Gonna have to rewatch Beetlejuice and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice back to back to compose a list of "movie canon" that were deemed not brought back/continued in the sequel.
For example: Like how the sequel "disregarded" the fact that only those who "died of suicide can become civil servants in the afterlife".
NO ONE CONFIRMED THAT! It was just a throw away line by Otho, WHO WAS A FRAUD AND KNEW LITTLE TO NONE OF THE SUPERNATURAL!
The sequel even subtly corrected that misconception. Not everyone in the Civil Service in the Afterlife died of suicide, several were wrongly assigned that cause of death.
Miss Argentina was the only significant character that had an accident in Beetlejuice that we've seen who works as a civil servant. And maybe the flattened guy, but not sure if that was an accident or not. He looked quite jovial for a flattened guy.
Case in point: we have Wolf Jackson, and he certainly didn't die of suicide, yet he works as a self-proclaimed cop and runs the whole police joint there.
The earlier scrapped concept of Betelgeuse hanging himself was just that. An idea/concept of how he died. They never used that in the film, thus it's not canon. It's considered fanon in the fandom cause it's been more than 30 years of no solid confirmation of a sequel and we were hungry for any scrap of Beetlejuice material that we can consume and use as inspiration for art and stories to feed ourselves over the years until news of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was announced and got released.
The sequel answered some questions and gave us new content to work with. For both the characters and about the Netherworld/Afterlife in the Beetlejuice universe.
I'm all for creative liberty and freedom, make a canon divergent or write an Alternative Universe of it all, but don't just shit on the sequel and say that it's an "elaborate fanfiction" like the screenplay writers didn't put a lot of thought in it that even Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara finally, after DECADES of turning down script after script, found THIS story for the sequel to have the most potential and having the right tone as a follow up for the movie that meant so much to all of them.
Everyone who worked behind the scenes in creating the film from props, set location and design, puppetry, stop-motion, costume, stunt people, make-up, lights, sound, extras, production, marketing, EVERYONE put a lot of effort and passion and did AMAZING work on this project. I'm still amazed by every large and miniscule details I discover every time I rewatch it.
Was the story of the legacy sequel perfect?
Of course not.
No sequel ever is. Someone will always find something to complain about and that's just how things work in this industry, in this world.
But, was it fun? Was it both new, and brought the same feel from the original? Did the actors brought to life the characters we've loved for more than three decades and counting? Did it introduce new characters that fit the ensemble and had the same eccentric aura of the Beetlejuice world? Was it a relief that the story didn't just end 30 years ago?
Yes, it did. For me. I loved it. It's not perfect, but for someone like me who's a bit of a perfectionist on my works, and then finding the imperfections actually making the finished product better than I expected, it means a lot.
And for what it's worth, at least the time and love and the littlest of delusion I invested for Beetlebabes actually had something to show for. A one-sided romance it may be, at least I now know that Betelgeuse isn't harboring any lasting ill will towards Lydia for all these years.
That Tim also saw it that way. That Michael and Winona were open to this dynamic and relationship between the two characters/roles that they love and cherished to play.
Also, people change. No one stays the same. Life throws curve balls at us, and yes, to FICTIONAL characters as well. People mellow with age. One person or experience can change someone, even when they've been dead for 600 years.
I had a dream last night that they made a legacy sequel to Coneheads called Children of the Cone about old man Dan Aykroyd taking his human-cone hybrid grandchildren on a roadtrip across America, and they were all horribly mutated blobs of pulsating meat and veins because cone DNA isn't compatible with ours, but they had holographic disguises that allowed them to look human when they need to (hijinks ensue when the disguise generators act up). The only scene I remember was them driving through the Nevada desert when a nuclear bomb test went off, and they were excited to stand in the blast wave like it was the splash zone at an aquatic amusement park.
Every year, actors and actresses alike showcase incredible talent that resonates with audiences across the world. This year, instead of posting my favorite films of last year, I want to showcase the 10 best performances from 2024.
10. Austin Butler- Dune 2/ The Bikeriders- Butler has a double entry to kick off the list. He is top-notch in both roles, and having them both release in the same year truly shows his range as an actor. He is one hell of a career in front of him and 2024 was just the beginning of that.
9. Alisha Weir- Abigail- One of the sleeper hits of 2024, Abigail was so violent and a much needed change of pace. Weir was a big part of the reason why as the titular Abigail. She was savage and it helped provide the film the much needed edge it required to stand out.
8. Channing Tatum- Blink Twice- This movie was a twisted tale of the horrors abused wealth can create. Without Channing Tatum providing the central performance that ties the entire thing together there is no movie. It works because you know exactly what you are watching and it is still horrifying to behold.
7. Glenn Powell- Twisters- Powell is one of the most likeable leading men currently working in Hollywood. His big budger badass sequel to a beloved 90s film showcased why he had the chops to be the next big thing. Many are comparing him to a modern day Tom Cruise.
6. Zendaya- Challengers- A film that was very well designed overall. Zendaya is the bankable lead as the tenacious tennis star looking to prove herself. The interpersonal drama among the lead characters helps elevate the performance to one of her best. Zendaya here is obviously portraying a character outside of her usual genre.
5. James McAvoy- Speak No Evil - While then, the film itself left a little to be desired. The performance from McAvoy did not. He is top form as the creepy host here. His performance is full of nuance, and he is perhaps at his career best here. One more twist could have elevated this film into a completely new category for him.
4. David Dastmalchian- Late Night with the Devil- One of the most eery films of the year, Dastmalchian does phenomenal work as the talk show host here. As the tension and true nature of the plot are revealed, Dastmalchian continues to ride that creativity all the way to one of the most compelling final moments of the year.
3. Maika Monroe/Nicolas Cage- Longlegs- Perhaps one may feel like this is adding a two for one, and it definitely is, but no two performances of last year were as intertwined as these two were. There is always a sense of looming dread in Longlegs, and that is thanks in large part to Cage and his shocking transformation into the Longlegs character.
2. Timothée Chalamet- Dune 2- One of the most stunning Sci-Fi films to ever be created the weight of the franchise falls onto the shoulders of young Chalamet. He does not miss a beat as Paul Atreides. As Paul continues his growth from meek and mild to leader, Chalamet is given a powerful platform to shine.
1. Mikey Madison- Anora- It takes courage to bear yourself to the world in such a vulnerable way. That is exactly what Madison did in this film. Every moment of this film is captivating and Madison spends 90 percent of it on screen. Her firey and feisty nature is showcased early on in the film and then quickly switches to frantic and desperate in the latter half. This is a masterclass in acting. She truly shows every emotion throughout this film, and that is why it is the most unforgettable performance of 2024.
Anger rose within me. That anyone would touch my beautiful sister.
She looked away. Nervous and ashamed wasn’t something I associated with her. “The first wasn’t even by the enemy. That he dared to even think of me in that way was… ridiculous delusion. But he thought I thought the same way, though I hadn’t given him any indication, other than being pleasant to him, like I am with anyone I’m not fighting. We trained together, sparred together. One day he pinned me on the mat and instead of letting me up he—kissed me.” A look of disgust crossed her face. “I tried to struggle away but he was strong and had me in a good hold. He kept it up until I slammed my knee into his stomach and then basically showed him how I felt. But I felt weak, even though I couldn’t let on to him. I had to let anger carry me into fighting, beat him so he couldn’t touch me again… I was only fourteen. I was so shocked that I couldn’t even summon lightning at first. I was so ashamed, partly of being pinned, that I didn’t tell Dad for years. I just avoided the guy, got him reassigned. When I finally did tell Dad, needless to say he was thrown into the Restricted Zones.”
“I’m sorry, Vy.” It was strange to see her with strength stripped away, in an unguarded moment, admitting something to me she probably had told few people.
She plowed ahead. “The next one was, ah, worse. You can probably get used to it…not that you should… but it’s hard to prepare. I should’ve been prepared…. Probably shouldn’t tell you this as it’s classified.....”
Legacy sequels have become the latest trend in Hollywood. Longstanding films that are critically acclaimed are getting modernized for a new generation of moviegoers. Twisters is the latest in the long line of attempts to double down on the movie magic of outdated but still loved movies.
For the most part, Twisters works on a summer blockbuster level. We get an early glimpse to set the pace of what kind of visuals to expect, and the film also sets up the emotional beats right away. After a thrilling opening sequence the film slows down to present the series of characters that make up the core of this particular story.
Here we have Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glenn Powell as the leads. Jones plays the more reserved Kate who struggles with the danger of storm chasing. Powell stars as Tyler Owens, the YouTuber who seems to be chasing the next big effect he can pull off. They work well together because the differing personalities within the two of them allow them to grow. As the film progresses, we see personality traits of each rubbing off on the other.
It definitely creates a balance of action and moments of heartfelt drama. It is a summer blockbuster, after all, so those moments while good for dramatic pauses are just segways into the next big action sequence. Those action sequences are particularly well done in comparison to the now outdated 90s film.
The one thing these legacy sequels don't have is the originality factor. They try and sprinkle in those cool new things like YouTube channels and modern weather data, but it never quite reaches the level of just a cool original plot had during the 80s and 90s.
It's probably one of the more interesting summer movies to come out this year as it does explain some aspects of storm chasing very well. It does remind us how dangerous this is and just how bad these storms have become over the years. While some of the events of the film seem highly improbable, the idea we can suspend belief and go on a thrilling adventure is what the movies have always been about. Twisters is no different. It is a big budget spectacle with two grounded performances at the core. Powell and Edgar-Jones make you care, and that is enough to carry the film through the intensity of the action sequences.
Meryl Streep dénonce la « marvelisation » du cinéma et vante l'ambiguïté morale du Diable s'habille en Prada 2
Alors que la suite tant attendue du Diable s’habille en Prada vient de sortir en salles, Meryl Streep, interprète de l’iconique Miranda Priestly, a profité de la promotion pour livrer une critique acerbe de ce qu’elle appelle la « marvelisation » du cinéma contemporain. Dans un entretien accordé à Hits Radio, l’actrice oscarisée a expliqué pourquoi les films qui se reposent sur une dichotomie…
