In 2016, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premiered
*7 Most Wonderful Movies of CHRISTMAS!*
For those of you who have this remarkable channel, I know many of you were blessed by many (if not all!) of the Christmas movies that premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries last year! I know I certainly was, along with my family! Most impressive was the depth of heart and character found in these films, as well as humor!
With SEVEN films, this was Hallmark Movies & Mysteries biggest New Christmas Movie offering, yet, with stars that matched and rivaled the Hallmark Channel - including: Cameron Mathison, Mira Sorvino, Erin Krakow, Niall Matter, Wendie Malick, Tricia Helfer, Marc Blucas, Lisa Durupt, Marguerite Moreau, Mike Faiola, Brady Smith, Emilie Ullerup, Kristoffer Polaha, Sharon Lawrence, Crystal Lowe, Kimberly Sustad, James Brolin, Mena Suvari, John Reardon, Lindy Booth, Robin Dunne, and many more!!! Wow!!!
Beyond the actors and actresses, the magnificent Stories in each film were all Stars, as well..., but which ones Shined the Brightest?
Your movie choices are: "Love Always, Santa," "Finding Father Christmas," "Operation Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Hearts of Christmas," "Sound of Christmas," and "A Christmas to Remember."
It is time for You to Give...
Your Take!
This is where you can share *Your Take* on one of the most recent blocks of Original TV movies! In addition to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries *CHRISTMAS* Movies (today), we will also be doing the "Winterfest" and "Countdown to Valentine's Day" movies - soon! Stay tuned for those posts!
Please answer these 2 Questions in the comments below...
1.) Which Hallmark Movies & Mysteries *Most Wonderful Movies of CHRISTMAS* original movie did you like/love the most?
(Okay, it may be too hard to pick just one here. So... if you like, you may pick your TOP THREE!)
2.) Which Hallmark Movies & Mysteries *Most Wonderful Movies of CHRISTMAS* original movie poster (above) do you like best?
(Again, it may be too hard to pick just one here. So... if you like, you may pick your TOP THREE here, too!)
I almost considered narrowing it down to only 1 or 2 favorites, but let's face it, there were so many good ones from HMM this past year, I thought that just might be an impossible feat! Even 3 - is quite difficult to narrow it down to!
Looking forward to hearing all your responses!!! Feel free to briefly share your thoughts on all the *Christmas* movies!!!
*Please note: Any comment that contains language or is demeaning to the actors intelligence, weight, or their overall appearance, etc... will not be published. If you didn't like a particular movie or the story, it's fine to share that. However, let's try to keep this positive of what we liked best about the "Most Wonderful Movies of CHRISTMAS"! Thank you!
As I shared before... Yes, I do have my favorite Christmas Movies, as well! In fact, I will be nominating 12 Christmas Movies from ALL the Networks for the annual "It's a Wonderful Movie" Awards - Coming Soon! Your opinions/picks below may be a factor in the nomination process!
Thank You to Everyone who takes the time to share in the joy & spirit of the Christmas season by sharing your Christmas movie favorites - below!!!
Blessings to you all, Net
And remember... "Never Stop Believing!"
Finding Father Christmas was my favorite!!!! Also Operation Christmas was great story featuring our great military and what they go through and what their family goes through and the sacrifice they make to keep us all safe!! Great job on that!!!
ReplyDeleteNet, I agree with both of these movies. Finding Father Christmas was a totally new story that's never been done before. I loved it for that reason, but more important I loved the story!
DeleteGlad you both enjoyed this movie! I know many fans of Erin Krakow liked it very much!
DeleteI thought it was extra fun to see "Betty" from "Christmas Cookies," as the owner of the Inn, again!
Definite Favorite: I'll be Home for Christmas
ReplyDeleteRunners Up: A Christmas to Remember and Finding Father Christmas.
Favorite Poster: A Christmas to Remember
Note: As a Rule, I enjoyed the movies On Hallmark Movie & Mysteries more than on the regular Hallmark Channel. Found them to be more emotionally involving.
BeckyF.
I'm so glad you also enjoyed the HMM Christmas movies so much, Becky. I, too, loved the deepness of each character and story. It certainly is a whole different viewing experience than the Hallmark Channel, and it was wonderful to see so many great new HMM Christmas movies!!!
DeleteNow this is the one I've been waiting for! Loved all the HMM movies, but I'll try to narrow it down.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites for both:
Love Always, Santa
A Christmas to Remember
I'll be home for Christmas
Lauren T.
I know! Many were waiting for the HMM Christmas movies! It's hard to narrow it down to just three! :)
DeleteOperation Christmas, A Christmas to Remember, I'll Be Home For Christmas
ReplyDeleteGreat picks, CJ! :)
DeleteFavorite Movie: Hearts of Christmas
ReplyDeleteFavorite Movie Poster: A Christmas to Remember
This was hard, cause I loved all these movies except for Sound of Christmas. I love Marc Blucas and Cameron Mathison so much :)
So true, Sabrina! The HMM Christmas Movies were all so good - it was most difficult to choose a favorite!!! But, that's actually a good thing!!!
DeleteMy favorite Christmas movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
ReplyDeleteLove Always, Santa
Sound of Christmas
Finding Father Christmas
My overall favorite: Hearts of Christmas...Great chemistry between the actors, and it was a story we never really seen before in a Hallmark movie. I also loved that storyline "twist" involving two of the characters (I don't want to give anything away.)
ReplyDeleteRunner-Up: Finding Father Christmas...Great chemistry between Erin and Niall. Loved seeing Wendie Malick again in a Hallmark movie.
Wonderful choices, Jill! You are so right, there was such great chemistry in "Hearts of Christmas." So many good ones!!! :)
DeleteThank you for sharing your favorites!!!
My favorite by far was Finding Father Christmas. But two others I really enjoyed were A Christmas to Remember and Operation Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite poster is Hearts of Christmas. I really wanted to like this movie more than I did.
Those are all excellent Christmas movie picks, Jennifer! Thank you so much for sharing! :)
DeleteFavorites for both:
ReplyDeleteFinding Father Christmas
Love Always, Santa
What's very interesting though is that my overall two favorite movies from both Hallmark Channels are "A Nutcracker Christmas" and "Journey Back to Christmas", which although they debuted on the regular Hallmark Channel, they immediately were moved to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel because their story lines fit more over there.
I find the movies on Hallmark Moves & Mysteries (Christmas or otherwise) are full of depth and heart - just like you, Jim! So, of course, that makes sense that your favorites from the Hallmark Channel fit best on HMM!
DeleteBlessings to you & thank you for sharing your Christmas favorites!!! :)
This is a challenge! Even though there are fewer to choose from than on the regular HM channel, it's even harder to pick favorites, because they were all so good! I don't have a definite, hands-down favorite because I loved five of these pretty much equally. My order of favorites keeps changing, but at the moment, this is my list.
ReplyDelete1. Sound of Christmas - This is the one I keep rewatching. Lindy Booth and Robin Dunne are so great together, and I love movies that feature music. Also enjoyed the emotional twist in the story having to do with Robin Dunne's character's boss.
2. Love Always, Santa - Such a well written, well acted story that made me laugh and touched my heart. I hadn't seen any of the actors before, but they were fantastic, especially the little girl!
3. Operation Christmas - Excellent, realistic, emotional story. Tricia Helfer and Marc Blucas were amazing in their roles. I really felt for their characters.
It pains me to exclude A Christmas to Remember and Finding Father Christmas, because they were both so very good too, so I'll just mention them as runners up. :)
My favorite poster is Operation Christmas.
I know, Amy, right? It is still a challenge! You would think that having less to choose from would make the deciding on a favorite somewhat easier. Not in this case. Any of these 7 HMM Christmas movies easily could be anyone's top favorite!
DeleteThanks so much for sharing yours, Amy! You are so fun! - I love that you couldn't exclude 2 more of your Christmas movie favorites!!! :)
Favorite Movies:
ReplyDeleteLove always Santa
A Christmas to remember
I'll be home for Christmas
Favorite Posters:
Love always Santa
A Christmas to Remember
love always , Santa!
ReplyDeleteOperation Christmas.
Finding Father Christmas
Poster: A Christmas to Remember
Favorite Movie: The Sound of Christmas
ReplyDeleteFavorite Poster: Finding Father Christmas
Favorite Movies:
ReplyDelete1. Hearts of Christmas
2. Love Always, Santa
3. Finding Father Christmas
Favorite Posters:
1. I'll Be Home for Christmas
2. Hearts of Christmas
My favourite by a long way Finding Father Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there was nothing cutting edge to it with the usual Christmas devices and the answer to the "mystery" made obvious very early on it was well plotted and the voice of the film called to me, it was just heart melting.
Although all the actors gave good in their rolls this was mainly down to Niall Matter as Ian who gave a "tour de force" performance.
I think I've fallen just a bit in love with him!
The scene where Ian was pleading with Miranda to chage her mind about a decision she had made was awesome. The fear of losing her, the love shining out of his eyes and the emotion in his breaking voice just turned me to mush!
At the end I had such aloverly feeling of well-being.
Runner-up Operation Christmas.
It seemed very true to life and made you pause to think.
I hope to see a lot more of Marc Blucas. He was even more impressive in The Irresisible Blueberry Farm.
The other five were all pretty equal but nowhere as good as the two aforementioned.
Best poster goes to Operation Christmas.
1. Finding Father Christmas
ReplyDeleteSound of Christmas
A Christmas to Remember
2. Finding Father Christmas
Operation Christmas
Hearts of Christmas
I am really, really liked Journey Back to Christmas as well.
ReplyDeleteI definitely gravitate to the lighter, more rom-com-ish and/or whimsical themes and tones of the movies on the main Hallmark Channel instead of the themes and tones of the movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
ReplyDeleteHowever, so many movies that I have already loved on the main channel are starting to creep over to HMM (such as "Love On the Air," "Angels & Ornaments" and "The Christmas Ornament") -- so even if I didn't like any of the brand new originals that premiered on HMM, I'd have to end up spending more time on HMM anyway, as that's where a lot of movies that I love are ending up.
I didn't like any of the new HMM movies quite as much as I liked "Christmas List" and "My Christmas Love" on the main Hallmark Channel, but I guess my 3 favorites from HMM were:
1. "The Sound of Christmas." It dawned on me back in December that I seem to enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies with a musical element to them -- such as some sort of Christmas pageant or concert, as in "Angels & Ornaments" and "A Christmas Melody" -- something I never realized until then!! I really like Robin Dunne, and he and Lindy Booth were very good together.
Also, some of the music from "A Very Merry Mix-Up" was used in "The Sound of Christmas," which I recognized immediately.
2. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" -- This one has a strong cast. James Brolin is great, and is very charismatic.
3. It's basically a tie between "Finding Father Christmas" and "A Christmas to Remember." I really liked the story in FFC, and I loved the scenery, the people and the town. Wendie Malick is a highlight.
But I love a good Cameron Mathison holiday romance movie too, so I couldn't leave "A Christmas to Remember" off the list.
Movies:
ReplyDeleteI'll be Home for Christmas
Sound of Christmas
Christmas to Remmember.
Posters:
Hearts of Christmas
Christmas to Remember
I'll be home for Christmas.
All of the HMM movies were great Here is my three.
ReplyDeleteI'll be home for Christmas
Sound of Christmas
Operation Christmas.
Poster A Christmas to remember.
The production of HMM Christmas is so much better than the Hallmark channel. Loved them all.
Favorite Movie: Hearts of Christmas
ReplyDeleteRunner Up: Finding Father Christmas
Favorite Poster: Sound of Christmas
Hearts of Christmas was my absolute favorite, followed by Operation Christmas. Was not a fan at all of A Christmas to Remember, even though I generally like Cameron Matheson.
ReplyDeleteFavorite poster is I'll be Home for Christmas.
Oh, Net, I guess I got a little confused regarding the regular Hallmark channel poll. My favorite three HMM movies are:
ReplyDelete1) Finding Father Christmas
2) Hearts of Christmas
3) Operation Christmas..loved the tribute to our Military. My favorite posters are same as above! Love these polls, Net....thanks!!
1.Operation Christmas
ReplyDelete2.Hearts of Christmas
3.Tie: Finding Father Christmas/A Christmas to Remember
4.I'll Be Home For Christmas
This was really hard because they were all so good! Love the HMM channel! Again, no poster preference.
This is great Net! I'm so excited that we'll soon have your favorites from all the channels!
Movies...A Christmas to Remember, Operation Christmas, can't narrow down my third
ReplyDeletePoster...I'll Be Home for Christmas
For me, I would have to say my favorites were A Christmas to Remember, Love Always, Santa, and a tie between Operation Christmas and I'll Be Home for Christmas for third. Most of my absolute favorites came from HMM last year!
ReplyDeleteGood ones, Allie!!! :)
DeleteFavorite movies
ReplyDelete1. Finding Father Christmas
2. Operation Christmas
3. Hearts of Christmas
Favorite posters
1. I'll Be Home for Christmas
2. Hearts of Christmas
3. A Christmas to Remember
Favorite movies. Wow this is a lot harder than Hallmark!!! Going to pick 2 the rest ties as #3
ReplyDelete1 Finding Father Christmas ( hope sequel 2017)
2 Love always Santa
Posters
1 I'll be home for Christmas
2. Sound of Christmas
3. Love always Santa
Posters was easier than the movies.Because:
Finding Father looks like they pasted them
Operation Christmas squinting mean faces
Hearts of Christmas don't recall them being that many poinsettias or her carring any wood in A Christmas to remember
Yes, I agree, Tabitha! It was a lot harder than the Hallmark Channel! You, however, picked some good ones!!! :)
DeleteI, too, thought the poinsettias in the poster for Hearts of Christmas was a bit too much and not truly relatable to the movie overall. I would have personally liked to have seen more of the medical staff featured on the cover.
However... That said, I still very much liked the leads in the movie, as they were fantastic together!
Thanks so much for sharing your faves, Tabitha!!! :)
1. Hearts of Christmas
ReplyDelete2. Finding Father Christmas
3. Operation Christmas
I do have the HM channel but I don't watch a lot of television. When I do I usually check to see what's playing. Love you blog and I will tour! Thanks for so much info, I know where to come.........Happy February.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! I sure hope I can help you see the best of what's on TV - when you do watch! I also appreciate you becoming a follower! Blessings!!! :)
DeleteGoodness...I had so many favorites!
ReplyDelete1. Love Always, Santa
2. A Christmas to Remember
3. I'll Be Home for Christmas
Posters:
1. A Christmas to Remember
2. Love Always, Santa
3. Sound of Christmas
They were all good, though.
Lindy Booth & Robin Dunne were on 12 Trees of Christmas on Lifetime movie together & they reunited on Sound of Christmas when they're working together. Their first movie together "Sound of Christmas", on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Robin Dunne, he and Lindy have done 6 movies together over the last couple of decades! (Who knew? I only knew of "Twelve Trees of Christmas" before they did "The Sound of Christmas"!!)
DeleteReally 6!!! I thought the same only 2 Both was good so would like to know what the others are
DeleteDo you know what they are?
Tabitha -- I probably should have gone to IMDB as soon as I read Robin's comment (in an interview) about the 6 movies, just to see if I could figure out what the other ones are.
DeleteRobin said (in an interview on the My Devotional Thoughts website) that the first movie he and Lindy did together was called "Teenage Space Vampires."
So that one, along with the Lifetime Christmas movie and the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Christmas movie, gives us 3 of the 6 movies he and Lindy have done.
I guess now it's off to IMDB to figure out the other three!!
Robin Dunne & Lindy Booth were in the movies called; "Teenage Space Vampires", The Skull 2, American Psycho 2, Twelve Trees of Christmas, & Sound of Christmas
DeleteThat's five movies. Robin said they did 6 movies together.
DeleteThanks for the information But does not sound like my kind of movies. Haha that's probably why I only knew of the two.
DeleteSame, here, Tabitha! Those others don't quite sound like the "Hallmark-esque" type movies I typically watch - either!!!
DeleteI do have a "cute" - in case you didn't know fact! Do you remember the woman who played Robin Dunne's assistant Meg in "Sound of Christmas?" Her name is Farrah Aviva and she and Robin are newlyweds! They were married on July 15, 2016!
As for the 6th movie with Robin Dunne & Lindy Booth- that one, I suppose, remains a mystery! Or, maybe someone was simply mistaken and there are only 5.
I don't think there was a mistake, since it was Robin Dunne himself who said he and Lindy did six movies together. He did an interview with Ruth on her My Devotional Thoughts website, and that is where he mentions that he and Lindy Booth made 6 movies. (He also talks more about his wedding to Farrah, and how that all transpired.)
DeletePerhaps there is something that is somehow not listed on IMDB for either Lindy or Robin -- in other words, maybe she did a movie that he had a very small role in and it didn't appear on his IMDB page, or vice versa.
Or... maybe he and Lindy filmed something that hasn't been released yet? That's a possibility. Maybe they did something that wasn't a traditional "movie" but some sort of other project (an episode of a TV series, maybe?), and he just said "six movies" to make it easier.
There could be a few explanations, but Robin definitely said there were six movies in the interview with Ruth.
Robin's exact quote is:
"Lindy and I have done six movies together over the last two decades – TEENAGE SPACE VAMPIRES being our first (and the one we don’t talk about). Lindy is the best. We’re practically family."
I checked on IMDB & Wiki of Robin Dunne & Lindy Booth page so, if it's true Robin & Lindy did 6 movies together but I noticed there's only five movies. Somewhat if there's 6 movies; they're working together in which remind mystery? If necessary!!!
DeleteWhere did Robin Dunne & Farrah Aviva met? Robin Dunne used to be married to Heidi Lenhart. He met Heidi on the set of Little Men: TV Series & it's spinoff with Little Women.
If there 6th movies that Robin Dunne & Lindy Booth were in the movie together if they're working with Scott Grimm in the movie called; "Critters", in the bus. Robin Dunne wore blue denim pants & jacket with sheepskin collar & Lindy had red bob hairdo & blue dress. Is it them?
DeleteOnce again, there are no clear favorites, which is a good thing -- nice to see that different themes, roles, etc. appeal to different people.
ReplyDeleteHere are my three favorites:
1. A Christmas to Remember
2. Finding Father Christmas
3. Sound of Christmas
It's hard for me to pick out a favorite poster...they are all similar (but good)!
So true, Mark! It's hard to pick a clear favorite with such a great selection! It's a great problem to have! Hope we will have just as many good ones this year!!! :)
DeleteI loved all of the HMM Christmas movies this year, like most of the previous posters but here are my top three:
ReplyDelete1) Love always, Santa (loved the daughter)
2) Finding Father Christmas
3) Hearts of Christmas
Posters:
I'll be home for Christmas
Sound of Christmas
Finding Father Christmas
Thanks net, love your site :-)
Maria B
I loved the daughter, too - Lilly in "Love Always, Santa." She was so energetic and imaginative - instantly everyone adored her!
DeleteI sure hope we see her again in something. I just checked her IMDB profile. Her name is Isadora Swann and according to her page there, "Love Always, Santa" is her only acting credit. Wow! She was truly amazing! I can't believe someone else hasn't snatched her up for another project! She's a scene-stealer for sure - what a personality!
Thank you so much, Maria B, for sharing your favorites!!!
My favorite ones
ReplyDelete1. Hearts of Christmas - I really enjoyed this one. I would say it was one of the best Xmas movie I seen this year. Plot was good and actors did great job.
2. Operation Christmas - another good story. I enjoyed Marc Blucas as a lead.
3. Love always Santa
Posters;
1. Love always Santa
2. Hearts of Christmas
3. A christmas to rememeber
I so agree, Selene! Marc Blucas played a wonderful leading man in "Operation Christmas." He was also fantastic in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie "The Irresistible Blueberry Farm" with Alison Sweeney!
DeleteNet I totally agree with you about " The Irresistible Blueberry Farm I loved that movie so much. I have already watched it three times.
DeleteI totally agree Net and Tabitha. Macr Blucas is awesome. Hope to see more of him. Would love to see him with Alison Sweeny again.
DeleteHallmark Movies and Mysteries had my favorite movies of this holiday season! My 3 favorites were:
ReplyDelete1) Hearts of Christmas
2) Love Always, Santa
3) A Christmas to Remember
My favorite posters were:
1) A Christmas to Remember
2) I’ll Be Home for Christmas
3) Hearts of Christmas
I so agree, Amy! Lots of my top Christmas movie favorites came from HMM, too!
DeleteI still haven't watched all the HMM Christmas movies, but of the ones I've watched so far....I love A Christmas to Remember and Finding Father Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSomeone may have already pointed this out, but if not did ya'll notice the house in A Christmas to Remember? It's the same one from Let it Snow.
-Melissa
That is so cool, Melissa! I will definitely have to look again! I always love discovering interesting things like that! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
DeleteFavorite movies:
ReplyDelete1. I'll Be Home For Christmas
2. Hearts of Christmas
3. Finding Father Christmas
Favorite Poster:
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Really enjoyed the HMM Christmas movies the most for 2016.
Me too, Erin, there was so much heart in the HMM movies this last year!
DeleteFavorite Movies & Poster:
ReplyDelete1. Operation Christmas
2. Love Always, Santa
3. A Christmas to Remember
My favorite Christmas movies: 1)A Christmas to Remember, 2) Love Always, Santa and 3) Sound of Christmas. Same for posters.
ReplyDeleteBest Movies
ReplyDelete1. The best was Hearts of Christmas
2. Finding Father Christmas
Best posters
1. Sound of Christmas
My favorite was Love Always Santa. I watched it probably 4 or 5 times. I have it recorded so I am sure I will watch it more throughout the year. Finding Father Christmas and Operation Christmas both came in at a close 2nd.
ReplyDeleteI have those recorded too!!
On the movie posters, I like them all! But would have to stick with my top 3 movie posters.
Honestly it was another remarkable year for the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel... I can never get enough during the holidays and all throughout the year.
Love Always Santa is definitely the best Hallmark christmas movie from last year! So very well made. Great actors, wonderful writing and beautiful setting.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas to Remember is my runner up! Looove Cameron Mathison in this. Mira Sorvino was also refreshing.
Operation Christmas should be the favorite of all. It is so realistic to what many of our military families face each year.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites: Christmas to Remember, Love Always, Santa and Hearts of Christmas.
ReplyDelete