#42 - Ghost Stories (2018)


(dir. Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman)

Philip Goodman, a paranormal skeptic who makes a living debunking hoaxes and frauds, meets a man who he used to idolize - a researcher with similar interests who went missing and was presumed dead many years ago. He is presented with three cases that this man was never able to solve, and sets out to get to the bottom of them all. This framing device is used to tell three seemingly unrelated creepy stories, but as the film goes on it seems that maybe they have something in common. Philip, as skeptical as he is, begins experiencing phenomena that even he can't wave away as fake.

This is a pretty good British horror anthology, in the tradition of the great Amicus productions of the '60s and '70s (Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, etc). It is based on a stage play of the same name, and I'm kind of curious how some of these scenes would've worked on stage (for example, one set in a large abandoned mental hospital, or another set mostly in a car in the middle of the woods).

Overall I liked this a lot, although I thought it relied on loud noises for jump scares a little too often. The ending is a little too on the nose, as well - there is a twist that ties everything together, but I thought the film spent a little too long dwelling on it. Other than that, this is a nice looking movie with some excellent acting, especially from Martin Freeman. I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Comments

Popular Posts