Secrets in the Walls

Television network Lifetime is a gift that keeps on giving. Some of their original TV movies are more middling, sure, but whether romance or thriller, earnest piece or pure B-movie, many range from good to excellent. For better or worse, with rare exception, we know what to expect with almost any one film: predictability, kitsch, directness (e.g., the realtor JUST HAPPENS to be right there from the beginning), heavy-handedness, light and flavorful but unremarkable music that perfectly suits any given scene and mood, and so on. Of course we also need at least one very recognizable star, so in this case we get to see what Jeri Ryan can make of the network's offerings. 'Secrets in the walls' does diverge a little from the Lifetime formula, however, by introducing uncommonly seen elements of the supernatural, and even horror. Rest assured that this still predominantly carries itself as the drama, mystery, and thriller that we associate with Lifetime, but nonetheless this represents a slight variation. It's also one of the network's more sincere efforts, which are always a bigger risk, yet even if it's not a total must-see, I'm glad to say that this is surely one of the better iterations. Just as much to the point, this rather makes great use of its unlikely flavors, and in my opinion the result is much stronger than what one might generally assume.

True, there's nothing here we haven't seen before. The picture is fairly upfront about the goings-on, and even if it weren't, so innumerable has been the studio fare to tell similar tales that the "mystery" is rather nominal. Moreover, while the flick dabbles in a horror space, there's not necessarily anything about it that's abjectly grabbing in the way we anticipate of the genre; this is a horror-drama more than a horror-thriller. No matter how cynical and critical one might tend to be, however, I don't think there's much arguing that 'Secrets in the walls' is all-around solid. The cast give honest, meaningful performances - not anything groundbreaking, by any means, but illustrating welcome range, nuance, and emotional depth. Ryan is a reliable actor and proves it again here; young Kay Panabaker very much holds her own, and Peyton Roi List plays her part well; Ian Kahn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste are swell in their supporting parts. The production design and art direction are superb, as are the costume design, hair, and makeup. Though Jeff Cardoni's score doesn't strike a major chord in and of itself it really is suitable, and ably lends to the atmosphere that is successfully conjured through William Penick and Christopher D. Sey's screenplay, and Christopher Leitch's direction. I'll even go so far as to say that at some points the feature is sufficiently creepy as to send a slight chill down one's spine. If that doesn't make this a success, then what does?

There is more than enough kinship with Lifetime's usual TV movies such that anyone who isn't receptive to the style may have a harder time with this; the construction here is also light enough, softening the horror vibes, that genre purists may not be satisfied. If one is open to all that cinema has to offer, however, then I think there's actually a lot to like in these ninety minutes. It's familiar, but fun, and finely made in every fashion. It's a somewhat gentler variant of supernatural horror that we've gotten before, yet I don't think there are any abject flaws here, and nothing about it inherently discounts the possibility of enjoying it. I, for one, am pleased with how good this is. 'Secrets in the walls' doesn't demand viewership by any means, but if you're a fan of someone involved, otherwise have a specific impetus to watch, or are just looking for something good but comparatively uninvolved, in my book it earns a firm recommendation. Not every picture needs to be a revelation, and this is quite splendid just as it is.

SECRETS IN THE WALLS is yet more of the same old stuff: a struggling single mother moves into a cheap property with her two teenage daughters and soon finds that they're not alone in the creepy old building. Cue CGI-assisted spirits, a heavy debt of inspiration to the likes of THE RING, DARK WATER and classic ghost stories of old, and a general lack of originality.

Jeri Ryan, once a STAR TREK babe, appears tired and haggard in this made for TV outing that provides absolutely nothing new for genre fans. The scare scenes are well choreographed in advance and anything but frightening, and the bits inbetween the spooks are dull and talky.

The production as a whole suffers from that TV-movie style atmosphere in which everything is played safe and no chances are taken with style or plot twists. You'll guess the outcome from the very beginning and the journey to the end makes for one dull ride.

Newly divorced Rachel and her two daughters, Lizzie & Molly, move out of their cramped apartment to a spacious new house which is also much closer to Rachel's new work. Everything seems to go fine until Molly starts to see visions of a young girl, and when she tries to explain it to her mother, it gets dismissed as stress of the move and adjusting to a new house. When the strange goings on continue, Rachel decides to do some investigating and not before long she discovers that the house is harbouring a dark secret.

This is a made-for-TV movie and you can tell that as soon as you start watching it. Made-for-TV horror movies generally just do not work and this is a classic example of that as it is pretty dull, there's no real atmosphere, it is not at all scary or creepy, it's very clichéd & predictable, and the acting, while not that bad, is just very wooden.

In fact, it's very much like a "scary movie" for the young teens than anything else. Young teen girls at that, so anyone above the age of 13 and is of the male gender will find this movie to be pretty much a yawn-a-thon.

I wouldn't waste your time with this to be honest as there is much, much better movies out there.

SPOILER: Divorced mum and her two young daughters move into a big old house that's price is too good to be true. Soon strange things start to happen, and just what is that false wall doing there?

Secrets in the Walls doesn't offer up anything new to the haunted house formula, and the premise bears a striking similarity to a Richard Matheson story, but it is effective at what it does. Standard haunted house rules apply, with creaks, a music box, a creepy grate, spooky drawings and boo-jump shocks via reflections and peek-a-boo dark corners. It's competently performed by Jeri Ryan, Marianne Jean-Baptise, Kay Panabaker and Peyton Roi List, Christopher Leitch's direction is up to scratch for the spook and shiver narrative, and the music and photography tech credits are not intrusive and therefore well utilised for sustained suspense.

It's a safe recommendation to fans of the haunted house splinter of horror, and coming out of the Lifetime Movie Network it's impressive to find it's better than a lot of bigger budgeted Hollywood genre pictures that have trundled out in recent years. 7/10

The stage curtains open ...

I was bored today, and was swiping through some YouTube Free With Ads movies, and came across this one. I thought .. why not? I've been on a kind of ghost story kick lately, and I was just recently surprised with how much I liked "Our House", so I was hoping lightning would strike twice. Well, it didn't. I found out later it was made-for-tv, so that explains part of it. So ... here;s what it's about.

A woman and her two daughters are adjusting to life after a divorce with the ex-husband moving away to the Big Apple. Determined to start a new life together, the three move into an older home in a storied town. At first glance, it is too good to be true. Lots of space, beautifully re-modeled on the inside, and yet a nice warm, homey feel to it. Except to the youngest daughter, who feels something is off. As time goes by, they find they are not alone in that house. They need to cast aside what they know to be true, and believe in things they never have before if they want to make it out alive.

Yawn. This is as color-by-numbers and cookie cutter as it gets. The daughter who sees things and nobody believes her. The psychic friend at work. A music box that turns on by itself at all hours. Ghost;s reflections in the mirror. Visiting the library to discover a hidden news article. A trapped spirit trying to communicate and break free ... on and on and on we go. We've seen this movie already 100 times, some done better, some done worse.

It was well shot, and the use of colors and shadows were well done. The acting was decent, not great, not bad. Dialogue pretty average. This is a movie to throw in when you don't really care what you watch, and it won't scare you. It might amuse you, but nothing special. I can't recommend "Secrets in the Walls". It is average and just kind of there. If I never see it again, I won't miss it. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, then you might.