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The first weekend in March brought us a few big, new releases. But what of them were worth checking out? Below is my thoughts on the new films I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

The Bride! (Theaters)
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, and Peter Sarsgaard
Synopsis: Since Mary Shelley released Frankenstein in 1818, the story has continued to fascinate audiences. We’ve seen it adapted time and again, in many interesting ways. That included the 1935 sequel that put the focus on Frankenstein’s bride. But was that sequel told the way Shelley would have wanted? That’s a central question at the heart of this new take on the story of The Bride, crafted by writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal. It supposes that Shelley had more to say about her creation, the world, and the role of women. The film picks up in the 1930s in Chicago. Frankenstein (Bale) has adopted the name of his long-dead creator. He’s been roaming the Earth, mostly alone, for more than a century. And in that time, he’s become desperately lonely. He seeks a companion that is of his own origin. So, Frankenstein, or Frank as he’s goes by for short, seeks out Dr. Euphronius (Bening). She is a fan of the original Dr. Frankenstein and his work and has sought to follow up on it. She’s captivated by meeting his creation but it reticent to help with his request—to find a bride. Eventually his plight wears her down. Do, Dr. Euphronius and Frankenstein head to the cemetery and exhume a recently murdered woman. They bring her back, but The Bride (Buckley) has her own complicated history. Though she can’t remember all of her life before, she leads Frankenstein on a journey across the country that leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. This is a hard film to evaluate. It’s a big, original swing. That is something to be lauded and praised. And there is plenty about this adaptation that thrilled and impressed me. But there is a narrative choice—and a narrative device—employed from the jump. It will either work for you, or it won’t. And that choice, and how it hits you as a viewer, will govern how much you’re drawn to the film as a whole. Let me start with the good. Gyllenhaal the director has some brilliant strokes here. This is a wild and stylish approach to the world. The look, the costumes, the setting, and the locations all draw you in. There is a big approach here, which includes homages to classic Hollywood films, Bonnie and Clyde, and more. And it’s brilliant at times. It’s also paired with some incredible performances. Buckley gives her all to a very difficult role. It’s wild and it’s complex, and she’s brilliant. Bale is equal to the task as well. But it’s a great ensemble. I enjoyed Bening, the detectives played by Sarsgaard and Penelope Cruz, and the role by Gyllenhaal’s brother, Jake. All of them commit and at times come together to create something fascinating and brilliant. But it all comes back to that narrative decision. Ultimately, while I appreciate the creativity and the big swing, it doesn’t work. It makes the story strange and clunky. It makes the message muddled. And, at times, the film loses all its forward momentum and briefly stalls. This is a case where Gyllenhaal the writer failed Gyllenhaal the director. I usually don’t spend so much time praising a film that doesn’t work. But it’s important to lift up the craft and to praise the effort here. I didn’t like this story. I didn’t like the choice in the narrative structure. But I’m excited to see what kind of film Gyllenhaal gives us next.
Rating: Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual content/nudity and language.
Verdict: Two stars out of five

Dolly (Theaters)
Starring: Seann William Scott, Ethan Suplee, and Fabianne Therese
Synopsis: There are often red flags in life. When you see those red flags, it’s a good idea to stop and consider whether you’re on the right path. When you’re in a horror movie, you rarely stop to consider a red flag. In fact, the horror genre is predicated on blowing through red flags that would turn most sane people around. I couldn’t help but think of red flags and sanity when I was watching Dolly, a new IFC/Shudder film getting a theatrical release on Friday. It’s a film that’s unsettling and certainly, for me, presented at least a few red flags. In the film we meet Chase (Scott) who is ready to take the next step with Macy (Therese). He’s chosen to take her to a secluded spot in the Tennessee woods to take that next step. For me, that would be a red flag. Nothing good happens in the secluded woods. And yet, Chase and Macy arrive at their spot and head out. While in the woods, they spot a disturbing collection of mutilated dolls tacked up on trees and along the path. Again, I’d consider that a red flag. But for Chase and Macy, it’s a curiosity they choose to explore. It’s Chase who first comes upon a doll related shrine—and grave—in the woods. There he meets Dolly (Max the Impaler), who is wearing a cracked porcelain doll mask. That would be yet another red flag, but Chase tries to strike up a conversation. It doesn’t go well. Later, Macy stumbles on the scene. She’s also not deterred totally by what she sees—though she’s also looking for Chase. She finds him—and Dolly—and, again, it doesn’t go well. But that’s only the beginning of a long journey for them both. This film has a good location and a fairly distressing concept. The kind of person that would dress in a creepy doll mask and keep a collection of mutilated dolls probably isn’t the best subject for friendship, but it makes for a sufficiently unsettling horror film. And that’s not the only horrors contained in this film from director Rod Blackhurst, who co-wrote the script. The film also moves at a fairly brisk pace. It’s only 82 minutes, and it doesn’t take even 15 to get to some of the unsettling carnage. That’s the good for fans of the genre. There’s also a few unsettling twists along the way that will make it a draw for those that enjoy gore and a good slasher set up. But that’s where my praise ends. Despite being 82 minutes, this film feels overly long. There aren’t many characters and there isn’t really many places to go after a solid set up. This is the kind of film that might have worked better as a horror short. Instead, we get about 45 minutes of false endings tacked on to the point where you’re more than ready for it all to end. I also am in the camp where I like a little black comedy in my horror. Despite Scott and Suplee being in the cast, there aren’t any laughs to be had. This is dark, graphic, and unsettling all the way through. That made it feel like more of a slog than I’d like.
Rating: Rated R for strong violence, gore, grisly images, language and some nudity.
Verdict: One and a half stars out of five

The Hermit (VOD)
Starring: Malina Weissman and Lou Ferrigno
Synopsis: Horror movies don’t have a season. Whether it’s in theaters, on VOD, or part of the streaming landscape, horror films are the most stable and prevalent new releases year-round. Many trade on familiar tropes and stories, but they have to find a hook to sell the audience. Sometimes the hook is a location. Sometimes the hook is a twist on a familiar narrative. And sometimes that hook comes in the form of casting. For The Hermit, a new horror film available on VOD beginning Tuesday, March 3, it is the casting that’s the hook. But is it worth committing to the bit? Let’s dive in. The film follows Lisa (Weissman), who has survived something traumatic. She’s being interviewed by a local reporter. She appears uncomfortable and hesitant to explain it all. But she dives into her story, and it’s not a happy one. She’s on a camping trip with her boyfriend (Anthony Turpel) and her father. She and her boyfriend, Eric, head into the nearby woods. They come upon a secluded cabin and a pig farm. But it turns out the farmer, a Hermit (Ferrigno), doesn’t just cultivate pigs. His source of meat is broader than that. When he returns, the Hermit is none too happy to find Lisa and Eric. They quickly become his victims and have to fight to escape the carnage alongside law enforcement and others in the area. Lisa shares her harrowing story, but it seems almost too wild to be believed. Could it be she’s hiding something? This film doesn’t pull any punches about what it is. We’re quickly dropped into the life of our killer Hermit right away as a young woman approaches, is killed, and added to the menu. It feels like the cannibalistic killer has become even more popular as a troupe in low-budget horror films in recent years. And it plays no better here. The big draw for this is the Hermit performer, Ferrigno. He’s best known for embodying the Hulk throughout the years. He’s a big and intimidating performer, and this film plays to that. It works OK, as does the setting. The story moves at a decent enough pace and though the twist is telegraphed somewhat early, it works OK. But the characters aren’t deep, and the film isn’t well shot by director Salvatore Sciafani. It’s only 86 minutes, but at times it feels longer. The narrative is thin, and the story is more gross than tense. Like so many low-budget horror films its ambitions are better than its execution, and it’s somewhat forgettable.
Rating: NA
Verdict: One and a half stars out of five

Hoppers (Theaters)
Starring: Piper Curda, Jon Hamm, and Bobby Moynihan
Synopsis: Over the years, we’ve seen some imaginative, entertaining, and fun films delivered by Pixar. They seems to craft some beautiful and deep worlds that draw in viewers. That rich legacy continues this year with not one but two releases. The first of those is the original film Hoppers, which opens on Friday. The film focuses on a young woman who is driven around a mission. That mission ties into her past and takes her on a wild journey. And we go along for the ride with her. It’s also a not-so-subtle nod to another film idea that gets name-checked along the way. We first meet Mabel as a young girl who is stricken about the animals kept in cages at her elementary school. She tries to free them, but it doesn’t work out. She’s sent home, and eventually dropped off with her grandmother (Karen Huie). There, she learns to sit back and appreciate the beauty of nature in a new way. Flash-forward to the present, and Mabel (Curda) is a 19-year-old woman who is in college but is still obsessed with preserving the nature area near her grandmother’s home that was her favorite place growing up. She’s battling the town’s mayor, Jerry (Hamm), who wants to bulldoze it to build a new highway. She learns her professor (Kathy Najimy) has developed a technology that drops users into the electronic bodies of animals to allow them to communicate. She quickly drops herself into a beaver and heads out to find animals that will help repopulate her pond and save it from destruction. Soon, she meets King George (Moynihan), a beaver and leader of the mammals. She dives deep into the world, forming a friendship she doesn’t expect. But can she accomplish her mission in time. If you’re thinking to yourself this plot sounds suspiciously like Avatar, you’re not alone. It’s a connection the film even references and dismisses itself. It does take on that idea, in a way, but puts a uniquely Pixar twist on things. This is really about family, the people who believe in us, and finding friendship and understanding. It’s a fun journey that has some unexpected moments. I really loved Curda and Moynihan, who are the heart of the film. Their back-and-forth and friendship is the key to the film. But there’s also some fun sequences and plenty of fun story twists along the way. The voice cast is strong here. Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Sam Richardson, Vanessa Bayer, and the late Isiah Whitlock, Jr., are among the others in the voice cast. All do a nice job and add to the wonder of the production. The film is directed by Daniel Chong, who co-wrote the script with Jesse Andrews. I loved the story, the look, and the way this moves along. Animated films, when done well, have a universal appeal across age groups. While this film will work well for younger viewers, the idea and the stories will appeal and hit home for older viewers. I enjoyed the experience a lot as this is the best animated feature released so far in 2026 and one of the better recent Pixar films. It’s worth seeking out.
Rating: Rated PG for action/peril, some scary images and mild language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

War Machine (Netflix)
Starring: Alan Ritchison, Jai Courtney, Stephan James, and Dennis Quaid
Synopsis: The latest from Netflix is an action film with a bit of a sci-fi twist. It’s also quite possible the film is laying the groundwork for a franchise. We focus on an Army Engineer (Ritchison), who at the outset is called to a breakdown in Afghanistan where his brother (Courtney) is a commander. Before he can get them on their way, the unit is attacked. Everyone perishes, but our engineer. His brother’s dream had been to be a Ranger. So, our engineer enrolls in Ranger school despite his age and a previous injury. He’s assigned number 81 and sets out to prove he can cross the finish line. He mostly keeps to himself, and is doubted by the commander (Quaid), but he is determined. When an alien force attacks the final group on their final mission, No. 81 is forced to step up again and try to get his team across the finish line. This one has a lot of action and precious little character development. That’s somewhat to be expected and, honestly, in this genre that doesn’t matter much. I enjoyed Ritchison in the lead role, and James provides an interesting enough foil. None of the other soldiers really stand out, and as the film plays out you can see why. The film ends in such a way that you could see it as the first chapter in an ongoing action series. Much as he does with the Prime Video series Reacher, Ritchison commands attention, interest, and respect. I thought this was a fun enough ride for what it is. If you’re looking to escape into a little mindless action this weekend, this film hits the ticket.
Rating: Rated R for strong violence, grisly images, and language.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five