Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

We did something we normally don't do and went to the theater to see this on opening weekend as part of a Saturday date-night -- which also included haircuts for both of us, and dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Neither fans of the orginal Beetlejuice nor Noni fans will be disappointed in this long-awaited sequel. A lot of laughs and allusions to the first film, but also a few surprises. 

Jenna Ortega as Astrid (the now adult Lydia Deetz's daughter) is perfectly cast and plays the part with a superb blend of teenage angst, sarcasm, and vulnerability.

Our Noni brings back all of the goth from her original role, mixed with humor and genuine parental concern.

(James adds): this sequel is remarkable for the number of actors returning after so much time has passed, a couple of them taking the same role 36 years later and making it look easy!

Final Verdict: Four Croquet Balls:

Pregaming Beetlejuice

This afternoon is Date Night at HCP (Hair Cut Place, known to most as Salon Esprit, where we have gone to get coifed, chat with the stylists, and set out for a date every 5-6 weeks for close to a quarter century). 

Usually we head out from HCP to a special dinner, but today we are going to eat at the pizza shop next door (the local one, not the national chain place named for game tiles) so that we can walk right over to the local (and tiny) multiplex for the latest Winona project.

What better title for a redux of Beetlejuice than a simple double-tap of the title: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?

Even though we have seen the original at least twice, it has been a minute, as they say. So we watched again on Max (formerly HBO Max) last night.

Mostly it was just a refresher of the plot and a reminder of what the actors looked like in the dying days of the Reagan Administration. Some plot points are likely to be picked up in the new film and many of the key actors -- including Our Noni -- will be back. 

We did however, notice one gem. When her character Lydia's father suggests installing a darkroom in the basement for her, Lydia replies,  "My whole life is a darkroom."

These half-dozen words -- perfectly delivered -- are the perfect distillation of the first decade or more of Winona's career.