The Others is a ghost story that's an awful lot of fun. It will inevitably be unfairly compared to The Sixth Sense, but despite the obvious similarities and the fact that both revel in strong stories set in creepy atmospheres, they are quite different in spirit and tone. The Others stars Nicole Kidman as the mother of two children with photosensitive allergies: essentially, they are allergic to light, especially sunlight. This introduces a whole new dimension to the way light and darkness play in horror movies like this, and it's very effective.

The film takes place during World War II. The visuals reflect the era, not just in the sumptuous costumes and set design but the photography and the style of acting as well. The effect is nothing short of beautiful. Beauty, however, is probably an attribute that will only be appreciated after the fact; the film's spooky atmosphere builds slowly but so surely and fully that it's only afterward that we have the time to appreciate the richness of the imagery.