Answer to MWL 6/15/16: Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) – The Blues Brothers
Elwood Blues: It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.
Jake Blues: Hit it!
Thanks for everyone’s submissions and one pair of sunglasses to the following people for answering correctly:
Cindy (Cindy Bruchman)
Bex (Film Music Central)
Kira (Film and TV 101)
Rob (Movierob)
Jackie
Steve (You Had It Coming)
This review was originally posted for the Decades Blogathon, hosted by Three Rows Back and Digital Shortbread.
Synopsis
Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) is the heir to Callahan Auto Parts who barely graduated college. When his dad (Brian Dennehy) passes away suddenly, Tommy and his father’s assistant, Richard (David Spade), go on the road to sell the company’s new brake pads and keep the business from getting bought by Zalinsky Auto Parts.
Review
Tommy Boy may possibly be my favorite feel good film (I’m not for sure on that but it’s up there). The story is straightforward and light, allowing you to have a ton of fun along the way. Easily the movie’s strongest point is the chemistry between Chris Farley and David Spade. The way they bounce off each other is spectacular. This is evident from their first scene together. Just about every time they are on screen together is side-splitting. There are so many memorable lines throughout the entirety of this movie, mostly from the lead duo but everyone gets quip or two of their own. Below is one of my favorite quotes but truth is, I had a hard time choosing just one. From “a lot of people go to college for seven years” to “housekeeping,” it’s difficult to pick a favorite line or moment.
Most of this movie sees Farley and Spade traveling around the mid-eastern United States, which like most great road trip movies, cause some crazy shenanigans. Thankfully, this film doesn’t follow the normal road trip trope of the leads becoming buddies, and then something happening that makes them not buddies again, then at the end they make up and are closer than ever. Once they become friends, they stay friends, which turns into a touching moment between them towards the end. Tommy Boy is fun, pure and simple. At ninety minutes of run time, you’d be hard pressed to find more entertainment for your time.
Rating
4/5
Favorite Quote
Boy 1: Hey, Tub-o, you ain’t moving!
Tommy: Yeah, need a little wind here.
Boy 2: No, you need to drop a couple hundred pounds, blimp.
Tommy: [Laughs] Rascals. I guess that’s your theory.
Boy 3: Hey, your sail is limp, like your dick.
Tommy: Watch your language in front of the lady, punk! Jeez. You were saying?
Boy 1: Hey, Gilligan, did you eat the skipper?
Tommy: You better pray to the god of skinny punks that this wind doesn’t pick up! ‘Cause I’ll come over there and jam an oar up your ass!
Boys: Oooooh.
Tommy: Jeepers creepers. Those guys keep interrupting us. I’m sorry about that. You were saying about, the, um…
Boy 2: Hey, lady, look out! There’s a fat whale on your boat!
Boy 3: Yeah, free Willy.
Michelle: Listen up you little spazoids, I know where you live and I’ve seen where you sleep! I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry when they’ve seen what I’ve done to you! [Boys run away] I was just kidding. I have no idea where they live.
Trailer
Cast & Crew
Peter Segal – Director
Bonnie Turner – Writer
Terry Turner – Writer
David Newman – Composer
Chris Farley – Tommy
David Spade – Richard
Brian Dennehy – Big Tom
Bo Derek – Beverly
Rob Lowe – Paul
Julie Warner – Michelle
Dan Aykroyd – Zalinsky
Sean McCann – Frank Rittenhauer
Zach Grenier – Ted Reilly
James Blendick – Ron Gilmore
Synopsis
Five years after their battle with Gozer, the Ghostbusters, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), have disbanded. But the when the negativity of New York begins to materialize as a mysterious river of ectoplasm underneath the city, they must reform to control the resurgence of paranormal activity.
Review
Successful sequels can be difficult to pull off because they need to remain true to the previous film(s) while standing on their own. Unfortunately, I think Ghostbusters 2 tries too hard to capture what made Ghostbusters so entertaining and fails to offer something different. It follows very much the same formula as the first: the Ghostbusters come together, there is a montage of them catching random ghosts throughout the city while researching the big baddie, then the team focuses on the villain. There really isn’t too much unique about it. The cast didn’t seem to be as energetic as before, particularly Bill Murray. He was able to shine by playing on the character’s selfishness but Peter and Dana’s (Sigourney Weaver) relationship became one of the central focuses of the film, derailing Murray’s humor, as well as the story. Rick Moranis, one of the best parts about Ghostbusters, gets a larger role this time around but he isn’t used as effectively. In the end, Ghostbusters 2 was too similar to it’s predecessor to really stand on its own and failed to recapture to magic of Ghostbusters.
Rating
2.5/5
Trailer
Cast & Crew
Ivan Reitman – Director
Dan Aykroyd – Writer
Harold Ramis – Writer
Randy Edelman – Composer
Bill Murray – Dr. Peter Venkman
Dan Aykroyd – Dr. Raymond Stantz
Harold Ramis – Dr. Egon Spengler
Ernie Hudon – Winston Zeddmore
Sigourney Weaver – Dana Barrett
Rick Moranis – Louis Tully
Annie Potts – Janine Melnitz
Peter MacNicol – Dr. Janosz Poha
Harris Yulin – The Judge
David Margulies – Mayor
Kurt Fuller – Hardemeyer
Wilhelm von Homburg – Vigo
Max von Sydow – Vigo (voice)
Synopsis
Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) are parapsychologists who create the Ghostbusters after losing their jobs at Columbia University. They use their knowledge of the paranormal to rid the streets of New York from ghosts. But they mey have met their toughest spirit yet when they get a call from Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) after she sees a demon in her fridge.
Review
I can’t remember the first time I saw Ghostbusters, but I do remember I was really young and I really, really enjoyed it. Bill Murray’s quips, Dan Aykroyd’s excitement (particularly over slime) and Harold Ramis’ dramatic scientific babble all entranced me. It may seem like a weird mix, but they somehow manage to craft a story that is equally enjoyed by both my younger and older selves.
This movie’s success no doubt comes from the chemistry between Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis. The way they are able to bounce off each other is fantastic. Each brings their own sense of humor to the mix; Murray is great at improvisation and gives some of the most memorable lines, and Ramis is more science nerd than the others, but Aykroyd is the heart of the cast. He is brimming with energy that comes through the screen and you can’t help yourself but smile.
Rick Moranis is the unsung hero of Ghostbusters. Like with Aykroyd, Moranis brings so much energy to his performance. He is a socially awkward accountant who lives across the hall from Dana Barret (Sigourney Weaver). I can’t mention enough how fantastic Moranis is with the role. He is able to do more with the part than I’m sure was originally intended.
Ghostbusters was very well paced. Gozer was introduced when they first start busting ghosts and they came back to it in between other ghosts but that plot point is not developed until the end. We get to see the Ghostbusters become celebrities without the ghosts becoming too daunting. Then we see why these guys are perfect for the job of taking down a demon.
Often times in comedies, large special effects take focus away from the jokes, but not in this movie. The special effects work well in the film and actually add to the comedy. Some funny gags come from the special effects. I mean, they were responsible for Slimer after all.
No matter how old you are, you will enjoy Ghostbusters. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis are a great comedy team. Although Rick Moranis steals the show with his performance, an incredible feat given the rest of the cast. He is so energetic and plays the socially awkward neighbor perfectly. Excellent pacing and special effects only add to the experience. So in the words of Ray Parker, Jr., “Who ya gonna call?”
Rating
4.5/5
Also check my review for the sequel, Ghostbusters 2.
Trailer
Cast & Crew
Ivan Reitman – Director
Dan Aykroyd – Writer
Harold Ramis – Writer
Elmer Bernstein – Composer
Bill Murray – Dr. Peter Venkman
Dan Aykroyd – Dr. Raymond Stantz
Harold Ramis – Dr. Egon Spengler
Sigourney Weaver – Dana Barrett
Rick Moranis – Louis Tully
Annie Potts – Janine Melnitz
Ernie Hudon – Winston Zeddmore
William Atherton – Walter Peck
David Margulies – Mayor
Slavitza Jovan – Gozer
Paddi Edwards – Gozer (voice)
Drew's Movie Reviews 