Never mind Casper, the spirits in these movies aren't necessarily friendly and their stories are so good that they'll haunt you for some to come.
9. The Sixth Sense
They say the third times the charm. After serving as writer and director on Praying with Anger and Wide Awake, Shamylan pulled double duty again on the 1999 release, The Sixth Sense. World's apart from his first two efforts, both spiritual journeys, The Sixth Sense is a ghost story about a little boy
cursed with the ability to see the dead.
cursed with the ability to see the dead.
Nine-year-old Cole Sear's mom takes him to child psychiatrist Malcolm Crowe for treatment. Crowe once treated a patient who suffered from hallucinations and is convinced that Cole's in the same boat. But the latter's so horrified by what he sees that his life is a living nightmare. And eventually, Crowe begins to suspect that Cole's visions may be real and that his former patient, Vincent, had the same ability. This epiphany prompts Crowe to suggest that Cole try to talk to the ghosts that he sees. Because, hey, Casper was friendly -- maybe these walking dead mofos are too.
This isn't a Transformers movie but there's way more to the story than meets the eye -- so I'll stop there. I know some of you still haven't seen it and I don't wanna spoil it for you.
8. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Picking up perfectly where Ghostbusters left off, Ghostbusters: Afterlife delves into the aftermath of Winston, Peter, Ray and Egon's battle with the dead 37 years ago. Though the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was defeated, all is not exactly right with the world. You know who to call.
7. The Black Phone
Following a boy's abduction by a serial killer, the murderer's previous victims reach out.
6. The Man Who Invented Christmas
You know how they say, "The book is better than the movie"? Well, this movie is damn good and it's about a book -- a bona fide literary classic, in fact. And the film isn't an adaptation, it's an exploration of the story's creation. What story? Nothing much. Just a little tale by the name of A Christmas Carol.
The Man Who Invented Christmas examines writer Charles Dickens' -- already a celebrated author at the time -- battle with writers' block and struggles to come up with another marketable book in order to stop the flow of his hemorrhaging finances. After his publisher loses faith in him, the famed storyteller finds inspiration in various sources and he and agent --- secure funding and commission artwork independently in order to get his soon-to-be latest creation in stores in time for a holiday which, according to the film, people had become apathetic about.
5. Ghostbusters
Four poltergeist hunters try to prevent Armageddon when a seismic amount of paranormal activity threatens to consume New York City.
4. Dead Men Tell No Tales
The most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie returned to the series' cursed pirate roots without actually recycling the earlier films.
The flashback to a younger Jack Sparrow in Dead Men is so good that you'd be forgiven for believing that the search for the Fountain of Youth in the preceding movie, On Stranger Tides, struck pay dirt in real life.
The flashback to a younger Jack Sparrow in Dead Men is so good that you'd be forgiven for believing that the search for the Fountain of Youth in the preceding movie, On Stranger Tides, struck pay dirt in real life.
3. The Curse of the Black Pearl
It's astonishing that a movie adaptation of a theme park ride was actually
greenlit by a major motion picture studio and got a $140 million dollar
budget approved. But the most remarkable thing about The Curse of the Black Pearl is the fact that it's actually entertaining.
The primary secret to the film's success is that, at the time of release, it was the most authentic-looking example of its genre. It's clear that great attention was paid to every minute detail in the interest of achieving the appropriate optics. What completely separates Black Pearl from other pirate movies is the fact that it's a ghost story.
Duplicitous but un-cutthroat Captain Jack Sparrow is the only surviving member of his lost prized possession, his former ship, The Black Pearl. Though his former crew continues to plunder, pillage and terrorize the high seas, they're no longer alive. Ten years ago, Sparrow's first mate, William Barbossa, led a mutiny against Jack and subsequently joined the crew in stealing cursed Aztec gold, which was originally stolen by conquistador Hernan Cortes 200 years earlier. The theft has left the pirates doomed to a living death, roaming the seven seas as corpses for eternity. Though the men -- and Barbossa's pet monkey -- continue to feel hunger, thirst and lust, the curse has rendered them unable to find satisfy any of these cravings and moonlight serves to show their true forms: walking, skeletal
cadavers.
Jack was spared from the hex because the crew marooned him on a deserted
island before they got their hands on the booty. When the deposed captain
finally makes his way back to civilization -- Port Royal, to be exact -- he wastes little time betraying his ruthless reputation by saving Elizabeth Swan, the governor's daughter, from drowning. Good deed notwithstanding, Jack is promptly imprisoned and sentenced to death by hanging. But as luck would have it, the Black Pearl and her crew soon drop anchor at Port Royal as well, drawn by the Aztec gold worn as a necklace by Elizabeth, which came into her possession eight years earlier. The pirates became aware of the necklace, a piece of the cursed treasure, the moment that it -- and Elizabeth -- touched ocean water. After invading the shipping hub, the raiders kidnap Elizabeth, who tells them that her surname is Turner in order to conceal her true identity. Turner, however, is actually the family name of Will, an unassuming and orphaned blacksmith whom she's known since they were children.
2. Poltergeist
Steven Freeling has realized the American Dream: a wife; three kids; a dog; and a house in the suburbs. But his new home becomes a waking nightmare after his five-year-old daughter, Carol Anne, is contacted by -- something -- via the television set. Before long, she's disappeared and no one under the family's roof is safe. At their wits' end, the Freelings call in a team of parapsychologists to investigate. And soon discover that the situation is much worse than they'd ever imagined.
1. The Others
It's astonishing that a movie adaptation of a theme park ride was actually
greenlit by a major motion picture studio and got a $140 million dollar
budget approved. But the most remarkable thing about The Curse of the Black Pearl is the fact that it's actually entertaining.
The primary secret to the film's success is that, at the time of release, it was the most authentic-looking example of its genre. It's clear that great attention was paid to every minute detail in the interest of achieving the appropriate optics. What completely separates Black Pearl from other pirate movies is the fact that it's a ghost story.
Duplicitous but un-cutthroat Captain Jack Sparrow is the only surviving member of his lost prized possession, his former ship, The Black Pearl. Though his former crew continues to plunder, pillage and terrorize the high seas, they're no longer alive. Ten years ago, Sparrow's first mate, William Barbossa, led a mutiny against Jack and subsequently joined the crew in stealing cursed Aztec gold, which was originally stolen by conquistador Hernan Cortes 200 years earlier. The theft has left the pirates doomed to a living death, roaming the seven seas as corpses for eternity. Though the men -- and Barbossa's pet monkey -- continue to feel hunger, thirst and lust, the curse has rendered them unable to find satisfy any of these cravings and moonlight serves to show their true forms: walking, skeletal
cadavers.
Jack was spared from the hex because the crew marooned him on a deserted
island before they got their hands on the booty. When the deposed captain
finally makes his way back to civilization -- Port Royal, to be exact -- he wastes little time betraying his ruthless reputation by saving Elizabeth Swan, the governor's daughter, from drowning. Good deed notwithstanding, Jack is promptly imprisoned and sentenced to death by hanging. But as luck would have it, the Black Pearl and her crew soon drop anchor at Port Royal as well, drawn by the Aztec gold worn as a necklace by Elizabeth, which came into her possession eight years earlier. The pirates became aware of the necklace, a piece of the cursed treasure, the moment that it -- and Elizabeth -- touched ocean water. After invading the shipping hub, the raiders kidnap Elizabeth, who tells them that her surname is Turner in order to conceal her true identity. Turner, however, is actually the family name of Will, an unassuming and orphaned blacksmith whom she's known since they were children.
2. Poltergeist
1. The Others
If you haven't seen The Others it's best to go in knowing as little as possible.
Updated 8/31/22
Originally Posted 11/21/21
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