And the evil creeps in on little cat feet …

Hi. My name is Dan and I’m a filmaholic. Yes, I’m obsessed with movies. I watch any and all of them, from the very bad ( “A Sound of Thunder” ) to the very good (“The Constant Gardener”). I’m especially taken, depending on my mood, with horror films, which is why I’m looking forward to “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” which opens across the country on Friday.

Here’s the deal, though: I’m not a true believer. I don’t believe in evil spirits (except for those we create all by our little human selves), I don’t believe in possession and I don’t believe in exorcism. All that green vomit aside, the best thing about William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” was how it delved into myth, legend and fantasy to tickle fears that date back to cave-dwellers facing predators who roamed the Paelolithic nights.

So will I like “Emily Rose”? Maybe. Will it scare me? Again, maybe. But here’s the sure bet: If it does a decent job of exploring Catholic rites, then the film should work for my wife . She’s the one who went to mass every day for 13 straight years during her childhood.

(By the way, click here to get the reference that I put in the headline to this post.)

Below: Emily (Jennifer Carpenter) freaks out as the evil possesses her in “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” (Photo by Diyah Pera)