Hallmark Movies-Seasons Of Love

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 food truck is Oink &am

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?  It's unlikely her work can be done remotely.  

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 arrives in town claiming to

Starring:   Laura Osnes and Scott Michael Foster Released:   2019 Summary:   A photographer finds out that her ex-boyfriend/ex-singing partner plans on attending the wedding that she's working, but they start to remember the good times. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Do People Plan Such Elaborate Weddings? Posh weddings are expected from the rich and famous, but do ordinary people travel to islands, buy deluxe packages that include tons of activities for their group, and pay for a photographer to follow them for several days? If you're planning a wedding any time soon, don't let your wedding party see this movie--it sets the bar way too high! Weddings Rarely Go Off Without a Hitch The most hilarious part of this movie is when the florist's refrigerator dies along with most of the flowers for the Colby-Robertson wedding.  Evelyn shares the news to dramatic music, as if she's dropping the bomb that a first-degree relative has un

Starring:   Nikki Deloach and Michael Rady Released:   2019 Summary:   When a free-spirited woman and an organized man meet after their kids insist on adopting the same dog, the single parents co-foster the canine pal. Image:  Crown Media Nikki and Michael Are Two of My Favorites, But... I adore these actors.  They are a perfect Hallmark match, especially in one of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies of 2019,  Two Turtle Doves .   Their performance in this movie is equally amazing, but the story line is very weak.  Imagine your child and a stranger's child want to adopt the same pet.  Would you agree to co-foster the same the dog? As great as pet adoption is, people go overboard when it comes to humanizing pets .  Still, I think many would draw the line at dividing a dog's time between two homes, like it's a product of a divorced family. Wouldn't it be stressful for a dog to keep switching homes? Image:  Crown Media No parent likes to disa

Starring:  Merritt Patterson and Justin Kelly Released:  2020 Summary:  When a website blogger posts her own bad date experience with a rival newspaper editor, he decides to compete and publish his own bad date experience. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Have You Ever Had A Bad Date? Conner Michaels and Leigh Ryness have plenty of material for their blogs because the bad luck they encounter on their first date hits epic proportions. First, Conner's co-worker and BFF, Brad, spills coffee on his nice suit right before he leaves for his date.  He doesn't have time to go home and change, so he borrows Brad's extra set of clothes and looks like some punk, grunge rocker.  He's also shows up quite late. Next, the couple waits forever at the bar because their reservation was never made at the restaurant as intended. Leigh knocks over a candle and sets their table on fire, so Conner throws water on her to extinguish it.  Conner escapes to the restroom

Starring:  Alexandra Breckenridge and Robert Buckley Released:  2020 Summary:  Rival home shopping hosts with different selling styles are forced together as they compete for a promotion, but they find themselves having on-air chemistry. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Kids Like Watching Home Shopping Networks? In this movie, Terrie Carpenter reveals being a TV host on SHC's home shopping show is fulfilling her lifelong dream.  Being a child in a divorced family, she always looked up to Sharon St. Clair, the woman in charge of SHC, because she was a woman who had it all together when Terrie's life was a mess.  Terrie always watched the show with her grandma and dreamed of one day having her own segment on the show. Do kids like home shopping channels? I liked watching shows with my granny too as a kid--like Three's Company or The Andy Griffith Show , but I would leave when it was time for her to watch Rockford Files or Matlock.  (Yes, I am datin