The Frighteners [HD DVD] [1997] [US Import]

This special effects-laden horror comedy from Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson faired badly at the box office upon release, which is rather surprising given that it has so much to offer. Michael J Fox plays a psychic investigator who can actually see ghosts, and lives with a trio of spirits who scare people to promote Fox's ghost-busting business. In a town infamous for serial killings, a new series of deaths prompts Fox to induce his own out-of-body experience so he can battle death in a spirit-plagued netherworld where evil reigns supreme--or something like that. So much happens in this chaotic film that you might feel like you're watching several movies at once--a slasher pic, a supernatural thriller, and a black comedy all rolled into one non-stop showcase for grisly makeup and a dozen varieties of special effects. The Frighteners is an odd but wildly inventive film, one that doesn't set the world alight but is nonetheless worth a look. --Jeff Shannon