Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
7.7
Not as good as the first… while copying a lot of the first… while still being pretty damn good.
Falling prey to the plight of modern blockbusters, it has way too much going on in some places, and loses some of its power in doing so. Simple doesn’t always mean boring, Hollywood.
With that out of the way – seeing boat battles in the coliseum is LEGENDARY! The spectacle often makes up for the lackadaisical storytelling at times.
I WAS ENTERTAINED! 😂 (it’s worth the runtime)
7.7
This is a conflicting one.
Is it the best comic book saga? Not by a long shot.
Is it solid if you enjoy the quirks? Absolutely.
This end to the trilogy is surprisingly a home run, if you let it be. The campy underlying theme is still strong, some of the jokes are dumb… but the CGI and the WTF factor are off the chain! Multiple venoms, intergalactic demons, a conspiracy theorist driving in a hippie van to Area 51. This movie hits all the goofy ass notes we’ve come to know and, in a weird way, love. But what really hit home a lot stronger than anticipated was the relationship between Eddie and Venom. It really packed a punch this go-round, and anchored the movie in a nice heartfelt denouement. Strap in, and enjoy the insanity!
4.5
I’ve heard this was made as a middle finger to those who liked the original… mission accomplished. “Insulting” is the one word I would use to describe this movie. And not in a good way. There have been films that challenge an unhealthy point of view or hold a mirror up to something and force the audience to think. This isn’t that. It’s just as sad as the guards beating up on Arthur the entire runtime. Unnecessary and sad.
You’ll notice this one doesn’t have a score. I’m not proud of this, but in the spirit of transparency… I walked out with ~1 hour left. It’s that bad. I couldn’t do it anymore.
I admire than Francis Ford Coppala putting his own money on the table and truly swinging for the fences with a daring piece of art… but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t one of the toughest watches of my career. And I’ve watch Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” multiple times.
The dialogue is childish, the story is a mess at best, and the special effects are laughable (especially given the budget). Save yourself the 2 hours and go see literally anything else.
8.1
The movie itself is everything you can really ask of an unnecessary sequel ~35 years after the original. Michael Keaton seamlessly slips back into the Beetlejuice character and Jenna Ortega absolutely kills it as Astrid Deetz. Just enough new perfectly balanced with the right dose of nostalgia to thread the needle for a great time in the cinema. The Tim Burton aesthetic remains undefeated.
What made this one special for me was the venue. As I made my way through Iowa for a baseball game and a football game at the grad school I attended virtually during COVID, I stumbled upon The Last Picture House in Davenport, Iowa, which I cannot recommend highly enough. From the lobby built for hangouts with new and old friends, to the rooftop outdoor showtimes, to the cinnamon sugar for topping popcorn… it’s a 10/10 for me. AND Dolby Cinema!
https://www.lastpicturehouse.com/home/
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 