Inception - 5/5

This movie is an instant classic, and rightly so. It is the epitome of a complex plot made simple, its cinematography is jaw-dropping, its special effects seamless. It somehow manages to deliver a strong sci-fi story and a tender romantic tragedy without losing any of the running pace or pure excitement of the adventure it’s all wrapped up in. The high-concept fabric of the film is enough to keep your mind soaring but its immaculate stakes keep the story grounded and powerful. It’s an unparalleled masterpiece and a must-watch.

Closest comparison: It’s like Existenz, but well-made.

Setting: Adventure
Plot: Cerebral Sci-Fi
Tone: Action Adventure

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 3/5

The monster visuals are gorgeous, and that’s certainly where they put their money. Unfortunately, the plot is very dumb and overly complicated, to the point that we don’t get to see monster stuff until about 50 minutes into the movie. The upshot is that the parts with humans fall back into the ‘so bad it’s good’ category, so if you like imitating Mystery Science Theater 3000 you’ll have something to do while you wait for the monster fights to start. Once the fighting starts it’s exciting and very entertaining, well worth the price of the ticket on its own, though it seems overly focused on giving the audience good PC desktop wallpapers.

Closest comparison: It’s better than Godzilla (2014), but not as good as Kong: Skull Island.

Setting: Kaiju Monster
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Action/Drama

Pokémon Detective Pikachu - 2/5

This movie is built for fans of the Pokémon franchise. Many of the wide city shots especially feature many background Pokémon for those in the know to appreciate, and that part of it was very good. Justice Smith also did a much better job than his previous work, with a few stand-out moments that worked particularly well. There’s CGI in every scene, and if you don’t like the 3D interpretation of the Pokémon then that will plague you for the duration. The ‘detective’ works just fine, and although adults will likely see the final reveal coming children may get much more mileage out of the solution.

Closest comparison: It’s like a live-action episode of a show that has been running for a little too long.

Setting: Sci-fi
Plot: Mystery
Tone: Family