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Our BetterMost Community => The Holiday Forum => Topic started by: CellarDweller on September 24, 2020, 02:31:05 pm

Title: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on September 24, 2020, 02:31:05 pm

Hallmark Reveals Christmas Movie Schedule for 2020

By Philiana Ng‍ September 23, 2020


Fall may have just begun, but it's never too early to start getting into the Christmas spirit! With one month left to go before Hallmark kickstarts its annual holiday programming event on Oct. 23, the network has unveiled the full movie lineup, including the complete schedule, cast lists and plot summaries for its upcoming originals.

Even amid a pandemic, Hallmark will match last year's output of original holiday films with 40, as part of Hallmark Channel's "Countdown to Christmas" and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' "Miracles of Christmas." ET exclusively premieres promos for three of those new films, Hallmark Channel's Jingle Bell Bride and Chateau Christmas, as well as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' Holly & Ivy.

Among its 40 movie premieres is The Christmas House, which will feature a main storyline about a married gay couple, played by openly gay actors Jonathan Bennett and Brad Harder, who are looking to adopt a child; a dedicated Hanukkah film, Love, Lights, Hanukkah!, about a restaurateur (Mia Kirshner) who discovers she's Jewish via a DNA test; and an increase in diverse leads. And like Lifetime (which will debut holiday movies centered on a gay couple and an Asian family), Hallmark has taken a step forward in its commitment to inclusivity within its storytelling and casting.

https://www.etonline.com/hallmark-reveals-christmas-movie-schedule-for-2020-153492

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 19, 2020, 12:52:32 am

Here is the trailer for The Christmas House

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 19, 2020, 12:53:49 am

An interview with Robert Buckley, writer and executive producer of The Christmas House.  It's based on his family.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 19, 2020, 12:55:50 am

Not Hallmark, but this looks funny.


Happiest Season, airing on Hulu.

Meeting your girlfriend’s family for the first time can be tough. Planning to propose at her family’s annual Christmas dinner — until you realize that they don’t even know she’s gay — is even harder. When Abby (Kristen Stewart) learns that Harper (Mackenzie Davis) has kept their relationship a secret from her family, she begins to question the girlfriend she thought she knew. Happiest Season is a holiday romantic comedy that hilariously captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself, and trying not to ruin Christmas.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 19, 2020, 01:00:47 am

Also not Hallmark, but very Hallmark-esque.

Are you ready for gay cowboys at Christmas?

Dashing in December follows Wyatt (played by Peter Porte, Baby Daddy), a sophisticated, New York City financier who returns home for the holidays in an effort to convince his mother, Deb (played by Andie MacDowell, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Groundhog Day) to sell the family’s ranch and beloved magical Winter Wonderland attraction. In the midst of his mission, an unexpected romance ignites with the new ranch hand Heath (played by Juan Pablo Di Pace, Fuller House) reawakening the spirit of Christmas. The film also stars Caroline Harris (Westworld) and Carlos Sanz (Stronger, Crank).”

Not only is Di Pace's character named Heath, but watch the trailer.  At one point he's wearing a light brown jacket with a dark brown collar.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 19, 2020, 11:33:16 am

I forgot to add dates


The Christmas House airs on Hallmark this Sunday - 11/22/2020

Happiest Season, airing on Hulu on November 25th.

Dashing in December airs on Paramount Network, simulcast on Logo and TV Land on December 13th.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 20, 2020, 04:33:37 pm

A friend just told me about another one that stars Fran Drescher.


The Christmas Set Up -  Airing on Lifetime this Saturday, December 12th.

The Christmas Setup chronicles the romantic adventures of Hugo, a New York City lawyer (Lewis) who returns home to Milwaukee with his best friend, Madelyn (Ellen Wong), to celebrate the holidays with his family, that being his mother, Kate (Fran Drescher), and his brother, Aiden (Chad Connell). As it turns out, Kate is in charge of the local Christmas celebrations. As it also turns out, Kate likes to play matchmaker. And she does just that with Hugo, aligning the stars so that her son crosses paths with his old high school friend/crush, Patrick (Lee). Hugo and Patrick quickly find themselves attracted to each other, but.... Hugo is about to learn that he's up for a killer promotion that would necessitate a relocation to London. What will they decide? Will Hugo choose love or career?

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: Front-Ranger on November 21, 2020, 01:21:03 pm

Wow, thank you for this compendium! Thanks to you, we won't have anything to complain about, entertainment-wise!

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on November 22, 2020, 02:50:28 pm

Where was it I saw the commercial about two girlfriends going to visit the parents of one, who clearly did not realize beforehand that their daughter was a lesbian? The mom immediately greets the girlfriend with a hug (hugging now always looks dangerous in COVID times, even if the commercial was obviously made before that). But the dad seems disapproving and standoffish in several scenes --it's pretty long. Then in the end, they find the dad painting the front picket fence in rainbow stripes.

I can't remember where I saw it, nor what it was advertising, but it was touching.

 

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 23, 2020, 10:49:28 pm

Stream It or Skip It: ‘The Christmas House’ on Hallmark

By Brett White  Nov 22, 2020


Hallmark history is made with The Christmas House! It’s the first Hallmark film to feature LGBTQ characters in major, leading roles—although it’s one of many 2020’s Hallmark Christmas movies to have diverse casts. The film, co-written by star Robert Buckley, boasts a cast that includes Jonathan Bennett, Treat Williams, and Sharon Lawrence. When it comes to Hallmark, this is just about as marquee as it gets—but does The Christmas House live up to expectations?

The Gist: Robert Buckley plays Mike Mitchell, the star of a TV show titled Handsome Justice. After wrapping another season of his moderately successful procedural, he learns that this Christmas is gonna be unlike any recent Christmas—because it’s gonna be like his childhood Christmases! Mike’s parents, Phyllis (Lawrence) and Bill (Williams), are giving the old Christmas House tradition one final go—which means they move literally everything out of their home and turn it into a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling winter wonderland!

The entire Mitchell clan is called in to send the Christmas House tradition out in style, including Mike, his brother Brandon (Bennett), and Brandon’s husband Jake (Brad Harder). Also pitching in is Mike’s high school crush (and former magic partner!) Andi (Ana Ayora).

However, there’s a lot more going on with the Mitchell family than this final Christmas House extravaganza! Brandon and Jake are keeping a secret: they’re trying to adopt and don’t want to get the family’s hopes up if it falls through. Also complicating matters is the fact that Andi is a real estate agent—and Bill and Phyllis are listing the house! Not only is this the last year for the Christmas House, it’s the last Christmas in this house! But why are they selling the house, and why are Mike’s parents acting so strange? There’s more going on here—but what?!

https://decider.com/2020/11/22/the-christmas-house-hallmark-review/

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 15, 2020, 10:31:12 pm

Well, all the LGBTQ holiday movies have aired, and I enjoyed the three I saw.  I couldn't see "Happiest Season", as I don't have Hulu.

My favorite was Dashing In December.  I just thought it was well done and hit all the marks a Hallmark movie would.  The chemistry between the two male leads was well done, and it has become my favorite movie this season.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on December 16, 2020, 10:44:53 am

Quote from: CellarDweller on December 15, 2020, 10:31:12 pm

I couldn't see "Happiest Season", as I don't have Hulu.

I read that "Happiest Season" is good. I just watched the trailer and it looks good. I like most of the actors in it -- all the ones I recognized, anyway.

I don't have Hulu either, but I did watch the first two seasons of "A Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu. The tradeoff was that I got  commercials. I couldn't even fast-forward through them. So I'd go into the kitchen and do a few little tasks during the commercial breaks.

Maybe they've since then changed their terms of service. Maybe now you're required to sit in front of the TV, bound to a chair, with your eyes held open with clothespins, a la "A Clockwork Orange."

Or maybe they just no longer offer a free service.  :laugh:  Anyway, I'm going to try to watch THS.

Here's a question. In the days of avoiding cultural appropriation, do filmmakers generally cast gay roles with gay actors? I know at least some of the actors in the movie are LGBTQ -- Kristen Stewart, Daniel Levy, Aubrey Plaza. So maybe the actress who plays her friend and others are as well.

But then the dad, who I presume is straight unless that's a surprise twist or something, is played by Victor Garber, who is also gay. How dare they cast a gay actor in a straight role instead of giving a straight actor a rare opportunity to play one of the few straight roles available?!  :laugh:

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2020, 12:48:40 pm

Quote from: serious crayons on December 16, 2020, 10:44:53 am

Here's a question. In the days of avoiding cultural appropriation, do filmmakers generally cast gay roles with gay actors? I know at least some of the actors in the movie are LGBTQ -- Kristen Stewart, Daniel Levy, Aubrey Plaza. So maybe the actress who plays her friend and others are as well.

But then the dad, who I presume is straight unless that's a surprise twist or something, is played by Victor Garber, who is also gay. How dare they cast a gay actor in a straight role instead of giving a straight actor a rare opportunity to play one of the few straight roles available?!  :laugh:

This is still a matter of controversy. Viggo Mortenson just caught flak for playing a gay character. On the other hand, in an article I read about this, he was coy and wouldn't say directly if he's gay, straight, bi, or whatever.

Victor Garber has a hot husband.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on December 16, 2020, 09:32:49 pm

Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on December 16, 2020, 12:48:40 pm

This is still a matter of controversy. Viggo Mortenson just caught flak for playing a gay character. On the other hand, in an article I read about this, he was coy and wouldn't say directly if he's gay, straight, bi, or whatever.

Well, that's certainly an improvement from the Rock Hudson days when there could only be one answer to that question. In fact, it was rarely even a question!

The only problem with casting gay characters in gay roles -- which I would normally applaud-- is that Brokeback Mountain would have had different stars. Of course, young hot gay actors were in shorter supply back then.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 17, 2020, 11:14:16 pm

The two gay leads from "Dashing In December" have expressed opinions on this.



Juan Pablo Di Pace And Peter Porte Don’t Believe Only LGBTQ Actors Should Play LGBTQ Roles

Madison Brodsky 12/03/2020


Juan Pablo di Pace and Peter Porte are weighing in on the debate over whether only LGBTQ actors should be hired to tell LGBTQ stories in blockbuster hits.

The actors, who are both openly gay, star in Paramount’s upcoming holiday rom-com with a queer twist, titled “Dashing in December”. And with Hollywood aiming to become more inclusive during their casting process, Porte and di Pace both agree the debate is a “tricky situation” that should be addressed.

“It’s a tricky situation because when you see all of these movies, which historically, the gay roles have gone to the straight actors, there is something in nuances and tiny little things that straight actors don’t quite get right,” di Pace tells ET Canada.

“It’s great to have gay actors play these gay roles because you see certain things are realistic, but having said that, I don’t agree that only gay actors should play gay,” he added. “We do what we do because we love experiencing other people’s stories and lives and what would be of the Meryl Streep’s of the world if we all had to do the thing that we are. Actors like playing, and playing is inhabiting another human being. I don’t agree with having to laser focus the casting of it all, or else you’ll be playing yourself the rest of your life.”

Echoing his costars’ point, Porte recognizes the value of his craft at its core.

https://etcanada.com/news/720723/juan-pablo-di-pace-and-peter-porte-dont-believe-only-lgbtq-actors-should-play-lgbtq-roles/

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: Jeff Wrangler on December 17, 2020, 11:17:34 pm

Quote from: serious crayons on December 16, 2020, 09:32:49 pm

Well, that's certainly an improvement from the Rock Hudson days when there could only be one answer to that question. In fact, it was rarely even a question!

The only problem with casting gay characters in gay roles -- which I would normally applaud-- is that Brokeback Mountain would have had different stars. Of course, young hot gay actors were in shorter supply back then.

Young, hot openly gay actors. ...

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on December 18, 2020, 10:34:01 am

Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on December 17, 2020, 11:17:34 pm

Young, hot openly gay actors. ...

Good point. Yes.

Hard to believe our culture has changed so much in that time that Heath and Jake were cautioned that even playing gay men, let alone coming out as gay men, would harm their careers.

Do you think there are still young, hot gay actors and actresses who would not come out even now for fear it would limit their roles -- mainly in straight love stories? For example, if Titanic were coming out now and Leonardo DiCaprio had come out as gay, would it harm or even kill his chances of being cast?

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on December 18, 2020, 10:37:35 am

Quote from: CellarDweller on December 17, 2020, 11:14:16 pm

“It’s a tricky situation because when you see all of these movies, which historically, the gay roles have gone to the straight actors, there is something in nuances and tiny little things that straight actors don’t quite get right,” di Pace tells ET Canada.

What do you guys think of this? Are there any examples in BBM?

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: southendmd on December 18, 2020, 01:53:43 pm

Quote from: serious crayons on December 18, 2020, 10:34:01 am

Do you think there are still young, hot gay actors and actresses who would not come out even now for fear it would limit their roles -- mainly in straight love stories? For example, if Titanic were coming out now and Leonardo DiCaprio had come out as gay, would it harm or even kill his chances of being cast?

Good question. 

I seem to recall that Sean Hayes got a lot of flack for playing straight in the revival of "Promises, Promises".  Some reviews suggested that, after playing Jack on "Will and Grace", he was not believable as a straight man. 

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: serious crayons on December 18, 2020, 11:45:44 pm

Quote from: southendmd on December 18, 2020, 01:53:43 pm

I seem to recall that Sean Hayes got a lot of flack for playing straight in the revival of "Promises, Promises"

Well plus, how dare he take one of the few roles that could go to straight actors. They have enough trouble getting cast as it is without cultural appropriation.

I remember when Rupert Everett came out and was told his career was ruined because he'd always be cast as gay men and he said that was fine with him because "we're not, contrary to popular belief, all alike." I thought that was a cool answer, but years later I believe I heard that he now felt his career was ruined.

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 20, 2020, 02:53:54 am

Quote from: serious crayons on December 18, 2020, 11:45:44 pm

Well plus, how dare he take one of the few roles that could go to straight actors. They have enough trouble getting cast as it is without cultural appropriation.

I remember when Rupert Everett came out and was told his career was ruined because he'd always be cast as gay men and he said that was fine with him because "we're not, contrary to popular belief, all alike." I thought that was a cool answer, but years later I believe I heard that he now felt his career was ruined.

You are correct on that.


Rupert Everett: being gay stifled my career

Hannah Jane Parkinson - Fri 4 Jul 2014


The actor Rupert Everett has re-stated his belief that being gay stifled his acting career, telling the Daily Telegraph "there’s only a certain amount of mileage you can make, as a young pretender, as a leading man, as a homosexual. There just isn’t very far you can go”.

The My Best Friend Wedding's star, promoting his be appearance in Peter Schaffer's Amadeus in Chichester, said: "You can only understand the disaster of your own case yourself. You can’t ever expect the world to see everything about yourself in the way that you do – certainly in terms of conducting a career as a homosexual in show business. Not so much now, maybe, because I’m older. It’s not such a threatening problem. But all through my career it was a huge issue."

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jul/04/being-gay-was-a-huge-issue-in-my-career-says-rupert-everett-gay-actors-closet

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 09, 2022, 11:42:27 pm

One of Hallmark Network's new holiday movies this year features a gay couple at the center of the story.

In prior years, Hallmark Network aired a pair of holiday movies, The Christmas House (2020), and the sequel in 2021, The Christmas House 2:  Deck Those Halls.  Both movies featured a gay couple, but in these movies they were not the center of the story, and were already a married couple who happened to be looking to adopt.

This year,  Hallmark Network is giving us the first movie to show a gay couple that is following the usual plot of a holiday movie, a couple meeting and falling in love.

On Sunday, they will air The Holiday Sitter.   This movie stars Jonathan Bennett as Sam.   Sam is about to leave for a Hawaiian vacation, when he receives a call from his sister and brother-in-law who have to leave town, and need him to watch their two children.

Sam is not good with kids, and he finds a helping hand in next-door neighbor Jason, played by George Krissa.  Of course, sparks fly between Sam and Jason.

The Holiday Sitter airs this Sunday, December 11th at 8:00 Eastern.


(https://ntvb.tmsimg.com/assets/p23172567_v_h8_aa.jpg?w=1280&h=720)

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 09, 2022, 11:46:31 pm

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: Front-Ranger on December 10, 2022, 11:00:30 am

Thanks! I'll watch for it!

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on December 19, 2022, 08:03:20 pm

A Christmas To Treasure

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52572119126_49461b92e4_o.jpg) Taylor Frey and Kyle Dean Massey are donning their gay apparel! The beautiful couple is bringing more LGBTQ+ representation and love into everyone's homes on their new film A Christmas to Treasure. As the third Lifetime holiday movie centering on a gay holiday romance, the couple is beyond excited to showcase their love on screen. "It's been a bit of a hot topic issue in the last couple weeks. Any type of queer representation in holiday movies is apparently not allowed, so the fact that we have this movie coming out... I'm so proud of it. I want everyone to watch it," Massey tells Out. A Christmas to Treasure follows a group of friends as they reunite for one final hometown holiday treasure hunt. As the search unfolds and fond childhood memories are relived, sparks fly once again between Frey and Massey's characters. "It's a love story. It's a classic holiday love story. What's really exciting about this one is coming out and all of those things aren't at the forefront. This is a normal relationship. It's pretty true to our personalities and the roles were kind of written for us," Frey adds. You can see A Christmas to Treasure on the Lifetime network, on Dec. 20th at 6:00pm Eastern, and again on Christmas Day at 10:00pm Eastern. A Christmas To Treasure (https://www.out.com/film/2022/12/16/taylor-frey-kyle-dean-massey-ring-holidays-new-gay-film)

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: southendmd on December 19, 2022, 08:13:06 pm

I love Kyle Dean!

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: CellarDweller on November 13, 2023, 10:40:52 pm

Hallmark Channel Has Two Queer Christmas Movies Coming Out This Year

By - Mey Rude - September 21 2023

Jonathan Bennett and Vincent Rodriguez III are fast becoming icons of the queer Christmas content!

Bennett, who starred in the network?s first holiday film to feature an LGBTQ+ storyline (The Christmas House) and first LGBTQ+-led Christmas film (The Holiday Sitter), and Vincent Rodriguez III, who stars in the Prime Video holiday-themed series With Love, are teaming up to play the latest gay couple in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Also starring Catherin Bell, John Brotherton, Erin Cahill, and James Denton, Christmas on Cherry Lane sees three stories intertwining: a young couple preparing for their first child, an empty nester and her fiance ready to start a new chapter in life, and a couple (Bennett and Rodriguez III) ?who unexpectedly have the chance to expand their family on Christmas Eve.?

For queer women, Hallmark also has an all-new lesbian romantic comedy coming out this Christmas.

Friends & Family Christmas sees queer Canadian actor Ali Liebert and queer Ginny & Georgia star Humberly Gonzalez taking part in the beloved ?fake dating? trope.

?Daniella (Gonzalez) has recently moved to New York to pursue an art career and decides to stay in town to share the holidays with her circle of artist friends, instead of going home to see her sweet, if overbearing parents,? the description reads. ?Amelia (Liebert) is a talented entertainment lawyer trying to stay focused on her work after a broken engagement.?

https://www.out.com/film/hallmark-gay-christmas-movies-2023

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: southendmd on November 14, 2023, 09:50:22 am

No Luke McFarlane?

Title: Re: Hallmark Christmas movies are getting inclusive
Post by: Front-Ranger on November 14, 2023, 10:35:44 am

Truman posted  this today.