Ghostbusters II (1989)

 "Being miserable, and treating other people like dirt, is every New Yorker's God given right!"

I hadn't seen this film since its original theatrical release in 1989, when I saw it at the old Cannon cinema in the towncentre. So, yes, it's been a while. Surprisingly, I did remember a few things.

This film, of course, was famously a flop, after which there wouldn't be any more Ghostbusters for a very long time. But... I can't really see why? This seems to me to be every bit as good as the original. This cast was always going to be superb. The script is great, with some very witty lines- I love the moment when a ghostly Titanic finally arrives in New York City and the man at the port says, deadpan, "Better late than never..."

The film is even about something- the threat is, essentially, a metaphor for the negative emotions stirred up in a big city and uses that concept to riff on the stereotypes and reputation of New Yorkers, as embodied by the quote above. It's a film absolutely about New York City, so of course we get a walking Statue of Liberty. It's a pity that Americans of today seem to have abandoned those nobler and old-fashioned values of, you know, welcoming the tired huddled masses and giving fascists the finger instead of voting for them.

So, yeah, the critics are just wrong here. This film is great. Yes, even the sex scene with Janine and Lewis.

Ghostbusters (1984)

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"I collect spores, moulds and fungus."

It's quite an instructive experience seeing a film you saw at the old Cannon Cinema in Hinckley back in '84, watched tens of times while still in primary school, but haven't actually seen since Thatcher was prime minister. You remember very little until you see it happens, and then the memories flood back. You even find yourself unexpectedly remembering dialogue from the next scene. It's quite surreal.

This is the first time I've seen the film as an adult, and so finally realise what Hittites, Sumerians and Babylonians are, and what a cad and a charlatan Peter Venkman is, and what a creep he is with Dana. But I can also appreciate what may not be laugh-out-loud funny but is a justifiably popular fun classic with a top notch cast. In hindsight it's clear how much this film owes to the then-recent Poltergeist, with lots of that kind of ghost activity, but it never attempts to be a scary film and keeps the tone light and fun.

Rick Moranis s great as the possessed Louis, but William Atherton deserves special praise for his Walter Peck, the perfect pantomime villain. But the whole damn thing justly deserves its status as a true classic.

Twins (1988)

"Actually, I hate violence."

"But you're so good at it!"

How '80s can you get? We even get a montage, for heaven's sake. 

This film is a silly old piece of fluff, of course. It's 80s Hollywood comedy by the numbers. But it's fun. And it features the always excellent Danny DeVito, Chloe Webb from Sid and Nancy and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger in a comedy role.

Arnie is the revelation here. He can do comedy, and he can do it well. Comedy is hard. This means he can actually act when he puts his mind to it. People are shocked. Also, I must admit, this may be no one's favourite film but it's entertaining to watch, with a decent if silly plot and sufficient laughs to get away with calling it a comedy. Arnie's even gets to say "I'll be back" at one point. The film's best moment, though,  is Arnie's face after he pops his cherry. Yep. He can do comedy. 

In fact... I say this through gritted teeth, but the straight man in a comedy double act is often underappreciated and, well, Arnie is great at it.

What next, then? Kindergarten Cop?