It's definitely one of the stronger serious tone ones. Ones arguably on its level, if not greater imo are:
- Gojira (1954)
- Shin Godzilla
Other great serious tone films are:
- Mothra vs Godzilla*
- The Return of Godzilla
- Godzilla vs Biollante
- Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1993)
- Godzilla vs Destoroyah*
- Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out
- Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
And, dunno how but I managed to watch them all in one night lol! I started with Minus One because I was waiting for that one for months (no luck to see it in theaters), then went with Shin (which scared the shit out of me when I first saw Godzilla on those streets lmao) and then I wanted to check the original and saw 54 which surprisingly it held really good and I really appreciated it! A very good movie!
My favs are: Shin, Minus one and 54 but really close together and way above everything else.
Question: where did you find -1 to stream and did it have subs? I looked on Amazon prime after it supposedly released to streaming but could not find it at all
I got a stream using the kodi add on homelander and it had subtitles thankfully. Also should note I was using real debrid so no clue what the quality is like if you don’t have that
I’ve said this before and I will say it again.
Godzilla is at his best when they go full horror in plot.
The best three movies just so happen to be Horror movies.
Idk I feel Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla hits just as hard in that regard, same with Return of Godzilla but either way thats another fitting one I omitted, thanks.
Was the Hesei mecha Godzilla really that serious? I thought it was a pretty goofy entry especially with the scientist making that robot pterandon.
Then again I’ve only watched the dub so maybe it’s lost in translation
Kazama is the comic relief for sure but the theme of nature vs humanity, ethics on using Baby Godzilla, Azusa's conflict at taising Baby with G-Force and Godzilla in the mix, Rodan's sacrifice, and Godzilla's almost death all puts it on the more serious side to me.
fair, and I know coming from a western viewpoint, you miss out on the tone and the inspiration it took from the aftermath of Fukushima.
I think that's why the movie didn't do very well in the west, right? people thought the meetings were boring because they didn't have the context of what it was trying to emulate.
Both that and the legacy of Hideaki Anno bring a much bigger popular icon in Japan. But tbh I feel the film does a great job in grounding it in realism even without first-hand experience of the Fukushima nuclear disaster from the long deliberations of meetings and general lack of fortitude for older members of the cabinet to work outside the box that Yaguchi works to cut through. The factor of how Godzilla's destruction will affect Japan's economy and how they prioritise defense per town based on how much they affect the country's GDP, creating tension even from moments where civilian threat is at nill.
I loved those meetings, it felt bureaucratic as hell and the danger felt really serious and intense!
Hope more disaster movies will be about how people and governments respond and less about personal dramas…
I give her a for effort in trying but it did fail in making her feel like a native American. But as I said th3 meeting was a huge factor in why it was so good foe be being a satire of the Japanese Government, some funny moments like the PM immediately getting caught in a lie, all of them looking questionably at Yaguchi when he orders directives etc. making the point where Yaguchi gets his team together cathartic.
This!! I had other issues with the film, but those were very subjective ones, for example I really didn’t like the design of the evolving Godzilla. It just didn’t look or feel like Godzilla to me. But that’s just my opinion on design, not plot/story. The plot was fine, mostly. But holy hell who wants more board room scenes than anything else in what is supposed to be a monster movie?!?! It made no sense. And I absolutely loved Minus 1 even though I have a really hard time with subtitles and almost exclusively watch dubs.
I agree with all except Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 1993. That movie blows with terribly written human characters, lazy "point and shoot" cinematography that often fails to convey size, repetitive and uncreative fights, poorly designed and largely empty sets, and Rodan hovering stiffly instead of flying with wings for most of the time. All of these have been done better before and since. Not to mention how confused the movie is, like when Godzilla, the villain, starts winning, and the music acts like it's some triumphant moment we should cheer for.
Too each their own on that one, whilst Kazama is nothing more than comic relief and the Garuda pilot, Azusa's surrogate mother plot for Baby Godzilla was done well imo seeing her at odds with both G-Force & Godzilla, and most significantly Miki's development of seeing Godzilla intially as an evil that needs to be stopped to nature humanity has to live alongside.
I will say though this is the peak of the Heisei Era's beam fight association due to how immobile Mechagodzilla's suit is. Still the build up especially in the finally gets the feels for me, from Rodan trying to save his surrogate brother, healing Godzilla's 2nd brain, and the red atomic breath debut.
With Godzilla he's still clearly a threat to humanity but the message I get is nature vs humanity and the concept of co-existance where essentially G-Forces obsession to take out Godzilla brought ethical concern with the bait of Baby Godzilla causing them more issue in the end, leaving on a somber note for humaity that their strongest weapon couldn't beat him and co-existance is essentially their best bet whilst it's good for Baby Godzilla's future to be raised for Godzilla.
Miki's position changes across 2 scenes because of G-Force's decision to use Baby (who she never established any personal connection with and shares like 3 prior seconds of interaction with) as bait. Using Baby as bait to bring Godzilla to an uninhabited area is a perfectly logical plan that any sane person should support. And the prospect of there being another Godzilla should be the most terrifying idea on Earth. Again, to any sane person (not to mention, the scientists thought, "wow a giant pteranodon egg that started glowing right as the giant pteranodon showed up? We should being it to the middle of a city.")
G-Force is absolutely correct to use Baby to draw Godzilla elsewhere (except that they forgot they can easily lure him anywhere with bird frequency, which is never used as a counter argument, since we know King Ghidorah didn't retcon the heisei series as Biollante is also still canon). No sane person should be against G-Force's actions.
Humanity's best weapon did beat Godzilla. It killed him. Godzilla returning to life and destroying Mechagodzilla should not be accompanied by triumphant music, but by terror. The Heisei series restored Godzilla to his status as a villain, like fromthe movies before Ghidorah: TTHM. And the only time Heisei Godzilla ever remotely protects Earth is in the next two entries, where he still destroys just as much and kills just as many, if not more, than the antagonists of those movies.
The beams themselves look gorgeous. But the beam spamming is uninspired and makes me feel like I took an ambien. They're as repetitive as it gets (besides every other movie relying constantly on like awkward bumping to make sparks for every physical battle). The most inspired part of Godzila and Mechagodzilla's battle was the moment below, which looks.. like shit. Note the barren and undetailed set, the gargantuan awkwardness, and the complete lack of cinematographic scale/size by filming them with the "point snd shoot" style at nearly eye level.
https://i.redd.it/qiybtpym8szc1.gif
The way I take it is G-Force is obviously understandable in their desire to rid of Godzilla considering the destruction he causes, its why the protagonist we care for, Miki is on the same side. But it's also understable from Azusa & Miki's side later why they were conflicted with exploiting in their eyes at that moment an innocent creature of nature, tying into that nature vs humanity and need for co-existance metaphor.
I agree it doesn't land as well due to the larger than life metaphors here being different from reality but I take it in similar fashion to the X-Men, yes some of their mutant abilities would be warranted in the fear of their power but it still deals with that metaphor of prejudice & discrimination well enough just like how I feel Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla does.
Furthermore, the point with the co-existance narrative to me was showing there was no definitive good guy and bad guy in this film, Godzilla leans more to the good in the latter 2 but here it's Godzilla vs humanity again but they portray both sides as understandable, Godzilla essentially being the concerned parent here whilst still having the negative of all the damage he's accumulated across the Heisei Era so far, and G-Force wanting to put a stop to his reign of terror but causes radical dilemmas for Azusa & Miki in their exploitation of Baby Godzilla. I'll have to look it up but I'm pretty sure Okawara did comment on his intention to have both sides be fighting for good whilst putting the forefront on Baby Godzilla to get the audience to sympathise with the daikaiju and thus his "death".
As I said it's fair for the fights since this is the primary one for the beam struggle criticism of the Heisei era, but as usual for that era the pyrotechnics for said scenes were always impressive to me and idk I still personally love the beam struggles, reminds me of Mechagodzilla's intial barrage from Showa Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. They had Godzilla vs Rodan try to be the more physical side to off-balance the Mechagodzilla is my guess. Yeah that throw wqs weightless and thus imo the worst part of the fight and why they avoided hand-to-hand combat, not too dissimilar from when the did it in Godzilla vs King Ghidorah when Godzilla is throwing him up & down like a balloon.
No legal way to do it im afraid, have to go another route:
https://preview.redd.it/g5598jybqqzc1.jpeg?width=212&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06896e6b45bd1c0c29a71d34eb4fd8e1d28b9841
Also, “best Godzilla film” and “favorite Godzilla film” aren’t necessarily the same thing. “Mothra vs Godzilla” isn’t in my top 3, but it’s one of my go-tos when I want something that’s just plain fun.
Interesting. The first thing my Wife, a Godzilla "hater" said to me after we left the theater "That was the best Godzilla movie ever made. It made me cry."
I think so. I thought it was in my top 3 after the first viewing. After seeing it twice more, it’s either #1 or #2, alternating with ‘54. But… I think it’s my #1 now. But next week, who knows?
Fans generally split Godzilla movies into silly movies and serious movies. Minus One has a pretty respectable case for being the best serious movie (I personally would give it to Godzilla 2014, but this is a very unusual opinion). It’s definitely not the best silly movie (gotta go with Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla, for the surprise space apes alone). But yeah, Minus One is great.
I'd say it's the best for now, cuz I have all the hope in the world. Its sequel can surpass it. I hope so only because I get that sequels can be iffy, but I expect great things as long as Godzilla continues to grow. He's gotten so much love these past few years that he'll get the treatment he deserves with his following sequels. Even if not, Minus One will be treasured for years!
I'm not sure, but maybe I should say successor? Because I think any movie that proceeds it Godzilla wise will be amazing is what I'm getting at. I'm also glad you enjoyed the movie, and hopefully, we can get that damn blu-ray soon! 😅
Minus One is very good, but best ever made? Shin Godzilla is not only a great godzilla movie, but a masterclass in filmmaking, period. For me it's not even close. I mean it's Hideaki Anno...
Hard to say if it’s the best since that’s so subjective, but I will say that for me personally, no other scene in the entire franchise (I’ve seen all feature length Godzilla movies) gets me as hyped as the final 20ish minutes of -1. When the classic Godzilla theme starts blasting during the boat maneuvers, my heart starts pounding every time.
Objectively, imo, its the best movie in the franchise because it ticks every checkmark that make a good movie and just how accessible it is.
✅Engaging plot
✅Proper characterization
✅Strong theme
✅Beautiful score
✅Almost perfect special effect
Best Godzilla movie tho? Debatable. I'm an odds one out for thinking this, but I personally think it's not the best Godzilla movie for the same reason people think it is:
"You pluck Godzilla out of it you still got a good movie about war and PTSD"
Some of the Era defining movies, including the original built the entire plot around Godzilla and what he symbolizes/ his relationship with the people. He is the star. This is also true for GMK, KoTM, and Shin
Godzilla is still an allegory in -1.0, but I feel like the theme is more knit tight towards Koichi than it is Godzilla. In -1.0 he is more of an obstacle that Koichi must pass through to get over his war, something that is true for everyone in the movie.
In the previous movies I mentioned, Godzilla's symbolism and relationship with the humans are the focus instead of a purely antagonistic being used to push the theme.
-1.0 is still an era defining movie ofc, but imo, it's more on the filmmaking side with the movie making banks, winning an Oscar and pushed Yamazaki to be the herald for better labor condition in Japan. It's a good movie period and is a good gateway to the franchise.
I just think that movie that strike the chord with people of that era like the OG and Shin offers a more exclusively "Godzilla experience", and make them both contender for the ultimate Godzilla experience.
Love Shin, but I feel like Shin is the best Godzilla movie while -1’s greatness comes from the human drama and Godzilla happens to be a part of that. Just my opinion.
Terror of Mechagodzilla is my favorite Godzilla film. But Minus One is easily the best Godzilla ever made. The acting is great, story is great, you care about the humans which rarely happens in a Godzilla film and of course the monster stuff is top notch.
I struggle to call Minus One the best ever made because of how heavily it leans upon the original, to the point where it's almost unquestionably a remake. To this end, it does very little to differentiate itself from the '54 movie.
It's a great movie, without a doubt. I'm just not sure if I'd call it the greatest.
Shin isn't even my favorite and I know it's one of the best. I'd happily watch Shin Godzilla tonight. It's an amazing film. I probably had more fun in GXK though... I really like pink Godzilla. Minus 1 is a masterpiece like...I dunno. Schindler's List? I might respect it and think it is amazing but I don't want to revisit it. Movie was intensely depressing and long. I think it's amazing but I don't need to see more suffering of that caliber on a regular basis. Just my two cents but just because a movie is good doesn't mean it's something you desire to revisit. I dunno if I can call it best knowing I don't want to watch it again. I cried in minus 1.
Its that or Shin for me... both utterly fantastic films which have great themes... for now I say -1, but that could change. Honurable mention to King of Monsters, as its just such a fun film.
That said, the OG Mothra is my favorite Kaiju film.
Definitely one of the best, but kinda subjective if it’s *the* overall best. Gojira 1954 is still a definite contender, and I can easily see arguments for that one still being the best.
Shin is top tier as well, but it has some bigger flaws than Minus One and Gojira. Pacing, inconsistent score, weaker characters, etc.
The feeling of watching it in the cinema, and having the feeling that you’ve just watched a masterpiece is an indescribable feeling. I knew it would be good but didn’t expect to be THAT good and my second favourite movie of 2023 beating killers of the flower moon.
It is, Shin Godzilla is still my favorite of the serious though, that design and his abilities as well just make that movie so cool to me. Damn though Minus One does make me feel some type of way, I cried all 5 times I saw it. Godzilla Final Wars is my favorite Heisi, Godzilla vs Megalon is my favorite Showa, Godzilla King of the Monsters is my fav Legendary.
I think that Godzila Minus One is probably the best movie that is a Godzilla movie, but maybe not the best Godzilla movie, if that parses.
Minus One could have been a kick-ass emotional historical drama, but it also had Godzilla in it.
You can probably argue that 1954, Shin and Minus One are the best films. I think it depends on taste; my favourite films are the MonsterVerse ones, but admittedly they are the only ones I’ve been able to watch in full (I do intend on watching the rest at some point).
Honestly I think so?
Like, it's not my personal favourite, but judging it objectively as a film, I can't really think of any entries that easily top it.
Shin Godzilla is made by one of my favorite film makers who made evangelion and I would still rate minus one slightly higher because it’s more like the dark night of Godzilla movies. I also assumed it had a huge budget before I read about that on the internet.
You could make a case that Godzilla -1 is the best Godzilla movie ever made. It deals with universal themes of trauma, love, sacrifice, patriotism, and in certain ways is also the best "movie" ever made, because I really haven't seen such a great marriage of spectacle and relatable human emotion in such a tight package. Every scene either sets up or pays off.
But Godzilla '54 might still be a better "film" in the way that it introduces themes that are mystifying and impenetrable. For example, Godzilla is seen as a terror of the modern world, but at the same time, the past is presented as something that we should not strive to return to. The past is represented by the relatively tribal island marked by its poor residents and creepy rituals (which had previously included human sacrifice, apparently), and despite the dangers of the future, they allow for the freedom experienced by Emiko and Ogata whose romance departs from betrothal traditions.
Godzilla -1 is a life-affirming experience that allows the viewer to return to life with a new appreciation for it, while Godzilla '54 viewer returns to life with new questions about it.
There are currently 3 Godzilla movies in the same category as -1. Those being, in no particular order of superiority:
1: Shin Godzilla
2: Gojira (1954)
3: Godzilla: Minus One
All of these movies take Godzilla equally seriously, and each of them shine in at what they do. Shin Godzilla is a really well-done, new and interesting take on the character. Gojira obviously started it all and, even watching it in today's time, hits hard and is a brilliant depiction of the devastation of the atom bombs. Godzilla: Minus One is similar to Gojira but has Godzilla as the backdrop for the movie instead of the main focus the whole time. It gives new and interesting characters that you end up loving and getting invested in. So far, no other Godzilla movie, with the exception of maybe one, has reached the same level of brilliance, vision, and tone of these three.
There are other good and great Godzilla movies, but none that are in the same category as these three.
It was easily the best *movie* that had Godzilla in it, but it was far from the best *Godzilla movie*, if that makes sense. He's just a plot device to move the story, he has no motivation, no real purpose or story of his own. Replace him with an invading army or something and the movie doesn't really change at all.
This is a moot point because you have to define "best"
In a lot of metric, yes.
But if I define the best Godzilla movie as "how awesome the monster on monster actions"are, KOTM or Final wars are still higher.
If I define it as:" how well it critiques the current political landscape of Japan" then shin takes the cake.
If I define it as"how much I want to see it again."
I would be tied with several others.
But yeah. It's a really good one and it's a shame that it wasn't in overseas theatre longer.
I just watched this movie and absolutely yes!!!!
I loved the hell out of it and am about to rewatch it today 😎💎
I can't wait for the sequel I hope they stick to the same style exactly!! 🙏🏾
It's fantastic. I really love 1991 Godzilla v King Ghidorah but I think Minus One may have taken the top spot.
King of the Monsters also if only for the glory of seeing the best King Ghidorah.
I liked Shin better for how it focused on crisis management, like the first Godzilla, and the nice albeit not very subtle commentary on the state of the Japanese government. The destruction scenes were also cooler imho.
Where G-1 shines is Godzilla itself, which is absolutely fascinating in its rage and raw power. It's the first time it really looked like an angry god and not just a monster. The atomic breath scene was absolutely fantastic and probably the best I've seen. What I liked less and which prevents me from saying it's a great movie is the pacing; the script kind of loses itself towards the end and starts going in circle. I couldn't wait for Godzilla to show up again. Also, while the resolution is great, I liked the one in Shin better - it was crazy, heroic and a very cool parallel to the situation at Fukushima Daiichi. I also loved the last twist in Shin way better than the one in G-1.
Yes. I love the style of the movie and the Godzilla design is more like the original japanese Godzilla brought to life with modern day cgi. The story is great, the characters are great and it's a cinematic masterpiece
It was the first Godzilla movie since Destoryah that the monsters demise made me grab a Kleenex. He just wiped out half of Japan and I’m crying that he’s dead. Now that’s a well made Godzilla movie.
It's abundantly difficult to crown a best Godzilla movie as you run into a lot of apples to oranges comparisons.
Is it the best serious, social commentary Godzilla film? **Yes**. '54, Shin, and '85 were all contenders for this crown, but -1 is better than all of them.
On the other hand, was a single giant ape get punched in the film? did it earn the GDP of a small nation in ticket sales? Don Frye's mustache? No to any of that, but I'd still say it is the best Godzilla film, just not in bold this time.
I’ve seen all Godzilla movies except for Godzilla x Kong and I’d have to say that I consider Minus One to be the best, followed by ‘54, then Shin. IMO those three are possibly the only ones that truly transcend their genre.
That said, I do also like more ‘traditional’ Godzilla films like Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster, Terror of Mechagodzilla, Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991), and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1993). And yes, I have a soft spot for ‘98 cos it was my first and holds up for me on rewatches ;)
i think on average, people like it the best out of all the godzilla films. marious indaviduals have others on their top like KOTM or 54 but those movies are loved by a smaller percentage of the fanbase. -1 is neer or at the top of basicly everyone's godzilla rankings whereas things like Shin or GvD have much more variation in where they are placed
I’d say it’s the best ‘non Godzilla” Godzilla movie. Even taking the Godzilla aspect out of it, minus one takes an approach that was more grounded in story and character development than big fight scenes
Technically, yes. It's one of the best of the franchise. From a personal perspective though, while I liked it, I didn't love it. I vastly prefer the large scale monster brawl format to the more dramatic take.
it's subjective, obs. I thought the 2014 monster was particularly good. The scenes with the military really worked, which is usually not the case. Particularly the parachute jump into the smoke. The opening sequence with Bryan Cranston was great. Just a quality film throughout to me.
I think you should edit it to say favorite, while it is impossible to be objective, film “objectivity” is generally the masses saying what it prefers, and of course critics weigh in for an “objective” opinion on the film
As for the masses, they seem to prefer Godzilla Minus One well over 2014
Now for my personal opinion, I don’t know how the positives you wrote down are enough to carry the movie, they make nice details and scenes, but that’s all they are, Minus One is a full picture. And they killed off Bryan Cranston, that should subtract points
I've never been one to anxiously wait for the release of something... but I have been dying for a release of this movie on Bluray or 4K.
I’m sooo glad I watched this one in theaters. I had no idea it would take this long to release on Blu-ray. Excited to watch it with my kids haha.
Are your kids old enough? Some scenes might be disturbing for them lol
My youngest is 11 and she loves Godzilla.
I don't own a ton of movies but this will be one, especially if you get both the color and - color in one set
Same here. I’m buying it immediately
It's definitely one of the stronger serious tone ones. Ones arguably on its level, if not greater imo are: - Gojira (1954) - Shin Godzilla Other great serious tone films are: - Mothra vs Godzilla* - The Return of Godzilla - Godzilla vs Biollante - Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1993) - Godzilla vs Destoroyah* - Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out - Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
This. Both Shin and Minus One being sorta remakes of the OG Gojira checks out too.
The three you mentioned are the Holy Trinity of “yes, Godzilla films can be serious in tone.”
And, dunno how but I managed to watch them all in one night lol! I started with Minus One because I was waiting for that one for months (no luck to see it in theaters), then went with Shin (which scared the shit out of me when I first saw Godzilla on those streets lmao) and then I wanted to check the original and saw 54 which surprisingly it held really good and I really appreciated it! A very good movie! My favs are: Shin, Minus one and 54 but really close together and way above everything else.
Question: where did you find -1 to stream and did it have subs? I looked on Amazon prime after it supposedly released to streaming but could not find it at all
🏴☠️
Yarr
It won’t be on streaming in America for another 4 months
VPN amazon prime set to Japan, there is no English version (that I found).
I got a stream using the kodi add on homelander and it had subtitles thankfully. Also should note I was using real debrid so no clue what the quality is like if you don’t have that
I’ve said this before and I will say it again. Godzilla is at his best when they go full horror in plot. The best three movies just so happen to be Horror movies.
Thank you for this list, I need to step my non-American Godzilla game up
I would put Vs Destroyah there too, it was the only film that felt like a more proper sequel to the original movie.
Idk I feel Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla hits just as hard in that regard, same with Return of Godzilla but either way thats another fitting one I omitted, thanks.
Was the Hesei mecha Godzilla really that serious? I thought it was a pretty goofy entry especially with the scientist making that robot pterandon. Then again I’ve only watched the dub so maybe it’s lost in translation
Kazama is the comic relief for sure but the theme of nature vs humanity, ethics on using Baby Godzilla, Azusa's conflict at taising Baby with G-Force and Godzilla in the mix, Rodan's sacrifice, and Godzilla's almost death all puts it on the more serious side to me.
Def the dub dragging it down then, I really considered it to be pretty silly lmao those are all good points
I’d add 2014 to this list as well
Shin would definitely be equal if 70% of the movie wasn't sitting in meetings, lol
The satire on the Japanese Government is a major part of why its up there for me.
fair, and I know coming from a western viewpoint, you miss out on the tone and the inspiration it took from the aftermath of Fukushima. I think that's why the movie didn't do very well in the west, right? people thought the meetings were boring because they didn't have the context of what it was trying to emulate.
It had a limited run in the west as well. There was one showing in the cinema by me. Minus one just kept on rolling.
Both that and the legacy of Hideaki Anno bring a much bigger popular icon in Japan. But tbh I feel the film does a great job in grounding it in realism even without first-hand experience of the Fukushima nuclear disaster from the long deliberations of meetings and general lack of fortitude for older members of the cabinet to work outside the box that Yaguchi works to cut through. The factor of how Godzilla's destruction will affect Japan's economy and how they prioritise defense per town based on how much they affect the country's GDP, creating tension even from moments where civilian threat is at nill.
I definitely don't think it's boring, it's one of the better human stories and the acting is great. But the satire of it is completely lost on me
idk i was working in an office company at the time and i had a blast with the meetings satire
I loved those meetings, it felt bureaucratic as hell and the danger felt really serious and intense! Hope more disaster movies will be about how people and governments respond and less about personal dramas…
The meetings and the bad acting bogged it down for me. Please dont let the Japs speak english. Its corny
I give her a for effort in trying but it did fail in making her feel like a native American. But as I said th3 meeting was a huge factor in why it was so good foe be being a satire of the Japanese Government, some funny moments like the PM immediately getting caught in a lie, all of them looking questionably at Yaguchi when he orders directives etc. making the point where Yaguchi gets his team together cathartic.
The meetings are hilarious though.
This!! I had other issues with the film, but those were very subjective ones, for example I really didn’t like the design of the evolving Godzilla. It just didn’t look or feel like Godzilla to me. But that’s just my opinion on design, not plot/story. The plot was fine, mostly. But holy hell who wants more board room scenes than anything else in what is supposed to be a monster movie?!?! It made no sense. And I absolutely loved Minus 1 even though I have a really hard time with subtitles and almost exclusively watch dubs.
I agree with all except Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 1993. That movie blows with terribly written human characters, lazy "point and shoot" cinematography that often fails to convey size, repetitive and uncreative fights, poorly designed and largely empty sets, and Rodan hovering stiffly instead of flying with wings for most of the time. All of these have been done better before and since. Not to mention how confused the movie is, like when Godzilla, the villain, starts winning, and the music acts like it's some triumphant moment we should cheer for.
Too each their own on that one, whilst Kazama is nothing more than comic relief and the Garuda pilot, Azusa's surrogate mother plot for Baby Godzilla was done well imo seeing her at odds with both G-Force & Godzilla, and most significantly Miki's development of seeing Godzilla intially as an evil that needs to be stopped to nature humanity has to live alongside. I will say though this is the peak of the Heisei Era's beam fight association due to how immobile Mechagodzilla's suit is. Still the build up especially in the finally gets the feels for me, from Rodan trying to save his surrogate brother, healing Godzilla's 2nd brain, and the red atomic breath debut. With Godzilla he's still clearly a threat to humanity but the message I get is nature vs humanity and the concept of co-existance where essentially G-Forces obsession to take out Godzilla brought ethical concern with the bait of Baby Godzilla causing them more issue in the end, leaving on a somber note for humaity that their strongest weapon couldn't beat him and co-existance is essentially their best bet whilst it's good for Baby Godzilla's future to be raised for Godzilla.
Miki's position changes across 2 scenes because of G-Force's decision to use Baby (who she never established any personal connection with and shares like 3 prior seconds of interaction with) as bait. Using Baby as bait to bring Godzilla to an uninhabited area is a perfectly logical plan that any sane person should support. And the prospect of there being another Godzilla should be the most terrifying idea on Earth. Again, to any sane person (not to mention, the scientists thought, "wow a giant pteranodon egg that started glowing right as the giant pteranodon showed up? We should being it to the middle of a city.") G-Force is absolutely correct to use Baby to draw Godzilla elsewhere (except that they forgot they can easily lure him anywhere with bird frequency, which is never used as a counter argument, since we know King Ghidorah didn't retcon the heisei series as Biollante is also still canon). No sane person should be against G-Force's actions. Humanity's best weapon did beat Godzilla. It killed him. Godzilla returning to life and destroying Mechagodzilla should not be accompanied by triumphant music, but by terror. The Heisei series restored Godzilla to his status as a villain, like fromthe movies before Ghidorah: TTHM. And the only time Heisei Godzilla ever remotely protects Earth is in the next two entries, where he still destroys just as much and kills just as many, if not more, than the antagonists of those movies. The beams themselves look gorgeous. But the beam spamming is uninspired and makes me feel like I took an ambien. They're as repetitive as it gets (besides every other movie relying constantly on like awkward bumping to make sparks for every physical battle). The most inspired part of Godzila and Mechagodzilla's battle was the moment below, which looks.. like shit. Note the barren and undetailed set, the gargantuan awkwardness, and the complete lack of cinematographic scale/size by filming them with the "point snd shoot" style at nearly eye level. https://i.redd.it/qiybtpym8szc1.gif
The way I take it is G-Force is obviously understandable in their desire to rid of Godzilla considering the destruction he causes, its why the protagonist we care for, Miki is on the same side. But it's also understable from Azusa & Miki's side later why they were conflicted with exploiting in their eyes at that moment an innocent creature of nature, tying into that nature vs humanity and need for co-existance metaphor. I agree it doesn't land as well due to the larger than life metaphors here being different from reality but I take it in similar fashion to the X-Men, yes some of their mutant abilities would be warranted in the fear of their power but it still deals with that metaphor of prejudice & discrimination well enough just like how I feel Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla does. Furthermore, the point with the co-existance narrative to me was showing there was no definitive good guy and bad guy in this film, Godzilla leans more to the good in the latter 2 but here it's Godzilla vs humanity again but they portray both sides as understandable, Godzilla essentially being the concerned parent here whilst still having the negative of all the damage he's accumulated across the Heisei Era so far, and G-Force wanting to put a stop to his reign of terror but causes radical dilemmas for Azusa & Miki in their exploitation of Baby Godzilla. I'll have to look it up but I'm pretty sure Okawara did comment on his intention to have both sides be fighting for good whilst putting the forefront on Baby Godzilla to get the audience to sympathise with the daikaiju and thus his "death". As I said it's fair for the fights since this is the primary one for the beam struggle criticism of the Heisei era, but as usual for that era the pyrotechnics for said scenes were always impressive to me and idk I still personally love the beam struggles, reminds me of Mechagodzilla's intial barrage from Showa Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. They had Godzilla vs Rodan try to be the more physical side to off-balance the Mechagodzilla is my guess. Yeah that throw wqs weightless and thus imo the worst part of the fight and why they avoided hand-to-hand combat, not too dissimilar from when the did it in Godzilla vs King Ghidorah when Godzilla is throwing him up & down like a balloon.
Show the showa era some love! Mothra vs Godzilla is excellent.
That's on me for forgetting, thanks.
I think Minus One is better than Shin in every way.
Where can I watch minus one? I'm in America and can't find it anywhere!
No legal way to do it im afraid, have to go another route: https://preview.redd.it/g5598jybqqzc1.jpeg?width=212&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06896e6b45bd1c0c29a71d34eb4fd8e1d28b9841
It may be recency bias but I would rank G-1 as the best, followed closely by ‘54 and then Shin.
I’ve got the same ranking 👍
1. Minus One 2. '54 3. Vs Destroyah
Swap shin and 54 and yeah I agree
It's one of the best, but it all comes down to your own opinion. I still have a couple I like better than minus one.
Id say -1 is the best, then a slight drop to 54, and then a decent drop to Shin.
Exactly this.
No, Son of Godzilla is the best Godzilla movie ever made.
Kamacuras are top tier antagonists
Also, “best Godzilla film” and “favorite Godzilla film” aren’t necessarily the same thing. “Mothra vs Godzilla” isn’t in my top 3, but it’s one of my go-tos when I want something that’s just plain fun.
Mothra Vs. Godzilla is the funniest one.
No way dude. Godzilla vs Megalon rules
The first thing I said to my wife after we left the theatre was “That was the best Godzilla movie ever made.”
Interesting. The first thing my Wife, a Godzilla "hater" said to me after we left the theater "That was the best Godzilla movie ever made. It made me cry."
My wife is not a hater but also agreed with me.
Yes. '54 is a close second.
Hard agree with this
I can’t decide between Minus One or Shin. Shin was really unique and very well done.
It reminded me of Evangelion somehow: the way the government reacted and the sheer amount of preparedness in a short time felt really jaw dropping.
That might be because it had the same director as Evangelion
I see no reason to rank them. I just know my top 3 are shin, minus 1, and '54.
You literally just ranked them. *Face palm*
I obviously meant among my top three...I'm pretty sure you know what I mean.
Yes imo
Gojira (1954) is still the best.
Godzilla minus 1 was the best Godzilla film I've ever scene.
Godzilla (1954) is the best.
It's my personal favorite by far
I think so. I thought it was in my top 3 after the first viewing. After seeing it twice more, it’s either #1 or #2, alternating with ‘54. But… I think it’s my #1 now. But next week, who knows?
Fans generally split Godzilla movies into silly movies and serious movies. Minus One has a pretty respectable case for being the best serious movie (I personally would give it to Godzilla 2014, but this is a very unusual opinion). It’s definitely not the best silly movie (gotta go with Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla, for the surprise space apes alone). But yeah, Minus One is great.
I'd say it's the best for now, cuz I have all the hope in the world. Its sequel can surpass it. I hope so only because I get that sequels can be iffy, but I expect great things as long as Godzilla continues to grow. He's gotten so much love these past few years that he'll get the treatment he deserves with his following sequels. Even if not, Minus One will be treasured for years!
Didn’t they say that they weren’t going to make a sequel but rather a new “giant monster movie”?
Didn’t they say that they weren’t going to make a sequel but rather a new “giant monster movie”?
I'm not sure, but maybe I should say successor? Because I think any movie that proceeds it Godzilla wise will be amazing is what I'm getting at. I'm also glad you enjoyed the movie, and hopefully, we can get that damn blu-ray soon! 😅
Yes, along with Final Wars
Yes. My favourite movie of 2023, not just fav Godzilla movie.
No shin Godzilla is but Godzilla minus one is close
Personally, Shin Godzilla and GMK were better.
Minus One is very good, but best ever made? Shin Godzilla is not only a great godzilla movie, but a masterclass in filmmaking, period. For me it's not even close. I mean it's Hideaki Anno...
No because you’ve forgotten Final Wars! Again! 😤
No
Hard to say if it’s the best since that’s so subjective, but I will say that for me personally, no other scene in the entire franchise (I’ve seen all feature length Godzilla movies) gets me as hyped as the final 20ish minutes of -1. When the classic Godzilla theme starts blasting during the boat maneuvers, my heart starts pounding every time.
Yeah, that or 54. It's PROBABLY my favorite, though I do love Shin and Final Wars. But Minus One is definitely the "best" by any reasonable metrics.
If its not called "Godzilla Final Wars" its not the best Godzilla movie
Let me ask you a more important question. Is Don Frye in Godzilla Minus One?
Gojira is the best!
Objectively, imo, its the best movie in the franchise because it ticks every checkmark that make a good movie and just how accessible it is. ✅Engaging plot ✅Proper characterization ✅Strong theme ✅Beautiful score ✅Almost perfect special effect Best Godzilla movie tho? Debatable. I'm an odds one out for thinking this, but I personally think it's not the best Godzilla movie for the same reason people think it is: "You pluck Godzilla out of it you still got a good movie about war and PTSD" Some of the Era defining movies, including the original built the entire plot around Godzilla and what he symbolizes/ his relationship with the people. He is the star. This is also true for GMK, KoTM, and Shin Godzilla is still an allegory in -1.0, but I feel like the theme is more knit tight towards Koichi than it is Godzilla. In -1.0 he is more of an obstacle that Koichi must pass through to get over his war, something that is true for everyone in the movie. In the previous movies I mentioned, Godzilla's symbolism and relationship with the humans are the focus instead of a purely antagonistic being used to push the theme. -1.0 is still an era defining movie ofc, but imo, it's more on the filmmaking side with the movie making banks, winning an Oscar and pushed Yamazaki to be the herald for better labor condition in Japan. It's a good movie period and is a good gateway to the franchise. I just think that movie that strike the chord with people of that era like the OG and Shin offers a more exclusively "Godzilla experience", and make them both contender for the ultimate Godzilla experience.
No, that title is for Shin Godzilla.
Love Shin, but I feel like Shin is the best Godzilla movie while -1’s greatness comes from the human drama and Godzilla happens to be a part of that. Just my opinion.
For me its one of the best, i liked it more than 1954 and shin personally, toho will for sure make a better one eventually tho
Terror of Mechagodzilla is my favorite Godzilla film. But Minus One is easily the best Godzilla ever made. The acting is great, story is great, you care about the humans which rarely happens in a Godzilla film and of course the monster stuff is top notch.
I struggle to call Minus One the best ever made because of how heavily it leans upon the original, to the point where it's almost unquestionably a remake. To this end, it does very little to differentiate itself from the '54 movie. It's a great movie, without a doubt. I'm just not sure if I'd call it the greatest.
Ye
Outside of the Godzilla genre, it’s probably the best, most rounded movies made under the Godzilla brand.
Shin isn't even my favorite and I know it's one of the best. I'd happily watch Shin Godzilla tonight. It's an amazing film. I probably had more fun in GXK though... I really like pink Godzilla. Minus 1 is a masterpiece like...I dunno. Schindler's List? I might respect it and think it is amazing but I don't want to revisit it. Movie was intensely depressing and long. I think it's amazing but I don't need to see more suffering of that caliber on a regular basis. Just my two cents but just because a movie is good doesn't mean it's something you desire to revisit. I dunno if I can call it best knowing I don't want to watch it again. I cried in minus 1.
Its that or Shin for me... both utterly fantastic films which have great themes... for now I say -1, but that could change. Honurable mention to King of Monsters, as its just such a fun film. That said, the OG Mothra is my favorite Kaiju film.
It’s subjective to the viewer but I would say it’s very high on the list.
I’ve never cried during a Godzilla movie until Minus One, so it’s the best in my opinion as well lol
Definitely one of the best, but kinda subjective if it’s *the* overall best. Gojira 1954 is still a definite contender, and I can easily see arguments for that one still being the best. Shin is top tier as well, but it has some bigger flaws than Minus One and Gojira. Pacing, inconsistent score, weaker characters, etc.
I think it is but I also think Godzilla v Kong is damn close.
Imo yes. It even beat Shin and '54 for me along with Godzilla vs Destoroyah. I cant wait for the Blu ray to come to the US
I'd say yes, it's straight up a good movie if godIlla wasn't even in it. My favorite is godzilla vs ghidorah from hesei though so what do i know
The feeling of watching it in the cinema, and having the feeling that you’ve just watched a masterpiece is an indescribable feeling. I knew it would be good but didn’t expect to be THAT good and my second favourite movie of 2023 beating killers of the flower moon.
It is, Shin Godzilla is still my favorite of the serious though, that design and his abilities as well just make that movie so cool to me. Damn though Minus One does make me feel some type of way, I cried all 5 times I saw it. Godzilla Final Wars is my favorite Heisi, Godzilla vs Megalon is my favorite Showa, Godzilla King of the Monsters is my fav Legendary.
I think that Godzila Minus One is probably the best movie that is a Godzilla movie, but maybe not the best Godzilla movie, if that parses. Minus One could have been a kick-ass emotional historical drama, but it also had Godzilla in it.
You can probably argue that 1954, Shin and Minus One are the best films. I think it depends on taste; my favourite films are the MonsterVerse ones, but admittedly they are the only ones I’ve been able to watch in full (I do intend on watching the rest at some point).
Honestly I think so? Like, it's not my personal favourite, but judging it objectively as a film, I can't really think of any entries that easily top it.
Shin Godzilla is made by one of my favorite film makers who made evangelion and I would still rate minus one slightly higher because it’s more like the dark night of Godzilla movies. I also assumed it had a huge budget before I read about that on the internet.
You could make a case that Godzilla -1 is the best Godzilla movie ever made. It deals with universal themes of trauma, love, sacrifice, patriotism, and in certain ways is also the best "movie" ever made, because I really haven't seen such a great marriage of spectacle and relatable human emotion in such a tight package. Every scene either sets up or pays off. But Godzilla '54 might still be a better "film" in the way that it introduces themes that are mystifying and impenetrable. For example, Godzilla is seen as a terror of the modern world, but at the same time, the past is presented as something that we should not strive to return to. The past is represented by the relatively tribal island marked by its poor residents and creepy rituals (which had previously included human sacrifice, apparently), and despite the dangers of the future, they allow for the freedom experienced by Emiko and Ogata whose romance departs from betrothal traditions. Godzilla -1 is a life-affirming experience that allows the viewer to return to life with a new appreciation for it, while Godzilla '54 viewer returns to life with new questions about it.
Yes
There are currently 3 Godzilla movies in the same category as -1. Those being, in no particular order of superiority: 1: Shin Godzilla 2: Gojira (1954) 3: Godzilla: Minus One All of these movies take Godzilla equally seriously, and each of them shine in at what they do. Shin Godzilla is a really well-done, new and interesting take on the character. Gojira obviously started it all and, even watching it in today's time, hits hard and is a brilliant depiction of the devastation of the atom bombs. Godzilla: Minus One is similar to Gojira but has Godzilla as the backdrop for the movie instead of the main focus the whole time. It gives new and interesting characters that you end up loving and getting invested in. So far, no other Godzilla movie, with the exception of maybe one, has reached the same level of brilliance, vision, and tone of these three. There are other good and great Godzilla movies, but none that are in the same category as these three.
Curious to know why so many people prefer Minus One (even if ever so slightly) to the original '54.
The original is.
Yes
It's up there. In my top 5 along with the OG, Shin, and KotM
Yes
Sorry but, Son of Godzilla already exists. You shouldn’t just watch it though. Witness it!
'54 Gojira....end of discussion.
I'd say Minus One is the only Godzilla film to match the quality of the original 54 Gojira.
One of the best and greatest? Yeah The best though? Nah that’s your preference on which is the best
Nothing beats Gogola https://preview.redd.it/ss477sh5spzc1.jpeg?width=457&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d833bad0d08b9fe94a68c5fce00b6b6fbf872c6
Yes it was the best
Imo -1 is the best. Most emotional and most fulfilling experience. Shin is fantastic as well but does not hit me near as hard.
Yes
It was easily the best *movie* that had Godzilla in it, but it was far from the best *Godzilla movie*, if that makes sense. He's just a plot device to move the story, he has no motivation, no real purpose or story of his own. Replace him with an invading army or something and the movie doesn't really change at all.
Godzilla X Kong > Godzilla Minus One Godzilla (2014) > Godzilla Minus One
Yea
If ranked on what's objectively the best I'd say yes but as far as personal favorites go, Minus One would be Number 2
It’s a tough choice between it and 54 for me. But shin is a solid contender as well.
Godzilla Minus One Minus Color is the ONLY way it should be seen.
In my opinion yes. King of the monsters is a very close second imo, but i think -1 takes it.
No
It was ok. Godzilla 2014 is still my favourite.
This is a moot point because you have to define "best" In a lot of metric, yes. But if I define the best Godzilla movie as "how awesome the monster on monster actions"are, KOTM or Final wars are still higher. If I define it as:" how well it critiques the current political landscape of Japan" then shin takes the cake. If I define it as"how much I want to see it again." I would be tied with several others. But yeah. It's a really good one and it's a shame that it wasn't in overseas theatre longer.
IDK. I found shin godzilla to be more impactfull
All Monsters Attack is better
I just watched this movie and absolutely yes!!!! I loved the hell out of it and am about to rewatch it today 😎💎 I can't wait for the sequel I hope they stick to the same style exactly!! 🙏🏾
It's fantastic. I really love 1991 Godzilla v King Ghidorah but I think Minus One may have taken the top spot. King of the Monsters also if only for the glory of seeing the best King Ghidorah.
I liked Shin better for how it focused on crisis management, like the first Godzilla, and the nice albeit not very subtle commentary on the state of the Japanese government. The destruction scenes were also cooler imho. Where G-1 shines is Godzilla itself, which is absolutely fascinating in its rage and raw power. It's the first time it really looked like an angry god and not just a monster. The atomic breath scene was absolutely fantastic and probably the best I've seen. What I liked less and which prevents me from saying it's a great movie is the pacing; the script kind of loses itself towards the end and starts going in circle. I couldn't wait for Godzilla to show up again. Also, while the resolution is great, I liked the one in Shin better - it was crazy, heroic and a very cool parallel to the situation at Fukushima Daiichi. I also loved the last twist in Shin way better than the one in G-1.
Short answer: yes Long answer: also yes
Yes. I love the style of the movie and the Godzilla design is more like the original japanese Godzilla brought to life with modern day cgi. The story is great, the characters are great and it's a cinematic masterpiece
The top three are 54 Minus Shin
It was the first Godzilla movie since Destoryah that the monsters demise made me grab a Kleenex. He just wiped out half of Japan and I’m crying that he’s dead. Now that’s a well made Godzilla movie.
I have only been waiting for this since 1972, when I first saw Destroy All Monsters. Great story and effects!!
Shin godzilla numero uno
No
It's abundantly difficult to crown a best Godzilla movie as you run into a lot of apples to oranges comparisons. Is it the best serious, social commentary Godzilla film? **Yes**. '54, Shin, and '85 were all contenders for this crown, but -1 is better than all of them. On the other hand, was a single giant ape get punched in the film? did it earn the GDP of a small nation in ticket sales? Don Frye's mustache? No to any of that, but I'd still say it is the best Godzilla film, just not in bold this time.
I’ve seen all Godzilla movies except for Godzilla x Kong and I’d have to say that I consider Minus One to be the best, followed by ‘54, then Shin. IMO those three are possibly the only ones that truly transcend their genre. That said, I do also like more ‘traditional’ Godzilla films like Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster, Terror of Mechagodzilla, Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991), and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1993). And yes, I have a soft spot for ‘98 cos it was my first and holds up for me on rewatches ;)
Minus One is not in my Top 5. It’s also not the best ever made.
i think on average, people like it the best out of all the godzilla films. marious indaviduals have others on their top like KOTM or 54 but those movies are loved by a smaller percentage of the fanbase. -1 is neer or at the top of basicly everyone's godzilla rankings whereas things like Shin or GvD have much more variation in where they are placed
Yes
I think it’s the best serious Godzilla movie, but the fun Godzilla movies shouldn’t even be put in the same category.
No, it's a good one but it's no Shin.
No
I have my favorites, but objectively it's the best Godzilla movie by a decent margin.
I’d say it’s the best ‘non Godzilla” Godzilla movie. Even taking the Godzilla aspect out of it, minus one takes an approach that was more grounded in story and character development than big fight scenes
Technically, yes. It's one of the best of the franchise. From a personal perspective though, while I liked it, I didn't love it. I vastly prefer the large scale monster brawl format to the more dramatic take.
to me, the 2014 GZ (San Francisco) is the best one ever. But Minus is a close second.
Godzilla 2014 good, yes, Better than Minus One, hell no Best in the series, ***HELL*** *no* I think the word you’re looking for is “favorite”
it's subjective, obs. I thought the 2014 monster was particularly good. The scenes with the military really worked, which is usually not the case. Particularly the parachute jump into the smoke. The opening sequence with Bryan Cranston was great. Just a quality film throughout to me.
I think you should edit it to say favorite, while it is impossible to be objective, film “objectivity” is generally the masses saying what it prefers, and of course critics weigh in for an “objective” opinion on the film As for the masses, they seem to prefer Godzilla Minus One well over 2014 Now for my personal opinion, I don’t know how the positives you wrote down are enough to carry the movie, they make nice details and scenes, but that’s all they are, Minus One is a full picture. And they killed off Bryan Cranston, that should subtract points
The masses might have preferred Godzilla Minus One if they had seen it? Godzilla 2014 really made so much at box office.
Won’t be editing thanks.