Music faced, now I want more

I'll tell you the things I expected to feel upon finishing the third night of our Bill & Ted's weekend, which of course featured the just-released Bill & Ted Face the Music:

1. "How embarrassing."

2. "Were they really that desperate for money?"

3. "I've had it with these series reboots three decades later."

Here is what I did not expect to feel, but did actually feel:

1. "How clever! How charming!"

2. "It feels like they did it for the love of the material, not for money."

3. "I want more!"

Who would have guessed it?

Perhaps the seeds of my optimism first came when I saw the two on Colbert a few weeks ago. I knew Keanu would look good, because I've been seeing him regularly throughout his career, but I said to my wife about Alex Winter, "He looks good, why can't he have a career?" They had a lovely rapport -- both with Colbert and with each other -- and I started to feel a mild hunger for some more Bill & Ted.

Before watching it on Sunday night, I'd only heard from one person who had seen it, who offered a guarded recommendation. In fact, even when recommending it, he had this look on his face like he was sort of regretting it as he was even speaking the words. (And if you wonder how I saw someone's face in this day and age, it was over Zoom.)

But it only took a few moments before I was fully on board, and a few moments after that before I was grinning widely. And laughing regularly. And enjoying the hell out of myself.

I'll have a full review up tomorrow -- I've written it but not yet posted it, so be sure to check back if you're curious. But I was just so pleasantly surprised by how they revisited and extended the logic of the first two movies, and there are some killer lines and moments, plus a good combinaton of new and returning comic relief. It's jam-packed full of material for a 91-minute movie, but never feels hurried. (Almost) everyone has something to do, too. Simply put, the thing works.

I'll leave the actual analysis of the film up to the review, but I'll let you know now: I'm serious that I could watch more of these movies. I don't know that that's actually a good idea, and there are parts of this movie that would suggest Reeves and Winter don't intend to play these characters again. (That's not a spoiler.) But I guess it all depends how big of a hit it is. If it's a hit, either Reeves and Winter could return, or they could hand it off -- though I guess it's hard to imagine a Bill & Ted movie without Bill & Ted.

Anyway, I'll just close by saying I am so damn pleased by the existence of this movie, which also has a perfect title.

Thank goodness for well-made cinematic comfort food during a pandemic.