John Dies at the End
It's the ultimate in spoiler titles. And this stoner Ghostbusters, an altered state disguised as a movie, may also add up to a hot cult item if silliness doesn't sabotage the scares. Based on a novel by David Wong, the film pits two slackers, Dave (Chase Williamson, a deadpan delight) and poor doomed John (Rob Mayes), against paranormal foes. That is, until they trip out on soy sauce (don't ask) and enter a parallel universe where they fight to save the world from shape-shifting creatures. Got that? Who could? The always welcome Paul Giamatti shows up as a reporter who gets the real dope from Dave. Horror buff Giamatti also served as executive producer to help get the film made for writer-director Don Coscarelli, the mad master behind Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep. Coscarelli junkies won't be bothered by the film's herky-jerky rhythms. Go for the freaky fun of it, though a little soy sauce on the side sure wouldn't hurt.