Spring Break Movies

 


Spring Break is here, for most. This year Spring Break aligns with the week leading to Easter, giving a lot of people some free time. The movies know this. On March 22, we got Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. On March 29, we get Godzilla X Kong: A New Empire. It's a rich time for blockbusters.

In honor of the dual blockbuster releases, I'm looking back at the franchises. Below is my ranking of the four previous films for each of these sequels in my preferred order.

Ghostbusters:

1. Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). This film, from Jason Reitman, is a great, emotional tribute. It's the most emotionally resonant of the films for me and that's why it tops my list.

2. Ghostbusters (1984). The original is a classic for so many reasons. I love the iconic scenes and plot. It is high on this list.

3. Ghostbusters (2016). This female-led re-boot is arguably the most purely comedic of the four films. It's wildly under-rated. I enjoy Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Kate McKinnon. And this is a top-shelf performance from Chris Hemsworth.

4. Ghostbusters 2 (1989). There isn't a bad film in the franchise, but one of them has to be last. This one is fine but it doesn't have the moments of the original, the comedy of the female version or the emotions of Afterlife.

The Monsterverse:

1. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). I love the visuals here, the story and the cast. The focus on Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown and Vera Farmiga worked for me. I enjoyed the final clash, too.

2. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). This is a good entry, too. The action sequences are fun and the deepening of the world works. I also enjoy the third act collision, which has some fantastic visuals.

3. Godzilla (2014). I didn't realize I wanted a new Godzilla franchise until I saw this film from Gareth Edwards. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is good in this, as is Bryan Cranston. But it's the visuals and the style that set the template for a new franchise.

4. Kong: Skull Island (2017). Much like above, there aren't any bad films in this franchise. This one is possibly the most star-studded. I like the action just fine, and I appreciate some of the heart and comedy. But it's always been lowest on the list for me. It's a fine film, I just like the other ones better.

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