Two TV Series Coming to the Hallmark Channel, Christmas Movie News, & Much More!

Hallmark Channel News....

There is a lot of interesting News coming out lately regarding the Hallmark Channel.... so I had to create a post and share all the latest! 

CHRISTMAS MOVIES:

Let's start with my favorite.... Christmas Movies!

It may now be - just the first day of Spring... however, there are already many Christmas Movie Projects in the works at the Hallmark Channel.

And, we have some of the Movie Titles & Plot details to share!!! Click on titles for more information.

Christmas Heart

Hitched for the Holidays

Matchmaker Santa

The Wishing Tree

Santa Switch

Plus, also coming... is a sequel to "Jingle All the Way", the Christmas Cartoon starring Jingle the Husky Pup, titled:

Jingle & Bell

SITCOM NEWS:

The Hallmark Channel has purchased the syndication rights to the ABC Sitcom Family Comedy, "The Middle", starring Patricia Heaton.

The Middle follows the life of the Heck family, who live in Middle America - Indiana. They are not your average family - yet, they are always there for each other.

The Sitcom will begin airing on the Network in March of 2014.

DAYTIME:

The daytime line-up is also getting a new look. The Martha Stewart, as we reported, is leaving in September and in it's place - will be a new talk show titled, "Marie", hosted by singer and actress, Marie Osmond. Also, there will another day-time show titled "Home and Family", that will have two hosts (unknown at this time), and will cover subjects, such as: "decorating, DIY projects, balancing a budget, raising a family," etc... Both shows are to premiere later this year (2012).

NEW PRIMETIME DRAMA SERIES:

And now, the Most Exciting News....

The Hallmark Channel will be creating TWO new drama series - that will be based off of books by two well-known writers - Janette Oke and Debbie Macomber.

The Novels-

Janette Oke's "When Calls the Heart",

and

Debbie Macomber's "Cedar Cove"

...will be created into Pilot Movies to launch forward these two new scripted series. They will air within the 2012-2013 season.

When Calls the Heart ...



Wynn Delaney (Stephen Amell) and Elizabeth Thatcher (Maggie Grace)
in When Calls the Heart
(Images above from:  aBridge International)




When Calls the Heart
Book by
Janette Oke



According to the Hallmark Channel, Period drama, "When Calls the Heart" is "a romantic adventure which tells the story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a beautiful, wealthy young woman from the East Coast, who has a passion for teaching, but a fear of leaving the safety of her comfortable world. Inspired by her adventurous aunt, Elizabeth gains the strength to accept a teaching position in a new, frontier town. Despite the hardships, she begins to build a new life, but will Elizabeth allow a handsome lawman into her heart and life, changing her world forever?" The executive producers are Brad Krevoy and Michael Landon, Jr.

Cedar Cove...

The main theme about Cedar Cove, according to the Hallmark Channel, is "community and connection. The small town of Cedar Cove presents fertile ground for relatable stories, big and small."



Cedar Cove
by
Debbie
Macomber



The Hallmark Channel has already adapted both of these writers works into original movies, based on their books. Janette Oke's books were originally made into the Love Comes Softly Movie Series, by Michael Landon, Jr - following the characters - Clark and Marty Davis. There have been 11 Movies in the series - Love Comes Softly, Love's Enduring Promise, Love's Long Journey, Love's Abiding Joy,  Love's Unending Legacy, Love's Unfolding Dream, Love Takes Wing, Love Finds a Home, Love Begins, Love's Everlasting Courage, and Love's Christmas Journey.

Debbie Macomber's books have inspired three Hallmark Christmas Movies - Mrs. Miracle, Call Me Mrs. Miracle, and Trading Christmas.

My thoughts...

I personally think the two "new primetime shows" are the most exciting news of all - next to all the new Christmas Movies Coming - which we always love, but have come to expect from the Hallmark Channel, our dependable family movie network. I've been asking and wondering for years, as I enjoy re-runs of beloved old family series, such as: The Waltons, Little House, Wind at my Back, etc... why no one has created a new family drama. Hopefully, the answer has finally come!

What do you all think?

Have a Wonderful Day, Everyone!

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Hitched for the Holidays - Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW



Hitched for the Holidays

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: Christmas 2012


CAST:

Joseph Lawrence ... Rob
Marilu Henner ... Maxine
Emily Hampshire ... Julie
Chris Gauthier ... Stevie
Serge Houde ... Butch
Rob LaBelle ... Sam
Michael Kopsa ... Bradshaw
Colin Lawrence ... Patrick
Linda Darlow ... Evie
Paula Shaw ... Theresa
David Milchard ... Pete
Kevin O'Grady ... Huck
Lisa Durupt ... Molly
Tobias Slezak ... Horse Cop #1
Richard Keats ... Nolan Bradshaw


PLOT:

Both Rob Marino and Julie Green are feeling pressure to be in a relationship this holiday season and, after finding each other through a dating website, agree to pose as each other's special someone. Things get complicated when Rob's Catholic family and Julie's Jewish family get involved to help these two make it to the altar. As they double their efforts to keep the charade going through New Year's Eve, Rob and Julie are more than a little surprised when they discover they're actually falling in love.


Movie Review:

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Coming...



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Matchmaker Santa - Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW


Matchmaker Santa

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: Christmas 2012



CAST:

Unknown


PLOT:

Excited about meeting her upscale and slightly intimidating future mother-in-law, fresh faced Melanie makes the trek to her fiancé's home for Christmas. Despite the fact that Justin is a workaholic, Melanie is head over heels for him and sees a bright future for them. Melanie's best friend, thinks she's is better suited for Dean, Justin's longtime and dependable assistant. Because Justin is known to choose work over Melanie, Dean often times stands in to accompany Melanie on her "dates." With a little help from a man named Chris, Melanie and Dean end up stranded in a sleepy, little romantic town called Coventry Falls. Here, it is all about Christmas. Will Chris' magic be the key to Melanie and Dean's holiday happiness?



Movie Review:

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Coming...



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The Wishing Tree - Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW



The Wishing Tree

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: November 11, 2012



CAST:

Jason Gedrick



PLOT:

Dennis Farnsworth, a talented, young professor who hasn't been able to put the past behind him, agrees to supervise a group of "orphan" students who have no place to go for the holidays. He brings the students together in a way they never thought imaginable through The Wishing Tree - a Christmas-themed tree decorated with handwritten wishes. The connection and sense of family they draw from one another help Dennis and his students move forward in life and believe again that wishes really do come true.



Movie Review:

Coming...


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Coming...



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Santa Switch - Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW


Santa Switch

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: Christmas Season, ?



CAST:



PLOT:

A man whose Christmas' as a child were always filled with disappointment grows up thinking he could do a much better job than Santa - so Santa lets him take over! He uses his newly found powers to try to win back his family. In the vein of Bruce Almighty, but with a Christmas twist.



Movie Review:

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Runaway Princess - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

Runaway Princess

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?



CAST:




PLOT:

A Royal Princess runs away from her obligations and duties for a few days and ends up falling in love.



Movie Review:

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The Memory Book - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

The Memory Book

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?


CAST:

?


PLOT:

A female photographer who no longer believes in the possibility of True Love discovers a swap-meet scrapbook documenting the seemingly-perfect courtship of a couple forty years earlier. Hoping to find the pair and return it, she enlists the help of a one-time boyfriend to track them down through clues in the photos, cards, ticket stubs, and love letters in the book. In the process, she not only reunites the long-ago couple who had since drifted apart, but finds an ideal romance of her own when she gives herself over to the magic of love.


Movie Review:

Coming...


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Coming...



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My George - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

My George

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?



CAST:

?


PLOT:

Annie Butler finds huge success in her best-selling novel, but when her editor finds out that the very man she gushes about in the non-fiction story, does not actually exist, she flips out and gives Annie a week to find him before she hires an actor to play the part.



Movie Review:

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The Nearlyweds - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

The Nearlyweds

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?


CAST:



PLOT:

Three close friends who married years ago are beginning to wonder what life as single might be like when they discover the priest who married each of the couples has died without filing the proper paperwork! Which couples will stay married and which ones will declare they were "nearly wed?"



Movie Review:

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Playing Father - a Hallmark Channel Original Movie for Fathers Day

MOVIE REVIEW

Playing Father

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: June 2013



CAST:




PLOT:

Now in recovery, trumpet virtuoso, Roy Allen wants a second chance at life. He lands a job teaching band at a local middle school, but gets so much more when he becomes a mentor to a young music prodigy.



Movie Review:

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Tom, Dick, and Harriet - Hallmark Channel Movie

MOVIE REVIEW

Tom, Dick, and Harriet

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?


CAST:

Steven Weber



PLOT:

Creative director Tom Burns may be at the top of his game, but he's still considered a dinosaur for being over forty in the youthful, trendy business of advertising. In a moment of desperation, he hires young con-artist Dick Sweeney to be his stand-in at an ad agency while Tom does all of the hard work behind the scenes. The scheme works until Tom falls for Dick's co-worker Harriet Foster, forcing Tom and Dick to make a choice between love and getting a paycheck in this comedy about ageism in the work place.



Movie Review:

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Catch the Hallmark Channel St. Patrick's Day Movie this Weekend!

Chasing Leprechauns will Premiere this weekend on the Hallmark Channel. You'll have four chances to catch it over the weekend. (See trailer below.)

Trailer:

March 17, 2012 Saturday
St. Patrick's Day!

Chasing Leprechauns ... Hallmark Channel ... 8 PM *NEW
Chasing Leprechauns ... Hallmark Channel ... 10 PM *NEW


March 18, 2012 Sunday

Chasing Leprechauns ... Hallmark Channel ... 2 PM *NEW
Chasing Leprechauns ... Hallmark Channel ... 8 PM *NEW


*Note, this is a new movie and I have not viewed, it, yet - so please check ratings before viewing with your family and children.

See the Chasing Leprechauns page for more details.

Have a nice weekend, everyone...

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The Terminally Single Woman - Hallmark Movie Channel Film

MOVIE REVIEW

The Terminally Single Woman

Network: Hallmark Movie Channel

Original Air Date: Unknown



CAST:

Unknown



PLOT:

A female journalist begins writing a column about the difficulty of dating and finds eventual romance from a writer with an opposing view who is then also invited to write a competing column to the one being written by his current girlfriend.



Movie Review:

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10 New Christmas Movies

Christmas Movies Currently in the Works for 2012 & Beyond...

-------------

*This POST has been updated from 9, to 10 Christmas Movies - added sequel to 12 Dogs of Christmas below! Plus, the Movie Title : Random Acts has been updated to Random Acts of Christmas.

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I'll list all the Movies below and give you all the details I know about each one, for now.

Home Alone 5:

Image from
Christian Martyn's

Facebook Page


According to winnipegfreepress.com, Home Alone 5 will be a Made-for-TV Movie, with a direct-to-DVD release. It will air on ABC Family, during the 25 days of Christmas annual event.

The star of the show, as reported on Talent Inc News, is Christian Martyn, a 12 year old boy.

No news, yet, on additional casting or storyline.

Th original films are: Home Alone, Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York, Home Alone 3, and Home Alone 4 : Taking Back the House.

Can anything top the original? Probably not, but I'm sure this will be a fun film - and a great movie for the family to watch together!


Christmas Heart:


Also, we have more movie information according to winnipegfreepress.com. Christmas Heart is a Made-for-TV Movie - being made for the Hallmark Channel.

Starring in this film will be -
Teri Polo (A Taste of Romance, Straight from the Heart) and
Tess Harper (A Christmas Wish).

One of the Producers of this film is Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond). "The Christmas Heart" was written by Heaton's brother, Michael Heaton.


The cast of the Hallmark movie "The Christmas Heart"
Picture from Cleveland.com



Plot details via Hallmark Channel Press Release:

In "The Christmas Heart," the tight knit neighbors on Arthur Avenue have proudly been lighting Christmas luminaries for 40 years, but that long-standing tradition is cancelled this year when Matt Norman, a boy in the neighborhood, is hospitalized and desperately needs a heart transplant. A donor is found, and Life Flight quickly gets the heart airborne on Christmas Eve, fighting a winter storm with no time left to lose. The neighborhood lights the luminaries in honor of Matt and his family, and their loving exhibition turns out to be the miracle that saves Matt's life.

*Pictured in Image (on the right): Paul Essiembre, Teri Polo, Ty Wood and Cruise Brown
The Cast of the Hallmark Channel Movie, "The Christmas Heart,"
(Click Here for Picture Source - Cleveland.com)


Christmas in Connecticut "Re-make":


It is being reported that Jennifer Garner will be re-teaming with her "13 Going on 30" producers for the remake of the 1945 screwball comedy classic, Christmas in Connecticut.

The original storyline (as reported on aceshowbiz.com) revolves around a cooking writer -- the Martha Stewart of her time -- whom the world believes to be living on a cozy farm in Connecticut with her husband and baby. In reality, she's a single woman living on her own in New York. The ruse is discovered when a holiday meal is planned at her fake farm.

After researching this more on-line - I see that there have been on-going plans to re-create this movie since 2007. I am wondering if it is actually going through now or if this is just on-going buzz of the possibility. I am personally very fond of the Barbara Stanwyck original movie and am not particularly interested in a re-creation of a film that is already well-known, innocent and decent in it's time, and loved!



The Most Wonderful Time:

Per deadline.com, Robert Redford and Diane Keaton are in talks to star in new Christmas movie titled The Most Wonderful Time.

The Yuletide project will feature story lines with multiple characters that overlap, based around the chaos of family Christmases.

Please note: I have no idea, at this time, what this will be rated.



Elf-Man:

According to the film’s website - Wise Acre Films: An Elf is left behind by Santa to help rescue the Harper family from a lousy Christmas. The Elf and family get more than they bargained for when their father is kidnapped by bad guys determined to steal his new invention. After the kids help the Elf discover his special powers, he risks his life to save their father. And along the way, he discovers his true destiny as a budding superhero: Elf-Man!

The film stars Jason Acuna, McKenzie Astin, and Jeffrey Combs.



3 Day Test:

Actor Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus) is creating a new independent film Christmas movie titled "3 Day Test". According to wkyc.com, "3 Day Test," a light comedy written by Bernsen, is a story of a man who takes extreme measures to get closer to his family during the holiday season. Also according to wkyc.com, Bernsen will have a small role in the movie as a burned-out hippie-turned-underground-cable-show producer.



Random Acts of Christmas

“Random Acts of Christmas,” a family friendly Independent Christmas movie began production March 6, 2012 in Wheeling, W.V. according to http://www.huntingtonnews.net/25203.

The film, scripted by Ty (“Doughboy) DeMartino , has been described as “an uplifting drama that focuses on one family’s struggles to get their life back and the lesson learned through simple acts of kindness.”

News from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph states that actor Kevin Sizemore will be the star of this film.


Lucky Dog

According to Adirondack Daily Enterprise, the film, called "Lucky Dog," stars movie star Paul Giamatti and comedic actor Paul Rudd.  The story centers on a pair of French-Canadian conmen pals who, despite being on the outs with each other, hatch a get-rich-quick scheme to sell Christmas trees in NY. Per Cinamablend.com, English sweetheart Sally Hawkins (Made in Dagenham) is set to co-star.

Please note: I have no idea, at this time, what this will be rated or even if it will be family-friendly.



"Unknown Name" - Sequel to The Dog who saved Christmas


According to pasadenastarnews.com - they are now creating the 4th sequel to the "The Dog who saved Christmas" film series. This article states that this movie is being made for the Hallmark Channel, however all of the other movies in this series were aired on ABC Family - so it would be my guess that this one will also be on ABC Family - during their annual "25 days of Christmas" event. We shall have to wait and see... This movie will also star Dean Cain and Elisha Donovan.

The other films in the series were - The Dog who saved Christmas, The Dog who saved Christmas Vacation, and The Dog who saved Halloween.



"Unknown Name" - Sequel to 12 Dogs of Christmas


This is Breaking News from Disney Dreaming - Alli Simpson (sister of Cody Simpson) Lands Her First Movie Role In The “The 12 Dogs Of Christmas” Movie Sequel. Her involvement in the film was revealed during a ustream chat.

Plot of original movie - 12 Dogs of Christmas: Upon being sent to live with her aunt in the small town of Doverville, 12-year-old Emma O'Conner finds herself in the middle of a 'dog-fight' with the Mayor and town dogcatcher. In order to strike down their 'no-dogs' law, Emma must bring together a group of schoolmates, grown-ups and adorable dogs of all shapes and sizes in a spectacular holiday pageant.

The original 12 Dogs Of Christmas Movie is a fun, heartwarming story - so we hope the sequel will be the same!

No other casting or plot details have been released.



*If you have any more information on these films above- please contact us with more details.

Hopefully there will be some wonderful new Family Christmas Movies to enjoy this year!

Which one do you think - you'll like best?

Are there any - you don't like or think they shouldn't do a remake or sequel to?

Click Comments below and share your thoughts!

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Christmas Heart - Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

MOVIE REVIEW


Christmas Heart

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: Christmas Season 2012



CAST:

Teri Polo
Paul Essiembre
Tess Harper




The cast of the Hallmark movie "The Christmas Heart"
Picture from Cleveland.com


PLOT:

In "The Christmas Heart," the tight knit neighbors on Arthur Avenue have proudly been lighting Christmas luminaries for 40 years, but that long-standing tradition is cancelled this year when Matt Norman, a boy in the neighborhood, is hospitalized and desperately needs a heart transplant. A donor is found, and Life Flight quickly gets the heart airborne on Christmas Eve, fighting a winter storm with no time left to lose. The neighborhood lights the luminaries in honor of Matt and his family, and their loving exhibition turns out to be the miracle that save's Matt's life.

"The Christmas Heart" is a Xmas Heart Films production. Executive Producers are Emmy(R) Award winner Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, A. J. Morewitz and Juliette Hagopian. "The Christmas Heart" is written by Cleveland Plain Dealer "Minister of Culture," pop culture journalist and Ms. Heaton's brother, Michael Heaton.


Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...



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The Confession - Sequel to Hallmark Movie, The Shunning

MOVIE REVIEW

The Confession

Network: Hallmark Channel

Original Air Date: ?

*This is a Sequel to the Hallmark Channel Original Movie, The Shunning, starring Danielle Panabaker as Katie Lapp.


CAST:

Sherry Stringfield ... Laura Mayfield Bennett
Katie LeClerc ... Katie Lapp
Bill Oberst Jr. ... Samuel Lapp
Sandra Van Natta ... Rebecca Lapp
Cameron Deana Stewart ... Daniel Fisher
Adrian Paul ... Dylan Bennett



Production Photo from - The Confession facebook page
See their site for more Images and Movie Details



PLOT:




Movie Review:

Coming...


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Coming...



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