Brett_G

“Godzilla Minus One”

By Brett_G on December 15, 2023December 11, 2023

8.1

Far better than any of the U.S. Godzilla films. This film has stakes and substance in abundance. Well worth the subtitles.

The first 10-15 minutes of this film are truly ruthless. Where our American counterparts suffer from fear of alienating audiences, opting to play it safe, this film goes for broke at every opportunity. It delivers a much deeper message about the human experience and harkens back to the original themes of the Godzilla franchise, grappling with our use of technology and obsession with progress without regard for collateral damage and general consequences.

For such a small budget, this film also looks absolutely gorgeous, even in its destruction. The attention to detail and creativity is evident in almost every frame, and there’s a collective sense of care put into the craft that comes across throughout the entire runtime. An all-time blockbuster on the year!

Drama Suspense/Thriller

“Saltburn”

By Brett_G on December 14, 2023December 11, 2023

5.8

Umm… I’m at a loss. I’ve seen some sick and twisted things on the silver screen, but typically there is a general direction or purpose to the chaos. Not here. You’ll want to burn the thing to the ground and salt the earth so it can’t come back after this one. If there was a deeper meaning here, they lost me at drinking bath water and necrophilia. A bridge too far in my book. Even as “shock and awe” filmmaking, it didn’t stick the landing for me.

Comedy Suspense/Thriller

“Dream Scenario”

By Brett_G on December 13, 2023December 11, 2023

6.5

The first half hour of this had so much promise. The role so perfect for Nicholas Cage…

Then, it crashes and burns. Leaving originality to succumb to mediocrity and in the end lands on being quite bland and predictable. Sad, really. To see such a great premise wasted.

Rom-Com

“How Do You Know?”

By Brett_G on December 12, 2023December 11, 2023

7.3

In one word – adorable. A bit on the nose, but adorable.

A situation that hits a little close to home for a lot of us out here on the battlefield of love. “Not from my perspective.” is a comeback for the ages! Owen Wilson playing the heel is a fun twist in this one. I enjoyed watching him play against his usual, while Paul Rudd does Paul Rudd things and brings a strong adorable puppy dog love to the equation. Jack Nicholson really seemed sparse, but plays a great bad guy and sells the finale of the film. A traditional, by the numbers rom-com that won’t let you down.

Indie Suspense/Thriller

“How to Blow Up a Pipeline”

By Brett_G on December 7, 2023November 28, 2023

7.1

Maybe not the best laid plans, but a solid movie nonetheless.

Some of the film hit the notes I was worried about, some of it hit the high gear I was hoping it would. There are parts of the film that beat you over the head with the stereotypical college freshman taking on the world, blissfully unaware of the verbiage coming out of their mouth. Some of it hit the high gear of realizing that sometimes in the pursuit of a righteous goal, one becomes the very thing they seek to destroy. We then explore the irony of that for approximately 45 seconds. A brief glimmer of hope.

Technically, this film had me on the edge of my seat like I was re-watching “The Hurt Locker.” Something about watching someone handle explosives set to a score as tightly wound as the devices wiring was spell-binding. The story structure was also a nice creative choice that broke the tension and gave needed reprieve and backstory before diving back into a sweat session in the thick of the execution of the group’s plan. I can honestly say that the twist at the end caught me by pleasant surprise.

A solid, albeit odd film. I’m glad I finally got to see it on the big screen after months of it sitting in my Hulu watchlist.