Beetlejuice (Tim Burton)

The 1988 hit movie Beetlejuice is the surprisingly funny tale of a young, happily married couple that, after an untimely death, must learn to navigate the afterlife. It has several characteristics that are typical of Tim Burton films, such as off-beat humor, wild makeup, and a tinge of darkness. The film's premise, which is centered around the seemingly dark themes of death and the afterlife, has the potential to be sad or scary, but instead takes a more light-hearted approach. Although it has some creepy graphics and intense scenes, it is actually much more of a comedy, and its PG rating ensures that it is a pretty family friendly film.

            Beetlejuice has several well-known actors in it, including Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Catherine O’Hara as the disagreeable artist. However, it is, of course, Michael Keaton, who steals the show. The character Betelgeuse is very entertaining and quick-witted, certainly the single funniest character of the movie. His one-liners and antics make him fun to watch even though he is essentially the villain of the story. I was surprised by the fact that, despite being the titular character, he receives less screen time than many of the other main characters, and is hardly in the first half of the movie.

            The special effects in Beetlejuice are often very cheesy (this is, after all, a film from the ‘80s), but that works to its advantage, as it helps keep the movie fun and crazy rather than realistic or frightening. One complaint that I do have is that I wish the worldbuilding had been explored a bit more. There are lots of unanswered questions, such as where the ghosts go when they leave the house and how Betelgeuse got his curse, but most of these, while interesting topics to explore, are not crucial to the plot, and the film does not truly suffer without them. Overall, though, I definitely enjoyed the film and its zany answer to the question of what happens after we die. I especially found the dynamic between Lydia and the ghosts, Adam and Barbara, who act as surrogate parents, quite charming, and appreciated the movie’s happy ending.

4/5