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INGRID GOES WEST While Plaza Gets Scary Good

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That latest Instagram picture you posted of your avocado-enriched soy toast latte might have been a pretty great idea on Sunday funday during brunch hours, but what if it turns out one of your Instagram followers is Ingrid. Or at the very least, Ingrid-esque. In director, Matt Spicer’s latest Ingrid Goes West, we get an all too familiar look at an obsessive behavior that has become an accepted and popular way of getting away with being stalker-lite.

In the beautifully lit and directed, Ingrid Goes West, Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza) moves out to California after receiving her recently deceased mother’s inheritance. Ingrid isn’t interested with any sunshine or beaches though, she is moving specifically due to her obsession with social network influencer, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). When she arrives, she finds a way to find a way to burrow her way into Sloane’s social circles using her knowledge of Sloane’s Instagram hangouts, but her obsessive nature quickly takes her from friendly to frightening.

Plaza does some amazing work here. Since playing her engimatic character Lenny Busker in FX’s Legion, she has shown that she is capable of doing severely creepy and threatening surprisingly well. In Ingrid Goes West, she uses that dark side to create a very ominous character, but stays likeable enough to give the character merit in her actions. We are never not on her side, even at the most cringe-worthy moments. Plaza dispalys a nervous volatility that will put you at unease. Doesn’t change the fact that you still want to see her succeed despite knowing her stalker intent. Plaza is ultimately scary good.

The film is told through a no filter, concentrate examination of millennials, and the view a lot of that generation has of and on the world. The films dialogue is spoken through superlative millennial speak that becomes just as much a character as Ingrid. A lot of the central characters are totally unlikeable people, due to their narcissistic routines. Rather it’s Sloane’s delusions of grandeur, her brother Nicky’s trust fund baby issues or her boyfriend Ezra’s dismal hipster art, each brings enough unlike ability to assist in making Ingrid’s stalking nature a high point of character. Arguably, the most likeable character in the film has to be Ingrid’s landlord/boyfriend, Dan Pinto (O’Shea Jackson). Jackson brings on buckets of charm and like ability to his Batman obsessed, drug dealer with a heart of gold. His character is also the most do good of the bunch and ultimately (despite being a drug dealer) is purely good and genuinely cares about people. Warning, Jackson has a got a smile that has the power to make ya melt. After his breakout in Straight Out Of Compton followed by this, I’m hoping to see this dude in a lot more stuff soon.

There is a playful, satirical tone throughout that paves the way with funny and lite intent, only to lead you down a darker path in its final act once the rot sets in. It’s no spoiler to say that this film comes with a sort of pessimistic catharsis for both character and a generation.

Spicer creates a film that is self-aware of its own nature. Its frames are perfectly lit to match the best of your Instagram pictures. It’s an interesting take on stalker culture. The scariest part of which, is society basically mimicking Ingrid’s behavior in more concentrated instances, and how it has become an accepted social more. Next time you or I am obsessively hitting that refresh button on our favorite social media app, just know in a way you and I are all Ingrid… or at the very least have an Ingrid waiting for us to leave so they can kidnap our dog.

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The Original ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Had an Interesting Location

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beetlejuice in Hawaii Movie

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s sequels to hit movies weren’t as linear as they are today. It was more like “let’s re-do the situation but in a different location.” Remember Speed 2, or National Lampoon’s European Vacation? Even Aliens, as good as it is, follows a lot of the plot points of the original; people stuck on a ship, an android, a little girl in peril instead of a cat. So it makes sense that one of the most popular supernatural comedies of all time, Beetlejuice would follow the same pattern.

In 1991 Tim Burton was interested in doing a sequel to his 1988 original, it was called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian:

“The Deetz family moves to Hawaii to develop a resort. Construction begins, and it’s quickly discovered that the hotel will be sitting on top of an ancient burial ground. Beetlejuice comes in to save the day.”

Burton liked the script but wanted some re-writes so he asked then-hot screenwriter Daniel Waters who had just got done contributing to Heathers. He passed on the opportunity so producer David Geffen offered it to Troop Beverly Hills scribe Pamela Norris to no avail.

Eventually, Warner Bros. asked Kevin Smith to punch up Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, he scoffed at the idea, saying, “Didn’t we say all we needed to say in the first Beetlejuice? Must we go tropical?”

Nine years later the sequel was killed. The studio said Winona Ryder was now too old for the part and an entire re-cast needed to happen. But Burton never gave up, there were a lot of directions he wanted to take his characters, including a Disney crossover.

“We talked about lots of different things,” the director said in Entertainment Weekly. “That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted MansionBeetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up.”

Fast-forward to 2011 when another script was pitched for a sequel. This time the writer of Burton’s Dark Shadows,  Seth Grahame-Smith was hired and he wanted to make sure the story wasn’t a cash-grabbing remake or reboot. Four years later, in 2015, a script was approved with both Ryder and Keaton saying they would return to their respective roles. In 2017 that script was revamped and then eventually shelved in 2019.

During the time the sequel script was being tossed around in Hollywood, in 2016 an artist named Alex Murillo posted what looked like one-sheets for a Beetlejuice sequel. Although they were fabricated and had no affiliation with Warner Bros. people thought they were real.

Perhaps the virality of the artwork sparked interest in a Beetlejuice sequel once again, and finally, it was confirmed in 2022 Beetlejuice 2 had a green light from a script written by Wednesday writers  Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The star of that series Jenna Ortega signed on to the new movie with filming starting in 2023. It was also confirmed that Danny Elfman would return to do the score.

Burton and Keaton agreed that the new film titled Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice wouldn’t rely on CGI or other other forms of technology. They wanted the film to feel “handmade.” The film wrapped in November 2023.

It’s been over three decades to come up with a sequel to Beetlejuice. Hopefully, since they said aloha to Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian there has been enough time and creativity to ensure Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will not only honor the characters, but fans of the original.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will open theatrically on September 6.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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