Texan Mosaic

By SARA MARSHALL//Editor-in-Chief

The famously funny “Ghostbusters” set the expectations of moviegoers extremely high, so many assumed this new take on a classic would be a total and absolute fail.

I believe the original 1980s film became so popular due to an amazing cast, including Bill Murray as the lead character, Dr. Peter Venkman, and iconic monsters such as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, which will forever have a strange, happy place in our hearts.

Due to being a reboot and not a remake of the original 1984 “Ghostbusters,” this movie used inspiration and subtle key plot points, such as iconic monsters that had shown up in the original movie, as well as original cast members making exclusive cameos. But the basis of the story was entirely new and unique.

The storyline of this comedic ghost movie follows paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, zanny nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and overworked subway worker Patty Tolan, while they try to stop an invasion of Manhattan by an otherworldly threat using science.

“Ghostbusters” (2016) boasts a star-studded cast consisting of Kristen Wiig as Erin Gilbert, Melissa McCarthy as Abby Yates, Kate McKinnon as Jillian Holtzmann, Leslie Jones as Patty Tolan, and Chris Hemsworth as Kevin. Much of the cast was made up of “Saturday Night Live” regulars, adding to the hilarity of the content.

To add to what I believe to be one of the better movies this summer, some of the main actors from “Ghostbusters” (1984) had their own hilariously odd cameos. These cameos consisted of Bill Murray as a cranky supernatural debunker and sceptic, Dan Aykroyd as a cabbie, Sigourney Weaver as Holtzmann’s crazy mentor and Anne Potts as a desk clerk.

Throughout the movie, comedic moments would spring up in the midst of seemingly serious scenes, which I enjoy. I think these type of heavy scenes need the sudden comedy to help alleviate the dry manner of serious scenes.

The biggest thing I noticed out of this movie was how they made a very direct point when portraying the typical “female receptionist” character, but with a male actor. Hemsworth’s character, Kevin, is portrayed as the dimwitted blonde receptionist many have associated with this role type. When the public learned of this, many were up in arms about how demeaning of a role it was for Hemsworth, proving how sexist movies and viewers can be. I’m glad that “Ghostbusters” (2016) was willing to break barriers to shed some light on a very real problem in Hollywood.

On another note, the cast was the best anyone could have ever hoped for, and the characters fit their personalities in a phenomenal way. For me, Holtzmann makes the whole movie. I absolutely love how crazy and zanny the character is. She is a seriously smart woman who does not give a flip about anyone’s opinions or thoughts as long as she’s happy, and I love that about her character.

So, “Ghostbusters” (2016) wasn’t the remake diehard fans were hoping for, and it wasn’t the movie new fans had expected. But it seems to have done fairly well, raking in $217.8 million at the box office so far. This is surprising, simply due to the controversy surrounding the film having a predominantly female cast, as well as not keeping the same plot as its former inspiration. This comical twist on an ‘80s classic still found a way to moviegoers’ funny bones. I give “Ghostbusters” (2016) 4 out of 5 stars because of how funny and wonderful I truly believe the movie to be.