Thirteen Ghosts: A Bloody Beautiful Favorite

Let’s talk about Thirteen Ghosts.

The first time I saw it was at the tail end of a Syfy Saturday night movie marathon—the kind where you’re curled up in a blanket at 9:47 p.m., brain half-melted from back-to-back creature features, and thinking just one more won’t hurt. I don’t remember exactly how old I was—definitely under fourteen, definitely not old enough to be watching people get ghost-slashed in a glass house of horrors. But there it was.

And that girl in the bathroom? Yeah. She lives in my head rent-free. I had a whole Thing about going into the bathroom at night as a kid. That night, after the movie ended, I made my older sister open the shower curtain for me—just in case. (Thanks, Kels. You’re braver than me.)

Now, as an adult, I’ve rewatched Thirteen Ghosts more times than I can count. And honestly? It holds up. It’s ridiculous in the best way. It’s a perfect cocktail of early-2000s horror: flashy effects, unapologetic weirdness, and a cast that somehow makes it all work.

The ghost designs? Incredible. The makeup, the lore, the little glimpses we get of each spirit—they’re creepy and creative and totally unforgettable. Is there a part of me that desperately wants this movie to be turned into a miniseries so we can dive deeper into the stories of all thirteen ghosts? Absolutely. There’s a whole universe of nightmare fuel in that house, and I want more of it.

The pacing? Shockingly tight. It never drags, and even when the plot gets bonkers (which is often), you’re still locked in.

And the cast? Tony Shalhoub is as compelling here as he was solving mysteries in Monk. The kids are surprisingly watchable—no forced sass, no cringe dialogue. And of course, Matthew Lillard walks into every scene like he knows it’s his and rips it to shreds. I have never seen that man give a half-hearted performance, and I adore him for it.

I've probably watched this movie at least half a dozen times, and it’s a guaranteed slot on my Halloween rewatch list for years to come. It's got blood, ghosts, and a beating heart underneath all the chaos.

So, if you haven’t watched Thirteen Ghosts in a while—or ever—go turn off the lights, crank up the volume, and prepare to check behind your own shower curtain afterward. You know.

Just in case.

PS. I have a question for you. Do you like these short, to the point posts about movies--whether I like them or not? Or would you rather see some lengthy, in-depth features instead?