“Who says there’s no such thing as ghosts?” Synopsis: An afterlife therapist and his daughter meet a friendly young ghost when they move into a crumbling mansion in order to rid the premises of wicked spirits.

Calamity Brains:

Casper is a decent – not great – option for the adult unburdened by nostalgia. It’s inoffensive (if occasionally unintentionally creepy) and offers a few laughs, but it’s still more a kids movie than a family movie. The plot is simplistic, but fun. Casper offers a good choice for younger viewers only dipping a toe into horror.

For a movie made in 1995, the animation holds up pretty well. The ghosts are cartooony, but purposefully so, and their dreamy intangibility provides an interesting counterpoint to the Gothic splendor of the mansion. (Speaking of the mansion, hot damn do Ludwig and I wanna live there.) The practical effects are where it’s at, though – Casper offers every possible mad science-y / inventor play area you can imagine. The whole mansion feels like a ride at Disney, which is a fun feeling to have as you watch a movie.

Young Kat (Christina Ricci) is dragged around the country by her ghost hunting father Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman) who is searching for proof of the beyond and a way to contact his dead wife. When Dr. Harvey is hired to evict spirits (Casper and his uncles) from a new investment property, the lines between living and dead become blurred. Hijinks and cartoon-level violence ensue, and there’s a happy ending of course.

I liked Casper when younger. As an adult, my affection is a little dimmed, but as an adult with nostalgia and without kids, I still pick it up to watch from time to time. Likely the best part of the whole movie for older audiences is the performances by some familiar and unfamiliar faces (Cathy Moriarty, Eric Idle, Ben Stein). This is a decent choice for family movie night with the kids, and a fun Halloween tradition.

Calamity Brains’ Rating: B-