Thelma is inspired by director Josh Margolin’s own story about his grandmother and how seniors are preyed upon but, as viewers see, some of them still have the spunk and wherewithal to lead independent lives, or somewhat independent lives. June Squibb stars as Thelma, a 93 year-old grandmother with plenty of drive, literally.

Thelma’s grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger) is tasked by his parents (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg) to keep tabs on her. He teaches her about the Internet and they enjoy each other’s company. Then one day she receives a phone call from someone claiming to be Daniel saying he is in jail and she will get a call from his attorney. Needless to say the old woman is frantic.

When the call comes through a few minutes later, she is instructed to put $10,000 in cash in the mail and is given a specific address and PO box. Well, not wanting Danny to stay in jail longer than necessary, Thelma collects all her money, puts it in an envelop and deposits it at the local post office. Then she calls Danny’s parents.

What they all find out is that the whole thing was a scam. Thelma is overjoyed to know nothing happened to Danny, but is infuriated that she was taken advantage of and her money is gone. The police tell her there is little chance of retrieving the cash.

That’s not good enough for this spunky grandma. She visits her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) in his senior living residence and together they take off on an adventure on his three-wheeled, two-seat scooter. And what an adventure they have. It’s quite a site seeing two old people maneuvering through the streets of Los Angeles on the sidewalks. Their destination is the location where the money was sent. Thelma is intent on retrieving her money if it’s the last thing she does.

There are some sweet moments with Thelma and Daniel. There are also some bittersweet scenes with seniors who are not as capable as Thelma and Ben. 

The film was selected to be shown at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, the Cleveland International Film Festival, the Miami Film Festival, SFFILM, and closed the Seattle International Film Festival.

It’s rare that an entire film is dedicated to aging. This is unusual in that it has plenty of action (on a three-wheel scooter), tender moments, and frustrating situations, not least of which is the scamming of seniors as well as seniors not able to be as productive as they once were.

Thelma considers herself a senior Tom Cruise on her own impossible mission. But it is not impossible after all. 

“My grandma refuses to die,” stated director Margolin. “She just turned 103 and has survived the Great Depression, WWII, the death of her husband, a double mastectomy, colon cancer, a valve replacement and an ongoing but allegedly-benign brain tumor.” All of this is also Thelma’s life.

“I wrote Thelma from this place of reckoning. I wanted to explore her fight for what’s left of her autonomy just as I was beginning to consider mine.”

Thelma is now available to rent or buy on digital. It is rated PG. Viewers will feel both sadness and some joy. It is a tender, bittersweet story.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Coincidence, fate, luck, or whatever, Hannah and Josh both find themselves in an awkward position. Ashley Williams and Ryan Paevey star in this 2022 Hallmark movie about taking lemons and making the best lemonade imaginable.

Hannah (Williams) is left at the alter. Well, not exactly at the alter. But close enough. She has her dress on and is ready to step down the aisle when her fiancé informs her he does not want to get married. Frantic, she races out of the church, still dressed in her gown. 

Meanwhile, Josh is waiting at the courthouse for his fiancé ready to tie the knot when she walks up to him and tells him she doesn’t want to get married. What a crazy day for weddings.

Hannah, not knowing where to go, sits on a bench, coincidentally the same bench were Josh is sitting contemplating his situation. They discover they were both jilted at the last minute and commiserate about their mutual unfortunate (or later fortunate) situations. And Hannah was so looking forward to her honeymoon in Hawaii.

After calming down a bit, Josh talks her into going on her honeymoon alone. Why not? It’s all paid for. All the reservations have been made. All she has to do is to get on that plane. Hannah finally agrees to go but only if Josh goes on his honeymoon. Long story short, they both end up on the same flight to Oahu. And, they both end up in the same couples resort. 

Hannah, a compulsive scheduler, has her whole honeymoon scheduled with activities and restaurants. Josh is more a fly-by-his-pants sort of guy and goes with the flow. But the two decide since they are singles in a predominately couples (and honeymoon) resort, they would spend their time together. What have they got to lose? 

The movie was filmed on location in Oahu with spectacular scenery and Hawaiian music. If you have to be alone, this is the most beautiful place to be. 

Okay, so you know this is a Hallmark movie and you know Hannah and Josh will eventually fall in love and yes, get married. After all, that’s one of the reasons fans tune into these films. We all want our happily ever after and we want our movies to be feel-good stories. This one does not disappoint. 

With the beauty of Hawaii as a backdrop, the adventures of Hannah and Josh are enjoyable to watch. The characters are delightful they and make a cute couple once they get through their anger and frustration that led them to Hawaii in the first place.

So, when you need a little pick-me-up or a vacation from your everyday life, check out Two Tickets to Paradise streaming on Hallmark Movies Now.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Image credit: Crown Media

Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott once again join forces in a new film that will premiere later this fall, their tenth together for the channel. The duo (the Hallmark Princess and Hallmark Hunk) have endeared themselves to fans with their films and TV series.  

One of their movie series, the All of My Heart series of three films, is available to stream on Hallmark Movies Now. This is a great time to binge this adorable story with a fun cast that includes some goats! Yes, three, and later four adorable goats costar with the duo.

The first film, All of My Heart premiered back in 2015. It introduced Jenny (Chabert), a frustrated New York assistant caterer, to Brian (Elliott), a New York Wall Street trader who loves his job and lives for the adrenaline rush, but just got laid off due to a mistake. 

The two meet at an attorney’s office who informs them they have inherited a house together in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. What a break for Jenny who is anxious to get to the house, but Brian wants to sell it and split the profits. 

When they get to the house and Jenny is enchanted but all Brian sees is a dilapidated house. Nevertheless, Jenny talks him into buying him out over time, and turning the place into a B and B. Finally she will have her own kitchen in which to bake her delicacies. 

Unfortunately, Brian has no place to go so he sets up shop in the house and little by little begins to fix things by learning from the local hardware owner/fix-it man Tommy (Daniel Cudmore). While all this is going on Brian still intends on returning to NYC, but when his big chance comes, he is ambivalent. He is getting the hang of the laid back country life, caring for the goats (Gabby and her kids), and enjoying every minute of it. But will his old life call him back for good or will he see, once back in NYC, that being with Jenny, the goats, and the house is where his heart lies?

Two years later in 2017, Hallmark premiered the second film in the series, All of My Heart: Inn Love. The couple have finally managed to turn the run-down house into a beautiful B and B. Things are looking up for them however there still might be a NYC tug nagging at Brian. 

When things start to fall apart at the house and a storm plays havoc on the roof, their money situation is once again something to consider. While they were creating the B and B, Jenny started a pastry business first selling to the local coffee shop then expanding with the help of a distributor. These two have their hands full, and their hearts full as their love grows into an engagement.

in 2018 All of My Heart: The Wedding tied up the series with a nice little bow. With a new threat to the Inn, they might have to sell and start from scratch. Jenny and Brian have endeared themselves to the community, even Vern (Edward Aster), a crotchety old man who never thought they would make it in the country. Well, at least he thought Brian wouldn’t anyway. He calls him a “fish out of water.” But love conquered all and with the whole town pulling for them, the couple begins their life in their little Inn with plenty of friends and long-lost family. 

Binging the three films back to back is important as they play off of each other. The one thing that might annoy viewers is the house itself. In the first house Brian and Jenny couldn’t agree on the color it should be. She wanted yellow and he wanted blue. They compromised with a lovely mint green. However in the next two films the house is different and it is not green. That aspect might throw viewers in the beginning of the second film, but just disregard it. The characters are still the same, even if the house is not.

The All of My Heart series is available to stream (and binge) on Hallmark Movies Now. 

And look for Chabert and Elliott joining together again later this year for a new movie on Hallmark Channel.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

 

One of the new “Passport to Love” original films from Hallmark Channel is A Greek Recipe for Romance, starring Danielle C. Ryan and Rafael Kariotakis. The movie was filmed on location in Greece so all the spectacular scenery is real – no green screen! 

Abby (Ryan) is a can-do gal. She always comes up with a great solution for any problem that arises. When she is fired from her NYC hotel assistant managerial position, she heads to Greece to visit her mother who had moved there years earlier. 

In a fun “meet cute” moment, Abby meets Theo (Kariotakis) whose Vespa is blocking her mother’s car. 

As circumstances unwind, Abby and Theo seem to meet in various situations. When she is approached to help Theo reopen his late-mother’s restaurant, she decides this would look good on her resume so she takes the “temporary” job.

Theo’s life dream has been to open his own restaurant and his studies at the Cordon Bleu in Paris has helped prepare him and propel him toward his goal. Having grown up on the little island, he is now back and ready to open his restaurant. He wants to carry on his mother’s legacy.

Abby and Theo make a great team. His culinary expertise is unsurpassed and trust me, viewers will be calling Hallmark for a recipe book of the delicious looking delicacies he creates. 

There is one problem plaguing Theo when it comes to his restaurant. He owes a lot of back taxes, which he doesn’t have. So Abby, who always solves problems, comes up with a solution. Then they are plagued by another problem. It’s one thing after another and Abby always manages to solve whatever issues come their way. As stated earlier, she is a can-do gal!

Then, by chance, Abby discovers Theo is the son of a billionaire (think: Onassis). His father wants him to stop chasing his restaurant dream and come to work in the family business. But Theo sees the restaurant as part of the family business. After all, it was his mother’s. 

The scenery is magnificent. The movie was filmed on the island of Syros, in Athens, in the ancient city of Thorikos, and in Stamata. The ancient ruins in Greece provide some wonderful backdrops to this story, and just as the title says, there is some “romance” here, but viewers must wait for the ending for that aspect of the story.

A Greek Recipe for Romance premiered on Hallmark Channel and is available to stream on Hallmark Movies Now.  Opaaa! 

note: After watching this film you might be tempted to head to the nearest Greek restaurant.

 

Image courtesy Hallmark Channel

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

 

The new Hallmark original movie Falling Like Snowflakes kicks off the channel’s annual Christmas in July festival. Rebecca Dalton and Marcus Rosner star in this delightful story that will put a chill in your hot summer day.

Even though it is 90 degrees outside, Hallmark comes through with a cool slate of films for July. Each one brings viewers into the holiday season with plenty of interesting stories and definitely romance.

Teagan (Dalton) is a photographer who delights everyone with her images of various snowflakes. According to her there are 35 different kinds of snowflakes. She has been able to photograph 34 varieties with the illusive 12-sided flake always out of reach. 

When a rich art collector says he will buy the entire collection as well as make a sizable donation to the local community center, this makes everyone happy. The caveat is that Teagan must come up with the 35th style or the deal is off. He wants his collection to include all 35 varieties of snowflakes.

Teagan sets off into the mountains with her high school boyfriend Noah (Rosner), a widower who just moved back to town with his daughter and who has taken over Teagan’s father’s snowplow business. What a coincidence. Noah insists if Teagan is going up the mountain during one of the biggest storms in recent memory, he is going to drive her – in a snowplow. 

While the two are off on their quest to photograph the illusive 12-sided flake, they renew their old friendship and rediscover what they liked about each other. 

The images of all the snowflakes are gorgeous. It’s amazing to see the artwork displayed in this film.

Teagan is determined to capture the 35th flake, not only for her own commercial success but also for the community center that means so much to her and the town. She teaches art there and Noah’s daughter is one of her students.

The question is, will Teagan find the 12-sided flake in the middle of a big storm? Actually, there is another question. Will Teagan and Noah renew their relationship?

Come on, this is a fun Hallmark Channel film so viewers know the answers. Just like their other movies, the heart of the story is getting from point A to point B, and Teagan and Noah do not disappoint when it comes to Hallmark couples and their stories.

Falling Like Snowflakes premieres Saturday, June 29, 2024 on Hallmark Channel. And watch the channel for other original films and Christmas stories throughout July. When the temperatures are hot outside, tune into Hallmark Channel for some mid-year holiday fun.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Image Courtesy Hallmark Channel