El Queso! (The Cheese)

trebuchet · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:20 am Post subject:

So it was released in '04 but we're getting the DVD? I would watch.
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Conan! What is best in life?

To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!"

Parsifal · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:32 am Post subject:

I put it on at Joel's house (where my Godzilla stuff is now) and he totally loved it. This movie seriously does kick ass in the great Godzilla tradition.
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trebuchet · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:05 am Post subject:

Must...borrow...it.
_________________
Conan! What is best in life?

To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!"

Parsifal · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:04 am Post subject:

Do so. This is one of those things that I would be happy to pass around for everyone to watch.
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Mike · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject:

Unless it has Ferris Bueller and Puff Daddy killing awesome songs... it's not a real Godzilla movie.

*hides*
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Parsifal · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject:

You know Mike, the Tri-Star "Godzilla" movie is actually one of those things that has transcended the initial reaction of suck and when seen through less immediately critical eyes its actually not a terrible film.

Yes, this "Godzilla" is a far more delicate specimen, and it laid eggs (some lizards actually change sex to do that if there are no members of the opposite sex to procreate with), and its more a iguana than a komodo dragon. CGI as opposed to rubber suits. No real breath weapon (the fireball extending from the American Godzilla's mouth has been explained as large amounts of methane leaving its stomach through the mouth being ignited by fire). Etc, etc.

What it did have was a story that moved along at a even pace. The characters were likable if simple at times, but they didn't suddenly start to act "out of character" at random or appear far too familiar and one-dimensional. There was a good chunk of action, a few plot twists, and a seemingly final resolution (along with a old-school sci-fi/horror "?" moment at the end). True it didn't have any MonstervsMonster action, but neither do /all/ of the Japanese ones.

Here's the thing one big thing that quite a few of the ultra-haters seem to gloss over though: There are far, far worse Japanese "Godzilla" movies. And by that I don't mean "Cheesy Good" bad, or "Not as nice-looking" bad. I mean Bad. Nonsensical plots (when the movie is trying to take itself very seriously), stories moved forward by disjointed clichÃƒÂ©s (like plucky heroes consisting of a clueless protagonist, a stereotypically weak and dependent female lead who still manages to be shrill and abrasive, and a precocious little kid with insights far beyond the adults around them or who do things with no real explanation other than that it will move the movie along), and just plain bad directing. There were a few eggs like this in the older movies, but with the advent of the "Millenium Series" all continuity has been thrown out the window yet again with the original 1954 movie considered the only one to have actually happened (and all the others in the series supposed to be taking place in their own alternate realities.) so directors were free to repeat as they pleased (in fact, Toho Corporation actually has a list of "requirements" which all writers/directors must adhere to in order to make a "Godzilla" movie which gives some of them a certain "sameness". Tri-Star willfully chose to ignore said list, earning them scorn from Toho immediately).

"Godzilla 2000" suffered from this. It wasn't a outright awful movie but the entire thing was done "by the book" with all the elements you'd expect from the Godzilla series (the protagonist is a researcher who believes that Godzilla can be studied for good, the dependent female is a reporter who is trying to get a scoop on Godzilla and really only tolerates the protagonist in order to do so, the kid is the researcher's daughter is obviously "on the ball" and keeps the reporter from bullying her dad.) The main villain is a corporate suit who used to work with the protagonist and believes that Godzilla must be destroyed by any means. At the end he steps out onto whats left of the broken roof of a building a mere dozen yards or so from the watching Godzilla and screams at him angrily (So deep is his hate! <poses meaningfully)....and is promptly swatted by the irate lizard.

To take a bit from the newer "Godzilla vs Mecha-Godzilla" series there is a scene in the first film where Mecha-Godzilla is being unveiled as the new, cutting edge weapon in the war against Godzilla. Exactly on cue Godzilla rises from the waters....not to fight, but merely to stand at a distance and roar at Mecha-G...which promptly causes it to short out and go on a mad rampage for the rest of the movie, Godzilla submerging beneath the waves to disappear for a good, long while. According to the story Mecha-Godzilla was built around the skeleton of the original 1954 Godzilla and the roar had somehow "awoken something within him". Needless to say, for the rest of the movie the supposed savior has turned into a threat and comprises the bulk of the action.

Which isn't to say all of the newer ones are bad. "Godzilla vs Megaguirus" was a really well done movie. You had Godzilla as a menace with a reason, human weapons in the war against the lizard threat (A orbital singularity generator *black-hole gun/cannon*called "Dimenson Tide", and a attack ship known as the Gryphon), and the Guirus, a prehistoric collection of insects that were brought to the present via a dimensional rift caused by the test firing of the "Dimension Tide" system hell-bent on absorbing energy in order to cement a foothold for the creation of a new colony. Two guesses as to what the richest source of energy in the area is....

There's also "Godzilla: Final Wars" which thrives because its a collection of all the previous movies put together with just enough relish in its own cheesiness to excel at its task. That I've talked about before.

Right, this seems to have gotten rather large, maybe I should clean it up and research it a bit more and place it into "Rants" when that section goes up. For now its all just "off the cuff" so feel free to take it as you please.
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Parsifal · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject:

Also, I'm surprised Mike hasn't brought this up yet, but "The Last Dragon" hasn't been mentioned yet. If he wants he can let you in on that particular "wheel"

James will attest to the next one "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka!", a early Wayans Brothers effort.
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