leightjk Reviews

Death of A Cheerleader (1994 TV Movie)

Just watched this last night

[8 June 2003]

I think Kellie Martin should have won an Emmy for this film. She plays Angela, a pretty but mousy-type attending a wealthy-area high school. She wants to fit in with the rich, snobby, popular crowd but is not like them herself. She comes from a large, devoutly Catholic family who "have what they need" but little else. Angela tries out for cheerleader and fails, for the Writers' Club and fails, even though she's a good writer, and this destroys her self-esteem. Add to that her wanting desperately to befriend the most popular girl in school Stacy (Tori Spelling), who is also the meanest and snobbiest, and being cruelly rejected as weird. You totally sympathize with Angela and see how she could have been driven to such a desperate act. Martin's riveting performance continues post-tragedy, as you see the guilt eating her up inside. This is truly an awesome made-for-TV movie. I highly recommend it.

The Cazalets (2001)

Wonderful, riveting story...

[25 December 2002]

I have loved the series of books that this miniseries is based on for years, and when I saw the shows were available on VHS, I purchased them right away. I thought the miniseries was just excellent. The characters were portrayed just as I pictured them when reading the books. The English countryside is simply beautiful, and the Cazalets' estate is perfect-looking. The shows stay quite true to the books' storyline, and my only complaint is that the issue of Rupert being missing in the war is not resolved by the end of the film. All the actors gave terrific performances, particularly young Florence Hoath as Clary Cazalet. She gives a powerful performance and is a very talented young actress.

I highly recommend this miniseries, especially if you have read and enjoyed the books by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

Lady in White (1988)

Terrific and creepy, will haunt the viewer

[12 November 2002]

On Halloween night 1962, Frankie is accidentally locked in the cloakroom of his class. He is scared already, but when he sees the ghost of a young girl come skipping into the cloakroom, he is terrified, and is then horrorstruck when her murder is re-enacted in front of him. Suddenly, this ghostly girl is haunting him constantly, showing up, wanting him to follow her, wanting him to help solve the mystery of her murder so that she can rest in peace.

In a parallel ghost story within the film, a mysterious "Lady in White", another ghost, haunts the seaside cliffs in the small town, walking back and forth and weeping. How are the two apparitions connected? And who killed Melissa, the young girl? Frankie is about to find out, and the answer will shock both him and the viewer.

This is one awesome, creepy tale that will stay with you.