Movie Review: The Tall Man

The first time I heard of this movie was when I was browsing through the entertainment abyss of Netflix, trying to find something for "movie night." It was my choice, and my husband has come to expect that when I get to pick,  it's going to be suspenseful, scary, weird, or all of the above. The image of Jessica Biel being hovered over by a creepy dude in the cliche black hood with the ever present scary-movie-cloudy-skies did it for me, and I pressed play. My husband just sighed and settled in, getting ready for what he thought would be the same as all the other movies I usually pick. 

And you know what? He was wrong! This movie threw us both for a wild loop, and I can't believe this movie didn't get more hype than it did. 

The Tall Man is about a nurse, Julia, who lives in the podunk town of Cold Rock, Washington, where there are no schools, no jobs, and really no morals. Her husband used to be the center of the town as it's doctor, but he sadly met his end, and Julia is left to fill his shoes in taking care of the slightly dysfunctional people of the town. There are legends of a "tall man," a kidnapper of the town's children, and when Julia's son is taken from her one night, she'll go to whatever lengths it takes to get him back. 

Sounds simple enough, but it's anything but. This movie immerses you into the town, bringing you inside the lives of it's people, giving you a glimpse of how they live. A place where my mother's boyfriend gets my sister pregnant isn't anywhere I'd want to stay, and it seems that one kid in particular, Jenny, feels the same way. Even so, there's something supposedly more evil lurking in the woods than the trauma caused by some of these debilitated homes. He's called "the tall man," and if you turn your back, he'll take your children.

Eighteen missing and not a trace found. Who the heck is this guy? Where is he taking and what is he doing to these kids? Julia leads us to the truth, and it's a helluva lot more than she, or we as viewers, could ever have bargained for. 

Who's really the bad guy here? You end up changing your mind seven different times until you're just not sure anymore. This movie holds twist after surprise, and leaves you standing on both sides of right and wrong. 

Like I said, I can't believe this movie hasn't gotten more attention. I may have vaguely seen a poster up here and there, but I hadn't ever heard anyone talking about it. It's a fabulously twisted movie that sweeps you up in the suspense and leaves you speechless. 

Popcorn anyone? Because I totally recommend this for your next movie night.

Happy Reading (and Viewing) Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Feature and Follow Friday

Q: Q: WHAT IS THE LAST BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY? TELL US ABOUT THE SCENE…

The last book that had me grabbing for my box of tissues was The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen. There are so many emotional scenes in this book, I'm having difficulty in finding a place to start... 

Hmmm... Okay... Got it...

Ella is on the floor of her blood-stained bathroom, crying. Her mother took her own life in that room, and Ella hadn't been there since. Micha finds her, and she's a wreck ~ blaming herself for what her unstable mother did. Ella's afraid she might turn out exactly the same way, which is why she runs away... why she wants to become someone else... and Micha says that one perfect thing... "I love you, Ella May and nothing will ever change that. You can push me away - run away - and I will still love you." Pile that beautiful confession on top of a lot of pain, guilt, and suffering, and you have a big ball of raw emotion. Get's me every time.... *sigh*

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Review: The Secret of Ella and Micha

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

I'm a little late in posting this review due to a family emergency ~ so sorry! Honestly, I couldn't wait to spread the word about this book ~ it's so freakin' beautiful :)

Ella is this tough, mouthy, adrenaline-junkie of a girl from a not-so-great-neighborhood. She doesn't take crap from anyone but she also has a heart of gold ~ a combination that caused her best friend, Micha, to fall in love with her. She's wrestling some demons though, and instead of facing them, she runs from them and buries them deep within herself, pretending to be someone else entirely. Ella wears this thick mask, and she's determined not to let anyone see what lies beneath it ... But the thing is, she's never been good at hiding what she's feeling, and Micha can see right through her....

I loved Ella. She's not whiny and helpless, and when she does cry, she's got a damn good reason. She's had to put up with more than any teenager should, but she's stronger than she thinks.

And Micha *swoon* is amazing. He's kinda half bad-boy, half good-guy ~ killer combination. I knew I was a fan of tattoos, but I never thought I'd grin at the idea of a lip ring ;). He's compassionate and gentle with Ella's feelings ~ for the most part ~ but he's also not afraid to say how he feels. Micha's got plenty of issues of his own, but he's willing to face them if that means he'll be stronger for Ella.

Even when Ella's afraid of her feelings for Micha, their relationship is beautiful. It's the one thing that saves them both. It's not possessive or clingy in any way, like so many of the young adult relationships we read about today. Ella and Micha give each other space to think, to process, and to follow their individual dreams. There's a wonderful independence in each of them even as they hold onto each other. They love unconditionally and no amount of distance or time will change that.

I absolutely adored this book and will certainly be reading the next in the series. I read most of it in one sitting, reluctantly putting it down to get back to my life. I would totally recommend :)

Five out of Five stars!

:about the author:

I live in Wyoming with my husband and three kids, where I spend most of my time writing, reading, and hanging out with my family. I’m the author of the Fallen Star Series, the Darkness Falls Series, and the Death Collectors. I also just branched out to the New Adult Contemporary genre with my book, The Secret of Ella and Micha.

Visit Jessica via

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ GoodReads

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading in which we share a little piece of one of our current reads.

Can't wait to get back to my Tuesday Preludes... As it is now, I barely have time to read...

This week's teaser(s) comes from The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen:

"I ran away for the same reason you ran away because staying here means dealing with the past and our pasts are the kind that need to be locked away and never revisited."

"You can't just change who you are on the outside and expect it to change who you are on the inside."

I plowed through half of this book in one day ~ it's sooooo good. Stop by December 5th for the full review :).

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~