Pictures of Hollis Woods

8.0 stars.

Once in a while, an absolutely wonderfully endearing heartfelt movie comes along, and it makes you feel like life is totally great.

This is the story of a little girl who was left by her parents in the middle of the city right after she was born. She's been in the system, all her life, having difficulty finding a family to love, and that will love her unconditionally. She is very troubled, but she's not a troublemaker. She is very reluctant to have her heart broken and so she has difficulty opening her heart to anyone who fosters her, but everyone loves this girl, and she is so wonderful.

I'm not going to name the actors, you can see who they are, and you recognize them. Every single one of them did an absolutely amazing performance. They could not make a movie more perfect than this.

I would normally rate a film this good at 9.0, however it's solely a feel good family film. There is no romance, no action, no comedy or particularly witty banter. It's simply a tearjerker and warm, and that's not quite enough variety to make the 9.0 club.

What an amazing film. You just have to see this, that's all I gotta say. Qiao.

At the start of this fact-based movie, Hollis tells where she got her name as we look at her beautiful art work. As a baby, she was abandoned at Hollis and Woods in Queens. A note attached to her said to call her Hollis Woods.

Hollis has spent time in a number of foster homes, and apparently she has never been happy in any of them. Edna, a social worker, is driving her to her latest home, with quirky and scatterbrained artist Josie Cahill in a small town with a lighthouse.

In flashbacks, we learn that Hollis was actually happy with the Regans. She spent the summer in a cabin with no TV or phone, but with lots of love and beautiful scenery to draw. She developed a brotherly relationship with the slightly mischievous Steven. And Steven's father gave her his old drawing set, something Hollis really appreciated because she's such a talented artist. But we later learn why she left such an ideal situation.

Hollis may have found yet another loving guardian, and she lies to make sure she will spend as much time with Josie as possible. Her lies may end up having the opposite result, but because of a situation beyond her control, Hollis may not get to stay anyway.

Josie's cousin Beatrice, also an artist, runs the movie theater. She's almost as weird as Josie, and it turns out Josie and Hollis have something in common, which is why Josie and Beatrice are so close.

There are a couple of near-tragedies toward the end, but don't worry. Things will turn out all right. It's a film the whole family can watch, provided the kids are willing to be a little scared.

All the leading actors do a good job. Sissy Spacek stands out from the rest just because she's so delightfully quirky, but also because she has a real challenge. Alfre Woodard has one really good scene that stands out from the rest of her fine performance. And of course Jodelle Ferland is good in the leading role.

Henry the Cat (Josie's best friend) doesn't do much, but he's cute and quite pretty to look at. He doesn't look like he likes Hollis, but later she gets to hold him.

I didn't see the name of the artist who drew Hollis' pictures, but this person is really talented. Josie's sculptures were also quite good.

It's a production worthy of the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Hollis Woods has been in so many foster homes she can hardly remember them all. She even runs away from the Regans, the one family who offers her a home. When Hollis is sent to Josie, an elderly artist who is quirky and affectionate, she wants to stay. But Josie is growing more forgetful every day. If Social Services finds out, they'll take Hollis away and move Josie into a home. Well, Hollis Woods won't let anyone separate them. She's escaped the system before; this time, she plans to take Josie with her.

Yet behind all her plans, Hollis longs for her life with the Regans, fixing each moment of her time with them in pictures she'll never forget. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 1/19/2021

I had not planned on watching the movie because I work early in the morning. The show was so good I stayed up till 11:00pm. I wished I had taped it for my husband, who had been unable to watch. It was a wonderful show and I hope they make it available on DVD so I can watch it again and again.

The fact that the show was spell binding and contained mystery as well as suspense without sex, violence, smoking, drinking or bad language follows along with the quality of shows presented by Hallmark and proves they are not necessary to make a show worth watching.

Jodelle Ferland proved to be a very convincing actress. Sissy Spacek was as usual absolutely wonderful. I love all of her movies. I do not want to say anything that would give the show away, but it warmed the heart and made you feel that good things do happen.

An orphan with a tough past and a Senior citizen losing her faculties, but not her ability to love. The movie uses flashbacks to Hollis' past with focus on the family she spent the summer with. Hollis feels bad about something but we don't find out about that until late..

Meanwhile back at the ranch. At first Hollis tries to take advantage of Josie's lack of concentration but when confronted., by the social worker she shapes up. Hollis is soon doing more to care for Josie than vice versa. This doesn't bode well.

Sissey Spacek is good. Jodelle Ferland as Hollis is great. She's not the perfect kid that you sometimes get in movies like this, but her heart is gold. Like so many kids with a hard life, when someone loves them they will do anything back. The story is well paced with a nice climax and ending.

This movie was made when Hallmark movies were worth waiting for and this is definitely one of them.