Ajm_mmc

I decided to see this movie because I am a huge fan of Caroline Dhavernas and Brendan Fehr and love seeing my favorite actors in diverse roles. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film making and acting. I never once saw Annie or Simon and thought I was looking at Jaye Tyler (Dhavernas in Wonderfalls) or Michael Guerin (Fehr in Roswell). In fact, I was so impressed by Caroline Dhavernas' acting that I had to watch the entire Wonderfalls DVD set to remind myself that they were the same person. She carries herself so differently in these different roles that I may not have even recognized her at all.

I went in to this movie expecting a dark period piece. What I found was a haunting look at the effects of isolation and wilderness on the human mind. Simon Herron, who was raised in the wilderness by his mother's cousin, grew up to become a hard man who valued hard work and duty, eventually spiraling into a violent monster. His younger brother, George, was raised in the city by his father's sister who taught him to value education and human contact. And Annie, a naive child raised in a Christian school (probably an orphan) believes that marriage and a new start on a homestead will be the answer to all of her dreams. Over time, the violence, loneliness, and isolation begin to take their toll on Annie and George, ultimately leading to Simon's death and Annie having a near total break from reality, as we meet her when the film begins.

While obviously not for children due to graphic violence and nudity, I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves good storytelling and great acting. Edge of Madness differs greatly from anything normally seen in the U.S. It is not flashy or high budget, but instead offers a character driven story that, while slightly predictable, stays with you long after the credits have ran.

In Widow on the Hill, Natasha Henstridge plays a former nurse, Linda Dupree, who captures the affections of a recent widower (James Brolin as Hank Cavanaugh) and quickly becomes his new wife. Both parts are well acted, although often upstaged by Hank's grown daughter, Jenny (Jewel Staite). Jenny appears at first glance to be a troubled girl trying to overcome her mother's death while trying to stay sober. The audience quickly realizes that Jenny is much stronger and smarter than most of her family and friends give her credit for. Jewel Staite creates a 3-dimensional character out of what could have been a cardboard cliché. The story tends to fall flat at points, but overall this movie boasts a quality cast that make it worth seeing at least once.