At the beginning of 2024, I was feeling nostalgic and decided to rewatch a few childhood favorites of mine from the “Scooby-Doo” franchise. Even in my adult life, I frequently find myself going back to the franchise’s shows and movies when I want to throw something on. This year, watching one “Scooby-Doo” movie wasn’t enough, and it somehow turned into watching all 48 movies that have been made since 1987. As Halloween is coming up, I wanted to share my five favorites.
“Saw” was released in 2004 and has turned out nine sequels over the past 20 years with an 11th installment on the way in 2025. The franchise features its signature villain, Jigsaw, also known as John Kramer, and his murderous traps. Jigsaw, a cancer patient with limited time left, views these “games” as rehabilitation for people to appreciate the life they have. He does not consider himself a murderer and explicitly states “killing is distasteful” in “Saw V.” Jigsaw offers people a chance at survival; those who die do so by their own choices, while those who survive are supposedly instantly rehabilitated.
Paige Sanacora, Special to the Chronicle
• September 10, 2024
After 36 years, the sequel to Tim Burton’s iconic 1988 classic, “Beetlejuice,” finally hit the screen on Friday, Sept. 6. Did “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” live up to the hype?
Eighteen years after the first film kicked its way into theaters, the fourth installment of the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise, titled “Kung Fu Panda 4,” was released on March 8. Right from the get-go, “Kung Fu Panda 4” stepped away from its dependency on the star-studded martial arts group the Furious Five. Instead, the film gave its titular protagonist Po (voiced by Jack Black) a new task: hanging up his hat and becoming the spiritual mentor to the next Dragon Warrior.
Netflix’s new movie, “Damsel,” was released on Friday, March 8, starring Millie Bobby Brown and directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Even though there was a novel published in 2023 under the same name with the same story, Netflix’s film and the novel are both based on the same original screenplay by Dan Mazeau, just using different mediums to tell the story.
In recent years, only a few science fiction films come to mind that are both as exhilarating and as much of a masterclass of creativity and perfection as “Dune: Part Two.” Returning to direct, write and produce, Denis Villeneuve once again amazes audiences with breathtaking visuals, gorgeous cinematography, unique sound design, wonderful production design and amazing worldbuilding.
By the year’s end, 2023 arguably became one of the strongest years in film, as there was a plethora of striking works throughout the cinematic spectrum. Legendary auteurs continued to hone their craft across a wide range of stories and genres, and for once, there was no shortage of unique blockbusters. As is the case every year, there were more than a few films that slipped through the cracks and were only known to a niche in the moviegoing population. The following five titles are a fraction of such films.
The story of the Von Erich family has long been viewed as a story of tragedy, addiction and love that is anything but normal. On Dec. 22, 2023, the anticipated biographical sports drama “The Iron Claw” was released in the United States. Since its release, the film has received acclaim for its emotional portrayal of the family, with the National Board of Review naming “The Iron Claw” one of the top 10 films of 2023.
There is a scene in “The Holdovers’’ in which boarding school teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) asks Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a troubled student whom he is the guardian of over winter break, what the bottle of pills on his bed is for. Angus quickly brushes them off as being for his “low energy,” to which Paul bluntly responds, “You mean for depression?” Angus changes the subject and walks out of the room while Paul takes a few of the pills.
The growing world of movie musicals is a diverse and inviting place where beloved musicals come to life on the big screen, thrilling long-time fans. Entering the chromatic, jazzy ambiance of Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land,” viewers are charmed by the beauty and art of jazz and the symbolism of colors. With the release of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Tick, Tick… Boom!” in 2021, one is swept away into the musical, chaotic and heartbreaking story of Jonathan Larson’s life as an aspiring playwright. Each spontaneous break into song makes the film that much more delightful and the theatrical choreography adds another layer of enjoyment.
On Friday, Sept. 8, fans of the wildly popular “The Conjuring” films had the opportunity to kick off the start of spooky season with the franchise’s latest addition: “The Nun II.” However, those looking to repeat the sinisterly religious experience of “The Nun” might find the newest film lacking the same qualities that made the first one so powerful.
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” released on July 21, was the poppy, pink and star-studded blockbuster comedy event of the summer. Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the film made over $150 million on opening weekend in the United States and was also the largest domestic opening for a female director, according to Deadline.
