Suits/Miniatures/: Why I was disappointed in Godzilla 2014

[Mechagigan]

I agree that they didn't have much to show, Kaiju-wise, despite their big budget, but what was there looked damn good. Godzilla and MUTO don't look like CG, and they don't look like props, either; they look like legitimate, real animals. Not to mention the flood scene, which had some great looking water, and the destruction scenes all looked pretty real wth the amount of dust and rubble in the air.

Using suits to cover the small amount of Godzilla stuff would've saved them money, sure, but it would've taken away the spectacle... plus, Godzilla movies are essentially effects movies. If the effects are crap/low quality, it's missing the point

[Ryguy]

Too bad the effects in basically every Godzilla film save for this one were crappy and low-quality...

[Rody]

^By what standard? Can you offer any American films/TV shows from the 50's and 60's (besides Harryhausen's work) that compare favorably to Toho's? The War of the Worlds is the only one I know of (maaaaayyyybe Star Trek.

[Ryguy]

^Up until at least 2004, Toho has been using suits and miniatures, and now their CGI is comparable to that of the U.S. back in the 90s!

Although the effects look decent for Toho standards in the Millenium films, they are by no means that great when compared to American CGI

[Noble Saber]

^Up until at least 2004, Toho has been using suits and miniatures, and now their CGI is comparable to that of the U.S. back in the 90s!

Are you trying to tell me the CGI in the Attack on Titan film is only comparable to CGI in Jurassic Park? Pfft, okay, sure.

Although the effects look decent for Toho standards in the Millenium films, they are by no means that great when compared to American CGI

Right.

You know, maybe the year they were made in plays a role, does it not?

[Rody]

Well, I won't argue that the effects in the 90's Godzilla films were generally mediocre/bad, and the Millennium films' effects were very hit-or-miss. However, the Millennium films were produced under very rushed schedules (as far as I understand), and the 90's films went downhill because, apparently, Koicki Kawakita was burned by poor reception of Godzilla vs Biollante and Gunhed.
That said, I dare say Godzilla vs Biollante's special effects rival those of America's at the time, and still hold up very well today.

...And again, you said ALL Godzilla films, so by what standards are you judging the Showa films?

[PRIMEVAL]

Godzilla was usually pretty on par with everything else in the Showa era; in some cases it was better (look at Gojira, especially).