Hello! This is the Doomed Show 291 - Spookies (1986)

Franco Friday 63: My Top 20 Favorite Jess Franco Films

It has been far too long since I've had a Franco Friday on this blog and I was trying to think of a way to get back into it and get inspired to dig into more of the unseen-by-me work of Jess Franco. Even though the man's giant-sized career can be pretty perilous, I really miss exploring the unknown with Captain Jess at the helm. And so here I am with some list-making! Everyone loves to make lists of lists and this list should fill your listy heart. 

The following pile of film titles is in the order in which I thought of them and not a best to least or most leastest to mostest best order or anything like that. These have been human hand-selected by me from the 55 or so Jess Franco films that I have seen. My main goal is to make hardcore Francophiles mad at me, which is very easy to do, so mission already accomplished. Let's go!

Eugenie De Sade (1973) 

Of course, I thought of this one first. This is still my favorite Jess Franco film even with its wildly uncomfortable subject matter. It's just so jam packed with ennui and cold beauty that I just adore it. This is one of the achingly beautiful Soledad Miranda's best roles. And yes, Paul Muller is achingly beautiful too. Heart breaking and cruel in the most endearing way.

Oasis of the Zombies (1981)

And yes, this was the second film I thought of when I think of my Franco favorites. That's probably weird, right? I champion this languid crap, but I don't expect anybody out there to try and high five me when they read this. Perhaps Oasis of the Zombies is just for me. It sucks but in a uniquely Franconian way.

The Silence of the Tomb (1972/1976)

Jess Franco made a giallo? Heck yeah he did! He made a couple. This is a very, very low budget production with a solid cast and quite a mean streak. I'd watch just about anything with Montserrat Prous. Several of Franco's regulars (Kali Hansa!) are in this, and it just makes me happy. Plus, that title! Very charming, nihilistic, and listless (in a good way).

The Devil Came from Akasava (1971)

This silly spy thriller with sci-fi and fantasy overtones is just a hoot. The fact that it has thirteen cast and crew members in common with She Killed in Ecstasy (1971) is just mind-boggling to me. I like to think of this fluffy nonsense as the wacky B side to that film's brooding A side.

The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff (1973)

Do you like your William Berger with lettuce, tomato, and onions? Too bad, because this one is covered with cheese! Sinister Eyes is quite the strange little Orloff movie (a character that Jess Franco would return to many, many times). It's dreamy, weird, sad, and goofy. I love it.

Les ebranlées AKA Dolls For Sale (1972)

Now here is a film that I wish would get a Blu-ray. Howard Vernon playing a womanizing private eye must be seen to be believed. The whole film is kinda kooky, very trashy, and delivered through what feels like a drug-fueled haze.

Erotikill (1973) 

It's safe to assume that most fully licensed Jess Franco fans (let's just call them "Jess FANcos") will make fun of me for preferring the thrashed/neutered VHS version of Female Vampire, but I friggin' LOVE this version. The dubbing is straight up gold and the cruddy, washed out look makes this one ever so beautiful and claustrophobic. Lina Romay is diabolically sexy in this one.

Blue Rita (1977)

Speaking of films that are almost too weird to exist. If inflatable furniture and gooey alien sex slime are what you're craving, then Blue Rita is for you. You don't just watch this brightly colorful oddball gem, you insert it into your eyeholes. Hyper-stylized to a nearly impossible degree, Blue Rita is one that I highly doubt you will ever forget.

Dr. Orloff's Monster (1964)

This one gets under my skin in a way that is just lovely. It's perfectly filmed in stark black and while the pretty malaise is set to maximum power. The jazzy score combined with the gothic setting, taboo breaking eroticism, and somnambulitic plotting make Dr. Orloff's Monster a fine example of Franco's early work that show the promise of things to come.

A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973)

I can't even put this one into words other than to say that THIS is 100% essential Jess Franco. You need to see this one yesterday or sooner. The Queen of the Night is waiting...

Vampyros Lesbos (1971) 

My first Franco will always be a favorite. Could I have chosen a more perfect title as my first? I certainly don't think so! Is the THE BEST Jess Franco film? Definitely not, but timing is everything, especially when you're a burgeoning Euro-horror freako. Also, it has the whole bag of Franco's tricks in one colorful and dreamy package. Get it!

Daughter of Dracula (1972)

I love this one even though it's decidedly lower tier Franco. But it's lower tier Franco from my favorite period of his work, so it's pretty great. As usual, Anne Libert steals the movie even when she's just sitting on a wall looking intense. Walk or crawl but definitely don't run to watch this beautiful failure.

Rites of Frankenstein (1973) 

Wait a minute! Isn't this supposed to be called The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein? I don't have that version. I have the sex free Image Entertainment DVD, which is an English dub of the (probably Spanish) censored version. I did not seek out this version on purpose, I swear. It just happened. This is a great example of the power of good old Jess. Even though this film has been chopped up to hell, it still captured my imagination. It's wonderful.

Faceless (1988)

Here's another one of Franco's attempts to change with the times and bring the gore to a story he'd made over and over again. This remake of Eyes Without a Face (1960) is a well that Jess would nearly run dry, but damn, this one is very unique. Tacky 80s bullshit to make your pores leak blood while you cackle at the ecstatic stupidity. Brigitte Lahaie, Caroline Munro, Florence Guérin, and Lina Romay in the same movie?! Need I say any more?

Kiss Me Monster (1969)

Could Jess Franco do comedy? Of course he could! He could do anything. Don't let anyone tell you this isn't a party movie. They don't know how to party. This is one of my absolute favorites and a fine example of the power of cinema to make you feel good for no reason. Heartily and sillily -how is "sillily" not a real word?- recommended.

Bloody Moon (1981)

If not for the actual onscreen murder of a snake, this would be a perfect Euro-slasher. This film's bloody and trashy excesses are only matched by how ridiculous its story and English dubbing are. I strongly recommend Bloody Moon, but as soon as you see that snake, hide your eyes. And that's not a euphemism!

Venus in Furs (1969)

Sing it with me folks: VENUS IN FURS WILL BE SMILIN'! Another absolute banger from the master. I am almost comically overdue for a rewatch of this film. I've only seen it once(!), but it has stayed with me for years now. This plot is uh... familiar if you've ever seen a Jess Franco film, but whatever, it's great. Get ready to get buried under a mountain of jazzy style.

Night of the Skull (1974)

Another bargain basement Franco giallo and a period piece to boot! This may be cheap, but it fits the mold of the thrillers of the time perfectly. The killer's mask will embarrass you. It embarrasses everyone. You're gonna love it. Carlo Savina's music is probably the most expensive thing this movie has going for it. Worth a look because I genuinely dig this film, but maybe watch this before you get to some of the other classics. I wouldn't save this one for later.

The Other Side of the Mirror (1973)

I'm putting this one on here to remind myself to watch it again. Cheers to my pal David Ladd for getting me the non-porn version finally. The only copy I had for years was the terrible French (I think) version with unrelated genitals cut in to make a spicier cut. That version truly did this masterfully depressing, artful, and nuanced melodrama a disservice. Emma Cohen and Alice Arno? Need I say more?

She Killed in Ecstasy (1971) 

Going out on a high note here, folks. This is one of those movies that sits proudly on my shelves, but every time I see it sitting there, I get too excited to watch it. Soledad Mirana fucking owns this one and this film just makes me angry that she died so damn young. What a nightmare. Life sucks. Oops, sorry. Anyway, this languid, melancholic, and kinky masterpiece is an excellent example of why film is an awesome medium. Strongly recommended.

My Favorite First Time Watches Of 2024

Hey there, my friends. It's that time again. For an entire year, I wrote down every single one of my first time watches, and now it's time to blab about my favey faves. As usual, there is no ranking to this list. It's just a big old pile of movies and it's up to you to rank them from best to worst on your time. Not my time. Your time. This is my LetterBLOGxd account.

Before you read on, be sure to take a gander at my little book that I released at the beginning of this year called Giallo Meltdown 2 or any of these fun cameos I did on other people's cool shows this year. Like this one or this one or this one or this one. Anyway, I am so grateful that you are here and I hope you enjoy this blogging blog.

Cuckoo (2024)

I know I said I wasn't going to rank this list but here's my favorite film of the year! I was so totally blown away by Luz (2018) that I was up for pretty much anything that writer/director Tilman Singer had in his pocket. Cuckoo is a gorgeous, intense, and totally freakin' weird horror movie/sci-fi thriller. Some folks were put off by how the mechanics of what is going in this film are never explained, but I couldn't care less. Give me the strange, please. I can't wait to watch this one again.

Don't Look Up (1996)

From director Hideo Nakata and writer Hiroshi Takahashi comes this spooky gem that gave me some hair-raising frights. But it's not just another long-haired lady ghost horror movie from the classic late 90s/early 00s Japanese horror boom, Don't Look Up is also about the magic of filmmaking. Where is the damn Blu-ray for this one?!

The Blue Jean Monster (1991)

I hope that I never run out of Hong Kong comedy horror films to discover. This one is completely crazy, endlessly entertaining, and very stupid. You can read my full review right here.

Lovers Lane (2000)

Speaking of stuff that I didn't know existed. Literally a month before the Arrow Video Blu-ray was announced, I was like "How have I never heard of this slasher? Dang it, I want to see that!" And then there it was. Lovers Lane is a barely functional slasher that is as cheap as it is lovable.

The Devil Rides Out (1968)

This film had been eluding me for years and I kept hearing from my bud Brad that it was great, so I finally made time to give it a whirl. And boy oh boy, am I glad that I did! The Devil Rides Out is Hammer Films firing on all cylinders. Christopher Lee and Charles Gray are absolutely perfect here. If this satanic horror classic isn't already on your list to check out, I highly recommend you add it.

Seedpeople (1992)

I knew that Full Moon Pictures was gonna bring it, and they certainly did with Seedpeople. This is delightfully daft and a lot of fun. The effects are imaginative and if you like a goofy monster movie, you're gonna have a blast. This film would make a great pairing with some friends and some alcohol or something.

Bloodmoon (1990)

Oh, Australia, I knew you had my back. Bloodmoon is completely friggin' crazy. It's a slasher with some hilarious performances AND a lot of schmaltz AND cheese. Highly recommended if you think you've seen every slasher from the tail end of the classic era.

Death on the Nile (1978)

Remember that new version of Death on the Nile from 2022? I sure don't! LeEtta and I watch a lot of Agatha Christie, and yet this version was unknown to us. This is some star-studded throwback to old Hollywood from the director of King Kong (1976). If you love a stacked cast and a fun mystery, then you are gonna love this one. 

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

Holy heck. Speaking of films I should have watched AGES AGO. I was doing Pedro Almodóvar dirty by thinking I knew who he was and that I'd seen a couple of his films. Nope! I was just confused. Anyway, there are no words to describe how much I loved this film. It's an astoundingly beautiful comedy that is just wild as all get out. A must see.

Top Line (1988)

Director Nello Rossati could make some oddball trash films and Top Line is no exception. This Franco Nero vehicle is an action, adventure, and sci-fi mashup that is certifiably brain melting. Do whatever you can to avoid looking at trailers, screenshots, or plot stuff on IMDB. If you like Italian junk, just go into this one blind. Now I feel as though I need to see Rossati's Django Strikes Back (1987) which also features Nero, natch.

Longlegs (2024)

If y'all know me then you knew that Longlegs was gonna be on this list. What an absolutely horrific treat from Osgood Perkins. I'm curious to see if this one will have the rewatchability factor that both I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016) and Gretel & Hansel (2020) have for me. This one sunk into my skin quite deep, but I need a while before I see it again. Otherwise, this might have ranked higher. BUT that being said, I totally loved the hell out of it.

Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (1992)

I talked about this sci-fi horror monsterpiece in my INV4SIAN wrap-up a few months ago. This one has everything you could ever want from a badass tokusatsu film and more! This is an hour and a half of magic. Seek it out.

Reibyo densetsu (1983)

I have seen Nobuhiko Ôbayashi films that have confused me and made my eyes explode, but I've never seen one that I didn't love. There's nothing about this film that isn't wonderful, dreamy, eccentric, and damn near perfect. It's a celebration of old timey horror movies and a throwback to the early days of movie making. Would make an excellent double feature with Don't Look Up (1996). 

Black Narcissus (1947) and The Red Shoes (1948)

I needed to check these two masterpieces off my list of arthouse shame, and here we are. If you require the power of pure cinema and will accept nothing less than the best, then get these two films in your face now. Directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger must have sold their damn souls to the devil to produce back to back works such as these. Hopefully, you already know these and are wondering how the heck I hadn't seen them before! Breathtaking.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983)

Did you want more Ôbayashi? So did I! This nostalgic little slice of brilliance is almost too beautiful to look at. It's as sweet as it is experimental. I would love to know how influential this film was on Japanese cinema and especially on anime. Superb.

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Speaking of Hammer Films, I have to share my shame here. I totally thought that I'd seen this one before for a long time. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) was the one I have seen multiple times and every time I watched that I would assume that I had seen its predecessor. Incorrect! Just five minutes in to Curse I was like "Hold on! This is all new to me! Wut?" Anyway, I would be a fool not to adore this all-timer. Don't tell anyone that my Hammer horror ignorance is showing. 

The Visitants (1986)

I have to close out this list with something that feels like it was made just for me. Rick Sloane, the director of Hobgoblins (1988), wrote, directed, and co-produced this oddball sci-fi/comedy crud and I just adored it so much. It's not good. When it was over, I looked at LeEtta and said, "Well, we've watched shitty Rocky Horror." She agreed. If you're looking for something bad but imaginative and weird to pair with The Midnight Hour (1985) next Halloween season, then give this one a look.

Here's a list of a bunch of other films I strongly enjoyed:

- The Eternal Daughter (2022)
- Where the Boys Are (1960)
- Thelma (2024)
- Slithis (1978)
- Late Night with the Devil (2023)
- Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
- Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981)
- I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
- Dragons Forever (1988)
- Wicked Little Letters (2023)
- Flesh and Fantasy (1943)
- MaXXXine (2024)
- Charade (1963)
- Fatal Games (1984)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
- Rabid Grannies (1988)
- Eating Raoul (1982)
- Killer Fish (1979)

Worst things I watched this year:

- The Curse of the Screaming Dead (1982) - Brutally boring.
- Hansel and Gretel (1990) - Dull and flat Italian crud.
- Full Moon High (1981) - Unfunny disaster of a comedy.
- Hana no asuka gumi! (1988) - Overly long and directionless.
- Blood Suckers (1971) - An un-entertaining mess.
- The Defilers (1965) - Gross and ugly.
- Rent-a-Cop (1987) - Not even Liza can save this.
- The Crow: Salvation (2000) - What was that?!

Horror In 1982: Time Walker

I got to hang out over at MrParka's channel to discuss a favorite...

The INV4SIAN: Review Roundup

Well, happy Halloween everybody! This post will conclude an entire month of Asian cinema reviews here at the Cinema Somnambulist blog palace. I hope you all have been enjoying this cavalcade of goodness (and only occasional not-so-greatness). As usual, I have watched way more films than I can hope to write full reviews of within any kind of a thing called "time". So, here's a list of 13 more films that I watched in order to celebrate Asian cinema. Check it out:

Skin Striperess (1992)

Skin Stripperess is the trashy tale of a shady dude pimping out his girlfriend to secure investors for a beachfront development project. When she dies in a freak electrical accident, her spirit returns and funks his ship up. A monk (Ching-Ying Lam) is called in to exorcise her spirt. It doesn’t go very well. I enjoy this film’s gore (especially that skin stripping), colorful lighting, and liberal use of fog machines. Unfortunately, there’s animal violence with frogs and snakes getting murdered onscreen. Dig the music lifted from Lucio Fulci’s City of the Living Dead (1980) on this film’s score. I kind of liked this one, but would never sit through it again.

A Monstrous Corpse (1981)

This Korean remake of Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974) is somewhat disjointed and flat, but has enough cool moments to warrant a viewing for fans of Jorge Grau's masterpiece. The story (that follows the original's very closely with only slight variations) is about an experimental radio transmitter that awakens the dead. The version I'm reviewing is either censored or was very tame from the get go, but that's okay since the countryside setting is beautiful and the music features some neato synthesizer work. Not too shabby, but not essential viewing.

Mail (2004)

Mail is a collection of stories featuring a detective who specializes in sending ghosts to the afterlife. After being very impressed by the manga by Housui Yamazaki, I have to admit I was a little let down by this shot on video (and probably made for TV) adaptation. Part of the problem is that it's so cheap looking, but also I wasn't expecting an episodic collection of stories crammed into a feature length movie. Stylistically, this movie can be summed up in the main character's ridiculous looking baggy leather pants. You're better off reading the manga, though Chiaki Kuriyama (of Battle Royale (2000) fame) is in this and she makes everything better (sometimes).

Witch from Nepal (1986)

Before you even ask, it's not pronounced "weyatch frown nipple". Chow Yun-Fat plays Joe, just your average Jim, who ends up getting himself involved in a supernatural battle against the forces of evil. He also strikes up a romance with magical Sheila (Emily Chu), much to the chagrin of his girlfriend Ida. Witch from Nepal is pretty awesome with its magical fun, dreamlike qualities, emphasis on spectacle, corny love story, and genuine weirdness. Low key but also kind of essential if you're a fan of Hong Kong madness. At the time of this review, Witch from Nepal is on Tubi. Go for it!

Kakashi AKA Scarecrow (2001)

A remote village is getting ready for their Wicker Man-like festival by putting up nightmarish scarecrows all over the damn place. Kaoru (Maho Nonami) has shown up in the middle of tthis wacko fest to find her missing brother. She should have not done that. This quiet and eerie little movie was a nice creepy surprise. Any time I can find a Japanese horror film from the late 1990s/early 2000s heyday that is unseen by me, I'm gonna jump on it. Kakashi is tinged with a melancholic vibe and is graced with beautiful cinematography and cool sound design. Director Norio Tsuruta has made quite a few horror films in their career including Ring 0: Birthday (2000). I wish Kakashi was more talked about. I mean more than me right now. Highly recommended. 

Ghost Eyes (1974)

Pao-ling (played by Szu-Chia Chen) is a manicurist that meets a mysterious optometrist who seems to have some strange power over her. Could he be a vampire? This is a solid horror film from the director of COrpse Mania (1981). It has some scary moments, is super melodramatic, but also brings the silliness at times. I ended up rooting for the heroine. I really wanted her to be okay. The music and the cinematography give this one some occasional giallo feels which I always appreciate. 

Look Out, Officer! (1990)

Seasoned police detective Piao (Bill Tung) is killed by a smelly drug kingpin and returns from the afterlife as a ghost. He teams up with police cadet Hsing (Stephen Chow) and his former partner (Stanley Sui-Fan Fung) to set things right. This one is pretty bad (those fart and pee jokes), but enjoyable enough for Stephen Chow fans. A cat poops on an altar... twice. There are some clever gags and I got a kick out of the hokey music stingers on the soundtrack. There's plenty of ghostly malfeasance and even some sorcery in the plot. There are some jokes at the expense of Vietnamese immigrants. Boo. No one asked for that.

Exte: Hair Extensions (2007)

A body is discovered in a crate of human hair. Thanks to a shady security guard/hair fetishist at the morgue, the hair ends up getting sent to a hairdresser and used as extensions. But it's cursed hair, y'all! So yes, this is truly one of the strangest films I've ever seen, which is hardly surprising since it comes from writer/director Sion Sono. Chiaki Kuriyama stars in this one and well, you know, she rocks. This isn't all just freaky and hilarious weirdness. Exte is also emotionally brutal and can get pretty disturbing. If I reveal too much, it would be a disservice since you need to see this one for yourself.

Howling Village (2019)

A lady goes searching for her brother who disappeared at the legendary “Howling Village”. I freakin’ love how prolific Takashi Shimizu is. The guy has directed over 25 horror movies and TV shows at the time of this writing. Howling Village is a very pretty and gloomily atmospheric film with some overly melodramatic moments near the finale, but overall, it’s a solid effort. Keep an eye out for Renji Ishibashi, one of my favorite character actors whose credits have already pushed past the 400 mark. The worst thing I can say about this film is that it felt about 5 minutes too long for me. I suspect that if you’re vibing with it, you won’t mind at all.

Forbidden Siren (2006)

Oh no! Not another cursed village movie! Why does this keep crappening to me?! In 1976, a terrible disaster struck a small island village leaving only one survivor. A writer moves there with his two kids and is warned by the locals not to go out at night when the island's siren goes off. His daughter (Yui Ichikawa) almost immediately discovers that shit just ain't right in this spooky place. This one really surprised me. It has a really cool, unique vibe to it. I dig the Lovecraftian vibes and the claustrophobic nature of the island setting. Now I want to play the video game it's based on.

Heartbeat 100 (1987)

Trying to remember the plot of this movie is almost impossible thanks to my gibberish notes. BUT... I will try. Murderous thieves hiding out in a small village terrorize some tourists, including a writer (Maggie Cheung), who's just looking for a relaxing working vacation. That should do it. Anyway, Heartbeat 100 won me over with its uncomplicated plot, spooky moments, garish lighting, surprising gore, corny comedic situations, and a killer ceiling fan. It's basic as hell but entertaining. Not a strong recommend, but if you're in the mood for some Hong Kong trash, give it a whirl. One of the characters is named Weeny Eyes and also there's a poodle named Chu-Chu.

Vampire Hunters (2003)

Four vampire fighting monks battle the forces of evil to save the life of a beautiful girl. That is the VERY SHORT version because, this is way too complicated to get into here. I kept seeing this one for rent at Hollywood Video, but never took a chance on it. I'm really glad that I finally did because it's a winner! Co-produced and written by Tsui Hark and directed by actor-turned-director Wellson Chin, Vampire Hunters is very imaginative with some inventive gore and cool vampires. This came out right before dodgy CGI took over, but there's a few cruddy digital touches here and there. A lot of the film takes place on sound stages with practical effects aplenty. There's also just the right amount of humor mixed in to keep things from ever getting too serious. 

Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue (1992)

Thanks to his dad's experimentation, college athlete Shin becomes Kamen Rider, a half-man, half-grasshopper superhero. It's up to him to battle an evil syndicate called "The Syndicate", who plan on using his dad's work to take over the world. Where has this movie been all my life? The creature effects are as cool as they are slimy. With its schlocky melodrama and heightened over acting from the cast, this one just hits all the right beats for me. It plays like a kids movie, but there's nudity (laughable swimming pool sex scene) and tons of violence (arterial spray!). The jammin' synthesizer score alone should make this essential viewing for 1980s creature feature enthusiasts. Based on the hit TV series that has spawned many, many iterations, I heartily recommend this and its very fun sequel from the following year called Kamen Rider ZO (1993).

THE INVASIAN: Ghost Nursing (1982)

Jackie (Shirley Yim) is a gambling addict who got herself into some serious trouble when her boyfriend’s jewel heist went awry. Now she’s on the run and heads to Thailand where her pal hooks her up with a job as a sex worker, which she is absolutely not into. When that too goes completely wrong, Jackie goes to see a sorcerer (Billy Chan) who informs her that her string of bad luck is because she is the reincarnation of a dead criminal. His solution is to adopt a ghost child to turn her fortunes around.

All that Jackie must do is follow some very specific instructions or all darn heck will break loose. You know where this is going, right? Suddenly, our main character is getting the lover she wants, and the rest of her troubles just seem to disappear. The thing is that Jackie is having too much fun to notice that anyone who crosses her while she’s protected by this ghost kid faces some dire and/or grave consequences. And because she’s a jerk, she totally screws up her daily ritual. See? I told you that you would know where this was going!

The world of Hong Kong cinema was changed forever when Ghost Nursing (1982) was released. Okay, don’t look that up because it’s not true. I was struggling with how to start this review, and that was the best I could come up with. While actor turned director Wilson Tong wasn’t dropping the most original film I’ve seen from this genre, he certainly didn’t skimp on infusing his film with a lots of energy, silliness, and over-the-top schlock. The film is populated with some HK genre regulars like Norman Chu of Seeding of a Ghost (1983) and Melvin Wong of Bewitched (1981), just to name a couple.

While I wouldn’t put Ghost Nursing on a top tier or essentials list, it is just so damn awesome to get more Hong Kong horror on Blu-ray. All of the appropriate amounts of sleaze, violence, tacky sets and costumes, and gross-out gags are here. If you’re at all like me, you’ll be yelling at your TV trying to get Jackie to stop dicking around and do right by her adopted ghost baby. Surprisingly (and thankfully), the whole "nursing" part of the Ghost Nursing title doesn't become a hyper-sexualized thing. That would've been pretty freaky. Also, the ending of this film is so baffling and unsatisfying that it kind of accidentally becomes satisfying in its own way. Animal lovers beware, this film has a dead monkey in it. It’s not killed onscreen but if you’re bummed out by that kind of stuff, you now have fair warning.