Ray Burrberry
MemberMothra LarvaeOct-16-2016 7:43 PMDid anyone see the limited release of Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) outside of Japan and what did you think? I'm curious to hear from other Godzilla fans about their impressions.
I saw it at a theater in New York that was packed for a 4:20 pm show on a late Saturday afternoon. It was so moving to see so many people show up and fill the theater in support of the big G. As soon as the logo for Toho came on the audience began to cheer and applaud. I knew I was in a theater filled with fellow diehard Godzilla fans. A part of me wondered if I should form a Godzilla convention right then and there.
About the film without giving anything away for those who haven't seen it:
It was an outstanding film with great story-telling, good acting, good characters, particularly Yaguchi who was very passionate and a great lead for the film, a nice dose of humor, particularly at the foibles and indecisions of the Japanese government and the multiple cabinets, and great special effects. The score for this film was outstanding and one of the best in the entire franchise.
On the downside, the movie was dominated by too much dialog and not enough Godzilla in action. Godzilla looked great in almost every scene that he was in. I say almost every scene because the character looked somewhat comical and exaggerrated with the huge eyes during the scene when the audience gets their first frontal view of the creature.
In what is probably the most impactful scene in the movie, the one where Godzilla unleashes his destructive ray and destroys everything in site, the actual scene seemed brief. I did like the poignancy of the scene, pushed along with a great score that almost made you feel as if Godzilla regretted having to do what he did by destroying the city. You could make a case that he was acting in self-defense or self-preservation after being attacked and hurt by the U.S. bombers.
It's too early for me to rank this film or it's standing in the series, especially as I've only seen it one time, but I would rank it as one of the best.
I should add that the audience applauded heavily at the end and as I was walking out of the theater heard a lot of positive chatter about the film with at least one person articulating that Godzilla was "downright scary".
This is without a doubt one of the best entries in the series; very well produced, directed, and scored. For critics of Godzilla 2014 and it's poor lighting effects, you can actually see Godzilla in this movie. But as with the 2014 film, I only wish there was more balance between story-telling and action.
G. H. (Gman)
AdminGodzillaOct-16-2016 8:45 PMSaw it for the third time today. It really improves upon multiple viewings.
The movie is truly Yaguchi's story and exactly the kind of thing that appeals to current Japanese audiences right now--A younger, lower level individual rising through the ranks to change a broken system.
The strengths in this movie lie in how truly Japanese the film is--Probably the most Japanese film of the series since GMK. It's nice to see a Godzilla movie be unique again and have blatant text about its themes, ala, Godzilla '54, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, The Return of Godzilla and GMK.
It doesn't always work from a dramatic perspective, especially the weaker last third, but it's easily one of the most thought provoking and interesting Godzilla movies in the last 30 years. I think there's only three movies I'd put on level with it since 1984.
Durp004
MemberBaragonOct-17-2016 5:08 AMSpeaking of G84 this kind of seemed like a better version of that to me. At least the characters in any case.
KingKaijuGojira
MemberTitanosaurusOct-17-2016 10:12 AMI loved it. I loved every part. I loved that there were Showa Era effects. I also noticed 2 Heisei sound effects. The first being when Godzilla's Atomic Ray was at full power (when it was purple) and coming out of his mouth, it sounds like Destoroyah's Oxygen Destroyer Ray. The second being Godzilla's roar from 1984 being used right before he got frozen. I loved that movie and all it's references. I can't wait for the BluRay/DVD
\"SKREEONGK!\" -Godzilla
Huge-Ben
MemberBaragonOct-17-2016 12:02 PMhttp://hugeben.deviantart.com/journal/Shin-Godzilla-Review-Full-Spoilers-639786079
Here's my review.
http://hugeben.deviantart.com/journal/Shin-Godzilla-Bonus-Material-640125470
And my bonus material.
http://hugeben.deviantart.com/ check out my gallery of Godzilla artwork! Follow me on Twitter@thebigbadben90.
I Meme Everything
MemberGiganOct-17-2016 12:13 PMI still must see this masterpiece!
"Part of the journey is the end..."
Darth Shiro
MemberTitanosaurusOct-17-2016 12:25 PMWill have to wait for a Blu-Ray version...:(
Dinosaurs incredible creatures who roamed the Earth 65 million years ago. Never had nature been filled with so much terror and beauty...
Sci-Fi King25
MemberGiganOct-17-2016 12:52 PMI saw it twice in theaters. I agree, it was a very good movie. The night scene where Godzilla unleashes all his power on Tokyo was definitely the best part of the movie.
“Banana oil.”- George Takei, Gigantis: The Fire Monster
Cmckittrick91
MemberMothra LarvaeOct-17-2016 9:42 PMI was iffy the first time I saw it. I did enjoy it but I was pretty let down at some of the bad cg shots especially since those shots could have easily been done with puppets or suits. I wasn't sure how the film was gonna hold up for multiple viewing due to all the dialogue heavy scenes and the fact that I will no longer be surprised by godzillas new powers. I did see it a second time because who knows how long it'll be till we can get a region 1 DVD and in happy to say the movie was even more enjoyable the 2nd time around. The camera angles and scene cutting was great in my opinion and the music at certain points was remarkable and the older tunes struck some nostalgic chords. A great movie in the Godzilla catalogue.
The King of the Monsters
MemberBaragonOct-31-2016 2:19 PMI've seen it three times so far, and somehow my theater is still showing it until at least November 2, so I may go see it again. The first time I went to see it, which was at 7:50 on the night it opened, the theater was actually sold out, and the lobby was packed before the showing with people wearing Godzilla shirts and stuff. There was definitely a strong fan presence I was not expecting, and it made the experience really special. The second time I saw it was at 11:30 am, and the theater was still two-thirds full. The third time I saw it, the theater was only about a third full, but when I left there were lots of people with Godzilla shirts lining up for the next showing. I had heard most places were only showing the movie once a day for the limited run, but my theater has shown it at least five times a day ever since it opened.
As for the movie itself, I very much enjoyed it. I'm not ready to give it a concrete ranking or anything, because I need to wait for the honeymoon period to blow over. I will say that it is important to see it more than once to catch all of the various things going on and the nuances of the film. I'll probably end up placing it somewhere in my top 10 when it is all said and done, maybe even in my top 5. I do think it is exactly what Anno, Higuchi and company set out to make it, and I am not at all surprised at the overwhelmingly positive reception it has garnered in Japan. I think it's the perfect response to Legendary's take on the franchise, a very distinctly Japanese film that is still nonetheless very modern and high-quality that returns Godzilla in a way to his original purpose, a frightening living allegory for some kind of nuclear specter that haunts contemporary Japan. It's what I hoped to see out of Toho's return to the franchise.
Visit Wikizilla.org, the encyclopedia of Godzilla, Gamera, King Kong, Toho monsters and more that anyone can contribute to.
G. H. (Gman)
AdminGodzillaNov-01-2016 6:20 AM^I can largely get behind every word by The King of the Monsters. Well said.
