Kim Matula

The Way to You

/ Rebekahrox / 4 Comments

A Beautiful “Like” Story?

After erring on the side of kindness in determining a star rating for quite a few Hallmarks lately, last night’s, or in my case, this early morning’s Hallmark is finally (Finally Finally!) one I can wholeheartedly get behind with a 9-star rating. It would have been a 10 but it stumbled slightly at the end.  The script was not only well-written but free of gimmicks and cheap and easy jokes. Now don’t get me wrong: I love a cheap and easy joke as much as the next person, and humor is almost always a component in my most favorite Hallmarks. This one had its funny moments, but the humor flowed naturally from the well-written plot, the characters, and the acting of its cast. It starred a brown-haired Kim Matula who has never been less than great in any of the Hallmarks I’ve seen her in, and Aaron O’Connell. I had never been a particular fan of his as a leading man, although he was hilarious in Made for Each Other as “The Wrong Guy First”,  but I say “had” never, because he was perfect in this one: both in his individual performance and his strong chemistry with his leading lady. In this one, the relationship was the thing, not the banter and wisecracks.

Emma works for an Art Gallery and is unapologetic in hankering after a family of her own with a nice stable guy, not the flakey artsy types she usually encounters.  “I want art on my fridge, as well as on the walls”.  She lives with her sister and her husband in a very large New York apartment. Emma’s relationship with her sister has a lot of heart and is another positive facet amongst many in this movie. They figure out that she needs to meet someone, not in Art, but in a solid profession like Finance. Meanwhile, Conrad, a successful finance guy, is also frustrated in love. He seeks that instant spark, that love at first sight thing, like his parents had. Pay attention when he shares how his parents met.

While on the train to the financial district, they each meet likely prospects that are not each other. The how and why of night owl Emma getting on a train to Wall Street at the ungodly hour of 7am in hopes of meeting a man is an example of the organic nature of the type of humor in this movie. They both have an instant connection with their “meet-cutes” but, due to a power outage, they both are parted from their prospective soulmates before they can exchange details. Conrad puts an ad in a local Missed Connections column and when Emma sees it, she thinks it is about her and meets Conrad. They are both disappointed, but they get to talking and have a great rapport right from the beginning. Since Conrad had learned that the woman he is looking for is involved in the Art Scene, and Emma is looking for a down to earth guy in a profession like Conrad’s, they agree to help each other. Emma will try to find Conrad’s mystery woman, and Conrad will find Emma some date material among his colleagues. (Emma’s train guy falls by the wayside, never to be seen or heard from again.)

They spend time together and become friends. They enrich each other’s lives and have conversations. They go to events together and have fun. Conrad meets Emma’s friends and her sister. Emma goes on a  blah date with one of Conrad’s friends. By this time they are half in love with each other. But at the point where Emma admits that to herself and is ready to make her move with a similarly smitten-but-doesn’t-know-it Conrad she finds, by pure chance, Conrad’s mystery woman. I really should stop there to avoid any more spoilers, because this is a real turning point in the movie. I will just say that it doesn’t follow the obvious path. The love story takes a detour that adds heart, depth, and complexity. We learn that a shared sense of humor is important in a relationship. 

The happy ending is achieved with the help of a bagel truck, which is an example of why this movie really shines. Because you actually had to be paying attention back in the beginning when Conrad was telling his parents’ love story to get the significance. I mentioned the ending took this down a star. After building up the suspense, the chemistry, and the longing that these two shared, it kind of sputtered at the climactic moment. In some movies, ending with an “I really really like you” or even just an “I like you” is enough. But not in this one. We know they liked each other, for heaven’s sake. They were friends and never had a harsh word, or a stupid misunderstanding. They owed each other (and us!) full fledged “I love you’s!” They were earned. It was just a clunker of a wrong note. What was the writer thinking? We know what they meant, and at least she will be following him to Tokyo. I guess that’s something.  Not to mention The Count of Monte Cristo, a personal favorite.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

The Finnish Line

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Finishes Ahead of the Pack

Yes, the title is a bit of a groaner, but the movie is not. Other than the wonderful A ‘90s Christmas and  a couple of others, the Hallmark slate has been disappointing the last couple of weeks. Two were overly hyped and promoted which set me up for even more disappointment (though I should have known better.) Hallmark’s most popular stars are fine and dandy, but not if the story and script aren’t there. One was just another “Hallmark pretends to be the HGTV channel” reality show which I couldn’t even finish, and another I can’t comment on, because though I did finish it, I don’t remember a damn thing about it even after reading the summary. This one didn’t hold much promise. It was another Scandinavian one, the second of the season so far. It featured an Iditerod type race between our heroine and a cartoonishly evil villain who cheated her father out of the same race many years ago. (There was a cute reference to The Princess Bride about that-I won’t explain.) It’s the type of Hallmark that too often uses an exotic setting or an out-of-box plot-line as a crutch so they can skimp on good writing and character development and still put out an acceptable effort. Boy was I surprised!

Fresh and funny banter and dialogue were there from the get go. Kim Matula as the main character, Anya, put on a great performance of a likable character. Right there with her was Nichole Sakura who played her best friend Elyse, who was more than a human prop but also a fully realized character. She was given plenty of screen time, and a secondary romance of her own which was sweet and engaging. As usual lately with many Hallmarks, the primary romance was not the main focus, but thanks to the performances, dialogue, and the rapport, I was invested. The races were exciting mostly because of her rivalry with the evil dirty trickster and some dog crises. Anya even almost dies after almost falling off a cliff saving the bad guy’s dogs and sled. “I can’t beat you if you’re dead!” she shouts at him. When taunted and insulted by the bad guy, she gets off some sizzling comebacks and doesn’t turn the other cheek like a more demure heroine would do. Thank-you!

The movie would have been excellent set in Canada with fake snow (as usual), but there was plenty of Finnish (and Icelandic) landscape and scenery along with little nuggets about Finnish way of life. Ginger cookies and blue cheese are a thing. And the Finnish are comfortable sitting silently with a party of friends: No needless chatter is required to fill silence because in Finland, silence isn’t awkward. I think I’d like it in Finland. Going by the credits, other than 3 of the main actors, the rest of the cast is Scandinavian, which of course lent some authenticity, on top of all the other good things.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Checkin’ it Twice

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Once was Enough

This was not a very auspicious beginning to Hallmark’s annual Countdown to Christmas. There was nothing offensive or stupid about it. But it was boring. Nothing Happened. About 45 minutes into it I kept muttering to myself, “Nothing is happening here,” “Nothing is happening.” Everything was proceeding according to formula and there was no reason to hope anything might change to elevate it above the standard Hallmark background comfort watch. I won’t complain that it was predictable because we all know it is about the journey, not the destination. But there was no plot, no drama, no romance, almost no comedy, and no anticipation of what might be around the corner. The two leads, Kim Matula of the marvelous Ghost of Christmas Always and Kevin McGarry were fine. Ms Matula in particular. But Geez. Give the girl something to work with other than gazing meaningfully.

Ashley is a nice girl from Idaho Falls who has been being successful in real estate in New York City for the last 5 years. The movie opens with her breaking up with her boyfriend for poaching one of her clients while at the airport going home for Christmas. Scott is also at the airport breaking up with his girlfriend. We soon learn he is what I guess is the equivalent of a Minor League Hockey player who is in early 30s,  aging out, and has never been good enough to make it to the actual NHL, which has been his whole life’s focus. So kind of a loser. To add to the sadness, he is known as “Grandpa” or “Pops” and his father is a famous star Hockey player who has ignored him all of his life. To subtract from any sympathy we might feel for him he is kind of an arrogant jerk. The two meet and slowly slowly boring baby step by boring baby step come to realize that their happiness lies in Idaho Falls: Ashley as a local real estate agent selling houses to families instead of shopping malls or hotels to corporations, and Scott as a coach instead of a player.

Before they get there, they go through the usual Christmas activities and frolics, and Scott, who is renting a cottage on Ashley’s family’s property is drawn in and welcomed by her warm loving family. He discovers he is pretty good at advising and coaching his teammates and little local kiddies. Meanwhile, nothing interesting or funny happens barring Scott trying to drink a glass of Grannie’s famously foul-tasting and possibly poisonous eggnog against the advice of the family. I was hoping for perhaps ex-boyfriend Trevor to show up begging Ashley’s forgiveness ( a good groveling scene is always good for some entertainment) or Scott’s Dad to show up all sorry for his past neglect, but no such luck. It’s just all sweetness and light. After the usual “Christmas or Career” dilemma that Hallmark usually ends their movies on, the two are reunited at the airport and go home to Ashley’s “goofy” (not that goofy) family together. Hopefully to embark on their first date the next day. The best thing about the 88 minutes I spent with this movie were the previews for the next day’s entry in the Countdown to Christmas lineup, Where are You, Christmas?. That one actually looks pretty good.

Rating: 6 out of 10.

Ghosts of Christmas Always

/ Rebekahrox / 8 Comments

“All is as it Should Be.”

There is one word for this Hallmark Christmas movie and that is “Amazing”. I’m amazed at the writing of both the original plot and the clever and funny dialogue. Yes, it is based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens which is hardly original, but I have never seen such a creative take on the story.

For centuries and centuries, every Christmas season teams of 3 ghosts (all of whom died on Christmas) are sent out worldwide to “Scrooge” hand-picked mortals who need to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Charles Dickens was Scrooged in the 1800s and it changed his life. In fact, he wrote a book about it. We meet the 3 ghost team who are the focus: Arlene, a cynical no-nonsense Asian woman (brilliantly played by Lori Tan Chinn), A wise, warm and sophisticated Reginald Vel Johnson (did I hear a reference to Die Hard come out of one character’s mouth?) And the young and beautiful Kat Marley played by Kim Matula.. But this year, something weird is going on. The man they are sent to “scrooge”, Peter Barron isn’t perfect (he is a bit of a coward with his awful father) but he is kind and good and filled with the Christmas Spirit. Arlene (Christmas Past) does her number on Peter, and Kat (Present) comes along to help. Peter and Kat get to know and start to fall for each other. They give Peter the courage to stand up to his father and the 3 ghosts return to headquarters, a little confused, but mission accomplished. But Oops. Charlie, the angel in charge, in a humorous turn by Blair Baker, screwed up big time. It was Peter’s father that was supposed to have been given the scrooge treatment! Or is it? They have to go back, but I’ll stop there with the plot. But it is not until Christmas Future steps in that we are given the final piece to the resolution. There are lots and lots of threads that come together and many layers to this funny and touching tale. The mysteries that wind through are solved in a very satisfying way but with enough clues to give the viewer a fair chance to figure it out on their own.

All of the actors were new to Hallmark, and they were all fantastic. I think it is significant that they didn’t use any popular Hallmark mainstays as a crutch. I’m not sure this would have worked with a Lacey Chabert or an Andrew Walker. I loved the self-aware sense of humor the writer exhibited.  Two of the “Scroogees” know what’s going on immediatelywhen the ghosts come to visit because of all of the Christmas Carol-based movies that they have seen. Scrooged with Bill Murray is a favorite. But also a Carrie Fisher version, that is “highly underrated.” That would be Hallmark’s own It’s Christmas, Carol! Only Hallmark devotees would know this. It’s kind of an inside joke partially because it is rated very low.

The detailed attention to the sets, the wardrobe, the graphics, the casting, the character building, and well, just everything, shows that Hallmark knew that they had something special here and they were proud of it. They have every right to be.

Rating: 10 out of 10.