Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

  

Streaming Service: STARZ

Movie Name/Year: Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

Genre: Action, Horror, Comedy

Length:  1h 39min

Rating: R

Production/Distribution: Columbia Pictures, Pariah, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Filmverleih, Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Writers: Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick

Actors: Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Bill Murray, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Thomas Middleditch, Dan Aykroyd, Jesse Eisenberg, Luke Wilson, Avan Jogia, Victor Rivera, Victoria Hall

 

IMDb Blurb: Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I absolutely loved Zombieland (2009). Everything about it was glorious. It was one of those rare blends of horror comedy that just worked. It also had a little of the feeling that it was a graphic novel come to life. It took a whole decade for the sequel to release, but it was well worth the wait.  When we put together our Top 20 article for October 2019, this movie was near or at the top of the list for both Selina and I. 

Zombieland: Double Tap is one of the good examples of what a sequel should strive to be. It honored the original and expanded the story without being redundant or phoning it in order to cash out. 

 

We got to see all of the primary characters again with their roles reprised by Woody Harrelson (True Detective, Midway, The Man from Toronto), Jesse Eisenberg (Now You See Me, American Ultra, Vivarium), Emma Stone (The Croods, La La Land, Cruella), and Abigail Breslin (Final Girl, Scream Queens, Stillwater). This is, in fact, my favorite of Harrelson’s. 

Zombieland: Double Tap also introduced new characters played by Zoey Deutch (Why Him?, Rebel in the Rye, The Outfit), Avan Jogia (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shaft, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City), and the kickass Rosario Dawson (Luke Cage, The Mandalorian, Clerks III) among others. 

There were callbacks to the first movie that fans would definitely appreciate and get a kick out of, and the story stayed true to the themes established in the first Zombieland. Though, it brought a fresh perspective with more information on the zombies and insight into the characters. It gave us a what came next perspective that everyone craves from a sequel. 

I was also glad to see that Zombieland: Double Tap retained its devil-may-care attitude about how the characters moved through the apocalyptic landscape. The dark and twisted hilarity laced throughout and it didn’t take itself too seriously. I also really appreciated the little homages here and there to other staples of zombie cinema. Zombieland was inspired by Shaun of the Dead (2004), after all. 

 

This is exactly the sort of movie that probably makes critics pull out their hair and roll their eyes. However, from an audience fan perspective, Zombieland: Double Tap was just a fun ride from beginning to end. It was one of the few movies where I barely even noticed the passing of time and wasn’t even tempted to fidget on my phone while I was watching. 

I would recommend Zombieland: Double Tap to anyone who enjoyed the first movie. If you haven’t watched the first one yet - my suggestion would be to do that first. These 2 films would make a great double-feature movie event with friends. I know I’ll enjoy watching these movies for years to come. My family and I have already watched them both several times. 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 68%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 88%

Metascore – 55%

Metacritic User Score – 6.5/10

IMDB Score – 6.7/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

P.S. - There is a special modification to the Columbia Pictures intro to the movie as well as a post-credits scene.

 

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:

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021)

Streaming Service: STARZ

Movie Name/Year: Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Length:  1h 28min

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Columbia Pictures, Original Film, Shaken Not Stirred, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Releasing International, United International Pictures, Universal Pictures International

Director: Adam Robitel

Writers: Will Honley, Maria Melnik, Daniel Tuch, Oren Uziel, Christine Lavaf, Fritz Böhm, Bragi F. Schut

Actors: Amali Golden, Anton David Jeftha, Avianah Abrahams, Carlito Olivero, Corin Silva, Deborah Ann Woll, Evan Hengst, Holland Roden, Indya Moore, Isabelle Fuhrman, James Frain, Jamie-Lee Money, Jay Erving, Jaymes Butler, Logan Miller, Matt Esof, Scott Coker, Tanya van Graan, Taylor Russell, Thomas Cocquerel, Wayne Harrison

 

IMDb Blurb: Six people unwillingly find themselves locked in another series of escape rooms, slowly uncovering what they have in common to survive. Joining forces with two of the original survivors, they soon discover they've all played the game before.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I had really enjoyed Escape Room (2019) and was quite curious what a sequel with returning characters would look like - so much so that I had Escape Room: Tournament of Champions within the Top 10 in my Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In July (2021) article. 

The concept of an escape room is fun and fascinating. I love puzzles that pull from wit and observation in an immersive setting. The illusion of entrapment gives an aspect of thrills to the scenario. In a real-world situation, as appears in these movies, I don’t think I’d fare so well. The idea is actually pretty terrifying. 

 

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions took the Escape Room concept to an entirely new level. If you thought that the first movie’s room traps were elaborate, buckle up because they dialed it up for the sequel. 

That was really the only thing that Escape Room: Tournament of Champions had going for it. The sets and puzzles they came up with were both horrifying and well-executed. The story, however, was a bit lacking. Sure, it was sufficiently convoluted as the shadow organization of Minos strung its “contestants” along through its deadly game. It was an enjoyable enough watch, but there wasn’t as much substance to it as the first movie, and thus succumbed to the dreaded sequelitis. 

 

This actually wasn’t my first viewing of the Escape Room sequel. Given my level of excitement when it was first released, I watched it as a digital rental some time ago. In the interim, I forgot entirely. I spent a good chunk of this fresh viewing feeling a distinct sense of deja vu before I realized it. 

I’ve read that there is another version of Escape Room: Tournament of Champions where the beginning and end are a bit different, featuring additional characters, and giving a little more insight into what was going on. I honestly wish I’d watched that version, instead. The version that I streamed was the theatrical release. 

While Escape Room: Tournament of Champions was slightly underwhelming, it did deliver with the visuals and the deadly traps. It was an entertaining experience, even on a second viewing, but ultimately I’ll probably forget it again. 

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 51%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 75%

Metascore – 48%

Metacritic User Score – 5.1/10

IMDB Score – 5.7/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5

 

Movie Trailer: