Weekend Movie Reviews: 'Freaky' And 'Mank'

Today is Friday the 13th — and in honor of the spooky date, horror movie "Freaky" is hitting theaters near you. The slasher flick will delight this weekend with a gender-bending twist, starring Vince Vaughn as a creepy serial killer and Kathryn Newton as a high school outcast.

If a scary movie is not quite your cup of tea, you should check out the Herman Mankiewicz biopic "Mank," which focuses on the legendary screenwriter's development of "Citizen Kane." The film stars Gary Oldman in the title role.

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Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

“Freaky” — Kathryn Newton, Vince Vaughn, Alan Ruck; directed by Christopher Landon

From the director of the sleepy horror hit “Happy Death Day” comes another slasher flick deftly infused with horror-thriller nostalgia from the classics. This time around, audiences will easily recognize popular tropes from “Friday the 13th” and “Freaky Friday” to “Scream” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” replete with vintage movie title cards to boot.

In Christopher Landon’s latest confection, Vince Vaughn plays a deranged masked serial killer, also known as the Blissfield Butcher, while Kathryn Newton plays Millie, a high schooler who is perennially bullied and mocked by her vicious peers — well, not for long.

One night, when Millie sees the Butcher across the street, she suddenly runs for her life. Moments later, however, the creepy dude catches up and stabs her with a mystical Aztec knife — precisely at the stroke of midnight on Friday the 13th. What ensues is an unexplainable body swap, trapping the teenaged girl’s spirit inside the psychopath’s massive figure. Meanwhile, the Butcher conveniently ensconces himself in Millie’s body, sporting an image of a young seductress while preying upon the entire football team.

But wait! Apparently, Millie can possibly reverse the curse. How exactly? Our heroine has 24 hours to find the Butcher and then stab him to get her body back. Will Millie prevail as she races against time?

See it. Vaughn and Newton are amazing in their gender-bending roles. Plus, the screenplay delivers a refreshingly vibrant pandemonium that feels witty, authentic and fun. Just be prepared for some plot holes — and, of course, for R-rated horror violence.

Watch the trailer:

“Mank” — Lily Collins, Tuppence Middleton, Gary Oldman; directed by David Fincher

For decades upon decades, Orson Welles’ iconic masterpiece “Citizen Kane” has been at the center of a protracted dispute as to whether the illustrious writer-director or the legendary screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz is mostly responsible for the film’s script.

In “Mank,” David Fincher (who directed “The Social Network”) makes a case for Mankiewicz, celebrating his wry, entertaining wit and sheer genius as a colorful raconteur, all the while tracing the screenwriter’s development of the 1941 movie classic about the personal life of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst.

Shot in a radiant black and white, the movie opens with the titular character, Mank (Gary Oldman), a longtime studio screenwriter and producer faced with grave misfortunes from financial woes due to a recent car crash that has rendered him nearly immobile. Fortunately, he has been hired by Welles (Tom Burke) to write the screenplay for “Citizen Kane,” along with a dictation secretary (Lily Collins) at his disposal.

And so begins Mank’s 60-day quest for the greatness of “Citizen Kane.” However, it won’t be an easy feat.

See it. A bittersweet tribute to a bygone Hollywood era, “Mank” dazzles with evocative cinematography, Fincher’s stylish direction and Oldman’s Oscar-caliber performance.

Watch the trailer: