toncincin Reviews

The Soulmate Search (2023 TV Movie)

Terrible acting

[1/10 · 26 February 2024]

I struggled through this one. The acting was sub-par. The cinematography was horrible (felt like I was watching a home movie). The storyline was OK. However, I never could figure out why the friend with the boyfriend was thrown in there. It had NOTHING to do with the story. The actress playing the role was awful. Overacting - i wanted to slap that fake smile off her face. If I hadn't been in bed - before falling asleep - I probably would have turned it off . But it was so boring and bad - it was a good one to watch while relaxing before sleep. I've seen both if the leads in other movies - and they weren't this bad. I guess it has to do with what they were given to work with. SUCH IS THE CASE WITH MOST REEL ONE PRODUCTIONS ...

Extended Family (2023–2024)

Canned laughter NOPE

[2/10 · 3 January 2024]

Why the networks seem to think they need to tell us when to laugh is beyond me. WE KNOW WHEN TO LAUGH. We laugh when something is funny. This is not a funny show. I really like Donald Faison. I think Abigail Spencer is beautiful. Jon Cryer is really annoying. He was annoying in Two and a Half Men - but he played welled against Charlie Sheen. Well ... Charlie isn't here to raise him up. This show might have worked better ... without the laugh track. Let us decide what is funny. BUT I think I've decided it isn't funny at all. It's just plain stupid. It insults my intelligence. The laugh track insults my intelligence. The writers insult my intelligence. ENOUGH ...

Two stars ONLY for Donald Faison and Abigail Spencet ...

Twas the Text Before Christmas (2023 TV Movie)

BOOOOORRRRRRIIIINNNGGG

[2/10 · 28 October 2023]

Merritt Patterson has absolutely no depth as an actor. I've seen many of her movies (on GAC and Hallmark). She is EXACTLY the same in every single one of them. Smiling and reciting her lines with an occasional giggle. Just not a fan. The only reason I watched this was because Trevor Donovan was in it. There's absolutely no connection between the two of them in this movie. Perhaps because they really weren't given the time on-screen together. One would think since they'd done a movie together before - they'd connect better.

The decorations! Geez ... NO ONE DECORATES LIKE THIS! The fall movies were the same. Completely over the top. Please be more realistic! AND the constant background music! GIVE IT A REST... it's quite distracting and ridiculous.

GAF needs to step up their game and put out movies that actually work. The quality in production and scripts is pretty bad ...

Country Hearts (2023 TV Movie)

Um ... just decide on what the movie is supposed to be about!

[4/10 · 28 October 2023]

A lot of unnecessary fluff. A lover comes back to town - and the two kind of reject each other. The male bandmate has a crush on the lead singer and she has no clue. A barn burns down and with it goes "semen samples" for breeding. A wife wants to sing and hubby is focused on the winery ... with lots of underlying deception. Although wifey isn't totally 100% on board. Dad's wife is a country performer who is seldom home. The ranch has a bunch of overdue bills. The only issue that was sort of resolved was going to Nashville for a recording contract. The star comes home - something that wasn't even addressed for most of the movie. The dad gets a BIG check - FOR WHAT? It's never explained. Just too many stories going on with no resolution. Would be better as a series (although it does look like there's a Christmas movie coming...) This seemed like a pilot for a TV show. Hey ... they should call it as it is. BUT as a standalone movie - just doesn't work.

The Irrational: Dead Woman Walking (2023) Season 1, Episode 2

Ummmm ...

[6/10 · 4 October 2023]

This episode was a ripoff from Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Season 6, Episode 16. In that story, Josh was a journalist and was poisoned with polonium. Josh was friends with Mike Logan from long ago. Josh contacts Logan and tells him the same thing "I want to report a murder - MINE." The writers didn't even change the line in this script! Same line used in this episode. Why oh why can't they come up with something different? Do they think the viewers won't remember? With L&O: CI reruns running on several different networks (as well as streaming on various platforms) - a lot of people WILL remember the episode! It's too bad - Jesse L Martin is a good actor ... and likable. Give him better stories and scripts - that aren't directly ripped off from another series.

Fire Country (2022– )

CBS SUCKS

[2/10 · 3 June 2023]

UPDATE AFTER SEASON 1 FINALE We are done. This was the worst! Bode accepts responsibility for a FRIEND. WHAT? After defending himself over and over. The writers are horrible. The show is horrible. We won't be watching Season 2. (BTW-this show lucked out with its tine slot. It wouldn't have survived in a prime slot...) --- This show is ridiculous. The acting is bad. The stories are stupid. Bode is always the hero. Say what? Total crap. The mother/fire chief is the worst. She cannot act. Every scene she is in is forced - and not believable. I am so over it. Max Thieriot was good on Seal Team - but his character is totally one dimensional. He isn't strong enough to carry a series. His character is not good. His acting is not good. The stories are not good. On Seal Team, he had support from others. Not the case here...

SOOOOOO - CBS - please explain how you cancel a quality show like East New York and renew this one? East New York had great storylines, good acting ... and was intelligent.

Fire Country represents the dumbing down of America.. 100%!

The Love Club: Tara's Tune (2023) Season 1, Episode 4

Kind of silly ...

[5/10 · 31 May 2023]

This is not a Hallmark production - it's something made and aired in Canada back in March. Evidently, Hallmark gained the rights to it. Guess they didn't want to fill the gap in May between Spring and Summer themed movies.

The premise of this one is silly. The apparently successful heroine wants to make her mother happy - so she fakes relationships. The icing on the cake is faking a wedding ... to make her mom happy? WHAT THE HECK! Why does she care so much about what her mother thinks? It is ridiculous - she's a grown woman! Her friends are over the top.

Acting is very underwhelming - much like the other three movies. Hallmark should be more discriminatory in the movies they purchase the rights to! Not impressed...

A Million Little Things: One Big Thing (2023) Season 5, Episode 13

Beautiful

[10/10 · 30 May 2023]

The writers did a fantastic job dealing with death. The friendships - old and new - were highlighted in such a caring manner. We held off watching it until three weeks after it aired - well ... because we didn't really want to "deal with it." We knew Gary was going to die. We even knew how. It was handled in such a beautiful way. Highlighting the old friendships - Jon, Rome, Eddy, and Gary. The new friendships. The kids friendships. The video Gary made for his son's 16th birthday. Yes ... the episode was very sad, but at the same time it was happy. Friends remembering their "leader" and "brother." We, the viewers, couldn't ask for a better series ending. HOPE! Hope is alive ...

9-1-1: Lone Star: Best of Men (2023) Season 4, Episode 17

OH PULEEZ ...

[1/10 · 25 May 2023]

We're going to get upset about something that happened.in 1918 ... give me a break! The times were different then. Just continue to divide the people. Yes ... the Porvenir Massacre was a horrific event...but it's 2023. Continuing to bring this up is ridiculous.

So ... now onto the farher taking care of the son! What the heck is wrong with the writers??? There's no way the son would be released into the 100% care of the father. He is not trained - which is required to take care of a paraplegic. If the father insists, in real life, the hospital would get an injunction to stop it from happening. AND how silly - he's going to quit his job to take care of him? What about his baby daughter?

The writing on this show is becoming deplorable...

9-1-1: Lone Star: Double Trouble (2023) Season 4, Episode 11

Stupid dream sequence

[4/10 · 6 April 2023]

This show is really starting to get ridiculous. The dream sequence in this episode was beyond stupid. We ended up fast-forwarding through it. The story could have been told without the "filler."

Ridiculousness! Like Owen being asked to go undercover for the FBI. That doesn't happen! They don't just pick people off the street to go undercover. Just kind of over the silly storylines.

Well - I've said all I need to - but IMDB requires 600 characters in a review. I realize they want reviews with some "meat" Unfortunately - normal people can convey their thoughts in 300 characters. Good job IMDB.

Love in the Maldives (2023 TV Movie)

Beautiful scenery ... BUT

[5/10 · 2 April 2023]

The story was kind of booooooring. The acting was meh. Jocelyn Hudon and her real life husband, Jake Manley. Had decent chemistry on-screen chemistry. Not sure I understand his frosted hair. It was a little over the top. The 80s is calling him.

DIVING: They go "diving" - she says she's scuba certified (and I assume he is too) ... and yet, they go "diving" with no oxygen tanks - only mask and snorkel. Now ... that would be snorkeling - not scuba diving. No - they are not tankless scuba diving - they had no tube connecting them to anything. They could be "free diving" - but I doubt that's what they want us to believe since it's never mentioned.

I do appreciate that they have an older single woman traveling alone. That was a nice touch. Gave a different perspective on traveling.

All-in-all - I watched it from start to finish. It was just OK - probably will not watch again. The scenery warrants my 5 rating ... the rest of the story/acting was a 1-2.

Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance (2023 TV Movie)

Glacier National Park?

[5/10 · 31 January 2023]

NOT! Why not just call it "Love in British Columbia" ??? The people at Hallmark think we're all stupid. Glacier doesn't have any formal ski resorts within its boundaries. Cross-country - yes. BUT no chairlifts for sure. So over Hallmark using places that don't even resemble the actual location. Another example is in The Christmas Train - which shows the actors gazing at the beautiful, rugged peaks outside La Junta, CO - which is on the eastern plains of Colorado at least 200 miles from any kind of mountain - and nothing rugged as shown.

So let's talk actors: Ashley Newbrough is a mediocre actor in every sense of the word. I have not seen a single movie with her in it that's she been good OR believable. AND PLEASE! No one goes skiing in full makeup INCLUDING fake lashes and lipstick. COME ON! Stephen Huszar was OK. Just passable. The young lady playing his daughter was delightful - she lit up the screen in every scene she was in.

UNNECESSARY and UNFINISHED storylines: Teagan Moss is the sister. She and her husband have been going through IVF. She takes a pregnancy test and it's negative. She's devastated - AND YET - the next day she's very chipper - hot tubbing and playing in the snow with the daughter. It's NEVER mentioned again. What was the point? AND her sister (Newbrough) never asks her about it? NEVER!!! Then there's the "nemesis woman." She obviously has the hots for Huzsar's character...and seems miffed he's not interested - but that storyline too is never addressed after she huffs out of the party. What was the point there? Totally unnecessary.

We also have the confrontation between Newbrough and Huzsar about her avalanche software. They never really discussed it in depth - but he won't support it - so she gets angry and decides to go home. OOPS. The airport is closed due to snow. So ... she and Huzsar's friend use it and freak out because they are on a search and rescue operation - and HORRORS ... there's avalanche activity and no one knew it without her program. After JUST ONE use - he's sold and asks her to stay.

One of the most contrived, silly storylines ever. Thank goodness they were all safe ... but still nothing on the sister's IVF thing.

Overall - I give it a 5 - for the daughter and the scenery.

Night Court (2023– )

Has potential ... BUT -

[3/10 · 18 January 2023]

Lose the laugh track! You insult our intelligence telling us WHEN to laugh and WHAT to laugh at. If the show is funny - we watchers know WHEN to laugh. Do it in front of a live audience if you want to include laughter or applause.

It does have potential ... it's quirky like the original. Nice to see "Dan Fielding" back. He's still a lovable ass. The other characters are quirky too. Melissa Rauch is great (and no Bernadette voice to be found - thank goodness.

Lose the laugh-track and it will improve 70%. Put it in front of a studio audience and we'll be at 100%. Unfortunately with the laugh track - it's ruined.

We'll watch a couple more - but we're having trouble getting past the fake, LOUD, laughter ...

Undercover Holiday (2022 TV Movie)

Boring

[3/10 · 7 December 2022]

I normally like Stephen Huszar on Hallmark. NOT THIS ONE. He is totally miscast. Noemi Gonzalez is unbelievable in this role. No chemistry at all. I am sitting here struggling to get through the movie. There was just a scene where she's sitting at the piano with her grandmother - and she's singing. Totally flat and unpleasant to listen to. She's pleasant enough to watch - and I am sure paired with the correct male lead - she'd be much better.

The supporting cast is just OK. Her "sister-in-law" is about to give birth - but just stands there rubbing her belly and smiling. Clue for the writers/director - most pregnant woman don't stand there rubbing their swollen bellies CONSTANTLY.

Overall - this movie was not good at all.

Infamously in Love (2022 TV Movie)

So bad ...

[1/10 · 10 October 2022]

I never really expect much from movies airing on UpTV - but this one is the low-of-the-lows. The acting - if we can call it that - is deplorable. The lead actress is very pretty - but she cannot act her way out of a paper bag. The lead male - while more believable - is only a step above. It's like they all are simply reading their lines. Just uncomfortable. I tried to watch it before bedtime - talk about making me want to go to sleep. I resorted to finishing it while doing sone cross-stitch. Another one to have on if you just need some background noise. It was just AWFUL. UpTV needs to do better.

So Help Me Todd (2022–2024)

Finally!

[10/10 · 30 September 2022]

A great vehicle for Skylar Astin! Loved him in the Pitch Perfect movies and on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. Nice to see him in a non-musical role. He's got the talent - for sure. Such a diverse guy.

As for his "mom" - Marcia Gay Hardin ... have loved her in almost anything she's done. It's fun to see her in this type of role. (SOOOOO happy Geena Davis dropped out - Hardin is a far better match for this show.) She's great playing the "straight-arrow!"

Hopefully the quality continues. The pilot was hysterical! Fun. Frolicking. Suspense. Family dynamics! A great start.

As a side note -- It was nice seeing Andrea Brooks in a role outside of Hallmark!

A Feeling of Home (2019 TV Movie)

Unbelievably bad

[2/10 · 14 September 2022]

We're supposed to believe the lead is from Texas? Might have been more believable if she'd at least tried to cover up her obvious LA accent. She's doing a New England podcast? Might have been more believable if she'd at least tried to cover up her obvious LA accent. Bad premise. Bad acting. AND poor Robby Benson - this was just a bad vehicle for him ...

The acting is all around BAAAAAAD. Johnna Walsh is not a very good actor... never have I seen her in a good movie. Mediocre at best.

AND who made the decision to film this movie in Vancouver BC? Who on earth thought BC looked ANYTHING like Texas? Just shaking my head on this one.

Hallmark missed the mark on this one. It's more like an UpTV movie.

Unthinkably Good Things (2022)

A little too scattered ...

[3/10 · 7 September 2022]

So - I've reviewed this a couple of times - and my review never gets posted.

I wanted to like this movie. The concept seemed fun. All about friendship - longterm friendships. Trusting each other. Having fun together ... sounds fun!

Well - in some respects it was. The friendships were genuine. The problems friends have were real. The resolutions - a little farfetched ... but acceptable.

I felt there was WAY too much stuff going on. Trying to follow what was going on with each was confusing. (The Wedding Veil trilogy did it better - focusing on one friend at a time - but still playing on the friendships.) I was having trouble following what each of the women were involved doing and if/how it affected the other friends.

Also - seemed more suited to BET than Hallmark. Just my opinion ...

Love, Bubbles & Crystal Cove (2021 TV Movie)

It's NOT HALLMARK

[3/10 · 6 September 2022]

It's a Reel One Entertainment movie. They produce a lot of UpTV movies. Now for the movie...

Stephanie Bennett has a nice smile. She smiles too much. Her friend Zoe smiles too much. The mother has the personality of a wet wash rag.

Jesse Hutch has good chemistry with most of his leading ladies. He smiles too much. His smile is creepy.

When Stephanie Bennett and Jesse Hutch smile at each other, it's creepy.

The plot of the movie is boilerplate. Big company tries to put small shop out of business. Love prevails. It's creepy.

The scenery is nice though. They go on a hike - she's in heels. Yeah right.

He's working from his brother's apartment in a three-piece suit. Yeah right.

I watch this movie and can't believe I did. Three stars is for the scenery...

Alex Vs. America (2022– )

Gotten predictable

[3/10 · 1 September 2022]

We started watching and it seemed like a fun show. After seeing several of them (all of S1 and now into S2), it's increasingly obvious the show us fixed. Alex rarely loses - IMPOSSIBLE. She is apparently a great chef - but many of the guest chefs are better. Watching the pastry episode - three classically trained pastry chefs ... and she beats all of them. No flipping way - sorry. We're done watching. We'll find something else ... FoodNetwork - give up on the fixed competition shows. They're getting old. FN needs to get back to its roots and.

........................................................................

United States of Tara (2009–2011)

Amazing show

[9/10 · 12 August 2022]

We recently found this show on Showtime - and wow. It's hard to stop watching. Good thing it's summer and very little is on TV. We watch 2-3 every night - and have trouble not continuing on. Gotta sleep LOL. Toni Collette is amazing - she is totally believable as she transitions from personality to personality. John Corbett is great as the long-suffering husband. AND the kids! SUCH A WONDERFULLY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY. Hate that there's only three seasons...

Password (2022– )

So ... we watch two episodes

[3/10 · 12 August 2022]

AND we're done. Jimmy Fallon might be producing the show - but he does not need to be in EVERY episode. His over the top reactions are ridiculous. Keke Palmer is loud and obnoxious. The set looks like it was recycled from Who Wants to be. Millionaire. It's sad - because as a kid we watched Password with Allan Ludden and Betty White all the time. It wasn't loud and obnoxious. AND whoever the due is saying the password - lose the silly "mysterious" voice. It's not necessary. SO ... we prefer to remember the old show. It had class.

Abbott Elementary (2021– )

Entertaining!

[10/10 · 21 July 2022]

We just discovered this show on Hulu. Not sure how we missed it before (on ABC). It is such a great show. Love the teacher reactions. They are soot on. We will be watching season 2z.

The Great Food Truck Race (2010– )

Show is do rigged ...

[3/10 · 19 July 2022]

Season 15 with the drag queen. RIDICULOUS. AND they keep being moved on! Their food was horrible the first episode - they should have gone home then. Then down the road - they park where there was no business ... along comes Tyler telling them WHERE to move to get business. Nope. That's playing favorites ... and giving a team recommendations that are not fair. It up to the food truck participants to find a good parking spot. So rigged in favor of the drag queens. Pretty much done with this show.

A Christmas Star (2021 TV Movie)

It's OK

[5/10 · 5 July 2022]

Kind of dragged ... my only question is - she wanted the town to turn off tge Christmas lughts. BUT even after they'd supposedly turned off the light s- there were a bunch of them still in. INCLUDING all the lights at the cabin (on the cabin, on the trees). I never knew that meteors picked and chose which lights to ignore. That bothered me. Also, Sara Canning isn't very believable in this movie (or really anything I've seen her in)...