Movie Review - Godzilla Minus One

 

I loved the original Gojira movie and wished they'd come up with something that serious and well scripted.

They finally did.

Godzilla Minus One is a 2023 action monster movie. It is rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and is appropriate for teens and up.

Analysis

Story. Unlike most of the Godzilla films (or monster movies in general) this film is a serious take on the genre and really examines what would happen if Godzilla were real. The movie also follows a small cast of characters from the end of World War II through the months following showing the steps they take to rebuild their lives. This human element helps raise the stakes and make Godzilla's attack seem even more devastating.

Special Effects. This film has amazing special effects. Unlike most movies in the last twenty years that look like video games, everything looks real. I'm impressed with what they managed to do with less than $15 million.

Plot & Pacing. The first half of the movie is a little slow, but once Godzilla attacks Tokyo I was on the edge of my seat.

Overall

Godzilla Minus One is a 2023 action monster movie. It is rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and is appropriate for teens and up. Unlike most of the Godzilla films (or monster movies in general) this film is a serious take on the genre and really examines what would happen if Godzilla were real. The movie also follows a small cast of characters from the end of World War II through the months following showing the steps they take to rebuild their lives. This human element helps raise the stakes and make Godzilla's attack seem even more devastating. This film has amazing special effects. Unlike most movies in the last twenty years that look like video games, everything looks real. I'm impressed with what they managed to do with less than $15 million. The first half of the movie is a little slow, but once Godzilla attacks Tokyo I was on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this film and give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

   

Movie Review - Wonka

I am not a Ronald Dahl fan and have yet to enjoy any movies based on his stories. But the trailer for this latest try actually looked good, and Timothée Chalamet looked like Willy Wonka should. So I thought I'd give it a chance. 

Wonka is a 2023 musical children's film inspired by a story by Ronald Dahl. It is rated PG and is appropriate for most ages.

Analysis

Timothée Chalamet. Timothée Chalamet made the movie. He looked the part and exuded the innocence, wackiness, and excitement of the character. I was surprised at how well he sang and danced.

Songs and Dancing. Almost all of the songs were really good. The dancing was fun and helped the movie move forward.

Art Direction. The visual look of the film was exactly what I expected it to be. It looked very much like a storybook.

Story. The story was weak with a lot of on-the-nose writing, heavy handed theme explaining, and goofy plot devices.

Cleverness. There were a lot of clever moments in the film that I just loved.

Silliness. There was a lot of silliness in the film that made it boring for adults and moved it from the family movie realm to a kids' film. It wasn't necessary to talk down to the audience and would have been a stronger film if they hadn't done that.

Overall

Wonka is a 2023 musical children's film inspired by a story by Ronald Dahl. It is rated PG and is appropriate for most ages. Timothée Chalamet made the movie. He looked the part and exuded the innocence, wackiness, and excitement of the character. I was surprised at how well he sang and danced. Almost all of the songs were really good. The dancing was fun and helped the movie move forward. The visual look of the film was exactly what I expected it to be. It looked very much like a storybook. The story was weak with a lot of on-the-nose writing, heavy handed theme explaining, and goofy plot devices. There were a lot of clever moments in the film that I just loved. There was a lot of silliness in the film that made it boring for adults and moved it from the family movie realm to a kids' film. It wasn't necessary to talk down to the audience and would have been a stronger film if they hadn't done that. The film is overall entertaining with the good moments worth sitting thru the not-so-good moments. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

     

Movie Review - Hunted Mansion (2023)

I'm a big fan of the Hunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I always thought a good movie based on that would be really cool. I never thought we'd see the "good" part, though.

Haunted Mansion is a 2023 spooky comedy film based on the Disneyland attraction. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for teens and up.

Analysis

Story. The story is a pretty typical spooky tale and plays out about how you expect it to. It's not bad, but nothing special. The opening has two false starts that were completely necessary and boring. The filmmakers should have started with scene 3. It would have been much stronger. 

Spooky. This film was pretty spooky and even had a few genuine scary moments that probably pushed it as far as you can for a family film.

Comedy. The movie was so funny and so clever. I laughed several times from start to finish.

Pacing. The pacing was decent but did drag in a few spots.

Overall

Haunted Mansion is a 2023 spooky comedy film based on the DisneyLand attraction. The story is a pretty typical spooky tale and plays out about how you expect it to. It's not bad, but nothing special. The opening has two false starts that were completely necessary and boring. The filmmakers should have started with scene 3. It would have been much stronger. This film was pretty spooky and even had a few genuine scary moments that probably pushed it as far as you can for a family film. The movie was so funny and so clever. I laughed several times from start to finish. The pacing was decent but did drag in a few spots. Overall this was a very enjoyable movie, and I'm glad I saw it. I recommend this film and give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

   

Movie Review - Sound of Freedom

I wasn't sure if I could sit thru Sound of Freedom. The subject matter seemed pretty heavy and hard to watch. But after reading and watching so many positive reviews I decided to try it, and am I glad I did.

Sound of Freedom is a 2023 drama film based on a true story. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for teens and up.

Analysis

The story behind the movie is excellent, but the filmmakers didn't rest on their laurels. Every other aspect of this film was top notch. You could use this film as a semester in film school about how to make a movie.

Story. The story was solid. Everything was well explained and laid out, but nothing was over explained. One scene led to the next leaving me at the edge of my seat. The message was clearly and movingly presented.

Cinematography. This film was beautifully shot. Each and every frame was carefully thought out and designed.

Set & Costume Design. Just as much care was put into the set and costume design transporting you to the various locations and defining the various characters in the film without them needing to say a word.

Acting. Everyone brought their A game to this film. You believed you were watching a documentary being filmed and not a scripted show. What impressed me was how much of the film was silent. So much was conveyed thru facial expressions and actions.

Pacing. The film had a very deliberate pace that was just right. It delivered several powerful emotional punches but never felt slow or dragging.

Overall

I wasn't sure if I could sit thru Sound of Freedom. The subject matter seemed pretty heavy and hard to watch. But after reading and watching so many positive reviews I decided to try it, and am I glad I did. The story behind the movie is excellent, but the filmmakers didn't rest on their laurels. Every other aspect of this film was top notch. You could use this film as a semester in film school about how to make a movie. The story was solid. Everything was well explained and laid out, but nothing was over explained. One scene led to the next leaving me at the edge of my seat. The message was clearly and movingly presented. This film was beautifully shot. Each and every frame was carefully thought out and designed. Just as much care was put into the set and costume design transporting you to the various locations and defining the various characters in the film without them needing to say a word. Everyone brought their A game to this film. You believed you were watching a documentary being filmed and not a scripted show. What impressed me was how much of the film was silent. So much was conveyed thru facial expressions and actions. The film had a very deliberate pace that was just right. It delivered several powerful emotional punches but never felt slow or dragging. I highly recommend this film and give it 5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

   

Movie Review - The Flash (2023 film)

I was really excited for a live-action Justice League movie on the big screen. I'd been hoping for one since I saw Superman II with Christopher Reeves in theaters. What we got a few years ago was hugely disappointing. So I almost didn't go see The Flash, but I'm glad I did.

The Flash is a 2023 science fiction, superhero, action movie. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for tweens and up.

Analysis

Story. The film is based on the Flashpoint mini-series in the comics, but takes it to a very different place. The filmmakers do a great job developing the Flash's character and setting up the stakes so the ending and choices people make feel impactful.

Action. There is a lot of great and fun action. The first 10 minutes of the film is the Justice League saving the city. THIS is the Justice League movie I've been wanting to see. And while the final battle was over the top, there were a lot of cool moments that looked like they were plucked straight out of a comic book.

Fan Service. This film is filled with gratuitous fan service from Michael Keaton returning as Batman to 3D cameos from George Reeves Superman and Christoper Reeves Superman to many, many more. It was fun to see them again on the big screen even though none of them were necessary.

Pacing. Unlike Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse, Super Mario Bros., and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, (three huge disappointments) I never got bored or looked at my watch once. I was completely engaged from start to finish.

Overall

After waiting decades to see the Justice League on the big screen, the Justice League movie we got a few years ago was hugely disappointing. So I almost didn't go see The Flash, but I'm glad I did. Unlike Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse, Super Mario Bros., and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, (three huge disappointments) I never got bored or looked at my watch once. I was completely engaged from start to finish. The film is based on the Flashpoint mini-series in the comics, but takes it to a very different place. The filmmakers do a great job developing the Flash's character and setting up the stakes so the ending and choices people make feel impactful. There is a lot of great and fun action. The first 10 minutes of the film is the Justice League saving the city. THIS is the Justice League movie I've been wanting to see. And while the final battle was over the top, there were a lot of cool moments that looked like they were plucked straight out of a comic book. This film is filled with gratuitous fan service from Michael Keaton returning as Batman to 3D cameos from George Reeves Superman and Christoper Reeves Superman to many, many more. It was fun to see them again on the big screen even though none of them were necessary. I highly recommend this movie and give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

   

Movie Review - See How They Run (2022 film)

 

I'm a big fan of classic mystery and whodunits. I think that's why I don't read many modern mystery novels--they aren't actually mysteries but crime stories.

See How They Run is a 2022 mystery comedy movie. It is rated PG-13 for language and is appropriate for teens and up.

Review

The basic story is the typical Agatha Christie detective whodunit with a murder, a detective, and a room full of suspects. What makes this movie unique is the approach the filmmakers chose to take. The film is very meta. It comments on the tropes of the classic detective story, analyzes them, comments on them, and twists them. There is some breaking of the fourth wall, but it is done sparingly and all to comment on mystery tropes. There were several unexpected twists along the road. The characters were mostly interesting. The ending was clever mostly because of how it was foreshadowed earlier in the film. This is a very entertaining movie for those who enjoy classic detective stories and those who enjoy meta analysis of film and literature.

I highly recommend this film and give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

 

Movie Review - Top Gun: Maverick

I remember watching the original Top Gun when it first played in theaters. The film has gone on to become somewhat of a classic. When I heard about the sequel I wasn't sure what to think. The film certainly didn't need a part two. And what would you do that wasn't just a cash grab?

Top Gun: Maverick is a 2022 action movie. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Story. The story is so tight and well told. I never found myself bored, looking at my watch, nor confused as to what was going on.

Action. This film is filled with great action with actual jets and stunts and not just video games planes.

Thrilling. This film had me at the edge of my seat several times. It is one thrill ride after another.

The Bad

New Kids. The new kids just don't have the charisma of the original cast. I found it hard to care for any of them or feel for them when they stumbled.

Overall

Top Gun: Maverick is a 2022 action movie. It is rated PG-13 and is appropriate for tweens and up. The story is so tight and well told. I never found myself bored, looking at my watch, nor confused as to what was going on. This film is filled with great action with actual jets and stunts and not just video games planes. This film had me at the edge of my seat several times. It is one thrill ride after another. The only real downside is the new cast. The new kids just don't have the charisma of the original cast. I found it hard to care for any of them or feel for them when they stumbled. I highly recommend this movie and give it 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

  

Movie Review - Sonic The Hedgehog 2

I never played the Sonic the Hedgehog games (or even a Sega for that matter), but the trailer for the first movie looked fun, so I went and saw it. And boy did I love it! I couldn't wait for the sequel. But would they continue what worked so well in the first movie, or would they make a bad remake of the first film like so many sequels do?

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a 2022 action adventure comedy. It is rated PG and is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Amount of story. This movie was pure fun and pure entertainment. Nothing felt awkward, out of place, or shoehorned in. Every scene, every action, every line of dialogue felt like it was needed and was tweaked for maximum entertainment and enjoyment.

Amount of story. I was surprised at how much story the filmmakers stuffed into the movie. So much happened and so many ideas were developed. It has been a long time since a movie had so much to enjoy.

Pacing. This film starts off in high gear from the beginning and doesn't let the foot off the pedal until halfway thru the credits.

Comedy. This film had genuinely funny moments from great verbal jokes to hilarious situations that were carefully built up over time.

Visuals. This film looked great from the character designs to the sets to the special effects.

The Bad

I got nothing.

Overall

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a 2022 action adventure comedy. This movie was pure fun and pure entertainment from start to finish. Nothing felt awkward, out of place, or shoehorned in. Every scene, every action, every line of dialogue felt like it was needed and was tweaked for maximum entertainment and enjoyment. I was surprised at how much story the filmmakers stuffed into the movie. So much happened and so many ideas were developed. It has been a long time since a movie had so much to enjoy. This film starts off in high gear from the beginning and doesn't let the foot off the pedal until halfway thru the credits. This film had genuinely funny moments from great verbal jokes to hilarious situations that were carefully built up over time. This film looked great from the character designs to the sets to the special effects. I highly recommend this movie and give it 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

  

Movie Review - The Lost City

Sandra Bullock films tend to be pretty good, and this one involved Indiana Jones-style action, so I figured it would be good. I didn't realize it would be REALLY good.

The Lost City is a 2022 romantic adventure comedy. It is rated PG-13 for language and sexual innuendos. It is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Comedy. The real strength of this movie is the comedy. It was really funny with unexpected jokes.

Visuals. This film was a visual treat from the hotel to the bad guy's lair to the lost island in the middle of the ocean.

Concept. While making a movie about a writer is far from original, this didn't fell like the same old tired story I've seen too many times. They managed to throw in enough to make it interesting and not feel stale.

The Bad

Dash. I understand what the filmmakers were going for when they made Dash, the main male protagonist, so wimpy at the beginning of the film to give him growth and an arc, but they went too far and made him a bit unlikable. It was hard to root for him or feel glad at his growth.

Overall

The Lost City is a 2022 romantic adventure comedy. While making a movie about a writer is far from original, this didn't fell like the same old tired story I've seen too many times. They managed to throw in enough to make it interesting and not feel stale. This film was a visual treat from the hotel to the bad guy's lair to the lost island in the middle of the ocean. The real strength of this movie is the comedy. It was really funny with unexpected jokes. I understand what the filmmakers were going for when they made Dash, the main male protagonist, so wimpy at the beginning of the film to give him growth and an arc, but they went too far and made him a bit unlikable. It was hard to root for him or feel glad at his growth. I highly recommend this movie and give it 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn. 

  

Movie Review - Death on the Nile (2022 film)

 

I really enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's first film, Murder on the Orient Express, and I love ancient Egypt, so I thought I would enjoy Branagh's latest effort.

Death on the Nile is a 2022 film directed by Kenneth Branagh and adapts the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot novel of the same name. It is rated PG-13 for mild violence and language and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Film

Story: I've never read the book, so I don't know how it compares to the original story, but I felt the mystery was really intriguing with no obvious murderer and several twists and along the way. The reveals were truly revealing at the end, and yet none felt like cheats.

Cast & Acting: This was a well cast film with everyone feeling like they fit, but no one was a standout or really felt like they were perfect for the role other than Kenneth Branagh himself and Tom Bateman playing Bouc, both iconic in their roles.

Art Direction & Cinematography: The film was beautifully shot with gorgeous scenes of Egyptian ruins, an elegant riverboat, and a great club. The director tried hard to frame every shot in an interesting way. Most the time it worked with only a few shots feeling forced.

Pacing: I felt this movie was a little slow. It always felt like it was slightly dragging, and I never found myself completely lost in the film.

Conclusion

Death on the Nile is an enjoyable film. The mystery was very intriguing with no obvious murderer and several twists and along the way. The reveals were truly revealing at the end, and yet none felt like cheats. This was a well cast film with everyone feeling like they fit, but no one was a standout or really felt like they were perfect for the role other than Kenneth Branagh himself and Tom Bateman playing Bouc, both iconic in their roles. The film was beautifully shot with gorgeous scenes of Egyptian ruins, an elegant riverboat, and a great club. The director tried hard to frame every shot in an interesting way. Most the time it worked with only a few shots feeling forced. I felt this movie was a little slow. It always felt like it was slightly dragging, and I never found myself completely lost in the film. I give it 4 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.