Godzilla 2016

[Big Al]

I loved the movie. At first when the trailers for it were released, I had no hope for it and didn't approve of his design but months later it grew on me. It's certainly not the typical Godzilla who saves the world from another evil monster, he's different but still has the overall basic premise of the original 1954 version.

 

[Silvermoth]

I wish we can rename this thread Shin Godzilla.

Anyway, I adore this. It has so much depth. It feels like a war movie but with kaiju. It feels like someone was saying "this is how it all happened". Superb and such a thrill. I hope it raises the chance of a neon genesis evangelion movie.

Originally I was worried an animation director would struggle with human actors but I thought everyone did great. And my friend had the most interesting theories about the last scene.

Spoiler

do you think it's possible one of the creatures on Godzilla's tail will splinter off and form King Ghidorah?

 

[Arachnerd]

A little early, but when will this hit blu-ray?

I need to know this desperately because I don't live in the States and I have to wait for this for god knows all along to actually see it.

 

[Smilodon]

https://twitter.com/wako3999/status/787288057338744832

Here's a fun little crossover fanart between The West Wing and Shin Godzilla, due to those responses of Shin Godzilla being Sorkin-like fast paced. (Though in my opinion, this was far faster and wordier than any Sorkin thing I've seen.)

 

[redhawk23]

I wrote some thoughts on tumblr as soon as I got home earlier this afternoon. I figured I might as well share here.

The short of it is that I loved the movie. The fact that it came out swinging with many things to say allows this franchise to be vital.

Spoiler

Just got back from finally seeing Shin Godzilla and I am ecstatic.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film. With Anno and Higuchi and the helm it was always clear that this would be a different kind of film, and the design made that even more immediately obvious but what wasn’t obvious was the perspective this film would bring to the table. Regardless of how one feels about the themes of the movie, it is clear that this film does indeed come ready with an argument.

I was not really expecting the film to be as humorously satirical as it often could be, especially in the first half with its many jabs at the bureaucracy and hyper-departmentalization of the Japanese government. The film primarily details the work within the government to cope with the appearance of Godzilla. What first starts out as a silly gag “What department does an organism even fall under?” quickly gives lie to an actual problem. “The actually necessary departments can’t act without approval from several other departments!” Necessary action is prevented by the convoluted structure of the Japanese government. That is then held up on an interpersonal level by traditional Japanese customs of title and respect. And all of these obstacles come before even accounting for how good anyone actually is at their jobs. There are concerns shown that many officials do not hold their positions by merit but rather social position and contacts, nepotism. The film presents all this and then gives a solution, both by simply portraying it and by having characters speak allowed. What is necessary is for all the niceties to be set aside and a group of competent people be allowed to simply do their work.

That’s all just how the film presents intra-Japanese problems. Where the film may become controversial is the way it widens it’s perspective to how the international community limits Japans ability to act for its self. The film is a sharp-toothed articulation of frustration of how world powers and particularly the United States treats Japan, particularly in times of crisis. As ever, Godzilla is a ready stand in for anxieties of nuclear forces but in this time and in this film, such anxieties are somewhat less about nuclear war than about the threat of nuclear contamination. The U.S. and the rest of the world attempting to dictate how to address a threat within Japan’s boarders easily calls to mind the tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011. The the line about the U.S. being concerned about a “13% chance of Godzilla reaching the west coast” struck me as a nice bit of sledgehammer subtlety on this point. While Godzilla might pose a threat to the whole world, it is clear that the U.S. and the UN do not have specifically Japan’s best interest in mind. Japan still finds itself in a position where it is subject to international decisions. “Post-War Japan is a tributary state” and “Post-War goes on forever.” characters remark.

Even as they navigate the choppy waters of international support, sympathy and demands, the characters in the film come to realize that the only course of Japanese self preservation is “do what you will.” Months ago, I saw some criticism and speculation that the film may be overly militaristic but I would not say that the movie necessarily pro-war. Instead it does strike me as a call for a return to Japanese self determination. That isn’t a call for imperialism but rather the right that all nations and people should be able to expect.

It occurs to me that I was able to write so many words of this film without hardly mentioning Godzilla himself at all. That does not belie that the film is lacking when it comes to its central monster (my thoughts on that topic will come later). Instead it is simply a matter that the film does such a great job of using Godzilla to create a scenario that is a wonderful jumping off point to explore so many other points. I am not someone who says “screw the human parts, give me moar monsters” but I will say that outside of perhaps the original, I was personally engrossed in the human story much more than in any other Godzilla film.

That it also has some insane monster content is somehow rendered a nice bonus.

See this when you can.

 

[redhawk23]

Really enjoyed seeing this. The editing is sharp which I like a lot and to know it was edited on Premiere Pro made it even better for me personally. There's also perhaps the best atomic breath sequence I've ever seen. This movie certainly makes Godzilla look like the King of the monsters.

In that middle section I actually found Godzilla honestly frightening to watch as he destroyed the city. This was not the "F*** YEAH!" of the American Godzilla shooting its breath down the MUTO's throat. I think everyone in my theater was really feeling the weight of what we were seeing onscreen.

 

[Binker]

GUYS! Did you miss Shin Godzilla, or want to see it again? WISH GRANTED!

Shin Godzilla's run in the US has been extended. Originally, October 18th was suppose to be the film's last day. But starting October 22nd, the film will now run for an extra five days, ending on the 27th. How exciting is this!

 

[Sithborg]

Hell yes.

 

[Arachnerd]

GUYS! Did you miss Shin Godzilla, or want to see it again? WISH GRANTED!

Shin Godzilla's run in the US has been extended. Originally, October 18th was suppose to be the film's last day. But starting October 22nd, the film will now run for an extra five days, ending on the 27th. How exciting is this!

To everyone in the States, yes.

*proceeds to cry in the corner liek a wimp*

 

[Venom75]

I really enjoyed the film. A lot of it was board meetings and talking. Not the kind of thing you'd probably want in a Godzilla movie,but it made it feel so real. Like Godzilla was a real disaster. This was a very deep movie. I also loved the CGI. I was a bit disappointed when I learned that this would be the first G film without a guy in a suit,but I think they did a great job. I'd rank this up there with Godzilla 1985 as one of my favorites. Can't wait for the dvd or a sequel.

 

[Spider-Fan]

No theaters near me are showing it after today. Lame. I could only see it either Wednesday or Thursday

 

[punishermax]

Satomi's poor English turning off English speakers is probably how foreign viewers feel about people who aren't Japanese speaking bad Japanese or anything other language. It's interesting how the tables unintentionally turned on American audiences.

That is fine and all but when your character trait is someone who is a special envoy, not to mention American, and charismatic enough to possibly be President of the United States, having an actress who cannot speak the language is barely forgivable.

But again, small gripe, beyond that, movie was great.

 

[Venom75]

Language barrier aside,I think Satomi is gorgeous. I couldn't take my eyes off her when she was on screen.

 

[TheVileOne]

As with most things movie-wise, it really depends on character and story. Personally I'm not from an English speaking country (though I admittedly have a better ear for germanic languages I've learned since school like English, that I do for japanese) but I generally have no problem with English speaking actors (badly) speaking my language (it's Spanish by the way), as long as they aren't supposed to be fluent.

Satomi's character is not only supposed to be native, she's the special envoy for the President of the United States, which makes her mangling her sentences much less forgivable than it'd been if this were any other character talking.

Note: I know there are English-speaking films that do the same, but I don't give them a pass either.

It was like a character in an anime who is raised in the US or half-American, and then they spout "Engrish" phrases throughout the show.

 

[Gabe99]

YouTube:
Godzilla - The Soul of Japan


Shin Godzilla Hits Blu-ray Early Spring... In Japan
No other specifics mentioned at this time, but the movie will hit Japanese shelves March 22nd, 2017.

A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE:
X-Plus Giant Monster Figure Lineup for January and February 2017

 

[Gabe99]

YouTube:
The Shin Godzilla motif , 3.11\



SPOILERS



MyKaiju:
HOW TO WATCH SHIN GODZILLA

Shin Godzilla is a deep reflection upon and response to 3/11.

Shin Godzilla is born in the wake of the Great East Japan earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 11, 2011. And like the earthquake, Godzilla appears and rocks Tokyo.

YouTube:
Shin Godzilla - Persecution of the Masses W.Lyrics
YouTube:
Shin Godzilla - Who Will Know (Tragedy) w/ lyrics

MyKaiju:

As in the original 1954 classic Godzilla the Shin Godzilla soundtrack is ominous, powerful, and memorable. Although the film provides a mix of Showa and Heisei sound effects and tracks, its original score is full of meaning capturing the despair that gripped Japan and Tokyo when Shodai Godzilla came ashore. To capture the essence of the terror of Godzilla both now and then, I’ve created a series of slides juxtaposing scenes from Gojira with the lyrics from Shin Godzilla. The meaning of Shin Godzilla very much lies in these lyrics. Perhaps the film could be seen as an opera performance that must be careful listen to and followed in order grasp it meaning. The film is dominated by dialogue and discourse but these vocals convey so much and guide the viewer’s like a narrator of story. The lyrics function like the chorus in a tragedy performing heard behind the film’s dense dialogue and providing an interpretive frame for the moviegoer from act to act. This is reminiscent of the use of the girl chorus in 1954.

 

[Loden Greatstorm]

Someone school me on this. Is this s direct to DVD movie or what? I have no idea.

 

[Arachnerd]

Someone school me on this. Is this s direct to DVD movie or what? I have no idea.

Like all japanese Godzilla films, it was released in theaters in Japan, and in select theaters in the US about two months ago.

 

[Loden Greatstorm]

Like all japanese Godzilla films, it was released in theaters in Japan, and in select theaters in the US about two months ago.

Oh ok got you, thanks dude.

 

[Arachnerd]

Oh ok got you, thanks dude.

No prob.

Speaking of which, apparently the movie minus 20 minutes of it has leaked online.

 

[Sithborg]

Like all japanese Godzilla films, it was released in theaters in Japan, and in select theaters in the US about two months ago.

Yeah, it was like the second biggest movie in Japan this year.

I am really curious about the anime that unseated it.

 

[Gabe99]

Yeah, it was like the second biggest movie in Japan this year.

I am really curious about the anime that unseated it.

Makoto Shinkai on His Anime Hit 'Your Name,' Being Called the "New Hayao Miyazaki" (Q&A)
His latest film has topped the Japanese box office since it was released at the end of August and brought in more than $160 million, becoming the fifth-highest grossing Japanese film of all time.


ANN:
Shinkai's 'your name.' Surpasses 1st Harry Potter Film as Japan's #4 Film of All Time


‘Your Name’ Director Makoto Shinkai on Updating the Body-Swap Movie
“We’re always looking at tomorrow wondering who we’re going to meet … I wanted to explore that future,” Shinkai says of record-breaking animated Oscar hopeful


Your Name director Makoto Shinkai talks about his next anime film, gives hopeful timeframe

Your Name is now the highest-earning non-Hayao Miyazaki-directed anime movie in history, and it’s even surpassed the legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder’s final feature film, The Wind Rises.

The Telegraph:
Your Name review: this dazzling, gleaming daydream is anime at its very best

 

[Gabe99]

Anime News Network:
Top 10 Grossing Domestic Japanese, Foreign Films of 2016 Listed
your name., Shin Godzilla, Detective Conan top list of domestic films in Japan

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Domestic Films in Japan in 2016

• your name. (21.32 billion yen, about US$182.2 million)
  
  Shin Godzilla (8.11 billion yen, about US$69.30 million)
  
  Detective Conan: The Darkest Nightmare (6.33 billion yen, about US$54.09 million)
  
  Eiga Yo-kai Watch: Enma Daioh to Itsutsu no Monogatari da Nyan! (5.53 billion yen, about US$47.25 million)
  
  One Piece Film Gold (5.2 billion yen, about US$44.43 million)
  
  Nobunaga Concerto (4.61 billion yen, about US$39.39 million)
  
  Doraemon Shin Nobita no Nihon Tanjō (4.12 billion yen, about US$35.21 million)
  
  Ansatsu Kyō****su: Sotsugyō-hen (3.52 billion yen, about US$30.08 million)
  
  Orange (3.25 billion yen, about US$27.77 million)
  
  Girls und Panzer (2.4 billion yen, about US$20.51 million)

 

[redhawk23]

Theres an Art Of book that had been released for this film. Considering what was explored in some of the concept art, what we got in the film was pretty mild. There is some truly strange artwork depiction g what might have come from the tail at the end.

 

[Arachnerd]

Shin Goji is a lovecraftian abomination and I goddamn love him for that.