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:

Beetlejuice - A film for the (October) holiday

In honor of Our Winona's almost-Halloween birthday (October 29) we watched this almost-spooky movie which also stars Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Michael Keaton (as the title character).

NOTE: We watched the film over the weekend, but delayed posting until today, as Noni begins a very special year. On October 28, she attained the age of 42, which we know is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. And now she begins her year of 43, the delicious vanilla liqueur from Spain.

In this classic film from director Tim Burton, young couple Adam and Barbara Maitland (Baldwin and Davis) are tragically killed in a freak car accident in the midst of renovating their lovely old New England home. They return to their house as ghosts and attempt to scare out the Deetz family, who has moved in and made some truly horrifying changes to the charming abode. After a failed attempt to scare the Deetz's by wearing some designer sheets with holes cut out for their eyes, the Maitlands recruit renegade ghost and "bio-exterminator" Betelgeuse to help them haunt the house. They are aided and abetted by the Deetz's teenage-goth daughter Lydia, convincingly played by Ryder.

This is a fun-for-the-whole family movie - really not scary, with some good sight gags, and a bit of satire. Made during Ryder's heyday this is a truly classic 80s film, with a definite "Laura Ashley" vibe throughout and Our Noni in a quintessentially brooding role.

Final Verdict: Four Croquet Balls