Westside Steve Posted September 8 Report Share Posted September 8 Beetlejuice Warner Brothers PG-13. 104 min The first BEETLEJUICE hit the Silver Screen in 1988, along time ago and was one of the most innovative and interesting films of all time. That presents two separate possibilities. First of all the audiences in 1988 are almost 30 years older so that same demographic today won't remember the first one. Option number two is that it is such an iconic movie it has probably been seen over and over in reruns over the last few decades so there is a chance. Here are some positives that have nothing to do with the quality of the film one way or the other. This is an outstanding cast and they are pretty well holding their own because it's the same folks from the same flick in 88. I'm assuming these stars are having a good time so that's nice. Also we know that Winona Ryder has had some bad luck in her personal life over the last few years and this paycheck is probably a welcome addition to her lifestyle. One small personal plus for me is that instead of the Banana Boat Song the big musical number is a pretty impressive version of Jimmy Webb's MacArthur Park both the Richard Harris version and the Disco version to a lesser extent. Jimmy Webb is one of my favorite writers in the world and I know royalties from a movie soundtrack pay really well. Good for Jimmy. Especially if it garners a nomination for best adapted song but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Another revelation: it's not just a remake of the first film, at least not exactly. It really is a sequel. After having lived through the insanity as her parents, Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin haunted the ghost house, a grown up Lydia (Ryder) has embarked on a career as a supernatural kind of reality show host. Two of the foils Jeffrey Jones and Glenn Shadley are no longer living and the part of the asshole has been taken over by Justin Theroux a lecherous conniving TV producer looking to steal whatever he can get. Lydia now has a daughter Dolores played by Monica Bellucci about the same age as she was in the first film and just as big a pain in the ass. A whiny and bitchy goth chick you know the scoop. But Lydia does love her daughter, doesn't really love her career. She's about to get mixed up with handsome but evil spirit who has bad intentions for her. As with the first film when there's something going wrong related to the spirit world who you gonna call? No not GHOSTBUSTERS, you call Beetlejuice. Just like an 88 he shows up ready to kick ass and take names of the offending undead. But then again he's got a raunchy and totally improper request this time involving marrying Lydia's teenage daughter. Yikes. Poor Dolores is stuck with a choice between two very terrible spirits. And Beetlejuice himself is being tracked down by an angry and evil ex-wife. Some of you will relate. It's actually not a bad story just that you seen all the gags before. Like watching a 99-year-old Dick Van Dyke dance in comparing it to the original MARY POPPINS. Anyway I'll be generous since I like all the people in the cast and go with a lukewarm: C+ WSS 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange_Ranger Posted September 12 Report Share Posted September 12 I think you mean Jenna Ortega for the daughter. Monica Bellucci plays Beetlejuice's ex. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted September 12 Author Report Share Posted September 12 7 hours ago, Orange_Ranger said: I think you mean Jenna Ortega for the daughter. Monica Bellucci plays Beetlejuice's ex. Sorry for the fuck up.... WSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibleedbrown Posted Monday at 01:33 AM Report Share Posted Monday at 01:33 AM I don’t expect l’ll enjoy it as much as the first, but l’m looking forward to seeing this. I became smitten with Winona Ryder years ago with her roles in the original, Edward Scissorhands, Heathers and such. She’s one of the stars in the popular Netflix show Stranger Things where she plays a perpetually concerned mom. Big fan of Keaton too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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