I saw Godzilla

[Trekker4747]

At least the movie avoided the idea that when a nuclear power plant "meltsdown" that it explodes or that a nuclear bomb explodes when damaged/breached. That latter not occurring because a nuclear reaction being a very specific set of circumstances and things that must happen in order to take place. "The bomb being dropped/outer casing be breached" not being one of them.

 

[Velocity]

No Horror.



I thought the different take of "the ultimate alpha male preditor" and "restoring natures balance" was a good one.

What does that even mean, "restoring nature's balance"? Nature has a balance?

 

[Christopher]

What does that even mean, "restoring nature's balance"? Nature has a balance?

Well, sure -- the homeostasis of a stable ecosystem. Predators keep prey sufficiently in check that they don't breed out of control, prey eludes predators in enough numbers that the species survives. And other such equilibria, like between herbivores and plants. When the balance is disrupted, you can get a species propagating out of control and endangering the ecology, like rabbits in Australia or kudzu in the American South. And it can swing both ways: The legendary vast herds of buffalo thundering across the American plains and swarms of passenger pigeons darkening the skies were an imbalance resulting from the spread of European diseases wiping out most life on the continent and eliminating most of the predators (including humans) that kept those surviving species in check, and the later near-extinction of the buffalo and total extinction of the passenger pigeons was the result of human settlers propagating unrestrained and hunting those species or disrupting their habitats too heavily to allow their recovery.

Of course, if Godzilla's role were really to preserve that kind of balance, then some of the MUTOs would've had to survive and reproduce -- and there'd have to be enough Godzillas to let that species survive as well. If, on the other hand, we look at Godzilla as some kind of guardian spirit of the Earth charged with keeping it in balance, then he'd probably turn against human civilization, tearing down this environmentally destructive technological civilization we've created. So using "protecting nature's balance" as a justification for protecting the current status quo for humans doesn't quite wash.

 

[Mr Light]

<<What does that even mean, "restoring nature's balance"? Nature has a balance? >>

Godzilla = Anakin, MUTOs = Palpatine

 

[Starbreaker]

Welp, that was nothing special. I was really into it the first 45 minutes, but it quickly lost my interest. Ala. The best scenes were in the trailer. I hate trailers now.

 

[Trekker4747]

Welp, that was nothing special. I was really into it the first 45 minutes, but it quickly lost my interest. Ala. The best scenes were in the trailer. I hate trailers now.

I know there's a touch of hyperbole here but the best scenes were most certainly not in the trailer.

 

[Christopher]

The truth is, there aren't really that many good Godzilla movies out there. Quite a few of them are either really dumb or just mediocre, and even most of the better ones have their cheesy qualities. Of the 28 distinct Toho Godzilla films, I consider only eight to be really good. (Mothra is also one of the greats, but Godzilla isn't in it.) By the standards of Godzilla movies, this one was in the upper half of the bell curve, certainly.

 

[ThunderAeroI]

The truth is, there aren't really that many good Godzilla movies out there. Quite a few of them are either really dumb or just mediocre, and even most of the better ones have their cheesy qualities. Of the 28 distinct Toho Godzilla films, I consider only eight to be really good. (Mothra is also one of the greats, but Godzilla isn't in it.) By the standards of Godzilla movies, this one was in the upper half of the bell curve, certainly.

I like Godzilla, know really nothing about his history. What would you say is the 'best' Godzilla movie? And in that movie is Godzilla a villain or just indifferent...

This website ranks them as this:
http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/...s-ever-godzilla-movie-from-worst-to-best.html

Released Rank Timeline Name
1954 10 Showa Series Gojira (1954, alternatively Godzilla, King of the Monsters)
1955 28 Showa Series Godzilla Raids Again (1955, alternatively Gigantis, the Fire Monster)
1962 17 Showa Series King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
1964 19 Showa Series Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
1964 6 Showa Series Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964, alternatively Godzilla vs. The Thing)
1965 8 Showa Series Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1965, alternatively Invasion of Astro-Monster)
1966 27 Showa Series Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966, alternatively Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster)
1967 26 Showa Series Son of Godzilla (1967)
1968 7 Showa Series Destroy all Monsters (1968)
1969 29 Showa Series Godzilla’s Revenge (1969, alternatively All Monsters Attack)
1971 25 Showa Series Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971, alternatively Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster)
1972 24 Showa Series Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
1973 22 Showa Series Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
1974 4 Showa Series Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
1975 12 Showa Series Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
1985 23 Heisei Series The Return of Godzilla (1985, alternatively Godzilla 1985)
1989 5 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
1991 1 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
1992 18 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992)
1993 14 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2 (1993)
1994 21 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
1995 3 Heisei Series Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
1998 30 Millennium Series Godzilla (1998, American remake)
1999 11 Millennium Series Godzilla 2000 (1999)
2000 20 Millennium Series Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
2001 2 Millennium Series Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
2002 13 Millennium Series Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
2003 16 Millennium Series Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
2004 9 Millennium Series Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
2014 15 New Movie Godzilla (2014)

Based on that information, the new movie is the definitive middle of the pack. Average Ranking per Series is 17.60 for the Showa Series; 12.14 for the Heisei Series; and 14.43 for the Millennium Series. Of the ranked top 10 movies: 3 are Heisei, 5 are Showa, and 2 are from the Millennium Series. From what I recall, the two top Millennium movies are not related.


There are Godzilla movies in there I didn't even knew exist. So which one is the 'best'? Of the ones I have seen I'd say I like the 2014 version better; however, Mothra may vote higher just because it is the first one I'd even seen - nostalgia being what it is and all.

 

[Mr Light]

Godzilla 2000 came out in 1999?

 

[Christopher]

I like Godzilla, know really nothing about his history. What would you say is the 'best' Godzilla movie? And in that movie is Godzilla a villain or just indifferent...

The 1954 original is the best, hands down. The effects are the crudest, but in every other respect it's the smartest, most sophisticated, most powerful and thought-provoking film in the series. And Godzilla is more a force of nature in it than a character, an allegory for weapons of mass destruction.

My list of the best films can be found in my series overview at my blog. It differs considerably from the list you posted. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah the best one ever? That's insane. It features the most idiotic time-travel logic in the history of cinema, and it disturbingly glorifies WWII-era Japanese imperialism. (Ironically, their number-2 film, GMK, takes precisely the opposite ideological position.) And they rank Final Wars above the original?????? Empty sound and fury and stupidity over one of the most allegorically powerful and dramatically intense horror movies ever made? That is even more insane. Only four of their top ten are on my top ten list. Clearly they and I are looking for very different things.

Average Ranking per Series is 17.60 for the Showa Series; 12.14 for the Heisei Series; and 14.43 for the Millennium Series.

I'd agree that Heisei ranks highest overall, though I differ with them on which movies are its strongest.

From what I recall, the two top Millennium movies are not related.

The only two Millennium-series movies that are in the same reality as each other are the two Mechagodzilla movies, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and Tokyo S.O.S. The other four were standalones.

Godzilla 2000 came out in 1999?

Yup, and there's even a computer screen in the movie showing 1999 dates, so it's evidently set in 1999 as well. The title was presumably to tie into the millennial hype that was prominent at the time.

 

[Kelthaz]

Welp, that was nothing special. I was really into it the first 45 minutes, but it quickly lost my interest. Ala. The best scenes were in the trailer. I hate trailers now.

I know there's a touch of hyperbole here but the best scenes were most certainly not in the trailer.

Yes the best scenes certainly were in the trailer, but I suppose if depends on if you prefer monster action over character drama.

 

[sojourner]

You must have walked out before the big fight at the end then.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

Cool monster fights and good acting from Cranston in the early part of the movie. Everything else is shit. Like really smelly shit. Bad writing, plot, acting. Terrible move shifting focus away from Cranston towards his son.

 

[Aldo]

Welp, that was nothing special. I was really into it the first 45 minutes, but it quickly lost my interest. Ala. The best scenes were in the trailer. I hate trailers now.

I know there's a touch of hyperbole here but the best scenes were most certainly not in the trailer.

Yes the best scenes certainly were in the trailer, but I suppose if depends on if you prefer monster action over character drama.

You went to a movie about giant monsters looking for character drama?

 

[Trekker4747]

You must have walked out before the big fight at the end then.

Obviously. Since the best scene in the movie for me was 'Zilla using his breath weapon down the throat of the MUTO, ripping it's head off and then collapsing in exhaustion.

 

[Kelthaz]

You must have walked out before the big fight at the end then.

God I wanted to. The one negative thing about going to a movie with other people.

You went to a movie about giant monsters looking for character drama?

Uh, yeah, of course I did. The best monster movies are always about the characters first and foremost. Even the silly over-the-top Pacific Rim knew that.

Obviously. Since the best scene in the movie for me was 'Zilla using his breath weapon down the throat of the MUTO, ripping it's head off and then collapsing in exhaustion.

Yes, that was awesome. A unique and inventive use of the atomic blast.

Of course, the best scenes were easily the ones with Cranston.

 

[Aldo]

Let me rephrase: You went to a Godzilla movie expecting character drama?

That's like going to watch Transformers expecting Oscar caliber performances.

 

[Relayer1]

You must have walked out before the big fight at the end then.

Obviously. Since the best scene in the movie for me was 'Zilla using his breath weapon down the throat of the MUTO, ripping it's head off and then collapsing in exhaustion.

Missed an opportunity for an 'Alas poor Yorick, I knew him Horatio' moment there...

I saw it today having only ever seen one other Godzilla movie before - the Broderick one. I really liked this one, probably more so than the Broderick film (which I enjoyed too). It hung together pretty well considering you really have to suspend a LOT of disbelief with this type of film. I as a bit surprised they killed a main cast member mid film and couldn't see why Ken Watanabe's character trusted the big guy so much, but they're minor gripes. The film was more than just an excuse for a fight and is certainly superior to Pacific Rim (if less fun).

Although the originals always seemed rather crappy and stupid to me, I've been assured they aren't all bad, so I've ordered a boxed set if some of them. I'll let you know what I think...

 

[Kelthaz]

Let me rephrase: You went to a Godzilla movie expecting character drama?

That's like going to watch Transformers expecting Oscar caliber performances.

1. The director's previous giant monster movie, Monsters, was, from what I've heard, a strong character piece.
2. Bryan Cranston, a brilliant character actor, was cast as the "main" character.
3. The trailers for the film de-emphasized the monsters and focused strongly on Cranston's character.
4. The first 20-30 minutes of the film was good character drama.
5. The director cited Jaws, a monster movie with a strong focus on character drama, as an inspiration for this film.

Yes, I went to see Godzilla expecting character drama. That's exactly what was advertised on the package.

 

[Christopher]

Let me rephrase: You went to a Godzilla movie expecting character drama?

That's like going to watch Transformers expecting Oscar caliber performances.

The 1954 original had terrific character drama. It's the exception to the rule, but it goes to show that there's no one thing that can be assumed to be true of all Godzilla movies. Godzilla is like Batman, a character that's been reinvented in many different ways over the generations, as everything from goofy camp to intense drama. And this film seemed to be using the '54 film as its template, judging from the advance reports. So we had plenty of reason to expect that this would be a serious, strong dramatic take on the concept.