Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-25 13:04:16

A Suspenseful Romance...Not Really a Family Movie

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) This movie was a suspenseful romance leaving you guessing until the end. It was one of my Amazon movie recommendations along with other romance christian movies so I thought it might be "clean". However, minutes in to the movie, I realized it wasn't as "wholesome" as I would have liked it to be. The movie includes a bar scene, drinking, 3 "intimate" scenes, and some bad language. The photography and scenery were nice, but I would not recommend this movie for family viewing.

Leofwine_draca 2012-05-25 07:43:51

Paint by numbers

This workmanlike adaptation of a Nora Roberts novel doesn't have muchto recommend it, unless you're a sucker for cosy mystery yarns. There'sthe usual amalgamation of tragedy, skeletons in the closet, romance,obsession and a murderer and nothing much new to get excited about. Iliked the snowy backdrop to the action but didn't care much for thesquare-jawed simpleton hero, Eddie Cibrian, and his cold-as-ice loveinterest Leann Rimes. Ironically, the two actors fell in love whilefilming, but they have zero chemistry on screen.Rosanna Arquette appears, but is unrecognisable from earlier in hercareer, having gone under the knife. I'm not a guy who can usually spotthe identity of the murderer in these sorts of films, but he wasglaringly obvious here, even to me, right from the very beginning, soit was a chore to keep watching.

2012-05-25 01:09:17

Loved it!!!

I Loved the 2009 Nora roberts movie collection!!! I took four sundays in a row off from work just to watch these movies premiere on lifetime!!! Would recommend to anyone!!!

mellissasue 2012-05-24 19:20:36

Beyond Awful

Someone should tell LeAnn Rimes that simply reading the lines with abitchy attitude doesn't make you an actress. I was never a huge fan ofMeg in the novel, but Rimes managed to suck what I did like right fromthe character.I understand that an adaptation has to change things in the screenversion, but is it necessary to strip all the good stuff? I made itthrough the first half hour of this mess and I had to turn it off. Acomplete disappointment with none of the atmosphere that sucked me inwhile reading the book. Eddie Cibrian was fine as Nate, but I missedthe setup to the story that had been done in the novel -- with Natesettling in as sheriff that really made the book for me. It was amurder mystery sure, but there were more to it in the book and I missedthat in this adaptation.This is just like the 2007 collection that aired -- I could only getmyself through one of out of the four movies more than once. They keeptaking Nora Roberts and pairing her wonderful novels to barely anythingat all. Why does a mediocre guy like Nicholas Sparks get all of hisnovels on the big screen and Nora gets no special treatment beyondstunt casting?

2012-05-16 04:50:32

Northern Lights the movie

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) I had already read the book and loved it. Found the movie on Amazon and just had to buy it. I loved it.

headhunter46 2012-05-15 06:48:17

Not Oscar material but enough to keep my interest

Having never read Nora Roberts version, I came to this movie with anopen mind. A few other reviewers have found numerous faults with thismovie but to be fair to it, this movie dealt with so many issues thathonestly do affect people in real life. Guilt. Blame. Feeling of beingdeserted by parents. Uncommitted love. Greed.My spoilers are very mild and should not ruin the surprises in themovie. They do not reveal the ending or the killer.There are no exploding gas stations or cars flying through the air, soif you need that sort of thing to be entertained this movie is not foryou.There were enough clues to throw my suspicion in several directions, soyou really won't be sure "who done it" until the very end of the movie.I had a couple red flags pop up then down and it turns out one of themwas correct. If it had been a game of Clue, it would have been one ofmy guesses.Now let's address the scenery. Filmed in Alberta Canada we are treatedto some incredibly gorgeous mountain scenes and an Oh so wonderful loghome by a running stream. My Oh my, I would love to have a cabin likethat. Maybe one day. But now back to the movie.According to the story line, the hero is in Alaska at the invitation ofthe town mayor. It seems someone wanted an "outsider" to be impartialas police chief in this humble little town. The new chief is runningaway from some very unpleasant dealings in the town of Baltimore, MD.He is an experienced cop which will prove to be a necessary skillbefore the movie ends. The mayor is a delightful older lady and crustyenough for us to believe she has lived in the far north all her life.Two climbers find a body by accident. Someone had committed a murderfifteen years earlier and it has been frozen in time.There are the usual grumpy suspects to give us a wide assortment tochose from. There are some plot twists and turns, and a bit of humoryou might catch unless you are a big city person who has never lived ina small town and known people like these.I loved the scenery and the log buildings. I hadn't seen RosannaArquette for awhile and I thought she was quite attractive as well asLeAnn. There are some fellows I assume the ladies would find to be eyecandy as well.The baiting of the bear at the cabin might actually have worked asplanned to eliminate the new police chief. Knowing how bears are thecity cop might have tried to take the bear with his little nine mmpistola and lost his life to one very angry bear. I do feel the"friendship" between our hero and LeAnn was a bit too rushed, but incold climates relationships might heat up a bit faster than normal?There were some clichés near the end. The interfering state cop getswounded when he absolutely had the drop on the bad guy, The girlfriendinjects herself into the shootout scene and gets wounded.I think the actors did a reasonably good job with their roles. I nevergot the feeling they were "acting" as I have seen in some other movies.I now have the desire to read the novel to learn why others believe thebook is better.It at least has a happy ending, which I like, and I would hope you willtoo. I actually watched it a second time to determine how many clues Imissed as to who the murderer was. I had the bad guy pegged at one timebut then let another clue pull me off track.Watch it just to see how well you do catching the killer. When it isover will you feel like a Columbo or just a dumbo?

2012-05-08 17:03:03

Terrible adaptation!!

I love the book Northern Lights, and all the great interaction between the characters. There was a lot of depth to the characters, and it gave you a good idea of a small Alaskan town, and how everyone lives together as neighbors. This movie is truly terrible- the performance of Nate is wooden and he lacks any type of leadership for someone who is supposed to be Chief of Police--and he is the star of the movie after all. The movie was superficial and lacked any truly intimate feeling for the town and the characters who lived there.Save your money and buy the book- It's great!!

bill-790 2012-05-08 03:23:33

My reaction to this film is much warmer than the frigid Alaskan scenery.

I'm puzzled by the reactions of those who trash this film. It's noworld-beater, but it's a fairly entertaining film most fans willprobably enjoy viewing. Nothing particularly novel here, but it's wellenough done for a TV movie and if nothing else has some great scenery.Possible spoiler: There is one serious flaw in the script. Thenewspaper editor is murdered and the killer tries to make it look likesuicide, even leaving a phony suicide note on the editors computer. Theproblem here is that there is no mention of any attempt to ascertainwhether there were powder stains on the dead man's hand.I was put off by the existing reviews before watching, but now thinkthose reviews are unfair. We're not talking about a classic work ofcinema here, but I have seen really bad movies, and this one iscertainly better than those.

2012-05-04 20:44:20

Northern Lights with Leann Rimes

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) Pretty good for a chick flick. It helps if you're a Leann fan. Good mystery, and she got a new husband out of the deal.LOL

2012-05-04 12:58:20

wonderful

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) I LOVE WATCHING THIS IT GREAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT FOR A WHILE

2012-05-04 19:08:29

How about this...

So I read the other reviews...I DVR'd this movie when it was on Lifetime (LOL mostly because I wanted to see Rhimes and her co-star with whom alledgely split up her marriage) I have never read a NR book, never seen any of the movies...When I went to watch my DVR'd movie I found that my husband (or my son, no one will confess!) had stopped the DVR...of course I got to watch about 1/2 of the movie and I was so drawn in! UGH! So, my sister let me borrow her book...so far what I read and what I got to see are the same, taken in account it was a made for TV movie...and as for Rhimes acting...I agree, no Golden Globe or Acadmey Award for her part, but 1) she is a singer, 2) it was a TV movie, not like it was on the big screen and 3) Meg is complex and abrasive in the book too! I'm about 1/2 way through the book, and just started two days ago, I pick it up every time I get a chance...and I can't wait to watch the movie, from start to finish uninterrupted!

2012-05-04 05:33:27

Movies are always better if you haven't read the book first!

Having not read this book first, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The chemistry between the two main characters is undeniable. The storyline is great as always with any Nora Roberts book made for tv. I do see the point of the first review written on this movie - the book will always seem better than the movie if you've read it beforehand. That said, give the movie a shot especially if you are a fan of Eddie Cibrian and/or Leanne Rimes.

2012-04-26 19:16:18

Leanne Rhimes Should Stick to Singing.

Ok plot, not the best...acting is sub-par...rhimes really should stick to singing, the horrible acting really ruined the movie.

2012-04-26 07:03:47

Loved it

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) Loved this DVD. Very close to the book. Nora Roberts is one of my favourite authors

2012-04-23 13:55:52

Enjoyable Movie!

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) There is something about this movie I just love. The chemistry between LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian is undeniable, shown by the fact that they fell in love in real life while filming this movie. The scenery in the movie is very pretty. This movie has romance, suspense and some humor, and is just a fun escape!

sol 2012-04-22 17:21:52

A chilling tale

(There are Spoilers) Not much ever happened in the town of LunacyAlaska until its new head of the police, which consists of only one mandeputy Otto Gruber, ex-Baltimore cop Nate Burns arrived.Handsome and sure of himself Nate had no trouble at all scoring withthe towns two hottest gals mother and daughter Charlene & Meg Galloway.In fact it was the hot and sexy, as well as twenty years younger, Megwho got to Nate heart first before her mom-Charlene-even startedwarming up in the bullpen. All this fooling around turned sour later inthe movie when Meg and Charlene's estranged father and common lawhusband Pat Galloway was found, in a search for two missing localteenagers, frozen stiff with an ax stuck in his chest in a cave on thesnow covered Mount No Name.As it soon turned out Pat who was thought to have left Lunecy, as wellas Charlene & Meg, some fifteen years ago in 1994 was in fact murderedby someone in town who, from all the evidence available, had in in forhim. Nate soon starts to realize that the murdered Pat Galloway hadbeen involved with the towns newspaper-The Lunatic-editor MaxHansbacker who he gave,just before he was murdered in November 1994,$3,000.00 to start up the paper. Max who was anything but cooperative with Nate in finding out whomurdered Pat is later found dead in his office with a bullet in hishead and a suicide note admitting him being the person who murderedPat. What we, in the audience, knew is that Max was totally innocent ofPat's murder because we saw, in shadow, Pat's actual killer blow Max'sbrains out!Nate in trying to find out who murdered both Pat & Max ends up beingresented by the townspeople, from lunacy's woman mayor A. Hopp on down,for him an outsider giving the locals a hard time in trying to do hisjob. The killer himself tries to get Nate killed by laying moose meatoutside Meg's house, where Nate was having an affair with her,andenticing a giant brown bare to attack and kill him. In the end Nate whoby then was fired from his job did solve Pat Galloway's murder andbring his killer to justice. That all took place after a wild shootoutduring a parade down Maine Street celebrating the 209th-back in1805-anniversary of the towns founding.Lukewarm, in the frozen north country, murder mystery that was about asstiff and the stiff, Pat Galloway, the movie was centered on. As forNate's deep emotional problems, stemming from him being a cop inBaltimore, they didn't seem to effect his work at all until, bad newstravels fast, they finally caught up with him. As it turned out allNate had to do was pick up the phone and call home, back in Baltimore,and all would be forgiven.

2012-04-21 12:16:09

Horrible Adaptation -- if you like the book STAY AWAY !!

I'm a bit behind the times, but I just read the book and then had to see how the movie was done. Most reviewers thought it was great... I couldn't disagree more. How can I begin? Meg was supposed to be raven haired with blue eyes and a very hard nut to crack. Ms Rimes was totally wrong for the part, and it was played like she was a guidance counselor. She needed to be dark haired and private, thus Jacob's spirit child. The part of Burke was played like a lost schoolboy until a bit in the end. In the book he's all business and very much a professional which is what the Lunacy folks were not used to. In the book he was haunted, but tough and no-nonsense at this job. The bad guy "Darth" was supposed to be 'tough, lean, gray haired crewcut with a scar over his eye'... this bad guy looked like a pudgy pedophile. Charlene and Meg DON'T get along -- this was played way too mother-daughter (the scene where they spread his ashes was just hurl-worthy). I understand movies can't be exactly like the books, but when the characters aren't believable, well it's just a waste.I also read first then watched Carolina Moon... that actually was a bit closer to the book, although I thought they spent way too much time showcasing the ladies' stomachs (which were yes, beautiful and flat and young), but a half an inch down on some of those pants there wouldn't be anything left to the imagination.

vranger 2012-04-21 05:40:40

Death by Moosemeat

*** Spoiler Alert *** My wife is a devoted Nora Roberts fan, and so Ihave done my duty as a faithful and loving husband to DVR and watch allof these movies with her.From the husband's perspective, they're not terrible, but I certainlyhope that the plotting in the books themselves hold up better than someof the plotting in the movie adaptations.In this one, early on we get two boys out hiking and finding a body. Dothey take note of the spot and hike home to notify someone? No, onestays with the body while the other hangs around a clearing on amountainside to flag down the search plane.Seriously folks ... not going to happen that way.The acting and parts of the mystery were OK for a good while, and thenwe get to: Attempted murder by HANGING MOOSE MEAT (read with loudponderous voice).That got my eyes rolling to the point where the rest of the movie washard to pay attention to.Shooting it out with the bad guy during the middle of a parade, as thisending had it, was a bit hard to take too. This is not a town that waseasy to get out of. The guy didn't know yet that he'd been nailed as"the guy". So of course officers would have simply waited until afterthe parade, keeping him in sight, and quietly arrested him later in hisoffice.I think the sheer volume of movies of this type (and/or novels of thistype) mean that writers have to try to push a bit to get somethingdifferent into their story. That is a fine sentiment, but not when'what is different' defies any logic whatsoever.This is not a knock on Nora. As I said, my wife devours everything shewrites, and my wife is an educated, professional, and intelligent woman... so the books can't be doing too much of this. The movie sure did,however.

2012-04-20 15:54:07

Sandy's Review

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) I thought the scenery in this movie was very true to Alaska. I really enjoyed the chemistry in this movie between LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian. It was funny, touching and sad but was delightful.

2012-04-19 23:32:48

Likeable movie, well acted

This review is from: Northern Lights (DVD) I was impressed with the acting, as it was better than I expacted. Also impressed with the scenery. The highlight of the film, for me, was seeing LeAnn Rimes for the first time. I think she is delightful. The plot was, perhaps, average, to be charitable. The leading actors made up for it.