December 5, 2025 • 23 mins
Merry Thanksgiving Weekend has been firing on all cylinders, so naturally we had to ask: can The Christmas Cup hang with the big hitters? This one follows Staff Sergeant Kelly Brandt, home on leave with a knee injury and a heart still tangled in what her future might look like. But instead of resting, Kelly’s drafted into leading her hometown team in the annual Christmas Cup - a competition that’s equal parts festive, chaotic, and oddly high-stakes. Along the way, she learns there’s more than one way to serve a community, even if it’s not the way she imagined. Let’s break down where this movie scores - and where it maybe… airballs.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is a Bramble Jam podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to Girls Gone Hallmark, a Hallmark review podcast. I'm
Megan and I'm a longtime Hallmark fan.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm Wendy. I'm a former Hallmark hater.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
On today's episode, we are wrapping up our review of
Mary Thanksgiving Weekend Movies with the Christmas Cup, which originally
aired on Hallmark on Sunday, November thirtieth and is currently
available to stream you nowhere on Hallmark Plus. I feel
like the tone right now of our voices is giving
drift off into a my night's sleep, you know.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
What I mean?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Like that there could be real money to be made there.
Do we need to make a sleep podcast where we
just read Hallmark movie? Oh yeah, maybe, and we just
read through the IMDBs starring Ashley Williams, who was also
in Wendy.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I don't hate that idea.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I don't think that's the best idea she's ever heard.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I don't hate that idea at all.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
People have made money in stranger ways.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, but my voice isn't really like soothing. It's like
screechy and.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Mine isn't either, But you know how I'm making it
that way.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I can hear it yeah, I'm aware I'm sitting across
the table from here right now now.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I sometimes I'm doing it on purpose right now, because
sometimes I listen back and I'm.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Like, mag, oh, my gosh, you're so annoying. Well, I mean,
we can get real animated sometimes when we're excited. So
it is what it is. That's why. Like if you
sometimes you'll notice the tone of our episode starts starts
off like kind of calm, like we've been doing, and
it gets slowly the pitch raises.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
We try and keep it in, but I gotta tell you,
yesterday's episode of Christmas with the Cat and Ipe Cafe
was full blown off the rail. So let's see if
we can write the ship. Speaking of writing, hey, check
out our website Girls Gone Hallmark dot com, where we
write a ton of stuff. Wendy writes way more than
I do. That's a peak behind the scenes. There is
so much over there, so you need to check it out.
(02:14):
Just scroll through see what we got. There's also a
link right at the top to our shop page where
you can shop Hallmark inspired merchandise for the holidays and beyond.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, I'm gonna suggest you get your port Haven sweatshirts.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Get them all you can. They're gonna be a vintage
item soon.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I know. I worem one the other day and I
was like, does anybody see what I'm wearing? Like? Does
anybody get it? Anyway?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I actually messaged the showrunner of that show to say,
because I think there's a petition out about the show
to get it renewed. Petitions everywhere this year, estions everywhere.
But I I She was expressing thanks about all the
dms that she's received, lovely comments, but then she says
(03:01):
the next screen was just a spot a shot of
the Landry House, and she said, you know what they
say about Landry's and I do believe the lines from
the show is a Landry never gives up.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Mm hm.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
So I messaged and I said, genuine question here, what's
what's the end? Like do you want to get picked
up by another network? And if so, what's the best
way we can support you? But I haven't heard back.
I'll share that here if I do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
If you were a show runner, would you want another
network to pick you up? Hell? Yeah? Right?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, I think I said, this is probably a stupid question,
but I again don't know how those things work. So yes,
I would want to be picked up and it does.
It seems like that they're holding out hope that that
will happen. But I don't want to be out here
being like, let's push them to do this. If that's
not what the people on the show want, what do
you want? Tell me? And then yeah, that'll be my messaging.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
You know, you and I have been talking like if
you guys want to listen to this and you just
want to get to our glowing review of the Christmas Cup,
please tap tap tap ahead right to the end of
the episode, like fadays, it's.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Too many reviews one day in one week, Okay, But
my point was there was some breaking news yesterday about
when Wynn Calls the Heart.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh, that it was renewed for a fourteenth season in
advance of the thirteen season dropping when we still have
not heard if a third season of Mistletoe Murders is
gonna come.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah, what the heck man? And Laurie Laughlin is coming
back to the network. This is probably the wrong episode
to have a hot take on Wind Calls the Heart.
I have no notes on Wind Calls the Heart. I
don't watch the show. We did a first impression I
liked the first episode that I saw of it, but
I've never watched any of the other seasons after that.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Not that we don't want wyn Calls the Heart to
get renewed, we just want all of our other favorites
to get Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
My concern that I voiced to you and now that
I'm going to tell the listeners of the podcast, I'm
a little bit concerned what Hallmark is doing. I'm afraid
that we're just walking backwards pre twenty twenty is do
you think that's happening.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I need to see more. Need I need to see more?
I don't know. We did see some new January movie
information come out, and some of our faiths are there,
Chris Paalaha and Lacey Shaverer, Ian Harding, there are some
good names. So I'm reserving judgment on the future of Hallmark.
I have fully believed that twenty twenty five was a
rebuilding year, and so I hope that remains to be
(05:24):
true for twenty twenty six. But there are so many
unknowns about what could be happening.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
That I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. I'm not
trying to speculate here, No, But also am I going
to be like, Hi, I'm Wendy. I'm a Hallmark hater
in the New Year. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Welcome to Girls Gone Network Television.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Didn't we just say we were gonna try to stay
on the rails with this one here?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, well we knew that was a last cause before
we started. Let's stalk the Christmas Cup and let's start
with the synopsis. I'm worried about what. I'm worried about
the state of the IMDb synopsis It's not bad, today's's
fine staff.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Sergeant Kelly Brandt, recovering from a knee injury, leads her
hometown team in an annual Christmas Cup. Despite her heart
aching for her career, she discovers there are multiple ways
to serve her community.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
This was directed by Robin Dunn. This is his seventeenth
directing credit and his second Hallmark movie. His previous Hallmark
title was Entertaining Christmas in twenty eighteen. Most of his
other work looks and feels Hallmark adjacent, but aired on
different networks.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
If you know what I'm putting down. The teleplay was
by Hold Your Horses, Guys, Stuart gold Mark, Hapuala, Emily Moss,
Wilson and Jason Shane Scott. Yes, there are four writers
on this movie. Do you want me to get into
details of it? Sure? Emily Moss Wilson has nine writing credits,
including My Southern Family Christmas, plus several other similar style
(06:58):
movies for other netws works. Jason Shane Scott has fifteen
writing credits, mostly thrillers like Listen to this List Secrets
of a Celebrity Nanny. These are all in my lane
too Deadly, daughter switch and engaged to a psycho. It
has to be lifetime, right, Yes. Stuart Gold has three
(07:20):
previous writing credits. This is his first for Hallmark as well.
Mark Haapala has seven writing credits. This is also his
first for Hallmark.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Rhiann and Fish stars as Kelly. She has thirty four
acting credits and recently appeared in two episodes of The
Chicken Sisters. She also starred in A Machu Pichu Proposal
and Polar Opposites this year. Benjamin Rosenbaum plays Quinn. He
has ten acting credits and is well known to win
calls the heart fans as Mike Hickham, with nearly one
hundred episodes under his belt. One hundred episodes I mean,
(07:52):
I guess it's on fourteen seasons or whatever it is.
Is he still currently on the show? You're asking the
wrong or I am. Natasha Burnette plays Brie. She has
twenty four acting credits and is also from The Wind
Calls the Heart universe, where she plays Minie. She's appeared
in Hallmark titles like Legend of the Lost Lockett and
Sweet Revenge, a Hannah Swinson mystery.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Michael Tagan plays Mickey. He has one hundred and three
acting credits and has been a in a long list
of Hallmark movies, including Game of Love, Roadhouse Romance, and
Dator's Handbook, which if you haven't seen Dater's Handbook, you
need to dig into the Hallmark Plus archives and watch
that because that is a great movie.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Chris Paula, Megan markle Yep Harlow Robbins plays Kip. This
is her first acting credit and.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
For the Wind Calls the Heart fans. There is also
several cameo appearances Andrea Brooks, Pascal Hutton, and Kevin Smith.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
This one is an all Canadian entertainment production with casting
by Judy Lee, not one of Hallmark's regular casting jury.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
That actually should have been my digit that did you
notice that at the beginning of the movie it said
this is an all Canadian entertainment production. No, yeah, interesting, right,
and what does that mean? But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Let's take a quick break and we will come back
with our first impressions. Hey, Wendy, what was your first
impression of the Christmas Cup After a weekend of Hallmark Bangers,
this one arrived with the energy of a movie that
I thought was airing on a Tuesday in June. My
(09:25):
first impression is, maybe it would have helped if we
were hearties.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Maybe it would have helped if we were hearties.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Well, let's talk what we liked about this movie.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
This movie was perfectly fine. Fine is what I can
muster from it. Yeah, I think I was a little
bit disappointed, like this was their like button to the weekend. Yeah,
there was nothing offensive. There's nothing chaotic. It feels well,
okay chaotic in terms of it's not flat hygiene, it's
(09:59):
it's Yeah. I mean, there's like stupid stuff that I
not enjoying watching. But my point is like, there's nothing
offensive about it. I truly think this movie should have
been on another network. M It was like way safe
and in a season where we've had some smash hit movies. Yeah,
(10:21):
and a weekend and a weekend exactly. This does not
keep the pace with those others.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
No, my thoughts are I think Rann and Fish and
Ben Rosenbaum do the heavy lifting here, and I think
they do what can be done with a story that
just isn't quite there, you know, maybe having too many
cooks in the kitchen, with the number of writers we had,
maybe we were heading into many different directions. I think
Rihanna and Ben are fine. I think they have some
(10:49):
sweet moments. I really enjoy Rann and Fish. Maybe this
wasn't the role for her, but I think she I
have some things to say about the tone of this movie,
but I think I think you could see the emotional conflict,
the inner turmoil she was going through in terms of
the life changes she was going to have to make
and the way some things were out of her control.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
That was the best part of the movie.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, for me, that was.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
The best part of the movie. I was like those
emotional beats where she was like in this transition of
I've been hurt, now my career is in jeopardy. What
am I going to do next? That was the good
stuff of the movie, and I thought she as an
actor handled that stuff really well. All the other nonsense
in this movie didn't work for me.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Right, there's anything else you liked?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
I do believe that this quote Christmas cup concept had potential. Yes,
if you think about last year's twas the date before Christmas,
they had like a family Olympics. Yeah, and that was
very enjoyable to watch. This could have been that. It
just didn't get there for me.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
There's some funny dialogue in this I like when her
dad says say hello to Captain Hotpants. For me, when
Caven and Pascal have their on screen cameo and they
realize they know each other. How long has it been?
Like a century? I laughed out loud. That was funny.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I thought that their little meet cute on there was
real cute, really cute. It was like one of my
favorite highlights, to.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Be honest, When when Rhiannon and Ben's characters are at
the firehouse and they're gonna rap gifts, he goes, should
we make some Christmas magic? And Kelly pauses, it has
real this is where the magic happens. From MTV cribs
all over it. He goes, you know, wrap some presents.
I thought it was funny. I thought it was a
(12:40):
little wink in and nod Right there.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
You want to move on to wishes? I do, Okay,
why don't you start us.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Off while I realize I do need to suspend disbelief
to watch some Hallmark movies personally, for me, when the
conflict revolves around characters that are like cartoon super villains,
it begins to defy believability. Mayor Sheila, my daughter Penelope,
these are not how real people behave.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, let's hope not not in our lives.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I just don't believe. I think there are genuinely bad, mean,
snide people. But I just I felt like it had
the like, oh yeah aspect to it, and I wasn't
quite there. Also, back to my first impression, I think
if I were a Hardy I would have had my
Peter Benson Peter Benson style moments watching this movie. It's
(13:30):
it's Kevin Smith right with many of the actors. Alas
I am not, and so I missed those moments.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Yeah, I would love to hear from like the Hardys,
like email us girls gone homework at gmail dot com,
Like was this awesome? For you because there were so
many of your faves popping up in it. I have
a couple more rooms remy Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So they give a lot of weight to the Christmas
Cup in this movie, as if it's this big meaningful
thing and about her mom used to lead the team
and she's taking on this big role. And yet the
Christmas of itself, it's chugging eggnog and snowball fight. The
tone of the Christmas Cup and the tone of the
way they talk about the Christmas Cup do not match.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Yeah, I agree with you all that hyjiinks, the silly
stuff with the Christmas Cup, the egg nog chugging, the
girl desperately wanting to sing.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
However, when the other towns guy gets up and does
a beautiful silent night, Yeah, pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Put the rest of it.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, all that competition prep stuff like I don't know
how to undo the tangled lights wants to make my
head explode.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah. And finally, Bree's restaurant situation, her speech about why
she couldn't sell her restaurant. She's trying to explain to
Kelly why it would be important, why she needs to
invest in the town and come home She's like, that's
why I couldn't sell my restaurant. I would have been
giving up on my family. And sometimes plans change. Yeah,
(15:00):
life circumstances, Life throws things that you. Kelly didn't anticipate
getting injured. She didn't anticipate this career change. She didn't
anticipate having to make these decisions. It's just a little
heavy handed.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I have a couple questions for you. Yes, when we
heard this movie was coming out, where like Rhann and
Fish as a military personnel, I'm like, I don't buy
it at all.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
I kind of bought it.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Yeah, me too, a little bit, me too coming home
and she's like in the uniform and all that stuff,
and she's real sweet to that little girl that's like,
thank you for your service, and that was really sweet.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Loved that, Like I kind of bought it.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
I think maybe I was like expecting something else, so
I was pleasantly surprised by that part of it.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I did read some things.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I don't know if it was on Reddit or Facebook
or where, but they said some of the uniform was.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Oh, it's all my DIGITSI okay, well we're.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Gonna wait to that. Then one of my biggest wishes
is that I didn't really buy into the romance between
Kelly and Quinn. Yeah, like I just there was like
nothing there and that scene where he overhears classic trope,
but he overhears Kelly and the friend talking yes, like
the friend is giving her a hard time, like you're
(16:17):
gonna leave, Like don't you want to see where this
goes with this guy? I'm like no, no, But first
Kelly's line is like he's practically a stranger. I was like, oh, yeah,
it hurts.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I didn't like that because the idea is supposed to
be like that trope is supposed to be like you misunderstood, Yeah,
he didn't misunderstand her. No, you just said we're just friends.
He's a stranger. And then she has to go back
to and be like, well I didn't mean what I said. Yeah,
but you did say it. He didn't misunderstand Nope, yeah,
exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
But regardless, there was right no, like if you want
to see sparks fly off the TV screen, Watcheryan and
Fish and Tyler Hines.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
And a picture of her every time, they're so good. Yeah,
but this they were so good. I was convinced they
were dating in real life. Yeah, I know, I remember,
I remember.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Yeah, Sonay, that's it.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well, let's talk Did you see that the.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Christmas Cup happens on Christmas Day?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I don't even think I knew that.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And that's like your biggest pet peeve something happening on
Christmas Eve or Christmas.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Day, participating in a town competition on Christmas Day. I'm
also not participating in any competition on Christmas Day. I
want to stay in my pajamas. I want to open presents,
eat food, enjoy my home with my children and my
family and my dogs.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Totally hold on. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
If I'm married into a family that was like we
participate in competitions on Christmas Day, I'd be like, I'm out, goodbye.
Speaking of did you see the TikTok? You know what
I'm gonna say, let's talk about it of the family
that pranked the fiance of the brother saying we're a
turkey trot family. And she goes all in. She trains,
she buys a cute Thanksgiving sparkle skirt. They got shirts made,
(17:55):
and then they're taking the picture and they're.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Like just kidding, Yeah, did you see her face?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
They're like, she loves pranks.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Nope, this is what I would have done. I would
have been I would I would end that relationship.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I would have gone home. I would have ended the relationship.
In my twenties, I probably would have just sat there.
But now, yeah, no, I'd be like, this is a
sign of things to come. Totally not funny, especially when
it's at someone else. There's a way to do a
prank that's harmless. This wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
No, I agree at HRTs, this is the family you're
marrying into. Yeah, Nope, nope, nope, nope, red flags runaway
bridegirl run. I would have been like, watch me run bye,
right out of your lives. Guys.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Yes, okay. If you go on IMDb or read it,
there are so many comments about how they did things incorrectly.
This IMDb comment says the uniform is so far from
a proper military, let alone US Marine Corps uniform, that
I had to leave the room until she changed. Oh,
stripes wrong wrong uniform, pants, no tie with jacket, wrong jacket,
(18:58):
The cover had no USMCM. Please please please represent and
honor our veterans with the proper attire That feels like
a fair ask, then listener Paula. I knew Paula would
ride in YOL. She commented on our first impression post
on Instagram, and since this is public, I'm going to
share it. She says. I apologize for bringing this up again,
(19:20):
but Rhann and Fish at the beginning of the movie
was wearing an army uniform and carrying a USMC bag
while calling ourselves a marine, which is at least consistent
since she called herself a soldier while being a marine.
She also had no insignia on her cover. I feel
bad for her demotion. She went from captain to sergeant.
This is just ludicrous. At this point, she then goes
on to say there's more her Army rank insignia. It's
(19:41):
yellow not USMC. Red is upside down, and it's a
sergeant rank, not a staff sergeant. Both services have the
point facing up. Navy has the point down. Oh wow,
it feels like the bare minimum to me to do
this research. Yeah. The number of people who are commenting
like Paya is x military.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
There's people on IMDb who are casual watchers. These aren't consultants.
If the average person who was in the military, of
which there are many many, many could have told you
what you were doing wrong. Yeah, it doesn't seem like
it would be that hard to get that memory.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Well, and Google exists too, But how if you're doing
a movie with such a heavy military influence you I
think you would go to an expert, a consultant. Hey,
let's get this one detail right because it matters to
the people who belong to these things, right. Yeah, I
(20:39):
think that's sloppy work. I have one more.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Did you see that?
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's not that exciting, but they surprised Kelly with a
cake at the end that says like a Looha Kelly
on it. Legit stickers for the writing on the cake stickers,
sparkly stickers I would have got at my local craft store. Yeah, bad, bad.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Who shuts down a party? Who shows up at a
random party for a returning service member and it's like
you're over fire code get out?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
No, I know, get out dom.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I also laughed, we almost have a thousand subscribers on
our YouTube channel and now I'm a restaurant worthy chef.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I did enjoy the silliness with that. Dad, as someone
who's made YouTube videos like the grind is hard, guys, so.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
You respect us? I did, Okay, what did you rate
the Christmas Cup sadly two stars too. Thanks for listening
to this episode of Girls Gone Hallmark, a Bramble Jam podcast.
That's a wrap on our Mary Thanksgiving reviews, But today
is a two episode day, so make sure you check
for the listener Mailbag episode that is also dropping. We'll
(21:49):
be back next time with more Hallmark reviews.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Goodbye, bye.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
All right friends, before we go, just to quick heads up,
you're about to hear some ads. These little gems help
us keep the show running and the Hallmark love flowing.
So do with that info what you will, Grab a snack,
hit the skip button, or maybe just maybe listen in
and discover your new favorite product.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Bye
This is a Bramble Jam podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to Girls Gone Hallmark, a Hallmark review podcast. I'm
Megan and I'm a longtime Hallmark fan.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm Wendy. I'm a former Hallmark hater.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
On today's episode, we are wrapping up our review of
Mary Thanksgiving Weekend Movies with the Christmas Cup, which originally
aired on Hallmark on Sunday, November thirtieth and is currently
available to stream you nowhere on Hallmark Plus. I feel
like the tone right now of our voices is giving
drift off into a my night's sleep, you know.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
What I mean?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Like that there could be real money to be made there.
Do we need to make a sleep podcast where we
just read Hallmark movie? Oh yeah, maybe, and we just
read through the IMDBs starring Ashley Williams, who was also
in Wendy.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
I don't hate that idea.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I don't think that's the best idea she's ever heard.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I don't hate that idea at all.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
People have made money in stranger ways.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, but my voice isn't really like soothing. It's like
screechy and.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Mine isn't either, But you know how I'm making it
that way.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I can hear it yeah, I'm aware I'm sitting across
the table from here right now now.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I sometimes I'm doing it on purpose right now, because
sometimes I listen back and I'm.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Like, mag, oh, my gosh, you're so annoying. Well, I mean,
we can get real animated sometimes when we're excited. So
it is what it is. That's why. Like if you
sometimes you'll notice the tone of our episode starts starts
off like kind of calm, like we've been doing, and
it gets slowly the pitch raises.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
We try and keep it in, but I gotta tell you,
yesterday's episode of Christmas with the Cat and Ipe Cafe
was full blown off the rail. So let's see if
we can write the ship. Speaking of writing, hey, check
out our website Girls Gone Hallmark dot com, where we
write a ton of stuff. Wendy writes way more than
I do. That's a peak behind the scenes. There is
so much over there, so you need to check it out.
(02:14):
Just scroll through see what we got. There's also a
link right at the top to our shop page where
you can shop Hallmark inspired merchandise for the holidays and beyond.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, I'm gonna suggest you get your port Haven sweatshirts.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Get them all you can. They're gonna be a vintage
item soon.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I know. I worem one the other day and I
was like, does anybody see what I'm wearing? Like? Does
anybody get it? Anyway?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I actually messaged the showrunner of that show to say,
because I think there's a petition out about the show
to get it renewed. Petitions everywhere this year, estions everywhere.
But I I She was expressing thanks about all the
dms that she's received, lovely comments, but then she says
(03:01):
the next screen was just a spot a shot of
the Landry House, and she said, you know what they
say about Landry's and I do believe the lines from
the show is a Landry never gives up.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Mm hm.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
So I messaged and I said, genuine question here, what's
what's the end? Like do you want to get picked
up by another network? And if so, what's the best
way we can support you? But I haven't heard back.
I'll share that here if I do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
If you were a show runner, would you want another
network to pick you up? Hell? Yeah? Right?
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Well, I think I said, this is probably a stupid question,
but I again don't know how those things work. So yes,
I would want to be picked up and it does.
It seems like that they're holding out hope that that
will happen. But I don't want to be out here
being like, let's push them to do this. If that's
not what the people on the show want, what do
you want? Tell me? And then yeah, that'll be my messaging.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
You know, you and I have been talking like if
you guys want to listen to this and you just
want to get to our glowing review of the Christmas Cup,
please tap tap tap ahead right to the end of
the episode, like fadays, it's.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Too many reviews one day in one week, Okay, But
my point was there was some breaking news yesterday about
when Wynn Calls the Heart.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Oh, that it was renewed for a fourteenth season in
advance of the thirteen season dropping when we still have
not heard if a third season of Mistletoe Murders is
gonna come.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah, what the heck man? And Laurie Laughlin is coming
back to the network. This is probably the wrong episode
to have a hot take on Wind Calls the Heart.
I have no notes on Wind Calls the Heart. I
don't watch the show. We did a first impression I
liked the first episode that I saw of it, but
I've never watched any of the other seasons after that.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Not that we don't want wyn Calls the Heart to
get renewed, we just want all of our other favorites
to get Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
My concern that I voiced to you and now that
I'm going to tell the listeners of the podcast, I'm
a little bit concerned what Hallmark is doing. I'm afraid
that we're just walking backwards pre twenty twenty is do
you think that's happening.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I need to see more. Need I need to see more?
I don't know. We did see some new January movie
information come out, and some of our faiths are there,
Chris Paalaha and Lacey Shaverer, Ian Harding, there are some
good names. So I'm reserving judgment on the future of Hallmark.
I have fully believed that twenty twenty five was a
rebuilding year, and so I hope that remains to be
(05:24):
true for twenty twenty six. But there are so many
unknowns about what could be happening.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
That I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. I'm not
trying to speculate here, No, But also am I going
to be like, Hi, I'm Wendy. I'm a Hallmark hater
in the New Year. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Welcome to Girls Gone Network Television.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Didn't we just say we were gonna try to stay
on the rails with this one here?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yeah, well we knew that was a last cause before
we started. Let's stalk the Christmas Cup and let's start
with the synopsis. I'm worried about what. I'm worried about
the state of the IMDb synopsis It's not bad, today's's
fine staff.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Sergeant Kelly Brandt, recovering from a knee injury, leads her
hometown team in an annual Christmas Cup. Despite her heart
aching for her career, she discovers there are multiple ways
to serve her community.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
This was directed by Robin Dunn. This is his seventeenth
directing credit and his second Hallmark movie. His previous Hallmark
title was Entertaining Christmas in twenty eighteen. Most of his
other work looks and feels Hallmark adjacent, but aired on
different networks.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
If you know what I'm putting down. The teleplay was
by Hold Your Horses, Guys, Stuart gold Mark, Hapuala, Emily Moss,
Wilson and Jason Shane Scott. Yes, there are four writers
on this movie. Do you want me to get into
details of it? Sure? Emily Moss Wilson has nine writing credits,
including My Southern Family Christmas, plus several other similar style
(06:58):
movies for other netws works. Jason Shane Scott has fifteen
writing credits, mostly thrillers like Listen to this List Secrets
of a Celebrity Nanny. These are all in my lane
too Deadly, daughter switch and engaged to a psycho. It
has to be lifetime, right, Yes. Stuart Gold has three
(07:20):
previous writing credits. This is his first for Hallmark as well.
Mark Haapala has seven writing credits. This is also his
first for Hallmark.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Rhiann and Fish stars as Kelly. She has thirty four
acting credits and recently appeared in two episodes of The
Chicken Sisters. She also starred in A Machu Pichu Proposal
and Polar Opposites this year. Benjamin Rosenbaum plays Quinn. He
has ten acting credits and is well known to win
calls the heart fans as Mike Hickham, with nearly one
hundred episodes under his belt. One hundred episodes I mean,
(07:52):
I guess it's on fourteen seasons or whatever it is.
Is he still currently on the show? You're asking the
wrong or I am. Natasha Burnette plays Brie. She has
twenty four acting credits and is also from The Wind
Calls the Heart universe, where she plays Minie. She's appeared
in Hallmark titles like Legend of the Lost Lockett and
Sweet Revenge, a Hannah Swinson mystery.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Michael Tagan plays Mickey. He has one hundred and three
acting credits and has been a in a long list
of Hallmark movies, including Game of Love, Roadhouse Romance, and
Dator's Handbook, which if you haven't seen Dater's Handbook, you
need to dig into the Hallmark Plus archives and watch
that because that is a great movie.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Chris Paula, Megan markle Yep Harlow Robbins plays Kip. This
is her first acting credit and.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
For the Wind Calls the Heart fans. There is also
several cameo appearances Andrea Brooks, Pascal Hutton, and Kevin Smith.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
This one is an all Canadian entertainment production with casting
by Judy Lee, not one of Hallmark's regular casting jury.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
That actually should have been my digit that did you
notice that at the beginning of the movie it said
this is an all Canadian entertainment production. No, yeah, interesting, right,
and what does that mean? But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Let's take a quick break and we will come back
with our first impressions. Hey, Wendy, what was your first
impression of the Christmas Cup After a weekend of Hallmark Bangers,
this one arrived with the energy of a movie that
I thought was airing on a Tuesday in June. My
(09:25):
first impression is, maybe it would have helped if we
were hearties.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Maybe it would have helped if we were hearties.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Well, let's talk what we liked about this movie.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
This movie was perfectly fine. Fine is what I can
muster from it. Yeah, I think I was a little
bit disappointed, like this was their like button to the weekend. Yeah,
there was nothing offensive. There's nothing chaotic. It feels well,
okay chaotic in terms of it's not flat hygiene, it's
(09:59):
it's Yeah. I mean, there's like stupid stuff that I
not enjoying watching. But my point is like, there's nothing
offensive about it. I truly think this movie should have
been on another network. M It was like way safe
and in a season where we've had some smash hit movies. Yeah,
(10:21):
and a weekend and a weekend exactly. This does not
keep the pace with those others.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
No, my thoughts are I think Rann and Fish and
Ben Rosenbaum do the heavy lifting here, and I think
they do what can be done with a story that
just isn't quite there, you know, maybe having too many
cooks in the kitchen, with the number of writers we had,
maybe we were heading into many different directions. I think
Rihanna and Ben are fine. I think they have some
(10:49):
sweet moments. I really enjoy Rann and Fish. Maybe this
wasn't the role for her, but I think she I
have some things to say about the tone of this movie,
but I think I think you could see the emotional conflict,
the inner turmoil she was going through in terms of
the life changes she was going to have to make
and the way some things were out of her control.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
That was the best part of the movie.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, for me, that was.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
The best part of the movie. I was like those
emotional beats where she was like in this transition of
I've been hurt, now my career is in jeopardy. What
am I going to do next? That was the good
stuff of the movie, and I thought she as an
actor handled that stuff really well. All the other nonsense
in this movie didn't work for me.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Right, there's anything else you liked?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
I do believe that this quote Christmas cup concept had potential. Yes,
if you think about last year's twas the date before Christmas,
they had like a family Olympics. Yeah, and that was
very enjoyable to watch. This could have been that. It
just didn't get there for me.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
There's some funny dialogue in this I like when her
dad says say hello to Captain Hotpants. For me, when
Caven and Pascal have their on screen cameo and they
realize they know each other. How long has it been?
Like a century? I laughed out loud. That was funny.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I thought that their little meet cute on there was
real cute, really cute. It was like one of my
favorite highlights, to.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Be honest, When when Rhiannon and Ben's characters are at
the firehouse and they're gonna rap gifts, he goes, should
we make some Christmas magic? And Kelly pauses, it has
real this is where the magic happens. From MTV cribs
all over it. He goes, you know, wrap some presents.
I thought it was funny. I thought it was a
(12:40):
little wink in and nod Right there.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
You want to move on to wishes? I do, Okay,
why don't you start us.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Off while I realize I do need to suspend disbelief
to watch some Hallmark movies personally, for me, when the
conflict revolves around characters that are like cartoon super villains,
it begins to defy believability. Mayor Sheila, my daughter Penelope,
these are not how real people behave.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, let's hope not not in our lives.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
I just don't believe. I think there are genuinely bad, mean,
snide people. But I just I felt like it had
the like, oh yeah aspect to it, and I wasn't
quite there. Also, back to my first impression, I think
if I were a Hardy I would have had my
Peter Benson Peter Benson style moments watching this movie. It's
(13:30):
it's Kevin Smith right with many of the actors. Alas
I am not, and so I missed those moments.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Yeah, I would love to hear from like the Hardys,
like email us girls gone homework at gmail dot com,
Like was this awesome? For you because there were so
many of your faves popping up in it. I have
a couple more rooms remy Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
So they give a lot of weight to the Christmas
Cup in this movie, as if it's this big meaningful
thing and about her mom used to lead the team
and she's taking on this big role. And yet the
Christmas of itself, it's chugging eggnog and snowball fight. The
tone of the Christmas Cup and the tone of the
way they talk about the Christmas Cup do not match.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
Yeah, I agree with you all that hyjiinks, the silly
stuff with the Christmas Cup, the egg nog chugging, the
girl desperately wanting to sing.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
However, when the other towns guy gets up and does
a beautiful silent night, Yeah, pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Put the rest of it.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah, all that competition prep stuff like I don't know
how to undo the tangled lights wants to make my
head explode.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah. And finally, Bree's restaurant situation, her speech about why
she couldn't sell her restaurant. She's trying to explain to
Kelly why it would be important, why she needs to
invest in the town and come home She's like, that's
why I couldn't sell my restaurant. I would have been
giving up on my family. And sometimes plans change. Yeah,
(15:00):
life circumstances, Life throws things that you. Kelly didn't anticipate
getting injured. She didn't anticipate this career change. She didn't
anticipate having to make these decisions. It's just a little
heavy handed.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
I have a couple questions for you. Yes, when we
heard this movie was coming out, where like Rhann and
Fish as a military personnel, I'm like, I don't buy
it at all.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
I kind of bought it.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Yeah, me too, a little bit, me too coming home
and she's like in the uniform and all that stuff,
and she's real sweet to that little girl that's like,
thank you for your service, and that was really sweet.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Loved that, Like I kind of bought it.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
I think maybe I was like expecting something else, so
I was pleasantly surprised by that part of it.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
I did read some things.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I don't know if it was on Reddit or Facebook
or where, but they said some of the uniform was.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Oh, it's all my DIGITSI okay, well we're.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Gonna wait to that. Then one of my biggest wishes
is that I didn't really buy into the romance between
Kelly and Quinn. Yeah, like I just there was like
nothing there and that scene where he overhears classic trope,
but he overhears Kelly and the friend talking yes, like
the friend is giving her a hard time, like you're
(16:17):
gonna leave, Like don't you want to see where this
goes with this guy? I'm like no, no, But first
Kelly's line is like he's practically a stranger. I was like, oh, yeah,
it hurts.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I didn't like that because the idea is supposed to
be like that trope is supposed to be like you misunderstood, Yeah,
he didn't misunderstand her. No, you just said we're just friends.
He's a stranger. And then she has to go back
to and be like, well I didn't mean what I said. Yeah,
but you did say it. He didn't misunderstand Nope, yeah,
exactly exactly.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
But regardless, there was right no, like if you want
to see sparks fly off the TV screen, Watcheryan and
Fish and Tyler Hines.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
And a picture of her every time, they're so good. Yeah,
but this they were so good. I was convinced they
were dating in real life. Yeah, I know, I remember,
I remember.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Yeah, Sonay, that's it.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Well, let's talk Did you see that the.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Christmas Cup happens on Christmas Day?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I don't even think I knew that.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And that's like your biggest pet peeve something happening on
Christmas Eve or Christmas.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Day, participating in a town competition on Christmas Day. I'm
also not participating in any competition on Christmas Day. I
want to stay in my pajamas. I want to open presents,
eat food, enjoy my home with my children and my
family and my dogs.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Totally hold on. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
If I'm married into a family that was like we
participate in competitions on Christmas Day, I'd be like, I'm out, goodbye.
Speaking of did you see the TikTok? You know what
I'm gonna say, let's talk about it of the family
that pranked the fiance of the brother saying we're a
turkey trot family. And she goes all in. She trains,
she buys a cute Thanksgiving sparkle skirt. They got shirts made,
(17:55):
and then they're taking the picture and they're.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Like just kidding, Yeah, did you see her face?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
They're like, she loves pranks.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Nope, this is what I would have done. I would
have been I would I would end that relationship.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I would have gone home. I would have ended the relationship.
In my twenties, I probably would have just sat there.
But now, yeah, no, I'd be like, this is a
sign of things to come. Totally not funny, especially when
it's at someone else. There's a way to do a
prank that's harmless. This wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
No, I agree at HRTs, this is the family you're
marrying into. Yeah, Nope, nope, nope, nope, red flags runaway
bridegirl run. I would have been like, watch me run bye,
right out of your lives. Guys.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Yes, okay. If you go on IMDb or read it,
there are so many comments about how they did things incorrectly.
This IMDb comment says the uniform is so far from
a proper military, let alone US Marine Corps uniform, that
I had to leave the room until she changed. Oh,
stripes wrong wrong uniform, pants, no tie with jacket, wrong jacket,
(18:58):
The cover had no USMCM. Please please please represent and
honor our veterans with the proper attire That feels like
a fair ask, then listener Paula. I knew Paula would
ride in YOL. She commented on our first impression post
on Instagram, and since this is public, I'm going to
share it. She says. I apologize for bringing this up again,
(19:20):
but Rhann and Fish at the beginning of the movie
was wearing an army uniform and carrying a USMC bag
while calling ourselves a marine, which is at least consistent
since she called herself a soldier while being a marine.
She also had no insignia on her cover. I feel
bad for her demotion. She went from captain to sergeant.
This is just ludicrous. At this point, she then goes
on to say there's more her Army rank insignia. It's
(19:41):
yellow not USMC. Red is upside down, and it's a
sergeant rank, not a staff sergeant. Both services have the
point facing up. Navy has the point down. Oh wow,
it feels like the bare minimum to me to do
this research. Yeah. The number of people who are commenting
like Paya is x military.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
There's people on IMDb who are casual watchers. These aren't consultants.
If the average person who was in the military, of
which there are many many, many could have told you
what you were doing wrong. Yeah, it doesn't seem like
it would be that hard to get that memory.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
Well, and Google exists too, But how if you're doing
a movie with such a heavy military influence you I
think you would go to an expert, a consultant. Hey,
let's get this one detail right because it matters to
the people who belong to these things, right. Yeah, I
(20:39):
think that's sloppy work. I have one more.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Did you see that?
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's not that exciting, but they surprised Kelly with a
cake at the end that says like a Looha Kelly
on it. Legit stickers for the writing on the cake stickers,
sparkly stickers I would have got at my local craft store. Yeah, bad, bad.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Who shuts down a party? Who shows up at a
random party for a returning service member and it's like
you're over fire code get out?
Speaker 3 (21:10):
No, I know, get out dom.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I also laughed, we almost have a thousand subscribers on
our YouTube channel and now I'm a restaurant worthy chef.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I did enjoy the silliness with that. Dad, as someone
who's made YouTube videos like the grind is hard, guys, so.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
You respect us? I did, Okay, what did you rate
the Christmas Cup sadly two stars too. Thanks for listening
to this episode of Girls Gone Hallmark, a Bramble Jam podcast.
That's a wrap on our Mary Thanksgiving reviews, But today
is a two episode day, so make sure you check
for the listener Mailbag episode that is also dropping. We'll
(21:49):
be back next time with more Hallmark reviews.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Goodbye, bye.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
All right friends, before we go, just to quick heads up,
you're about to hear some ads. These little gems help
us keep the show running and the Hallmark love flowing.
So do with that info what you will, Grab a snack,
hit the skip button, or maybe just maybe listen in
and discover your new favorite product.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Bye
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