I for one have thoroughly enjoyed Legendary’s MonsterVerse movie franchise. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” makes for the fifth film in the shared universe which dates all the way back to 2014 and Gareth Edwards’ terrific “Godzilla”. It’s considered the 38th film of the entire Godzilla franchise and the 13th King Kong feature. It sees the return of director Adam Wingard who helmed the previous installment, 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong”.

Initial reactions to this newest entry have been interesting. While early box office numbers have been impressive, the critics responses have been mixed. One reason is because some have unfortunately and unfairly pitted it against last year’s exceptional and more serious-minded “Godzilla: Minus One”. If anything the long-running Godzilla franchise has proven that you can do a lot of different things with the titular characters. Wingard understands that and sticks with his wild ‘Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Kaiju’ formula. I’m glad he did.

After defeating Mechagodzilla in the last movie, Kong has descended back down to Hollow Earth – the vast world below our planet’s surface where he carries on his search for his ancestors. Meanwhile on the surface, Godzilla continues his fight against the Titans who frequently spring up and cause trouble. As the last film established, Godzilla and Kong don’t like each other. But as long as they stay out of each other’s territory there should be nothing to worry about…right?

Back at Monarch, the well-funded secret organization that specializes in the monitoring Titan activity, Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) has been elevated to Head of Kong Research. She and her team keep an eye on Kong while others within the vast Monarch follow Godzilla around the globe trying to predict his next moves.

At home, Irene’s young adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle) remains the last surviving member of Skull Island’s Iwi tribe who has a special connection to Kong. She’s suddenly stricken with traumatic visions triggered by an unidentified signal emanating from Hollow Earth. Irene seeks the help of Titan enthusiast and podcaster Bernie Hayes (a returning Brian Tyree Henry) and Titan veterinarian Trapper (Dan Stevens) who accompany her to Hollow Earth where Kong has discovered an uncharted region full of secrets. Meanwhile the mysterious signal stirs up Godzilla who begins preparing for a potential new and terrifying threat.

As you can probably guess, it’s all working toward a Titan-sized clash which Wingard and his digital effects team have a blast setting up and executing. The CGI-heavy visuals are pretty spectacular and often help to energize the movie. This proves to be important, especially as the heavy doses of mythology begin to wear a little thin. Admittedly, it’s impossible to deny the silliness of it all. At the same time, that very same silliness is a big part of what makes the movie fun. And Wingard’s snappy pacing makes sure you’re not dwelling on too much for too long.

Of course the bread and butter of “The New Empire” is the Titan throwdowns and we get some really good ones. Fans will relish the massive, destruction-driven battles, the film’s playful self-awareness, and the classic monster movie feel. Wingard and his trio of writers (Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater) make no bones about the movie they’re making. It’s pure popcorn entertainment and throwback escapism. If you didn’t like the previous MonsterVerse entry I’m not sure you’ll go for this one. Me? I’m already excited for the next installment. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Busting ghosts dates back to 1984 when Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson saved New York City from a giant Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and an assortment of other spirits. And wouldn’t you know it, they saved it again in 1989. Aside from a lackluster attempt at a remake in 2016, there was no more busting ghosts until 2021 and the long anticipated “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, a film that introduced a new generation of busters while bringing back the originals (minus Harold Ramis who died in 2014).

“Afterlife” came out on the backend of COVID-19 and was a modest box office success. Enough so to earn itself a sequel, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”. Directed by Gil Kenan, “Frozen Empire” has a lot in common with its predecessor. For example, it’s chock full fan service from the opening titles to the ending credits. And while it has its nostalgic charms, it doesn’t offer much that will stick with anyone other than the Ghostbusters franchise die-hards.

The biggest issue with “Frozen Empire” revolves around its script. It’s a case of a movie having too much going on. Much of it feels recycled while anything resembling a new angle is undercooked. And despite several drawn-out stretches where not much happens, there are characters and subplots that never get the attention they need. It doesn’t help that the film is not especially exciting, not at all creepy, and not very funny. That’s a shame considering “Frozen Empire” brings back what is a terrific ensemble. But so many of its characters get lost in the crowd.

Written by Kenan and “Afterlife” director Jason Reitman, the overstuffed “Frozen Empire” goes down several different paths. First you have the ghostbusting family of Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon), her boyfriend Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), her 18-year-old son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), and her 15-year-old daughter Phoebe (Mckenna Grace). They live and operate out of the old Manhattan firehouse from the original films, protecting New York City from all kinds of spectral threats. But rather than being lauded, they’re constantly hounded by their arch-nemesis and the city’s new mayor, Walter Peck (William Atherton reprising his role).

Meanwhile Ray Stantz (Aykroyd) runs an old antique and book shop built around ghostly artifacts. He purchases a mysterious orb from a customer named Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani), a character who epitomizes what happens when comic relief goes bad. As Ray is testing its PKE levels, the orb emits an energy blast that shakes the city and damages the firehouse’s ecto-containment unit. That can’t be good.

Ray rushes the artifact to the underground Paranormal Research Center ran by Winston Zeddemore (Hudson). With the help of Peter Venkman (Murray) the old Ghostbusters learn that the orb holds a malevolent spirit named Garraka. Patton Oswald shows up, unloading ton of momentum-killing exposition about Garraka, his power-hungry past, his powers (he can freeze stuff), and some uninteresting stuff about a group of sorcerers called Fire Masters. It goes without saying that Garraka escapes, puts the Big Apple into a deep freeze and it will take the Ghostbusters young and old to stop him.

As the main story chugs along, there are a couple of well intended plot lines that fall flat. One tries to add a coming-of-age flavor and involves Phoebe trying to find herself and where she fits in the world. She hits it off with a ghost named Melody (Emily Alyn Lind) but the relationship that forms between them is rushed and poorly defined. Then there is the subplot of Callie, Gary, Trevor, and Phoebe discovering what it means to be a family. This is something that could have fit in nicely with the central story, but as with so much else, it never gets the attention it needs to matter.

There’s no doubt that some will be drawn to its heavy nostalgia; other to its playful spirit and fun visual effects. But those things alone can’t save “Frozen Empire” from its overstuffed story, too many characters, and its overall lack of anything original. Things often defy logic, some characters get completely lost (poor Wolfhard), and there’s no emotional resonance to speak of. I wouldn’t call this the death knell for the series. At the same time it wouldn’t surprise me if this is the final Ghostbusters adventure we get. But as usual, it’s up to the box office to determine that. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Not to be confused with the recent American line of Godzilla movies from production company Legendary Pictures, “Godzilla Minus One” comes from Japan’s celebrated Toho Studios. It’s Toho’s first Godzilla movie since 2016’s “Shin Godzilla”. And it’s their 33rd Godzilla film since first creating the iconic King of the Monsters in 1954. And what better way to celebrate the franchise’s upcoming 70th anniversary than with a new Toho production?

Written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki (who also served as visual effects supervisor), “Godzilla Minus One” has the feel of some the earliest Toho classics both in setting and style of storytelling. But don’t worry, today’s state-of-the-art visual effects and production design are on prominent display. As expected we get some jaw-dropping wide-scale destruction, and the encounters with the eponymous kaiju are exhilarating. Yet it’s the undercurrent of humanity that may catch audiences by surprise.

Takashi’s story unfolds in the years immediately following World War II. Japan’s infrastructure, economy, and morale has been decimated. Its people struggle to put their lives back together, living in makeshift homes and barely able to provide food for their families. The government offers little help leading to an unstable and vulnerable country. It’s a setting that fans of Toho’s earliest films will immediately recognize – one that’s still rich with political and cultural undertones.

Disgraced kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) returns home to Tokyo only to find his parents were killed and his neighborhood decimated from air raids in the waning days of the war. Not only is Koichi overwhelmed with grief, but he also struggles with PTSD and survivors guilt. We learn that two years prior he feigned a mechanical issue with his plane, landing on Odo island rather than carrying out his mission. While there the small outpost of mechanics is attacked by a massive prehistoric creature dubbed “Godzilla” by the locals. Koichi is one of only two survivors.

In Tokyo Koichi reluctantly takes in a young woman named Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and helps her care for an orphaned baby girl whose parents were also killed in the bombing. This family (of sorts) have a difficult time getting by, leading a desperate Koichi to take a dangerous government sanctioned job detonating sea mines left over from the war. But he and his eclectic boat crew come face-to-face with a danger far greater than mines. Yep, Godzilla returns and has the Japanese mainland in its sights.

The government tries to keep the discovery from going public, but you can only keep a giant lizard the size of a skyscraper a secret for so long. Inevitably Godzilla reaches land allowing Yamazaki to let loose with some stunning effects-drive set pieces brought to life through an array of visual wizardry. We witness devastation and destruction on a visually epic scale. And then there is Godzilla who’s presented as a terrifying force of nature yet remains a powerful metaphor for nuclear weapons.

While the kaiju action he delivers is immensely satisfying, Yamazaki never loses sight of the humanity-rich stories being told at the same time. These two facets remain inseparable throughout this surprisingly heartfelt and artful throwback. “Godzilla Minus One” offers a crash course on how to make a great blockbuster. It has the signature thrills and big screen spectacle. But it’s the deeply ingrained human element that make it stand out. It certainly left me wanting more. “Godzilla Minus One” is in select theaters now.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

One of earliest treats from Filmland 2023 was “Ghosts of the Void”, a slow-burning indie thriller written and directed by Jason Miller. This (mostly) two-hander is built around a rather simple premise, yet one that’s rich with a slew of themes that make it a little more than a straight genre movie. It’s smart, surprisingly crafty, and thoroughly enthralling entertainment that’s as frightening as it is thought-provoking.

Miller opens his film with a revealing George Carlin quote — “The reason they call it the American Dream is because you have to be asleep to believe it.” From there we meet Jen (Tedra Millan) and Tyler (Michael Reagan), a young married couple who have been crushed in their pursuit of that very dream. She’s an aspiring photographer; he’s a struggling writer. Neither have found the success they had hoped for. Even worse, mounting debt has led to them being evicted from their home.

Their scenario is dire from the outset. But as we can easily surmise, things are going to get worse. On a cold November night, with nothing but their old car, a few personal belongings, and forty bucks in their pockets, the couple drive through a residential area and park at a small playground at the end of a street. There they hope get a night’s sleep before coming up with a game plan in the morning. It’s easier said than done.

Miller’s story uncoils over that dark, cold evening as Jen’s anxiety and Tyler’s frustration slowly reveals the cracks in their fragile relationship. Through their intensifying interactions and some well implemented flashbacks, we learn a lot about both characters as the pieces of their backstory begin to click into place. Miller takes his time revealing his entire hand and he does a good job keeping us locked in and eager to see their situation play out.

But there’s another element to the film that slowly begins to rear its sinister head. “Ghosts of the Void” embraces the horror genre, playing like (as Miller himself succinctly put it) a home invasion movie but minus the home. Thoughts of 2008’s “The Strangers” immediately come to mind once three figures, all wearing hideously unsettling masks, begin terrorizing the young couple. Who they are and what they want plays a big part in the film’s final third.

Things really get fun once Miller starts playing around with our genre expectations. He leans into several common horror tropes, utilizing them in some effective ways. Keen camera choices along with some strategic uses of music and sound help ratchet up the tension. It all works towards an ending that takes a really big swing – one that I’m not sure fully works but that I appreciated. But the trick is in how Miller always leaves things up for interpretation.

While Miller’s direction is key, “Ghosts of the Void” would sink without Millan and Reagan. Their revealing and layered performances bring an organic quality to the film’s fundamental central relationship. Both fit well within the movie’s seemingly cynical worldview and are essential in bringing the story’s message to light. As for that message, occasionally it’s too overt; other times its slyly subtle. Either way it’s effective. Toss in some genre seasoning and you have a flavorful horror thriller that routinely impresses.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

(CLICK HERE for my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

After his wife is savagely murdered and his daughter is kidnapped, a sheriff’s deputy quits his job and seeks out an insidious cult believed to responsible for the crimes. That’s the gist of the bleak and violent new action thriller “God Is a Bullet” from writer and director Nick Cassavetes. There’s nothing pretty about this hopelessly dark and seemingly endless 2 hour 35 minute malaise of misery that eventually wears you down and even worse tests your patience.

Among the film’s many issues are the narrative shortcuts that undermine so much of the storytelling. It’s hard to imagine a 155 minute movie about a dad searching for his daughter taking many shortcuts but there are plenty of examples. They end up leaving the ghastly world we spend so much time in feeling remarkably shallow. Sure, the deviants within it make us squirm with their head-to-toe tattoos and insatiable bloodlust. But (with maybe one lone exception) they’re all cut out the exact same mold.

And then you have the meat of the story itself. Cassavetes takes the framework of a simple revenge thriller and attempts to make it more layered than it actually is. This mostly comes through a couple of second half twists. But they’re underdeveloped to the point that they leave far more questions than answers. And they end up highlighting just how clunky and unsure of itself the movie seems to be. None of the twists feel natural to the story. They feel thrown in and tacked on rather than organic.

About the story, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau plays Bob Hightower, a police officer in Mint County, California. Bob enjoys living in his “small Christian community” and has hopes of being promoted to detective despite the lack of support from his chief, Sgt. John Lee Bacon (Paul Johansson). But his good life is shattered after members of a maniacal cult called “Followers of the Left-Handed Path” brutally murder his ex-wife and her husband and abducts his 14-year-old daughter Gabi (Chloe Guy).

The police aren’t much help, but Bob finds an unexpected ally in Case (Maika Monroe) who was kidnapped by the same cult when she was only eleven. She was abused, raised and indoctrinated by the group and its sadistic leader, Cyrus (Karl Glusman). He’s the vile sort and the film goes out of its way to show it. But his one-dimensional evil bend results in a villain who’s too over-the-top and even cartoonish at times.

The crass and no-nonsense Case agrees to help Bob find his daughter all while hiding her own very personal motivations. She starts by taking him to a guy with connections called The Ferryman (Jamie Foxx in a truly wacky role) who tattoos much of Bob’s body so that he will blend it (which is really funny considering Bob spends most of the movie with them covered under a long-sleeve shirt). The unlikely duo then sink deep into the mire of the film’s cult subculture where they stay for what seems like an eternity.

Later a few other characters are introduced in an attempt at adding a new dimension to the story. But it only succeeds in cluttering up the film’s final hour by adding in a thinly conceived shoehorned angle that lacks a rewarding conclusion.

The same could be said for Bob’s overall arc. Coster-Waldau is a terrific actor and does his very best playing the film’s protagonist. He gives a sturdy performance that takes the character to some pretty horrifying depths. But Bob never fully comes together in a satisfying way. And there’s hardly any meaningful internal conflict in his descent from honest God-fearing cop to hardened revenge-fulled killer. He just moves from point to point in his journey, following Case wherever she leads him.

“God Is a Bullet” has a potentially interesting idea, but nearly everything that springs from it falls short. From the supposedly super-secret underworld where everyone seems to live in the wide open to the random moments of oddly on-the-nose philosophizing. Even the sudden bursts of extreme violence can’t bring an infusion of much needed energy. Altogether it feels like a portrait that’s only half painted; a model that’s missing half of its pieces. And it’s that lack of depth and detail that makes it all a really tough sell. “God Is a Bullet” is out now in select theaters.

VERDICT – 1.5 STARS

Director Richard Donner (“Superman”, “Lethal Weapon”) and screenwriter Chris Columbus (“Gremlins”) came together in the early 1980s to put to screen a story conceived by Steven Spielberg. It was a youthful adventure comedy called “The Goonies”. It finished among the top ten highest grossing movies of 1985 and over time became a popular cult classic.

Produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, “The Goonies” featured a collection of young soon-to-be stars including Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, and recent Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. They come together in what was a spirited and nostalgic slice of 1980s cinema that is still a lot of fun after nearly 40 years.

While I’ve never held “The Goonies” in as high regard as its most ardent fans, there’s a certain ‘turn back the clock’ charm that makes it such a joy to revisit. You see it in the cast, the screenplay, the style of filmmaking, and even the little period details such as the pull-tab Pepsi cans, getting a high score on “Pole Position”, and of course the catchy chorus of Cyndi Lauper’s pop hit “Good Enough”. There’s a sentimental transporting effect it has that may make me sound like a sap but I really don’t care.

All the action, adventure, and humor is built upon a simple yet endearing narrative frame. In sleepy Astoria, Oregon four rambunctious boys who call themselves “the Goonies” gather for their last weekend together. The local bank is set to foreclose on their homes to make room for a new country club and golf course. For Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin) and his family that means packing up and moving away. But first he has a couple of days left to spend with his neighborhood friends, the fittingly named Mouth (Cory Feldman), the aspiring inventor Data (Ke Huy Quan), and the klutzy Chunk (Jeff Cohen).

While rummaging through the Walsh family’s attic the boys discover something unexpected among Mikey’s father’s things – a Spanish treasure map dating back to 1632 that is connected to a local pirate legend named One-Eyed Willy. That gives Mikey an idea. What better way to spend their last weekend together than on an adventure to find the dead pirate’s treasure? And who knows, if they do find Willy’s loot maybe Mikey can get the bank off his parents’ backs and save their home.

So the four pals give Mikey’s big brother Brand (Josh Brolin) the slip and follow the treasure map to an old abandoned restaurant on the coast just outside of town. But they quickly discover they aren’t the only ones at the ramshackle joint. It’s actually the hideout of the notorious Fratelli’s, a trio of wanted criminals consisting of the surly Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) and her two nincompoop sons, Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi). There’s a third Fratelli son – the deformed and abused Sloth (John Matuszak) who’s kept shackled in a cell.

Before long Mikey, Data, Mouth, and Chunk are joined by Brand, a cheerleader named Andy (Kerri Green) who Brand has eyes for, and Andy’s best friend Stef (Martha Plimpton). Their search leads them deep below the old restaurant where all sorts of dangers await. Meanwhile hot on their heels are the Fratellis who take an even bigger interest in catching the Goonies once they hear that treasure is involved.

As you watch you can’t help but see Spielberg’s fingerprints all over the movie. Yet it’s Donner who holds it all together. The late director spoke candidly about the joys and challenges of working with so many high-energy child actors. And there are times where both overflow into the movie. But Donner does a good job corralling and getting the most out of his young yet rowdy talent.

After all these years there remains a time-tested appeal to “The Goonies”. This sassy and hyperactive romp can be a bit too loud and boisterous (something that has stood out more and more the older I get). But it’s hard not to respond to the heartfelt innocence and childlike charms that seep from nearly every pore of this beloved movie. And even if I don’t hold it in as high esteem as some, I can’t deny that it still brings a smile to my face every time I turn it out.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS