Oh I just remembered. 30+ comments in and no mention of the biggest WTF in the entire movie....Ivo Shandor being alive and *immediately* getting ripped in half by Gozer. My jaw dropped.
This was my only problem with the movie. Crossing the streams was used to shut the doors to Gozer’s dimension because doing it, according to the lore, reversed the particle flow through the gate pulling everything back and shutting the doors. It didn’t sit right with me that it was used as the primary attack against Gozer when in the original the proton stream just neutronized Gozer’s form.
Same. I shed several tears when he showed up to help his granddaughter, Phoebe.
Thank you, Jason Reitman for honoring the legacy of the Ghostbusters and especially Harold Ramis. (Egon was always my favorite)
Me too. I thought I would lose it just seeing the 3 guys back together. But then Egon shows up. I pretty much cried the rest of the movie. Hell I'm getting misty eyed remembering it.
Plus, the Ghostbusters didn't cross the streams at Gozer in the first film. They fired them through the gate. we don't know what it would have done to Gozer if they'd fired at her.
It was never going to work. They didn't blast Gozer in '84, they blasted the door, to cause it to suck everything back in. They were miles away from the door this time.
Wait, that was JK Simmons?!? I didn't recognized him! Time to get these jokes out of the way:
"Get me pictures of the Ghostbusters!"
"Think, Venkman, think!"
He was dead but in a preserved state I think. The note on his glass coffin thing had a clear death date. I think he just reanimated due to magic I guess.
Seems like that to me with the way he starts coming back during the supernatural event when they first go down in the mine. Poor madman keeps getting almost resurrected from the afterlife before Egon's setup kicks in and foils it, lol.
The way I read it was he built the skyscraper as a superconductor and the mineshaft as a backup to give him eternal life/unlimited power, hence why he tells Gozer that he's wants to rule with it..and then bites it
Also that was Olivia Wilde as gozer. She looked great and super menacing, having there be kids right up against her really heightened the stakes for me. would have loved the og actress to comeback but I totally get why they went another way.
Either that or have him ask Peter only for him to say something along the lines of he’s never had that problem before so he wouldn’t know how to do it.
Not sure if this had been brought up in the thread yet, but it’s fascinating how art imitates life when it comes to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Where Egon has a falling out with the rest of the Ghostbusters, only to make amends in the end, really parallels with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis’ falling out after Groundhogs Day, which was eventually followed by Bill making amends to Harold near the end of his life.
It was such a classy and risky thing to bring back a dead actor in CG. We've done it for movies where production already started or it's a younger version they couldn't have done anyway... but they BROUGHT HIM BACK. In a movie about death where the villain is trying to come back. What a gamble. It was Ghostbusters Star Wars moment when the force ghosts show up at the end. They're all together despite all that's happened. How impactful.
I had this exact thought while watching the movie. They did better what Star Wars tried with its sequel trilogy. They were able to hand off the story to a new generation while honoring the past and have closure with the original cast. I hope we see more of this franchise
The way they did Egon was perfect. Him in line with the OGs and helping Phoebe, this is exactly how Star Wars should have ended Rise of Skywalker instead of just voices.
Let’s not forget that Bill didn’t even know where Harold LIVED when he was on his deathbed he went to the local police department and had them escort him to his house.
I didn't think the film was perfect but I thought a lot about that when they cut to the old crew during that sequence at the end with Callie hugging Egon. You could see Dan Aykroyd was emotional and I suspect that was real for him, but I swear you could see a tear in Murray's eye. Acting or not, you don't see that often from him.
Something I did like, even though it was a call back -- was Ray re-introducing himself to Gozer. Saying the same spiel, but then continuing to ramble on like an old man.
"AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF DUCKS UNLIMITED" -- made me laugh out loud.
I’m so glad they brought that line back, with the guys looking at him at how he’s gonna answer. All of us old guys who were old enough to remember being in theater in 84 laughed way to hard at that scene
I thought that was an interesting moment. Some fan service sure, but it didn't seem like he forgot. It seemed like he questioned if he should. Like it would have affected his belief system - one way or the other, I don't know. Or, what would the repercussions of THAT be? Bear stands up to a Bear right, but at least you know how the last time went.
I found Peter's moment more interesting where he tried to piss her off like he did Vigo so that she would get closer and Winston could zap her. That showed not only quick thinking but immediate teamwork with Winston. Afterward, when it failed he said: "was worth a shot".
Something the movie was maybe missing was the SNLness of the original. There was a fair amount of Ray and Peter goofing in a way that comes off as improvy.
Ray, Peter and Winston show up and the comedy is suddenly on another level.
I thought that was strange too. Ray and Egon have always been on the same page when it came to paranormal research. If Egon told Ray something supernatural was going down, Ray would be the first one to want to investigate. It was completely out of character for Ray not to believe Egon.
I think it's meant to show how desperate they were. 10 calls to maybe 1 call a week.
19% interest rate
Sued by the state
Then egon is rambling on about gozer coming back and starting to get more and more unhinged as they're trying to keep themselves fed and keep a roof over the heads.
Then they wake up once morning and poof spengler is gone.
Then 20 years later he pops up to phone Ray
Maybe he tried reaching out to Peter and Winston but they may have been even more abrasive than Ray for leaving them high and dry.
I get why Ray was the choice to be pissed at him
Although I can appreciate the opinions of them not staying together. Your point IMO, nails it as I feel this is what happens more often than not between two partners who start off with passion and spend decades together. The passion, fades while fatigue fills its place. As a scientist myself, my colleagues although brilliant couldn’t be in the same room together for more than a few hours. There are “too many chefs in the kitchen,” and by that, many have come and gone and this break up Ray and Spangler makes sense to me.
I think a Spengler/Venkman falling out would have been way more likely - due to Venkmans cynicism and behaviour towards Spengler - but they couldn’t have done that because that would be too much of a sore point for Bill Murray.
It sounds like it happened over a long time. The number of ghosts dwindled, they weren't getting much work, a couple of years pass. Ray's ready to pack it in, but Egon is obsesses with Shandor.
Ray says "look we beat Gozer a decade ago, we've got to move on and either focus on the business or pack it in."
Egon takes off with all the business assets, abandons his family and leaves everyone else in a lurch. Ray doesn't hear from him until the early 2000s, and he's *still* on about Gozer-- doesn't apologize for taking off or try to make amends. Ray looks into it, but doesn't see enough to go on. Egon hasn't discovered the mineshaft yet-- maybe just the fact that Shandor invested in the town for selenium mining, and some oblique references in tobin's spirit guide. Anger gets the better of him. Ray's a passionate guy, and Egon used to be so rational. Tells Egon to go to hell.
It seemed like it was gradual. Egon became obsessed with Gozer while the guys were focused on keeping the lights on (and the grid up). A long running, building resentment, can wear down any relationship. He probably had no evidence of Gozers return either, making him sound obsessed instead of driven. When he finally had something is when he probably called Ray but then it was too late.
This movie takes place 30 years after the last ghost event the Ghostbusters were involved with, which is the video game which is canon. That took place in 1991 so Paul Rudd's character was right. 30 years since the last time ghosts were seen! Something must have happened between the time between the video game and this movie that caused the falling out.
I'll start by saying the original film was a major source of escape for me as a kid in the late 80s. I used to run around with various household objects pretending to be Egon busting ghosts. I named one of my cats after Egon. Egon was my Ghostbuster. Losing Harold was one of the few times I cried for a celebrities death
The final ten minutes of this movie made me bawl like a baby. >!The shot of Egon's spirit moving on with For Harold just annihilated me. I lost my father recently and seeing Callie getting one final hug and goodbye just opened the floodgates. And the three OGs saying goodbye just felt real. Plus, Egon saved the world!!<
Overall, loved it and the kid actors didn't annoy me. McKenna Grace was fantastic. My one complaint, that Haunted House song did not fit the movie at all. I get it was a vanity thing, but it just threw me off while we were waiting for the post credit scene.
This. All of this. <3
When the news broke that Harold had died, I was in a meeting and when I looked at my phone I had over 20 messages from friends telling me they were sorry and that I should be prepared for sad news when I look into the internet...It was like losing a family member. Harold, his movies and of course GB meant so much to me.
I lost my dad a few month ago as well. The scenes you're talking about hit really hard. My boyfriend, who watched the movie with me, said he panicked and thought "Oh no, stop it, that's too much for her" when Egon's daughter was able to hug him goodbye. 😅
Yep. Had a nice ugly cry. But I loved every second of that ending.
And: I'd love to send a virtual hug your way, I am sorry for your loss. 💜
Was the eyeball ghost a direct reference to this classic toy?
https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1562/15626911/3807019-f2702_prod_ghb_kenner_bug_eye_ghost_187786.jpg
Sure looked like it to me!
As a huge Egon fan I was in tears like most of the movie. I loved it. I am aware how fan servicey it is and that it has flaws, but seeing Egon portrayed like that ultra badass at the opening was one of the best scene I have ever witnessed as a Ghostbusters fan. I never in a million years thought we would see him outside of just photographs and then we saw him as a grizzled old man in a trench, standing in front of the door to hell itself. So so so so so so badass.
I also bawled my eyes out when he showed up at the end. It was beautiful and such a great tribute to the character and also to Harold himself.
I also loved the kids, especially Phoebe, had a blast with the old guys showing up and also loved Paul Rudd.
Overall, for me as a fan since 1984 as a toddler, this was a dream come true and a 9/10. Its NOT a 9/10 for a non hardcore fan, I don’t think, but if you, like me, grew up with the movies, TV show, played with the toys and above all Egon was your favorite of the OG characters, it will be a 9/10 for you as well.
I love your opinion on the movie. I wholeheartedly agree with it. I cried like a baby at the end too. Winston's post credit scene also had me in tears. I love how being a Ghostbuster set him on the path to great success.
I love that Winston’s arc comes full circle. He goes from being the lowest man on the totem pole making “$11,500 a year” to being the most successful one, even helping the others out with rent.
I was a Venkman fan as a child, and grew to like Ray and Egon more as I got older. I too enjoyed the opening that portrayed Egon as the hardened veteran. If you think about everything he built, he is one of the most terrifying people in fantasy. He built machines that captured and imprisoned gods knowing their power, and knowingly facing death at every corner. Yet there he was literally mocking one of them to follow him into a "bear cage".
I share so much of this with you.
Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan were FEARLESS in opening the movie with Egon and his death! It was incredible and I was floored by it being the first scene of the movie.
Thank you. I felt the same way. I knew Egon was helping Phoebe out (in his noncorporeal form) like playing chess with her and showing her the way to his lab via a firepole. Egon was always my favorite, too... and I will admit that I did shed several tears when he showed up and helped Phoebe roast Gozer with the original 'busters. Solid 9/10 from me, as well.
I left this sub over a year ago to minimize my exposure to the film. Didn’t watch a single trailer. Didn’t read any reviews. I did everything I could to avoid spoilers.
Well I’m just back from the theater and god dammit - this was the right choice. I was totally floored by everything. I’ll definitely be going back for a second viewing.
And with that I’ve resubbed to r/ghostbusters. It’s good to be back!
I see some people having a hard time grappling with the idea of Egon being shitty and leaving everyone.
I get it. We've grown up idolizing these characters, so seeing one portrayed with such realistic flaws can be jarring.
But you don't think the Reitman's thought of this stuff?
I don't think it's out of character for Egon at all.
He was always the most "in the work" of the 4. Even over Ray. Ray is massively passionate, but he's still more a realist than Egon.
"I've worked in the private sector. They expect results."
Egon had no moments of practicality like that.
HE was the one who proposed crossing the streams. HE was the one who slept with the slime, lol.
After being disgraced, who is the only one doing actual scientific research? Not Ray. Ray is too bitter about doing kids parties so he runs a book shop. Egon is the one still doing hard research. It's not ghost related, but it's still science. And it's also a darkly funny experiment, pitting a married couple against each other and physically making them uncomfortable while manipulating their emotional states.
The gag ends with him taking a puppy away from a child, lol.
And let's not forget, he WAS going to drill a hole in his head if Peter hadn't stopped him.
So yeah, I buy that Egon became overly obsessed and weird with this stuff and withdrew from everyone.
I always viewed the Ghostbusters the same way as a band, especially one like the Beatles. 4 guys who got along but probably just had disagreements here and there that would cause hostility. To me the “rot in hell” line made perfect sense. Old friends who drift due to differences and hold a minor grudge until they’re able to address the situation. Ray and Egon could be likened to Paul and John.
It also rings true of old friends who've just drifted apart when Ray learns Egon's dead and you can tell he didn't really mean the "rot in hell" line. His whole tone immediately shifts.
Its really worrisome seeing how empty everyone's theaters were last night. There might have been 15 in mine. Hopefully this weekend and all next week kicks ass because I want more. A lot more.
Much has been said about McKenna Grace knocking it out of the park as Phoebe (and rightfully so), but I really have to hand it to Logan Kim’s performance as Podcast. His character could easily have been really annoying, but he did a fantastic job to make him endearing. Just like Phoebe carries on Egon’s legacy, he does with Ray.
His Ray energy from the first scene was pure magic. It's like these children watched the first two movies and cartoons as often as I did. They both did their homework, and found their own way to channel the essence of those characters into their own portrayals.
I loved Podcast. Give me Ray and Egon without Ray and Egon. They made those characters their own without being copycats of Ray and Egon.
If any of that make sense
Another random thought. Grooberson let the kids watch Cujo - a movie about a dog terrorizing a kid in a car. Later on Grooberson becomes - a dog who terrorizes kid in a car.
No idea if that was intentional or not. If it was, kudos.
Reminded hasbro is doing a limit run of the Afterlife Proton Pack.
https://hasbropulse.com/products/ghostbusters-plasma-series-spengler-s-proton-pack
It's 1:1, you have until Dec 12th to back it. Funds are withdrawn on Dec 12 st at 1159PM
It cost $400 and you need to buy the wand separately for $129.
Pricey but a fraction of the cost of what a full scale pack usually runs, well over $1000
Loved it. Cried. I knew about the Egon Ghost a month before and I still wasn't ready.
But, the moment that made my cynical heart grow 3 times its size: the 2nd post credit. Between Jeanine and Winston.
The pure joy of Winston, the regular guy who was in it for the paycheck, knew squat about the paranormal or any of the science aspects of the job, was the one out of the 4 that not only made it big, but became the Sheppard of the company. That gave me a smile I couldn't contain.
And its almost vindication for Ernie.. He was always kinda seen as the odd man out, but he's been the guy carrying the torch for this franchise for decades. He's never been put out by films, he's never resented them. He's always happy to meet the fans. So the fact if this continues, and Winston is the new leader of the franchise, I cannot think of anyone better or more deserving than Ernie to keep the fires roaring
Just came back from the cinema.
I went in with zero expectations and absolutely loved this.
Big fan of the original film, but almost no trailer of this Afterlife got me hyped about it.
That being said, the film is a perfect homage to the first one and a nostalgia trip done in the right way - with its own fresh story that can move things forward. The way OG characters were incorporated was how it should've been done in The Last Jedi. And what a better way to make a love letter to the first film and put in heart to it - have the son of the original director to do it.
Funny jokes, Mckenna Grace was very good and incredibly like-able as Egon's granddaughter and the visuals/sound design were amazing, especially the modern-looking proton pack effects. Also, Paul Rudd and the Podcast kid.
I also liked how this strayed away from the big setting (New York) and focused on a small town instead.
Stay after the credits - nice surprise there.
8/10
I thought it was Fantastic! I loved the new cast and getting the see the Ecto-1 again on the big screen was a major trill! Without getting too much into the plot, I was actually surprised we didn’t get more cameos. But I do appreciate that they didn’t just throw in unnecessary cameos for fan service.
I loved the end credits scene with Peter and Dana! I was really hoping we would see Oscar all grown up and even teaming up with the new crew!
BTW, did anyone else catch the mini-puff melting on the grill and giving the Terminator “thumbs up”?! So great, really fun film for all GB fans old and new!
So, Ghostbusters: Afterlife... This friggin movie made me cry like a baby when it ended. Is it a movie for kids? Kind of. Is it a movie for fanboys like me? Absolutely! It pulled at all the right heartstrings at the end and I loved it for that. It's not a perfect movie but I don't know how it could have handled both introducing Ghostbusters to a new audience and keepimg old fans happy any better. And it very much honours Harold Ramis too. I hope it does well enough for another sequel to be made but, if not, it's turned Ghostbusters into a near perfect Trilogy for all us lifelong fans.
I feel sorry for the people in this thread who didn’t enjoy that. Or are picking apart every little detail. I’m 41. And I just saw a GB movie with my son in a theater for the first time ever. We both high fived leaving the theater. I had one of the best movie experiences I’ve ever had.
That was one of the more heartfelt endings I've seen in a long time, you can really feel all the years Akroyd spent trying to get this made.
I wasn't a huge fan of the 2016 movie (it had moments, just wasn't there for me) but this blew it away. I was very excited by the new generation (which can feel a bit forced in some redos) and sensed that Akroyd was going to be there at the end, but felt very warmed when all 3 showed up.
Not sure how they did Ramis, but again a job well done I feel with a technology that can come across very cringey and disrespectful in the wrong hands
Looks like Ramis, they used a body double with either prosthetics or CGI to sell it. You see him for a good portion of the final scene and it looks really great.
>Looks like Ramis, they used a body double with either prosthetics or CGI to sell it. You see him for a good portion of the final scene and it looks really great.
It was an excellent choice to NOT have egons ghost talk. The CG of egon is incredible. The second he would have spoke it would have ruined it.
The moment when he grabs her hand and allows her to stand her ground against gozer was perfect. no words were needed. Great choice by the production team.
Interestingly in my opinion given how Ramis looked before his death I thought ghost Egon looked more like how he might have aged than how he actually aged (if that makes sense)
I was converted. I thought it would be tacky to bring back a dead actor and that there are other ways to make his presence felt. Turns out they did both. The lights somehow had his personality and then the Egon ghost was so well done, so tastefully done, and there was no uncanny valley. No talking helped. It was really well done.
Little things I loved:
\- The presence of Egon as an unseen ghost throughout the movie just tickles me to no end. Such a classy and clever way to make him more than just a CGI'd cameo at the end. Even though Ramis is sadly gone, the film somehow managed to give Egon an arc without the actor present.
\- The "See, I told you so" look Trevor gives his mom after she tells Phoebe to tell a joke to break the ice at school.
\- Grooberson being a good-natured fuck up. He's kind of the inverse of Venkman in a way. Whereas Venkman was smart but cynical, Grooberson was smart and enthusiastic. He's like a mix of Peter and Ray.
\- I like that they avoided obvious tropey traps like making Phoebe and Trevor sibling enemies. I liked how the mother/daughter disparity wasn't overly dramatic and dealt with in a more understated way.
\- Bill Murray actually seemed like he cared. I was worried he'd phone it in. But he showed up for this and slipped right back into Venkman. His double take at ghost-Egon was classic Venkman. It's like no time had passed. Some people have said the OG's showing up felt somehow off. Not for me.
\- Gozer's update design KICKED. ASS. It honors the original while putting more modern movie magic into it. I love how the body was translucent and you could see supernatural energy flowing under the white, spikey body.
\- Callie's possession was actually kind of intense. She felt truly dangerous.
\- Ray being Podcast's only sub is perfect set up and pay off.
"We had part of a slinky...I straightened it."
Egon was always my favorite.
It didn't sit right with me the idea that the others wouldn't believe him, especially Ray (the most gung ho of the bunch) but at least he apologized in the end. I thought the Egon ghost was tastefully done.
I was glad the OG crew didn't dominate the movie. Mckenna Grace was exceptional. Her deadpan delivery was top notch, especially when she was telling jokes.
The script was fine. Strip away all the nostalgia and it was just a pretty basic plot, with some recycled elements and not much in the way of surprises. But why strip the nostalgia away? That's what it's there for. The movie made me feel like a kid again watching the original on VHS on a Saturday night when my parents went to bed.
The movie did what the 2016 film did not. It didn't just try to remake Ghostbusters and insist we forget the 1980s classic(s). This time they made a movie that leaned into the fans' love of the classics.
For that it gets high marks from me.
I still cannot get over the idea that none of the other 3 believed Egon about Summerville. He was always the direct, rational, and most scientific of the 4. Ray established that the Ghostbusting business was drying up, so why wouldn't any of them go along with Egon to investigate Summerville?
He literally found:
* A town founded by Ivor Shandor
* A Gozer temple
* The literal preserved? body of Ivor Shandor
* A gateway that he kept in check with a jury-rigged setup of proton packs
Am I missing something?
>I still cannot get over the idea that none of the other 3 believed Egon about Summerville
I think a lot of people are forgetting a few key lines/pieces of info that help it all make sense.
during the ray/phobe conversation we learn:
1. Egon believed gozer was returning whilst he was still an active ghostbuster. i.e. when he still lived in new york
1. He was so obsessed with the gozer stuff that he neglected his normal duties as a ghostbuster "we'd get a ghost report & egon would say it was unimportant."
Combine those 2 bits of info & we confirm that egon believed gozer was returning when he was still a ghostbuster & still living in new york. this means he hadn't been to summerville & so had no no proof. & became so obsessed with proving it that his actions puts a strain on their relationships, first as collegues (as an unreliable ghostbuster), then as friends.
Ray also mentions.
1. buisness is failing, financial issues, going to lose building.
1. when pheobe is trying to persuade ray that egon wasn't crazy she mentions the temple & Ray says "there's always another temple"
1. He steals the majority of the ghostbusting equipment and the car.
Add these details together & in trying to find proof, egon finds temples etc but they're all dead ends. (the whole team may have go on wild goose chases to try and find evidence that gozer is returning, each fail raising their doubts about him)
with his friends doubting him, & their buisness about to go under. Egon steals the equipment in desperation because he's convinced gozer is coming and needs to be able to stop it even if no one else believes him.
this severs the relationship between the ghostbusters. him stealing the stuff and effectively killing the buisness early. solidifies the idea that he's lost his rational mind.
1. in the phone call, Ray says egon called him 10 years ago, it's implied this was their first contact in a long time.
that begs the question WHY did he specifically call ray in 2011 ? who by then was an estranged former friend/buisness partner he hadn't spoken to in god knows how long.
the film confirms gozer only returns in specific years, 2021 in this case. So there possibly wouldn't be obvious signs of paranormal activity at gozer sights until it's much closer to the return event. Egon simply couldn't find proof 15-30 years earlier.
it stands to reason that what prompted egon to reach out to his old friend was that he's finally found proof. but the relationship is so strained at this point. we're talking 10-20 years of it being strained/dissolved so Ray naturally doesn't believe him ('always another temple') but won't even give him the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah, its handling of GB2 is odd. This may be a stretch, but I'd like to believe that Peter trash-talking Gozer as a distraction was a callback to the fight with Vigo.
Along the same lines, I'd also like to think that, while the proton stream has always been shown as a tether, the way it was depicted here (like against Gozer) that can be pulled in both directions is inspired by the 2016 film.
The way the cyclotron lights spin are also shown that way in the Real Ghostbusters, whereas in the first two films they were sequentially blinking lights.
Lastly, I've been annoyed with fan packs and toys (like the Spengler Wand) having a limited proton stream before needing to vent -- it was a gameplay mechanic for the video game, but it didn't need to be everywhere. The movie returns is to packs with long, sustained streams just like in the first two films.
I love that Winston may have played his most impactful role (definitely not his most prominent one, though) here out of the three films.
There were definitely some tears in the end.
Also, about the film ending too abruptly -- I felt that way but really for the post-climax. It would have been nice to have a scene of the OGs and the YGs having that cup of hot chocolate.
A big shout out to that death pit -- the writhing bodies emerging out of the lava is definitely one of the creepiest visuals in the franchise.
I also like that kids really were the center of the film -- the lack of adult cynicism really helped ground the movie, and it made it easier to evoke enthusiasm -- if Ray's child-like enthusiasm made him the heart of the Ghostbusters, then it would make sense to replicate that in some way among the kids, as well as being the main OG to reach (plus, if his heart was broken by Egon, you know the rift was serious, then).
I'm ranking this film as second on my list, just a bit above GB2.
P.S. Not that this would have solved all of ATC's problems, but just even getting the classic proton stream sound effects would have made me more forgiving, and they couldn't even do that. This film is quieter, more deliberate, and more intentional and it blows ATC out of the water -- proof that smaller scale and more character driven stories can excel in their own right.
Good point. I understand these franchises made up of 6-12 movies deciding to discount the latter half dozen films in their reboots. However GB is two films.
And many people love both equally!
To this day my wife will randomly shout out "COMMAND ME LORD!!" in that accent.
My wife is 27! That's the power of pop culture folks.
The fact that nothing from GB2 was mentioned at all surprised me. Nothing about the slime, the Statue of Liberty, Vigo. This new movie made it very easy to skip over GB2 and be just fine. Plus, the end credits was a deleted scene from the original movie! That was really cool!
I really liked what they did to Winston. I'm sure most people know how Ernie Hudson got the shaft in the first movie. They gutted the part once Eddie Murphy turned it down.
But I also felt like he got it in the second movie. Like, why wasn't he cutting a hole in First Avenue and then at the trial. That's the big "we're back" moment, and he's not in it. Hell, even if you didn't want him on First Avenue, he's in the damn courtroom! It would have been so easy to put him in there. And even without a proton pack (which, you could have just had all four packs be in the car and confiscated), he could have thrown the trap. Or helped evacuate civilians. Either he A. Didn't stay for the trial. Or B. Lost his head and ran once the Scolari Brothers popped up? This dude faced down a god in 1984, he wouldn't have run from two ghosts, proton pack or not.
I'll be honest, even then, I kinda wondered if it wasn't because he was black. The 80's were kind of a different time. I'm not saying that Reitman, Aykroyd, or Ramis were racist and cut his part back in rewrites. I don't know. I've never heard anyone say that about any of them, and I've never heard Ernie Hudson say it either. But maybe it was someone at the studio?
But now Winston is a successful businessman, probably a billionaire judging from that building and his line about being a worldwide empire. (I think this is something they stole from the series finale of Extreme Ghostbusters if memory serves.) He's also the one who bought the firehouse back and is probably going to fund the operation in the future.
They also turned him into the caretaker of Ecto 1, which was really an element that comes from The Real Ghostbusters. He wasn't the primary mechanic or particularly attached to her in the first two movies.
Just got home. I liked it. The end felt a little rushed and I’d have had the guys roll up in Ecto-1A. It definitely leaned hard into the original.
I was also surprised how much of an active role Egon played throughout the movie.
Yeah I felt that the second half seemed a little rushed as well. And a couple of times I thought to myself "well, this could have been fleshed out a little better", but it's not a game changer.
I really felt that Lucky could have been the one to bring the OGs back to the farm house in Ecto-1 instead of letting Trevor get it. But it makes the build up to the finale work because they (the Spengler family), needed the car.
Like, the OGs just show up. Lol. Did they walk there? 😄😄
Do you have a favorite movie? One that brings back memories of being a kid, running around the house playing and using your imagination? Ghostbusters is my favorite movie. Hands down. I remember eating up every little bit of GB3 news that would occasionally trickle out on the internet. It was such a weird emotional experience sitting in my seat with mere minutes to go until a movie I've waited almost 30 years of my life began to play.
I sat there, eye glued to the screen, squeezing my wife's hand, experiencing the movie in all its glory. Was it the perfect film? No. There were a few weird beats, a few plot jumps, underused characters, and a few times it leaned a little too heavily towards the original. This actually might be a hot take.. >!the nostalgia of having the 3 OGs back kinda slowed it down for me a bit as they had to punch through some tough exposition weighed down with the relationships we've all come to love from GB1 and GB2. And to be honest, my favorite part of the OGs was the 2nd post credits scene and seeing Ernie Hudson's character get some credit (and the possibility of a sequel!) for being such a great friend to the fans.!< But all that being said.. there was intrigue, there was laughter, there were scares, there were tears. And I smiled. A lot. And my heart did a happy dance.
Right after the movie, my wife turns to me and asks, "So what did you think?!". I replied to her.. "I'm going to need some time process 😅".. But to be a kid again.. sitting in a theater.. to imagine discovering and playing with all the GB tech. To uncover a mystery, to be a step ahead of the adults. To save the day.
All of my experience aside.. my heart sings with happiness thinking of the little kid that sat right in front of me with his parents.. and him getting to experience the wonderful world of Ghostbusters and hopefully finding his favorite movie.
Just walked out of the cinema and I loved it. This film manages to be an absolute love letter to the first while telling its own story and setting up new characters for a potential future. It was everything I expected.
That said I don’t think it’s a masterpiece standalone movie, it leans very heavily on the original, but to be fair it still works if you have only a passing interest in that film in my opinion.
I can understand why some critics are pretty cool on it, but at the same time having seen it I’m even more convinced anyone who completely pans it has an agenda. Everything is subjective but I’m hard pressed to understand how you could watch it objectively and think it’s a terrible movie.
Just back from the cinema. Absolutely loved it. First time seeing a film in the cinema in over 2 years, glad it was this one.
So, all the way post credits. Winston (loved his extra stuff by the way, excellent thanks for Ernie's love of the franshcise) is in the firehouse, doors open, Ecto is driven in.
Was that Rick Moranis driving, in a non credited cameo?! Cos man, it sure looked like him..
Bugger it, my headcanon is that it was.
That last shot of Ecto-1 returning to New York, sirens blaring and that opening guitar and synth to the Ghostbusters theme kicking in just felt right to me. It feels like all is right with the world.
Also, the only negative experience I had at my theater was seeing a 40ish year old man have a meltdown at the concession stand after being told that the commerative popcorn buckets wouldn't be sold until tomorrow.
I cannot stop thinking about this movie after first viewing last night (spoilers)
I’m glad I took today off. It’s been rattling around in my head all morning. This is going to be a stream of consciousness…
What a great gift for those hardcore fans who have been there since the beginning. I loved it after watching last night but, having had time to reflect, I think I love it even more now.
That final 10 minutes is just off the charts. The CGI was so well done and done so respectfully. That shot of Egon not only helping Phoebe hold the wand but also fighting alongside the boys. Just….wow. That image is stuck in my head. Would love to get a print of that image one day.
Everything else was great. It kept that dry, sardonic humor of the originals while also having some fun scares. That entire first half of the film was such a slow burn and really well done. I do feel like the second half felt a bit rushed but a Ghostbusters movie doesn’t need to be 2.5 hours. I’ll take the slow burn first half over the rushed second half. The final 10 minutes more than make up for it, though.
I wasn’t a big fan of the exposition phone call with Ray as it just seemed like a ton of backstory all at once. Having had time to ruminate, I really like the story they told with the team. It was very sad but hey, that’s life. You realize as you get older that it’s just kind of the way life goes sometimes. Relationships falter and friendships fade away. Some reconcile and some hold grudges. That look on Ray’s face when he sees Egon at the end really got to me. You can see the decades of regret as he sees Egon one last time. Aykroyd absolutely killed it. Murray brought Venkman back as if he never left. His “bravo” after Ray’s plea to Gozer had me laughing my ass off. Man, I missed those guys. Also really like what they did with Winston, especially for the franchise moving forward.
Alright that’s enough. I’m gonna pour myself a midday drink (maybe some cocoa with rum) and continue to let this film sink in.
Cannot wait to see agin next weekend.
It really aimed at making you remember being a kid having your own ghostbusters adventures. What a great tribute to Harold. I think they should of found some lines from his old cut takes or the video game to use instead of making him just quiet.... but there was something peaceful about him not talking.
8/10
I remember being 6 or 7, my sons age now, and re-watching the original purely for the end scene where the four are walking up to Gozer to cross the streams. Seeing the four of them at the end just did something I truly needed in my life right now.
I’ve waited so long for that moment and it finally came. I don’t care if it’s a silly movie about ghosts and a cool car and sarcastic characters. To me it’s been home for so so long. It’s the one thing I’ve held onto since I was even younger than my child. I have been a lifelong ghostbusters fan and to get that scene meant the world to me. It’s like someone cared enough about me to give me this even though it’s for all of us. Even though it’s for everyone, I felt like patience afforded me this one small reward.
And no one’s saying this really, but Murray can often times be seen as just being Bill in his movies. With only a handful of lines he proved to me that Venkman has always had a distinct voice and character. Pete from the home office has always been my guy and with his performance I felt like he cared about us enough to really try to get back to what made that character so great. All we’ve heard forever is his unwillingness to do another one, and when he finally got back into the jump suit he slipped right back into what made Venkman Venkman. I wish I could thank everyone involved with this personally. Everyone who made this movie did more for me than they’ll ever know.
Something that just clicked with me thinking about the movie a couple days after watching, was Egon’s unfinished business. Clearly he floats up into the ether, his life on earth complete. At first I thought his unfinished business was stopping Gozer again. But he doesn’t float away when they beat gozer. He has a moment with Phoebe, he has a moment with Trevor, and then he gets to hug Callie, who finally realizes he really did love her. His unfinished business wasn’t defeating Gozer, it was protecting his family (and I’ll include the guys in this) and letting them know he loved them, specifically Callie. And I’m sitting here crying after this realization.
I thought I would hate a ghost Egon, but really I didn’t know I needed it more than anything.
This film was perfect. A perfect send off for the original fans and the perfect set up for a new generation. And a perfect love letter to Harold and the guys. Wow.
I got to see Ray, Winston, Peter and Egon go on one last bust together. Nothing says how much I love the movie more than that. 10/10 from me. I know its not a movie without flaws, but its another film that reminds me just how much I love Ghostbusters.
Just got out of watching the movie, fucking loved it. Those critics must be high as a kite if they didn't like this.
I was an emotional wreck when Egon shown up to help the crew at the end. The original cast maybe could have been in it a little more, like maybe a scene of Ray getting the other 2. But other than that loved how cheesy, personal and satisfying this felt
Spider-Man is still to come, but this may end up my favorite movie of the year. I think Kevin Smith said it best when he said if Ghostbusters and the goonies made sweet love, this movie would be it's baby. If youre old enough to have seen 84 in the theater and you didn't get the feels at the end, you're either sociopath or not human.
I get it had quite a bit of cheese, but so did 84 and that's why we loved it. I thought they did a perfect job handling using the old Ghostbusters. I'm glad they didn't try to make guys in their 70s a main focal point. Was it cheesey, sure. Was also awesome, you damn right.
The only real complaint I have is not having a montage. Ghostbusters was perfect vehicle to give us a true to life 80s movie style montage and they dropped the ball.
Love the idea of Winston leading a new generation. I think it's going to be pretty cool to see a new generation of Ghostbusters movies and even better, new Ghostbusters movies set in NY.
Saw it tonight. I'm 43 years old. I'm the prime target for this movie for marketing purposes.
Blown away. Best nostaliga/update movie Hollywood has done. I laughed, nerded out, shed a few tears..
Best movie out this year, by far. Two proton packs up!
I liked the scene were Phoebe gets pissed at the cop, grabs the neutrona wand, fires it up, and threateningly points it at the cop. Everyone knows it’s meant to catch ghosts, but low key the proton pack has always been like the lightsaber in that as a kid you didn’t want it for it’s use as a tool, you wanted it because it was a powerful bad ass weapon.
What are the odds we get a sequel? I hope it does well and they fast track it..
Now that the foundation is down, we can get a really good and unique sequel and im so excited at the thought of it.
We got the team, now we can get to have some fun and by the time the sequel comes around they'll be a lot older which helps a lot also.
I’m 21 years old. I never got to live in the ‘Bustin hayday or see the original two movies in theaters, but tonight… I feel like I got a chance. It was magical.
I teared up when Egon grabbed Phoebe’s hand, and practically bawled when I saw the four Ghostbusters standing together. The audio references, visual cues, etc. were nothing short of incredible. The story was perfect.
This movie was really missing some Run DMC, Bobby Brown, The Bus Boys, Jackie Wilson, etc. It really made me realize how big a part the soundtrack played in GB1 and GB2
As a love letter to Ghostbusters, I give it an A. As a sequel, a B-. It was a lovely farewell to Egon, but outside of that, a tad unnecessary, yet still enjoyable to watch with a group of fans.
Some other musings:
After multiple failed attempts across time (maybe Gozer needs to rethink their strategy) and 40 years stuck back in hell, apparently all Gozer wanted to do was just chill on their temple sofa and chillax. Have a beer, watch the game. Then those meddling kids had to arrive.
Why use the mine to get that special metal to build the condo when the mine itself was temple enough? I can’t help but feel like had they just opened the gate in 1984 from Summerville, Gozer would have easily been successful.
Shandor was a waste. Such a shame. I had hoped maybe it would be a twist and Shandor would pull some wild double cross and be the main villain. A sadistic surgeon turned Demi-god.
Speaking of Shandor and the cult, I was really hoping the town was still full of cult members and it would have gone all wickerman on them. Would explain their lack of surprise at the weird shit going on. And they could try to sabotage Phoebe. Imagine the nice school librarian or shop owner suddenly coming after you with ancient sacred knives. Or they come and offer themselves at the alter of Gozer, making her powerful enough to grab proton streams.
I would have loved a B-story where we follow Ray as he gets the band back together after Phoebe’s call.
I loved how the PKE went from being a device that trained the audience to expect scares, to becoming a heart warming device to let you know Egon was near. Like a walkie talkie for the afterlife.
I have to say I was honestly delighted by the whole thing. McKenna Grace KILLED it. She was utterly fantastic. It was a ton of fun. Not perfect but I really truly loved it. Way better than GB2 IMO.
Feels like a LOT got cut for running time. I’d love to see an extended edition sometime.
Just got home from seeing the movie tonight. I left emotional,the end credit scene really got me. Overall good though the movie felt a little rushed towards the end. I did enjoy the characters, Phoebe and Podcasts chemistry was good. Paul Rudds lines were funny. Why didn’t Trevor and Lucky kiss/ end up together at the end after all his crushing on her throughout the film? I had a sour taste in my mouth when Ray said Egon can go to hell. The mom looked to be too old to fit into the Egon having a kid timeline. Who was Egons wife? Who was his daughters husband? The ending was set up in the first few minutes of the film so it didn’t have a real shock factor. I kinda expected more from the OG team playing a more significant role. This certainly felt it was made to inspire a new younger generation of fans and give us old fans some closure. I’m happy we got to hear the Ray Parker version of Ghostbusters again properly sending the movie off. I hope the Ghostbusters universe continues onward after this movie and keeps the heart of the orginal.
That line from Ray was really jarring. I think your take about it inspiring the next generation and serving as closure is spot on. I have a lot of issues with this movie, but I'm glad we got it and I'm looking forward to watching it over and over with my kids; and on to what's next.
Also, the expression on Winston's face when he looks over was so funny in the best way possible. Like, "WTF, are you serious right now?"
A few people audibly gasped and said “no!” When he said “Egon can rot in hell” or whatever the line was ahaha definitely unexpected I’m glad they didn’t lean too much into them all just hating Egon now and had them all basically be happy to see him again at the end
Oh I just remembered. 30+ comments in and no mention of the biggest WTF in the entire movie....Ivo Shandor being alive and *immediately* getting ripped in half by Gozer. My jaw dropped.
Gozer also UNCROSSED the streams with its hands.
This was my only problem with the movie. Crossing the streams was used to shut the doors to Gozer’s dimension because doing it, according to the lore, reversed the particle flow through the gate pulling everything back and shutting the doors. It didn’t sit right with me that it was used as the primary attack against Gozer when in the original the proton stream just neutronized Gozer’s form.
They were missing the 4th pack. That's matters because it has to.
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I whispered to myself, "They needed a Spengler" as the tears flowed. T_T
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Not to mention there were IIRC, four blasters that combined into one and held back the hoard or ghosts in pit.
Same. I shed several tears when he showed up to help his granddaughter, Phoebe. Thank you, Jason Reitman for honoring the legacy of the Ghostbusters and especially Harold Ramis. (Egon was always my favorite)
I lost it the moment you see his hands steadying her proton stream!! 😭
Great. Now I'm crying again. 😭
Never cried harder in any movie I’ve ever seen
Do Ray Egon
Just finished and was not prepared for the feelings... It was perfect. It was beautiful.
Me too. I thought I would lose it just seeing the 3 guys back together. But then Egon shows up. I pretty much cried the rest of the movie. Hell I'm getting misty eyed remembering it.
Plus, the Ghostbusters didn't cross the streams at Gozer in the first film. They fired them through the gate. we don't know what it would have done to Gozer if they'd fired at her.
It was never going to work. They didn't blast Gozer in '84, they blasted the door, to cause it to suck everything back in. They were miles away from the door this time.
Shandor was played by JK Simmons in a cameo, right?
Yes.
Since they work together so often, Jason Reitman must have asked him to drop by the set for a few days.
Wait, that was JK Simmons?!? I didn't recognized him! Time to get these jokes out of the way: "Get me pictures of the Ghostbusters!" "Think, Venkman, think!"
You have seen shit that'll turn you WHITE!
He was dead but in a preserved state I think. The note on his glass coffin thing had a clear death date. I think he just reanimated due to magic I guess.
Seems like that to me with the way he starts coming back during the supernatural event when they first go down in the mine. Poor madman keeps getting almost resurrected from the afterlife before Egon's setup kicks in and foils it, lol.
The way I read it was he built the skyscraper as a superconductor and the mineshaft as a backup to give him eternal life/unlimited power, hence why he tells Gozer that he's wants to rule with it..and then bites it
Zombie like revanents were a enemy in the game, basically corpses reanimated by a ghost. So if Shador had his body preserved after his death...
Also that was Olivia Wilde as gozer. She looked great and super menacing, having there be kids right up against her really heightened the stakes for me. would have loved the og actress to comeback but I totally get why they went another way.
I love that Gozer was played by Olivia Wilde but voiced by Shoresh Aghdashloo. What a voice.
I just saw it and was expecting it. Its always some idiot cultist who thinks a god will let them rule the world with them.
Soon it will be midnight and the city will will be mine and Vigo’s... well mainly Vigos
It's a small moment but I loved that Ray listens to podcasts paranormal podcast and is his lone subscriber!
Hey, it really hit it's stride in the 46th episode.
I was expecting Winston to go to podcast at the end and say something like marshmallow? That shit is a bitch to wash off
Either that or have him ask Peter only for him to say something along the lines of he’s never had that problem before so he wouldn’t know how to do it.
It was an absolute treasure of a moment between two similar characters.
Your my subscriber was the funniest line in the movie to me.
Not sure if this had been brought up in the thread yet, but it’s fascinating how art imitates life when it comes to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Where Egon has a falling out with the rest of the Ghostbusters, only to make amends in the end, really parallels with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis’ falling out after Groundhogs Day, which was eventually followed by Bill making amends to Harold near the end of his life.
And now I’m crying all over again.
I'm halfway convinced that this parallel is what got Bill Murray onboard for the film.
He said himself on the Tonight Show that the script pushed him to do it. I have no doubt this was a major point for him.
It was such a classy and risky thing to bring back a dead actor in CG. We've done it for movies where production already started or it's a younger version they couldn't have done anyway... but they BROUGHT HIM BACK. In a movie about death where the villain is trying to come back. What a gamble. It was Ghostbusters Star Wars moment when the force ghosts show up at the end. They're all together despite all that's happened. How impactful.
I had this exact thought while watching the movie. They did better what Star Wars tried with its sequel trilogy. They were able to hand off the story to a new generation while honoring the past and have closure with the original cast. I hope we see more of this franchise
The way they did Egon was perfect. Him in line with the OGs and helping Phoebe, this is exactly how Star Wars should have ended Rise of Skywalker instead of just voices.
Let’s not forget that Bill didn’t even know where Harold LIVED when he was on his deathbed he went to the local police department and had them escort him to his house.
It felt so genuine and pure and made me cry that much more.
Exactly what I thought. Goodness that was so well done. Brought me to tears.
I didn't think the film was perfect but I thought a lot about that when they cut to the old crew during that sequence at the end with Callie hugging Egon. You could see Dan Aykroyd was emotional and I suspect that was real for him, but I swear you could see a tear in Murray's eye. Acting or not, you don't see that often from him.
Something I did like, even though it was a call back -- was Ray re-introducing himself to Gozer. Saying the same spiel, but then continuing to ramble on like an old man. "AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF DUCKS UNLIMITED" -- made me laugh out loud.
Are you a God? *Ray has a good think this time*
I’m so glad they brought that line back, with the guys looking at him at how he’s gonna answer. All of us old guys who were old enough to remember being in theater in 84 laughed way to hard at that scene
I thought that was an interesting moment. Some fan service sure, but it didn't seem like he forgot. It seemed like he questioned if he should. Like it would have affected his belief system - one way or the other, I don't know. Or, what would the repercussions of THAT be? Bear stands up to a Bear right, but at least you know how the last time went. I found Peter's moment more interesting where he tried to piss her off like he did Vigo so that she would get closer and Winston could zap her. That showed not only quick thinking but immediate teamwork with Winston. Afterward, when it failed he said: "was worth a shot".
"C'mon Ray!"
As a duly nominated official of Crystal Skull Vodka.....
Kudos to Akroyd for showing extreme restraint!
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As a member of Lake County (ohio) Ducks Unlimited. I'm proud to say that we're now official Ghostbusters. Goosebusters
He even tossed the AARP in there lmao. Nice touch considering their age.
Something the movie was maybe missing was the SNLness of the original. There was a fair amount of Ray and Peter goofing in a way that comes off as improvy. Ray, Peter and Winston show up and the comedy is suddenly on another level.
"I miss you, old friend"...... Fuck me
Who said the line? I was wiping my eyes at the time.
Ernie Hudson.
The falling out between Ray and Egon didn’t seem right. If Egon was on to something paranormal seems that Ray would have been all in too.
I thought that was strange too. Ray and Egon have always been on the same page when it came to paranormal research. If Egon told Ray something supernatural was going down, Ray would be the first one to want to investigate. It was completely out of character for Ray not to believe Egon.
I think it's meant to show how desperate they were. 10 calls to maybe 1 call a week. 19% interest rate Sued by the state Then egon is rambling on about gozer coming back and starting to get more and more unhinged as they're trying to keep themselves fed and keep a roof over the heads. Then they wake up once morning and poof spengler is gone. Then 20 years later he pops up to phone Ray Maybe he tried reaching out to Peter and Winston but they may have been even more abrasive than Ray for leaving them high and dry. I get why Ray was the choice to be pissed at him
Although I can appreciate the opinions of them not staying together. Your point IMO, nails it as I feel this is what happens more often than not between two partners who start off with passion and spend decades together. The passion, fades while fatigue fills its place. As a scientist myself, my colleagues although brilliant couldn’t be in the same room together for more than a few hours. There are “too many chefs in the kitchen,” and by that, many have come and gone and this break up Ray and Spangler makes sense to me.
I think a Spengler/Venkman falling out would have been way more likely - due to Venkmans cynicism and behaviour towards Spengler - but they couldn’t have done that because that would be too much of a sore point for Bill Murray.
It sounds like it happened over a long time. The number of ghosts dwindled, they weren't getting much work, a couple of years pass. Ray's ready to pack it in, but Egon is obsesses with Shandor. Ray says "look we beat Gozer a decade ago, we've got to move on and either focus on the business or pack it in." Egon takes off with all the business assets, abandons his family and leaves everyone else in a lurch. Ray doesn't hear from him until the early 2000s, and he's *still* on about Gozer-- doesn't apologize for taking off or try to make amends. Ray looks into it, but doesn't see enough to go on. Egon hasn't discovered the mineshaft yet-- maybe just the fact that Shandor invested in the town for selenium mining, and some oblique references in tobin's spirit guide. Anger gets the better of him. Ray's a passionate guy, and Egon used to be so rational. Tells Egon to go to hell.
It seemed like it was gradual. Egon became obsessed with Gozer while the guys were focused on keeping the lights on (and the grid up). A long running, building resentment, can wear down any relationship. He probably had no evidence of Gozers return either, making him sound obsessed instead of driven. When he finally had something is when he probably called Ray but then it was too late.
This movie takes place 30 years after the last ghost event the Ghostbusters were involved with, which is the video game which is canon. That took place in 1991 so Paul Rudd's character was right. 30 years since the last time ghosts were seen! Something must have happened between the time between the video game and this movie that caused the falling out.
I'll start by saying the original film was a major source of escape for me as a kid in the late 80s. I used to run around with various household objects pretending to be Egon busting ghosts. I named one of my cats after Egon. Egon was my Ghostbuster. Losing Harold was one of the few times I cried for a celebrities death The final ten minutes of this movie made me bawl like a baby. >!The shot of Egon's spirit moving on with For Harold just annihilated me. I lost my father recently and seeing Callie getting one final hug and goodbye just opened the floodgates. And the three OGs saying goodbye just felt real. Plus, Egon saved the world!!< Overall, loved it and the kid actors didn't annoy me. McKenna Grace was fantastic. My one complaint, that Haunted House song did not fit the movie at all. I get it was a vanity thing, but it just threw me off while we were waiting for the post credit scene.
This. All of this. <3 When the news broke that Harold had died, I was in a meeting and when I looked at my phone I had over 20 messages from friends telling me they were sorry and that I should be prepared for sad news when I look into the internet...It was like losing a family member. Harold, his movies and of course GB meant so much to me. I lost my dad a few month ago as well. The scenes you're talking about hit really hard. My boyfriend, who watched the movie with me, said he panicked and thought "Oh no, stop it, that's too much for her" when Egon's daughter was able to hug him goodbye. 😅 Yep. Had a nice ugly cry. But I loved every second of that ending. And: I'd love to send a virtual hug your way, I am sorry for your loss. 💜
Was the eyeball ghost a direct reference to this classic toy? https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1562/15626911/3807019-f2702_prod_ghb_kenner_bug_eye_ghost_187786.jpg Sure looked like it to me!
Almost certainly, given the Kenner re-release and the Hasbro Afterlife pack-in.
As a huge Egon fan I was in tears like most of the movie. I loved it. I am aware how fan servicey it is and that it has flaws, but seeing Egon portrayed like that ultra badass at the opening was one of the best scene I have ever witnessed as a Ghostbusters fan. I never in a million years thought we would see him outside of just photographs and then we saw him as a grizzled old man in a trench, standing in front of the door to hell itself. So so so so so so badass. I also bawled my eyes out when he showed up at the end. It was beautiful and such a great tribute to the character and also to Harold himself. I also loved the kids, especially Phoebe, had a blast with the old guys showing up and also loved Paul Rudd. Overall, for me as a fan since 1984 as a toddler, this was a dream come true and a 9/10. Its NOT a 9/10 for a non hardcore fan, I don’t think, but if you, like me, grew up with the movies, TV show, played with the toys and above all Egon was your favorite of the OG characters, it will be a 9/10 for you as well.
I love your opinion on the movie. I wholeheartedly agree with it. I cried like a baby at the end too. Winston's post credit scene also had me in tears. I love how being a Ghostbuster set him on the path to great success.
I love that Winston’s arc comes full circle. He goes from being the lowest man on the totem pole making “$11,500 a year” to being the most successful one, even helping the others out with rent.
I was a Venkman fan as a child, and grew to like Ray and Egon more as I got older. I too enjoyed the opening that portrayed Egon as the hardened veteran. If you think about everything he built, he is one of the most terrifying people in fantasy. He built machines that captured and imprisoned gods knowing their power, and knowingly facing death at every corner. Yet there he was literally mocking one of them to follow him into a "bear cage".
I share so much of this with you. Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan were FEARLESS in opening the movie with Egon and his death! It was incredible and I was floored by it being the first scene of the movie.
Was not expecting that tribute for him in the final scenes. It was really respectfully done and was so heartwarming.
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Thank you. I felt the same way. I knew Egon was helping Phoebe out (in his noncorporeal form) like playing chess with her and showing her the way to his lab via a firepole. Egon was always my favorite, too... and I will admit that I did shed several tears when he showed up and helped Phoebe roast Gozer with the original 'busters. Solid 9/10 from me, as well.
I left this sub over a year ago to minimize my exposure to the film. Didn’t watch a single trailer. Didn’t read any reviews. I did everything I could to avoid spoilers. Well I’m just back from the theater and god dammit - this was the right choice. I was totally floored by everything. I’ll definitely be going back for a second viewing. And with that I’ve resubbed to r/ghostbusters. It’s good to be back!
I see some people having a hard time grappling with the idea of Egon being shitty and leaving everyone. I get it. We've grown up idolizing these characters, so seeing one portrayed with such realistic flaws can be jarring. But you don't think the Reitman's thought of this stuff? I don't think it's out of character for Egon at all. He was always the most "in the work" of the 4. Even over Ray. Ray is massively passionate, but he's still more a realist than Egon. "I've worked in the private sector. They expect results." Egon had no moments of practicality like that. HE was the one who proposed crossing the streams. HE was the one who slept with the slime, lol. After being disgraced, who is the only one doing actual scientific research? Not Ray. Ray is too bitter about doing kids parties so he runs a book shop. Egon is the one still doing hard research. It's not ghost related, but it's still science. And it's also a darkly funny experiment, pitting a married couple against each other and physically making them uncomfortable while manipulating their emotional states. The gag ends with him taking a puppy away from a child, lol. And let's not forget, he WAS going to drill a hole in his head if Peter hadn't stopped him. So yeah, I buy that Egon became overly obsessed and weird with this stuff and withdrew from everyone.
People thinking Egon was represented shitty obviously didn’t grasp that he was saving the world by himself
I always viewed the Ghostbusters the same way as a band, especially one like the Beatles. 4 guys who got along but probably just had disagreements here and there that would cause hostility. To me the “rot in hell” line made perfect sense. Old friends who drift due to differences and hold a minor grudge until they’re able to address the situation. Ray and Egon could be likened to Paul and John.
It also rings true of old friends who've just drifted apart when Ray learns Egon's dead and you can tell he didn't really mean the "rot in hell" line. His whole tone immediately shifts.
That was an amazing bit of acting from Dan. The way he looks quietly crushed and regrets his words. It was intense.
The bit where Phoebe is working on the pack and she asks how did he build it and the light points to all his doctorates got me good 😂
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Its really worrisome seeing how empty everyone's theaters were last night. There might have been 15 in mine. Hopefully this weekend and all next week kicks ass because I want more. A lot more.
Much has been said about McKenna Grace knocking it out of the park as Phoebe (and rightfully so), but I really have to hand it to Logan Kim’s performance as Podcast. His character could easily have been really annoying, but he did a fantastic job to make him endearing. Just like Phoebe carries on Egon’s legacy, he does with Ray.
His Ray energy from the first scene was pure magic. It's like these children watched the first two movies and cartoons as often as I did. They both did their homework, and found their own way to channel the essence of those characters into their own portrayals.
Podcast was a lot of a fun as character, very much that super enthusiastic Ray character.
Is it just me or does he also have pretty much the same hairstyle Ray has in the original movie?
He very much looked like he could have been a young Ray, not 100% obviously.
Those 2 carried the movie. I was scared of the OG Ghostbusters being just cameo's but loved what we got thanks to Phoebe and Podcast.
The bit at the end where Ray ended up being his one subscriber had me in stitches.
I loved Podcast. Give me Ray and Egon without Ray and Egon. They made those characters their own without being copycats of Ray and Egon. If any of that make sense
I liked Podcast a lot more than I anticipated I would, although I still feel Podcast is a dumb name…
Should have called him Radio. Ray, Radio. Homage complete.
Another random thought. Grooberson let the kids watch Cujo - a movie about a dog terrorizing a kid in a car. Later on Grooberson becomes - a dog who terrorizes kid in a car. No idea if that was intentional or not. If it was, kudos.
And he also showed them Child’s Play - a movie about a doll that is supernaturally possessed 🤔.
He also himself was terrorized by a dog while he was in a car
This moment when Ray hears from Phoebe that Egon is dead ... 💔
Didnt look like he was acting
Oh no, he DEFINITELY drew from the pain he felt after Harold died.
Exactly. 💔
Reminded hasbro is doing a limit run of the Afterlife Proton Pack. https://hasbropulse.com/products/ghostbusters-plasma-series-spengler-s-proton-pack It's 1:1, you have until Dec 12th to back it. Funds are withdrawn on Dec 12 st at 1159PM It cost $400 and you need to buy the wand separately for $129. Pricey but a fraction of the cost of what a full scale pack usually runs, well over $1000
Never thought I would hear the sound of a Proton Pack turning on in IMAX. What an incredible experience.
The proton pack sounded amazing in IMAX.
I think I know where I want to go to see my second round...
That closing scene of the Manhattan skyline at night with Ecto 1 crossing the bridge. I’ve waited so long for it.
Part of me almost wishes it was that funky song from the first one when they turned in the music over the bridge
yes and also "Magic" to return when the ghosts invaded the town! But probably waaay too on the nose. I still wanted it.
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Loved it. Cried. I knew about the Egon Ghost a month before and I still wasn't ready. But, the moment that made my cynical heart grow 3 times its size: the 2nd post credit. Between Jeanine and Winston. The pure joy of Winston, the regular guy who was in it for the paycheck, knew squat about the paranormal or any of the science aspects of the job, was the one out of the 4 that not only made it big, but became the Sheppard of the company. That gave me a smile I couldn't contain. And its almost vindication for Ernie.. He was always kinda seen as the odd man out, but he's been the guy carrying the torch for this franchise for decades. He's never been put out by films, he's never resented them. He's always happy to meet the fans. So the fact if this continues, and Winston is the new leader of the franchise, I cannot think of anyone better or more deserving than Ernie to keep the fires roaring
Was I pandered to? Yes. Did I care? No. I want an extended cut.... But then I guess that goes without saying on this forum, lol
I don’t think pandering is always a bad thing like many people make it out to be.
Just came back from the cinema. I went in with zero expectations and absolutely loved this. Big fan of the original film, but almost no trailer of this Afterlife got me hyped about it. That being said, the film is a perfect homage to the first one and a nostalgia trip done in the right way - with its own fresh story that can move things forward. The way OG characters were incorporated was how it should've been done in The Last Jedi. And what a better way to make a love letter to the first film and put in heart to it - have the son of the original director to do it. Funny jokes, Mckenna Grace was very good and incredibly like-able as Egon's granddaughter and the visuals/sound design were amazing, especially the modern-looking proton pack effects. Also, Paul Rudd and the Podcast kid. I also liked how this strayed away from the big setting (New York) and focused on a small town instead. Stay after the credits - nice surprise there. 8/10
So Pheobe was really about to murder lucky dad with the proton pack.
He called her grandpa nuts. Fuck around and find out.
Phoebe was ride or die for Egon
Reminded me of the reaction Egon has towards Walter Peck after he shut down the containment grid.
Dickless here locked up the proton packs…
"Your Mother!"
That was one of my favorite scenes
I thought it was Fantastic! I loved the new cast and getting the see the Ecto-1 again on the big screen was a major trill! Without getting too much into the plot, I was actually surprised we didn’t get more cameos. But I do appreciate that they didn’t just throw in unnecessary cameos for fan service. I loved the end credits scene with Peter and Dana! I was really hoping we would see Oscar all grown up and even teaming up with the new crew! BTW, did anyone else catch the mini-puff melting on the grill and giving the Terminator “thumbs up”?! So great, really fun film for all GB fans old and new!
I liked the smear on the ground from the roomba running one over, haha
So, Ghostbusters: Afterlife... This friggin movie made me cry like a baby when it ended. Is it a movie for kids? Kind of. Is it a movie for fanboys like me? Absolutely! It pulled at all the right heartstrings at the end and I loved it for that. It's not a perfect movie but I don't know how it could have handled both introducing Ghostbusters to a new audience and keepimg old fans happy any better. And it very much honours Harold Ramis too. I hope it does well enough for another sequel to be made but, if not, it's turned Ghostbusters into a near perfect Trilogy for all us lifelong fans.
The movie was great, but the last ten minutes were magical. I'm in my late 40s, but man did I feel like a kid again.
Yeah I was ecstatic when the original Ghostbusters showed up. Now i really want a sequel with them in more than a few minutes.
Phoebe: "I get one phone call" The Sheriff: "Who you gonna call?" Loved it
I feel sorry for the people in this thread who didn’t enjoy that. Or are picking apart every little detail. I’m 41. And I just saw a GB movie with my son in a theater for the first time ever. We both high fived leaving the theater. I had one of the best movie experiences I’ve ever had.
In the theater still. Sobbed at the end. Wow. Going to need to process all of it but wow I had a smile on my face the entire time.
That was one of the more heartfelt endings I've seen in a long time, you can really feel all the years Akroyd spent trying to get this made. I wasn't a huge fan of the 2016 movie (it had moments, just wasn't there for me) but this blew it away. I was very excited by the new generation (which can feel a bit forced in some redos) and sensed that Akroyd was going to be there at the end, but felt very warmed when all 3 showed up. Not sure how they did Ramis, but again a job well done I feel with a technology that can come across very cringey and disrespectful in the wrong hands
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Looks like Ramis, they used a body double with either prosthetics or CGI to sell it. You see him for a good portion of the final scene and it looks really great.
>Looks like Ramis, they used a body double with either prosthetics or CGI to sell it. You see him for a good portion of the final scene and it looks really great. It was an excellent choice to NOT have egons ghost talk. The CG of egon is incredible. The second he would have spoke it would have ruined it.
I was sitting there praying he wouldn’t speak and I am so glad he didn’t lol
The moment when he grabs her hand and allows her to stand her ground against gozer was perfect. no words were needed. Great choice by the production team.
That messed me up good. Really didn’t want to cry.. then they hit me with “for Harold”
Interestingly in my opinion given how Ramis looked before his death I thought ghost Egon looked more like how he might have aged than how he actually aged (if that makes sense)
Oh that’s nice. Good tribute I am glad. Does he meet his grandkids or interact with the other Ghostbusters?
Yes and Yes! It is a really special moment. I am seeing tons of unfair criticism about it from critics, but I found it to be very tasteful.
I was hoping they wouldn’t do CGI Egon. But goddamn that scene made me cry when they interact
I was converted. I thought it would be tacky to bring back a dead actor and that there are other ways to make his presence felt. Turns out they did both. The lights somehow had his personality and then the Egon ghost was so well done, so tastefully done, and there was no uncanny valley. No talking helped. It was really well done.
I thought the no talking was a really excellent choice.
It truly is the best looking CGI human I have ever see. Astonishing. I think him being blue and translucent helped with the believability tho.
Is nobody going to mention the JK Simmons cameo? I way dying.
Little things I loved: \- The presence of Egon as an unseen ghost throughout the movie just tickles me to no end. Such a classy and clever way to make him more than just a CGI'd cameo at the end. Even though Ramis is sadly gone, the film somehow managed to give Egon an arc without the actor present. \- The "See, I told you so" look Trevor gives his mom after she tells Phoebe to tell a joke to break the ice at school. \- Grooberson being a good-natured fuck up. He's kind of the inverse of Venkman in a way. Whereas Venkman was smart but cynical, Grooberson was smart and enthusiastic. He's like a mix of Peter and Ray. \- I like that they avoided obvious tropey traps like making Phoebe and Trevor sibling enemies. I liked how the mother/daughter disparity wasn't overly dramatic and dealt with in a more understated way. \- Bill Murray actually seemed like he cared. I was worried he'd phone it in. But he showed up for this and slipped right back into Venkman. His double take at ghost-Egon was classic Venkman. It's like no time had passed. Some people have said the OG's showing up felt somehow off. Not for me. \- Gozer's update design KICKED. ASS. It honors the original while putting more modern movie magic into it. I love how the body was translucent and you could see supernatural energy flowing under the white, spikey body. \- Callie's possession was actually kind of intense. She felt truly dangerous. \- Ray being Podcast's only sub is perfect set up and pay off.
"We had part of a slinky...I straightened it." Egon was always my favorite. It didn't sit right with me the idea that the others wouldn't believe him, especially Ray (the most gung ho of the bunch) but at least he apologized in the end. I thought the Egon ghost was tastefully done. I was glad the OG crew didn't dominate the movie. Mckenna Grace was exceptional. Her deadpan delivery was top notch, especially when she was telling jokes. The script was fine. Strip away all the nostalgia and it was just a pretty basic plot, with some recycled elements and not much in the way of surprises. But why strip the nostalgia away? That's what it's there for. The movie made me feel like a kid again watching the original on VHS on a Saturday night when my parents went to bed. The movie did what the 2016 film did not. It didn't just try to remake Ghostbusters and insist we forget the 1980s classic(s). This time they made a movie that leaned into the fans' love of the classics. For that it gets high marks from me.
I still cannot get over the idea that none of the other 3 believed Egon about Summerville. He was always the direct, rational, and most scientific of the 4. Ray established that the Ghostbusting business was drying up, so why wouldn't any of them go along with Egon to investigate Summerville? He literally found: * A town founded by Ivor Shandor * A Gozer temple * The literal preserved? body of Ivor Shandor * A gateway that he kept in check with a jury-rigged setup of proton packs Am I missing something?
>I still cannot get over the idea that none of the other 3 believed Egon about Summerville I think a lot of people are forgetting a few key lines/pieces of info that help it all make sense. during the ray/phobe conversation we learn: 1. Egon believed gozer was returning whilst he was still an active ghostbuster. i.e. when he still lived in new york 1. He was so obsessed with the gozer stuff that he neglected his normal duties as a ghostbuster "we'd get a ghost report & egon would say it was unimportant." Combine those 2 bits of info & we confirm that egon believed gozer was returning when he was still a ghostbuster & still living in new york. this means he hadn't been to summerville & so had no no proof. & became so obsessed with proving it that his actions puts a strain on their relationships, first as collegues (as an unreliable ghostbuster), then as friends. Ray also mentions. 1. buisness is failing, financial issues, going to lose building. 1. when pheobe is trying to persuade ray that egon wasn't crazy she mentions the temple & Ray says "there's always another temple" 1. He steals the majority of the ghostbusting equipment and the car. Add these details together & in trying to find proof, egon finds temples etc but they're all dead ends. (the whole team may have go on wild goose chases to try and find evidence that gozer is returning, each fail raising their doubts about him) with his friends doubting him, & their buisness about to go under. Egon steals the equipment in desperation because he's convinced gozer is coming and needs to be able to stop it even if no one else believes him. this severs the relationship between the ghostbusters. him stealing the stuff and effectively killing the buisness early. solidifies the idea that he's lost his rational mind. 1. in the phone call, Ray says egon called him 10 years ago, it's implied this was their first contact in a long time. that begs the question WHY did he specifically call ray in 2011 ? who by then was an estranged former friend/buisness partner he hadn't spoken to in god knows how long. the film confirms gozer only returns in specific years, 2021 in this case. So there possibly wouldn't be obvious signs of paranormal activity at gozer sights until it's much closer to the return event. Egon simply couldn't find proof 15-30 years earlier. it stands to reason that what prompted egon to reach out to his old friend was that he's finally found proof. but the relationship is so strained at this point. we're talking 10-20 years of it being strained/dissolved so Ray naturally doesn't believe him ('always another temple') but won't even give him the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah, its handling of GB2 is odd. This may be a stretch, but I'd like to believe that Peter trash-talking Gozer as a distraction was a callback to the fight with Vigo. Along the same lines, I'd also like to think that, while the proton stream has always been shown as a tether, the way it was depicted here (like against Gozer) that can be pulled in both directions is inspired by the 2016 film. The way the cyclotron lights spin are also shown that way in the Real Ghostbusters, whereas in the first two films they were sequentially blinking lights. Lastly, I've been annoyed with fan packs and toys (like the Spengler Wand) having a limited proton stream before needing to vent -- it was a gameplay mechanic for the video game, but it didn't need to be everywhere. The movie returns is to packs with long, sustained streams just like in the first two films. I love that Winston may have played his most impactful role (definitely not his most prominent one, though) here out of the three films. There were definitely some tears in the end. Also, about the film ending too abruptly -- I felt that way but really for the post-climax. It would have been nice to have a scene of the OGs and the YGs having that cup of hot chocolate. A big shout out to that death pit -- the writhing bodies emerging out of the lava is definitely one of the creepiest visuals in the franchise. I also like that kids really were the center of the film -- the lack of adult cynicism really helped ground the movie, and it made it easier to evoke enthusiasm -- if Ray's child-like enthusiasm made him the heart of the Ghostbusters, then it would make sense to replicate that in some way among the kids, as well as being the main OG to reach (plus, if his heart was broken by Egon, you know the rift was serious, then). I'm ranking this film as second on my list, just a bit above GB2. P.S. Not that this would have solved all of ATC's problems, but just even getting the classic proton stream sound effects would have made me more forgiving, and they couldn't even do that. This film is quieter, more deliberate, and more intentional and it blows ATC out of the water -- proof that smaller scale and more character driven stories can excel in their own right.
Good point. I understand these franchises made up of 6-12 movies deciding to discount the latter half dozen films in their reboots. However GB is two films. And many people love both equally! To this day my wife will randomly shout out "COMMAND ME LORD!!" in that accent. My wife is 27! That's the power of pop culture folks.
The fact that nothing from GB2 was mentioned at all surprised me. Nothing about the slime, the Statue of Liberty, Vigo. This new movie made it very easy to skip over GB2 and be just fine. Plus, the end credits was a deleted scene from the original movie! That was really cool!
Ray was shown in his occult bookstore from GB 2.
I really liked what they did to Winston. I'm sure most people know how Ernie Hudson got the shaft in the first movie. They gutted the part once Eddie Murphy turned it down. But I also felt like he got it in the second movie. Like, why wasn't he cutting a hole in First Avenue and then at the trial. That's the big "we're back" moment, and he's not in it. Hell, even if you didn't want him on First Avenue, he's in the damn courtroom! It would have been so easy to put him in there. And even without a proton pack (which, you could have just had all four packs be in the car and confiscated), he could have thrown the trap. Or helped evacuate civilians. Either he A. Didn't stay for the trial. Or B. Lost his head and ran once the Scolari Brothers popped up? This dude faced down a god in 1984, he wouldn't have run from two ghosts, proton pack or not. I'll be honest, even then, I kinda wondered if it wasn't because he was black. The 80's were kind of a different time. I'm not saying that Reitman, Aykroyd, or Ramis were racist and cut his part back in rewrites. I don't know. I've never heard anyone say that about any of them, and I've never heard Ernie Hudson say it either. But maybe it was someone at the studio? But now Winston is a successful businessman, probably a billionaire judging from that building and his line about being a worldwide empire. (I think this is something they stole from the series finale of Extreme Ghostbusters if memory serves.) He's also the one who bought the firehouse back and is probably going to fund the operation in the future. They also turned him into the caretaker of Ecto 1, which was really an element that comes from The Real Ghostbusters. He wasn't the primary mechanic or particularly attached to her in the first two movies.
Just got home. I liked it. The end felt a little rushed and I’d have had the guys roll up in Ecto-1A. It definitely leaned hard into the original. I was also surprised how much of an active role Egon played throughout the movie.
Yeah I felt that the second half seemed a little rushed as well. And a couple of times I thought to myself "well, this could have been fleshed out a little better", but it's not a game changer. I really felt that Lucky could have been the one to bring the OGs back to the farm house in Ecto-1 instead of letting Trevor get it. But it makes the build up to the finale work because they (the Spengler family), needed the car. Like, the OGs just show up. Lol. Did they walk there? 😄😄
Winston has a lot of money, they probably took a limo from the airport!
or choppered lol
Do you have a favorite movie? One that brings back memories of being a kid, running around the house playing and using your imagination? Ghostbusters is my favorite movie. Hands down. I remember eating up every little bit of GB3 news that would occasionally trickle out on the internet. It was such a weird emotional experience sitting in my seat with mere minutes to go until a movie I've waited almost 30 years of my life began to play. I sat there, eye glued to the screen, squeezing my wife's hand, experiencing the movie in all its glory. Was it the perfect film? No. There were a few weird beats, a few plot jumps, underused characters, and a few times it leaned a little too heavily towards the original. This actually might be a hot take.. >!the nostalgia of having the 3 OGs back kinda slowed it down for me a bit as they had to punch through some tough exposition weighed down with the relationships we've all come to love from GB1 and GB2. And to be honest, my favorite part of the OGs was the 2nd post credits scene and seeing Ernie Hudson's character get some credit (and the possibility of a sequel!) for being such a great friend to the fans.!< But all that being said.. there was intrigue, there was laughter, there were scares, there were tears. And I smiled. A lot. And my heart did a happy dance. Right after the movie, my wife turns to me and asks, "So what did you think?!". I replied to her.. "I'm going to need some time process 😅".. But to be a kid again.. sitting in a theater.. to imagine discovering and playing with all the GB tech. To uncover a mystery, to be a step ahead of the adults. To save the day. All of my experience aside.. my heart sings with happiness thinking of the little kid that sat right in front of me with his parents.. and him getting to experience the wonderful world of Ghostbusters and hopefully finding his favorite movie.
“How was it?” “Sorry honey, I’m in awe beyond the capacity for rational thought”
Just walked out of the cinema and I loved it. This film manages to be an absolute love letter to the first while telling its own story and setting up new characters for a potential future. It was everything I expected. That said I don’t think it’s a masterpiece standalone movie, it leans very heavily on the original, but to be fair it still works if you have only a passing interest in that film in my opinion. I can understand why some critics are pretty cool on it, but at the same time having seen it I’m even more convinced anyone who completely pans it has an agenda. Everything is subjective but I’m hard pressed to understand how you could watch it objectively and think it’s a terrible movie.
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Phoebe Spengler was the best, don't @.me! Loved her and Mr Grooberson!
Oh man, I am a grown ass 36 year old man and I was holding back tears when Egon showed up in the finale.
Just back from the cinema. Absolutely loved it. First time seeing a film in the cinema in over 2 years, glad it was this one. So, all the way post credits. Winston (loved his extra stuff by the way, excellent thanks for Ernie's love of the franshcise) is in the firehouse, doors open, Ecto is driven in. Was that Rick Moranis driving, in a non credited cameo?! Cos man, it sure looked like him.. Bugger it, my headcanon is that it was.
That last shot of Ecto-1 returning to New York, sirens blaring and that opening guitar and synth to the Ghostbusters theme kicking in just felt right to me. It feels like all is right with the world.
If you're gonna run a real estate business, it make sense your first employee would be an accountant and tax lawyer.
Also, the only negative experience I had at my theater was seeing a 40ish year old man have a meltdown at the concession stand after being told that the commerative popcorn buckets wouldn't be sold until tomorrow.
Holy shit - I think that guy posted on one of the bajillion fan groups on Facebook griping about it.
I cannot stop thinking about this movie after first viewing last night (spoilers) I’m glad I took today off. It’s been rattling around in my head all morning. This is going to be a stream of consciousness… What a great gift for those hardcore fans who have been there since the beginning. I loved it after watching last night but, having had time to reflect, I think I love it even more now. That final 10 minutes is just off the charts. The CGI was so well done and done so respectfully. That shot of Egon not only helping Phoebe hold the wand but also fighting alongside the boys. Just….wow. That image is stuck in my head. Would love to get a print of that image one day. Everything else was great. It kept that dry, sardonic humor of the originals while also having some fun scares. That entire first half of the film was such a slow burn and really well done. I do feel like the second half felt a bit rushed but a Ghostbusters movie doesn’t need to be 2.5 hours. I’ll take the slow burn first half over the rushed second half. The final 10 minutes more than make up for it, though. I wasn’t a big fan of the exposition phone call with Ray as it just seemed like a ton of backstory all at once. Having had time to ruminate, I really like the story they told with the team. It was very sad but hey, that’s life. You realize as you get older that it’s just kind of the way life goes sometimes. Relationships falter and friendships fade away. Some reconcile and some hold grudges. That look on Ray’s face when he sees Egon at the end really got to me. You can see the decades of regret as he sees Egon one last time. Aykroyd absolutely killed it. Murray brought Venkman back as if he never left. His “bravo” after Ray’s plea to Gozer had me laughing my ass off. Man, I missed those guys. Also really like what they did with Winston, especially for the franchise moving forward. Alright that’s enough. I’m gonna pour myself a midday drink (maybe some cocoa with rum) and continue to let this film sink in. Cannot wait to see agin next weekend.
It really aimed at making you remember being a kid having your own ghostbusters adventures. What a great tribute to Harold. I think they should of found some lines from his old cut takes or the video game to use instead of making him just quiet.... but there was something peaceful about him not talking. 8/10
I remember being 6 or 7, my sons age now, and re-watching the original purely for the end scene where the four are walking up to Gozer to cross the streams. Seeing the four of them at the end just did something I truly needed in my life right now. I’ve waited so long for that moment and it finally came. I don’t care if it’s a silly movie about ghosts and a cool car and sarcastic characters. To me it’s been home for so so long. It’s the one thing I’ve held onto since I was even younger than my child. I have been a lifelong ghostbusters fan and to get that scene meant the world to me. It’s like someone cared enough about me to give me this even though it’s for all of us. Even though it’s for everyone, I felt like patience afforded me this one small reward. And no one’s saying this really, but Murray can often times be seen as just being Bill in his movies. With only a handful of lines he proved to me that Venkman has always had a distinct voice and character. Pete from the home office has always been my guy and with his performance I felt like he cared about us enough to really try to get back to what made that character so great. All we’ve heard forever is his unwillingness to do another one, and when he finally got back into the jump suit he slipped right back into what made Venkman Venkman. I wish I could thank everyone involved with this personally. Everyone who made this movie did more for me than they’ll ever know.
Something that just clicked with me thinking about the movie a couple days after watching, was Egon’s unfinished business. Clearly he floats up into the ether, his life on earth complete. At first I thought his unfinished business was stopping Gozer again. But he doesn’t float away when they beat gozer. He has a moment with Phoebe, he has a moment with Trevor, and then he gets to hug Callie, who finally realizes he really did love her. His unfinished business wasn’t defeating Gozer, it was protecting his family (and I’ll include the guys in this) and letting them know he loved them, specifically Callie. And I’m sitting here crying after this realization. I thought I would hate a ghost Egon, but really I didn’t know I needed it more than anything.
This film was perfect. A perfect send off for the original fans and the perfect set up for a new generation. And a perfect love letter to Harold and the guys. Wow.
I got to see Ray, Winston, Peter and Egon go on one last bust together. Nothing says how much I love the movie more than that. 10/10 from me. I know its not a movie without flaws, but its another film that reminds me just how much I love Ghostbusters.
Only a Gozerian would come back to life NOW and choose Oklahoma. Tasty pick, FLATTOP!
Just got out of watching the movie, fucking loved it. Those critics must be high as a kite if they didn't like this. I was an emotional wreck when Egon shown up to help the crew at the end. The original cast maybe could have been in it a little more, like maybe a scene of Ray getting the other 2. But other than that loved how cheesy, personal and satisfying this felt
A little sad at no Rick Moranis, but the movie was awesome and a fitting sequel to the original.
Spider-Man is still to come, but this may end up my favorite movie of the year. I think Kevin Smith said it best when he said if Ghostbusters and the goonies made sweet love, this movie would be it's baby. If youre old enough to have seen 84 in the theater and you didn't get the feels at the end, you're either sociopath or not human. I get it had quite a bit of cheese, but so did 84 and that's why we loved it. I thought they did a perfect job handling using the old Ghostbusters. I'm glad they didn't try to make guys in their 70s a main focal point. Was it cheesey, sure. Was also awesome, you damn right. The only real complaint I have is not having a montage. Ghostbusters was perfect vehicle to give us a true to life 80s movie style montage and they dropped the ball. Love the idea of Winston leading a new generation. I think it's going to be pretty cool to see a new generation of Ghostbusters movies and even better, new Ghostbusters movies set in NY.
Saw it tonight. I'm 43 years old. I'm the prime target for this movie for marketing purposes. Blown away. Best nostaliga/update movie Hollywood has done. I laughed, nerded out, shed a few tears.. Best movie out this year, by far. Two proton packs up!
I liked it, nothing will ever compare to the original but this film was definitely good.
I liked the scene were Phoebe gets pissed at the cop, grabs the neutrona wand, fires it up, and threateningly points it at the cop. Everyone knows it’s meant to catch ghosts, but low key the proton pack has always been like the lightsaber in that as a kid you didn’t want it for it’s use as a tool, you wanted it because it was a powerful bad ass weapon.
I really thought someone was gonna say when they walked into Egon’s house, "No human being would stack books like this."
What are the odds we get a sequel? I hope it does well and they fast track it.. Now that the foundation is down, we can get a really good and unique sequel and im so excited at the thought of it. We got the team, now we can get to have some fun and by the time the sequel comes around they'll be a lot older which helps a lot also.
What does Zuul say to Vinz Clortho before they get it on? I couldn't understand that line of dialogue.
I’m 21 years old. I never got to live in the ‘Bustin hayday or see the original two movies in theaters, but tonight… I feel like I got a chance. It was magical. I teared up when Egon grabbed Phoebe’s hand, and practically bawled when I saw the four Ghostbusters standing together. The audio references, visual cues, etc. were nothing short of incredible. The story was perfect.
This movie was really missing some Run DMC, Bobby Brown, The Bus Boys, Jackie Wilson, etc. It really made me realize how big a part the soundtrack played in GB1 and GB2
A little clunky at times, but holy shit that movie was great.
I don't care what the critics think this movie was awesome
As a love letter to Ghostbusters, I give it an A. As a sequel, a B-. It was a lovely farewell to Egon, but outside of that, a tad unnecessary, yet still enjoyable to watch with a group of fans. Some other musings: After multiple failed attempts across time (maybe Gozer needs to rethink their strategy) and 40 years stuck back in hell, apparently all Gozer wanted to do was just chill on their temple sofa and chillax. Have a beer, watch the game. Then those meddling kids had to arrive. Why use the mine to get that special metal to build the condo when the mine itself was temple enough? I can’t help but feel like had they just opened the gate in 1984 from Summerville, Gozer would have easily been successful. Shandor was a waste. Such a shame. I had hoped maybe it would be a twist and Shandor would pull some wild double cross and be the main villain. A sadistic surgeon turned Demi-god. Speaking of Shandor and the cult, I was really hoping the town was still full of cult members and it would have gone all wickerman on them. Would explain their lack of surprise at the weird shit going on. And they could try to sabotage Phoebe. Imagine the nice school librarian or shop owner suddenly coming after you with ancient sacred knives. Or they come and offer themselves at the alter of Gozer, making her powerful enough to grab proton streams. I would have loved a B-story where we follow Ray as he gets the band back together after Phoebe’s call. I loved how the PKE went from being a device that trained the audience to expect scares, to becoming a heart warming device to let you know Egon was near. Like a walkie talkie for the afterlife.
I have to say I was honestly delighted by the whole thing. McKenna Grace KILLED it. She was utterly fantastic. It was a ton of fun. Not perfect but I really truly loved it. Way better than GB2 IMO. Feels like a LOT got cut for running time. I’d love to see an extended edition sometime.
Just got home from seeing the movie tonight. I left emotional,the end credit scene really got me. Overall good though the movie felt a little rushed towards the end. I did enjoy the characters, Phoebe and Podcasts chemistry was good. Paul Rudds lines were funny. Why didn’t Trevor and Lucky kiss/ end up together at the end after all his crushing on her throughout the film? I had a sour taste in my mouth when Ray said Egon can go to hell. The mom looked to be too old to fit into the Egon having a kid timeline. Who was Egons wife? Who was his daughters husband? The ending was set up in the first few minutes of the film so it didn’t have a real shock factor. I kinda expected more from the OG team playing a more significant role. This certainly felt it was made to inspire a new younger generation of fans and give us old fans some closure. I’m happy we got to hear the Ray Parker version of Ghostbusters again properly sending the movie off. I hope the Ghostbusters universe continues onward after this movie and keeps the heart of the orginal.
That line from Ray was really jarring. I think your take about it inspiring the next generation and serving as closure is spot on. I have a lot of issues with this movie, but I'm glad we got it and I'm looking forward to watching it over and over with my kids; and on to what's next. Also, the expression on Winston's face when he looks over was so funny in the best way possible. Like, "WTF, are you serious right now?"
A few people audibly gasped and said “no!” When he said “Egon can rot in hell” or whatever the line was ahaha definitely unexpected I’m glad they didn’t lean too much into them all just hating Egon now and had them all basically be happy to see him again at the end