Cindy Prascik's Review of We Have a Ghost

 

My dear readers, yesterday I caught up with a cute little streaming offering called We Have a Ghost.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

In search of a fresh start, a family moves into a haunted house and finds that supernatural housemates sometimes beget earthly troubles.

We Have a Ghost is typical of most streaming options I've found lately, a decent enough way to pass a couple hours, if nothing particularly special. This one starts off with enough creepy ambiance that I wondered why it wasn't released as a "family" Halloween offering. It then evolves into an action movie that doesn't work well at all. Weaving the two together is a superficial but engaging family drama that's elevated by a very good cast, led by the young standout Jahi Di'Allo Winston. There's a fair bit of humor that's more amusing than laugh-out-loud funny. While the house itself is beautifully spooky, the ghostly effects, and David Harbour's otherworldly turn as the titular spirit, are too cheesy to provide a good fright. The movie runs a bit long, but a solid classic rock soundtrack is an unexpected plus, and a reference to the Wizard Clip (a haunted property in my home state) was a grand surprise.

We Have a Ghost clocks in at 126 minutes and is rated PG13 for "language, some sexual/suggestive references, and violence."

We Have a Ghost is a fun but forgettable offering that's fine for streaming, but you'll be glad you didn't pay cinema prices to see it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, We Have a Ghost gets five and a half.

We Have a Ghost is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

 

Nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past.

Director: Emerald Fennell

Cast: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, Connie Britton

Release Date: December 25, 2020

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Rated R for strong violence including sexual assault, language throughout, some sexual material and drug use

Runtime: 1 h 53 min

Review:

Promising Young Woman is a wickedly sharp dark comedy/revenge thriller from first time filmmaker Emerald Fennell.  Fennell writes and directs her film with an impressive bit of visual flair.  Certain scenes are framed with such meticulous care that you have to appreciate the talent and craftmanship on display.  Her script is equally impressive with biting dialogue that pops from the opening sequence.  At the center of the whole thing is a career defining performance from Carey Mulligan who delights in playing against type.  Her Cassie is a force of vengeful nature whose laser focused on her task.  Mulligan is clearly enjoying herself in the role but she and the script are savvy enough to open up Cassie and give her some semblance of happiness during the middle of the film.  Fennell and Mulligan lull you into an uncomfortable sense of calm before ripping the rug right from under your feet.  It's one of the most searing gut punch of a finale of the year that's bound to stay with you long after the film ends.  The ending is a bit too tidy for my taste but you can't deny that it's a cathartic release and the indictment of the bro/rape culture especially in our current environment.

A-

[Red Band Trailer] American Reunion

I’ve never been a big time fan of the series but the first 2 were pretty funny then it just went into a head spin down ending in craptastic Direct to Video entries.

All that being said, this reunion of all the original cast looks like it might capture was funny about the original, looks pretty funny….