Les âmes en suspens

This isn't a Disney flick, but it easily could have been because it's the kind of film Disney produced as a Ghost Story back in the 60s. Nothing really scary at all, but mysterious--and there are ghosts. Fun for the whole family. A nice Ghost Story for the holidays.

I'm sorry. I watched this movie just getting into watching horror movies, and I thought this would be good. I almost fell asleep while watching this. Sure there's a little bit of storyline, but absolutely no violence or scariness. When there was what sounded like a jumpscare, I was excited only for it to be Molly's dad. This movie felt so long. There was like nothing interesting but the one flashback scene towards the end. I was very disappointed in this film. The characters weren't even good. I really had hopes in this movie from the trailer, but it lied. It was absolutely nothing like the trailer. 2/10.

Money has to be the primary motive for making this: 1. The so-overused storyline of family (typically at-odds young female with younger brother) and in this case another (usually female) young one added to be the ghost recipient. 2. Also redundant: Family moves to rural house that (guess what?), not only looks haunted, but is haunted by (guess what?) deceased (and tragically of course) former family member (s). 3. Cheap effects and scenes starting with the so cheaply boring opening scenes of family in car driving on road. Help! Followed by cheap creepy sound effects; closing doors; moving furniture; lights flash; papers fly - you know the script. Oh, and cheap ghostly image. 4. Storyline continues to be non-creative (dare I say ripoff) of parents blaming older daughter for younger daughters behavior and so ends up doing research on house history at (guess where?) local library where we get to see (guess what?) old photos and news clips. 5. Ends predictably so if you want to ff you'll miss nothing. 6. No subtitles; poor enunciation; poor audio levels.

Somewhere in the country, a long-haired girl walks into a body of water. We do not see her face and assume she's the story's main character. That would be moody teenager Sophie Nelisse (as Molly). True, she could also be a 100-year-old ghost with the world's first hair curling iron. Apparently, the ghostly girl appears to get you interested in this story, and she serves as an attention grabber. The story shifts to 1982 Baltimore, Maryland, where our main family is moving. The children are the ones to watch. They are the alluring Ms. Nelisse, her little brother Liam Dickinson (as Michael) and their spooky little step-sister Isabelle Nelisse (as Heather). The family moves into a creepy-looking old church located next to a graveyard...

When you see the family's darkly Gothic new home, you know weird stuff is going to happen. And, from the introduction of spooky little Isabelle Nelisse (the girls are real-life sisters), you know who is ripe for possession. The little girl immediately walks and acts like a ghost. In case you think she might be normal, we see her wander out in the woods and pick up a butterfly with her bare hand...

Butterflies are normally shy around people...

They don't like to be petted...

This story is based on the novel "Wait Till Helen Comes" by Mary Downing Hahn, which was undoubtedly better. The author appears on screen, as a librarian. Her basic tale parallels most ghost stories, and it is nicely plotted. The relationships formed by a "step-family" add interest, but the film adaptation certainly doesn't make the most of them. Young Dickinson is most convincing as the initially skeptical little brother and it's nice to hear Nat King Cole's "Ramblin' Rose" is still getting airplay after all these years. Director Dominic James and his crew make the most of an atmospheric setting, which is nicely photographed by Rene Ohashi. It and the story take no time to grow and develop, however. Ghost stories should be much less direct.

**** Little Girl's Secret (11/12/2016) Dominic James ~ Sophie Nelisse, Liam Dickinson, Isabelle Nelisse, Maria Bello

Molly (Sophie Nélisse) loathes moving away from her late father's resting place in Baltimore. Her mother (Maria Bello) and writer stepfather Dave (Callum Keith Rennie) are taking her, brother Michael and troubled stepsister Heather (Isabelle Nélisse) to an isolated home in a small town. She starts to suspect Heather is falling under the influence of a spirit of a dead girl.

This is a smaller horror. It's good to some extend. Maria Bello is the big name but she's in the smaller mom role. The apparition is unnecessary and probably detracts from the horror. They should play more with whether Molly should be believed or not. Dave could have been a threatening presence that the audience could suspect some abuse. The dreamscape is not nightmarish enough. The ghost reveal should come later in the movie. Otherwise, it's a functional isolate haunted place horror. The kids are good although the ending is lackluster.