Last weekend, I achieved 55 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! What a great way to start the new year! As I did last year, I will continue to review films that were released in the same amount of years as the number of followers I received. Because 55 is the number of followers I now have, this review will be about a film that was released 55 years ago (in 1964). I ended up choosing The Moon-Spinners because a) It happened to be on my DVR and b) it was a movie that I was meaning to watch last year, but never got around to it. Before last year, I had never heard of this movie or the Island of Crete. Because of this location and the story itself, I was really excited to see this film! I also have seen some of Hayley Mills’ other films, which were The Parent Trip, That Darn Cat, and pieces of Pollyanna. Because I have enjoyed those films, I had a feeling that I would probably enjoy The Moon-Spinners. Was I right in my prediction? Join me on my 11th review in my blog follower dedication series!
The acting: I really liked the cast of The Moon-Spinners! Everyone was so talented in this film, bringing the best of their acting abilities to their specific role. Hayley’s portrayal of Nikky was such a highlight in this film, making her performance as believable as possible. In the scene where Nikky has to escape from a windmill, the emotion of fear appeared so convincingly, that it truly made me believe that Hayley’s character was actually afraid of heights. I also liked Peter McEnery’s portrayal of Mark. Peter brought just as much believability to his role as Hayley did, helping me to stay invested in Mark’s involvement in the overall story. Whenever Mark was in pain, Peter affectively conveyed that emotion of pain on-screen.
The mystery story: In some mystery stories, the event that caused the mystery is usually shown within the first few minutes of the movie. This leads the rest of the movie to show how the characters solve the mystery. In The Moon-Spinners, the mystery unfolded as the story went along, allowing the audience to experience the surprises and react alongside the characters. I feel this was an engaging experience because it made me feel like I was on this journey alongside the protagonist, not just sitting in my seat and watching things happen on my screen.
The setting/scenery: The Moon-Spinners not only took place in Crete, but the movie itself was also filmed in Crete. The scenery that is found on this island was showcased very well in this film. What I liked about the scenery was how the different parts of Crete were incorporated into the story. While one part of the story took place at the beach, another part took place within ancient ruins. This showed the variety of locations that Crete had to offer, giving viewers a well-rounded depiction of this beautiful Greek location.
A small presence of musicology: In The Moon-Spinners, Nikky’s aunt, Frances, is a musicologist. This aspect of Frances’ character really fascinated me because I had never heard of this particular occupation before. I became more interested in musicology and how it could play a role in this film’s mystery story. However, there was only one scene that actually featured musicology in action. Also, musicology did not play a role within the mystery narrative. This was really disappointing because what I thought was such an interesting concept ended up becoming under-utilized.
Some of the night-time scenes: While watching this film, I noticed that some of the night-time scenes looked like were filmed in the day-time, but with a dark lens placed over the camera. I understand that film technology from the early to mid-60s is very different from the film technologies of the 2010s. However, this is just something that I noticed, with this knowledge staying in the back of my mind as these scenes played out on my television screen.
A limited presence of Greek culture: As I mentioned in my introduction, I had never heard of Crete prior to watching The Moon-Spinners. So, I was interested in seeing how the important parts that make up Crete (the people, customs, traditions, etc.) would be incorporated into this story. While this movie touched upon a wedding, a parade, and how The Moon-Spinners Inn acquired its name, the customs and traditions of Crete did not play as large of a role in the film as I had hoped. Plus, these things were not incorporated into the film’s mystery narrative at all.
I really enjoyed The Moon-Spinners! Even though there were things about the film that could have better, I still thought the movie was good. The Moon-Spinners was an engaging and suspenseful mystery, with really good pieces incorporated into the film. Out of the two and a half films of Hayley Mills’ that I’ve seen, this movie is very different from those aforementioned movies. But, if you are a fan of Hayley Mills, I think you will enjoy The Moon-Spinners. I’m really glad I was finally able to see this film! It’s always great to discover new films, possibly find a hidden gem, and share them with others. Thank you to all of my 55 followers, as this review would not have been possible without you.
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
What are your thoughts on my review? Which Hayley Mills film is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
For my first movie review of 2019, I decided to talk about a Hallmark movie. Since the last Hallmark movie I discussed was When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing and since Hallmark Channel’s “Winterfest” line-up just started, I figured this would be a good time to talk about Winter Castle. My primary reason for wanting to see this film was because of the ice hotel setting. This is the first time that an ice hotel has ever been featured in any kind of Hallmark movie, so I was really excited to see the creativity that this story had to offer. I was also looking forward to seeing Emilie Ullerup and Kevin McGarry’s performances in this film. Besides Chesapeake Shores, I have seen Emilie appear in some of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered films, as well as With Love, Christmas. When it comes to Kevin’s acting abilities, I have seen his performance in A Song for Christmas and Love at First Bark. This is also the first Hallmark movie where both Emilie and Kevin starred as the film’s leads. Did I think this movie was cool? Or did it make me feel bitter cold? Bundle up and grab some hot chocolate as I prepare to review Winter Castle!
The acting: I really liked all of the performances from this cast! The acting in Winter Castle was so good, it made the characters feel like they were real-life individuals. As I said in my introduction, I have seen Emilie and Kevin’s acting performances before. In this movie, I ended up being really impressed by both of their performances! In the scene where Jenny, Emilie’s character, was visiting the ice slide, the joy and excitement that she expressed in that scene looked and felt genuine. Kevin’s performance appeared genuine as well, making his portrayal of Craig as well-rounded as possible.
The setting: According to IMDB, Winter Castle was filmed at Hotel de Glace, a real-life ice hotel in Canada. I think this hotel and the areas surrounding it were captured very well on film! Everything about this hotel was so beautiful, it makes me understand why someone would want to get married there. All of the artwork on the walls was exquisite and magnificent, with the ice chandeliers being really cool to look at! From the snowy forests to the quaint little town, all of the settings look great in this movie and served the story well.
The relationships between the characters: As I just mentioned, I liked the acting performances from Winter Castle’s cast! Because of how good these acting abilities were, it helped make all of the relationships amongst every character feel very realistic. All of the on-screen couples in this film had good on-screen chemistry, each of them appearing like they truly cared about each other. The non-romantic relationships also appeared like the people involved in them really got along with each other. A good example of this is any scene where Jenny, Craig, and Sara were spending time together. The relationships that these three characters had with one another came across really believably.
The changing of locations: In Winter Castle, almost every member of the wedding party stayed at the ice hotel. However, they ate the majority of their meals in a restaurant that was separate from the hotel. I found this to be really confusing, especially since most hotels have restaurants within their facilities. Because this movie was filmed in a real-life hotel, I’m not sure if the change in locations was a hotel related or movie production related decision.
Very few strong conflicts: While there were some conflicts within Winter Castle’s narrative, I was only able to find one that I felt was strong. The subplot of Jenny writing a story based on her trip was my favorite, as her struggle to grow her career was the strongest conflict in the film. The other plots in the film were fine, but not as compelling as I had hoped. This didn’t make me like the movie any less, but it left more of this movie’s story-telling department to be desired.
The wedding subplot getting overshadowed: When I watched this movie, I noticed that the wedding subplot seemed to get overshadowed by the main plot of Jenny and Craig falling in love. It got to the point where I questioned why this movie needed a wedding subplot at all. This narrative could have simply been about the protagonist going on vacation with her family and it really wouldn’t have changed the story. Maybe I would have felt differently if the wedding subplot was a main plot instead.
Winter Castle was not only a good start to the “Winterfest” line-up, it was also a good start for Hallmark Channel’s new year! While this movie had its flaws, I still thought it was a good film. As I’ve read the synopsis of the other films in the “Winterfest” line-up, I’ve noticed that Hallmark is starting to incorporate more creativity into their films. This makes me happy because, to me, Hallmark has what it takes to be as creative and imaginative as they want to be. Take Winter Castle for example, the setting itself was very creative and it made the movie that much more enjoyable for me. I really hope that Hallmark continues to incorporate more creativity into their films because there are so many more stories that I could see them sharing with their audience. If Hallmark keeps bringing imagination, creativity, and quality into their films, then I think they can continue to find success.
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
Have you seen Winter Castle? Which “Winterfest” movie are you anticipating the most? Let me know in the comment section!
Happy New Year, everybody! I have a feeling 2019 is going to be a great year for 18 Cinema Lane! Last year, my blog was more successful than I ever imagined. This is because of all of you, my readers and followers, who have played an integral role in making 18 Cinema Lane so great. From liking my posts and leaving comments, these simple, small gestures have not only helped build my blog’s success, but have also helped 18 Cinema Lane’s future. Here are the stats from last year to see how many triumphs this blog has achieved:
2018
Total blog posts: 132
Total followers: 52
(technically, I have 53 followers because I’m following my own blog)
Now that we’ve reviewed some of the major successes that 18 Cinema Lane achieved in 2018, it’s time for me to talk about some of the things that are coming up in my blog’s near future. I wanted to share these exciting pieces of news with you so that you can know what to expect in the upcoming months of this new year. Each piece of news with be broken down into four separate categories. Since I’ve now gotten through all the necessary introductions, let’s start discussing what new things are taking place in 2019!
Blogathons
If you have ever looked at the section on my blog’s home-page titled “Blogathons I Will Be Participating In!”, then you would see I will be participating in three upcoming blogathons! These blogathons are Pop Culture Reverie and In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood’s Made in 1938 blogathon, The Wonderful World of Cinema and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies’ 90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon, and Taking Up Room’s So Bad It’s Good blogathon. Later this year, I will even be hosting my own blogathon! I will share more details about my blogathon either in April or May, but I will share that it will be movie themed. If you want to see what other blogathons I will be participating in throughout the year, just look in the right-hand side of my blog’s home-page under the title “Blogathons I Will Be Participating In!”.
A New Folder Tab
Speaking of blogathons, I will be moving all of my blogathon posts to a new folder tab titled “My Blogathon Folder”. When I first started my blog, I thought that blogathons were exclusive, invitation-only events. Therefore, I didn’t expect to be participating in as many blogathons as I have. Since my list of blogathon posts is growing, I feel it is time to place these posts in their own special section.
A Special Movie Awards
Next month will be 18 Cinema Lane’s first anniversary! In honor of this special occasion, I have decided to host a special movie awards! To determine the winners, I will allow my readers and followers to vote on each category. More details for these movie awards will be announced later this month, but I will say that Hallmark will be the overall theme.
What the Code Means to Me
In June, I will be participating in Pure Entertainment Preservation Society’s “What the Code Means to Me” series! This series is created to showcase different people’s perspectives about the 1930 Motion Picture Production Code. I’m not sure what exactly I’ll be writing about, but stay tuned for this post to be published this summer! You can visit Pure Entertainment Preservation Society’s blog for more information about this code and this series.
Like I said in my post of The Top 10 Best Movies I saw in 2018, I’ve had a pretty good year in terms of movie-viewing. However, there were a few “stinkers” along the way. All movie bloggers will, inevitably, come across at least one film that either lets them down or was just less-than-stellar. This leads me to talk about this list of movies before 2018 is over. As the title suggests, the Top 10 Worst Movies I saw in 2018 will be discussed in this post. This list is very similar to the list of the best films I saw in 2018, where the list is based on my opinion and movies that I have personally seen. Also, like I said in my aforementioned list, this list was not created to be mean-spirited or negative toward anyone’s opinions/cinematic preferences. It is just a way for me to be honest about some of the films I saw in 2018. Now, let’s start off this list by looking at 2018’s Dishonorable Mentions:
One Winter Weekend, Frozen in Love, Love at Sea, Lilith, Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe, Mingle All the Way, and Island of Grace (this movie was so bad, I could only sit through about 5 minutes of it)
Now, let the official list of 2018’s worst movies begin! Starting with number 10:
10. Marrying Mr. Darcy
I’m going to be honest; I thought Unleashing Mr. Darcy was decent, at best. Therefore, I was not asking Hallmark to give this movie a sequel. However, I was hoping Marrying Mr. Darcy would be better than the first movie, so this series could grow and progress as time went on. Unfortunately, that was not the case. As I’ve mentioned before, one of my least favorite Hallmark movie clichés is the “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché. In Marrying Mr. Darcy, this cliché serves as the film’s plot. The dog-show element of Unleashing Mr. Darcy’s narrative was something that I really liked about the first movie, as dog-shows had not been featured in a Hallmark movie until that film. But, in Marrying Mr. Darcy, dog-shows are pretty much non-existent, taking away an important part of the first movie’s identity. If I had liked or loved Unleashing Mr. Darcy anywhere near as much as other people did, maybe I would find Marrying Mr. Darcy to be more disappointing that it was. But, because I wasn’t really a fan of the first film, its sequel received a low placement on this list.
9. Christmas on Holly Lane
In 2018, I watched about 19 newly released Christmas films. Out of all of those, Christmas on Holly Lane was the worst one. As I said in my review, Christmas is given such little emphasis in the story. This movie also has an assortment of other issues that I talked about in my review, from too much focus on the “doom and gloom” of the protagonist’s realities to having too many plots. What’s really disappointing about this specific placement is this is the second year in a row where my least favorite Christmas movie of the year has been an UP Network movie (I also didn’t like The Christmas Calendar). This channel has what it takes to create films that are really good in quality. So, hopefully, in 2019, UP Network can put together a movie that doesn’t end up on my Worst Movies of the Year list.
8. Waffle Street
Yet, another movie I’ve reviewed that joins the list. What’s so disappointing about Waffle Street, even more disappointing than movies 10 and 9, is the movie is based on a true story. Not only that, the story itself sounds really fascinating. Too bad the movie was no where near as interesting. The biggest problem with Waffle Street is the poor execution that was placed on the film. This led the movie to have creative issues, such as very little character development and a toilet scene that went too far. While the cast in Waffle Street did a pretty good job with the acting material they were given, there was nothing anyone could do to save this film. Maybe if this story was placed into the hands of a network like Hallmark, the movie could have done this true story justice.
7. The Graduate
I am fully aware that this choice is going to be controversial, especially since The Graduate is well-liked by a lot of people and is ranked in the Top 10 of AFI’s Top 100 Movies of All Time list. But, as I reflect on this film, I can’t help but wonder why this movie was made and what the creative team behind this movie was trying to say to its respective audience. To me, the majority of The Graduate feels like it was a product of its time. Also, there are several elements within this movie that feel like they were incorporated just for the sake of shock value. When I think about The Graduate, as well as the other movies I’ve seen in 2018, I’ve come to realize that I’m not a fan of the story-telling trope where situations or things are placed in a film just for the sake of shock value/ getting a reaction out of the audience. I will admit that Simon and Garfunkel have some really good songs, but I just think that their music felt out of place in this movie.
6. Collateral
This movie has the distinction of getting worse as the story goes on. What starts out as an intriguing, action-packed mystery story slowly turns into a philosophical discussion on why people do the things they do. The character of Vincent is more annoying than menacing, with things happening way too conveniently in his favor. Similar to what I said about Waffle Street, I think the cast did a good job with the acting material they were given. But, also like I said about Waffle Street, there was nothing anyone could do to save this film. I won’t spoil this movie for you (even though I would not recommend this film), but all I will say is the ending was way too ridiculous for my liking.
Yes, another controversial choice for this list, especially because of how well-liked this movie is and how iconic this film’s opening scene is. When you take away the acting (which was good), the dancing sequences (which were really good), and the soundtrack (which is great), you are left with a movie that feels very long, is filled with unlikable characters, and has way too much swearing for my liking. I saw this movie on television and there was so much swearing in this film, I honestly thought the audio on my TV was broken. Another thing I’d like to add is the film’s climax is so predictable, that I, personally, didn’t find it to be emotionally affective. In 2018, I found out Saturday Night Fever was given a sequel a few years after its 1977 release. However, I have no intention of watching this sequel because a) I’ve heard a lot of negative things about the film and b) I didn’t like Saturday Night Fever anywhere near enough to want to give the sequel a chance.
4. Logan Lucky
Out of all the movies on this list, Logan Lucky is the only one that I just couldn’t finish watching. Maybe if I had finished watching it, the movie probably would have ended up in the Top 3. The biggest fault of Logan Lucky is how boring of a movie it is. Despite the fact that this a heist film, there is no excitement to be found. I will admit that this movie had the pieces to, potentially, be a good film. Unfortunately, because of a poorly written script, this entire concept was really poorly executed. Even as I start to think about the Top 3 Worst films I saw in 2018, I’m still trying to figure out how Logan Lucky received a score of 92 to 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
3. Menu for Murder
This is a Lifetime movie from 1990 that I’m not sure how many people are aware of. What enticed me to watch this film was how similar the synopsis sounded to the mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Also, Menu for Murder had an interesting concept (a murder that takes places amongst a PTA group) set against an interesting backdrop (Encino, California). With all of those pieces put together, this movie sounded like something I would like; an engaging mystery story that has a good amount of creativity. But, all of this potential was wasted on a poorly written script. Not only was the mystery itself very lackluster, but all of the characters in the PTA group were defined by stereotypical personalities. The film’s climax was not suspenseful at all, but instead silly, over-the-top, and ridiculously bad to the point of not taking the climax seriously. To me, this was the most disappointing movie I saw in 2018.
2. Yes, I Do
If you have followed my blog for a significant period of time, you would have seen this movie coming a mile a minute. While Yes, I Do is the worst Hallmark movie I saw in 2018, it is now the second worst Hallmark movie I’ve ever seen (bumping Firelight off of my Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time list). As I said in my review, this movie was so bad, I had to fast forward through certain parts of the movie just to get through it. The film’s narrative is not good, even by made-for-TV movie standards. There were other issues I had with this movie as well, from a very unlikable protagonist to really poor screen-writing. Like I also mentioned in my review, this is the second year in a row where Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up ended with a movie that I didn’t like. Hopefully, in 2019, the last “June Weddings” movie can help the line-up end on a positive note.
1. The Birds
This has got to be the most controversial choice on this list. When I think about the movies I saw in 2018, The Birds is the only one to truly make me feel like I wasted my time watching it. Prior to seeing this film, I had watched Rear Window, Psycho, and Strangers on a Train. Because of this, I was familiar with the directing style of Alfred Hitchcock and the cinematic tone of his films. However, The Birds ended up being a 2-hour, slow, and boring build-up to absolutely nothing. No plot twist, no shocking ending, no explanation for why the birds were causing so much chaos in the first place. Nothing. For me, it felt like all of the characters were placed within this narrative just because they were obligated to be there. Their dialogue and subplots did not interest me at all. The only parts of the film that I liked were anytime at least one bird showed up, as the love birds leaning in the direction of the car’s turns was one of the best scenes in this film (because it was that hilarious). While I am all for watching Hitchcock’s films with an open mind, I feel bummed out that, in 2018, I found a Hitchcock film that I didn’t like.
Yes, I Do poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Yes%2c+I+Do
What did you think of my list? What is the worst film you saw in 2018? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!
As the sun sets for December, as well as 2018, lots of movie bloggers have participated in creating the lists of movies that they have liked and disliked. What I’ve noticed about these lists is that they’re filled with movies that are newly released films. While I have also decided to partake in making end-of-year movie lists, my lists will be slightly different from the rest. This difference is any movie that I saw within the year of 2018 is fair game. Like I said in my Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time post, both of my end-of-year movie lists are not only based on my opinion, but also based on movies that I have personally seen. Before I talk about the list itself, I just wanted to mention that both of my movie lists were not created to be mean-spirited or negative toward anyone’s opinions/cinematic preferences. These lists are simply a way for me to be honest about the films that I liked and disliked within 2018. Now, as the title suggests, this is the list where I will share the Top 10 Best Movies I saw in 2018. I’ve been very grateful to have had a really good year in terms of movie-viewing. I’m not going to lie, this list was not easy to create. There were a good amount of films I saw, and sometimes reviewed, this year that I really liked. However, with the nature of any Top 10 list, there are bound to be movies that don’t make the cut. Speaking of which, let’s begin with this short list of 2018’s Honorable Mentions:
Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Christmas Everlasting, The Dark Knight, Love, Of Course, Christmas at Pemberley Manor, Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, Escape to Witch Mountain, Return from Witch Mountain, Shoelaces for Christmas, Flicka: Country Pride, Strangers on a Train, Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, Pearl in Paradise, The Bad Seed (2018), Christmas on the Coast, Love, Once and Always, and Runaway Romance
Now, the moment has come to start the official list! Let’s start with number 10:
10. Wedding of Dreams
Like I mentioned in my review for Wedding of Dreams, I said that, in 2016, I would have debated about why For Love and Honor was more deserving of a sequel than Summer of Dreams. However, Wedding of Dreams was not only a good movie individually, but also a great continuation to this particular story! One of my least favorite clichés that Hallmark has ever incorporated into their films is the “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché. While this cliché does appear in Wedding of Dreams, it was written in a way that actually makes sense for that specific story. What also helped this movie is not having this cliché be the primary focus. Instead, it serves as an interconnecting subplot that works together with another subplot. To me, this was the best wedding themed movie that Hallmark released in 2018!
9. Avengers: Infinity War
Despite the fact that I wasn’t a fan of this film’s ending and end-credit scene, I still found it to be an enjoyable film. All of the key components of Avengers: Infinity War looked and felt like they are handled with great care. Every detail, from the acting to Thanos himself, were put at the right place and time in order to create an entertaining cinematic experience! Besides the ending and end-credit scene, I was disappointed by the movie being more of a “set-up” film than I had expected. But, as I said in my spoiler-zone review of Avengers: Infinity War, I will take Dale Travers’ advice to “trust the timing” as I patiently wait for the arrival of Avengers: Endgame.
8. Oliver!
Yes, I know I just reviewed this movie recently. But, when I look back on all the movies that I’ve seen, and reviewed, in 2018, Oliver! just makes me smile. Honestly, this has quickly become one of my favorite movie musicals, with an engaging story and memorable songs. Even as I list these movies one by one, I still think of the song “Consider Yourself”. A great thing about movies is they can have the ability to find a special place in your heart. For me, this is exactly what Oliver! did, finding a special place in my heart in order to be carried and remembered as time goes on. As I mentioned in my review, this movie is one of the reasons why I’m thinking about reading Oliver Twist in 2019!
7. Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa
Out of all the Christmas movies that were released from Hallmark in 2017, Christmas in Evergreen was one of the last movies I would have expected to receive a sequel. However, this sequel pleasantly surprised me by how good of a film it was! What’s so great about Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is that it adds something new to the story, as well as expand the world of Evergreen. It was nice to see two interesting, on-going mysteries in this film, with one of them leading to one of the best plot-twists in Hallmark movie history! Hallmark has proven that Evergreen is a truly special place, creating a likable environment filled with likable characters. I really hope Hallmark considers continuing the series, as I’m sure more stories can be found within this precious town.
6. Cowgirls ‘N Angels
This year, I was pleasantly surprised to find two horse themed movies that I really liked! One of these films was Cowgirls ‘N Angels, a movie that I had heard about, but never seen until 2018. The story within this movie was very sweet and emotional, keeping me invested throughout this cinematic journey. Bailee Madison’s performance was so great, it was actually one of her best acting performances that I’ve ever seen! Even though she was the youngest cast member in Cowgirls ‘N Angels, she still found a way to bring so much versatility and emotion to her character. It makes wish to see Bailee receive a dramatic role in a Hallmark movie. Yes, I know Bailee is an important member of the Good Witch television show. But, it’s been two or three years since we’ve seen Bailee star in a Hallmark movie that wasn’t Good Witch affiliated.
I think it’s safe to say that my friends, Bucky and Bucky, had a pretty good 2018! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
5. L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables: Fire & Dew
I have seen all of PBS’s Anne of Green Gables films starring Ella Ballentine, with the first movie being good and the second movie being just decent. However, I thought this third movie was the best one in this trilogy! Something that really impressed me about this story was the messages and themes that were found within the film’s narrative. These messages and themes, such as the importance of education, were not only worth promoting, but were also presented in a way that seemed very realistic. This made me feel good about what I was watching, like that time was well spent. I hope that PBS considers creating more movies for this series, as I would definitely like to see Anne’s story continue. For the most part, this particular Anne of Green Gables series has had a pretty good track record when it comes to quality. PBS has proven that they have what it takes to make entertaining and meaningful films.
4. Jurassic Park
I had such a great movie-going experience when I saw Jurassic Park at a Fathom Events screening. One of the reasons why is how great of a movie this was! For me, Jurassic Park has almost everything I could want in a movie, making the movie itself such a memorable masterpiece. I mentioned in my review that I saw Jurassic Park for the first time in 2018. Looking back on this film, I’m glad I chose to review this movie when I received 25 followers on my blog. Otherwise, I might have missed out on a truly spectacular film! I have not yet seen the other films within this series, so I might have to make time to see them in 2019.
3. Saving Mr. Banks
This is a film that I’m so glad to have finally seen! I said in my review of Saving Mr. Banks that I have wanted to see this film for a while. When I received five followers on 18 Cinema Lane, I decided to make the time to see this movie. I can only speak for myself, but I think I made a wise choice. There were several great things about this film that helped make it the gem that it is. Similar to what I said about Avengers: Infinity War, everything about Saving Mr. Banks seems like it has handled with such great care. Because of this, my experience with watching this film ended up being a great one!
2. Cooking with Love
This was the first movie to receive a perfect score (10 out of 10) out of all the movies I reviewed in 2018! Even after all these months later, I can still remember how excited I was to share my thoughts about Cooking with Love with all my readers and followers. This movie took something that I love (the Hallmark movie, This Magic Moment) and added even more creativity to it. There were so many great elements in this film, that it truly makes me smile just thinking about the film as a whole. While there were a few things that I didn’t like about the movie, these things were minor and didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the movie. I would definitely love to see Cooking with Love receive a sequel, especially since there are enough story elements within this narrative to naturally lend itself well to a second chapter.
1. Royally Ever After
While Cooking with Love was the first movie to receive a perfect score on 18 Cinema Lane, it was definitely not the last. Royally Ever After also received a score of 10 out of 10! There is no such thing as a “perfect” Hallmark movie. But, to me, this film was the first Hallmark movie I’ve seen in quite a while to be as close to “perfect” as possible. The best part of Royally Ever After is how the creative team behind this project went out of their way to use as few “Hallmark royal movie” clichés as possible. It felt like Hallmark had taken a concept that had been told so many times and give it a much welcomed “breath of fresh air”. Like Cooking with Love, Royally Ever After has enough story elements to naturally lend itself towards a sequel. Besides, as far as I know, Hallmark has never made a movie that featured a royal wedding. This would be a great way for this movie to, potentially, be the start of a new series!
Royally Ever After poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Royally%20Ever%20After&IsSeries=False.
What did you think of my list? What was the best movie you saw in 2018? Please let me know in the comment section!
On 18 Cinema Lane, I received a Christmas present early! I finally achieved 50 followers! This means that I now have to review a movie that was released fifty years ago (in 1968). While looking at my options for what movie to talk about, I realized that I haven’t reviewed a musical yet. So, I chose Oliver! for this special blog post. While I have never read Oliver Twist, I did see Oliver & Company in September. In fact, I reviewed that film back when I received 30 followers on 18 Cinema Lane. Because of this, I had a basic idea of what the story was about. How different was Oliver! from Oliver & Company? Check out my review in order to find out!
The acting: This was a very strong cast! Everyone pulled off a performance that appeared so believable, it made the actors seem like they disappeared into their roles. One of the most versatile actors in this movie was Ron Moody. His portrayal of Fagin was very memorable, bringing those elements of sneakiness and desperation that were essential to that character. I also thought that the child actors were talented as well. While Mark Lester’s portrayal of Oliver was definitely a highlight in this film, I also liked seeing Jack Wild’s performance! Dodger, Jack’s character, was portrayed so well. This is because Jack’s acting performance appeared so natural, making it feel like a child in that particular situation would truly react in that specific way. All of these acting performances added to my level of enjoyment for this movie!
The set design: I was really impressed with all of the set designs in this movie! Because this story takes place in 1800s England, the environment within this film is reflective of that time and place. What makes these set designs so great is how immersive they make the audience feel when they see the film. While watching Oliver!, I felt like I was transported to that world, experiencing situations and events alongside Oliver. The authentic look and feel of the film’s environment also helps add a sense of realism to the story.
The musical sequences: The musical sequences within this film were, for the most part, really enjoyable! I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of up-beat and catchy songs that were not only entertaining, but also complimented the context of the story. The musical sequence that I enjoyed the most was “Consider Yourself” because the song itself was so great! Some of the visuals in that scene were very creative, such as when, as Dodger and Oliver are walking past a butcher shop, they walk through a doorway which was created by a split piece of meat. It was also interesting to see how the different components of 1800s London came together to showcase the importance that they represented at that time.
The heavy dialect: As I have mentioned, the story of Oliver! takes place in 1800s England. This means that all of the characters have a dialect that reflects that time and place. However, because of how heavy the dialect was, I found myself having difficulty, at times, understanding what these characters were saying. While this didn’t make me enjoy the movie any less, I did have to pay extra attention to all of the dialogue in the film.
Very few emotional songs: Like I’ve also mentioned, most of the music in Oliver! was up-beat. But, when it comes to emotional songs, there are only two within this movie: “Where Is Love?” and “As Long as He Needs Me”. Because of the limited amount of emotional songs, it kind of undermines some of the seriousness that can be found in the story. While the up-beat nature of the songs is meant to make the movie less dark and dreary, a balance of up-beat and emotional songs would have worked better for the story.
I can’t believe this is my last movie review of 2018. Where has the time gone? Anyways, back to the review itself. I really enjoyed this film! As a musical and movie, Oliver! was such a delight to watch. Because I had seen Oliver & Company before I saw Oliver!, it made me appreciate the story as well as the original source material. Like I mentioned in my introduction, I have never read Oliver Twist. But, both of these films have encouraged me to want to read the book! Maybe I will read it in 2019. Speaking of the New Year, I’ve had a pretty good year when it comes to movie blogging. You, my readers and followers, are one of the reasons why 2018 has been great for 18 Cinema Lane. Thank you all so much for making this year such a memorable one for my blog. Here’s hoping 2019 brings more greatness for movie blogging!
Overall score: 8.6 out of 10
What are you looking forward to in 2019? Which movie review from 18 Cinema Lane has been your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
December 25th was a special day for Hearties: it was Christmas as well as the premiere of When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing! Hearties were given the opportunity to not only partake in the festivities of the season, but also to celebrate the arrival of When Calls the Heart’s next chapter. Even though I was looking forward to this film, my expectations for it were low. When I first learned about the film’s synopsis, it sounded like Cody and Becky’s story from When Calls the Heart: New Year’s Wish was being rehashed to a certain extent. Earlier this month, in a Word on the Street post, I shared my thoughts about the trailer for When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing. At best, it was just fine, not heightening my expectations for the film. However, I still wanted to watch the movie, especially since I am a fan of the show. Because I also re-cap When Calls the Heart in my “Sunset Over Hope Valley” series, reviewing this movie would keep up with 18 Cinema Lane’s continuity. Thank you for joining me for this review, as you’re about to discover my thoughts on When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing!
The acting: One of the best components of When Calls the Heart has always been the strength of the cast! Just like on the show, the cast in When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing was one of the strongest parts of the film! Everyone in this cast portrayed their specific character very well, providing enough natural emotions and reactions to bring a sense of believability to their particular role. A pleasant surprise within this movie was Morgan Kohan and Jocelyn Hudon’s performance! While I’ve never seen any of Morgan’s acting performances before, I remember watching Jocelyn’s performances in The Christmas Cure and Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Love Locks. Their portrayals of Grace and Lillian were so believable, it felt like their characters had a good familial bond.
The humor: More often than not, Hallmark has done a pretty good job at incorporating humor into their films. In When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, all of the humor felt good-natured and genuine. One of the funniest scenes in this movie was when Bill and Abigail were taste-testing the figgy pudding that he had made. Because Lori and Jack provided reactions that seemed very natural for that particular situation, it made the scene that much funnier. Another funny scene was when Bill accidently counted Robert while he was trying to figure out how many orphans arrived in Hope Valley. Similar to what I said about Lori and Jack, Jaiven’s reaction was so genuine that it helped that scene to be humorous in a good-natured way.
The character interactions: As I have already mentioned, one of the strongest parts of this movie was the cast! What is wonderful about this cast is witnessing how strong the on-screen chemistry is amongst the characters. Seeing the various characters interact with one another was a very great highlight of When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing. Like I’ve said before, Morgan and Jocelyn both pulled off such a believable performance, the familial bond that they portrayed felt very real. This is also the case when it comes to the connections between the other characters. What helps is the film’s cast is also the cast on the show, having those relationships already established in previous stories.
A two-hour commercial for “When Hope Calls”: When I talked about the trailer for When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, I mentioned that the main plot of the movie was how a group of orphans are stranded in Hope Valley during Christmas-time. While I thought this plot was the best one in the movie, I feel it should have been a subplot. During the commercials in-between this film, it was revealed that the main plot of When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing would serve as the premise for the new show on Hallmark Movies Now, “When Hope Calls”. It was also revealed that “When Hope Calls” would premiere on Hallmark’s streaming service next summer. Going back to why I think the main plot from When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing should have been a subplot, it doesn’t seem like any aspect of this main plot will be transferred over to When Calls the Heart’s sixth season. Also, because the story for “When Hope Calls” was introduced about six to eight months before its premiere, the creative team behind When Calls the Heart/ “When Hope Calls” could run the risk of making any hype for this new show quickly disappear before it has a chance to receive any amount of anticipation from a potential audience. Because of how much attention this main plot received, it felt like the characters from When Calls the Heart were placed on the side-lines. I, honestly, think that the creative team behind this movie should have waited to introduce “When Hope Calls” in a two-part episode on When Calls the Heart.
The subplots: Like I previously mentioned, the best plot in When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing was the one involving the orphans and their care-givers. However, I found all of the subplots to be weak and uninteresting. For example, throughout the movie, Jesse and his friends are trying to find a suit so Jesse can take Clara to a special performance of The Nutcracker. This subplot feels like a step backward compared with the subplot Jesse was given in When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree. Even his subplot in the ninth episode of the fifth season was stronger than his subplot in this film. To me, these subplots lacked depth and intrigue, causing me to not feel invested in any of these stories.
Tom Thornton’s absence: In my season finale post from the “Sunset Over Hope Valley” series, I said that Tom’s incorporation into When Calls the Heart’s Christmas movie would make up for Tom’s absence in the season finale of the show. Unfortunately, not only was Tom nowhere to be found, but he was never referenced in any part of the movie. Of course, I was disappointed by this. I think he could have been given a really well-written story arc where he has to deal with becoming an uncle and spending his first Christmas without his brother. This story arc could have shown the two different sides of Christmas: the joyous side and the emotional side. Because this was Hope Valley’s first Christmas without Jack, but there were also good things to acknowledge about the Christmas season, Tom’s story arc could have shown a nice balance between these two ideas.
While I thought that When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing was a good film, I honestly thought it could have been better. If I had the choice, I would choose last year’s Christmas movie, When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree, over this one. This is because all of the plots in last year’s film were stronger and equally well-told. The screen-writing was the biggest flaw of this year’s movie, causing me to lower my expectations for When Calls the Heart’s sixth season. Even though I’m still looking forward to this show’s return, I have my concerns about the overall story for the upcoming season. During the commercials in-between When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing, there was an advertisement for the new season. The biggest plot-point in this trailer was how Hope Valley will be receiving a telephone. While there could be an interesting story associated with this idea, the commercial didn’t give me a reason to get excited about a telephone coming to Hope Valley. However, in this same commercial, it was mentioned that Clara and Jesse are planning on building a barn. This part of the advertisement excited me the most, as this detail left me with several unanswered questions. Hopefully, When Calls the Heart’s next season can be filled with more intriguing stories. This show, in my opinion, has a pretty good track record when it comes to story-telling, so I will be optimistic about what’s to come for this show.
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
Are you looking forward to When Calls the Heart’s sixth season? What is your favorite When Calls the Heart Christmas movie? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
In my review of Return from Witch Mountain, I mentioned that I would publish my 45 follower thank you review very soon. Because I, recently, watched a film that was released in 1973, now is the time for me to talk about that film. For this post, I have chosen The Paper Chase. Before seeing this movie, the only film about law school I had ever seen was Legally Blonde. So, I was interested in seeing this particular concept from a different perspective. I am aware that this movie was based on a pre-existing novel. However, because I have never read this book, I’m only reviewing The Paper Chase as a film, not a book-to-film adaptation. How good or bad is the ninth film for this specific review series? Check out my review of The Paper Chase to find out!
The acting: All of the character portrayals in this movie were very good! Everyone appeared so believable, it seemed like I was watching real-life people dealing with real-life situations. Willis Bell, to me, was a very unlikable character. However, Craig Richard Nelson did a good job portraying that sense of unlikability which came across very effectively on-screen. Before watching The Paper Chase, I had seen Lindsay Wagner’s performances in Eat, Play, Love and Mingle All the Way. But, this was my first time watching Lindsay’s performance in a project not affiliated with Hallmark. I think she did a really good job portraying Susan Fields in this movie, giving an acting performance that appeared very natural and versatile.
The cinematography: While watching The Paper Chase, I noticed some really creative cinematography. One example of this was the reflection of the textbook in James T. Hart’s glasses. This stressed the importance of academics and how far James was willing to go to succeed. Another really cool use of cinematography in The Paper Chase was whenever someone was walking on the glass library floor. The way the camera focused on the floor, as if looking upward, was really interesting. Seeing the unique ways that cinematography was used in this film was such a pleasant surprise!
The music: Even though music was only found at certain moments in the film, I really enjoyed the music that was featured within the movie. To me, the best song was during the scene where James and Susan are on the frozen pond. This instrumental music was such a pretty score that beautifully complemented the wintery beauty in that scene. I was surprised when I found out John Williams created the music for The Paper Chase because I’ve been used to hearing his iconic scores from well-known blockbuster films. The music that was incorporated into this film was a great thing to find!
A slow pace: The pace in The Paper Chase was slow. It was slow enough to the point of making the movie feel drawn out and longer than it might have been intended.
Lack of plot: Before watching The Paper Chase, I had expected the movie to have a substantial plot, with a conflict, climax, and some rising action. Unfortunately, the movie did not have any of those things. The Paper Chase is a story that’s very “slice of life”, showing a year in the life of the characters. While this story wasn’t bad, I, personally, was expecting more from the plot.
Too dialogue heavy: The Paper Chase is very dialogue heavy. The majority of the film consists of the characters talking, either to or at each other. Dialogue is a necessary component to any film. However, there has to be more to a movie than simply dialogue.
Law school textbooks image created by Peter Skadberg at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Peter Skadberg.”
My overall impression:
Overall, I thought The Paper Chase was ok. There were things within the film that I liked, but I was expecting more from the movie. If given the choice, I would pick Legally Blonde over The Paper Chase because, in my opinion, Legally Blonde has a stronger plot. But, I’m glad I chose The Paper Chase for my 45 follower thank you review, as I might not have watched it if it weren’t for my 45 followers! A very special thanks to all of my readers and followers, as you are the reason why these special movie reviews are even possible! When I started my blog back in February, I never imagined I would receive almost 50 followers by the end of the year. Seeing 18 Cinema Lane prosper really does show how important and special movie blogs are in the world of blogging.
Overall score: 6 out of 10
Which movie from my blog follower thank you series is your favorite? Are you looking forward to which movie I’ll review for my 50 follower thank you post? Let me know in the comment section!
When I started writing Word on the Street posts back in February, one of the first topics that I talked about was a film called “The House of Holly Lane”. At the time, I speculated that the movie could be a Hallmark production, pointing out clues such as each cast member’s involvement with Hallmark movies and the title itself. As more information for the film was revealed, the title not only changed to Christmas on Holly Lane, but it ended up being an UP Network production. This is not the only time where I thought that an upcoming movie would be a potential Hallmark project. In May, I speculated that “Poinsettias for Christmas” could be a Hallmark movie because there has, so far, not been a Hallmark story centered around the subject of poinsettias. However, Poinsettias for Christmas became a Lifetime movie. Because I have talked about Christmas on Holly Lane on 18 Cinema Lane and because both posts about the movie gathered a combined total of 107 views and 7 likes, I felt that I owed a review of this movie to all my readers and followers. Was this movie as good as the typical Hallmark Christmas film? Take a sleigh ride through this review if you want to find out!
I just realized that this is the first UP Network movie I’ve reviewed on my blog. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Things I liked about the film:
The acting: For the most part, the cast of Christmas on Holly Lane was good! Because I’ve seen most of these cast members appear in several Hallmark movies before, I knew they had what it takes, talent-wise, to pull off a good acting performance. Even though Giles Panton has starred in nine Hallmark movies, I have never seen him in a lead role. After watching Giles’ performance in Christmas on Holly Lane, I, as an audience member, saw that he definitely has the talent to, one day, lead a Hallmark production. Any time I’ve seen Karen Holness in a Hallmark film, I notice that she always brings her A game to her specific role. Karen’s portrayal of Riley in Christmas on Holly Lane was a highlight in the film, as it appeared natural and believable. Like I said about Giles Panton, Karen Holness absolutely has the talent to, one day, lead a Hallmark film.
More than one protagonist: In Christmas on Holly Lane, there were three protagonists instead of just one. This story-telling format is not usually seen in Christmas movies. The only other Christmas movie I’ve seen with a similar format was the Hallmark movie, Charming Christmas. For Christmas on Holly Lane, I thought this format worked because each character was given their moment to shine. They also were given their own unique personalities and specific situations for them to resolve. It made it seem like each of these protagonists had an equal amount of importance.
The on-screen chemistry: As I mentioned before, Karen Holness’ performance was really good! Another actor that I was impressed with in this movie was Jaime M. Callica! Both Karen and Jaime gave good acting performances individually and as a pair, with their on-screen chemistry being a highlight. I liked seeing Riley and Jake’s relationship develop over the course of the movie because it appeared very believable. The quality of the acting performance helped me, as an audience member, stay invested in the on-screen relationship.
A slow pace: The pace for Christmas on Holly Lane was slow. It was so slow that after watching 30 minutes of the film, I wondered if anything significant would happen. While the story picked up a little bit after the initial thirty minutes, the pace continued at a slow rate.
Too many plots: While watching Christmas on Holly Lane, I counted a total of twelve plots (yes, you read that right) within the film. When these plots unfolded on-screen, I found myself not caring about, at least, half of them. A few of these plots had the potential to be interesting, like Cat creating her own restaurant. But, because there were eleven other plots competing for attention, Cat’s specific plot couldn’t be explored as thoroughly as it could have.
Lack of Christmas spirit: The biggest issue I had with Christmas on Holly Lane was how little emphasis was put on the Christmas holiday. To me, it seemed like Christmas was incorporated in this film just to provide the movie’s aesthetic. Christmas themed morals and lessons (such as the power of giving, for example) were pretty much nonexistent. With a town called Holly Lane, I was hoping that a Christmas obsessed town would be featured on-screen. Sadly, the only two things that were prominently featured in the town of Holly Lane was Sarah’s house and Cat’s restaurant. If this exact same story were placed in any other time of year, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.
In recent years, UP Network has put an emphasis on creating “uplifting” movies and shows to give their audience. But after watching Christmas on Holly Lane, I did not feel uplifted at all. Honestly, this movie made me feel bummed out. When I think of a typical Christmas movie, I think of movies that have a sense of goodness to them, whether because of the film’s messages or the heart-warming nature of the characters. With Christmas on Holly Lane, however, it puts too much focus on the “doom and gloom” of the protagonists’ realities without providing enough positive counterparts to balance out the negativity within the story. It also doesn’t help that the Christmas holiday is given such little emphasis in this film. Out of all the Christmas movies I’ve seen this year, so far, Christmas on Holly Lane is the worst one. This is a shame because, in the past, UP Network has created some really good films. In fact, my favorite Christmas movie last year was Christmas Princess. Hopefully, UP Network can have better luck with their movie making endeavors in 2019.
Overall score: 5.1 out of 10
Have you seen any of UP Network’s Christmas films? What is your least favorite Christmas movie this year? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Back in early November, I received 40 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! As I mentioned in my Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List post, I’ve been busy doing blog related things. I apologize that this thank you review is being published much later than expected. But, anyways, back to the review itself. Like I’ve done with my other thank you reviews, it is time for me to talk about a film that was released 40 years ago (in 1978). Because Return from Witch Mountain just so happened to be on my DVR, I decided to pick that movie for this review. Since this was my first time seeing this particular film, I coordinated a double feature with both Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain. I really enjoyed the first movie, as it was intriguing and memorable. So, after I saw Escape to Witch Mountain, I was definitely looking forward to watching the continuation of Tony and Tia’s story. Was the sequel just as memorable as its predecessor? Join me on this journey through this review to find out!
The acting: I really liked this cast! Everyone was so talented, bringing a sense of believability to the portrayal of their characters. I liked that Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards reprised their roles of Tony and Tia because their performances were a highlight in both Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain! Ike and Kim not only provided versatility to their roles, but they also added a good amount of likability to their characters. I really liked Tony and Tia, as characters, because they seemed like intuitive children and good people. Everything I just said helped me, as an audience member, stay invested in Tony and Tia’s story.
The film’s setting: Whenever characters in a children’s/family movie or television show take a vacation to California (specifically the Los Angeles area), the portrayal of the trip is, more often than not, glamorized (for example, the characters take a trip to Hollywood and/or get involved in the movie-making aspect of the city). In Return from Witch Mountain, however, the portrayal of the Pasadena/Los Angeles area appeared well-rounded. While the film shows tourist/ “glamourous” aspects of the city, such as the Rose Bowl Stadium and a museum, other parts of the area are showcased in the film’s narrative. For instance, a run-down house that serves as a secret hiding place represents a not-so-glamourous side to that particular area. Within the movie, a plutonium plant is also featured, giving the audience an idea of the types of businesses that can reside within that area.
The story: While there are a few similarities between the narratives of Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain, I feel that the story in the sequel expanded upon Tony and Tia’s story from the first movie. Return from Witch Mountain explores the idea of what happens when twins are separated and the differences of how their powers can be used. The acting performances and screen-writing helped these ideas flourish to the best of their ability. When watching this film, I was surprised by some of the other ideas expressed within this story, such as the importance of education and what exactly it means to be “tough”. While these ideas were not fully explored, I still thought they added something special to the overall story.
The editing: In Return from Witch Mountain, there were a few scenes that seemed to end a little too quickly. I feel this was a result of the film’s editing. However, this problem was improved upon from the first movie, where the editing made a certain amount of scenes feel too short.
Scenes lasting a little too long: There were some scenes in Return from Witch Mountain that, in time length, were a little too long. An example of this is the museum robbery scene, where the events associated with it seemed to be stretched out. To me, the length of these scenes were the result of satisfying the film’s run-time. Either the movie itself should have been a bit shorter or these scenes should have been reduced in, about, half.
The villains: While the actors portraying the villains did a really good job with the acting material they were given, I thought the villains themselves were a bit on the sillier side. Because of this, I, as an audience member, didn’t get a strong sense that Tony and Tia were danger until the film’s climax. I also thought that the ideologies and beliefs of the villains were more unsettling than the villains themselves. This was very different from Escape to Witch Mountain, where the secrecy surrounding the villains added to the fear and concern for Tony and Tia.
To start, I just want to say thank you to all of my 40 followers! If it weren’t for you, I probably would have never seen Return from Witch Mountain or its predecessor. But, I’m glad I checked this movie out because I really enjoyed it! Return from Witch Mountain is not only a good movie, it’s also a good sequel, expanding the overall story and improving upon flaws from Escape to Witch Mountain. As I think more about both movies, I realized that they would be a great way to introduce someone to the science-fiction genre. I feel this way because while this is a science-fiction story, it was light on the science-fiction elements. Because I also received 45 followers last month, I will publish my thank you review for a 1973 released film very soon. Whichever film I end up picking, I will be so excited to share it with all of my readers and followers!
Overall score: 8.1 out of 10
Have you seen either of these two films? What is your favorite live-action Disney movie? Please let me know in the comment section!
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