Ghostbusters (2016) (Post-release)

Status
Not open for further replies.
I went to see the movie today after several people I know to be generally intelligent people who aren't prone to liking absolute **** recommended it.

It was fun. Yes, there were some cringy moments and I still don't feel that Ghostbusters particularly NEEDED to be remade, but I definitely did not feel that my time or money were wasted on it. It was a cute movie and I felt it was very much in line with the original in terms of atmosphere. Frankly, I think that there is a large segment of the internet that needs to get its panties out of a twist.

Pros:
* Patty and Holtzman are, hands down, my favorite characters. I would watch the **** out of a movie with just those two in it.
* Chris Hemsworth was having FAR too much fun with this role.
* Effects were a lot better than I expected.
* They really got creative with the equipment, which was, I felt, part of the fun.
* Most of the cameos were great.

Cons:
* As much as I love Patty, I would have been happier if Leslie Jones were playing the Kristine Wiig role. I think the actress is great and the character could have been so much more.
* They got really creative with the equipment. I'm fairly certain that a proton stream wouldn't have 'kick' or ricochet like a projectile.
* The extended cameo. I'll admit, I cackled like a madwoman when he went out the window.
* "Lady Slimer" - 'nuff said.
 
goldenhawk said:
Suicide Squad out performed Feigbusters because Feigbusters sucked. Plain and simple. Suicide Squad fit the bill for a summer movie. And there was no reason why Feigbusters couldn't have made $100 million during its opening weekend other than being Feigbusters.
Click to expand...
I enjoyed GB16, regardless of the BO take. I haven't seen Suicide Squad, but I'm pretty pumped-- regardless of the 26% on Rotten Tomatoes. :) The new Batman and Joker in a movie with Harley?! SOUNDS AWESOME!

If I don't wind up enjoying it for whatever reason, I probably won't take to message boards, shouting my hatred from the rooftop.

goldenhawk said:
Hell, since Feigbusters started using "Who you gonna call?" in their marketing campaign, I feel like punching people that say that to us when we are in costume. It is downright cringe-worthy now.
Click to expand...
I'm glad there are cool, level-headed people like you out there, representing our fandom with the public while in costume. :behave

firesprite said:
I went to see the movie today after several people I know to be generally intelligent people who aren't prone to liking absolute **** recommended it.

It was fun. Yes, there were some cringy moments and I still don't feel that Ghostbusters particularly NEEDED to be remade, but I definitely did not feel that my time or money were wasted on it. It was a cute movie and I felt it was very much in line with the original in terms of atmosphere. Frankly, I think that there is a large segment of the internet that needs to get its panties out of a twist.
Click to expand...
That was pretty much my exact experience with it-- down to the pros and cons. It's a fun movie! Great idea on Jones playing Wiig's role. I read she was originally cast as McCarthy's role, but they changed it last minute.
 
jettajeffro said:
The GB logo is just behind the Coca-Cola logo as I recall in terms of global recognition. That was from a blurb around the time of the 09 Video Game.
Click to expand...

I think I myself referred that blurb earlier in this discussion, and it may be very true.

But having an iconic and recognizable logo does not mean great cultural influence. d_osborn

Due to Star Wars being new and fresh and different on so many artistic, intellectual, technological and economical levels at its times it has a now deeply rooted cultural influence. Many people in all kinds of fields cite Star Wars as their main influence in making choices regarding their professional occupation for example.
Star Trek as a franchise did something similar, inspire people, so I´d say that if there is a rival to Star Wars it is Trek. Ghostbusters is nowhere near those giants.

If it had not been for Star Wars, Ghostbusters probably wouldn´t have been made. I cannot remember one film maker who said "I saw Ghostbusters and knew instantly that is what I want to do with my life". I don´t remember an artist saying "the art of Ghostbusters inspired me to become an artist".
With Star Wars there was and still is an actually tangible IMPACT on our daily life. I go out and see it everywhere. It vanished in the eighties but made a return in the mid-90ies. When GB was gone it was gone for good. I kick myself for missing the opportunity to get my son a shirt at H&M with the GB logo two years ago when he still was a toddler. Star Wars shirts? Available in abundance.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah, I mean, sure, the no-ghosts logo is easily recognizable (I would debate whether it's truly right behind the Coca Cola logo, though, at least for any year post-1995 or so). But a recognizable logo doesn't come close to the cultural impact of Star Wars (which, I would argue, also has recognizable logos and trade dress -- like its own freakin' font).
 
goldenhawk said:
Suicide Squad out performed Feigbusters because Feigbusters sucked. Plain and simple. Suicide Squad fit the bill for a summer movie. And there was no reason why Feigbusters couldn't have made $100 million during its opening weekend other than being Feigbusters.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's fair to say just yet. Opening weekend is less about how good the movie is and more about how good the marketing is, since none of those people buying tickets have seen it or know anyone who has seen it yet.


But in terms of marketing, there's a very valuable lesson there. BOTH of these movies got lots of hate in the buildup. If anything, it's possible suicide squad got more at first, from the rampant bashing of Leto, to Letos look, to Harley's look, to the new 52 stuff, casting will smith, also problems with crappy trailer...the parallels were there and in plenty.

The difference is how they responded to it. While GB responded to it by calling detractors sexist, or man-babies, Suicide Squad always responded with "Just wait and see, you might like it".

Comparing opening weekend numbers. Now we see which approach works better. Big shock: attacking the largest segment of your core demo isn't the best marketing idea ever.
 
I agree if the GB camp hadn't gone attacking those who weren't happy about the film and went the route of Suicide Squad and taken the high road it would have helped. Bungie's learning this in the game industry as every time they have an interview their staff talks down to the fans and it loses them players. Fieg just has an ego problem and didn't want to take the high road because he seems to have an attitude about everything.
 
AJTaliesen said:
I'm not sure that's fair to say just yet. Opening weekend is less about how good the movie is and more about how good the marketing is, since none of those people buying tickets have seen it or know anyone who has seen it yet.


But in terms of marketing, there's a very valuable lesson there. BOTH of these movies got lots of hate in the buildup. If anything, it's possible suicide squad got more at first, from the rampant bashing of Leto, to Letos look, to Harley's look, to the new 52 stuff, casting will smith, also problems with crappy trailer...the parallels were there and in plenty.

The difference is how they responded to it. While GB responded to it by calling detractors sexist, or man-babies, Suicide Squad always responded with "Just wait and see, you might like it".

Comparing opening weekend numbers. Now we see which approach works better. Big shock: attacking the largest segment of your core demo isn't the best marketing idea ever.
Click to expand...

I think that, to the extent there was a clear calculus in the marketing efforts for Ghostbusters, that the theory was they were happy to cut loose the "core fanbase" when it consisted of people who had made it clear they hated the movie on principle. Instead, the focus shifted towards mobilizing a different group of people who could become new fans by appreciating the feminist angle.

I think, however, that while plenty of audience members might view themselves as feminists, and while I know a few women who went to see this film precisely because of its female lead cast, there weren't enough people who cared about the movie on that basis alone. To most people, it was, you know, just a movie. It wasn't a social justice crusade, it wasn't the end of all that is good in entertainment. It was just a movie and they judged it based on what they saw in trailers and read in reviews. And the trailers and reviews made the film look like...you know...just a movie. Nothing special one way or the other. Another Hollywood rehash with a slight twist, and, I dunno, maybe we'll go see it this weekend if it rains. Or maybe we'll just go to the beach if the weather's nice. Whatever.

In that sense, the marketing took a gamble that didn't pay off: they gambled that they could (A) replace, and (B) exceed the "core fans" demographic. But I think, in the end, that they painted with a bit too broad a brush and let the controversy eclipse the film.

I suppose the studio might have allowed that because they didn't have a ton of faith in the final product to stand on its own, or they may have just reacted without thinking. But if anyone was thinking, then I'd bet the thinking was "Let's court a different demographic. They're ripe for the picking."
 
yep. if they where trying to convert social justice warriors and feminists into fans, they failed miserably.

the SJW's and white knights have already moved on to the next cause, in this case, probably suicide squad and harley/jokers relationship based on reviews seen on line.

Meanwhile, the core, upset fan base they should have went after if anyone at sony had half a brain is still here, still upset, had it's core image of the ghostbusters franchise ruined so much it's hard to enjoy it anymore...and not afraid to go after them for failing miserably.


Has to be the worst gamble in the history of hollywood, and the weirdest/dumbest.
 
NeilT said:
yep. if they where trying to convert social justice warriors and feminists into fans, they failed miserably.

the SJW's and white knights have already moved on to the next cause, in this case, probably suicide squad and harley/jokers relationship based on reviews seen on line.

Meanwhile, the core, upset fan base they should have went after if anyone at sony had half a brain is still here, still upset, had it's core image of the ghostbusters franchise ruined so much it's hard to enjoy it anymore...and not afraid to go after them for failing miserably.


Has to be the worst gamble in the history of hollywood, and the weirdest/dumbest.
Click to expand...
I guess Sony still hasn't learned their lesson:

http://www.bustle.com/articles/1774...quel-is-still-up-in-the-air-but-hes-got-ideas

And the GB fandom will be divided forever as a result.
 
Solo4114 said:
Sorry, Neil, I think that honor goes to the producers of either Waterworld or Battlefield Earth. ;)
Click to expand...

The drinking scene might be one of the lowest in history, I'll give you that. I didn't see either of those two movies, but I do remember that weirdness being talked about.

- - - Updated - - -

>>>From the sound of it, nothing is in the works — but only because he's taking the filmmaking process one step at a time. “Melissa McCarthy said it best, when you are in the O.R. having a baby and the baby is halfway out, it’s not the time to ask if you want another baby,” Feig said. “At this point, we are just trying to get the baby out.”>>>


That's gotta be the weirdest analogy ever. who thinks 'yeah, i only see the head, but, lets make another one. get naked!'

these people are just bizarre.
 
Axlotl said:
Has this been posted yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORS3CqPTgDg
Click to expand...

Made it through about 10 minutes before I turned it off.

Also, it reminded me of this:
GB Kevin.jpg
 
firesprite said:
Made it through about 10 minutes before I turned it off.

Also, it reminded me of this:
View attachment 653157
Click to expand...

I can't remember the last woman that was nothing but dumb eye candy. again, probably kelly bundy....

I'd be curious if anyone actually can name some dumb women characters from,say, 1995 onward.

The Dumb Male seems to be more prevalent these days.

of course, i don't watch alot of new stuff.....so i could be totally wrong in that, but i'm under the impression that this totally died out in the mid to early 90s.
And even in before the 90s, you had dumb male characters too like Shaggy from scooby doo, who was a down right stoner.... and Beavis and Butthead like characters. so it's not like dumb was afforded to only women.
 
NeilT said:
I can't remember the last woman that was nothing but dumb eye candy. again, probably kelly bundy....

I'd be curious if anyone actually can name some dumb women characters from,say, 1995 onward.

The Dumb Male seems to be more prevalent these days.

of course, i don't watch alot of new stuff.....so i could be totally wrong in that, but i'm under the impression that this totally died out in the mid to early 90s.
And even in before the 90s, you had dumb male characters too like Shaggy from scooby doo, who was a down right stoner.... and Beavis and Butthead like characters. so it's not like dumb was afforded to only women.
Click to expand...


http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BrainlessBeauty

There are plenty of guys listed in the examples as well. However, when it comes to comedies and action movies, the "useless eye candy" is mostly female.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Egon Spengler
Would you be for or against a Ghostbusters 2 Special Edition? If for, what you would like to see done?
Replies
13
Views
539
JediMichael
JediMichael
_Lee_
UK release date for Mayans season 5?
Replies
0
Views
305
_Lee_
_Lee_
James Kenobi 1138
'Wonderwell' Carrie Fisher's last movie finally set to release, new trailer
Replies
2
Views
490
Halliwax
Halliwax
Ned Figglehorn
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
5 6 7
Replies
136
Views
8,696
ZeroSum
ZeroSum
peterquill
Planes, Trains & Automobiles 4k Uhd Release
Replies
13
Views
1,100
frosty
frosty
Back
Top