Hello, friends!
I hope you all are having a great day! Today, I wanted to share the latest Hallmark movie news in one post - since there seems to be a lot going on lately.
Did you "Spot" the New Movie?
(this is a little pun - since this new movie is about a dog)
On July 6th, the movie, Guiding Emily, was quietly added to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries website. It was spotted by Sabrina, who is a good friend and member of the It's a Wonderful Movie family, and she shared the news with us. So, I added this new movie to my August schedule.
Did you "Spot" the New Movie?
(this is a little pun - since this new movie is about a dog)
On July 6th, the movie, Guiding Emily, was quietly added to the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries website. It was spotted by Sabrina, who is a good friend and member of the It's a Wonderful Movie family, and she shared the news with us. So, I added this new movie to my August schedule.
Now, TVline has shared even more news about this film, Guiding Emily, which will star actress Sarah Drew (Front of the Class, One Summer). Instead of August (which is still currently listed on the HMM website), according to this new article and new promos with Sarah Drew, this movie will now air on Friday, September 8, 2023, at 9pm/8c. September also happens to be National Service Dog Month.
Guiding Emily storyline: Emily's life changes after losing her eyesight, while a guide dog struggles with training. Through a series of missed encounters, both overcome their obstacles and find each other.
The movie stars Sarah Drew, Antonio Cupo, and Eric McCormack as the voice of Emily's guide dog, Garth.
This film is based upon the book Guiding Emily: A Tale of Love, Loss, and Courage by Barbara Hinske (author of The Christmas Club).
Sarah Drew promoting her new movie with her special co-star...
Hallmark's Big News
Yesterday, Hallmark teased that they would have BIG news today, and the announcement has been made.
For everyone who guessed Christmas Cruise, you are RIGHT!
Hallmark's Christmas Cruise will occur November 5th-9th and will sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. During this holiday escape fans will meet various Hallmark stars and enjoy the premiere of an all-new Hallmark Christmas movie before it airs on the Hallmark Channel; plus, there will be crafts, cookies, carol-oke, contests, and more! You can see all the details - here!
Special Announcement + Encore Airings - "Haul Out the Holly"
There are three encore airings of "Haul Out the Holly," starring Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown, coming up on the Hallmark Channel.
*Wednesday July 12 2/1c
*Saturday July 22 8/7c
*Monday July 31 4/3c
During the Saturday night showing of "Haul Out the Holly" on Saturday, July 22nd, there will be a special announcement, so you may want to tune in for that. It may be details about the new "Haul Out the Holly" sequel or something more. We'll have to tune in to see!
Lacey also teased the encore showing in her IG Stories...
Lacey Chabert on HSN:
You can also catch Lacey Chabert LIVE TODAY on HSN (Home Shopping Network) discussing her new Summer Fashion Line. I caught one of the earlier showings, and it's always fun to watch an actress on TV - simply being herself and not portraying a certain character. Lacey was delightful, as always, and if you'd like to check it out, you can tune in two more times today on HSN - at 3pm/2c. and 7pm/6c.
You can also shop Lacey Chabert's Summer Line *HERE*! (By the way, if you miss this on TV, if you click on the individual items on HSN's web-site, you can watch a video of Lacey sharing details about each clothing piece in her new collection!)
A Royal Disappointment?
Reviews are pouring in for Hallmark's first Christmas in July movie, A Royal Christmas Crush, and according to this article at Good Housekeeping, there's a mix of good and bad.
One commenter wrote, "There was no Christmas in this Christmas in July movie." And some complained that the ice castle story had been done before. I've also heard the accents are bad and inconsistent throughout the film.
I appreciate those of you - who've also shared a review with us here at It's a Wonderful Movie...
Movie Reviews of A Royal Christmas Crush:
🎄 I am sorry to say my husband and I did not enjoy either new movie this past weekend. In fact, we did not finish either one. :-( Here's hoping things improve in the coming weeks. ~Joan
🎄 A Royal Christmas Crush is clean, and quite sweet as well! :) It, felt really good to sit through a whole new Hallmark movie for the 1st time in a long time. -Maria
More reviews from social media...
🎄 I gotta say #ARoyalChristmasCrush was a scream. Could I nitpick it to death, absolutely. Is it good? Um, listen it was utterly ridiculous & the mean mom & her thirsty daughter were a nice touch, I had fun in the moment. Not their best royal movie, but it was something to see. ~Terry
🎄 That was cute! ~Elizabeth
🎄 It did put a bit of spin on the usual royal tale, but the performances seemed a bit uneven among the ensemble. ~Dolly
🎄 I gave this movie a chance, but it isn't picking up. I normally love every Hallmark Christmas movie, but this one is awful. Even my cats think so. they've all either hissed at the TV or left the room growling. ~ Samus
🎄 @MzKatieCassidy @stephenhuszar and the entire cast were amazing - thank you @hallmarkchannel for this beautiful feel good movie. Definitely made my night. ~greencanarysiren
🎄 The scenes where the couple were together were dull (watch them discuss green affordable housing), but I like there was opposition to their romance by the royal advisers, who tried to undermine their relationship. That made the story more interesting. ~Keith
HMM Christmas Movies on the Hallmark Channel
Reminder: Many Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Christmas movies will be airing in July on the Hallmark Channel, including Long Lost Christmas, Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, Cranberry Christmas, The Gift of Peace, etc... In fact, HMM movies begin tonight with A Maple Valley Christmas.
You can see when each of these movies and others are airing *here*. Plus, get movie reviews, too!
Guiding Emily storyline: Emily's life changes after losing her eyesight, while a guide dog struggles with training. Through a series of missed encounters, both overcome their obstacles and find each other.
The movie stars Sarah Drew, Antonio Cupo, and Eric McCormack as the voice of Emily's guide dog, Garth.
This film is based upon the book Guiding Emily: A Tale of Love, Loss, and Courage by Barbara Hinske (author of The Christmas Club).
Sarah Drew promoting her new movie with her special co-star...
Hallmark's Big News
Yesterday, Hallmark teased that they would have BIG news today, and the announcement has been made.
For everyone who guessed Christmas Cruise, you are RIGHT!
Hallmark's Christmas Cruise will occur November 5th-9th and will sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas. During this holiday escape fans will meet various Hallmark stars and enjoy the premiere of an all-new Hallmark Christmas movie before it airs on the Hallmark Channel; plus, there will be crafts, cookies, carol-oke, contests, and more! You can see all the details - here!
Special Announcement + Encore Airings - "Haul Out the Holly"
There are three encore airings of "Haul Out the Holly," starring Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown, coming up on the Hallmark Channel.
*Wednesday July 12 2/1c
*Saturday July 22 8/7c
*Monday July 31 4/3c
During the Saturday night showing of "Haul Out the Holly" on Saturday, July 22nd, there will be a special announcement, so you may want to tune in for that. It may be details about the new "Haul Out the Holly" sequel or something more. We'll have to tune in to see!
Lacey also teased the encore showing in her IG Stories...
Lacey Chabert on HSN:
You can also catch Lacey Chabert LIVE TODAY on HSN (Home Shopping Network) discussing her new Summer Fashion Line. I caught one of the earlier showings, and it's always fun to watch an actress on TV - simply being herself and not portraying a certain character. Lacey was delightful, as always, and if you'd like to check it out, you can tune in two more times today on HSN - at 3pm/2c. and 7pm/6c.
You can also shop Lacey Chabert's Summer Line *HERE*! (By the way, if you miss this on TV, if you click on the individual items on HSN's web-site, you can watch a video of Lacey sharing details about each clothing piece in her new collection!)
A Royal Disappointment?
Reviews are pouring in for Hallmark's first Christmas in July movie, A Royal Christmas Crush, and according to this article at Good Housekeeping, there's a mix of good and bad.
One commenter wrote, "There was no Christmas in this Christmas in July movie." And some complained that the ice castle story had been done before. I've also heard the accents are bad and inconsistent throughout the film.
I appreciate those of you - who've also shared a review with us here at It's a Wonderful Movie...
Movie Reviews of A Royal Christmas Crush:
🎄 I am sorry to say my husband and I did not enjoy either new movie this past weekend. In fact, we did not finish either one. :-( Here's hoping things improve in the coming weeks. ~Joan
🎄 A Royal Christmas Crush is clean, and quite sweet as well! :) It, felt really good to sit through a whole new Hallmark movie for the 1st time in a long time. -Maria
More reviews from social media...
🎄 I gotta say #ARoyalChristmasCrush was a scream. Could I nitpick it to death, absolutely. Is it good? Um, listen it was utterly ridiculous & the mean mom & her thirsty daughter were a nice touch, I had fun in the moment. Not their best royal movie, but it was something to see. ~Terry
🎄 That was cute! ~Elizabeth
🎄 It did put a bit of spin on the usual royal tale, but the performances seemed a bit uneven among the ensemble. ~Dolly
🎄 I gave this movie a chance, but it isn't picking up. I normally love every Hallmark Christmas movie, but this one is awful. Even my cats think so. they've all either hissed at the TV or left the room growling. ~ Samus
🎄 @MzKatieCassidy @stephenhuszar and the entire cast were amazing - thank you @hallmarkchannel for this beautiful feel good movie. Definitely made my night. ~greencanarysiren
🎄 The scenes where the couple were together were dull (watch them discuss green affordable housing), but I like there was opposition to their romance by the royal advisers, who tried to undermine their relationship. That made the story more interesting. ~Keith
HMM Christmas Movies on the Hallmark Channel
Reminder: Many Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Christmas movies will be airing in July on the Hallmark Channel, including Long Lost Christmas, Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, Cranberry Christmas, The Gift of Peace, etc... In fact, HMM movies begin tonight with A Maple Valley Christmas.
You can see when each of these movies and others are airing *here*. Plus, get movie reviews, too!
Have YOU Voted, yet?
Be sure to get your vote in for your Favorite Faith-Based / Inspirational movies, including A Gift of Peace, A Christmas... Present, Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, and more!!! *VOTE HERE*
Be sure to get your vote in for your Favorite Faith-Based / Inspirational movies, including A Gift of Peace, A Christmas... Present, Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, and more!!! *VOTE HERE*
May your day be Merry & Bright!
Net🌟
Haul Out The Holly was horrendous, one of last year's worst Christmas movies from Hallmark - a complete mess.
ReplyDeleteTwo stellar actors (Wes Brown co-starred) yet little chemistry between them - not much romance either.
Lacey is being given some poor roles in the past couple of years - Florence
There’s possibly Haul Out the Holly 2 is possible filming this year
DeleteFlorence, Thank you for sharing your take. It seems many had different feelings on this one.
DeleteI posted your review under Haul Out the Holly here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html
Blessings, Net
I agree with Florence. Just because it may be one of their prize actresses, it was a cringe movie. I for one don’t like the pushy kind of movie where someone or multiple someone’s feel they can impose their way of doing things on others
DeleteAnonymous, "Haul Out the Holly 2" filmed earlier this Spring.
DeleteThey didn’t show swimming pool at ice hotel. It’s always same over again. Doing movie - didn’t show what ice hotel looks like inside
ReplyDeleteDidn't show what ice hotel looked like inside? Did you not watch the movie? The inside of the ice hotel was shown quite a few times...
DeleteDoes anyone know if GAF will continue Christmas in July past this weekend? I really hope they do. I watched the Belgian Chocolate movie this weekend and I liked it. It was a little slow, and I knew of course, the guy would be mad that she was pretending to be her friend, but she did want to tell him many times. I thought it was a pretty good movie.
ReplyDeleteI didn't watch the Royal Crush Ice Castle movie, cause I think they just added christmas in when it was really just another ice castle movie. The royal movies are not my thing, mostly cause they do so many and they are always the same.
That being said, I did like Royally Wrapped for Christmas. It reminded me of Crown for Christmas, in that someone was there to help the king or prince, and they fell in love. I LOVE Jen Lilley and loved that she had the little girl in the movie that got adopted, so sweet. In the Royal Christmas with LC she also was so sweet around town and helped the orphanage make money. Those are about the only royal movies I like, also My Summer Prince i liked as well. I like when everyone already knows it is a prince or king, not when it is a secret and they find out at the end. I know things are tradition in the monarchy, but I wish people could marry who they love, not who they are supposed to marry just cause they come from royalty.
I hope GAF will keep the Christmas movies playing next week. I am loving them. Royally Wrapped, B&B Merry, A Lot Like Christmas, A Christmas Star, Destined for Christmas, I love all these movies.
I am happy that Guiding Emily will be on soon, even in sept. It looks good.
Sabrina, Thank you for sharing your thoughts on A Belgian Chocolate Christmas. Glad you enjoyed it over the weekend. I've watched half of it so far.
DeleteBy the way, I updated the Christmas Schedule and I have a new post on GAF's schedule after July 17th -
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2023/07/great-american-family-schedule-update.html
So glad we still will have 3 Christmas movies every night! We are 100 days away - until Christmas movies begin on Great American Family!!! :)
Blessings, Net
Wow! I can't wait to watch Guiding Emily. Looks like a great, inspiring plot for a change!
ReplyDeleteI just noticed, I dont think HM or HMM played a single Alicia Witt movie for Christmas in July. I wonder what gives on that??? She has many good ones, like A Very Merry Mixup, The Christmas List, and many on HMM like Christmas Tree Ln. It just seems odd to me.
ReplyDeleteSabrina
Sabrina, Oh my goodness! I hadn't noticed that. I really love the first two you mentioned.
DeleteI believe Alicia said something about returning to Hallmark; plus, she was at Christmas Con. So... maybe she'll be back this Christmas. I hope. But, I agree, that is strange they didn't air any of her great Christmas movie classics.
Blessings, Net
Reading "Movie Reviews of A Royal Christmas Crush" here prompts me to give my own. (I didn't see the earlier post where these reviews were given in order to give my own there.)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie very much, and gave it a 7 out of 10 (vs. the average 5.8). I think that the leads were well matched.
I have but two negatives to cite:
1. The name of the setting (the country of the mythical kingdom), both in closed captions and in the masthead of the country's newspaper, was Frìorland (or Fríorland, I forget which). Most cast members/characters pronounced it as if it were Friórland. Only the prince [and one other from the royal household] pronounced it the way it was spelled, and even he slipped once. To confuse it even more, when Deputy Von Trier was searching the Google-like "Speed Search" for dirt on our heroine, Ava Jensen, the search screen displayed "Also offered in: Fríðrlish" (as opposed to English).
2. In my world, Brigitta would have been fired for her hijinks in pushing her daughter forward to become the prince's mate, the next queen. But we couldn't have that happen in a Hallmark movie, so she made a remarkable last-minute, apologetic turn-around, to put her back in the royal graces (as if her position was never in jeopardy).
TVsenior, I appreciate you adding your review on "A Royal Christmas Crush." I think this is one of those movies that people either love or hate, it seems. Nice to hear you enjoyed it. :)
DeleteI shared your review here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2023/06/hallmark-announces-2-new-christmas.html
Blessings, Net
We enjoyed Haul Out the Holly and thought it was one of the better movies of the year last year. Both actors are stellar and I thought they played off of each other well. I appreciated the rom-com style as a refreshing change, and I loved hearing about some background from Lacey during a few of the commercial breaks. It was a fun movie for us and we've watched it several times since. I'm interested in what her announcement might be...
ReplyDeleteChris, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on Haul Out the Holly. Sounds like this movie is hit or miss with viewers. Good to hear how you and yours enjoyed it.
DeleteI posted your review under Haul Out the Holly here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html
I thought Haul our the Holly was one of the best Hallmark Christmas movies last year. Wes Brown is at his best when he plays funny, I think. His facial expressions are priceless. And Lacey was great! I also think Melissa Peterson is hilarious and she didn’t disappoint!
ReplyDeleteJennifer R
Jennifer R, Good to hear how much you enjoyed "Haul out the Holly"! I liked all of those silly moments you mentioned, too. I think this is one of those movies where we might see something new every time we watch it. :)
DeleteI posted your review here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html
Thank you for commenting! :)
Blessings, Net
I didn't get to see the royal movie because I was away. Probably won't get to see it till October, unless they show it again.
ReplyDeleteI loved Lacey's movie.
dstoutholcomb - There are some repeat airings coming up for A Royal Christmas Crush...
DeleteThursday July 13 8/7c
Sunday July 16 12/11c
Friday July 28 2/1c
Blessings, Net
Haul out the Holly was one of my absolute favorites last Christmas. Wes Brown was so dorky and the town was charming. I loved how they all came together to take down and put Christmas back up again just to get her in the spirit. Were they a little crazy? Yes. But that's what made it so fun. I swear I've watched it 10 times, I love it so much. I hope they're going to make another. -Lissa
ReplyDeleteLissa, I appreciate you sharing your take on "Haul Out the Holly" with us. You must be an expert on the movie now - with the number of times you've seen it!
DeleteAnd yes, a sequel movie was made in April and May - with the working title: "Haul out the Holly 2." Not sure who will show up in this sequel, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of cameos and surprises from various Hallmark stars.
Details about this may be announced during the encore airing of .the original "Haul out the Holly" movie on Saturday night
Thank you, again, for sharing with us!
I posted your review here:
https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-christmas-tv-movie-reviews-its-a-wonderful-movie-hallmark-great-american-family-up-lifetime.html
Blessings, Net
I see some people are saying how bad Haul out the Holly was. There must have been a lot of people to like it and have good reviews to be having a second one made. I personally liked it and thought it was good. I don't see what some of ya'll thought was so bad about it
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, as I noted in my review, it was how selfish people were early in this movie. The parents take off, not caring that their daughter came to visit them over Christmas. The community commands her to take part in planning and working the festivities, not caring when she tells them she came to relax. And Wes' character badgers her for not decorating her house. Now, are there fun/funny parts in the movie? Absolutely! Do things improve as the movie goes on? Yes! But for me, the damage had been done. Selfishness and Christmas do not go together.
Delete