We have three movie titles that almost got past us. Better late than never, yeah? All three are movies of distinction and they are BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE with Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder recreating their roles after a 35-year absence from them; the non-canon DC title and sequel to an Oscar winner titled JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX; and the latest film from the 90-year old Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood called JUROR # 2. All can be found on Max and here is a quick gaze at each.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE 
It is a gothic comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It is quite distinctively and unmistakably a part of their oeuvre. A sequel was plotted shortly after Beetlejuice debuted in 1988 but never materialized as Keaton then went on to don the Batman cowl for Burton. After further efforts, a sequel did not stick until 2022. This sequel opened the 81st Venice International Film Festival in 2024 and was theatrically released in the Fall of that year.
In 2024, Lydia Deetz (Ryder) hosts a paranormal talk show called “Ghost House.” She has been estranged from her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) ever since her husband and Astrid’s father died. Astrid also refuses to believe that her mother can see ghosts. While taping an episode, Lydia hallucinates seeing Betelgeuse (Keaton), who tried to marry her thirty-six years earlier,] in the audience. He is obsessed with Lydia and comes from the Netherworld to seek her out once again. Astrid gets duped by a supposed lover and ends up in the Netherworld, and Lydia and Betelgeuse must team up to rescue her.
The 110-minute movie was the fourth biggest movie of the year seeing the return of Keaton’s comedic delivery and Burton’s aesthetic. Rotten Tomatoes stated –
JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX
It is a crime drama/musical directed by Todd Phillips from a screenplay he co-wrote with Scott Silver. Based on DC Comics characters, it is the sequel to Joker (2019) and stars Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as Arthur Fleck / Joker, alongside Lady Gaga as Harley “Lee” Quinzel. The supporting cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, and Leigh Gill. Joker was initially conceived as a standalone film but its box-office success sparked interest in a sequel. That desire was solidified when Phoenix won a Best Actor Oscar for his role and the film won top prize at the Venice Film Festival that year where it debuted. This sequel also debuted at the Venice Festival in September of 2024 and had a theatrical run beginning in October.
The big distinction for JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX, however, has not been its pedigree but its recent award nominations. It was nominated for seven awards at the 45th Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actor and Worst Actress. The results will be declared at the March 01 2025 presentation.
Its plot finds Fleck in Arkham awaiting trial for the crimes he committed two years prior. His lawyer plans to argue that Arthur suffers from dissociative identity disorder and that his Joker personality is responsible for the crimes. At a music therapy session, Arthur meets Harley “Lee” Quinzel, who claims her admiration for his crimes and personality. We witness their warped love blossoms. At his trial, Fleck ends up representing himself and attempts to renounce his Joker persona. Is he sincere or is it all a ploy? How will Miss Quinzel, who was obsessed with the Joker, take to Fleck’s revelation? Therein lies the tale.
Who knows? True DC fans will watch the film over regardless, but even though it might win multiple Golden Raspberrys this year, JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX could win cult status as Worst Film. It has been known to happen. RT sums it all up with this –
Juror # 2
The biggest distinction we can draw from the legal drama JUROR # 2, co-produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jonathan Abrams, is that it is indeed helmed by the 94-year old legend himself. To still be creating and crafting at any job at that age is extraordinary. His acting character started back in 1995 in a half-dozen uncredited roles plus, some classic TV but his first directing stint was for Play Misty For Me in 1971. He directed 36 films since then with JUROR # 2 being the most recent.
Luckily the movie was given a brief theatrical run because it was meant to be a straight-to-Max premiere after it AFI Festival debut in the fall of last year. It would have been cruel to not give the work a theatrical run.I mean, how many more movies behind or in front of the camera is Mr. Eastwood going to be able to make for crying out loud. But the limited release should have been a wide release not because of his advanced age but because his material as been successful and he still has commercial appeal. Still with its Max Original title above it came to Max on December 20, 2024.
The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough and Kiefer Sutherland. In it we find journalist and recovering alcoholic Justin Kemp (Hoult) is called for jury duty on a case concerning Kendall Carter’s death. A year prior, Kendall (Francesca Eastwood, Clint’s daughter with Frances Fisher) had a fight with her boyfriend James Sythe (Gabriel Basso, who played JD Vance in Hillbilly Elegy) at a local bar and was later found dead under a bridge. Sythe is charged with her murder.Justin however realizes he might have killed Kendall when recalling that, on the night of her death, he hit something with his car after nearly relapsing at the bar she and Sythe were at. Assuming he had struck a deer and unable to find it, Justin drove home.
The big question remains did he or didn’t he kill her? Should he turn himself in? Wait, he is Juror #2! Should he reveal what he knows to his fellow jurors? There lies the movie.
RT sums it up for us.
If you haven’t seen these movies yet they are on Max and on the linear HBO channels. Plus, if you like this format for looking t new movies making it onto HBO & Max let us know in the Comments below. Perhaps we can continue looking at movies in this manner more often. We welcome your review of any of these movies below as well. Enjoy HBOWatch & HBO
