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The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms -
The opening credits for this movie really raised my anticipation since they have two of my favorite Rays, i.e., Bradbury and Harryhausen. While it wasn't fully paid off, I still had a good time. A common trait of movies like this one is scenes requiring our heroes to convince others of something that is very hard to believe, usually to no avail. The scenes that prove that Professor Nesbitt and company are not just making things up are always satisfying, especially since each one is a win for science, which as we know doesn't always happen in the real world. Harryhausen's animation of the dinosaur is up to his high standards, especially during its attack on New York, which also seems so real due to how many extras it features. The practical effects of the building destruction in this scene and others like the one with the lighthouse deserve praise as well as prove that the real thing is no substitute for CGI.
With that said, I like it, but I don't quite love it: for one, it could have been a little less about the science and more about the characters. I would have liked more "coffee chats" with Tom and Lee, in other words. Also, the scene where it's revealed that the dinosaur is carrying infectious diseases isn't paid off to my liking. I still had a good time overall, and if anything, I have an easy recommendation for someone who wants to see a movie like this that's not subtle about the dangers of meddling with nuclear weapons.
The opening credits for this movie really raised my anticipation since they have two of my favorite Rays, i.e., Bradbury and Harryhausen. While it wasn't fully paid off, I still had a good time. A common trait of movies like this one is scenes requiring our heroes to convince others of something that is very hard to believe, usually to no avail. The scenes that prove that Professor Nesbitt and company are not just making things up are always satisfying, especially since each one is a win for science, which as we know doesn't always happen in the real world. Harryhausen's animation of the dinosaur is up to his high standards, especially during its attack on New York, which also seems so real due to how many extras it features. The practical effects of the building destruction in this scene and others like the one with the lighthouse deserve praise as well as prove that the real thing is no substitute for CGI.
With that said, I like it, but I don't quite love it: for one, it could have been a little less about the science and more about the characters. I would have liked more "coffee chats" with Tom and Lee, in other words. Also, the scene where it's revealed that the dinosaur is carrying infectious diseases isn't paid off to my liking. I still had a good time overall, and if anything, I have an easy recommendation for someone who wants to see a movie like this that's not subtle about the dangers of meddling with nuclear weapons.