Haunted Mansion (2023) (2023)
July 28, 2023 1:21 PM - Subscribe
A physician and single mother, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), hires a New Orleans ghost tour guide, Ben (LaKeith Stanfield); a psychic medium, Harriet (Tiffany Haddish); a Catholic priest, Father Kent (Owen Wilson); and a Tulane University professor of history, Bruce (Danny DeVito); to help exorcise her newly purchased mansion, after discovering it is inhabited by a great many ghosts… some of whom enjoy hitchhiking, the sea, and hatchet-throwing.
I didn't see any such resemblance in Knives Out or Get Out, but that first shot of LaKeith Stanfield in the trailer, all I could think was that they'd used AI to de-age Forest Whitaker.
posted by solotoro at 2:44 PM on July 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by solotoro at 2:44 PM on July 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
This was a pretty fun movie and had a bunch of references and Easter eggs if you've enjoyed the Haunted Mansion ride a few times.
I expected a loud, annoying movie, and it surprised me by being a bit low-key for much of the film. There's some over-the-top action and of course the whole premise is insane but it was a lot of fun, and it took time to breathe and develop characters.
Lakeith Stanfield is the highlight but everyone else was solid and the child actor was good and not annoying at all.
Not bad!
posted by mmoncur at 4:00 AM on August 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
I expected a loud, annoying movie, and it surprised me by being a bit low-key for much of the film. There's some over-the-top action and of course the whole premise is insane but it was a lot of fun, and it took time to breathe and develop characters.
Lakeith Stanfield is the highlight but everyone else was solid and the child actor was good and not annoying at all.
Not bad!
posted by mmoncur at 4:00 AM on August 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
I loved it, though my friend I saw it with thought it was just ok. We equally love the Haunted Mansion ride and have and will continue to watch all of its film progeny. I laughed consistently all the way through this one, and enjoyed the costume design and awesome effects — the version I watched was also the first 4D feature-length film I’ve ever seen, so I appreciated that.
Muppets Haunted Mansion (on Disney+ circa 2021?) is also worth watching. It is absolutely delightful, and a bit better than this one, especially the script, fidelity to the ride, and the humor.
No shade to Jamie Lee Curtis, but I preferred Tilly’s Madame Leota in the 2003 (lesser) version.
Also Jared Leto disguised himself so completely and to the point of not looking or sounding anything like himself in the role of The Hatbox Ghost. Like he did in House of Gucci. It’s a Jared Leto thing at this point, I guess so why bother casting him in the first place? Why go to such great lengths to hide that annoyingly perfect face?
A few fun cameos throughout. Marilu Henner, Winona Ryder.
I wanted Tiffany Haddish in every scene, she was perfect.
Definitely looking forward to watching LaKeith Stanfield’s star continue to rise!
I thought the villian Allistair Crump was made to sound very Trumpy - the 3rd wife bit, the stuff about his dad sending him to a special school because he was sad when his mother died etc. Apparently his name is a callback to early Imagineer Rolly Crump.
posted by edithkeeler at 6:25 AM on August 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Muppets Haunted Mansion (on Disney+ circa 2021?) is also worth watching. It is absolutely delightful, and a bit better than this one, especially the script, fidelity to the ride, and the humor.
No shade to Jamie Lee Curtis, but I preferred Tilly’s Madame Leota in the 2003 (lesser) version.
Also Jared Leto disguised himself so completely and to the point of not looking or sounding anything like himself in the role of The Hatbox Ghost. Like he did in House of Gucci. It’s a Jared Leto thing at this point, I guess so why bother casting him in the first place? Why go to such great lengths to hide that annoyingly perfect face?
A few fun cameos throughout. Marilu Henner, Winona Ryder.
I wanted Tiffany Haddish in every scene, she was perfect.
Definitely looking forward to watching LaKeith Stanfield’s star continue to rise!
I thought the villian Allistair Crump was made to sound very Trumpy - the 3rd wife bit, the stuff about his dad sending him to a special school because he was sad when his mother died etc. Apparently his name is a callback to early Imagineer Rolly Crump.
posted by edithkeeler at 6:25 AM on August 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Shepherd and I just watched this! We found it tonally all over the place, but it was funnier than expected. (The bit with Hasan Minhaj as the police sketch artist slayed me. ) All in all, a fun watch.
posted by Kitteh at 5:37 PM on October 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 5:37 PM on October 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:04 PM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]