Well, we couldn’t kick off our new Movie Review Page without a Hallmark Christmas Movie! Not all Hallmark Movies feature small towns, but many of them do. Here’s the information you need to know from one of their first releases this Holiday Season.
Where is Garland, Alaska?
The adorable small town of Garland, Alaska is fictional. However, the filming location for Garland is Huntsville, Utah and is very real! There are several great locations you see in the film that are places to visit. For example, the Compass Rose Lodge that is featured as The Garland Inn, and Hattie’s Diner featured at The Lovin’ Cup at Huntsville Square. Just take a look at The Welcome Page for Huntsville Square and try to tell me this is not a Great Small Town Destination!
In addition, to keep with the Garland, Alaska theme, you will also see views of Denali National Park Preserve and Mount Healy in the film. You can watch This Friday December 9th on Hallmark Channel.
What’s The Storyline?
-Airs again this Friday (12/9) at 6p.m. EST.
I had a hard time getting into this one. It’s a sequel to the 2014 “Christmas Under Wraps,” and I just envision that every Hallmark couple is a happily ever after. So, how to reconcile that the main characters from the original movie broke up to allow this one to take place? And seriously, I mean, Hallmark movies are not that different – couldn’t we have just created a new town and a new family business with a “secret magical” job?
However, about 25 minutes in, it took on its own storyline and turned out pretty good. PLUS, I love Hattie, the diner owner as well as the actress who plays the executive assistant to Frank Holiday (she is one of my all-time favorite one-time FRIENDS characters – the over-the-top girl Ross picks up one night to make Rachel jealous).
The décor and atmosphere of the set was lovely. It’s a good one to watch if you are hankering for a new movie to start the season, but I’m hoping we’re just off to a slow Hallmark start. Giving it 6 out of 10 crowns, 
but a tear factor of 0 out of 5 – no tears on this one.
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