Godzilla

Godzilla is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Foxtel Now, and in the UK on HBO Max Amazon Channel and ITVX Premium, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Godzilla is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. What makes Godzilla work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert, has just reunited with his family in San Francisco when he is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe. Soon, both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when an ancient alpha predator arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of humanity. The creatures leave colossal destruction in their wake, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco. The human element stays intact thanks to Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen, who anchor every scene. It was released in 2014. Godzilla resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Godzilla fits the bill. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch for Aaron Taylor-Johnson in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.