Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Clever lil’ goobers Phoebe and Podcast are incredibly endearing, and so is Paul Rudd’s lil’ Grooberson, and Wolfhard’s got his goofy teen thing going, and there’s gooey and hilariously homicidal marshmallows too, and ghosts and gunner seats, and it’s all just gobs of fun, though the character and setting-setting up first half works better than the second, where it feels like the all the good character work gets possessed and discarded by nostalgia and cameos and a big end-of-the-world plot.

6

Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco’s chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son. (IMDb)

Eckhart’s Nick is a slippery spokesman for smoking that you can’t help but root for in spite of his “flexible morals”, thanks to his charismatic quick-talking. The film follows suit, presenting with wicked wit and entertaining editing (see the film pauses and brief inner narrations) its darkly humourous characters (see the outrageous Merchants of Death and Simmons’ abrasive B.R.) and fresh subject matter. Nick’s more serious father conundrum could have been taken a step further though.

7.5/10 (Really Good)