ChristophWaltz – Credits Rolling

Those lovable Minions are back and this time they’re taking on Hollywood! Allow us to travel back in time to the 1920s. The Minions are on a quest to find their new master; they thrive when they have someone to serve. After a slew of mishaps, they stumble onto a movie set and fall in love with cinema. Best friends James and Henry (Pierre Coffin) fall in love with the art and decide to embark on making a film of their own.

Being the third film in the franchise, you would think they would have run out of steam by now. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I could watch a million iterations of these little guys running around doing just about anything and I would never be bored. They are just so funny and cute. Their antics are just way too fun.

This outing chose to pay homage to various cinema genres of yesteryear. From the silent film and film noir, monster movies and musicals, the Minions covered them all in a subtle yet impactful way that cinephiles all over will be able to appreciate. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was one of those films where the more you watch it, the more Easter eggs you uncover and I love that.

Coffin, who not only directed the film, but who lends his voice talents to each Minion character, is once again phenomenal. The way he can differentiate each individual is truly impressive. The supporting cast also delivers great performances. Allison Janey, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg and Zoey Deutch all contributed and elevated the material.

Minions & Monsters is a solid entry in the franchise. Choosing to go down a different route with the homage to cinema paid off. It was something new and fresh while still incorporating the usual hilarious hijinks we have come to expect from these films. A fun time for the whole family to enjoy.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

From the creative mind of Guillermo del Torro comes a new adaption of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The story follows Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a mad scientist, who attempts to bring people back from the dead. When he successfully gives life to a new type of creature (Jacob Elordi), nothing will never be the same again.

This film has been in the works for many years and I have to say it was well worth the wait. Coming in at two and a half hours seemed daunting at first, but every single one of those minutes is warranted. There have been quite a few versions of this story told and this one breathes new life into it while still staying true to the source material.

With del Torro saying he wanted real sets built for authenticity he truly brought his point across. Not only were they expertly crafted, they were so otherworldly that I was left speechless at times. All of a sudden it felt like I was transported into this place with its vibrant colors and cool locations. Each one just kept getting better. The beautiful set designs paired brilliantly with the costumes and the haunting score that played throughout.

The casting was spot on and the performances well done. Isaac was perfect as the titular character. You root for him at the beginning because he wants to prove himself so badly, but by the end I couldn’t help resenting him for the choices he made. Elordi, however, stole the show for me. I was so impressed with the way in which he approached his role. Not only was he unrecognizable, he also had to change his voice and mannerisms to match those of a monster. While Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth did not have a lot of screen time, they were so present every time we did see them and their character’s were just as integral to the story.

I loved the idea of splitting the film into three separate chapters. This gave the audience a chance to experience the events that were unfolding from different perspectives. You know the saying there are two sides to every story and then there’s the truth? That seemed to ring true here. Each part helped build all the important plot points and didn’t leave anything out. In most reiterations of Frankenstein, the Creation is usually depicted as an evil monster. This time around he was given some proper human qualities. I really appreciated this change and felt like it added so much more.

Overall Frankenstein really is as epic as everyone has been saying it is. From the performances, to the brilliant sets, costumes and the world building itself, it is truly a treat. Although I wish I had had the chance to see this in the cinema, I am glad that it exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to see how it does come awards season.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️