Mommy Is a Murderer – Review

Mommy Is a Murderer – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Karina is working hard at her shop while her husband handles the woodworking.  One day, an adorable little girl comes in wanting to try on one of her fairy dresses.  The little girl is named Mallie.  As they talk, Mallie’s mom rushes in, panicked.  Lena worries about someone taking her child and admonished Mallie for walking away.  Lena puts her at ease and offers to make a dress for Mallie’s ceremony.  Lena reminds Mallie that she will get a medal but not go to the ceremony.  Lena is worried about strangers seeing her daughter in the paper.  The next day, Karina offers to watch Mallie in the store while Lena runs a few errands.  When Karina’s back is turned, a man tries to take Mallie.  Karina runs out of the store and grabs Mallie out of his car.  Karina explains the situation to Lena and wants to call the cops but Lena stops her.  Lena thinks the cops would only traumatize Mallie.  Karina can’t understand Lena’s lackadaisical attitude but respects her wishes.  To ease her fears, Karina meets with Lena and Mallie for a tea party.  When Lena walks away, Mallie says her name was Emily at her old house with her old toys.  Karina asks Lena what Mallie meant but Lena brushes it off.  Karina can’t let it go.  Something about Mallie is nagging her.  Then she notices a bandage on Mallie’s back.  Mallie says her mom makes her wear it because there is an ugly spot no one should see.  Karina starts doing research and learns a little girl named Emily was kidnapped 5 years ago and declared dead by absentia.  Karina believes Mallie is Emily but she needs more information to prove it.  Before Karina can get it, Lena has badmouthed Karina to the police, Mallie, and their friends.  Can Karina save Mallie and prove she is Emily?

An interesting but familiar premise with a slight twist.  Lena is able to get the jump on everyone and make herself look like the victim of Karina’s odd and obsessive behavior.  If Karina was wrong, her behavior would have been perceived badly by others.  Overall, the movie lacked a certain quality to keep you interested in the overall plot.  It’s a little too easy to tune out while watching.  While the actors did a superb job, the script lacked that pinnacle moment to pull you into the drama.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

We can not behave this way at work – Karina

Are the dresses for people too or just for fairies – Mallie

I don’t want to alarm her – Lena

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Deadly Daughter Switch – Review

Deadly Daughter Switch – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Brooke meets up with her husband Carter and daughter Hailey to donate blood.  A few days later they get their donor cards in the mail.  Brooke notices that Hailey says the wrong blood type, O Rh-Positive.  When Hailey was born, she was AB Negative like Carter.  After double-checking with the blood donor organization, Brooke calls a family meeting to give the gut-wrenching news.  Sadly, the hospital’s DNA test confirms their worst fears.  Hailey was switched at birth.  The local news televises the switch, Breanne notices her birthday and birth hospital on the screen.  She and her mom, Alexis, get a DNA test too.  The hospital confirms that Breanne and Hailey were switched at birth.  They provide counselors and determine a plan to move the girls forward.  The parents decide the girls should live at their current homes but meet with their birth moms frequently.  Hailey and Alexis bond over an allergy to tomatoes.  However, it saddens Alexis to learn her birth father died before she was born.  Breanne and Brooke bond over a love of botany.  Breanne expresses she dreamed of having a father.   Now, she does with Carter.  For the sake of Hailey and Breanne, Brooke tries to find more information on Hailey’s birth father and Breanne’s switched father, Jason.  But she can’t find any information on Jason’s fatal car crash.  She goes to Jason’s old job and asks his boss about him.  Brooke is astonished to discover Jason is still alive.  When Breanne learns the truth, she chooses to stay with Carter and Brooke.  Her choice makes Alexis’s psyche snap.  Alexis will do anything to anyone to get her two girls back.  Her plan starts with a will.

The viewer is lead to believe Jason is dead in the first five minutes.  So, hearing he is still alive will shock you too.  Seeing the Hailey and Breanne become adorable “Swisters”, sisters switched at birth, will make you smile.  What keeps you watching is seeing Alexis slowly becoming unhinged.  As she maims, destroys property, and kills, she does it with an ultimate plan.  She may come off crazy but she is a sly fox.  And her plan may have worked if it weren’t for those crazy kids.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

Are you telling me I’m not your daughter – Hailey

We are all in this together – Brooke

Exactly, you want the girls. And you always get what you want – Alexis

Find him, I just said he was dead – Breann

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Mystery 101: An Education in Murder – Review

Mystery 101: An Education in Murder – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Amy and Travis sit back and watch ‘We Know Whodunit’ on TV as they profile Mac and his crime.  Years ago, Mac got into an argument with his teaching assistant, Nicole, over Mark Twain’s early draft of Huckleberry Finn (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Its believed later that night, Mac broke into Nicole’s home, put strychnine into her inhaler and stole the draft.  Nicole woke up with an asthma attack, took a puff of her inhaler and died.  During the investigation, the draft was revealed to be a forgery.  But it was Amy’s eyewitness statement about their argument that led the police to suspect Mac.  To this day, Mac has claimed his innocence and Amy believes him.  Ella, a reporter, is doing a piece on Mac because she believes he is innocent too.  She sits and interviews Amy.  During the interview, Ella divulges she has some interesting evidence but can’t get Mac to sit down for an interview.  Amy agrees to meet with Mac and talk to him about doing the interview.  The next day, Mac accepts the interview but only if Ella shows him the evidence first.  Amy’s curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to investigate Mac’s case.  However, Howard, the original detective, will do anything to stop her.  Good thing she has Detective Travis by her side.  They will work together to find the truth, but someone is willing to kill to keep their secret.  Can Amy and Travis find the killer or will Mac continue to pay for a crime he didn’t commit?

You must watch this movie twice, if not 3 times.  You will have no idea who the killer is until the recap with a gun.  You will be astonished by all the clues you missed as Amy brings justice for a convict and the victim.  While this installment focuses on Mac, it never forgets Nicole is the original victim.  Leaving you interested to discover the past crime and the current crimes to follow.  This is the best Mystery 101 to date.  And for the moment we never thought would come, wait and watch until the last second sleuthers.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

Feeling based on what? – Amy

If it’s rock-solid, you’ve got nothing to worry about right – Travis

She’s been very busy – Mac

The only crime in this situation is murder – Howard

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Remember Me, Mommy? – Review

Remember Me, Mommy? – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Creative writing teacher Rebecca squares her shoulders for the next school year at Clark Academy.  Rebecca is an alum but not much has changed.  She deals with overprivileged, mean girls and their high society and large donating parents every day.  As she walks through the dorms, she sees Janey with the new girl Elena.  While Elena says everything is fine, she knows Janey is on the warpath.  She tells Elena that being a scholarship student doesn’t make her less than anyone else on campus.  Rebecca knows because she was on scholarship at Clark.  Afterward, Rebecca gives Janey a writing assignment on kindness to reprimand her for bullying Elena.  Later that night, Rebecca sees someone has spray-painted her car with obscenities.  She finds Janey’s school ID on the ground.  She gives the ID to the headmistress, Mrs. Caldwell.  But Mrs. Caldwell doesn’t believe its enough proof to suspend Janey.  Rebecca doesn’t know that Janey is innocent.  A necklace, photographs, and a dead student will lead her to the truth.

This movie follows the Lifetime formula, it does give a new perspective to the “mean girl” cliche.  Janey, as foreshadowed by Grace, isn’t the bad girl she portrays herself.  There is more hiding behind the pranks, alcohol, and vaping.  The motive behind the crimes should be a surprise but the title gives it away.  At some point, the killer appears to be a reasonable and compassionate girl with a tough background.  However, that switches the moment the killer’s lies can be exposed.  You will see who is really the mean girl.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

You couldn’t pay me to be a part of your pathetic group – Elena

Don’t ever let anyone tell you you don’t belong here – Rebecca

I would have killed her if I were you – Grace

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Undercover Angel – Review

Undercover Angel – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Robin has bought the worst house in the best neighborhood.  The plumbing needs work, the electricity is bad, and the walls have seen better days but she maintains a positive outlook.  Her daughter, Sophie is more realistic.  Moving to a new town and a new school with no friends is tough for her, she agrees to stick it out with her mom.  As Robin tries to fix the floor, she starts to second-guess what she has done.  Sophie prays to God to help her mom fix their home.  In Heaven, Carl calls angel Henry to his office.  Carl knows Henry has wanted more responsibility and he has just the opportunity.  Carl gives Henry Sophie’s request and asks him to help.  However, he must remember the 3 rules.  First, respect free will.  Second, don’t get involved. And third, don’t abuse your powers.  Carl warns Henry that things on earth will feel slow but he must resist the urge to use his powers.  Every time he uses his powers he will start to fade.  When he uses too much, he will be sent back to heaven.  Henry goes to earth has Henry: The Heavenly Handyman.  It’s obvious he is having trouble with the rules.  But he had no idea, rule number 2 would give him the most trouble and joy.

Reminiscent of City of Angels, this movie gives a more uplifting ending for its viewers (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It’s fun to watch Henry discover the small things about the human world, like pizza. While he never gets hungry, tired, or hurt, he has to pretend when people are watching.  As he starts to fade, you will feel concerned.  He uses his power to help, not hurt.  As he starts to fall for Robin, it’s his connection to Sophie that brings you into the story.  Don’t forget about the cute Izzy/Todd subplot.  Seeing these to break out of their shells and find each other is beautiful.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Are you sure this isn’t a closet – Sophie

Just one question, why me – Henry

Never gets gold – Carl

Henry just isn’t the man I thought he was – Robin

I am so sorry – Todd

I want it to happen again – Izzy

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Just My Type – Review

Just My Type – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

After seeing her ex-boyfriend with her yoga instructor, Vanessa wants a change of pace but doesn’t know how to do it.  Her best friend, Amber, has an idea.  Amber’s parents own and run The Thompson Lake Inn.  Visitors won’t start arriving for another two weeks.  They can drive up there and make it a girls’ weekend.  She convinces Vanessa that she can clear her mind and prepare a stunning article.  She hopes it will entice her boss to give her a promotion to Senior Lifestyle Editor.  On their way to the Inn, Amber and Vanessa stop for gas and snacks.  While Vanessa is inside, Amber tells a guy to pump the gas.  The confused man does it.  Vanessa walks out of the station and is awestruck.  The man pumping their gas is her favorite author Martin Clayborne.  She asks Amber why is he pumping their gas and Amber realizes her error.  Amber tells Vanessa to get his autograph but Vanessa is too nervous.  So, Amber asks for Vanessa.  The man says she made a mistake and he is not Martin.  Flustered and confused, they drive away only to hear an attendant call him Marty.  Vanessa was right! Vanessa knows Martin disappear 5 years ago after a scathing interview.  While she wants to talk to him, she can’t work up the nerve.  At the Inn, Amber’s parents admit they know Martin and have mistakenly received some of his packages.  They tell her to interview him for her magazine but Vanessa decides to respect his privacy.  However, when her boss calls her she gets some tough news.  The board is looking at another candidate to fill the position.  The other candidate has done more interviews, gotten more notoriety, and gotten more ad sales.  Vanessa gets a bright idea.  She tells her boss she is going to interview the elusive Martin Clayborne.  Her boss is ecstatic about the exclusive interview and agrees to tell the board.  Now her promotion, reputation, and career ride on an interview.  Now, she just has to get Martin to agree to the interview, trust her, and step back into the spotlight.

This is a sweet story with a mystery behind it.  You know Martin is holding something back but you aren’t quite sure what it is.  When he reveals what it is, you and Vanessa will only have more questions.  Don’t fret, all will be answered in the end.  While it follows the Hallmark formula, these characters are more than another boy meets girl story.  The characters are so well written and so well acted, you will want more.  You even fall in love with Amber’s parents.  In the end, everything comes down to a typewriter (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Why is Martin Clayborne pumping our gas – Vanessa

You know the name of his dog. You already are that person – Amber

Don’t stick your nose in other people’s business – Stanley

Somethings can’t be described – Martin

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