A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2017) Canada

Mystery baby.

Genre:

TV Movie, Crime, Mystery.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Part-VI review:
     The sixth in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery film series made for television. The final film for now, until the next one comes out. Based on the book named 'A Fool and His Honey'. Fourth director to helm a film in the franchise. So far I've enjoyed all the films. They all were decent, as I say, for the small screen standards. Produced for Hallmark channel, surely the target audience is women. But the whole family can enjoy them, I meant including kids, since it has less violence.

     Surely a nice storyline for a literature. The film too was not bad, but it depends on the viewers. For instance, if you take me, I've seen many similar films. I'm not talking about crime solving themes, but this same platform with different characters, locations and a style of narration. That's why it is a television film, aimed for those viewers who are less familiar with the thematic. But I appreciate the effort. The production quality to the writing, music, performances, all were better. Especially the Hallmark's common cliche, the romance had got ridden. You will be happy for that if you are a male audience.

     Another case where Aurora did not choose, but it chose her. It was slightly different than all the previous ones. Because she did not know what she's looking for. A young woman with a newborn baby had come to her house saying she's her boyfriend's niece. But the twist was a few moments later, she went missing and a stranger dead on her front porch. The baby was left behind. It was closely linked case, due to her relationship with Martin. It's good that way, because intensifies the atmosphere and no room for mistakes.

 Did you come with an instruction book? Because I am very good with books. 

     There was a basic flaw. It was where the whole platform constructed on. Only at the end you will realise that. That it all would have been solved easily by those involved in it, before dragging Aurora and others into it. Even if it is in a life threatening situation. Because of what we predict, those possibilities, the theories, particularly against those people, are not strong enough. It was those young people, who wrongly handled the situation. That's why the original source material rightly titled, calling a fool.

     Everything's about the baby. The baby gives the reason for this story, and also to solve the mystery. From the opening to the mid-section, it was a nice film. They did all they could improvise the narration, but the end was average. The film flourished only for its suspense. The answers were all the time in front of us, in front of Aurora. The writers just dragged it with the kind of character design, with somewhat a convincing reason. The romance parts, either it was Aurora and Martin or Aida and John, did not go anywhere. Joining hands, doing the investigation, that's one way to improve their relationship.

     This is not the best in the series. At least better than the previous one. A new director, though nothing much has changed. The regular cast steered it with their best. It was a better film series than I'd anticipated. I had a nice time with them in the last one and a half weeks. The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries giving a new dimensional entertainment for the home audience. I mean, can you name a few crime/murder mystery titles with rating General. I don't know when the next one is coming out, but looking forward to it. In the meantime, I would suggest it, but not for all. Just lower your expectation and enjoy it.



Previous films:
A Bone to Pick, Real Murders, Three Bedrooms One Corpse, The Julius House, Dead Over Heels.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2017) Canada

The death of the police chief!

Genre:

TV Movie, Crime, Mystery.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Part-V review:
     The fifth film in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery, based on the book of the same name. Another fine film in the film series, but not as good as the previous one. It all started off well, like usual intentional, that does not bother. Even the mid section stood to the expectation. But only the final event, that twist, that explanation did not convince me. Well, I'm not pointing out how the crime was solved, though the who did and the reason for it was not enough to wrap it up in a style.

     So keep it yourself, if you see what happens in the first three minutes of the film. Because that's how all Aurora Teagarden Mystery rolls out. What follows after are the most crucial, in which these films has done so well. As I said, now this series is well settled down. I liked so far how all the characters worked out their differences with our lead, Aurora. In that, her mother, Aida and the police chief, Jack Burns are the only ones yet to come into resolution. But that's the twist, because Burns is the victim here.

     His body was dumped in front of Aurora from a small plane while she was in her front yard with Sally. It was a deliberate act, but no one knows why, that's what they have to find out. Aurora, who goes after unsolved crimes, this time it came to her. This is where nobody can stop her, not even her mother. For the first time Aida sided with her daughter by giving some useful information. Except the main ones, most of the characters from the previous films were retained to fill the screen and give a broad view, particularly to make suspenseful. But there were also a couple of new ones added as the story demanded to extend the suspense.

 You are the only person I know that could have a near death experience and immediately start solving the crime. 

     A few unavoidable cliches. It was how the characters behaved during the probe. Because if it would not have been suspicious enough, the film had not lasted long. Basically, we call that the plot drag, but the polite way to say is, development. Happy to see Martin still hanging around. That looks does not change in the future as well. But this part somewhat discarded the romance sect. The other side of the story was going strong so. It had one fight sequence too. The television fights are not that impressive, but okay. Especially this being a woman oriented tale, that scene was the least expected. But in this kind of thematic, all are possible.

     Much improved on the cops' perspective of the crime that Aurora interested in. Mainly because of this was an open case. Lynn was the one who always shining, but they tried to bring Arthur, the Aurora's ex into some actions. The narration kept the mystery moving towards the final section. During the middle, it was a bit slow. And the end twist, not the best one. Since how the story and characters were designed together, there's nothing they could have done it differently. Because you can change the path, but the destination is still the same, which I think let the film down.

     Other than the ending, it was a nice film, enjoyable with the beautiful characters and settings. The director's second straight stint in the franchise. His previous one was by far my favourite. This one too a decent one, if you had liked so far of the series. Nice performances, particularly the other librarian had more scope in this. That makes Aurora had worked out with everyone, which makes more interesting how the next film and all the following would roll out. The next one is the final, the remaining books are yet to turn into films. I'm not too far from reviewing that, before my wait begins for the rest.



Followed by:
A Bundle of Trouble: A Aurora Teagarden Mystery.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
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The Julius House: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2016) Canada

Gone Family!

Genre:

TV Movie, Mystery, Thriller.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Part-IV review:
     The fourth film in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery film series made for Hallmark channel. Based on the book of the same name, the third director to helm a film in the franchise. I think it's all for good, because for me, this is the best one so far. Yep, I totally loved it, despite intentional storyline. On the other side, things have changed big and now it is a comfortably settled down series with pretty much everything compared to the earlier stage. Particularly, between the characters.

     With the inherited wealth from an acquaintance, now Aurora is set to buy her own house. Her mother being a realtor, she finds a perfect house just outside the town. She carefully picked it because of more room for her book collections. But that leads her to involve in another mystery. The mystery of a family suddenly disappeared in a thin air five years ago. Being a viewer I said, not again. Because that was a too deliberate to kick start with what Aurora is good at.

     Anyway, films need a start. Like there's saying in our local, 'leaving first is not matter, but coming first at the end matters'. Likewise, this film used such opening to a great level. Obviously Aurora finds a clue, to begin her own investigation. But the best part was she was not alone this time. As I've complained about a particular thing in the previous reviews, I think they had heard me. Well, this film was made and released before my reviews. So, basically, I felt happy to see what I wanted. A stabilised romance partner. The character Martin returned from the previous part. And hope he would continue in the next as well.

 Only you would buy a house that turned out to be a crime scene. 

     Coming back to the story, they join hands in this latest probe. So they had to go places together, which nicely influenced the story to shape up. Because of handling the multiple situations at the same time. Then there's Sally, Aurora's best friend, a reporter, who I thought is a gap filler on the funny side. She had a few good moments, but not enough screenspace. I wish she gets more share, since she's a press which would benefit Aurora in one way or another to accomplish things.

     The film also had a little time to focus on Aurora's mother's romance with her club member, John. He always backed Aurora for the common interest, but now caught between solving crime with her and romance with her mother. The cops too got a better understanding on her. Seems they have learnt she can't be stopped on her passion. Besides, it's helping them on what they had failed. In one of the scenes on the rooftop, when Aurora suddenly backed off, that was so perfect. If Martin had not been her behind, she would have fallen on the ground. That's funny! Anyway, the making says it was shot on the ground.

     The whole gone family scenario was quite easily figurable. Only on theories, with a couple strong possibilities. But how it unfolded was really nicely done. I felt richness in the narration. Not just performances and production quality, but how it all shot, from scene to scene, frame to frame. This director is really good. The remaining two films in the series were also made by him, so I'm eager for that. Candace Cameron Bure was so good. Watching the installments, one after another, only making to like her more. Let's meet in the next part review. Meanwhile, check it out this film, and the whole series if you haven't already.



Followed by:
Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery (2016) Canada

The great art theft!

Genre:

TV Movie, Crime, Mystery.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Part-III review:
     The third film in the Aurora Teagarden film series and based on the book of the same name. I think it got better now. I mean I liked previous two, but this kind of crime-mysteries I like a lot. This is by far the closely related to Aurora. Nothing like she directly involved in it, but when her mother's firm associated with the latest murder in the town, she got to step in like the previous occasions to find the truth. That gave strength to the film plot to evolve vigorously. When I say such strong word for a television film, that means for the television standards only.

     She was covering for her busy mother, but it was not like any other day, because she finds a dead body in the backyard of the house she was showing for a customer. The dead woman worked for her mother. Now the question is who did it? And the motivation! From the customers to someone from the work, it could be anybody. All Aurora had a small clue, that she did not know it until the last moment. But did she catch the killer using it as a bait, and if she did so, how it all happened was unfolded in the remaining tale.

     As usual the police chief was annoying. I mean not for me/viewers, but for Aurora for her enthusiasm in crime solving which he sees as an obstruction. In this, she directly associated, since she was the first to report it to the cops. So there's nothing much they could do about it, other than letting her do whatever she want, but within the legal circle.

     Her effort to solve it was more to save her mother, thinking she could become a future victim or be framed for it. Unlike cops, she begins her investigation with the employees of her mother's firm. Like usual, the inquiry initiated, but it did not take her anywhere to resolve the case. Except her suspicious on the man she's been with on the day she found the body.

 I'm a librarian. I have a masters degree in finding information. 

     Coming to that mystery man, he was like her new romance companion. He showed more interest to her as much she suspected him. So in the entire stretch of the narration, the romance became a distant word. Initially I was not happy that in every sequel, they had brought in the new guys as her love interest. All the above, they all had disappeared in the following film. The best part was, the romance was not given a strong preference in any of those As the viewers, we could see the connections. But it helped to build the story better. Besides, a fresh face gives a fresh perspective on whatever going on.

     The art theme was nicely used. But this is the series where uncovering the crime a main priority. So whatever the smartness used to do the crime/murder, you won't witness them. Then suddenly at the end comes out the suspect, revealing the purpose of committing it. It is a television film, and it always has a happy ending. As the title says, it is Aurora's tale and she has to accomplish it. That's how her character built. It is totally understandable, but it also makes the cops useless. I would have liked her involved alongside them to do the job, rather single handily manage all the time.

     The first act was good. From the basic plot, it was developed with a lot more suspenseful in the second act. Though the final act was cliche. I did not guess who was the culprit, but anybody would know how it all unfolds as it followed a basic blueprint of murder/crime mystery. Because if the probe reveals the motivation or a baitable evidence so early, then it loses nearly half the grip to keep the excitement going. This film had a decent ending, but too sudden and too quick, especially while confronting the bad guy, then it's all done. Once again all the actors were good. The director had been replaced, though she did good. I think I've said everything I wanted to, so now I'm looking forward for the next one to review.



Followed by:
The Julius House: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in