Review: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Stars: Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd

Budget: $75 million

Directed By: Jason Reitman

This has been a long time coming and boy was it worth the wait. We had the 2016 dumpster fire that didn't understand what the film series was all about and just perverted it's main story.

I won't go anymore into it because I mean no ill to anyone who was involved with it or anyone who likes it, it was just not for me.

Now I was scared for a long time with this, especially how it's kids taking over and i will say that's a prejudice I do have. Throughout time kids actors haven't been exactly great, but i'm slowly coming around to the fact I think that has been maybe just maybe the writing.

Especially as of the last 5 years people like Wolf Finnhard, Hard Finnwolf or whatever his name, (that was a joke btw) have really shown some great acting chops lately. Mckenna grace is by far the standout here, Phoebe is an amazingly complex character, but easy to love and follow.

So evicted from their apartment Phoebes mom and her brother have to move to their grand dads old farm, nicknamed dirt farm by the locals because he never grew nothing but dirt there. Callie the mother is looking for anything money wise to help with the bills but also lies to the kids about staying there for longer than they expected. Phoebe joins a summer school and despite being awkward makes a friend. Trevor (Wolfhard) lies about his age to both get a job and to impress a girl.

They start to unravel things about their estranged grand dad and find out he was Egon Spengler from the OG ghostbusters line up. Their mother hasn't spoken about him because she believes he ignored her over science.

Something is showing the kids certain things, when Phoebe finds an old trap, her along with Paul Rudds teacher Mr Grooberson open it and release something back into the mountains where the original metal used to make the top floor of the apartments where Gozer showed up back in 1984.

Make of that what you will. It gets midway and the kids have their first ghost bust and trap the ghost but also get arrested for destroying half the town.

I really don't want to spoil anymore of the film other than speak about some points that I DID have gripes with and some things I've seen it have criticism about that I think is unfair.

Firstly the over use of nostalgia, I admit this can be a very bad thing if not done RIGHT, in this film it's done very right, there's familiarity for long term fans and done so as not to alienate anyone new, this also works with the new stuff, enough new things to entertain new folk and to introduce a new generation to us older cranky buggers.

Speaking of older cranky buggers, from the trailer, so I won't see this as a spoiler you know Ray is in the movie due to the trailers, Ackroyds acting is a little wooden, but hell he's old and hasn't been in much lately. The ending is truly a love letter though and had me in tears and only through the Reitmans being close friends with the Ramis's would that have worked.

So final thoughts, This is probably one of the best sequels I've seen in a long time and probably one of the best films i've seen in a long time too. THN for the first time in quite a while, Gives Ghostbusters: Afterlife a FULL 5 out of 5.

Review: Chucky S1 Ep04 (2021)

Stars: Brad Douriff, Devon Sawa, Zackary Arthur

Well well well, what a hit start button and don't stop this episode was.

After last weeks fire we see the aftermath of it when most of the children are in hospital for smoke related illnesses. A lot happened in between the blackness of last week and now, Lexy survived, her sisters in a really bad way from smoke inhalation.

Junior is doing better but his throat is bad and he can't run for a month, which has irked his dad. Everyone pretty much blames Lexy even her parents. We learn Oliver died but not of the fire like most people believe it was stab wounds from Chucky. 

We see more of the flashbacks which are still some of my favourite parts.

So yeah the action really ramps here after me complaining last week its seemed a little slow, he's outed to a few people now too now, lets see how it goes from here!

THN awards this episode 4 out of 5

Review: Chucky S1 Ep03 (2021)

Stars: Lexa Doig, Brad Douriff

After his anger at Lexy starts to subside a bit and he begins to doubt being able to kill her Chucky tells Jake about his times killing people. He says it's difficult but you never forget your first time.

The flashbacks are cool in this episode, they are some of my favourite parts learning more about young Charles.

He attempts to kill Lexy a few times but is thwarted somehow each time, once by junior who thinks he's stalking him. The policewoman is getting more suspicious of Jake too so bans he boy from seeing him.

When Lexy's sister asks for Chucky, Lexy is forced to apologise to Jake which makes him falter in killing her again.

Near the end of the episode we get Chucky getting Jake to give him to Lexy so he can kill her for him/

Overall an amusing episode, some Charles backstory but no real main story line stuff, i'm hoping we start to see what his main objective is in the town soon, as well as some Tiffany, Andy or others. Still possibly best episode so far. 3 out 5 stars