First, let me say that this movie is not a total waste of time. It has good visuals, strong atmosphere, and an effective musical score.That said, it pains me to report that it falls apart because of really bad performances by the two leads. Faye Dunaway's bad performance was expected. When I saw MOMMIE DEAREST I knew she was sacrificing her career, and here she strictly shows up for the paycheck. But what happened to Gina Phillips? Her performance as Trish in JEEPERS CREEPERS was so strong, especially the reversal in her character as she boldly stood up to the Creeper in an attempt to protect her brother.Here she seems even less interested in what's going on than Ms. Dunaway. Seeing that she's playing the title role, it would have been nice if she had tried to do something- anything- to develop a character we cared about. But she just sleepwalks through this.My take on it is that acting is a job. If you're being directed by Sidney Lumet in an award winning screenplay or if you're being someone obscure in a script that seems more a series of scribbled notes isn't relevant.What both Ms. Dunaway and Ms. Phillips need to remember is that Martin Scorsese might be channel surfing at two in the morning and watch JENNIFER'S SHADOW. Nothing either one of these usually dependable actresses does here is anything that would make any director want to cast them.If you're cast in it and they're paying you, give it your best. If you feel that the project is beneath you, let someone who wants to play the part have a shot at it.

Over a year trying to find my copy of chronicle of the raven, and now i finally got it. It is a great horror film i love it, the film is pretty original, not a remake or something unoriginal u will find in this Gothic gem. I love the story it was pretty interesting,original and creepy, the atmosphere is something to die for is one of the best things in this beautiful film, the acting was pretty good Gina Philips (jeepers creepers, ring around the Rossie) she did a great job her acting was very believable as always, Faye Dunaway (chinatown) she was fabulous and fantastic. And the other actors were so, so but they were decent. Thought that the film was a little slow at parts but that doesn't matter this film is one of the best Gothic horror i've seen recently. It is a hidden Gothic horror gem this film is worth watching, renting or buying. It is a big surprise the film is hard to found believe me but try to find it u will be impressed and u will not be disappointed, like i said it is a hidden Gothic gem. I gave it a 8/10

"Chronicles of the Raven" is a missed opportunity for a supernatural horror film.**SPOILERS**Arriving in Argentina for his sister's funeral, Jennifer Cassi, (Gina Phillips) and meets their grandmother, Mary Ellen, (Faye Dunaway) who is upset with her for taking the house. After spending several days there, she begins to fall prey to a series of strange diseases that plagued her sister as well. As she finds that her dreams of being eaten alive by a group of ravens is identical to the trauma she's experiencing, ex-doctor Dario Bardevil, (Duilio Marzio) explains the true nature of what's happening to her. Getting deeper into the mystery, she finds the horrible truth about what happened and races to stop it from transpiring.The Good News: There's a couple of decent things in here. The few dream sequences spread throughout are not only clever and creative but also has some really effective moments. The first one is the best, due to the newness of what's going on and also in the imagery and tone conveyed throughout. The setting is helped immeasurably, and the helpless state of the victim and the nightmare-ish quality all combine together into making it a really effective scene. Any of the dream sequences are like that, while the first one is the top one. The story is a rather creative one, relying on the supernatural in a way that really wasn't used before. The vibe and atmosphere from the beginning of the film in the initial sequences are pretty nice and give off a nice Gothic feel to it that is missing from most similar films, and there is one classic jump late in the film that is really only effective due to principle but is in itself a cliché. There is some good points going for it.The Bad News: There is some good spots here, but there is also some moments that don't quite work. The film's biggest flaw is the pacing. The film takes forever to get going, and that it switches in the middle is a major distraction. After spending about twenty minutes with dealing with the funeral arrangements and what happens afterward, the film then becomes a supernatural plague that is quite abrupt and throws off the whole plot. Once it starts to explain itself late in the film, it's some of the most nonsensical babble ever. None of it makes any sense, and rather than playing into the supernatural, all it does is force questions to rise to the surface. They can't be revealed, but it sets up more questions than answers. Most of them would be fine if the ending didn't just come out of nowhere and then destroys whatever potential it had. One of the most overused clichés in the genre, with a set-up coming a mile away that really didn't seem like that would've been done, but then it comes and is a real insult to the film. That, coupled with the slow pace, really undermines the film the most.The Final Verdict: This could've been a decent film, but it's just a gigantic missed opportunity. There's moments of brilliance, so it's a lost cause, but the only real ones this will appeal to are those that love direct-to-video films or those that are hardcore supernatural fans. Otherwise, this won't likely become a favorite.Rated R: Violence and mild Language

The only reason I rented this was because of the article in Fangoria Magazine. The article made this film look interesting. Well, it isn't. This was a very boring, amateurishly written and directed movie. All the actors in this movie are awful, except Faye Dunaway, who is always a joy to watch. But too much time was focused on Gina Phillips and her ridiculous encounters with ravens and Duilio Marzio. Marzio has such a thick Argentinean accent, you can only understand every couple of words he says. Also on hand is Nicholas Pauls, who plays the ultra-bland love interest to Gina Phillips. The bottom line: this movie is not scary. There is only one good scene and that is the last five to ten minutes of the movie. I would have given this one star, but I gave it three just because I like Faye Dunaway so much. But even she wasn't that great in this.