Tim Burton’s latest film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice [film] hit theaters on September 6th, 2024. Coming in with a 7.0/10 on IMDb and a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Burton also hit the top of the box office with ticket sales, totalling $111 million on its first weekend. 

Tim Burton is a creative filmmaker and director best known for his gothic aesthetic and fantasy films. The film is a sequel to his original Beetlejuice [film], starring Winona Ryder. Picking up where it left off, the film takes place in the present-day.

Death is a scary concept in itself. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follows a grown-up Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder, who was the young girl who discovered the ghosts of the Maitlands living in the attic of her new house. As an adult, she learns to navigate her life while conversing with the dead. Following the death of her father, Lydia reconnects with her stepmother Delia, and her daughter Astrid played by Jenna Ortega. HSE teacher and film connoisseur, Ms. Santangelo stated “It was a good sequel, but it had too many subplots.” Santangelo states, “The original was better, but it was nice to see Tim Burton go back to his older movie style instead of just doing Disney movie remakes.”

Burton popularized the usage of stop motion in his films The Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie and Beetlejuice. Despite advancements in CGI, Burton remains true to his stop motion style in his latest film, with its use of puppets, stop-motion, and special effects. This style has greatly inspired other filmmakers.  Tim Burton is highly credited for his use of practical effects. The use of stop motion in a horror film gives it the realistic aspect that Burton was looking for. Even though it looks artistic, the combination of actors and puppets working seamlessly together is impressive to watch.