The Best Hallmark Movies So Far In 2023
Sometimes, there's nothing quite like a cheesy, easygoing Hallmark movie. Whether you're in the mood for a light-hearted romantic comedy, a gripping whodunit, or a heartwarming drama, the network has plenty of movies to choose from. Hallmark releases dozens of movies every year — and while this is great news for fans, it can also make choosing which one to watch a little tricky.
If you're looking for a brand new Hallmark movie to check out, there are already a few great 2023 options to choose from. There's the latest addition to the "Wedding Veil" series starring Hallmark-favorite Lacey Chabert. There's also a bunch of adorable Valentine's Day-themed rom-coms, such as "A Paris Proposal," "Welcome to Valentine," and "Sweeter Than Chocolate." The network has also brought us a few exciting new mysteries to sink our teeth into. Ready to find your next Hallmark favorite? We've compiled a list of our top picks for Hallmark movies of the year so far.
The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating
This brand new Hallmark movie has everything we could want from a rom-com — an adorable story, a few of our favorite Hallmark actors, and, of course, a very cute puppy. "The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating" was released on January 1, 2023, and stars Rebecca Dalton. Audiences may remember from last year's Hallmark hits, "For the Love of Pasta" and "A Tiny Home Christmas." "The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating" also features Corey Sevier, of "Christmas of Mistletoe Lake," "Noel Next Door," and "Christmas Plus One" fame.
The movie tells the story of Simon, a young man who is trying to win over Chloe by bonding with her dog. However, when he meets Alex, a peppy dog trainer, sparks fly and he begins to reconsider where his affections really lie.
So far, fans are loving this new addition to the Hallmark collection. As the fan podcast "Girls Gone Hallmark" noted in their podcast episode about the movie, "I thought there was some, just, fun, lighthearted, very current writing in this movie." Sounds like this is definitely one to add to your list.
The Wedding Veil Expectations
As every Hallmark fan knows, "The Wedding Veil" series is one of the network's biggest hits. To date, there have been six movies in total — three of which were released in 2022 and three that came out this year. While it's hard to pick a favorite "Wedding Veil" installment from 2023, we are big fans of the first entry in the new series of films, "The Wedding Veil Expectations," which was released on January 7, 2023.
This film catches up with Avery (Lacey Chabert) and Peter (Kevin McGarry), who were the first couple to be married with the mystical antique veil in the 2022 movie "The Wedding Veil." The couple is now renovating the old house they purchased. Even though the three college friends all got married in the veil in the first trilogy, it finds its way down the aisle once again in this sequel.
Just before the release of "The Wedding Veil Expectations," its star, Lacey Chabert, spoke to Forbes about the powerful series. "In 'The Wedding Veil,' we get to explore the best friends," she said. "It's not just about the romantic relationship, which is front and center, but it's really about the friends ... the thing that I'm most excited about is that we finally get to see what happens after these movies end." If you loved "The Wedding Veil" and you're curious to catch up with the three friends after their weddings, this follow-up is the perfect pick for you.
Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance
"Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance" made its debut on January 28, 2023. The ski resort rom-com stars Ashley Newbrough, who you may know from "Saving Christmas Spirit," "Blue Moon Ball," or "A Merry Christmas Match," to name a few. It also features Stephen Huszar, known for "Christmas in Rockwell," "Undercover Holiday," and "Chesapeake Shores." This story is all about the unlikely romance between an avalanche predictor and a local mountain rescuer, who initially disagree on mountain safety techniques, but ultimately begin to fall for each other.
While this movie is a great pick for fans of romance, it's also a wonderful choice for any skiers, as it was filmed on location in Fernie, British Columbia on real ski slopes. "It's one of the most avalanche-prone hills in the Rockies or even in the world," Huszar told the "Everything About Hallmark" podcast. "And it has some of the most snow, accumulation of snow, over the actual ski season ... the ski patrollers and the avalanche experts and everyone there are very, very, very well trained. They're some of the world's best."
Sweeter Than Chocolate
Get ready for one of the sweetest Valentine's Day rom-coms ever. "Sweeter Than Chocolate" tells the story of Lucy Sweet (Eloise Mumford), a chocolatier whose famous Valentine's Day recipe promises to help people fall in love. When Dean Chase (Dan Jeannotte), a TV reporter, comes to do a story about the chocolate, the recipe seems to start working.
While this movie has all the trappings of a good old-fashioned rom-com, it might also surprise some viewers. "When I first read the script, it immediately struck me as a different kind of story than some of these rom-coms tend to be," said Jeannotte to Us Weekly. "Because we weren't just focused on the love story between the two main characters. You also get to see these snippets of a lot of different kinds of love stories." Jeannotte went on to praise the network for including a wide range of diverse narratives in the movie. "[We're] seeing gay love stories, love stories with people who met later in life, older people who fell in love after having a marriage or losing a partner," he said. "And it just goes to show there [are as] many different ways to fall in love as there are different people in the world." Sounds like this Hallmark movie has everything we could want and more.
A Paris Proposal
What could be more romantic than falling in love in Paris? If you have always dreamed of a chic love affair on the banks of the Seine, this new Hallmark movie is the perfect choice for you. The movie begins with colleagues Anna (Alexa PenaVega) and French native Sebastian (Hallmark newcomer Nicholas Bishop) visiting Paris in the hopes of winning the account of a French diamond company for their marketing firm ("Emily in Paris" anyone?). However, the pair end up having to pose as a couple — and naturally, real sparks soon begin to fly.
"It's both funny and difficult for them," Bishop said during a Hallmark set visit. "And they kind of grow to like each other." And Paris is definitely the perfect setting for the unlikely love story to form. "I think it's the perfect place to put these two characters," said PenaVega. Added Bishop, "People will enjoy these two characters pretend that they don't like each other." Sign us up.
Welcome to Valentine
In "Welcome to Valentine," we meet Olivia (Kathryn Davis) and George (Markian Tarasiuk), two strangers who end up taking a road trip together after Olivia loses her home and job. Of course, things quickly turn around for Olivia when she begins to develop feelings for George.
As Davis explained, this rom-com is anything but uneventful. "With the formula of these stylings of films is that there's some initial attraction, and then a little misunderstanding, and then there's — along the way, the characters make amends and then the feelings grow, and then there's a big misunderstanding and then there's the conclusion and the resolution of the film," Davis told Survived the Shows. However, she explained "Welcome to Valentine" strays from the common approach, adding even more mix ups along the way. "It's very much like a wave of storyline between them that goes on throughout the film ... so it makes it quite dynamic."
Made for Each Other
Looking for a rom-com with a supernatural twist? "Made for Each Other" might be exactly for you. This adorable movie stars Alexandra Turshen as Rachel, a young sculptor whose statue of the perfect man comes to life (Aaron O'Connell). But even though her living statue might tick all of her boxes, she soon starts to fall for her friend David (Matt Cohen) and realizes that when it comes to love, there might be no such thing as perfection.
For Matt Cohen, who plays comedian David in the film, it was a particularly special project. "Coming out of COVID, this was the first film I did in over two years," he told Digital Journal. "I was so excited to get back, it was a reward to work with Aaron, Alex, and the director Jeff Beesley. It was an extraordinary group of people that was very kind and very giving. It was a spectacular experience with a role that I connected far more than I ever expected to."
A Nashville Legacy
Looking for a film filled not only with great performances, but great songs, too? "A Nashville Legacy" will not disappoint. This Hallmark movie tells the story of Naima (Andrea Lewis), a music fan who moves to Nashville, where she meets and falls in love with successful music producer Damian (Pooch Hall). The pair both have a love of music, but, it turns out, Damian's family company may be hiding some secrets. It's a fun, exciting journey with a few twists and turns and plenty of love and amazing music along the way.
"Hallmark's been great as far as making sure everything feels authentic and this music vibe is just really, really electric," noted Hall during an on-set interview. Added Lewis, "If I could describe this movie in three words: music, family, and then I would say, it's just good old Nashville fun!" Well, we are absolutely sold.
The Love Club: Nicole's Pen Pal
2023 will see a series of Hallmark movies called "The Love Club," about a group of friends who have a pact to help each other with relationship problems — no matter where or when the issues might arise. The first installment, "Nicole's Pen Pal," follows Nicole (Brittany Bristow), who decides she wants to get in touch with a mystery man (Marcus Rosner) who used to be her pen pal. She tracks him down and finds a way to meet him under false pretenses.
Not only does this film offer a lovely romance, but it's also a deeply relatable story. "I think Nicole is dealing with something a lot of people have felt in the past where you don't feel like you're in the right place," Bristow told the Hallmark Channel in an interview.
Of course, while the love story is a major part of this movie, it also focuses on female friendship. And, thanks to the real relationships of the women in the cast, that dynamic shines through on the screen. "We were there for each other in the mornings. We hung out on the weekends," said Bristow to TV Fanatic. "We really developed beautiful friendships and had a chance to really be there as support for each other, which is beautiful."
Game of Love
In Hallmark's "Game of Love," two game designers find themselves at odds when asked to create a romantic game. Even though things get off to a shaky start for the couple, who have very different ideas about the right approach, they soon fall for each other while working on the game.
The movie stars Brooks Darnell (known for "Holiday Heritage" and "Advice to Love By") as Matthew and Kimberley Sustad (known for "North to Home" and "Lights, Camera, Christmas!") as Audrey.
"These two people are — Brooks less so — their own worst enemy," explained Sustad in an interview with Dear Hallmark. "Audrey is this really highly competitive board game designer ... but also has a love for creating these games." Because of her competitive nature, Audrey tends to push people away. As Sustad put it, "She's sort of a lone wolf." With Brooks, Audrey continues to push him away — until she finally softens. This sounds like a great enemies-to-lovers story with a super cute premise.
A Winning Team
If you're in the mood for a sporty love story — think "Bend It Like Beckham" — look no further than "A Winning Team." This rom-com centers around Emily (Hallmark-newcomer Nadia Hatta), a soccer player who finds herself working with Ian (Kristoffer Polaha), a kids' soccer coach in a small town.
For Hatta, "A Winning Team" was a dream project because it put the spotlight on women's soccer, a sport she used to play. "I was over the moon because first of all, there's like no women's professional soccer players in movies, really, especially for the World Cup," she told Just Jared. "And I used to almost go professional in soccer. I chose acting instead of soccer, but I never thought I would ever combine the both."
But even though "A Winning Team" may be a sports movie, at its heart, it's got a wonderful love story. "What all these Hallmark movies do so well is reminding the viewer that if you are bold enough to allow love into your life, it can have a really amazing effect on your whole life," Polaha added. "It can mellow you, it can give you strength, ... it's kind of amazing when people believe in you and when they love you and when you find that support and that community."
Picture of Her
"Picture of Her" is a new Hallmark movie about mistaken identities and fated love. Beth (Rhiannon Fish) is at a flower market when photographer Jake (Tyler Hynes) happens to take a picture of her. When it becomes famous, Beth becomes curious about the identity of the mysterious photographer. The couple meet and sparks fly, but, at first, Beth doesn't know that her new romance is also the man behind the camera.
So, what can viewers expect from "Picture of Her?" Well, for one thing, it stars Tyler Hynes, who has appeared in loads of Hallmark favorites including "Three Wise Men and a Baby," "Always Amore," "An Unexpected Christmas," and "It Was Always You," to name a few. As his co-star Fish put it to Hallmark Happenings Podcast, he is "one of the Hallmark Golden Boys." She went on, "I think audiences are really, really gonna like that one."
Unexpected Grace
"Unexpected Grace" follows a young girl named Grace who, looking for a friend, responds to an anonymous letter from another young girl. This kicks off a series of events that bring two single parents together. Naturally, a touching story of family and romance follows.
This is a great Hallmark movie to choose if you're looking for something a little deeper. "It's a story about dealing with grief and different stages of grief, and that is an exciting thing as a storyteller to jump into," one of the film's stars, Michael Rady, told Digital Journal. "We all enjoyed digging into that and playing with that. It felt really delicate at times to find a balance. We also wanted romance to be a part of that story." Another actor from the film, Sophia Powers, told Survived the Shows that, in three words, the movie is "Uplifting, heartwarming, funny." Sounds like everything we could want from a new Hallmark movie.
If you're a fan of "The Parent Trap," this movie might be a great choice for you.
Love in the Maldives
If you're after a romantic Hallmark movie with a gorgeous sunny backdrop, you'll love "Love in the Maldives." This film follows a travel writer who heads to the Maldives for a story and ends up teaming up with the hotel's guest experience expert. The pair set out on an adventure — and find love along the way.
What makes this film an absolute must-watch is the fact that the stars, Jocelyn Hudson and Jake Manley, are actually partners in real life, too. The pair first met through their self-tape coach, and Manley proposed to Hudson in 2020 with a "Gilmore Girls"-inspired proposal. As Hudson recalled to ET, "We had just driven six hours from Toronto to Montreal and got to our Airbnb which is about six floors, and after a sweaty walk up all of the flights of stairs, we went up to the rooftop terrace and waiting on the patio was 1,000 red roses. I was so shocked." How adorable. It's safe to say this movie will feature some serious chemistry thanks to the actors' real-life love story.