A group of 3 men and 3 women head off to a remote cabin in the woods, with both them and the audience getting flashbacks of what the Donner party did in the mountains near Lake Tahoe back in the 1800s. What I did like is that they didn't stereotype the Asian guy, as his character slowly gets scarier throughout the movie. What I didn't like is that all three female characters really got on my nerves, like why their men would bother saving them from something dangerous with all of their nagging. Furthermore, the acting is low energy from everyone. The one highlight was that they dug up Michael Berryman of The Hills Have Eyes fame, and he can always be relied on to play some weirdo well.

As a horror movie fan, I think the boredom is the sin. Six city people (squared, spoiled, drunk, a little rude, divorced, whiny, beauty and brainy), a small town, some interesting local people, a remote lodge (also a huge one), one of worst and wacky snow season (weather forecast predicted good, but it was bad). Oh, oh, oh, did I forget to mention Donner Party happened right at where the lodge is? And, a stream of tragic events, every twenty to twenty-five years. How can it be boring? But it was boring, and boring.The script should bear the most of blame. Actors and actresses were not big name, so I did not expect much. When dialogues and settings were right, their acting shone from moments to moments. Unfortunately those moments were uneven, one second was good, the next second was flat or bad.Although it was low budget, whole movie actually looked very good, you'd think it was a movie budgeted with millions of dollars. Snow might be the reason that made this movie looked good - snow reflects light, extra light can really help.I can see why people wanted 90 minutes of their back. If you really have nothing else to watch, purely to kill time, this movie is not too bad a choice.

The writers Jason Robert Stephens and Robert Michael Ryan may have had a good idea; director Stephens may have tried hard...but this project barely breathes life. Nice scenery of Big Bear and Lake Tahoe, California and a bit of eye candy in the cast; but the acting does nothing to save the movie either. Six friends plan on a romantic weekend trip to a nice mountain cabin; but no sooner than they settle in, a monstrous snowstorm traps them. Its not cabin fever they need to fear; it is the visions of frontier settlers of the storied Donner Party that will test their nerves and wits. Soon the friends start turning on each other. Are the ghosts to be blamed for the miserable weekend of bloodshed? The cast features: James Kyson, George Stults, Danielle De Luca, as well as horror veterans Mickey Jones and Michael Berryman...plus writer Ryan and former teen songstress Tiffany. Oh, well. There is some brief nudity and a great snowstorm to enjoy.

Friends spending a weekend trapped in a remote cabin is not a new movie concept. But, adding in a snowstorm and Tiffany, you will catch my interest! I watched this film expecting the worst, but actually enjoyed it for the most part.I know a little of the Donner party story, and I thought the connection was a good one, if under-utilized. A few flashback scenes and vague mentions of them didn't really paint the picture of just who these people were and why they were coming back to haunt this cabin. But, I suppose that is part of the intent. We are never sure whether there really are ghosts, or if they are just in the mind.The two main leads did very well together. There "romantic" scene in the power shed near the end of the film was my favourite. I thought they clicked well and having the film finally end on them, with the big question still looming about whether or not they will make it, left me thinking.I was also impressed that the movie used Tiffany's song "Winters Over" for their closing credits. Little touches like that found in this movie make it stand out a bit from the usual fair found in this low-budget genre.