I was going to write about a beef I have with some driving habits I’ve noticed lately at a certain Sechelt intersection, but I need to do a little more research to confirm my indignation is truly righteous and not based on faded memories of a decades old drivers’ handbook.
In the meantime, I’ve still got a deadline, so instead of pretending I’m a traffic cop, I’ll pretend I’m something else I’m not qualified to be – a pop-culture critic.
This gives me an excuse to talk about Ghostbusters.
It seems some people have a real problem – I mean a serious, vitriolic, deep-down, negative reaction – with having women in the lead roles. It started almost as soon as the cast (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon) was announced. Was it misogynists attacking women for having the nerve to play in their sandbox? Some very loud people angry that a director is daring to mess with beloved characters? Or – as the best conspiracy theorists have it – a scheme by the studio to get lots of pre-release buzz for a film that isn’t likely to be an Oscar contender?
Bigger brains than mine are tackling those questions. It even came up during a CBC interview with producer Ivan Reitman this week (who, rightly, wrote the whole thing off as “silly”).
I love an old-school summer blockbuster, the sort of movie you can get most of your friends to agree go to on a Friday night, so I’m looking forward to Ghostbusters.
The original is up there with Slap Shot, Caddyshack, Blues Brothers and Animal House on my list of goofy diversions I’ll take any chance I can.
I understand that some fans are really invested in the fictional characters they love. I don’t understand how it can evolve into the sort of stuff I’ve seen when it comes to the new Ghostbusters.
And, when I get around to seeing the movie, I won’t give a damn whether it’s women, men or claymation sheep in the leading roles (actually, that would be really cool).
You see, I also love a good reboot, and I think messing around with iconic characters is a fun, creative exercise.
I first read Conan Doyle when I was around 12, and when someone does something different with Holmes and Watson, I’m in.
I’ve read all of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and watched all the movies (even Moonraker) more than once, and I’ll defend my opinion that George Lazenby played a great James Bond over drinks any time. However, I rather like the idea of black actor Idris Elba being next in line for the keys to MI-6’s most-crashed Aston Martin. Or better yet, bring on a female James Bond. That’ll really shake (and stir) things up.
