The Kaiju Thread of Building-Smashing, Flame-Breathing, and Slam-Dunking
- Thread starter ZakuConvoy
- Start date
I actually did watch it. I even have the series set still. It's been a long while, so I forget a lot of it.
Mostly: Shinji needs to grow a spine, Shinji's father is an asshole, Shinji's roomate is a boozy crazy woman who I'd love to hang out with, Rei was done dirty, Asuka is the absolute definition of yandere...and I have no idea WTF was going on at the end.
I can't even come up with concrete memories of examples to back up what I just said...I only remember that that's pretty much my whole takeaway.
Mostly: Shinji needs to grow a spine, Shinji's father is an asshole, Shinji's roomate is a boozy crazy woman who I'd love to hang out with, Rei was done dirty, Asuka is the absolute definition of yandere...and I have no idea WTF was going on at the end.
I can't even come up with concrete memories of examples to back up what I just said...I only remember that that's pretty much my whole takeaway.
No, no, you've got the plot summary down pretty solid, really...
Shin Godzilla:
Well, it wasn't the worst movie ever. But of the three Godzilla movies I've seen, I'm afraid it does go in third place. I don't know if the bureaucracy was deliberate satire, but holy hell, did they ever make you feel it, so much so that the pacing really dragged in some places. I also didn't really care for the design this time around. Like, early on, the googly eyes really took me out of the movie because they looked so ridiculous to me. And then later, I don't know if it was the legs or the hips, but the whole lower half was just so incredibly way too wide. And the arms were also so small, even a T-Rex would be thinking "dang, something not right about that dude." I also don't know what started the whole split-lower-jaw design in monster movies, but I freaking hate it, particularly for Godzilla.
On the good side though, as much as I may not have liked the particular forms, I did like the idea of seeing Godzilla going through several mutations throughout the movie. It made it make more sense why something that looks so land-based got its start living in the water. Also, the fact that they were seriously considering nukes before they came up with the coagulant was eerie to see.
Honestly, not a terrible movie. But also, honestly, if I have a choice between watching this or one of the other two Godzilla movies I own, I'm probably going to go with one of the other two.
So the rating goes:
Godzilla: Minus One - 5/5
Unequivocally the best movie I've seen in a long while. Not just best Godzilla movie. Best movie. They took Hollywood to task with this one.
Gojira (1954) - 5/5
Sure, some of the special effects absolutely did not age well. But keeping in mind, this was 1954, they actually did a pretty good job at the time and the story had far more humanity to it than I expected.
Shin Godzilla - 3/5
The parts where Godzilla was actually tearing up the city were actually pretty impressive. But unfortunately, the movie's pacing just got so bogged down in bureaucracy. And it's not my favorite Godzilla design, at all.
Godzilla (1956) - 0/5
Hack translation job. Nothing against Raymond Burr, but it was obvious his character was tacked on by the American translation and he just didn't belong in the movie. I have no desire to ever watch this version again, especially since I have the vastly superior Gojira in the same collection.
Well, it wasn't the worst movie ever. But of the three Godzilla movies I've seen, I'm afraid it does go in third place. I don't know if the bureaucracy was deliberate satire, but holy hell, did they ever make you feel it, so much so that the pacing really dragged in some places. I also didn't really care for the design this time around. Like, early on, the googly eyes really took me out of the movie because they looked so ridiculous to me. And then later, I don't know if it was the legs or the hips, but the whole lower half was just so incredibly way too wide. And the arms were also so small, even a T-Rex would be thinking "dang, something not right about that dude." I also don't know what started the whole split-lower-jaw design in monster movies, but I freaking hate it, particularly for Godzilla.
On the good side though, as much as I may not have liked the particular forms, I did like the idea of seeing Godzilla going through several mutations throughout the movie. It made it make more sense why something that looks so land-based got its start living in the water. Also, the fact that they were seriously considering nukes before they came up with the coagulant was eerie to see.
Honestly, not a terrible movie. But also, honestly, if I have a choice between watching this or one of the other two Godzilla movies I own, I'm probably going to go with one of the other two.
So the rating goes:
Godzilla: Minus One - 5/5
Unequivocally the best movie I've seen in a long while. Not just best Godzilla movie. Best movie. They took Hollywood to task with this one.
Gojira (1954) - 5/5
Sure, some of the special effects absolutely did not age well. But keeping in mind, this was 1954, they actually did a pretty good job at the time and the story had far more humanity to it than I expected.
Shin Godzilla - 3/5
The parts where Godzilla was actually tearing up the city were actually pretty impressive. But unfortunately, the movie's pacing just got so bogged down in bureaucracy. And it's not my favorite Godzilla design, at all.
Godzilla (1956) - 0/5
Hack translation job. Nothing against Raymond Burr, but it was obvious his character was tacked on by the American translation and he just didn't belong in the movie. I have no desire to ever watch this version again, especially since I have the vastly superior Gojira in the same collection.
I’ll agree with you about Shin Godzilla. I was expecting something more along the lines of minus one, but me being new to the franchise I didn’t know what to expect to be honest. But Shin didn’t do it for me. It was a perfect demonstration of the “Just here for Godzilla” trope.
Right, wrong, or otherwise, I have always assumed that the endless meetings and bureaucracy in Shin was intentional satire, perhaps in part as a response to the Japanese government's handling of the Fukushima disaster, among other things.
It was a fun experience to see it in a theater among other Godzilla fans, but it is not my favorite Godzilla movie, and definitely one of my least-favorite designs. (I've already mentioned that I feel like Anno made this like a live-action Evangelion, but with Godzilla; I also feel like he 'borrowed' Godzilla's various ray attacks more from Gamera foes Gyaos and Barugon than from any previous incarnation of Godzilla.)
It was a fun experience to see it in a theater among other Godzilla fans, but it is not my favorite Godzilla movie, and definitely one of my least-favorite designs. (I've already mentioned that I feel like Anno made this like a live-action Evangelion, but with Godzilla; I also feel like he 'borrowed' Godzilla's various ray attacks more from Gamera foes Gyaos and Barugon than from any previous incarnation of Godzilla.)
"Satire" isn't quite the right word for what I think Shin Godzilla is trying to be. "Humanizing" might be a better word. Not that there aren't satirical elements in it, because there are. But, it's not really a take-down of government bureaucracy per se. It's really more about showing the behind-the-scenes decision making that goes into dealing with disasters. It's about showing how politicians really are. And all the technical mechanics that go into disaster relief.
You have to remember, this is a Japanese movie. And Japanese culture is a bit different than Western culture. In general, Japan is a bit more polite and respectful, at least in public. And Japan isn't quite as cynical (or outright hostile) about their politicians, as we are in the USA.
I get the impression that in Japan, their leaders are kind of put on a pedestal. They are in charge, and you are expected to show them some level of respect. Again, at least in public.
There's also the Japanese concept of the "public face and private face". Your "professional" outward appearance you show at work, and your true "inner" thoughts that you might only show to those very close to you.
So, what this movie is doing is possibly showing us the "private face" of politicians. The mechanics of how they deal with disasters and surprises. How they really are, behind all the media and propaganda. It shows that they are flawed. And that they are human. But, in this movie, they all end up at least trying to work together for the greater good. Shin Godzilla is actually not that cynical of a movie. At the end of the day, all the politicians do end up getting out of each other's way in order to achieve their goal. This movie shows that the system CAN work. It's less about showing that politicians are incompetent, and more about stripping all the public veneer away to show us how human they can be. It's about showing that our leaders are a lot like us.
If this movie was made in the USA, I doubt that would be the case. If this was made in the USA, all the politicians would have been revealed to be cackling villains profiting off all the destruction, teaming up with a bunch of polluting mega-corporations for kickbacks, and Godzilla would have atomized them all with fire breath. And then there would be a group of schoolchildren cheering their death.
I think this movie doesn't connect with a lot of audiences outside of Japan, because it IS so culturally Japanese. We're just not used to politicians being depicted as...non-evil. Not exactly selfless paragons of virtue, but generally they're genuinely trying their best, in this movie. I think Shin Godzilla is trying to be more "The West Wing" than "The Great Dictator", if that makes more sense.
But, that's the thing about Shin Godzilla. It's one of the "deeper" Godzilla movies. You CAN dig into it, and find some things to discuss about it. It's a slightly deeper affair than most of the Godzilla filmography. You actually can have differing interpretations of it, and actually have a proper discussion about it. So, I feel like it is worth watching. Even if it is kind of slow. And slightly odd.
But, it's got it's fun moments. Like how learn that humanity's greatest strength is the ability to work together. So...Godzilla adapts to that and ends up as a pile of bodies fused together. It makes me imagine that a sequel would be more like "Secret Invasion" or "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Which could be a fun movie, even if it wouldn't really feel like a Godzilla movie anymore, if they went that way.
I'll admit, it's not my favorite Godzilla movie. I DO tend to favor the "fun" side of Godzilla. The cheesier, popcorn action movie side of the franchise. But, I think I respect Shin Godzilla. It's not one I really have a burning desire to rewatch. Outside of maybe a few scenes. But, still, if you're willing to look into it a bit more, you might find something worth discussing.
But, the good news is, now you can get into the "fun" side. And I really think that's where Godzilla shines, personally. If you really want to sit down and watch a good chunk of them, my recommendation is to go with the Heisei Era movies from the 80s and 90s. But, that's up to you.
You have to remember, this is a Japanese movie. And Japanese culture is a bit different than Western culture. In general, Japan is a bit more polite and respectful, at least in public. And Japan isn't quite as cynical (or outright hostile) about their politicians, as we are in the USA.
I get the impression that in Japan, their leaders are kind of put on a pedestal. They are in charge, and you are expected to show them some level of respect. Again, at least in public.
There's also the Japanese concept of the "public face and private face". Your "professional" outward appearance you show at work, and your true "inner" thoughts that you might only show to those very close to you.
So, what this movie is doing is possibly showing us the "private face" of politicians. The mechanics of how they deal with disasters and surprises. How they really are, behind all the media and propaganda. It shows that they are flawed. And that they are human. But, in this movie, they all end up at least trying to work together for the greater good. Shin Godzilla is actually not that cynical of a movie. At the end of the day, all the politicians do end up getting out of each other's way in order to achieve their goal. This movie shows that the system CAN work. It's less about showing that politicians are incompetent, and more about stripping all the public veneer away to show us how human they can be. It's about showing that our leaders are a lot like us.
If this movie was made in the USA, I doubt that would be the case. If this was made in the USA, all the politicians would have been revealed to be cackling villains profiting off all the destruction, teaming up with a bunch of polluting mega-corporations for kickbacks, and Godzilla would have atomized them all with fire breath. And then there would be a group of schoolchildren cheering their death.
I think this movie doesn't connect with a lot of audiences outside of Japan, because it IS so culturally Japanese. We're just not used to politicians being depicted as...non-evil. Not exactly selfless paragons of virtue, but generally they're genuinely trying their best, in this movie. I think Shin Godzilla is trying to be more "The West Wing" than "The Great Dictator", if that makes more sense.
But, that's the thing about Shin Godzilla. It's one of the "deeper" Godzilla movies. You CAN dig into it, and find some things to discuss about it. It's a slightly deeper affair than most of the Godzilla filmography. You actually can have differing interpretations of it, and actually have a proper discussion about it. So, I feel like it is worth watching. Even if it is kind of slow. And slightly odd.
But, it's got it's fun moments. Like how learn that humanity's greatest strength is the ability to work together. So...Godzilla adapts to that and ends up as a pile of bodies fused together. It makes me imagine that a sequel would be more like "Secret Invasion" or "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Which could be a fun movie, even if it wouldn't really feel like a Godzilla movie anymore, if they went that way.
I'll admit, it's not my favorite Godzilla movie. I DO tend to favor the "fun" side of Godzilla. The cheesier, popcorn action movie side of the franchise. But, I think I respect Shin Godzilla. It's not one I really have a burning desire to rewatch. Outside of maybe a few scenes. But, still, if you're willing to look into it a bit more, you might find something worth discussing.
But, the good news is, now you can get into the "fun" side. And I really think that's where Godzilla shines, personally. If you really want to sit down and watch a good chunk of them, my recommendation is to go with the Heisei Era movies from the 80s and 90s. But, that's up to you.
Last edited:
I'd kill for a British knock off like 'Gorgo Returns' to show how the house of commons, House of Lords and monarch handle a new Gorgo nesting in London.
Godzilla King of the Monsters
It's from the Legendary "Monsterverse" series. Starts with Godzilla (2014), Kong Skull Island, Godzilla King of the Monsters, Godzila vs Kong 1&2, and the Monarch miniseries is in there somewhere.
That's my favorite one (in gold, anyway). The clay-colored one I didn't like as much.
Of course, I never was much for the concept of 'right continuity'...
Of course, I never was much for the concept of 'right continuity'...
Can I just watch the Godzilla King of the Monsters or do I pretty much need to watch them all in order?
You can just watch King of the Monsters. The 2014 one is terrible, and Kingdom of the Monsters barely acknowledges it.
There's some callback to Godzilla 2014, but I think you could probably watch King of the Monsters on its own, as the critical lore does get a bit of a rehash at the beginning.
So I found this. On the one hand, it's all 5 Monsterverse movies for $25, which feels like a pretty good deal. On the other hand, it's DVD, which is like, two whole physical generations ago.
I'm kinda conflicted, but I have a week until payday to think about it.
DVD is forever. It's good enough for most movies that are worth owning, yet old enough that every tiny electronics manufacturer knows how to make a player for it.