For my first Word on the Street story this month, I wanted to share two pieces of movie news that not only could spark feelings of nostalgia, but also talk about two franchises that each have a respective fanbase. One of Nickelodeon’s most beloved television series, Rugrats, has, recently, returned to the spotlight. This latest decision has caused many people to voice their thoughts and opinions on the internet. Meanwhile, Hallmark has plans to release a third movie in the All of My Heart series, resulting in a lot of positive responses from their fans. I will elaborate on both of these stories, as well as share my thoughts on each topic. So, start up the Reptar Wagon and return to the Inn, it’s time to talk about some upcoming movies!
In a video on the official Youtube channel, ColliderVideos, Jeff Sneider and Christian Ruvalcaba, Collider News correspondents, reported on the Rugrats related creative decision made by both Viacom and Paramount. The two media companies announced that the 27-year-old show would not only be receiving a new 26-episode television series on Nickelodeon, but that a live-action movie was on the way! Very few details have been released about both projects. However, both Jeff and Christian mentioned that the original creators of Rugrats, Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain, are coming back to this new TV series as executive producers. Jeff and Christian also said that David Goodman will write the film’s script and the movie itself will premiere sometime in November of 2020. As someone who was watched both Rugrats and All Grown Up!, the idea of one of my favorite Nickelodeon shows returning to the cinematic coliseum, as well as the television world, is very exciting! Like I said about the upcoming live-action Kim Possible movie, I do have my concerns about the possible alienation of the original show’s fans. I’m also a little bit skeptical of the film’s definition of “live-action”. Will the cast of the movie bring the animated characters to life (similar to Disney’s live-action remakes) or will the film consist of live-action actors co-existing in a world alongside the animated characters? While it’s way too early for either of those questions to be answered, let’s celebrate the Rugrats’ triumphant return to pop culture!
If you want to watch the video that I referenced in this post, you can either visit the ColliderVideos Youtube channel or type “Rugrats Movie & New TV Series in the Works” into Youtube’s search bar.
If you’ve been on Twitter recently, you would find excited tweets from All of My Heart fans expressing their feelings about the third installment in the series! On the website, What’s Filming, All of My Heart 3 was listed on Vancouver and British Columbia’s “In Production” page. The upcoming Hallmark movie started production yesterday (on the 21st) and will finish filming on August 17th. Right now, Hallmark has not released an official synopsis for the film and Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliot are the only two cast members officially attached to the project. The first All of My Heart film caught me by surprise, as I thoroughly enjoyed the film more than I thought I would! I was one of the many fans who was a part of the movement to help All of My Heart get a sequel. When Hallmark finally granted our wish, I couldn’t have been more excited to see how the story would unfold. Unfortunately, All of My Heart: Inn Love was, to me, very disappointing. Because of how this sequel made me feel, my expectations for this third movie will be lower than for the sequel. But, who knows? Maybe All of My Heart 3 will catch me surprise like the first movie did and surpass my expectations!
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 17th, All of My Heart 3 will be taken off the list)
Before my hiatus last week, I shared that I had finally reached my 10-follower milestone! Like I did with my Saving Mr. Banks review, I chose to, once again, review a movie that correlated with the follower milestone. Now, it’s time for me to talk about a film that was released 10 years ago (in 2008). Since July 18 marks the 10th anniversary of The Dark Knight and with San Diego Comic Con also starting on July 18th, I figured this particular Batman movie would be the appropriate film to discuss while celebrating these two occasions. The Dark Knight is the only Batman film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy that I have never seen in its entirety. For years, both film and Batman fans have sung the praises of this movie and applauded certain performances, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker being the most notable. But in a cinematic world where the Marvel superheroes have become the kings and queens of the theatrical coliseum, does The Dark Knight still have what it takes to stand the test of time? I’m glad you flew in, because that’s exactly what we’re about to find out.
The Dark Knight poster created by Warner Bros. Pictures. Image found at https://www.warnerbros.com/dark-knight
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: I think the whole cast in this movie was great! Every single actor and actress stepped up their A-game to bring the best that their acting abilities had to offer. In The Dark Knight, the villains were definitely the highlights of this film! For 10 years now, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker has been well-liked by many movie-goers. I agree with those movie-goers, as Heath’s performance was one of the best parts of this film. The Joker reminded me a lot of Thanos from Avengers: Infinity War, a man who not only felt and came across as unstoppable, but also a man who thought that his actions and way of thinking was justifiable. Heath’s performance itself was very chilling and, at times, made the Joker appear really disturbing. Aaron Eckhart also shined in The Dark Knight with his portrayal of Harvey Dent. Aaron effortlessly brought the versatility and the right amount of emotions to his role, effectively bringing those ingredients to a multi-dimensional character like Harvey Dent.
The pace: The Dark Knight is a two-and-a-half-hour film, but it never feels like it drags on for too long or ends too quickly. There are enough stories within this movie to satisfy the film’s time limit, with these stories being drawn out at just the right length.
The right amount of exposition: Because The Dark Knight was released three years after Batman Begins, exposition was going to be a necessary component. However, there was enough exposition in this film to give audience members the ability to follow the story with little to no confusion. Also, the exposition was dispersed throughout the movie instead of just clumped into the first few minutes.
An imbalance between dialogue and action: In The Dark Knight, I felt that there were more scenes devoted to dialogue and less scenes with action in them. While the dialogue-based scenes were well-written, the time gap between moments of dialogue and action was greater than I had wanted. Most of the action scenes took place toward the end of the movie, making the majority of the dialogue-based scenes seem like steady, but long, build-up.
Lack of lighting in the action scenes: While the action scenes in The Dark Knight were exciting to watch, I had difficulty seeing what was going on. This is because most of these scenes took place during the night. Even when there was light in some of these action scenes, it wasn’t enough to fix the problem.
The editing: There were some scenes in The Dark Knight that, I felt, ended too quickly. The editing of these scenes was choppy, making the flow between scenes feel interrupted. A number of quick-cuts were used in this movie, especially during action scenes. This sometimes made it difficult to see what was happening on the screen.
Since the release of The Dark Knight, we’ve seen the rise and reign of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the struggle of the DCEU (D.C. Entertainment Universe), and the cinematic playing field drastically shift. Despite all of those changes, Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film has, indeed, stood the test of time. The Dark Knight is still a topic of cinematic conversation, even to this day. Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker has been considered, for good reason, one of the most memorable movie villains of all time for 10 years and counting. The Dark Knight has certainly won over the hearts of many, no matter who your favorite superhero is. There was something that Harvey Dent said in this movie that really got my attention. During a dinner scene, toward the beginning of the film, Harvey mentioned that Batman probably doesn’t want to be Batman forever. This made me think about how we’ve gotten another Batman after Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy ended (Ben Affleck in the DCEU) and the potential for a new Batman in Matt Reeves’ future Batman film. As Warner Brothers prepares to enter the halls of San Diego Comic Con, they will also be celebrating the birthday of one of their beloved films. Thank you to all of my blog followers! This review, as well as this blog, would not have been possible without you!
Overall score: 8.3 out of 10
What did you think of my review? How are you celebrating The Dark Knight’s 10th anniversary? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Now that I’m back from my week-long hiatus, it’s time for me to get back to doing what I love: talking about movies! As the first order of business, I will review Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, my first post since jumping back into blogging after my temporary break. The first time I talked about Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s latest installment was back in May, when Hallmark Movies & Mysteries gave the film an official movie page on their website. I also talked about Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar in two June Word on the Street posts: when the film’s synopsis was released and when I shared my thoughts on the movie’s trailer. As I’ve mentioned before, Signed, Sealed, Delivered is a series that I find to be very hit-or-miss. But, like I do with every movie I watch, I gave it a fair chance and watched it with an open mind. With that said, all I have to do now is put a stamp on this review and send it out to my readers!
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=series&ShowTitle=Signed%2c+Sealed%2c+Delivered+To+the+Altar
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: An element to this series that has remained consistent is the quality of the acting performances! Whether it is the main cast or guest supporting actors, everyone involved in these movies brings out the best in their acting abilities. Specifically, in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, two actresses that really stood out to me were Kristin Booth and Jessica Sipos! Ever since the very beginning, Kristin has always been one of the strongest actors in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. Especially in this latest film, Kristin effortlessly brought the versatility and emotion to the multi-dimensional role of Shane McInerney. For her very first Hallmark movie, Jessica pulled off a great performance! I have also seen Jessica’s performance on Chesapeake Shores, where she has proven to be a great addition to the series!
The on-screen chemistry: Throughout this series, the characters of Oliver, Shane, Norman, and Rita have grown as individuals and in their respective relationships. This particular movie focused a lot on Norman and Rita’s relationship, as they were the engaged couple who were about to get married. Geoff Gustafson and Crystal Lowe always appear as if their characters truly love each other. Each of Norman and Rita’s quirks complement one another and their relationship comes across as sweet and genuine. Kristin and Eric Mabius also had great on-screen chemistry! Both of them effectively gave a convincing performance of two people in a growing, as well as blossoming, relationship. What helps is each of these on-screen couples has consistently appeared and worked together throughout the lifespan of the series, giving each actor the time to truly get to know their characters and the significance they have in the lives of the others characters.
The messages and themes: The Signed, Sealed, Delivered series is known for delivering (no pun intended) messages and themes that are inspirational and uplifting. That was prevalent in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar. Some of the messages featured in this film deal with inner strength, the foundations of a happy marriage, and the various displays of love. These messages and themes are shared in a way that can make the audience feel good about the program they are watching. The messages and themes are effortlessly woven into the story, making it feel like they are not delivered in a preachy or overbearing way.
A slow pace: Most Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies have drawn out stories, as to flesh out creative ideas and character development. Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, however, felt like the stories were drawn out for too long. Because of this, it made the movie feel longer than intended.
The POstables owning the spotlight: Anyone who knows anything about the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series would know a good portion of the movies revolve around the four main characters (Oliver, Shane, Norman, and Rita). But last month, I shared one of my biggest critiques of this series, which was more screen and story time being devoted to the POstables than to the film’s respective mystery. In Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, I felt there was an imbalance between the story of the POstables and the mystery surrounding the wedding dress. Because Norman and Rita were finally getting married, their story took the most precedence out of all the plots in the movie. The mystery of the wedding dress was well-written, but it, ultimately, ended up getting overshadowed.
The under-utilization of Carol Burnett and Keb’Mo’: In my blog post about the Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar trailer, I said that not only was Keb’Mo’ featured at the beginning of the trailer, but that Carol Burnett’s appearance was also mentioned. However, I was really disappointed by their lack of screen time. In Carol’s case, her character spent the majority of her time in the movie interacting with the other characters via video-chat. As for Keb’Mo’, his character, Gabe, only appeared in one scene to sing a song. Also, Gabe’s story from Signed, Sealed, Delivered:Higher Ground was shared by a secondary character to other minor characters, denying Gabe the opportunity to express his gratitude and appreciation to the POstables.
As decent as Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar was, I can’t say it was anything worth writing home about (again, no pun intended). Because of the things I didn’t like about the movie and having the mystery of the film spoiled for me by a video on the official movie page for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, I couldn’t enjoy the film as much as I had wanted to. Just like how the trailer made me feel, the movie itself also made me feel like this could be the last Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie. My feelings about the potential finale to the series are based on things like what some of the characters said in the film and the montages during Norman and Rita’s wedding. I have not heard of any official news about new movies coming in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series, but anything is possible. Whether this series stays or goes, it really doesn’t matter to me, as I think Hallmark Movies & Mysteries have movie series that are stronger than Signed, Sealed, Delivered.
Overall score: 7 out of 10
Have you seen Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar? Do you want the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series to continue? Let me know in the comment section!
On 18 Cinema Lane, most of the movies that I’ve reviewed so far have been Hallmark movies. While I enjoy watching and talking about these kinds of films, I also try my best to provide a variety of movies to discuss on my blog. Recently, I had the chance to watch Christine and felt that it would be a good opportunity to talk about something new on 18 Cinema Lane. This was the first time I had ever seen a John Carpenter directed film, but I have definitely heard of his cinematic projects over the years. While I don’t review rated R movies often, I watched a TV-14/PG-13 version of this film, so I consider Christine to be an exception. Now that we’ve gotten through the introductions, let’s buckle up and cruise through my review of Christine.
The acting: I thought the cast of Christine was talented! The one actor that stood out to me, though, was Keith Gordon! His portrayal of Arnie Cunningham was so memorable and captivating, his performance stayed in my memory long after I watched the film. Arnie’s evolution was showcased so well in this movie, with Keith bringing the right amount of versatility that a role like this could have asked for. This is definitely one of the best acting performances in any of Stephen King’s book-to-film adaptations!
The soundtrack: Though most of the music in this movie was meant to sound and feel like tunes from decades past, I think it was a great component to the film! The collection of songs that was featured in the movie was all great! Whenever Christine was reacting to a particular situation, there was always a perfect song to match what she was thinking. I also liked the instrumental tunes that were used during suspenseful moments, as they really set the tone that the film wanted to achieve.
The cars: Even though the movie is all about Christine, she ended up stealing the show. The red car that was used to portray the titular character was absolutely gorgeous! Besides Christine, there were other nice-looking cars as well, such as Dennis’ blue car and Buddy’s silver car.
The underutilization of Dennis: John Stockwell did a good job portraying the character of Dennis Guilder! This character was not only well-acted, but also well-written. However, Dennis was not in the movie as much as I would have hoped. While the movie primarily focuses on Arnie’s transformation, it seems like most of Dennis’ significance is to, simply, be Arnie’s friend. Dennis does gain an important role in Christine, but that comes toward the end of the film.
The bullies: Similar to what I said about Dennis, each of the bullies in this film were well-acted. But I don’t feel that the bullies were well-written characters. To me, it seemed that these characters being mere bullies is what defined them. If that definition were to be taken away, these characters would be pretty weak. There also wasn’t any depth to these characters, like they were written into this story just for the sake of Arnie needing to have a conflict.
An anti-climatic ending: I’m not going to spoil anything if you haven’t seen Christine, but I thought the ending was very uneventful. For starters, this movie wasn’t as “scary” as I had expected. I know a story about a villainous car can sound silly, but this story was based on the novel by Stephen King, who is known for such literary works like Misery and The Shining. The plot itself did have some intrigue, but I just couldn’t take the idea of an angry car very seriously.
John Carpenter is known for directing some pretty scary films, such as The Thing and Halloween. Stephen King is famous for writing some pretty scary stories, such as Misery and The Shining, which were previously mentioned. On paper, this sounds like a one-in-a-million, horror movie “dream team”. Because of Mr. Carpenter directing a movie based on one of Mr. King’s books, I expected Christine to be scarier and more frightening. In reality, this movie did not reach my personal expectations. Though the film fell short of being remotely scary, I don’t think it was a terrible film. I have seen other movies based on Stephen King’s stories and while I don’t think it’s one of the best adaptations, it’s definitely not one of the worst. I think that a story about a villainous car was a creative concept, but in the end, it felt more silly than scary.
Overall score: 6.5 out of 10
Have you seen Christine? What’s your favorite Stephen King adaptation? Let me know in the comment section!
Now that Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up has come to an end, it’s time for me to offer my opinion on this particular collection of films as well as my review of the “June Weddings” finale, Yes, I Do. Last month, I shared the synopsis for this movie and said that it sounds too ridiculous for my liking. But since there was interest expressed in that Word on the Street post (it received 3 likes), I decided to review Yes, I Do. I also saw the trailer for the film and I was as unimpressed with it as I was with the film’s synopsis. Despite these less-than-stellar pieces of advertising, I chose to watch this movie with an open mind. In my review of The Beach House, I said that my expectations for the film were lowered because of the weak marketing campaign. Because of my lowered expectations, The Beach House ended up being such as pleasant surprise for me! Did I feel the same way about Yes, I Do? If you want find out, keep on reading my review!
Yes, I Do poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Yes%2c+I+Do
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Yes, I Do had a good cast! The three stars that stood out to me were Marcus Rosner, Jen Lilley, and Jessica Lowndes! The first time I had ever seen Jen perform in a movie was when I saw Lifetime’s The Spirit of Christmas. After I saw that movie, I realized just how talented Jen is! I have seen most of Jen’s Hallmark movies and even though they haven’t been my favorite movies, she still finds a way to give a good performance. As I’ve mentioned in the Word on the Street post about the Yes, I Do synopsis, Marcus has proven that he has what it takes to be a leading actor in a Hallmark movie. He certainly proved that he can lead a Hallmark movie, as he gave a very good performance in Yes, I Do! Because of this, I hope that he gets more lead roles in Hallmark movies! Jessica gave a good performance as well, especially for her first supporting actress role in a Hallmark movie and her first Hallmark movie that was not Christmas themed!
Diversity of occupations: In my Word on the Street post where I shared Yes, I Do’s synopsis, I mentioned that I liked how the job of a chocolatier was being highlighted in a Hallmark movie, especially since that occupation has never been featured before. This movie did a good job in not only highlighting a chocolatier’s job, but also showing the different components of that job. I also liked how the job of a helicopter mechanic, another occupation that has never been featured in a Hallmark movie before, was showcased in this film. It was nice to see both protagonists have unique occupations that are rarely seen on Hallmark.
The marriage aspect of a wedding: When it comes to these wedding themed movies, the important component of marriage is usually glossed over in favor of the wedding itself or for the preparation of the wedding. This is because the pretty aesthetics that are shown in these movies can sometimes get in the way of the moral and symbolic aspects of a wedding. I liked the scene where the priest is talking with Jen’s character, Charlotte, about the seriousness and importance of making that decision to marry someone. It was a breath of fresh air to have at least one character remind some of the other characters in the film, as well as the audience, about the reason for a wedding.
The plot: Last month, I confessed that the synopsis for Yes, I Do sounds, to me, too ridiculous for my liking. When this synopsis was played out on-screen, it still seemed ridiculous to me. This movie felt like it was more about an adolescent trying to catch the attention of their crush and less about two businesspeople choosing to take the next step in their relationship. The incorporation of the planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period cliché (one of my least favorite Hallmark movie clichés) into this story didn’t add any enjoyment. Also, Jessica’s character, Nicole, didn’t provide any explanation for why she wanted to date James again, making that aspect of Nicole’s story seem very random in the movie overall.
The character of Charlotte: While Jen gave a good performance in Yes, I Do, I was not a fan of her character. Charlotte, the protagonist of the film, was very unlikable. She never really gave any explanations for choosing to not get married, but, instead, provided excuses. There was one moment of the film where she seriously contemplated if she was allergic to weddings (I’m not making this up). Speaking of allergies, the part about Charlotte’s chocolate allergy was poorly written to the point of appearing very unrealistic. Charlotte is more “book smart” than “street smart”. However, this character’s lack of “street smarts” doesn’t come across as charming, but rather annoying.
Lack of on-screen chemistry: In Yes, I Do, Jen Lilley and Marcus Rosner didn’t have any on-screen chemistry, even though both of them gave good performances in the movie. It seems like their characters spent more time apart than together. I thought that Marcus had better on-screen chemistry with Jessica Lowndes than with Jen. Until after I saw Yes, I Do, I never realized how much I wanted to see a Hallmark movie starring Marcus Rosner and Jessica Lowndes.
Too many plots: There were five major plots in Yes, I Do. Because of this, some stories felt like they were more overshadowed than others. An example of this is James trying to find his grandfather’s beloved car. I thought this was the best story in the movie (I would have wanted to see a Hallmark movie with that particular story as the main plot), but it didn’t receive as much attention as some of the other stories in this film. Also, there were stories that were never resolved, such as Charlotte’s attempt to win a chocolate contest from a renowned magazine.
Yes, I Do was not a good movie. It was so bad, I chose to fast forward through a few moments of the movie just to get through it. This is the second year in a row that the “June Weddings” line-up has ended with a movie I didn’t like (I was not a fan of My Favorite Wedding). Speaking of the “June Weddings” line-up, this year’s collection of movies is, to me, weaker than last year’s. I think Hallmark relied too much on sequels to previously released films that had a strong fan following. For me, each of those sequels were disappointing to a certain extent. Love at First Dance was decent, but it felt like it was missing something and seemed to get overshadowed by the “June Weddings” sequels. Hallmark will start their “Summer Nights” line-up in late July, which I’m hoping is stronger than not only the “June Weddings” line-up, but the other seasonal line-ups that have premiered on Hallmark Channel so far.
Overall score: 4.3 out of 10
What are your thoughts on Hallmark Channel’s “June Weddings” line-up? Are you excited for the “Summer Nights” line-up? Let me know in the comment section!
While both Hallmark networks are preparing to begin their “Christmas in July” marathons and with the “June Weddings” line-up coming to an end, one movie’s release date has been approaching very quickly: that being the premiere of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar. An official trailer for the film has been posted recently on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website. With this trailer being the last piece of the film’s official webpage, the online record of Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s newest movie is now complete. Earlier this month, I talked about how both of the descriptions for the next Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie didn’t add any excitement or anticipation for me. Did the trailer do what the descriptions couldn’t (in terms of raising my interest for the movie)? Keep reading to find out what my thoughts are about the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar!
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar’s trailer was quite underwhelming. Very little intrigue was featured and most of the focus was on the “POstables” (Oliver, Shane, Rita, and Norman), causing the mystery surrounding the wedding dress and letter to be overshadowed. One of my biggest critiques of this series is that more time seems to be spent with the “POstables” and their stories, while less of that time is spent on the “missions” and the stories that come from them. With this trailer, however, it makes me feel like this movie could be the unofficial end to the series, making it appear as if Hallmark wants Signed, Sealed, Delivered to end on a positive note. With the narrator’s first line in the trailer being, “their journey together has led to this life-changing moment” and with Rita and Shane saying things like “the first chance to have the rest of our lives” and “maybe it’s time to come home”, I wouldn’t be surprised if this movie also doubled as a sort of finale, where characters’ stories are wrapped up in nice little packages and a sense of closure is given to Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s main story arc. What also leads me to this belief is the return of characters from movies or episodes past. Not only was Keb’ Mo’ (who portrayed Gabe in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground) featured at the beginning of the trailer, but Carol Burnett’s appearance was also mentioned (Carol portrayed Norman’s grandmother on the episode “A Hope and A Future”). As of June 2018, the fate of Signed, Sealed, Delivered is unknown and the quotes that I mentioned from the trailer could be taken out of context. However, if this movie is truly the end of the series, I hope the story of Shane and her sister gets resolved or, at least, addressed.
If you want to watch the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar, here is the link: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/signed-sealed-delivered-to-the-altar/videos
Have you seen the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar? Do you think this could be the beginning of the end for Signed, Sealed, Delivered? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
I haven’t published a Word on the Street post in two weeks, so I thought this movie news story would be a perfect way to get back to talking about movie related topics that I find interesting. Yesterday, Collider released an article about how one of their writers, Christina Radish, asked Kevin Feige in an interview about the title for the next Avengers film. In that same article, Mr. Feige indicated that the title would be revealed later in 2018, after the start of the Captain Marvel marketing. You can read Mr. Feige’s quote and the Collider article here:
My friends, Bucky, Bucky, and Thor, at a screening of Avengers: Infinity War. Photo taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
After reading this article, I was, honestly, not surprised by what Mr. Feige said. Last month, John Campea, on The John Campea Show, talked about the official DVD release date for Avengers: Infinity War being set for August 14th. It makes sense for Marvel to wait until after the film has made its theatrical run to announce the title for the next film, especially if that title contains any spoilers from Avengers: Infinity War. It also makes sense for Marvel to focus on releasing their Captain Marvel advertisements first, since that movie is being released next March and there has, so far, not been any official marketing for the film yet. Personally, I think the title for Avengers 4 will be revealed toward the end of the movie’s very first trailer, as to encourage people to watch the trailer and catch them by surprise. But for now, we’ll just have to take Dale Travers’ advice from Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You and “trust the timing”.
If you want to watch the video that I referenced in this post, type “Infinity War Digital Details, Deadpool 2 Box Office – The John Campea Show” into Youtube’s search bar.
What are your thoughts on Kevin Feige’s statements? Do you agree with Marvel’s decision to possibly reveal the Avengers 4 title in late 2018? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!
Because my review of Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride became one of my most popular movie reviews (at 18 views and counting) and because I said I would review the fourth movie, I kept my promise to review the next installment in the franchise. In my review of the third film, I talked about how Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride was a good continuation to the series. For the fourth movie, however, I was a bit concerned because the marketing campaign put more focus on Andrew Walker and Merritt Patterson (the guest supporting actors) than Jack Wagner and Josie Bissett (the stars and regulars of the series). To make the movie-viewing experience more interesting for myself, I decided to put together a double feature with the fourth Wedding March movie and The Enchanted Cottage. I thought The Enchanted Cottage was a good film despite its flaws. Do I feel the same way about Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New? Keep reading if you want to find out!
Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=258&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Wedding+March+4+Something+Old%2c+Something+New.
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: The cast of Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New was good! Everyone portrayed their characters so well and complimented each other’s performances. I was happy to see Emily Tennant return to the series, especially since she didn’t star in the third movie. I remember as if it were just yesterday when I first saw Emily’s performance as Cecilia Rendall on Cedar Cove. Since then, I’ve been impressed with Emily’s acting talents and would love to see her get a starring role in a Hallmark movie! Also, Andrew Walker and Merritt Patterson were great additions to this cast!
The on-screen chemistry: There were four on-screen couples that were featured in Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New. I felt that all of them had good on-screen chemistry! Each on-screen relationship felt realistic and believable. Also, everyone in their respective on-screen relationship appeared as if they truly cared about the other person.
The scenery: In my review of Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride, I talked about how beautiful the scenery was for not only that film, but also for the series. The same goes for the fourth film, as most of the story took place in or around the Inn. There was more beautiful scenery when Mick and Olivia go on vacation to Lake Champlain. The mountains that were featured in this movie were breathtaking and I hope they are showcased in future Wedding March films.
Comedy that was toned down: One of the things I liked about Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride was Jack Wagner’s comedic timing. He certainly brought comedic relief to Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New, but not as much as in the previous film. Overall, I felt that the fourth movie did not have as many comedic moments as the third movie did. To me, having less comedy in the film didn’t seem to make sense because the tone of the movie was light-hearted.
A misfocus of stories: As I mentioned before, the marketing campaign for the fourth installment did concern me. This is because the supporting actors/characters received more attention in the advertisements than the main actors/characters. In the film, Mick and Olivia had a weaker story than Rob and Abby, which would kind of explain the focus on Andrew and Merritt in the trailer and poster. Honestly, I think the main story should have been about Mick and Olivia, like it has been in the three previous films. The secondary story, however, should have been about Grace and her fiancé, whose story seemed to get overshadowed by Rob and Abby’s story. Having Mick and Olivia plan a wedding that was so close to home would have been an interesting direction for the series to take, but I’m assuming Grace and Eric’s wedding will take place in a potential fifth film. Rob and Abby’s wedding/story felt like it should have been contained in its own movie, with Andrew and Merritt as the leading stars.
No progression for Mick and Olivia’s relationship: Toward the beginning of the year, I remember there was a teaser trailer for the fourth Wedding March movie that hinted at the idea of Mick and Olivia taking the next step in their relationship. There was even a moment in the fourth film where it looked like Mick was going to propose to Olivia. Sadly, Mick and Olivia’s relationship has stayed the same since the second movie. For a series that has had four movies, I was hoping that Mick and Olivia would, at least, get engaged in Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New. Now, it seems like Mick and Olivia’s relationship is at a stand-still.
As a movie, Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New was decent at best. But as a sequel, it felt like a “filler” episode on a television show. Other than the engagement of Grace and Eric, the overall story of the fourth installment didn’t add anything interesting to the series as a whole. While the story of Rob and Abby was fine, it felt like it belonged in its own movie. As for Mick and Olivia’s story, there wasn’t much to get excited about. Now that I’ve seen all three sequels from Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up (Marrying Mr. Darcy, The Perfect Bride: Wedding Bells, and Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New), I can honestly say that these movies left me more disappointed than I had hoped. Because these sequels make up the majority of the “June Weddings” line-up, I feel that, so far, last year’s line-up was stronger than this year’s. Since I haven’t seen Love at First Dance and Yes, I Do yet, I’ll hold off on giving my final judgment of this year’s “June Weddings” line-up as a whole. As for the Wedding March series, if there is a fifth movie, I will definitely watch it. However, I will lower my expectations for that film than I did for Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New.
Overall score: 7.3-7.4 out of 10
Did you watch the fourth Wedding March movie? Would you like to see Mick and Olivia get married? Please tell me in the comment section!
Recently, I came to the realization that I’ve now published 50 posts (my Waffle Street movie review was my 50th post)! In honor of this accomplishment, I decided to do something different from the usual content I have been posting on 18 Cinema Lane. I’ve been wanting to make this list for a while and I only found one other list of its kind on the internet (besides mine, of course). By reading the title, you know that this post is going to be all about the ten worst Hallmark movies I’ve ever seen. Before I start naming the movies that are guilty of earning my dislike, I just want to make it clear that this entire list is not only based on my opinion, but also on the movies that I have personally seen. Also, the purpose of this list is not for me to be mean-spirited, but rather for me to express my pure honesty. With each of my Top 10 picks, I will also suggest which movies you should watch instead, as a way to introduce you to movies that I think are better alternatives than the ones on my Top 10 list. Now, let me take a moment to name the Dishonorable Mentions. These are movies that I thought were bad, but not enough to be Top 10 worthy:
The Last Cowboy, Wishing Well, Gift of the Magi, Class, Accidentally in Love, Oliver’s Ghost, A Christmas Wish, The Music Teacher, The Nearlyweds, Space Warriors, The Good Witch’s Wonder, Wedding Planner Mystery, The Memory Book, I Do, I Do, I Do, So You Said Yes, Merry Matrimony, Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge Part 1, Surprised by Love, Love on the Air, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris With Love, Dater’s Handbook, Ms. Matched, Summer Villa, A December Bride, Love You Like Christmas, Murder She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery, Flower Shop Mystery: Mum’s The Word, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From The Heart, JL Family Ranch, The Irresistible Blueberry Farm, Death Al Dente: A Gourmet Detective Mystery, Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love, Love Blossoms, My Favorite Wedding, Falling For Vermont, All Of My Heart: Inn Love, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground, Murder She Baked: Just Desserts, Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating Is Murder, A Song For Christmas, Frozen in Love, One Winter Weekend, Home by Spring, Marrying Mr. Darcy, and A Painted House
Now that I have that out of the way, let’s dive into the official list, starting with number 10:
10. Firelight
Released shortly after A Smile as Big as the Moon (one of my favorite Hallmark Hall of Fame movies), I was hoping Firelight would help the wave of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s (HHoF) greatness grow. Sadly, this movie made that wave crash onto the shore. The story was too basic for a typical HHoF movie and the storyline about the young women volunteering to be firefighters didn’t seem to lead anywhere. Also, the characters were so forgettable, that I don’t even remember their names. Cuba Gooding Jr. is a good actor, but there wasn’t much he could do to save this film.
Instead, watch: Blind Spot (as of June 2018, it’s available on Hallmark Movies Now), A Smile as Big as the Moon (also on DVD and Hallmark Movies Now (as of June 2018))
9. A Family Thanksgiving
I’ve heard some people say that this movie was originally created to be a Lifetime movie, but since I haven’t found any confirmation about this, I’ll keep A Family Thanksgiving on my list. This movie has three offenses against it, which are:
Shamelessly rips off Lifetime’s Holiday Switch
Contains some content that would normally not be allowed in a Hallmark movie
Makes so few references to the Thanksgiving holiday, that this exact same plot could have been placed in any time of the year and not make any amount of difference
Instead, watch: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (available on DVD)
8. When Calls the Heart (2013)
This movie had one of the worst instances of false advertising in Hallmark movie history. All of the marketing for this movie made it seem like Maggie Grace and Stephen Amell were the main stars of the film, with Lori Loughlin in a prominent supporting role. When I did see When Calls the Heart, Maggie and Stephen ended up portraying two supporting characters whose stories were told through a series of flashbacks, with Lori featured in about the last five minutes of the film. The other problems this film had were very slow pacing and an unnecessary cliffhanger ending. No wonder it felt like When Calls the Heart’s first season was trying to rewrite the show’s history, to separate themselves as far as possible from this movie.
Instead, watch: The When Calls the Heart television show and/or its accompanying movies (When Calls the Heart: New Year’s Wish, When Calls the Heart Christmas, and When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree. Only When Calls the Heart: The Christmas Wishing Tree is not available on DVD, as of June 2018. Seasons 1 through 4 are available on DVD)
7. Our Wild Hearts
This movie has almost every “horse movie” cliché you can think of. Cambrie Schroder does the best she can with the acting material she is given, but the character development of her character, Willow, is sloppy and all over the place. Also, just because a character mentions they’re a dancer (only once throughout the film), that doesn’t justify throwing in a random dance scene into the story. Similar to what I said about Firelight, Ricky Schroder is a good actor, but there was not much he could do to save this film.
Instead, watch: Flicka: Country Pride (available on DVD)
6. Date with Love
I have never seen a movie about the prom that was actually good. Date with Love was not the movie to change my mind about that. The story itself felt like it was told a few years too late, with more people in 2016 putting a bigger emphasis on “promposals”. Even though Shenae Grimes-Beech is a good actress, her character was very unlikable. Alex (Shenae’s character) seemed too immature for a character her age. Also, there were several events in this movie that were so unrealistic, it took me out of the film (and I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief for a Hallmark movie).
Instead, watch: Summer of Dreams (available on DVD)
I once read online that this movie could have been the start of a television series. Honestly, I’m glad it wasn’t. With bad special effects in-between scenes and a story that was stuffed with characters and stories, the worst offense this movie makes is revealing the whodunit, howtheydunit, and whytheydunit shortly after a mystery was introduced. This takes the fun right out of solving the mystery alongside the protagonists and watching this movie at all.
Instead, watch: Any of the mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (Garage Sale Mystery, Aurora Teagarden, Hailey Dean, etc. Some of the mystery movies from this network are available on DVD)
4. Love by the Book
This is so far the first and only Hallmark movie that made me want to fall asleep. The story was very dull and the main character was too immature for someone her age, making her very unlikable. Also, when the protagonist keeps getting called “book goddess”, it was so cheesy that it became disgusting.
Instead, watch: A Novel Romance (available on DVD)
3. Northpole
This movie was so bad, that I could only sit through about 12 minutes of it (yes, you read that right). The acting was bad, the special effects were even worse, and the three separate stories didn’t seem to mesh very well. The dialogue was too cringy for a typical Hallmark movie’s standards and I felt that Santa was barely in the film despite being a movie titled Northpole.
Instead, watch: Charming Christmas (available on DVD)
2. Good Witch: Spellbound
This movie is the reason why I don’t watch the Good Witch television show anymore. Starting in the show’s third season, I felt that the writing became really bad. So, I watched Good Witch: Spellbound with an open mind, hoping it would be so good, that it would give me a reason to continue watching the show. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as you can see from the movie’s appearance on my list. The writing was the worst part of this film, with beloved characters evolving for the worse and sometimes being given terrible subplots. Nick’s sole purpose in this movie of him trying to scare his dad is a good example of this. Also, this movie has one of the worst reveals in Hallmark movie history.
Instead, watch: The Good Witch movie franchise (some of the movies are available on DVD), Season 1 and 2 of Good Witch (which are both available on DVD), Good Witch: Halloween (available on the Season 2 DVD) and Good Witch: Secrets of Grey House (available on the Season 3 DVD)
1. Back When We Were Grownups
Where the heck do I begin with this movie? For starters, the character of Rebecca Davitch is one of the worst protagonists in Hallmark movie history, mainly because she doesn’t do anything in the film that seems memorable or note-worthy. The family seems dysfunctional just for the sake of it, with the cast having little material to work with. As a Warehouse 13 fan, I was excited to see Allison Scagliotti’s performance in this film, but, unfortunately, she was featured in this movie for about two minutes or less. Back When We Were Grownups doesn’t run on a plot or storyline, but rather on the reactions of (mostly) the main protagonist (who doesn’t seem to put in a lot of effort into solving her family’s dysfunctionality). Remember, you know a Hallmark movie is bad when a birthday banner says “Happy 100th Poopy” instead of “Happy 100th Poppy” and no one seems to care.
Instead, watch: The Beach House (available on DVD August 7th, 2018)
To this day, it still amazes me that this actually existed in a Hallmark movie and no one seemed to notice. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
What do you think of my list? What is the worst Hallmark movie you’ve ever seen? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
As Hailey Dean Mystery Month came to a close, I was blown away by the response for my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder. Of June 2018, it is my most popular movie review with 34 views and counting! With that said, I thought it would be appropriate to review the next Hailey Dean movie as well as the final chapter in this specific trilogy of the series. I have to say that Hailey Dean Mystery Month has been such a pleasant surprise for me! The movies in this trilogy have not only gotten better with each film, but the series as a whole has gotten stronger! Now that I’ve seen Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, the moment of truth has come to find out what my thoughts are on the film. Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s solve this case together!
Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Hailey+Dean+Mysteries+A+Will+to+Kill.
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: The cast in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, as well as the rest of the movies from Hailey Dean Mystery Month, has consistently brought the best of their acting abilities to the table! This is especially the case (no pun intended) for Kellie Martin. Her acting talents were showcased very well in this film and the strength of her talents really shined in the scene where the guilty party is revealed. I was also impressed with Chad Lowe’s performance. Before Hailey Dean Mystery Month, I had never seen any of Chad’s acting performances, so I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Looking back on all three films, I think that Chad has consistently pulled off a good performance every single time!
The mystery: In Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, the central mystery is centered around who killed Hailey’s fiancé, Will. The only other mystery movie (that I can think of) from Hallmark’s second network that dealt with a cold case was Garage Sale Mystery: The Wedding Dress. This was a very interesting and creative direction for the Hailey Dean series to travel, especially since the character of Hailey Dean usually solves murders that are less than a year old. There were also details and clues surrounding the case that I felt added intrigue to the overall story.
The pace: In both of my reviews for the previous Hailey Dean films, I’ve mentioned that I was not a fan of each movie’s pace. The pace for Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, however, was very steady. This allowed the story and its events to have a natural progression.
The comedy being toned down: Every mystery series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries either has a character or certain moments that bring comedic relief to that specific film. Most of the humor in the Hailey Dean series comes from the interactions between Hailey and Fincher. While there were comedic moments between these two characters in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, there wasn’t as much comedy in this film as in the two Hailey Dean films that came before it.
Sabrina’s reduced appearance: In my review of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I talked about how I didn’t like the story that the character of Sabrina was given. I also talked about how Sabrina wasn’t really given a story in Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder. In Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, Sabrina was barely in the film. Like I said in my Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Marriage Made for Murder review, her character could have written out of this movie and it wouldn’t have made a difference.
I really enjoyed Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill! This was a great conclusion to Hailey Dean Mystery Month! Before the release of Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, I was skeptical if a month being dedicated to what I thought was Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ weakest series could work. Now that I’ve seen and reviewed all three Hailey Dean Mystery Month films, I can honestly say that I feel this series has definitely improved! After watching Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill, I started to wonder where the story would go from this point? I do want the series as well as Hailey Dean Mystery Month to continue, so hopefully Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will have new Hailey Dean movies ready for next June.
Overall score: 8 out of 10
What are your thoughts on Hailey Dean Mystery Month? Which mystery series would you like to see get its own month? Please tell me in the comment section!
