Spring is right around the corner... ⚘
You can see Natalie Hall (pictured above) in the March movie premiere of "Fit for a Prince." (This is not a Spring Fling movie.) See details here. Look for Ryan Paevey and Cindy Busby (also pictured above) in new Hallmark Spring Fling movies below...
Hallmark Channel
"Spring Fling" New Movies - 2021:
Chasing Waterfalls
SPRING FLING MOVIE
Premieres: Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 9pm/8c
Starring: Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell
Story-line via Hallmark: Photographer Amy travels to a remote lodge to find mythical waterfalls and falls for handsome guide, Mark. They adventure to find the mystic waterfall and discover their true feelings.
Review:
☀"Maybe it was just my mood, but the script for Chasing Waterfalls seemed a bit lacking in depth. Give it a try for yourself, though, because, happily, it was basically family-friendly and had beautiful forest scenery to enjoy! Cindy walking on a rainbow-painted crosswalk during the intro had me wondering if objectionable same-sex content was coming, but there wasn't any of that, thankfully. The only caution for families is at very, very end. It caught my ear when the two leads, who are alone, briefly talk about staying by the waterfall and sharing a tent that night instead of being taken back to the lodge by a helicopter before dark. Most non-Christians would likely assume that doesn't mean just sleeping, and it felt slightly off-key for the Hallmark we're used to." ~Alicia
☀"Chasing Waterfalls. It was cute. I liked it but it's not a keeper for me. Cindy is not one of my top favorite actresses, although I really liked her in the Godwink movie she was in. I like Christopher but the role he played in this movie seems like deja vu. Also, I'm not sure I really felt great chemistry between them. The little girl actress in this movie was great but her character was supposed to be eleven years old yet it felt more like thirteen year old stuff (maybe?). The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Miranda Frigon (Captain Lynn in Aurora Teagarden movies) played another tour guide who had dated Christopher in the past and still wanted to be dating him. She was the best actor in the whole movie even though her part wasn't huge. She also has a beautiful voice and we got to hear her sing a bit along with Christopher, so that was a nice addition.
Overall, it was a family friendly movie until...
*!*!*SPOILER ALERT*!*!* .....
at the very very end when "Mark" finds/rescues "Amy" in the wilderness and radios in for a helicopter to come get them before it gets dark. He mentions that he has one tent in his backpack and she asks if there's "room for two", so he cancels the helicopter and they kiss." ~~Jane
☀"Chasing Waterfalls review - what a fun movie! I loved the romantic chemistry between Amy Atwater (Cindy Busby) and Mark North (Christopher Russell). Their character names really stood out me as being spot on - Amy Atwater photographed waterfalls and Mark North was the tour guide. So clever! Also, since these two (Cindy and Christopher) have worked together before, it was easy to tell they already had a comfortable camaraderie with one another. The outdoor setting of this movie was also stunning - blue skies, tall trees, streams and hikes through the mountains to see the most gorgeous views and waterfalls. One hilarious moment is when Amy, Mark, and his daughter, Kyra, run into a bear on one of their hikes. Instantly Mark and Kyra start banging on things and yelling with their arms and hands stretched up in the air. Amy is shocked, at first, but joins in and the bear leaves. After this, (there is a little bathroom humor) Amy says she just peed her pants. Later on, she tries to say she really didn't, but they all just laugh it off. This movie is delightful and family friendly, but as others mentioned, there is talk of sharing a tent at the end. This also raised my eyebrows, but thankfully nothing is shown beyond that. I really enjoyed Cindy Busby's joyful, lighthearted personality in this and Christopher Russell made the perfect, ruggedly handsome outdoor man tour guide. This is definitely a movie I look forward to watching again!" ~Net
☀"CHASING WATERFALLS It was alright. Honestly, Cindy Busby is not my favorite Hallmark actress. She is hit/miss for me. I've been trying to figure out why I'm not a big fan of her, but I just can't pinpoint it exactly. Also i'm not sure about the chemistry between the leads. It was a little flat. I do like the little girl actress playing as Mark's daughter. Her acting is great but, (Call me old fashioned) i just felt that the romance issues she had should probably be for older age than 11 years old. I have a 10 years old son who is a 3rd grader and I can't imagine him going through these issues soon. This is more middle school ages, in my opinion. Overall, it was an okay movie. I loved the poster and the title and I guess I expected it to be "more" but it didn't quite measure up to my expectation." ~CH Mom
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
(Previously: Breakup Boot Camp)
SPRING FLING MOVIE
Premieres: Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 9pm/8c
Starring: Italia Ricci and Ryan Paevey
Story-line via Hallmark: Miranda runs a boot camp for the recently broken hearted. She begins to form a connection with new client Ben who is also a reporter, investigating whether her boot camp is a fad or a phenomenon.
Review:
☀"I started watching Don't Go Breaking My Heart. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to continue watching but I just thought I'd stop and share some content that, so far, I wasn't thrilled about. At around the 15 minute mark we meet one of the female participants in the breakup boot camp and she says "I'm scared to be on my own. And I can't move on since I have to see Bethany and her new girlfriend every other week, because of Ruth... we share custody." So, obviously, her character is a lesbian. My guess is that Hallmark won't put anything else about it in the movie since they want to gradually get us all accustomed to accepting it before they start being more bold. But I'm inclined to just hit the delete button on principal, which is a shame because I quite like Ryan and Italia. Also, earlier in the movie Italia's character was interviewing for a new employee and the interviewee was talking about how we all have trauma from our past lives and she thought Italia should incorporate something about past-life regression into her program. She was portrayed as a crazy, nut-job, but I just thought other viewers might want to know about it before watching with young family members." ~Jane
One Perfect Wedding
SPRING FLING MOVIE
Premieres: Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 9pm/8c
Starring: Taylor Cole, Jack Turner, Rukiya Bernard, Dewshane Williams
Story-line via Hallmark: With Cara (Cole) leaving on an international book tour in two weeks and Ben's (Turner) business expansion keeping him busy, the couple decides they won't let work commitments postpone their nuptials any longer. So, they book the Clara Lake chalet and head back to where their romance began for a small, intimate wedding with friends and family... just 10 days away. With the help of their best friends Megan (Bernard) and Sean (Williams), Cara and Ben feel nothing can stop them from having the perfect wedding.
Review:
☀"One Perfect Wedding – Family friendly. It was nice to FINALLY see the third movie in this series, which I'm guessing is the final chapter we'll see in this love story. There had been rumors this movie was coming for a while now, but time after time, it seemed to be delayed. I’m sure they wanted to work it out so it would also be a Winter movie, like the original two, but they must’ve settled for Spring, even though the movie still looked like Winter with all of the snow. Cara (Taylor Cole) and Ben (Jack Turner) lead busy lives, but they are ready to finally say I do and be married, even if neither have time to plan a wedding, which is mostly left to Cara’s friend, Megan (Rukiya Bernard). Ben’s best friend Sean (Dewshane Williams) is working as a doctor overseas; they speak to him remotely over an IPad throughout the entire movie. I was hoping he might appear somehow at the end, but it never happened. At one point, Cara wasn’t sure if she could trust Ben, there was a mix up with the bride gown and maid of honor dress, and a massive snowfall kept the caterers, DJ, etc… from being able to make it - so it definitely wasn’t perfect in theory, but it was a perfect wedding day after all for the couple. The most interesting part of the story was a mystery romance from the past with the owners of the Clara Lake chalet. Cara is determined to unravel their story and write about it for her next book. If you’ve seen the first two movies, One Winter Weekend and One Winter Proposal, you’ll most likely want to complete the story and see One Perfect Wedding." ~Net
As Luck Would Have It
SPRING FLING MOVIE
Premieres: Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 9pm/8c
Starring: JoAnna Garcia Swisher and Allen Leech
Story-line via Hallmark: Lindsey (Swisher) travels to Ireland to acquire land that is perfect for a resort. She decides to enter the town's world-renowned matchmaking festival to prove her investment in the community and win over a handsome local (Leech). Filmed on location in Ireland.
Reviews:
☀"As Luck Would Have It. Loved this movie!!!! Keeper; and will buy the dvd someday. Family friendly. One note: if anyone dvr'd the first airing on Saturday, 4/10/21 at 9pm, be warned that the dvr might cut off the very end of the movie so you miss the ending kiss (well, I'm assuming a happily-ever-after kiss is what happened right after the dvr cut off!!). Same thing happened with some of the Christmas movies last year (I remember having to re-record Picture a Perfect Christmas in 2019 because it went over the allotted 2hr&56minutes). I loved this Irish movie, so I'm going to dvr the next repeat showing on either 4/13 or 4/18 and, hopefully, that will get me the full movie with ending." ~~Jane
☀"AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT Oh I loved this one. What a charming movie with a marvelous location. It's funny and entertaining, has a little bit of history and culture, with really sweet romance. This is my first time seeing the 2 leads in Hallmark movie, but they grew on me. Love it and will watch it again!" ~CH Mom
Right in Front of Me
SPRING FLING MOVIE
Premieres: Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 9pm/8c
Starring: Janel Parrish and Marco Grazzini
Story-line via Hallmark: Carly (Parrish) gets a second chance at romance with her college crush but isn't sure how to impress him until her new friend Nick (Grazzini) starts giving her advice. Soon she learns who the right man for her really is.
Reviews:
☀ "Right in Front of Me--family friendly! I enjoyed the movie and thought the leads were adorable together." :-) ~Alicia
☀ "Really enjoyed this movie, one of the best this year and I think this was because the pairing of Janel Parrish and Marco Grazzini was enchanting, they were so perfect for each other. I was pleased to see Janel because while I enjoyed her performance in Holly And Ivy the movie was a bit fraught with the emphasis not fully on the romance. Marco Grazzini has been a secondary character in a number of Hallmark movies and to be honest I can't say I particularly remember him. He did star in a Lifetime movie Lonestar Christmas in 2020 but since the plot is a stryline which I personally don't like it was one of the few we didn't watch during the Season. He certainly came up trumps here. You could really feel the connection between the two leads and enjoy the deepening feelings growing between them and Carly become self-confident. The secondary cast were excellent as well and for regular viewers it was lovely to see several faces from previous Hallmark outings. I felt there was a lot of time wasted at the start that had no bearing on the main thrust of the movie and I was a bit puzzled at the end at the amount of time they had been apart without Nick in particular making any attempt to contact Carly. But the actual ending was lovely and it seems a long time since I've said Awwww! at the end. A really lovely movie and decidedly family friendly." ~Anonymous
☀ "RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME I love that the story is incorporating Marco Grazzini's real ethnicity as half Filipino. I would never imagined the Filipino culture to appear in the dishes cooked on this movie. Being originally from South East Asian myself, it was such a delight! I loved the progression of the relationship between Marco's character and Janelle's character. The starting of the movie was a bit slow and I was actually unsure of where it was going, but it was a fun, easy watch, and the ending was lovely." ~CH Mom
☀ "I agree with everyone else, Right in Front of Me was a super cute movie. And family friendly." ~~Jane
Please note: Be sure to check out reviews for the movies above. If you'd like to post a review on whether a film is family-friendly, please share in comments.
"Chasing Waterfalls" was such an enchanting movie! Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell starred together in this Spring Fling movie; they were also delightful together in last year's movie premiere, "Love in the Forecast."
Which of these new movies did you like best? Please share in comments below...
Blessings! Net
Is Chasing Waterfalls a Sequel to Love in the Forecast?
ReplyDeleteChris, I wondered the same thing, at first, but "Chasing Waterfalls" is a whole new movie. Cindy Busby was a meteorologist in "Love in the Forecast" and in this new movie she portrays a photographer.
DeleteI hope there’s full movies for the weekends (Saturdays & Sundays) since somewhat missing Hallmark Movies last year; March, April, May, June, 8 or 9 Fall Harvest Movies. Also, they add new Hallmark movies in July instead Christmas in July
ReplyDeleteHallmark movies
Breakup Boot Camp *
Starring: Italia Ricci, Ryan Paevey
Chasing Waterfalls*
Starring: Cindy Busby, Christopher Russell
Christmas Au Pair*
Starring: Kayla Wallace, Jeremy Guilbaut
Christmas Wish in Hudson *
Alex Rinehart, Rib Hollis
Finding Love in Mountain View *
Danielle C. Ryan, Myko Olivier
Fishing for Love *
Starring Andrea Brooks & Stephen Lord
High Flying Romance *
Starring Jessica Lowndes & Christopher Russell
Ice Hotel Holiday 2*
Jocelyn Hudon, Kathryn Kohut
A Kiss Before Christmas *
James Denton
Love and Chocolate*
Love is Trending*
Jen Lilley, Christopher Russell
One Winter Wedding *
Taylor Cole, Jack Turner, Rukiya Bernard, Dewshane Williams
Tycoon’s Kiss *
Jessica Lowndes & Chad Michael Murray
Wedding Cake Dreams *
Starring Donna Benedicto, Markian Tarasiuk
*Source
Renovate My Heart
Trevor Donovan, Branscombe Richmond, Tiffany Smith
A Vineyard Romance
Rebecca Olsen, Marcus Rosner
I've been keeping an eye out for many of these movies, too. I think we will see most of them on the Hallmark Channel in time.
DeleteI wonder if they were trying to film some of these in advance in case there might be another major lockdown.
As for Christmas in July, I personally hope they keep that tradition, at least for a couple weeks in the month of July - on each Hallmark network.
Thank you for sharing! :)
Yes, I'd love to know what happened to Finding Love In Mountain View.
DeleteYou'd think the Jessica Lowndes/Christopher Russell, Jen Lilley/ Christopher Russell and Jessica Lowndes/Chad Michael Murray movies would be certs for Hallmark.
Spencer Lord is in Fishing for Love, not Stephen Lord - his co Star Andrea Brooks
DeleteTycoon's Kiss was filmed immediately after their Christmas movie was filmed last year (that aired on Lifetime, producer pitches to both). Based on a book. It already has an IMDb page, but I haven't found official confirmation it's airing on Hallmark.
DeleteWill be a Fall movie wherever it ends up. I saw photos from production.
denise
I love Christmas in July! Weirdo that I am, I enjoy Christmas movies year round.
DeleteNone of the above movies appeal to me. I will try a couple of them anyway.
I really hope we get to see James Denton’s Christmas movie. I was sad when it wasn’t on the Christmas schedule, but I’m sure that was because of the Good Witch filming schedule which I’m happy is happening. I know NET doesn’t watch Good Witch, but I love it.
DeleteAt anonymous, in regards to Finding Love in Mountain View, I feel it got taken off for the woke movies they played like Falling for Look Lodge and My Best Friends Bouquet. who knows if we will ever see it. They will probably reshoot a small part where they add in a gay mixed race couple and then put it back on the schedule. all my opinion of course.
DeleteMeh...none so far. But, maybe that will change.
ReplyDeleteMisty
Misty, I understand. Maybe when some of the press photos are released those will pique your interest.
DeleteI also feel the same.just read hallmark gets movies from other producers and companies, maybe that's why the quality gas took a dive
DeleteFit for a Prince - The two leads are just ok for me but the premise sounds cute.
ReplyDeleteChasing Waterfalls - Cindy and Christopher were great together in Love in the Forecast so I'm very much looking forward to this.
Breakup Boot Camp - Italia Ricci and Ryan Paevey are two of my favorites so this is a must watch for me.
Kay
Kay, Thank you so much for sharing the movies you're looking forward to. I feel the same way about Cindy & Chris together, plus, I really like Ryan & Italia, but I'm curious what they'll be like together.
DeleteI was wondering if all of these are spring fling movies, or if only the last 2 were. there is a week between with no new movies. so I thought maybe the prince movie is not spring fling. and they are playing Crown for Christmas that Friday before the Prince movie. so maybe it is royal week or something. I was hoping we could have more movies for spring cause the bootcamp movie doesn't sound very spring like.
ReplyDeleteIt seems Cindy B and Jen Lilley work a lot with the director Christie wil wolf and Christopher Russell is in most of her movies. I think Jen and Chris are filming another movie together with CWW as director. Jessica Lowndes is in many of her movies too. Sometimes her daughter (CWW daughter) is in the movies and she is so adorable. she is probably growing up now and could fill the teen roles. Hope we see her cause she was so sweet in Poinsettias for Christmas, she had a bigger role and was adorable.
Sabrina, I was wondering the same thing, too... if "Fit for a Prince" would be considered a Spring Fling movie, so I decided to title the post New Movies in March + Spring Fling. I wish they would give some sort of label to the in-between movies, maybe they could use "A Little Romance," like they called the June movies last year.
DeleteHowever, since Hallmark starts celebrating Christmas in October, maybe we can celebrate Spring Fling a couple weeks sooner! Right?
That is such a good point about director Christie Will Wolf working with many of the same actors over and over. I guess they develop friendships and get to know who works best together. "Love is Trending" is the movie you are referring to with Christie Will Wolf directing Jen Lilley and Christopher Russell. Course they already starred together in "Love Unleashed," which was also directed by... Christie Will Wolf!" :)
It would be interesting to know whether these were Hallmark originals or brought in from outside.
ReplyDeleteI would expect Italia Ricci and Ryan Paevey to go well together and the scenario sounds promising.
It's not that long since Love In The Forecast which was enjoyable but both Cindy and Christopher are very uneven - they can be brilliant or mediocre so here's hoping this is a good one!
I'd like to see more of Natalie Hall On Hallmark - while it wasn't universally popular I personally loved her recent Lifetime Christmas movie A Very Charming Christmas Town but I'll reserve judgement on Jonathan Keltz.
Love At Look Lodge in which he starred was easily the weakest movie on Hallmark last year.
I see they have nothing scheduled for 13 March - hopefully they'll have something new to fill this.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the upcoming movies. I also had "Falling for Look Lodge" in mind when I saw Jonathan Keltz's name attached to "Fit for a Prince." Hopefully viewers will like this one much better. I thought he was likeable in "Once Upon a Prince," so hopefully this movie will be more like that one.
DeleteAs for your question, Hallmark does work with various production companies and they acquire some of their movies to fulfill their seasonal line-ups, such as MarVista Entertainment, Johnson Production Group, Front Street Pictures, Timeless Pictures, etc...
I haven't been watching hallmark this year...I've honestly lost interest after their latest changes including same sex couples. I do still follow your page to see what new movies are coming out and what people think. I am happy to hear that these three seem okay. Hopefully they don't add any side characters that would be a problem. It's interesting that hallmark is using the same two leads in the Chasing Waterfalls movie, since they will be playing different characters. I wonder why?
ReplyDeleteI completely understand your hesitancy with watching the new movies. It's been such a blessing to have everyone share reviews here - so we all know which movies are safe for family viewing and which ones are not.
DeleteThese new movies above all sound cute, but you're right, it's possible any side character could be added in.
As for "Chasing Waterfalls," over Christmas Hallmark paired up many actors & actresses that have worked together before... they probably thought these two (Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell) were great together last year, so... why not another one! I agree, it is definitely interesting. Plus, the story in "Chasing Waterfalls" kinda sounds like a mix of "Love in the Forecast," along with "Nature of Love," the Spring Fling movie from last year where Christopher Russell played the outdoor nature guide.
Anyway, thank you so much for your comment. I'm so glad you enjoy your visits here! We're happy to have you in the *It's a Wonderful Movie* family! :)
Blessings! Net
Only UPTV & Hallmark didn’t want same sex couples. The viewers take a blame on Hallmark but Lufetime only just before Hallmatk changed their minds
DeleteNew Hallmark Channel Movies for 2021
ReplyDeleteHallmark movies were already filmed & in production
Fit for a Prince
Mar. 6, 2021
Actors: Natalie Hall, Jonathan Keltz
Chasing Waterfalls
Mar. 20, 2021
Actors: Cindy Busby, Christopher Russell
Breakup Boot Camp
Mar. 27, 2021
Actors: Italia Ricci, Ryan Paevey
Christmas Au Pair*
Actors: Kayla Wallace, Jeremy Guilbaut
Christmas in Crumbs *
Christmas on Your Toes *
Christmas Wish in Hudson *
Actors: Alex Rinehart, Rib Hillis
Finding Love in Mountain View
Actors: Danielle C. Ryan, Myko Olivier
Fishing for Love
Actors: Andrea Brooks, Spencer Lord
High Flying Romance *
Actors: Jessica Lowndes, Christopher Russell
Ice Hotel Holiday 2*
Actors: Jocelyn Hudon, Steven Lund, Kathryn Kohut
NYNM 2022
A Kiss Before Christmas *
Actors: James Denton
Love and Chocolate
Love is Trending
Actors: Jen Lilley, Christopher Russell
One Winter Wedding
Actors: Taylor Cole, Jack Turner, Rukiya Bernard, Dewshane Williams
NYNM 2022
Right in Front of Me *
June 2021
This is a sequel to The Last Bridesmaid
Tycoon’s Kiss *
Actors: Chad Michael Murray, Jessica Lowndes
Wedding Cake Dreams *
Actors: Donna Benedicto, Markian Tarasiuk
Not sure right in front of me is sequel to Last Bridesmaid it doesn't look like it has anything to do with that.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have been disappointed in new movies so far.i just can't understand why hallmark feels it necessary to film unfriendly family movies,even if it's just a couple scenes.hopefully we will be able to get review from you before we end up watching it and deleting.andbeven the directing of movies has changed.love Christmas in july.but wouldn't be surprised if hallmark doesn't change that too.thank you for all of this.love reading other comments also
ReplyDeleteI know just how you feel. We have to always be on guard these days, which is really sad when we used to be able to leisurely enjoy Hallmark movies any time they were on. It's sad that has changed, but that's the reality of the world we live in today. It's actually amazing we had it this long.
DeleteGlad you enjoy visiting here and getting our perspective on which movies are family friendly. Blessings to you!
Because they don’t see same-sex couples as not family friendly, sadly. As NET says, it’s the world we live in now. 😔
DeleteI'm getting more and more disillusioned with Hallmark. Somehow I stumbled upon this article where the heads of Hallmark are almost bragging about how proud they are to be gradually adding in (sneaking in!!) more and more homosexual ("diverse and inclusive" -- eye roll!!) characters so that their viewers will start to accept these "families" and "couples" as normal. https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/hallmark-channel-promises-more-lgbt-characters-this-is-who-we-are-ceo-says.html
DeleteI'm having a hard time deciding what to do, whether to keep watching and thereby giving them my approval. I'm also torn about continuing to buy Hallmark dvds. I usually just buy all the movies that I've liked, but I'm struggling with the idea of giving Hallmark more money that they can pour into making movies that go against my beliefs and values. I can just imagine the heads of the company laughing hysterically at all us gullible Christians who keep funneling money their way. We're basically paying for them to keep producing these tacky movies. They throw us a few clean, family-friendly "bones" and continue to use our money to make the other type movies. I used to think they would take note that the top selling dvd's are the family-friendly ones, but I'm beginning to think they really don't care. So long as they keep making money (off of us!), they'll probably continue to push their progressive movies. If the money were to dry up, then MAYBE they would pay attention.
Like I said, I'm seriously torn about what to do. But in the meantime, I'm grateful for you, Net, and all the other folks here who let us know which movies are not family-friendly.
~~Jane
Jane, I understand your heart on this completely, as I've been wondering, too, the direction I should take with sharing movies on my blog. Each time I get discouraged, I ask The Lord what to do, and I always seem to receive a message, either in comments or via e-mail, from someone who appreciates *It's a Wonderful Movie* and the fact that we are taking a stand for biblical morals here. They appreciate knowing the programming they can watch with their families, especially these days when the options are more and more limited. Those responses always uplift my spirit, but please know, I'm still not pleased with the progressive agenda that keeps creeping in on Hallmark.
DeleteOver the Christmas season, I know so many people appreciated the wonderful reviews you gave us here, Jane. You were wonderful at informing/warning thousands of people on what was good and what was not good to watch. I know God used you to reach many, you have no idea how many homes you touched this Christmas with your reviews - and still continue to reach. I certainly was one of those who was grateful for your many, wonderful reviews.
I've received so many messages from people who used (and are still using) the 2020 Christmas Movie Review list as a guide on what is family friendly to watch - and you were certainly an instrumental part of that.
God bless you, Jane! Hugs to you, my dear friend!
In His Amazing Love, Net
Jane~ I understand your hesitation with buying the family friendly movies. I added a bunch of the Mystery Movies to my Amazon wish list and was feeling guilty because of the new direction. But I feel that eventually more and more of the family friendly will get pushed out. They may make some money now but if pay $20 for a movie once and then only watch our copy every time they show it they will lose ad revenue which is what they are after. Thank you for all your reviews it helps when choosing what to watch and what to skip.~ Laura
DeleteLaura, Thank you so much for sharing our concern here. I so appreciate your sweet comment.
DeleteI was already deeply hesitant, but today I'm even more concerned on the future of Hallmark from the news that is coming out regarding the layoffs of approximately 20 people from the Hallmark network, some who have been at the company for MORE THAN 20 YEARS! According to the article I read on this, during the beginning of the pandemic they were all promised no one would be let go. I guess that has changed. Since they are letting go those who have been with the channel for such a long time, it seems they will surely be moving further in this new direction. I pray not, but it seems inevitable.
I'm so glad you enjoy the reviews here, Laura. Please feel free to share your take on movies with us anytime. God's blessings to you! :)
Laura, Thanks for your note. I agree!! All the reviews and the collective insight from everyone on this blog are such a gift! And you do make a good point about purchasing a dvd vs. the ad revenue.
DeleteNet, I wonder if it would be possible for you to have an arrangement with Christianbook.com like you have with Amazon where you get a percentage when folks from your blog make purchases? I truly know nothing about the beliefs of the folks who run christianbook.com or other such websites, but I'm under the impression that I would rather give my money to them whenever I can instead of Amazon. (I give WAY too much money to Amazon and really need to cut the cord soon!!! :))
~~Jane
Jane, this reply is a few days late but my thoughts on buying the DVD's; we might have limited time to get those DVD's that are acceptable by us before they will not be available. If Hallmark continues on the path they have chosen, these DVD's will be all we will have to watch.
DeleteWhen a movie I love comes on again, I watch it from my DVR so Hallmark won't get the ratings for it. With them letting employees go must mean they are losing lots of money. Low ratings=low advertisements. No advertising=no income for Hallmark.
Folks, there are more of us than there are of them. Stand firm in your faith! God is watching.
To you Net, please continue what you are doing. God will act in due time! Now is the time for us to trust the Lord.
Jane & kitkat, Hugs to both of you! I treasure your friendship and value your perspective on what is taking place. It means so much to me.
DeleteJane, I looked into CBD a year or so ago. I wasn't sure if it was well known for others to purchase there. It's hard to beat Amazon's prime shipping, but if you're interested, I will definitely look into it again. I have purchased there myself many years - Christian books, Bibles, devotionals, t-shirts, etc... It's a great, reputable Christian business. I've always received my packages in good condition - and there is always scripture on the boxes! I can never get rid of them, so I have several of them in my garage!
kitkat, Thank you for sharing your heart with Jane. I love when you all share with one another - it makes us feel like one big family here! And, your enthusiastic support for this blog means the world to me! :)
God's Blessings to you both!!!
Everyone is so sweet on this blog!! Net, please don't go out of your way to sign up with CBD just for my benefit, I was just trying to think of options other than Amazon. I have a love/hate thing with Amazon!! They sucked me in with their customer-friendly service and easy way to shop and now it's sooooo very hard to cut the cord. I'm not impressed with their politics and unfriendly stance toward people of faith, so I'll keep trying to sever my addiction and one of these days I'll do it (I hope)!! I need an Amazon recovery program! :)
Delete~~Jane
Jane, awe... I understand completely! 100%! I've been feeling much the same way. It's so hard. It seems nearly every place we shop seems to have some sort of agenda these days or, at least, they are pressured into doing things. I look for alternatives, too, when possible, but it seems like these big stores have the better supply and generally, best prices. It's no problem looking into CBD, at all. I am aware that they do have an affiliate program. Like I said, I just wasn't sure enough followers here would be aware of them. I'm happy to look into it - because I'm glad to give you and others another option.
DeleteGod bless you, Jane!!!
In a comment I wrote earlier, I said "Love Never Fails" was on UP, but I think it was HMM since I had never seen this movie before. Anyway, it was a good one.
ReplyDeleteIt’s actually A.Valentine’s Date
DeleteElisa Donovan & Brad Rowe
February 5, 2021
HMM
Love Never Fails was an originally title for A Valentine’s Date
Yes, "A Valentine’s Date" was the title Hallmark used for the movie when they first premiered it.
DeleteHowever, if you're looking for the DVD, it is listed under "Your Love Never Fails" at Amazon and Hallmark has it listed on their web-site under "Your Love Never Fails." I think they changed it back in 2011 so it didn't seem strange to play a movie with Valentine's Day in the title year round. Now they don't seem to care about that as much - since they play seasonal movies out-of-season any time of the year.
By the way, I have a review of this sweet movie - here, if you'd like to see it.
A Valentine’s Date was premiere on February 4, 2011 on HC
DeleteLaura Conners and her daughter live in New York where she high-powered executive with an important deal on. However, when Laura's ex-husband sues for shared custody, she has to fly back to Texas to deal with the legal technicalities.
Starring Elisa Donovan, Brad Rowe, John Schneider, Tom Skerritt, Catherine Hicks, Victoria Pratt, Tracy Gold, Kristin Dorn
Love is Never Fails was an originally title for A Valentine’s Date
Laura’s family ranch with horses 🐴 🐎
I started to notice Love Never Fails —> A Valentine’s Date —> A Valentine’s Day
As soon as I saw pictures of the lead for the royal movie, I am going to pass. I just don't get how he always gets in these movies. He's not appealing to me at all.
ReplyDeleteMisty
Looking forward to One Perfect Wedding (wish it was One Winter Wedding), I love Taylor Cole and Jack Turner together, that series is awesome! Also looking forward to Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell, I really enjoyed Love in the Forecast. I think they're a great match. And also Italia Ricci and Ryan Paevey in Boot camp. It should be good. Thanks to the reader for the list of the movies that are coming down the road, looking forward to the Kayla Wallace one. I think we'll be seeing a lot of her soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you but I would like to see a Christmas movie either on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries or Hallmark Channel maybe 90 percent of the movie that takes place in a church.
ReplyDeleteChasing Waterfalls...does anyone know where Cindy Busby's shirt was from...the grey white-washed blouse she was wearing when she was trying on boots? I'm looking for it and can't find it!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to take a look at it and let you know. Cindy often wears cute stuff!
DeleteBy the way, was "Chasing Waterfalls" family friendly? Did you like it?
Maybe it was just my mood, but the script for Chasing Waterfalls seemed a bit lacking in depth. Give it a try for yourself, though, because, happily, it was basically family-friendly and had beautiful forest scenery to enjoy! Cindy walking on a rainbow-painted crosswalk during the intro had me wondering if objectionable same-sex content was coming, but there wasn't any of that, thankfully. The only caution for families is at very, very end. It caught my ear when the two leads, who are alone, briefly talk about staying by the waterfall and sharing a tent that night instead of being taken back to the lodge by a helicopter before dark. Most non-Christians would likely assume that doesn't mean just sleeping, and it felt slightly off-key for the Hallmark we're used to.
Delete~Alicia
Alicia, Thank you for sharing this review for "Chasing Waterfalls!" I'm midway through this movie - so I haven't come up to the part you mentioned yet. I don't like the implication, though, and wonder if this is another push to move Hallmark away from it's usual wholesomeness.
DeleteBy the way, I shared your review on the Spring Fling page here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2021/02/new-movies-in-march-spring-fling-2021.html
What on earth is Jack Turner playing at?
ReplyDeleteI had to look hard to recognise him.
Don't like the bald look at all.
Thank you so much for this blog! I used to be able to just turn on a Hallmark movie, sight unseen, but that is no longer the case. Even the promo photos and descriptions no longer give you a heads up. (I think Hallmark learned their lesson with that wedding movie where the lesbian couple was clearly seen - viewers won't tune in unless the progressive content is snuck in under the radar.) Anyways, I have discovered your blog, and I will now not watch a new Hallmark film until I have checked it here. Keep up the good work - so many appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog!I used to be able to watch Hallmark movies with my kids, sight unseen, but sadly, those days are past. It has been difficult to find good information about these films and their content before watching. I feel like Hallmark is intentionally vague about LGBTQ content so they don't lose conservative viewers, but then we get blindsided by scenes we weren't expecting! Thank God for your blog. I will never again - sadly - watch a movie when it premieres on Hallmark. I will wait and follow your blog. You have no idea how much that helps this Christian mom who is trying to keep her children's innocence intact. Thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeletemelnewlife, Thank you for your thoughtful, sweet comment. Your kind words mean so much to me and everyone here who contributes reviews for others. Many of us here have had a difficult time with everything going on, but it's been so nice to have others to share with and lean upon. I feel like the Lord has brought us all together.
DeleteI'm so glad you found my site; I love knowing it has been a helpful guide for you and your family. Please be sure to pass on to others who are like-minded.
Please know, your comment has been such a blessing to me! God bless you and thank you for visiting and sharing here with us!
Have a nice, Blessed Easter week!
I started watching Don't Go Breaking My Heart. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to continue watching but I just thought I'd stop and share some content that, so far, I wasn't thrilled about. At around the 15 minute mark we meet one of the female participants in the breakup boot camp and she says "I'm scared to be on my own. And I can't move on since I have to see Bethany and her new girlfriend every other week, because of Ruth... we share custody." So, obviously, her character is a lesbian. My guess is that Hallmark won't put anything else about it in the movie since they want to gradually get us all accustomed to accepting it before they start being more bold. But I'm inclined to just hit the delete button on principal, which is a shame because I quite like Ryan and Italia. Also, earlier in the movie Italia's character was interviewing for a new employee and the interviewee was talking about how we all have trauma from our past lives and she thought Italia should incorporate something about past-life regression into her program. She was portrayed as a crazy, nut-job, but I just thought other viewers might want to know about it before watching with young family members. I have tons of movies to watch and books to read, so I'm not sure if I want to continue with this movie. ???
ReplyDelete~~Jane
Jane, I so appreciate you sharing that info with us. Only 15 minutes in is unusual. That's quicker than they typically do. If they get you past 30-40 minutes, then they think they've got you hooked into the main story.
DeleteI was kind of wondering if there might be something included with this one; With so many extra people in the boot camp, I figured it was inevitable someone must be. I was hoping my guess would be wrong, but of course not.
The only things I've heard around the internet mostly was... that it was slow and boring, and there was zero chemistry between Ryan and Italia. I'm definitely going to delete it after reading your comment, which I'm so grateful for. I'm also not fond of the past life statement you mentioned. Sounds like a movie I'm not willing to give my time to and time is precious. I only wish I hadn't given it ratings by recording it in the first place.
Bless you, Jane, for sharing! Thank you! I hope you have a very nice Easter week. ✝
So, Net, when I stopped watching that movie I decided I needed to watch a feel-good Christmas movie. I watched my brand new dvd of Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was the first time I've ever seen the movie and I loved it, just like you said I would!! I loved Autumn and Antonio together -- so adorable (Antonio won me over in this one where he did not do so in Glenbrooke Christmas). And now I want to start wearing vintage clothing like Autumn's character. So refreshing to watch a good movie! Thanks for the recommendation.
Deletep.s. - I have not yet deleted Don't Go Breaking My Heart. I watched maybe another 15 more minutes before I decided to just switch to the Thanksgiving/Christmas movie (btw, there was no objectionable content in those additional 15 minutes).
Mild Spoiler Alert for anyone that wants to watch the movie: the lesbian's "daughter", Ruth, turns out to actually be a cat, so at least there are no real children involved.
~~Jane
Chasing Waterfalls. It was cute. I liked it but it's not a keeper for me. Cindy is not one of my top favorite actresses, although I really liked her in the Godwink movie she was in. I like Christopher but the role he played in this movie seems like deja vu. Also, I'm not sure I really felt great chemistry between them. The little girl actress in this movie was great but her character was supposed to be eleven years old yet it felt more like thirteen year old stuff (maybe?). The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Miranda Frigon (Captain Lynn in Aurora Teagarden movies) played another tour guide who had dated Christopher in the past and still wanted to be dating him. She was the best actor in the whole movie even though her part wasn't huge. She also has a beautiful voice and we got to hear her sing a bit along with Christopher, so that was a nice addition.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it was a family friendly movie until...
*!*!*SPOILER ALERT*!*!* .....
at the very very end when "Mark" finds/rescues "Amy" in the wilderness and radios in for a helicopter to come get them before it gets dark. He mentions that he has one tent in his backpack and she asks if there's "room for two", so he cancels the helicopter and they kiss.
~~Jane
Jane, I think your review is perfect "as is" and I appreciate you adding the Spoiler Alert to it! If anyone reads beyond that, then it's up to them. It's good to have the caution as to what is coming, so we're not caught off guard.
DeleteI added your review to the Spring Fling post! Thank you!
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2021/02/new-movies-in-march-spring-fling-2021.html
I was hoping someone other than myself would mention the lesbian addition in the movie and the past lives comment. So glad to see that comment. By now maybe most Hallmark viewers will have watched it since we all enjoy Ryan Paevey.
ReplyDeleteAs Luck Would Have It. Loved this movie!!!! Keeper; and will buy the dvd someday. Family friendly.
ReplyDeleteOne note: if anyone dvr'd the first airing on Saturday, 4/10/21 at 9pm, be warned that the dvr might cut off the very end of the movie so you miss the ending kiss (well, I'm assuming a happily-ever-after kiss is what happened right after the dvr cut off!!). Same thing happened with some of the Christmas movies last year (I remember having to re-record Picture a Perfect Christmas in 2019 because it went over the allotted 2hr&56minutes). I loved this Irish movie, so I'm going to dvr the next repeat showing on either 4/13 or 4/18 and, hopefully, that will get me the full movie with ending.
~~Jane
Jane, I so appreciate you sharing a review for "As Luck Would Have It!" That is odd about the minute or two extra, I wonder what's up with that??? Did you notice any special commercial? That was my first assumption or maybe, there is something in the first airing that will be edited out in future airings. I didn't get a chance to watch it, but I'm so glad to hear you loved it, since I thought all the promos looked really fun. I'm looking forward now to watching it soon!
DeleteBy the way, I posted your review above! ^
Again, thank you! :)
Net, I think you might be on to something with the special "commercial" idea. The main actor and actress had a whole bunch of little mini "behind-the-scene" type segments throughout the commercial breaks. I really enjoyed hearing them talk, but I wonder if that is what made the movie run over the allotted time? Of course, I guess it could have just been a malfunction with my cable carrier, Verizon??
Delete~~Jane
Jane, I double-checked the DirecTV schedule and the Hallmark Channel schedule on-line and it has the next movie (Summer Villa) that came on after As Luck Would Have It, listed at 11:01pm/10:01c., so, thankfully, it wasn't an issue with your cable provider. I imagine many others had the same problem.
DeleteJane, Just curious, was there drinking in this movie? I thought someone mentioned whiskey.
DeleteI just typed up a very long-winded answer for you Anna, but I hit the "preview" button and it disappeared. Ugh! Double ugh!! Where did it go??? I need to figure out technology!
DeleteThe short-ish answer:
Oops, sorry! I forgot to mention the alcohol in this movie. I'm basically a teetotaler but for some reason the alcohol did not bother me in this movie. I can't really explain it?
(I think my love of all things Scottish or Irish "blinded" me to noticing the alcohol in the movie; I was so enthralled by the scenery and the lovely Irish brogues! Hah! :))
Even though alcohol was definitely a prominent part of the movie I did not feel it was really glorified or portrayed as something that "cool" young people should do. It was more just matter-of-fact, everyday life in a small Irish village where the pub is sort of the community gathering spot and, yes, some people drink alcohol while they're there. The hero has a passion for making new blends of small-batch whiskey and has a growing business on the side, plus he works in the family pub. The heroine, at one point, helps out by serving food & drink behind the bar, and at another point does a taste testing of the hero's different flavors of whiskey. Hero and heroine are both more mature than in other movies.
I would say if you're a family that drinks wine with meals or beer at the backyard cookout or champagne at weddings, then this movie is probably family friendly (perhaps with some teaching moments for impressionable kids/teens). If you're a family of complete abstainers, then perhaps skip this movie or do an adult preview first or perhaps be prepared for teachable moments.
I watched two movies that day and I would say this one was more mature, whereas the "Fit for a Prince" one was more cutesy and would probably work better for a younger crowd.
~~Jane
One Perfect Wedding review – Family friendly. It was nice to FINALLY see the third movie in this series, which I'm guessing is the final chapter we'll see in this love story. There had been rumors this movie was coming for a while now, but time after time, it seemed to be delayed. I’m sure they wanted to work it out so it would also be a Winter movie, like the original two, but they must’ve settled for Spring, even though the movie still looked like Winter with all of the snow. Cara (Taylor Cole) and Ben (Jack Turner) lead busy lives, but they are ready to finally say I do and be married, even if neither have time to plan a wedding, which is mostly left to Cara’s friend, Megan (Rukiya Bernard). Ben’s best friend Sean (Dewshane Williams) is working as a doctor overseas; they speak to him remotely over an IPad throughout the entire movie. I was hoping he might appear somehow at the end, but it never happened. At one point, Cara wasn’t sure if she could trust Ben, there was a mix up with the bride gown and maid of honor dress, and a massive snowfall kept the caterers, DJ, etc… from being able to make it - so it definitely wasn’t perfect in theory, but it was a perfect wedding day after all for the couple. The most interesting part of the story was a mystery romance from the past with the owners of the Clara Lake chalet. Cara is determined to unravel their story and write about it for her next book. If you’ve seen the first two movies, One Winter Weekend and One Winter Proposal, you’ll most likely want to complete the story and see One Perfect Wedding.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Net. I was wondering if there was going to be something added into this one. I heard some others complain about Sean not being there, no one seems to know if it was pandemic related or if it was actually written in the story. I've seen the first two so I'll give this movie a watch next time it's on. Do you know when that will be?
DeleteThere is only one upcoming air date for "One Perfect Wedding" in April - Saturday April 17th at 5:00 PM/4c.
DeleteIf you miss it then, Hallmark currently has this time listed in May - Sunday May 30th at 9:00 AM/8c. Please know Hallmark sometimes changes their schedule - so you may want to check it again as the time gets closer.
I'm really surprised a brand new premiere is receiving so few encore airings. I wonder if it's due to low ratings or the fact that the movie doesn't really feel like a Spring Fling movie with all the snow. I just bet in the future we'll see more of it in the cold Winter months after Christmas!
Hope you can catch one of these airings!
Chasing Waterfalls review - what a fun movie! I loved the romantic chemistry between Amy Atwater (Cindy Busby) and Mark North (Christopher Russell). Their character names really stood out me as being spot on - Amy Atwater photographed waterfalls and Mark North was the tour guide. So clever! Also, since these two (Cindy and Christopher) have worked together before, it was easy to tell they already had a comfortable camaraderie with one another. The setting of this movie was also stunning - blue skies, tall trees, streams and hikes through the mountains to see the most gorgeous views and waterfalls. One hilarious moment is when Amy, Mark, and his daughter, Kyra, run into a bear on one of their hikes. Instantly Mark and Kyra start banging on things and yelling with their arms and hands stretched up in the air. Amy is shocked, at first, but joins in and the bear leaves. After this, (there is a little bathroom humor) Amy says she just peed her pants. Later on, she tries to say she really didn't, but they all just laugh it off. This movie is delightful and family friendly, but as others mentioned, there is talk of sharing a tent at the end. This also raised my eyebrows, but thankfully nothing is shown beyond that. I really enjoyed Cindy Busby's joyful, lighthearted personality in this and Christopher Russell made the perfect, ruggedly handsome outdoor man tour guide. This is definitely a movie I look forward to watching again! ~Net
ReplyDeleteYou can see this review and other reviews above for the Spring Fling movies - from myself, Jane, and Alicia!
Also, Chasing Waterfalls is now available on DVD - see details here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2021/04/hallmark-dvd-releases-2021-coming-soon-chasing-waterfalls-spring-summer-mystery.html
Right in Front of Me--family friendly! I enjoyed the movie and thought the leads were adorable together. :-)
ReplyDelete~Alicia
Alicia, Thank you so much for sharing this review; I'm delighted to hear it was family-friendly! I posted it above. ^
DeleteReally enjoyed this movie, one of the best this year and I think this was because the pairing of Janel Parrish and Marco Grazzini was enchanting, they were so perfect for each other.
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to see Janel because while I enjoyed her performance in Holly And Ivy the movie was a bit fraught with the emphasis not fully on the romance.
Marco Grazzini has been a secondary character in a number of Hallmark movies and to be honest I can't say I particularly remember him.
He did star in a Lifetime movie Lonestar Christmas in 2020 but since the plot is a stryline which I personally don't like it was one of the few we didn't watch during the Season.
He certainly came up trumps here.
You could really feel the connection between the two leads and enjoy the deepening feelings growing between them and Carly become self-confident.
The secondary cast were excellent as well and for regular viewers it was lovely to see several faces from previous Hallmark outings.
I felt there was a lot of time wasted at the start that had no bearing on the main thrust of the movie and I was a bit puzzled at the end at the amount of time they had been apart without Nick in particular making any attempt to contact Carly.
But the actual ending was lovely and it seems a long time since I've said Awwww! at the end.
A really lovely movie and decidedly family friendly.
Thank you for sharing this lovely review for "Right in Front of Me" with us. I enjoyed reading it, and I added it above.
DeleteI only wish I knew your first name, initials, or something to give you credit.
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT
ReplyDeleteOh I loved this one. What a charming movie with a marvelous location. It's funny and entertaining, has a little bit of history and culture, with really sweet romance. This is my first time seeing the 2 leads in Hallmark movie, but they grew on me. Love it and will watch it again!
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME
I love that the story is incorporating Marco Grazzini's real ethnicity as half Filipino. I would never imagined the Filipino culture to appear in the dishes cooked on this movie. Being originally from South East Asian myself, it was such a delight! I loved the progression of the relationship between Marco's character and Janelle's character. The starting of the movie was a bit slow and I was actually unsure of where it was going, but it was a fun, easy watch, and the ending was lovely.
CHASING WATERFALLS
It was alright. Honestly, Cindy Busby is not my favorite Hallmark actress. She is hit/miss for me. I've been trying to figure out why I'm not a big fan of her, but I just can't pinpoint it exactly. Also i'm not sure about the chemistry between the leads. It was a little flat. I do like the little girl actress playing as Mark's daughter. Her acting is great but, (Call me old fashioned) i just felt that the romance issues she had should probably be for older age than 11 years old. I have a 10 years old son who is a 3rd grader and I can't imagine him going through these issues soon. This is more middle school ages, in my opinion. Overall, it was an okay movie. I loved the poster and the title and I guess I expected it to be "more" but it didn't quite measure up to my expectation.
CH Mom, Triple thank you! I appreciate all these wonderful reviews. That is so nice you could see some of your own culture in Right in Front of Me. I loved the story around the small fork - that was soooo thoughtful and sweet.
DeleteLoved hearing your take on all of these! Again, thank you! I added the reviews above. ^
I agree with everyone else, Right in Front of Me was a super cute movie. And family friendly.
ReplyDelete~~Jane