when people feel bad, they can rub my belly - it'll make 'em feel better

It's been a while! I got out of movie mode, but seem to be edging my way back in.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) - "This latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever."
source: saw it at the movie theater! I know, it's shocking.
I watched it because: there's an equation to determine when to see a movie, and what to see....
IMDB: 6.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 54% Audience: 91%
my IMDB: 7/10

notable quote: "I lost home."

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: Adam Wingard

my notes: I liked it way more than I expected, though the cast was nothing to write home about. (Kaylee Hottle as Jia was the highlight.) The only other entry in the series that I've seen—Godzilla: King of the Monsters (reviewed here)—was entertaining, but it didn't exactly knock me out. (In fact, I've seen most of it a couple times since then and had to remind myself of the plot.) This one, though, really clicked with me. It is funny, exciting, and terribly sweet. However, there's no crying in Godzilla, so, don't tear up when you see it.

overall:  recommended

You Laugh but it's True (2011) - "In the world of stand-up comedy in South Africa, Trevor Noah uses his childhood experiences in a biracial family during apartheid to prepare for his first one-man show."

source: streamed on Peacock
I watched it because: was in the mood for comedy—and don't mind thinking in order to get it
IMDB: 7.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 70%
my IMDB: 8/10

notable quote: "'How do you go from your experience to comedy? There's nothing funny about it.'

    'In life, you always choose to see things in a good or bad way. You know? It's your outlook, it's how you choose to perceive it. So you can choose to perceive things in a positive way even if they're negative. And for me that's what comedy really is about.'"

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: David Paul Meyer

my notes: intelligent, self-deprecating but still confident, considerate, charming, and truly, genuinely, deeply funny—Noah is all of this and more. This is a documentary, not a laugh-tracked standup act. There's some difficult stuff, some brilliance, and much to think about.

overall:  recommended

Scenes from an Empty Church (2021) - "In a locked-down NYC, two priests open their church doors to those seeking salvation during the most isolating of times. From the commonplace to the truly metaphysical, their visitors reflect the full spectrum of personal crises of spirituality. Throughout their encounters with the city's sweetest, wildest and weirdest, the two priests learn the importance of connection, empathy and open-mindedness. Sometimes a little faith is all you need to make it through the bad times."
source: streamed on Peacock
I watched it because: one of the lead actors, Thomas Jay Ryan, is one of my absolute favorites
IMDB: 5.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 82% Audience: 80%
my IMDB: 6/10

notable quote: "This is the tactic that people use when they want something; they use the presumed desires of the dead to get their way."

MPAA rating: NR

directed by: Onur Tukel

my notes: WOW. Not what I expected, and not a "happy" movie or even an explicable one, but important, surprising, and relevant. It's the first film I've seen that was about COVID. I liked the actors and acting (particularly Max Casella, as Paul Ruccio), though the script sounds slapdash in places, not entirely natural. Overall, it made me smile, and think, and consider some stuff I've taken for granted in different ways.

overall:  recommended

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) - "Sadly, Puss in Boots, the undaunted Spanish lover and hero, is now down to the last of his nine lives, a decade after the events of Puss in Boots (2011). And as if that weren't enough, the unstoppable bounty hunter known as The Big Bad Wolf is after him. To restore all of his precious lives and escape an inglorious fate, Puss must pluck up his courage to embark on a dangerous quest into the Dark Forest to find the legendary Wishing Star. However, Puss isn't the only one seeking the map to the magical star. As the daring outlaw puts his skills to good use to stay one step ahead of formidable adversaries determined to get their hands on it, a crucial question arises: Does he have what it takes to face his most skilled and terrifying opponent and get his life back on track?"
source: streamed on Peacock
I watched it because: I love that freakin' cat
IMDB: 7.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 95% Audience: 94%
my IMDB: 8/10

notable quote: "You guys are jerks, which makes this very conflicting for me!"

MPAA rating: PG

directed by: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado

my notes: I liked it. It's a smooth, engaging, relatable. There is one section, about halfway through, that made me cry. Harvey Guillén, voicing the dog Perrito, is a delight.
Academy Award nominee: Best Animated Feature Film—Joel Crawford, Mark Swift
overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish]