plot emerge from a “tried and true” story idea? Read my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder for this answer and my opinion on the film to be revealed!

GSM The Mask Murder poster
Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder 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=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Garage+Sale+Mysteries+The+Mask+Murder.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: One of the various elements of the Garage Sale Mystery series that has remained consistent since the very beginning has been the overall quality of the acting performances. This is especially the case for the second part in this year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month! The cast of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder was good! Every actress and actor pulled off a memorable performance that made me enjoy the film even more. All of the cast members shined in this movie, including those who portrayed minor characters. Michael P. Northey and Jeffrey Ballard both portrayed side characters in Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder. However, both of them gave such a strong performance, bringing the right amount of emotion and believability to their respective roles.

 

The mystery: In Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder, the plot that involved the titular mystery was really well-written! As I’ve said before, I had my concerns about this film’s plot feeling like a rehashed version of Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters. But, Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder’s story was different from that film, with new characters and subplots that made the movie feel unique within this series. I won’t give anything away if you haven’t watched this film yet, but the reveal of the guilty character totally caught me by surprise!

 

Hannah’s subplot: The subplot that Hannah was given in Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder was much better than her subplot in the previous Garage Sale Mystery film. In the second film within Garage Sale Mystery Month, Hannah and her dad, Jason, joined Hannah’s sorority in a contest where they were required to build a tiny house for the homeless. I found this storyline to be very interesting and enjoyable! The concept of taking a relevant idea, like tiny houses, and pairing it with a volunteer opportunity was very clever! Also, I liked how more than one character was able to share this subplot and have a purpose for being present within that subplot. Looking back on this story, I’m really surprised that the Fixer Upper Mystery series didn’t feature a plot like this in one of their movies.

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Mask with smiling face image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/white-plain-mask-for-halloween_1321722.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of a subplot for Logan: In my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders, I shared that Logan’s subplot was one of the things I didn’t like about that film. When I discovered that Logan didn’t receive a subplot in Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder, I was disappointed. Logan did play a significant role within the aforementioned subplot involving Hannah and Jason, but I was just hoping Logan would obtain a subplot that was better than the last one he was given.

 

The under-utilization of Ryan: Cory Rempel’s character, Ryan, was introduced in the previous Garage Sale Mystery film as Hannah’s friend who later became her boyfriend. When I, as an audience member, learned that Ryan was a police officer, I thought that he would assist Jennifer in solving various mysteries in upcoming Garage Sale Mystery films. Unfortunately, this was not the case in Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder. Not only that, he wasn’t really a part of the subplot featuring Hannah and Jason either. Toward the end of the film, Ryan did express interest in becoming a detective, so I’m hoping that he can play an integral role when it comes to solving each film’s mystery.

 

Not enough clues: Within all of the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, each film has a certain number of clues that help the protagonist and the authorities solve each respective film’s case. In Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder, however, I felt there were not enough clues to satisfy the story. A good amount of statements from witnesses and suspects were provided in this film, but few items that were incorporated in this movie were actually identified as clues. When I think about this movie, I can only think of five or less clues from this film’s case, such as a mask and a hat.

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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:

This was a much better film than Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders! When it comes to movie line-ups, whether they appear on Hallmark Channel or Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the first movie is, sometimes, the weakest entry. This was definitely the case for Hailey Dean Mystery Month, where the first movie was decent, but the rest of the movies got stronger as the month went on. Last year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month experienced the same issue. Garage Sale Mystery: The Beach Murder was, to me, the weakest out of those four films. The other three movies became much more enjoyable throughout the month of August. While we’re on the subject of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder, there was one scene where Jennifer went to a movie theater named Hollywood 3 Cinemas. For a while, I’ve wanted to see a Garage Sale Mystery movie that focused on either movie memorabilia or had a mystery centered around a movie theater. After seeing that scene in this latest Garage Sale Mystery film, it made me want to see a movie themed mystery film even more! If more films continue to be created in the Garage Sale Mystery series, maybe my wish will, one day, come true.

 

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

 

Are you enjoying Garage Sale Mystery Month so far? What type of location would you like to see featured in a future Garage Sale Mystery film? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Love at Sea Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

It’s been a month since I reviewed a Hallmark Channel movie. This gave me a good excuse to watch and review Love at Sea! When I found out the movie’s plot would take place on a cruise ship, I immediately became excited for the film’s arrival! Hallmark does not often incorporate cruises into their movies. The only other Hallmark movie that featured a cruise in their film’s plot was The Mystery Cruise. If you read my list of the Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time, you would remember that The Mystery Cruise was placed in the Top 5 (that’s how much I didn’t like that film). For Love at Sea, however, I watched the movie with an open mind and hoped for the best. Did this movie swim with success or sink with a low score? Hop on board and set sail to my review of Love at Sea!

Love at Sea poster
Love at Sea 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=Love+at+Sea.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the acting in Love at Sea was fine. The performance that really impressed me was Carlos PenaVega’s! The role that he was given felt like it was the right fit for his acting abilities, highlighting his acting skills and helping him shine as much as possible. Carlos’ portrayal of Tony felt believable, his reactions and emotions appeared natural on-screen. Though this is only his second lead role in a Hallmark movie, Carlos has quickly become an important member of the Hallmark community. Carlos, from a talent perspective, definitely has what it takes to lead more Hallmark productions to come!

 

The incorporation of Royal Caribbean: Love at Sea was the first Hallmark movie that has ever been filmed on a real-life cruise ship. Because the story and film’s production took place on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, there was bound to be product placement featured throughout the film. However, the way the Royal Caribbean brand was incorporated into the film didn’t feel like Hallmark was trying to sell a product. Instead, it felt like the movie was making their audience aware of the particular product. There were only a few times when the company or cruise ship name was mentioned by any of the characters. While there were several items with the Royal Caribbean logo on them, they didn’t receive special attention and were showcased in a way that felt natural with what might be seen on a name brand cruise.

 

Carlos’ singing performance: Before Carlos joined the Hallmark family, I knew that he was a former member of the singing group, Big Time Rush. Prior to this film, I had never heard Carlos sing in a solo performance before. When he performed Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” in Love at Sea, I was blown away by how wonderful Carlos’ performance was! I hope that if Carlos is cast in another Hallmark Christmas movie, he gets the chance to sing a Christmas song within that film!

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Cruise ship near an island image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/holiday-background-on-a-cruise_1182003.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:

The miscasting of the lead: While watching Love at Sea, I could tell that Alexa PenaVega was trying the best she could with the acting material she was provided. However, there were a few moments where her performance felt more emotionally exaggerated than it could have been. It seemed like this was the result of the role not being the right fit for Alexa’s acting abilities. Alexa is a good actress and she has proven in the past that she, talent wise, has what it takes to lead a Hallmark production. But, I think this role should have been given to another actress or it should have been rewritten to compliment Alexa’s acting talents.

 

Lack of on-screen chemistry: In last year’s Hallmark Christmas movie, Enchanted Christmas, one of the best parts about that film was the on-screen chemistry between Alexa and Carlos. In Love at Sea, however, Alexa and Carlos’ on-screen chemistry was non-existent. Both Alexa and Carlos are good actors, individually and as a couple. But, I never felt like their characters were falling in love. There wasn’t any on-screen chemistry between Alexa and Edward Finlay either, even though both of them are good actors.

 

The plot: There were several issues I had with this plot. The first issue is the story surrounding Alexandra’s event. Whenever any of the characters brought this subject up, I found myself feeling bored and uninterested. Another issue with this plot was how confusing some parts of it seemed. I was confused with what Alexandra’s niche was supposed to be. Some of the characters in Love at Sea mentioned that Alexandra was a Youtuber, but I was having a difficult time figuring out why, exactly, she was well known. I also didn’t understand why an individual rising Youtube star, like Alexandra, would need to host a large cruise-wide event. An issue that appeared more than once in this plot was having events announced by one of the characters, but the event not being featured in the film. A good example is the anticipated cooking competition, where only the final results from this event were shown in the movie, despite the building anticipation for the competition for about half the film.

 

The under-utilization of the cruise itself: Love at Sea was not only the second Hallmark movie that incorporated a cruise into their film’s plot, but the first time a Hallmark movie was filmed on a real-life cruise ship. Because of this, there were several creative avenues this story could have traveled on. Carlos’ character, Tony, says that he likes making a positive impact on people’s lives and meeting guests from around the world. Unfortunately, the story feels so isolated and closed off from the cruise itself, that it takes away any chances for the audience to get to know and experience the various characters and stories that could have been included in this film’s plot. What would be interesting is a cruise themed movie with a storyline like The Christmas Hope, where there are multiple characters with interconnected stories.

 

Unnecessary side characters and subplots: As I’ve mentioned before, Edward Finlay is a good actor. In fact, I really liked Edward’s performance in Love at Sea! But it felt like his character, Miles, was placed in this movie just for the sake of being there. Also, Miles didn’t receive his own subplot. Two side characters that did receive their own subplot were Maeve (portrayed by Audrey Landers) and Wes (portrayed by William R. Moses), but it was weaker than the other plots and felt unnecessary within the overall story.

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Cruise vacation items created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/summer”>Summer vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/summer-elements-collection-in-flat-style_2345793.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Love at Sea was a disappointing film. Hallmark had so many opportunities and creative choices to make a film that was intriguing and memorable, especially when they had a cruise ship as a backdrop. However, they missed the boat (no pun intended) as well as all the possibilities at their disposal. I am always excited when Hallmark makes creative choices that are unique and interesting, so it’s disappointing when these creative choices don’t reach their full potential. As a Hallmark fan, I do feel that both networks try their best when it comes to making movies. But, not every movie on either network can be a winner. I am looking forward to Carlos and Alexa’s next Hallmark project, whatever that may be! All I hope is that their next movie is given a better story from start to finish.

 

Overall score: 5.6 out of 10

 

Have you seen Love at Sea? Are you enjoying Hallmark’s “Summer Nights” line-up so far? Tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With the start of August also comes the start of Garage Sale Mystery Month! In honor of this joyous occasion, I have decided to review all four Garage Sale Mystery films, starting with Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders! The Garage Sale Mystery series is one of my favorite series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. For five years, this series has been consistent when it comes to talent, quality, and intrigue. The idea of having a protagonist incorporate detective work with something that is near and dear to their heart (in Jennifer’s case, garage sale shopping) is something that Hallmark has quickly capitalized on, creating more mystery movies on the network that follow a similar formula. When the first Garage Sale Mystery Month took place last August, it not only helped the Garage Sale Mystery series remain one of the biggest staples on the network, but it also helped the other series on Hallmark Movie & Mysteries gain the opportunities to grow. One recent example is the Hailey Dean Mystery Month in June. Now that I said everything I wanted to about the Garage Sale Mystery series, let’s finally begin this review of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders!

GSM Pandora's Box Murders poster
Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Garage+Sale+Mysteries+The+Pandora%27s+Box+Murders.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: This latest film in the Garage Sale Mystery series has a good cast! Everyone’s character portrayals were very well done, with each actor providing a good amount of versatility to their specific role. Lori Loughlin’s acting talents have always been a highlight to this series! As a fan of When Calls the Heart, I feel that Lori has “star power” in the Hallmark community, shining brightly in each and every Hallmark production she appears in. Another star from this film (who also happens to appear on When Calls the Heart) that has a delightful on-screen presence is Eva Bourne. After first seeing her appear on When Calls the Heart in the show’s second season, I have always been impressed with her acting abilities. Eva’s portrayal of Hannah Shannon has been consistently good, adding more talent to an already talented cast! As of August 2018, Eva has only appeared in the Garage Sale Mystery series and the When Calls the Heart show/movies. I hope that Eva can be cast in more Hallmark movies, maybe even a Hallmark Christmas movie besides the annual When Calls the Heart production.

 

The mystery: In Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders, there were two murder mysteries that were correlated to each other. Also, a mystery surrounding a beloved puzzle box was featured within the film’s main plot. The addition of this puzzle box was intriguing because it gave the audience an interesting piece of the story to focus on besides the murder mystery itself. It also added a new element to this series, as puzzles are typically not featured in the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The puzzle box plot was creative and engaging.

 

The humor: A murder mystery is almost always the prime focus in the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. This is no different for the Garage Sale Mystery series. An element that has been consistent in Garage Sale Mystery is the incorporation of humor. The amount of humor within Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders and throughout the Garage Sale Mystery series has been enough to not make the overall tone of the series feel like “doom and gloom” but still recognize the seriousness of each murder case. Whether it is the friendly banter between Jennifer and Tramell or a humorous comment one of the characters make during a more light-hearted moment, the use of comedy in the Garage Sale Mystery adds charm and personality to this series.

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Woman solving wooden puzzle photo created by Asier_relampagoestudio at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-with-suit-resolving-a-wooden-intelligence-game_1023902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business image created by Asier_relampagoestudio – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The start time of the mystery: In Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders, the puzzle box was introduced within the first 20 minutes of the film. However, the murder mystery didn’t start until about 21 minutes after the film began. If you read my review for Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game, you would remember that 10 to 15 minutes is what I think is the ideal start time for a mystery. The sooner the mystery starts, the sooner the audience can join the protagonist to help solve the case.

 

The subplots: While Jennifer was busy starring on a reality tv show and solving three mysteries, both of her children were given their own subplot. Hannah met a police officer who ended up becoming her boyfriend. After experiencing a fender bender, Logan takes responsible for his mistake. These subplots weren’t bad, they just didn’t spark as much intrigue as the mysteries themselves.

 

A slower pace: In the Garage Sale Mystery series, the films usually have a faster pace. This helps the mystery’s suspense and intrigue remain consistent throughout the film. In the latest Garage Sale Mystery film, the pace was on the slower side, making scenes and stories feel drawn out.

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Magnifying fingerprints image created by Balintseby at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Balintseby – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fingerprint-investigation_789253.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders was a decent start to Garage Sale Mystery Month. Because there are three more movies yet to premiere, I hope the rest of the movies get stronger as the month goes on. Garage Sale Mystery was the pioneering series of month-long storytelling, with no other mystery series attempting to release back-to-back films until Garage Sale Mystery Month started last August. Since 2013, the Garage Sale Mystery series has only gotten stronger, with more stories left to tell and more mysteries left to solve. One could say that this series opened the doors for the other mystery series that would come in later years, like the Murder She Baked series and one of the newer series, Darrow & Darrow. As Hallmark Movies & Mysteries continues to create more mystery series, let us not forget that Garage Sale Mysteries the series that, essentially, started it all.

 

Overall score: 7 out of 10

 

Have you seen the Garage Sale Mystery films? Are you excited for Garage Sale Mystery Month? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Rugrats Go Wild Review + 15 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last week, I achieved the milestone of receiving 15 followers! As usual, I am reviewing a movie that, in 2018, is turning the same age as the number of followers I have on 18 Cinema Lane. When thinking about which movie I would review next, I realized that the five and ten follower dedication reviews were about films that were more serious in tone (Saving Mr. Banks was a drama and The Dark Knight is a darker superhero film). To change things up a little bit, I’ve chosen Rugrats Go Wild as the film I would review in honor of 18 Cinema Lane’s fifteen followers! Besides picking a film that was more light-hearted, I decided to review Rugrats Go Wild because:

  1. I’ve never reviewed an animated film on my blog before
  2. This is the only Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys movie I haven’t seen
  3. I talked about the upcoming Rugrats television show and movie in a Word on the Street post last month
  4. On September 1st, The Wild Thornberrys will be celebrating its 20th anniversary
  5. Rugrats Go Wild was released 15 years ago (in 2003)

I am a fan of both Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys, but I haven’t seen an episode of either show in several years. Though I have seen The Wild Thornberrys Movie, The Rugrats Movie, and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, I haven’t watched those movies in a number of years. Despite all this, was I able to find any enjoyment in this movie? Pack your bags and take a trip to my review of Rugrats Go Wild to find out!

Rugrats Go Wild poster
Rugrats Go Wild poster created by Paramount Pictures. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rugrats_go_wildposter.jpg.

Things I liked about the film:

The voice acting: I liked how the creative team behind this movie cast most of the original voice actors from both shows to star in this movie. It helped keep the continuity alive not only for the characters, but also for each show. The only character that had to be recast was Chuckie Finster, but Nancy Cartwright’s (the voice actress who was cast as Chuckie in Rugrats Go Wild) voice acting performance sounded pretty close to how Chuckie normally sounded on the show that, at least for me, didn’t seem to make a difference. I was also pleasantly surprised by Bruce Willis’ voice performance as Spike (the Pickles’ family dog from Rugrats)

 

The character interactions: As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m a fan of both Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. With that in mind, it was nice to see the different character interaction combinations that took place in this film. One interesting example was having Nigel Thornberry supervise Tommy and his friends on their adventure. From what I remember, Nigel wasn’t really portrayed as being a silly, humorous character on The Wild Thornberrys. Having him interact with Tommy and his friends showed fans of the show a different side to the character that we’ve rarely seen. My favorite character interaction moment was when Angelica (my favorite Rugrats character) and Debbie (my favorite character from The Wild Thornberrys) sang their duet of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash! It just brought such a huge smile on my face and made me so happy!

 

The humor: More often than not, both Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys are known for being light-hearted shows. The humor in Rugrats Go Wild felt on-par with both shows, having the film’s comedic elements compliment each show. Never did it feel like the comedy from Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys clashed with each other. While watching this movie, I noticed a few movie and pop culture references that I not only thought were funny, but that I was able to understand.

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Tropical island image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/island-background-design_1020626.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Some of the musical numbers: There are about six musical moments that are featured within Rugrats Go Wild’s 80-minute run-time. Out of those six moments, there were two musical pieces that I was not a fan of: when Tommy and his friends sing “It’s a Jungle Out Here” and Spike’s musical number. These musical pieces were, to me, too long and they felt like material that was created just to fill time. Rugrats Go Wild is not an animated musical like some other beloved animated films (example: The Lion King). With that said, the aforementioned musical pieces didn’t add anything to the movie, as well as feel unnecessary and random.

 

Too many subplots: Rugrats Go Wild has two main plots, one given to each show. Along with those main plots, there are about seven subplots that were written into this film. While all of these plots were resolved relatively well, it still felt like there was a little too much going on in the story overall. In this film, there were interesting and creative story elements that were brought up, but never revisited. A good example of this is when Lil doesn’t want to eat bugs anymore and Phil is shocked by Lil’s refusal to participate in the same activities like before. The idea of Phil and Lil, who are known in the Rugrats world for sticking together as siblings and twins, having different interests despite being twins sounds interesting for their character development and from a story-telling perspective. However, because of how many stories were told in this movie, those concepts seemed to be forgotten.

 

The movie not feeling like a movie: With the combination of two of Nickelodeon’s most beloved shows, at that time, Rugrats Go Wild sounds like it could have been an “event film” (an example of this is Avengers: Infinity War or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2). The longer I watched the movie, the more it felt like a glorified television show episode. When I think about theatrically released films, what comes to mind are stories that are too great in scope to be told on television. The stories that were told in Rugrats Go Wild didn’t feel any different from what would have taken place in an episode of either Rugrats or The Wild Thornberrys. The only notable difference is having most of the characters from both shows sharing the big screen.

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Colorful travel suitcase image created by Pikisuperstar at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/beautiful-illustration-of-travel_2686674.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/watercolor”>Watercolor vector created by Pikisuperstar – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

For an animated movie, as well as a Rugrats/The Wild Thornberrys production, I thought this was a good movie! I think that fans of both shows will enjoy this movie, especially since the movie keeps the continuity of Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. But, as I fan myself, I am willing to point out the flaws this movie has. I respect the ambitious and creative ideas that the creative team behind this movie were trying to incorporate in Rugrats Go Wild. However, because of how many stories were featured in this movie and because this movie felt more like a TV show episode, I feel that Rugrats Go Wild should have been a two to three-part crossover episode. That way, if each part were one hour, the stories could be fleshed out more and interesting story elements could be further explored. To me, this sounds better than having nine plots stuffed into an 80-minute movie. As I wrap up this review, I’d like to take a moment to thank all of my followers. You are one of the reasons why this review exists and why this blog is becoming successful.

 

Overall score: 7.5-7.6 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of the Rugrats and/or The Wild Thornberrys movies? Which animated shows would you like to see in a crossover movie or television show episode? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game Review

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

It seems like my posts and reviews about Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films are a big hit on 18 Cinema Lane. My most popular movie review is my Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill review at 131 views and counting! The Word on the Street post about Marrying Father Christmas going into production is the most popular post on my blog at 212 views and counting! To keep up with this apparent demand, I decided to review Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game. Back in April, I reviewed Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery, giving the movie the score of 7 and receiving pretty good feedback on the review itself (that review got 3 likes and 10 views). Then, in May, I shared the official synopsis for Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game in a Word on the Street post. In that post, I speculated that Niall Matter’s character, Nick Miller, could replace Martin as Aurora’s love interest. Was my speculation correct? Solve this mystery by reading my review of Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game!

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries -- The Disappearing Game poster
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game 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=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Aurora+Teagarden+Mysteries+The+Disappearing+Game.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: This cast was solid! Everyone in this movie gave such a memorable performance! While watching this film, there were two actors that really stood out to me. One of them was Niall Matter, who, I think, gave the best performance in any Hallmark movie he’s starred in this year (so far). There was one scene where his character, Nick, was talking to Aurora about the murder victim. In that moment, his eyes looked as if they contained so much pain, showing just how much emotion Niall gave to that portrayal. The other actor is Curtis Tweedie, who portrayed Brian, one of the students at Lawrenceton College. Curtis packed so much emotion into his role that my heart actually went out to his character, feeling bad for him whenever he was upset. Though Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game was Curtis’ first Hallmark movie, I would love to see him star in more Hallmark productions, especially a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie!

 

The interactions between characters: Something that always remained consistent in the Aurora Teagarden series is the various interactions between the characters. It’s always nice to see favorites from the series, such as Aurora and Aida, interacting with new characters, like their cousin/nephew Phillip. Anytime a new character is introduced in this series, it feels like they are effortlessly woven into each story or the series as a whole. The characters’ connections to each other and the conversations they share are always a delight, especially in Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game. Nick, for example, was introduced in this movie as a new character in the series. However, Niall not only fit in amongst the cast, but his character fit in amongst the different characters as well, whether they were new-comers or veterans to the series.

 

The mystery: In most mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the primary focus is placed on solving the murder mystery. With Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game, Aurora and her friends were also trying to solve a kidnapping case. This second mystery added a new layer to this series and told a story that is rarely written into a mystery movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Having more than one mystery also maintained the amount of intrigue that is expected in the Aurora Teagarden series.

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Money image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/bills-and-coins-in-isometric-design_1065328.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Arthur’s lack of screen time: For three years, the Aurora Teagarden series has introduced their audience to several memorable characters. One of them is Arthur Smith, who is portrayed by Peter Benson. Known as the husband of Captain Lynn Liggett-Smith and for telling Aurora to let the police solve the mystery on more than one occasion, Arthur has appeared in all nine Aurora Teagarden films. However, in Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game, it seemed like Arthur didn’t receive as much screen time compared to the other films in the series. In the latest Aurora Teagarden film, it felt, to me, like Arthur’s significance as a character got reduced.

 

Aurora and Nick’s limited amount of time together: Nick Miller, one of the newest characters in this series, is Aurora’s next-door neighbor. Throughout Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game, there were subtle hints to the idea of Nick and Aurora pursuing a romantic relationship. While it’s understandable for the screen-writers to take their time when developing this on-screen relationship, I feel that Aurora and Nick didn’t spend enough time together. The amount of time they spent together on-screen was so limited, it was hard to determine if Candace Cameron Bure and Niall Matter had good on-screen chemistry.

 

The mystery’s start time: Usually, the start of a mystery movie’s mystery takes place within the first few minutes of the film. For Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game, the start of the film’s mystery didn’t happen until about 20 minutes into the movie. Personally, I think this length of time was a little too long. The ideal amount of time for a movie’s mystery to start, in my opinion, is somewhere between 10 to 15 minutes.

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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:

I really enjoyed Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game! It was better than Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery and it continued to spark my interest in this series. Something that I’m definitely looking forward to seeing in these movies is the growth of Aurora and Nick’s relationship. As Rick said in Casablanca, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”. His quote can definitely be applied to Aurora and Nick’s friendship, as their story is far from over. As for the Aurora Teagarden series, I would still like to see an Aurora Teagarden Mystery Month, similar to the Garage Sale Mystery Month in August and Hailey Dean Mystery Month in June. The Aurora Teagarden series is still one of the strongest movie series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, so I do think this idea could work. As long as there are stories to tell, there will always be a mystery for Aurora to solve.

 

Overall score: 7.7-7.8 out of 10

 

Have you seen the Aurora Teagarden movies? Which movie in the series is your favorite? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Dark Knight Review + 10 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

Before my hiatus last week, I shared that I had finally reached my 10-follower milestone! Like I did with my Saving Mr. Banks review, I chose to, once again, review a movie that correlated with the follower milestone. Now, it’s time for me to talk about a film that was released 10 years ago (in 2008). Since July 18 marks the 10th anniversary of The Dark Knight and with San Diego Comic Con also starting on July 18th, I figured this particular Batman movie would be the appropriate film to discuss while celebrating these two occasions. The Dark Knight is the only Batman film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy that I have never seen in its entirety. For years, both film and Batman fans have sung the praises of this movie and applauded certain performances, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker being the most notable. But in a cinematic world where the Marvel superheroes have become the kings and queens of the theatrical coliseum, does The Dark Knight still have what it takes to stand the test of time? I’m glad you flew in, because that’s exactly what we’re about to find out.

The Dark Knight poster
The Dark Knight poster created by Warner Bros. Pictures. Image found at https://www.warnerbros.com/dark-knight

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I think the whole cast in this movie was great! Every single actor and actress stepped up their A-game to bring the best that their acting abilities had to offer. In The Dark Knight, the villains were definitely the highlights of this film! For 10 years now, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker has been well-liked by many movie-goers. I agree with those movie-goers, as Heath’s performance was one of the best parts of this film. The Joker reminded me a lot of Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War, a man who not only felt and came across as unstoppable, but also a man who thought that his actions and way of thinking was justifiable. Heath’s performance itself was very chilling and, at times, made the Joker appear really disturbing. Aaron Eckhart also shined in The Dark Knight with his portrayal of Harvey Dent. Aaron effortlessly brought the versatility and the right amount of emotions to his role, effectively bringing those ingredients to a multi-dimensional character like Harvey Dent.

 

The pace: The Dark Knight is a two-and-a-half-hour film, but it never feels like it drags on for too long or ends too quickly. There are enough stories within this movie to satisfy the film’s time limit, with these stories being drawn out at just the right length.

 

The right amount of exposition: Because The Dark Knight was released three years after Batman Begins, exposition was going to be a necessary component. However, there was enough exposition in this film to give audience members the ability to follow the story with little to no confusion. Also, the exposition was dispersed throughout the movie instead of just clumped into the first few minutes.

2 joker cards
Pair of joker playing cards created by Outanmax at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/2-joker-cards_1127202.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Outanmax – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

An imbalance between dialogue and action: In The Dark Knight, I felt that there were more scenes devoted to dialogue and less scenes with action in them. While the dialogue-based scenes were well-written, the time gap between moments of dialogue and action was greater than I had wanted. Most of the action scenes took place toward the end of the movie, making the majority of the dialogue-based scenes seem like steady, but long, build-up.

 

Lack of lighting in the action scenes: While the action scenes in The Dark Knight were exciting to watch, I had difficulty seeing what was going on. This is because most of these scenes took place during the night. Even when there was light in some of these action scenes, it wasn’t enough to fix the problem.

 

The editing: There were some scenes in The Dark Knight that, I felt, ended too quickly. The editing of these scenes was choppy, making the flow between scenes feel interrupted. A number of quick-cuts were used in this movie, especially during action scenes. This sometimes made it difficult to see what was happening on the screen.

American One Dollar Coin
Silver coin image created by Welcomia at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/american-one-dollar-coin_1180385.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/money”>Money image created by Welcomia – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Since the release of The Dark Knight, we’ve seen the rise and reign of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the struggle of the DCEU (D.C. Entertainment Universe), and the cinematic playing field drastically shift. Despite all of those changes, Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film has, indeed, stood the test of time. The Dark Knight is still a topic of cinematic conversation, even to this day. Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker has been considered, for good reason, one of the most memorable movie villains of all time for 10 years and counting. The Dark Knight has certainly won over the hearts of many, no matter who your favorite superhero is. There was something that Harvey Dent said in this movie that really got my attention. During a dinner scene, toward the beginning of the film, Harvey mentioned that Batman probably doesn’t want to be Batman forever. This made me think about how we’ve gotten another Batman after Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy ended (Ben Affleck in the DCEU) and the potential for a new Batman in Matt Reeves’ future Batman film. As Warner Brothers prepares to enter the halls of San Diego Comic Con, they will also be celebrating the birthday of one of their beloved films. Thank you to all of my blog followers! This review, as well as this blog, would not have been possible without you!

 

Overall score: 8.3 out of 10

 

What did you think of my review? How are you celebrating The Dark Knight’s 10th anniversary? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

Now that I’m back from my week-long hiatus, it’s time for me to get back to doing what I love: talking about movies! As the first order of business, I will review Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, my first post since jumping back into blogging after my temporary break. The first time I talked about Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s latest installment was back in May, when Hallmark Movies & Mysteries gave the film an official movie page on their website. I also talked about Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar in two June Word on the Street posts: when the film’s synopsis was released and when I shared my thoughts on the movie’s trailer. As I’ve mentioned before, Signed, Sealed, Delivered is a series that I find to be very hit-or-miss. But, like I do with every movie I watch, I gave it a fair chance and watched it with an open mind. With that said, all I have to do now is put a stamp on this review and send it out to my readers!

Signed Sealed Delivered To the Altar poster
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar 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=302&ShowType=series&ShowTitle=Signed%2c+Sealed%2c+Delivered+To+the+Altar

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: An element to this series that has remained consistent is the quality of the acting performances! Whether it is the main cast or guest supporting actors, everyone involved in these movies brings out the best in their acting abilities. Specifically, in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, two actresses that really stood out to me were Kristin Booth and Jessica Sipos! Ever since the very beginning, Kristin has always been one of the strongest actors in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. Especially in this latest film, Kristin effortlessly brought the versatility and emotion to the multi-dimensional role of Shane McInerney. For her very first Hallmark movie, Jessica pulled off a great performance! I have also seen Jessica’s performance on Chesapeake Shores, where she has proven to be a great addition to the series!

 

The on-screen chemistry: Throughout this series, the characters of Oliver, Shane, Norman, and Rita have grown as individuals and in their respective relationships. This particular movie focused a lot on Norman and Rita’s relationship, as they were the engaged couple who were about to get married. Geoff Gustafson and Crystal Lowe always appear as if their characters truly love each other. Each of Norman and Rita’s quirks complement one another and their relationship comes across as sweet and genuine. Kristin and Eric Mabius also had great on-screen chemistry! Both of them effectively gave a convincing performance of two people in a growing, as well as blossoming, relationship. What helps is each of these on-screen couples has consistently appeared and worked together throughout the lifespan of the series, giving each actor the time to truly get to know their characters and the significance they have in the lives of the others characters.

 

The messages and themes: The Signed, Sealed, Delivered series is known for delivering (no pun intended) messages and themes that are inspirational and uplifting. That was prevalent in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar. Some of the messages featured in this film deal with inner strength, the foundations of a happy marriage, and the various displays of love. These messages and themes are shared in a way that can make the audience feel good about the program they are watching. The messages and themes are effortlessly woven into the story, making it feel like they are not delivered in a preachy or overbearing way.

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Hand-written letter image created by Veraholera at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Veraholera – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/love-letter-pattern_1292902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A slow pace: Most Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies have drawn out stories, as to flesh out creative ideas and character development. Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, however, felt like the stories were drawn out for too long. Because of this, it made the movie feel longer than intended.

 

The POstables owning the spotlight: Anyone who knows anything about the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series would know a good portion of the movies revolve around the four main characters (Oliver, Shane, Norman, and Rita). But last month, I shared one of my biggest critiques of this series, which was more screen and story time being devoted to the POstables than to the film’s respective mystery. In Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, I felt there was an imbalance between the story of the POstables and the mystery surrounding the wedding dress. Because Norman and Rita were finally getting married, their story took the most precedence out of all the plots in the movie. The mystery of the wedding dress was well-written, but it, ultimately, ended up getting overshadowed.

 

The under-utilization of Carol Burnett and Keb’Mo’: In my blog post about the Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar trailer, I said that not only was Keb’Mo’ featured at the beginning of the trailer, but that Carol Burnett’s appearance was also mentioned. However, I was really disappointed by their lack of screen time. In Carol’s case, her character spent the majority of her time in the movie interacting with the other characters via video-chat. As for Keb’Mo’, his character, Gabe, only appeared in one scene to sing a song. Also, Gabe’s story from Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground was shared by a secondary character to other minor characters, denying Gabe the opportunity to express his gratitude and appreciation to the POstables.

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Envelope with hearts image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/hearts-and-pink-envelope-for-mothers-day_1950691.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/love”>Love image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As decent as Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar was, I can’t say it was anything worth writing home about (again, no pun intended). Because of the things I didn’t like about the movie and having the mystery of the film spoiled for me by a video on the official movie page for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, I couldn’t enjoy the film as much as I had wanted to. Just like how the trailer made me feel, the movie itself also made me feel like this could be the last Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie. My feelings about the potential finale to the series are based on things like what some of the characters said in the film and the montages during Norman and Rita’s wedding. I have not heard of any official news about new movies coming in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series, but anything is possible. Whether this series stays or goes, it really doesn’t matter to me, as I think Hallmark Movies & Mysteries have movie series that are stronger than Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

 

Overall score: 7 out of 10

 

Have you seen Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar? Do you want the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series to continue? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Christine Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

On 18 Cinema Lane, most of the movies that I’ve reviewed so far have been Hallmark movies. While I enjoy watching and talking about these kinds of films, I also try my best to provide a variety of movies to discuss on my blog. Recently, I had the chance to watch Christine and felt that it would be a good opportunity to talk about something new on 18 Cinema Lane. This was the first time I had ever seen a John Carpenter directed film, but I have definitely heard of his cinematic projects over the years. While I don’t review rated R movies often, I watched a TV-14/PG-13 version of this film, so I consider Christine to be an exception. Now that we’ve gotten through the introductions, let’s buckle up and cruise through my review of Christine.

Christine movie poster
Christine poster created by Columbia Pictures. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChristinePoster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the cast of Christine was talented! The one actor that stood out to me, though, was Keith Gordon! His portrayal of Arnie Cunningham was so memorable and captivating, his performance stayed in my memory long after I watched the film. Arnie’s evolution was showcased so well in this movie, with Keith bringing the right amount of versatility that a role like this could have asked for. This is definitely one of the best acting performances in any of Stephen King’s book-to-film adaptations!

 

The soundtrack: Though most of the music in this movie was meant to sound and feel like tunes from decades past, I think it was a great component to the film! The collection of songs that was featured in the movie was all great! Whenever Christine was reacting to a particular situation, there was always a perfect song to match what she was thinking. I also liked the instrumental tunes that were used during suspenseful moments, as they really set the tone that the film wanted to achieve.

 

The cars: Even though the movie is all about Christine, she ended up stealing the show. The red car that was used to portray the titular character was absolutely gorgeous! Besides Christine, there were other nice-looking cars as well, such as Dennis’ blue car and Buddy’s silver car.

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Antique car image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/red-classic-car_803652.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The underutilization of Dennis: John Stockwell did a good job portraying the character of Dennis Guilder! This character was not only well-acted, but also well-written. However, Dennis was not in the movie as much as I would have hoped. While the movie primarily focuses on Arnie’s transformation, it seems like most of Dennis’ significance is to, simply, be Arnie’s friend. Dennis does gain an important role in Christine, but that comes toward the end of the film.

 

The bullies: Similar to what I said about Dennis, each of the bullies in this film were well-acted. But I don’t feel that the bullies were well-written characters. To me, it seemed that these characters being mere bullies is what defined them. If that definition were to be taken away, these characters would be pretty weak. There also wasn’t any depth to these characters, like they were written into this story just for the sake of Arnie needing to have a conflict.

 

An anti-climatic ending: I’m not going to spoil anything if you haven’t seen Christine, but I thought the ending was very uneventful. For starters, this movie wasn’t as “scary” as I had expected. I know a story about a villainous car can sound silly, but this story was based on the novel by Stephen King, who is known for such literary works like Misery and The Shining. The plot itself did have some intrigue, but I just couldn’t take the idea of an angry car very seriously.

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Scary movie screening image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/small-skeleton-with-popcorn-and-tv_1323292.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

John Carpenter is known for directing some pretty scary films, such as The Thing and Halloween. Stephen King is famous for writing some pretty scary stories, such as Misery and The Shining, which were previously mentioned. On paper, this sounds like a one-in-a-million, horror movie “dream team”. Because of Mr. Carpenter directing a movie based on one of Mr. King’s books, I expected Christine to be scarier and more frightening. In reality, this movie did not reach my personal expectations. Though the film fell short of being remotely scary, I don’t think it was a terrible film. I have seen other movies based on Stephen King’s stories and while I don’t think it’s one of the best adaptations, it’s definitely not one of the worst. I think that a story about a villainous car was a creative concept, but in the end, it felt more silly than scary.

 

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10

 

Have you seen Christine? What’s your favorite Stephen King adaptation? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Yes, I Do Review

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Now that Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up has come to an end, it’s time for me to offer my opinion on this particular collection of films as well as my review of the “June Weddings” finale, Yes, I Do. Last month, I shared the synopsis for this movie and said that it sounds too ridiculous for my liking. But since there was interest expressed in that Word on the Street post (it received 3 likes), I decided to review Yes, I Do. I also saw the trailer for the film and I was as unimpressed with it as I was with the film’s synopsis. Despite these less-than-stellar pieces of advertising, I chose to watch this movie with an open mind. In my review of The Beach House, I said that my expectations for the film were lowered because of the weak marketing campaign. Because of my lowered expectations, The Beach House ended up being such as pleasant surprise for me! Did I feel the same way about Yes, I Do? If you want find out, keep on reading my review!

Yes I Do poster
Yes, I Do 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=Yes%2c+I+Do

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Yes, I Do had a good cast! The three stars that stood out to me were Marcus Rosner, Jen Lilley, and Jessica Lowndes! The first time I had ever seen Jen perform in a movie was when I saw Lifetime’s The Spirit of Christmas. After I saw that movie, I realized just how talented Jen is! I have seen most of Jen’s Hallmark movies and even though they haven’t been my favorite movies, she still finds a way to give a good performance. As I’ve mentioned in the Word on the Street post about the Yes, I Do synopsis, Marcus has proven that he has what it takes to be a leading actor in a Hallmark movie. He certainly proved that he can lead a Hallmark movie, as he gave a very good performance in Yes, I Do! Because of this, I hope that he gets more lead roles in Hallmark movies! Jessica gave a good performance as well, especially for her first supporting actress role in a Hallmark movie and her first Hallmark movie that was not Christmas themed!

 

Diversity of occupations: In my Word on the Street post where I shared Yes, I Do’s synopsis, I mentioned that I liked how the job of a chocolatier was being highlighted in a Hallmark movie, especially since that occupation has never been featured before. This movie did a good job in not only highlighting a chocolatier’s job, but also showing the different components of that job. I also liked how the job of a helicopter mechanic, another occupation that has never been featured in a Hallmark movie before, was showcased in this film. It was nice to see both protagonists have unique occupations that are rarely seen on Hallmark.

 

The marriage aspect of a wedding: When it comes to these wedding themed movies, the important component of marriage is usually glossed over in favor of the wedding itself or for the preparation of the wedding. This is because the pretty aesthetics that are shown in these movies can sometimes get in the way of the moral and symbolic aspects of a wedding. I liked the scene where the priest is talking with Jen’s character, Charlotte, about the seriousness and importance of making that decision to marry someone. It was a breath of fresh air to have at least one character remind some of the other characters in the film, as well as the audience, about the reason for a wedding.

Delivery Stickers Set
Helicopter sticker image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/delivery-stickers-set_1539060.htm’>Designed by Freepik</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 plot: Last month, I confessed that the synopsis for Yes, I Do sounds, to me, too ridiculous for my liking. When this synopsis was played out on-screen, it still seemed ridiculous to me. This movie felt like it was more about an adolescent trying to catch the attention of their crush and less about two businesspeople choosing to take the next step in their relationship. The incorporation of the planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period cliché (one of my least favorite Hallmark movie clichés) into this story didn’t add any enjoyment. Also, Jessica’s character, Nicole, didn’t provide any explanation for why she wanted to date James again, making that aspect of Nicole’s story seem very random in the movie overall.

 

The character of Charlotte: While Jen gave a good performance in Yes, I Do, I was not a fan of her character. Charlotte, the protagonist of the film, was very unlikable. She never really gave any explanations for choosing to not get married, but, instead, provided excuses. There was one moment of the film where she seriously contemplated if she was allergic to weddings (I’m not making this up). Speaking of allergies, the part about Charlotte’s chocolate allergy was poorly written to the point of appearing very unrealistic. Charlotte is more “book smart” than “street smart”. However, this character’s lack of “street smarts” doesn’t come across as charming, but rather annoying.

 

Lack of on-screen chemistry: In Yes, I Do, Jen Lilley and Marcus Rosner didn’t have any on-screen chemistry, even though both of them gave good performances in the movie. It seems like their characters spent more time apart than together. I thought that Marcus had better on-screen chemistry with Jessica Lowndes than with Jen. Until after I saw Yes, I Do, I never realized how much I wanted to see a Hallmark movie starring Marcus Rosner and Jessica Lowndes.

 

Too many plots: There were five major plots in Yes, I Do. Because of this, some stories felt like they were more overshadowed than others. An example of this is James trying to find his grandfather’s beloved car. I thought this was the best story in the movie (I would have wanted to see a Hallmark movie with that particular story as the main plot), but it didn’t receive as much attention as some of the other stories in this film. Also, there were stories that were never resolved, such as Charlotte’s attempt to win a chocolate contest from a renowned magazine.

Counter of sweets
Chocolates and sweets shop image created by Bearfotos at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/counter-of-sweets_1328775.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food image created by Bearfotos – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Yes, I Do was not a good movie. It was so bad, I chose to fast forward through a few moments of the movie just to get through it. This is the second year in a row that the “June Weddings” line-up has ended with a movie I didn’t like (I was not a fan of My Favorite Wedding). Speaking of the “June Weddings” line-up, this year’s collection of movies is, to me, weaker than last year’s. I think Hallmark relied too much on sequels to previously released films that had a strong fan following. For me, each of those sequels were disappointing to a certain extent. Love at First Dance was decent, but it felt like it was missing something and seemed to get overshadowed by the “June Weddings” sequels. Hallmark will start their “Summer Nights” line-up in late July, which I’m hoping is stronger than not only the “June Weddings” line-up, but the other seasonal line-ups that have premiered on Hallmark Channel so far.

 

Overall score: 4.3 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on Hallmark Channel’s “June Weddings” line-up? Are you excited for the “Summer Nights” line-up? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Because my review of Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride became one of my most popular movie reviews (at 18 views and counting) and because I said I would review the fourth movie, I kept my promise to review the next installment in the franchise. In my review of the third film, I talked about how Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride was a good continuation to the series. For the fourth movie, however, I was a bit concerned because the marketing campaign put more focus on Andrew Walker and Merritt Patterson (the guest supporting actors) than Jack Wagner and Josie Bissett (the stars and regulars of the series). To make the movie-viewing experience more interesting for myself, I decided to put together a double feature with the fourth Wedding March movie and The Enchanted Cottage. I thought The Enchanted Cottage was a good film despite its flaws. Do I feel the same way about Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New? Keep reading if you want to find out!

Wedding March 4 poster
Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=258&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Wedding+March+4+Something+Old%2c+Something+New.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New was good! Everyone portrayed their characters so well and complimented each other’s performances. I was happy to see Emily Tennant return to the series, especially since she didn’t star in the third movie. I remember as if it were just yesterday when I first saw Emily’s performance as Cecilia Rendall on Cedar Cove. Since then, I’ve been impressed with Emily’s acting talents and would love to see her get a starring role in a Hallmark movie! Also, Andrew Walker and Merritt Patterson were great additions to this cast!

 

The on-screen chemistry: There were four on-screen couples that were featured in Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New. I felt that all of them had good on-screen chemistry! Each on-screen relationship felt realistic and believable. Also, everyone in their respective on-screen relationship appeared as if they truly cared about the other person.

 

The scenery: In my review of Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride, I talked about how beautiful the scenery was for not only that film, but also for the series. The same goes for the fourth film, as most of the story took place in or around the Inn. There was more beautiful scenery when Mick and Olivia go on vacation to Lake Champlain. The mountains that were featured in this movie were breathtaking and I hope they are showcased in future Wedding March films.

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Wedding cake image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/enjoyable-wedding-card_953556.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

What I didn’t like about the film:

Comedy that was toned down: One of the things I liked about Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride was Jack Wagner’s comedic timing. He certainly brought comedic relief to Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New, but not as much as in the previous film. Overall, I felt that the fourth movie did not have as many comedic moments as the third movie did. To me, having less comedy in the film didn’t seem to make sense because the tone of the movie was light-hearted.

 

A misfocus of stories: As I mentioned before, the marketing campaign for the fourth installment did concern me. This is because the supporting actors/characters received more attention in the advertisements than the main actors/characters. In the film, Mick and Olivia had a weaker story than Rob and Abby, which would kind of explain the focus on Andrew and Merritt in the trailer and poster. Honestly, I think the main story should have been about Mick and Olivia, like it has been in the three previous films. The secondary story, however, should have been about Grace and her fiancé, whose story seemed to get overshadowed by Rob and Abby’s story. Having Mick and Olivia plan a wedding that was so close to home would have been an interesting direction for the series to take, but I’m assuming Grace and Eric’s wedding will take place in a potential fifth film. Rob and Abby’s wedding/story felt like it should have been contained in its own movie, with Andrew and Merritt as the leading stars.

 

No progression for Mick and Olivia’s relationship: Toward the beginning of the year, I remember there was a teaser trailer for the fourth Wedding March movie that hinted at the idea of Mick and Olivia taking the next step in their relationship. There was even a moment in the fourth film where it looked like Mick was going to propose to Olivia. Sadly, Mick and Olivia’s relationship has stayed the same since the second movie. For a series that has had four movies, I was hoping that Mick and Olivia would, at least, get engaged in Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New. Now, it seems like Mick and Olivia’s relationship is at a stand-still.

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My overall impression:

As a movie, Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New was decent at best. But as a sequel, it felt like a “filler” episode on a television show. Other than the engagement of Grace and Eric, the overall story of the fourth installment didn’t add anything interesting to the series as a whole. While the story of Rob and Abby was fine, it felt like it belonged in its own movie. As for Mick and Olivia’s story, there wasn’t much to get excited about. Now that I’ve seen all three sequels from Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up (Marrying Mr. Darcy, The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells, and Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New), I can honestly say that these movies left me more disappointed than I had hoped. Because these sequels make up the majority of the “June Weddings” line-up, I feel that, so far, last year’s line-up was stronger than this year’s. Since I haven’t seen Love at First Dance and Yes, I Do yet, I’ll hold off on giving my final judgment of this year’s “June Weddings” line-up as a whole. As for the Wedding March series, if there is a fifth movie, I will definitely watch it. However, I will lower my expectations for that film than I did for Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New.

 

Overall score: 7.3-7.4 out of 10

 

Did you watch the fourth Wedding March movie? Would you like to see Mick and Olivia get married? Please tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen