Year: 1996
Runtime: 86 mins
Language: English
Director: Michael Toshiyuki Uno
Two souls share one body, and darkness holds secrets. After moving with her mother to the mother's hometown, a young woman is tormented by the restless spirit of a dead teenager. As the ghost's presence intensifies, fear and mystery intertwine, forcing her to confront a past that refuses to stay buried.
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Annalisse Vellum is a young woman who, together with her mother Laura Vellum, returns to Laura’s hometown after the death of her father. They rent the home of Laura’s old school classmate, Clay Roff, whose troubled teenage daughter Mary Roff disappeared years earlier. Clay invites them to dinner at his house, where they meet his current wife, Danielle Roff, and his young daughter, Heather.
Soon after moving in, Annalisse begins to endure vivid nightmares about a woman plunging from a cliff and feels haunted by the spirit of Mary. As the dreams deepen, she grows increasingly certain that something sinister lies behind Mary’s disappearance and the death of Mary’s mother, Ann Roff. The family around her grows uneasy, and suspicion falls on Annalisse herself, who is viewed as unstable by her mother, Clay, and Danielle.
Annalisse’s interest in a local man, Johnny Toussard, further unsettles the household and provokes Mary’s spirit to act with renewed wrath. Against the warnings that she should stay away from him, the two pursue a fragile romance, igniting a dangerous destabilization in the already tense atmosphere. Danielle, meanwhile, convinces Laura to have Annalisse placed under temporary psychiatric observation, a move that heightens the sense of conspiracy and control within the family.
After she is released, Annalisse intensifies her investigations, uncovering troubling information about Danielle’s past: Danielle had been treating and drugging Mary and may have been involved in Mary’s death, all while having an affair with Clay, who is now married to Danielle. This cascade of secrets culminates in a supernatural confrontation as Mary’s spirit possesses Annalisse to confront Johnny and to reach out to her father’s memory. In a climactic explosion of repressed guilt, Mary’s spirit uses Annalisse to ride her beloved horse and strike a deadly blow to Danielle.
Clay’s truth comes to light as he is forced to confront the reality that Danielle murdered Ann and manipulated Mary’s mind to keep her quiet. He reveals that he had buried Mary’s body by the cliff, believing she had killed her mother, and that in a final, devastating moment he took his own life. With the web of lies unraveled, Mary’s spirit finds peace, thanking Annalisse and promising to wait for her on the other side before vanishing.
In the aftermath, Annalisse is free to forge a new path, and she eventually reconciles with Johnny, stepping into a future where the haunting is laid to rest and a fragile sense of closure has been earned.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:16
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Solving a ghost's unfinished business leads to shocking, tragic revelations.If you enjoyed the investigative plot and supernatural elements of Buried Secrets, you'll find similar movies here. These haunting mystery thrillers and TV movies feature characters uncovering tragic pasts, exploring themes of grief, loss, and family secrets in a tense, emotionally heavy atmosphere.
The narrative pattern involves a protagonist—often an outsider or someone with a personal connection—being drawn into a mystery by supernatural phenomena. The investigation is linear and steady, revealing clues that build toward a climax where long-buried truths about death, guilt, or betrayal are exposed.
These films are grouped by their central 'investigation of a haunting' plot structure, a melancholic mood driven by themes of loss, and a consistently tense, unsettling atmosphere. They share a focus on psychological unease and the emotional fallout of confronting a tragic past.
A steadily mounting sense of supernatural terror in a claustrophobic setting.Fans of the anxious, oppressive atmosphere in Buried Secrets will appreciate these movies. This collection features tense supernatural thrillers and dramas with a steady pace, high emotional intensity, and a focus on psychological torment and unsettling, haunting moods in confined settings.
Stories focus on a character's psychological deterioration as they are trapped—physically or socially—in a setting where a supernatural force torments them. The narrative steadily tightens the screws, escalating from unease to full-blown terror, forcing a confrontation with a dark truth that is deeply personal.
These movies share a specific atmospheric cocktail: a high-intensity, tense tone; a steady, deliberate pacing that builds dread; and a heavy emotional weight centered on psychological unease. The experience is defined by feelings of being haunted, oppressed, and anxious.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Buried Secrets in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Buried Secrets is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Buried Secrets with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Buried Secrets. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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