CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.
Film Review: ‘Ghostbusters’ Entertains, But Lacks the Paul Feig Edge
CHICAGO –Throughout the reboot of “Ghostbusters,” it becomes obvious that co-writer/director Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids,” “The Heat”) is just going to do a straight re-do of the 1984 film, because the film lacks his sardonic touch, even though it does entertain and has the requisite big special effects.
Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
The film amuses, but is rarely laugh-out-loud funny. It chooses to focus on ghost busting itself, which means lots of running towards the next adventure, an over-analyzing on what the ghosts are or mean, and less commentary on the absurdity of it all. Except for Kate McKinnon – and maybe Kristen Wiig – the all female G-busters are stripped of any character or personality, and could have been played by anybody. Why cast Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones (of “Saturday Night Live”) if you can’t let them loose? There are great special effects, the film used amazing modern techniques that weren’t available in 1984, but the humans and their jokes take a backseat to that overindulgence.
Erin (Kristen Wiig) is a professor on the fast track at a prestigious New York City university, until her past starts to catch up with her. Early in her career, she paired with Abby (Melissa McCarthy) to write a book on the paranormal and ghosts, and Abby has re-issued the book to fund her work at a lesser college. When Erin visits the lab, she meets Jillian (Kate McKinnon), Abby’s partner in ghost research.
When the three investigate a haunting at an old New York City mansion, the publicity gets Erin fired. Undeterred, the newly formed Ghostbusters find space on top of a Chinese restaurant, and add a “himbo” receptionist named Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) and a subway worker named Patty (Leslie Jones) as the fourth ‘buster, after she sees some spooky apparitions on the underground tracks. It turns out that these spirits are part of an opening of a vortex between the real and ghost worlds. Who ya gonna call?
Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon are the ‘Ghostbusters’
Photo credit: Columbia Pictures