10 best movies featuring a ghost story

Movie poster for Gothic ghost story Crimson PeakI love a good ghost story. Movies abound in the horror and slasher genres, some with quite effective soundtracks. Fewer films, however, qualify as a legitimate ghost story. That may be because it’s more challenging to subtly create dread than to shock with jump shots and gore. The 10 movies listed below don’t simply scare us. They use ghosts to explore themes of greed, guilt, loyalty, hubris, jealousy… Whether American, Spanish, British, Australian, Thai, or Japanese, these movies play with our sense of what is real. The characters themselves don’t quite know what to believe, but all of them must ultimately confront something fundamental about themselves or the world. The soundtracks, all using different approaches, effectively enhance the atmosphere. Continue reading →

Your ultimate Halloween haunt playlist

Image for Dark Soundscape of Fear playlistYesterday I shared my playlist for Halloween parties. Today’s playlist is geared toward a Halloween haunt. This “Dark Soundscape of Fear” playlist features dark, ambient tracks interspersed with subtly creepy rhythms and strange sounds. A surprising amount of dark, ambient music exists, much of it rather effective. But to save you the trouble of wading through so much music, I created this playlist for Halloween haunts or wherever there is a need for a spooky atmosphere. Continue reading →

Your ultimate Halloween party playlist

Image for Halloween Party PlaylistAre you dissatisfied with the Halloween party playlists you come across? I certainly am. Too short, or too many songs that are only marginally appropriate. That’s why I created a playlist on Spotify that includes well-known favorites (like “Thriller,” of course) and lesser-known gems (“Burn the Witch” by Radiohead). The compilation currently fills just under 3 hours of music. Most are popular songs but I’ve thrown in a few TV and movie themes as well. Continue reading →

A list of the most popular songs that “jump”

Image of people jumpingMusic is rhythm, so it’s natural that the word “jump” would feature in numerous song titles. I’ve compiled a list below of the most popular songs that sing about jumping. Stylistically the songs range all over the map, from jazz to rap. Everyone, it seems, wants to jump. Many of the songs were hits. In cases where the songs are not as well known, I’ve focused on prominent artists and bands. The list appears in reverse chronological order, with the most recent songs at the top. Continue reading →