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Here's my review for the week.

Godzilla
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, and Juliette Binoche
Synopsis: Godzilla has a proud cinematic history. He first graced the big screen in the 1950s — not long after World War II when the lasting effects of a world that had entered into the nuclear age were unknown. Even those that haven’t seen a “Godzilla” film, or worse yet saw the 1998 travesty that tried to re-boot the series, are familiar with the character. Godzilla is a part of the American cultural landscape. And, given the technological advances in filmmaking, it only makes sense to look at this property again. Director Gareth Edwards hasn’t made a lot of movies, but his work on the 2010 indie darling “Monsters” was enough for studio executives to put this iconic property into his hands. And that appears to have been an inspired choice. “Godzilla” is a big-budget summer blockbuster, but it’s also a loving homage to the iconic history of films in this franchise. Those elements combined helped it have the biggest opening of 2014, and will likely help it be remembered as one of the better summer action movies of the year. Often monsters like Godzilla are seen as a menace that threatens the world in these type of films, but once upon a time Godzilla was the protagonist on screen, battling more vicious creatures. “Godzilla” returns to those roots, with the “King of Monsters” actually serving as protector of humanity. Edwards has a great feel for building this world, and an obvious passion for Godzilla. In fact, the monsters — and their epic on-screen battles — are more compelling than the human drama in the film. There’s a lot of expository dialogue, and a healthy wait before the monster is revealed, but it all builds toward some fascinating on-screen action. Many films in recent years have tried to depict these epic battles. “Cloverfield” had a hand-held, low-budget feel that created a sense of dread. “Pacific Rim” was a big-budget dud that had too murky a story approach. Edwards brings the right tone, the right balance of action and the right amount of homage to this “Godzilla” re-boot. It feels like a tribute to the past while creating a new story that takes full advantage of the improvements in technology. In addition, the film does its best to ask hard questions about human advancement without taking away from the story. The best kind of monster movies ask hard questions about society. People think about the dinosaurs when it comes to “Jurassic Park,” but the original film questioned the role of science in creation. “Godzilla” originally appeared in the wake of the use of nuclear weapons. It, in some ways, asked hard questions about the unintended consequences of nuclear warfare. In its own way, the new “Godzilla” does the same. It doesn’t distract from what you’d want in a monster movie, but it stays true to the tone and purpose below the surface of the original films. Overall, “Godzilla” is what you’d expect — and I’d argue what the public wants — from a summer blockbuster. It has recognizable faces, likeable characters, plenty of action and an easy-to-follow story. And as an added bonus, it pays tribute to a proud history of films that came before it.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of destruction, mayhem and creature violence.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, May 23 — "X-Men: Days of Future Past," "Blended"

Friday, May 30 — "A Million Ways to Die in the West," "Malificent"