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Little Girl in the Woods – Review
Little Girl in the Woods – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Members of a grief support group go on their annual hike. Evie has the most experience, and the trip means everything to her. Her daughter, Rachel, died on this trail. Former pastor Jan, hiker Bea, and lovelorn Hope welcome their newcomer, nurse Maya, into the group. Before the hike, they take a photo to commemorate the occasion (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).
They set up camp and turn in for the night. Maya and Evie share a tent and converse until they hear a bear in the distance. It approaches the tent, but Evie remains calm. The bear steals Bea’s backpack before leaving. In the morning, Evie discovers that Bea brought scented toothpaste on the trip, attracting the bear. She’s upset. But learning that Bea took the map earlier and left it in the bag with the satellite phone causes Evie to rage (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). If they don’t check in, the rangers will send a search party for them. The search will be their fault and cost them thousands of dollars. Bea offers to pay, but Evie fears the wasted search time. Evie remembers seeing smoke. She wants to find those hikers and use their phone to alert the rangers.
The group stumbles upon an empty cabin and enters. They find a map but no phone. Evie warns them not to touch anything. However, Bee quietly steals the map. Evie hears a thump under the floorboards and the women investigate it. They find a little girl named Alice living under the house. She wordlessly relays that she isn’t safe. So they take her with them for protection. However, they are in danger. Alice’s kidnappers consider Alice to be family. And they are ready to kill to get her back and keep their secret. Will the women make it out of the woods alive?
This film makes the most of its surroundings by having the actors traverse through rugged terrain and snow-covered grounds. They used natural light instead of a soundstage while providing sage advice for campers. The writer had a concrete understanding of wilderness and survival training. Seasoned Lifetimers can easily predict the story’s conclusion and the unsurprising reveal. Don’t let this deter you from giving this film a chance. The characters offer astounding advice for dealing with grief, friendship, and healing. While the plot isn’t strong, the guidance will renew you.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
Grief. It sets its own calendar – Bea
Bye, Barry – Evie
I am really grateful for this group – Maya
No need to wipe away the tears on my account – Jan
Famous last words – Hope
I’m sorry – Alice
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Taste of His Own Poison – Review
Taste of His Own Poison – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Dylan hides in the bathroom with his lunch as his bully, Sawyer, enters. Sawyer makes rude comments about Dylan’s mother, Courtenay, bites Dylan’s sandwich, and throws it on the ground. When Dylan remarks, Sawyer pulls him to the ground and makes Dylan eat it. Dylan’s friend, Meredith, barges into the bathroom and stops Sawyer. After Sawyer leaves, Meredith can see that Dylan is plotting his revenge. Later, Meredith and Dylan work on their chemistry project. Sawyer pretends to apologize before making sexual comments about Courtenay again. Dylan finally attacks Sawyer, and the teacher sends them to the principal’s office. Courtenay, Dylan’s father, Ben, and Sawyer’s mother, Andrea, sit with the principal. He updates them on the fight, but doesn’t punish the teens because Meredith reported the bathroom bullying. However, he warns that another incident will lead to swift punishment. Both parents condemn their son’s actions, but Andrea blames Sawyer’s defiant brother, Evan, and apologizes for her son’s behavior. Sawyer pushes Andrea to the ground and leaves with Evan. Evan tells Sawyer not to listen to Andrea and to keep fighting.
Dylan and Meredith laugh in the cafeteria when Sawyer starts to harass Dylan. Dylan verbally stands up for himself. Sawyer takes his sandwich, eats it, and chokes on it. He collapses to the floor and dies. After school, Detective Cathy comes to Andrea’s home. She assumes Sawyer is in trouble. Sadly, Cathy tells Andrea that he died. Detective Cathy brings Dylan to the station. They found poison in Sawyer’s system and the sandwich. They uncovered Dylan and Sawyer’s squabbles, and Dylan is their number 1 suspect. However, they don’t have enough to hold him. So, Detective Cathy lets him go. Courtenay and Ben want to protect their son because they think he is innocent. But will that change when Courtenay overhears Dylan say he is guilty?
First, Lifetimers will feel that Sawyer got what he deserved. He was a pathetic person, receiving horrible advice from Evan. Second, Courtenay and Ben make terrible decisions. When the culprit reveals their motive, it will solidify both points. Unlike other Lifetime films, the killer’s monologue isn’t the end. The conclusion offers one more twist to shock experienced watchers. It surprisingly works. You won’t believe the level of crazy Dylan backed into by speaking up for himself. Dylan is the victim of everyone’s carelessness. This film goes to a new level of wildness and storytelling that Lifetimers have yet to witness. The actors draw you into the story, and the script doesn’t foreshadow. Give this film your undivided attention.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
You had that ‘making my list of enemies’ face – Meredith
I’m worried about Dylan. – Courtenay
Is there anything left? – Ben
Will you shut up for one second? I want to talk to Dylan. – Sawyer
You don’t like me because I’m smarter than you – Dylan
You did this. This is your fault – Andrea
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Stranger with My Name – Review
Stranger with My Name – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Alice and her husband, David, move into their new home. Alice worries that David is making all the sacrifices for her new job, but he’s happy to do it. Alice calls their daughter, Chelsea. She confirms that her mom is overthinking things and tells Alice to enjoy her rise to the top. Alice goes inside to prepare for a dinner with her new boss, Sydney. Sydney and Alice went to college together, and she hand-picked Alice for the job. Alice searches for her earrings and stumbles across a box with letters addressed to David. He says they are trash he can’t throw away yet. He grabs her earrings off the fireplace and hands them to her.
They arrive at Sydney’s home and meet Alice’s future colleagues, Jeremy, Mary, Gina, and Ellie. Then, David gets a call from work. Something is wrong, and he must leave early. Ellie offers to give Alice a ride home. So, Alice gives David her car keys. Later that night, Alice attempts to connect wth Ellie in the car. But Ellie won’t talk. Alice notices that the vehicle is going faster and begs Ellie to slow down. Ellie apologizes before crashing.
Alice wakes up in the hospital two days later. The nurse and doctor call her Ellie. She attempts to correct them, but they say her ID says Ellie. She discovers her phone is broken and recalls that she has given her keys to David. Alice goes against the doctor’s wishes, checks herself out of the hospital, and jumps into a rideshare home. She arrives at home and sighs. Alice asks the driver to wait because her money is inside. Alice knocks on the door, and David answers. But he doesn’t know her. His wife, Alice, comes downstairs and doesn’t recognize her either. She faints while David calls the police.
Officer Wiley sits in the hospital cafeteria with Alice, whom he calls Ellie. He tells her that David has been married to Alice for 20 years and has pictures of them together. Alice tells Wiley about Chelsea, and he searches for her in the system. The computer says Chelsea died years ago. Alice tries to call Sydney, but Sydney is at a corporate retreat. Wiley promises to examine Alice’s claims but warns her to stay away from David and his wife. Alice can’t sit back while another woman steals her family. Can Alice discover who is behind the deception and why?
This movie is a well-written mystery with a mediocre motive. Alice has to navigate a world where she doesn’t exist. The script leads Alice down a path of unforeseen incidents that leave her alone and without a past. This plot builds at a steady rate and offers a decent body count. It falls flat on the motive. The culprit’s monologue is subpar and should be fixed with counseling, not murder. It’s a shame that a brilliant character was wasted on this motive. Lifetimers should watch this film for the twists and turns, not the conclusion.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
I think we should toast – David
I am your lawyer. – Alice
It’s just change, and change is good – Chelsea
I’m sorry, Alice. This is nothing personal – Ellie
David, is everything okay? – New Alice
Do we have a deal? – Officer Wiley
I can’t believe all of this happened in the 3 days I was gone – Sydney
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Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampire – Review
Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampire – Disney Channel – 1 hour and 35 minutes
Alien Addison and Zombie Zed are small fish in Mountain College. Both want to make a name for themselves as they did in high school. He decides to hone his skills at football camp, and she sets a path to becoming the cheer captain at cheer camp. Addison, Zed, Willow, and Eliza get in Zed’s car to spend time together before leaving to attend their respective camps. Although they haven’t seen much of each other in college, Zed and Addison believe their relationship can survive the distance.
Zed crashes the vehicle after an electromagnetic pulse causes his Z-band to short-circuit. They decide to spread out to find help. Addison walks through an invisible barrier and into a town of perpetual night. It’s run by vampires. They assume she is their sworn enemy: a daywalker. So, the vampires prepare to strike, except for Victor. Victor is the leader’s son. The town expects him to take over in the future, but he has bigger dreams of venturing out in the world. Maybe he will see the girl he dreams about. Victor compels them to stop and take a closer look. Addison uses her powers to prove she is an alien. Victor’s mother, Eldress, puts him in charge of Addison. They will use her to help gather blood fruit from this year’s harvest. Without it, they will starve. They must beat the daywalkers to the harvest before they steal it all. Luckily, they possess the dark stone, which strengthens their powers.
Zed stumbles past an invisible barrier into a bright world of constant daytime. The daywalkers see his green skin and assume he’s a vampire. Before they attack, Nova begs them to stop. She asks Zed to smile for her father, Commander Bright, to prove he doesn’t have fangs. Zed explains he’s a Zombie, not a vampire. Commander Bright believes Zed has a strong back and puts him to work under the watchful eye of Nova, the future leader. Nova’s ready to fight for her town. However, she has visions of a boy she’s never met. They walk to the harvest with the intent of beating the vampires to the blood fruit. Their source of power comes from their light stone.
The daywalkers hear the vampires’ footsteps behind them. Willow and Eliza spot Addison and Zed with the daywalkers and vampires and join the harvest run. Everyone sprints for the harvest, but finds a locked gate with a force field. It has 3 locks with riddles. They need to solve one to get the other’s clue. Before the daywalkers and vampires battle, Zed, Addison, Willow, and Eliza convince them to join forces and stay at a local abandoned camp. Commander Bright orders Nova to work with the vampires until they find the blood fruit. Then, take it all for themselves. Eldress warns Victor to be a leader and take control of the situation. Eliza searches for the electromagnetic pulse that caused the crash. It’s affecting Zed more because he frequently messes with his Z-band. As the pulse gets stronger, it will reach Seabrook. It will break all the Z-bands, causing the zombies to ‘zombie out.’ Can they get the daywalkers and vampires to solidify their truce and save Seabrook?
This fourth installment in the Zombie franchise is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. The dancing, music, and choreographed dances are sharper and more refined than before. The veteran actors’ skills shine through as they usher new monsters into the fold. This movie doesn’t attempt to incorporate vampire lore. It builds something new and forges something special. This film mixes the themes of prequels with a hint of Romeo and Juliet. The moral is overcoming history and becoming your true self. They never say ‘forget the past,’ but inspire them to excel beyond it. It’s a theme that everyone should take to heart. Enjoy this film with the family and prepare for a sneak peek of Zombies 5.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
He’s just green and clueless – Nova
One of my better landings – Victor
Hey, is this a bad time – Willow
Dare to dream, Big Guy – Eliza
I’m Zed. I’m a zombie. – Zed
I’m Addison. I’m a cheerleader. – Addison
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Kidnapped in a Small Town – Review
Kidnapped in a Small Town – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Sarah takes her daughter, Ruby, on a road trip to college. It’s been six years since Ruby’s dad, Michael, died in a hiking accident. So, Sarah wants to spend as much time together as possible. Sarah offers Ruby a pack of sandwich crackers, but Ruby scoffs at the ingredients. They stop at a convenience store, but they don’t have anything Ruby desires either. Sarah pays for her items with a stack of 100-dollar bills before leaving the store. A man jumps from behind Sarah’s car and offers to look it over because he saw oil leaking. Sarah cautiously refuses his help because she had the car serviced a month ago. The man has some choice words for Sarah before leaving.
As they head down the road, Sarah gives Ruby pepper spray and warns Ruby to take it everywhere. Then, their car breaks down, and they don’t have cell reception. Ruby tries to hail a passing vehicle, but it almost hits her. Later, Allie pulls over to help and offers to drive them to Shelly’s diner. However, Sarah doesn’t want to leave the vehicle alone because it has their supplies inside. Ruby convinces Sarah to let her ride with Allie and call for help. Sarah relents.
Sarah waits in the car, stares at a family photo, and reminisces. A truck drives by and kicks up dirt, causing Sarah to drop her photo under the vehicle. She looks for the picture and sees an unplugged connection. Sarah connects it, and the car starts. She travels to the diner and sees Allie sitting at a table. Sarah settles and asks where Ruby is, but Allie says she’s never met Ruby. Sarah panics and grabs Allie. Sheriff Hoffman enters and polls the diners. None of them saw Ruby either. The sheriff takes Sarah in for questioning. As she explains the events, Sarah gets a text from Ruby. Ruby states that she is scared of Sarah. Hoffman believes Sarah is the problem. He leaves to speak to another officer, and Sarah receives an image with a text for her to find Ruby. Sarah slips out of Hoffman’s office and rushes to the site.
Sarah finds the area, but Ruby isn’t there. She sits in a café and panics when Jane sits. Sarah remembers that Jane was one of the diners in the restaurant. Jane warns Sarah that something sinister is going on in the town. Her brother went missing years ago, and no one helped. Now, Jane lives in constant fear. She couldn’t help her brother, but thinks Sarah deserves to find Ruby. Jane warns Sarah that Hoffman can’t be trusted, as well. Jane and Sarah are on a mission to find Ruby before she is lost forever.
This movie begins with a plot well-known to Lifetimers. An arguing family on a road trip drives through a small town. They make mistakes, and someone, typically an ungrateful teen, gets kidnapped. The culprit will stand out to experienced Lifetimers, but the motive is the twist. The kidnapper is a master puppeteer who manipulates everyone around them. They bend Sarah’s reality, and she becomes unglued. Also, the culprit played the long game, waiting months to make their move. The recap will leave your jaw on the floor. If you can sit through an ordinary build, the conclusion will knock you for a loop.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
It’s a big deal to me – Sarah
Some habits die hard, I guess – Ruby
I think you made a mistake – Allie
You and your daughter are not safe here. – Jane
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Categories: Alana Hawley Purvis, Alicia Blasingame, Amy Trefry, Caitlyn Stryker, Camille Atebe, Chandler Kinney, Chelsea Rose Cook, Dina Freberg, Disney Channel, Freya Skye, Holly Anspaugh, Joesy De Palo, Jonno Roberts, Julian Lerner, Juliette Hawk, Kidnapped in a Small Town, Kylee Russell, Layla Cushman, lifetime, lifetime movie network, Lisa Chappell, Little Girl in the Woods, lmn, Made for TV, Malachi Barton, Matthew Pohlkamp, Meg Donnelly, Mekonnen Knife, Milo Manheim, movie, Nolan Dubuc, review, Rhonda Dent, Sizzling Summer Nights, Stranger with My Name, Swayam Bhatia, Taste of His Own Poison, tv review, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampire
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