SHIN GODZILLA - Toho Studios To Return to Godzilla in 2016!

[JAWS]

I am still thinking about this movie in a good way.

My last post will probably screw that up for you

 

[JAWS]

Just got back from a matinee showing with my friends. All I can say is...

Anno Hideaki you crazy, beautiful son of a *****! Thank you sir for making an absolute ballsy Gojira film that is nothing short of a masterpiece in kaiju eiga/cinema.

Man, oh man. Sheer ****ing heart attack, amaze o balls awesome! Anno, Shinji Higuchi and Takayuki Takeya put together something that just roars and destroys like crazy. The pacing is perfect. The film started and before we knew it, the credits were rolling with I***ube's music and we were all ready to watch it again cause we loved it that much. And there were no other showings in town today, and not until Tuesday we found out! We would have purchased tickets and walked right back into see it again! That's how much we loved it. And I suspect so did most of our audience as there was a big round of applause at the end in a theatre that was way over half full.

The two hours never dragged from the opening scene forward. It was cinema veritas in its purest form on display. Anno put you in the moment, right there as Japan took this threat on. Hell, it felt like a found footage/faux documentary as the Japanese government met and met and were virtually impotent all the while kaiju chaos was happening on the streets. This killer satire, all directed in so many directions--the Japanese government, the US, nuclear proliferation, the stupidity of humanity and the tragedy and travesty from the 3/11 tsunami and earthquake and subsequent meltdown of ***ushima Daiichi. When one character made the remark that she didn't know what was worse, Godzilla or mankind I knew that Anno had done his job. This is the REAL successor to Ishiro Honda's Gojira here and I personally think that It is one helluva exciting, disturbing and eye opening successor at that. And Godzilla's multiple forms as he evolves is extraordinary with the final form a ****ing revelation as it moves on screen wrecking everything in its path. And those atomic breath/spine laser/tail laser destruction sequences made me lose my ****ing mind! GOD GODZILLA INDEED!

This film rocked my world. This film made me proud to be a Godzilla fan. This film made me go SKREEONK!!!!

Great review... I don't agree with a lot of it but well done.

 

[jye4ever]

My last post will probably screw that up for you

Well, honestly your review is pretty spot on, after he went to sleep it did slow the momentum quite a bit.

But with the ending being somewhat thrilling for me (i'll acknowledge that it could've been a tad bit more thrilling though lol) and my fascination with the Japanese political culture I am left with positive feelings post viewing.

I just feel that it was a new and unique Godzilla movie.

Christ just thinking of Final Wars makes me love Shin even more lol.

 

[jrice73]

Well, honestly your review is pretty spot on, after he went to sleep it did slow the momentum quite a bit.

But with the ending being somewhat thrilling for me (i'll acknowledge that it could've been a tad bit more thrilling though lol) and my fascination with the Japanese political culture I am left with positive feelings post viewing.

I just feel that it was a new and unique Godzilla movie.

Christ just thinking of Final Wars makes me love Shin even more lol.

You and me both jye. This film ain't your standard Big G film. It goes places most if not all never did and puts a contemporary, "this **** is happening right now" spin on things. Hell, there's a cynicism to it that I find to be biting and in your face that I just love, just like the original Gojira. I watched the events of 03/11 unfold in front of me on the tv as soon as it started once I heard of the earthquake and the first tsunami hitting. I was up late getting ready for bed and BOOM! All hell broke loose. Friends of my family were caught up in it. Some of them ran for their lives from the waves. They all had to run from the damn meltdown. And watching those pricks in the Japanese government and at TEPCO in their damn track suits unable to do a goddamn thing just made me lose my mind. I'm getting emotional just typing about it. I was stunned watching that same ineptitude unfold on screen today. My reaction is totally visceral here and I think that's why I love this film so much. Hell, My best friend's training partner, a firefighter he knew from his days of training in a dojo outside of Tokyo, just ended up disappearing after the **** hit the fan after 03/11. His family said he just lost it after what he saw go down. That still weight on me.

No. This film ain't for everybody. And a lot of people just won't get the subtext. Could Godzilla been in it more? Sure. But I think his time was well served here as a reminder that our hubris is the one thing that will always make us worse than any kaiju or natural disaster.

I am saying it right now. This is probably my second favorite film of the year right now next to The Witch. Black Phillip vs. Shin Gojira!!!

 

[jye4ever]

I never put one and one together, their big disaster was also on the 11th just like our 9/11...sheesh that just gave me shivers.

Sure one is a natural disaster while the other was man made...but still.

Yikes.

 

[jrice73]

I never put one and one together, their big disaster was also on the 11th just like our 9/11...sheesh that just gave me shivers.

Sure one is a natural disaster while the other was man made...but still.

Yikes.

I know. Its chilling beyond words.

Listening to I***ube's "Battle in Outer Space" theme (SDF military march) used during the Operation Yashiori sequence. That sequence is so well done its criminal. Anno loves trains. And so does Godzilla. But in this film, the trains got their revenge!!! They only had to wait 62 years to get it though.

 

[jye4ever]

I absolutely loved the train assault.

I was really expecting some crappy cgi so I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be above average.

Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't there a line in the movie where a government official said that the areas of Japan that created the most wealth would be getting SDF protection first.

 

[Khev]

Is Shin Godzilla subtitled or dubbed in the US theaters?

 

[jye4ever]

Subtitled.

This is one movie my wife would not be able to sit thru.

 

[Khev]

Shoot. My 6 year old loves all things Godzilla but I guess he won't be catching this one at the theater then.

 

[Mr. Green]

There is English translation on the bottom and sometimes there is Japanese words/symbols on the top. That is why it's a little annoying. It definitely take away from the view to some degree.

Might be better to wait for the DVD or Blu-ray to come out, hopefully translated. But you might loose the culture or feeling of a Japanese movie.

 

[jrice73]

I absolutely loved the train assault.

I was really expecting some crappy cgi so I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be above average.

Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't there a line in the movie where a government official said that the areas of Japan that created the most wealth would be getting SDF protection first.

Sure was.

 

[Centurion]

Shoot. My 6 year old loves all things Godzilla but I guess he won't be catching this one at the theater then.

I don't think a 6-year old from any country will enjoy this honestly. There's probably 15 minutes tops of material that they will like. The rest is about trying to identify the threat, then how to go about stopping it, with a good dose of cultural and political debate in between. This movie was more about morality and humanity.

Now that the foundation has been established, I'd like to see Toho bring back the old formula. I want to see the military being set in motion, tanks rolling into position, jets flying above, rockets being fired, missles launching, explosions here, burning over there. I mean, how cool was that train attack scene?!

Substitute all that time used discussing politics/ethics with Godzilla fighting another monster or fending off an alien invasion, etc.

At least the scenes where Godzilla was wreaking havoc on the city and the military were fun to watch. You see, there's that word... 'fun'. Nothing fun about politics.

 

[jye4ever]

Honestly the humans in this were the most realistic of any TOHO G movie.

This time the problem wasn't the humans it was that it needed more Godzilla destruction to balance out the movie.

I was actually intrigued by their modus operandi.

This is not a kids Godzilla movie though lol.

 

[JAWS]

Well, honestly your review is pretty spot on, after he went to sleep it did slow the momentum quite a bit.

But with the ending being somewhat thrilling for me (i'll acknowledge that it could've been a tad bit more thrilling though lol) and my fascination with the Japanese political culture I am left with positive feelings post viewing.

I just feel that it was a new and unique Godzilla movie.

Christ just thinking of Final Wars makes me love Shin even more lol.

I liked the ending also... I just laughed when it was revealed that it was not really an answer to the problem... Looks like the US is going to Nuke Godzilla anyways...

As for Final Wars... This could have been two hours of watching a floating turd and it would have been better then Final Wars.

You and me both jye. This film ain't your standard Big G film. It goes places most if not all never did and puts a contemporary, "this **** is happening right now" spin on things. Hell, there's a cynicism to it that I find to be biting and in your face that I just love, just like the original Gojira. I watched the events of 03/11 unfold in front of me on the tv as soon as it started once I heard of the earthquake and the first tsunami hitting. I was up late getting ready for bed and BOOM! All hell broke loose. Friends of my family were caught up in it. Some of them ran for their lives from the waves. They all had to run from the damn meltdown. And watching those pricks in the Japanese government and at TEPCO in their damn track suits unable to do a goddamn thing just made me lose my mind. I'm getting emotional just typing about it. I was stunned watching that same ineptitude unfold on screen today. My reaction is totally visceral here and I think that's why I love this film so much. Hell, My best friend's training partner, a firefighter he knew from his days of training in a dojo outside of Tokyo, just ended up disappearing after the **** hit the fan after 03/11. His family said he just lost it after what he saw go down. That still weight on me.

No. This film ain't for everybody. And a lot of people just won't get the subtext. Could Godzilla been in it more? Sure. But I think his time was well served here as a reminder that our hubris is the one thing that will always make us worse than any kaiju or natural disaster.

I am saying it right now. This is probably my second favorite film of the year right now next to The Witch. Black Phillip vs. Shin Gojira!!!

I loved the political parts in the first 40 min... When they would cut back and forth between the Japanese govt and Godzilla... It was everything you said it was... But man that second hour was really just filler... It could have been edited down to 20 min and it would have given us the same answers and been just as realistic...

The film lacked the feel of devastation that the original had. It showed a little bit but after the initial attack (which was freaking great) It never got that feeling back of crap hitting the fan. True.. Perhaps that was not the point of the film but it's what kept it from being a GREAT movie for me. Again had the final shown that that the freezing of G was not going to work in the long run but the humans did not know it... I would have been cool with that... But they put this plan together that basically was the same as Godzilla going to sleep to cool himself down and they knew it. Thus the film made me feel like it just gave me the middle finger for the previous hour boring characters and dialogue.

But it was a different Godzilla movie.. That is for sure. There is more to it to identify then just a new Godzilla suit.

Honestly the humans in this were the most realistic of any TOHO G movie.

This time the problem wasn't the humans it was that it needed more Godzilla destruction to balance out the movie.

I was actually intrigued by their modus operandi.

This is not a kids Godzilla movie though lol.

My 10 and 7 year old both liked it. But I have brought them up proper.

 

[jye4ever]

I liked the ending also... I just laughed when it was revealed that it was not really an answer to the problem... Looks like the US is going to Nuke Godzilla anyways...

As for Final Wars... This could have been two hours of watching a floating turd and it would have been better then Final Wars.



I loved the political parts in the first 40 min... When they would cut back and forth between the Japanese govt and Godzilla... It was everything you said it was... But man that second hour was really just filler... It could have been edited down to 20 min and it would have given us the same answers and been just as realistic...

The film lacked the feel of devastation that the original had. It showed a little bit but after the initial attack (which was freaking great) It never got that feeling back of crap hitting the fan. True.. Perhaps that was not the point of the film but it's what kept it from being a GREAT movie for me. Again had the final shown that that the freezing of G was not going to work in the long run but the humans did not know it... I would have been cool with that... But they put this plan together that basically was the same as Godzilla going to sleep to cool himself down and they knew it. Thus the film made me feel like it just gave me the middle finger for the previous hour boring characters and dialogue.

But it was a different Godzilla movie.. That is for sure. There is more to it to identify then just a new Godzilla suit.




My 10 and 7 year old both liked it. But I have brought them up proper.

Great point about it being more than just about discussing a new suit.

When was the last time a TOHO G movie had that effect?

I have to agree that the last hour worth of scientific discussion did spin its wheels in the mud for far too long, it could've been condensed with no detriment to the outcome.

That or give us more destruction!

I'm actually looking forward to repeat home viewings now the more i think about it.

 

[MaulFan]

I really liked the show with the drone trying to get video of Godzilla, that was a cool effect.

 

[jye4ever]

Yeah this movie did so much right that i'm able to forgive the borderline boring post sleep discussions.

I'm ok with them going back to their more traditional narratives but their attempt at a less traditional form of story telling worked at elevating the drama above their historically cheesy story delivery.

The metaphors were just better handled.

 

[MaulFan]

The Millennium films at times almost felt like they were shoving their messages down our throats and delivering them with poor dialogue that made the human scenes painful to watch.

This movie may have given too much screen time to the message, but the delivery was engaging.

 

[jye4ever]

Nail on head.