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[WordAssassin]

Someone should tell Dan Aykroyd that if Sony had wanted him to write and direct a Ghostbusters movie they would have hired him.

Except they literally couldn't. The way the Ghostbusters rights used to work was that everyone who held a piece of the pie, AKA Reitman, Akroyd, Murray, and Ramis, had to all agree to do it or it couldn't be done. And Murray would never agree to it, and over the years he kept changing why. It's pretty well documented. The conclusion of this is that before Paul Feig suggested doing the reboot, it's rumored (I believe from the Sony email hack) that Sony was looking for ways to sue Bill Murray in order to force him to let them make a sequel.

So it wouldn't have mattered if Dan wrote another one (he actually wrote four more) or any other writer on the planet, because unless they got Bill Murray to be in it or sign off on it, they literally could not make it.

 

[NekoFever]

The director and the script is the problem.

I agree with this. I'm not sure which side was more to blame, but it was apparent that many scenes just consisted of them filming the actors ad libbing, which resulting in scenes going on way too long and running out of steam.

I remember watching the scene in the mayor's office where it takes like five minutes to do very little story-wise because everyone's trying to aimlessly out-zany each other. The equivalent scene in the original is concise, played mostly straight, and still has some funny lines (dickless, etc). I suspect that's because it was actually, you know, scripted and edited.

I've read interviews with Feig where he's said he finds these actors so funny that he sets the camera rolling and lets them go at it, and in this movie it was REALLY apparent that he'd done that a lot.

It had the usual modern blockbuster issue of how the finale has to be some ridiculous orgy of neon CGI destruction too, but that was the least of its problems.

 

[Freshmaker]

Americans like our English people, in certain categories. Villains. Sidekicks. Comic relief. Pompous idiots. Pretend Americans. Disposable victims to sacrifice to show the terrorists are serious before any "real" people in American planes get killed like in Diehard 2. Amoral spies.

But we just won't accept them taking the jerbs of our patriotic American Ghostbusters. Sorry.

I'd personally be more confused by a the cast of a British panel show suddenly shooting ghosts.

At least get David Mitchell and Richard Ayoade in there too.

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

Movie was bad, so glad there won't be any more.

 

[Epcott]

I remember watching the scene in the mayor's office where it takes like five minutes to do very little story-wise because everyone's trying to aimlessly out-zany each other. The equivalent scene in the original is concise, played mostly straight, and still has some funny lines (dickless, etc). I suspect that's because it was actually, you know, scripted and edited.

Yes, this was very apparent from that awkward middle finger scene between the University employee and the two stars. The guy was just too over the top and the scene dragged. And that problem just kept popping up throughout the film... there was no subtlety to the acting or the comedy.

It had the usual modern blockbuster issue of how the finale has to be some ridiculous orgy of neon CGI destruction too, but that was the least of its problems.

This is the other issue. Why is every ghost neon blue? It did nothing but make the ghosts more like funhouse attractions. There was more tension and horror watching the original, in this, all tense moments are dissolved with overacting or too much FX.

I watched this again last night, feeling I was too critical of the film at first. I could barely make it to the end. The dance scene nearly had me hitting the stop button.

 

[groansey]

Between the alternative cut and the deleted scenes there is a funnier and better paced movie to be salvaged. The editing and line selection in general is very odd. I would love to work on my own cut if I had the time.

But it should have been a sequel, the cast have no chemistry, the script is poor, Murray's cameo is dire, I hated Kevin. The tone is all wrong. Feig and co have no interest in making an actual Ghostbusters film.

Having said all that, I enjoyed the neon ghost effects, it looks slick as hell, I view the film as a non-canon spin-off in the vein of the cartoon. And on that level it's enjoyable. It's nowhere near as bad as some people want it to be, but nowhere near as good as it needed to be.

I hope the upcoming animated film reboots again or follows the old timeline. The franchise would work great as a Netflix show, or via more videogames or something, because it's a great premise. Real Ghostbusters was excellent and had lots of varied storylines that prove the concept has legs. It'd be a shame if Sony let Pascal and Feig's mistakes kill the brand.

 

[bitbydeath]

Yeah, we should totally take into consideration the sexist views of some fans when making the next film.

Or better yet, just get some decent actors, be it male or female.

 

[Psykoboy2]

What in the hell are you talking about?

They had some of the particle effects break the black bars so that it really felt like it came out of the screen. It was pretty nifty.

For the 3D screenings they changed the aspect ratio of the movie so that even in theaters there were thick black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This allowed them to "break" the bars with certain effects that made it look like things were literally coming out of the screen into the theater. For example, when they use the proton packs in GB16, all kinds of excess protons sputter and pour out of the ends of the proton wands. In 3D, they proton beams break the top of the screen and look like they're firing out into the ceiling, and the excess protons look like they're literally spilling out onto the seats in the front rows.

Say what you will about the quality of the movie but the 3D effects were really fuckin cool.

They pretty much answered the question. It also got a perfect 3D score from Cinemablend.

Ghostbusters is the 3D film that we've all been waiting for. While it's admittedly not used throughout, when the 3D is employed, it immeasurably increases the enjoyment of its scenes, as it utilizes everything that the technology has to offer in a vivid, immersive yet detailed fashion that drags you wholeheartedly into the thick of the action.

And while 3D will always have its naysayers, Ghostbusters is now the prime retort to those who insist that it's not worthwhile.

 

[LosDaddie]

The fam & I really enjoyed the new Ghostbusters, but sure $40M in reshoots seems excessive.

 

[d9b]

Terrible movie. He is right.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

The memorability of GB2 is quite impressive.

I'm bemused at people saying it's a bad movie. Nowhere near the classic of GB1, but I've not seen GB2 in probably three or four years yet can still recite dialogue, scenes wholesale and recall most of the details.

I don't get it either. If you are a fan of the original, it is complete nonsense to say GB2 is bad. It is beat for beat the same movie. Like I said before, that makes it a lazy and disappointing sequel, but shit? Come the fuck on. The cast is still great, the writing is still good, the special effects are better, the villain is better, the music is as good if not better. It's a good sequel to the best comedy ever.

 

[cr0w]

Plus GB2 had Janusz, one of the funniest characters I've ever seen.

 

[n00bsauce87]

You know is bad when an actor, not executive for the company, pulls your access pass publicly

 

[March of the Crabs]

Feig is not a good director and has not been in a long time. I feel like this movie with the exact same cast could have worked in more competent hands.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Terrible movie. He is right.

Not what he actually said fyi.

 

[ZoddGutts]

Try and watch this vid without cringing, no wonder RedLetterMedia makes fun of these shills. Sounds like they didn't even watch Dan's interview and just went hard on him to protect their man Feige and the movie, despite Dan actually saying in the same interview that he liked the movie and the cast. Warning Collider video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI4bTmrsrJo&ab_channel=ColliderVideos

 

[p2535748]

I know this has transitioned into mostly talk about the quality of the movie, but it's worth mentioning that the studio is saying Akyroyd is wrong here and that reshoots were more like 3-4 million.

Now the studio could be covering for Feig, but given that Aykroyd seems to think Sony doesn't want to have anything to do with Feig, that would be weird. Frankly, it's possible that the whole thing happened, but it is suspiciously friendly to Aykroyd. He knew the scenes that were needed, and he was right, of course.

Again, he could be right, but the statement from Sony isn't exactly supportive to that view.

 

[sans_pants]

They pretty much answered the question. It also got a perfect 3D score from Cinemablend.

look if stuff popping over the black bars is all it takes for you guys, sure it was great


all the other cg was pretty boring and soulless, especially compared against the original film (or even the cartoon) and the framing of most of the shots was clearly bad

 

[Forsaken82]

That quote's comment regarding Dan Aykroyd is super misleading...

He's not going against his statement before praising the film, he's slamming the Director for making poor choices that resulted in budget increases because of inefficient direction, and if that's all true, then I think he has a case.

 

[phanphare]

Try and watch this vid without cringing, no wonder RedLetterMedia makes fun of these shills. Sounds like they didn't even watch Dan's interview and just went hard on him to protect their man Feige and the movie, despite Dan actually saying in the same interview that he liked the movie and the cast. Warning Collider video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI4bTmrsrJo&ab_channel=ColliderVideos

those guys are the literal worst

 

[Xisiqomelir]

That doesn't really read like a "blast".

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

GB2 is still a classic. The courtroom scene is hilarious from beginning to end. The judges expression when Louis tells him he turned into a dog is funnier than anything in Feigs ghostbusters.

"Two in the box!"

"Ready to go!"

"We be fast and they be slow!"

 

[sans_pants]

gb2 is pretty good but its such a step down from the first


ive watched both about 10 times in the last 2 months

 

[WordAssassin]

look if stuff popping over the black bars is all it takes for you guys, sure it was great


all the other cg was pretty boring and soulless, especially compared against the original film (or even the cartoon) and the framing of most of the shots was clearly bad

Well I mean we are specifically talking about the 3D effect and not the CG as a whole...