You know who to call

Rating: 8/10 (18 January 2006)

Three psychology professors who specialize in studying supernatural activity get thrown off their campus for failing to get any sort of results in their studies while using up school funds. Determined to continue their practice they set up a business that investigates and removes paranormal activity from "haunted" places. After initial difficulties their popularity skyrockets after ridding a hotel of a ghastly nuisance. However, it isn't long before an ancient evil, prophesied by the Baylonians, threatens to make its way into our world through New York City. That's when things really heat up.
The result is a ridiculously entertaining movie that's part serious, part funny, but in the end, just seriously funny. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and the whole cast, but especially Murray, give highly amusing performances under an admittedly impressive (for those days) direction by Ivan Reitman. By now, acting for blue screen and managing multiple locations in the form of sound stages comes with the territory for making a spectacle science fiction fare, but that art we now take for granted wasn't nearly as developed in 1984 and this film does a really good job. Featuring the finest in pre-digital special effects, whose limitations are quite apparent, but that is all part of the fun in watching a classic.
Also, of note, is the story, which is quite well thought out and developed for a goofy movie like this. While it has an overall lighthearted and amusing appeal throughout, many of the elements are things that would make "weird fiction" master H.P. Lovecraft proud. It is just genre bending fun for all. 8/10
Rated PG for scary stuff and mild profanity