Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Ghostbusters : Frozen Empire 

This is a fun film I don’t see why critics are being so harsh on this film as it isn’t as good as the first film but that’s not a fair comparison as that film was lightning in a bottle. This film though does deserve to be praised for giving the audience a fun time as Afterlife is very different compared to Frozen Empire as Afterlife was about acknowledging the passing of Egon and was very much a film about grief and passing there torch on to a new generation. This film is more traditional ghostbusters in a sense what I mean is that its back in New York and we see them busting ghosts and are at threat by a big bad once again which is what this franchise is known for so what’s not to love? I had a fantastic time with this film their are scares in this film that are legitimately scary and have some well earned laughs along with a solid performance by Mckenna Grace as Phoebe once again its a great time to be had and I think people need to remember to have fun as its a film about busting ghosts in new York its just following the blueprint the franchise as been built off of since 1984. 

Firstly, This film is a blast to be had and the screenplay goes to some very dark places with its villain I was pleasantly surprised by. As the film does for sure draw similarities to the first and second film that is the only fault I can see some people giving it as it does feel repetitive of themes from previous films of the franchise. That aside the film deals with Phoebe feeling trapped in a way of wanting to contribute to the team but her mother and boyfriend who she also shares a bit of a strained relationship with is trying to tell her to enjoy her youth and teenage years and not be in such a hurry to grow up so fast. That right their makes for a great arc as we see the resentment she has for her mom in the beginning of the film and then by the final act of the film she comes to the conclusion her mom was right but she also can still contribute in ways without comprising her experience of being a semi normal teenager. So in many ways it’s about growing pains and also feeling limited of what you can contribute to your family which I thought was quite the interesting approach to take for a Ghostbuster film. The film also has a surprising mix of Romance that I can’t expand on too much without giving away important plot points but that addition to the film was something that I think made the narrative more compelling it never felt misplaced or forced it just worked for the benefit of the story at hand. As the last time we had seen a romantic love interest relationship was the first film and that was really just between Billy Murray’s character with Sigourney Weaver so it was refreshing to see them revisit that in a different way for a other character. The film also builds upon the Ghostbusters name and shows how much of a franchise it has become since Winston restored the firehouse and really took the business side of things full time. The film takes on a lot of themes and never feels like they’re taking on more then they can take the themes all felt well balanced and never felt misplaced. The story has genuine scares and thrills that is among some of the most effective scares the franchise has ever had in their 40 years of existence. The plot may have similar beats to past films but they take it on from a different angle that keeps it fresh and exciting. 

Secondly, The performances from the whole cast is terrific! You have the likes of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard but the stand out performance is Mckenna Grace who plays Phoebe once again and to no ones surprise steals the show in many ways. She in my opinion performance wise was the highlight of the last film with her dry humour, being a mix between a new character and a female clone of Egon in many ways she was such a breath of fresh air for the franchise that was needed and she explores more about her personal journey here. We see Mckenna really show the difficulties she is having living in the shadow of her grandfather feeling the need to prove herself and the conflict created out of that really makes for so much complexity for Grace to explore and it results in a emotional performance that is gripping and entertaining to see unfold onscreen. Sure she gives that wit but it is very much emotionally driven she definitely gets to explore aspects of the character here she never got to in the previous film. Everyone gives a solid performance in this film from Bill Murray showing up for a few scenes and even Ernie Hudson getting a good chunk of screen time showing the legacy he wants to leave behind. The film gives tremendous performances that are very fun but it’s Mckenna Grace that walks away with the stand out performance from the entire cast. 

Lastly, Ghostbusters Frozen Empire is a fun time to be had that builds upon this 40 year old franchise that gives fun humour, thrills and scares and sure it may revisit similar plot beats in some places but it still keeps it original and fresh to the final frame. It is getting bashed far to much for its similarity to the previous films but if you can turn you brain off and sit back and enjoy seeing the Ecto- 1 slinging through New York and going after ghost you’ll enjoy it for what it is. It’s a great popcorn film that knows exactly what it is and never tires to be something it’s not. Overall Ghostbusters Frozen Empire feels very much like an episode of there 80’s animated series the real ghostbusters in many ways this is a film the whole family will enjoy while also having a smile on your face seeing New Yorks favourite ghost busting team. I recommend everyone go see this film it’s a great time to be had.

This film is about Phoebe realizing the struggles of what its like to be living in the shadow of her grandfather while trying to enjoy being a teen at the same time and all the struggles that come with it

Rated PG - 13 : Suggestive References|Language|Supernatural Action/Violence 

Mckenna Grace : Mckenna delivers a fantastic performance that builds upon her arc from the last time we saw her. So Where do I start I will say Mckenna is carving a name in the industry with a great resume with great performances that truly showcase her ability to challenge herself as Ana actor she’s worked with Chris Evans in Gifted then the Handmaids Tale and even a small role in I, Tonya. Seeing her take on a massive well known name like Ghostbusters is no easy feat as the fanbase for this 80’s comedy horror brand is huge. So there is a certain expectation to make sure you don’t screw it up and she has done nothing but bring a shot of energy to the name and in many ways is a fan favourite already. As her timing comedically is amazing as she can time her jokes at the right moment without them falling flat or just misplaced she knew when the appropriate time was to say a joke or pull back as she is a natural at comedy and for her age she has a great sense of how to feel the moment id right for a joke its amazing how tremendous she is at comedy for someone so young. She delivers the comedy in some truly side splitting delivery that gives genuine laughs but the thing about her performance that stands out most is her emotional depth she explores of Phoebe that really is the best part of her performance in this film. We see how much she wants to contribute to her family’s legacy but she is very much limited at her ability due to that as her mother puts restrictions on her so she can just be a teenager. We see the strained relationship with her mom because of it and she in many ways resents her mom for her doing that but she’s leaving her out of busting ghosts or dealign with the family business for her own good and she has good intentions as she is just looking out for her kids best interest. Phoebe though does not see it that way she only sees what she is being left out of. The way that Mckenna Grace presents the confusing journey of finding where she belongs in this family and really her place in the world as a young teenager growing up in a situation most can’t relate to the way Mckenna approaches it was done in such a compelling way that made you have your eyes glued to her the whole way through. We see the confusion in her heart and sheer identity crisis she goes through as she gets to go places with Phoebe we never got to see her explore the first time around. She keeps to herself for most of the film because she herself can’t understand her own feelings so how can she explain something to someone she can’t understand herself first and Mckenna approaches that in such a relatable and touching way that comes across very emotional in the best way. By the time we get to the final act we see she has a better understanding of herself and how she best fits into this family its a solid performance that is emotionally layered and builds upon what we saw in the first film. She does not just do a repeat of what we saw in Afterlife she instead turns it up a notch and finds new ways to approach the character we hadn’t seen yet and find depths to her that challenge her as an actor while also keeping the character always evolving to the audience. Overall Mckenna Grace gives a second outing of the character that is truly terrific. 

Gil Kenan : Kenan gives an interesting approach to the Ghostbusters name! Here he gives an entirely different approach to what Jason Reitman would have done. As thematically and stylistically as Afterlife very much felt like a tribute to his father and was about legacy and mourning the character of Egon as this film is very much more of a big action ghostbuster film with a faster pace. Now I will say the only thing that was missing that this film did not have that Afterlife has is the emotional touch that only the Reitman filmmakers can bring to these films not saying that Gil didn’t do a good job but that was a attribute that was missing from this film. He more focused his attention on Phoebe and surrounding the film around her and the whole arc she goes on while giving the audience a fun time with the Ghostbusters taking on a big bad once again with a fresh new villain that has a genuinely scary presence that will terrify young children. What I liked with what Gil did with his take on this film was he was not trying to be like Jason or Ivan Reitman’s style he wanted to give his take on the Ghostbusters that was his own take on it and I like how he wanted this film to feel very much like a episode of the real ghostbusters. As he didn’t do a big skybeam villain but instead crafted a villain that had scary intentions that would pose a threat to the characters we love and then corner them and see how they can get out of that situation. By raising the stakes to a almost horror like degree of storytelling made for a more compelling narrative and then throwing in the coming of age arc for Phoebe mixed very well it never felt tonally all over the place it fit right Gil also gives audiences what we wanted which is a fun ghostbuster film back in the big apple giving yes callbacks to past films without it feeling like its leaning on nostalgia to carry the story forward. Overall the way Gil has crafted a story for this franchise that was fresh and also somewhat terrifying and exploring mature themes for the characters made the film feel more enjoyable instead of it feeling like a rinse and repeat of what we have already seen. Gil does a solid job giving his own take on these iconic characters I think Ivan Reitman would be very proud of how respectful he was with his characters and not loosing that signature style that makes these characters and films so damn fun Gil did a solid job.