☀️Summer Weekend Movies: A Heartfelt Rom-Com💕 & Faith-Filled Suspense🙏

Hey there, Movie Friends!

Got any fun plans for the weekend? I know it's a busy time with some children going back to school this week, and lots of families trying to squeeze in one last Summer adventure. Plus, many of us are still soaking up every bit of Summer sunshine we can - while it lasts! If, however, you’re looking for a little downtime, I’ve got some movie picks you might want to add to your list this weekend.

On Great American Family, One of a Kind Love is making its debut on the channel, and Lifetime is wrapping up its suspenseful, faith-filled series with Finding Faith.

Plus, for those of us missing Christmas in July, I've included the Friday night schedule of Christmas movies... enjoy!!!

Check out details on these movies and more below…


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Friday, August 8, 2025:

Classic Christmas Movie Night

Christmas Movie Schedule
Friday, August 8th:

The Sweetest Christmas ... Hallmark Channel ... 6pm
A Christmas Castle Proposal ... Great American Family ... 6pm
Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas ... Hallmark Channel ... 8pm
A Vintage Christmas ... Great American Family ... 8pm
Christmas at the Drive-In ... Great American Family ... 10pm
A Christmas Castle Proposal ... Great American Family ... 12am
A Vintage Christmas ... Great American Family ... 2am
Christmas at the Drive-In ... Great American Family ... 4am


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Saturday, August 9, 2025:

One of a Kind Love

Storyline: Kyra’s dreams of being a jeweler have been put on the back burner, as her demanding job at the Sawyer Country Club is her priority. When a vacant shop becomes available in town, Kyra sees an opportunity to put a plan into action, until she learns that there’s another renter interested in the space. Enter Aiden Sawyer, prodigal son, big-city business magnate and Kyra’s childhood nemesis, returning home to the country club his parents own. As they patch up their past, Kyra and Aiden learn that there may be something more between them than just playful flirting. But when Kyra enters a renowned jewelry contest to raise enough money to outbid the mystery renter, Aiden finds himself in a race against time to make everything right.

One of a Kind Love

Premieres Saturday, August 9, 2025

at 9pm/8c. on Great American Family

Note: This movie originally premiered in 2021 on the BYU channel. See Alicia's and my reviews below...

Movie Reviews:

🎬 One of a Kind Love is a simple, sweet, family-friendly movie. The film stars Jocelyn Hudon, who is recognizable to Hallmark fans from When Hope Calls, From Friend to Fiancé, and Baby, It’s Cold Inside. Jocelyn portrays the very likable girl-next-door sort of character, Kyra, who dreams of being a jewelry designer and owning her own shop in town. In the meantime, she works at the local country club and sells her jewelry designs in her father’s antique shop. Just as she’s about to make plans to acquire the space for her own store, the son of the country club owners, Aidan, who is a wealthy business man used to traveling around the world and making deals by the minute, returns home and makes his own bid on the property and begins to steal Kyra’s heart, as well. Can they work it out before it’s too late? I think you’ll enjoy this happy ending. ~Net

🎬 I watched several of the new movies you told us about on BYUtv, Net. One of a Kind Love, Seasoned with Love, and You May Kiss the Bridesmaid all completely charmed me! Somehow, for me, they were more real and natural and engrossing. Glad to know I'm not just broken and unable to enjoy our wonderful, pleasant, cheesy movies anymore! ;-) ~Alicia


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Saturday, August 9, 2025:

Finding Faith

Storyline: Struck by the sudden death of her husband, Faith (Paula Patton) spirals out of control and loses her trust in God. But with the unwavering support of her family, pastor and close friends, Faith starts to find her way out of the darkness and into the light, rebuilding her life one step at a time.

Finding Faith

Premieres Saturday, August 9, 2025

at 8pm/7c. on Lifetime

The Christian radio station KLove promoted the film Finding Faith when it premiered early in theaters.

I found this movie review on YouTube from someone who caught an early screening, so I thought I would share it with all of you...

Movie Review:

🎬 I attended the movie screening in Santa Monica, CA, on May 13th. This is a fantastic film about having it all, including a nice home, marriage, and family, only to lose it all, fight back, and find redemption. Paula Patton did an outstanding job as "Faith!" So did the others in the movie. It should be required viewing for churches, as the movie is a sermon in itself. Hopefully, the faith-based community will rally around this film and go in droves as a church outing. ~Eric C.

*CAUTION* Please Note: Based on the movie's promo (see here), Finding Faith will contain some adult content. Viewer discretion is advised.


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Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

In case you missed it, you can see mine and Alicia's reviews above for One of a Kind Love.

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Death at the Diner premiered on the Hallmark Channel last week, and this weekend the mystery will air twice on Hallmark Mystery, premiering on the channel Friday at 8pm/7c. and encoring Sunday at 6pm/5c.

Please note: I haven't seen Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Death at the Diner or Finding Faith. If you'd like to post a review on whether these films are family-friendly, please share in the comments below.

Have a Blessed Weekend, Everyone!

Net

☀️ SHINING HIS LIGHT ☀️

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

~Proverbs 3:5-6

Great American Family's August 2025 Movie Lineup

Great American Family has revealed the complete lineup of movies scheduled to air on Saturdays at 8pm/7c. throughout August.

While these films are new to GAF, all but one have previously aired on BYUtv, and all four have been available for streaming.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch the first three and can say they’re warm, lighthearted, and truly enjoyable. The standout for me was A Thread to Your Heart (formerly A Love Yarn). It's such a charming, heartfelt story.

See below for more details about this film and the others coming to GAF this August...

One of a Kind Love

Starring: Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley
(real-life married couple)

Premiere Date: Saturday, August 9 at 8/7c

Storyline: Kyra’s dreams of being a jeweler have been put on the backburner, as her demanding job at the Sawyer Country Club is her priority. When a vacant shop becomes available in town, Kyra sees an opportunity to put a plan into action, until she learns that there’s another renter interested in the space. Enter Aiden Sawyer, prodigal son, big-city business magnate and Kyra’s childhood nemesis, returning home to the country club his parents own. As they patch up their past, Kyra and Aiden learn that there may be something more between them than just playful flirting. But when Kyra enters a renowned jewelry contest to raise enough money to outbid the mystery renter, Aiden finds himself in a race against time to make everything right.

Movie Reviews:

🎬 One of a Kind Love is a simple, sweet, family-friendly movie. The film stars Jocelyn Hudon, who is recognizable to Hallmark fans from When Hope Calls, From Friend to Fiancé, and Baby, It’s Cold Inside. Jocelyn portrays the very likable girl-next-door sort of character, Kyra, who dreams of being a jewelry designer and owning her own shop in town. In the meantime, she works at the local country club and sells her jewelry designs in her father’s antique shop. Just as she’s about to make plans to acquire the space for her own store, the son of the country club owners, Aidan, who is a wealthy business man used to traveling around the world and making deals by the minute, returns home and makes his own bid on the property and begins to steal Kyra’s heart, as well. Can they work it out before it’s too late? I think you’ll enjoy this happy ending. ~Net

🎬 I watched several of the new movies you told us about on BYUtv, Net. One of a Kind Love, Seasoned with Love, and You May Kiss the Bridesmaid all completely charmed me! Somehow, for me, they were more real and natural and engrossing. Glad to know I'm not just broken and unable to enjoy our wonderful, pleasant, cheesy movies anymore! ;-) ~Alicia

🎬 One of a kind Love is really sweet. -Maria



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A Thread to Your Heart

Also Known As: A Love Yarn

Starring: Anna Hutchinson and Simon Arblaster

Premiere Date: Saturday, August 16 at 8/7c

Storyline: The owner of a quaint New Zealand yarn shop, Sophie Dale, gets her world flipped upside down after learning her top supplier of yarn, King Farms, is stopping production. Much to her surprise, the charming yet stuck-in-his-ways Samuel King has traveled all the way from New York to audit the business model of the farm. Desperate to keep her shop going, Sophie convinces Samuel to give her two weeks to learn the ropes of yarn spinning and raise enough money to buy the mill herself. With Samuel’s help, Sophie comes up with a fundraising plan to host a “knit-off” and auction at the local makers market. However, when the two weeks come to an end Sophie finds herself at the crossroads of business and romance. Could she have misinterpreted Samuels growing romantic interest in her as just business all along?

Movie Reviews:

🎬 The setting of this story is in New Zealand - and the countryside there is absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking! The owner of the local yarn shop, Sophie, is quite likeable; she's an American who inherited the shop from her late Grandmother. Sophie brings many people of the town together to knit and enjoy time sharing, along with her best friend, Rose, who is a lot of fun. Everything seems tranquil for Sophie, until she knits a sweater for her boyfriend, Chris. Everyone in the knitting group teases that "it's the curse of the knitted sweater" and they predict in a joking way that she and Chris will surely break up. They actually do, but Sophie has more important things to worry about - she must save the local mill where she gets her yarn and convince the owner's handsome son, Samuel King, who is visiting from New York, to sell it to her before he leaves. The lambs in the movie are all sooo adorable - you'll instantly fall in love with them. At times, the movie can be a bit predictable and cheesy, but it's still a sweet family friendly story, and I personally enjoyed watching it. Even the knitted sweater gets redemption in the end. If you know someone who likes knitting, then this is most definitely THE MOVIE for them. ~Net

🎬 A Thread to your Heart is the absolute sweetest movie! How did I miss this before? Would love to see more of these actors on Great American Family.
By the way, the scripture about the 99 is perfect for this movie. I don’t know who sings it but I also like the song. I hear it on KLOVE all the time. Christie

🎬 We really enjoyed A Thread to Your Heart. One of the better movies we’ve seen in awhile. It was nice to see some different actors for once who were actually good. Robert



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As Gouda as it Gets

Starring: Kim Shaw and Clayton James

Premiere Date: Saturday, August 23rd, at 8pm/7c.

Storyline: Brie Belanger is the maître fromager and owner of Brie’s Cheese, a cute artisan cheese shop located in picturesque Vermont. Looking to boost her business presence and sales, the town’s annual Cheese Festival arrives just in time with a $50,000 first-place prize. Up against her biggest competitor, Brie’s vintage smoked gouda is considered a frontrunner-so much so that Jacob Wolfe, a former chef and influential cheese blogger, approaches about profiling her delectable creation, leading their friendship to take a turn for romance. Complications arise when Matt Lambert, the handsome and charismatic new CEO of Lambert Farms (and Brie’s largest competitor) starts to show his interest in acquiring her shop. Racing against the clock and a disastrous power failure, Brie and Jacob must recreate a prize-worthy entry if she has any hope of keeping her shop and potentially winning more than she initially hoped for.

Movie Reviews:

🎬 I'm glad that I recorded it. Happily, what was missing was the bickering as in Christmas on the Menu. That was nice to see and with no back story to overcome. ~Namegirl



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TV Series: Crossroad Springs

Starring: Jonathan Stoddard, Emily Alatalo, Shaun Johnston, Kate Drummond, Brittany Underwood, Jesse Hutch, Jon McLaren, Erin Agostino, and Franco Lo Presti

Premiere Date: Saturday, August 30th, at 8pm/7c.

Storyline: “Crossroad Springs” follows the Hamilton family, adult siblings James (Stoddard) and Janet (Alatalo), their aging family members, dad, Willis (Johnston), and Aunt Amy (Drummond), who are eking out a living on Hamilton Ranch with financial hardships and staffing shortages. James, a pastor in Chicago, and Janet, an ER doctor in a neighboring town, feel called to return home to help the family. Once there, the siblings encounter the son of the owner of the neighboring farm, Daniel Newman (Hutch), who are all wary of each other due to a generational feud between the families. As he settles into his new day-to-day life on the farm, James begins to realize there are no places to worship on the thousands of acres of farms. There, in the environment of come-as-you-are vibes, barns, rodeo arenas, even outdoors under clear night skies, James starts a cowboy church right there in the place where faith, family, and ranch life go hand in hand.


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The Wedding Arrangement

Starring: Kristina Cole Geddes and Cody Griffis

Premiere Date: Saturday, August 30th, at 9pm/8c.

Storyline: When botanist Violet needs help with a wedding floral arrangement, nature photographer Jack comes to save the day as they bond over a mythical plant.

Movie Review:

The Wedding Arrangement - (streamed on PureFlix) - The lead characters, Violet and Jack, are down-to-earth and likeable. Their chemistry was sweet, but low-key. They’ve known each other since they were children. Violet now runs her grandmother’s flower shop, while Jack helps his grandfather sell flowers at the local market.

Much of the story centers on Violet’s biggest clients, an influencer couple who come across as more obnoxious than funny, as they plan their wedding. Their scenes felt very cheesy and over-the-top. It was truly satisfying when Violet later dubs them “couple-zilla.”

The floral arrangements throughout the film are lovely, though oddly, the wedding flowers near the end of the movie, the most important ones, fall flat. And yes, there is a bit of an issue with the flowers, but everyone still acts as if they are stunning. Even the bride and groom, who were previously obsessed with everything being perfect, thought they were fabulous.

There's also a subplot involving a rare mythical flower known as the Youtan. Violet and Jack mention that this magical flower is only referenced in Buddhist scriptures. To be honest, it's not something I've ever heard of or had any interest in. Jack encourages Violet to leave her shop and travel overseas to find this rare flower.

Overall, “The Wedding Arrangement” is a family-friendly film, and Kristina Cole, who played Violet, is a lovely actress, though her wardrobe choice in the final scene, a very low-cut dress, felt rather distracting. The ending itself left me underwhelmed, making this a one-time watch for me. ~Net


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If you've not seen these movies yet, I hope you'll enjoy them when they air on Great American Family this August.

Happy movie-watching,

Net

"One of a Kind Love" starring Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley! SEE HERE:

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie: One of a Kind Love

Network: BYUtv

Air Date: April 24, 2021

Starring: Jocelyn Hudon and Jake Manley


Storyline via BYUtv: Kyra's dreams of being a jeweler have been put on the backburner, as her demanding job at the Sawyer Country Club is her priority. When a vacant shop becomes available in town, Kyra sees an opportunity to put a plan into action, until she learns that there's another renter interested in the space. Enter Aiden Sawyer, prodigal son, big-city business magnate and Kyra's childhood nemesis, returning home to the country club his parents own. As they patch up their past, Kyra and Aiden learn that there may be something more between them than just playful flirting. But when Kyra enters a renowned jewelry contest to raise enough money to outbid the mystery renter, Aiden finds himself in a race against time to make everything right.


The star of this movie is Jocelyn Hudon (When Hope Calls); her co-star is her real-life fiancé Jake Manley.



Reviews:

❤ “One of a Kind Love is a simple, sweet, family friendly movie. The film stars Jocelyn Hudon, who is recognizable to Hallmark fans from When Hope Calls, From Friend to Fiancé, and Baby, It’s Cold Inside. Jocelyn portrays the very likable girl-next-door sort of character, Kyra, who dreams of being a jewelry designer and owning her own shop in town. In the meantime, she works at the local country club and sells her jewelry designs in her father’s antique shop. Just as she’s about to make plans to acquire the space for her own store, the son of the country club owners, Aidan, who is a wealthy business man used to traveling around the world and making deals by the minute, returns home and makes his own bid on the property and begins to steal Kyra’s heart, as well. Can they work it out before it’s too late? I think you’ll enjoy this happy ending.” ~Net

❤ "I watched several of the new movies you told us about on BYUtv, Net. One of a Kind Love, Seasoned with Love, and You May Kiss the Bridesmaid all completely charmed me! Somehow, for me, they were more real and natural and engrossing. Glad to know I'm not just broken and unable to enjoy our wonderful, pleasant, cheesy movies anymore!" ;-) ~Alicia





If you miss this airing of One of a Kind Love on BYUtv, you may also be able to watch it on BYU's web-site - *HERE*.




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*images via: Incendo Productions