Today is the day for the last acting division of the Gold Sally Awards to begin! In these polls, you will determine which is the Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film! Like with the previous polls, you are only allowed to vote once per person. But you are allowed to vote for more than one nominee. Your votes can be placed in the comment section of this post. This round of the Gold Sally Awards will conclude on May 10th. After that day, two casts will receive the title of Best Ensemble from the Gold Sally Awards!
On the weekend of April 27th, Avengers: Endgame was not the only movie that premiered. While I did give a little more priority to Marvel’s latest film, I also wanted to see the new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Love Takes Flight. To give both films the attention they deserve, I decided to publish my spoiler-free review of Avengers: Endgame on the 27th and my review of Love Takes Flight today. When I found out about this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie last month, I knew that this was a movie that I had to review. Last year, I reviewed both of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s movies, with those reviews being well-received. However, when I learned more about this year’s film, I started to have doubts about it. It also didn’t help that Love Takes Flight was given one of the worst marketing campaigns in Hallmark movie history. In my opinion, the film’s poster looked worse than the one for The Beach House and Love Takes Flight’s trailer looked like a haphazard and rushed tv spot. However, I still wanted to give this film a chance. Last year, I wasn’t impressed with the marketing for The Beach House. But the movie itself ended up being better than its marketing campaign. Keep reading this review if you want to find out if Love Takes Flight had a similar fate.
The acting: In Love Takes Flight, the acting was the driving force of this story! All of the acting performances felt so believable, that every character appeared as if they were real-life individuals experiencing realistic situations! Even though I had my doubts about Nikki’s incorporation in this cast, she proved me wrong by bringing the emotional versatility that is usually required for Hallmark Hall of Fame projects. In fact, she was one of the strongest actors in this film! Another actor that I was impressed with was Tom Thon. His portrayal of Walter Allen was emotionally effective, as his journey throughout this film seemed very believable. Tom’s acting talents brought some depth to his character’s narrative.
The scenery: Love Takes Flight was filmed in Savannah, Georgia, the third Hallmark Hall of Fame movie in a row to be filmed in the Peach State. The natural landscape of this location was showcased really well throughout the film. The foliage of the trees, flowers, and plants added a serene feeling to the overall atmosphere. This helped the story maintain its sincerity and thoughtfulness, as the natural surroundings brought a sense of peace when it seemed like the characters needed it the most. Walter’s property was absolutely gorgeous, its on-screen presence reminding me of architecture of past Hallmark Hall of Fame films! While the house itself was very cozy and elegant at the same time, the grounds surrounding the house are a scene stealer! The waterfront appeared so peaceful, complimenting some of the emotional moments that took place in that area. The creative team behind this movie made the right decision to choose Savannah as their filming location!
The exploration of grief: In some Hallmark movies, the protagonist or someone that the protagonist knows loses a loved one. However, because movies on Hallmark Channel are primarily light-hearted, the topic of grief is briefly touched upon. Since Hallmark Hall of Fame is historically known for addressing topics that are darker and more serious, the creative team behind this movie used this to their advantage to explore the concept of grief. In Love Takes Flight, Walter was dealing with the loss of his wife. The way this narrative was written made it feel like a story that would have been incorporated into Hallmark Hall of Fame movies from years past. The story of Walter and the protagonist’s daughter, Quinn, forming a friendship was a very thoughtful and interesting way to show how one moves forward from such a saddening situation.
The editing: While watching this movie, I noticed that some scenes felt shorter than others. When these scenes would play out, they ended a little too abruptly. As I wondered why this was happening, I realized that this had to do with the film’s editing. To solve this problem, each scene should have run their course and been at an equal length. That way, every part of the story could have had a chance to be developed.
A little too predictable: When it comes to Hallmark Channel movies, the story is inevitably going to be predictable. However, Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are meant to be separate from the typical Hallmark Channel material. In Love Takes Flight, there were a few plot elements that were more predictable than I’d hoped. Because of this, it blurred that line between Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Hall of Fame. In some of these moments, it made the movie feel like a glorified Hallmark Channel film.
Too many plots: Love Takes Flight had seven plots that played out throughout the story. While some of these plots were well explored, other plots were undeveloped. As I watched this film, I felt that at least two or three of these plots could have cut from the overall narrative. I think that this movie should have had one main plot with two or three subplots. While this main plot is played out, the subplots could be equally developed.
Despite the poor marketing campaign that was given to this movie, Love Takes Flight was a good film! Yes, there were things about the project that could have been better. But, for what it was, I found the movie to be enjoyable. Once again, Hallmark Hall of Fame has had a consistent track record, since 2017, of creating films that are good. While I would like the films to become consistently great, I realize that it’ll take time for this to happen. I have a feeling that this can come to fruition one day. But the most important thing is that Hallmark is making the right steps for this to occur. Just like last year, the next movie for Hallmark Hall of Fame wasn’t advertised during the end credit commercial after the film. But whatever that film is going to be about, I just hope that it can take the Hallmark Hall of Fame to a whole new level.
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
Have you seen Love Takes Flight? What would you like the next Hallmark Hall of Fame movie to be about? Please let me know in the comment section!
After billions of dollars, millions of fans, thousands of talent, hundreds of source material, eleven years, and one dream, Avengers: Endgame has finally made its grand entrance. This seems like a movie for the history books, even before its release. Websites offering tickets crashed multiple times, yet the film still owned records in the process. Trailers and tv spots appeared wherever they could, announcing their message like the sound of a trumpet. The official premiere had their carpet decked out in purple, representing the villain’s signature color. With the opening weekend upon us, the time has come for me to review the film! I’ll be honest, I had lower expectations for this movie than I did for Avengers: Infinity War. This was due to the ending and end credits scene of the aforementioned predecessor. However, because Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame are a two-part story, I wanted to find out what happens next. With positive word-of-mouth and skyrocketing levels of anticipation, it seems like other people had the same idea I did. Speaking of ideas, I requested six films for a potential Breening review at Pure Entertainment Preservation Society. One of these films, The Moon-Spinners, was just given a Breening Thursday article on the blog! This was such an insightful review about how the Breen Code could be applied to this film. Make sure you check out that review as well as this review of Avengers: Endgame!
When I saw this at my local cinema, I knew I just had to take a picture of it for this post! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Like in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame had a great cast! Everyone did a really good job at portraying their characters, no matter what the size of their role was. All of the reactions, expressions, and behaviors appeared as realistic as possible, helping me, as a movie-goer, stay invested in the film. Also, like in Avengers: Infinity War, the comedic and dramatic timing was perfectly executed. This helped both types of moments stick the landing.
The different ways of dealing with loss: Within Avengers: Endgame, one of the narratives was how the heroes dealt with loss. This aspect of the film reminded me of Flicka: Country Pride, where grief affected almost all of the characters. Each of the heroes faced the subject of loss in a very different way, highlighting how everyone has their own way of dealing with this topic. This aspect of the story really added some depth to the overall project. It was an interesting addition to each of the characters’ stories, as this narrative helped incorporate a distinct stepping stone in these individuals’ character development. Understanding the different ways that the characters react to loss helped to show how they move forward from it.
The special effects: All of the special effects in Avengers: Endgame looked really good! They were not only photogenic, they also had very unique color palettes. The different colors that were used for these special effects were complimentary, working in their favor to be appealing to the eye. The various locations in this film appeared so realistic, I wondered if one scene in particular was filmed on location or created with CGI. This reminded me of the scenery in Avengers: Infinity War. Also, just like in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos’ overall design looked and felt very real. This helped continue the believability of the character as well as my investment in his story.
Balance between comedy and drama: As I already mentioned, the comedic and dramatic timing was perfectly executed. This was not only because of the acting performances, but also because of the writing. Both the comedic and dramatic moments were spaced out really nicely, with the narrative maintaining a good amount of intrigue. What also helps is that these moments felt genuine. It makes their emotional weight effective, whether it is light-hearted or serious.
Like last year, Bucky, Bucky, and Thor joined me on this cinematic adventure! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What I didn’t like about the film:
A slower first half: Because this a spoiler-free review, I will be very mindful of what I say in this post. To me, the first half of the film had a slower pace than the second half. I understand that this part of the film was meant to be build-up for upcoming events. However, that build-up seemed to be a little bit longer than I expected. This pace does eventually pick up at the start of a particular event.
Confusing plot points: In this film, there were a few plot points that confused me. They didn’t confuse me in the context of the film, but they did confuse me in the context of future MCU projects. These plot points seemed to bring up more questions than I was expecting. Since this is a spoiler-free review, I’ll explain more about what confused me in my spoiler-zone review.
It looks like I’m not the only one who was impressed with this display. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My overall impression:
History is a very interesting thing. It makes us who we are and helps us shape the world around us. What do you we want to be remembered for? What legacy do we want to leave behind? When we look back on Avengers: Endgame, what will this film be known for? Even though it’s way too early to determine this film’s place in history, we can definitely talk about its immediate impact. Starting with my own thoughts, Avengers: Endgame is a great film! While it’s not perfect, it does do a good job at being an entertaining and enjoyable movie. Something I noticed while watching this film was how much heart, soul, love, passion, and care seemed to be put into this project. It felt like the creative team behind this movie tried their best to make something that a large amount of people would enjoy. It’s unclear what the future holds for the MCU, but we at least have an idea of the kind of legacy it will leave behind.
Overall score: 9 out of 10
Have you seen Avengers: Endgame? Are you looking forward to my spoiler-zone review? Tell me what you think in the comment section!
Hi everyone! I just wanted to remind you that voting for the Best Supporting Actor from a Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie ends on April 29th. The polls for the last acting division will begin on April 30th. Happy voting!
18 Cinema Lane received 95 followers last week! To all of my followers, thank you for helping me achieve this milestone! Your interest in this blog means a lot to me. Because I now have 95 followers, I can review a film that was released 95 years ago (in 1924). One day, when I was scrolling through Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM’s) schedule, I discovered a film called Wild Oranges. Before choosing this movie for this post, I had never heard of this title. In fact, the only silent film I’ve seen prior to the aforementioned movie was The Kid, starring Charlie Chaplin. So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to expand my cinematic horizons. According to the pre-movie commentary, Wild Oranges was one of the first movies to be filmed on-location as well as having a smaller cast. These facts interested me into seeing how they would work within the overall context of the film. Before I begin this review, I would just like to share that I actually ate oranges while watching Wild Oranges (I thought it would appropriately fit the occasion).
The acting: Because Wild Oranges is a silent movie, the actors have to rely on body language, facial expressions, and actions/behaviors to portray what their characters are saying and feeling. All of the actors in this cast accomplished their goal of doing just that! The acting performances in this movie played an essential role in telling this story, helping to fill in the blanks when words were not available. These performances were also well-rounded, adding to the intrigue and investment of the film. Looking back, I believe the most memorable performance in this movie came from Charles A. Post as the film’s antagonist, Iscah Nicholas! Despite the unheard dialogue, Charles effectively conveyed the nasty and disturbing nature that his character contained. This performance truly added a sense of suspense and dread whenever he appeared on-screen.
The scenery: As I mentioned in the introduction, Wild Oranges was one of the first movies to be filmed on-location. According to TCM’s pre-movie commentary, this movie was filmed in Georgia and Florida. Filming on-location was the right decision, as it gave a sense of realism to the movie. The natural elements of the scenery, from the forests to the dilapidated home of the Stope family, added a haunting feel to the overall atmosphere. Even the beauty of the beachfront was captured very well within the lighter moments of the film. This element made Wild Oranges a wonderful sight to see!
The use of title cards: While the body language, facial expressions, and actions/behaviors of the actors helped carry the story, there were times when title cards were necessary. In Wild Oranges, title cards were used to not only highlight the dialogue between the characters, but also to transition between scenes. These title cards provided some depth to the narrative, as it explained things that the acting performances couldn’t. Having the title cards be presented on illustrations of oranges trees was very creative. It also fit with the continuity of the film.
Forest in Georgia image created by Roger Kirby at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Roger Kirby.”
What I didn’t like about the film:
A limited amount of title cards: While I liked the use the title cards in Wild Oranges, I thought that the amount of them was fewer than I’d expected. Some scenes were accompanied with very few title cards to support the dialogue or other details within the narrative. This left me guessing as to what was going on in the film. It also debunked my personal stereotypical view of title cards in silent films, where title cards are used to explain everything. Wild Oranges definitely could have benefited from the use of more title cards.
The run-time: At an hour and twenty-eight minutes, I felt that Wild Oranges was a little too long. Sometimes, there were scenes that went on longer than they should have. Two examples of this are a fight sequence between the antagonist and protagonist as well as a boating scene. If these scenes were a little bit shorter, it would have had a big impact on the overall run-time. In my opinion, this movie should have been, at least, an hour.
An unclear connection between Nicholas and the Stope family: While watching this movie, I was really confused about the connection between Nicholas and the Stope family. Sure, Nicholas was in love with Millie. However, Nicholas was allowed on the Stope family property without any issues. Even though Millie revealed more about Nicholas’ character to John Woolfolk, it didn’t explain what his connection was to her family. The only thing I was able to do was guess this connection as I continued watching the film.
Oranges in tree image created by Jose Luis Navarro at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Jose Luis Navarro.”
My overall impression:
The silent film genre is one that I don’t watch often. The two reasons for this are 1.) Silent films are not as easily available as other genres and 2.) The on-screen events might be confusing to decipher without dialogue. Despite these concerns, I ended up having an enjoyable experience watching Wild Oranges! Part of this has to do with the fact that I was able to provide my own personal commentary to the film. Besides this, the movie itself stands on its own, thanks to the merits found in the film. The various creative pieces came together to tell a cohesive story. The historic choices that were made, such as filming on-location, ended up working in this film’s favor. It gave the project a special uniqueness that helped make the film so memorable. If you haven’t seen silent films before and would like to give them a chance, I think Wild Oranges is a good introduction to the genre!
Overall score: 7.6 out of 10
Have you seen any silent films? Would you want to give silent films a chance? Put your thoughts in the comment section!
Because I was participating in Easter festivities, I didn’t get around to reviewing Easter Under Wraps over the weekend. However, I was able to watch the movie on the Monday after Easter. When I discovered that Hallmark was creating their first Easter movie, I was so excited! I even talked about the film in a Word in the Street story last month. As I shared the movie’s official synopsis in that post, I expressed my feelings of disappointment about how it sounded. To me, the premise felt like it would focus more on the corporate side of Easter than the holiday itself. But I still chose to watch the movie with an open mind and give it a fair chance. Did Easter Under Wraps disappoint or triumph? I’m glad you hopped on over to this review, as we’re now about to find out!
The acting: The cast of Easter Under Wraps is, so far, the strongest I’ve seen in any Hallmark movie this year! Every actor and actress did such a great job at portraying their characters, making them feel like real-life individuals. From the lead stars to even the only prominent child actor in the cast, all of the performances seemed so natural and genuine. This helped the characters maintain a sense of likability. It also helped me stay invested in what was happening to the characters. The acting was one of the things that made my movie-viewing experience so enjoyable!
The on-screen chemistry between the characters: In most Hallmark films, the on-screen chemistry between the lead characters is emphasized. This is partly the case with Easter Under Wraps. Fiona Gubelmann and Brendan Penny’s on-screen chemistry was really good! What helped make this on-screen relationship feel so genuine was the quality of Fiona and Brendan’s performances. A pleasant surprise in Easter Under Wraps was the on-screen chemistry between all of the characters. The various relationships in this film were not only portrayed well by the actors, but they were also well-written. This component helped make the story that much more interesting.
The writing: In Easter Under Wraps, the writing was such a great element to this narrative! Through the movie, conversations amongst the characters felt like real-life conversations. The comedic timing in this film was perfect, making the funnier moments feel effective. All of the sub-plots blended in really well with the main plot. Easter Under Wraps was an engaging movie because of how good the writing was. This component elevated the story into a truly memorable narrative!
The messages and themes: Like any Hallmark movie, Easter Under Wraps was filled with good messages and themes! These pieces of the story added to the relatability of the movie. Characters learning about personal growth, incorporating important traditions, and effective problem solving can be found in this film. Something that I found interesting was how chocolate was included in Easter Under Wraps. While the main plot revolved around a chocolate factory, the characters found ways to attach interesting messages to the candy itself. It, honestly, made me think about chocolate in a different way.
Lack of Easter specific messages and themes: Because this is Hallmark’s first Easter movie, I kind of figured this would be an issue. While Easter Under Wraps had good messages and themes, they really didn’t correlate directly with the Easter holiday. A few of these messages and themes were sprinkled into the story, but they weren’t explored as thoroughly as I had hoped. If Hallmark continues to create Easter themed movies (which I hope they do), I hope they take the time to explore the messages and themes that the Easter holiday has to offer.
For their first Easter themed movie, Hallmark did a really good job with Easter Under Wraps! While there were a few “Hallmark movie clichés” in this film, the overall quality of the other components made me overlook them. There was so much about this movie that I liked, from the acting to even the festive decorations. This is, so far, the best Hallmark movie I’ve seen this year! I really hope that Hallmark continues to make Easter themed movies, as there are some interesting stories that can be told. I also wouldn’t mind if this movie got a sequel, since it definitely has the potential for another chapter. There’s no doubt that I had an egg-cellent time watching Easter Under Wraps!
Overall score: 8.6 out of 10
Which 2019 “Spring Fever” movie was your favorite? Would you like to see more Easter themed movies from Hallmark? Let me know in the comment section!
Hi there! The time has come for the arrival of the Gold Sally Awards’ Best Supporting Actor division! For these set of polls, you will decide which actor will receive the title of Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Channel Movie and Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Movie. Like the previous polls, you will be able to vote for more than one nominee. However, you can only vote once per person. All votes can be left in the comment section of this post. Voting for the Best Supporting Actor division will end on April 29th.
Last week, I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by K from K at the Movies! Since I had to devote time to the Gold Sally Awards, a Word on the Street story, and a movie review, I decided to publish my award entry this week. During that time, I was nominated again by Cameron by The Blog Complainer! Because I was nominated by two people within the same month, I decided to combine some of K’s questions and some of Cameron’s questions into my overall list of questions. Before I begin this post, I wanted to take the time to thank both K and Cameron for their nominations. I’ve never received the Sunshine Blogger Award before, so it’s an honor to be recognized for such an honor like this! Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s officially start this award entry!
What is your favorite Score or Soundtrack to a film or television show (I will accept an Album or any collection of music if you find this question difficult to answer)? There are so many great soundtracks that I’ve heard in my life! If I had to choose one, however, I would pick the soundtrack from The Bodyguard. This is one of my favorite movies of all time, with the music being just as good as the film itself. I’m so glad that Whitney’s music was incorporated into the film as well as to her individual character. Her songs are such a timeless addition to any playlist. This soundtrack is so good, I not only still listen to it (over 20 years later), but I can name which scenes each song appeared in.
What is one piece of media you would like to see adapted to a different medium? One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Christmas Through Your Eyes” by Gloria Estefan. For years, I have always wanted to know who the narrator was talking to and how much of an influence this person had on the narrator. Based on the lyrics, it seems like a great story could come from this song. So, to answer K’s question, I would love to see Gloria’s song adapted into a movie! I’ve always thought that “Christmas Through Your Eyes” would make a great Hallmark Hall of Fame film! If this movie were to become a reality, I wonder if Gloria herself would make an on-screen appearance?
What’s your favourite type of weather? As it was said in Miss Congeniality, my favorite type of weather is “not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket”.
What is one post or article you’ve written that doesn’t get enough love, you feel is underrated that’d you like more people to see? (Yes, shamelessly plug yourself) Like Cameron said in their Sunshine Blogger Award post, you have very little control over what people read and view on your blog. On 18 Cinema Lane, I’ve been very fortunate to have good viewership numbers on my various posts. However, I feel like my editorials should receive a little more recognition. I don’t write them often because they are long and require a significant amount of work. However, compared to the other content on my blog, it seems like these posts aren’t sought out. So, if anyone is interested, I will include a link to each of my four editorials into this post!
A movie studio decides to make a movie based on your life. Who would you like to play yourself? I had to give this question a little bit of thought. But, after thinking about it, I decided that I would like to see Laci J. Mailey from Chesapeake Shores portray me in a movie based on my life! She is one of the most talented actresses in the Hallmark community. Plus, her acting abilities would be compatible with comedic and dramatic material. As far as I know, Laci has never led a film before. So, if this movie were to be a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, this would be her first starring role in a Hallmark project!
“Your Childhood is Ruined!” When someone decides to make a terrible reboot or remake of what? Two of my favorite animated films of all time are Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Anastasia (1997). Since Disney has the ability to remake almost anything and since they have recently purchased the movie rights to 20th Century Fox films, any of these two films have the potential to get remade. But, lately, it seems like Disney is remaking their movies just for the sake of receiving money. Like I said in my review of The Bad Seed (2018), a good remake should do two things: 1. Respect the original film and 2. Do something new with the story and provide your own voice to the narrative. While Kim Possible (2019) did a good job at following these two rules, there’s no guarantee that a remake of Atlantis: The Lost Empire or Anastasia (1997) will apply these rules to their project. Besides, why remake a movie that was already good to begin with?
You have been given the chance to go on the holiday you have always dreamed of. Where are you going? For the majority of my life, I have always wanted to go on a cruise. From what I’ve heard about them, they sound like fun as well as a unique experience. Every year, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) hosts a cruise to celebrate classic cinema. However, I’ve haven’t had the money or time to attend one of these cruises. Another place I’ve wanted to visit is Dollywood. Ever since the cast of Home & Family spent an entire week filming at the theme park, it seemed, to me, like such a fun place! There are other attractions around that area that sound just as interesting. Going to Dollywood for vacation would be such a great experience!
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self something important, what would you tell him/her? The one thing that I would tell my younger self is that it’s ok to expand your pop cultural horizons. Years ago, the only piece of superhero pop culture that I truly cared about was Sailor Moon. Today, my favorite superhero is Bucky Barnes. Because I chose to expand my horizons when it comes to pop culture, I became invested in characters and stories that I might not have cared about otherwise.
What is an unsolved mystery that you wish you knew the answer to? As I mentioned in my post about My Top 5 Dream Double Features at the Cinema, I have always wondered why Kida (from Atlantis: The Lost Empire) and Chel (from The Road to El Dorado) share some similarities between each other, even though they were created by two different animators from two different animation companies. I would love to receive an answer to this question that I have been asking for over fifteen years.
10. You are given a magic phone with a T-Mobile Fave 5 plan that allows you unlimited calls to any fictional characters. Who’s in Your 5? I’m not going to lie, this question, for me, required a significant amount of thought. However, I was able to create this short list that made me happy! The characters in my Fave 5 plan are:
Bucky Barnes – from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): For me, this choice was a no-brainer. Like I’ve mentioned before, Bucky is my favorite superhero in the MCU. So, of course, I would want to grant him a special spot on this plan.
Moon – from Cedar Cove: Out of all the characters that have ever stepped foot in the town of Cedar Cove, Moon has always been my favorite! Because he doesn’t have any known family and since the other characters from Cedar Cove could be busy dealing with their own situations, there might be times when he could be lonely. So, Moon would have a chance to call me if he wanted to reach a friend.
Jiggy Nye – from Felicity: An American Girl Adventure and the Felicity Merriman series from American Girl: Anyone who has read the books or seen the movie would know that Jiggy Nye is the antagonist of this particular story. However, he evolves over the course of the series/movie into a hero. Similar to Moon, Jiggy doesn’t have any known family. He also could become lonely due to the other characters from the series/movie possibly dealing with their own situations. Giving Jiggy a piece of this plan would be a good way for him to connect with, at least, one friend.
Karen Brewer – from the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series: Years ago, Karen Brewer became one of my favorite literary characters. Since she was a child when this series began in 1988, Karen would likely be an adult in 2019. This means that she has more life experience now than she had 31 years ago. By granting her a piece of this plan, I would get to learn more about her life as well as see how some of her life experiences compare to my own. Based on the books, Karen seemed to have an interesting life. So, it would be fascinating to hear about her adventures that would have never appeared in the books.
Debbie Thornberry – from The Wild Thornberrys: In my review of Rugrats Go Wild, I shared that Debbie is my favorite character from The Wild Thornberrys. Similar to Karen Brewer, Debbie was a teenager at the start of the show. Therefore, it’s highly likely that she would be an adult by now. I would to love to hear how her life turned out after the Thornberrys traveled the world. Had she planted roots or become an explorer of her own? If I gave Debbie a piece of this plan, I would hopefully get answers to these questions.
The thing you’re most proud of? For several years, I had been considering starting a blog. However, I was always met with self-doubt and poor timing. But, last February, I finally took the first step in creating 18 Cinema Lane. Starting my blog is what I’m most proud of because it has given a sense of confidence that I didn’t think I had. In fact, I wouldn’t be receiving this award had I not made that decision to, finally, become a blogger.
Here at 18 Cinema Lane, I talk about Hallmark films quite a bit. So, it makes sense that I would choose to review Bottled with Love! This is not the first time I have talked about this film, as I reported on this movie in a Word on the Street story two months ago. I also shared my thoughts on the film’s synopsis in another Word on the Street story from last month. There are two reasons why I wanted to see this movie; 1.) Because, for some reason, Hallmark decided to over-hype this movie by claiming that it’s “the best movie you’ll see all year”, so I wanted to see if this movie could live up to Hallmark’s hype and 2.) In the When Calls the Heart Behind-the-Scenes featurette that I talked about in this month’s Word on the Street story, Erin Krakow said she would be making an announcement during the film. Did Bottled with Love meet Hallmark’s expectations? What was Erin’s announcement about? Find out the answer to both of these questions by reading this review!
The acting: For the most part, the acting performances in this film were good! As usual, Andrew Walker delivers a performance that appears natural and believable. No matter if he’s given a starring role or a supporting character, Andrew always finds a way to shine in every project he’s cast in! I also liked Bethany Brown’s performance! Her portrayal of Abbey’s friend, Elaine, was such a joy to watch, as her on-screen personality helped make this character likable. This is also the same way I felt about Frances Flanagan’s performance as Aunt Frances. The acting within Bottled with Love was entertaining to watch!
The cinematography: I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of Bottled with Love’s cinematography! There were a few scenes where the sun reflected off objects, such as the bottle that Abbey’s message was placed in. I thought the incorporation of the scene’s natural light was very interesting. The use of close-ups in this film was interesting as well. This is something that Hallmark doesn’t often do in their films, so the close-ups of some of the actors’ faces was something that I wasn’t expecting. While watching Bottled with Love, I felt like I watching a feature film!
Some of the film’s unique touches: When I first shared the synopsis for this film a month ago, I talked about how I thought the story sounded interesting because of the amount of creativity that was being presented. As I watched Bottled with Love, I found a few unique touches in the movie that I really liked! The aspect of the message in a bottle is something that Hallmark doesn’t often include in their films, so it was nice to see some creativity incorporated into this story. I also liked seeing an apple orchard during the spring season instead of the fall season. I’ve never seen a “Spring Fever” movie feature an apple orchard, so I thought that was a unique approach to this particular story!
Weak on-screen chemistry: While both Bethany Joy Lenz and Andrew Walker gave a good acting performance, I did not think their on-screen chemistry was very strong. Sure, it was ok. But I’ve seen stronger on-screen chemistry from other on-screen couples in recent Hallmark films. During Bottled with Love, I never sensed an on-screen spark between Bethany and Andrew. This made the romantic aspect of the story seem a little less believable.
An inconsistent pace: Throughout Bottled with Love, I found the overall pace to be inconsistent. Some scenes felt more drawn-out than others, which caused them to feel a little bit boring. I noticed this happened in the scenes that took place at the office, whenever Abbey and Nick were at work.
Lack of mystery: In Bottled with Love, the audience knew the entire time who found Abbey’s message in a bottle. This is the same problem that My Secret Valentine had, where the identity of the protagonist’s secret admirer should have been kept a secret until the last few minutes of the film. Had Bottled with Love kept the identity of Abbey’s pen pal a mystery for not only the protagonist, but also for the audience, I feel that it would have made this story more intriguing.
For a short while now, Hallmark has been over-hyping Bottled with Love. They claimed that it will be “the best movie you’ll see all year” and had one of the stars of the movie say that critics are describing the film as an “instant classic”. After looking past all of the hype, I discovered that the film was just decent. Bottled with Love felt no different from any other Hallmark movie. In fact, it almost felt like a repeat of My Secret Valentine. By Hallmark choosing to over-hype this movie, I think, to a certain extent, it hurt the credibility of the film. Now, on to Erin’s announcement, the moment Hearties have been waiting for! It was nice to hear Erin Krakow say that When Calls the Heart will be receiving a seventh season! While I’m not surprised by this news, I am glad that the show will continue.
Overall score: 7.2 out of 10
Have you seen Bottled with Love? How do you feel about this news relating to When Calls the Heart? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
I apologize if I’ve been sounding like a broken record by mostly talking about Hallmark related movie news. But I’ve discovered so much movie news that I can’t always talk about it in one sitting. In this Word on the Street post, I will be talking about a potential Gourmet Detective movie, an upcoming Christmas film, and an unclaimed movie project. Even though I don’t talk about tv shows often, I will be discussing the latest news about When Calls the Heart, especially since I re-cap the show in my Sunset Over Hope Valley series. As I usually do in these Word on the Street posts, I will share my honest thoughts about each piece of movie news. So, let’s get started with talking about these projects!
One day, while on IMDB, I stumbled across a page that really caught my eye. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Gourmet Detective series is a collection of films that I have come to enjoy. So, you could imagine my excitement when the title of this IMDB page ended up being “Gourmet Detective: Roux the Day”! On this page, the project is listed as “in development”, so it’s unclear what stage of the production process this movie is in. However, it would make sense for another Gourmet Detective movie to be on its way. The last movie to premiere was Gourmet Detective: Eat, Drink, and be Buried in 2017. Also, when a fan asked Dylan Neal on Twitter if there would be any upcoming movies in this series, he responded by saying “We’ll see what we can do about another…”. Though Hallmark has not made any announcements about this film, it’ll be interesting to see when this movie could premiere. Since the Garage Sale Mystery series has ended, maybe this new Gourmet Detective movie could air sometime in August? This is a piece of movie news we’ll definitely have to keep our eyes on.
To view the references I made in this movie news story, visit the official page for “Gourmet Detective: Roux the Day” at IMDB and Dylan Neal’s official Twitter account (@DylanNealStudio)
Today, after Home & Family, Erin Krakow appeared in a special When Calls the Heart Behind-the-Scenes featurette to reveal that the show will return on May 5th! There will also be another new episode that airs on May 6th! As good as this news was, I was disappointed that the “Abigail Stanton situation” wasn’t addressed. Even in the sneak peek scene that was shown, there was no mention of this character. Another thing that Erin mentioned was that she would make another announcement during the premiere of Bottled with Love! While she didn’t hint at what this announcement could be, my guess is she could be starring in a Christmas movie either alongside Andrew Walker or co-starring with Bethany Joy Lenz. It will be very interesting to hear what Erin has to say on April 13th.
While I was on Instagram one day, looking for potential movie news stories, I came across a very interesting post. Liz Storm, a screenwriter, posted a picture of her laptop with what appears to be a plot for an upcoming movie. In the description of this picture, the hashtags #hallmarkchristmasmovies, #hallmark, and #marvista are found. This is important to point out because in another Instagram post, Liz said that she was writing a “family romance” for Marvista Entertainment and that it would premiere on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries within their Christmas line-up. Looking at what’s on Liz’s laptop, it seems like this movie will be titled “Love Song for Noel”. What’s interesting is that there are two pages that are visible on the laptop screen. On the first page, the story is about a woman named Noel, who is a violinist living somewhere in Nashville. Also, in this story, there is a character named Wayne Grant, who is a country singer and a single father. But on the second page, the story is about a woman named Beth who works in a small music store. The other characters that were referenced in this story were her mother, Joan, and her best friend, Sheila. It is unclear at this time which story is going to be the final product. As I was reading these stories, I wondered if this movie had anything to do with the upcoming Christmas film that Blake Shelton is associated with? At the Winter TCA Event in February, Hallmark announced that they were partnering with Blake Shelton for a 2019 Christmas film. Since his produced movie, Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas, aired on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries last year, everything I just said would make a lot of sense.
To view the references I made about this movie news story, visit Liz Storms’ official Instagram feed (@lizstormy) and this link:
Back in January, I listed several movie titles that weren’t attached to any networks. One of these titles was “For You, With Love”. While it’s still unknown which network will receive this movie, we now know who will be starring in this film. According to IMDB, the official cast is:
Edy Ganem
Maddie Phillips
Matreya Scarrwener
Brendon Zub
Adil Zaidi
Rachel Hayward
Clayton Chitty
Mark Brandon
Georgia Bradner
Phillip Joseph Steward
It’s important to point out that Maddie Phillips, Matreya Scarrwener, Brendon Zub, Adil Zaidi, Rachel Hayward, Clayton Chitty, and Mark Brandon have been cast in a Hallmark or UP Network project prior to being cast in “Made for You with Love”, the new title for the film. However, this does not confirm that any of these networks could premiere this movie. This is another piece of movie news we’ll have to keep our eyes on.
To view the reference I made in this movie news story, visit the official page for “Made for You with Love” on IMDB
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