-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
LTTP:Shin Godzilla, finally.
- Thread starter Audette
- Start date
More_Badass
Member
This is why people have specific ideas and expectations about Shin Godzilla, and aren't comparing it to every other movie or portrayals of Godzilla. They're comparing it to the style and tone of the original, which this is literally a modernized remake, swapping out Japan's response to the bombings and post WW2 fears with Japan's response to the tsunami, earthquake, and reactor meltdownI just rewatched Gojira (1954) for the first time in many years and I'll be damned if he doesn't have googly eyes. Shin's G is very much modeled after the original. The way he moves, the pulpy face and teeth, etc.
There are scenes where it's a hand puppet and I feel like Shin emulates those movements, too.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Watching in black and white now and it's pretty effective in reproducing the vintage look.
Threw brightness in the middle range and contrast at the high end.
Threw brightness in the middle range and contrast at the high end.
BuckRobotron
Member
It is very well done as a serious-minded Godzilla, the creature as a slowly ambulating, near immortal disaster. With the characters dealing with bureaucracy and the aggravation of multiple players (inside and outside) having different responses and interests to the disaster. I also find this iteration of Godzilla to be fascinating in terms of the look and responsive evolution.
All that said, I vastly prefer Godzilla 2014 myself, at the 50 minute mark rewatching that again instead of Shin. The impressive and expensively animated Godzilla and otherworldly MUTOs, the you-are-there moments and incredible sounds as you follow the soldiers (a tremendous theater experience). The scale and ferocity of the fight between G and the Mutos, etc. I revisit G14 quite often.
They are very different however, and have a nice contrasting coexistence as Godzilla films. Shin the solo monstrosity reflecting Japan's latest national qualms; 2014 the somewhat helpful, high collateral damage brawler more about facing off against impressive enemies (who have been vividly wreaking havoc throughout the world).
All that said, I vastly prefer Godzilla 2014 myself, at the 50 minute mark rewatching that again instead of Shin. The impressive and expensively animated Godzilla and otherworldly MUTOs, the you-are-there moments and incredible sounds as you follow the soldiers (a tremendous theater experience). The scale and ferocity of the fight between G and the Mutos, etc. I revisit G14 quite often.
They are very different however, and have a nice contrasting coexistence as Godzilla films. Shin the solo monstrosity reflecting Japan's latest national qualms; 2014 the somewhat helpful, high collateral damage brawler more about facing off against impressive enemies (who have been vividly wreaking havoc throughout the world).
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Pictures of my tv screen from just now:
This is now my go-to way to watch this film.
This is now my go-to way to watch this film.
Well said. I highly enjoy them both even if I do have a preference for Shin. But when marketing ramps up for the next American G, I'll be right there with plenty of rewatches of '14 to assist my hype.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Just watched the movie and read the whole thread some minutes ago.
Really loved it, as everyone pointed out, the atomic breath scene was utterly terrifying, reminded me to the first time i saw the independence day scene were the aliens attack the skyscraper and everybody is fucking oblibierated. That sign of desesperation and unstopable destruction that freezes my blood.
I even liked the background story parraleling fukushima and the bureaucocy with characters taking har decissions. I have to say that actually the spanish dub may have helped me caring about the characters because the voice acting on this was too notch (lots of famous voices that gave the characters lot of personality and unprecedented stuff like having 3 different voice acting schools for the same movie, that being madrid, barcelona and valencia helping voice acting such a huge amount of characters to make them all feel distinct, this is not usually done because is expensive as hell). Watched some segments after in japanese with subs and it was not the same thing, i actually was sad when
because so many amazing voices dissapeared from the movie hahahaha
Its true though that the ending was a little antoclimatic from gozilla's side. Bit of how the movie wanted to end it was impossible to make it any other way.
But yes, fantastic movie.
And I say this as someone who enjoyed the take that Gareth Edwards had with Godzilla in that one. The problem of 2014 is that the characters are bland as hell (it could have been magnificent if he had actually kept alive you know who) but the problem is, and rogue one cemented this, he has really big problems directing characters that you feel emotions for.
Even then while I enjoyed shin's take on godzilla as a terrifying force of nature, I also liked the more personality defender of earth edwards gave to bear godzilla, in fact when that happened i was suprised that an american version tried to go that way and i hope is used even better when he fights real famous monsters in the future instead of Mutos.
Im happy both godzilla's can coexist now in cinema, amd i hope the best for both in the future.
Adding at the end that the music of G2014 fucking sucks, because i would have gone the way of getting giachinno and just doing what shin's ost was doing (or his cloverfield credits). Its clear Desplat doesnt enjoy making disaster big action movies, so dont hire him for that, he is a great composer, but not on this.
Really loved it, as everyone pointed out, the atomic breath scene was utterly terrifying, reminded me to the first time i saw the independence day scene were the aliens attack the skyscraper and everybody is fucking oblibierated. That sign of desesperation and unstopable destruction that freezes my blood.
I even liked the background story parraleling fukushima and the bureaucocy with characters taking har decissions. I have to say that actually the spanish dub may have helped me caring about the characters because the voice acting on this was too notch (lots of famous voices that gave the characters lot of personality and unprecedented stuff like having 3 different voice acting schools for the same movie, that being madrid, barcelona and valencia helping voice acting such a huge amount of characters to make them all feel distinct, this is not usually done because is expensive as hell). Watched some segments after in japanese with subs and it was not the same thing, i actually was sad when
the prime minister and its entire gabinet were oblibiarated
Its true though that the ending was a little antoclimatic from gozilla's side. Bit of how the movie wanted to end it was impossible to make it any other way.
But yes, fantastic movie.
And I say this as someone who enjoyed the take that Gareth Edwards had with Godzilla in that one. The problem of 2014 is that the characters are bland as hell (it could have been magnificent if he had actually kept alive you know who) but the problem is, and rogue one cemented this, he has really big problems directing characters that you feel emotions for.
Even then while I enjoyed shin's take on godzilla as a terrifying force of nature, I also liked the more personality defender of earth edwards gave to bear godzilla, in fact when that happened i was suprised that an american version tried to go that way and i hope is used even better when he fights real famous monsters in the future instead of Mutos.
Im happy both godzilla's can coexist now in cinema, amd i hope the best for both in the future.
Adding at the end that the music of G2014 fucking sucks, because i would have gone the way of getting giachinno and just doing what shin's ost was doing (or his cloverfield credits). Its clear Desplat doesnt enjoy making disaster big action movies, so dont hire him for that, he is a great composer, but not on this.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Not all of it was super memorable, but I loved the opening title music and the music that plays during the tidal wave scene a lot.
https://youtu.be/CCUl36McfhI
https://youtu.be/YGMPrFtW6JE
That looks amazing
More_Badass
Member
Pictures of my tv screen from just now:
This is now my go-to way to watch this film.
I wonder if they made the movie with black and white in mind
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
I know tv settings are different between brands and models so as I said earlier, for these results (which look better in person), I went just below the middle mark for brightness (45 on a scale from 0-100) to give the darker look of vintage b&w films while going high with contrast (85/100) to help with clarity between blacks, greys, whites and off-whites.
It's gonna be hard going back.
That's exactly why I took that shot lol. I wonder this too. The night time scenes feel just like the original.
I wonder if they made the movie with black and white in mind
TheGreatDirector
Banned
I was afraid I wouldn't be able to watch it last year but then they extended the runtime in the U.S. and I made sure I went to the first availabe screening.
It's an incredible film, mainly due to the fact that it ended up being the exact Godzilla film I had wanted for a while now.
The original Gojira film is one of the most groundbreaking films I've seen. Everything from it's pacing, to it's framing of shots, and use of lighting and effects makes it stand out from pretty much every other monster films of its time. The added theme of the consequences of exploiting nuclear power and creating exploitable technology, ala the Oxygen Destroyer, is stuff that elevates it above all other competition. It's sci-fi, horror, and a disaster film all in one.
Fast-forward to Shin Godzilla and Anno just gets this. Shin Godzilla not only emulates the original film but, applies it's concepts to our time. As others have mentioned, the main stake of the film is the way the government handles arguably it's greatest crisis, both it's successes and failures. This is clearly in response to the 2011 Tsunami and Earthquake of Japan which similarly handled in a very mixed way.
The cinematography is incredible. I have yet to watch all of Evangelion so I'm not well versed on all the one to one shots between the two but so many shots feel alive in ways most modern moster movies don't. It doesn't matter if it's a board room meeting between ministers or Godzilla crushing an apartment complex with a family inside. Everything has weight in this film, making it far more impactful when shit goes down.
The film didn't need extravagant individual character development. The nation of Japan itself was a character in this film. It's a tale of cause and effect, and it's handled perfectly.
It's an incredible film, mainly due to the fact that it ended up being the exact Godzilla film I had wanted for a while now.
The original Gojira film is one of the most groundbreaking films I've seen. Everything from it's pacing, to it's framing of shots, and use of lighting and effects makes it stand out from pretty much every other monster films of its time. The added theme of the consequences of exploiting nuclear power and creating exploitable technology, ala the Oxygen Destroyer, is stuff that elevates it above all other competition. It's sci-fi, horror, and a disaster film all in one.
Fast-forward to Shin Godzilla and Anno just gets this. Shin Godzilla not only emulates the original film but, applies it's concepts to our time. As others have mentioned, the main stake of the film is the way the government handles arguably it's greatest crisis, both it's successes and failures. This is clearly in response to the 2011 Tsunami and Earthquake of Japan which similarly handled in a very mixed way.
The cinematography is incredible. I have yet to watch all of Evangelion so I'm not well versed on all the one to one shots between the two but so many shots feel alive in ways most modern moster movies don't. It doesn't matter if it's a board room meeting between ministers or Godzilla crushing an apartment complex with a family inside. Everything has weight in this film, making it far more impactful when shit goes down.
The film didn't need extravagant individual character development. The nation of Japan itself was a character in this film. It's a tale of cause and effect, and it's handled perfectly.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
More because the fam doesn't mind rewatching scenes lol.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Indeed. Besides all of the amazing Godzilla/destruction/military shots, the meeting/office scenes have some great shots as well. I like the laptop screen perspective.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Listening to the soundtrack on some highend headphones is a heavenly experience.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Thats the problem, those tracks are the best and still they just sound like american blockbuster moody music.
Godzilla's main tracks should not be like this, this should only be used when desesperation is at its fullest. Its main themes should be melodic and japanese sounding. And thats why you hire Giacchino, as heard in Cloverfield and Speed Racer, he is the one that knows how to treat source material with respect.
This is absolutely fantastic and the rubber design works much better in black and white.
Yeah I just watched the film and that was my biggest issues, it's weird how they cut to the government talking for a minute, then Godzilla for 5-10 seconds then back to the government.
Other than that I loved the movie. The heavy focus on the government's response and a more realistic response from the government was great.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
I've been wondering if the sequel will be a part two or another take on another film in the series. Something unrelated and standalone like many of the older films.
I'll take either.
I'll take either.
I kind of feel like making a direct sequel to Shin Godzilla would be extremely difficult.
Godzilla was already starting his next evolution, which was vastly different from his previous form, so it wouldn't be a traditional Godzilla film. Plus the moment Godzilla shows any sign of activity again, the US would nuke Tokyo from the face of the planet.
On the other hand...
God
zombies
Anno's take on MechaGodzilla would be fun. "It's made from the DNA of the original Godzilla and your mom's soul"
This was pretty intentional considering the movie is an allegory to recent events in Japan
That would be a straight up fucking horror movie. I'd watch it.
Also, I'd really love to see Biollante in this movie's universe. Could totally make Biollante some off shoot evolution of Godzilla
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
I'm now imagining Godzilla taking root in the heart of the city there and sprouting flowers before splitting open revealing his little shop of horror teeth.
It's only when the G-cells in the lab evolve to the Godzilla we know that humanity finds a savior to stop the new threat. (But it starts as a humanoid terrorizing the labs before it realizes the Shin Biollante is his best source of food/energy and biggest threat to its own survival).
More_Badass
Member
Was just thinking this. Other monsters being evolved creatures from Godzilla's remains and regenerating body parts would be fascinating
I'm imagining the UN nuking the reawakening Godzilla and then the regenerating going into overdrive as a result of the overcharge of nuclear energy and it erupting into a towering Thing-like mass whose fleshy tumors split into other creatures
Kaiju-scale body horror
The Broken Ska Record
Member
Unless they find that another creature mutated from the same nuclear waste as Godzilla, and they need to thaw him out to battle the new creature.
Godzilla awakening, getting nuked, and then his remains spawning a ton of offshoot monsters (as well as regenerating Godzilla himself) would be nuts. I love it. That being said...
... this is probably the route they're going to go
Biollante reminded me of what a Godzilla movie would be like if John Carpenter made one.
The Broken Ska Record
Member
Aw, damnit. I like More_Badass' idea better.
More_Badass
Member
The offshoot offspring want to merge back into a single body (some kind of innate biological reflex or something), resulting in "fights" where weakened Godzilla Prime kills its offshoots and then merges back with the biological matter, growing back to full size and power with each kill.
So, Jet Li's The One but with Kaiju?
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
They make mention of his teeth and how he hasn't fed. Can't wait to see what they do there.
SandMan2233
Member
I followed your example and my goodness... I think I love the film even more in B&W. Thank you for this idea, hahaha!
TheGreatDirector
Banned
This Godzilla didn't need food or radiation to survive. In fact, his whole didn't need to make sense at all according to the scientists in the film. Godzilla's a living nuclear reactor and it doesn't need to do anything other than eliminate it's greatest threat which is humanity.
Monocle
Member
This movie is fantastic. I really enjoyed the lively pacing. It made the movie feel propulsive and urgent without crossing the line to frantic or incomprehensible. Nice shots and cuts.
Some of the English was really bad, lol. Especially from that beautiful Japanese actress. It didn't really take me out of the movie, but it was somewhat distracting. On the topic of dialogue, to my untrained ear the pseudobabble about Godzilla's physiology was suitably authentic.
I loved this movie's take on Godzilla. The googly eyes of his first form were super goofy, but then he got really damn cool.
That night scene, holy fucking hell. Shin Godzilla's scenes of devastation were absolutely glorious. I felt like I was about to rocket out of my chair, I was so thrilled. I deeply regret passing up the opportunity to see this at my local theater.
This movie is miles better than the English one withAaron Taylor Johnson Kickass guy and Heisenberg. What a fun ride.
Some of the English was really bad, lol. Especially from that beautiful Japanese actress. It didn't really take me out of the movie, but it was somewhat distracting. On the topic of dialogue, to my untrained ear the pseudobabble about Godzilla's physiology was suitably authentic.
I loved this movie's take on Godzilla. The googly eyes of his first form were super goofy, but then he got really damn cool.
That night scene, holy fucking hell. Shin Godzilla's scenes of devastation were absolutely glorious. I felt like I was about to rocket out of my chair, I was so thrilled. I deeply regret passing up the opportunity to see this at my local theater.
This movie is miles better than the English one with
Razgriz-Specter
Member
They could probably make an interesting tv series about those humanoid tail things breaking off and attacking around Japan and other parts of Earth.
Heck an Anno anime.
Heck an Anno anime.
Geno Breaker
Banned
Make a movie where the Godzilla humanoids run as politicians. :^)
I wanna know what was going on with the tail.
Watching this film... I dunno, it was strange. It elicited some fairly powerful emotions in me, maybe because I grew up with regular F4 and F5 tornadoes around. I narrowly survived the Haysville tornadoes of 99, for instance (it was less than a quarter mile from where we were bunkered at one point) and still remember it vividly. There was this real... very physical sense of being in danger that I felt watching the movie that I've only ever felt when in the path of a tornado.
So to me, the film did a really good job up to that point, but the whole... like, everyone being heroic and banding together, saving the day sequence didn't feel as honest/true and kinda lost me. The first half of the movie just works better, I think.
Godzilla 2014 was good stuff. I don't get why people don't like it that much other than "I wanted to see more Godzilla fighting stuff," which, like, okay, fair. We got even less in Shin tho.
Still, what are those tail creatures?
Watching this film... I dunno, it was strange. It elicited some fairly powerful emotions in me, maybe because I grew up with regular F4 and F5 tornadoes around. I narrowly survived the Haysville tornadoes of 99, for instance (it was less than a quarter mile from where we were bunkered at one point) and still remember it vividly. There was this real... very physical sense of being in danger that I felt watching the movie that I've only ever felt when in the path of a tornado.
So to me, the film did a really good job up to that point, but the whole... like, everyone being heroic and banding together, saving the day sequence didn't feel as honest/true and kinda lost me. The first half of the movie just works better, I think.
Godzilla 2014 was good stuff. I don't get why people don't like it that much other than "I wanted to see more Godzilla fighting stuff," which, like, okay, fair. We got even less in Shin tho.
Still, what are those tail creatures?
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Right? I wish my tv had the ability to take screen caps lol.
Ah. I kept taking it as "it hasn't eaten! That means..." and filling in the blanks with my own imagination. I need another rewatch where I'm not focusing on how great it looks in b&w lol.
Because the human element in the movie is completely uncompelling, and that makes up the majority of the film. After Cranston dies, there's no characters left that I have any investment in, other than Godzilla and the MUTOs themselves. In my rewatches, this makes large portions of the movie a bit dull.
The total time Godzilla was on-screen also wasn't the issue for me, it was the execution and how he was utilized that I disliked. I really hated the teasing of Godzilla at the airport for example. A brief fight there would have been great. Instead we see that shit on a tiny TV screen in the background, which didn't amuse me at all.
I also didn't care for how the movie was advertised. The tone was vastly different than what I was expecting going in, based on the trailers. I was expecting a much more antagonist Godzilla, not what was essentially a modern Showa incarnation. Shit really clashed with my expectations, and soured my experience a bit.
Godzilla 2014 ain't a bad movie. It has a lot of great moments, and I love the look of the film and Godzilla himself, but I can't help but see the wasted potential when I think about it now. That's why I overwhelming prefer Shin Godzilla. it honestly greatly exceeded my expectations, and gave me the kind of Godzilla movie I've been wanting for years . Something more in the vein of the original and Godzilla 1985. Godzilla as a complete blight to humanity.
I enjoyed Godzilla 2014 as well but it has some issues. It kind of needlessly cockteases monster fights a few too many times. The most interesting character in the movie dies in the first act. Godzilla's origin is kind of glossed over (and his nuclear origins are completely absent). And Godzilla isn't even really the main focus of the movie.
The tail things at the end were
Shin Godzilla entering his next evolution state.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
This is just an opinion that some people share. I happen to like the characters. Another element I keep trying to throw out there is that one way to look at the film is viewing Godzilla as Cranston-incarnate lol. Sounds dopey but it's almost like he's awakened after BC dies. And Kickass goes through the rest of the film realising his father wasn't crazy and gets to enact revenge for his mother and father. Sure, he's in a series of convenient places, but it works and is rather unique imo.
Seeing a battle here would have made the last act have less of an impact. But...
...I agree with this. After watching Kong Skull Island, I do wish G14 went with the more monster action route. And I too was a bit miffed at Godzilla being a hero rather than the antagonist. I came away wondering what happened to this:
https://youtu.be/pFDEa7giX9Y
But I still enjoy it overall for what it is and not what I wished it was pre and post release.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
Oh and since I just watched the ending of Shin again (Godzilla films play daily in this house), I'm reminded that I can't help but notice how these humanoids are only seen in the final scene. So I'm guessing the coagulant most likely takes a while to get to the tip of the tail which allowed for a last ditch effort to "spread" but froze mid-release.
Sequel probably shows one (or more) managed to escape?
Oh yeah, and earlier when they're gathering supplies and making phone calls, there's a shot of sleeping G and his eye suddenly/subtly brightens. Never noticed it before but I thought I saw movement so I rewound it... creepy AF haha.
Sequel probably shows one (or more) managed to escape?
Oh yeah, and earlier when they're gathering supplies and making phone calls, there's a shot of sleeping G and his eye suddenly/subtly brightens. Never noticed it before but I thought I saw movement so I rewound it... creepy AF haha.
for me it was mostly the focus on the military... if Godzilla movies (or Kaiju movies in general) taught one thing, than that the military can't do shit about giant monsters. So why would you focus on that? And if you need to do that, couldn't you at least focus on.... interesting, non-bland characters? The stupid revenge plot also didn't help. I mean, revenge is already a pretty stupid alibi motivation in movies... but wanting revenge from what is basically a natural disaster? that's Twister levels of bad in my opinion.
And then, there's the Godzilla and Muto stuff, and that's where the movie should shine, I thought it shined, but when I finally saw Shin Godzilla, I realized how much better you can do this kind of stuff. Godzilla always appears at night, mostly you can't make out shit and the camera almost always pans away. The teasing part, I can deal with, but the "not being able to see anything" I can not. The night scenes between Shin and Godzilla '14 are like night and day, sometimes literally. So no, we got more Godzilla in Shin because we could actually see him - all the time he was on screen at least (at least it felt that way)
I'm glad I saw it but I'm also glad didn't had to pay money to see it since I luckily got to see it during my flight to (ironically) Japan.