Film reviews

Frankenstein Review

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The mind of Guillermo del Toro finds creative connections in a powerhouse effort which includes wonders of cinematic imagination unlike any other. From the worlds of Pan’s Labyrinth, The Orphanage, and Pinocchio, he creates new meaning with Frankenstein, one where an emergence of lights evolves, but the political aspects regarding humanistic value fall in the middle.

To provide context, this is not your common Halloween-type Frankenstein film. This one has a storyline with emphasis which gives the monster meaning. There is a strong sense of purpose in del Toro’s direction. The madness in this breathtaking storyline takes viewers on a journey of suspense and amazement filled with mind-boggling grandeur. The creator and monster both have their own story. Frankenstein should be seen on a big screen over the Netflix platform, because the big-screen experience will amplify del Toro’s immersive surreal portrait.

The plot focuses on Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac). He is a scientist with a clever mind but also cruel with a massive ego. He has a history of inventions as well as trials of deceit. There are many political feuds with Victor. The setting is the 19thcentury, and the film focuses on Victor’s creation of a monster. With the help of his assistant Harlander (Christoph Waltz), some moving parts begin to go awry. The scientific aspects of the film have a backstory starting with Victor trying to run from what he has created. He ends up with sailors and begins to tell them why he is running from his creation—the film proceeds in acts from that point forward.

One captivating part of the film is the fact that it uses cinematics to lay out the events which provide context of how terror evolved. It also loops in Victor as the victim. Guillermo del Toro is accomplished at introducing enemies as the source of material for major emphasis in his projects. He is not afraid to bring out the worst of his characters and shine the light of terror with aftermath upon them. This situation comes into play for Victor in Frankenstein after creating The Creature (that is the character’s name, played by Jacob Elordi). He slowly develops humanistic attributes, but with Victor treating him like a slave, his monstrous avenues begin to expand rapidly. The Creature begins to feel love for a girl named Elizabeth (Mia Goth). With Victor, however, the life of The Creature is a living nightmare. Victor’s prison-like lifestyle fuels The Creature’s desire for ravenous vengeance.

Frankenstein is quite an enjoyable thrill ride. The story is very well-written and extremely well directed. All The Creature wants is to feel loved. His creator, Victor, wants to feel accomplished for his creation. Where do they both find happiness? Given the difference between being a real live human being and a man’s creation, del Toro creates a unique vision of life filled with many wonders in his version of Frankenstein. Suspense, love, lust, and ego all combine into cinematics which result in incredible genius. Four out of four stars for Frankenstein.

Film reviews

A House of Dynamite Review

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Written by Noah Oppenheim and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, A House of Dynamite is a politically fueled thriller where uncertainty lingers. It is also one of those films that gambles with political affiliations and tactics. Throughout the film, there are weaving moments between different political sectors which bring up questions as the audience flows through the journey of it’s intense scenario. Bigelow knows how to keep the volume turned up with A House of Dynamite.


The film has an all-star cast including Idris Elba (as POTUS), Rebecca Ferguson (as Captain Olivia Walker), Gabrial Basso (as Jake Baerington), and Tracy Letts (as General Anthony Brady). All of these characters serve a purpose in A House of Dynamite. They are the heroes who stand on the front lines and make calls about how to handle an attack. At the same time though, the risks and politics come into play for interference. This is where the writing and directing of this screenplay takes the cake to new levels of suspense.

The film begins with an unidentified intercontinental ballistic missile flying in the sky. Many believe that it is a test, but the reality is quite clear. Olivia Walker comes in to monitor the threats. It is recognized as an ICBM launch.  More high-ranking officials come into play. POTUS is the president, General Anthony Brady is a senior military officer at United States Strategic Command, and Jake Baerinton is the Deputy of National Security and together, they must communicate to figure out what calls to make in terms of standing by or engaging in an attack. At the same time though, political feuds only add fuel to the fire. A House of Dynamite is a film where gambling is about truly getting the numbers right before making a decision.

The film has writing that jumps between different countries and political components with a lot of play with Asia, Russia, and Korea. These are places where resources tend to overlap and have political aggravations. Throughout the film the ones on the frontline continue to negotiate, but at the same time, the safety of people becomes more limited as choices begin to have delays. The options of how to protect are complicated to analyze. Bigelow brings all the political factors that topple each other vividly to burn up the screen with hierarchy that serves a bigger purpose. I respect her for this though, because she paints a portrait of how some real problems of the world truly do not get resolved.

This is a powerhouse with political rollercoaster ride moments that continue the intensity. So much in A House of Dynamite is filled with precious moments at risk which create the foundation of how far hierarchies will go in the name of a call. I was hooked on the film. A lot of it was not only about the politics, but also by how the demographics come into the picture. To clarify, the fingers get pointed at countries such as North Korea or Russia—that is the portion of the film where the disagreements create the landscape to make the timing of the essence.

The performances of Ferguson, Baerington, and Elba I felt gave the most meaning to A House of Dynamite. Their calls and sensitivity levels present the humanistic value of fear whichweaves in and out of the scenario in fragments. There in lies a worldwide phenomenon of concern. A House of Dynamite soars with success. Realism has a clear portrait of unidentified solutions and many questions that continue to search for answers. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for A House of Dynamite.

 

 

 

Film reviews

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Review

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With an astonishing portrait with honesty written all over it, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is by far one of the most breathtaking and surreal biopics I have seen in years. Jeremy Allen-White was born to play Bruce Springsteen. He delivers the personality, the emotional talent, and gifted tones of aching pains to play into his musical characterization. Directed by Scott Derrickson, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is bound to be one of the most talked about films of 2025. It does not only have the many musical moments of achievement, but also brings a flood of emotions into the backstory of Springsteen himself.

The film focuses on the early days of Bruce–his childhood and dealing with his abusive father. He goes back in his mind a lot as he is on the road and becoming famous. Dealing with the past leads to some dark roads ahead of him. Even though he has fame on his side, it is not always making him mentally positive. The road to success is not an easy one, as Bruce works with his agent Jon Landau with a lot of potential opportunity in limbo in the music business. Jon is played by Jeremy Strong, and as he pushes harder for Bruce to thrive on his musical fame and keep writing songs that sell, the momentum for Bruce tends to decrease. This leads Springsteen to go the solo album route. 

The relationship aspects of the film come on strong in the screenplay. Much of it gears a generous amount toward Bruce’s relationship with his father Douglas Springsteen. Stephen Graham plays the role of Bruce’s father. The conflict between his younger days of his father’s abuse and his increasing fame and public adoration fill his mind. This is where the film finds the balance of emotional and surreal resemblance—there is art from despair in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.

The film dives deep into Bruce’s psyche. The moments of how he captures the sadness in his song writing are conveyed through the talent of White. His performance shines with amazement as he delivers this role showing the resilience to still have a heart while also battling one’s own demons. It also dives into the commitment from Jon. Despite the frustrations Jon has with Bruce, he makes sure that things go according to plan. The dynamic duo of White and Strong creates a massive success in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.

With all the musical elements, the disconnect, and achievements, the film weaves to create an understanding that fame and popularity do not guarantee happiness. The life of Bruce is one that is hard to dismiss. The words of his voice telling his story via singing and songwriting is where Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere rises to inspire. Audiences will be inspired by this film. The early days of Springsteen show a world of sadness awaiting to become an artistic vision that will move many around the world. The film made me appreciate life. It also fascinated me with uncovering the amount of sacrifice that can go into one loving their craft so much. Four out of four stars for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

 

 

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