Among the Willows

Among the Willows is another independent movie that has many very good moments and a few not so good ones. Overall the movie is entertaining and well made. The music matches the scenes very well and most of the acting is good to very good. The story is really nothing new, but it's still fun to watch unfold.

The story is told from three points of view. Mary Cronon, her grandfather John Williams and her kidnapper, Eli Kilpatrick. The three stories finally merge into a final reckoning but not before a hidden truth about Mary is revealed.

Overall the movie is well shot and acted, although I felt some were better than others. The real treasure is the supporting cast. The three henchmen, Tom, Spence and Hiram, were very good as was Miller and Everett. The saloon girls were adorable. Susie showed wonderful compassion in her relationship with Everett and Mae expertly goes from scared little girl to shotgun totting badass in a couple of heartbeats. Their chemistry together was very enjoyable to watch. Mr. Kilpatrick was excellent as the bully father figure and Emma's scene in a flashback is very emotional. It was fun to see Caryn Richman play such a different role and she nailed it. How could you not smile when she spits on the grave? As for the three main leads this is where it weakens... but just a little. Mary goes happy little girl at her 16th birthday to experiencing tremendously life altering events. Very strong acting chops are required for such a role and although the actress did well enough, her inexperience showed just a little. The first scene where we see Eli was well done but then as the movie goes on, he seems to become more one dimensional. He does redeem himself in the third act with some wonderful scenes with Mary where I could feel his pain. John, I felt was not really up to the standard that was being set around him. He does, although, have a couple of very good efforts in scenes with Miller. They seem to have good on screen chemistry, but overall it felt more like acting instead of investing in the role. The end scene with John and Everett, while was good, could and should have been better.

All that being said and done, I did find this an enjoyable and well made movie. Some up and coming talent mixed in with some seasoned actors is a good recipe. I hope it does well.

The positive reviews will trick you; they most likely got all of their friends and family to write them and give them high ratings! The worst script, director, and acting job you'll ever witness, to put it mildly. It's nearly impossible to watch this through to the conclusion, so I appreciate those who were able to!

Poor writing, editing, directing, and acting are all so horrible that you have to wonder if they ever went through auditions or if they just picked a few people at random. I suppose you should see it if you want a nice laugh at a ridiculously horrible movie because it was laughable the majority of the time. If not, spare yourself the trouble.

Interesting western genre independent movie. Very well made, very well acted. I have seen the last two movies from these guys, Lost Outlaw and Above Snakes, all at their respective premieres and this is by far the best of the three.

It has a good main story, but also has very interesting relationship sub plots. The relationships between Eli Kilpatrick (nicely played by Tyler Tuck) and his father (wonderfully played by Jim Tuck), between Mr. Kilpatrick and his grandson, between John Williams (David Novak) and Everett Stolls (Jeffrey Smith) and even the two saloon girls (Sparkle Soojian and. Akilah M.) are intertwined into the main plot.

Much of the cast has good to very good chemistry with each other but I felt Eli and his father, and Everett and Susie had the best parings. I could feel the tension leap off the screen when Eli and Mr. Kirkpatrick shared the screen. I also felt a true tenderness between Susie and Everett which was unique because there was an obvious age difference between the two actors. Nonetheless they pulled it off and made it believable.

The overall story is slightly predictable but it works in this situation. The music was on point especially at the end where a slight heartbeat can be heard during a touching scene.

It did have some (sometimes not so subtle) references to a higher deity but it's not shoved in your face and I didn't mind it.

Most of the acting was good but the standouts I've already mentioned. Overall it's was an enjoyable hour and a half spent watching a well made and acted independent movie.

Set in the 1800s, when men were men and women were chattels - in this movie by Trinity Creative, anyway, where women are indiscriminately killed, kidnapped, menaced, abused, exploited, bought, shamed, and for speaking out, killed (again). To be fair, men are killed, menaced, abused, and shamed, also. But the closing scene brings us all home to the love of the Lord, if only one will admit his Sin and accept Jesus as his only Lord and Savior. I didn't watch this alone, or would have stopped watching after a ten-minute toe-dip. As it was, I struggled to detect any character development, the acting ran the gamut from A to B, and the primary storyline trudged doggedly to its end, smothering any secondary stories. The movie is brutish, IMO, meaning to slip onto the viewer stealthily, like a choke chain, then yank tight to compel submission and obedience. There is no indication in the film description that it drives the message of Christianity. In fact, visit the Trinity Creative Partnership website and there is no mention that it is a Christian organization. Okay, the word "Trinity" is a bit of a giveaway. But why cloak what it is you stand for, especially if you believe it's a good thing? The old "bait and switch," eh? Like the snake oil salesmen of the time period? The film was not produced for quality entertainment (witness all the 1-star reviews), and it is sure not a "family movie." It seems to be, unabashedly, a blunt object for luring in, battering, and converting sinners. In this film, even if they've been wicked all their lives, if they use their last gasping breaths to be Saved, they are assured a place in Heaven. What the H-E-double-toothpicks?!

From the TrinityCreativePartnership.com website: "For over 20 years, Trinity has managed the commercial release of thousands of titles across the world." "Every year, Trinity works with its clients to develop and distribute their new content, as well as provide them with the ability to exploit their large libraries of content and material." (Their site content; not my words.)

Okay so normally I'm not a huge western movie person but this one hit different. I genuinely enjoyed it because it was unique and not your typical Hollywood movie. It stood out. I think this movie made me appreciate the indie film industry more.

The actual movie had a storyline that wasn't too complicated to understand but complicated enough to keep me engaged. There were some good action-packed moments that left me on the edge of my seat, and when a major plot twist was revealed, I was left absolutely stunned. I was rendered speechless (and I never shut up so that's definitely saying something).