Between Anno and Higuchi, we get a film that straddles the line between political drama and a believable more grounded disaster film. It’s a mix that shouldn’t work but does.
Year: 2023
Heisei Godzilla Retrospective: GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE (1989)
Around the time, Tomoyuki Tanaka had decided to take a step back as the head producer of Godzilla films, and formally retired from it with this movie before the filming began. He would appoint his protégé Shogo Tomiyama to take over his role, to which Tomiyama took quite seriously with how much of a role he had to live up to while also having his own benchmark on it.
Community Interview: Masonzilla
“It’s therapeutic to put those emotions into a shot, and a fun challenge to pull those more complex emotions out of big angry lizards.”
Godzilla vs. Eco-Fascism: The Politics of GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019)
GKOTM gets a lot of flak for some bad one-liners and questionable references. But when we step back and look at the whole picture, it’s intensely aware of the journey that Godzilla and other kaiju took from the ‘50s to the ‘70s from being the embodiments of environmental destruction to the avengers of the despoiled Earth.
Punch! Punch! Punch! 50 Years of GODZILLA VS MEGALON
Fans were into this film for the pure entertainment spectacle, and it showed. US Fans wanted monster action like Megalon, and that has become evident even 50 years after its original Japanese release, showcased by fans’ feedback to the Hollywood incarnation of the MonsterVerse, spearheaded by Legendary Pictures.
Review: ‘The Beast Below’ Does Kaiju Comedy Right
It’s quite refreshing to see a legitimate, intentional kaiju comedy.
Review: ‘Ultraman Geed’ (2017)
Following the familiar format of the franchise, Geed features some nice miniatures, easily digestible episodic adventures, and colorful rubber suits.
Akira Takarada Remembered: My Experiences With An Icon
Akira Takarada was an essential and profound influence in my life. As a young teenager, to me he was the living legend from the original Godzilla film. As a young man, to me he was charming, charismatic, and handsome, something I wanted to embody myself as well, as I entering into adulthood.