Holiday

[Luvgrace]

Ughhhh, I'm so tired of Hallmark cranking out these terrrible christmas movies. There is zero substance to them and many scenes are liteerally filmed in front of a green screen with fake scenery to add to lack of depth in the plot. Quanity has certainly replaced quality . Where have all the messages of holiday hope gone... they are certainly absent from these rediculously empty movies.  Fortunately, I am able to view the older quality Hallmark movies on the Hallmark Drama station, and even purchased a bunch of the older movies from Amazon.   

[gidgetgh]

I'm so glad that I discovered the Hallmark Channel and all the movies last fall.  i've continued watching through the year and now the Christmas movies have started again.  Fine with me.

Dorky or not, I love watching them because they're not too deep and they require nothing from me.  

[Witchy Woman]

@gidgetgh 

I never watched one of these movies before this year.  One night, my husband tuned to one about a pumpkin fall festival (he knows I adore these things), and we enjoyed it.

Nothing complicated or deep, but a great relief from the news of the day.  And, I am a news/political junkie 

Maybe they were better in the past, but I'm OK with them as they are now.  Too many commercials, but we switch back and forth during dinner.

I've joked and told him I want to move to Hallmark town!  

[stevieb]

I have to agree that the days of these movies being at all 'quality viewing' are largely over. They employ the same set of four of five themes, vary the cast among largely the same 'stable' of 'B' (or lower) list actors and call it a day. There is the rare exception but for the most part it's a matter of whether or not the semi-pretty plastic female lead (often a wedding or event planner...) will win the heart of the typically milquetoast somewhat average male lead or whether it's him that will capture her heart... Tedious... Will it be a matter of saving the store (or town)... will one or the other be a returning veteran... will they have once been sweethearts who went in different directions before finding their way back to each other... will they be diametrically opposed, perhaps even competing, opposites who find common ground... will one or the other of them actually turn out to be a prince or princess from some obscure European country where everyone speaks with a fake English accent... and on and on... The only value to these trivial movies is they very occasionally prove to be at least marginally entertaining and often feature pretty holiday settings and sets...

[sunshine45]

@Mominohio 

some of the movies you mentioned in your original post have already been shown a couple of times this season. of course, we get hallmark channel, hallmark movies and mysteries, and hallmark drama. hallmark drama in particular is showing the older movies.

if you dont want "typical" romance hallmark style, i also recommend these movies for the holidays...... they are also showing christmas movies on the UP channel and on LIFETIME. also check on on demand if you have that feature......there are some free movies there.

ANNE TYLER'S SAINT MAYBE

CHRISTMAS FOR A DOLLAR

PAPER ANGELS

MS SCROOGE

JOURNEY BACK TO CHRISTMAS

THE CHRISTMAS BOX

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS DAY

CHRISTMAS EVERLASTING

[BunSnoop]

I think I would be fine with these movies if they were shown about two weeks or so before Christimas; however, havng these movies start two months before is just too much for me.

[DottieD]

For the most part, I enjoy Hallmark's holiday movies (some definitely more than others).  What's puzzling is, some movies only get a few showings, and others get repeated airings.  I tried taping "A Majestic Christmas" last year, but my tape ran out 30 minutes before the movie ended.  It hasn't aired since and is not on the schedule this year.  Yet the tired, "A Boyfriend for Christmas" (I can't stand that title) from 2004, is still being shown.  What gives?! 

[jackthebear]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@loriqvc wrote:

@Mominohio - I recently saw a news story that noted Hallmark is releasing 40 new Christmas movies this year and Lifetime is releasing 30 to try to compete. Crazy! I'm generally a fan of all this light holiday fare, but let's be honest: At least 50% of these movies have the exact same plot with different actors and locations.

Anyway, if you're looking to find as many Hallmark movies as possible, including the older options, check out the Frndly streaming service, which offers all three Hallmark channels plus a few other channels. It has pretty cheap monthly rates (with discounts if you purchase an annual subscription) and you can cancel at any time. I was investigating streaming gift options for my father, who doesn't have cable but is the biggest holiday and rom-com movie fan I know (!), and I was surprised to find that Frndly has a better selection of Hallmark movie options than Hallmark does since it offers all three channels in one package.

ETA: If you already get the Hallmark channels, I just verified that they're using the same approach as last year: The main Hallmark channel is specifically geared toward holiday romance movies (with a new one debuting each Saturday), and the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel is airing the regular feel-good holiday movies (with a new one debuting every Sunday). Hope that helps!

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@loriqvc 

We have never done a streaming service, so let me ask you some dumb questions.

First, we live rural, and our internet is through the phone lines, and I can tell you that sometimes I try to watch tv shows I've missed online on my computer, and it is constantly stalling and loading to the point it is unwatchable. Would this preclude me from having a good viewing experience on a streaming service like that? 

Second, how much effort is it to hook it all into your big tv? Does it come in through the computer then need and HDMI cable to view on tv? 

Thanks for the ideas though, I'll check our Frndly online and see what I can learn!

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you need fast internet to use a streaming service,  you can get roku, or any other device but they are dependant on the speed coming in to them to deliver you a good watchable movie 

[shoekitty]

Hallmark is so commercial, kind of like qvc.  They have the pre Christmas in July movies, then Christmas in July then they extend the Christmas in July movies for a couple weeks "by popular demand" 🤨. Then with a months break or so they start Christmas movie month.  Geesh, isnt Christmas in December.  I dunno, thats when I celebrate.

i hate Hallmark Christmas movies.  They are soap opera movies, on a B scale with snow and cold weather in it.

there are great Christmas holiday, spirit movies, but the have been done and Hallmark aint it.  There I said it.  I know people love them, and I am happy for them.  Just not more me

[stevieb]

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@DottieD wrote:

For the most part, I enjoy Hallmark's holiday movies (some definitely more than others).  What's puzzling is, some movies only get a few showings, and others get repeated airings.  I tried taping "A Majestic Christmas" last year, but my tape ran out 30 minutes before the movie ended.  It hasn't aired since and is not on the schedule this year.  Yet the tired, "A Boyfriend for Christmas" (I can't stand that title) from 2004, is still being shown.  What gives?! 

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@DottieD  So true. They bombard their audience with some of them over and over while others seem to stay in the vault. Often too, the ones they seem to show repeatedly aren't among the better ones.