Movie Reviews: 'Lisa Frankenstein' A Story Of Loss And Love, With A Hint Of Mayhem
Lisa Frankenstein: 3 stars
Fifteen years after Jennifer's Body, author Diablo Cody returns to the world of horror with a teen version of Mary Shelley's gothic masterpiece. Lisa Frankenstein, now in theaters, brings to life a reanimated corpse and a mysterious teenage love interest.
A chilling 1989 romantic comedy starring Kathryn Newton as Lisa Swallows, a dark goth woman who feels out of sync with the world. “Lisa looks good,” says her half-sister Tavi (Lisa Saberano). "She can even keep up if she's loved."
Lisa, the survivor of a horrific ax attack that killed her mother, writes dark poetry, watches silent movies, and frequents Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, a ruined graveyard near her high school. She rubs wax on tombstones and is particularly drawn to the headstone of a handsome young Victorian whose bust rests on the grave.
"I don't think we should forget anyone," he said.
At school, she falls in love with Michael (Henry Eikenberry), the editor of the school's literary magazine, but his distant nature prevents her from making the first move. “I can always count on Lisa to work on Saturdays,” explains her boss at the dry cleaners where she works as a seamstress, “because she doesn't have documents.”
At home, her father (Joe Crist) is the kind counterpart to her evil stepmother (Carla Gugino), a psychiatric nurse who would hesitate to send Lisa to a mental institution.
When a freak storm knocks down the cross pendant Lisa hung over her favorite grave, a young man (Riverdale's Cole Sprouse) wakes up and heads to Lisa's house. After a not-so-pleasant encounter, they develop an emotional bond.
They complement each other, but they are not perfect. It's almost perfect, except for the culture shock and some missing pieces, which they try to replace and rebuild with some unwitting victims and the electrical charge of a broken tanning bed.
“Lisa Frankenstein” is not just gender-swapped “weird science” or a distortion of the scientific perception of “Frankenstein.” It's a high school story about loss and love with a touch of chaos. Cody's story is often more strange than funny, but the relatable underlying theme, even if it's a man "talking" with a growl, is honest and moving. It's still a slasher, but it's more about what makes the heart beat than what keeps it from beating.
Newton, visually embodying a "Who's That Girl"-era Madonna, is eccentric but charming, making Lisa likable even as she aids and abets some dastardly acts in the name of love.
As the zombie heartthrob, Sprouse exudes a strong Edward Scissorhands vibe, in a role that could have been played by Johnny Depp if this film had been made in the early 1990s.
Gugina does his best as the good guy, but Saberano steals scenes as Taffy, Lisa's soft-spoken but big-hearted half-sister.
With “Lisa Frankenstein,” director Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, creates a stylistic homage to John Hughes and Tim Burton. It's a sweet, strange zombie love story that understands the fears of teenagers and how the heart wants what it wants, even when it stops beating.
Sometimes I think about death: 3 and a half stars
"Sometimes I Think About Death" is best described as a sad mix of melancholy and comedy. “Sometimes I Think About Death,” now in theaters, is a tender and tender exploration of social anxiety and disconnection.
Daisy Ridley postpones a successful period in her career to play Fran, a lonely office worker who avoids eye contact, lives alone and rarely speaks. Her kind colleagues often ignore her and leave her alone in the back corner of her workstation, except for her computer and spreadsheets.
At night, in the solitude of her house, she spends time imagining that she is dead and that her body is represented in various artistic images, such as a Viking burial or an idyllic forest. He has no desire to die, he is only fascinated by the pathological idea of what death means. About how the emptiness of death would be different from the emptiness of his life.
She is invisible to everyone at work except new employee Robert (Dave Merhage). He is a chatty, friendly man who fills the air with a stream of insightful observations about what it would be like if an armchair were shaped like armrests, etc.
On his first day at work, he tells everyone that he loves Thai food, going to the movies, and awkward silence. He and Fran seem to get along well.
And that's what they do.
Their friendship begins with an email exchange about work that turns into a movie date. Desperate to connect, they become attracted to each other, experiencing awkward silences, etc.
“Sometimes I Think About Death” is a quiet film that revels in its triviality. From idle office chatter and the simple kindness of friends acting out a murder mystery, to the getting-to-know-yourself phase of a relationship and falling asleep while watching a movie, it's a case study of everyday life from the perspective of someone overwhelmed by life.
Ridley gives the best performance of his career as a man uncomfortable even in his comfort zone. Fran could have been a coded character or one with no discernible traits, but Ridley does so much with so little. His intense reserve is a mask and Ridley hesitantly allows his personality to shine. It's a beautiful, quiet performance that could have been dark, but Ridley manages to do something without visible facial expressions.
Another standout is Marcia DeBonis as Carol, a former colleague who delivers a devastating but understated monologue at the end of the film. Carol and Fran have nothing in common except that they occupy the same space when they work together. But in a warm and honest way, Carol gives Fran hope. No spoilers here, but this scene and the one immediately after are the climax of the film.
“Sometimes I Think About Death” is quieter and contains no real conflict, except for a sudden bitter note that is powerfully moving given the film's calming tone. A film driven by ideas rather than plot elements requires patience, but for a film about the absence of emotion, it offers a tangible, emotional conclusion to Fran's story.
Float: 2 ½ stars
“Float,” the new romantic comedy in theaters now starring Kim Convenience’s Andrea Pang and Upload’s Robbie Amell, is an old-fashioned romantic comedy about choosing between the expectations of family and love.
Set in the summer before Waverly (Pang) begins her stay in Toronto, the story begins when the young heroine goes on a detour after a planned visit to Taiwan with her parents. I hadn't seen her for years, since I was studying medicine in Chicago. "They make sure I get everything I need, but they don't really know me," he says.
At the last minute, he takes a detour and visits his hippie aunt (Michelle Krusek) in Tofino, British Columbia.
"I haven't had a day off since medical school," Waverly says. "Now I have a chance. I didn't tell my parents."
It's a rare reckless move for Waverly, who until now has followed the life path laid out for her by her mother and father.
When she nearly drowns, charming and handsome lifeguard Blake (Ammell) comes to her aid. He is a local citizen linked to the city by family obligations. The two hit it off and when Waverly settles in a seaside town, Blake gives her swimming lessons.
- Why are you doing this? - she asks.
"I love spending time with you," he said.
They fall in love, but will Waverly's parents' expectations get in the way of their life together?
If you can't figure out how The Float ends, you might want to reconsider your Harlequin Book of the Month subscription. An escapist story about finding a path forward in life using love as a compass may be predictable, but writer and co-director (adapted from Kate Marchant's Wattpad bestseller) Shireen Lee provides enough conflict between Waverly and her parents. , as well as Blake and her sister, which left the film lacking dramatic emotion.
This is a story, Waverly says, about finding a family that makes sense, not a biological one. It's about the joy of friendship and love, as well as being open to new experiences and new people. To this end, Lee has assembled a committed supporting cast, with King Bach, Rukia Bernard, Sarah Desjardins, Ghazal Azarbad and Tristan Arthur playing members of Waverly's new supportive family.
Given the film's setting, it's fitting that The Float serves as summer beach reading. Despite some serious and awkward dialogue – “I want to stay here with you, but I want to be a doctor,” which sounds like a throwaway line from a Hallmark movie – the film does what it's supposed to do: offer a new spin on a movie. Classic type.
