Godzilla

Rating:
Summary: GREAT SOUNDTRACK GREAT MOVIE
Review: THE WALLSFLOWERS RE-DID A COVER OF A DAVID BOWIE TUNE HEROES THE BEST SONG ON THIS SOUNDTRACK A+

Rating:
Summary: The Monster that Ate 2.3 Hours of My Life
Review: When I watched Godzilla in the theater it was several weeks after the initial panning reviews came out. I felt then that a lot of the criticism was unwarranted. Watching the movie this time around on DVD, I concede that not all the criticism was off base and the movie is certainly a lot less fun. Some of that is the filmmakers' fault (it's too long, Godzilla's size and weight seem inconsistent, assorted plot holes), but some has to do with things that have happened since the movie was made. In a post-9/11 world, watching New York City come crashing down is a lot less enjoyable. And since Gene Siskel's passing, the parody of him and Ebert feels cheap and mean-spirited (granted, it was likely heartfelt at the time, but as a legacy piece it just grates me).

There are some decent extras on the DVD, though. The commentary by members of the F/X team is good, as is the video, "Heroes," by The Wallflowers. The movie trailers are well done, and took me back to the time when I anticipated great things from the film. The featurette is above-average, mainly because of Harry Shearer's narrative skills.

This isn't a great film (neither were the originals), but the effects are nice to look at. I've found it enjoyable to have playing in the background while I'm doing other things. I can watch a scene or two, then go do other things, and come back later for another few. Taken in one sitting, though, it's just too long and over time my interest wanes.

If you like effects-laden movies, this one has some scenes that are real doozies. How well it retains your attention - or whether or not it wears you out with the non-stop chase sequences - will, of course, vary from one viewer to the next. As a low-priced DVD it's not a bad purchase, even if you only watch it once in a great while.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Lousy Godzilla
Review: When Godzilla was first created, Toho Studios just cancelled a major historical epic. They needed something fast. The legend of the Whale-Ape came up and Godzilla was born (Gojira to many). Not a lot of thought went into the creature. In this US version I think the problem was that too much thought went into the creature.

Godzilla has sprung from a monitor lizard and French nuclear testing. The monster travels to New York City where it tries to nest and procreate.

The US Military and the French Secret Service are trying to stop it. One openly and one covertly. Nick Tatopoulos (Broderick) gets caught up in both attempts.

When I first saw this movie, I had just crushed both of my thumbs just an hour earlier. The movie was so gripping that I didn't notice the pain. But this movie is NOT Godzilla. Yes they call it that, but it isn't. It is, however, a wonderful giant monster film.

The film is loaded with wonderful details. A favorite is hearing Godzilla stomping in the distance and seeing a television in the corner with Barney jumping up and down. Another is a take-off of the three-barrels scene from Jaws. Other films also pop up either directly, like the clip of It Came From Beneath The Sea, or staged like a scene from Casablanca.

The makers of this film did a wonderful job of making a movie, but they did a lousy job with the concept of Godzilla.

The disc has some nice extras including some of the teaser trailers for the movie (but not the new years one), a music video, stills, production featurette, a mocumentary, and more.

Again, it would have been a huge success had the main character gone by a name other than Godzilla.

Rating:
Summary: Godzilla He Was!
Review: This was a hit and I'll tell you why..It had everything you could want from Godzilla..size, speed, and the brain of an animal that just wants to survive...Not to do charity runs for the town people when an oversize moth shows up..It's funny how viewers see this film as a disgrace to the original Godzilla, but a man in a suit isn't the answer...King Kong is a good example of what a monster should be like and aged much better than Godzilla, until This movie showed up....Many viewers should be applauding it..Finally we have a Zilla flick that shows true people doing what they do best..protecting their town when a stranger of this magnitude comes crashing in....Many hated the fact Godzilla was killed in this film, but how many would be calling 911 if they saw giant footsteps outside their window and you just knew a little one would be ready to take his place...Maybe the Japanese's are scared of the big ugly old lizard, but New Yorkers? Mess with New York and your likely to get a wake-up call tomorrow...That is what this film shows and that is why I rate it the best of all the Godzilla movies...New Yorkers may run, but they will strike back and not scream Godzilla and do nothing...King Kong found that out...You have a Godzilla that is lean, mean, fast and revengeful against those that hate him and not against the whole city! I think the viewers need to re-see and buy this flick, because many that attacked it, is what is going to kill the Godzilla flicks for good! Critic's hopes of this, that and picking it apart politically, instead of just seeing it as entertainment with some of the best special effects that Godzilla has ever faced, will finally put an end to Godzilla literally without a shot fired! There isn't any plans to make a new one here or Japan, because viewers are getting too political over it and decide to pass it bye.. I suggest save Godzilla and buy this film and look at it for it's different aspect and not compare it to the old ones! It's worth the DVD price!

Rating:
Summary: This movie isnt as bad as people think it is.
Review: This movie aint that bad, I mean I am a fan of the old godzilla and I think this is another great chapter to the series no matter what other people say,and I think the new appearance of godzilla is awesome and way bigger than the old movies. and I honetly think this movie had a pretty good storyline to it. I admit godzilla ending up getting killed at the end was pretty stupid, I mean what were they thinking when they did that I dont know but besides that the car chase at the end and the part where they lured godzilla out were pretty exciting, but the whole baby godzilla thing was stupid these things are just wanna be raptors off jarassic park. the dvd itself makes this movie better sound wise and picture wise, and I tell you what if you think godzilla 2000 is better than this you could not be wronger, because that movie stunk. I think the best part of the movie itself though is the parts where godzilla is not trying to get killed when he first comes to the city and all the buildings and stuff are falling down,and the old man on the pier is hilarious.One more thing please do not buy this movie even a little bit for the extra features because thet stink they are the worst extra features ever. well if you believe the other reviews that this movie stunk you should at least give it a try and go rent it at your local video store, and if you dont at least give it 3 stars come mark no that my review wasnt helpful to you, but if you do like it at least take the time to mark yes on my review, thanks. p.s the helicoptor chases are pretty exciting too, but once again the baby godzilla thing was really stupid.

Rating:
Summary: One big green mess of genres
Review: GODZILLA was the biggest disappointment of 1998. THE ALBUM isn't much better, sporting a variety of genres - most of which are tracks that have nothing to do with the film.

The album opens with The Wallflowers' "Heroes", which has nothing to do with the film (see?!) and isn't that great. Then we have beat-stealer Puff Daddy's "Come With Me", a very good song with a heavy beat stolen from Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir". One of, if not the, greatest song on the album is Green Day's remix of "Brain Stew", a terrific song with a cool sound that sounds like the story of some stoned teen waking up for school. My favorite song of the CD, however, is Ben Folds Five's awesome "Air", a great song that starts off calmly, then goes to a cool, casual beat, and finally to a pumped-up rock beat.

Overall, if you like those songs or are a fan of the artists on the CD, pick it up. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A terrible, terrible, debacle of giant lizard-ness.
Review: I really don't know what these guys were thinking. Maybe their thought process went a little like this:

Exec #1: I have a great (read:stupid)idea!
Exec #2: What is it?
Exec #1: Remember those old Godzillla movies?
Exec #2: The ones that were really cool and didn't feature Matthew Broderick?
Exec #1: Yeah! Let's make a movie that's the complete opposite of that!

So that's how we got H-bomb-proof lizards turning into asexual she-beasts rampaging about in Manhattan. There are documentaries about cardboard factories more interesting than this. And if that doesn't put the terror of this movie's idiocy in perspective, think about this: I've seen Ernest Goes To Camp SIX TIMES, and I still refuse to watch this trash again.

Rating:
Summary: Okay
Review: A bad movie with great visual effects. Worth watching, at least, because of it's good natured action scenes, many of witch are mind blowing. Wowingly cool and wowingly bad. Probably enormously expensive (I ought to check). Highly recommended for a no brainer night of popcorn, but if you're looking for intellectual fair, you might just want to avoid this one.

Rating:
Summary: I hate it
Review: First things first this movie betrays Godzilla as a spinasouras wich to to fans is a disapointment.
NEXT half way into the movie the eggs hatch so i thought it's going to get better wrong!!!!!!!!!
The babies start acting like velosaroptors to kill the heroes.
then when you start thinking this movies bad just wait until the end they kill godzilla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mean how stupid is that he's bigger than the oraginal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: A shame on the Godzilla name
Review: The butchered American release of the original Godzilla and the repeated butchering of "Godzilla 1984" into the '85 version should have taught us all a lesson: the less Americans in a Godzilla film, the better. Unfortunately, that lesson was not learned and we got this movie. When I went to see this movie in theaters I had high hopes - after all, the previews and hype about it seemed to point to goodness. This was probably therefore one of the biggest disappointments of the summer.

First off, the creation of Godzilla is complete nonsense. The original Godzilla was supposedly the remains of or a surviving dinosaur mutated by an atomic bomb (depending on which Godzilla time period you study). See, that would never happen, but it's semi-believable.

Godzilla's creation in this movie? A hydrogen bomb lands near some iguanas. Hence Godzilla is born. Does any one else see a problem here? If such things were possible, we're have ten story chickens running around the Mohave Desert. Godzilla's choice destination is questionable too: he's created in the Pacific Ocean, so apparently the most logical course would be to head to the nearest land.........New York City...

The film still gets worse...especially regarding it's depiction of the military. "Birth of a Nation" portrayed black people more accurately! I've talked to military servicemen and they all agree this is with out a doubt the worse soldiers they've ever seen in regards to uniform, behavior, and character. In fact, the military in this is extremely incompetant to a ridiculous point. In one scene a sub fires a torpedo at Godzilla, who swims up - making the torpedo hit another sub. OK...I'd expect those kinds of antics on Benny Hill, but in a movie...

The last half of the movie then tries to rip-off Jurassic Park with the raptors...I mean...baby Godzillas hunting down our heroes in Madison Square Garden before they finally blow the whole thing up. Then just as the movie is about to end...Godzilla comes back from being shot by torpedoes in New York City harbor, popping out from the concrete as if to declare "I got better" and then chasing our heroes on the streets of NYC.

Have I mentioned I hate this movie yet?

The graphics are good, sure, but I'd rather see the original Godzilla films which even in the campiest moment of the 60's had a better storyline than this trash. Maybe if the filmmakers had spent more time developing their human characters than the CGI ones they would have had a better movie.

The movie ends prepared for a sequal. Ha ha ha! A sequal for this movie, that's funny...