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Secrets at the Museum (2023)
Talented Young Artists Caught Up in a Melodrama
The focus of the film was on a group of young painters whose greatest aspiration is to have their work displayed at the distinguished Freeman museum.
A problem with the screenplay was that the narrative design was overly complicated. It was not clear why young Natalie Freeman would change her name, then suddenly revert back to the surname of Freeman after the death of her father.
Another troublesome aspect of the film was the substandard quality of the paintings. Some were truly appalling. It was difficult to believe some of these ghastly works were considered masterpieces worth millions and subject to the work of skilled forgers.
The romantic connection between Natalie and Alex was underdeveloped and strained. Each character was withholding vital information in their secrets. By the end, it was difficult to believe they could so easily patch things up and let bygones be bygones.
Although the pacing of the film was effective, the acting was rather wooden and the exterior footage was unimaginative. Even the grand Freeman institute did not look like a real museum.
The Book Club Murders (2024)
Who Is Alethia?
The name Alethia is derived from the Greek word meaning truth. In the film, the word is appropriated by an anonymous sociopath sending threatening letters of revenge to members of the community.
Those receiving the letters are part of the Back Forty Book store reading club which is run by Wendy Novak. Her newest member is Natalie Johnston, a widow, living with her taciturn teenage daughter, Gwendolyn Eleanor "GG" Johnston.
The focus of this thriller is the mother-daughter relationship of Natalie and GG. Both are recovering from the tragic death of Natalie's husband, who died in a home fire. We know that the fire was set by author of the Alethia letters due to the film's prologue.
A shortcoming of the film was the absence of creepiness among the members of this incestuous community. The only character with an edge was Sadie, the wife of the inept detective investigating the poison pen letters of Alethia.
There also was not enough genuine affection registered between Natalie and GG. The mom withheld the psycho's letter addressed to GG, which was a mistake. It turns out that GG is the best detective equipped to discover the mystery of who is Alethia.
This was a routine, but fairly watchable thriller. Due to the bad blood in this community, it was surprising that the book club was still functioning at the end.
Betrayed by Love (2024)
Sunflowers and Donuts
Two of the favorite objects of Riley March were sunflowers and donuts. Those details figure only in the fond memories of one sister for another.
Riley was married to an ambitious developer named Adam, and the couple had a beautiful son Cody. But after Riley died in an inexplicable auto accident, her sister Carrie, a True Crime reporter, believes there was foul play.
The film unfolded around an interesting set of characters, including the nanny Lana, who may have a love interest in Adam; Riley's wayward ex-boyfriend Johnny Valentine; Carrie's research assistant Allison; and Carrie's detective friend Dylan.
Carrie draws upon her investigative skills to unravel the story of her sister's death. The performances were first-rate, and there was a heartfelt connection felt by Carrie for her deceased sister.
The conclusion unfolded with the take-charge Carrie outclassing her detective friend, as Carrie really did her homework to discover who was betrayed by love and who was responsible for the betrayal. Rest in peace, Riley March, and may the brightest sunflowers and most delicious donuts serve to recall your all-too-brief life.
The Girl Who Wasn't Dead (2024)
Erica Christine Bennett: Missing!
Erica Christine Bennett is a brat. At age fifteen, she decides to run away from home without a word to her caring mother. Erica shacks up with twenty-one-year-old Andrew, and the pair of lovers succeed in keeping up the charade for nearly four years.
There was an unconvincing Romeo and Juliet approach to the drama that failed to identify the utterly irresponsible conduct of Erica and her lover. The frantic mother Carrie spent years in a relentless search for her daughter. And it was preposterous to believe that this teenager would remain holed up in Andrew's home for over three years with no other human contact.
Without any forensic evidence, the police mistakenly identified Erica as a murder victim. A tearful Andrew even attended his girlfriend's funeral! And Erica's grand return to "civilization" is her appearance at court as an eyewitness to exonerate her alleged killer!
The filmmakers could have probed much deeper into the absence of values that would lead a young woman to knowingly inflict so much pain on her family members. While the drama was apparently inspired by true events, the approach was overly sentimental. When Erica and Andrew show up for a nice family reunion at the end, the jovial atmosphere was far from convincing.
Parole contre parole (2017)
The Ideology of Victimization
The Amazon Prime title of "The Wrong Victim" was not even close to the translation of the French film "Parole contre parole," which would be better served as "Word Against Word" or, more to the point of the film, "His Word Against Her Word."
The protagonist Laura Wagner is a skilled autioneer of high-scale art works. She makes the mistake of visiting the "country house" of Guillaume, one of her clients, where she is brutally raped.
The conceit of the film is tied to a legal conundrum. If Laura comes forward to accuse her assailant, he will have an alibi in the murder of his wife. If she chooses to remain silent, Guillaume may be completely exonerated if it is proven that he is innocent of murder.
With the intensity of Javert's relentless pursuit of Jean Valjean, the hard-boiled detective Besson is shadowing Laura not with the intent of entrapping her in a lie. Instead, Besson, whose own wife was a rape victim who took her own life, seeks a confession from Laura that will be the first step for her in getting the help she needs and deserves as a victim.
In arc of the film's action, the dramatic elements fell flat due to the predictable, routine messaging of the current elitist, progressive ideology. This film belongs in the same category of the preachy Hollywood films of the same ilk. Another loose translation of the film's title might be: "In Praise of Victimhod."
There's a New Killer in Town (2024)
Alice's Restaurant
In the sleepy little town of Pine Point, all roads lead to a greasy spoon restaurant called the Double R Diner. It is there that Alice hangs out with her bestie Holly, who is the proprietor. Into their lives comes a drifter who calls herself Ronnie Baxter. But there are profound secrets inside all three of the women.
There was good psychological tension building in the triangulated relationship of Alice, Holly, and Ronnie. The situation is exacerbated when it is revealed that Ronnie Baxter is actually Lisa Powell, a small-time hustler and identity thief.
The screenplay was well-crafted with effective dramatic twists. As the psychological layers were peeled away, it was revealed that the three women actually lived troubled and miserable lives. The three actresses were terrific, and it is likely that they enjoyed developing their subtext and interacting on the set.
The decent and sympathetic cop, Oscar Ramirez, served as an excellent counterpoint to the troubled lives of the three women. The poor cop was enmeshed in the cat-and-mouse game among (a) a grifter; (b) a cold-blooded killer; and (c) a psychologically savvy victim hell-bent on revenge.
The filming was effective with close-ups that revealed the mysteries always lurking behind the surface of mundane activities in the Double R. Diner. And, astoundingly, the story was inspired by true events!
The filmmakers even left enough wiggle room for a possible sequel that would reunite the three inimitable amigas of Pine Point: Alice, Holly, and Ronnie!
Deadly Appearances (2000)
Wolf River Mystery
In this Joanne Kilbourn mystery yarn, the members of the Wolf River community are enormously troubled people. Nearly every character seems depressed and is harboring a deep, dark secret.
The focus is on Joanne's old friend Andy, who is a prominent political candidate. Unfortunately for Andy, he too is troubled with a secret, and, in part because of his unwillingness to disclose the truth about himself, he is murdered, along with Lori, a young, innocent woman who may have been his lover.
A major problem with this film is that there were so many characters for a 90-minute made-for-television movie that it was difficult to keep them all straight. It was never even made clear whether the large brood of Kilbourn youngsters were Joanne's children or her grandchildren.
The numerous suspects included (1) the weirdo Damon; (2) Eve, the loveless wife of Andy; (3) the tortured man of the cloth, Reverend Soren Eames; and (4) the mean-spirited political manager Rick Spencer. But even (5) Carey, the little vegetable son of Andy, is suspicious.
The film was not successful as a who-dunnit. Rather, it was an endurance test just to arrive at the end and try to assemble a jigsaw puzzle of strange characters and relationships. Wolf River is not a sleepy little community that one would ever want to visit. Rather, it is a modern Peyton Place.
Non-Stop (2013)
A Good Popcorn Film
In the opening scene of the film, we learn that Miss Amy Nightengale is the able assistant of Dr. Halperin, a bestselling author. But Amy must make a quick exit as controversy swirls around Dr. Halperin. With the copies of his new manuscript in hand on a hard drive, Amy boards a play for the safety of Zurich, Switzerland.
There was a clever concept on the part of the filmmakers in making almost everyone Amy meets to be sinister. The characters on the plane were well-developed, and the action was effectively paced.
A shortcoming of the screenplay was that it was never revealed how many on board the plane were part of the plot to set up Amy. Even the small child appeared to be malicious in suggesting that Amy was crazy. And the female flight attendant was so nasty that she also appeared to be part of the conspiracy.
Still, this was a good popcorn film. Lacey Chabert was great in the role of Amy, and there was a nice twist about her character revealed at the end.
Killer Heat (2024)
Monozygotic Twins
It would be difficult to imagine any more beleaguered and downtrodden private investigator than Nick Bali, who is hired to look into a recent death on a remote Greek island.
Nick is hired by Penelope Vardakis, who is played nicely by Shailene Woodley. Ever since her days as a struggling bartender, Penelope has had a conflicted relationship between the monozygotic twins, Leo and Elias Vardakis. She is married to the controlling Elias, but Leo has recently taken a fall of the cliff to his death.
Ruled an accident by the local authorities, the death of Leo is studied by the hard-drinking Nick, who comes immediately to a different conclusion: Leo was murdered!
There was good film footage on the beautiful Mediterranean island and a solid batch of characters. Unfortunately, the plot becomes overly complicated. Discriminating viewers may need to consult various "Ending Explained" websites to sort out the convoluted climax. One of the keys to understanding the story is that Leo and Elias are monozygotic twins.
The film is worth seeing for one of our favorite actresses. Shailene's character is intriguing as she is troubled with many secrets not revealed until the very end. This concludes my review, as I will now begin to search out an "Ending Explained" article.
Deadly DILF (2023)
Don't Blame It on Rio
Elysium Toiffe is proud of her name because Elysium means heaven. But her behavior in this disturbing domestic drama is far from heavenly.
After the tragic death of her father, Elysium, a track star in college, takes a liking to the handsome married neighbor next door. She shamelessly seduces Rio, then plays the role of the "scorned woman" when he breaks off the relationship. The "fury" inside Elysium is then turned loose on the boy next door.
Rio is married to Tori, who is a hard-working manager of a gym. There was a lot of "eye candy" in the scenes of the gym with the well-sculpted athletes working out.
Another reviewer on this site perceptively labeled the film a "home-wrecking thriller." This is an apt description of a grim story of how Elysium dismantled her neighbors.
The film needed some levity or irony to complement the somber tone. The film's title had some sly humor, but the film itself was a one-note melodrama.
Even the final moments where Elysium is in a mausoleum confessing to the remains of her father that she "messed up" could have been played in a number of ways that offered a more adventuresome reading, indicating either that (a) she felt genuine remorse (i.e., "Dad, I have decided to turn myself into the police and confess my crimes") or (b) she took glee in her accomplishments (i.e., "Dad, I'm working on a screenplay entitled 'Blame it on Rio, the Sequel").
It was also never made clear why the hapless man next door ended up in an orange jumpsuit. The authorities should have come around to this simple conclusion: Don't blame it on Rio!
The Face I Can't Forget (2024)
A Good Amnesia Film
Mia Keller is a bestselling author of romance novels. But when she is involved in a serious auto accident, she loses her memory. When she is in recovery in the hospital, she is greeted by her husband Jesse. The major dramatic question involves the slow recovery of Mia's memory and the realization about her unorthodox family situation.
In the character of Mia Keller, there was a good central focus in her piecing together her personal history. She was aided by the kind physical therapist Erin. It was unfortunate that the likable Erin and the devoted fan Wade became collateral damage, dropping out the film before they could help restore Mia's memory.
Both the husband Jesse and the daughter Madison raised suspicions early on. Jesse seemed overly eager to "protect" Mia. And Madison expressed an undo urgency for Mia to pay her hefty tuition at NYU.
The quick-thinking Mia was able to fit the pieces of her life's puzzle together, and it was not a very pretty picture. While the film was routine and predictable, there was nonetheless a heartfelt connection between mother and daughter, the latter of which was the face that her mom could not forget, even with amnesia.
Out of Line (2001)
The Best Parole Officer Ever!
Regarding the film's title, nearly every character in this film seemed to be stepping "out of line."
Jenny Capitanas (Ms. C) is the parole officer who gets cozy with one of her ex-cons. The film's action is driven by the torrid love connection between the vulnerable Ms. C and the hardened criminal Henri Brulé.
While the narrative was preposterous almost to the point of comedy, the two leads were excellent with Jennifer Beals as the hopeless romantic P. O. and Henri as the savvy ex-con taking advantage of her.
Holt McCallany was great in his transformation from the ex-con Henri Brulé who becomes the suave gentlemen and opera connoisseur Henry Burns.
The funniest scene was when the oafish Henri was working up the courage to awkwardly put his arm around Ms. C. while seated in the darkened auditorium of the opera house.
The action was fast-paced and the film held together nicely as no one seemed willing or able to stay in line.
Mommy's Stolen Memories (2023)
Body Snatchers
Mallory Brooks and her husband Reese are deeply concerned when their little boy Billy is approached by a stranger named Samantha. The 30-year-old woman has approached the child on multiple occasions and has even given him a gift. Understandably, the parents are worried that their child may be kidnapped.
The drama is complicated because Mallory is in recovery from having suffered three strokes. After taking a bad fall, she has lost her memory. The film's flashback scenes were effective as fragmentary images from her past began to return to Mallory.
It was unfortunate that Linda, the enormously likable best friend of Mallory, became collateral damage in the course of the action. Linda was researching the background of Samantha when she was senselessly murdered.
The gloomy atmosphere of the film was underscored by the winter snow on the ground in the outdoor scenes. There was also good dramatic tension evoked as Mallory began to piece together her past.
Along with the snow, the excellent performances added to the chilling nature of this thriller with an eerie credibility of a family drama. A sense of doom hovered over the most mundane activities of the Brooks family with a shattering effect, making this film one that is hard to forget.
The Past Comes Knocking (2024)
Collateral Damage
A reviewer on this site aptly described this film as "nothing crazy or fancy." Indeed, it was a good, little mystery with a strong protagonist in Susan Shaw, a former investigative journalist and now a superstar professor.
There was a good romantic connection of Susan and her colleague Thomas Darby. Although Thomas was not very credible as an economics professor, there was good chemistry between the two lonely hearts.
Another interesting character was Zoe Brooks, the little waitress who makes a good pot of coffee. But her greater strength is how she ingratiates herself with Susan, becoming her assistant at the university.
Susan ended her career as a journalist because of the collateral damage incurred to innocent parties connected to the transgressors she was investigating. One of those instances was the Darte case where the man Susan exposed took his life and left his family members bereft.
There was good action in revealing a certain karma when an episode in Susan's past comes back to haunt her. The performances were solid and there were excellent locations chosen for this well-crafted thriller.
Boon (2022)
Saints and Sinners
"Boon" was primarily an action film. But there was also an attempt to identify a moral compass in world filled with depravity.
Neal McDonough was good in the role of Boon, a man of the cloth who has become a hired killer. The action takes place in the Pacific Northwest, where Boon comes to the rescue of a widow minister in a small town.
While nearly everyone in the community is mercenary and amoral, there is bonding between the widow Catherine and Boon, as both characters have sinned, but are seeking some degree of redemption.
"Boon" may not be a great film. But there was an earnest approach to a serious topic in the dialectic of saints and sinners.
Las hermanas fantásticas (2024)
Heartwarming and Endearing
The strength of "Unlucky Sisters" was the charm of the two sisters as they slowly but inexorably bonded.
The two young women at first did not know they were sisters. They were brought together with the unexpected death of their father whom they both had not seen in years.
When the two women visit the apartment of the deceased, they discover an enormous stash of euros in a secret space. The remainder of the film is a madcap experience of dashing about the city with large bags of cash.
There was not much action in a screenplay that included a lot of padding. Even the villains were harmless. But there was a warm sense of how the two young women were brought together as the each discovered a long-lost sister. This one is worth a watch as a "feel good" movie.
When Mom Becomes a Murderer (2024)
The Ultimate Smother Mother
It is not a good idea to be close to Mrs. Marion Bevon when one is standing on the edge of a cliff.
Marion's daughter Eleanor (Ellie) is about to graduate from high school. One of her classmates, Nancy Meyers, is pushed off Gibb's Lookout and tumbles to her death. Marion is the high school counselor who has recently been placed on leave after a complaint was filed by Nancy. Marion's necklace is found at the crime scene.
Later in the film, Marion and Ellie go for a hike in the mountains for some mother-daughter bonding. At one point, Ellie approaches the edge of a cliff with Marion directly in back of her. The dramatic tension is gripping.
One has to feel for poor Ellie Bevan. Her father is the high school principal. And her mother is the school's "counselor." She might be a good counselor, but as a mom, she is a total control freak.
Another reviewer on this site indicated that her husband turned his nose up at this film. But after leaving the room, he returned, drawn to Ellie's story like a moth to a light bulb. You too must tune in to learn the true story of the ultimate smother mother.
A Model Murder (2024)
Klassy Kara is #1!
Kara Woods in an erstwhile internet "model" and influencer. She is also an aspiring actress who never gets a call for a bona fide acting audition. With her career stalled, she suddenly finds herself talking into her computer while confronted by a stalker.
It was preposterous to think that this struggling model with the user name of "Klassy Kara" would be residing in a multi-million-dollar mansion in the Hollywood hills.
Another shortcoming of the film was that the villain was identified so early that the action became predictable and strained. For example, how did the sinewy Cody get the drop on the hulky athlete Gabriel and pummel him in the Locomotive night club?
The actors appeared to have a great time in chewing the scenery in this outlandish melodrama. The two L. A. detectives added a snarky touch, including the moment they ordered a SWAT team to break into Kara's home and arrest her! The best line in the film was spoken by the female detective who, in the climactic scene with Kara disrobing in her bedroom, was wondering what clues in the case would soon be "revealed."
My Son's Deception (2024)
Eyes Wide Shut
Maria Dawes is a widow struggling to keep her restaurant ("Moments") in operation. Without informing her son Jackson, she squanders his college fund that has been saved due to the efforts of his late father Harry. Maria also snoops in Jackson's sports bag to discover a strange animal mask.
The mask has been worn by Jackson at a high brow club called the Blue Fox. While it is never made explicit what transpires at the club, the activities are likely similar to the kinky escapades of Stanley Kubrick's film "Eyes Wide Shut."
Young Jackson takes away large stashes of cash from donning the mask and "entertaining" older women. But unlike the Kubrick film, we are never treated to any of the intimacies. We only know that the following day at practice, the young soccer star Jackson is exhausted from his "work" at the club.
A problem with the film was that the characters were not likable. The action was predictable, and there was a sloppy final confrontation in the production values. The "climax" was nothing like the shenanigans that typically occur at the Blue Fox parties. Rather, the choreography was dreadful in a mad chase around the facility with multiple vases cracked over the skull of the villain.
The film either needed an outrageous over-the-top style appropriate to the unusual dramatic material, or more carefully developed realism in the action that stretched credibility from start to finish.
Secret Life of a Sorority Girl (2024)
Hellooooooo, Dolly!!!
Cheryl Collins is the "Teacher of the Year" in math. But she chooses to earn some extra money by taking a side job as a pole dancer!
Actually, Ms. Collins is on an undercover mission to discover the whereabouts of her missing 18-year-old daughter Ashley, who lost her college scholarship and began working the pole at the Pegasus Club.
The mom came to be known as "Miss Bookworm" in her stage persona at the club. One of the best characters in the film was the "madam" supervisor of the dancers, named Dolly. It turns out that Dolly has a son who is a student in Cheryl's high school math class. The film abounds with coincidences like this one.
There was a wild, over-the-top approach to the drama with a jaw-dropping ending that included a mother-and-daughter "duo" performed privately for a couple of VIPs. The film is worth the watch for this highly entertaining "climax." There is no cover charge, but tips are welcomed for the pole dancers.
Killer Design (2022)
The Wrong Assistant
This film was built around the formula of the Lifetime film series of "The Wrong _________ ." The structure of these films is that of a trusting and gullible soul who makes an error in judgment in letting an individual into one's life who turns out to be a complete psycho.
In this case, Jodi Shaw is a talented interior designer who is saved from a mugging by young Wendy Richards. Jodi buys Wendy coffee, gives her a job, and allows her to move into her palatial San Francisco home. Her largesse should have ended with the coffee.
Jodi's friends attempt to warn her about disturbing elements of Rachel. But the unsuspecting Jodi does not pay heed. As a result, her friends start dropping like flies.
The film was successful in developing a strong central character in Jodi, who was a model of kindness and charity. But the screenplay was untidy in resolving all of the plot strands. It was never clear if Jodi's wayward fiancé Eric ever woke up from his coma. And the viewer was left in the dark about the fate of Jodi's bestie Monica, who was clobbered on the head with a wine bottle.
There was some nice footage of San Francisco in the transitional scenes. But it was never believable that Jodi's modest job as an interior designer would have permitted her to purchase a home in the city by the bay that rivaled that of William Randolph Hearst.
Trigger Warning (2024)
Elvis Has Left the Building ... Finally!
In a shack in East Tupolo, Mississippi, there were twins born to Gladys and Vernon Presley. The boys' names were Jesse Garon and Elvis Aaron. Little Jesse Garon died in infancy, and Elvis Aaron had to carry on the Presley legacy. This film follows a quite different path in tracing the story of the brothers Jesse and Elvis Swann.
While there was a good central character in "Trigger Warning" with the multi-talented Parker, the film as a whole was disappointing. Much of the action was strained and unconvincing. There was also so much corruption from the military, political, and law enforcement spheres that the credibility was again stretched to the limit.
Jessica Alba was good in the role of Parker. But there were too many false endings and nothing redeeming in this dismal and unpleasant action film.
The opening scene was a violent action sequence occurring in Syria. But the scenes on the American homefront were even more violent and depressing for poor Parker. At least by the end, Elvis at long last has left the building!
The Neighbor Who Saw Too Much (2024)
She's a Good Little Detective!
Young Hayley is much more than the quintessential nosy neighbor. Instead, she is a great amateur sleuth who is relentless in seeking the truth about the handsome man next door.
There was good dramatic tension in the relationship of Hayley and Jason. The screenplay was successful in maintaining the possibility that Hayley was mistaken about the charming neighbor. While the clues were adding up, there was at the same time the absence of definitive proof.
There was also a good bonding of Hayley with her older sister Diane. The two young women were in recovery from the death of their mother. It turns out that they will be brought together in their contrasting experiences of their mysterious neighbor.
The performances were first-rate, and there was a good variety of locations, along with crisp direction.
This was a good "guilty pleasure" type film.
American Exit (2019)
Flat and Slow-Paced Road Pic
Despite the good performances, "American Exit" was a sluggish and depressing film.
The overall portrait of the American family was utterly pathetic as apparent in multi-generational dysfunction. Charlie has not seen his son Leo in years. Yet, he suddenly shows up and takes the kid on a trip to Mexico. It appears that the father is "using" the kid for his own purposes in the heist of a million-dollar painting.
It was unclear why the concerned mother of Leo never called the police when her son was kidnapped. There were other major lapses in the logic of the film, such as the moment when one of the villains is shot by the kid, yet miraculous recovers to continue the pursuit.
It is not even clear what the can do with a stolen painting. The film as a whole was pointless and especially unpleasant.
The Girl with No Name (2024)
"Honey, I'm Home!"
It is homecoming for Fiona Mitchelson, who has returned to the little town where she grew up. She is now the host of a successful podcast in tackling true crime cold cases. She will be discovering the subject of her next podcast due to her visit to her home town.
Fiona immediately probes a mysterious unsolved death of a little girl that has for decades baffled the local authorities. When her beloved mentor Raphael, the retired sheriff, dies under suspicious circumstances, Fiona commits to solving his demise, as well as that of "the girl with no name."
The film included a number of shocking surprises with the cornerstone of her investigation centering on a local vintner, Marcus Holt and the significance of the letters T. H. As it turns out, T. H. was Marcus's father, Thomas Holt, a predator who exploited many unfortunate local women. The character Vicki residing in the local trailer park will be one of the key victims interviewed by Fiona. But other strands of this dark story will lead Fiona down an even darker path to her dear mother Cecily.
The best line in the film was spoken by Fiona's bestie, Daisy, who blundered into a room and addressed Marcus as "Honey." This was a turning point when two generations of depraved vintners would be exposed for the sociopaths that they are.
"Gabby" Kabby Borders is quickly becoming one of our favorite Lifetime actresses. Here, she convincing plays an amateur sleuth, who also has a soft spot in her heart when she reignites an old relationship with her high school flame, Dr. Joe.
This film is highly recommend for viewers who enjoy unexpected twists and turns and melodramatic moments, such as the one that places a new spin on the expression, "Honey, I'm home!"