🎥 In Review: Guillermo del Toro — Love, Ghosts, and Waterlogged Fairy Tales

In the final chapter of our del Toro deep dive, we explore two of his most romantic and haunting visions — Crimson Peak and The Shape of Water — where monsters, mansions, and mermaids all blur into something achingly human.

🩸 The Body: Building the Monster
From the bleeding walls of Allerdale Hall to the shimmering glow of a Cold War lab, del Toro crafts living worlds that breathe, ache, and fall in love. We break down how Crimson Peak channels classic Gothic romance through practical effects and handcrafted sets, while The Shape of Water turns Cold War paranoia into a sensual fairy tale of empathy.

💔 The Soul: What the Monster Means
Both films reimagine love as rebellion — Edith’s ghosts in Crimson Peak don’t haunt, they warn, and Elisa’s bond with the Amphibian Man transcends language, species, and fear. We discuss how del Toro weaves silence, sensuality, and sorrow into stories that find beauty in the broken and redemption in the monstrous.

🏆 The Legacy: Footprints in the Dark
Though Crimson Peak was misunderstood at release, it’s now a Gothic cult favorite, while The Shape of Water swept the Oscars and sealed del Toro’s status as a master storyteller. Together, they mark his evolution from dark fantasist to romantic visionary — proving that even in his strangest worlds, love is the most powerful magic of all.

Join us as we close the book on del Toro’s universe — where every ghost has a heart, every monster has a soul, and every story bleeds beauty.

🎬 Mostly Film

This week on Mostly Film, Jonathan and JP unwrap a new batch of trailers, revisit some classics, and wade through the latest in movie madness — from Middle-earth to Chicago crime rings.

🍿 LIST IT or NIX IT
From the Jonas Brothers Christmas special to Scream 7, Fackham Hall, and Dead Man’s Wire, the guys decide which trailers make the Letterboxd watchlist and which get left on the cutting room floor. Expect some strong opinions, especially once Crime 101 enters the chat.

🎥 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan’s keeping it epic with The Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King) and a few of 2025’s buzzy releases like The Lost Bus. JP’s going full genre — mixing crime and horror with Fright Night, An American Werewolf in London, Thief, and Snatch.

🗞️ The News
The headlines are as unpredictable as ever: Netflix might buy Warner Bros., Toy Story 5 is reportedly “all about Jessie,” and Taylor Sheridan is jumping from Yellowstone to Call of Duty. Mia Goth’s seeking bear-based revenge in Hey Bear, Jason Statham’s reuniting with Guy Ritchie for Viva La Madness, and Guillermo del Toro’s roasting AI in style (“My concern isn’t artificial intelligence — it’s natural stupidity”).

From holiday pop chaos to classic heists and modern monsters, Mostly Film brings you the perfect mix of movie love, low-stakes debates, and cinematic deep dives — one trailer at a time.

🎥 In Review: Guillermo del Toro — Puppets, Prometheus, and the Pursuit of Humanity

This week on In Review: Guillermo del Toro, we close out the series with two of the filmmaker’s most soulful creations — Pinocchio and Frankenstein — stories about life made by human hands, and the heartbreak that follows.

🩻 The Body: Building the Monster
Del Toro trades latex and makeup for wood and stop-motion in Pinocchio, crafting a fascist-era fable where love defies obedience and grief carves its own creation. Then, he resurrects his long-dreamed passion project: Frankenstein, the ultimate story of maker and monster. We explore how del Toro uses animation, gothic design, and mythic scale to explore what happens when the act of creation collides with the fear of imperfection.

💀 The Soul: What the Monster Means
At their core, both films wrestle with the same question — what does it mean to be alive? Pinocchio redefines the wooden boy’s journey as a lesson in individuality and unconditional love, while Frankenstein gives voice to the forsaken, showing that the real horror isn’t creation… but rejection. We trace how del Toro’s empathy for his monsters turns tragedy into transcendence.

👣 The Legacy: Footprints in the Dark
With Pinocchio, del Toro expanded his universe into the realm of animation and earned one of his most acclaimed films yet. With Frankenstein, he returns to gothic roots to complete a lifelong creative cycle. Together, these stories mark the culmination of his career-long fascination with makers and monsters — from puppets to gods, from the hand that builds to the heart that breaks.

Join us as we explore how Guillermo del Toro’s monsters have always been mirrors — not of our fears, but of our longing to be loved.

🎬 Mostly Film:

This week on Mostly Film, Jonathan and JP are diving into a jam-packed slate of trailers, reviews, and movie news that’s as unpredictable as a Taylor Sheridan plot twist.

🍿 LIST IT or NIX IT
There’s only one trailer on the docket this week — Crime 101 — but it’s got the guys talking all things heist, heat, and Hollywood cool. Is this one headed straight to the Letterboxd watchlist, or getting locked out of the vault entirely?

🎥 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan’s been on a run through some of 2025’s most intriguing releases — from the explosive Big Bold Beautiful Journey and A House of Dynamite to the haunting Anemone. He also dives back into prestige TV with Oz, Black Sails, and Mare of Easttown (finally).
Meanwhile, JP’s been balancing crime and chaos with Blackhat, The Long Walk, and A House of Dynamite (again — consensus incoming?), plus TV time with The Chair Company.

🗞️ The News
Hollywood’s latest round of headlines includes everything from Crash Bandicoot getting an animated series to Johnny Depp haunting your holiday season as Ebenezer Scrooge in Ti West’s dark A Christmas Carol. Guillermo del Toro’s back in the spotlight, swearing off AI (“I’d rather die”) while teasing a Phantom of the Opera reimagining. And if that’s not enough — Margot Robbie might be taking an axe to Wall Street as the lead in Luca Guadagnino’s gender-swapped American Psycho.

From practical stunts to preposterous remakes, Mostly Film is your weekly hangout for movie talk that’s part insight, part chaos, and all popcorn.

🎥 In Review: Guillermo del Toro — Myth, Machines, and the Monster’s Heart

This week on In Review: Guillermo del Toro, we dive into two of the director’s biggest and boldest creations — Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Pacific Rim — exploring how del Toro evolved from gothic storyteller to full-blown mythmaker.

🩻 The Body: Building the Monster
From the faerie kingdoms of Hellboy II to the towering Jaegers of Pacific Rim, del Toro crafts spectacle with soul. We unpack how The Golden Army turned comic-book fantasy into romantic myth — filmed in Budapest, powered by practical effects, and filled with luminous creatures straight from the director’s sketchbook. Then we jump into Pacific Rim, del Toro’s love letter to kaiju and mecha cinema, where every punch between robots and monsters still feels strangely personal.

💀 The Soul: What the Monster Means
Both films ask the same haunting question — what makes something human? In Hellboy II, Prince Nuada becomes a tragic prophet of extinction, fighting for a forgotten world while Hellboy wrestles with love, destiny, and fatherhood. In Pacific Rim, connection replaces conflict; empathy becomes literal through the “Drift,” a neural bond that forces two pilots to think — and feel — as one. We explore how del Toro turns myth and machinery into metaphors for compassion, sacrifice, and renewal.

👣 The Legacy: Footprints in the Dark
Hellboy II remains one of the most visually imaginative superhero films ever made — its Troll Market sequence alone is a miniature museum of del Toro’s imagination. Pacific Rim, meanwhile, scaled up his heart to blockbuster size, blending Japanese monster tradition with Hollywood emotion. Together, they bridge del Toro’s career from mechanical myth to emotional intimacy, paving the way for Crimson Peak and The Shape of Water.

Join us as we chart the rise of a filmmaker who proves that even the biggest monsters — and the biggest movies — can still have a pulse.

🎬 Mostly Film:

This week on Mostly Film, Jonathan and JP are back to break down the newest trailers, wildest headlines, and everything that’s been lighting up their screens lately — or at least confusing them just enough to keep watching.

🐒 LIST IT or NIX IT
We’re putting ten fresh trailers to the test: Primate, Rebuilding, Send Help, Merrily We Roll Along, The Pout Pout Fish, Young Washington, Stone Cold Fox, Icefall, Not Without Hope, and Wasteman. Will they make the Letterboxd watchlist or get the cold, heartless NIX?

📺 What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan’s been knee-deep in epic storytelling — from Oz and Black Sails to Warrior and the never-ending puzzle of Task. JP’s been balancing the mood with a dose of dark mystery, diving into Cure and keeping up with Slow Horses and The Lowdown. Expect discussions on tone, tension, and the art of sticking with shows that reward patience (or don’t).

🗞️ The News
It’s been a busy week in Hollywood, with new projects, industry shifts, and a few eyebrow-raising headlines. The guys round up the biggest stories and share their takes — part insight, part chaos, all film nerd energy.

From prestige drama to primates with potential, it’s another week of sharp opinions, questionable takes, and pure love for the movies on Mostly Film.

🎥 In Review: Guillermo del Toro

This week, the Mostly Film crew dives deep into the beating heart of Guillermo del Toro’s Spanish masterpieces — The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s a journey through haunted orphanages, fascist nightmares, and the fragile courage of children who see truth where adults see only power.

🩻 The Body: Building the Monster
We trace del Toro’s evolution from Mimic’s heartbreak to his creative rebirth in Spain. The Devil’s Backbone sets the stage — a ghost story framed by war, where the bomb in the courtyard is as much a symbol as it is a relic. Then comes Pan’s Labyrinth, its spiritual sequel, blending fairy tale and fascism into a seamless vision. We unpack the craftsmanship behind these films — from Guillermo Navarro’s glowing cinematography to del Toro’s camera that moves like memory itself.

💀 The Soul: What the Monster Means
For del Toro, monsters are moral mirrors. In The Devil’s Backbone, ghosts linger not for revenge but remembrance — “a tragedy doomed to repeat itself.” In Pan’s Labyrinth, the monsters of fantasy are merciful compared to those of reality. Ofelia’s rebellion becomes a prayer for imagination, for empathy, for survival. We talk Catholic humanism, compassion over dogma, and how del Toro finds holiness in the heart of horror.

👣 The Legacy: Footprints in the Dark
These two films didn’t just shape del Toro’s career — they defined his cinematic theology. The Devil’s Backbone earned him critical credibility, Pan’s Labyrinth earned him Oscars, and together they crystallized his belief that “fantasy is not an escape — it’s a way to understand reality.” Their influence echoes through Crimson Peak, The Shape of Water, and the growing field of “Spanish Civil War Gothic.”

From haunted courtyards to labyrinths of the soul, we explore how del Toro’s monsters teach us to see — not what’s hiding in the dark, but what’s been there all along.

🎬 Mostly Film

This week on Mostly Film, Jonathan and JP are back with another round of hot takes, questionable trailer opinions, and a few emotional curveballs.

LIST IT or NIX IT
We’re kicking things off with five fresh trailers — Mercy, Nuremberg, No Other Choice, Train Dreams, and Playdate. Which ones make the Letterboxd watchlist, and which ones get the swift “nope”? Expect chaos, disagreement, and at least one completely unjustified “LIST.”

What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan’s been spending time in the world of Oz and Warrior, while JP dove into 2025 releases like Eennie Meanie and The Woman in Cabin 10 — plus Lurker, because of course he did. On the TV side, it’s a Task, Slow Horses, and Lowdown kind of week.

The News
Hollywood had one of those “everything’s happening at once” weeks. We reflect on the loss of Diane Keaton at 79, discuss M. Night Shyamalan’s Magic 8 Ball show (yes, really), and break down Paramount’s failed bid to buy Warner Bros. Also: Fear Factor is coming back — hosted by Johnny Knoxville — and Tron: Ares just pulled a box office debut that’s... well, not electric.

It’s movie news, mild chaos, and mid-tier predictions — all part of another week of Mostly Film. 🎥

🎥 In Review: Guillermo del Toro — The Body, The Soul, The Legacy

This week, the Mostly Film crew dissects the visionary world of Guillermo del Toro, starting at the beginning — when the monsters were still finding their form. Jonathan and JP walk through del Toro’s evolution from the studio-strangled chaos of Mimic to the full-blown creative freedom of Hellboy.

🧠 The Body: Building the Monster
We dig into the bones of Mimic and Hellboy — the science-gone-wrong of one and the supernatural swagger of the other. From Miramax meddling to monster suits, del Toro’s meticulous craft shines through even when the system fought him. Expect talk of subway tunnels, chiaroscuro lighting, Nazi occultists, and how Hellboy gave him the mythic canvas he’d been chasing since Cronos.

💀 The Soul: What the Monster Means
Del Toro’s monsters are never just monsters — they’re metaphors. We unpack the shared heartbeat between these two films: fear and faith, creation and corruption, found families and false gods. Whether it’s Mira Sorvino’s motherly instinct in Mimic or Professor Broom’s fatherly care for a demon son, del Toro reminds us that the things we call monstrous often just want to be understood.

👣 The Legacy: Footprints in the Dark

Mimic’s heartbreak led to a vow of creative independence — one that would reshape his entire career. Hellboy became his redemption arc, a cult favorite that proved sincerity and spectacle could coexist. We trace how these films set the stage for The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, marking the moment del Toro learned to fight — and film — for beauty.

From tunnels to underworlds, this episode kicks off a journey through del Toro’s monsters, metaphors, and masterpieces — and how they made us all believers in the beautiful grotesque.

🎬 Mostly Film

This week, the Mostly Film crew (Jonathan & JP) are back to break down the latest in movie news, AI ethics, and cinematic chaos — with a few hot takes along the way.

LIST IT or NIX IT
Would we add it to the Letterboxd watchlist or toss it in the bin? We give rapid-fire reactions to the latest trailers for Ballad of a Small Player, The Thing with Feathers, We Bury the Dead, The Roughneck, and Exit Protocol. Expect some disagreements, some hype, and maybe one regretful “LIST.”

What We’ve Been Watching
Jonathan’s been digging into 2025’s newest releases like The Man in the Basement, All the Devils Are Here, and Caught Stealing, while balancing it out with some TV heavyweights like Banshee and Task. JP’s lineup includes Altered States, All the Devils Are Here, and Caught Stealing — plus a binge of Banshee, Slow Horses, and The Lowdown. It’s a mix of crime, chaos, and psychological breakdowns… in other words, a normal week.

The News
From PTA’s One Battle After Another crossing $100M worldwide to Dwayne Johnson reflecting on The Smashing Machine’s soft opening, we’re covering the highs, lows, and headline chaos of Hollywood. Zelda Williams calls out AI’s exploitation of her late father’s likeness, David Ellison goes full mogul with media acquisitions and Paramount shake-ups, and Damien Chazelle’s new prison drama is already stacking stars.

It’s a packed episode of sharp takes, deep dives, and way too many side conversations about Banshee.

🎧 Mostly Film — where film talk meets friendly chaos.