Godzilla vs. Kong

Three for the price of two. See that's what I like about these movies: value. As for the cinematic value here, well, as Joe Bob used to say, there's a bunch of plot getting in the way of the movie. Hardly matters though; the storyish stuff doesn't particularly hold the real show back. The stars of the flick deliver tremendous performances, via their CGI presences. I'm not talking about the human actors, of course; they're all so lightweight that a puppy's bark could blow them away, let alone the bellows of the big guys. It's all ridiculous, absurd, hokey and ultimately entertaining, if you don't go in expecting Chekhov. Kong fu. Godzilla fu. No breasts (unless you count the monkey). It's a good day to be an eleven-year-old boy. The Bad Cat says check it out.

The Legend of Tarzan

Maybe this story just can't work in today's world. The original appeal of Burroughs' tale revolved around the clash of civilization vs the wild. Today, we're not so awed by the jungle anymore, especially as we know it's disappearing. Despite these hurdles, the folks here gamely give it a go, and they come close to pulling off a good adventure movie. The principals are fine in their roles: Alexander Sarsgaard is sufficiently ripped; Sam Jackson is his usual self; Margot Robbie does what she does, which is be good in any role; but Christoph Waltz is largely wasted playing a character wbo is too static--he needed more to do to make a greater impact. Beyond the human elements, things look good, but a series of visually spectacular set pieces does not a movie make. Overall, it's OK--the film holds the interest, and it looks good--but this movie comes with a nagging feeling that this is about as good as this story can get now, and that's not quite enough.