The Viewing Files: 365 Movies in 365 Days - Week Twenty Six

And it's back to the regular viewing... well, okay there might still be some Christmas movies thrown in there too.  Because yes I am a sucker for a Christmas romance film and yes I know, I really do need to cut back on my Hallmark viewing and yes I am an addict.

Right, now that we've got that covered we can get stuck into this week's latest viewing...

Bad Times at the El Royale
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: Lake Tahoe, 1969. Seven strangers, each one with a secret to bury, meet at El Royale, a decadent motel with a dark past.

One of those slightly weird, quirky film noir type films that people either like or hate.  I kind of liked it even though it wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be.  

And man can that girl can sing.  Totally check it out just for her.  Oh and Chris H is shirtless so there's that.  Totally a reason to watch it if the above doesn't work.

Dumplin'
Starring: Jennifer Aniston
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: To prove a point, Texas teen Willowdean “Dumplin’” Dickson enters a local pageant run by her ex-beauty queen mom.

I'm so glad that this was as good as I was hoping it to be.  Great book, great movie and awesome Dolly Parton songs throughout. 

One I will definitely be adding to my collection.

Ladies in Black
Starring: A bunch of Australians
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: A comedy drama about the lives of a group of department store employees in 1959 Sydney, Australia.

More drama than comedy, this is one of those slow, gentle films giving a glimpse into people's lives.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Starring: Spot the famous faces
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: Six stories from the Old West.

Totally weird and also kind of sad. Which is kind of what you expect from a Coen brother's movie.

I really liked two of the stories, one because of the scenery and the other because it was such a nice slow build love story.   I could have watched a whole movie about them - though (spoiler) I would have had a much happier ending.

Christmas Pen Pals
Starring: Who knows, who really cares
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: With her dating app under threat, Hannah heads home for the holidays only to be drawn into the town's Christmas pen pal scheme.

Average sap and one dead parent, yeah it's Hallmark again.

Kind of cute story and watchable just not memorable.

Small Town Christmas
Starring: Some guy with a deep voice
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: On the last stop of her book tour a writer finds herself running into an old flame.

It's a bookstore so what's not to love.  The male lead was kind of cute also.  Which helped.

And yeah there's a dead sister this time round.

Jingle Around The Clock
Starring: Pretty Blonde people
Original release: 2018
Synopsis: Organising a Christmas college reunion and ad campaign and going for a promotion a work, Elle has a lot to juggle on her plate and it's not helped by the guy she is forced to work with.

"I see dead people" should be Hallmark's tagline.  Like seriously.  This time both parents are dead.

Still the sap was kept low and the story was sort of realistic and cute so I could watch this one again.