Tag: Monica Bellucci

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Review

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the 36 years in the making sequel to the inventive original, finds ways to capture the spirit of what long ago preceded it. On the other hand, Tim Burton’s follow-up is just 12 minutes longer than the first. Unfortunately it feels about 30 minutes longer as it’s packed with too many characters and storylines. Busier is not better in this paranormal case.

Speaking of the paranormal, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) was last seen as the death obsessed teen back in ’88 who was able to see the ghosts of the dearly departed couple who owned the house she moved into. Now she hosts a popular talk show where she helps guests conjure lost loved ones. Lydia has a conniving boyfriend who’s also her producer (a delightfully smarmy Justin Theroux) and an estranged daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) at boarding school. She also has visions of the demented “bio-exorcist” squared title character (Michael Keaton) who tried to marry her way back when.

When Lydia’s father Charles (Jeffrey Jones, not in the film but his character cleverly is) passes, Lydia and her unorthodox posse travel back to quaint Winter River, Connecticut for the funeral. That includes oddly artistic stepmom Delia (Catherine O’Hara). Astrid, who doesn’t believe in ghosts despite the Deetz history but shares mom’s downbeat worldview, meets an intriguing outcast and potential love interest Jeremy (Arthur Conti). She is additionally primed for introduction for Mr. Juice if his name is iconically uttered three times.

Beetlejuice has his own familial issues. Ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci) is stalking him in the afterlife so he’s desperately looking to join the physical world and wed Lydia after their first ceremony was indefinitely postponed. Willem Dafoe turns up as a detective in the hereafter. His qualifications to be a sleuth? He’s a former B actor who played one on TV!

There’s a lot going on in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and the first act is a slight slog to establish all the subplots. Once that occurs, I thought one in particular could’ve been jettisoned completely and that’s the ‘Juice/Delores angle. Dafoe is having a ball but his screen time feels superfluous.

Some of what going on is reminiscent of the darkly amusing pleasures that Beetlejuice brought. Ryder and O’Hara (who’s always a joy) slip effortlessly into their characters and Ortega is a fine addition (she’s had her practice on Netflix’s Wednesday which Burton is a creative force behind). There’s plenty of fun PG-13 level gross visual effects and of course Keaton is reliable for some highlights.

So where are Barbara (Geena Davis) and Richard (Alec Baldwin) – the Maitlands from part 1? The sequel cheekily explains their absence in a flippant manner. I kind of appreciated that this backstory isn’t delved into. After all, this film is plenty crowded. That said, the Maitlands were the audience’s conduit to the bizarro world that Burton and company constructed. It’s an aspect that is missing here. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is on track intermittently even if its soul can feel departed.

**1/2 (out of four)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Box Office Prediction

Over three and a half decades after the original made a killing at the box office, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice appears in theaters on September 6th. Tim Burton returns to direct the macabre comedy with Michael Keaton reprising his title role as the demented bio-exorcist. Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are back as Lydia and Delia Deetz with Jenna Ortega (hot off Netflix’s Wednesday from exec producer Burton) joining as third gen Deetz. Other newcomers to the franchise are Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe.

The long-in-development sequel received a high-profile slot kicking off the Venice Film Festival this week. Reviews are mostly fresh with many critics saying it’s a return to form for its filmmaker. In 1988, Beetlejuice grossed $74 million domestically and was the 10th highest earner of the year. Since then, its reputation has grown as a classic genre mixup of humor and genial horror.

This should succeed in bringing in 36 years worth of fans and it doesn’t hurt that Ortega is present. Tracking continues to tick up from $65-75 million as it’s now expected to rise above well above that and maybe even in nine figures. The domestic September opening weekend records are held by 2017’s It ($123 million) and its 2019 sequel It Chapter Two with $91 million. Third place belongs to the MCU’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at $75 million.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice should face no trouble achieving second place and it could absolutely come in first. The momentum appears real and I’ll say it gets beyond the century mark.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opening weekend prediction: $115.7 million

Oscar Predictions: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

It was surprising when the Venice organizers announced that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (out September 6th) would open their film festival which kicked off today. The long-in-development sequel (as in 36 years) brings Tim Burton back in the director’s chair with Michael Keaton reprising his iconic role as the ghost with the most. Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara return with Jenna Ortega (who stars in Netflix’s Wednesday from Burton), Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe entering the macabre universe.

Projections have Beetlejuice squared circling big numbers at the box office. The Italian premiere announcement has prognosticators pondering the awards viability. The 1988 original earned a sole Oscar nod and it won Best Makeup (before it was Makeup and Hairstyling), beating out a worthy competitor in Coming to America.

Most of the reviews for the follow-up are in the plus column with 21 out of the current 27 sporting red on Rotten Tomatoes. Many are saying it’s a welcome return to form for Burton. It could certainly land another Makeup mention though defeating Dune: Part Two won’t be an easy chore. I wouldn’t totally rule out Production Design or Visual Effects as possibilities.

Anything beyond that is unlikely as the same probably holds true for its Golden Globes chances in Musical/Comedy. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue with frequency now that Venice is underway…

Oscar Predictions: Mafia Mamma

Toni Collette has had a fascinating filmography when it comes to recognition from major awards shows. Despite plenty of acclaimed performances across all genres, her sole nod from the Academy came in Supporting Actress for 1999’s The Sixth Sense. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (Golden Globes) didn’t mention her for Sense, but have nominated her twice in lead Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her breakout role in 1995’s Muriel’s Wedding and 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. Critics Choice, meanwhile, singled her out for 2018’s Hereditary. In other words, there’s no consistency to be found.

This Friday, Collette headlines the whacky (get it?) crime comedy Mafia Mamma. She plays a middle-aged suburbanite thrust into the high concept of inheriting Cosa Nostra duties. Catherine Hardwicke (maker of Thirteen and Twilight) directs with a supporting cast including Monica Bellucci, Sophia Nomvete, Eduardo Scarpetta, Alfonso Perugini, and Francesco Mastroianni.

The Bleecker Street production wasn’t made for Academy consideration. However, it’s not crazy to think Collette could contend for another Actress mention in the Musical/Comedy race at the Globes (35 years after Michelle Pfeiffer was up in the same category for Married to the Mob).

Yet the reviews might have you pondering if Collette owed a debt to someone. Critics are analyzing this rather harshly with a 29% Rotten Tomatoes score thus far. It’s safe to assume that Mamma won’t be up for anything. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Memory Box Office Prediction

Can Memory reverse the string of forgettable Liam Neeson pics we’ve seen lately or will it fall in line with his recent underwhelming performers? Slated for April 29th, this casts him as an assassin dealing with cognitive lapses. Martin Campbell (who kicked off the Brosnan and Craig 007 eras with Goldeneye and Casino Royale) directs. He most recently helmed the lackluster The Protege with Maggie Q and Michael Keaton.  Costars include Guy Pearce (who starred in the acclaimed Memento which covered similar themes) and Monica Bellucci.

It’s been nearly a decade and a half since Neeson resurged his career with Taken. This second life as an action star resulted in some hits, but there’s been more misses recently. The Marksman and Blacklight took in $3.7 and $3.5 million, respectively, in the COVID era. I see no reason why Memory wouldn’t suffer a similar fate and the gross may even dip a bit.

Memory opening weekend prediction: $3.3 million

Spectre Box Office Prediction

Three years after the triumphant box office performance of the 23rd 007 entry Skyfall, Daniel Craig is back for the fourth time as James Bond in Spectre, out next Friday. The big question is whether or not it will manage to top the franchise high debut of its predecessor. It could come close or surpass it, as I see it.

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane with Craig’s 007 filmography. His first, 2006’s Casino Royale, started with $40.8 million on its way to a $167M eventual domestic gross. The second, 2008’s Quantum of Solace, earned $67.5 million out of the gate and just edged its predecessor’s haul with $168M. Then – 2012’s Skyfall was a game changer. It made $88.3 million for its astonishing opening weekend and ended with $304M. Worldwide, it took in a cool $1.1 billion, easily setting the high bar for the now 53 year old series.

The studio clearly has employed the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule as Skyfall director Sam Mendes has returned. Christoph Waltz joins the fray as the main villain with Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris returning as M and Moneypenny, respectively. Spectre has already set records in the United Kingdom, where it was already released this week. Reviews have been mostly strong and it stands at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, though it’s worth noting that critics generally have stated it’s not quite at the level of what preceded it.

This 24th official Bond pic should debut with Skyfall like numbers. On the high end, it could possibly gather over $100M in its first weekend. It could also earn $75-$80M and that would certainly be on the lower end of expectations. My feeling is that it’ll be within about $5M of what the last one made on the same November weekend in 2012 and that Spectre will just manage to outdo it for the largest 007 premiere in U.S. history.

Spectre opening weekend prediction: $91.3 million

For my prediction on The Peanuts Movie, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/10/29/the-peanuts-movie-box-office-prediction/