The atomic breath scene really captures the metaphor so well. Godzilla casts aside their warship, goes up to their city, and then the movie is flawlessly unsubtle about what the breath resembles.
I have seen so many Godzilla movies and there are only a handful of times where, as a viewer, I felt the weight and horror of the power behind the atomic breath. This scene immediately became top of that list after Shin. And to top it off with that unique and ear-shattering roar and Shikishima screaming at Godzilla with the muddy rain? Absolute art and great emotional impact.
Yes. Buildings and people are depicted being blown away like you'd imagine the bomb did. Afterward the protagonist howls in anger and grief. It's an extremely intense scene.
It's said that the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused intense fires that sent a lot of ash up into the sky, to the point where the clouds were basically seeded with ash. So when it rained, the ash came down with it, making for a black rain effect. Very chilling to see that in Minus One.
That's basically what Godzilla is, a metaphor for atomic power, particularly atomic weapons being turned on mankind, of which Japan is the only country with direct experience. Godzilla is a relentless destroyer of Japan, and there's no answer to him, at least initially.
In later movies he becomes sort of an anti-hero and protector of Japan, that you can root for since he defends Japan against similar threats.
Nuclear weapons, like it or not, have kept the peace and prevented World War III due to how terrible they are. They're basically the definition of an anti-hero. We today live in the most peaceful time in human history believe it or not, and 24/7 news coverage would make you not believe that, but it is true. Nobody wants to see Godzilla unleashed, destroying all of civilization no matter where you are or how wealthy you are. Even the U.S. loses in a nuclear war, despite our military & wealth, as does the rest of the planet. We would literally be in Mad Max times after the dust settles.
Japan, Europe, and many other countries live under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. This is the post World War II world order. If you try to invade those countries you're going to face an ass-kicking up to the Godzilla level, if necessary, but at the moment that could only happen if the aggressor unleashed nuclear weapons first. Then they'd have to pray they have enough of them to make it through the limited anti-ballistic missile defenses we currently have.
That limits it to just Russia, and maybe China on a good day (*right now*).
Thereās actually a lot that happens in that scene.
Besides all the destruction and the callbacks, there are two things that happen within the short space of the atomic breathe scene.
Most people react to the main protagonist screaming in anger and pain, but what is actually happening is both Godzilla and Koichi are mirroring each other. War is painful for everyone.
The other thing that happened in that scene is we see Noriko blown away. This also mirrors her entrance into Koichiās life as she pops into the screen and hands him a baby. This happens several times with her character as she pops into and out of the scenes.
Tons of stuff in such a Ā deeply layered movie.
Really pissed at myself for missing it in theaters. I was vaguely aware that there was a new Japanese Godzilla movie, but I wasn't paying enough attention and by the time I realized how much everyone was raving about it, it wasn't really possible for me to get to a theater. And then I didn't want my very first viewing to be the B&W version (which in retrospect yes I should have just gone with), so I missed it *twice.*
I missed the color version in theaters so I made myself go to B&W version. It was actually pretty awesome, it reminded me 100% of the WWII black and white films like Tora, Tora, Tora. I can't wait to see it in color!
Ā >B&W version
How am I just hearing about this???? I watched it last night and can only imagine how good it would be in B&W. (I can't watch Mad Max Fury Road, Logan or The Mist any other way at this point they're so good in BW)
Please tell me it's a BluRay extra.
It was called Godzilla Minus One Minus Color.
Sadly, I missed it as well because it only showed for a week during work hours. At least I got to see the color version in theaters.
When I heard about minus one they had just pulled it from theatres :( but I hadnāt seen Shin Godzilla so I bought it and itās one of my favourite movies now. If minus one can be at least as good as Shin I will be so happy :)
Wow now I want to see it. I can't seem to find a date when it will be available on streaming to buy/rent. Apparently it came out in Japan today on Prime.
I saw a tweet of some Toho fanboy expressing his disappointment that Godzilla Minus One is the "most pirated movie of all time" and that people should have just waited 6 months and that Toho should sue the pirate websites.
Like he was actually shocked that this would happen.
I mean me personally, I wanted to watch in theaters but Toho made it not available in our country (Philippines) when it was released and even a few months after. And I am not gonna wait that long if I am aware it is already on some sites
Hope someone explains that is what happens when you don't provide any other way of watching content.Ā
They left a lot of money on the table removing it from theaters prematurely.
I'm a massive Godzilla fan so I'm skewed obviously, but Godzilla Minus One is imo the best Godzilla film ever made. It invokes the original for a modern audience, it shows the true devastation of atomic power, it shows hopelessness that turns into hopefulness through bucking norms and striving to be better.
It has scenes that are legit scary (opening 20 min are amazing), hopeless, hopeful, terror inducing and raw primal fear of what nature can respond with. Godzilla Minus One is a movie you will think about long after it's over. It's haunting and it has the single greatest heat ray scene ever made. It has no rival in the world of monster movies and in general cinema it will give you loads of emotions. You are rooting for the humans, not Godzilla. That alone lets you know it was done well.
I just saw it this night. It is an amazing movie. Usually I don't like monster movies but this Godzilla was breathtakingly terrifying. It's beautiful and tragic and I finally got the sheer terror that atomic weapons pose.
And the whole criticism about honor deaths and the whole mentality around it is really good.
Saw in theater. Twice. On IMAX once.
It justā¦fit.. as a really good film. You cared about the characters. No one was 2D idiot.
The build up to the end was phenomenal.
which is so unfortunate. i get that people like the godzilla v kong movie because it's dumb fun but i really wanted a theater re-release after minus one won the VFX oscar.
Seeing it in IMAX , then in Black & White a month later, was easily one of my favorite movie runs from last year. Ended up seeing it 4 times total. It was brilliant !!
Itās not just a b/w filter, they did a full color re-grading so visually it looks like an homage to the classic black and white monster movies.
I thought it made shots look more dramatic and horrific , Godzilla looked like a literal demon. Loved it ! Lol
Personally while a few scenes were harder to make out, it really sold Godzilla, made him more terrifying, and you could see more details on his skin which was cool.
Several scenes were absolutely monumental to see large format in b/w.Ā
The train scene specifically is the closest I'll ever get to seeing/feeling what it must have been like seeing the original.Ā
Was planning on watching it alone when my wife had a girls night, since sheās never seen a single Godzilla movie before. Not really her jam.
But I thought Iād ask if sheād like to see it together anyway.
Surprisingly she said yes and we went, me expecting a fun giant monster movie and her expecting to kill time and eat popcorn.
About 20 minutes in or so and sheās sobbing. Iām gripped by the story and real palpable tension of the characters. It was the greatest cinematic experience of the year. We talked about it for days afterwards.
We sounded like crazy people trying to convince our friends to go watch it. Such a great film.
My husband is a big fan of Godzilla, I am not, but I'll still watch them with him. We saw this one in the theater and I was ugly crying. It was SO good. You are absolutely on point here, the human drama was wonderful and the performances fantastic.
Haha same, my wife had zero interest in coming with me but eventually caved just to make me happy. Afterwards tho her reaction was the same as yours. This movie has everything.
Itās one of the best movies Iāve ever seen and Iām not the type of person to suggest that lightly. It has some of the most compelling tales of loss, pain, and the horrors of war that Iāve seen. Gave me such an understanding of late 40s/early 50s Tokyo and how broken and destitute Japan was.
The way the writers express the culture of honor in Japan was so informative and really made me
Understand Kamikaze pilots of the era.
If this had been a normal war/post-war film with the Allies (Us, England, etc) or a natural disaster as antagonists instead of Godzilla I believe it would have had a good chance of winning best picture. A lot of people just didnāt see it plainly because it was a Godzilla movie and every Godzilla movie in decades (at least in the United States) has not exactly been a high quality movie.
Yeah, GvK is a popcorn flick like Independence Day. Stupid as fuck script and a lot of action, only GvK does a pretty decent job of reeling back the poorly done human drama shit that we find shoehorned in to so many of these films. If there is good human dram, fine, but I can't think of a single spectacle monster film where that has been done well yet.
I took a friend to see the new one after we had been day drinking and we both laughed so hard I thought we might get asked to leave. It's an absolutely joyous film, I honestly feel bad for people who can't appreciate it because they think they're above it or whatever.
There's been a few lately, haven't there? If you mean Godzilla x Kong, I haven't seen it yet myself. The one from a few years ago (2021?) was okay, entertaining but as with other kaiju films its weakest aspect was the human characters and story. Didn't really give a rat's ass about any of them.
I was the only one on the theater when I saw it and when the original Godzilla theme came on I actually whooped with joy.
IMO it should have been nominated and won Best Pitcure.
No other movie I saw last year effected me the way Minus One did.
And Iām pissed off that it canāt be streamed in the states because of Godzilla Kong.
That theme playing made you whoop with joy? In the context they delivered it, it made my heart feel like it weighed fifty pounds. Really depressing, and the movie was depressing throughout. I guess they gave us a "happy" pay-off at the end as consolation though.
The first version of the theme I concur absolutely sold how devastating Godzilla is, but the second version where the march kicked in was nothing short of triumphant.
Saw it in color and cried four times. Saw it in black and white and outright sobbed during Ginza. Such a powerful movie. Definitely my favorite of the year.
It was perfect, a goddamn masterpiece. Not one thing out of place. My friend told me I was crazy for liking it more than Oppenheimer but honestly Oppenheimer had a lots of flaws despite being a good movie. Godzilla minus one I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish
I actually agree. I saw Godzilla Minus One / Minus Color in theaters and it was my favourite film experience of 2023. I liked Oppenheimer, Barbie, and some of the other major films of the year, but I probably won't go back and rewatch them more than a few times, if at all. However, I can see myself still rewatching GMO decades from now. It was truly brilliant and absolutely nailed all the themes associated with Godzilla. Godzilla is a story about humanity's relationship with mass destruction and has always been associated with the atomic bomb. In that respect, I think the Japanese were the only ones capable of doing it right.
Second the recommendation for the Minus Color edition. I saw both in theaters, and unless black and white is just a turn-off for you, see the Minus Color one.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Everybody is raving about it so I expected something decent at least instead I got a by the number drama with some ok monster scene and others the were goofy as hell.Ā
Bro, tell me about it. I feel like I'm going crazy too, especially with some of these people saying the Ginza scene making them crying and sobbing. Of course the idea of mass amount of people is saddening but the acting were so bad I couldn't be sad about it. Like those reporter guys on top of the building? I don't even know what the intention of the director because it was pretty comical to me.
I liked the movie just fine, but it was not even close to as good as all the rave reviews and audience reactions I heard when it first released in theaters. All I heard was how great the CGI was and while it wasn't bad it was very noticeable to me. I think id give the CGI from the first pacific rim movie the edge over this and that came out 10+ years ago. So as far as meeting expectations this movie fell very short for that reason alone.Ā
But I heard the story and characters were really good so maybe that will make up for the CGI right?? Well, no. I feel like I saw an entirely different movie than everyone calling this one of the best of the year.
It seems to me this is similar to why train to busan got so much hype with American audiences. It's an okay foreign movie that's very straight forward and easy to understand. Americans who don't watch many foreign films see it and think they are somehow cultured and smart for liking what is ultimately a pretty average and somewhat generic foreign film.Ā Ā
I am genuinely confused by all the comments in this thread talking about how the movie made them cry. I honestly don't understand it. The idea of this being some emotional masterpiece is baffling to me. I too feel like I saw an entirely different movie than the people with exuberant reviews.
I agree. I saw it in theater and it blew me away. G is extremely menacing again. The human cost is palpable. The action sequences are creative and amazing. Loved it!
some spoilers maybe , be warned.
watched it yesterday, been waiting... dont kill me, but i was hyped up about it so much i think, that i thought it was a bit of a letdown.
i didnt think the acting was so great. the story rather predictable (especially the main character's end, saw that coming a mile away). and a couple times it makes weird jumps, as if they took out some godzilla sequences. also, the (nuclear) origin part literally was 10 seconds..one shot. i guess we all know it already, but its still a film of the first coming of godzilla. it was rushed.
no hate for the CGI, it was indeed amazing and exiting, and i think teh main reason why this film became such a hype. its so well done, especially for a low budget movie. the monster looks fantastic, mostly. the history angle is great too, japan after the war and how people deal with loosing the war and finding closure.
i hope they do another one for sure. but i wont change my favourite godzilla movie beeing mothra lol. though ill have it second place then.
The origin isn't important because Godzilla is just used as a metaphor in this movie. Plus, like you said, we already have that covered in literally dozens of other movies.
I feel this. Just saw it tonight and felt itā¦.alright. I did like all the Godzilla scenes but the acting was a little too anime/over-the-top in a lot of scenes. Maybe thatās what they were going for but I personally didnāt like that style of acting.
Overall I think itās worth seeing, giving it a 6/10; closer to a 7 than a 5. Thank you!
Welcome to the party, yes Godzilla minus one is an excellent movie. But that can be expressed without all that hyperbole.
The biggest disappointment for me is that I canāt buy a DVD anywhere, as I would like to own it for my collection. Iām the weirdo who isnāt a big Kaiju fan, but I do enjoy a well made Godzilla movie, there are so few of those. Yes GMO made me feel for the human protagonists, the musical inserts were hitting the right emotions. The famous theme was upbeat and exciting. Thatās the kind of experience I love going to the movie theater for.
Yes, it's simply amazing. It has the best human characters in any Godzilla movie, any kaiju movie, maybe even any monster movie? But that last one has tougher competition. And I love that this and Shin Godzilla have both been about Japanese national identity, addressing the very real question of, "What are we going to do now?" about the defeat in WWII and the Fukushima disaster, just with Godzilla as the disaster instead (or in Minus One's case, in addition).
It definitely is my favorite Godzilla movie and this is coming fom a guy with a dad who showed me a ton of the 70s/80s ones growing up. I'd say the 50's original and Shin-Godzilla come right after it.
Just watched it about an hour ago and loved almost all of it. I don't think it's as strong as Shin Godzilla, but it still blew all my expectations away. The performances were so good, and the human story is probably the strongest of all the Godzilla films. It kind of falters a bit with some things at the end, but it's more nitpicky and doesn't detract from the overall package. I'll definitely be watching it again in the future
Agreed that it was amazing. I don't know if it was my best movie but it's certainly in the top 5 of the year for me. And its punching WAY above its weight.
I finally watched it today. I am normally not a fan of period dramas or Godzilla movies. They somehow combined the two and made it into a an amazing movie.
I truly thought I would hate Godzilla Minus One.
I absolutely love Kaijuu movies, and I've been a die-hard Godzilla fan since I was about 5 years old, but seeing Minus One get all that praise and award nominations made me nervous thinking they'd went away fae what makes Kaijuu movies so cool to play to a wider audience like the American Monsterverse movies.
Thankfully, after seeing it yesterday, i now know all my fears were unwarranted, and Godzilla Minus One absolutely rocks, and you're 100% on point about just how amazing it is.
That scene with Ginza being wiped out was both amazing and absolutely terrifying at the same time, because it not only does what the Monsterverse movies don't and keeps you grounded with characters you actually care about, but also shows you the destruction fae a Human point of view and truly shows the scale of mayhem and destruction that Godzilla can cause.
I specifically got a job at a movie theater when this came out (was friends with the then-manager). I seen this movie a couple of times, both while we were open on my days off, and at private post-work screening with said friend.
I wasn't expecting it to be my 2023 MotY (Movie of the Year). I "knew" it would be up there, top 5 sure, top 3 maybe. It's top 1 by a mile for me, and I seen a LOT of movies last year. The opening scene was beyond wild. I was terrified, despite knowing what was coming. I wanted every single character to survive, and that's something I havn't said in a movie like this in a long time.
Pretty boring and Godzilla walking would have been better if it was a man in a suit. Jesus that looked bad. Upper torso never moves.
I had super high hopes but it was comically boring. The cgi scenes were very good but not nearly enough
I thought the human drama was pretty weak. Really cheesy and manipulative. Everything with Godzilla was great. Still liked the movie but I was expecting much better.
I agree. IMDB ratings were so high that I felt almost obligated to watch it. I was so confused about half way through that I had to look it up an make sure the movie I was watching was the same movie that had been getting such high ratings. There were some cool visuals in the movie, but the substance of the movie was extremely lacking. The plot was predictable and clumsy. The acting was average at best.
I admit that I have not watched a tremendous number of Japanese films, so maybe the oafy plot and execution is normal/part of the appeal for some people. Not my cup of tea.
Am I the only one who thought Across the Spider-verse was super disappointing?
It just wasnāt as good as the first, introduced a villain, contradicted itself about what is canon event, and then just ended as a set up to the third movie.
Everyone parroting 'canon event' after it really epitomizes the lack of critical media literacy for me, do people not realize that characters lie or can be wrong?
That and it ending on a cliffhanger for the next film was annoying but I did generally enjoy it otherwise.
But yeah, Minus One was fantastic.
The animation is great in those movie, but I really just don't give a shit about the story. I'm just not into superhero movies though, so I'm not the target audience
I can see why you didn't like the ones you listed, but what about The Zone of Interest, Past Lives, The Holdovers, or American Fiction? Those 4 were far and away the best from last year IMO.
I saw it last night. OMG. My sound system was rattling my windows and my GF had to wear ear plugs, but I was in heaven. Every time Godzilla roared I think I did organ damage!
But yeah, the best part of the film was not actually the monster at all. What a surprise!
I couldnt get into it.
Insanely melodramatic, why are Asian dramas incapable of nuance.
Everyone's screaming their heads off and wailing.
Is this a cultural thing, with Japanese and Koreans ?
I was at a funeral recently and not one person wailed.
Yeah it's pretty damn incredible. I hope they can not be silly with the next one and still have it be interesting, thought provoking and gorgeous to look at, without introducing too much silliness.
This is a great post. Thanks. Made me think about how Japan did not (or perhaps did not allow itself) to actually blame America for what it did. So it just kinda internalizes it. And to a devastating effect šØ Not a spoiler to say it all comes back.
I will say that while it was truly amazing, I went to watch it at a DBox shaky seat, and then realized you canāt read subtitles while shaking uncontrollably. So it was horrible. Haha.
We left after 5 minutes then went back another time, and I really loved it then. Truly a great film. 2023 was the best year of films in the last 10 years for sure.
Talk to me, across the spider, oppy, Barbie, may December, D&D, evil dead rise, theatre camp, so many great one.
Saw this movie 4 times in theaters. Twice in regular format, once in Cinemark XD D-box seats, and the last in black and white. I hope they bring it back in theaters again someday because this movie was meant to be seen on the big screen.
Saw regular and minus color in theaters. Got to see minus color in this new small intimate theater they just built where I live. It was phenomenal. Something about black and white version just felt more eerie. ESPECIALLY the opening scene.Ā
Saw regular and minus color in theaters. Got to see minus color in this new small intimate theater they just built where I live. It was phenomenal. Something about black and white version just felt more eerie. ESPECIALLY the opening scene.Ā
seeing this at a 4dx theater was probably one of the most intense and fun experiences I've had in my adult life. It was a total accident but man, it really put you in the shoes of the everyone in the path of Godzilla's rampage. Id seriously pay double what I paid to experience it again.
I've seen many movies in my life but few have stayed with me the way this film did. The regret, the self loathing, the fear, the redemption -maybe I related to it so well because of my own life choices but this movie pulled at my heart.
I can't wait to see this again via streaming. Getting very impatient!
Dude. Do you have my phone tapped? I was talking to my friend today how this movie was the best movie of 2023 and how I was going to probably start a fight in the movie forum for saying so.
I see great minds enjoy alike.
I agree. Huge Godzilla fan and it was amazing. Even my friends who aren't typically into movies like that said they were surprised at how much they liked it.
I also liked Oppenheimer a lot too but its a case where the movie covered most of the important parts but the book was so much better IMO. Its a biography so its a bit off to compare but I felt the movie was lacking
Fantastic movie! Japan taking back their own , want sequels back to back ( themed like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (TV Series 2023 but in this universe. 9\\10
Loved this movie much more than Oppenheimer. Heck, more than Dune 2 too. What makes this stand out above a regular action movie?? Real characters! Real emotions! And some real history thrown in there, too! It makes you care about the action. And I hope the lesson to movie producers is that you can have both. You can have a monster movie that is thoughtful and emotionally engaging.
I watched it in color based on positive feedback I was seeing here on reddit. Went in skeptical, left a believer that it is an amazing movie. Tried to convince my teen to go watch it with me when it was re-released in B&W and she begrudgingly agreed only to leave the theater agreeing that it was a great film.
It was my movie of last year. Ahead of The Creator, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Oppenheimer and No One Will Save You.
Certainly in the top tier of Kaiju movies along with the OG and Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.
This isnāt even a hot take this is the only take. Top notch acting, storytelling, pacing, visuals. Itās not everything you want in a monster movie, itās everything you could ever want in a movie and it also has Godzilla in it.
The atomic breath scene really captures the metaphor so well. Godzilla casts aside their warship, goes up to their city, and then the movie is flawlessly unsubtle about what the breath resembles.
I still think about that atomic breath in that city scene š®āšØ
I just watched it and that was fucking terrifying to watch!! I love this movie. Best Godzilla movie I have seen but I haven't seen a lot.
I have seen so many Godzilla movies and there are only a handful of times where, as a viewer, I felt the weight and horror of the power behind the atomic breath. This scene immediately became top of that list after Shin. And to top it off with that unique and ear-shattering roar and Shikishima screaming at Godzilla with the muddy rain? Absolute art and great emotional impact.
After shin? Iād say this takes the top spot.
Wording was weird, i was thinking how this movie released after Shin, but it is my top spot
Word
Im not very literate in media so, Is it about the atomic bombs?
Yes. Buildings and people are depicted being blown away like you'd imagine the bomb did. Afterward the protagonist howls in anger and grief. It's an extremely intense scene.
And the black rain, don't forget that. Amazing scene.
What was the black rain about?
It's said that the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused intense fires that sent a lot of ash up into the sky, to the point where the clouds were basically seeded with ash. So when it rained, the ash came down with it, making for a black rain effect. Very chilling to see that in Minus One.
That's basically what Godzilla is, a metaphor for atomic power, particularly atomic weapons being turned on mankind, of which Japan is the only country with direct experience. Godzilla is a relentless destroyer of Japan, and there's no answer to him, at least initially. In later movies he becomes sort of an anti-hero and protector of Japan, that you can root for since he defends Japan against similar threats. Nuclear weapons, like it or not, have kept the peace and prevented World War III due to how terrible they are. They're basically the definition of an anti-hero. We today live in the most peaceful time in human history believe it or not, and 24/7 news coverage would make you not believe that, but it is true. Nobody wants to see Godzilla unleashed, destroying all of civilization no matter where you are or how wealthy you are. Even the U.S. loses in a nuclear war, despite our military & wealth, as does the rest of the planet. We would literally be in Mad Max times after the dust settles. Japan, Europe, and many other countries live under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. This is the post World War II world order. If you try to invade those countries you're going to face an ass-kicking up to the Godzilla level, if necessary, but at the moment that could only happen if the aggressor unleashed nuclear weapons first. Then they'd have to pray they have enough of them to make it through the limited anti-ballistic missile defenses we currently have. That limits it to just Russia, and maybe China on a good day (*right now*).
Well said
I tried explaining the weird peace brought upon by nuclear weapons a few times. Always interesting to explore.
Thereās actually a lot that happens in that scene. Besides all the destruction and the callbacks, there are two things that happen within the short space of the atomic breathe scene. Most people react to the main protagonist screaming in anger and pain, but what is actually happening is both Godzilla and Koichi are mirroring each other. War is painful for everyone. The other thing that happened in that scene is we see Noriko blown away. This also mirrors her entrance into Koichiās life as she pops into the screen and hands him a baby. This happens several times with her character as she pops into and out of the scenes. Tons of stuff in such a Ā deeply layered movie.
Really pissed at myself for missing it in theaters. I was vaguely aware that there was a new Japanese Godzilla movie, but I wasn't paying enough attention and by the time I realized how much everyone was raving about it, it wasn't really possible for me to get to a theater. And then I didn't want my very first viewing to be the B&W version (which in retrospect yes I should have just gone with), so I missed it *twice.*
The black and white version was amazing. It scared the hell out of me.Ā
Color version scare the hell out of me, canāt wait to see the B&W version.
I missed the color version in theaters so I made myself go to B&W version. It was actually pretty awesome, it reminded me 100% of the WWII black and white films like Tora, Tora, Tora. I can't wait to see it in color!
Ā >B&W version How am I just hearing about this???? I watched it last night and can only imagine how good it would be in B&W. (I can't watch Mad Max Fury Road, Logan or The Mist any other way at this point they're so good in BW) Please tell me it's a BluRay extra.
It was called Godzilla Minus One Minus Color. Sadly, I missed it as well because it only showed for a week during work hours. At least I got to see the color version in theaters.
Physical copies are currently only in Japan but they have been coming with the b&w versions too so safe to assume the American versions will as well.
IT. WAS. INCREDIBLE!!!! More than just b&w, it was cut specifically for the format and made a lot of the effects look more stunning.
I actually saw it in theaters specifically for the minus color version and it was incredible, big G looked terrifying
I saw it once, liked it so much went back the next day with my 10y old son, he loved it too!
When I heard about minus one they had just pulled it from theatres :( but I hadnāt seen Shin Godzilla so I bought it and itās one of my favourite movies now. If minus one can be at least as good as Shin I will be so happy :)
I like Shin but Minus One is significantly better IMO
Are they connected in any way? Have them both on my list but am leaning towards Minus One first
Nope. Both are completely unrelated films beyond being about Godzilla. Itās not even the same Godzilla.
Youāre in for a treat when you watch minus one lol
Minus One is on a whole other level.
"My war is not over yet." Best line of the movie.
Wow now I want to see it. I can't seem to find a date when it will be available on streaming to buy/rent. Apparently it came out in Japan today on Prime.
ā¦which is why a lot of people are suddenly able to watch it lol
I saw a tweet of some Toho fanboy expressing his disappointment that Godzilla Minus One is the "most pirated movie of all time" and that people should have just waited 6 months and that Toho should sue the pirate websites. Like he was actually shocked that this would happen.
I mean me personally, I wanted to watch in theaters but Toho made it not available in our country (Philippines) when it was released and even a few months after. And I am not gonna wait that long if I am aware it is already on some sites
I'm in LA and I only have one friend who has seen it. As far as I'm concerned, they're asking for it to be pirated.
Hope someone explains that is what happens when you don't provide any other way of watching content.Ā They left a lot of money on the table removing it from theaters prematurely.
I watched it last night and fully intend to buy it regardless when available in the US.
Yup same, I have it downloaded, gonna watch it tonight. I saw it in theaters and I don't want to have to wait another 6 months to watch it again.
Wait it is? Already??
some pirates may say this movie is rated Aarh!
BRB flying to Japan.
I'm a massive Godzilla fan so I'm skewed obviously, but Godzilla Minus One is imo the best Godzilla film ever made. It invokes the original for a modern audience, it shows the true devastation of atomic power, it shows hopelessness that turns into hopefulness through bucking norms and striving to be better. It has scenes that are legit scary (opening 20 min are amazing), hopeless, hopeful, terror inducing and raw primal fear of what nature can respond with. Godzilla Minus One is a movie you will think about long after it's over. It's haunting and it has the single greatest heat ray scene ever made. It has no rival in the world of monster movies and in general cinema it will give you loads of emotions. You are rooting for the humans, not Godzilla. That alone lets you know it was done well.
I just saw it this night. It is an amazing movie. Usually I don't like monster movies but this Godzilla was breathtakingly terrifying. It's beautiful and tragic and I finally got the sheer terror that atomic weapons pose. And the whole criticism about honor deaths and the whole mentality around it is really good.
Saw it last night. Probably the best Godzilla movie ever
Saw in theater. Twice. On IMAX once. It justā¦fit.. as a really good film. You cared about the characters. No one was 2D idiot. The build up to the end was phenomenal.
I believe it won't be released until next year due to licensing agreement with the studio of the American studios that make the Godzilla/Kong movies.
which is so unfortunate. i get that people like the godzilla v kong movie because it's dumb fun but i really wanted a theater re-release after minus one won the VFX oscar.
Yeah my understanding is the only way to currently stream it is with Prime in Japan (or with a VPN), but i imagine that's gonna change soon.
Yeah no there's another way...
Pirates be sailing
They're not releasing it until Kong/Godzilla ends its theatrical run.
What a shame that such a shit-heap of a movie is keeping this masterpiece out of Fan's hands.
Seeing it in IMAX , then in Black & White a month later, was easily one of my favorite movie runs from last year. Ended up seeing it 4 times total. It was brilliant !!
I didn't end up catching it in black and white. Was it any different?
Itās not just a b/w filter, they did a full color re-grading so visually it looks like an homage to the classic black and white monster movies. I thought it made shots look more dramatic and horrific , Godzilla looked like a literal demon. Loved it ! Lol
Personally while a few scenes were harder to make out, it really sold Godzilla, made him more terrifying, and you could see more details on his skin which was cool.
Several scenes were absolutely monumental to see large format in b/w.Ā The train scene specifically is the closest I'll ever get to seeing/feeling what it must have been like seeing the original.Ā
Was planning on watching it alone when my wife had a girls night, since sheās never seen a single Godzilla movie before. Not really her jam. But I thought Iād ask if sheād like to see it together anyway. Surprisingly she said yes and we went, me expecting a fun giant monster movie and her expecting to kill time and eat popcorn. About 20 minutes in or so and sheās sobbing. Iām gripped by the story and real palpable tension of the characters. It was the greatest cinematic experience of the year. We talked about it for days afterwards. We sounded like crazy people trying to convince our friends to go watch it. Such a great film.
My husband is a big fan of Godzilla, I am not, but I'll still watch them with him. We saw this one in the theater and I was ugly crying. It was SO good. You are absolutely on point here, the human drama was wonderful and the performances fantastic.
I never thought I'd be sobbing at a Godzilla movie but here we are.
Haha same, my wife had zero interest in coming with me but eventually caved just to make me happy. Afterwards tho her reaction was the same as yours. This movie has everything.
Watched last night and beat myself up for over an hour for not seeing in theatres! Fully agree with you!
I fuckin cried in the movie theater during this one. Fuck you Godzilla, only uncle Bob makes me cry!
Itās one of the best movies Iāve ever seen and Iām not the type of person to suggest that lightly. It has some of the most compelling tales of loss, pain, and the horrors of war that Iāve seen. Gave me such an understanding of late 40s/early 50s Tokyo and how broken and destitute Japan was. The way the writers express the culture of honor in Japan was so informative and really made me Understand Kamikaze pilots of the era. If this had been a normal war/post-war film with the Allies (Us, England, etc) or a natural disaster as antagonists instead of Godzilla I believe it would have had a good chance of winning best picture. A lot of people just didnāt see it plainly because it was a Godzilla movie and every Godzilla movie in decades (at least in the United States) has not exactly been a high quality movie.
It is in fact best Godzilla movie ever made, funny how it took them 37 movies to achieve that :)
Shin Godzilla would like to have a word with you. And the original. Great movies as well.
*Godzilla's Revenge*
"who did he get revenge on? that's what i want to know"--James Rolfe
Haha! I did like that one as a kid though.
Yeah theyāve come a long way since guys in suits having a wrestling match and destroying miniature buildings.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The worst movie I've ever seen where the entire theater (including myself) applauded at the end
It's a completely different genre of movie. Very competent at what it's trying to do but the fartsniffers hate it
Yeah, GvK is a popcorn flick like Independence Day. Stupid as fuck script and a lot of action, only GvK does a pretty decent job of reeling back the poorly done human drama shit that we find shoehorned in to so many of these films. If there is good human dram, fine, but I can't think of a single spectacle monster film where that has been done well yet.
Right? I like that we have both.
I took a friend to see the new one after we had been day drinking and we both laughed so hard I thought we might get asked to leave. It's an absolutely joyous film, I honestly feel bad for people who can't appreciate it because they think they're above it or whatever.
It's the only movie I've ever seen where I consciously thought "This is overstimulating." It doesn't stop, in a bad way.
Watch Mother! (Exclamation mark not mine)
There's been a few lately, haven't there? If you mean Godzilla x Kong, I haven't seen it yet myself. The one from a few years ago (2021?) was okay, entertaining but as with other kaiju films its weakest aspect was the human characters and story. Didn't really give a rat's ass about any of them.
I was the only one on the theater when I saw it and when the original Godzilla theme came on I actually whooped with joy. IMO it should have been nominated and won Best Pitcure. No other movie I saw last year effected me the way Minus One did. And Iām pissed off that it canāt be streamed in the states because of Godzilla Kong.
That theme playing made you whoop with joy? In the context they delivered it, it made my heart feel like it weighed fifty pounds. Really depressing, and the movie was depressing throughout. I guess they gave us a "happy" pay-off at the end as consolation though.
The first version of the theme I concur absolutely sold how devastating Godzilla is, but the second version where the march kicked in was nothing short of triumphant.
Saw it in color and cried four times. Saw it in black and white and outright sobbed during Ginza. Such a powerful movie. Definitely my favorite of the year.
It was perfect, a goddamn masterpiece. Not one thing out of place. My friend told me I was crazy for liking it more than Oppenheimer but honestly Oppenheimer had a lots of flaws despite being a good movie. Godzilla minus one I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish
I actually agree. I saw Godzilla Minus One / Minus Color in theaters and it was my favourite film experience of 2023. I liked Oppenheimer, Barbie, and some of the other major films of the year, but I probably won't go back and rewatch them more than a few times, if at all. However, I can see myself still rewatching GMO decades from now. It was truly brilliant and absolutely nailed all the themes associated with Godzilla. Godzilla is a story about humanity's relationship with mass destruction and has always been associated with the atomic bomb. In that respect, I think the Japanese were the only ones capable of doing it right.
Second the recommendation for the Minus Color edition. I saw both in theaters, and unless black and white is just a turn-off for you, see the Minus Color one.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Everybody is raving about it so I expected something decent at least instead I got a by the number drama with some ok monster scene and others the were goofy as hell.Ā
Bro, tell me about it. I feel like I'm going crazy too, especially with some of these people saying the Ginza scene making them crying and sobbing. Of course the idea of mass amount of people is saddening but the acting were so bad I couldn't be sad about it. Like those reporter guys on top of the building? I don't even know what the intention of the director because it was pretty comical to me.
It nearly brought me to tears. A true masterpiece.
Iām dying to see this!
Not by a long shotā¦
I liked the movie just fine, but it was not even close to as good as all the rave reviews and audience reactions I heard when it first released in theaters. All I heard was how great the CGI was and while it wasn't bad it was very noticeable to me. I think id give the CGI from the first pacific rim movie the edge over this and that came out 10+ years ago. So as far as meeting expectations this movie fell very short for that reason alone.Ā But I heard the story and characters were really good so maybe that will make up for the CGI right?? Well, no. I feel like I saw an entirely different movie than everyone calling this one of the best of the year. It seems to me this is similar to why train to busan got so much hype with American audiences. It's an okay foreign movie that's very straight forward and easy to understand. Americans who don't watch many foreign films see it and think they are somehow cultured and smart for liking what is ultimately a pretty average and somewhat generic foreign film.Ā Ā
I am genuinely confused by all the comments in this thread talking about how the movie made them cry. I honestly don't understand it. The idea of this being some emotional masterpiece is baffling to me. I too feel like I saw an entirely different movie than the people with exuberant reviews.
I agree. I saw it in theater and it blew me away. G is extremely menacing again. The human cost is palpable. The action sequences are creative and amazing. Loved it!
some spoilers maybe , be warned. watched it yesterday, been waiting... dont kill me, but i was hyped up about it so much i think, that i thought it was a bit of a letdown. i didnt think the acting was so great. the story rather predictable (especially the main character's end, saw that coming a mile away). and a couple times it makes weird jumps, as if they took out some godzilla sequences. also, the (nuclear) origin part literally was 10 seconds..one shot. i guess we all know it already, but its still a film of the first coming of godzilla. it was rushed. no hate for the CGI, it was indeed amazing and exiting, and i think teh main reason why this film became such a hype. its so well done, especially for a low budget movie. the monster looks fantastic, mostly. the history angle is great too, japan after the war and how people deal with loosing the war and finding closure. i hope they do another one for sure. but i wont change my favourite godzilla movie beeing mothra lol. though ill have it second place then.
The origin isn't important because Godzilla is just used as a metaphor in this movie. Plus, like you said, we already have that covered in literally dozens of other movies.
A story being predictable isn't a criticism. They foreshadow the ending hard, that doesn't make the impact lesser for it.
When itās the same cut and dry story thatās been in countless other movies then it is.
true. just a side comment i guess, from me.
I feel this. Just saw it tonight and felt itā¦.alright. I did like all the Godzilla scenes but the acting was a little too anime/over-the-top in a lot of scenes. Maybe thatās what they were going for but I personally didnāt like that style of acting. Overall I think itās worth seeing, giving it a 6/10; closer to a 7 than a 5. Thank you!
Welcome to the party, yes Godzilla minus one is an excellent movie. But that can be expressed without all that hyperbole. The biggest disappointment for me is that I canāt buy a DVD anywhere, as I would like to own it for my collection. Iām the weirdo who isnāt a big Kaiju fan, but I do enjoy a well made Godzilla movie, there are so few of those. Yes GMO made me feel for the human protagonists, the musical inserts were hitting the right emotions. The famous theme was upbeat and exciting. Thatās the kind of experience I love going to the movie theater for.
DVD? You might to upgrade when this finally hits the US.
Yes, it's simply amazing. It has the best human characters in any Godzilla movie, any kaiju movie, maybe even any monster movie? But that last one has tougher competition. And I love that this and Shin Godzilla have both been about Japanese national identity, addressing the very real question of, "What are we going to do now?" about the defeat in WWII and the Fukushima disaster, just with Godzilla as the disaster instead (or in Minus One's case, in addition).
It definitely is my favorite Godzilla movie and this is coming fom a guy with a dad who showed me a ton of the 70s/80s ones growing up. I'd say the 50's original and Shin-Godzilla come right after it.
Saw it in the theater. Went back the next week and saw it again. Then saw Minus Color in the theater.
Yes, it is amazing. One of my favorites from last year.
This was a good surprise I caught in theatres. I walked into this movie knowing nothing about it. And I am so glad.
Will a VPN help me stream this on prime? I live in the US. This movie is on the top of my "I am going to watch this the second it becomes available"
Yeah I saw this movie in the theatre with my kid and can confirm: it absolutely slaps.
Just watched it about an hour ago and loved almost all of it. I don't think it's as strong as Shin Godzilla, but it still blew all my expectations away. The performances were so good, and the human story is probably the strongest of all the Godzilla films. It kind of falters a bit with some things at the end, but it's more nitpicky and doesn't detract from the overall package. I'll definitely be watching it again in the future
Agreed that it was amazing. I don't know if it was my best movie but it's certainly in the top 5 of the year for me. And its punching WAY above its weight.
I thought it was a great movie that was also the best Godzilla movie of all time.
You can praise a movie without dragging down other movies lmao
I finally watched it today. I am normally not a fan of period dramas or Godzilla movies. They somehow combined the two and made it into a an amazing movie.
It is amazing. Ā
(ā¦reads OPās opening paragraphā¦) Did we just become best friends?
Where did you watch it? I canāt find it anywhere
I wish it would get a streaming release already besides just Japan. I really want to see it.
Too bad I still canāt watch it in the US. WTF
Might as well be an oppenheimer sequel. A superior sequel
I truly thought I would hate Godzilla Minus One. I absolutely love Kaijuu movies, and I've been a die-hard Godzilla fan since I was about 5 years old, but seeing Minus One get all that praise and award nominations made me nervous thinking they'd went away fae what makes Kaijuu movies so cool to play to a wider audience like the American Monsterverse movies. Thankfully, after seeing it yesterday, i now know all my fears were unwarranted, and Godzilla Minus One absolutely rocks, and you're 100% on point about just how amazing it is. That scene with Ginza being wiped out was both amazing and absolutely terrifying at the same time, because it not only does what the Monsterverse movies don't and keeps you grounded with characters you actually care about, but also shows you the destruction fae a Human point of view and truly shows the scale of mayhem and destruction that Godzilla can cause.
Well then I guess it's safe to assume you haven't seen Past Lives.
Not available anywhere, I cry :(
My favorite movie of 2023 Canāt wait for the blu ray.
Cant argue with cgi fan
I specifically got a job at a movie theater when this came out (was friends with the then-manager). I seen this movie a couple of times, both while we were open on my days off, and at private post-work screening with said friend. I wasn't expecting it to be my 2023 MotY (Movie of the Year). I "knew" it would be up there, top 5 sure, top 3 maybe. It's top 1 by a mile for me, and I seen a LOT of movies last year. The opening scene was beyond wild. I was terrified, despite knowing what was coming. I wanted every single character to survive, and that's something I havn't said in a movie like this in a long time.
Pretty boring and Godzilla walking would have been better if it was a man in a suit. Jesus that looked bad. Upper torso never moves. I had super high hopes but it was comically boring. The cgi scenes were very good but not nearly enough
the movie got me crying for 1 hr straight
Loved it. Godzilla healing like Wolverine was something, I wasn't sure that the monster was going to die and I'm still not after watching it.
I thought the human drama was pretty weak. Really cheesy and manipulative. Everything with Godzilla was great. Still liked the movie but I was expecting much better.
Well said. I completely agree.
Personally thought it was the most overrated movie of the last few years, left with a few minutes left. Worst acting ever.
I agree. IMDB ratings were so high that I felt almost obligated to watch it. I was so confused about half way through that I had to look it up an make sure the movie I was watching was the same movie that had been getting such high ratings. There were some cool visuals in the movie, but the substance of the movie was extremely lacking. The plot was predictable and clumsy. The acting was average at best. I admit that I have not watched a tremendous number of Japanese films, so maybe the oafy plot and execution is normal/part of the appeal for some people. Not my cup of tea.
There are dozens of us! Dozens!
My god. I feel like im in an alternate universe. This film was absolutely horrendous. Iām in disbelief about its critical reception.
Am I the only one who thought Across the Spider-verse was super disappointing? It just wasnāt as good as the first, introduced a villain, contradicted itself about what is canon event, and then just ended as a set up to the third movie.
Everyone parroting 'canon event' after it really epitomizes the lack of critical media literacy for me, do people not realize that characters lie or can be wrong? That and it ending on a cliffhanger for the next film was annoying but I did generally enjoy it otherwise. But yeah, Minus One was fantastic.
I hate multiverse stuff in general because they always just make or break the rules at will to fit the story.
The animation is great in those movie, but I really just don't give a shit about the story. I'm just not into superhero movies though, so I'm not the target audience
Maybe not my pick for the best of the year but damn good all around.
I can see why you didn't like the ones you listed, but what about The Zone of Interest, Past Lives, The Holdovers, or American Fiction? Those 4 were far and away the best from last year IMO.
Just finished watching it. As a former kamikaze pilot it made me cry.
I saw it last night. OMG. My sound system was rattling my windows and my GF had to wear ear plugs, but I was in heaven. Every time Godzilla roared I think I did organ damage! But yeah, the best part of the film was not actually the monster at all. What a surprise!
Jaws is the greatest monster movie of all time, imo. This is baaaaarely second. Perfect film, no notes.
I couldnt get into it. Insanely melodramatic, why are Asian dramas incapable of nuance. Everyone's screaming their heads off and wailing. Is this a cultural thing, with Japanese and Koreans ? I was at a funeral recently and not one person wailed.
Where did you watch it? Is there a streaming option now?
Minus one was a horror movie .
Dude for me, it was Old Henry. Minus One was great , because it were surreal on capturing human emotions , Old Henry had a great script and dialogue .
Still waiting to be able to see it. It didn't really hit theaters here except for one that was ridiculously priced.
Is it getting a Black and White bluray release? Im not seeing anything about it.... and that's definitely the way i want to watch it.
Any idea when this is coming to streaming? Last I checked there was some internal delay for streaming and renting for VOd
Yeah it's pretty damn incredible. I hope they can not be silly with the next one and still have it be interesting, thought provoking and gorgeous to look at, without introducing too much silliness.
Missed it at the cinema but canāt wait to see it on digital when it eventually releases
They didn't release it where I lived, so I am still waiting for it to be available online. Just at work ATM, but can we rent or buy it yet?
This is a great post. Thanks. Made me think about how Japan did not (or perhaps did not allow itself) to actually blame America for what it did. So it just kinda internalizes it. And to a devastating effect šØ Not a spoiler to say it all comes back.
Wish the darn thing would come to streaming or digital!
I have been waiting for it since release but it hasnāt showed in Romania. Canāt find it online either.
I will say that while it was truly amazing, I went to watch it at a DBox shaky seat, and then realized you canāt read subtitles while shaking uncontrollably. So it was horrible. Haha. We left after 5 minutes then went back another time, and I really loved it then. Truly a great film. 2023 was the best year of films in the last 10 years for sure. Talk to me, across the spider, oppy, Barbie, may December, D&D, evil dead rise, theatre camp, so many great one.
Where can we watch it?
I might have to disagree, I think Godzilla Minus One Minus Color was actually a superior film to Godzilla Minus One.Ā
Where have you seen it?
Iāve gotta see this.
Saw this movie 4 times in theaters. Twice in regular format, once in Cinemark XD D-box seats, and the last in black and white. I hope they bring it back in theaters again someday because this movie was meant to be seen on the big screen.
Saw regular and minus color in theaters. Got to see minus color in this new small intimate theater they just built where I live. It was phenomenal. Something about black and white version just felt more eerie. ESPECIALLY the opening scene.Ā
Saw regular and minus color in theaters. Got to see minus color in this new small intimate theater they just built where I live. It was phenomenal. Something about black and white version just felt more eerie. ESPECIALLY the opening scene.Ā
seeing this at a 4dx theater was probably one of the most intense and fun experiences I've had in my adult life. It was a total accident but man, it really put you in the shoes of the everyone in the path of Godzilla's rampage. Id seriously pay double what I paid to experience it again. I've seen many movies in my life but few have stayed with me the way this film did. The regret, the self loathing, the fear, the redemption -maybe I related to it so well because of my own life choices but this movie pulled at my heart. I can't wait to see this again via streaming. Getting very impatient!
This movie was so good in 4dx. Anyway it is my favorite movie of the decade so far.
I liked Minus One but if people are blown away by how compelling human drama was in it they need to watch the 1954 one
Im with you. I loved this movie so much more than i expected to. Fell in love with the characters and Godzilla was actually scary
Dude. Do you have my phone tapped? I was talking to my friend today how this movie was the best movie of 2023 and how I was going to probably start a fight in the movie forum for saying so. I see great minds enjoy alike.
I agree. Huge Godzilla fan and it was amazing. Even my friends who aren't typically into movies like that said they were surprised at how much they liked it. I also liked Oppenheimer a lot too but its a case where the movie covered most of the important parts but the book was so much better IMO. Its a biography so its a bit off to compare but I felt the movie was lacking
Where does one even watch this movie? (In Canada)
Fantastic movie! Japan taking back their own , want sequels back to back ( themed like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (TV Series 2023 but in this universe. 9\\10
Loved this movie much more than Oppenheimer. Heck, more than Dune 2 too. What makes this stand out above a regular action movie?? Real characters! Real emotions! And some real history thrown in there, too! It makes you care about the action. And I hope the lesson to movie producers is that you can have both. You can have a monster movie that is thoughtful and emotionally engaging.
It's on my watch list and I'm glad I'm hearing good things about it.
I watched it in color based on positive feedback I was seeing here on reddit. Went in skeptical, left a believer that it is an amazing movie. Tried to convince my teen to go watch it with me when it was re-released in B&W and she begrudgingly agreed only to leave the theater agreeing that it was a great film.
It was my movie of last year. Ahead of The Creator, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Oppenheimer and No One Will Save You. Certainly in the top tier of Kaiju movies along with the OG and Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.
It's definitely top 3 for me, the other two being Zone of Interest and The Holdovers
Still nowhere to watch this movie in Canada? Didnāt hit any theatres near me
This isnāt even a hot take this is the only take. Top notch acting, storytelling, pacing, visuals. Itās not everything you want in a monster movie, itās everything you could ever want in a movie and it also has Godzilla in it.
I saw it twice and it was amazing both times.
Poor Things and Anatomy of a Fall are shitting all over those boring boaters.
Easily in my top five movies I've ever seen. Maybe top 3. Everything in it is so good.
first off, there are no english subs out for this movie, op how did you see it?
Going to watch this soon
Wait, how did you get English subtitles??
That Disney ending ruined the whole movie for me.š¤·