HOME | DD

Description

Based on the meme template by: www.deviantart.com/nerdsman567

Hail to the King of the Monsters. In honor of Godzilla: King of the Monsters I'm counting down my top 10 favorite Godzilla movies

10. Godzilla 2000:Godzilla 2000 was the first theatrical Toho Godzilla film to come out for years in the states. The film is another reboot of the franchise following Godzilla vs. Destroyah. For this reason, Godzilla 2000 is important to the franchise. However, what makes Godzilla 2000 so interesting is Orga. This bizarre monster is a grotesque alien that assimilates Godzilla's cells into himself in order to transform into a big, hungry boy. The film is a good movie with a great original monster, but when you look at the vastness of Godzilla's history, it's easily overlooked.

9. King Kong vs Godzilla: Yes, it’s cheesy. Yes, the characters are ridiculously over-the-top. And yes, both Godzilla and King Kong look like worn-out rubber chickens. But by god, the battle is so iconic, and the legacies so legendary that It's a sin not to include this movie on the list. It's a classic in part because the final fight is just so even. Both combatants really use their own personal brand of fighting to get one over the other. Godzilla is raw power while Kong uses his brain. There are so many iconic moments from the ultimate title fight. Some people remember the scene where Godzilla and King Kong claw their way through a castle to get to one another, but one of the best, most underrated moments? Kong shoving a whole tree down Godzilla's throat.

8. Godzilla: Planet of Monsters: Released theatrically in Japan in late 2017, and on Netflix in North America in January 2018; Godzilla: Planet of The Monsters is the first of three animated features that takes place in a future 20,000 years from now, as the remaining survivors from Earth return home after failed attempts of interstellar colonization to discover a planet of mysterious creatures, uninhabitable environments, and ancient dormant beasts that put the entire crew at risk of complete loss. Planet of The Monsters is such an original concept for such a consistently wacky franchise, and it works. From the opening prologue showing the destruction of Earth, the desperation to defeat Godzilla, and humanities escape to the final act which is something you have to see to believe.

7. Godzilla vs Destroyah: The last film in the second series did the unthinkable—it killed him off. From the beginning, Godzilla seems to be on the way out: he’s covered in glowing pockets of radiation and a scientist deems that he’s about to overheat and explode. Once again, man’s arrogance is the biggest villain of all, with humans designing a new version of the Oxygen Destroyer (the thing that killed Godzilla in the original 1954 film) that grows out of control and becomes a giant deadly monster.This one drops you right into the middle of the action and keeps it going right up until the end. Destoroyah is one of the coolest enemies of any of the films and this is one of the most fearsome and respectful depictions of Godzilla in the series. There are many well-written callbacks to the original film. This film even brought back Momoko Kochi to reprise her role of Emiko Yamane. There’s plenty of action between the giant beasts and for the humans on the ground. If you’re a true fan of Godzilla, the ending of this film should pull at your heartstrings.

6. The Return of Godzilla: Think of this as “Godzilla Begins.” After a series of increasingly outrageous adventures, the character took nearly ten years off, and when it was revived, it went back to basics for a story of Godzilla versus humanity. It was envisioned as a direct sequel to the 1954 original. The tone is noticeably darker than the last few movies and the pace less frantic, with a greater emphasis on the creature’s politics (there’s a strong anti-nuclear message again) and the human response to the devastation (the cinematography too is lush and modern). While the much ballyhooed rejuvenation of the suit didn’t amount to much, although it was slightly more sophisticated from a technological standpoint (including a 20-foot animatronic head used for close-ups), the Americanized version of the movie is noteworthy for featuring a return appearance from Raymond Bar who actually reprised his role from the poorly dubbed version of the first movie.

5. Godzilla (2014): There are a number of things that make Legendary Pictures remake so special: there is a sense of narrative clarity, a clear emotional through line, and a small cluster of characters you can get behind, and stay behind, for the movie’s running time. The Gareth Edwards (Monsters) directed second attempt at bringing the Japanese icon to domestic screens won most audiences over with it’s relatively accurate depiction of Godzilla, dark undertones, and introduction of two new monsters, the MUTO’s, the 2014 installment was the success that was so desperately missing in the 1998 version. That’s not to say Godzilla is a perfect adaption of what audiences and fans expected; the tonal shifts from subtle to comedy to drama can feel choppy, and the action confusingly cuts at times which made the spectacle feel more like tease rather than tension, and Godzilla does only posses a very limited amount of screen-time, but it still completes a narrative that most, if not all Godzilla movies lack. Lets not forget, Godzilla has very limited screen-time in essentially almost every film he appears in. The 2014 version of Godzilla is a respectful adaptation of cinemas greatest kaiju, and while lacking action and somewhat relatable characters, an incredible opening sequence and riveting 3rd-act is worth the price of admission alone!

4. Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster: ow bad is Ghidorah, the titular three-headed monster that has huge, bat-like wings but, oddly enough, no arms? He’s so bad that it takes Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra, monsters that are usually at each other’s throats (or whatever the monster equivalent of throats is), banding together to defeat him. (Those weird little fairies that look after Mothra claim that it’s the planet’s “one hope.”) This was the first movie to emphasize Godzilla as a potential savior of mankind instead of just a horrible lizard hell-bent on destroying it, even suggesting that the character had (gulp) an emotional complexity beyond breathing fire and knocking things over. Ghidorah would become one of Godzilla’s ultimate foes, and it’s easy to see why. Some die hard fans of the series cite this film as the very best of the early Godzilla movies. It isn’t, but it is damn good.

3. Godzilla: Final Wars: Godzilla Final Wars is insane. It is the most ridiculous, most over-the-top film in the franchise. It's technically Destroy all Monsters on steroids. The film features tons of monsters from across the entire Godzilla continuity. You see tons of obscure monsters, from King Caesar to Headron to even the American remake Godzilla -- Zilla. Gigan returns in a new, insane form with chainsaw claws, and theeir all under alien control. It's just -- this film is wild.The action is ridiculous, stupid, and unabashedly entertaining. The film never gives you a second to breathe. Anyone looking for a coherent plot will be disappointed. But going into this film, you should know this film is insane. It feels like fanfiction written by a seven-year-old in the best possible way.

2. Godzilla: King of The Monsters: The recent movie to be on this list The sequel to the 2014 Remake of Gozilla takes heavy cues from Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. This film was clearly made by a dedicated and passionate Godzilla fan. The sheer amount of Easter eggs and fan service which had me grinning is incredible, (yet knowledgeable Godzilla fans on RT seem to not have noticed any of this) and talk about the likes of fire breathing dragons >

1. Godzilla (1954): There is no topping the original. The original Godzilla is a perfect monster movie. It is a simple story that channels a country's fear of atomic destruction in the form of a giant monster. Every scene of destruction carries with it a weight. In later films, when Godzilla comes rumbling through a city, it's presented as a loving, fun way of showing the monsters have come to town. Here, it's a solemn affair, full of dread and tension. People die, and their deaths are felt. One chilling moment that you would never see in the later films (save for maybe Shin Godzilla) is when you see a mother cradling her children as a building crumbles upon them. It's small, but it adds a sense of gravity to each building Godzilla destroys. Because this film isn't about monsters being cool. It's about true, honest-to-God disaster. It's the only film where Godzilla isn't just a monster; he's a force of nature. Unstoppable. Untamed.

Honorable Mentions

Godzilla vs Hedroiah

Godzilla Morthra and King Ghidroah Giant Monsters All Out Attack

Destroy All Monsters

Terror of Mechagodzilla

Shin Godzilla

The Original: www.deviantart.com/nerdsman567…

Description

Based on the meme template by: www.deviantart.com/nerdsman567

Hail to the King of the Monsters. In honor of Godzilla: King of the Monsters I'm counting down my top 10 favorite Godzilla movies

10. Godzilla 2000:Godzilla 2000 was the first theatrical Toho Godzilla film to come out for years in the states. The film is another reboot of the franchise following Godzilla vs. Destroyah. For this reason, Godzilla 2000 is important to the franchise. However, what makes Godzilla 2000 so interesting is Orga. This bizarre monster is a grotesque alien that assimilates Godzilla's cells into himself in order to transform into a big, hungry boy. The film is a good movie with a great original monster, but when you look at the vastness of Godzilla's history, it's easily overlooked.

9. King Kong vs Godzilla: Yes, it’s cheesy. Yes, the characters are ridiculously over-the-top. And yes, both Godzilla and King Kong look like worn-out rubber chickens. But by god, the battle is so iconic, and the legacies so legendary that It's a sin not to include this movie on the list. It's a classic in part because the final fight is just so even. Both combatants really use their own personal brand of fighting to get one over the other. Godzilla is raw power while Kong uses his brain. There are so many iconic moments from the ultimate title fight. Some people remember the scene where Godzilla and King Kong claw their way through a castle to get to one another, but one of the best, most underrated moments? Kong shoving a whole tree down Godzilla's throat.

8. Godzilla: Planet of Monsters: Released theatrically in Japan in late 2017, and on Netflix in North America in January 2018; Godzilla: Planet of The Monsters is the first of three animated features that takes place in a future 20,000 years from now, as the remaining survivors from Earth return home after failed attempts of interstellar colonization to discover a planet of mysterious creatures, uninhabitable environments, and ancient dormant beasts that put the entire crew at risk of complete loss. Planet of The Monsters is such an original concept for such a consistently wacky franchise, and it works. From the opening prologue showing the destruction of Earth, the desperation to defeat Godzilla, and humanities escape to the final act which is something you have to see to believe.

7. Godzilla vs Destroyah: The last film in the second series did the unthinkable—it killed him off. From the beginning, Godzilla seems to be on the way out: he’s covered in glowing pockets of radiation and a scientist deems that he’s about to overheat and explode. Once again, man’s arrogance is the biggest villain of all, with humans designing a new version of the Oxygen Destroyer (the thing that killed Godzilla in the original 1954 film) that grows out of control and becomes a giant deadly monster.This one drops you right into the middle of the action and keeps it going right up until the end. Destoroyah is one of the coolest enemies of any of the films and this is one of the most fearsome and respectful depictions of Godzilla in the series. There are many well-written callbacks to the original film. This film even brought back Momoko Kochi to reprise her role of Emiko Yamane. There’s plenty of action between the giant beasts and for the humans on the ground. If you’re a true fan of Godzilla, the ending of this film should pull at your heartstrings.

6. The Return of Godzilla: Think of this as “Godzilla Begins.” After a series of increasingly outrageous adventures, the character took nearly ten years off, and when it was revived, it went back to basics for a story of Godzilla versus humanity. It was envisioned as a direct sequel to the 1954 original. The tone is noticeably darker than the last few movies and the pace less frantic, with a greater emphasis on the creature’s politics (there’s a strong anti-nuclear message again) and the human response to the devastation (the cinematography too is lush and modern). While the much ballyhooed rejuvenation of the suit didn’t amount to much, although it was slightly more sophisticated from a technological standpoint (including a 20-foot animatronic head used for close-ups), the Americanized version of the movie is noteworthy for featuring a return appearance from Raymond Bar who actually reprised his role from the poorly dubbed version of the first movie.

5. Godzilla (2014): There are a number of things that make Legendary Pictures remake so special: there is a sense of narrative clarity, a clear emotional through line, and a small cluster of characters you can get behind, and stay behind, for the movie’s running time. The Gareth Edwards (Monsters) directed second attempt at bringing the Japanese icon to domestic screens won most audiences over with it’s relatively accurate depiction of Godzilla, dark undertones, and introduction of two new monsters, the MUTO’s, the 2014 installment was the success that was so desperately missing in the 1998 version. That’s not to say Godzilla is a perfect adaption of what audiences and fans expected; the tonal shifts from subtle to comedy to drama can feel choppy, and the action confusingly cuts at times which made the spectacle feel more like tease rather than tension, and Godzilla does only posses a very limited amount of screen-time, but it still completes a narrative that most, if not all Godzilla movies lack. Lets not forget, Godzilla has very limited screen-time in essentially almost every film he appears in. The 2014 version of Godzilla is a respectful adaptation of cinemas greatest kaiju, and while lacking action and somewhat relatable characters, an incredible opening sequence and riveting 3rd-act is worth the price of admission alone!

4. Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster: ow bad is Ghidorah, the titular three-headed monster that has huge, bat-like wings but, oddly enough, no arms? He’s so bad that it takes Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra, monsters that are usually at each other’s throats (or whatever the monster equivalent of throats is), banding together to defeat him. (Those weird little fairies that look after Mothra claim that it’s the planet’s “one hope.”) This was the first movie to emphasize Godzilla as a potential savior of mankind instead of just a horrible lizard hell-bent on destroying it, even suggesting that the character had (gulp) an emotional complexity beyond breathing fire and knocking things over. Ghidorah would become one of Godzilla’s ultimate foes, and it’s easy to see why. Some die hard fans of the series cite this film as the very best of the early Godzilla movies. It isn’t, but it is damn good.

3. Godzilla: Final Wars: Godzilla Final Wars is insane. It is the most ridiculous, most over-the-top film in the franchise. It's technically Destroy all Monsters on steroids. The film features tons of monsters from across the entire Godzilla continuity. You see tons of obscure monsters, from King Caesar to Headron to even the American remake Godzilla -- Zilla. Gigan returns in a new, insane form with chainsaw claws, and theeir all under alien control. It's just -- this film is wild.The action is ridiculous, stupid, and unabashedly entertaining. The film never gives you a second to breathe. Anyone looking for a coherent plot will be disappointed. But going into this film, you should know this film is insane. It feels like fanfiction written by a seven-year-old in the best possible way.

2. Godzilla: King of The Monsters: The recent movie to be on this list The sequel to the 2014 Remake of Gozilla takes heavy cues from Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. This film was clearly made by a dedicated and passionate Godzilla fan. The sheer amount of Easter eggs and fan service which had me grinning is incredible, (yet knowledgeable Godzilla fans on RT seem to not have noticed any of this) and talk about the likes of fire breathing dragons >

1. Godzilla (1954): There is no topping the original. The original Godzilla is a perfect monster movie. It is a simple story that channels a country's fear of atomic destruction in the form of a giant monster. Every scene of destruction carries with it a weight. In later films, when Godzilla comes rumbling through a city, it's presented as a loving, fun way of showing the monsters have come to town. Here, it's a solemn affair, full of dread and tension. People die, and their deaths are felt. One chilling moment that you would never see in the later films (save for maybe Shin Godzilla) is when you see a mother cradling her children as a building crumbles upon them. It's small, but it adds a sense of gravity to each building Godzilla destroys. Because this film isn't about monsters being cool. It's about true, honest-to-God disaster. It's the only film where Godzilla isn't just a monster; he's a force of nature. Unstoppable. Untamed.

Honorable Mentions

Godzilla vs Hedroiah

Godzilla Morthra and King Ghidroah Giant Monsters All Out Attack

Destroy All Monsters

Terror of Mechagodzilla

Shin Godzilla

The Original: www.deviantart.com/nerdsman567…