By DAHJIA THOMAS
Arts Editor
With Christmas just around the corner, we present you with some of the top Hallmark movies to get you in the mood. Hallmark is known for producing movies that are so cheesy they’re almost borderline cringey. In retrospect, that’s what makes them so addicting to watch, full of happily ever after’s and exaggerated joy a trademark in each one.
Starting off, we have Snow Bride, a movie filled with miscommunication and betrayal tropes all wrapped up in a PG-13 bow. The main gist of the plot stems from Greta Kaine, a local reporter played by Katrina Law, following the trails of a political family. The easiest target to get all the gossip from would obviously be from Ben Tannenhill, played by Jordan Belfi, son of the Tannehill family. However, amongst all the secrecy and careful planning, Greta didn’t anticipate falling in love with the “enemy.” Due to this, she has to fight between her job, and the bonus she was promised, against her heart to love. Filled with drama and two opposite worlds with conflicting emotions, there’s a certain charm to the independent women vs. the man who has everything handed to him.
Up next we have Once Upon a Christmas Miracle, an interesting tale of a dying woman and a stranger that goes to extreme lengths to save her. Starring Aimee Teegarden as Heather Krueger, she is told by doctors that she only has a few months to live, due to a failing liver, giving her only a short amount of time to come to terms with it. Of course, there is always a way to save someone as stranger Chris Dempsey, played by Brett Dalton, offers his up to use for transplant surgery. As a token of gratitude, Heather invites him over to celebrate the holidays with her and her family, leading to a genuine friendship. As time goes on, Heather and Chris realize there’s so much more to their friendship, soon turning it into a budding romance that doesn’t end. It’s an interesting story which sounds sad at first but turns out to be a rather cute message. It helps that this was based on a true story, however unusual it may seem.
Lastly, we have The Lost Valentine, one of the favorite Hallmark movies to this day as it features beloved actor Betty White. While it’s not as cheerful as the last two, it does give us a glimpse into the love life of an elderly couple, something we’re not used to seeing in movies these days. In the movie, she plays a woman who hasn’t heard from her husband in WW2 for a long time. As she comes to terms with the unknown source of her husband’s absence, she’s approached by a reporter, played by Jennfier Love Hewitt, looking for information on her husband’s sudden disappearance. From then on, she decides it’s her duty to her lost love to figure out his whereabouts ranging from hidden clues to dealing with her depression. It’s heartwarming in a sense since she has never thought to fall in love with anyone else, her heart fully belonging to her husband for years on end. It teaches us that when you truly love someone, no one else will ever compare.
We make fun of hallmark for the clicheness of their movies, but some of them are just too perfect for the hopeless romantics out there. The drama, intimate connections, and once in a lifetime scenarios are what make them special. It gives us hope that one day, the love of our lives will change our lives for the better. So sit down, grab some hot cocoa, and enjoy the unrealisticness that is Hallmark.
