Year: 1981
Directed By: Ivan Reitman
Written By: Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, and Harold Ramis
RYAN’S REVIEW
When you got this core of Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis together in the 80s they were going to make some magic. The men behind Ghostbustershad a specific quality that transitioned onto the screen and you can see it in this movie. Originally written to be Cheech and Chong join the army this movie worked far better than it ever had any business doing so. These guys took a bombed idea and turned it into a comedy classic.
This is one of my favorite examples of how funny Bill Murray is. I think the thing for Bill Murray is that he has to be paired with a director who will just let him do his thing. Bill Murray is notoriously weird and can be hard for some to work with. Harold Ramis had a great ability to work with Bill Murray that lasted for a long time. Up until their last collaboration, Groundhog Day, they had a fruitful relationship. Don’t know what happened to dissolve that relationship but it’s really unfortunate.
I think this movie runs a bit too long. I think if they had stretched out boot camp a little bit more and not been deployed into their protection detail it would have been better. There are plenty of scenes in this movie that look like hold overs from the Cheech and Chong intended script. With a deep cast of funny people including John Candy and Judge Reinhold they managed to make it there own.
This is a movie that speaks for itself. It’s a classic comedy like Caddyshack and it simply doesn’t need my stamp of approval. For me it takes me back to middle school when I was first introduced to it. I thought it was a really funny movie then and I still enjoy watching it today. It’s easily worth your time but like most people you have long since discovered that on your own.
Year: 2001
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Written By: Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson
RYAN’S REVIEW
This one takes me back to a long time ago when life was so much simpler. A time when a good time was a an hour down the road at my brother’s apartment and life’s greatest concern was getting school work done on time. It was at my brother’s apartment where I first saw this film and I fell in love with it immediately. I was in college myself at the time and this movie just spoke to me at that time and place in life.
I think Wes Anderson is an awesome filmmaker with a very unique style that sets him apart. I am a bigger fan of the movie he followed this one up with, The Life Aquatic, but this was a great movie in and of itself. This movie tells an interesting story about a family that used to be a big deal but tragedy befell them all as time moved on. They are all estranged until they find themselves being drawn together for the first time in almost 20 years. Their conflicting and contrasting personalities make for a great black comedy.
The cast of this movie is quite remarkable. I don’t know the whole back story behind the connection between Wes Anderson and the Wilson brothers. I know they went to college together and have a friendship beyond their careers but there is certainly more to the story than that. He must be a quite likable director because many actors and actresses continue to work with him regularly. Some even go out of their way for him actually. I read that during the shooting of this movie some of the other actors like Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray would specifically work to shield Anderson from Gene Hackman who notoriously can be difficult to work with. I read that Murray would actually show up on set during his days off just for this purpose.
Whether he was hard to work with or not I have always been a big fan of Hackman and like him in this movie specifically. He is perfect as Royal Tenenbaum and I think it was a role that capped off a great career. It hurts my heart to consider that after more than a decade of not acting we have definitely seen the last of him. At 86 years old he is still with us though, and hopefully enjoying his retirement. The last time I heard anything about Hackman he had been in a road rage incident in which he beat up somebody giving him guff, and that was only a few years ago. The man, even in his 80’s, is too badass for the general public to cross. I could be wrong about the story I’m remembering but I like it the way I remember it.
Beyond Hackman the cast is nothing short of fantastic. It’s always fun to see Ben Stiller and the Wilson brothers together but I think specific props go to Gwyneth Paltrow who played such an interesting character in this one. I think the role that Bill Murray plays is his weakest of all the roles he has played in Wes Anderson films. Murray is great as always but his character is just underused and not his best. I think Danny Glover is fantastic as Herny Sherman. While still very active as an actor Glover just doesn’t get the roles he used to and that’s a shame.
I don’t feel like I’ve said enough about this movie but this movie is all Wes Anderson and I have written my thoughts on him before. For more insight into my thoughts on the director see some of our reviews of his other films. We have reviewed The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, and Moonrise Kingdom. We also have The Grand Budapest Hotel in the collection but it was a late addition we have yet to get around to reviewing.
So in the spirit of not being redundant I’m going to close out this review simply by letting you know that this movie is worth your time. If you are a fan of Wes Anderson then you should have already seen it but if you aren’t then you should check it out and see what you’ve been missing.
I am sure there is plenty of backstory to this movie that is interesting and note worthy. Unfortunately I have never taken the time to read about it. Anybody who does know more about the Anderson/Wilson relationship and how it transitions into the movie feel free to leave a comment and enlighten us.
Year: 2012
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Written By: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
RYAN’S REVIEW
How funny it is that so soon after we review Monster’s Ballwe should come to another love story so equally awkward and awesome. I think on paper the love story of a teenage girl and a khaki scout running away together to prematurely get married doesn’t sound so good but with the right guy at the helm it can become magic. I’ll admit that there are times during this movie that I feel a bit awkward because the stars are so young but it really takes nothing away from how cute and romantic their relationship is. Like all Wes Anderson movies this one is built on outstanding performances from a rich cast to go along with smart dialogue and unique direction.
I think Wes Anderson is one of the smartest filmmakers out there today. Like a solo Coen Brothers act that makes something with a style of his own that never fails to be different and interesting. I would never insult the man by trying to diagnose him myself. I wholeheartedly believe this man more than most to be smarter than myself and I have no business trying to put his work under a microscope. It’s incredible, its original, and it is a reminder to me that there are still fresh movies being made during this age of big budget special effects monsters. Wes Anderson is a director that knows how to develop characters during the time constraints of a film. He draws top tier actors to his films and puts them all in a position to play a really memorable role. I don’t know where he found his two stars for this film but I thought the love struck couple was played by some outstanding young actors. The supporting cast is as good as any I have ever seen yet these two kids manage to still really distinguish themselves. The star crossed lovers, Sam and Suzy, were played by Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. I don’t know what the future holds for them but they have the talent to grow into greats one day.
This was the first Wes Anderson film to feature Ed Norton and I hope we see more collaborations between the two. I am and have long since been a big fan of Ed Norton. I do not know what’s been up with him for the last decade or so. He really blew up in the late 90s and early 2000s playing parts that left quite an impression on me. Since then the only noteworthy thing he has done has been The Incredible Hulk and although I thought he was great as the mean green machine he burned bridges with the studio. That movie was to be part of the cannon of films being made around The Avengersfranchise but when Norton got into a dispute with the studio over a writing credit he was dropped like a bad habit. His character was replaced for the big show and as a result there is a good possibility we don’t see anymore solo Hulk films for quite a while. I think it’s a shame because I liked Norton as Bruce Banner and I would have liked to see more of his Hulk movies. In this film he is awesome as Scout Master Ward and I think he fits in nicely with the Wes Anderson crew.
Bruce Willis and Frances McDormand were also collaborating with Anderson for the first time in this film and like Norton I think they fit in perfectly. They are both in points of their careers where they can seemingly do no wrong when given the right opportunity. For all his talent I think Bruce Willis makes a lot of crap these days but I am specifically thinking of the recent Die Hard sequels. The man is too good of an actor to keep beating a dead horse in my opinion. McDormand on the other hand doesn’t make stupid movies, and I love her for it. Great actress that can never get enough credit.
The Wes Anderson regulars know what he wants now and their performances in his movies are always perfect. Bill Murray is a legend and I love everything that he does. He continues to be part of incredible films and I specifically love the way he has grown as an actor and entertainer over the long haul of his career. Jason Schwartzman always plays an interesting character and this film is no different. I have loved Schwartzman since his portrayal as “Cool Ethan” in one of my favorite comedies of all time, Slackers. That movie is largely forgotten and I rarely meet anybody who has even seen it but he is so damn funny in it. In this film I specifically like the slow motion scene when Sam and Suzy are leaving the chapel as “man and wife” having just been wed by Schwartzman.
I have loved each and every film that Wes Anderson has made and this one is obviously no different. I look forward to his most recent film, Grand Budapest Hotel, because I haven’t seen it yet. Despite not seeing it I have already bought it and expect it on my doorstep the day it is released to video. I have that much faith in Anderson that I will buy what he has made whether I have seen it or heard anything about it or not. That isn’t something I can say for too many directors but I have no doubts about this one. A truly remarkable filmmaker and in my opinion each and everything he does is worth your time. He is still a young director so I hope we have a lot more to look forward to from him in the future.
AMBER’S REVIEW
I just love this adorable movie. It’s an interesting little love story about two kids, who I feel in the end teach everyone a little something about love. It takes a special kind of actor to pull off any Wes Anderson film, and I think he always does a fantastic job of finding actors who can portray so much depth even though they are mostly melancholy the entire film. Another note worthy thing about a Wes Anderson film is the opening credits. They are the most artistic in the business. It doesn’t get much better from an artistic opinion.
This is how you fit everyone in the movie into the poster in an effective way. No cheesy glows and fading, floating faces. One big group shot. Any other movie and this might be cheesy as well, but not this movie. Because it’s too intentional. It works. The coloring matches the movie and the scenery matches the plot. The typography is a little hard to read since the value of the yellow is really close to the blue behind it, but it’s strange and out of place because of the fancy script; yet this too works simply because everything in his movies are strange and out of place. Yes, I will admit I am biased, but this poster works for me. I was already interested in seeing the movie because it’s Wes Anderson, but just in case…the poster also makes me want to watch.
Year: 2004
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Written By: Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach
RYAN’S REVIEW
Wes Anderson has only made a handful of movies to date and I love nearly all of them but this one is without doubt my favorite. His movies tend to be slower and have a very subtle type of comedy to them that just gets me every time. The film is dedicated to Jacques Cousteau and was made as both a tribute and caricature to his films. In this film we see Bill Murray in the lead role playing an apathetic and disheartened rival to “Cousteau and his cronies” that is on a mission for revenge of all things. Somewhere out there is the mysterious Jaguar Shark, that may or may not exist, who killed his right hand man. Things have fallen apart for him and he just flat out doesn’t care anymore. As he goes on this adventure seeking revenge he encounters financial difficulties, pirates, a small mutiny, and a tragic loss along the way.
I am a huge fan of Bill Murray and think his performance in this film is one of the best he has ever had. As Steve Zissou he plays a man who was once on top but has fallen from the limelight and is now laughable. He has lost his drive and now lives carelessly and without inhibition. I love his “scientific purpose” for killing this Bigfoot of the sea. Revenge, a ridiculous notion to take out on a sea creature that may or may not exist, but it jives perfectly with the personality of Steve Zissou. When Ned approaches him with the possibility of being his son he simply drifts away for a moment and smokes a joint on bow of the ship then returns to immediately pick right back up with the conversation. The way he treats Ned is hilarious too. When they sit down to have a drink together he treats this grown man as if he were a child, “no that’s mine, he doesn’t know anything about wine.” Paired with Zissou’s apathetic style is an arrogance that only a man who was once great can have. I love when he renames Ned Kingsley Zissou and just goes forward with it even after Ned’s reservations. Zissou may be kind of a dick but he is ballsy and that makes him a badass. The scenes when he breaks free to fight the pirates and leads his crew in the rescue of the bond company stooge are awesome. One of my favorite lines from the movie comes right after he fights off the pirates when he yells “you left your dog you idiots!” Yet Zissou later leaves the dog behind himself after rescuing the bond company stooge. All and all I love this guy; he’s like “The Dude” of the sea only not a pacifist and a lot crazier. He is an awesome character and I don’t think any other actor out there could have brought him to life in quite the same way as Bill Murray. Murray is truly a one of a kind artist and person. We must cherish every film he has left in him and with hope there are many more to come.
Wes Anderson uses so many of the same actors on a regular basis that he has practically developed his own troupe. Owen Wilson is one of his regulars and turns in a great performance as Ned, who may or may not be Steve Zissou’s son. I think his accent in the film is perfect, it has a draw and twang to it that really adds humor to the things he says. I’ve read that he modeled the accent after that of Will Patton. I can see how he tried but there is still a nasally sound to it that makes it sound altogether different from Patton. Willem Dafoe plays the part of Zissou’s most loyal crewman Klaus, who struggles with the relationship developing between Steve and Ned possibly because he is a closet homosexual. I think Klaus is awesome and I love the scene in which he confronts Ned and smacks him across the face. Willem Dafoe was everywhere for a while right at the turn of the century but I haven’t seen him in anything significant in quite a while. That’s disappointing because I think he is a great actor. He has a role in Anderson’s next movie and I look forward to it.
I am not a big fan of Anjelica Huston but Wes Anderson obviously is because he casts her in everything. I don’t know this but if I was a betting man I’d put money on the notion that she probably reminds him of his mother as that is the role he usually casts her in. She has a look that conveys intelligence and dignity and she brings that quality to every role she plays in his films. As Eleanor Zissou, Etheline Tenembaum, and as the estranged mother Patricia from Darjeeling Limited she is always a strong, wise, and independent woman. I’m not a big fan because personally I have always thought she looked kind of evil but her roles in Anderson’s film have really made me come around to liking her more.
I’ve also never been a fan of Jeff Goldblum, at least not as a leading man anyway. I do like him much more when he plays a secondary character like he does in this film as Zissou’s rival Alistair Hennessey. I think Goldblum has plenty of great scenes in this movie but my favorite is when he meets Zissou on the deck of his ship. When he casually asks the dogs name before walking over and smacking the shit out of him is so funny. I like the way asks its name before hitting it and the way he points at it as he stares it down afterwards. It conveys power from a man who has succeeded so much more than his rival has financially. Cate Blanchett is a fantastic actress and has a very interesting role in this movie. Blanchett hadn’t even met her co-stars when she walked onto set and filmed her first scene with them on the beach looking at the glowing Man-of-wars. She is that talented of an actress though, she’s a pro who can show up and drop a great performance just like that.
It was made out to be a big deal that Bud Cort was cast in the movie but I don’t buy it. Now I’m not saying he didn’t do a good job because I thought he was excellent as the bond company stooge. I love the scene after the rescue on the Belafonte when Hennessey asks how they got all his equipment and Cort replies “we fucking stole it,” hilarious. I simply won’t give Cort any additional credit because I specifically hated the film he is most famous for. I hear all the time about how it’s a classic and what not but I can’t see it. As far as I am concerned Harold and Maude is a bleak and demented movie. Its dark comedy on suicide never really appealed to me and I think the relationship between the two title characters is gross. You can say love holds no bars but screw that I’m telling you there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed when it comes to age difference as it pertains to sexual relations.
The ending to this film is so powerful. When everyone finally sees the Jaguar shark it proves that Zissou wasn’t crazy, and even he himself questioned that at times. Throughout the entire film he never seems certain that there is actually anything out there but finding it validates him as a person. He gets emotional for the only time in the film because he realizes he isn’t crazy and he still has the talents he thought he had lost. I think in that moment he finally allows himself to feel the loss of his best friend Esteban and of his possible son Ned. It is touching to see this stoic and apathetic character actually feel something. Following that scene is the Zissou sitting outside alone as the audience applauds his newest film. As he is joined by his crew he walks away triumphantly to whatever new adventure lay before him. It is an incredible ending to an awesome movie.
This is a movie I usually hesitate to recommend to people because I never know how other people will take Wes Anderson. I love his films and wholeheartedly look forward to every one he makes but most of the people I talk to don’t really like his films. Despite that I’m going to say this film is without doubt worth your time because it is one of my favorites. If you have seen it before please leave a comment to share your own thoughts, I am always interested to hear what other people have to say about a film I don’t know many who have watched.
AMBER’S REVIEW
This movie is absurdly ridiculous in all the right ways. Of course by now you should know, and understand that we really like Wes Anderson. He has an original style and look and I don’t think any other movie carries it as well as this one. It was such a strange, strange film yet so interesting you can’t look away. And furthermore, I will watch anything that has Bill Murray in it. (Side note about Bill Murray. Have we ever mentioned we live in North Carolina? Every year we go down to SC around Folly Beach and vacation and visit some friends. Guess who also vacations around the area? That’s right Bill Murray. And legend has it that he is extremely nice in real life.)
This is probably the best I have seen where the designer tried to fit the whole fucking cast in there. I still hate it. But at least there are no floating heads in the ocean surrounding the pod. I have to say I am really disappointed with this poster. I think that they had such an opportunity to do something really cool because of the design and style of Wes Anderson. Boo, I am not impressed with this poster at all. One of my least favorites simply because of the opportunities lost on it.
Year: 1996
Directed By: Peter and Bobby Farrelly
Written By: Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan
RYAN’S REVIEW
I’ve always felt there was a golden time for the comedies made by the Farrelly brothers and it was during the mid to late nineties around the time this one came out. They had so many ridiculous but hilarious movies during that stretch. This movie was their follow up to Dumb and Dumber and it preceded There’s Something About Mary. The three of these movies are all crude and a bit silly but I think they were the best that these two brothers have made. I have always been a fan of Me, Myself, and Ireneas well but the sun was setting then on the type of comedy these guys make. In truth this isn’t my favorite of their films but I always find myself laughing and I tend to like it more and more each time I watch it.
This movie really isn’t all that different from Dumb and Dumber when you look at it on the surface. It’s about two idiots driving across country to get to a bowling tournament. I think Woody Harrelson is awesome and he is one of my favorite actors but I don’t think he is really great in this movie. I think Harrelson is better than playing such a crude and pathetic character. I don’t find him funny so much in this one as I do desperate and desolate. However Randy Quaid plays the Amish guy trying to adapt to the real world and I do think he is pretty funny in this movie. I have never liked the ugly Quaid brother and have continuously found myself wondering how he managed to get so many roles over the years. Of course he isn’t getting any now because he is in some sort of strange trouble of late. I have paid little attention to whatever predicament he is in right now but everything I have heard has been weirder and weirder. He and his wife got themselves in some kind of legal trouble and are currently living in Canada with arrest waiting for them should they re-enter the United States. Also peppered in the story is paranoia coming from Quaid and his wife claiming they fear for their lives from some sort of actor killing conspiracy. It’s all rather weird and I don’t know what to make of it myself.
The funniest role in this movie has to go to one of the funniest men to ever grace the screen, Bill Murray. Murray is just so deftly funny when allowed to do as he pleases and that is what he was allowed to do in this movie. When filming the movie Murray would glance over the script to get a gist of what was going on and then simply winged it when the camera started rolling. Nearly all his lines in the movie were improvised and that is where a comedian like Murray is at his best. I love the crazy hair he has in the end of the movie, it only adds to the humor of his character. There is only one other role from this film that really matters and it’s that of Vanessa Angel. She never really quite made it as a successful actress but geez what a smoking hot woman. She is merely sex appeal in this movie and she does a great job of looking really sexy. When I was a young teenager I would often watch her on the television show Weird Science, and I really liked seeing her in this film.
If you are a big fan of bowling, and/or crude and pervasive sexual comedy then this is the movie for you. I think it’s really funny and I specifically think there are a few noteworthy performances that make it worth your time. If you’re Amish, I’d steer clear but otherwise take the R rating into consideration when thinking about this one. All in all though I would say that it is worth your time. Nothing significant here, just plain old dirty and perverted fun.
AMBER’S REVIEW
I absolutely do NOT care what anyone says about this movie, I love it. I think you can’t go wrong when a movie has both Woody and Bill. (Do I really need to say their last names?) This movie is funny. It makes no sense, really in the scheme of things, but even still it is a really funny movie. I have loved it for as long as I can remember.
I can’t take this seriously. I mean [in my best Amy Poehler voice] really? The chick is bending over and it’s not even proportional Ok I don’t even care. You guys, I love this movie and this poster is crazy ridiculously BAD, but I just don’t care. I love this stupid movie.
Year: 1993
Directed By: Harold Ramis
Written By: Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis
RYAN’S REVIEW
When I was about seventeen or eighteen, for reasons I cannot remember, I chose this to be my bedtime movie. It was the film I played every night in my room to put me out. Watching a different movie every night would only keep me up so I set into a routine of watching one film that would literally put me to sleep. For a long time this was the movie that did that for me. What’s funny is that the more that I watched it the more that I got out of it. Just as Bill Murray eventually learned to love life by repeating the same day over and over again I learned to love this movie that I didn’t think was that great by watching it over and over again.
In this movie Bill Murray plays a narcissistic douche bag reporter who thinks he is above everyone else. When suddenly, for reasons never explained, he is trapped in the same day over and over again. He finds himself in an unlikely purgatory where he starts out angry, then belligerent, and depressed before he realizes he needs to grow as a person. He does grow as a person though and I think that is what makes this movie important. It can teach us a lesson about life, if Bill Murray in this film can learn to be a better person so can we all.
I am a big fan of Bill Murray and especially love his collaborations with Harold Ramis. In this movie they do everything pretty simple yet still manage to be funny. I think Andie McDowell did a great job as the female lead, she has held up in that role many times and Ramis obviously likes her. We see a cameo from Ramis in this movie actually. He is the ENORMOUS doctor Murray sees in an effort to find out if anything is physically wrong with him in the film. I don’t know when Ramis let himself go but he should drop the weight for his health if nothing else, he would be too great a talent to lose too soon. We also see Bill Murray’s brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, in a small role. Murray has several siblings, 9 if I remember correctly, yet Brian Doyle is the one we see the most of. I am a big fan of his though and like most of the roles he has played, he has a very distinctive voice.
This is a good movie and I have always enjoyed it. I love the depth and the simplicity of it all. I think it is a movie that we can learn from too and that makes it important most of all. This is a good movie and it is more than worth your time, whether it is Groundhog’s Day or not.
Click on the Groundhog Day link if you are reading this from out of the country. This movie does center on an unusual U.S. holiday that I’m not in the mood or even qualified to explain.
AMBER’S REVIEW
Groundhog Day is a good movie that I like to watch once a year. Bill Murray is awesome.
Groundhog Day is a good movie that I like to watch once a year. Bill Murray is awesome.
Groundhog Day is a good movie that I like to watch once a year. Bill Murray is awesome.
Groundhog Day is a good movie that I like to watch once a year. Bill Murray is awesome.
Groundhog Day is a good movie that I like to watch once a year. Bill Murray is awesome.
Year:1984
Directed By: Ivan Reitman
Written By: Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd
RYAN’S REVIEW
This movie came out the year that I was born and for as long as I can remember this has been an important part of our culture. I grew up as a little kid watching the cartoon series based off this movie and I have loved the Ghostbusters movie since I was even old enough to get most of the jokes. I was in the age range when toys based off this movie were really popular. I can’t express how important that makes this franchise to me and many other boys that grew up at the same time. I spent my days playing Ghostbusters with my friends and my evenings playing with the action figures. I had my own Proton Pack and my own Trap; so did most of my friends and we had a blast with them. That time in my life makes this an extra special movie to me but this movie has never failed to remind me of its worth as I grew up. During each viewing I feel like I find new things to laugh at and I have seen it countless times during the last twenty-eight years. This is a classic movie and one of the most successful comedies of all time. It has an interesting story and a legacy that will live on forever.
About two years ago I found myself sitting up in the middle of the night with my one year old daughter who wouldn’t go to sleep. When I turned on the television I found this movie and happily sat back to enjoy it again. While I sat there bouncing her on my knee I opened up the laptop and started reading the back story of this film. It only made me appreciate it more the more I read because it is a fascinating story. This movie first got started back in the early days of SNL as an idea between Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. It was a much different idea then, and in the years it took to actually get made the story was rewritten many times. After John Belushi died the movie went through really extensive changes with the Ghostbusters in multiple different situations and different groups of the team. At one time Eddie Murphy was in mind for the role and at another Richard Pryor was said to be in talks. Eventually Bill Murray was brought in as the replacement for Belushi and Harold Ramis joined the group as a writer. In the beginning Ramis didn’t intend to be in the movie at all but eventually decided to play the part of Dr. Egon Spangler that he was having trouble casting. I am a huge fan of Harold Ramis and I am really glad he decided to join the cast, he brought a lot to the film. I have barely even scratched the surface of the whole story. I don’t remember everything I read that night, and I am in no mood to do the research again now. This movie went through so many changes during production and it took so long to actually get made that what happened once it came out was really amazing.
Despite its difficult journey in getting made Ghostbusters would go onto become the highest grossing comedy of all time raking in over $280,000,000. It would remain the highest grossing comedy until Home Alone came out in 1990. There were many elements that went into why this movie was so successful, aside from what is most obvious-that Ghostbusters are freakin awesome. There was the Ray Parker Jr. theme song that even today is loved by all and it has been loved for almost three decades, it’s a damn good song. It also had a cool music video that was produced with several notable actors making appearances in it. If I remember correctly Ghostbusters was really heavily marketed at a time when it wasn’t quite as common as it is today. There is also the fact that this movie is really funny and it had a great cast. With the script and talent on hand it was destined to be successful.
Bill Murray is a strange man, there are so many stories told about him by his co-stars about how crazy and unique he is. I think that is what has made him such an exceptional entertainer. He has grown so much over his career too. I am a really big fan of his and I think this is one of his best roles. He really took over this movie with his personality. Humor is literally bursting out of him in this one and it all seems so spontaneous at times. He is just a person that is naturally funny and I don’t think he has lost that quality whatsoever after all these years. He has terrific chemistry with Harold Ramis who I have always heard was the one guy out there that could really keep up Murray and understood how to work with him. That may not have been the case all throughout their careers but they had many great collaborations together back in the day and I liked many of them. This movie was Dan Aykroyd’s idea in the beginning and it has always been his baby. I think he tends to get overshadowed in the film though, not that he isn’t good just that Murray was much funnier and the other actors brought more to the film.
Aykroyd has been the driving force behind the continuation of this franchise even up until recent years. He had a third movie in mind for years until it was ultimately made into a video game that came out a few years ago. All of the original cast members voiced their roles for that game and it was a big deal for Ghostbusters fans and I bought the game. I found the story to be interesting but eventually found the game play to be sub par and I never actually finished it. To my great surprise stories started surfacing that a third movie was in fact in the works and the original team was all getting back together for it, even at their age. The story that Aykroyd has always been interested in doing involves the aging team training new recruits made up of really popular actors and passing on the torch. There seemed to be a lot of hope for this to actually happen but it doesn’t seem likely the more time that passes. The window to do it was definitely open for a while but unfortunately it may have closed for good unless a reboot is one day done, and I sincerely hope it never is.
The rest of the cast in this movie should not go unmentioned. I have always thought Sigourney Weaver was a bit too shrewd for this role but she is great and I like her in most everything that she does. William Atherton is really funny in the role of EPA representative Walter Peck. He and Murray have so many great back-and-forths. I don’t have much to say about Rick Moranis or Ernie Hudson but they are part of this franchise and what make this such a great film. Moranis has long since retired and I for no specific reason am under the impression that he was a nice guy Hollywood chewed up and spit out. Hudson has lasted a long time and done nothing distinguishing but always had a presence with his roles. Last but not least Annie Potts did make her mark on the character and turn her into a vital part of the “Ghostbusters Universe.” Ivan Reitman directed the film and he has a good reputation for making good comedies. I have enjoyed many of his films but this one is hands down the best.
Ghostbusters doesn’t need to be validated by me because it is legendary. It is universally loved and still relevant today and it has been almost 30 years. I enjoy this movie every time I sit down to watch it. This has been high up on my list of favorite comedies for a long time and I don’t see it losing that spot ever. This movie is worth your time and if you haven’t seen it you need to so you can understand what everybody has been talking about since before you were born.
AMBER’S REVIEW
If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! If there’s something weird, and it don’t look good, Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. If you’re seeing things, running through your head, Who can ya call? GHOSTBUSTERS! An invisible man, sleeping in your bed, Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! If ya all alone, pick up the phone, and call GHOSTBUSTERS! I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. I here it likes the girls. I ain’t afraid of no ghost. Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah. Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! If you’ve had a dose of a, freaky ghost baby, Ya better call GHOSTBUSTERS! Lemme tell ya something, Bustin’ makes me feel good! I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. I ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Don’t get caught alone no no, GHOSTBUSTERS! When it comes through your door, Unless you just want some more,I think you better call GHOSTBUSTERS! Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I think you better call GHOSTBUSTERS! Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I can’t hear you! Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! Louder! GHOSTBUSTERS! Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! Who can ya call? GHOSTBUSTERS!Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!
…..and I also want to throw out there that the logo for this movie is awesome and can still be seen on clothes and accessories. Notice the simplicity of the poster. It’s all typography and one graphic on black. I love it. It also fits right into the name Ghostbusters. How clever. This logo speaks for itself and when you see it, you automatically know what it is from.
Year: 2007
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Written By: Wes Anderson
RYAN’S REVIEW
Some movies can just speak to you in ways that you can’t really put into words. Sometimes a film can coincide with your life so well that you feel an instant bond with it. Wes Anderson films typically revolve around people with suppressed emotions and difficulty coping with dramatic circumstances. I was going through similar issues in 2007 and while my issues were completely different from those in the film it put me at ease nonetheless. Wes Anderson movies do that to me though, he has an interesting method when it comes to storytelling. This film is also set in India, which is another reason I really like it. There is a lot of emphasis in the film on India culture and I have always been very interested in India. It is a very rich and diverse culture that has been cultivated for thousands of years.
Wes Anderson is the kind of director that draws a lot of talent to any project, even when he travels to the other side of the world. This film has many of his regular stars. Bill Murray makes a small cameo in the beginning, this was his fourth collaboration with Anderson. Anjelica Huston in her third film with Anderson as the mother of the three brothers. As the brothers he has Owen Wilson, who has worked with Anderson on all of his films. Jason Schwartzman plays the youngest brother, he also frequently works with Anderson. I am a big Jason Schwartzman fan, he is a really talented and funny entertainer. Adrien Brody plays the middle brother and I am a big fan of his as well. I didn’t like Brody at first but he has continued to impress me with his range as an actor, he just keeps making good movies. What really makes Wes Anderson movies great is the fact that they get better each time you see them. He is a true filmmaker, being involved in all aspects of production. It’s the movies that are made by men like Anderson that tend to be my favorites. In many ways he is very similar to the Coen brothers that way.
This is a really good movie but it isn’t one I usually recommend to anyone. Wes Anderson makes such a unique film that I never feel confident trying to persuade someone to give one their time. My favorite Anderson film is far and away The Life Aquatic, but I love them all and this one is probably either second or a close third behind The Royal Tenenbaums. If you give this one a shot I hope enjoy it as much as I did. This isn’t really a good enough review for a movie I love so much, you will have to excuse me. I have recently cut caffeine out of my diet, it blows.
AMBER’S REVIEW
If you know anything about us, you should know this. We are HUGE Wes Anderson fans. I believe the first one I ever watched was The Royal Tenebaumsand I have been in love with his films ever since. This one is a more recent installment compared to the rest that we own. The whole concept of this movie is very strange and weird in true Anderson fashion. Most of his films revolve around weird and unusual family situations that are completely outside of the normal family unit. In this one, their father dies and their mother has joined a convent. The three borthers (Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody) go on a journey to bond and to try to find their mother that left to become a nun and didn’t attend their father’s funeral. The movie is filled with strangeness that cannot be explained and is completely worth watching.
One of the best things about Wes Anderson is that he loves working with the same people. He takes these actors that I feel he finds “worthy” and uses them in different films and in different scenarios. It always works out and they always perform so well and different every single time. He loves Schwartzman, Wilson (both of the Wilsons), Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, and has even made Ben Stiller into someone he usually is not. I love this film and this guy. All of his films are worth watching and this one is no exception. You have to see it, it’s not even a suggestion.
Year: 1980
Directed By: Harold Ramis
Written By: Brian Doyle-Murray, Harold Ramis, and Douglas Kenney
RYAN’S REVIEW
A great classic comedy. A good example of how well improvisation can work when you get a group of funny people together and they start having fun. This movie is a sports classic and an iconic comedy. After more than 30 years since coming out it’s hard for me to imagine anybody who hasn’t seen this movie. Like most great classics it is a timeless film that can be enjoyed by any generation.
I have always been a big fan of Harold Ramis, both on camera and behind it as well, he has had a hand in many great comedy classics. Ramis is a writer/director who occasionally ventures out into the movies, most notably Stripesand Ghostbusters, both classic films. He has great chemistry with Bill Murray, who I have always heard was somewhat difficult to work with. He is a very strange person with a wild sense of humor but that is what makes him funny. Bill Murray’s brother Brian Doyle-Murray wrote this film based on personal experience and actually played a part in the film as Lou the caddyshack manager. I have always been a fan of Doyle-Murray too. He has had a long and steady career of small roles, some men are great in those small roles and manage to pop up everywhere. Doyle-Murray was one of those guys for a long time. Chevy Chase was ultra cool and on the rise when this film came out. I have heard that he too is hard to work with yet doesn’t have the same caliber of talent as Murray so Chase’s career suffers for it. He is however part of the cast for my favorite comedy currently on television. Chase currently plays Pierce Hawthorne on NBC’s Community which is one of the best shows I have ever seen, it is the smartest comedy on television. Yet Chevy Chase has little to do with what makes Community a great show, he isn’t as funny in his winter years as he was here in Caddyshack. I have never been a Rodney Dangerfield fan but I do like him in this film. He does also play a part in my number 1 all time favorite film, which will remain a mystery until we get to it.
There are also other noteworthy people who should be mentioned such as Ted Knight and Michael O’Keefe. The roles of Dangerfield and Chase were actually originally going to simply be cameos but things changed as the movie was being made. There is a great documentary about the making of this film but it pretty much boiled down to anarchy. There was a lot of disorientation and disorganization on set but somehow they made a classic film out of it all. Like I said before, this is a timeless film that will live on forever, you don’t need me to vouch for it because everybody in their right mind has already seen it and is vouch for it themselves.
AMBER’S REVIEW
This movie is such a classic. I still don’t really like it all that much, but I appreciate it for what it is. I understand why people like it and hold it up so high. Every time that I watch it though, I am less impressed with it. I say watch it because it is a classic, to have it as a notch in your movie belt.
The Movie Snobs 