Review: ‘Your Monster’ Claws its Way into the Heart

Horror darling Melissa Barrera returns in this delightfully twisted romantic horror-comedy that proves monsters can be the best roommates. First-time director Caroline Lindy adapts her own short film into a feature-length exploration of grief, growth, and the unexpected comfort of closet-dwelling creatures. Laura Franco (Barrera) stumbles back to her childhood home, fresh from battling cancer and nursing a brutally broken heart, only to find her childhood Monster (Tommy Dewey) still lurking in her old closet—and he’s not exactly rolling out the welcome mat. Barrera’s portrayal of Laura as an emotional hurricane in human form perfectly matches the film’s darkly whimsical tone, creating something that feels like a spiritual successor to this year’s Lisa Frankenstein. The production design embraces its theatrical roots with gusto, from the pitch-perfect “theater kid” aesthetic to the impressive practical effects that bring the furry protagonist to life. Your Monster emerges as this season’s surprise gem, offering a perfect blend of scares and heart that shows sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster in your closet—it’s letting yourself be vulnerable again. 

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Review: ‘Scream VI’: A Killer Addition to the Franchise

We’re certainly not in Woodsboro anymore. Scream VI finds our new protagonists have made the move to the Big Apple and are ready to leave the horrors of the previous year in their rearview mirror. But in typical Scream fashion, one doesn’t simply leave Ghostface behind.

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Review: ‘In the Heights’ is a Nice Musical Tale of Hopes and Dreams

Broadway musical blockbusters are always a hit-or-miss despite their catchy songs, but In the Heights is definitely a hit to me. The play version of In the Heights is mostly famous for being the musical that helped catapult Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda into the public sphere. And the 2021 film version, helmed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu, is a triumphant adaptation, confidently reworking the stage show into a gorgeous, vibrant film that captures both the bigness of musical theater and the intimacy that comes with telling a story about a specific culture. In its joyous excess, In the Heights makes a case for adapting Broadway musicals into Hollywood cinema. The musical numbers are freed from the boundaries of the stage, and they don’t waste that freedom. The dance routines feel like gorgeous action-movie set-pieces, thanks to Alice Brooks’ cinematography, and the cast is a constellation of Latinx legends and up-and-comers alike. Every summer should have a movie like this one.

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