The Door

When people who make movies go out of their way to tell the audience that their movie is based on actual events, they set themselves up for criticism from people who want historical accuracy. "Shadow People" is another movie that unnecessarily chooses to go that route. This movie was plenty scary, and could easily have stood on its own merits without having to play the "based on a true story" card.

I am reminded of two other movies that did this: The Fourth Kind, and Phantom. Both went out of their way to tell the audience that their stories came from factual history, and both received a hefty backlash of negative reviews from audience members calling the movie makers out on their claims. Any of these movies would have been better if presented purely as fictional entertainment.

If you can put aside this aspect of "Shadow People", you will be in for a decent flick, both chilling and eerie.

"How do you stop thinking about something." Charlie Crowe (Roberts) is a talk show host who's ratings are slipping and he is worried that he may get canceled. When a young man calls in one night and tells him about a nightmare he is having he thinks its a joke and hangs up on him. After receiving a package from him he takes it a little more serious, then after the next time he calls it changes everything. Charlie is now trying to figure out what he saw. This is a very interesting movie but I wouldn't call it a straight horror movie. The movie is interesting enough to keep you watching and interested but I didn't think it was scary in the classic sense. The only movie I can really compare this to is The Fourth Kind in the way that it mixes "real" footage with the movie footage which makes it a little more creepy. It is a hard movie to recommend because it doesn't really fit into a specific genre but I will say that it kept me interested the entire time. Overall, not a bad movie but nothing amazing either. I give it a C+.

I really liked this, first thing is its not a gore/blood fest ( which is a good thing) its more a creep/freak you out movie, I watched it about 2am on my own in the dark and it freaked me out, I thought it was a cool original quite scary idea, with some great writing and ideas and some great acting, it would of been easy to make this feel cheesy and cheap but it doesn't the main character does a superb job of portraying the sceptic to believer, its a shame it has a low score which will instantly put people off this movie as recently especially in this genre it's rare to find something original and so well done, I hate to admit after watching it I actually turned the light on to go to sleep lol I can't remember the last time a movie had that effect, well worth watching just don't expect a slasher or make you jump movie it's more one that freaks you out when thinking about it, which you will do

A radio talk show host (Dallas Roberts) unravels a conspiracy about encounters with mysterious beings known as the Shadow People and their role in the unexplained deaths of several hundred victims in the 1980s.

I had never heard of shadow people before this film, but a little search turns up two things: they were featured in "John Dies at the End" and on the radio program Coast to Coast AM. Now, I will have to assume that the "John Dies" is a coincidence, but there is obviously a Coast to Coast connection since this film focuses on a late night talk host... nicely done, folks. And thank you for not making him as wacky as Art Bell.

This is a fine effort from Matt Arnold, who has not really made a name for himself in film just yet. Could this be his big break? Perhaps. I missed an opportunity to chat with Arnold, and that is unfortunate... I would love to know about his work on "Jackie Brown".

This is a very solid little horror film that does a great job of combining mock-documentary footage and a straight narrative. Also, the filmmakers have seeded the film with subliminal word messages hidden in a few quick cuts and blurry images, which is kind of funny and amusing. It's individual words sprinkled through the film o spell out: NOW YOU WILL SEE THEM TOO!!! I really appreciate this little touch and would love to read or hear about this choice. I watched it on VOD, so now I'll have to pick up a copy of the DVD or blu-ray to see if they talk about this at all.

I am a sucker for a good ghost story, and while this isn't "ghosts", it is creepy and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end more than once. It also reminds me of my college days of staying up late and listening to Art Bell on his spooky AM radio talk show.

If you like creepy, slow-burn horror you should defiantly give this a watch.