Ghostbusters General

Shadewing

Well-known member
Citizen
Just finished watching it, imo its the weakest of all the movies. That doesn't make it bad, it just feels more like a really long TV episode then a movie. I don't mind the fire master stuff, since there's always been more paranomral and supernatural stuff in the broader franchise. The comics, the Cartoons, even the RPG iirc...

I think that overall, is what makes this feel like a TV show, the whole movie feels largely focused on world building to a large degree. Not just lore like with the Fire Masters, but the PRC and all that feels like they are trying to build a new foundation for everything going forward. This movie was less about the ghost, and more about establishing a new normal.

I think if this had been like a miniseries to stream, it would be a very good and probably done better, imo..

Though my biggest petpeeve with the movie:
The after math of the lion scene. Really, everyone, all the cops, see this giant lion statute animated and pouncing a little girl... and everyone acts like she just blew it up on a whim.
 

Undead Scottsman

Well-known member
Citizen
Depending on what day you ask, I'll think Ghostbusters 2 is better than Ghostbusters 1.

-You don't have to deal with Venkman being a sex pest
-You actually see them bust a ghost more than once in the film
-They cut out all of the smoking
-While the flow of the movie is similar to the first, it's all new jokes and plots. (Something the film franchise is still having trouble getting away from)
-It had a legitimately creepy vibe compared to the first movie. (The subway scene scared the poop out of young Scottsman)
-I enjoy Vigo as a villain more, and that's partly due to him being throughout the movie instead of just at the very end.

GB1 is still a very hard movie to beat, and has the benefit of doing it first but I think in many ways GB2 did things better.
 

Fero McPigletron

Feel the fear!
Citizen
I think GB2 is funnier but GB1 was scarier. The chair with the hands part was a nightmare come true. Plus, I don't really like the 'good vibes saves the city' shtick.

Frozen Empire had actual horror for once. But it just had too many actors in it. Like, I'd be absolutely fine if the original three did not suit up and left it to the others.
 

Shadewing

Well-known member
Citizen
I think GB2 is funnier but GB1 was scarier. The chair with the hands part was a nightmare come true. Plus, I don't really like the 'good vibes saves the city' shtick.

Frozen Empire had actual horror for once. But it just had too many actors in it. Like, I'd be absolutely fine if the original three did not suit up and left it to the others.

On Frozen Empire's cast: I kinda would have been fine if Venkman's only scene was where he was testing the fire master. Its a very good sceen and totally in character for him. His showing up at the end felt unneeded. He had no other scenes, no real connection to what was going on, then just suddenly shows up for the big finale. I'm fine with Ray and Winston, they're involved and they have some good moments. Winston is the new boss of everything, Ray is the guy too invested to really retire. Peter, just feels like he'd be happiest if he was just PRC's on call Parapsychologist which fits with Bill being the least interested in the franchise.


I was fine with the new guy, and found it amusing that it seems like they styled him to look like RGB Egon. But getting Lucky and Podcast back felt also kinda unneeded. Though Podcast at least works REALLY well with Ray, I will admit. But both of them just also suddenly being in New York just feels weird, and Lucky just seemed there.. I also wouldn't mind if the Fire master guy sticks around, he was fun.

Honestly, the worst part of this movie was the Spengler family dynamics. I espcially REALLY do not like the mom, who seems like she's still just a one dimensional character. I dont like how she seems to brush off her kids. Trevor is also kinda annoying with how he also hasnt changed much either. Only Pheobe and Paul rudd seem to get any new character development. I'm probably in the minority, but I rather liked Pheobe's plot of being frustrated with being sidelined and being very opinionated about it, and even her making "friends" with a ghost. I kinda wish Melody didn't pass on, becuase I kinda would have liked to explore more of their relationship.

But this is again why I feel this would have done better as a Miniseries to stream, like 6-8 episodes. Allow the cast to have more time to develop. Some of them really need more spotlight if they're to be more then background players.

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As for GB2: Growing up I always prefered it to the original. Pretty much for the reasons Scots said. I had the same view of the first two TMNT movies as well; growing older I come to like the original alot more then I did as a kid (never hated it, but I thik a lot of the more mature stuff didn't land while GB2 kinda scales that down), but I still have a hard time claiming one is better then the other. I like them about equally now. Honestly I don't hate any of the GB movies. But I will still say FE is the weakest and probably shouldn't have been a movie; but still overall had a lot I liked and am totally fine if this is meant to lay a new foundation going forward to allow them to do more stuff with the franchise.
 


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