Maggie Gyllenhaal created a theatrical style horror-drama that uniquely incorporated a classic gothic novel by Mary Shelley Frankenstein with the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. The Bride! written and directed by Gyllenhaal, visualizes the mental state of Mary Shelley (Jessie Buckley) undergoing traumatic events and being reinvigorated leading her into a state of delirium while dying to be loved.

Jessie Buckley has become my new favorite actress; she can immerse into a character with electrifying dynamic. She has mastered the craft of acting with flawless transformations as she switches accents, goes into convulsions, and respectfully mirrors Tourette’s. Buckley proves why she is an Oscar nominated contender for best actress.

Christian Bale was rather typical in his performance, yet it was still entertaining to see him outside his comfort zone. He poured much of his American Psycho and Batman into his role of Frank, making him an intriguing character. Like a true gentleman, Bale shared the scenes selflessly with his co-star Jessie Buckley, allowing her to take the lead with her powerful performance.

The cinematography was vivid and extraordinary, giving off the Bonnie and Clyde vibe, 1930s theme background. The cutaway scenes really achieve that state of profound mental agitation to dramatize The Bride’s haunting thought process. The choreography for the dance sequences was innovative and produced a blend of horror, heart, and humor.

The film’s narrative felt a bit like patchwork, just like Frank and The Bride being pieced together, somehow it managed to stay cohesive. I admire the film’s artistic style, though it might not be understood by all and could be frustrating. Gyllenhaal deserves credit for originality and delivering her vision. The Bride! is worth watching on an IMAX screen to enjoy what it has to offer and applaud Jessie Buckley’s monster mash.

In this modernized film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic Gothic novel Wuthering Heights (1847), directed and screenplay written by Emerald Fennell, starring Margot Robbie (Cathy) and Jacob Elordi (Heathcliff), Fennell uses the novel’s narrative of sexual tension and social status conflict as a conduit for displaying elegant fashion designs and great use of color schematics.

Just like in Saltburn, Emerald Fennell elicits strong reactions from provocative topics and scenes in Wuthering Heights. Her interpretation from novel to script was adequate, staying centered to the original dramatic traits of jealousy, retribution, abuse, love and obsession. The extra layer of dark humor aligned effortlessly to prompt critical thinking about the issues presented.

There were generally decent performances by Elordi and Robbie, although they were physically present during the steamy encounters, they seemed emotionally detached – going through the motions with no chemistry between them, appearing to be strained. I lost interest in the characters and found it difficult to sustain my attention. The same cannot be said for promising actors Owen Cooper as the young Heathcliff and Charlotte Mellington as young Cathy. These newcomers adapted to their roles seamlessly and were authentic creating a strong opening sequence.

Despite the lack of visual passion between Elordi and Robbie, the supporting cast did not hesitate to spice things up. Ewan Mitchell as Joseph and Amy Morgan as Zillah lit up the screen with desire. Alison Oliver, no stranger to Fennell’s work, was pleasing in her role as the kinky submissive Isabella, while veteran actor Martin Clunes drew in the anger and disgust as Mr. Earnshaw – quite opposite from the novel.

The film relied heavily on the cinematography with the cold gloomy backdrop, a lavish castle and stunning glamorous wardrobe. I was mainly disappointed with the compartmentalized performances. Emerald Fennell had the opportunity to create a masterpiece film with a timeless novel, but it felt underdeveloped and fell slightly below expectations.

Zach (Grayson Gwaze), fascinated with the paranormal and zombies, takes up a temporary job as a scare actor at his cousin Mark’s (Cedric Gegel) local attraction. The crew at the fairgrounds are welcoming and make Zach feel as part of their group, however, after a deadly accident he begins to question his interest in the horror genre.

The Haunted Forest is written and directed by Keith Boynton, who also partakes in the role of Jacko. Boynton created a narrative of a teenager that is lost in his imagination of creating horror stories as a coping mechanism for anxiety. The content of trust, manipulation and morbid curiosity were well structured to allow the story to expand to the scareground where the character experiences fright firsthand, which opens perspective opportunities and development of outcomes.

The cast had a decent collaboration bringing out the best in each other. Kaitlyn Lunardi had a standout performance generating the chilling, witchiness of the cult-like leader Sarah. Lunardi nailed that spooky chanting.

Although the film seems to have a resemblance of a soap opera drama special, there was effort placed on interesting scenes that keep the engagement leading to the mystery reveals. I enjoyed the tribute to the classic kings of horror, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface. The location of the scaregrounds is the perfect spot for a haunting venue that I would be interested in visiting. This is the type of film that is best watched with a group of friends for a night, fright-flick.