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Boy in the Walls – Review
Boy in the Walls – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Chris moves his new wife, Alisa, and his two children, Mia and Theo, into a large countryside home. Chris and Alisa know the house needs work, but they put a positive spin on it for Mia and Theo. Theo can see the beauty, but angry Mia doesn’t. Mia overhears Chris and Alisa’s discussions about having a baby, and she fumes. Her mother, Rachel, died from cancer a few years ago, and now Mia doesn’t want a new mom or baby. Chris leaves for work, and Alisa cares for the kids. However, she notices that items go missing, damaged, or eaten. She informs Chris, but he thinks she needs therapy, and Mia blames Alisa for everything. Alisa feels the house is alive or someone haunts it. But can she prove it?
This story feels wild. But if you watch Phrogging: Hider in My House, you know this can happen. This movie is a compilation of those tales. The family dynamic is fractured. So, it’s easy for an interloper to drive a wedge between them. The plot covers a scary subject but handles it with care. Alisa recognizes the phrogger has a mental illness. And locking him up will not help his situation. This story is about a deranged stranger unknowingly living in someone’s home. However, the subplot is about a family coming together and showing up for each other during a traumatic event. Will you pay more attention to things that bump, breathe, or creak around the house?
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
Are you shaming me for showing my body – Mia
Jealous of a dead woman – Chris
I would never take something precious to you and throw it away – Alisa
I don’t understand. I didn’t do anything – Theo
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Call Her King – Review
Call Her King – BET Her – 3 hours and 0 minutes
Judge Jaeda King enters her courtroom to sentence Sean Samuels. A jury found him guilty of several 1st-degree murders and recommended death. Jaeda asks Sean to speak for himself. He claims his innocence and begs for mercy. Jaeda can’t deny the overwhelming evidence against Sean. So she sentences him to death by lethal injection and lifts her gavel in the air.
Gabriel Samuels runs the most successful security company on the East Coast. For months, he created a team to take over the courthouse. His crew shuts down the internet and cell phone communication and shoots anyone in their way. Before Jaeda slams her gavel, they enter her courtroom firing. Jaeda runs into her chambers with Sean, Sean’s lawyer, Jerry, and Jaeda’s guard, John. Gabriel demands they bring Sean out, or he will kill someone. Jaeda refuses, and Gabriel keeps his word and shoots a fellow judge. Gabriel breaks down the chamber doors and discovers it’s empty. But he knew that was a possibility. So, Gabriel activates the next phase of his plan. His gang will look for Sean while he puts the prosecutor, Duke, on trial for mishandling evidence. Who will survive?
This movie has White House Down action with Den of Thieves suspense (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The plot spends the first 30 minutes introducing the audience to Jaeda. You see her struggles at home with an out-of-work husband and at work with disrespectful co-workers. She questions her rulings and agonizes over her decisions. Jaeda understands that one wrong move can cost someone their life. However, the plot reveals Sean and Gabriel’s backstory throughout the film. It unveils why Gabriel fights to free his brother. And their reasons aren’t cut and dry. This story is compelling and sets up for a sequel, even though the backing track drowns out the dialog sometimes. What side of the revolution are you on?
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
A man who’s very short-sighted – Jaeda
Don’t let weak, anonymous people make you doubt who you are – John
I didn’t do nothing. I’m on this side of the door. Ask them what’s going on – Sean
This feels … powerful – Gabriel
Fine. You should duck Sean – Salima
Like father, like sons – Duke
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Under His Influence – Review
Under His Influence – BET Her – 2 hours and 30 minutes
Diamond Calloway dances on social media, drinks champagne, and flirts with men for all her followers. After promoting a club, she drives to another while filming on Instagram Live. Diamond informs her followers that the next club’s location is a secret. As she talks to her followers, Diamond crashes her car. She wakes up in the vehicle with police surrounding her. They have no sympathy because Diamond has alcohol in the car, and they saw her live streaming. They promptly arrest Diamond after she fails a sobriety test.
Diamond’s parents bail her out of jail, and her mother, Ashley, cuts Diamond off. Ashley will only allow Diamond to live in their home. But she won’t give Diamond money or drive Diamond anywhere. Diamond’s father, Ernest, warns Diamond that her inheritance is almost gone because Diamond spends it faster than Diamond can make it. Diamond picks up the phone to prove to Ernest that she can make $5,000 in one night. But her connection hangs up because Diamond’s antics degrade their brand. Ernest tells Diamond to find another way in life and leaves her room.
Diamond flounders in her room until Sadiq leaves her a direct message. He is an inmate at Atlanta Federal Prison. Sadiq has served ten years of a life sentence for murdering his teacher, Mrs. Lori Tumbler. He states he is a victim of sloppy police work and a biased system. Diamond communicates with him and decides to visit him in prison. She listens to Sadiq’s story, and he moves her. Diamond visits her lawyer, Casaundra, for her DUI charges and pleas with Casaundra to take Sadiq’s case. Diamond wants to use her platform for good and have the world take her seriously. Casaundra warns Diamond that she could lose everything if Sadiq is guilty. Diamond writes a check for Sadiq’s defense, squares her shoulders, and prepares for a fight. Casaundra finds evidence to prove Sadiq’s lawyer mishandled information, and Sadiq is free. Diamond wants to start a new future with Sadiq, but someone bent on revenge is watching and waiting to destroy it all.
Diamond is a woman with the world at her feet. She has a wealthy family, a comfortable life, and loving family and friends, but she lacks the maturity to see the world beyond her next post. She focuses on likes and followers for support, validation, and love. This lack of self-esteem makes her a prime target for Sadiq. At first, she uses Sadiq to regain her followers and garner credibility. It will help her lose her party-girl image and become a social justice warrior. Her followers dipped after the DUI crash, and she needed attention. So Sadiq came into her life, said what she wanted to hear, and hit the social justice pain points. Viewers will ask the critical questions Diamond won’t. You know she is falling down a slippery slope, and you can only watch. While the film entertains, it critiques social media, legal bias, and manipulation.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Some people are of the picture of health. I am the picture of a good time – Diamond
What is wrong with you? Do you need that much attention – Ashley
You need a new plan – Ernest
So you gonna help me – Sadiq
You better be ready – Casaundra
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Secrets of a University – Review
Secrets of a University – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Eliza kisses her secret boyfriend, James, goodbye. She wants to go public, but he has a wife, Cora, and holds a political position. James says Cora knows about Eliza because they have an understanding. He gives Eliza pearl earrings and leaves. Eliza talks to her friend, Raven, at work. They are both excited because today is Eliza’s first day heading the admissions department. Now, they can ensure the appropriate applicants enter their exclusive program. Eliza’s assistant, Kate, desires to witness the process, but it’s a private meeting.
Eliza evaluates the final four candidates for the last slot with Raven, Daniel, and Dean. They quickly eliminate two but can’t decide on the others. One candidate has a stellar essay and exemplary grades. The other made an app. Raven likes the former, while Dean and Daniel like the latter. To Raven’s surprise, Eliza picks Dean and Daniel’s choice, and Raven caves. After the selection, Eliza discovers the candidate is James’s son, Nathan. Raven warns Eliza that if anyone discovers Eliza’s affair with James, Eliza could lose her job after selecting Nathan.
Eliza attends a party to celebrate the program winners. Nathan briefly introduces himself and his girlfriend, Charlotte, to Eliza. Charlotte and Eliza quickly bond over literature and the origins of the word ‘prestige.’ Eliza gets an unwelcome greeting from Cora and argues with James. Eliza hides in the bathroom for relief, and someone slips a threat under the door. She runs outside but can’t find the culprit.
Later, Eliza gets a text proving Nathan plagiarized his essay. When she confronts Nathan, he threatens her with a knife while doing drugs. Charlotte pulls Nathan off and warns Eliza that Nathan is just like his father. Eliza refuses to believe that James could become violent. However, James snaps after Eliza mentions exposing Nathan’s cheating.
James apologizes for his behavior and invites Eliza to dinner with Nathan so Nathan can apologize face-to-face. Nathan brings Charlotte, and they all have a delightful dinner. Until Eliza passes out at the table, and Nathan and James drag her back home. Eliza wakes up to her name and picture in gossip rags. Her job is on thin ice, so Cora invites Eliza to a party to keep up appearances. James and Cora tell reporters that Eliza had an allergic reaction, not a drunken night. Eliza leaves the party early to retreat from James’s family, only to find Nathan’s dead body. People tell detectives that Eliza and Nathan argued before his death. So, Eliza is a suspect. She decides to break up with James, but he threatens her. Can she uncover what happened to Nathan before she loses her job and freedom?
First, let’s start with ‘everyone sucks.’ Eliza is having an affair with a married man while caving to workplace pressure by accepting substandard applicants. James is a verbally abusive jerk, and Nathan is a drugged version of James. Katie climbs the corporate ladder on her back, and Daniel happily takes advantage. Cora and Charlotte regretfully step into the role of bitter housewife and take it out on everyone around them. Second, Eliza slightly redeems herself by taking responsibility for her horrendous actions. But it’s too little too late. This movie will have you screaming at the TV and begging for part two.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
I see why you keep the knives locked up – Eliza
You’re the only woman worthy of wearing them – James
Be honest, did you know – Raven
I will make you disappear – Cora
You almost had me, Lizzy – Daniel
You have no idea what I would do – Nathan
He’s more bark than bite – Charlotte
I hate you. I hate all of you – Katie
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Girls Getaway Gone Wrong – Review
Girls Getaway Gone Wrong – TV One – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Simone, Bailey, and Parker have reservations to stay in a high-end resort for Parker’s 30th birthday, thanks to Simone’s influencer sponsorship. The concierge, David, introduces himself and flirts with Simone. Bailey and Parker tell Simone to damper her flirting for the trip. When the women check-in, they see a college-friend-turned-enemy, Kate, enter with her entourage. Simone’s animosity for Kate grew when Kate stole one of Simone’s sponsorships. As they start to argue, Simone leaves to talk to management about their room. When she returns, Bailey and Parker can see that Simone is upset, but she won’t tell them why. She gives them their room key and goes to the room.
They find cake, champagne, and David in their room. He lights the candle for Parker and leaves. Simone reveals another surprise for them. She got VIP passes to the hottest nightclub in town. The women do tequila shots and head to the club. They settle into their section and order drinks. Then, Bailey pulls a bag from her purse with ecstasy. They prepare for an epic night until Kate and her crew sit beside them. Upset, Simone and Kate argue as the owner, Antonio, approaches. He offers them free top-shelf bottle service all night if they don’t fight in the club. Then, Antonio tells Kate to behave because he hired her to promote the club. Antonio pulls Simone aside and flirts with her. They make arrangements to meet later. Simone joins her friends, enjoys free drinks, and takes ecstasy.
The friends wake up in Kate’s hotel room. They have no idea of how they got there. They decide to leave before Kate sees them. When they return to their room, they get horrible news. David tells them Kate died by falling off the balcony. However, Detective Lee plans to investigate all leads before declaring it a suicide. Bailey, Simone, and Parker sit poolside and figure out what to do. They decide not to tell the police they were partying with Kate or sleeping in her room. They go through their phones and delete any potential evidence, including an argument. However, someone else posts the video, and the detectives declare Kate’s death a murder. Simone, Parker, and Bailey must stay one step ahead and find the culprit before they end up behind bars for a murder they didn’t commit.
The plot sets up these three women with issues so they have a reason to escape and throw caution to the wind. Simone loses followers daily, while Parker worries about starting a new career path after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend. Bailey loves being married with kids but feels stagnant in her life. Their issues permit them to get wild. This script sets itself apart because their good and bad decisions all backfire. They choose to keep information from the police, and it goes viral. When they give the detective information, the detective arrests one of them. This movie has love triangles, theft, backstabbing, and pure stupidity. While the film has a strong plot, the story falls flat with a comical fight scene and childish behavior. The film tries to pack a month-long soap opera drama into a few hours. If you stick with the movie, your first suspect will be correct and wrong. So, watch to discover the killer, but don’t expect much from the performance.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
That body does look like a playground – Simone
That was messed up for me to say – Bailey
Don’t worry, you can buy more – Kate
Try a little harder next time – Parker
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To Kill a Stepfather – Review
To Kill a Stepfather – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Nicole gets news that the state wants to settle their case, and her client won’t serve jail time. Before she revels in the news, Nicole gets a frantic call from her sister, Riley. Their stepfather, Matthew, died after falling down the stairs, and the police classified it as murder. The neighbors heard Matthew arguing with their mother, Katherine, before his death. Katherine was the only person in the house, so the police arrested Katherine for Matthew’s murder. Nicole sighs and asks Riley if their mother is drinking again. Riley admits that Katherine lost her sobriety and drinks every night. Nicole doesn’t want to get involved because she remembers Katherine’s drunken stupors. But Riley begs Nicole to come for her, not Katherine. Nicole begrudgingly agrees.
Nicole enters the interrogation room and stops the interview. She demands to represent Katherine against Katherine’s wishes. Katherine accepts the help but doesn’t expect much from Nicole. Nicole gets the case files and reads through them. Something catches her eye. She sees the window in the living room is closed. Katherine never closed the window because the house didn’t have central air. So, Nicole deduces that someone else had to be in the house and closed the window after killing Matthew. Can Nicole prove it when all the evidence points to Katherine?
This mystery has several viable suspects, solid motives, and a murder board, but the unnecessary romantic gestures distract from the plot. These gestures would make sense if this film were a series, and these conversations often slow down the story and lose the viewer’s interest. However, Nicole is a great investigator. She follows every lead, no matter the consequences. Nicole never looks for evidence to prove herself right. She considers all possibilities and eliminates them carefully. Viewers have a compelling enigma but with a typical killer and a lackluster final battle. This film is worth your time, but don’t be surprised if you look at your phone more than once.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
It was lovely to meet you – Nicole
Because you’re not doing it for her. You’re doing it for me – Riley
No – Katherine
I only have one – Bobby
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Aloha Heart – Review
Aloha Heart – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Conservationist Sara collects her final samples before flying to Hawaii for Lydia’s wedding. Sara’s friend, Lydia, will marry her fiancé in one week, and Sara is a bridesmaid. Now that her job is complete, Sara doesn’t have another job lined up. Lydia hopes Sara will use this time in Hawaii to relax because the resort will handle everything.
Manu’s parents promoted him to manager, and he has a list of changes he wants to make. His parents tell him to ease up and focus on the guests. Some guests gave poor reviews, and they want to ensure everyone will have a positive experience. Manu puts his list away and focuses on customers’ needs. Sara approaches him about the rehearsal dinner. The bride and groom’s plan failed, and they didn’t have time to make other arrangements. Manu assures Sara that he can handle last-minute changes and tells Sara to relax.
While looking at venues, Sara offers suggestions on how to make the resort more eco-friendly. Manu listens to her suggestions with an open mind. But when she starts talking about his jeep, he gives her two options: Ride or Walk. Sara chooses to ride. Later, Manu meets with an employee to receive bad news. The saltwater chlorinator will break down without a new salt cell in a few weeks. The resort will need to shut down its pools without this machine. Manu knows this fix will be expensive and wants to handle it without his parents. He hopes that taking the initiative will encourage his parents to enact his changes. And Manu knows who to ask for help: Sara. Sara agrees to find eco-friendly solutions if he recommends more places for the rehearsal dinner. This agreement is the first step in their love story.
The two main characters are opposites on the surface. Manu uses his family and traditions to relax and enjoy island life. However, he struggles with issues at the resort and taking the reins. Sara keeps her issues on the surface. She can’t maintain a calm demeanor while worrying about the wedding and the environment. Sara learns how to enjoy the simple pleasures to ease the stress from Manu. The stress doesn’t have to kill her joy. Sara teaches Manu about the benefits of environmental changes to the resort, like reverse osmosis. Sara offers to present her ideas and gather resources to respect island culture while helping the bottom line. With all the benefits of the film, it doesn’t maintain the viewers’ attention because you know everything that will happen. This movie instantly becomes background noise.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars
Why do I feel like I’m sending my kid off to college – Sara
Stop saying sorry. You can’t help your work schedule – Lydia
Is this like a twitch because there seems to be no filter – Manu
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Deadly Entanglement – Review
Deadly Entanglement – BET Her – 3 hours and 0 minutes
Tammy finishes her first single that her husband, Charles, wrote and produced earlier. Charles believes it will be a bonified hit single and post a snippet on social media. Tammy and Charles return home to Charles’s teenage son, Jay. The mood changes when Charles gets a letter from Jay’s mother, Deidra. She wants full custody of Jay. Tammy runs to her sister, attorney Pam, for legal advice. Pam reads Deidra’s letter and tells Charles that Deidra makes valid points. Tammy and Charles spent an abundant time on the road and moved multiple times. It creates the illusion of an unstable household. Pam advises Charles and Tammy to reason with Deidra.
They give Deidra overnight visits with Jay, and Deidra picks Jay up 30 minutes late. Jay lets Deidra in the home. She takes time to snoop and steal. Deidra greets Tammy with apologies and a smile while offering Tammy wine at her home later. Tammy accepts Deidra’s offer and comes to Deidra’s home. She reveals parts of Charles’s past that Tammy didn’t know. Then, Deidra gives Tammy a signed document for co-parenting. Deidra realized she didn’t have the financial resources to fight a successful producer in court. So, she wants to co-parent Jay with Tammy and Charles. Tammy leaves with a weight lifted off her shoulders about Jay but more questions about Charles. She hopes this will be a new beginning for their blended family. However, Tammy is wrong. This act of kindness is the first step in Deidra’s plan to take her life back.
This movie exposes catfishing, deepfakes, and obsession. The character that invokes the most sympathy is Jay. He wants to stay loyal to everyone but sees Deidra descending into madness. He even tries to correct his behavior to offset her mood swings. Charles lies by omission. He stays mum about his past with Deidra by labeling her unhinged. This omission allows Deidra to slyly inject secrets into her conversations with Tammy with little to zero context. Tammy constantly wavers with her emotions for Charles. One minute, Tammy throws him out. And the next, she is calling for his help. It’s enough to give you whiplash. Don’t let the title confuse you. Today, ‘entanglement’ is a fancy way to say affair, but Charles never cheats on Tammy. The title of the film should be Deadly Demo or The Wrong Track. This movie is old-school Lifetime but doesn’t captivate the audience.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Reason with her – Pam
You erased me – Deidra
Then why haven’t you been there – Charles
How late does your liquor cabinet stay open – Tammy
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Categories: Alexandra Camacho, Aloha Heart, Autumn Dial, Avis Wrentmore, BET Her, BET Her TV, BET+, Boy in the Walls, Brittany S. Hall, Call Her King, Cassandra Sawtell, Cynthia Bailey, Deadly Entanglement, Eden Cupid, Elyse Mirto, Girls Getaway Gone Wrong, hallmark, Iman Shumpert, Jamel King, James Gallanders, jason mitchell, Kanoa Goo, Kelly McCart, L.A. Sweeney, Lance Gross, Liam Lynch, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Luke Camilleri, Made for TV, Memphis Cade, Mikkal Karim-Fidler, Monica Calhoun, movie, Naturi Naughton, review, Ripped From The Headlines, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Secrets of a University, Sizzling Summer Nights, Summer Nights, Sunny Mabrey, Suspense Is Real, Sydney Mitchell, Taylor Cole, The Suspense is Real, To Kill a Stepfather, TV One, tv review, Under His Influence, Vanessa Simmons
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