Ghost (1990)

There's no real way to talk about this film without ruining its central conceit. After a man is murdered,  he sticks close to his grieving partner, as he tries to make contact from beyond. This movie has ideas about the afterlife that left as an indelible impression on my young mind as Beetlejuice. It actually scared the shit out of me, although this is framed more as a supernatural romantic mystery. I unabashedly love this film and this era of filmmaking and all of the darkness contained within this beautiful love story. It's perfect in my eyes.

I still miss Patrick Swayze.

5 dittos out of 5

Practical Magic 2 (2026)

A 28 years later sequel, set about 15 years after the events of the first film, but luckily their genes have aged them well. The Owens family curse persists as it's passed down to Sally's daughters, who try to find a way to break it once and for all. It contains all the same tonal whiplash and uneven storytelling as the original, yet, like The Devil Wears Prada 2, it's the character moments that really stand out for me. This was always a franchise about sisterhood, so it sticks the landing well, even though I didn't care for all the places it went.

2½ love lines out of 5

Practical Magic (1998)

A bloodline of witches is cursed never to fall in love or else experience great tragedy. Two sisters tempt fate and cast a spell that further complicates their lives. It's an endearing film, but the tone is all over the fucking place. Is this a romance, comedy, drama, or horror? The answer to all those questions is yes.

3 rose bushes out of 5

The Craft: Legacy (2020)

Three teen outcasts interested in the occult recruit a fourth to their makeshift witch's coven....wait, didn't I just write that? It's a sequel that's also a reboot, and I wish I could say the similarities end there. The more egregious elements stand out and reflect back negatively on the era in which it was made, which date it with references just as "cringe" as its characters. The way it connects back to the original is tenuous, and, ironically, it shits all over its own legacy.

1 snake out of 5

The Craft (1996)

Three teen outcasts interested in the occult recruit a fourth to their makeshift witch's coven, using their latent abilities for selfish gain, and dealing with the fallout when things get too real. The first half of this movie is great, but it's at odds with its darker second half. However, this is quintessentially '90s, which accounts for my warm feelings towards it, and has since become a cult classic.

3 glamours out of 5

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025)

A "reimagining" of the domestic psychological thriller that attempts to hide the motives from the audience that the original laid bare, so there's no real way to talk around it. A disturbed woman takes a nanny position and attempts to separate the mother from the family. It takes on a slightly different angle, but if you've already seen the original, you pretty much know what to expect. 

2 baby monitors out of 5

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

"...is the Hand That Rules the World."

A nanny with less than honorable intentions sets out to ruin the family who destroyed her life. A classic and oft imitated psychological thriller in the vein of Fatal Attraction that manages to sustain a sense of suspense throughout.

4 breast pumps out of 5

Verity (2026)

Verity Crawford is a popular author who hires a ghostwriter to write her latest novel while she recovers from an accident. At least, that's the way it seems at first glance. This erotic psychological thriller features twists and turns that toy with audience manipulation, although it ultimately whiffs it at the end. It reminded me of The Housemaid for whatever reason, but I liked this more.

3 bite marks on the headboard out of 5

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Edgar Wright's homage to giallo is ambitious, but doesn't quite make the cut.

An American teenager obsessed with the 1960s travels to London to become a fashion designer, where she experiences lucid visions of the past that lead her to an unsolved mystery. Through bold color choices and stylish set design, I enjoyed it enough, but it had all the necessary ingredients to be far greater.

3 neon nightclubs out of 5

The Last Kiss (2026)

A high school girl who's never been kissed realizes she has the ability to see how people will die when she snogs them, leading her to discover there's a masked killer going around and slaughtering all the students. It's a neat idea, but I found myself more than a tad disappointed when all was said and done.

2 marked shoes out of 5

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)

Cole Johnson is older and wiser and gets involved with a whole new group of friends when he's invited to a wild boat party on the lake. This one is dumber and much more improbable than the first one, but stick with it, it gets better.

2½ minutes in heaven out of 5

The Babysitter (2017)

A kid has the hots for his sexy new babysitter and stays up late to see what she gets up to after dark. Aaaand...that's about all I can say without spoiling anything. It's a fun horror comedy that reminded me a bit of Better Watch Out.

3 games of spin the bottle out of 5

Fuck Marry Kill (2024)

Fresh out of a long-term relationship, a newly single woman gets on all the "apps" at the same time a Swipe Right Killer is going around knocking off their dates. What's fun is that each one of her potential matches fits the profile, so paranoia quickly kicks in. It's not marriage material, but it's worth a go around.

2½ crime podcasts out of 5

Borderline (2025)

A psychotic fan breaks out of prison in order to propose to his celebrity crush.

I knew this black "comedy" was pure garbage 10 minutes in, but I still tortured myself for the remaining 85 minutes thinking maybe it'd redeem itself. Spoiler: It did not. And what do I have to show for it? A nut. I must have a screw loose.

0 pop duets out of 5

Vicious (2025)

A troubled woman is "gifted" a box. Three things go inside. Something you hate, something you need, something you love. "What goes inside, only you decide. We and I will know you lie." I wish the instructions were clearer. I loved the atmosphere and premise behind it, but the results are unsatisfying.

2 little piggies out of 5