Change Your Image
Reel_Reviews
The genre of movies I enjoy are mystery/thrillers, crime/suspense, documentaries, docuseries, experimental films, and indie films.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Wrong Tutor (2019)
Nate Wyatt ruined the movie
As with any Lifetime movie there will be plot holes and I'm OK with that. What I'm not OK with is one person in the movie ruining the entire thing and that's what Nate Wyatt did with this one.
He produced the oddest and dumbest looks when talking with someone, he's monotone in his speaking and just overall terrible actor.
What kept me watching was Vivica A. Fox and Jason-Shane Scott I would not have finished the movie.
21 Days (1940)
21 Days Together: When A Murderer Takes a Holiday
In 21 Days (1940, aka 21 Days Together) directed by Basil Dean, Larry Darrent (Laurence Oliver) accidentally kills his lover's (Wanda, played by Vivian Leigh) husband. Larry, talking to a man outside a pub of sorts, unwittingly drops the gloves from his pocket. After Larry leaves the man pick up the gloves. Because of the gloves, the man is arrested and his trial is set to take place in 21 days, hence the title.
Larry and Wanda have the time of their lives while this poor guy is on trial for his life. If found guilty the man will be executed.
The story dragged a bit for me and I couldn't get into the main character, Larry. I'm not sure if it was this particular movie but Laurence Oliver did nothing for me as an actor. This is not to say I won't give him another shot in another movie. As for Vivian Leigh, well, she was just there.
When Larry and Wanda are at an amusement park, they would show the man on trial, switching back and forth to show, I feel, how one can forget another's life hangs in the balance for something they didn't do. I like how they did this and find it quite advanced for a film of its time. It took me almost three nights to watch it for when I would start I got bored and turned it off.
I'm not sure if I would recommend this film to anyone. Usually, if I don't care for a movie I would either recommend it or won't recommend it. I'm going to leave this as is and leave it up to you, the viewer, to decide if you want to see it or not.
21 Days is currently streaming on The Criterion Channel
Les yeux sans visage (1960)
Eyes Without a Face: When An Accident Serves a Purpose
Source: imdb
In Georges Franju's Eyes Without a Face (1960)Docteur Génessier is obsessed with doing skin transplants. The first experiment is done on dogs brought to him by ground keepers who find them roaming around. Once he feels he is successful, he begins experimenting on humans, starting with his daughter.
THE PURPOSEFUL ACCIDENT
Dr. Génessier's daughter, Christiane, was in a car accident which caused a great deal of damage to her face. However, it wasn't an accident. Her father orchestrated the whole thing as to have a human to experiment on. After several attempts, Dr. Génessier is able to do the face transplant. But after day 20 Christiane's face, which is that of another's, begins to fall apart, literally. Now Dr. Génessier must find another victim for his elaborate scheme. With the help of his nurse, he is able to find another unsuspecting participant.
EDITH SCOB AS CHRISTIANE
I really enjoyed this movie from the opening sequence in which we know we are in a moving vehicle but we are viewing everything as the driver to the end result, or end of the movie.
Edith Scob was excellent at Christiane for most of her acting was through her eyes due to her not having a face. I've always said the best actors do more with their eyes than with their voice, and Scob does not falter for one moment. Even when she has a voice, but we only see her eyes, her pain and frustration are still felt. She is able to put us in her shoes.
Dialogue is not abundant in this film, but then again, it doesn't need to be. Key dialogues are to be had, but it's the silence and unbelievable actions that take place that make the movie for me. For instance, the nurse looking for the perfect victim by parking near a college campus, or Dr. Génessier performing the operation.
Georges Franju did an excellent job in directing this vehicle and Pierre Boileau did a fantastic job adapting Jean Redon's novel of the same name into a screenplay.
I highly recommend this film to any film buff and those looking for something very different.
Eyes Without a Face is currently streaming on The Criterion Channel with a runtime of 90 minutes.
Greta (2018)
Greta Review: Isabelle Huppert Befriends then Torments Chloe Grace Moretz
I'LL GET YOU MY PRETTY: Isabelle Huppert (The Piano Teacher) stars as Greta, a very disturbed lonely woman who leaves her purse on commuter trains to be found and delivered by unsuspecting young women. Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass) is Frances, an unsuspecting young woman who finds the purse and delivers it to Greta at her house. Greta invites Frances in for tea and light conversation. During this time a loud noise is heard to which Greta explains its the neighbors remodeling. Greta gets up, faces the direction of the noise and tells the neighbors to stop by and yelling. The noise is now gone. This should have been red flag number one for Frances but sometimes you can't see the frame when you're inside the picture.
DINNER AND DECOYS: Greta invites Frances over for dinner. While looking for candlesticks, for Greta's house is kind of dark, Frances finds more purses just like the one she found on the train. A posted note is attached to the back of each purse with a girl's name on it, and one of them has Frances's name on it. Aware of what Greta's possible true intentions are Frances can barely finish her dinner. Before dessert is served Frances tells Greta she's not feeling good and she should leave. Greta tries to get Frances to stay but Frances makes a B line for the front door, to never look back.
LET THE STALKING BEGIN: Greta is not one of those people to let things be. You can see it on how immaculate her house is and definitely in how she picks her victims. We can surmise she's either thought about or tried different methods to lure young women to her house and found leaving a purse on a train the perfect trap.After Frances leaves Greta's house she begins getting phone calls and texts from Greta, and trust me there are plenty of both. It's not long before Greta shows up at Frances restaurant where she's a waitress and follows her wherever she goes. Frances devises a plan to hopefully get rid of Greta, but even best-laid plans have their flaws.
MAYBE IT'S HUPPERT: I've come across comments and reviews in which a lot of people didn't like Greta. For the most part, they didn't like the pace, and some felt they have seen similar movies. I will take the latter as being true, but it's the execution of those playing the roles that sets this movie apart. Huppert is excellent as a woman who knows no boundaries, has no moral compass and stares you down while smiling at you. Huppert has a calming voice, trustworthy demeanor along with an aurora about her that makes you feel at ease.But Huppert has the ability to change in a nanosecond. And when she changes from sanity to insanity, there's nowhere to run or hide. And what makes Huppert's psychopathic character that much scarier is she digs her claws into you without you feeling anything. The sting from Huppert comes much later and the pain is excoriating.This type of acting might not be for everyone. The Piano Teacher and Le Ceremonies are of the same caliber of Greta. The stories and characters are being built, slowly but surely. It seems to me Huppert picks these types of rules. She also has the ability to hold the audience, well some in the audience, attention. I was captivated by Huppert when I first saw her and this is what drew me to Greta. I almost didn't watch the movie because of what I read, but I'm glad I didn't listen to naysayers.
When Vows Break (2019)
Jacob Young and Christa B. Allen shine in When Vows Break
In 2019's When Vows Break, Ella (Christa B. Allen - Revenge) is in an abusive relationship with Tolan (Jacob Young - Bold and the Beautiful), both physically and verbally. After about a year of being together, they decide to get married. Ella's sister Lydia (Danielle C. Ryan - Stalked by My Mother, Criminal Minds) has reservations about the whole thing, especially about Tolan.
To help relieve her mind, she visits a fortune teller named Madame Diedra (Milena Phillips). During their session, Madame Diedra states that she sees dark waters. This statement becomes significant later in the movie, but I promise not to give anything away.
Ella asks her sister numerous time to be happy for her, paraphrasing of course, and to let her and Tolan be. Lydia complies, against her better judgment and just wanting to protect her sister.
Their honeymoon is spent in Barbados on a boat. A nice boat I might add. Oh, I should add that Tolan has money. Not only does he have money, but he's also rich, for only rich people can have their own private jet always on stand by at the airport. While walking on the boat, Ella loses her balance and falls overboard. As corny as that sounds, and as familiar as that sounds, that's exactly what happens.
Learning of her sister's death, Lydia feels that it wasn't an accident and that Tolan killed her sister and thus begins her quest to find out what really happened in Barbados upon the boat.
ALLEN (Ella) AND RYAN (Lydia): I enjoyed Christa B. Allen when she played Charlotte Grayson on Revenge from 2011-2015. As for Danielle C. Ryan, I didn't recognize anything she's done, therefore, prior to this movie, I can't comment on her work. As for When Vows Break I did enjoy her acting. Ryan and Sam Boxleitner (yes, the son of Bruce Boxleitner) who played her husband Harrison, had good chemistry together. As for Allen and Jacob Young (who played Tolan), I didn't see much chemistry. They were an odd pair and that's probably why they were together. Tolan seemed way above her pay grade. Perhaps he saw someone he could manipulate and push around, which he did.
Allen played the "I know he's no good for me, but I love him" role really well. She made you feel sorry for her, while at the same time, you hoped she falls flat on her face.
JACOB YOUNG (Tolan): Jacob Young brought the role of Rick Forrester to life on Bold and the Beautiful. Not only is he incredibly good looking, to me, but he's a good actor, and this role will prove it. His acts of abuse (we saw mostly verbal than physical abuse) were scary to the point of you could almost dislike the actor and not the character. Very few actors have had this effect on me. The first being Judd Hirsh (Taxi) when he played a rapist in 1990's She Said No and Ted Danson (Cheers, CSI) who played a child molester in 1984's Something About Amelia.
Young has the type of face and acting chops to play both nice characters and bad characters and still come out unscathed. I look forward to more work by him
FINAL THOUGHTS:The movie as a whole was good, until the ending. There's nothing like a horrible ending to make you curse the whole movie and time you feel you have wasted watching. Up until the end, the ride was a good one and so many twists were there.
Would I recommend this movie? I really can't say. Only because I like endings with a bit more teeth in it. I want to leave a movie having deep thoughts about what took place or what didn't take place. I don't like endings wrapped in a bow. I like ending wrapped in meat and potatoes.
Convict (2014)
Everyone Involved In The Making of This Film Should Be Locked Up for Life
I've seen a lot of horrible movies in my time. Some were just executed badly or had horrible actors. Convict had both, bad execution and horrible actors. The only person was decent was the old man (I can't remember his name) that hung with Ray (George Basha).
To show you how bad this movie was, when Ray kisses his girlfriend it seems forced. There was no chemistry between the two, and I'm not sure who was worst at acting, him or her.
I'm don't know how it got four out of five stars on Amazon Prime Video, but it's clear they rated by people that worked on production or paid reviewers. Even if you were in a cave for 20 years and this was the first movie you got to see, you wouldn't rate any higher than a 1 star, and that's only because you can't rate it a negative 0.
The Wrong House (2016)
The Wrong Movie
I'm all for Lifetime movies (saw this on Lifetime Movie Network) but this one was absolutely horrible, from acting to too many holes in the movie.
As the summary says, Rebecca and Brian move into a new house in which strange things start happening from food they didn't order being delivered to their house, to exterrminators being called because of a rat problem they say they don't have. They soon learn whose behind all of these "pranks".
Issue one.If you say you didn't order food that's being delivered to your house, you shouldn't, nor would you pay for it, yet, Brian pays $57 for four pizzas and $42 for Chinese food.
Issue two: When they call the police about what's been taking place a detective shows up. When does a detective take a report for
non-emergency, non violent issues? Detectives are usually assigned important cases. Not petty stuff like food being delivered and exterminators being called.
Issue three: When the detective goes to Brian and Rebecca's house and finds the door open, why doesn't he announce he's the police or he's a detective instead of shouting "Hello! Anyone home?"
And don't get me started on the unnecessary dramatic music through out the movie. Every scene in the movie had music.
This is one of those movies where the synopsis sounds great, but the execution was horrible.
I don't recommend this movie to anyone...not even if you're bored and this the only thing on TV.
Dismissed (2017)
Dismissed should not be dismissed
Lucas Ward, a transfer student from Fresno, California, excels at everything he does. His favorite subject in school is English and when he analyzes a story, he takes it to the extreme by writing a dissertation instead of a few page essay.
Mr. Butler is Lucas's new English teacher and he shares the same love of literature as Lucas. Lucas's first day in class provides Mr. Butler with the type of student he wants, someone who is engaging and understands the reading. They both feel they have found a kindred spirit in each other, more so Mr. Butler does in Lucas. But when Mr. Butler gives Lucas a B+ on an assignment and refuses to give him an A, as Lucas thinks he deserves, kindred spirits are broken and animosity takes its place.
Lucas begins causing havoc in Mr. Butler's life starting with his application to be a professor at a college. Lucas is able to get a hold of the essay Mr. Butler wrote and replace it with one that makes Mr. Butler seem like he's better than the students he will teach and better than anyone around him. However, Mr. Butler doesn't know this until he meets with the head of the department who informs him of his essay and that he will no longer be considered for the role of professor.
At home, Mr. Butler reads over the essay and begins to notice familiar words that he wouldn't use but Lucas would, one of which is opulent. He finds more usual words and compares, not only the sentence structure but the words to one of Lucas essays and realizes Lucas is the one who rewrote Mr. Butler's essay and submitted to the college.
Mr. Butler confronts Lucas who denies everything. This is just the beginning of Lucas's revenge on Mr. Butler. Lucas's act of revenge keeps escalating until tragedy strikes.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The pace of the movie was perfect and you could definitely tell it is an independent film just based on the sound quality and lack of music throughout the film. This is what I love about indie films, the sound and lack of music, in addition to the low-quality film used to make to the movie. Everything seems real and I find acting in indie films to be better than those of A-list actors.
Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) as Lucas Ward provided the right kind of calm demeanor to the character to freak you out a bit.
My only issue with the movie was the ending. I felt there could have been more and should have been more. Because I don't want to give the ending away, I won't say any more about it.
I give the movie 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely give it another go soon.
He Loved Them All (2018)
Good Premise, Bad Execution
FIRST COMES MARRIAGE THEN A STALKER
Civil attorney Sara Ross (Katherine Bailess) marries Leo Friedman (Damon Dayoub) to whom she was introduced to by her best friend Parker Wyndham (Ali Corbin). Shortly after the marriage, Sara is stalked by an unknown person. It's not long before the person phones Sara to tell her that Leo isn't who he seems. Feeling that Sara didn't believe her she shows up at Sarah's house. The woman is Melinda Wells (Tiffany Hines), Leo's wife. But when she married him he went by another name. After they were married he drained her bank account forcing her to move out of her nice home and back to her roots.
At first, Sara didn't believe Melinda until she, Melinda, shows Sara a picture of Leo. Melinda tells Sara that she has hired a private investigator to track Leo down but she can't afford him. Melinda gives Sara an address and time to meet Melinda if Sara is interested in joining Melinda in uncovering Leo's true identity.
DISCOVERY THEN REVENGE
Sara discovers Leo's car at another woman's house when he's supposedly out of town. When she knew he was gone she visits the woman whose name is Cindy Steele, a model for an energy drink company. Sara tells Cindy everything, even about Melinda, Leo's first wife.
The three women with the help of the P.I. band together to find Leo. It's not before the P.I. tells and shows the women the body of his last wife he stabbed on their wedding night while she was still in her wedding dress. The women a!so learn of the various names Leo has used as well as the number of other women he has married.
This was another Lifetime Movie Network movie with a great storyline but bad execution. My main issue was the music throughout the entire movie. Not all movies need dramatic music to go along with the scene. This movie would have fared better without music being played during each scene. Whomever the engineer was on this movie needs another job for there were times the music was louder than the dialogue.
In addition, there were times when things didn't make sense. For instance, Sara would set the alarm at night, yet when the alarm went off she wouldn't hear it. I will admit the alarm sounded more like an alarm on a watch than an actual house alarm, which is another thing that didn't make sense.
The ending was off, as well. It seemed rushed to me. This is one of those movies, in the right hands, could have been really good. The right hands being better writers. As mentioned, this movie had a great premise, just executed badly and that's what they should have done to this movie, executed it!
A Daughter's Revenge (2018)
Well Played in All Aspects
SPOILER:
AFFAIRS AND A SUICIDE
Elle's (Jessica Sipos - Dark Matter TV series) father had an affair on her mother and it broke her mother's heart. It's not long before Elle's mother, Michelle (Claire Rankin - Molly's Game), remarries. The trauma of her husband stepping out on her, Elle's mother suspects her current husband, David (Linden Ashby - Teen Wolf TV series, Army Wives TV series), is doing the same. When she calls him at his hotel room and hears the distraction in his voice, she assumes he's stepping out on her, as well. She tells her daughter that David is having an affair. Michelle, feeling doubly heartbroken by this 'revelation', which isn't true, takes her own life. Elle soon finds her mother dead.
Believing her stepfather, David, is the cause of her mother's suicide, she seeks revenge on him. But to get the revenge she brings in an old high school friend. Enter Anna (Sierra Wooldridge - 12 Monkeys TV series, Anon).
GEORGIA PEACH, DUI'S, AND PRISON
Anna drives while intoxicated and is involved in an accident. To avoid a long prison sentence Anna takes a plea deal which will get her a six-month sentence, with three months off for good behavior. Elle receives a letter from Elle sending her condolences on her mother's passing. Elle sees an opportunity in Anna, to get revenge on her stepfather, David. But Anna is unaware she's part of a plan and not the kind heart of Elle.
Elle visits Anna in prison and offers her a place to stay, rent-free and a job at her stepdad's business. However, because Anna has been in prison, Elle asks her to come up with another name to use. Anna picks her middle name, Georgia. Now Anna is known at the office as Georgia.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND AND SET UP
Elle, Anna, and David are in New York on business and at a party. Elle says she's going to stay behind and asks David to give Anna a ride home, to which he agrees. On their way out the door, a photographer takes a picture of Anna and David. Step 1 in Elle's plan for revenge.
BUT THERE'S A HITCH
Cammy, an assistant in the office, asks Elle for some paperwork. Elle says she left it in the car and asks Cammy to get them, which Cammy does. While in Elle's car she finds the visitors badge from the prison Anna was an inmate of. Cammy takes the badge, does some research and up pops Anna' mug shot.
OTHER INCIDENTS
There are more incidents that happen, as planned and not planned, but it's all in the scheme of things and Elle's plan for revenge.
And through all of this, Elle is talking to her dead mother.
END RESULT
There was a statement made in the movie to the effect that Elle and her mother's relationship was strange. That their relationship was beyond mother daughter. It's made clear throughout the movie and definitely, in the end, they had a co-dependency on each other. But it's also made clear that Elle had a mental issue. The ending, in my opinion, could start a conversation in character study and the dependency people have on one another. I know I'm probably getting too deep for a Lifetime movie, but this one was pretty deep. Despite what was happening on the surface, the deep underlying story was there.
I'm chalking this one up to one of my favorites. It got a little choppy towards the end, as in things started happening too fast and seemed out of whack, but overall, it played out well.
A DAUGHTER'S REVENGE is currently streaming on Lifetime Movie Network.
Snatched (2018)
Dine Meyer Plays Wicked Good
THE DOCTOR IS OUT - OF HER MIND!
Evil Doctor aka Snatched (2018). Dr. Natalie Barnes (Dina Meyer - Lethal Seduction, The Magicians) is an OBGYN in the Los Angeles area. Her new patients are Matt (Coric Nemec, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Supernatural) and his wife Aubrey Lewis (Jen Lilley - Twin Betrayal, Days of Our Lives) are expecting a child and she was recommended by one of Matt's co-workers. Matt first meets Dr. Barnes in the lobby, unaware she's his wife's new doctor. They exchange hello's very briefly. It's in the examining room that Dr. Barnes tells Matt they he reminds her of someone she knows...her father.
NATALIE'S BACKGROUND
Natalie, who was named Cara, was kidnapped from a hospital in 1975 by a lady and her boyfriend. Eight years later she is found and returned to her biological parents. Her kidnapped father really loved Cara (she was Cara with the kidnappers) and called her is Princess. Natalie's biological father called her Princess as well, but it was right before he would molester her every night. The mother would turn a blind eye to everything and did nothing to help Natalie.
I SEE YOU
It's not long after the first meeting that Natalie begins to have her sights set on Matt. She methodically plans all her moves in which one causes Aubrey to bleed after she and Matt have sex. Thinking she might be having a miscarriage, they go see Dr. Nutcase, I mean Barnes, who tells them that Aubrey needs to be on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy, which means she's out of commission for five months. Dr. Barnes also informs them they can't have sex and "no orgasms of any kind". Not only does this keep Matt and Aubrey apart, but makes Matt more vulnerable to Dr. Barnes advances, to which he refuses, for a while at least.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The flow of the movie was perfect. The transition from one scene to another fit perfectly. I've witnessed movies, and yes on Lifetime Movie Network, in which scene seemed out of place. Almost like they were an afterthought, either while filming or in the editing room.
The acting was on spot by all involved. I became of fan of Dina Meyer after watching her in Truth and Lies (2014), another Lifetime Movie Network movie in which she played a detective whose daughter is getting threatening message to expose her secrets and the secrets of her friends. I also became a fan of Jen Lilley after seeing her in Twin Betray. You can read my review of Twin Betray on my blog.
And my other favorite actress, I've recently discovers is Lindsay Hartley (All My Children, Passions, Days of Our Lives). And to get all three of them in this movie was perfect for me. Then add Coric Nemec to the mix, made the movie even better. I grew up watching Coric and remember a very short lived show he starred in 1989 in called What's Alan Watching which lasted one season, if that. I remember how quirky it was. He would later star in another show called Parker Lewis Can't Lose, which lasted three seasons (1990-1993).
The reason for the rating is there were some really bizarre scenes in the movie that I found a bit odd, and that's saying a lot. I pride myself on welcoming the bizarre, but even these scenes were a bit much. However, this is what made the movie that more enjoyable and definitely stand out from the pact.
A Dangerous Date (2018)
I can deal with a lot of things but this movie is not one of those things - worst ever
Synopsis: A widower's daughter sets him up on an online dating site called RomanceMatch.
Story: Peter, 42, is a widower who is not really interested in dating. His college daughter, Julie, registers him for the online dating site called RomanceMatch. A little reluctant, Peter activates his account and immediately gets a message from Alexis.
DINNER AND A MATCH
Peter and Julie go out to dinner to celebrate her getting into college. At the restaurant's bar, there is a lady, who seems to be on a date, possibly a blind date, with Ian. When Peter and Julie enter the restaurant, the woman at the bar keeps staring at Peter and ignoring her date. At one point, being frustrated by her date's aggressiveness, she slaps him out of his bar stool, literally, and leaves the bar.
It's during this dinner that Julie tells her father she signed him up or the online dating site. He's not happy about it but he promises her he will give it a try.
When they get home, Peter activates his account and immediately gets a response from someone named Alexis. He accepts the connection but walks away from his computer, at which point a message pops that he doesn't see.
The next morning, Julie sees the message and reads it to her father. He's still not interested, even after Julie tells him she's hot. He leaves for work. Julie decides to answer the message acting as her father. The background music played during this scene is very telling. Imagine Alice (from Alice in Wonderland) skipping along, but we the viewer know the rabbit hole is about to open up and swallow here. The music is a bit bouncy with a touch of creepiness and warning of danger in it.
Through the message exchange, Julie, pretending to be her father, sets up a date with Alexis. Not only does she set up the date, she picks the restaurant as well. Talk about being overbearing and pushy. Whose the parent and whose the child here?
Peter is at the restaurant waiting for Alexis when in she walks. She looks better in her profile picture than in person, but don't we all. She's supposedly a surgeon (doesn't seem old enough to be one). If she is in the medical profession, which I doubt, she's more of a resident than a surgeon. But the truth about Lexi does come out. We do learn she's A RN - REGISTER NUTE!
Peter and Lexi, as she likes to be called, end up go back to his place and sleep together. Who would have seen that coming?
The next morning Julie meets Alexis and doesn't care for her. Alexis offers to drive Julie to her boyfriend's house. Julie introduces Alexis to Billy to which Alexis says to call her Lexi for all her friends do.
During an afternoon tryst, Peter tells Lexi he has to get back to work. This doesn't sit well with her and gives him the boo hoo story of having trust issues. Peter leaves Lexi alone in his house while heads back to work. BIG MISTAKE!! Nothing really earth shattering happens in this movie you wouldn't see coming, but I'm going to end the recap here.
ACTING: The acting by Brianna Joy Chomer (Julie) is lackluster. She really brought the movie down. Watching her was becoming unbearable, especially in her states of supposed anger. And don't get me started on Tom DeNucci who plays Billy. He seriously overacts even when saying Hi. The extras in the movie that have lines are just as bad. I guess that's why they are extras.
However, the acting by Jullian Murray (Code Black, Murder in the First) is spot on as a devious crazy person with no soul. Need I say more? But at times, not even Jullian could save this movie.
EDITING ISSUES: There's a scene where Peter is in his office and his assistance brings him some flowers. He tries to avoid her questions and remarks regarding the flowers by saying he has a lunch date but it looks to be evening outside. Yet, in the next scene, we clearly see it's daylight outside. See images below. The one on the left is when he receives the flowers is trying to leave. The image on the right is the next scene where it clearly daylight outside. they must have filmed the flower scene at night and the other scene during the day, edited them together thinking no one would notice.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This movie has a good premise but a horrible execution as far as the actors chosen. Not to mention the flow of the movie. It seemed choppy and the ending came off rushed. As mentioned, the only one whose acting was believe able was Jullian Murray (crazy ass Lexi).
This is one movie I won't recommend to anyone. Usually, if a movie is bad, I will still recommend it because the outcome is worth the suffering and constant eye rolling from us, the viewers. But in this case, I did the suffering and eye-rolling for everyone. I took one for the team. You're welcome
A Dangerous Game came out in 2018 and should go right back in to never be seen again. Ugh!
Stalked by a Reality Star (2018)
Worth Watching
Kendra, a high school student, and her mother, a nurse, spend their Thursday nights watching a bachelor type show. The star of the show is Brad, a very good looking man who is in search of the perfect woman to spend the rest of his life with.
Misha, Kendra's friend, has tickets and fake ID's for them to get into the hottest party in town where producers and agents will be attending. And with both Misha and especially Kendra, wanting to be actresses, this is the perfect opportunity for them to meet some of the powers that be. The only problem is, the party is on a Thursday, and Kendra is already in trouble with her mother for sneaking out the house before. In addition, it's their TV watching night. With Kendra being in trouble with her mother, she will be unable to attend the party.
It's now Thursday. Kendra and her mother are watching their show when they get into an argument. The argument sends Kenda dashing to her room where she texts Misha to say she wants to go to the party. Misha said she'll pick Kendra up in 30 minutes.
Misha and Kendra arrive at the party with fake ID's in hand and hit the bar immediately to order a dirty martini. I'm not sure who thought a dirty martini would scream classy when writing the script, but it screamed desperation. Moving on.
Misha goes to talk to a producer, leaving Kendra at the bar alone, but not for long. Soon Brad, from her favorite reality show, shows up and she doesn't know what to do with herself. While they are talking Brad's manager gets him to mingle with some people she feels will help his career. When he leaves, Kendra is feeling guilty about sneaking out the house and wants to go home, but she can't find Misha. It's during her search that Brad catches up to her and they begin talking again. It's not long afterward that Brad offers to take her home. What Brad doesn't know is that Kendra is really a 17-year-old high school student.
Brad and Kendra go on their first date and his true colors start coming out. Being the cautious person she is, Kendra takes note and keeps it filed in the back of her head. After dinner, Brad takes Kendra backs to his place where he begins to come on strong to her. The more she asks him to stop the more he doesn't stop. Kendra is finally able to break free and leave but not before she blurts out she's really 17. Her age doesn't seem to faze Brad and he comes to her even stronger. Kendra is finally able to break free and leave and this is the beginning of the stalking by Brad.
I really enjoyed this movie. This was the second good Lifetime Movie Network movie I saw on Saturday. The first being Her Dark Past, which I will do a review on. The acting by both Emily Bader as Kendra and Robert Scott Wilson as Brad were very believable. Asia Jackson as Misha annoyed me a little and as did Zach played by Jordan Doww. With latter two mentioned aside, the movie was well put together. Wilson's portrayal of someone not playing with a full desk was scary. He had some menacing looks that were believable and definitely didn't seemed forced. I hope to see this guy in more movies in these type of roles. I feel the same way about Bader. I hope to see her in more Lifetime movies, for just as with Ashley Scott, Jason-Shane Scott, and Dina Meyer (to name a few), she would be the reason I watch the movie.
Here's something I noticed. As mentioned, Kendra and her mother watched a bachelor type reality show on Thursday nights. On LifetimeTV (a kin to Lifetime Movie Network) there's a show called UnREAL which is a drama about what goes on behind the scenes of these bachelor reality shows. One of the main characters in the show is Rachel, played by Shiri Appleby. What I found odd is Bader (Kendra) looks a lot like Appleby (Rachel from UnREAL).
Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar (2016)
Online Grooming At It's Best - Very Heartbreaking
2014 February
Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar. In 2014 February, a 14-year-old Breck Bednar left his house, telling his parents he was going to his friend's Tom's house. While there, he informed his parents he was having a good time eating pizza and wanted to stay the night. His parents didn't object. It was later the next day, his parents would learn that Breck was not at Tom's house, but rather, in Essex....dead.
IN THE BEGINNING
Breck Bednar was a gamer, and quite a good one. He attended St. Bede's School and had a number of close friends who were gamers as well. Each day after school they would each go to their respective houses and get online and play Minecraft, as well as Battlefield 3. This was a small group of friends until Lewis Daynes came into the picture.
LEWIS DAYNES: SHEEP IN WOLF'S CLOTHING
Lewis prowled online games, starting with Minecraft. Minecraft was a place he could meet young boys between the age 14 and 15. The shared game among all the guys, including Lewis was Battlefield 3. Lewis claimed to own a server and made himself seem bigger than he was. The only person falling for it was Breck.
Lewis said he was 16 and owned a computer company and was a computer engineer (programmer). when in reality he was 18, unemployed and living in a not-so-good part of Essex.
THE GROOMING
When Lewis met Breck he learned that Breck wanted to be a computer programmer. This was the start of the grooming. But Breck wasn't Lewis's only target. Lewis had about 300 boys in his sites, but was able to quickly narrow his target to Breck, and did it quickly. For 8 months to a year, Lewis was in constant contact with Breck through online games. At first, their conversations were for all to hear, meaning Breck's friends. But soon Lewis moved those conversations to private chats just between him and Breck.
It's during the private chats that Lewis started alienating Breck from his friends. He began telling Breck that he overheard conversations with his friends and how they didn't like Breck. Once he, Lewis, was able to get Breck's friends out of the picture, he had to work on one more person; Breck's mom.
BRECK'S MOM
Breck's mom always kept tabs on her son when he was on the computer, which was most of the time. She wasn't meddling at all and gave him his space, but wanted to make sure her son wasn't in any mischief. She didn't think much of Lewis when she first met him, via chat only. But she had a funny feeling about just the same.
During one of Breck's private chat sessions with Lewis, Breck's mother asked him to do some chores. In Breck's other ear was Lewis telling Breck he didn't need to do the chores. Lewis also told Breck he didn't need to go to church. Breck's mother finally had a chat with Lewis telling him Breck is her son and she'll raise him as she sees fit. After this, Breck's mother called the police to see if Lewis Daynes was known to them and he was. Lewis was a pedophile (or as the Brits say it pee-do-file). This information was not known the Breck. Why Breck's mother didn't tell him, I don't know. I don't think it would have made an impact on Breck or he wouldn't believe it.
I'M GIVING YOU MY BUSINESS
As mentioned, Lewis was in constant contact with Breck, via chat or emails. The chats were either via messaging or via headphones. Lewis said everything he thought Breck wanted to hear how smart Breck is, how he would be a great computer programmer and all.
Lewis told Breck he was sick and he needed to get rid of his business. Breck was the person he wanted to give his business too. After all the compliments and confidence Lewis instilled in Breck, Breck didn't question why a supposed 18-year-old would be giving an inexperienced 14-year-old his business. Breck was shocked and excited at this prospect. Lewis told Breck that he (Breck) needed to come see Lewis so they could finalize everything.
ESSEX, NOT TOM'S HOUSE
The day Breck said he was going to Tom's house he was really on his way to Essex in a cab. Essex was 30 miles from where Breck lived. All that's known of that fateful night Lewis had plans to sexual assault Breck and possibly kill him. What exactly happened is not clear, but Breck was stabbed in the side of the neck with a knife and died.
Lewis tried to get rid of evidence by put his and Breck's phone, along with computer hard drives in a sink of water. What Lewis didn't know was Breck had is iPad with him that was found in the bottom of his backpack. This iPad held a lot of incriminating evidence against Lewis by way of emails. The tone of the emails and the spotted grooming that was done.
Lewis would get life in prison for the murder of Breck Bednar.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This docudrama did a great job of telling the story through Breck's friends, his mother, father and his siblings (two sisters and a younger brother). The story was also told through re-enactments of conversations between Lewis and Breck. The re-enactments were done in a half human, half animated type fashion that made the interactions more creepier.
Mistress Hunter (2018)
The Hunt is On and So Are the Twists
Mistress Hunter tells the story of Jackie, a housewife, who thinks her husband might be stepping out on her. When she hired the Mistress Hunter to get the goods on him, she gets more than she bargained for.
JACKIE'S SUSPICIONS
Jackie has been getting the feeling that something is not right with her husband, Karl (Martin Copping, Zombie Hunter, Hand of God), for he keeps telling her that never has time for lunch. One particular day, Jackie calls Karl's job (I forget the reason) but learns that he has an appointment during lunch he's had set for a while. Jackie decides to go to his job and follow him to see where he's going and follows him to an apartment building in which a woman greets him at her door. This crushes Jackie.
YOU CAN COUNT ON US
Jackie is at Valerie's house (played by Laura Plaxco, Superstore, Shameless), where another friend of hers, Melanie is there as well (played by Christy Meyers, Black-ish, Scandal). Jackie begins pouring her heart out to her friends about Karl stepping out on her and she's not sure how long this has been going on and so forth. Valerie suggests she hires the mistress hunter to get more information on Karl. Jackie is a bit skeptical, mostly because the word 'hunter' in mistress hunter sounds a bit harsh. Valerie explains that's just her handle, but that she's the best in town. Melanie, on the other hand, is not to keen on the idea. Jackie wants to think about it.
WHERE DO I FIND THIS MISTRESS HUNTER
Remember Karl has been telling Jackie that he's been stuck at the office and not able to take a lunch. Jackie, being suspicious, and even more suspicious since she caught him, calls his office (I forgot the reason why, but it was a ploy) to which she is told he's out to lunch that he's had booked for some time. That evening when Karl comes home, she tells him she called the office only to learn he's at lunch. He states some clients come into town at the last minute and therefore, the lunch was last minute. LIE! After this blatant lie, Jackie decides she wants to hire the mistress hunter and asks Valerie for her contact information.
WAREHOUSE WHERE ARE YOU?
The mistress hunter Hannah (Lydia Look, Deadpool, Rush Hour, General Hospital) has an office in the warehouse but does not provide a phone number, only an address. Jackie arrives to find Hannah's office in the back of the warehouse. Jackie tells Hannah her story to which Hannah gives her some advice and some disclaimer's, some of which require Jackie to do some snooping herself. Jackie feels if she's going to snoop at well why hire Hannah. But Hannah gives her more information and tells Jackie she can either hire her or not. After thinking about it Jackie decides to hire Hannah.
MORE THAN JACKIE BARGAINED FOR
Hannah is the type of person who will find you when she needs to and this throws Jackie off a bit for Hannah shows at odd places at odd times dressed as various professions. Jackie starts getting a little spooked about this but is told by Hannah that this is how she does business. During these encounters, Hannah provides Jackie with information she's seeking but also asks Jackie to acquire certain physical information for Hannah. It's during of these expeditions (by Hannah) that Jackie learns that her husband has been stepping out on her with a number of women. Not at the same time, mind you. He gets rid of one and has another one waiting in the wings. His current is a lady named Beth, who doesn't know he's married and has a child.
TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME
The more Hannah has Jackie do the more Jackie starts becoming a different person, and goes for the juggler herself, starting with Beth. And the more she does the more Melanie starts to see a difference in Jackie and is not comfortable with everything going on. It's at this point that Melanie decides to distance herself from both Valerie and Jackie. Jackie, too, feels she's gone to drastic measures to get the goods on her husband but feels she's justified in doing so and continues on, with the support of Valerie.
FINAL THOUGHT
I really enjoyed this movie. As I've mentioned in other posts, Lifetime has been coming through with some pretty good movies lately. Some still lack the acting chops, the writing and execution of these movies are really good, and Mistress Hunter does not disappoint at all. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning for I thought this was going to another perdictable movie. But once she hired Hannah, the movie picked up and so did the twists.
I loved Hannah. She was sarcastic and brutal at times, but she got the job done. The way she acted at times, I thought there was something dodgy about her, but she turned out to be on the up and up. She provided her backstory to Jackie and how she got into the mistress hunter business. After hearing her story, you understood her actions better.
It was the friends, Valerie and Melanie, that had me a bit suspicious on their motives for why they did what they did. Why did Valerie suggest the mistress hunter to Jackie and why did Melanie not support Jackie, even when she was she was going hardcore? When a murder takes place and Jackie is on the top of the suspect list, things get even more interesting.
Mistress Hunter is currently playing on Lifetime Movie Network. Check your local listing. I highly recommend this movie.
Deadly Delusion (2017)
Haylie Duff Does It Again in Deadly Delusion
Julia, who had a good childhood until the murder of her parents, on, what seems, a spiral downfall in her adult life. When her boyfriend gets a well paying executive job at a movie studio, she and he lease a house in upscale Los Angeles. Julia and her boyfriend Shane hopes the movie to a new place will help Julie with her issues, mainly her delusions of someone always after her.
Julia (Haylie Duff, The Bachelor Next Door, Bad Twin, His Secret Family) has been suffering nightmare, both in sleep and waking hours, of someone after her. When she tries to tell her boyfriend Shane (Mike Faiola, Psycho In-Law, Awkward TV series, Bones TV series) he thinks she has delusions for the person she claims is after her can never be found. Shane has been supporting Julia with her delusions while Julia is seeing a mental doctor named Dr. Leary (played by Teri Polo, The Fosters TV series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).
Shane is able to obtain a nice house in upscale Los Angels through his boss while getting a promotion at work as an executive at a movie studio, as already mentioned. This house is in a new city for Julia, in which Shane hopes will allow her to focus on her job as a fashion photographer while giving her a new place to help with her recovery. Her doctor is just a video conference away, which Shane insists she contacts when she's feeling a bit off.
DIFFERENT PLACE, SAME DELUSIONS
The delusions, or illusions, Julia has of someone after her don't slow down, but rather, seem to be getting worse. She constantly in video conferences with Dr. Leary and calling her husband at work throughout the day. The illusions aren't just of people after her, but of snakes in her bathroom and noises, she hears in the house.
Shane, being the ever loving boyfriend, tries to assure Julia that there isn't anything going on. When she tells him someone is in the house, he checks to find no one there. When Julia feels they are being watched, he proves to her that that's not true either, even when she begins pulling the Network cable from the ceiling claiming it's a cable to a hidden video camera. The cable, he tells her, is to the TV and he shows her. Everything Julia says or shows Shane, he is able to show or tell her the opposite
NOT EVERYTHING IS AT IT SEEMS
As with Mistress Hunter, this movie had a lot going on as far as twists. When Julia does some snooping on her own because she knows she's not crazy, she discovers a lot of secrets, which only has us, the viewers, wondering what's going on. But the more Julia learns the more we think we're going to crazy.
The delusions or illusions (however you want to label them) are real for Julia, but not by way of her mind playing tricks on her. They are man-made illusions but the reason for the mind games is very surprising and makes you wonder about people as if I don't wonder about them as it is.
FINAL THOUGHT
I love me some Haylie Duff, the older sister of Hillary Duff. Ever since I saw her in His Secret Family (2015), I have watched all of her psychological movies on LifetimeTV or Lifetime Movie Network. I think she's a fantastic actress and she doesn't disappoint in Deadly Delusion aka The Lease. Haylie brings her characters to life to where you feel what they are feeling and want to help. When someone wrongs her in a movie you want to help her get even with that person. This is the type of actress she is.
Haylie made this movie for me. It's one of the reasons I watched it. But when the twists started coming about and the final twist happened at the end, I put this movie on top of my list of another great movie from Lifetime. I saved this movie on my DVR, as I did with Mistress Hunter, to watch again.
Deadly Delusion aka The Lease is currently playing on LifetimeTV and must see.