Written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, this is a reworking of the original horror movie, an interesting film noir version but, as the movie progressed, the story and characters were so over-the-top that I suspected it was also a comic version, though very dark. But I guess I could also say the original "Bride of Frankenstein" would probably come off today as a bit of a comedy.
Anyway, the film begins with Mary Shelley (Buckley) speaking from the afterlife lamenting that she had died before she could write "The Bride of Frankenstein," so she comes back to life by possessing Ida (also played by Buckley), a woman living in 1936 Chicago, who drunkenly proceeds to discuss the criminal activities of crime boss Lupino while with a group in a bar. Lupino's henchmen Clyde (John Magaro) and James (Matthew Maher) are there and take her aside where she conveniently falls down a flight of stairs to her death. The Mary Shelley character keeps coming back throughout the film adding her two cents and possessing Ida and the proceedings, and that was a theatrical device I could have done without. I found it annoying.
Anyway, in the meantime, Frankenstein's monster, AKA "Frank (Bale)," arrives at the house of scientist Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Benning sporting some fake teeth to make her look more doctor-like, I guess). Having read about Euphronius' work on "reanimation," Frank begs her to create a companion for him because he has been alone for a century and is, well, lonely. He wants a mate, a relationship, okay...sex. Euphronius and Frank just happen to dig up Ida's corpse and successfully revive her, but Ida loses her memory in the process. Frank takes advantage of this and states that she is his bride and lost her memory in an accident. Well, I guess falling down some stairs could be considered an accident.
So Frank and Ida get to know each other and go off to see a movie featuring Frank's favorite actor, Ronnie Reed. Frank is obsessed with Busby Berkeley-style movies and "The Dubious Detective" starring Ronnie Reed is his favorite (it's also an opportunity for Maggie's brother, Jake, to have a cameo as Reed). After the movie, they go dancing at a club. As they leave, two men attempt to assault Ida and Frank kills them as a monster is inclined to do. The two escape and stow away on a train to New York City. So now the police are after them and Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant Myrna Malloy (Penelope Cruz) are on the case and follow them to New York.
Since Ida can't remember anything from her past, Frank tells her that her name is Penelope Rogers (he wanted to call her Ginger Rogers in homage to his love of 30's musicals and dancing like Fred Astaire, but thought better of it, so he settled on Penelope). They crash a high class party where Ronnie Reed, Frank's idol, just happens to be a guest. Wanting to impress Reed, Frank begins to dance like Reed does in his films, with Penelope joining him, as well as the other party-goers, turning it into a dance very much like the Time Warp in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." So you get the idea. This is a very original take on the Frankenstein story.
But then things fall apart again because Ida/Penelope just can't shut up and the two are recognized. Their crime spree becomes publicized, Ida becomes a bit of a feminist icon and Mob boss Lupino (Zlatko Buric) recognizes her in a newspaper article and dispatches his minions to kill her. So now it's like Bonnie and Clyde, or I should say, Frankie and the Bride, on the run, not just from the police but also from the Mob.
Why does the Mob want Ida/Penelope dead? And will these crazy monsters manage to escape, get married and live happily ever after? Duh. C'mon, this may be a dark comedy, but it's still horror.
The film has an all-star cast but this movie is all about Jessie. Yes, she is totally over-the-top, unhinged at times, but I can't help but be impressed by an actress who is so all in, no matter what. And she is. And Christian? He let's her have the spotlight, but he's still Christian Bale. He's always all in. But here he also shows his tender side because Frank clearly loves Ida.
And if I was still wondering if this was a comedy or not, "Monster Mash" plays at the end over the credits. So, yes, it's a a sort of comedy, though a dark one and, yes, it's about monsters, but it is also a romantic story, in a monster kind of way. And speaking of the credits, be sure to keep watching the credits, because there is more.
Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like Monster Horror that is really wild and uninhibited with a feminist bent, you might like this, but I recommend that if you go for it, that you add a big glass of wine (or a cocktail) and an open mind because it's a wild ride. (For rent or purchase of Amazon Prime)
Bring Her Back (2025)
Seventeen-year-old Andy and his visually impaired sister, Piper, find their dad, Phil, dead in the shower, leaving them orphans. And then things get worse. They get the foster mother from hell.
When Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister, Piper (Sora Wong), are orphaned, they are sent to live with eccentric former counselor Laura (Sally Hawkins), who is also fostering a pre-teen boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips). Laura claims Oliver has stopped talking since the death of Laura's daughter, Cathy, who was also visually impaired and drowned in their backyard pool. Oliver is a bit of a mystery. Let me just say that he is one creepy kid, especially when he tries to eat a kitchen knife. Oliver clearly has issues. But then there is Laura, who seems to inappropriately favor Piper. How she ever became a counselor is beyond me. She steals a lock of Phil's hair at his funeral and kisses his corpse, which is strange enough, but then the kids discover a secret that Laura has been keeping and things go from bad to worse for these kids.
There is a whole very, very convoluted plot about Laura's plan and how Andy and Piper figure into that plan, but in the meantime, she wreacks havoc on Andy and Piper and tries to drive them apart. And what's the deal with Oliver? It's not a pretty sight watching Oliver eating inanimate objects as well as parts of his own body, but, okay, like I said, he has issues. Who doesn't? But who is this kid? Well, we eventually find out his story too.
Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou and written by Danny and Bill Hinzman, this has your classic horror tropes of young people in jeopardy, a creepy child and a malevolent caretaker which makes for good creepy fun, er, horror, and the film does a good job of creating tension and suspense. Nothing really scary happens for the first 40 minutes but then it goes from zero to 100 very quickly. The ending is horrific...but also sad.
Sally Hawkins is always good in quirky, and sometimes, creepy roles. Here she shows what can happen to someone who is consumed by grief. There is horror in that alone. If you are not sure who Hawkins is, she won an Academy Award nomination in 2018 for "The Shape of Water" where she fell in love with an amphibian. Like I said, some creepy roles. But by the way, that movie won the Best Picture Oscar. But kudos, too, to Barratt and Wong who are also wonderful in this.
Rosy the Reviewer says...there is some very quirky and over-the-top gross "children in jeopardy" horror here, but at the same time, this is also a poignant take on grief and the lengths someone might go to assuage that grief. (HBO Max)
The Deliverance (2024)
Single mother Ebony Jackson has just recently moved into a new house with her three children, not realizing it is the portal to hell.
This is the third move in a short time for single mother, Ebony Jackson (Andra Day) and her eldest teenage son Nate (Caleb McLaughlin), teenage daughter Shante (Demi Singleton), and youngest son Dre (Anthony B. Jenkins). They are joined by Ebony's recently-turned religious mother Alberta (Glenn Close), who has cancer. She struts around in various wigs and revealing clothes and has no problem criticizing Ebony, who is ironically struggling financially because she has been paying Alberta's medical costs. The two have a very contentious relationship. It doesn't help that Ebony has a criminal past and issues with alcohol. Child Protective Services has been involved and Ebony must work with caseworker, Cynthia Henry (Mo'Nique), and Ebony is not happy about that. Let's just say that Ebony and Cynthia also have a contentious relationship.
Shortly after moving, Dre begins speaking to and about an unseen presence he calls Tre, claiming it lives alternately in the basement and his bedroom closet. Dre gets catatonic from time to time especially after being down in that basement, and Nate and Shante also begin acting strangely. All three children experience unexplained psychiatric episodes at school and are hospitalized. However, doctors find no underlying issues, and they are discharged.
Then there is the strange woman in the car watching the house. She eventually approaches Ebony, introducing herself as Rev. Bernice James (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), a Pentecostal pastor who tells Ebony she had tried to stop a tragedy in Ebony's house 20 years prior. A woman had killed her family before killing herself, because she was possessed by a demon and James insists that the demon is still in the house. Uh-oh. That certainly explains some things.
Well, you know how these possessed house stories go, right? And there is always a basement, right? That's so we can yell at the screen - "Don't go down there!" But of course the characters always do. But I get that particular horror trope. In real life, dark basements scare me. Growing up we had one with a basement door off the kitchen. When that door was open, and I couldn't see down the stairs, I would sneak up on the door and quckly slam it shut, just in case there was something down there. Dark basements are a horror unto themselves.
This film was actually inspired by the real story of Latoya Ammans who encountered strange happenings and disturbing behavior by her children in her house in Gary, Indiana in 2011 where a priest eventually performed an exorcism.
So is there really a demon possessing Ebony's house and can these characters overcome it?
This is supernatural horror, but it's not your typical gotcha horror film, because it also explores the psychological horror of family dysfunction, and there is lots of that here too. It takes about an hour before the real horror begins, but director Lee Daniels, who won an Oscar for his film "Precious," creates tension early on in this beautifully and stylishing directed film written by David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum. And Daniels makes you care about the characters. Even though Ebony has some big issues, you care about her.
And speaking of Ebony, Andra Day is excellent here, as are all of the actors, but the revelation is Glenn Close. We have always known Glenn Close is one of our great actresses, but this is Glenn Close as you have never seen her. In her wigs and tarty clothes and bitter mouth, she isn't your typical mom and grandmother. She is actually kind of a monster. But then she goes from monstrous mom to a real monster. Prepare yourself for some epic teeth!
Rosy the Reviewer says...this film has a "Get Out" vibe with some of "The Exorcist" thrown in, so if you like supernatural horror featuring a classic diabolical house with a scary basement that will have you saying to the screen "Don't go down there," you will like this one. (Netflix)
Him (2025)
Rising football star, Cameron "Cam" Wade gets the chance to train with his idol, legendary quarterback Isaiah White - but things take a very dark turn.
The film begins with young Cameron "Cam" Cade watching his favorite football team, the San Antonio Saviors, win the league championship. But his joy turns to distress when his quarterback idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), suffers a violent, possibly career-ending injury while scoring the winning touchdown. Cam's father tells him that real men are willing to make such sacrifices. He says to young Cam, "Who are you?" And young Cam replies, "Him!"
Fast forward. Now, Cam's father has died, and Cam (Tyriqu Withers) is himself a rising football star. Encouraged by his family and girlfriend Jasmine (Heather Lynn Harris), he trains for the league Combine, but while practicing late on an empty field, Cam is ambushed and assaulted by an unidentified figure in a goat costume, causing a head injury that endangers his career.
However, despite his brain injury and motivated by his agent, Tom (Tim Heidecker), Cam plans to still attend the Combine to pursue the Saviors' quarterback position, even though he risks permanent brain damage if he incurs another injury. Tom later reveals to Cam that Isaiah White is considering retirement and has offered to train Cam for a week at a remote desert compound. Cam accepts and travels there, encountering some crazed Isaiah fans, which sets the tone for the crazy stuff that is going to ensue ata Isaiah's compound.
Of course, Isaiah's compound is out in the middle of nowhere "horror movie style," and looks more like a prison than a house. When Cam arrives, Isaiah says Cam is going to experience "radical detachment" - no phone, no porno, no Grinder, no Only Fans, just football. Is that what Cam was using his phone for?
Cam is put through some disturbing challenges, such as a practice drill where a Jugs machine hits a player every time Cam misses a pass. Also, Cam secretly receives shots of Isaiah's blood, which he is led to believe is an energy booster, and he experiences frequent hallucinations of masked figures, which he attributes to the concussion. Isaiah's wife, Elsie (Julia Fox), is a nutter and tries to seduce Cam and that whole thing with Isaiah's blood? It's part of Isaiah's evil plan.
Written by Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, and Justin Tipping and directed by Tipping, the film is beautifully produced and very operatic, but isn't that just like most sports - beautiful, dramatic and often tragic? Sports fans might enjoy the football motif and drills and horror fans might enjoy the requisite blood and gore, which comes eventually, but though I got football as a metaphor for the drive to be the greatest no matter what and how professional sports can chew up and spit out players, the film is almost too symbolic, nutty, even, and much is unexplained. So despite an interesting idea, good acting and good production values, the film just lost its way.
But speaking of acting, this is the first big feature film role for Withers after toiling in several TV series, and I predict a long career for him. He is a good actor and a handsome film presence. And Marlon, the younger brother of Keenan Ivory and Damon Wayans, who appeared with them on their comedy show "In Living Color." has come a long way from those days and shows his ability as a dramatic actor. I just wish the film had a been a better showcase for them.
Rosy the Reviewer says...sports can be a horror for anyone who doesn't like sports - okay, now, now, I'm kidding - but this film actually uses football as a metaphor to highlight the horrors of wanting fame at all costs. However, I just wish the film had been better. (Netflix)
See You Next Time!
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