Fantasy Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice returns!

[Ninjablade]

Me for the next two months:

I didn't know they sell milk at AMC.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I didn't know they sell milk at AMC.

 

[blueharvest]

 

[Lily Adler]

Me for the next two months:

 

[BatLobster]

I liked it but the ending felt very abrupt

The more I reflect on the ending, I love that they went all Inception on it.

If you notice, there's a moment during the wedding sequence where BJ breaks the fourth wall, looks in the camera and says "I love a good dream sequence". The whole climax and ending pretty much starts blurring the line between dream/reality, life/afterlife, and I think the way it ends is meant to put an exclamation on all of that.

I think comparing the opening title sequences of both films and how they transition into the proper start of the movie kind of reflects how these movies are playing a bit with this idea of different layers of reality. And this one is noticeably more loose about that-- the flyover starts in the real Winter River, switches to the model, and then the transition to the attic is a misdirect. Which then leads into the somewhat meta/autobiographical element for Burton of Lydia becoming a corporate sellout. Fun fact, "Ghost House" was what WB originally wanted to call the original Beetlejuice and Burton had to fight to keep the title.

This movie honestly has more going on under the surface than it will probably get credit for!

 

[OnLeatherWings]

Saw it last night - I'm a huge fan of the original film. Got my Sideshow Collectibles BeetleJuice pre-ordered, a couple prop replicas, and steelbook to prove it.

As excited as I am - I just keep thinking that "Hm. It was fine." Which it was. Catherine O'Hara stole the show, for me. She's effortlessly awesome. Keaton was near perfect - the only issue I had is that BeetleJuice felt like his edges were sanded off a little more than I'd hoped.

There also was a lot more 'fun' spirit in this film than the cynical, myopic vibe of the original. And less hints of genuine darkness. Remember the wedding clothes seance? That scene was genuinely creepy - musically and visually and vibes-wise. I missed some of that energy.

Elfman was more subdued and needle-drops were much more the focal point, which I wasn't a fan of.

Plot-wise, the ex-wife was completely not needed, and the film seems to think so, too. Like literally...take her out, and the film is the exact same. We see her wander around a few times, soul-suck, and she shows up at the wedding to be disposed of immediately.

We also could've not used Jeffrey Jones' face, literally. He gets paid because of that which negates his lack of involvement.

Anyway, I may see it again. But it was fine. 5 or 6/10.

 

[Dr.]

Domestic wknd opening has been adjusted slightly. From $110M to $111M.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Just pre ordered the 4k glow in the dark steelbook! I guarantee it sells out. Gonna attempt a second viewing of the film tomorrow if I can.

 

[Luigi]

Spoiler

Happy that the shrunken head crew got a taste of freedom.

Shame that Bob wasn't able to join them.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Just pre ordered the 4k glow in the dark steelbook! I guarantee it sells out. Gonna attempt a second viewing of the film tomorrow if I can.

I pre-ordered that as well. Looks great.

Glow in the dark was all the rage in the 90's.

 

[Lily Adler]

So I guess Adam and Barbara boarded the Soul Train in between films.

 

[OtherwiseKnownAs]

 

[DarkKnight88]

Spoiler

RIP Bob

 

[Drizzle]

Spoiler

I know Burton is no stranger to mean-spirited deaths in his movies (Mars Attacks alone is proof enough) but Bob getting killed was a bridge too far.

 

[BatLobster]

My head canon for who he was in life:

 

[Dave McFly]

was gonna see it last weekend but things came up and my niece who wanted to see it was not feeling well so we are all gonna see it next weekend I am avoiding all the dang spoiler lol

 

[LoganPool]

Seeing it tonight. I first saw Beetlejuice back in 1999, and I didn't care for it. Never gave it another thought until I saw the trailer for this one. It intrigued me, so I checked out the original again, and loved it! Pretty pumped for tonight.

 

[kguillou]

Just saw it. Found it was a pretty entertaining movie. Burton's love for the macabre is on FULL display in this film, and some of it I found uncomfortable and really gross but thats just me becoming more squeamish in my older age.

I wish i saw this in a packed theater because i can totally picture this being a wild ride with a full enthusiastic crowd. I was pretty much alone with two other people in my showing. But this was a fun movie, I did love Burton's wild cartoony sensibilities just like the original and Keaton is in lockstep with Burton's vision.

There definitely is a lot going on and yes this is absolutely a script that should have been reworked but, eh, a zany, over-the-top Tim Burton movie like this doesnt really need a cohesive script. You're going for Burton's visuals and cartoonishly gothic vibe and Danny Elfman's music.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Saw it again. Loved it just as much as the first time.

 

[BatLobster]

I'm very late to the party on this, but watching all the press stuff for Beetlejuice has really shined a spotlight and just how sweet and adorable of a person (a true cinephile) Winona Ryder is.

Another reason I'm just unable to be cynical about this movie is you really just feel the love that was put into it. Somehow, this is probably going to end up my favorite movie of the year. I've been joking about that with my friends leading up to the release that this was gonna be my movie of 2024, and I think it has now actually come true.

Keaton was near perfect - the only issue I had is that BeetleJuice felt like his edges were sanded off a little more than I'd hoped.

I think this is a fair point-- having watched the original and this one back to back, there is no doubt that Beetlejuice is more shouty, manic and menacing in the original. I was ready to chalk it up to Keaton's age, but I don't think that's quite it. I think it's just the role and story is a bit different in this one. And I think Keaton still clearly is able to slip right back into the persona. I also just find it oddly endearing and funny that Beetlejuice actually does pine for and seem to care about Lydia, in his own twisted way. At least there’s room to interpret it that way. There’s no other real explanation for the whole MacArthur Park sequence. Burton always has sympathy for his monsters.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I don’t know about Beetlejuice being less menacing. Maybe overall since we’re on his side more in this one but…

Spoiler

he did conjure up Lydia pregnant and give birth to his terrifying Beetlejuice baby (with tons of blood) who he then kicks across the room.

That alone might be darker than anything he did in the first movie.

 

[BatLobster]

I don’t know about Beetlejuice being less menacing. Maybe overall since we’re on his side more in this one but…

Spoiler

he did conjure up Lydia pregnant and give birth to his terrifying Beetlejuice baby (with tons of blood) who he then kicks across the room.

That alone might be darker than anything he did in the first movie.

That part was obviously amazing, no notes haha.

I think I just mean the manic energy that Keaton has in the first one. It's a louder performance, literally. But I also really love how he plays it here. It had the potential to feel forced and he just slid back into the role effortlessly without feeling like it was trying too hard.

And that's Keaton, man. Effortlessly cool.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I also love when he brings in his normal Michael Keaton voice for just one instance. Like in the original it was “I attended Juilliard…” and he has a moment in this one too.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

I don’t know about Beetlejuice being less menacing.

He is. And I didn't notice while watching it which is a testament to Keaton and Burton, but he is.

In the original, he's loud, quick to anger, stomps and throws a tantrum now and then, constantly 'anxious', etc. In the first film, he throws Otho down the stairs, drops Charles off a railing, and terrorizes as a snake. He is always scheming.

Here he's kinda...malevolent in comparison. Definitely much calmer.

 

[DarkKnight88]

He is. And I didn't notice while watching it which is a testament to Keaton and Burton, but he is.

In the original, he's loud, quick to anger, stomps and throws a tantrum now and then, constantly 'anxious', etc. In the first film, he throws Otho down the stairs, drops Charles off a railing, and terrorizes as a snake. He is always scheming.

Here he's kinda...malevolent in comparison. Definitely much calmer.

You’re probably right about throwing tantrums and anger, but he does

Spoiler

send someone to Hell (sure they were evil), he sucks and warps influencer’s faces into their phones (presumably permanently) literally kills Lydia’s boyfriend Rory at the end with a sandworm, and again makes Lydia pregnant with his Beetlejuice baby who attacks her which is about on par with his snake attack. May have also given her the dream about Astrid also giving birth to this baby.