Ghostbusters

Released: 1984

Directed by: Ivan Reitman

Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd & Sigourney Weaver

ATT DSL & Netflix finally decided to play nice & we watched Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters is awesome.

If you were like me and for whatever reason missed this movie growing up, here's the recap: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd & Harold Ramis start a ghost exterminator service - Ghostbusters. Their secretary, Annie Potts (who plays GiGi in GCB) shouts "We got one!" The Ghostbusters are off to The Sedgewick Hotel with their untested & unlicensed nuclear devices.

They capture the first ghost, being sure not to cross nuclear device streams. They're successful & we're treated to a montage of their success & fame. They can hire another Ghostbuster, Ernie Hudson!

Anyway so Sigourney Weaver, who looks beautiful, hires the Ghostbusters. She has an awesome apartment which is apparently the center for paranormal spirit including frying eggs on the counter & a nasty creature in the fridge! Apparently, a doctor way back years ago performed unnecessary surgeries and had seances on the roof.

Zuul, a demigod, possesses her and her dorky neighbor played by Rick Moranis! Zuul declares herself/himself to be The Gatekeeper. The Keymaster, which kind of reminds me of the Gmork from The Neverending Story, possesses Rick Moranis. While you don't see it, the whole dialogue has some pretty heavy sexual undertones, and let's just say the key goes into the lock to open the gates of hell. 

The EPA comes around and tries to shut down the Ghostbusters, you know because they're using unlicensed nuclear devices. They come in, incest the containment grid is deactivated, and all of the ghosts they captured in the montage are now released into New York City. The Ghostbusters are arrested, the Mayer frees them, because well there are ghosts on the loose.

Back to the apartment, The Keymaster & The Gatekeeper joined & Gozer arrived. Gozer kind of looks like a Banshee from Mass Effect 3 & David Bowie had a kid. Gozer asks if the Ghostbusters are Gods, Dan Aykroyd says "No." Oops. However, she says that the destructor will take whatever form they chose. Aykroyd is unable to close his mind off and thinks of the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man.

The Ghostbusters merge the energy streams, risk their own lives, and banished Gozer sealing the gate. Weaver & Moranis are freed from their possessed state. The Ghostbusters are met with thunderous applause & everyone lives happily ever after, until the sequel.

Science

-I love that you can't mix streams, but if they do in the end, it works to kill Gozer. I love in the beginning that they are using untested, unlicensed nuclear devices. When they're nuclearizing their first ghost, it kind of reminded me of a demonic Pokemon.

Chemistry

-The team doesn't work together a whole whole lot, but the individual characters are highly entertaining. You have Bill Murray who is incredibly jaded and eventually gets the girl. I definitely appreciate his sarcasm. As a psychologist, he's clearly not thrilled about picking up ghost juices.

-Dan Aykroyd is the loveable goof of the group. While the other two are trying to negotiate a price for the firehouse, he yells how awesome it is. Then there's the whole - if a demigod asks you if you are a god...you say Yes!

-Harold Ramos is the awkward member of the group. He's the brainiac of the group, and thus has hindered social ability. He collects "spores, molds, and fungus."

Fun

Ultimately, this movie is fun. It's lighthearted, has a montage, the "bad thing to hault the group" isn't earth shattering. The public never loses faith in the Ghostbusters, like in many superhero movies. The only real obsticale is the EPA. There are cameos from Larry King & Casey Kasem. There is a happy ending, and the theme song is beyond awesome. I mean seriously...that song is great. If you say "Who you gonna call?" Anyone remotely alive during the 80's and earlier can shout "Ghostbusters!" I'm not sure if kids today would get it, but they should.

Heathers

Released: 1988

Directed by: Michael Lehmann

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, & Shannen Doherty

So as a double header, we also watched Heathers. Oddly enough it fit into our "Revenge" theme. I'm still collecting my thoughts on this movie.

So if you haven't seen it: Veronica is part of the "in crowd" of mean girls, all named Heather. Christian Slater comes along and convinces Veronica to teach them a lesson of sorts, only he's a little more manipulative. A few people end up dying, Slater tries to blow up the school, Veronica watches as he ends up blowing up himself, and declares that there's a "new sheriff in town." 

Looking at the characters:

Winona Ryder - Veronica - She's clearly very bright & not challenged. She clearly understands it's better to be one of the popular kids hating life, than not a popular kid. It's also interesting that she tries so hard to not be one of the Heathers, even though she is, yet as soon as a boy comes along she gives in to him. I was surprised she wasn't more upset by the events that happened, but maybe that boils into that teenage angst. She's so pretty, and doesn't have the giant teased hair...it's a shame when I see her I think...hmm you're a shoplifter. 

Heather Chandler - Kim Walker - Kim Walker looks like someone else, but I can't figure out who it is. She's your typical queen bee and falls victim to peer pressure. Ironically the tool she uses to control the school. I wasn't terribly upset to see her go. But she fell into that mean girl, because she hates herself.

Heather Duke - Oh Shannen Doherty, I feel as though she's not a nice person in real life (see Charmed & 90210). She may be, and if she is, then I apologize. It's easy not to like her. However, she has aged well! Anyway, Shannen's character is your typical high school mean girl sidekick. Incredibly insecure and power hungry, and because of that she'll always be a lacky. Yes, I know she seized power, but Veronica easily took it back. She's in love with how other people perceive her, but clearly not herself (see bulimia...which is so 1987). For a movie that was pretty deep, I was hoping to have a little more depth with the whole eating disorder thing.

Heather McNamara  - Lisanne Falk - This Heather was just kind of there. She was always portrayed as the dumb one. She clearly has image/personal problems, and I like that Veronica was sympathetic to that after Heather tried to kill herself.

Jason Dean  - Christian Slater - He irked me from the start. He was such a weasel. I did not care for this character. I just wanted to smack him & say "straighten up & fly right." I get the rebellious good looking guys,  (see Riggins from Friday Night Lights), but he was a little bit too greasy for me. Plus the whole...I don't mind killing people thing was a bit unsettling. 

All in all the movie made some very appropriate commentary, that I feel still rings true today.

Mean Girls -  Girls are mean, because they don't like themselves. All of that anger allows them to control others. Plus it's easier to hate life as a mean girl than hate life being picked on by a mean girl. This was a much darker version of the Lohan movie, of which I did really enjoy. 

Absentee Parents  Adults- There were several instances of absentee parents. Veronica's parents were pretty much oblivious to everything (although her mom, Jennifer Rhodes, looked rough...btw: She played Grandma Halliwell to Shannon Doherty in Charmed). The creepy boyfriend your daughter is dating comes in to warn against suicide and you take his word? Heather Chandler's parents weren't even present & didn't think it was odd their daughter committed suicide after being visited by two friends - one of which looked really creep (Christian Slater).

The administration handled the entire situation poorly. On one hand when the football players died, I too would be a bit annoyed that the jerks were made into saints (see Season 2 of Dawson's Creek when Abby died). However, in the age we are today amidst the 2nd Civil Rights battles with homosexuality...I was glad the parents circled around and loved their kids anyway. 

Oh and Christian Slater's parents? His mom committing suicide (giving Slater's propensity to lie, this may have been a lie)! His dad seemed pretty absentee and oblivious to Slater.

Oddities: 

There were only a few bleachers in that gym. No one walking in noticed the dynamite strapped to every pole? Not even the pot head girl?

When Christian Slater is walking up the stairs at the end, I feel like the layout of the school was in congruent. You walked all the way to the top of the stairs to go to the 1st floor gym and sub floor Boiler Room?

I thought it was a really good movie. It characterized different groups in high school with depth, and showed the lengths people will go to "get even." I wish it had someone other than Christian Slater, because - surprise surprise - I didn't like him! 

The film is a great juxtaposition to the 80's teen movies where everyone gets a happy ending. The movie is dark, but it's not overly depressing. You find yourself in the weird position of saying, well...they had it coming? Then you realize...wait...they didn't just get pushed to the bottom of the food chain (well some of them did), some of them were murdered!

Speaking of the murder...did they not test for finger prints in 1988? I mean seriously!? The amount of evidence they left is astounding!

I can't imagine this film being released today. There's no way in the wake of Columbine/Virginia Tech, that the censors wouldn't have a field day with this movie. Drugs, Sex, Violence, Killing Classmates...I feel as though certain parents would not be okay with this movie (it is however rated R).

Revenge of the Nerds

Released: 1984

Directed by: Jeff Kanew

Starring: Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards & Timothy Busfeld

With there being a new Revenge on TV tonight (after about two freaking months....and last week's recap of the season didn't count and was actually more annoying), and the Braves playing at noon (beat the Mets btw)....we decided the perfect movie would be Revenge of the Nerds.Another iconic movie I missed growing up.

I both loved & hated Revenge of the Nerds. The Frats/Jocks were so amazingly one dimensional that it almost hurt my head. Yes, it's a comedy, but doesn't anyone ever stop and say..hey, maybe we're taking this a bit too far?

btw: James Cromwell is listed on the film as "Jimmy Cromwell" which is awesome. Oh and check out who was the director of photography - King Baggot II...I'm serious...that's his name. Poor guy, must have been picked on a lot as a kid....and his parents thought it was okay to repeat the name. Oh well...

So, Revenge is great, because after the 90's, I feel as though people stopped picking on the Nerds. Not because of this movie, of course, but because Bill Gates & Steve Jobs made nerds exceptionally successful!!! And we all know money conquers all. So let's start with a few of my thoughts:

A) It was very funny & I understand why it's a classic

B) When Lewis's dad drops him & Gilbert off in front of the social sciences building, I can't help but wonder....Why wouldn't you drop them off in front of the dorms!?

C) The President of the University truly shows that while you don't always want a consolidation of power, you need a strong leader. If not...well you'll just be bullied.

D) I'm still a little surprised that Betty didn't find out about the naked pictures on the bottom of the pie pans....not that she's terribly smart. That seems like a deal breaker....

E) John Goodman looks so young! It's shocking!

F) The soundtrack is pretty good!

For your standard comedy without a lot of depth, it was very entertaining!