BATMAN BEGINS (Theatrical Release USA 2005)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.7|5.0 Starsìììì

Batman Begins thrives on marvelous special effects and its terrific storyline. The choice of European stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine blow the movie over the top for a 100-percent-quality piece of entertainment. Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, Ken Watanabe, and Mark Boone Junior supply all that is necessary for Director Christopher Nolan to completely outdo all previous renditions of Batman’s story. As always, there are the ‘I wonder why’ scenes that Batman movies are renowned for: why a drug blown into a receiver’s face affects only that person and no one else; why some main characters are not impacted by a drug that seriously affects all of Gotham City’s inhabitants. Despite this, the film establishes itself as one of the best Batman stories told.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) intends to avenge his parents’ deaths; but enters the crime fighting world on a much larger scale than a single avenging.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Christopher Nolan for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale), Alfred (Michael Caine), Ducard (Liam Neeson), Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Dr. Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy), Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), Earle (Rutger Hauer), Ra’s Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe), Flass (Mark Boone Junior), Thomas Wayne (Linus Roache), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. Christian Bale interprets Batman at levels unknown until the release of this film. This movie takes the ‘hokey-ness’ out of the typical Batman character from Andy Warhol’s Batman and Dracula (1964) to Adam West’s Batman the Movie (1966) to actors Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney’s renditions of the Batman persona. It’s a quality story supported with quality acting. The film is suitable for all ages.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (Theatrical Release USA 2019)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.6|5.0 Starsììì

Godzilla: King of the Monsters—violent conclusion—could be scary for children and a little on edge for some adults. This movie does not add anything to the Godzilla movies except the addition of more monsters to fight and more violence (which is mostly palatable). The animation of the monsters is great. The special effects are great. While the concept is good, something went amiss from the concept to the screen so that a check is needed in realism portrayal. The simple story still has ability to keep adult fans of the Godzilla series slightly interested despite the fact that presentation quality is less than could be expected. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Godzilla battles several different monsters who are troubling earth. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Michael Dougherty for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, and Brian Rogers for making the film possible. Casting includes: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, and Ken Watanabe. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. It’s a typical Godzilla movie that doesn’t re-invent the wheel…it just throws more monsters into the story. The audience needs to be terrific fans of Godzilla stories to engage this movie. For that audience, to be fair, it has more of the ‘scary’ factor than other Godzilla movies. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers

GODZILLA (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Godzilla seems like a reboot of the 1998, Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno, version of the Godzilla story. It is the second Godzilla film produced in the United States. This film replaces the original cast with Brian Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elisabeth Olsen, Sally Hawkins, and David Strathairn. The movie works at the okay to suitable level and has suitable special effects that show Godzilla fighting a new antagonist, the MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism). This movie is better in some ways and not so good in other ways from the 1998 Godzilla film, but look for terrific animation of the monsters. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Godzilla fights MUTO—a massive, unidentified, terrestrial organism. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Gareth Edwards for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, and Brian Rogers for making the film possible. Cast includes: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. This movie is the first film in the new Godzilla film series. The film does not inspire a watch for the sequel; however, one may be curious to see if there is an improvement in the storyline for the next movie. The fourth film in this new series may be in the works for a 2024 release.

 Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers