Tag Archives: Sci-fi

Godzilla Minus Zero (2026)

09 Monday Nov 2026

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A shadow once cast isn’t banished so swiftly.
We soak in its horror long after it’s gone.
We wish for a switch that could turn off the terror
As quickly and coldly as it was flipped on.

It clings to our dreams, both in sleep and in waking.
It morphs what we want, who to hurt, who to blame.
Some never can shake it, that leftover burden
Of something they loved that was lost to the pain.

The shadow is sticky, tenacious, undying;
You kick it away, and it always returns.
But battle is better than letting it drown you;
Living’s the vengeance for which the heart yearns.
____________________

MPA rating: R (for violence and death; could pass for PG-13 in my opinion)

Godzilla Minus One took many viewers by surprise, myself included, boasting an affecting human story at the heart of the big destruction sequences and even managing to snag a Visual Effects Oscar. For me, it was a clear outlier of Godzilla media, which had never interested me much before, so it’s gratifying that its sequel Godzilla Minus Zero delivers the same well-rounded human-vs-monster story as its predecessor.

Picking up two years after former kamikaze pilot Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) managed to vanquish Godzilla, the film puts Japan right back into danger as a flying dragon-like creature called Ghidorah begins a new reign of terror. Scientist Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka) leads a bureau specifically meant to handle such disasters, and he regretfully pulls Shikishima back into the monster-killing effort, if only to protect his wife Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and their adopted daughter Akiko (Sae Nagatani). As an unlikely survivor of the first rampage, Noriko is faced with even harder choices when Godzilla also makes a reappearance.

I will say up front that I consider Minus One the better film, if only for its more focused themes and satisfying ending, but Minus Zero carries over a lot of the same strengths. The relationship between Shikishima, Noriko, and Akiko feels heart-tuggingly real, all of them survivors who only wish to survive together, and the aftermath of WW2 continues to haunt the cast, particularly Professor Murakami (Min Tanaka), a biologist who dreams of perpetuating the cycle of revenge. And of course, there are giant monsters, with the ever-evolving Ghidorah wreaking havoc on anything in its way. The effects work is spectacular yet again, proving that Japan can put plenty of Hollywood CGI to shame.

As for the negatives, they mainly revolve around the ending for me. The big battle that pits Godzilla against Ghidorah is awesome, but the scale of it makes it hard to believe any of the humans nearby would survive, and it ends a bit anticlimactically, most likely to leave options open for a third film. It’s hard to say in what direction that third film might go, but writer-director Takashi Yamazaki has me thoroughly invested in this particular iteration of the Godzilla mythos. I still wouldn’t consider myself a general fan of Godzilla like some of my friends are, but I am a fan of good movies, and if a good movie happens to feature Godzilla, then I’m in.

Rank:  List-Worthy (joining Minus One)

© 2026 S.G. Liput
799 Followers and Counting

If You Were the Last (2023)

08 Sunday Nov 2026

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When stuck in close proximity
With someone of the other sex,
There’s always possibility
That you-know-what will follow next.

It all depends on what you’ve got,
Your vibes and personalities…
Or if your partner’s super hot
And not one for formalities.

When paired with only time and us,
What follows is on fate and luck:
We just might hate each other’s guts
Or find the joy in being stuck.
___________________

Rating: TV-MA (likely a strong PG-13 for sex and some language)

I have come to set my expectations low when it comes to streaming-only romance films, which so often end up as little more than Hallmark wannabes. So it was a pleasant surprise to find If You Were the Last is a real winner, if only you have a Peacock subscription. Joining the ranks of films about astronauts stranded in space, even directly referencing The Martian, the film thrives on the natural chemistry between Adam (Anthony Mackie) and Jane (Zoȅ Chao).

The leading pair are the only survivors of a botched space mission that left their ship stranded in orbit around Saturn. Three years have passed as they attempt to fix the navigation computer while maintaining their life support and food supply, and their friendly professional rapport has gradually warmed into deep fondness and quite possibly more. They eventually chat frankly about the reasons for and against a sexual relationship, such as the fact they are married but also likely never to be rescued, and the lines between survival and love become harder to define with time.

Mackie and Chao have charm to spare, and Angela Bourassa’s script effortlessly allows their complementary personalities to bounce off each other in the repartee, like their commentary on certain movies. And while their cute behavior can sometimes seem too flippant given their plight, it’s clearly necessary as a way to deal with monotony and despair. In some ways, their ship seems comfortably prepared with food and entertainment for an extended stay, but things worsen gradually in ways which simply can’t be rectified, such as the death of their only goat or the corruption of a beloved music file. The future is not guaranteed, so how should the time remaining be spent?

Even so, this is not a deeply serious take on space isolation, as evidenced by the charming diorama-style depiction of their ship in space rather than more realistic effects. But it hits a likable balance of tones, boasting a unique scenario that allows two people to bond over their close proximity and shared stakes and see just how much they need each other. It’s a shame If You Were the Last is behind a single subscription barrier because it’s a rom-com deserving of wider appreciation.

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2026 S.G. Liput
799 Followers and Counting

The Last House (2026)

04 Wednesday Nov 2026

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The doors are locked without a lock,
The windows barred without a bar.
No stepping out to take a walk,
No Sunday cruise around the block,
No driveway upkeep on the car,
No short but friendly neighbor talk,
No evening wishes on a star,
No welcoming a guest to knock…
I guess it’s just how things now are.
_____________________

MPA rating: PG-13

It shouldn’t really be a surprise that the Netflix movie machine churns out disappointing fare, but I had hoped The Last House would be better than it is. I like the ideas behind films that posit how life would fundamentally change given some hypothetical cataclysm, and other films have turned out really well playing with the notion of not being able to go outside, such as Right at Your Door (trapped by toxic fallout) or The Last Days (trapped by lethal agoraphobia). But The Last House is one seriously janky example of this peculiar apocalyptic subgenre.

Wagner Moura and Greta Lee play married couple Jason and Ann, who live in happy suburban bliss in Seattle with their two kids Ruth and Graham. When a strange rain storm hits, they find that their house is completely sealed by a barrier of water, trapping them and everyone else inside their homes. And while some people are likewise trapped outside, they soon regret it as invisible hostile creatures use the rain for cover. As years pass, the family is forced to use their wits to survive and find a way free.

Simply put, the setup of The Last House is hard to take seriously. When the reason for the sealing of buildings is revealed, it opens a lot of questions about why the creatures behind it would take such an indirect manner of wiping out humanity, and the threadbare themes of mercy by the end really don’t make sense in the larger context. While the survival elements are sometimes interesting, they also strain credulity, as when Jason manages to defy gravity and fashion a small game trap through the chimney. And I’m rather annoyed by the family dynamic where one partner accuses the other of not taking things seriously because they’re holding onto hope and not folding to utter despair (see The End of Oak Street for the same thing).

Moura and Lee do their best to make The Last House at least watchable, but it’s the plot that falls apart by the end. Besides, I would think most of us still remember what it was like being trapped in our houses during the COVID era. We don’t need a worse version of that.

Rank: Dishonorable Mention

© 2026 S.G. Liput
799 Followers and Counting

Hope (2026)

20 Sunday Sep 2026

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I hope we won’t be spotted.
I hope it’s safe to stay.
With every hour
More we cower,
The more I feel like prey.

I hear the sounds approaching.
I fear their origin,
The smell of death
Upon its breath
As hope is wearing thin.
__________________

MPA rating: R (for violence and language)

I’m torn on whether I should catch up on a pretty deep backlog of films or focus on new releases, so I might as well alternate. One of several Korean imports in recent months, Hope is the latest film from acclaimed director Na Hong-jin, an apocalyptic alien invasion thriller that boasts the highest budget yet for a Korean film. Set in the (surprisingly heavily armed) rural village of Hope Harbor near the DMZ, police chief Ko Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) goes from investigating a mysterious dead cow to fighting for survival against a giant creature wreaking havoc on the town, with bigger implications as the scope of the danger spreads.

Despite an overlong runtime of over 2½ hours, Hope’s pace rarely falters, with the extended sequences of alien carnage being the main attraction. Whether it’s navigating narrow village streets or battling in beautiful green forests, the action is consistently thrilling and shot fluidly to capture the right balance of tension and movement, with echoes of Attack on Titan and Predator. Once seen, the monsters themselves suffer a bit from imperfect CGI, but they have a unique biology and thick hide that make them a particularly dangerous adversary for mere humans. Special mention is deserved by Jung Ho-yeon as a rookie cop with a truly badass introduction and Zo In-sung as a hunter with especially impressive plot armor.

The main drawback for Hope is that it is very obviously incomplete; it might as well be called Hope: Part One for all the closure it gives to… anything. After an exciting chase scene that gets a bit repetitive, something big and catastrophic happens for reasons unknown, and it just ends. There’s a sort of twist in the final moments that indicates the alien perspective will become more important, which could be really interesting in a sequel, which is supposedly already written but yet to be greenlit. But as the film stands now, it offers little beyond the action (admittedly very skillful, intense action) and a suggestion of a larger story that we may never see. One can only hope that a worthy Part Two will come eventually.

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2026 S.G. Liput
790 Followers and Counting

Superman (2025)

07 Monday Sep 2026

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Do you believe that a man can fly?
Or do they all fall to the cynical eye?
The worst is more likely, so doubt in the best.
That S on the chest
Is a pie in the sky.

Do you believe we are too far gone,
That the king and the queen have forgotten the pawn?
But someone is fighting, if need be alone,
And every stone thrown
Makes trying feel wrong.

Do you believe we are doomed from the start?
Or can hope be found in the ol’ bleeding heart?
It’s risky, of course, pinning hopes anywhere,
But such is the prayer
Of playing one’s part.
___________________

MPA rating: PG-13

Considering how deep my year-plus backlog of movies is, I wasn’t sure where to start with my return to blogging, but it made sense to begin with my official favorite movie of 2025. I don’t think I’m alone, but I have long been a proponent of Marvel’s cinematic universe over DC’s more scattershot attempts. Except for Wonder Woman and Shazam, I never really connected with most of the Snyderverse, so I had no qualms over James Gunn taking over the DC franchise and giving it a fresh coat of paint. And considering his first film in that rebooted world, I’m fully on board.

Stepping confidently into Christopher Reeve’s shoes and eschewing the more broody Henry Cavill take, David Corenswet plays the new Man of Steel, already an established hero dating Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and defending Metropolis alongside an incipient “Justice Gang” made up of a Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). Superman ends up a punching bag more often than one might expect, both literally and figuratively, thanks to the machinations of born hater Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who is intent on taking his nemesis down physically and in the public eye.

It was smart of Gunn to not belabor yet another origin story for an already well-known character, and he wastes no time in dropping us into the new DC universe, complete with Krypto the Superdog, prison pocket dimensions, Fortress of Solitude robots, and existing character dynamics. There’s a lot of comic book geekery on display, yet it manages to serve the story without alienating newcomers. It doesn’t hurt that Gunn borrows some of his own trademarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, like an extended one-shot battle scene set to music that makes Mr. Terrific the unexpected stand-out side character.

No hate to the prior Superman actors, but Corenswet is a natural, boasting excellent chemistry with Brosnahan and a likeable boy-scout earnestness opposite the more cynical heroes. A climactic monologue to Luthor doesn’t quite land as well as intended, but a quieter moment with Lois in his childhood bedroom reinforces how his optimism and goodness are their own form of resistance. I liked how his adoptive parents Ma and Pa Kent are played by lesser-known actors (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell), as well as his arc of ultimately embracing his earth heritage over his Kryptonian one.

After the comparative drudgery of the Snyderverse, the latest Superman is a breath of fresh air. Action-packed, sincere, perhaps slightly overstuffed, but above all fun, this is how to start a cinematic universe.

Best line: (Lois) “My point is I question everything and everyone. You trust everyone and think everyone you’ve ever met is, like… beautiful.”   (Clark) “Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”

Rank: List-Worthy

© 2026 S.G. Liput
790 Followers and Counting

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

03 Saturday May 2025

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(I’m catching up after the fact, but for Day 15 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a six-line poem characterized by simple language and enthusiasm, so I focused on the film itself this time.)

I played the games when I was young.
I guess I’ll go watch the movie. Looks fun.
It’s not as if I’ve been waiting for this,
But all my friends saw it. I don’t want to miss
The tragic backstory, Jim Carrey’s full glory, ooh, that scene was peak!
Shut up, I’m no geek….
______________________

MPA rating: PG

It honestly feels like a minor miracle that the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has translated to the big screen as well as it has. It seemed as if it would be a bomb on arrival after the poorly received initial design for the title character, but three live-action movies and a streaming show later, it’s proven to be remarkably fun. In this third outing (did I never review the sequel? Guess not.), a powerful black and red hedgehog called Shadow (Keanu Reeves) is freed from decades-long imprisonment and embarks on a spree of vengeance, leading Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) to team with the non-shockingly not dead Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to bring him down.

While the Knuckles series got rather dumb as it dragged out, the movies have found the right secret sauce for Team Sonic, with Sonic’s quippy super-speed antics bouncing well off of Tails’ earnest tech support and Knuckles’ headstrong aggression. Add in a self-serious straight man in the form of Shadow, a villain very much in the mold of Mewtwo from Pokémon, and the film is able to find a surprising balance between silly action and emotional stakes. It also helps that James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Sonic’s adoptive parents are given more to do this time, while Jim Carrey pulls eccentric double duty as both the returning mad scientist Ivo Robotnik and his even madder grandfather Gerald.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gives every indication that this franchise has the potential to keep getting better, with yet another character from the games teased at the end for a sequel. One dance scene between the Robotniks will no doubt go down as one of Carrey’s finest and most hilarious moments and well worth his return from retirement. And though there’s nothing revolutionary about the plot or themes, the overall entertainment value makes this a film to please nostalgic nerds and present kids alike.

Best line: (Shadow) “The light shines, even though the star is gone.”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2025 S.G. Liput
809 Followers and Counting

It’s What’s Inside (2024)

22 Tuesday Apr 2025

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(For Day 21 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem describing an abnormal version of an event as if it’s normal, so I took an outsider’s view of a wild party.)

The neighbors had another party last night.
I saw from a distance and rolled my eyes.
I got a nice view of each head light
As all of the guests rolled in.
It didn’t take long for the hahs and guffaws,
The drunken cheers and smoky highs.
They probably broke some local laws,
But, hey, I was used to the din.

And then, as usual, the screams began,
The frenzied shrieks of “Eek, he’s dead!”
It must be some weird game they plan
For when the tension loosens.
Threats were yelled and shots were fired, 
But I just tried to go to bed.
I checked in the morning, sore and tired.
More cops… what a nuisance….
________________________

MPA rating: R (for frequent language and brief violence)

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of body swaps; when I was growing up, they always made for especially fun cartoon episodes (and you’d be surprised at how many there are). So a film with multiple body switches at its core had my interest from the get-go. A group of seven college friends reunite after eight years for a pre-wedding party at a remote mansion. To their surprise, an estranged pal of theirs named Forbes (David Thompson) shows up as well, bearing a mysterious device and inviting them to play a game in which they all trade bodies and then must guess who is who. When an accident leaves, shall we say, fewer bodies to go around, chaos breaks out as their weird fun transforms into competing self-preservation.

It’s What’s Inside gets a lot of mileage out of its uniquely trippy take on a timeworn concept, even if it can be confusing to keep the ensemble cast straight as they swap bodies and sometimes lie about who they really are. There’s initial interest from the idea of being one’s own friend temporarily and how that can affect one’s self-esteem and ambitions, but, once the shoe drops, the second half is a twisting whirlwind of intrigue and backstabbing that makes for a wild ride. I had some reservations about the ending, though, particularly how one character is punished excessively for more of an interpersonal offense, but It’s What’s Inside was still a fun watch exploring the dangers of body-swapping.

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2025 S.G. Liput
807 Followers and Counting

The Gorge (2025)

20 Sunday Apr 2025

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(Happy Easter to all! For Day 20 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for “a poem informed by musical phrasing or melody,” with the suggestion of rewriting a song’s lyrics. I’ve done that plenty of times before, so I considered the theme of long-distance relationships and rewrote the irregular lyrics of “Spitting Off the Edge of the World” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Perfume Genius, which was prominently used in this film.)

Distance, not too far
To meet your eyes.
Though I know where you are,
And you likewise,
Must, must wishes on a star
Be squandered on this expanse
That spans our hearts?
I’ll never mind the gap in between
Your heart and mine.
Standing on a cliff,
I see your sign.
I’ll never mind the gap in between
Earth and its star.
Never mind what if;
It’s not so far.

Lover, I wait and watch
With bated breath.
If you shoot, I won’t dodge
A welcome death,
But if you can stand the thirst,
That suffering deserves quite a dance,
Our favorite parts.
I’ll never mind the gap in between
Your heart and mine.
Standing on a cliff,
I see your sign.
I’ll never mind the gap in between
Earth and its star.
Never mind what if;
It’s not so far.
I’ll never mind the gap in between
Souls biding time,
Standing on a cliff
That’s worth the climb.
___________________________

MPA rating: PG-13

It’s unfortunate that films deserving of a theater release can easily be overlooked when only available behind the walls of a particular streaming service. Luckily, Apple TV+ is among my subscriptions, allowing me to watch The Gorge, which caught my interest just from the trailer (which gives way too much away, in my opinion; don’t watch it first). Directed by Scott Derrickson of Sinister and Doctor Strange fame, the film stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as a pair of world-weary snipers, one American and one Lithuanian, who are tasked with guarding remote outposts on either side of a deep and mysterious gorge. Despite the pit between them and orders not to communicate, they gradually develop a relationship, even as the secrets at the bottom of the gorge threaten to emerge.

I’ll say up front, as many critics have complained, that the premise of The Gorge does take a massive amount of suspension of disbelief. The secrecy around the giant hidden trench begs a lot of logistical questions (like how many giant pieces of paper did the eastern side keep in stock?), and the action of the latter half, often putting Derrickson’s horror roots to good use, does strain credulity. Yet this is one of those cases where I just didn’t mind, thanks in large part to Teller and Taylor-Joy, who share a remarkable chemistry and one of the steamiest dance scenes in recent memory (set to that wonderfully atmospheric Yeah Yeah Yeahs song). Taylor-Joy especially has never looked better, so maybe I just have a new celebrity crush. The Gorge is popcorn entertainment sadly relegated to small-screen streaming, a far-fetched but very watchable mashup of genres that I highly recommend.

Best line: (actually quoting T.S. Eliot) “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2025 S.G. Liput
806 Followers and Counting

The Wild Robot (2024)

15 Tuesday Apr 2025

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(For Day 14 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem describing a place in terms of the animals and natural sounds, so I thought of a certain humanless island from a recent animated film.)

The island was peaceful, no humans as kings,
Serene with the sounds of dying things.
Nature was spinning the circle of life
That ends with a cry and then silence.
The ocean was beating its breast on the rocks,
As the yelp of a whelp and the laugh of a fox
Echoed through trees as indifferent as death,
So soothing (ignoring the violence).

The geese were declaring their edge over ducks,
The does were all teases outrunning the bucks,
The woodpeckers gifted headaches to the squirrels,
And nothing was likely to change.
But then a new creature came, bringing new noises,
The whirring of servos, the shock that a voice is,
No fur and no feathers, just a fool metal jacket,
A new kind of racket, exciting and strange.
________________________

MPA rating: PG

My favorite film of 2024, The Wild Robot is further proof that DreamWorks can match and even surpass Disney at its best. Based on a 2016 children’s novel by Peter Brown, the first in a trilogy, this animated adventure set in the future sees an unprogrammed robot, ROZZUM Unit 7134 or “Roz” (Lupita Nyong’o), wash up on an unpopulated island full of unfriendly wildlife. Seeking some meaningful service to offer, Roz stumbles into the care of a baby gosling eventually named Brightbill (Kit Connor), raising it with the aid of a crafty fox (Pedro Pascal) and gradually weaving herself into the ecosystem in a way none would have guessed.

The early scenes of Roz exploring the island, before she is able to communicate with the animals, bring to mind the beginning of WALL-E, near-wordless storytelling at its finest. And once she does make contact, the film is surprisingly candid about the dog-eat-dog nature of nature, slipping in some darker-than-expected humor for a kids movie. The film’s emotional core lies in Roz’s connection to Brightbill, a poignant bond of adoptive motherhood that is likely to draw out tears from the tenderhearted, especially when backed by Kris Bowers’ moving, instantly iconic score.

The animation is also a sheer joy to behold, a gorgeous watercolor style that puts other 3D animation to shame with its warmth and natural detail, and, although I quite enjoyed Flow too, it’s a crime that this didn’t win the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Nyong’o brings an excellent balance of robotic coolness and burgeoning emotion as the voice of Roz, while Pascal is a special delight as the wise-cracking fox she befriends. And did I mention the score? It still gives me goosebumps.

It’s true there’s nothing particularly new about The Wild Robot’s themes, borrowing from the likes of The Iron Giant and Wolf Children, and the latter half has some holes (the exciting climax feels a bit pointless by the end). But this fable of a robot learning humanity even without humans around is exceptionally well-crafted otherwise and will always hold a special place in my heart. I’m skeptical whether the planned sequel can match it, but I hope so.

Best line: (Roz) “Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be.”

Rank: List-Worthy

© 2025 S.G. Liput
805 Followers and Counting

65 (2023)

09 Wednesday Apr 2025

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(For Day 9 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a rhyming poem with varying line lengths, so I thought exploring time might be a good theme.)

The stone on which the house in which the chair in which I sit
Has witnessed quite a bit.
While flesh is quick to disappear,
The bedrock lives in centuries;
It waits for ice to yield to sea to yield to continental sheer
And waits for errant meteors or yet another global freeze,
Eroding into dust and grit,
Chipped and thawed and trod and split,
Ground and pressed and layered deep and never asking “what’s the year?”
Giving purchase to the dirt, the firm foundation of the trees,
Until at last, I came to rest
Here.
____________________

MPA rating: PG-13

I love the idea of 65 more than I do 65 itself. I can absolutely picture the pitch meeting for the concept of aliens stumbling upon Earth in prehistoric times and being met by a dinosaur-filled death trap in the same way humans imagine inhospitable exoplanets. But it’s all in the execution, and 65 (named for the number of millions of years ago) somehow makes that thrilling notion feel ho-hum.

Adam Driver is serviceable as the main character Mills, a grieving father who left his sick daughter to pilot a space expedition, only for the ship to crash-land with only him and a young girl (Ariana Greenblatt) surviving. What follows is rather paint-by-numbers as they fight or evade dinosaurs and grow closer in their shared loss. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the plot or effects-heavy action, and it makes for a decent watch; it just never rises above a slightly futuristic Jurassic Park knock-off. Maybe films like Jurassic Park or King Kong have simply made dinosaurs less scary than they should be, at least when viewed from the comfort of our living rooms.

Best line: (Nevine, Mills’ daughter) “I know that you’re leaving. And I know it’s because of me.” (Mills) “No. It’s not because of you, it’s for you.”

Rank: Honorable Mention

© 2025 S.G. Liput
805 Followers and Counting