Tag Archives: Jason Reitman

Film reviews

Saturday Night Review

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There is always organized chaos surrounding any production whether it’s a play, a musical, a sketch show or a movie set, but the show must go on. Writer and director Jason Reitman shines the light on the creative process in Saturday Night which is a satirical gem of historic value. It is a true story filled with many moving parts. As a fan of Saturday Night Live, all the history came back to me during Saturday Night even though some of it happened before my time. This movie took me to back to memories of old skits involving George Carlin, Chevy Chase, and others. The story highlights how since the early days of the show the essential direction of Saturday Night was fueled by the pressure for laughs.

The film takes place in October of 1975. Many writers and comedians are together to put on a live performance a half-an-hour before midnight. The man running the show is Lorne Michaels (played by Gabriel LaBelle), and his co-workers are Dick Ebersol (played by Cooper Hoffman) and Neil Levy (played by Andrew Barth Feldman). The studio is in chaos. The show has loads of potential with many running skit ideas. The ultimate question is, “Will it work?” The budget and structure are still all over the place, and time is of the essence. 

As the chaos behind the scenes move swiftly, a unique array of writers and comedians come into the mix. From Jim Henson (played by Nicholas Braun), Gilda Radner (played by Ella Hunt), Chevy Chase (played by Cory Michael Smith), Dan Aykroyd (played by Dylan O’Brien), John Belushi (played by Matt Wood), Garrett Morris (played by Lamorne Morris), and so many more. An image is painted of where many of these artists were standing before they took the stage on Saturday Night Live. The picture that emerges makes it clear that this show was not easy, but the energy and the political atmosphere made Saturday Night a masterpiece.

As these characters evolve, the show does a stellar job managing egos and personalities. This is particularly true with big characterizations of Belushi, Aykroyd, and Chase. They give off a vibe that they feel the show they are about to do has the potential of being below them. Show business is a tough business today and Saturday Night showcases how it was much more complicated back then.

At times, Lorne is practically losing his mind. He keeps thinking about everything that could go wrong and what will be said. There are many layers of real and potential complications. Saturday Night is bonkers! The quirkiness of the actors adds to the craziness. Braun as Henson brings creativity to the character as well as a dose of well-written absurdity. The recurring question is, “Which sketches fit best for the upcoming show?”The big dogs of the business are Dave Tebet (played by Willem Dafoe) and Milton Berle (played by J.K. Simmons). They know the business and how ugly it gets. Their desire for success is portrayed vividly in Saturday Night. It’s a mad world of trying to “nail it” from the beginning.

Reitman’s direction makes the audience feel the sense of urgency in Saturday Night. The lighting is perfect for the nostalgia of the era and the studio in Radio City Music Hall shines with 70s jams that are mesmerizing. The night is young, but can Lorne and Dick pull this off as they hit plateaus with writers, business people, and comedians? The writing offers athought-provoking look back at the early days of Saturday Night Live that is not to be missed. Four out of four stars.

Film reviews

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Review

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Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is one which crosses the line into mediocrity, yet somehow manages to nostalgia alive. A follow-up from Ghostbusters: Afterlife, this installment steps up the game of evil lurking through artifacts by employing loads of CGI. The characters loved by fans are back, and include Callie (played by Carrie Coon), Grooberson (played by Paul Rudd), Trevor (played by Finn Wolfhard), Phoebe (played by Mckenna Grace), and Lucky (played by Celeste O’Connor). These characters arenow considered alumnus of the franchise since their appearance in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The old-school alumnus (who add much necessary humor and quirks to the experience) are Peter Venkman (played by Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (played by Dan Aykroyd), Winston Zeddemore (played by Ernie Hudson) and Dana Barrett (played by Sigourney Weaver). Surprisingly, even with a cast this impressive, the movie has flaws which make it difficult for it to be memorable.

The film consisted of four writers including the director, Jason Reitman.  Joining him as contributors were his father, Ivan Reitman, Gil Kenan, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis. I guess the compilation of writing is why the film is not as straightforward and nostalgic as I would have expected. The film begins in 1904 in New York. This introduction is familiar to the films in this franchise. It then jumps to the present where the family hunting ghosts returns. The team of Grooberson, Callie, Trevor, and Phoebe are all ghost hunters which causes some misbelief with their reputation due to their dynamics as a team.The newest trend with the ghosts features ice and snow. When an old artifact is discovered, it’s time to call Ghostbusters! With Peter, Ray, and Winston making appearances, the team has grown, but is skillful enough to take on the monsters of the snow? The film lacks in establishing a quality foundation, but manages to finds a way to detail the situation moderately well.

Philosopher Dr. Hubert Wartzki (played by Patton Oswalt) is part of a backstory which explains how the new monsters of ice and snow have come into the city of New York. Also, a third-party seller, Nadeem Razmaadi (played by Kumail Nanjiani), is also part of the puzzle. Many of his collectables are artifacts, but much of his collection hold secrets related to ghosts as well. Ray’s character and his experience with ghosts does help add to the story. The various moving parts are fascinating but tend to drag the movie down and cause boredom before the excitement of ghost hunting swerves into the picture.

The scenes with quirky humor boost the nostalgic feel of this film. The CGI also adds more in-depth visual interest to the film’s adventure of stopping one giant ghost. Truly, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is not amazing…partly because the lines of understanding seem unnecessarily blurred. The nostalgia provided by Murray, Aykroyd, and Hudson is where the film has its most memorable moments. As always, the ghost hunting is when this franchise shines. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.