Alls Well When Read (and Watched) #12: Lisa Frankenstein, Suncoast, and More
Let's get into it!
Greetings!
Here is a recap of what I watched over the last week. There’s an undead love story, drama with New York socialites, a ludicrous spy tale, and other fun stuff. So, let’s dive in!
Movies I Watched
Lisa Frankenstein (2024) - 3.5/5
Just comparing Lisa Frankenstein to Heathers or Beetlejuice isn’t doing the movie justice – it’s its own thing of beauty with a very black, glittery heart. I’ll admit that I (very mistakingly) read reviews before going to watch this, so I had very low expectations but ended up delightfully surprised because of how unabashed it is. Creepy and dark, but still so cute, Lisa Frankenstein is like the stray cat that most will ignore because it’s unconventional and unapologetically demented. It does its own thing and it does not care what people think of its flaws – even if it is a bit off. But, once you take it in and uncover the layers, there is so much heart, goofiness, and warmth that you’re sucked in for life.
Ultimately, this is not something you go in to think about the pacing or script too critically (even though there were some issues with both). Just go with the flow and you’ll have a GREAT time. I’ve also seen some concerns for the PG-13 rating and the actual content and honestly, it’s all very tame. Hardly anything explicit is shown besides a little blood and gore, and most of it is left to our imagination.
Argylle (2024) - 1/5
Let’s shoot this straight: Argylle felt more like poorly written, asinine spy fan fiction than anything. The first half was great: dangerous, engaging, and well-thought-out. But the second half felt like a COMPLETELY different story. It was as if the creators didn’t know how to finish it and had to fill up time so they threw together 1,000 of the most absurd, “twists” and “funny” moments they could think of without spending more time. Because of this, all the cohesiveness, suspense, and charm that had been set up in the first half had totally been canceled out. And don’t think I’m being a Debbie Downer because I’m all for humor and mindless fun, but this was just so ridiculous, tedious, and half-baked that it feels kind of insulting to audiences, like creators thought they would just settle for a low-effort, not fully fleshed out story just because the action is ramped up to 100.
While seeing Argylle once was more than enough for me, I’m still giving it 1 star because Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard are such joys to watch, no matter what they’re in. I’m also a sucker for stories that involve cute cats, reading, and writing.
Suncoast - 4/5
After reading and absolutely LOVING Laura Chinn’s book, Acne: A Memoir, I knew I would love Suncoast just the same, and boy, I did. Suncoast is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age drama that explores anticipatory grief, dysfunctional family dynamics, and the true value of human life. Although Doris, the main character, is a teenager, it’s easy to empathize with her because the kind of grief she endues is universal. It’s intrusive, isolating, and no matter how much you try, there is just an oddness that comes from it that lingers for life – and it’s hard to watch her navigate that knowing what’s in store. Of course, in typical Chinn fashion, that grief is accompanied by humor, mother mania, and deeper glimpses into the human experience, resulting in something profound and emotionally overwhelming in the best way possible. Keep the tissues nearby because you’ll need them.
Shows I Watched
Capote vs. The Swans (2024) - 3.5/5
While this season of Feud is titled Capote vs. The Swans, this is more about the swans themselves than anyone else. Yes, Truman Capote did screw them over, but his thinly veiled story in Esquire is more representative of his role as the court jester and how he was there to reveal the interiority of each woman. Without him revealing the truth about their tragedies, problems, and nastiness, all we would’ve gotten was the facade, the presentation that makes it look like they’re not drowning from the weight of their feathers. And that’s definitely not as interesting or delicious as a look into the human condition of these rich and elite women, is it?
Personally, I am very much enjoying this layered, slower-paced period piece and I can’t help but feel for these women (even if they’re not the most likable) because, in one way or another, we females get it. We get their madness, insecurities, and struggle to stay afloat. And while we definitely don’t get the same kind of dishy drama that was in Bette and Joan, the quiet, self-contained explorations of venom and style are still completely irresistible and worth giving a chance.
Blast From the Past
Grey Gardens (2009) - 4/5
As many continue to watch Capote vs. The Swans and research the characters, two names that will probably pop up at some point are Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie), and Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (Big Edie), who are respectively the first cousin and aunt to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Lee Radziwill, who is played by Calista Flockhart in the FX series.
Grey Gardens, which originally was a documentary by the Maysles Brothers, expands on the Beales’ lives and adds a rare, grim fullness isn’t found in the documentary. Switching between their lives in the 1930s and when the documentary was filmed in 1975, we get to see how disconnected each woman was from reality and how their nonsensical ideas impacted everyone around them (especially themselves). Despite this, both have enough vibrancy and beauty that it can be easy to overlook the issues and call their eccentricities ‘charming’, which probably happened a lot and possibly contributed to their decline. We can’t help but shake our heads and feel optimistic for them, hoping that they do better and get the right support that they need. Sadly, they never do.