Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is available in the US on YouTube TV right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Robert De Niro's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on YouTube TV and see for yourself.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. Victor Frankenstein is a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster, which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It's not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions. Robert De Niro and Kenneth Branagh lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1994. What separates Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein fits the bill. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Robert De Niro grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.