June 14th Log

GHOSTBUSTERS
1984, Ivan Reitman, United States
Repeat Viewing, Summer Under the Stars

I got to see this as a special “summer under the stars” screening in a nearby park. Ghostbusters is one of those enjoyable films that never really gets old and can be enjoyed by all ages. The films charm and timelessness really comes from Bill Murray performance. As Dr. Peter Venkman, he is the heart and soul of the film, endlessly delivering his trademark sarcasm and dry humor. The rest of the cast is fine, but Murray absolutely steals the show in every moment he appears. There are some nifty special effects but the films only flaw may be the scenes the filmmakers use to showoff their big-budgeted effects (notably in the towards the climax). Yet this takes us on such an enjoyable ride and is very well paced by director Ivan Reitman.



THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
2006, David Frankel, United States
Repeat Viewing, HBO

The Devil Wears Prada is a film with its flaws and narrative cliches, but above all it is a film about fun. This is already the 3rd time I’ve viewed this film since its release last summer. The appeal begins and ends with the cast that is driven around star-powered performances. Of course Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the real true “stars” of Hollywood today and this film uses her persona to its advantage (particularly in her long-building introduction scene). Maybe not the most significant performance of her acclaimed career, but Streep is clearly having fun her in the glamorized diva role. This film is far from being all about Streep. Anne Hathaway is a talented actress that I imagine will have a very long-lasting career. Maybe not the type of iconic career of Streep, but Hathaway will be around for a very long time. In the supporting role Emily Blunt is a scene stealer as the neurotic assistant, and Stanley Tucci and Adrian Grenier also provide good performances. The entire cast is wonderful, giving this film a sense of old studio Hollywood star-power appeal. The comedy has a perfectly-toned biting edge that makes the whole film a blast to watch and rewatch.