Family Drama..."Switched At Birth"

Switched at Birth (2011)

TV-PG

Starring Katie Leclerc, Vanessa Marano, Constance Marie, D.W. Moffett, Lea Thompson, Lucas Grabeel, Sean Berdy,

Created by Lizzy Weiss

The Story:

When Bay Kennish (Marano) takes a simple blood sample for a high school science project, she inadvertently discovers that her parents (Moffett & Thompson) couldn't possibly be her biological parents. That's when they learn of Daphne (Leclrec), their real daughter who's been raised by a single mom (Marie) after their babies were... wait for it...

Switched At Birth!

So there's the premise for this ABC Family / Free Form original series that is now available to stream on Netflix.

Ah, but there is one catch: Daphne is deaf!

So in addition to a series with a dichotomy of the haves vs. the have nots, there is also the struggle to cope with learning that their daughter is hearing impaired and trying to get to know her while trying to figure out how best to communicate with her.

And for the first half of the first season, this show was so very interesting and they seemingly came up with one cliffhanger after the next.

Then the season kept trudging on, for 30 episodes.

I think they really should have split the seasons in half, but that's just my thoughts.

As it wore on, the show seemed to stray away from the original and emotional concept of getting to know family that you haven't ever met for 16 years yet feel already emotionally attached to.

It made some powerful moments in the series, especially as Bay seemingly gets lost in the shuffle as her parents fawn all over their new daughter, and her real mom never really seems interested in her life.

Quite sad really, and you feel for her as the season wears along.

But again, the 2nd half turns very much into a soap opera (even more than it already sounds like!) with naturally romance after romance until we finally get to the much ballyhooed trial against the hospital for negligence.

It gets seemingly lost in the shuffle for most of the season, then is quick and over, and the season STILL isn't finished yet.

Naturally, my grade diminished as the season wore on, and after we finished, nobody really had a desire to move on to see what happens next, as there are 7 seasons and counting.

I'll blame it on viewer fatigue more than anything else. While we never binged, maybe a good week between episodes is precisely what we needed.

The cast is great, and the story itself, when not in the ridiculously absurd, can be quite compelling.

Final Grade: B

I Would Like A Different "Wish For Christmas"

Wish For Christmas (2016)  

Rated PG

Starring Anna Fricks, Joey Lawrence, Leigh-Allyn Baker, Bill Engvall,

Directed by John K.D. Graham

The Story:

Anna (Fricks) finds out that the Christmas dance at school has been moved to Christmas Eve. When she tells her parents (Lawrence & Baker), they tell her sorry, that's when they go to Christmas Eve service at church, and she won't be attending the dance. That night, she wishes that her parents didn't have such a strong faith in God. The next morning, her wish comes true. What begins as a cool dream come true for Anna, the scope of what she's done begins affecting more and more people in the community.

Just to be clear, don't confuse this one with A Wish For Christmas, A Christmas Wish, or The Christmas Wish.

This movie is completely different, I would assume, except for the whole making a wish, and it being Christmas time.

: )

Except I haven't seen any of those yet, and now I want to!

Much like I do every year, while watching our ever-growing list of holiday favorites over and over (and over!) again, I try and sample some of the new offerings, because you just never know when you'll find one that is good enough to add to the list.

Since I don't have cable, I don't get a chance to just turn on Hallmark, Lifetime or Free Form (formerly ABC Family) and get sucked in to their annual marathons of new films and old favorites.

This is probably a good thing.

: )

So I find new ones from Netflix and add them to the pile, and here we are.

Speaking of piles...

;)

It's not...bad...but it's far from good.

Anna is a spoiled brat, so it's really hard to sympathize with her at any point in the movie.

Her parents go from Bible-thumping to Bible-dumping overnight, literally, and the dialogue and interaction between the characters is less than stellar.

The script needed some overhauling, because aside from a strangely out-of-place Santa (Engvall) who exists for the sole reason to remind Anna that life isn't awesome for everyone in the world, most of the characters are one dimensional and hard for the audience to warm up to.

The ending seems forced, as does the reaction of the participants.

Unlike last year's attempts (Christmas Town, A Christmas Eve Miracle) however, I'm not going to put this one on the naughty list.

It's heart was in the right place, and the story could have been punched up and made much better.

Especially considering how talented at least half the cast has been in other things they've done.

Final Grade: C-

Reliving Christmas Eve Over And Over On The "12 Dates Of Christmas"

12 Dates of Christmas (2011)

TV PG

Starring Amy Smart, Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Directed by James Hayman

The Story:

Kate (Smart) is trying to get back with her ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve. She ends up standing up a blind date with Miles (Gosselaar) in the attempts to win back the ex. Fate decides that perhaps Kate needs to try again, and so she is going to relive this date with Miles until she gets it right. Will she ever enjoy her Christmas, or is she doomed to forever be stuck on Christmas Eve?

Another of the many Lifetime/Hallmark/ABC Family plethora of holiday movies that have been produced to air on television for viewers.

This little romantic comedy has quickly become one of my recent favorites.

Yes, it is just like Groundhog Day in the repetition aspect, but that's okay because Groundhog Day is a great movie and if you're going to try and replicate the formula, make sure you do a good job of it.

And they do.

Smart and Gosselaar are great leads with enough chemistry that you are rooting for them to get together by the 12th Date.

Naturally, Kate spends her time learning new things to do, learning more about herself, and learning quite a bit about her friends, loved ones, and some passing acquaintances.

Needless to say, she decides as the Christmas Eve wears on, she needs to share her gifts of discovery and make the world a better place.

Great movie, lots of fun!

Available to stream on Netflix as of his writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I have yet to purchase it, but I've been lucky enough that it's been streaming on Netflix for the last 2 years.

May The Holidays Provide You A "Christmas Bounty"

Christmas Bounty (2013)

TV-PG

Starring Francia Raisa,  Mike "The Miz" Mizanin,

Directed by Gil Junger

The Story:

When elementary schoolteacher Tory Bell (Raisa) realizes a man she helped put in prison has been freed, she knows he is coming for revenge against her family because they are all bounty hunters. She heads back to Jersey and revisits her roots teaming with family and ex-boyfriend (The Miz) to bring their perp to justice. Will she be able to keep her secret life from her new boyfriend, or will her Jersey ways doom their relationship?

If you think the above sounds like a TV movie, congratulations, you've just discovered ABC Family's new Christmas movie entry from last year.

Like most of their offerings, there is nothing ground-breaking or earth-shattering to be had. However, they are always well done, well-acted, and usually very enjoyable.

This one is no exception.

Raisa does a great job leading the cast. Apparently she is an ABC Family alumni from their network, and she has the charisma to lead a movie with little problem. The Miz, taking a break from the WWE turns in a fun little performance. Like him or hate him, he knows what to do for the cameras.

While it won't jump up the list of "must-sees" every year, it's a fun diversion that allows for a movie that takes place during the holidays, but isn't really about Christmas.

Like Die Hard. :)

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing, and my be part of the ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas line-up in the last few days.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would be able to watch this one each year with little problem.

Gearing Up For The "Holidaze"

Holidaze (2013)

TV-14

Starring Jennie Garth, Cameron Mathison, Kristin Booth

Directed by Jerry Ciccoritti

The Story:

 Melody (Garth) is an executive who specializes in making little towns see how important it is to build a giant retail store in their town. When she is sent back to her hometown to close the deal, she runs into friends, family and an old flame (Mathison). However, she takes a tumble and wakes up in a world where she never left home and married her sweetheart. With a new look at life, will she change her ways and realize she has a chance to enjoy a truly wonderful life?

See what I did there? :)

However, this film is actually more like the underrated Family Man.

Instead of a movie where the hero sees what life was like if they had never been born, this one shows what life would have been like if they had selected family over career.

Strangely enough, they are usually happier when selecting the family.

Go figure.

One of the ABC Family films that debuted during their annual 25 Days of Christmas (now playing!) celebration, this one actually takes place closer to Thanksgiving.

Which means it is the perfect way to start getting into the holiday season without actually having to play a Christmas movie.

However, if you're like me and have no problem watching Elf or something like that in like, oh, June or July, then no worries.

:)

You'll see all the twists and turns coming, but that's usually not a bad thing in films like this one.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C/C+ range

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Could become an annual way to kick off the holiday season with those movies that stretch back to Thanksgiving. :)

Tuesday's Streaming TV Show..."Melissa and Joey"

Melissa & Joey (2010)
TV-14

Starring: Melissa Joan Hart, Joseph Lawrence

Airs on ABC Family

The Story:

Melissa Burke (Hart) is a successful city council member who winds up as the legal guardian of her teenage niece and nephew when their parents wind up in jail and on the lam for embezzlement.  She's barely able to keep head above water with the two new kids in tow, and decides to hire a nanny.  Before she gets the chance, Joe (Lawrence) a disgruntled former co-worker of her brother in law comes looking for the money he is owed and offers to be the nanny as he is desperate for a job.  When he actually does a good job, Mel decides to keep him on for the time being.

Say, this sounds like Who's the Boss?

:)

That's okay, I liked that show back in the day.

So where was I?

Oh yes, so previously reviewed was My Fake Fiance ( My Fake Review! ), which starred both of our leads and aired on ABC Family.  As I commented, the two had a nice chemistry together.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that noticed, and shortly after that film aired, ta-da, a brand new sitcom starring them both is on the air, and beginning their 4th season.

Looking to watch something funny the other night, ran across this and figured, why not, 21 minutes never killed anyone.

21 minutes later, I let the next episode play.

Yep, it's a pretty cute show.  Melissa and Joe (am I referring to the character or the actor?!?) have the same chemistry and it makes for an enjoyable experience as they are clearly having fun with the show they are working on.

At Least One Chicken Was Harmed In the Making of This Episode

I am sure that someday the show will naturally force these 2 to become a couple, but for now, it will retain the chemistry and magic of the early Who's the Boss, Cheers, Moonlighting, Friends, etc. etc. of two lead characters who so belong together but instead create great sparks by getting on each other's nerves.

Therefore for now, I'm happy.

The writing is crisp and fast and works well for the duo to bounce off one another.

Not going to marathon this (30 episodes a season!), but whenever I have an hour or less to kill at night, an episode or 2 will do the trick nicely.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor  So far, I see no reason not to watch it again.  I've enjoyed each of the episodes that I've viewed thus far.  I'm now up into the 20s on Season One.  As for a purchase?  Probably not, I've found that aside from Psych, I just don't buy a whole lot of television shows anymore. 

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day Five: "A Holiday For Love"

You can go home again...

The Story:

Jacob (Tim Matheson) is sent by his company to his hometown of Athens, Nebraska, to determine who to lay off and who to keep at the local tractor factory.  He arrives in the town pretending to need to make a larger order of tractors, and runs into Emma (Melissa Gilbert) and her daughter, Noelle (Michelle Trachtenberg) who take him in.  Emma just so happens to work at the factory, and is dating the local sheriff (Travis Tritt).  Naturally the two become interested in one another, but when Emma learns why Jacob is really there, will their budding romance survive... and will the small town that relies on the factory?

From 1996, I'm not sure if this was a Hallmark movie or a Lifetime movie, but I caught it sometime between one of those channels.

And I liked it.  A lot.

There is romance.  There is drama.  Plus a touch of humor throughout the film to keep things light.

It's also the struggle for a man to return to his hometown where he lost a lot of his childhood, including his father who walked out on the family when Jacob was very young.

However, Christmas is a season of miracles, and maybe...

Just maybe...

With the help of the townspeople...

Jacob is going to come up with a plan that works for the company AND the town.

He'll save the day.  Get the girl.  Live happily ever after.

I'm good with that!

It is available on the ABC Family website: http://abcfamily.go.com/movies
If you don't already own it or haven't seen it in some time.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Every year around the holidays, and yes, I enjoyed it so much I did track down a DVD of it and it's mine, all mine!

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day Four: "Christmas Cupid"

It's never too late... or is it?

The Story:

Sloane (Christina Milian) is a go-getter at a PR firm, but her golden goose is cooked when her star client, Caitlin (Ashley Benson) dies.  However, in true A Christmas Carol fashion, Caitlan comes back to haunt Sloane, and take her on a trip through Christmases past, present and future where she shows Sloane what is truly important in her life.

Can Sloane change her ways in time to win back her true love, Patrick (Chad Michel Murray) ?

Yes, another version of A Christmas Carol.

However, this time it switches to a romantic comedy idea courtesy of ABC Family back in 2010.

I don't think we saw this one until 2011, or maybe last year, but it became a hit in the household, and has been watched many, many times since, especially by a few of the kids who absolutely adore this movie.

Thankfully, I liked the version too, so I'm always happy to have a Holiday movie playing as long as it is one that I enjoy.

This one easily fits the bill, taking the standard Dickens tale and focusing on Sloane's love life versus Scrooge's miserly ways to show how Sloane crushed guy after guy by putting her job before her heart.

Blasphemy, I know.

:)

Anyway, it's a cute little movie and it is streamable on Netflix as of this writing, and probably playing on ABC Family sometime this month as well, and also available on the ABC Family website as well.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Watched it probably half a dozen times, maybe more.  Finally bought it this season, packaged with three other ABC Family Holiday hits! :)

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day Three: "Angels Sing"

Life is what you make of it.

The Story:

Michael (Harry Connick Jr.) hates Christmas.  His wife (Connie Britton) and son (Chandler Canterbury) don't share his disdain, but deal with it.  When he was little, Michael's brother died in an accident trying to save Michael.  He blames himself, and has hated Christmas ever since.  His father (Kris Kristofferson) always told him it wasn't his fault, but Michael never believed him.

When Michael stumbles across a house being sold by Nick (Willie Nelson), the two strike up a deal that seems entirely too good to be true.  All that Michael has to do, is keep up the standards that the neighborhood lives up to.  When it turns out that his house is the key centerpiece in an annual holiday lights that people travel the globe to see, it seems that the Grinch is going to steal everyone's Christmas.

Ah, but fate has one more cruel trick up her sleeve that will maybe, finally, open Michael's eyes to the real reason behind Christmas celebrations, and why he has to accept that sometimes, accidents happen.

Wow.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this film.  I'd never heard of it before, and to my knowledge this is the first year it's been released.  Not on Lifetime, ABC Family or the Hallmark Channel.

Saw it was coming out on Netflix last week, put it at the top of the queue, and well, now here we are.

:)

Needless to say, yes, a movie that has Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Harry Connick Jr. (and Lyle Lovett... among others...) in it:

There will be singing.

But, it is not a musical if that's what you're worried about.

The singing comes naturally, most often in the form of caroling by friends or family.

The message about accidents is a powerful one, and one that Michael doesn't realize until it's far too late.

He felt that he was always to blame for his brother's death but never once did he consider who shouldered a greater burden than he ever could.

My advice?

Bring a tissue to this one, you might find it will sneak up on you and you're going to need one.

Plus, I really want the snowman decoration in the film!!

Final Grade: Solid B  Could possibly push it even higher.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  It's a deceptive crowd-pleaser with a bit of a sad overtone, but ultimately uplifting message.  I'm a fan, and I think I'll make sure it's in the library by this time next year.

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day One: "Christmas in Boston"

Love at first sight, mostly?

The Story:

Gina (Marla Sokoloff) and Seth (Patrick J. Adams) have been pen pals for over 13 years.  Bestest of friends, chance has brought Seth to Boston for a toy conference because he works at a giant toy company and Gina is a reporter who will be covering the show.  The problem?  Seth had sent Gina a picture of his best friend, Matt (Johnathan Cherry).  No real worries, as Gina had sent a picture of her best friend Ellen (Lindy Booth) also.  Silly kids.  So they make their best friends meet... and they hit it off.

Big time.

Now what are the two supposed to do?  Their best friends are falling in love with each other, and Gina and Seth are disappointed, yet connecting with each other unbeknownst about who they really are.

Plus, Gina has the toy business scoop of a lifetime. 

Will she publish the story and destroy Seth's career?

Is fate going to step in and save the day?

Yep, another cute holiday movie served up from ABC Family as part of their 25 Days of Christmas programming.

From 2005, this one was probably seen by us for the first time 3 or 4 years ago.

It's a cute little tale, and all of the actors do a fine job.

Nothing earth-shattering or genre revitalizing, but ABC knows how to crank out an annual new film for their channel, and I'm glad for it.

So if you're interested in a sweet little romantic comedy for the holidays, here's a good one to try and start off with.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: At least once a year around now, and now thanks to a multi-pack of ABC Family films, I do own it!

Can A Loser Like Bradley Cooper Discover "The Reality of Love" ?

Hey, I know that guy!

The Story:

Ryan Banks (Jason Priestley) is a nobody who becomes a somebody, quite by chance.  He grabs his best friend, Todd (Bradley Cooper) and drags him along for the ride.  But now Ryan's star is fading, and Todd has the brilliant plan to revitalize his career by having Ryan star in a reality show, "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks".  The best choice of the contestants is Charlie (Emma Caulfield), but when Todd realizes he has feelings for her, he's unsure of how to proceed with his best friend's feelings on the line.

Well, you know when you have a movie where Jason Priestly is on the bill ahead of Bradley Cooper, it's old (2004) and it was probably made for TV (ABC Family: I Want to Marry Ryan Banks).

Correct on both counts!

Yes, before Bradley Cooper was BRADLEY COOPER, he was working his way up the Hollywood ladder.

That includes a stop at ABC Family for a romantic comedy that is never laugh out loud funny, but remains amusing throughout.

Naturally, you can see what's coming miles before the rest of the cast actually get there, but that's okay.  It's one of the conceits of the genre, and I'm fine with it.

Usually when they tinker with the classic romantic comedy formula, that's when something goes horribly wrong and the movie becomes unwatchable!

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl. Happy Ending.

This one follows that formula mostly with a slight wrinkle or two from the reality show to keep the viewers on edge.



Will Charlie choose love, or money?

When all of America is rooting for those two to be together, does poor Todd stand a chance?

I will admit though, Ryan is supposed to be a bit slimy with the ladies, but Priestley does a great job of balancing the fact that he's supposed to be both adored by the ladies and a bit of a playboy at the same time, and never goes too far either direction to make him too sappy or too mean.

In fact, I was genuinely surprised at how the movie wrapped up the storyline, and they lifted what would have been a C/C+ range movie of the week to...

Final Grade: B-.. maybe even solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cute and harmless, I could watch it again with no problems.

Black Friday Is The Perfect Day To Announce A "Holiday Engagement"

Haven't I seen this before?

The Story:

Hillary (Bonnie Somerville) longs for the approval of her parents (Shelly Long and Sam McMurray).  Now she is engaged to Jason (Chris McKenna), a successful lawyer and they are planning to head to her family for the long Thanksgiving weekend.  But when Jason gets a promotion that would require him to move, Hillary is less than thrilled, so Jason opts for career over love.  Now desperate, Hillary puts an ad on a dating site for  someone to pretend to be her boyfriend for the weekend.  Enter David (Jordan Bridges) a struggling actor who just might fit the bill.

My Fake Fiance.
Holiday in Handcuffs.
Holiday Engagement.

Welcome to the wonderful world of mistaken identity romantic comedies!  This one was offered up by the Hallmark Channel back in 2011.

To ring in the holiday season, let's start with Thanksgiving, which is different than Christmas, and provides a nice bookend to holiday viewing.

I'm always a fan of starting early, which is why you've seen reviews for holiday themed movies/specials appear sporadically throughout the year.   And I'm not done yet!

: )

It's nice to see that Shelley Long is still acting, I haven't seen her in ages.

The rest of the cast are mostly newcomers, at least for me, but everyone does a fine job playing their roles.

It's a very comfortable film, you feel like you've seen it before even on the first viewing, and it just becomes more ingrained on you with repeated viewings.

It's like enjoying a cup of cocoa on a chilly day. 

It never really gets old.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing, whenever you are ready to kick off your holiday viewing celebration!

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I won't be rushing out to buy it, but I could see giving it a whirl to kick off the holidays in future holiday seasons.

How To Get A New Toaster..."My Fake Fiance"

They're in it for the money!

The Story:

Jennifer (Melissa Joan Hart) meets Vince (Joey Lawrence) at a wedding.  The two loathe each other from the get-go.  However, fate conspires to draw them together when Jennifer loses all of her worldly possessions as she prepares to move into her new house, and Vince is up to his eyeballs in gambling debts.  The two strike a deal to pretend to get engaged.  She'll keep the gifts, he gets the cash.  It's a win-win for them both.

Ah, but a funny thing happens on the way to the fake altar...

Premiering in 2009 on ABC Family, this is your standard tv movie romantic comedy.

The good thing, it is romantic: the two leads share a wonderful chemistry with one another.  So much so, that ABC Family was wise enough to turn to the duo a year later and give them a sitcom together.  Plus, it is also a comedy.  While not a gut-buster, it is charming fun throughout that will keep you smiling and make an enjoyable date night with your significant other that you should both enjoy.

I am amused that ABC Family has almost pigeon-holed Hart into the "fake boyfriend" girl.  Her Christmas movie, Holiday in Handcuffs,  is now a holiday staple in our house, and guess what the plot is?  Girl is going to bring a boyfriend to meet the family, gets dumped, and kidnaps another guy (Mario Lopez) to be the beau.

And just like in that movie...

Vince is so awesome, naturally the in-laws love, love, love him to pieces!

Ah, but with this type of story, naturally, eventually, the two antagonists fall in love.

It's inevitable.

But that's why we watch.

And I have to admit, it's quite the touching ceremony at the end, both sweet yet funny.

Enjoyable movie, well worth your time.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I've watched it twice in the last year or two.  It's still streaming on Netflix so I don't need to purchase it... but would with little hesitation.

William Shakespeare's "Pizza My Heart". Sounds Catchy!

Romeo & Juliet by way of ABC Family...


The Story:

Two rival Italian families live in Verona New Jersey.  They both operate successful pizza parlors across from one another.  They are separated by a fence, a weak transformer that powers both places, and unified by an undying hatred of each other that goes back generations.  Add in a rich businessman who wants to franchise a restaurant, and competition takes on unhealthy levels.  If that wasn't bad enough, love steps in and has the two oldest from each family fall madly in love with one another.

What is a family feud supposed to do now?


This is not earth-shaking cinema.

This is made for tv goodness courtesy of ABC Family, who provides me with a month of awesomeness every year around Christmas.  The stories are light, breezy, generally well made, scripted, acted, and put together.  Aside from the dads in each family, I didn't recognize any faces in this film as the stars, but that's okay.  No distractions that way, or stunt casting.

So taking the Bard's well-known Romeo & Juliet story, and naturally, befitting the subject matter, giving it a happy ending.

And I tell you, it works.

Tragedy schmagedy, the world lives for happy endings, and if you're going to update the R&J story, THAT'S what you have to do with it.  Unless you are going for a strict retelling, avoid the tragedy and let the 2 youngsters teach their families a valuable lesson.

Much more satisfying, and a lot less depressing.


Anyway, breezy 90 minutes that's suitable for the whole family to enjoy.

I recommend doing so with pizza!

Final Grade: C+
Would I Add it to the Collection: Nah, it was no Gnomeo & Juliet!  : )