From Argylle to Lisa Frankenstein, Should You Add These To Your Watchlist?
From spy novels come to life to reanimated corpses, Pop Culture Planet’s Kristen Maldonado shares the movies you don’t want to miss… and the ones you can skip.
Argylle
In Argylle, Bryce Dallas Howard plays reclusive author Elly Conway who writes best-selling spy novels about a secret agent named Argylle. But things take a turn when her books start to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization. Now she’s thrust into a world where fiction and reality has blurred.
I recommend going into Argylle with as little information as possible. All I’ll say is Argylle will constantly have you on the edge of your seat. When you think Matthew Vaughn has taken things as far as they can go, he turns it up another level! With so many shocking twists and ridiculously laugh out loud moments, you’re sure to have a blast!
Argylle is playing in theaters.
Lisa Frankenstein
In Zelda Williams’ directorial debut Lisa Frankenstein, Kathryn Newton is a misunderstood teen who embarks on a murderous adventure with a reanimated corpse (Cole Sprouse) to find love and missing body parts.
The aesthetic of Lisa Frankenstein is electric, with inspiration from Weird Science and Tim Burton. The cast is top tier and the costumes and sets perfectly embody an 80s neon fever dream. Cole Sprouse shows off up his physical comedy chops, while Liza Soberano is a stand out as the surprisingly cool and kind step sister. Unfortunately, the story wasn’t there. It felt disconnected with dragged out scenes that don’t go far enough into the horror or camp.
Lisa Frankenstein is playing in theaters beginning February 9.
Upgraded
Camila Mendes plays Ana Santos, an art gallery intern who is invited on a last-minute work trip to London with her demanding boss in Upgraded. When she gets upgraded to a first class seat thanks to a generous airport attendant, she meets a handsome stranger Will (Archie Renaux) who mistakes her for the boss of her company. It leads her on a whirlwind adventure full of romance, art, and lies.
This case of mistaken identity is a ton of fun as Mendes has great counterparts to work opposite. There’s her challenging boss Claire Dupont played by Marisa Tomei with her mean girl assistants, her sister (Aimee Carrero) and her fiancé (Andrew Schulz) who are desperate to get her out of their apartment, and the rich but humble Will and his famous mother Catherine (Lena Olin). Mendes and Renaux’s chemistry is sweet and charming, while the supporting cast bring the humor. Tomei and her minions channel a Devil Wears Prada-energy that makes for an instant rom-com classic, but the real highlight is the strong female empowerment between Ana, Claire, and Catherine. They uplift and support one another and see the potential in each other to succeed. Following her feature directorial debut with the dark and twisted The Blazing World, director Carlson Young proves she’s got the range and chops to tackle any genre.
Upgraded is streaming globally on Prime Video on February 9.
