Full Transcript for FHC Rewind: The One That Started It All! (The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, 2008)

--> 00:02:18.879 Uh there are other podcasts, they cover Hallmark content year-round, whether it be you know the Love You Wery right now with the Valentine's movies, the spring movies, the summer movies, the fall movies. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:24.479 They also cover the different series that Hallmark has: When Calls of the Heart, Mistletoe Murders. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:29.680 And they often dive into other networks and streaming services. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:30.879 You know who they are. 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:37.680 Um, I think a few years ago there was something like 175 Christmas movies between all the different platforms. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:41.599 So we are just going to talk Hallmark. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:47.199 And again, it's just going to be Christmas movies because you and I both, we kind of joke we love Christmas year round. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:57.599 Uh, whenever I see a, you know, there's 42 weeks until Christmas next year, we kind of always you know send a little, a little screenshot to ourselves, hey, getting ready for Christmas next year. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:13.439 And there's so much Christmas content out there, not only this year, but every year that you know we could spend years doing a podcast a week and not even cover every single Hallmark Christmas movie since I don't know if you want to go back to like 2005, whatever the year might be. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:19.280 Yeah, that would be amazing if we eventually covered every single Hallmark Christmas movie. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:23.039 Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen, but that's what we are all about here. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:24.639 Uh we want to make ourselves different. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:35.520 Uh, I go into some of the different Hallmark forms online, and probably every half of every post that I read, there someone's asking about what's your favorite Christmas movie. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:40.080 Actor XXX was in what Christmas movie that was your favorite. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:43.919 So people love the Christmas content when it comes to Hallmark. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:51.759 Uh they did 24 Christmas movies this past year, and again, some years they've done as many as I believe 42. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:58.479 So there is plenty of content, and there are people that that's all they watch when it comes to Hallmark. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:00.319 They only watch the Christmas movies. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:06.319 They love the old ones, they love the new ones, and we're gonna try to cover a little bit of all of it here on this podcast. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:11.439 Yeah, and just so people know, we are alternating who every week. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:17.519 We each you pick one, I pick one, and we're gonna alternate as to which movie we're gonna watch for that week. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:20.240 That way they're just not all your choices. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:21.040 Correct. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:26.480 And that'll be kind of January

through the start of Countdown to Christmas, which usually starts in mid-October. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:31.199 Obviously, when mid-October hits, we'll be covering all the new movies on the Hallmark channel. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:33.360 There's usually two or three every week. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.759 Thanksgiving week's a little bit of an outlier there. 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:37.600 Sometimes we have five or six. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:43.360 But yeah, we'll cover one of the older movies every week when it's not countdown to Christmas season. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:50.079 And I thought it would be a little bit fun also to start every podcast with a little bit of Hallmark Christmas news. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:55.519 Just maybe two or three items that kind of caught my eye as to what's going on in the world of Hallmark. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:56.240 What do you think, Orene? 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:57.279 Does that sound like a good idea? 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:58.639 That sounds like a great idea. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:00.079 You're very good at researching. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.240 So I'll I'll give you a few examples here. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:07.040 So we have a few Christmas movies to look forward in in 2026. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:08.959 Uh, one is Holiday Ever After. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:14.959 It was the uh first time that Disney and Hallmark have teamed up for an original movie starring Lacey Chabert. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.959 And filming has rapped on that movie uh at Disney World. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:27.519 And filming has also rapped on a grand Biltmore Christmas, kind of a follow-up to the 2023 uh Built More Christmas movie. 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:30.800 So two big movies to look forward to in 2026. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:33.279 Both have wrapped, and uh, I'm pretty excited about both of them. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:40.160 They should both be big budget, uh, really popular movies that everybody wants to watch uh come 2026 Christmas season. 00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:49.759 Yeah, we should definitely add that Built More Christmas one uh, you know, before a week or two before the new one comes out, just to give or give myself or ourselves a refresher. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:50.720 Yep. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:53.120 And uh another piece of Hallmark news. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:06:03.279 According to the uh the website Real Screen, Hallmark is gonna be cutting back on his unscripted offerings, which means the likes of their reality shows finding Mr. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:04.720 Christmas is an example. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:19.680 They didn't call that out specifically, uh, but they have said the position of the head of unscripted television has been eliminated, which means I think you're gonna be seeing more of a focus on the movies, on the series, and less on the reality shows. 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:32.000 Again, they haven't set any specific reality series, so I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens with the

unscripted television and how much goes and how much stays, and we'll only uh find that out as kind of time goes along. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:38.959 But that's uh from real screen, just an article this past week, so we'll see what happens uh with the unscripted series for Hallmark. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:39.680 Great. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:41.199 What else you got? 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:42.399 I got one more thing. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:43.759 This is kind of a fun one. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:52.879 So Hallmark actor Derek Klenna, most of you will remember him from the uh the movie Holiday Spectacular, where he played opposite Jinnaclair Mason. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:54.560 I believe that was his Hallmark debut. 00:06:54.639 --> 00:07:01.600 Uh he was also a Broadway star, uh Fiero and Wicked, uh, originated the role of Dimitri and Anastasia. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.759 So incredible singer. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:10.480 He has signed a contract to play baseball for the baseball team, the Savannah Bananas. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:16.720 And Renee, I know, I know you know who the Savannah Bananas are, but a lot of people, a lot of people might not know who they are. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.399 It's almost too hard to explain. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.560 You'll have to look them up on YouTube or something. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.319 But they're a traveling baseball team. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:24.800 Basically, their baseball games are a big giant party. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:26.319 They've created their own rules. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:31.040 But the cool thing is that they actually travel from city to city, they sell out everywhere they go. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:37.839 And I think one of the cool things about the Savannah Bananas is all the guys on the team, they're real baseball players. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:48.480 And it turns out that Derek Klena is a real baseball player, played baseball at UCLA before deciding, hey, you know, I think this singing acting thing might have a future for me. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:54.959 But so he's a real baseball player, and I can't wait to see him in a Savannah Bananas uniform in uh in 2026. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.480 Yeah, that was very surprising to me because I'm familiar with him. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:06.480 I had no idea he was doing some of the musical stuff you mentioned that he was doing and uh now baseball, which is amazing. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:08.079 I look forward to it to CNN. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:16.079 Talk about a multi-talented guy, good enough to be in a Hallmark movie, good enough to be Fiero on Broadway, and played baseball for UCLA. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:17.600 So, yeah, it's it's pretty cool. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:18.480 What a jerk. 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:19.839 Super talented. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:41.919 All right, so let's jump into what we're going to be doing every week, and that is covering uh, at least through uh through October here, we're gonna be covering an older Hallmark movie, and uh you were nice enough to let me pick the very first one, and it's one I I'm almost embarrassed to say that I've never seen because it is such a popular movie with the Hallmark fans, and that is the most wonderful time of the year. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:45.200 It's a classic, it dates back to 2008. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:49.360 It stars Warren Christie, Brooke Burns, and Henry Winkler. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.240 It was written by a gentleman by the name of Bruce Graham. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:58.080 Not a ton of Hallmark credits, but he's most famous for doing the screenplay for Disney's Anastasia back in 1997. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:01.279 Really popular uh in terms of what people thought about it. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:04.159 And I'm gonna give you a quick, what writers call a log line. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:10.559 I'm gonna call it the holiday hook, but it's basically about two sentences as to what this movie is all about. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:11.679 And here it is. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:26.240 A single mother reluctantly opens her home for the holidays when her free-spirited uncle invites a charming stranger to stay, only to discover that unexpected guests and unexpected love may be the true spirit of Christmas. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:28.960 Renee, what's your overall thoughts on the movie? 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:31.279 Yeah, so I I enjoyed the movie. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:32.720 I hadn't seen it either. 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:41.120 And I watched it about a week, week and a half ago, kind of in the background, because I was multitasking and which I shouldn't do. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:47.600 And then I've watched it again more focused and taking my notes and considering what we were gonna discuss. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:56.720 Overall, I liked it, but I'll save you my like my score and all that to the review because I know we kind of did a little checklist of how we're gonna talk about. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.279 So you already talked about your log line. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.559 So my overall thoughts is I enjoyed it. 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:03.519 I liked it. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:06.320 It's typical, very wholesome Hallmark movie. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:08.399 Henry Winkler's is amazing in it. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:09.360 It's always nice to see him. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:15.759 He has such a gentle energy about him that it's you know like everybody's grandfather or everybody's older uncle. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.200 It's just I really enjoyed seeing him in it. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:28.639 Obviously, we're of age that we remember Happy Days, though not in the live running, but at least in you know, reruns that we we saw him a lot and then other movies that we've seen with Adam Sandler and stuff like that. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:30.320 Yeah, I I really enjoyed it as well. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:34.480 I can understand why it's so popular amongst the Hallmark fans out there.

00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:42.559 And keep in mind, 2008, I I looked at how many Hallmark Christmas movies there were in 2008, and oh my, how things have changed. 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.919 There were four Hallmark Christmas movies back in 2008. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:47.120 This was one of the four. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:48.320 And yeah, I really liked it. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:48.960 I enjoyed it. 00:10:49.039 --> 00:11:00.799 I think that Henry Winkler elevated every scene he was in, and when you get an OG actor like that, you just you realize, wow, okay, now I know when you put somebody like that into a into a Hallmark movie. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:02.639 And granted, there was only four back then. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:08.000 I think they they had the ability to do that here and there, but he he really did elevate every scene he was in. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:10.720 But I I really enjoyed really everything about the movie. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:23.519 Uh everything from you know, Ralph not knowing how to act in in first class, the relationship not only between Jennifer and her son, Brian, but also the Ralph and Jennifer relationship. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:27.600 Ralph trying to record the news, some great little lines uh throughout. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:36.559 One of my favorites was when the uh when she was at the airport and she was trying to uh to get rid of Morgan and she tells that the airline accounter lady, she goes, I just need to get this guy out of my house. 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:40.080 And she looks at Morgan, you know, obviously a good-looking guy, and she goes, Why? 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:41.279 Yeah, you know, keep them. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:51.600 And then one thing I really enjoyed it towards the very end was when you know the note was found out that that Richard had stolen the notes, and she said it was just a thank you note. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.679 I'm I'm I'm curious as to what that note really said. 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:57.919 It kind of really made me think the kind of writer left that hanging out there. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:02.480 Maybe there was more to that that note than just being a little thank you. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:10.720 Yeah, I thought that would have been a good point to maybe, you know, where they do an overdub where you hear him speaking what he wrote to her. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:14.799 But I guess, you know, that would have been kind of nice, or even her just reading it out loud. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:15.039 Yeah. 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:19.360 But I guess it was just a private moment, and uh, we have to keep guessing, which is okay. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:24.080 But yeah, but all and also really creative writing, and uh yeah, yeah, I I I really enjoyed the movie. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.720 Is it my all-time favorite Hallmark movie? 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:27.919 Like like it is for a lot of people. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:30.720 No, but it's definitely a really good, solid movie.

00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:31.600 Yeah, I agree. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:33.279 It's not my absolute favorite. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.279 I'm not sure what my absolute favorite is. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.200 I have some leads on that, and I'm sure we'll review them. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.919 But I I enjoyed this and I watched it twice. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:46.000 So I went once kind of casual, and then a second time a little bit more discerning eye. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:47.679 You're you're a true you're a trooper. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.720 I only watched it the once, but I took took pretty good notes as I went on. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:59.360 So yeah, you know, speaking of things that we liked in it, you know, the kind of homework trope where they go to buy a real Christmas tree, I like that scene a lot. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:06.240 Um, you know, I found it interesting that Jen threw away her Christmas cards as she got them, you know, because they were all business cards. 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:11.360 I that I don't want to say that's a part I like, but that's definitely telling of who her character was. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:21.440 And uh my I think my favorite scene uh is a short scene, but the scene where Uncle Ralph gifts to Jen the earrings from her Aunt Margaret. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.279 I thought that was a very uh poignant scene, you know. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.759 Obviously, was that was that your favorite moment of the movie? 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:29.919 Because that's something we're we're gonna talk about every podcast. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:39.039 I would say it's pretty close because it felt like a very real moment, a very even though it was short, I could I could tell anybody experiencing that would be quite moved by it. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.679 So that seemed like the most real moment. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.639 And that's one of my favorite moments in the movie. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:45.600 It was very tender. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:50.399 So yeah, every every time we do one of these reviews, we are gonna cover our favorite moment of the movie. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.200 You did yours. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:55.600 My favorite moment of the movie was when Morgan went up onto the rooftop pretending to be Santa. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:57.440 I'm I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:00.559 Uh, you know, that was something that that Brian struggled with the entire movie. 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.240 Is Santa real or is he not? 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:09.759 And when Ralph and Morgan, you know, concocted this little idea for Morgan to climb up on the roof with the bells and everything to printing it to be Santa. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:12.159 I I yeah, that just that tugged at my heart right there. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:15.919 So if I had to pick one single favorite from moment from the movie, that was mine. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:21.919 Yeah, so I was reading, you know, because we had a section with things I really liked, and then we had we kind of were talking about a favorite moment. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:26.639 I actually wrote down that same as my favorite moment, the scene when Morgan went on the roof. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:30.240 Because I I thought it showed caring for the son. 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:37.679 And if you're, you know, and if you are interested in a woman and she has a kid, well then you look at things as a family, right? 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:42.320 So he cared for the son by extension, he's caring for her and the uncle. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:46.159 So I I wrote that down as my actual favorite moment as well. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:50.159 I thought it was a very fatherly thing to do, and it just showed how much he cared. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.440 And I really enjoyed that. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.200 And it's funny, of course, when he falls off. 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:54.559 Spoiler alert. 00:14:55.200 --> 00:15:10.559 All right, another thing we're gonna do every episode when we cover a movie is we're gonna talk about if we were the writers, which of course we are not the writers of this movie, but if we were and we had a chance to rewrite maybe a scene or two or a couple minutes, what we would rewrite. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:12.720 And you want to go first or you want me to go first? 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.080 I'd love to go first on this one. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.960 I'm sure we probably share this, so that's why I want to say it first. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:18.000 I wrote down two things. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.759 I I did two, but you only you only get one. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:20.720 Oh, I only get one? 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:21.919 You only get one. 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:22.559 Okay. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:34.639 If I had to pick one, then I would say that when they met up at the airport towards the end, I feel the kiss should have occurred there versus all the way at the house. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:37.200 That was my my critique when I saw that. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:40.080 I was like, he found her, they found each other at the airport. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:42.320 He came back, didn't take the flight. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:47.919 They had to drive in the car back to her house, and then the kiss happened at the house. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:52.799 Can you imagine what traffic is like going from O'Hare on Christmas Eve back to her house? 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:53.039 Right. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.639 It might have taken them three hours. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.519 So that was my definitely my own rewrite. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:02.320 But typical homeworks, a lot of them end when the kiss occurs. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.679 So I understand that. 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.240 Yeah, and I'm with you a hundred percent. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:06.960 That was my number one. 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:20.879 I have a I had written down a couple, and I

actually am so crazy that I actually timed from when Morgan was at at the gate waiting and he realized it was Jennifer on the intercom to when the final credits ran. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.399 It was only two minutes. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:29.519 And in yeah, those two minutes I I would have rewritten, I too would have had them just having a passionate kiss right there in the airport. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.279 People walking by on both sides of them, not even, you know, caring that they're kissing. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.279 But I think that would have been the home run scene. 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:40.240 If they still want to come back to the house and do the last final kiss, close the door and have the wreath fall off. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:41.919 I'm cool with that too. 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:43.039 But I I'm with you. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.080 I would have rewritten those last two minutes and had them kiss in the airport. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.720 So, what was your actual other rewrite? 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:52.240 My other rewrite, and I think that we might be on the same one. 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:55.759 I wasn't crazy about the fight scene with Warren and the shop owner. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:56.799 I wrote that down. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:05.440 When Warren grabbed the trash can lid and smacked him in the face, which by the way, in 2025, 26, you would never ever see in a Hallmark movie. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:12.160 Couldn't they have had like a little maybe he said he was a foodie, so you know, they have little contests as to who knows the most about food or something like that. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:19.359 But yeah, those were the there's a bunch of others that kind of, you know, I think every movie could probably pick 10 things that we'd say. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:22.799 Maybe I'd rewrite that a little bit, but or maybe not 10, depending on the movie. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:24.960 But those are those are two things that I think definitely caught my eye. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:27.279 Yeah, we saw the exact same thing. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:37.759 All right, I know I I am a big lover of a lot of the supporting characters in any Hallmark movie, and and I think everybody says, hey, XXX character deserved a little bit more screen time. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:43.279 Anyone from this particular movie in terms of the supporting character who deserved a little more screen time? 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:45.200 I think this is unconventional. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.039 The bike shop owner. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:52.400 Because when he says, I hate Christmas, I wanted to know why. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:54.160 Does he hate Christmas? 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:55.920 Like, what happened to him? 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:01.519 Was it just because he's busy with sales and he gets away from can't be with his own family? 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.640 Did his dad not buy him a bike when he was a little kid for Christmas? 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.440 I don't know. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.039 I was just kept wondering why does this guy hate Christmas? 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.599 There was no resolution there for me. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:18.240 So that you're the supporting character, I don't even remember his name, but you'd like a little bit more of him in there, huh? 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:21.200 I I looked up the name because I was so curious. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:24.319 And his his name is Bike Shop Owner. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.920 So this one is it's kind of different in terms of supporting characters. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:35.599 Obviously, in in most Hallmark movies, you have friends of both the male lead and the female lead who are, you know, kind of their confidants and stuff. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:38.480 And we don't have them really in this particular movie. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:47.440 So I'm going with the next door neighbor, Rita, because I I love that next door neighbor when they're really, you know, in people's business. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:49.519 And she definitely is. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.480 So what the heck? 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.200 I could use maybe another scene or two with a Rita in there. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:56.880 Uh, because annoying next door neighbors can be really fun sometimes. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:58.240 Yeah, she was funny. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:02.400 And by the way, the the bike shop owner, I looked up his name. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:11.200 He he hasn't been done very he I think he might have been one or two background guys before, but his name is Serge Howd, H-O-U-D-E. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:14.720 So at least uh he can get a little credit there very well. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:19.200 All right, the next thing we're gonna do every every episode is we're gonna ask kind of an unanswered question. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:20.880 We're gonna call it Are We Sure? 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:22.960 And you'll see as we go along. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.920 And I'll go ahead and start this one off. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:38.720 So my and and again, there were so many in this movie to choose from, but are we sure that there was really this woman in Denver that Morgan cared so much about that he was ready to go and meet and open a restaurant with? 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.759 Because I'm sorry, by the end of the movie, he just said, Hey, I'm with Jennifer. 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.039 The heck with this this girl in Denver, forget about opening the restaurant. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:45.680 I'm done. 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:50.000 So you know my my my question is was there really even a girl in Denver? 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:50.880 I have no idea. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:55.359 Was he just using that as an excuse he was actually gonna go to Aspen and work on a skill resort somewhere? 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:56.079 I I don't know. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:01.519 You know, I I kind of forg I kind of forgot about

that because I thought I guess I hadn't really worked it out. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:05.119 I thought maybe that the girl had left them and he was trying to go get her back. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:10.400 But no, they were actually, you know, the note said see you in Denver on the picture. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:10.880 Yeah. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:13.039 So they he was really going that way to meet her. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:15.680 So I guess he didn't care about her as much as uh as we thought she did. 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:16.720 I guess not. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:18.799 I don't know how many are we sure you did. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.759 I only did one, but uh, I'm sure I could think of more. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:29.200 And I just thought, are we sure Uncle Ralph could really be able to manhandle that guy outside of the bar when he went to rob him? 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:36.240 Put his foot on his neck again, something that would never happen in 2026 in a Hallmark Christmas movie? 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:37.200 No way. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:41.359 But you know, so yeah, uh suspension of this is a good thing. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.720 Absolutely. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:52.799 All right, another thing we're gonna do here, and this is this is one I always think about when I'm watching a Hallmark movie, I'm sure you do too, is would the lead couple actually last 12 months? 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:55.200 And sometimes I I go either way. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:56.720 You have any opinions here? 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.880 I you know, I wrote one thing. 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:07.359 At first I said no way, because she is too organized and structured and he's so willy-nilly and free. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.000 But then I thought about it and I go, you know what? 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:24.880 Sometimes you know, she loosened up at the end and she and and and and comprom would say compromise more to what how he is, but I didn't see him compromise and go to being more organized. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:27.599 Anyways, I said I think so. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:31.279 She seemed to see life in a different way with him, is what I wrote down. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:39.920 And I think that might be, you know, that two people that are different and together they learn and see things differently, and they communicated. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:44.079 Remember when he offended her and he apologized and she accepted the apology. 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:51.119 So that's a big mature thing that he did in apologizing when he told her uh you're doing Christmas wrong, if you recall that scene. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:58.640 So I like that he owned up to stepping out of out of turn, and I like that she apologized, and I like that they communicated that. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 So based on that. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.400 And the ending, I think that they would last at least 12 months or longer. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:08.799 Well, you and I joked we're definitely going to be on opposite ends of an argument on a lot of these. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.720 And we are definitely on the opposite. 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:12.640 I'm giving him six weeks. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:16.480 Now keep in mind in the movie, he said he had just turned 30 years old. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:19.920 This is a guy that's never stayed in one place at one time. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:21.680 He's always moving around. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:29.440 I I think if they were a little older and give them another 10 or 15 years and they're a little more mature and settled in their lives, I think they might. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:33.680 And yeah, I might give them the 12 months, but they're both still so young. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.119 I'm gonna give them six weeks. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:39.119 So I don't think they're gonna last the the 12 months, not even close. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:43.039 I think he's just he's still a little bit uh free-spirited, too free spirited. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:48.400 I see him lasting six weeks in Chicago, hopping over to Denver, maybe seeing his uh his girl. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:50.880 And yeah, I don't see them lasting the 12 months. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:52.640 So uh we're on opposite ends over one. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.319 You're a bitter cynic and I'm a hopeless romantic, apparently. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:56.720 Yeah. 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:57.920 All right. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:01.039 And I've heard other people try to do this and see a lot of forms. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.960 Hey, tell me who had the was it a good kiss? 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:04.160 Was it not a good kiss? 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:08.240 We're actually gonna we're gonna give a letter grade to this, like we're back in high school. 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:14.240 To the I guess it's usually the final kiss, but more and more in Harmark we see a uh a mid-movie kiss. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:19.119 But on this one, it was definitely the the final kiss in those last couple seconds of the movie. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:21.759 I'll I'll go first because you went first last. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:25.680 Uh I I can't give this one a really high grade. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:34.240 I'm gonna give it a C minus, and that sounds a little harsh, but the angle that it was shot at, you really couldn't get a lot of the passion behind the kiss. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:38.400 It was kind of shot from outside looking into that doorway. 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:42.319 Uh you really didn't get a good view of each of their faces. 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:45.759 It was pretty short, and then they closed the door and the wreath fell down. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:49.200 If we go back to that rewrite, they did a big passionate kiss in the airport. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:51.680 This could easily bump into like an A, A plus. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:55.359 But I I can't give it anything higher than a low C right now. 00:23:55.680 -->

00:23:56.880 I am exactly with you. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.000 I gave it a C. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:02.960 I wrote down, even for Hallmark, it was a little weak, and it should have happened at the airport, as we said. 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:07.839 And uh, you know, we know that the endings usually occurs with a kiss, that's why it didn't happen at the airport. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:10.720 And like you, I did like I did like the refalling. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.400 I thought that was funny as a repeating thing that was going on, a call screen. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:14.960 Yeah. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:18.480 But I agree with you, the kiss could have been much better. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:21.599 So we're we're gonna end up with a couple things here, and this is a pretty easy one. 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:27.359 If if this were on in in 2026, I still have I have both Hallmark channel and Hallmark Plus. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:36.480 But if if I had the Hallmark channel on in the background uh and movies were just uh you know flowing through throughout the day, and I'm I'm in the kitchen doing some cooking, uh, would I rewatch this movie? 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.599 And for me, absolutely. 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:41.279 Uh 100% I would turn up the volume and let it go. 00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:43.119 It was it was cute, it was endearing. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:45.279 Obviously, 2008 was a long time ago. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.079 Things have changed a lot, but that's kind of the fun of it. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:53.599 So yeah, for me, like if it's on in the background and I'm doing something, definitely I would leave it on. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:57.359 And just like I would like a baseball game or something, I would definitely re-watch it. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:03.440 I don't tend to re-watch Hallmark movies just for time and there's a sheer amount of movies. 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:06.880 And unlike you, I watch year-round. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:10.960 I'm watching, you know, Love Youary, Spring Into Love, Summer of Love. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.920 I watch all that. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.839 And as we focus just on Christmas stuff, you focus more on Christmas stuff. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:19.759 You'd you I could see you having more opportunities to watch this. 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:27.920 But generally speaking, I don't rewatch movies, but if it came on in the background and I'm doing something else, I would I would leave it on and I would I would turn up the volume. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.039 I would like to hear it again. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:31.759 I overall, like I said, I really enjoyed the movie. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:36.079 All right, so before we give our final rank, we're gonna do one last question here. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:38.160 And this is one I can't take credit for. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:41.839 I I actually sold this from uh Bill Simmons podcast, The Rewatchables. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:46.400 At the end

of every episode that he covers the movie, he asked the question, who won the movie? 00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:48.880 Maybe we can call it our Christmas MVP. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.880 One person uh that stood out. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:53.119 And keep in mind, it doesn't have to be a person. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.960 I shouldn't say one person that stood out. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:26:01.440 This can be, I'll give you an example from 2025, uh, the Grand Ole Opry Christmas. 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:02.640 Great movie. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:07.759 Uh the easy answer is that uh Nicky Delosh won that movie. 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:18.319 I would argue, say, the winner of Grand Ole Opry Christmas was the Grand Ole Opry because you're gonna have tens of thousands of Hallmark fans wanting to book a trip to Nashville to go and visit the Grand Ole Opry. 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:21.680 So it doesn't always have to be an actor or an actress a lot of times. 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.920 I'm assuming it will be, but uh it doesn't have to be. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:27.440 It could be a writer, you could say, hey, my God, the costumes were in this credible. 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:29.759 Maybe whoever designed the costumes won that movie. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.519 But Renee, who won the movie? 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:38.079 Uh so I actually I didn't write down who they were, but for me, the set design won the movie. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:41.039 I thought the the houses were lovely. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:55.200 I really like that red room with the white trim and all the decorations and the and the way the houses looked outside and they, you know, just it looked very Christmas, like a Christmas season inside and out. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:27:06.880 And so I I went with that because that's what I don't think about who won the movie as I watch it, but I did try to think of that while I was watching this one, and I really just said, you know, I really like the background. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:09.680 Nothing stood out to me as being off or weird. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:16.640 I remember one time I saw this Hallmark movie, and it was supposed to be winter, and you could see people in the background wearing shorts and t-shirts, right? 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:20.400 So and it was like snow in the scene, but in the background it wasn't like that. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:23.119 So that was kind of a that would be like a loss. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:25.359 You did not win the movie. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:31.279 But in this case, I really did enjoy the way everything was decorated and just the vibe of the whole area. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.880 I I really like that. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:38.480 I love that you went with uh with not one of the actors, uh, and that's what this is all about. 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:39.599 It doesn't have to be an actor. 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:44.559 Unfortunately, I am going with with one of the actors of the movie uh that won this movie.

00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:50.319 And I think the easy answer is Henry Winkler, because as I already mentioned, that you know, every scene he was in, he just elevated. 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:52.400 But I'm not going with Henry Winkler. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:56.799 For me, and and I'll explain why Warren Christie won this movie. 00:27:56.960 --> 00:28:00.400 And back in 2008, this was his first Hallmark movie ever. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:07.279 Okay, he was only 32 years old when this Hallmark movie was shot, 33 when it when it aired, he had just turned 33. 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:10.880 Today, Warren Christie, every year, he's a he's a leading man. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:15.839 I mean, they put him in the leadoff spot in 2025 with Royal Montana Christmas. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:21.519 Last year was our holiday story, the year before that was Holiday Road, all really well-received movies. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:30.720 And to think that, you know, he he's 50 years old now, but back in 2008, 30 just turned 33, and he's been a Hallmark, you know, leading guy ever since. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:32.559 So he was super charming. 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:34.240 I loved every scene he was in. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:46.880 Granted, he, you know, he he and Jennifer aren't gonna last a year, but for for all those reasons, the fact that he has just been such a big Hallmark guy and still is to this day, and that and this started it all off, I'm going with Warren Christie. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:50.319 Yeah, it's it's hard to argue that he did a really good job. 00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:52.000 And he's very he's very likable. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:53.039 So yeah, I enjoyed. 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:54.160 I enjoyed it. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:29:02.640 All right, so before we uh announce next week's movie, and it's gonna be your turn, and we get to we get to put a ranking to this between one and five, quarter points, half points, totally acceptable. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:04.079 Yeah, uh, what do you got? 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:06.880 So I did, I went with a solid four. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:13.359 Yeah, I couldn't quite get to higher than that for me, but I mean, one out of five four is really good. 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:14.480 I enjoyed it. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:19.119 I you know, I can't say that I loved the heck out of it, but I enjoyed it a lot. 00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:28.400 And uh it's also uh I was waiting the whole movie because it's my favorite Christmas song, the you know, the most wonderful time of the year, and they played it at the end finally. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:30.799 So I really enjoyed that part of it too. 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:40.880 So overall, I really like the movie, a solid four, maybe even a four point two five, something like that, but definitely worth a watch if you have not seen it and you are remotely a fan of Hallmark films. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:47.200 Yeah, for me, when I when I rank a the movies at the end of the year, I put a ranking

on every single movie, and then kind of I make a top 10 list. 00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:53.920 And usually kind of that, you know, six through ten is right around a four, then the five and under get to be the four point two fives and higher. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.279 I give it a four point two five. 00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:56.640 I think that it kind of falls. 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:59.599 I think in any given year, this probably would have made my top five. 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:05.519 Uh just everything about it, uh, you know, the the good storyline, the great acting, uh obviously you had some star power in there. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:07.440 So I give it a 4.25. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:08.480 All right. 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:14.640 So good solid score, and I can understand why it is so popular amongst Hallmark fans. 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:16.000 So okay. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:26.559 So now since I get to pick the next film, our next film is gonna be 2017 Christmas and Evergreen has Christmas and Evergreen. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:28.000 Some of my favorite actors. 00:30:28.079 --> 00:30:32.319 I mean, Ashley Williams is fantastic, Holly Robinson Pete is good. 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:34.240 I enjoy Barbara Niven. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.519 I think I watched her in another show. 00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:37.920 I can't remember what it was, Belmont Shores or something like that. 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:40.240 But I watched her in another show that I really liked. 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:44.559 So a lot of good actors, actresses, and actors in this. 00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:47.359 And the the theme seems kind of cute. 00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:51.839 So that's my pick for our next podcast: Christmas and Evergreen. 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:53.200 Christmas and Evergreen. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.480 I'm ready for it. 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:57.119 All right, thanks for joining us, everybody. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:59.359 Uh, feel free to uh like and subscribe. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:03.200 Uh, we'll be doing this every single week, covering an older Hallmark movie. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:05.519 And hopefully we'll uh hit one of your favorites. 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:09.200 You can follow us on Instagram at Forever Hallmark Christmas. 00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:20.000 And if you have any suggestions or anything as uh to what kind of Christmas movies you'd like to see us cover, I know we have a bunch uh that we want to talk about, but if you have uh any favorites of your own, feel free to hit us up and let us know. 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:21.599 Yeah, please do so. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:27.920 And I just as a thing, I think we should knock out after this the Christmas movies from 2008. 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:31.839 Since there was only four of them, I think that's a nice way to go. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:35.200 But we'll let people tell us what they want to do. 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:43.039 And uh, you know, it won't this podcast probably won't go this long the next time, but because we had a little bit of uh you know introduction and stuff going on. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:46.880 But thank you everyone for listening and uh we'll welcome your comments. 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:48.400 Thanks, and we'll see you next week. 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:49.759 See you next week.