Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)

(On DVD, March 2008) This sequel to the well-regarded SF comedy expands the scope of the original universe to include scenes from the future and a picture of the afterlife. A lot of it works well: just about anything linked to the evil Bill and Ted robots is hilarious, as is everything about the character of Death. But the film also overreaches and loses its focus with elements that overstay their welcome or simply fall flat: The Hell sequence is far too long despite a promising start, and the “Station” character is a blight on the rest of the film: I can’t believe they didn’t go for something – anything – else. Otherwise, it’s a fairly successful follow-up that keeps the spirit of the original. Don’t see one without the other.