Godzilla

Rating:
Summary: Crap
Review: OK, let me say that I love Sci Fi, I loved Jurassic Park, and actually am pretty fond of monster movies. That said, Godzilla really sucked. Whether it's the atrotious acting, the lousy story, or the terrible script; Godzilla sucked. Just to give you and idea how bad the script is here are a few examples.

Part way through they just happen to loose Godzilla. Would think it would be hard to loose a 200 ft. lizard but they do. A general claims that he could be hiding in one of the buildings but if that were true wouldn't they just have to look for the building with a big dinosaur shaped hole in it?

Another example is when Mathew Broderick determines Godzilla is pregnant by giving it a home pregnancy test. Enough said. The only thing that stops me from giving it one star is the amazing special effects and the terrific helicopter sequence.

Rating:
Summary: WHAT'S WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU?
Review: If you aren't into Science Fiction, don't waste these pages for negative comments, cause this is one of the best movies I have ever seen.If you don't like Sci-fi, you won't like it..but otherwise..you will.Plain and simple. I HAD to buy it...I have seen it over and over..MAN IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD! This, with the Jurassic Park movies are the greatest "large main character" movies I have ever seen. AMAZING special effects! I wanted to pet him! :)

Rating:
Summary: i love a great story,but...
Review: I love character driven art-house fare.The kind of films that you will only find in select theaters,and with absolutely zero advertising.You have to be lucky to realize it has even been realeased(eg:Croupier(amazing film)).But,a film such as Godzilla 98 delivers the goods when it comes to big budget hollywood extravaganzas.I,unlike most reviewers actually somewhat identified with Mr G's actions.He found himself in an extremely hostile environment(NYC),which is a fairly accurate portrayal.He only attacked when provoked,and only in self defense,or for revenge.All he wanted was a family,but he soon discovers that family values are not exactly something that's cherished in the big apple,and an all out assault is spearheaded by our fine military to eradicate this aspiring patriarch.Although sfx are always improving,the fx in this film are still cutting edge,a vast improvement over the dinos in the jurassic park films.Godzilla's movements are logical,and there is great detail in his skin and musclature.A standout out scene,one of my favorites of all time,is when he scales a building and lets out a piercing primal scream.A scream that conveys frustration,fear,confusion,and above all,as anyone who has ever lived in NYC can attest,loneliness.The characters admittedly take a back seat to the action,but that doesn't mean there aren't any amusing performances.I liked Broderick in the lead role as a lovesick scientist who has a respect and a childlike fascination with the big G.Maria Pitillo as his ex-girlfriend from college,who is now an ambitious but naive reporter,is somewhat annoying,but there relationship,dare i say it,is adorable.Hank Azaria has some funny lines as a fearless cameraman,as does Jean Reno,who plays a Government official working for the french government to eradicate Zilla.What truly puts the finishing touches on this film is the sound.It's the most powerful and effective use of DD5.1 to date(Starship Troopers and Batman Forever are other great examples).From the room trembling footfalls(you'll need a decent subwoofer),to the first helicopter chase scene through manhattan,your sound system will be pushed to the limit.The image quality is absolutely immaculate,with no artifacts or distortions evident.The colors are bright and vivid.This is an example of what dvd is all about,and what DD5.1 or DTS was meant to be.The sound channels are seperated masterfully,and each speaker is utilized at just the right moment depending on the onscreen action.The extras are abundant,too.Three teaser trailers(one that pokes fun at Jurassic Park(very funny)),2 Toho Godzilla trailers,a featurrette that doesn't take itself seriously(kind of pokes fun at Godzilla),a very informative commentary by the SFX supervisor and the associate visual effects supervisor(a serious amount of work went into this film,they should have won some awards for their efforts),and an entertaining video by the Wallflowers(and i'm not even a fan of theirs)called Hero.I'm not proclaiming this film to be a classic,but it is one of my personal favorites,and regardless of how many times i have seen it,i just keep coming back for more.Honestly,i was depressed at what happens at the end.I actually felt for the big guy,his intentions weren't at all malicious.

Rating:
Summary: I Was Rooting for the Monster!
Review: The Godzilla effect is eons better than the one of the cheesy Japanese films but that is about all that this entire flick has going for it! The characters portrayed by Broderick and others are so uninteresting that I was hoping that they would meet an early demise. Which is to say, the unbearably bad movie would have been over much sooner than it was.

Like another reviewer, I DID like the Puff Daddy/Jimmy Page tune heard over the end credits.

Rating:
Summary: A sound effects gourmet!
Review: Ok, let's get one thing down before this review goes any further: this movie is a two-star movie on the basis of its storyline. There are some elements of the film which will give viewers a few surprises, but overall, it is an example of a lack of intelligent filmmaking.

However, on the basis of sound design, this movie is one of the best films ever. From the very beginning of the film, the soundtrack exhibits excellent qualities when it comes to utilizing the .1 LFE, from the vintage footage of H-bomb testing to the giant lizard thundering through the streets of New York City. Almost every scene, whether it has to do with the musical score or the sound effects of the scene, the surround sound is fully enveloping. There is no other way to describe this DVD: the sound design alone makes it a must for anyone into sound effects design.

Rating:
Summary: Come on, people. This is a very fun movie.
Review: ....Godzilla was one of the most misunderstood movie of 1998. It was a film, most audiences will like to see. It has action, comedy, surprises and a terrific ending to the picture. But a lot of critics, really put the film down. It did well at the Box Office, but not the blockbuster Tri-Star was expecting but they were fine with the numbers, they had. Matthew Broderick did good job and also well cast as the lead role. Most people thought, is going to be an action star but Broderick pull it off well. Jeno Reno(The Professional, Ronin) also give a good role into the movie. Reno is a extremely good actor, certainly in france(He`s a big star in his home land). True some of the action sequences are silly in a big way but in good fun. This is better than Spielberg`s The Lost World, which they had only a little fun into the picture, but Jurassic Park was 2 or 3 times better than that lost sequel. There`s could be a Godzilla sequel in the way soon, and maybe it could be a much bigger hit than the first. DVD quality has great looking widescreen fromat(2.35:1) and Dolby Digital is Superb for this kind of movie and Running Commentary Track by the F/X Supervisor. DVD extras could have been a little more but maybe in the future with a Better Collector`s Edition.

Travia:The Three actors who do the Voices of the Fox hit t.v. show-The Simpsons. Two are in supporting roles and another one in a cameo. Hank Azaria as Victor (Animal) Palotti is best known for doing the voice of Chief Wiggig, Moe and Apu. Harry Shearer as Charles Caiman also known for voicing:Principal Skinner and Kent, The T.V. Reporter. Nancy Cartwright in a cameo as Caiman`s Secretary is known for doing the voice of Bart Simpson. Grade:A-. Super 35.

Rating:
Summary: Not As Bad As Some Reviews Claim...
Review: Godzilla is not as good as it could have, and really SHOULD have been. Truth be told, this is more of a remake of THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS than the original GODZILLA from 1954/56. That having been said, this is still and entertaining movie in the recent summer movie tradition. The plot may be easy to pick apart, but the movie still comes across like a roller coaster ride. The effects in GODZILLA are quite impressive in spots, but there are a few shots that don't look as convicing. The DVD picture and sound quality are fantastic, and there are some nice extras as well, so at least the DVD package exceeds expectations. The main gripe for many fans is that this is just NOT Godzilla. This monster, compared to the unstoppable Japanese version, is a wimp. It doesn't LOOK like Godzilla, and it doesn't ACT like Godzilla. However, if you watch this movie with realistic expectations you just might enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: It's all a matter of taste.....
Review: What I have to say here will probably upset a lot of G-fans, but I honestly didn't like the Japanese Godzilla films. They were all pretty much the same story recycled over and over: a grown man in a fakey rubber lizard suit, trashing a cardboard replica of downtown Tokyo. And that horrible dubbing, PUHLEEEEEEEZE! The later films that were made within the last ten years, I will grant you, were somewhat better in terms of F/X and dubbing, but that's still not saying much.

I, personally, found the 1998 American version a whole lot more entertaining. It was a fast-paced, fun, awe-inspiring rollercoaster ride! The story may not have been on the level of Shakespeare nor, for that matter, the caliber of acting. Still, for me, it was a major improvement. Roland Emmerich had stated, in no uncertain terms, that he had deliberately ignored the Japanese mythos behind Godzilla. Clearly, there were many moviegoers who did not realize this. They were among the hardcore Godzilla fans who very foolishly assumed the creature in this film was carried over from the original releases and would cross the ocean to pick up in New York where he left off in Japan. If, like them, you went in expecting a scenario like this, of course you were disappointed. This was, after all, in the director's own words, an entirely different animal.

Yes, the film was a tad overlong, and the human characters may have spent more time onscreen than they should have. But, I have to say, this was still every bit the movie Emmerich had promised. I saw it four times in the theater, twice with my father who, despite his prior misgivings, absolutely loved it! It's all a matter of what you look for in a film like this. You just have to know how to approach it. If you don't take it too seriously, you will find it is actually a whole heckuva' lot of fun.

Rating:
Summary: A Total Shame......
Review: Godzilla could of been a really good movie. That is, if it didn't have such a stupid and pointless plot, bad acting, awful direction, was more scary and actually had a purpose. It was a poorly-done, deeply flawed, pointless disappointment that I don't recommend.

I rate Godzilla 5 out of 10. The special effects were sort of effective, and it is a total shame the whole movie wasn't as good.

Rating:
Summary: Watch the trailer, skip the movie
Review: If I could give this movie a rating of 0 stars, I would. Boy was I dissapointed. The trailers were awesome, I thought this would be all the fun of the cheesy Japenese movies and all of the glittering special effects of Hollywood rolled into 1 fun package. Unfortunately, the writing wasn't so much a script as it was a collection of one-liners and cliches stolen from other movies, the "love" scenes and others were so strained it was clear even the actors weren't into it, and the effects seemed like someone had lifted all the footage from Jurassic park and ran it through a bumpy skin filter.

If you are a godzilla fan like me, I recommend catching the trailer and passing on the actual movie.