Evenings At The Shore: Various Points of View

On October 2, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Chesapeake Shores has several main characters within the show’s cast. Each of them is unique from one another and adds their own voice to the overall narrative. In my very first Evenings At The Shore post, I mentioned that Chesapeake Shores is a multi-generational show. Because each character varies in age, it allows for various life experiences and points of view to be expressed throughout the show. From Nell’s stories involving Ireland to Carrie and Caitlyn’s excitement about searching for Snipes, this multi-generational family always finds something interesting to talk about, as well as share with their loyal audience. What makes this show great is the relatability that the audience can find within the show’s narrative. For example, even if not everyone can relate to running a Bed & Breakfast, the majority of Chesapeake Shores’ audience can relate to channeling your heart and soul into something you love. Speaking of channels, let’s tune in to this episode’s re-cap of Chesapeake Shores!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 3

Episode: 9

Name: Forward to the Past

Trace’s story: At the beginning of this episode, Trace is still fighting with Mick about their business contract. After Trace’s lawyer tries to take this matter to court, he tells Trace that no other lawyer wanted to touch this contract because of Mick’s involvement. While Trace is dealing with this situation, Mark, the band’s manager, informs Trace about an upcoming European tour that he and his band have been invited to. Mark also shares that, during the tour, the band will also have the chance to record a new album. Leigh and John encourage Trace to join them on tour, but Trace is still undecided. Because of this once in a lifetime opportunity, Trace decides to stop his fight with Mick over their contract. When Trace tells Mick about his reason for discontinuing the fight, Mick suggests that Trace tell Abby about the tour. Later in the episode, Trace does tell Abby about the tour and is still undecided about what to do.

Abby’s story: As Abby learns about Trace and Mick’s disagreement, Trace asks her if she could not get involved in anything relating to the contract. While she respects Trace’s wishes, she does talk to Mick about what is going on. Mick tells her his side of the story as well as how Trace feels about all of it. Later that day, Abby visits Trace at this house. She gives him purple flowers and apologizes to Trace for ever making him think that she wouldn’t respect his wishes. Abby continues to hear both sides of Trace and Mick’s argument when she spends time with both of them. Toward the end of the episode, Abby learns about Trace’s tour opportunity during her conversation with Trace. She also reveals that she organized a family meeting to discuss Bree’s manuscript.

Mick’s story: Mick continues to disagree with Trace about their business contract. While Trace is trying to take the contract to court, Mick continues to oversee the business operations of The Bridge. When Abby asks him about the situation, Mick tells her his side of the story. One day, at The Bridge, Trace confronts Mick and tells him that he will stop fighting with Mick over the contract. When Mick learns about Trace’s reason for stopping their fight, Mick suggests that Trace tell Abby about this news. At the end of the episode, Mick takes part in the O’Brien family meeting to discuss Bree’s manuscript.

Megan’s story: Megan is still bothered by Bree’s lack of knowledge about Megan’s past situation. When shopping at the flower store with Abby, she shares that she came back to Chesapeake Shores in order to help the family heal. Megan tells Nell the exact same thing when she drops the flowers off at the O’Brien house. Nell gives Megan advice about moving from the past and making the best of the present. At the O’Brien family meeting, Megan tells the family that she was dealing with some personal issues that caused her to seek help. Her explanation is one of the things that creates a disagreement amongst each other.

169 — Hand-written letter image created by Veraholera at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Veraholera – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/love-letter-pattern_1292902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Bree’s story: While working at Word Play, Bree gets a surprise visit from Simon and his friend from college, Caroline. Simon reveals that his friend was the inspiration for his ‘Caroline’ book series. When Bree learns that Simon and Caroline never had a romantic relationship, she asks him why he still chose to base his book series on Caroline. Simon tells Bree that when he was in college, he wished that he and Caroline were in a romantic relationship. Later in the episode, Caroline reveals that she will stay in Chesapeake Shores for a little while longer due to business reasons. During this reveal, Caroline expressed interest in learning more about Bree’s literary work. During the O’Brien family meeting, Bree shares her reasons for writing the manuscript as well as her desire to publish it. This is one of the things that causes a disagreement within the family.

Kevin’s story: Before Sarah starts her new job in Philadelphia, Kevin takes the time to meet Sarah’s family. He is introduced to Sarah’s mother and father, as well as her two brothers. During his stay in Philadelphia, Kevin finds himself getting along with Sarah’s family quite well. One day, Sarah takes Kevin to her favorite spot on her family’s property. This spot is a large tree, the same tree where Sarah and her late husband got married. Sarah tells Kevin that the spot feels different, in a good way, because she brought Kevin there. As Kevin is about to leave Philadelphia, Sarah’s father thanks Kevin for bringing Sarah home and making her feel happy. Kevin then shares with her father how much Sarah has impacted his life. Back in Chesapeake Shores, Kevin learns that an EMT position in Chesapeake Shores has just become available, even though he just accepted the EMT job in New York. He also participates in the O’Brien family meeting.

Jess’ story: While Sally is visiting family for a week, Jess and David have volunteered to run Sally’s Café in the meantime. During this week, Jess and David do a successful job with running the restaurant. One evening, while closing the Café for the night, Jess questions the future of her relationship with David. The next day, Jess expresses these concerns to David. He feels that their relationship is in a good place and reassures her that there is nothing to worry about. Jess engages in the O’Brien family meeting at the end of the episode.

Connor’s story: In this episode, Connor continues to work with Danielle’s law firm. Because their new case involves the waterfront, Danielle and Connor spend a lot of time out of the office and working on location. One day, after work, Danielle apologizes to Connor for ending their relationship. She also expresses interest in giving their relationship a second chance. Connor agrees to help Danielle mend their relationship, with both of them kissing afterwards. Connor not only shares this news with Kevin, he also makes his feelings known during the O’Brien family meeting.

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

Some thoughts to consider:

When Mark told Trace about the European tour, I became excited about the possibility of a St. Patrick’s Day themed Chesapeake Shores movie in Ireland, hopefully, becoming a reality! In my Evenings At The Shore post where I re-capped this season’s third episode, I mentioned that I would love to see a St. Patrick’s Day themed Chesapeake Shores movie where the O’Brien family travels to Ireland to celebrate the holiday. If this movie does become a reality and if Trace accepts the tour offer, this would give other characters on the show, besides the members of the O’Brien family, a chance to have an interesting subplot within the context of the film’s overall story.

The commercials for this episode seemed to be somewhat misleading. For a trailer that put an emphasis on the O’Brien family meeting, this aforementioned meeting only took place within the last ten minutes of the episode. Also, nothing got resolved during this family meeting. Plus, the announcer, in this episode’s trailer, said that this would be “the episode that changes everything”. In reality, nothing happened in this episode that was significant enough to justify this quote.

Starry night landscape with reeds — Evening view from the shore image created by 0melapics at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-in-a-swamp-at-night_1042860.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by 0melapics – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What did you think of this episode? Are you excited for the season finale? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Oliver & Company Review + 30 Follower Thank You

On September 23, 2018September 23, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

I received 30 followers on 18 Cinema Lane two weeks ago! It’s time for me to review a film that was released 30 years ago (in 1988)! Because I’ve never reviewed a Disney animated film on my blog before and since the last time I reviewed an animated film was Rugrats Go Wild (for my 15 follower thank you review), I chose Oliver & Company for this milestone post. Oliver & Company is a film that I’ve only seen bits and pieces of, so I was looking forward to seeing this movie in its entirety. While choosing which movie I would talk about for this particular post, I realized that Oliver & Company was released the year before the start of the “Disney Renaissance”: when The Little Mermaid made its film debut. I came across a review of Oliver & Company from the blog, Reviewing All 56 Disney Animated Films And More!. In that review, Rachel, the creator and author of the blog, provided some insight into the importance of Oliver & Company. This insight made me interested to see the type of foundation that this film possibly put in place for the “Disney Renaissance” and beyond. Keep reading my review of Oliver & Company to see how I felt about the movie as a whole!

Oliver and Company poster — *Oliver & Company* poster image created by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and The Walt Disney Company. ©Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Image found at https://movies.disney.com/oliver-and-company

Things I liked about the film:

The characters: There were several likable characters in Oliver & Company! I liked how they each had their own unique personality and it was fun to see the various interactions between the characters. Some of the creative choices that were made in relation to the characters were interesting. For instance, there are times when a character who is a bulldog could be portrayed as a mean-spirited and tough individual. In Oliver & Company, however, Francis (who is a bulldog) is an aspiring actor who has a deep appreciation for the theater. This character stood out to me because I had never seen a bulldog, in television or film, portrayed this way before.

The animation: The animation style in Oliver & Company felt very reflective of the art styles and pop culture that could have been found around the film’s release (mid to late ‘80s). This reflection made the movie feel like an idea of what the ‘80s might have been like, shown to the audience as if they were looking at a snapshot. There were a lot of bright colors in this film that I felt complimented the movie overall. The use of light and dark colors was also well done. An example can be found toward the beginning of the film, when Oliver is left by himself in the middle of a rainstorm. In this scene, Oliver’s bright orange fur stood out against the dark blue background of the city. These choices relating to the use of specific colors added to the artistry of the animation!

The music: I really liked all of the music in Oliver & Company! While “Good Company” is a sweet and gentle song, the rest of the songs are upbeat and fun to listen to! To me, all of the music added to the entertainment value of this film. I can definitely see myself listening to Oliver & Company’s soundtrack long after the credits have rolled!

newyork4 — New York City skyline with letters image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/new-york-skyline-typographic-silhouette_719554.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of character development for the human characters: In Oliver & Company, there are only four human characters within the story. As I was watching this movie, I found myself wanting to know more about these characters. How Jenny felt about her parents, apparently, putting more emphasis on their dog, Georgette, than her was something that I was curious about. I also wanted to know more about how Fagin ended up in his particular situation as well as see him move out of poverty in order to achieve a comfortable life for him and his dogs. I understand this story is primarily about the animal characters. But, when it comes to character development for the human characters, I felt there was more to be desired.

A limited presence of the villain: When it came to the villain in this movie, I thought that Sykes was unsettling. However, compared to other Disney villains (and even some non-Disney villains), he wasn’t as terrifying as he could have been. In fact, I found his Doberman side-kicks, Roscoe and DeSoto, to be scarier than Sykes himself. This is because Sykes has a very limited presence on-screen and doesn’t receive a lot of character development. For these reasons, Oliver & Company doesn’t seem to have a lot of high stakes.

The run-time: There were a few times in Oliver & Company where situations seemed to happen too quickly. An example of this is when Oliver learns, at a fast pace, how to steal hot-dogs alongside Dodger. This issue is a result of the film’s shorter run-time. The other aforementioned things that I didn’t like about this film are also the results of a shorter run-time. Oliver & Company is one hour and fourteen minutes, which, as I look back on the film, made me feel like the movie went by very quickly. If this movie would have been an hour and 30 or 35 minutes, the human characters could have received a little more character development and the villain could have been featured more in the film.

nature & animals — Orange cat image created by Freestockcenter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/ginger-cat_883376.htm’>Designed by Freestockcenter</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/gold”>Gold image created by Freestockcenter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As a Disney animated film, Oliver & Company is fine. As a movie in general, it’s good for what it is. I know that there are other Disney animated films that are stronger than Oliver & Company, but I would never consider Oliver & Company to be the worst or weakest movie from the Disney animated catalog. I like to think of this film as the older sibling to The Little Mermaid. While Oliver & Company was the pioneer for what a Disney animated film could and should be (at that time), The Little Mermaid was able to enjoy the fruits of Oliver & Company’s labor because of those important building blocks that were set in place before the “Disney Renaissance” began. Oliver & Company’s efforts should be celebrated, which is why it’s receiving a “standing ovation” on 18 Cinema Lane! As always, thank you to each and every one of my 30 followers as well as my readers! 18 Cinema Lane and this review would not be the same without you!

Overall score: 7.4-7.5 out of 10

What is your favorite Disney animated film? Which movie from 1988 do you like the most? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

The link to Rachel’s review of Oliver & Company: https://54disneyreviews.com/2014/09/11/movie-27-oliver-and-company/

Evenings At The Shore: Something’s About to Happen

On September 17, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

On Chesapeake Shores so far, the overall story has been more character-driven than plot-driven. In the show’s first two seasons, there seems to have been a balance within the overall story between being character and plot-driven. In this episode, two interesting plots were introduced to the show. These plots feel like they could be on-going and affect more than one character. It’s too bad they were introduced this late in the season, but I understand that suspense needed to be built up before the airing of this episode. I hope these plots can be explored over the course of several episodes as well as produce a good story. If you want to find out what these two plots are, keep reading this re-cap of Chesapeake Shores!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 3

Episode: 7

Name: It’s Just Business

Trace’s story: While on a picnic with Abby and her daughters, Trace gets a phone call about The Bridge. He learns that one of his employees has stolen enough money to put the business in financial trouble. Trace does everything in his power to secure the finances to keep The Bridge afloat, even getting the police involved to find the employee that stole The Bridge’s money. Trace discusses the situation with Mick, revealing that he has to go on tour, yet again, for two months. Mick thinks that it would be better if Trace stayed in Chesapeake Shores to oversee The Bridge’s business operations, but Trace disagrees. One day, Trace asks Connor if he could look over the contract that was created between Mick and Trace. After Connor looks over this contract, he comes to The Bridge and tells Trace that there is a loophole where Trace doesn’t have to be present at the business in order to oversee it. Later in the episode, Trace finds out that Mick hired financial advisors, without Trace’s knowledge, to take care of The Bridge’s financial troubles. Upset by what Mick did, Trace tells Mick that he will deal with everything relating to The Bridge after he comes back from his tour. When Trace is not worrying about The Bridge, he reassures Abby that she is already doing a good job when it comes to being a mother and business woman.

Abby’s story: Throughout this episode, Abby tries her best to be the “perfect” mom. She tries to do everything from organizing scavenger hunts to taking her daughters on fun field trips. Abby’s ambiguous efforts cause her to feel tired and miss an important deadline at work. Almost everyone in Abby’s life notices how Abby’s plans to be the “perfect” mom have affected her. They give her reassurance that she is already doing a good job at being a mother as well as a business woman. While at the beach with her sisters and Alexandra, Bree shows Abby a note that Caitlyn wrote and placed in a copy of The Grapes of Wrath. In this note, Caitlyn lets Abby know that she loves her, making Abby realize that she doesn’t need to be “perfect” in order to be a good mother. Toward the end of the episode, Abby finds out, at work the next day, that Terri, Wes’ girlfriend, will be her new business client.

Mick’s story: Mick is contacted by Trace to help him solve the financial problems of The Bridge. While going over the business options that are available to them, Mick finds out that Trace will be going back on tour, but for two months this time. Mick thinks that Trace should stay in Chesapeake Shores and oversee The Bridge’s business operations, but Trace disagrees. Later in the episode, Mick hires financial advisors, without Trace’s permission, to look over The Bridge’s finances. After Trace tells him that he will deal with The Bridge’s problems after his tour, Mick becomes skeptical of Trace being able to keep his promise. Because of his involvement with The Bridge’s current situation, Mick hasn’t had as much time as usual to deal with other business matters.

Megan’s story: While having lunch at Sally’s Café with the Mayor’s assistant, Kate, Megan finds out that the mayor is planning to merge the arts council into a different department and hire a new head of that department. Kate wants Megan to resign as soon as possible, but Megan has no plans to quit her job. When Megan tells Nell about what Kate told her, Nell suspects that this is the Mayor’s way of trying to get back at Nell after her successful efforts to save the Wishing Fountain. The next day, Megan meets up with Kate, again, at Sally’s Café. This time, Nell tries to convince Kate to get the Mayor to change his mind. After this attempt proves to be unsuccessful, Megan tells Kate, toward the end of the episode, that she will not resign from her job. Megan also expresses her feelings about why the arts council is an important component to the community of Chesapeake Shores. When Megan isn’t busy trying to save her job, she is encouraged by Nell to read Bree’s manuscript.

38860-O1P610 — Paint palette image created by Freepik at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-artsy-tools_836777.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/hand”>Hand vector created by Freepik</a> Image found at freepik.com

Nell’s story: At the beginning of the episode, Nell receives Bree’s manuscript. However, Nell feels that it’s more important for Megan to read Bree’s manuscript. Nell not only encourages Bree to give the manuscript to her mother, she also encourages Megan to read Bree’s manuscript. When she finds out about Megan possibly losing her job, Nell realizes that this situation is highly likely a result of the Mayor trying to get back at her for successfully saving the Wishing Fountain. Nell helps Megan to convince Kate, the Mayor’s assistant, to change the Mayor’s mind about his decision for the arts council, even though their efforts were unsuccessful.

Bree’s story: Bree gives her manuscript to Nell at the beginning of the episode. However, when Nell visits Bree at Word Play one day, Nell suggests that Bree give her manuscript to Megan. After some brief protesting, Bree hesitantly agrees with do so. For most of the episode, Bree continues to work at Word Play and hang out with her sisters. When Jess and Alexandra come to visit Word Play, Alexandra reveals that Simon Atwater is one of her favorite authors. After Alexandra discovers that Bree personally knows Simon, the friendship between Bree and Alexandra becomes stronger. Bree also gives Abby a note that Caitlyn wrote and placed in a copy of The Grapes of Wrath.

Kevin: After saving a man’s life at Sally’s Café, Kevin discovers that Sarah applied for and got accepted at a fire station in Philadelphia. Throughout this episode, Kevin tries to deal with the idea of having a long-distance relationship with Sarah. He realizes if he were to move to Philadelphia with her, he couldn’t become a paramedic. Kevin talks to Connor, Trace, and David about the situation as well as almost everyone reminding Kevin about the life he saved toward the beginning of the episode.

Jess’ story: While she and David try to figure out how to generate more business for the Inn, Jess is surprised when Alexandra, David’s sister, arrives. At first, Jess is suspicious of Alexandra’s reasons for coming to Chesapeake Shores, but then she learns that Alexandra is overwhelmed at work and needs David’s help. For most of this episode, Jess hung out with her sisters. When Alexandra wishes that she grew up with a sister in her life, Jess gains more respect for her.

Connor’s story: Throughout this episode, Connor is working on a legal case. This time, Danielle happens to be working on the opposing side. While he and Danielle are talking during one of their breaks, Connor catches something that Danielle said that he can use in his argument for the case. Later in the episode, Connor uses what Danielle said against her, thus causing him to win the case. Connor also agrees to look at Mick and Trace’s contract, where he finds a loophole that could work in Trace’s favor.

music sign — 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.

Some thoughts to consider:

Now that Terri is Abby’s business client, I wonder if Abby and the audience will discover that Terri is not as perfect as she seems? One of the themes that Hallmark has incorporated into their productions is the idea of being ok with not being perfect. I could totally see this theme within the stories of Chesapeake Shores, as this could add more depth to Terri’s character.

Since the story surrounding The Bridge’s financial troubles seems like it will be on-going, I wonder if the employee who stole the money will be found? I’m curious to find out who this character is and their reasons to stealing the money.

What did you think of this episode? Do you think the financial troubles of The Bridge and the fate of Megan’s job could be on-going stories? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Wedding of Dreams Review

On September 14, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

On 18 Cinema Lane, Weddings of Dreams is a movie that I have talked a lot about. I first talked about the sequel to Summer of Dreams back in March, when I reported on the film’s production start date in a Word on the Street post. A month later, in another Word on the Street post, I talked about Weddings of Dreams again. This time, I reported on the film’s production dates being pushed back to May. Because of these production date changes, I said that Weddings of Dreams would likely not premiere in Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up, but could premiere in the “Summer Nights” line-up like Summer of Dreams did. While I correctly predicted the absence of Weddings of Dreams from the “June Weddings” line-up, I was wrong about the film’s inclusion into the “Summer Nights” line-up. With the movie finally being released and belonging to no seasonal movie line-ups, I watched Wedding of Dreams yesterday and will now give you my honest opinion about the film.

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

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the entire cast of Wedding of Dreams was great! Just like in Summer of Dreams, I was impressed with Debbie’s acting performance! Debbie brought so much believability to her role, as her portrayal of her character came across so naturally on-screen. Debbie’s musical performances were also a treat to see and hear in this film! Another performance that I was impressed with was Robert Gant’s. Similar to Debbie’s performance, Robert brought a lot of believability, as well as versatility, to his role.

The on-screen chemistry: In Wedding of Dreams, Debbie and Robert’s on-screen chemistry was great! Their on-screen relationship appeared as if they not only were each other’s best friends, but also like they truly cared about one another. Debbie and Robert’s comedic timing was also fantastic and their interactions were a joy to watch on the screen.

The wedding proposal: Noah’s marriage proposal to Debbie at her music studio was one of the best proposals in Hallmark movie history! By having Noah incorporate Debbie’s love of music into the proposal, it made the occasion feel personalized and the proposal itself feel creative. What Noah said during this proposal made the situation feel heart-felt. This entire scene was one of the best scenes from any of this year’s Hallmark movies (so far)!

The messages and themes: Hallmark is known for incorporating messages and themes into their films that are uplifting and inspirational. Wedding of Dreams is no exception, with Debbie providing messages of being true to one’s self and finding your passion in life to other characters as well as herself. These messages and themes are relatable and can make the audience feel good about watching this film as they see the characters applying these same messages and themes into their own lives with positive results.

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

What I didn’t like about the film:

Reduced focus on Debbie’s music class: What was so charming about Summer of Dreams was the story about Debbie and the students in her music class. In this story, we, the audience, not only got to see Debbie’s interactions with these students, we also got to know some of the students and see how music came to influence their lives. In Wedding of Dreams, there was not as much story-time given to Debbie’s music class like in the first movie. We don’t get to see Debbie interact much with her class and we aren’t given the chance to get to know some of the students, but only become familiar with them. While it’s understandable that this film had two interconnecting plots and that the incorporation of the aforementioned subplot would have made the movie feel like there was too much going on, it feels like some of the identity from the first movie was absent.

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

My overall impression:

If you would have told me, two years ago, that Hallmark would give Summer of Dreams a sequel, I would have debated with you on why For Love and Honor was the most deserving movie out of those six films of receiving the achievement. However, I thought Wedding of Dreams was even better than the first movie! While thinking about both Summer of Dreams and Wedding of Dreams, I realized that Hallmark has created a special series out of these two films! Though Hallmark has, so far, not made any announcements about any future films in this series, I would love to see a third movie called “Christmas of Dreams”. Just the thought of Debbie Gibson singing Christmas songs in a Hallmark movie makes me really happy! Seeing a Youngstown Christmas appear in a “Countdown to Christmas” line-up would truly be something special.

Overall score: 8.4-8.5 out of 10

What are your thoughts on Summer of Dreams and/or Wedding of Dreams? Would you like to see “Christmas of Dreams” become a reality? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen