• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Bell County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology Gadgets

‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Blu-Ray Review – Entertainment Focus – Entertainment Focus

by NewsReporter
January 30, 2022
in Gadgets
‘ghostbusters:-afterlife’-blu-ray-review-–-entertainment-focus-–-entertainment-focus
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

In the season one finale of Mad Men, Don Draper famously uttered the phrase “Nostalgia…it’s delicate, but potent.” Never has a truer line been spoken, especially now in this era where the childhood of every person who grew up in the 1980s is being mined by Hollywood for every last crumb of intellectual property. Enter stage left – ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ – one of the most potent nostalgia fests in recent memory, but let me tell you, there ain’t a damn thing delicate about it. This is Grade A weaponized nostalgia.

At best, you could say this was a film made with a loving reverence to the original 1984 film. At worst however, there is a strong whiff of course correction to placate the “fans” who hated the 2016 all-female reboot, and consider the original to be some sort of sacred text. Let’s not get into all that again however, and instead give ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ and the creative team behind it the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure it was made with the best of intentions.

Co-written and directed by Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman – director of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II) the film begins with the death of Egon Spengler. Living off the grid in an old farmhouse in Summerville, Oklahoma, he has continued his experiments into supernatural phenomenon. Having lured a familiar looking creature back to the farm, his attempt to trap it fails, allowing the ghostly beast to attack him, and he suffers a fatal heart attack.

Meanwhile, his estranged daughter Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two kids, Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) have fallen on hard times. When they learn of his death they have no other choice but to uproot their lives and move to the spooky old house Egon left for them. And so begins the long journey of discovering who their grandfather really was, and the legacy they have inherited.

It might all be new to Phoebe and Trevor, but for the viewer, everywhere you look there is something familiar. A pile of books here, a PKE meter there. A rusting old 1959 Cadillac Miller Meteor in the barn. A collection of spores, molds, and fungus in the basement. A ghost trap hidden in the floorboards. YouTube videos of the Ghosbusters original “we’re ready to believe you” ads. A musical score by Rob Simonsen that borrows more than a few notes from Elmer Bernstein’s iconic original. And central to it all, an abandoned mine on the outskirts of Summerville that had been operated by the Shandor Mining Company. Ring any bells?

There’s a lot of fun to be had in the early part of the film before the ghoulish business begins. The kids discover all the old Ghostbusters gear, and it’s an absolute joy seeing them whizzing around this strange old town—which appears to have got stuck somewhere in the 50s—in ECTO-1 and blasting bottles with proton packs. This must have been how Jason Reitman felt as a kid on the set of the original films. But does an endless crossed-stream of reverential fan service really work as a film? Or is it just a hollow exercise in nostalgia porn?

Ghostbusters Afterlife
Credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

There are times watching ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ where it feels like the Rick Dalton pointing meme. Oh look, another thing I recognize from the original film! ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ is a film that is nostalgic for nostalgia. It is cynical, it is manipulative, and you can feel it pulling your strings at every turn. When it finally plays its hand in the third act, there’s an argument to be made that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan went a step too far.

But damn it, it worked for me. Against all my better judgement, I really liked it. I knew it was slick and manipulative filmmaking, appealing to fans of a certain age (hello!), but it got me. It caught me in its proton stream of positively charged ions and sucked me into its ghost trap. I watched this with a fellow child of the 80s, and they spent the final 20-minutes in floods of happy tears. Nostalgia…not always delicate, but forever potent.

The blu-ray release is outstanding, with more than 1-hour of special features. It’s great to see a mainstream studio release getting this sort of treatment. First up on the disc is ‘Summoning the Spirit: Making Ghosbusters Afterlife’, which is a really great behind the scene documentary. There are lots of interviews and cool footage from the amazing sets, revealing how much was done practically rather than with CG. The credo for the filmmakers was very much “how would they have done this in 1984” – for better or worse.

‘The Gearhead’s Guide to Ghosbusters Gadgets’ is a short featurette looking at the tech, and all the exceptional detailed work done by the art department. ‘Spectral Effects: The Ghosts of Afterlife’ goes behind the scenes of the model designing for the ghosts, the practical on set effects, and how this was then augmented with CGI to all work perfectly together. There’s some fun stuff on the mini marshmallow men, and then a very moving discussion on the ghost who haunts this film with his absence.

‘Bringing ECTO-1 Back to Life’ is another festival of nostalgia, looking at the incredible craft and hard work that went in to bringing the iconic car back for this film. Next up is ‘We Got One! Easter Eggs Revealed’ which is only 8 minutes long, but I’m pretty sure could have gone on for much longer. You might think you noticed everything, but some of the hidden details stitched into the fabric of this film are super niche. Fans will dig this.

Just in case you haven’t had enough nostalgia, next up is ‘Ghostbusters: A Look Back’ which delves back into the 1984 film for a retrospective discussion with the original cast and director. There are some nice moments though, such as when they are talking about what lines get quoted back to them the most, Annie Potts says that “we got one” will probably be on her tombstone.

‘A Look Ahead’ is more interviews with the OG cast, but this time they are talking about ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’. Finally, the disc is rounded out with a deleted scene. Terrific overall package, and if you liked the film, you will absolutely love this blu-ray release.

Ghostbusters Afterlife pack 1
Credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Cast: Carrie Coon, McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Paul Rudd Director: Jason Reitman Writer: Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan Released By: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Certificate: 12 Duration: 124 mins Release Date: 31st January 2022

Related Posts

this-awesome-mystery-box-is-a-great-surprise-for-an-unsuspecting-tech-lover-–-boing-boing

This Awesome Mystery Box Is A Great Surprise For An Unsuspecting Tech Lover – Boing Boing

by NewsReporter
April 15, 2022
0

Sometimes, surprises can be a terrible, no good, awful thing. And it seems like, no matter how much you say you hate surprises, they still come your way either during birthdays, holidays, or when your car's check engine light comes on (the worst shock of them all, if we're being sincere). And...

starscope-monocular-telescope-mount-–-best-gadget-for-astronomers-–-stl.news

Starscope Monocular Telescope Mount – Best Gadget For Astronomers – STL.News

by NewsReporter
April 14, 2022
0

(STL.News) The Starscope Mobile Phone Telescope Mount is an ideal accessory for astronomers who love the outdoors.  It can easily be clipped to your phone and will turn it into a powerful camera lens, allowing you to view objects from afar in amazing detail.  This waterproof, fog proof, scratch proof,...

the-best-ice-cream-makers-of-2022-–-mashed

The Best Ice Cream Makers Of 2022 – Mashed

by NewsReporter
April 13, 2022
0

Atsushi Hirao/Shutterstock We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Hot weather is almost here and you know what that means ... I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. I'm sure you have a favorite flavor from the store, but why limit yourself? With an...

why-the-cloud-numbers-don’t-add-up-–-gadget

Why The Cloud Numbers Don’t Add Up – Gadget

by NewsReporter
April 13, 2022
0

In a recent survey by large-scale tech learning platform O’Reilly, 90% of respondents said their organisations are using cloud, and 30% said they’re fully cloud native. This makes it clear why ‘cloud’ is the buzzword on every IT leader’s lips. Seemingly, if you’re not getting on the cloud, you’re getting...

Bell County News Online

© 2021 Bell County News Online

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Bell County News Online

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT