Change of Plans - Family Movie Night on FOX

MOVIE REVIEW

Change of Plans
(sponsored by Walmart)

Network: FOX

Original Air Date: January 8, 2010


CAST:

Brooke White ... Sally Danville
Phylicia Rashad ... Dorothy
Jayme Lynn Evans ... Jordan
Bobby Soto ... Javier
Jakobe' Dempsey ... Kaleb
Joe Flanigan ... Jason Danville
Aurora Kruk ... Christine
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee ... Toby

PLOT:

Up to this point, Sally Danville's life has played out just as she hoped it would. A beautiful and free-spirited musician, she and her fighter-pilot husband, Jason, live life on the go, free of domestic responsibilities. But with a single phone call from Child & Family Services case worker, Dorothy (Phylicia Rashad, The Cosby Show), she learns that things don't always go according to plan. Sally (Brooke White, American Idol) is met with the news that her best friend from college has died in a tragic accident on a Peace Corps mission and has named Sally the legal guardian of her four kids - 3 of them adopted from third-world countries. Now Sally and Jason (Joe Flanigan, Stargate Atlantis) must quickly learn to parent this instant family and help the kids deal with the culture clash of life in America. The story is both humorous and heartwarming, revealing how fulfilling life can be when you look beyond your own plans and invest in the lives of others.

Movie Review:

In my opinion, Change of Plans has been the best, of these Walmart Sponsored Family Movie Nights.

I was wondering if Brooke White, who was an American Idol finalist, would be good at acting, and she was truly great. She and the guy, who potrayed her husband, Joe Flanigan, were terrific together!

The story is about a successful couple, Sally and Jason, who find themselves caring for four children after their parents are killed. The children have been living in the Sudan, 3 are adopted, and are from different racial backgrounds and cultures... and, yet, they are very much a family.

It is really a precious and beautiful story of how this couple and these children open up there home and hearts to one another and become a family. Sally and Jason think they will take care of the children only temporarily until a new home can be found for these kids and they can return to their busy hectic lives and careers, but each day they grow closer and closer to the children. The storyline reminded me of: Rent-a-Kid or Raising Helen.

My only caution would be for younger kids, who might be upset by this storyline of these children losing their parents. So, please be aware of this before viewing.

Other than that, it is a very moving, inspiring movie... it may be a little cheesy for some, and predictable, at times, but even still, it is very heart-warming!


See or Skip:

See, a sweet movie.


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A Walk in my Shoes - NBC Family Movie Night

MOVIE REVIEW

A Walk in my Shoes

Network: NBC

Original Air Date: December 3, 2010


CAST:

Nancy Travis ... Trish / Cindy
Jackson Pace ... Mikey Kremer
Cameron Deane Stewart ... Justin Kremer
Jana Lee Hamblin ... Cindy Kremer
Philip Winchester ... Jake
Yara Martinez ... Molly - the Angel
Betty Moyer ... Phoebe
Elijah Nelson ... Toby
Sarah Willey ... Head Cheerleader
Shanga Parker ... Coach Kellums
Tra'Renee Chambers ... Nurse in Clinic
Will Cuddy ... Cool Dude Guy
Timi Rutter ... Woman at Carnival

PLOT:

A Walk in My Shoes makes viewers stop and think, What would I learn if I stepped into someone else's life? Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey (Nancy Travis, Three Men and a Baby, Becker) can't understand her students' lack of effort in the classroom and why their parents don't seem to care. This is especially true of Justin Kremer (Cameron Deane Stewart), a popular, skateboard-loving, basketball star who is under performing in her class. Trish has him suspended from the basketball team and quickly chalks up the situation as a case of bad parenting.

This perspective dramatically changes when Trish meets Molly (Yara Martinez, My Own Worst Enemy), a mysterious stranger intent on helping her see things differently. After a car accident, Trish wakes to find herself living the life of Cindy Kremer, the woman she has rashly judged and criticized. Molly helps Trish discover that there is more to the story and learns a powerful lesson that affects everyone she interacts with, including her husband, daughter and the Marine next door. No one is left unchanged.


Movie Review:

At times, this movie was very interesting and thought provoking... and at other times, I found it be very strange.

I'll do my best to explain... there could be some Spoilers - so be ware!

Trish Fahey (Nancy Travis), a very busy, by the rules, teacher - is totally not understanding to her husband, children, or students lives and feelings. Well, she is in a small car accident, visited by a woman, who I believe was an Angel (but acted very strangely throughout the rest of the movie) and poof suddenly Trish is not herself anymore... but instead, she is Cindy, the Mother of one of her students. She quickly adapts herself into this new life as a waitress and a widowed Mother of two boys. Her growing relationship with these boys is the best part of the movie and realizing their emotions and feelings since the passing of their father.

A new neighbor moves in next door to them - Jake, a Marine, and I think - surely he and the mother (Cindy) are meant to get together...as he bonds with both boys and takes the family in when they are evicted from their home, but no - that doesn't happen. He is often visited by this same angel, a woman named Molly, who also visited Trish - but she is often quite weird. In one scene she is dancing around and there is no music or reason for her to be doing it. The marine seems strangely attracted to her. It's just very odd.

There were some aspects that were interesting - especially about the teacher, Trish, who is literally walking in the shoes of this mother, Cindy, and doing her best to live her life and keep everything together. She helps the oldest boy, Justin, deal with his past and he finally writes his English paper about what event changed his life. Of course, it was about losing his father. She also learns that her actual daughter is more interested in arts and dancing than in academics, and realizes how much her husband needs just to talk to her at the end of the day.

I don't think most children would stick with this movie - I think it would be way too complicated and confusing for them - as the storyline jumps around a lot. It's interesting, at times, but it is rather slow moving at other times. In the end, which was only a few weeks later, I'm guessing, Trish returns back to her normal life, but she is changed now, and she and her husband anonymously help out Cindy Kremer and her sons- so they can keep their home, and the Marine living next door to them, that just moved in - is suddenly all packed up and moving away. As he drives down the road - the angel or mysterious stranger, Molly, appears next to him and then, they go to the fair. And, that's the end.

*Note: This is not a Christmas Movie: however, in one beautiful, touching scene, the young boy, Mikey, and Jake (the Marine/Neighbor) put beautiful Colored Christmas Lights on the house because the boy wants his father to see them from Heaven. Mikey asks Jake, Do you believe in God?, and Jake says, Yes, then Mikey asks, Where was God when my father died?, and Jake says gently, Right beside him.

I was touched by this scene... I wish the rest of the movie could have been more like this moment.


See or Skip:

Maybe, see it on TV, but skip getting this one on DVD.


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Welcome to Walmart - New NBC Family Movie Night Movie - The Jensen Project

MOVIE REVIEW

The Jensen Project

stars Kellie Martin (ER, Christy, - pictured to the right)

Network: NBC

Original Air Date: July 16, 2010


CAST:

Kellie Martin ... Claire
Brady Smith ... Matt
Patricia Richardson ... Ingrid
LeVar Burton ... Kendrick
Justin Kelly ... Brody
Alyssa Diaz ... Samantha
David Andrews ... Edwin Jensen

PLOT:

The Jensen Project will focus on 12 geniuses who move to upstate New York who brainstorm ideas about how to save the world. When some of them get greedy and decide to make money off one of their inventions, a cross-country melee ensues.

Once a part of a secret community of world-class geniuses doing cutting-edge research, Matt (Brady Smith) and Claire (Kellie Martin, ER), with the aid of their teenage son, Brody (Justin Kelly), must stop their former colleague Edwin Jensen (David Andrews) who has now gone bad.

In this roller coaster adventure Matt, Claire and Brody race against the clock following clues, thwarting evil schemes and rediscovering each other in the process. Ultimately, they not only fight to stop the rogue geniuses, but also rediscover their family bond.

The roller-coaster adventure movie "The Jensen Project" explores the secret community of world-class geniuses who do cutting-edge research that they share anonymously to help the world. Starring are Patricia Richardson ("Home Improvement"), LeVar Burton ("Star Trek: The Next Generation"), Kellie Martin ("ER") and Brady Smith ("CSI"). "The Jensen Project" is produced by Muse Entertainment and Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc.


Extra News:

Continuing in their quest to promote family-friendly alternatives to what they say is increasingly racy TV fare, Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble are moving forward on another TV movie, The Jensen Project.

The trades report NBC will air the telepic which will double as a backdoor pilot should the network be interested in a series.

See More Info, here.

Movie Review:

Coming...


See or Skip:

Coming...

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