Godzilla (2014)

Score: 8/10

     This film is very special to me. It's what got me into the franchise, so if I never saw this film I may not be the man I am today. That out of the way, it's still a damn good movie. The soundtrack and cgi are still incredible to this day, and my god the sense of scale you feel with the monsters is absolutely astounding! That Halo Drop scene will always be in my top five favorite moments in Godzilla! It's not perfect of course, there's too much focus on the human scenes especially the Brody family, where the film wants you to care but we don't know them enough TO care. That and it's virtually impossible to watch this film with any light source on. It is that hard to see!

Shin Godzilla

Score: 10/10

From the creative mind of Evangelion came this masterpiece of a Godzilla film. This is one of, if not the most unique version of the big G-man we've ever seen. He still retains his message about the dangers of the use of nuclear energy and weapons, but molded it into something even more horrifying than 1954. Godzilla is not a force of nature, not a good guy, not even the villain. He's an animal that's forced to keep living in unimaginable pain. Expertly told through the talent of Shiro Sagisu's music. But, like all films it's not perfect. Yes it is slow and 80% of it is just Japanese officials talking in a room, but honestly I do not mind it. It's hard to truly hate what a masterpiece this film is...

Kong: Skull Island

Score: 7/10

That's right boys, ITS MONKE TIME. Considering this film is apart of the Monsterverse, might as well add it in! The biggest flex this film has on the other Monsterverse films is the style, it's very unique compared to the others which sets it apart. It's also just really damn fun, considering most of the kaiju fights are in the daytime and you can properly see them, unlike a 2014 film. Also hot take, these are the better human characters of the Monsterverse, minus Dr. Serizawa. The biggest flaws is the simple story and that it feels like a repeat of the King Kong formula, with the only change is that Kong isn't taken to human civilization against his will.

Also....PG-13 movie? My ass this shit is gory as hell!

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters

Score: 6/10

     Compared to the last score, it's gone down a bit. This movies pros is that it's got the most unique setting for a Godzilla film by far. On a world where humanity no longer is in control, where Godzilla wins and has taken Earth for himself. Characters like the Exif and Bilosulado(how the fuck do you say their name). The ending by far is the best part of the film where Godzilla truly reveals himself in his biggest incarnation yet! Though, there are problems to this film. It has less Godzilla screen-time than 2014, the main character feels like an Eren clone, and the setting, despite being unique, is not done in a way to show off its uniqueness.

Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle

Score: 3/10

Oh my god this movie was such a slog to get through. This is easily the worst of the trilogy, with 80% of the entire film saved for nothing but talking scenes and walking around MechaGodzilla City. The film introduces really cool concepts like the Houtua, which is only in the very beginning. It wouldn't be so bad if they actually did something with MechaGodzilla City, like making a few MechaGodzilla's to combat Godzilla Earth, but it's just a big ass fortress. While trash this movie was, the third act and the ending really made it worth the wait. It's action packed, emotional, and, no joke, holds one of my favorite moments in the series. Haruo is given two options, kill Godzilla but allow the Nanometal to potentially grow to be a bigger threat, or save Godzilla and destroy their only weapon that could have taken back their world. It's a damn good finale and the awesome soundtrack helps. But overall most of the film is just...not good.

Godzilla: The Planet Eater

Score: 8/10

     Um....I got some explaining to do. I know A LOT of people hate this film. To get the gripes out of the way, yes, the fight between Godzilla and Ghidorah was honestly disappointing. If the studio either gave us a different fight or at least had 15 more minutes left with a final showdown with Ghidorah True Form, then this film would not be as hated. And yes, there is a lot of talking in this film. But I...honestly like it! To me, this feels like a good conclusion with the story of Haruo and Godzilla. Metphies being the true villain was awesome as it was revealed he was planning this ever since the beginning. The visuals are trippy and awesome. I LOVE this Eldritch form of Ghidorah and how nothing from our reality works on him because he is from an entirely different universe. Finally, I know a lot of people don't like how Haruo sacrificed himself, but I still liked it due to its tragedy. To me, I don't think Haruo hated Godzilla anymore, since he was willing to let himself die to stop humanity from ruining themselves a second time.

     Man I'm probably gonna get so much hate for this.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

Score: 8.5-9/10

     This film also holds a special place in my heart for being one of the most hype movies of my life. Did it live up to it? Well, TO ME IT DID! This film is literally everything a Godzilla fan could ask for! References to previous movies, fan favorite monsters returning with new ones being hinted at, just everything about this movie screams that it was made by Godzilla fans. The cgi still remains incredible, Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and Ghidorah have never looked so good on the big screen before. The music! OH GOD I LOVE THIS SOUNDTRACK! Bear McCreary is a musical genius man! Though I have to admit, there are flaws with this film. While all the kaiju action is absolutely phenomenal, I could really give less of a rats shit about the Russel family drama. Nobody goes to watch a Godzilla film and wanting family drama. If they were cut entirely and the main human side they focused on was Dr. Serizawa then this movie would've been a 10/10. Yeah, the Russel family story is THAT BAD. Still I fucking love this movie, it's the reason why I'm so attached to the Monsterverse.

Godzilla vs Kong

Score: 7/10

It's only slightly higher than the original GvK. Trust me, this film got issues. Some story elements make no sense. They replaced an alright villain for a crappier villain that came out of nowhere. Madison and some characters are oddly massive assholes. And Godzilla winning suddenly against Kong did feel underwhelming. BUT DAMMIT! This movie is just so fun! It's obvious they didn't care for story and focused on the action, which is clearly the best part of the film. I love how the film uses the advantages of both Godzilla and Kong to on up each other. MechaGodzilla is an awesome addition as always. Godzilla is just a Chad in this movie, dude drills into the earth like nothing! But honestly, one of my favorite parts about this movie was how humanized Kong is. Thanks to the gorgeous cgi, we can see the emotions and thought on Kong's face. How he experiences the world and what's troubling him. Also I may be looking too much into this, but I think the ending is a reference to 2014's ending. Both movies end with Godzilla returning to the ocean, showing one last familiar farewell for a monster we may never see again....

But hey, I'm glad they're continuing with Kong at least!

Godzilla: Singular Point

Score: 8/10

     After the disappointment of the anime trilogy, we finally had ourselves a full official Godzilla anime. To get the negatives out of the way, the show does have a lot of talking scenes and bullshit science explanations. The scenes where Pelopes is acting cute with the text messaging I found more annoying. And I felt like Salunga, their new kaiju, could've done more. Yet this show is still a good anime! The 3D, like in the anime trilogy, is really well done and they make the fight scenes work because of it. I really love how they brought back older kaiju and gave them their own mini arcs, even if it was a bit short lived. Godzilla takes the best parts of Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Earth and becomes a dope antagonist. I love how the show goes from a more casual to apocalyptic feel the second Godzilla shows up. Plus you can be reassured that a lot of annoying anime tropes won't be found here. The only real confusing part for me was the concept of the Singular Point, where it kept talking about past and future and alternate universe. Either I didn't pay attention or I'm really dumb. But still, this is definitely an anime worth watching!

     Thus concludes the Reiwa Era. While I criticized the Millenium era for its constant reboots, it's understandable here. Godzilla is in the modern age and there's bound to be more creative freedom. The Monsterverse in general helped me create a love for Godzilla that has shaped me today. Like a lot of people, this era holds a special place in my heart.

      But not just that, the marathon itself is over. Rewatching all the Godzilla movies again reminds me of all the highs and lows this franchise offers. From the goofy as hell Showa era, to the fan favorite Heisei era, to the modern look of the Millenium era, and the new stories and ideas that come from the Reiwa era. It just shows just how much impact Godzilla has had on us all. Godzilla has, and will always be, the king of the monsters and the greatest cinematic character in history.

Thank you Godzilla.....