Hallmark Movies-Seasons Of Love

Starring:  Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell Released:  2020 Summary:  A woman swears off dating for a full year, but she quickly learns that her commitment has made her a magnet for men. Image:  Crown Media Is Hallmark Typecasting Christopher Russell? It seems only recently that Christopher Russell has risen to stardom on Hallmark Channel.  Despite being in films like Midnight Masquerade, Merry Matrimony, and Love Unleashed, his popularity skyrocketed after his most recent releases:  The Mistletoe Secret , Nature of Love , and Love in the Forecast . Interestingly, Hallmark's last two movies cast Russell as a nature lover.  In Nature of Love , he's a rugged outdoorsman and tour guide, and in Love in the Forecast , he's a dairy farmer who relies on nature to predict the weather rather than meteorologists.   If you're a fan of Russell's, I'm sure you'll agree it doesn't matter what role he plays as long as we get to see that gorgeous face as ...

Starring:  Maggie Lawson and Sam Page Released:  2019 Summary:  A woman is distraught upon learning that her first love is an architect for a development company that threatens her beloved neighborhood and bookstore. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC  What Is The "Story of Us?" Before watching the movie, I assumed "the story of us" was about how the two leads met.  Though both Jamie Vaughn and Sawyer O'Dell were former sweethearts, "the story of us" is a collection of Valentines True Love Bookstore & Cafe has accumulated through the years from couples who wrote to share how they met and fell in love in the bookstore. I have two issues with this premise:  How did no one discover this honking box of letters until now?  Routine cleaning should have uncovered it long ago.   Do enough people fall in love in bookstores to fill a box with testimonials? Sure, some bookstores offer snacks and beverages, but most people assume a library ...

Why Do We Do Giveaways? Everyone hates reading about a contest giveaway, only to learn there are annoying hoops to jump through and a million strings attached.  Even worse is when you have to divulge private information or subscribe to an e-mail list in order to enter. Good news--our contests aren't about data mining! Why do we do them? First, these contests are a special treat for our Facebook group members.  Our group is fun, engaging, upbeat, and interesting.  What better way to thank members for their lively discussion and participation than give them a chance to win something Hallmark-y! Second, we want our group to grow!  Not only are Hallmark movies a relaxing escape from real-life, so is our Facebook group.  With all the stress in the world, we want people to find our group where they can experience all the Hallmark feel-good vibes even when they can't be watching a movie.  It's fun to chat with fellow Hallmarkies, so the more we have ...

Starring:  Kat Graham and Kendrick Sampson Released:  2020 Summary:  After three years of organizing fashion collections for a magazine, a woman is passed by on a promotion and decides to move home, but her mover helps her discover the beauty of Seattle. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Who Is Kat Graham? Although we've never seen Kat Graham in a Hallmark movie until this one, she has a very long and diverse career. She began acting in commercials at age six and has been in several movies, including 17 Again with Zac Efron and Matthew Perry, though she's most famous for her role in the TV series, The Vampire Diaries.   She's an accomplished dancer who has performed at the BET Awards and for other artists.  She's also a singer, musician, and music producer with a degree in recording engineering.  She says she'd much rather write music about being an independent woman than being in love--ironic, coming from a Hallmark leading ...

Starring:  Emilie Ullerup and Christopher Russell Released:  2020 Summary:    A city girls writes a magazine feature on a glamping resort.  Not being the sporty type, she manages to face her fears by trying the camp's activities with the help from a rugged outdoorsman and nature guide. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Had You Ever Heard of "Glamping" Before This Movie? When I read the plot summary for this movie, I thought there was a typographical error and that our heroine was actually going camping. Who knew glamping was a thing?  Maybe everyone but me? What is glamping ?  It's camping, but with more glamorous accommodations and facilities.  You can enjoy the great outdoors without roughing it.  Glamping provides the best of both worlds--the beauty of nature and the luxuries of a resort.  Sounds pretty perfect. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Where are the best places to go glamping...

Starring:  Lacey Chabert and Warren Christie Released:  2014 Summary:  While consoling each other over the recent loss of their spouses, a man and a woman grow close and fall in love. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Gina Kell and Michael Spehn Find Love Despite Tragedy You've seen the movie, so you know the plot, but did you catch that it's based on a real-life story? Gina Kell's husband died on Christmas Day, 2005, from a rare and incurable cancer, leiomyocarcoma, which he battled for three years. Weeks later, Cathy Spehn died seventeen days after learning her painful headaches were a result of a brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. It's no wonder the two gravitated toward one another. It's like parenting--people who have never had children can't really grasp what life with kids is truly like on a daily basis.  Similarly, your heart can hurt for someone who has lost their spouse, but you can't relate to them on deeper le...

Starring:  Natalie Hall and Michael Rady Released:  2020 Summary:  An aspiring chef in Portland participates in a food truck competition while a fellow competitor tries to win her heart. Image:  Crown Media Do You Follow Food Trucks? Food trucks are no longer only around for summer festivals.  They are everywhere, all year long--maybe even in your work parking lot.  Over the last five years, the food truck business has experienced a major growth spurt and continues to amass an impressive following. Did you know the average food truck grosses $300,000 per year? Not your typical "carnies," food truck owners create unique, specialty cuisine with their restaurant on wheels. Can you guess the top eight most popular types of foods that people crave from food trucks?  SPOILER ALERT:   bacon isn't one of them. Barbeque Sliders Ethiopian (Whaaaat?) Tacos Pizza Cupcakes Grilled Cheese Lobster Rolls America's most popular f...

Starring:  Bethany Joy Lenz and Brett Dalton Released:  2020 Summary:  A pop culture writer lands the interview of her dreams with a mystery author.  As they spend time together, she learns there is more to him than meets the eye. Image:  Hallmark Media No Plans for a Sequel to Just My Type Despite Unanswered Questions Hallmark left a few loose ends in the Spring Fever 2020 premiere of  Just My Type.    Vanessa Sills (Lenz) just receives the promotion of her dreams, thanks to her interview with renowned mystery author, Martin Clayborne (Dalton).  The problem is that her Senior Lifestyle Editor job is in Oregon, and her heart is with Martin in Washington. At the very end, Vanessa returns to Thompson Lake, Washington, to connect with Martin at an annual town celebration, and they kiss.  The credits appear, but the viewer is left with unanswered questions. Is Vanessa going to quit her dream job and move to Washington? ...

The All of My Heart trilogy is Hallmark at its best.  Even though these aren't new movies, installments being released in 2015, 2017, and 2018, they air regularly on Hallmark Channel and deserve accolades. I'm skeptical about sequels, but Hallmark manages to keep the momentum going strong in all three.  They are equally delightful! Here's a quick recap, in case you haven't tuned in to the replays: All of My Heart-2015 PLOT:  A caterer and a trader in the finance industry, who each inherit half of a country home, form an unlikely friendship while renovating the house. Image:  Crown Media All of My Heart:  Inn Love-2017 PLOT:  As Brian and Jenny prepare for the opening of their bed-and-breakfast, a damaging storm causes Brian to go back to Wall Street to raise funds for the project. Image:  Crown Media All of My Heart:  The Wedding-2018 PLOT:  As Jenny and Brian complete the planning of their wedding, a distant relative...