Tag: Trevor Donovan

Take 3: A Little Women’s Christmas Review

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

When I reviewed Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker two months ago, I knew that article would receive views. But I had no idea how popular it would become. As of mid-December, 2024, my review of Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker garnered over a thousand views! To capitalize on my readers’ interest in Great American Family films, I chose to write about one of the network’s Christmas pictures. From the “word of mouth” I’ve been hearing about 2024’s various made-for-TV Christmas movies, A Little Women’s Christmas has gathered the most praise. So, I wanted to see for myself if the film was worth the hype. Based on the few movies from Great American Family I’ve seen, their pictures have been either ok or decent. The only exception has been The Abigail Mysteries, which was one of the worst films I saw last year. Where does A Little Women’s Christmas fall among this spectrum? Read my review to find out!

A Little Women’s Christmas poster created by Great American Family, True Brand Entertainment, Third Coast Film, Rebel Rocket Entertainment, and Empress of Soul Productions

Things I liked about the film:

The camaraderie between the March sisters: If a film’s creative team wants to tell a story involving a group of siblings, there needs to be strong camaraderie between those characters. The strength of the camaraderie depends on the strength of the acting performances. This is exactly what happened among the March sisters in A Little Women’s Christmas! When Jillian Murray, Jen Lilley, Julia Reilly, and Laura Osnes came together, the relationship between their characters felt believable. Whether the moment was heart-warming or heart-breaking, the March sisters had each other’s support and worked together when it mattered the most. These actresses allowed each character’s personality to shine through. Nurturing Meg, bubbly Amy, ambitious Jo, and kind Beth complimented one another, bringing out the best in each sister. With the combination of Jillian’s, Jen’s, Julia’s, and Laura’s acting abilities, the creative team behind A Little Women’s Christmas understood the assignment and recognized what makes Louisa’s source material so special!

The on-screen chemistry: Over the course of A Little Women’s Christmas, Jo gets to know a fellow writer from her publishing firm. This fellow writer is Fritz, portrayed by Trevor Donovan. During their interactions, Fritz is not only observant, but also has a drier sense of humor. As I mentioned earlier in this review, Jo is ambitious. However, she also tells things like it is. The combination of Fritz and Jo’s personalities created nice on-screen chemistry between Trevor and Jillian! The more time Jo and Fritz spent together, the more I felt they got along well with each other. The March sisters’ parents, Margaret and Robert, only appeared in one scene, through a video sent to the family. Despite this very brief appearance, I could sense the on-screen chemistry between Candace Kirkpatrick and James Arnold Taylor! In that one scene, the marriage between these characters felt believable. I, honestly, wish Robert and Margaret shared more scenes together!

The Little Women related Easter Eggs: IMDB claims A Little Women’s Christmas is “a contemporary retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 classic”. With this in mind, the movie’s creative team found clever ways to place Easter Eggs throughout their production! The town the March family is from is named Alcott Grove. Observant viewers and fans of the novel will point out how the town shares the last name of Little Women’s author. While Jo and Fritz pay a visit to The Mercantile Café, Jo introduces Fritz to Louisa May, the owner of the eatery. Louisa May of Alcott Grove happens to share the name of Louisa May Alcott. It was fun finding these Easter Eggs throughout the movie! The creative team’s respect for Louisa’s story was symbolized in the Easter Eggs.

Christmas book image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/christmas-mockup-with-open-book_1482296.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Freepik</a>.  Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The underutilization of DJ Bob: Throughout the movie, a man named DJ Bob makes Christmas related announcements from his studio at W.A.G. Radio. While exploring the town of Alcott Grove, Jo explains to Fritz how DJ Bob has become a beloved member of the community since he came to town in his red convertible one day. But other than what I just mentioned, DJ Bob has a very minimal role in the story. Personally, I think this was a missed opportunity, as DJ Bob could have been the glue that kept this script together. Besides being a radio host, DJ Bob could have been the character other characters turn to for advice. He also could have become “Mr. Fix It”, where he helps people solve their problems.

The “it’s not what you think” cliché: Before he leaves for Alcott Grove, Fritz is instructed by Jo’s editor-in-chief, Susanna, to mentor Jo as she works on a new novel. Even though Susanna encourages Fritz to be honest with Jo about the reason for his trip, he’s concerned about pressuring Jo to the point of ruining her creative spark. As soon as this conflict was set up in A Little Women’s Christmas, it was a matter of waiting for the inevitable to happen. The conflict expectedly led to the “it’s not what you think” cliché, causing Jo to assume the worst about Fritz. While I recognize the need for a conflict in Jo’s story, that conflict paired with the aforementioned cliché made this part of the movie more predictable. It also doesn’t help how Jo developed romantic feelings for Fritz within a matter of days, becoming upset because she gave her heart to a man she barely knew.

A confusing ending: For this part of my review, I will spoil A Little Women’s Christmas. If you haven’t seen this movie and are planning on watching it, please skip ahead to the part of my review titled “My overall impression”.

In A Little Women’s Christmas, Jo aspires to write her first young adult novel. But during her return to Alcott Grove, she’s constantly searching for inspiration. Using Fritz’s advice, Jo eventually chooses to base her story on her relationship with her sisters, reflecting on their lives together. One of the last scenes in the movie shows Jo writing the first chapter of her novel, which she titles Little Women. With a title like A Little Women’s Christmas, along with the Little Women related Easter Eggs, I assumed the film’s creative team acknowledged Louisa May Alcott’s story existed in the world of Alcott Grove. But with Jo naming her book, Little Women, I was left confused, wondering if the world of A Little Women’s Christmas was meant to be an alternate universe where Louisa and her story never existed?

Art tools image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/flar-art-tools-pack_835368.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>.  <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/paint”>Paint vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Out of Great American Family’s movies I’ve seen, most of their productions have been ok or decent. A Little Women’s Christmas falls in the latter category. The 2024 picture was fine, wholesome, and pleasant. It was nice to see the creative team behind A Little Women’s Christmas show respect for the source material. From the camaraderie between the March sisters to the Little Women related Easter Eggs, fans of Louisa May Alcott’s story will find enjoyment in this film! Though there were aspects of the movie I liked, A Little Women’s Christmas did have its flaws. The inclusion of the “it’s not what you think” cliché contributed to part of the story being predictable. I also found the film’s ending confusing. But as I said before, this Great American Family production was fine as well as pleasant. If you’re interested in watching Christmas offerings from this network, I would recommend A Little Women’s Christmas!

Overall score: 7-7.1 out of 10

Have you seen A Little Women’s Christmas? Are there any Great American Family films you’d like me to check out? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: USS Christmas Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

While looking through some of my movie reviews from last year, I came to the realization I only wrote about two Christmas films. To make up for that, I will make a greater effort this year to review more Christmas movies. As it was Veteran’s Day two days ago, I decided the first Christmas film review of 2022 would be for USS Christmas! In the two years since its release, I’ve heard good things about this particular Hallmark picture. The network also has a pretty consistent track record when it comes to their military related Christmas titles. This is not the first time I’ve talked about USS Christmas. Back in 2020, I wrote a Word on the Street story about the project. I mentioned that the only Tiger Cruise movie I knew of was the 2004 Disney Channel movie, Tiger Cruise. Therefore, USS Christmas was filling a creative void that hadn’t been revisited in over ten years.

USS Christmas poster created by Crown Media Productions and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Jen Lilley portrays the protagonist, Maddie. Her reason for joining the Tiger Cruise was to spend Christmas with her sister, Amelia, who was portrayed by Stefanie Butler. I really liked the on-screen camaraderie between the sisters! While sharing breakfast at a local restaurant, Amelia and Maddie talk about a variety of subjects. Throughout their conversation, Jen’s and Stefanie’s facial expressions changed with fluidity. The actresses also had nice on-screen chemistry, giving the impression the sisters got along really well. It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of Trevor Donovan’s movies. However, I have always thought he was one of Hallmark’s strongest actors. In USS Christmas, Trevor portrayed Lt. Billy Jenkins. At the start of the story, Billy is distant with Maddie, maintaining a sense of professionalism. As the film continues, a kind hearted, more spontaneous side to Billy breaks forth. This progression in Billy’s personality was well executed through Trevor’s acting talents! The naturalness of this progression allowed Billy’s part of the story to be believable.

The set design: Like any Hallmark Christmas film, USS Christmas contained its fair share of seasonal décor. But it was the way this décor was incorporated into the set design that caught my eye. When Maddie’s family has their first dinner on the Tiger Cruise, the dining room is surrounded by white walls. White and blue Christmas decorations are placed in the background, from a blue garland to a white Christmas tree with blue ornaments. These complimentary hues added a sense of elegance to this space! Garland was a nice touch to other sets. A traditional green garland paired with red ornaments and bows was framed around the dark wood windows of the Jenkin family home. A similar looking garland framed the kitchen window of the Contino family home, a room that contained white cabinets. That garland shows how a simple Christmas decoration can complement various different spaces!

The mystery: Mysteries are uncommon in Hallmark’s Christmas films. So, the inclusion of a mystery in USS Christmas was a pleasant addition! In an effort to write a story about finding love on a Tiger Cruise, Maddie finds a journal written by a man named Sam. In this journal, Sam talks about falling in love with a woman named Dorothy. Maddie and Billy spend the rest of the movie searching for Dorothy and Sam, going on a journey to figure out what happened to this couple. While I won’t reveal what Billy and Maddie discover, I will say the mystery itself was intriguing! It gave me a reason to stay invested in the story.

Children holding American flags during a sunset image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The Tiger Cruise itself getting overshadowed: It’s been years since I’ve seen Tiger Cruise. From what I remember, the cruise itself was focused on to the point where it was its own character. With USS Christmas, I felt the cruise was overshadowed by the mystery of Sam and Dorothy. As I already said in this review, I liked the mystery in this story. However, that part was prioritized above everything else. When Maddie and Billy go to New York, I thought, “Wait, isn’t this movie supposed to be about the Tiger Cruise”?

Underutilized characters: On the Tiger Cruise, Charlotte is boarding alongside her brother, who is a member of the U.S.S. Polaris. Because Charlotte is also a writer, I assumed she would help Maddie in her quest to find Sam and Dorothy. Unfortunately, Charlotte and her brother briefly appeared in the film for about three scenes. These are just two characters I feel were underutilized.

Inconsistent use of Easter Eggs: The inclusion of Easter Eggs can be a nice treat for viewers and, if done right, can be cleverly woven into the story. There were some nice Easter Eggs in USS Christmas. But I was confused what the overarching direction for these Easter Eggs was. Toward the beginning of the movie, I found a few Easter Eggs related to It’s a Wonderful Life, as Maddie says that is her favorite Christmas film. Throughout the movie, there were at least two Easter Eggs referencing Top Gun. I even caught an Easter Egg connected to Hallmark itself. I wish the film’s creative team had chosen one topic for their Easter Eggs and consistently stuck with it.

Blue sparkly Christmas tree image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-card_2875396.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As I said in the introduction, Hallmark has a pretty consistent track record when it comes to their military related Christmas titles. While some of these titles have been better than others, I haven’t seen a military related Hallmark Christmas movie that was bad or disappointing. With USS Christmas, it was a nice, pleasant film. It isn’t an instant classic for me or a new favorite movie. But, for what it was, USS Christmas was fine. Hallmark’s efforts to tell more creative stories seems to be an exception to the rule. So, I appreciate how the creative team behind USS Christmas strove to create a type of story that isn’t common in entertainment media. It also helps how a mystery was incorporated into the film, as mysteries aren’t often found in Hallmark’s Christmas offerings. I’ve heard Jen Lilley and Trevor Donovan have begun appearing in Great American Family’s (GAF) movies. I’ll have to check out their films from that network!

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10

Have you seen USS Christmas? Which military related Hallmark Christmas movie do you like? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: CEO of Disney+ to Step Down, Potential Hallmark Films in the Works

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

In a recent video, Kneon and Geeky Sparkles, from Clownfish TV, reported the news that Kevin Mayer will be stepping down as the CEO of Disney+. While no reason for this decision was provided, it should be noted that Kevin will now be the Chief Executive of the musical app, Tik Tok. He will also be the Chief Operating Officer of the company that owns Tik Tok, ByteDance. To fill his position at Disney, Rebecca Campbell has now been named Chairman of Disney’s Direct-To-Consumer and International, the role that allows her to oversee Disney+. Despite being the former President of Disneyland, she does have experience working with Disney’s streaming service. According to Geeky Sparkles, “she set up Disney+ overseas, she was key in that”. Ken Potrock will now be the President of Disneyland and Kareem Daniel will take Ken’s place as President of Consumer Products. Currently, it’s unknown who will take Kareem’s position as President of Walt Disney Imagineering/Operations/Product Creation/Publishing/Games. Also, Josh D’Amaro is the new Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, the position Bob Chapek left behind when he became Disney’s CEO. Since Josh is giving up his title as President of Walt Disney World in order to take this new position, Jeff Vahle will take his place. Taking Jeff’s place as President of Disney Signature Experiences is now Thomas Mazloum. Through this confusing domino effect, both Kneon and Geeky bring up concerns that I couldn’t agree with more. Kneon thinks these new leadership choices are a bad idea because he sees it as history repeating itself. He brings up how the President of Disney Parks West, Catherine Powell, was let go by Disney last September. Geeky asks, “is any of these changes going to equate to actually, you know, better changes in the parks and better changes, you know, in the Disney company in general or are we just going to get the same old shit, different day”? Kneon responds by saying “Nobody’s in their position long enough to make any kind of a difference”. At this point, it’s difficult to tell how these leadership changes will affect Disney’s outcome. However, I do agree with Kneon’s point. To bring up one example, Bob Chapek has been the CEO for less than six months. But, from my perspective, I find it challenging to think of anything significant he’s done in his new position.

Here are the sources featured in this story:

Type “Disney Plus Boss JUMPS SHIP for TikTok! Disney Leadership PANIC Shuffle?!” into Youtube search bar or visit Clownfish TV’s official Youtube channel (there is some language in this video)

Disney’s Kevin Mayer Is Leaving To Become CEO of Tik Tok, Rebecca Campbell Will Replace Him

Josh D’Amaro Named New Chairman Of Disney Parks, Experiences And Products

New Presidents Named for Walt Disney World and Disneyland

Disney Eliminates Catherine Powell, President of Disney Parks West

Vector collection of business people
Employee leaving job image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com. Image found at freepik.com.

Trevor Donovan, an actor from Hallmark, appeared as a guest on a recent episode of the Deck The Hallmark podcast. While on the episode, he shared two projects that are currently in the works, but are not completed due to the Coronavirus. The first one was described as an “indie film/Hallmark acquisition that will be shooting in Hawaii”. For the second project, Trevor says it will “hopefully be able to parlay that right into a Hallmark movie in Hawaii after that, so two back to back”. None of these projects are confirmed as belonging to Hallmark, as of May 2020. However, it was indicated in the interview that the potential is there. As far as I know, Hallmark has never filmed a movie or had a movie take place in the Aloha State before. This would introduce their audience to a newer landscape than is not usually showcased. While the plot for both projects is currently unknown, I hope one of these is a Christmas film. Hallmark has never created a Christmas movie that takes in Hawaii. Also, it would be nice to hear Trevor sing Mele Kalikimaka.

Here is the link to the Deck the Hallmark podcast:

https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/deckthehallmark?selected=ADV1983617669 (the episode is titled “Trevor Donovan”)

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What are your thoughts on these pieces of movie news? Do you have any thoughts about what Trevor’s upcoming movies could be about? Please let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen