The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel – Review

The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel – Lifetime – 2 hours and 30 minutes

In Detroit 1963, Dr. Mattie has a 3-part harmony dream.  She wakes up her 5 daughters, Jacky, Denise, Dorinda, Twinkie, and Karen, to sing her dream.  Typically the girls sing the same note.  But with a little practice, they get the harmonies just right.  Ten years later, Dr. Mattie’s husband Pastor Clark is sick of Mattie being gone to tend to her ministry.  He wants her to be a proper first lady of the church, stay home, and attend his meetings by his side.  When she refuses to give up a convention, he responses with his fist.  Jacky hears the commotion and attempts to call the police.  The pastor slaps her too and throws her out the house.  Dr. Mattie files for divorce.  She puts all her focus on her daughters’ singing career.  She knows they are better than the Jackson 5 and will make sure they sing only for the lord.  With Dr. Mattie at the helm, they will have top-selling albums, number 1 songs, a gospel record played on R&B stations, and Grammy Awards.  With all the success, comes trials and tribulations.  Unlike most groups, The Clark Sisters have to deal with secular and spiritual problems.  On the secular side, they deal with contracts, solo deals, and publishing rights.  On the spiritual side, they have unwed pregnancies, marriages, death, depression, and the church’s judgment.  Can Dr. Mattie keep her girls together when heaven and hell are trying to pull them apart?

The true story of the Grammy Award-winning group The Clark Sisters, will move you to tears and bring a spiritual awakening with their harmonies (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  With each pentacle of success they reach, the church tries to keep Dr. Mattie in her place.  She tries to navigate the church’s strict dress code, expectations of music, and demands of her musical ministry to keep her title in the church.  Eventually and sadly, something has to give.  Through it all, The Clark Sisters remained true to themselves and never lost sight of their true passion: bringing the word of God to the world.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

I’m gonna make ya’ll stars for Jesus – Mattie

I have to be my own woman – Denise

It don’t look good on you Mattie – Clark

Why he do me like that? – Jacky

Bishop say you ain’t saved if they play your song on the radio – Twinkie

Can’t we be sanctified and stylish – Dorinda

That’s a lot of people out there momma – Karen

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Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder – Review

Ruby Herring Mysteries: Prediction Murder – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Ruby is leaving consumer reporting and joining the newscast’s crime beat division.  Her change has come on the heels of the 5th anniversary of Andrea’s death.  Andrea was a well-known psychic in the area.  As she gave someone a tarot card reading, an unknown assailant shot and killed her.  The death card was missing from the deck.  While the police had some suspects, they could not find the perpetrator.  After the newscast goes off the air, Ruby finds a note on her office door.  The note contains a poem with a location.  Ruby, her dad John, and Detective Jack search in the woods for the poem’s clue.  They find a .38 special with John’s metal detector.  Dakota, the crime analysis, matches the gun to the bullets found at Andrea’s murder.   With the murder weapon, they must find their murderer.  Ruby and Jake will search through Andrea’s clients, family, and rivals for her killer.

This next installment will grab your attention from beginning to end.  Now, experience sleuthers will pick up on the biggest clue the moment it’s presented.  From that point on you are waiting for Ruby to reveal how and why.   As Ruby finds her place in the crime beat, she gets a blast from her past.  Her ex-fiance is back in town for their class reunion.  He wants to mend fences and try again.  This mystery collides well with Ruby’s drama without one overpowering the other.  Sleuthers know who we want Ruby to date but that will come with time.  Sit back and get ready to enjoy this wild ride.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Oh, it’s your team now – Detective Jake

Not in my lab, Detective Septic – Dakota

Well, I am a sucker for a charity case – Ruby

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Black Hearted Killer – Review

Black Hearted Killer – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Julie gets an email from a donor organization and immediately heads home to tell her husband Dennis.  The recipient of their daughter Madison’s heart wants to meet with them.  They meet Vera and she expresses deep gratitude towards them.  However, she can see Julie getting visibly upset.  She leaves her contact information and walks away.  Julie invites Vera to dinner as a surprise for Dennis.  While Dennis is dumbfounded by his wife’s offer, he sits and eats with Vera.  Vera excuses herself during dinner and walks into Madison’s room.  Unbeknownst to Julie and Dennis, she takes Madison’s necklace.  The next day, a guilty Vera returns the necklace to Julie.  Julie, in an act of kindness, allows Vera to keep the necklace.  Vera tells Julie of her mounting medical bills and ongoing treatment costs.  Julie gives Vera $5,000 to help.  Dennis is irate at Julie’s generosity but they decide to have his promotion party anyway.  At the party, an uninvited and drunken Vera joins in with alcohol in her hand.  The sight is too revolting for Julie.  So, she asks Vera to never return.  Vera will make them pay.

Give this movie a chance.  Just when you believe you know where the plot is going, one letter will change everything.  After the first hour, the cause of Vera’s revenge is played out for the viewer.  And it will make you stop and take a second look.  The last 10 minutes is a true knockdown, drag-out fight to the finish.  If you stay past the first hour, you are in for a good Lifetime movie.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

She’s not Madison – Dennis

I know, that the only reason I am sitting here with you, is because you had to lose someone precious to you – Vera

You’re family now, ok? – Julie

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Sinners Wanted – Review

Sinners Wanted – TV One – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Pastor Leo Shepard travels from Georgia to DC to head a long-standing church.  The church elders greet him with a warm familiarity, food, and high praise.  They ask him what he needs.  He responds ‘Sinners’.  During his first sermon, G.G. runs into the church and sits in the pew.  The churchgoers look back and see a known prostitute in the back and it causes an uproar.  Ignoring her weary look, the ushers ask G.G. to leave.  However, Pastor Shepard tells them to leave her be and let her stay.  When G.G. is confronted by her pimp, Wolf, for his money, she tries to explain why she doesn’t have any.  Wolf wants to know where she has been.  She tells him she went to church.  He starts to beat her and leaves her on the church’s doorstep.  After praying, Pastor Shepard leaves and sees G.G. on the steps bruised and beaten.  He cleans her wounds and allows her to sleep in the church’s bed.  The next morning, the elders are furious with the Pastor.  They don’t want G.G.’s kind in their respectable church but Pastor Shepard will not change his ways.  If they are furious now, they will be inflamed when the Pastor courts and marries G.G., making her their first lady.  The church elders decide to put this marriage to an end by laying all the cards on the table.  Not G.G.’s but the Pastor’s cards.  What will Pastor Shepard choose: The church or his wife? Neither will make it easy.

If you ever wanted a movie to display what everyone dislikes about the church, this is it.  This movie shows how quickly this church says ‘come as you are but only if we approve’.  They talk about wanting to help the community but don’t want the community to be apart of them.  When the pastor welcomes addicts to leave their sins at the altar during their 97th annual community night, the churchgoers had locked the community out of the festivities.  When One-Eye starts spilling the tea, your mouth will be left open.  No one is without sin and no one should judge.  Are you guilty of judging others? Can you learn to forgive as the pastor does? This movie will have you taking a hard look at yourself and your church.  Another plus is for DC locals, this movie was actually filmed in DC.  Using historic landmarks, the transit system, and mambo sauce to set the stage.  While the plot discusses hard topics, it is for everyone.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

If God had a devil in heaven, what makes you think he won’t have devils around you – One-Eye

There’s a way things are supposed to be done here – Elder Roberts

I can’t be the woman you need me to be. I’m damaged goods – G.G.

If you do it again, I’ll be right here – Pastor Shepard

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You’re Bacon Me Crazy – Review

You’re Bacon Me Crazy – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes

Cleo runs a successful food truck in Portland.  She specializes in updating Italian classics and making them sandwiches.  At the farmers’ market, Gabe notices Cleo closely examining tomatoes.  They talk and realize they have a shared love for cooking.  She invites him to visit her food truck one day.  As she prepares for her next service, she sees a new truck in the area called Mo’Bacon.  The chef opens the door and she sees the chef is Gabe.  She takes a deep breath and believes it can bring new customers for them both.  While Cleo is focused on the truck, her family and friends believe she should start a restaurant.  Cleo believes a full menu is a very daunting task.  Also, she doesn’t have the money.  Her niece Tessa found a solution on-line.  Famous chef and restauranteur, Norma Duncan is hosting a Food Truck contest.  The truck with the most votes will be entered into the competition.  The grand prize is $100,000.  With that money, Cleo can start her restaurant or make improvements to the truck.  Gabe believes in her too and stays by her side to offer words of encouragement.  Tessa creates a strong social media campaign to drive votes.  Days later, Cleo and Gabe are having fun when Cleo gets a notification.  Her food truck is in the competition.  They hug in delight.  Then Gabe gets a notification.  His truck won as a write-in.  Now, the two love birds are competitors.   Will their budding romance survive the competition?

Based on You’re Bacon Me Crazy: A Wish Novel by Suzanne Nelson, this movie must be accompanied with food (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Preferably a carbonara or a BLT.  Their passion for cooking is as strong as their passion for each other.  One moment, Gabe is doing everything to find Cleo.  The next moment, she is calling him with a prank order.  Unlike most Hallmark movies, they don’t hate each other, have a romantic past, or are forced to work together.  They meet, they fall, they have good and bad days, and they work it out.  That is a real relationship on the Hallmark channel.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

You’re gonna give those poor guys a complex – Gabe

Food is not a sport. It’s a basic necessity – Cleo

You can’t make the cut if you don’t try – Tessa

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