It would be hard to find a person in our world who has not seen a Disney movie. Disney films are fun, entertaining, and family-friendly. They are great to enjoy with your kids, and fun to watch even years after they have been released. The music within each film is brilliant, and the story lines are quite impressive. But, what I find the most intriguing is that the messages within the films give a clear depiction of the values in our culture for that era of time. They often make social and political statements, through the morals in the story. Disney is brilliant. Disney movies teach us through entertainment. They can shape our worldview, and impact public opinion. However, sometimes we have to look a little bit deeper to get the message.
Let's take a look at one of the greatest Disney films ever created: The Lion King. The Lion King is easily one of the most pro-capitalism movies of all time. At first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a bunch of cute animals, singing and dancing. However, the characters within the movie brilliantly portray how free market principles are superior to socialism or communism.
Recall the character Mufasa. He was the king of the lions and a benevolent ruler. He did not have his hands intimately involved in everything that was happening in the pride lands, but was aware of what was going on. His greatest concern was keeping tabs on the hyenas, who wanted to terrorize, kill, and devour the animals on his territory. The hyenas' fear of Mufasa kept them at bay. But a dark figure loomed in the shadows. This figure would liberate the hyenas from their bonds and bring in a new era where lions and hyenas could live in harmony. He was Mufasa's brother, and his name was Scar.
Scar was the intellectual of the family. He had all sorts of ideas concerning how he could improve their community through fairness and equality. He was hatefully jealous of his brother, Mufasa, who received the respect and love of everyone in the pride lands. He wallowed in his helpless misery until, one day, he discovered that he could use Mufasa's love for his son, Simba, against him. Scar saw that if he found a way to secretly assassinate Mufasa and Simba, he would be the king of the pride lands. This leads to a remarkable musical number that gets down to the very core of Scar's true nature.
In the song, Be Prepared, Scar commands the hyenas to follow his lead, carry out his plan, and get rid of Mufasa and Simba. Within the song, Scar praises his own brilliance and calls his plot the chance of a lifetime and the coup of the century. This is typical language of revolutionaries who want to enforce their will on their thoughtless followers (in this case, the hyenas). In return for helping him become king, Scar promised the hyena's that they would never go hungry again. Following this declaration is a scene where hordes of hyenas are goose stepping to the beat of the song and praising Scar as their king. Scar's plan to kill Mufasa was ultimately a success, but Simba escaped and was essentially exiled from the pride lands.
Now, the hyenas expected Scar's plan to result in a Utopian society where lions and hyenas lived in harmony, but what they got was even more miserable than how they lived under Mufasa. The hyenas wanted Mufasa back; for, under his leadership, they had food to eat. At first, under scars rulership, they were getting plenty of the food. The lions were having to provide for them, but eventually the food ran out. The lionesses were having to venture outside of the pride lands, as they were left with desolate wastelands in their midst. The hyenas represent those who want much, all in the name of "equality," but do little work to obtain it. Eventually, under all socialistic regimes, all people are left with a lifestyle that is less than desirable. Those who work hard have most of their resources taken away from them, and those who do not work have to rely on the ruling class to provide.
The beloved Timon and Pumbaa represent the typical Hakuna Matata mentality. It means no worries. It was a fun rendition to watch in the film, and it left a song that will forever play in our minds when we think of The Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa were living a great worry-free life, until the lions started hunting them. Then, they realized that it all matters. They needed to help their friend, Simba, to fight to gain back the pride lands.
At the climax of the movie, Simba returns to reclaim his kingdom and confronts his uncle, Scar. Scar cowers in fear because Simba was younger, stronger, and commanded more loyalty from the lionesses. In his moment of helplessness, Scar chose to blame the hyenas for the desolation. A battle ensues and Simba ousts Scar, takes back the pride land, and restores the order that once existed.
In The Lion King, Scar thought that his new kingdom was paradise on earth. He banned any mention of Mufasa's name. He did not want anyone to recall the way things used to be because he liked his new Utopian society. The misery around him didn't matter. He was king.
The only thing to make the pride lands great again was the freedom to work and to prosper under a strong, moral leader, who wanted the best for his land. The restoration of the pride lands was a great example of the hope of our country, a country that has morals and a strong foundation in free enterprise.
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Kim Jong Whoops!
Rarely ever do we get a look at a the inner workings of a Communist Regime. Under Stalin, the Soviet Union starved millions of their citizens to death, unbeknownst to the world until long after the fact. In China, countless crimes against humanity happen on a daily basis, dodging the global community's awareness. North Korea is another such nation of which we know little about concerning the daily life of the average peasant. Well, in the 1980's because of the revival of the Godzilla franchise in Japan, we now have an artistic portrayal of what, at least, some civilians think of their benevolent communist overlords.
In 1984, The Return of Godzilla was released in Japan. It breathed new life into the famed Godzilla franchise that had been absent from the big screen for a full decade. It featured updated special effects, a more realistic plot, and a socially/politically relevant message for the people who watched it. The movie was received with mixed reviews, but it ultimately inspired one unlikely...fan. Namely, the North Korean dictator (in training at the time) Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il was wowed so much by this update to the Godzilla franchise that he wanted to create a Godzilla for his own country. Being a dictator, he ordered the creation of this movie. Also being a dictator, he kidnapped the appropriate personnel he would need to bring this dream to life. What would result would be a North Korea's version of a Godzilla, known as Pulgasari.
Now, Pulgasari is a typical cheesy B-movie. The special effects are totally ho-hum, the plot is questionable, but the message within the movie reflects the totalitarian North Korean government. It portrayed peasants who lived lives of constant labor, hoping that their hard work would relieve them of the mental anguish that their demanding overlords placed upon them. Certain individual within the peasant ranks began to collaborate with one another and form an underground resistance. The regime catches wind of this and becomes increasingly oppressive to crush any future uprising, leading to the peasants creating Pulgasari. Pulgasari is a Godzilla-like monster who eats iron and is bent towards aiding the peasants topple the king and his forces. Ultimately, the resistance is a success, but Pulgasari becomes a threat to the people he saved. This leads to a plot to destroy the one who saved them before he becomes too powerful for them to stop.
Apparently, Il was pretty dense, as he didn't pick up on the anti-oppressive government themes. In fact, he hailed Pulgasari as a masterpiece! That is, until the director escaped North Korea and shared his story with the world. The director revealed that he had to pretend to love communism despite the evils he witnessed in North Korea. Before Pulgasari, he was forced to create multiple Korean propaganda films, but he credited his monster movie masterpiece for his deliverance from the evil communist dictatorship. Since then, his films have been banned and he's been labeled a traitor.
In 1984, The Return of Godzilla was released in Japan. It breathed new life into the famed Godzilla franchise that had been absent from the big screen for a full decade. It featured updated special effects, a more realistic plot, and a socially/politically relevant message for the people who watched it. The movie was received with mixed reviews, but it ultimately inspired one unlikely...fan. Namely, the North Korean dictator (in training at the time) Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il was wowed so much by this update to the Godzilla franchise that he wanted to create a Godzilla for his own country. Being a dictator, he ordered the creation of this movie. Also being a dictator, he kidnapped the appropriate personnel he would need to bring this dream to life. What would result would be a North Korea's version of a Godzilla, known as Pulgasari.
Now, Pulgasari is a typical cheesy B-movie. The special effects are totally ho-hum, the plot is questionable, but the message within the movie reflects the totalitarian North Korean government. It portrayed peasants who lived lives of constant labor, hoping that their hard work would relieve them of the mental anguish that their demanding overlords placed upon them. Certain individual within the peasant ranks began to collaborate with one another and form an underground resistance. The regime catches wind of this and becomes increasingly oppressive to crush any future uprising, leading to the peasants creating Pulgasari. Pulgasari is a Godzilla-like monster who eats iron and is bent towards aiding the peasants topple the king and his forces. Ultimately, the resistance is a success, but Pulgasari becomes a threat to the people he saved. This leads to a plot to destroy the one who saved them before he becomes too powerful for them to stop.
Apparently, Il was pretty dense, as he didn't pick up on the anti-oppressive government themes. In fact, he hailed Pulgasari as a masterpiece! That is, until the director escaped North Korea and shared his story with the world. The director revealed that he had to pretend to love communism despite the evils he witnessed in North Korea. Before Pulgasari, he was forced to create multiple Korean propaganda films, but he credited his monster movie masterpiece for his deliverance from the evil communist dictatorship. Since then, his films have been banned and he's been labeled a traitor.
Godzilla Movies: Worst to Best TOP 5 MOVIES!!!
Here we are, the very top of the Godzilla movies list. These 5 stand out in very special ways to Godzilla fans. One of these 5, I have hardly ever, if ever, seen in a top 5 list. Nonetheless, when you read the justification behind each selection, I think you'll find it hard to disagree that these are the best-of-the-best Godzilla movies. Number 1 might surprise you at first, but I think many of us will agree after a little bit of thought.
This is THE Godzilla movie that I must sit at attention to every time I watch it. It has always been a favorite of mine and I have recently concluded that despite the incredible technological improvements coupled with expert storytelling, this movie possesses every element in a G movie that a GFan wants to see. Mayhem, heroics, tragedy, and triumph.
www.williamhseng.com
#5) Godzilla (2014): 2014 was the first time that audiences got to experience a purely American Godzilla movie which was true to the title character. G2014 is set up like a horror movie but unfolds like an action movie. It is not without its perceived shortcomings but, in my opinion, lots of the perceived shortcomings were some of the most powerful elements of this movie.
The most notable of these would be the limited screen time G is allotted. A good number of fans complained that he was only on screen for about 10 minutes. Honestly, had it not been pointed out, I would never have noticed. G2014 is so well laid out that if you sit back and allow the plot to unfold, there is enough monster action to keep your pallet wet. Gareth Edwards, the director, made it clear that he wanted less Godzilla so that his presence when he appeared would be overwhelming. I think this was an excellent strategy that played out well overall. Before moving on to the negatives, I heard a lot of positive talk concerning the M.U.T.O.s. One of the best things a Godzilla movie can do is introduce a new monster. The M.U.T.O.s were a nice addition.
Having said all of this, the film team over did their effort to limit Godzilla’s screen time. The most annoying element of this movie is how a battle sequence would be ready to commence, only to cut out to another scene. In a few of the battles, you only get to experience it in vague snippets. My true #1 complaint about this movie, though, is how poorly the final battle sequence appears on DVD. I remember seeing it at the theater and it was awe-inspiring. When you watch it on DVD, you have to adjust the brightness and the sharpness just to see the final battle. And I don’t mean a little; A LOT!
The most amazing scenes in this movie were when Godzilla unleashed his atomic blast. During both scenes where he did this, I felt like a kid again.
#4) Return of Godzilla: AKA: Godzilla 1985. This was the first attempt to erase Godzilla’s past all the way through until the first movie and create a sequel to the original story. A lot of fans hated this installment, but I feel like it is one of the most brilliant GFilms. It restored the horror element of the original Gojira as well as the themes of atomic/nuclear doom by including the Cold War in the storyline.
There is no rival monster in this movie, but Godzilla’s presence is enough to make you shudder and the Super X (the original Super X) is one of the most formidable weapons ever to face Godzilla.
Fans did not appreciate the original score to this movie. It abandoned all of the work Ifukube did in composing the score for the original series to go a new direction. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why fans were opposed to the new direction in the soundtrack. The soundtrack captures the menace Godzilla represents to humanity perfectly. The music and the action mesh up perfectly. The Super X theme is heroic. The theme for when Godzilla is dropped into Mt. Mihara is heart wrenching. The soundtrack to G85 is probably the most solid of the entire series.
Many fans also disliked the political element that came along with the inclusion of Cold War themes. I personally appreciated how well they took current events and molded their movie around them.
On that note, I must make a confession. I actually like the Americanized Godzilla 1985 more than the Japanese original The Return of Godzilla. There are several elements that were different that I felt really enhanced G85. For one, in the Japanese version a Russian Sailor tries to prevent the launch of a nuclear missile. In the American version, the Russian Sailor intentionally launches a nuclear missile.
The scenes that really enhanced the movie in G85, though, were those that included Raymond Burr who reprised his role as Steven Martin (a reporter who appeared in the Americanized version of Gojira titled, Godzilla King of the Monsters). Burr was an excellent actor who added a whole new dimension to the eeriness of this film that made it possible for Americans to fully grip the horror of Godzilla.
THE highlight from the Americanized version, however, is Burr’s monologue at the end of the movie with the backdrop of the erupting Mt. Mihara which had just swallowed up Godzilla. It will almost bring a tear to your eye.
#3) Gojira: Yes, the original masterpiece is #3 on my list. It could be easily argued that this is the best film in the franchise. I’m not going to exhaust myself giving all of the details. See it yourself, both versions (Godzilla King of the Monsters), and you’ll know why.
The musical score is downright creepy. The black and white filmography adds an element of horror that we struggle to capture in full color movies. The special effects were top notch for their day and have stood the test of time, for the most part. Godzilla’s first onscreen appearance is menacing as he peeks over the peak of a mountain to a bunch of villagers who were expecting to slay the beast until they saw his immense size.
Dr. Serizawa is an icon of Japanese film culture as he sacrificed himself to rid the world of two horrible threats. The love triangle that takes place and ends in tragedy adds yet another layer to the movie that cannot go unappreciated. Politics swirl around the existence of the prehistoric beast Godzilla as it is debated about what he is, how he came to be, whether he should be studied, or if he should be destroyed.
The reality is, I can go over all of the pros of this movie without telling you the whole movie. And, again, the Americanized version with Raymond Burr is really good too. See them both.
#2) Shin Godzilla: I was fortunate enough that I was able to see Shin Godzilla at a movie theater. By far, this is the boldest of the Japanese Godzilla films. All of the others piggy backed off of the success of the original Gojira. Shin Godzilla, is Toho’s first attempt to scrap any history of their character Godzilla and give him a fresh new origin. Boy o boy did it work.
The first time you see this movie, you will not know what to expect and I almost feel bad revealing that this movie does not include any previous Godzilla storyline. As I sat in the theater, I was trying to figure out if they knew anything about Godzilla or if they viewed him as the first of his kind.
This is the first of any of the Godzilla movies where his real name is actually Godzilla (which supposedly means God Incarnate) and that Gojira is the Japanese pronunciation (which is backwards from the original series).
This is probably the most terrifying Godzilla of the entire series. I will warn you, despite the fact that in his first appearance he is not fully evolved, it is one of the creepiest scenes involving Godzilla. As the first form of Godzilla strolls into the city, the theme Persecution of the Masses plays in the background.
Persecution of the Masses is probably the best Godzilla song to date. The rest of the soundtrack is composed of classic Ifukube songs from the original movie (aside from Who Will Know, from the epic first atomic breath scene). All in all, the soundtrack is darn near perfect.
After Godzilla has fully evolved, he doesn’t appear as creepy as he did earlier in the movie. Thus, you let your guard down and say, “Good, the horror movie is over now.” Oh no, the horror movie is escalated when Godzilla unleashes his atomic blast for the first time. You watch helplessly as this unstoppable beast exposes the helplessness of those he is persecuting.
Shin Godzilla should be released to Blue Ray and DVD soon. There is much more that I can say about this movie, but you must see it for yourself. Warning: Godzilla does not have a lot of screen time in this movie.
#1) Terror of Mechagodzilla: I am not kidding when I say that Terror of Mechagodzilla (particularly the original Japanese version) is the perfect Godzilla movie. After the first Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla, Toho made some improvements, particularly with the music. The soundtrack is epic and opens the movie with a sampling of its score.
The opening sequence gives background concerning what happened in GvMG and does it in a manner that makes the opening sequence more enjoyable than wathching GvMG at all.
TMGhas an incredible cast of characters featuring interesting human roles that go unrivaled in any of the other Godzilla movies (maybe with the exception of Godzilla ’98). You have scientists, aliens, military personnel, Interpol agents, and you feel like you get to know them all sufficiently in the short span in which this movie takes place.
Aside from Mothra vs Godzilla, this movie features the first scenario where Godzilla must single handedly take on two monsters at once. And the two monsters that he must face are Mechagodzilla and a brand new monster known as Titanosaurus.
Now, there are some elements of this movie that are definitely cheesy. The special effects aren’t perfect and Titanosaurus has the ability to create extraordinary winds using a fan-shaped fin on the back of his tail. The winds are so extraordinary that they are able to knock Godzilla off of his feet. Such a feat is ridiculous. This movie also makes use of a trademark super kick that launches opponents miles away (maybe not miles) and defies the laws of physics. I am probably missing a few other cheesy elements, but with this movie, the cheese fits well.
Godzilla is more like a super hero in this movie, which allows for cheesy moments, but the bad guys are definitely sinister. In the original Japanese movie, elements of the original Gojira are captured in the mood as MG and Titanosaurus stomp through Tokyo, trampling people as they go.
The intention of TMG was to send Godzilla off into the sunset. It was supposed to be the last Godzilla movie (which it wasn’t) and his creators wanted to end the series on a positive note. The American version ends on a totally uplifting note, with Godzilla triumphantly wading into the sunset.
The Japanese version, on the other hand, reveals some elements that , although you are happy for Godzilla, you see the cost of victory from the human standpoint.
This is THE Godzilla movie that I must sit at attention to every time I watch it. It has always been a favorite of mine and I have recently concluded that despite the incredible technological improvements coupled with expert storytelling, this movie possesses every element in a G movie that a GFan wants to see. Mayhem, heroics, tragedy, and triumph.
www.williamhseng.com
Kong: Action Packed!
Kong Skull Island is a fun, action-packed movie that draws from a set of ideas that make it appear original and brings clarity to a greater story line that is being woven.
One of my favorite themes throughout the movie was that there are forces at work that nobody is aware of (that are invisible, if you will) that will determine the fate of the planet. Kong is the benevolent protector of the people and creatures of Skull Island while the Skull Crawlers are the "demons" that don't only threaten the population of the island, but of the entire planet.
A refreshing point of both Skull Island and Godzilla 2014 was that their plots do not just rehash the same elements that most other scifi movies are guilty of. The cliched themes being solely rooted in evolution, climate change, and other progressive/environmental alarmist messages. Skull Island does use the evolutionary reality of the survival of the fittest, but also makes it appear as though there is some permanence to the world of gods and men.
One of the new, unique, and interesting realities now established in the Monster-verse, is the inclusion of the Hollow Earth Theory. I am only vaguely familiar with Hollow Earth Theory, but I loved how they deviated from conventional wisdom and status quo thinking to create a world full of monsters that could very well exist in the real world.
As far as the quality of the movie (was it good, was it bad?) it was excellent. Kong looked amazing and was as brutal as ever; displaying his primal rage as he battled off both human and monster adversaries. It incorporated elements from ALL of the Kong movies, including the little known King Kong Escapes (in which I would contest the level of his intellect and sympathy toward humans could be attributed). The movie is non-stop action from the opening scene up to the closing credits. The acting is excellent, the script is well written and lays a wonderful groundwork for the Monsterverse, and the ending is satisfying...including the after the credits scene.
In closing, just some warnings. This movie has a fair amount of swearing. Of course, what would a movie be without your trade-mark Sam Jackson lines (one of which is cut off mid-sentence). It is pretty darn violent as well. Some of the gorier scenes are left for the viewers imagination, but there is plenty of trampling and eating of people to warrant an upper PG13 rating. Yes, upper PG13. What you don't have to worry about is anything of sexual nature, which typically does find its way into most Kong films. Fortunately, this one kept the female character very modest and all relationships were 100% platonic and disinterested in romance (who has time for love when everything is trying to kill you?). My assessment, kids can handle this movie if they like things a little more on the intense side, but if they don't, wait to see this one with them.
All in all, great movie. It gets me excited to see what the rest of the Monsterverse will bring; of which we already know of the next two installments: Godzilla King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong. Can't wait!
www.williamhseng.com
One of my favorite themes throughout the movie was that there are forces at work that nobody is aware of (that are invisible, if you will) that will determine the fate of the planet. Kong is the benevolent protector of the people and creatures of Skull Island while the Skull Crawlers are the "demons" that don't only threaten the population of the island, but of the entire planet.
A refreshing point of both Skull Island and Godzilla 2014 was that their plots do not just rehash the same elements that most other scifi movies are guilty of. The cliched themes being solely rooted in evolution, climate change, and other progressive/environmental alarmist messages. Skull Island does use the evolutionary reality of the survival of the fittest, but also makes it appear as though there is some permanence to the world of gods and men.
One of the new, unique, and interesting realities now established in the Monster-verse, is the inclusion of the Hollow Earth Theory. I am only vaguely familiar with Hollow Earth Theory, but I loved how they deviated from conventional wisdom and status quo thinking to create a world full of monsters that could very well exist in the real world.
As far as the quality of the movie (was it good, was it bad?) it was excellent. Kong looked amazing and was as brutal as ever; displaying his primal rage as he battled off both human and monster adversaries. It incorporated elements from ALL of the Kong movies, including the little known King Kong Escapes (in which I would contest the level of his intellect and sympathy toward humans could be attributed). The movie is non-stop action from the opening scene up to the closing credits. The acting is excellent, the script is well written and lays a wonderful groundwork for the Monsterverse, and the ending is satisfying...including the after the credits scene.
In closing, just some warnings. This movie has a fair amount of swearing. Of course, what would a movie be without your trade-mark Sam Jackson lines (one of which is cut off mid-sentence). It is pretty darn violent as well. Some of the gorier scenes are left for the viewers imagination, but there is plenty of trampling and eating of people to warrant an upper PG13 rating. Yes, upper PG13. What you don't have to worry about is anything of sexual nature, which typically does find its way into most Kong films. Fortunately, this one kept the female character very modest and all relationships were 100% platonic and disinterested in romance (who has time for love when everything is trying to kill you?). My assessment, kids can handle this movie if they like things a little more on the intense side, but if they don't, wait to see this one with them.
All in all, great movie. It gets me excited to see what the rest of the Monsterverse will bring; of which we already know of the next two installments: Godzilla King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong. Can't wait!
www.williamhseng.com
Godzilla Movies: Worst to Best 10-6
We have entered the top 10 of the Godzilla films! These are indeed the best of the best and despite the quality/enjoyability of the other movies in the upper half of the list, these are the GFilms that you appreciate more every time you see them.
www.williamhseng.com
#10) Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.: Another Godzilla movie that I did a 180 on. In my opinion, this one is better than its prequel, Godzilla x Mechagodzilla. Kiryu was proven as an effective weapon against Godzilla and had been assigned to fend off any future Godzilla attacks. There’s a twist, Mothra doesn’t like it that the first Godzilla’s bones had not been laid to rest and requested that Kiryu retire and that he would take his place in defending Japan. A three way, and later four way, monster battle breaks out in Tokyo, show-casing Toho’s new special effects, and a wonderfully choreographed battle. It is as good as its prequel with a few improvements.
#9) Godzilla v Biollante: An often overlooked installment in the Heisei Series but with one of the most popular villains, Biollante. Of course, villain might be overstating it, because Godzilla is the villain of this movie. After wrecking Tokyo, the world scrambles to obtain samples of Godzilla’s cells. A grieved scientist, in hopes of preserving the life of his deceased daughter (or something like that), fuses a sample of Godzilla cells with a rose and his daughter’s cells. The result is an abominable plant monster named Biollante. What fans love about Biollante is that he or she dwarfs Godzilla and even attempts to eat him in one scene.
There are only a few drawbacks to this movie. I was not a fan of the JSDF theme in this movie (I’m not referring to the classic one by Ifukube, but the new one that sounded totally out of place when Super X2 first confronts Godzilla). The only other real complaint is that the story is somewhat slow moving and there is not a bunch of Godzilla action.
On the other hand, concerning a G movie with a rival monster, the only film that surpasses this one’s special effects is G2014. I enjoyed the plot and the inclusion of the G cells became somewhat of a foundational point for the rest of the series. Godzilla’s escape from Mt. Mihara is one of the most well-accomplished film sequences in the series. All of the characters were inspired and this was the first film to include Miss Sagusa, the psychic (who becomes the main character of the Heisei Series).
Supposedly, Biollante was designed by a dentist. If you’ve seen the 80’s version of Little Shop of Horrors, you would find this fact quite ironic.
#8) Mothra v Godzilla: Not to be confused with the 90’s Godzilla vs Mothra. MothravG took full advantage of G’s early villain status and played it to the bone. This movie was a sequel to King Kong vs Godzilla and G’s entrance answers the question concerning his whereabouts at the conclusion of the said movie. Godzilla mercilessly rampages across Japan destroying everything in sight while the military desperately tries to put him down. The grim reality for Japan is that nothing can stop Godzilla and Godzilla will stop at nothing from wiping Japan off of the map. The only hope for Japan, and perhaps mankind, is the giant insect Mothra (a giant moth if you haven’t caught on).
Mothra is a beast in this movie. He/she (I can never figure this out with Mothra) dwarfs Godzilla, but is nearing the end of its life span. However, Mothra has an egg that has landed on the shore of Japan that could provide hope for mankind if it is allowed to hatch. A greedy corporate entity swoops in and claims ownership of the egg which results in a lesson about greed.
Downers about this movie? It’s one of the more preachy of the Godzilla movies, for sure. Also, I don’t like watching Godzilla be defeated by a couple of rollie pollies, no matter how awesome of a battle it was leading up to the conclusion.
#7) Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack: To really appreciate this movie you have to watch the original Gojira in Japanese. Elements of Godzilla’s existence in this movie do not make sense otherwise. Once you have that background, it is easy to admit that GMK is one of the most well-done G movies, and probably the best of the 2000 series (even though this film is a stand-alone and not really part of the actual 2000 series in the strictest sense).
As the name suggests, Mothra and King Ghidorah appear in this movie, but we are given the added bonus of Baragon, as well. One must wonder how Baragon did not make the final cut in the title, seeing how fans loved his battle with Big G.
The downside to this movie is it seemed like the creators really struggled with understanding who their audience was. Certain elements suggested they were marketing to kids. Other elements suggested they were marketing to adults. Given that they provided one of the fiercest looking Godzilla designs in the series had him kill the other three featured monsters, they probably should have focused on adults for this movie. Also, King Ghidorah’s appearance was admittedly lacking and the ending was somewhat lame, but touching nonetheless.
Regardless, the music was pretty good. The special effects were great. The only portrayal of Mothra that was better in the series was that in Tokyo S.O.S. Overall, they nailed Godzilla’s screen presence in this movie. One of the unexpected advantages GMK had over other Godzilla movies was a mystical/fantasy element that was probably inspired by the 90’s Gamera Trilogy. At the end of the movie, even though the humans prevail, it is learned that Godzilla is more or less immortal.
#6) King Kong v Godzilla: Fans will probably be outraged over this selection for #6 on my chart. First, I opted to not call Godzilla 98 the worst GFilm ever and now I am saying that KKvG is just one movie outside of the top five? Why do fans have a tendency to underrate this installment?
I actually wrote a hub page article about this phenomenon where I boldly stated that King Kong defeated Godzilla. This fact infuriates Godzilla fans, but requires them also to wonder, why did G lose? It was not a matter of Kong being the stronger monster. It was because Kong was the underdog and G (this being his third film) was still considered a villain. King Kong had always been more of an anti-hero who was intruded upon by mankind and lashed out in order to defend his territory. This is the same story for KKvG. Humans travel to Kong’s island, sedate him, and bring him back to Japan to do battle with Godzilla.
Mind you, I have not seen even a 100th of the Japanese version and I know for a fact that the Americanized version is horribly butchered (My guess is that Godzilla is a cross between a Tyrannosaurs Rex and the Stegosaurus; also known as the plated lizard - actual line from one of the American actors, as though Godzilla had no history in their universe). Regardless, the action is incredible. Its monster battle is as intense as G Raids Again but pits two known movie monsters against one another. KKvG is one of my go-to movies. Whenever I don’t know what to turn on, it’s on my list of Why not this one? options.www.williamhseng.com
King Kong Movie Reviews
Unlike my list of the worst to best Godzilla movies, I am choosing to give just a brief review of each Kong movie. This list will be chronological order opposed to worst-to-best or best-to-worst. Kong: Skull Island comes will be released Friday, March 10 in theaters.
King Kong: Not just the best of the Kong movies, but also ranked as one of the greatest movies of all-time. It will blow your mind to realize that this movie was made in the 1930's! The special effects are incredible for its day, matching the ambition of such an extravagant project. Skull Island is a place of terror and excitement as the sailors and film crew battle it out with vicious dinosaurs to rescue the lovely Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) from the clutches of King Kong. Many memorable moments in this film, including the appearance of Kong, Kong's epic battle with a tyrannosaurus rex, and his battle with a squad of fighter planes atop the Empire State Building. Best Kong film, thus far, and a movie for the ages indeed.
Son of Kong: Not a very memorable movie, but not bad. Film maker Carl Denham decides to return to Skull Island, for some reason, and stumbles across Kong's son. The Son of Kong is a much friendlier creature that spends the entirety of the film protecting the humans he has befriended. Not a lot of memorable scenes in this movie; a lot fewer dinosaurs. One of the most disappointing parts is that Kong dies, once again, and then Skull Island gets totally submerged underwater...Kong drowns to death rescuing Hilda, if I am not mistaken. I need to see this one again to make sure I've got my facts straight.
King Kong vs Godzilla: Possibly my favorite of the Kong films as it co-features the Japanese icon, Godzilla. I have not posted my top ten, yet, of the Godzilla movies, but for those people following thus far, you will notice this title has not appeared in the rankings from 11-31. So it's a top 10 Godzilla movie in my book. A pharmaceutical company goes on an expedition to bring back a miracle berry and stumbles across King Kong in the process. He is sedated and brought back to Japan, where Godzilla has already begun his rampage across the country side. The two monsters are pitted against one another in a final showdown in which the military hoped both creatures would be killed. Neither one died in this encounter...whoops.
King Kong Escapes: A very interesting title that was probably prematurely made. A band of explorers stumble across King Kong on an island, like always, and a mad scientist seeks to enslave Kong after finding that his mechanical version of King Kong is not sufficient for working in the mines. The first appearance of Gorosaur, for the Toho universe, is in this film as he is pitted against Kong in a similar manner as Kong vs the T. Rex of the first movie. The final battle of the film puts Kong against his mechanical adversary Mechani-Kong. Ultimately, Kong is the hero of this film. It appeared Toho wanted to capitalize on the success of King Kong v Godzilla, but this movie failed to meet the high expectations set by its predecessor.
King Kong (1976): A movie that had all of the potential in the world, but fell flat on its face. Clearly a film trying to capitalize on the sexual revolution and the sex-sells movement as practically every shot in the movie is meant to stir the imaginations of teenage boys. On a positive note, the Kong suit in this film was stellar; giving Kong a Sasquatch type of look. The special effects, though, are ho-hum, the battle on top of the World Trade Center could have been better, and, what's this?, NO DINOSAURS? Kong's epic duel in this movie is against a giant snake. A movie that did not meet the expectations of fans.
King Kong Lives: The sequel to the remake of Kong '76. Less memorable, but at least made good on Kong's epic fall off of the World Trade Center. Where the traditional story with Kong is that he dies after falling off of the giant building, this movie starts with the premise that Kong survived his fall and he is given an enormous pace-maker to preserve his life. The crew travels back to Skull Island and discover Kong's mate! Kong's mate is brought to America and the two wreak havoc together. Really, I don't remember much about this film and don't care to see it again. Kong dies, again, but his pregnant mate gives birth to a baby Kong at the end of the movie. As cheesy as Kong Escapes is, I think this would be the worst of the Kong films.
King Kong (2005): A great movie in its own right. It would be as good as the original minus its flaws. My apologies for not doing a great film justice, but since it is just as good as the original Kong in about every department, I'm going to focus on why I prefer the original. First of all, the movie is directed by Peter Jackson and for some reason he decided to make the movie 3 hours long! Way too long for a Kong film. There is a chase scene involving a whole bunch of long necked and predatory dinosaurs that lasts too long and becomes a little ridiculous after a while. The Kong vs T. Rex (actually known as V. Rex in this movie) is overblown. Instead of Kong facing off with one massive T. Rex, he battles it out with a whole pack of V. Rexes. Towards the end of the battle, Kong faces off with one last V. Rex. After killing an entire pack, I kinda felt like, "Really? This V. Rex finds it worth it to eat the one tiny morsel (Ann Darrow) instead of looking elsewhere for sustenance? Kong just killed 5 generations of your family right before your eyes!" But, the visuals are stunning, the acting is great, the movie all around is awesome and captures the feel of the original. I just can't justify blocking off 3 hours to watch this one movie when I could watch the original twice in the same span of time.
Kong: Skull Island: I am highly anticipating this movie. One suspicion of mine was already confirmed and I can't wait to watch Kong duke it out with a new batch of military and Skull Crawlers. I am very excited to see that this is just a warm-up for the epic Godzilla vs King Kong rematch!
King Kong: Not just the best of the Kong movies, but also ranked as one of the greatest movies of all-time. It will blow your mind to realize that this movie was made in the 1930's! The special effects are incredible for its day, matching the ambition of such an extravagant project. Skull Island is a place of terror and excitement as the sailors and film crew battle it out with vicious dinosaurs to rescue the lovely Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) from the clutches of King Kong. Many memorable moments in this film, including the appearance of Kong, Kong's epic battle with a tyrannosaurus rex, and his battle with a squad of fighter planes atop the Empire State Building. Best Kong film, thus far, and a movie for the ages indeed.
Son of Kong: Not a very memorable movie, but not bad. Film maker Carl Denham decides to return to Skull Island, for some reason, and stumbles across Kong's son. The Son of Kong is a much friendlier creature that spends the entirety of the film protecting the humans he has befriended. Not a lot of memorable scenes in this movie; a lot fewer dinosaurs. One of the most disappointing parts is that Kong dies, once again, and then Skull Island gets totally submerged underwater...Kong drowns to death rescuing Hilda, if I am not mistaken. I need to see this one again to make sure I've got my facts straight.
King Kong vs Godzilla: Possibly my favorite of the Kong films as it co-features the Japanese icon, Godzilla. I have not posted my top ten, yet, of the Godzilla movies, but for those people following thus far, you will notice this title has not appeared in the rankings from 11-31. So it's a top 10 Godzilla movie in my book. A pharmaceutical company goes on an expedition to bring back a miracle berry and stumbles across King Kong in the process. He is sedated and brought back to Japan, where Godzilla has already begun his rampage across the country side. The two monsters are pitted against one another in a final showdown in which the military hoped both creatures would be killed. Neither one died in this encounter...whoops.
King Kong Escapes: A very interesting title that was probably prematurely made. A band of explorers stumble across King Kong on an island, like always, and a mad scientist seeks to enslave Kong after finding that his mechanical version of King Kong is not sufficient for working in the mines. The first appearance of Gorosaur, for the Toho universe, is in this film as he is pitted against Kong in a similar manner as Kong vs the T. Rex of the first movie. The final battle of the film puts Kong against his mechanical adversary Mechani-Kong. Ultimately, Kong is the hero of this film. It appeared Toho wanted to capitalize on the success of King Kong v Godzilla, but this movie failed to meet the high expectations set by its predecessor.
King Kong (1976): A movie that had all of the potential in the world, but fell flat on its face. Clearly a film trying to capitalize on the sexual revolution and the sex-sells movement as practically every shot in the movie is meant to stir the imaginations of teenage boys. On a positive note, the Kong suit in this film was stellar; giving Kong a Sasquatch type of look. The special effects, though, are ho-hum, the battle on top of the World Trade Center could have been better, and, what's this?, NO DINOSAURS? Kong's epic duel in this movie is against a giant snake. A movie that did not meet the expectations of fans.
King Kong Lives: The sequel to the remake of Kong '76. Less memorable, but at least made good on Kong's epic fall off of the World Trade Center. Where the traditional story with Kong is that he dies after falling off of the giant building, this movie starts with the premise that Kong survived his fall and he is given an enormous pace-maker to preserve his life. The crew travels back to Skull Island and discover Kong's mate! Kong's mate is brought to America and the two wreak havoc together. Really, I don't remember much about this film and don't care to see it again. Kong dies, again, but his pregnant mate gives birth to a baby Kong at the end of the movie. As cheesy as Kong Escapes is, I think this would be the worst of the Kong films.
King Kong (2005): A great movie in its own right. It would be as good as the original minus its flaws. My apologies for not doing a great film justice, but since it is just as good as the original Kong in about every department, I'm going to focus on why I prefer the original. First of all, the movie is directed by Peter Jackson and for some reason he decided to make the movie 3 hours long! Way too long for a Kong film. There is a chase scene involving a whole bunch of long necked and predatory dinosaurs that lasts too long and becomes a little ridiculous after a while. The Kong vs T. Rex (actually known as V. Rex in this movie) is overblown. Instead of Kong facing off with one massive T. Rex, he battles it out with a whole pack of V. Rexes. Towards the end of the battle, Kong faces off with one last V. Rex. After killing an entire pack, I kinda felt like, "Really? This V. Rex finds it worth it to eat the one tiny morsel (Ann Darrow) instead of looking elsewhere for sustenance? Kong just killed 5 generations of your family right before your eyes!" But, the visuals are stunning, the acting is great, the movie all around is awesome and captures the feel of the original. I just can't justify blocking off 3 hours to watch this one movie when I could watch the original twice in the same span of time.
Kong: Skull Island: I am highly anticipating this movie. One suspicion of mine was already confirmed and I can't wait to watch Kong duke it out with a new batch of military and Skull Crawlers. I am very excited to see that this is just a warm-up for the epic Godzilla vs King Kong rematch!
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