Movie Review - Frankenstein

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Horror/ Fantasy
Runtime: 149 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Charles Dance, David Bradley. Lars Mikkelsen, Felix Kammerer, Ralph Ineson
 
Description: Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creature.
 
Review: I think “Frankenstein” is one of the books with the most movie adaptations in its name. And if I could have chosen a director for the 2025 version, I would have definitely picked Guillermo del Toro. He is suited for this story, he knows how to visualize classics like “Frankenstein”. And I wasn’t wrong, because it’s so good.

We all know the story. Victor Frankenstein is an ambitious, somewhat egotistical scientist, who brings a creature to life. This eventually leads to the undoing of both him and his creation.

Guillermo del Toro manages to bring Mary Shelley’s gothic style to life. The visuals are stunning. The aesthetics, the sets, costumes and atmosphere are all spot on.  The film is layered, which is closer to Mary Shelley’s book and explores important themes such as creation, humanity and identity. The focus on the romantic connection between the monster and Elizabeth, and Victor’s resulting jealousy is an interesting addition to the original story.

The performances are really strong. The absolute star is Oscar Isaac, who portrays a layered Dr. Frankenstein and conveys his madness fantastically. Jacob Elordi is a surprising choice for the monster. He breaks through his “hunk” image he built up with previous roles. He plays the role credibly and vulnerably. Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz proves strong supporting roles and add extra color to the ensemble.

Many people criticize the slow pace, but they clearly never read the book. I think the pacing is perfect, taking time to tell the story and get to know the characters. It’s a long film, but I never felt that.
I absolutely loved this adaptation of “Frankenstein”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

20s Movie Review - Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Director: Sam Fell
Genre: Animation/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Family
Runtime: 98 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Thandie Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Imelda Staunton, David Bradley, Peter Serafinowicz

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 5: AN ANIMATED MOVIE
 
Description: Having pulled off an escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger (Thandie Newton) has found a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new threat, and Ginger and her team decide to break in.

Review: “Chicken Run”(2000) was already an obvious allegory for humanity is its own enemy. With chickens seeking to escape their fate, ending up as chicken patties. Those chickens, of course, are anthropomorphic beings with a soul and a consciousness. Created by Aarman Animations, known for its quirky stop-motion films. A company I have always loved and appreciated.

“Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget:  is a sequel to the original. Ginger and Rocky are back, now with a child named Molly. After escaping from the chicken farm from the first film, they have created a paradise for themselves and all the other chickens on an island. And no humans to be found. Molly, as the curious young girl she is, wants to know more about the ‘outside world’ and escapes the island to see it for herself. Where she ends up at a strange facility, with danger on the lookout.

“Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” doesn’t really add anything to the original, because it’s much of the same. But it’s fun, entertaining and witty. Aardman’s  style still stands out and there are plenty of jokes. It feels primarily as a gesture to the fan, who may have been yearning for a sequel. It’s just a very enjoyable film, and you will enjoy it if you did the first.  

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Good Grief

Director: Dan levy
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Dan Levy, Ruth Negga, Himish Patel, Luke Evans, Celia Imrie, David Bradley, Kaitlyn Dever, Arnaud Valois
 
Description: When his husband (Luke Evans) unexpectedly dies, Marc’s (Dan Levy) world shatters, sending him and his two best friends (Himesh Patel, Ruth Negga) on a soul-searching trip to Paris that reveals some hard truths they each needed to face.

Review: A cozy Christmas party with friends turns into a tragedy when Marc’s husband Oliver is killed in a car accident. Slowly trying to come to terms with the loss of Oliver, he is supported in this by his two best friends, Sophie and Thomas. But after a year, Marc discovers that Oliver had met someone else and was secretly renting an apartment in paris. Looking for answers, he takes Sophie and Thomas to Paris.

Marc’s grieving process is the focus, but you don’t spen an hour and a half watching a sad character. He is also angry with Oliver, and because the widower himself has told some lies, the friendship with Sophie and Thomas comes under pressure. Because friendship is such an important part of “Good Grief”, it never becomes a depressing film and story remains very hopeful.

Dan Levy, Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel have a fine chemistry and as a result it seems as if they have known each other for years. The mutual banter between the friends also keeps the film lighthearted and in the sharp dialogue you can see that Levy, who also wrote and directed the film, is a comedian. But he understands that “Good Grief” is a serious drama and never lets the humor dominate. There is a good balance.

I expected this movie to have more enthusiastic reviews, I really loved this movie. I loved Dan Levy. And I hope he will star in more movies that he wrote and directed himself.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Drama/ Family/ Musical/ Adventure/ Animation
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz
 
    
Description: A father’s wish magically brings a wooden boy to life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child.

Review: The story of Pinocchio has been filmed dozens of times. Earlier in 2022, we saw the lifeless Disney remake appear on their streaming service. Even though it had my favorite, Tom Hanks, in it, please forget about this film. As visionary director Guillermo del Toro does manage to put a unique spin on the famous story. With stop-motion.

The details are amazing; everything is designed as authentically as possible. Strong also how he sometimes moves the camera continuously through the image for a long time, which must be incredibly difficult with this form of animation. As always with stop-motion animation, it’s very visible that it’s been made with love.

Del Toro added a dose of realism to his version of “Pinocchio”. For example, the plot takes place during World War I and World War II. But the familiar plot elements are also present, like Pinocchio being exploited as a circus attraction.

It’s great to see what Del Toro with the already so familiar characters. Gepetto is a very tragic character here, a father who is still mourning over his deceased son, but must accept that Pinocchio cannot replace him. The cricket is also woven into the story in an original way; he lived in the tree from which the wood that made Pinocchio was used. That way, he follows Pinocchio everywhere he goes.

Del Toro tries to keep it somewhat kid-friendly by adding musical numbers, but these are not the most memorable parts of the film. Overall the film has a grim atmosphere, which makes it not always appropriate for the youngest of viewers. It’s a dark twist on the well-know tale, which overflows with creativity.

Of all the “Pinocchio” movie made over the past 5 years, this is the one to watch. The rest, easily forgettable.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - After Life (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2020
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Tony Way, Diane Morgan, Mandeep Dhillon, David Bradley, Kerry Godliman, Ashley Jensen, Paul Kaye, Penelope Wilton, Joe Wilkinson, Roisin Conaty

Description: After Tony’s (Ricky Gervais) wife dies unexpectedly, his nice-guy persona is altered into an impulsive, devil-may-care attitude; taking his old world by storm.

Review: Ricky Gervais has some undeniable talents. He can be considered the best in mocking Hollywood and its celebrities, like he showed us at the Golden Globes. But also has a lot of self-mockery, which you can see in his TV series “Extras”. And Gervais is a master in shamelessness, as he proved with “The Office”.
“After Life” was written and directed by Gervais and he managed to create a perfect mix of familiar elements from his previous work and newer elements. His character, Tony, is a widower and works for the local newspaper. He is cynical and sarcastic, but he himself is the one that eventually gets hit in the head. It has comical and dramatic effects, because the heart of the series lies with Tony and his love for his deceased wife and how he learns to deal with such a great loss.
Season one showed how Tony changed from a suicidal cynic to a more pleasant man, who found reason to live through the people around him. Season two makes clear he still has a long way to go to make life just a little more bearable. Even if the nice nurse that takes care of his father likes him, Tony misses his wife to much to start a new relationship. And whenever something slightly bad happens, he starts drinking.
The paper Tony works for is also struggling and his boss, who is also his brother-in-law has maritial problems. And the nurse he likes, got her eyes on another man, when in the meantime his postman wants to date Tony’s friend Roxy.
Like the first season, the humor is dark, the series has drama and the characters are great. I feel that the dramatic part overshadows the comedy a bit more in this season, that final episode made me cry so hard. But there is still enough humor there, that Gervais is known for.
“After Life” Season 2 doesn’t do anything different then its first season and I’m very okay with that. Because that was great and so is this season. I simply love Ricky Gervais and his show “After Life”, so much love for it.

TV Show Review - After Life (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 6
Year: 2019
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Tony Way, Diane Morgan, Mandeep Dhillon, David Bradley, Kerry Godliman, Ashley Jensen, Paul Kaye, Penelope Wilton, Joe Wilkinson, Roisin Conaty

Description: After Tony’s (Ricky Gervais) wife dies unexpectedly, his nice-guy persona is altered into an impulsive, devil-may-care attitude; taking his old world by storm.
Review: British comedian Ricky Gervais is know for his work on “The Office” “Extras”, “Derek” and his pessimistic stand-up shows. Gervais created, directed and stars in “After Life”.
Here he plays the depressed Tony. His wife died of cancer. The only thing left is a video message she made and their dog Brandy. Taking care of his dog keeps Tony from killing himself. But it’s clear he’s done with life. He is cynical about everything. His job at the local free newspaper doesn’t bring him any joy either, only bizarre stories.
But with all this darkness, there is a little hope. Tony finds a little bit of joy in his life. For instance a drug addict and his prostitute friend. He shows he’s has a human side. Him meeting a widow in the cemetery shows a different side of Tony as well. Since they share the feeling of grief. When Tony visits his dementing father, the nurse gets his attention. And a new co-worker brings a little light to Tony’s dark light as well. But his gloom and self-destruction stand in the way to making any progress.
It all sounds like a very dramatic series with dark themes. But the power of this series lies with Ricky Gervais and how he tackles it all with humor. It’s not a light series, it manages to move you, but has a constant dark humoristic side. Gervais is best in roles like this.
“After Life” has only 6 episodes in this first season, which are all about 30 minutes long. And it managed to tell a story that you care about and it’s super strong. I can’t wait to see season 2.