Tag: movies

Take 3: Royally Ever After Review

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

Because I haven’t reviewed a Hallmark Channel movie in two months, I decided to review Royally Ever After. 2018 has become the year of the “royal” movie. Whether to commemorate Harry and Meghan’s wedding or to keep up the network’s success with the ratings, Hallmark continues to create fairytale-esque stories set against a contemporary backdrop. Royally Ever After is Hallmark’s fourth “royal” themed movie for this year. This breaks the record for most “royal” movies released on Hallmark in an individual year! Since 2011’s Smooch, “royal” themed movies have become a staple on Hallmark Channel. Out of the twelve “royal” themed movies that Hallmark has made in this seven-year time-frame, I have seen nine of them, with most of these movies being really good. So, where does Hallmark’s newest “royal” story rank among these movies? Find out in my Royally Ever After review!

Royally Ever After poster
Royally Ever After poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Royally%20Ever%20After&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The entire cast of Royally Ever After was great! Everyone gave a performance that felt so believable and convincing. However, Fiona Gubelmann’s performance was the one that shined the brightest! Not only was her portrayal of the character of Sara believable (like the rest of the cast), but it was also very genuine. Fiona’s performance was such a joy to watch and I hope she continues to be cast in Hallmark movies.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Torrance Coombs, like Fiona Gubelmann, gave a good performance in Royally Ever After. Though this was Torrance’s first role in any Hallmark movie, he proved that he, just like Fiona, has what it takes to lead a Hallmark production. Together, both Torrance and Fiona gave such a great performance, that their on-screen chemistry was convincing. In fact, I feel that Torrance and Fiona had the best on-screen chemistry in any Hallmark movie this year (so far)! Both of them came across as if they truly got along. The other couples in Royally Ever After also had good on-screen chemistry! Sara’s parents (portrayed by Fiona Bell and John Guerrasio) and Daniel’s parents (portrayed by Carmen du Sautoy and Barry McGovern) appeared as if they truly belonged together.

 

  • The scenery: Royally Ever After was filmed in Ireland and the country’s beauty really shows in this movie! The natural landscapes were magnificent to look at and a highlight in the film! Hallmark does not film in Ireland enough, so I hope more Hallmark productions get filmed there in the future.

 

  • Not relying on “Hallmark royal movie” clichés: One of my issues with these “royal” movies is that they, more often than not, lack difference between the films. They almost always follow the same beats and patterns, sometimes making me wish Hallmark would retire from the fairytale-esque storytelling. Royally Ever After, however, broke away from most of those clichés and felt like a “breath of fresh air”. One example of this is having the prince’s sister trying to sabotage the protagonists’ relationship instead of the prince’s mother. These creative choices made me enjoy Royally Ever After even more!
114885-OOYJTA-978
Princess tiara image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/ornamental-princess-crowns_1109199.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/gold”>Gold vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • As I reflect on this movie, I can’t think of anything that I didn’t like about the film. To me, this is the closest to being a “perfect” Hallmark movie that I’ve seen in a very long time.
Old castle in the mountians.
Castle photo created by Photoangel at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/old-castle-in-the-mountians_1286237.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/tree”>Tree image created by Photoangel – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I really loved Royally Ever After! In my opinion, this is the best “royal” movie Hallmark has ever made! I felt so happy after watching this film, feeling that this was time well spent. I would love it if this story continued through sequels, possibly with the first wedding themed “royal” movie that could be titled “Wedding Ever After”. If you get the chance, I would highly recommend Royally Ever After!

 

Overall score: 10 out of 10

 

Have you seen Royally Ever After? What’s your favorite “royal” movie from Hallmark? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark creates movie pages for upcoming Garage Sale Mystery and Signed, Sealed, Delivered films!

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Though Hallmark has been busy promoting their “June Weddings” line-up, the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel has recently created two site pages promoting their mystery films! Both of these upcoming films celebrate the range of storytelling that Hallmark’s second network is capable of sharing. While one film is about solving a murder case, the other is about celebrating a wedding. Each of these films are a continuing installment in their own respective series. I will talk about both of these movie pages and share my thoughts on each one. Time to start talking about these upcoming films!

cropped-40471.jpg
Movie items image created by Macrovector at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/cinema-poster-sketch_1530892.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a> Image found at freepik.com

The first film to receive a movie page is Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar. According to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website, this movie will be released sometime in July. Even though a synopsis has not been published yet, the movie stills for the newest Signed, Sealed, Delivered installment indicate that the film will primarily focus on the wedding of Norman and Rita. Because this is, so far, the only wedding themed movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, it surprises me that it wasn’t given a release date in June to correlate with the “June Weddings” line-up on Hallmark Channel. While there are three new Hailey Dean mystery movies premiering in June, there are no known movies airing on June 24th. Maybe Hallmark will push Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar to that last Sunday in June instead of releasing it in July? There’s no story details released by Hallmark about this movie yet, but there’ll eventually be revealed as the date comes closer.

Link to the movie page for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/signed-sealed-delivered-to-the-altar

Vintage postcard wedding invitation background
Wedding postcard created by Kraphix at freepik.com.<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/postcard-for-a-wedding-invitation_1058640.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding vector created by Kraphix – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

The next film to achieve a movie page is Garage Sale Mystery: The Pandora’s Box Murders. Not only is the movie premiering on August 5th, but the movie’s synopsis has also been released! This new installment is the first Garage Sale Mystery film to air within Garage Sale Mystery month and I, honestly, couldn’t be more excited! This is one of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ strongest movie series, with last year’s first Garage Sale Mystery month being well-executed! When August rolls around, I will definitely try to review at least one of these movies for 18 Cinema Lane!

Link to the movie page for Garage Sale Mystery: The Pandora’s Box Murders: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/garage-sale-mystery-the-pandoras-box-murders

cool business-woman with puzzle cube
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 do you think about these movie pages? Are you looking forward to either Garage Sale Mystery: The Pandora’s Box Murders or Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar? Share how you feel in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Avengers: Infinity War (SPOILER-FREE) Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

The day has finally arrived for me to review my most anticipated movie of 2018! Successfully avoiding possible spoilers, I had excitement and anticipation riding on my shoulders. This movie was definitely a cinematic event, probably one of the biggest this decade has ever seen. Avengers: Infinity War has been dominating the box office recently, dethroning previous champions and achieving almost every record imaginable. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) celebrating a milestone birthday, the hype for this film was absolutely real. But is Avengers: Infinity War worthy of all this attention and popularity? While you’re reaching for the stars, make sure to check out my review of Marvel’s newest installment; Avengers: Infinity War!

This review has no spoilers ahead!

Avengers Infinity War Bucky poster
Bucky and his friend, Bucky, really wanted to get a picture with the Avengers: Infinity War poster! Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The entire cast of Avengers: Infinity War was fantastic! Everyone put everything they had into their acting performances and it truly showed in the film. All of the comedic and dramatic timing was perfectly executed, as all of the actors and actresses’ portrayals appeared natural and believable. Because of the superb job from the cast, it helped me as a movie-goer put emotional investment into the characters.

 

  • The cinematography/special effects: All of the special effects in Avengers: Infinity War looked beautiful! Not only were the different environments pretty to look at, they all felt so distinctive and life-like! I also really liked the character designs of the CGI villains, especially Thanos. They all looked and felt very real, helping to make these characters come across as believable.

 

  • A balance of comedy and drama: While Avengers: Infinity War is a film that has a more serious tone, there are comedic moments that help prevent the movie from being “doom & gloom” from start to finish. The insertion of the jokes never felt forced, as they were both well-written and well-executed. But whenever there were dramatic moments in the film, it felt like it matched the overall tone the creative team behind this movie was trying to achieve.

 

  • Thanos as a villain: When watching Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos ended up scaring me. One reason for this is how Thanos felt like he was justified in creating and attempting to execute his plan. The other reason is how Thanos felt like nothing could stand in his way of his goals. Both of these aspects of Thanos made him one of the most memorable villians in the MCU.
Avengers Infinity War Logo
Avengers: Infinity War logo created by The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Marvel and Avengers Characters: ©2017 Marvel. Image found at https://marvel.com/.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • The ending: Since this is a spoiler-free review, I can’t really elaborate on why I don’t like the ending. What I will say is that I felt like it was shocking just for the sake of it. Also, it didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me.

 

  • The end-credit scene: Like I said about the ending, I can’t explain why I didn’t like the end-credit scene. All I’ll say is I felt it didn’t make a lot of sense and to me, was not worth the wait.
Bucky and Thor at the movies
My friends were excited to see Avengers: Infinity War! Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

My overall impression:

Avengers: Infinity War was a good movie! There are a lot of things that this film did right, such as effectively balancing both comedy and drama. However, I didn’t think this was a great film. Going into this latest Marvel movie, I knew this would be a “set-up” film. But I was hoping that it wouldn’t be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 all over again, where the majority of the events in the film happened for the sake of setting up the next film. While Avengers: Infinity War is a better movie than the seventh Harry Potter installment, it still felt like a “set-up” for the next part in the Avengers story. Because the next chapter in this saga is coming in about a year, I’m only bothered by some of the events in the movie to a certain extent. Hopefully “Avengers 4” will be a better film than what we ended up receiving this time around.

 

Overall score: 8.5 out of 10

 

Have you seen Avengers: Infinity War? Was it worth all the hype for you? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Avengers: Infinity War (SPOILER-ZONE) Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

If you read my spoiler-free review for Avengers: Infinity War, you would know that I gave the movie an official score of 8.5 out of 10. While I explained some of the reasons why I gave Marvel’s newest installment this score, I wasn’t able to go into depth about the other reasons for this score. Spoilers were the only reason why I didn’t elaborate on the things I didn’t like about the film. Because of this, I wanted to create a separate post where I could talk about the things from this movie that made me feel that this movie was good but not great. Since I already reviewed Avengers: Infinity War, this post will be more of a discussion/companion piece to the spoiler-free review. Now that introductions have finally been made, let’s talk about the spoilers from Avengers: Infinity War!

Be aware that there are spoilers ahead!

Avengers Infinity War Thor poster
Thor really wanted to get a picture with the Avengers: Infinity War poster! Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
  • Avengers: Infinity War feeling like a “set-up” film: In my review of Avengers: Infinity War, I talked about how I was disappointed that some of the key events in this movie felt like they happened for the sake of setting up the next part of the story. The biggest example of this is when Thanos successfully gathered all the Infinity Stones. Throughout the film, Thanos’ quest to achieve a balance in the galaxy seemed way too easy. Sure, the Avengers and Guardians put up a good fight, but it seemed like the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War made Thanos just too powerful. Before I saw Avengers: Infinity War, I had predicted that Thanos would get all but one of the Stones. That way, the conflict of the next Avengers film would be of Thanos trying to track down the last Stone, while the Avengers and Guardians went to great lengths to protect it. However, because the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War knew they were essentially creating a second part to this particular story, this creative decision felt like Thanos got his way too easily, giving the heroes a forced conflict for “Avengers 4”.

 

  • The stakes not feeling big enough: While there were stakes in Avengers: Infinity War, I felt like the stakes made did not create as big of an impact as it could have been. The characters the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War chose to kill off (before Thanos got his way) are Loki, Heimdall, the Black Order, Gamora, and Vision (twice). Basically, it seems like the creative team chose characters that felt like easy targets. While I found Gamora’s death to be shocking and Vision’s death to be sad, it didn’t seem to emotionally affect many of the superheroes featured in this movie. If the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War wanted to make an emotional statement (for the superheroes in the film and for their audience), they would have created an outcome that negatively affected one of the bigger heroes (example: Captain America or Iron Man). This way, the other heroes could use their emotional responses as fuel to defeat Thanos.

 

  • Making favorite heroes disappear: Speaking of “set-ups” for the next Avengers film, the ending of Avengers: Infinity War felt like a painfully obvious and forced “set-up” for “Avengers 4”. This was caused by almost all of the superheroes featured in this movie turning into dust as a result of Thanos’ plan being successful. Personally, I didn’t like the ending for several reasons. It felt too ambiguous and sudden for the general movie-going audience, not providing an explanation to where the “disappeared” heroes went. The specific superheroes that the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War chose to have “disappear” didn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Why would they choose to have Spider-Man “disappear” when we know that a Spider-Man sequel is coming next summer (in fact, it’s premiering two months after “Avengers 4”)? Why would Black Panther be one of the “disappeared” heroes after the MCU gave him his own stand-alone movie, causing him to become one of the most popular and marketable superheroes in the MCU’s roster? The one “disappearance” that upset me the most was Bucky’s. Not only is Bucky my favorite superhero in the MCU, but it frustrated me that he was on his way to finally start thriving, only to have those potential opportunities taken away from him. He had been through so much in the course of the Captain America trilogy, was taken out of cryo-freeze in the Black Panther end-credit scene, was finally cured because of Shuri (which bothered me that no one acknowledged this in Avengers: Infinity War), got a new prosthetic arm (which looked absolutely gorgeous), was featured in this movie at all, was able to fight alongside the other heroes, only to have him disappear? Also, Steve Rogers/Captain America already lost Bucky while they were in the Army, so what would be the point of Steve losing his friend again? Speaking of Captain America, out of all the superheroes that stuck around, most of them were the “original six” Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye). Keeping those heroes around felt so painfully obvious that the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War want to possibly recreate the “classic” Avengers line-up from the first Avengers film. Even some of the heroes that the creative team behind Avengers: Infinity War chose to keep around that weren’t a part of the “original six” didn’t appear to make sense. Out of all the Guardians, why would they have Rocket be the only one that stays? Since I knew going into Avengers: Infinity War that the “disappeared” heroes are going to appear in the next Avengers movie (because of announced sequels and IMDB Filmographies), the ending wasn’t as emotionally affective for me.

 

  • That end-credit scene: Going into Avengers: Infinity War, I knew there would be an end-credit scene (especially since that’s an MCU staple). After that ending, I was hoping that the end-credit scene would, at least, make up for it. Sadly, this was not the case. All that happened was Maria Hill and Nick Fury “disappearing” into dust (which, again, didn’t seem to make sense) and the Captain Marvel logo being shown on a beeper-type device. To me, the decision to tease the arrival of Captain Marvel didn’t appear to make sense from the perspective of a general movie-goer. Why would Marvel hint at Captain Marvel’s appearance when we the movie-goers haven’t even been officially introduced to her yet? Wouldn’t it make more sense to dedicate the only end-credit scene to Ant-Man, especially since he wasn’t in Avengers: Infinity War and the next MCU movie is Ant-Man and the Wasp? Because of the end-credit scene, it, honestly, makes me skeptical about whether Captain Marvel can successfully fix the mess that was left at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.
Avengers Infinity War Logo
Avengers: Infinity War logo created by The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Marvel and Avengers Characters: ©2017 Marvel. Image found at https://marvel.com/.

As you can tell, I’m not pleased with some of the decisions that the creative team behind this movie ended up making. One of the reasons why the MCU is so successful is because they’ve built a strong sense of trust with their audience/fans. But after this ending, it seems like that trust has been tarnished to a certain extent. Because I am simply a movie blogger, there’s not much I can do about the situation. However, I can only speak for myself when I say that I will take Dale Travers’ advice from Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You to “trust the timing”. Let’s not forget that we still have “Avengers 4” coming up and the marketing campaign for that film could, highly likely, start later this year. Hopefully, some of the “disappeared” heroes can show up in the advertisements, which would give fans peace of mind that their favorite character is going to be okay. Who knows, maybe the release date for “Avengers 4” could get pushed forward, like Avengers: Infinity War, so we can see the film early? All I’m saying is to let things surrounding this franchise take its course. It’s great how some fans have found creative ways to deal with their feelings about the ending, such as Youtuber, AmyLynn Craig, teaming up with her friend to save Spider-Man. It’s also great how people have been able to find each other to discuss how they feel, such as Rachel, from Rachel’s Reviews and Hallmarkies Podcast, talking about the movie with her friends, Trevor and David. But please remember, these are Marvel productions and, so far, Marvel has steered their ship pretty well. I just hope the creative team behind “Avengers 4” takes the feelings of their audience/fans into account while they’re making their next film.

Bucky and Thor at the movies
My friends were excited to see Avengers: Infinity War! Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What are your thoughts about Avengers: Infinity War? How do you feel about that ending? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

 

If you want to see the videos that I referenced in this post, just type the name of the channel (AmyLynn Craig, Rachel’s Reviews) or the names of the videos (“Our Spidey Mission! *Infinity War Spoilers* (2018 Disney Vlog #4)”, “David and Rachel vs Infinity War (Spoilers)”, “Talking Infinity War w How to Love Comics [SPOILERS]”) into Youtube’s search bar.

Word on the Street: Hallmark reveals “June Weddings” line-up!

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With the month of May being half-way over, Hallmark has wasted no time preparing for the next movie line-up: “June Weddings”. Recently, Hallmark announced a preview special that would air on Hallmark Channel on May 19th. The hosts of the preview will be Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith, stars of The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells. Following this announcement, Hallmark revealed the four movies that would make their debuts in June! The movies are:

  • Marrying Mr. Darcy – June 2nd
  • The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells – June 9th
  • Love at First Dance – June 16th
  • Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New – June 23rd

 

There’s a few things I noticed about this particular line-up. Last month, I talked about how “Dream On” (the Summer of Dreams sequel) was not going to be a part of the “June Weddings” line-up because of the film’s production dates. Even though the movie had its title changed to “Wedding of Dreams” (according to What’s Filming), it looks like I was correct about this speculation. Another speculation that I had was about “Wedding Dance” possibly being the last movie in the “June Weddings” line-up. I was correct about that speculation too, though the film is now known as Love at First Dance. The only “June Weddings” speculation I was incorrect about was Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New being moved to a different movie line-up. When production for the next installment of the Wedding March series was pushed back to May, I honestly thought it wasn’t going to be ready in time for any June release dates. But, having the fourth Wedding March movie be the last film to premiere in the line-up does seem to make sense, with the film possibly being edited during the line-up’s run.

75628-OEJ0NK-229
Wedding cake image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/enjoyable-wedding-card_953556.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

What do you think about the “June Weddings” line-up? Which film are you looking forward to the most? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the official “June Weddings” preview page: https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=2018+June+Weddings+Preview+Special

Link to the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia areas: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (if you visit this page after May 18th, Love at First Dance will be taken off this list. Also, if you visit this page after May 25th, “Wedding of Dreams” will be taken off this list.)

Take 3: Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With eight series currently in circulation, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has been very busy keeping fans on the edge on their seats, providing compelling mysteries that will keep viewers involved in each film’s story. One series in particular is Darrow & Darrow. After making its debut last year, Darrow & Darrow has quickly become an important component in the web of franchises from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. With memorable characters, a well-written script, and a good mystery, Darrow & Darrow won over my heart. As I was excited for the sequel, I was also disappointed when I found out  the next movie would be centered around a murder mystery. This is because the mystery involved in the first movie did not have any murders, going against the grain from other mystery series on Hallmark’s second network. Did this change in the series affect my enjoyment of the film? Find out in my review of Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder!

Darrow &amp; Darrow 2 poster
Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=986&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Darrow%20and%20Darrow%20In%20the%20Key%20of%20Murder&IsSeries=False

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The cast in the Darrow & Darrow sequel was very strong! Everyone gave such great performances and complimented each other at the same time. The one cast member that impressed me the most in this movie was MacKenzie Porter. She did an excellent job not only with her acting performance, but with her singing performances as well! I also liked seeing Geoff Gustafson in a film outside of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series because it allowed him to work with new material, keeping his acting performances interesting and entertaining. Geoff is a talented actor and it was good to see him in a role that is different from what most Hallmark fans are used to.

 

  • The mystery: Even though the sequel was a murder mystery (like most films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries), it was compelling and intriguing. With enough suspects and clues, it allowed viewers to solve the case alongside the protagonists. Also, the charm of the series was never lost amid the darkness of the crime.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Just like in the first Darrow & Darrow film, the on-screen chemistry between Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh was fantastic! Both Kimberly and Tom pulled off a great performance individually and as a pair. Their line delivery was spot-on and their portrayals of Claire and Miles truly appeared like their characters got along. I’m really looking forward to seeing where Claire and Miles’ relationship goes from here!
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 I didn’t like about the film:

  • Some of the side stories: While the story of Joanna working on the pro bono case was well-written, I was not impressed with Lou’s story. It felt like a repeat from the first movie, where an exceptionally gifted young person (Lou in this case) is having difficulty relating to their peers. I also didn’t like the story amongst the other lawyers at the Darrow & Darrow law firm. To me, this and Lou’s story just didn’t have a big impact on the film’s overall story.
Little girl in baseball outfit
Baseball girl image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/little-girl-in-baseball-outfit_2204168.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

This was a really good continuation in the series! I ended up liking this movie just as much as the first movie! Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has done an excellent job when creating a newer mystery series that feels different from the other series they offer. While the series is only about a year old, it has plenty of room to grow, as more stories are still waiting to be told. Hallmark has not made any announcements about a continuation in the Darrow & Darrow series, but I hope more movies get made in the near future! This series has only gotten better and I can’t wait to see where the direction of this series goes!

 

Overall score: 8-8.5 out of 10

 

Have you seen the Darrow & Darrow sequel? What you think about the Darrow & Darrow series? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Speculations about potential Hallmark movies

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

What’s Filming never fails to surprise me when new projects pop up on their website. Recently, two movie titles appeared on What’s Filming that instantly caught my eye. As I thought about both of these movies, I wondered if they could possibly be Hallmark movies? In this ‘Word on the Street’ post, I will be talking about each movie and explain why I think they could be Hallmark movies. Let the conversation begin!

preview
Canada postage stamp image created by Ibrandify at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/canadian-flag-stamp-template_836872.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/template”>Template vector created by Ibrandify – Freepik.com</a> Image found at freepik.com

Listed at the bottom of the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area is a movie titled “Wedding Dance”. Right away, the title indicates that this will likely be a wedding themed movie. Last month, I mentioned that Hallmark released a trailer for their “June Weddings” line-up, announcing that four movies will be released in June. Maybe this movie is the missing piece to the “June Weddings” puzzle? What’s also important to mention is that “Wedding Dance” is currently filming until May 18th. If this were a Hallmark film, it would give the creative team behind this movie enough time to edit the film for a mid to late June release. The only actors that are currently attached to the project are Jason Cermak and Cecilia Deacon. Jason is no stranger to Hallmark, as he has appeared in nine Hallmark films and on two episodes of When Calls the Heart. According to her filmography on IMDB, Cecilia has appeared in only one Hallmark movie, which was Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again. Hallmark has not made any official announcements about “Wedding Dance”, so we’ll have to wait to find out if it truly is a “June Weddings” film.

Link to the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (if you visit this page after May 18th, “Wedding Dance” will be taken off the list)

Beautiful wedding dance
First wedding dance image created by Teksomolika at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/newlyweds-dancing-at-their-wedding_983404.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding image created by Teksomolika – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

On the “Upcoming” list for the Vancouver and British Columbia area, I spotted a movie titled “Poinsettias for Christmas”. It will be in production from May 18th to June 8th, with no cast currently attached to the project. The reason why I think this movie could be a Hallmark production is the only Hallmark movie, that I’m aware of, that even touches upon the subject of poinsettias is Hearts of Christmas. I can’t think of a Hallmark Christmas movie where poinsettias were the primary focus, so this would be new territory for the network. Hallmark has not made any announcements about “Poinsettias for Christmas” either, so this is another movie that we’ll have to stand by for.

Link to the “Upcoming” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after May 18th, “Poinsettias for Christmas” will be moved to the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia areas)

Poinsettia plant leaves. Christmas displays
Poinsettia photo created by Jannoon028 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/plant-with-red-leaves_986669.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flower”>Flower image created by Jannoon028 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What do you think about this movie news? Do you think these movies could be Hallmark productions? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

All information about actors and their movie appearances was found on IMDb (Internet Movie Datebase)

Take 3: County Line Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

INSP Network does not make films often. In fact, only four films have been released since the network started making movies in 2015. One of these films is County Line. The reason why I chose to review this film is because, as a movie-viewer, I wanted to support INSP Network’s creative efforts. While I haven’t seen Christmas in the Smokies, I have watched Heritage Falls and most of Savannah Sunrise. Personally, I enjoyed Heritage Falls more than Savannah Sunrise. But where does INSP Network’s newest film rank? Let’s crack the case in my review of County Line!

County Line poster
County Line poster created by INSP Films and INSP Network. Image found at http://www.insp.com/movies/county-line/

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The acting in County Line was good. However, the three strongest performers in this film were Tom Wopat, Jeff Fahey, and Patricia Richardson. Both Tom and Jeff gave performances that were well-rounded and versatile. Also, their portrayals of Alden and Cliff seemed very believable. Patricia’s performance was a delight in this film, with her character, Maddie, being very likable.

 

  • The mystery: In County Line, the mystery was engaging. What was great about it was that it not only allowed the viewers to solve the mystery alongside Alden, but to also experience the mystery and the events surrounding it alongside Alden as well. This makes viewers feel like they are taking a journey, with Alden at their side.

 

  • The cinematography: There was some really good cinematography in this film. One example is when there is a shot of the Intensive Care Unit doors followed by a shot of Alden’s left hand. Without the use of dialogue, this was a good way to remind viewers of what Alden had gone through in earlier scenes. It also helped viewers to understand Alden’s motives and feelings through the use of these visuals.
193221-OY4DUC-214
Sheriff badge image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/brown-cowboy-label-set_1543252.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • The pace: My biggest problem with County Line was the pace. For a movie that has an engaging mystery and some action in it, the pace was really slow. Because of this, it made scenes feel like they are drawn out longer than they were intended to be.

 

  • Too many establishing shots: Before a scene would officially start, there were several establishing shots, sometimes five or more, that came before it. While establishing shots are a necessary component to any film, some of the establishing shots in County Line were pointless. Because of the previously mentioned pace, these shots felt like they were drawn out for too long and given too much emphasis.

 

  • The under-utilization of Patricia Richardson: While Patricia was one of the strongest performers in this movie, she didn’t have as many appearances as I had expected. Even though she is the top-billed actress in County Line, she is only in about four or five scenes throughout the entire film. Also, Patricia’s character, Maddie, did not have as big of a significance in the film as I had thought she would. Because of the movie’s synopsis, I had assumed that Maddie was going to solve the mystery alongside Alden. Sadly, this was not the case.
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:

At best, County Line is ok. Even though there was a good cast involved and an engaging mystery, the pace prevented this movie from reaching its full potential. However, I do respect what INSP Films was trying to accomplish with this movie, as well as the stories and messages they were trying to tell. For this, I will continue to support INSP Network as they work to create quality, original films. According to the official website for INSP Films, they have an upcoming film called Christmas on the Coast! While INSP Films has not made any official announcements about when the movie will premiere on INSP Network, I will definitely support the film and review it for 18 Cinema Lane!

 

Overall score: 6 out of 10

 

Have you seen County Line? What is your favorite INSP film? Tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the County Line movie page: http://www.insp.com/movies/county-line/?=top_nav

Link to the County Line movie website: http://countylinemovie.com/?utm_source=insp_com&utm_medium=movies&utm_campaign=county_line

Link to the INSP Films website: http://www.inspfilms.com/

Word on the Street: Hallmark movie speculations + Kim Possible leads chosen

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Since I haven’t delivered any ‘Word on the Street’ stories since early April, I decided to share some speculations about two movies and a confirmed casting announcement that are listed on What’s Filming! I will talk about each of these pieces of movie news, as well as share my thoughts on each one. Now, let’s get started!

cropped-46628-o4wnpf3.jpg
Movie ticket image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/set-of-two-cinema-pass-in-vintage-style_850066.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Last week, What’s Filming revealed that the leads for the upcoming, live-action adaptation of Kim Possible have been selected! According to a video featured on the What’s Filming website, it was announced that Sean Giambrone, series regular on The Goldbergs, and Sadie Stanley are going to play the beloved characters of Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible. I, honestly, am not surprised that the chosen leads are actors that don’t have household names. This is because Disney Channel, in the past, has casted other actors without household names in their productions, sometimes in an effort to help them become well-known stars. However, I am interested in seeing how Sean and Sadie bring the characters of Ron and Kim to life, as well as how they plan to carry the DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) legacy.

Link to the article about Kim Possible on What’s Filming: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/2018/04/10/kim-possible-live-action-movie-based-on-disneys-popular-animated-series-filming-in-vancouver/

Kim Possible article picture
Kim Possible poster image created by The Walt Disney Company and Disney Channel © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Disney XD© Disney Enterprises, Inc. Poster image found at http://disneychannel.disney.com/kim-possible

Early in April, I reported that Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New was in production from April 16th to May 4th. Now, according to What’s Filming, the next installment in the Wedding March series appears to have gotten pushed back. Production will now start on May 8th and end on May 29th. Because of these new production dates, I’m starting to wonder if this movie will end up getting moved to Hallmark’s “Summer Nights” movie line-up? This would not be the first time that upcoming Hallmark films have changed production dates, leading to potential release date changes. This happened with “Dream On” (the Summer of Dreams sequel) in early April, where I reported that, because of the film’s production dates changing to May, it was likely that the film could end up premiering in the “Summer Nights” line-up. If the new Wedding March movie gets moved out of the “June Weddings” line-up, what wedding themed movie could take its place? We’ll have to wait until Hallmark’s official announcement about their “June Weddings” line-up to find out.

Link to What’s Filming’s “Upcoming” page: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after May 29th, Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New will be moved to the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area)

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

While looking on the What’s Filming website, I came across a movie titled “Christmas by the Book”, which is currently in production until May 18th. When I read that title, I wondered if the movie could be a Christmas themed sequel to 2015’s Love by the Book. Though Hallmark has made no official announcement about this movie, it wouldn’t be the first time that Hallmark has made sequels to original films years after their premiere. Two recent examples are All of My Heart: Inn Love and the previously mentioned film, “Dream On”.

Link to What’s Filming’s “In Production” page: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction-toronto-ontario/ (if you visit this page after May 18th, “Christmas by the Book” will be taken off the list)

P0YDNL0
Christmas book image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/christmas-mockup-with-open-book_1482296.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Freepik</a>.  Image found at freepik.com.

What do you think of this latest movie news? Are you looking forward to any of these films? Share your thoughts below in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

As Avengers: Infinity War was busy destroying almost every box office record they could think of, Hallmark Hall of Fame decided to make a splash with their latest presentation, The Beach House! Since 2014, the Hallmark Hall of Fame branch has found a permanent home on the Hallmark Channel, where Christmas movies reign and heart-felt stories are shared. When I reviewed the trailer for The Beach House earlier this month, I did share my concerns about this film. All I wanted was for this movie to be good. Because the marketing campaign was so weak, it forced me to lower my expectations for The Beach House, wondering whether this movie was going to be good at all. Now you’re probably trying to guess what my real thoughts on this film ended up being. In order to find out, you’ll have to dive in and read my review of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House!

Hallmark Hall of Fame's The Beach House poster
The Beach House poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Poster image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=The%20Beach%20House&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: This cast was very solid! The two performances that were the biggest pleasant surprises, though, were those from Andie MacDowell and Chad Michael Murray. Before watching The Beach House, the only movies that I had seen Chad star in were Freaky Friday (2003) and A Cinderella Story, so I didn’t know what to expect of his performance in this recent Hallmark Hall of Fame film. However, Chad’s portrayal of Brett really impressed me! Also, Andie’s performance in The Beach House is the best that she’s ever given in any Hallmark production she has starred in!

 

  • The scenery: According to Hallmark Channel’s website, The Beach House was filmed in Georgia on Tybee Island. The natural beauty that the Peach State has to offer is showcased really well in this film. While the beach itself is the primary focus in this movie, other natural landscapes are highlighted as well, such as those that were featured during Brett and Cara’s boat ride. The architecture of the buildings, the beach house being one example, also compliment the scenery.

 

  • The cinematography: I was really impressed by the cinematography in The Beach House! It made the film look much grander than the typical Hallmark Channel movie. In fact, the cinematography was so good, The Beach House looked like a feature film!

 

  • The overall quality: From 2014 to 2016, Hallmark had an adjustment period when it came to moving their Hallmark Hall of Fame films to the Hallmark Channel. The movies in that period did not feel like Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, making me miss the days when they premiered on the major networks. Since 2017, the Hallmark Hall of Fame branch started to find its stride again, going back to their roots and focusing on telling good stories. The Beach House is just another stepping stone on that brighter path, not only looking like a Hallmark Hall of Fame film, but feeling like one as well.
16791-NQSAOE
Sea turtle image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-turtle_796948.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/hand”>Hand vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Differences between the book and the movie: As a movie, The Beach House does have some major differences from Mary Alice Monroe’s novel of the same name. One of these is the ages of the characters. For the sake of the film, all of the characters’ ages changed from what they were originally intended. There are also some parts from the book that are very different in the movie. One example is Lovie accepting a milkshake offer after her radiation therapy in the movie, but feeling too queasy to drink one after her radiation therapy in the novel. However, because I only read the first few chapters of the book, these differences didn’t affect my enjoyment of the film.
The Beach House novel
My copy of The Beach House novel. Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

My overall impression:

The Hallmark Hall of Fame branch has finally found its footing again! As I’ve thought for several years, the quality of the Hallmark Hall of Fame films doesn’t have to change just because they’re on Hallmark Channel. Thankfully, Hallmark has realized this by creating movies that remind viewers why the Hallmark Hall of Fame branch exists in the first place. The Beach House was such a pleasant surprise, far exceeding my low expectations! This movie makes me excited not only for the future of Hallmark Hall of Fame, but also for their upcoming Christmas film! Though no details were mentioned during the sneak peek commercial that was shown after The Beach House, I will be waiting in anticipation until Hallmark makes an official announcement.

 

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

 

Have you seen The Beach House? If so, what did you think? Please let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the information about The Beach House: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/the-beach-house/about-the-beach-house

If you want to read my review of The Beach House trailer, you can find it under the ‘Word on the Street’ tab. It is titled ‘Word on the Street: Hallmark releases trailer for Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House’.