Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Godzilla Minus One is a prequel-like film set in a Mid to Post WWII Japan where a gigantic monster appears off the coast.

Back in 2019, I watched Dragon Quest: Your Story because I'm a big Dragon Quest fan. Even while writing this review, I've paused Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. Little did I know earlier this afternoon that Takashi Yamazaki had directed both. He did a great job getting material out of the live-action characters but the CGI could have had more of a bake time as there were some noticeable issues but perhaps the average audience member won't notice.

Ryunosuke Kamiki plays the main character and has a large growth and character arc that screams Japanese as he's an insecure and self-conscious beta who has no backbone or the courage to do what's right until the arc is over. It's very relatable to younger audiences. He was in Spirited Away and The Secret World of Arrietty so there's that.

Minami Hamabe plays the love interest in one way or another. It's more of a will they won't they situation. She plays the character written for her well but is absent through a good half of the movie. She's expressive and you want to see her happy by the end.

It's a solid Godzilla movie, it's not as amazing as some people are claiming but compared to much in the theaters right now it's on the top end. Result: B+

Comments

Hamnet (2025)

Hamnet (2025) is directed by Chloé Zhao , known for Nomadland and The Rider , and produced by Steven Spielberg , whose legacy includes Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan . Zhao’s quiet, human-centered style blends unexpectedly well with Spielberg’s sweeping emotional sensibilities. The result is a film that is intimate yet cinematic, grounded yet overwhelming in its emotional impact. It is easy to see why many are calling it a frontrunner. The writing, pacing, and visual storytelling come together with remarkable precision. Jessie Buckley , known for I'm Thinking of Ending Things and Women Talking , delivers the best performance of her career. She is raw, expressive, and heartbreakingly human. Every scene she’s in is layered with emotion, and she elevates the material far beyond what even great writing could accomplish. Her portrayal is the emotional anchor of the film. Paul Mescal , known for Aftersun and Gladiator II , is equally powerful. While his performance in G...

Bugonia (2025)

Bugonia is Yorgos Lanthimos ' fifth film that I've seen. This time it's about a woman abducted by two conspiratorial men who think she's an alien from the galaxy of Andromeda. Lanthimos had a wild ride with Poor Things and The Lobster . While Kinds of Kindness and The Favourite were more tame, Bugonia is a wild ride from beginning to end and is so tightly written and directed that there are no scenes that are out of place or unintentional. Perhaps it's the screenplay done by the writer of The Menu which I still need to see. Perhaps it was source material done by Jang Joon-hwan who hasn't really done much in America, though looking at the movie Save the Green Planet! it doesn't appear to be so. While the direction and writing is superb the film wouldn't be anything without the amazing performance of the postered woman, Emma Stone. This isn't her first time working with Lanthimos either, but it's easily my favorite performance of hers. She ...

Civil War (2024)

Civil War is a journey across the eastern United States during a hypothetical civil war. Alex Garland wrote and directed the film. I was worried there would be too much of a political message in the film but really the message was so muted and delved into the story of Lee and Jessie. There are undertones of who is right and who is wrong in Garland's opinion but I was glad he kept it from being the story. It seems he's learned his lesson from his 2022 film Men. I'm glad to see him branching out from science fiction but Ex Machina and Annihilation were his best movies. Kirsten Dunst plays Lee the main character and the manifestation of jaded experience. She's seen war, suffering, and horrible things. She wants to protect Jessie just because of how polar opposite Jessie is as the manifestation of innocence. The makeup even shows how dead Lee looks in the eyes with the first close-up. You'll remember her as MJ from Spider-Man . Cailee Spaeny plays Jessie and despite...

Movies, Film, and Chili

Search This Blog