Godzilla Minus One
Dec. 25th, 2023 08:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingMuslims 🤝 Jews 🤝 Hindus = Going to see Godzilla on Christmas Eve
Seriously, the theater was packed, which is as it should be.
Godzilla Minus One does its best to be a serious drama, and I think it succeeds. Still, the appeal of this movie isn’t so much witnessing the human pathos as it is watching Godzilla do his thing, and he does it extraordinarily well.
Q: Is there a whole bunch of Godzilla from beginning to end?
A: Yes!!
Q: Does Godzilla smash the shit out of Tokyo?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there at least one humorous death-by-Godzilla?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there a reprise of the classic Godzilla musical theme?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there a strong anti-military message?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there intense homoerotic tension between two leading male characters?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is Godzilla perfect and invincible, despite everything they throw at him?
A: It’s a bit of a spoiler, but: Yes!!
I had many favorite parts of this movie, but one of my super favorite parts is right at the beginning, when young Godzilla attacks a small island. As a small(er) Godzilla, he moves very quickly and gracefully, and it's a joy to watch him chomp down on people and throw them into the sea.
The anti-fascism + anti-military message of this movie is about as clear as it can be. One of the standout lines is something like, "We can't trust the Japanese government, and the U.S. military won't help us. This is a crisis we need to confront on our own!" I am always here for small citizen groups banding together in the face of government negligence, and Godzilla Minus One isn't shy about valorizing grassroots activism. I'm not sure it's entirely accurate to say that a subtitled movie with no Hollywood actors is "mainstream," but it pleases me greatly to learn that this movie has been doing excellent box office numbers over the holidays.
Seriously, the theater was packed, which is as it should be.
Godzilla Minus One does its best to be a serious drama, and I think it succeeds. Still, the appeal of this movie isn’t so much witnessing the human pathos as it is watching Godzilla do his thing, and he does it extraordinarily well.
Q: Is there a whole bunch of Godzilla from beginning to end?
A: Yes!!
Q: Does Godzilla smash the shit out of Tokyo?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there at least one humorous death-by-Godzilla?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there a reprise of the classic Godzilla musical theme?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there a strong anti-military message?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is there intense homoerotic tension between two leading male characters?
A: Yes!!
Q: Is Godzilla perfect and invincible, despite everything they throw at him?
A: It’s a bit of a spoiler, but: Yes!!
I had many favorite parts of this movie, but one of my super favorite parts is right at the beginning, when young Godzilla attacks a small island. As a small(er) Godzilla, he moves very quickly and gracefully, and it's a joy to watch him chomp down on people and throw them into the sea.
The anti-fascism + anti-military message of this movie is about as clear as it can be. One of the standout lines is something like, "We can't trust the Japanese government, and the U.S. military won't help us. This is a crisis we need to confront on our own!" I am always here for small citizen groups banding together in the face of government negligence, and Godzilla Minus One isn't shy about valorizing grassroots activism. I'm not sure it's entirely accurate to say that a subtitled movie with no Hollywood actors is "mainstream," but it pleases me greatly to learn that this movie has been doing excellent box office numbers over the holidays.
