Happy Death Day 2U finds the fun in complicated, self-referential franchise-building

As movies become more heavily franchised, it’s inevitable that more sequels, spinoffs, and homages will require more knowledge of other movies — not just for viewers’ enjoyment, but for their comprehension. Look at the biggest movie franchise in the world today: nothing about Avengers: Infinity War, from the seriousness of its stakes to the tension-breaking comic relief, makes a lick of sense to people who haven’t seen at least three or four other Marvel movies first. (If not 10 or 15.) Hardcore fans can find this interconnectivity extremely satisfying. People who just like to watch movies might find that it requires a lot of effort just to keep up with the ways these series fold back in on themselves, using fan service and multi-film...

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