tiffanytallent1981 Reviews

She Came from the Woods (2022)

Almost a Horror Parody

[5/10 · 19 February 2024]

This movie started out good enough. I thought it was going to be your standard camp slasher. But some scenes & characters quickly changed that. It turned into a movie that was part slasher, paranormal, parody, & a little comedy.

The Good: 1. The death scenes are well done & realistic. Some are shocking & unexpected.

2. Most actors are believable in roles 3. Ben. Just Ben. He should've been in it more.

The Bad: 1. Reactions to their friends/ family getting murdered were calm sometimes. They just stood & watched or maybe one person helped.

2. Mike. Just Mike. You'll see.

3. Comedic moments that weren't funny & plain stupid. That's why I started thinking it was a parody.

4. Most of the counselors blended together together into a basic white boy. I had to look them up before this review to verify character names. That means that I didn't connect with most of them. No character development or poorly done.

Here's an abbreviated version if you like to know details.

We start off at a summer camp owned by the McAllister family: Grandpa Gilbert, Mom Heather, Younger Adult son Peter, & Older son Shawn. Heather & her dad run it, while Shawn is the handyman/driver/fixer, & Peter is a camp counselor. There are several other counselors, including Peter's girlfriend Lauren and her gay brother Ben. The rest are friends of the family or it's just a summer job (Danny, Veronica, Mike, Dylan, & Ashley).

At the end of summer, Shawn takes the bus to drive the kids to meet their parents, since the camp is so far out. While he's doing this, Gilbert leaves to take a break from being at the camp. Heather, her sons, & other counselors stay back to clean the camp & celebrate after. The counselors end up doing their yearly ritual of trying to summon a camp ghost at the bonfire. It's all for fun & 'obviously' has never worked. But this time, they decide to all hurt themselves with a pricked finger, so that the ghost (who was a nurse at the camp decades ago) will hopefully appear to heal them. 🤣 It apparently doesn't work so most of them go to the lake to party.

At the lake, Danny finally gets the nerve to hit on his crush. She turns him down & goes back to the group. Danny approaches her and SMASHES her head in with a big rock. The other counselors are flipping out & finally someone stabs Danny to stop him. While this is happening, Shawn's bus breaks down on a dirt road beside a corn field. He gets out to fix it & the kids all run into the corn. I immediately thought that the ritual must've worked because the kids were acting strange.

After this, the counselors are basically trying to not get killed by the kids, who are controlled by the ghost nurse. Anyone who comes to help, like Shawn, Gilbert, or cops gets trapped at the camp. The ghost short circuits electronics, like phones and cars. The family & counselors try to figure out how to stop the ghost, but by the ending I don't think they did. If you watch, you'll also learn of the nurse's backstory before she became a ghost. It was worth a watch, just for the death scenes and Ben. Lol Maybe if the ghost nurse was in it more, I'd want to rewatch it. That definitely would've improved the movie I think.

Lake Alice (2017)

Had Potential

[4/10 · 12 November 2023]

I thought this movie would be so much better. It could've been. It had the potential to be. But it's hard to like it, when you don't really like the main character. All of her fake crying, loud noises, and nonsensical words in the face of danger made me roll my eyes. The other actors weren't much better, except the dad and boyfriend. You can guess what happened to them.

Here are the negatives:

1) semi-bad acting by the lead girl, cops, & townspeople

2)weird & unexplained behavior by the cops toward the family

3)you can guess the killer near the beginning 4)unlikable lead girl

5)Unfinished ending with no explanation as to WHY he did it

6)that certain people died the way they did.

And here is the good.

1)The setting of a log cabin in snow covered woods. It was not only beautiful, but helped with the bloody scenes.

2)You guess the killer at the beginning, but don't know everything. I liked the surprise.

3) The killers' masks and overall appearance were effectively scary.

4) The fiancé is good in his role and stepped up to fight & survive. He tried at least.

5) The hero at the end surprised me. I liked who it was. Great choice.

Will I watch it again? Absolutely not. Was it worth one viewing? I'm not sure. Maybe if you are doing something else while watching.

Christmas with the Campbells (2022)

Definitely Unexpected!

[4/10 · 30 October 2023]

I thought I was losing my mind at first, while watching this. During the first 5 minutes, a child drops the F bomb. Then there's a lot more cursing, raunchy comments/jokes & over the top acting. I was shocked because I thought this was a hallmark adjacent movie. I'm glad I looked at the reviews to find out the movie is a PARODY of hallmark movies!!! Everything made so much more sense. Think Scary Movie but for tv romances.

I'm going to be honest though. I absolutely DETEST raunchy comedy. It's disgusting & made me dislike a lot of the movie. I pushed through though because I liked Justin Long's character. (After I knew it was satire) Be prepared for exaggerated accents & conversations. Lol I liked the romance between Jesse (Brittany Snow) & David (Justin Long). And even though Jesse's ex boyfriend was extremely egocentric, he turned out to be ok. And he also found love.

If you're a fan of raunchy comedies, you'll probably enjoy this a lot. I'm still giving it 5 stars because even without the nasty jokes, it was funny.

Trafficked: A Parent's Worst Nightmare (2021)

Not the Best, but Still Worth a Watch

[4/10 · 30 October 2023]

Ok I am always skeptical of really low reviews, but this time I agree to an extent. The acting from 90% of the cast was subpar, except for a couple of the private investigators. And the most frustrating part was Kristy Swanson's character. I understand she's a worried mom, but man she's annoying. And several times during the movie, the mom & dad were so mean to the lead investigator. Not just anger because he couldn't find the girl. But they kept judging & insulting him about his last mistakes. (Alcoholic & dishonorable discharge). He didn't deserve that.

I And the most heartbreaking scenes were when the family decided to stop paying the investigators. After a month, they gave up. The mom & grandma almost talked the dad into it. 20k a week adds up & they couldn't afford it anymore. The dad went to stay at a hotel & rehired them, using the kids college funds.

I read that one reviewer felt like it wasn't exploitative enough. I like how the movie didn't show any nudity or actual sex scenes. There were girls at parties in underwear. And then in hotel rooms, where all we see are men going in & coming out. I didn't need to see 50+ men with these girls. The revolving door of them going into the same room was enough!

I hope the girl appreciated that the dad never gave up. I'm sure she eventually did. But at the end she was probably still in major shock, almost catatonic. I like the realism that everything wasn't picture perfect at the end. I'm sure it'd take years to overcome what she endured. At least she still has a chance at a life and family to help get through.

The 4th Floor (1999)

Scary Enough, but Frustrating at Times

[6/10 · 23 July 2023]

Although, it starts out slow, this movie will keep you guessing. I watched it probably 20 years ago and couldn't remember who the antagonist was. It really could be anyone, except the main character, Jane and the exterminator. They were the only ones who weren't creepy. Seriously. Every neighbor, the locksmith, Jane's boyfriend, and Jane's assistant acted so strange towards her. And of course the cops didn't believe Jane because she had called a few times. And when the cops arrived each time, they explained away what happened. Like when her downstairs neighbor busted holes into her floor from below, the cops said it was the heating pipes that busted. And when someone knocked her out, the cops said she passed out & fell down because of a gas leak.

The only person to act normally was the exterminator, who Jane had to call when she woke up to 50 mice in her apartment. The exterminator found that the downstairs neighbor had drilled a hole into her apartment and placed the mice. THIS was the time to call the police. She had evidence and a person to verify her story. The cops would've had to get into the downstairs apartment & see what was actually happening then. But does she call immediately? No. And by the time she does, the hole had been magically repaired.

Some things are predictable and I was half right about what was going on. It's worth watching just to find out the rest. The ending was satisfying, even though it wasn't complete. I would've liked to have seen how the rest played out though. Watch and you'll see what I mean.

Maybe I Do (2023)

Better than the Low Reviews

[6/10 · 23 July 2023]

Maybe I Do

I can see why many have given this a low rating. It's a slow paced & mostly serious romance, with only comedic moments sporadically. It's definitely not a rom-com, like it's classified as. There are several awkward moments, where you wonder if real people would actually be that way. Regardless of these things, I still really enjoyed the movie. The main reason could be because I also enjoy period pieces. I'm accustomed to not much happening & slow paced love stories. Most of the actors were amazing in their roles, except for Allen (Luke Bracey). I felt that he just didn't give as much as the rest of the cast. It was like he didn't really want to be there sometimes. Then again, maybe that's what he was going for, since his character didn't want to marry his girlfriend. Or maybe it's the writer's fault for not giving him more lines.

Howard (Richard Gere) was great in his role, especially at the end. And Grace (Diane Keaton), Sam (William H Macy), Monica (Susan Sarandon), and Michelle (Emma Roberts) were amazing in their roles! I felt all of the love, guilt, fear, shame, & uncertainty. It's funny though, because it felt like the affair couples had more chemistry than the married ones. That could be on purpose too though. That the sparks fizzle in marriage of you let them.

What could've made it better for me?

1. Allen & Michelle needed more screen time to show their chemistry. I didn't see much of it & I know those two actors have it in spades. They worked together on another movie before this & woah!

2. I wanted to see Sam be happy & find true love. He was such a sweet man. It looked like he might not get back with his wife, Monica at the end, but it was open to interpretation.

I think everyone should determine for themselves if they like this movie. If you're bored after the first 30 minutes, it might not your cup of tea. I think it's at least worth watching once, if only to see the amazing actors! But would I watch it again? That's how you know if it's fantastic. And honestly, I'm not sure I would. There are several scenes that I'd like to see again. I even rewound them a few times. Lol But probably not the entire movie again.

Even Lambs Have Teeth (2015)

Not Perfect, But I Still Liked it

[5/10 · 5 June 2023]

This movie isn't as bad as the negative reviews & not as wonderful as the positive ones. It is definitely somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed it enough, but won't ever watch it again. I'm giving it 5 stars, when compared to other tv movies of the same genre. The acting was decent, with most lines delivered realistically. Except for some of the minor townsfolk.

And I think the main girls (Katie & Sloane) were emotionally terrific in their roles. Someone else said in their review that the girls failed to deliver the fear that would lead the audience to believe they were tortured. I disagree. Initially after being kidnapped, Sloane was defiant, angry, & ready to fight. Katie was scared, crying, & begging to be freed. Once the sex trafficking started, the roles reversed. Katie became stronger, trying to comfort her friend. She wanted to find a way out. Sloane became closed off & shut down. Both reactions are probably normal for the torture they endured. Then both girls basically snapped once they escaped. They decided revenge was better than justice.

I absolutely loved the first half, where Katie & Sloane were kidnapped & trafficked by the townsfolk. It showed what they endured without it being too graphic. And the death during the escape was justified-how Katie killed the first man. And luckily that snapped Sloane back into herself. The issue I have is what they do after. They are free. Katie's uncle is a federal agent. He was already in the area searching for them, since they'd been missing. Contacting him would've been more humane than the gruesome revenge. And the girls seemed to ENJOY killing all of the townspeople involved in trafficking them. I'm not saying that they didn't deserve it, considering they had been trafficking & murdering girls for years. I'm just not sure I could kill people the way they did.

I would have rather seen Katie & Sloane escape into the woods, where they were held. Then they could've fought to live and it would've been self defense. Plus their uncle could've arrived in time to help save the day. That would've been a better plot for me. Not gruesome revenge. The ending also happened too fast. One minute they are killing people & the next they are back home getting ready for a vacation. Not a care in the world.

Easter Under Wraps (2019 TV Movie)

Predictable Plot, but Good Movie

[6/10 · 22 April 2023]

In almost every hallmark movie, a problem arises between the romantic leads. And then one of them, or both, overreact to the situation & storm off. But of course they make up at the end. This time I feel that the male character, Bryan, had every right to be hurt and angry.

The female character, Erin, posed undercover at one of her family's chocolate factories, with the name Veronica. Her dad wanted to find out how smoothly the automated machines were running as well as any other hiccups. Since Erin had never been the face of the company, it made since that she'd go as a new employee, undercover. I understand she had to lie about her name, resume, & life while she was doing the job. However, when she and Bryan started becoming closer & it got personal, the truth should've been told. Erin even met his daughter!!

Instead, she convinced Bryan to work with her on a project to show the board. So here are Veronica aka Erin and Bryan presenting this project to a room of corporate who are now ALL IN ON it. They all know that Veronica is really Erin. When Bryan learns the truth on his own, he feels betrayed. And the fact that the board let him pitch a project with her, made him feel foolish. Erin needed to tell him sooner. Predictably, you can guess how it turns out for them though.

On a hallmark movie scale of 1-10, this is a six. First off, it's an Easter movie! I'm not sure I've ever seen one prior to this, aside from faith based. The acting from everyone is really good! They all play off of each other very well. And I just like the vibe of the locations: headquarters, factory, small town. My favorite thing about the movie is a coworker (Carter) of Erin at headquarters. He comes off as someone who might go behind your back, but turns out to be a good person. He's just really passionate about his job! Overall, this was definitely worth watching, at least once.

Ivy & Mistletoe (2020 TV Movie)

Sweet Christmas Fluff

[5/10 · 16 April 2023]

This movie is unrealistic, saccharine, annoying, & has terrible acting. Real people don't act like these characters. The lead pair, Max and Ivy bicker like teenagers, even though they are supposed to be in their late 20's. Max's dad even sent him to his room at one point. Laughable. And it's extremely obvious that the actress who plays Ivy is several years older than Max. That would be fine, if they weren't supposed to be near the same age. Plus the way Max's parents try to push him & Ivy together is weird. Like they literally just met. Let them figure this out organically.

Almost no one can act very well, even for a hallmark type movie. I think the actor who plays Ivy's brother was ok, with his limited screen time. And Max's mother was fine too. Most everyone else says their lines completely different than in real life. Either it's too sweet or like they're just saying lines. Plus the facial expressions & mannerisms are off, especially from Max's dad.

I rate tv movies like hallmark & lifetime on a different 1-10 scale than regular movies. If I didn't, the rating would be too low. Compared to box office or good streaming movies, this one would be a *1. Compared to other tv movies, this one is a *5. It's a feel good, fluffy, Christmas flick, good enough to watch once or twice. Maybe because Ivy's character is as adorable as she is annoying. Or because Max's is so cute. Lol Or it could be that I'm just a sucker for Christmas movies.

It's Christmas, Eve (2018 TV Movie)

Enjoyable with no Ridiculous Conflict

[8/10 · 19 December 2022]

Most TV Christmas movies are formulaic and have me rolling my eyes. While this one does have the typical "we have to save something in the small town", it also resolves every conflict easily. It bothers me when characters have issues in movies and run away instead of talking. Or they keep secrets that backfire later. I want to scream at them to communicate. This movie is a little slow paced, but very pleasant to watch. The chemistry between the leads is subtle, but obvious. And the kids are not obnoxiously smart or sweet, like many tv movies. Every other actor did a good job on their roles as well. Nothing seemed forced or overdone. I would've liked a little more of Eve singing though!

Keep reading if you want a short summary with a few spoilers.

An interim superintendent (Eve) comes back to her hometown, in order to help the school district cut back to save money. Initially, she suggests what she always does-cut the "nonessential" programs of music & art. After spending time with a music teacher (Liam) & his daughter, she wants to find a different way to help the schools. Eve tells Liam almost immediately about her initial plans & asks for his help to find an alternative. They, along with Eve's family & friends, come up with a plan & execute it easily. Along the way, you can tell that Liam & Eve are catching feelings. Eve is supposed to leave for her next interim position, but Liam does something beautiful for her that changes her mind. The ending is quite sweet.

Inheritance (I) (2020)

The last 20 Minutes Made it Worth Watching

[5/10 · 8 October 2022]

The movie would've been so much better, if the characters had made better decisions. The dad is the first on this list. He leaves his daughter, Lauren, an envelope filled with a flash drive & keys in his will. She immediately looks at the video on the drive. It's her dad giving cryptic clues as to a secret she must protect. He never says exactly what it is, why it happened, or how she should handle it. Apparently, the dad was afraid of prying eyes. As rich as this family was, there had to be a way to ensure his daughter had the details needed. If the dad had explained everything, none of the drama would've happened to begin with. But then we also wouldn't have a movie.

SKIP the next sections if you don't want major spoilers. The second character that made some bad choices was Lauren. She knew where to look for her dad's secret: an underground bunker out in the woods. Upon entering it, she found an older man chained to the wall by his neck. After realizing he was alive, she fled the bunker in fear. Immediately back at the house, she called 911, but hung up because this scandal would ruin her wealthy, affluent, and political family.

Slowly, and I do mean slowly, she tries to find out more about the captive (Monroe). He tells her secrets about her dad, which turn out to be true upon investigation. Lauren also has a detective searching for information on Monroe. He had been considered a missing person for 30 years. Instead of waiting on the detective to get back to her, she RELEASES Monroe. She had the family estate lawyer place 1 million in an offshore account for him, 100k in cash, & fake ID's. After Monroe is on the plane to start his new life, Lauren returns to the bunker to get rid of evidence. And guess who calls?? The detective. Monroe isn't Monroe. He's Carson, an evil psychopath. Shocker. If Lauren had only waited. She is the district attorney, but apparently her conscience overrode her brain. But honestly, that happened when she disconnected the call 911 initially.

The estate lawyer is next. He worked for Lauren's dad for numerous years. He should've known better than to do what Lauren asked without demanding to know the details. He just took her word that if they didn't help Monroe, the fallout could be bad for the family. You can probably guess that things didn't end so well for the estate lawyer.

And the final character is Monroe/Carson himself. He was given a million dollars and fake ID's. Instead of starting a new life, he went back for his pound of flesh. Since the dad was dead, this meant Lauren & her mom were the targets. The rest of the scenes are in the bunker. We find out what really happened & why the dad locked Monroe/Carson up to begin with.

The movie is a slow burn, until the last 20 minutes. I almost stopped watching, but I'm glad I finished. The last 20 made it worth ONE watch. I'm sure I'll never view it again though. I will say that the actor who played the psychopath did a great job. He was convincing in the bunker as a victim and wronged man. Then when he finally showed his true colors, that was convincing too.

The Evil Next Door (2020)

Another Man Who Fails to Believe His SO

[5/10 · 11 August 2022]

This movie has a few decent semi-scary scenes, especially at the end. Any monster or evil entity that breaks bones to transform instantly creeps me out. The acting was not bad, but could've been better. Some of the character's reactions weren't normal, at least not to me. I definitely wouldn't close my eyes and sit there, if a monster was coming towards me. Gee let's just hope I'm invisible now. The audience also doesn't get a reason for the monster. Why does it live in the apartment next door? What is its purpose of taking kids? What started the whole thing?

I have watched numerous movies where the husband/boyfriend NEVER believes their significant other, when she tells them something is not right. And to be perfectly honest, this movie didn't even need the man. I wish he had been involved in a better way. He added absolutely no substance. Only annoyance. The girlfriend (Shirin) realized something evil was trying to take the man's boy. She tried to tell the boyfriend (Fredrick), protected the boy (Lukas), and investigated what was happening in the house. AND the investigating happened AFTER the man kicked her out for abusing his son. So this man trusts her enough to move in together and leave his son with her for days. But will not listen when she tells him someone or something else is trying to get the boy. Unbelievable. And when **SURPRISE** Lukas is taken by the monster, Shirin saves him. Frederik gets knocked out for the entire rescue.

I would like to know HOW she saved him though. Was it because she finally admitted her love for Lukas? Was love what kills the monster? Or at least wounds it? Or was it because she never gave up? If the monster went into the attic, so did she. If it went under the house, so did she! Another couple had their child taken at the beginning of the movie, but the dad just sat down, gave up, and cried. Maybe because he didn't run after his daughter is why she was taken. He didn't love her enough or try hard enough? I guess these things I'll always wonder about.

This movie is a one and done. Like I don't feel my time was completely wasted, but I'll never watch it again. Here's my 5 star break down:

** Shirin finally sees Lukas as her own son & allows herself to love him at the end.

**Creepy & semi scary scenes *Extremely decent translation subtitles that actually made sense.

The Turning (2020)

I'm Unsure of What Was Real or Imagined

[3/10 · 12 July 2022]

I gave this movie three stars for the acting, the superbly creepy children, and for a couple good scares. I couldn't think of anything to merit a fourth star.

Here's a detailed summary so you don't have to watch it. Kate becomes a governess/tutor to an orphaned girl named Flora. Unbeknownst to Kate, Flora's brother, Miles, is expelled from boarding school and returns home. So now she has two kids in her charge. The only other person in the house to help is Mrs. Grose. I take it she manages the estate and everything that entails. Plus she Mile's and Flora's guardian.

Miles and Kate immediately get off on the wrong foot. These are privileged children and Miles doesn't like to be bossed around. He is extremely creepy and hateful to Kate. At times his mannerisms and behavior seem like a sociopath. Kate is definitely scared of him.

And while dealing with that, Kate starts to hear voices at night. Then she starts seeing fleeting spirits, quick enough that she's unsure if they were real. Pretty soon though, the spirits begin to make themselves more seen and even attack her. She eventually sees that the female spirit (Jessel) is of the last governess and the male spirit is of the deceased horse manager (Quint). The movie continues with Jessel trying to show Kate different things that happened to her. And Quint keeps trying to scare and hurt Kate. Sometimes it seems he even inhabits the body of Miles to intimidate her even more.

Eventually it got to a point where I thought the ending was actually going to be good. Kate received black paintings from her mom, who was in an insane asylum. That night, Through physical visions, Kate sees Quint r*pe and kill Jessel. This is after Jessel's spirit pulls her into one of the house ponds, where Quint apparently placed her body. After seeing this, Quint also attacks Kate and then pushes Mrs. Grose over the staircase railing. Kate frantically finds the children and convinces them to leave with her. As they are exiting the property, the movie goes back to when Kate first started looking at her mom's paintings. So none of this paragraph actually happened to Kate, Mrs. Grose, or the kids. There are a few paintings though, so I thought perhaps each one would be a different ending. How cool would that have been? Four different endings. Instead, we get NO REAL ENDING.

Kate is made out to be crazy. The kids are still extra creepy, with Flora being afraid of Kate too. And I still don't know if there were any spirits. Plus, was the woman in the asylum supposed to be Kate at the end? Was EVERYTHING just a story in her own mind?

Did Kate inherit her mother's psychological disorder, which caused her to imagine things? Or was evil really in the house and it caused her to go crazy? If it was the latter, why the heck didn't she leave? The behavior of the elder brother Miles would've been enough for me to go. But Kate stuck it out to try and "reach" him. Blah. After she saw evil spirits and these entities actually attacked her, she should've fled that house. This movie left me with more questions than answers.

Body at Brighton Rock (2019)

Slow Paced, Almost Uneventful, & Boring

[3/10 · 7 July 2022]

This review includes a detailed summary. Don't read unless you want to know what happens.

Wendy is an unskilled & unmotivated Forrest Ranger. Everyone she works with knows she can't handle the tough jobs in the woods. Even her coworker friends. But one day, she talks her pal Maya into switching shifts with her. Now Wendy is going to take care of a trail with tougher terrain. At least the first 50 minutes of the movie is just her hanging up fire safety signs and walking.

Wendy then texts a picture of herself on a peak to show Maya that things are going great. Maya asks who was in the photo behind her. Wendy looks down from the peak ledge into the valley and sees a man on the ground. She goes down and discovers he's dead. She climbs to the peak again and uses the radio to call it in and tries to give her location by landmarks. Of course she's lost because this job isn't for her. The dispatcher tells Wendy that rescue won't arrive until morning-12 hours away. Wendy is already panicking because if this, but then looks down to see another man standing over the dead body. The dispatcher tells her to make the man leave the area.

When she goes back down, the man is going through the dead body's pockets. Wendy talked to him for a second, but then asked him leave. He was definitely giving off creepy vibes. She guards the body, while having waking nightmares that it's a zombie. She even wastes most of her bear spray on NOTHING, thinking the body is after her.

Finally, morning comes and she tries to climb to the peak to search for the rescue team. As she is climbing, she falls off the rocks, hits her head, and passes out. She tries again and almost makes it before the creepy man tries to pull her down. She kicks him off the rocks and finishes climbing up to the peak. A smoke signal can be seen in the distance by the rescue team. So Wendy climbs back down to the body. A huge bear attacks her, but she fights it off with kicks, a little bear spray, and fire. The rescuers arrive and shoot over the bear to finish scaring it off. Wendy is fixed up and the death of the body is determined to be a bear attack. AND the body's identity is none other than creepy guy. Say what?

I wasn't sure what type of movie I was getting when it started. The beginning was very campy, including even the Title. That font for a thriller? Ok. The acting is decent. Much better than most TV movies. The ten minutes of action near the end was great! I was under the impression that the entire movie would be thrilling like that. And include the bear for more than 30 seconds. Unfortunately, it was painstakingly slow and monotonous. We do get a few zombie moments, when Wendy thinks the dead body is after her, but nothing else until the end.

And throughout the movie I kept wondering why a random man was in the area. Why was he searching through the dead body's pockets? Why was he acting and talking so creepy to Wendy? Why did he try to kill her later? Did he kill the dead guy and can't leave a witness? I never expected this guy to be the ghost of the dead man. Seriously? If they had utilized this better, this movie could've been great.

Although, thinking back, him being a ghost explains how Maya saw someone behind Wendy in the text photo. I wondered about that. The body was way down in the valley. Wendy had to look hard to see it from the peak, so how did Maya see it in the photo? If the ghost was behind Wendy on the peak, then that would make sense. I wish they'd either done more with the supernatural aspect or included more action. More bear attacks or making the creepy guy the killer would've been so much better than what we got.

The Requin (2022)

Worth Watching Once

[5/10 · 5 June 2022]

SPOILERS

If you're looking for a shark movie as good as The Meg, The Shallows, or Deep Blue Sea, this one is not for you. The Requin is more similar to a Sci fi shark movie, with its bad CGI and awful survival choices. Like really guys? Start a smoke signal on your wooden raft. What could possibly go wrong? And why didn't the rescuer at the end just take her for help ASAP? It would've saved his life. And I don't know how I'd act in this situation, but Alicia Silverstone's screeching at her husband got on my nerves.

What DID I like? The shark attack scenes were good for a B rated thriller. Except the CGI additions. The couple's backstory was heartbreaking and helped me connect with them. They really loved each other and were trying to heal. Aside from Alicia's screeching, the acting was okay. It's hard to find 1-2 actors who can carry an entire movie. I loved how Alicia's character fought like crazy to save her husband from the sharks. It would've been nice to see the aftermath of her rescue though. I love to see survivors reconnect with family and for movies to have a flash forward scene. At least it ended with her alive though.

Sorority Wars (2009 TV Movie)

Better Than the Average College Movie

[7/10 · 29 December 2021]

This one infuriates me every time I watch it, but I also love it and keep going back. Childhood best friends, Katie and Sara are heading to college and plan on rushing the Kappa sorority. Katie is a legacy, so is basically guaranteed a place. She convinces Sara to do it with her. Kappa all the way. However, when the pledges visit all of the other sororities, Katie decides to choose Kappa AND Delta. She gets a bid to both, but overhears and witnesses dirty rushing by Kappa. She confronts the sorority president, Gwen, but a lot of other people overhear the allegations. The Kappa house gets punished by the cancellation of a major formal. Apparently that's a huge deal, because almost the entire campus turns against Katie for snitching, even Sara. And that's why this movie angers me so much. The students, alumni, and her mom all turn against her for speaking up. And her best friend stabs her in the back and joins Kappa to spite her. Basically, parts of this movie show that the mean girls from high school just get meaner.

Other than that, the movie goes on with Katie trying to find her way back to SOMETHING. She's completely lost and even her former Kappa mom won't help. She decides to join Delta as a late entry, because they were actually decent to her. She also starts seeing a guy, Beau, who sticks by her too. Anyway, a war basically starts between Kappa and Delta, but I love how it all ends. Katie makes amends with her mom and Sara, plus she makes some terrific friends.

The Secret Garden (2020)

I'll Watch it Again!

[8/10 · 22 December 2021]

The Secret Garden 2020 vs 1994

Initially, I wasn't sure about this newer version because I like the one from 1994 so much. Both movies start off with the tragic death of Mary's parents. It seemed that Mary in the 2020 version adapted quicker, probably because she was a little older/more emotionally mature. She also had more confidence or was able to hide her insecurities better. I also liked the fact that this one focused more time on the children and the garden. The maids/caretakers, Martha and Mrs. Medlock had smaller roles. Martha was also not as tender hearted, had a backbone, and wasn't bullied like the 1994 version. Mrs. Medlock didn't seem to be as cold hearted either.

One of my favorite additions to this newer movie, are the flashbacks and 'ghosts' of loved ones past. And the letters written by Mary's mom and Colin's mom. Through these things, the story of what happened between everyone is told. I like knowing the details that the 1994 version didn't elaborate on. The 2020 ending was a surprise, but I really liked it! Overall, this one had less darkness and left me hopeful.

Christmas at Castle Hart (2021 TV Movie)

Unrealistic & Slow Paced, with a Sweet Ending

[5/10 · 30 November 2021]

Lacey Chabert is as wonderful as always, but this movie is still lacking. She plays Brooke, a divorced waitress/server, who works with her sister, Margo. After Margo gets fired, Brooke quits in solidarity. They decide to use the inheritance from their late father to take a trip to Ireland. His biological parents were from there and they hoped to find other family.

While in Ireland, Brooke and Margo dip into a local bar. When asked what they do, Margo tells the bartender that they are very successful event planners. Because who cares, right? They are in a new place and can pretend to have perfect lives. No one will ever know.

But guess what? One of the bar patrons happens to be an Earl to a nearby castle. He later offers them a private tour, where his sister loses her Christmas event planner. So the Earl asks Margo if she and Brooke could plan the party. The rest of the movie is chalked full of lies and deceit. Brooke feels guilty because she's also getting close to the Earl and hates deceiving him. Margo is clueless and indifferent at times. And when she does show concern, it doesn't seem real. Like the actress is trying too hard or not hard enough. It's difficult to watch at times. The rest of the movie is predictable. I guessed the outcomes shortly after the lies started. Of course there's a huge blowup, followed by everything working out.

This movie would've been better if Margo wasn't so ditzy or childlike. She was the only actor that made the movie seem fake. I'm not sure if it was the actress or the way she was told to play the part. She does get a little better near the end though. The chemistry between the Earl and Brooke was also not developed. She didn't allow herself to fully open up to him because of her deceit. And finally, the entire story was a bit slow paced. I found myself reaching to play games on my phone a couple of times.

The ending made the movie better and is the reason I added an extra star. There was one surprise I didn't predict, which was very sweet.

A Snowy Christmas (2021 TV Movie)

Corny and Forgettable, With a Couple of Good Moments

[3/10 · 16 November 2021]

More than half of hallmark movies are formulaic and lack depth, this one included. There was no spark that made it believable. Nothing that made me WANT to watch the rest. The plot has been done before. The actors were just okay in their abilities, except for the leading male (Forrest). He was better and needed more lines. Most everyone else was not as natural as they could be. The dialogue and delivery were basic. And there was very little chemistry between the leads. They really didn't have enough screen time together to develop it either.

My biggest gripe with these movies is that there's always a misunderstanding. Then no one communicates to resolve the problem. Instead, they run away or get upset before they even know the truth. The sister (Grace) of the lead female (Kelly) did it to her. And then Kelly did it to Forrest a couple of times. Just hear him out for goodness sake! So now Kelly has all of this drama that could've been avoided.

The last ten minutes was kind of sweet though with the leads. Kelly and Forrest definitely needed more screen time together. I think that would've made the movie much better. This is a one and done for me.

After (I) (2019)

Missing Something, but....Maybe?

[5/10 · 14 November 2021]

I have never read the book series, so I have nothing to compare the movies to. Something was lacking and I'm not sure what it was. The chemistry was definitely there between the two leads. It seemed they fell for each other a little too fast, until I found out Hardin's secret. That explained why he went after Tessa so aggressively. Although, I was a little disappointed that his dark secret was so 'high school drama'. He kept talking about not being defined by past mistakes. I thought he accidentally killed someone or something, especially with the way one of the friends kept lurking around. What else would explain his extreme angst and self deprecation? Nope. He just made a bet about Tessa, with a group of his friends. I guess his guilt did show how remorseful he felt about it though.

And don't get me wrong. She had every right to be upset; Hardin betrayed her trust. Then he had the nerve to turn it back around on Tessa. Yes, she said before that nothing he had done in his past would change the way she felt. But come on now! The bet he made about wasn't in the past. It was still technically happening, since he never verbally admitted or stopped it. Even IF, his feelings had changed, Hardin wasn't honest.

The dialogue between Hardin and Tessa was also unnatural sometimes. Normal people don't say things like that, or in that manner. Maybe they were trying to incorporate some of the book dialogue, like Pride & Prejudice. Sometimes it works. This time it only half worked. There were also gaps in the conversations between characters, where people would normally say something. Tessa's friend Landon is a good example of this. His character needed more lines to get more depth.

Falling deeply and passionately in love is what most of us desire I think. Deep down we are uncertain if it'll ever happen. This movie at least allows us dream about what it could be like. Just maybe less toxic. And it would be nice to be looked at like Hardin looks at Tessa.

Edit: After watching the second movie in the series, I came back to give this one another star. I understand better why Hardin acted how he did. A lot of other pieces fell into place too. I'm betting if I read the books, even more gaps will be filled in.

Camp Cold Brook (2018)

Slow Paced With Minimal Scares

[4/10 · 8 November 2021]

This movie moved so slowly that I started to count down the minutes. There are a few minor jump scares, but nothing too memorable. The best scare scene was when a ghost snapped Angela's neck. Most everything else the ghosts did to the crew seemed like pranks. Although, the ghosts coming out of the lake was pretty creepy.

The plot was interesting, but the past events could've been explained better to draw in the audience. And the acting was decent enough, but the dialogue was lacking at times. It was filled with long pauses between lines and many curse words. At first I thought the actress who played Emma just couldn't act well because she lacked normal emotions, given the paranormal events. Then I realized she had to be in on it somehow. So, her acting was actually spot on.

Finally, I dislike when movies are left open ended. I want a resolution; Good or bad doesn't matter. Are two members of the crew really dead? Are Jack's kids going to die? Or will he be able to stop the ghost? Why did the ghost torment Annie for years, instead of just killing her like the rest? Why didn't Jack tell everyone that Annie tried to kill him? Instead he just went along with her version of events. I understand not wanting to sound crazy by mentioning ghosts. But he could've told the police what Annie did without bringing in the paranormal. Overall, this is an okay watch, but nothing I'd repeat. It could've been so much better.

Rich Boy, Rich Girl (2018)

It Gets Better After the First 30 Minutes

[6/10 · 23 October 2021]

The movie starts out at a slow pace, with both Haley & Andy living their separate, mundane lives. She's a shampoo girl at a salon and he is bottom on the totem pole at a hotel. Both have dreams of more, but lack the confidence and drive to attain it. And both are a little childish emotionally. Haley & Andy's initial meet cute, interactions, and dating are so awkward. The acting wasn't great in these scenes. I actually thought the movie was dubbed in English for the first several minutes. I guess some awkwardness makes sense though, because both are lying about their jobs. They want to appear to be successful, when they are not.

Andy and Haley fall fast for each other. Then his hotel supervisor finds out he has been spending company money on Haley. The supervisor calls Andy out on it, in front of her. She gets upset over being lied to & ghosts Andy. The nerve? Haley lied to him too, so she has no right to be so angry. Andy finds out her lies later. He tells her that they need to learn to love who they really are, before they can love each other. Andy then is fired from his hotel job. He is very lucky that the owner is a family friend, who doesn't send him to jail for company fraud. He DID spend 20k of the hotel's money!!!

Andy & Haley stay apart and work for months on their own goals. He wants to start his own hotel and she wants a spa. After 14 months, his hotel opens and he makes sure to include a space for her spa. They meet again at his opening. Even after this long period, they still have each other's hearts.

Tall Girl (2019)

I Really Liked it!

[7/10 · 16 October 2021]

Like many other reviewers on here, I found it hard to believe that the tall girl, Jodi, really had such a difficult life. But think about it. She was bullied by the same popular girl for years. This made tons of others notice & make fun of her too. This constant negativity towards Jodi's height had to take its toll, until she had no self esteem whatsoever. Even though, she was gorgeous, she couldn't see it. Her peers told her she wasn't good enough for so long that she believed it. So while at first, I found her self deprecating to be annoying, I eventually understood.

The plot is typical of a teen drama. Girl is unsure of herself, but through heartache & adversity, she learns that she is enough. Then there's the end of movie speech, in front of the entire school. And of course she finds love, or at least like. The characters were relatable and the actors did a good job portraying each. The standouts for me were Griffin Gluck (Dunkleman) and Steve Zahn (Jodie's dad). Both actors had the best facial expressions and conveyed the character's emotions so well. I could feel when Jodie's dad was heartbroken for her. And I could feel how much Dunkleman yearned for her. Also, Dunkleman reminded me of Ducky from Pretty in Pink, which made me like his character even more!

Initially, I was rooting for Jodie to end up with foreign exchange student, Stig. They had chemistry, common interests, and were genuinely nice people. But then Stig went and got popular, which he wanted more than Jodie. Everyone made mistakes in this movie. Everyone hurt someone. That's life and human nature though. Stig finally realized that he didn't like who he had become, but it was too late to win Jodie back. You can probably guess who does get her heart in the end. It's actually quite sweet.

Urban Legends: Bloody Mary (2005 Video)

Not as Good as its Predecessors

[5/10 · 15 October 2021]

I just finished watching Urban Legend (1998), Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000), & finally this one. It's a guilty pleasure to rewatch the first two every October. I am disappointed in UL: Bloody Mary though. The opening scene was a great set up and piqued my anticipation. And the plot is interesting, although most of the murders are very similar to other movies. The biggest drawback for me was the acting, especially from Sam, the main character. She basically has the same facial expressions during every scene. It's like she's a blank canvas at times. And her voice is so monotone. The other actors aren't great either. None of them have that wow factor that takes over the screen.

Some of the character's decisions didn't make since either. Like when Sam & her brother suspect who might be killed next, they go find him. I'm thinking ok great, they're going to warn him of what's going on. Nope. They let him drive away without telling him he might be the next to die. They didn't even act worried on his behalf. Or when the last guy dies at the end by suffocating. The killer used a thin plastic bag over the guy's head. All he had to do was poke a hole in it to breathe. Instead, he kept trying to pull the killer's arms away. There were also numerous times that the police should've been called to help. Either no one called or they waited a crazy long time beforehand.

Overall, this third installment is missing something that the first two had. I definitely like the characters better in the other movies. And there was some comedic relief that Bloody Mary lacked. It's worth a watch just for some of the murder scenes and how scary Mary is. She looks like a B rated version of the girl from the Exorcism movies, which is still great Halloween fun.

30 Days of Night (2007)

Scary Vampires & Great Storyline

[7/10 · 5 October 2021]

These vampires are definitely some of the scariest I've seen in horror movies. They're like Twilight's Volturi, but 10x more brutal. I imagine it's how the Volturi killed people behind closed doors. Anyway, this movie has plenty of blood and gore, without being over the top. I enjoyed the storyline and the vampire's plan to extinguish the town. It's actually very well thought out. You're always wondering what's going to happen next.

The acting was mostly good, but some of the dialogue could've been better. There were scenes where normal people would've said something and the characters didn't. Like when a little girl vampire attacked part of the survivor group in a store. The rest of the group asked what happened and they just stood there. Maybe shock? Other times, the lack of dialogue made scenes drag a little. I think the vampires talked to each other more than the townspeople. Granted, they were trying to stay hidden from the monsters.

Out of 152 people, there were only a handful of survivors. Many deaths were heartbreaking, especially the ending one. Two things I wish had been shown. Did the old man live? I know his son was killed while looking for him. Maybe I missed it. And seeing the reaction of the returning townspeople would've made the movie ending so much better. Like what happened during the month we were away? Although I did like the look on the lead woman's face at the end. It said vengeance is mine. Oh yea!!