Godzilla: King of the Monsters

I was apprehensive going into this movie. I enjoyed the 2014 Godzilla, and 2017 Kong: Skull Island, but hadn’t seen any other Godzilla property. Many attempted cinematic universes have gone the way of the Dark Universe, and ended before they truly began. The Godzillaverse did better than most with two generally acceptable movies, and was hoping to keep things rolling with a third.

For me, it absolutely keeps rolling. This movie was a lot of fun. It’s easy to say after a block buster movie comes out that visual “look amazing,” but it really is jaw dropping to see these huge, fictitious monsters go at each other, and really feel their weight. That is the most common complaint against CGI, that the characters feel to light, and don’t affect the world around them enough. Somehow, with the most outrageous, unrealistic monsters, you really feel these fights. You feel the size of these characters, their weight, and their affect on the environment around them. You can see the expression on their faces, and it is really incredible.

It is disappointing that not all of the 2014 Godzilla cast returned, especially Bryan Cranston, but one of the holdovers, Ken Watanabe, absolutely slays. Fans of “Stranger Things” will also enjoy Millie Bobbie Brown, who does her roll very well.

Overall, it is really solid. The first fight scene might actually be the most impressive, and its run time could arguably have been trimmed a bit, but still an entertaining time. Happy to see where this franchise goes.

Rating: 3.95/5

Aladdin

It took a few scenes, but you settle into it. Visually it is amazing, which is not at all what I expected after the first trailer. The shots of the city make it feel magical, but still somehow believable. Rajah the tiger gives a good sneak peak at how good the Lion King animals are going to look.

The cast is reasonable. Props to the movie for mostly casting actors that have a middle eastern background. Will Smith does as well as anyone could following the legendary performance of Robin Williams. It was good to see him making the genie his own character, and not trying to do a Williams impression.

The songs started out a bit rough. The pacing of the first couple was a bit strange, and “One Jump Ahead” featured a scene that seemed to be oddly sped up. However, as the movie continues the songs become more and more enjoyable. It’s hard to add to a classic like this, but “Speechless” was great addition for Princess Jasmine.

Bumblebee

There’s a lot to like in this film, especially considering the rough slog that this franchise had turned into. The transformers are given a little more personality, and it’s not just mindless explosions for no reason. That being said, it’s missing that extra spark to push it over the line and make it a great movie. The actors are decent but not exceptional, and the storyline different from the other movies, but not unique. Overall a step up for the franchise, but there is still room for improvement.

Rating: 3/5