Beetlejuice

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Beetlejuice is available in Australia on Stan and HBO Max, and in the US on fuboTV and YouTube TV right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 8,506 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Alec Baldwin — stay for everyone else around them. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Beetlejuice is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The jokes in Beetlejuice land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A newly dead New England couple seeks help from a deranged demon exorcist to scare an affluent New York family out of their home. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 1988. Beetlejuice earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Beetlejuice. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Alec Baldwin sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.