'Wonder Woman 1984' Review

Synopsis: Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman squares off against Maxwell Lord and the Cheetah.

Runtime: 151 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of action and violence)

Who should see it? Fans of DC Comics and Wonder Woman.

Helmed by returning Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins who co-wrote the screenplay with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham, Diana Prince's second solo outing has shaken things up drastically. As the title suggests, Wonder Woman 1984 is set nearly seventy years after its predecessor and introduces a whole new cast of supporting characters. Lately, Hollywood seems hellbent on integrating 80s pop culture references into just about everything (i.e., Stranger Things, Ready Player One, and It, among other things). Therefore, I was a bit nervous that Wonder Woman 1984 might rely too heavily on the novelty of nostalgia. Well, I'm pleasantly surprised to report there were no popular 80s songs forced in the soundtrack, and there's even a story basis for the film's setting, so it's more than a gimmick. 

The 80s were a decade of mass consumerism, and that distinctive quality of the era ties right into Wonder Woman 1984's central message. The sequel is all about the pursuit of our greatest desires and begs the question of what we are willing to sacrifice to obtain the thing we covet most. What I found very interesting about this dilemma was how Jenkins and company forced their selfless heroine to face the consequences of making a selfish choice. This conflict offered Diana a compelling arc and served as a natural continuation of her story. It was also refreshing to see her feeling at ease in man's world after being a fish out of water in the first film. On that note, the mysterious return of Steve Trevor signifies a role reversal between the two since Trevor's not very well acquainted with the culture of the 1980s.

I was very skeptical about Chris Pine's return considering his character's state at the end of Wonder Woman. While dealing with comic book characters offers a degree of freedom to make creative decisions like this, doing so shouldn't come at the risk of undermining the dramatic weight of Steve's previous choices. However, the logic behind his sudden reappearance was held up within this fictional universe's confines and served the story. Jenkins, Johns, and Callaham totally made it work and found a unique way to incorporate it into the narrative, so consider me pleasantly surprised.

Jenkins once again delivers some exhilarating action with the backing of a great technical crew. The stunt choreographers notably found creative ways to implement Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth in the major set pieces. Wonder Woman 1984 improves on the original with more clearly defined villains and a focused third act confrontation. That said, I found the use of slow-motion excessive at times, whereas it didn't bother me in the first film. The dialogue mixing also seemed uneven as I saw the movie in IMAX, but many of the lines still sounded very quiet. I could understand what was being said for the most part but thought the dialogue could have been amplified even more. 

I applaud the marketing department for preserving most plot details but thought the beginning of the film seemed aimless as audiences are left in the dark about the greater plot. Once things clicked together around the midway point, I understood the setup better and am curious to see what I think with repeat viewings. Two other things that stood out to me were that the film wasn't quite as visually stimulating as its predecessor and I was also initially underwhelmed by Hans Zimmer's score. This is primarily because I hold Zimmer in very high regard as one of the best film composers working today, so I hold him to a higher standard. While his Wonder Woman theme is still incredible, the remainder of his music doesn't measure up. Again, I could feel differently after settling in with it, but these are my initial thoughts. 

In many ways, Wonder Woman 1984 exceeds its predecessor while maintaining the qualities of this iteration that first endeared audiences. Front and center, Gal Gadot remains a charismatic lead and continues to embody Diana's virtuous traits. This time around, Gadot showcases much more range with an emotionally-charged arc. An advantage of bringing back Chris Pine as Steve Trevor is that the chemistry between him and Gadot carries over from the first film. Pine persists to be a likable love-interest and charming presence, bringing levity and heart aplenty to the proceedings.

Joining the cast, Kristen Wiig's Barbara Minerva makes an interesting foil to Diana. Wiig's awkward quirkiness warms your heart before her character's tragic descent seemingly squanders that goodwill. Wiig handles both extremes with poise, never falling into the trappings of a stereotype. You truly ache for her as she becomes the villainess Cheetah. 

The other prominent addition is Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord, an eccentric TV personality-turned-businessman. Recently, Pascal has had his face covered for much of The Mandalorian, which at times hinders that performance. However, here, he's as expressive as can be. Pascal's star power takes care of the character's magnetic presence, a front for Lord's bubbling insecurities. Though he's not wearing a physical helmet, Pascal still gets to gallivant around with a metaphorical mask. Going into Wonder Woman 1984, I had an idea of who his character might actually be that proved incorrect, so I was glad the movie kept me on my toes. Based on Ares's shortcomings in Wonder Woman, the depth and dimension of Maxwell Lord really took me off guard. Pascal makes for a compelling antagonist, who I'd consider one of the DCEU's best thus far! Here's hoping he has more opportunity to emote on The Mandalorian.

Without a doubt, my favorite characteristic of Jenkins' Wonder Woman films is how unabashedly sentimental they are. This franchise wears its heart on its gauntlets and attests to the value of love and compassion. It's fitting for Wonder Woman 1984 to release amidst a pandemic and the holiday season due to its hopeful message. Whether you see it in theaters or HBO Max when it releases on Christmas day, you're sure to enjoy the latest adventure headlined by DC's quintessential heroine. Wonder Woman 1984 just might be my new favorite entry in the DCEU. At the very least, it's neck-and-neck with its predecessor. I was already eagerly awaiting Patty Jenkins' recently announced Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, but I cannot wait to see what she does three years from now in a galaxy far, far away... 

Film Assessment: A-

'Downsizing' Review

Downsizing asks audiences to look down as scientists have discovered a means to combat overpopulation and better sustain the Earth. The solution is called "downsizing," or the ability to shrink humans down to the height of five inches, and it's quickly becoming a hot commodity because it enables the "downsized" to conserve their resources and live like little kings. Paul Safranek, an occupational therapist for Omaha Steaks, and his wife Aubrey see all the advantages of "downsizing" and decide they'd like to miniaturize themselves and move to a "downsized" community. 

Alexander Payne directs the miniature venture in addition to writing the screenplay alongside Jim Taylor, and the concept they've concocted is compelling on paper to be sure, but not all too interesting in execution. Payne and his vfx team appropriately scale things for a cutesy comedic effect, but Downsizing never really goes beyond that, and even manages to squander the fun of shrinking down. At least Honey, I Shrunk The Kids and Ant-Man were able to toy around with the concept in fun and interesting ways. Downsizing uses the gimmick for a couple jokes, forgets about it almost entirely, and proceeds to meander around as a meaningless movie.

Once the film ended, I had absolutely no idea what the point of any of it seemed to be... Downsizing's purpose was pointless, so it was a real Rebel without a Cause. Payne clearly had a lot to say about sustaining the environment, but his message is haphazardly communicated. If Payne wanted to make a comedy about shrinking down, fine. Go out and make that. If Payne was looking to make a smart social satire, fine. Go out and make that. However, Payne barely blends those two ideologies, and the end result was a sorry excuse for a smoothie that left an awful taste in my mouth. 

I found it especially ironic that in a film about changing size, hardly any of the characters experienced any growth whatsoever. In fact, the characters hardly had any depth to begin with. The only character with any substance at all was Ngoc Lan Tran, and the way her character was utilized came across as a vaguely racist stereotype... I'm sure if I were Asian, I probably would be offended by the fact she's turned into the butt of almost every joke.

Now, Matt Damon is an actor I admire for not only delivering fine performances in films like Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, The Martian, and the Bourne trilogy, but also because he's genuinely well-behaved compared to most actors in Hollywood. However, this has got to be one of the most mediocre roles I've seen from him since perhaps We Bought a Zoo... I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Damon showed up purely for the paycheck because his character is extraordinary bland to the point I had absolutely no idea what his character's name was afterwards.

Christoph Waltz is another actor I quite like, but his role here was too weird for my taste. Waltz strides about with an especially eccentric accent and the attitude of a partying playboy, and it's incredibly odd... Like a man of his talents shouldn't be bothering himself with things like this... Especially when he's got two Oscars on his mantle. If there's one shining star among the cast though, it's undoubtedly Hong Chau as Ngoc Lan Tran. Her character comes across as racist by no fault of her own, but simply on account of Payne's depiction of her. Chau makes the most of things though, and easily steals the show as the most layered performer in the star studded ensemble. While I don't think she's quite deserving of the awards acclaim she's started to receive, I'm glad people are at least appreciative of her for turning in a fine performance, and I hope to see this influence wider recognition for Asian actors in the industry. 

Oh yeah, and Kristen Wiig is in this, but you probably will forget about her two-dimensional vanilla character halfway through the movie. Some may consider this a slight spoiler, but it's in the trailers and I don't think you should waste your time actually watching this mess, so I'm going to proceed as if it's not. Wiig's character, Aubrey, decides not to shrink down with Paul and the two divorce. There's never really any prior inclination that Aubrey was hesitant of proceeding because the film hardly spends any time with her. She's just kind of there with little to do or say. 

Neil Patrick Harris and Laura Dern also have a BRIEF cameo for whatever reason that honestly could have been done by any actor and actress. I'm not really sure why Harris and Dern were cast, other than potentially for the purposes of bolstering the film's star power, but good luck remembering that they even swung by when it's all over. 

In case you weren't able to tell already, you probably should shrink your expectations for this one. The premise was promising, but Downsizing just couldn't measure up to its enormous potential. 

Film Assessment: D

'Despicable Me 3' Review

Despicable Me 3 picks up with newlywed Anti-Villian League agents Gru and Lucy on a mission to prevent '80s centric baddie Balthazar Bratt from stealing the world's largest diamond. When the duo fail to capture Bratt and the head of the AVL retires from his tenure, the new boss immediately fires the two agents. Gru then learns of his long lost twin brother Dru and is invited to come visit and shenanigans ensue. 

I've recently been of the opinion that Illumination Entertainment, the animation studio behind this franchise along with The Secret Life Of Pets and Sing, have started releasing passable projects that are incredibly entertaining for children but more uninspired for older audiences. I do however enjoy both Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 and find the Minions to be okay but was disappointed to walk away feeling dissatisfied by Despicable Me 3 because it fell into the same rut as the remainder of Illumination's animated slate.

Despicable Me 3 is co-directed by Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin, and Eric Guillon with a screenplay penned by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Despicable Me 3 is overstuffed with superfluous superficial storylines of every variety. It's almost as thought the creative voices couldn't contain their ideas for the sequel with plot-lines including a Minion revolt and incarceration, Agnus searching for a Unicorn, Lucy trying to be a merited maternal figure, Gru bonding with Dru, and Gru attempting to bring down Bratt. These ideas have merit as standalone short films but feel out of place when interwoven into Gru's narrative.

Just like the last two, the animation's okay and the humor's geared towards especially young children. On top of that, the minions insane adventure feels totally tangential to the ongoing events. I don't really have a problem with the minions as I can recognize they're around for the kids, but I found their sequences to be oddly amusing despite the fact they were unwarranted.

There's one scene in Despicable Me 3 that's an accurate summation of my opinion of the movie itself where Gru and Dru impersonate one another while all the characters onscreen are absolutely unamused. Illumination constantly flaunts around unfunny jokes and gags I'm sure the writers thought kids would get a kick out of while I consistently elicited no reaction. I struggled to find any fresh entertainment in this installment to put it anywhere near the league of Disney and Pixar. 

Steve Carell sounded like he had the time of his life voicing Gru and Dru. Carell manages to invoke similar voices to each character while drawing out over-the-top unique attributes to differentiate the two. In the hands of a less capable actor, the shtick would have fallen flat but the twin brother angle is one of the amusing attributes of Despicable Me 3. 

 

Kristen Wiig is sufficient reprising her role as Lucy Wilde but lacks the leeway to really draw out any new characteristics aside from more motherly intuition. Elsewhere, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and newcomer Nev Scharrel each also fill their restrained roles as Margo, Edith, and Agnes with all the characteristics of the responsible elder sister, odd middle child, and cute youngest sibling.   

Trey Parker's Balthazar Bratt is largely living in the past as a one-note eighties obsessed antagonist. Pratt's antics are fairly amusing but they never surpass your expectations. Once you've seen one gag, you'll have a handle on the character. 

If you're looking for a blast this Fourth of July weekend, I'd actually swing over and see Spider-Man: Homecoming instead as it's a blockbuster the entire family can enjoy, but Despicable Me 3 will delight young viewers for sure. Despite my criticism, I'll admit Despicable Me 3 is actually just a mediocre movie that lacks a message and fell short of the endearing entertainment of the precursors. 

Film Assessment: C

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Despicable Me 2'

Sorry for the delay but I put this review on the back burner in order to publish my early thoughts on Spider-Man: Homecoming. However, this week I'm reviewing Despicable Me 2 to coincide with the release of Despicable Me 3. Next week I'll be finishing out my Spider-Man reviews with a Throwback Thursday Review of The Amazing Spider-Man and Recollection Reflection Review of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Reviews that will appear throughout July include Throwback Thursday Reviews for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Inception, and Shaun of the Dead, a Triple-R Review over Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and reviews of new releases War for the Planet of the Apes, Dunkirk, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, The Emoji Movie, and Atomic Blonde.

'Despicable Me 2' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song "Happy" (written by Pharrell Williams).

In Despicable Me 2, Gru has grown accustomed to his transition from dishonorable baddie to adoptive dad when he's approached by the Anti-Villain League to help bring down a mysterious, malevolent force. Gru then teams up with adept agent Lucy Wilde to go undercover and ascertain the identity of the heinous wrongdoer behind it all.

Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud reprise their respective roles as co-directors of the sequel, which is also penned by returning writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul and Daurio escalate their parody to the realm of secret spies and dating in addition to furthering their entertaining examination of parenting. The duo ensure the script feels familiar to the first with habitual heart and humor that made the precursor successful in the first place. 

The comedy's certainly catered towards children as the Minions are bestowed a raised profile before their Minions movie. If you're entertained by these yellow creatures, then you'll get your fill of their shenanigans and they do actually have a more poignant purpose this time around. Elsewhere, the animation's an improvement over the original due to a bigger budget and progression of technology but Illumination's renderings don't compare to Disney or Pixar's masterful work. The storytelling's substandard with accustomed aspects all around the animated field but there's enough sentiment for Despicable Me 2 to coast off.

Steve Carell lends an outrageous, over-the-top goofiness and a does of sentiment to Gru that sticks the landing while Kristen Wiig joins the fun as the loopy Lucy Wilde. Her dynamic opposite Carell remains one of Despicable Me 2's prime points as the two extrapolate an oddly entertaining pairing.

Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher all reprise their roles as Margo, Edith, and Agnes embodying the endearing attitudes that made them memorable in the first place. The sisters consistently and convincingly portray the encapsulating attributes of children that in-turn enables the sentiment of the story. 

Meanwhile, Benjamin Bratt hams it up as the insanely masculine El Macho but doesn't bring much to the character aside from an eccentric personality. Russell Brand's elderly Dr. Nefario also isn't ingrained too deeply in the script but has a few memorable moments to shine.

 

In summary, Despicable Me 2 is almost equally endearing as Despicable Me but it never quite reaches the endearing elements of the original. The story's sweet, the characters are charming, and the jokes land but there's not really a purpose to the madness other than furthering the franchise.

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Despicable Me'

Sorry for the string of delayed Throwback Thursday Reviews these past few weeks but I went to an advanced screening of Baywatch on Thursday and Comicpalooza Friday through Sunday. This Throwback Thursday may seem random but I didn't have another open slot to review Despicable Me before Despicable Me 3's release. I should have several reviews coming this week as I traverse further into the Alien Anthology leading up to Alien: Covenant this weekend, It's looking as though I'll have one Alien Anthology review a day this week. If you missed my review of Alien, you can find it at that corresponding blue hyperlink, and the next Throwback Thursday will be Prometheus to further tie-in to the release of Alien Covenant. Other reviews you can anticipate this May include Throwback Thursday Reviews over Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and new reviews like Alien: Covenant, Baywatch, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

'Despicable Me' Review

Despicable Me follows the exploits of vile villain Gru, who vows to steal the moon so he can be the greatest villain that ever lived. There's just one caveat, the adoption of three young orphan girls becomes embroiled in his scheme and he soon discovers his heart of gold. Despicable Me wasn't particularly groundbreaking for the animation genre, but it's a charming animated feature that has a nice dosage of sentimental satire.

Despicable Me was co-directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud with a script penned by Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio, and Sergio Pablos. The screenwriting team properly parody villainy and parenthood while the duo's direction helps to maintain an emotional element and sense of humor. One thing that I feel has become a source of contention for this franchise are the minions but quite frankly, the minions are a stroke of creative genius.

For starters, they fit into the narrative naturally considering most baddies have their own crew of cronies. Then there's the fact they appeal to children based on appearance alone and are semi-effective immature comedic relief. Even when they're annoying, it's easy to see why they're around because it's simply the ideal marketing ploy. The animation in Despicable Me isn't particularly pretty and looks rather substandard, but that's usually the case for Illumination Entertainment animated efforts.

Elsewhere, Despicable Me bolsters a fun soundtrack and an impressive comedic voice cast. Steve Carell doesn't just provide a goofy, over-the-top demeanor to Gru, but instills an underlying humanity to the vulnerable villain. The film really hits this home with Gru's backstory and the inclusion of Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher as subsequent adorable adoptees Margo, Edith, and Agnes. Each of the girl's really bring a sense of realism to the project, as I have three sisters and am constantly reminded of them every-time I watch Despicable Me. The respective portrayals feel incredibly authentic because I've witnessed those traits in my own siblings from time-to-time and the screenplay captures the family dynamic and childlike wonder beautifully.

Meanwhile, Jason Segel plays the obnoxiously dweebish Vector, an ideal foil to Gru as a nerdy millennial Bond villain in contrast to Gru's evil antiquated ways. Vector's name in-of-itself is symbolic because a vector is a quantity with both magnitude and direction. He's a powerful force aware of his orientation. Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, directors Renaud and Coffin, and Jermaine Clement lend their voices to fill the supporting ensemble of eccentric characters encompassing the aged Dr. Nefario, Gru's apathetic mother, foreboding financier Mr. Perkins, gruesome girls orphanage head Miss Hattie, and a whole host of minions respectively.

While Despicable Me doesn't quite reach the heights of other triumphant animated features, it sustains a sense of fun and heart well throughout its ninety minute runtime. Despicable Me is an entertaining animated enterprise worth exploring for the laughs and tenderhearted message at its core.

Film Assessment: B

'Ghostbusters' (2016) Review

If Deadpool's marketing campaign is the most brilliant in recent memory, then Ghostbusters' is the most abysmal, as the trailers have been nothing special. The mediocre marketing material was a call to arms for internet haters as they soon defiled the film for various reasons: some against the idea of rebooting a film as classic as 1984's Ghostbusters, others weren't content with the idea of female Ghostbusters, and then there was everyone that just thought it simply didn't look funny. I myself wasn't impressed with anything I saw from the film's promotional material and was expecting to walk out disgusted but I actually left with a smile. All it takes is a willingness to accept something different. 

I promise this film won't ruin your childhood as many haters are screaming out that this film is an abomination without even really giving it the chance to prove them wrong. Trust me, Ghostbusters 2 already plunged this franchise down the toilet, and I can guarantee this is much better than Ghostbusters 2. Ghostbusters has a similar premise as the original but a whole new set of circumstances for our heroines as they all must band together to fight some ghosts. Keep in mind it's a reboot not a remake, meaning it doesn't retell the story we're familiar with by substituting the male characters for female ones but actually jumpstarts a new continuity.

Paul Feig, the director of Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Spy, takes up the responsibility of directing and manages to effectively pay homage to the 1984 classic while establishing a new world to bust ghosts in. This reboot is not connected to any of the Ghostbusters films that have come before but keep your eyes peeled for original cast members because almost each original cast member is featured at one point or another in delightful cameo appearances. They even found a clever way to pay proper respect to Harold Ramis after his recent tragic passing two years ago. 

However with all the obvious nods to the original, it's hard not to draw comparisons and I wish this incarnation had firmly planted it's feet and stood more confidently on its own. I wasn't personally bothered by the references, I actually really enjoyed them, but in some moments it just felt like Feig was trying to appease the fanbase rather than draw in a wide appeal with anything substantially new. Feig also manages to expertly blend the horror and comedy genre with scenes that sent chills down your spine and others that left me laughing hysterically. 

In addition to helming the paranormal comedy, Feig penned the screenplay alongside Katie Dippold and their dialogue is witty, smart and a surprising amount is directed towards internet haters had me dying of laughter due to the self referential nature of the humor. I laughed quite often, so I think Feig drummed up enough quality material to bring about an infectiously enjoyable cinematic experience. 

The visual effects are a sight to behold and a vast improvement over the original, although that's expected given the progression in technology since then. The visual renderings that popped to me were the proton streams and the ghosts themselves. There are ghosts like Slimer that look incredible, and then the other ghosts have a "sameness" of a sapphire sheen. I would have preferred a wider variety of color that could have splashed across the screen when the ghosts invade New York, but the azure aesthetic looked fine. 

The film even has it's fare share of remarkable practical effects including the slime and all the Ghostbustin' gear such as the proton packs, Ecto-1, and other various new supernatural weaponry. With that being said, I did actually think the effects looked great across the board and effectively meshed with Feig's new Ghostbustin' world. 

The film's third act also boasts some surprisingly cool action that channels tons of fun with the classic pop-synth of the "Ghostbusters", on that note there's like four versions of the classic hit in the film. Only the classic truly sticks, but the other arrangements serve their purpose of contributing to the infectiously fun tone. 

Despite my previous concerns about this female cast, I will say they all knocked my socks off playing against their typical type casting (ie. Leslie Jones just yells really loud and Melissa McCarthy plays a grouchy character). The chemistry between the four woman is tantalizing and helps to draw the viewer into this new world with their intriguing dynamics. One thing I do think the film's casting improves upon is that the group dynamic between the four ladies feels more cohesive as opposed to the focus on Murray and the decision to all, but ignore Hudson in the original making a massive imbalance among the team. I was also relieved to see these woman weren't female versions of the original male team and got to stand on their won as unique individual characters in this new universe. 

Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy ground the flick with their touching friendship as Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, bringing both emotion and humor to the proceedings. Leslie Jones plays the everywoman of the group as Patty Tolan, an MTA worker with extensive knowledge of New York, and brings more relatable characteristics as the non-scientist allowing for a decent amount of laughs. I see many critics raving that Leslie Jones was a standout but I can't agree as I found her to be just fine in the role. I was relieved to see she wasn't a cookie cutter negative black stereotype and was perceived as an actual person who was extremely knowledgable about the historical significance of New York's streets. 

Of the four leading ladies, it's Kate McKinnon who steals the show with the zany personality she injects in Jillian Holtzmann, and has one of the best action scenes in the entire film when she takes down a bunch of ghosts with her proton pistols. 

The film has it's fair share of supporting men where Chris Hemsworth proves he has comedic chops as Kevin, a dimwitted beefcake receptionist. I truly hope next year's Thor: Ragnarok will utilize Hemsworth in a comedic capacity because he excels in that arena. Other male supporting cast members I enjoyed included Game of Throne's Charles Dance, The Office's Zach Woods, and Deadpool's Karan Soni. Meanwhile in the antagonist camp, Neil Casey brings an awkward anti-social Rowan North, unfortunately a villain whose not the least bit compelling. 

When it comes down to it, Ghostbusters is harmless entertainment that won't ruin your childhood or disparage the legacy of the franchise but actually glorifies it's predecessor and leaves you wanting more of this new team and their adventures together. Reboots are difficult to traverse as they will always be compared to the original, while there are rare times when a reboot proves to be even better (ie. Star Trek) they typically fall a little short of the original's glory. I don't think this new adaptation was better than the 1984 classic, but I can say the film was wildly entertaining and defied my expectations, so I recommend true fans of 1984's Ghostbusters to give these ladies a call. 

Film Assessment: B-