Tag: movies

Take 3: Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

When I reviewed Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans back in April, that movie became the best Hallmark mystery of 2024. Now six months later, Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans is still the best Hallmark mystery movie of the year! When I learned Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit was on the horizon, I was so excited for the film’s release. Part of my excitement was due to how much I liked Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans. The Curious Caterer series is one of the strongest series Hallmark has ever created. The strength of Nikki Deloach’s and Andrew W. Walker’s performances, as well as their on-screen chemistry, is one reason why Curious Caterer has been an enjoyable collection of films. It also helps how the movies have been well written. Can Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit be just as good as Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans? Keep reading my review to find out!

Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit poster created by Timeless Pictures and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: As I said in my review of Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker, the strength of the cast can add to the story’s intrigue. Even though the acting has been consistently successful in the Curious Caterer series, this is impressive when you consider the series has utilized a rotating secondary cast! I have always liked Jaycie Dotin’s portrayal of Marla Maguire. I not only liked her performance in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit, I also think she and Luke Camilleri had really nice on-chemistry! When Marla meets Jax backstage before the concert, he shares a memento from his late sister. His entire demeanor is sad, yet he appears appreciative when Marla asks about the memento. Marla’s tone of voice indicates she’s trying to be understanding of Jax’s situation. Later in the film, when Jaycie and Luke appear together in another scene, Jax and Marla are all smiles. They both look comfortable in each other’s company and seem to enjoy spending time with one another. I hope Luke and Jaycie star together in another Hallmark production!

Another strength of the Curious Caterer series is the strong on-chemistry of Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker. Their portrayals of Goldy and Tom were, once again, one of the best parts of the movie! Now that these characters have an established, romantic relationship, they received more opportunities to spend time together in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit. While observing Goldy’s mystery board, Tom asks why Selena would kiss her former band member, Derek. Goldy then proceeds to kiss Tom. After the kiss, Tom asks her if the kiss was meant to be evidence. Goldy happily replies she just wanted a reason to kiss him. Tom and Goldy’s interaction in this scene was not only sweet, it also felt genuine. Andew and Nikki’s acting abilities made their characters’ interactions enjoyable to watch!

A behind-the-scenes look at the music industry: The mystery in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit revolves around the death of a band member during a live performance. Because the band and those surrounding them are consistently involved in the story, the movie’s creative team gave the audience a peek behind the music industry’s curtain. During a discussion between Tom and the band’s manager, Nicola, Tom learns each band member was insured in order to keep investors happy. This was new information to me, as I had never heard of musicians being insured before. Prior to the concert, Goldy and Marla were preparing to make their catered food. They were told by the band’s electrician, Sam, they could only use one electrical socket due to the older age of the venue and the other plugged-in electrical equipment. When people attend a concert or a live performance, they are so focused on what is happening on stage, details like a venue’s age or electrical power grids may not cross their minds. Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit showed what goes into planning and delivering a musical event.

Incorporating serious, real-world topics: Hallmark productions, whether it’s a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie or a Christmas film, sometimes include serious, real-world topics into their scripts. What can make or break a script is how these serious, real-world topics are incorporated into the story. The way these kinds of topics were included in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit was more subtle, yet there was enough information for the audience to understand what was happening. As Goldy is serving drinks to the band members before the concert, she reassures Derek (a recovering alcoholic) there are no alcoholic ingredients in his drink. Because Derek’s drink and Jax’s drink appear similar, Goldy stops Derek from consuming Jax’s drink, which contains rum. This mistake causes Derek to accuse Jax of trying to break his sobriety. The scene I just described felt like a realistic interaction, with the subject of addiction naturally woven into the dialogue. This was made possible by the quality of the acting performances as well as the screenwriting.

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.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Miscast characters: Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit begins twenty years ago, with the band, The Faithfuls, celebrating the success of their single, “Love Me Always”. This opening scene implies the band members are in their early twenties, especially since they all share a bottle of champagne. Several scenes later, when Marla and Goldy explain to Olive who The Faithfuls are, Goldy and Marla claim they were high-schoolers twenty years ago. When the band members are reintroduced in the story, they appear to be the same age as Marla and Goldy. This creative flaw is not the fault of Garrett Black, Luke Camilleri, and Tammy Gillis, as they all did a good job with the provided acting material. However, I do fault the casting director for not recruiting actors who appeared older than Goldy and Marla.

Goldy’s limited involvement in the case: Throughout the Curious Caterer series, Goldy has worked alongside Tom to solve a given case. But in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit, Goldy’s involvement in the case is limited. She still created a mystery board (which she and Marla called “Rhythm and Clues”) and helped Tom solve the mystery. Compared to the other films in the Curious Caterer series, Tom did the majority of the sleuthing. Goldy did not question potential suspects or gather clues as much as she has before. She and Tom seemed to be on separate pages when it came to catching the culprit.

Lack of food footage: In my reviews of other Curious Caterer films, I have either praised the creative team for their use of close-ups of appetizers or criticized the creative team for their lack of close-ups of food. Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit adopted the latter flaw, as there were barely any shots of Goldy’s catered food at the concert. In the greenroom, there were a few close-up shots of the band members’ drinks. A quick shot of vegan drumsticks was featured in a fan’s video. But other than these, the audience isn’t given a clear idea of what else Goldy served at the event. To me, this was a missed opportunity, especially since I was curious why Marla and Goldy needed to use an air fryer.

Music and stage image created by Topntp26 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/music-sign_1179519.htm’>Designed by Topntp26</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage image created by Topntp26 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

With Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit being the fifth movie in the series, this collection of films has found its rhythm (no pun intended) and understood what works for the overall story. Components like the acting, humor, and prioritizing the mystery have been consistently strong. There were even times when a Curious Caterer movie improved upon the flaws of the preceding chapter. I liked Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit! The peek behind the music industry’s curtain gave this film a unique identity. Serious, real-world topics, such as addiction, were thoughtfully incorporated into the script. Even though I thought the fifth movie in the Curious Caterer series was good, I still think Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans was slightly stronger. Goldy’s involvement in Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit’s case was limited, making it seem like she and Tom were on separate pages when it came to solving the mystery. I also believe the band members should have appeared older than Goldy and Marla. As of the publication of this review, Hallmark has not made any official announcements for movies premiering in 2025. But if there are more Curious Caterer films in the works, I would like to see a seasonal picture, such as a Christmas or Halloween themed Curious Caterer production!

Overall score: 7.6-7.7 out of 10

Have you seen Curious Caterer: Forbidden Fruit? Would you like to see more Curious Caterer films in 2025? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Comparing with the Critics – Worst of 1988 – Willow

On By 18cinemalane10 Comments

This review is from my series, Comparing with the Critics. If you’d like to learn more about the series, click on the link below.

Introducing my new series, Comparing with the Critics!

Siskel & Ebert and 18 Cinema Lane share one thing in common: the fantasy genre is underrepresented. This is a reason why I not only chose to participate in the Barbarians at the Gates Blogathon, it’s also a reason why I selected Willow for this review of Comparing with the Critics. But another reason why I picked Willow is how the film was featured in Siskel & Ebert’s Worst of 1988 episode. After hearing good things over the years about the movie, even some people giving it the coveted title of “classic”, I was shocked to see Willow included among the worst of 1988. But since I didn’t see the film before the Barbarians at the Gates Blogathon, I couldn’t agree or disagree with Siskel and Ebert. Film is subjective, with this subjectivity being the reason why I created the Comparing with the Critics series. So far, I disagreed with the critics on Network and Harry & Son, yet agreed with them on Amadeus. With that said, I’d have to say I disagree, yet again, with Ebert and Siskel. While Willow has its flaws, its placement in the Worst of 1988 episode is unjustified.

Willow poster created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lucasfilm, and Imagine Entertainment

Before going over his complete list of the worst films from 1988, Gene Siskel introduces the episode’s segment on Willow. He calls the film “a heavy duty and quite dreary production”. I will admit there are darker moments within the story. However, the movie was more humorous than I expected it to be! Most of the humor came from Madmartigan, portrayed by Val Kilmer. Because of the screenwriting and Val’s versatile performance, the comedic timing was effectively executed. One of the funniest scenes in Willow is when Madmartigan and Willow are traveling on a sled down a snowy hill. During this trip, Madmartigan falls off the sled. But instead of being left behind, Madmartigan rolls down the hill, becoming a giant snow ball. When Madmartigan was introduced in Willow as the story’s comic relief, I knew he was going to be a character I would like. His personality, along with the dialogue shared between him and Willow, presented someone who captivated my attention and kept me invested in his story. It also helps that Madmartigan is hilarious, as he is the reason why I burst out laughing several times while watching Willow!

Madmartigan and Sorsha picture created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lucasfilm, and Imagine Entertainment

Gene Siskel is not the only critic who disliked Willow. Though he didn’t put the movie on his list of the worst films of 1988, Roger Ebert expressed his disapproval over how the story seemed similar to Star Wars, claiming children who liked the movie “hadn’t seen it a hundred times before”. I can only speak for myself, but Star Wars never crossed my mind as I watched Willow. But some moments did feel reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. The film clip included in the Worst of 1988 episode shows Cherlindrea, a fairy queen, revealing to Willow the purpose of his journey. She even gives him a wand to help him accomplish his mission. The scene reminded me of when Glinda explained to Dorothy how she could return home. The iconic ruby slippers became a tool to help Dorothy along her way to Emerald City. Story ideas are bound to get repeated over time. Therefore, moments in Willow feeling reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz didn’t bother me. Instead, it showed me how a film’s creative team can take a familiar story idea and add their own unique perspective on it!

The Barbarians at the Gates Blogathon banner created by Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In and Hamlette from Hamlette’s Soliloquy

Another criticism Gene had about Willow was the film’s setting, stating “I’m tired of seeing epic pictures set in forests with lots of people running around and, uh, hitting each other over the head”. Personally, I was not bothered by this, as I felt the setting fit the story Willow’s creative team was trying to tell. What did bother me was how the build-up of Madmartigan and Sorsha going from enemies to lovers happened too quickly. Incorporating the “enemies to lovers” trope works in a fantasy story like Willow, where there is at least one battle and a major theme is good versus evil. It should be noted how Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley had nice on-screen chemistry, as well as Sorsha and Madmartigan appearing photogenic together. I still wish the aforementioned build-up had been more gradual. As the story progressed, Sorsha evolved from villain to hero. Unfortunately, this evolution was too abrupt. While Sorsha’s change of heart gave her some character development, it left some questions unanswered. Perhaps a scene explaining this transformation didn’t find its way into the movie?

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In past reviews, I criticized films for containing parts of a story that didn’t make sense. Willow is a film that doesn’t avoid this flaw. Bavmorda is the villain of the story. When the heroes attempt to defeat Bavmorda, she uses a spell to transform the heroes into pigs, with Willow and a sorceress named Fin Raziel being the only exceptions. This spell takes place in a short amount of time, with the afflicted heroes becoming pigs all at once. When Fin Raziel reverses the spell, this proves to be a lengthy process, as she uses her magic on one person at a time. This creative choice left me wondering why Fin Raziel wouldn’t use her magic on all the heroes all at once similar to Bavmorda? To me, it didn’t make sense, especially since the heroes didn’t have the luxury of time.

Comparing with the Critics banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. TV show title cards created by WTTW National Productions, WTTW, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Lifetime Television, Tribune Entertainment, Buena Vista Television, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television

During their discussion of Willow in Siskel & Ebert’s Worst of 1988 episode, Roger reminds Gene how, despite the movie’s bad reviews, it became the top selling video and was successful at the box office. Had I seen Willow sooner, I might have contributed to the movie’s statistics. This is another Comparing with the Critics review where I found myself disagreeing with Siskel and Ebert. That’s because I had a genuinely good time watching Willow! I brought up in this review how the project has its flaws. But the story was simplistic and straight-forward, which made it easier to follow what was happening on screen. Even though Willow was the movie’s protagonist, it was Madmartigan who stole the show! In fact, I’d say he was the MVP of this story, as his personality and comedic timing left a good impression. There were moments in the film that felt reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. However, I saw those moments as ways for Willow’s creative team to bring their own unique perspective to familiar story ideas. I have to say I’m glad I chose to review Willow for this edition of Comparing with the Critics! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to watch the Siskel & Ebert 1988 Holiday Video Gift Guide episode in the hopes something Willow related can be included in my Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish List.

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Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Heart of a Stranger Review + 495 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Here at 18 Cinema Lane, some of my most popular content is Hallmark related. In fact, the top three most viewed articles are two of my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts and my list of the top ten worst Hallmark movies of all time. This popularity can sometimes overshadow other genres of film as well as other made-for-TV networks. One of those networks is Lifetime. Throughout my six years of blogging, I’ve reviewed Lifetime’s movies so infrequently. So, to kind of make up for that, I selected the 2002 picture, Heart of a Stranger, for this Blog Follower Dedication Review! While I had seen this film years ago, I had vague recollections of it. All I remembered was how the protagonist received heart surgery and that the protagonist and her daughter wanted to see The Nutcracker. Since my last two Blog Follower Dedication Reviews featured films that were new to me, I thought revisiting a picture from yesteryear would be a nice change. Let’s talk about Heart of a Stranger so we can get to the heart of this review!

Heart of a Stranger poster created by Fogwood Films, Von Zerneck-Sertner Films, and Lifetime Television

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In the introduction of my review, I mentioned how Heart of a Stranger’s protagonist received heart surgery and that the protagonist and her daughter wanted to see The Nutcracker. This story revolves around a mother and daughter’s changing relationship after the mother receives a heart transplant. Jane Seymour’s and Maggie Lawson’s performance created a believable familial relationship. That is what made the crux of the story work. At a local restaurant, Maggie’s character, Amanda, is excited by how her violin performance turned out. Jane’s character, Jill, is proud of her daughter. Their big smiles and warm demeanor are soon followed by changed feelings when Amanda makes a confession to her mother. Jill’s initial confusion transforms into anger as she and her daughter get into an argument. During this argument, Amanda’s frustrations are on full display, from the sharp tone in her voice to her eyes intensely focusing on her mother. Maggie and Jane helped make the scene I just described feel realistic!

Not only did Jane and Maggie create a believable familial relationship, their individual performances are believable as well! A perfect example is when Jill goes to a local car wash. Before the car wash process begins, Jill excitedly tells her daughter over the phone how she’s about to do a mundane task like going to the car wash. The reason for Jill’s excitement is how, before her heart surgery, she used to be too sick to run errands. But as the car wash continues, Jill receives flashbacks she believes are from her heart donor. These flashbacks, along with being in a confined space, cause Jill to become nervous. Her eyes, filled with concern, quickly scan her surroundings. Jill also develops a frown out of worry. Eventually, her emotions get the better of her as she runs out of her car mid-car wash. The scene ends with Jill flinching from a car wash employee. The way Jane used her acting talents to adapt to the changing emotions in that scene was fluid and never missed a beat. Jane and Maggie worked as a team carrying this film!

Amanda’s subplot: Like I previously mentioned, Jill receives a heart transplant. The surgery is not only a success, it allows Jill’s view on life to change. Amanda’s perspective on life is also impacted because of her mother’s newfound health. In her subplot, Amanda is trying to apply for a music conservatory. To prevent burnout and fatigue, she learns a new musical style from performers at a local restaurant. Using music as a compass to guide Amanda’s new journey was, in my opinion, a smart creative choice. Through Maggie’s performance as well as the screenwriting, Amanda’s dedication for her craft turned into motivation to mold her own future! This subplot also gave Amanda character development as she slowly, but surely gained independence.

The honesty surrounding post-surgery: Made-for-TV movies about characters receiving transplants usually build up to the transplant surgery. Because the story’s climax is the aforementioned surgery, there is little to no time to highlight the characters’ life post-surgery. In Heart of a Stranger, Jill’s surgery takes place at the beginning of the movie, with the rest of the film showing Jill adapting to her new heart and health. Throughout the story, Amanda reminds her mother to take her medicine prescribed after surgery. Even though the surgery was successful, Jill follows doctor’s orders to prevent her body from rejecting her new heart. Later in the film, Jill attends a support group with other transplant patients. This part of the story addresses loneliness that could occur after experiencing a major medical transformation. Weaving honesty into Heart of a Stranger presents a more realistic depiction of patients receiving transplant organs. For viewers unfamiliar with this medical process, the movie may give them an idea of what transplant patients may experience.

Heartbeat image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/medical-logo_763775.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/logo”>Logo vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

An overshadowed mystery: According to a synopsis I read for Heart of a Stranger, the movie is about Jill trying to solve the mystery of who donated her heart. This is what led me to believe the story would emphasize Jill’s search for her donor. But when I revisited this film, I discovered the creative team chose to prioritize Jill’s new perspective on life after heart transplant surgery. I recognize how important that part of the story is, especially how it connects to the theme of taking advantage of second chances. However, the emphasis on Jill’s new perspective on life not only caused the mystery of Jill’s donor to, sometimes, be overshadowed, it gave the mystery a lack of urgency. While the mystery did get solved, I wish that had been the story’s main focus.

Unresolved parts of the story: As I just said in my previous point, the mystery of Jill’s donor was, sometimes, overshadowed because Jill’s new perspective on life was prioritized. But the aforementioned mystery is not the only overlooked part of the story. After unsuccessfully searching for information on Jill’s donor, Beth, a friend of Jill’s, shares her disapproval with Jill over locating the donor and their family. The rest of the story does not revisit this disapproval, despite showing Beth sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Jill. Later in the movie, Amanda has a fight with her boyfriend, Billy. Since this situation took place toward the end of the movie, there is little to no time to resolve this conflict. The creative team should had taken the time to tie up these loose ends instead of putting most of their eggs in one basket.

Brian’s subplot: One of Jill’s friends is a restaurant manager named Brian. When she visits the restaurant he works for, Brian shares with Jill his dream of starting his own restaurant. He even encourages her to become co-owner of the establishment. Despite this subplot receiving a satisfying conclusion, it was ignored for most of the movie. Even Brian himself made very few appearances in the story. The emphasis of Jill’s new perspective on life prevented Brian’s subplot from receiving a bigger role in Heart of a Stranger.

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.

My overall impression:

Before I share my thoughts on Heart of a Stranger, I want to thank all the followers of 18 Cinema Lane! Whenever it’s time to write a Blog Follower Dedication Review, I try to select movies that I feel good about recommending. I would actually suggest this 2002 made-for-TV production as an ‘alternative Christmas movie’. While the story leads up to Christmas, the holiday is not the story’s primary focus. Instead, the film prioritizes a mother and daughter’s life post heart transplant surgery, as well as the mother’s new perspective on life. At best, Heart of a Stranger is a fine, decent movie. The depiction of patients receiving transplant organs is more realistic due to the honesty woven into the story. Maggie’s and Jane’s performance helped create a believable familial relationship. But compared to the types of films Lifetime creates today, especially in the 2020s, Heart of a Stranger is more mundane and pedestrian. This would explain why the network has moved away from creating movies like this one.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen Heart of a Stranger? Are there any older Lifetime movies you’d like to see me review? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Movie Adaptation for Susanna Clarke’s ‘Piranesi’ on the Horizon

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Whenever I review a movie that’s based on a book or pre-existing piece of literature, I usually find myself stating how the film is based on a book I haven’t read. This has led me to create the “Based on a Book I Haven’t Read Yet” award for my annual Gold Sally Awards. But for this piece of movie news, an upcoming adaptation is based on a book I’ve actually read! Reported two months ago by Bill Desowitz from IndieWire, Susanna Clarke’s novel, Piranesi, will be brought to life by animation studio, Laika. Travis Knight, the CEO and president of Laika, will direct the movie. Though not much else is known about the Piranesi adaptation, Susanna herself gave her approval, stating, “I’ve been inspired by so many animated movies; and Laika has produced such extraordinary work – movies like ‘Coraline’ and ‘Kubo and the Two Strings,’ full of beauty and wonder and weirdness. I’m thrilled that ‘Piranesi’ has found a home with them and I can’t wait to see what they do.” Meanwhile, Travis expressed his enthusiasm over the project, saying how Susanna is “one of my all-time favorite authors” and how “I can scarcely imagine a more joyful experience than wandering through the worlds Susanna dreamed into being”.

Piranesi book cover image found on Goodreads

Like I said earlier in this article, I have read Piranesi. In fact, I read this book recently as one of my selections for this year’s Eurovisionathon readathon. When I first discovered the news about Piranesi’s adaptation, I wondered how this story would translate to the screen. This is because the story is written in a logical way, encouraging the reader to actively pay attention to what they’re reading. My interest piqued upon learning Laika would be creating the adaptation! I reviewed Kubo and the Two Strings back in 2019. The film was not only one of the top three best movies I saw that year, it was the first time an animated picture had earned a spot on my year-end best of list! The fact the same director and studio behind Kubo and the Two Strings will be working on the Piranesi adaptation makes me excited! It gives me a chance to check out more of Laika’s work, as well as showcases the creativity of a studio that, in my opinion, is underrated.

What are your thoughts on this piece of movie news? Are you looking forward to seeing Piranesi adapted as a movie? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Referenced article: https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/laika-announces-new-stop-motion-piranesi-susanna-clarke-1235017992/

Take 3: Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

This month, Hallmark Mystery premiered two new movies; Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery and Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement. I did see Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery, but I found the film underwhelming, as the biggest flaw was how the titular K-9 was barely in the story. To make up for not reviewing that movie, I chose to write about Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement instead. Months ago, before this film was announced as a Hallmark production, I stumbled upon the official synopsis for Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement on IMDB. At the time, the story sounded generic. But I was willing to give the film a chance after learning Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith were the project’s lead actors. Kavan and Pascale are two of the strongest actors in Hallmark’s community. Their on-screen chemistry has been so strong on When Calls the Heart, their characters, Rosemary and Lee, have become fan favorites. The idea of Pascale and Kavan working together on a mystery movie seems like a good idea. But did this good idea come to fruition or did this idea become wasted potential? The only way to find out is by reading my review!

Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement poster created by Muse Entertainment Enterprises and Hallmark Mystery

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: When introducing a new series, it’s important to establish the relationships between the protagonist and the story’s other characters. These relationships could make or break that introductory film, with interest from the audience determining whether more chapters are created. What helps keep on-screen relationships interesting is the acting abilities of the cast. At the beginning of Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement, Nelly, portrayed by Pascale Hutton, visits the diner of her friend, Helen, portrayed by Jill Morrison. The scene starts with the friends sharing happy greetings, their warm smiles and friendly tones in their voices express their excitement of seeing each other. But when Nelly sees someone she’s trying to avoid, her smile immediately drops to a look of concern with alertness in her eyes. Helen soon mirrors Nelly’s face with her own look of concern as she quickly gets on the same page as Nelly. Though this scene is short, the acting talents of Jill and Pascale create an on-screen friendship that feels believable!

Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement adopts the “opposites attract” trope, showcasing Nelly with an energetic, joyful personality and Michael, portrayed by Kavan Smith, with a calmer, yet serious personality that leaves wiggle room for emotion. One scene that presents the “opposites attract” trope perfectly is when, as they’re sharing milkshakes at Helen’s diner, Michael asks Nelly what makes her happy. Nelly shares how she chooses to be happy as she reveals how one of her loved ones passed away. But before she tells Michael about this loved one’s passing, Nelly talks about a happy memory she has with that person. Using a tone of voice that sounds reflective and sometimes gesturing with her right hand, Nelly’s happiness appears gentler, with her smile coming and going. After giving Nelly his undivided attention, Michael looks sad and even a bit concerned. His frown and look in his eyes make Michael almost appear as if he’s adopting Nelly’s sadness.

Nelly’s wardrobe: Whether starring on When Calls the Heart as Rosemary Coulter or appearing alongside Kavan in The Perfect Bride films as Molly, Pascale Hutton’s characters have been given wardrobes that not only compliment Pascale herself, but are also stylishly presented on screen. Nelly’s wardrobe in Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement is no different, as her attire is classy and sophisticated! When the audience is first introduced to Nelly, she wears a light pink short sleeved shirt paired with tailored navy pants boasting a blue and white pattern. A square-faced watch with a white band is the perfect accessory for this outfit! As she attends a party, Nelly wears another pink outfit. This time, she wears a bright pink tweed jacket with matching pink shirt. Light blue jeans, large gold earrings, and a simple gold heart necklace complete the look!

Addressing a flaw of an amateur detective: Amateur detectives from Hallmark Mystery movies may, sometimes, have a flaw that will either be brushed to the side or will turn into a blessing in disguise for the protagonist. This is one of the ways Hallmark has asked their audience to suspend their disbelief. In Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement, however, Michael actually points out one of Nelly’s flaws to her. Nelly is upset when someone she knows is arrested. Michael then addresses how Nelly is unable to observe the case’s suspects from an objective perspective. Nelly ends up agreeing with Michael, as she knows she’s seen in her community as someone who looks out for her fellow neighbors. The honesty toward one of Nelly’s flaws added a sense of realism to Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement!

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

What I didn’t like about the film:

The contradictions: Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement incorporates the “everybody knows everyone in a small town” cliché; a story element that, in my opinion, is overused in Hallmark productions. Despite the presence of this cliché, there are some instances where the cliché is contradicted. While creating a mystery board, Nelly and her friend, Fiona, discover one of the residents of Babbleton (where this story takes place) is related to another resident of the town. If everyone in Babbleton knows each other, Fiona and Nelly shouldn’t be surprised by the familial connection of the aforementioned two characters. Earlier in the film, when questioned by Michael about the murder victim, Nelly tells him she’s known the murder victim for years. However, she’s unaware of how neat the murder victim kept their home. Again, if everyone knows each other in Babbleton, Nelly would have known the living conditions of the murder victim.

A misbalanced tone: It’s understandable why Hallmark would avoid making murder mystery stories too dark, as the network has gained a reputation for creating stories that exude coziness and heartwarming charm. In past Hallmark Mystery productions, a balance between tones was achieved by having a murder mystery serve as the film’s main plot while one or two subplots contained more lighthearted situations. The majority of Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement is coated in a cheerful tone. Prioritizing this lighter tone caused the characters to seem like they didn’t take the story’s mystery seriously. It also created a lack of urgency. There were even times when the movie’s lighthearted tone felt inappropriate, such as when an up-beat jazz tune played while a character was arrested.

A dialogue-heavy story: Dialogue is an important component of any mystery movie, as it can contain clues and other important information. In the case of Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement, the script was dialogue-heavy. The story was forced to rely on conversations and questioning from Michael to carry the mystery. Non-verbal clues, such as physical objects, were limited because of this creative decision. A dialogue-heavy story also made it difficult, at times, to keep track of characters.

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

My overall impression:

If I could choose a movie that visually represents the concept of “having cake and eating it too”, it would be Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement. The film’s creative team wanted to include a murder mystery in their story, yet they didn’t want their story’s tone to be too serious. By making their movie mostly lighthearted, the movie itself ended up being a little goofy for my liking. The creative team of Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement wanted to utilize the “everybody knows everyone in a small town” cliché. At the same time, they didn’t want to commit to the cliché’s consistency. So, the script contradicted the cliché on more than one occasion. Despite these errors I discussed in my review, Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith still shined bright together! The interactions throughout this movie felt believable, whether it was Nelly visiting Helen at her diner or Michael and Nelly discussing the story’s case. Addressing one of Nelly’s flaws as an amateur detective brought a sense of realism to the script. Within Hallmark’s library of films, there are worse titles than Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement. However, this film doesn’t stand up to pictures like Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans.

Overall score 6 out of 10

Did you see Nelly Knows Mysteries: A Fatal Engagement? Would you like to see Kavan Smith and Pascale Hutton star in more mystery films together? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Cricket on the Hearth (1967) Review

On By 18cinemalane5 Comments

You probably think it’s strange how, after a week and a half long hiatus, my first review back on my blog would be for a Christmas film (in the middle of August). However, I have a very good explanation for this choice. The first reason is how the 1967 animated movie, Cricket on the Hearth, is what I selected for Realweegiemidget Reviews’ (Aaron) Spellingverse Blogathon, as Aaron Spelling was one of the film’s executive producers. The second reason is how animated movies are reviewed so infrequently on my blog. In fact, Cricket on the Hearth is the first animated film to be reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane in 2024. When I chose to participate in the (Aaron) Spellingverse Blogathon, I knew I wanted to write about a made-for-tv movie. So, when I discovered the 1967 film on Aaron’s IMDB filmography, I felt I found the perfect movie for the blogathon, especially for the previously mentioned reasons! But did Cricket on the Hearth end up being the perfect choice to write about? Keep reading my review to find out!

Cricket on the Hearth (1967) title card created by Rankin/Bass Productions, Thomas/Spelling Productions, and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Things I liked about the film:

The animation: Some of the best animated movies boast bright, colorful hues. These hues can be utilized in various ways, from creating imaginative worlds to providing interesting visual contrasts. Cricket on the Hearth was a very kaleidoscopic production! Scenes either burst with a bundle of color or at least one bold color sparkled against a darker background. Presenting Cricket Crocket in a mustard yellow suit jacket and shoes, paired with an orange vest and a red bowtie, was a smart creative decision. It forces the audience to focus on Cricket Crocket, especially when he’s standing on a dark wood table or a deep green top hat. The toys in Caleb’s toy shop come to life during the song, ‘Smiles Go With Tears’. Despite the title’s contraction, the song’s tone is joyful because the song is about someone shedding tears due to being happy. The joyful nature of ‘Smiles Go With Tears’ is wonderfully depicted in the presentation of the toys. From a doll’s bubble-gum pink dress and bonnet to a pair of bright yellow and blue elephants, this scene was great to look at!

While looking for a place to live, Caleb considers moving into a poor house. Because Cricket Crocket is perched on Caleb’s top hat, Cricket Crocket hangs upside down in order to face Caleb. While looking upside down, Cricket Crocket sees a nearby toy factory. As he is readjusting himself, the image of the toy factory flips from appearing upside down to becoming right-side up. Animated films from the 1960s, especially those that were made-for-tv productions, were created with limited resources compared to animated pictures from the twenty-first century. Therefore, scenes like the one I just described seem ahead of its time.

The songs: Before reviewing Cricket on the Hearth, I had never seen the 1967 movie. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the movie was a musical! The songs featured in this film sounded like relics of the late ‘60s, the time when Cricket on the Hearth was released. But these sounds, from emotional ballads to cheery tunes, felt nostalgic. Danny Thomas, who voices Caleb, sings a ballad titled ‘Through My Eyes’. Throughout this song, Caleb expresses his desire for his daughter, Bertha, to see the world how he wishes he could present it to her. The combination of Danny’s vocals and the orchestral music felt reminiscent of Judy Garland’s ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’, songs that exude a sense of hope and contain timeless elements. Another song of Danny’s I liked was ‘The First Christmas’! Before this song, Caleb wonders how he will provide the kind of Christmas Bertha hopes for. He learns how to resolve his conflict as the song carries on. The lyrics of ‘The First Christmas’ illustrate how Christmas doesn’t have to look the same for those who celebrate the holiday. The inclusion of the Norman Luboff Chorus added gravitas to this song!

The religious aspects of Christmas: Based on what I know about Charles Dickens and his stories, A Christmas Carol, one of his most well-known pieces of literature, is typically not known for addressing the religious aspects of Christmas. Though it was briefly incorporated in Cricket on the Hearth, I was pleasantly surprised by the recognition of Christmas’ religious aspects! As I previously said while talking about ‘The First Christmas’, the lyrics of the song illustrate how Christmas doesn’t have to look the same for those who celebrate the holiday. This point is emphasized by reminding the audience how Jesus had very little in terms of decorations and presents during the First Christmas. By the end of the song, the message is made clear; it’s not about what you have, but who you spend Christmas with that’s important. Before closing out the movie, Danny quotes a poem by Edmund Cooke. The quote itself goes “Tis not the weight of jewel or plate, or the fondle of silk or fur, ‘tis the spirit in which the gift is rich, as the gifts of the Wise Men were. And we are not told whose gift was gold or whose was the gift of myrrh”. Edmund’s poem brings up an excellent point, as the Nativity story does not specify which gift came from which Wise Man. This quote also highlights the point made earlier about Christmas being about who you spend the holiday with.

The (Aaron) Spellingverse Blogathon banner created by Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews

What I didn’t like about the film:

Scenes that serve as padding: In order to satisfy a film’s run-time, a film’s creative team will, sometimes, choose to pad the story out by incorporating additional scenes or establishing shots. This creative decision was utilized in Cricket on the Hearth, mostly in between songs. During the song, ‘Through My Eyes’, a scene of Bertha dancing in a ballgown lasts for almost thirty seconds. The song itself takes up two minutes and twenty-three seconds of the movie’s run-time. I don’t think Cricket on the Hearth needed padding, especially since it lasted a little over forty-nine minutes.

The randomness of the ‘Fish and Chips’ song: I liked the featured songs in Cricket on the Hearth. However, there is one song that, in the context of the story, felt random. A cat named Moll, voiced by Abbe Lane, sings a song about the finer things in life called ‘Fish and Chips’. This song is sung to a jazzy, ragtime tune. During the performance, Moll dances in a red, low-cut, sleeveless dress and even attempts to flirt with the male characters in her audience. The animation in this scene didn’t look bad. Abbe Lane also did a good job with the material given to her. But the story appearing to take place somewhere in the 1800s and with the movie’s tone being mostly heartwarmingly gentle, Moll’s ‘Fish and Chips’ song feels out of place in Cricket on the Hearth.

Parts of the story that don’t make sense: For this part of my review, I will spoil Cricket on the Hearth. If you have not seen the 1967 film and are interested in watching it, please skip ahead to the part of my review titled ‘My overall impression’.

Cricket on the Hearth’s antagonist, Tackleton, has a pet bird named Uriah. More often than not, Tackleton and Uriah are inseparable. After Tackleton orders Uriah to get rid of Cricket Crocket, Uriah and two of his friends kidnap Cricket Crocket and try to sell him to a sea captain. During the scene of Uriah’s attempted business transaction, it is heavily implied Uriah and his friends died. Fast forward toward the end of the movie, Tackleton is upset by Bertha’s rejection of his marriage proposal. In fact, he’s more upset about Bertha’s rejection than the absence of his bird. If Tackleton and Uriah were as inseparable as they appeared to be earlier in the movie, wouldn’t Tackleton wonder what happened to Uriah? Wouldn’t Tackleton ask the other characters if they know where Uriah is? This is just one part of Cricket on the Hearth that, to me, didn’t make sense.

Three Wise Men themed wish list paper image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/christmas”>Christmas vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As I watched Cricket on the Hearth, I was reminded of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the 1983 Christmas movie I reviewed last December. Both films are not only made-for-tv productions, they both feel more like television specials than movies. It’s expected to suspend some disbelief in stories from animated films. But Cricket on the Hearth tried to suspend disbelief to the point parts of the story didn’t make sense. Despite the movie being under an hour long, some scenes, including those in between songs, served as unnecessary padding. Throughout Cricket on the Hearth, however, I could tell the movie’s creative team tried their best to make their project as special as possible. The songs were not only well performed, the music and visuals provided a good combination for the song itself. Though briefly incorporated, I also liked the recognition of Christmas’ religious aspects. I have not read Cricket on the Hearth’s source material. But based on what I know about Charles Dickens’ work, this story seems different from his other adaptations, as Cricket on the Hearth relies more on elements of fantasy and magical realism.

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10

Have you seen or read Cricket on the Hearth? Which adaptation of Charles Dickens’ stories would you like to see me review? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Now that 2024 is at the halfway point, I can share my honest thoughts on Hallmark Mystery’s programming. As of late July 2024, the best mystery movie is still Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans! I also thought Tipline Mysteries: Dial 1 for Murder has potential to start a series. But other than those titles, most of Hallmark’s mystery films, so far, have either been ok, disappointing, or (in the case of CrimeTime: Freefall) unwatchable. This emphasizes what I’ve been saying since I published my editorial about why Francesca Quinn, PI is the worst Hallmark movie I’ve ever seen; the network no longer prioritizes the mystery genre. However, I watch as many of Hallmark’s mystery projects as possible hoping they are good. With that said, I have decided to review Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters. In an editorial as well as a Word on the Street story, I speculated what the movie could be about based on quotes and scenes from the trailer and even past creative decisions from Hallmark themselves. While some of these speculations were proven wrong, it was interesting to see how these creative choices differed from my own ideas. I also approached this newest chapter in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series hoping it was good, as the overall quality of the series, in my opinion, has been inconsistent. Did Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters raise my hopes or fall short of my expectations? Keep reading my review to find out!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters poster created by Hallmark Mystery, MoonWater Productions, and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Things I liked about the film:

The overarching theme: When I shared my thoughts on the Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters trailer last month, I talked about how the film’s main plot seemed like a redemption story based on the featured scenes and quotes. As I watched the movie, I was proven wrong on what the story was about. Instead, the overarching theme of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters discussed when to get involved in someone’s life as well as their problems. This was an interesting creative choice because this is the first time in the series’ eleven-year history the POstables have questioned their work at the Dead Letter Office. The creative decision also highlights how the POstables’ actions have consequences. The thought-provoking nature of the overarching theme, plus its relatability, gives the audience something to think about not only during the movie, but after the story ends.

Recognition of therapy: Therapy can be a useful resource for people who genuinely need it. Though in the twenty-year history of Hallmark Mystery, this idea is rarely included in their programming. Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters shows both POstable couples utilizing therapy for personal reasons. For Norman and Rita, therapy is a part of the process toward starting a family. Meanwhile, Oliver and Shane attend therapy in order to solve a problem. The incorporation of therapy in the newest Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie addresses how multifaceted therapy can be. It also acknowledges a topic typically overlooked by Hallmark. Therapy’s inclusion in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters gave this story a more unique identity within the series!

Charley’s subplot: In my Word on the Street story about the trailer for Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters, I speculated if Rhiannon Fish’s character, Charley, would become a fifth member of the POstables. This speculation was based on quotes and scenes directly from the trailer. Charley does not become an official member of the POstables in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters. However, she did receive her own subplot! Charley’s part of the story shared a connection to the film’s main plot. Plus, Charley received more character development, which allowed the audience to learn more about her and her backstory. Because of this creative decision, Charley became more involved in the overall story of the movie. It also gave Rhiannon more acting material to work with!

Since I included screenshots of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters trailer in my aforementiond Word on the Street story, I will also include them in my review of the movie. This screenshot is taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Shane and Oliver’s relationship problems: Throughout the eleven-year lifespan of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series, Oliver and Shane have embodied the “opposites attract” trope sometimes adopted in romance or “rom-com” stories. Despite their differences, the couple was able to find common ground to help and love each other. Sadly, this previously established aspect of Shane and Oliver’s relationship was lacking in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters. For most of the story, the couple were either arguing with each other or were bitter toward one another. Their problems got to the point where Oliver and Shane didn’t seem compatible like in past films. Though the couple did go to therapy to resolve these problems, Shane and Oliver’s relationship woes soured the movie’s overall tone.

Predictable parts of the story: The Signed, Sealed, Delivered series has a more unique identity compared to Hallmark Mystery’s other movie series. One reason is the exclusion of murder mysteries. But no matter the mystery a movie series adopts, the mystery itself has to be intriguing enough for the audience to stay invested in the program. An approach to this idea is not making the story too predictable. Unfortunately, there were predictable parts of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters’ story. Charley knows exactly how the Great Mailbox Breach of 2017 started. Seconds after I predicted the reason, she ended up proving my prediction right when she shared this revelation with Shane and Oliver. Speaking of Shane, she has a surprise to share in this film. The surprise wasn’t effective for me because I correctly guessed the surprise within the movie’s first twenty minutes based on presented clues. These predictable parts of the story caused the film’s intrigue to decrease.

Too convenient situations: Earlier in this review, I mentioned Rita and Norman going to therapy as part of the process toward starting a family. Their part of Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters’ story revolved around their desire to adopt a child. At one point, Rita even mentions having to deal with a lot of paperwork. But along the way, the POstables meet someone who, conveniently, finds the perfect solution for Norman and Rita. This causes their conflict to be resolved by the end of the movie. Situations happening too conveniently is another reason for the film’s decreased intrigue.

Since I included screenshots of the Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters trailer in my aforementiond Word on the Street story, I will also include them in my review of the movie. This screenshot is taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

My overall impression:

Hallmark brought the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series out of a three year hiatus to air Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters on Hallmark Mystery. While it’s good to see Hallmark continuing a mystery series instead of cancelling or abandoning it, the newest Signed, Sealed, Delivered chapter needed more time to develop a stronger story. This movie did improve upon some of the flaws of the predecessor, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made, such as providing Charley with more character development. Good creative decisions were expressed on screen, like the overarching theme and the recognition of therapy. But as I watched Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters, I realized what the film was missing was the cozy charm that helped create Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s brand. The elements of religion/faith Signed, Sealed, Delivered has been known for was lacking, with God being referenced only once. Even Stevie Wonder’s song, which has become the unofficial theme song of the series, was nowhere to be heard. In all honesty, I have seen films in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series that were weaker than Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters. At the same time, there were stronger films in this series than Signed, Sealed, Delivered’s newest installment. Hopefully, next year’s chapter, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back” is a better movie.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Tale of Three Letters? Are you looking forward to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Moon and Back”? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: El Dorado (1966) Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Whenever I’ve participated in the Legends of Western Cinema Week Blogathon, I, more often than not, review a movie from the Western genre. Since I review Western genre films so infrequently, this blogathon serves as a good opportunity to expand my cinematic horizons. For the 2024 edition, I decided to select a title that has been recommended to me. Suggested by J-Dub from Dubsism, I am reviewing the 1966 film, El Dorado! Years ago, I saw pieces of this movie. At the time, I thought it was boring. But I was willing to give El Dorado a second chance, wondering if my perspective had changed. I also have seen very few films from John Wayne’s filmography. So, reviewing this film gave me a chance to check out more of his movies!

El Dorado (1966) poster created by Paramount Pictures, Laurel Productions, and Polyphony Digital

Things I liked about the film:

The on-screen chemistry: Relationships in movies, whether romantic or platonic, can come across believably on screen if there is a strong sense of chemistry between the actors. This is what happened in El Dorado! Toward the beginning of the movie, J.P., portrayed by Robert Mitchum, meets up with Cole, portrayed by John Wayne, to talk about a potential job opportunity. Cole and J.P. carry no-nonsense demeanors, but their cordialness to each other shows the respect between them. The scene’s mood becomes lighter when Maudie, portrayed by Charlene Holt, shows up. Her friendly, playfulness emphasizes the friendship these characters share. When Maudie talks about her late husband and Cole with J.P., the empathetic reflection indicates how much she cares about both Cole and J.P.. Not only was there strong on-screen chemistry among the actors, this strong on-screen chemistry was consistent throughout the film. The on-screen relationships were interesting to watch because of these factors!

The dialogue: One of the most important components of a movie’s script is the dialogue. Through dialogue, characters can memorably stand-out, important information can be shared, and characters’ problems can be solved. The quality of a script’s dialogue depends on how well written it is. While watching El Dorado, I took note of the cleverness of the dialogue. After a son from the MacDonald family dies, Cole visits the family to share the sad news. The patriarch of the family, Kevin, asks what happened, with Cole telling him how he got “a boy to do a man’s work”. Later, when Cole returns to El Dorado, he reconnects with J.P.. When J.P. asks Cole what he’s doing back in El Dorado, Cole tells his friend, “I’m lookin’ at a tin star with a…drunk pinned on it”. Dialogue like the two examples I provided show how cleverly words were used as well as the eloquent ways intended points were phrased.

Breen Code Era moments: As I’ve explained before on 18 Cinema Lane, the Breen Code was a series of guidelines studios had to follow between 1934 and 1954. El Dorado was released in 1966, a decade after the Breen Code Era ended. However, there were moments sprinkled throughout the movie that felt reminiscent of the Breen Code Era. Before Cole leaves El Dorado, he kisses Maudie. The kiss itself isn’t shown on-screen because Cole’s hat is blocking their faces. When Mississippi, portrayed by James Caan, is first introduced to the audience, he uses a knife in self-defense against a man he claims killed his friend. As Mississippi retrieves his knife, the aforementioned man is hidden behind a table to prevent some of the violence from being shown on screen. The way these moments were written and presented were thoughtful presentations of an era gone by.

Legends of Western Cinema Week Blogathon banner created by Hamlette from Hamlette’s Soliloquy, Heidi from Along the Brandywine, and Olivia from Meanwhile, in Rivendell

What I didn’t like about the film:

A prolonged conflict: Before watching El Dorado, I had seen two of John Wayne’s films: Stagecoach and Allegheny Uprising. In those movies, the story revolves around an overarching conflict some of the characters are consistently trying to resolve. While there was an overarching conflict in El Dorado, it primarily resided in the film’s second half. The first half of the movie consisted of a series of loosely connected vignettes. These vignettes, more often than not, contained low stakes. El Dorado’s first and second halves felt like they belonged in their own separate movies.

Inconsistent sense of urgency: Like I just said when talking about El Dorado’s prolonged conflict, the first half of the movie was a series of loosely connected vignettes, while the film’s overarching conflict resided in the story’s second half. Within the second half of the movie, scenes containing low stakes were woven into the production. One example is Cole addressing a back injury he received earlier in the story. El Dorado’s two halves and the low stakes scenes from the film’s second half are two reasons why this movie’s sense of urgency was inconsistent.

Enabling the Sheriff: J.P., the Sheriff of El Dorado, develops an alcohol addiction due to a romantic relationship gone wrong. When Cole and Mississippi go to El Dorado, they, as well as Bull, try to help J.P. overcome his addiction. Mississippi even creates a liquid concoction to sober J.P. up. But hours after receiving Mississippi’s concoction, J.P. is looking for alcohol. Bull tells J.P. exactly where a bottle of alcohol is located, in the upper left-hand drawer of his desk. Later that evening, Cole allows J.P. to go to the local saloon by himself, where he not only purchases a whole bottle of alcohol, he’s also laughed at by the film’s antagonists. J.P. does eventually become sober in order to help his friends. But toward the end of the movie, J.P. shares a shot of alcohol with Bull. If a screenwriter is going to incorporate a serious topic like addiction into their script, they need to be mindful about how that topic is included in the film. In my opinion, the way addiction was addressed in El Dorado could have been more thoughtful.

Sheriff badge image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/brown-cowboy-label-set_1543252.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

El Dorado is not only the third film of John Wayne’s I’ve seen, it’s the second film of John’s I’ve reviewed. Out of these three films, Stagecoach, Allegheny Uprising, and El Dorado, I haven’t found a title that’s left a strong impression on me. Looking back on Stagecoach, I think the movie is just fine. Allegheny Uprising was ok. Now that I’ve seen El Dorado in its entirety, I feel the 1966 project is also ok. The two halves of this movie and the low stakes scenes woven into the movie’s second half are likely the reason for El Dorado’s inconsistent sense of urgency. The topic of addiction could have been handled in a more thoughtful way. However, the movie does have its strengths. Some of these strengths are the on-screen chemistry among the cast and how well the dialogue was written. Personally, I found El Dorado to be a mixed bag. Hopefully, the next film of John’s I watch and review will be stronger than this one.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen El Dorado? Which film from John Wayne’s filmography would you like me to review? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: In Country (1989) Review

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

One of the best parts about participating in blogathons is being introduced to movies that may be new to you. This is my experience with the 1989 film, In Country! For Taking Up Room’s Norman Jewison Blogathon, I wanted to choose a movie that was more underrated. While searching through Norman’s IMDB filmography, I came across the aforementioned ‘80s title. The synopsis reminded me of My Girl 2, where Vada is attempting to learn more about her mother. What sets In Country apart from the 1994 sequel is how the 1989 movie explores the aftermath of the Vietnam War by having the protagonist search for answers about her father. In 2024, I have reviewed four other films from the 1980s, so far. Similar to titles like Amadeus and Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies, In Country incorporates historical elements into the story. But will the 1989 movie be a pleasant surprise like Amadeus or a disappointment like Pack of Lies? Keep reading my review to find out!

In Country (1989) poster created by Warner Bros. and Yorktown Productions

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In any story, especially one that features a young protagonist, the main character’s likability can determine if the story is worth investing time in. I can only speak for myself, but I liked Samantha “Sam” Hughes’ personality! Though naïve at times, Sam was like a bright ray of sunshine, caring about the people in her life and trying to make her world a better place. What made Sam a likeable character was how genuine her emotions were. After finding a box of her father’s belongings in her mother’s room, Sam leaves a voice message on the phone explaining to her mother how upset she is by her mother’s silence about her father. When she hangs up the phone, the sad look in her eyes and the slight frown perfectly show how hurt Sam feels about her mother’s choices. This is just one example of Emily Lloyd bringing that genuineness to life, allowing her performance to be memorable!

Prior to watching and reviewing In Country, I had seen some of Bruce Willis’ films. His portrayal of Emmett Smith is different from some of his other roles, as he had to rely on emotion instead of action to carry his character through the story. A thunderstorm is causing chaos outside Emmett’s home one evening. Because of his time serving in the Vietnam War, he flinches whenever thunder strikes due to the flashbacks he is experiencing. At the same time, Emmett carries irritation in his voice because he wants the storm to stop and he wants to avoid Sam’s questions. Similar to what I said about Emily Lloyd’s performance, Bruce’s performance felt genuine. Beneath the tough exterior Emmett consistently displayed, he was a man who was trying to live a civilian life as best as he knew how.

Honesty about war and its impact on veterans: Like I just mentioned in this review, Emmett experiences flashbacks one stormy evening due to his time serving in the Vietnam War. These flashbacks not only cause Emmett to flinch every time thunder strikes, they also cause him to go outside, climb up a tree, and yell for someone to show their face. Throughout this scene, Sam asks Emmett questions about what is happening. Unfortunately for Sam, these questions are left unanswered. When Emmett goes outside, Sam calls for Emmett to come back in the house. As Emmett’s mind and heart are beyond the borders of his Kentucky home, Sam feels powerless, unsure of how to help Emmett. The scene I just wrote about is one example of the film’s honesty when discussing war and its impact on veterans. The candid way these subjects were talked about in the movie shows how the movie’s creative team understood the subjects’ significance.

The mise-en-scène: I’ve explained before that mise-en-scène is how a scene is presented in a movie. Mise-en-scène was utilized in several scenes’ favor in In Country. Toward the beginning of the film, a group of U.S. soldiers are wading through the swamps of Vietnam. This moment is presented as a long shot with the view appearing as if the camera is hiding behind the swamp’s foliage. How this scene is showcased to the audience emphasizes the soldiers’ need to stay unseen. Sam, Emmett, and Mamaw travel to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. While walking past the monument, a close-up shot captured Mamaw as the names on the monument were gliding past her face. The visuals symbolized how the Vietnam veterans have touched the lives of not just their loved ones, but those in their communities as well.

The Norman Jewison Blogathon created by Rebecca from Taking Up Room

What I didn’t like about the film:

Sam’s attraction for Tom: While trying to learn more about her father, Sam turns to a veteran named Tom. At the Vietnam veterans’ dance, Sam invites Tom to share a slow-dance with her, where they get a little too close for comfort. After the dance, Sam spends the night at Tom’s house and has sex with him. Up until the slow-dance at the veterans’ dance, Sam never expressed any romantic interest in Tom. Plus, she just graduated from high school and Tom appears old enough to be her father. Not only was this part of the story random, its inclusion in the film was unnecessary, especially since it has no impact on the plot.

The “slice of life” parts of the story: As I’ve been saying in this review, Sam wants to learn more about her father who served and died in the Vietnam War. This part of the story, as well as the parts exploring the veterans’ perspective, was interesting. But those parts made up half the movie. The other half revolved around subplots that were more “slice of life”. When the story turned to the “slice of life” events, I found myself wishing the movie would go back to Sam learning more about her father or Emmett interacting with the other veterans. In fact, I think the movie should have primarily focused on those aforementioned parts of the story.

On-the-nose songs: The inclusion of songs in a movie can make or break a given scene. Sometimes, a song can be so on-the-nose, it doesn’t leave the intended emotional impact. This happened on more than one occasion in In Country. The opening lines of the Bruce Springsteen song, “I’m On Fire” are “Hey, little girl, is your daddy home? Did he go away and leave you all alone?”. This song can be heard on two occasions after Sam decides to learn more about her father, pointing out what the audience already knows. Earlier in this review, I brought up how Sam invites Tom to share a slow-dance with her, where they get a little too close for comfort. The song they dance to is Hank Williams Jr.’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, which narrates what’s happening on screen and foreshadows what’s about to come. That song paired with the events that unfold created a scene that left me uncomfortable.

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My overall impression:

When I watch a movie, I sometimes imagine how the story would turn out if it was presented in a different way. One recent example is how Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Brush with Fate would have, in my opinion, benefitted by being presented as a multi-part mini-series. I feel similarly about 1989’s In Country. For the most part, the creative team behind the movie appeared to have their hearts in the right place. The honesty about war and its impact on veterans was included in the story in such a candid way, it showed the movie’s creative team understanding the significance of the subjects woven into the script. But this aforementioned honesty, as well as Sam’s search for answers about her father, should have been the film’s primary focus. Therefore, I wish this story had been a road-trip movie, where Sam, Emmett, and Mamaw go to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., with Sam learning about her father and important life lessons along the way.

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

Have you seen 1989’s In Country? What’s your favorite film from 1989? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Top 10 “Icks” from Hallmark Hall of Fame Movies

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

To address the elephant in the room (or on the blog in this case), the lack of blog posts this past week is due to how much time I’ve spent collecting research for my upcoming Sally Solves a Mystery article. While I have been working to solve a television-related mystery, the subject of Hallmark Hall of Fame movies came to mind. I’ve seen over fifty films from the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection. At this point, I, as a viewer, know what I like and don’t like when it comes to storytelling from this particular branch of Hallmark entertainment. These preferences are what inspired me to create this list of the top ten “icks” from Hallmark Hall of Fame movies! For my list, I will share which aspects of Hallmark Hall of Fame films I am not a fan of, providing examples from various titles in this collection. Before I begin the list, I want to address how this list is not meant to be mean-spirited or negative. My article is, simply, a way to express my opinion.

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1. Underutilizing Talent

    In past movie reviews, I have pointed out when I felt an actor or actress’s talents were underutilized. What I’ve meant by this is an actress or actor’s talents not being incorporated into a film to the fullest extent. This can range from an actor or actress being miscast to an actor or actress having a limited presence in the movie, the latter serving two examples for this list. Marguerite Moreau’s involvement in 2002’s The Locket is one of the reasons why I wanted to check the film out. Because she was cast as the movie’s main supporting actress, I expected Marguerite to have a more consistent presence in the film than she actually did. As I said in my review of The Locket, Marguerite’s character barely appeared in the movie’s second half. Based on her performances I have seen from a variety of movies and television shows, I think Karina Arroyave’s acting talents could have lent themselves to a larger role in 2000’s Missing Pieces. Sadly, Karina’s on-screen appearances were so short, they seemed like “don’t blink or you’ll miss her” moments. While she was given a little more screen-time in the 1993 film, Blind Spot, I still feel Karina’s acting talents were underutilized.

    2. Films That Feel like Televised Plays

    When I choose to watch a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, I expect to see a cinematic production of an original or pre-existing story. Some of these pre-existing stories happen to be plays. But there are times when a project’s creative team didn’t take advantage of how expansive film-making can be. Instead, they kept their adaptation as limited as the boundaries of the stages these plays came from. Like I pointed out in my review of the 1987 film, Foxfire, the cast is smaller and the story is condensed, forcing the characters to remain near or in Annie’s house. With the story surrounded by the natural beauty of Appalachia, I wish the movie’s emphasis had been placed on showcasing a variety of locations from this region. The 1972 remake of Harvey made similar creative choices, such as showing fewer locations throughout the story. This is different from the 1950 version of Harvey, where Elwood moves to multiple places.

    3. Oversimplifying Adoption/Foster Care

    Back in 2022, when I published my list of the top ten worst movies I saw that year, 1994’s A Place for Annie ended up as a Dishonorable Mention. One reason why I didn’t like this film is how the subject of adoption/foster care was oversimplified. For those who have never seen or heard of the movie, A Place for Annie is about a woman taking in a baby who is HIV positive. Over the course of the story, the woman, portrayed by Sissy Spacek, is in the process of adopting the baby. But she experiences an unexpected conflict when the baby’s biological mother shows up. The way Sissy’s and Mary-Louise Parker’s characters were portrayed and written presented a “good” mother vs. “bad” mother dynamic, even right down to the way each character dressed. Sissy’s character, Susan, becomes upset at the idea of Mary-Louise’s character, Linda, reuniting with her daughter, even though the intended purpose of foster care is for children to be reunited with their biological families. Because of the oversimplification of adoption/foster care in A Place for Annie, I couldn’t take the movie seriously.

    4. Characters Not Receiving Their Full Potential

    Speaking of articles from 2022, I’ll now bring up my list of top ten characters who didn’t reach their full potential. When I published this list, I explained when a character doesn’t receive their full potential, they aren’t given the opportunity to reach their goals, make their dreams come true, and allow their stories to be told to a satisfying extent. This list featured two characters from Hallmark Hall of Fame movies; Barry Klemper from The Boys Next Door and Amédée Chevalier from O Pioneers!. In the case of these characters, their stories were adapted from pre-existing source material. While I haven’t seen or read a stage version of The Boys Next Door, I have read O Pioneers!. I can understand why Willa Cather made certain creative decisions related to Amédée, as well as Hallmark Hall of Fame’s desire to keep the adaptation as close to the source material as possible. However, I still wish Amédée had received his full potential.

    5. Rehashed Stories

    For this part of my list, I am not talking about Hallmark Hall of Fame productions that are adapted from pre-existing plays or books. I am referring to Hallmark Hall of Fame movies that seem to copy stories from other films. Earlier in this list, I referenced the 1972 and 1950 versions of Harvey. After watching both versions, it feels like I watched the same movie twice, due to little variation between the two versions. I also felt this way about the 1996 film, The Summer of Ben Tyler. The movie seemed so similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, I wondered if Hallmark Hall of Fame was trying to remake the aforementioned film. I know story ideas are bound to get repeated over time. But, in my opinion, the Hallmark Hall of Fame productions should strive to create unique, distinct projects.

    Harvey (1972) poster created by Foote, Cone and Belding Productions, Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Talent Associates-Norton Simon, and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

    6. Terrible Grandparents

    Grandparents, like any family member in a protagonist’s life, should, in my opinion, be a kind, friendly character that the audience can root for. Unfortunately, some protagonists aren’t so lucky. For the fifth annual Gold Sally Awards, when I created the inaugural Edwin P. Christy Award for most annoying character in film, I gave that award to Grandpa Marcus from 1995’s Journey. I explained how obsessed he became of his photography hobby, to the point where he became negligent of his grandchildren’s safety. In one scene, Grandpa Marcus makes his grandson, who doesn’t appear old enough to obtain a driver’s permit yet, drive a car so Grandpa Marcus can take pictures. The grandchildren make a joking comment about how their grandpa will photograph their car accident if something should happen to them, with the scene itself meant to be played as a wholesome, hilarious moment.

    Leonora Nelson is a bitter, mean-spirited woman in the 1997 film, Ellen Foster. At her daughter’s burial, Leonora blames her son-in-law for her daughter dying. She yells and screams at her son-in-law just seconds after her daughter’s casket was buried. As the story progresses, Leonora’s hatred for her son-in-law grows. Her actions range from smashing his Purple Heart medal with a hammer to telling her granddaughter, the titular Ellen Foster, she hates her because she looks like her father. I recognize Leonora is intended to be an awful character, serving as one of the many obstacles Ellen had to overcome. But that doesn’t take away from how, in my opinion, Leonora Nelson is one of the worst characters in Hallmark movie history.

    7. Productions That Feel Like Hallmark Channel Films

    Hallmark Hall of Fame movies began to premiere on Hallmark Channel in 2014. While there are films from this time period I like, such as Love Takes Flight and The Beach House, I am aware how, more often than not, these projects bear a formula similar to those from Hallmark Channel. One such example is how a romance is usually the center of a given story. The identities of films like The Beach House and Love Takes Flight are not as unique as Hallmark Hall of Fame movies from years past. Take, for instance, Missing Pieces and Caroline? from 1990. Both of these films revolve around mystery stories. However, each title presents its own distinct identity, with these two movies bringing something different to the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection.

    8. Unsupportive Parents

    Similar to what I said earlier about grandparents, parents of protagonists should, in my opinion, at least be supportive. Sadly, a protagonist’s parents may be unsupportive for a variety of reasons. In my list of top ten characters who didn’t reach their full potential, I mentioned how Barry Klemper’s father destroyed the momentum Barry had in The Boys Next Door. Long before his father showed up, Barry dreaded the meeting because of how unsupportive his father is. On the day of the meeting, Barry’s father intimidated and belittled his son, even making Barry feel incapable of performing a simple golf maneuver. There are times, however, when a protagonist’s unsupportive parents do not intend to be unsupportive. Heidi and Winston’s mother is a perfect example. In the 1990 movie, Caroline?, Winston and Heidi’s mother is overprotective due to Heidi having a disability. Her good intentions not only lead Heidi to be treated younger than her age, but also prevent Heidi’s academic needs from being met.

    9. Glossing Over Serious Subjects

    The Hallmark Hall of Fame collection has covered its fair share of serious subjects, ranging from the aforementioned adoption/foster care to terminal illnesses. But sometimes, a Hallmark Hall of Fame production will miss a good opportunity to address an important topic by glossing it over. The subject of racism is woven into the text of The Flamingo Rising book, with racism causing the protagonist, Abraham, to have self-image related issues. When the book was adapted into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie in 2001, all mentions of racism were eliminated from the script. This decision was likely made to keep The Flamingo Rising movie “Hallmark appropriate”. At a very random moment in the 1996 film, Calm at Sunset, Russell Pfeiffer admits he has a drug addiction. There was no lead up to this revelation and the revelation itself was never addressed afterward. Calm at Sunset is based on a book I haven’t read. Therefore, I don’t know how the subject of addiction was addressed in the source material compared to the adaptation.

    10. A Dysfunctional Family for the Sake of It

      Six years ago, when I published my list of the top ten worst Hallmark movies of all time, I put the 2004 film, Back When We Were Grownups, at number one. As I mentioned in that list, the story’s family seems dysfunctional just for the sake of it. From what I remember, there was no clear reason for the family to be dysfunctional. This is very different from another Hallmark Hall of Fame production, 1998’s Saint Maybe. In that movie, a death in the family causes a ripple effect which leads to the family becoming dysfunctional. The dysfunctional nature of the family serves as motivation for various characters to make impactful changes in their lives. Comparing these two Hallmark Hall of Fame films, which are both adaptations of Anne Tyler’s books, I think Saint Maybe did a better job at showcasing how a dysfunctional family live their lives and work through their problems.

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      Have fun at the movies!

      Sally Silverscreen