Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a sequel to the dark fantasy horror comedy Beetlejuice.

Tim Burton comes back to direct but leaves the writing to Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith. Gough and Millar are best known for writing 2004's Spider-Man 2, and the hit series Smallville and Wednesday. While Smith is probably the worst writer on the team having written Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, though I will give it to him that he did write The Lego Batman Movie.

While Michael Keaton is the namesake for the movie, the main character is Lydia Deetz, played by returning Winona Ryder. She has a good character arch for a sequel that had a lot going on. There are two villains to deal with, and then there's the best addition Wolf Jackson played by the talented Willem Dafoe.

Burn Gorman has a small but memorable role as well as a cameo by Danny DeVito that people will remember. You might remember Gorman from Pacific Rim. Monica Bellucci fits the role but isn't given much to do.

The film is slow and full of nostalgia. It gets better as storylines are wrapped up and ends on a great note. Result: A-

Comments

Pinocchio: Unstrung (2026)

Pinocchio: Unstrung is written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield , the filmmaker behind Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and its sequel. In terms of overall quality, this lands squarely between those two films. The direction is competent enough to keep the story moving, but it never rises above the low-budget slasher formula the filmmaker has become known for. The screenplay offers a few interesting ideas by reimagining the classic fairy tale as horror, yet it never fully commits to expanding the concept beyond its premise. While there are moments of creativity, the film is ultimately held back by uneven storytelling and inconsistent execution. Richard Brake , known for 31 and Barbarian , plays a dark interpretation of Geppetto and gives the film its strongest performance. It would have been easy for the role to become overly theatrical or cartoonish, but Brake keeps his performance restrained and unsettling instead. His quiet menace makes the character feel believable within th...

They Will Kill You (2026)

They Will Kill You is written and directed by Kirill Sokolov , who attempts to put his own spin on the survival horror formula popularized by film Ready or Not . This time there is no deadly game. Instead, the story revolves around a cult and a bizarre pig demon. Unfortunately, the concept is far stranger than it is compelling, and not in a way that benefits the film. Sokolov's direction never quite finds the right balance between horror and dark comedy, while the screenplay struggles to give the audience a reason to invest in its increasingly absurd premise. The entire production feels more like a direct-to-streaming release than a theatrical feature, and considering it reportedly earned only $10 million domestic against a $20 million budget, that impression is difficult to shake. Zazie Beetz , known for Joker and Deadpool 2 , stars as the film's protagonist. While she remains as beautiful as ever, her performance never rises above the material she's given. She neither ...

Young Washington (2026)

Young Washington tells the story of George Washington before the American Revolution, chronicling the experiences that shaped him into the tactically brilliant military leader remembered throughout history. Directed by Jon Erwin , known for I Can Only Imagine , the film carries many of the same hallmarks as his previous work. His direction is earnest and straightforward, with an underlying message that is never particularly subtle. While the historical setting provides an interesting backdrop, the film struggles to find its rhythm early on, especially during its opening sequences with the younger cast. Fortunately, it improves considerably in its final third, where the story becomes more focused and engaging. William Franklyn-Miller takes on the role of the young George Washington , but he unfortunately lacks the screen presence needed to carry a film centered almost entirely on his shoulders. He delivers a respectable performance, but the emotional weight and leadership qualities t...

Movies, Film, and Chili

Search This Blog