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Killer Cheer Mom – Review
Killer Cheer Mom – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Riley hates being the new girl in school after moving junior year. Her school liaison, Claire, sees that Riley admires the cheerleaders and encourages Riley to try out after school. Riley hasn’t cheered since middle school but decides to give it a try. Before tryout prep, Riley gets a visit from her stepmother, Amanda. Amanda wanted to offer Riley a ride home, but Riley says no because she wants do prep with the squad. Amanda is relieved that Riley is making an effort in the new town and school. During dinner, Riley airs her displeasure with the sudden move. But her father, James, tells Riley that moving provided a better job, home, and school. But if she doesn’t like it in a year, he will consider moving back. Hearing this makes Amanda uneasy. Amanda has secrets in the old town that will expose her if Riley goes back. Amanda will do anything possible to get Riley on the team and keep the family in the city.
If this story seems far-fetched, then you haven’t been keeping up with the news. Some parents will take any opportunity to give their kids an edge. However, Amanda isn’t doing this for the good of Riley. Amanda is doing it to cover her tracks. At first, you believe Riley should give Amanda a chance but take a second look at the movie’s title. This mom has a few tricks up her sleeve, some simple and a few advanced. While this movie won’t cure your blood lust, it’s fun to see what Amanda will do next.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
If I make the team – Riley
I’m not anti-cheer. I just think it’s a stupid sport – Cooper
Honey, there’s still time. You never know what could happen – Amanda
She’s a bit … – Chloe
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Danger in the Spotlight – Review
Danger in the Spotlight – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Martha leaves her AA meeting with her sober sister, Gina, to get coffee and celebrate Gina’s sixth month sober. The women depart the coffee shop to go to their respective homes. Martha wakes up with a throbbing headache, the airbags deployed, spilled coffee on her car’s floor, and anaphylaxis shock. She gives herself an EpiPen shot and looks up to see that she hit another vehicle. Martha goes to the car to find a woman alive but unconscious. Martha picks up to call the police but has second thoughts when she sees her daughter’s face on her screensaver. Months ago, Martha lost custody of her daughter, Anna, and her nursing job due to her alcoholism.
Martha works the program but couldn’t get joint custody because she didn’t have adequate employment. Now, she worries that police will suspect that she was drinking and the judge will never give her joint custody. Martha anonymously calls the police to help the woman in the car but flees the scene. The next day, Martha learns that she paralyzed a world-renowned ballet dancer, Daphne. Racked with guilt, Martha tells her mother, and her mother assumes Martha was drinking. But Martha swears she wasn’t and pleads to use her mom’s car for the time being because the police are looking for Martha’s car. When Martha and her mother go to Martha’s car to collect Martha’s belongings, Martha’s mom finds a bottle of whiskey. Martha explains that it’s not hers. And with her allergy, she can’t drink whiskey. Then Martha finds a necklace with a key that she never saw before. In her gut, Martha knows something is wrong, but guilt still plagues her. So, Martha goes to find Daphne and pretends to be a fan. She sees Daphne is having trouble with her wheelchair and offers help. Martha lets it slip that she is an out-of-work nurse, and Daphne wants to hire her. While Daphne’s husband, Henry, has some reservations about the new stranger, he relents to his wife. Meanwhile, Martha spends more time with Daphne, and Martha’s guilt, suspicion, and threatening messages rise.
Be sure to have your seatbelt fastened because you are in for one wild ride from the beginning to the end. Yes, even the ending is unexpected. Don’t be fooled by the plot. It has the Lifetime setup but goes off-script from there. This movie is one of the most enjoyable of the Stranger Danger series. This film requires all of your attention, and it deserves it. You will want to rewatch it to pick up the clues you missed. The acting, sets, and costume design are superb, and this movie is a Lifetime classic in the making. Keep your fingers crossed for a sequel.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
I wear the bracelet and he keeps the key – Daphne
Daphne may look strong, but she’s broken inside – Henry
It’s easy to miss the small stuff – Martha
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My Daughter’s Deadly Date – Review
My Daughter’s Deadly Date – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Grace runs the social media campaign for her mother’s new restaurant, Tangata. Grace’s mom, Eve, is behind in the world of tech but is a talented chef. Eve runs the restaurant with her boyfriend, James, acting as manager, and Grace’s boyfriend, Max, working as a waiter. The grand opening is a raving success, but Grace wants to create more social media buzz. She messages top food influencers and gets a message back from Todd. Todd wants to come, but Tangata needs a signature dish to stand out. Once they have that, he will come to Tangata and do an interview. As Eve tries to discuss what to make, she notices Grace can’t break away from her phone.
When Eve confronts Grace, Grace snaps and walks off. In the parking lot, a man tries to grab Grace, but she runs away. She tells Eve about the incident but begs Eve not to call the police because Grace wants to focus on the restaurant. They got the interview with Todd, and Grace is over the moon with excitement. The interview goes well, and Todd gives Tangata and Eve a glowing review. Later, a woman comes into Tangata demanding to know her fiancé’s whereabouts. James calms to woman down and gets her to leave. The next day, Max loses his cool with a customer, and Eve wants to fire him but calls Grace first for more answers. When she can’t get ahold of Grace, Eve starts to panic. Eve goes outside to look for Grace, but the Tangata catering van is missing, and Eve finds blood on the ground. Grace is missing, and Eve will do anything to find her daughter. But looking for Grace will uncover the dark truth that Eve never knew about her daughter.
Well, queue the bratty teen film. When Grace goes missing, it’s hard to feel bad. She acted horribly towards Eve, Grace, and James. You feel little sympathy for her. And with the typical Lifetime setup, you have an idea of what happened. You only need to stick around to find out why. And even that isn’t surprising. This movie is something to kill time, but it doesn’t require your full attention.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars
Do you ever miss a photo op – Eve
Well, deal with it. It’s only the beginning – Grace
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Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Honeymoon, Honeymurder – Review
Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Honeymoon, Honeymurder – HMM – 2 hours and 0 minutes
After fog in France delayed their honeymoon, Aurora and Nick can’t contain their love as they giggle during Phillip’s club presentation of Olin ‘Pete’ Coones. Seeing the couple needs some time alone, Lizzy suggests they use her aunt Gladys’s lake house. Nick and Aurora consider this to be a pre-honeymoon. While Aurora wants to read, she is dismayed that Nick wants to fish with her. But she hides her displeasure. They drive to the lake house, and Lizzy explains that it doesn’t have WiFi, TVs, or a landline. If they need to communicate with the outside world, they need to go into town. Aurora and Nick walk the property and see their neighbor in an argument with her son. They decide not to intervene and walk away. Later, they see the same kid on the side of the road with a flat tire. The kid’s name is Jacob, and he attends the school where Nick works. Before Nick could help, Jacob’s mom, Terry, arrives with assistance on the way. Nick and Aurora finish their trip into town for bait. After airing her feelings about fishing, Aurora feels elated and uncomfortable too. She is happy not to hurt fish, but she worries about disappointing Nick. Nick considers a compromise. Instead of fishing on the lake, they will have a picnic on the water. During their picnic, they see something in the distance. They investigate and find a dead body.
Lynn comes to the scene and discovers the man is Clifford; a man that Aida asked his boss, Russ, to report missing. Clifford didn’t show up to work for a week, and, unlike Russ, Aida found that to be odd. Clifford worked for a security company and overquoted the alarm system’s value to homeowners. When Aida came to the job to question Clifford, Russ told her Clifford was missing. Lynn tells Aurora and Nick to focus on their pre-honeymoon and let her look into the case. But when they return their boat, the boat owner, Donald, tells them that Clifford’s ex-wife and stepson reside in the home next to theirs. Aurora realizes Clifford’s former family is Terry and Jacob. As they pull apart Clifford’s life, they find a grifter with countless enemies, but who would be angry enough to kill him.
So, do you have your murder board ready? With such a despicable victim, Aurora has a host of suspects to pick from for the crime. Clifford swindled clients, used his ex-wife, and sued his stepson for his inheritance. There is nothing this man wouldn’t do for a buck. Peeling back the layers to this crime will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. Now, we are missing two of our favorites: Sally and Arthur. But the plot explains their absences. So don’t worry, they will be back. But with them gone, Lynn and Aurora have a lynchpin moment in their relationship. This conversation needed to happen for a long time, and it’s great to see them come to an understanding. Aurora learns to respect Lynn’s need to work within the law, and Lynn understands Aurora’s need to problem solve. Based on novels by Charlaine Harris, this movie picks up with the newlyweds in bliss but learning to wade through marriage (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Fans are ready for their love story and mysteries to get stronger.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
How smart are we to marry each other – Aurora
I think you are congratulating yourself for beating me here – Lynn
I can hear the unspoken but – Nick
Now you made me appear uncharitable . Is there any wonder why I was looking forward to your vacation – Lillian
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Love Upstream – Review
Love Upstream – UPtv – 2 hours and 0 minutes
As Charlotte takes promo pictures for her next book with her fiancé, Doug, he drops a bomb on her. He wants to end their relationship. When Charlotte’s publisher hears about the breakup, the publishing company wants to cancel the book, promo tour, and upcoming talk show. Her book was about healing a broken relationship and redefining your commitment using her relationship and engagement with Doug as the shining example. The publisher tells Charlotte to stop working on relationship advice and find a new niche. Charlotte goes to dinner with her assistant and friend, Mallory, to regroup. Mallory has to handle a call, so Charlotte gets into the elevator first to hold their table. Charlotte starts to panic when the elevator gets stuck. A man inside tries to calm her, but it doesn’t work. She asks him how he can stay so calm, and he explains that he is a wilderness guide. She thinks it would be a good idea to try it, but he laughs. He doesn’t believe she could handle it. His dismissive attitude infuriates Charlotte. When she catches up to Mallory at the restaurant, Charlotte unloads her frustrations. But it gives Charlotte the next idea for her book: a city girl’s guide to wilderness survival. Charlotte sees the elevator man, Rob, at the bar and introduces herself and Mallory. Rob ignores her, but his brother, Ben, gives their names, and Charlotte pitches her idea to Rob, and he says no until she mentions money. Recently Ben and Rob’s dad hurt himself and needs surgery. However, their dad didn’t tell them that he lost his job and doesn’t have medical insurance. They want to help their father, so Rob accepts the offer. Rob will help Charlotte get in touch with her wilderness side. It won’t take long for love to follow, but will Charlotte’s public persona crush her budding relationship?
This movie has some good tips about wilderness, but not enough to sustain your attention. You know the love story will come to a happy ending, but you don’t care enough. Now, you will care about Charlotte standing up to her old friend about being condescending, rude, and elitist. Also, you will pay attention to Charlotte’s interactions with Rob’s friends, Tina and Mike. And, let’s not forget Tina putting a literal Karen in her place for not following the rules and expecting a refund. Those moments save a humdrum movie.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Perfect. Just like that – Rob
I think I loved the idea of us more than the reality of us – Doug
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. No. No, not working – Charlotte
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A Little Daytime Drama – Review
A Little Daytime Drama – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Maggie is the head writer for a daytime soap opera called Forever is a Long, Long Time, but she hopes to be the show’s producer someday. And the current producer, Alice, thinks Maggie is the right person for the job. With her retirement coming soon, Alice grooms Maggie for the job. The first step, attending a meeting with the network executive. Alice got a call from Gregory to meet him in his office, so Alice invited Maggie to watch and learn. In the meeting, Gregory tells them the show is on its last leg. They are slipping in the ratings every day, which means they lose sponsors. And no sponsors equals no money. After 40 years on the air, Alice wants to save it. Maggie has some ideas, but Alice won’t look at them.
Then Gregory pitches the network’s idea. They want to bring back Darren Mitchell. After being off the show for a year, Darren still gets more fan mail than the actors or actresses on the show. Darren left the show to star in a Broadway play, and it flopped after a few weeks. Gregory thinks Darren is ripe for the taking. But Maggie doesn’t believe he will come back to the show after they killed his character off via drowning. Gregory doesn’t care what Maggie has to do to get Darren on the show, but Gregory wants Darren back. They don’t know that Darren and Maggie dated but had a bad breakup when he left for New York. Getting Darren back into the fold will include a Soap Opera Expo, a rubber band, and an exclusive contract. As they spend time together, can Maggie trust Darren? Or will he leave her in the dark again?
It doesn’t take much to see where this movie will go, but it does poke fun at itself in the process. The film mentions the ridiculous ways soap operas bring people back from the dead. It also talks about consistent misunderstandings. However, it doesn’t hold on to your attention with humor or emotion. It rests on the actors’ abilities but not the script itself. While the actors portray actors well, they can’t make up for a lackluster script. With that aside, the subplot of the 40th-anniversary party is charming.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars
I don’t think he will come back – Maggie
Well consider this the one exception to the rule – Darren
It was a good read – Alice
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Categories: A Little Daytime Drama, Anna Marie Dobbins, Arianna Williams, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Honeymoon, Honeymurder, Candace Cameron Bure, Courtney Fulk, Danger in the Spotlight, Denise Richards, Fear The Cheer, hallmark, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, HMM, Holly J. Barrett, Jasmine Putman, Jay Jay Warren, Jen Lilley, Jessica Morris, Killer Cheer Mom, Kimberly-Sue Murray, Laurie Fortier, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Love Sundays, Love Upstream, Made for TV, Marilu Henner, Mia Rose Frampton, movie, Must Solve Sundays, My Daughter's Deadly Date, Niall Matter, review, Ryan Paevey, Signature Mystery, Sleuthers, Steve Lund, Stranger Danger, Summer Nights, Thomas Calabro, Tix Texada, Trey McCurley, Tu Morrow, UPtv
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