The Bride! (2026)

A feminist, post-modernist reading on The Bride of Frankenstein, starring Jessie Buckley as the title character and Christian Bale as the monster. Hot off the heels of Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein, I can't stand this recent trend to "beautify" the monster, although I suppose Edward Scissorhands already cornered that market years ago. This feels more like a monster gangster movie like Bonnie & Clyde. It's a bizarre characterization, touched by madness, and Buckley once again demonstrates that she's one of the most dynamic young actresses of her generation. Stylistically, there's much to love in its 1930s aesthetic, but it's a mess of disparate parts, much like its characters.

Maggie Gyllenhaal is the mad scientist behind this experimental creation.

3 short legs out of 5

Hamnet (2025)

A fictionalized account of a young William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway, and what would eventually become the inspiration for Hamlet. It's a lot less dull than it sounds, as the bard himself takes a backseat to all the melodrama. Jessie Buckley (as Hathaway) easily takes best actress of the year in one of the most moving, affecting performances I've ever seen. I still don't know how to process it all correctly. So many tears, I never want to see it again.

4 soliloquies out of 5

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

Charlie Kaufman directs this heady adaptation of Iain Reid's novel about a young woman on a road trip to meet her boyfriend's parents who contemplates the future of their relationship. On the surface, it plays out like surreal psychological horror, but it's probably even more nefarious at its core. This is one of those films where all the pieces don't make much sense until you look back at it through a different lens. While this may be frustratingly obtuse to some viewers, it rewards a deeper examination that gives light to deeper meaning. I could devote paragraphs to examining the themes of this film, but I'll just say it gives you a lot to chew on. Could just as easily be called pretentious, so make sure you know what you're getting into. 

4½ ice cream stands out of 5