Chateau Christmas (2020)

Like world renowned pianist Margot Hammond (Merritt Patterson), Chateau Christmas is technically competent but lacking in passion. The movie features a serviceable plot and likable characters, but nothing about it sticks. I prefer it when arts-adjacent films showcase whatever it is that defines their characters, whether that’s music or dance or something else, yet it’s rarely the case with Hallmark movies (A Nutcracker Christmas excepting). Thus a movie like this one, about a pianist and cellist who barely spend time playing, is almost indistinguishable from the many others coming down the holiday pipeline.

Margot and her ex-boyfriend, Jackson (Luke Macfarlane), are both pleasant, happy-go-lucky types. They encounter some obstacles but none that really shake their resolve or threaten to upend their goal of holding a Christmas concert. Both meet unexpectedly at a fancy pants ski lodge (aka the Fairmont Chateau Whistler) about a week before Christmas; Margot arrives to spend the holidays with her sister when her original plans fall through, and Jackson reluctantly agrees to rescue their college friend and the chateau’s PR guy, Adam (Jesse Hutch), from impending disaster. After multiple last-minute withdrawals threaten a sold-out holiday concert, Jackson has to cobble together a musical performance for the hotel’s guests. He should be working on other things, like securing the chairmanship of the music department at his college, but that’s not a movie we want to watch.

As it turns out, this one isn’t all that exciting either. Margot, in keeping with the Christmas spirit, decides to help out as the featured performer but thinks it may not be enough. She’s still sore from a bad review and, her confidence shaken, would rather other musicians share in the program. So, with just over a week to go and little regard for scheduled practice time, she and Jackson try to coax the popular Lafayette Quartet out of retirement, a bold and near impossible task given that the group broke up decades ago.

The parallels between Margot and Jackson and quartet members Sam and Sarah give shape to the story. Both couples buckle under competing desires, that of remaining together or of pursuing a globetrotting career. For Margot, giving up the opportunity to play in concert halls around the world was unimaginable. Jackson, meanwhile, couldn’t see himself parting from a quieter life in the local music scene. Had the movie focused more on these two couples, we might have gotten a better exploration of these relationships and how time changes one’s priorities. Instead, the main journey is the wild goose chase across Colorado and the final sprint to the Christmas concert. There’s too much going on, and the story hardly has a chance to breathe. Patterson and Macfarlane don’t help. I love them in certain films, but their sunny disposition makes their characters’ anxieties seem almost trite. I don’t feel drawn into either Margot or Jackson’s interior life and don’t really care what happens to them outside of pulling off a successful concert.

Released: 2020
Dir: Michael Robinson
Writer: Nicole Baxter, S.W. Sessions
Cast: Merritt Patterson, Luke Macfarlane, Jesse Hutch, Hrothgar Matthews, Suki Kaiser, Bobby Stewart, Julia Benson, Jessica Steen, Darien Martin, Alix West Lefler
Time: 84 min
Lang: English
Country: United States
Network: Hallmark Channel
Reviewed: 2020

Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death (2020)

Picture Perfect Mysteries pulled off a whopper of a crime last time, so I expected big things from this third movie. Exit Stage Death is a more conventional whodunit though in a series that nevertheless proves itself to be the plucky Hallmark Mysteries upstart. The story begins with a murder in the parlor, not an actual murder but a play of that name by famed writer Neil Kahn (Willie Aames). He’s staging it in Willow Haven in preparation for a Broadway transfer, which is great news for the thespian of our crew, Maya (Sunita Prasad) who plays Maid #3, her biggest part to date. Best friend Allie Adams (Alexis Penavega) attends the opening night performance, but murder has an unfortunate way of following the photographer, and this time, she’s witness to a death in the costume room. Allie finds lead actress Cassandra (Pauline Egan) strangled just minutes after curtains up, putting the whole production in jeopardy.

Where there’s death and Allie, there’s also Sam Acosta (Carlos Penavega), and for once, the reticent detective welcomes help on the case. Allie uses her connections with the cast and journalist Daniel (Jesse Moss) to help him figure out who would want to kill Cassandra. Everyone involved in the play is immediately suspect, with the probable exception of stage manager Kenny (Nelson Wong), who’s too jumpy about actors hitting their marks to be engaged in some side murder. Allie uncovers troubling behavior from top to bottom, starting with Neil himself, who is experiencing financial difficulties after a creative dry spell. Cassandra’s costar, Kevin Trudeau (Brendon Zub), can’t account for all of his whereabouts, and understudy Laura (Hannah Levien) makes no secret about her desire to land the lead part. Even bit player Roger Giles (Matt Mazur) is caught sneaking around backstage like a guilty man while Neil’s wife, Sarah (April Telek), can’t manage her own costume room.

The case is not as straightforward as it seems, and the investigation eventually leads to people and problems outside the company. Allie and Sam dig into a series of robberies, encountering a pool-playing tough and uncovering one or two bad romances along the way. The plot feels overstuffed at times and I wonder if we really needed the whole Tony Mac bit in there, but at least one person benefits from the action. Daniel, who appears as a minor character in the previous movie, gets more screen time here and develops a stronger partnership with Allie. Even if he isn’t a potential love interest, his expanded role might force Sam to be more proactive with his affections.

In addition to his character, Maya is also standout. Prasad consistently delivers as the clueless and self-absorbed but ultimately kind-hearted friend. My favorite scene, and also the most relatable, takes place during a cast gathering when she stuffs plates of hors d’oeuvres in her handbag, oblivious to social judgment because girl just wants some mini quiches. That strikes me as a very Maya move, along with accidentally delaying the investigation because she can’t be bothered to read parts of the script that don’t involve her. It’s a sign that the show and its characters are finding their groove, though the part of Allie’s assistant, Noah (Trezzo Mahoro), could use more definition. I also love seeing Brendon Zub, though every time he appears in the guest cast I’m reminded that he should be playing the lead and not second fiddle. The Penavegas remain the heart of the show though, and they display some more of that smoldering chemistry that separate this crime-solving pair from all the others. Because while any couple can solve a murder, only Allie and Sam can make choosing paint colors seem romantic.

**Spoilers at end of post

Released: 2020
Dir: Ron Oliver
Writer: Marcy Holland
Cast: Alexa Penavega, Carlos Penavega, Sunita Prasad, Trezzo Mahoro, Paul McGillion, Marci T. House, Jesse Moss, April Telek, Willie Aames, Hannah Levien, Matt Mazur, Fiona Vroom, Nelson Wong, Brendon Zub, Dustin MacDougall, Daniel Bacon, Pauline Egan, Philip Prajoux, Darcy Laurie
Time: 87 min
Lang: English
Country: United States
Network: Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
Reviewed: 2020

** SPOILERS **

Spoilers: The “least likely suspect is the suspect” rule holds up, and, predictably, Sarah proves to be the killer with an assist from Neil. She too notices her husband’s fondness for his lead actor and confronts Cassandra on opening night. When the latter denies an affair, Sarah kills her with the constable’s belt. After Sarah learns that Allie is a potential witness, she confesses all to Neil, who tries to do right by his loyal wife and clean up her mess. Allie recognizes Neil as her attacker by the scratch marks on his arm when they are cleaning up the set. I swear, Buddy Lembeck.

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Reunited and It Feels So Deadly (2020)

“Reunited and it feels so deadly” could also describe how I feel about watching this latest Aurora Teagarden Mystery. After a prolonged COVID dry spell without new movies, I’m just happy to be solving fake crimes again on a Sunday night. The series returns in fine form, which is to say it’s an undemanding guessing game with a handful of colorful personalities and Candace Cameron Bure. The show has remained consistent over fourteen movies, and while I like other mysteries better, I’m too invested in this Aurora Teagarden universe to stop watching.

The latest chapter begins with a blast from, or rather to, the past. Ro (Cameron Bure) and her best friend, Sally (Lexa Doig), are looking forward to a memorable night out at their high school reunion. They arrive to see that the campus big shots haven’t shown much growth. Former lovers and homecoming king and queen Jack (Toby Levins) and Cassie (Kate Isaac) draw attention with an interaction that suggests they’re not through as a couple. This puts Jack’s wife, Amy (Tegan Moss), in a hot rage. Coach Caldwell (Jeffrey Joseph) from the football team also decides to light into his star player over a lawsuit regarding the latter’s failed fitness company. When Jack turns up dead, stabbed and floating face-down in the swimming pool, everyone is shocked but not all that surprised.

The case is a snappy one, and new clues constantly shift suspicion from one suspect to another to yet another. Everyone is sympathetic in some way and has a good reason not to kill Jack. Isaac and Moss in particular are attuned to the complexities of their characters, and their nuanced performances make it harder to determine whether their love for Jack is so deep that they’d kill for it.

Meanwhile on the romance front, we’ve moved to phase two of Ro and Nick’s (Niall Matter) relationship. The lovebirds have yet to set a wedding date, which may be for the better because after this reunion, they might want to reconsider that commitment. Ro’s high school boyfriend, Parker (Matthew MacCaull), is in attendance, revealing his transformation from nerd to star of Silicon Valley. Surely her nostalgia won’t get the better of her, right?

There’s rarely a dull moment when it comes to the life of Aurora Teagarden, and I didn’t realize how much I missed her and the rest of her crew until I had to miss them. Though I’m not a biggest fan of CCB’s acting, even I’ll admit she’s a good fit for this role and sets the cheesy, faux serious tone that makes the series so enjoyable. While it may not provide much in terms of character depth – Sally and Arthur (Peter Benson) are as dopey as ever – it is entertaining, and that’s all that I need these days.

**Spoilers at end of post

Released: 2020
Dir: Martin Wood
Writer: Teena Booth
Cast: Candace Cameron Bure, Niall Matter, Marilu Henner, Lexa Doig, Peter Benson, Miranda Frigon, Dylan Sloan, Ellie Harvie, Catherine Lough Haggquist, Cole Vigue, Matthew MacCaull, Jeff Joseph, Kate Isaac, Toby Levins, Tegan Moss, Iris Quinn, Brad Harder
Time: 87 min
Lang: English
Country: United States
Network: Hallmark Movies and Mysteries
Reviewed: 2020

** SPOILERS **

Spoilers: Regular Hallmark mystery watchers will easily identify the killer as Parker, played by Hailey Dean regular Matthew MacCaull. Ro’s sheepish former love interest, he accidentally killed Jack during a confrontation about another accidental death. Parker neglected to tell police that he had hit someone while driving Jack home from the bachelor party. With Jack’s encouragement, he left the scene that night thinking nothing serious had happened when in fact someone had died. Jack started blackmailing Parker, until the latter decided he had had enough. Parker was the one arguing with Jack outside the hotel and had brought a knife to be extra threatening, but the ever confident Jack was not deterred. Parker almost gets away with the crime except that Ro remembers that Parker used to keep a spare key on top of his doorway when she went over to his place to study. She searches the ledge of the alcove where Jack was murdered, and sure enough, the knife is hidden under some pots. Also, Ro and Nick decide to set a wedding date.