Reno Rangan
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.8/10
pensman
My wife conned me into watching this because it has Yannick Bisson in it and I am a huge fan of Murdoch Mysteries. I gather that somehow this entry is part of a series based on the writings of Charlaine Harries who writes the Aurora Teagarden books along with a number of others. She must have those who like these Hallmark entries but based on The Julius House, I am not one of them. My major complaint is acting and chemistry. Is seems that either these are some of the worst actors ever or they are just phoning in their performances. And their is zip chemistry among this crew. Marilu Henner and Candace Cameron Bure are supposed to be mother daughter but they don't seem to muster any feelings for one another. And Yannick Bisson and Candace Cameron Bure who are supposed to be dating are about as romantic as wood. Even the mystery is dull. I didn't care who the missing family was or why they were missing. Even after we get the answers, I didn't care. Obviously there is an audience out there for this series, but why is the real mystery.
utgard14
Another enjoyable if not particularly riveting Aurora Teagarden mystery starring Candace Cameron Bure. This time Aurora buys a house that, of course, has a history that involves murder. I tend to enjoy the movies in this series more for the lighthearted fun aspects than the mysteries themselves, which are never anything special. This one has a Scooby Doo "I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you darn kids" type of ending that amused me. I like this Aurora movie more than the last one largely because Lexa Doig and Marilu Henner get more to do. They're both great assets to this series but are often underutilized. For her part, Candace is likable as always. The worst part of the whole thing is the love interest, a former CIA agent played by Yannick Bisson. He wears eyeliner and spray tan and is really just annoying enough to make me want to turn the whole thing off, which says a lot considering how much I enjoy Candace, Lexa, and Marilu. He's the third love interest in the series but the first to appear in consecutive entries. I hope this doesn't mean he's "the one" because, frankly, he's terrible. Hallmark, if there are any more Aurora movies to be made, please kill him off or have him go manage a boy band. He's stinking up the joint.
