Harry Moore
Words by Harry Moore
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Reboot-obsessed Hollywood finally gets its hands on one of the last untouched ’80s classics with the release of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s classic supernatural comedy. Having spent decades in development, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is saddled with years of expectation and a multitude of various screenplay drafts, causing the film to be unfocussed and overstuffed with too many plot threads that are not given enough time or attention to breathe or satisfyingly resolve; it is perhaps the film’s fatal flaw as the cast are all winning and Burton directs with more vigor than he’s shown in many years. The returning cast members all step back into their roles with ease; Winona Ryder manages to believably age Lydia from the teenager we saw in the previous movie into her middle age and Catherine O’Hara shows off her inimitable comic sensibilities as the delightfully self-absorbed Delia. Then there is Michael Keaton as the eponymous, iconic Beetlejuice who effortlessly steals the show once again. Keaton’s return to the role is reason enough to seek “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” out. As for Burton, this marks something of a return to form after spending the better part of two decades in the creative wilderness. In fairness, it was always going to be difficult for Burton to maintain the streak of success he had going in the early part of his career. If someone wanted to learn about what auteur theory is, I’d point them in the direction of Burton’s filmography between the ’80s and ’90s. Burton proudly wore his influences on his sleeve and exhibited so much unique style in his films that they couldn’t be made by anyone but him. But at a certain point, he became iterative of himself and his films lost that spark that feels like it has been somewhat reignited with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which is a fun film overall that lands at the higher end of the glut of legacy sequels.
Blink Twice
With her directorial debut, Zoë Kravitz takes a swing at turning the all too relevant behind-closed-doors exploits of rich and powerful men into a psychological thriller with “Blink Twice,” formally, and more aptly, titled “Pussy Island.” The film follows two friends, Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat), who are whisked away on a dream vacation on a private island after being invited by a mysterious but charming tech billionaire Slater (Channing Tatum). After seemingly endless days of lounging by the pool, partying with Slater’s other guests and taking exotic drugs things take a strange turn and an ominous specter begins to loom over the proceedings.
The ensemble cast is eclectic and well chosen, Ackie anchors the film well through its purposefully disorienting story, while Tatum weaponizes his usual charming screen persona to a menacing effect, and in supporting roles, Shawkat and Adria Arjona both give strong turns, as Haley Joel Osment, Christian Slater and Simon Rex each bring an interesting take as members of Slater’s entourage of hangers-on. Kravitz shows some intuitive talent as a filmmaker; “Blink Twice” is shot well with a strong handle on its precise tone, but there is a sense of waiting for a second shoe to drop after an intriguing setup. Kravitz takes aim at evoking the crimes of Jeffery Epstein, the financier, and his cabal of rich and powerful men, but there is a missing element that would make the film into the cutting social commentary that the director is striving for. It may not be an entirely fair comparison to make, but Kravitz and her writing partner E.T. Feigenbaum were visibly influenced by Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” in both its narrative structure and how it turned a hot-button social issue into a pop thriller. One of the reasons “Get Out” is as successful of a film as it is, is that it lulls the audience into expecting a sinister revelation of slavery via hypnotism to then upend those expectations by revealing that the family are actually transplanting the brains of rich old white people into the younger bodies of the Black people they were kidnapping. There is no brain transplant rug pull with “Blink Twice.” The Epstein-coded men are doing exactly what one would assume they were doing from the opening scene. It is the lack of bold final act swings that is the missing piece stopping “Blink Twice” from being something truly transgressive and memorable, rather than just a thriller that dabbles with a contentious subject of current discourse. “Blink Twice” is an entertaining enough film, but it so clearly has aspirations to say more than it can ever truly muster that it is hard to not question what point they were trying to make. One thing is for certain though — I wouldn’t vote for anyone who associates with these types of people for any office.
Speak No Evil
A family from London embarks on the weekend from hell after agreeing to visit the home of some newly made, countryside-dwelling friends in this remake of the unsettling, Danish horror movie of the same name. The film stars Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy as Louise and Ben, a struggling married couple who meet Paddy and Ciara, played by James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi, an outgoing younger couple while on vacation. Paddy soon invites the married couple out to his farmhouse to stay the weekend, but things are not quite what they seem. “Speak No Evil” is at its most effective with little known about it, with its suspense hinging on the unknown nature of the eccentric young couple. The film revolves around McAvoy’s explosive performance as he straddles the line between friendly and menacing, keeping both the audience and characters on their toes until all is revealed. “Speak No Evil” is an effective horror film that manages to distinguish itself from the original by leaning toward haunted house thrills as opposed to the psychological horror that the Danish film inflicts.
The Best Horror Movies of 2024
With Halloween just around the corner, it is the perfect time of year to catch up on the best horror offerings to come out recently.
Late Night with the Devil
This low-budget/high-concept demonic horror takes place during a ’70s late-night talk show in which a desperate host has an exorcist as his headlining guest for the evening. As can be expected, things start to go horribly wrong in this atmospheric thriller that was made with great care and attention to detail.
MaXXXine
Ti West concludes his X-rated horror trilogy with MaXXXine, in which the eponymous survivor of the Texas-based massacre takes on Los Angeles in the hopes of being a star only to find that a killer is hot on her tail and a grand conspiracy may be afoot. Mia Goth stars in this bloody horror that takes its cues from the slasher films of the ’80s.
In a Violent Nature
Another take on the classic slasher movie, this film plays out like “Friday the 13th” told from the point of view of Jason with plenty of scenes of lumbering strolls through the wood included. Featuring grotesque violence that can be hard to stomach, director Chris Nash manages to keep what could be a slight premise into a unique experience.
Longlegs
Part “Silence of the Lambs” and part “Rosemary’s Baby,” Oz Perkins’ procedural horror was the sleeper hit of the year, thanks to its gripping story and compelling performances from Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage.
The First Omen
This prequel to the satanic horror classic follows a young American nun who moves to Italy only to find a demonic presence in her new church and city. With her feature debut, director Arkasha Stevenson shows a strong sense for building tension and conjuring horrific imagery with this unsettling film.
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