Take 3: Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder Review

On June 6, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

If you’ve read my reviews for Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery and Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, you would know that I enjoy the mystery movies that Hallmark Movies & Mysteries offer. Each film feels like a thrilling adventure where the protagonist is always willing to bring viewers along for the ride! While there are mystery series that I really like, such as Darrow & Darrow, I feel that the Hailey Dean series is the network’s weakest. I liked Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate, but I wasn’t a fan of Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder with Love and Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating is Murder. When Hallmark announced that June would be Hailey Dean Mystery Month, I, honestly, thought that the Aurora Teagarden series should have gotten its own month instead. However, I recently watched Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder and gave the idea of Hailey Dean Mystery Month a fair chance. What did I think of the first of three Hailey Dean movies? Keep reading to solve this mystery!

Hailey Dean Mystery 4 poster — *Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder* poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Hailey+Dean+Mysteries+2+Plus+2+%3d+Murder

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of this Hailey Dean movie was good. In the scene where the guilty suspect is revealed, Kellie Martin and Keith MacKechnie gave one of the most powerful performances they ever have in any Hallmark movie they’ve starred in! There were other actors in this movie that had stand-out performances as well. One of them is Viv Leacock, whose comedic timing was perfect. His portrayal of Fincher Garland is great and I hope that Viv is cast in more Hallmark movies!

The mystery: In almost all of the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the body of the murder victim is shown within about the first twenty minutes of the film. In Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder, the victim was first deemed missing, their deceased body found later in the film. Characters who end up going missing in these mystery movies disappear later in that specific film’s story, so I think this was an interesting and creative way to start the mystery/movie. As for the mystery itself, I feel that it was well-written.

The dialogue: Not only was the dialogue in this movie well-written, it was also well-executed by the cast! What the characters said felt like natural conversation, with some of the actor’s lines sounding creative and clever. The best line in this movie was when Fincher tells Kellie, “I want to live to see tomorrow’s burrito”.

Burrito wrap sandwich — Burrito photo created by Jcstudio at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/burrito-with-rice_1055227.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food image created by Jcstudio – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about this film:

The pace: In most of the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the film’s pace has been a bit faster than the movies on Hallmark Channel. This is caused by the suspense of the mystery as well as a balance of the film’s subplots. The newest Hailey Dean movie, however, has a pace that is slower than what I had hoped. Because of this, moments that should have been suspenseful and shocking felt like the energy was zapped out of them.

Sabrina’s story: I was surprised that Sabrina didn’t have any connection to the mystery in this movie, especially since she played a significant role in the previous film. She was given a subplot that I was not a fan of. It wasn’t that her story was bad, it just didn’t add anything to the overall movie.

168714-OVJRD7-558 — Chalkboard image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/mathematical-operation-written-on-blackboard_1357576.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundimage created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder was not as good as Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate, but it was better than Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder with Love and Hailey Dean Mystery: Dating is Murder. It was a decent start to Hailey Dean Mystery Month, but I hope the other two movies are stronger than this one. As a movie blogger and Hallmark fan, I want the Hailey Dean series to be a great series. I have seen mystery series on Hallmark’s second network that had less-than-stellar starts, but became stronger as the series went on (an example: the Flower Shop Mystery series). There have also been mystery series that had great starts, but fell apart at the end (another example: the Murder She Baked series). While I don’t know what the future will hold for the Hailey Dean series, all I know is I will continue to watch the rest of the movies in Hailey Dean Mystery Month and maybe I’ll review them for 18 Cinema Lane.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen any of the Hailey Dean movies? What is your favorite movie series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries? Please tell me what you think in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: More Kim Possible Cast Members Announced; Hallmark’s third Darrow & Darrow movie will soon go into production; Synopsis for upcoming Aurora Teagarden movie revealed!

On May 25, 2018June 1, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

There was some very exciting movie news that was announced today! From casting announcements to a synopsis revealing, these were movie news stories that I had to share on 18 Cinema Lane! I usually don’t talk about movie news topics right away, but I since I just posted a movie review, I figured that I could make an exception. The three stories in this post are about two movies from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and about the live-action Kim Possible movie. What are we waiting for? Let’s start talking!

299832-P7FMT8-686 — Popcorn and movie ticket image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/cinema-tickets-in-bucket-with-popcorn_2303439.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/layout”>Layout image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Today on TVLine’s website, more character castings for the upcoming live action Kim Possible movie have been revealed! According to the article, the following cast members are:

How I Met Your Mother’s Alyson Hannigan — Kim’s mother a.k.a. Dr. Possible
The Big C’s Connie Ray — Kim’s grandma a.k.a. Nana
12 Monkeys and The Original’s Todd Stashwick — Dr. Drakken
Taylor Ortega – Shego
Make It Pop’s Erika Tham – Bonnie
Bizaardvark’s Ciara Wilson – Athena

I have to admit that this cast sounds really promising! Though I haven’t seen any of these actor’s performances, the photo that was shared in TVLine’s article appears that the cast will look close enough to the characters from the original tv show that it will, hopefully, satisfy a good portion of the fans/audience. Also within this article, it was revealed that this Kim Possible movie will be released sometime in 2019!

Link to the article about the Kim Possible casting on TVLine: http://tvline.com/2018/05/25/kim-possible-movie-cast-first-photo-alyson-hannigan/

Kim Possible A Sitch in Time poster — *Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time* poster created by The Walt Disney Company and Disney Channel © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Disney XD© Disney Enterprises, Inc. Image found at http://movies.disney.com/kim-possible-a-sitch-in-time

On What’s Filming’s website, it was revealed that a third Darrow & Darrow movie will be in production in the Vancouver and British Columbia area from June 11^th to June 29^th! While no cast members are officially attached to the project, I am excited that the Darrow & Darrow series will continue! If you’ve read my review for Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder, you would know that I am a fan of this series! Having this movie come after the second movie, which was good, I’m hopeful that Darrow & Darrow can continue in a positive direction.

Link to the “Upcoming” page on What’s Filming’s website: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after June 11th, “Darrow & Darrow 3” will move to the “In Produciton” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area)

94406-OK8HUL-165 — Cute movie icons created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/camera”>Camera vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/set-of-cute-cartoon-movie-objects_1036379.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com

On Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website, the synopsis for Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game has been released! The next Aurora Teagarden movie will be about the following:

“Crime-solving librarian Aurora Teagarden (Candace Cameron Bure) leaps headfirst into Lawrenceton’s latest murder investigation when her nephew Phillip (Dylan Sloane) and his college roommate go missing after the roommate’s girlfriend is found dead. Enlisting the help of her Real Murders pals, and the handsome college professor Nick Miller (Niall Matter) who just moved in across the street from her, Roe uncovers a kidnapping plot gone awry”.

Based on this synopsis, it looks like the creative team behind this series might have a character to replace Martin so Aurora can have a new love interest. Because the movie hasn’t been released yet, we don’t know if this is the significance of Niall Matter’s character. Speaking of release dates, the newest Aurora Teagarden movie will premiere on July 29^th!

Link to the synopsis on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ website: http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/aurora-teagarden-mysteries-the-disappearing-game/about-aurora-teagarden-mysteries-the-disappearing-game

269703-P5H9WI-853 — Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What do you think about these movie news stories? Which of these three movies are you looking forward to? Come on over to the comment section below and tell me what you think!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

cool business-woman with puzzle cube — Woman solving wooden puzzle photo created by Asier_relampagoestudio at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-with-suit-resolving-a-wooden-intelligence-game_1023902.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business image created by Asier_relampagoestudio – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

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

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

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

On May 13, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

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

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

Things I liked about the film:

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

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

The on-screen chemistry: Just like in the first Darrow & Darrow film, the on-screen chemistry between Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh was fantastic! Both Kimberly and Tom pulled off a great performance individually and as a pair. Their line delivery was spot-on and their portrayals of Claire and Miles truly appeared like their characters got along. I’m really looking forward to seeing where Claire and Miles’ relationship goes from here!

What I didn’t like about the film:

Some of the side stories: While the story of Joanna working on the pro bono case was well-written, I was not impressed with Lou’s story. It felt like a repeat from the first movie, where an exceptionally gifted young person (Lou in this case) is having difficulty relating to their peers. I also didn’t like the story amongst the other lawyers at the Darrow & Darrow law firm. To me, this and Lou’s story just didn’t have a big impact on the film’s overall story.

Little girl in baseball outfit — Baseball girl image created by Brgfx at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/little-girl-in-baseball-outfit_2204168.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Brgfx – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

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

Overall score: 8-8.5 out of 10

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

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery Review

On April 27, 2018July 30, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

As anyone who’s been paying attention to Hallmark knows, they take the ‘Mystery’ in Hallmark Movies & Mysteries very seriously. That’s why Hallmark creates a variety of mystery series, each with their own unique characters and stories. From the popular Signed, Sealed, Delivered to the powerhouse Garage Sale Mystery, the various series offered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries shows how Hallmark strives to provide the best opportunities possible for story-telling. This is no different for the Aurora Teagarden series. Since its debut in 2015, the Aurora Teagarden series is one of the strongest on the network. With the ratings to prove it, this series has quickly become a jewel in Hallmark’s gold crown (yes, that joke was intentional). So, how does the newest installment in the series stack up to the rest? Let’s solve that mystery in my review of Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery!

Aurora Teagarden poster — *Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery* poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=986&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Reap%20What%20You%20Sew%20An%20Aurora%20Teagarden%20Mystery&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The acting abilities from this cast were good. However, the three actors that were the stand-outs in this film were Britt Irvin, Jesse Moss, and Julia Benson! Each of these actors pulled off a performance that was well-rounded and versatile. Britt, Jesse, and Julia impressed me for different reasons, with each of them shining on their own merits. I’m hoping that each of these actors can lead their own Hallmark movies in the near future!

The mystery: Like the other movies in the Aurora Teagarden series, the mystery in this movie was engaging. Because the reveal happened toward the end of the film, there was a sense of interactivity for the audience to solve the mystery alongside Aurora. Also, there were enough suspects and clues within the movie to keep viewers guessing.

The suspense: In Reap What You Sew, the suspense was on-par with the rest of the Aurora Teagarden movies. This is especially true about the third act of the film. Not only was there a good build-up to the suspense, but it was incorporated well in the climax. The reveal of the guilty party was definitely a highlight in this movie.

Sewing color background — Sewing pattern image created by Nenilkime at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Nenilkime – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/sewing-color-background_1380853.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A slower pace: The pace of this Aurora Teagarden movie was slower than it has been in the other movies. However, this didn’t make me like the movie any less.

Too much exposition: The first quarter of this film is loaded with exposition from several of the characters. While it was necessary for this exposition to be featured in the movie, because there are usually several-month gaps between the Aurora Teagarden films, I feel that these expositions should have been spaced out through the first half of the film.

My overall impression:

As good as Reap What You Sew: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery was, it didn’t stand out from the other movies in the series. I will admit that having the characters of Lynn, Martin, and John absent from this movie made it feel like something was missing. However, like I said about the movie’s pace, it didn’t affect the quality or my enjoyment of the film. With the strength and likability of this series, there are still plenty of stories left to tell. This means that Aurora and her friends are not wrapping up the case anytime soon. In my heart, I still believe this series is one of the best on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. When another does get announced from the network, I will get excited about its arrival and, who knows, maybe I’ll review it for 18 Cinema Lane.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

What are your thoughts on the film? Do you like the Aurora Teagarden series? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Hallmark movie production news!

On April 6, 2018April 6, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

One of my favorite sites for movie updates is What’s Filming. Recently, there have been several Hallmark movies that are listed on the website. I noticed that most of these films are wedding themed movies, meaning that Hallmark’s “June Weddings” line-up is coming soon! All of the movies that I’ll be talking about are filming in the Vancouver and British Columbia area. Here is the list:

Marrying Mr. Darcy – Currently in production until April 19^th
The Perfect Bride 2 – Starts production on April 9^th and ends on April 27^th
The Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New — Starts production on April 16^th and ends on May 4^th
Garage Sale Mystery: A Picture of Murder — Starts production on April 9^th and ends on April 26^th

34995-NZRTLF — Wedding schedule image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Freepik</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/welcome-to-the-wedding_831989.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found on freepik.com.

I have a lot of thoughts about this news. For one thing, I’m not a fan of having all of the “June Weddings” movies be sequels. To me, it just feels like Hallmark is putting creativity on hold for the sake of trying to create another movie series. However, I do plan on watching these movies with an open mind. Out of the three “June Weddings” movies listed on What’s Filming, I’m looking forward to The Perfect Bride 2 and The Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New the most!

I will admit that I was not demanding a sequel to Unleashing Mr. Darcy because, at best, I thought the movie was just decent. My hope for Marrying Mr. Darcy is that it is a better movie than the first one was. On What’s Filming, some of the original cast members from the first movie are attached to the sequel. I really liked seeing this because it shows that Hallmark cares about keeping continuity with the previous film. An article on the website mentioned that Marrying Mr. Darcy will air on Hallmark on June 2^nd, but Hallmark has not made any official announcements yet.

Seeing a new Garage Sale Mystery listed made me happy because I really enjoy watching this series! Out of all of the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie series, Garage Sale Mystery is one of the strongest on the network. I did enjoy Garage Sale Mystery month last year, so I’m definitely looking forward to it this August!

What do you think about this news? Looking forward to any of these movies? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Link to the article about Marrying Mr. Darcy on What’s Filming: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/2018/04/03/marrying-mr-darcy-filming-vancouver/?referer=plist-655

Link to the What’s Filming “Upcoming” page: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/upcoming/ (if you visit this page after April 9th and 16th, The Perfect Bride 2, The Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New, and Garage Sale Mystery: A Picture of Murder will be moved to the “In Production” page for the Vancouver and British Columbia area)

Link to the What’s Filming “In Production” page: http://www.whatsfilming.ca/inproduction/ (if you visit this page after April 19th, Marrying Mr. Darcy will be taken off of this page)