All of My Heart: Inn Love

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott

Synopsis: Brian and Jenny are engaged and preparing for the grand opening of their bed and breakfast when a big storm hits, leaving their plans sopping wet!  With funds running low, Brian goes back to Wall Street to make some quick cash, while Jenny scrambles to keep the opening on track.

Review:  Brian and Jenny are still sweet as their romance evolves in this second movie in the series.  This has the same feel as the first one but with less tension between the two which takes a little away from the story.  Still an enjoyable watch.

Scoring: 3

All Of My Heart: The Wedding

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Lacey Chabert, Brennan Elliott, and Ed Asner

Synopsis: As the big day approaches, Jenny and Brian are faced with having to give up their ownership of Emily's Country Inn to a distant relative, while financial issues continue to plague the couple.

Review: The third movie in the series, it has the same feel and rhythm of the first two. Jenny is still sweet to everyone and Brian is always worried. Of course, everything works out. I found it to be a watered-down plot compared to the first two but it’s still enjoyable.

Scoring: 3

Autumn in the City (2022)

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Aimee Teegarden and Evan Roderick

Synopsis: Piper moves to New York for a fresh start, there she meets Austin an aspiring writer. The magic of the autumn season brings them close together. They team up on a children's book project during which they come to a great realization.

Review: I liked the characters, and the movie was sweet, but I saw the ending from the beginning. There weren’t a lot of surprises. Fall is merely a backdrop but it’s beautiful. 

Scoring: 3

Autumn In The Vineyard

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Rachel Leigh Cook, Brendan Penny, and Ali

Liebert

Synopsis: When Frankie Baldwin and Nate Deluca both have a claim to ownership of Sorrento Farm, they are forced to divide the vineyard right down the middle and work the fields alongside each other to bring in the harvest leading up to the Best Wine competition at the annual Autumn Harvest Festival - only this rivalry won't be settled in the fields, because in spite of their contentious bickering, the simplest way to settle this particular legal dispute is with a romance.

Review: This movie wasn’t my favorite. The relationship between Frankie and her father and between Frankie and Nate is just plain awkward and uncomfortable at times. It has                                                    a happy ending but a lot of unhappy before that.

                                                   Scoring: 2

Election

Rated: R

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Klein

Synopsis: A high school teacher's personal life becomes complicated as he works with students during the school elections, particularly with an obsessive overachiever determined to become student body president.

Review: This movie is a mirror held up to society.  All the scheming, lying, manipulating, and so on, is seen here.  It walks the line between comedy and drama in an interesting way.  The relationships between teachers and students is a little much for me but I see why the story needs it.

Scoring: 3

Falling For Look Lodge aka Love at Look Lodge

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Jonathan Keltz, and Clark Backo

Synopsis: Romance blossoms between a young woman and a workaholic hotel guest as she helps him plan his sister’s wedding.

Review: This was a very entertaining movie.  The fall foliage and outdoor scenery is just lovely.  The beauty of the movie is it is about so many different relationships rather than just focusing on the romantic leads.  There are siblings, parents, singles who are interested in each other, and a sweet little girl.  The story moves at a nice pace.  Despite the synopsis, it’s really more about the relationships than the wedding.  The wedding is just the reason for them to be together.

Scoring: 4

Falling for Vermont

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Julie Gonzalo and Benjamin Ayres

Synopsis: A best-selling author who got amnesia as a result of a car accident finds refuge with the local doctor of a small idyllic town in Vermont.

Review: Despite the fact that this plot is not new, it’s still a charming story that’s well done. It’s an easy to watch love story if you ignore the plot holes.

Scoring: 3

Falling For You

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Taylor Cole and Tyler Hynes

Synopsis: Radio host Lacey is hosting a bachelor bake-off to raise money to save a radio station. When her star bachelor backs out, she enlists visiting Zac,  businessman, to fill the spot.

Review: Unfortunately, I found this movie beyond boring. It was very slow and predictable. Taylor Cole’s performance came off as disingenuous and detached.

Scoring: 1

Follow Me To Daisy Hills (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Cindy Busby and Marshall Williams

Synopsis: Sparks fly between a young woman and her ex-boyfriend when they work together to save her family’s general store.

Review: In all honesty, I was really bored.  The only reason I kept watching was to write this review.  I think the problem was the two romantic leads had no chemistry.  They seemed more like brother and sister than people in love.  I did end up glad I finished watching it.  The family and the community are the best part of the movie.  Fall is merely a backdrop but Hallmark has it as part of it’s fall lineup.  I wouldn’t watch again but if you love Hallmark movies you may want to give it a try.

Scoring: 2

Forever In My Heart

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Merritt Patterson and

Synopsis: Jenna and Charlie found love in Ireland but their dreams drove them apart. Five years later, they reunite and Jenna has to decide where her heart belongs-back home or in the Emerald Isle.

Review:  I almost want this to be under St. Patrick’s Day because of the beauty of Ireland and the love and respect this movie gives it and the culture.  It also includes the typical love triangle.  The story is told beautifully and has a really lovely ending.

Scoring: 4

Frozen II (2019)

Rated: G

Genres: Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Mendel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood, Alfred Molina, Martha Plimpton, Jason Ritter, Rachel Matthews, Jeremy Sisto, and Alan Tudyk

Synopsis: Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.

Review: While you'd expect this to be under winter movies, it clearly takes place in the fall.  As with most sequels, this one is no where near the first.  The music is good but not mind blowing.  I liked the story okay.  If I hadn’t seen the first one, I might have liked this one more.  I don’t think children will care.  They’ll have Olaf to love and laugh with, singing reindeer, and lots of magic.  If you loved the first one, give this a shot but view it as its own movie.

Scoring: 3

Growing The Big One

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Shannen Doherty and Kavan Smith 

Synopsis: A talk show host inherits her grandfather’s pumpkin farm.  She doesn’t plan to stay there but she loses her show and is offered to do a show from the farm.  In order to keep the farm, she has to pay off her grandfather’s mortgage.  In order to do that she has to win the pumpkin growing contest.  Her neighbor convinces her they need to team up.  When her show is a huge success and the big time comes calling, she has to choose between the farm and the big city.

Review:  The synopsis sounds a little weird and complicated but the movie is fabulous.  I’ve seen it many times.  They don’t make it like your typical city girl adjusting to the country.  Yes, she has to learn how to do everything regarding growing pumpkins and she does have to adjust to the different pace of life but they don’t make her seem silly.  It makes her feel like we’d all feel in the same situation.  Smith and Doherty are a good team as the leads here.  This is one to definitely check out.

Scoring: 5

Harvest Love

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Jen Lilley and Ryan Paevey

Synopsis: A widowed surgeon visits her family's pear orchard in hopes of taking a break from her overbooked life and reconnecting with her distant son.  She starts to fall for the farm manager, Will, who is growing a new hybrid pear and teaches her the importance of her heritage.

Review: While I knew the ending within 5 minutes, I loved the scenery. There’s were many sweet moments but it felt a little too predictable, even for Hallmark. I enjoyed watching it but it’s not one I’d watch twice.

Scoring: 2

Harvest Moon

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Jessy Schram and Jesse Hutch

Synopsis: After her family goes bankrupt, a city woman travels to the country to fix up a struggling pumpkin farm that her father bought as an investment.

Review: This is typical “fish out of water” tale. City girl in the country meets country boy and love eventually ensues. It has the expected happy ending but many light moments along the way that make it an easy watch.

Scoring: 3

A Harvest Wedding

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Romance

Starring: Jill Wagner and Victor Webster

Synopsis: Sarah Bloom is hired to plan the most

anticipated wedding of the season. The problem: The groom is from her home town and wants the wedding on the family farm which is now being run by his older

brother who happens to be her first love.

Review: The farm setting is beautiful. Watching it alone makes the movie worthwhile. That being said, the plot and the characters do as well. It’s a fun and entertaining movie.

Scoring: 4

Love, Fall & Order

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Erin Cahill, Gregory Harrison, and Trevor Donovan

Synopsis:  When Claire goes home to save her dad's annual Fall Fest on her family's pumpkin farm, sparks fly with an old rival - the opposing lawyer she now faces in court.

Review:  This story is original compared to many other Hallmark movies while maintaining the expected pace and feel.  Yes, they fall in love.  Yes, we know it from the beginning.  The back and forth in between is what makes the movie feel fresh. 

Scoring: 3

Love, Of Course

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Kelly Rutherford and Cameron Mathison

Synopsis: Amy is helping her daughter settle into college and lands a job to help with the annual Fall Harvest Festival. When Amy meets Noah, a charismatic, well-traveled professor, she learns more about herself and discovers a new life of her own.

Review:  This movie has everything you’d expect from romance to a loving daughter.  The Noah character was unique and made it interesting.  His differences from Amy kept the pace going.

Scoring: 3

Love On A Limb

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Ashley Williams, Trevor Donovan, and Marilu

Henner

Synopsis: Aimie Roarke is always up for a cause,

whether it's helping a local animal shelter or hosting a bake sale for the Fire Department. When the town's beloved oak tree is set to be cut down, she takes it upon herself try and save it.

Review: Even Ashley Williams perkiness couldn’t save this movie for me. I found it to drag and the battle over the tree simply takes place in fall but Autumn is merely a backdrop.

Scoring: 1

Love Struck Cafe

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Sarah Jane Morris, Andrew Walker and Garry

Chalk

Synopsis: Megan Quinn, an aspiring architect has to go back to her home town in order to accomplish a job her boss gave her: convince an old friend to sell her land.  Not only is she struggling with the task in hand, and taking care of her father and the family cafe, but she also reconnects with her childhood sweetheart Joe, who broke her heart.

Review: I found this movie to be sweet and charming. The characters are all interesting and likable. The story even has a few twists I didn’t see coming. Of course, it’s a happy ending but it’s a happy ride to it.

                                                 Scoring: 4

Over The Moon In Love 

Rated: G

Genre: Romance

Starring: Jessica Lowndes and Wes Brown 

Synopsis: With her match-making business on the verge of closing, Brooklyn finds herself in the unique position to be featured in a magazine, but has to set up the writer with her childhood friend Devin.

Review: I really like both these actors but this movie didn’t do them justice. The story was predictable, full of cliches, and bland. It felt like it lasted forever. They did their best with what they had but they weren’t given much. 

Scoring: 1

Pumpkin Everything (2022)

Rated: G

Genres: Drama, Family, Romance

Starring: Corey Sevier and Taylor Cole

Synopsis: Amy a novelist returns to her hometown to look after her stubborn grandfather, Tom and his pumpkin themed store. While staying there she crosses paths with a man from her past.

Review: I really enjoyed the first half or so but then it started to feel monotonous with the same issues being rehashed over and over again.  It still had a sweet feeling to it as most Hallmark movies do.  The scenery alone is worth watching for.

Scoring: 3

Pumpkin Pie Wars

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Julie Gonzalo and Eric Aragon

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Faye and Lydia each opened their own bakeries in Emeryville, Ohio, after a personal and professional fall-out during a local Pumpkin Pie contest. Now their children - and co-workers - Casey and Sam, are set to carry on the rivalry as they go head-to-head in the same contest. There's only one problem for these two people who are supposed to hate each other: they start to fall in love.

Review: Along the lines of Romeo and Juliet, forbidden love finds its way through pumpkin pies. While a little predictable, the characters make the movie truly a joy to watch. You root for the moms to reconcile as you root for Casey and Sam.

Scoring: 4

Sweet Autumn (2020)

Rated: G

Genres: Family, Romance

Starring: Nikki Deloach and Andrew Walker

Synopsis: A young woman and a maple farmer uncover the secret behind their inheritance of a candy shop.

Review: While the main points of the plot are predictable-boy meets girl, they butt heads, they fall for each other, there’s a misunderstanding, they end up happy-it’s still fun.  The fall scenery is beautiful.  The messages from Aunt Dee are a special touch.

Scoring: 3

Truly, Madly, Sweetly

Rated: G

Genre: Drama

Starring: Dylan Neal, Nikki Deloach, and Karen Holness

Synopsis: Natalie, a cupcake food truck owner has always dreamed of owning her own bakery. Eric has always wanted his own business. When an inheritance throws these two opposites together, neither could have imagined what fate had in store for them.

Review: While I didn’t dislike this movie, I really had to force myself to finish it. It moved at a snail’s pace and didn’t keep my interest. I don’t know why this was a Hallmark Fall movie. Fall was barely a backdrop.

Scoring: 1

Under The Autumn Moon

Rated: G

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Starring: Lindy Booth and Wes Brown

Synopsis: An ambitious executive scouts out a ranch for use for her company's retreats, but ends up finding romance instead.  Soon enough, she has to make the choice between love and career.

Review: This movie movies at a slow pace but it’s a relaxing one. The scenery and sets are beautiful and the characters are charming. While it’s the routine fish out of water tale, city girl in the country, it works. I was engaged and rooting for Alex, Josh, and the ranch.

Scoring: 4

When Harry Met Sally

Rated: R

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, and Carrie Fisher

Synopsis: Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.

Review: This movie is a classic for a reason.  Besides the memorable scenes and quotes, the settings are beautiful and fall is a great metaphor for getting rid of the old to make room for the new.  You can’t help but care for the characters and I could watch this over and over again and never tire of it.

Scoring: 5

You’ve Got Mail

Rated: PG

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring: Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks

Synopsis: Two business rivals who despise each other in real life unwittingly fall in love over the Internet.

Review: I’m so torn about this movie.  I adore the love story but what happens with the book store breaks my heart.  Because of that, I have trouble seeing what’s supposed to be a happy ending as completely happy.  Even with that, it’s a fantastic movie.  I do think most romcom fans will love it.

Scoring: 4