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Ghosted – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Ghosted.

Story

The story was a basic “civilian gets caught up in spy stuff” story with a few extra stupid choices.

Score: 0

Characters

Chris Evans could play anyone and be charismatic. This character was a real idiot with no concept of how relationships work. She was just as bad, but at least she had the excuse of being a secret super spy.

The villains were in desperate need of longer moustaches to twirl.

A lot of the background characters were extremely entertaining.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

They made sure to get their money’s worth with the “Taxman” jokes. The couple fighting was not quite as entertaining as it could have been, but there were some nice quips.

Did you know he wrestled in high school? If not, his dad will make sure you know.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The action scenes were extremely well shot. Stable, clean, and with a very good pacing. That last scene with the rotating restaurant was awesome.

The music was great.

Score: 1

Fun

This was a fun, if forgettable, movie. The whole family liked it, but I don’t think we’ll be rewatching anytime soon.

Score: 1

Overall

Evans and Armas are extremely charismatic leads that are working with an utterly forgettable plot. Some of the cameos and background characters are fun and the action scenes are impressive, but overall it was forgettable.

Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5

A Keller Christmas Vacation – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film A Keller Christmas Vacation.

Story

A nice fusion of European vacation movie and Christmas tropes. The family dynamic is wholesome and funny why still being believable. The story was a nice change from the usual formula.

Score: 1

Characters

Each character was flawed but lovable and despite some annoying choices everyone held their own and I never got annoyed when the movie changed focus from one sibling to another.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was cheesy but had some hints of genuine emotion. I’m not going to be quoting this one but I’m also not going to cringe.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The visuals were okay but they managed to film on location and still make everything feel like it was shot on a sound stage.

The music was unintrusive but festive.

Score: 0.5

Fun

I’m not usually a fan of family movies that have a parent declaring they’re sick but this was handled well. It was nice that they didn’t treat it as an instant death sentence instead of a long term degenerative condition.

It was light, fluffy, and well acted. Everyone enjoyed it.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a family Christmas movie with a believable family dynamic and lots of fun moments. I think this will be in our yearly rotation.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story.

Story

A sweet take on the next door neighbour as a love interest trope. They played it very low angst and with lots of humour. The overall mystery story was okay but felt too simple. Loved the reveal of who the clerk was at the end. (Although Jen called it almost right away.)

Having worked in a store, that storeroom with all the receipts was way too small.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Lots of characters are thrown at you quickly, which makes the large family/community feel more realistic (even though it’s not that big). I like that these movies aren’t centred around the football players but instead the fans. The chemistry between the leads felt realistic and cute.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The banter and jokes were well done and most of the dialogue was great.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The visuals were basic but well done.

The music was okay.

Score: 0.5

Fun

I was thrown by the mix of accents and the idea that a store would keep receipts from decades past but overall I enjoyed this. The rest of the family liked the low angst feel and cute couple.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a Hallmark romance that celebrates both the holidays and the football fans equally. There’s love and family in both the love story and the crafting of the film.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

A Newport Christmas – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film A Newport Christmas.

Story

I like the fantasy aspects of it, and despite being utterly predictable for the time travel, it was a fun story overall. I found it interesting and a little odd that things disappeared but no one’s memories of those things disappeared.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The main character and love interest were a fun “light” version of grumpy/sunshine. I find the age and timeline a little off and a little sanitized, but they were fun and had chemistry.

I was a little annoyed that they introduced a “genre savvy” character and didn’t use him most of the movie.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was mostly good; cheesy with some very sweet moments.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The visuals were good but felt a little too set-like. At times, everything felt like a filmed play.

The music was lovely.

Score: 0.5

Fun

Other than guessing the ending when reading the movie description, I really enjoyed the movie. The rest of the family including the 9yo also loved it. The 6yo was bored during some of the longer talking sequences.

Score: 1

Overall

A nice addition to the Christmas fantasies from Hallmark. The acting is decent and the time travel gimmick doesn’t get in the way of the love story.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Jingle Bell Heist – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Jingle Bell Heist.

Story

They manage to meld the formula of a heist movie with the heart of a Christmas romance. It was happy, sad, stressful, twisty, and ends happily.

Score: 1

Characters

The two main characters could have been extremely bland but the actors were amazing and elevated them into real, feeling people.

Score: 1

Dialogue

The dialogue was good, especially when the two main characters were talking with each other, but there were times when they are talking about the heist where it felt very unnatural on the exposition.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie had very muted colours but overall was still pretty and well shot.

The music was excellent, melding the Christmas songs with more dramatic score.

Score: 1

Fun

We guessed several of the twists before they happened but didn’t feel cheated by it. Everyone liked it. Not sure it’ll become a yearly rewatch but it was good.

Score: 1

Overall

A fun and well thought-out combination of rom-com and heist movie set at Christmas. The actors are phenomenal and the story will keep you guessing.

Final Score: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Buried at C – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Buried at C.

Story

The story is fairly well constructed but had way too many moving parts and didn’t have the screentime to give them proper attention.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Too many characters with too little time for their stories. The brother added a nice emotional anchor but once he knew her secret, he sort of faded into the background. There were hints that he and the Siobhan were going to have a romance subplot but nothing happened, a lot like the love triangle.

The main character and the ghost was great and I liked the cast of suspects.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The dialogue was witty, heartwarming, and a lot of fun.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

Once again, the countryside and locations are spectacular. The camera angles and cinematography are excellent.

The music was great and the father’s song was a nice touch.

Score: 1

Fun

This was another cozy and fun mystery. The characters are interesting and the banter is great. The whole family liked this one.

Score: 1

Overall

Sequels don’t always need to get bigger and more intense. This tries but falls a little short. However, the banter and mystery are solid and it’s a fun watch.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5

Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2023 film Haunted Harmony Mysteries: Murder in G Major.

Story

The mystery was challenging enough to be fun and the rest of the story was engaging. Adding ghosts added an extra fun element.

Score: 1

Characters

Cozy stories sink or swim based on their characters and setting. The main character and the ghost had excellent banter and everyone in the town was a character I’d like to know more about. I found it was an interesting twist, especially for a Hallmark movie, to leave the love triangle unresolved.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Mostly good dialogue, lots of great banter and charming small town elements.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The town and scenery were practically another character and they were lovely. The cinematography was solid, the special effects subtle, and the locations lovely.

The music was a mix of traditional and vaguely Irish background music and it added to the cozy feel.

Score: 1

Fun

The movie felt like watching Murder, She Wrote. It was calm and character driven. I love the more action packed mysteries, but this type needs to make a comeback. Everyone in the family loved it.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a wonderful cozy mystery with a slight supernatural twist. It’s well written with solid characters, and a gorgeous location. If you like cozy mysteries, you’ll love this.

Final Score: 5 Stars out of 5*

*A 5 star review doesn’t mean the movie was perfect nor that it is perfect for everyone but it is a movie I believe is as close to perfect as possible.

The Last Mimzy – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2007 film The Last Mimzy.

Story

A great adaptation of the short story, if only in spirit. It unfortunately relies a lot on the “parents don’t believe” trope which I hate.

Score: 0.5

Characters

The parents read like a dynamic from movies in the 70’s or 80’s. The mom is all over the place and the dad is an ass. I’m glad that they were supportive after they saw proof but they were by far the worst part of the movie.

The kids were fantastic and I loved the teacher and his wife.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

The kids’ dialogue felt well done but some of the spiritual stuff was a little meh and the science overly simple.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The movie held up in the way it was shot and its special effects. It relied a lot on the kids interacting with the effects and it really worked.

The music was fantastic and I loved it even if I recognized some shades of Lord of the Rings.

Score: 1

Fun

The 9yo wasn’t impressed but the 6yo loved it. The adults all enjoyed it and so did I.

Score: 1

Overall

A fun science fiction with a great message and some adorable kids.

Final Score: 3.5 Stars out of 5

Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical – JenEric Movie Review

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Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical.

Story

There’s nothing new or special here except that the writers perfectly captured the spirit of Peanuts.

Score: 0.5

Characters

Each character was exactly as I expected. Some of the voices weren’t perfect but it really shows how the actors and the writers love the source material.

Score: 1

Dialogue

Cute, wholesome, and clever; just like the rest of the shows and comics.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The animation was thankfully 2D and fairly well done. There’s a warmth missing that only comes from traditional animation but it’s still lovely.

The music was cute but utterly forgettable.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This gets massive nostalgia points from me. The rest of the family loved it.

Score: 1

Overall

A faithful and entertaining addition to the Peanuts catalogue. Made with love and lots of heart.

Final Score: 4 Stars out of 5