It was only a matter of time before The Large Hadron Collider was mentioned on The Big Bang Theory. As particle physicists, Leonard and Sheldon work in the exact field in which the Large Hadron Collider is applicable. Over lunch, Leonard announces the university has selected him to attend a conference in Switzerland, where he will visit the Large Hadron Collider. As a bonus, he gets to bring a guest of his choosing. Upon revelation that the conference will be on February 14^th, both Raj and Howard understand Leonard’s intent to invite girlfriend Penny for a romantic vacation. Sheldon, oblivious as always, disregards the possibility and assumes he will be attending instead.

At home, Leonard tries to break the bad news to Sheldon. Sheldon, eagerly packing (and trying to decide which hat best says “Après-Supercollider,”) is offended by the notion Leonard would invite Penny over him. Leonard focuses on the potential of going sightseeing, skiing, and spending a romantic Valentine’s Day evening by the fire under the shadow of the snow-capped Alps. The subatomic particle research is simply a footnote. But for Sheldon, the potential to further a romantic entanglement is not a viable excuse; visiting the Large Hadron Collider has been a dream of Sheldon’s since he was nine. But having a sexy girlfriend has been a dream of Leonard’s since he was six.

Trying to be coy with the prospect of a European vacation, Leonard presents Penny with a tray of Swiss Miss cocoa, Swiss chocolate, and Swiss cheese sliced with a Swiss army knife. Penny, not recognizing the theme, instead mocks Leonard’s poor culinary selections, citing his inability to properly process dairy. This joke marks the third week in a row someone has referenced the way Leonard’s lactose intolerance results in terrible gas. Along with Raj and Howard’s ambiguous relationship, the flatus jokes need to be retired, the sooner the better.

Desperate to visit Switzerland, Sheldon pulls no punches. Breaking out the much maligned roommate-agreement pact, Sheldon cites Leonard’s promise to invite Sheldon if the opportunity to visit the Large Hadron Collider ever presented itself. Leonard claims the roommate-agreement pact is a void document, claiming any contract also featuring a zombie contingency plan has no real-word validity.

Failing along the legal route, Sheldon attempts the silent treatment, shunning Leonard except for occasional derogatory comments regarding Leonard’s backsliding double-cross. For example, Sheldon plays a word game where he ranks Leonard akin to Benedict Arnold, Judas, and Rupert Murdoch, the man who canceled Firefly. Later, Sheldon presents Leonard with 30 pieces of Silverware.

The following morning, Sheldon greets Leonard with breakfast in bed. Offering up delights such as pancakes in the shape of hobbits, scones containing a pound of Crisco and the DVD set of Babylon 5’s final season, Sheldon attempts an apology. Sheldon confesses his actions have been petty, and his friendship with Leonard is more than a list of written agreements. Leonard accepts Sheldon’s apology, but still intends to invite Penny to Switzerland. Realizing his breakfast/apology has had no desired effect, Sheldon retracts his meal/peace offering, claiming “No Frodo for you.”

Unswayed, Sheldon attempts to approach things from a different angle. Putting together a Powerpoint presentation on why a Physicist should visit the Large Hadron Collider, not a waitress from The Cheesecake Factory, Sheldon attempts to convince Penny to refuse Leonard’s invitation. Despite his best efforts, Penny refuses to budge. Realizing all is lost, Sheldon actually displays human emotion and sadly admits defeat. Feeling sorry for the depressed man-child, Penny agrees to talk to Leonard and try to work out a compromise. Ecstatic, Sheldon momentarily breaks his standard protocol of never making contact with other people, and embraces Penny in a bear hug. The terror expressed in Penny’s eyes will not soon be forgotten. Despite promises made, Leonard is furious Sheldon went behind his back, guilting Penny into letting Sheldon attend Switzerland in her place. Authoritatively, Leonard declares, based on Sheldon’s actions the past few days, he would rather visit the Large Hadron Collider alone than invite Sheldon.

Spending the night together before their transatlantic flight, Leonard and Penny fantasize about what Switzerland will be like. The thoughts of shushing down Alps interspersed with hot cocoa and cider are brought to a grinding halt after Penny breaks out in a serious sneezing fit, eventually segueing into a vomiting marathon. Plagued with the flu, Penny knows there is no way she’ll be able to fly to Switzerland by morning. Realizing the opportunity to make good with Sheldon, Leonard offers the now-vacant invitation his way. Although eager to accept, Sheldon is also wracked with illness, and can barely stand.

As Leonard departs for Europe, Sheldon and Penny are left alone to wallow in sickness together. Penny tries her hardest to tolerate her friend under quarantine, but Sheldon cannot fathom how he could possibly have caught the flu. Suddenly, his memory cycles back to the previous day: Sheldon broke his personal rule against touching people when he hugged Penny. It’s no coincidence that he contracted the exact same affliction as her. As Sheldon arrives at this conclusion, Penny smugly glares from behind her bowl of condensed chicken and stars soup.

Finally, Leonard arrives at his spacious Swiss hotel suite. Adorned with roses, chocolates and champagne, Leonard begrudgingly invites his guest inside: Raj. After spending the entirety of the episode in the background, casually mentioning to deaf ears how he has no plans for Valentine’s Day, Raj’s sad sack attitude pays off in abundance. Homosexual undertones aside, Raj is grateful to spend Valentine’s Day with somebody. Anybody. Leonard sighs in defeat as Raj jumps on the queen-sized bed.

A lot of people claim it’s a tragedy to spend Valentine’s Day alone. However, if the alternatives include spending the day with the flu, or an uncomfortably giddy Indian coworker, isolation doesn’t sound so bad.

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3. 01/18/10: The Big Bang Theory – The Bozeman Reaction

For the benefit of anyone who missed Barney’s appearance at the Super Bowl due to an emergency bathroom break, Mr. Stinson was among the throng of in-house football fans. The only suit among a mass of Colts and Saints t-shirts and jerseys, Barney hoisted a sign for CBS: Call Barney Stinson. Below, a ten-digit phone number. The announcers, in on the joke, inquired “Do you think that’s his real phone number?” Considering I’ve never seen a ten-digit personal phone number beginning with one, the answer should quite obviously be ‘no’.

The phone number was another fantastic example of CBS and How I Met Your Mother’s incessant viral marketing campaign. For anyone too nervous to actually dial the number, a recording is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SETy6IMYmwk

And that is how this week’s How I Met Your Mother begins. Ted and friends watch the Super Bowl by tradition, save for an absent Barney. The quartet look on in befuddlement as Barney smirkingly hoists his poster-board personal ad. Robin, unfazed, declares dibs on Barney’s uneaten buffalo wings. Normally, seeing one of your best friends on TV, especially at the Super Bowl, would be cause for celebration. But for Barney Stinson, it’s just another day.

It should be noted, Barney’s phone number shown during the Super Bowl (1-877-987-6401) differs from the one shown canonically during tonight’s episode. Featuring the standard television 555 prefix, the phone number featured during the episode is clearly a fake. Apparently, CBS correctly anticipated the Super Bowl ad’s popularity; the five second spot resulted in a bounty of busy signals, and an addition to the swarm was felt unwise and unnecessary. In addition, once the episode is released for syndication and on DVD, CBS will not be obligated to keep the phone line operational.

After the big game, Barney greets his friends at MacLaren’s Pub, smiling in jubilation. In Barney’s eyes, it was not the Saints who won the Super Bowl, it was himself. In reward of his risky stunt, Barney’s cell phone has become a magic phone: always ringing, always with hot chicks on the other end. Barney has achieved his dream of having an infinite number of women at his disposal. Eager to please as many ladies as possible, Barney hires close friend and HIMYM regular Ranjit as a personal chauffeur, freeing him from quickly accruing cab fares and the less-said-the-better subways.

But this is a sitcom. Surely, Barney’s cellular speed dating queue will be full of horrendously ugly women, crazy women, geriatric women, not-at-all-convincing transvestites posing as women, and other comically unpleasing members of the fairer sex, right? The quality of girl who would call a random hook-up number aired during the Super Bowl would have to be unimaginably atrocious, right?

Not for Barney Stinson and his magic phone. Against all odds, Barney wines, dines, and romances a neverending cavalcade of increasingly desirable bombshells, each one introduced by an MIDI ringtone of Turkey in the Straw. Barney attempts to stampede through every date as quickly as possible, but ultimately rejects every candidate, superseding them with the next, exponentially more desirable caller. He can’t hook up with a hot girl if there’s an even hotter girl waiting in the wings. Eventually, Barney realizes his magic phone has become King Midas’ curse. He finally has all the hot girls he could ever want, and the plethora is destroying him.

Dismayed at Barney’s success with women without trying, Ted bemoans the entire world of dating. According to Ted, he is always great with women, but can never pick the right girl. In a Hail Mary, he asks Lily and Marshall to take all the headaches away and arrange his marriage. Ted vows to propose to whomever Lily and Marshall choose for Ted on Valentine’s Day. After all, who better than Lily and Marshall to find a perfect spouse; they found each other! Although, admittedly, Wesleyan housing and a copious amount of liquor at a freshman mixer helped.

Robin, meanwhile, finds herself at the mercy of coworker Don, who several months after his introduction still refuses to wear pants at work. Robin makes no attempt to hide her frustration and anger towards him. The seething hatred culminates when Don spontaneously asks about Robin’s plans for Valentine’s Day. In a chiding manner, Robin scoffs at the romantic invitation, telling the story in jest to her friends at MacLaren’s. Except, no matter which way she tries to spin it, one crucial detail lingers: Don never actually asked Robin out, he just invited her to a party as a coworker.

Because Robin interpreted the friendly invitation as a romantic pick-up, Marshall theorizes Robin may have latent feelings for Don. Using psuedo-psychological mumbo-jumbo, Marshall explains that the parts of the brain which control the feelings of love and hate are located right next to each other, and the signals often get crossed. Ted further illustrates the point with this image: http://tinyurl.com/yh7u288 . According to Ted, you can look at the picture for hours and only see a rabbit, but at any moment, you could spontaneously see a duck instead. Likewise, some duck you love could spontaneously turn into a rabbit you hate, and some rabbit you hate could spontaneously turn into a duck you love.

As Valentine’s Day arrives, the three plotlines go their own ways. First, Marshall and Lily forget to find Ted his bride-to-be and resort to asking every girl in range if they’d be interested in marriage. The two eventually settle on an Eastern-European woman in need of a Green Card. Robin reluctantly attends Don’s party, only to find Don alone, naked in his living room, attempting The Naked Man (a callback to episode 73) on Robin. Don, the potential duck, was now a full-fledged rabbit in Robin’s eyes. As for Barney, he has been driven insane, haunted by his Turkey in the Straw ringtone, and his own indecisive, insatiable nature. Knowing the endless line of women is destroying him, he begs Lily to hide his phone.

The phone’s infinite possibilities provided the climax. Marshall and Lily, unable to find a woman for Ted, select one of Barney’s callers as Ted’s Valentine’s Day date. Afterwards, Lily hides the phone in Ted’s apartment. When an electronic rendition of Turkey in the Straw mysteriously begins playing in his apartment, Ted finds the phone, and claims it for himself. Realizing he now has Barney’s magical prowess at his fingertips, Ted channels his inner Stinson, blows off his arranged date, and begins seducing women at MacLaren’s under the name “Westside Teddy.” Barney, upset Ted has stolen his thunder, attempts to steal the phone back, along with Ted’s cool new nickname. Tired of all the nonsense, Lily drowns the phone in a half-full pitcher of beer, ending the madness permanently.

Each dejected, Ted and Robin adjourn to their apartment for the evening. According to them, you don’t need true love to enjoy Valentine’s Day. You can get by just fine with a good friend to sit on the couch and drink beer with.

In the epilogue, Robin returns to work to find a penitent Don, apologizing for his behavior the previous night and the previous months. Embarrassed by his behavior, Don explains he was divorced three months ago and has had difficulty coping. He swears, from this point on, he’ll take both Robin and his job completely seriously. He’s even wearing pants. Perhaps Robin’s rabbit is a duck after all.

Tonight’s episode had great potential. Barney had another legend-wait-for-it-dary scheme, Marshall led the group in a hilariously over-the-top argument over whether ducks or rabbits are better animals, and the inexplicably satisfying character of Ranjit is always a welcome addition. But for some reason, the parts didn’t really mesh. The plotlines all went in different directions, the pacing was slow, the “Westside Teddy” joke was built up without an adequate payoff, and the show’s message of ‘It’s okay to be single’ is completely undercut by the final scene. In addition, Ted’s declarative statement that he wants an arranged marriage, an absurd request made in total seriousness, seemed very forced. Even by sitcom standards. But don’t take my opinions too seriously; I’m just seeing rabbits.

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3. 01/12/10: How I Met Your Mother – “Girls Vs. Suits”

10 – Willow – I know I’m going to get picked on about this one, but it is what it is. Willow is still one of my favorite films. Something about Willow is charming, fun, adventurous and simple; i love it!  Maybe it’s because Ron Howard was involved, or maybe it’s just because it’s a great, yet cute story. Who knows, but this movie has a special place on my DVD shelf that will remain as a constant in my fantasy collection.

9 – The Princess Bride – The Princess Bride, what can be said about this awesomely funny fantasy movie? Anyone who knows movies can quote way too many lines from this movie. From Andre the Giant to the ever beautiful Robin Write Penn, this movie stands tall amongst the best of the genre. This movie puts together all the ridiculous clichés of the fantasy genre all the while giving you a cast containing a mixed bag of fantastic actors. Classic and timeless – can you blame me for this pick?

8 – E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial – Spielberg. I could stop there but I am not that big of a Spielberg fanboy! This simple story of the bond between an average kid and a very lost (and ugly) alien wowed us all.  The storytelling is both personal and heartbreaking, to this day it can make me cry at the end. Spielberg takes a simple storyline, one created in his mind after his parents broke up, into one of the best movies of all time. Period.

7 – The Wizard of Oz – It’s the original. A wizard, a couple of witches, lots of freaky flying monkeys, what more do you want in a movie? A classic story and a classic film, this movie is beyond classic, it’s part of us all. Growing up close to where Frank Oz grew up, I have been on the actual yellow brick road! This is a must for all collections not matter what format!

6 – Pan’s Labyrinth – This film was such a surprise for me. The idea that this was more along the lines of an adult fantasy world really peaked my interest. The extreme violence I must say I was not expecting from the movie; it may of swayed people in the opposite direction but I truly enjoy this movie, rewatch after rewatch.

5 – The Labyrinth – This great film from the 80’s has a strong cult following, and I am glad to say I am part of that following. David Bowie as the villain, strange puppets, a gorgeous world, an interesting plot, and a very young Jennifer Connelly. Do you ask for more? I also will drop the ever awesome name of Jim Henson, what a master in all he did.

4 – Legend – Ridley Scott, yes that Ridley Scott, created such an enormous universe for this film that it surprises me how long ago it was made. He was able to bring to the screen something huge.  This is a film that many people have forgotten but if it’s on TV or if I am in the mood – I watch it. Such a great tale of deception, love and much more.  It’s an adventure/fantasy that will linger with you long after the film has ended. Enjoy it!

3 – The Dark Crystal – A lot of people know that I love this movie, and I am sad that there is an even larger number of people who have never heard of this film. This film stars lots and lots of Muppets and is actually a really incredible fantasy story that will draw you in as you watch it. If you liked Labyrinth but missed this one, then you need to watch it right away! It’s the classic hero trying to save a nearly doomed world, and you’ll be surprised by how good it is. The Muppets, the man behind them, Jim Henson, and the team bring such a gorgeous story to life in a world that is all too familiar. GRAB this one now!

2 – The LOTR trilogy – You could argue how I could put three movies into one spot on the top ten list, I honestly don’t care. These movies are separate for a reason, the length and that only. These movies are one very large story and an amazing one at that. Sit down and watch these amazing stories unfold before your eyes and allow yourself to be drawn into the world that has been built before you.  These movies are gorgeous interpretations drawn from the pages of books that are world renown, and bring you into the world of Middle Earth. The acting, the story, the effects all bring so much to the screen, it is hard to doubt anything about these movies. They are second for a reason. Below is that reason!

1 – The Neverending Story – This is one of my top 5 films of all time. A true classic in the realm of fantasy. The story of a boy locked in a room in his school reading a book that he shouldn’t be reading. So simple, yet an awesome starting point for something that is amazing. He controls the fate of a far away world all along finding himself. I remember as a kid (and an adult) watching this over and over again, following Atreyu, along with Falkor, one of my favorite creatures ever, through their journeys. I never get sick of this movie, and it’s one of those rare gems that is worth watching again and again.

That is my list – hope you enjoyed it. Please leave some comments on movies I may of left out or any issues or questions you may have. I do own all of these in one format or another, as should you!

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Hannah is telling the Intersect she wants him to teach her, but what she had in mind was NOT for Chuck to run off after Sarah. She asks Morgan about him, mystified at what meaning his continuing relationship with Sarah could have. Morgan, however, is just as mystified, especially when Chuck says he has to run off on a Nerd Herd emergency. Morgan is the assistant manager – he should know before Chuck about any repair calls. Hannah runs off after him, ostensibly to shadow the emergency. As he goes to work on the server Hannah walks in. Chuck is shocked but forced to have Hannah help him. The fix works, Shaw is saved. Chuck and Hannah are hired on the spot by the curator to ensure that there are no snags at the unveiling of the mask the next night.

Shaw brings coffee for Sarah the next morning, who appears nervous. Chuck is briefed on the mask and other artifacts, which are being used to smuggle Ring items into the country. Chuck insists he can handle Hannah during the next attempt to swap the mask. Morgan shows up at the Ellie’s apartment and tells her he thinks Chuck is drowning his sorrows in video games.

At the exhibit opening Shaw makes Sarah uncomfortable on the floor while Chuck and Hannah make themselves comfortable in the server room. Hannah tells Chuck that she took the job at Buy More because of him and kisses him, but breaks off when she sees Sarah on the security video. She thinks Sarah’s trying to make him jealous with the “exceptionally good-looking” date. Before Chuck can make up an excuse, he flashes on someone else on the video in the room: the Ring agent who broke in previously to place the contraband inside the exhibit before it traveled to the U.S. He runs off to warn Shaw and Sarah but Hannah sees Chuck appearing to confront Shaw on the video feed. When Shaw leaves (he has a long-standing conflict with Vasillis and his cover would immediately be blown) Hannah becomes even more stressed, sensing conflict in this new triangle.

Chuck and Sarah sneak off to switch the artifact with a reproduction before the vault opens to the crowd. Chuck remotely shuts off the server and when the alarms go off Hannah sets to work trying to fix it, as the museum curator panics in the background. As Chuck and Sarah fight off the Ring agents inside, Hannah succeeds in overriding Chuck’s shutdown and the vault begins to open with Chuck hanging in plain view. Shaw closes it again from the van, and a tug-of-war goes on for several moments; Chuck gets out with the mask just as Hannah shuts Shaw out of the system and the crowd enters the vault to view the mask. Chuck tries to smooth things over with Hannah but she “knows” he left her to fight the battle alone while he carried on with Sarah elsewhere. She tells him things will have to be strictly professional between them from now on and stalks out of the control room.

Ellie enters Chuck and Morgan’s apartment and asks Morgan what he’s found out about Chuck. He proposes an intervention, but Chuck interrupts and the pair leaves for the Buy More. Vasillis, meanwhile, has tied up the curator and reviews the video, spying both Chuck’s moves on Hannah and his switch of the mask with Sarah. Vasillis calls Buy More and pretends to be from the museum, and Morgan sends Hannah back for further work on their alarm server. Shaw brings coffee to Sarah and she verbally unloads on him. When Casey comes by and thanks Shaw for the coffee, however, she is taken aback. Vasillis locks Hannah in the vault. The air begins to run out and Vasillis calls Chuck and tells him he knows who he is – and Hannah has fifty minutes of air left. Back at Castle Shaw and Sarah succeed in opening the artifact and in springing the trap inside: poisonous Cyclosarin gas.

Chuck grabs Casey and they head to the museum to rescue Hannah and get the antidote that Vasillis must have. Chuck and Casey decide to fool Vasillis into thinking he’s been gassed to get the antidote. Shaw and Sarah apologize to each other for the emotional battle, thinking the end is near. Chuck stalks into the museum and threatens to deploy the weapon. Vasillis and his men balk, and Chuck sets off the grenade, resulting in panic – Vasillis doesn’t know which artifact contains the antidote. Chuck flashes on the vase containing the antidote, smashes Vasillis in the head with it to get the antidote, and tells Casey to save Sarah and Shaw while he frees Hannah from the vault. Hannah awakens in Chuck’s arms, sees his fear at the prospect of losing her and is reassured that he cares for her. Shaw carries Sarah into the museum just in time to receive the antidote. Vasillis has recovered consciousness and, from hiding, sees Shaw holding the still-weak Sarah. He realizes he was duped and escapes.

Back at Castle, Chuck is warned that the training wheels, Casey, Sarah and Shaw, are going to be coming off because of his success (implied: and because of his lack of panic this time around!). Chuck and Sarah begin the emotional task of dissolving their relationship. Morgan opens the Buy More to let Ellie in for the intervention after closing, when Chuck has returned. They catch Chuck in the entertainment room, kissing Hannah. They back out unseen, Ellie relieved, Morgan wearing all the conflicted feelings that Chuck, Sarah and Hannah were dragging around until now. Back in Castle Casey shrugs out for the night, leaving Sarah and Shaw alone and Morgan walks out of the Buy More with a melancholy slouch in his step and a sweetly rolling guitar ballad in the background.

The music takes an ominous turn as Vasillis appears in a spotlight in the dark before the Ring leaders to report that Daniel Shaw is alive. A voice silhouetted by the light tells him that Daniel Shaw will meet the same end as he; a gun is placed at his head, the trigger pulled, and Vasillis falls to the floor as the camera fades.

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Headlining the top of my must-see films this season is Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland.  Recently announced to debut in 3-D and releasing at the start of next month, it seems to be on the tip of  a lot of movie buff tongues. I’m big fan of Lewis Caroll’s nonsensical novels and with each new publicity still and trailer I feel like I’ve got equal cause for concern and elation.

To be sure, this might be the closest we will ever get cinematically to the original tone of Caroll’s novels. Visually, I’m psyched and have been ever since I caught glimpse of the Jabberwocky winging it’s way through Wonderland. On a visual level this one is probably gonna melt your eyes into sticky goo, which is of course a good thing.

But what about those other elements? We know what Wonderland will look like? But what will it feel like? Will the script have proper emotion, the actors tapping into the right strain of madness?

Just as importantly, what will it sound like?

Thanks to Universal Music, you can discover the answer to that question yourself. The ‘Almost Alice’ widget below allows you to listen to every song on the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ soundtrack (this isn’t the score, mind you).

The mix of artists on the soundtrack is indeed eclectic, including Avril Lavigne, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, All American Rejects, and in a mad bit that would no doubt delight the Hatter, Franz Ferdinand. There’s even a cover of  “Very Good Advice” by Robert Smith, which is the only song that also featured in the original Disney animated film back in 1951.

Check out the streaming versions of the songs below, and the preorder for Amazon is up here: http://bit.ly/AlmAlcOST

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Last year it was announced that Studio Ghibli, the animation studio headed up by Japanese maestro Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Ponyo) was in the process of adapting Mary Norton’s classic The Borrowers for Studio Ghibli.

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According to Variety, Fox is in talks with screenwriter Billy Ray (Shattered Glass)  to develop a script for a big budget film spinoff of  their hit show 24, which features Kiefer Sutherland as the hard-edged Bauer. Word is Ray’s treatment will feature Bauer taking on baddies somewhere in Europe.

Although Fox hasn’t yet picked up 24 for a ninth season, it appears things are progressing at the film level. And while insider information suggests that Ray has already pitched a version of the film to the studio, it’s hard for me to imagine a film in development if the show proper isn’t picked up for another season. Seemingly, what happens with the film will directly be tied to the future fate of 24 on the small screen. Despite ratings dropping 1o% in total viewers from last year, 24 is still in the top three most watched shows on the network, behind only American Idol and House.  

Whatever happens, expect a decision to be made soon regarding 24’s presence in the Fox lineup next season since current production wraps on March 24th.  I’d imagine more concrete information regarding a big-screen iteration would shortly follow it.

As far as the odds go for this happening, I certainly don’t want to be the guy betting against Jack. He usually comes through.

AP will keep you updated as the this develops.

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Seems Bill has requested he be made a ghost for the next outing.

Various cast and crew members have recently spoken about their return to the franchise but Murray has been the lone hold-out. Weaver, Hudson, Ramis, and Akroyd are all onboard in front of the camera with Ivan Reitman returning to direct. However, in a recent interview with  Mail Online  Murray confessed he was returning, although it was under condition of the following:

 “I’ll come back in Ghostbusters III only if I get to be a ghost. I said to them, ‘I’ll do it if you kill me off in the first reel.’ So now they are going to have me as a ghost in the film.”

Umm, ok, Bill. I’m not sure how that’s going to work exactly but I’ll remain optimistic for the time being.  If Venkman still gets to hang about for the entirety of the film, learning how the other half after-lives than I think this could be a creative way to go. If it’s essentially Murray trying to squeeze out a small cameo and then bolt, I’m less enthusiastic about it. Why do detriment to a great character to meet the needs of a fussy star?

Still, anyone who saw last year’s Zombieland (another horror-comedy that delivered the belly laughs) knows that Bill can nail a cameo like few other actors around. If his work in Ghostbusters 3 is even half as inspired as that bit, than I look forward to whatever Reitman has in store for us.

Until we see the final product, I’ve got my particle streams crossed that this one works out.

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