ETissuchawonderfulfilm.Ithinkitsafilmaboutthewayachildviewstheworld,andthewayanadultviewstheworld.Achild'smindisnotcyncial,unliketheadultsinthepicture.Thereisavastgapbetweenthechild'sworldandtheadultworld.

　　ThisisprobablySpielberg'smostpersonalfilm,hegrewupinsuburbia,hewaspartofasingleparentfamily,hehasawildlyimaginativemind.

　　Therearesomanyclassicmoments,moresothananyfilmreleasedinthelast30years.Thebicyclesflyingpastthemoonisoneofthegreatestmomentsincinemahistory.TheJohnWilliamsscoreistimeless.Unforgetablequotes"ETphonehome"

　　Oneofthegreatestofalltime.

　　MakenomistakeaboutParamount's"Ghost."It'sformula-packedbusinessasusual.Infact,it'sdouble-packed,triple-packed,more:There'stheafterlifeloveaffairbetweenrecentlydeceasedPatrickSwayzeandearthlygirlfriendDemiMoore.There'sthebeyond-the-graveodd-buddy-buddyingbetweenSwayzeandspiritualistWhoopiGoldberg.It'salsoatearjerker,alongthesappylinesof"FieldofDreams."It'samurderthriller....

　　Andstrangelyenough,it'snotthatbad.

　　Now,holditrightthere.Ireferyoutothelow-lightcriticaltariffonemustapplytoHollywood'ssummerfare.Inthisartisticallydevaluedsummerofschlockbusters("DaysofTotalRoboCopIII"),itmeansJerryZucker'smovie(hemade"Airplane!"and"RuthlessPeople")issurprisinglyentertainingandgoesalongnicelywiththetheater'sairconditioning.

　　"Ghost"startsoffinthekindofcheesywaythatParamountseemssopeculiarlyproudof.We'resubjectedtoTrueLoveMomentsbetweenSwayzeandMoore,asshetellshimsheloveshimandhesays,waitforit,"Ditto."(Thisiswhatscreenwriterscommonlyrefertoasa"hook"andisimportantforlater.)

　　Butassoonasthecoupleisconfrontedbyagunman,thethrillerelementsofthemoviekickinandthemoviegets...interesting.Alotofplotelementscan'tbegivenaway,butsufficeittosay,whenSwayze'sspiritcomesbackfromthedead,hefindsoutMooreisingreatdanger.

　　Unabletobeseenbytheliving,SwayzefindsouthecancommunicateaurallywithGoldberg,acommon-varietyspiritualcharlatanwhodiscoverstoherESPhorrorthatsheistherealthing.SwayzehastoenlistGoldbergtothwartthedangerousmysterymanandpasstheamorouswordontoMoore--wordslike"ditto,"forinstance.

　　Alongtheway,Swayzealsolearns,withthehelpofsubway-hauntingspiritVincent("OneFlewOvertheCuckoo'sNest")Schiavelli,thatghostscanconcentratetheirpsychicpowerintomovingphysicalobjects:makingobjectsflyaroundtheroom,slappingbadguysaround,thatsortofthing.

　　Onlyintheleanestofmovie-actingyearswouldSwayzeorMooreeverfindthemselvesclutchingOscars,butthey'reverycompetentperformers,certainlygoodenoughtogetthroughthismysteryplot(decentlyscriptedbyBruceJoelRubin)withoutgettinginyourway.ThebestscreenworkcomesfromGoldberg,whoputsspiritualoomphintoanotherwisestrainedtea-readingrole.Sincehermemorableperformancein"TheColorPurple,"she'sbeenmiredinmachoformula.Butthismovie,thoughit'sstillstudio-readystuff,mayaugurwellforherfuture.

　　HomeAlonehasalotofunfaircriticism.Imean,howmanyofyouwouldreallyhavewanteda16-year-oldMacCulkindoingthesame-oldsame-oldtoHarryandMarv.Ofcou