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Reviews
Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story (2024)
Horrible people
This is a disgusting trio. I am talking about Ruby, her friend Jodi, and Ruby's milquetoast of a husband Kevin. What man allows his wife to kick him out of the husband for no reason except that she is evil, and let her prevent him from seeing and checking up on their kids. How could he not see that the woman he loved had become a monster who was physically and emotionally abusing their children.
He should have had a lawyer and child protective services on her so fast her head would spin. Ruby's children were the only victims in this story. Everyone failed these children. This movie made me so angry. When I see monsters hiding behind the church and God, abusing others, and saying they are doing God's will, it makes me feel violent. Ruby was losing touch with reality even before she met Jodi. It just took an additional shove from Jodi to push her over the edge. As far as I am concerned, Kevin should have also been indicted. He was equally responsible for the pain and suffering of his children. I hope Ruby and Jodi serve their full sentences. They are evil.
Dark Moon Rising (2009)
Werewolf vs werewolf
Interesting story of a werewolf who just wants to be a normal man, and the story of the girl who loves him.
Yes. Some parts were a little cheesy and dumb. Many of the scenes were too dark. But it is an entertaining story.
However this love story bears no resemblance to the Twilight movies.
It is not even close to the level of the Twilight movies.
I thought the movie became more interesting after Amy (Ginny Weirick) and Dan's ( Chris Divecchio) visit to the fortune teller. It is then I learned of the evil werewolf. He is the one who is killing Humans. I then found myself rooting for the young lovers.
This feels like a cheaply made movie, the audio is meh. But most of the acting is decent.
I didn't think Maria Conchita Alonso was convincing as the sheriff. Her acting was just bad. The townsfolk's roles were a tad over exaggerated. But the movie did hold my interest, possibly because this is an evil werewolf like no other I have ever seen in the movies.
The ending was disappointing and confusing. I thought the fortune teller said Dan's father's death would release Dan from the curse. Did Dan's father not die????
Madame Bovary (1949)
Interesting story
This book by Flaubert was inspired by the true story of a woman named Veronique Delphine Delamare. Ms Delamare was married to a doctor and had several lovers. She died at the age of 26, leaving behind numerous debts and a 6-year-old daughter.
In 1856, Flaubert's transformation of Ms Delamare's adulterous affairs into a book about female sexuality caused a huge scandal, and Flaubert had to appear in court on charges of obscenity.
Emma Bovary, as a teenager, indulged in romantic novels.
Her marriage to Charles Bovary doesn't correspond to her romantic childhood dreams of happiness and passion. So she becomes disillusioned and bored and has two affairs. Also, unknown to Charles, she incurs massive debt.
Jennifer Jones is so beautiful and so sweet as Emma Bovary, I found it hard to dislike her. This is not to say that she did not fit this role. She was perfect for this role and she played it well.
Van Heflin is also excellent as Charles Bovary, the good-hearted but dull and unambitious doctor with a meager practice.
Although the movie doesn't stay true to the book, it is still worth a watch as it follows Emma Bovary's unhappy existence and disappointments.
Killer Crush (2015)
Not Convincing
Daveigh Chase as Page York is miscast in this role. She never really brings her character to life. Her character seemed to be in a trance the entire movie. She held the same expression, the same tone throughout the movie. I actually found her irritating and boring. This is the second time I tried to watch this movie. The first time Ms Chase's acting annoyed me so much that I couldn't continue watching. Her acting was weird to me. She was more creepy than psycho. She was not at all convincing.
This time I was determined to see the movie through to the end.
Ok. This didn't make sense to me. Why wasn't Dr Lucas (Rick Roberts) curious or suspicious about his wife's sudden tiredness and naps, and then her sudden death. His daughter Amy, played by Grace Zanichkowsky questioned why her mother was suddenly taking naps. He just dismissed it. Another thing that made no sense is after being under investigation for Paige's lie to the police, he drives home to find her sitting in front of his house. Why didn't he call the police. He knew she was a psycho. He should have called the police if only for his daughter's safety. Also, as Page lay there, possibly on her deathbed, no one bothered to try to notify her only living relative, her sister. Paige killed her sister Tayler (Melanie Scrofano), and the viewer never knows if Tayler's body is found, and it is determined that Paige also killed her. We also never know if Paige dies from her injury. So, to me, the story is unfinished.
Evil Nanny (2016)
A homeowner's nightmare
As a homeowner living in a tenant friendly state, some parts of this movie were believable to me. I have seen many squatters move in and take over a neighbor's home. With some neighbors, it took almost a year and lots of money to finally remove the squatter. The squatter also trashes the homes, leaving homeowners with even more finances that must be used to clean it up. It happens so often in our state, we don't dare leave on vacation without a trustworthy friend or relative to house sit for us.
Getting back to the movie, it's true that after a tenant establishes residence, it is a long process to evict them. However, the police were disgraceful. They made no effort to either believe or help the homeowners. They never even apologized after the homeowner (Faye) finds out that the tenant (Jen) is using an alias, and they investigate and learn that she is wanted for homicide. They then assume that a body found in a wrecked vehicle is Jen's body without a medical examiner verifying the deceased person's identity.
When they finally discover it isn't Jen's body, of course it's too late.
The ending is what is really unbelievable. Jen, who has killed at least two people that we know of, (remember she is wanted for a homicide) is forgiven by Faye, and she is taken to a mental facility where she has "her own room." Jen knew right from wrong and she should have been placed in a prison cell and the key thrown away.
I thought the movie was fairly entertaining.
The Purge (2013)
Worth a watch
This movie is terrifying. It isn't Michael Myers or Jason terrifying. It's terrifying to think of a government that would approve allowing its people to commit any crime and not be held responsible. Just imagine that every nutcase, serial killer, rapist is given free rein for twelve hours annually to commit their crimes with impunity. In the movie, the government claims that allowing the annual purge reduced crime. I don't see how that is possible. Perpetrators would just let all that hate and rage build up in them for twelve months as they made plans to terrorize their communities for twelve hours. They probably committed more crimes in twelve hours than they would have committed over a full year. I think people who could and would ignore these urges, let down their inhibitions knowing they would not be held responsible.
Any government who thinks it's alright to allow people the freedom to prey on innocent people are evil people.
Although people do stupid things, as people do in reality, and the movie is somewhat predictable (I did not predict what the neighbors did), it is still worth a watch.
The story focuses on one family, during the purge. It studies their emotional and physical responses from the beginning to the end of the purge.
City Hall (1996)
Great performances
When I see Al Pacino's name in a movie cast, I expect greatness. Mr Pacino did not fail me. He was exceptional in his role as mayor of New York City, Mayor John Pappas.
The testimony Mayor Pappas gives at the funeral of the young boy, James Bone Jr, who was accidentally killed, is passionate and full of fire, and it sets the stage for this story. It brought tears to my eyes. Al Pacino's acting is greatness. He fully becomes the character he plays.
I am not forgetting the excellence of John Cusack as Kevin Calhoun, Mayor Pappas' deputy mayor. Mr Cusack does an outstanding job.
In fact, the supporting cast is strong. Actors Danny Aiello, Anthony Franciosa, Martin Landau, to name a few, give impactful performances that enhance the story plot.
Danny Aiello as Frank Anselmo, gives a heartfelt performance when he commits suicide while listening to his favorite songs from Carousel.
I missed seeing this movie during its time. But it has held up well to the test of time. This is a hard hitting movie.
Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry: The Hangman (2024)
A glutton for punishment
It must have taken a lot of courage for Tracey Wygant to tell this story.
It was clear to me from the beginning that Chris was in charge in this relationship when he didn't propose to her. He just placed the engagement ring into a candy bag to show his power over her. He knew she would accept the ring without his proposal. She gave all her power to him when she didn't insist on a proposal. She gave him her approval for him to take her for granted.
When Chris announced that he was in love with another woman in front of her family, how could she ever trust this man again. He didn't respect her enough to tell her this news privately. He made a joke of her and their marriage. Yet, after he is through with the other woman, she takes him back. So, it isn't shocking to me that Chris was a serial adulterer who felt he had to kill his wife to be free of her. When she frees herself of his attempt to murder her, she calls her sister and not 911. She was still trying to protect him. I think if he hadn't tried to kill her, she would have taken him back despite his confession of having a child with another woman. I'm not so sure that she was madly in love with Chris, and this is why she allowed him to walk all over her. I thank it had something to do with her lack of confidence and low self esteem. She was lucky to get out of this relationship alive.
The Girl Who Wasn't Dead (2024)
The girl who drove me up the wall
This movie angered me so much. I sat there yelling at the screen. Yes. Some teenagers are selfish and arrogant. But Erica took it to a whole new level. She ran away three times, wasting government resources, and all she got was a pat on the back. Her mother should have taken her to therapy to find out why she kept running away. The police department should have recommended therapy. The fourth runaway may not have happened if she had been sent to therapy. After her fourth runaway, perhaps she should not have been punished because of her age, and because both her mother and the police department failed her. But I don't think Andrew should have been punished either. If this movie depicted Andrew accurately, he was putty in Erica's hands. She used his love for her against him to get what she wanted It was obvious that he was not forcing her to run away. Sure, Erica's mom dropped some of the charges against him, but his reputation was damaged. I don't blame her brother and best friend from being angry. I can't even imagine what their lives were like, and how they suffered due to her selfishness.
Even after her fourth runaway which lasted four years, no one suggested therapy. So who can say that she won't run away again if things don't go her way. This seems to be her method of operation. The only people I feel compassion for in this story is Andrew, who is too I love with her to really see her, her brother and her best friend who dumped her.
My Husband's Killer Affair (2024)
Nothing New or exciting
First, Kyana Teresa's (Michelle) wardrobe is horrible. Surely they could have found clothing that fit her better. Her pants and skirts are too tight and do nothing to flatter her curvy physique. Her clothes are ugly. No. I am not the fashion police. Her wardrobe is quite distracting to me and should be more flattering. They are ill fitting and frumpy.
Secondly, who hires a nanny off the streets. Getting a nanny (Melissa played by Kirsten Comerford) through an agency is frustrating, hoping the agency has done a through vetting process and you are being provided with someone you can trust with your child.
Lastly, Michelle loaned the nanny a dress from her wardrobe. Michelle is twice the nanny's size. But the dress fitted the nanny as if it was custom made for her.
Isabella Astbury (who plays Lucy, Michelle and Will's daughter) is growing into a fine young actor. However, she did not look like the child of biracial parents. Since I missed the first eight minutes of this movie, I wondered if Michelle was her stepmother. They did not even act like mother and daughter. I saw no affection between them. But, Michelle and Will (Matt Wells) didn't exactly light up the screen with affection. They are like polite strangers to each other. In fact, in one shot when they were about to show some intimacy between them, the phone rang and stopped them.
The acting is what you expect from a LMN or Lifetime movie, below average. I never expect much so I am never disappointed, and surprised when the acting is average or above. Still, I like some of these movies.
This movie is boring. There's nothing new, fresh or interesting, just the same old, same old. My favorite part is when Melissa tells Michelle why she did all the terrible things she did to her and her family, and Michelle's response is how could you do what you did. OMG! She just told her why she did it.
I played games on my phone through the entire movie. I couldn't wait for it to end.
High Potential (2024)
So far, so good
I have watched two episodes of Season One, and I am very impressed.
The main character, Morgan played by Kaitlin Olson, is very likable. Morgan is a single mother of three, with a disease called High Emotional Potential. Because of this disease she exhibits superior emotional intelligence, and empathy for others. However, it also creates obstacles for her. She has a 160 IQ, yet she is unable to sustain a job or relationships, because she is hypersensitive and obsessive and she can never turn her brain off.
I also like the chemistry between her and her partner, Karadec played by Daniel Sunjata. They are great together. I'm looking forward to seeing how this relationship develops.
The supporting cast which includes Judy Reyes of Devious Maids and Scrubs, is also good.
So far so good. I hope the writers keep up the good work.
Buried Alive and Survived (2024)
I don't think so
The story started off terrifying. It is the story of how an abuser responds when he feels he has lost control of the abused. But then it got stupid.
I understand how her adrenaline was pumping hard after surviving being buried. But to track down her abuser, alone, to get her son that he had abducted, was dumb. She knew he was dangerous. He had already overpowered her and buried her alive. Why on earth would she think she would get the upper hand this time. She didn't even have a weapon. So I hope that if anyone watching this movie is a victim of abuse, do not follow this woman's example. Call 911. Call a friend. Call a loved one. Call someone for help.
Ordinary People (1980)
Interesting movie
Interesting study of how each family member deals with the death of a son and brother.
The mother, Beth, (Mary Tyler Moore) was a cold fish, a witch. It appears that she gave all of her love, her heart, to the deceased child and had nothing left to give to her husband and her only living child. She was quite good at pretending to love her husband. But she couldn't even pretend to love her son.
The son, Conrad, (Timothy Hutton), carried a heavy burden of guilt about his brother's death. He couldn't really turn to his father for help. Although his father was supportive of him, and showed his love for him, his father was being controlled by his mother. So he couldn't fully trust his father. He was struggling to make it through each day.
The father, Calvin, (Donald Sutherland) was trying to move on with living. He seemed completely unaware of his wife's detachment from their son. He also tried so hard to understand why his son was still suffering so much over his brother's death. But every time he tried to get close to his son, to get him to talk to him, Beth interfered and took control.
Then one day after Beth refused to stand next to Conrad so that Calvin could take a picture of them, and Conrad became so enraged because Calvin couldn't see that Beth, his own mother, loathed him, he started reflecting on a demand that Beth made of him for their son's funeral. The demand was inappropriate and it had gnawed at him for all that time. So he asked her why she had made that demand. She stood there cold, unfeeling,. He finally saw the real Beth, the Beth whose feelings died with their son. So he asked her,
"Do you love me. Do you really love me?" Her reply was,
" I love you the way I've always loved you."
Ouch! There was no coming back from that response.
Good performances by all, especially Ms Moore.
The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story (2024)
Complex story
I found the Ruth Finley story to be very complex.
Sexually assaulted when she was a child, it sounds like she was afraid to tell her mother or turn to her mother for help. If her mother was the same dingbat that she was portrayed as, when she was younger, I don't blame Ruth for not trusting her to be there for her. So instead of going to mother, she disassociates and develops another personality to protect herself.
After the police find evidence that Ruth is committing these terrible acts to herself, and she is placed in a psychiatric facility, her mother tells her that she suspected that Ruth was being sexually molested. Wow! That must have been hard to hear that your mother did nothing to prevent this from happening and nothing to stop this perpetrator from doing this to another child.
I'm confused about the kidnapping and burning incident that happened to her when she was a teenager. Did this really happen, or was this her other personality making its first appearance. I know that the therapist said this other personality didn't develop until after her husband's heart attack, but no one seemed to focus on this incident or think it was significant to her current behavior. Goodness! Someone kidnapped her and burned her leg with an iron. Why did no one talk about that.
I also found it strange that Ruth confessed so nonchalantly to assaulting herself. Other people with multiple personality disorder usually don't know these other personalities exist until a therapist exposes them. Even then, these patients have difficulty believing that they exist. In this movie, the therapist tells her she has another personality,and she confesses everything. She doesn't say that it felt like she was watching someone else committing these acts, she just says yes I did it. So, did Ruth really have a multiple personality disorder or was she just seeking attention.
Yeah! I had a hard time wrapping my head around this story. The pieces didn't quite fit for me.
I thought Teri Hatcher as Ruth Finley did a good job.
Breaking Girl Code (2023)
The title is accurate
First, why would you tell a job interviewer that you interned on a job that you loved, in a city that you loved, but refused the job because you wanted to be near your boyfriend. This happens at the beginning of the movie when Andi interviews for a job. I almost turned it off after that silliness.
Except for Johnny Ramey who played Andi's boyfriend Sean, the acting is nail biting terrible. I thought Ramey did a good job in his role. Katelynn Bennett who played Andi, drove me up the wall with her giggling after many of her lines. That was a real turn off. Despite this, I continued watching out of curiosity to see the plot develop.
Secondly, a girlfriend (Farrah played by Revell Carpenter) invites Andi and other friends out. But then she ignores all of them all night to cozy up with her boyfriend. This is a huge broken girl code. Uh! Uh! She isn't given hugs when I leave. If she heard from me again, it would be to tell her what I thought of her behavior.
Why didn't Andi get angry with Farrah for telling her boyfriend everything she told her. I would've made it clear to her that whatever I told her about my personal life was just between her and I. That's what girlfriends are for. That's another girlfriend code that Farrah broke.
I didn't like the ending. I think Farrah should have received some kind of punishment, or sometime in therapy. One of the women who forgave her said "I've also dated bad guys." Farrah didn't just date bad guys, she aided and abetted predators who raped and killed to keep their rape club secret. I would never trust her.
A Husband's Confession (2015)
Packs a punch
This is a very interesting movie and quite entertaining. There are two stories in this movie. One involves a wealthy entitled teenager whose parents, well, did no parenting at all. The other is about a pastor with a radio show who finds out he has an illegitimate son from a one time fling that occurred before he was a pastor. The stories intertwine.
I thought both stories were told well and were easy to follow. I found myself thoroughly engaged and invested in both storylines. Each story has its own journey but provides the pieces of the puzzle to each other.
The actors are well cast and their characters are believable. One story wasn't the ending I wanted and I cried a little. The other story was the ending I predicted it would be, and I cried a little.
This movie is worth watching.
A Lethal Lesson (2021)
Entertaining
The movie is entertaining despite some of the dumb things Lauren, played by Rhonda Dent, did.
I knew as soon as the will was revealed who the perpetrator would be. But Conner's (Kaden Connors) role was a nice twist.
I do wish the acting was better. The acting is so bad it's like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ms Dent is the worse.
It's a good study of human behavior. Can people who say you are an excellent teacher, good person, appear to respect you, really turn on you so quickly. These are the kind of people I would never want to see again.
I had some difficulty feeling compassion for Lauren. She just sat there and let Nadia (Tegan Moss) make degrading insinuations about her deceased friend and her friend's law partner. I would think she would have defended her friend, especially since she wasn't there to defend herself. How could she believe those horrible insinuations while someone is doing almost the same thing to her, spreading hurtful rumors.
The ending was a surprise to me. There is no way I would have returned to that school, no way I could have trusted anyone there again.
The title is misleading. The student does not have a secret life. He's very open to the teacher about his feelings. The pre-school teacher has a secret life. Not a bad watch if you get past the "acting."
Beware the Night Nurse (2023)
Beware the stupid parents
I presumed a criminal attorney to be discerning. Not true in this story. Claire, Vitoria Setta, hires a nanny without getting her address, phone number, names of friends, family, etc.
She hands her baby over to someone she knows nothing about, because she could make the baby stop crying. This makes it appear that sleep is more important to her than the safety of her baby.
Zach's, the husband played by Bryce Jones, mother with the constant "I told you so" was very off putting. She was almost as annoying as the baby's constant crying.
Claire said after the nanny told her that she was her surrogate's, Liz, nanny when she grew up, she trusted her unquestioningly. Really! Liz never mentioned that she had a nanny, although she spoke incessantly about her horrible childhood and how her mother hated her because she was a boy. I'm sure she would have mentioned having a nanny.
Zach's instincts are better than Claire's, but he gives into her because he's so tired from lack of sleep due to the baby's constant crying.
I didn't find this movie to be interesting at all. It was mostly about a parent's reaction to a new baby's crying. It was a bit annoying with the constant crying of the baby, and the stupidity of such well educated people. The acting is what you'd expect from a Lifetime movie.
Terry McMillan Presents: Forever (2024)
Emotional movie
I am thrilled that Terry McMillan teamed with Lifetime to bring the film adaptations of her books to the Lifetime network. I have read and enjoyed her books for decades. I have watched all of her work that was adapted to the big screen. Ms McMillan is one of my favorite authors.
This movie tugged on all my emotions. I was laughing hysterically one minute and crying the next.
Taye Diggs and Meghan Good give exceptional performances. The supporting cast is also excellent. Ms Good's acting skills just keep getting better each time I see her work.
This is an engaging movie about love, family and tragedy.
Pinky (1949)
You can't live without pride
This is an extremely moving film. This movie aroused a myriad of emotions in me, including anger, sadness, fear, happiness and pity, pity for such small minds. Racism and prejudice blinds you, makes your world smaller, narrows and hardens your beliefs and opinions about others.
How can a person say they love you, but you cannot be yourself or live who you are. You have to pretend to be something you're not.
"You can't live without pride".
Ms Jeanne Crain held her own as Pinky, a mulatto who while she was in the North attending nursing school, passed as white to find freedom from prejudice, and hide from her race.
But Ethel Waters as Pinky's grandmother Dicey and Ethel Barrymore as Miss Em, the white owner of an old plantation who had befriended Dicey over the years, filled the screen and gave unforgettable performances.
This is an emotionally charged movie that at times is hard to watch.
I Thought My Husband's Wife Was Dead (2024)
Strange movie
I don't know what to say about this movie except that it was beyond ridiculous. Yes. It did contain several twists. But the twists did not make the story any less ridiculous and boring. Why would you torture someone for days, let them see your face, and then do not ensure s/he is dead when you kill her/him. What was the purpose of bringing a baby into this mess. Especially when both the mother and father were planning to kill the other. I don't know. This storyline was neither suspenseful nor full of mystery. It was kind of all over the place. Some of the acting was alright. Some of the acting was a little over the top.
I really would like to have seen the car that Leo loved so much. This is kind of a strange movie.
Too Young to Be a Dad (2002)
Heartfelt and interesting
Fifteen year old Matt Freeman is an honor roll student. He is a model son. His parents know that he is on a successful career path.
But one night of sex, and Matt's bright future becomes dim. Matt is going to be a father at fifteen years old.
This story really touched my heart. I felt sad knowing this teenager would miss out on, well being a teenager. I thought of all the fun I had in high school and in college; going out with my friends and just being goofy, going out on dates, just being a kid. But Matt wasn't thinking of that. I watched Matt grow into a man and take responsibility for his actions.
Kathy Baker as Matt's mom and Bruce Davison as his dad give great performances. Terra Vnesa is also good in her role as Matt's rebellious sister Alex.
This is a touching and compelling movie. I thought the ending was as it should be.
The Neighbor Who Saw Too Much (2024)
Not a bad watch
I didn't find the teenage sister Haley, played by Sage Moore, likable at all. She didn't care that she put both her best friend and her sister in danger. She only cared about her own agenda, and that was to prove that her neighbor Jason, played by Devante Winfrey, was a serial killer.
The acting was as you would expect from a Lifetime movie. The older sister played by Kia Dorsey was the worse. The story line was interesting and kept me guessing. But I think it would have been better if the leading character hadn't got on my nerves with her antics. She took too many chances and broke laws. I don't know. I think she was just too impulsive for me. It's kind of heard to believe that her impulses paid off and she survived it all.
Bridesmaids (2011)
Funny, NOT
I made the mistake of eating a snack while watching this movie. There was farting, vomiting, diarrhea. It was disgusting and made me sick.
I could find nothing funny about this movie. The main character, Annie, was pathetic and boring. Her attempts at being funny were more sad than funny. Because of the hype, I kept watching and waiting for the funny parts. I kept waiting for the bride, Maya Rudolph, to bring her SNL humor. Instead she was dull and boring. Annie's roommate appeared to be mentally challenged and I found nothing humorous about that. The movie only managed to reinforce female stereotypes, jealous, neurotic and catty.
This movie just wasn't my cup of tea and I bailed after the airplane to Las Vegas fiasco.
Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up (2024)
Horrible person
Am I supposed to have compassion for this murderer, scam artist, adulteress, because I don't.
What wife wakes up her husband to tell him that she still cares about her ex fiancé and still has him in her heart. I think Ryan is a good man because my husband would've said see ya. But I would never hurt my husband like that.
At first, I felt really sorry for Gypsy for having to go through what she went through with her mother. But after a few episodes, I was like wait a minute, this woman is profiting off of killing her mother. She probably will never have to work a day in her life. There is something wrong with this picture. What message is this series trying to send. I think it's sending the wrong message, especially to vulnerable youngsters.
I feel bad for Ryan. He was understandably insecure and had problems trusting Gypsy. He always wanted to know who Gypsy was texting, who she was talking to, what did she say to that person, etc. If my husband told me that he had another woman in his heart, I wouldn't trust him.
Her crying totally turned me off. The bottom line is she left her husband for another man. She didn't even try to make the marriage work. She always wanted Ken. No matter how they try to make her the victim, she is a horrible evil person who sent her husband a photo of her and her lover. Her stepmother is also evil because she played a big role in getting Gypsy and Ken together. Evil people.
Much respect to Mia for having morals and values and confronting her mother for her role in this.