Poltergeist
Cannily inverting the original's Reaganomic glow, this remake's plot finds a downturned family reluctantly moving to a fixer-upper in the suburbs, only to discover anew the dangers of standing too close to the TV. Director Gil Kenan, whose animated Monster House displayed a healthy Spielbergian aura, shows a similarly deft touch here, quickly sketching out the geography while judiciously doling out the jump scares.
by Andrew Wright