Rueben's Ramblings

The HBO movie Bessie will air at 8 PM on May 16.

Queen Latifah (Chicago) stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith, focusing on her transformation from a struggling young singer into “The Empress of the Blues,” one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s.

The film includes Michael Kenneth Williams (Boardwalk Empire), Khandi Alexander (Treme and Scandal), Mike Epps (The Hangover), Tika Sumpter (Sparkle), Tory Kittles (True Detective), Oliver Pratt (Fargo), Bryan Greenberg (How to Make It in America), Mo’Nique (Precious) and Charles S. Dutton (Roc and Longmire).

Here is a trailer for Bessie:

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On May 10, the original UP Channel movie Mothers of the Bride will debut at 7 PM.

When a young woman, adopted at birth, gets engaged, she decides this might be a good time to meet her birth mother. Her adopted mother, so excited to plan her daughter’s wedding is supportive until she meets the birth mother who is a hugely successful event planner.

The film stars Gail O’Grady (NYPD Blue and Revenge), Betsy Brandt, Daniella Bobadilla, Julie Brown and Roy Werner.

Here is a trailer for Mothers of the Bride.

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The new Hallmark Channel film Just the Way You Are will debut on May 9 at 9 PM.

When a professional matchmaker’s (Candace Cameron Bure) own marriage loses its spark, she seeks to recharge the relationship by asking her husband out on a blind date. As Mother’s Day approaches and their romance starts to rekindle, she wonders if her career-driven husband will finally learn to put his family’s needs before his job.

The film also stars Ty Olysson (The 100) and Natasha Calis (The Firm).

Here is a trailer for Just the Way You Are.

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On May 3, the new UP Channel movie Love By Design will debut at 7 PM.

Danielle (Giulia Nahmany) is living her dream in New York City. She’s got a successful career at a high fashion magazine, a great apartment and a handsome boyfriend. But when a coworker steals her idea (and her boyfriend), Danielle loses her self-control to her ultra-diva boss — and then loses her job. With her life in ruins, she heads home to Romania to the comfort of her family and friends. Now with the help of her colorful family, Danielle will rediscover herself and the passion that made her fall in love with fashion in the first place.

The cast includes Jane Seymour and David Oakes.

Here is a trailer for Love By Design.

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The original Hallmark Movies & Mysteries made-for-TV film Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Mystery will debut on May 2 at 9 PM.

Based on the book by Joanne Fluke, the film centers on free spirit Hannah Swensen (Alison Sweeney from Days of Our Lives), an expert baker who becomes a culinary detective when her shop, the Cookie Jar, becomes the scene of a crime, just as she is caught in a romantic mystery of her own.

The film also stars Cameron Mathison (All My Children) and Barbara Niven (Cedar Cove).

Here is a trailer for Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Mystery.

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The HBO two-night mini-series The Casual Vacancy will air on April 29 and April 30; first with back-to-back episodes from 8 to 10 PM on April 29 and the final part on April 30 at 8 PM

Based on the J.K. Rowling novel, the plot centers on Pagford, a seemingly idyllic English village with a cobbled market square and ancient abbey. But, behind its pretty façade, however, is a town at war: rich at war with the poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands and teachers at war with their students.

The cast includes Michael Gambon (the Harry Potter franchise), Julia McKenzie (Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple) and Keeley Hawes (Upstairs Downstairs).

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On April 12, the UP Channel original movie The Music in Me will debut at 7 PM.

Having traded in her dreams of becoming a professional singer to care for her aging parents and their neighborhood hardware store, Jessica (singer-actress Debbie Gibson) is asked to step in as choir director for a failing church as they prepare for their the big centennial celebration. When she arrives, Jessica is shocked to discover that the choir can’t sing and that the Church Deaconess (Gloria Reuben from ER and Falling Skies) is betting on her to fail.

During the process, Jessica builds a friendship with church handyman Ben (Antonio Cupo from Bomb Girls) and is challenged by choir member and teen runaway Alice (relative newcomer Amy Forsyth). Through their friendship and her work with the choir, she rekindles her love of music and finally finishes the song she’s been struggling with for many years – ultimately finding love and the music career she’s always dreamed of pursuing.

Here is a trailer for The Music in Me.

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The final film in the film adaptation of the V.C. Andrews book – Seeds of Yesterday – debuts on April 12 at 8 PM on Lifetime.

The saga of the tormented Dollangangers comes to an end with the family coexisting miserably, following Cathy’s two adult sons, Bart (James Maslow from Big Time Rush) and Jory (Anthony Konechny from Godzilla), half-brothers with little in common, whose lives are fueled by deeply troubled relationships, dark secrets and misfortune that come to a head in a way that will haunt the family and its progeny forever.

Jason Lewis and Rachael Carpani reprise their roles of adult Christopher and Cathy Dollanganger.

The cast also includes Sammi Hanratty (Pushing Daisies and Salem) and Leah Gibson (The Returned).

Here is the opening scene of Seeds of Yesterday.

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