Frankenstein (2025) #512

    Based on the classic novel, "Frankenstein" is a 2025 film directed by Guillermo del Toro, premiering on Netflix. It's a beautiful film to watch, from the amazing set pieces, locations, and costuming. The film is more inspired that an adaptation of the novel, especially when it concerns Victor's storyline. Luckily the film is split into two parts, and the second half is focused on the Creature which is much more accurate to the source material. The pacing varies at times, and with a runtime of 2 hours and 29 minutes, the film does feel a bit over long.

    The movie opens with the accurate beginning with Victor boarding a ship that is trying to reach the North Pole but is stuck in ice. After the crew has a brief encounter with the Creature, Victor tells the captain the story that eventually led him here. He explains how his mother died giving birth to his younger brother, and how this event led him into becoming a skilled but arrogant surgeon whose primary goal is to find a cure for death. He is expelled from school after an experiment but is hired by Henrich, an arms dealer, and prepares a fantastical laboratory. During this time, he meets his brother's fiancée, Elizabeth, falls in love with her, is rejected, and learns that Henrich wants his brain implanted in the body that Victor is building. 

    

    Victor refuses Henrich's request, Henrich dies in an accident, the experiment takes place, and Victor is distraught when he thinks everything has failed. The next day, however, Victor finds that the Creature is alive and has great strength and healing abilities but seems mentally limited after only learning and repeating the word "Victor". As Elizabeth bonds with the Creature, William discovers that Henrich is dead, and Victor blames his death on the Creature. After William and Elizabeth leave, Victor sets the lab of fire with the creature inside. Hearing his name, Victor tries to rescue the Creature but is severely injured.

    The second half of the movie begins with the Creature boarding the ship and telling the Captain his side of the story. And this is where the movie aligns with the novel that we all know and love. The Creature survives the explosion and takes refuge at a small farm. Over the next few months, the Creature learns to speak and read from the blind patriarch. One day the blind man is attacked by wolves, and when the Creature tries to save him, he is seen by the blind mans family who attack the Creature at once. They leave him for dead, but the Creature soon heals from his wounds and discovers that he can not die, at least by violence. He tracks Victor down and demands that he creates a companion for him, which Victor refuses to do. The Creature attacks Victor, and Elizabeth is mortally wounded while trying to stop the fight. The Creature takes Elizabeth to cave where she dies. Victor chases the Creature until they arrive in the Arctic, where they finally come to terms and Victor dies. Taking all of this as a sign, the Captain and his crew abandon their plans for the North Pole, and the Creature remains in the icy abyss.

X (2022) #506

"X" is the first released film in a new trilogy by writer/director Ti West and starring Mia Goth in all three films. Chronologically, "X" is the middle film in the narrative and takes places in 1978, preceded by "Pearl" which takes place in 1918, and then the series wraps up with "Maxxine" in 1985. "X" and "Pearl" were filmed back-to-back during the height of Covid, allowing Ti West to make the most of the location that was used in both films. 

Maxine is girl who knows what she wants and quotes "I will not accept a life I do not deserve". She also declares "you're a fucking sex symbol" to her reflection in the mirror, right before leaving for a X-rated film shoot out at a remote farm. Coming along is her boyfriend Wayne, fellow exotic dancer Bobby-Lynne and her primary scene partner Jackson, and director RJ and his shy girlfriend Lorraine. After a misunderstanding with the property owner Howard, the crew quickly gets to work. With her scene coming up later in the day, Maxine walks around the property and runs into Pearl, Howard's wife. Invited into the house, Pearl becomes almost obsessive over Maxine, showing her an old picture from her youth where the two look nearly identical. Maxine is able to get out of the house right before Howard returns.

Pearl secretly watches Maxine film her sex scene in the barn, which entices her to seduce Howard. He says he can't, and this triggers Pearl's unhealthy murderous tendencies. Her first victim is RJ, who she finds after he decides to leave the project after Lorraine requests to be in the film with the others. Then one by one the group is separated. Waye is killed by Pearl in the barn, while Howard locks Lorraine in the basement and then takes Jackson out to the river under the pretense that they are looking for his confused wife. Pearl sneaks into bed while Maxine is sleeping and molests her. Pearl quickly leaves when Maxine wakes up screaming. Bobby-Lynne tries to help Pearl, who is standing on a dock naked, but Pearl pusher her into the river where a large alligator quickly kills the young woman.

Lorraine escapes the basement only to be killed by Howard using a shotgun. Howard dies as he and Pearl tries to move the body. Maxine narrowly misses being shot Pearl, how is thrown back by the kickback of the gun. Pearl is finally killed when Maxine drives the van over her head. It's only at the end that we learn that Maxine is the daughter of a popular tv preacher, who constantly shown on the tv throughout the film. 

"X" is comprised of some great talent such as Brittany Snow (Would You Rather) as Bobby-Lynne, Martin Henderson (The Ring) as Wayne, Jenna Ortega as Lorraine, and of course Mia Goth as Maxine. This film is Ti West's return to horror, having been nine years since he had made "The Sacrament".

Fun detail - Plowing Service is painted on the side of the van the group drives to the farm in, a humorous innuendo that add levity to a dark film.