Love Struck Café (2017)

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The overall story arc is disappointing. Man breaks up with the girl he wanted to marry without an explanation to her, she later finds out that it was because he didn't want to hold her back from her dreams, she remembers her feelings for him 12 years later after he's been married, had a kid, and widowed. He then abandons her again, and still she write him a note telling him she'll be his forever. That's when they get back together. So, without taking her feelings into consideration he walks away from her twice and still she gets together with him. He doesn't apologize for doing it or for not talking to her about his concerns, doesn't admit he was wrong either time, just wins the prize when it's convenient for him to do so.This isn't a love story, it's the story of a woman who wants a man who doesn't respect her. She may love him, but his actions just don't show him loving her at all. As a guy I find the this dude reprehensible and wouldn't want him dating my sister or daughter.

The main ingredients of a Hallmark movie: Characters- Hallmark Hero/Heroine (HH): Check, Megan. Hallmark Good Girl/Guy (HGG): Check, Joe. Bad boyfriend/girlfriend (BBF/BGF): Check, Phillip. Update: Guy Perpetually in Need of a Shave: GPNS: Check, Joe (dual role).Relationships- One or both of the leads must be a widow/widower: Check, the HGG's wife died. Bonus: He has an adorable daughter that is remarkably well adjusted despite losing her mother.A connection or reconnnection: Check, The HH and HGG were childhood friends and young adult sweethearts.A misunderstanding: Check, two actually- one when they were young adults (unresolved) and another after the BBF proposed (resolved by the pursuit).The pursuit: Sort-of. The HH is leaving and instead of rushing to the airport the HGG finds her the night before she leaves.Hallmark ending: Check, the problem is easily resolved- and as another reviewer noted, someone as bright as the HH should have heard what the property owner was saying and revised the plans well ahead of the deadline.Overall a predictable yet enjoyable Hallmark movie.

Nothing special at all. Not much to like here other than the reliable Andrew Walker. I am sure he appreciates the paycheck and the work as an actor, but if he is not careful, he is going to be labeled the Crown Prince of Hallmark movies. I mean, how many of these things has he been in? I didn't understand the motivations of the heroine. Completely nonsensical. She is given the assignment to convince an old friend and neighbor to sell her property so her boss can encase a beautiful country lake setting in a concrete monstrosity of a residential development. She knows this is a horrendous idea, yet blithely does her best trying to get the nice lady to sign on the dotted line. Why? because of a vague promise of maybe she can be promoted to an architect? To keep a job with a firm that obviously is the lowest of the low? Why would anyone of any character put up with this? She compromises her integrity and endangers a bucolic picturesque ideal location for a resort. Of course she ends up designing a more suitable project, which her stupid boss (surprise, surprise) just loves. This one was kind of insulting, actually.

We have a Fall Harvest 2017 favorite. Well done Hallmark. Don't get me wrong, this movie is still the formula we all know: girl from the country currently living in a big town has to come back home and runs into ex, yet above average. This one made me remember why I love these movies.After the not-so-good movies Hallmark has been delivering I started this without much enthusiasm (Let's be real, Andrew W. Walker was the reason) and I'm glad I watched it. I'm not gonna lie: Sarah Jane Morris and Andrew made me feel things, okay? After more than a decade their characters meet again and they start spending time together and reconnecting. Megan also gets to know Joe's daughter Lily who is adorable. All of this, of course, happens during that Fall Festival of that small town.Megan had a boyfriend in the movie (and let me tell it's an actor that always plays THAT character we all dislike) and for once i'm glad that he is not the self-centered guy we are used to see. So points for that. Another aspect that surprised me were the flashbacks! I've only seen this element on 2 or 3 movies and they were always one or two but we get to see a few moments of their time together and I loved it!The story/plot made sense. The characters were great. And the combination of Andrew, someone we already know, and Sarah, that we don't, was great. A must watch.