Ghost Graduation (2012) d. Caldera, Javier Ruiz (Spain)
When sixth sense-endowed teacher Raul Arevalo secures a new Monforte high school position, run by the luminous Alexandra Jimenez, his curious curse of seeing lingering residents from beyond proves useful in lifting the curse that has the administration and student body shaking in their collective zapatos.
The breezily charming “Breakfast Club from the Afterlife” scenario, whipped up by the screenwriting team of Cristobal Gamido and Adolfo Valor, strings together its episodes of ghostbuster slapstick with a strong, sweet thread of sentiment. Arevalo and Jimenez have superb rom-com chemistry, and the marvelous ensemble of spiritual class-cutters (brainiac Anna Castillo, jock ladykiller Alex Maruny, pregnant teen Andrea Duro, bad boy Jamie Olias and perpetually drunken nerd Javier Bodalo) are likeable and sympathetic in their stranded-among-the-living plight.
Spanish character actor non pareil Carlos Areces (The Last Circus, Extraterrestrial) coaxes many a giggle as a tightly wound school board member, and though there’s never any doubt that the final reel will see all ills resolved, Graduation is an enormously enjoyable spin on the haunted house genre. Winner of the 2013 Golden Raven and Audience Awards at the 2013 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.
--Aaron Christensen, HorrorHound Magazine
This sounds like great fun.
ReplyDeleteOn a complete tangent, I keep varying between the two spellings of likeable and I think my brain is now just toying with me every time I go to use that word.
It was indeed. I think people were a little surprised that it took the top prize since it's a little lighter than one would expect. But it does what it sets out to do to perfection, so credit where credit is due.
DeleteYeah, I like throwing the "e" in there - otherwise it makes me think of "lickable," which is a whole other ball of wax.