The original “Ghostbusters” took the sci-fi scene by storm around six months before I was born, but the 1984 film still became one of my earliest obsessions. If nothing else, throughout my youth I always knew exactly who to call.
That’s because it quickly evolved into a franchise, launching an animated follow-up in 1986 and a sequel in 1989. By then I was truly ‘fraid of no ghost, a preschooler with plenty of proof.
In a professional photo my parents had taken of me as a kid – which was pretty rare, so my look mattered – I’m proudly wearing a “Ghostbusters” uniform and holding a Slimer toy, my favorite green ghost. The property also ignited my penchant for collecting action figures, which you can see here along with my late 80s hair.
My tastes in cinema soon evolved though. Tim Burton’s “Batman” was released a week after “Ghostbusters II” and I quickly graduated into an elevated obsession with superheroes.
By the end of the year “The Little Mermaid” also became a part of my world, proving that there was no better time to turn five years old. I was all-in on Disney’s renaissance in the 90s, subsequently captivated by “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991 and “Aladdin” in 1992.
That was the year “Batman Returns” was released as well, Burton’s sequel that spawned its timeless cartoon. Not to be outdone, Marvel then changed my life with the premiere of “X-Men: The Animated Series.”
They may be an unlikely pair, but like “The Little Mermaid” before it the show’s five seasons had a profound effect on me as a child. They each taught me that every person has inherent worth with the right to seek more in life, a message I carry with me still.
All of the era’s entertainment helped shape me into who I am today, something it continues to do now. I’ve been considering that a lot lately as I get ready to turn 37 in December.
It’s as strange for me to think about as it is for me to write, in part because I almost never remember how old I am when asked, but also because of 2020. After the year we all had I never got used to telling people that I’d turned 36.
What makes it weirder is that despite the passage of time, just about every form of pop culture that I’ve ever loved is more relevant than ever. Just a few weeks ago, incidentally on my five-year wedding anniversary, Disney announced the return of the animated “X-Men.”
I can only assume it was a gift from my husband, because more than 25 years after it went off the air, “X-Men ’97” will premiere on Disney+ and change my life again in 2023. But until then there’s plenty more to love from my youth, like “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”
I went to the film’s opening night this month and really enjoyed it. It is a worthy sequel, but one of the things that really stuck with me was a fellow member of the audience.
Once the credits wrapped and the theater’s lights raised, I noticed a small child leaving with his parents. He clearly loved the film as much as I did, if not more, because he was ready to take on a few ghosts of his own.
Cool as a cucumber – which is something I say now, because I’m about to be 37 – he’d gone to the film wearing almost exactly the same “Ghostbusters” uniform I did at his age. It was a real circle of (after)life moment for me.
It was also a clear reminder that time stops for no one, except maybe Cher. But while I’m not in a particular hurry to, I don’t mind getting older. I’ve always thought it beat the alternative.
Besides, not only am I able to enjoy new installments of “Ghostbusters,” “X-Men” and even “The Little Mermaid,” which has already filmed its live-action adaptation, Burton’s “Batman” returns next year in “The Flash.” I get to experience all of that and more with someone that’s made sure my 30s have been the best years of my life so far.
He entered them as my boyfriend, one who helped me hang action figures in our first apartment together, and just this year helped me do it again in our first house. My facial hair keeps getting grayer and 1984 keeps getting further away, but it’s hard to complain about turning 37 when it’s beside someone like that. So here’s one last happy five years to my love.
This December also marks the 34th World AIDS Day, so in this issue we examine how COVID-19 has impacted those living with HIV. We detail commemorations throughout Tampa Bay and Central Florida and share the latest in news, entertainment and more.
Watermark strives to bring you a variety of stories, your stories. Please stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.
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