Thursday Movie Picks: Ghost Movies
1) Ghost Ship
This film has one of the best openers I've ever seen. Cruise ship, people dancing, seemingly innocent...then a giant wire gets pulled across the floor and kills everyone.
2) Casper
I have a soft spot for this film. I love Christina Ricci, and I loved her growing up. And Casper was Devon Sawa. 8 year old me thought he was SO cute. (lol)
3) Gothika
This is a guilty pleasure of mine. I pop this DVD in frequently enough. It's a creepy and interesting story. Plus, I accidentally dumped popcorn all over my best friend when we saw this in theaters because of one of the jump scares, so it's very dear to me. It's not often that I toss food at people.
Bonus: All My Friends are Funeral Singers
Besides the awesome title, this isn't the best movie out there. In fact, it's almost like watching an extended music video. But, I love my indies and this one, about a woman living in a house with ghosts was still worth the watch, flaws aside.
Gothika is good stuff. Never watched the Casper movie, but loved the tv show as a kid. Still need to see Ghost Ship. Never heard of your bonus pick, but that is an awesome title.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very small film. It was at Sundance a few years ago. I'm glad you like Gothika too. :)
DeleteYikes I haven't seen any of these, well a little of Gothika but not enough to say I know what it's about. I don't care much for Halle Berry so I'll probably give it a pass.
ReplyDeleteGhost Ship is something I've looked at from time to time since I like many in the cast but never quite got around too and Casper is one I've avoided since I remember the cartoon fondly from childhood and film makers usually screw these things up when they try and update them. It's all over the place on TV right now though with Halloween around the corner so maybe I'll give it a go.
I'm doubling down this week because my list was so long with possibles and I just couldn't trim anymore loving all of these films as I do.
The Woman in Black (2012)-A young lawyer, Daniel Radcliffe, still grieving over the loss of his wife is sent to a remote village by his firm to tie up the affairs of a recently deceased client. Upon his arrival he discovers that the manor is haunted by the specter of a woman dressed entirely in black. Good old fashioned spooky thriller.
Undertow (2009)-In a poor Peruvian village Miguel, a married fisherman is living a double life. His wife is due to give birth any day while he conducts a secret affair with Santiago, a male artist who is considered an outsider within the close knit community. One day the artist disappears then reappears as an apparition only Miguel can see. Finally able to interact with Santiago free of the moral codes of the village he comes to terms with his true nature. Beautifully acted with an award level performance from Cristian Mercado in the lead.
The Uninvited (1944)-Touring the Cornish coast on vacation a brother and sister buy an old seaside house finding the price too cheap to resist. Hearing unexplained sounds during the night it becomes obvious that there is a haunting afoot. The key to the mystery lies in the house’s unhappy history and with the previous owner’s daughter, living on her grandfather’s adjoining estate. Well-acted and effectively directed with moody cinematography giving the picture an ethereal haze. A huge hit upon release it made a star of leading lady Gail Russell until an alcoholic downward spiral resulted in her literally drinking herself to death at 36.
I actually prefer the Casper movie to the cartoons. I've seen The Woman in Black, but I wasn't impressed with it. I wanted it to be a bit better. Undertow, I think I may have seen or almost watched? It sounds familiar but I can't place if I've seen it yet or not.
DeleteI recommend watching the The Woman in Black TV movie. I found it more eerie. And fun fact - the guy that plays the Daniel Radcliffe role in the TV movie was also James Potter in the Harry Potter movies.
DeleteOh funny, I forgot there was a TV movie version out there. I'll have to see that.
DeleteBetween Two Worlds (1944)-During the London Blitz a down on his luck pianist and his wife make a suicide pact. Suddenly they find themselves on a fog shrouded ship headed to an unknown destination. Soon the wife recognizes the ship’s other passengers, having seen them killed earlier during an air raid, and realizes they’re journeying to their final judgements. Morality tale has supernatural underpinnings with an evocative score and stars a veritable who’s who of Warner’s stock company in the 40’s including Eleanor Parker, John Garfield, Sydney Greenstreet and Edmund Gwenn.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Carol (1984)-On Christmas Eve penny pinching miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits offering him a chance at his reclamation. Classic Dickens tale gets one of its best interpretations with George C. Scott a perfect Scrooge surrounded by a near perfect cast. Presented as a TV event in the States this was released theatrically overseas and it is feature film quality in every detail.
The Time of Their Lives (1946)-The most unique of Abbott & Costello’s films. During the Revolutionary War tinker Lou Costello and aristocrat Marjorie Reynolds are mistakenly branded traitors, killed and cursed to roam her estate until proven innocent. Jump ahead 170 years when the new owner, his fiancée, her wisecracking aunt, the delightful Binnie Barnes, and his shrink played by Bud Abbott, show up to spend the weekend at the mansion now overseen by Gale Sondergaard, doing a fun riff on Rebecca’s Mrs. Danvers. Realizing the joint is haunted they perform a séance calling forth the ghosts and setting out to retrieve a letter from George Washington that would prove their innocence. Complications ensue. The pair share hardly any screen time due to the demands of the script and apparently behind the scenes tensions. It all works to the film's advantage since it gives a freshness to their material.
A Christmas Carol is an interesting choice. I would not have thought of it during this month at all. Very inspired. I haven't seen the other two, but they sound very out of the norm then what I would've looked for here. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteOh I meant to say that's some title on your bonus pick too bad the film it's attached to isn't better.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know. I love that title.
DeleteI LOVED Casper when I was young. So much fun. Haven't seen the others, though.
ReplyDeleteBoth worthy horror films if you get the time. :)
DeleteI think exactly the same about Casper (I'm weirdly excited about Ricci playing Zelda Fitzgerald for Amazon). I quite liked Gothika, seen just once though. I quite bad on the ghost movie subject, only Ringu crossed my mind.
ReplyDeleteI used Ringu once before too. That's a good one.
DeleteCasper is a sweet film which i liked much better than the actual cartoons. I did see Ghost ship and don't recall the opening scene but it did freak me out. I still have to see Gothica which i want to
ReplyDeleteGothika is awesome. You should definitely see it. I prefer the Casper movie to the cartoons as well.
DeleteI haven't heard of Funeral Singers.
ReplyDeleteI did surprisingly see Ghost Ship and remember that scene vividly, but only that.
It's the highlight of the movie, aside from Emily Browning as the little girl.
DeleteLOL, Gothika. I took my sister to see that when it came out and she screamed at the screen through the entire movie. All I really remember about it was some creepy guy with tattoos and a rape or something and that pool scene and then the oddly placed Limp Bizket song over the closing credits.
ReplyDeleteHOT
MESS
I forgot about that Limp Bizket cover lol. Gothika is not a hot mess, watch it again. ;) lol
DeleteLove Casper, nice to have a friendly ghost in the mix. Haven't seen Gothika or Ghost Ship. Might be a tad too scared. :)
ReplyDeleteGothika has its freaky moments, but Ghost Ship isn't really scary at all.
DeleteGhost Ship is hilarious. Casper was alright but Gothika, not so much. Especially for that awful cover of the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" by Limp Bizkit. Ugh....
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot about that cover. I'm glad someone else digs Ghost Ship.
Deleteomg i love Gothika!
ReplyDeleteYay! That's awesome.
DeleteHa ha. You know 'Ghost Ship' is probably one of the absolute worst movies I have ever seen but that opening scene was awesome.
ReplyDeleteLOL I had fun with it, but yeah it's not "good" by any means.
DeleteAwwww, Casper!! *SOBS* Love that movie! Nice list!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteCasper! So much nostalgia wrapped in that movie!!
ReplyDeleteThere is, I wish it was on TV so I can watch it again.
DeleteI loved ghost movies
ReplyDeleteall ghost movies watch here >> filmplace
Oh, I've not seen Casper in ages, but I loved it when I was a kid. I never got around to Gothika and Ghost Ship. Now I want to check them out.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely Gothika at least. It's a lot better than Ghost Ship, to be honest.
DeleteOh my, all of these look way too scary for me, esp Ghost Ship based on that gif alone [shudder]
ReplyDeletelol Gothika is probably the creepiest on this list, but that scene in Ghost Ship is pretty hardcore.
DeleteLove love love Casper, still love it now and I think I always will - plus I still have a crush on Devon Sawa!! :-)
ReplyDeleteDevon Sawa was always way hotter than Jonathan Taylor Thomas - that was a frequent argument I had in grade school. lol
Delete