Tribeca Review: Rain Reign (2026)

The story follows Rose, a neurodivergent 12-year-old obsessed with rules and homonyms, who embarks on an emotional search for her missing dog during a superstorm.

Rain Reign is directed by Erika Burke Rose which is her directorial debut. 

Rain Reign is a very straightforward coming of age story that works mainly due to its cast, the care that Erika Burke Rose put into the story and its quite authentic portrayal of neurodivergence. 

The performances are quite beautifully done across the board. Felice Kakaletris (a neurodivergent actress) plays Rose a 12 year old neurodivergent girl who we follow throughout the film. We get to see her personality and some traits that tie into the film’s story, one of the main ones being homonyms something that Rose loves (hence the title of the film.) Kakaletris does such a beautiful job here, not only does the performance feel authentic but Kakaletris fills with this anxiousness of feeling out of control. The beautiful  delivery lets the viewer see behind Rose’s shields whether that be heartache or frustration, she has a bunch of quiet moments that truly are effective. It’s a well done performance that the viewer quickly grows attached to and never lets go. 

Jeremy Sisto and Paul Rudd are also both fantastic here. Sisto plays Wesley, Rose’s father who is going through rough trauma making caring for his daughter a lot harder. Sisto brings a lot of depth to a performance that could have easily went down the “one dimensional” route. Rudd plays Uncle Weldon the direct opposite of Wesley, he has a much better gentleness and connection. Combined together, Sisto and Rudd both do wonderful here and are at best when they share the screen with one another. 

As someone who is neurodivergent how the film portrays neurodivergence is very well done. We get to see how Rose sees the world, how she communicates with the people around her and her general understanding of certain situations. One early scene of Rose having to be excused from the classroom and taking deep breaths is truly touching. Later in the film a classmate of her’s is sharing their experience with the storm that just occurred, the classmate was on the verge of crying so Rose asks “do you need to step outside” and goes with the classmate. This is by far my favorite scene of the film simply because we see Rose look at the people around her and wants to bring this light into the world. 

There’s also the beautiful third act involving Rose’s dog Rain, not only does it have some solid character moments for all the characters. It’s a sweet ending that ties up all the film’s plot lines in a nice little bow, sure the way these plots are tied up are not anything new and certainly won’t surprise the viewer. But there is this level of charm that you can’t help but appreciate. 

Rain Reign is not anything new, but as I said before it’s the film’s performances and authenticity that really sells it and pushes it to the finish line. 

Rain Reign currently has no distribution 

7/10 B

Scary Movie (2026)

Cindy and her friends as they are forced to reunite when the original masked killer returns 26 years later.

Scary Movie or Scary Movie 6 (2026) is directed by Michael Tiddes director of A Haunted House (2013), A Haunted House (2014), Fifty Shades Of Black (2016), Naked (2017), Sextuplets (2019)and Half Baked: Totally High (2024). The film is the sixth installment in the Scary Movie series. It’s a spiritual sequel the first two films. 

The Scary Movie series were without a doubt the most popular set of films that came from the parody movie era of the 2000s and the early 2010s. The first two films I still think are fun comedies that really nail down the whole idea of parody, there is still quite a bit of charm there that works well. The third and fourth movies have their moments, not everything works with the two but you do get some quite memorable moments. The fifth movie is quite horrendous and came out at a time when the parody genre was reaching its fall off. 

Scary Movie is luckily FAR better than Scary Movie 5 (2013). Although that is not exactly saying much and I can’t necessarily say that this is a good movie, when it comes to a parody movie not being as bad as ones like Scary Movie 5 (2013), Disaster Movie (2008), Epic Movie (2007) and a few others that is absolutely considered a win. 

First and foremost Anna Faris and Regina Hall once again do a really great job as Cindy Campbell and Brenda Meeks respectively. They both still have the comedic timing that they pull off incredibly well even with the movie’s more lame jokes, it’s great seeing the two together again and really showcases that without the two, the Scary Movie series just does not work nearly as well. Other characters that return are Doofy (played by Dave Sheridan), Shorty (played by Marlon Waynes) Ray (played by Shawn Waynes), Greg Phillippe (played by Lochlyn Munro) and Bobby Prinze (played by Jon Abrahams (although the latter two have very small roles.) The cast works well together and have the same level of charm they had in previous entries of the series. 

The introduction of the new characters is very mixed, their inclusion makes a lot of sense. After all the main story the movie is parodying is Scream 5 & 6, a majority of them however do feel underutilized. Credit where credit is due I do think the movie’s ending is a nice spin on the whole new characters in horror franchises sort of thing. 

As far as cameos go, I do think the movie does a pretty great job. There is shockingly not a whole lot of them and the ones that do appear got laughs out of me, definitely a breath of fresh air when you compare this to other parody movies that focused more on shoving as many cameos as possible. 

The first half of the movie is definitely the strongest, the movie comes out swinging with a quite strong and clever intro scene that while does capture the familiarity feel of these movies. It also has this nostalgic welcome back feel that you can’t help but appreciate, what follows is a steady string of good bits that you can tell the cast was having a blast with. While not every single one of these jokes lands as you do have a few that feel either forced, overly explained or stretched for way too long, for the most part the first half of the movie manages to stick the landing. 

Unfortunately that’s when things go downhill, the second half of the movie really reflects as to why the parody movie genre died. Most of the jokes in the second half feel like they are stretched for way too long, the movie does not let its own jokes breathe, when you combine that with shockingly slow pacing (how is this even an issue?) and you have yourself a very rough second half to get through. It’s frustrating because there are some decently clever set ups for jokes, but unfortunately the delivery and timing is incredibly messy. 

The movie also very clearly has a lot of scenes missing, there were points where it felt like this very messy project that was due the night before. There is a whole lot of jumping around from parody to parody that almost felt reminiscent of Family Guy cutaway gags. While a few of these jokes offer some great laughs, others feel like a complete waste of the movie’s time. 

Overall Scary Movie is really about what you expect, I think the main problem here with this one is it does not go far enough with its humor and does not do a whole lot to stand out. It ultimately does feel like just another parody movie that has a few memorable scenes attached to it. As I said before, this is far better than Scary Movie 5 (2013) and if you are a fan of these movies you will get some entertainment out of it. Just don’t go in expecting this to be up there with the earlier installments. 

Scary Movie is currently in theaters. 

4/10 D+

Backrooms (2026) Film Review

After a therapist’s patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him.

Backrooms is directed by Kane Parsons which is his directorial debut. The film is based on Parson’s web series and inspired by the Backrooms which came from a 2019 thread on 4chan. 

Backrooms is a very interesting one, what may on the surface seem straightforward turns out to be something much more strange and chaotic as the film goes on. It’s one of those films where this is not what I expected but in a very good way, the film does have bumps in the road but the overall package is quite fascinating. 

The performances are quite strong here, starting with Chiwetel Ejiofor who plays Clark a furniture store owner. Ejiofor gives this raw portrayal of a man going through loneliness, resentment and even declining mental sanity. As the film goes on we see all of this slowly but surely come together and the effect the Backrooms have on his character Clark, Ejiofor also captures the film’s surreal experimental atmosphere quite effectively and brings the viewer on this unsettling yet fascinating journey. 

Renate Reinsve gives yet another fantastic performance, Reinsve plays Mary a therapist who navigates the Backrooms. While Mary may seem like she is not one of Reinsve’s most developed characters she’s played. The development mainly comes from her body language, reactions to the Backrooms and what she finds in them. There’s moments where she hesitates while being pursued as well as standing there, the look on her face has this sense of sadness, sympathy and depression. It’s truly a prime example of how incredible Reinsve as an actress. 

What is truly incredible here is 20 year old Kane Parsons directing this, he does such an incredible job of bringing this atmosphere that is truly haunting. The first act brings you right into things with a found footage moment that truly brings tension to the viewer, it does a fantastic job of setting the atmosphere and bringing you into the experience. We also do get another found footage moment later on that is just as effective (quite honestly some of the most effective found footage moments in a while.) While the second does have incredibly slow pacing and is admittedly weaker than the first and third act, the direction from Parsons, the performances and the atmosphere are able to keep the viewer along for the ride. 

Then we get to the final act which is quite chaotic yet has some interesting themes that the film explores quite well. Mark by this point has lost sanity and he makes this known, there are some quite suspenseful scenes that really bring the viewer close to the action and the exploration of the film’s world. When you combine this with the effective cinematography from Jeremy Cox you truly do get unsettled as the viewer. 

Backrooms is one of those films where you should go in as blind as possible, overall the film is truly fascinating and Kane Parsons hits it out of the park. Parsons shows his ability to bring thrilling atmosphere with some well done characters (even if I wished there was a bit more development.) Backrooms is not going to be for everyone, but I do recommend giving this one a go! 

Backrooms is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+

Quick Review: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour (Live In 3D)

An accompanying 3D concert film, documenting the Manchester shows and co-directed by Eilish and James Cameron.

Quick Review 

Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is directed by James Cameron (Director of The Avatar series, Titanic (1997), The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) and many others) and Billie Eilish. 

When the news of a Billie Eilish and James Cameron collaboration was revealed I was incredibly intrigued, Billie Eilish is one of the best and most successful artists working today who with every album just keeps getting better and better. When you combine that with a legendary filmmaker like James Cameron you are bound to get some very intriguing results. What could have been just another concert film ends up being such a jaw dropping experience that elevates the film. 

The 3D technology being used here is nothing short of incredible, I know the phrase “it’s like you are actually there” has been used to death and probably will still continue to do so with every new piece of technology that’s invented. However with this film it does genuinely feel like you are there in the crowd at one of Billie Eilish’s concerts, whether it’s confetti flying around or someone in the crowd being up close to you it’s truly impressive technology that instantly brings you front and center into the film. 

Billie Eilish herself is of course excellent here, if you are a fan you know exactly what to expect. As the film’s name suggests it’s basically her incredibly successful Hit Me Hard and Soft tour all in one package, we do also get a few behind the scenes and some interviews that are quite interesting. Billie has this charisma and vulnerability to her that really adds to the film which keeps the viewer on board, these moments aren’t really anything groundbreaking but they are nice bonuses that keep the film flowing quite well. I also do appreciate the moments of seeing Billie connect with her fans and making them feel safe and seen, it adds this level of honesty and care to the film. 

Overall Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is a celebration of Billie Eilish as an artist who continues to grow and James Cameron who keeps developing new technology that keeps getting more and more impressive. Any fan of Billie should check this one out! 

Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) comes to VOD platforms soon. 

10/10 A+

The Moment (2026) Film Review

A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.

The Moment is directed by Aidan Zamiri which is his directorial debut. 

The Moment is Charli xcx’s first leading role (when you look release wise Erupcja came out in April) and while I do love her performance in Erupcja a lot more. She still does a fantastic job here, the film itself is also quite great as well. It’s a mockumentary that takes full advantage of its ideas and expands upon them quite well. 

The cast is all around quite strong, whether it’s cameos or the main characters the film’s world feels very complete with the performances. Rachel Sennott gets a great scene, Kylie Jenner surprisingly gives a decent performance (she plays a fictionalized version of herself so I do think it works here.) Rosanna Arquette gives an amusingly aggressive portrayal of industry pressure. Alexander Skarsgård is a cartoon character come to life and the film’s atmosphere compliments that incredibly well. Skarsgård plays Johannes Godwin a pretentious music video director who is very unhinged and does a fantastic job of epitomizing corporate groupthink and the more absurd, toxic traits of the music industry. 

Finally there is Charli xcx in this film she plays a fictionalized version of herself. Not only does this work with the film’s comedic moments but it does make the more dramatic ones as well as the character moments that much more effective. Charli xcx gives a vulnerable performance that really opens herself up as a person, when the film focuses on these moments it’s at its best. Her conversations with the rest of the characters perfectly match the atmosphere the film is going for, there’s this line of being grounded and over exaggerated that this film sits comfortably on. Usually this would be an issue, but I do think that Charli xcx’s performance combined with the script are able to keep it going at this steady pace. 

The writing is quite great here, the main exploration here is the music industry and how greedy it can really be. The film also tackles the completely messy nature of how art is sold which can hurt artists who are passionate. While these topics are certainly not new, the way the film goes about exploring them in this mockumentary style works incredibly well. We get to see it starting to affect Charli xcx throughout the film which leads to some particular great moments, there are a lot of ups and downs in the film which really do capture of how the music industry really behaves. One moment the higher ups are panicking because something fails and then the next they are happy as a clam because something did incredibly well. 

Overall The Moment is quite fantastic, it’s definitely not going to be for everyone (especially if you aren’t a fan of Charli xcx.) However I still do think it’s worth a look, there’s some really strong acting as well as very well put together film here. 

The Moment is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

Forbidden Fruits (2026) Film Review

At a mall store, Apple leads a secret witch cult with coworkers Cherry and Fig. New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.

Forbidden Fruits is directed by Meredith Alloway which is her directorial debut. 

Forbidden Fruits is one of the biggest surprises so far this year, what could have easily been another The Craft (1996) meets Mean Girls (2004) type of deal. Ends up going the extra mile and manages to be cleverly written and quite a whole lot of fun as well. Especially when you combine that with some really strong performances that truly make the film its identity. 

The film’s firepower comes from its performances, you would be forgiven if you went into the film thinking that the performances are not going to be anything special. However that’s not the case here because everyone here is giving it their all which really helps the film in the long run. 

For starters we have Lili Reinhart who plays Apple the leader of the trio, Reinhart gives such a fantastic performance here that it becomes crazy on how good she is. She nails the film’s campy, comedic and dramatic moments that all add up to such an investing performance. Reinhart also has the charisma to back herself up, you can feel that she fits like a glove for a film like Forbidden Fruits. Her conversations with the rest of the cast feel natural and the body language she uses here are both hilarious and kind of intimidating at times. Reinhart gives one of the best performances so far this year, without her I don’t think the film would have worked nearly as well. 

Victoria Pedretti is also quite fantastic here as well, she plays Cherry who is far more on the comedic side of things than Apple. But still manages to stand out quite well and that’s all due to Pedretti’s delivery, she really leans into the film’s more campy and comedic moments but manages to bring them to the viewer in a way that’s both fun and charming. These moments don’t feel forced or lame, it’s part of who Cherry is as a character and it truly works in the film’s favor. 

Lola Tung who plays Pumpkin and Alexandra Shipp who plays Fig are also great here as well, Tung is able to anchor the whole campy horror comedy element with this nuanced intriguing take of a performance. We get to see her explore the world around her as she goes from a mall worker to being a coven of witches. Finally Alexandra Shipp gives this stylish and magnetic energy that really boosts her performance, she might not get a whole lot of character moments. But that is made up by easily connecting with the rest of the cast. 

The writing is surprisingly cleverly written, there’s a lot of character moments particularly for Apple and Pumpkin that really bring this story together. There are elements of The Craft and Mean Girls but they are not the front and center, the film is more focused on giving the viewer a new experience while also putting elements of the previously two mentioned films in the mix. Especially during the film’s third act where things get very wild really quickly. 

The overall atmosphere is just what this film needed, it’s chaotic and mixes well with the location which is CF Sherway Garden which is a mall in Canada. The atmosphere and location combined together really paint this fun and investing picture that you can’t help but want to explore even when all of the chaos is going on. 

Overall Forbidden Fruits is a whole lot of fun from beginning to end, thematically there might not be a whole lot going on here. But the film makes up for it by not taking itself too seriously while also focusing on being a genuinely excellent film. 

Forbidden Fruits is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

undertone (2026) Film Review

The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.

undertone is directed by Ian Tusaon which is his directorial debut. 

undertone is the very definition of a film that is just not going to be for everyone, the film relies much more heavily on its technical aspects than a lot of other horror films do, mainly the sound, atmosphere and camera movements (which I will get into all of those.) The film does have an ending that is admittedly on the weaker side but for the most part this is a quite effective ride. 

Nina Kiri gives quite a great performance here, we get to see her character Evy slowly realize what is exactly going on with the 10 audio recordings and how horrifying they really are. Kiri does a fantastic job of capturing the film’s atmosphere, I do think some of Kiri’s best moments are with Michéle Duquet who plays Mama (Evy’s mother). These are some genuinely sad scenes and quite tragic that Kiri really excels at, I do wish the film elaborated just a tad more on this. However from what we got it is very effective and keeps the viewer invested. 

The film’s main weapon of choice is the technical aspects as I said before. Starting with the sound, it’s effectively used to terrify the viewer with each of the audio recordings getting more and more intense. The sound brings you into this world that is very close together as it starts to bring itself in the sounds of Evy’s house such as the floors creaking and stained breaths, Evy starts to become incredibly terrified of every sound even ones that normally you would write off. It brings this level of rawness to the mix that even when you are watching the film you may check around you to hear for noises. 

The camerawork from Graham Beasley is very well done, it’s at a much smaller scale and can feel claustrophobic at times. The cinematography has this fear of the unknown type of feel that you have no idea what is going to happen or why anything is happen but you still get this very uneasy feeling. When you combine this with the sound, you get some genuinely terrifying scenes that stick with you as the film goes on and even when it ends. 

Finally there is the atmosphere which brings the whole film together, almost immediately you are placed in this world where things just don’t feel right at all. As the film goes on we see more and more of this add up until the ending where admittedly the film does drop the ball. The ending does feel very abrupt and leaves the viewer with way more questions than answers (and I’m not exactly sure if it’s in a good way.) However the rest of the film is a very atmospheric ride that keeps stacking up until some very terrifying moments during the third act. 

undertone is definitely a film I recommend going into knowing as little as possible (I kept this review very brief because of this.) If it sounds like a film you are interested in I do recommend giving this one a go! 

undertone is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)

After surviving one deadly game, Grace and her sister Faith must now outrun four rival families competing for a powerful throne – winner takes all.

Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet directors of Devil’s Due (2014), Ready Or Not (2019), Scream (2021) Scream VI (2023) and Abigail (2024). The film serves as a sequel to Ready Or Not (2019).

Ready Or Not (2019) is a modern classic at this point, whenever someone brings up the conversation about their favorite horror films from the 2010s. Ready Or Not (2019) is going to be mentioned at least 10 times and rightfully so, it was an incredibly fun film that was genuinely really good. Samara Weaving and the rest of the cast were fantastic, the film’s gore, atmosphere, direction and humor were all incredibly effective as well. Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come does everything a sequel should do and even makes the argument of being better than its predecessor. 

First and foremost the cast give fantastic performances across the board, Samara Weaving returns as Grace and she is just as great here as she was in the previous film. I would even argue with the film’s bigger scale, Weaving gives a much grander performance that ends up being quite effective. Weaving has only grown as an actress since the previous film and we really see that here in this film, it’s truly a wonderful sight to behold plus with the added bonus of learning a lot more about Grace as a character. 

Kathryn Newton as Faith (Grace’s sister) is such a strong addition to the story, Newton works incredibly well with Weaving and has this natural chemistry that you feel almost immediately when she enters the film. She balances the humor with the more dramatic moments, the sisterhood element is genuinely charming and actually does have a few heartfelt moments at times. Newton has this charm that fits like a glove here, whether it’s the natural chemistry with Weaving or the chaotic energy she brings at times. There’s so much she delivers constantly throughout the film. 

The rest of the cast are quite fantastic as well. Elijah Wood has a bunch of great moments here that are genuinely hilarious, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy are both really strong here especially the latter who delivers a quite brutal scene involving Kathryn Newton. Gellar and Hatosy work well together and have plenty of scene stealing moments. 

The writing is quite strong here, there can be the occasional hiccup when it comes to some character moments. However the film still delivers in all fronts, whereas the first one leaned more into the horror side. I definitely think this film leans more into the comedic side of things which quite honestly makes sense and fits the story being told. That’s not to say there aren’t any straight up horror moments because there are plenty of those and they are all quite effective. 

Some might see this as a bit of a rehash of the previous film which is fair to say, but I do think the film manages to bring just the right amount of new elements combined with a larger scale to differentiate itself. The gore is back and just as fun as it was in the previous film, we get a lot more action sequences as well that effectively use the larger scale which the film takes advantage of. 

Overall Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come is a ton of fun from beginning to end, there might not be anything huge thematically going on here. However between the performances, charm, writing and the large scale it’s next to impossible to come out of this movie thinking you didn’t have fun with it. 

Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

Hokum (2026) Film Review

A horror writer visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, unaware the property is said to be haunted by a witch.

Hokum is directed by Damian McCarthy director of Caveat (2020) and Oddity (2024). 

Damian McCarthy is a name that is slowly rising in the horror genre, while Caveat was just fine (to be absolutely fair I haven’t seen it since it released so perhaps a rewatch is in order.) Oddity struck gold with its genuinely terrifying atmosphere, the excellent performances and the nice throwback to the classic haunted house film. Hokum continues the effectiveness of Oddity and doubles down on showing engaging McCarthy is as a director. 

The performances are all quite great, I’m not typically a huge fan of Adam Scott so his performance here really shocked me. He has his comedic moments but for the most part it’s this tense performance that is exploring the world around him. In a lot of ways Scott’s character Ohm Bauman connects with the viewer, when he is creeped out we are creeped out. It’s this experience that Scott really brings you in and it’s truly fascinating and makes the film all the more terrifying. David Wilmot also gives a great performance, it’s not an incredibly deep role however it has a nice balance of comedy and seriousness. 

Whereas Oddity reminds you of the classic haunted house film, Hokum reminds you of those 90s computer horror point and click games and I mean this in a positive way. There’s just something about the atmosphere that hits you with that sort of feel, you never know what’s going to pop out from around the corner. When you combine this with excellent and focused camerawork from cinematographer Colm Hogan who really does such a brilliant job of bringing the viewer into the film almost immediately, you truly get some thrilling results that are spread throughout the film. 

The film’s script is straightforward yet very effective, the mystery itself is genuinely engaging and has this classic feel that you can’t help but appreciate. The examination of repressed trauma combined with Irish folklore helps keep things fresh, the film also gives the hotel a lot of character with tons of attention to detail. We get so much to look at with certain floors of the hotel and as we explore you slowly but surely get an idea of what’s going on here. This is the sort of film that rewards the viewer for being patient, it leads into the film’s final act where it does get truly tense and the atmosphere comes at you in your face. 

Overall Hokum is an excellent film, it’s a straightforward yet very effective story that is truly worth it for the experience. 

Hokum is currently in theaters. 

9/10 A

The Bride (2026) Film Review

In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.

The Bride is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal director of The Lost Daughter (2021). 

The Bride is not what you expect at all, sure it does take inspiration from the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. But rather than just being yet another Frankenstein adaption, this one chooses to go a very different route with some choices that are admittedly some huge swings. Not everything here works, but the elements that do really help this film stand out. 

Jessie Buckley is quite fantastic here which isn’t really a surprise given how great of an actress she is. She actually plays a dual role, she plays The Bride and plays Mary Shelly, the ghost of the author of Frankenstein. She plays both these performances quite well, Buckley delivers an incredibly unhinged performance that has this unpredictable energy where it’s hard to read what she is going to do next. One minute she is having a somewhat normal conversation with someone and the next she’s twitching, yelling and saying the most bizarre sentences you could think of. In some cases this would be points against the movie, however Buckley does such a fantastic job of really capturing the bizarre atmosphere the film asks for that it ultimately works. 

Christian Bale meanwhile plays Frank (or Frankenstein’s monster) who looks beaten up and has been through this multiple times before. He is sad, lonely, strangely gentle at times and can even get terrifying when needed. It’s a very different take on the character that is admittedly really neat and something that we the audience typically don’t lean into. I do think Bale’s best moments are when he and Buckley are causing chaos together. There is this nice yin and yang type of feel going on here with The Bride and Frank (at least in the beginning) that the film does explore. 

As I said earlier the film is unhinged and it’s proud of it, there are times where the film definitely does not go far enough. However I do think the ideas presented are fascinating, the whole Mary Shelley’s ghost element strangely works incredibly well and fits into the narrative being told. Rather than showing how tragic these characters are, Gyllenhaal goes for a much more playful energy where these characters are chaotic and they are trying to figure out love, identity and revenge. Which I do think benefits the film far more in the end, sure thematically there is a bit of a mess going on here. But it’s the sort of mess that you can’t help but have fun with and genuinely appreciate. 

The technical aspects are really strong here, especially the cinematography from cinematographer Lawrence Sher who goes for this large in scale 1920s film that mixes gangster movies and gothic movies. It’s an incredibly strange hybrid that works in the context of what the film is presenting. The score from Hildur Guðnadóttir fits the mood of the film and really brings the viewer into the experience. 

Overall not everything in The Bride works but in the end it does end up being such a fun and genuinely great film. I admire the film for taking the swings it took and really not caring what anyone else thinks. 

The Bride is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+