Ghostbusters 2016: Talk about the movie(s).

[EnriqueH]

All this Ghostbusters news is more and more reminding me of the Robocop franchise.

When I look at Robocop, I see a PHENOMENALLY AWESOME FIRST movie followed by failed attempts at a franchise using cartoons, comic books, toys, tepid sequels and now...a reboot.

I don't have high hopes.

If Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis couldn't recapture lightning in a bottle in the sequel, it's going to be VERY HARD for somebody else to capture it.

I'll wait for word-of-mouth.

On a separate note, has Channing Tatum improved as an actor?

I understand the appeal. Good looking heartthrob type. I get it. I understand why some women and some guys really like him from a physical standpoint.

But I saw "Fighting" and then I saw the two GI Joe movies, (and that's all I've seen), and he has sucked in all 3 films. The guy had no personality. But maybe he has improved? He's been in quite a few movies since I last saw him. They did choose for the next X-Men, so...I don't know.

 

[Beagleman]

On a separate note, has Channing Tatum improved as an actor?

I understand the appeal. Good looking heartthrob type. I get it. I understand why some women and some guys really like him from a physical standpoint.

But I saw "Fighting" and then I saw the two GI Joe movies, (and that's all I've seen), and he has sucked in all 3 films. The guy had no personality. But maybe he has improved? He's been in quite a few movies since I last saw him. They did choose for the next X-Men, so...I don't know.

I think he's better in comedies, he's hilarious in the 21 Jump Street movies and has shown some really great comedic timing.

 

[Cyke101]

On a separate note, has Channing Tatum improved as an actor?

I understand the appeal. Good looking heartthrob type. I get it. I understand why some women and some guys really like him from a physical standpoint.

But I saw "Fighting" and then I saw the two GI Joe movies, (and that's all I've seen), and he has sucked in all 3 films. The guy had no personality. But maybe he has improved? He's been in quite a few movies since I last saw him. They did choose for the next X-Men, so...I don't know.

I think he's better in comedies, he's hilarious in the 21 Jump Street movies and has shown some really great comedic timing.

My concern with Tatum is that he's just not an improvisor. Both the originals and the sheboot cast are full of them.

But if they confirm Chris Pratt, then my hopes will be satisfied. Pratt's currently one of the best comic improvisors in Hollywood right now; and he was able to hold his own with people like Poehler, Offerman, and O'Heir (the most experienced comic improvisor in Parks & Rec). It could be that Pratt takes comic focus away from Tatum, with Tatum more as a straight man.

And, truth be told, when I think of Ghostbusters, "Hunky" is one of the last things that spring to mind (despite whatever Venkman might want us to think).

 

[EnriqueH]

Hmm, you know what? Going hunky might be the way to go with the male reboot.

I think everyone is expecting Seth Rogen, James Franco, and all those 40-Year Old Virgin actors, (which were amusing for a while but I'm now sick of), which is too predictable.

 

[Cyke101]

Hmm, you know what? Going hunky might be the way to go with the male reboot.

I think everyone is expecting Seth Rogen, James Franco, and all those 40-Year Old Virgin actors, (which were amusing for a while but I'm now sick of), which is too predictable.

God, no. Hollywood already casts too many pretty boys in every role imaginable -- Matthew McConaughey, I think, played a sexy accountant once. I'm going to shed a tear if there's ever a reboot of Office Space starring Taylor Kitsch as Michael Bolton. Not everybody needs a six-pack, Hollywood!

 

[EnriqueH]

I'd rather see Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, and Tom Cruise as the Ghostbusters to be honest.

 

[Cyke101]

I feel like one of the big draws of Ghostbusters was the everyman aspect. They got terrified out of their boots several times in the movie. They had to deal with bureaucracy. They weren't attractive. We had a candy junkie, a cynic, and man child. They were worked to exhaustion as part of their daily routine. Then they were joined by a realist who kept putting them in their place to rein them in. That made them all endearing and really relatable.

I just feel like putting perfections of human physicality -- like the Avengers or nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones -- turns them more into superheroes than professionals with real foibles and human faults. Making them brilliant and attractive and extremely fit makes it look more superficially polished, when part of the charm of the original was the nitty grittiness of what's supposed to be an amateur job by a team of four regular joes who don't really know what they're doing (hence all the collateral damage as comedy). They're scientists, not fighters, but they're required to do both, to hilarious results.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Agreed, Cyke. They weren't perfect by any measure. Heck, we even saw how awkward they were with women. They were all geeks at heart, doing a job they loved, cornered the market even if they weren't the greatest at it, stumbling along most of the time. And for the most part, they figured things out as they went along, because all of it was uncharted territory. But all of that was part of the charm, and I think people could relate. It's what made them interesting. And regarding the damage they do, I don't think the hotel scene, as an example, would play out quite the same way.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Just glanced through the pages...

Some thoughts:

i'm all for a new Ghostbusters, and have no problem with them being all women.

Biggest thing is i don't want them to RE-tell the story. i think having it be a continuation makes th emost sense. Have it set anywhere but New York, and you're good. Whether it's a new franchise (that seems to recall a Commodore 64 Ghostbusterrs game I had), or one that's been around for a while, either way works for me.

The ladies chosen -- i'm not sure. I mean, mostly white. Leslie Jones seems to play the SAME character every SNL skit: Crude loud boorish black woman. If she can switch it up, and be a mousy but intelligent scientist type, cool. But i'm not too excited based on the cast.

Like recently mentioned...i'd like to see some imperfect people...maybe a "good looking" person who is shown to be incompentant compared to the "smart" people who have other issues (like social awkwardness)

I'd love to see some cameos/throwbacks... regarding the new all-male crew....just seems redundent, unless they can do something fresh. Also, some shoutouts to new genres (like Walking Dead reference, or we see some familiar "ghouls")


But looking ahead to the sequel....they ought to have the crew go against 2 new rival companies. One of them could be a cover for a cult trying to release the dead. The second crew could just be incompentant, and makes tings worse for everyone.

 

[EnriqueH]

I feel like one of the big draws of Ghostbusters was the everyman aspect. They got terrified out of their boots several times in the movie. They had to deal with bureaucracy. They weren't attractive. We had a candy junkie, a cynic, and man child. They were worked to exhaustion as part of their daily routine. Then they were joined by a realist who kept putting them in their place to rein them in. That made them all endearing and really relatable.

I just feel like putting perfections of human physicality -- like the Avengers or nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones -- turns them more into superheroes than professionals with real foibles and human faults. Making them brilliant and attractive and extremely fit makes it look more superficially polished, when part of the charm of the original was the nitty grittiness of what's supposed to be an amateur job by a team of four regular joes who don't really know what they're doing (hence all the collateral damage as comedy). They're scientists, not fighters, but they're required to do both, to hilarious results.

Agreed, Cyke. They weren't perfect by any measure. Heck, we even saw how awkward they were with women. They were all geeks at heart, doing a job they loved, cornered the market even if they weren't the greatest at it, stumbling along most of the time. And for the most part, they figured things out as they went along, because all of it was uncharted territory. But all of that was part of the charm, and I think people could relate. It's what made them interesting. And regarding the damage they do, I don't think the hotel scene, as an example, would play out quite the same way.

Actually, it's exactly BECAUSE they're "hunky" that it would work.

You already have the everymen back in the 80s, now you have the ladies, and then you can have the testosterone, pretty boy acting scared.

I think it could work.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Actually, it's exactly BECAUSE they're "hunky" that it would work.

You already have the everymen back in the 80s, now you have the ladies, and then you can have the testosterone, pretty boy acting scared.

I think it could work.

Sorry, but I just can't see it. It would just be too predictable. They might as well cast Karl Urban and The Rock in it too, by your account. Actually, I don't think Karl Urban would be a bad overall choice as he could probably be cast as some sort of Tully. But the overall idea? Not sure what you're seeing in it, to be honest.

 

[Morpheus 02]

Actually, it's exactly BECAUSE they're "hunky" that it would work.

You already have the everymen back in the 80s, now you have the ladies, and then you can have the testosterone, pretty boy acting scared.

I think it could work.

Sorry, but I just can't see it. It would just be too predictable. They might as well cast Karl Urban and The Rock in it too, by your account. Actually, I don't think Karl Urban would be a bad overall choice as he could probably be cast as some sort of Tully. But the overall idea? Not sure what you're seeing in it, to be honest.

The Rock also has proven comedic chops..so he & Karl Urban would make a great movie... i'd have more confidence than the 4 they currently have

 

[JD]

I'm with Cyke and Owain Taggart here. Like they said, part of the fun was the fact that they were a bunch of nerdy dudes, and I'd rather not see the franchise lose that. I don't mind if they have one good looking guy like Channing Tatum, but I'd rather see them going for people more like Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill or Josh Gad for the rest of the cast.

 

[Richard Baker]

One of the best casting decisions was when they filmed 'The Andromeda Strain" (1971) they used Kate Reid for the female scientist- everyone was expecting a Raquel Welch type actress instead.

The 'every man' type working guy is one of the big appeals with the original movie. When Winston is introduced they have been working their tails off and were worn out like most people I know. You get the feeling these are real people with actual jobs, weird jobs, but real ones which can be fun at times but a hassle most of the time...

I am not familiar with the actresses involved but the whole concept of this movie seems to be a gender swap gimmick to draw people in...

 

[Owain Taggart]

The Rock also has proven comedic chops..so he & Karl Urban would make a great movie... i'd have more confidence than the 4 they currently have

Sure, they'd make a great movie together, I'm sure. Just not as Ghostbusters. I do like them both as actors, and I even found The Rock was great in Get Smart. But for him to work, I think they'd have to cast him as an ex-soldier, possibly discharged, who ends up signing up with them, thinking he's got what it takes when he really doesn't. It would give GBs a bit of a military flavour, but then we've got to ask ourselves, is this what the franchise really needs?

Honestly, I think I'd be happy with a cast of unknowns that have we have no expectations with, that the producers would be able to mold to how they want, rather than what a lot of people expect with known actors who carry their own history. That way, we'd be able to focus more on the actual movie than who's in it, and it would be less of a distraction.

 

[EnriqueH]

Actually, it's exactly BECAUSE they're "hunky" that it would work.

You already have the everymen back in the 80s, now you have the ladies, and then you can have the testosterone, pretty boy acting scared.

I think it could work.

Sorry, but I just can't see it. It would just be too predictable. They might as well cast Karl Urban and The Rock in it too, by your account. Actually, I don't think Karl Urban would be a bad overall choice as he could probably be cast as some sort of Tully. But the overall idea? Not sure what you're seeing in it, to be honest.

Either way, I think this remake business is a colossally stupid idea.

I probably won't watch the sheboot even if Roger Ebert contacts me from heaven with a glowing review, particularly since I hated Bridesmaids and expect the studio to pressure the sequel to be similarly executed due to Bridesmaids boxoffice success.

And I probably won't watch the male reboot either.

 

[JD]

I'm not real thrilled with the whole reboot idea either. I still think it would have been more fun if they'd gone with the original plan for a 3rd movie in the series, and just brought in new guy who would be mentored by the original cast. That way you could still get a bunch of younger big name comics in the movie, but are still continuing the series from #2.

 

[Saga]

I probably won't watch the sheboot

And I probably won't watch the male reboot either.

great news. does that mean your participation in this thread is over?

 

[Timby]

I'm not real thrilled with the whole reboot idea either. I still think it would have been more fun if they'd gone with the original plan for a 3rd movie in the series, and just brought in new guy who would be mentored by the original cast.

Except of the original cast, one is dead, one is batshit insane and another wants absolutely nothing to do with the "franchise."

Something that I've been realizing over the past six months or so is that a lot of Ghostbusters fans don't actually like Ghostbusters. A lot of the venom towards the sheboot is coming from people who grew up on the cartoon and the toys and they want a sci-fi adventure with four dudes who have the coolest backpacks and gizmos in the world, while ignoring that that's not at all what Ghostbusters, the movie, was about. We've seen what happens when it becomes about the effects and the gizmos, and it's called Ghostbusters II.

Loving the cartoon and that shit isn't wrong, but when people conflate that with the movie(s), then that's where things fall apart. It's not unlike all of the "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian" talk that somehow has faded away -- people not around for the movie remember the cartoon and want to see Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton have wacky adventures, forgetting that Betelgeuse was originally trying to force an underage girl to marry him.

 

[Saul]

people not around for the movie remember the cartoon and want to see Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton have wacky adventures, forgetting that Betelgeuse was originally trying to force an underage girl to marry him.

Well they let Indiana Jones off the hook with Marion...