You Know You Can't Give Up The Ghost

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2006)

Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is gunned down by a Puerto Rican hit-man after stumbling upon a co-worker illegally funneling four million dollars into a fake account. His ghost then tries to avenge the murder and protect his girlfriend Molly, a young Demi Moore who looks like a 12-year old boy. Hilarity ensues when he recruits the worst actress ever, Whoopi Goldberg, to act as a medium between ghost and human world.
One evening in January 2006, I had nothing better to do than watch "Ghost" on the ABC Family network with my sister. And I freely admit it sucked me in. This was my first time seeing the film since being considerably younger, though I recalled most of the plot. I re-watched the film yet again in October 2007 and August 2010.
The real fun of the film begins when Swayze learns to touch the human world thanks to Vincent Schiavelli (a character actor who coincidentally died a week before my January 2006 viewing). Not unlike "Ghost Dad", the challenge is to make things happen in the world of the living while you remain dead. And unlike "Beetlejuice", you cannot come back by having someone say your name three times.
The special effects in this film I always thought were pretty good by 1990 standards. The walking through walls looks fine, and the "hell spirits" (for lack of a better term) really scared me when I was younger (and even now are somewhat creepy). Sure, the microscope vision when he walks through doors and such is cheesy and was completely unnecessary, but it answers a question some viewers may have had about what ghosts see.
I've heard physics people complain that Sam can go through walls and doors and other objects, yet is able to stand on the floor just fine, or even go up stairs. That is a really valid point... but let's just admit it: the plot would be less interesting if they had to deal with such limitations, or brought Sam back as a mere spirit with no shape.
Quicker than you can say "turn me on, dead man" this film will work its way into your heart with a simple, romantic (yet somewhat action-packed) plot and classic song ("Unchained Melody"). You've probably already seen this movie a dozen times, but if not (if you're like my sister) you should see it soon.