‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Delivers Monster Movie Escapism, Thrills

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Delivers Monster Movie Escapism, Thrills

By Lynn Venhaus
These two hulking movie icons return for an epic showdown in “Godzilla vs. Kong” — only the second time the atomic sea monster has been pitted against the gigantic ape – and they do not disappoint.

When ginormous forces of natures, Godzilla and King Kong, collide again, they might just have to ultimately team up to save mankind. But before a climactic battle, there is a mission into Hollow Earth. We will find out more origin information on the Titans as the good guys fight evil corporate conspiracies.

While the size and scope of these cinematic legends has changed over the years, the basic tenets remain the same. While an incredible hulk, Kong really does have a heart, and the Toho Company’s most famous creation, Godzilla, serves as a cautionary tale about messing with Mother Nature.

This modern match-up is the fourth movie in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse, which began with a remake, “Godzilla,” in 2014, then “Kong: Skull Island” in 2017 and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” in 2019. But overall, there have been 36 Godzilla and 12 King Kong movies.

A nifty touch is a clever opening credits sequence that gives the backstory of the past films, so you are all caught up by the time we see Kong asleep in his Skull Island habitat.

Intended to be pure monster movie escapism, don’t expect answers to your questions that may arise as you watch a well-executed blockbuster deliver the promised clash of the titans.

Director Adam Wingard, entrusted with this long-running franchise after a career making cheesy horror films, sticks the landing by providing the chills and thrills one anticipates. He keeps the story on track and moving at a nice clip – all under two hours.

While the screenplay by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein is mainly a template of broad strokes, the stellar ensemble is convincing in their standard roles, with Rebecca Hall as the “Kong Whisperer” Dr. Ilene Andrews and Alexander Skarskard as the mission chief Dr. Nathan Lind leading the main plot.

Brian Tyree Henry, an Apex Cybernetics employee who records the Titan Truth podcasts, teams up with fan Millie Bobby Brown as Madison, daughter of Mark Russell of Monarch (and Kyle Chandler has maybe three scenes at most, compared to being a lead in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.”) The inquisitive duo are too curious for their own good, winding up in Hong Kong, smack dab in a crisis of monster proportions.

The bad guys, are of course, with Apex – and that would be Demian Bichir as the head honcho and Iiza Gonzalez as his daughter.

Stealing the film is hearing-impaired Kaylee Hottle, who plays young orphan Jia, who forms a sweet bond with Kong and teaches him sign language. That emotional connection is one that boosts the likability of the film.

The attention to detail that production designer Thomas S. Hammock and his crew put into this film is impressive. Cinematographer Ben Seresin handles the faraway locations with flair, and the music score by Junkie XL (Tom Holkenborg) helps elevate the high concept.

This is the kind of movie that works best on the big screen, but in these pandemic times, HBO has provided a quality audio and visual experience.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” may not break new ground, but satisfyingly entertains its audience with a familiarity that’s expected and outstanding technical elements.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” is a science-fiction action adventure film directed by Adam Wingard and starring Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Eiza Gonzalez, Demian Bichir and Kaylee Hottle. Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of creature violence/destruction and brief language, it runs 1 hour, 53 minutes. It opened in theatres March 31 and is on HBOMax until April 30. Lynn’s Grade: B

‘I Care a Lot’ Is Worth Caring About

‘I Care a Lot’ Is Worth Caring About

By Alex McPherson

Featuring an incredible lead performance from Rosamund Pike, “I Care A Lot” is a darkly comedic roller coaster ride from start to finish. 

Marla Grayson (Pike) bases her life around taking advantage of senior citizens through fraudulent guardianships. In an unforgiving world, she believes only the most cutthroat will succeed. Once she or her girlfriend, Fran (Eiza González), finds a well-off elder, Marla acquires court permission to install herself as their “legal guardian.” She then takes charge of their finances and imprisons them in a care facility where they’re cut off from the outside world — all the while draining the poor saps of their money and sense of self.   

Suffice it to say, Marla is a stone cold sociopath. She exerts a palpable influence on those around her and rarely loses control of any situation she’s in. When she targets Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), Marla garners the attention of Jennifer’s donut-loving son, Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage), who also happens to be a sadistic drug smuggler. Marla and Fran must reckon with the deadly consequences. 

With shades of “Sorry to Bother You” and “Uncut Gems” sprinkled throughout, director J Blakeson’s film makes up for its lack of substance with memorable characters and an unpredictable plot.

Indeed, there aren’t many sympathetic folks in this story of greed, opportunism, and the American Dream. Viewers looking for people to root for won’t find any here. On the other hand, much of the fun of “I Care A Lot” comes from watching them destroy each other in a bloody battle of wits. As the stakes escalate for Marla and Fran, the film only grows more entertaining — not holding up to much scrutiny, but clever enough to leave a lasting impression.

Marla is a cunning, calculating, and compulsive individual. She’s able to shift personas on a whim to match different situations, always aware of her manipulative power and unflinching in the face of threats to her personal safety. These threats are usually toothless, until now. Pike absolutely dominates the screen, capturing her character’s heartlessness in a way that dares viewers to question her strength. Marla will snatch any opportunity to increase her wealth, always planning two steps ahead of her competition. It’s undeniably satisfying watching her pull strings for her personal gain — her razor-sharp dialogue simultaneously humorous and disheartening. 

 A troubled past is alluded to, but Blakeson doesn’t give Marla an involved backstory. Rather, she is an enigma who nevertheless cares deeply for her lover, Fran. This bond, though underdeveloped, gives Marla a shred of humanity despite her vile behavior.

The film’s clean, glossy shot compositions early on reflect Marla’s mastery of an amoral system disguised by artificial warmth. Later on, however, we’re able to see Marla stripped of her safety and command of the proceedings. The film’s style changes accordingly, evocative of a graphic novel and the volatile figure at the heart of it.

Marla’s a compelling antihero, earning some hard-earned respect by the film’s conclusion, but always remaining emotionally distanced. The other characters aren’t nearly as interesting, but there’s still a few standouts. Dinklage gives a scene-stealing performance as Roman, an unstable crime boss who, in a neat twist, actually has more sympathetic motivations than Marla does. Wiest is also wonderful, keeping viewers on edge regarding who Jennifer actually is.

Propelled by an eerie, synth-heavy score by Marc Canham, “I Care A Lot” moves along at a swift pace, but falters a bit by its heavy-handed finale. Plot holes abound, and Blakeson misses an opportunity to explore Marla’s psychology in more depth. Similarly, the film doesn’t add anything particularly unique in terms of social commentary — spotlighting a real-world issue of corrupt conservatorships, but adding little else to the conversation, launching itself into the firmly unbelievable.

Regardless of its missed potential, “I Care A Lot” is still a dastardly enjoyable film that fans of pitch black comedy should lap up.

“I Care a Lot” is a dark comedy thriller written and directed by J Blakeson, starring Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Dianne Wiest and Eiza Gonzalez. It is Rated R for language throughout and some violence, and the run time is 1 hour, 58 minutes. Alex’s Rating: B+. Available on Netflix as of Feb. 19.