Great American Family Reveals September and Early October 2024 Movie Lineup 🍁 SEE HERE:

Fall in love this September on Great American Family with four rom-com Cable TV movie premieres.

Plus, look for an all-new mystery premiere in October.

See details below...


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The Engagement Plan

Premiere date: September 7, 2024

Starring: Jack Schumacher, Ted McGinley, Mia Pollini, Eva La Rue, Emily Topper, Eric Lutz, Judd Nelson and Faith Ford

Storyline: In The Engagement Plan, Wade (Schumacher) has a plan for everything! Wade’s plan to propose to his girlfriend, Kayla (Pollini) may be the crowning achievement of plans. With a 3-carat diamond ring in tow and reservations booked at the Waldorf for his parents, Dash and Margot, (LaRue, Nelson) and Kayla’s parents, Ed and Mama Marilyn (McGinley, Ford), Wade marvels at the absolute perfection of his engagement plan. Until his plan hits a dead end on a dirt road, a country road. Kayla changes the plan to have Wade meet at her family’s farm to help her mom and dad, whose cow is expecting a calf any day. Dressed in business best, Wade – a fish out of water – has an unexpected – and definitely an unplanned encounter with a family who is not convinced he is right for Kayla. Then Wade meets her ex-boyfriend who tries to prove it.

Movie Review:

🍁 The Engagement Plan – This heartwarming film is family-friendly and filled with faith!

Wade, a financial analyst, thinks he has his whole life figured out according to his plan, but when he visits his girlfriend Kayla’s family at their farm, he steps out of his comfortable city shoes, and begins to learn in a deeper way the wisdom in the words from Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

While Kayla’s parents aren’t sure if Wade is the right man for their daughter to marry, Wade is determined to prove them wrong.

The setting of this film on a family farm near harvest time is such a beautiful backdrop for this story. It was wonderful to see the way Kayla’s family trusted in and leaned on The Lord, in the big and simple things.

Some of the comedy is a bit silly and, perhaps, outlandish at times, but it made me laugh, so I hope it does the same for you. The faith elements to the story far outweigh any of the silly antics.

The entire cast is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing veteran actors: Eva LaRue, Judd Nelson, Faith Ford, and Ted McGinley portray Wade and Kayla’s parents. Since Faith and Ted have worked together before, on the sitcom “Hope & Faith” and the movies: “Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge,” Part One and Two, it was plain to see their natural ease with portraying husband and wife. I was also touched by the biblical wisdom they imparted to both Kayla and Wade.

The lead actor, Jack Schumacher, who portrayed Wade, was, in my opinion, the star of the movie. Whether he was humorous or serious, his performances were excellent throughout. My favorite scene of Jack’s was a quiet moment of reflection and rejection where he talks to God as he's looking around the farm and quotes from the 23rd Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want… He maketh me to lie down in green pastures… He restores my soul.” Wade freely admits at a low moment in his life he needs his soul restored.

“The Engagement Plan” is a lighthearted, uplifting, and inspiring movie ideal for all ages. I pray it encourages many to grow and flourish in their faith. ~Net

🍁 The Engagement Plan was as great as I anticipated. I hope we see the guy that played Wade in more GAF movies. ~Anonymous

🍁 Loved The Engagement Plan! –Maria

🍁 Before I leave for church, I wanted to let you know we ended up watching The Engagement Plan and enjoyed hearing all of the scripture references. Amazing job, Great American Family! The world needs more movies like this. -Trish

🍁 It was great seeing Faith and Ted together again. GAF should pair them again in a Christmas movie or something. ~Anonymous

🍁 The Engagement Plan had it all.The cast was great and it was genius casting Faith Ford and Ted McGinley in another movie together as husband and wife. The Pure Flix movies have all been so good and have all been the best movies airing on Saturday night, ~Anonymous

🍁 "The Engagement Plan" was another winner! It was funny, heartfelt and an all around lovely movie. I got a kick out of seeing Eva, Judd, Faith and Ted altogether. I absolutely adored the leading man. He reminded me so much of a young Timothy Hutton. And, yes, I am showing my age by saying that. :-) But, seriously the male lead was the best thing about the movie. He was charming and I would love to see him again on GAF. ~Joan





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Love's Second Act

Starring: Jodie Sweetin and Tilky Jones

Premiere date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 8/7c

Storyline: Jamie, portrayed by Jodie Sweetin, is an aspiring filmmaker, who heads back to her hometown for some inspiration. She finds it in ex-boyfriend, Nick, played by Tilky Jones, who still works at the small-town movie theater where they both first fell in love.


Movie Reviews:

🎬 Love’s Second Act – (streamed on Great American Pure Flix)

This is a lighthearted, family-friendly rom-com. The movie was a little slow for me, at times, but it was still a nice watch. It’s the standard story of a woman ,Jamie, played by Jodie Sweetin ("Full House," "Craft Me a Romance," "The Jane Mysteries") who leaves her hometown years ago, then returns and reconnects with her family and her childhood sweetheart, Nick, played by Tilky Jones ("Christmas Love Letter," "The Charm of Love").

Of course, the family business, the local theater, is also in danger of being sold by Nick’s father (played by George Wendt, famously known as Norm on the sitcom, "Cheers"). The theater is a special memorable place for Nick and Jamie, where they worked together as teenagers.

Overall, it is a pleasant, feel-good movie with a happy ending.

A side note for "Full House" fans… I thought it was kind of funny that Jodie played the older sister, and her sister’s name, of all names, was Stephanie.

I wonder if "Love’s Second Act" might be one of the movies we’ll see on Great American Family later this Summer or early Fall. (Update: I wrote this review on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, and my hunch was right! I'm glad more viewers will have a chance to view this movie, if they like, on Great American Family.) ~Net

🎬 Love's second act is okay. -Maria

🎬 I watched the movie. It was pretty good. I think the lead actress wasn't the best fit. Still better than not Jodie Sweetin movies. ~Misty

🎬  Love’s Second Act - I LOVED this movie! Jodie Sweetin and Tilky Jones are a perfect pairing. The story was different, and the plot held enticing hints of what lay ahead. Beautifully written, acted, and directed. I would give it 3 1/2 stars, not perfect, but very near it! 👏👏👏👏 ~aunt_di_77


🎬 Love's Second Act

I think Net has more or less covered all there is to say about this movie. Standard Rom.Com fare which you will have seen many times over. I'm not the biggest fan of Jodie Sweetin nor do I dislike her but I though she and Tilby Jones who although somewhat easygoing combined quite well together

*SPOILERS*

It's one of those where you have to suspend belief - how could the theatre possibly have survived to date, , where did the money come from to buy a new popcorn machine,, the miraculous "saving" of the theatre, Jamie presenting her manuscript which she had returned home to complete to her agent on time etc.

END *SPOILERS*

The secondary cast was fine except for Nick's father who was a ridiculous character.

Taking all this together it shouldn't have worked and I agree it was slow moving at times but maybe because it was my favourite theme of "lovers reunited" I somewhat surprisingly have to say I actually enjoyed it - Florence's rating 7


🎬 Love’s Second Act - It is a hard pass for me! This movie was more than slow it was boring and plain awful. The set seemed so generic and so was the storyline. ~Anonymous


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Love at the Ranch

Premiere date: September 21, 2024

Starring: Laura Mitchell and Jon Cor

Storyline: Sparks fly between a big-city reporter and a ranch owner as she researches the life of the romance novelist that inspired her love for writing.


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Mystery By the Book

Previous title: Key to Love

Starring: Alicia Dea Josipovic and Corey Sevier

Premieres: Saturday, September 28, 2024

Storyline: A bookstore owner (Sevier) is in a difficult relationship with a book cover model (Josipovic) until an antique key found in a false book unlocks their romance.

Movie Reviews:

📖 Mystery by the Book – (I streamed this movie on Great American Pure Flix)

This romantic-comedy is lighthearted, sweet, and endearing. Some of the story is somewhat predictable, but that’s part of the charm that made this movie such an enjoyable watch.

Corey Sevier, who is well-known for a number of TV movies, including “Noel Next Door,” “Everything Christmas,” “Northern Lights of Christmas,” etc… is the true star of this movie, with his portrayal of Josh, an architect and book cover model. His charming personality shined through, as it always does. I felt Corey Sevier was the glue that held this movie together.

In the beginning, I wasn’t certain about the chemistry between Josh and Samantha, who owns and runs the local book store. Samantha and her friend, Brittany, sometimes act like giddy teenagers; however, in spite of that, I still found the movie to be heartwarming and amusing.

It was delightful to watch Josh and Samantha search through Josh’s grandfather’s estate attempting to find a hidden treasure. I especially enjoyed seeing them play dress-up with his grandparent’s clothing and accessories.

Some parts of the movie may be a bit unrealistic, perhaps, but “Mystery by the Book” is a relaxing, family-friendly rom-com that isn’t overly serious, and it leaves you smiling and feeling good inside. ~Net

📖 Review: Mystery By the Book -
Family-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Yes -

In short, this is a very entertaining movie that held my interest from beginning to end. I felt that the movie shined whenever Alicia and Corey were on the screen together - the chemistry was right-on. The ending that dealt with the contents of the box was nicely done. The only drawback for me, which Net also mentions in her review, was the friend Brittany - she acts like a giddy immature teenage, and I cringed whenever she was on. (She's not the best actress, either.) But this aside, it's a fun movie, and worth at least a watch.~Mark 25

📖 Mystery by the Book is fantastic! ~Maria

📖 Loved Mystery By The Book! ~kit kat



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Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker

Starring: Candace Cameron Bure, Aaron Ashmore, and Robin Dunne

Premieres: Saturday, October 5, 2024

Storyline: In The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker, Ainsley McGregor (Bure) a former Chicago criminologist returns to her hometown of Sweet River, Texas. She has chosen to trade full-time crime work to open Bless Your Arts, a market for artisans to sell crafts and wares. But Ainsley cannot deny her first love is crime solving and accepts a position teaching a criminology class at the local community college. Her skills quickly become a major asset to the quaint town, when a murder occurs at a winery owned by her friend, who now stands accused of the crime. The Sweet River Sheriff, who just happens to be Ainsley’s brother, Ryan, wants her to stay out of the investigation. But, Ainsley knows the pieces of this puzzle do not fit. To help her friend and with the unexpected assistance from some goodhearted local busybodies – Ainsley McGregor is back on the case.

Movie Review:

🔎 "The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker"

*NO SPOILERS*

Candace Cameron Bure is back to crime-solving as Ainsley McGregor, a former criminologist from Chicago who recently moved to Sweet River, Texas, to be near her brother, Ryan (the town’s sheriff, played by Robin Dunne), and her friends to live a simpler life away from crime and violence.

However, this isn’t the case when Ainsley and her best friend, Shannon, discover a dead body at the local winery. Much to her brother’s disapproval, Ainsley reluctantly gets roped into solving this mystery with help from her friends in the community and the handsome local fire chief, Jake (played by Aaron Ashmore).

Just a few minutes into the movie, I was already deeply engrossed in this mystery, the interesting, diverse townspeople of Sweet River, and Ainsley’s dearest friends.

Throughout the film, I felt little hints, here and there, of the Aurora Teagarden Mystery and the early years of Murder, She Baked. Much like Aurora, Ainsley has her own group of crime-solving friends, who have made their own club, and like Murder, She Baked, this new Ainsley McGregor Mystery has a warm, tight-knit community feel to it. Instead of having a cat, however, like Hannah Swensen, Ainsley’s most loyal companion is George, her adorable dog, who everyone loves.

As for the mystery, my family and I had a strong suspicion about who the culprit was, which ended up being correct, but that didn’t take away from our enjoyment of the movie at all.

One of the many aspects I thoroughly enjoyed was the wonderful community in Sweet River, which mostly centered on Ainsley’s business – Bless Your Arts, a marketplace for local artisans, including: artists, woodworkers, winemakers, jewelry designers, weavers, and all sorts of locally handcrafted work.

Aaron Ashmore was charming and endearing as Jake Trenton, the Sweet River Fire Chief and Ainsley’s friend and potential love interest, while Robin Dunne was the perfect choice to play Ainsley’s brother, Ryan. It’s obvious Robin and Candace have a wonderful rapport in real life, which translates well on the screen as the two portray siblings who often tease but love each other immensely.

Candace was fantastic as the film’s lead, Ainsley McGregor, who… try as she might, can’t resist crime-solving, even if it means danger for herself. In her debut as this new character, Candace hits every mark with perfection—on the personal, professional, and sleuthing side—as we learn more about who Ainsley is and why she has returned home.

This introduction movie to Ainsley McGregor was such a delightful watch; I look forward to re-watching it and the subsequent mysteries to come. (By the way, a second movie was recently filmed, "The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Yarn Maker.")

The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker is a fun, cozy mystery, and I’m looking forward to more sleuthing with Ainsley and the town of Sweet River! ~Net

🔎 We loved the new Ainsley mystery. My daughter fell in love with George. It was nice how they incorporated him into the whole movie. We can’t wait to see the next one next year. Christie

🔎 It was pretty awful😬And I love Candace Bure’. The writing was subpar and there was absolutely no rapport between Bure’s character and anyone else. Very disappointed. She should have stayed at Hallmark and continued with the Aurora Teagarden mysteries. I won’t be tuning in for anymore Ainsley… ~Anonymous

🔎 The 'Ainsley McGregor' movie was highly entertaining. We really enjoyed the storyline, the mystery and the acting. I have to admit, it was jarring at first getting used to Robin as a sibling instead of love interest for Candace. :-) But, their sibling relationship was believable. We are already looking forward to the next installment. :-) ~Joan

🔎 I throughly enjoyed the CCB mystery. We were introduced to some quirky but lovely members of the community. The only drawback was the actor portraying Jake. His personality just doesn’t counter CCB character. I don’t see him as a supporting character to CCB. I guess I will get use to him. -Gabe’s Mom

🔎 Ainsley - It has major similarities, another murder, solving group disguised as a book club. Nothing different here. ~Anonymous

🔎 A Case for the Winemaker is excellent! I look forward to the next movie coming next year! :) -Maria

🔎 I agree that this had an Aurora Teagarden feel to it. It was nice to see a cozy mystery again, having given up on everything Hallmark a couple years ago due to their capitulation to the alphabet mafia.

Not terribly exciting, but not everything has to be. Very limited number of possible suspects, so figuring out the killer (if not the real villain) was not difficult, but it's a start, and there's room for growth -- it's going to be a series, and not a one-off, so that's good.~Glornt

🔎 I thought the movie was better than most on GAF. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next episode. ~GB



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If you've seen any of these movies via Great American Pure Flix or another streaming source, please share your thoughts in comments below.

I have seen Love at the Ranch via some streaming source and I recall it being a sweet, family-friendly film. It was supposed to air on UPtv awhile back, but schedules were changed and this movie was removed from their lineup. It's nice to see this delightful romantic-comedy finally find a home on Great American Family.

You can also read my reviews above for the other Great American Pure Flix movies I've seen.

Please share in comments below which of these movies above you are looking forward to seeing this September/October on Great American Family!

Happy movie-watching!

Net