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I was already sold on checking out the horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein, since it marks the feature directorial debut of Zelda Williams and was scripted by Diablo Cody, but now a clip from the film has arrived online to give me an even more positive outlook on the movie. The clip can be seen in the embed above, and what makes me so happy about it is the fact that the 1985 classic Day of the Dead, one of my favorite movies from one of my favorite filmmakers (George A. Romero) is quickly glimpsed on a television in this scene. A comedic creature chase follows, but it’s the glimpse of Day of the Dead that I really love about the clip.

Set in 1989, Lisa Frankenstein has the following synopsis: A coming of RAGE love story from acclaimed writer Diablo Cody about a misunderstood teenager and her high school crush, who happens to be a handsome corpse. After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness… and a few missing body parts along the way.

Kathryn Newton (Freaky) and Cole Sprouse (Riverdale) star alongside Carla Gugino (Gerald’s Game), Liza Soberano (Alone/Together), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), and Henry Eikenberry (The Crowded Room). Newton is playing Lisa Frankenstein, Sprouse is the handsome Victorian corpse, and Chrest will be playing Lisa’s father Dale. Soberano’s character is named Taffy and Gugino is playing Janet.

Cody produced Lisa Frankenstein with Mason Novick. A press release notes that they have previously collaborated on films including Tully, Young Adult, Jennifer’s Body, and Juno, which earned Cody an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Jeff Lampert serves as executive producer, while Focus Features’ Vice President of Production and Development, Michelle Momplaisir, was the creative executive on the project. Focus Features will distribute the film in the United States, and Universal Pictures International is the international distributor. Filming took place in New Orleans.

Williams previously directed a horror comedy short called Kappa Kappa Die (which was scripted by Piranha 3D and Saw X writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg).

Lisa Frankenstein is set to receive a theatrical release on February 9th, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Will you be checking it out? Let us know – and tell us what you thought of the clip – by leaving a comment below.

Lisa Frankenstein

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Elmo

We humans know that when someone asks us in passing, “How are you?” we are to say “I’m well, thanks, how are you?” And then we go about our day, miserable or not. But Muppets not so smart. Sometimes Muppets not understand human psyche or how to read room. And that’s just the situation Elmo found himself in this week, making the mistake of asking people who probably spend a good chunk of their day on social media how they’re doing.

In his Monday morning check into his 525,000 followers’ well being, the beloved Muppet asked, “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” Any guesses as to how the majority of the 16,000+ responses went?

One reply read, “The world is burning around us, Elmo”, while another confessed, “Wife left me…Daughters don’t respect me…My job is a joke…Any more questions, Elmo???…Jesus man.” We have to imagine the furry red creature got a little more than he bargained for on this one…

But because he’s adorable and the spirit Muppet we all need, he took the comments with a straight face and spun peoples’ woes into a lesson. “Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends!  Elmo loves you.” Cookie Monster even agreed to lend an ear and share his baked goods! At the same time, Oscar the Grouch kept up his piss-poor attitude, saying if you have any problems, he doesn’t want to hear them but would gladly lend you his trash worm Slimey for emotional support. Notably for some of Elmo’s followers, February 24th is Emotional Health Awareness Day, so be sure to check in on your friends, family and Sesame Street residents.

Maybe it’s fun for people to leave it all out for Elmo on social media and imagine him scrolling through a sea of depression and self-loathing, but hopefully the real outcome here was that he gave people a place to vent or express something they maybe normally can’t in their everyday lives. Sesame Street has always been a safe space for viewers, so it’s pretty incredible that someone (no matter how furry) is bringing that to the bowels of social media.

We here at JoBlo.com know better than to ask how you’re hanging in, but we hope for the best and if you ever need an ear, there’s always Elmo.

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Knox Goes Away, Michael Keaton, release date, Saban Films, Al Pacino

Shortly after Warner Bros. Pictures summoned the official title and release date for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice sequel, in which Michael Keaton returns as the Ghost with the Most, the release date for Keaton’s Knox Goes Away is here! The thriller marks Keaton’s second time as the director of a feature-length film. He also stars in the project opposite Al Pacino (SerpicoDog Day Afternoon), James Marsden (Sonic the HedgehogEnchanted), and Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic RiverInto the Wild), with Ray McKinnon, Suzy Nakamura, Lela Loren, Dennis Dugan, Jonna Kulig, and more. Saban Films has set a release date of March 15 for Knox Goes Away after the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year.

Knox Goes Away revolves around a contract killer who, after being diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia, is presented with the opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son. But to do so, he must race against the police closing in on him and the ticking clock of his own rapidly deteriorating mind.

Gregory Poirier (National Treasure: Book of Secrets) wrote the script for Knox Goes Away, with Keaton producing alongside Brookstreet’s Trevor Matthews and Nick Gordon, with Michael Sugar of Sugar23 and Ashley Zalta. Jonathan Saba, Carter Stanton, Jillian Kay, Nick Blasko, Wayne Carmona, David Gendron, Michael Hansen, Nate Holthouser, Andy Huang, Ali Jazayeri, Scott Lake, Eric London, Donald Povieng, Dina Randazzo, Ronald Richardson, and Viviana Zarragoitia executive produce.

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice rises from the grave to haunt theaters on September 6, 2024. Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice for the highly-anticipated and long-gestating sequel, with Winona Ryder returning as Lydia Deetz, Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter, Catherin O’Hara as Delia Deetz, Monica Belluci as Beetlejuice’s wife, Willem Dafoe as a law officer in the afterlife, and Justin Theroux in a mysterious role. Hopes are extraordinarily high for Burton’s Beetlejuice sequel, with the original hailed as a horror comedy classic to aspire to.

In his review for Knox Goes Away, our Editor-in-Chief Chris Bumbray said, “While the movie may go a little overboard in establishing Knox’s killer bonafides (he’s a Gulf War Vet with not one but two PhDs), Keaton’s so charismatic a star that it all works. There’s probably an action movie version of Knox Goes Away that could have been made, but I prefer the moody drama that Keaton crafted.”

Check out the poster, which quotes Bumbray’s review:

Are you excited about Keaton’s return to the director’s chair? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Knox Goes Away: The Michael Keaton and Al Pacino thriller gets a release date in the U.S. appeared first on JoBlo.