Turns out all those misogynistic Internet trolls were really worrying for nothing. Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” hardly remakes the original comedy classic and instead invents new characters and themes to serve the same concept. The fan service may even be the film’s weakest aspect. And guess what nerds? The girls in this movie are pretty funny after all.
Rather than try and fail to recreate Dr. Peter Venkman and company with a younger cast or with women, gone are Venkman’s playboy charms, his slacker attitude and his sarcastic one-liners that only Bill Murray can do. Instead, Feig’s All-Female “Ghostbusters” finds ways for women to be funny in the way they do best. Feig plays to the strengths of Kirsten Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Wiig plays equal parts awkward, timid and crazy as she would on SNL. McCarthy has the aggressive boisterousness and physical comedy necessary for such a wacky story. Jones gives the film a much needed black presence and down to Earth, angry attitude. And McKinnon proves to be the true breakout, a real weirdo constantly wearing a fiendish smirk, raised eyebrows, hair gone awry and a sense of mystery in her voice. She honestly might be possessed by a ghost. Continue reading “Ghostbusters (2016)”
The thing about Bill Murray movies is, they often don’t work without him. “Groundhog Day” would be a horrible Adam Sandler comedy if anyone but him played the part, and the same is true of “Ghostbusters.” Aside from all the ugly misogyny that’s being thrown at the movie sight unseen, no wonder everyone is freaking out over a remake of “Ghostbusters.”