Category: Movies/TV

Hallmark Movie Review: Romance in Style

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/romance-in-style

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s like Devil Meets Prada meets Dirty Dancing with a Cinderella ending! I could almost hear Derek say, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner,” as he stands up for Ella’s vision and made her dreams come true. I loved every minute! Here’s a quick recap and my two cents. 😉 

Quick Recap

Ella is an aspiring designer who is helping her friend Katie at the magazine The Look when Derek comes to help improve readership. Derek’s family owns the publishing company for The Look, but he doesn’t know much about fashion. He enlists Ella to teach him about fashion, so he can earn the respect of the employees.

My Two Cents

Yes Hallmark! I love this movie!! I love the fresh new faces, the plot, and all the body positivity talk! Honest, amazing women (and men) in all shapes, sizes, and colors should be able to do anything they want! We need more movies like this!

Quick shout out to Jaicy Elliot! I loved her portraying Ella! She’s such an amazing character. She’s beautiful, strong, and honest. I loved her standing up for all the women who deserve to feel as beautiful as they are in clothes that fit and flatter them.

Speaking of fit and flattering clothes. Did you see Benjamin Hollingsworth in all those suits?? Is it hot in here or is it me? I’m a little young for hot flashes, but there is something about a man in a suit. **fanning myself** I’d watch Benjamin Hollingsworth walk around in a suit all day!

I could also talk about this movie all day! There were so many wonderful moments! Ella showing Derek silk was so hot. Derek saving Ella from the bicyclist gave me wonderful feels. And Derek telling Ella she’s “everything.” was legitimately every girls dream. Plus so much more!

Then there was the ending…perfection! The father/son moment brought me to tears. And the photo shoot gave me all the feels. Serious perfection guys. Even Jeff enjoyed the movie! It’ll be on my top Hallmark movies list for sure!

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Hallmark Movie Review: A Splash of Love

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/a-splash-of-love

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Awww…what a sweet movie! I love small town romances. In a world that could use more love, friendliness, and teamwork, a small town like Cable Cove provides hope for better. Here’s a quick recap and my two cents on this small town romcom. 😉 

Quick Recap

PHD student Chloe is a marine biologist who accepts the opportunity to visit Cable Cove to see the whales she’s been studying in a lab. Once there, she meets Ben who owns a whale watching business. Chloe and Ben spend time together while Chloe tries to find the elusive Echo pod.

My Two Cents

Sometimes there are movies I watch and when it’s over I say to myself, that was a good movie. Then I sit here for almost 2 hours struggling to write much 😲 Fair warning – this might be a rough review! I’m just not feeling it tonight.

This is definitely a movie for sweet small town romance lovers. It has sweetness in spades. Except for the boyfriend / ex-girlfriend part. In fact, I wish Hallmark had left out those story lines. I think the movie would have been a little better if it had just focused on Ben, Chloe, and the whales. Then it could have been sweet without the drama.

I liked Ben and Chloe’s chemistry. It felt like they knew they were right for each other immediately. They have this kindness towards each other and their friends that was contagious. I loved seeing them come together to help bring the people to town when the road washed out, then again with the dock party. They have helper spirits that inspire others. We need more Ben and Chloes in the world.

With all the sweetness in the movie, it’s not surprising the ending needed a dramatic moment to keep Chloe in Cable Cove. But this dramatic ending left me scratching my head a bit. I didn’t quite understand why Chloe couldn’t find a boat to take her out. Maybe I zoned out during the exact explanation.

They went down to the marina and there were dozens of boats. Plus there was the boat she had originally rented for the week. Why couldn’t she take that? Hadn’t she learned how to boat a little while spending time with Ben all week? I’m sure I’m thinking too hard. The drama was needed to bring Chloe and Ben together in the end.

Overall, I found myself giggling a few times at the jokes and funny moments. Especially the oyster over the shoulder bit. There were enough of these moments to keep me (but not Jeff) mostly entertained throughout. Keep your expectations reasonable on this movie and I think you’ll enjoy it. If you’re looking for something spectacular, this isn’t that movie.

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Hallmark Movie Review: Christmas in Toyland

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas-in-toyland

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yes!! This is the Christmas in July movie I’ve been waiting for! IT factor achieved and exceeded! Here’s a quick recap and my two cents. 😉 

Quick Recap

Big Teddy Toy Company is facing the decision most companies are – should they close their brick and mortar stores and go completely online? Charlie Sawyer is a corporate data analyst who discovers store 24 is the only store not losing money. In a bid to save the brick and mortar stores, Charlie stands up for them and is voluntold to visit store 24 to see what they’re doing differently.

My Two Cents

OMG! 100% YES! They had me at elf dust! Okay, they had me before the elf dust, but the elf dust definitely sealed my love of this movie! In fact, it’ll hit my favorite Christmas movie list and will be a movie I enjoy watching and re-watching any time of year.

I am a complete sucker for a numbers oriented, awkward, data nerd falling in love with a young at heart man child. Someone who can bring out her silly child side and make her laugh. But will be there when the times get hard (I have no proof of this, but I’m sure he would be!).

Vanessa Lengies and Jesse Hutch were fantastic in these roles! I would watch them together any day. I loved Vanessa last year in Heart of the Holidays too! She’s quickly climbing to my top female Hallmark leading list. I’d also like to give a shout out to the young actress who played Grant’s Niece! What a cute girl!

This movie has a broad appeal that many viewers will love. It also has the IT factor in spades. The ending might even bring a happy tear to your eye 😊 Definitely give this movie a try! It has classic Hallmark happy feels.

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Hallmark Movie Review: Campfire Christmas

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/campfire-christmas

Rating: ⭐⭐

I’m starting to feel like the Christmas in July Scrooge. I could not get into this movie! I might try it again tomorrow, but just in case I don’t, I thought I’d throw this review out there and see what y’all thought. Here’s a quick recap and my two cents.

Quick Recap

Taylor’s parents host a Christmas themed reunion at their summer camp. Taylor runs into her camp ex-boyfriend. Their good friend Beckett also attends and runs into his camp rival. Will they both kindle a relationship?

My Two Cents

First things first. I have comment approval turned on because of the bots who think my blog is a great place to find recommendations for vape locations and sex toys. The sex toys I understand (romance book reviews can be a bit graphic), but the vaping is a bit of a mystery other than smoking and sex went together in the olden days.

Anyhow, I also use comment approval because I won’t approve comments that are homophobic or racist in nature. This movie has two bi-racial relationships and a homosexual relationship. If this isn’t your cup of tea, move on. There are plenty of other movies out there 😉

Alrighty, with that said, lets talk about the movie…Jeff and I both tried watching it. Mostly because I stole the remote and refused to give it back. 15-30 minutes into the movie, I asked if he had any idea what was going on and he said no. 60 minutes in and he pulled out his laptop and completely gave up on this movie, claiming it’s “the worst Hallmark movie he’s ever seen.” 😬 Eeek!

That’s a bit strong of a designation for me. I’ve seen worse. But after an hour, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to even write a quick recap. I struggled to remember the details of that first hour. What was I watching?! Why were these adults at a Christmas camp in warm weather without snow?

I figured out/remembered the answers eventually, but I continued to struggle for most of the movie and I’m not sure why. The glitter fight was adorable. I loved the capture the wreath game. And the ending was Hallmark perfect. But overall, it was missing that IT factor.

I’m not sure how everyone else will take this movie. I don’t think it has the broad appeal many of the Hallmark movies achieve. Yes, some people will love this movie, but I wasn’t one of them and I think that number will be smaller than average. Last week I just wanted a RomCom. This week, I want a better RomCom. Hopefully next week will be better!

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Hallmark Movie Review: My Grown-Up Christmas List

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/my-grown-up-christmas-list

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

I was a little sad I missed this movie on Saturday night. It’s been so busy around here! My son and I chose to catch up on Ms. Marvel and I had some cleaning to do instead. If you haven’t seen the new Ms. Marvel miniseries yet – I highly recommend it!! 😉 This movie…not so much(ish). I’ll explain more after a quick recap.

Quick Recap

Taylor returns to her hometown for a few days during Christmas each year. This year, she meets a Santa who catches her eye. She learns his name is Luke, but leaves without really meeting him. The following year, she returns and runs into Luke again. This time, she takes the plunge to really meet Luke and open her heart to the possibility of a future with him.

My Two Cents

Oh man, I wasn’t in the mood for a sad movie today. There’s enough sadness in my life right now. I was really hoping for a solid RomCom. This is most definitely not that RomCom. So, I know that is playing into this review.

First and foremost – I have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for our armed forces and everything they do for our country. They and their families go through more than I’ll ever fully know putting their lives at risk for us on a daily basis. Unfortunately, military romance movies are not a trope I look forward to. Oddly, I usually enjoy military romance books. I know, I’m weird. 😊

This movie will probably appeal to the majority of Hallmark movie watchers. So, if you like military movies, and you aren’t looking for a RomCom, you will probably love this movie! Give it a try!

If you’re a RomCom lover, this is definitely not your jam. There were very few jokes to lighten the mood of the movie. Overall, it was a sad movie that highlighted the difficulties our military families experience daily. On the plus side, it shows the love and hope that’s possible despite the lifestyle they choose. And the strength of Taylor and Luke’s families to overcome any obstacles.

I think a lot of people will give this movie 5 stars and will love the feels it delivers. So, don’t let my review deter you if you think this is a good fit for you! I love both leads; they were fantastic!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Two Tickets to Paradise

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/two-tickets-to-paradise

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

FULL DISCLAIMER: I have a thing for Ryan Paevey. This entire review is probably slanted because of this. Please keep that in mind as I give a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Josh and Hannah are both dumped on their wedding day. They run into each other outside the church and encourage each other to go on their honeymoons. They wind up honeymooning in the same location and continue to run into each other until they decide to spend their vacation together.

My Two Cents

I loved everything about this movie! Hawaii, turtles, dolphins, an adorably funny meet cute, frequently shirtless RYAN freaking PAEVEY, ASHLEY WILLIAMS, and so much more. Even a bit of magic 😉

Of course, I’m not talking about actual magic. I’m talking about the magic of fate. I loved the data driven and statistically sensible actuary becoming speechless and spontaneous around Josh. By the end, even Hannah couldn’t deny there’s sometimes a higher power helping two people come together.

Beyond the magic of fate, I really liked how this movie explored what it means to love someone and be in love with someone. Also, how it’s okay to have conflicting emotions. Someone told Hannah, “You have the right to be really mad and really sad, sometimes at the same time.” – I really loved this advice. It’s so true. Sometimes we feel so many emotions at once and they’re all okay.

There’s no right or wrong with emotions, but there is an actress who is spectacular at displaying her emotions! I love Ashley’s over the top facial expressions and reactions paired with Ryan’s solidness. I was worried these two wouldn’t be a good match, but I was very pleasantly surprised! They were so cute together!

I’ve waited this whole review to have this freak out…Ryan Paevey with his shirt off on a beach!! 100,000% yes! I would see that EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. If there was no other reason to like this movie, that would be it!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Caribbean Summer

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/caribbean-summer

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

This movie starts out so promising! I wanted to love it, but it couldn’t keep my attention. It’s missing the coveted IT factor. Here’s a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Jade is an overworked news producer who accidentally gives someone the wrong lines during an interview and is forced to take a much needed vacation. While on vacation, she unknowingly rents Ford’s house. Unfortunately for her, Ford didn’t rent out his house and there’s no other vacancies on the island. Being the nice guy he is, Ford lets Jade stay at his house while Jade attempts to have a vacation away from work. Too bad her work doesn’t stay away from her.

My Two Cents

I absolutely loved the first 15 – 30 minutes of this movie!! The opening scene made me laugh pretty hard. Even Jeff gave it a few good chuckles, because men don’t giggle. 😉 Unfortunately after that, we both kind of lost interest.

I could see where the movie was going with Ford being all shady and Jade being a news producer. In the house, I saw the pictures of the goat and instantly knew where that was headed. I wanted a little more drama in that scene though. I mean, it was like, “Oh! You’re not suppose to be here, but I guess you can spend the night.” Because we all let complete strangers from New York stay in our houses?!

It’s possible this is a case of it’s me and not the movie. Somewhat recently I read The Last Eligible Billionaire by Pippa Grant where a woman on vacation rents a house through a website and it turns out the guy who owned the house didn’t put the house up for rental. The woman becomes the guy’s fake girlfriend. So much funnier than this movie! And it has an amazing dog named Marshmallow!

It also didn’t help that I had some free time this morning and watched a few Hallmark movies. One of them was The 27-Hour Day. It stars Autumn Reeser as a workaholic who goes to an electronics free retreat to find some work-life balance. Honestly, it’s a far better workaholic movie. But maybe watching The 27-Hour Day the same day as Caribbean Summer wasn’t a good idea. Sometimes you can watch too much of the same plot lines.

Going back to the movie…there were a few good scenes and lines, but everything after the first 30 minutes was disappointing. Jeff even left to go take care of some laundry. Yes, I’m that lucky sometimes. 😍 Anyhow, I can honestly say that after the first 60 minutes, I tuned out a lot of the movie until the last 10 minutes.

The last 10 minutes didn’t disappoint. I was happy to have everything work out in the end. I would rather watch The 27-Hour Day again over this movie. It’s a shame, because I like Heather Hemmens and would love to see her in something great!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Hidden Gems

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/hidden-gems

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another solid movie for Hallmark this Spring! Yay! I feel like this is another movie you can put on when you feel like it and enjoy. I caught the last 15ish minutes during the premiere, and they made me excited to see it tonight! Here’s a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Addie and her family are in Hawaii for her sister’s wedding. Addie has a ring her Grandma gave her that is suppose to bring luck to her family. When the ladies go out into the ocean, the ring falls off Addie’s finger and is lost in the ocean. She goes back to the hotel to find out if anyone can help her find the lost ring. Hannah tells them about Jack, the diving instructor, who is also a great finder of missing things. Addie and Jack team up to find the missing ring.

My Two Cents

Oh Jack the Jerk…I loathed him in the opening scenes. Sure, Addie probably shouldn’t have jumped on his boat, but what a turd to take her phone and refuse to turn around! Plus, the way he spoke to her…I would have slapped him!

Traditionally, I like meet cutes with more humor and sweetness. But by the time Addie and Jack have lunch at the food truck and have their heart to heart, I was totally smitten with both of them.

I hope Hallmark brings both of them back for future movies. Especially Hunter King. She’s super cute! Hunter is too young for me to develop a crush on, but have I mentioned that I love dolphins almost as much as horses? I loved the sideline for Addie with the marine biology. If this movie had just been about the ring, I think it would have been missing something. With this sideline, it kept the story moving and threw Addie and Jack together an extra time or two. 😉

I also love scavenger hunts!! I wish I had a bridal scavenger hunt on Hawaii for my wedding pre-events. LOL. Maybe I’ll organize a scavenger hunt for one of my kids birthday parties in the near future! Once when I was a kid, one of my friends have a murder mystery birthday party. Maybe Hallmark could do a murder mystery romcom (not with a real murder like Mystery 101 or Aurora Teargarden, but like a game of clue with a fake murder). How fun would that be?!

Random rant alert!! The jeweler in me cringes at the thought of a pearl engagement/everyday ring. Pearls are fairly soft and scratch easily. The ring in this movie is a priceless heirloom that Addie wears full time. It would be scratched and maybe even chipped or broken if it’s been in the family that long and worn daily. BUT I’m not going to lower my point value for that. This is Hallmark and it’s magic like the ring 😊

While I’m on the rant wagon, I also want to rant a little about how the ring ends up being returned. I like people who want to help people out of the niceness of their heart. Not people who want to take advantage of other people’s misfortune. If this had to happen, I wish we could have seen the bad karma catch-up!

I didn’t have too many awwww moments in this movie, but something about it kept me interested. I think it’ll appeal to most people. It has that IT factor with cute fresh faces and beautiful scenery. Give this one a try! Let me know what you think! Leave a comment!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Road Trip Romance

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/road-trip-romance

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My mom is in town and I had the pleasure of watching tonight’s premiere with her! Yay! Sadly, I think she would give this movie 1 star. It wasn’t her cup of tea. However, I enjoyed it. Of the two of us, I’m definitely the cornier pun joke loving dork, which I think is necessary to enjoy this movie. I don’t think it’s going to appeal to all. A good portion of people will find it too corny and dull (Jeff and my family included). Here’s a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Megan is returning home to Wichita for her sister’s wedding. High school enemy Alden is returning home for his father’s retirement party. When the closest airport closes due to a baggage carrier strike, they team up to make it home in time for their events. Along the way, they begin to discover things they didn’t know about each other in high school.

My Two Cents

In truth I would give Road Trip Romance a 3.5, but like always I’m rounding up for the benefit of the movie. Lets hop into what it takes to be a road trip romance, because it seems there are a few rules to follow…

Rule #1 – lose the car you’re driving at least once and pick up an old jalopy that looks like it’s a hairs breath away from deaths door and/or drive the most wild and crazy vehicles possible. Remember that train, tractor, and wasn’t there also some sort of pet truck in Cross Country Christmas? Road Trip Romance doesn’t have vehicles quite as crazy as a tractor, but they aren’t normal by any means.

Rule #2 – you must stay overnight somewhere unexpected. Megan and Alden are forced to stay in Mckenzie during a renassaince fair. **Sigh** I love renassaince fairs! Seriously a dream come true! Unplug electronics and relax for a few days! Yes! Of course, I’m saying this while typing on a very non-renassaince device. 😉

Rule #3 – make it to where you need to be at the last possible moment and figure out why you can’t live without your road trip roadie. I’d say this is a spoiler, but it’s Hallmark. We know it has a happily ever after.

Road Trip Romance followed these three rules wonderfully. I also loved how sweet Megan’s sister was when her sister was late to all the wedding activities. That’s real love!

Look for the small awww moments and laugh at the punterific corny jokes and this movie might worm it’s way into your heart too. If not, then you might wind up snoring through half of it like the people I watched it with. LOL.

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Marvel Movie Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Image via: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9419884/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Did you know Marcus Movie Theatres has $5 movies all day Tuesdays?! Plus, they offer free popcorn and reduced pricing on many other items. If you’re interested, you can read more about it HERE. I absolutely love taking advantage of this!

Last night, I took advantage of $5 Tuesdays and saw Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness! I love Marvel movies! However, despite my love of reading, I’m not a fan of comic books. I’m also not an expert on all things Marvel. So if I have a few things wrong, please be kind.

While I generally try not to give away spoilers, this is a warning that some things within here might be considered spoilers to some. Read with caution. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

America Chavez has a unique power to create portals to other universes. She’s captured the attention of Wanda / The Scarlet Witch. Wanda wants to steal her power so she can travel to a universe where her children exist. Doctor Strange and Wong are recruited to save America and stop Wanda.

My Two Cents

WOW!! My adrenaline sky rocketed through the action packed opening, and I was instantly engaged and excited to get the party started! Don’t worry about a slow beginning, they throw you right into the melee. It’s amazing!

It’s hard to pick just a few things I enjoyed. I could probably write 5 pages on every little detail I enjoyed. So, I’ll list a few of my favorites here…

I’m a complete dream nerd. I write down my dreams and have always been a bit obsessed with them. I whole heartedly believe that by paying attention to them, we can discover things about ourselves and maybe some things about the future. The movie proposed the idea that our dreams are windows to the multiverse. What a cool idea! But what about those really weird dreams you have sometimes? While Dr. Strange and America are falling through the multiverse, they go through some really different universes like paint and comic book styled universes. We also see several different Stranges who embody how different we can be given different circumstances in life. I suppose that kind of explains some weird dreams. 😉

As if dreams weren’t enough, crossovers and cameos are two more things I love! I make no secret of this within my Hallmark reviews. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that I full out squealed when Doctor Strange ends up in a universe with X-Men and Fantastic Four characters! YES! I mean, I know they’re all Marvel, but they don’t normally cross into each other’s movies, so it was extra exciting.

And then there was Dr. Strange himself. I loved how he “wasn’t like the other Stranges.” He teaches America to believe in herself and gives her the power she needs to be independent and strong on her own instead of killing her because she’s too weak. Always build people up folks, they might do something amazing!

Oh! One more thing! I grew up loving horror movies. At one point in this movie I totally felt Carrie flashbacks 😊 If you see it, I think you’ll see what I mean. I’m not sure it was intentional, but I really liked it!

All this amazingness, so why 4 instead of 5 stars? This is really tricky without giving away too much, so please forgive my vagueness. If you haven’t seen Wandavision, I really think you’ll understand this better if you watch it before seeing this movie. With that in mind, Wanda is deeply depressed after losing her children and Vis. I feel like this movie shows how dangerous depression is; Wanda’s depression is the catalyst for everything that happens. The optimist in me would like to see Wanda have her happy ever after and receive the help she needs for her depression. I was hopeful that after Wandavision there would be an opportunity for Vis to come back. I don’t have much hope for that anymore.

Also, I’m a little pissed at the post movie teasers. Don’t bother staying for the second one, unless you want to yell at the screen like I did. It’s really not worth it.

Have you seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Warming Up to You

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/warming-up-to-you

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Warming Up to You warmed me up this evening! But we’ll get to that later. Haha. I’ll definitely watch this super sweet romance again in the future. Here’s a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Kate is fired for being too passionate about her job as a personal trainer. She returns to her hometown to be a personal trainer for her friend’s wellness resort and spa. While there, she takes a job training movie star Rick Steele.

My Two Cents

This semi-enemies to lovers romance is super sweet and full of “awww…” moments and a few giggles. Some people might find it a little dull if they’re looking for suspense, drama, or originality. But in general, I think it’ll please most people looking for a Hallmark happily ever after.

I’m going to be up front and say I’m probably a little biased in reviewing this movie. I have a little (big) crush on Christopher Russel. And I love the Christopher Russell + Cindy Busby pairing! I’ve seen them together in Chasing Waterfalls, Love in the Forecast, and A Puppy for Christmas. All cute movies! I hope this pairing continues! They’re super cute together!

Kudos to Hallmark for not making Christopher gain and lose the extra weight for this role. However, the fat suit and baggy clothes weren’t really believable. I could still see Christopher’s strong looking chest, arms, etc. I mean, I might have been staring at them a little more than a normal person, but it’s CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL! He’s up there with Ryan Paevey on my hotness meter. And in one of the last scenes, he’s wearing sweatpants. SWEATPANTS…while running! Is it getting hot in here? Or is it just me? Whew.

Okay, reeling it back in just a little. I loved the supporting cast! The lady (Minnie?) who has a crush on Rick and Sasha crushing on Jared were awesome! I really enjoyed their side lines.

There was so much I enjoyed about this movie, that I will enjoy watching it again in the future. It’ll be like Love on the Sidelines. There are enough laughs and sweet moments to give you the feels and keep you engaged. Give this one a try!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Love, Classified

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/love-classified

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Not all romance stories are flawless.” That’s because the flawless romance stories are boring! Lets face it, we all love a little drama before our happily ever after. Luckily, this movie isn’t flawless or boring. Well done Hallmark! Here’s a quick recap and my full two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

In the town of Pennfield, a Classified app has taken the town by storm. People anonymously post any type of classified and other people respond. The classified app helps bring Emilia’s family together when she returns to Pennfield for a book signing. While home, she tries to repair her relationship with her estranged children, Taylor, and Zach.

My Two Cents

First things first. Fan girl freak out…OMG! Cameo alert!! Did you see who was bar tending?! PAUL CAMPBELL!!! I love when Hallmark throws in an amazing cameo! THANK YOU!!

Okay, now back to your regularly scheduled review…

Sometimes movies with multiple loves stories becomes overwhelming with too many moving parts. Hello The Christmas House. However, this time Hallmark straddled that line splendidly.

I loved how Emilia started a second chance romance (always my favorite trope), Taylor started dating her mother’s heart doctor (lesbian romance), and Zach met Margot (traditional romance). Each love connection was fun and unique. I’m also super glad they didn’t pursue the final love connection with Frankie’s friend until the very end of the movie where they just mention the possibility of a love match. Had they brought it in earlier, it would have been too much.

To me, love is love. If you watch my good reads profile, you’ll see I read everything. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that I’ll watch all types of romance too. If lesbian/gay romance is not your cup of tea, then this isn’t the right movie for you. That’s okay, keep moving forward. There are plenty of other movies out there!

Besides the multiple romance stories, I loved the whole cast! They were all engaging and amazing. Melora Hardin and Steve Bacic are probably the most famous cast members, but Taylor caught my eyes and ears. I kept sitting here thinking, “Man, I know that voice and face!” but I couldn’t quite place her with the blonde hair. I double checked her filmography and saw she was Clary (red headed main character) from Shadowhunters!! I knew I knew that voice! I loved that show 🙂

This was a solid movie for me. In truth, I would give it a 4.5, but since I don’t give half stars, I’m bumping it to a 5. I don’t think this movie will have the broad appeal that other romances have due to the varied tropes, but I really enjoyed it. Even Jeff laughed a bunch of times. 😲 Give this one a try if you think it sounds interesting.  

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Hallmark Movie Review: Just One Kiss

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/just-one-kiss

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yes Hallmark! I’ve been waiting for a movie like this! A kismet filled romcom that pulls you in from the beginning and keeps it going! I fell hook, line, and sinker. Even Jeff said, “It’s not that bad.” Score! Here’s a quick re-cap and my two cents. 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Recently divorced Mia isn’t looking for love, but she winds up meeting the tenacious Tony Romano who doesn’t take no for an answer. When their moms meet and agree to push them together, Mia and Tony don’t stand a chance of staying apart.

My Two Cents

I love when two scheming moms make it their mission to bring their children together in love. Add in my favorite supporting character Matty Finochio and I’m sold!

I really liked when Mia and Tony didn’t fall head over heals in love the first time they met. Tony was interested in Mia, but when she wasn’t willing to give more he wisely offered friendship instead. I loved this! It allowed their relationship to grow naturally and gave them time to get to know each other.

Plus, a slowly growing relationship made more sense given the probable ages of the characters. Being middle aged instead of in their 20’s, the main leads are a bit older and have more life experiences.

I loved when Mia tried to apologize for Casey’s appearance after their date, but Tony said, “Dating is tricky, you can’t walk in the middle of someone’s life and expect them not to have one.” So true and insightful!

I want to give a shout out to the supporting cast members! I love Matty! He wasn’t even credited in this movie 😢 He’s amazing! The mom’s were equally endearing and definitely made the movie. Especially the ending. Have a tissue ready for the last 3 minutes.

Honestly, I enjoyed just about everything about this movie. It was funny, sweet, and had the perfect amount of magic. The final scene had me choking up a bit, but it was perfect. Definitely add this to your list. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Have you seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Feeling Butterflies

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/feeling-butterflies

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

This movie is like a butterfly – beautiful, slow, quiet, sweet, and cute. Unfortunately, it’s also missing that IT factor. That thing that pulls you in and keeps you interested. Sure, you’ll probably enjoy it, but it isn’t a top 50 movie, so manage your expectations. Here’s a quick re-cap and my full two cents 😉

Quick Re-Cap

Butterfly sanctuary owner, Emily, provides butterflies for events like parties and weddings. She’s offered the opportunity to compete against rival Mandy for a high profile wedding where the bridezilla wants 500+ butterflies released. Emily meets Garrett and his daughter Amanda at her birthday party and they hit it off. Garrett and Amanda offer their services to help Emily with the party.

My Two Cents

I wanted a Romcom tonight and this is NOT a Romcom. 😢 There’s a few well placed butterfly puns, a mud fight, and some fun competitive moments with Mandy, but that’s it for the fun times. After that, there’s the typical “I thought she was your girlfriend,” “I need to work with my enemy,” and “I’m moving to New York” dramas.

I know, I know, this is Hallmark and we expect a certain amount of these things to happen, but the first 1.5 hours were really dry and the drama felt too forced. Like why did it take two adults almost an hour to talk about the elephant in the room (Jill’s relationship with Garrett)? That conversation should have happened immediately. Neither one of them was being open with the other.

On the other hand, I enjoyed the emphasis placed on helping the butterflies. How the pesticides trying to prevent some invasive species are killing others. And without butterflies, some flowers could become extinct. We need our pollinators folks!

I’m sorry if this is a bit of a spoiler, but like I said, this is Hallmark and we all know enemies become friends in the Hallmark universe. So, I liked when Emily befriends Mandy and they team up to do the bridezilla’s wedding together. Teamwork makes the dream work! 😊

Anyhow, this is a great movie if you’re looking for something to put you to sleep or lay back and relax while watching. If you’re in the right mood, a tear or two might escape during the last 5 minutes 😉

Have you seen it? What did you think? Leave a comment!

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Hallmark Movie Review: Welcome to Mama’s

Image via: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/welcome-to-mamas

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My first movie back since I over did it before Christmas and lost myself to a few fantasy book series. It feels good sitting here with my Chromebook watching a sweet Hallmark romance. Here’s a quick re-cap and my full two cents 😊

Quick Re-Cap

After being passed over for a promotion opportunity, Amy quits her job and inherits the restaurant Mama’s and all its problems. Including head Chef Frank. Hopefully Amy can bring back Mama’s magic before she needs to close the restaurant for good.

My Two Cents

Don’t expect this to be a whirlwind romance that will sweep you off your feet. Nor is it a romcom that will have you laughing your night away. This is a slow and steady growing romance that might steal your heart by the end of it. And while you may be tempted to give up, I’d encourage you to keep watching, because if you let it, it could be the feels worthy movie you’ve been waiting for.

Those feels all started with the memory flashbacks. I loved them! They were a very nice way to provide the back story and allowed me to feel closer to Mama and understand how and why the restaurant meant so much to the family she welcomed into her life. The Pasta Primavera flashback unlocked tears that didn’t fully dry until the end of the movie. So, keep some tissues on hand for the second half of the movie. 😏

Due to the slow moving nature of this movie, it would have been a complete loss if the actors and actresses hadn’t been 100% on their game. They created all the wonderful feels that kept this movie alive. Melanie and Daniel were amazing! And Matty Finochio needs a serious call out too. He is a seriously underrated actor who I absolutely love watching!

Quick squirrel moment! I need to emphasize Daniel’s contributions to this movie. His face, eyes, hair, voice, etc…you get the point. His many contributions were greatly appreciated and I definitely have new crush. Hello top 10 Hallmark leading man list! This might have influenced an extra half or full star in the rating. Sorry (not sorry)! He’s so pretty. Back to our regularly scheduled movie review…

At first I worried this movie might wind up being a dud, but in the end I’m glad I stuck it out. I think I needed a little feelsy sweetness to my evening. Give this a try and let me know what you think! Leave a comment!

If you liked this movie, you might want to try The Irresistible Blueberry Farm. They have a similar feel to them, but it’s a little funnier.

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