The Best Last Eight Movies I’ve Watched Since July 2021

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I’ve watched more movies than these eight, but these were the ones I think were the worthiest to watch out of all of them. This will basically be a quick recap of each one. The Courier and Mary Shelley are the drama/biography movies. Godzilla vs. Kong and Along with the Gods are the action/sci-fi/fantasy movies. Unhinged and Escape Plan: The Extractors are what I call take it or leave it movies. Jolt and The Little Things are movies I expected more of by the end. As always, it is up to you whether you want to watch any of these or not. Also as always, whether experience gained or time lost is no fault of mine.

Godzilla vs Kong is a battle between bad and bad so to speak. While the story was decent, I really wanted to see more fighting between the two mythic creatures. For some reason, I felt sorry for King Kong much more than Godzilla. I’m not a die-hard fan when it comes to either one although if I were to come face to face with either one, I’d pick Kong because I feel I’d have a better chance of surviving if his animal instincts kicked in. Then again, maybe not. Overall, I wanted more action throughout the whole movie.

Along with the Gods is what happens after you die. It relies on the concept of heaven and hell. According to the movie, the purpose and quality of life is up for debate after the body is buried or cremated. This type of movie incorporates different planes and ones that are heavily immersed in spirituality and fantasy. The human interaction among the mother and sons tears at your heart strings as much as the relationship between the sons. There were a few scenes that stood out and made the movie worth watching.

Mary Shelley is about the creator and writer of Frankenstein. I remember studying her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, in an English class. This movie concentrates on her relationship to Percy Bysshe Shelley and other male writers during her time. It discusses the origins of her creativity and how she maneuvered herself in a world of male writers. Some writers are truly born that way and Mary Shelley was one of them.

Unhinged made me wonder why I was even watching it although it gives a good realistic view of road rage. People become extra brave when talking on cell phones, driving in cars, and on social media behind their screens. I not only got to see Russell Crowe doing his out-of-control schtick with a belly but was reminded to be cautious to not piss off the wrong person on the road. A person who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences is a dangerous combination anywhere so I’m glad this one only a movie—this time.

Little Things is one you’ve seen before. It’s a mediocre story without any thrills or consequences. I’m always up for a good detective story, but this one disappointed on many levels. The main issue was the storyline. It sat there like a lump on a log. There was nothing special about it and while the cast was well chosen, it wasn’t enough when the credits rolled. The ending was sort of a bummer too. I guess I’m not sure why I’m recommending it. Maybe, it’s to see Jared Leto as a convincing creep, Rami Malek post Freddie Mercury, and Denzel Washington with white hair.

Jolt is an interesting concept although there was something missing from it. I believe it was a few additional scenes that could’ve made it more cohesive as a visual experience. This movie reminded me of the Underworld saga due to its content. You get what you think you’ll get: a woman with an anger problem that has trouble trusting people where the trust is further eroded throughout the story. The vest she wears should have had more of a part. The story had a linear direction but by the end when a character showed up out of the blue, I wish she had shown up earlier.

The Courier is the best one out of all of them because I had no idea what really happened to the real life Greville Wynne and Oleg Penkosky. Their relationship makes for a great story. The fact it was during the Cold War doesn’t hurt either. It had everything I like in a movie including the great acting, suspense, and non-Hollywood ending. It didn’t take much for me to be invested since I enjoy reading and watching about espionage. As a dramatic story, this is one of the best I’ve seen in a while.

Escape Plan isn’t as machismo as the Expendables saga and it’s basically a revenge movie. The plot was sort of predictable despite not seeing the movie before and after it in the series. I still picture Sylvester Stallone as the actor from the original Rocky in terms of appearance, but he sure hasn’t lost his bravado. The scene between him and the younger antagonist was great. It was the best scene in the movie. I wanted to see more although seeing Dave Bautista mowing down guys with his machine gun was the next best thing.

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