MOVIE REVIEW: THE BRIDE

 

In 1930s Chicago, groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious brings a murdered young woman back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein's monster. What happens next is beyond what either of them could ever have imagined.

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz

Release Date: March 6, 2026

Genre: Drama, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! burst on the screen with an anarchic energy, powered by a pair of gloriously unhinged performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale which carries the film first half before losing a hefty amount of its propulsive fervor in the back half of the film.   There is a noticeable spark of energy from the start as the 30’s stylized Chicago setting is used to great effect with Buckley taking center stage with an intriguing dual role.  Buckley’s a real treat as we watch her effortlessly flip back and forth between Ida’s and Mary Shelly’s personas showing an impressive commitment to the role.  She’s generally the most captivating performer onscreen with Christian Bale delivering a more subdued turn for the better part of the film.  They make for a rather fascinating pair as they bounce off each other with such natural ease that it makes the whole thing work even as the film takes some chaotically strange turns.  In lesser performers’ hands, this film would have flown off the rails immediately, but they manage to make the first half immensely watchable and engaging.  The back half of the film starts to lose its luster once the film moves into a pseudo-Bonnie and Clyde mode which feels rather undercooked much like all the well-worn themes it throws onscreen.   There’s a noticeable sense that the script is trying to say something impactful about gender roles, but the concept is so unfocused and superficial that it never really lands the way it should.  The supporting roles are populated with name stars such as Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard, Penélope Cruz and Jake Gyllenhaal, which the film never fully takes advantage of by handing them the most generic, one note roles.  Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz’s detective subplot in particular brings the film to a grinding halt, sapping much of film’s initial energy and the less that’s said about Cruz’s rather unfortunate “Lord Farquaad” haircut the better.  It proves to be a bit frustrating by the time The Bride! comes to an end because you’re left with the feeling that there’s a much better film in there somewhere had it kept a sharper focus.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: DEATH ON THE NILE

 

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot's Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple's idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short.

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast:  Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, Letitia Wright

Release Date: February 11, 2022 

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Rated PG-13 for violence, some bloody images, and sexual material

Runtime: 2h 7m

Review:

Death on the Nile is another lavish follow up to Murder on the Orient Express stacked with stars and style.  Kenneth Branagh is again pulling double duty in front and behind the camera with his love of the material shining thru each moment.  Branagh for his part adds a bit of sensitivity and heart to his turn as Poirot this go around.  The cast is each given their moment to shine with Annette Bening, Sophie Okonedo and Emma Mackey leaving the biggest impression.  The film's pacing is meticulous and measured as we meet all the potential suspects but it falters as the film hits the third act and the bodies continue to pile up with Poirot failing to live up to his legendary detective status.  Death on the Nile is the type of film that works well with in parts but is ultimately an uneven experience especially considering the collected star power behind and in front of the camera.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN MARVEL

Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

  

Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg,  Jude Law

  

Release Date: March 8, 2019

  

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

  

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language

  

Runtime: 2h 4 min

  

Review:

Captain Marvel is a solid if bland origin story.  That's not to say that there isn't fun to be had but the plot does telegraph some of the biggest reveals.  At the center of the film is Brie Larson who is typically a strong performer.  Here though, she's mostly wooden and she never really gives her character much personality.  As such, the titular character and star isn't all that interesting for the majority of the film.  Thankfully the supporting characters give the film a lot more life.  Sam Jackson finally gets his proper due in the MCU by giving us a look at Nick Fury as a young SHEILD agent.  The film is at its best when it pairs Larson and Jackson in a sort of buddy comedy, which really gives the film some life.  The real surprise though is a Ben Mendelsohn who brings a lot more to the table than you'd expect.  His character looks like a standard baddie but there's much more depth at play than at first glance.  Throw in a scene stealing cat and you get film that's better in it's final act than it was in the previous two portions.  The soundtrack is bound to make certain people nostalgic even if it plays like a copy of "Now that's what I call Music 90s."  Ultimately the film does a workman like job of checking all the boxes on a origin film but with a clever feminist twist even if it's not a natural or organic as say Wonder Woman.

B-