Godzilla: King of the Monsters

PG 13
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang and Bradley Whitford
Running Time: 2 Hours and 11 Minutes

So I went into this Godzilla movie with the mindset of the 2014 movie simply titled “Godzilla” which I really enjoyed.
This newly released movie, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”, was a massive disappointment to me.
Godzilla movies are part of our history. They have been around since 1954.
Since I really did enjoy the last one, I was hoping this version would be equally as good but it fell short.
From the moment this movie started it was really weak. The story was confusing and the actress that played the lead female role, Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) was a joke! She was almost a madman with her motivation. She and her estranged husband Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) were separated
 (I could never tell if they were divorced?) and they have a teenaged daughter. They had lost a son and she was distraught about that. She and her daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) were at the labs of Monarch, a cryptozoological agency that keeps an eye on the monsters of the world. when all chaos breaks out and they are taken hostage by Jonah Alan (Charles Dance) and his army. He takes them because of Dr. Russell’s amazing communication skills with all of the monsters who have been dormant since the 2014 Godzilla!
The monsters start to come into play and it is all just very vague. There are Mothra, Rodan and the new and pretty cool looking Ghidorah, a three headed fire-breathing dragon character.
They battle it out along with Godzilla but with the constant blue-colored screen it’s hard to really see what’s going on and I saw it in IMAX!
I hardly ever complain about a movie, but this one really is bad! I honestly feel like I wasted an eternal two hours of my life watching this Godzilla. (I have to be honest).
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG-13. I would not recommend this movie for children under the age of 13. There are the four monsters that I mentioned battling it out and some profanity including the F-bomb.
I am giving “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” two bags of popcorn.

Aladdin

PG
Starring: Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Marian Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad and Billy Magnussen
Running Time: 2 Hours and 8 Minutes

WOW... what a spectacular extravaganza!!! “Aladdin” is a pure joy and a total feast for the senses! This is a genuine fairytale!
I can’t say enough good about this beautiful movie, incredible in every way.
They follow the story but intensified it just enough to keep you completely engrossed and wanting even more. I have seen the original 1992 animated Disney version with Robin Williams many times and I have also seen the live Broadway-style production which played at The Hyperion Theater at Disney’s California Adventures from 2003-2016 every single year,
 and I will confidently say... that this new live-action movie is astounding!!!
It is well worth the price of a ticket if you need a lift or an escape from your everyday life or just for a  wonderful time out.
All of the actors did a really great job! Will Smith as the genie was outstanding and hilarious!
He didn’t follow in Robin Williams footsteps, he used his own words and humor and even incorporated some his original musical talent into the role as well. I don’t think he could have been any better!
Mena Massoud plays Aladdin, the lifelong orphan pickpocket who lives on the streets and falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) daughter of The Sultan of Agrahbah (Navid Negahban) after he runs into her face-to-face. He just has one evil obstacle...
Jafar (Marian Kenzari) who is boundly determined to take over as Sultan and marry Princess Jasmine too! He did a great and very convincing job!
This movie has it all: excitement, drama, action, love, fantastic original music and some songs with a new fun upbeat twist, amazing colorful costumes and some Indian Bollywood type dancing too. Just a lot of great visual effects and great fun too. The magic carpet ride was amazing! It is pure fantasy.
I really, really enjoyed this movie! I was totally impressed with all of it!
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG. I think it is fine for all ages. Be aware that there are some intense scenes when Aladdin and his pet monkey Abu enter the Cave of Wonders to search for the magic lamp. Also a couple of other intense scenes whe Jafar tries to take over Agrabah and overthrow The Sultan! Overall I think most children will thoroughly enjoy “Aladdin”.
I am giving “ Aladdin” four bags of popcorn.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

PG
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Max Finchman, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Bill Nighy, Ken Watanabe,  Chris Geere and Suki Waterhouse
Running Time: 1Hour and 44 Minutes


This is a movie based on the ever so popular “Pokémon” video games. This movie is entertaining enough that it will appeal to the seasoned and devoted mega-fans and also to the newer less informed movie goers.
This movie is set in London in a kind of alternate world where humans and the popular characters from the game exist together.
Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) a young twenty-something that has unfortunately lost his mother and has a strained relationship with his father. He works as an insurance appraiser and lives a pretty mundane life. He always loved Pokémon characters as a youngster and had hoped someday to train them once we was an adult. Suddenly he finds that his father has disappeared and it is feared that he was murdered! Tim must travel to a place called Ryme City, which is Mecca for all things Pokémon. It was created by an interesting man named Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy) for the humans and Pokemon’s to interact with each other.
Tim wants to investigate and inquire about his fathers disappearance, he meets up with his fathers boss, Lieutenant Hide Yoshida (Ken Watanabe) and receives some of his fathers belongings.When he looks through the belongings, a strange purple smoke is emitted and a bunch of Gremlin type characters suddenly appear and start frantically chasing him! Tim is very frightened but fortunately his fathers personal little Pokémon character, Detective Pikachu mysteriously appears and saves the day!
 Pikachu (Ikue Otani) is a sweet and adorable soft-voiced little yellow character who helps him get away from the pesky gremlins. Detective Pikachu is a welcome little friend in a very strange and unusual world that he is suddenly thrust into!
The two of them are able to understand each other and become pals. They set out on a mission to find out what happened to Tim’s father. Tim also rallies the help of a young reporter named Lucy Stevens (Kathryn Newton) who helps him discover the ever-so-evil and sinister Mewtwo (Kotaro Watanabe). Mewtwo has devised a wicked plan that includes the dreaded purple smoke to wreak major havoc in the city!
I enjoyed this movie and found it to be sweet and touching. The computer generated Pokémon’s were very realistic and imaginative, they did a great job of mingling them together with the humans.
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG. I would recommend this movie for children five and over.
I think most children will be fine with it. The little Gremlins are a bit intimidating and the evil Mewtwo can be a little fearsome.
There is some mild action violence and some silly crude humor but overall it is fairly mellow.
I am giving “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” three bags of popcorn.