When a Stranger Calls

post signature


...Don't Answer!!

October. A word which a good portion of the world associate with candy, pumpkins, trick-or-treating, leaves changing, crisp weather and/or the season before dreaded winter! Then there's another (more masochistic) portion of the world who know October to mean scary, suspenseful, hair raising movies. I would fall in the latter category. I love and live for scary movies, although let it be said that I'm a total chicken and end up watching most of these movies with my eyes shut, ears plugged, and humming la-la-la to myself. But I can't tear myself away from the thrill and suspense of horror movies. One of these such movies is a SUPER suspenseful, wonderful film entitled, When a Stranger Calls.


Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) is a normal teenage girl who loves boys, cheer leading, shopping and of course babysitting. When the Mandrakis' call her for a routine babysitting job Jill is stoked, they live in a mansion, have a fridge full of food, and kids who are in bed by 7! Everything is going well until the phone starts ringing with prank phone calls asking Jill if she's checked on the children. After a while Jill's gut lets her know that the calls may not be coming from her goofy guy friends. She has the cops trace the calls only to find out that...the calls are coming from inside the house!!!!! In Jill's efforts to save the kids and escape from the stranger who is inside the house, she's faced with one of the most terrifying nights of her life.
When a Stranger Calls is stock full of jumpy scenes, tension building music and parts that will literally make your skin crawl! The first five minutes set the eerie tone for the entire movie upon which you'll think, "Oh boy, maybe I should have opted for the light-hearted Hocus Pocus instead." But you'll be glad that you didn't because it is a fun ride!
*Spoiler Alert* My favorite part (which was hard to choose because there are so many) is just after the 'stranger' calls and asks if Jill's checked on the children lately, and as she's slowly creeping up teh stairs the camera zooms in on this statue at the top of the stairs that you THINK is the stranger, but of course isn't. OOOOH! Ok and one more favorite. Jill gets a visit from one of her friends, Tiffany and after a few minutes Jill makes her leave only to get a phone call from Tiffany's phone, except it isn't Tiffany's voice on the other end...it's the stranger!!! SO GOOD! *Spoilers Over*
If you are looking for a movie that will make every hair on your neck stand up straight, then watch When a Stranger Calls.
Motherly Advice: My filters were all on Medium for When a Stranger Calls and it didn't have to filter out hardly anything. I love that the makers of the film didn't feel like they had to jam in a million cuss words and put the typical nude female in the shower scene. However, the content of the movie does include murdering but does not show any of the actual act. With that and the extreme suspense of the movie I would recommend this movie for ages 15 and older.

Trisha-Lover of Everything October!
post signature