Tag: movies

The Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time

On By 18cinemalane16 Comments

Recently, I came to the realization that I’ve now published 50 posts (my Waffle Street movie review was my 50th post)! In honor of this accomplishment, I decided to do something different from the usual content I have been posting on 18 Cinema Lane. I’ve been wanting to make this list for a while and I only found one other list of its kind  on the internet (besides mine, of course). By reading the title, you know that this post is going to be all about the ten worst Hallmark movies I’ve ever seen. Before I start naming the movies that are guilty of earning my dislike, I just want to make it clear that this entire list is not only based on my opinion, but also on the movies that I have personally seen. Also, the purpose of this list is not for me to be mean-spirited, but rather for me to express my pure honesty. With each of my Top 10 picks, I will also suggest which movies you should watch instead, as a way to introduce you to movies that I think are better alternatives than the ones on my Top 10 list. Now, let me take a moment to name the Dishonorable Mentions. These are movies that I thought were bad, but not enough to be Top 10 worthy:

The Last Cowboy, Wishing Well, Gift of the Magi, Class, Accidentally in Love, Oliver’s Ghost, A Christmas Wish, The Music Teacher, The Nearlyweds, Space Warriors, The Good Witch’s Wonder, Wedding Planner Mystery, The Memory Book, I Do, I Do, I Do, So You Said Yes, Merry Matrimony, Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge Part 1, Surprised by Love, Love on the Air, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris With Love, Dater’s Handbook, Ms. Matched, Summer Villa, A December Bride, Love You Like Christmas, Murder She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery, Flower Shop Mystery: Mum’s The Word, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From The Heart, JL Family Ranch, The Irresistible Blueberry Farm, Death Al Dente: A Gourmet Detective Mystery, Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love, Love Blossoms, My Favorite Wedding, Falling For Vermont, All Of My Heart: Inn Love, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground, Murder She Baked: Just Desserts, Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating Is Murder, A Song For Christmas, Frozen in Love, One Winter Weekend, Home by Spring, Marrying Mr. Darcy, and A Painted House

Unhappy woman holding trash with disgusting smell
Taking out the trash photo created by Katemangostar at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/unhappy-woman-holding-trash-with-disgusting-smell_1305783.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/person”>Person image created by Katemangostar – Freepik.com</a>. Image found on freepik.com.

Now that I have that out of the way, let’s dive into the official list, starting with number 10:

10. Firelight

Released shortly after A Smile as Big as the Moon (one of my favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame movies), I was hoping Firelight would help the wave of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s (HHoF) greatness grow. Sadly, this movie made that wave crash onto the shore. The story was too basic for a typical HHoF movie and the storyline about the young women volunteering to be firefighters didn’t seem to lead anywhere. Also, the characters were so forgettable, that I don’t even remember their names. Cuba Gooding Jr. is a good actor, but there wasn’t much he could do to save this film.

Instead, watch: Blind Spot (as of June 2018, it’s available on Hallmark Movies Now), A Smile as Big as the Moon (also on DVD and Hallmark Movies Now (as of June 2018))

 

9. A Family Thanksgiving

I’ve heard some people say that this movie was originally created to be a Lifetime movie, but since I haven’t found any confirmation about this, I’ll keep A Family Thanksgiving on my list. This movie has three offenses against it, which are:

  • Shamelessly rips off Lifetime’s Holiday Switch
  • Contains some content that would normally not be allowed in a Hallmark movie
  • Makes so few references to the Thanksgiving holiday, that this exact same plot could have been placed in any time of the year and not make any amount of difference

Instead, watch: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (available on DVD)

 

8. When Calls the Heart (2013)

This movie had one of the worst instances of false advertising in Hallmark movie history. All of the marketing for this movie made it seem like Maggie Grace and Stephen Amell were the main stars of the film, with Lori Loughlin in a prominent supporting role. When I did see When Calls the Heart, Maggie and Stephen ended up portraying two supporting characters whose stories were told through a series of flashbacks, with Lori featured in about the last five minutes of the film. The other problems this film had were very slow pacing and an unnecessary cliffhanger ending. No wonder it felt like When Calls the Heart’s first season was trying to rewrite the show’s history, to separate themselves as far as possible from this movie.

Instead, watch: The When Calls the Heart television show and/or its accompanying movies (When Calls the Heart: New Year’s Wish, When Calls the Heart Christmas, and When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree. Only When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree is not available on DVD, as of June 2018. Seasons 1 through 4 are available on DVD)

 

7. Our Wild Hearts

This movie has almost every “horse movie” cliché you can think of. Cambrie Schroder does the best she can with the acting material she is given, but the character development of her character, Willow, is sloppy and all over the place. Also, just because a character mentions they’re a dancer (only once throughout the film), that doesn’t justify throwing in a random dance scene into the story. Similar to what I said about Firelight, Ricky Schroder is a good actor, but there was not much he could do to save this film.

Instead, watch: Flicka: Country Pride (available on DVD)

 

6. Date with Love

I have never seen a movie about the prom that was actually good. Date with Love was not the movie to change my mind about that. The story itself felt like it was told a few years too late, with more people in 2016 putting a bigger emphasis on “promposals”. Even though Shenae Grimes-Beech is a good actress, her character was very unlikable. Alex (Shenae’s character) seemed too immature for a character her age. Also, there were several events in this movie that were so unrealistic, it took me out of the film (and I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief for a Hallmark movie).

Instead, watch: Summer of Dreams (available on DVD)

44808-O4G0M1
Movie themed image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/red-cinema-ribbon-with-movie-elements_847136.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found on freepik.com.

5. The Mystery Cruise

I once read online that this movie could have been the start of a television series. Honestly, I’m glad it wasn’t. With bad special effects in-between scenes and a story that was stuffed with characters and stories, the worst offense this movie makes is revealing the whodunit, howtheydunit, and whytheydunit shortly after a mystery was introduced. This takes the fun right out of solving the mystery alongside the protagonists and watching this movie at all.

Instead, watch: Any of the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Garage Sale Mystery, Aurora Teagarden, Hailey Dean, etc. Some of the mystery movies from this network are available on DVD)

 

4. Love by the Book

This is so far the first and only Hallmark movie that made me want to fall asleep. The story was very dull and the main character was too immature for someone her age, making her very unlikable. Also, when the protagonist keeps getting called “book goddess”, it was so cheesy that it became disgusting.

Instead, watch: A Novel Romance (available on DVD)

 

3. Northpole

This movie was so bad, that I could only sit through about 12 minutes of it (yes, you read that right). The acting was bad, the special effects were even worse, and the three separate stories didn’t seem to mesh very well. The dialogue was too cringy for a typical Hallmark movie’s standards and I felt that Santa was barely in the film despite being a movie titled Northpole.

Instead, watch: Charming Christmas (available on DVD)

 

2. Good Witch: Spellbound

This movie is the reason why I don’t watch the Good Witch television show anymore. Starting in the show’s third season, I felt that the writing became really bad. So, I watched Good Witch: Spellbound with an open mind, hoping it would be so good, that it would give me a reason to continue watching the show. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as you can see from the movie’s appearance on my list. The writing was the worst part of this film, with beloved characters evolving for the worse and sometimes being given terrible subplots. Nick’s sole purpose in this movie of him trying to scare his dad is a good example of this. Also, this movie has one of the worst reveals in Hallmark movie history.

Instead, watch: The Good Witch movie franchise (some of the movies are available on DVD), Season 1 and 2 of Good Witch (which are both available on DVD), Good Witch: Halloween (available on the Season 2 DVD) and Good Witch: Secrets of Grey House (available on the Season 3 DVD)

 

1. Back When We Were Grownups

Where the heck do I begin with this movie? For starters, the character of Rebecca Davitch is one of the worst protagonists in Hallmark movie history, mainly because she doesn’t do anything in the film that seems memorable or note-worthy. The family seems dysfunctional just for the sake of it, with the cast having little material to work with. As a Warehouse 13 fan, I was excited to see Allison Scagliotti’s performance in this film, but, unfortunately, she was featured in this movie for about two minutes or less. Back When We Were Grownups doesn’t run on a plot or storyline, but rather on the reactions of (mostly) the main protagonist (who doesn’t seem to put in a lot of effort into solving her family’s dysfunctionality). Remember, you know a Hallmark movie is bad when a birthday banner says “Happy 100th Poopy” instead of “Happy 100th Poppy” and no one seems to care.

Instead, watch: The Beach House (available on DVD August 7th, 2018)

Happy Birthday Poopy sign photo
To this day, it still amazes me that this actually existed in a Hallmark movie and no one seemed to notice. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

 

What do you think of my list? What is the worst Hallmark movie you’ve ever seen? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill Review

On By 18cinemalane5 Comments

As Hailey Dean Mystery Month came to a close, I was blown away by the response for my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder. Of June 2018, it is my most popular movie review with 34 views and counting! With that said, I thought it would be appropriate to review the next Hailey Dean movie as well as the final chapter in this specific trilogy of the series. I have to say that Hailey Dean Mystery Month has been such a pleasant surprise for me! The movies in this trilogy have not only gotten better with each film, but the series as a whole has gotten stronger! Now that I’ve seen Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, the moment of truth has come to find out what my thoughts are on the film. Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s solve this case together!

Hailey Dean 6 poster
Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill 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=Hailey+Dean+Mysteries+A+Will+to+Kill.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, as well as the rest of the movies from Hailey Dean Mystery Month, has consistently brought the best of their acting abilities to the table! This is especially the case (no pun intended) for Kellie Martin. Her acting talents were showcased very well in this film and the strength of her talents really shined in the scene where the guilty party is revealed. I was also impressed with Chad Lowe’s performance. Before Hailey Dean Mystery Month, I had never seen any of Chad’s acting performances, so I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Looking back on all three films, I think that Chad has consistently pulled off a good performance every single time!

 

The mystery: In Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, the central mystery is centered around who killed Hailey’s fiancé, Will. The only other mystery movie (that I can think of) from Hallmark’s second network that dealt with a cold case was Garage Sale Mystery: The Wedding Dress. This was a very interesting and creative direction for the Hailey Dean series to travel, especially since the character of Hailey Dean usually solves murders that are less than a year old. There were also details and clues surrounding the case that I felt added intrigue to the overall story.

 

The pace: In both of my reviews for the previous Hailey Dean films, I’ve mentioned that I was not a fan of each movie’s pace. The pace for Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, however, was very steady. This allowed the story and its events to have a natural progression.

OYHKOT0
Newspaper image created by Zlatko_plamenov at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/newspaper-mockup_1386098.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Zlatko_plamenov – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The comedy being toned down: Every mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries either has a character or certain moments that bring comedic relief to that specific film. Most of the humor in the Hailey Dean series comes from the interactions between Hailey and Fincher. While there were comedic moments between these two characters in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, there wasn’t as much comedy in this film as in the two Hailey Dean films that came before it.

 

Sabrina’s reduced appearance: In my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I talked about how I didn’t like the story that the character of Sabrina was given. I also talked about how Sabrina wasn’t really given a story in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder. In Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, Sabrina was barely in the film. Like I said in my Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder review, her character could have written out of this movie and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

317324-P8VMXF-91
Tools of a writer image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/camera-and-coffee-near-notebook-and-accessories_2399437.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I really enjoyed Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill! This was a great conclusion to Hailey Dean Mystery Month! Before the release of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I was skeptical if a month being dedicated to what I thought was Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ weakest series could work. Now that I’ve seen and reviewed all three Hailey Dean Mystery Month films, I can honestly say that I feel this series has definitely improved! After watching Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, I started to wonder where the story would go from this point? I do want the series as well as Hailey Dean Mystery Month to continue, so hopefully Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will have new Hailey Dean movies ready for next June.

 

Overall score: 8 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on Hailey Dean Mystery Month? Which mystery series would you like to see get its own month? Please tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Waffle Street Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In the movie and novel, Wonder, Auggie Pullman said “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. This quote has not only become a kind of unofficial motto for 18 Cinema Lane, but also my mission for this blog: to give movies or movie related subjects that I care about a “standing ovation”. So, when I came across a film called Waffle Street, I knew this would be no exception, especially since it seems like so few people have talked about the film. Based on a true story, the premise behind this film sounded, to me, like the kind of story that could be uplifting and inspirational. It also seemed like this movie could be filled with lessons and morals that audience members can not only find relatable, but also take away and apply to their own lives. With all that said, you’re probably wondering if Waffle Street is truly deserving of this “standing ovation”. Let me whip up and serve my review so you can find out!

Waffle Street poster
Waffle Street poster created by MarVista Entertainment. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waffle_Street_Official_Movie_Poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought that the cast of Waffle Street was good. However, the two stars that I felt were the most talented were Danny Glover and Julie Gonzalo. Three months ago, I said in my review of The Sweetest Heart that Julie has shined on Hallmark Channel since 2016. In Waffle Street, Julie still finds a way to shine as her performance was one of the best parts of this film! I’ve also seen Danny in the original Lethal Weapon film and, most recently, The Christmas Train, so I knew he had good acting talents. Danny’s portrayal of Edward Collins was great!

 

The morals and lessons: Something that I liked about Waffle Street was the morals and lessons that the story was trying to share with the audience. As the character of James “Jimmy” Adams (portrayed by James Lafferty) travels on his journey of personal growth, he comes across moments that present lessons about hard work, goal setting, and not easily giving up. He also is given morals about honesty, putting in a good effort into everything you do, and that no occupation is perfect. The morals and lessons from Waffle Street seem relatable and inspirational, as well as having the ability to touch people’s lives.

328349-PA6D1I-520
Waffle and maple syrup as best friends image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/friendship-day-background-with-cartoon-food_2416674.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:

A slow pace: In my opinion, the pace of Waffle Street was slow. Because of this, most scenes felt longer than they needed to be.

 

Too much exposition: In about the first thirty minutes of the film, the story is loaded with exposition. While exposition is an important component to any movie, especially if it involves a true story, it feels like it was served up (no pun intended) in Waffle Street a little too soon. There was even exposition given about the restaurant in the film, but its delivery just felt random. Having the story’s exposition dispersed throughout the film is a creative choice that I think would have worked better for this film.

 

An unlikable lead couple: Though this movie is based on a true story, the way the characters of James “Jimmy” Adams and Becky Adams were portrayed in the film made them appear unlikable. There were times when both of them seemed selfish and weren’t overly bothered by what their significant other wanted. In the film, James and Becky barely had a conversation with each other and when they did, the topic didn’t seem very important. The way the couple was portrayed in Waffle Street didn’t give me the impression their relationship was a healthy one.

 

Not enough character development: In Waffle Street, the only character that I felt was given the appropriate amount of character development was James “Jimmy” Adams. Because of the other characters’ lack of character development, it made them seem like they had no greater purpose in the story other than being a part of James’ life experience. Even though there were several characters throughout this film, I didn’t feel like I truly got to know most of them, but only became familiar with them. Out of all of them, I, as a member of the audience, only got to know three of the characters in Waffle Street.

 

An unnecessary toilet scene: One of the lessons that Waffle Street teaches its audience is that every occupation has an unglamorous side to it. While this lesson is important to learn, the way this movie executes this lesson was definitely not needed. In the film, James has to clean a toilet that is so clogged up, he has to fix it with gloved hands. What makes this scene unnecessary is the creative team behind this movie decided to literally show their audience the dirty toilet (twice). It was so disgusting, I had to look away from my TV screen until the toilet scene was gone.

61511-OANU9Y-551
Diner image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/american-vintage-restaurant-hand-drawn_902205.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Waffle Street is a very average film. While I admit there are good lessons and morals that can be found within this story, I can think of movies and stories that share these exact same themes, but in a better way (a good example: Cooking with Love). What’s disappointing about this film is that it had the potential to not only be a good movie, but to also share a story that deserved to be told through a cinematic lens. However, the overall execution of this film, in my opinion, did not do this true story justice. Though I don’t believe the overall film deserves a “standing ovation”, I definitely think the cast does, especially Julie Gonzalo and Danny Glover. Even if Waffle Street wasn’t as good as I had hoped, I will continue to talk about movies that I feel need to be talked about more.

 

Overall score: 5-5.1 out of 10

 

Have you seen Waffle Street? What inspiring, true story do you think deserves a movie? Tell me below in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Welcome back to Part 2 of my reviews for Hailey Dean Mystery Month! If you read my review for Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, you would remember that I thought the movie was a decent start to this three part movie event. Since these three Hailey Dean movies have a overarching story, I decided to review Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder. Like I did with the last Hailey Dean movie, I watched this film with an open mind and continued to give Hailey Dean Mystery Month a fair chance. So, what did I think about this Hailey Dean film? What direction do I think this series is moving in? You’ll just have to read my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder to find out!

Hailey Dean Mystery 5 poster
Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Msyteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Hailey+Dean+Mysteries+A+Marriage+Made+for+Murder

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Just like in the previous Hailey Dean film, the cast in this movie was good. There were also some really good stand-out performances. Two of those came from Matthew MacCaull and Sarah Grey! Though the character of Jonas wasn’t in the movie as much as some of the other characters, Matthew still found a way to shine in this film. Sarah’s performance was so memorable, it lingered in my memory for days after I watched the film. Sarah’s portrayal of the character Nicole made me wish that Sarah would get a starring role in a Hallmark movie!

The mystery: In Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder, there were some creative choices that were made that I don’t often see in other mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. One example of this is who ends up finding the murder victim. Usually, the protagonist is the one who ends up finding the murder victim by sheer accident. In this installment of the Hailey Dean series, it’s the widow of the murder victim who ends up finding the murder victim. I thought this was an interesting way for the mystery/movie to start. Also, the mystery itself was well-written.

The on-screen chemistry: As I’ve already mentioned in this review, Matthew MacCaull gave a really good performance in this film. He also performed really well alongside Kellie Martin as Hailey’s boyfriend. Jonas and Hailey’s relationship came across as very believable and charming, thanks to the acting talents of Kellie and Matthew. I also felt that Viv Leacock and Alvina August had good on-screen chemistry, with the possiblity of Fincher and Meghan starting a dating relationship exciting! I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds for these two on-screen couples!

38045-O1CZXU
Art tools image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/flar-art-tools-pack_835368.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>.  <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/paint”>Paint vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A slower pace: The pace of Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder was slow. However, it was not as slow as it was in the previous Hailey Dean film.

A lack of story for Sabrina: In my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I talked about how I didn’t like Sabrina’s story. In this movie, Sabrina wasn’t really given a story. At times, it felt like Sabrina was there for the sake of being there. This character could have written out of this movie and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

Psychological consultation
Therapy session image created by Pressfoto at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/businesswoman-talking-to-her-psychologist_860909.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Pressfoto – Freepik.com</a>.  Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I liked Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder more than Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder! In such a short amount of time, this series has found its footing and is starting to get stronger. After watching this installment of the Hailey Dean series, it not only made me want to watch more Hailey Dean movies, it has gotten me excited to see the final movie in Hailey Dean Mystery month! In my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I shared how skeptical I was about the Hailey Dean Mystery series being given its own month. Looking back, I realize it was a better decision than I had originally thought! Be sure to come back to 18 Cinema Lane when I review the next installment in the Hailey Dean series!

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10

What do you think about the Hailey Dean series? Are you enjoying Hailey Dean Mystery Month? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

 

Word on the Street: Title for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Darrow & Darrow sequel revealed

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last month, I talked about how the third Darrow & Darrow movie was going into production in the Vancouver and British Columbia area. On the website for What’s Filming, not only were more cast members attached to the project (including Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tom Cavanagh, and Wendie Malick), the title of the film was also revealed! The “In Production” page on What’s Filming’s website has the movie listed as “Darrow & Darrow 3: Body of the Crime”. Remember, Hallmark may change this title before the film’s release, but this is what the Darrow & Darrow sequel is being called for now.

OKLG790
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.

I have mentioned before that I like the Darrow & Darrow series and I also reviewed Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder last month on 18 Cinema Lane. In that review, I shared my disappointment about the Darrow & Darrow sequel being a murder mystery. While Hallmark has not released a synopsis yet for the third Darrow & Darrow film, the title that was revealed on What’s Filming’s website indicates that the story could, once again, revolve around a murder mystery. Personally, I hope this isn’t the case because the majority of the movie series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries center around a murder mystery. Because of this, each of the series seem to lack major differences from each other, making it difficult for newer series, such as the Fixer Upper Mystery series, to stand out from the rest. What made me enjoy the first Darrow & Darrow film was the mystery being a theft, which is very different from most of the series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It seemed like this particular series was going against the grain and making creative choices that most series on that network have not chosen before. With a unique identity and so many stories to tell, I hope the Darrow & Darrow series can stay true to itself and not get lost in the shuffle of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ growing list of movie series.

 

What do you think of the title for the next Darrow & Darrow film? Do you like it or dislike it? Tell me how you feel in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the “In Production” page on What’s Filming’s website: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (If you visit this page after June 29th, “Darrow & Darrow 3: Body of the Crime” will be taken off this list)

Take 3: The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With all this talk of wedding themed movies, I realized that the only wedding themed movie I’ve reviewed so far is Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride. This gave me a good excuse to watch The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells and review it for my blog! The Perfect Bride was one of my favorite movies from Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up last year! So, when it was announced that Hallmark would be giving this movie a sequel, I couldn’t have been more excited. Kavan Smith and Pascale Hutton have quickly become popular within the realm of Hallmark, especially after their characters, Rosemary and Lee, became an official couple on When Calls the Heart. With fantastic on-screen chemistry on one of Hallmark’s popular shows, it seemed like a good idea to cast both Kavan and Pascale as the lead protagonists in a Hallmark production. Though I can only speak for myself, I feel that having Kavan and Pascale lead a Hallmark movie together was one of the best decisions in Hallmark movie history! After reading all these great things about the first Perfect Bride movie, you’re probably wondering how I felt about the sequel. You’ll just have to keep reading my review of The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells in order to find out!

The Perfect Bride Wedding Bells poster
The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells 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=The+Perfect+Bride+Wedding+Bells.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells had a good cast. I liked seeing the various character interactions, especially since the majority of the characters in this movie are from the first movie. Speaking of which, Kavan Smith and Pascale Hutton’s performances were the highlight of this film, just like they were in the first movie! Both of their talents are so well-rounded and versatile, with each actor complimenting the other.

 

The on-screen chemistry: Last month, I said that Torrance Coombs and Fiona Gubelmann had the best on-screen chemistry in any Hallmark movie this year. However, Kavan and Pascale’s on-screen chemistry takes the number one spot for best on-screen chemistry among the Hallmark movies in 2018! Like in the first movie, Kavan and Pascale came across like they truly got along with each other. Their on-screen chemistry was believable and enjoyable to watch!

 

The humor: The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells had the right amount of humor. I felt like it really complimented the romantic elements the film had to offer. I also think that Kavan Smith had such great comedic timing!

152398-OUS8J8-399
Wedding couple image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-wedding-invitation-with-happy-couple_1259848.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A slower pace: The pace in The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells was slower than in the first movie. It picked up when Nick and Molly started planning their wedding, but only by a little bit.

 

Too many conflicts: There were three major conflicts in this movie: Nick and Molly preparing for their wedding, Molly having to work with her ex, and Nick organizing his first art show. It like these conflicts were competing between each other for the attention of the audience. Because of this, things that made the first movie so memorable, like the Bridal Boot Camp itself, ended up getting overshadowed.

 

The planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period cliché: This movie, unfortunately, adopted one of my least favorite Hallmark movie clichés. What’s worse about this cliché in The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells is that almost all the supporting characters remind the protagonists that they don’t have to plan a wedding in an unrealistic time period. There are even times when the protagonists remind each other about this dilemma. At first, this was funny because I felt like these characters were representing my opinions as an audience member. As the movie goes on, this became annoying because anyone who has seen enough wedding themed Hallmark movies would know how this cliché plays out.

61555-OB5ZO0-824
Wedding couple with cameras image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/original-cards-for-wedding-photography_913021.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/logo”>Logo vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells was a good movie, but not as good as the first one. It felt like a step backward, kind of reminding me of how I felt after watching All of My Heart: Inn Love. After watching the sequel, I ended up feeling more disappointed that I had hoped. Kavan and Pascale deserve to lead a really good to great Hallmark movie, especially because of how talented they are individually and as a pair. Both of them shine so bright in their own movies on Hallmark as well as on When Calls the Heart! Hopefully, Kavan and Pascale can continue to be cast together in more Hallmark productions as the years go on.

 

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

 

Have you seen The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells? Do you want to see Kavan Smith and Pascale Hutton star in more Hallmark movies? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark releases official synopsis for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar and Yes, I Do

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

As Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up continues to be in full swing, Hallmark recently released a synopsis for two upcoming, wedding themed films! These films are Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar and Yes, I Do. Last month, I talked about how the newest Signed, Sealed, Delivered installment received an official movie page on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website. Now, with the synopsis being incorporated into that page, it looks like all the important elements of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar’s movie page are falling into place very nicely. Back in April, I wondered if a movie called “I Do” could replace “Dream On” in Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up. Well, “I Do” became Yes, I Do and it is definitely a part of the “June Weddings” line-up! With this latest movie news, keep on reading and see what I think about each synopsis!

41327-O2Y556
Bride and Groom image created by Freepik at freepik.com  <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/nice-couple-wedding-invitation_841530.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding vector created by Freepik</a> Image found at freepik.com

Two days ago, Hallmark released a synopsis for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar on both the Crown Media Family Networks’ and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website. Here is the synopsis featured on the movie’s official pages from each website:

 

From the website of Crown Media Family Networks:

“Just a week before Rita and Norman’s long-awaited wedding day, the POstables go beyond the call of duty when, after completing their postal mission, they attempt a much bigger reunion – that of a mother and daughter separated by the years”.

 

From the website of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries:

“When plans for Rita and Norman’s long-awaited wedding begins falling apart days before their nuptials, their challenges inspire changes that make their wedding more meaningful. Meanwhile, Shane convinces Oliver that the team should urgently focus on finding clues to deliver a package containing a wedding dress”.

 

Personally, I find the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series to be very hit-or-miss. Even though I plan on watching this movie with an open mind, both of these movie descriptions don’t really add any excitement or anticipation for me. One of these reasons is how “on-the-nose” some of the story elements sound. I’m not a fan of the title of this film because it doesn’t have a creative, double meaning like the other Signed, Sealed, Delivered titles (an example: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You; where the title is not only about the military veteran and his K-9 companion, but also about the POstables themselves). From a creative perspective, I think the package could have contained a wedding memento that didn’t feel so obviously connected to the POstables’ story, such as a flower girl’s basket. The specific story associated with this basket could have been relatable to all the POstables, not just the engaged couple (maybe the story behind the basket could be about childhood dreams vs. grown-up expectations). Both of these movie descriptions also make it sound like Hallmark will, once again, adopt the planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period cliché. I am curious about something that was mentioned in the synopsis from Crown Media Family Networks. It was mentioned that a “mother and daughter” were “separated by the years”. In the previous Signed, Sealed, Delivered installment, Shane revealed that she has a sister who, Shane feels, tore her family apart. Maybe the POstables’ “mission” will involve helping Shane and her family heal? We’ll have to wait until July 15th to find out.

 

Link to the official movie page for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar on Crown Media Family Networks’ website: https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=series&ShowTitle=Signed%2c+Sealed%2c+Delivered+To+the+Altar

Link to the synopsis on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/signed-sealed-delivered-to-the-altar/about-signed-sealed-delivered-to-the-altar

Signed Sealed Delivered To the Altar poster
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=series&ShowTitle=Signed%2c+Sealed%2c+Delivered+To+the+Altar

Yesterday, Crown Media Family Networks released the synopsis for one of their “June Weddings” movies, Yes, I Do, on their website. This movie is about the following:

 

“Busy chocolatier Charlotte has left her boyfriend James at the alter three times and now she needs to prove to him that she really does want to marry him. Things are complicated when James’ ex-girlfriend Nicole, who is also the owner of Chocolate Monthly Magazine, arrives on the scene and says she wants him back”.

 

Honestly, I think the majority of this synopsis sounds too ridiculous for my liking. Also, I’m not a fan of this title either, as it doesn’t sound very creative. However, I like how Hallmark is highlighting an occupation that hasn’t been featured in a Hallmark movie before (a chocolatier). I’m also happy that Marcus Rosner has finally gotten a lead role in a Hallmark movie! Ever since he first appeared on When Calls the Heart in 2015, he has proven that he has what it takes to be a leading actor on Hallmark Channel. The question is: will he put all the talent he has into this role like he has in his other supporting actor roles? We’ll have to watch Yes, I Do to find out.

 

Link to the official movie page for Yes, I Do on Crown Media Family Networks’ website: https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Yes%2c+I+Do

Yes I Do poster
Yes, I Do poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Yes%2c+I+Do

What are your thoughts about these movie descriptions? Are you looking forward to any of these films? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

If you’ve read my reviews for Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery and Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, you would know that I enjoy the mystery movies that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries offer. Each film feels like a thrilling adventure where the protagonist is always willing to bring viewers along for the ride! While there are mystery series that I really like, such as Darrow & Darrow, I feel that the Hailey Dean series is the network’s weakest. I liked Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate, but I wasn’t a fan of Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder with Love and Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating is Murder. When Hallmark announced that June would be Hailey Dean Mystery Month, I, honestly, thought that the Aurora Teagarden series should have gotten its own month instead. However, I recently watched Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder and gave the idea of Hailey Dean Mystery Month a fair chance. What did I think of the first of three Hailey Dean movies? Keep reading to solve this mystery!

Hailey Dean Mystery 4 poster
Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder 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=Hailey+Dean+Mysteries+2+Plus+2+%3d+Murder

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of this Hailey Dean movie was good. In the scene where the guilty suspect is revealed, Kellie Martin and Keith MacKechnie gave one of the most powerful performances they ever have in any Hallmark movie they’ve starred in! There were other actors in this movie that had stand-out performances as well. One of them is Viv Leacock, whose comedic timing was perfect. His portrayal of Fincher Garland is great and I hope that Viv is cast in more Hallmark movies!

 

The mystery: In almost all of the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the body of the murder victim is shown within about the first twenty minutes of the film. In Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, the victim was first deemed missing, their deceased body found later in the film. Characters who end up going missing in these mystery movies disappear later in that specific film’s story, so I think this was an interesting and creative way to start the mystery/movie. As for the mystery itself, I feel that it was well-written.

 

The dialogue: Not only was the dialogue in this movie well-written, it was also well-executed by the cast! What the characters said felt like natural conversation, with some of the actor’s lines sounding creative and clever. The best line in this movie was when Fincher tells Kellie, “I want to live to see tomorrow’s burrito”.

Burrito wrap sandwich
Burrito photo created by Jcstudio at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/burrito-with-rice_1055227.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food image created by Jcstudio – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about this film:

The pace: In most of the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the film’s pace has been a bit faster than the movies on Hallmark Channel. This is caused by the suspense of the mystery as well as a balance of the film’s subplots. The newest Hailey Dean movie, however, has a pace that is slower than what I had hoped. Because of this, moments that should have been suspenseful and shocking felt like the energy was zapped out of them.

 

Sabrina’s story: I was surprised that Sabrina didn’t have any connection to the mystery in this movie, especially since she played a significant role in the previous film. She was given a subplot that I was not a fan of. It wasn’t that her story was bad, it just didn’t add anything to the overall movie.

168714-OVJRD7-558
Chalkboard image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/mathematical-operation-written-on-blackboard_1357576.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundimage created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder was not as good as Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate, but it was better than Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder with Love and Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating is Murder. It was a decent start to Hailey Dean Mystery Month, but I hope the other two movies are stronger than this one. As a movie blogger and Hallmark fan, I want the Hailey Dean series to be a great series. I have seen mystery series on Hallmark’s second network that had less-than-stellar starts, but became stronger as the series went on (an example: the Flower Shop Mystery series). There have also been mystery series that had great starts, but fell apart at the end (another example: the Murder She Baked series). While I don’t know what the future will hold for the Hailey Dean series, all I know is I will continue to watch the rest of the movies in Hailey Dean Mystery Month and maybe I’ll review them for 18 Cinema Lane.

 

Overall score: 7 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of the Hailey Dean movies? What is your favorite movie series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Flicka: Country Pride Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Anyone who has read my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts would know that my favorite character on When Calls the Heart is Tom Thornton. And anyone who has read the Season 5 finale re-cap post would know how disappointed I was by Tom’s absence in that episode. As a fan, I have found a way to make up for the dissappointment. According to his IMDB Filmography, Max Lloyd-Jones (the actor who portrays Tom Thornton) starred in the film, Flicka: Country Pride. It just so happened that this movie was airing on television recently, making this movie reviewing experience too good to pass up. Before watching this movie, I:

  1. Have never read My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara.
  2. Have never watched the My Friend Flicka television show.
  3. Have never seen any of the previous Flicka films.
  4. Did not watch a trailer or read reviews for Flicka: Country Pride.

I had no idea what to expect from this film. This was the second straight-to-DVD and third/final film in the Flicka trilogy, so my expectations were set low. How did Flicka: Country Pride turn out to be? Keep reading to find out!

Flicka Country Pride poster
Flicka: Country Pride poster created by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Poster image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flicka_3_Country_Pride_movie_poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: While the cast of Flicka: Country Pride was good, the three stand-out performers were Kacey Rohl, Teryl Rothery, and Max Lloyd-Jones! I had never seen any of Kacey’s acting performances before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect of her performance in this movie. However, Kacey’s performance in Flicka: Country Pride blew me away as she successfully helped carry this film alongside Clint Black and Lisa Hartman! I’ve seen Teryl perform in five Hallmark movies, as well as Cedar Cove, and she was a great addition to this film’s cast! Besides When Calls the Heart, I’ve seen Max in six movies and several episodes/video clips of Switched at Birth. What I’ve noticed after watching these projects, including Flicka: Country Pride, is that Max has always appeared to put in a 100% effort and all the talent he has into the roles he is given.

 

  • The cinematography: For a straight-to-DVD film, and just as a film in general, there was good cinematography! Some of the best scenes in Flicka: Country Pride were the scenes that involved any of the characters riding horses. The camera angles and editing that was used for these scenes helped add a sense of excitement and intrigue.

 

  • The incorporation of grief: In most movies featuring a young, grieving protagonist, the focus on grief appears self-contained for the young protagonist. In Flicka: Country Pride, however, we get to see how grief affects the other characters surrounding the young protagonist. What’s also interesting is how grief influences the choices and ways of seeing the world for some of these characters in the film. I felt this was a great choice for the creative team behind this movie as this concept is not always explored in family/children’s films.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: When I was watching Flicka: Country Pride, I felt that Max Lloyd-Jones and Kacey Rohl had good on-screen chemistry! Their relationship on-screen appeared so believable, that it looked and felt like they truly cared about each other. The friendship that both Max and Kacey displayed in this movie came across as very life-like, with both of them acting like they really got along with each other.
Tom Thornton Flicka 3 screenshot
Max Lloyd-Jones: The star of this review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What I didn’t like about this film:

  • Some predictability: During my viewing of Flicka: Country Pride, I noticed there were some moments in the film that felt predictable. It wasn’t like a typical Hallmark Channel movie, where you, more often than not, know most of the movie before even watching it. However, there were some story points that I was able to correctly guess before it happened.

 

  • An insufferable bully: While Siobhan Williams did a really good job portraying the character of Kacey’s bully, I really did not like Siobhan’s character. Not only was she annoying, but she could easily get under someone’s skin. Also, I can’t believe Siobhan’s character was named Stephanie Meyers (I’m not making this up). Either that was pure coincidence or someone really didn’t like the Twilight series.

 

  • Lindy and Toby’s relationship: Clint Black and Lisa Hartman had good on-screen chemistry in Flicka: Country Pride, but I felt like their relationship was not  highlighted to the level that it could have been. In the movie, Lindy and Toby try to pursue a romantic relationship. However, compared to the other storylines and subplots, this particular story element didn’t feel like it went anywhere. It seemed like it just got lost in the shuffle.

 

  • The ending: To me, the ending of Flicka: Country Pride was too much of a cliffhanger. Toby tells Lindy that he has a surprise for her, but we never get to find out what that surprise is. The fact that this movie is the last in the Flicka trilogy makes this ending even worse. Based on the ending, my guess is the creative team behind Flicka: Country Pride planned on making a fourth movie, but they never got around to it.
horse saddle - soft focus with film filter
Horse with saddle photo created by Topntp26 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/stallion-black-equine-race-sky_1104246.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Topntp26 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Flicka: Country Pride is a good movie! In fact, this movie surpassed my expectations! What’s great about this movie is if you watch it without ever having seen the other Flicka films preceding it (like I did), you won’t have a difficult time following along with the story. I’m actually glad I saw Flicka: Country Pride because now it raises an interesting question: how come we, the Hearties, have never seen Tom Thornton ride a horse on When Calls the Heart? In all the seriousness I can give as a movie blogger, I think Tom being able to ride a horse would make a lot of sense. I feel this way because:

  1. I would be willing to guess that Max Lloyd-Jones gained some horse riding experience while working on Flicka: Country Pride.
  2. In Season 2, Tom did mention his family had a farm.
  3. Not only have we seen Jack and Charlotte (Tom and Jack’s mom) Thornton ride a horse on When Calls the Heart, but Tom and Jack’s dad/Charlotte’s husband was a Mountie.

Hopefully, if Max Lloyd-Jones returns to When Calls the Heart to reprise his role as Tom Thornton, maybe we’ll see him finally ride a horse. As for Flicka: Country Pride, I would definitely recommend this film!

 

Overall score: 8 out of 10

 

So, what did you think of this review? Are you encouraged to give Flicka: Country Pride a chance? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: More Kim Possible Cast Members Announced; Hallmark’s third Darrow & Darrow movie will soon go into production; Synopsis for upcoming Aurora Teagarden movie revealed!

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

There was some very exciting movie news that was announced today! From casting announcements to a synopsis revealing, these were movie news stories that I had to share on 18 Cinema Lane! I usually don’t talk about movie news topics right away, but I since I just posted a movie review, I figured that I could make an exception. The three stories in this post are about two movies from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and about the live-action Kim Possible movie. What are we waiting for? Let’s start talking!

299832-P7FMT8-686
Popcorn and movie ticket image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/cinema-tickets-in-bucket-with-popcorn_2303439.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/layout”>Layout image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Today on TVLine’s website, more character castings for the upcoming live action Kim Possible movie have been revealed! According to the article, the following cast members are:

  • How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan — Kim’s mother a.k.a. Dr. Possible
  • The Big C’s Connie Ray — Kim’s grandma a.k.a. Nana
  • 12 Monkeys and The Original’s Todd Stashwick — Dr. Drakken
  • Taylor Ortega – Shego
  • Make It Pop’s Erika Tham – Bonnie
  • Bizaardvark’s Ciara Wilson – Athena

 

I have to admit that this cast sounds really promising! Though I haven’t seen any of these actor’s performances, the photo that was shared in TVLine’s article appears that the cast will look close enough to the characters from the original tv show that it will, hopefully, satisfy a good portion of the fans/audience. Also within this article, it was revealed that this Kim Possible movie will be released sometime in 2019!

Link to the article about the Kim Possible casting on TVLine: http://tvline.com/2018/05/25/kim-possible-movie-cast-first-photo-alyson-hannigan/

Kim Possible A Sitch in Time poster
Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time poster created by The Walt Disney Company and Disney Channel © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Disney XD© Disney Enterprises, Inc. Image found at http://movies.disney.com/kim-possible-a-sitch-in-time

On What’s Filming’s website, it was revealed that a third Darrow & Darrow movie will be in production in the Vancouver and British Columbia area from June 11th to June 29th! While no cast members are officially attached to the project, I am excited that the Darrow & Darrow series will continue! If you’ve read my review for Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, you would know that I am a fan of this series! Having this movie come after the second movie, which was good, I’m hopeful that Darrow & Darrow can continue in a positive direction.

Link to the “Upcoming” page on What’s Filming’s website: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after June 11th, “Darrow & Darrow 3” will move to the “In Produciton” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area)

94406-OK8HUL-165
Cute movie icons created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/camera”>Camera vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/set-of-cute-cartoon-movie-objects_1036379.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com

On Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website, the synopsis for Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game has been released! The next Aurora Teagarden movie will be about the following:

 

“Crime-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden (Candace Cameron Bure) leaps headfirst into Lawrenceton’s latest murder investigation when her nephew Phillip (Dylan Sloane) and his college roommate go missing after the roommate’s girlfriend is found dead. Enlisting the help of her Real Murders pals, and the handsome college professor Nick Miller (Niall Matter) who just moved in across the street from her, Roe uncovers a kidnapping plot gone awry”.

 

Based on this synopsis, it looks like the creative team behind this series might have a character to replace Martin so Aurora can have a new love interest. Because the movie hasn’t been released yet, we don’t know if this is the significance of Niall Matter’s character. Speaking of release dates, the newest Aurora Teagarden movie will premiere on July 29th!

Link to the synopsis on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/aurora-teagarden-mysteries-the-disappearing-game/about-aurora-teagarden-mysteries-the-disappearing-game

269703-P5H9WI-853
Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What do you think about these movie news stories? Which of these three movies are you looking forward to? Come on over to the comment section below and tell me what you think!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen