Movie Night: Baby Oopsie (1-3)

The three-part “Baby Oopsie” spinoff series furthers the cult classic “Demonic Toys” mythos and adds even more hilarious hijinks.

The cult classic horror series Demonic Toys from Full Moon Features is a series of films that center on a collection of seemingly harmless playthings that are, in reality, the avatars of powerful demons from hell who seek to cause havoc in the mortal world.

The first film in the series, Demonic Toys, was released direct-to-video way back in 1992. The film spawned three additional films, all of which have crossovers with other Full Moon properties.

The successful series also led to a comic book series and a television spin-off series based on the beloved and deliciously demented character of Baby Oopsie. That series started airing on August 27, 2021. Season 2, titled Murder Dolls, premiered on July 15, 2022, on Full Moon’s Streaming App and their Amazon Prime Video channel.

Chapters one and two of the first series, directed by William Butler (with Butler writing chapter one and Charles Band writing chapter two), were combined and released as the Baby Oopsie movie, which you can stream for free on Tubi.

Season 2 of the series, Murders Dolls, was also released as a film on Tubi, consisting of only one chapter (clocking in at less than an hour), which was once again written and directed by Butler.

A direct sequel to Baby Oopsie, Full Moon Studios struck comedy gold again with the follow-up that continues the story of Baby Oopsie’s reign of terror.

Though this movie has more laughs than scares, the film is elevated solely due to the actor’s sincere performances.

The story picks up right where the first film left us, with doll hobbyist, lonelyheart, and YouTube content creator Sibyl Pittman (Libbie Higgins), who just discovered her neighbor and friend, Ray-Ray (Justina Armistead), is possessed and using her as an avenue to kill people via her latest creepy creation, Baby Oopsie.

Sibyl must somehow figure out how to exorcise Ray-Ray’s demon and destroy the doll before there’s literally hell to pay in the form of Toy Hell opening and killer dolls taking over.

Sibyl has a lot on her plate, but she’s not backing down, even though everyone around her keeps dying, and she somehow must quench Baby Oopsie’s bloodthirst by “feeding” the unholy doll hapless victims, which makes for a hilarious opening sequence.

There are some new characters in this installment of the franchise; some human and some not so much.

Two new dolls, Frownie Clownie and Cowboy Roy, join Oopsie for the action, and the local Catholic clergy, Father McGavin (LeJon Woods), gets sucked in after Sybil drops a bomb in the confession booth, piquing the priest’s curiosity.

Chaos ensues as Sibyl tries to rescue Ray-Ray from the demon’s clutches while keeping an eye on the killer doll trio and evading a mysterious woman who wants to sign Sibyl to a toy contract for her custom creations. Let’s just say Sibyl is a very busy woman. And don’t forget, she’s constantly being berated by the ghost of her bitchy stepmother!

What’s great about Full Moon movies is they’re made with so much love and heart; you can’t help but love everything Charles Band has a hand in.

And this William Butler-directed and written series is no exception. The silly and fun stories, effects, and dialogue are the cornerstone of these films, and Murder Dolls won’t leave you wanting.

Lines like, “Using creativity to serve Satan can be so satisfying” had me rolling. And despite the ridiculous plot of this series, the performances up the ante and keep you engaged the whole time.

I find Libbie Higgins a TOTAL hoot in these films, and honestly, I can’t imagine a better person to play Sibyl.

Higgins is so genuine, raw, honest, and natural as the sad, single Sibyl that her ‘straight’ play of this part contrasts brilliantly with the humor of the dialogue and the crazy situations, making this series even more entertaining.

Armistead, who is completely hysterical, and Higgins make for perfect scene partners, playing off each other beautifully and bringing real humanity to their roles, no matter how silly the sequences seem.

I absolutely believe them as Sibyl and Ray-Ray, making it easier to get caught up in the story.

From the details of Sibyl’s kitschy unicorn and cat shirts to Ray-Ray’s signature catchphrase, “Hey, hunny!” there are many great touches in this series that engage you.

Snappy comebacks, fun kills, and a fast-paced plot keeps the storyline moving at a brisk pace.

I know it’s juvenile, but something about dolls cursing makes me cackle, and I absolutely roared throughout the entire runtime.

As a horror fan, you see many serious, dramatic, and deeply disturbing horror movies. It’s absolutely necessary for movies from Full Moon to exist to solely entertain us, make us laugh, and allow us to remember why we love horror so much.

I love the nods to so many other films, from recognizable famous movie quotes to full-on homages to popular movies like Toy Story. The pop culture references are well-timed and perfectly placed.

It seems clear that Baby Oopsie may not be the only part of the Demonic Toys gang to get her own film – there are definite hints of more movies set in this universe, and I truly hope we do see more from this series. I love the nostalgic feel of Full Moon films, filling your heart with the joy you used to feel when renting a corny, fun Full Moon flick from your local video store.

I ended my watch of Murder Dolls, desperately hoping to see Higgins and Armistead again. This duo works so well together, and I think Higgins is a gem – I hope she has a long career in the horror industry because she’s perfect in these films.

Fortunately, Full Moon surprised fans by quickly releasing Season 3 (Burn Baby Burn) just a few short months after Murder Dolls. 

Butler returns to his writing and directing duties for Season 3 of the wickedly funny spin-off series, which was released by Full Moon on November 4, 2022, and is now available to watch on Tubi along with the rest of the series.

The third chapter is only 46 minutes. Chapter 2 is 55 minutes, and chapter 1 is 76 minutes. So, you can binge the entire series in three hours, the same time it would take to watch any of the current Best Picture Oscar-nominated films — while probably having a lot more fun!

No, Full Moon movies won’t make it to the Oscars anytime soon or compete with big-budget flicks for opening weekend numbers. But believe me, if you’re a horror fan and you love to laugh and enjoy movies from a studio that puts all its heart and soul into its films, you won’t be disappointed with this series.

Also, it’s just really fucking hilarious to hear dolls say, “fuck.” Trust me on this one.

Review Written by Christi Bandy (Intro by Editor Stephanie Malone)

EDITOR’S NOTE:

While you’re in the mood to binge some amazing Baby Oopsie content, I’d like to point out that, just today, the distributor announced its plans for its hotly anticipated toy line — the Full Moon Horror Line — based on its vast catalog of legacy franchises and licenses, with its flagship product being a 1:1 scale talking Baby Oopsie prop replica.

Designed by award-winning toy and collectibles mogul, Rick Phares, the Baby Oopsie replica retails for just under $300 and is cast from the original prop molds used for the film. It features electronic light-up eyes, and actual character voice recordings, along with real fabric clothing. The deluxe figure is 25 inches tall, posable, and comes in foil-stamped slipcovers with a COA “birth certificate” signed by Full Moon Features CEO and Founder Charles Band and Baby Oopsie Director William Butler.

Only 900 units of the flagship replica will be produced and, after selling out, will not be manufactured again. The limited edition replica will be available to purchase this March at FullMoonDirect.com and FullMoonHorror.com and is set to hit mass-market retailers later this year.