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Raymond888
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The Omicron Killer (2024)
Fun Slasher Flick
I normally avoid modern scary movies, but this one was perfect. I initially wrote this off as cheese. Boy was I wrong. Incredible combination of creative, suspenseful, gory, campy, and fun. My teenage son bullied me into going, and even though I was creeped out, it was really good. If you follow suspense/horror you CAN'T MISS THIS. Outstanding acting/directing and a very good plot line, I'll be watching it again. It begs "another one" to start, but finishing nicely. A overall great and suspenseful movie. It reminded me of Scream. Not for the faint of heart! The movie was a littler gory but no where near other movies I've seen like Terrifier 1 and 2. A+
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of "Gojira" (1954)
"Godzilla Minus One" is an engrossing and bracing triumph that really delivers what everybody wants by embracing the beloved traditional roots of classic cinema, while adding something new and fresh for the new generation. For those of you who don't know about Godzilla, he is an omnipotent prehistoric leviathan of monstrous proportions that represents the wrath of nature, as well as the devastating consequences of nuclear war. Takashi Yamazaki (director/writer) embraces these significant themes that made the 1954 original a timeless classic, while emphasizing the important value of courage and community in general, as well as unveiling awareness of how weapons were made and developed to bring peace to our country. These new themes are a major asset for this enthralling character-driven story. Takashi's attention to detail is considerable via emotionally effective delivery; his direction is gripping in spades with great timing to provide taut execution, intense drama that feels lively, breathtaking awe, and eye-popping thrills alongside it's jaw-dropping shock value. There is even some light unintentional humor when needed, yet it knows when to be suitably funny. If there are two more aspects here that even some of my favorite Godzilla movies don't have, it's vivid lighting, and an involving sense of ambition. Every single scene moves at a brisk pace throughout it's 2-hour-long running time. Sustaining it's sense of awe is the striking cinematography by Kozo Shibasaki (cinematographer), showcasing imposing imagery, a sweeping sense of scope, and a towering sense of scale. The special effects are nothing short of dazzling, while the sound effects have the superlative quality to match with thunderous explosions, and clever sound editing. The evocative music score by Naoki Sato offers a haunting quality to elevate the film to a whole other level, and of course, smartly utilizing the iconic theme song. The cast did a fantastic job bringing soulful performances to deliver emotional gravity to the storytelling. I found myself engaged by the characters as they give the film an appealing sense of heart. The idea of distinctive human characters with different attributes coming together is such an agreeable concept for the whole plotline. Ryunoskue Kamiki plays Koichi Shikishima, a fighter pilot who does not have enough courage to save his people, and he was haunted by the harrowing incident back in 1945 on Odo Island. Minami Hamabe was great as Noriko Oishi, Koichi's caring partner who shares something common with Koichi: they both have deceased parents due to the air raids, and they both have to save an orphaned girl named Akiko (Sae Nagatani). With a suitably superb personality, Hidetaka Yoshioka was brilliant as Kenji Nota, a Naval engineer who will do what ever it takes to come up with ideas to take down Godzilla. Brought to life by dazzling special effects, Godzilla himself is as imposing as ever; he is such a daunting and unstoppable force to be reckoned with. If you ever wondered what the original Gojira would look like in computer generated form, this is what he would look like with great precision. For my personal opinion, This is now right up there with "Gojira" (1954), Roland Emmerich's "Godzilla" (1998), and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (2019) as one of my favorite Godzilla movies, as well as one of my favorite films of 2023.
Highly Recommended (suitable for teens 13 and up).