“Wassa matter? You seen something bad?”

Story: Annie is a widow with three kids, bills to pay, and an inherited gift that sometimes lets her see visions of  the past, present, and future. When beautiful socialite Jessica is murdered, her gift can help solve the crime, but may also put Annie in danger.

Scares: Mysterious and suspenseful
Splat Factor: A dead body, and multiple bruises from characters getting beat up

Subgenre: Well Written Horror Mysteries
Year Released: 2000
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: I’ve never really given Gift much thought, mostly because it came and went in theaters, and hasn’t been widely discussed since. But thanks to a “horror movies you probably haven’t seen” list, I checked this one out. I’m glad it did.

First off, it’s directed by Sam Raimi. Yeah, there’s a Raimi horror that doesn’t get much buzz. Crazy, right? you can see his touch in this film’s of camera angles, realistic color grading, cross fades, and quiet suspense that builds to vivid shocks.

Then there’s the cast. Cate Blanchett plays Annie, a woman who’s trying to deal with the death of her husband, and you can feel every emotion the character is going through, thanks to Blanchett’s powerful performance. Keanu Reeves takes a turn as a villain, playing Donnie the abusive husband of one of Annie’s regulars, and he shows off his range here.

Giovanni Ribisi is incredible as Buddy. Ribisi’s ability to portray Buddy’s teetering sanity and trauma had me rooting for this damaged character. Damn, I forgot how freaking good Ribisi is. The supporting cast is just as good; can you doubt it from these names? J. K. Simmons! Michael Jeter! John Beasley! Gary Cole! Damn, why is this film not talked about more?

Truly a horror mystery. Who killed Laura Palmer Jessica? There are several suspects, and finding out any of them was the guilty party would have been a satisfying conclusion. That’s damn good storytelling by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson.

This is another horror movie that can be easily enjoyed by folks who aren’t necessarily fans of the genre. Think The Silence of the Lambs or What Lies Beneath. This chiller will pull you in and have you glued to your TV. Why not complete your Raimi collection and give this one a look?

Score: 4.5 out of 5 pumpkins.