Watch 13 Ghosts

In the 2001 supernatural horror movie "13 Ghosts," Tony Shalhoub stars as Arthur Kriticos, a struggling widower and father of two who unexpectedly inherits an elaborate glass mansion from his eccentric, ghost-obsessed uncle Cyrus (F. Murray Abraham). Along with the mansion comes a strange, arcane machine that has the power to capture ghosts and store them behind glass walls in the basement.

As Arthur and his family move into the mansion, they discover that it is not just an unusual piece of real estate. It was designed by Cyrus to act as a prison for the twelve most dangerous ghosts he had captured, plus one ghost he has yet to find - the ghost of his own deceased wife. To make matters worse, the mansion is rigged with moving walls, shifting floors, and deadly traps that seem designed to toy with the living.

Together with psychic medium Kalina Oretzia (Embeth Davidtz) and a team of ghost hunters, Arthur sets out to unravel the mysteries of the mansion and prevent the ghosts from breaking free and causing chaos. As they delve deeper into the history of each ghost, they begin to uncover a gruesome secret about Cyrus and his twisted motivations.

The movie balances its ghostly thrills with a healthy dose of comedic relief, with Shalhoub's deadpan humor providing some much-needed levity in the face of sheer terror. Meanwhile, Shannon Elizabeth plays the brash and outspoken nanny Maggie, who ends up being caught in the middle of the ghostly chaos.

One of the standout features of "13 Ghosts" is its unique visual style, with director Steve Beck infusing each ghost with its own distinct look and personality. From the Juggernaut - a towering metal construction worker with crushing fists - to the Torn Prince - a ghostly knight with a lacerated body - each ghost is both grotesque and fascinating to behold. Beck's use of CG effects and practical makeup also helps to sell the eerie, otherworldly nature of the ghosts.

Although "13 Ghosts" may not be a classic horror movie on the level of "The Exorcist" or "Halloween," it is still an entertaining and memorable entry in the genre. It successfully combines spooky scares with campy humor and visually impressive ghost designs, making it a fun watch for horror fans who are looking for something a little out of the ordinary.

13 Ghosts is a 2001 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.6 and a MetaScore of 30.