This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows a scene from 'Godzilla vs. Kong.'

“Godzilla vs. Kong” (Action/Science-Fiction: 1 hour, 53 minutes)

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Demián Bichir

Director: Adam Wingard

Rated: PG-13 (Intense sequences of creature violence/destruction and brief profanity)

Movie Review: Moviegoers should be honest. No one is coming to see the humans. Audiences want to see the massive monsters called Titans. They are Godzilla and King Kong. Audiences get a front-row seat to the super-heavyweight match of the decade. The only thing missing is a ring announcer voicing, “Let’s get ready to rumble …”

Godzilla returns after years and begins destroying cities. To provide a reason for Godzilla’s turn on humanity, scientists and military officials use King Kong. While King Kong and Godzilla, the two alpha monsters, fight for dominance, a greater unknown threat lurks.

This 2021 match is much better than the 1963 movie “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” It is a popcorn flick, pure entertainment.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” is a nice narrative merging of the greatest monsters. This script creates a reason to bring Godzilla and Kong together, although human intentions are commonplace. “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) and “Kong: Skull Island” (2017) are good but not necessary prerequisites before going to see “Godzilla vs. Kong.” This movie is a straightforward story that works for fans new and old.

Max Borenstein and Eric Pearson’s story finds a way to make two old stories new by combining them in a manner that impresses with action. They provide adventure, suspense and monsters fighting and destroying.

Although the humans are stereotypical and some not convincing, the monsters are still as impressive as ever. The great Godzilla and mighty Kong are worth going to see.

Grade: B- (It is a battle royale.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas.

“Nobody” (Action/Crime: 1 hour, 32 minutes)

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen

Director: Ilya Naishuller

Rated: R (Strong violence, bloody images, profanity and drug use)

Movie Review: Director Ilya Naishuller (“Hardcore Henry,” 2015) is no stranger to action movies. Though he and writer Derek Kolstad, who penned “John Wick” (2014) and its sequels, offer nothing new, they provide plenty of engaging entertainment with a side of humor. The movie also cements Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”) as an every-man action star.

Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, a family man. After a robbery attempt at his house, people wonder why he did not take out the robbers when he had the chance. Feeling less masculine, Mansell reverts to his former self where he was an auditor, a trained hitman. 

After a Russian syndicate led by Yulian Kuznetsov (Serebryakov) threatens his family, Mansell returns to his former self with an exacting vengeance.

“Nobody” is extremely violent. Humor accompanies that violence often. Together these two concepts work to make this a very entertaining movie. This is especially true when octogenarian Christopher Lloyd and musician-composer RZA grace scenes. They provide an added edge and insight to Odenkirk’s Mansell. 

Grade: B- (“Nobody” plays like somebody.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas.

“Minari” (Drama: 1 hour, 55 minutes)

Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Youn Yuh-jung and Will Patton

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic elements, language and a rude gesture)

Movie Review: Something beautifully realistic exists with “Minari,” a movie that gets its name from the edible water dropwort plant. It already has numerous awards and has several Academy Award nominations. They are all well deserved.

“Minari” features a beautiful Korean family that moves to Arkansas to start a farm that features Korean vegetables. In a 1980s United States, Jacob (“The Walking Dead’s” Yeun) wants the American dream. He believes the best way to do this is to use the large amount of land that surrounds his family’s mobile home to grow his crops. 

While this is his dream, his wife, Monica (Han), is not pleased but remains a dedicated wife. Their children Anne (Cho) and David (Kim) are adapting. Their lives change when Monica’s mother, Soonja (Youn), comes to stay with the couple to help with the children.

The cast is endearing. This drama creates a family worth every moment of this movie’s runtime. Additionally, the cast plays their role with certain realness that resonates.

Steven Yeun plays Jacob, a man with a plan, with zeal. Yeun makes his character an everyday American man. Yeun’s performance is dynamic and worthy of his best leading actor role Oscar nomination. 

Two others Alan Kim who plays the family’s son with a weak heart. Kim steals scenes from his fellow adult actors. His scenes with Youn Yuh-Jung, who plays his grandmother, are engaging, humorous moments. Seasoned actress Youn is also impressive. Like Kim, she is in a supporting role but often becomes the star in her scenes. She deserves her supporting actress Oscar nomination, too.

Three others are also worth noting. Han Ye-ri merits accolades for her performance as a hardworking mother. She adds substance to some of this drama’s most serious moments. Noel Kate Cho plays the big sister. While her little brother upstages her, she is good, too. Last, Will Patton is a talented actor. Here, he plays a character that makes him unnoticeable for a moment, but that distinguished voice echoes steadily. 

Lee Isaac Chung garnered an Academy Award nod for his directing and writing. He easily returns one to the 1980s in a nostalgic manner, even some of his writing wanes in a few elementary bits for a couple of scenes. He creates a real world with all the hardship and joy attached. 

His movie is about relationships and a family’s assimilation to American culture while retaining their heritage. And, this is a beautiful achievement. Hats off to Director Chung, a talented cast and a superb crew for a good flashback to a 1980s America.

Grade: A- (Minari grows on you with ease.)

“The Courier” (Drama/Thriller: 1 hour, 51 minutes)

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze and Rachel Brosnahan

Director: Dominic Cooke

Rated: PG-13 (Violence, nudity and profanity)

Movie Review: One of the greatest espionage stories to which the general public is unaware plays for movie audiences. Cumberbatch and Ninidze are engaging, talented men. Their friendship forms in the background of their dangerous mission to stop what could be the most devastating war. More interesting, this intriguing screenplay is based on actual events.

British and United States intelligence agencies recruit businessman Greville Wynne (Cumberbatch). He establishes a relationship with a Russian source, Oleg Penkovsky (Ninidze), a military intelligence colonel. 

Together, they begin smuggling top-secret Russian documents out of Russian to give to Western intelligence agencies. Penkovsky hopes to prevent war between the United States and Russia during the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Doctor Strange Cumberbatch and Ninidze (“My Happy Family,” 2017) provide a unique friendship. This is an added measure for this screenplay as it increases the stakes for their gamble to keep the world safe.

A nice sense of anxiety happens. These men are in danger. Their secrets have the best intentions but are destroying their personal lives. For their families, Wynne and Penkovsky want to stop world destruction while knowing their lives are in constant danger.

Their efforts thrive with deadly consequences and propel this narrative directed by Dominic Cooke (“On Chesil Beach,” 2017). Cumberbatch and Ninidze offer pivotal performances. 

Tom O’Connor (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” 2017) is the author of this script. He allows one to get to know these men, their families and their work in a manner that makes their cause one of importance — and it was — while creating an atmosphere to care for the men and their loved ones also.

As grand as the mission is for two men and their countries to stop a war, this is not an emotional movie. Although one can easily care for these characters and their cause, a lasting emotional connection does not remain afterward. Perhaps, this exists because “The Courier” is a period drama. It takes place in the past. There, it is easier to just see it as a historical event and remain at a distance.

Otherwise, the drama is a sound movie. Cumberbatch and Ninidze play their roles well, and a not widely known historical event achieves big-screen treatment.

Grade: B (He carries well.)

“City of Lies” (Drama/Crime: 1 hour, 52 minutes)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker and Laurence Mason

Director: Brad Furman

Rated: R (Profanity, violence and drug use)

Movie Review: Based on Randall Sullivan’s book, “LAByrinth,” about the real investigations of the murders of rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, “City of Lies” is interesting as it presents a mystery to solve. However, it would make a better documentary than this drama that teases. 

Journalist Jack Jackson (Whitaker) and former LAPD Detective Russell Poole (Depp), who is one of the primary investigators of Notorious B.I.G.’s murder, start a new investigation 20 years later to determine who killed the rapper on March 6, 1997.

They find evidence Tupac Shakur has no connection to the murder, but others possibly do. They include multiple LAPD officers. Jackson and Poole encounter interference during their investigation from law enforcement and the media.

“City of Lies” intrigues as much as it feels incomplete. It contains many insinuations but none appear complete. It feels as much a mystery as when it began.

What propels this movie are the performances of its talented leads. Depp proves he is still relevant, even if some in Hollywood have ostracized him. Whitaker is always convincing in roles. Together, they offer a nice tangible persistence for their characters.

Grade: B- (An intriguing city provides many uncovered elements about the City of Angels)

“My Brother’s Keeper” (Drama: 1 hour, 37 minutes)

Starring: T.C. Stallings, Joey Lawrence, Robert Ri’chard and Keshia Knight Pulliam

Director: Kevan Otto

Rated: PG-13 (Thematic material and violence)

Movie Review: “My Brother’s Keeper” manages to bring in a seasoned, well-known cast, yet it still suffers from all that ails these low-budget faith-based screenplays. That is less than par acting and poor direction. Ty Manns’ script tackles much but settles all in a novice manner.

Sgt. 1st Class Travis Fox (Stallings) just finished deployment overseas fighting terrorists. He struggles with PTSD and his faith after losing his Preach (Lawrence) who died while on patrol. He returns home briefly to care for his family home. There, he is approached by a church to help rebuild their veterans center, but Stallings’ anger with his religion and his God puts him at odds with the parishioners. 

This religious movie about a man regaining his faith is a pro-military and pro-American story. While it is never boring, it feels like an afternoon Lifetime movie. You invest time but only feel slighted when the feature ends.

Grade: C- (It does not keep well.)

“Sound of Metal” (Drama: 2 hours)

Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci and Mathieu Amalric

Director: Darius Marder

Rated: R (Profanity and brief nude images)

Movie Review: Director Darius Marder’s script with co-writer Abraham Marder is an enriching drama. It offers plenty, including a superb performance by cast, mainly by a talented Riz Ahmed.

Punk-metal drummer Ruben (Ahmed) is a part of an itinerant band with long-time girlfriend Lou (Cooke). They travel to various places for one-night gigs. Ruben’s life changes when he experiences intermittent hearing loss. 

Fearing his music career is over, Ruben, a recovering heroin addict, enters an isolated sober house for the hearing impaired. The place’s administrator is Joe (Raci in a role like his life), a Vietnam veteran who overcame addiction. There, Ruben learns to appreciate his new silence and communion with his fellow inhabitants. 

Still, his major focus is returning to Lou (Cooke), the love of his life.

Marder uses sounds to allow audiences to experience what his lead character does. He plays with sound, allowing audiences to experience sound as Ruben does. Some scenes apply total silence during moments. This allows one to understand Ruben and his ability to cope with his new disability. 

Marder’s direction and writing make perfect use of Ruben’s experience. His tactics are clever uses of audio stimuli. 

Actor-rapper Ahmed plays Ruben with exceptional zeal. Ahmed’s experiences with music no doubt sharpened his performance. He compellingly plays Ruben inspiring one to care about the artistically driven man. His nominations for multiple awards, which include an Academy Award nod, are worthy of his talents in the role.

Others of the cast are also superior. Raci’s turn as Joe, a spiritual leader of recovery place for addicts, is also good. Raci received a nomination for an actor in a supporting role. And Olivia Cooke plays Ahmed’s girlfriend a woman with addiction battles of her own. She complements Ruben well, and she adds sympathy to the battles both of the lead characters face. 

The jump from the United States to Belgium is an abrupt change in this script, but it is an important part of the movie. The change in scenery also offers an important, powerful part of this movie. Here, Ruben realizes a unique aspect about his new life — silence can be golden.

Marder is the director of the documentary “Loot” (2008), his directorial debut, and the writer of “The Place Beyond the Pines” (2012). The latter cemented Marder as a talented writer, and “Sound of Metal” should make him a sought-after director. Hats off to Marder, the talented cast and a team of brilliant others for this creatively powerful drama.

Grade: A- (Sound of good moviemaking …)

“Senior Moment” (Comedy/Romance: 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Starring: William Shatner, Jean Smart, Carlos Miranda and Christopher Lloyd

Director: Giorgio Serafini

Rated: PG-13 (Strong language and drug use)

Movie Review: “Senior Moment” is a formulaic romance although it is fun to watch Shatner do comedic acting. The legendary actor just turned 90 on March 22, but watching him here, one would not guess he is that age. This rom-com features Shatner and Jean Smart finding love as senior citizens. It is fun despite this comedy not equalling the seasoned skills of its cast.

After a drag racing incident in his vintage 1955 Porsche 356 Continental convertible in Palm Springs, Victor Martin (Shatner), a retired NASA test pilot, temporarily loses his driver’s license. He must take public transportation to travel. While on a bus, he meets Caroline Summers (Smart), and the two begin a romance.

During “Senior Moment’s” production Shatner was in his late 80s, he plays a man in his early 70s. He and Jean Smart look good together. The comedy is light-hearted fun, but it feels like something seen many times already.

Giorgio Serafini (“Johnny’s Gone,” 2011) directs a fun movie. It is easy to sit through on a lazy afternoon, but this remains a standard story. 

Grade: C+ (It has its moments.)

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar has reviewed movies for The Valdosta Daily Times for more than 20 years.