Carolina Moon (2007)

One of the best films i have seen

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. I have to confess that I do have a soft spot for her TV movie adaptations, I particularly liked Midnight Bayou, Tribute, and Northern Lights. If you've seen any of these then you roughly know what to expect.In Carolina Moon Stephen Tolkin tells the story of Victoria Bodeen and her psychic ability of second sight. When Victoria "Tory" Bodeen was young her life was a mixture of good and bad. The good was her best friend Hope and the adventures they had in the local woods. The bad was her religious zealot of a father, who saw Tory's psychic gift as a curse. One that needed beating out of her. One nighttime, Tory was meant to meet Hope in the woods, though her father had whipped her so bad that she failed to make their rendezvous. Suddenly her gift kicks in and she has to watch helplessly as her best friend is killed. Worse yet, it's through the eyes of the killer. Her father moves the family away a few weeks later and Tory leaves them as soon as she can. Eighteen years later and she's returned to her hometown to try and find peace from the ghosts and memories that have plagued her. It's not long before Tory is having visions of other murdered girls... do these have something to do with Hope's murder? Is her killer still out there? Are they still active?Tolkin does a splendid job of casting suspicion onto just about everybody in this film and that is where its strength lies. I had a good idea of who did it, and I was correct, though I was thrown off the trail more than once by other possibilities. As for the direction, Tolin doesn't do pretty or interesting, though there were plenty of opportunities to enthrall us. However, he stays to the standard point- and-shoot style of most TV movies. Sometimes it's nice to have a sweeping shot or an interesting angle. The pace of the film is in keeping with the style; generally, the film has a steady and even pace. Tolkin does speed it up a little to create a little tension near the climax of the film when the killer is revealed. More suspension and tension wouldn't have gone amiss with the psychic visions and the daughter and father scenes - this would have shown her distrust and terror of the man.For the most part, the acting is above average and though I do like Claire Forlani her fake southern accent does start to irritate, though her acting is on par. It's Oliver Hudson who could win the Redwood prize in this film as there are more than a few scenes where his acting is wooden. It's Jacqueline Bisset, Shaun Johnston, and Josie Davis who are the strongest and most believable in their characters which make this movie stronger. In fact, Johnston as the Bible Bashing and Daughter whipping father is so realistic and believable I wanted to hit him myself.I would recommend this to everyone as it's a good film about youth, friendship, overcoming loss, and rebuilding relationships. All of that tied up in a whodunit murder mystery with a paranormal twist. I did enjoy the film though I'm not sure I would purposefully watch it again... but who can say, it does have Claire Forlani in it...

Victoria Bodeen always had psychic abilities. She was beaten by her abusive father for her devilous powers. As a child, she had visions of her best friend Hope being murdered. As an adult, Tory (Claire Forlani) returns to Progress, North Carolina to open a store and face up to her demons. Her father remains a suspect. She reconnects with her cousin Wade Mooney (Chad Willett), formerly chubby Dwight Collier (Jonathan Scarfe) and Hope's brother Cade Lavelle (Oliver Hudson) who still carries a torch for her. Hope's mother Margaret (Jacqueline Bisset) and Hope's sister Faith Lavelle (Josie Davis) still blames Tory. Tory's visions continue and it turns out to be a serial killer who's killing on the same date that is soon coming up.Claire Forlani may not be big enough to hold the center of this movie or just as likely there aren't enough good actors to play the other characters. This is suppose to be a thriller but there is a distinct lack of thrills. The father is the only one that is threatening but he really doesn't have many scenes. His scenes with Tory are the only truly exciting scenes in the movie. The flashbacks don't have any tension and look like cheesy older effects. TV writer/director Stephen Tolkin is in charge and it looks like a TV movie. It's certainly doesn't have any cinematic style worth mentioning.

A total and absolute waste of time. Bad acting. Bad story. Predictable. Simple. Pathetic. After a while I was only watching to see what happens, since I'd already invested my time into it. Totally surprised Clair Forlani played in a weak movie as this. Honestly - just don't bother.

I loved this movie even more than reading the book! The acting was good, and the plot kept me in suspense throughout the movie. The special effects made the movie even more suspenseful.The setting was beautiful, and all of the characters were played well, although I have to admit, I hope I never meet anyone like a few of the characters in this movie. I don't know how Nora Roberts keeps coming up with fresh new stories so frequently, but I think Carolina Moon is one of her best stories.This was a high quality, well done movie. It seems more like a movie you would see at a theater rather than on TV. Definitely worth watching.