mja58 Reviews

Big Lies in a Small Town (2022 TV Movie)

Interesting story similar to "Into the Arms of Danger"

[6/10 · 29 August 2022]

This is an above average LMN movie, but has a storyline that is really very similar to another LMN movie "Into the Arms of Danger".

Similarities:

1. Young woman ready to go college goes missing just before staring school.

2. Mother (parents) frantically search for her and go through all sorts of hurdles.

3. Police are of no help whatsoever (at first), and then they catch on.

Unique Points:

1. The Santa Claus-looking character that is an established "heavy" (where are his elves?)

2. The true perpetrators - some solid-gold screwballs that I did not expect.

If you saw "Into the Arms of Danger" and enjoyed it, you'll probably enjoy this.

It looks like the LMN group has a template that they reference when they make a move - this one is the girl ready to go to college goes missing and her parents try to find her.

6/10.

Wrath: A Seven Deadly Sins Story (2022 TV Movie)

Sort of a Kung-Fu Soap Opera

[6/10 · 8 July 2022]

This was a rather unusual LMN movie in that the victims appeared to be stronger and better fighters than the bad guy!

A LOT of Martial Arts are displayed and the lead and her boyfriend apparently know what they are doing.

Antonio Cupo gives another good performance as a psycho, reminiscent of another LMN feature "Sleeping With Danger".

With the usual attractive cast, nice scenery (Melanie's parent's home is something else), and somewhat predictable plot - it's the usual LMN movie.

6 / 10.

Color My World with Love (2022 TV Movie)

Poignant Feel-Good movie

[10/10 · 2 July 2022]

The movie brought across the point that if you are determined, you can do anything no matter what. And more importantly, that it is a GOOD THING to be in love.

This movie really touched me and I felt good with the ending.

If you are in a bad or depressed mood, watch this movie and you'll feel better.

10/10.

Trapped with My Husband (2022 TV Movie)

It should have been called "Trapped with Silly Plot"

[6/10 · 25 June 2022]

Yet another LMN movie with the usual attractive cast, silly plotline, and an ending you can figure out about 30 minutes before the ending.

(Note: If you read the LMN Schedule online, a major plot point is revealed.)

However, the movie is the typical "Who Done It" and it had me guessing that until (you guessed it) 30 minutes before the ending. To that end, this was pretty good.

As this is in the LMN Universe, you will see:

1. A mature, educated woman being connived by a not-too-smart sleazebag man.

2. A psycho neighbor nosing in on your business, then getting violent later on.

3. A teenage "Lolita-esque" character being more interesting than the lead.

4. A ridiculously over the top ending with silly dialogue and acting.

Not Oscar material, but a really fun watch,

6/10.

Midsommar (2019)

Give it a look - It's a mashup of "The Wicker Man" and "Carrie", sort of.....

[8/10 · 21 March 2022]

I'd give this movie a least a look to see if you would like it - the first time I saw it I was channel surfing and came upon it toward the end.

The first thing I saw of the movie was the sacrificial burning of the victims and I was really creeped out by it. When it came on again I saw it in its entirety and rather enjoyed it - and my perception of the ending was changed. Initially, I was horrified at the victim's fate, but when I saw their bad behavior throughout the movie, it looked like they got what they deserved.

What I noticed that you might....

1. The beautiful scenery.

2. The music being played (drums, violins, flutes, etc.)

3. The commune member's costumes - predominantly white - contrasting the visitors.

4. The number 9 appearing throughout the movie.

Why I think it was like "The Wicker Man" -

The Wicker Man dealt with a Policeman being lured to a Scottish Island with the ruse of finding a missing girl. In reality, he is to be sacrificed in a pagan ritual, being burned in a "wicker man".

Midsommar dealt with a man inviting his friends to his rural Swedish village to witness a rare festival. In reality, they are part of the festival - some of the sacrifices.

Why I think it was like "Carrie" -

Carrie was the supernatural story of a girl who is persecuted by her peers, but gets revenge in the end by using her special powers to destroy her tormentors.

Midsommar is the story of Dani who is treated very wretchedly by her boyfriend and his companions. The companions are sacrificed, and Dani has the opportunity to determine her boyfriend's fate (thumbs down). This is kind of a weak comparison, but it still reminded me of Carrie.

8/10.

Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez (2022)

Scary and unpleasant - Ben Savage is light years from "Boy Meets World"

[8/10 · 27 February 2022]

Ben Savage gave a very good performance as Nate Kibby, the kidnapper. Again, it is hard to believe he was the the sitcom "Boy Meets World'

The other actors were good as well, especially Lindsay Navarro who played Abby, and. Erica Durance who played Zenya.

While watching this I couldn't believe what I was seeing, yet it actually happened (another movie this reminded me of is "The girl in the Basement").

This was a good watch, yet painful.

8/10.

The Wrong Blind Date (2022 TV Movie)

Yet another cautionary tale about internet dating.......

[7/10 · 15 January 2022]

This was the usual formulaic LMN movie but as per usual, had an attractive cast and somewhat interesting storyline.

And, as per usual this is set in the "Lifetime Universe" where things just don't make a whole lotta sense, like...

1. Utter screwballs getting on the internet and shafting the innocents who get involved with them....

2. Adult BUSINESS PEOPLE acting like High School students who don't know their "you know what" from a hole in the ground....

3. COLLEGE STUDENTS possessing wisdom of the ages and counselling their parents....?

I must admit that the casting was realistic and the mother and daughter appeared as such and not as sisters.

Fun watch....

7/10.

Family Guy: Mister Act (2022) Season 20, Episode 11

Really, Really - - KINKY!!!!

[9/10 · 10 January 2022]

This has got to be the most perverse/kinky Family Guy episode ever!

Lois gets into masculine-guy shape and Stewie becomes sexually interested in her.....?

Peter tries to get into shape and has an unfortunate accident and has his voice turned into a soprano....?

Jesus intervenes and helps Peter beat up nasty choir boys....?

Family Guy still has its edge.....

9/10.

Family Guy (1999– )

Watched the show since 1999 - still packs a punch....

[9/10 · 7 January 2022]

I never seem to tire of this show - it always strikes me as funny - some episodes more so than others.

The characters are over the top, yet keep a strange human quality about them.

Keep it going Family Guy!!!

9/10.

The Twilight Zone: Jess-Belle (1963) Season 4, Episode 7

Jeanette Nolan should have given lesson on how to act like a witch!!

[9/10 · 1 January 2022]

I remember seeing this as a 10 year old kid, and I saw it recently on a New Years marathon on a cable channel.

Although it has been 50 years since I first saw it, I think it's rather unusual, if not a bit fascinating to watch.

JEANETTE NOLAN stole the show with her portrayal of Granny Hart (the Witch). She was rather scary when I saw her as a kid, and she still is now!!

Give it a look if it comes around....

9/10.

Family Guy: Christmas Crime (2021) Season 20, Episode 10

Interesting show - borrowed elements from other Christmas-themed shows

[8/10 · 20 December 2021]

While watching this episode, I noticed that there were several plot points and dialogue that think came from other Christmas-themed shows.

Brian's anti-Christmas rhetoric reminded me of the Andy Griffith Show - a 1960 episode titled "Christmas Story", where a miserly store owner is humanized by the goings on in Andy's courthouse.

Some of the dialogue bits were taken almost directly from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", but other parts of Brian's anatomy were used instead of his heart.

Pretty well thought out episode, but I didn't quite get the side story regarding Stewie's desire for the weird teddy bear....

8/10.

Dangerous Snow Day (2021)

I expected to see a snowstorm, or at least SNOW!!!!

[6/10 · 12 December 2021]

The title should have been "Silly Snow Day" as everything going on made almost no sense. I figured out the "twist" ending about half hour into the movie - if I figured it out, you will too.

Anyway, this was set in the LMN/Lifetime Universe, where things just don't make sense, but are fun to watch:

1. An attractive cast (actually doing a good job) playing out characters that may have been from an alternative universe.

2. The Au Pair's charges carrying on like a latter day "Buffy and Jody" (where's Mr. French?)

3. Once again, people roam around a strange house house and almost immediately find evidence to get someone implicated in a crime.

Not perfect, but really fun to watch.

6/10.

Secrets in the Wilderness (2021 TV Movie)

Reminded me of another LMN movie..... but fun to watch regardless!

[6/10 · 5 December 2021]

Reviewed under title "Secrets in the Wilderness"

This movie reminded me of. "Secrets.in the Woods" in that the primary characters were in a remote area, and there were some weird characters around.

I figured out what was going on fairly early on, and when the big reveal is done about 30 minutes before the end there was no surprise for me.

As this was set in the "Lifetime Universe" look for;

1. The usual attractive characters, acting unusually strange.

2. The fight at the end - yikes!

3. The characters faces in the outdoor scenes - turning RED.....it must have been cold.

As I said, you may figure out as to what is going on, but it was fun to watch anyway.

6/10.

Family Guy: The Fatman Always Rings Twice (2021) Season 20, Episode 9

Great episode with a film noir touch.....

[9/10 · 29 November 2021]

This episode was similar in nature to 2018's "V is for Mystery", with the difference being the principal characters are playing different parts in a film noir movie.

It's not a parody of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (which I thought it would be), but a completely new story which seems to parody all the film noirs I've seen.

The ending is really over the top, and it genuinely surprised me!

9/10.

Dirty Little Deeds (2021 TV Movie)

Reminded me of another LMN movie I just saw......

[7/10 · 28 November 2021]

The movie was called "Secrets in the Mansion" aka "Crazy, Rich, and Deadly" and the plot outline was very similar to this one. (Girlfriend meets boyfriend's somewhat weird family and bad things start to happen.}

This said, this movie reminds me of why I like most LMN movies:

1. Attractive cast of characters, with decent acting.

2. Beautiful photography and good sets (they must be someone's actual residences.)

3. Interesting plot twist, and a twist on that....

4. Only complaint - the music at times was so LOUD that I had trouble understanding the dialogue. But this seems to be the complaint of a lot of LMN movies.

7/10.

Sinister Switch (2021 TV Movie)

It looked like it was filmed at the North Pole...?

[7/10 · 28 November 2021]

This was a pretty interesting story with a very happy ending!

The characters were pretty well fleshed out, and the character of the kidnapper was very creepy.

The only complaint I have is the excessively snowy scenery - - with the characters driving through it all. (Also, I live in Chicago and we are entering winter.)

7/10.

I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)

Worth a look on how the USA and the World were in the late 60's

[5/10 · 25 November 2021]

When this came out in the late 60's, it caused a REALLY BIG controversy because of the subject matter. In the late 60's I was 10 years old and I wound up seeing the movie when I was 21. At that time the sexual revolution crested and I found absolutely nothing shocking.

As I said, its worth a look if it comes on TCM or similar channel, or on YouTube.

5/10.

Erasing His Past (2019 TV Movie)

They should have called it "Kill The S.O.B Already"

[6/10 · 18 November 2021]

In my opinion, The husband in this movie was the most repulsive character I've seen in the LMN movie stable... YIKES!

The movie held my interest, and the characters were developed enough that you believed what was going on. But again, this is in the "Lifetime Universe" were near fantasy prevails.

The ending suggested a sequel may be in the works, but LMN, please don't!!

Have a drink handy and have some fun.....

6/10.

Bury the Past (2021 TV Movie)

Fun movie watch !! It reminded me of something I saw years ago....

[7/10 · 18 November 2021]

In the late1960's and early 1970's there was w Gothic soap opera called "Dark Shadows", which now can be remembered by folks in their 60's and 70's (I'm 63). Now it is sometimes shown on some local channels.

One of the plotlines of that show was about the family matriarch being blackmailed because she murdered her husband - - very similar to this story but with a very different outcome.

Again, this is set in the "Lifetime Universe" were people can change their identities very easily, fall in love and get married in a matter of months, etc.- but IT IS the "Lifetime Universe"!!

The twist at the end is great, and the ending is great too.

7.5/10.

Murder & Matrimony (2021 TV Movie)

CRAZY TWIST ENDING !!!!!

[7/10 · 23 October 2021]

*** Saw it on LMN as "For Love Or Murder" ***

Yet another film set in the "Lifetime Universe" where all normal conventions just don't apply, such as:

1. An estranged sibling planning YOUR wedding?

2. Doors being left open so people can conveniently walk in and snoop around?

3. Getting life insurance payouts on someone you killed?

This movie seems to be a cautionary tale for all wedding planners and bridal shop owners.

In spite of being the almost hilarious usual Lifetime movie, it held my interest in spite of the weird plot points.

THE FIGHT AT THE END, AND THE RESULTING PLOT TWIST ARE OVER THE TOP!

7/10.

Framed by My Husband (2021 TV Movie)

Title should have been 'Framed by the Scumbag"

[6/10 · 22 October 2021]

I saw this for the first time tonight on the LMN Network, and I thought it was an O. K. time waster.

As per usual, this was held in the "Lifetime Universe" were all sorts of weird situations happen, such as:

1. The wife's character being so naive as to do her husband's dirty work by paying the blackmailers.

2. The wife being accused of murder based on FLIMSY evidence. (Lifetime should consult with the HLN Network for some credibility).

3. The husband being so reprehensible - definitely a SCUMBAG!!

Note: There were several scenes depicting violence against women (including what appeared to be rapes), which I found disturbing,

6/10.

Deadly Seduction (2021 TV Movie)

This was a Lifetime Movie?

[7/10 · 5 October 2021]

This was not your typical Lifetime movie - - extremely unpleasant opening moving on to the exposition of some really nasty characters.

The main character (Maggie) is a true survivor of a horrendous event and lives to tell about it. Lindsay Hartley plays the part well and I was led to feel sympathy for the character.

The bad guy was REALLY, REALLY, BAD but I won't go further or I'll spoil the movie.

You won't need any drinks to watch the movie, but you'll probably NEED one after you see it.

Pretty good time-waster.

7/10.

Fatal Following (2021 TV Movie)

Did not seem like a LMN movie - Weird twist at end

[7/10 · 4 October 2021]

*** Saw it as "My Daughter's Double Life" ***

This did not come across as your regular LMN feature, and the plot seemed to be inspired by Alfred Hitchcock! Also, some parts of the movie reminded me of the classic "Gaslight".

And again, the weird twist at the end really surprised me. (Another thing that surprised me was that the mother and daughter actually looked the appropriate age!)

I don't know what title you will see it under, as "Fatal Following" and "The Cult" appear to be others, but it's worth a look.

7/10.

Nobody Will Believe You (2021 TV Movie)

High School was never like this when I was there......

[5/10 · 1 October 2021]

WELL, THE MOVIE ITSELF WAS HARD TO BELIEVE....

This was the usual LMN feature with unbelievable plotlines and weird characters, all set in the LMN/Lifetime Universe.

To be honest, I didn't know who was doing what to whom until about a half hour before the end.... and the twist at the end was pretty good.

Keep in mind that in this Universe - -

1. Mother and daughter look like SISTERS (all the time).

2. High school teachers and guidance counselors can be classic TOOLS.

3. If you are an awkward new kid at school, you will be immediately befriended by another awkward kid.

I graduated High School in 1976, and back then we had nothing like this!

Watch and have a few laughs.

5/10.

Soylent Green (1973)

Saw in in 1973 when I was 15, and in 2021 when I was 62

[8/10 · 7 September 2021]

For being almost 50 years old, Soylent Green holds it's ground and still delivers. However, as an over 60 member of the crowd, I find that some of the stuff put forth by the movie, such as women being included in furnished apartments as "furniture" a little hard to take.

One scene that really struck me when I saw it recently was the food riot - if you look closely, many of the rioters are wearing face masks - not too unlike what most of us are wearing now.....

Of course, I remember the movie for Edward G. Robinson's performance, which I found touching and poignant.

8/10.