Tag: michael keaton

The juice is loose. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (2024)

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directed by Tim Burton
© 2024 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Day-o, day-o!
Daylight come and me wan’ go home…
If that song has been stuck in your head during every family dinner, you’re a Millennial with a very good taste in films. Uncle Burton decided to bless us with a sequel to remind us all about that disgusting green-haired creature in a striped suit. Obviously, I was worried because sequels aren’t generally a great idea (except making money on people’s nostalgia), but seeing Burton’s film on a big screen? Honey, I’m in! Especially, when it comes to such random and fantastic pictures that you can see in “Beetlejuice”. In the second part, we move forward in time where Lydia (Winona Ryder) is already an adult, has a successful careers as a medium and a daughter named Astrid (Jenna Ortega), who isn’t really fond of her much. Oh, I guess I don’t have to tell you this film should be seen only if you’ve seen the first part? Really, don’t even try skipping the 1988 one. Moving on – Lydia’s father dies in an accident so his funeral is an occasion for Lydia, Astrid and Delia (Catherine O’Hara) to meet all together in the old house. And since they are already there, I guess they shouldn’t leave without saying ‘hello’ to Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton), right? Let me tell you that the idea for the beginning is quite smooth and logical, in my opinion, considering the circumstances (Jeffrey Jones, who played Charles – Lydia’s father, has had quite dirty problems with the law, so the production team didn’t want him to be a part of the film). Besides, casting Jenna as Lydia’s daughter was a brilliant idea and we can tell that Jenna has a good vibe with the director; she understands his cinematographic madness and joins in. However, the film has rather average ratings and here’s my personal view on that (potential SPOILERS coming): the main reason why this part isn’t as enjoyable as the previous one is because of too many subplots and unnecessary characters. As much as I adore Monica Bellucci, her Delores is just a fun story to tell, but in fact, this whole chasing of Beetlejuice makes no difference. Another character that I would skip is actually Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe), the detective/actor. Again, great actor, but if you think about it, completely unnecessary role for the main plot. The character of Jeremy (the treehouse boy), however, very on point and actually loved the idea of him meeting Astrid. I would even extend that relation and skip Delores and detective subplots. You see, in the first part of “Beetlejuice”, we had only the couple of ghosts, Betelgeuse (love the spelling, forgive me), and the family. Period. And that’s why it was easy to follow. In the second part, we have too many distractions from the main story. Personally, I’d make the 3rd film and introduce the character of Delores then – it would actually have a potential for a great main plot. And my last complaint – not enough Beetlejuice. He was way calmer and less visible in this part, which is a huge pity. After leaving the cinema, I immediately wanted to watch the first part to Betelgeuse myself more. Wait, does it sound inappropriate? Didn’t mean to. I just really wanted to see more of Michael in that role, because it’s iconic. But hey, in general, this is still a Burton’s film, totally crazy, totally weird, extending your imagination in all possible ways, so thank you for this ride in a soul train and may a children church choir sing “Banana Boat” at your funeral one day.

My rating: 7/10
S.


P.S. I just LOVE the fact that the first part is titled “Beetlejuice”, and the second one “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” instead of adding numbers or some pointless subtitles to that. Thank you for this little gift to cinephiles! Now they have to make the third part or our OCD destroys us from the inside…

Sometimes you have to let go. “The Flash” (2023)

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directed by Andy Muschietti
© 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I’m not a big fan of superhero films and if you’ve been reading my posts for some time, you probably know it already. And I wasn’t even following the news about this production, but then I heard that Batman is back. The Batman. THE Batman. And by THE I mean Michael, bless you, Keaton as Batman. Say whatever you want, you may have your own preferences, but I’m team Michael and to me, he’s been the best Batman ever. So how surprised I was to hear that his Batman comes back… in a film about Flash. Wait, what? My curiosity made me go to the cinema and I’m so glad it did. Generally, the story really is about Flash (Ezra Miller), who’s a superhero that can move extremely fast. However, without the costume he’s just Barry – a young man that has lost both of his parents. And to be exact, his mother was murdered and his father has been in jail since he was the one accused for killing the woman. Barry knows that his dad is innocent, but there’s no way to prove it so the young man has to go through life on his own. One day, Barry discovers that thanks to his superpowers he can also travel in time. Despite being advised not to play with it, Barry decides to go back to the day when his mother was murdered and stop the tragedy from happening. And, as you might be guessing, that wasn’t the best idea because his actions have serious consequences. Honestly speaking – I had so much fun! Some people dislike Ezra as Flash, but to me, he did a great job. Perhaps I’m not an expert because I don’t follow those superhero productions that much, but Ezra is a talented actor and I enjoyed watching him in the role… or I should say roles… but no spoilers! Also, I haven’t explained why Michael Keaton returns as Batman – well, let’s say he doesn’t return… it’s Flash who visits him. I swear, the idea for this screenplay is genius, because it’s both somehow logical (as much as a film about people with superpowers can be) and entertaining. One thing that could have been better is CGI. However, now as I think of that, the cringy CGI made the point of this story perceptible, if that makes sense. If you watch the film, you’ll understand what’s going on and perhaps then you may say “okay, those old-fashioned special effects fit there well”. The same with Superwoman and her short black hair – I’ve read some complaints about that. And my question is “have you even seen the film?” Don’t let those negative comments stop you from watching, because apparently haters stay haters and we should judge everything ourselves. This production is super fun and it made me laugh hard (I even cried when Barry was panicking over Eric Stoltz playing McFly – brilliant). So if you want to relax and see THE Batman together with a very good Flash – then make sure to see this one.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Live people ignore the strange and unusual. “Beetlejuice” (1988)

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directed by Tim Burton
© 1988 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

You can’t even imagine how happy I am to be writing for you again. And it’s even better to be writing a post for Halloween! I was wondering what I could recommend you on this special day, considering that a lot of horrors are rather full of cringe nowadays. I’ve decided to remind you about the existence of “Beetlejuice” by Tim Burton. It’s one of my beloved horrors/comedies and I rewatch it with pleasure. At first we meet Barbara and Adam (Geena Davis & Alec Baldwin), a young couple spending their holidays in a country house. Unfortunately, an accident occurs and those two die. However, they return to the house as “recently deceased” and are stuck in there. It wouldn’t be that bad if only new tenants didn’t want to move in. The house is sold to a family, which from the very beginning is horribly annoying for Barbara and Adam. They want to do everything to scare the new ones away, but it’s not such an easy task. Especially since the teenage girl in that family can actually see ghosts. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that several times here, but in case I’ll repeat – I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton. I think that he’s very unusual as a director, sticks to his own style, but remains professional and meticulous, which is a wonderful combination in my eyes. Besides, acting in this film is on another level. Surprising teenage Winona Ryder, marvellous Catherine O’Hara and, my personal favourite, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Pay attention to the moment when Barbara and Adam meet Betelgeuse for the first time – what Keaton does there is a masterpiece. I had goosebumps and was throwing invisible Oscars at the screen, I swear. So if you’re searching for something slightly creepy, yet hilarious and well-done, that’s your film for tonight. And remember, don’t repeat Betelgeuse three times. I’ve warned you in case.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Hi, welcome to McDonald’s. “The Founder” (2016)

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directed by John Lee Hancock
© 2016 The Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved.

Personally, I don’t eat at McDonald’s because of my plant-based diet, so I prefer to make myself a good bowl of tofu instead of paying lots of money for a lame salad with 3 ingredients. However, I decided to see this film because of good reviews and the cast. And I must say, despite the fact I find their food disgusting, that I feel sorry for the McDonald brothers… But from the beginning – the main character of today’s film is surprisingly not any of the McDonald brothers. His name is Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), who’s a milkshake machine salesman living in the 50s in the USA. The man isn’t really successful and he wishes to change his life. One day, he meets McDonald brothers, Mac and Dick (John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman), who have a very popular fast food restaurant. Ray is impressed how good their burgers are and how fast the staff serve customers. The man finds their idea for the business magnificent and proposes the brothers to franchise the restaurant. And, obviously, the person responsible for managing that would be Ray himself. I’m not sure if it’s a spoiler or not, but I guess you already feel what’s about to happen. Ray Kroc used McDonalds and earned a lot of money on their restaurant. As I said, I don’t like McDonald’s and I’d go there only to drink tea when I’m in a hurry, but I believe those two guys were seriously decent and they wanted to have a nice family restaurant. Still, this film is worth seeing because Keaton is a beast here. I mean, I adore him as an actor and seeing him playing such an asshole broke my heart. But what can I say… he’s good at it. I think this film is not overdramatised and presents the story with respect, both to McDonalds and, surprisingly, Kroc. He was just a simple man blinded by money. I guess we can all name a few of such, right?

My rating: 7/10
S.

I accept I’m a snowman. “Jack Frost” (1998)

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directed by Troy Miller
© 1998 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Today, I’d like to recommend you a film that isn’t that popular or high-rated, but, to me, it’s one of the most beautiful films you can see in winter. After reading the description, you may think it’s cheesy, but in fact it’s funny and makes you aww a lot. So the story goes like this: Jack Frost (Michael Keaton) is a musician in his band which is very originally called “The Jack Frost Band.” Trust me, he’s better at singing than creating names. He’s married to Gabby (Kelly Preston) and they have an 11-year-old son Charlie (Joseph Cross). They make a lovely family, but the problem is Jack’s job. He’s often away and doesn’t find enough time for his wife and child. One day he misses Charlie’s important hockey game because of recording a new single. To make it up to Gabby and Charlie, he proposes a trip to the mountains, so they can spend Christmas there. Obviously, nothing goes as planned and Jack needs to do some business, so he cannot join his loved ones. However, on the way with his band Jack decides to let them go and he turns back to spend Christmas with his family. Unfortunately, it’s snowing heavily and Jack has an accident in which he dies. Next year, Charlie still misses his father a lot and decides to build a snowman, which used to be their tradition. Before going to sleep he plays the harmonica that Jack gave him before the accident. He said that it’s a magic instrument and he could hear Charlie playing it wherever those two are. And indeed, the harmonica does some magic because Jack returns… as the snowman that Charlie has built. I bet you’re frowning right now thinking “whaaat?”, but trust me, it’s not such a cheap story. Obviously, people don’t come back as snowmen (at least I’ve never seen one), but if you want to see some real life, watch a documentary. This is an adorable fiction that reminds us how important our loved ones should be to us. And how often we put everything but family as our priority. Besides, Jack Frost is played by Michael Keaton. Do I really have to say more? Personally, if some other actor played the main role, I wouldn’t appreciate this film that much. But, honestly, I love rewatching it almost every year and feeling the warmth coming at me from the screen.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Bruce Wayne and Oswald Cobblepot meet again… “Dumbo” (2019)

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directed by Tim Burton
© 2019 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Honestly speaking, I expected more hardcore. That’s Burton, after all. I really wanted to see creepy characters and felt anxious for the whole 2 hours. So actually… I’m slightly disappointed. Okay, I guess there’s no need for me to explain you what this film is about. If you don’t know who Dumbo is… I mean, really? I can’t accept it. So, I should rather focus on the film itself. It’s not bad, but it’s not a masterpiece either. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Burton’s productions and his style, but I think the problem here was the script. The responsible for it was Ehren Kruger and, in my opinion, he didn’t do well this time. Ethan and Tim don’t belong to the same category of artists, so I believe that script wasn’t written for Burton. Perhaps the story would be more acceptable if another director took care of it. However, I could see that Burton wasn’t fully himself and that film is only 60% Burtonised (how about such phrase?). And I can tell, at some point I was simply bored. Another thing I have in mind is the cast… not the best choices here… Colin Farrell – I’m sorry, but since “Phone Booth” (2002) it’s hard to stand his acting. And Michael Keaton as the bad guy… okay, I absolutely adore him and he’s a very good actor, but you can tell this role was supposed to belong to Depp. You can smell it. He was even acting like Depp would. Anyway, it is a bit of a spooky film with the most adorable animated Dumbo elephant. I didn’t cry, but I was “awwing” from time to time, I admit. So if you focus on that big-eared buddy, it’s a pleasant film. Oh and one last thing, quite a funny one. Maybe that’s why Keaton got the role. As you can see, we have Keaton and DeVito team again after “Batman Returns” (1992). Our superhero became a douchebag and penguin ended up in a circus. Life, ladies and gentlemen.

My rating: 7/10
S.

Son, this is how you cook pasta. “My Life” (1993)

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directed by Bruce Joel Rubin
© 1993 Columbia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

I got inspired to see this film after watching “Creep” (2014). If you’ve seen it, you may recall that Josef wanted to make a film for his unborn baby just like Michael Keaton in “My Life”. So here we go. I wanted to know if the film based on which Patrick Brice created this “beautiful” creature and his story is any good. And in fact it is. Obviously, it’s quite old, so you have to be prepared for a different quality, but still, the plot makes you want to finish watching. So I guess you know what it is about. We have Bob (Michael Keaton) and Gail (Nicole Kidman) who are expecting their first son. Unfortunately, Bob is about to die very soon according to the fatal diagnosis. Therefore he comes up with the idea to record several videos for his child in order to “stay” in his life. It is heart melting and if you’re sensitive, you may have several moments for crying. Come on, the guy is dying and he may not even see his own son before the day comes. This cannot be entertaining. And still, it is a comedy, because Bob stays positive and tries to be the best future father in front of the video camera and the best husband for his pregnant wife. It’s one of those films that you may see on Sunday afternoon with your family. The best word to describe it would be “cute”. Personally, I liked moving those several years back and enjoyed watching young Michael Keaton. Unfortunately, Nicole Kidman has always been a very difficult actress to stand for me… I guess there’s only one film in which I liked her. Or maybe I liked the film so much that I kind of ignored her presence. Not sure. But maybe I will write about that film some other time.

My rating: 6/10
S.