Ghost Stories (2017)

'Ghost Stories (2018)' unravels itself remarkably well, with layer by unexpected-yet-sensical layer peeling away in the flick's fantastically frenzied and freaky finale. Expert foreshadowing, symbolism and general excellence in design compounds these final few reveals as ones totally intrinsic to a narrative that's been heading in one inevitable, incredibly dark direction since its immediately unsettling first frame. It's also this 'trippy', twisty final third that elevates the picture from simply a competent yet straightforward entry into a tried-and-tested genre to one that confidently carves its own path through that genre and, in that same move, rises to the top to sit among the very best. The feature works supremely well as a whole and actually gets better the longer you think about it, inversely to most movies nowadays, with every single second adding to the overall effect. Each theme, motif and slice of subtext comes together pretty much perfectly right up until the final frame. The ending itself enhances the experience tenfold, changing and reshaping the entire affair into something wholly separate from what you thought and yet totally cohesive with the initial intent, in a way not usually associated with this type of film, in which the ending usually leaves a sour taste or at least has to be excused in some way. You can reflect on any one moment and have it fit with your new perspective, and new plot information, like a glove, fed with fantastic visual references and narrative details evocative of an incredibly detail oriented screenplay and a precisely planned production, to the point where the piece feeds the mind for ages after the credits have rolled. It's a constantly evolving experience that provides the frights in the moment and intelligently turns up the dial in every scene, leaving you with bated breath until it finally lets you in on its secrets. Then, that's when the fun really begins. You'll be thinking about it for ages, fitting the pieces together as the film unfolds and after it has finished, and the fact that nothing falls out of place or that nothing is missing is impressive, to say the least, and the amount of detail that ties in so successfully is, frankly, exhilarating. The flick ends up being not only a truly exciting highlight of the year but also of the entire genre. Phenomenal filmmaking; don't miss this one. 8/10

Fmovies: There is nothing wrong with the acting or the production of this movie, in fact they are quite good.

It's just that it's really, really boring and seem to go nowhere. Also I did not care for any of the characters.

I sat through it, because I thought the ending might bring the seemingly unrelated stories together.

It actually did, kind of. But in the most uninteresting, far-fetched, cheap and stupid way possible. I was surprised alright, but not in a good way.

Ghost Stories manages to do something horror movies rarely seem to bother with these days: it makes the viewer think. Think about what's on the screen, why it's on the screen and what the meaning of it all is.

This is a movie that contains three stories, all of which have very well constructed horror creeps and jumps abound. But, in a case of intentional irony, this is not really a movie about a bunch of creepy horror stories or even whether they're really happening or not.

No. Instead it's a psychological journey inside the tortured mind of a rational, intelligent man struggling to deal with many horrors in his own past and present.

A lot of very negative reviews here seem to centre on the ending. While the ending isn't a twist we haven't seen before, upon repeat viewings it gets better and better by virtue of so many things hidden in the film. It's a smart conclusion that not only pieces together everything, but it's also the only ending that would have worked given the strong emphasis on rationalism throughout the film.

Watching a second time, you'll notice that even the protagonist's reaction to off hand comments by other characters provide insight into his personality, tumultuous past and sad, lonely present.

The entire film contains clever clues to the ending throughout and, more importantly, the events that lead to the ending and why they occurred.

Don't go into this expecting merely to be scared. Go into this seeing it as a character drama, watch each frame like a hawk and you will see all the excellent subtle details that the people trashing this movie completely missed.

Ghost Stories fmovies. Ghost Stories is kinda of a horror anthology, but not really. It's a British horror anyway starring Martin Freeman and oddly Paul Whitehouse.

It tells the story of a skeptic, a professional debunker and I think they're always fantastic protagonists because I can entirely relate to their plight and mission. He's tasked with investigating three supernatural incidents and off he goes to find the truth.

Truth be told I was really enjoying it, it was so well handled. Genuinely tense, succeeds in being scary without relying on jump scares and the cast are fantastic. I was gripped, I was enthralled, I was hooked.

Martin Freeman is on form and Paul Whitehouse in such a role though weird actually showed he may be a more credible actor than originally believed. He broke free of the comedy characters he's known for a did a great job.

So what went wrong? Sadly for me it's one of those films killed by the ending, it just didn't work for me. I get it, I fully understand everything they were going for but personally that flat lined the entire film.

Such potential, so well done, but that ending just bundled the thing into a coffin and sent it to a premature grave. Such a shame.

The Good:

The majority is fantastic on every front

Lot of potential

The Bad:

Movie killing ending

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Phone signal is something that you just swipe out of the air

02 product placement? Worst ever

Professors are known for pulling onions out of their bottoms

Adapted from a hugely successful West End stage play of the same name, Ghost Stories will appeal to old-school horror fans where the journey has more importance than the destination. For this, co-director Jeremy Dyson (who shares scripting and directing duties with lead actor Andy Nyman) uses every opportunity to rattle our nerves but applies restrain to great effect. Jump scares are also limited in favour of an icy atmosphere that harkens back to classic British horror films. In keeping with that tradition, viewers can expect this horror film to have all manner of spooky threats from all corners of the screen. While this can be perceived as a limitation to the original stage production, the story remains the same and the main reason why this is a well assembled chiller.

Because of the plurality in the title, the film appears to be an anthology of short stories. Or does it? There is a common thread running through each of the stories and that is co-director Nyman as Professor Phillip Goodman - a cynic devoted to exposing urban superstition and fraudulent psychics. The opening credits show why Goodman has a chip on the shoulder for superstition, but having climbed the ladder and become a television presenter, the chip on the other shoulder tells us that he is also hungry for fame. Opportunity arrives in the form of Charles Cameron, a renowned paranormal investigator Goodman has idolised since he was a child. The sick and dying Cameron asks Goodman to investigate three cases of unexplainable paranormal incidents. Little does Goodman know, or is prepared for what lies ahead. And neither are we.

Each of the three stories are barely twenty minutes long but ensures a good fright at the end. If that isn't enough, a fourth story emerges, which according to a very special character is "the last key that unlocks everything". But we want even more, right? Patience will be rewarded, but not before realising that even as the title is obvious, the black humour is equally evident. "The brain sees what it wants to see", says that same character, setting into motion a cruel joke that not only serves as a devilish twist ending but also ribbon-wraps the entire package.

While true horror fans may think this film is more bizarre than it is scary (which could be a let-down for some viewers when each story ends), the real meat of the film is in the build-up and not so much in the actual confrontation with the paranormal. This is evident in the old-fashioned campfire approach to telling a ghost story, and with almost the same potency from the works of Stanley Kubrick to Stephen King. Technically, this also means the directors were trying their hands at all possible ways to scare the audience. That doesn't say much about raising the bar as a horror film but to its merit, delivery from key roles played by Martin Freeman and Alex Lawther nails it as tight as a tomb. Lawther, in the second story, is as creepy as a ventriloquist's dummy, while Freeman's character brings an ethereal crowning to the entire film. Ultimately, Ghost Stories is assembled from a deep love for the genre. While that can include certain familiarities, the film is also smart and sophisticated. Which when stacked up against modern day horror films, feels strangely original yet playfully subversive.

As long as you immerse yourself in the film and don't try to critique it in that annoying "why did they go out and search" sort of way, then you will enjoy it. There are jump scares and it is a good British horror film. I enjoyed it, i felt entertained but then I like to broaden my horror movie horizons and don't rely on cgi or a new 'twist' to entertain me. So, give it a go...don't listen to the millennials who don't know the 'traditional' horror film or this that want a quick resolution. It is what it is: a good British horror.