Lisa Frankenstein (2024)

Lisa Frankenstein (2024). 1h 41m | PG-13

“LIKES:u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe 80s Viben-Iu0026#39;m a sucker for the decade of the 80s, as are most, and Lisa Frankenstein manages to capture the fun of the ending years of the decade.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-This film conveys the energy, the wild fashions, the big hair, and all the outdated cars, homes, and technology to really get that feel.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And somehow, that avenue was perfect to sort of dampen the darker tones of the movie, giving it that John Hughes version of an occult that opens up who can watch this film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Itu0026#39;s a perfect choice for decade and time period for me, and Cody/Williamsu0026#39; direction to help maximize it without getting too lost.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Opening Creditsn-A small like for some, the opening credits are a charming introduction to the tale we are about to partake in.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Itu0026#39;s animated, holding silhouette style of art that reminds me of some favorite games, alongside a Tim Burton animation that is haunting, but again curved to be cute than disturbing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-The story told at the beginning has a great medium to do it, and is concise, giving us more time to spend with Lisa and her… weird hobby.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Actingn-While not any of the Oscar talking roles, this younger cast accomplishes much for me in the film, handling this strange and disturbing content like a pro.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Breaking my rule, Iu0026#39;m going to credit the most involved performances than top three just because they are holding much of the performance and I think itu0026#39;s fair.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eCole Sprouse was quite dynamic for not saying many words through the film. Mostly using body acting and grunting, the former Suite Life star is a modern Hocus Pocus Billy as he struts, lumbers, and does other stuff to bounce off of Lisau0026#39;s actions and very fun in most cases.u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Soberano as Taffy, is the fun version of the damsel of the story, sweet, engaging, and fun, layered with that uncertainty vibe that can go which way. Add her Mean Girls delivery on lines, and you get some extra comedy power that I see many enjoying.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Newton is the star though, and is the ferry woman on this odd dance with death. How her character changes throughout the movie required a lot of versality, and I was impressed with how she managed to change her aura with each level. Mostly kempt, delivery of lines was amazing, and the way she captures that dark and methodical movements all add up to becoming a u0026quot;modernu0026quot; Frankenstein role that I think they were going for.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Comedyn-Itu0026#39;s twisted for much of the movie, but bravo for adding comedy styles that seem too hodge-podge and abstract to fit together.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Like the concept of Frankenstein though, somehow these pieces get sewn together and become this eclectic mix of parts that just work for the angle this film took.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Ignorance and stupidity of many cast offers that simple level of lightness to break up the darker roles of the macabre.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Then, you get into the dark elements, these puns, jabs, and sarcasm hyperbolized to the point of adding that dryer sense of humor that adds spice and u0026quot;livensu0026quot; things up.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And for those of the truly twisted and morose humor, Codyu0026#39;s writing has given you your feast of darker elements that may not quite cross into the full horror, but give you enough shock factory and dark reflections that will please your goth hearts.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-All-in-all, it works well and for much of the movie, I enjoyed the integration of this element.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCostumes/Makeup:n-Again, the costumes have a life of themselves, much of it reflecting the decade, holding the energy, setting, and vibe to not break the illusion of the past.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Sprouseu0026#39;s costumes are a tad more creative, a mixture of both worlds that becomes a very character element and comedic tool to have a lot of fun with and still be stylish. While his makeup application shows the artists telling a story on its own with impressive attention to detail.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And Lisau0026#39;s wardrobe goes above and beyond, taking all of the aforementioned elements, and giving that last push of edge, character development, and that added sex appeal of the Frankenstein to speak to the target audience.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Clever Writingn-Diablo Cody is known for her intelligence and wit with writing, finding ways to blend a lot of things into one movie.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Lisa Frankenstein I find a testament to her work, another mashup of satire to parody the classics, but adding that new age twist and drama to appeal to the modern audience.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-This story is not just that dark thriller the trailer seemed to highlight, but instead a really intriguing twist to the Frankenstein role.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-A character study, mixed with this odd romantic spin, that starts approaching CW levels of odd and cheesy, as they express the various qualities behind young u0026quot;love.u0026quot;n-And yet, there is something more, a sort of Cinderella tale that emerges from this, and helps add some thought provoking measures and cultural insight to those looking for a little deeper content.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Odd Character Developmentn-And much of the story comes down to the character profiling of the players involved.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Lisa in particular has so much to unpack, this essential dive into this fractured mind that like her namesake is stuck between artistic brilliance, teenage lust, and potential insanity.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-While the Creature somehow holds so many qualities and unravels his tightly held feelings, gradually introducing them with each new person who meets him.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-This is the odd fascination that pulls everything together, and will be very appealing to those liking Buffy, Supernatural, and Heathers like psyches.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Musicn-A nod to the music, itu0026#39;s a soundtrack list that feels welcome to all the scenes they were in. The 80u0026#39;s track list kept me bouncing, had some comedic involvement, and at times bridges sequences together.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And a two covers of REO speed wagon, each holding different weight in their use, another choice decision to work with that creativity of the writing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe DISLIKES:u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Pace/Concept Dropn-The pace starts out well, but then sadly loses pace about the last third of the movie, where things speed up to a bad levels.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-While it works with the logic of the story, the movieu0026#39;s interesting concept felt dropped to me, and turned more towards the CW element that works and yet needed more of the original conceptn-Several characters had potential to have more involvement and yet… it didnu0026#39;t happen and that was disappointing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGets Carried Away At Timesn-The darker tones threaten to overwhelm the movie at any point, and though it walks the thin line well, it does go overboard.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Lisau0026#39;s mindset is like the mad doctoru0026#39;s at point, and cross the insane point to a level that sometimes gets too True Crime for some.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And that ending decides to take things in an even weirder and more uncomfortable element that crosses into territory that (though funny and sarcastic) still is disgusting, twisted, and might only appeal to a small sample population.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eRated R Most Likely Neededn-Those moments of crossing the line, even though itu0026#39;s no level of SAW/Hostel, still are probably not full PG-13 no matter how poetic and charming this spin is.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Anything involving high school and teenage slaughter is very much a darker tale and so I would exercise caution for weak constitutions and taking younger audience members to be aware please.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eToo Silly/Geared To CW audience?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-And yes, Iu0026#39;m not the target audience for this movie, as Cody is very particular and often gears her writing to a niche audience.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-This filmu0026#39;s key audience should impress most of the group, but for me, the further into the movie, the more CW overdramatic than at the start.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-While impressive character exploration, the avenues they chose to explore have little effect on me and feel almost like a darker version of the film Blockers that seemed a little too cheesy and fanfiction for my tastes.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e-Fortunately, the metaphorical ending helps wrap things up to a level that I very much enjoyed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe VERDICT:u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLisa Frankenstein is weird, dark, and surprisingly intriguing on many levels. Codyu0026#39;s writing with Williams direction has captured the charm of Tim Burton horror, warping the story of Frankenstein to a fun level, and making it relevant for modern topics. A strong cast and even stronger production value really help, ironically, bring things to life, helping capture the spirit of the decades and content. This movie handles a lot of advanced concepts in a fun way, and does itu0026#39;s best to blend the morose macabre with that twisted tackiness, and with the blend of so many styles and elements, achieves something I didnu0026#39;t expect. Sadly, for me, the experimentation goes awry and veers into the niche audience level, venturing into that CW level of drama that feels fanfiction. True, there is some metaphorical poetry to help stem things, but it didnu0026#39;t save it for me and the fact that the original direction seemed dropped and lost before it hit momentum Had the not done that… I would have given this higher. With all these concepts, my score for Lisa Frankenstein is:u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eComedy/Horror/Romance: 7.5nMovie Overall: 7.0.”