Trilogy Week #27 - Life After Death

How will you die? Because you will. Everyone will die! So because of that, everyone has thought about the afterlife, if there is one. A question that has been asked since the beginning of our existence. Whether it's a world of nothingness, or a world in the clouds, there are many stories about the world beyond our comprehension. These three film makers have some great original ideas about the next life, if maybe a little ridiculous, they are very entertaining about the life we life, and the way we perceive the environment around us.

Title: Beetlejuice

Year: 1988

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Michael Keaton, Wynona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1hr. 32mins.

My Review: One of my favorite movies from Tim Burton, I had never seen anything like this before, nor have I ever seen anything like this in any of his future work. A great cartoony look at the afterlife. I love Michael Keaton's performance in this, he goes all out in a hilarious way. The only fault to that is everyone around Keaton's role as Beetlejuice is boring and stale. Not one character singles them selves out at being memorable, except maybe Catherine O'Hara. Every actor could be replaced, in fact if you haven't seen this movie in a while I bet you don't even remember that Alec Baldwin is even in this movie. And as a memorable the dinner sequence is, I could really do without it. I great movie from my childhood, but I think could go for a re-make or a sequel. 7 out of 10 Shrunken Head Hunters.

Title: Defending Your Life

Year: 1991

Director: Albert Brooks

Cast: Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Buck Henry

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1hr. 52mins.

My Review: This is a very intriguing one. That Earth is a trial run before you go on to live in the rest of the universe. A very interesting concept, in that it has nothing to do with heaven or hell, but a step forward as a more intelligent enlightened being. I love the concept of this movie. Although it can be a little boring, and the romance seems a little forced, Albert Brooks does a great job pushing the story along, even though his comedy is a little too old for my taste, it's still a very fun watch. The one to really watch for is Rip Torn, I think he's great in anything he does. 6 out of 10 Toopas

Title: Wristcutters: A Love Story

Year: 2006

Director: Goran Dukic

Cast: Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Leslie Bibb, Tom Waits, Will Arnett

Rated: R

Running Time: 1hr. 28mins.

My Review: My favorite of the three. When I first heard the concept of this movie I though, "wow, that is so genius!" Not really in the concept of the film, (which is great) but the concept of making such a ingenues low budget movie where you use the shittiest, cheapest props you can find, and it makes the movie seem that much more believable. If you don't know what I mean, the movie revolves around the world of Purgatory, where everyone there died from a suicide. The world is just like our own, but everything thing is shitty, shitty food, landscapes are full of garbage, the clothes are stretched out and have holes in them, shitty cars, and shitty jobs. A great use of making a film, and only using what you have around you. But what about the film it self? it is very funny. In fact I would call it an instant classic. And I think sends a good message to anyone who is thinking about suicide, your troubles and sorrows might end in our world, but in any type of after life they won't go away, and in fact get worse. And to quote another great movie (Worlds Greatest Dad) "Suicide is a permanent solution, to a temporary problem." 9 out of 10 floating matches