Monday, May 13, 2013

My Answer to the Latest Criticwire Survey Question: Childhood Favorite that Holds Up? That Doesn't?

As a child, I was a huge fan of Ghostbusters – not just the two movies, but also the animated TV show – I also had all the action figures (not to mention the Ecto 1) and even a board game. And whenever I watch the film now, it still holds up remarkably well – my love of Bill Murray started here, and he’s still perfect in the movie. I will also always a soft spot for Ernie Hudson because of the film, because Winston was always a favorite of mine – for whatever reason I do not remember. Reitman’s film is still a blast. (by the way, that really is a poster for Ghostbusters – from the Czech Republic, leading me to wonder what the hell their poster designers are on over there, and if they are even crazier than the Polish poster designers, who are normally the most batshit crazy of the lot). A runner up would be Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy – I don’t think I understood just how good that film was when I saw it at the age of 9.

On the flip side of movies that have not held up – I was tempted to say Ghostbusters II, but I still do have a soft spot for that movie for whatever reason, even though, admittedly, it isn’t very good. Aside from Ghostbusters the other franchise I loved as a child – and again, not just the movies but the animated show and action figures was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – and as much as I hate to admit it, NONE of the three movies made between 1990 and 1993 hold up very well at all (especially III, when somehow they were transported back ancient Japan). The films will always have a place in my memory for being beloved when I was a child – and I will still vigorously defend them when Michael Bay announces that he’s going to make the turtles fucking ALIENS because their name is NOT Teenage Alien Ninja Turtles, it’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and making them aliens is JUST PLAIN WRONG – but other than the first film, I’m not I could even make it through one of the films these days – let alone love them.

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