Hi everyone! Similar to restaurants, movie theaters, and other food establishments, it’s closing time for The Food & Film Blogathon. This event was a success, as the turn-out this year was larger ! To everyone who participated in The Food & Film Blogathon, thank you for your contribution. Whether it was a movie review or an editorial, the union between film and food was showcased in many different ways. I will host a new blogathon in 2026! But the event’s details won’t be revealed until sometime next February. Until then, you can check out my upcoming reviews, editorials, and lists!
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.
Whenever I participate or host a blogathon, I try to approach the selected topic from a unique perspective. For The Food & Film Blogathon, I wanted to observe the relationship between film and food through cinematic promotion. More often than not, food has been an advertiser when encouraging people to check out a particular title. Sometimes, creativity and ingenuity have shined through these promotions, leaving a memorable impression and even helping a film succeed at the box office. But as I was researching this promotional connection of food and film, I noticed how some food-related movie “gimmicks” could be improved. These “gimmicks” are not entirely weak or unsuccessful. In fact, some of them have held a special place in the hearts of customers. However, as I’ll explain in this editorial, these food-related movie “gimmicks” could be more productive and sustainable. Before I continue, I want to point out how my editorial is intended to be constructive, not mean-spirited or negative.
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original pictures found in the video, “Fast Food Movie Tie-Ins and the History of the Summer Blockbuster!”, from the Youtube channel, PNP Videocast.
Popcorn Buckets and Reuseable Cups
When patrons enter the halls of their local movie theater, they are constantly bombarded with promotions for not just currently playing films, but upcoming films as well. From trailers on the big screen to posters and standees in the lobby, the cinema becomes an arena as studios battle for the attention of potential audience members. Two other forms of in-theater marketing are popcorn buckets and reuseable cups. Creativity and clever presentations build upon the basic design of a cup or bucket in an attempt to capture the spirit of the movie it’s promoting. But after movie-goers leave the theater, there are few opportunities to reuse the popcorn bucket. This increases the chances of popcorn buckets either clogging up landfills, collecting dust at thrift stores, or even getting buried in the desert like the Atari game, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It also doesn’t help how popcorn buckets can, sometimes, be expensive. One infamous example is The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Galactus popcorn bucket, which received a retail price of $80. Meanwhile, reuseable cups have a slightly longer shelf life than popcorn buckets. Though they can be expensive as well. I’ve seen a 24 oz. cup promoting the movie, Smurfs, listed for $29.99.
How to Fix It
Picture it: AMC theaters, a handful of days throughout the year (yes, that reference of The Golden Girls was intentional). If movie-goers bring their popcorn buckets and/or reuseable cups to their local theater’s concession stand, they can save a certain percentage off their concession purchases. This percentage could be low enough for theaters to not lose money, but enough for movie-goers to save some money. If these sale days were enforced, it would be a win-win for both movie-goers and theaters. Patrons are given a reason to consider purchasing a popcorn bucket and/or reuseable cup, seeing it as more of an investment and less as a collector’s item or “gimmick”. They also are encouraged to seek out the concession stand, as they would have a legitimate reason to save money during their movie-going experience. Because of concession stand sale days, theaters can sell more popcorn buckets and reuseable cups in the long run, which would increase their revenue. The aforementioned sale days would welcome repeat customers as well, adding even more revenue to the theater’s financial intake.
On the left is the infamous Galactus popcorn bucket, which was sold for $80. On the right is the Smurfs cup I referenced in this editorial, which received a retail price of $29.99.
Specialty Food Items
For the sake of this editorial, specialty food items directly connect to the movie they’re promoting. This can range from products bearing a character’s likeness to meals sharing a name that is significant to the film. An example that has received praise on the internet is The Batman Calzony from Little Caesars. In 2022, the pizza chain created a pizza shaped like Batman’s logo. The culinary creation was introduced leading up to the release of the movie, The Batman. Though this promotion existed for a short period of time, it left a positive impression. The video, ‘A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods’ from the Youtube channel, Seeker of The Lost, features comments in its comment section from viewers who either remember and/or love The Batman Calzony. One commenter even demanded the pizza be brought back.
How to Fix It
Like the aforementioned commenter from Seeker of The Lost’s video, I, too, think The Batman Calzony should be brought back. However, the context of the comeback can be either of three ways. Batman has had an established place in the pop cultural landscape for over fifty years. Whether it’s the comics or the films, there is sure to be a milestone anniversary Little Caesars could capitalize on, giving them a legitimate reason to bring back The Batman Calzony. I’ve heard a sequel to The Batman is in the works. That movie’s premiere could see The Batman Calzony’s return. If Little Caesars wanted to create a Halloween tradition, they could consider bringing back the pizza for Halloween. Not only are bats a popular Halloween motif, Batman has received his own Halloween costume over the years. Bringing back The Batman Calzony would give new customers a second chance to try the pizza. It would also make those who love the pizza repeat customers. Meanwhile, Little Caesars has an opportunity to create additional revenue, especially if The Batman Calzony was brought back annually or even biannually. Associating the pizza as part of a tradition would help Little Caesars build positive promotion and recognition of their brand.
Because of The Batman Calzony‘s unique shape (as well as its name), it is directly connected to the film it’s promoting, The Batman.
Limited-Edition Food Items
Limited-edition food items differ from specialty food items, as they don’t directly correlate with the movie they’re advertising. This allows the limited-edition food items to be sold in various contexts. 1998 saw the release of Disney Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. As part of the film’s promotion, McDonald’s found a reason to sell Apple Cinnamon McNuggets dipping sauce. But when the dipping sauce is removed from A Bug’s Life’s advertising equation, it can be sold in other promotions. A decade prior, in 1987, the Apple Cinnamon dipping sauce was incorporated into McDonald’s Holiday McNuggets seasonal campaign. Since these two promotions, though, McDonald’s has not brought this dipping sauce back.
How to Fix It
Based on my research for this editorial, McDonald’s hasn’t created any food items related to the Fall/Autumn season. While the Baked Apple Pie is a popular product on McDonald’s menu, it isn’t used to capitalize on Fall/Autumn. With apples and cinnamon typically associated with this time of year, McDonald’s could bring their Apple Cinnamon McNuggets dipping sauce back through a seasonal promotion. They could also create other Fall/Autumn themed food items to compliment the Apple Cinnamon dipping sauce’s return, such as an Apple Cinnamon milkshake. Creating a seasonal campaign around the re-release of their Apple Cinnamon dipping sauce would give McDonald’s good marketing and financial opportunities to take advantage of the Fall/Autumn season. It would also be a win for their customers, as those who love the dipping sauce receive a chance to revisit it and new customers are introduced to the dipping sauce.
Based on my research, a commerical from the Youtube channel, Media Closet, is one of the few references I could find of the Apple Cinnamon McNuggets dipping sauce’s inclusion in A Bug’s Life‘s McDonald’s promotion. Original picture found in the video, “1990s – McDonald’s A Bug’s Life Promo – Holiday Commercial”, from the Youtube channel, Media Closet.
Missing the Finer Details
Advertising plays a big role in the business of making movies. But movie marketing campaigns are not created equally. Some of them miss the finer details of the film they’re promoting. A perfect example is when Subway debuted their Fiery Footlong Collection to capitalize on the premiere of 2013’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Through this collection, Subway introduced two new sandwiches; Sriracha Chicken Melt and Sriracha Steak Melt. The other two sandwiches, Buffalo Chicken and Turkey Jalapeno Melt, had been sold prior to the collection. Though Subway’s intention was to focus on the film’s theme of fire, the overall promotion came across as out of touch. This is because The Hunger Games: Catching Fire addresses topics like “inequality” and “food shortages”.
How to Fix It
The example I presented of Subway’s marketing misfire (cue the comedic drum sound) is not the first (or last) time a film’s marketing campaign missed finer, important details of the film itself. But blunders like this can be prevented. Working as a communicative bridge between a movie’s creative team and a marketing firm should be an official liaison. First, the liaison would talk with a movie’s creative team about the important elements of their project they’d want to see reflected in its promotional campaign, like certain themes within the script. Then, the liaison would take these notes to a marketing firm and work with them to weave the creative team’s important elements into the promotional campaign. If a liaison connected a movie’s creative team and a marketing firm, everyone involved in a film’s marketing campaign would be on the same page. More cinematic promotions would possess a deeper understanding for the promoted movies.
As I said in this editorial, Subway focused on the theme of fire for their promotion of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Hence the reason why all of the sub sandwiches have spicier flavors. Original picture found in the video, “A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods”, from the Youtube channel, Seeker of The Lost.
“Gimmicks” Becoming “Lost Media”
I once heard someone claim that food was a “temporary art form” and “old franchise food” was, over time, “lost to the ages”. Reflecting on what that person said, as well as the subject of this editorial, it seems like food associated with film promotion is its own form of “lost media”. Movie “gimmicks”, specifically those that are food-related, exist for an extremely short period of time. Once a movie has left theaters, that respective “gimmick” is gone. When it comes to food-related movie “gimmicks” in particular, only pictures, videos, and even memories are left. Some may even fade into obscurity. While there are a few that have been brought back on the meal, like Taco Bell’s Volcano Burrito (which later turned into the Volcano Double Beef Burrito), this has been the exception to the rule.
How to Fix It
In the comments section of Seeker of The Lost’s video, ‘A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods’, one person said it’d be sweet to have the recipes to the video’s featured foods collected in a cookbook. I have to agree with that commenter, especially since it would be a good way to restore and preserve these food-related movie “gimmicks”! Throughout the cookbook, meals associated with film promotion would have recipes chronicled in order of their respective movie’s release year. The cookbook can also feature interviews, perspectives, and tidbits of information from either those on a film’s creative team, a marketing firm that worked on a movie’s promotional campaign, or from a restaurant/food company or movie theater. Fans of any of the selected “gimmicks” would gain an opportunity to bring the food items back to life. Those who didn’t get to try a “gimmick” the first time around would receive a second chance to try these foods. The cookbook would also be a unique addition to any movie or food enthusiasts’ collection.
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original pictures found in the video, “A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods”, from the Youtube channel, Seeker of The Lost.
If you want a movie to succeed, you have to promote it to your potential audience. While there are many ways to do this, food is one of the most tried-and-true of these advertising tactics. Because each movie is unique, food-related movie “gimmicks” are unique as well. As I mentioned in my editorial’s introduction, creativity and ingenuity have shined through these promotions. Food-related cinematic marketing is not perfect though. Mishaps have taken place, better decisions could have been made, and finer details were missed. With the ideas and suggestions featured in this editorial, food-related movie “gimmicks” can, hopefully, become more sustainable and productive. Reflecting on everything I’ve said, I’m curious to see how food-related film promotion evolves over time. It would also be interesting to see how marketing trends have impacted food-related movie “gimmicks” through the years.
Videos — “A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods” from Seeker of The Lost and “1990s – McDonald’s A Bug’s Life Promo – Holiday Commercial” from Media Closet
Are you looking for a fun blogathon that combines the subjects of food and film? Join my upcoming blogathon, The Food & Film Blogathon! Taking place from October 2nd to October 5th, there’s still time to join the event! With the connection between food and film providing a broad theme, plenty of topics are available to choose. If you’re interested in participating in The Food & Film Blogathon, click on the link below to learn more about the blogathon.
For this year’s blogathon, I had several potential topics within my reach. But as I sifted through those topics, my mind kept going back to one particular thought. There hasn’t been a time when film and food were not associated with one another. Think about it; have you ever been to a movie theater without a concession stand? Does your favorite movie feature a scene where characters share a meal together? Is the grey stuff from Beauty and the Beast truly edible? Food and film have been joined in a matrimony for many years, with this marriage taking on various forms. To celebrate this union, I am hosting the Food & Film Blogathon! While food themed movies typically come to mind, there is so much more to this theme. Here are some other ideas for those interested in participating in my event:
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original pictures found on IMDB.
Food-related movie promotions
The relationship between movies and the concession stand
Favorite meals from movies
Dinner & a Movie (either the show or the concept)
Recipes of meals from movies or associated with movies
Movie related food products (lunchboxes, reuseable cups, etc.)
Movie scenes involving food
Dine-In Theatres
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original pictures found in the video, “A Look at Bizarre Movie Tie-In Restaurant Foods”, from the Youtube channel, Seeker of The Lost.
If you’re joining The Food & Film Blogathon and found an idea you’re interested in writing about, please read the event’s official rules.
Please be respectful to the other participants and your chosen topic
Only new entries will be accepted
Participants can publish a maximum of three entries
Because of how broad this blogathon’s subject is, no duplicates are allowed
Creativity and fun are encouraged
Entries must be submitted between October 2nd-5th
If you plan on publishing your entry before or after the blogathon, please let me know as soon as possible
Share your entry idea in the comment section below!
Feature one of the four blogathon banners anywhere in your entry
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original pictures found in the video, “Fast Food Movie Tie-Ins and the History of the Summer Blockbuster!”, from the Youtube channel, PNP Videocast.
Participants of The Food & Film Blogathon
— Sally from 18 Cinema Lane — (Editorial) Fixing Food Related Movie “Gimmicks”
— Rebecca from Taking Up Room — (Movie Review) Burnt (2015)
— Le from Crítica Retrô — (Movie Review) Tampopo (1985)
— Ruth from Silver Screenings — (Movie Review) If You Could Only Cook (1935)
— Hamlette from Hamlette’s Soliloquy — (Movie Review) Chocolat (2000)
— Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In — (Movie Reviews) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978) and Attack of the Killer Donuts (2016)
— Virginie from The Wonderful World of Cinema— (Editorial) The Use of Food in Hitchcock Films
— Chloe the MovieCritic from Movies Meet Their Match — (Movie Review) Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Food & Film Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original picture found on IMDB.
Before I start this When Calls the Heart re-cap, I want to remind everyone that Thursday, March 5th, is the last day to cast vote in the fourth poll of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The fifth poll will be posted on the 6th! Here is the link to the poll:
Life isn’t easy: plans can go awry and situations happen. Because of the complications that may appear, life can seem too overwhelming and out of our control. There are times, however, when some of these complications can be broken down into simpler concepts. That way, they have the potential to become easier to solve and manage. On When Calls the Heart, life isn’t about things always working in the characters’ favor or being care-free all the time. Moments of joy and peace can be found on this show. But it doesn’t shy away from dealing with problems the characters may face. Instead, the creative team tries to break these problems down in order for the characters to deal with them in a short amount of time. This episode of When Calls the Heart is a perfect example of this, with the citizens of Hope Valley trying to find solutions that benefit everyone involved. Maybe that’s why the town is called “Hope Valley”, as the idea of “hope” can help someone tackle whatever issue they’re facing.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
As another school day ends, Ally asks some of her classmates if they’d like to attend a sleepover at her house. With the weekend just around the corner, Ally thinks this will be a great way to make friends. After school, Ally asks Nathan if she could host a sleepover at their house over the weekend, in which Nathan tells her yes. Later that day, Ally is at the Mercantile, searching for the perfect treat to serve to her guests. When Ally shares her concerns with Elizabeth, who also happens to be at the Mercantile, Elizabeth suggests that making cupcakes would make a good activity at the sleepover. After Ally and Elizabeth makes their purchases, they cross paths with a man named Archie Grant. While interacting with them, he introduces himself as Ally’s grandfather. Nathan quickly appears and pulls Archie away from the conversation, telling Ally to go home. At the Mountie office, Archie shares that he was recently released from prison and contacted Mountie headquarters in order to learn about Nathan and Ally’s whereabouts. Archie shares with Nathan that while he was in prison, he learned about his daughter’s death and about his wife ending their relationship so she could start a new life. Even though Archie tells him he has changed his ways, Nathan tells him to leave Hope Valley. Meanwhile, Ally struggles with expressing her feelings about wanting to meet her grandfather. When she tells Elizabeth how she feels, Elizabeth says that Ally should write down her thoughts in a journal. The next day, Ally reveals to Elizabeth that she ended up writing a list of the reasons why she should meet her grandfather. After Elizabeth helps her edit the list, Ally then reads it to Nathan at the Mountie office. Nathan says that he doesn’t want to see her get disappointed by Archie and his troubling choices. Ally, however, tells Nathan that he has nothing to worry about because he’ll be there to protect her. Even though he has been avoiding Archie for the majority of the episode and having reservations against him for destroying his family, Nathan asks Archie if he’d join him and Ally at the town’s barbecue. Archie agrees to attend the event with them. At the barbecue, Archie and Ally have a discussion about Ally’s mother. But just as everything seems fine, Nathan arrests Archie under the suspicion of theft. Prior to the arrest, Nathan received a phone call from a neighboring town. In this call, it was said that Archie had stolen a diamond necklace.
After eating a meal at the saloon, Ned is experiencing stomach pain. He tells Florence that he thinks the pain is the result of something he ate. When Florence shares with Molly what Ned told her, a rumor quickly spreads that the food at the saloon caused Ned to be sick. This rumor hurts Lucas’ business, as he is unable to make money from food purchases. Later in the episode, another rumor spreads that the food at the café caused Ned to become sick. Like the saloon, the café suffers financially because of this word of mouth. The aforementioned stomach problems continue to bother Ned. This causes him to pay Faith a visit at the Infirmary. Based on Ned’s symptoms, Faith thinks that Ned could be suffering from a gastric ulcer. Since Carson is out of town that day, she suggests that Ned drink cabbage juice for the time being. When Carson does return to Hope Valley, he looks into Ned’s medical situation. Just as Faith had speculated, Ned is indeed suffering from a gastric ulcer. When this news is revealed, Lucas and Bill try to figure out a way to save face with their businesses. They agree to host a barbecue where all of Hope Valley’s citizens would be invited. In order to advertise the event, Lucas and Bill recruit Florence to help them hand out flyers in person. They make this decision to help Florence learn from her mistakes. Meanwhile, Carson is impressed with Faith’s medical knowledge. After Faith shares with Carson that she had always wanted to become a doctor, Carson says that he believes she has met most of the requirements for medical school. He even tells her that he can find a way to make the Infirmary an official teaching practice where he can mentor Faith. At the end of the episode, Faith tells Carson that she’ll look into the offer.
Jesse and Clara continue to plan their wedding. However, these plans are not met with a warm reception. When Clara tells Rosemary that she wants to host an outdoor wedding, Rosemary tries to persuade her away from that decision. Even when Jesse suggests the pond as a part of the wedding background, Rosemary gives him reasons why that’s not a good idea. Even Lee finds himself giving the couple unwarranted advice. At the saloon, Lee tells Jesse that he should tell Clara what she wants to hear from him. But when Jesse follows Lee’s advice at the barbecue, Clara realizes what happened and advises Jesse to tell her the truth. Throughout the episode, Rosemary feels like no one listens to what she has to say. While expressing her feelings to Clara and Elizabeth at the café, Elizabeth reminds her that some people are not seeking advice, but for someone who will listen to them. At the barbecue, Rosemary tells Clara that despite them not seeing eye to eye on wedding plans, she agrees to support Clara and Jesse’s decisions. Clara uses this opportunity to tell Rosemary that she’ll be designing her own wedding dress and to ask her if she’ll be her Maid of Honor. Rosemary agrees to stand up in the wedding. Meanwhile, Jesse asks Lee if he’ll be his Best Man. Like Rosemary, Lee agrees to stand up in the wedding.
In one scene, when Elizabeth is telling Rosemary how sad it is that Nathan’s father is estranged from his family, baby Jack can be seen frowning right after this statement is made. Because his facial expression was so on point with this conversation, this scene became funnier than was likely intended.
The creative team behind When Calls the Heart did a really good job showcasing how word of mouth and perception can affect any business. In today’s day and age, the inventions of social media and the internet can play a huge factor in a business’s success or failure. Despite the differences in technology, the lessons of honesty, good impressions, and leadership are still the same. This storyline was relatable without trying too hard to be that way.
In my review of When Calls the Heart: Home for Christmas, I said that Jesse and Clara should have received their own storyline by getting married at Christmas-time. However, the more I hear about an outdoor wedding, the more I like the idea. Before Jesse and Clara got engaged, the two weddings that have taken place on the show were indoor ceremonies. While fans have never seen a Christmas wedding in Hope Valley, they’ve also never seen an outdoor wedding either. So, this would be a good way to change things up within the story!
Nell returned to Chesapeake Shores, even though she played a small role in this week’s episode. It seems like she’s the glue that keeps the O’Brien family together. When advice is needed, she has wisdom ready to share. She can instantly create a brighter day with a joke or a smile. Nell is also one of the first people to give condolences or well-wishes. Without Nell, this show would not be the same. Episodes where Nell is absent makes it feel like something is missing. This can also go for any of the other characters on Chesapeake Shores. They all play an integral role within the overall narrative. Whether they only appear in a few episodes, like Carrie and Caitlyn, or show up in every episode, like Trace, each and every character matters. Both the acting and the writing make this idea a reality.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.
Abby’s story: Abby is finding it difficult to mandatorily stay home from work. She plans on using her newfound free time to take her daughters to school and volunteer in their cafeteria. After taking Mick’s advice, Abby plans on getting an éclair at a local bakery. When she arrives at the bakery, after taking her daughters to school, Abby discovers that all of the eclairs have been sold out. However, one of the employees has taken the last one. He offers to share his éclair with Abby, but she refuses. Later that day, Abby volunteers at Carrie and Caitlyn’s school by cleaning up the cafeteria. While there, she finds out that the bakery employee she met earlier is also a teacher and playground supervisor at the school. His name is Jay and Abby confides to him that she has a lot going on in her life. He tries to make her feel better by offering her a juice box, which she accepts. While visiting Kevin and Connor at Sally’s Café, Abby gets served with legal papers. The contents of these papers are kept a secret.
Trace’s story: Trace is happy to have complete control of The Bridge again. To get back on track, he tries to organize a new musical line-up. Unfortunately, the restaurant’s usual acts are scheduled for other shows. He then gets the idea to have Emma perform one of her songs. When he asks her to sing live, she refuses. The next day, during a slow day at The Bridge, Trace encourages Emma at sing in front of the guests. At first, Emma says no. But, after he introduces her on stage, she accepts his offer. When Trace notices Emma struggling with nervousness, he helps her out by providing guitar music for her song. During the performance, Mark Hall, the manager from past seasons, arrives just in time to hear Emma sing. Trace introduces Mark to Emma, who immediately recognizes him. He wants to make her music star, but Trace doesn’t feel she’s ready for the spotlight. Later in the episode, Trace learns that Mark tried to convince Emma to start a professional music career. She says she turned down the offer because she didn’t want to get stuck in a bad relationship. This is a reference to what Emma told Trace earlier in the episode, how a break-up with a rock-star led her to Chesapeake Shores.
Mick and Megan’s story: Mick is still dealing with his legal troubles. Despite this, he agrees with join Megan on her trip to a potential wedding venue. During this trip, Megan shares how she needs to find something to do with her time. They also talk about their wedding. This leads to them sharing a heart-felt kiss. The next day, Mick and Megan agree not to talk about the kiss ever again. At Sally’s Café, Megan consults with Nell on what she should do about the situation. Nell shares that it’s better to live with mistakes than regrets. Toward the end of the episode, Mick and Megan share a toast by the shore. Megan conducts the toast, by saying that she will bury the past and see where her relationship with Mick will go. Mick agrees to Megan’s plan.
Kevin and Sarah’s story: It seems like Kevin and Sarah can’t have a moment for themselves. The members of the O’Brien family volunteer to help organize the wedding. While Kevin and Sarah appreciate their thoughtfulness, they end up feeling overwhelmed. While spending time at the fire station, Kevin and Sarah discuss what they want for their wedding. They both agree that the most important thing is how they want to spend the rest of their lives with each other.
Jess’s story: Jess and David are trying to purchase the house where they attended its open house in the previous episode. While placing a bid, they discover that a wealthier couple also wants to purchase the house. Refusing to give up on her dream, Jess comes up with a plan to show up at the same restaurant as the real estate agent. She and David invite Danielle, Connor, Simon, and Bree to have dinner with them at this restaurant. Unfortunately, Jess’s plan backfires as the real estate agent realizes what she’s up to. Later in the episode, Jess and David come up with a new plan to purchase their future bed & breakfast. They visit their competitors and Jess pretends to be David’s secretary. Jess and David encourage their competitors to purchase another property because the Peck family is interested in owning the house. Their plan works and they are able to move in to their new bed & breakfast at the end of the episode.
Bree’s story: Bree still feels like something is wrong with her and Simon’s relationship. She keeps giving hints to Simon about the state of their relationship, but Simon doesn’t seem to catch on. At the restaurant where Jess and David invite them, Bree finally shares her feelings with Simon. She tells him that she feels their relationship isn’t the perfect fit for them. He tells her that they shouldn’t try so hard to be perfect. The next day, Bree contemplates her relationship with Simon. She realizes that Simon is not the right significant other for her. Simon ends up visiting Word Play toward the end of the episode. He reveals, through a well-written speech, that their relationship isn’t working out and that it’s better if they went their separate ways. Both Bree and Simon agree to end their relationship on mutual terms. After Simon leaves Word Play, Bree picks up the paper that Simon’s speech was written on. When she unfolds it, she sees that the paper is blank.
Connor’s story: Despite his recent demotion at work, Connor is trying to keep his spirits up. He offers to help Kevin and Sarah plan their wedding and support Jess in her home purchasing efforts. Over the course of the episode, Connor learns that Danielle doesn’t like the idea of family. When he asks her the meaning behind her statement, she shares that she has some issues with her family. This causes Connor to contemplate his relationship with Danielle. Even though it seems like he and Danielle aren’t on the same page, he isn’t giving up on their relationship. One day, at the shore, Connor encourages Danielle to work things out with her family. Danielle doesn’t feel this is possible because her family is different from Connor’s. At the end of their conversation, she tells him that she loves him.
After Emma says that she recognized Mark Hall, I wondered if she was truly the person she claimed to be. To me, she seemed a little too eager to see Mark. This kind of contradicts what she shared with Trace about why she came to Chesapeake Shores. Maybe Trace will cross paths with Emma’s ex-boyfriend and his story will be different from what she told Trace?
In some of their projects, Hallmark has cleverly hidden “Easter eggs” that relate to their products. This episode of Chesapeake Shores is a perfect example of this. At the bakery, when Abby holds the door open for Jay, a sign saying “Hallmark Cards for Sale” can be seen on a shelf at the right-hand side of the room. Another “Easter egg” can be found in Mark’s name. His full name is Mark Hall and if you put his last name first, his name is Hall Mark.
I think this episode was falsely advertised. One of the biggest topics of the trailer was Abby being served with legal papers. In the episode, however, this event is barely referenced in the overall narrative. Hopefully, this will be covered in upcoming episodes.
When Danielle talked about how her family has issues, I wondered if we would ever see members of her family appear on Chesapeake Shores? If so, which actors would portray these members?
What are your thoughts on this re-cap? Which actors would you like to see portray the members of Danielle’s family? Let me know in the comment section!
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.
Chesapeake Shores poster image 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=series&ShowTitle=Chesapeake%20Shores%20Season%203&episodeIndex=3001
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.
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.
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.
In the movie and novel, Wonder, Auggie Pullman said “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. This quote has not only become a kind of unofficial motto for 18 Cinema Lane, but also my mission for this blog: to give movies or movie related subjects that I care about a “standing ovation”. So, when I came across a film called Waffle Street, I knew this would be no exception, especially since it seems like so few people have talked about the film. Based on a true story, the premise behind this film sounded, to me, like the kind of story that could be uplifting and inspirational. It also seemed like this movie could be filled with lessons and morals that audience members can not only find relatable, but also take away and apply to their own lives. With all that said, you’re probably wondering if Waffle Street is truly deserving of this “standing ovation”. Let me whip up and serve my review so you can find out!
The acting: I thought that the cast of Waffle Street was good. However, the two stars that I felt were the most talented were Danny Glover and Julie Gonzalo. Three months ago, I said in my review of The Sweetest Heart that Julie has shined on Hallmark Channel since 2016. In Waffle Street, Julie still finds a way to shine as her performance was one of the best parts of this film! I’ve also seen Danny in the original Lethal Weapon film and, most recently, The Christmas Train, so I knew he had good acting talents. Danny’s portrayal of Edward Collins was great!
The morals and lessons: Something that I liked about Waffle Street was the morals and lessons that the story was trying to share with the audience. As the character of James “Jimmy” Adams (portrayed by James Lafferty) travels on his journey of personal growth, he comes across moments that present lessons about hard work, goal setting, and not easily giving up. He also is given morals about honesty, putting in a good effort into everything you do, and that no occupation is perfect. The morals and lessons from Waffle Street seem relatable and inspirational, as well as having the ability to touch people’s lives.
A slow pace: In my opinion, the pace of Waffle Street was slow. Because of this, most scenes felt longer than they needed to be.
Too much exposition: In about the first thirty minutes of the film, the story is loaded with exposition. While exposition is an important component to any movie, especially if it involves a true story, it feels like it was served up (no pun intended) in Waffle Street a little too soon. There was even exposition given about the restaurant in the film, but its delivery just felt random. Having the story’s exposition dispersed throughout the film is a creative choice that I think would have worked better for this film.
An unlikable lead couple: Though this movie is based on a true story, the way the characters of James “Jimmy” Adams and Becky Adams were portrayed in the film made them appear unlikable. There were times when both of them seemed selfish and weren’t overly bothered by what their significant other wanted. In the film, James and Becky barely had a conversation with each other and when they did, the topic didn’t seem very important. The way the couple was portrayed in Waffle Street didn’t give me the impression their relationship was a healthy one.
Not enough character development: In Waffle Street, the only character that I felt was given the appropriate amount of character development was James “Jimmy” Adams. Because of the other characters’ lack of character development, it made them seem like they had no greater purpose in the story other than being a part of James’ life experience. Even though there were several characters throughout this film, I didn’t feel like I truly got to know most of them, but only became familiar with them. Out of all of them, I, as a member of the audience, only got to know three of the characters in Waffle Street.
An unnecessary toilet scene: One of the lessons that Waffle Street teaches its audience is that every occupation has an unglamorous side to it. While this lesson is important to learn, the way this movie executes this lesson was definitely not needed. In the film, James has to clean a toilet that is so clogged up, he has to fix it with gloved hands. What makes this scene unnecessary is the creative team behind this movie decided to literally show their audience the dirty toilet (twice). It was so disgusting, I had to look away from my TV screen until the toilet scene was gone.
Waffle Street is a very average film. While I admit there are good lessons and morals that can be found within this story, I can think of movies and stories that share these exact same themes, but in a better way (a good example: Cooking with Love). What’s disappointing about this film is that it had the potential to not only be a good movie, but to also share a story that deserved to be told through a cinematic lens. However, the overall execution of this film, in my opinion, did not do this true story justice. Though I don’t believe the overall film deserves a “standing ovation”, I definitely think the cast does, especially Julie Gonzalo and Danny Glover. Even if Waffle Street wasn’t as good as I had hoped, I will continue to talk about movies that I feel need to be talked about more.
Overall score: 5-5.1 out of 10
Have you seen Waffle Street? What inspiring, true story do you think deserves a movie? Tell me below in the comment section!
18 Cinema Lane 
