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Mary J. Blige’s Family Affair – Review
Mary J. Blige’s Family Affair – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Kendra moved to be with Ben and Ben’s son, Miles, after Ben’s divorce settlement forced Ben to live in North Carolina. Ben and Kendra plan to move after Miles graduates high school. Until then, Kendra flies to her photography shoots and tries to make it home for important events and moments. While Ben praises Kendra for her efforts, Kendra feels like she’s floundering, and it causes her work to suffer. She wants to connect with Miles and start a family with Ben. Ben eases her fears and proposes to his long-time love.
Kendra meets with her gynecologist, who delivers sad news. Kendra’s miscarriage caused detrimental scarring in her uterus. Kendra has very little chance of conceiving a child. Kendra tells her sister, Sasha, but hides it from Ben. She fears Ben will cancel the wedding if she can’t give him a child.
Ben’s boss asks Ben to be the 2nd chair on a high-profile case. They want to make Ben a partner in the law firm, and winning this case will put Ben on the fast track. Later, Ben and Kendra eat dinner with his family and discuss their wedding. Ben leaves the table and finds his brother, Calvin, drinking scotch. Ben worries because scotch could affect Calvin’s medication. Calvin admits he stopped taking them and begs Ben not to tell their parents. As secrets grow, Ben experiences panic attacks. However, he doesn’t tell Kendra because he fears judgment. Can Ben and Kendra make it to the altar, or will their secrets kill their relationship?
This film carries the burden of displaying mental health in African American men but does it with care and understanding. Society assumes that privilege can hinder mental struggles. Ben and Calvin prove that to be untrue. Calvin struggles with bipolar disorder. It doesn’t care about race, money, or gender. And like Calvin, people may stop taking their medication because they feel better, ill, or nothing. Ben’s panic attacks aren’t chemical but environmental. He feels pressure from Kendra, Calvin, his parents, and his job. He makes a healthy step forward by joining a men’s group but keeps that from everyone. Mary J. Blige’s upbeat party anthem inspired this movie, but it has an important message about mental health among African American men (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It’s not as good as the last two films. But it’s entertaining. This last installment needs a part four to secure a happy ending for everyone.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Miles is allergic to weeds – Connie
Away from you – Miles
If being a proud poppa is wrong, then I don’t want to be right – Ben
Just getting used to the dynamic – Kendra
I will always be a safe place for you – Terry
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My Family’s Killer Affairs – Review
My Family’s Killer Affairs – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Nikki’s fertility clinic calls her because they need her to come to their office immediately. A former employee was on his deathbed and admitted that he made a mistake with Nikki’s IVF. He implanted her and her husband’s fertilized egg into another woman. The woman, Gabi, gave birth to a girl, Jenell. Gabi and her husband, Matthew, raised Jenell. The clinic informed Matthew and Jenell of their grave error, and now they want to meet Nikki.
Nikki sits her daughter, Erica, down and explains the situation. Erica can’t believe she has a sister. Nikki and Erica meet Matthew, his sister, Kelsey, and Jenell at a restaurant. Nikki and Matthew started in their family trades and created franchises. Matthew sells cars, and Nikki owns boutiques. Also, they both lost their spouses. Nikki lost her husband in a car accident. A burglar murdered Gabi in their garage, and the police never found the suspect. During their conversation, Jenell excuses herself from the table. In a reflection, Erica sees Jenell arguing with a guy. She leaves the table after she sees the guy, Thomas, force Jenell out the back door.
Erica creeps in the shadows while listening to Jenell and Thomas’s conversation. He wants Jenell to rekindle their romance, but it’s over for her. He reminds Jenell that he provided her alibi for her mother’s murder. Jenell contests that Matthew paid Thomas handsomely for that cover story. Matthew also gave Thomas a job at the dealership. Jenell demands Thomas keep his mouth shut or suffer the consequences. Erica runs back to the table as Jenell storms away from Thomas.
Erica tells Nikki about the conversation that Erica overheard between Thomas and Jenell. Erica believes Jenell killed Gabi and thinks Matthew paid Thomas to lie. Nikki thinks Erica is reaching and grows jealous of her connection to Jenell. Erica tells her best friend, JJ, but he believes Erica misunderstood the situation. Erica looks for Jenell’s social media presence but finds little. However, Erica uncovers Thomas’s page and sends him a friend request. He accepts Erica’s request and offers information for $500. Erica will reveal the truth about her sister before it destroys her mother.
This movie has two bratty young women uncovering the truth behind the lies. While Erica is suspicious of Jenell, everyone in Jenell’s family acts shady. Matthew pays off Thomas, Thomas sneaks around, and Kelsey is in everyone’s business. Jenell slinks around every corner and exposes things about their present and past. She wished Gabi dead on the day Gabi died and threatened Thomas. Before the movie ends, Gabi won’t be the last victim. The plot makes you question everyone, but the IVF story is there as a misdirection more than a plot point. This film is fun to watch but requires your attention because it displays text messages on the screen without the characters reading them out loud.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Did somebody die – Erica
You’re my one, Jenell – Thomas
Don’t talk about my mother – Jenell
Erica, is this because you feel threatened? – Nikki
He’s forgetting that I paid him for that, too – Matthew
Maybe it’s good luck – JJ
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The Killer is Calling – Review
The Killer is Calling – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Faye, a 911 operator, helps trainee Jake take calls before leaving to spend time with her family. Their boss asks Faye to stay for the office party, but Faye humbly rejects his offer. Faye arrives home to her daughter, Alex, and husband, Chris. Chris is on medical leave because he injured his leg trucking. His nurse, Stella, helps Chris get around. Alex asks Stella to stay for game night. Faye thinks Stella wants to be with her family. But Stella agrees to stay. During the game, Faye gets a call from work. Everyone got food poisoning, and now Jake is alone. Faye knows Jake doesn’t have the training to handle the calls alone. She leaves her family to work the late shift.
Faye tells Jake he can go, but he stays to help. Then, Faye gets a disturbing call. Someone is breaking into a woman’s home. The scared woman calls and asks for help. Faye dispatches police officers to the scene while the woman hides in a closet. The police enter the home and find two deceased people, but they can’t find the woman. They search the house, but it’s empty. The woman continues to cry, but her tone changes. The woman is now a man. And he threatens to kill more people if Faye doesn’t help him escape. If she leaves her post, the man will kill her family. He wants Faye to suffer like she made him do. Faye warns Jake that the killer is calling. But she doesn’t know why the caller wants revenge. Can Faye unmask the caller before he kills again?
This movie’s plot has elements of Saw, Scream, and The Call (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It ramps up the audience’s anxiety but brings them back to earth with idiotic mistakes. The most intelligent person in the film is behind bars. He gives Faye the information she needs to uncover the killer and helps her fight. Faye and Jake become investigators while performing their jobs for a small town. Now, viewers should pay attention to smaller stories in the background. They become important later. This movie is entertaining and a little scary.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
I feel terrible – Jake
I’m the reason you’re doing this – Faye
No – The Caller
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My Argentine Heart – Review
My Argentine Heart – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Abril interviews for a position, but they ask about the one-year break on her resumé. Abril wants to overlook it, but the interviewer states he knows who she is. Abril worked for a billion-dollar company and advised them on business decisions. Her advice almost led them to bankruptcy. He wants to learn more about her mishap and use it as a cautionary tale for junior associates. Abril leaves.
Belinda, Abril’s cousin in Argentina, calls about the interview. Belinda later reveals that she plans to sell the family ranch. Abril can’t believe it because it belongs to both of them. Belinda’s dream is to open a restaurant. She reiterates that Abril got to live her dream and move to America. Now, it’s Belinda’s turn. Abril decides to return to Argentina and create a plan for the two to be happy. It will allow Belinda to open a restaurant and fill a gap in Abril’s resumé with a successful venture.
Abril arrives in Argentina and has a wonderful time with Belinda until she reviews the contract. Belinda will sell the ranch for less than its worth to DTM. Belinda can’t sell the ranch without Abril’s approval. Abril wants to learn more about DTM. Belinda takes Abril to their neighbor’s ranch to catch up. Andres and Feli have known Abril and Belinda since they were babies and were friends with their parents and grandparents. Abril sees a man walking towards them and asks his name. Belinda says it’s Abril’s ex-boyfriend, Diego. Abril can’t believe Diego is back in Argentina. He left the world of finance and now works for his parents on the ranch. Abril assumes their reconnection will be short-lived until she learns Diego owns DTM. She asks Diego to invest or partner with them, but he won’t budge. He wants to own their ranch. Abril must make herself, Diego, and Belinda happy while keeping their ranch. Can she figure it out while falling in love again?
This film has quotable and funny moments sprinkled throughout the plot. Belinda is obsessed with American toaster pastries, and they become a running joke. Also, she says what the audience is thinking. During the interview, Abril stands up for herself and leaves with her head held high. Diego is honest about his ownership of DTM. He doesn’t hide the truth from Abril until the last 10 minutes. Someone has a secret, but it’s not who you think. This film catches your attention as Belinda connects with her loved ones. But it falls into a slump when Abril and Diego spend time alone.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Clean out a guest room – Abril
Will you bring toaster pastries – Belinda
Love your work, and it will love you right back – Diego
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Categories: Ajiona Alexus, April Martucci, Bourke Floyd, Chris Brooks, DaVinchi, Deadly Resolutions, hallmark, Isabella Carlsen, Janaya Stephens, Josie Juliette Wert, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Julia Gonzalo, Kabby Borders, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Made for TV, Mary J. Blige's Family Affair, movie, My Argentine Heart, My Family's Killer Affairs, review, Rob Stewart, The Killer is Calling, tv review, Winter Escape
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