Following the new release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and the recent history-making win at the Academy Awards with Godzilla Minus One (for Best Visual Effects), it has been an incredible time to be a fan of the one true king of the monsters. However, with the two most recent releases being complete polar opposite films in terms of genre and tone, the conversation surrounding the fire-breathing lizard has once again been vocal and polarizing.
But Godzilla has always been a spectrum of styles and tones. He’s responsible for the longest running movie franchise in history, and his role has dramatically changed over the years, from a metaphor for nuclear holocaust to Japan’s savior to chunky doofus to alpha predator to stressed out single dad.
Today, we go through the entire Godzilla series — all 38 films, live action and animated, spanning 70 years from 1954 to 2024 — and chronicle the Big G’s journeys from worst to best plus where to watch them (Tubi and PlutoTV to the rescue).
We begin this list with the movie that most of the Godzilla community would agree is the worst one. All Monsters Attack centers completely around a lone latchkey kid named Ichiro constantly bullied by his classmates. Finding a way to escape, he daydreams about visiting Monster Island and befriending Godzilla’s son Minilla (who infamously talks in this movie). Turns out Minilla is also dealing with a kaiju bully of his own.
Then there are some Home Alone type robbers who kidnap Ichiro and he must find his inner courage to escape. The film certainly has some interesting ideas about how an economic state of a city could trickle down to social problems like bullying and crime. Also if you squint hard enough, there’s something interesting to be found about heroic figures, since the film never explicitly states whether Godzilla actually exists in the world or if he is a fictional character to Ichiro, like he is to us. But the monster stuff is extremely underwhelming, nearly consisting entirely of stock footage from other Godzilla movies. The film also tries to have it both ways at the end, with Ichiro fighting back his bully but then trolling a painter to get the bully’s respect. So the moral lesson gets all messed up at the end. At least it’s only 70 minutes long.
You can watch All Monsters Attack on Tubi
We move on to the very first American interpretation of Godzilla, and boy was it a doozy. Because I was born in the 90s, Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla was my first Godzilla movie and was THE companion movie I watched alongside Jurassic Park. Turns out that is exactly the problem with the film, from conception to execution.
The issue is, of course, the Big G himself. Not only is Godzilla unrecognizable in terms of design, but the movie just doesn’t use him well, often resorting to the creature constantly running away from helicopters. This results in a lot of repetitive action scenes and chances to show how incompetent the US military is — most of the city destruction comes not from Godzilla, but from the military accidentally blowing up their own buildings. The decision to change the Big G to an animal that runs from fights is one thing, but to then reduce him to a lizard-brain creature who comes to NY just to nest and have babies, where the movie’s answer is to literally exterminate them all with big enough guns? It’s an offensive and annoyingly American reading of Godzilla.
The third act (more like second half) at Madison Square Garden is still a pretty fun set piece, but it’s overshadowed by glaringly dated CGI and a blatant recreation of Jurassic Park‘s Velociraptors. In the middle of all this is a boring script with uninteresting or plainly bad human characters. Matthew Broderick feels miscast, despite trying his best. Hank Azaria and Jean Reno are working so hard to be likable, so much that you’d wish Reno and his group were the actual protagonists. And then Maria Pitillo is just awful. Like really bad. Emmerich even includes a pair of characters — Mayor Ebert and his assistant Gene — in an obvious jab at critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert for not liking his previous film Independence Day, but doesn’t even commit to the bit by having them killed by Godzilla.
With all of this being said, there are still a few ways you can enjoy the movie. The first act has some good investigative mystery. The creature is pretty cool in design if you don’t think of it as Godzilla, and the way it navigates around the NY subway system is great. Props to the way the movie “hides” its full reveal. As a generic American monster movie in the 90s, it’s okay. This makes the movie not a disaster per se but a fascinating failure, the “Batman & Robin” of the Godzilla franchise, whose existence will directly inspire much better films down the road, from Toho’s Millennium Era to the current MonsterVerse.
You can watch Godzilla (1998) on Max
We come to the first animated Godzilla movie, which is the first of an anime trilogy on Netflix. The film takes place in a future where humanity and two alien races — the religious Exif and the technologically advanced Bilusaludo — attempt to re-colonize the Earth 20,000 years after it was taken over by Godzilla. The premise, and visual aesthetic, is certainly reminiscent of Japanese video games like Xenoblade Chronicles and Nier: Automata.
As much as I really enjoy this setup, the film just simply takes too long to get going. Much of the narrative is bogged down by sci-fi technobabble, as characters constantly huddle up in rooms talking about scientific calculations and numbers etc. Though a technical explanation here and there can be warranted, too many just halts the pacing of the film and it all just becomes gobbledygook. The way the film engages with plot and story is often not through action but through characters talking about it openly, in a similar fashion as the Star Wars prequels. Our protagonist Haruo spends half the movie chained in cuffs complaining about why nobody wants to fight, in a very classic “anime boy protagonist” way.
With that said, the last 20 minutes of the film is pretty great. Good staging of action, and there’s a crazy twist that brings an inspired energy that the rest of the film was sorely missing. It plays like an obvious pilot episode, as the cliffhanger would make you want to see what’s next. But as a film on its own, Planet of the Monsters is a big disappointment that you can certainly skip.
You can watch Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters on Netflix
The first sequel attempts a great many things to depart itself from the 1954 original, but it’s also at this weird place where Godzilla isn’t a franchise yet so it’s missing a lot of signature traits that would later define or reshape the series. This one, however, introduces the monster Anguirus, who fights Godzilla in this movie but would later go on to become his best friend for multiple installments.
The film commits to the 1954 film’s ending by confirming this is a second Godzilla, and it further creates a logistical world where Japan employs flares and blackouts to prevent Godzilla from approaching land, even showing some scenes on how that would disrupt day-to-day life for ordinary citizens — it’s very similar to how Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim created a world that really integrated with the existence of kaijus.
The Godzilla vs. Anguirus fight is hysterical. Since it’s the first time we ever see a monster fight, there really isn’t much choreography going on here. The shots are not as well staged, making both monsters look human sized this time, and the footage is definitely sped up at places, making the two look like they’re violently tickling each other.
With somewhat interesting world-building but extremely boring human characters, Godzilla Raids Again is inevitably a forgettable Godzilla movie that barely anyone talks about.
You can watch Godzilla Raids Again on Tubi
Present day scientists develop a black hole generator to suck in Godzilla, only for a prehistoric dragonfly to come through the hole and lay eggs, resulting in a swarm of killer bugs that take Godzilla’s DNA to their queen to become Megaguirus. Yes, you read all of that right.
There are some neat visuals here, from Tokyo getting flooded to the apocalyptic imagery of a swarm annihilating everyone and threatening to become the dominant species on the planet — almost reminiscent of the xenomorphs in Alien. Also come on, shooting a black hole at Godzilla hoping to suck him up is my kind of intergalactic stupidity.
But the pacing is quite lacking here. Godzilla doesn’t get to do much, the human characters have shallow motivations that are not well fleshed out, and most of the time they’re just sitting around until it’s time to attack Godzilla again, so the plot is often in a limbo mode with little urgency. Combined with a familiar Heisei Era-like premise, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is sadly one of the least interesting fights with the Big G.
At least Godzilla gets stung in the dick twice and he gets to body slam Megaguirus.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Megaguirus on PlutoTV
Godzilla cells enter a black hole, mutating into SpaceGodzilla, who then makes his way to Earth to build a crystal fortress and kidnap Little Godzilla. Meanwhile, humans develop a new mecha weapon called M.O.G.E.R.A. and a team of scientists attempt to mind control the Big G.
Aside from the psychic Miki finally being the lead character and the vengeful Major Yuki having some sort of interesting arc, most of the human characters feel like filler here. The tone is a throwback to the late 60s of the Showa Era, with a hit-and-miss musical score, tacky effects, and an overall plot that just feels aimless. Romantic subplots are underdeveloped, and there’s a pointless yakuza plotline that gets resolved as quickly as it was introduced.
SpaceGodzilla looks cool at times, and it’s funny to see him defeated like a video game boss. The third act tag team is neat, and it’s good to see the Big G not be so bad this time. But the movie too often feels like it’s spinning its wheels, making it easily the weakest of the Heisei Era films.
You can watch Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla on Amazon Prime Video (rent)
The third and final installment of the Godzilla anime trilogy is at one end the most accessible film of the three and at the other end the most polarizing Godzilla movie of them all. The film somewhat attempts to complete a picture of how the best Godzilla movies are never about the Big G but about humanity and its ability to destroy itself. Now, the execution is a whole other matter, but at least the thematic ambition is there and it completes an overarching idea throughout the trilogy.
Meanwhile, it is nothing like the two preceding films, playing more into cosmic horror, with Ghidorah reinterpreted as a Lovecraftian God of Death. As for the human characters, the story is far more psychological this time, as it dives into themes like despair and sacrifice as well as theoretical concepts like The Great Filter and the universe’s finite existence and path to destruction. The third act in this has some of the most ambitious editing and visual storytelling in the series, one that finally makes good use of the animation medium. The musical score is also quite stunning.
But I can’t deny the emotional dissatisfaction behind how it all ends, despite understanding the clear takeaways behind it. It makes this entire anime trilogy one that prioritizes ideas over actual memorable stories and characters, and even though the ideas themselves are thought-provoking, it makes this whole trilogy a controversial one to digest.
You can watch Godzilla: The Plant Eater on Netflix
Alien human cockroaches (yes, I’m not kidding) try to take over the Earth via an amusement park, and it’s up to the humans to stop them. Meanwhile, Godzilla senses the threat and asks Anguirus to help him out. The aliens then call on King Ghidorah and a new monster called Gigan to fight.
This is the first movie that sets up the “tag team” premise, with the final fight being a 2v2 brawl. The good stuff sees Godzilla and Anguirus being good friends, even having a corny but cute decision to have them talk to each other via speech bubbles. But then there’s also weird elements in the film like the Godzilla suit being extremely worn out, many of the roar sound effects sounding like broken record scratches, and the fight scenes using a ton of stock footage from previous movies. It’s also a bit of a missed opportunity to not have Gigan take the lead as the main villain. By having Ghidorah in the mix, the film feels less focused on Gigan being THE enemy.
And then it all ends with the dumbest spaghetti western song at the end as Godzilla and his buddy Anguirus walk off into the ocean under a bright sunrise. It’s so stupid that you will be entertained.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Gigan on Tubi
The MonsterVerse’s second Godzilla movie, titled King of the Monsters, is what I call “a litmus test movie,” because plenty of fans will have this at the top of their lists, while some others like myself are too mixed on the results to put it anywhere close to the top.
There is some good stuff here. Bear McCreary’s rendition of Akira Ifukube’s music is fantastic. Seeing King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Rodan for the first time in a Hollywood production is incredible, with a lot of thought being put into their designs and behaviors. From start to finish, from monster fight to plot mechanics, you can tell that Michael Dougherty is a huge Godzilla fan and wanted to incorporate a lot of Shōwa and Heisei elements into a modern Hollywood offering. There are plenty of callbacks too, along with some neat role reversals that are loving nods to the 65 years of Godzilla movies that came before.
The bad stuff is… sadly… everything else. This is one of the most visually frustrating movies I’ve ever seen. It’s incredible how it looks gorgeous through still images but hideous through video. Nearly every monster fight, as cool as they are, takes place in the goddamn snow or the goddamn rain, all at night. You’d be squinting at every fight scene, only to be blinded by the strobe effects caused by lightning that King Ghidorah brings with him wherever he goes. It’s an absolute chore.
The human characters are actually okay. The problem is there’s too many of them and the movie misuses most of them. Half the lines Kyle Chandler says should’ve been for Ken Watanabe. The real tragedy is that had the script been a tad sharper and the action be better staged, this could’ve easily been one of the best Godzilla movies. It’s proof that loving something is not enough for your movie to be good, it can only get you so far. The result is one of the most divisive Godzilla movies, one that purists will adore but as a film on its own is just a visually ugly mess that could’ve been so much better.
You can watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters on Max
One of the bolder decisions made during the Millennium Era was to basically ignore timeline continuity, which allows directors to give their creative spin on their respective installments. Tokyo SOS is the only exception, acting as a direct sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002). Mothra and her fairies appear to warn Japan that they must return Kiryu (the film’s name for Mechagodzilla) to the sea or they will declare war on humanity, but the situation complicates when Godzilla returns once again.
Franchise veteran Hiroshi Koizumi returns playing the same character as he did in the solo Mothra film, and it’s great to see him back. But then the movie makes the big mistake of replacing the previous film’s lead Akane with new characters that are nowhere near as interesting. The ultimatum that Mothra gives humanity is very contrived, even when it tries to present it through a “once Godzilla is defeated, then what becomes of Kiryu” discussion.
The film’s saving grace is nearly the entire second half is dedicated to monster action, and it has some of the best practical effects the franchise has seen to date. The musical score is also quite good. It pays homage to Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), along with an interesting but undeveloped callback to the twist from Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. Though it delivers on the action portion, the overall story and narrative feels like a missed opportunity, given that it had the chance to build off of its predecessor. In the end, it’s an entertaining but safe entry.
You can watch Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. on Hulu
Originally built to be a final entry in the Shōwa Era, Destroy All Monsters goes for an all-out approach, grabbing all the monsters Toho had in their arsenal and grouping them all together in one single movie. It also sees the introduction of Monster Island, an island where all the monsters reside and a location the series will use time and time again. The result is what feels like a spiritual sequel to Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), but the execution ends up being too overly familiar and not as well-paced.
The alien invaders are not the most memorable, especially given that the franchise has used aliens countless times, and the plot spends way too much time on humans finding a way to stop the aliens rather than the mind-controlled monsters wreaking havoc on the world.
The third act, however, sees all the monsters gathered together and led by Godzilla going against King Ghidorah, and it’s an all-out brawl (more like an all-out beating) that is classic and satisfying. It plays like Toho’s Avengers: Endgame, and even though the film takes a long time to get to the goods, the monster action delivers.
You can watch Destroy All Monsters on Tubi
This is probably one of my more controversial rankings, because I found a lot to be enjoyed about the second installment of the anime trilogy, City on the Edge of Battle. The human survivors from the previous film, Planet of the Monsters, are now stranded on Earth, only to be quickly taken in by a native tribe called the Houtua. When presented with a chance to return to the mothership, the group instead sets out for the old Mechagodzilla facility, whose nanotechnology could be the solution to defeat Godzilla once and for all.
While still bogged down by a lot of talking and occasional technobabble, this one features significantly improved character development, with some moments that generate true suspense, stakes, or political commentary. If you squint hard enough, the film almost feels like Toho attempting Attack on Titan.
Haruo is written as a much more complex protagonist here, as he wrestles with making difficult decisions that are philosophically interesting. Mechagodzilla City and the concept of “nanometal” is fascinating, with its thematic danger being a great evolution of what Godzilla has represented throughout the series. The way the film escalates a new source of conflict in the third act is a genuinely inspiring choice, making this second entry a far more compelling story to follow.
Just like the last movie, the last 20 minutes here contain some breathtaking action, but this time there are some clear emotional stakes, anchored by existential ideas that the second act bothered to explore just enough of. Though it carries much of the same flaws that plagued the first film, this one makes enough creative twists and inspiring choices that it makes for a somewhat rewarding experience. Plus the cliffhanger ending really delivers.
You can watch Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle on Netflix
The second Godzilla reboot, made as a retaliation of the disaster that is Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla, sits comfortably in the middle ground of the franchise. Two groups of scientists, the military-backed CCI and the independent GPN, clash in their philosophies on what to do about Godzilla, whether to research him or to destroy him. Meanwhile, the mysterious appearance of a 60-million-year-old UFO may unlock the secrets to Godzilla’s power and to nature itself.
Without a doubt, the film’s plus is its atmospheric and scientific approach. This isn’t the first time the franchise touched on aliens, but the decision here to keep the aliens at a distance, where we don’t ever really see them, works brilliantly. It maintains a consistent sense of mystery and fear, so the reveals play very well. There’s also an interesting attempt to connect Godzilla’s creation to the creation of life itself on Earth, making his relationship with humankind much more intimate.
The film’s shortcomings stem from a few things. The most obvious one is the wonky CGI. But the main one is the Big G doesn’t get to do much here. He looks great, but he’s just away for a significant amount of time. Only in the third act does he get to do some legit destruction against his opponent Orga — the poor thing never stood a chance.
Because of those flaws, the movie’s just a little too simple, as it often feels like it’s playing things safe, despite an interesting premise that contains all the possible risk-taking you can have with a 2nd reboot.
You can watch Godzilla 2000: Millennium on Max
Another great “litmus test movie” for Godzilla fans, because you’d hear them call Son of Godzilla one of the best or one of the worst in the series. For me, it falls somewhere in the middle. The film feels so laid back, like a “lazy day” movie, featuring a low stakes plot about a group of humans developing a weather experiment on a tropical island, while discovering a giant egg that hatches into a baby Godzilla, who grows up to be Minilla.
The storyline really isn’t so bad, and for the most part, the childlike approach makes for some fun monster enemies like the giant bugs and the giant spider. However, it’s paced quite slowly for an 86 minute long movie. Most of the time, it’s worth watching because there is so much comedy gold between Minilla and Godzilla, from Minilla playing jump rope with Godzilla’s tail while he’s napping to Godzilla being a stressed out single father, dealing with his son’s stupidity. It truly is a hilarious sight to behold.
For what it is, Son of Godzilla is remarkably sincere and straightforward with its premise. A story about father and son while a group of humans are along for the ride. It’s certainly not a required viewing in the Godzilla series, but it’s a great indicator on where you stand and what you look for in a Godzilla movie. If you’re curious about it, it’s definitely worth a laugh.
You can watch Son of Godzilla on Tubi
Built as the final Godzilla movie that honors its 50th anniversary, Godzilla: Final Wars decides to throw literally everything at the wall, betting that all of it will stick. The film takes place in the future, where humanity forms the Earth Defense Force (EDF) and establishes a military branch of mutant soldiers, designed to pursue and eliminate giant monsters. When the sudden appearance of monsters attacking multiple cities across the globe, along with the mysterious arrival of aliens called Xiliens, it seems like the EDF will have no choice but to revive their greatest enemy to save the planet: Godzilla.
The film is essentially a remake of Destroy All Monsters (1968), but on crack. Like batshit insane. Explosions, lasers, Power Rangers-like martial arts, giant monsters, giant mechas, aliens, rock music — all shot like a frantic music video with horrible early 2000s color correcting. Every fight feels like a final fight, the characters reek of desperation in wanting to look cool, and there is basically no story or narrative to be told here. It’s a movie that just won’t stop.
The only thing keeping this from being an absolute mess is just how intergalactically stupid it is that you’d no doubt be entertained. You can tell it’s made as a loving tribute and the filmmakers had an absolute blast making it. Probably were baked half the time too. Being the 29th Godzilla movie, there truly is no other movie like this one. Godzilla is ridiculously overpowered here, as he basically curb stomps monster after monster like it’s Boss Rush Mode in a video game. It is the perfect Godzilla movie to watch at a sleepover, the kind where everyone is huddled together in the living room with snacks and soda, and everyone is just having the time of their lives.
You can watch Godzilla: Final Wars on PlutoTV
The newly released Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire sits somewhere in the middle of this list, as it contains many of the Shōwa Era silliness that traditional fans love, but it also feels like a disappointment in terms of narrative and human characters, even by MonsterVerse standards. Much of the plot is exposition, fantasy gobbledygook, and setup for a fight that comes really late, with the humans having absolutely nothing to do here.
Where it stands out is its dedication to its monsters, with some incredible wordless sequences that put them front and center, making them truly become characters that we can follow. This is a great decision to make, as Adam Wingard puts more humanity and personality in each monster. Meanwhile, the action is as bombastic and colorful as ever, going further into the weirdness of Hollow Earth with zero gravity and magical portals.
Though definitely a step down from other entries in the MonsterVerse, The New Empire will no doubt have its fans, with some happily declaring it as one of the best entries in the series. It all depends on what you’re going into a Godzilla movie for — there’s one for every kind of moviegoer out there.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is currently in theaters worldwide.
Godzilla vs. Megalon is a movie that I’d consider to be a must-see for any Godzilla beginner. Even though it’s not a great movie per se, as it sits in the lower half of the ranking, it’s so indicative of everything that makes Godzilla silly and fun.
The plot is about an undersea toga-wearing civilization that sees their underground home being destroyed by nuclear tests above on land, so they unleash a giant beetle called Megalon onto humanity to exact revenge. Also they hack a humanoid robot called Jet Jaguar, who flies like he’s doing a permanent YMCA pose. It feels inconsequential, less explained in terms of logic, and more rushed than others. Plus there’s a lot of stock footage in this one again, with some weird day-to-night transitions.
That being said, the third act is amazing. The Godzilla suit design in this movie is a favorite of mine, and I love how he moves like a Teletubbie in this one. His teamwork and friendship with Jet Jaguar is very endearing, making this tag team fight against Megalon (and a last minute Gigan) very fun to watch. The fights also have terrific momentum and pacing, with some fun handheld camerawork. And then of course, it has the greatest drop kick in cinematic history.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Megalon on Tubi
Space apes (yes, that’s right) use their superweapon, Mechagodzilla, to destroy the world. But an ancient prophecy claims that two monsters will come to defeat this great evil, later revealed to be Godzilla and a new monster called King Caesar. This is a classic film in its own right, but even with its iconic villain, there are plenty of elements that hold this one from being truly great.
The middle part of the film inevitably drags, as it focuses too much on the prophecy plot and recovering an ancient artifact, all of it to have someone sing a song to wake up King Caesar from his eternal nap. Too often, it feels like the plot is doing a massive tangent before it finally comes around on the main conflict with Mechagodzilla.
Thankfully Mechagodzilla is a mean villain with a fantastic look. The opening sequences of him impersonating Godzilla are fantastic (poor Anguirus finds out the hard way that that’s not his buddy). There is also an absurd amount of missiles and explosions in this one. Mechagodzilla gets to beat the ever-living shit out of Godzilla and King Caesar, before Godzilla turns himself into a giant magnet to finally land a few hits. It’s a serviceable plot, backed by some hilariously illogical moments and some insane pyrotechnics in the finale.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla on Tubi
This is the first of two Millennium Era movies with Mechagodzilla, and this one’s pretty good. When a new Godzilla emerges in 1999, Japan recovers the bones of the first Godzilla from the 1954 attack and uses them to build Mechagodzilla (named Kiryu in this film). Piloted by a former lieutenant who seeks redemption for her past mistakes, Kiryu is Japan’s great hope and last line of defense.
The benefit of this one is it wastes no time. It runs at a brisk 88 minutes with a simple premise and no distracting subplots. Kiryu has a spectacular suit design, and though most of the movie is a struggle to get him to function properly, the script does an admirable job at giving him human characteristics, in a similar manner as Gypsy Danger from Pacific Rim (2013). There’s also a neat twist in the midpoint that thematically connects the two monsters in new interesting ways. The action scenes with Godzilla are great, with some genuine tension.
The human characters are also quite good here. The protagonist Akane is essentially the same character as the protagonist from Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, but written with much better depth. Despite its all-too-familiar premise, the film works thanks to its dedicated execution, and even if it doesn’t leave a lasting impression, it’s such a breeze to watch.
You can watch Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla on PlutoTV
Yes, they faced off once before the MonsterVerse did it! The original King Kong vs. Godzilla is such a milestone movie for both monsters. For starters, this is the first time they are both in color. It is also the first time we hear Akira Ifukube’s 6 musical notes that signify Godzilla’s arrival, an iconic tune that Godzilla films still use to this day. Most of all, this is the movie that set the standard for the rest of the franchise being focused on the monster rumble.
Ishirō Honda essentially remakes King Kong (1933) into a satire on the Japanese TV industry, even framing the titular fight as some sort of WWE fighting event. The film continues the image of Godzilla being a bad guy, but this time he is given a clearer personality, being more of a bully that takes pleasure in hurting Kong. Meanwhile, Kong’s just a bit of a doofus. His suit design has not aged well, and his character has a hilarious habit of napping or getting himself knocked out. The titular fight at Mount Fuji is super entertaining, with the iconic image of Kong shoving a tree in Godzilla’s mouth — so beloved that Adam Wingard remakes it in his Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).
For those who are new to the franchise, this is a really good place to start, especially if you’ve seen the MonsterVerse remake. It’d be fun to see how it all went down back in the 60s.
You can watch King Kong vs. Godzilla on Max
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is a turning point in the franchise, as it’s the first time we get to see Godzilla as a good guy worth rooting for by creating an even bigger baddie that requires not one, not two, but three monsters to defeat. It contains a bizarre but straightforward plot of a princess possessed by an alien from Venus, warning humanity of a coming threat that will destroy the planet, which is later revealed to be Ghidorah. Unfortunately, the princess is also a target for an assassination attempt, so our human characters must protect her at all costs. Despite the awkwardness of the human plotline never aligning with the monster plotline, there is still much fun to be had with the monsters here.
The movie brings back Mothra in larvae form from the previous film Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), and it introduces the conflict between Godzilla and Rodan. These are some of the highlights in the Godzilla franchise, from Godzilla and Rodan throwing rocks at each other to Mothra coming in webbing them both to straighten them out. Plus Godzilla gets zapped in the dick and in the ass by Ghidorah. This is the first of many silly entries that begins to humanize the monsters more than ever, and being a movie of multiple “firsts,” Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster is no doubt one of the most important installments in the franchise.
You can watch Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster on Tubi
This direct sequel to the 1974 Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is one of the more overlooked and less talked about entries in the series. With the return of both Ishirō Honda and Akira Ifukube, this one ended up being surprisingly good, thanks to a return to a somber tone. But that ends up making it the worst financially performing film in the franchise’s history.
The marine biologist storyline with Dr. Mafune is quite grounded, and the writers find a compelling way to connect his plotline with the aliens rebuilding Mechagodzilla. But the real surprise is the Frankenstein-esque subplot with Mafune’s cyborg daughter (yes, I know), which ends up being a tragic love story that surprisingly works.
Meanwhile, Godzilla is on his own this time, taking on Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus (a giant elephant-sounding seahorse), with the help of some humans from Interpol. Though it may be less memorable and less iconic than its predecessor, this one carries an emotional resonance that I strongly appreciate.
You can watch Terror Of Mechagodzilla on Tubi
This is another overlooked and less talked about entry in the series, mainly because the plot is so low stakes and inconsequential, but that’s what makes it so silly and fun. A group of humans get stranded on an island that’s run by eco-terrorists, who have a giant lobster named Ebirah under their control, as they develop next-generation nuclear weapons. Desperate for a solution, our group of heroes discover a napping Godzilla under a mountain and decide to wake him up with a lightning bolt.
Originally written for King Kong, Godzilla is hilarious to watch here. Even though his personality may not be consistent with other films, you can’t help but feel bad for the guy. He’s been enjoying a good nap, only to be woken up to the worst day ever. He then proceeds to beat the shit out of a bird, some planes, and plays rock volleyball with Ebirah to surf music. For all the movies in the 60s that slowly make Godzilla more likable, this one is where I relate to him the most as an adult. Call it a guilty pleasure, but Ebirah, Horror of the Deep is a surprisingly fun time.
You can watch Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep on Tubi
This is one of the most famous entries in the Godzilla franchise and is commonly discussed as one of the best. Essentially a rewrite of Godzilla’s origin story, the film tells the story of Futurians, who come and help Japan defeat Godzilla by going back in time and preventing his mutation from nuclear tests. But then the Futurians replace Godzilla with three creatures of their own called Dorats, which then mutate into King Ghidorah to attack present-day Japan. With no giant monster to protect them, Japan decides to nuke a second Godzilla into existence.
The film feels like an instant throwback to the campy sci-fi elements found in the Shōwa Era films. It feels good to hear Akira Ifukube’s music again, now associated with updated practical effects. There are plenty of fun moments, from the WWII sequence to the titular confrontation between Godzilla and King Ghidorah. There is also a neat conflict shift in the last act, how Godzilla quickly goes from savior to villain again, so the context of the second Godzilla/Ghidorah (featuring Mecha King Ghidorah) fight brings a whole new dynamic.
The drawback is the film is understandably all over the place, full of overacting American characters and a messy hodge-podge of other films, from Back to the Future to The Terminator — look out for a ridiculously hammy performance from Robert Scott Field as an android. With that being said, it’s an insanely entertaining and rewatchable entry in the series. For those who are new to Godzilla movies and want to see why King Ghidorah is Godzilla’s greatest enemy, this is THE movie to see.
Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah is not available to stream
The first sequel of the Heisei Era, where the franchise could go anywhere it wanted, ends up in some weird territory. Part of it acts as a continuation of The Return of Godzilla (1984), with an entire espionage arms race plotline on stealing Godzilla’s cells. But then there is a whole other storyline with a mad scientist fusing Godzilla’s cells with the spirit of his daughter and with a plant, thus creating the titular Biollante. Also it introduces a psychic girl named Miki, who will go on to be in every Heisei Godzilla movie. Then there’s a giant mecha robot that uses diamond mirrors, a fictional Middle East country, and artificial thunderstorms.
Much of the story comes across as a checklist, making sure it addresses a plethora of plot points that can get from Point A to Point B. It feels either like a procedure to get to the action or just an afterthought. Even the tonal shifts and music choices can be bizarre at times, as it veers into super 80s territory. Needless to say, the middle part can drag and bog down the pacing.
That being said, the Big G looks amazing here (the first of his iconic Heisei design) and the return of Akira Ifukube’s classic tunes is very welcome. Biollante is such a weird, fascinating creature, presented with some beautiful cinematography and practical effects. The monster action more than delivers, and with such a strange plotline, Godzilla vs. Biollante is no doubt a unique entry in the series.
Godzilla vs. Biollante is not available to stream
The UN develops a military branch called G-Force to salvage Mecha King Ghidorah’s remains (from 1991’s Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) and reverse engineer it to build Mechagodzilla, in the hopes of defeating Godzilla once and for all. Meanwhile, there’s an egg that hatches into Baby Godzilla, and the Big G and Rodan have an epic custody battle for it.
This one has awesome special effects all around, with some updated monster designs, epic beam clashes, and a banger score by Akira Ifukube. Though the narrative is light on thematic depth, there is some sort of comparison to be seen between the forces of nature and mankind’s technological advancements. It’s a great combination of human characters doing their thing and how they all come to a head with the monsters.
Surprisingly, the storyline that works the best is Baby Godzilla — a breath of fresh air from Minilla — and frankly it’s the thing that holds the movie together. It allows the monsters to have a bit more personality here, as Rodan and Godzilla fight over who gets to bring Baby home. Rodan even does a thing to Godzilla that Michael Doughtery does with Mothra in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and it’s a pleasant surprise. Simple, easy to follow, with a ton of action, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is a solid entry in the series.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II on PlutoTV
The 1992 Godzilla vs. Mothra is essentially a remake of the 1964 Mothra vs. Godzilla, but with improved special effects, a more urgent plot, and further world-building. The film also introduces a dark side of Mothra named Battra, along with a silly Indiana Jones-like subplot. Though the story may be familiar, the benefit of this one is it gets all three monsters into the fray within the first 30 minutes, making all the narrative pieces set for constant action.
Battra throws a fit at Japan. Meanwhile, Mothra literally hatches and has to instantly dodge Godzilla’s atomic breath. The movie just moves. The usage of “Mothra’s Song” is very good here, with some thoughtful editing that juxtaposes the twin fairies singing and larva Mothra trekking across the ocean. And then you have a third act that takes place at Yokohama Cosmo World, a theme park with a giant Ferris wheel. The aesthetics in this one are strikingly beautiful.
The only knock against it is the environmentalist themes are very heavy-handed here, often spoken out loud by the human characters as opposed to the more nuanced approach in the 1964 entry. The plot is also very focused on the lore of Mothra fighting Battra, which makes Godzilla himself feel a bit tacked on. That being said, this is only a small problem, as the Big G has such a strong presence anyways, and the final three-way fight is excellent.
Godzilla vs. Mothra is not available to stream
Veering into pure sci-fi territory for the franchise is Invasion of Astro-Monster, a film that captures every element of silliness that the Shōwa Era was best known for. Humans travel to Planet X to answer a distress signal, realizing that the planet’s alien inhabitants, called Xiliens, are being terrorized by King Ghidorah. Humanity gives the aliens permission to “borrow” Godzilla and Rodan to fend off Ghidorah, only for the aliens to later reveal that it was all a plan for them to control all three monsters to declare war on Earth.
For such a ridiculous plotline, Invasion of Astro-Monster is paced incredibly well. It’s full of human characters worth rooting for, and the tension between the humans and the aliens have real stakes and consequences. The Xiliens are no doubt the most memorable aliens in the entire Shōwa series. Though the budget is noticeably lower than other Godzilla productions, the filmmaking team makes the most of it here with their retro production designs of ship interiors and spaceports.
As for the monsters, they’re really funny here. King Ghidorah has a surprisingly better presence here than in his introduction from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, and Godzilla and Rodan both continue their derpy and lovable personalities. You also can’t talk about Invasion of Astro-Monster without mentioning Godzilla’s victory dance, which is one of the best moments in the entire series, along with his dropkick from Godzilla vs. Megalon. With such a welcome space aesthetic, Invasion of Astro-Monster is exactly the cheesy next step the franchise needed, one that goes on to inspire several future installments.
You can watch Invasion of Astro-Monster on Tubi
One of my personal problems with King of the Monsters (2019) was how the grim realistic visuals clash with the inherently campy premise and supposedly fun tone. This is what Adam Wingard fixes the most with Godzilla vs. Kong, a kaleidoscope of color that fully embraces the Shōwa Era films, both in image and in tone. The result is an extremely satisfying rematch and the first entry of my top 10.
The film wastes no time setting up the rivalry between Kong and Godzilla as well as fully committing to the Hollow Earth plotline. 20 minutes in and we already have a Godzilla attack and Kong put onto an aircraft carrier heading towards Hollow Earth. This movie really moves.
Where the film truly delivers is in personifying the monsters and staging the action. It’s not just fun and well visualized (thank god they’re in the day or the well-lit night). It’s well choreographed and extremely well thought-out on who has what advantage at what location. Truly, this is the first time the MonsterVerse treats these monsters as actual characters with personality and perks. Poor Kong is just having the worst day ever. The Mechagodzilla third act is also a pleasant surprise. It’s a fantastic design, and the concept of it being driven by Ghidorah’s subconscious is a fun twist on Kiryu from the Millennium Era. The Godzilla/Kong tag team is so satisfying, it awakens the child in you.
Despite being full of writing problems, underused human characters, and underwhelming humor, the film nails that tricky balance of having giant monsters be taken seriously enough to know they’re dangerous but also silly enough for us to have a good time. When done right, it is equal to some of the best that the Shōwa Era, Heisei Era, frankly any era of Godzilla, has ever offered us.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Kong on Max
I’ve seen this film many times, but seeing it again as the 30th film in my Godzillathon, it’s even more obvious than before how much love and respect was put into this. With Japan still being the only country to have ever experienced an atomic bomb, Hollywood reinterprets Godzilla as a story of nature and mankind’s powerlessness.
The biggest mistake, as everyone has said since Day 1 back in 2014, is killing off Bryan Cranston’s character. The first 40 minutes of the film are so emotionally compelling that his death ends up being a huge reset in narrative momentum. The film’s second mistake is how it gives one tease too many, resulting in several moments where you want action but the film keeps cutting away.
With all that said, Gareth Edwards directs Godzilla with immense skill. He is a master of foreshadowing, of implying, and most of all, of capturing a sense of scale. It’s not just to show how enormous the monsters are, but how insignificant humans are, in the same vein as the best disaster movies. Despite the writing problems, Edwards tells a lot of story through his visuals. With a tense, heart-thumping score by Alexandre Desplat, the film has so many big, beautifully realized sequences that most blockbusters just don’t have the patience for. Though I can understand the frustration of Godzilla being barely in this, it’s clear to me that Edwards set out to make a different kind of movie, and I suspect that time will be kind towards it.
You can watch Godzilla (2014) on Netflix
The first reboot of Godzilla feels like a step into a new decade, honoring the nuclear holocaust themes of the 1954 original while progressing them towards concepts of paranoia of an all-out nuclear war. Though we do of course see Godzilla himself do some destruction, the film is less about how much damage he can do, but more about how his very existence can lead to mankind using their own technology to destroy their own world. It’s a fantastic trade-off.
The film centers on multiple characters from the Japanese government, and not once is the film designed to be anti-government, as the script takes its time for the audience to understand their complicated situation. The way Godzilla stirs the Americans and the Soviets to get involved is a truly compelling Cold War like plot, even going so far to explore the unbearably difficult choice of whether to detonate nuclear weapons on your own soil. It’s quite shocking how some of the best scenes in the film are about the Japanese Prime Minister.
There are a few components that hold the film back from being perfect. The opening scene with sea lice doesn’t quite fit into the rest of the movie, there are some weird angles of Godzilla’s face where he doesn’t look great, and there are some hilarious scenery-chewing performances by all the non-Japanese actors. But the timely themes, the musical score, and the return to an urgent and serious tone makes The Return of Godzilla not only a great reboot and start to the Heisei Era, but a great Godzilla film overall.
The Return of Godzilla is not available to stream
When it comes to Godzilla movies that beginners must see, Mothra vs. Godzilla is and should always be on that list. Being only the fourth entry of the franchise, the film is such a leap forward both in production quality and in story quality. While King Kong vs. Godzilla presents itself with a satirical lens about capitalism, this one is far more sincere and earnest with its messaging. It features an engaging story from start to finish, with likable human characters that share a special connection with Mothra and her twin fairies.
Equally as fun and entertaining is Godzilla, who demonstrates his real invincibility in this movie, as he marches through explosion after explosion. No matter what the military throws at him, he just continues ahead. It makes for a genuinely tense titular fight when Mothra faces the Big G, setting up the stakes that one atomic breath will annihilate her.
Though Mothra would go on to become an ally to Godzilla, this one establishes a compelling dynamic of one monster being the destroyer of worlds and the other being the Earth’s protector. It’s a simple and emotionally satisfying storyline that honestly deserves a remake someday. Imagine if someone like James Cameron could take his Avatar sensibilities and apply them to Mothra. Frankly, that would be an incredible thing to see.
You can watch Mothra vs. Godzilla on Tubi
After a decade of Heisei Era Godzilla films, full of monster action and wonky sci-fi premises, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is once again a step back into the dire tone of the 1954 original, as it positions itself as the final film in the series where Godzilla dies. Instantly, from start to finish, the film establishes the stakes as a ticking time bomb towards the end of the world, connected by humanity’s innovation to destroy and Godzilla’s suffering.
The slow burn setup of the Precambrian organisms born out of the Oxygen Destroyer is both thematically fitting and carefully built up, while Godzilla’s pain is brilliantly juxtaposed with a nation’s (and the world’s) anxiety of impending doom. Not only does it offer some neat tie-ins to the original film, but it brings such existential dread.
The human characters are nearly all powerless here, but in a way that doesn’t negatively affect the film’s story or pacing. Godzilla Junior is fantastic and immediately sympathetic, while the film maintains constant urgency with the threat of a growing Destoroyah and the countdown of Godzilla’s death. The final 10 minutes will hold your breath. Akira Ifukube’s final score is powerful, and the direction is so thoughtful and solemn that it might just bring a tear to your eye. Though certainly not a perfect film, the sense of finality is so palpable here, it deserves every bit of its critical reputation in the Godzilla series.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Destoroyah on PlutoTV
Talk about a Godzilla movie that finds the perfect balance between terrifying and wacko. Godzilla vs. Hedorah, also known as Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster, is definitely known by the community as one of (if not the) weirdest films in the franchise. Featuring psychedelic imagery, jarring animated sequences, and multiple images of death and destruction to humans and the world, this plays like a thematic sequel to the 1954 original. While Ishirō Honda touched on nuclear holocaust in the original film, director Yoshimitsu Banno explores climate change and pollution. The result is the monster Hedorah, a creature so powerful and horrifyingly indifferent that we worry about Godzilla’s chances in defeating him.
The film also features some of the most inspired editing in the franchise, cutting from shots of corroded metals and polluted waters to narrations about the cosmos, juxtaposed with shots of dead bodies with people dancing in clubs singing about the environment dying. It’s weird in a way that’s both surreal and horrific, like a shock to the system.
Lastly, it features a ridiculous yet surprisingly complex Godzilla. We have to mention the infamous moment where he flies by using his atomic breath as a propeller. But the real moment that will stick with you is that final glance he makes towards the humans, where we think he’s going to kill us all, only for him to quietly walk away. It’s a deeply felt moment that gives Godzilla vs. Hedorah its surprising emotional resonance.
You can watch Godzilla vs. Hedorah on Tubi
The recent Oscar winner Godzilla Minus One is undoubtedly the best human story told in a Godzilla movie to date. By setting it after WWII and focusing solely on veterans and private citizens, the film explores the hardships of trying to move on and live life again after a time of great loss. To have Godzilla show up at this time is a neat representation of post-war trauma, making the confrontation with him not about having one last hurrah (since Japan lost the war) but about having a better tomorrow so the next generation can live without pain and suffering.
Though it definitely addresses the Japanese government as an apathetic entity that’s never really seen, it misses some big opportunities to go harder on its political messaging. It avoids talking about nuclear warfare and skips over crucial events like Hiroshima/Nagasaki and instead aims to talk about war in general through an intimate lens. That generalization can be a tad frustrating on the political side, but it works beautifully on the human side. There are several unexpected emotional moments that will catch you off guard.
Godzilla himself is terrifying in this, looking like a meaner take on his Heisei Era appearance, and he feels truly unstoppable. For the first time since 2001, his atomic breath is visualized as a mushroom cloud. You genuinely feel like the humans have no options on how to deal with him, which makes the third act so riveting to watch. This is a film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and as a result, that makes it the most emotionally rewarding Godzilla movie in the franchise.
Godzilla Minus One is not available to stream
Also known as GMK by the Godzilla community, Giant Monsters All-Out Attack is one of the “tangent” installments in the franchise. After the serviceable Godzilla 2000 and the mediocre Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, this one feels like a shot of adrenaline straight to the veins.
A vengeful Godzilla, possessed by the souls of those who were killed during WWII, attacks present-day Japan, as the humans desperately attempt to awaken the Guardian Monsters to protect their homeland. Not only is this the most pissed-off Big G to date, it’s an interesting progression of what he represented back in 1954.
There’s also some new mythology going on, with a shocking role-reversal on King Ghidorah being a good guy (the first and only time in franchise history). The monster action is off the charts in this one, with some masterful handling of hopelessness and stark imagery like Godzilla’s atomic breath finally being visualized as a mushroom cloud. There’s also a brilliant callback to Godzilla’s very first appearance ever, with his head peeking over a hill.
On top of the incredible kaiju stuff, the film also has an emotionally compelling human story about a female reporter and her Admiral father. Finally, the musical score by Kow Otani is fantastic. Though he worked on this 4 years before Shadow of the Colossus, you can hear all the spiritual elements that make his work so riveting to listen to. Relentless and exhilarating, and nearly free of flaws, GMK is everything a monster rumble should be.
You can watch Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack on PlutoTV
The original 1954 Godzilla still holds as much relevance then as it does now. Even with the silly rubber suit and the dated effects, the somber and mournful tone takes hold. Framing Godzilla as a metaphor for nuclear holocaust, the film is able to explore deep themes of humanity’s uncanny ability to destroy itself through science and technology. Through its iconic human character Dr. Serizawa, who invents a new weapon called the Oxygen Destroyer, the film taps into a sense of guilt and responsibility mankind must hold with itself.
But the film is also a remarkable showcase of how we use art to process collective loss and trauma. Made only a few years after Japan witnessed the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (and still being the only country in the world to witness such power), the film maintains its sobering and cautionary warnings to the world. Meanwhile, it’s the little details that will stick with you, from a mother telling her children that they will be joining Daddy soon to a girls’ choir singing about prayer for peace.
It is incredible to see the Big G’s journey through our pop culture, but the core piece that keeps him profoundly relevant is woven into human history. With the most recent Best Picture winner being Oppenheimer, it is clear that the discussion about our place in the world needs to always involve some level of self-reckoning. Without it, we can’t truly learn from our greatest horrors. In the meantime, the greatest movie monster of all time will always be there to remind us.
You can watch Godzilla (1954) on Tubi
It’s insane how instantly urgent Shin Godzilla feels. An underwater eruption happens. The Japanese government begins to discuss the incident. And from that point on, the movie just goes. Soon a creature emerges, and we react to it the same time the characters do. Meeting after meeting, you don’t know whether to laugh or sigh. The juxtaposition of the government putting out statements while normal citizens flee for their lives is as witty as it is biting. As much as the film plays as a satire on bureaucratic red tape, it equally captures the terrifying chaos when witnessing a disaster unfold in real time.
It’s also a heartbreaking portrait of Japan as a country, about its shortcomings vs its aspirations, and its relationship with the rest of the world. When the UN steps in with their nuclear weapon plan, everyone knows what that means — Japan will see a third atomic bomb detonated on their soil, and this time they are forced to allow it to happen. While Ishirō Honda made a cautionary tale of nuclear warfare and mankind’s ability to destroy itself in 1954, Hideaki Anno made a proposition on how government (and humanity) can do better. While it no doubt criticizes the bureaucracy, it empathetically portrays everyone as people trying their best, while presenting a progressive hopeful note on how the country can rebuild and hold its place on the world stage.
Meanwhile, it has the most horrifying and grotesque Godzilla, the greatest visualization of his atomic breath in franchise history, and the most haunting final shot in any movie in recent memory. Not only is Shin Godzilla the best Godzilla movie by a country mile, it’s just a masterpiece on its own. A moving film about how people can come together and do better that just happens to have a radioactive fire-breathing lizard in it.
You can watch Shin Godzilla on Crunchyroll
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