If you are in the mood to be scared and current gas prices and foreclosure reports aren't doing it for you, might I suggest the movie Insidious? Simply put, it's terrifying. Without gore, it manages to be invasive and haunting, giving you a scare that lingers for days. I won't give away anything that isn't already in the movie trailer. Let's just say it involves the perfect formula of a family with small children, a really creepy house, some really, really terrifying entities from the other side and incredible camera angles. What's missing however, are the on- camera angels.
That's the only issue I have with it, like I've had with movies in the past in a similar genre. Where are the good guys? Where are the energies of white light or beings with wings? You know... where are the angels? Going back to the 1982 movie Poltergeist, the only good guys in the these types of haunted house or haunted people movies are the psychics. Even in the case of the movie Ghost, Whoopi Goldberg's character only turns into an authentic psychic half way through the movie. Now, Sam, he was a good dead guy. But it didn't look like he got a lot of help from the other side when he was most in his time of need. Even Constantine got just about zero help from the other side. Even God's angel turned on him and then eventually on all of mankind. The only time Constantine catches a break, is when he makes it through his own personal judgement day and God helps at the very end of the movie. As he says himself, there's always a catch. In the movies, people have to make deals to get angelic help, but the dark comes for you no matter what. And there are plenty of freaky visuals to go with those demons on the big screen.
I mean can't some movie maker throw us a bone here? Can't there be an epic battle between good and evil spirits where we see both? Can't some of the help from the other side be hipsters who wear white, are fun, funny, cool, entertaining and effective?
I'm personally hoping for the next scary ghost movie that will also make me laugh and reassure me that good is present and accounted for on both sides of the veil.
Now please excuse me while I re-check all the closets in our 100-year-old home in Los Angeles.