Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Well it's 2024, and that means that movies like this get a 10 of 10 even though back in the 90s, 00s, 80s, they would get maybe a 5/10.
The good news is, save a mention of meh, Climate Change it is basically Meh politics free. There is no lecturing. It makes no attempt to shame the audience for being male, straight, white, Christian, or Jewish. All it does is try and entertain the viewer... and I appreciate that.
And, honestly, I can see Ortega as Ryder's daughter. I really can. I know there's a racial thing going on there but, honestly, personality wise, it was really the perfect casting. Especially for her daughter in the Beetlejuice world. It was just spot on casting and though Ortega doesn't do a 1:1 capture of Ryder's attitude in the first movie, she is close enough where I'm primed to believe it.
However... the red pen is your friend. Bellucci should have ended up on the cutting room floor, you didn't need that plotline. Dafoe should have been rewritten to exclude the Bellucci line. The focus should have just been on Ortega and Ryder and the Deetz family again.
It tried to do too much and the result was that you didn't really become invested in any of the plots.
But, again, in 2024 eyes, it's a good flick compared to the political crap everyone else is making.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://talkingfilms.net/beetlejuice-beetlejuice-review-a-nostalgic-magical-return-with-ambitious-missteps/
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice captures the original's magic but stumbles over its narrative ambition.
Tim Burton manages to maintain the visual charm and peculiar atmosphere that captivated so many viewers, with the cast fully embodying both new and classic characters. However, the narrative structure, overloaded with characters and subplots, leads to some disenchantment, and the dance sequences don't quite reach the level of its predecessors.
That said, there's still lots of joy and fun in reuniting with Betelgeuse and the bizarre world he inhabits, as well as enjoying Danny Elfman's unforgettable score. Excellent for watching with the family!"
Rating: B-