Top 10 TV Movies: Lifetime Original Movies

A Lifetime original, 12 Men of Christmas, debuts December 5, 2009. It's the latest of several great new movies from TV's Lifetime channel for women. Many informative and entertaining Lifetime original movies can be seen on Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network (LMN). My top 10 picks include great Christmas romance and comedy, suspenseful, true and inspirational flicks made between 2009 and 2003.

10. The 12 Men of Christmas (2009) Cute and enjoyable romantic Christmas comedy from Lifetime about a city girl down on her luck. She becomes a country girl after taking a job in a small Montana town where she sets out to convince the Search & Rescue volunteers to pose naked for a fundraising calendar. Visit Lifetime's website to see the hot 12 Men of Christmas Calendar!

Lifetime's latest original movie is based on the book Decent Exposure by Philippa Ashley. Stars: Kristin Cheonweth (from TV's West Wing and Pushing Daisies), Anna Chlumsky (My Girl) and Josh Hopkins (TV's Cougar Town). Premier: December 5, 2009 @ 9 PM (EST) Encore: December 6 and 8 @ 9 PM.

9. Stranger With My Face (2009) Based on a book by Lois Duncan. A Lifetime original is about a girl that not only discovers she is adopted but that her dark twin is trying to take over her life and harm her loved ones. Starring Alexz Johnson (TV's Smallville), Emily Hurst (X2: X-men United) and Catherine Hicks (TV's Seventh Heaven). I love stories with a twist! If you do too, check out my micro-story about two men with parallel lives: Flashback: Parallel Lives. {There are many parallels in the short story. Can you find them? Hint: Think backwards!}

8. Ann Rule's Too Late to Say Goodbye: Every Marriage Has Its Secrets (2009) From Ann's bestselling book, Lifetime presents the true story of Jennifer and Bart Corbin. Nothing is ever perfect, especially marriage. Bart is having an affair and Jenn has a cyber friend. When Jenn supposedly commits suicide, her sister insists she was murdered and the journey to find Jenn's killer begins. Starring Rob Lowe (Tommy Boy, Youngblood, St. Elmo's Fire, Bad Influence), Lauren Holly (Any Given Sunday, Beautiful Girls, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) and Michelle Hurd (Random Hearts, Personals and TV's Law and Order: SVU)

7. A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (2006) Stars Mercedes Ruehl as a single mother whose teenage son wants to be a woman. This Lifetime original movie is a touching true transgender story of a Latina family's struggles, courage and tragedy. Mom eventually crusades for equal rights of transgender people. Gwen is wonderfully portrayed by J.D. Pardo. Great job - TV Lifetime, the Araujo family and stars! I have a soft spot for this sort of thought-provoking and powerful story. For a similar storyline minus the tragedy, read my review of Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent.

6. Recipe for a Perfect Christmas (2005) - Great holiday Lifetime movie about a magazine employee (played by Carly Pope of TV's 24) that lands her dream job - a food critic with her own food column. It's a recipe for love in this wonderful romantic comedy. From TV's Ugly Betty, Christine Baranski plays Carly's meddling mom. Bobby Cannavale (By the People: The Election of Barack Obama (TV Movie) and TV's Cold Case) plays a bistro owner that agrees to Carly's proposition - distract her Mom in exchange for a review of his restaurant.

5. She's Too Young (2004) A mother (Marcia Gay Harden - Meet Joe Black, Pollock) of a great student and seemingly innocent daughter (Alexis Dziena - TV's Witchblade) discovers she's engaging in sexual activities. When syphilis plagues her daughter's school, Mom crusades to educate parents and children on the physical and emotional consequences of experimenting with sex and drugs. More drama unfolds when Mom sends Alexis to boarding school. This Lifetime original movie is an adolescent drama that sets out to educate kids on peer pressure and the serious repercussions of their choices.

4. The Plain Truth (2004) When a newborn is found dead in an Amish community and a criminal lawyer abandons her self-indulgent city life to solve the mystery in rural Pennsylvania. She must defend an 18-year-old Amish girl, accused of killing her baby. The girl insists she was never pregnant. While trying to learn her client's secrets, the attorney is forced to live with the Amish and break down the barriers of the private Amish society. Starring Mariska Hargitay (TV's Law and Order: SVU) and Alison Pill (Milk). Based on Jodi Picoult's best-selling novel, The Plain Truth.

3. Sex & the Single Mom (2003) An adolescent drama about a single mom vigilant with her teenage daughter about responsible sex. When she goes through her own sexual awakening after a brief affair with a charming doctor she finds herself pregnant! Stars: Gail O'Grady (TV's NYPD Blue), Grant Show (TV's Melrose Place). This Lifetime original movie was such a hit, there's a sequel: More Sex & the Single Mom

2. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003) is a true story from LMN, this inspiring movie is about a teen born to drug-addicted, HIV-infected parents that becomes homeless at 15 after losing of her mother to AIDS and her father to a homeless shelter. TV's Lifetime doesn't disappoint with its portrayal of Liz's struggle to overcome hardship and achieve success. Stars: Thora Birch (American Beauty) Kelly Lynch (Roadhouse)

1. Comfort and Joy (2003) - A Lifetime Christmas romantic comedy about an upscale, single, career woman played by Nancy McKeon (TV's The Facts Of Life). When Nancy is knocked unconscious in a car accident on Christmas Eve, she awakens to the life of a married housewife with a husband and two kids. If you enjoy It's a Wonderful Lifeyou'll love this movie too. Also starring: Dixie Carter (TV's Designing Women) and Steven Eckholdt (HBO's The L Word, TV's The West Wing)

Sources: myLifetime
Ranee Wright, Associated Content