Frankenstein

2025 Netflix

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 29min

Epic ~ Gothic Drama ~ Fantasy ~ Gothic Horror ~ Sci-Fi

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.

Life sparked. Death unleashed.

Only Monsters Play God.

In 1857, the Arctic ice traps a Danish expedition vessel whose crew discovers Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) badly wounded on the frozen wasteland. Victor warns them of a powerful Creature (Jacob Elordi) hunting him relentlessly. Inside the warmth of the Captain’s cabin, Victor begins to tell his harrowing story, a tale of ambition and loss that led to this desperate moment.

Victor grew up under the stern hand of his father, Baron Frankenstein (Charles Dance), and the death of his beloved mother (Mia Goth) left deep scars. Encouraged by grief and driven by an obsessive desire to conquer death, Victor pursues radical medical experiments. With funding from an arms dealer, Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), Victor creates a gruesome but brilliant new life form, hoping it will change humanity forever.

Victor’s creation, part man, part monster, is awakened amid a storm and darkness, but the being’s emergence unleashes consequences Victor had never imagined. The Creature struggles to understand its own existence while Victor wrestles with guilt and fear. Around them, loyalties and betrayals form, as Elizabeth (Mia Goth), Victor’s love interest, and William (Felix Kammerer), his brother, navigate the tangled web Victor’s ambition has spun.

As Victor’s world spirals into chaos, the bond between creator and creation becomes more complicated and threatening. The story explores themes of family pain, societal rejection, and the dangerous thirst for power, all set amid the haunting grandeur of Victorian-era landscapes. This is not just a monster story, it is a deeply emotional and dark journey of both man and what he dares to create. Del Toro’s Frankenstein stands as a towering epic in monster cinema, a visually stunning and emotionally resonant reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic tale. Del Toro’s signature style shines through in every frame, blending dark gothic horror with profound humanity and complex character dynamics.

Oscar Isaac delivers a commanding and layered performance as Victor Frankenstein, capturing the scientist’s obsessive brilliance and profound torment. Jacob Elordi’s Creature is both terrifying and tragically sympathetic, bringing depth to the monstrous figure beyond mere horror iconography. Mia Goth impressively anchors dual roles with nuance and intensity, embodying pivotal influences on Frankenstein’s psyche. Christoph Waltz’s portrayal of the calculating Henrich Harlander adds a sinister sophistication to the narrative. Overall, the ensemble cast elevates Del Toro’s monstrous creation, making this Frankenstein an unforgettable cinematic journey that balances spectacle with deeply felt performances.

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on Netflix!

Nosferatu

2024 Focus Features

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 12min

Gothic Horror ~ Supernatural Horror ~ Vampire Horror

Directed by: Robert Eggers

Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson and Willem Dafoe.

Succumb To The Darkness

Nosferatu unfolds in 19th-century Germany, centering on Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), a young woman haunted by eerie nightmares and a psychic connection to the mysterious vampire Nosferatu. Ellen’s husband, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), a real estate agent, is sent to Transylvania to finalize the sale of a remote manor to the reclusive and terrifying Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård). Despite warnings from locals, Thomas persists, unaware of the dark fate awaiting him and his family.

Upon meeting Count Orlok at his eerie castle, Thomas experiences increasingly disturbing events. Orlok exerts a malevolent influence, forcing Thomas to annul his marriage to Ellen through a strange document. While Thomas becomes physically weakened and trapped in the castle, Orlok sets off on a ship to Ellen’s town, Wisborg, carrying with him a devastating plague transmitted by rats. Ellen’s health deteriorates as she suffers from seizures and sleepwalking, under the vampire’s sinister spell.

As Orlok’s deadly presence spreads devastation through Wisborg, Ellen, along with her allies the doctor Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson) and occult scientist Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe), seeks to uncover a way to stop Nosferatu. They discover that Orlok’s power can only be ended by a willing sacrifice from a pure maiden. Ellen, driven by love and despair, makes a harrowing decision to confront Orlok on her own.

The tension crescendos as Ellen sacrifices herself, luring Orlok and stalling him until sunrise, ultimately ending his reign of terror. This act is both tragic and empowering, highlighting Ellen’s bravery and empathy amid chaos and loss. The film doesn’t shy away from exploring dark sexual themes, violence, and despair, pushing boundaries both visually and narratively.

Nosferatu is a triumph of horror craftsmanship, its moody visuals, gripping performances, and relentless sense of doom evoke the spirit of the original while giving it new life. While it lacks some visceral scares, it makes up for it in atmosphere and existential horror, a film not just about vampires but about loneliness, obsession, and sacrificial love. For fans of Gothic, Vampire and Supernatural Horror, Nosferatu delivers a chilling experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

Sinners

2025 Warner Brothers Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 17min

Action ~ Drama ~ Music ~ Southern Gothic ~ Gothic Horror ~ Supernatural Horror ~ Thriller ~ Vampire Horror

Directed by: Ryan Coogler

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo.

You Keep Dancing With The Devil,

One Day He’s Gonna Follow You Home.

Clarksdale, Mississippi.

October 15, 1932.

Two brothers, Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore (Both played by Michael B. Jordan) return back home after leaving to become soldiers in WWI and then spending time in Chicago working for Al Capone’s Crime Syndicate. They have returned home to Clarksdale, Mississippi in the Delta to open up a Juke Joint. They have stolen cash and a truck load of Irish Beer, Italian Wine and corn liquor. They have found an abandoned sawmill and meet with the owner to purchase it and the land it sits on. Their cousin Sammy has convinced his Pastor father to let him use the Resonator Guitar from the church for the evening and they also recruit the older Bluesman Delta Slim who plays piano and harmonica. They have also lined up a huge amount of Catfish and sides to serve in the Juke Joint that evening. The word spreads and The Juke Joint is soon filled up with eager patrons and lively blues music by Sammie and Delta Slim. Sammie’s musical gifts and transcendent blues music soon summon more than good times. There is evil coming, drawn by the rhythm of the blues and the scent of fresh blood.

So….where do I start? With History? With the History of The Southern United States? With Slavery? With the K.K.K. ? With Racism? With Jim Crow? With Music History? The History of The Blues? The History of Mojo? Mojo Bags? Haints? Vampires? Voodoo? Al Capone? Chicago Crime in the 1930’s? I honestly don’t know because this movie touches on all of that and I just don’t know how much you know about all of that. Let’s start with Robert Johnson…….

Robert Johnson was a legendary blues musician and songwriter from the Mississippi Delta, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of blues music. Though his recorded career lasted only about seven months, he produced 29 songs that would become foundational to the Delta blues style and deeply influence later rock and blues musicians such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton. Johnson’s vivid guitar playing and haunting vocals earned him lasting fame, but part of Johnson’s mystique stems from a famous legend that he acquired his extraordinary musical talent by making a deal with the devil at a crossroads, where Highways 61 and 49 intersect in Mississippi. According to the myth, Johnson traded his soul to the devil in exchange for mastery of the guitar, which explains his sudden, astonishing improvement in skill after a period of obscurity. As the legend goes the devil offered Robert a guitar, and by grabbing the guitar around the neck and taking it from his hands, he would therefore be accepting the deal of trading his everlasting soul for mastery of the guitar.

In the very beginning of the movie they talk about how music has been intertwined with legend and folklore. Music and rhythm being used to conjure up spirits and commune with the afterlife. The Native American Indians, African culture and the slaves of the deep south in America all used music and rhythms to conjure up and communicate with the spirit world. The Blues in the delta was often referred to as the devil’s music. Right after we see the brief introduction of that history, we see young Sammie heading into his Father’s church. His clothes are torn, he is traumatized and bloody with one hand on the neck of what’s left of that resonator guitar. His Preacher father tells Sammie to just let go, choose goodness and let the devil’s music go. A direct reference to the Blues legend of Robert Johnson and the Devil at The Crossroads.

As I am writing this I realize that there is so much imagery and substance in this movie, I could probably write a book about it. I have never seen a movie where it touched on so many themes across so much history. Honestly, it is based in the south in 1932 complete with Delta Blues folklore, cotton fields, sharecroppers, corn liquor, juke joints, Saturday night fish fry’s, and Delta Blues music. The sharecroppers work all week, 6 days a week, 12 hours a day and then on Saturday they head to the local juke joint with their hard earned money and blow off steam for the week. They dance the blues away, drink and forget their troubles, and have as much fun as they can before the Sunday morning sun comes up. Then there is the Haint aspect, the evil spirits, vampires. Complete with garlic, wooden stakes and the rising of the morning sun. Hoodoo Voodoo, Mojo bags, Rootwork, using herbs and cantations to protect and ward off evil sprits.

See what I mean? We haven’t even discussed Jim Crow, Slavery and racism. I have to draw a comparison with From Dusk Till Dawn, it had to have been an influence on this movie. I must confess I am a huge fan of Blues music and Delta Blues. That era also fascinates me, the 1930’s, so I love this time period and the music. I am also a big Horror Movie fan, I love the old school monster movies and Vampire movies. So for me, this movie checks all the boxes. Honestly I don’t know what else to say, if you are looking for a blues history or period movie only, this might not be for you. If you are looking for a Vampire horror movie, all the blues references, settings and music might be too much for you. It combines both of those kind of like Cowboys and Aliens combined Western and Sci-fi.

I forgot the ending…as the credits start to roll and you think the movie is over, don’t look away. Buddy Guy is seen playing and there is a final scene where Buddy Guy (who is Sammie 60 years later) has a conversation with the Haints from the beginning of the movie. It ties it all together.

If you are looking for a Southern Gothic Supernatural Thriller full of Blues Music, Blues Folklore, Vampires, Action and Drama set in 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi…….This is your movie!