Movie Review - Signed Sealed Delivered: The Impossible Dream

Signed Sealed Delivered

The Impossible Dream

2015

Moon Water Productions / Muse Entertainment Enterprises : The Hallmark Channel / Muse Distribution International

8 / 10

This movie is the apotheosis of what the series represents.  In the film, not only are the issues of hope when things appear blackest are addressed but so are the concepts of sacrifice, love, obsession, and truth above all else.  All of this is Signed Sealed Delivered in the usual heartwarming package that leaves you with a warm feeling and thinking that everything is right with the world.

The writers, Matha Williamson (the stories creator) and Brandi Harkonen do another wonderful job as intertwining a myriad of events into an enjoyable show.  This is actually a continuation and conclusion of the story from "Truth Be Told" as the Postables are taken before a Closed Senate Committee regarding national security.  As they tell their story, in a roundabout fashion of information that's come into their possession concerning the whereabouts of Lieutenant Randilynn Amidon; the missing mother of  Pheobe from the last film.  Their testimonies are interspersed with scenes of Lieutenant Amidon in Afghanistan.  All of this coincides with the Postal Pageant to find the next Miss Special Delivery, in which Rita is enrolled.  If this isn't enough then Steve, Shane's old love, is back and helping the team to find the missing Lieutenant.

On the whole, all of this is handled superbly, and I particularly loved the opening titles with the Postables marching side by side into the Committee meeting, the bit with Norman brought a smile to my face and a laugh to my throat.  Director Kevin Fair does some nice shots and segues, however, there are some sections which let the film down a little and these are mainly confined to the outdoor Afghanistan scenes.  If it weren't for these then I may have given the film a Ten.

The cast once again is impeccable and right on target with their characters and their portrayals.  Mark Valley gives off the right sense of power and swarthiness that you can understand what Shane saw in him.  Zak Santiago is back as the brilliant Ramon Rodriguez.  Christina Bianco is great as Mindy, one of the contestants in the pageant, and boy does she can wail.

Do I recommend watching this movie, I do and strongly.  However, because of the characters and their back stories, I think you would get better enjoyment from this movie if you had watched the series and previous movies.  It's well worth it.

Movie Review - Signed Sealed Delivered: Truth Be Told

Signed Sealed Delivered

Truth Be Told

2015

Moon Water Productions / Muse Entertainment Enterprises : The Hallmark Channel

9.25 / 10

I am pleased to say that the writing team of Martha Williamson and Brandi Harkonen are back on track after the previous episode, which resolved Oliver's estranged marriage.

They have managed to put the series back on track as they revert to the tried and true structure.  The main story is that of the lost letter, with the postables lives taking second place.  In this movie, the lost letter comes from a military officer stationed in Afghanistan.  The letter is to her daughter...

The story does a very good job of telling a story of loss, hope, and heartbreaking truth.  Back on the home front, we learn more about Oliver and his past as his father comes home to visit with some shocking and groundbreaking news.  It also seems that Oliver's wife is not the only family member he's estranged from.  There's so much going on in this episode that it should keep you entertained.

The direction is up to par with the previous episodes as Kevin Fair is still in the Directors chair and the resident cast is consistently good and builds their characters and ongoing relationships well.  The extra cast of Gregory Harrison as Oliver's Father, Joe O'Toole; Megan Charpentier as Phoebe Amidon, and William B Davis as Harper, Pheobe's Grandfather; are very good in their roles, especially Charpentier. 

If you've watched the previous episodes of the movies and series then you should like this one, though if you're not familiar with Signed Sealed Delivered then I would recommend watching from the start as it's the best way to relate to the characters... and it's worth it.

 

Movie Review - Signed Sealed Delivered: From Paris With Love

Signed Sealed Delivered

From Paris With Love

2015

Moon Water Productions / Muse Entertainment Enterprises / Muse Entertainment LLC : Hallmark Movies & Mysteries / Muse Distribution International

6.75 / 10

I was looking forward to this episode in the Signed Sealed Delivered series as soon as I read the title, "From Paris With Love" ... at last Oliver will have to deal with his estranged wife and their future together... or not!

I was right, but I was so wrong.

There are three stories in this movie, not only does Oliver (Eric Mabius) have to choose his future but his and his wife Holly's outcome affects Shane (Kristin Booth) in a way that she had perfidiously told herself wasn't real; so she has to face up to the truth of her feelings.  Them there's the story of a husband and wife going through tough times and whose marriage was on the rocks.  Could trouble be waiting around the corner when The Postables deliver the divorce papers he signed years earlier?

There's quite a bit to be resolved in this episode and though the creator Martha Williamson wrote the story with Brandi Harkonen (both have strong stories in the TV series, and Williamson's were always the best of the bunch) this film feels as flat as Lassie - run over by a Steamroller.  I even found one of the characters rather irksome.  Holly O'Toole (played by Poppy Montgomery) is a very two-dimensional character when compared to all the others in the cast.  Though I am uncertain if this is the writers' or director's fault or their vision of the character or that Montgomery couldn't portray the character correctly.

Then there's the plainly obvious fact that there's NO chemistry between Holly and Oliver.  This is as shame as it would have added an interesting dynamic to the story.  It's actually hard to believe why they married each other, even with the flashbacks there's just not enough between them.

I wouldn't believe it could have been either the writers' fault or the director's because of the strength of previous stories, however, the story of the husband and wife isn't as deep or as strong as it should have been.  We, the audience, should have felt for them as we have felt for previous dead letter receivers.  Except for this time, instead of this being the main story it actually feels more like an aside, it's told and resolved so fast that no drama or tension is created.  This in itself is highly unusual for the series.

So with just these three problems the usually happy and warm atmosphere is quite diminished and verges on nonexistent.  Thank God for Rita (Crystal Lowe) and Norman (Geoff Gustafson) as they keep this atmosphere ticking over.  Poor Norman may have an opponent in the affections for Rita, in the shape and sound of heavily accented Ramon Rodriguez (joyously portrayed by Zak Santiago who keeps the character teetering on the edge of over-the-top).

So I will hope and pray this movie is the exception to the rule and that the next instalment will have me smiling with joy... through the tears.

If you've watched the other episodes then give this a watch to tie-up loose ends.  Though if you've not watched any then I'd stay clear of this one until you've caught up.  It's not really a stand-alone episode, and not reflective of how good the series is.

Movie Review - Signed Sealed Delivered: For Christmas

Signed Sealed Delivered

For Christmas

2014

Moon Water Productions / Muse Entertainment Enterprises : The Hallmark Channel / Muse Distribution International

8.25 / 10

This is the first of the TV movies about The Postables; Oliver O'Toole (Eric Mabius), Shane McInerney (Kristin Booth), Rita Haywith (Crystal Lowe), and Norman Dorman (Geoff Gustafson) - and what better way to kick them off than with the Christmas Special... and what a Christmas Special.

Jordan Marley, played by Rob Estes, turns up at the Post Office and introduces himself to the team and hands them a lost letter which needs their utmost attention.  At Christmastime, more than any other, the deadline to find the recipient of the letter is more important.  Which becomes even more so when the recipient isn't Father Christmas... but God!

This Christmas the team have to pull off a Christmas Miracle when they come across the sender and find the reason for the letter.

Oliver is revisited by an old memory of a bleak Christmas Past and the samaritan who helped him through the hard times.  We learn of Shane's reluctance to celebrate Christmastime as a religious occasion.

How will the team bring light to the darkness threatening the season?

The writers of the special, Brandi Harkonen, Kerry Lenhart, and John J Sakmor along with the creator Martha Williamson, who wrote the teleplay do a wonderful job of keeping the characters and their backstories going, adding to the family feeling of the cast.

As always, they keep the heartwarming and joyful atmosphere simmering throughout the movie, even though they are dealing with some austere subject matters, including death, loss, and loneliness.

The actors are on the mark with their characters and appear to have no difficulties in bringing them to life in a longer format.  If anything, the longer format suits this program much better.  Forty-five minutes was good but with double the time, you get more detail in the storytelling and time to build characters.  There's even a nice cameo from Marion Ross (Mrs Cunningham from Happy Days) as Oliver's old school teacher... what could be better(?)

If you like Christmas movies then this is one that should be on your list to watch; it's made mine.  If you want a movie with a heart that will make you feel good then this is worth a watch.  Merry Christmas To All...

Series Review - Signed Sealed Delivered

Signed Sealed Delivered

2014

One Season Of Ten Episodes Before Becoming Regular TV Movies.

Moon Water Productions / Muse Entertainment Production / Special Delivery TeleProductions : The Hallmark Channel / Muse Distribution International

9.25 / 10

This program is one of my guilty pleasures.  It's a fantastically schmaltzy good-natured and light-humoured tale of four postal workers who's everyday job weaves them into the lives, troubles and tribulations of people and their relevant happy-ending outcomes.

Oliver O'Toole is the die-hard postal worker who loves his job and carries it out to his own regimen; Eric Mabius does a brilliant job bringing a loving and caring personality to him, who is so staid you can only tell his emotions by his demeanour or his loss for words.  This is a beautiful character, who has a subtle deepness to him, very well crafted by writer and creator Martha Williamson.

Kristin Booth portrays Shane McInerney or as Oliver always calls her Miss McInerney.  Shane is the technical advisor who has been newly appointed to the department, she is self-assured and often butts heads with Oliver, usually concerning his routine and dislike of technology.  Though the chemistry between them is palpable right from their first meeting.

Norman Xavier Dorman is the brilliant but slow-on-the-emotional-uptake colleague, who is in charge of tracking down addresses based on the minimal of clues.  Geoff Gustafson is exemplary in this role as he can wear a plethora of bemused and confused faces; he's also given the character a set of hand gestures for when he's nervous or thinking.  Martha Williamson has created a great personality in Norman Dorman.

Last, but not least is Rita Haywith, who is a shy and retiring person always eager to help... and hopelessly in love with Norman, which she portrays and says in her own way, though Norman never really catches on.  Crystal Lowe is great as the gawky assistant with a good heart and will.

These four work in the Dead Letter Office.  The place where wrongly addressed, unreadable, or damaged mail lands.  It's then up to Oliver and his team to get those pieces of mail to their relevant addresses.  If this cannot be deduced by the front or rear of the envelope then they are allowed to open it and read the contents, but only to the point where a delivery address can be confirmed.

It's on Shanes arrival that a new rule is implemented and the team go the extra distance by getting personally involved and going the extra mile to get the mail to its intended target.  This includes helping a Grandmother find her Grandson before a killer can; find an Afghanistan veteran who believes he doesn't deserve his life; help two soul-mates to rekindle their love; Help a father find his Son and Granddaughter; Help a Mother to bring her estranged Daughters together; Help a Father to understand his daughter better; Revive a musician's life, memory, and love; Give a Father a means to save his Daughter and better understand his dead wife; Reunite a child with his twin Brother and Mother...  It is also on Shane's arrival that the dynamic between the team begins to evolve and grow.  Both Norman and Rita start to come out of their shells and their relationship starts to slowly... ever so slowly... bloom.  Oliver starts to realise he has to start coping with his emotions and feelings over his estranged wife.

Though not all the stories have completely happy endings - tissues will be needed - the overall feeling at the finale of each episode is one of hope, warmth, and surety that everything will work out okay.  In this day and age, this is a hard thing to do without making it feel silly and unrealistic.  However, Williamson and the writing team on the series, do a brilliant job of giving the audience a more than satisfactory ending, each time, and leaving them with a warm feeling in their hearts.

There's nothing too fantastic about the direction of the episodes, no fancy shots or camera angles or coloured filters (the closest you get is a close-up of Oliver in the pouring rain, at night, soaking wet, pondering if he should post a letter or not).  This is a good thing though as what makes this series such a wonder is the stories and the characters.

I would recommend curling up with a loved one on a cold night with a hot cup of chocolate and just let yourself be carried away on the joyfulness for forty-five minutes...  Maybe this can be one of your guilty pleasures too.

Movie Review - Lost Letter Mysteries

Lost Letter Mysteries

aka Signed Sealed Delivered

Love and Tragedy [Pilot Episode]

Front Street Pictures / Muse Entertainment Enterprises : Hallmark / MovieMax Family

2013

9.5 /10

This is a lovely well thought-out movie, that is well directed and superbly acted by a talented cast, headed by one of my favourite actors, Eric Mabius. who I originally saw in The Crow: Salvation.

I really loved the idea of the "Lost Letter Department" whose sole job is to get the undelivered mail to where it's intended destination.  If they cannot read the address on the envelope then they are allowed to open the letter, but they are only allowed to read as far as they need so they can deduce a delivery address, as it's a federal offense to tamper with mail.

In this case, though, they keep running into problems in determining the destination so they have to keep reading.  As they do the viewer is shown the story of the letter's writer and becomes embroiled in their tale.

The reason this works is the juxtaposition of the two ongoing stories, as well as the different characters within each.  It gives quite a lot of detail to keep you interested and entertained.

Eric Mabius plays Oliver O'Toole who is a stuffed shirt, but with a heart of gold.  He likes his rules and regulations though if there's a logical explanation to circumnavigate the rules to get the desired outcome, then he will.  He is a solid and strong character, a good lead.

Kristin Booth portrays Shane McInerney, "Miss McInerney" as Oliver likes to call her and the chemistry between them is nice.  She comes to the Lost Letter Department by accident and can only get redeployed to her desired department after a couple of months.  Even though she isn't good at hiding her disappointment, it's Shane who is pivotal in pushing the investigation to its conclusion.  It's her curiosity and enthusiasm that help make her a well thought-out character.

Then you have the two "Side-Kicks"  Rita Haywith and Norman Dorman, played nicely by Crystal Lowe and Geoff Gustafson.  These are the "Geeks" of the Lost Letter Department, but add a depth to the team, which makes the show stronger.

Even though there are some adult issues represented in the story these are handled with maturity and in a light manner.  This is not a doom and gloom show, and for that reason I loved it.

What works really well is the great direction, it cannot be easy to intertwine two stories and keep it well paced and smooth.  The director makes this look effortless, all adding to the enjoyability of the movie.

I would recommend this to everybody, especially the lovers of heart-warming tales.