I haven’t even seen this movie for many years, but I was thinking about it. And it is, frankly, just excellent. Why? Well I’m glad you (didn’t actually) asked!
it stars Michael J. Fox
it’s directed by Peter Jackson. yes. that one.
Michael J. Fox plays Frank Bannister, who is a psychic scam artist, essentially.
not in that he isn’t psychic
he is
he just uses his lowlife ghost buddies to “haunt” people and then exorcises the place (for a fee).
but then things turn sideways when this dude who looks like the grim reaper shows up and starts actually killing people
I know that sounds cheesy. and the CGI looks like, um, the movie was made in 1996. but it’s not really relying on that
so
just wait
it’s kind of a serial killer movie involving ghosts, but, like, not shot as a full-on horror movie. especially because most of the ghosts are just, like, dudes
one of the other leads/love interest is a doctor lady who gets out of a kind of abusive relationship and has a fairly big role in stopping the big bad
also she calls Frank out on his shit by acting like he’s the only one who’s ever lost anyone
the ghosts kind of play by Swayze Ghost rules (if that makes sense?)
“I can move shit, Bannister! You better watch your back!” *promptly falls out of a window*
Frank’s lowlife ghost buddies are the best. there’s a Buddy Holly lookin’ dude, a guy who died before disco did, and a cowboy dude who is literally falling apart
there’s a shoot-out at a museum. the cops are just… fucking shooting at mummies and displays for pretty much no reason. the ghosts fuck with them. it’s great.
apparently it’s in Michael J. Fox’s contract that he just cannot drive for shit in any of his movies, so that’s kinda funny
it’s got this FBI agent, Dammers, who is just… hilarious. he’s full on-board that psychic shit is real, but he’s also convinced Bannister’s the one killing people. at some point he acquires an uzi.
goddamn Dammers
there’s a cameo from the fullmetal jacket drill sergeant in the graveyard. also he has ghost guns.
“There was a time when I used to get lots of ideas. I thought up the Seven Deadly Sins in one afternoon. The only thing I’ve come up with recently is advertising.”
I just noticed, and it’s a bit of an obvious reach, but every time he killed for the Dark Side, he used his own saber. But when he killed Snoke to save Rey (canon), which is Light af, he used Anakin’s saber.
No, I think you may be onto something. He even finishes the praetorian guard battle with Anakin’s saber.
@loneamidala That’s not a reach, it’s pretty blatantly significant that he killed his abuser/saved Rey’s life with that particular saber. Especially since it’s the same saber that WOULDN’T go to him on Starkiller. But as of TLJ, the Force (and/or even Anakin himself) has deemed Ben more worthy of it.
THIS^
Omg yes I never thought of it that way
Wow. Why did I never put this together?
So apparently, most people did not previouslyrealize or take into account the implications of Ben being able to handle Ani’s saber in TLJ, when he very pointedly couldn’t in TFA. I was wondering why more people weren’t discussing that, even though I see it as one of the most significant developments of the movie and Ben’s arc.
Reylo shippers always talk about how the saber wouldn’t automatically go to Rey, or either of them, this time when they were tug-of-warring over it, but no one really talks about the fact that Ben was able to hold it, and telekinetically manipulate it, and catch it from Rey in the first place.
The point at which I realized this was important for Ben wasn’t even that he could use the saber, but more that it refused to choose Rey over him during their tug of war in the throne room. It barely responds to him in TFA but then is so torn between him and Rey that it splits in two? Yeah that’s highly significant.
Snoke’s origin story doesn’t matter. He’s a metaphor. Where he goes from is less important than what he represents and what the means for other characters.
Sometimes I forget this is my blog and I’m allowed to post whatever bullshit I think of.
Here’s a passage from the last jedi novelization where snoke confirms outright that he had been manipulating ben by exploiting his fear of inadequacy and abandonment since he was a child.
I dont know why I keep doing outlines. I tend to go wildly off script.
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