IT WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER THAT released long forgotten memories from forty plus years ago. I was walking through a crowded hotel lobby. Trying to make my way amongst the mass of people, I said “excuse me” to a woman I was trying to get around to reach the staircase. She turned and looked at me; we both became motionless as we intently stared at each other. It immediately clicked in my brain, like a spotlight that found its mark on stage, and I uttered her name after all these years. She in turn did the same thing, saying my name, at the exact time. We both asked what the other was doing here, and it turned out we were attending the same event. I could not believe it. Unfortunately, with assigned seating, we only had small chunks of time to communicate with each other. It felt so good to see her and to feel her warmth again because I had been the one who disappeared. I never wanted to stop being friends with her, but the circle of friends around us was becoming too toxic for me; so, I had to remove myself from the situation. Before the end of the evening, we made plans to meet for lunch a week later.      I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO do as I was walking into the restaurant. Should I hug her or not, should I be animated and wave my hands; I did not know how I would be received. As it turned out as soon as we saw each other we walked up and hugged. Funny, we never did it in school, but I guess being older versions of ourselves made it the thing to do. Once we were seated, we each peppered the other with questions about their current life situation. Memories were flooding my brain; sharing prom together, sitting in her parents’ kitchen while her mother served us cake, using a cuss word to describe someone talking on the television that was playing in the background, hanging out in the park with a group of friends. While talking she used the same phrase as she did back forty years ago. Her no nonsense style of not caring what people thought of her was still as prevalent as it was back then. The only way I could describe my feelings was to say I felt like I had come back home. There was an easy comfort being with her. Whatever differences we had did not require any energy now; I was happy to see her. Some of these things I have been talking about could easily describe what I was feeling while watching this comedic horror fantasy.      EMBARRASSED AND DISMISSIVE OF HER GHOST believing mother, a daughter unwittingly causes something to happen that could change her opinion about her family. With Michael Keaton (The Protégé, The Founder) as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder (Destination Wedding, Mermaids) as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara (A Mighty Wind, Schitt’s Creek-TV) as Delia Deetz, Jenna Ortega (Scream franchise, The Fallout) as Astrid Deetz, and Justin Theroux (The Girl on the Train, False Positive) as Rory; this sequel transported me right back to the time when I saw the original movie. The cast, both new and veterans, were all in to create a madcap, zany fun film. Granted, since having seen the original the level of impact was less and the script for this picture was more convoluted. As with the first one, the music soundtrack was perfect for this story. I think the viewer would still be entertained with this movie even if they had not seen the first one; though I believe it would be of help. Overall, I was entertained throughout and felt no one could do this character justice except Michael Keaton.

3 stars