I just saw it earlier tonight and it was absolutely amazing. Definitely one of the best Godzilla films ever put out, I don't really have much of anything to complain about.
I liked it too but it still wasn't a great movie.. it was a great Godzilla movie. Tons of references and nostalgic throwbacks for people like me, who grew up watching and liking bad movies like Godzilla vs. Megalon and Terror of Mecha-Godzilla.
This movie was so good. Please, go see it & support.I just saw it for the 2nd time....I can't say I won't be seeing it for a 3rd. My war isn't over yet....😢😢
It's a massive mistake to underestimate the box office potential of this thing. It really is. They're losing hundreds of millions in revenue by NOT putting this in a proper wide release, and I SUSPECT they're doing such a limited release because they think western audiences won't want to go see a 100% subtitled film in a foreign language, which of course is no true for all people. Sure, some of the lazy people out there afraid of subtitles - dumb dumbs I say - MIGHT avoid it but if they advertised it even a BIT more reasonably and got a wider release it could have made, I reckon, 200, 300 million worldwide, which for a massively budgeted hollywood film wouldn't even make the budget back but this thing cost US $15 million to make, so a 300 million box office represents a 10 times return on investment EVEN IF you account for cinemas taking half and the cost of advertising. Theaters around the world are SUFFERING and NEED something like that to keep them alive. Had they offered a dubbed version, it could have made 500 mil. This is purely because Japan has convinced ITSELF there's no international market for purely Japanese films. But Godzilla? A film THIS good (and it is GOOD)...would dominate if released properly.
The humans stories are always hit or miss for me but this one has by far the best human story of any Godzilla. I genuinely cared and worried for the characters. Even side characters were well rounded and superbly acted. So much heart. Loved it.
Seriously should be nominated for best foreign picture. It 100000% deserves to win that category, but I know it won't bc it's got "Godzilla" in its title. But still, a nomination is the very least the academy should do.
33rd Toho movie, not 32. Shin Godzilla was 32 (which was also great). Little correction. It’s the best movie of the year. Wow! I loved it!!! What an experience at the movies!
Gotcha! Cheers for the correction, again I’m not a TOHO expert so I rely on good people like you to help out when you can 😇 But also glad you loved it!
I went to go see the movie last night and was totally blown away by how good it was I know it's in subtitles but at one point I wasn't even reading it because the acting was so good you kind of figured you knew what was going on anyways between the characters. I've never really cared for any of the Godzilla movies before but they did a fantastic job on the budget they had truly shows that you can make a good movie without having to push social issues and just give us a good movie
The black rain after his first nuclear blast is also a real thing that DID happen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - so there's also real science in this movie that DIRECTLY results from the experience Japan had WITH the bomb in 1945 - which means in a very real way, this film is born out of those actual atom bomb survivors. Gives you chills. The blue glow when he opens his mouth to charge the blast is ALSO a real thing called cherenkov radiation, and it's what happens when highly radioactive discharge ionizes the air - it means something is HORRENDOUSLY radioactive. The way the shockwave goes out and then the air rushes back IN after the blast is also a very real part of an atomic explosion and we know about it BECAUSE of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This film is made by a country that LIVED through that, so those details are more than just doing good research. It's engrained into Japan's history, FOREVER. That black rain was highly radioactive and ended up killing many more people (why I think many of the survivors in this film are doomed after the credits roll). Those are profoundly meaningful details because they happened to real people not THAT long ago in August, 1945.
The black rain is what also killed forced labor and middle school kids sent to clean up after the blast. It's estimated 20% of all the killed population was the forced laborer which were Koreans at that time. Hiroshima has a separate memorial for the school kids and the "foreigner".
I saw it tonite and thought it was brilliant. By far the best Godzilla movie. The focus on the human element is what makes a movie like this stand out.
The reason I loved the movie was because the actors put so much realistic emotions and reactions to the dilemma they were in that it made me feel for them. I was struck on how moving this movie was. To me, this is the best movie of the year!
The director and his team deserve many awards and accolades for this. The monsterverse movie we've been waiting decades for. Right up there with Jurassic Park, Jaws and Aliens. Beautiful, emotional and awe-inspiring terror.
Saw it last Wednesday night in IMAX and loved it. Was going to see it again over the weekend, but couldn't find the time. Was shocked when looking for showtimes for next weekend to find that it was only on a 1 week release in the U.S! Gladly, its success has gotten it a one-week extension, so I'll definitely be seeing it again in theater while I can.
Myself, my girlfriend and my son went to see it Saturday and we all loved it and are trying to find a time to go see it again. Easily my favorite Godzilla movie and the best movie I’ve seen in a long time. Amazing story, emotional and great acting, visual effects were great, CGI had its off spots but it didn’t affect the movie what so ever. I was very happy to see its screen time get extended another week.
I watched the movie on a huge screen with a great sound system and it was amazing!! The next time I went to watch the movie for the second time, I was so disappointed that they moved it to a smaller screen. I asked why they switched it and they said because the Beyonce movie had to show in the big screen. WTF are they doing?? American cinema is backwards!!
This is the best Godzilla movie I have ever seen. This is Japan's baby so naturally going to treat their baby with care. And you can tell. The characters are amazing. The boat scene alone is worth the movie ticket.
This is the movie of my childhood where Godzilla was the ultimate bad guy. He destroyed everything. Never did understand Hollywood’s obsession with making him a good guy. 🤷🏻♀️
Having just seen GM1 this evening, my impression is because this movie is a Japanese production, it doesn't rely on the same old American tropes I've gotten bored with. It's not complicated with subplots, constant in-jokes, and other intrigues. It's a simple story, effectively told with characters I can feel for. Godzilla is scary as hell because people are visibly dying underfoot and he's deliberately causing destruction rather than collateral damage from him mindlessly strolling through Tokyo. The way Godzilla is framed from a worms-eye view looking upward is effective too.
Besides Jaws, parts of Minus One even feels like Jurassic Park a few times, except far better than the recent entries of that franchise. What I love about this depiction of Godzilla is they harken back to a lot of old concepts from past films while doing more with them, even SHOWING what was only ever implied or explained in exposition. Godzilla is an angry, vengeful god on Earth and it shows us why in brief, but grizzly detail (atomic bomb scene). And the tone and music are intense, like a horror movie jacked up to eleven. And I love how the themes are handled, they’re nuanced and meaningful without bashing you over the head. The human characters are superb too, possibly the best ones since, well, Godzilla 2000 and GMK if I’m being honest. I hope Yamazaki does do a sequel, preferably the 1984 route taking place years later but have a new monster like how Raids Again did it. Minus One may not reinvent the wheel entirely, but they bring back and redo so many old, great ideas in a way that it feels fresh at the same time, there’s a sincerity to it that I did not get with Toho’s recent anime projects (all of which completely wasted their interesting concepts). I appreciate the MonsterVerse for what they’ve attempted to do (flaws and all) and I love the version of Godzilla that we’ve gotten there, but I hope Minus One has risen the bar in ways that both Legendary and Toho themselves can learn from correctly.
No one in the comments ever says WHY it's amazing. It's because Godzilla is a bad guy, once again. It's a movie like Jaws. Godzilla is a consequence. Not an "anti-hero" or hero.
It blows my mind this movie only cost 15 million dollars to make mean while Hollywood is burning hundreds of millions of dollars on garbage projects they need to learn from this film
Great review Chris! I saw Godzilla minus one on opening day here in California and being a lifelong fan of the franchise, I have to say, this is the best Godzilla film ever made! Love your shirt man! I’m a huge Zack Snyder fan! #restorethesnyderverse
Forget best Godzilla movie, this might be the best movie of 2023. Completely surpassed all expectations, I actually was rooting for the people to defeat Godzilla for once
It's an amazing movie. It caught me off guard. The story the acting the music the effects... amazing. Brilliant... for a movie with only 15 million dollar budget
You may not have learned to speak/write japanese at school but at least you learn a bit of popculture and I think that is awesome. With the decline of physical media I wonder if this will be released in western markets. Japan still love their physical media so it will definitely have a special edition with cool pre-order bonus(es).
Maybe the lesson here is not to wonder what those guys could do in a movie with 300 million dollars, but rather why is Hollywood wasting 300 million dollars on a movie that could be made with a fraction of that budget... I hope (is not gonna happen) that Hollywood takes notice and rethinks the way they are making movies, and really take a look on how to be better with money. (Actors need to take a serious pay cut)
There are two main reasons why this film cost only $15 million. One is that until now, Japanese production companies have only made films with a budget size that can be paid for only by sales in the domestic market, so they can only afford low budgets. The second reason is that creators have worked hard for low salaries. Japanese creators have never gone on strike. There is an episode in this film in which many naval battle scenes were created because young staff members voluntarily created CG of the sea, and Director Yamazaki was so impressed that he increased the number of sea scenes. As this shows, the Japanese film industry is supported by the volunteer activities of staff members and the low-paid environment.
Well taking the recent Marvels movie as an example. Since the director and actors have "diversity" you have to love it and pay for it. otherwise they will claim you are a bigot and lots of dirty word-ists.
All the deep sea radiation fried fish surfacing dead in droves whenever the radioactive disaster - "Godizilla" - was just about to surface was a nice touch.
So good. We caught it this Friday, and I’m still thinking about it. So well shot, and edited. And that Atomic breath scene was so powerful. Loved this new channel Chris. Probably the best Godzilla movie I’ve ever seen.
I’m a massive fan of the Godzilla films. Especially the Japanese versions which I watched in the nineties as a kid. I might have to check this out. lol
I saw it in DTLA tonight after Comic Con in a 4DX theater- quite literally a roller coaster ride! The seats moving along with the boats in the rough seas and vibrating with the explosions took it to the next level.
@@greggpirazzini2536 Yeah I would not have chosen 4DX but didn't want to wait for the 1100 regular screening but WOW I am now a HUGE fan of 4DX (RIP my neck, feeling a bit stiff after the violent jerking from the explosions lol) RE: Comic Con the Ahsoka panel today was really great- Don't miss the Napoleon Dynamite reunion panel tomorrow!
33rd Godzilla movie huh wow I’m doing a binge of Godzilla I watched The original 1954 movie always a classic started it all. I saw Godzilla vs Hedorah,Spacegodzilla ,I saw shin Godzilla a long time ago . All the monster verse stuff ,Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla the original movies Godzilla vs Kong the cheesy old movie . I got a lot to go 😂😂😂😂
I’ve only ever watched 1 Godzilla and 1 King Kong, and that’s Godzilla vs King Kong (that I can recall). I don’t remember any of the characters, nor the plot even. I just remember one helps humans destroy the other. So you’re right about memorability from prior installments of our era. Pretty forgettable.
it's shocking to hear Minus-1 was made for so little, but that's a love of art, and the ONLY reason hollywood movies claim to cost as much as they do is based on money laundering, if not straight-up, basic greed (definitely not ART).
I’d give it a solid 7-7.5. Great cinematography, amazing score, directing was done masterfully, acting was exceptional, but there were times that the characters were being overdeveloped, the plot was drawn out at times, the allegory was a bit heavy handed, but it was a movie that was worth watching. Overall, Hollywood should be concerned; they’ve got competition.
I was still partial to the 2014 one because of how memorable some of the moments and twists were - it was such a great experience, even with all the flaws... But I've seen Minus One four times in theaters now and have come to terms with the fact that Minus One is my favorite Godzilla - it is VERY close to being perfect.
Only $15 Million to make??… Insane… Just goes to show these $250-$300 million dollar budgets are BS. At this point it’s Money Laundering if you ask me.
This movie was made with so much love, heart and passion! You really care about all the characters and don’t want them to die. The story is outstanding! I can’t believe that it was made for just 15 million dollars! Looks stunning!
We should stop all production of the "Monsterverse" godzilla films and give their budget to the creators of Minus One. I lost all faith in the american films after watching a trailer for Godzilla vs Kong and one of the characters asked why Godzilla was destroying a city. I remember being super excited about Godzilla(2014) and thinking it was pretty good. I thought King of monsters was alright, but it wasn't as good as 2014. I really liked Kong: Skull Island. Everything changed when I saw Shin Godzilla. It reminded me of what Godzilla was meant to be. I got the same feeling from Minus One. I also just saw the trailer for Godzilla x Kong and couldn't stop laughing at how terrible it looks. I hope we get for films like Minus One instead of the MCU-esque Godzilla films coming from the US.
Love the design of minus one design the best. This is the updated classic design of godzilla. The hollywood godzilla is fat and has elephant legs, an updated design of the 1998 hollywood godzilla
It’s so encouraging that a film with a lower budget in a genre that’s often eye-rolled was brought into existence by a team with such unbridled talent. A movie that will be studied by filmmakers for years to come. Oh, and thanks for your great review.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🕵️ *Discovery of "Godzilla Minus One" and Limited Marketing* - Stumbles upon "Godzilla Minus One" during Google searches, noting the lack of marketing. - Expresses surprise at the film's existence, highlighting its limited release and scarce promotion. 03:26 🎬 *Visual and Technical Excellence on a Limited Budget* - Lauds the film's exceptional visual effects and technical aspects despite a modest $15 million budget. - Credits director Tekashi Yamazaki, who served as the director, writer, and visual effects supervisor, for the film's seamless execution. 05:50 🦖 *Character and Creature Design Analysis* - Analyzes the protagonist's performance, suffering from survivor guilt and PTSD, praising the actor's portrayal. - Appreciates the design of Godzilla in "Godzilla Minus One," describing it as mean, nasty, and covered in scar tissue. - Commends the charging up and execution of Godzilla's Atomic breath, comparing it favorably to previous iterations. 07:55 💔 *Impactful Storytelling and Emotional Engagement* - Acknowledges the film's impact, calling it a grim, depressing, action-packed narrative. - Highlights the emotional depth of the characters, contrasting it with recent Hollywood Godzilla films. - Emphasizes the film's ability to make Godzilla the enemy and create empathy for the human characters. 09:32 🎉 *Final Rating and Call for Recognition* - Awards "Godzilla Minus One" a perfect score of 5 out of 5 Matthew Brodericks. - Encourages viewers to experience the film in theaters, expressing a desire for a potential IMAX release. - Calls for Hollywood to take notice of the film's success with a minimal budget and praises the cast and crew for their dedication. Made with HARPA AI
