The Mosley Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

I am truly overjoyed! It seems that more films are returning back to the magic of practical locations, effects and using CGI when it is absolutely necessary. When I see a master storyteller that started out that way, come back to their roots and show us why we loved them in the first place, my heart flutters as we are witnessing something truly special. That is what happened here and it was gorgeous return to the darkly comedic and macabre world created from the mind of Tim Burton. Burton returns to his most beloved film by fans and it didn't disappoint. Not only does it continue the same level reverence for the odd, but it also adds more to the lore by exploring more of the spirit realm and I loved every second of it. I loved that all of his tricks and styles were on display, especially during a discussion about the fate of a certain character. The way its done was a visual feast. This film was a bit overwhelming with the amount of characters, but I could never say I was bored. The amount of busy work each character gets could've been separated into their own vignettes, but it's all weaved together and wrapped up in a fun way. I do wish the threat for the titular character was more central and the driving force of the film though.

Winona Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz and I loved that she continued to embrace her supernatural gift. She is more tormented this time around and heartbroken as she had a loss that damaged her relationship with her daughter. Jenna Ortega was bratty, snarky and sometimes mean as Lydia's estranged daughter, Astrid. Their relationship was interesting to watch become patched in the most difficult way. She had the same attitude as Lydia when she was younger, but less morose and more angst. It worked all the way through and I loved when she finally starts to connect with her Mother on something they share. Catherine O'Hara was just as crazy, unpredictable and fun as Lydia's mom and Astrid's grandmother, Delia Deetz. Every moment with her was comedic gold and how darkly artistic it gets was great. Justin Theroux was good and slimy as Lydia's boyfriend, Rory. He was good for the purpose of where Lydia was in her life, but I almost felt he was the weakest part of the ensemble. Not in performance, but just as a supporting character that sometimes detracted from the pacing. Willem Dafoe was truly having fun as the dead action star, Wolf Jackson. I loved the throw back style of the 1950's detective he was portraying while hamming up the most hilarious and cheesy dialogue an old school detective would say. Arthur Conti was good as Astrid's first crush, Jeremy Frazier. It was a fun sliver of a possible teen romance in this weird world. Monica Bellucci still takes my breath away when she graces the screen and as the villainess, Delores LaVerge, she was truly spectacular. I loved the lore behind her relationship with Beetlejuice and I liked her creepy presence. I just wish we focused on her more as the driving force of the film instead of being lightly sprinkled around. Speaking of Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton returns as the ghost with the most and he hasn't skipped a beat. He continues to be that disgusting and loveable trickster we all love. He was hilarious, smart and very creative in his quest to get away from his ex-wife, Delores. I love that we finally get a confirmed backstory for the character and the amount of fun he has telling it was right on brand. The chemistry between him and Lydia never died and it was magical to see them together again.

Composer and Tim Burton's muse, Danny Elfman returns and brings back the iconic score and themes. I loved that he kept the gothic and whimsical tone of the film alive with his insanely playful score. The mixed soundtrack of jams that work in the playful nature of the spirit world was excellent and there is a prolonged musical sequence that was a bit bloated. Like I said before, everyone has something to do and that made the film more busy than it needed to be. For me, I would've gotten rid of Rory and left Lydia's heartbroken story as is anchor point for her and Astrid to reconnect. Even with all of its flaws, it still was a welcomed return to form for Tim Burton and fun excursion back into the world of Beetlejuice. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!