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Reviews
One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery (2024)
Here's Hoping We Never See Chad Again!
First off, I admit I've always been Team Norman. I never disliked Mike, I just thought Norman was more supportive. This movie is no exception. Norman is there to help Hannah solve the case now that Mike is gone.
However, the plot itself was kind of disjointed and there were just too many characters, so none of them got a lot of screen time or investigation. Honestly, this felt like it might've been either a filler movie to introduce the new character (Chad) or maybe it was meant to have Mike and had to be hastily fixed when they couldn't have his character.
It's not a great movie. I usually like these, but this one wasn't up to snuff. I don't know how I feel about Hannah's mother being a bumbling PI, but I could give that another chance. What I don't want to see is another one of these with Chad. Especially if he's the new love interest. They had no chemistry, and he was not a likable character. Here's hoping we never see his character again. Go back to Team Norman or find another love interest that has chemistry with Hannah.
Holyman Undercover (2010)
Not a Christian Movie
If there's one thing America has taught us, it's that just because you slap a Christian label on it, doesn't make it Christian. This movie is not Christian. Not family friendly either. I should've known that when the movie started with David A R White acting as Satan and surrounded by vampires (one of whom has something feigning blood dripping from all over his mouth) it would be a very uncomfortable watch. It was. Throughout the movie there are sexual and distasteful references, including another "Amish" character telling Roy he's ten years older than he thinks and he breastfed from his mother for...well, that's only implied. Not to mention David A R White's other character calling another man his husband. Women are objectified, and things like smoking, drinking, and doing drugs are all made into jokes. As a supposed Christian, Roy should not have been talked into portraying Satan in the way he was and certainly not after reading the lines he was reading. Did David A R White become a Christian after this movie was made? Because watching it I would never think he was a Christian at all. If you truly are a Christian, you will likely be completely offended by this vile movie. The worldly viewers on here loved it, which should tell Christians all they need to know about this "Christian" movie.
When Calls the Heart: New Possibilities (2020)
Could Elizabeth Have Been Any Worse in This One?
While I like the show and I like most of the characters, Elizabeth is the one character I could do without most of the time. It's very hard to like her past the constant self-doubt and over-reacting to every little thing, especially since literally everyone loves her and she can do no wrong. The way she pitched a fit in this episode that Lucas shared her writing with his publisher mother, who absolutely loved it, was beyond belief. I doubt any real writer watching felt any sympathy with her at all. Honestly, her mood swings really drag down the series and I wish they'd settle the "aspiring author" arch and be done with it. It and the love triangle are the worst aspects of Elizabeth's character. Also, Nathan is the worst constable.
Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No's (2018)
Um...
I thought it would be nice to watch a clean mystery. I like a lot of them, but this one is just very poorly made. The acting is very poor by much of the cast, and the storyline seems to be written by a teenager. Everything is non-specific to keep it appearing exciting while you can tell the writer had little experience. The cast keeps fawning over the main character and her "talents" even though she doesn't show very impressive aspects of those talents. She's too young to be an agent, which is why this feels like it was written by a kid. Not to mention all the main cast appear to be younger than twenty. Luckily, there are lots of cute animals sprinkled throughout to make the movie more bearable. Anyway, the movie had a semi-good premise, but it's not well executed. I'd probably skip this one.
Francesca Quinn, PI (2022)
Not it
I must admit that since early 2022 I've been waiting with anticipation for the next Hallmark Movies & Mysteries mystery. This was just not it, unfortunately. I wanted to like it; as it looked like a more serious mystery with a gripping plot. However, there turned out to be so many problems with this story, the main one being that this, yes THIS, is supposed to be the final installment for Mystery 101 without being a Mystery 101 movie. The story begins setting itself up similar to the ending of Mystery 101 and then plays out the scenario of what would happen if a woman broke up with her detective boyfriend, got engaged to someone else, and that fiance was murdered?
We all wanted the ending to Mystery 101, but this is not it. First, the plot is just poor and contrived. You can tell that this movie was not a series unto itself, but was an attempt to conclude Mystery 101 while mixing a new cast of characters for a new series and plot for that new series into it. And it fails. Miserably. Second, add to the convoluted plot a whole bunch of characters who don't want to be here? It's a bit of a disaster. None of the cast acts like they wanted to shoot this film. You don't get any sense that these people can even stand to be in the same room with each other, despite the fact the heroine and the main detective used to date and are slowly rekindling that romance (supposedly) throughout the story. Third, Frankie is obnoxious. She's rude, brusque, abrasive, and just downright unlikable. She'd not funny, and she stays bitter and nasty through the whole thing. She has a couple minute bipolar moment partway through the movie, and is back to her dislikable self by the next scene. Fourth, the ending was pretty much entirely predictable and the reason for it was flawed and foolishly conceived to cover for the fact that it was predictable. Fifth, there are a ton of plot holes in this movie and so many hanging strings left at the end it's a wonder you can actually call it a full movie.
Hallmark, sexy voice overlay is so not working for you! They thought, "hey, let's do the old-timey detective monologue with this Frankie Quinn character. It'll go super well with her 'masculine' image." You know? The kind that Magnum does? Problem is, Frankie does it in the most "sexy" voice she can conjure and it doesn't come across like authentic narration. Instead it feels like she's making fun of the internal monologue. The way that all parodies of old-timey detective shows do. Only thing is, Hallmark didn't intend it that way, so it's just awkward.
I have to say, I'm not a fan of this new series, or these actors in this series. The movie was slow, the plot was convoluted and felt forced, and the characters are unlikable. It didn't flow well, and I have zero interest in watching it again or watching more of Frankie Quinn at all. She was that bad.
What happened to your good shows? Martha's Vineyard; Mystery 101; Aurora Teagarden; Fixer Upper; Emma Fielding; even Garage Sale Mysteries? Why can't you recast if necessary and keep going with plots we actually want to see? Heck, I really wanted another Cherry Springs mystery. But, no, we got Frankie Quinn instead.
If you're looking for a good Hallmark mystery movie like the old days, this is not it. Try Nikki & Nora Sister Sleuths instead. Now, there's a series that has potential.
Hopefully, Frankie Quinn will be a one off.
Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths (2022)
Better than expected!
I know a lot of people didn't care for this title, thinking it boring, or whatever; but my family and I quite enjoyed it. Nikki and Nora were fun sleuths, sisters and their relationship was pretty believable. The girl who played Nikki (sorry, I didn't look at the actresses names) did an excellent job portraying a fun and quirky character and I liked her a lot. The girl playing Nora likewise did a fabulous job as the more down to earth sister who still got sucked into the mystery and solving it. I thought the chemistry between actors was there and they each played their respective parts well. I love the overarching theme of their parents' deaths, but please don't blow it with this one and never take that story anywhere, Hallmark. I ended up liking all the characters and actually felt empathy at the end, which doesn't usually happen. The ending was a bit of a surprising twist that most viewers might not see coming. This movie was very clean: no woke agenda, no swearing, though there was a shot of the "body" after the fact. I'd like to give all the actors a round of applause for their performances. I hope Hallmark keeps to this formula and makes more of these. Nikki and Nora might actually get my vote for my favorite Hallmark sleuths since Hallmark started movies and mysteries. In fact, the only one they can't top is McBride, IMO. Can't wait for the second installment.
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020)
Wish I Could Like It More
Honestly, this is a fun series, though I wouldn't recommend it for kids. As an adult, I even found it scary at times and definitely a bit edge of your seat. I really wanted to like it more, but I have some complaints.
Pros:
Tons of dinosaurs!
The animation is really good.
Most of the characters are actually likable, which is rare.
The action is nonstop.
Cons:
Very strange that kids can be stuck on an island so long and their families just don't give a rip.
Got monotonous-every episode has the exact same plot points.
As usual, only part of the series is available on DVD and I don't/won't subscribe to Netflix.
Sammy and Yaz are unnecessary and terrible characters.
Defeating the scropious rex was way too easy and didn't take another dinosaur (the saving grace of all the movies).
This could've been a great series, but it does get kind of old after a while. Each episode starts with a mini "quest," then dinosaurs of some vicious carnivore variety chase the kids wherever they are, they escape just in time for the cliffhanger ending. Frankly, season one had it, and the following seasons lose it quickly.
The character development of Kenji, Ben, and Brooklyn is great. Each one of them grows in some way. Darius is a constant, but a good constant; he stays true to his virtues throughout the story and never wavers. Then there's Sammy and Yaz. Both of these characters are annoying and unnecessary. I was not at all surprised to learn their only purpose is for woke-a-topia to weasel its way into yet another kids' series. They stay pretty much the same annoying, pathetic people throughout all of seasons 1-3. Yaz is loud-mouthed, insecure, and nasty to everyone almost all the time. Sammy is always giggling for no reason, or gushing happy over nothing. They don't bring anything to the table really. All Yaz supposedly has is that she can run fast, but she spends more time on her face, it seems, than on her feet.
Overall, I can't really recommend this series, because it could've been great, but just wasn't. You want to watch a great dinosaur picture? Pick ANY of the Jurassic movies before this.
Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
Even Better as It Goes on!
Having just finished this delightful show, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The story was engaging and the twists and turns, fun. Of course it's not the book (which I have not read but now I want to) but if it were then one of them would be irrelevant. I loved the characters! Fog was a superb persona, genuinely kind and compassionate. Yes, he had his faults, but I truly liked that he was just good hearted (as shown by the ending). Abigail was my least favorite, which isn't saying much because I still liked all of them. Of their stories and development, hers felt the most dry. She was still interesting and a character you could like because she wasn't snobbish, boring, or "I am woman, hear me roar" either. While she struggles to gain respect as a writer, it is not her womanhood leading her to believe she has value in this career path, but her skills in it. Last, my absolute favorite character Passepartout! His story was the most engaging with ups and downs and genuine growth. He fights to find his place and worth, eventually finding it doesn't lie in what society thinks but what he thinks of himself. He sacrifices greatly to finish the journey, and he cares so deeply for his friends. Even when they don't see how much he cares, he still sticks by them. In the end, their mutual friendship is a beautiful thing as they all grow to respect and love one another. Lastly, I really enjoyed Abigail and Passepartout's budding romance. It was so cute and they make a very nice couple as their character traits compliment each other well. Anyway, long winded, but I really did enjoy the show and hope they make more! On to the next adventure!