Stoshie

This isn't a terrible movie, but it isn't going to become a classic kid-oriented horror movie. All I could think of while watching this was that the writers were trying to create a Stephen King or Steven Spielberg style of story, and failing. Especially King; the setting, the characters, the plot, were all very derivative of his writing.

Of course, kids seeing this won't recognize those obvious influences, so will enjoy the movie. But I doubt if it's one that they will want to see more than once.

I know this was supposed to be a "message" movie, and I have no problem with that. But the messages were all similar and shoved in our faces. No subtlety at all, no real journeys for the characters to learn the messages. Just simple tasks which really proved nothing.

Worse was the acting. Over the top. Stage actors don't even emote to this extreme. I found all the large smiles and interactions between the characters unrealistic and annoying.

I haven't watched many movies on the GAF network, and this didn't encourage me to watch more. The movies on Lifetime, LMN, UP Faith and Family, and the various Hallmark channels aren't exactly Emmy-level works, but they are so, so much better than this one GAF movie was. Maybe I'll try another one on this channel. Maybe.

For those who haven't seen the movie and are reading the reviews, trust them. This is a movie to skip.

I guess Diane Keaton was trying to break away from her "Annie Hall" character, variations of which she has played in a few subsequent movies and had kind of stereotyped her. But this TV movie wasn't the vehicle for her to do that in. I know this was supposedly based on a true story, but her character was played in such an over the top way it was hard to take her acting or the plot seriously.

I saw this made-for-TV movie on LMN recently, and it shows how far such movies have come over the years. That's not to say they are of very high quality now, but the writing and production values have improved greatly. I can't believe I'm saying that, since I usually give bad reviews to most TV movies! But the comparison between such movies then and now is very evident.