Everyone has their own opinion on Hallmark Channel's original movies. Some love the romantic, heartwarming storylines while others roll their eyes at the cheesy, predictable movies where the guy and the girl always end up together.
Hallmark Channel has a movie for every season. The holiday films might be the most popular, but other movies take place during Valentine’s Day, a summer wedding, a fall harvest, and more. Several of the movies focus on love, family, friendship, and faith. They have better storylines than others. Take a look at ten of the best Hallmark Channel movie storylines of the past decade. Start your movie marathon today.
The Watsons Go To Birmingham (2013)
Everyone loves a good family movie, and Hallmark Channel always delivers heartwarming tales about beloved families. In the 2013 movie The Watsons Go to Birmingham, it’s 1963 and the Watson family is traveling from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama. It’s the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and the Watsons quickly realize life in Alabama is different than back home in Michigan.
Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Christopher Paul Curtis, the trip changes the Watson family for the rest of their lives. The film is drastically different than other Hallmark Channel movies, and perhaps that’s why it’s so memorable.
A Royal Christmas (2014)
By now, it's clear that Lacey Chabert is treated like a princess at Hallmark Channel. She has starred in over 20 films, and the 2014 holiday romance, A Royal Christmas, is one of her more memorable films. Chabert plays Emily Taylor, a seamstress who finds out that her European boyfriend, Leo James (Stephen Hagan), is a prince.
Co-starring Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman star Jane Seymour, the film is a charming, fun romance that is exactly what Hallmark Channel is known for. Emily must decide if she can be a royal, or if she’s better off as a seamstress.
Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
If Chabert doesn’t dominate Hallmark Channel, then it’s Candace Cameron Bure. The Full House star has appeared in just about as many movies as Chabert, including the 2014 film, Christmas Under Wraps. Bure plays Lauren Burnell, a rising doctor who moves to Garland, Alaska for a residency job.
Lauren is far from thrilled about the job and the small town. But she’s instantly charmed by a local, Andy Holliday (David O’Connell). He finds a way to warm her heart and to show her that there’s more to life than inside a physician’s office.
A Country Wedding (2015)
Everyone loves a good country romance, right? In the 2015 film A Country Wedding, a famous country singer, Bradley (Jesse Metcalfe), visits his hometown before he plans to marry a Hollywood actress. However, just like many other Hallmark Channel movies, he reunites with his childhood romance, Sarah (Autumn Reeser). Suddenly, Bradley has no idea who he wants to marry.
While you probably already know who Bradley chooses, it’s still exciting and charming to watch the plot unfold. The movie includes plenty of love, country music, and heartwarming scenes that will make you want to also have a country romance.
All Of My Heart (2015)
Most Hallmark Channel movies focus on a couple who despise each other in the beginning. The 2015 film All of My Heart is no different. The movie tells the story of Jenny Fintley (Chabert), a caterer who suddenly inherits a country cottage. She wants to restore it, but she doesn’t see eye-to-eye with a Wall Street trader, Brian Howell (Brennan Elliott).
They’re forced to renovate the home together. Of course, like many other Hallmark Channel movies, they eventually learn more about each other and they find they can be a good couple. Co-starring Ed Asner, the movie was so popular that it spawned two sequels.
The Color Of Rain (2014)
It’s rare for Chabert to star in a tragic romance, but the 2014 film, The Color of Rain, was different from her typical movies. The film tells the story of Gina Kell (Chabert), whose husband dies from cancer on Christmas Day. Hoping to cope with the pain, Gina starts volunteering at her kids’ elementary school, where she meets Michael Spehn (Warren Christie).
Michael’s wife also died from cancer and the two families become close. Gina forms an unlikely friendship with Michael as they try to adjust to their new realities. This movie certainly tugs on your heartstrings.
Finding A Family (2011)
In the 2011 family drama Finding a Family, Alex Chivescu (Jared Abrahamson) has one goal: to go to college at an Ivy League school. But there are many complications for him. He lives in group homes and with foster parents since his mother was tragically injured in a car accident. She was unfit to raise him, and Alex knows it’ll be close to impossible for his dreams to come true.
Based on a true story, Alex’s spirits lift up when he moves to a new foster family that encourages his dreams. He might actually get to go to an Ivy League—maybe even Harvard University. This heartwarming, inspirational film redefines family.
Write Before Christmas (2019)
In the 2019 holiday film Write Before Christmas, Jessica Winthrop (Torrey DeVitto) sends Christmas cards to influential people in her life: her aunt, her brother who is serving in the military, a pop star (Drew Seeley), her former music teacher, and her best friend.
This film reminds viewers of the now-ancient practice of sending Christmas cards to loved ones. Throughout the film, viewers questions if the five individuals have any connections together. Along the way, Jessica becomes close to Luke (Chad Michael Murray), and it’s a romance no one will forget.
Holiday For Heroes (2019)
Hallmark Channel knows how to make a good military film. In the 2019 film Holiday for Heroes, Audrey Brown (Melissa Claire Egan) sent letters to deployed soldier Matt Evans (Marc Blucas). For a year, Matt had fallen in love with Audrey, and he decides to surprise her when he returns home to the U.S.
Are Audrey and Matt compatible in person? Or, are they better on paper? The film was praised for its heartwarming, original plot that had viewers wondering if the couple would actually end up together—a rarity in a Hallmark Channel film.
The Lost Valentine (2011)
Who doesn’t love Betty White? The American golden girl starred in the 2011 romance, The Lost Valentine. Also starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, the film tells the story of Susan Allison (Hewitt), a journalist who is writing a story about Caroline Thomas (White). Her husband went missing 60 years ago as a World War II soldier, but Caroline visits Union Station every year to salute her husband.
But did he actually die? What happened to him? That’s the mystery Susan tries to uncover. Along the way, she might find her own love story with Caroline’s grandson, Lucas (Sean Faris). The movie is one of Hallmark Channel’s best original movies, and White was even nominated for a SAG Award for her performance.