It was good, not very scary.
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When a Stranger Calls (2006)
(2006, Rated PG-13, Horror, Starring Tommy Flanagan)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 15. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Pointless remake brings nothing new to the story.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–18
What to watch out for
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Violence :
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Sex :
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About When a Stranger Calls (2006)
Parents need to know that this remake of a 1979 serial killer film features sustained tension and lots of dark corners in a large, isolated house. It includes mild language and several jump scenes (a cat out of the shadows, a body in a bathroom, scary shadows when doors are open or shut). The babysitter calls a couple of friends and worries that her boyfriend has kissed another girl. Wind blows, rain pounds, thunder claps. The killer calls repeatedly, breathing heavily or threatening the babysitter; when he appears (as a silhouette), the killer chases the babysitter and two young, crying children around the house. Two bodies appear (eyes popped open, images that may be disturbing for younger viewers), though murders are not shown. The film opens with a disturbing sequence, cutting between a fairground and an unseen group murder, comprised of loud screams, abrupt pans, tilted angles, and jarring edits.
Read our full review by Cynthia Fuchs
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about Jill's responses to her increasingly alarming situation. How does her upset at her boyfriend shape her initial understanding of the calls? How does the film construct her aloneness as a factor in the threat to her and the children? Does she make good decisions (looking for Rosa, going to the guest house, hiding the children) when she realizes the caller's threat is immediate?
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Our Members Say
See all 41 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
Lives inI rate this title on for age 13 and give itGreat
- Lives in MaineI rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Really Scary
It scared me a lot. I couldnt sleep at night! (and I usually can after watching any horror movie) Its scary cause its real,Its not fiction, Its a human man,a human girl and a normal situation (Its not strange for a teenage girl doing babysitting) While we dont see anything scary,(no monsters,no aliens,no ghosts,no zombies...) we get scared by a man, a killer. Because we know that qe could be in that situation,that could happen in the real world. So if you get more scared by real things than with fantastic characters,you must watch this one,I dont know if the old one is better than the remake because I havent seen the old one... but I will ;)
- Lives in MinnesotaI rate this title on for age 12 and give it
extremely dumb
Pg-13 horror movies are aimed at teens. No thank you, I'll watch real horror movies.
- Lives inI rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
Crazy GOOD!
When you started horror you started with the classics, you learned to stay away from neve campbell, Don't go into Glen's neighborhood or freddy's coming, but in this movie you learn to not pick up threatning phone calls. This is VERY jumpy and I repeat Very. One of the most frightning things for kids is that the killer is a big black shodowy mass that moves fast and sly which is very frightning.
- Lives in MichiganI rate this title on for age 13 and give it
Predictable thriller is still terifiying!
This movie is sooooooo predictable, but that dosen't mean it didn't scare me! has a few isues though.. 1. violence is saved for the end, with kicking,hiting and a man being stabed, it is implied that the killer did the same thing to other girls. 2. some language such as a-s, and s--t 3. a girl has a drinking problem So this is a good thriller that will have you not wanting to awnser the phone for a while!
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