Weapons (2025) Review

Title: Weapons
Year: 2025
Director: Zach Cregger
Country: US
Language: English

In Weapons an unthinkable tragedy hits a small town, and the citizens' difficulty with coping - ranging from rage, addiction, nightmares, and obsessing - creates a compelling narrative that Rashomon's itself through the central mystery at play. Split into perspective-driven chapters, the story delivers in becoming increasingly bizarre throughout its run-time. It's a very smart film that relies on atmosphere and intriguing characters rather than shock.

When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

The emotional turmoil of each character presents a truth; this is how a community of people would react if their kids went missing. We often see this hostility, fear, sadness, and distrust when big loss events (like covid, school shootings etc.) happen. It's far more than allegory for shootings however; the story reminds me of how Stephen King's best novels unfold. We see the failings of our friends and neighbors come to light, and then a supernatural revelation tests their soul. See: The Shining.

Weapons is a deliberate, slow boiling film that has a novelistic approach in the way it approaches characters - and having their stories intersect in an satisfying way. The film has a fairly good tone; its atmospheric horror, but there are funny moments aspersed throughout that relieve some tension. It feels like a Grimm's fairytale in the way it "weaponizes" its magical elements. 

Prior to watching, I heard a lot of great things about Weapons. I was seriously considering watching it in theaters, but I was concerned that it wouldn't meet the expectations I had built up for it. I'm glad to have seen this. It's easily in my top 10 of 2025. 

Shin Godzilla Re-Release (2025) Review

Title: Shin Godzilla
Year: 2025
Director(s): Higuchi & Anno
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese

Godzilla originated as a metaphor for the nuclear bomb America dropped on Japan during World War II. Mutated by nuclear waste dumped into the ocean and powered by nuclear fission, Shin Godzilla's King of all Monsters glows red just under his skin, making him an awe-inspiring sight even after he knocks out the Tokyo power grid. Unlike most other interpretations, this Godzilla evolves into different forms throughout the film; first as a harmless armless creature, and then into a force of nature that can shoot laser beams out of its back.

In Shin Godzilla something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake.

When it was initially released in 2016 I had a great time with Shin Godzilla. It was far better than the American 2014 version starring Bryan Cranston, as that one had very little actual Godzilla in it. However, I can't help but compare Shin Godzilla to the film that came after it; Godzilla Minus One. I was far more impressed with that version of Godzilla - and I also thought the human element made for an incredibly compelling story. Shin's story is a political satire about how bureaucracy fails us when we need them most, but it's VERY dialogue heavy and feels a bit cold. There are a lot of characters, but few I feel I connected with. 

That being said - it does a great job at showing how inept bureaucracy can be - I laughed when I noticed that a person's title had become so long it filled up the bottom of the screen. There is one scene - which is shown on many of the re-release posters- that is awe-inspiring. When Godzilla takes out the power grid, glows purple, and shoots out his fire breath I really felt impressed. This scene of destruction could be the best in the franchises' history. 

The end conflict is a little anti-climatic, and the dialogue heavy scenes go a bit too long, but I can see why Shin Godzilla has such a large audience wanting to see a sequel. I wouldn't mind this version of Godzilla coming back, but hopefully in a story with a more enticing human element. 

The Naked Gun (2025) Review

Title: The Naked Gun
Year: 2025
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Country: US
Language: English

The comedy team known as ZAZ, a trio that included David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams, had a short but successful series of spoof comedies like Airplane! (1980), Top Secret! (1984) and a television series on ABC called Police Squad! (1982). The television series was so successful that they were able to make the classic Naked Gun Trilogy. This spoof comedy genre started strong, but faded in popularity with time. In the early 2000's, the genre hit rock bottom with films like Not Another Teen Movie (2001) and Meet the Spartans (2008). After a decade-or so- hiatus, audiences are ready to see the spoof make a comeback. Thus we get a Naked Gun reboot of sorts. 

Liam Neeson plays an inept cop who  investigates a recent death that appears to be a suicide, but the victim’s sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), thinks otherwise. She’s convinced billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston) is behind it. 

I bought tickets to this film out of hesitancy; I was certain it couldn't compare to the original Naked Gun, and could possibly be an awful experience. Thankfully, I was wrong. Liam Neeson has great comedic timing; perhaps even better than Leslie Neilson. Naked Gun feels like more of a passing of the torch, than a cash grab for nostalgia's sake. Writers Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Schaffer fill the run-time with clever sight gags and fun word-play - largely avoiding references that would be out of date in a few years' time. This kind of comedy is timeless; the deadpan delivery of the absurd scenarios is quite fun. 

Seriously, Neeson - and Pam Anderson - play foundational roles that bring this film's material up a few notches in terms of my enjoyment of Naked Gun. Their chemistry is undeniable; it is no wonder that they became a couple offscreen. They both deliver their lines with such deadly seriousness; it's as if Neeson thought he was on the set of Taken.

Naked Gun captures the tone and energy of the original film, while also being careful not to be an exact copy. The plot, while a little on the nose in its Musk-esque villain, is certainly relevant to the 2020's. I was very impressed overall.