Earlier this week, I received 65 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! With my blog’s first anniversary coming up next Saturday, I found this recent gain in blog followers to be a pleasant surprise! As I’ve been doing before, I have chosen to review a film that was released 65 years ago (in 1954). While researching movies with 1954 release dates, one film in particular instantly stood out to me. The reason is because of the title alone. Phffft (yes, that is the real title of this film) is a movie that seemed like it was begging for me to watch and, eventually, review it. So, because of everything I’ve just said, I decided to pick Phffft as my movie of choice this time around. Was this film as funny as this title suggests? I’m glad you came to this review, as we’re about to find out!
The acting: I thought the cast of Phffft was good! Judy Holliday shined the brightest with her portrayal of Nina. Her performance appeared very natural as well as believable. I also thought that Jack Lemmon did a good job with his portrayal of Robert. Everything that happened with Robert seemed so convincing because of how versatile Jack’s performance was. Even though this is a movie about a couple experiencing a divorce, Jack and Judy gave a good performance not only as individuals, but also as a pair. Whenever Robert and Nina were together, I always had the impression that Judy and Jack had good on-screen chemistry. In a scene where Nina and Robert unexpectedly become each other’s dancing partner, it looked like they truly enjoyed one another’s company.
What it means to be a “hero”: During a flashback scene that explains how Robert and Nina met, it was revealed that Robert was a military lawyer. In this scene, his self-esteem has fallen a little bit because he doesn’t see himself as a hero. I found this character choice of Robert being a military lawyer very interesting. In fact, it seems like we, the audience, don’t get many portrayals of military lawyers in film. Besides A Few Good Men, I can’t really think of many movies that feature the importance of military lawyers. Phffft does take the time to show how lawyers can play a significant role within the military. The film does this by having Nina remind Robert, as well as Robert reminding himself, that if he wasn’t keeping an eye on the military’s finances, the military would have lost a lot of money. This message of how a hero can mean different things to different people was a good addition to this film.
Showing both perspectives: As I’ve already mentioned, Phffft is about a couple who experiences a divorce. In movies where divorce can be found in the film’s narrative, the main perspective is usually given to just one person in that relationship. Also, in movies about divorce, there are times when one person in the relationship is portrayed as an antagonist and the other is portrayed as a protagonist. In Phffft, however, the story is told from both of the perspectives of Robert and Nina. Each side of the story is given an equal amount of time for the characters to grow as individuals and experience their own personal journeys. It also shows an unbiased view of what each character is going through. To me, I thought this was a good story-telling choice.
Lack of comedy: Despite the humorous title, I didn’t find Phffft to be very funny. While I did chuckle at some moments, there were no moments within the film that made me burst out laughing. I’m not sure if this movie just didn’t correlate with my sense of humor or if the comedic writing in this film was just that weak. But I, personally, found the lack of comedy in this movie to be very disappointing.
Too dialogue-heavy: In every movie, dialogue is a necessary component to the overall story. However, there is such a thing as too much dialogue. Phffft featured many scenes where characters were having conversations with one another. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough situations and conflicts happening in this movie to balance out the dialogue. Having too much dialogue in this film did not work its favor.
The premise being too basic: While Robert and Nina’s divorce was the main plot in Phffft, it was the only plot within this movie. Also, I found this plot to be so basic, that the scenarios Robert and Nina get themselves into feel like they were incorporated in the movie just for the sake of keeping the plot going. Like I just mentioned, Phffft didn’t have enough situations and conflicts to balance out the dialogue. To me, this movie needed, at least, one secondary plot in order to keep it interesting. Because of the lack of subplots, it caused the other characters in this movie to feel like they were just there because they knew either Robert or Nina.
At the end of the day, Phffft was just ok. Because of how funny this title sounds, I was expecting the film to be just as funny. Unfortunately, this movie was somewhat disappointing for me. All of the comedy in Phffft felt weak, almost like it was poorly written. However, I would never say this is a bad film. There were things about it that I liked, such as Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon’s performances. But when it comes to comedies from the 1950s, I think there are movies out there that are better than Phffft. Now that this review is coming to an end, I just want to take the time to say thank you to each of my 65 followers. When I started this blog a year ago, I never expected to receive this many followers in such a short amount of time. It just makes me appreciate all the success this blog has achieved, including the increase in readers and followers.
Overall score: 6.1 out of 10
What are your thoughts about this review? Are you looking forward to the 70 follower thank you post? Please tell me in the comment section!
I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know who Jean Simmons was before I signed up for The Wonderful World of Cinema and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies’ 90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon. So, I had to take a trip to Jean’s IMDB Filmography page. What I discovered was a voice acting credit for the film, Howl’s Moving Castle. Since I’ve never seen this movie and since no other blogathon participant was planning to talk about this movie, I decided to contribute to this blogathon by reviewing this film! Before watching Howl’s Moving Castle, I had seen three other Studio Ghibli films. These movies are Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo, and Tales from Earthsea. I have enjoyed all three of these movies, so I had a feeling that Howl’s Moving Castle would be somewhat enjoyable. How does this movie compare with the other three? Fly through this review if you want to find out!
The characters: Like any movie, Howl’s Moving Castle has a cast of characters that are very unique from one another. Not only do these characters have their own distinct physical features, they also have their own personalities. A good example is Howl himself. He has characteristics that help him stand out from the other characters (his hair can change colors more than once) and has a personality that adds to the uniqueness of his character (he is a powerful magician who has his fears and insecurities, but doesn’t let these feelings show easily). These two major concepts make Howl an interesting character. They also help shape the rest of the characters in this film.
The animation: Studio Ghibli films are known for their artistic animation. Howl’s Moving Castle is no different, filling up the screen with exquisite creations. In fact, the animation in this movie was so good, it honestly looked like priceless art. Everything that was featured on-screen was very detailed, even down to the very look of Howl’s castle. I also liked how the use of color was applied to this film’s animation. The bright colors that were found in some scenes complimented one another and, for the most part, made these scenes feel cheery and light-hearted. Whenever darker colors were used in other scenes, it never looked dull or devoid of color. Instead, these colors accompanied the darker moments unfolding on-screen.
The humor: When I watched Howl’s Moving Castle, I knew there would be some light-hearted moments sprinkled throughout the film. However, I wasn’t expecting this movie to have as much humor as it did. There were several moments in this movie that I found to be genuinely funny. One of these scenes was when Howl was freaking out over his hair changing from blonde to orange. These scenes, as well as the other humorous moments in this movie, were not only well-written, but also well-executed.
Lack of exposition: While Howl’s Moving Castle had a basic story that was fairly easy to understand, I found this movie to have very little exposition. Characters were not really given fleshed out backstories and certain events within this story aren’t given a significant amount of explanations. Within this film’s narrative, there’s a war that happens which affects the characters’ environment. However, it is never explained why this war is taking place or how the war started. I was very frustrated by this flaw of Howl’s Moving Castle.
An underwhelming villain: This film actually has two villains and I found both of them to be very underwhelming. Not only were they not given strong backstories, but they weren’t given any villainous qualities that made them very memorable. Because of this, the only real sense of danger that was found within this story came from the war itself. When it came to the villains themselves, I did not find them to be threatening or scary. To me, both of these villains were wasted potential.
The run-time: Howl’s Moving Castle is approximately two hours long. This caused the story to feel more drawn out and a little bit too long. Because of this, I felt that the first half of the movie was stronger than the second half. In my opinion, I don’t think this particular story needed this long of a run-time. Having the movie be an hour and twenty or thirty minutes long would have worked better for Howl’s Moving Castle.
At best, Howl’s Moving Castle was decent. It was a fine movie-viewing experience and I enjoyed the film for what it was. However, out of the now four Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen, Howl’s Moving Castle was weaker than the previous three films. This movie does have its merits, but it also has its flaws. It felt like this story was trying to accomplish too much at once, causing some of the film’s meanings and messages to get lost in the shuffle. But, like I’ve already mentioned, most of these issues within the movie’s narrative come from the length of the run-time. I would suggest that people, especially those who haven’t seen this movie, give Howl’s Moving Castle a chance. However, if you have seen other Studio Ghibli films before watching Howl’s Moving Castle and if you really enjoyed those movies, you might want to lower your expectations.
Overall score: 7.1 out of 10
Have you seen any of Jean Simmons’ films? Do you like watching movies from Studio Ghibli? Let me know in the comment section!
I haven’t made a Word on the Street post about production updates for confirmed or speculated Hallmark movies since last November. However, as I was writing my review of Mystery 101, I discovered that there are several movies in the works that either are upcoming Hallmark films or movies that could be Hallmark films. The reason why I talk about these production updates in Word on the Street posts is for two reasons; 1) because, to me, it’s considered movie news and 2) I want to tell any reader and/or follower of mine, who may also be a Hallmark fan, what might be in store from either network. When I’ve talked about these production updates, there have been times when the movie was already confirmed to be a Hallmark movie. The mystery films from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are a good example. There are other times when the network of that specific film is unknown at the time of production, causing speculations to be made about its potential welcome onto one of the Hallmark networks. Sometimes, I have been right about a movie ending up as a Hallmark title, such as Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness being a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film. But there have been times when I have been wrong, like when I thought that Christmas on Holly Lane was going to be a Hallmark movie. As more information is revealed about these films, that also happen to be listed in this post, it’ll be interesting to see how many of these films end up becoming Hallmark projects.
On the website, What’s Filming, there are several upcoming movie titles that are listed on both the “Upcoming” and “In Production” pages for the Vancouver and British Columbia area. Some of these movies are already confirmed as Hallmark releases. These movies, as well as when they will be in production, are the following:
Garage Sale Mystery: Search and Seized – Currently in production until February 15th
Morning Show Mysteries: Murder by Design — Currently in production until February 15th
Where There’s a Will k.a. Aurora Teagarden 11 – Starts production on February 4th and ends on February 22nd
However, many of these titles have not been confirmed as Hallmark films. In fact, these movie titles could end up on any network. Here is a list of these titles with their production dates:
“Flip That Romance” – Currently in production until February 6th
“For You, With Love” – Currently in production until February 8th
“Picture Perfect” – Currently in production until February 15th
“Web of Dreams” – Currently in production until February 11th
“Letter From My Mother” – Starts production on February 11th and ends on February 27th
“Puppy Party Romance” – Starts production on February 4th and ends on February 21st
On January 28th, it was reported that a Hallmark Christmas movie is planning on filming in Stonington, Connecticut! In an article on The Day, a “Hallmark Channel Christmas romantic drama” is preparing to film in the area. Indulge Coffee Company, a Stonington eatery, made an announcement on their Instagram feed about “the Hallmark Movie Production team” coming to the Connecticut area. However, they referred to the movie as a “2019 Christmas Special”. As of January 2019, Hallmark has not yet made any announcements about the film.
What are your thoughts about these movie titles? Which ones do you think could be Hallmark movies? Tell me in the comment section!
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
If you want to check out the references that I made within this post, you can visit the Instagram feed of Indulge Coffee Company (@indulgecoffeeco) and these links:
http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (after February 21st, 22nd, and 27th, “Letter From My Mother”, “Puppy Party Romance”, and Where There’s a Will k.a. Aurora Teagarden 11 will be taken off the list)
http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (February 6th, 8th, 11th, and 15th, Garage Sale Mystery: Search and Seized, Morning Show Mysteries: Murder by Design, “Flip That Romance”, “For You, With Love”, “Picture Perfect”, and “Web of Dreams” will be taken off this list)
Because my review of Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was fairly successful (with 55 views and 5 likes), it made sense for me to continue reviewing mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The next film that the network released was Mystery 101. I was pretty excited to see this film because of Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in the movie. One of my favorite Hallmark movies from last year was Pearl in Paradise, so I was looking forward to seeing Jill and Kristoffer lead another Hallmark production. However, I had low expectations for this film. This is because Mystery 101 appeared to have some of the same aspects of other mystery movies from this network. But, because I enjoy watching the mystery films on Hallmark’s second channel, I decided to give this movie a chance. Was this film as enjoyable as Pearl in Paradise? The only to solve this mystery is by reading my Mystery 101 review!
The acting: The cast in Mystery 101 was one of the best parts of this film! As I said in my introduction, Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in this film was what excited me about the project. Their performances did not disappoint, as both of their talents appeared very natural and believable on-screen. I was also impressed by the acting performances of the supporting cast. I was pleasantly surprised to see Preston Vanderslice within this film. I’ve really enjoyed his performances in other Hallmark productions, like Cooking with Love. His portrayal of Amy’s teaching assistant, Bud, was very good. I also liked Andy Thompson’s portrayal as Eldon, the university maintenance employee. His performance was so memorable, I’m still thinking about it as I write this review.
The on-screen chemistry: Because of their on-screen chemistry in Pearl in Paradise, I had a feeling that Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha could also have on-screen chemistry in Mystery 101. Like their acting performances, Jill and Kristoffer’s on-screen chemistry did not disappoint either. Anytime Amy and Travis interacted with one another, it always came across realistically and convincingly. The banter between them was good to hear and the situations they were a part of were interesting to see. If this movie is the start of a new series, seeing Amy and Travis’ relationship grow will be something to look forward to.
The mystery story: In most mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, there are one or two mystery stories within the overall film. In Mystery 101, there were four mysteries within this movie’s narrative. This was a creative and ambitious approach, trying to do something different from the other movies on the network. Having more than one mystery with the film’s story allows the audience to stay engaged in what is happening in the narrative. It also made for an interesting interactive experience.
A slower pace: Throughout Mystery 101, the pace was on the slower side. It almost seemed like the film wanted to take its time with each mystery instead of being as suspenseful and fast-paced as possible. It didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the film, but it was something that I noticed.
A delayed start of the mystery: As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I feel that a film’s mystery should be introduced within the first few minutes of the movie. However, the mystery in Mystery 101 was introduced toward the end of the film’s first 20 minutes. I understand that this is a first movie to a potential new series, meaning that the film’s first few minutes are crucial to setting up the world of the overall series. But I still feel that this film’s mystery should have been introduced within the first 10 to 15 minutes of the film. This way, the story could have jumped right into the mystery and the audience could have started their mystery-solving journey a lot sooner.
Some of the mysteries not connecting with other mysteries: I won’t spoil Mystery 101 if you haven’t seen it yet. But some of the mysteries within this narrative didn’t connect with the other mysteries in this movie. Out of the four mysteries that were introduced in this story, two of them were stand-alone mysteries. They kind of felt like they were there just for the sake of being there. If Mystery 101 becomes a new series and continues to include more than one mystery in their films, I hope these mysteries have some connectivity with each other.
Like Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, Mystery 101 was a good start to this specific series. But, after watching Mystery 101, I liked this movie more than Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness. When comparing the two stories, I think that Mystery 101’s story had more creativity to it. The very idea of having more than two mysteries being explored within one movie is something that isn’t often seen on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It’ll be interesting to see what’s in store for Mystery 101 in the future. Even though Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films, to a certain extent, seem to follow a formula, it looks like the network is putting in a good amount of effort to create movies and series that are unique and creative from each other. Hopefully, these efforts can continue as new series are welcomed and returning series come home.
Overall score: 7.5 out of 10
Have you seen Mystery 101? Would you like to see this series continue? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Two weeks ago, I received 60 followers on my blog! Because of this exciting milestone, I decided to review Ben-Hur. While this movie was released 60 years ago, in 1959, it is also a movie that I have never seen before (yes, you read that right). Ben-Hur is one of those movies that a lot of people have said should been seen at least once in your life. Since I now had a good excuse to watch this film, I decided to choose this movie for this specific blog follower dedication post. Over the years, I have become familiar with this film’s general synopsis as well as the existence of the film itself. I also knew that there was some Christianity that was associated with this film. Other than those things, I didn’t really understand the hype surrounding the movie. What did I think of this juggernaut of a film? You’ll just have to read this review if you want to find out!
The acting: I really liked the acting in Ben-Hur! All of the performances were captivating, keeping me invested in what the characters were going through. The three strongest actors in this cast were Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, and Haya Harareet. These actors brought the emotional intensity that was not only required for their roles, but also complimented the scope of the overall film. Their performances, as well as the performances from the rest of the cast, helped make this film an enjoyable experience!
The sets/scenery: I was very impressed by the sets/scenery in this film! All of the sets were magnificent, feeling larger-than-life and beautiful. Whether it was Judah’s family home or the chariot-racing stadium, these sets were very grand in scale. The scenery was also great to look at! There were various landscapes throughout Ben-Hur, from the desert to the ocean, that were captured very well on film. The natural beauty of these landscapes was eye-catching and visually appealing. The locations in this movie were so great, that it made the experience of watching it so immersive. This aspect of Ben-Hur added to its overall quality.
The incorporation of Christianity/faith: In “sword and sandal” movies, faith is usually not found within that story’s specific narrative. For Ben-Hur, certain Biblical events were incorporated into the overall story. One example is how the movie starts with showing The Nativity, using this event to introduce the audience to one of the film’s characters, Balthasar (who happens to be one of The Three Wise Men). These events were included in a way that seemed to fit within the context of this particular film. They were effortlessly woven in with the main plot of Ben-Hur. It was also interesting to see how faith affected the characters and their actions. With the protagonist, Judah, faith played a significant role in his character development. It showed how he made decisions and chose to live his life. Before the chariot race begins, Judah says a prayer to God to forgive him for seeking vengeance and to place his life in His hands. This component was an interesting and crucial aspect of the story.
The cinematography: Ben-Hur had some interesting cinematography. One example of this was how Jesus’ face is never shown on-screen. While Jesus’ identity is not explicitly revealed in this story, certain events and references make it clear that Jesus plays an important role in this particular narrative. Another example is when Esther meets Miriam and Tirzah after a few years time. During this interaction, Miriam and Tirzah’s face is barely shown. But, this choice in cinematography was effective in showing both the heartbreak and emotional strain that their particular situation would have caused. Because of these faces being either barely shown or never shown on-screen, it keeps the film engaging for its audience, making them wonder if or when these faces will ever be seen. Creative choices like these helped make Ben-Hur as good of a story as it was.
Chariot statue from the Roman Empire image created by Michel Meynsbrughen at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Michel Meynsbrughen.”
What I didn’t like about the film:
Feeling too drawn-out: Throughout Ben-Hur, the story felt a little too drawn-out. What made me feel this way was how some scenes seemed to drag on more than others. An example of this is how the introduction to the chariot race felt like it was a few minutes too long. The reason for the length of these scenes is, probably, to satisfy the film’s three-plus hour run-time. To me, I think this movie could have been cut down to, at least, two and a half hours. This way, the main plot could have kept the film’s main focus while having the overall story get straight-to-the-point.
White horse image created by Gabor Palla at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Gabor Palla.”
My overall impression:
Over these 60 years, this movie has gained “classic” status. From being archived and preserved to appearing on best movie lists, Ben-Hur has earned a respectable reputation as well as many fans. Now that I have seen this film, I can honestly say that the hype was well-earned. I really enjoyed Ben-Hur! I was so engrossed in what I was watching, those three hours felt like they flew by so fast. If you have never seen Ben-Hur, I would highly recommend it! Please don’t let the three-hour run-time intimidate you. This is such a well-told and well-crafted story that truly deserves to be seen. To tell you the truth, if it weren’t for 18 Cinema Lane receiving 60 followers, I might have never seen Ben-Hur. But I’m glad I chose to review this movie for this blog follower dedication post because I had a good time watching it. Once again, I want to say thank you to all my 60 followers!
Overall score: 8.7 out of 10
Have you seen Ben-Hur? Which 1959 released film is your favorite? Please let me know in the comment section!
On 18 Cinema Lane, I talk about Hallmark movies quite a bit. Also, Hallmark has made a lot of movies as time goes on. Because of this and because my blog’s first anniversary is approaching this February, I’ve decided to celebrate the occasion by hosting my very own awards! Earlier this month, in my post called “2019: Looking Back and Planning Ahead”, I briefly mentioned these special awards and said that Hallmark would be the overall theme. What I meant by that is, for the Gold Sally Awards, all of the nominations will be Hallmark movie related. I will be choosing which movies and actors get nominated. However, you, the readers and followers, get to choose which movies and actors actually win the Gold Sally Awards! Right now, I’ll talk about each voting category and what you can expect when it’s time to choose a winner!
Best Movie from Hallmark Channel and Best Movie from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
This category is pretty straight-forward. Ten movies that were released in 2018 will be nominated for each category. However, half of the movies will be Christmas films, while the other half of the nominations will be given to films outside of both Christmas line-ups. As this title suggests, movies from both Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will be recognized.
Best Hallmark Channel Story and Best Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Story
This category will focus on the stories within movies from both Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Sometimes, a film’s story is one of the components that makes a Hallmark movie good. However, some of the movies in these two categories will not be in the Best Movies categories. This is because I tried my best not to have as many re-peat nominations as possible.
Best On-Screen Couple from a Hallmark Channel movie and Best On-Screen Couple from a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie
The on-screen chemistry of twenty on-screen couples will be celebrated in both of these categories. When it comes to Hallmark movies, the on-screen chemistry between the on-screen couples can either make or break that production. However, when the on-screen chemistry in a Hallmark movie is good, it can help that project be as enjoyable as possible for its respective audience. This is especially important since a significant amount of Hallmark movies are romantic-comedies.
All of these eight categories are also pretty straight-forward. Each category will recognize the lead and supporting actors from both Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. These categories are:
Best Hallmark Channel Actress
Best Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Actress
Best Hallmark Channel Actor
Best Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Actor
Best Supporting Hallmark Channel Actress
Best Supporting Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Actress
Best Supporting Hallmark Channel Actor
Best Supporting Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Actor
Like the Best Movies categories, there will be ten nominees in each category. Five nominees will be actors and actresses from Christmas movies, while the other five will be from movies outside the Christmas season.
Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Channel movie and Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie
When it comes to actors and actresses within a Hallmark movie, there are bound to be some performances that get overshadowed by other performers in that particular movie. These two categories will recognize the entire cast from twenty Hallmark films. The categories themselves were created to recognize that every member of a Hallmark cast is equally important. Like I’ve said before, half of the nominated casts will be from a Christmas movie and the other half will be from a non-Christmas movie.
Hallmark Star of the Year
This category is the most interactive out of all these categories. For Hallmark Star of the Year, you, readers and followers, get to pick who gets nominated for this award. All you have to do is write a brief but thorough explanation for why your chosen nominee should be crowned the Hallmark Star of the Year. More details about this award will be revealed when it’s time to vote.
Award show image created by Nick Winchester at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Nick Winchester.”
All of these categories will run for a week and a half, with the first category starting on February 9th, the day 18 Cinema Lane began. Remember, these awards are recognition-only prizes. The Gold Sally Awards are more of a celebration of the best that Hallmark has to offer in terms of entertainment. It’s also a celebration of how far 18 Cinema Lane has come. Please stay tuned for these special awards as they are only two weeks away!
Though Hallmark Movies & Mysteries doesn’t have seasonal themed line-ups like Hallmark Channel does, they have not wasted any time in starting their mystery movie series for 2019. After two wonderful months of Christmas movies, the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are such a welcoming sight to see. For the first movie of this new year, Hallmark’s second network decided to premiere the start of, potentially, a brand-new series: Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness. Last November, in a Word on the Street post, I speculated that Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness could be a first movie in a new mystery series. As the “Miracles of Christmas” line-up started to wind down, this speculation became a reality as Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was, indeed, a Hallmark movie. Because this film’s synopsis shared several similarities with other series from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I kept low expectations for this movie. However, since this network has, for the most part, had a good track record when it comes to their movies, I chose to watch this film with an open mind. As this is the first review of 2019 for a Hallmark mystery film, let the Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness review begin!
The acting: For the most part, I thought the acting in Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was good. During her time in the Hallmark community, Taylor Cole has primarily appeared in movies on the Hallmark Channel. This is the first time she has appeared in a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film. To me, Taylor was one of the strongest actors in this cast! She embodied the character of Ruby Herring with versatility and a well-rounded performance, bringing a sense of believability to her role. Stephen Huszar is no stranger to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, with Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness being his fourth film from the network and his second Hallmark mystery movie. Just like Taylor, Stephen embodied this character in a way that appeared very natural and believable! His performance in this film was very enjoyable to watch.
The on-screen chemistry: While Taylor and Stephen gave a good acting performance individually, they also gave a good acting performance as a pair. Through-out Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, Taylor and Stephen effectively portrayed two people who have feelings of dislike/like between each other. Their banter was not only well-written, but also well-delivered. Taylor and Stephen’s performances complimented one another, which I thought was good to see in this film. I hope they can appear in more Hallmark movies together!
The mystery: I thought this mystery story within Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was well-written! There were enough clues and suspects to keep the story satisfying. I also liked how the story was written in such a way that it leaves the audience guessing until the end. This makes the story intriguing and engaging. Having a consumer investigative reporter solving murder mysteries is an interesting idea for a mystery series, as it provides a unique perspective to a commonly used type of mystery on the network. It shows that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is putting in a conscious effort to give their series its own identity.
The time stamps: In order to break up certain scenes, the creative team behind this film decided to put time stamps throughout the movie. For example, in-between the first and second scene of Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, the words “Day Two – Tuesday” appeared against a black background on-screen. At first, I thought this was an interesting concept. But, as the movie went on, it didn’t seem to add anything to the story. Overall, these time stamps felt random within the context of the movie.
A drawn-out story: While watching Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, I felt that this story was a little too drawn-out. Even though the pace of this film was on the slower side, the story itself seemed like it went on longer than it might have been intended.
Lack of subplots: As I’ve already mentioned, I really liked this film’s mystery story. It also served as the film’s main plot. But this plot was the only one within the entire movie. Personally, I couldn’t find any substantial subplots while watching the film. Yes, there was a wedding and a baking convention that was brought up within the film’s narrative. However, it felt like these events only served the main plot and didn’t have their own stories to tell.
Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was a decent film. However, it was a good start to this particular series. Ruby Herring Mysteries has the potential to be a strong mystery series, like Garage Sale Mystery and the Aurora Teagarden series. Who knows? Maybe there could be a Ruby Herring month! While Hallmark hasn’t made any official announcements yet about any more movies within this series, there are more mystery movies that are on their way on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries! As of January 2019, there are six new mystery movies that have been officially confirmed for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premieres. While most of these movies are brand new series on the network, only one of these movies is a continuation of an already established series, which is Emma Fielding Mysteries: More Bitter Than Death. As I fan of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I am grateful that this network continues to try their best at not only making good mystery movies, but also quality mystery series that are worth celebrating.
Overall score: 7.1-7.2 out of 10
Have you seen Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness? Which mystery movie are looking forward to seeing? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!
When I came across the Made in 1938 blogathon last November, it sounded like something I would want to participate in. As I was searching the internet for films with 1938 release dates, I discovered that Shirley Temple starred in three movies within that year: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner. Because a goal of mine is to watch every single Shirley Temple film ever made, I figured that talking about these three films for this blogathon would be a good way to take one step closer to my goal. Prior to seeing Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner, I had seen some of Shirley’s other films. This means that I had an idea of the components that would make up these three films. So, in this post, I will be exploring and analyzing these six components that are usually found in a “Shirley Temple movie”. Now, when I say “Shirley Temple movie”, I mean the films where Shirley starred in the movie as a child actress. However, when it comes to Shirley’s movies, I will only be discussing the three films that were released in 1938. So, now that I’ve finished these necessary introductions, let’s answer this question of what makes these films a “Shirley Temple movie”.
When I watched Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner, I wanted to see whether Shirley was given legitimate roles to portray or if the film was treated as a way to, simply, include Shirley in the movie just for the sake of having Shirley star in the film. In these three films, Shirley’s roles seemed like they were well-written characters, each given their own characteristics. There are some similarities that these characters had, such as being, to a certain extent, independent. Each character; Rebecca, Penny, and Betsy, were either an orphan or had at least one parental figure in her life. Because of the specific conflict each of these characters face, they all find a way to solve their particular problem. One example of this is in Little Miss Broadway. When her family’s hotel is in danger of closing for good, Betsy becomes friends with the nephew of the hotel’s landlord and helps him put on a show in order to save the hotel and help the residents keep their home. These characters also have their differences as well, such as how they solve their problems. In Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Rebecca is forced to perform in a radio commercial for her greedy and selfish step-father. In order to get out of her living and working situation, Rebecca pretends to lose her voice, tricking her step-father into thinking that she is no longer employable for radio entertainment. Rebecca came up with this plan all by herself compared to how Betsy from Little Miss Broadway and Penny from Just Around the Corner resolve their conflicts.
After watching these films, I think the best role that Shirley portrayed was Betsy in Little Miss Broadway. Because the film centered around performers living in a hotel, this role highlighted both the acting and performing talents that Shirley had to offer within the movie. It made it feel like this role was created just for Shirley, while also complimenting the talents of the other actors and performers in the film. While I liked Shirley’s portrayal of Rebecca in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, I felt like the creative team behind this movie put a little too much emphasis that Shirley was cast in their film. At one point in the film, Shirley says that she used to have curls all over her head, possibly referencing her earlier roles, such as her role in Curly Top. Shirley also mentions the songs “Animals Crackers in My Soup” and “On the Good Ship Lollipop”, not only referencing Shirley’s previous movies, but making it feel like the movie’s creative team assumed that the audience had seen Shirley’s other movies prior to watching Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I also liked Shirley’s portrayal of Penny from Just Around the Corner. But, as I’ll explain later in this post, she wasn’t given many opportunities to perform as a singer and dancer within the context of the film.
The Cast Surrounding Shirley
For this component, I wanted to see if the cast surrounding Shirley were also given legitimate roles to portray or if these actors’ involvement in the film were just seen as everyone being Shirley Temple’s extras. When I reflect on Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner, I can honestly say that the cast surrounding Shirley were also given characters that were well-written. What I liked about these three movies is that the characters seemed so unique and interesting from one another. One of these characters is Samuel Henshaw from Just Around the Corner. While Samuel, at times, comes across as a grumpy individual, it seems like he has a sense of goodness to him, caring equally about his career and his family. This character is very different from Pop Shea from Little Miss Broadway, for example. While both characters appear to be around the same age, their personalities are very different, helping to give a sense of variety among the characters within these three films. Another thing I liked seeing was the variety of talents that was shown within each film. Bill Robinson’s involvement in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Just Around the Corner is a good example of this. Not only is Bill a good actor, but he’s also a good dancer. When it comes to the acting within each film, I think that everyone did a good job with the acting material they were given.
While looking at each story from each film, I wanted to find out how much they relied on Shirley’s involvement in the film. Before I reveal my assessment, let me share a brief synopsis for each film. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is about a radio executive and his assistant searching for the perfect candidate to perform in their radio commercial. Just Around the Corner is about a young girl who tries to help her father find employment and Little Miss Broadway is about a hotel owner trying to save his hotel as well as the home of several performers. While all of these stories do, to a certain extent, depend on Shirley’s involvement, these stories can stand on their own. If you take away the fact that this is a “Shirley Temple movie”, these stories could work with other actors and different characters. An example of this is Just Around the Corner. If this movie were not a musical, I could see almost any child actor being cast in the role of Penny. Other than the musical numbers, it doesn’t really seem like Shirley’s involvement is essential to the story overall. This is the same for Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. You could either have almost any child actor or any singer in the lead role and it really wouldn’t make much of a difference.
Out of these three stories, I liked the plot from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm the most. Not only was the conflict within the plot interesting, but the “behind-the-scenes” aspect of radio entertainment was, to me, fascinating. This part of the film reminded me of two Hallmark movies that I really like: This Magic Moment and Cooking with Love. Because of this, it made me enjoy Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm even more. I liked the story from Little Miss Broadway. But, after the primary conflict is resolved, it feels like other conflicts were invented in the story just to keep the movie going. This made the movie feel a little bit tedious. The story for Just Around the Corner was fine. But, because of the limited amount of musical numbers, it made the story feel drawn out and a little bit longer than intended. Despite the flaws that these stories may have, all of these stories were well-written.
The Messages and Themes
Like most family-friendly films, Shirley Temple’s movies have no shortage of messages and themes that can be found within the film’s narrative. For the most part, these messages and themes are relatable and can be shared with audiences of all ages. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner contain more than one message/theme. In Just Around the Corner, the story is very reflective of the time period that the film was released in. Because the movie premiered in 1938, messages and themes relating to The Great Depression can be found within the film’s plot. Financial prejudice, social class, and maintaining a positive attitude no matter what the circumstance is are themes that I found within the movie. Even though Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Little Miss Broadway were also released in 1938, the messages and themes in these movies are relevant for both the late ‘30s and the late 2010s, focusing less on direct references to The Great Depression. In Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, the two biggest messages that I could find was how success can be found almost anywhere and how important it is to surround yourself with people that truly have your best interests in mind. As a movie blogger, I can relate to the first aforementioned message. Movie bloggers come from all over the world, with several movie bloggers finding huge success. This particular message has definitely stood the test of time. Little Miss Broadway’s two biggest themes in its story were how far kindness can go and getting to know someone before you judge them.
When I watched Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway,and Just Around the Corner, I also noticed that some of the songs within these movies contained important messages and themes. The song, “I Love to Walk in the Rain” from Just Around the Corner re-emphasizes the theme of having a positive attitude in almost any situation. Other examples include “How Can I Thank You?” from Little Miss Broadway promoting the idea of taking time to express gratitude to those around you and “Come and Get Your Happiness” from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm stressing the idea of trying to find happiness wherever you are. Sometimes, these songs were sung more than once, as if the creative team behind these movies wanted to remind their audience of the importance of these messages and themes. For example, in Little Miss Broadway, the song “How Can I Thank You” is sung by Shirley more than once. As I’ve already mentioned, this song focused on promoting sharing gratitude with the people around you. Overall, the messages and themes that are found within these three films add a layer of depth to each story and make the movies feel like time was well spent.
No Shirley Temple movie would be complete without at least one musical number. All three of these movies had their fair share of singing and dancing. However, it’s important to compare the big musical number from each film to see if they effectively represent their respective film. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Miss Broadway, and Just Around the Corner each had a large musical number that was featured toward the end of their film. These musical numbers equally incorporated singing and dancing into the production. Since I’ve already talked about the song “I Love to Walk in the Rain”, I’ll talk about the musical number from Just Around the Corner first. Toward the end of Just Around the Corner, Penny performs a musical number that reminds the movie’s audience about keeping a positive attitude in almost any situation. The way this theme is presented in this musical number is by showing how happy Penny is to be outside while it is raining. Out of these three films, “I Love to Walk in the Rain” is my favorite musical number. Not only does it stress a major theme from the movie in a creative and memorable way, but the actual musical number itself is very entertaining. All of the dancing is choreographed in such a way that it gives the audience the illusion that Shirley and Bill are actually talking a walk. The special effects that are showcased within this musical number are also very impressive. From the rain effect through the number to the props of moving birds, all of it came together to create a musical number that, I think, represents the film as a whole.
The other two musical numbers I will be talking about are “Little Miss Broadway” from Little Miss Broadway and “The Toy Trumpet” from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. In Little Miss Broadway, Betsy and Roger, the nephew of the hotel’s landlord, perform “Little Miss Broadway” in an attempt to prove to the judge that all of the performers residing in the hotel are worthy of hosting their own show on a regular basis. I liked this musical number quite of bit. The choreography was really good and the special effects of the New York City skyline made this musical number such a spectacle to watch. However, I felt that this musical number was only representative of its respective film to a certain extent. Yes, the musical number is reflective of how far optimism and kindness can go, as well as how happy and exciting Betsy’s new environment is to her. But, Broadway itself is never mentioned in the movie until that very musical number. Plus, the majority of the story takes place either in the hotel or in the landlord’s apartment. I also liked “The Toy Trumpet” from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. The choreography and the number itself reminded me of the toy soldier dance that the Rockettes perform during Christmas-time. But, when it comes to representing the movie as a whole, this musical number doesn’t really do that. If anything, “The Toy Trumpet” feels random when it’s placed within the context of the story. Toy soldiers are never mentioned in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and the musical number does not incorporate any of the film’s themes or messages into the performance. Because Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm focuses a lot on radio entertainment, there is a greater number of performances that only involve singing. However, I just think that the big musical number within this film should have either been farm themed or showcased at least one of the film’s themes or messages.
The Overall Film
For this final category, I was curious as to how well these films held up 81 years later. Did any of these movies stand the test of time or are they just products of their time? I can only speak for myself, but I think Just Around the Corner, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and Little Miss Broadway stood the test of time just fine. Because each film has a certain amount of simplicity to them and are relatable to a certain extent, these three movies can be enjoyed by many people. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is the film that I liked the most because of its interesting plot and creativity. Like I mentioned earlier in this post, the “behind-the-scenes” look at radio entertainment was something that added interest to the story for me. Also, I was glad to see the creativity that can be found within this film. A perfect example of this was the scene where Rebecca sings “An Old Straw Hat” on the farm. During this scene, Rebecca and Aloysius, the family’s farm hand, not only perform a short dance on the pathway, but they also pick berries to the tune of the song. I thought Little Miss Broadway was a decent film. However, as I’ve also mentioned, the story felt, at times, tedious because the conflict was resolved a little too early. To me, Just Around the Corner was just ok. The biggest issue that I had with this film was that it wasn’t as much of a musical as I had expected. Just Around the Corner only had three musical scenes, one toward the beginning of the film and two toward the end of the film. For the rest of the movie, this limited number of musical scenes/numbers causes the story to feel drawn out and longer than intended. If these movies had received a traditional review on my blog, the scores they would receive are a 7.7 (for Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm), a 7.1 (for Little Miss Broadway), and a 6.2 (for Just Around the Corner).
Last November, I shared with my readers and followers that One Winter Weekend would receive a sequel. At the time, I had mixed feelings about the idea of this film. On the one hand, One Winter Weekend was placed in the Dishonorable Mentions section of my list of the Top 10 Worst Movies I saw in 2018. On the other hand, I thought the best part of One Winter Weekend was Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams’ acting performance, on-screen chemistry, and their characters. But, like I do with every movie I see (and sometimes review), I decided to watch this sequel, One Winter Proposal, with an open mind. However, because I was not a fan of the first movie, my expectations for the sequel were very low. Did I end up liking One Winter Proposal? Keep reading my review if you want to find out!
The acting: One thing that I liked about One Winter Weekend was the performances of Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams! In fact, I thought their performances were better than Jack Turner and Taylor Cole’s performances. In One Winter Proposal, not only did Rukiya and Dewshane give good acting performances, but Taylor and Jack’s performances were stronger than they were in the first movie! The quality in these acting portrayals helped me stay invested in the characters and their stories. Cardi Wong’s performance in this film was such a pleasant surprise. Ethan, a new character in this series, was a very likable character. If this series does receive a third movie, I hope Ethan makes an appearance.
The on-screen chemistry: Both One Winter Weekend and One Winter Proposal are character-driven films. This means that one of the things that this story relies on is the on-screen chemistry of its stars. Like I said earlier, the starring cast did a good job when it came to their acting performances. Each on-screen couple also had really good on-screen chemistry, with both of them appearing as if they truly cared about one another. It was nice to see Megan and Sean spend some time together again, as I really liked seeing their relationship develop and progress over time. I also thought Ben’s proposal to Cara was really sweet and romantic.
The connections to the first movie: I really liked the connections to One Winter Weekend that were incorporated in One Winter Proposal. An example of this is the inclusion of the wine charms. When Ben and Cara arrive at the resort, Ben presents Cara with her pineapple wine charm from the first movie. Ben also starts his own snowboard company, which is named “Charmed”. Another example is when Megan and Sean participate in a trivia game. Only this time, they are joined by Sean’s niece. These connections were a good, creative way to give the first film recognition.
Lack of conflict: In One Winter Weekend, the main characters not only had to deal with sharing a resort cabin with completer strangers and getting caught in a snowstorm, but they also had to deal with their own personal issues. In One Winter Proposal, there really wasn’t an over-arcing conflict and the characters dealt with very few issues. In fact, the plans in this movie seemed to go more smoothly than in the first movie. The lack of problem-solving made the film a little less interesting.
A weaker plot: Like I just mentioned, One Winter Proposal did not have an over-arcing conflict. This movie also didn’t have an over-arcing plot. This caused One Winter Proposal to be fueled on several, smaller stories. These stories felt closer to real-life situations, such as Ben’s business meetings getting cancelled due to last minute interruptions. Because of this creative decision, it made the film feel like a “slice of life” story.
Some of the characters’ decisions: There were a few times when a character made a decision that, to me, seemed ridiculous. A perfect example is when Cara decides to create two main characters for her novel that are based on her and Ben, but forgetting that she made this choice until after her book was published. I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief for a Hallmark movie. However, I found decisions like Cara’s to be a little too unbelievable.
Movie sequels from Hallmark can be very hit or miss. Some sequels have been really good, such as Wedding of Dreams. Other sequels ended up being disappointing, like All of My Heart: Inn Love. As a movie, I thought One Winter Proposal was decent. As a sequel, I thought it was better than the first movie! For me, this is a huge improvement as well as a step forward. One Winter Proposal surpassed my very low expectations and I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would. This gives me hope that this particular series could grow into a really good collection of films. So far, I have enjoyed the films that “Winterfest” has offered. I hope that the rest of the films, as well as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ upcoming films, are just as enjoyable!
Overall score: 7 out of 10
Did you watch One Winter Proposal? What are your thoughts on “Winterfest” so far? Let me know in the comment section!
As Hallmark Channel’s “Winterfest” line-up continues to play a huge role in January, there is much to look forward to next month. “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” will soon come around the corner, entertaining Hallmark fans throughout February. I’m really looking forward to this year’s line-up, especially since one of my favorite movies last year was Cooking with Love! One part of 2019’s “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” line-up that is exciting is the premiere of Valentine in the Vineyard! In a Word on the Street post last November, I mentioned that a movie titled “Wedding In The Vineyard” would likely be a continuation of the “In the Vineyard” series starring Rachel Leigh Cook and Brendan Penny. It looks like my prediction was right, as this will be the third movie in this particular series. While the premiere date on Hallmark Channel’s website says February 7th, the release date on Crown Media Family Networks’ website is listed as February 2nd. At this time, there has not been a trailer or “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” announcement that officially confirmed either of these dates. However, Crown Media Family Networks has released an official synopsis for Valentine in the Vineyard on the home-page of their website! While the story itself sounds creative, I’m concerned that the “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché will, somehow, be incorporated into the narrative. If this cliché is woven into the film in a similar way as Wedding of Dreams, then I would be fine with that.
If you want to check out the sources related to this Word on the Street story, here are the associated links:
Recently, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries released an official trailer for their new mystery movie, Chronicle Mysteries: Recovered, on their website! This first movie will premiere on February 17th, while its sequel, Chronicle Mysteries: The Wrong Man, will premiere on February 24th. During the trailer for Chronicle Mysteries: Recovered, it was mentioned that this will be “a groundbreaking new mystery movie series”. However, after reading the synopsis for both Chronicle Mysteries films and after watching the trailer for Chronicle Mysteries: Recovered, I’m having difficulty understanding how this series is supposed to be “groundbreaking”. To me, this series looks, sounds, and feels like it is following a formula that has been set in motion by other mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. This formula includes:
A single, female protagonist with a good career
A murder mystery story-line
The crime taking place in a small town or in the same neighborhood as the protagonist
The murder victim being someone that the protagonist personally knows or someone that the protagonist is familiar with, giving the protagonist motivation to solve the mystery
A single, male protagonist who also has a good career
The male and female protagonist working together on almost every single mystery
The male and female protagonist ending up in a romantic relationship over the course of the series
Because I haven’t seen any of these Chronicle Mysteries films yet, I have no idea if this series will truly be as “groundbreaking” as it claims to be. Unless the story is vastly different from the other mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, such as Signed, Sealed, Delivered, then I’m guessing it will probably share a lot of similarities with the series that have already been established on the network. However, I do plan on watching this series when it premieres because, so far, I have enjoyed the mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It seems like February will not only be a good month for Hallmark Channel, but Hallmark Movies & Mysteries as well.
If you want to check out the official pages for the Chronicle Mysteries series or the official trailer, here are the links:
Are you looking forward to the Hallmark films premiering in February? Which movie are you anticipating the most? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!
18 Cinema Lane 
