Death Becomes Her (1992) ****

I remember seeing the trailer for Death Becomes Her (1992) many times around the time it was released and I was familiar with much of the imagery, but I somehow only watched it for the first time three years ago. In 1992 I didn't know that it was made by the same director as the Back To The Future trilogy (reviews here, here, and here) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (review).

What a fun movie—so up my alley in so many ways. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn are perfect as catty but clever rivals, Bruce Willis is brilliant in the rare straight-up comedic role, Isabella Rossellini is deliciously wicked and sensual, and the at-the-time pioneering CG effects largely hold up really well (save a few scenes). Dean Cundey's cinematography is gorgeous, as usual, perfectly complimenting the gothic/Art Deco production design. The body horror in DBH finds director Robert Zemeckis at his most gruesome and unhinged (as far as PG-13 films go) and it's a joy to watch. This loopy, fantastical, supernatural comedy is an hilariously dark satire of vanity, aging, and greed—campy, over-the-top, and an absolute blast.

Robert Zemeckis Feature Films Ranked