Real Murders: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2015)

Wonderful character development!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The second film in the Aurora Teagarden film series, based on the first book. I liked it better than the previous one. That film was a little simpler, like everything happened in a small circle of setting. In this, there's no a major leap, but slightly extended, either it be characters or the story that takes us to the places. Lived up to the expectation, but as I always say, for the television standards and in particular keeping in mind the women audience. Because Hallmark might be exploring the crime related themes lately, but it always remains a women's favourite channel.It was just a second film, but as I observed in these two, I think showing a blurred very brief crime event at the opening is its trademark. In this tale, the killing follows a pattern. The pattern of old murders, mostly from Europe. A woman got murdered at the beginning and then as usual Aurora jumps in to investigate on her own, despite warnings from the cops not to involve. It seems this time her reporter friend is on her side. Not much helpful in solving the crime, but on the reverse side, it's Aurora, whose tip off impacts her from a possible danger.What major change I unexpected was the romance part. I don't know what happened to that church guy she was dating, but now it's with a mystery novelist, who's also a temp university professor called Robin Daniels. They together do all the latest case related work, since it could be helpful for his future novels. The regular monthly 'Real Murders Club' members meet up and so that's where the question begins that the killer could be one of the members who just recreating the group's case study. That leaves out strangers involving in this matter. But who is it and why he/she's doing it are the remaining narration to unfold.❝Is she always two steps ahead of everybody else?❞They had retained the same director for this film as well. I think he did well. I don't recognise Candance Cameron Bure suppose if I had seen her in any films before, but she was good so far in this film series. Looks she's one of the best television actresses. The supporting cast too was not bad. Shot in the nicest places, good dialogues and the fine scene transitions. The mystery was well maintained. I thought I had guessed, but like most of the time I was wrong. Not because I did not see it coming, but they hid that precious twisty part/character to bring on at the best section of the film, which's the finale.I would say the new boyfriend was one of the best things happened in this. If you watch it, you would know why. You know, in a crime- mystery, maintaining the plot is very important. At a same time revealing a few details on the other end must go on. This was a short film like nearly 80 minutes. An average runtime for any television film. Then the pace of the storytelling was good, followed by the list of possible suspects and possible future victims puzzling around. Simply to say, it was not a very intelligent crime solving film, but good enough to enjoy, especially the whole family together without restriction of age.Comparing the first film, it was less dramatic, but more tense, moving quickly from one scene to another. Not everything was perfectly done. There was a scene that looked intentional. It was a scene, finding an evident and then they succeeded. There's nothing wrong in it, but they simplified it, to move on to the next level of the investigation. From all, leaned too much on or you could say depended on the character Aurora. That's the title, that's what you might expect and so they gave it. Overall, a win-win kind of film for both the viewers and the makers. They did well for the second time, so I'm expecting the same for the third as well. Watch it if you had finished the first. Meanwhile, I'm getting ready for the next review in this film series.7/10

Although this is the second movie in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series, the storyline actually follows the first book in the series. Knowing this, I don't think it matters that they switched around the order. Once again, Candace Cameron Bure, does a wonderful job in portraying the main character. I love that she is so intelligent, as well as being a bit sweet, but with nerves of steel. The new love interest in this movie, a mystery writer, balances her out perfectly. He's intelligent too, but uses a bit more caution when it comes to heading into a dangerous situation.I enjoyed the mystery itself as well, although I knew early on who the killer was, because of a remark that was made, and it just seemed really out of place. But since there was so many deaths/crimes it was interesting to try to figure out how each one was accomplished. And the twist at the end really made up for figuring out who the killer was early on.Aurora's relationship with her old boyfriend's wife changed a bit by the end of this movie, and I'm glad it did. Although there's still some tension, it wasn't as catty as it had been. I was also amused again by seeing books by Charlaine Harris during a scene that took place in the library. If you weren't aware, this series, along with Sookie Stackhouse series (aka True Blood), and the Midnight, Texas series which is coming to TV later this year (you can read my reviews here, here and here) were all books written by Charlaine Harris.If you enjoy reading Cozies, or like watching mysteries without blood and gore, then you should give the Aurora Teagarden mysteries a try.

I am actually a fairly big fan of cozy murder mystery books series, so I am certainly not against the Hallmark Channel adapting them for TV. However, one would assume that they would make certain that the series in question is a good fit for the channel. The Flower Shop Mysteries (with Brooke Shields) and the Bake Shop Mysteries (with Alison Sweeney) are a fairly good fit. Hallmark's modus operandi seems to be taking a fairly innocuous book series with a hopefully built in audience, hiring a familiar actress of a certain age who can play cute with some familiar veterans in the supporting cast, and usually pairing said actress opposite a blandly handsome borderline asexual love interest (the Flower Shop mysteries Brennan Elliot is actually an exception here in that he seems to have a pulse and sex appeal) in the quest to find out whodunnit.By contrast, Charlaine Harris's Aurora Teagarden mysteries are most definitely a questionable fit for Hallmark. Centering on a likable heroine with a morbid hobby of researching and sometimes getting embroiled in real life murders, the series is often ghoulish with its violence, motives and supporting characters. The first in the book series focuses on very gruesome murder perpetrated on members of a Real Murders research group. When watching the TV version, red flags that this series will be an adaptation failure crop up almost immediately. First, gruesome murders that happen to likable characters in the book are prevented in the film to give it that homey feel that Hallmark loves. Second, Aurora's family background is changed around to give her a much more traditional family presentation to make her more cuddly to Hallmark viewers.Last, but certainly not least, is the complete misfire in casting. Aurora's mother is supposed to be a society doyenne realtor and force to be reckoned with. The books likens her to Lauren Bacall, the film series gives us a distracted Marilu Henner (probably wondering how to wring her agent's neck and get away with it). Robin Dunne is cast as the love interest here, a visiting novelist who is either the killer or a target. Naturally, he shares absolutely no discernible chemistry with the leading lady and has apparently been directed to play everything in such a low wattage fashion so that viewers can be assured that nothing but the most chaste of flirtation is happening.The worst decision is the miscasting of Candace Cameron Bure in the lead. I am completely puzzled as to how anyone in the sublimely talentless Cameron family keeps scoring acting gigs. The Aurora Teagarden of Harris's novels is described as a short, pleasingly plump, bespectacled librarian-type with a lusty sex drive and a borderline unhealthy (but fun) morbid curiosity. There is not one characteristic of this character that comes through in Bure's performance. Physically, she is completely wrong for the role as she bears absolutely no resemblance to Harris's character. Indeed Bure's performance sanitizes pretty much anything that would have given Aurora flavor as a character and replaces it with an over-caffeinated, hyper-cute nonsense performance that seems more like Bure's audition reel for the Full House reboot than anything that demonstrates an actual performance or an attempt to prove she can...well, act at all.Just when you think it cannot get worse, the climax where Aurora outsmarts the villain(s) arrives (which is completely different from the book by the way) and you realize just how utterly clueless and foolish this whole endeavor was from the start. Aurora seems less like a resourceful and brave character, then a childish moron with the IQ of a 12-year-old with ADHD and some highly questionable luck.A complete disaster, even by Hallmark standards, and a total waste of time.

There wasn't much on TV so I gave Aurora Teagarden a go and couldn't believe how annoying the main character was! If you enjoy childish, simplistic women who act like 10 year olds, then this is the show for you! Aurora is suppose to be 28 years old, but it seems as if they are trying to appeal to young teens because any self respecting adult would find Aurora annoying as hell! I don't see the point in outlining the flaws and faults in the actual story line, which are too many to list, when the main character is so unbearable! For a mystery show, this one is full of insultingly stupid scenarios and murders, which I assume are aimed at simple children! I must say that there were a couple of actors that I do like normally, which was the only reason I gave the show a go, but to my dismay, even they were annoying! I am disappointed any self respecting actor would agree to be in such a stupid show!