Addams Family Values



Director - Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family, Men in Black)
Starring - Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family, The Witches), Raul Julia (The Addams Family, Street Fighter), and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit)
Release Date - 1993
Genre - Comedy
Tagline - "The family just got a little stranger"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     The Addams Family was a huge part of my childhood.  The movies, the animated shows, and the live action show were a huge part of my upbringing.  Sure, some were better than others but they were still fun in their own right.  The first Addams Family film from 1991 was damn near perfect to me.  I absolutely loved the film and when the sequel was released I almost shit my pants.  When I tossed it in I was shocked to see that the film was just as good, if not better, than the first one.  This movie is now just as iconic as the first and some of the scenes are now legendary among movie fans.  Even if you are one of the few people alive today that had never seen this film you have at least seen images of Wednesday drinking poison.  I couldn't wait to revisit this one on blu after watching these previous two Addams' films. 

     The film follows Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday, Pugsley and Uncle Fester who welcome a new baby to the family, Pubert.  Morticia and Gomez need to hire a nanny to take care of the baby and they strike gold with Debbie (Joan Cusack).  Debbie is perfect with the kids and takes a liking to the worlds richest bachelor Fester.  What they don't know is that Debbie is the notorious serial killer The Black Widow who kills her rich husbands on their wedding night.  She see's Wednesday and Pusgley as a threat and tricks Gomez and Morticia into sending them to summer camp so she can get close to Fester.  Her plan works and she gets close to Fester and eventually they marry.  However, killing him finds to be tricky as every method fails.  When she can't kill him and make it look like an accident she decides to just murder the whole family and leave town with the money before the police arrive but she forgot one Addams, Pubert, who accidentally stops her before she can kill the family.

     This is one of the few movies where the sequel surpasses the first film.  I'm not saying it's leagues better but I do enjoy this one more than the other film by a small percentage.  My favorite part of this film is Joan Cusack's character. She really makes the movie that much more fun.  The acting in this one is fucking unforgettable.  Aside from the memorable performances from Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, and Christopher Lloyd, you are character growth from Wednesday with an extremely fun and iconic performance from Christina Ricci but you get an all new character that is just a memorable as the family.  Joan Cusack kills it as a serial killer (pun) and stills the show in each scene she is in.  I'll admit I'm not a fan of hers but I fucking love her in this movie.  The story for this one gives the viewer something completely different than what was delivered in the first film.  We get some great character development along with some very interesting scenarios that the family finds themselves in.  Their love of the macabre and death floods every scene which makes it even more enjoyable.  I really loved the black widow angle along with the whole camp aspect.  These always stood out to me and still do after revisiting it.  I find myself wanting more movie when the credit rolls.  Finally, this is another one void of blood and gore.  We once again get amazing sets, wardrobes, and visuals to enjoy but none of the red stuff.  Overall, Addams Family Values is a worthy follow up to a now classic film and synonymous with the Addams name.  When you mention the Addams to most people they immediately think of these two movies.  I highly recommend this one and this installment looks fantastic on the blu.