Hallmark specializes in films about single women who find true love at Christmas or family gathering who reunite at Christmas I should admit, I love watching holiday movies at this time of year. Oftentimes, the plot contains a deep and significant message of inspiration. Here's a passage from the movie HALLMARK that struck a chord with me recently. "Sometimes the most difficult paths lead to the most rewarding destinations." This is what the angel in the sentimental HALLMARK movie said to a depressed woman who decided to divorce her husband while on a family Christmas holiday. The angel was pushing the mother not to give up hope and to leave the marriage before the miracle of a loving connection might happen. Of course, like with all HALLMARK films, there was a happy ending, but there was a period of upheaval and agony before that

Perfection & Predictability in Hallmark Movies

The frightening kind of perfection that these films reach is the kind that these films accomplish. Like in the SpongeBob episode where the titular sponge tries so hard to be normal that his weak and angular body morphs, becoming completely edgeless and texture less. SpongeBob is a totally flawless smooth yellow ball at his most "normal" state, inoffensive yet horribly unnatural. And therein lay the stumbling block.

The slightly frightening absence of realism in Free HALLMARK movies is one of the reasons we as a culture enjoy them. The actors in brand-new sweaters from the wardrobe department, the actors with gleaming white veneers in their mouths, and the mother who continues to flip perfectly cooked pancakes on a stove that is clearly not turned on, all of it brushes against the uncanny valley, reminding the audience that this is just a movie and none of it is real. HALLMARK does not attempt to offer an immersive film experience; you will never forget that you are viewing a budget picture on premium cable from the comfort of your own home. Regardless, the HALLMARK films are the pinnacle of escapism.

The Rise of Hallmark Channel Movies

The word "Hallmark movie" refers to a certain genre of cinema. Prior to 2001, there was no such thing as a Hallmark movie. Before that, Hallmark was known for its goofy greeting cards that could be found at your local grocery store and its eponymous tchotchke shops that could be found in strip malls all over the country. "You know the pleasant aura we impart in all our greeting cards?" someone apparently stated in 2001. What if we created a whole channel dedicated to that sensation?" As a result, Hallmark, a premium cable channel, was developed.

It's Hallmark Movie Tradition That Never Ends: Every year, a new film is added to the canon of Christmas classics. The output is around 2 hours of schmaltzy sanitized family pleasure wrapped neatly in acceptability for the audience. It's sweet candy and mindless entertainment, but we should maintain it that way for the benefit of our collective mental health. We deserve some sincere, no offensive entertainment during this jarring holiday season. We want material that makes us feel rather than making us think. And what we want to experience is happiness, love, and hope for humanity and the future.