Hallmark's Love on the Amazon

It’s time to journey down the Amazon River! On this episode of Pour The Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time, Garry and Amy set their sights on Hallmark’s Love on the Amazon. Claire (Jaicy Elliot) travels deep into the Amazon to deliver crucial paperwork to her sister, and along the way hires Danny (Rafael de la Fuente) and his riverboat crew. What follows is an adventure complete with choppy waters, friendly iguanas, immersion in local culture, and challenges that push Claire far beyond her comfort zone. Of course, sparks also fly as she finds herself falling for the charming captain. Turns out, the strongest current on the Amazon just might be love. 

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Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Welcome to Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom com on the Hallmark channel. I'm Amy.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

And I'm Gary.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

And we're prepping from anywhere from zero to 100 inches of snow this weekend.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

100 inches of snow. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

We don't know. We live in an area where, you know, they always say it's gonna we have what I like to call no snow snow days. Right. Like I remember when the kids were still in school, they would predict snow and then they would cancel everything and then it wouldn't snow. So that was really fun. But the truth is they just don't have the infrastructure where we live to clear the snow.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Mm-hmm. So especially in the back roads, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's always best to err on the side of caution. But I like it here because the snow goes away in a couple days.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Right. I mean, you know, when it's 30 one day and it's snowing, and the next day it's 60, 65. That's why the snow never sticks around.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

It does not stick.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

But it does give you a good day off, you know?

SPEAKER_01 1:06

It does. It does. It's nice to cozy up. So hopefully we'll get some. I mean, I'm I'm ready for a significant amount, maybe.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

You know, I always like one or two good snowstorms a year.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

During the season. And then I'm good.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Yeah. I mean, I grew up, you know, near Chicago, so it snowed pretty much from like November till like March. So you can get it anywhere in the spring. So that's why I like it here. It's more mild winters. It it can snow, but it just doesn't last. So we'll see. We're in the path of the big storm that everyone's talking about right now, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:37

So and as long as we have plenty of vino, no problem.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Stock up. We're getting low. We're getting low. All right. Should we get into it?

SPEAKER_02 1:48

Let's do it. Let's do it.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Today we're going to be reviewing the third winter escape movie of 2026, Love on the Amazon. It aired on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, January 17th, 2026.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Yes. And if you like listening to podcasts, you can find us on Apple and Spotify, where you can leave leave us both reviews and stars. And if you're into watching, you can catch us over at YouTube at Pour the Wine. It's Rom cum time. Yeah. And don't forget, click that subscribe button so you don't miss any of our podcast episodes.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

So you get notified when a podcast drops. And I think on Apple you can leave stars and a review, but on Spotify, it's just stars, right? I think maybe correct us if Yeah. So if you have a chance and you're on there, please leave us stars. And you can always share the podcast. If you know somebody who loves Hallmark movies as much as we do, and you do, if you're listening, please share the podcast. We would love that. Or you can send us an email to pour the wine. It's romcomtime at gmail.com and let us know your thoughts about anything. We're we're, you know, fresh off of countdown to Christmas 2025. Uh, maybe you're watching Mistletoe Murders, maybe you're watching 12 Dates Till Christmas. Yeah. Or maybe you're done with the holidays and you're into the winter escape movies like we are right now. So just send us an email, let us know your thoughts about anything homework related. We would love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

Yeah, and we would read it on the podcast.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Maybe. If it's nice. I don't know. We'll see.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Be nice, people, be nice.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

So let's find out about the cast on this one.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Let's find out. JC Elliott plays Claire, and she is she goes to the Amazon in search of her sister.

SPEAKER_03 3:33

Right.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

She's looking for her sister because she has to deliver some very important papers that her sister has to sign. This is JC's fourth Hallmark movie. She was also in Joya Noel. I I don't really know how to pronounce that first. It's J-O-M. That's French, right? Yeah, I don't know. So I'm so sorry if I mispronounced that. She was also in My Southern Family Christmas and Romance in Style. She is largely known as playing Dr. Taryn Helm on Gray's Anatomy since 2017.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

2017. She's been on.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

I think we when did we stop watching Grays?

SPEAKER_02 4:08

Maybe like 2016, maybe it was when um who who was the one character, the one doctor who died.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

McSteamy.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Yes. I think that's when we stopped.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

So that probably was before her time, maybe. Right. Yeah, it's been a while. We loved it, but we just started watching other things.

SPEAKER_03 4:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Rafael de la Fuente plays Danny. This is his second Hallmark movie, I believe. He was in 2023's Letters to Santa. He was actually in, we know him from the updated version of Dynasty. Yeah. It ran from 2017 to 2022. Elizabeth Giles plays Fallon Carrington, and Grant Show played her dad. Um famous Blake Carrington. And it is so, it's just, it's not homework.

SPEAKER_03 4:56

No, it's not true.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

For sure, it's not hallmark, but it is just fun, delicious TV.

SPEAKER_03 5:01

If you like it, just a really good character.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Yes, and he's he's great on that. So we really enjoyed that updated version of Dynasty.

SPEAKER_02 5:09

Yes, we did.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Um, other cast members, and of course, Danny is the capitan of the boat that she commandeers to get.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

The river boat captain.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Yeah, the river boat captain, right. Other cast members include Risa Xavier. She plays Millie, she is one of the crew members on the boat. Omar Pallies plays Bruno, he is the second crew member on the boat. And I apologize if I mispronounce the names. Persephone Barta Redman plays Amelia, that is Claire's sister, the one that Claire is trying to find.

SPEAKER_03 5:47

Right.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

Ramsey Ross plays Mr. Hall, that is Claire and Amelia's dad. And Juliana Wimbles is one of the tourists. And there is a special reason why I mention her, which you will find out in a minute.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yes, we will. So Love on the Amazon was directed by Colin Theze. Colin has directed a few other Hallmark movies, including a Machu Picchu Proposal, Polar Opposites, a Costa Rican Wedding, a Greek recipe for romance, and Love in the Maldives.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Aw.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Yeah. Juliana Wimbles.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Oh, there's the name. There it is. There it is.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

She wrote this. She wrote it. Yes. She has written several Hallmark movies, including a few that Colin has directed: a Machu Picchu Proposal, a Costa Rica Wedding, and Love in the Maldives. Wow. All good, too. Yeah. She also wrote This Time Each Year, A Whitewater Romance, The Dog Lover's Guide to Dating, and A Splash of Love.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

Aw. I think it's so cool that she was actually in the film.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

You know, I love it. She wrote it and then she pops up in it.

SPEAKER_01 7:00

That's yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

It's like that Hitchcock feeling.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Yeah, yeah. Or um Stephen King.

SPEAKER_02 7:06

Stephen King or um M. Knight.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

M. Knight does it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

So I love it when they do that. But yeah, you know, that's kind of like a like a signature thing now for these guys.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

And it's cool. And you know, it's interesting that she wrote, and then the director is the same director for Machu Picchu proposal because it sort of has the same feel and vibe.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

I think there's two of them. I kind of kind of get that.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

Great adventure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

Great adventure.

SPEAKER_02 7:34

Yeah. I love the scenery, but let's drop the synopsis and find out what this is all about.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

It's all about. Claire travels to Brazil and hires Danny, a river, a riverboat captain, to help her deliver an important message for her sister Amelia, a marine biologist studying pink dolphins on the Amazon River.

SPEAKER_02 7:53

Pink dolphins. I'd love to see a pink dolphin. That'd be pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

I don't want to go to the Amazon to do it though.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

I was getting ready to say that. I don't want to put myself in danger. I just want to go to one of those parks where they have the dolphins and stuff and just, you know, and maybe you can ride one or whatever they do.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

Ride, ride a dolphin. Well, you can kind of hold on. I have done that. You hold on to them and they pull you, but that's probably not a great tourist thing now that you think about it. But I know. I was young. The Bahamas.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Wow and free. We're probably going to drop some spoilers. So if you haven't seen the movie, please pause the podcast, go watch it, come back, and let us know what you think.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Or you can listen to the podcast and then go watch the movie.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

And let us know how it's going to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

I I think they will. I think so. I think they'll agree with it.

SPEAKER_01 8:48

All right. So what did you think about Love on the Amazon?

SPEAKER_02 8:53

I have to tell you, I love this movie.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

I know I kind of got that gist and we were watching it. We don't tell we try not to talk about it too much, but you were you're really into it.

SPEAKER_02 9:04

I was because, you know, it I don't know if it was just the calming, calming, soothing sounds of the water as the boat went up the river or down a river river, but it was so calming for me. And you know how people listen to those um when they sleep, those sound sound machines, yeah. Yeah. It was kind of like that. And I was kind of like hypnotized watching the watching the movie. So I really enjoyed it. And I thought the banter back and forth between um Claire and Danny was really good. I mean, imagine you're on a boat, you can't really go anywhere, so you really have to deal with each other.

SPEAKER_03 9:39

Well, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

I love the slow burn of the romance. And it kind of reminded me of like it, like just adventure bonding, right?

SPEAKER_01 9:48

Adventure bonding, yeah. Oh, look at you. Okay, that's a good one. I'm coining the word adventure bonding. Yeah, that's a good phrase. I like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:55

And I I just overall, just the scenery, the music, I mean, the the cast, the supporting cast. I mean, yeah, all all good. So I enjoyed it. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 10:09

I have a slightly different take.

SPEAKER_02 10:11

Oh, Snapple.

SPEAKER_01 10:13

Uh no, I mean, I I enjoyed it. I, you know, when you said calming, I almost laughed because I'm like, that would not be calming to me. And I get what you're saying about the water. Like, I love being on a boat and the water lapping up against the boat, you know, all of that jazz or laying on the beach and hearing the water up on the shore. Get it, totally get it, calming. On the Amazon, not so much. The whole snakes and iguanas, even if they're nice and spiders, oh bugs, and yeah, that not so calming to me.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

No, um, but generally, I mean, I enjoyed the movie. I it was a little bit slow for me at first. Um, and then I really got into it. I really enjoyed JC Elliott, you know, in her role as Claire and Ruffy. I I enjoyed, I mean, uh all the cast, you know, I I enjoyed all the cast, but I thought, because I wasn't really all that familiar with her work. Yeah, I mean, I don't know that we've seen any of the films that she's been in for homework and we haven't watched Darn Gray's. So um, I just really enjoyed her. Um, you know, she she was sort of effortless, kind, and kind of went with the flow, even though she was one of those who was more organized and doesn't usually go outside of her comfort zone. And I just thought she she nailed the role. So I mean, I enjoyed it. I, you know, I didn't love it, I don't think as much as you did, but but I did, I did enjoy it. I enjoyed the adventure, the adventure bonding that they had. Um, the banter was good. Even the story about her trying to get to her sister, right? I I thought was great. Um, so so yeah, I mean, I enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

I mean, I I couldn't imagine doing what she did, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

What's that?

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Going to go into the Amazon to drop off, you know, a letter to my sister or or brother.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Yeah. You know, I don't think I could do that. Well, let's talk about that for a minute since we're there.

SPEAKER_02 12:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

I would not like that at all. I don't think now, if I had to in an emergency situation, I would do it. Um, I'm not about that. I'm really just, and I mean, say what you want, you know, about that. But that is not I I'm okay watching it. Yeah. You know, like I was fine watching it. I enjoyed the film. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying for me personally, if if you said, hey, let's go, like I think, I think the the writer is the one who says, as the tourist, you know, people save their whole lives to come what uh for a trip to the Amazon.

SPEAKER_03 12:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Because there's a scene where Claire is reading a book instead of you know enjoying the wonderment around her would be beautiful and the animals would be great and everything. But I that is not for me. That just would not even even on a boat that's air conditioned and all just the mosquitoes and the I I that no.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

And you know, and then there's a there's a scene where um he says, you know, well, shit, you know, snakes sometimes end up on the shit, they're in the water, but they end up on the boat. I'm like, no, yeah, no, that's you'll wake up and there's one okay cuddling up against you. Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_02 13:27

And she's afraid of snakes too, so yeah, and she's afraid of snakes.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

But I that would not be an adventure. I like to go glamping and that's about it. So yeah, I I would not do that. I did tent camping as a kid, and it's just not so you're a glamper like me. I'm a glamper. One honey.

unknown 13:43

You know, one honey.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Well, what does she say? She says something like, How is it so loud and but yet so quiet at the same time? I thought that was a a good line. But let's get it. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

No, I was gonna say we've we've talked about that too, in that, you know, like I love the sounds of summer, right? Like when you're outside, but I like little things like crickets. Frogs.

SPEAKER_03 14:06

That's great.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Those are the sound of summer. Yeah, we have a ton of frogs. We're in a you know, a subdivision and oh my gosh, at night. Yeah, yeah. Not so much the birds, but yeah, the frogs and the crickets. And I just, you know, I do enjoy that, but they're look, they're little. They're little, they're not gonna kill me.

SPEAKER_02 14:22

As long as they don't come up on the porch.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Then they go on like an anaconda tour.

SPEAKER_02 14:27

No, yeah, that anaconda tour. I'm not doing. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

No, no, thank you. I don't need that extra excursion. I'm good.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

Yeah, all those anaconda movies, the the things like 12, like 20 feet long and I know, I know. You know, 20 inches wide. No, no, no, not gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

I'm good.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

So, what did you think of the meat cute?

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Um, the meat cute. Oh, I thought I thought actually it worked really well.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

It was cute. It was cute.

SPEAKER_01 14:54

Right, right. So she's she she travels, she's travels to the Amazon. And by the way, this was I think filmed primarily in Peru. Right. Right, because the Amazon's in South America. I go, what do you say? It goes through like seven countries or something, which I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

And then out to the Atlantic. Yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

But um she um so she shows up and she realizes that Danny speaks English, and she's like, I'm looking for this guy, and she's he he's advertised as a guide, right? Right. Is that what his the advertisement was?

SPEAKER_02 15:28

The riverboat captain.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Yeah, I can't there was a phrase and I can't think of it right now.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

Something about he always delivers.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Always deliver right, right, right. Yeah, yeah. Because he's a he he goes, well, he yeah, he always delivers. And so, but he delivers packages, not people, right? So she kind of misunderstands that, right? And she says she's looking for this guy, and he's like, Hey, it's me. And so she asks him to take her, you know, she's trying to find her sister, yada, yada, yada. And he is basically like, no, not having nothing, uh yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I take packages, and then she what what is in the water? A huge It's a catfish, catfish, right? Right. So she as she's walking away, she's like, You need to advertise that there are catfish in the Amazon or whatever, you know. And it's kind of a play on like he catfished her, right? Because he's advertising one thing, but it's really a catfish. And so I thought that was a cute line. I thought JC delivered her lines really well. I didn't mention that earlier. She's the like those one-liners, those little funny, you know, jabs in there were were really cute. So um, yeah, but then she walks away with her suitcase and kind of like a huff.

SPEAKER_02 16:39

I know that big blue suit.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Yeah, what'd you what'd you think? I mean, I thought it worked for that moment. I thought it was a really it it was a good meat cute for the movie.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

I thought it was. I mean, you know, when she first when she was walking down the pier to get to the the the um where the sh where the boats were, um, rolling that blue suitcase, and she comes up on him and she's she was surprised that he spoke English pretty well, and she was asking about him, and he and he turns her around, he's like, Yeah, he's right here and behind her. But what was funny is she looks in the water and that's when that catfish kind of comes to the surface, scares her, and she falls back into his arms. That that was kind of cute. Yes, and then the banter back and forth about you know, please take me there, I'll pay you. And he's like, No, I only deliver packages because there's no drama, and she's like, I won't be drama. Yeah, you know, and I just thought that whole scene it worked really well.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Yeah, I do too. So she has to go find someone else to take her part way, right? So yeah, I I think it worked. It worked.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Yeah. So let's get into some of our favorite scenes. What was one of yours?

SPEAKER_01 17:53

So Clara finally convinces him to take her to her sister. And I think it's after he realizes he knows her sister.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

Well, it was it was that and the fact that a part on his boat broke.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Oh, right, right, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Right. And she had the money because she got a um a refrom a refund from the cruise, the antacotta cruise that she took.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

So she had money to pay for it. And yeah, and when he found out that it was who it was, he was like, Yeah, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 18:26

Right, that's right. She offered to fix the boat if he would take her. So so he he does agree. And so, so you know, they get on the boat, and of course, he assumes that she's not gonna last long.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:38

Right. He's like, it's you know, she's not gonna he tells the other crew member, like, she's not gonna last.

SPEAKER_02 18:42

She's not gonna last a day.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

Let's just humor her for a minute, you know, and then but and then there's this thing so she gets on the boat and they're going down the river and she goes to the the bow, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

The front of the boat.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

The front of the boat, whatever that is. And she does the Titanic pose where she, you know, she puts her arms out, like she's and it is the you know, all you can think of is Kate Winslet on the Titanic, and he kind of he comes up on her and he just watches her for a minute. So I just thought, and she then when she realizes he's there, you know, she gets. I thought that that was really cute and really fun because you know, when you see that scene, like everybody wants to do that. Like I would probably be tempted to do that if we're ever on a you know ship or a boat someday, you know, and I because it's just fun and you know, and she just does it and the air is hitting her. So it was that was one of my favorite scenes. What about you?

SPEAKER_02 19:33

That was one of my favorite scenes too when she did the Titanic you know, so iconic. Um, another one of mine was when they actually hit the rapids. Oh, yes, yes. And it she's kind of trying to get up to the to the um the the the where he steers the boat. God, why can't I think of the names? Um, and she's like, Where's the life jackets? And he's like, They're downstairs under the under the The seats. So she goes downstairs, and meanwhile, the boat's rocking back and forth, and you see her suitcase falls down the stairs and it's rolling what whichever way the boat leans. And she's trying to get the life jacket, and she actually gets it, but she pulls on it so hard it flies out of her hand into the water.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

Into the water. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

Meanwhile, her suitcase keeps going back and forth. So there's this huge orange like ring that they throw out to people that fall overboard. And she's trying to get that and trying to grab her suitcase. And you know, finally she does get it and she puts it around her. But at that point, that's when the the rapids kind of, you know, they kind of ease up. Ease up.

SPEAKER_01 20:47

They get through the rapids, right?

SPEAKER_02 20:49

And you think that she's, you know, oh my God, what did I get myself into? And she goes out to the front of the boat and she's talking to Dan. Danny's talking to her, thinking, Oh, this is the moment she's gonna leave. And she's like, That was the best time of my life. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

Yeah. She says she've never felt more alive. Yeah. And he goes, You have a little bit of what river boat rat in you or something? Or river rat in you or something?

SPEAKER_02 21:13

River rat.

unknown 21:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:14

So that was one of mine.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Yeah. I had that, I had that one also. It it is, it's actually just a really funny scene, in my opinion. Because she's she's reading, and as she's reading, the boat is rocking, and then her cup moves. You know, it's like moving as the boat is rocking, and she goes to reach for it and she's like, Oh, it's not there. And it's further back because it has moved back because of the rocking of the boat. And then, you know, she goes to grab it, and then then you just see her plunge forward because they're in the and it just it really worked. And then, like you said, then she goes on the on a search for a life jacket because she's like, I need to wear the life jackets, right? And then when she finally gets it, it's like a huge accomplishment because the boat is rocking. And the other part I love about that scene is Millie, the other um crew member. She's just walking around, you know, like it's full. Like it's she's unbothered, right? She does, she's just walking around. And it's really funny. It just made me think of like flight attendants when you're on a you, you know, when you're on a plane, you hit turbulence, you know, and I my heart goes in my stomach every time that happens. And I always look at the the flight attendants, the flight attendants, right? Because if they're not freaked out, then I shouldn't, and they're just like going about their business, you know, bouncing around. That's what that scene reminded me of when Millie's just she just keeps walking back and forth doing things, you know, and poor Claire is really, really struggling. But then at the end, she's like, Whoa, that was really cool.

SPEAKER_02 22:41

You know, it was that was awesome.

SPEAKER_01 22:43

Because she doesn't live outside of her comfort zone, and so that was really, you know, thrilling for her. So yeah, I had that as a favorite scene also.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

What about another one?

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Um, when Danny, so Claire, they lose one of the crew members, and by lose, I don't mean, you know, badly. He decides to leave because he doesn't want to do it anymore. And um, so they're down to just Danny and one and Millie, the the other crew member. So um Claire's like, you know, I'll I'll do it. I'll you know, Danny's like, well, you gotta study, you know, and she's like, okay, I can study because she's a teacher and she's gonna be an assistant principal. So this is her, this is her wheelhouse, right? So she studies and then she's like, okay, where's the test? How many pages is it? And he's like, pages, pages.

SPEAKER_02 23:27

He's like, come with me.

SPEAKER_01 23:28

He has her do all these different tasks, right? Like tying a knot and you know, and things. And so I just thought that that was really that was just a fun part of it. And she has really absorbed and taken it in, and she's serious because she wants to get to her sister. So I just I enjoyed the whole test part of it, you know. Yeah, that was one of my favorites, too. And he has her go to the to the wheel, right? And he asks her, you know, if you see a boat coming, what would you do? And she goes through the steps that you're supposed to do if you see it coming, including sounding the alarm, you know, and it kind of jolts him. He's like, that was a little overdramatic, but okay. So there were some cute, fun, funny parts in it.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

Yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_01 24:07

So that was did you have any other favorite scenes?

SPEAKER_02 24:10

Um, one of my last ones was when they had to go on foot through the forest um because they couldn't get the boat through. And, you know, he's just telling the the the culture of the Amazon and the wishing tree and the and the necklace. It's a uh seated necklace that's supposed to keep bugs away. And so they camp out, and he's he's tying up the uh the hammocks when she hears her voice, sounds like her sister. So she gets up and starts heading out into the forest, right? And he runs after her and he starts to tell and he catches her and he's like, There's no one there, there's no one there. And he talks about the guardian, guardian of the forest, and it was such a funny scene because he's sitting there, it's like a ghost story, right? You're all around a campfire and somebody's telling a story, and then all of a sudden they go, ah, and that's what he did with her, pretty much, and she just like jumps. I just thought that was such a cute little scene, and then she laughs, right?

SPEAKER_01 25:10

She doesn't get mad or anything, she just kind of laughs because he didn't start. He's like, No, I'm not serious, you know. Because she's like, Are you serious?

SPEAKER_02 25:17

And then and then when they get finally get back to camp, he's like, She's taking she's going to take off her boots, and he's like, We don't take boots off in the forest.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Yes, yes. I'd be like, Okay, yes, sir, leaving them on, tiny them up. And I thought it was interesting that they were in hammocks, so there must be a reason you want to be up, like, because things aren't gonna come at you that way. Yeah, like you're not this is not like your malintent thing, right? Like you need to be up. I was like, I don't think I could sleep. See, that's another reason. No, the humidity, the bugs, ooh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:50

I agree. What about you? You have any more?

SPEAKER_01 25:53

Um, no, I think that's all I had for, you know. I mean, I enjoyed a lot of the scenes, but as far as you know, standouts, I think that's um that's that's it. Yeah. All right, let's go on to cheers.

SPEAKER_02 26:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Did you have a big cheer?

SPEAKER_02 26:10

Um I love I love the the way they brought in the culture. And there was the one scene where they're walking to Amelia's first office where they think she is, and these group of kids kick a soccer ball out to uh Danny, and Danny's like, Oh, you want me to play? And I I guess in there if if you get kicked the ball, you gotta play a couple of rounds with the kids, and they call it Fuji ball. It's not it's soccer, but they call it Fuji Ball. Oh and I thought that was pretty cool that they brought that kind of stuff into the movie.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Is that not when they're going to deliver the packages to the school? That's a different scene.

SPEAKER_02 26:51

That's a different scene. This was I mean, it was along the way, but this was because he she was like, Oh, we all we're almost there, and he's like, No, we got time. And then they both ended up playing with the kids and having a good time. So that was a good that was a cheer for me.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:08

What about you?

SPEAKER_01 27:09

I um I think the whole notion of going to the Amazon, I think would be a cheer. Now, I don't really know if Hallmark has done it before. So, you know, I don't want to say this was the first time, but I just thought it was a unique idea.

SPEAKER_03 27:24

Right.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

You know, for us anyway. Um, I I thought that that was interesting because I mean I I didn't, like I said, I didn't know it ran through seven different countries. And you know, just things I didn't think like you always hear about the Amazon and the jungle and everything and and I know there there would be, you know, beautiful moments and everything, but I just I thought it was cool. And like you said, when the boat was traveling, when I didn't see a snake in iguana, mosquitoes or they're you know, sweating to death from the heat and spiders. Um, it is calming on the river, you know, and and there were beautiful shots. Yeah, you know, they did have some some beautiful shots during it. And I mean, I think they were actually on the river. I did not notice a green screen there. No, so that was very impressive the way it was shot.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

Yeah. Yeah, I felt like another thing that was pretty cool were were the tree houses when they when they finally got to Amelia. Yes. Those like it was like a huge tree house with from tree to tree to tree. I mean, it was almost like a hotel in the tree.

SPEAKER_01 28:28

That was really cool. I think they actually have those where you can go and stick. Now, again, I don't need to go to the Amazon for that. Like if it exists somewhere that doesn't have that kind of, you know, I can go to that. But but no, that was that was really cool. That was really cool. I love that they made her, you know, she's a literary, right? So her nose is instead of being in the phone, it's always in a book.

SPEAKER_03 28:51

Right.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

And I thought that that was a different angle also. I thought that that because she's, you know, like I said, she's a teacher, she's gonna be an assistant principal, so she's you know, and she just just soaks it all in. And you know, how many people not only read a lot still, but read an actual book, like hold the three-dimensional book that they're reading instead of an ebook, instead of on a Kindle, instead of you know, I mean, I'm an e-book person, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:17

I know you and I differ.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

You and I differ. I have to hold the book, and I know you do, you just there's something about it. There's just something about going into the bookstore, and I just yeah, so I appreciated that. And there were quite a few literary references in this. Yes, there were, you know, like she references Jane, Jane Eyre, Atticus Finch. Do you know who that is? No, he's the lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird. Yes, and then the Oh Captain, my captain is something that Walt Whitman, the the famous American poet, you know. So there were just uh, you know, he said that about um uh President Abraham Lincoln's assassination when he was assassinated.

SPEAKER_03 30:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

Um, that was one of the things he said. And Walt Whitman actually, and I just caught on to that because he's one of my all-time favorite quotes from him is you know, happiness not in another place, but this place, not in not for another hour, but this hour. Right and I love that quote from him. Love it, love it. And hopefully he is the one who said it because I've been saying it for years. But I just I liked all the, you know, so if you read a lot, no, I haven't read, you know, and I actually haven't seen the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Um, you know, but I just I thought those references, I'm sure there were more. I thought that that was really great that they had her character be sort of a bookworm like that. But she also went out of her comfort zone to explore where she was because at heart she wants to learn too, as well as teach. So I thought that would be a big cheer, a big cheer for me.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

And I had that down too. But I also like how along the way she would give the books out to the people that she gave it out to a teacher, she gave it out to some kids, um, she gave it out to Millie, and the the her suitcase was full of books that she wanted to give to her sister.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

Yeah. So And you know, I have to say this as a cheer just to Hallmark because there's a scene where she's like, Oh, I can find a million. She's got like a hand-drawn map from somebody, and it blows away, right? And of course, you know, it blows away, and you're like, of course, it blows away. Now, how are they gonna find her? You know, and then they have her say, you know what, always be prepared. She has taken a picture on her phone of the map. So I was like, that's different for Hallmark. They resolved that issue like right away.

SPEAKER_02 31:42

And that was pretty cool. That was pretty cool. Because you thought it was gonna be one of those moments she's like, now we're never gonna find her.

SPEAKER_01 31:49

We're gonna have to just explore. Yeah, yeah. So it and they they switched it up and surprised me anyway in the best way in that scene. So I yeah, I enjoyed that. Any other cheers from you?

SPEAKER_02 32:00

No, that was it. Did you have any jeers?

SPEAKER_01 32:04

The only well, the jeer, the jeers would be the bugs and the snakes. No, that's not really a jeer. Um for me, I I didn't think the chemistry was there between the two leads.

SPEAKER_03 32:19

Right.

SPEAKER_01 32:19

I just didn't, I I got more of a like friendship chemistry. I thought they bounced well off of one another. I adored them in their roles, you know, as Claire and Danny. And I I thought it worked well, but I just didn't I didn't feel the fire chemistry like we feel sometimes between characters. And, you know, and it and it wasn't, I mean, yeah, it was a slow burn throughout the movie, but it never got there. You know what I mean? Like it wasn't just a slow burn, it was like it was kind of just burning a little bit, maybe, but I just never really felt that from them. So that would be that would probably be my biggest jeer.

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Well, that's funny because I kind of felt the same way. And when the movie first started, I was thinking that he he was like in love with Amelia, but you find out that he used to be on her team before you know life happened and he had to remove himself from it and he never finished his degree. But I agree. I it it didn't really feel like a a romance, more like a friendship.

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Yeah. Like they and you know, it's it's interesting you say that about Amelia because yeah, he does when you realize he knows her, I had a moment of, oh crap, is he is that who he's really gonna fall in love with? You know, like that sort of like you have that sort of moment, but then he and um Claire have all these moments, you know, on the boat and stuff. But and then once they find Claire, and I thought it I I didn't say this as a cheer, but I should have is I'm enjoying that the fact that once they get to their destination or something happens, like there's more, there's more to the story. Afterwards, so they find Amelia and then there's more afterwards. We're getting more, they don't just kiss, she finds Amelia, they kiss, and it's over, you know. I mean, there's more to the store, and I really am liking that a lot in these.

SPEAKER_02 34:11

Me too, because you want to you want like that in a year. What happens after? Later, two years later. Yeah, yeah. I agree with you.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Um, but yeah, you're right. I was surprised. I I kind of thought for a second, like, ooh, so who is gonna be the love interest?

SPEAKER_02 34:25

But I I have one more jeer, and that was when they were going up the river, I think they first started off, and they had I don't know if it was CGI or AI or whatever. They threw in some, I guess, dolphins jumps jumping out of the water and into the water again. I don't think they needed that. Because the next scene after that was an above shot. Um I'm assuming with the um uh with one of those drones of them going through like a lily pad uh section of the of the river. Oh and I'm like, you didn't have to put that in there.

SPEAKER_01 35:02

You the the jumping of the I wonder if they did that because they talk so much about the pink dolphins because that's what I'm in.

SPEAKER_02 35:09

And I'm sure that's what it was, but I just felt like it didn't, they didn't.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

Yeah, yeah. No, I get it. I get so you think that was CGI probably?

SPEAKER_02 35:16

Oh, definitely. Either that or AI, they threw it in there or something.

SPEAKER_01 35:19

But but you know, I did look up pink dolphins, that's a real thing. It's it's the Amazon River dolphin that develop a pink color as an adult. Isn't that crazy? I had no idea. See, I do learn things in these movies also, and the pink color tends to be more prominent in males than the female dolphins.

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Oh wow. Who knows? So it's kind of like flamingos, huh? Pink flamingos.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

I guess not really, but okay. That's I don't know. I'm not sure I'd make that lead, but okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:48

Oh wow, but yeah, I thought that was cool. So, did you have any more jars?

SPEAKER_01 35:51

No, that was it for me.

SPEAKER_02 35:53

All right. Well, let's move on to how many corks would you give this one?

SPEAKER_01 35:58

I would give this one a solid three and a half quarks. That would be my rating for this one. Just because I think, you know, I enjoyed it. I just the chemistry sort of fell flat for me. Although their chemistry of f as friends, I would totally buy. Really good friends, really good. It just they're, you know, I I just didn't yeah. So that's why it would be a three and a half for me. Yeah. What about you?

SPEAKER_02 36:24

I I was gonna go I'm going with uh three and three quarters. I mean, I enjoyed it. The the CGI, yeah. But I actually enjoy the adventure that they had.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

Yeah, yeah, it wasn't a bad, I mean, it wasn't, you know, like our threes are still a good movie.

SPEAKER_02 36:41

Yeah, I think a three or higher. And so far our um Hallmark has done a really good job with the with the movies they released so far.

SPEAKER_01 36:50

I agree. The winter escape movies have been really, really well done. We have really enjoyed them. And I think we're in store for two more really great movies coming up. I can't wait. Spot by love and what's the last one?

SPEAKER_02 37:03

Missing the boat.

SPEAKER_01 37:04

Missing the boat, yes, thank you. I think we're I think we're in store. If this is the way Hallmark's gonna start the year, I think we're gonna have a pretty good year.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

And then we go into love you.

SPEAKER_01 37:15

Oh, yes, we'll have that preview episode coming up.

SPEAKER_02 37:18

All right, so is that a wrap?

SPEAKER_01 37:20

That's a wrap.

SPEAKER_02 37:22

Well, thank you for listening and also now watching.

SPEAKER_01 37:25

Yep, and make sure you follow us wherever you podcast so you don't miss a thing. Till next time. Cheers.