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Reviews
Sense & Sensibility (2024)
Wanted to like it but it was boring and had odd pacing
I wanted to like this. I liked the diverse cast a la Bridgerton. Seemed like a fresh new take. However, I felt a total lack of chemistry between the 2 leads until the very end. Seemed like a big age gap or maturity gap to me; the power imbalance felt awkward to watch. I am not a Jane Austin lover so I'm not sure what the age gap is like in the book, but if you're going to try something new with the diverse casting, why not make it more to today's standards where we recognize the problems with power imbalances? The middle sister also seemed much too young to be getting married; again, I realize the original is from a different time, but if we are mixing things up, why not adjust that a bit too? I honestly tuned out about 20 minutes in and just kept it on in the background - it was that boring. The script seemed clunky and lame. I've seen so many better Hallmark movies.
Noel Next Door (2022)
Sweetly funny Hallmark movie that actually has a heart!
This Hallmark movie actually has a heart! The tough situations are realistic - guy whose wife left him when he had a stroke; woman whose husband cheated on her; preteen who is struggling with the changes in his life. I'm so tired of the superficial holiday movies that are all the same. This was a refreshingly real change of pace. Of course, it's Hallmark, so it's cheesy, but I really appreciate the portrayal of a disability and inclusion of some mild grittiness. Also, kudos to Hallmark for poking fun at flat-earthers/science deniers - didn't expect that! The movie did a great job being sweetly funny. Overall, I am quite impressed and this will be a repeat watch each year.