Cradle of Lies

By Sal Duncan

Cradle of Lies is the story of a middle-aged woman looking to find herself on a solo ski vacation only to find true love after an unfortunate purse-snatching incident, and this all takes place in the first 15 minutes. The true genius of Lifetime movies is that you really only need one element to make them a success: drama. Everything else that you learned watching good movies is thrown out the window. Absolutely nothing else really needs to make sense as long as it loosely resembles something that you may have seen on TV at any time in history. So back to this gripping thrill ride....

One can only assume why Hayley (played by Shannon Sturges) is single, mostly because this information is never revealed in the plot, but on the other hand here you have a moderately successful 40-something whiner who complains about everything, and let's face it, who wouldn't want to spend the rest of eternity with her? Anyway, as previously mentioned, she attempts to discover her soul (or something) while taking a ski trip by herself. While sitting at the bar her purse gets stolen simply by someone walking up and taking it. Enter the hero, Jack Collins (it took a board room full of writers to come up with just his name) who makes a half-assed attempt to run after the thief only to return empty handed and thereby literally charm the pants off Hayley after several martinis. The Awkward chemistry and sudden change in emotion led me to believe that there was more to this purse-snatching than meets the eye, but I was wrong. Thus began my lesson in Lifetime logistics, those were mere weak plot points and bits of overacting. In any case, after about 48 hours of quality time together, Jack (played by Dylan Neal) pops the big question, and instead of seeing the giant red flag in front of her, Hayley acts like any other woman would and decides that this is the most romantic moment of her life and accepts the offer. Did I mention that Jack is an attorney? So, we are all set with our story and are left wondering what danger lies around the corner because, let's face it, it's implied in the title.

Now, Life is just glorious. Hayley has the perfect husband, and the perfect home, and what better way to add to their utopian lifestyle than to have... a kid? Now, Jack doesn't beat around the bush (no pun intended) when it comes to kids. He wants a boy, and this point is driven home many, many times....so much so that the moment Hayley announces she is pregnant, Jack asks her if it's a boy. Did I mention that Jack is an attorney? Along for the ride is Jacks younger, hotter secretary, Michelle (Natalie Brown) whose character has no business being in the movie other than to just be an evil piece of ass. As the story unfolds, you may find yourself asking why Jack just didn't marry her instead, but don't worry about that, the writers sure as hell didn't.

We've only begun to scratch the surface on this riveting piece of cinema. Sexual deviance, betrayal, money, and greed are only a few of the elements woven in this tale of seduction, whether or not you chose to go along for the ride is up to you. But rest assured, if you're feeling like a Lifetime movie, Cradle will not disappoint.

Joy Fielding's The Other Woman

By Rachel Duncan

The recipe for an ideal rainy afternoon is ‘cooked up’ in Joy Fielding’s The

Other Woman. The ingredients, which will be redundant to diehard Lifetime movie fans include:

~ attractive, successful attorney married to beautiful university professor

~ pissed off, yet savvy, angst- filled teenager

~ cold, angry, vindictive ex-wife

~ conniving, self-serving legal intern

These are seamlessly combined with abusive husbands, murder, adultery, pride, and deceit to answer the question, ‘What happens to people’s lives when power and ego take over?’ When all is said and done, ‘Be careful what you ask for, Nicole, for you shall surely have it.’ If you were a fan of Beverly Hills 90210, you will be delighted to see Jason Priestly in a secondary, but critical, role as a journalist, former colleague (and more) of the professor, played by Josie Bissett. By the way, get ready gals. You will want every outfit she wears. The last word is, ‘Don’t miss this one.’

The Babysitter's Seduction

By Rachel Duncan

Michelle, Michelle, those sugar daddies aren't always who they seem to be, are they?

A striking young high school student, Michelle Winston (Keri Russell) is working for a well-to-do family as their babysitter. The Bertrands live in a gorgeous home (swimming pool, tennis court). The children really enjoy Michelle, who cares for them and likes being with them, as well.

Sadly, one afternoon Michelle finds Mrs. Bertrand dead in the kitchen. The homicide investigation begins. As Detective Kate Jacobs (Phylicia Rashad aka Claire Huxtable) becomes suspicious of Mr. Bertrand (Stephen Collins - 7th Heaven), Michelle, devastated by what has happened, still has enough emotional energy to attend her classes and tell her friends she can't hang out with them (or go to the prom) because she has too much to do for Mr. Bertrand and the kids......running the household, interviewing housekeepers, getting caught in the closet trying on the deceased Mrs. Bertrand's clothes (and that's not all that happened in the closet).

Let's see...Mrs. Bertrand was having an affair with Paul Richards (John D'Aquino). He was killed by Mr. Bertrand, who is best friends with Detective Frank O'Keefe (Tobin Bell - hit man in 'The Firm'). Detective O'Keefe is following Michelle, who has fallen for Mr. B, who is setting Michelle up to take the fall for killing his wife. Get the picture? Throw in Linda Kelsey playing Michelle's single mom (of course)...and there you have it, a drama that might affect babysitters the way 'Fatal Attraction' scared the bejeezus out of husbands. It's that good! The movie trailer says it all..."She was hired to watch over the kids. But, who was going to watch over her?"

Co-ed Call Girl

By Kristin Duncan

A majority of my love for Lifetime movies is all in the title… ‘Co-ed Call Girl’ does not have any senseless pun or alternative meaning. This spicy title delivers the true essence of the sleaze we love so much. Tori Spelling (Joanna) plays a Donna Martin gone wrong character. Like any struggling Co-Ed, she determines her only recourse to pay for college is to sell her body. Her transition from all American girl to Call girl started with a practical joke from her roommate. Joanna’s curiosity leads her to pursue a life of being a call girl. She gets sucked into a perception of a glamorous career working as a high-class prostitute. She begins to become swallowed in a living nightmare of the seedy lifestyle. Joanna soon realizes that her profession is paired with manipulation and dishonesty. Is it too late for her to get out? Watch and see!

This movie has the elements for another Lifetime success... Title, sleaze, recycled 90210 star…what else can you ask for?

While the Children Sleep (The Sitter)

By Kate Flowers

Ah, the old “babysitter trying to take the wife’s place” plot. Surprisingly, it never really gets old. No matter how many times I see a naughty little vixen move into the home of the perfect family who just needs a little extra help, I can’t help but watch. When it comes to this particular genre, a few elements are pretty much guaranteed or your money back: #1: She will be attractive, but everyone around her will make repetitive comments to elevate that attractiveness to the highest level. This reinforces the wife’s inevitable jealously and the tried and true skepticism of the wife’s best friend after meeting naughty nanny. That brings me to #2: The wife always has a best friend who can almost instantly see through all of the BS from the moment she meets the caregiver. #3: The wife will feel pushed aside as the babysitter takes over certain tasks: helping with homework, cooking, picking up the kids and of course, letting the husband “confide” in her. Naturally all of these elements are included in While the Children Sleep (aka The Sitter) which as you may have guessed, is the copycat version of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. It comes complete with a babysitter haunted by past traumatic events, a mother who is made to look negligent (why is it always the mother?), and a husband who, no matter how many times is warned by close friends and family, cannot see the babysitter for who she really is... a loony toon. Did I mention that there is also the classic “defend the child from the school bully scene”? While it may not be as “colorful” as Rebecca De Mornay’s tirade, the nanny does manage to slip in the phrase “skinned like a rabbit”... Yikes! I would definitely recommend giving this one a watch... If not for Gail O’Grady, do it for parents everywhere who may have failed to conduct a background check or broken their nanny cams.