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Been re-watching the third generation Godzilla movies

Started by daveblackeye15, March 24, 2014, 06:55:09 PM

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daveblackeye15

Some of these I haven't seen in over ten years come to think of it. Been on a big monster binge this Spring break.

Godzilla 2000: Got the DVD, I remember being lukewarm to it but finding it better than the American Godzilla. After hearing more of the Japanese version it does sound like the American version is better, hell even Toho gave their approval of the film. And I find the dub pretty funny too. As for the film itself it is better than I remember but the fight with Orga could have gone on a bit longer.

Godzilla X Megaguirius: Also one I hadn't seen in over ten years and also better than I remember. I appreciate it a bit more for having story, as well as a rare female Godzilla protagonist. I have always liked the fight with Megagirus, it had bits of humor but not enough to stop the action as well as some interesting combat movies for two monsters. Such as Godzilla grabbing his enemy's stinger with his tail, or using his plates as a blade.

GMK: A favorite of the Godzilla series, seen this several times. Still really awesome and I just love how overpowered Godzilla is here and that there is a since of strategy and planning over monster mashing. Another female protagonists actually now that I think of it.

Godzilla X Megagodzilla: Haven't seen this in a few years and also a bit better than I remembered. Third time with a female protagonist, certainly the Millenium Godzilla movies a little more relaxed with gender standards. I really like this and thought Tsujimori was an interesting and great lead. As well as this history of Toho monsters having a more pick and choose take. I like that this Mechagodzilla is a bit more into melee than second Showa or Heishi versions but wish those lasers and rockets got to do a little more.

Tokyo S.O.S.: Sadly Tsujimori has to leave but I do like that instead of another pilot we have a mechanic as the protagonist. Slightly better than I remember but I still this one is a slight step down from the first new Mechagodzilla. The relationships aren't as focused on sadly, such as the rivalery, and Godzilla is beaten a little too quickly by the larvae's webbing. Mechagodzilla also felt a little sidelined this time but that drill arm was pretty cool, I think I liked the electric sword more.

Final Wars: Hoo boy, this one makes me see-saw a lot. I think I'm a little more accepting of it now. The damn problem is the finale, I could leave with quick monster battles, I could live with a little too much human fighting, the Mutant nearly killing Ebirah is awesome. But damn I feel they wasted a really cool Godzilla design that can allow for more melee fighting, along with Monster X feeling wasted.Cut out maybe ten minutes of the human finale, that's not Gordon's scenes, give a more minutes to Godzilla vs. Monster X and I'd feel loads better. I think I'm just finally accepting the director wanted to do yet another Versus movie and decided to put it at the end instead of Godzilla. I guess a fan edit can fix these problems.
Now it's time to sing the nation anthem IN AMERICA!!!

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messedup

Quote from: daveblackeye15 on March 24, 2014, 06:55:09 PMI think I'm just finally accepting the director wanted to do yet another Versus movie and decided to put it at the end instead of Godzilla. I guess a fan edit can fix these problems.
Little question here...did you mean Versus movie like Godzilla vs? Because the director Ryuhei Kitamura did a movie that was infact called Versus :teddyr:

daveblackeye15

Oh no, meant the movie Versus. Certainly numerous same tropes.
-Pretty boy tough guy.
-Fights bad guy once, gets pounded.
-Gets power up fights bad guy again, still loses but not as badly.
-Gets power up, pounds bad guy.

Can't be an even fight has to be curb stomping pretty much.

I like Final Wars since the Godzilla suit is much lighter and the director was going with some crazy melee like the 70s films.
Now it's time to sing the nation anthem IN AMERICA!!!

Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series (episode 12)

daveblackeye15

Also, I know this was years ago, I remember you (Andrew) disliked one of the two monsters at the end. Either Monster X or Keiser Ghidorah. I can't recall right now, I like both.

I think you also found the Megaguirus battle too funny years ago.
Now it's time to sing the nation anthem IN AMERICA!!!

Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series (episode 12)

Bushma

I've always given Final Wars   :thumbup: just for one minute of the film where the Japanese basically tell us what they think.

http://youtu.be/shPUDmoTe74
This is my awesome signature.  Jealous?

daveblackeye15

Oh don't get me wrong, love that part. Still, I've softened a bit on Zilla due to Toho accepting it, no matter how much they dislike it, and two for American Zilla Jr. being closer to the true Godzilla.
Now it's time to sing the nation anthem IN AMERICA!!!

Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series (episode 12)

WingedSerpent

Godzilla 2000
Really the only "classic" Godzilla film I've seen in theaters.  (Saw the 98 version in theaters, but that's the reboot and as of this posting the new one hasn't come out yet.).  Thought it was a good return to form for the big guy.  Nice combination of suitmation and CGI when needed.  One of my favorite parts was watching the main characters drive with Godzilla in the same shot.  Made me realize in a universe like that, there probably would be "kaiju chasers" the same way some people chase tornadoes.

I agree that Orga got too little screen time to be a memorable antagonist.  What could have worked was simply keeping the alien craft as the solo antagonist.  Maybe refine the design somewhat, but it would have been a unique foe.  Sort of a more power version of the Super-X battles.

Godzilla X Megaguirius 
Not one of my favorites.  I agree with some of what you said, but Megagurius just always felt too much like Battra to me.   

GMK
This one has one of my favorite Godzilla suits in the movie series.  Not only does it show a pretty awesome evil Godzilla but a lot of the shots really remind you just how big the kaiju are supposed to be. Concept art showed that Toho wanted this Godzilla to have a more forward leaning dinosaur like stance, but the suits size prevented that.  Still looks great. 

The Mecha-Godzilla movies. 
I really like the look of the new Mecha-Godzilla.  Feels like a blending of the Showa and Heisei versions with a few more modern updates.  I wish the movie had more of a "debate" with the Mothra aspect.  I remember at one point the fairies tell the engineer that the humans didn't need Mecha-Godzilla to protect them because Mothra would do it.  The guy should have responded that Mothra hadn't really been doing her job at it and that humanity had a right to try to defend itself.   

Godzilla: Final Wars
Kaiju Eye-Candy Galore.  I kind of wish that it was a two-part like the Mecha Godzilla movies were.  It's a shame that so many monsters got some good looking updated suits just to be used for one movie and sometimes just quick scenes.   Return of Gigan, that's cool. 

But I have to disagree on the Godzilla suit.  Its hard to explain, but Godzilla just didn't feel "big enough".  I could see that Godzilla being the size of the orignal King Kong and fighting him or one of Toho's smaller kaiju, but I had trouble seeing standing up to the bigger ones.
At least, that's what Gary Busey told me...

daveblackeye15

I'd say Battra and Megaguirius are different enough. All they have in common are being nasty looking black insect monsters. Like all monsters from the Heishi era Battra relied on mostly beams to fight and was a bit of an anti-villain who had a larvae stage. Megaguirius had a bit more personality despite less screen time and we didn't really see her larvae stages all that much and relied way more on melee. I love that evil smile she gives when she drops a bit of building onto Godzilla and she was pretty fragile too.
Now it's time to sing the nation anthem IN AMERICA!!!

Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series (episode 12)