Tonight I saw Ghostbusters live with the San Francisco Symphony. It was an amazing night with the director in attendance and the film was, of course, phenomenal
I've reviewed it before; you can find those reviews here.
Always a good time.
~~~
Showing posts with label Sigourney Weaver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sigourney Weaver. Show all posts
Friday, November 29, 2019
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
A Monster Calls
Tonight I saw A Monster Calls, starring Lewis MacDougall and Sigourney Weaver.
Time is on our side. Time heals all wounds. Time flies.
There are countless sayings about our only true measure of life; simply choose the circumstance to match the cliché.
In this film, time is in short supply as young, British Conor (MacDougall) has a mum (Felicity Jones) who is terminally ill. As if that isn't enough for a kid to deal with, he's also the target of the school bully and doesn't really get along with his Grandma (Weaver). Did I mention Dad has made a new life with a new family in America too? It's no surprise Conor suffers from terrible reoccurring nightmares.
As he attempts to cope with all of the turmoil in his life, he begins receiving visits—always at 12:07—from a tree monster (voiced by the magnificent Liam Neeson). The monster tells him a series of stories, empowering Conor to wreak havoc along the way, with the expectation Conor will tell him "his" story, or rather the entirety of his nightmares.
The adults do the right thing to try to help Conor: Grandma takes him home with her, Dad comes for a much-needed visit, Mum always tells him the truth (even if it's bad news). But that doesn't make his situation any less tragic.
No matter how old we are, dealing with loss/significant change is rough. Adjustments are painful even if they have a more pleasant existence on the other side. We may never truly learn to navigate the rough roads of life (or perhaps when we do, we die), but in the meantime we find ways to escape, distract and power through.
This film serves as a metaphor for those escapes, delivered through beautiful watercolor-inspired animation that's like no other I've ever seen. The tree monster is a bit scary for little ones (there were some toddlers crying/screaming in the theater when he lashed out with fire), but an appropriate match to the rage felt when one is in so much pain they can barely breathe.
The acting on all fronts is solid in the film and the grief very raw. Though stories of children losing their parents and bullies picking on the weakest of souls is nothing new, this story does find a new way of telling it with a somewhat magical "twist" ending.
Just don't forget your tissues. You'll need them.
~~~
Time is on our side. Time heals all wounds. Time flies.
There are countless sayings about our only true measure of life; simply choose the circumstance to match the cliché.
In this film, time is in short supply as young, British Conor (MacDougall) has a mum (Felicity Jones) who is terminally ill. As if that isn't enough for a kid to deal with, he's also the target of the school bully and doesn't really get along with his Grandma (Weaver). Did I mention Dad has made a new life with a new family in America too? It's no surprise Conor suffers from terrible reoccurring nightmares.
As he attempts to cope with all of the turmoil in his life, he begins receiving visits—always at 12:07—from a tree monster (voiced by the magnificent Liam Neeson). The monster tells him a series of stories, empowering Conor to wreak havoc along the way, with the expectation Conor will tell him "his" story, or rather the entirety of his nightmares.
The adults do the right thing to try to help Conor: Grandma takes him home with her, Dad comes for a much-needed visit, Mum always tells him the truth (even if it's bad news). But that doesn't make his situation any less tragic.
No matter how old we are, dealing with loss/significant change is rough. Adjustments are painful even if they have a more pleasant existence on the other side. We may never truly learn to navigate the rough roads of life (or perhaps when we do, we die), but in the meantime we find ways to escape, distract and power through.
This film serves as a metaphor for those escapes, delivered through beautiful watercolor-inspired animation that's like no other I've ever seen. The tree monster is a bit scary for little ones (there were some toddlers crying/screaming in the theater when he lashed out with fire), but an appropriate match to the rage felt when one is in so much pain they can barely breathe.
The acting on all fronts is solid in the film and the grief very raw. Though stories of children losing their parents and bullies picking on the weakest of souls is nothing new, this story does find a new way of telling it with a somewhat magical "twist" ending.
Just don't forget your tissues. You'll need them.
~~~
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Ghostbusters
On Thursday night I saw Ghostbusters, starring Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd.
It was one of my favorite films as a kid and it remains so today—I'm so glad I got to experience it on the big screen after all of these years.
When three parapsychology professors lose their funding, they go into business battling ghosts around New York City.
Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) is the serious scientist; Dr. Ray Stantz (Akroyd) is the bumbling idiot and Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray) leads the bunch with his sarcastic wit. It's a match made in heaven (or in Sumer), as the chemistry between the three provides consistent sparks throughout the film.
The damsel in distress is a young, alluring Sigourney Weaver as musician Dana Barrett. Her kitchen is taken over by Gozer, an ancient God worshiped by Sumerians. She reports this disturbance to the Ghostbusters, but when Dr. Venkman investigates, her kitchen doesn't deliver.
Soon she is possessed by the spirit and becomes the "Gate Keeper"; her nerdy neighbor across the hall (Rick Moranis) is her "Key Master." Just as they begin to prepare for the return of Gozer, the EPA shuts down the Ghostbusters' business, which releases countless specters back into New York City.
When the mayor realizes this was done in error, he invites the Ghostbusters to battle this paranormal apocalypse and save the city from certain destruction.
Even after seeing the film at least a dozen times over the years, seeing it again last night in the theater felt like the first time.
The ghost that opens the show in the New York Public Library still startled me, though I knew she would shush the scientists when they approached; the dog jumping out of the closet at the party still made me jump.
Though the film is clearly set in the 80s (as evidenced by the Coke cans that don't yet say 'classic' and Larry King's dark hair), the story and it's wonderfully developed characters remain timeless.
I could probably see this film once a week and never tire of it.
~~~
It was one of my favorite films as a kid and it remains so today—I'm so glad I got to experience it on the big screen after all of these years.
When three parapsychology professors lose their funding, they go into business battling ghosts around New York City.
Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) is the serious scientist; Dr. Ray Stantz (Akroyd) is the bumbling idiot and Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray) leads the bunch with his sarcastic wit. It's a match made in heaven (or in Sumer), as the chemistry between the three provides consistent sparks throughout the film.
The damsel in distress is a young, alluring Sigourney Weaver as musician Dana Barrett. Her kitchen is taken over by Gozer, an ancient God worshiped by Sumerians. She reports this disturbance to the Ghostbusters, but when Dr. Venkman investigates, her kitchen doesn't deliver.
Soon she is possessed by the spirit and becomes the "Gate Keeper"; her nerdy neighbor across the hall (Rick Moranis) is her "Key Master." Just as they begin to prepare for the return of Gozer, the EPA shuts down the Ghostbusters' business, which releases countless specters back into New York City.
When the mayor realizes this was done in error, he invites the Ghostbusters to battle this paranormal apocalypse and save the city from certain destruction.
Even after seeing the film at least a dozen times over the years, seeing it again last night in the theater felt like the first time.
The ghost that opens the show in the New York Public Library still startled me, though I knew she would shush the scientists when they approached; the dog jumping out of the closet at the party still made me jump.
Though the film is clearly set in the 80s (as evidenced by the Coke cans that don't yet say 'classic' and Larry King's dark hair), the story and it's wonderfully developed characters remain timeless.
I could probably see this film once a week and never tire of it.
~~~
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