Jeepers, a "Ghost"!

Today, I watched Ghost, a guilty pleasure movie in itself. There are many aspects of this movie that I don't particularly like, but all of the other parts definitely conquer the negatives.

Here's the story: Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze, RIP) is in love with Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), even though he never wants to say it out loud. One night, Sam is mugged and murdered. His role in the movie does not end there, however. Sam is now a ghost, confused and dizzied by his new state. Sam first discovers that he was set up to die, then finds his way to a phony psychic (Whoopi Goldberg). Sam soon figures out that Oda Mae Brown (the fake psychic) has a very real ability to hear everything that Sam says. Believing that Molly is in danger, Sam uses Oda Mae to communicate with Molly and, ultimately, save the day.

Even though I find Swayze's performance a tad overwrought and melodramatic, Whoopi Goldberg's performance is hilarious and spot-on, just as Demi Moore's is heart-shattering and down to earth.

With the most memorable pottery wheel scene of all time, as well as one the most emotional and tear-jerking endings of all time, this movie does its job. It influences the emotions, while it also terrifies you with the murderous plot and one of the most authentically frightening hitmen, too.

With the recent death of Patrick Swayze, that ending scene, with a brilliant use of the Righteous Brothers' 'Unchained Melody', is seen in an all new light, adding a new layer of emotional depth to the film that only makes it better.

For depressed people, this is not the best choice of movie. But for upbeat people like me, this movie just brings us down to a level of understanding and emotional maturity that may not otherwise have been obtained.

P.S. My other guilty pleasure movie today was Zombieland, a masterpiece in its own right.