QUICK TAKES: Ghostbusters: Afterlife; tick, tick… Boom!; India Sweets and Spices; Julia; and Home Video Spotlight
by Josh Sewell
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
(Rated PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references. Opens in theaters on November 19.)
The premise: In this long-awaited continuation of Ivan Reitman’s comedy-horror franchise, his son Jason takes the reins and reframes the story around a down-on-her-luck single mom (Carrie Coon) and her two kids (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard) who arrive in a small Oklahoma town. As they settle in, they realize their family’s legacy has important ties to the area.
The verdict: The original Ghostbusters, released in 1984, is a classic for good reason. Not only does it feature some of the decade’s best comedic actors (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, etc.), it was genuinely scary. Plus, a lot of people forget what a gritty, ribald sense of humor it had. (I remember my parents leaping for the remote to skip *that* scene involving Aykroyd and an amorous poltergeist.)
That apparently includes Jason Reitman, who seems to think his dad’s greatest cinematic achievement was actually one of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin flicks. Because the premise of this third installment (which pretends Paul Feig’s unfairly maligned reboot never existed) is basically just “what if the kids from Stranger Things were ghostbusters?”
I’m sure the one-sentence pitch killed with studio execs, but it doesn’t work on screen. That’s partly because we get zero information about these new characters other than “Egon Spengler’s estranged family” and also because Reitman is so busy making forced, clumsy references to the original that he forgets to do anything new.
I can’t explain why without getting into spoiler territory, but I’m so over nostalgia-as-plot in the recent “legacyquel” trend (see also: The Force Awakens, Halloween and so many more). From a business standpoint, I get why studios would rather utilize established brands than take risks on unproven material, but constantly looking in the rearview mirror gets exhausting.
Moments of “hey, remember this?!” – clearly designed to make audiences cheer – come off as cynical and obligatory. Even worse, there’s a climactic reveal near the end that’s supposed to be poignant, but instead feels like straight-up grave robbing.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife has a few brief sparks of potential, mainly whenever Grace and Paul Rudd (as a charming, sardonic teacher) manage to elevate the lousy plot through sheer force of will. However, they’re not nearly enough to justify this movie’s existence and deserved better. Reitman lays the groundwork for another sequel – because money – but let’s hope this franchise goes back into mothballs where it belongs.
Grade: D
tick, tick… Boom!
(Rated PG-13 for some strong language, some suggestive material and drug references. Now playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix starting November 19.)
The premise: Based on the late Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical (written before Rent became his posthumous Broadway legacy), this adaptation marks Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut. It follows Jon (Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer who works at a New York City diner in 1990 while creating what he hopes will be the next great American musical.
The verdict: Miranda clearly knows his way around the stage, but this engaging film proves he’s got an eye for cinematic scope as well. The premise is relatively simple (Larson called his original staging a “rock monologue”), but the first-time director comes up with plenty of interesting, creative ways to open it up.
That’s especially true for the film’s most iconic sequence, which begins in a chaotic diner and turns into…well, something more joyous and surprising. Every bit of Miranda’s tribute to Larson (with Steven Levenson’s screenplay as a foundation) is heaven for musical theatre nerds, but that number is going to make some heads explode.
It doesn’t hurt that Miranda has Larson’s dynamic songs (I’ve been blasting the soundtrack all week) and a truly incredible cast in his arsenal. This might be the best performance of Garfield’s career and deserves to launch him into the Best Actor conversation. Robin de Jesús (a strong contender for Best Supporting Actor), Alexandra Shipp and Vanessa Hudgens are a delight to watch as well.
While musical-averse viewers likely won’t be swayed by tick, tick… Boom!, fans of the genre will find plenty to love. It’s one of my favorite movies of the year.
Grade: A-
India Sweets and Spices
(Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual material, and brief drug references. Opens in select theaters on November 19.)
The premise: College student Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali) returns to her upper-class New Jersey home after a year away at college and rocks her family’s traditional life with her newfound independence. After sparks fly with Varun (Rish Shah), the handsome son of the new owners of the local Indian grocery, she invites the family to a community dinner party where long-kept secrets are revealed.
The verdict: This witty, heartfelt comedy isn’t likely to shatter box office records or dominate critics’ lists next month, but it’s definitely worth seeking out in theaters (or keeping an eye on its upcoming VOD release). Tonally similar to Crazy Rich Asians or My Big Fat Greek Wedding, writer-director Geeta Malik’s film is a solid blend of romance, family melodrama and old-school comedy of manners. There are times when the plot threatens to go a bit too broad, but it ultimately stays grounded thanks to charismatic performances from Ali (who seems poised for stardom) and Manisha Koirala, instilling her complicated role with far more depth and humanity than one usually expects from this genre.
Grade: B
Julia
(Rated PG-13 for brief strong language/sexual references, and some thematic elements. Opens in select theaters on November 19.)
The premise: Documentary filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West chronicle the life and legacy of Julia Child, the legendary cookbook author and television star who changed the way Americans think about food, television and a woman’s role in society.
The verdict: For the most part, Julia is a fairly standard doc about an extraordinary woman. However, Cohen and West keep things interesting by utilizing never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos (including one that’s literally jaw-dropping), first-person narratives and lots of incredible food cinematography. I don’t recommend watching this while you’re hungry – you’ll just torture yourself.
Longtime admirers of Child likely won’t discover any earth-shattering revelations, but it’s a treat to hear so much of her story in her own words. Plus, it’s a perfect introduction for newer generations of aspiring culinary artists.
Grade: B
Home Video Spotlight
Vanilla Sky
(Rated R for sexuality and strong language. Now available.)
(Rated PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references. Opens in theaters on November 19.)
The premise: In this long-awaited continuation of Ivan Reitman’s comedy-horror franchise, his son Jason takes the reins and reframes the story around a down-on-her-luck single mom (Carrie Coon) and her two kids (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard) who arrive in a small Oklahoma town. As they settle in, they realize their family’s legacy has important ties to the area.
The verdict: The original Ghostbusters, released in 1984, is a classic for good reason. Not only does it feature some of the decade’s best comedic actors (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, etc.), it was genuinely scary. Plus, a lot of people forget what a gritty, ribald sense of humor it had. (I remember my parents leaping for the remote to skip *that* scene involving Aykroyd and an amorous poltergeist.)
That apparently includes Jason Reitman, who seems to think his dad’s greatest cinematic achievement was actually one of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin flicks. Because the premise of this third installment (which pretends Paul Feig’s unfairly maligned reboot never existed) is basically just “what if the kids from Stranger Things were ghostbusters?”
I’m sure the one-sentence pitch killed with studio execs, but it doesn’t work on screen. That’s partly because we get zero information about these new characters other than “Egon Spengler’s estranged family” and also because Reitman is so busy making forced, clumsy references to the original that he forgets to do anything new.
I can’t explain why without getting into spoiler territory, but I’m so over nostalgia-as-plot in the recent “legacyquel” trend (see also: The Force Awakens, Halloween and so many more). From a business standpoint, I get why studios would rather utilize established brands than take risks on unproven material, but constantly looking in the rearview mirror gets exhausting.
Moments of “hey, remember this?!” – clearly designed to make audiences cheer – come off as cynical and obligatory. Even worse, there’s a climactic reveal near the end that’s supposed to be poignant, but instead feels like straight-up grave robbing.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife has a few brief sparks of potential, mainly whenever Grace and Paul Rudd (as a charming, sardonic teacher) manage to elevate the lousy plot through sheer force of will. However, they’re not nearly enough to justify this movie’s existence and deserved better. Reitman lays the groundwork for another sequel – because money – but let’s hope this franchise goes back into mothballs where it belongs.
Grade: D
(Rated PG-13 for some strong language, some suggestive material and drug references. Now playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix starting November 19.)
The premise: Based on the late Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical (written before Rent became his posthumous Broadway legacy), this adaptation marks Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut. It follows Jon (Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer who works at a New York City diner in 1990 while creating what he hopes will be the next great American musical.
The verdict: Miranda clearly knows his way around the stage, but this engaging film proves he’s got an eye for cinematic scope as well. The premise is relatively simple (Larson called his original staging a “rock monologue”), but the first-time director comes up with plenty of interesting, creative ways to open it up.
That’s especially true for the film’s most iconic sequence, which begins in a chaotic diner and turns into…well, something more joyous and surprising. Every bit of Miranda’s tribute to Larson (with Steven Levenson’s screenplay as a foundation) is heaven for musical theatre nerds, but that number is going to make some heads explode.
It doesn’t hurt that Miranda has Larson’s dynamic songs (I’ve been blasting the soundtrack all week) and a truly incredible cast in his arsenal. This might be the best performance of Garfield’s career and deserves to launch him into the Best Actor conversation. Robin de Jesús (a strong contender for Best Supporting Actor), Alexandra Shipp and Vanessa Hudgens are a delight to watch as well.
While musical-averse viewers likely won’t be swayed by tick, tick… Boom!, fans of the genre will find plenty to love. It’s one of my favorite movies of the year.
Grade: A-
(Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual material, and brief drug references. Opens in select theaters on November 19.)
The premise: College student Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali) returns to her upper-class New Jersey home after a year away at college and rocks her family’s traditional life with her newfound independence. After sparks fly with Varun (Rish Shah), the handsome son of the new owners of the local Indian grocery, she invites the family to a community dinner party where long-kept secrets are revealed.
The verdict: This witty, heartfelt comedy isn’t likely to shatter box office records or dominate critics’ lists next month, but it’s definitely worth seeking out in theaters (or keeping an eye on its upcoming VOD release). Tonally similar to Crazy Rich Asians or My Big Fat Greek Wedding, writer-director Geeta Malik’s film is a solid blend of romance, family melodrama and old-school comedy of manners. There are times when the plot threatens to go a bit too broad, but it ultimately stays grounded thanks to charismatic performances from Ali (who seems poised for stardom) and Manisha Koirala, instilling her complicated role with far more depth and humanity than one usually expects from this genre.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for brief strong language/sexual references, and some thematic elements. Opens in select theaters on November 19.)
The premise: Documentary filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West chronicle the life and legacy of Julia Child, the legendary cookbook author and television star who changed the way Americans think about food, television and a woman’s role in society.
The verdict: For the most part, Julia is a fairly standard doc about an extraordinary woman. However, Cohen and West keep things interesting by utilizing never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos (including one that’s literally jaw-dropping), first-person narratives and lots of incredible food cinematography. I don’t recommend watching this while you’re hungry – you’ll just torture yourself.
Longtime admirers of Child likely won’t discover any earth-shattering revelations, but it’s a treat to hear so much of her story in her own words. Plus, it’s a perfect introduction for newer generations of aspiring culinary artists.
Grade: B
Home Video Spotlight
(Rated R for sexuality and strong language. Now available.)
One of Cameron Crowe’s most divisive films is also one of his best, and it becomes a part of the Paramount Presents line just in time for its 20th anniversary. Tom Cruise breaks out of his action flick comfort zone as a vain publishing magnate whose privileged life upended after an accident. Cameron Diaz is terrifying and there’s more outstanding supporting work from Penelope Cruz, Jason Lee and Kurt Russell. The Blu-ray comes from a new 4K transfer and there’s a treasure trove of bonus features, including audio commentaries, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, behind-the-scenes featurettes and more.
It’s a Wonderful Life
(Rated PG for thematic elements, smoking and some violence. Now available.)
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Frank Capra’s timeless holiday classic starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, Paramount just released a limited two-disc Blu-ray set including the original film, remastered in high definition, along with a colorized version. It also includes access to a digital copy of the film; 10 recipe cards from It’s a Wonderful Life: The Official Bailey Family Cookbook; and over 45 minutes of previously released bonus content.
Ragtime
(Rated PG/Unrated. Now available.)
Milos Forman’s adaptation of the iconic musical (based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year by becoming a part of the Paramount Presents line. The story centers on an early-1900s New York family that faces racial tensions, scandals, and violence that will test everything they believe in. It features music by Randy Newman and an incredible cast including James Cagney, Moses Gunn, Elizabeth McGovern, Donald O’Connor, Mandy Patinkin, Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, Samuel L. Jackson, Norman Mailer and John Ratzenberger.
The Blu-ray has been remastered from a 4K film transfer and includes a newly discovered director’s cut workprint version of the film (along with the theatrical version); deleted and extended scenes; a discussion with screenwriter Michael Weller; access to a digital copy of the theatrical version; and more.
(Rated PG for thematic elements, smoking and some violence. Now available.)
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Frank Capra’s timeless holiday classic starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, Paramount just released a limited two-disc Blu-ray set including the original film, remastered in high definition, along with a colorized version. It also includes access to a digital copy of the film; 10 recipe cards from It’s a Wonderful Life: The Official Bailey Family Cookbook; and over 45 minutes of previously released bonus content.
(Rated PG/Unrated. Now available.)
Milos Forman’s adaptation of the iconic musical (based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel) celebrates its 40th anniversary this year by becoming a part of the Paramount Presents line. The story centers on an early-1900s New York family that faces racial tensions, scandals, and violence that will test everything they believe in. It features music by Randy Newman and an incredible cast including James Cagney, Moses Gunn, Elizabeth McGovern, Donald O’Connor, Mandy Patinkin, Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, Samuel L. Jackson, Norman Mailer and John Ratzenberger.
The Blu-ray has been remastered from a 4K film transfer and includes a newly discovered director’s cut workprint version of the film (along with the theatrical version); deleted and extended scenes; a discussion with screenwriter Michael Weller; access to a digital copy of the theatrical version; and more.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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