Movie Review

Nostalgia for original film runs deep and strong in Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Ghostbusters is one of those properties that has remained relevant for nearly 40 years based mostly on the strength of the first film and its catchy theme song by Ray Parker, Jr. There have been multiple video games made from the property and a so-so 2016 reboot with an all-female cast, but the 1984 film is still the center point of the franchise.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife knows that, which is why it spends the majority of its time focusing on the characters and events of that film. Single mother Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two kids, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace), have moved to the rural town of Centerville after they inherited the dilapidated home of Callie’s estranged late father, Egon Spengler. Upon arrival, they discover that not only did Egon have a poor reputation in town, but that strange earthquakes have been plaguing the area.

Phoebe is a science nerd who finds kindred spirits in her science teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd) and a classmate nicknamed Podcast (Logan Kim). Together, they start investigating the cause of the earthquakes, and I’ll give you one guess what it is. Soon, Phoebe, Podcast, and Trevor, having discovered Egon’s stash of old Ghostbusters gear, are zipping all over town in the Ectomobile and using the proton pack to try to capture ghosts themselves.

Directed by Jason Reitman (son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman) and written by Reitman and Gil Kenan, the film is one big tribute to the original film. In addition to the focus on Egon’s family and the classic Ghostbusters equipment, it contains riffs on Elmer Bernstein’s original music, appearances by (mini) Stay Puft Marshmallow men, and, most significantly, a rehash of the Gozer/Gatekeeper/Keymaster threat.

Reitman and his team are not afraid to play fast and loose with nostalgia-based emotion, most of which can be expected and most of which works. There is one element that involves a tribute to Egon that doesn’t sit well, though. Harold Ramis, who played Egon, died in 2014, and the way Egon’s absence is treated in the film feels like the filmmakers are conflating their feelings about Ramis the person and Egon the character. Unfortunately, the tribute plays a major part in the third act of the film, coloring everything around it.

The film does have a good amount of fun to it, although perhaps not the type of fun that some viewers may want. The kids are the main driver of the plot, and so even though Callie and Mr. Grooberson have a bit of a romantic connection, everything rests on the shoulders of the children. And so the film has a distinct kids feel to it, with only a bit of adult humor to appeal to parents. It’s not necessarily a bad approach; it’s just different than what some may be expecting.

It’s not a shocker that Reitman went in that direction, as both Grace and Wolfhard can already be considered veteran actors, having each appeared in a number of big movies and TV shows. Their appeal is evident, although Grace is still in the cute phase that Wolfhard has already grown out of. Coon and Rudd are fine, but their characters are mostly peripheral to the action.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife has one purpose, and that’s to make everyone remember the film that has rarely faded from public discourse in the past 37 years. That doesn’t make for a super-compelling stand-alone movie, but as a way to keep the franchise alive, it’s not that bad, either.

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Ghostbusters: Afterlife opens in theaters on November 18.

Ghost getting busted in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Ghost getting busted in Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Ghost getting busted in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

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Weekend event planner

Here are the 14 best things to do in Houston this Christmas weekend

Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Photo courtesy of Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

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So, Thursday is the big day, when many Houstonians will get together with family and/or friends to celebrate Christmas with presents, egg nog, and a festive meal.

But that doesn’t mean there still won’t be events popping off this weekend. Some are holiday-related (like Stages’ staging of The Twelve Dates of Christmas and the Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet going down in Sugar Land), while others are just some fun things to do (like watching some college football at NRG Stadium or attending the birthday bash of a local punk legend at Dan Electro’s).

Whatever you do, just have a holly, jolly time this weekend.

Thursday, December 25

Toro Toro presents Christmas Brunch
Embark on a brunch journey over at Toro Toro this Christmas. Executive chef Jonathan Esparza and his team have prepared an extensive, Christmas brunch buffet menu, featuring a selection of traditional holiday dishes and interactive stations. Brunch is priced at $145 per adult and $65 per child (11 and under; children 5 and under eat free). Dinner will also be served a la carte from 5:30 to 10 pm. 10 am.

Juliet Steakhouse & Fine Dining presents Holiday Buffet Feast
Juliet will be serving up a fabulous Christmas Day buffet, priced at $59 for adults and $28 for kids 12 and under (children under 5 dine free). The buffet includes carved-to-order turkey and filet mignon, plus sides such as mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, candied yams, cornbread dressing, mac and cheese, collard greens, dinner rolls, Caesar salad, and lobster bisque. Desserts include peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and assorted cookies. Noon.

The Flat presents DJ Sun’s A James Brown Christmas Tribute
DJ Sun will be giving the gift of funk, with The Flat’s annual James Brown musical tribute. Flash Gordon Parks will also be spinning some cuts written, produced, and/or performed by the hardest-working man in show business. Special holiday cocktails will also be served, so pull up and close out Christmas night the right way: by getting funky with it! 8 pm.

Friday, December 26

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents Little Kid Flicks and Big Kid Flicks
A holiday season favorite at the MFAH, Kid Flicks is a compilation of fun, artful, inspired, and thought-provoking short film compilations presented in partnership with the New York International Children’s Film Festival. These award-winning short films offer a chance to explore new frontiers from around the world, across the street, and the ever-expanding boundaries of our own perspectives. Little Kid Flicks is designed for ages 5 and up. Big Kid Flicks is designed for ages 8 and up. 11:30 am and 2 pm.

Downtown Houston+ presents Movies Under the Stars: The Fighting Temptations
As part of their Movies Under the Stars series, Downtown Houston+ will present a screening of the 2003 comedy The Fighting Temptations, where our own Beyoncé Knowles-Carter stars as a talented young singer who helps a childhood friend (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) revive a struggling church choir, at Trebly Park. Visitors are encouraged to grab takeout from a surrounding restaurant and bring their own lawn blanket to enjoy the screening. 6:30 pm.

Improv Houston presents Marcus D. Wiley
The son of a preacher, Christian comedian (and former Texas Southern University professor) Marcus D. Wiley's charismatic style of delivery is clean, captivating, funny, and knowledgeable. He provides lots of laughter along with a guaranteed message on being a better you. Earlier this year, Wiley released his third, hour-long special Marriage Is Major Surgery (executive-produced by Houston stand-up star Ali Siddiq) on YouTube. 7:30 and 9:45 pm (7 pm Saturday).

Stages presents The Twelve Dates of Christmas
After seeing her fiance kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary’s life falls apart — just in time for the holidays. Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world. It seems nothing can help Mary’s growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This heartwarming one-woman play offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season. 7:30 pm (3 and 7:30 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

Saturday, December 27

Wonky Power presents Jazz & Jokes
A new night of stand-up, cocktails, and live jazz will debut inside one of Houston’s most intimate creative rooms. Jazz & Jokes brings together two of the best live experiences — laughter and live music — curated for a cozy, seated evening at Wonky Power. Featuring a rotating cast of special stand-up comedians from Houston and beyond, paired with a live jazz band setting the mood all night, this night will offer a warm, relaxed atmosphere, great drinks, and a room built for performance. 7 pm.

Kinder's Texas Bowl: Houston vs. LSU
The 2025 Kinder's Texas Bowl will feature a matchup between the Houston Cougars of the Big 12 Conference, making its 31st all-time bowl appearance, and the LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference. Houston enters the Texas Bowl ranked No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a 9-3 overall record, its best record since 2021. This will mark the first time the Cougars have played in the Bowl since 2007. 8:15 pm.

The Garden Theatre presents Cruel Intentions
Based on the 1999 teen flick, Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical pulls audiences into the manipulative world of Manhattan’s most dangerous liaisons: Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Fueled by revenge and passion, the diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet on whether or not Sebastian can deflower their incoming headmaster’s daughter, Annette Hargrove. The musical features throwback hits by artists like Christina Aguilera, 'NSYNC, and Britney Spears. Through Sunday, January 11. 8 pm (2 and 8 pm Saturday; 2 pm Sunday).

Goode Co. Armadillo Palace presents Roger Creager Piano Bar
Award-winning country singer/Texas native Roger Creager will be in town to do a post-Xmas set at Goode Co. Armadillo Palace. With more than a dozen No. 1 singles on the Texas Music Chart and Entertainer of the Year honors from both CMA Texas and the Texas Music Awards, Creager brings a mix of road-tested songwriting and bold melodies. Dine on authentic Texas fare, including signature house favorites the Damn Goode Burger and the Damn Goode Margarita. 9 pm.

Sunday, December 28

Dan Electro’s presents J.R.’s Birthday Bash
Houston punk pioneer (and all-around good guy) J.R. Delgado has been a member of multiple punk, hardcore and garage rock bands. He was also the owner of the legendary rock club The Axiom in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. This weekend, he’lll be celebrating his 70th birthday at Dan Electro’s, and he’ll be having a free throwdown everyone is invited to. Hickoids, Jane Woe, and Bastard Union will be providing the live jams, while DJ LP will be spinning music all day. 1 pm.

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
|Over at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet will highlight an international cast and Ukrainian principal artists performing at the peak of classical European ballet. Audiences will be transported by the magic of jaw-dropping acrobatics, larger-than-life puppets, and hand-crafted sets and costumes. Share the tradition of pure holiday magic and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score with friends and family of all ages. 3 pm.

Arthouse Houston presents Hedwig and the Angry Inch with John Cameron Mitchell
Arthouse Houston will present a one-night-only event of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, with star/creator John Cameron Mitchell. The 2001 indie musical classic (based on Mitchell’s off-Broadway play) follows Hedwig, an East Berliner transplant and lead singer in a band, who is chasing down his ex for stealing his songs. The screening will be accompanied by a live director's commentary by Mitchell, and followed by a live music set led by Mitchell, with band members Amber Martin and Chapman Welch. (Read CultureMap’s exclusive interview with Mitchell here.) 7:30 pm.

Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Photo courtesy of Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet will perform in Sugar Land this weekend.

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