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The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story – Review
The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Alina Thompson hides her modeling dreams from her parents, Carl and Nancy. Alina and her friend, Natalie, want a modeling contract and a life in Paris. Alina tells Natalie about a local Fresh Face contest. They can get free headshots from photographers and win $500. Natalie agrees to go.
Alina lies to her parents and rides her bike to the library with Natalie. They catch the bus and attend the contest. The host informs them that a bikini is okay, but to alert him if photographers ask for anything risque. A photographer, Bill, takes shots of Natalie and requests that Alina join in. Soon, he only wants pictures of Alina. He asks Alina for her phone number to get more images in a better location, but she refuses. Bill asks the other photographers and the host for her number. However, they adhere to the rules and turn him down.
Later, the contest host calls Nancy and tells her that Alina won. Nancy informs Alina at the dinner table with Carl. She wants to attend the next meetup and obtain her prize money. At first, her parents say no because she is 15 years old. However, they change their minds, but with a caveat. They must attend with her, and Carl will act like a photographer so as not to embarrass Alina. Alina huffs and agrees.
Carl, Nancy, and Alina attend the Fresh Faces event. Alina sees Natalie there, but Natalie keeps her distance after Alina receives the prize money. Bill sees Alina again and asks for more photos. Carl keeps close watch on her. Alina and her family leave after Natalie exhibits herself in a bathing suit. Carl wants Alina to succeed, but something about the event is off. He sits his daughter down and tells her not to succumb to peer pressure from men. He understands how men think, and they will prey on young women like her. He wants her to keep her guard up and never be alone with them. Nancy believes he will make Alina paranoid. However, Alina will learn that he is giving her the tools to survive a predator with his sights on her.
Thank you, Lifetime. We finally have an involved, nurturing, and loving father in a Lifetime film. The script makes Alina appear stubborn, but she’s young. Although she understands bad things can happen, her youth makes her feel invincible. Lifetimers must remember this as they watch. The film has pearl-clutching moments as Alina is nearly in Bill’s grip, but Dad comes to the rescue. The costume and makeup department didn’t do enough research on the era. The characters’ look didn’t feel like the ’80s. That doesn’t matter because the film’s messages are phenomenal: listen to your parents, a little fear is healthy, and no is a complete sentence. This movie is a teaching tool you never knew you needed.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
One test shoot isn’t going to kill you – Bill
Please don’t go – Alina
No is a complete sentence – Carl
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She Wants My Daughter – Review
She Wants My Daughter – LMN – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Jenna gets a letter and tries to hide it from her mom, Claire. However, Claire sees it and inquires about its contents. Jenna says it’s from FindMyParents.com. Claire is uneasy about Jenna finding her birth parents because the adoption agency told Claire they came from a dangerous background. Claire’s boyfriend, Marcus, who was adopted, encouraged Jenna to try the site. He assures Claire that this will be good for everyone. Then, they hear Jenna squeal with delight. They found her birth mother, Sara. Claire tells Jenna to wait before she contacts Sara.
Claire meets with Melissa to discuss the work Melissa’s STEM program is doing after Claire’s generous donation. Melissa sighs because they never received the funds. Without the money, the program will end this month. Claire assures Melissa that she will investigate the missing cash. Claire sits with her co-worker, Elana, and discovers that Kara funneled donations into dummy accounts. The bank flagged the fraud and sent an alert last night. Claire calls her security consultant, Lenny. Lenny uncovered that Kara siphoned $1 million from the foundation. He wants to find Kara before involving the police.
Claire comes home and gets a knock at her door. It’s Sara. She says Jenna called her and wanted to connect. Sara states that she’s been clean and out of trouble for five years. She wants a 2nd chance with her daughter. Claire confronts Jenna and tells her that contacting Sara without her permission was wrong. Jenna says she didn’t, but Claire believes she’s lying. However, Claire allows them to spend time together and calls Lenny to give him an update. Lenny doesn’t trust Sara’s reemergence. He thinks it’s too coincidental with Kara’s disappearance. Lenny warns Claire to watch Sara. He believes she has nefarious intentions. Is Lenny correct?
This film gives Lifetimers a tried-and-true narrative. The birth parent returns as the adoptive parent’s life falls apart. The story revolves around Claire’s paranoia. Although Lenny and Marcus try to steady the ship, Claire becomes unglued. The loud backing track grows increasingly bothersome as you uncover the criminal. While the ending is predictable, the culprit’s monologue and behaviour make them oddly likable. The killer has the charisma of the Joker. Only one murder will make you pray for the goon’s downfall. This film is entertaining with a blaring backing track and a foreseeable conclusion.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars
There is something dark about Jenna’s birth mother. – Claire
I had no idea – Marcus
Do you know something about her? – Jenna
I don’t feel the need ot involve law enforcement just yet – Lenny
You don’t have to baby her – Sara
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Mystery Island: House Rules – Review
Mystery Island: House Rules – Hallmark Mystery – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Janey strategizes new game ideas with Emilia and Jason. She informs them that real murders on Mystery Island have aided their popularity. Their investor, Carlos, wants to expand to the mountains to have a snowy location for winter vacation fans. They will call it Mystery Mountain. Carlos hired hotel heir, Dex, to be the Janey of Mystery Mountain, and he gets to create a team. Dex chose police Detective Regan to handle Jason-ish work, and Dr. Stanley to be Emilia. Inga will cover Bennett’s duties with her head of security, Khalif. Dex wants to showcase his team’s skills by presenting the Mystery Island team with a puzzle they created. They ask the Mystery Island team to return to the mainland for a week so they can step up. Then, the Mystery Island team will return as guests to solve their mystery.
Emilia and Jason enjoy the quality time away from work. She recently made an important decision to work on the island full-time. Jason was a factor in that decision. But the clincher was her last patient, Lonnie Alfred. Emilia got him to confess to killing several people. He swore he would do to her what he did to them. Emilia admits that she’s been looking over her shoulder ever since. Jason vows to keep her safe. Finally, they profess their feelings for each other.
The Mystery Island team arrives at the dock to board Dex’s Miss Teri boat to the island. Bennett’s new assistant, Thomas, joins the team. They travel to Mystery Island, and the Mystery Mountain team greets them like guests. The Mystery Mountain crew gives them instructions and sends them to their rooms. Dex won’t have the pampered experience and sends the hospitality crew home. Janey tells Emilia and Jason not to let Dex entice them.
Dex greets his guests and introduces them to his changes. Mystery Mountain will incorporate the weather with snow machines and thunder. They created a private Bluetooth network. They distribute phones to the guests. When the phones are activated, it will signal the beginning of the game. Everyone sits for dinner and discusses their addition to the team. Regan mentions that she was the 12th person interviewed for her position. However, she was the best candidate because she discovered that Inga has a criminal record. Inga exits, and Dex follows. Then, their phones get the first clue. The team follows the clues to the game room, which leads them to a hologram of the Mystery Island inspiration, Evelyn. She provides three more clues. The guests follow the clue and look through the books. Inga and Dex return and explain her arrest.
As the team searches through the books, a dart shoots Regan in the neck. Everyone laughs and assumes a Mystery Mountain member has the remote control. Until Regan falls on the floor and stops breathing. Emilia notices the dart has honey on it, and Khalif mentions that Regan is deathly allergic to honey. Then, they hear a bang and follow the sound. Someone detonated a small explosive near the Bluetooth box. They return to the room to examine Regan’s body, but it’s gone. This game is real. They have a murder, a missing dead body, and a room full of suspects. Can Mystery Island solve the crime, or is a member of their team the culprit?
This mystery puts the drivers in the passenger seat. They must solve the puzzles and uncover the clues. This movie acknowledges the first in the franchise while introducing us to new characters. It’s fun to watch the Mystery Island team come face-to-face with their counterparts. They become fast friends but turn into enemies as bodies drop. Viewers will feel something’s off about this installment. However, you won’t understand until the big reveal. While this installment doesn’t provide the hard-hitting story, it introduces an overarching plot and confirms Hallmarkies’ favorite romance. It’s doubtful the Mystery Mountain will become a spinoff, but the characters may come back for other installments.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
You’re safe here – Jason
Thank you for the compliment – Dex
I didn’t really have a choice – Bennett
This is a bit gauche, even for you – Janey
Your reputation precedes you – Inga
I’m just saying you should always be aware – Khalifi
That’s the nicest thing he’s said about me all week – Stanley
I was 12th – Regan
It’s next-level AI – Thomas
Please be careful – Emilia
Bold choice. I like it – Carlos
It’s not making sense – Emilia
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Murder at the Hotel – Review
Murder at the Hotel – Lifetime – 2 hours and 0 minutes
A snowstorm leaves several passengers stranded at the airport. The ticket agent, Jan, handles a line as customers complain. Evan doesn’t mince words because he values his time more than anyone else. District Attorney Megan puts him in his place and sticks up for Jan. Megan is used to dealing with powerful men. She is traveling with her husband, Jeff, and daughter, Lisa. Megan walks toward her family and bumps into her college ex-boyfriend, Brad. He compliments Megan on her success. As they talk, Nicole sits with Jeff. She points out how close Brad and Megan are, but Jeff trusts his wife. Lisa walks to the bathroom and bumps into Landon. He picks up her toy dog and hands it to her. They share a laugh and part. Then, Jan informs the remaining passengers that they will receive a hotel voucher and get booked on the next flight in the morning.
They arrive at the hotel. Brad invites Megan and her family to dinner at the hotel restaurant. They accept. Everyone else dines at the bar. Lisa leaves early to distance herself from her parents. She makes impromptu plans to jump in the hot tub with Landon. After catching Jan with her boyfriend, hotel manager Rick, Megan looks for her family but can’t find them. When she stumbles across a dead body, she fears a killer is after her. Can Megan find the murderer in the hotel?
This movie puts semi-strangers in an unfamiliar territory. The plot will grab your attention because every character has a secret or suspicious behavior. And the writers added a final twist that leaves a shock on everyone’s face. The story hints at what’s to come, but they aren’t obvious. That detail keeps your eyes on the screen. While the mystery is compelling, the graphics and bad edits during fight scenes are distracting. This film is a perfect way to kill 2 hours without being bored.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
You de-escalate. I cross-examine – Megan
You seem pretty cool to me – Nicole
Can I hear some nothing – Landon
It’s good to see some things don’t change – Brad
Then you have nothing to worry about – Jeff
I don’t need an escort, Dad – Lisa
Does it bother your husband that you wear the pants in the family – Evan
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The Groomsmen Second Chances – Review
The Groomsmen Second Chances – Hallmark – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Danny meets with his business manager, Zack, to sign paperwork. Danny doesn’t have a date to his sister’s wedding, so he drafts Zack to attend with him. Zack sighs and agrees as Danny’s friends, Pete and Jackson, enter. They laugh after Zack leaves because they know Danny has feelings for Zack, but won’t tell him. Danny says they are reading too much into things, and he and Zack are close friends.
At Hannah’s wedding, Zack and Danny notice Pete dancing with his new friend, Chelsea, and chuckle. Zack informs Danny that he can’t be his standby plus one because he’s dating a lawyer, Nolan. Danny feigns a smile and wishes Zack the best in his new relationship. Months later, Zack and Danny attend Pete and Chelsea’s wedding. However, Danny sees that Zack is alone. Hannah, Danny’s sister, tells Danny that Nolan ended his relationship with Zack. Danny asks Zack why. Zack wanted to get married, and Nolan said no. He works diligently to contain his heartbreak. Danny promises to be by Zack’s side.
Later, Zack is all smiles because Nolan called and changed his mind. Zack asks Danny to be the best man at his and Nolan’s wedding. Danny forces a grin and agrees, but Pete and Jackson warn Danny that it’s a bad idea. And to make things worse, Zack wants to get married in a location that holds significant meaning for his and Danny’s friendship: Greece. As work calls Nolan away, Zack and Danny work on a dream wedding in Greece. But whose dream is it? Pete and Jackson will offer guidance to stop Danny from making a mistake. Will Danny get his second chance at love, or will he watch Zack marry Nolan?
The Groomsmen are back for a second installment. Like the first, this film’s narrator is a runaway bride hiding in a bar. She uses these stories to explain why she’s fleeing her wedding. During the story, the three groomsmen knock on the bar’s door to look for her. However, the owner keeps the bride’s secret. The writer beautifully wove this story into the first. It’s happening alongside Chelsea and Pete’s love story, while hinting at the 3rd movie. The plot utilizes Greece as another character with stunning views, colorful people, and delicious food. And the ups and downs of wedding planning are hilarious. Everything that can go wrong does, and it’s a sign of things to come. This movie is a terrific addition to the franchise and hints at more to come after the 3rd.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars
I truly hate it when you do that – Zack
I’m not bringing him. He’s coming with me – Danny
You’re fun and he’s smart – Jackson
Okay, so you had your big chance and you blew it – Pete
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Categories: Alison Chace, Ashley Jones, BJ Britt, Brielle Robillard, Charlie Weber, Elizabeth Henstridge, Fall Into Love, hallmark, Jonathan Bennett, Leann Gardner, lifetime, lifetime movie network, lmn, Lucie Fleming, Made for TV, Matt Wells, movie, Murder at the Hotel, Mystery Island: House Rules, review, Ripped From The Headlines, Sam Trammell, Samora Smallwood, She Wants My Daughter, Signature Mystery, Sleuthers, Steve Byers, Stranger Danger, The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story, The Groomsmen Second Chances, tv review, Tyler Hynes
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