GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

The true sequel we deserved and have been waiting for since 1989. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is more of a direct sequel to the original film than its 1989 predecessor, which is seldom mentioned. Over 30 years after the events that transpired in New York, Egon Spengler has left the Big Apple behind, now residing in Summerville, Oklahoma. A small rural town where he's known as the town nut. Upon his passing we're introduced to his daughter and grandchildren who are being evicted from their apartment back in New York. With little resources and even fewer options to choose from, the family makes the trip to Oklahoma to settle Egon's affairs. This allows the family, or more precisely the mother, who is the head of the household, to decide if they wish to stay in Oklahoma or move back to New York. From here the story follows the grandchildren Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard). Phoebe is a brianiac like her grandfather: wise behind her years but socially awkward and has difficulty making friends. Trevor meanwhile is more outgoing and quickly finds love in the form of Lucky (Celeste O'Connor), a waitress at the local burger joint Trevor gets a job at simply because she works there. The story begins to unfold of how the events of the original film are now very much coming alive in present day Summerville. A well balanced mix of nostalgia and contemporary, the film plays well to its hardcore audience while introducing it to another generation of moviegoers. Plenty of Easter eggs throughout with only one characters lack of involvement missing, which was disappointing (unless I did miss an Easter egg along the way). Getting the original cast of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, and Annie Potts validates this film for those who are uneasy going into it after the disastrous 2016 reboot. For someone such as myself who grew up with the franchise, both movies and the cartoon, this was fun and paid it's respects to those films that came before it. Keep your eyes on Mckenna Grace as I can continue seeing big things from her as she single-handedly carried this film. 6.5/10