MOVIE TITLE: Lisa Frankenstein
This horror/comedy/romance is now playing in theaters and available for purchase on Vudu.
RATING: PG-13 (I think it should be R)
LENGTH: 1 hour 41 minutes
MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B-
IN A NUTSHELL:
This quirky throwback to 80s horror was directed by Zelda Williams, who is the daughter of actor Robin Williams. This is her directorial debut of a major motion picture. Writing credits go to Diablo Cody, who also co-produced it.
The story is about a teenage girl who is willing to murder to bring her corpse crush to life.
THINGS I LIKED:
- Kathryn Newton is fantastic in this role as Lisa Swallows. I’m excited to see what else she can do.
- Another standout, for me, is Carla Gugino. Other cast members include Cole Sprouse as the Creature, Joe Chrest, and Liza Soberano.
- During the rolling credits at the beginning of the movie, we’re told a brief backstory in cartoon form to help us understand the current events.
- The color palette, hairstyles, home décor, music, and clothing instantly take us back to the 1980s. The story also has plenty of 80s tropes as a playful nod to past films.
- The first dream sequence is super creative. I wanted to see more of that.
- Fans of dark humor might get a real kick out of this. While the film isn’t perfect, there is definitely an audience for this kind of comedy horror.
- Fun soundtrack.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
- There’s a musical number, of sorts, that isn’t very good, yet we see a sweet connection between two characters being made during the song.
- The tone shifts dramatically from Act 1 to Act 3.
- Some scenes could have easily been cut to shorten the run time.
- Several plot points don’t make sense.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
- Teens drink alcohol and take drugs
- A character tells Lisa everyone pleasures themselves.
- We see teens in bed together.
- Blood splatters and body parts
- Brutal murders
- Talk of not wanting to be a virgin and male body parts
THEMES:
- The price we pay for love
- Belonging
- Recovering from trauma
- Mental illness
- Teen angst
FUNNY LINES:
- “That’s my dad’s shoe phone. He got it for free with a subscription to Sports Illustrated.” – Lisa (Kathryn Newton)
- “No, don’t cry. Your tears smell so bad.” – Lisa (Kathryn Newton)
- “I’m an IP: Intuitive Person. Took a whole seminar about it.” – Janet Swallows (Carla Gugino)
- “Lisa looks good. She could probably even do pageants if she had congeniality.” – school girl
- “I really hope this Goth phase ends soon.” – Officer Waters
OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- Edward Scissorhands: https://amzn.to/42NAeEk
- Sweeney Todd: https://amzn.to/3SYHwS6
- Heathers: https://amzn.to/3T9MQT7
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