Godzilla-WB/Legendary production, on DVD/Blu-ray Sept. 16, 2014

[reddsun1]

Don't get me wrong--I like this new movie. I'll give it a 1 thumb up. I'm much more willing to forgive a film its flaws if it feels like they're genuinely trying to tell a good story. It actually does better at that than a fair number of the originals. Still pretty meh on the "bear-dinosaur" creature design though.

But having seen the film, in hindsight I feel positively lied to. All those trailers for the movie are rather misleading (that ain't too spoilerific, is it?).

Edited May 22, 2014 by reddsun1

[DarrinG]

Saw it 3D yesterday. Liked it.

Battle scenes were great, effects fantastic.

Favorite moment was when he breathes the white fire beam for the first time.

I can confirm the Zilla design is a little too fat and cuddly-bear like. The first full shot of him I was more amused and awed.

Give it a 7.75 out of 10 - and think its likely the best Zilla movie ever . . .

[Duke Togo]

3 generations of Godzilla suit wearers.

Tsutomu Kitagawa on the left (millennium Era)

Haruo Nakajima in the middle. (Showa Era) 50's-80's

Kenpachiro Satsuma on the right (Heisei Era)80's-00's

You forgot Hannibal Smith

Edited May 22, 2014 by Duke Togo

[reddsun1]

Hah! Good one.

And how could we forget Bobcat Golthwait's riveting performance, in One Crazy Summer?

[Gakken85]

You forgot Hannibal Smith

tumblr_mdlsxsgadG1rb3qjjo1_500.jpg

Classic.

[reddsun1]

Well I'll be damned. I nearly forgot this funny little cameo from 2009's Always Sunset on 3rd Street 2. I guess Toho had a lot more influence on the new Godzilla's design than I initially thought? From the differently shaped spines; to the shape of the jaw; to the nostrils...

The super saiyan moment was funny. Let me guess; he's saying "this, I cannot forgive" or something to that effect?

[Tking22]

The thing I'm wondering now is if TOHO will give Legendary access to their stable of kaiju, because for the sequel I would like to see another familiar face. MUTO was a pretty cool kaiju, but I'd like to see one of Godzilla's classic enemies go toe to toe with him in glorious expensive CG.

[TangledThorns]

Heh, I'm surprised this hadn't been posted yet. I bet the Disney execs were waiting to see how Godzilla did last weekend before they asked Gareth Edwards to direct their Star Wars spin-off. I think he can pull it off, maybe even do a better job than Godzilla since he has more experience now.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-spinoff-hires-godzilla-706636

[Kanedas Bike]

Heh, I'm surprised this hadn't been posted yet. I bet the Disney execs were waiting to see how Godzilla did last weekend before they asked Gareth Edwards to direct their Star Wars spin-off. I think he can pull it off, maybe even do a better job than Godzilla since he has more experience now.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-spinoff-hires-godzilla-706636

It was posted in the Star Wars thread, but I'm sure you're correct in that his hiring and/or announcement was made in part due to the success of Godzilla.

-b.

[David Hingtgen]

Just saw it----I thought it was really good. Sure, basically no Godzilla in the first half, but the latter half more than makes up for it. And the first half is just plain good, not simply "good for the first half of a Godzilla/monster/terror/action movie".

[Golden Arms]

Saw the film last night and thought is was ok for a Hollywood release. It felt much like spiderman2. Very pretty to look at, but with a fair share of flaws and typical Hollywood cheese.

I kept thinking how kid friendly Zilla was towards the end of the film, much like spiderman.

I was hoping that we were going to get the unstoppable force of nature version ala the 54 film vs the defender of mankind.

The action was very good and I didn't mind the slow buildup in the first half of the film.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Golden Arms

[Duke Togo]

I don't get the "kid friendly" part (when I saw it there was a couple in front of me with a child under 10, and he was terrified at several points in the movie), but were you really expecting Godzilla to be the bad guy? It's been 60 years, and we come to expect certain things out of watching the Big G, the biggest of which is that we come to cheer for him.

[Golden Arms]

The kid part I was referring to is the after fight nod between characters and no matter how ginormous Godzilla is, the only damage he seems to inflict is to real estate. There were scarier elements earlier in the film and the levity towards the end undoes those aspects. This film much like so many Hollywood films telegraph which actors will be bumped off. If there is a child or parents in a disaster flick, there sure to make it out no matter how many others get killed around them.

I wanted Godzilla to be more of an act of nature not Barney. Now having seen the film, the creature design makes more sense as the producers can't have a too terrifying monster, hence the pot belly, stumpy feet, and hardly visible teeth.

[Rabidweezil]

I saw the movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a longtime Godzilla fan, I do still prefer the Heisei and Millennium era's where Godzilla was a destructive force and enemy to mankind and not so much the savior. I found myself feeling like I was watching a Godzilla movie with a somewhat Gamera-like plot.

The effects were top notch and I enjoyed the story and the action. Godzilla's features/shape were a bit hard to get used to at first. But I imagine the people responsible for his design were trying to create a creature that, if it actually existed, would have the features something of such immense size would need in order to exist and be mobile. Such as elephant feet and a very bulky structure.

[Duke Togo]

Godzilla isn't a friend to mankind in this film. He's the apex predator hunting after his prey. Humans are no more important to him than ants are to us.

We are meant to be but meer observes to his actions. This is actually where the movie stumbles: trying to make Kick Ass an actor and participant in the plot instead of an observer.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Duke Togo

[Rabidweezil]

I didn't say Godzilla was a friend to mankind. I said savior. Which was the direct result of his indirect actions. While the insects might have been his prey, he certainly wasn't hunting them for food. More like Godzilla was a planet guardian that was out to destroy the bugs to maintain some sort of balance. Which is why I mentioned Gamera. Because in the Heisei Gamera trilogy, his relationship with the other monsters was similar. Especially the relationship between Gamera and Gyaos.

[Duke Togo]

I didn't say Godzilla was a friend to mankind. I said savior.

There's a difference? Besides, it's established his existence predates the dinosaurs. No humans then.

[Rabidweezil]

There's a difference? Besides, it's established his existence predates the dinosaurs. No humans then.

Savior: rescuer: somebody who rescues somebody or something from harm or danger

Which is why I said saving humans was a result of his actions, whether intentional or not. Killing bugs = saving humans from annihilation.

[anime52k8]

I saw the movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a longtime Godzilla fan, I do still prefer the Heisei and Millennium era's where Godzilla was a destructive force and enemy to mankind and not so much the savior. I found myself feeling like I was watching a Godzilla movie with a somewhat Gamera-like plot.

The effects were top notch and I enjoyed the story and the action. Godzilla's features/shape were a bit hard to get used to at first. But I imagine the people responsible for his design were trying to create a creature that, if it actually existed, would have the features something of such immense size would need in order to exist and be mobile. Such as elephant feet and a very bulky structure.

Have I ever mentioned that Heisei Gamera is my all time favorite giant monster. Maybe that's why I liked this movie so much.

[hutch]

Gamera is friend to children

[Hikuro]

Sega-man is friend to children.

I saw it today, it was good...not omigod amazing, but, considering there's been some REALLY BAD Godzilla films, this was right up my alley. I just wish Bryan Cranston had a much bigger part to play for someone who got a lot of trailer time.

[xrentonx]

Just saw it last night and loved it. Probably my favorite Godzilla film now...but that's coming from someone who hasn't followed Godzilla closely. I enjoyed the slow buildup but wished they stayed on the monster action just a tad bit more than they did when Godzilla finally made a showing. Loved the tail swipe and the atomic breath! There's some good stuff in this movie. Was definitely cheering for Godzilla to kick some Muto ass

Edited May 27, 2014 by xrentonx

[Kanedas Bike]

Just saw it last night and loved it. Probably my favorite Godzilla film now...but that's coming from someone who hasn't followed Godzilla closely. I enjoyed the slow buildup but wished they stayed on the monster action just a tad bit more than they did when Godzilla finally made a showing. Loved the tail swipe and the atomic breath! There's some good stuff in this movie. Was definitely cheering for Godzilla to kick some Muto ass

exactly

-b.

[peter]

Watched it on Friday, liked it. Nice nods to his predecessors, and when the film delivered those nods, it delivered them well. I went into it knowing that this is a brand new film, with new ideas, and possibly sucking like all the live action Transformer movies, but they kept enough of the original to keep me well and truly satisfied. When I saw his plates lighting up in the smoke and dust, I knew what was coming and I had a pang of nostalgia from my childhood.

You ever find yourself saying “It wasn’t as good as I remember”? It’s because as a child, you watch something and it’s awesome because your imagination makes up for the rest. It’s sort of like Macross. Go back and watch SDFM and I’m thinking wtf, the animation is a lot worse than I remember. But then you have things like the Pachinko game, and all the wonderful Hasegawa box art, and for some reason, that’s how I remember Macross, even though that’s not the reality. Well, the same thing goes for this new Godzilla film. My wife grew up in Japan and was never really a big fan of kaiju films, but she commented that Gojira never looked so real. She couldn’t believe how realistic his appearance and movements were. I guess the only comparison she’s ever had was the guys in the suits.

Anyway, I liked it. Did they have scenes in the trailers that were cut from the film? I remember seeing the remains of some sort of creature in the trailer that I don’t remember seeing in the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya38wwuoWxY

At about 45 seconds.

[Kanedas Bike]

^can't see the video (not available in my country - US).

But it's very possible, a lot of times trailers contain footage that doesn't make it to the theatrical release.

Also, really cool perspective from you and your wife.

-b.

[mikeszekely]

Saw it yesterday. I liked, but didn't love it. While I agree with the notion that a slow burn can be good and it wasn't necessary to jam pack the movie with Godzilla, slow burns only work if you're building up to something. I never felt like they were; they were just showing clips of Godzilla fighting in between a human story that I just didn't give to craps about.

Like they spend all that time developing Ford's dad and the thing with his wife, and how he's right... then kill him off. Just to give Ford back story? Then they spend a ton of time on Ford and his family in what I can only assume is an attempt to show us what Ford's motivation might be, except that if that haven't gotten me invested in Ford himself by that point I really don't care about his family. I almost feel like Ford's character in the moving could have been eliminated entirely and the plot could have moved along just as well.

Oh, and is it just me, or does the MUTO look a lot like the Cloverfield monster (no one mentioned it in the last two or three pages of this thread, and to be honest I'm not going back and reading all 14 over it)? Same weird knuckle-walking on the big front legs, same little legs on the underside of their chests, same narrow mouths...

[Kanedas Bike]

Saw it yesterday. I liked, but didn't love it. While I agree with the notion that a slow burn can be good and it wasn't necessary to jam pack the movie with Godzilla, slow burns only work if you're building up to something. I never felt like they were; they were just showing clips of Godzilla fighting in between a human story that I just didn't give to craps about.

Like they spend all that time developing Ford's dad and the thing with his wife, and how he's right... then kill him off. Just to give Ford back story? Then they spend a ton of time on Ford and his family in what I can only assume is an attempt to show us what Ford's motivation might be, except that if that haven't gotten me invested in Ford himself by that point I really don't care about his family. I almost feel like Ford's character in the moving could have been eliminated entirely and the plot could have moved along just as well.

Oh, and is it just me, or does the MUTO look a lot like the Cloverfield monster (no one mentioned it in the last two or three pages of this thread, and to be honest I'm not going back and reading all 14 over it)? Same weird knuckle-walking on the big front legs, same little legs on the underside of their chests, same narrow mouths...

The resemblance is there. I know someone mentioned Cloverfield earlier but I'm not sure if that was why...

-b.

[reddsun1]

Well, they appear to have used the same film vehicle service for both movies.

[Gakken85]

I think most people agree the human element was lacking.. but in the end I don't care much. That's not what I paid to see... and honestly a lot of the Godzilla movies have crap acting and terrible human plot lines.

I'd say if you judge to to any Heisei or Millenium movie the acting is slightly above average in terms of the human element, save for maybe G vs MechaG, G 2000, or GMK. They all have decent to good acting and plots.

They should have just kept Cranston alive and limited kickass to less interaction.

[reddsun1]

Indeed, there are elements of the original Godzilla films--and not just the Showa, but Heisei and Millenium era films too--from the acting, to the SFX et al that are pretty cringe-worthy.

I distinctly remember a scene from G vs Space G in which the good guys take off in the robot Mogera(?) to intercept Space G before he gets to earth; and it consists of what is clearly a toy/model being swooshed around on strings, with styrofoam/plaster rocks in a big room with black drapes. I was like: this is so bad, it's good! I gotta show my 4 year old! "Hey son, c'mere! Godzilla's on TV!"

But I think that's part and parcel with the genre; it's what makes them such a guilty pleasure, and what people have come to expect and dare I say love about the movies. After all, how many of us will notice a Godzilla/Gamera/etc movie on the tube and tune in half expecting to be able to gleefully go: "toy boat, toy boat" or "toy plane, toy plane" during any given scene?

Edited May 28, 2014 by reddsun1

[mikeszekely]

I think most people agree the human element was lacking.. but in the end I don't care much. That's not what I paid to see... and honestly a lot of the Godzilla movies have crap acting and terrible human plot lines.

I don't think it's lacking, as that implies that there was not enough. The problem was that the human element was mishandled, and they could have done more effectively had they opted to go with less.

They should have just kept Cranston alive and limited kickass to less interaction.

Agree. Honestly, I think

they could have eliminated Kickass entirely, kept the "gotta get back to my family" plot for Cranston's character, and used generic military guys for the bomb stuff. I mean, the whole point of having Kickass around is that he's a bomb expert, but ultimately he doesn't defuse the nuke anyway.

Edited May 28, 2014 by mikeszekely

[reddsun1]

Ah, but we mustn't forget the theme that dir. Edwards is trying to convey with Ford's character. I may be way off, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'm guessing he wants Ford to personify our men and women in uniform--or those of any nation with a volunteer-based army.

So often, military personnel are expected to carry themselves, perform duties & missions, and hold themselves to a standard that could only be described as more-than-human. Many times, they are asked to do extraordinary things, put themselves routinely in harm's way. They can run the risk of getting shot or blow'd up or who knows what; they endure hardships that can strain relationships, or cost them loved ones along the way; they can be asked or expected to go on missions that seem pointless or with no real expectation of survival; and they are often expected to do so again, and again, and again. They can see and experience some pretty horrifying sh*t (albeit, not 300 ft lizards or bugs and such). So much more often than not, these real soldiers do so, without complaint, without hesitation, without melodrama (I know we've accused kickass of a "wooden" performance). They do it; and afterwards they pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and they go back out on that next mission (IIRC, a previous post touched on Ford's seemingly "indestructible" storyline). They're willing to do "whatever it takes," because it's their job; it's their duty; it's what they do.

Just a guess. But in hindsight, I think maybe that's what Edwards was trying to get across...

Edited May 29, 2014 by reddsun1

[Gakken85]

Yeah it was a little silly that kickass is

the only bomb expert, and then he does nothing... I guess he blew up the baby mosnters?

[Negotiator]

I interpreted kick ass's performance as a soldier that keeps his sh!t together. I'd be pretty annoyed watching a bunch of soldiers freaking out and crying when a jobs need to get done in a critical time like that.

[Gakken85]

Ozzy Man reviews:

He usually does Game of Thrones recaps.

Agree with some of what he says, but I liked the movie a lot.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Gakken85