SKREEONK's Fan Reviews! YOUR Opinions on Kaiju Classics!

[omgitsgodzilla]

I may review Matango pretty soon. I like that movie, I'll have to re-watch it.

[Tyler]

I've been meaing to do more of these.

King Kong vs. Godzilla

"I've only had the pleasure (or displeasure some would say) of seeing the heavily edited, American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). English speaking actors are inserted into the action and most of Akira Ifukube's score is replaced with stock cues (most notably 1954's Creature from the Black Lagoon). But I still enjoy the film in ignorant bliss and one day I'll view the original version. When it comes down to it it's still the 8th Wonder of the World versus the King of Monsters. That's some epic stuff right there. And Kong wins, Godzilla fanboys."

Mothra vs. Godzilla

"Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) is the pinnacle, I think, of what Toho was doing back in the day on a technical level. Everything in this film is top notch. The acting, directing, writing, everything. Tsuburaya's effects rival what was being done in Hollywood at the time. Godzilla appears (in an awesome way I should mention) about half way through the film but you don't even notice because you're wrapped up in the human characters. It's a shame some loathe the film for Godzilla defeat at the hands (or sticky web spray) of two newborn caterpillars!"

- Tyler Beasley

[UnCanny Studios]

Giant Monster Varan (1958)
Godzilla 1985
Godzilla vs Biollante (1989)

Just posted all of these - they're excellent. Thanks again for your contributions, good sir! I'll be posting the others soon, gotta catch up. Ive been out of town for a week!

[Tohosaurus]

^ Thanks! I'll try to review some of the other titles over the course of the next few days if I have the time.

[UnCanny Studios]

I've been meaing to do more of these.

King Kong vs. Godzilla

"I've only had the pleasure (or displeasure some would say) of seeing the heavily edited, American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). English speaking actors are inserted into the action and most of Akira Ifukube's score is replaced with stock cues (most notably 1954's Creature from the Black Lagoon). But I still enjoy the film in ignorant bliss and one day I'll view the original version. When it comes down to it it's still the 8th Wonder of the World versus the King of Monsters. That's some epic stuff right there. And Kong wins, Godzilla fanboys."

Mothra vs. Godzilla

"Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) is the pinnacle, I think, of what Toho was doing back in the day on a technical level. Everything in this film is top notch. The acting, directing, writing, everything. Tsuburaya's effects rival what was being done in Hollywood at the time. Godzilla appears (in an awesome way I should mention) about half way through the film but you don't even notice because you're wrapped up in the human characters. It's a shame some loathe the film for Godzilla defeat at the hands (or sticky web spray) of two newborn caterpillars!"

- Tyler Beasley

Awesome snippets, sir! Posted them both - thanks a ton.

^ Thanks! I'll try to review some of the other titles over the course of the next few days if I have the time.

Sounds fantastic. KaijuDuke is working on a review for Godzilla Raids Again (bless him), and I've got an excellent review for THE H-MAN to post. However, we are still without a review for some of Toho's most recognizable films! Its rather odd...

The Mysterians (1957)
Mothra (1961)
Matango (1963)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
and
Godzilla Millenium (1999)
havent been touched! Well... I wouldn't want to review G2k either, but hey...

If anyone is brave enough to venture into the creative bounds of their mind and whip up a review for one of these films... well I will most certainly be grateful! And post it asap.

Thanks again everyone for your help, sincerely. This has been a lot of fun - and the site is looking very strong as a result. Just so you all know, SKREEONK.com is pulling in about a thousand hits per week on all these entries, from external links and google and... everything! So dont think your work isnt being seen. Its the exact opposite!

[King Caesar]

Gosh, I'm so busy lately, I never get time to do these, let alone my other writing projects. I'll try and get DAM in sometime soon, ciz that is definitely one of my favorites.

[Tohosaurus]

Godzilla 2000 (1999)
The king of the monsters is back and kicks off his third "series"

After the disappointment a year earlier with Roland Emmerich's interpretation of Godzilla, Toho struck back with this film. Godzilla has undergone a makeover again, but Toho's makeover was far less dramatic than what occurred under Emmerich. Toho's work on Godzilla for the Heisei era focused on making Godzilla more intimidating and sinister looking to recall his original intentions. Here, Toho did something similar, but also tried to make Godzilla come across as more of the giant animal that he essentially is, radiated and all. What Toho has created here is a traditional Godzilla movie. We have a suit to show off Godzilla virtually all of the time. We have Japan. We have an alien twist on the plot. It all comes together to make a reasonably good Godzilla movie. That's not a recipe for critical acclaim here in the United States, but for his intended audience it works out well.

Many of the early scenes with Godzilla are eerie, and although Toho shows Godzilla off within minutes of the movie's start, it still had nice build up and a sense of fury from Godzilla. The fog was used it great effect back in 1984 with Return of Godzilla, and it was well executed here as well. Another nicety in the earlier scenes are the lower camera angles that help convey Godzilla's size. Godzilla is often shot at more neutral or higher angles that don't encourage suspending belief, and unfortunately what was well done early in the film here isn't used that often thereafter. As for Godzilla himself, I did mention a redesign. His huge, jagged spines and forceful, larger head do make him look like a force not to be reckoned with, man or monster. His new color tones -green hide, purple hued spines, and orange atomic ray- work well enough, although many fans complain about these not matching up with the traditional Godzilla color schemes. I agree with them to an extent. The update to the design of his atomic ray is pretty cool, however, no two ways about it.

So what about the rest of the movie? Well, it's mostly standard fare as Godzilla movies go. There is an uninspiring spaceship that apparently holds a giant monster that wants Godzilla's Regenerator G1 cells. It's simple but it works. Character development is not really a strong suit, although there is a certain chemistry between various characters, so all is not lost. The dubbing is laughable at times, sadly. The DVD release that region one (Canada, United States) fans have lacks the Japanese dub/English subtitle options, owing to the fact that this is the slightly revised American version of the film. We might be able to take some parts a little more seriously if some of the (intentionally) humorous one-liners had not been inserted. Or does it just add to the charm? You can be the final judge of that.

The pacing of the movie is justly critcized in that it tends to sag at a couple of points in the middle of the film. They clearly were just trying to drop scenes and dialogue in long enough to get the final titanic battle to ensue. To be fair though, they did do a good job of balancing Godzilla and the opponent in the film. It isn't uncommon for Godzilla to almost seem like an afterthought in his own film (Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth comes to mind). That generic UFO finally gives way to a giant monster named Millennian that uses Regenerator G1 to adapt to Earth's atmosphere. The resulting mutation is Orga; note that the names of either version of the monster are never mentioned on screen. Orga is as generic as the UFO he flew in on, and that even includes his roar and primary beam weapon. It's not that he's bad, it's just not imaginative the way prior opponents were in their day. Orga's suit looks good enough, although his fingers can't move so it can look like the suit that it actually is. The final battle is good fun. It's nothing crazy but not too boring either. As a word on some other elements of the film, the score is actually pretty strong and helps to convey that sense of eeriness or fury that I spoke of earlier. Special effects are hit and miss. The CGI scenes are generally not good and it might be magnified by the flawless special effects in Emmerich's Godzilla a year earlier.

So what's the final take? I may sound like a broken record, but my simple summary is that it's just a decent, contemporary Godzilla movie. It's not terrible but it's not likely to make your top five list either. It was a reasonable rebirth of the Godzilla movie franchise, though in my opinion not close to the quality of Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985. The hits were the generally good looking suits, character chemistry, and consistent moods (by which I mean the music magnified what the audience was seeing, and vice versa); also a good choice were various scenes that were tightened up for American audiences, so if I complained about some of that in the American version that doesn't bode well for the Japanese version. The action sequences were also well done. The items to improve would've been some tightening up of the middle third of the movie, getting rid of the lousy dubbing, and some special effects that range from "off" to just "bad". It's hard not to draw comparisons between this movie and the American Godzilla due to the proximety of their launch dates and the fact that they're the only two Godzilla movies I've seen in theaters. I think Emmerich's Godzilla has spectacular effects that Toho has never matched (granted, neither have their budgets either), but ultimately I can't think of anything else it does better than Godzilla 2000.

6/10

I'll have to see if I can review another one or two this weekend if I have a chance.

[UnCanny Studios]

This was such a great experience. Who's up for round two!?

If anyone has any reviews they would like posted to Skreeonk.com, post them here! The site is constantly growing and gets a ton of traffic.

We really need some reviews for Destroy All Monsters, Mothra (1961), and Matango!

Let your voice be heard, and all that fun stuff

[Destroyer]

Uncanny, here's a review for DESTROY ALL MONSTERS I wrote up last year. (The infamous ADV version.)

Charge of the Monsters, known famously as Destroy All Monsters! is the ninth Godzilla film, and arguably the most well-known. This film was meant to be the all-out finisher, the one where we stare at the screen and cheer it on, and feel sad when it's over. (It was meant to be before Toho decided to make the infamous Revenge the following year.) As a Godzilla fan, this movie holds a a special place in my heart. Now that I'm revisiting it, I can say how it functions as a Godzilla movie and a science fiction story also.

The year is 1999. Technology has advanced greatly, and scientists have the earth's monsters contained on an island they call Monster Land. (Known to us as Monster Island later in the series.) When aliens calling themselves the Kilaaks come upon earth, the monsters break free of Monster Land and start attacking the major cities of the world thanks to the alien's mind control. Can the humans mount a counter attack?

Yeah, it sounds pretty awesome on paper. How it's executed is another thing. Since Toho at that time decided this would be the last Godzilla film, they squeezed in most of their monsters that appeared up until that point. Eleven altogether, a true feat. (Only broken many years later by Final Wars with a total of 14.) The monsters include Godzilla of course, everyone's favorite armadillo: Anguirus, the supersonic hell creature of the sky: Rodan, the cute Mothra larva, Godzilla's son Minya, King Kong's adversary Gorosaurus, the serpent that terrorized the Gotengo: Manda, giant spider Kumonga, the monster that battled Frakenstein: Baragon, and Varan the Unbelievable. Wait, that's only ten. We can't forget the King of Terror himself, the space demon King Ghidorah.

This is the reason why we're here, the monsters. Sadly, we have to endure minutes and minutes of boring plot and sub-par acting. Our hero Katsuo is a nice guy, but lacking.....something. The other humans are unintentionally funny.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired." That pretty much says what the blunt and sub-par script is. (Yes, that was a quote from the film.) Maybe it's the dub's fault, but one day you might just faint from hearing the word "right" so often.

The Kilaaks are okay, their leader as seen in the below pic is pretty good with what she's given with. They have nothing on the Xilians though. See, the thing in Invasion of the Astro Monster is that while Godzilla himself is not the main focus, it was an engaging science fiction story, whereas Destroy All Monsters is very similar in plot and tone, but the non-monster scenes are boring, and isn't really interesting.

Now, let us get onto the fun part. The monsters themselves are portrayed wonderfully, their full of distinctive character and awesomeness. There are some great destruction sequences, Manda attacking the bridge, Gorosaurus coming out of the ground attacking Paris, and Godzilla firing his atomic ray at a ship are just some of the awesome moments.

Sadly, there are major disappointments with the monsters. Baragon and Varan do NOTHING during the film, it felt like they were thrown in just to say they had more monsters. They didn't fight at all, they had no destruction scenes, it was just sad for fans of those monsters. (Baragon at least got to appear in another film after this, Varan was never seen again.) I don't know if this was the dubbing fault, but Gorosaurus was called Baragon in his Paris scene, an infamous mistake.

The soundtrack, oh my gosh, the soundtrack. I cannot get over it, the dramatic music, they truly add the suspense. Rodan's theme, Godzilla's theme, Ghidorah's theme, all used handsomely. Like, when you see Rodan flying and then the dramatic theme plays, nothing beats that. (The military theme is good, but also funny every time they use it, cause we always know they really don't matter to the monsters.)

For a 1968 film, the effects are pretty darn good. This was before CGI, just suits and props folks. The beam effects are pretty awesome, Godzilla's atomic ray being a highlight. It's kind of sad when you look at some of the later Showa films and compare those effects to these, the older film actually wins out. (It's not about the age people.)

The final fight between earth's monsters and Ghidorah is a true spectacle to behold. Never have I felt myself having such a good time watching something, it was intense, no-holds barred, excellent battle music, this is why we all signed on. The fight is worth the money alone. You just can't compete with this, forget big explosive effects, this is a fight that doesn't rely on it. Punches, bites, beams, double kicks, webbing, it's brutal and beyond the word epic. This IS the best scene from any Godzilla film, this scene saves the movie, you forget all about the boring and is just swept in smiling and cheering.

In closing, Destroy All Monsters isn't the great film everyone says it is. It is similar to Invasion of the Astro Monster in plot and tone, but that film is far superior in acting and pacing. Still, the final fight in Destroy All Monsters is worth it, and the destruction scenes with our favorite monsters are great. With a better script and better pacing, the film could have been perfect.

I give Destroy All Monsters a 7/10.

[FlamingZilla23]

"Godzilla vs Biollante proves to be a worthy classic monster movie film to watch. It's very creative in every way, the special effects are just flat out wonderful. The story has the classic Godzilla type storys but just alittle fantasy added in it."

Godzilla vs Biollante you earn a worthy 10/10.

[Destroyer]

Here's a Terror of Mechagodzilla review I just wrote up today.

Terror of Mechagodzilla is a special Godzilla film for a few reasons. One, it is the final film of the Showa era. Two, it features the reurn of the original Mechagodzilla. Three, it features the first (and sadly last) appearance of Titanosaurus. Four, it is the return of Akira Ifukube on music duties. And finally five, it features the return of Ishiro Honda, the director of the original Gojira, and many films after it. There was a energy crisis at the time, TOHO had shut down the Godzilla franchise right after this film. The big G returned in The Return of Godzilla in 1984, which started the Heisei era. This would also be the last time we see Godzilla as a full-fledged defender of Japan, who actually gets along with the humans. Terror of Mechagodzilla is a farewell the way things were, it truly is a great film.

Official description from Classic Media:

When aliens from the third planet of the black hole attempt to take over Earth with a little help from their friends Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus, they find themselves pitted against Godzilla, who squares off against them in defense of the planet. This film, which is 15th in the Godzilla series, features some of the most memorable fight scenes in the franchise.

You can tell by this film how different Honda's style is to Fukuda's. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla had an upbeat, jazzy tone. This film retains the deep, almost depressing mood of Honda's previous films, much like Gojira. This being a direct sequel to the previous entry, some plot devices were reused. The Aliens of the Third Planet from the Black Hole are back, (no ape form, but some pretty cool 70's spandex) there are three monsters, (none on G's side this time around sadly,) and the leaders of the Aliens from both films are pretty darn similar. Whereas the previous film had fun fights scattered throughout the film, this film only has one. (Not counting the brief skirmish between G and Titanosaurus in the middle.) However, the final fight is just utterly fantastic. It's of the best battles in Godzilla history. This would also mark the final time the battles would be this crazy, punches/tackling and all. (Until Final Wars brought back this style.) The monsters were what stole the show, but like usual, the next paragraph will be on the cast.

What's interesting about this film is that instead of developing the cast with pointless scenes, (ahem, the Heisei era) it uses the characters to move the story along. There's no house scene with the main character drinking coffee relaxing, the characters are always talking about the plot. I personally like that, it keeps the film from getting dull or boring. Of course, tbecause of this, the characters aren't developed enough to say that there were any award-winning performances. However, unlike the sub-par acting of the previous entry, this one does have some really solid performances. The main character is Akira Ichinose, a marine biologist. He's pretty much just there to move thst story along, another character with no acting emotion like the previous entry's main character. Any type of emotion emitted is forced. However, the sub-plot with Katsura and Dr. Mafune make up for the heroes' lackluster performances. Tomoko Ai as Katsura gives a convincing performance, probably the best in the film. Her tale is both tragic and interesting. Dr. Mafune is an interesting character, aside from his backstory. Apparently after being kicked out for his work in the science community, he wants to destroy all humams? Sorry, I don't buy that. Too unrealistic. Still, his character was well played. The new leader or the Aliens is Mugal, portrayed by Goro Mutsumi. (The same actor who played the other leader in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla!) He's pretty much exactly the same as the previous leader. A very good main villain for the human characters, it's just that he's exactly the same as the previous leader, it might as well been the same character brought back to life.


The new monster is Titanosaurus. Heh, this film is called Terror of Mechagodzilla, but it's Titanosaurus who steals the show. In a world where Gigan, Megalon, and King Caesar appeared, Titanosaurus's simple design was welcome. The suit is fantastic, and the monster is full of character. A proud part of the G universe, it's sad that he was a never a big hit with the fans, truly underrated. (Pretty awesome roar too.) Mechagodzilla makes his proud return here, but doesn't look as good in terms of strength. When G came in close, it could hardly fight back. It's like it lost its melee capabilities. Still a cool robot to watch, the 70's at its finest. Of course, one cannot forget the King of Monsters himself, Godzilla. The suit is the same from the last film, still looking fantastic. I love the fighting character in him, how he has heart and NEVER gives up or retreats. (Ahem, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla.) It is both ironic and funny how Godzilla and the humans 'team up' in the final battle, when twenty-one years ago he was their worst nightmare. Ah, I miss those days when he and the humans had a mutual respect.

Akira Ifukube returns for music duties. He truly is one of the greatest composers ever. The dramatic opening theme, Titanosaurus's theme, they're all great. Truly dramatic, couldn't have asked for better music in this film. Also, the effects in this film are fantastic. Like in the last film, the explosions are truly spectacular. The assault that turned Tokyo into a barren wasteland probably ranks as the greatest city-destroying scene ever captured in a G film. As I said earlier, the final fight is truly epic, very well choreographed. The blows are felt, and you are just in-tuned, thinking how the heck G will pull through this, there's a sense that he might not actually win. Really, the final fight in itself makes the film worth watching, I miss those crazy punch/kick/headlock/wrestling battles, good stuff.

Overall, Terror of Mechagodzilla is one of the finest Godzilla films out there. It serves as a farewell to the way things were. Ishiro Honda, by far the best of the Godzilla directors, returns to direct his final Godzilla film. It features the music of the always-awesome Akira Ifukube, and the debut of an awesome monster in the form of Titanosaurus. The final battle is great, and there's a lot of emotion regarding the Katsura subplot. The ending is nice, (albeit the brief scene where the Fake Godzilla suit is used,) it really gives off a sad, yet happy ending to the Showa era. Terror of Mechagodzilla is a Godzilla film that I will keep coming back to, it's one of the ones I'd definitely recommend to non-fans.

8/10.

[UnCanny Studios]

Thanks so much, guys!

Destroyah - great work. I'll be posting both either today or tomorrow!

[edgaguirus]

Mothra (1961)

Mothra shows that not all kaiju have to be evil. Granted, Mothra does a fair share of damage, but the monster was a hero- long before Godzilla became the defender of Japan.

After shipwreck survivors are rescued from an irradiated island, it's learned that the island is inhabited. An expedition led by Nelson goes to the island, with reporter Zenichiro Fukuda stowing away to get the story. While exploring the island, they find two small girls, the Shobjin. Nelson kidnaps them puts them in a show. The Shobjin's singing calls on Mothra, who comes to their aid. Nelson flees with the girls as Mothra forms a cocoon. An atomic heat ray fails to destroy the cocoon, and Mothra emerges to continue the search for the Shobjin. The police kill Nelson, and the Shobjin are reunited with Mothra on a runway marked with Mothra's symbol.

The characters in this movie are a mixed bag. Nelson is an excellent villian, callous and greedy. The reporter, Fukuda, makes an interesting lead. He seems more the comic relief type character than a leading man, but his combination of comic skill and strength make for a pleasing performance. The show is stolen by the Shobjin, though. Emi and Yumi Ito, as the Shobjin, have both pathos and charm. Their lovely voices are a highlight in this film.

Mothra is portrayed well, too. The caterpillar is rather homely, but moves convincingly. The adult is a beautiful kaiju. The destruction scenes are as different as the monster's stages. The caterpillar is a giant bulldozer, smashing anything in its path. The adult generates hurricane force winds, sending cars flying into windows and uprooting trees.

It's a fun movie with more mystical tones than sci-fi, but Mothra is an entertaining film.

[BigBaragon]

This is one of my favorite threads on the site. Hats off, kids.

[UnCanny Studios]

This is one of my favorite threads on the site. Hats off, kids.

Glad you're enjoying it! Feel free to contribute, thats half the fun. Although, I wouldn't exactly refer to myself as a kid .

Edgaguirus - good to have you back my man! Thanks for covering Mothra, I'll go ahead and post it with a couple of images so we have at least something there.

[Destroyer]

A much different review than the norm of G 2000 I wrote up not too long ago.

On May 20th, 1998, TriStar Pictures released GODZILLA into American theaters. It was also the same year American audiences were alienated to Godzilla movies. So one year later, TOHO released a brand new Godzilla film: GODZILLA 2000 MILLENNIUM. Think about this for a second. TOHO retired the Godzilla franchise four years earlier in 1995, when the big G was killed off after battling Destoroyah. So after Sony blew it with their film, TOHO must have been pretty angry with how America treated the license. So they quickly rushed into production a new film to show us how to make a new, modern Godzilla film. Then the following year Godzilla: Millennium stomped into Japanese theaters. (It came to American theaters the following year, hence the title change to GODZILLA 2000.) This film holds a special place in a lot of fans' hearts. This was the first Godzilla film a lot of fans saw in the theater. (Ah, if I could bring myself to that time to watch it on the big screen.) Thirteen years later, it still stands above the rest of the Millennium series in quality, it's THE definitive Godzilla film.

Official description from Sony:

Get ready to crumble! The king of all monsters is back and bigger than ever! The action heats up when a UFO reveals itself as a massive alien monster with awesome destructive powers. The alien monster heads straight for the behemoth GODZILLA who's just crushed the entire city for the battle of the millennium. But GODZILLA's furious heat beam may not be enough to destroy the death-dealing alien, and the future of humankind is in jeopardy. Now, it's a bang-up, threeway, no-holds-barred brawl as GODZILLA, the alien monster and the courageous citizens of Japan fight an unprecedented battle for survival in this earth-shattering new sci-fi action adventure that will blow you away.

I remember many years ago on Christmas morning when I turned on the TV. I was flipping the channels until I hit what I believe was the Sci Fi (now known as SyFy) channel. I stopped there cause a very dramatic scene had caught my eye. This giant thing was attempting to swallow Godzilla whole. That was captivating, I had never seen anything like that before. It was dramatic seeing the big G being, well, about to be swallowed. I turned it off after he blew up the thing because I was eager to open these gifts. So anyways, that was the first time I was witness to GODZILLA 2000. I don't remember exactly when I first saw the whole movie through, but it must have not have been long after. I just can't help but enjoy this film every time I watch it. It's a simple, straightforward story without any complex side-lpots thrown in. (I'm looking at Godzilla vs. Biollante and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah specifically.) This film is easy and enjoyable to follow. It doesn't reference any past Godzilla films, it does what the 98 film attempted to do: make a perfect modern way to jump into the franchise.

There are a few a main characters this time around. There's Yugi Shinoda, his daughter Io, reporter Yuki Ichinose, and Mitsuo Katagiri. Shinoda proves to be a simple, yet compelling focus. His fixation on Godzilla is simple, yet makes sense. His relationship with his daughter is realistic. Probably the best relationship between parent and son/daughter in a G film. The child costar was pretty solid, which isn't something you see every day in a G film. (Godzilla vs. Hedorah, I'm looking at you.) Now, the reporter, Yuki, was by far the worst character in the whole thing. She definitely had a certain spunk, but the writing, (or in this case, the dubbing) was awful for her. Now, Katagiri. The first couple of times I saw the film, I didn't think much of him. Now, after watching it again, I can see the brilliance in his character. He isn't like previous commanders in the franchises, he seems to genuinely want to protect the public. And while other leaders usually sit at their desk watching things from a monitor, this guy is on the scene firsthand.

Ah, the monsters. First up, Godzilla. The look is just FANTASTIC, it's my personal favorite. The exaggerated spikes make the giant lizard look even more menacing. They also don't flap around as much as previous incarnations, making it even more realistic. And I really liked how in the American version they gave him different pitches of roars, really gave him emotion. Orga is the opponent this time around. He has a very interesting backstory that should have been explored more. Orga has a pretty interesting appearance, with his huge hands being his main thing. No complaints with the suit, it just needed more screen time to realize its true effectiveness.

The soundtrack is a bit different that ones from previous films. It's good stuff, it fits the atmosphere in the film. Maybe not as dynamic as some of the other soundtracks, but some great tunes stood out. (The Millennium's theme, transformation into Orga, and the final battle theme, we also get the classic Godzilla theme, that was a nice touch.) The thing that separates this film from the other G films is its 'realism.' The opening with the van and Godzilla was just fantastic and had a very interesting perspective. It felt reminiscent of Cloverfield, such as the scene with Godzilla stomping on the tunnel while the van was attempting to escape. The effects are very good, aside from some bad CGI. Godzilla swimming in the ocean was fantastic, however, something like that had never been captured before in the G films. Now, the best part worth the price alone was the final fight. It was EXCELLENT, very climatic. There's no boring 'beam wars,' (sorry Heisei era) it's realistic giant monster brawling. The stakes are set high, and is just plain dramatic. The way the film rolls about gives it a dramatic feeling, when Godzilla falls down, we feel it. It just feels like a well put together film, something some previous films can't say they did.

Overall, GODZILLA 2000 is a simple and straightforward G film. And that's a good thing. It has a very different atmosphere when compared to previous entries, it just felt 'real.' It features a great Godzilla look, and the effects are top notch aside from some CGI shots of the Millennium UFO. Orga proves to be an interesting foe with a great, but unexplored backstory. The pacing is excellent, but that's mainly thanks to the solid cast. We actually care about these people, and the human 'antagonist' stands above other human characters in the G series. Aside from some strange comedic moments with cartoony music playing during them, it's hard to find fault with this film. It's the perfect jumping on point, you do not need any knowledge of the previous films to enjoy this one. If you've never watched a Godzilla film before, I urge you to head to the video store after reading this review to pick up GODZILLA 2000.

9/10.

[UnCanny Studios]

Boom, posted. Thanks for another excellent article, good sir.

I've written up a nice bit about Mothra as well, to accompany Edgaguirus' latest review. Check it out here:

One of Toho’s classic endeavors, Mothra is arguably Toho’s most well known creation outside of Godzilla. The classic Kaiju got her start independetly from the Big G’s franchise, Much like Rodan the decade before, with this debut film in 1961. She would be assimilated into Toho’s main franchise three years later with Mothra vs Godzilla in 1964.

Mothra was released in the states a year after its initial release in 1962, with only ten minutes of footage missing. The film was double billed with a Three Stooges outing, and received a good deal of attention. The New York Times ran a review of the popular film, with critic A.H. Weiler praising the film’s effects and imagery:

“There’s that color, as pretty as can be, that now and then smites the eye with some genuinely artistic panoramas and décor designs…. Fantastic though the plot may be, there are some genuinely penetrating moments, such as the contrast of the approaching terror and those patient, silvery-voiced little ‘dolls,’ serenely awaiting rescue. Several of the special effects shots are brilliant, such as the sight of a giant cocoon nestling against a large city’s power station tower.”

Toho’s new Queen of Kaiju was a unique and fantastical giant moth with a budding personality – all brought to life through a much more vibrant and fantasy-based sense of storytelling. With this film, classic Toho director Ishiro Honda took a broad step away from the horrific undertones of his previous Daikaiju efforts such as Gojira and Rodan. Mothra ushered in a new type of film for Toho – one full of bright colors, hopeful imagery, and a monster that was an ancient guardian of the Earth rather than a folly of man’s ignorance.

The ignorance of humankind, however, does play a large part in the storyline (with the ‘evil men’ kidnapping the Shobijin and so forth) – a storyline that would prove so captivating and successful that Toho and screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa would recycle it for their two most successful films ever, King Kong vs Godzilla and Mothra vs Godzilla.

Yet American audiences weren’t accustomed to such monster films. When Mothra was initially released in the states, marketing teams chose to push the film as another run of the mill Japanese monster flick, depicting Mothra as a bloodthirsty giant insect in some of the most recognizable posters and lobby cards from American pop culture.

A Landmark Film Showcasing Toho’s ability to present captivating tales with unique special effects and fantastical story elements, Mothra was undoubtedly a success of its time, and has become a true classic of the genre.

- Jon @ UnCanny

http://skreeonk.com/2012/04/05/mothra-1961/ for the rest of the article/review.

[Destroyer]

My ultra-positive review of Final Wars I had written up last year.

Final Wars has an interesting reputation. It's the 50th anniversary film. Truly a feat, fifty years of Godzilla. This film was meant to be the goodbye, the one where it ends on a high note. The one where you look back and say, "What a great end to a great franchise." Does it succeed? Read on.

The plot takes place in the near future. Monsters are the norm, and there exists "Mutants," the core of the Earth Defense Force. It's been several years since Godzilla was frozen in the South pole. Out of nowhere, Rodan attacks NYC, and before you know it, monsters galore! As the Earth Defense Force attempt to combat these beasts, a mysterious ship from outer space comes into earth's orbit. It "eliminates" the monsters and the beings inside, called "Xilians" say there here in peace. They explain that a planet called "Gorath" is en route to earth, and it will destroy the planet. However, things are not what they seem.....

Sound familiar? Veteran fans should instantly recall this plot. This film is basically a modern Destroy All Monsters combined with Monster Zero. Yes, so scratch all realism from the past Millennium films, this film is crazy like Showa. And that's a good thing. The past two Millennium films were deadly serious, Final Wars was a welcome change of pace and throwback to the 60's and 70's. I loved every second of it.

This film is a lot different than the ones you're used to watching. Not just Godzilla films, all films in general. Whereas other films gives you a breather, get to develop the characters, take time to explain things, Final Wars lets you have it with no stop of the action. Seriously, even the dialogue scenes, thanks to the music, doesn't feel like a "breather." It is nonstop. And I think that's the way to do it.


Everything about this film is different than the average Godzilla film. The characters have a certain cool "style." Think Matrix-type of fighting wouldn't mesh well with Godzilla? Think again. A lot of times in the previous films, the human screen time can get pretty dreadful. (I'm looking at you Destroy All Monsters.) Thanks to the fun characters and crazy fights, the human screen time I actually ENJOYED.

The main character, Ozaki, will remind you of Neo from the Matrix. A lot of the fights are reminiscent from it. Good or bad? I think it's great, a change of routine for the Godzilla films. Captain Gorden is such a fun guy to watch on screen. Sure, he may come off as corny sometimes, but it fits in with this crazy movie.

MONSTERS, MONSTERS, and MONSTERS! This is the selling point naturally. 50th anniversary? What better way to celebrate than with fifteen monsters?! Here we have the most monsters ever captured in a Godzilla film, or heck, all films. The monsters get some great screen time, and the effects are steps above anything TOHO has produced before.

Godzilla is looking his best, my personal favorite look after the 2000 one. He looks menacing, but at the same time, not evil like his look from GMK. Mothra is just about the same from the last film, Tokyo SOS. Thanks to the awesome effects, she hasn't looked more powerful. Gigan gets a big modern redesign, sporting a black and silver look rather than is classic green and yellow. He looks AMAZING. (Yes, he is my favorite monster) Showcasing his laser, something that was never showed in his early appearances. Rodan sports his Showa look, and flaps his wings with glory. Angurius sadly is the most disappointing. His look from Destroy All Monsters, a film over thirty years ago, looks better than this film. I am glad that they gave him a rolling ability, he actually doesn't look weak at all, boasting some impressive moves. King Caesar looks practically a copy of his look from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. A great modern update for Kamacurus, who now sports wings. Kumonga looks impressive, though his look from Son of Godzilla is equally great. (Amazing, considering that film came out over thirty years ago.) A great surprise was the inclusion of Zilla, a monster that looks strangely like the American Godzilla from the 98 film. The CGI is decent enough, and at least he actually looks impressive. (Remember the 98 film? Yeah, me neither.) Ebirah gets a nice modern look, but the film goes out of it way to show you how weak the monster is. (The only monster to go down by humanoid beings.) Manda gets a nice appearance, his first since Destroy All Monsters. His look is by far the most improvement, after that horrible look from Destroy All Monsters, this was welcome. Minya, well, it's pretty much impossible to make him look even a little feasible. Still, it's a lot less goofy looking than all of his previous appearances. New monster, Monster X, is a unique design. A new monster was welcomed, but who he transformed into was something else. I mean, how could we have a 50th anniversary without......


Even I was surprised when I saw this beast. Boasting an incredible menacing look, "Kaiser Ghidorah" made a satisfying final opponent for the King of Monsters. Not a fan of the four legged part, too similar to Mothra's Death Ghidorah. Still, Kaiser here was truly a great finisher for the film, standing even taller than Godzilla himself.

There are some really epic scenes no other film can surpass. You'll want to watch this with the speakers blasting. After a powerful opening featuring Godzilla, it only gets better. Rodan's attack on NYC is truly a standout moment I'll never forget. Gigan's rise was just cool, and just the monster scenes overall were a step above everything that has come before it. The monsters aren't slow moving at all, they are fast, and the fights are just top-notch. (Mothra's fight with Gigan being the best in the whole film.) Everything, from Manda attacking the Gotengo, to Monster X's transformation were some great scenes.

The soundtrack is (gets ready for a thrown tomato) I think, the best in all of the Godzilla films. It might be lacking the dramatic feel of the oldies, but the music here is just awesome, there's really no other word to describe it. Godzilla's new theme was excellent and greatly used. (They still use the classic one for the intro, which was nice.) The music is just energetic and keeps you entertained. (As it should, cause this film is pretty long, at two hours and five minutes.) We even get to hear a song from the band SUM 41, "We're All to Blame." That thing played during Godzilla's fight with his American counterpart. The fight only lasts about fifteen seconds, but that song makes it the most epic fifteen seconds of your life. (You'll want to really turn up the volume for this.)

The Xilians from Monster Zero get an updated look, even boasting the retro spandex and visors. The leader, (well, the one that takes charge later in the film) is an evil, emotionless villain, but at the same time, really funny. He makes the already great film even more enjoyable. "I knew that tuna-eating monster was useless!" Classic.


In closing, I can see why a lot of fans don't like this movie. It lacks the deepness of the ones before it, and some of the monsters lose too fast. Hedorah, who also makes a surprise appearance, gets finished very quickly. So I understand that. I on the other hand will always greatly enjoy this film. It's everything I've ever wanted in a Godzilla movie, lots of great monster destruction and fights, the humans are actually cool and fun to watch on screen, the music score is top-notch, no corny dubbing, it's just my film. Godzilla: Final Wars may not be the 50th anniversary "hurrah" everyone was looking for, but it's a darn fun film that will remind you why you got into the franchise in the first place.

I give this film a 9.5/10.

[Legion1979]

In closing, I can see why a lot of fans don't like this movie. It lacks the deepness of the ones before it, and some of the monsters lose too fast.

That's not the reason why most people hate it.

[Destroyer]

Well it's two of the reasons. People don't like it cause apparently it doesn't honor G's 50th anniversary, which I disagree with, but that's been said a thousand times already.