In a whirlwind weekend, I viewed all three of these installments in popular franchises. I watched Ghostbusters while waiting to check into a hotel, saw Godzilla X Kong at the Indian Mound Mall with friends the next day, and viewed Spider Within on a tiny phone screen (which was nothing compared to watching a Spider-Verse movie in the theater). Here are my thoughts on these big-budget productions:

GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE [PG-13]

Rating: 3/5 stars 

Length: 1h 55m 

This movie hits the sweet spot with both an entertaining story and striking visuals. It corrects the mistake of previous installments of this reboot franchise by putting humans on the back burner. The plot was a little cheesy and the worldbuilding fairly cliche, but once I suspended my disbelief I was able to enjoy the creative and incredibly fun fights. This film knows it’s goofy and rolls with it. This is where its greatest strength lies – I felt like I was transported to a 1950’s drive-in while watching. The monster design also improved: they are much more life-like chimeras instead of the more literal translations of Toho-era monsters seen in the previous films. 

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE [PG-13]

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Length: 1h 56m

Whereas Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a rehash of much of the original Ghostbusters film’s plotline, this movie takes time to explore the lives of the Spengler family and the older Ghostbusters. This film’s tone matches the goofiness of later franchise installments; while the characters are cartoonish, it is still heartfelt and a decent watch. The best part of the film is McKenna Grace’s performance as Phoebe Spengler – while her performance as headstrong prodigy Phoebe could be very one-note,  her acting is full of physical and emotional nuance. I’d recommend watching this film if you have time to kill and want some quick fun.

THE SPIDER WITHIN: A SPIDER-VERSE STORY  [PG]

Rating: 5/5 stars

Length: 7m

This well-crafted short delivers the same impressive animation as the feature film series with an added psychedelic tinge. Set between Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, it explores the toll that the anxiety of being Spider-Man takes on Miles Morales’ psyche. While the film doesn’t add to the mythology of the trilogy, it offers a reminder of why the first two movies are so beloved.