Tag: Lifetime

My Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List 2025

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

As Christmas is almost here, it’s time for my yearly Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List! If you’re new to 18 Cinema Lane, this is an annual tradition where I share the movie related things I’d like to receive for Christmas. The list’s format follows the quote; “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read”. The items on this list, like in past years, are a combination of realistic requests and wishful thinking. So, let’s start 2025’s Christmas wish-list!

Puppies and hearts Christmas wish-list image created by Freepik at freepik.com.

Something You Want

Back in 2018, I saw the 1975 movie, Escape to Witch Mountain. One of the most memorable aspects of that film was an object belonging to Tia, one of the story’s protagonists. Throughout Escape to Witch Mountain, Tia carries a Starcase. This box contains a map that helps her and her brother, Tony, find their way home. But ever since I saw the film, I’ve always felt the term “starcase” was misleading. That’s because I don’t recall seeing Tia putting anything into the case itself, like small toys or trinkets. Despite this, the Starcase is one of the most unique movie props I’ve seen. So, for this portion of my Christmas wish-list, I would like to receive a replica of Tia’s Starcase. But I want a replica that is truly a case where items can be placed inside. Plus, I would like the Starcase replica to feature a purse strap, so the Starcase can be carried either as a purse or a clutch.

Tia’s Starcase images created by Walt Disney Productions and Buena Vista Distribution Company

Something You Need to See

Two years ago, I started my series, Sally Solves a Mystery. In this annual series, I talk about television related mysteries in an attempt to solve them. For my upcoming Sally Solves a Mystery article, I will write about two mysteries related to the same movie. On the forum for Lost Media Wiki, I came across a post about a lost teaser trailer for the 1997 film, Anastasia. While I do love that movie, I personally don’t remember seeing the teaser trailer in question. Another piece of Anastasia media I don’t remember is Anastasia On Ice, an ice skating show based on the film. The only footage of the show I’ve seen are a few television commercials and a behind-the-scenes news segment about the show. Why these lost media mysteries are featured in this part of my Christmas wish-list is how much I’d love to see them solved by November 21st, 2027, which is Anastasia’s 30th anniversary.

Promotional image for Anastasia On Ice found on the Youtube channel, Commerical Collections.

A movie related piece of clothing or accessory I’d want to wear

Looking back on past Christmas wish-lists, I haven’t selected a movie related piece of clothing or accessory that is holiday themed. But that is about to change with the Halloween themed sweater I will now discuss. In the Lifetime movie, Killing the Competition, my eye caught a gray sweater with pumpkins and black cats on it. Even though the sweater was featured very briefly in the film, it stuck in my memory, especially when it came time to create My Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List. As I’m writing this article, I realized this is the second year in a row a sweater was chosen for this portion of my wish-list! With the Halloween sweater boasting a variety of colors, multiple outfits could be created around that sweater.

I apologize if this photo of the Halloween themed sweater isn’t the best. But as I explained in my Christmas wish-list, the sweater was featured very briefly in Killing the Competition. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

A book I’ve read that I’d like to see adapted into a film

When I participated in the Eurovisionathon readathon, one of the books I read was A Prisoner in Malta by Phillip DePoy. It was, honestly, one of the better books I read for the event! A Prisoner in Malta is what would be considered a “page-turner”, as there was never a dull moment. The book contained other strengths like well-written banter between the characters, strong character development, and a mystery that was intriguing as well as complex. With all this said, I would be interested in seeing a film adaptation of A Prisoner in Malta! Based on what I’ve observed of the cinematic side of the mystery genre, historical mysteries seem far and few between. I also can’t think of many movies off the top of my head that are set in the 1580s. So, in my opinion, an adaptation of A Prisoner in Malta would offer something unique to the film-making table!

A Prisoner in Malta by Phillip DePoy book cover found on Goodreads.

What are your thoughts on my Christmas wish list? Are there any movie related things you’d like to receive during the Christmas/holiday season? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun during the Christmas/holiday season!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Jobs are Cut at Hallmark and Lifetime in Pursuit of New Directions

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Two weeks ago, I published a Word on the Street story about Michelle Vicary returning to Hallmark as the company’s head of programming. But this is not the only recent change happening at Hallmark. Lynette Rice, of Deadline, reports how the company “eliminated 30 jobs on Wednesday”. The desire “to “transition our workforce to meet the needs of the business today”” was the provided reason for the cut jobs. Jimmy Holcomb, who was Hallmark’s Vice President of Production, is one of the laid off employees. His role at the company was overseeing “the physical production of MOWs, series, and specials for Hallmark Media’s broadcast channels”. He is “credited for creating new ventures for Hallmark Media throughout the world” as well. Meanwhile, Peter White, also from Deadline, reports how Lifetime “cut the majority of its non-scripted team”. The article states the reason for the cut jobs is “Lifetime is focusing more on its television movie business”. Affected by this decision is Nicole Vogel, who was the network’s VP for Programming and Development. At the time of the article’s publication, “The only remaining member of the unscripted team is now Brie Miranda Bryant, SVP, Original Programming”.

Illustration of woman quitting her job created by stories at freepik.com. Office vector created by stories – www.freepik.com

When I wrote about Michelle Vicary coming back to Hallmark in my last Word on the Street story, I addressed the network’s declining viewership. At that time, two Hallmark Channel films, A Machu Picchu Proposal and Providence Falls: Chance of a Lifetime, attracted less than a million viewers. Five movies in a row have received under a million viewers at the publication of this Word on the Street story. These newer titles are Providence Falls: An Impossible Promise (592,000 viewers), Providence Falls: Thief Of Fate (592,000 viewers), and Mystery Island: Play for Keeps (350,000 viewers). Similar to what I said in my last Word on the Street story, I’m not surprised Hallmark is making decisions like cutting jobs, especially when no movie in 2025, so far, has seen two million viewers or more.

Employee leaving job image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/business”>Business vector created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Though I haven’t seen many Lifetime movies this year, most of the ones I have seen have been decent. However, I am aware of Lifetime’s reputation for distributing a large quantity of films with poor quality. Almost every year, at least one Lifetime movie ends up on my end of the year worst movies list. In 2024, three movies were placed on that list; Revenge Best Served Chilled, My Life Is on the Line, and Boy in the Walls. With this recent prioritization of made-for-tv movies, I’m hoping emphasis is not only placed on quality over quantity, I’m also hoping production value is raised as well.

What are your thoughts on these pieces of movie news? What other changes do you think are in store for Lifetime and Hallmark? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

References in this article:

Deadline articles: https://deadline.com/2025/08/hallmark-eliminates-30-jobs-1236493506/, https://deadline.com/2025/08/lifetime-layoffs-unscripted-1236493483/

Viewership numbers for Providence Falls: An Impossible Promise: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-ratings-fox-and-nfl-network-share-leadership/

Viewership numbers for Providence Falls: Thief Of Fate: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-ratings-nfl-network-continues-to-lead-cable-with-preseason-football/

Viewership numbers for Mystery Island: Play for Keeps: https://programminginsider.com/sunday-ratings-buffalo-bills-chicago-bears-posts-fox-networks-most-watched-nfl-preseason-game-in-four-years/

The Top Ten Worst Movies I Saw in 2024

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

While 2024 was, for me, a better year for movies, I still saw some movies I didn’t like. Similar to my worst movies list of 2023, most of the films on this year’s list were disappointing or average. But, unlike 2023, the top four titles are from different genres. The dishonorable mentions section has returned! This time, however, there are more DNFs (did not finish). Like I have said in past lists, my top ten worst movies I saw in 2024 list is not intended to be mean-spirited, negative, or disrespectful. It’s just a list of my own, honest opinion. Since I reviewed some of the movies on my list, I will provide the links to those reviews in this article.

Dishonorable Mentions

The Reluctant Debutante, The Gambler: Luck of the Draw, Jazz Ramsey: A K-9 Mystery, Million Dollar Lethal Listing, CrimeTime: Freefall (I turned it off after about forty minutes), Mermaid Down (I turned off this movie after about twenty minutes), Blood, Sweat and Cheer (I turned it off after about eighteen minutes), and Temptation Under the Sun (I turned off this movie after about twenty-two minutes)

Image by starline on Freepik

10. Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch

In the 2020s, Hallmark has come up with story ideas that worked well enough for a stand-alone mystery movie, but unsustainable for a multi-chapter series. One of these ideas came from Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch. This film made the same mistake as Mystery Island: not allowing the protagonist to use her skills to solve the case. For Lauren, the main character in Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch, her psychology skills were so underutilized, she seemed more like an over glorified intern. Thick French accents making several characters difficult to understand is another major flaw of the film. It prevented me from being fully invested in the story. Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch was, in my opinion, a disappointing movie. But compared to the other titles on 2024’s worst of the year list, Hallmark’s production was, simply, ‘underwhelming’.

Take 3: Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch Review

9. Boy in the Walls

When I first read the synopsis for Boy in the Walls, I thought the film would be a spookier version of 2016’s Boy in the Attic. Sadly, this was not the case. The 2023 Lifetime presentation contained a mystery that was drawn out for too long. It also doesn’t help how the protagonist made one dumb decision after another. Without spoiling the film, all I’ll say is the title is misleading. If you haven’t watched either referenced movie, I’d recommend Boy in the Attic.

8. The 39 Steps

In my review of The 39 Steps, I said the 1935 picture was the most “meh” title from Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography. This statement was made due to the limited sense of urgency and intrigue within the story. As I also said in my review, The 39 Steps seems longer than an hour and twenty-six minutes. The drawn-out nature of the movie created a slow and boring build-up to a reveal that feels kind of ridiculous and anti-climactic. While romance has been incorporated in some of Alfred’s films, it didn’t work in The 39 Steps. Richard and Pamela’s attraction for one another was too abrupt, welcoming the presence of the “insta-love” trope. Even though The 39 Steps was a disappointing movie, I gave it a lower placement on my list. Comparing the 1935 film to Alfred’s other productions, Hitchcock’s filmography shows how much he improved as a director.

Take 3: The 39 Steps Review

7. Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies

There are some movies that, in my opinion, should have been documentaries instead. The 1987 Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, Pack of Lies, is just one example. This film in the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection is based on a true story. While “based on a true story” movies can be engaging, intriguing, and even thought-provoking, Pack of Lies was disappointing. Like I said in my review of the 1987 production, the film was a two hour slow and tedious build-up to a resolution that was underwhelming and anti-climactic. The creative team’s decision to choose telling over showing caused other flaws, from little lapse in time to things not making sense. Pack of Lies proves Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are not created equally. However, there are other Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations from the 1980s I like, such as the adaptations of The Secret Garden and A Tale of Two Cities.

Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies Review

6. One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

While A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery was slightly better than One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, I was still disappointed in the latter film. For starters, Victor Webster and Alison Sweeney had no on-screen chemistry. A character (not Hannah) solves the mystery by making an assumption about the case and being conveniently correct. But the worst part about One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery was Delores’ subplot. Up until this film, Delores was very against Hannah getting involved in cases, as well as dating Mike. So, for Delores to become a private investigator and seem to treat her new job as a joke completely went against her character. In fact, this was such a bad creative idea, Delores’ private investigating career was barely mentioned in A Sprinkle of Deceit: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. If there are more Hannah Swensen films in the works, I really hope Delores receives better story ideas.

Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Pack of Lies poster created by Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, Robert Halmi, and CBS

5. My Life Is on the Line

This Lifetime movie had one of the network’s most creative story ideas. The 2024 picture was about a woman who tried to solve a mystery on her computer at her office cubicle. But the longer I watched this movie, the sooner I realized that aforementioned idea wasn’t sustainable for a feature-length production. Instead, the novelty of how the mystery was solved got old very quickly. My Life Is on the Line is yet another Lifetime film where the protagonist makes a collection of dumb choices. Her decision-making is so bad, other characters in the story, including her boss, call her out for it. Lifetime’s 2024 presentation was, for me, the most disappointing movie of the year.

4. Network

Network holds the honor of not only being the first film I reviewed for my Comparing with the Critics series, it’s also the first film I disagreed with the critics on. Even though Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert placed the movie in their list of the top five films from 1976, I would call Network one of the “Dogs of the Year”. For me, it was more of an endurance test, where the story’s first half was a drawn-out search for a resolution to the movie’s conflict and the second half was a yelling contest. Being a pretentious picture by taking itself too seriously and telling a dry, boring story didn’t work in Network’s favor. There are movies from the 1970s I like. Unfortunately, Network isn’t one of them.

Comparing with the Critics – Best of 1976 – Network

3. Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s

It’s ironic that Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Heartache and Homecoming became the third worst movie of 2023 and now Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s became the third worst movie of 2024. When you look past this irony, you’ll see how Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s shares some of the same flaws as its sequel, like not understanding how technology works. Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s contains its own flaws, with poor special effects as one example. While this movie is so bad, it’s, at times, unintentionally funny, I do acknowledge how challenging it can be to create a cinematic project. In fact, the best way to sum up Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s is the quote, “Mistakes are proof that you are trying”.

Take 3: Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s Review

2. Revenge Best Served Chilled

This Lifetime movie from 2022 had a very misleading title and synopsis. Not only is there no revenge in the story, there’s also nothing being chilled throughout the film. According to a plot summary I read, Revenge Best Served Chilled is about a series of murder mysteries taking place at a wine expert competition, with the protagonist trying to clear her name and solve the mysteries. The movie actually emphasizes the wine expert competition to the point where there is little to no mystery involved. Like Boy in the Walls and My Life Is on The Line, the protagonist, Emily, makes so many dumb decisions. I, honestly, should have turned this movie off after Emily doesn’t lock her family’s restaurant’s front doors as she’s spending the night at the restaurant. But I naively thought Revenge Best Served Chilled was going to be a better movie.

1. Frankenstein (2004)

I referenced this movie while reviewing the Hallmark adaptation of Frankenstein, as I was pointing out a technical error on Wikipedia. When I saw the version of Frankenstein starring Vincent Perez, I immediately knew it was going to be the worst movie I saw in 2024. While this movie contains some interesting ideas, those ideas are bogged down by other ideas. The excessive number of ideas made the story feel like a series of vignettes either loosely connected to each other or not connected at all. What also makes the overall story weak is how nothing is explained. The ending is one of the most “sequel bait” endings I’ve seen in a long time. I would strongly discourage readers from checking out this version of Frankenstein. More time will be spent being frustrated than entertained.

Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Exes and Oh No’s poster created by Glass House Distribution

Have fun in 2025!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Heart of a Stranger Review + 495 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Here at 18 Cinema Lane, some of my most popular content is Hallmark related. In fact, the top three most viewed articles are two of my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts and my list of the top ten worst Hallmark movies of all time. This popularity can sometimes overshadow other genres of film as well as other made-for-TV networks. One of those networks is Lifetime. Throughout my six years of blogging, I’ve reviewed Lifetime’s movies so infrequently. So, to kind of make up for that, I selected the 2002 picture, Heart of a Stranger, for this Blog Follower Dedication Review! While I had seen this film years ago, I had vague recollections of it. All I remembered was how the protagonist received heart surgery and that the protagonist and her daughter wanted to see The Nutcracker. Since my last two Blog Follower Dedication Reviews featured films that were new to me, I thought revisiting a picture from yesteryear would be a nice change. Let’s talk about Heart of a Stranger so we can get to the heart of this review!

Heart of a Stranger poster created by Fogwood Films, Von Zerneck-Sertner Films, and Lifetime Television

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In the introduction of my review, I mentioned how Heart of a Stranger’s protagonist received heart surgery and that the protagonist and her daughter wanted to see The Nutcracker. This story revolves around a mother and daughter’s changing relationship after the mother receives a heart transplant. Jane Seymour’s and Maggie Lawson’s performance created a believable familial relationship. That is what made the crux of the story work. At a local restaurant, Maggie’s character, Amanda, is excited by how her violin performance turned out. Jane’s character, Jill, is proud of her daughter. Their big smiles and warm demeanor are soon followed by changed feelings when Amanda makes a confession to her mother. Jill’s initial confusion transforms into anger as she and her daughter get into an argument. During this argument, Amanda’s frustrations are on full display, from the sharp tone in her voice to her eyes intensely focusing on her mother. Maggie and Jane helped make the scene I just described feel realistic!

Not only did Jane and Maggie create a believable familial relationship, their individual performances are believable as well! A perfect example is when Jill goes to a local car wash. Before the car wash process begins, Jill excitedly tells her daughter over the phone how she’s about to do a mundane task like going to the car wash. The reason for Jill’s excitement is how, before her heart surgery, she used to be too sick to run errands. But as the car wash continues, Jill receives flashbacks she believes are from her heart donor. These flashbacks, along with being in a confined space, cause Jill to become nervous. Her eyes, filled with concern, quickly scan her surroundings. Jill also develops a frown out of worry. Eventually, her emotions get the better of her as she runs out of her car mid-car wash. The scene ends with Jill flinching from a car wash employee. The way Jane used her acting talents to adapt to the changing emotions in that scene was fluid and never missed a beat. Jane and Maggie worked as a team carrying this film!

Amanda’s subplot: Like I previously mentioned, Jill receives a heart transplant. The surgery is not only a success, it allows Jill’s view on life to change. Amanda’s perspective on life is also impacted because of her mother’s newfound health. In her subplot, Amanda is trying to apply for a music conservatory. To prevent burnout and fatigue, she learns a new musical style from performers at a local restaurant. Using music as a compass to guide Amanda’s new journey was, in my opinion, a smart creative choice. Through Maggie’s performance as well as the screenwriting, Amanda’s dedication for her craft turned into motivation to mold her own future! This subplot also gave Amanda character development as she slowly, but surely gained independence.

The honesty surrounding post-surgery: Made-for-TV movies about characters receiving transplants usually build up to the transplant surgery. Because the story’s climax is the aforementioned surgery, there is little to no time to highlight the characters’ life post-surgery. In Heart of a Stranger, Jill’s surgery takes place at the beginning of the movie, with the rest of the film showing Jill adapting to her new heart and health. Throughout the story, Amanda reminds her mother to take her medicine prescribed after surgery. Even though the surgery was successful, Jill follows doctor’s orders to prevent her body from rejecting her new heart. Later in the film, Jill attends a support group with other transplant patients. This part of the story addresses loneliness that could occur after experiencing a major medical transformation. Weaving honesty into Heart of a Stranger presents a more realistic depiction of patients receiving transplant organs. For viewers unfamiliar with this medical process, the movie may give them an idea of what transplant patients may experience.

Heartbeat image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/medical-logo_763775.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/logo”>Logo vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

An overshadowed mystery: According to a synopsis I read for Heart of a Stranger, the movie is about Jill trying to solve the mystery of who donated her heart. This is what led me to believe the story would emphasize Jill’s search for her donor. But when I revisited this film, I discovered the creative team chose to prioritize Jill’s new perspective on life after heart transplant surgery. I recognize how important that part of the story is, especially how it connects to the theme of taking advantage of second chances. However, the emphasis on Jill’s new perspective on life not only caused the mystery of Jill’s donor to, sometimes, be overshadowed, it gave the mystery a lack of urgency. While the mystery did get solved, I wish that had been the story’s main focus.

Unresolved parts of the story: As I just said in my previous point, the mystery of Jill’s donor was, sometimes, overshadowed because Jill’s new perspective on life was prioritized. But the aforementioned mystery is not the only overlooked part of the story. After unsuccessfully searching for information on Jill’s donor, Beth, a friend of Jill’s, shares her disapproval with Jill over locating the donor and their family. The rest of the story does not revisit this disapproval, despite showing Beth sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Jill. Later in the movie, Amanda has a fight with her boyfriend, Billy. Since this situation took place toward the end of the movie, there is little to no time to resolve this conflict. The creative team should had taken the time to tie up these loose ends instead of putting most of their eggs in one basket.

Brian’s subplot: One of Jill’s friends is a restaurant manager named Brian. When she visits the restaurant he works for, Brian shares with Jill his dream of starting his own restaurant. He even encourages her to become co-owner of the establishment. Despite this subplot receiving a satisfying conclusion, it was ignored for most of the movie. Even Brian himself made very few appearances in the story. The emphasis of Jill’s new perspective on life prevented Brian’s subplot from receiving a bigger role in Heart of a Stranger.

Blue sparkly Christmas tree image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-card_2875396.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Before I share my thoughts on Heart of a Stranger, I want to thank all the followers of 18 Cinema Lane! Whenever it’s time to write a Blog Follower Dedication Review, I try to select movies that I feel good about recommending. I would actually suggest this 2002 made-for-TV production as an ‘alternative Christmas movie’. While the story leads up to Christmas, the holiday is not the story’s primary focus. Instead, the film prioritizes a mother and daughter’s life post heart transplant surgery, as well as the mother’s new perspective on life. At best, Heart of a Stranger is a fine, decent movie. The depiction of patients receiving transplant organs is more realistic due to the honesty woven into the story. Maggie’s and Jane’s performance helped create a believable familial relationship. But compared to the types of films Lifetime creates today, especially in the 2020s, Heart of a Stranger is more mundane and pedestrian. This would explain why the network has moved away from creating movies like this one.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Have you seen Heart of a Stranger? Are there any older Lifetime movies you’d like to see me review? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

The Top 10 Worst Movies I Saw in 2023

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

I’m going to be honest with my readers; in 2023, I saw more movies I disliked than liked. Luckily, I saw enough films to create a top ten best movies of the year list! When it comes to the movies I disliked, the majority of these titles were disappointing or average. This is different to my list of the worst movies of 2022. What’s also different about this year’s list is how my top three worst films are not all Hallmark projects. Like I have said in past lists, my top ten worst movies I saw in 2023 list is not intended to be mean-spirited, negative, or disrespectful. It’s just a list of my own, honest opinion. Since I reviewed some of the movies on my list, I will provide the links to those reviews in this article.

Dishonorable Mentions

Family History Mysteries: Buried Past, Sea Change, Murder 101: College Can Be Murder, Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery, She Inherited Danger, My Diary of Lies, Double Nickels, A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, Blackbeard, the Pirate, Christmas at Castle Hart, Shadow Island Mysteries: Wedding for One, and A Hidden Life (I turned this movie off after 42 minutes)

Image by starline on Freepik

10. The Curse of Frankenstein

After I watched and reviewed Frankenweenie, I was hoping the creative team of The Curse of Frankenstein would follow Mary Shelley’s source material closer than the Disney animated film did. Instead of doing that, they relied more on creative liberties. As I said in my review of The Curse of Frankenstein, I found this distracting, especially since I read the book prior to watching the film. Some of these creative liberties were adopted just for the sake of it. One of them was presenting Victor Frankenstein’s creature as a bumbling, destructive machine. This creative decision was a disservice not only to Mary Shelley’s work, but also to Christopher Lee, the actor who portrayed Frankenstein’s creature.

Take 3: The Curse of Frankenstein Review

9. The Last Child

I selected The Last Child for the Futurethon blogathon because of the film’s creative presentation; a futuristic story surrounded in a “contemporary” aesthetic. Unfortunately, the creativity of the 1971 made-for-TV movie didn’t reach beyond the surface. Despite the concern of population control within the story, there was little sense of urgency. That caused the movie to have too many low-stakes. It also didn’t help how the future in The Last Child wasn’t explained. This is another television film from the ‘70s that failed to impress.

Take 3: The Last Child Review

8. A Walk in the Spring Rain

Out of all the movies I saw and reviewed this year, A Walk in the Spring Rain is the most flavorless film. Even though this is a movie where the audience waits for the inevitable to happen, the meandering nature of the script forces viewers to focus on drawn-out subplots, such as the protagonists’ daughter, Ellen, thinking about law school. What adds to the film’s meandering nature are stretched out scenes, making A Walk in the Spring Rain feel longer than necessary. Like I said in my review of the 1970 production, every beloved film star has at least one project on their IMDB filmography that is lesser known. For Ingrid Bergman, A Walk in the Spring Rain is one of her more forgettable films.

Take 3: A Walk in the Spring Rain Review

7. Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery

In 2023, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries released two new chapters in the Murder She Baked/Hannah Swensen series: Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery and A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. While I found both entries disappointing, Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery was the most disappointing movie out of the two. Other than solving a mystery, this story didn’t progress the series forward. Something happens in Mike and Hannah’s relationship that is resolved in A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. This made Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery an even more pointless chapter in the series. If you’ve never watched the Murder She Baked/Hannah Swensen series, skip this film, as you wouldn’t be missing much.

Take 3: Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery Review

6. Silent Night, Fatal Night

Silent Night, Fatal Night is a Lifetime movie that is basically a gender-swapped, Christmas version of Misery, with a bit of a twist. Unlike the 1990 film, almost every character in Silent Night, Fatal Night makes one dumb decision after another. While the antagonist in the Lifetime film was unsettling, he was more annoying. Plus, I found it difficult to believe the protagonist, a mystery author, wouldn’t have more intuition to save herself. This isn’t the first time Lifetime has told a story similar to Misery. However, I wish the network would create stories that are less reminiscent of other, better movies from the 1990s.

Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery poster created by Lighthouse Pictures, Looking Glass Productions, and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

5. Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter

Chosen for the Fifth So Bad It’s Good Blogathon, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter was built on a gimmick. Instead of embracing the silliness of that gimmick, the movie’s creative team took their project a little too seriously. Their project was misleading as well, no friendship or romance forming between Jesse and Frankenstein’s granddaughter. Though Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter is classified under the western and horror genre, the western genre is emphasized more, preventing a balance between the two genres. The 1966 film is not my “so bad it’s good” movie. Since I did giggle a few times while watching it, I took a step in the right direction to find my “so bad it’s good” film!

Take 3: Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter Review

4. Jesse Stone: Night Passage

For me, 2023 was not the year for mysteries, as the top four worst movies on my list are mystery films. The main issue with Jesse Stone: Night Passage is how none of the detectives do any detective work. What they do instead is pull assumptions out of their pockets, with those assumptions being conveniently correct. Subplots were prioritized over the mystery itself. This creative decision caused the story to lack any sense of urgency. It was nice to see familiar faces like Saul Rubinek (who portrayed Artie on Warehouse 13) and Liisa Repo-Martell (who portrayed Maida Flynn on Emily of New Moon). Sadly, there wasn’t much the cast could do to save Jesse Stone: Night Passage.

3. Mount Hideaway Mysteries: Heartache and Homecoming

This movie is so bad, it was, at times, unintentionally funny. Parts of the script reminded me of The Cookie Mobster, with the screenwriters not displaying an understanding for how some things worked. One such example is how Game Boy Color video game consoles were incorporated into the story. The film was riddled with other flaws, such as the color of a character’s earrings changing from scene to scene. Another, more consistent, flaw was telling instead of showing, like other characters mentioning how good looking the male protagonist is every time he appears in a scene. Also, just because the protagonist is a veterinarian does not mean she has to hold an animal every time a scene takes place at the veterinary clinic.

2. The Abigail Mysteries

I have never reviewed or talked about a movie from Great American Family on 18 Cinema Lane. So, it’s a shame that when I do talk about one of their movies, it’s because the project is bad. It is possible to create a good mystery story with elements of faith. But because The Abigail Mysteries heavily prioritized the elements of faith, the mystery was overshadowed, causing the overall story to lack a sense of urgency. From no on-screen chemistry to inconsistent audio quality, The Abigail Mysteries was filled with flaws. There were even times when actors would deliver their lines too quickly, making it difficult to understand what they were saying. I know this is the network’s first attempt at making a mystery movie. But if Great American Family is serious about creating more mystery projects, their efforts need to be better than The Abigail Mysteries.

1. Mystery Island

This is the second year in a row where a newly released Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie is the worst film I saw. With Hallmark no longer prioritizing the mystery genre, I can’t say I’m that surprised. The poor writing is the biggest problem of Mystery Island. The mystery’s reveal is so ridiculously written, it makes the entire story feel pointless. Emilia Priestly, the film’s protagonist, has a legitimate reason to get involved in the movie’s mystery, as she is a psychiatrist for Scotland Yard. Instead of using her skills to solve the case, Emilia a) flips through books, b) eavesdrops on other characters’ conversations, and c) follows people into the jungle and runs out of that same jungle in wedge sandals. I’d like to think Hallmark will find the motivation to create better mystery productions. But as of late 2023/early 2024, I’m not getting my hopes up.

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter poster created by Circle Productions, Embassy Pictures, and Embassy Home Entertainment

Have fun in 2024.

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Sea Change Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Have you ever read a film synopsis that sounded so “bonkers”, you just had to check the movie out for yourself? That’s what happened when I stumbled across the 2017 Lifetime film, Sea Change. This is a movie I had never heard of until this year. It’s also a fantasy story, a genre Lifetime rarely creates projects for. Based on the film’s synopsis sounding so “outside of the box” for Lifetime, I not only had to seek the movie out, I had to review it as well. Whenever I’ve talked about Hallmark productions, there have been times when I wished the network would take a break from the typical rom-com or drama. The same can be said for Lifetime. In recent years, that network has relied on mystery thrillers and true crime stories, with the occasional drama. But how does Sea Change fare as a fish out of Lifetime’s waters? Let’s dive in and find out!

Sea Change poster created by Piller Squared/The Segen Company and Lifetime Television

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: While watching Sea Change, I discovered Siobhan Williams starred in the film. Knowing that name sounded familiar, I looked through my movie reviews to see if I had reviewed any of her movies. Sure enough, I had not only written about Flicka: Country Pride, I had also talked about her character from that movie! Similar to Flicka: Country Pride, Siobhan portrayed a popular “mean girl” named Ginny. But in the 2017 Lifetime production, Ginny was a lot less annoying. Siobhan’s expressions were fluid, allowing her character to experience a variety of emotions. When a local lawyer questions Ginny about her cousin’s whereabouts, Ginny responds in a nonchalant way, an unconcerned look on her face and a tone of voice that lacks urgency. But when a family tragedy occurs, shock is stamped on Ginny’s face. Her eyes appear to stare out into the distance and paired with a frown.

While I haven’t reviewed any of Keenan Tracey’s projects, I have seen some of his Hallmark programs, including When Calls the Heart. In Sea Change, Keenan portrayed TJ, a young man who was staying on the island for the summer. During the story, Keenan consistently maintained a laid-back, easy-going personality. This consistency made his performance appear effortless! I also liked seeing Emily Rudd’s portrayal of the protagonist, Miranda! Similar to Siobhan’s performance, Emily portrayed her character with a variety of emotions. One of her best scenes took place toward the beginning of the movie. In this scene, Miranda is recalling a memory of her late father. Her mother reveals some information that goes against this memory. As soon as she receives this information, shock trickles down Miranda’s face. Her eyes become really wide and her lip quivers ever so slightly.

The scenery: In Sea Change’s opening credits, it was mentioned the movie was filmed in Nova Scotia. This Canadian locale presented a very convincing Maine! While Miranda went jogging, she traveled near the edge of a grassy cliff, which overlooked the ocean. The bright orange and yellow hues of the sunset paired beautifully with the dark blue ocean waters. This same ocean was captured magnificently at night-time! While on her jog, Miranda visits the ocean’s shore in the evening. A color palette of deep blue, black, and even purple created an environment that was beautiful in a dreamlike way. The scenery definitely stole the show and felt like a character itself!

A mystery subplot: As I said in the introduction, Sea Change is a fantasy story. But within this story, a mystery was included as a subplot. At the beginning of the movie, a murder takes place on the beach. The island’s law enforcement and a local lawyer attempt to solve the case. The audience learns early on who the culprit is. But what kept me invested is seeing how this information would be discovered by the lawyer and law enforcement team. With the gathering of clues, the mystery provided an element of suspense to the overall story. It was a familiar thread Lifetime wove in a newer way!

Paper Boats in the Sea image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/background-of-paper-boats-with-hand-drawn-waves_1189898.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Poor audio: I’m well aware a typical made-for-tv production works with a smaller budget. With that said, part of the budget should be reserved for quality audio equipment. In Sea Change, the characters’ dialogue was so quiet, it sounded like they were mumbling. This forced me to turn up the volume on my television, as it was difficult to hear what the characters were saying.

Questions left unanswered: According to Sea Change’s synopsis, Miranda “makes a startling discovery about her connection to the Seawalkers”. Throughout this one hour and twenty-one-minute film, this connection was never revealed. Leo, one of the Seawalkers, tells his sister how Miranda will save them. The question of how Miranda will save the Seawalkers was never answered either. These are just two examples of questions that were not resolved. This is especially an issue toward the end of the movie, when the story is left open-ended. I’m not sure if this was done as a weak attempt at setting up a sequel or leaving room for the audience to interpret what might happen. But by the end of the story, you’re left with more loose ends than necessary.

Few appearances from the Seawalkers: When I reviewed the 2012 Hallmark movie, Chasing Leprechauns, I mentioned how the titular leprechauns could be heard and not seen. This made that film’s title seem somewhat misleading. Sea Change contains a similar flaw. While the characters talk about the existence of Seawalkers and while the movie’s synopsis brings them up, the Seawalkers themselves are rarely shown as Seawalkers. More often than not, they are presented in human form. From the perspective of an audience member, I speculated this creative decision was likely made as a result of the production’s limited budget.

Magnifying fingerprints image created by Balintseby at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Balintseby – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fingerprint-investigation_789253.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Fantasy is a genre Lifetime rarely delves into. After seeing Sea Change, though, I think I know why the fantasy genre doesn’t often appear on Lifetime. Based on its synopsis, I thought Sea Change was going to be a “bonkers” picture. I even believed this could be my “so bad it’s good” movie. The movie itself is an average, weak imitation of Twilight. If you’ve seen or read that story, or any story similar to Twilight, you’ve already seen Sea Change. While there were aspects of the film I liked, I, honestly, can’t recommend it. One reason why is how so many questions are left unanswered. As I said in my review, the film’s ending is left open-ended. Since Sea Change seems to be a stand-alone story, this fact will only leave viewers frustrated. What made this movie disappointing, for me, was how unmemorable it was. Because Lifetime rarely creates projects in the fantasy genre, it’s a shame Sea Change didn’t stand out, for better or worse.

Overall score: 5.5 out of 10

Have you seen Sea Change? Did you ever come across a film synopsis that sounded so “bonkers”, you felt you had to check out the movie? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

The Top 10 Worst Movies I Saw in 2022

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

My worst movies list of 2022 is different from that of the previous year. This time, I’ll be talking about more films that were “so bad they were bad”, as only three of these movies were disappointments. The Dishonorable Mentions portion of the list has also returned! Though I did see more good movies than bad, I couldn’t avoid coming across a “stinker” every now and then. I like to think I’ll, one day, see less than ten films for my annual worst list. But someday has not come this year, as the title of this article suggests. As I’ve stated in past lists, I did not write my list to be mean-spirited or negative. It’s just a way to express my own, honest opinion. Since some of these films have been reviewed on my blog, I will provide links to those reviews.

Dishonorable Mentions

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made, A Place for Annie, Swim Instructor Nightmare, Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths, The Corsican Brothers (1985), and Donnie Brasco (I only watched forty minutes of the film before turning it off)

<a href=”http://<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/vectors/new-year’>New year vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>&quot; data-type=”URL” data-id=”<a href=’https://www.freepik.com/vectors/new-year’>New year vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com2022 Changing numbers image created by Freepik at freepik.com

10. The New Adventures of Heidi

In 2022, I was hoping to finally find my coveted “so bad, it’s good” movie. Sadly, The New Adventures of Heidi was not it. As I said in my review, this film is “spectacularly average”. The more I think about the 1978 made-for-tv movie, the less justifiable reasons I can think of for the project’s existence. Yes, The New Adventures of Heidi was intended as a “modern” re-telling of Johanna Spyri’s story. But the movie didn’t feel unique enough, despite all the changes. Every year I’ve participated in the So Bad It’s Good Blogathon, there has been a pattern between movies that turned out ok and movies that were just disappointing. Hopefully, in 2023, I can break this pattern.

Take 3: The New Adventures of Heidi Review

9. Love in Wolf Creek

When I first read the synopsis for Love in Wolf Creek, I was excited at the idea of a “cozier” story filled with adventure and excitement. The 2022 television film seemed better on paper than in practice. For a movie titled Love in Wolf Creek, there was very little romance in the story. The writing was weaker than I hoped, filled with scenarios that were too unrealistic for my liking. This project was too ambitious for INSP, the network who created the film. It was so disappointing, I didn’t bother watching its sequel, Christmas in Wolf Creek.

8. Harvey (1950)

I think the 1972 Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of Harvey is better than its 1950 predecessor. While I’m aware how controversial my opinion is, the 1972 film had more success executing its intended points. A mistake the 1950 movie makes is trying to be a comedy and a drama. This decision led the comedy to not only be underutilized, but also showcased medical negligence in a way that didn’t sit well with me. “Magical realism” was lacking in the 1950 film. This took away any opportunity for the story to be charming and whimsical. When I reviewed Harvey back in January, it was the most disappointing movie I saw in 2022. Now, eleven months later, the 1950 picture still holds that title.

Take 3: Harvey (1950) Review

7. Journey

The 1995 Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation made the same mistake Durango did: not giving the audience a reason to care about the characters and their story. In the case of Journey, the creative team failed to provide explanations for the characters’ choices. At the beginning of the film, the protagonist’s mother, Min, abandons her family, claiming she hates her parents. But the script never explains why she made this decision. Even when there are cut-away scenes featuring Min, she isn’t doing anything significant. How am I expected to care about Min’s choice affecting her family when I don’t even know why she left in the first place?

6. My Mom Made Me Do It

According to a synopsis I read for this 2022 Lifetime film, the protagonist, Jade, turns to stealing in order to help her mom pay the bills. Both the title and synopsis turned out to be a lie because 1) Jade’s decisions were made on her own and 2) Jade never steals anything. What she does instead is crash wealthy people’s parties and photographs their belongings. Other issues contained in this movie are weak lead performances and characters who make one dumb choice after another. I will admit there was at least one effective plot twist. But I wish it had taken place in a better film.

Harvey (1950) poster created by Universal Pictures

5. The Sundowners (1960)

For a little while, I thought The Sundowners was going to be the worst movie I saw this year. Even though I was proven wrong, the 1960 film has still remained in my top five. Like I said in my review, one of the worst things you can do as a film-maker is waste your audience’s time. The story felt longer than necessary, which made the movie two hours and thirteen minutes not well spent. One of my biggest issues with The Sundowners was its “bait and switch” ending. While I won’t go into detail about the ending, as I don’t want to spoil the film, I will say it was cruel for both the characters and the audience.

Take 3: The Sundowners (1960) Review

4. The North Avenue Irregulars

This movie attempts to answer the question; “Wouldn’t it be funny if a group of women came together to solve a mystery”? By the time The North Avenue Irregulars was released in 1979, that question made the film dated on arrival, as there were several television programs from the ‘70s featuring at least one female character solving mysteries or fighting crime. The movie’s creative team told too many types of stories, yet failed at all of them. One minute, the film felt like a precursor to the Mitford series, revolving around a preacher trying to live his best life. The next minute, the film turns into a gangster heist picture, paired with car chases that were longer than necessary. Honestly, I wish this movie was a Scooby Doo-esque story about the film’s fictional band, Strawberry Shortcake. Maybe then the movie would seem more timeless.

3. Lake Effects

For the first time in 18 Cinema Lane history, all the movies in my worst list’s top three are Hallmark productions. Accepting the bronze is the 2012 film, Lake Effects. This movie has so many Hallmark movie clichés, you could create a bingo game around them. You could also create a bingo game around the many storylines found in this script. Lake Effects is a production that relies on style over substance. While Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia was captured well on film, there’s only so much the movie’s creative team could do with the weak script at their disposal. In my review from August, I stated how the movie seemed forgotten over the years. Its poor quality makes it not worth remembering.

Take 3: Lake Effects Review

2. A Boyfriend for Christmas

In 2019 and 2020, a Hallmark Christmas movie ended up in the top three of my annual worst movies list. History is kind of repeating itself with A Boyfriend for Christmas in second place. Like Lake Effects, the 2004 film contained a weak script. But in A Boyfriend for Christmas, I only liked two minor parts of the story. The lack of Christmas magic made my movie viewing experience unenjoyable. It was one of those stories that became worse the longer I watched it. I know this movie is one of the most beloved titles in Hallmark’s cinematic library. Honestly, though, I found it over-rated.

Take 3: A Boyfriend for Christmas Review

1. Francesca Quinn, PI

Remember when I said one of the worst things a film-maker can do is waste their audience’s time? Well, another worst thing a film-maker can do is disrespect their audience’s intelligence. As I watched Francesca Quinn, PI, I was given the impression the film’s creative team didn’t want me to solve the mystery alongside the protagonist. That’s because Francesca explained things that didn’t need explaining. Despite Francesca being a professional private investigator, she constantly made decisions an amateur detective would likely make. Her lack of personality didn’t help either. According to IMDB, Francesca Quinn, PI could replace the Mystery 101 series. The reason is “the main characters’ relationship and the crime at the end of Deadly History are the same as the main characters’ relationship and crime in Francesca Quinn, PI”. If this is the case, the Mystery 101 fans, including myself, deserve so much better.

A Boyfriend for Christmas poster created by Hallmark Entertainment,  MAT IV,  Alpine Medien Productions, Larry Levinson Productions, Gaiam Entertainment, and Hallmark Channel 

Have fun in 2023.

Sally Silverscreen

The Top 10 Worst Movies I Saw in 2020

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

While I saw more good movies than bad this year, I wasn’t able to avoid some stinkers. Now that I’ve published my best movies of the year list, I can now discuss which movies were the worst ones I saw in 2020! I watch movies in the hopes of them being good. However, some stories turn out better than others. As I have stated before on my blog, my worst films of the year lists are not meant to be mean-spirited or negative toward anyone’s opinions/cinematic preferences. These lists are just ways for me express my opinion in an honest and informed way. Similar to my best movies of 2020 list, I will start this post with my dishonorable mentions and then move on to the official list!

Purple 2020 banner created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.
Dishonorable Mentions

Working Miracles, Her Deadly Reflections, The Cabin, Thicker Than Water, Touched by Romance, The Wrong Wedding Planner, Murder in the Vineyard, Jane Doe: Yes, I Remember It Well, JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift, Is There a Killer on my Street?, and Stolen in Plain Sight

10. Angel on My Shoulder

When choosing which movie would end up in the tenth spot, it was between The Cabin and Angel on My Shoulder. Because I had higher expectations for the 1946 movie, that’s the one that was placed on this list. The overall film is painfully average, as I said in my review. Even though there is a clear conflict, it takes quite some time for that to be resolved. The personal journey of the protagonist, Eddie, is stunted. This is due to the character spending most of the story as an unchanged man. After watching Angel on My Shoulder, it makes me thankful that a story about a dog going to heaven was executed so well.

Take 3: Angel on My Shoulder Review

9. Jane Doe: Vanishing Act

In 2020, I watched most of the movies from Hallmark’s Jane Doe series. Within the nine-film collection, the first chapter is certainly the worst. What makes a good mystery movie is a strong sense of excitement. This is a quality that Jane Doe: Vanishing Act was, sadly, devoid of. Everyone involved with this project looked like their hearts were not fully invested in what they doing. It was as if they wanted to get the film done and over with just to move on to something else. While I continued on with the series, it was in the hopes that the next film would be better than the introduction. If you plan on creating a series, this is not the way you get an audience invested in it.

8. My Husband’s Deadly Past

There are two kinds of Lifetime movies; those that are surprisingly good and those that are predictably unenjoyable. My Husband’s Deadly Past perfectly fits into the latter category. Even though I found the inclusion of psychology/hypnosis to be interesting, the story’s focus on ripping off the 1993 movie, The Fugitive, overshadows any of the film’s strengths. The protagonist in My Husband’s Deadly Past is the type of character that makes one poor decision after another. It also doesn’t help that the movie contains a few romantic moments that feel out of place within the overall tone. Two other films on this list make the same major mistake My Husband’s Deadly Past did. But, to avoid spoilers, I’ll talk about them more later.

7. Out of the Woods

I can honestly say Out of the Woods is one of the most meandering films I’ve ever seen. It takes so long for the story to get to its intended point, that story points are either completely ignored or are not fully developed. One example is how a white wolf continuously crosses paths with the protagonist. No explanation is given as to what the purpose of this wolf was or whether it was real. Another disappointment is how Native American culture is glossed over. Native American stories are rarely found in Hallmark’s library, so it is a letdown when a film containing Native American culture doesn’t work out. If you want to watch an Ed Asner led Hallmark movie with similar ideas and themes, I’d recommend the 2008 movie, Generation Gap. It does a better job at telling a story of two people trying to understand each other.

6. Mystery Woman: At First Sight

Before there was Hailey Dean, there was Samantha Kinsey from Hallmark’s Mystery Woman series. This early collection from the network is one where I’ve seen most of its installments. Out of the movies I have watched, Mystery Woman: At First Sight is the one I disliked the most. Both of the overarching mysteries in this story are poorly written. They are also overshadowed by the drama within the plot. Mystery Woman: At First Sight is the seventh movie in this series, which is a shame because its previous chapters created an enjoyable cinematic run. I’m not sure how much directorial experience Kellie Martin had prior to working on this project. Even though I think it would be interesting to see her direct a Hailey Dean Mysteries movie, her effort on Mystery Woman: At First Sight was not her strongest.

Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure of Lama Rama poster created by Dune Films, Norwegian Pirates, Storm Films, Storm Productions, and Ketchup Entertainment. Image found at https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/captain_sabertooth_and_the_treasure_of_lama_rama.
5. Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure of Lama Rama

It breaks my heart how this movie disappointed me so much. In fact, Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure of Lama Rama is the most disappointing movie I saw in 2020. It copied Pirates of the Caribbean’s homework without trying to understand what made that trilogy of films work. Also, for a movie called Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure of Lama Rama, Captain Sabertooth himself sat on the sidelines of his own story. Pinky was a likable character, but making him the protagonist made the title seem misleading. I just hope this film doesn’t dissuade other studios from creating their own pirate narratives.

Take 3: Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure of Lama Rama Review

4. Anniversary Nightmare

Remember when I said there were two films that made the same major mistake My Husband’s Deadly Past did? Well, Anniversary Nightmare is one of them. Like My Husband’s Deadly Past, Anniversary Nightmare rips off The Fugitive. But this Lifetime title is so bad, it is, at times, laughable. Both the acting and writing are poor. All of the movie’s flashback scenes are terribly filmed, captured through heavy “shaky cam” and covered in a red film. These two factors made it difficult to see what was happening on screen when a flashback arrived. I haven’t seen a Lifetime movie this bad in quite some time. If you’re interested in participating in Taking Up Room’s So Bad It’s Good Blogathon, Anniversary Nightmare might be an option.

3. I’m Not Ready for Christmas

I didn’t see as many Christmas movies this year as I did in 2019. But I can confidently say that 2015’s I’m Not Ready for Christmas is the worst Christmas film I saw in 2020. While it doesn’t rip off The Fugitive, the movie does place more emphasis on being a pointless, Christmas remake of Liar Liar, a well-known title from the ‘90s. Therefore, I’m Not Ready for Christmas also makes the same mistake A Cheerful Christmas did last year. There were parts of this story that didn’t make sense. Even the title, I’m Not Ready for Christmas, had nothing to do with the events in the plot. When you look past the typical Christmas aesthetic Hallmark can’t get enough of, you realize the story itself isn’t Christmas-y. If the creative team behind this project knew their script wasn’t exclusive to the Christmas season, they should have focused on the messages and themes of the holiday, like If You Believe did sixteen years prior. For their New Year’s Resolution, maybe Hallmark and Lifetime should move away from famous ‘90s films as their source of inspiration.

Take 3: I’m Not Ready for Christmas Review

2. Marriage on the Rocks

This movie was so bad, it honestly made me feel uncomfortable. That was because the film’s overarching view on marriage and divorce was so one-sided and skewed. I’ve been told Marriage on the Rocks was originally intended to be a satire. Sadly, that’s not the movie I ended up seeing. What I got instead was a comedy that I didn’t find very funny. The “comedy of errors” direction the screenwriter took just made the character’s situations more complicated, as most of the errors do not receive a satisfying resolution. It’s also a film that feels longer than its designated run-time. If you have never seen any of Frank Sinatra’s, Dean Martin’s, or Deborah Kerr’s movies before, please don’t let Marriage on the Rocks be your starting point.

Take 3: Marriage on the Rocks Review

1. Twentieth Century

For most of 2020, I thought Marriage on the Rocks would be the worst movie I saw this year. That was until Twentieth Century came along and proved me wrong. Where Marriage on the Rocks made me uncomfortable, Twentieth Century made me appalled. The fact Lily and Oscar’s relationship was so abusive in a movie classified as a “romantic comedy” serves as one example. Last time I checked, unhealthy relationships were not funny or romantic. To Marriage on the Rocks’ credit, the story featured characters that didn’t support the film’s narrative. Even though, more often than not, they were looked down upon, they always stood up for what they believed in and tried to help the main characters see the fault in their ways. With Twentieth Century, however, there were no “voices of reason”. None of the characters faced accountability whenever they did something wrong or made any attempt to change their ways. When I reflect on this movie, I question what the creative team was trying to tell its audience. But based on my reaction to the final product, maybe I don’t want to know.

Take 3: Twentieth Century Review

Twentieth Century poster created by Columbia Pictures.

Have fun in 2021!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Stalker in the Attic Review + 255 & 260 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

At the end of last month, 18 Cinema Lane received 255 followers! However, I wasn’t able to write a blog follower dedication review sooner because of several blog and non-blog related projects. Within that time, 18 Cinema Lane also received 260 followers! Because of everything I just said, I decided to combine these accomplishments into one review. I recently watched a Lifetime movie called Stalker in the Attic. This is the reason why I chose this film to write about for my most recent blog follower dedication review. When I first read the film’s synopsis, it kind of reminded me of the 2016 movie, Boy in the Attic. For those of you who are not familiar with that film, it is about a young man who lives in the protagonist’s attic. Since I like that movie, I was curious to see how Stalker in the Attic would execute a similar idea.

Stalker in the Attic poster created by Lifetime Entertainment Services. For some reason, this movie has two titles; Stalker in the Attic and Within These Walls.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I’m not familiar with Jen Landon or her filmography. Despite this, I liked watching her performance in Stalker in the Attic! Whenever her character, Mel, suspected someone was in her house, she appeared on edge. Fear could be seen on her face and she carried herself with a sense of urgency. The quality of Jen’s performance helped make moments like these seem believable! Another believable performance came from Steve Lund, an actor I recognize because of the Hallmark film, Christmas Incorporated! In the scene where his character, Sam, and Mel are about to binge-watch a show, Steve’s reaction was genuine. His demeanor was easy-going and his on-screen personality was down-to-earth. Tara Redmond van Rees did a good job portraying Mel’s daughter, Brook! In her house, Brook and her boyfriend are interrupted by the sound of the security alarm. Tara truly looked freaked out in that scene, reflecting what her character was feeling.

The music: One element that can affect a film’s tone is the music, as it can make the audience feel the emotions that are expected for a particular part of the story. In Stalker in the Attic, suspenseful music was used for scarier/intense moments. One example is when Mel is breaking up with Ben. Even though the act itself is not a surprise, the music makes it feel more important because the audience has a heightened anticipation for what will happen next. The music placement in that scene also highlights the moment’s significance within the story’s chain of events.

The suspenseful moments: Most Lifetime movies feature several suspenseful moments within their respective stories. Stalker in the Attic is no different. However, these moments were effective in keeping the audience invested in the story! As Sam is sleeping over at Mel’s house, Ben appears out of nowhere, watching both of them as they sleep. Because of how unpredictable Ben is, the audience is left wondering what he will do next. A darker atmosphere with limited lighting also helps, as it emphasizes a fear of the unseen.

Scared audience image created by Katemangostar at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/terrified-friends-watching-horror-movie-in-cinema_1027311.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People image created by Katemangostar – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like the film:

Some scenes ending too abruptly: There were a few scenes in Stalker in the Attic that ended too abruptly. A perfect example is when Brook and her boyfriend dealt with the security alarm in Brook’s house. Shortly after this happened, Brook’s neighbor comes over to see what was going on. As Brook tells him that she and her boyfriend are fine, the next scene immediately starts. Transitions like this one were so abrupt, that it was jarring.

The lighting: Lighting in a movie can help the audience see what is happening on screen. It can also set the tone for a particular scene. In Stalker in the Attic, however, most of the lighting was dim. Even when a scene was well-lit, it didn’t appear as bright as it should have. Characters’ faces were difficult to see because of the poor lighting. I’m not sure if this was a creative choice selected on purpose or a budget related issue.

A not-so-bright intruder: Even though Ben carries his stalking plan throughout the film, he makes several mistakes that bring more suspicion to him. To fool his ex-girlfriend into thinking he moved to a new apartment, Ben breaks into an apartment owned by one of his clients. Instead of noting where he moves certain personal belongings by taking a picture of the rooms with his phone, Ben grabs several items and hurriedly throws them into another room. The reaction of the aforementioned client is never shown, which gives the script an excuse to keep telling Ben’s story. But if the client’s reaction had been shown, the police would likely have been called. Ben would also likely be contacted for questioning, which may have deteriorated his plan to keep Mel in his life. Meanwhile, Mel starts to question Ben’s need to keep in contact with her, as her visit to see Ben causes her to assume he has found a new significant other.

Crossword puzzle image created by jaylopez at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/JayLopez.”

My overall impression:

Most of the Lifetime movies I’ve seen this year have either been ok or decent. Stalker in the Attic is one of those films I thought was just ok. While the idea itself is not bad, it has been executed better by stories that came before it, like Boy in the Attic. Stalker in the Attic is a “waiting for the other shoe to drop” story, where the audience is waiting for the inevitable to happen. Suspenseful moments helped carry the film. However, the outcome was predictable, something that was kept at the back of the audience’s mind.  Another aspect of the story that allows the plot to move forward was the convenient ways Ben was able to get away with his stalking scheme. Throughout the film, Ben makes several mistakes that would bring him more suspicion. But the movie always finds a way to prevent his plans from completely falling apart. As I mentioned earlier, Boy in the Attic is a film about a man living in an attic that did a better job at expressing similar ideas to Stalker in the Attic. I’d recommend the 2016 film over the 2020 movie I just reviewed.

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

Have you seen Stalker in the Attic? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Wrong Cheerleader Coach Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

Anyone who has followed or read my blog would know that Lifetime movies are rarely reviewed. In fact, the last time I wrote about a film from Lifetime was Killer Prom back in May. This is because I don’t always find the time to include this network’s projects into my blogging schedule. But since I just watched The Wrong Cheerleader Coach, I decided to review this film before the 1st Annual Classic Movie Blogathon and Halloween. It seems like Lifetime has created a series where an unstable woman tries to bring chaos into the lives of those around her, with her occupation included in the film’s title. One of these films is The Wrong Wedding Planner, which I was not a fan of. Since cheerleading, a sport that I like, would play a role in the story of The Wrong Cheerleader Coach, I chose to watch this movie with an open mind. Cheer me on as I share my thoughts on one of Lifetime’s most recent titles!

The Wrong Cheerleader Coach poster created by Lifetime Entertainment Services. 

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Johanna Liauw is an actress I’m not familiar with. Despite this, I thought she stole the show in The Wrong Cheerleader Coach! Portraying the assistant coach, Devan, Johanna’s emotions were very fluid. A scene where Devan is eating dinner at Jon and Hanna’s house shows a perfect example of this. While eating her meal, Devan is happily enjoying her food and comfortable with spending time in their home. When Jon forces her to leave, Devan’s demeanor quickly changes, anger and discontent bursting forth. Corin Nemec’s performance is another one I liked seeing! Certain behaviors his character, Jon, adopted highlight how he experienced certain situations. One of these behaviors is when he takes his glasses off and puts them back on. This action effectively shows the audience how the stress of moving cross-country, raising a daughter on his own, and being the bread-winner of the family is visualized through a nervous habit. Even though she was in the film for a short amount of time, I enjoyed Mea Wilkerson’s portrayal of Hanna’s new friend, Claire! Mea’s on-screen personality is what made her character likeable. It also helped that Claire was the “voice of reason”, displaying skepticism and concern when interacting with the other characters. These factors made me feel that Claire truly had Hanna’s best interests in mind throughout their friendship!

The on-screen chemistry: While Jon is at work at a construction site, he meets a fellow architect named Melissa, who is portrayed by Bailey Kai. Their similarities in occupation and other areas in life bring them together. While I liked Corin’s individual performance, I liked Bailey’s performance as well. I also feel they both had good on-screen chemistry! Corin and Bailey’s personalities paired nicely with one another, giving the audience the impression their characters truly enjoyed each other’s company. This on-screen relationship also contained a brightness that served happier moments within the plot’s darkness. Seeing Jon and Melissa’s relationship unfold gave the audience a break from the story’s suspenseful nature.

The music: In most Lifetime movies, I find the music to be unmemorable or average. This is not the case for The Wrong Cheerleader Coach! During cheerleading practices, pop-techno music can be heard in the background. These musical selections were not only good to listen to, but I honestly wouldn’t change the channel if they played on the radio! When Melissa and Jon are on a dinner date, soft piano served as the scene’s official tune. It set the tone for that moment and fit within the scene’s context. Suspenseful scenes were also given music, as dramatic tunes were heard anytime a scarier situation took place. It certainly added intensity to those moments.

Cheerleading squad image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. Background vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com

What I didn’t like about the film:

Very little cheerleading: With a film called The Wrong Cheerleader Coach, you’d think there would be a significant amount of cheerleading shown in the movie. But, in reality, this title actually featured very little cheerleading. Sure, a few stunts and practices can be seen. However, the sport itself felt more like an afterthought than a prominent part of the story. This film could have featured almost any athletic extracurricular activity and it wouldn’t make much of a difference.

A somewhat misleading title: Because of the film’s title and because Vivica A. Fox is the only cast member shown on the movie’s poster, it gives the audience the idea that Vivica’s character is the one the title is referring to. When the audience sees the film, they discover the title is actually referring to Devan, the assistant coach. By definition, Devan’s role is to assist Coach Burke, who is the head coach of the cheerleading team. This led to the result of showing Devan doing very little coaching. These factors also cause the film’s title to seem somewhat misleading.

Vivica A. Fox’s limited presence: In my One Christmas review, I talk about how Katharine Hepburn appears in the movie for a short amount of time despite being the top billed actor of the project. It felt like this decision did a disservice to Katharine’s talents, as well as the overall movie. The same thing happens with The Wrong Cheerleader Coach. This time, Vivica A. Fox is the top billed actor of the film. However, the actress who portrays Devan, Johanna Liauw, receives more screen and story time than Vivica does. Vivica did a good job with the acting material she was given. But if it was always The Wrong Cheerleader Coach’s creative team’s plan to cast Vivica as their top billed actor, they should have given her more material to work with.

Breaking heart image created by Kjpargeter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/broken-heart-valentine-background_1041991.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Kjpargeter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

The Wrong Cheerleader Coach and Killer Prom share one thing in common: both films are given an interesting concept. However, because Lifetime creates so many movies in a given year, the network creatively sells themselves short. This causes these interesting concepts to not reach their full potential. The Wrong Cheerleader Coach could have incorporated a glimpse into the pressures of being “perfect” and/or a student athletic representative of a school. Instead, the story focused on Devan’s growing attraction for Jon. This type of narrative is very typical for Lifetime, even finding a place in Killer Prom. As I’ve said about Hallmark, I’d like to see Lifetime step out of their comfort zone and use different story-telling techniques for future movies. One example would be including thought-provoking ideas that encourage viewers to think about the film long after they’ve seen it. This would help these projects stand out for a longer period of time.

Overall score: 7 out of 10

Do you watch Lifetime movies? Is there one that has been your favorite? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen