Michael Keaton is less manic in โBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceโ than he was in the first movie, but thatโs OK. His mission isnโt as complex as it once was.
What is? Remembering what happened in that first film. If youโre a newcomer to the universe, it might be wise to visit the first film. Then, youโll be more than ready for the second.
Michael Keaton returns in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."ย
The second, also directed by Tim Burton, finds Goth icon Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) running her own television show, โGhost House.โ There, she investigates the paranormal and has more than a little attention from fans, living and dead.
When her father dies (sorry!), Lydia has to manage her new boyfriend (Justin Theroux), her daughter (Jenna Ortega) and her stepmother (Catherine OโHara). The fear of Beetlejuice (Keaton) coming back still haunts her but, in some ways, he may be her only hope.
To awaken the dead, Burton sets plenty of issues into play, revisits old haunts and gives Ortega the kind of attention he showered on Ryder.
Once the crazy guy reappears, this becomes the wild trip fans have wanted. He gets able support from his shrunken head friend, Bob, and has his own romance to worry about. Burtonโs keen visual sense gives fans plenty of Easter eggs and a hat tip to some of his previous hits. Monica Bellucci, in fact, has the stitched-together look of Sally from โThe Nightmare Before Christmas.โ She isnโt given much to do but she shows up with as much frequency as OโHara, who seems to be offering a lot of โSchittโs Creekโ in various scenes.
Jenna Ortega, left, and Winona Ryder star in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."ย
Once Lydia figures out how she can make the problems disappear, she gets Beetlejuice into the picture and itโs merely a wild race to the end.
As sequels go, โBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceโ is a welcome follow-up. It just comes a little late for fans to truly get excited. Had this been done in the early โ90s, Burton would be looking at โBeetlejuiceโ four or five about now.
Getting Keaton back in the fold was a coup, but he should have been given more improvisational freedom. Like Robin Williams, Keaton has a way of making lines better with little more than the lift of an eyebrow. He does that here, just not often enough.
Theroux is dealt the weakest hand of all. Without knowing his โstory,โ weโre at a loss to see where he really falls in the world.
Michael Keaton in a scene from "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."ย
Interestingly, Lydiaโs father (played by Jeffrey Jones in the first film), gets face time, even though the actor pleaded guilty in 2010 to failing to update his sex offender registry.
Burton presses on, however, attempting other things that might get a rise out of studio executives.
โBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceโ bites plenty of hands that fed it, but itโs not jaded enough to become a parting gift. A third installment is likely. It just shouldnโt wait 36 years to appear.
Movies in a minute with film critic Bruce Miller
Movies in a Minute - We Live in Time
Movies in a Minute: Smile 2
UpdatedMovies in a Minute: "Saturday Night"
Is "Saturday Night," a genesis story of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," the best movie of the year? Sioux City Journal entertainment editor Bruce Miller says it's a contender.
Movies in a Minute: "Joker: Folie `a Deux"
UpdatedSioux City Journal entertainment editor Bruce Miller says "Joker: Folie `a Deux," a music-filled movie, was a good idea, but it had nowhere to go.
Movies in a Minute: "Megalopolis"
UpdatedSioux City Journal entertainment reporter Bruce Miller says "Megalopolis" is "classic, removed and, at times, overdone." (and those are his nice comments)
Movies in a Minute: "Transformers One"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Transformers One" is an origins story that details how the whole idea came about. The film looks good, runs less than two hours and doesnโt make you feel like youโve entered some strange new world.
Movies in a Minute: "Speak No Evil"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Speak No Evil" is visually messy and disjointed. It becomes one of those horror films that makes you want to scream at the screen.
Movies in a Minute: "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"
UpdatedSioux City Journal entertainment editor Bruce Miller says that when Beetlejuice, Michael Keatonโs crazy-haired bio-exorcist, appears all is right in the crazy world of this sequel to 1988's "Beetlejuice." But be forewarned - if you're not familiar with the original movie, you may have some catching up to do.
Movies in a Minute: "Reagan"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Reagan" squeezes too much drama into one film. It's a CliffsNotes approach to history just hitting the highlights and quickly moving on.
Movies in a Minute: "Blink Twice"
UpdatedSioux City Journal entertainment reporter Bruce Miller says if you put a bunch of people on an island just about anything can happen..... and, in "Blink Twice," it does.
Movies in a Minute "Alien: Romulus"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Alien: Romulus" isnโt afraid to throw in a good olโ popcorn surprise when you least expect it. You donโt have to know a thing about the earlier โAlienโ films to enjoy this one.
Movies in a Minute: "It Ends With Us"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "It Ends with Usโ becomes yet another protracted romance in which no one is honest and open. Itโs an OK relationship drama, it just didnโt need more than two hours to make its point.
Movies in a Minute: "Trap"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Trap" is an interesting concept, particularly since it plays on understandable fears.
Movies in a Minute: "Deadpool & Wolverine"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Deadpool & Wolverine" is the Marvel film for everyone who has grown weary of superheroes and their overly long stories. Teaming with Jackman was a brilliant move. The yin and yang of the new Marvel Universe can take on everyone and still manage a smirk.
Movies in a Minute: "Twisters"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Twisters" whips up plenty of action to be one of the best movies this summer.
Movies in a Minute "Maxxxine"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Maxxxine" doesnโt accomplish much or really scare. Itโs a visual treat but a scary movie dud. Itโs merely an attempt for a director to walk in otherโs shoes, not blaze new trails.
Movies in a Minute "Despicable Me 4"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Despicable Me 4" is all over the map, looking for something to stick. Itโs fine for those with short attention spans but for everyone else itโs a mess to sort out.
Movies in a Minute "A Quiet Place: Day One"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says the joy of "A Quiet Place: Day One" is how well Lupita Nyongโo conveys every emotion without words. Sheโs a wonderful actress who makes you care about her, her cat and the law student, played by Joseph Quinn. When theyโre in danger, weโre in danger. When theyโre exhaling, weโre exhaling.
Movies in a Minute: "Thelma"
UpdatedSioux City Journal entertainment critic Bruce Miller says that while the action in โThelmaโ may not be all that realistic, itโs highly entertaining and just the ticket for audiences tired of three-part dramas.
Movies in a Minute: "Inside Out 2"
UpdatedMovies in a Minute "Bad Boys: Ride or Die"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" doesnโt try to deliver big messages, it's just a lot of fun.
Movies in a Minute: "Jim Henson Idea Manโ
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "โJim Henson Idea Manโ shows how the puppeteer created the Muppets and Sesame Street. โIdea Manโ scratches at the surface of Jim Henson. It just doesnโt dig into the felt.
Movies in a Minute: "Summer Camp"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says โSummer Campโ doesnโt have a spark that could start a fire.
Movies in a Minute: "The Blue Angels"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Blue Angels" documentary shows us what itโs like to be the best of the best. For fans of air shows, itโs a great โrest of the storyโ production.
Movies in a Minute: "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" includes the best motion capture performance weโve seen and, easily, the reason this film works so well. No matter how many โPlanet of the Apesโ films youโve seen, this is the one to embrace.
Movies in a Minute: "The Fall Guy"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Fall Guy" rolls out every jaw-dropping stunt possible and manages to pull the curtain back on the movie industry.
Movies in a Minute: "Challengers"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Challengers" is a smart love fest for fans of tennis. The film is a closer than usual look at the emotional toll the game takes. When the action starts, weโre curious how itโs going to play out.
Movies in a Minute: "Abigail"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says that if you get an invitation to dinner from "Abigail" just say it got lost in the mail. She's a messy eater.
Movies in a Minute: "Civil War"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Civil War" seems like a film designed to scare audiences into attention.
Movies in a Minute: "Monkey Man"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Monkey Man" never sits still. The film is full of extreme close-up shots which are impossible to ignore and, often, easy to misread.
Movies in a Minute: "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" isnโt as good as previous mashups, but this, you might say, is the โOppenheimerโ of the monsterverse.
Movies in a Minute: "Late Night With the Devil"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Late Night With the Devil" toys with its audience and plays out much like an old-school talk show.
Movies in a Minute: "Snack Shack"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Snack Shack" is Profane, constantly in motion and very retro. Itโs the vacation you didnโt think you needed but sure were glad you took.
Movies in a Minute: "Cabrini"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Cabrini" is a noble look at the patron saint of immigrants, Frances Cabrini. The film reminds us there is not an even playing field then โ or now. Itโs a stirring message at this time of year.
Movies in a Minute "Dune: Part Two"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Dune: Part Two" plops you in the middle of the action and never slows up. This sequel is beautifully photographed and powerfully scored.
Movies in a Minute: "Drive-Away Dolls"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Drive-Away Dolls" is isnโt as complete as youโd like it to be but it does have moments and isnโt afraid to let familiar faces play unfamiliar roles.
Movies in a Minute "Bob Marley: One Love"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Bob Marley: One Love" has plenty of music and a subdued vibe but it doesnโt tell us a lot about the reggae legend himself. The film leaves out plenty of key information โ the kind of stuff a fan would like to know.
Movies in a Minute: "Lisa Frankensteinโ
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says โLisa Frankensteinโ is a light romp in a dark, dark world. But it could have been a wild wallow in an era that was packed with possibilities.
Movies in a Minute: โThe Greatest Night in Popโ
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says โThe Greatest Night in Popโ is a wonderful slice of history that shows what happens when stars check their egos at the door and produce something iconic.
Movies in a Minute: "Poor Things"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Poor Things" may be one of the most bizarre films of the year, but it's also a springboard for some of the best acting work of the year.
Movies in a Minute: Best Actress nominee Sandra Huller
UpdatedSandra Huller, who stars in two Best Picture nominees, "Anatomy of a Fall," and "The Zone of Interest," is also nominated for Best Actress for her role in the former. Movie critic Bruce Miller calls Huller's performances incredible and says her Best Actress nomination is one of the most deserving honors of the year.
Movies in a Minute: "Mean Girls"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Mean Girls" has a problem with the translation to the big screen. Here, itโs darker and, somehow, more serious.
Movies in a Minute: "Anyone But You"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Anyone But You" isnโt as fun or as snarky as you want it to be. Itโs just a chance for it stars to try something new without making a huge mistake.
Movies in a Minute: "The Color Purple"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Color Purple" is an all-singing all-dancing extravaganza that sometimes overshadows the story of Celie, but it's a powerful film that packs a punch.
Movies in a Minute: "The Iron Claw"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Iron Claw" is a fascinating slice of life that suggests all the fame in the world may look great but it canโt replace a little parental love.
Movies in a Minute: "Wonka"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Wonka,โ the prequel to โWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,โ is just as delightful as the original.
Movies in a Minute: "May December"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "May December" goes deeper than any investigative story and hurts more than a well-timed social media post.
Movies in a Minute: "Wish"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says Disney's "Wish" has so many mediocre references to past animated films it canโt help but pale in comparison.
Movies in a Minute: "Next Goal Wins"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Next Goal Wins" is largely a matter of how you define โwinning.โ Unfortunately, the story is so scattered itโs hard to find the momentum.
Movies in a Minute: "The Marvels"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Marvels" is not very interesting. The three crime fighters take on a baddie looking for a second bracelet but universal domination shouldnโt be the goal of everyone in a superhero movie.
Movies in a Minute: "The Holdovers"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "The Holdovers" is a holiday movie with some rougher edges. Despite being bathed in the glow of nostalgia, โThe Holdoversโ is brutally real about human relationships.
Movies in a Minute: "Five Nights at Freddy's"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Five Nights at Freddy's" is like something youโd find on Nickelodeon over Halloween weekend. It isn't a chilling gore fest. It tests the nerves but it doesnโt fry the brain.
Movies in a Minute "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" is spectacular and easy to watch, though it may be a long sit for some viewers. Swift's lyrics hit the target right in the heart.
Movies in a Minute: "Killers of the Flower Moon"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Killers of the Flower Moonโ is true cinema. Itโs art in its highest form that never fails to entertain.
Movies in a Minute: "The Exorcist: Believer"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller calls the "The Exorcist: Believer" a respectful reboot but definitely not a head turner.
Movies in a Minute: "Fair Play"
UpdatedMovie critic Bruce Miller says "Fair Play" is easily one of the most compelling films of the year.
