What To Watch: 'Frankenstein,' 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,' 'The Black Phone 2,' 'Good Fortune,' And More

HOLLYWOOD, CA — From reanimated monsters to celestial mix-ups, this weekend’s watchlist spans Gothic horror, surreal comedy and true-crime introspection — all hitting theaters or streaming platforms.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” opens the lineup with operatic melancholy and emotional grandeur. Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Jacob Elordi lead a haunting reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic — a tale of grief, creation and the fragile mercy of forgiveness.

“If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,” directed by Mary Bronstein, follows Rose Byrne’s unraveling therapist as she navigates hotel purgatory, hostile therapy and maternal chaos. Conan O'Brien surprises in a sharply unsettling role, adding bite to this tragicomic descent.

“The Black Phone 2” returns with Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames in a chilling sequel that deepens the supernatural mythology. Director Scott Derrickson blends trauma and tension in a story where ghosts still have something to say.

Aziz Ansari’s “Good Fortune” flips fate on its head when an angelic blunder swaps the lives of a gig worker and a venture capitalist. Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer headline this metaphysical comedy about destiny gone haywire.

“Mr. Scorsese,” a five-part Apple TV Plus docuseries directed by Rebecca Miller, offers an intimate portrait of the legendary filmmaker — with reflections from Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro on decades of cinematic obsession.

Finally, Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” closes the list with a quiet heist drama set in 1970s Massachusetts. Josh O'Connor leads a crew of misfits in a museum robbery that’s more about identity than adrenaline.

Ready to dive in? Scroll down for the full lineup — and step into the shimmering world of storytelling, where every frame is an escape.

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What To Watch This Weekend

“Frankenstein”

Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Jacob Elordi; directed by Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is a mournful, operatic reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic, steeped in grief, empathy, and the fragile mercy of creation. Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist consumed by sorrow and obsession, while Mia Goth brings warmth and grace as Elizabeth, his confidante and emotional anchor. Jacob Elordi, nearly unrecognizable beneath layers of prosthetics, delivers a hauntingly tender performance as the Creature—a soul yearning to be seen.

Split into two acts, the film first charts Victor’s descent into madness, shaped by childhood loss and emotional isolation. The second act pivots to the Creature’s awakening and rejection, reframing monstrosity as deeply human. Del Toro’s direction favors mood over momentum, sculpting each frame with chiaroscuro and emotional precision. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen stretches space and shadow to mirror inner turmoil, while Alexandre Desplat’s score, though occasionally subdued, underscores the film’s elegiac tone.

“Frankenstein” is less horror than requiem—a meditation on identity, grief, and the cost of creation. In a world quick to recoil from difference, del Toro urges compassion. As Alexander Pope’s words echo through the film, “To err is human; to forgive, divine,” this adaptation reminds us that the true monster is the absence of compassion.

See the full review: Guillermo del Toro’s 'Frankenstein' Finds The Soul Beneath The Scars

“If I Had Legs I'd Kick You”

Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien; directed by Mary Bronstein

Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You” is a darkly comic descent into maternal chaos and emotional unraveling. Rose Byrne stars as Linda, a therapist whose life collapses when her apartment ceiling caves in, forcing her and her mysteriously ill daughter into a hotel. With her husband (Christian Slater) absent and her therapist (Conan O'Brien) increasingly hostile, Linda spirals through a series of surreal, tragicomic events that blur the line between breakdown and breakthrough.

Bronstein, who also wrote the film, crafts a claustrophobic yet kinetic narrative that balances biting humor with raw vulnerability. Byrne delivers a tour-de-force performance, oscillating between sardonic wit and aching desperation. O'Brien surprises with a sharply unsettling turn as Linda’s therapist, whose passive-aggressive detachment adds to her unraveling.

The film’s title — taken from a line Linda repeats in therapy — becomes a mantra for her simmering rage and helplessness. With its offbeat tone and unpredictable structure, “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You” is not a conventional comedy-drama. It’s a jagged, intimate portrait of a woman pushed to her limits, told with bold stylistic choices and emotional candor. It’s messy, funny and deeply human.

“The Black Phone 2”

Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames; directed by Scott Derrickson

“The Black Phone 2” deepens the eerie mythology of its predecessor with a chilling blend of supernatural suspense and psychological trauma. Ethan Hawke returns as the sinister Grabber in flashbacks that haunt Finn (Mason Thames), now a teenager grappling with the lingering effects of his abduction. When a new string of disappearances strikes his town, Finn begins receiving cryptic messages through the black phone — this time from voices he thought he’d left behind.

Director Scott Derrickson crafts a tense, atmospheric sequel that leans into emotional resonance as much as jump scares. Thames delivers a compelling performance as a young man torn between fear and resolve, while Hawke’s spectral presence looms large, adding layers of dread. The film expands its universe with new victims, each offering clues and closure, and introduces a chilling twist that redefines the phone’s origin.

While not as tightly wound as the original, “The Black Phone 2” succeeds in building a richer narrative tapestry. It’s a haunting tale of survival, memory, and the ghosts we carry — both literal and figurative. Fans of the first film will find plenty to appreciate, and newcomers may be drawn in by its eerie, emotional core.

“Good Fortune”

Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer; directed by Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari’s “Good Fortune” is a celestial screwball comedy that blends metaphysical mishaps with modern-day absurdity. Keanu Reeves plays Gabriel, a well-meaning but wildly incompetent angel who accidentally swaps the destinies of two strangers: a struggling gig worker (Seth Rogen) and a high-powered venture capitalist (Keke Palmer). What follows is a cosmic collision of class, chaos, and karmic payback.

Ansari’s directorial style leans into fast-paced dialogue and surreal setups, crafting a world where divine intervention is more bureaucratic blunder than miracle. Reeves is delightfully deadpan as the angel who’s just trying to fix his mistake before heaven audits him. Rogen brings his signature blend of schlubby-everyman charm and existential panic, while Palmer shines as a ruthless executive suddenly forced to navigate life without privilege.

The film’s premise — what if fate got hacked by a celestial intern — offers plenty of comedic fodder, but it’s the cast’s chemistry and Ansari’s sharp writing that elevate “Good Fortune” beyond gimmick. It’s a playful, irreverent take on destiny, packed with laugh-out-loud moments and unexpected heart. Whether you believe in fate or not, this one’s worth the ride.

“Mr. Scorsese”

Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro; directed by Rebecca Miller

“Mr. Scorsese” is a five-part Apple TV Plus docuseries that offers an intimate, cinematic portrait of one of film’s most enduring auteurs. Directed by Rebecca Miller, the series blends archival footage, candid interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses to explore Martin Scorsese’s evolution — from a sickly kid in Little Italy to a towering figure in global cinema.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro — two of Scorsese’s most iconic collaborators — reflect on decades of creative partnership, while Scorsese himself opens up about addiction, faith, and the emotional undercurrents that shaped films like “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Miller’s approach is reverent but probing, revealing a restless artist who never stopped questioning his own obsessions.

Though its pacing leans traditional, “Mr. Scorsese” succeeds as both tribute and testimony. For fans and filmmakers alike, it’s a rare chance to witness the vulnerability behind the vision, and the humanity behind the legend.

“The Mastermind”

Josh O'Connor, Alana Haim, Gaby Hoffmann; directed by Kelly Reichardt

Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” is a sly, textured heist drama set in a sleepy Massachusetts suburb circa 1970. Josh O'Connor stars as J.B. Mooney, a failed architect turned amateur art thief who, along with a ragtag crew, pulls off a brazen museum robbery in broad daylight. But stealing the paintings proves easier than keeping them — and Mooney’s life begins to unravel.

Reichardt, known for her quiet, character-driven films, brings a contemplative lens to the crime genre. The film isn’t about adrenaline or spectacle — it’s about disillusionment, desperation and the slow erosion of dreams. O'Connor delivers a nuanced performance as a man caught between delusion and decay, while Alana Haim and Gaby Hoffmann round out the ensemble with grounded, emotionally rich turns.

Shot with wide-angle lenses and steeped in period detail, “The Mastermind” evokes a bygone era with melancholy precision. Its pacing is deliberate, its tone subdued — a heist film that trades thrills for introspection. Reichardt subverts genre expectations to explore the folly of ambition and the fragility of identity. The result is a quietly devastating portrait of a man languishing in the haze of greatness.