TV and Movies

[J Town Girl]

I fully admit I'm a loyal fan of the Hallmark Christmas Movies, or should I say, I was a fan.  

Almost all of the movies that have been shown so far are just terrible.   There have been just 1 or 2 that I enjoyed, but this year is the first year that I have ever watched approximately 15 to 20 minutes of a Hallmark movies and then deleted from from my DVR without even finishing it.   

I have no idea how they managed to produce such a terrible selection for 2019.   The only two that were remotely interesting to me were:  A Godwink Christmas, the 2019 version and Christmas in Rome.  

Right before I came in to write this I tried to watch the one with Alicia Witt where she played a country singer.    That one was so bad, but I tried to last for 30 minutes before I hit delete. The other performers in that movie were so awful that it was painful to watch.    

So my fellow Hallmark fans I have to ask were there any that struck you as so enjoyable that you would watch them again?     Were there any that you just couldn't make it through with changing the channel or hitting delete?    I need to know if I'm just being picky or are they as bad as I think?   

Here's to a better selection for Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020!

[mspatmac]

This is the first year I have watched both Hallmark channels and most are pretty bad and predictable but even so they are a great replacement for QVC.  Why when they are going for the first kiss they are always interrupted?  Cringe worthy for sure but funny.  None are actually memorable.  

[gidgetgh]

I have a bunch recorded that I haven't watched yet. 

I tried to watch the one last night or the night before with Kristin Chenowith. I lasted about 20 minutes and later deleted it from my DVR.

I saw most of Christmas at the Plaza. I had recorded it also,  I didn't care for it at all and didn't go back and watch the parts I missed. 

I have no desire at all to watch the Dollywood one tonight. 

I watched most of the one with Andrew Walker, who I really like, and Jodie Sweetin. I saw absolutely no connection between them and only lasted about a half hour with it. 

I DID like Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses. 

[I am still oxox]

I record a bunch every day and we watch an delete some, we have been averaging one per night, I can not wait for the Christmas/ Chanukah movie with Matt Cohen from General Hospital

[Pearlee]

I have only watched a few on the HMM channel and they have been awful. Do they all have to have one of the two leads deciding to leave fot some reason (either take a job elsewhere or go into or back into the service) but decide to stay in the last 15 minutes? And do they all have to have that cutesy music or what I think of as twinkletoes music? One was so lame a few days ago that it seemed like the scriptwriter had forgotten one part of the required formula and in the last 20 minutes the Male lead said "oh by the way I'm taking a job in Honduras" but changed his mind about it then minutes later. It really seemed to me that someone had forgotten to write that in and suddenly remembered it was a plot requirement (and yes it was Honduras!)
I really liked one last year, a Brambleberry Christmas or something like that. Much better plot and acting than usual, although the formula was the same. 🙄

[sunshine 919]

---

@J Town Girl wrote:

I fully admit I'm a loyal fan of the Hallmark Christmas Movies, or should I say, I was a fan.  

Almost all of the movies that have been shown so far are just terrible.   There have been just 1 or 2 that I enjoyed, but this year is the first year that I have ever watched approximately 15 to 20 minutes of a Hallmark movies and then deleted from from my DVR without even finishing it.   

I have no idea how they managed to produce such a terrible selection for 2019.   The only two that were remotely interesting to me were:  A Godwink Christmas, the 2019 version and Christmas in Rome.  

Right before I came in to write this I tried to watch the one with Alicia Witt where she played a country singer.    That one was so bad, but I tried to last for 30 minutes before I hit delete. The other performers in that movie were so awful that it was painful to watch.    

So my fellow Hallmark fans I have to ask were there any that struck you as so enjoyable that you would watch them again?     Were there any that you just couldn't make it through with changing the channel or hitting delete?    I need to know if I'm just being picky or are they as bad as I think?   

Here's to a better selection for Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020!

---

Lifetime Christmas movies seem to be a little better

[Must Love Dogs]

I have watched a few also.  I enjoyed the one with Cameron Mathesin, and I watched Christmas on the Plaza all the way through.  I agree that the Alicia Witt movie was a dud from the first few minutes--I think it was a stretch selling her as a country singer.

I'll take a stab at the Dolly Parton movie that is ready to start in a few minutes.

[DresdenFiles2022]

I loved Chrismas in Rome and Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy.

So far, I've been disappointed in the rest of 2019 productions. 

[Foxxee]

Agree!  Poor acting.  Poor casting, particularly between the main male and female characters.  No compatibility.  No sparks.  Same old story lines.

All three channels are bad.

The best thing we can do is tell Hallmark before they start next year's filming.  

[stevieb]

I've watched most of those mentioned and a few more. I'm no fan of these movies but the networks do a miserable job with Christmas programming, most of it ages old and oriented toward children, and I do like to be reminded of the season when watching television...

I didn't mind Christmas at the Plaza. The setting and decorations were sumptuous and despite the predictability of the plot, for me, this one added a little something with the slight mystery involved...

I didn't care for Christmas in Rome, as I don't much like Lacey Chabert as an actress and, though at least half way attractive, which is more than you can say for so many of them, thought the leading man was somewhat stilted...  

@Pearlee  I do love Bramblehouse Christmas... It's one of the few that I will watch over... Beautiful setting and a sweet story, despite employing all the usual Hallmark plot lines...