brittanydiane This movie was so good. Highly recommend. This movie has a lot to it and it keeps you wondering what's next. The story was well told and beautiful although what happens throughout isn't what you would consider beautiful. Altogether though this movie is a MUST see!

Tss5078 In recent years, supernatural horror has become about gore and jump scares, these movies aren't scary anymore! Paranormal Activity, The Grudge, The Ring, are you kidding me?! Those movies were terrible! They don't make movies like Stir of Echoes anymore, this is a supernatural thriller, that was truly unsettling and creepy, the kind of film that defines what supernatural horror should be. Tom & Maggie are celebrating moving into a new house, and as the party is winding down, Maggie's sister claims to know something about the supernatural. Tom (Kevin Bacon) is a complete skeptic, so she offers to hypnotize him and see what happens. Reluctantly Tom agrees and after seeing some strange flashes, Tom wakes up unsettled but still a non-believer. Over the next few weeks, Tom continues to see strange images of a girl asking for his help and believes his sister in-law messed with his mind somehow. Once convinced that she had nothing to do with it, Tom decides to investigate and try to find out, who this girl is and why she's asking for help. This movie is truly scary because depending on what you believe in, this could be 100% real. Kevin Bacon is one of those actors who when he is in the right role is better than anyone, and this role is perfect for him. Bacon had me on the edge of my seat and it seemed as thou this movie just flew by. I wanted to know who this girl was and what happened to her just as much as he did. As for the paranormal stuff, it wasn't bloody, gory, and out of nowhere but it was just as creepy. This is the kind of film that left you jittery and uneasy for hours afterwards, the definitive horror movie. Bad reviews had me skeptical, but I am a skeptic no longer, Stir of Echoes will most definitely be included in my next Halloween movie marathon!

bayardhiler "Stir of Echoes" is more than just your average ghost story; it's a thriller that weaves together mystery, intrigue, murder, and love of family into a very memorable film. Adapted from the novel by the late, great Richard Matheson, the story centers around everyday man Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon), his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) and their young son, Jake (Zachary David Cope). They seem to have the perfect life in their Chicago suburban home until one night at a neighborhood block party Tom, ever the supernatural/otherworldly skeptic, agrees to be hypnotized by his mystic-minded sister-in-law. He doesn't remember much about what happens during the hypnosis, but what follows next is anything but child's play as strange images involving a ghostly, teenage girl and past events of the house they live in start appearing in his mind. It turns out Tom has become a receiver, someone whose mind is open to visions of the future and communication with the dead, and that's not all. Tom's son, Jake, already has this sixth sense, if you will, and he too has visions of the girl he calls Samantha. It doesn't take long for Tom to discover that Samantha was a real person who disappeared from the neighborhood but no one in the community knows why or seems to care. From there, it's a race for the truth as Tom tries to uncover what really happened to the young girl who haunts his mind before it tears him apart.I had heard of "Stir of Echoes" through this site long before I saw it. It was not until recently I finally got my chance to see it and needless to say, I was not disappointed. The story is beautifully crafted right from the beginning, where we first meet Jake taking a bath and seemly talking to his father in the next room. It's only after his father leaves the room and he's drying off that we find out (I won't reveal exactly how we know as to not spoil it) he's talking to someone else. The scene gives me chills just thinking of it and there are plenty more to come. Writer and director David Koepp should be congratulated for being to combine scenes that scare and disturb with a good, strong story. As for as characters, each of the actors give solid performances, be it Kevin Bacon as skeptic turned (almost dangerously) obsessed believer, Kathryn Erbe as Tom's devoted wife, Illeana Douglas as the sister-in-law, Kevin Dunn as Tom's friend and neighbor Frank, or Zachary David Cope as young Jake Witzky. Mr. Cope's performance has to be one of the most brilliant I've ever seen from a child actor or in general due to his ability to be sweet but also a bit other worldly due to his ability to see things we can't. Plus there's a whole lot of amazing supporting actors and actresses, such as Jennifer Morrison as young Samantha, that should be congratulated for their work. I'm not sure what Mr. Matheson thought of this film but as for me, I can't praise it enough. "Stir of Echoes" is a film that works, not only for the reasons above but in addition, it will make you wonder how well do you really know your neighborhood or the house you live in? And on that note, don't let this gem of a film pass you by. Watch and be prepared for some unsettling truths.

Leofwine_draca STIR OF ECHOES is a classic ghost story based on a novel by the late, great Richard Matheson. It stars Kevin Bacon as a sceptic who undergoes hypnosis and soon finds himself suffering extreme flashbacks and visions of a ghostly girl with vengeance on her mind. The story has been done to death by Hollywood recently - this came out the same year as THE SIXTH SENSE, which helped popularise the ghost story genre once again - but this film works, possessing a finesse and level of quality usually missing in the genre.The good things about STIR OF ECHOES are the reliance on good, old-fashioned storytelling over blood and guts and jump scares. It's a slow-burner of a movie and writer/director David Koepp allows the suspense to generate naturally. Most of these films have a disappointing back story when it finally gets revealed but that's not the case here - the narrative remains gripping throughout. And when it does descend into cliché at the climax, you can forgive it for the quality that's come before.Kevin Bacon is one of those underrated actors that Hollywood doesn't really know what to do with, and he's rarely given the chance to shine. Yet when he does he burns up the screen with an energy like no other, and he's on top form as the mild-mannered husband and father who finds himself channelling a kind of supernatural vengeance. His mania is both convincing and frightening. Kathryn Erbe is also very strong as his put-upon wife, and child actor Zachary David Cope is excellent in a creepy kid role. STIR OF ECHOES is a lovely surprise, a modern twist on the ghost story that feels fresh and exciting despite its familiarity.