Ghostbusters (1984)

I love “Ghostbusters” more now than when I was 10 and bowled over by special effects, action, and dirty jokes meant for adults. Sure, this is still a kid’s flick, but it’s brilliantly written and peppered with wicked satire. The plot relies on digs at the EPA and IRBs! Name another Hollywood movie that trusting of the audience to get the jokes? Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Bill Murray are the heroes, fired academics who take to hunting the ghosts that plague New York City. And why not, it’s New York. Heaven for hell. And if they get laid along the way, go for it. Their proton pack arrival is perfectly timed as a Manhattan apartment high-rise with Sigourney Weaver as a tenant has just popped open a portal to a demonic realm. From the start in a library with book cards tossed all crazy right up to the finale with a white puffy giant ghoul with a grin, “Ghostbusters” rocks with never-better New York “F” the system eternal cool. Those days are gone. Conformity reigns now. Dig Murray riffing strong improve on the street, or Rick Moranis’ apartment geek king, and that dangling cigarette trick Aykroyd beautifully pulls… Classic! A+

Yogi Bear (2010)

Confession: I had a Yogi Bear lunchbox as a child. I loved that tie-wearing bear and his little depressed pal, Boo-Boo. So I’m pleased to say the live-action/CGI hybrid that is the “Yogi Bear” movie is better than any most recent talking cartoon animal movie has a right to be. Of course, these are low standards. “Marmaduke” hurt. I hated “Garfield.” This is cornball fun. Here, pic-a-nic basket thieving Yogi and Boo-Boo must help Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh in the flesh) save Jellystone Park from a self-serving mayor (Ayn Rand-follower perhaps?) with his eyes on higher office. The plot is lame. The CGI solid. Dan Aykroyd (Yogi) and Justin Timberlake (Boo-Boo) nail the characters’ voices. Timberlake has great one liners on the First Grade Scale of Humor. The jokes are scatological, but most are of the pie-in-the-face variety. Not bad. C+