"Blue Skies" Season 1 - Coming to UPtv

I have great news for those of you who've been wanting to see the mystery series, Blue Skies! Season 1 is coming to UPtv soon!

Beginning Thursday, August 13th, Season 1 will start airing weekly on UPtv, making it the perfect time to join the mystery from the start!

If you've been following It's a Wonderful Movie for a while, you probably know I've been saying how much I enjoy this show ever since it premiered on UP Faith & Family back in February. One of my favorite parts is watching the sweet dog, Blue, sniff out clues and help solve the mysteries.

Even better, Season 2 is currently in production, so this will be the perfect time to start watching!


See all of the details from UPtv's press release below:

UPtv TO DEBUT

THE U.S. CABLE

TELEVISION PREMIERE OF

THE DRAMA SERIES

BLUE SKIES

ON AUGUST 13

ATLANTA (July 2, 2026) – UPtv, the television home for uplifting entertainment, will debut Blue Skies on Thursday, August 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Blue Skies is an all-new procedural series that blends mystery and action with emotional storytelling and the heartwarming bond between a detective and her canine companion.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Crystal Ridge National Park, Blue Skies follows former military police officer Jodi Larsen as she returns to her hometown to start over as a criminal investigator for the National Park Police. Driven by a love of the outdoors and a deep sense of justice, Jodi is determined to protect the park, its visitors and her community, whether from natural dangers or human threats. But Jodi’s fresh start is anything but simple. She’s navigating a new team, a by-the-book superintendent and a journey to reconnect with her father after her mother passed away while she was deployed. Her unexpected partner? A mischievous stray Labrador named Blue, whose instincts prove sharper than most trained K9s.

Each episode of Blue Skies combines suspense and unexpected turns with heartwarming moments as Jodi and her team tackle missing persons, environmental crimes and the secrets hidden deep within the park’s 5,000 square miles.

Blue Skies stars Scarlet Hunter as Detective Jodi Larsen, Markian Tarasiuk (Mistletoe Connection, Virgin River) as Ryan Miller, Veronica Long (The Wrong Paris) as Detective Nora Esposito, David Lennon (Untamed) as Detective Alex Meeks, Darius Willis as Tyson Bernard, Miranda Edwards as Superintendent Liza King and Shaughnessy Redden as Bill Larsen.

Blue Skies is produced by Bar None Productions in association with Kino Media and Larry Levinson Productions. Executive Producers are Benjamin Rappaport, Ross Mrazek, Amar Balaggan and Mark Bacci. Directors are David Straiton, David Strasser and Jason Bourque. Writers are Zach Grossman, Victoria Rose and Fernando Viso.

About UP Entertainment
UP Entertainment is the home for uplifting entertainment for passionate and diverse audiences across the leading cable, satellite and streaming platforms. Brands include UP Faith & Family, UPtv, aspireTV, aspireTV+, GaitherTV+ and Cine Romántico. UP Faith & Family is the leading subscription streaming service in uplifting entertainment. UPtv is the trusted network for adults seeking positive programming with relatable stories about relationships, filled with love and laughter, through exclusive premiere movies, box-office hit films and beloved series. AspireTV is the television network that celebrates and reflects Black culture, life and style in a way that is inspiring, authentic and entertaining. AspireTV+ is a subscription streaming service for Black culture and urban lifestyle entertainment. GaitherTV+ provides access to Gaither’s renowned and growing library of full-length award-winning Country, Gospel, Bluegrass and Christian concerts and specials, early premieres of new performances and shows, and exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews. UP Entertainment in partnership with PixL Dos, also manages and distributes Cine Romántico, a FAST channel featuring the best of Hollywood TV romance movies in Spanish. Additionally, UP Entertainment represents partner brand Ovation TV, an independent television, production, and digital media company, with an unparalleled commitment to the arts, culture and entertainment. UP Entertainment’s award-winning pro-social initiative, “UPlift Someone,” has inspired over 200 million people to uplift others through its social videos.


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I hope many of you will get the chance to enjoy this series when it airs on UPtv!

I'm "paws"itive that you dog lovers and sleuthers will especially enjoy this!

Have a great day,

Net

🌟 Memorial Day Weekend 2026 🌟 Patriotic TV Specials, New Mystery, and More ➤➤

( click here to enlarge image )

Wishing you all a nice Memorial Day weekend...

On this Memorial Day, we remember the brave men and women of our military who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

What a meaningful time it is, as our country approaches her 250th birthday, to proudly fly our American flags, to gather with dear family and friends for backyard barbecues, enjoy picnics in the park, and small-town parades. These simple moments are beautiful reminders of how precious our freedoms truly are.

If you have plans this weekend, you'll want to set your DVR now. Or if you plan to be home, then I hope you'll enjoy some patriotic programming, perhaps settle in for a new mystery, or watch the latest episode of County Rescue, which honors our military through the inspiring charitable work of Tunnel to Towers. I’ve included these programming highlights below.


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Saturday, May 23, 2026:

True Justice: Eye for An Eye

Storyline: Our Warriors work to exonerate a mother wrongly accused of murdering another mother in the Parent School Coalition.

True Justice: Eye for An Eye

Premieres Saturday, May 23, 2026

at 8pm/7c on the Hallmark Channel

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Sunday, May 24, 2026:

County Rescue

Season 3 - Episode 2&3

Episode 2 - Somewhere Far More Beautiful:
The County Rescue team provides support for the Tunnels 2 Towers marathon as Andy meets the new team members.

Episode 3 - Rhythms:
On Andy's first day back, life-and-death calls force him and the team to confront grief, purpose, and the quiet strength that sustains them.

County Rescue

Season 3 - Episode 2&3

Premieres Sunday, May 24, 2026

at 8pm/7c on Great American Family

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Sunday, May 24, 2026:

2026 National Memorial Day Concert

Live from the U.S. Capitol, the National Memorial Day Concert features stories, tributes, and musical performances by world-renowned artists and the National Symphony Orchestra, with a special tribute of the country’s 250th anniversary.

Hosted by Gary Sinise and Mary McCormack, with performances by Noah Wyle, Melissa Leo, Andy Grammer, Jonathan Banks, Mickey Guyton, Jamey Johnson, Alan Jackson, Mary McCormack, Laura Osnes, Blessing Offor and Maestro Jack Everly conducting the National Symphony Orchestra.

The 2026 National Memorial Day Concert

airs Sunday, May 24, 2026

at 8/7c. on PBS

on the eve of Memorial Day

(Please check your local listings.)

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Monday, May 25, 2026

Memorial Day Marathons

Memorial Day Marathons / Patriotic Programming

Columbo - Great American Family
Reba - UPtv
Matlock (original series) - Hallmark Mystery
Wedding-themed movies - Hallmark Channel
Patriotic movies (For Love & Honor, Love and Sunshine) - Hallmark Family
Patriotic movies (including The Best Years of Our Lives) - FMC
Patriotic/Military movies (all weekend) - TCM



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Monday, May 25, 2026

Marking the 25th as we

Countdown to Christmas!

This Monday, May 25th, also marks 7 months 'til Christmas Day!

We love celebrating every 25th day of the month here at It's a Wonderful Movie as part of our Countdown to Christmas tradition... and whether you join in every month or if you've never participated, you’re warmly invited to join along!

If you'll be watching something merry and Christmassy on the 25th (or anytime over this long weekend), please share with us in comments.

In honor of Memorial Day, I've decided to watch one of my favorites, The Christmas Card. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of this beloved Hallmark classic!

I’ve always appreciated how this patriotic film honors the courage and sacrifice of those who have served our country, especially the heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice. And I just love the way the Spelman family works closely together in their family-owned lumber business. It truly is a wonderful film filled with comforting small-town charm, a lovely little country church, and a sweet romance that will always hold a special place in my heart!

If you happen to find a little quiet time during what may be a busy Memorial Day weekend, I’d love for you to join in the Christmas fun. And of course, please share which Christmas movie you chose in the comments below!


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I pray you all have a peaceful, safe, and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend.

We are deeply blessed to live in a country where we can enjoy our freedoms, and we honor those courageous heroes who have fought to protect them!

God Bless America!!!❤️☆💙

Blessings to you all,

Net

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SHINING HIS LIGHT:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

~ Joshua 1:9

🔎 Hallmark to Premiere New Mystery Movie in March: "Nelly Knows Mysteries: All Manners of Murder" - See Which Character is Crossing Over From Another Hallmark Mystery

Great news, Sleuthers! The second film in the "Nelly Knows Mystery" series is coming to Hallmark Mystery this March!

So far, it looks as if all clues point to this being the first mystery movie premiere of the year for Hallmark, unless another (currently unknown) mystery premieres the first week of March.

*Update, a new "Hannah Swensen Mystery" is also coming in March - see here

Here's the scoop on the movie details...

Nelly Knows Mysteries: All Manners of Murder

Premiere Date: Saturday, March 14, 8/7c

Starring: Pascale Hutton and Kavan Smith

Storyline: Nelly and Detective Michael set out to solve the murder of a guest while at a lavish dinner.

*Note: In addition to Pascale and Kavan, this movie will also star Crystal Lowe ("Signed, Sealed, Delivered") and Markian Tarasiuk ("True Justice: Family Ties")

According to Markian's IMDB listings, he will be portraying his character, Eli Flint, from the "True Justice" series in this all-new "Nelly Knows Mystery."

I believe this may be the first time a character has crossed-over from one Hallmark mystery to another. (Do you know of any others?)

There are two other "True Justice" mysteries that have been filmed: "True Justice 2: Eye for an Eye" and "True Justice 3: Lost Love." Hopefully, we will see those mysteries soon.

Markian Tarasiuk is also starring in the new UP Faith & Family streaming series, "Blue Skies."

And while Crystal Lowe, from "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," is also in this new "Nelly Knows Mystery," I just wanted to make sure to note that it does NOT appear in any way that she is portraying her "SSD" character, Rita.

More details to come on Hallmark's March movie premieres.

Happy Sleuthing!

Net🔎

*Press images via: Hallmark Media
Note: The top image is not Hallmark's official poster for this film.

🔎 Two New Mysteries Are Coming to Hallmark Mystery

Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres, who starred together in the 2020 holiday film Cranberry Christmas and the 2024 film True Justice: Family Ties, will be back with the main cast from that mystery movie, including Katherine McNamara and Markian Tarasiuk. They're working to expand that Hallmark Mystery franchise with two new movies on the way.

Not only does Nikki star in the movies, but she also co-wrote the two new films with her writing partner, Megan McNulty.

The sequels are currently titled Eye For An Eye and Lost Love, but those names might change before they reach their premiere date.

Deadline revealed the description for the second True Justice movie, "Our Warriors work to exonerate a mother wrongly accused of murder. To reopen the case and solve the potential crime, our Justice Warriors need to go undercover and investigate the wealthy parents at a prestigious high school."

In the third movie, Deadline reveals: "Our Warriors work to not only exonerate Marianne for the murder of her missing fiancé but to bring to light a web of counterfeit jewels along the way.

Premiere dates for both mystery films are still to be announced.

Stay tuned, Sleuthers,

Net🔎

Hallmark Channel Reveals New Movies for January 2025 + When Call the Heart and Hallmark Mystery

New romantic comedies are coming to the Hallmark Channel in the New Year!

All four of the new movies take place internationally, and will star Shenae Grimes’Beech, Laci J. Mailey, Markian Tarasiuk, Julie Gonzalo, Rhiannon Fish, and more. Get ready for your *Winter Escape* with Hallmark.

See what's airing this January, 2025...


HALLMARK CHANNEL:

Love Of The Irish

Premiere Date: January 4, 2025

Starring: Shenae Grimes-Beech, Stephen Hagan and Moira Kelly

Storyline: Tired of her bad luck, Fiona takes her mom on a trip to Ireland to turn things around where she meets a charming single dad who helps her make her own luck.

Movie Reviews:

🍀 Love of the Irish is decent enough for a 1 time watch. (Ali Liebert cameos as well). –Maria

🍀 I agree with Maria. "Love of the Irish" was a decent movie. Good enough for a one time watch. It had some bittersweet parts and some cute parts. Overall the quality of the acting was good. But, I didn't love it enough to watch it again. ~Joan



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When Call the Heart - Season 12

Premiere Date: January 5, 2025

Starring: Erin Krakow, Kevin McGarry, Pascale Hutton, Kavan Smith, Jack Wagner, Chris McNally, Viv Leacock, Natasha Burnett, Andrea Brooks, and Kayla Wallace

This January, Melissa Gilbert guest stars on the all-new season of When Calls the Heart.

Click here for episode details and images for Season 12.


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Polar Opposites

Premiere Date: January 11, 2025

Starring: Rhiannon Fish and Markian Tarasiuk

Storyline: Emma needs to get to Antarctica to reach her father and travels to South America but can't get on a boat for the last leg. She sneaks onto a cruise ship and meets engineer Andy.

Movie Reviews:

❆ Polar Opposites is safe, cute, and a lot of fun! –Maria

❆ Polar Opposites is super cute and family-friendly from what I saw. ~Allie B

❆ "Polar Opposites" had it's moments. Rhiannon and Markian had good chemistry. Rhiannon has great comedic timing. The location was amazing. But, I felt the storyline was thin and contrived in parts. I guess I am in the minority here, but I found myself bored at times. It was clean and family friendly, which was wonderful. However, I just didn't enjoy the movie overall, so it was definitely a one-time watch for me. ~Joan

❆  Joan-I completely agree with your assessment of Polar Opposites. Rhiannon did such a great job, the chemistry was good, the penguins were cute--but the story felt so thin to me and I actually fast forwarded a few times which is rare for me. Overall it was sweet, but not a whole lot there. -LR

❆  Joan, those were my feelings exactly on this movie! Rhiannon was her usual adorable and funny self, she and Markian had good chemistry together, and the views of Antarctica were spectacular. I enjoyed the first part of the movie - the more comedic part - with her becoming a stowaway, but the latter part with the penguins, especially after her father is found, dragged. I agree that this is a one-time watch. -Mark 25



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My Argentine Heart

Premiere Date: January 18, 2025

Starring: Julie Gonzalo and Juan Pablo Di Pace

Storyline: Abril goes to Argentina to save her family ranch from being bought by her ex. But when outside forces threaten the ranch the pair must come together, rekindling their love in the process.


Movie Reviews:

❤️ My Argentine Heart is safe enough for a 1 time watch. –Maria

❤️ I agree with Maria. "My Argentine Heart" was safe enough for a 1 time watch. It was just an 'okay' movie. Nothing really memorable happens. The chemistry, between the leads, was average at best. The location was beautiful. ~Joan




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The Perfect Setting

Premiere Date: January 25, 2025

Starring: Laci J. Mailey & David Elsendoorn

Storyline: An aspiring jewelry designer returns to Belgium to visit her grandfather and hopefully win the Valentines Day Diamond Contest.


Movie Reviews:

❤️ The Perfect Setting is safe and lovely. Good slate of movies to start the year. –Maria

❤️ The Perfect Setting is family friendly about an aspiring jewelry designer named Abby Vandenrick returns to Belgium to visit her Grandfather & Hopefully win the Valentine’s Day Diamond Contest ~Anonymous

❤️ Oh my gosh! We loved everything about "The Perfect Setting". What an incredibly sweet and endearing movie. It was just lovely. Great chemistry, good storyline, amazing location and nice backstory. I especially liked the scene in the stunning cathedral. I have such a soft spot for religious places and no matter where I travel, I make time to visit churches, chapels and cathedral's. That scene was especially poignant, for me, because "Amazing Grace" is one of my favorite hymns. And, it was my Aunt Mazie's favorite hymn. They played it at her funeral. You know how music can transport you and stir up memories. Well, that scene did. It was truly special. Also, I especially loved the relationship between Laci and Hans 'her bompa'. It was my favorite part of the entire movie. I thought Laci was excellent, in her role. She was the perfect lead. And, I did like her relationship with David. I definitely recommend this movie. Well done! ~Joan




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HALLMARK MYSTERY:

The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription

Premiere Date: January 9, 2025

Starring: Jodie Sweetin and Stephen Huszar

Storyline: Jane seeks justice for a teenager who’s wrongfully imprisoned for murder. She and Detective John work together to prove the teen’s innocence and help reunite him with his mother.

Movie Reviews:

(This movie first premiered on Hallmark+)

🔎 Review: The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription -
Family-friendly? Yes -
Recommend? Nope -

I did not watch the Jane Mystery from last year, so maybe there was something in that movie that would have made me appreciate this one a bit more. Or maybe not. Anyway, I am starting from scratch with this series. And it is a big No for me. Because...

* The mystery is boring, and it is not too difficult to solve. Also, the culprit is shown about 2/3 into the movie.
* The acting is bad. Jodie Sweetin may be okay in some romcoms, but in a more serious role like this, she is in over her head. She overacts and simply cannot be taken seriously. Stephen Huszar, on the other hand, was too low key and seemed like he was never into his role. And there is absolutely no chemistry between these two.
* The script has too many cringe-worthy subplots and one-liners which make Jodie's character come across at times as silly or careless or unknowledgeable or rude.
* And what is with the songs? Jodie must have in her contract that she is to sing a few songs in these movies, because, while yes she is a very good singer, they are uncalled for and stop the flow of the movie.

Here's an example that includes some of the problems I have mentioned: Jodie and Stephen enter a nightclub where they are to be inconspicuous. The owner tells Jodie the singer can't perform and can she step in(?!), and the next thing you know she is belting out this song on stage like she has been singing it her whole life!

Okay, I guess you can tell that I didn't care for this movie at all. I will not be bothering with the other two movies in this series, so. sorry, I won't be doing any other Jane Mystery movie reviews. -Mark25


🔎 The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription - This is the second film in The Jane Mysteries, and I’m still not feeling that certain spark between Jodie Sweetin and Stephen Huszar’s characters.

The relationship I appreciate the most is the one between Jane (Jodie) and the woman who plays her aunt. Since her aunt has been going through a hard time since her husband’s passing, it’s nice to see Jane being there for her and continuing to search for clues to his cold cases.

Which gets me to my next point… this is a murder mystery; therefore, the movie is best suited for pre-teen age and up. Otherwise, it is a family-friendly movie.

The mystery itself is fairly intriguing with a number of suspects.

If any of you are fans of the Christmas movie, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (you know, the one with Uncle Ralph), then you might recognize one of the suspects as the guy Jen is supposed to marry, Richard (the guy with the shiny shoes). His hair is a little longer in this, so he looks a little different, but yeah, it’s him. I did a quick check of his IMDB, and it looks like this is his first movie with Hallmark since TMWTOT. Interesting, huh?

Anyway, if you really enjoy mysteries, then you might want to check this one out. ~Net



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Besides this line-up, hopefully, there will be some good films coming our way in 2025!

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Blessings to you all, Net

*images via: Hallmark Media

UPtv's New October 2024 Movie Premieres

UPtv took a bit of a break over Summer from new movie premieres; however, the channel, known for its uplifting movies, sitcoms, and dramas, recently released its 2024 Christmas movie premieres for its "Most Uplifting Christmas Ever," and now UPtv has announced two new movie premieres coming this October.



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Movie: Snapshot of Love

Airing: October 6, 2024

Starring: Lexi Giovagnoli and Benedict Mazurek

Storyline: Adrian is a Hollywood paparazzi assigned to get photos of a very elusive star, Parker Bennett. Little does she know, she’ll get her chance when they both end up at the same BnB in the mountains of NC.

Movie Review:

📷 UPTV will be airing Nicely's Snapshot of Love 2 weeks from now. (and yes, it IS a good movie!). -Maria

📷 We turned off 'Snapshot of Love' fairly quickly. Terrible acting and horrible reviews sealed the deal for us to stop watching. ~Joan


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📷: Director Heather Hawthorn-Doyle

📷: Katrina Neuhaus

Movie: Return to Sender

Airing: October 27, 2024

Starring: Markian Tarasiuk and Maddy Hillis

Storyline: When Meg moves into her new apartment she just wants a quiet place to study for her upcoming CPA exam but instead finds a mystery. A love letter marked Return to Sender but with no way to track down the recipient or original sender. Determined to help reunite the lost lovers she teams up with apartment manager Oliver and a pair of podcasters to try and track them down. The mystery and her growing feelings for Oliver however interfere with her studies and cause her to question whether or not she wants to take the safe course she has charted or find a new path for her life.


Movie Reviews:

📪 Return to Sender is a pretty cute movie. Hope Pixl continues to make cute movies like this. -Maria

📪 Return to Sender – This is a captivating story that unfolds as a new tenant in an apartment building discovers a mysterious letter in her outdoor mailbox. While the envelope is somewhat unreadable (due to weather over time, I imagine), the contents inside reveal a heartfelt love letter, sparking a quest among the tenant, the landlord, and other residents to uncover the identities of the writer and the intended recipient. Although some performances come off as a bit cheesy, Markian Tarasiuk (Christmas Jars, Polar Opposites) shines as one of the main characters.

However, there is a significant drawback – one resident in the apartment building claims to have psychic abilities, leading to a reading in the building to gather clues about the woman mentioned in the letter. Personally, I found this part to be unsettling and evil, so I chose to fast-forward through this scene. Aside from that, the rest of the film is family-friendly and carries a charming feel reminiscent of Signed, Sealed, Delivered. ~Net



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Please know I haven't screened the movies listed above. Snapshot of Love has been available to watch via streaming. If you've seen it and would like to post a review, please share in the comments below.

Return to Sender is a brand new movie premiere; in fact, this movie just filmed this summer, from June 6th to June 24th. As the cast was filming, I recall seeing many behind-the-scenes pictures via social media (I included two on-the-set images above), and I was curious where this movie would end up. Initially, I figured either the Hallmark Channel or Hallmark+, since the lead actor, Markian Tarasiuk, has done several movie projects with their network, but I am pleasantly surprised to see this film land at UPtv, and I hope this means that UPtv will be acquiring/producing more rom-com movies beyond the holiday season!

I hope you'll enjoy these movies on UPtv this October!

Happy movie-watching, everyone,

Net

❄ Hallmark's JANUARY 2024 Movie Schedule is HERE! ❄ SEE DETAILS:

New romantic comedies are coming to the Hallmark Channel in the New Year, and an all-new mystery to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries! Hallmark Media has released their upcoming movie premieres.

See what's airing this January 2024...


HALLMARK CHANNEL:

Love on the Right Course

Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 6 at 8 pm

Whitney (Ashley Newbrough) is a professional golfer who is struggling to make the cut to qualify for her next tournament in Europe. Concerned that she might not be able to continue competing on a professional level, she returns to Budapest, and the golf course her family owns there, to reevaluate her career. She finds that her father, who has grown reclusive since losing his wife two years ago, has handed over day-to-day operations of the club to a laid-back, new golf pro, Daniel (Marcus Rosner). Daniel’s casual style is at odds with Whitney’s and it throws her off her game, literally. As the pair get to know each other, their perspective changes and a romance develops. But, when Whitney’s former trainer returns and pushes Daniel out, it might just cost Whitney her best shot at love.

Movie Reviews:

❤️ LOVE ON THE RIGHT COURSE (my assumption is clean as far as I can tell, but I did fast-forward some parts) This was a bit slow for me. It wasn’t too engaging and didn’t hold my interest. The romance was lacking in depth. No charming meet cute, nothing that portrays sparks, nothing that makes your heart warm and fuzzy. I found myself fast-forwarding a lot. I did love it when Marcus Rosner was on the screen. He looked really good here. Ashley Newbrough appears a bit aloof and honestly didn’t look too believable as a golf athlete. It’s hard to explain but she looked too cutesy… too “put together”, more like a model, not an athlete. I also thought this was an odd movie to be premiered in Winter by Hallmark. It looked more like a Summer movie to me. ~CH Mom

❤️ Love on the Right Course is clean, cozy, and so normal. Normalcy is something to be cherished these days, Major kudos to Miss Bristow for writing and producing this great movie!

(and also, that announcer at the start of the movie had 1 really good Cameron Mathison impersonation!). –Maria

❤️ "Love on the Right Course" was nice. Decent storyline, wonderful leads and supporting players and spectacular scenery. Oh my gosh Hungary is so lovely.~Joan

❤️ Love on the Right Course was a one time watch for me. Nothing in particular, and it was family friendly, it was just boring for me. I have never been a fan of golf and the storyline with the dad selling the business didn’t really grab my attention, it was one of those “play while you are cooking/cleaning” kind of movies, which is fine as those are needed as well Lol The best part was the beautiful scenery of the location. ~Paula

❤️ Love on the Right Course is family friendly about Whitney is a professional golfer who is struggling to make the cut to qualify for her next tournament in Europe. Concerned that she might not be able to continue competing on a professional level, she returns to Budapest, Hungary & the golf course her family owns there to reevaluate her career.

Whitney finds that her Father who has grown reclusive since losing his wife two years ago, has handed over day-to-day operations of the club to a laid-back, new golf pro, Daniel. Daniel’s casual style is at odds with Whitney’s, and it throws her off her game, literally. As the pair get to know each other, their perspective changes and a romance develops. But, when Whitney’s former trainer returns and pushes Daniel out, it might just cost Whitney her best shot at love. Brittany Bristow & her Husband, Dustin Keating, wrote Love on the Right Course. Bristow is also appears in the movie; Love in the Right Course ~Anonymous




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A Scottish Love Scheme

Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 13 at 8 pm

Lily (Erica Durance) travels to Scotland with her mother and reconnects with Logan (Jordan Young), a childhood family friend. Unbeknownst to Lily and Logan, their meddling mothers have come up with a plan to set them up.

Movie Reviews:

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme- Family friendly. It’s about three brothers trying to save their family business, Campbell’s Distillery. Lily, an old friend of the family, is visiting with her mother Cait and gets pushed into helping with their branding. She is divorced and bonds with Logan who is a widower. The only thing I noticed that was maybe questionable was Caleb (the younger brother) gets a call and says to Logan, “it’s Jimmy, we’re on for dinner.” I don’t know who Jimmy is and I don’t recall seeing him. For me, it was a little slow, at times, but it’s still a nice movie with beautiful scenery. Allie B

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme- Caleb calls his Brother; Logan that he & Jimmy are on Dinner when I saw picture in the internet when I notice the blonde lady named Jaimie or Jamie? Jimmy is shortened for Jaimie or Jamie. There’s 2 blonde ladies in the picture with Campbell & Reese Families in the Internet ~Anonymous

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme- I agree Allie, slow moving but beautiful scenery! ~Paula

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme - I had a chance to watch this as I was somewhat busy on Sunday afternoon, so the call to Jimmy (that Allie mentions above) baffled me. I wondered if I missed something there. Otherwise, it was family-friendly. And, it was enjoyable to see the camaraderie between the three brothers as they worked together on their family business. There is some casual drinking throughout the film. For me, this felt more like a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries sort of film, instead of the usual lighthearted rom-com on the Hallmark Channel. The mothers in the movie were cute, and I liked how they were scheming as matchmakers, to put Lily and Logan together. Even though it is family-friendly, this may not be entertaining for kids, although there is a sweet boy and an adorable dog. Overall, there's something warm and cozy about this film; the romance is subtle, but nice; the film has a wonderful ensemble cast, and the setting in Scotland is gorgeous. ~Net

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme is family friendly - When I read the comments that the viewers are saying there’s woke on Hallmark IG? If you guys watch A Scottish Love Scheme on HMN just before it’s shown this Saturday. II read comments on Hallmark IG, The viewers thought there’s gay couple in it but they’re ain’t so although possibly they’re Brothers or Cousins of Logan. ~Anonymous

❤️ A Scottish Love Scheme was just okay for me. My husband and I felt it was very slow and kind of boring. The scenery was breathtaking, the accents were cool, and the family dynamic was lovely. We really wanted to love this one because we like anything Scottish. But we did not feel any spark between the lead’s. We did not finish this one either, but we did watch longer than the previous movie. ~Joan

❤️ And as much as I love all things Scottish, the Scottish Love Scheme movie just didn't hold my attention. I made it about two-thirds through and the only thing that kept me watching for that long was the beautiful scenery and the lovely Scottish accents. ~ Jane




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Betty’s Bad Luck in Love

Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 20 at 8 pm

Cursed from childhood to fail at romance, Betty’s (Laci J. Mailey) relationships have always ended in disaster. But when she meets Alex (Marco Grazzini), she’s tempted to try once more. Can true love prevail over a curse?

Movie Reviews:

❤️ Betty’s bad luck in love not family friendly. In the beginning of the movie the main character was about middle school age. And one of her classmates put a hex on her because she was talking and eating Oreos with her crush. You could just think that it’s a silly school girl crush but her mother was a fortuneteller. It wasn’t my cup of tea. ~Anonymous

❤️ Betty's Bad Luck in Love is hilarious, adorable, soooo romantic, clean (the 'curse' was all just mainly in her head), and possibly the best new movie of this month! -Maria

❤️ Betty's Bad Luck In Love *is* family friendly. It is disclosed that the friend's mother WAS NOT fortune teller. The girl made it up, as middle schoolers do.

And while Betty did visit a fortune teller later, it was obvious the fortune teller wasn't more than just a scammer, charging $149 + tax for nothing. ~Denise

❤️ Betty's Bad Luck in Love – She was way too overly dramatic for me and I really didn’t like the curse stuff. I tried, but I just couldn’t get into it. Allie B

❤️ Betty’s Bad Luck in Love. This is a movie I normally would not have watched, but I wanted to see what all the talk was about and discern for myself. I think everyone’s definition of “family friendly” or “clean” is different (and can sometimes, perhaps, be a gray area?); I find this to also be true with my reading friends on GoodReads. For me, it’s not just about the absence of sexual situations or homosexuality or transgender nonsense. As a Christian, there are many other factors to consider. For instance, the devil uses subtlety and whitewashed deceit to lure people away from God’s path and, therefore, I feel that anything that even mildly dabbles in things that have evil roots, such as sorcery or witchcraft or astrology or fortune telling, needs to be avoided in my family.

I know people accept things like astrology and horoscopes and magic and palm reading and crystals as just silly or lightweight amusements and not to be taken seriously, but, for me, cracking that door open and giving the devil even a small foothold is something to be avoided. With no children around, I watched parts of this movie and fast-forwarded through other parts just so I could see what it was all about. The lead actors are cute and their banter was occasionally fun but Betty was such a neurotic drama queen that her melodrama alone would have made me hit the delete button. But worse than that was the full embrace throughout the whole movie of belief in hexes and curses. Betty has believed for 20 years (twenty years!!!) that she was truly put under a hex and her entire life and relationships have all been cursed because of it. It’s irrelevant to me that the hex was total nonsense done by a tweenage girl, because the movie, as a whole, still puts it forth (over and over!) as a legitimate and acceptable possibility. Trying to rid her life of this curse, Betty even goes to a “Madame” fortune teller who reads her palm and tells her there’s “hope” because she has in her bag of tricks a “counter spell that can take the hex off of even the most powerful curse”. (That is not my version of “hope”!!) Obviously, the woman is a money-grabbing phony but, once again, that’s irrelevant to me because Betty and the movie still consider this to be an appropriate and worthwhile option.

Occasionally, so long as there are no children watching with me, I don’t mind a movie that has one tiny blip of a silly fortune teller at a carnival or something like that, where it’s not really an integral part of the main storyline. But, unfortunately, with this movie Betty’s belief in the curse and hex was pretty much the ENTIRE storyline. Even without that horrible storyline, the movie kind of dragged on and on and on, and felt like it was just trying too hard to be quirky or unique; and Betty’s neurosis made what little romance there was feel rather lackluster and not believable. (*Spoiler* And her joining his male rugby team at the end was beyond ridiculous!) I liked the actors and wouldn’t mind seeing them in a different film but this script was not family friendly and was a definite delete, for me. ~~Jane

❤️ BETTY’S BAD LUCK IN LOVE (hex/curse and fortune telling content implied, but not real)
I’m not sure about this. There were some good things about it, but the whole premise is quite ridiculous. Betty was extremely anxious and worried… it was way too much. I was cringing so much watching her followed/stalked the guys camping and stopped the rugby game… all because she was worried. I personally wouldn’t have fallen for Betty if I were Alex, with her many antics…ha! I have to say the chemistry was spot on though, and Marco Grazzini was WONDERFUL, I think he saved this movie for me. I also enjoyed the movie a bit more once the whole curse thing was out in the open between Alex and Betty. Great acting by both leads. It was a one time watch for me. ~CH Mom



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Romance with a Twist

Previous Title: Swinging Into Love

Premiere Date: Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 pm

Luna (Jocelyn Hudon) is a former dancer, who left that dream behind for a grounded life managing her family’s construction business and gets the opportunity to transform a gymnasium into a studio for aerials. As she sneaks a moment to try dancing in the silks, she is surreptitiously discovered by Bennet (Oliver Renaud), a professional aerialist, who has returned home from performing around the world. Bennet is none too pleased to walk in to find his contractor messing around on the silks, but when his partner for an upcoming show drops out, he soon recruits Luna to perform with him. As the hard work of this dynamic sport and the joys of Luna returning to her roots as a dancer bring them closer together, will their relationship crash or will they find a way to reach new heights?

Movie Reviews:

❤️ Romance with a Twist / My Perfect Romance - This past weekend's movie's were not my cup of tea. I tried watching both the Hallmark and the UP-TV movie but neither one held my interest. I watched most of the Hallmark movie but I only got through about fifteen minutes of the UP-TV movie. Holding out hope next week's movies are better. ~Joan

❤️ ROMANCE WITH A TWIST (clean) I liked this one. It was quite sweet and engaging through out the movie. I do have to say that the male lead (Bennett) was a little mean and snobbish, especially in the beginning. I know that was the personality they wanted to portray but…. goodness, poor Luna. It was a huge undertaking and what a pressure for her. Bennett did make it up a bit towards the end though. The aerial performance was SO beautiful! And the ending scene too. ~CH Mom

❤️ Romance with a Twist is clean and FANTASTIC!! –Maria

❤️ We really enjoyed “Romance with a Twist,” and it was light-hearted and family-friendly. The male lead has a real circus acrobat background which makes the movie more believable. The aerial performances were fun to watch, but the movie was also about building trust, overcoming fears, and pursuing your dreams. Laurie

❤️ Romance with a Twist - Overall, it was a good movie. A bit slow to start. They did some nice aerials during the show they were in--I think they saved all of that till the end and just did little things during the rest of the movie to keep the story going. ~Denise

❤️ Hallmark’s “Romance with a Twist” is a family-friendly story starring a fit and agile Jocelyn Hudon as Luna, and Oliver Renaud as Bennet. The chemistry between the two is excellent as Luna helps Bennet overcome his fear of opening his heart to love, and Bennet helps Luna overcome her fear of heights while stepping in to be his aerialist partner for an upcoming arts festival. From what I’ve read elsewhere, Jocelyn Hudon performs all her own aerial feats, which I found to be quite impressive. ~MPT

❤️ I LOVED "Romance with a Twist." Jocelyn Hudon is so graceful and athletic and skilled to be able to perform the aerials so perfectly and beautifully. It was certainly a fresh story! The only thing that I didn't like was how everyone was treating her so meanly in the beginning as she was learning the skills needed. It was mean and didn't make sense as she was good from the start. ~Amy G.




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HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES:

True Justice: Family Ties

Premiere Date: Friday, Jan. 12 at 8 pm

Starring: Katherine McNamara, Markian Tarasiuk, Nikki DeLoach, and Benjamin Ayres

A law school student (Katherine McNamara) with the help of her friends sets out to prove her brother was wrongfully convicted. The only way to clear his name is by finding the real killer, but the closer they get, the more danger they are all in.

Movie Reviews:

🔎 True Justice was good! I was engaged the whole movie and when it was done, it left me wanting more. The acting was great. The actor and actress who played Eli and Casey were excellent. Nikki De Loach and Ben Ayres were just a little bonus. ~CH Mom

🔎 The True Justice mystery movie was good, at first I didn’t like it but each member of the Scooby Doo pack but they grew on me, especially the con man who they hired and then invited to join their investigation team. I don’t know why they added Benjamin and Nikki as their roles were so small and I wished to see more of them. The storyline was good and threw me for a loop at the end but it wasn’t great, so just a one time watch for me. Family friendly, don’t recall anything inappropriate. ~Paula

🔎 Paula, I laughed when I read your "Scooby Doo" pack but that was exactly it! I was actually surprised by this one and liked it more than I expected. Just as you said, at first I wasn't sure, but it did grow on me, the characters were good and the story was well done. It was a nice change from to usual "cop + chef" combo. -Lizzy

🔎 We enjoyed the mystery/crime/legal movie “True Justice: Family Ties.” It was family-friendly for older kids because it deals with a murder and an affair. The ensemble cast played well off of each other, and it was different from the usual Hallmark Movies and Mysteries movie series. I hope they make another one in this franchise – Laurie

🔎 Loved True Justice! The characters had great chemistry and it was fun to have Nikki and Ben in small roles. I saw that Nikki and her writing partner wrote the script. They did a great job! They storyline was unique and kept me guessing.

I see many complaining about mystery series not continuing. Hallmark has never said any of the last mysteries were going to be series. I’m fine watching a mystery movie for itself. They don’t have to all be series. Jennifer R

🔎 We did enjoy the True Justice mystery. Great chemistry between all of the cast members. Engaging mystery with several twists and turns. The actors who played the brother and sister was really believable and quite good. If this mystery series continues, we will watch the next movie. ~Joan

🔎 I enjoyed True Justice, especially the "Justice Warriors" group aspect with all the law students joining forces (plus the PI - who I really liked!) If this isn't the beginning of a series, I will be disappointed because there were several teasers that weren't resolved, mainly the obvious attraction between the two main characters. And why was the scene of Nikki De Loach and Ben Ayres kissing even in there? What was the purpose? Was it setting something up for later? One thing did make me nervous, and it may just be me being paranoid. When the PI asks out the forensic scientist girl, why did she turn him down and tell him he wasn't picking up her signals? It seemed the right moment to me, like they were flirting. Are they going to reveal she is a lesbian later? it was a weird scene. Again, maybe it was just me. I did enjoy the movie, though, and for once my ten-year-old didn't solve the crime before the end, lol. ~melnewlife



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Hopefully, there will be some good films coming our way in 2024.

This looks like quite the mix of new movies in January; I'm not exactly sure which movie intrigues me, yet. I must admit, I still miss the Winter-themed movies in January, but perhaps when the promos are released, one or two will appeal to me.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Blessings to you all, Net

*images via: Hallmark Media