It's hard to believe that nearly 30 years have passed since we first saw the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and watched Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and the rest of the goofy crew get slimed with ectoplasm in Ivan Reitman's Ghostbusters (1984). It's still a hoot, though.

Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline :: Monday, October 22 @ 7 pm :: $9; $6 seniors :: 617.

Long before the Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera (1925) actually scared and moved people. Starring the incredible Lon Chaney as the tragic bell ringer, this silent classic screens with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville :: Sunday, October 21 @ 2 pm :: $15 :: 617.625.4088 or somervilletheatreonline.com

Tomorrow, the Phoenix and WFNX are presenting a free, unofficial, daytime CMJ showcase at Brooklyn's 285 Kent. No badges are necessary and all ages are welcome. The line-up is stacked with some of our favorite bands from New York, Massachusetts, and beyond. Read on for a guide to the line-up, and if you're in New York, come by and say hey.

Can one man save the world with big metal balls? To find out catch The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller (2012), Sam Green's documentary about the visionary designer. With live music by Yo La Tengo.

Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave, Boston :: Saturday, October 20 @ 7 + 9 pm | $25; $20 students ::617.

If you were delighted and bewildered by Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, join the club: it's been happening to fans since he started making movies. See them all this week, beginning today with Hard Eight (1996; 4:45 + 10 pm) and Boogie Nights (1997; 1:45 + 7 pm), in the Brattle's series "Punch-Drunk Cinema: The Films of PT Anderson."

Dance Party Massacre has a zombie fashion show at Emerald Lounge on Wednesday

"Spike's Junkyard Dogs Turns 10":: Spike's is giving out complimentary hot dogs and veggie dogs in honor of their Allston location's 10 year anniversary :: Spike's Junkyard Dogs, 108 Brighton Ave, Allston :: October 20 from noon to 5 pm :: spikesjunkyarddogs.

Returning to Boston mayoral politics, "cityguy617" asks:

Who makes it to the final 2 in a Mayor's race without Menino?

Well, I'm sticking with my longstanding rankings with Rob "Shot-Spotter" Consalvo at #1, so I guess he's got to be one of the two. If Consalvo wins one spot, the other figures to go to a minority and/or woman and/or progressive hotshot, right?

Primus group shot. (Larry "Ler" Lalonde is on the left.)

PRIMUS have been called, on this blog, by me, "the greatest fucking band in the world." They're on tour again. And this time, it's weird even by Primus standards. The 3D Tour, described by bassist and frontman Les Claypool, is "bringing back acid rock to the masses

Here are two approaches to the art of terror screening at the Coolidge's @fter Midnight program: Michael Paul Stephenson's doc The American Scream (2012) examines the phenomenon of folks in Fairhaven, MA, turning their homes into haunted houses for the kids on Halloween, and Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), starring Dennis Hopper, just scares the shit out of you.

Tanlines are at the Sinclair on November 28

Mellowhype + Trash Talk | November 18 at the Sinclair | $15 | boweryboston.com

Tanlines | November 28 at the Sinclair | $14 | boweryboston.com

West End Motel + Ricer | December 2 at Great Scott | $10 | ticketweb.com

2 Chainz | December 4 at the House of Blues | $25-$39.

"Ben" asks:

Assuming Tisei wins over Tierney, what D's are well positioned to challenge him in 2014?

This is a GREAT question. I hope some North Shore readers chime in with thoughts. (Although the answer is probably "none.")

Looking at state senators: two of those seats will have first-term senators; another has a Republican.

When we found out that Boyz II Men are coming through town this week, we were all "Say what now?" because we'd forgotten those dudes existed, much less that they might still be touring. Coincidentally, a biography about another of our fave '90s bands, NKOTB, just hit shelves. This spawned a lot of rose-hued '90s nostalgia, which got us to thinking.

"Aidan" asks:

Do you see the Democratic Party (national or state) forgiving Martha Coakley and lining up behind her if she decides to run for governor or the Senate, or is there still going to be bitterness?

Bitterness. Much, much bitterness.

Huge, steaming piles of bitterness.

I'm actually a little surprised how much, but yeah I ask about this a lot and I get a lot of very unfavorable comments, from party insider/activist types, about the prospects of a Martha Coakley gubernatorial run.

At the first-ever Boston installment of Art on the Roof, an event that brings artists, patrons, and nonprofits together in cities across the country, the dazzling 360-degree waterfront views were outshined by the diverse work of eight local artists (including MassArt grad Stacy Scibelli's two-person leather tickle machine!).

"Andrew" asks:

What do you foresee Bill Weld's future in Mass. politics being (if any) now that he is moving back to Massachusetts?

It's true; Weld is moving back, to work at a Boston law firm, and of course there is instant speculation that he is planning to run for his old job back. Personally, I find it more likely that he could run for US Senate if Kerry leaves (it's too much to ask for a re-match, much as I'd love it), but honestly my guess is that we're not going to see his name on a ballot again.

From this week's print edition of the Phoenix, Staff Spinz highlights what we're playing these days in our newsroom...

TEGAN AND SARA “Closer” [Warner Bros.] Oh no! The beloved Canadian folk-rock duo has gone disco! This first taste from January’s upcoming Heartthrob record is a dazzling display of blips, bloops, and a soaring electro-pop chorus that needs no remix treatment.

Bundling questions again. "Nate" asks:

Win or lose this time around, who replaces Senate President Murray?

"James" asks:

We have several Senators getting up there in years (what else is new). Off the top of my head, Jehlen, R. Moore sem to no longer be long for their seats. Thoughts on replacements for these two legislators?

"David" asks:

After Election Day, who will be the first MA politico to announce their intentions for the next cycle? Will they wait a decent interval?

I don't get the sense that anybody's ready with a 2014 campaign waiting under a tarp in the garage, ready to take out immediately.

I do hear that a couple of lesser-known gubernatorial prospects are poking around; if they decide to pull the trigger on a run, we'd probably see some open moves shortly after the new year.

I'll take a coupla Scotto Qs together; "Elias Nugator" asks:

If Scott Brown tanks next month, will his wife Gail Huff perhaps consider a political career or her own?

"Dan" asks:

What candidate was hurt more by the Peoples Pledge that Brown/Warren took?

Second question first. I think it's clear that Brown ended up getting hurt more; he needed to do far more to break down Warren's credibility as a candidate, and was forced to do it himself -- and it's not so easy to beat up on your female opponent while simultaneously trying to battle the impression that you (and your party) are insensitive to women's issues.