Tuesday, December 30, 2014

New Year, New Beginnings, and Hallmark's "The Christmas Ornament"


Happy New Year, Everyone!

I pray many Blessings
of Joy, Good Health, and Happiness
for all of you... in 2015!

Soon the Hallmark Channel Christmas Movies will be coming to an end as we embark on a new year; however, on this New Years Eve, December 31, 2014... the Hallmark Channel will be airing THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT, starring Kellie Martin and Cameron Mathison, at 8PM/7c. It's one of my favorites from last year!


Another great star of the movie, is the Ornament, which is featured throughout the film.

It is a beautiful butterfly ornament, titled "On Wings of Hope", which made it's debut in Hallmark Gold Crown Stores in 2013, the same year the movie premiered on the Hallmark Channel. 

 


Butterflies often symbolize new beginnings, since they emerge from their plain cocoon as a caterpillar and transform into such an amazing, colorful butterfly! From there, a new beginning takes place as they spread their wings and fly!



If you would like to add this lovely ornament to your collection, you can find the Hallmark Butterfly Ornament, "On Wings of Hope" seen in the movie THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT at Amazon, Hooked on Hallmark, and Ebay. I have it myself, as a memento of the film, and it is quite lovely.

Although the Christmas Movies are coming to an end soon on the Hallmark Channel, we can officially look forward to them returning on November 1, 2015, and (maybe, not yet confirmed) a Christmas in July week, too!

I hope we all cherish Christmas, the gift of the Christ Child born in Bethlehem, the joy of seeing our dear family, and a lifetime of precious memories. Let us carry that spirit wherever we go, as we begin this new year and season...

As we begin this new year,
may we all spread our wings and fly!
 

I hope and pray
"2015"
is a Wonderful Year for You!
 
God Bless,
Net


Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD.
They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Monday, December 29, 2014

Hilarie Burton and Paul Campbell star in Hallmark Channel Movie: SURPRISED BY LOVE

MOVIE REVIEW

MOVIE: SURPRISED BY LOVE

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 3, 2015





 



CAST:

Hilarie Burton ... Josie
Paul Campbell ... Gridley
Malcolm Stewart ... Joseph
Wanda Cannon ... Claire
Leanne Lapp ... Mindy
Aaron Craven ... Richard
Tim Conway ... Granddad




PLOT:

via Hallmark: As a young businesswoman tries to convince her uptight parents to approve of her current boyfriend, she finds herself questioning her own life choices and falling for an old high school flame. Over her parents' 40th anniversary weekend, she must decide which direction her life - romantic and otherwise - is going to take.





Movie Review:


It was no surprise... I fell instantly in love with Surprised by Love!


This was the first movie out of the gate for the Hallmark Channel in 2015, and I wasn't surprised, at all, that this movie was a hit! Once you hear the leads in this film, Hilarie Burton (Naughty or Nice) and Paul Campbell (Window Wonderland), you just know their quirky, lighthearted, personalities will work great together in a movie, and you have that winning combination. The next focus is on the story, which was equally as wonderful!

Josie (Hilarie Burton) has never been lucky in love. She tends to keep bringing home the same type of guy. Ones who are exactly like here. Smart. Boring. Career Driven. Although, her latest boyfriend, Richard Wright, (who Gridley calls Mr. Right) is all those things, Josie's parents still don't like him. To trick her parents into liking him, Richard devices a scheme for Josie to take home her old high school friend Gridley, an unaccomplished drifter, in Richard's eyes, who creates sculptures out of driftwood. Drifting now into Josie's life, seems like perfect timing to Richard who thinks he'll come out smelling like a rose next to Gridley, in her parents eyes. So, the plan, although deemed crazy at first, is set.

During the weekend, at Josie's parents home, they will be celebrating her parents 40th Anniversary. Gridley arrives just in time to ruin Josie's sister hair (by turning it green) and the anniversary cake. In spite of that, Josie and Gridley remember the good times and have fun reconnecting, re-creating a new cake out of twinkies, no less, and visiting their old high school, reliving some great memories, all while making great new ones.

At the party, the family is somewhat tense and divided, at first, with various little tiffs, including a nosy reporter, a power outage, and an outburst from Josie's sister Mindy... but a clever idea from Gridley, by way of the song, "Won't you come home Bill Bailey", brings the family back together again.

In the end, Josie must decide who Mr. Right is for her.


Don't be surprised... when you fall instantly in love with Surprised by Love!



See or Skip:

See! This is a very sweet fun movie.

It's no surprise, that I absolutely loved it!



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Hallmark Channel Movie: A NOVEL ROMANCE

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: A NOVEL ROMANCE

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 10, 2015

 
 



CAST:

Amy Acker ... Sophie Atkinson
Dylan Bruce ... Liam Bradley
Camille Mitchell ... Jackie Billick
Tammy Gillis ... Nina Gibson
Emily Tennant ... Tabitha Weeks
Casey Manderson ... Drew Clayton
Milo Shandel ... Phil Berkman
Chris Shields ... Ted Gordon
Charles S. Dutton ... Michael Harris





PLOT:

via Hallmark: A romance novelist with a nom d' plume retreats to a small town to find inspiration for the followup to his previous bestselling books. He instead finds himself falling in love with a local book reviewer, herself recovering from a relationship with another public figure. The two struggle with their fears of revealing truths about themselves - just as the writer's public revelation from behind his pseudonym is about to take place, threatening their romance.





Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

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Hallmark Channel Movie: BRIDAL WAVE

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: BRIDAL WAVE

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 17, 2015

 


 


CAST:

Arielle Kebbel ... Georgie
Andrew Walker ... Luke
David Haydn-Jones ... Phillip
Colleen Wheeler ... Emma
Anna Van Hooft ... Melissa
Daryl Shuttleworth ... Judd
Jaclyn Smith ... Felice






PLOT:

via Hallmark: With her wedding day rapidly approaching, an anxious bride-to-be has doubts about her pending marriage. At a romantic island resort, she encounters a handsome kindred spirit and must now decide if her "perfect" fiancé is really her true love.


Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

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Hallmark Channel Movie: LOVE BY THE BOOK

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: LOVE BY THE BOOK

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 24, 2015

 
 

CAST:

Leah Renee ... Emma
Kristopher Turner ... Eric
John Schneider ... Frank
Ryan Bittle ... Landon
Stefanie Powers ... Marilyn
Cherilyn Wilson ... Jane
Cuyle Carvin ... Greg
Michael Ensign ... Phil






PLOT:

via Hallmark: Bookstore owner Emma believes in fairy tales. Although she has yet to be swept away by prince charming, she sees real knight in shining armor potential with a new suitor, Landon. As Emma balances time with Landon and saving her bookstore with once irritating business consultant, Eric, however, she weighs storybook romance against genuine commitment. While she sorts out her feelings toward Landon and Eric, as well as toward love and romance, Emma begins to realize that fairytale endings aren't always by the book.


Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

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Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie: AWAY & BACK

DVD


MOVIE REVIEW


Movie: AWAY & BACK

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: January 25, 2015


 


 


CAST:

Jason Lee ... Jack Peterson
Minka Kelly ... Ginny Newsom
Maggie Elizabeth Jones ... Frankie
Jaren Lewison ... Kyle
Connor Paton ... Stretch








PLOT:

via Hallmark: When a family of swans make their home on the Peterson farm, it’s love at first sight for 10-year-old daughter Frankie. But along comes no-nonsense ornithologist Ginny Newsom (Kelly), who rushes in to “save” the majestic birds. For Frankie’s dad Jack (Lee), it’s dislike at first sight when he encounters pushy, know-it-all Ginny. Frankie and her brothers are anything but neutral observers as they watch the initial hostility between their widowed father and the strong-willed Ginny transform into something else. Could that be romance in the air?




Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

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UP Original Movie: A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

Network: UP Original Movie

Original Air Date: January 4, 2015

 


 



CAST:

James Denton ... Cooper Brawn
Lilah Fitzgerald ... Polka-dot
Laura Mennell ... Samantha
Kirsten Robek ... Frances
Chris Gauthier ... Kenny
Dalias Blake ... K9 Officer Randell
Michael Kopsa ... Pastor John
Xantha Radley ... Ruth
Jordan Ashley Olson ... Tiffany
Bronwen Smith ... Nurse Rhonda
Sebastian Gacki ... Paramedic
Graham Verchere ... Jonathan
Gary Peterman ... Owner Phil
Gabrielle Giraud ... Redhead





PLOT:

via UP: In "A Girl’s Best Friend," Penelope "Polka-Dot" Daught (Lilah Fitzgerald) is a precocious 12-year-old who identifies with Huckleberry Finn’s predicament in Mark Twain’s "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

With her single mother, Frances (Kirsten Robek), struggling with chronic illness and tight finances, Polka-Dot is pushed into looking for odd jobs after school for extra cash. While sweeping up around the neighborhood coffee shop, Polka-Dot’s life perks up when she meets K-9 unit police officer Cooper "Coop" Brawn (James Denton) and his trusty bloodhound, Luey.

Falling instantly in love with Luey, Polka-Dot talks her way into the police kennel and soon badgers Coop into a "part-time job" taking care of his dog. Meanwhile, Coop uses his new free-time to try to rekindle his romance with ex-fiancé, probation officer Samantha McCutcheon (Laura Mennell).

When Francis is hospitalized, Polka-Dot valiantly attempts to fend for herself, rather than go into child services protection. But soon, her attempts to cover up the seriousness of her situation are sniffed out by her new pals, Luey and Coop.



Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...


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