Change Your Image
centava99
Reviews
The Wedding Veil Journey (2023)
Why change their characters so much?
Like many others have said, I enjoyed the first three films. The second trilogy has gotten weaker with each film, culminating in this stinker. My first thought was if they can't find time to have dinner together, how is it they can suddenly drop everything for a multi-day honeymoon?
I identified most with Tracy's character in the series, and respected the couple's choice to be child-free. This plot with Leo was incredibly predictable and also completely out of character for them. They never resolve their "we need to fix things together" discussion and now want to bring a kid into it?? They don't say it, but I got a big whiff of Tracy cutting her hours way back to be a 'proper' 'mom' to Leo, while Nick gets to keep spending all his time at the restaurants, just now cooking.... The idea of a woman being incomplete without marriage-family is just disappointing, especially with Alison Sweeney as an exec producer; I expected more from her.
I'm giving this film 4 stars for the scenery, Alison's wardrobe and the cute sub-plot of the Brit and inn owner. The rest is meh.
Black Adam (2022)
It's like 20 movies we've already seen, merged into one
I'm still 'watching' this on HBO as I write this, that's how engaging it is.
So far, the movies it steals/borrows from:
300
Suicide Squad
Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter
Raiders of the Lost Ark & Last Crusade
Thor
X-Men
Dr Strange
The Mummy
Fantastic Four
Guardians of the Galaxy
Roger Moore era James Bond
Invasion of the Bodysnatchers
Independence Day
Army of the Dead
Probably more but those immediately come to mind. Lots of 'homages' to Marvel films.
I don't think there's an original idea in the entire movie. It's incredibly simplistic, good guys-bad guys, making drastic and consequential decisions based on little to no information under the guise of heroism and 'The greater good'...snooze.
A Christmas Cruise (2017)
Pretty painful
Far from the worst of these holiday movies, but the lead male, Jake, was incredibly wooden, who looked perpetually pissed off except when smiling, which also felt forced.
Vivica (Pam) was bubbly and energetic as usual but the scenes with Jake just hurt to watch. I kept waiting for him to become some crazy sociopath based on his demeanor, but had to keep reminding myself this is a holiday movie!
The crazy coworkers and shipmates just were cringe-worthy and of course the plot was predictable in the extreme, with the silly premise of "write one sexy article and get the promotion of your life." At least I got my crossword puzzle done during this...
Golden Arm (2020)
Fun with lots of heart!
This is definitely a low brow film, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. It's also a great story about friendship and finding and then embracing who you are. It doesn't go for cheap jokes, which too many low brow comedies do. Mel and Danny bring tons of heart and we laughed out loud a lot, which for me is saying something, since I skew toward dramas. We had to look up whether women's arm wrestling championships was a real thing and it is! Now I just need to know if the strap tricks are legal... this is more than I planned to write but apparently I'm required to write 600 characters to get a review published.. Give this film a chance!
The Help (2011)
Great film. Could have used better editing
I finally saw this film online after holding off to read the book I never got around to. I mostly really enjoyed the performances but I felt like the attitude changes of some of the characters really didn't ring true or make sense. Let's start with Stuart. Nice beginning and I loved how supportive he was of Skeeter when they actually got to know each other. Told her to write something important! But he clearly knew nothing of that she was writing and dropped her like an ignorant hot potato when he found out what she'd written. Never to return. Really? And she's not sad one bit. Neat and tidy! Really? Was there more of his character that just got cut out? I can only hope so, otherwise, what was the point of him even being there?
Skeeter's mom-does a 180 on Hilly AND Skeeter after becoming so enlightened by reading the book. For someone so ingrained in "belonging" to the times and stressing that Skeeter doesn't care about getting her Mrs. Degree, for her to suddenly be Skeeter's champion doesn't ring true at all, as entertaining as it was.
Yule Mae-was the ring planted as a trap since she'd asked for a loan? Guess she went to jail since we only saw her once again, there. Did her sons get to go to college? Guess we shouldn't care since the film didn't.
The ending was unnecessarily dragged out and Hilly was so one note as to become cartoonish that I could only wish to have seen even one scene of humanity for her.
I'm extremely glad I didn't grow up in those times. For such a long film, I wish they had fleshed out the secondary characters more.
Persuasion (2022)
Need to suspend any knowledge of Jane Austen's Persuasion
First, I'll admit I wasn't a fan of this film. I'm a purist and Persuasion is my favorite book, so the bias level is high. It doesn't make sense to me to maintain costumes and settings while changing the language to a more modern vernacular; it sounds jarring and silly.
That said, I did my very best to forget all I know about the original Persuasion, and I saw some fun things:
-first, Dakota Johnson surprised me. I haven't liked her in other roles but she was actually not bad here, despite what the script did to our sensitive, subtle Anne Elliott.
-Richard E. Grant is good in everything he does, and he was hilarious as Sir Walter
-The actresses playing Henrietta and Louisa were fun without being over the top
-Mary was hilarious in how over the top she was, though it did get old quickly and became unbelievable that her husband was still such a warm character, living with such a harpy.
There's probably more I liked but I honestly don't want to go back to the film to try to find them. I'd rather just pull up the 1995 version of Persuasion and watch Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds show us incredible chemistry and sensitivity to a novel that is most definitely not a comedy.
Coffee Shop (2014)
Sister was a beeyotch
The film is super formulaic in the typical Hallmark way, with beautiful landscapes, etc. But the sister was both interesting and awful. Awful because her character was an incredible buzzkill, actively working against the lead's actual happiness, and interesting because unlike Hallmark films, where the characters are always oh so supportive, she stood out but not in the active 'baddie' way. Ninety minutes, not the worst way to spend an afternoon.
Under a Lover's Moon (2021)
Wow, so bad
One of the worst plots I've seen. Could have been good if there was even one acknowledgment that the bride was a lunatic and control freak, but her only admitted faults were being an avid planner and spreadsheet preparer.
Her partner had no say in any aspects of their relationship, and even at the dang ending she's forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do. Love of my life? Only if he's got Stockholm Syndrome.
I watched it only because I like Edward Ruttle. Only Bonnie and John made it worth watching to the end.
The Story of Love (2022)
Wow, the male lead is like a high school actor
It's painful to watch him. He has no charisma, but he also had really weak material to work with. And these plots are always full of the weak-willed female lead and the man who had to come and save her. Sigh.
Dune: Part One (2021)
There's a lot to like
The plot is an interesting one, with characters that are easy to like while still being interesting. But the movie is soooooooo slow. At least 40 min could have been cut out, the extra long shots of desert, the many-many-seconds-too-long closeups-those all add up to a film that would have been great at 2hrs but had me looking at my watch until 2:40. And then there's going to be a second one?! I'm not 100% sure I'm up for another desert marathon. Denis, please keep the bloat to a minimum!
A Picture Perfect Wedding (2021)
Idiotic. Really saying something considering the genre
Zero chemistry, the leads act like pre-teens, blowing off their jobs for ridiculous 'opportunities' that they couldn't possibly schedule for AFTER the current job was finished? A wicked witch type who turns out to be pretty incompetent at her job, replaces the lead at HER job, and the lead just accepts it?? Then a dopey father who plays games with his children vs. Just talking to them like the supposed adults they are.
The capper was the final end dance, where male lead got handsy with female lead. She's literally squirming to get him to move his hands. Classy actor, him...
Save yourself the trouble. Give this one a pass.
Sweet Carolina (2021)
Not the worst by any means, but
It wasn't great. Super formulaic all the way through, with overacting by everyone except maybe the grandmother and the dead sister. Tyler Hynes' awful hair style was incredibly distracting. He's a very handsome man, but I kept wondering if he was wearing a bad wig the entire film-the super flat and straight hairline, with a middle part-not a good look for him. And why wear every shirt buttoned to the top? He dressed like someone who is used to working a farm all the time, and has never been outside of the town.
The requisite romance was tacked on; come to think of that, that may have been the one unconventional thing about this film-her end 'goal' wasn't to get the man.
Love in Harmony Valley (2020)
Pretty insipid characters
The grandmother is the most interesting character by far. The plot is ridiculous; the town development proposal' was like sixth graders developed it vs. Professionals actually from the town who want to preserve its charm.
What's really bad, and typical of so many of these movies, is that the producers make overtures to add people of color in speaking roles, but then they give them the WHITEST names possible. A man of Asian descent is named Flynn Rutherford? Would it have killed them to actually give him a name reflecting his ethnicity?
The Charm of Love (2020)
Zero chemistry
The scenery is the only reason to watch. The actors have zero chemistry and the dialogue is incredibly forced. I stopped watching an hour in; I could stand the idea of losing another hour to this dreck.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020)
Only one thing to say
Look at the pretty flowers, World Beyond.
I sat through 4 episodes and just don't give a damn about any of the characters. Will just enjoy FTWD and wait for TWD to return.
The Christmas Club (2019)
Pretty good movie
Cameron is always fun to watch, but why isn't he in the cast list? It seems like most of the cast is missing from the list, with only very minor characters included.
Elizabeth Mitchell is very cute, but her character's a bit too neurotic for me. Overall typical Hallmark fare.
Over the Moon in Love (2019)
Just lame
Stupid storyline (even for Hallmark), with the lead sacrificing her business, finances and reputation to make the cover of a magazine profiling said business. Wes Brown tried to save it, but I was tempted to delete it from my DVR 8 minutes in, which had to be a record. I sucked it up through to the end, and wow, I regret it. Don't bother watching this stinker.
Letter Never Sent (2015)
Much more intelligent than your typical Hallmark film!
Sweet but not cloyingly so. The dialogue is funny and occasionally witty and the characters aren't continually talking about their feelings. It was actually fun to watch!
The Christmas Card (2006)
Sweet flick but Paul horribly miscast
Sorry, but I could never buy the guy playing Paul as a Porsche-driving wine merchant. He'll always be Skipper, the nerdy friend from SATC or another character of that ilk; he just doesn't have the suave worldliness to carry off Paul.
A Joyous Christmas (2017)
Possibly one of the worst Hallmarkies
Zero chemistry, a super wooden lead actress and a plot that made very little sense. Ugh, 90 min I'll never get back.
The Snowman (2017)
Probably the worst film I've seen in 20 years
Poor editing, almost zero character development, and no resolution of 'why' anything. The music was appropriately creepy, warranting the one star received. I wish I had thought to check IMDB before DVR'ing it off of HBO. At least I didn't burn a Netflix rental on it--the only saving grace.
My husband said afterward--wow, this will be an embarrassment on the CV of all of those excellent actors; I figure we've all had jobs we were embarrassed about--why should they be spared?
Others have taken the time to write excellently detailed reviews--definitely go read them if I've not sold you on saving 2+ hours of your life avoiding this awful film.
Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts (2017)
The weakest of the bunch
This one was a real letdown. The murder was pretty typical, but what really makes this series is the love triangle. Norman was honestly the most interesting of the bunch in this episode, half-jokingly talking about stepping in when Mike drops the ball in having Hannah's affections. You'd never know Mike and Hannah were even a couple; the entire movie was the case and the two of them not having time to get together even for a meal. Come on!
What's weird about this whole series is that there are clearly season changes, which means TIME IS PASSING and yet they expect us to believe that 3-6 months have passed between episodes and they've not once had a real date, yet are discussing going on vacation together? And then at the end they're engaged??!?!!? This makes zero sense when they've implied for 4.5 movies that they've only had a handful of dates, maybe 3 kissing sessions and that neither knows how the other feels about each other. The whole series would have made more sense (still minus the engagement) if it'd all been compressed into the span of maybe 1-2 months instead of what was at least 1.5 years (two winters and the gestation/birth/infancy of Andrea's baby as my time markers). I actually wanted to watch the first four episodes several times, but I deleted this one instantly after it was done, and was sad to not want to see it again. It just was a letdown.
Puppy Love (2012)
One of the worst
First I have to admit to some bias. I find CCB one of the worst actresses out there. She overemotes every scene that I have a headache from rolling my eyes so much. In this film, however, she wasn't given much to work with. A terrible script, zero chemistry between the actors, going from disdain to love with zero transition of their feelings, and ugh, Webster's hair-like he took some shears and tried to give himself a faux-hawk. Just awful all around. I stayed to the end just so I could write this review with certainty of no redeeming ending. The one star is for promoting animal adoption.
Total garbage movie.
Marry Me at Christmas (2017)
Cute film but her hair, gack!
The lead's curls were so distractingly badly styled, it was hard to focus on an otherwise cute film. How did the hair people let her walk out without finger combing those curls? She looked like a 13 year old girl who doesn't know better!
Love at First Bark (2017)
One of the worst I've seen
I got on a crazy Hallmark kick around Thanksgiving, so I've been binge watching for 2 months now and have seen an embarrassing number of films. This one had to be one of the worst, which was surprising since it's a recent (2017) film. I've noted that the latter ones (2016-18) are *somewhat* less traditional Hallmark, which too often had career-oriented women suddenly chucking their hard-fought positions to go live in a rural community with some down-on-his-luck, but cute guy. My inner feminist cringes at those films, and yet I keep watching....sigh.
Anyway, in this one, the protagonista does maintain her career, but she's horribly annoying, with tarantulas for false eyelashes, and I found she had zero chemistry with the also bland dog trainer protagonist. I was actually hoping for more screen time from her colleague, who was way less annoying and actually had some funny lines. I realize it was a plot point, but she was also a complete idiot about her dog, even admitting that she'd only read a few books, but had never owned a dog. I'm only giving this crap 2 stars because they did a nice job promoting animal rescue and the dogs were awesome. However, my rescue would never adopt out to such an idiot without mandatory training, so the film gets a ding for that. Two hours I won't get back. I'm definitely avoiding that horrible actress in the future.