My wife and I saw Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) in theaters last night. The storyline follows the death of Charles, bringing his family back together at the house from the first movie to honor him. Lydia is now a TV personality with a daughter in college and a man obsessed with her. Delia has become a successful artist, but both she and Lydia’s daughter are not fond of Lydia’s boyfriend. When Lydia’s boyfriend proposes at the wake, and a local boy has plans for her daughter, desperate times call for desperate measures, and Beetlejuice is summoned once again. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice faces his own challenges in the land of the dead.

Directed by Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands), the film stars Michael Keaton (Batman), Winona Ryder (Little Women), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone), Willem Dafoe (Platoon), Danny DeVito (Twins), and Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Revolutions).

This movie had me smiling from start to finish. It’s one of those films filled with nostalgic gold, keeping you on the edge of your seat, excited to see what Tim Burton will bring next. The costumes, sets, soundtrack, CGI and makeup are absolutely brilliant. There’s so much I loved about this movie... but also some missed opportunities. The story feels a bit hollow at times, and the villains could have been more developed and given more focus. The “father” subplot was underdeveloped and felt like a wasted storyline. Casting someone like Johnny Depp could have given it more weight. That said, Beetlejuice was incredible. Danny DeVito’s scene was a standout, the shark animation was a lot of fun, and the “inner child” sequence was classic Beetlejuice gold. The use of blood splatter was a fun touch, and the rain/cake song was memorable. The overall conclusion was perfect, leaving the audience wanting more.

In conclusion, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is nostalgic gold and a must-see for fans of the original, even if it didn’t fully live up to its potential. I’d rate it a 7/10 and strongly recommend it.