Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)
Original Title: Fear Street: 1666
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Length:  1h 54min
Rating: R
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writers: R.L. Stine, Kate Trefry, Phil Graziadei, Leigh Janiak
Based On: Fear Street book series by R.L. Stine
Actors: Kiana Madeira, Elizabeth Scopel, Benjamin Flores Jr., Randy Havens, Julia Rehwald, Matthew Zuk, Fred Hechinger, Michael Chandler, Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Olivia Scott Welch, Lacy Camp, McCabe Slye, Ashley Zukerman, Jordana Spiro, Jeremy Ford, Charlene Amoia, Mark Ashworth, Todd Allen Durkin, Ryan Simpkins, Ted Sutherland, Gillian Jacobs, Darrell Britt-Gibson

IMDb Blurb: In 1666, a colonial town is gripped by a witch hunt that has deadly consequences for centuries to come, while teenagers in 1994 try to put an end to their town's curse before it is too late.

Cat’s Point of View:

The third and final act of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy made for a satisfying book-end to the three-film run of this story.

The first movie sparked so many questions, and the second offered few answers, whetting the appetite for more. Fear Street Part Three: 1666 offered not only an origin story to this tale of a curse enveloping twin cities, but also a fitting resolution in the “present day” where the narrative began in 1994.

Part Three offers revelations that aren’t quite as shocking as they likely were intended to be, and yet the twisty shenanigans still entertained.

I understand some of the detractors from this third installment complaining that it felt like this was 2 whole movies smushed together. In some ways, it could be seen that way. I, however, appreciate the way that the extended flashback occurred. It more viscerally brought us into the story of the origins of the curse that befell Shadyside. It pulled our present-day characters into the parallel scenario of the past.

The setting of 1666, while likely a year selected for the numerical significance with its dark connotations, did fall in a period of time when witch fever was still high between the general timeline of The Burning Times in Europe and the Salem Witch Trial era in the 1690s. The segment from the past felt plausible and harrowingly fitting to that time period.

The transition between the past and the present were done well. I enjoyed seeing how the familiar faces wove into the past and brought the situation in 1994 into greater focus.

Of course, the climax was as campy as you would expect based on the build-up from the first 2 teen slasher installments. There was still plenty of blood to be spilled and inventive plans to be hatched.

Over all, I really enjoyed the entirety of the experience of this trilogy. I do strongly suggest that anyone interested in Fear Street Part Three: 1666 go back and watch the movies in order. Just a reminder that they are a continuous story from Part 1 through Part 3. Netflix does offer skippable recaps, but why read the Cliff’s Notes when the whole of the tale is so entertaining? Each movie ends with a “to be continued,” and is nicely concluded with this third installment.

Sometimes trilogies don’t pay off in the way you would hope, and leave questions and missed opportunities in their wake. This was not the case with the Fear Street trilogy encompassing 1994, 1978, & 1666.

If you’re a fan of R.L. Stine’s work, or the nostalgic horror of campy teen slasher flicks, this trilogy and specifically its conclusion will be right up your alley.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 89%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 76%
Metascore – 68%
Metacritic User Score – 6.5/10
IMDB Score – 6.6/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (2021)
Genre: Horror, Drama, Mystery
Length: 1h 49min
Rating: R
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writer: Leigh Janiak, Zak Olkewicz, Phil Graziadei, R.L. Stine
Actors: Gillian Jacobs, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Olivia Scott Welch, Sadie Sink, Brandon Spink, Chiara Aurelia, Marcelle LeBlanc, Eden Campbell, Ted Sutherland, Michael Provost, Drew Scheid, Emily Rudd, McCabe Slye, Jordana Spiro, Ashley Zukerman
 
Blurb from IMDb: Shadyside, 1978. School's out for summer and the activities at Camp Nightwing are about to begin. But when another Shadysider is possessed with the urge to kill, the fun in the sun becomes a gruesome fight for survival.

 
Selina's Point of View:
We're catching up on the Fear Street movies we missed, so expect part three next week. Cat and I discussed it, and we couldn't believe we had skipped reviewing these. It was an easy choice to fix that oversight. R.L. Stine was childhood for both of us.
 
It was a great idea for the three parts to be released in the same month, since two and three start where the last left off. It keeps the movies fresh in the mind of audiences. When there's a situation like this, where it all leads into each other, this should be common practice. Think about how much better it would have been to watch something like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) at the beginning of the month and then The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015) at the end of the same month if they'd come out the way the first three Fear Streets did. There could have been special showings where theaters put them back-to-back with a short intermission for bathroom breaks. I would have paid out the nose for that.
 

But I digress.
 
Like in the first part, Fear Street felt nostalgic. It followed all the horror movie rules that we once had laid out for us in Scream (1996), and it had the familiar setting that we saw in Friday the 13th. It also has that distinct R.L. Stine flair to it, though I'm sure the movie took liberties with the original material.
 
I did like part one a little better, though not enough to make a difference. They're on equal footing with story, and slightly campy acting, but the kills in part one were much more creative. Part two was bloodier though. It depends what you want from your slasher flick.
 
I look forward to seeing how the third movie ties in, and if there actually is an end to Sara Fier. R.L. Stine's endings aren't always happy. That makes it a little difficult to predict.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 88%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 81%
Metascore – 61%
Metacritic User Score – 7.0
IMDB Score – 6.7/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina's Rating – 3.5/5
 
P.S. Don't look at the IMDb page before watching the movie, it spoils something.
 
Movie Trailer:

Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year:  Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)
Original Title: Fear Street: 1994
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Length:  1h 47min
Rating: R
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writers: R.L. Stine, Kyle Killen, Phil Graziadei, Leigh Janiak
Based On: Fear Street book series by R.L. Stine
Actors: Maya Hawke, Charlene Amoia, David Thompson, Ryan Torres, Noah Bain Garret, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Ashley Zukerman, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Matt Burke, Matthew Zuk, Olivia Scott Welch, Jeremy Ford, Elizabeth Scopel, Eric Mendenhall, Todd Allen Durkin, Jordyn DiNatale, Lloyd Pitts, Kevin Waterman, Emily Brobst, Keil Oakley Zepernick, Michael Chandler, Lacy Camp

IMDb Blurb: A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.

Selina’s Point of View:
I’m going to start by saying I was a rabid fan of R.L. Stine as a kid. I read every single Goosebumps that came out. Hit up the Scholastic book fair with the few dollars my mom gave me and bought out any R.L. Stine books I came across. Because of that, Fear Street: Part One – 1994 felt like a warm childhood hug.

It’s a horror that utilizes a bread slicer as a weapon, so I understand how strange that sounds. Cat and I have been discussing what goes into the definition of a “comfort movie” for someone, and I think this fits right into that discussion. My favorite comfort movie is Jurassic Park (1993), after all, and people get eaten in that.

But I digress.

I never read the Fear Street books, but the story still feels familiar. It’s reminiscent of 80s and 90s horror flicks like Friday the 13th (1980) and Scream (1996). It follows a lot of the same familiar horror movie rules and still manages to end in a way that’s a bit unexpected.

There are some plot holes that could be attributed to either the books or the adaptation. I have to hold it against the film, though, because I’m unfamiliar with the original material. Some people die in situations that don’t make sense, seeing how the secondary characters manage to stay safe as long as they do.

Despite that, the acting is on point, and the film is a pleasure to watch. For horror fans, I could absolutely see it being someone’s comfort flick.

Cat’s Point of View:
I was rather surprised to discover that we hadn’t already reviewed the Fear Street trilogy that had premiered as Netflix Original features back in 2021. I remembered that I had watched them and enjoyed them. I also recall distinctly writing about them. Alas, it was apparently just regarding my #12 entry on July 2021’s Top 20 list, where I placed all 3 together as a unit due to their release dates following only a week apart within that same month. I digress…

When the newest Fear Street movie, Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025) hit Netflix recently, it took me back to my fond memories of watching the first three. It would be weird if we covered the newest without visiting the trilogy that came first, though. Thus, here we are.

I was happy to watch Fear Street: Part One – 1994 again to refresh my memory. This time, my daughter was excited to watch with me. She hadn’t been into horror movies when these first released. We fell all the way down the rabbit hole and binged the trilogy. I’m only covering the first installment here, however.

Part One sets the stage for the overall adventure. There’s a good bit of lore both touched on in obvious and subtle ways. Some of the characters don’t seem to have quite as much depth in this first bit of story, but trust me when I say that things do develop as the overall 3-part story arc progresses.

From odes to the era in which this movie was set and the slasher genre to the details that highlighted the contrast between neighboring rival towns of Sunnyvale and Shadyside, this really felt like a R.L. Stine book come to life. Of course, he is the author of the Fear Street series these stories were adapted from.  One of the aspects I appreciated about these films, beginning with Fear Street: Part One – 1994, was that the production team wasn’t afraid to lean into the darkness and give the teen-scream series an R rating. Stine’s Goosebumps series felt more appropriate to the PG-13 range. R. L. Stine is great for offering chills for a wide age range.

One thing to note about this trilogy is that it is not, in fact, an anthology as I originally guessed. Each movie leads directly into the next. While the three films lean heavily into the time mentioned in their titles, they are exploring an interconnected story that spans hundreds of years. The end of each movie closes with “to be continued” and dives right into a sneak peek at the next installment. It was very easy to binge all three, and Netflix also offers an option to skip the recap in the next installment.

If you’re a fan of slashers, I’d highly recommend giving the Fear Street trilogy a try. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 84%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 63%
Metascore –  67%
Metacritic User Score – 5.8/10
IMDB Score – 6.2/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Last Survivors (2021)

Streaming Service: Hulu
Movie Name/Year: Last Survivors (2021)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Length: 1h 38min
Rating: Unrated
Director: Drew Mylrea
Writer: Josh Janowicz
Actors: Drew Van Acker, Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Moyer, Mark Famiglietti, Benjamin Arthur
 
Blurb from IMDb: A father and son, who have been living off grid for 20 years, encounter an outsider who threatens to destroy the utopia they've built.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
Last Survivors was on our radar back when it released in February of 2022. It made the Top 20 list for both Selina and I – if in slightly different placements within the 11-20 range. Off the top of my head, I recall that I was intrigued by the trailer although it clearly gave away spoilers regarding “the big secret” within the story. I was interested in seeing how it was all going to play out.
 
Of course, it also helped that I'd generally give anything involving Alicia Silverstone (The Baby-Sitters Club, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Reptile) and Stephen Moyer (The Gifted, After Everything, Sexy Beast) a chance.
 
There's a fine line to tread when discussing Last Survivors. It's hard to discuss in full my impression of the movie without spoiling more than the trailer already did. While I gather myself from having so many trailer-related pet-peeves stomped on, I would offer that I do have some positive things to say about the film. I think the cinematography did a great job in capturing the remote nature of the 'world' of this father and son. I felt the cold of their environment and the stark nature of their off grid living that was the stuff of preppers' dreams.
 

Everything leading up to where things got twisty had me on the edge of my seat a bit – right up until the most pivotal moment. I did feel the dread and suspense regarding the stakes involved with the evolving situation. I wanted so badly to be able to ignore the plot holes and continue to suspend my disbelief. The latter half of Last Survivors simply didn't offer enough answers to the “why” questions that were plaguing my thoughts as I watched.
 
I enjoyed the performances by Moyer, Silverstone, and Drew Van Acker (Pretty Little Liars, Life Like, Titans). Any issues I had with their characters came from the story itself, rather than their delivery of it.
 
While Last Survivors isn't a movie that I think I'd seek to watch again, if a friend or family member wanted me to watch it with them, I wouldn't protest. Maybe a second watch-through could reveal clues I missed that could have answered some of my questions. It's a shot in the dark, if I'm honest. The point is, I wouldn't be mad about a second watch-through.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 75%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 48%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.9/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5
 
Movie Trailer:

West Side Story (2021)

 

 

Streaming Service: Disney+

Movie Name/Year: West Side Story (2021)

Genre: Crime, Musical, Romance

Length:  2h 36min

Rating: PG-13

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writer: Tony Kushner, Arthur Laurents

Actors: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d'Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Iris Menas, David Aviles Morales, Sebastian Serra, Ricardo Zayas, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Ricky Ubeda, Andrei Chagas, Adriel Flete, Jacob Guzman, Kelvin Bryan, Carlos Sanchez Falu, Julius Rubio, Yurel Echezarreta, David Guzman, Sean Harrison Jones, Jess LeProtto, Patrick Higgins, Kyle Allen, John Michael Fiumara, Kevin Csolak, Kyle Coffman, Daniel Patrick Russell, Ben Cook, Harrison Coll, Garett Hawe, Myles Erlick, Julian Elia, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Yesenia Ayala, Gabriela Soto, Juliette Feliciano Ortiz, Jeanette Delgado, Maria Alexis Rodriguez, Edriz E. Rosa Pérez, Ilda Mason, Jennifer Florentino, Melody Marti, Ana Isabelle, Gaby Diaz, Isabella Ward, Eloise Kropp, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Leigh-Ann Esty, Lauren Leach, Brittany Pollack, Kellie Drobnick, Skye Mattox, Adriana Pierce, Jonalyn Saxer, Brianna Abruzzo, Halli Toland, Sara Esty, Talia Ryder, Maddie Ziegler, Andrea Burns, Mike Iveson, Jamila Velazquez, Annelise Cepero, Yassmin Alers, Jamie Harris, Curtiss Cook

 

IMDb Blurb: An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.

 

 

Selina’s Point of View:

The original West Side Story (1961) is a classic. Generations grew up watching the Romeo and Juliet retelling and filing it away as one of their favorite movies ever. Considering the time in which it was created, as well as the subject matter, there are some problematic aspects to the original. That made it a great choice for remaking.

 

I’ve always said there is a place for remakes in our cinematic landscape. Admittedly, more often than not, remakes and reboots can be gratuitous attempts at cash grabs. In the case of West Side Story, Steven Spielberg’s involvement (specifically as director) speaks volumes. Although he’s produced a few questionable sequels and soft reboots, he hasn’t bothered to try and direct any of them. I’m guessing that’s not the kind of thing he wants his name stamped on so prominently.

 

The first West Side Story had some issues with casting. A lot of white actors were cast as Puerto Ricans and brown face was used in order to make the racial plot work. It’s not something most people hold against the film, because it was a product of its time. However, that left things wide open for someone to bring it into the next century. There are minimal negative feelings toward the original along with an opening of the mind to a new cast.

 

Keeping the script and the songs as close to the 1961 version was a good idea. A lot of the settings changed, and the cinematography was updated, but the whole thing felt familiar and right. The writers added a deeper reason for the Jets and Sharks to be battling, for instance. The racial aspect is still center stage, but now the film goes further into the gentrification of the area. That fear of being evicted in order for condos to be put up is a familiar one in a lot of neighborhoods – speaking as a New Yorker.

 

  

Then there’s Rita Moreno’s new part.

 

No one was going to be able to outperform the legendary Rita Moreno as Anita. That’s just a fact. That said, she’s not in a position to recreate the part herself. In the original West Side Story, she was iconic. Part of why the movie is so good is because of her Anita portrayal. So, they opted to create a whole new part for her – and I think it was a fantastic addition. It added more to Tony’s story, and the extremely tense scene near the end was made that much better by her inclusion in the aftermath. (If you know, you know.)

 

Despite having to fill such big shoes, Ariana DeBose did an amazing job. I thought I’d be missing Moreno the whole time, but there were really only a few very short parts that brought my mind back to her predecessor. That might be an insult for a different film, but in West Side Story, I assure you that no one could have done better.

 

Ansel Elgort wound up being a pretty decent Tony. I was worried about him. I can blow a little hot and cold on my interpretation of his work, and I was just hoping this would be on the warmer side. He must be a fan of the original, though, because he brought it together. David Alvarez also brought Bernardo back to life in a way that his predecessor didn’t.

 

The standout for me, and this may be a hot take, was Rachel Zegler. I thought she was better than Natalie Wood. Putting race completely aside, I simply thought Zegler was the better actor. The final scene of the 1961 version is tense and terrifying. There’s a pit of dread that grows throughout Maria’s monologue and it leaves you in your thoughts. In this new version of West Side Story, it’s straight-up ugly-cry inducing. You still get that pit of dread in your stomach, but the sense of sadness is so much more palpable.

 

I don’t think a remake of West Side Story could get any better than this. It was phenomenally done, and it’s a prime example of what films should be remade, and how to do it.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

West Side Story is one of those tales that has become an indelible part of musical theater – and, I dare say, our culture in general - in a profound way. There are many that have not seen the Broadway production or prior cinematic treatment, and yet are familiar with the music and general story premise.

 

I, for one, am among those that had never experienced this re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet before via stage or screen. The music, showcasing the lyrical genius of Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) and the music compositional brilliance of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), has been something I’ve encountered throughout my life. The songs have popped up in the most expected places – take “I Feel Pretty,” for example. Parodies or different versions of the song have appeared in productions such as Sesame Street (1969-), Friends (1994-2004), and even The Simpsons (1989-).

 

I digress…

 

 

It was high time that I remedied this hole in my knowledge of both cinema and musical theater via their convergence with this remake. It’s been on my ever-growing to-watch list since its announcement, after all. As soon as I learned that this remake of West Side Story was a passion project for Steven Spielberg (War Horse, Ready Player One, The Fabelmans), I was sold. The combination of such a classic story, wonderful music, and my favorite director was a convergence impossible to ignore.

 

This retelling of West Side Story was everything I hoped it would be and then some. It was superbly cast, impeccably shot, well-choreographed, and given the respectful treatment that such a classic deserved. It showcased its relevance in the modern day with our widening societal divides just as it did in its original runs while racial tensions were also at a boiling point.

 

West Side Story is exactly as I imagine it would appear in my mind, had I imagined the Broadway story taking place in the real world instead of a theater stage.

 

I’d go so far as to say that this version of West Side Story has cemented itself as a modern classic, and I’d give it a firm recommendation to anyone that enjoys musicals or musical theater.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 92%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 93%

Metascore – 85%

Metacritic User Score – 7.1/10

IMDB Score – 7.1/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

 

 

Streaming Service: STARZ

Movie Name/Year: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Length:  2h 4min

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Columbia Pictures, BRON Studios, Ghostcorps, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Montecito Picture Company, Sony Pictures España, Sony Pictures Releasing Argentina, Sony Pictures Releasing Canada, Sony Pictures Releasing International, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures, Universal Pictures International

Director: Jason Reitman

Writers: Gil Kenan, Jason Reitman, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

Actors: Annie Potts, Bill Murray, Bokeem Woodbine, Caillou Pettis, Carrie Coon, Celeste O'Connor, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Kim, Marlon Kazadi, Mckenna Grace, Oliver Cooper, Paul Rudd, Sigourney Weaver

 

IMDb Blurb: When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

 

Selina’s Point of View:

I grew up on Ghostbusters (1984). I was only 1-year-old when it came out, so I don’t know when I first saw it, but I know it was early in life. Nothing was ever going to live up to the original Ghostbusters. I didn’t go into this thinking anything would. Still, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was the absolute best they could have done.

 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife had all the nostalgia that fans of the original series could hope for, including cameos from the majority of the original cast. They even had Harold Ramis (Stripes, Groundhog Day, Orange County) represented. You can’t really blame them for not getting Rick Moranis (Little Shop of Horrors, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Brother Bear), though. He left acting to be a full-time dad after the death of his wife. (As a side note: He’s talking about getting back into it now that they’re grown.)

 

Those ‘member berries alone would have floated Ghostbusters: Afterlife. They could have left it at that, and people would have watched. Especially Millennials and Gen Xers. But the creative team didn’t rest there.

 

 

There was a lot to the story. On top of that, the group of actors chosen to take over the reins was well-cast.

 

Finn Wolfhard (The Addams Family, The Turning, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) is a no-brainer. As one of the kids from Stranger Things, he’s not going to have any trouble getting work. For good reason. On the same note, Paul Rudd (The Fundamentals of Caring, Mute, The Bob's Burgers Movie) was as good as expected. There was no way he was going to flub this performance. He was practically born to play any kind of weird fan-boy part. And I mean that in the best way.

 

Carrie Coon (Fargo, The Nest, Boston Strangler) acted with the ability of someone with a household name. I never questioned any of her scenes. While Logan Kim’s (Home Movie: The Princess Bride) performance reminded me of Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things) as Mikey in The Goonies (1985). I don’t say that lightly. His mannerisms felt inspired by that 80s classic. Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid's Tale, Spirit & Friends, Crater) was the shining star, though. She absolutely transformed into her character. I know her from other works, and I didn’t place her at all. I love it when an actor can cause that effect.

 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was all the fun it was meant to be. If you stick around for the mid, and post, credit scenes – it’s even more so. If they make more in the series, I hope they continue from here. We can forget the remake.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I absolutely adore the Ghostbusters (1984) franchise. All of it. Watching the original in theaters when I was little was one of my earliest handful of magical theater experiences. I even loved the short-lived cartoon series. (I’m pretty giddy that there’s allegedly another animated series in development, too.) I even have a few of the Ghostbusters comics that were in the same artistic style as the existing cartoon series. I digress…

My point is that this particular IP holds a special nostalgic place in my heart. I will always give something with the Ghostbusters label a chance and hope for the best. Though, after the slight disappointment with the non-primary-canon gender twist installment in the franchise, and the passing of beloved key people, I wondered if it would be possible for Ghostbusters to make a real theatrical comeback. Then I saw the teasers for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and I swear I got chills.  

There was the OG Ecto-1 sitting in a field. I had to know more. 

 

Then, as time went on and I learned that this new movie was helmed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air, Tully), son of late and great Ivan Reitman (1946-2022) who brought us the original. Further, Dan Aykroyd (Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return, Get On Up, Hotel Paranormal) was on the writing team. I had faith that this new installment was going to be more grounded in the legacy of the movies we all love from yesteryear. 

I wasn’t disappointed. 

My only worry, really, was how they were going to handle the passing of Harold Ramis (1944-2014), who played the iconic Dr. Egon Spengler. His character was so central to making the team work - he was their tech guy and the straight-laced no-nonsense heart of the ensemble. The sequel that we had all hoped for over the years seemed out of reach after both Ramis and Reitman were lost. 

 

Well, I can tell you that you can put those worries aside. Ghostbusters: Afterlife handled this tastefully with great respect to both, and with the surviving family’s blessing. Their spirits were alive and well within this continuation of the original story. This was a heartfelt tribute to them as well as a torch-passing.

I cried. So much crying. 

Without dwelling further on the past, let’s get on to discussing more of this actual movie. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was the perfect vehicle to bring these stories forward into a new era. It built from the existing story and seamlessly incorporated a new generation into the fold with Spengler’s estranged family. Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and especially Mckenna Grace were well cast in those roles. Grace and her character’s buddy Podcast, played by Logan Kim, were my favorites. 

 

In fact, the cast was fairly stacked with talented up-and-comers such as Celeste O'Connor (Freaky, The In Between, A Good Person) as well as well-known veterans like Paul Rudd. Let me tell you - if I had ever had to do summer school, I would have hoped a teacher as cool as Rudd’s character would have been running it. I digress…

It’s hard for me to really sing the praises of the story or get into much detail because I don’t want to spoil anything. There were so many moments where I gasped with recognition and glee as a new piece to the puzzle was put into place. 

There were callbacks to the original movies while at the same time, there were new and updated experiences for modern audiences to appreciate. 

 

 

The effects were as good as expected, if not better; and the location was utilized well. It was strange not seeing the backdrop of the big city - but there was a point. 

To sum up - if you love the Ghostbusters franchise, definitely give Ghostbusters: Afterlife a chance. Just keep some tissues handy. For those who haven’t partaken of this particular storyline before - don’t worry, there’s some recap built-in with this narrative so you won’t be lost. Further, my message is: don’t let alternate reality lampoons turn you off of this IP as a whole. I’ve already watched Ghostbusters: Afterlife several times - and I can see myself watching it again easily while I am impatiently awaiting the next installment. 

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 63%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 94%

Metascore – 45%

Metacritic User Score –7.7 /10

IMDB Score – 7.1/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

P.S. - There are mid and post-credits scenes. 

 

Movie Trailer: