Take 3: The Newton Boys Review + 20 Follower Thank You

On September 9, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In late August, I achieved the accomplishment of receiving 20 followers on my blog! Because some of my recent posts have taken me longer to write and publish than expected, I apologize for the delay in releasing this post. I put a lot of thought into which film I would review for this blog follower dedication post. After looking at and thinking about all of my available options, I decided to go back to the well of talking about a movie that is based on a true story; The Newton Boys. When I started creating these blog follower dedication posts, the movie I reviewed when I received 5 followers was Saving Mr. Banks, a film that is based on the true story of how the Mary Poppins film came into existence. For The Newton Boys, however, this movie is not heart-felt like the aforementioned movie. It explores the relationship of the Newton brothers and how they turned to a life of crime. Before choosing this movie for my 20 follower dedication post, I had never heard of The Newton Boys or the true story behind it. Because this movie seems to be overshadowed by other movies from 1998, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to give The Newton Boys the “standing ovation” it deserves. So, as I start this review of The Newton Boys, I’d like to take a moment to thank each and every one of my 20 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! I would not have been able to reach this milestone without you!

The Newton Boys poster — *The Newton Boys* poster created by 20th Century Fox. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Newtonboysposter.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of The Newton Boys was superb! Every actor that portrayed a character with an accent pulled it off very well, adding believability to their characters! Before watching The Newton Boys, I had seen a few of Matthew McConaughey’s films, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Fool’s Gold. However, The Newton Boys is the film that made me appreciate Matthew’s acting abilities, impressed by how he can, successfully, pull off a performance in both light-hearted romantic-comedies and dramatic historical/period films. I was also impressed with Julianna Margulies’ portrayal of Louise Brown! Julianna packed so much versatility and emotion into her performance, that it truly made her on-screen presence very memorable!

The atmosphere: This film takes place between 1919 and 1924. The world that this particular film created was immersive, with every aspect of this film looking and feeling like that time period. The level of detail the creative team behind this movie took in order to make The Newton Boys look and feel authentic was great! From the music to an old-fashioned calculator, even to the beginning introduction of the film itself, everything about this movie adds to the believability of this story!

The on-screen camaraderie: As I mentioned in the introduction for my review of The Newton Boys, this movie is about the Newton brothers and how they turned to a life of crime. All of the actors portraying the brothers (Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D’Onofrio) displayed an on-screen camaraderie that made their characters appear like they truly got along with one another. The bond between these brothers came across in this movie very believably, making this bond feel genuine. In this movie, the relationship between these brothers adds to the overall story.

115101-OP45RF-205 — Railway Train image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-train-retro-background_1112415.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundvector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about this film:

The dialect: Because the Newton brothers were from Texas, most of the characters in this movie spoken with a Southern/Texan dialect. Since I’m not used to hearing characters speak with this particular dialect, it was difficult, at times, to understand what the characters were saying. For me, hearing this dialect did take some getting used to. However, the dialogue in The Newton Boys can be understood.

The sound editing: Throughout this movie, the music and background sounds were louder than the dialogue. This means that every time a character spoke, I found myself turning the volume up on my television. Whenever there was background sounds or music playing, I turned the volume on my TV down.

The run-time: The Newton Boys is a 2 hour and 2-minute film. While watching this movie, I noticed there were scenes in this film that felt like they were incorporated in the movie for the sake of filling in this run-time. Because there are about less than 10 robberies featured in this movie, I think The Newton Boys could have been a 1 hour to 40 or 50-minute film.

101994-OM0XMB-226 — Money image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/bills-and-coins-in-isometric-design_1065328.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Like I said in the introduction, I was not aware of the Newton brothers’ story or this film before I decided to write this blog follower dedication post. Now that I have seen The Newton Boys, I can honestly say that I was not only entertained by this movie, I was also educated by it as well! This movie made me feel like I was engaging in a history lesson without having to worry about homework or passing an exam. To me, this was two hours well spent! If you are a fan of movies that are based on true stories or historical/period films, I would definitely recommend The Newton Boys, as I feel this movie did this story justice! Once again, thank you to my followers and readers on 18 Cinema Lane. I look forward to seeing what other movies I’ll review as I keep dedicating these reviews to you.

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10

What is your favorite movie from 1998? What movies based on a true story do you like? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Could the new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie be based on Marie Bostwick’s novel?

On September 5, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Four days ago, I reported, in the first Word on the Street post for September, on revealed details for the upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, “The Second Sister”. In that same post, I speculated that this movie could be based on one of three novels that share the same name as this HHoF (Hallmark Hall of Fame) movie. Based on two recent Instagram posts from Ron Oliver’s Instagram feed (the same feed I referenced in my aforementioned Word on the Street post), I have a feeling Hallmark’s newest HHoF movie could be based on Marie Bostwick’s novel, The Second Sister. In these two Instagram posts, Ron features his open laptop as the primary focus of the photo. On the screen of the laptop, what is displayed appears to be a short piece of film script. These snippets of script, within the Instagram posts, provide the clues to figure out what this HHoF movie could possibly be about. In the post where Ron features his dog, who I believe is named Crawford, there are two character’s names listed on the laptop screen. One of those names is Lucy. If you read the synopsis for Marie Bostwick’s novel, you would know that Lucy is the name of the protagonist in The Second Sister. In this same post, a quilt is referenced within this small piece of film script. In the synopsis for Marie Bostwick’s novel, quilting is what Lucy’s sister’s friends share in common with one another. The author herself also seems to share a love of quilting, from displaying a “Quilt Central” tab on her website to expressing this love for quilting in her biography. In the Instagram post where Ron references Labor Day, a law firm is mentioned in this small piece of film script. In the synopsis for The Second Sister, Lucy’s occupation is a political campaigner, with her boss, apparently, winning a presidential election.

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.

As of September 2018, there has been no confirmation that this new HHoF movie will be based on Marie’s novel. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were. Like I mentioned in my Word on the Street post where I first talked about “The Second Sister”, it’s not uncommon for a HHoF movie to be an adaptation of a preexisting novel. Even though I’m curious to find out if Marie’s novel will serve as the basis for this film, I am a tiny bit disappointed that this movie might not be based on Claire Kendal’s novel, which is also titled The Second Sister. Because Claire’s novel is a mystery story, I was looking forward to the idea of Hallmark creating an ambitious HHoF project that would be different from the more recent HHoF movies, but still feel a part of the overall collection. However, I’m still looking forward to this new HHoF movie and it is still my most anticipated Christmas movie this year!

204659-P02UXR-453 — Christmas family image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/nice-family-christmas-scene-singing-together_1458033.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 do you think about this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie? If you have read The Second Sister or any of Marie Bostwick’s novels, how do you feel about this possible book-to-film adaptation? Share your thoughts in the comment section below?

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the sources I referenced in this post, visit Ron Oliver’s official Instagram feed (at ronoliver) and these links:

https://www.mariebostwick.com/

Biography

https://18cinemalane.wordpress.com/2018/09/01/word-on-the-street-details-revealed-about-upcoming-hallmark-hall-of-fame-movie/

Word on the Street: Details revealed about upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame movie!

On September 1, 2018 By 18cinemalane1 Comment

When I reviewed the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, The Beach House, I mentioned that a new movie in the HHoF (Hallmark Hall of Fame) collection was announced during the sneak peek commercial that aired after the film. At that time, however, the only detail that was revealed about this upcoming HHoF film was that it would premiere sometime during the Christmas season. Since late April, Hallmark has been pretty secretive about their Christmas HHoF movie. This movie has been kept so tightly under-wraps, that Hallmark didn’t even make an announcement for the film during their Summer TCA Event. Recently, some details about this particular film have been revealed by one of Hallmark’s directors. Ron Oliver, who has directed and written several Hallmark movies (including a directing credit on last year’s HHoF movie, The Christmas Train), has mentioned that he is working on a movie titled “The Second Sister”. In the four Instagram posts where Ron mentions this title, he also mentions the Hallmark Hall of Fame, either in a direct statement or in a hashtag. In two of these aforementioned posts, Ron mentions that he is not only going to Atlanta, Georgia to make the movie, but it also indicates that he is already in Atlanta, Georgia. As someone who has this new HHoF movie as their most anticipated Christmas movie this year, these tidbits of information really don’t surprise me. I’ve already mentioned that Ron directed last year’s HHoF Christmas movie, The Christmas Train. That movie was not only the second highest rated movie during the 2017 “Countdown to Christmas” line-up, it became the third highest rated Christmas movie in Hallmark Channel history! So, it makes sense that Hallmark would want to hire Ron for another HHoF production. Also, as part of what I liked about the movie, I mentioned in my review of The Beach House that the movie was filmed in Georgia, specifically on Tybee Island. The idea of Hallmark wanting to film another HHoF movie in the Peach State does not shock me.

Merry Christmas Card — Blue sparkly Christmas tree image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-card_2875396.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Upon discovering these pieces of information about this upcoming HHoF movie, there are still some questions I have about the film. In some of Ron’s Instagram posts that mention either Hallmark Hall of Fame or “The Second Sister”, Ron references Tyler Perry Studios. How much involvement will Tyler Perry Studios have in this movie? Will they have any involvement at all? While I was trying to find more information about “The Second Sister” on the internet, I came across three books with that exact same title. It’s not uncommon for a HHoF movie to be based on a book, with both The Christmas Train and The Beach House serving as good examples. While reading the synopsis of each novel, I found myself imagining each of these stories as a HHoF film. Here is a short list of the books I found:

The Second Sister by Claire Kendal – About a woman attempting to find her missing sister. We haven’t really seen a mystery story incorporated into a HHoF movie since 2000’s Missing Pieces, so this would be an ambiguous project for the network.

The Second Sister by Marie Bostwick – About a woman from the big city inheriting her deceased sister’s cottage in a small town. Based on the synopsis, this story does bear some similarities to The Beach House. The themes that I picked up on, such as family and reconnecting with loved ones, are those that have been found in other Hallmark movies, especially those from the HHoF collection.

The Second Sister by Carrie Weaver – About a woman trying to reconnect her family to fulfill her father’s dying wish. This is another story that bears some similarities to The Beach House. It also contains subject material that might be too serious for the typical Hallmark Channel film, but could be explored in a HHoF movie, such as abusive relationships and a broken family dynamic.

stylish snowflakes background for christmas holiday season — Christmas and New Year snowflake banner image created by Starline at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/stylish-snowflakes-background-for-christmas-holiday-season_1384882.htm’>Designed by Starline</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Starline – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

At this time, it’s unknown if any of these books will serve as the basis for this HHoF movie or if Ron will write an original screenplay for the film. If “The Second Sister” is based on any of these three books, I hope it’s Claire Kendal’s novel. As I’ve already mentioned, the last time a HHoF movie has had a mystery incorporated into the main plot was in Missing Pieces from 2000 (which was based on the novel, Atticus, by Ron Hansen). Personally, I can picture Claire’s story being set during Christmas, with the clues to the disappearance of the protagonist’s sister possibly correlating with the ‘12 Days of Christmas’. For all of the reasons I just mentioned, this would be an ambitious project for Hallmark. It would also be quite different from the other HHoF movies that have premiered in recent years. Another detail about this film that has not been revealed yet is which actors and actresses have been officially cast in this movie. However, I would, one day, like to see Marguerite Moreau and Laci J. Mailey cast in a HHoF movie where they get to portray sisters. I think Marguerite and Laci look similar enough to each other that their portrayal of sisters would come across as very believable. Also, Marguerite is a Hallmark Hall of Fame alumni, as she starred in The Locket back in 2002. While Laci has never starred in a HHoF movie, she is one of the series regulars on Chesapeake Shores and has appeared in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. Seeing one of the stars of their favorite series would be very exciting for fans of Chesapeake Shores and Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

Story tale- cover — Adorable Christmas card image created by Rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-greeting-card-vector_2824854.htm’>Designed by Rawpixel.com</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/christmas”>Christmas vector created by Rawpixel.com – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this movie news story? Are you looking forward to “The Second Sister”? Please tell me your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the sources I referenced in this post, visit Ron Oliver’s official Instagram feed (at ronoliver), Ron’s official IMDB page, the official IMDB page for The Locket, Laci J. Mailey’s official IMDB page, and these links:

UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY’s Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.25.2017

UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.26.2017

http://www.tvtango.com/listings/2014/11/29/hallmark_channel_movie

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor Review

On August 31, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

As the summer comes to a close, so does Garage Sale Mystery Month. Now that we’ve arrived at the final film in this year’s collection of Garage Sale Mystery films, I can share my honest opinion about not only Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor, but on 2018’s Garage Sale Mystery Month as a whole. I’ve said in my Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture a Murder review that this series has been very creative when it comes to their mystery stories. Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor has continued to keep the creative streak alive for this series, with the inclusion of an auction house and a decades old piano. What did I think of this year’s finale of Garage Sale Mystery Month? Read my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor in order to find out!

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

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor was, once again, talented! Even though his on-screen presence is, usually, limited, I think that Jay Brazeau did a very good job portraying Tramell. As the head doctor at the local morgue, Tramell has always had such a pleasant presence within the Garage Sale Mystery series! The actors portraying secondary characters gave just as good of a performance as the series regulars. Two of these actors that really stood out to me were Nicola Lipman and Chris William Martin. Like I mentioned in my review of Logan Lucky, accents in a movie can be hit or miss. But, for Nicola and Chris, they both pulled off an accent that made their characters seem more believable!

The mystery: In most of the mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the primary mystery revolves around a murder. In Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor, there was more than one mystery, including the mystery of who hurt Jennifer’s friend. This was a creative choice that I found very interesting. Another creative choice that was interesting was having Jacques, one of the suspects, being heavily involved in the primary mystery. In most mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the involvement of the suspects within the respective film’s main mystery is limited to, simply, being a suspect. This change to the Garage Sale Mystery series added some intrigue to this film’s overall story.

Hannah and Logan’s subplots: While Hannah’s subplots in these four Garage Sale Mystery films have been hit or miss, Logan’s subplots have been less than stellar to non-existent. In Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor, both Hannah and Logan received subplots that I really liked! Logan uses a homework assignment to figure out how to help his basketball team, while Hannah takes a job as a tutor. These subplots added interest in the other stories from the film besides the mysteries themselves. It also showed other members of the Shannon family, besides Jennifer, being problem-solvers and saving the day.

Note_lines_horizontal1 — String of musical notes image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/pentagram-vector_710290.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 slower pace: Like I said in my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders, the movies in the Garage Sale Mystery series usually have a faster pace. However, the pace of Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor was slower than expected. This caused the movie to feel more drawn out.

The under-utilization of Detective Lynwood: In almost all of the Garage Sale Mystery films, Detective Lynwood has been one of the key characters in this series. But, in Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor, Detective Lynwood and his problem-solving skills were under-utilized. As I’ve mentioned before, Jacques’ involvement in the mystery itself was an interesting creative choice. However, that creative choice limited Detective Lynwood’s screen-time.

The ending: In the Garage Sale Mystery series, the ending is usually when all of the stories wrap up nicely and the main cast of characters discuss their solved conflicts. The ending in Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor wasn’t bad, it just wrapped up a little too quickly. Because this was the last movie in Garage Sale Mystery month, it seemed to not give this collection of movies a strong end.

O614E00 — Magnifying glass and fingerprint image created by Alvaro_Cabrera at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/loupe-over-a-fingerprint_853908.htm’>Designed by alvaro_cabrera</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Alvaro_cabrera – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As a whole, I thought Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor was decent at best. This does disappoint me because I was hoping the last film in Garage Sale Mystery Month would end on a strong note. However, the overall quality of this year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month was about the same as last year’s. The Garage Sale Mystery series is one of my favorites on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The quality of this series has been consistent, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Hallmark announced a third Garage Sale Mystery Month for 2019. Even though the Garage Sale Mystery series will take a break until next year, there are other mystery films that are on their way. With the next Darrow & Darrow film premiering this October, “The Crossword Mysteries” (starring Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott) will make its debut in 2019! Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has no shortage of mystery stories and it seems like, when it comes to their movies, they have something available for everyone.

Overall score: 7.4 out of 10

Have you seen the films within Garage Sale Mystery Month? Would you like to see the Garage Sale Mystery series continue? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Season for Love Review (Year of the Dog Double Feature Part 2)

On August 26, 2018 By 18cinemalane1 Comment

For the second part of my Year of the Dog Double Feature for Often Off Topic’s Dog Day Blogathon, I chose to review a movie that was released in 2018, the Year of the Dog! Because Hallmark was premiering a brand-new movie this past weekend, I decided to include Season for Love in this Double Feature. When I first heard about this movie, I will admit that it was not one of my most anticipated movies out of these five summer themed films. To me, the plot sounded a lot like other stories that have been seen on the Hallmark Channel. However, BBQ cooking has never been featured in a Hallmark movie before and Texas has rarely been the primary location for any Hallmark production. So, like I do with every movie I review, I watched it with low expectations and an open mind. Want to find out my opinion of Season for Love? Square dance your way to my review to find out!

Season for Love poster — *Season for Love* 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=Season+for+Love

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the acting in Season for Love was good! Marc Blucas and Autumn Reeser really shined in this movie with performances that appeared genuine and versatile! Not only did the lead actors give a memorable performance, the supporting actors did as well. Shelley Thompson was a stand-out performer in this movie, her portrayal of Jo Dawson was so pleasant to watch on-screen! Even Lola Flanery gave a very believable performance, especially for being the only young actor within the main cast!

The on-screen chemistry: Though this was Marc and Autumn’s first time starring in a Hallmark movie together, their on-screen chemistry came across as very believable! I think what helped was that Marc’s and Autumn’s acting talents complimented one another. Marc and Autumn’s characters appeared as if they truly got along, like their relationship on-screen was genuine. I’m hoping that Marc and Autumn are cast in another Hallmark movie together in the near future!

The incorporation of BBQ cooking: Season for Love is not the first Hallmark movie that features cooking within the main plot. However, this is the first Hallmark movie that showcases BBQ cooking. I liked the way the BBQ competition was filmed, as the process of preparing a BBQ meal was shown enough to satisfy the interest of the audience. I also liked learning about the different ingredients that can go into BBQ because it felt informative while being entertaining.

2018 Dog Day Blogathon Banner — Offical Dog Day Blogathon banner created by Allie from Often Off Topic. Image found at https://oftenofftopic.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/announcing-the-dog-day-blogathon/

What I didn’t like about the film:

Predictability: Most of Hallmark’s movies have a certain amount of predictability to them. But for a film that showcased new ideas (like BBQ cooking and a location in Texas), I was hoping Season for Love’s plot would contain more originality. A lot of story-points that were written into this movie were ones that I’ve seen in several other Hallmark movies. Because of this, it made this movie feel very predictable.

Situations happening too quickly: In Season for Love, there were about three situations that happened too quickly. One example is when Autumn’s character, Tyler, tells Corey, Marc’s character, that revisiting their relationship might not be a good idea. That same night, after she sees one of her daughter’s drawings, Tyler visits Corey to apologize for doubting their relationship. Moments like these seemed to interrupt the overall flow within the film.

Something was missing: Season for Love made me feel the same way Love at First Dance did: all of the pieces for this to be good movie were there, but something special felt like it was missing. Because of this, I wasn’t able to connect with this movie like I had wanted to.

216395-P0VNUU-640 — Year of the Dog image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/red-golden-chinese-new-year-banners_1611242.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Season for Love was a decent movie. Though I did enjoy watching this movie, I still like Pearl in Paradise more. Since Season for Love was the last movie in the “Summer Nights” line-up, I can now give my complete and honest opinion about the line-up as a whole. As a “Summer Nights” line-up, the overall quality felt about the same as last year’s. As a line-up in general, this was a little stronger than the other line-ups on Hallmark Channel so far. There’s one more line-up left before the Christmas movies start premiering: Fall Harvest. I’m hoping these movies and the line-up as a whole end Hallmark’s seasonal movie collections on a positive note, especially since Hallmark has plenty more stories to tell. Thank you to everyone who read my Year of the Dog Double Feature and a special thank you to Allie from Often Off Topic for letting me join the Dog Day Blogathon. This definitely encouraged me to seek out other blogathons and let my creativity go as far as it will let me.

Overall score: 7.4 out of 10

What did you think of Hallmark Channel’s “Summer Nights” line-up this year? What was your favorite 2018 “Summer Nights” movie? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Logan Lucky Review (Year of the Dog Double Feature Part 1)

On August 26, 2018December 31, 2018 By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Often Off Topic’s Dog Day Blogathon is the first blogathon I have ever participated in! Because this particular blogathon’s theme is dogs and film, I wanted to make a contribution that was unique and creative. So, I decided to write a double feature movie review that correlated with the Year of the Dog. When I was thinking about which two movies to write about, my favorite MCU superhero, Bucky Barnes, came to mind. The actor who portrays Bucky, Sebastian Stan, was born in 1982, which was the Year of the Dog. Also, Sebastian’s birthday falls in August, the same month that National Dog Day happens to fall in. With those facts in mind, I chose to review Logan Lucky for the first part of this double feature movie review. I had not seen this film prior to reviewing it, but I do remember when it was being advertised. After seeing Logan Lucky achieve a 92 to 93 percent on Rotten Tomatos, I watched the film with an open mind and low expectations. Did I like this movie? Cruise through my review to find out!

Logan Lucky poster — *Logan Lucky* poster created by Fingerprint Releasing and Bleecker Street. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Logan_Lucky.png

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the cast in Logan Lucky was good. Daniel Craig’s performance was the most impressive, as he disappeared into his role to bring a character to life that stood out from the rest. Accents in a movie can be hit or miss, but all the actors, in this film, portraying a character with an accent really pulled it off in a way that added believable to their characters!

Connectivity of the characters: At the beginning of this film, there were several characters that were introduced. This brought up questions of who these characters were and what their significance to each other was. As the film goes on, the connections between these characters and the impact of their interactions was interesting to watch. It reminded me, a little bit, of The Christmas Hope.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A very slow pace: Despite the fact that Logan Lucky is a heist film, the pace of this movie was rather slow. This not only made the film feel boring, it made the plot feel more drawn out that it might have been intended.

Disconnection of the plots: There are about four plots featured in Logan Lucky. But, the connection between the subplots and the main plot (the heist itself and preparation surrounding it) was absent. Because of this disconnection, the three subplots felt so separate from the main story, that their placement in the film didn’t really feel significant. One of these subplots made me question why it was featured in the film at all.

The under-utilization of Sebastian Stan: As I mentioned in this review’s introduction, Sebastian’s involvement in this movie was one of the reasons why I chose to review Logan Lucky for my Year of the Dog double feature. However, out of all the actors that were cast in this film, Sebastian was the most under-utilized. His character, Dayton White, felt like he was featured in the film just for the sake of it. Dayton’s subplot was not only weak, it also had no connection to the main plot whatsoever. When I first learned that Sebastian had been cast in Logan Lucky and what role he would be portraying, I had speculated that Dayton could be a long-lost relative of the Logan family and the Logan family kidnapped him in an attempt to receive more money. Sadly, my aforementioned speculation sounds a lot more interesting than the subplot Dayton was given in this film.

Loads of exposition: On 18 Cinema Lane, I’ve mentioned before that exposition is an important component to any story. But, there is such a thing as having too much exposition. In Logan Lucky, there was about 40 minutes of it. This made the first quarter of the film feel like it dragged.

No excitement: In almost every heist or action film, there is a certain amount of excitement that keeps the audience invested in the movie. Whether it is adrenaline or an intriguing concept, these things help viewers stay on the edge of their seat as they watch everything unfold onscreen. Logan Lucky, unfortunately, had none of those aforementioned things. Even when the actual heist was taking place, the movie felt very dull. The lack of excitement in this film contributed to the movie feeling boring.

My overall impression:

Logan Lucky was so bad, I couldn’t finish watching the movie (even though I had 30 minutes left of run-time). This is, honestly, the worst and most boring heist film I’ve ever seen. But, as I was watching this movie, I could see that Sebastian was trying the best he could with the limited amount of acting material he was given. Even though Logan Lucky was a dud, I’m still looking forward to seeing which movies, outside of the MCU, Sebastian chooses to appear in. If I come across a film starring Sebastian Stan that, to me, sounds interesting, I will definitely check it out! If you are a Bucky fan like myself and appreciate Sebastian’s acting abilities as well what he brings, talent wise, to the MCU, please do yourself a favor and don’t watch Logan Lucky. Even if I haven’t seen some of them and don’t know, exactly, which ones they are, I have a good feeling there are movies out there starring Sebastian Stan that are better than Logan Lucky, whether or not the film is MCU affiliated.

Overall score: 4.7 out of 10

Have you seen Logan Lucky? What is your favorite movie that Sebastian Stan has starred in? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder Review

On August 22, 2018August 22, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Thanks for joining me for my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder, the third film in Garage Sale Mystery Month. What sets the Garage Sale Mystery series apart from the other series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is the creativity surrounding each item that Jennifer finds, as well as the stories that can, potentially, be attached to those items. This has especially been evident in the films that have premiered in Garage Sale Mystery Month so far. The first two Garage Sale Mystery movies are about an intricate puzzle box and an interesting mask. Each of these items were connected to a murder mystery that was unique to the film they were featured in. Now, in Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder, the object that Jennifer comes across is a vintage camera. Can this camera and the mystery associated with it continue Garage Sale Mystery’s creative streak? Read my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder to figure this mystery out!

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

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: With everyone giving a good performance, I thought the cast of Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder was talented! Sarah Strange, one of the series’ starring cast members, has always been a great addition to the Garage Sale Mystery films. Not only was her performance in Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder versatile and convincing, but her comedic delivery was great! I was also impressed with Edward Ruttle’s performance in this film. Edward’s portrayal of Tony, the murder victim’s nephew, contained so much realism, there were moments throughout this film where I found myself feeling bad for Tony. I’m hoping that, one day, Edward and Max Lloyd-Jones are cast in a Hallmark movie together where they get to portray brothers. This is because when Edward first appeared on-screen in Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder, he looked so similar to Max that I actually thought Max was cast in a Garage Sale Mystery film.

The mystery: In most mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the protagonist is one of the first people to find the murder victim’s deceased body. This was not the case for Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder. Jennifer was nowhere near the crime scene when the murder victim’s body was first discovered. I thought this was an interesting choice for the creative team behind this movie to make. Another interesting creative decision that was seen in this movie was having a family member of the murder victim working alongside Jennifer, to a certain extent, to solve the mystery within the film’s main plot. More often than not, the protagonist is kept at a certain distance between themselves and individuals that are identified as family members of the murder victim or suspects of the crime. Having Tony, the murder victim’s nephew, help Jennifer solve the case added more intrigue to the primary plot.

The humor: In my review of Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders, I talked about how the humor that is found within the Garage Sale Mystery films is one of the highlights to the series. The humor within Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder certainly adds to the continuity of the series! Earlier in this review, I said that Sarah Strange’s comedic delivery was great. Not only that, but her on-screen interactions between her and Lori Loughlin are delightful and humorous! Moments like these are what helps keep the balance within each Garage Sale Mystery film between the light-hearted and darker tones that are found in this series.

Camera — Retro camera image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/camera_1552643.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of suspense: Usually, a mystery film on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries contains a certain amount of suspense that maintains the intrigue of the story. This helps the audience stay motivated to follow along with the protagonist and figure out who committed the crime. In Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder, however, there were only two moments throughout the film that, to me, felt suspenseful. One of these moments was the climax. The rest of the film didn’t feel as exciting as what I’m used to in the Garage Sale Mystery series.

Logan’s subplot: In my Garage Sale Mysteries: The Pandora’s Box Murders review, I mentioned that Logan’s subplot was one of the things I didn’t like about the movie. The subplot that Logan was given in Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder was another one that I didn’t like. In this movie, Logan has the opportunity to publish his paper in the school newspaper, but refuses for unknown reasons. While this subplot wasn’t bad, it felt a little too drawn out.

The absence of Ryan: I mentioned in my Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder review that Ryan being under-utilized in the film was a negative aspect to the movie overall. Because of this, I was hoping he would receive more screen-time in the next movie and train alongside Detective Lynwood, since Ryan did express interest in becoming a detective. Unfortunately, Ryan was nowhere to be found throughout this entire movie. Also, no one ever mentioned his whereabouts, not even Hannah. Ryan’s absence broke a level of continuity within the four Garage Sale Mystery films in Garage Sale Mystery Month.

Female detective with magnifying glass — Female detective image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/female-detective-with-magnifying-glass_1250814.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:

As good as Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture A Murder was, it was not as good as the previous film. To me, the four Garage Sale Mystery films within last year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month seemed to get stronger as August went on. This year, I don’t think that will be the case. I will admit it is a little disappointing, especially since the Garage Sale Mystery series is one of my favorites on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. However, I’m not concerned about the future of this series. We still have one more movie left in this year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month. Also, the Garage Sale Mystery series is the longest running movie series in Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ current collection of mystery films. I have a feeling we will see a Garage Sale Mystery Month next year and I’m hoping the next Garage Sale Mystery film meets or exceeds my expectations.

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10

What are your thoughts on this year’s Garage Sale Mystery Month so far? Would you like to see Garage Sale Mystery Month return in 2019? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Pearl in Paradise Review

On August 19, 2018August 19, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Now that we’re halfway through Hallmark’s “Summer Nights” line-up, I can give you my honest opinion about this collection of movies. For the most part, the “Summer Nights” line-up has put style over substance. The first three movies; Love on Safari, A Summer to Remember, and Love at Sea (which I just reviewed last week) have all featured amazing locations (South Africa, Fiji, and a Royal Caribbean cruise) where Hallmark filmed for the first time. However, each film’s plot felt sub-par at best. When these movies were first announced, I immediately picked Pearl in Paradise as the “Summer Nights” movie I was looking forward to the most! The idea of a Hallmark Channel movie incorporating a mystery into one of their film’s main plots instantly caught my attention. Having Fiji as the backdrop to this particular story raised my level of excitement for the movie! But, I kept my expectations for Pearl in Paradise low because I didn’t know if I would enjoy the movie. Do you want to solve the mystery of what score I gave this film? Read my review of Pearl in Paradise in order to close this case!

Pearl in Paradise poster — *Pearl in Paradise* poster image 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=Pearl+in+Paradise.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the cast of Pearl in Paradise was talented! Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s performance was very well executed and believable, with both of their talents complimenting each other! Not only did I like each of the lead actors’ performances, I also liked the performances of the secondary and side characters. One of my favorite characters in Pearl in Paradise was Daniela, portrayed by Naomi Sequeira. Daniela was such a positive and joyful character whose on-screen presence was a pleasant addition to this story! Naomi’s acting abilities were showcased great in this film and I hope she can appear in more Hallmark productions in the future!

The on-screen chemistry: Jill and Kristoffer are great actors together and individually! They also have what it takes, talent wise, to lead a Hallmark project. Pearl in Paradise really does highlight that, as their delivery of well-written banter was spot-on! To me, Jill and Kristoffer’s on-screen relationship felt authentic and believable, making it seem like they were truly getting along and becoming better friends. For their first time starring in a Hallmark movie together, I think they both pulled off a great performance!

The story: In my introduction, I mentioned that the film’s story excited me the most about Pearl in Paradise. This story was not only a highlight to this film, but it also helped set Pearl in Paradise apart from the other films in the “Summer Nights” line-up! The plot surrounding the mystery of the pearl and the journey to find it was engaging and intriguing! Pearl in Paradise’s story made me feel like I was watching a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film, where the film’s mystery kept me guessing until the reveal. Pearl in Paradise’s story was also well-written from start to finish!

Pink travel backpack image created by Pikisuperstar at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/watercolor”>Watercolor vector created by Pikisuperstar – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/travel-lettering-with-watercolor-pink-backpack_2686676.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

An inconsistent pace: Before the main characters’ hike to find the pearl started, the film’s pace felt inconsistent. Because of this, some scenes lasted longer than other scenes, making these longer scenes feel slower and a little too drawn out. Once the journey to find the pearl started, the overall pace became more consistent.

Too much build-up: As I’ve just mentioned, the pace of the film became more consistent when the character’s hike started. Before this journey begins, however, there is about 40 minutes of build-up leading to the event. Though the build-up was a necessary component to the story, it didn’t add any excitement to the journey within the film.

Loads of exposition: Exposition is always needed in a story. Too much exposition in a certain part of a movie can affect someone’s enjoyment of a film. In Pearl in Paradise, there was a lot of exposition in about the first 15 minutes of the film. This made the beginning of the film feel slower than intended.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Fiji island image created by Sebastian Szlasa at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Sebastian Szlasa.”

My overall impression:

Pearl in Paradise is, so far, my favorite movie from this year’s “Summer Nights” line-up! While the first three movies in this line-up have chosen to focus more on the setting than the story, Pearl in Paradise found a way to balance the beauty of Fiji and the compelling nature of the film’s plot. Because mystery stories are a rarity in Hallmark Channel movies, it was a treat to find such a good mystery story in this movie! If Hallmark decided to give Pearl in Paradise a sequel, I would like to see a cross-over between this movie and A Summer to Remember, especially since both movies were filmed in Fiji and have at least one character who is passionate about photography. Though I already gave my opinion on the “Summer Nights” line-up so far, there is still one more movie left to premiere: Season for Love. After I watch that movie, I can see if my opinion on this line-up remains the same or changes in any way.

Overall score: 8 out of 10

Have you seen Pearl in Paradise? What is your favorite “Summer Nights” movie so far? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

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

On August 17, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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

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

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

180564-OWVPWB-850 — Adorable Santa image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/christmas-background-with-funny-santa_1324597.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

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

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

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

sunday-s-crossword-1238083-1279x852 — Crossword puzzle image created by jaylopez at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/JayLopez.”

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

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

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

21-150-01 — Magnifying fingerprints image created by Balintseby at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Balintseby – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fingerprint-investigation_789253.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

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

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder Review

On August 13, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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

Things I liked about the film:

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

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

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

175863-OW5XUJ-45 — Mask with smiling face image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/white-plain-mask-for-halloween_1321722.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

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

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

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

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.

My overall impression:

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

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

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

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen