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Film reviews, the criterion collection

Godzilla (1954) on The Criterion Collection

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Godzilla, the Early Era

From the Criterion collection, Godzilla (also known as Gojira) is available on the Criterion Collection in 4K UHD. As one who is a fan of the franchise, I always felt this first installment thrived on authenticity to make monsters feel real. With the limited technologies surrounding the making of Godzilla, the restored 4K cut brightens it up for it to feel more horrific and authentically captivating. Not only because of the fact that it’s a giant monster, but the hidden layers that the making of the film was tied in with politics in an era many decades ago. The vision of director Ishiro Honda created a cult, and the Criterion 4K UHD loops in many facts and important, yet brilliant information. Much of this is intended to help audiences grasp the true realistic moments from the works of the 4K edition.

Criterion Features

Consumers who adore Godzilla will feel like Godzilla rises right from their hands. As the movie box is opened, a carving of the head of the monster unfolds from the box. Inside the case, there are two discs and an essay. Consumers receive both editions of the film. One is on 4K and the other is Blu-ray. There is also audio commentary by film historian David Kalat. However, the most comprehensive aspect of this feature is the featurette with the interview of the score composer Akira Ifukube. That is because what is discussed in that segment is the photographic effects to heighten the fascination of Godzilla. Finally, the essay by film critic J. Hoberman. It is lengthy and detailed talking about how Godzilla was a development going many ages back, and how it was written and rewritten. The roar of Godzilla enraptured many before it was able to rise to the biggest cult following it has today. Godzilla on Criterion 4K UHD is a keepsake that truly feels like an appreciation that is an art form of cinema to always remember.

Purchase or Pass?

For those who love and adore Godzilla, this is a purchase that is worth it. However, what should be considered is all the materials in the box itself. It is one to be treated like a bible. That is because what is written in the essay contains information that is enticing and that many audiences do not think about much today when they watch anything related to the franchise. Godzilla on Criterion 4K UHD is one of the most prized possessions of importance. The thriving aspects of cinematography, writing, and the process of making Godzilla rise all thrive immensely.

Review is also available on MovieArcher at the link below!

https://www.moviearcher.com/movie-archer/classic-targets-in-4k/godzilla-1954

Film reviews

Weapons Review

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For the first time in quite a while, I felt scared. My gut was wrenching, and I jumped from my seat many times. Writer and director Zach Cregger brings in believable scares along with rapid twists and angles that are mortifying. Weapons is a circus ride of terror that is a mystery full of hidden truths. A lot can go wrong in a small town, but when children continue to go missing and weird things happen, no one is safe. There are a whole of unanswered questions and plenty of frights lying within Weapons.

The film takes place in a small-town setting, and the first person of interest is a schoolteacher named Justine Grandy (Julia Garner). Her class is the one from which children go missing.  There is a police officer named Paul (Alden Ehrenreich) who is involved in many strange scenarios. There is also Anthony (Austin Abrams) an adult junkie adult always looking for drugs. There is also Archer Graff (Josh Brolin) who is looking for answers in the search for the missing children. While Justine builds a strange reputation, the town begins to have one itself. This is in part because there is only one kid standing named Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher). Alex’s grandma is Gladys Lilly (Amy Madigan). Why is Alex the only kid that has not disappeared? Why did the other kids disappear? What is the strange force that lingers in this town?

The writing of the film is boiling over with scares that roll their way down the aisle quite unexpectedly. Based on Cregger’s direction, my skin was crawling. However, even though there are many moments of flash frights, his incorporation of laughing moments combined with those that were creepy boggled my mind and made me crave more. I especially appreciated thedynamic where there is someone who seems easy to blame, but then the truth comes out in the most unexpected ways.

It is one of those thrillers that truly give fans of terror exactly what they come to the movies looking for. Cregger nails it in just the right way! By creating a foundation of hatred among a community but then looping in the bigger picture in small increments, he creates a pattern of shock value that tests the boundaries of his audience. Weapons is in a league of its own because of the way it rapidly boggles the brain. Overall, it is a unique film which spirals at moments that feel like a zombie thriller with more to offer. The story being based upon a community having terrors caused by an unknown secret works.

 I found Weapons to be one of the most fun summer’s end horror flicks with notes of comedy. A lot of its appeal is due to how karma related to choices leads to mortifying scenarios. The film is a real gem. Weapons is not a masterpiece, but the film effectively tests the waters. What happened to the missing children? Why does only the scene remain? Who is to blame? Find out in Weapons. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

Freakier Friday Review

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Twenty-two years after the release of Freaky Friday, a body switch comedy about an uptight mother, Tess, and her free spirited daughter Anna, comes its questionably necessary sequel Freakier Friday.   This time around, both Tess and Anna are parents, offering a new form of chaos.   Directed by Nisha Ganatra (Deli Boys), this sequel provides double the  mayhem, causing  fans who thought they had seen  the worst of Anna and Tess, to reconsider. The body switching,  once again leads to all forms of  humorous hijinks but ultimately comes across in a predictable manner. 

Lindsay Lohan (Our Little Secret, Mean Girls) is back as Anna, now a mother, and Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween, The Bear) once again returns  as Tess, now a grandmother. Both have come a long way with a stronger bond  since the events of the first film. The primary  problem the duo  have to tackle involves Anna’s stepdaughter Harper, played by Julie Butters (Queen of Bones), unfortunately not a lot of context is provided in Harper’s upbringing. The story circles Anna, who is about to marry the love of her life Eric,  played by Manny Jacinto (The Good Place). When Eric’s daughter Lily is added to the mix, the body comedy ensues with the addition of the new parent / child combos.  Just when the worst was thought to be over, things in the world of Freakier Friday  get a whole lot more stressful. Especially because Harper and Lily are enemies at school and bound to be stepsisters.

Nisha Ganatra’s  film has its  funny moments, however  everything is shrouded  by a layer of predictability. This can be expected because there is only so much one can do to refresh a Freaky Friday movie. A majority of the film revolves around the tips and  turns centered around the mothers and the daughters as they learn to navigate the uncharted territory of their unexpected switch. Even though the plot twists are predictable,  they are not without  a certain level of charm. What does the trick for Freakier Friday is the context of ageism. Because the older characters tend to thrive in  younger bodies with the switch. The writing and setup is keen enough to  build laughs and momentum. Many of the comedic gags worked, but the pacing and repetitiveness are unavoidable. Rather than cover valuable new ground, Freakier Friday  works as evidence  that returning to the lives of Tess and Anna is a positive reminder  of the success of  the first film.

Freakier Friday offers a few memorable moments, but in the end, a plot that is painfully recycled. There  may be temporary joy for families to laugh with, as the film  benefits by having both Lohan and Curtis back, but otherwise the presentation will only make viewers yearn for the original. Two out of four stars.