The Godzilla Thread - Plus other giant monsters, no matter how popular or obscure

[XYZpdq]

Anybody ever see Gorgo?

I just rewatched that recently. It was a childhood favorite of mine. Its basically a UK suitmation style monster movie, and it was on MST3K back in the day.

Nice enough monster movie. Not as shameful as APE or Reptilicus, clearly an off-brand production but a pretty sincere attempt.

 

[Crichax]

Godzilla: Unleashed was one of the best Wii casual fighting games (other than the motion controls, which should've been optional), IMO, and an underrated gem. The menu theme is legendary.

Also, the first Godzilla Netflix anime movie (haven't seen the rest) actually managed to avoid stupid technobabble, which was incredibly refreshing.

 

[RumblyTumbly]

The Anime Trilogy is kind of a missed opportunity.

There is some stuff in there that I really like, but the films just don't take full advantage of the premise.

I will say that I really liked their take on Ghidorah though. It was very Lovecraftian.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

The space cult with Ghidorah was great, but the fight between Ghidorah and Godzilla was a let-down. Like they built up to Ghidorah and nothing spectacular happens. Was super lame.

Thank God for Legendary.

 

[The Great Chandler]

 

[Stab You in the Back]

Godzilla '98 wouldn't be so bad if Godzilla didn't constantly teleport around New York City to ambush people. Godzilla should be threatening because he's unstoppable and monstrously destructive, not because he jumps out of nowhere like the killer from some two-bit slasher.

 

[mr.moon1488]

I'm sad Shin Godzilla isn't getting a sequel. I think it was one of the scariest versions of Godzilla.

 

[Chin of Campbell]

I'm sad that KotM not doing well means we probably won't see Legendary's Mothra rebirth. I really loved what little screen time she had.

This is probably unpopular but I don't find Kong appealing in the least and I have basically no interest in watching Goji fight him, especially after the incredible display that was KotM.

 

[Godzilla@1989]

Favorite films per series.

Showa: Godzilla ‘54
Heisei: Godzilla vs Biollante
Millennium: Godzilla Final Wars
Post-Millennium: Shin Godzilla

Also, I just got the 1989 Godzilla SH Monsterarts figure.

EDIT:

So aside from the Toho monsters, what other kaiju do you guys like?

Any Ultraman or Gamera fans in here?

I’m a huge Ultraman fan. The Showa and Heisei era shows are my favorites. But the New Generation era kinda turns me off. They’re all shorter than the Showa/Heisei ones and they heavily focus on the collectables more than the story.

If I had to pick my favorite out of the three it’d be both the original and Leo for the Showa, Gaia for the Heisei, and Orb for the New Generation (the new one Taiga is looking promising so far).

Fun fact, Oliver Stone reportedly was interested in remaking Ultraman Gaia.

 

[Dom Cruise]

Godzilla '98 wouldn't be so bad if Godzilla didn't constantly teleport around New York City to ambush people. Godzilla should be threatening because he's unstoppable and monstrously destructive, not because he jumps out of nowhere like the killer from some two-bit slasher.

Everything about the 1998 movie was totally misguided and stupid.

I'm sad that KotM not doing well means we probably won't see Legendary's Mothra rebirth. I really loved what little screen time she had.

This is probably unpopular but I don't find Kong appealing in the least and I have basically no interest in watching Goji fight him, especially after the incredible display that was KotM.

I wonder why KotM didn't do well?

The Monsterverse just doesn't get the respect it deserves, the one time Red Letter Media pissed me off was when they were having a discussion about "cinematic universes" and Jay says something like "Marvel is the only one that has done it well!" and I'm like "oh come onnnn", plus later when they did finally mention Kong: Skull Island in the 2017 retrospective they just totally shrugged it off and never saw it, even though it's one of my fav movies in recent years.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

I'm sad Shin Godzilla isn't getting a sequel. I think it was one of the scariest versions of Godzilla.

View attachment 831656

Give it another ten years or so, Anno will want to do a Rebuild of Shin Godzilla.

 

[The Great Chandler]

Everything about the 1998 movie was totally misguided and stupid.



I wonder why KotM didn't do well?

The Monsterverse just doesn't get the respect it deserves, the one time Red Letter Media pissed me off was when they were having a discussion about "cinematic universes" and Jay says something like "Marvel is the only one that has done it well!" and I'm like "oh come onnnn", plus later when they did finally mention Kong: Skull Island in the 2017 retrospective they just totally shrugged it off and never saw it, even though it's one of my fav movies in recent years.

One thing I noticed is that Kong is more well liked here in thd States (though I don't understand RLM sometimes). Skull Island did a lot better in the American box office than KOTM. Both are good movies though.

 

[XYZpdq]

Red Letter Media pissed me off was when they were having a discussion about "cinematic universes" and Jay says something like "Marvel is the only one that has done it well!"

Yeah those decades that Toho and Universal pulled them off didn't work and nobody remembers any IP attached the them.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

I thought that Jay liked Skull Island? I vividly remember him giving the movie kudos for being a big blockbuster movie that references Cannibal Holocaust, lol.

I also thought that RLM's review of King of the Monsters was more than fair. They liked it, but didn't love it ... And they prefaced the review with the disclaimer that they have pretty much never seen any Godzilla movies. Good change of pace compared to the other armchair critics who claimed to be huge Godzilla nerds, and then bashed the movie while clearly showcasing how little they know about Godzilla altogether (cough cough Angry "Why Did They Call Ghidorah Monster Zero?" Joe and Chris "What a Prick" Stuckmann).

And I think the Monsterverse has been quite good so far! Every movie has been an improvement on the last, in my opinion. It's a shame how the critics have done an efficient job at burying it with how King of the Monsters was unfairly received.

Typically I don't give a shit about what the critics say, but I truly believe that this time around, the critics affected the fate of the box office for King of the Monsters. I'm convinced that American critics simply do not know what the hell they want from a Godzilla movie.

 

[XYZpdq]

I thought that Jay liked Skull Island? I vividly remember him giving the movie kudos for being a big blockbuster movie that references Cannibal Holocaust, lol.

I also thought that RLM's review of King of the Monsters was more than fair. They liked it, but didn't love it ... And they prefaced the review with the disclaimer that they have pretty much never seen any Godzilla movies. Good change of pace compared to the other armchair critics who claimed to be huge Godzilla nerds, and then bashed the movie while clearly showcasing how little they know about Godzilla altogether (cough cough Angry "Why Did They Call Ghidorah Monster Zero?" Joe and Chris "What a Prick" Stuckmann).

And I think the Monsterverse has been quite good so far! Every movie has been an improvement on the last, in my opinion. It's a shame how the critics have done an efficient job at burying it with how King of the Monsters was unfairly received.

Typically I don't give a shit about what the critics say, but I truly believe that this time around, the critics affected the fate of the box office for King of the Monsters. I'm convinced that American critics simply do not know what the hell they want from a Godzilla movie.

To be fair I rarely see any consensus even among Godzilla fans on how to balance horror, human drama, and monster wrasslin.

 

[ProfDongs]

Jay gave a brief moment of praise for Shin Godzilla and recommended it to Mike I think when they were talking about KotM. It sounded like he was a little bit more familiar with the franchise, although not very deep into it.

Still haven't seen KotM but it sounds like its all around better than the 2014 film (not a hard task in my mind) and it sounds like there were rumblings of Toho being interested in possibly continuing on with more movies in the future from Legendary, but that was from someone on twitter or an extrapolation from an interview with some Toho people I think.

 

[Niggernerd]

Keizer Ghidorah final form was epic looking.
rip my nigga, it only took Godzilla to take you down while it took Godzilla,Mothra and Rodan to defeat King Ghidorah.

 

[ProfDongs]

Finally saw KotM and it was pretty good, much better than 2014. Not much to say that hasn't already been said.

More importantly Criterion is releasing a collection of Showa era movies in a big collection from the original to whichever movie came out in 74. There's 15 movies in there for about $175 USD. It's stupid expensive but it's a pretty packed package everything considered. Money well thrown away.

 

[RumblyTumbly]

More importantly Criterion is releasing a collection of Showa era movies in a big collection from the original to whichever movie came out in 74. There's 15 movies in there for about $175 USD. It's stupid expensive but it's a pretty packed package everything considered. Money well thrown away.

That is something I never thought I would ever see. The Entire Showa Godzilla Series all released in one set. With all the different distributers that had a hold of these films, trying to get them all was like a personal scavenger hunt for me in my youth, so to finally get them all in one set is quite a sight.

Also, we are finally getting a stateside release of King Kong Vs. Godzilla in its original and uncut Japanese form, the final Godzilla film to finally have its original cut released for us American fans.

And because I am an obsessive dork, here are my thoughts on each Godzilla film:

Spoiler: Godzilla Series

SHOWA
1) Gojira (1954) = Not just my favorite Godzilla movie, not just my favorite monster movie, but it is one of my top ten favorite movies ever made. I appreciate the US edit of the film, but once I saw the original, I couldn't go back. It is a masterpiece that could have only come from post WWII Japan. 10/10

2) Godzilla Raids Again (1955) = This is a weird case where the Japanese version is a better made film, but I prefer to watch the US edit because it is so incompetent that it is hilarious. Two words: Banana Oil! Either way, this film started the tradition of having Godzilla fight other monsters (Hi Anguirus! Welcome aboard) but feels like a rushed and lesser sequel rather than something that can stand on its own. The Japanese version is kind of flat and the US version is perfect fare for MST3K style riffing. 4/10

3) King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962) = For the first time, we get both of these cinematic titans in color and on screen together! Unfortunately, the movie (deliberately) goes for comedy rather than the grandiose atmosphere it probably deserved. That said, parts of it are legitimately funny, and the US dub even brings a little extra life to the characters. I'm glad the Japanese version is getting a stateside release though as the complete film without the pointless news room scenes works better. The Kong suit is the biggest tragedy in the film as it looks awful, but I have a soft spot for this entry since I love both monsters and this was my first Godzilla movie. And when they are on screen, either separate or together, there is a magic there that makes it fun to watch. 6.5/10

4) Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964) = This is what King Kong Vs. Godzilla should have been. Toho's two biggest icons clash in the battle of the century and it is centered around a story of greed and humanity's own faults being more dangerous than the monsters themselves. This film represents the high mark in quality for Godzilla's key creators (director Honda, composer Ifukube, SFX director Tsuburaya, and suit actor Nakajima) and gives us a monster movie for the ages. 10/10

5) Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster (1964) = Toho's first big monster mash is a rousing success! We get their three biggest stars at the time, Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra (sadly in larval form only, but it actually makes the dramatic tension of the film better that she's just a larva) as they are pitted against a new monster, one of the series' greatest additions, a three headed golden space dragon named King Ghidorah. This also has one of the wackiest human subplots in the entire series as a Princess loses her memory and comes back thinking she is a prophetess from Venus/Mars (depending on which version of the film you watch) and her political enemies are hunting her down. It is a fun ride all the way through, and hey, we get to see Godzilla be the good guy for the first time, a decision that I believe extended the life of the original series. 9/10

6) Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero (1965) = Godzilla, Rodan, Ghidorah, and aliens! Oh my! Toho had made a couple of alien invasion films before (most notably The Mysterians, a personal favorite of mine) so it was only natural to cross that over into the Godzilla series. The Planet X aliens are wacky as all hell, and we also get American actor Nick Adams for good measure, proving to be one of the best heroes in the series (watch the English version of the film for his full performance, its great!). It is a little light on the monster action and if you think about it, the aliens' plan doesn't really make much sense (why go to the trouble of tricking humanity when they can just take the monsters easily?) but all in all, it is a very fun time. 8/10

7) Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster (1966) = I used to hate this one when I was a kid, but I've come to appreciate it more as I've gotten older. This was originally supposed to be a King Kong film, but Godzilla got switched into the spot for reasons unknown. Honestly, I think this movie would be better if Godzilla wasn't in it. Think about it, it is a bit more dramatic as an Ebirah stand alone film, or Kong Vs. Ebirah, or even Mothra Vs. Ebirah. If you put Godzilla, the greatest sea monster of all time, up against a sea monster, that lobster isn't going to be much of a threat, and he wasn't. It feels like once Godzilla comes in, he just wrecks the whole movie and stomps through all the bad guys with ease. Still, it has its fun moments and worth a watch at least once. 6/10

Son of Godzilla (1967) = Controversial opinion perhaps, but I like this one. This is the closest a Godzilla film has ever come to matching the feel of a Disney movie, with the right level of lighthearted charm, humor, and even a little bit of heart as well. It is kind of neat to see Godzilla grow to actually care for something else, and I always felt the puppetry on Kumonga and Kamacarus was one of the series' greatest feats. Seriously, they look great. True, Minilla's design leaves a lot to be desired, and some of the goofiness might turn older fans off, but if you want to get your kids into Godzilla, I think this is the best one to start with. 7.5/10

9) Destroy All Monsters (196 = For years, this was the Holy Grail of Godzilla movies for me. I had seen all of the Showa films except for this one and it drove me crazy that I couldn't find it. Finally, it appeared on the SciFi channel during one of their old Godzilla movie marathons, and I finally got to see it. It did not disappoint! Okay, I wish Baragon and Varan had actually gotten to do something, but when you have 11 monsters to play with, it is hard to give everyone their moments. This movie is basically just Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero on steroids, and I love it. The four monster attack on Tokyo and the Battle at Mt. Fuji are some of the greatest moments Toho ever brought to the screen and the whole experience feels like a love letter to all of Toho's cinematic sci fi films. Also, this is the movie that made me a fan of Gorosaurus...please bring him back! 9.5/10

10) Godzilla's Revenge (1969) = Widely considered to be the worst of the series by fans and...uh...yeah, it is. I don't want to completely crap on it as there is a nugget of a good idea in there. Honda wanted to tell a story commenting on the concept of the latch key kid and I actually do feel sorry for the little boy that is the center of the film. If they wanted to have him imagine going to Monster Island and we get like a Godzilla in Wonderland type of deal, that could have been great. Instead what we get is the boy going using his imagination to watch stock footage of previous Godzilla fights, making the whole experience feel cheaply made. Oh, also Minilla talks in this, because why the hell not? Finally, the one new monster we get, Gabara, might be the worst monster in the whole franchise. Thankfully, its canonicity is dubious as the monsters only appear in the boy's imagination (and to be honest, it isn't clear if the kid exists in the same world as Godzilla or if he's just a fan of the Godzilla movies themselves), so this one is easy to skip. 1/10

11) Godzilla Vs. Hedorah (1971) = It is overly preachy with its environmental message and weird as hell, but I LOVE this one. Normally, I hate this kind of stuff, but there is something so charming about how unapologetic it all is. We'll be frightening and horrifying when we want to be (seriously, some of the deaths in this are more gruesome than you'd expect), we'll be wacky and weird when we want to be (check out those animated sequences), and we'll be preachy when we want to be (Save the Earth!). The whole thing feels like a fever dream but it is also one of the most unique Godzilla films in the series as a result. Heodrah is also one of the series' best opponents for the big guy, who is basically a fully realized superhero at this point. 9/10

12) Godzilla Vs. Gigan (1972) = I have a weird love/hate relationship with this one. As a kid, I loved it and it was one of the entries I rewatched the most. Gigan, a cyborg alien chicken, was an awesome new monster for the series, and I loved the explosive climax, the tension when the aliens took down Godzilla with their Godzilla Tower (don't ask), and I even liked the Scooby Doo gang style main characters. As I got older, I saw the wrinkles in this one that made me look down on it, such as overuse of stock footage from previous films, the Godzilla suit falling apart on screen, and weird misplaced scenes like Godzilla and Anguirus talking to each other. So as I got older, I actually grew to hate the film. Now here I am, and I find myself more appreciative of it and I'm able to enjoy it, warts and all. This is clearly the movie that made Anguirus a fan favorite as this basically cemented him as Godzilla's sidekick, and also props for having Gigan be the first monster to draw blood from Godzilla, a moment that made my jaw drop as a kid. 6/10

13) Godzilla Vs. Megalon (1973) = Honestly, the best way to enjoy this one is to watch the MST3K episode. As is, this one is kind of a slog and is riddled with production failures and signs of low production values. Gigan is included just to use stock footage from the previous film, Megalon is given a beam weapon like Ghidorah's just so they could reuse some of that footage. It is shoddy patch work, and the whole film feels like a bad Japanese TV show. I could appreciate the film for its campy weirdness like Godzilla's drop kick and Jet Jaguar (easily the most memorable thing in the film) but most of that is saved for the end and getting there is a drag. For me, if Godzilla's Revenge isn't the worst entry in the series, then it is this one. 1/10

14) Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) = If the blood in Godzilla Vs. Gigan shocked me, then I don't even know how to describe my reaction to this one. This movie is a bloodbath! Plain and simple. We get aliens that bleed green and turn into green apes when they die (Um...ok), Anguirus gets his jaw ripped apart, Godzilla gets left laying in a pool of blood twice...there is more gore here than you'd expect, but that helps it to stand out. Mechagodzilla is easily one of Godzilla's greatest foes and the battles with the real McCoy rank as some of the series' finest moments (don't miss Godzilla using the Force pull before anyone even knew what a Jedi was). My biggest knock on the movie is the inclusion of King Ceasar. There is ALOT of build up to him and you think he's going to be a valuable ally to Godzilla, but after all that build up and a big musical number to introduce him, he sadly turns out to be pretty ineffective. Oh well. 8/10

15) Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) = This direct sequel to the previous film gives us some of the most memorable characters in the series with Dr. Mafune, a mad scientist who is angered at humanity and allies himself with the aliens to give them the Earth, and his daughter Katsura, made into a cyborg by the aliens to save her life and she is used as the controller for the new Mechagodzilla as she has to choose between her father's wishes, the aliens' control, and the man she loves. Its very melodramatic, but gives the film something a little different. Mechagodzilla also gets a partner this time around in Titannosaurus, putting Godzilla at a 2 on 1 disadvantage for once. It is a well done final entry for the Showa series, and it was nice to have Honda return to direct one more entry. 9.5/10

HEISEI
16) Return of Godzilla (1984) = This reboot of sorts takes Godzilla back to his roots of being a destroyer. Instead of being a total restart of the series, this movie is a direct sequel to the original film, but ignores all of the sequels, as we get to see the world 30 years after Godzilla's original attack. The Cold War political climate is a major focus of the film and that gives it a little bit more of a spark, and it tries very hard to recapture the sense of dread from the original film. In some ways it succeeds, and some of the special effects work really well (others do not, but hey). Sadly, the characters are extremely dull, and the US edit of the film features some laughably bad actors and hilarious product placement for Dr. Pepper. Still, the US version does include Raymond Burr reprising his role from the US edit of the original film, and he adds a lot whenever he's on screen. I like the film fine, and I appreciate what they were trying to do, but it didn't quite live up to its potential. 6.5/10

17) Godzilla Vs. Biollante (1989) = On paper, this one should be a mess. It crams so much into it with genetic mutated monstrosities, psychics with powers that work, fictional countries, ecoterrorists, assassins, and all kinds of sci-fi weapons to fight Godzilla. Its a lot to take in, but surprisingly, the film works really well and guided the direction of the Heisei series as more of a comic book style series of stories with strong continuity between the entries. I love the Super X-2, Antinuclear Bacteria, and artificial lightning fields used to fight Godzilla, the psychics are less ridiculous than you'd expect (that scene of the kids holding up their drawings of Godzilla is surprisingly chilling), the assassin character is kind of like this series' version of Darth Maul (and I mean that in a good way), and Biollante is one of the best designed monsters in the series. That thing is a marvel of practical special effects. Its final form is amazing, and I was shocked the first time I saw it move across the stage. I expected something that large to be stationary (like Jabba the Hutt) but nope! The special effects in this one rank among the best in the series, including my favorite design for Godzilla. It is a marvelous and creative entry that deserves the praise it tends to get. 9.5/10

1 Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah (1991) = This one is just wacky as all hell. With elements like time travel, UFOs, and androids, this is the definitive Sci-Fi Godzilla experience. But it offers more than just that weirdness as we get to see Godzilla's origins explored as well as a wonderfully executed reintroduction for his greatest rival King Ghidorah. The role reversal between who is the good monster and who is the bad monster is great to behold, and I also credit this movie for having probably my favorite scene in the entire Godzilla series. The relationship between Godzilla and Mr. Shindo gives the film more of an emotional statement than one might expect, and gives a little more weight to the over the top nature of the film. This film also gives us the return of Akira Ifukube as the composer, and he would provide the music for 3 of the next 4 films after this, so that's great! Also, we get Mecha King Ghidorah….hell yeah! 9.5/10

19) Godzilla Vs. Mothra (1992) = King Ghidorah's reintroduction in the previous film was great because it gave us something different we hadn't gotten out of Ghidorah before, and tied him closer to Godzilla, making their stance as mortal enemies even deeper. Here, Mothra gets more of a greatest hits album that goes down all the same roads we have seen before. Originally, this film was supposed to be a Mothra stand alone film, and it kind of shows as Godzilla feels like he was tacked onto what is supposed to be one of his films. Everything with Mothra feels like a lesser version of better films like the original Mothra (1961) and Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964). I also don't really care for the human cast this time around and all their family drama. Still, Battra is a nice addition to the menagerie of monsters and a few fun moments here and there keep me from hating this entry. 5/10

20) Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1993) = You want monster action? Then this is the one for you. We get Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (twice). We get Godzilla Vs. Rodan. We get Rodan Vs. Mechagodzilla. We get upgrades to Super Mechagodzilla, Fire Rodan, and Godzilla's dreaded Spiral Beam. Its a pure monster showcase, and it is great to watch. I also really like how this movie doesn't really have a villain or bad monster. Humanity is protecting themselves so they build Mechagodzilla (in a brilliant piece of continuity, they got the parts from the future tech left behind by Mecha Ghidorah), but Godzilla and Rodan are out to protect the Baby Godzilla that humanity stole. There is a lot more grey area here, and I like that. BTW, we finally get a version of Godzilla's son that actually looks like Godzilla, so points for that. All in all, this one is a monster spectacle that delivers what it promises. 8/10

21) Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla (1994) = I like Spacegodzilla as an enemy for the big guy. Its that right balance of bad ass and ridiculous that I tend to like out of these creatures. Heck, I even like this new version of MOGUERA who is a TRANSFORMER! Hell yeah! We also have one character that has an Ahab like obsession with killing Godzilla. So with all of those elements, the film should work well. Sadly, it is bogged down by pointless romance subplots, a bizarre detour involving the Yakuza, and the Son of Godzilla once again looking like a bug eyed overly cute piece of crap. Also, signs of a rushed production are front and center with several of the monster scenes. This movie is what Godzilla Vs. Biollante could have turned into with less care as this one feels sloppy and mismanaged. Fortunately, Spacegodzilla carries the film as the antagonist well enough to keep me from hating it, but this one is kind of a misfire. 5.5/10

*I also want to note that Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla also kept us from getting Godzilla Vs. Ghost Godzilla, one of my favorite concepts for a Godzilla film that never got made. See, Toho didn't want to do three "Godzilla Vs. _______ Godzilla" films in a row, so it got scrapped and sort of reformed into Godzilla Vs. Destroyah. But basically Godzilla Vs. Ghost Godzilla involves the ghost of the 54 Godzilla possessing the son of Godzilla from this new series, resulting in some demonic ghost/kaiju hybrid and Godzilla has to defeat the entity possessing his son. Its Godzilla Meets The Exorcist basically. Who wouldn't want that?!?! So because of Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla, we didn't get it....grumble grumble.

22) Godzilla Vs. Destroyah (1995) = If this had been the final Godzilla movie, it would have been an excellent one to end on. Destroyah is an awesome last foe for the series, and there are some great ties to the original film, making it a great bookend to the series. I love the doomsday clock aspect to Godzilla's condition, which creates a bunch of tension throughout the story, and there are some legit heartbreakers sprinkled throughout as well. The last scene is a personal favorite of mine in the franchise too. It is a great closer as Godzilla's story gets an ending fit for a King. What more could you want? 10/10

MILLENNIUM

23) Godzilla (199 = Whether you call it GINO or just Zilla, I think it is clear that this movie missed the mark on what the fans wanted. The film does flirt with competence at points (some of the build up to Godzilla is effective) and it is far from the worst thing I've ever seen, even from Roland and Emmerich. The problem is that they put Godzilla on the marquee, and it never feels like a Godzilla movie. If they had called it anything else, it would probably have more people that remember it fondly, like Anaconda does. As is, it is a mistake, but hey, this film did result in the animated series that was pretty solid, the stateside release of the 90s Toho films, and Toho producing six more films to boot, so at least some good came out of it. All of that said, I don't think it is the worst Godzilla movie ever made. I think that it missed the mark so much that it doesn't count as a Godzilla movie to begin with. NA/10

24) Godzilla 2000 (1999) = It isn't the greatest Godzilla film Toho has produced, not by a long shot. However, it served as the perfect pallet cleanser after the 1998 film. It is cozy, familiar, and comfortable like a slice of apple pie, and who doesn't like a good piece of apple pie once in a while? I actually like that the film doesn't focus on Godzilla's origins and treats him as already established, a bold move for the first film in a new series. I also really like the human cast this time around too as their whole family dynamic provided a lot more to the film than I would have expected. The villainous UFO is a thinly veiled shot at the makers of the TriStar Godzilla, and the monster Orga looks like a combination of the TriStar Zilla and Gamera. Pettiness aside, this is a fun and basic Godzilla film that has fun with the material. Side note, I actually prefer the US Edit of the film, which trims the fat of the movie, improves the pacing, and even has some good natured fun with the dubbing. 7.5/10

25) Godzilla X Megaguirus (2000) = This one is a little sloppy, but has enough good moments to keep it interesting. Reshooting classic scenes from the 1954 film with the new Godzilla suit was a nice touch, and I liked some of the sillier moments. This one kind of felt like they wanted it to be comparable to the 1970s films, and I'm always down for a little camp. Sadly, Megaguirus feels like the most perfunctory Godzilla opponent ever as she just exists to give Godzilla something to fight, but had little to no impact on the larger story. She isn't the hero, and Godzilla isn't portrayed as the lesser of two evils like he was in the last film. The swarm and the Queen just show up at points to interrupt the real story. You'd think with a plot device like the Dimension Tide (a black hole gun...I love it!) there would be more reflection on whether or not such a device should be used against the monsters, but even when the DT brings Megaguirus to Earth, there is no moment where the characters go "Oh hey, maybe we got a little too overzealous in trying to stop Godzilla and unleashed something we shouldn't have". There is also a kid character that has little to no bearing on the plot as well, making me wonder why he's even there to begin with. All in all, its good natured silliness keeps it from being a total waste of time, but its not great. 5.5/10

26) Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack (2001) = This was directed by the same guy that made the Gamera Trilogy in the 90s. If you haven't seen those, go check them out as they are among the best kaiju films ever made. While this film ranks as my favorite of the Millennium series, it doesn't quite live up to this director's work on Gamera, and I would have liked to see him get to make another entry. Oh well. Originally the plan was to have Anguirus, Varan, and Baragon as the Guardian monsters to fight the all powered destructive God version of Godzilla, but Mothra and Ghidorah got put in for better marquee value. It is very weird seeing Ghidorah as the good monster, but once you get passed all that stuff, this is a very good monster flick with more of a fantasy edge to it than most Godzilla films have. This version of Godzilla is also vicious and evil, with the explanation that he is possessed by the souls of all that died in WWII. Damn! The monster fights are also pretty great this time around, including a nice little fight between Godzilla and Baragon who finally gets to have a somewhat significant role in the series. Its a couple of missteps away from being one of the Top Tier best, but as is, it is a great entry and my personal favorite of the Millennium series. 8/10

27) Godzilla X Mechagodzilla (2002) = I love the idea for this version of Mechagodzilla as humanity decides to use the DNA and skeleton of the original Godzilla (which fudges with the continuity a little bit but whatever) and uses it as the basis for Mechagodzilla's design and structure. Its a neat idea in a movie full of neat ideas, but sadly, the movie feels incomplete. At one point, the soul of the original Godzilla takes over Mechagodzilla (called Kiryu in this film) and it goes berserk...but we never see how they fix it or how the issue is addressed. They just launch it into battle again later in the film and that's that. The battle between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla is also indecisive which is a little disappointing. I have to say that I am not a fan of the characters this time around as the lead just mopes around about how nobody likes her and the little kid mopes around about death, and none of it feels like it connects that well to dealing with Godzilla. There are things I like, such as the opening scene and tying the original Mothra film and War of the Gargantuas into the continuity, but the film feels half baked, resulting in the weakest Mechagodzilla film up to this point (though wait) 4.5/10

2 Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003) = Serving as the only real sequel in the Millennium series, this film thankfully concludes the story set up in the previous film. With the inclusion of Mothra and wrapping up the Mechagodzilla story from the previous entry, this one works out a lot better. It does kind of have a "been there, done that" feel to it at points, but it all looks great, and bringing back characters from the original Mothra film was a nice touch (though the Fairies this time around don't look like twins at all). The action scenes are good, and all the moral quandaries relating to this version of Mechagodzilla are handled a little bit better this time around, and the ending is ultimately more satisfying as a result. Its not the most creative Godzilla movie, but it is a solidly made one all around. 7.5/10

29) Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) = The big blowout 50th anniversary film is one of the weirdest Godzilla films ever made. On one hand, it is a pure spectacle with the largest monster cast ever assembled for a Godzilla movie, and a bunch of wacky kung fu fighting and big explosive fights for the humans. It is just wall to wall action and excitement with various nods and tributes to the series' past. In that regard, the movie is fun. However, it is also a bit of a mess with its story, explanations for various elements in the film, and execution of certain scenes. The scene in New York for example, shows off everything that is good and bad about the film in just a couple minutes. I kind of appreciate the bombastic "fuck it, lets go nuts and have fun" approach, but a little more structure and care could have helped this film out a bunch too. This is an odd case where I know fans that love this film and I know fans that hate it, and I fully understand both sides. 6.5/10

NEW AGE: MONSTERVERSE, ANIME TRILOGY, AND MORE

30) Godzilla (2014) = Godzilla's return to American cinemas gave us a traditional and slow burn style film that expertly builds up to Godzilla's appearance and makes every second he's on screen count. People complained about the lack of Godzilla screen time, but I liked the anticipation and appreciated him whenever he was around. I also liked The MUTOs as mean spirited enemies for the big guy. Killing of Brian Cranston in the first act was a huge mistake as I felt he should have been the main focus of the film, but as a solid and atmospheric monster movie, I felt this film was effective at pulling that off. 7.5/10

31) Shin Godzilla (2016) = With a ton of political satire and probably the most horrific Godzilla ever put to film, this entry hit it out of the park for sure. Godzilla this time around feels like a complete sin against nature and watching an incompetent bureaucracy try to handle it provided laughs and the satire the film makers were aiming for. The scenes that show off Godzilla's evolution and destructive power rank among some of the series' best moments, and the use of classic Ifukube music, Evangelion tracks, and new tracks that have an operatic feel to them, this movie won on all fronts, making this the best Godzilla film since the end of the Heisei series, at least for me. 9.5/10

32) Godzilla: Planet of Monsters (2017) = The first entry in the Anime trilogy has a fantastic premise, but sadly fails to live up to it. We are promised a Planet of Monsters that has evolved in the thousands of years since mankind left the planet, but instead all we see are Godzilla and the parasites the stem from him. There are effective moments and the ending is absolutely jaw dropping, but sadly, this film doesn't live up to its potential. I also wasn't a fan of the more 3D style and I would have preferred a more traditional anime style. 5/10

33) Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (201 = UGH! They promised us Mechagodzilla and there is no Mechagodzilla in the movie. Why they would put Mechagodzilla on the poster and all over the marketing for this film and not actually have him in the film is beyond me, but we get all this build up and the establishment of liquid nanometal (Liquid metal Mechagodzilla??? How cool that could have been?!?!) and it doesn't pay off in a way that any of us would want. Normally I wouldn't be freaking out over "Wah! Where's muh monster battles!" and appreciate what the film is attempting to do, but if you are going to have Godzilla fight a living city, then promote that accordingly. Don't plaster Mechagodzilla on the poster, make toys, and basically lie to us that he's in the movie. Big mistake and this really soured me on the whole experience with the anime trilogy. 3/10

34) Godzilla: The Planet Eater (201 = It is the best of the anime trilogy, though it still suffers from some of the same issues of the previous films. All that build up for Mothra amounts to a 3 second cameo, and a lot of the storyline payoffs don't really work. However, I actually really liked this Lovecraftian version of King Ghidorah, way more than I thought I would. His introduction is the best scene in the entire trilogy. However, despite having the most good things about it, it still isn't enough to salvage the trilogy or the whole experience. 5.5/10

35) Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) = The long awaited sequel to the 2014 film provided exactly what it promised, and a fun ride all the way through. I loved the dynamic between the monsters. Godzilla gets a hero's journey complete with a fall from grace, a rise and triumph, and an ending on par with a Rocky movie. Ghidorah is portrayed as what he was always meant to be: A living extinction event. Mothra steals just about every scene she's in, and Rodan is a great x factor thrown into the mix. And fuck it, I liked the human cast (most of them anyway). Wantanabe is once again a welcomed part of the film, and I felt that there was enough charm and development for the key members of the cast. I wish elements like the Oxygen Destroyer were handled better and I could have done without some of the quips, but all in all, I thought this was a very good showcase for the monsters. 8/10

 

[The Great Chandler]

I felt that KOTM did a good job balancing out the human and monster elements (in fact, that's the main theme of the flick). It's not an easy feat for a Godzilla movie to make the human plot relevant for the monsters and this one does just that.