Recent Viewing Part IV

His wife was hot though.

I nearly got up out of my chair and cheered when I saw that. How do we eliminate all air travel from the island? Domino effect. One plane toppling over another was superb. But that only lasted 4-5 seconds and then the rest of the film continued.



They aren't important but they eat up 95% of the film's screen time. If you are going to do that make them interesting. They weren't therefore the film sucked!

No, the opening reminded me of a cross between JURASSIC PARK and ALIENS. I dug that part.

Well, I loved it, Tom, but my taste pretty much runs counter to everyone else's here.

But it also depends on your interest in monster movies, of course. If you're not interested in that in the first place, then yeah -- it's better to avoid. If you do, however, I heartily recommend it.

I can tell you Thor that I enjoyed the film "Them" and "King Kong" of course.
Tom

I'm talking about the opening title. The Nuclear testing. Basically the same opening title sequence from the 1998 version.

-Erik-

But wasn't this film made so that audiences would forget about the 1998 version? Instead they reference it QUITE a bit.

-Erik-

Never entered my mind.
If anything I thought it was an excellent reference to several of the latter-day ToHo films.
I really, really liked the 'ant on the ground' approach (which runs contrary to all Godzilla films before) rather than the classic catch-as-catch-can approach with Godzilla and <random monster> basically having a 20 minute wrestling match.

I thought the choice to have Godzilla as a 'protagonist' was inspired, and I loved his portrayal as an utterly irresistible 'force of nature'. In that, it is more like a natural disaster movie.

I *did* get out of my seat when his spines started crackling. I *never* thought they'd dare have him breathe his radioactive fire....but they DID! It was all I could do to keep me whooping out loud!

I thought it was a great, highly entertaining, clever film, with thoughtful and effective pacing, stunning photography, EXCELLENT use of 3D...and I cannot wait for the sequel! (Announced for 2016!)

Godzilla reminded me of the Star Wars prequels. A movie with some great moments but no glue to hold it all together. The pacing was attrocious. I didn't mind the Jaws/Jurassic Park hour long build up to finally reveal Godzilla but one roar and then a cut to something else was a big, BIG mistake.

When Godzilla finally roared his first roar I was ready for battle number one. Instead Gareth Edwards stupidly cuts away and we see highlights of what would have been a spectacular opening fight on a TV in the background. WTF?

Imagine if Spielberg cut away from the T-Rex's first appearance in Jurassic Park. T-Rex tears down the electric fence , walks into frame ready to stir up some shit and then BLAM - a cut to a lame conversation between Hammond and someone else. 10 minute later we cut to a Jeep in the trees and have to wait another HOUR before we see more dino-action.

Edwards teased and teased and teased and teased and teased and teased...

However, the "spines crackling radioactive fire" bit was down right jaw dropping. But again, it's a 5-10 second bit of pure awesomeness in a terribly, utterly dull film dominated by snoozaroo human characters.

-Erik-

Well put, Thor.
Yeah, although I see where Erik is coming from, I am well on board with your point of view.

I'm still wondering about the eye to eye exchange between Godzilla and Cranston's son. What did Godzilla try to tell him? "Oh crap, here I go again, thanks for not killing me"?

I haven't seen the 2014 film so far. But the original film back in 1954 also used news reports as a dramatic device. That might be a reference.

Yeah, see, it's a prehistoric lizard.
I think Godzilla was trying to tell him "Moves. Therefore food. But too small. Plus pain. Ow.".

Actually it wasn't.