Thirteen Ghosts (DVD, 2002, Widescreen)

When you watch THIRTEEN GHOSTS for the first time, you are likely to find it confusing. My advice: watch the Special Features portion of the DVD, which will identify the thirteen ghosts and what each represents. In the movie itself, some of the ghosts play large parts, but others simply flash onto the screen briefly. It's too bad the writer couldn't have found a way to incorporate the ghosts' backstories into the film; it might have been scarier if we knew WHY the ghosts should be feared (other than the fact that they look incredibly gross!) Tony Shalhoub & Matthew Lillard deliver great performances. The house Shalhoub's character inherits is visually stunning; almost every wall is glass, and etched with cryptic runes which will become significant as the plot unfolds. Since the ghosts are only visible through special glasses, but present and able to hurt humans whether the humans can see the ghosts or not, there are some interesting, tricky scenes, as when an invisible ghost tries to drag away Shalhoub's teenage daughter. My advice is to watch the film, watch the special features, then watch the film again to see what you missed the first time. Even better if you watch it on Halloween!