Greetings again from the darkness. As a lifelong lover of cinema, I tend to latch on to the works of those who so obviously feel the same. Among those who have achieved some level of mainstream success are Martin Scorses, Quinton Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan. Another filmmaker who definitely belongs in the group, and it may surprise some, is Guillermo del Toro (an Oscar winner for PINOCCHIO, 2022, and THE SHAPE OF WATER, 2017). Other gems in his oeuvre include CRIMSON PEAK (2015) and PAN’S LABRYNTH (2006). The esteemed director has long claimed that his “dream project” is a film version of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus”.
The dream is now a reality, and what a thing of beauty it is. The visuals here eclipse all expectations, and the only caution I would offer is that the tone and themes are a bit of a twist from traditional takes on the story … and we all know there have been many previous takes. All of this confirms what a remarkable source material Mary Shelley’s novel is. That’s not to say del Toro’s version is ‘new’, yet it’s certainly an oddity and an outlier to what we’ve come to expect from Frankenstein movies.
Setting the film in 1857 (nearly 40 years after the novel) affords del Toro some benefits of advancements, as well as audience familiarity to the times. It may seem strange, or even contrary, but to me, this film’s central theme is humanity – how we use it and how we sometimes work against it. An opening in the Arctic where creature (Jacob Elordi) and creator (Oscar Isaac) cross paths yet again – after chases that only become clear later in the film – and it’s horrifying and stunning. Pivotal to the sequence is Captain Anderson’s (Lars Mikkelsen, “House of Cards”, and brother of Mads) ship and crew.
Victor Frankenstein, the human God/creator, is played with enthusiastic ambition that often drifts into mania. He’s a man of science whose vision refuses to be contained. Even in success, his need to control override his accomplishments … meaning the creature is truly born into misery and pain, resulting in confusion and a need to find where and how he belongs. Is it possible for a laboratory experiment to be a tortured soul? Director del Toro clearly believes this … as did James Whale in those early versions. It’s in these moments where Elordi truly shines as the creature – it’s a terrific performance through prosthetics.
Two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth (a dual role) are both terrific in supporting roles, and it’s best if nothing further is disclosed about their characters as each are key to the story. Beyond the fascinating, tragic, and heartbreaking story is a film with such stunning visuals that it stands alone as a work of art. Guillermo del Toro’s talented crew includes cinematographer Dan Laustsen, Production Designer Tamara Deverell, Oscar winning Set Decorator Shane Vieau, and two-time Oscar winning composer Alexandre Desplat, who delivers an incredible score (one certain to be nominated). Of course, as previously stated, this was the “dream project” of Guillermo del Toro, and he has delivered one for the ages … dreams really do come true!
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. The line between right and wrong may be more blurred than ever these days, yet we’d be mistaken if we were to assume that the line was once distinct and clear. Rick Rowley (Oscar nominated for his 2013 documentary DIRTY WARS) offers the disturbing details of the investigation into the 2010 event that led to the death at the border of an undocumented Mexican immigrant named Anastasio Hernandez – Rojas.
Greetings again from the darkness. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this one. You don’t need to be an old man either. Since I am both, you can only imagine the appreciation I have for writer-director Carson Lund and his co-writers Michael Basta and Nate Fisher as they deliver a nostalgic and humorous look at how men deal with glory days of old and a rapidly changing landscape that looks to erase the past and their memories.
Greetings again from the darkness. Dysfunctional families are frequently at the center of movies – often used for comedic effect. But this latest family drama from writer-director Joachim Trier (THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, 2021) is something different. It’s something much more powerful. Trier delivers a film of characters struggling with the real effects of the tangled web of emotions that occur when family dynamics take the inevitable twists and turns.
Greetings again from the darkness. Longtime movie lovers usually cringe with announcements regarding movie remakes. Of course, some work out pretty well: A STAR IS BORN (2018), THE THING (1982), TRUE GRIT (2010); while others deserve backlash: PSYCHO (1998), ROLLERBALL (2002), THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003). When the news hit that writer-director Tom Gormican (THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, 2022) was going to remake ANACONDA (1997), it wasn’t so much a cringe reaction as it was a giant question mark … Why remake a movie that on its best day could only be labeled a fringe cult favorite? Once the leads of Jack Black (after Nic Cage dropped out) and Paul Rudd were announced, it made much more sense. This was to be a comedic take on an original film that featured quite a few accidental comedy elements.
Greetings again from the darkness. We give thanks to the movie Gods for filmmakers like Josh Safdie, as there is zero chance that he will ever make a movie that bores us. This is his first solo movie in many years after frequent collaborations with his brother, Benny (UNCUT GEMS, 2019; GOOD TIME, 2017). But fear not, because working alongside the writer-director are other frequent collaborators: screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, cinematographer Darius Khondji, composer Daniel Lopatin, and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi.
Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Do what you love’ and ‘Pursue your passion.’ That’s the traditional advice we give youngsters, so they won’t grow up to live a mundane life filled with regrets. Perhaps there is no better example of living your dream than the real-life love story of Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl-Sardina. These two Milwaukee residents not only found a path to sing on stage, they also found true love with each other.
Greetings again from the darkness. Horror films are a dime a dozen (meaning there is no shortage from the genre), so it’s a revelation when a filmmaker has a legitimate feel for psychological horror – the kind that creeps us out and (likely) causes a nightmare or two. Such is the case for writer-director Paul Bickel. The scariest place on Earth is between our ears, and Bickel attacks the space by keeping us guessing as we attempt to solve the mysterious events occurring on screen.
Greetings again from the darkness. The next entry in the HBO Music Box documentary series comes from director Amy Scott and provides a textbook example of what can happen when a band hits it big ‘overnight’. It’s not always pretty, and sometimes it’s downright uncomfortable. Counting Crows’ popularity exploded with the release of their 1993 debut album, “August and Everything After”. The hit single, “Mr Jones” was all over the radio, only to be followed by an even better song, “Round Here”. The band and their music were ubiquitous.
Greetings again from the darkness. Director Paul Feig hit it big with the outrageous comedy BRIDESMAIDS in 2011, and then he got a lot more interesting as a filmmaker by directing screen adaptations of Darcey Bell novels that were so popular with Book Clubs – A SIMPLE FAVOR (2018) and ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR (2025). There’s no need to mess with a good thing, right? This time he’s directing another Book Club favorite, Frieda McFadden’s 2022 novel. Adapted for the screen by Rebecca Sonnenshine, the movie subjects three gorgeous actors to some off-the-chart twisted and devious turns.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 