Best kaiju movies for the wife

[Houndoom]

Recently the wife and I had watched a movie series she enjoyed a lot and I too ended up liking it. It came up in discussion that I'd like to do the same, and whether she ends up liking it or not it would be nice to show her the appeal of these movies for me. So with a 5 movie limit, what are some of the best Kaiju films I should show her. I really can't pin point her taste, but something to keep interested throughout and most likely nothing too campy. Any series, any era.

So far the only ones I've thought of is obviously Gojira. Along with Vs. Biollante and GMK.

[LegendZilla]

Toho needs to make more kaiju that could draw in female audiences.

[MaxRebo320]

Not really sure how this is any different from a "Kaiju movies for new fans" thread, which I'm sure we have here. Unless you're really trying to ask for distinctly "girly" entries...which is a bit problematic.

[Legion1979]

My wife really enjoyed Godzilla Raids Again and Godzilla vs Hedorah. Lol

[eabaker]

I'm not sure what all of my wife's favorite G flicks would be, but Gojira, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla (2014) and Shin Godzilla definitely top the list. Off the top of my head, I also remember her having very good reactions to Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Hedorah and Godzilla vs. Biollante.

[Legion1979]

Funny how often Godzilla vs Hedorah works for people. Everyone I've shown it to has had a positive reaction to it.

[JAGzilla]

I see we're all doing the correct 21st century thing by avoiding mention of the One Girly Kaiju To Rule Them All. But entirely aside from any stereotypical appropriateness, Mothra is Toho's #2 for a reason. Mothra and Mothra vs. Godzilla are two of the genre's all-time greats, and should be some of the first entries you show to any new fan. If those don't do anything for them... well, you can probably rule out any other Showa movie, I guess, aside from maybe outliers like G54 or GvH.

The Gamera Trilogy are really obvious starting points, though they'll make their contemporaries look like jokes by comparison.

Hell, if your wife isn't averse to dumb, shallow, childish fun, I'd argue that there's a good case to be made for Rebirth of Mothra. Maybe not as the first choice, I guess, but if you want to show the genre's diversity... y'know, this one exists. Avoid the sequels, though. Gamera vs. Guiron is on the table for the same reason.

[Houndoom]

My wife really enjoyed Godzilla Raids Again and Godzilla vs Hedorah. Lol

Honestly wouldn't expect anyone to like Raids Again unless they're already invested lol

Funny how often Godzilla vs Hedorah works for people. Everyone I've shown it to has had a positive reaction to it.

I would like to imagine she would enjoy it, but I feel like the Godzilla flight moment might take her out of it lol.

Not really sure how this is any different from a "Kaiju movies for new fans" thread, which I'm sure we have here. Unless you're really trying to ask for distinctly "girly" entries...which is a bit problematic.

I'm still new and to my knowledge there isn't a search feature, I wasn't going to surf through pages to necro a post. And no where did I suggested it had to be girly, simply saying my wife for context of the person I'm trying to introduce this genre too. A lot of assuming going on in your post which in itself is problematic.

Thanks all for the recommendations, I'm probably going to try out
Gojira
Mothra
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
GMK
Vs. Biollante

[kaijukurt]

From personal experience, Final Wars is easy to get into, action-packed, and fast-paced enough for people not too familiar with the franchise.

[Houndoom]

From personal experience, Final Wars is easy to get into, action-packed, and fast-paced enough for people not too familiar with the franchise.

I could see that, if I were too it would be the last/ towards the last movie I’d show her on the list.

[canofhumdingers]

What kind of movies does your wife like?

My wife likes period dramas (especially British), classic film, classic musicals, and (oddly enough) classic American 50’s sci-fi and TNG Star Trek.

So, while she’s not really a Godzilla fan per se, she generally prefers the Showa films from the 50’s and 60’s because they more closely align with the films and genres she prefers. I’m pretty sure she generally finds the 90’s series quite dull and she also doesn’t seem to enjoy the millennium films much.

So I’d say look at the types of films your wife likes and try to pick an assortment of Godzilla movies that feature similar themes, settings, plots, or whatever aspects of film that attract her to the films she is a fan of.

[Houndoom]

What kind of movies does your wife like?

My wife likes period dramas (especially British), classic film, classic musicals, and (oddly enough) classic American 50’s sci-fi and TNG Star Trek.

So, while she’s not really a Godzilla fan per se, she generally prefers the Showa films from the 50’s and 60’s because they more closely align with the films and genres she prefers. I’m pretty sure she generally finds the 90’s series quite dull and she also doesn’t seem to enjoy the millennium films much.

So I’d say look at the types of films your wife likes and try to pick an assortment of Godzilla movies that feature similar themes, settings, plots, or whatever aspects of film that attract her to the films she is a fan of.

We mostly watch horror and she enjoys the occasional drama. Besides something like Gojira I can’t think of much else that would fit.

[darthzilla99]

Define too campy. I know awhile (pre Legendary) back my mom did a Godzilla marathon with me and I can give a perspective on her thoughts (she is a baby boomer for context). Her favorites were (she doesn't like subtitles):
Godzilla king of the Monsters Raymond Burr version
Mothra
Mothra vs Godzilla
Ghidorah the three headed Monster
Monster zero
Sea monster
Son of Godzilla
Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla vs Gigan
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Godzilla 1985
Godzilla vs Biollante
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 2
Godzilla vs Destroyah
Godzilla 2000
GMK
Both Kiryu movies
Gamera Guardian of the universe

Her thoughts were that she was surprised that the Godzilla series typically has very good female leads. She also loves Minya/baby Godzilla and Mothra. She was not fond of Godzilla vs Mothra 92 swearing and laughed at the Indiana Jones tropes (my family are huge Indiana Jones). Utimately, she still enjoyed the movie
because of Mothra. She's a huge King Kong fan but the toho Kong suits are too campy for her though she liked Godzilla acting like Kong protecting Daiyo from the red bamboo and the condor (I told her the making of sea monster). She wished they made a direct sequel to Son of Godzilla because not only was Minya cute, Sayeko was one of her favorite female leads. This is also why she loved the golden age toho Godzilla films. Also helps that my parents are huge Sean Connery 007 fans so she loved Ghidorah the Three headed Monster. She thought DAM had good acting and likes the plot and music.

In general, she enjoyed the Heisei movies and most of the Millennium movies. Megagurius's effects were too campy for her though and she embraced GFW campy action movie tone. She was impressed with the effects and acting for Godzilla vs king Ghidorah, particularly the famous shindo and Godzilla interaction scene. She's always loved time travel plots and cuts alot of slack to time travel movie plot holes in general.

Her least favorites were Hedorah and Raids Again (she understands the Japanese version is much better but she doesn't like reading subtitles. Godzilla being called gigantis was dumb for her, though she liked the feral nature of the kaiju fight).

If you're wife can handle the suit designs, I think Son of Godzilla is a solid choice for first time female viewers.

[eabaker]

From personal experience, Final Wars is easy to get into, action-packed, and fast-paced enough for people not too familiar with the franchise.

These things really depend on knowing your audience. I've shown Final Wars to about half a dozen people, and the reaction is always pretty much, "Why in God's name would anyone inflict crap like this upon the world?" But it obviously has an audience, and even some ardent fans.

[Legion1979]

Not just my wife but I've never had good luck showing the Heisei films to non fans. I tried it in high school, I tried it in college, I tried it in my 30s and I tried it with my wife. They never go over well at all. And good luck attempting to get your significant other to actually watch all 7 of them. For my wife it was torture by the time we got to Mechagodzilla.

[canofhumdingers]

If horror is a genre she favors, I’d suggest perhaps the original Rodan (especially the Japanese cut of she can handle subtitles). The whole first half is practically a horror movie down in the mine shafts.

I’d also say Hedorah and perhaps Biollante have some horror type elements or at least atmosphere.

But I also wouldn’t try to focus solely on one aspect or genre since the series has so much to offer.

[Jomei]

From personal experience, Final Wars is easy to get into, action-packed, and fast-paced enough for people not too familiar with the franchise.

Starting with Final Wars is grounds for divorce.

[Gojira1604]

Jurassic Park (though who hasn't seen that?)
King Kong 2005
Pacific Rim

[SpiderZilla]

I really can't pin point her taste, but something to keep interested throughout and most likely nothing too campy. Any series, any era.

I recommend movies with strong females:

GMK
Gamera GotU
G Against MG
G vs Kong
Colossal

[Jeff-Goldblum2]

The only positive reactions from female friends and family is Godzilla, King of The Monsters 2019 and Godzilla 2000.

I can only guess as to why, but the 2019 film most likely because it was a Hollywood movie and then Godzilla 2000 probably because it hits the expected beats of a Godzilla story from a general viewer point of view, whilst being relatively modern in comparison.

Some female film students in class a few years back reacted well to Gojira 1954, but for general viewership sometimes a black and white movie just isn't going to work.