The current trend of bringing back movies from the 1980s continues. A steady diet of sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes have been coming our way including TWO new trailers today. One of them is for none other than “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, Tim Burton’s follow-up to his 1988 surprise hit “Beetlejuice”. I’m not sure there was a large number of faithful fans calling for a “Beetlejuice” sequel. Yet here we are 36 years later with me, a moderate fan of the original, surprisingly intrigued by this new installment.

I’m guessing many will go see “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” just to revisit Burton’s wacky supernatural world. For me, the biggest draw is the return of the great Michael Keaton. Even at the age of 72, Keaton still shows signs of that madcap energy that was such a big part of his early movies. I can’t wait to see that unleashed once again. The new trailer gives us a taste for what we can expect, including the returns of Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” hits theaters September 6th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

A man named Nathan wakes up to find himself lying in the middle of a winding mountain road. “I made it”, he utters after seeing what’s left of his wrecked car, “I’m not hurt”. But then he’s startled by a voice. “What a crash,” says a man standing in the ditch. His name is Daniel and he was riding the motorcycle that Nathan hit head-on. Now they both stand in the road having a conversation with no soreness, no wounds, and no signs of injury. “We didn’t make it,” Daniel says, informing Nathan and us that they are indeed dead.

That startling sequence opens “Pandemonium”, a chilling and enigmatic nightmare from the mind of French writer-director Quarxx. His latest film plays like an interconnected horror anthology – one built around a supernatural premise that uses elements of genre and theology in its examination of such subjects as death, grief, regret, and suffering. There’s almost a Poe-like quality as the movie cavorts with the macabre. But there’s also a strong human component leading to the film being surprisingly philosophical in addition to being frighteningly surreal.

The story of Nathan (Hugo Dillon) and Daniel (Arben Bajraktaraj) takes up roughly one-third of the film and serves as a fascinating launching point. As the two interact the reality of their predicament takes hold and truths about their lives begin to surface. It’s made even more real with the sudden appearance of two doors, one gleaming like beautiful flawless crystal; the other made of cold and austere metal. The Heaven and Hell representation is obvious, but it’s Quarxx’s dialogue mixed with the ominous setting that makes the scene hauntingly effective.

Without giving away too many details, we end up following Nathan as he enters his door and descends into Hell. There he’s greeted by a dark and desolate sight – falling flakes of ash, the distance rumble of thunder, and corpses littering the dusty ground, each with their own horrifying story to tell. Among the bodies is that of a little girl named Jeanne (Manon Maindivide). A short distance away lies the body of a woman named Julia (Ophélia Kolb). From there Quarxx breaks off to tell each of their stories starting with Jeanne.

Jeanne’s segment is shown (mostly) from the little girl’s perspective and at times plays like some grim and twisted fairytale. But the truth behind what we see is far more sinister and deranged. We follow Jeanne as she gleefully tromps through her family mansion, the bloody bodies of her murdered parents laying in the study. Jeanne blames their deaths on her deformed friend Tony the Monster (Carl Laforêt) who lives deep down in their basement. But what really happened in the house proves to be much more ghastly.

From there we move to Julia (Ophélia Kolb), a mother who has snapped after discovering the lifeless body of her teenage daughter Chloé (Sidwell Weber) who has committed suicide. Quarxx gives us a handful of revealing flashbacks showing Chloé being relentlessly bullied by a group of girls at school and neglected at home by Julia who was too absorbed in her career to see that her daughter was in pain. Unable to bear her daughter’s death, the distraught Julia goes to some pretty dark and twisted places.

The movie eventually returns to Nathan, putting a fantastical and gruesome cap on his story while attempting to provide an ever so slight glimmer of hope. The ending doesn’t answer many questions. In fact you could say it poses far more. But that’s part of what Quarxx is going for. With “Pandemonium” he wants to challenge our first impressions and push us to wrestle with what unfolds over time. He offers no easy interpretation or cut-and-dry solution. And he adds subtle yet distinctly different points-of-view which add layers to some of the deeper themes.

While the story itself is challenging and thought-provoking, just as much is conveyed through the striking visual presentation and sound design. Forbidding imagery, inspired practical effects, the disquieting score from composer Benjamin Leray – it all feeds into the eerily captivating vision of a filmmaker who wants us to think as well as squirm. “Pandemonium” opens May 27th in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Netflix’s “Hit Man” is almost here. This action rom-com from director Richard Linklater (a long time favorite of mine) made a big splash at Venice, Toronto, and Sundance. Now it’s coming to select theaters this weekend ahead of its upcoming release on the streaming platform June 7th. To get us ready, Netflix has dropped some hilarious new character posters featuring the many faces of the film’s star, Glen Powell.

Powell has been everywhere since appearing in the box office smash “Top Gun: Maverick”. In “Hit Man” he plays Gary Johnson, a college professor moonlighting as a tech guy who helps the police with sting operations. Through some unexpected circumstances he’s asked to fill in for a suspended cop and go undercover – a job he proves to be surprisingly good at. Linklater and Powell have worked together a few times before and their creative chemistry is undeniable. As for the posters, they give us just a taste of the wackiness we can expect in this fun and steamy thriller.

Check them out…

Only a few days after receiving a mysterious new teaser, the star-studded “Megalopolis” has dropped a full trailer ahead of its upcoming May 16th premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. “Megalopolis” is an epic science-fiction drama written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It’s Coppola’s first feature film since 2011 and a passion project that the acclaimed filmmaker first conceived way back in 1977. The new trailer gives us a deeper yet even more cryptic look into this wild $120 million creation.

Adam Driver plays Cesar Catilina, an accomplished architect who can control time. He sets out to rebuild a decaying city into a thriving utopia but is met with constant opposition by the corrupt Mayor (played by the wonderful Giancarlo Esposito). A fantastic array of talent fills out the cast and includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Shia LaBeouf, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Dustin Hoffman, and Kathryn Hunter. It’s still hard to figure out exactly what this movie is. But in many ways that only adds to the intrigue.

“Megalopolis” is set to release exclusively in theaters sometimes in 2024. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Now here’s a movie I’m really looking forward to that’s just around the corner. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the two Quiet Place movies, the wonderfully original horror thrillers from John Krasinski. This summer the third installment hits theaters, “A Quiet Place: Day One”. It’s a spin-off prequel set in New York City on the very day of the alien invasion that saw society crumble. An exciting (and mostly new) cast are set to tell this nail-biting survival story, led by the always absorbing Lupita Nyong’o.

With its release a little over a month away, Paramount Pictures is ramping up their marketing with a killer new poster to go hand-in-hand with the exhilarating new trailer. Check it out below and let me know what you think.

DIRECTOR – Michael Sarnoski

WRITER – Michael Sarnoski

STARRING – Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou, Alex Wolff, Eliane Umuhire,

RELEASE – June 28, 2024

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is bringing the blockbuster box office hit “Dune: Part Two” to home video. This phenomenal star-studded sequel to the 2021 Oscar-winning first film sees director Denis Villeneuve continuing his venture of bringing Frank Herbert’s classic science-fiction novel to the screen. In addition to the incredible Dolby Atmos sound, this new home video release provides stunning 4K resolution and is loaded with special features. And you won’t have to wait long to get your own copy. Read my full review of the film HERE.

This 4K Ultra HD and Digital Copy edition of “Dune: Chapter Two” arrives in stores on March 14th. See below for a full synopsis and release information including special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2024

Runtime: 165 Minutes

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Screenwriter: Denis Villenueve, Jon Spaihts

Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Lea Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Charlotte Rampling, Anya Taylor-Joy

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.

“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 

Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant. 

Villeneuve is again collaborating with his Dune creatives: Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser; Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette; Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker; Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West. Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is again on hand to create the score.

Special Features:

“Dune: Part Two” Premium Digital Ownership contains the following special features:  

• Filmbooks: House Corrino
• Filmbooks: The Reverand Mother
• Filmbooks: Water
• Filmbooks: Lisan-al-Gaib
• An Ensemble for the Ages
• Chakobsa Training
• Creating the Fremen World
• Finding the Worlds of Dune
• Buzz Around the New “Thopter”
• Worm-Riding
• Becoming Feyd
• A New Set of Threads
• Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of the Dune
• Inside Dune: The Spice Harvester Attack
• Inside Dune: Gurney Hallaeck’s Revenge
• Inside Dune: The Fight for the Imperial Throne

Dune: Part Two 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:  

• Chakobsa Training
• Creating the Fremen World
• Finding the Worlds of Dune
• Buzz Around the New “Thopter”
• Worm-Riding
• Becoming Feyd
• A New Set of Threads
• Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of the Dune