review- peter jackson's the frighteners has received some notice for setting the record for most computer effects ever in a movie , and still coming in at the extremely cheap $30 million price tag . 
but for those who were dismayed by this year's blockbusters like twister and independence day , the frighteners has much more to offer than special effects . 
and for those worried wether or not peter jackson would compromise to hollywood you can rest easily . 
the frighteners is as far removed from hollywood as a high-profile movie can get . 
michael j . fox stars as frank bannister , a con artist who can speak to ghosts . 
he uses this ability to set up a scam in a small town where his ghost buddies scare the hell out of people , then he comes and pretends to get rid of them . 
this is how he has made a living ever since his wife died in a car crash 5 years ago . 
frank's latest customers are a young couple , played by trini alvarado and peter dobson . 
when dobson ends up dead , alvarado starts to take an interest in fox . 
but dobson's spirit is still around as he refuses to beleive he's dead . 
this leads to a very awkward and amusing dinner date between fox and alvarado , with dobson tagging along as a ghost . 
things start getting complicated for fox when he is accused for a series of murders taking place in the town . 
fox sees someone named the soul collector crushing the heart of the victims , but noone else can see that . 
so when fox shows up to try and save each victim , naturally people suspect he is the killer . 
fox sees that alvarado is next on the soul collector's hit list , and the last half hour of the movie deals with fox's attempts to save her from this evil spirit . 
there are many wonderful twists and turns in the screenplay written by peter jackson and frances walsh . 
the movie starts off as a black comedy , and ends up a horror-action film . 
the mix between these genres are perfect . 
no laughs are sacrificed in the name of horror , and vice versa . 
one point of contention might be a lackluster score by danny elfman . 
but that hardly seems like a flaw when you have such a diverse cast all in top form . 
michael j . fox delivers one of his best performances to date as a man who hides the sorrow of his wife's death , and then is forced to confront this later on . 
alvarado , looking like andie macdowell , makes a great frightened , tough , and smart heroine . 
and jeffery combs , as a paranoid fbi agent , is brilliantly bizaare . 
the frighteners never once feels like it is running long . 
the first hour is as funny as any comedy this year , and the last half hour is as thrilling as any of the big budget blockbusters . 
this movie is probably what casper would've looked like if david lynch directed it . 
it's easily the best film of the year , so far .