Godzilla vs Kong Archives : The Abominable Dr. WelshThe Abominable Dr. Welsh

10 – Bloodthirsty (Director: Amelia Moses)

When an indie singer travels to a remote mansion to work with a big-name producer, she slowly undergoes an unsettling series of changes. Finally, horror filmmakers have started using the werewolf as a monstrous vehicle for social commentary like the zombie. Had Bloodthirsty nailed its digs at the music industry and the hunger for fame it might rank higher. However, Bloodthirsty doesn’t quite do for werewolves what Starry Eyes did for occultists. Nonetheless, Amelia Moses’ psychological approach to the material is consistently haunting and often unnerving.

9 – Caveat (Director: Damian McCarthy)

True, Caveat’s premise of an amnesiac drift agreeing to be chained in a house on a remote island with a disturbed woman stretches credulity. But Damian McCarthy’s directorial debut is just so damn scary, it’s easy to forgive the premise. Some audiences will grow frustrated with Caveat’s ambiguous storytelling. Still McCarthy effectively blends atmosphere with disturbing imagery and a handful of excellent jumps. The cat-and-mouse game that ensues delivers genuine edge-of-your seat tension. And the story’s gaps in exposition create enough mystery to engage in the those quieter moments.

8 – Violation (Director: Dusty Mancinelli, Madeline Sims-Fewer)

After years apart, Miriam’s visit with her sister and brother-in-law leads to an ultimate violation that sets her on a path of vengeance. Simply put, Violation is a challenging movie that you’ll likely not want to watch again. On one hand, Violation is beautifully filmed, brilliantly acted, and an immediately imperative movie. Like another Shudder production, Revenge, Mancinelli and Sim-Fewer subvert the rape-revenge narrative, resulting in a uniquely feminist horror movie. But Violation is also unrelenting, uncomfortable, and necessarily unsatisfying. Trauma lingers in real life and, thus, Mancinelli and Sims-Fewer leave with you no resolution. Additionally, the movie’s violence may be too much for many viewers.

7 – Godzilla vs. Kong (Director: Adam Wingard)

C’mon, how was this movie not going to be on this list? After a year delay due to COVID and some mixed responses to Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the ‘Monsterverse’ finally delivered on its promise. Despite some minor grievances, Godzilla vs Kong is the monster showdown that the 10-year-old in all of us were anticipating. Not even the puny human characters can derail the giddy fun for too long. Wingard and his creative team treated audiences to some of the most spectacular big monster action ever put up on a movie screen. Though it’s not completely satisfying Godzilla vs Kong gets the important stuff right.

6 – Anything for Jackson (Director: Justin G Dyck)

When a couple loses their grandson in a car accident, they turn to the occult with a sinister plan to bring him back. After some darkly fun winks and nods in the early going, Anything for Jackson proves to be one of the scarier movies in recent memory. Smarts twists on familiar tropes with inventive scares and practical effects alongside great performances delivers a surprise gem for horror fans. Even if Anything for Jackson’s final act leans towards the expected the overall result is still one of 2021’s better genre movies. With so many takes on ‘dark wishes’ and Satanist cults, there’s a refreshing feeling to this low-budget outing.

5 – Psycho Goreman (Director: Steven Kostanski)

When a brother and sister dig up a mysterious glowing gem, they gain control of an evil galactic monster that must do their bidding. Yes, the premise sounds stupid. And it’s supposed to be goofy. Simply put, Psycho Goreman is the horror-comedy you didn’t know you needed. Yes, it’s a little long. And no, not all the humour works. Fortunately, Kostanski avoids beating a dead horse with some of the more spotty jokes. Besides Psycho Goreman is so insanely fun that you won’t really mind spending the time with its title character. In fact, Kostanski’s bizarro creation begs for a sequel. Though horror and comedy are tough genres to mix, Psycho Goreman nails it perfectly. Come for the over-the-top bloodletting, stay for the 90’s-infused rap song over the credits.

4 = Saint Maud (Director: Rose Glass)

Once again A24 Films puts another movie up on a ‘Best of’ list here. Saint Maud tells the story of a disturbed nurse who slowly believes that God has tasked her with saving a terminally ill patient’s soul. While there’s no doubt it’s an A24 movie, Saint Maud presents a more urgent story with almost relentless tension. In true slow-burn fashion, writer and director Rose Glass allows the audience to see where things may go. There’s also a sense of dread to the movie’s story. And this is where Glass’ use of an ‘unreliable narrator’, provision of limited background information, and tapping into deeper themes widens Saint Maud’s impact. Bottom line, that last shot is one of the more disturbing images in recent horror movie history.

3 – The Power (Director: Corinna Faith)

One of several strong feminist horror movies from 2021 – and the second on this list – The Power represents director Corinna Faith’s feature-length debut. On her first day a new nurse works the night shift in a nearly empty hospital during a city-wide power outage as an unseen force haunts her. All in all, Faith accomplishes quite a feat with this extremely confident horror movie. Rather than relying on telegraphed jump scares, Faith sets an ominous tone that she maintains throughout the movie. For its first half, The Power trades in a quiet sense of unease, making full use of its decrepit hospital setting. Simply put, The Power soaks itself in haunting atmosphere from its opening scene. All of the scares run deep. And as a writer and director, Faith delivers a satisfying resolution that doesn’t betray the build-up.

2 – The Vigil (Director: Keith Thomas)

And here’s yet another religious horror movie on our list. Except this one’s rooted in Jewish theology. Though he is estranged from his Jewish community, Yakov agrees to keep a vigil over a recently deceased over whom a demonic presence lurks. As Keith Thomas’ directorial debut, The Vigil is a triumph of horror filmmaking. Straight out of the gate, The Vigil establishes a tone of increasing dread that’s omnipotent throughout the movie. The soundtrack, cinematography, and performances transcend the movie’s more limited budget. Moreover, a steady grasp on atmosphere alongside a ‘less is more approach’ ensures The Vigil succeeds as pure horror, even when some elements feel familiar. One trip into the basement and a FaceTime call should have audiences squirming.

1- A Quiet Place Part II (Director: John Krasinski)

It’s been so long since we’ve had a big studio horror movie. And this one absolutely delivers. As far as sequels go, A Quiet Place Part II exceeds all expectations. John Krasinski expands his world and increases the monster action without losing the tension or emotional core from his original vision. Rather than re-hashing what worked the first time around, A Quiet Place Part II feels like a natural extension of Krasinski’s story where his characters continue to grow into their respective arcs. And Cillian Murphy’s character never feels like a superfluous addition. Instead, Krasinski gives Murphy a fleshed out arc that compliments the Abbott family and parallel’s the sequel’s story and themes. Bottom line, A Quiet Place Part II delivers more tense monster thrills alongside a moving story about survival.

Synopsis

Five years have passed since Godzilla defeated King Ghidorah. The word has not seen a titan since that cataclysmic battle. Meanwhile Monarch has been monitoring King Kong on his ravaged home of Skull Island. However, Godzilla suddenly re-surfaces, launching a series of seemingly random attacks. Fearful for the world’s safety, Apex Cybernetics tasks former Monarch scientist Dr Nathan Lind with finding the Titans’ power source in the undiscovered Hollow Earth. Believing that Kong is the only link to Hollow Earth, Lind convinces Monarch to transport the big ape to a possible Hollow Earth entry in Antarctica. But Kong’s departure alerts Godzilla setting the two on a collision course to determine the one ‘King of Monsters’.

Godzilla vs Kong Delivers on its Promised Monster Smackdown

If the above synopsis sounds convoluted, that’s because it is. And it’s a streamlined overview of the movie’s story. Fortunately, director Adam Wingard (You’re Next, Blair Witch) understands the movie’s major appeal. People are putting their money on the table to watch the two big monsters duke it out. In this regard, Godzilla vs Kong absolutely delivers. Wingard gives us three full rounds of Kong and Godzilla, plus a bonus round that fills out the climax. Not surprisingly, Godzilla vs Kong plays it a little safe initially, giving each Titan a winning round. Regardless Wingard delivers on another promise to give use a definitive winner, which he does in a wholly satisfying way. That is, Wingard ensures that both Godzilla and Kong keep their reputations intact among their fans.

Few movies really need to be seen on a large screen. Count Godzilla vs Kong among that elite group of movies.

And we likely always knew that the showdown would pull a Batman vs Superman segue into a team-up against a greater shared threat. In addition to its satisfying narrative approach to its monster battles, Godzilla vs Kong delivers dazzling visual effects. Few movies really need to be seen on a large screen. Count Godzilla vs Kong among that elite group of movies. In general, the effects – and their attention to detail – are Awards-worthy. Each action setpiece is a dizzying spectacle to behold. Whether it’s the first round on the ocean across battleships or a second round against the backdrop of a neon-drenched Hong Kong, Wingard and his effects team choreograph wildly fun fights. Indeed, this is what ‘Monsterverse’ fans have been waiting for since 2014.

Pesky Humans Get in the Way of Godzilla vs Kong’s Main Event

Just about every monster movie had to address the same problem – what to do with us pesky humans. No one is paying money about giant monsters fighting to watch a bunch of human characters argue and run around. When Bryan Cranston prematurely exited Godzilla, we were left with too many dull human characters just filling time before the ‘big guy’ showed up again in his own movie. Despite getting so much right, Godzilla vs Kong still doesn’t seem to know what to do with its human ensemble. First, the ‘cross-over’ sequel has far too many characters with a ‘Team Kong’, ‘Team Godzilla’, and obligatory human villains. Some are returning characters, others are wholly new introductions. Only Kaylee Hottle’s ‘Jia’ – the lone surviving indigenous Skull Island survivor – registers courtesy of her connection with Kong.

With such a large ensemble, it’s not surprising that the screenplay limits the characters to largely one-sentence descriptions.

Along with returning Kyle Chandler and Mille Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Godzilla vs Kong adds Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood), Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Julian Dennison Demian Bichir (The Nun), and Shun Oguri – and I’m probably missing someone. With such a large ensemble, it’s not surprising that the screenplay limits the characters to largely one-sentence descriptions. Both Tyree Henry and Dennison offer the comic relief and occasional expository dialogue. Apparently, Oguri’s ‘Ren Serizawa’ is the son of Ken Watanabe’s deceased character, a point I initially missed. So is he compelled to seek vengeance against Godzilla and the Titans? Who knows. Like Bichir’s requisite corporate baddie, human motivations here are pretty one-dimensional. Ultimately, their purpose is to ensure we get some ‘Mechagodzilla’ action.

Godzilla vs Kong Delivers on the Promise of the ‘Monsterverse’

After a year delay due to COVID and some mixed responses to Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the ‘Monsterverse’ finally delivers on its promise. Ultimately, Godzilla vs Kong is the monster showdown that the 10-year-old in all of us were anticipating. Not even the puny human characters can derail the giddy fun for too long. Wingard and his creative team deliver some of the most spectacular big monster action ever put up on a movie screen. Though it’s not completely satisfying Godzilla vs Kong gets the important stuff right. Finally, we have the monster movie that the ‘Monsterverse’ deserved.

The Abominable Dr. Welsh

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