Frankenstein

I went into this Guillermo del Toro-directed adaptation of Frankenstein relatively cold, not realizing that I would be backhanded with some of the most emotive, passionate storytelling I've seen this year. The cast are all stellar - Oscar Isaac plays the menacing Victor with much fervor and malice - a mad scientist who has literally gone mad, and Jacob Elordi is unrecognizable as his creature (and I'm not just talking about his top-tier makeup design) - there are many moments throughout the film where you genuinely feel sorry for him and the way he's treated by not just other civilians but his own creator - a case of history repeating himself given Victor's woes with his own father (played by a severely underused Charles Dance). Shootout to supporting players Mia Goth (in dual roles as Victor's mother and Elizabeth), Christoph Waltz and David Bradley (as an old man who has a few sentimental moments with the creature). Also, I was impressed with the production design and costumes - very glamorous and breath-taking. The movie has all the pieces to give you immersion and, quite possibly, break your heart by the final act... which only makes the red-colored streamer's theatrical scheme even more puzzling. Maybe in another world, this got a stronger rollout that it duly deserved.