Summer Loving Happened So Fast — fangirl, interrupted

Winter, as we know wasn’t great. Valentines surprised me and Spring, well… I can’t get over Bottled with Love, so I was really hoping that Summer would bring it. And upon seeing the cast of characters for the four movies, I really didn’t want to keep my hopes up. I get new blood, I do. But where were the Laceys and Autumns and even Rachel Leighs?!

Still, I didn’t want to pre-judge (too much) and though this wasn’t the best season, it still was better than Winter. So there’s that. And from my sunny spot in Singapore where it’s always summer, it was nice to see some sunshine in these shows.

Love in the Sun

So it’s always nice to see new faces in the Halmark world, but for some reason this one felt very Disney Channel movie because wow these kids looked young. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I felt very old watching this. Childhood sweethearts Alana (Dating app founder) and Kai (Kayak maker), rekindle their love when Alana comes home to help her dad re-open his inn (and tell him about her engagement).

I’m actually pretty pleased that they didn’t drag on the engagement story for too long and honestly, I found Alana’s dad to be hotter and wanted to see his love story way more than his daughters, but it was a valiant effort in trying to give us more variety in our usual cookie cutter Hallmark movie stars.

Do I want to go to Florida now? Not really, but I do want to visit a beach. Any beach because that looked really fun and relaxing. It’s also funny how all the perceived problems in the beginning were so easily tied up in the end. Ahh the beauty of Hallmark’s simplicity

Summer Sweetness: 🍉🍉🍉

From Friend to Fiance

So, this one had potential. In fact halfway through, I thought wow, how refreshing! A different kind of Hallmark movie. But I was mistaken, of course. It’s the same old Hallmark movie and though I should have seen it coming, there were just way too many fake outs of the will they won’t they. And it’s not good when you’re rooting for the 2 leads to NOT end up together.

Imagine a My Best Friend’s Wedding set up except it ends the way you wish the movie would have - but not really. Because I actually was rooting for Ted (gym owner? played by Ryan Paevy) to end up with his actual fiance (who was the former high school mean girl) rather than his best friend, Jess (played by Joceyln Hudon, the best woman, but also lady that loves planning weddings — are there no such things as wedding planners?). So yeah, for a movie where I liked the side characters who happened to be old folks — i’m not usually a fan of the sappy side stories, this one was a missed opportunity.

Summer Sweetness: 🍉🍉🍉

Paris, Wine & Romance

I had been warned that this movie was no Bottled with Love but luckily (or unluckily) for me, I had 2 Winterfest movies to get through before landing here so my high from the amazing Spring Fever movie had gone down to horrible Winterfest feels.

Having said that, I was hoping for more out of this Jen Lilley (Isabella, Oregonian indie wine maker wanting to break it big with her dad’s legacy) and Dan Jeanoette (Jacque Fournier, classical wine family heir who wants to go in a new direction) starrer because they already have Paris as their background, you don’t have to do much to make it better — heck, I enjoyed the Bruges movie with the chocolates. This is Paris and some wine! What more can you ask for?

Well apparently, a lot. I just wasn’t buying their chemistry and at the very end, I realise, wow she looks a bit more bloated than usual — to google and realise she was pregnant the whole time. So i guess kudos to the team for only making me realise it in the end. I do have to say, I’m glad they didn’t make the French mom a bitch because that would have been too much. So silver linings indeed.

Summer Sweetness: 🍉🍉🍉

Sailing Into Love

Chris McNally — who I actually find cute but had a not so great introduction to in a Winter Princess, plays the captain of a boat while Leah Renee, playing Claire, is a biology teacher and island activist in this surprisingly cute flick complete with men in uniform and three weddings!

Given Chris McNally’s track record with me — I wasn’t expecting a lot of out of this movie, but for some weird ass reason, I actually really enjoyed it. Sure, did the bridesmaids gowns get progressively worse? Yes. But this guy has enough charm — and looks really good in that ‘navy’ (?! not sure but I liked the reveal though unnecessary) suit that I didn’t care much for other details. I liked how they were sort of straightforward and he would ask her what was bothering her rather than let it run on for a long time.

Over-all, Chris McNally is making me want to finally see When Calls the Heart even if I already watch way too many Hallmark shows.

Summer Sweetness: 🍉🍉🍉🍉

A Feeling of Home

I was pretty surprised by this one, because I just am not usually into cowboy-western themed movies. Abby (Jonna Walsh — who also just happens to be American Idol’s one time winner, Lee DeWyze’s wife), the dutiful daughter on the brink of her own internet fame with her New England based vlog) goes home to take care of her dad as he nurses a broken arm and manage the ranch alongside Ryan (Nathan Parsons — who is giving me a lot of jacked up cowboy Penn Badgley vibes) playing the ex-boyfriend turned ranch manager).

And just because, Abby’s parents were actually a pretty stacked couple. I had to Google it, but Robbie Benson (the actor playing the lead Abby’s dad) sounded so familiar, only to find out that he voiced The Beast from Disney’s Beauty and the Beat blew my mind. And Abby’s mom was Dawson Leery’s mom — a now repeat offender on Hallmark, and I love it.

The entire plot was as always pretty predictable but the leads were shockingly charming and endearing. I don’t know if I was just pretty depressed while I was watching this (I saw it a day after the Philippine Elections and Game of Thrones episode 5) but it was just what I needed to perk me up.

Summer Sweetness: 🍉🍉🍉🍉