Tag: movies

Word on the Street: Production news for three upcoming Hallmark movies!

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

We are only two months away from Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” line-up! However, the distance of time hasn’t stopped upcoming Hallmark movies from being discovered and reported on as movie news. While several Christmas themed projects have been listed on the website, What’s Filming, one of those projects is a movie that I’ve recently talked about here on 18 Cinema Lane! Projects relating to the Christmas holiday are not the only note-worthy topics that can be found on the film and television website. Two upcoming movies from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries were also listed on the website as well. I can only speak for myself when I say that this is exciting news, especially since both of these movie projects are related to mystery movie series that are less than three years old! In this post, I will discuss each of these projects in their own separate paragraphs and provide as much information about them as I was able to find. As of August 2018, Hallmark has not made any official announcements about any of these films. This means that no premiere dates and plots have been released yet. Now, let’s start talking about some Hallmark movie news!

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Movie process chart created by Vectorpocket at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/vector-set-of-isometric-illustrations-making-movies-and-watching-a-movie-in-the-cinema_1215936.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by Vectorpocket – Freepik.com</a> Image found at freepik.com

Last week, in a Word on the Street post, I reported that it looked like the Hallmark Channel movie, Christmas in Evergreen, would likely receive a sequel. That possibility is now starting to look even more likely. According to What’s Filming, Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa was added to the list of upcoming projects for the Vancouver and British Columbia area. This movie will not only be in production from August 20th to September 7th, but the only cast member that is officially attached to the project, so far, is Holly Robinson Peete (one of the stars of last year’s Christmas in Evergreen)! Based on this production schedule, it looks like Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa could premiere during this year’s “Countdown to Christmas” line-up after all. But, as I’ve mentioned before, Hallmark has not made any official announcements about this film yet. If and when Hallmark does announce any information about Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa, I’m guessing it might be brought up during Hallmark Channel’s preview special for their “Countdown to Christmas” movies in October.

Here is the link to What’s Filming’s “Upcoming” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after August 20th, Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa will be moved to the “In Production” page)

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Adorable Santa image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-background-with-funny-santa_1324597.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

At Hallmark’s Winter TCA Event in January, one of the major announcements that came from Crown Media Family Networks was an upcoming movie project called “The Crossword Mystery”. In this announcement, it was revealed that Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott would star in the film. On What’s Filming’s page of upcoming projects in the Toronto and Ontario area, this aforementioned movie was recently added to that list, currently titled as “Crossword Mysteries”. Also, Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott are the only two actors, so far, that are officially attached to the project. “Crossword Mysteries” is scheduled to go into production from August 27th to September 14th, so I’m guessing the movie might premiere in Fall of 2018 or early 2019. However, Hallmark has not given “Crossword Mysteries” an official release date yet.

Here is the link to What’s Filming’s “Upcoming” page for the Toronto and Ontario area: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming-toronto-ontario/ (if you visit this page after August 27th, “Crossword Mysteries” will be moved to the “In Production” page)

Here is the link to Hallmark’s announcement about “Crossword Mysteries”: https://www.crownmediapress.com/PressReleaseList/?SiteID=142&NodeID=144&page=10 (look for the press release titled “2018 Winter TCA – 01/13/18” or “LACEY CHABERT AND BRENNAN ELLIOTT STAR IN ‘THE CROSSWORD MYSTERY’ AN ALL-NEW HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES ORIGINAL”)

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Crossword puzzle image created by jaylopez at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/JayLopez.”

Speaking of upcoming mystery films, it looks like another movie will be added to the Emma Fielding series! On What’s Filming, this upcoming movie was added to the list of projects in the Vancouver and British Columbia area that are currently in production. The title for the next Emma Fielding movie is currently listed as “More Better Than Death: An Emma Fielding Mystery” on What’s Filming and “Emma Fielding Mysteries: More Bitter Than Death” on Creative BC. Despite the differences in the title, the movie is currently filming until August 31st. Courtney Thorne-Smith and James Tupper, both of the series’ starring actors, have been officially attached to the project. While Hallmark has not given the film an official premiere date yet, I think the next Emma Fielding movie will be released this Fall or in early 2019.

Here is the link to What’s Filming’s “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (if you visit this page after August 31st, “More Better Than Death: An Emma Fielding Mystery” will be taken off this list)

Here is a link to the “In Production” page on Creative BC’s website: https://www.creativebc.com/crbc-services/motion-picture-services/in-production/films.php?type=mow (if you visit this page after August 31st, “Emma Fielding Mysteries: More Bitter Than Death” may be taken off this list)

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

What you do think about these pieces of movie news? Are you excited about any of these films? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Garage+Sale+Mysteries+The+Mask+Murder.

Things I liked about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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

What I didn’t like about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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Detective work image created by Photoroyalty at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/investigation-background-design_1041877.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Photoroyalty – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

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

 

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

 

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

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Love at Sea Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

Love at Sea poster
Love at Sea poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Love+at+Sea.

Things I liked about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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Cruise ship near an island image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/holiday-background-on-a-cruise_1182003.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

My overall impression:

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

 

Overall score: 5.6 out of 10

 

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

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas In Evergreen” will likely receive a sequel

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With Hallmark releasing over 30 movies this Christmas season, there is bound to be a sequel somewhere in the mix. While Crown Media Family Networks has not revealed an official list of the upcoming Christmas movies on their website, Hallmark has recently mentioned at least one of these films. On Hallmark’s corporate website, there is a special page titled “Celebrate the Holidays with Hallmark”. While scrolling through the page, three interesting Christmas themed products are listed: a North Pole Mailbox, a Santa Key in Box, and an Evergreen Water Globe. According to Hallmark, these items will be featured in their upcoming film, Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa. There are two observations that I have found that point to this movie possibly being a sequel to the 2017 film, Christmas in Evergreen. The first is that the snow globe on Hallmark’s corporate website looks exactly like the wishing snow globe that was featured in the first film. The second is on the “In Production” page on the website, Creative BC. This particular page has the movie listed as “Christmas In Evergreen 2”. As of August 2018, Hallmark has not released an official press release or premiere date for the film. However, Hallmark Channel does have a preview special for their upcoming Christmas films in October, so Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa could get mentioned by the host.

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Christmas In Evergreen 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=Christmas%20In%20Evergreen&IsSeries=False.

When I first found out about this upcoming film, I will admit that it was a bit of a head-scratcher for me. Out of all the 2017 Hallmark Christmas movies that had the potential to receive a sequel, Christmas in Evergreen was, in my opinion, one of the least likely. I did watch the film for the first time during Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas Keepsake” marathon and, honestly, I thought it was a decent movie. Christmas in Evergreen wasn’t one of my favorites from last year’s “Countdown to Christmas” line-up, but I would give the movie an Honorable Mention. Also, the way the story wraps up at the end of the film doesn’t seem to leave much room for a potential sequel. A concern that I have for Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa is the movie feeling less like a movie and more like a commercial for Hallmark products. When I discovered the three Christmas themed products on Hallmark’s corporate website (the North Pole Mailbox, the Santa Key in Box, and the Evergreen Water Globe), it reminded me of when Hallmark sold Christmas themed products that correlated with the film, Northpole. Anyone who has read my Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time list would know how much I don’t like that film. One of the reasons why that film didn’t work, for me, was because Northpole felt more like a commercial attempting to showcase Christmas themed merchandise to a younger audience. Besides the Evergreen Water Globe, the significance of the North Pole Mailbox and the Santa Key in Box are unknown at this time because Hallmark hasn’t released an official synopsis for Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa. Because we are two months away from the start of both of Hallmark’s Christmas movie line-ups, it’s likely that Crown Media Family Networks will make an official announcement for the film sometime in the near future.

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Adorable Santa image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-background-with-funny-santa_1324597.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts about this potential sequel? Are you a fan of Christmas in Evergreen? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

 

Here is a link to the page where you can find the Christmas themed products I mentioned in this post and the short statement about Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa: https://corporate.hallmark.com/holiday2018-2/

Here is a link to the “In Production” page on Creative BC’s website: https://www.creativebc.com/crbc-services/motion-picture-services/in-production/films.php?type=mow (if you visit this page after September 7th, “Christmas In Evergreen 2” may be taken off this list)

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

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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

Things I liked about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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

What I didn’t like about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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My overall impression:

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

 

Overall score: 7 out of 10

 

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

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark announces release date and synopsis for upcoming movie “Love in Design”

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

A few days ago, I reported in a Word on the Street post that a Hallmark movie titled Love Under the Rainbow was on the way. Now, another Hallmark movie looks like it’s just around the corner! On August 1st, a press release was posted on Crown Media Family Networks’ website announcing the upcoming Hallmark Channel film, Love in Design. In this press release, it was revealed that this new movie will premiere on September 15th. The film’s official synopsis was also included in the press release. You can read the synopsis by visiting this link: https://www.crownmediapress.com/PressReleaseList/?SiteID=142&NodeID=144 (look for the press release titled “Love in Design – 08/01/18” or “DANICA MCKELLAR AND ANDREW W. WALKER STAR IN ‘LOVE IN DESIGN’ PREMIERING SEPTEMBER 15, ON HALLMARK CHANNEL”)

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The plot of the film doesn’t sound much different from the usual content Hallmark makes. It, honestly, sounds a little like Cooking with Love mixed with Love, Once and Always. As much as I liked both of those films (Cooking with Love is one of the few movies that have received a perfect score on my blog), I just hope Love in Design doesn’t feel too much like rehashed material. I know it’s inevitable for stories to get repeated over time, but I celebrate Hallmark incorporating creativity and originality into stories that are “tried and true”. I’ve enjoyed most of Danica McKellar’s and Andrew Walker’s movies, so it’ll be nice to see them star in another Hallmark production! There is no official word yet on whether Love in Design will premiere within Hallmark’s “Fall Harvest” line-up. Whenever Hallmark does release their complete “Fall Harvest” line-up, I will make sure to talk about it on 18 Cinema Lane!

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Have you read Crown Media Family Network’s press release? What are your thoughts on Love in Design? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

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

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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

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

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

Things I liked about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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What I didn’t like about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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My overall impression:

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

 

Overall score: 7.5-7.6 out of 10

 

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

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Lifetime announces release date for their remake of “The Bad Seed”; Hallmark movie on the way!

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Even after Hallmark’s TCA Event has ended, it seems like there are still more Hallmark movie news stories to talk about. No matter what time of year it is, Hallmark knows how to own the spotlight, creating projects that can not only be a big deal, but also keep their audience coming back for more content. In this Word on the Street post, I will be talking about a future movie that was just announced as a Hallmark movie! Another network that is familiar with the movie news spotlight is Lifetime, who just announced an official release date for one of their upcoming films. I will be talking about this exciting news, especially since I first talked the film back in March. Now, let’s talk about some movie news!

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Recently, Lifetime posted the release date for their upcoming remake of the 1956 film, The Bad Seed. Featured in a special section on Lifetime’s official website, the movie is scheduled to premiere on September 9th. Lifetime also released an official trailer for the film. When I first talked about this movie back in March, I had my doubts about whether it would be anywhere near as terrifying and thought-provoking as the original movie. After watching the trailer, however, I quickly changed my tune. From what I could tell, it looks like this movie is attempting to make the tone of this film as dark as the 1956 film was. Also, it appears that this movie will not hold back any punches, some of the featured scenes indicating more terror than the original film could muster. This trailer has definitely made me more excited for this movie and I’m considering reviewing it on 18 Cinema Lane!

Link to the trailer for The Bad Seed: https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/the-bad-seed/the-bad-seed-preview

Terrified friends watching horror movie in cinema
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Kirsten Hansen, known for being a writer on the Hallmark projects Love on the Slopes and Chesapeake Shores, as well as being a producer on the aforementioned show, has recently taken to Instagram to share some good news. In an Instagram post, Kirsten announced that a movie she is writing, called Love Under the Rainbow, was going to air on Hallmark Channel! As of August 2018, there has been no official word on when the movie would premiere or what seasonal line-up the movie could be associated with. On What’s Filming, I remember Love Under the Rainbow being listed on the Vancouver and British Columbia pages, especially when it was in production from March 5th to March 21st. Because the only actors that were officially attached to the project were Jodie Sweetin and David Haydn-Jones, I wasn’t sure which network would distribute the film. Based on the title alone, I have a feeling this movie could be a St. Patrick’s Day themed film. The only St. Patrick’s Day themed Hallmark movie I can think of is Chasing Leprechauns, so it would be interesting if Kirsten’s movie explored a story element that hasn’t been featured on the network in six years.

If you want to check out the sources I referenced in this post, you can go to Kirsten’s official Instagram feed (at kearstegram), Kirsten’s official IMDB page, or this link: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/wrapped/

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St. Patrick’s Day image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/st-patrick-s-day-background_1640464.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

What are your thoughts on these movie news stories? Are you planning on watching any of these films? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game Review

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

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

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries -- The Disappearing Game poster
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Aurora+Teagarden+Mysteries+The+Disappearing+Game.

Things I liked about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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What I didn’t like about the film:

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

 

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

 

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

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My overall impression:

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

 

Overall score: 7.7-7.8 out of 10

 

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

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Movie news and a television show announcement from Hallmark’s Summer TCA Event

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Yesterday, on the 26th, Crown Media Family Networks held one of their most important events of the year. Stars from Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries gathered in Beverly Hills to celebrate the present and future of both networks. Hallmark fans stayed alert on social media, refreshing the webpage in the hopes of catching a new announcement about an upcoming project. A bi-annual event, Hallmark’s TCA (Television Critics Association) Event is when details about movies are revealed and new projects can spark the interest of many fans. This year’s Summer TCA Event brought fans a lot of news relating to Hallmark’s upcoming projects and business endeavors. Because of how much creative content was announced yesterday, I will focus on the announcements relating to Hallmark’s movies and a new television show. Along with these announcements, I will also share my thoughts about them. So, let’s start talking about these upcoming movies and television show!

Hallmark Summer TCA Event poster
Hallmark’s Summer TCA Event 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=2018+Summer+TCA. 

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries made two movie announcements on Twitter and the Crown Media Family Networks website. The first announcement was about a project that will star and be executive produced by Susan Lucci. This project will be a movie based on Charley’s Web, a book by Joy Fielding. When I first read this announcement, I didn’t know who Susan Lucci was and I had never heard of the aforementioned novel. The brief synopsis that is featured on the Crown Media Family Networks website doesn’t make the movie sound that much different from the other mysteries that air on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. On Twitter, the network also announced that a new mystery series was on the horizon, with Danica McKellar starring in “The Matchmaker Mysteries”. This series is the result of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ development deal with Patti Stanger (a.k.a. The Millionaire Matchmaker). Personally, I think there are too many mysteries series that are currently on and that are planning to air on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Hallmark should focus on the mystery series that are already ongoing (example: the Garage Sale Mystery series) and, possibly, conclude some of their stories so that new series can be introduced. Another announcement that came from Twitter was made by Josh Sabarra, who was the executive producer of Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, with Love and Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate. In that tweet, which Hallmark Movies & Mysteries retweeted, Josh announced that more movies in the Hailey Dean series were coming in 2019! Having gained a new appreciation for the series after Hailey Dean Mystery Month, I am looking forward to these movies and seeing where the story goes after Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill!

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On Hallmark Channel’s Twitter feed, a tweet from Debbie Gibson was retweeted by the network. In this tweet, Debbie announced that the Summer of Dreams sequel, Wedding of Dreams, would premiere on September 8th. This piece of movie news was not surprising to me, as this release date and the film’s synopsis were announced on the Crown Media Family Networks website two days prior to the Summer TCA Event. However, I am excited that this movie is coming just around the corner! I have been following the development of this movie in my Word on the Street posts since March, so I’m glad to see Hallmark’s final product will premiere very soon!

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A brand-new television show is on the way from Hallmark Movies Now! This show will be titled “When Hope Calls” and is a spin-off of When Calls the Heart. The project is currently in development and is scheduled for a 2019 release. “When Hope Calls” is actually history in the making: not only would this be the first original series from Hallmark Movies Now, but it would also be the first spin-off show in Hallmark history! It really doesn’t surprise me that this show would air on Hallmark’s streaming service, as the business people in charge of Hallmark are trying to find ways to entice their customers to purchase Hallmark Movies Now. However, I think it’s a smart business move, as this allows for Hallmark’s creative efforts to grow on more than one platform. Honestly, I hope “When Hope Calls” is about Tom Thornton and his adventures as a tire salesman.

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As I think about these pieces of movie and television news, as well as the other announcements that Hallmark made yesterday, I can’t help but feel disappointed. I was expecting more announcements about upcoming movies, such as those from the “Countdown to Christmas” line-up. The one project I was really hoping would be revealed at the Summer TCA Event was the new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie that will premiere around Christmas-time. I guess this movie is so special, Hallmark is choosing to keep it a secret for this long. I’m starting to wonder why Hallmark continues to host these events if they keep holding back on movie announcements, this occurrence happening more recently than in years past. Even this year’s Winter TCA Event was very underwhelming, with four movie announcements from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, but none from Hallmark Channel. Now that I think about it, the movie announcements from the Winter TCA Event were not brought up at the Summer TCA Event. Though very few movie news stories were announced at Hallmark’s event, I’m pretty sure we’ll get more announcements about upcoming projects from the network as the days and weeks go on.

 

What are your thoughts about these movie news stories? Are you looking forward to any of these projects? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out these stories or any of the tweets I referenced in this post, you can visit Hallmark Channel’s official Twitter feed (by going to @hallmarkchannel), Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ official Twitter feed (by going to @hallmarkmovie), or by visiting this link: https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=2018+Summer+TCA