BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE – Dud Dud. That’s the consensus among the peeps. Mike gives it a 1 out of 5; John and I give it a 3; Ryan says wait for HBO. We were all fans of the fun, engaging first film. As everyone knows, Michael Keaton stole the show. So we were expecting his character to be the focus of the second film. Not. Instead the movie gets bogged down in family drama that no one cares about. A new character is created, Beetlejuice’s ex-wife, which has nothing to do with anything and doesn’t belong in the movie. Much attention is paid to inserting gags that were popular in the first film and throw-backs to the original story – to satisfy fans I guess. It doesn’t. It’s tired, predictable and simply rehashing an old storyline. Michael Keaton, unfortunately, is too old for the role. His lines aren’t funny or snappy/snarky. Catherine O’Hara, reprising her original role, adds nothing. The cartoon scene in the beginning is stupid and completely out of place with the tenor of the film. Winona Ryder, also reprising her role as Lidia, is the only one of the original characters other than Beetlejuice who should be in the story. Jenna Ortega is beautiful and brooding as Winona Ryder’s daughter. There’s not enough build-up between she and a potential boyfriend and the Maitlands (Geena Davis & Alec Baldwin) are quickly referred to and dismissed with some lame excuse why they no longer occupy the house. Willem DeFoe’s character doesn’t work at all and the music sucks. Need I say it? Skip it! Or wait for HBO! Cheers! Boyfriends – 0; Girlfriends – 1.