The Hall Monitor 11/03/24

Bruce Hall’s weekly picks and pans from the screen. Who gets the pass?

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I watched a lot of stuff this week. Was I fascinated or frustrated?

Answer? Yes. Read on to find out.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

The Juice is loose. But only loosely.

Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Thirty-six years after the original film, Lydia Deetz (Ryder) faces the unexpected death of her father, Charles. Her daughter, Astrid (Ortega), grows increasingly distant. In her quest for independence, Astrid unwittingly attracts the attention of the “trickster demon” Beetlejuice (Keaton). He reenters their lives, now facing his own existential crisis. Together, they must form an unlikely alliance to combat this new danger and restore balance to their (after)lives.

Highlights: In a one-to-one comparison, the sequel and the original share a similar laughs-to-darkness ratio. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice maintains the production aesthetic of the original, and the returning cast slips back into their roles efficiently. You shouldn’t be disappointed if you’re looking for more of what you saw the first time.

Lowlights: There’s no real villain. Beetlegeuse’s backstory has been retconned to include an ex-wife positioned as the film’s big bad. Unfortunately, she’s utilized mainly as a walking trope whose impact on the story does not befit an antagonist. There’s some narrative misdirection meant to offset that. However, it tracks as more of a convenient location change than a proper escalation of stakes.

Verdict: The film handles Jeffrey Jones’s absence creatively. His character, Charles, dies offscreen, providing the story’s inciting event. Although Charles is fondly remembered in-universe by the other characters, Jones’s likeness is handled like a hot potato (thanks to some unfortunate developments in his personal life). The remaining plot leans heavily on visual gags and set pieces, sometimes at the expense of coherence, and takes a few confusing liberties with its own universe’s rules. Yet, these choices are in service of Lydia and Astrid’s relationship, which anchors the story and helps Beetlejuice Beetlejuice stick the landing.

Hall Pass: GRANTED

Halloween (1978)

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Nick Castle

Director: John Carpenter

Synopsis: Michael Myers (Castle) escapes from a mental institution to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, fifteen years after murdering his sister. He stalks teenager Laurie Strode (Curtis) and her friends on Halloween night while Dr. Sam Loomis (Pleasence), Michael’s psychiatrist, pursues him in a bid to prevent further killings.

Highlights: Halloween is not the first horror film to leverage near-total darkness as a visual tool. It’s also not the first to occur in a small town brimming with intrigue. And it’s hardly groundbreaking (even circa 1978) to place teenagers and small children in mortal danger. But it introduces a silent, faceless antagonist of ambiguous motivation who is terrifyingly impervious to physical harm.

Lowlights: The dialog is atrocious. The fact that it’s Halloween is barely relevant to the story. That famous atmosphere is achieved at the expense of the viewer’s tolerance. Idiots consistently walk into rooms and become flummoxed by the darkness but never ever think about turning the lights on. This makes it hard to muster sympathy for anyone who dies or feel any sense of relief for the survivors. Why not just concoct a reason for the power to be out?

Verdict: Time has not been kind to Halloween. Still, it’s popcorn-munching fun for your yearly fright night rotation. John Carpenter achieved his vision by inventing the modern slasher film. I don’t hate it, but far better examples of the genre are available.

Hall Pass: DENIED

The Penguin (2024)

Yes, Ma Farrell, this is your son.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Where to Watch: HBO Max

Synopsis: The Penguin picks up shortly after the events of The Batman (2022). Gotham City is still reeling from The Riddler’s catastrophic flood. Mob operative Oswald “Oz” Cobb (Farrell), known as “The Penguin,” seeks to secure his place at the top of the city’s underworld. However, he’s quickly challenged by mafia heiress Sofia Falcone (Milioti), who harbors her own ruthless ambitions.

Highlights: This version of Gotham City strives to ground itself in reality. There are no colorfully flamboyant supervillains, and the narrative universe mostly adheres to the known laws of physics. This leaves room for Scorsese-esque rumination on morally ambiguous characters operating on their own spectrum of good and evil. Colin Farrell’s ability to emote through all those accessories is remarkable.

Lowlights: Not many. There are only eight episodes? Farrell’s prosthetics look uncomfortable? Still, this is an outstanding show. Watch it now.

Verdict:  Giving Batman’s enemies their own internal motivations and personal conflicts is more rewarding than you’d think. Oz dotes upon his ailing mother and tries to be an empowering influence on his underlings, even as they pursue their murderous goals together. Sofia’s journey is more unforgiving, leaving her with a malfunctioning moral compass and looking like the biggest villain in a world filled with them.

Or…is she?

The next time we see The Batman, we should have as much to think about as he does.

Note: There are two episodes to go as I write this.

Hall Pass: GRANTED

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This is how we’re doing it now, people. I’ll return next week with at least three more exciting things I’ve watched. Leave your comments and let me know what YOU think of these titles.

And remember, Internet, there’s no right or wrong. It’s just one man’s opinion.

Now enjoy the trailer for all these lovely titles, beginning with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.