Ghostbusters II (1989)

Same movie, more slime. Ghostbusters II follows the first one almost beat for beat: the guys are broke and forgotten, the city won’t listen, an ancient spirit wants back in, and the finale goes big. You can see every turn coming. What saves it is that the cast still has the chemistry. Bill Murray is looser and warmer here, especially around Dana’s baby, and his scenes hosting a cheap psychic talk show are pure Venkman. Peter MacNicol steals the movie as Janosz, an art restorer with an accent from nowhere who takes orders from a painting. Rick Moranis as Louis, playing lawyer for the team, is a treat. The mood slime is a fun idea that the movie forgets to make scary. It made $215.4 million worldwide on a reported $30 to $40 million, and audiences gave it an A minus CinemaScore. A 5.2 because hanging out with these guys is still a blast and the plot is a photocopy. $673.06 says you put on an upbeat song tonight and stare at your toaster, just in case.

What works: The cast’s chemistry is intact, and Peter MacNicol’s Janosz and Rick Moranis’s Louis are scene-stealers.

What doesn’t: The story retraces the first movie’s steps almost exactly, and the slime threat never gets scary or surprising.

Who it’s for: Ghostbusters fans who just want to hang with the original crew one more time.