Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Like the horror-comedy Lisa Frankenstein? Then watch these three great movies right now

Kathryn Newton stands behind Cole Sprouse in Lisa Frankenstein.
Michele K. Short / Focus Features

There aren’t many movies like Lisa Frankenstein. Written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body) and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Zelda Williams, the 1980s-set supernatural comedy follows a teenage girl whose wish to be with the dead occupant of a local, Victorian-era grave is granted when his corpse is inexplicably reanimated. In order to complete her undead dream guy’s reanimation, the two set out to find and replace his corpse’s missing body parts.

The film is one of the oddest titles in this year’s Valentine’s Day movie season. As unique as it may be, though, Lisa Frankenstein also proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. Thanks to its Tim Burton-inspired aesthetic and its over-the-top period setting, the movie makes its debt to certain 1980s and ’90s comedies explicitly clear. With that in mind, here are three movies that you should check out if you like Lisa Frankenstein.

Recommended Videos

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Kim hugs Edward in Edward Scissorhands.
20th Century Fox

There are a few Tim Burton movies that would make sense on this list, including 1988’s Beetlejuice. However, none of the director’s films had as clear of an influence on Lisa Frankenstein as Edward Scissorhands. Both movies focus on misfit girls who fall in love with young men who seem, on the surface, impossible to be with.

From the purposefully artificial nature of its American small town to its characters’ goth costumes, Lisa Frankenstein bears an aesthetic connection to Edward Scissorhands that is impossible to deny. For those reasons and more, Edward Scissorhands is a must-see film for anyone who enjoys Lisa Frankenstein.

Edward Scissorhands is streaming on Max.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Goldie Hawn stands next to Meryl Streep in Death Becomes Her.
Universal Pictures / Universal Pictures

Death Becomes Her is a black comedy about two women (Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn) whose rivalry over a man (Die Hard’s Bruce Willis) leads them both to drink potions that grant them everlasting youth and make them immortal, but not impervious to injury.

The film’s premise allows it to take its instances of violence to truly cartoonish heights, and its blasé attitude toward its macabre elements establishes an undeniable link between it and Lisa Frankenstein, which similarly isn’t afraid to pack moments of shocking violence into its largely comedic story. In other words, while Death Becomes Her isn’t nearly as well-known as the other two entries on this list, that doesn’t mean it isn’t just as suitable of a companion piece to Lisa Frankenstein.

Death Becomes Her can be rented or purchased at various digital vendors including Amazon Prime Video.

Heathers (1988)

Winona Ryder scowls in Heathers.
New World Pictures

Unlike the other films on this list, there’s nothing supernatural about Heathers‘ story. It and Lisa Frankenstein‘s heightened, satirical takes on 1980s American high school life are, nonetheless, strikingly similar.

Both films share a clear disdain for their settings and the demands that are made of their teenaged characters, and Heathers’ tongue-in-cheek combination of romance, violence, teen angst, and death makes it a powerful cousin film to Lisa Frankenstein. Like Edward ScissorhandsHeathers is also anchored by Winona Ryder, the ’80s and ’90s icon whose shadow looms large over Lisa Frankenstein.

Heathers is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Alex Welch
Alex is a writer and critic who has been writing about and reviewing movies and TV at Digital Trends since 2022. He was…
Like Fly Me to the Moon? Then watch these 3 great movies now
Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum lean on a pier railing in Fly Me to the Moon.

Two-time Academy Award nominee Scarlett Johansson stars opposite Channing Tatum in the romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon. Set in the 1960s amid the space race, the film centers on the unexpected romance that blossoms between a marketing executive preparing a fake moon landing in case the real one fails and a NASA executive preparing for the Apollo 11 mission.

2024 has already produced several great movies, and while Fly Me to the Moon doesn't break any ground, it remains a sweet and surprisingly clever period piece with a compelling story and a fantastic performance from Johansson. Those who love the film's unique blend of satire, comedy, and romance will surely want to check out these other movies that share similar themes, comedic approaches, and even a fair share of romance.
Down with Love (2003)

Read more
Like MaXXXine? Then watch these 3 great horror movies right now
Mia Goth smiles on a red carpet in MaXXXine.

Since he started his very own horror trilogy with X, Ti West has been making expert pastiches, each of which centers on characters played by Mia Goth. MaXXXine is the third installment in that trilogy, and follows Maxine, the aspiring actress from the first film, as she makes her way to Hollywood and tries to prove that she is a star.

As she finds herself being hunted by a serial killer, though, Maxine's past threatens to come spilling out toward her present. If you saw MaXXXine and were into the '80s horror pastiche that film is going for, then you might be looking for other horror movies that feel like they're in a similar vein. We've gathered three such horror movies that will make for the perfect follow up to West's latest effort.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Official Trailer - Wes Craven, Johnny Depp Horror Movie HD

Read more
Like Netflix’s popular Hit Man? Then watch these 5 great Glen Powell movies
Glen Powell looks nerdy and uncool in a still from Hit Man.

Glen Powell has quietly become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Until now, the actor has starred almost exclusively in military movies, space films, and rom-coms. But this plan seems to have paid off as Powell is now a bona fide leading man. His latest film is Netflix's Hit Man. Based on a true story that was originally reported in Texas Monthly magazine back in 2001, the film follows a fake hit man who secretly works for the cops. His real job is to arrest those who are engaging in murder-for-hire plots.

So far, the movie has seen nothing but praise, holding a lofty 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 95% audience score. Though Powell is just getting started in his career, he's already been in a handful of blockbuster hits that have helped propel him onto Hollywood's A-List. If you loved Powell's performance in Hit Man, you should check out his other best films like Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone but You, and more.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Read more