Review: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Taps Out

There’s lots to be said about media that inspires you to make your own art. It can be thought-provoking, inspiring, or just so successful on every level that you can’t help but hold it in admiration. As a hopeful filmmaker, I can say that Godzilla vs. Kong is the movie that makes me want to write my own movies just because of how much I disliked it. Directed by Adam Wingard (You’re Next, Death Note) and written by Max Borenstein (other Monsterverse films) and Eric Pearson (various Marvel films), this fourth entry in Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse manages to deliver spectacle where it counts, but just can’t underscore it with any meaningful sense of scale or impact. And, unlike prior entries into this franchise which had deployed actors like Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, and John. C. Reilly, nobody starring here can distract the audience from this movie’s worst moments. Continue reading “Review: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Taps Out”

Review: ‘Teen Spirit’ Presents a Promising Debut for Max Minghella

In his directorial debut, Max Minghella’s Teen Spirit tells the all too familiar tale of the underdog trying to make it big. While I won’t give the film any points for narrative originality, its style and cinematography not only resonate strongly with the indie aesthetic, but are also bold and unapologetic in nature. Combined with great performances from Elle Fanning, Zlatko Buric, Rebecca Hall, and Agnieszka Grochowska, Teen Spirit is an honest homage to the dreams we hold on to growing up.

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