Godzilla: Resurgence Possible Photo Leaks

If you are a regular reader here, I'm going to assume that you are just as much of a Godzilla fan as I am.  Likewise I will assume that you are just as excited that Toho is rebooting Big G again with Godzilla: Resurgence due out July 26th of this year.

After the success of Legendary's Godzilla film in 2014, Toho decided the time was right to revamp Big G on the domestic market.  This new Toho Godzilla has NOTHING to do with the Legendary version and is serving as a reboot for Toho's franchise.  This has me beyond excited because as much as I loved the Legendary version of Godzilla, nothing beats a Toho production.

There have been a series of photos flooding online Godzilla fan sites that are allegedly photos taken from Toho's back-lot and  leaked online.  I really hope that these are real, because I am really digging the new nightmarish version of Godzilla that Toho has dreamed up.  Let's take a look!

 The sunlight is sort of obscuring the finer details, but here we get more of a sense of Big G's look.  Check out those almost skeletal looking hands!!  At first I was a bit taken aback by them...I thought they looked kinda scrawny and weak.  However, the more I think about it, the more I really dig it.  This is a return to a nuclear monster.  He is not just an overgrown lizard, but a horrific monstrosity born of nuclear fallout and radiation.

 Better look at the detail on his chest as well as Godzilla's extremely long neck!  I've been seeing Giraffezilla jokes going around already.  I'm very curious to see how this iteration will move on screen.
I'm still loving that mouthful of sharp needle like teeth!

Very low-res, but still shows more interesting details.  It would appear that Godzilla has some pretty massive wounds, though that could just be some new and never before seen skin texturing.  The red coloring is also quite interesting and the first thing that keeps coming to mind is the glowing red patches that Godzilla sported in Godzilla vs Destoroyah.  This photo also really makes Big G look like a 118 meter tall zombie.  Which naturally makes my heart literally explode with joy.

A close-up of Godzilla's eye (the small eyes still seem a bit strange, but much like the skeletal arms and hands...they're starting to grow on me).  Also a good look at his sharp, needle-like teeth.  The tooth placement makes me think of a shark, which makes sense.  This is a predator.  This is a wild animal that is designed to be on top of the food chain.  I don't think this 'zilla is gonna be saving the Earth from other monsters.  Having said that, I can't wait to see what other monster Toho dreams up and redesigns!  I'd love to see a more horrific version of the classic kaiju!

Fantastic piece of fan art that I really hope isn't too far off from the real thing!  I mean look at this guy!  He's freaking amazing!  There is nothing that I don't love about this design.  I can't wait to see Godzilla stomp the ever loving hell out of some buildings and I can't wait to see how his atomic breath looks too!  

The teaser poster for Godzilla Resurgence!  Tiny eye staring down at us, sharp needle shark teeth at the ready.  I truly hope that Godzilla Resurgence gets released stateside relatively quickly because I swear I will fly to Japan just to watch this damn movie in July!  

Love all things Godzilla?  Stay tuned to Midnight Cinephile because in the monster leading up to Godzilla Resurgence, I'm going to go Kaiju Krazy!  We'll take a look at the 30 films that have come before this one as well as other NON-Godzilla Kaiju!  2016 is gonna be a GIANT year!

Godzilla vs Monster Zero - Planet X....More Like Planet Judas!

Godzilla vs Monster Zero
1965
Directed by  Ishirô Honda
Written by Shin'ichi Sekizawa
 Starring  Nick Adams, Akira Takarada & Jun Tazaki

G -  Runtime 96 MInutes / 74 Minutes (Reissue)



Tag Lines
None that I could find.






Alternate Titles:
 Kaijû daisensô (The Great Monster War)  -  Japan
Battle of the Astros
A Guerra dos Monstros (War of the Monsters)  -  Brazil
Befehl aus dem Dunkel  (Command From the Darkness) -  Germany
Los monstruos invaden la Tierra  (Monsters Invade Earth)  -  Spain
Avaruushirviöt hyökkäävät  (Space Monsters are Attacking)  -  Finland
Invasion planète X  (Invasion of Planet X) -  France
Αστρο-τερατα επιτίθενται  (Astro Monsters Attack)   -  Greece
Μυστική βάσις AZ3, επιχειρησεις Κεραυνος  (Secret Base AZ3, Business Thuderbolt)  - Greece
L'invasione degli astromostri  (Invasion of the Astro-Monster)  -  Italy
Inwazja potworów  (Monster Invasion) -  Poland
Godzilla vs. Monster Zero - USA
Invasion of Astro-Monster - USA
Monster Zero - USA

"We're going to fight to the last man, baby!"
                                                     - Astronaut Glenn

Godzilla vs Monster Zero is how I grew up knowing this movie.  As you can see by the myriad titles above, it goes by many different names, most hilariously the Greek title, Secret Base AZ3, Business Thunderbolt)  Granted that's a Google Translator translation, so I'm sure that it actually means something slightly more coherent, but still, that's just wacky!

Humans discover that there is a secret planet orbiting just behind Jupiter and the World Space Organization (I think that's what it's called) sends out a manned mission to explore the planet.  Apparently they don't believe in probes.  Anyway, our two heroes, Astronauts Glenn Amer and K. Fuji land on Planet X and almost immediately they get the feeling they're not alone.

Nothing like getting your spaceship jacked as soon as you land on a new planet!

Apparently the aliens on Planet X new that the 80's fashions were gonna be big!  Look at them shades!

Turns out they're right.  The aliens, lead by the mysterious Controller of Planet X take our heroes underground and plead for their help.  Turns out that King Ghidora is wrecking havoc on Planet X and the aliens want to "Borrow" Godzill and Rodan to combat him.  The aliens refer to Godzilla as Monster Zero-One and Rodan as Monster Zero-Two.  In exchange, they will provide us with a cure for all disease.  Seems like a fair trade.

The Earth agrees to this offer and the aliens arrive in their glowing UFO's and pull Godzilla and Rodan (still in hibernation) into force fields and then transport them through space to Planet X.  Once there, they are woken up on Planet X, they have a throw down with Ghidorah and win the battle.  This is where we are treated to Godzilla's hilarious victory dance.  This is definitely the turning point between Godzilla being a horrifying allegory for nuclear war and a children's matinee idol.

Now THAT'S an alien abduction!!!!!!!!

Well, as it turns out, the aliens take Godzill and Rodan into their control and threaten the Earth with mass destruction if the people of the world don't agree to be Planet X's slaves.  Being the strong willed beings we are, we don't bow down to tyrants, even if they are in control of three powerful kaiju!  We come up with a way to counter the alien's mind control of Monsters Zero-One and Zero-Two.  Once they're free of alien control, they turn on their alien captors and Monster Zero for a final Battle Royale.

Rodan swoops in, dodging Ghidora's lightening attack.....

It's the Kaiju version of Tango and Cash!

Midnight Cinephile Tally:

Death Toll:  Well, it's a kaiju flick which means that there's cities getting stomped, so yeah, there's quite a bit of death I'm sure....but that's all implied off screen.  On screen deaths would total a whopping ONE!

Nude-O-Meter:  No sir.....kiddie stuff, remember?

Monster Party:  Ooooh man.  You get three monsters.  You get Godzilla, Rodan and the "Demon of Our Galaxy!", King Ghidorah!

Final Thoughts
There are some people who dislike the "Silly Zilla" so to speak and don't like his little victory dance.  As a matter of fact, there were several key people on the production that were against it initially.  There are some who prefer the more light-hearted, goofy goofy monster stomping fun of the 70's.  Then there are people like me who will watch them all and love them all.  Sure some are better than others....and Godzilla vs. Monster Zero is definitely one of the better ones!


Final Rating
Three out of Five Pizza Rolls!

Godzilla: Kaiju World Wars - Board Game

Godzilla:  Kaiju World Wars

2011

2 - 4 Players

Playtime:  Approximately 60 Minutes

Designed by Richard H Berg

Published by The Toy Vault

Have you always wanted to be Godzilla?  Admit it, you used to pretend that you were a giant monster and you would stomp around your yard with Lego buildings and pretending that various plants were actually huge trees.  Maybe you still do!  I'll admit it, every time I look down at an ant or swat at a flying insect, I can't help but think that to THEM, I'm huge....to them....I AM a Kaiju!  Perhaps once or twice I've let out a small roar as I swatted a fly away and laughed with child like glee.  I'm a giant man child though.....

But what if there was a more socially acceptable way to pretend that you're a giant monster, without people staring at you and sheltering their children from you as you pass by?  Got you covered!  Simply play Godzilla:  Kaiju World War!

Here's what comes in the box

This is not the first Kaiju or Godzilla themed board game by far, but it seem to be the most immersive and the most involved.  Once again, I have delved into the endlessly amazing and vast information available at Board Game Geek to bring you a look at this game.  As usual all pictures have been taken from Board Game Geek.

Monster Cards

MechaGodzilla Ability Card

A nice look at the Godzilla model (image belongs to Fred Hartig, BGG)

Kaiju Fight!  (image belongs to Fred Hartig, BGG)

I have not been able to play this game yet, but it does look like a ton of fun.  I love the theme and I love the look of the components!  If it looks like fun, find a copy, find some friends and have yourself a Kaiju Throwdown!

Pacific Rim - Jaeger-Bombing Kaiju Back To Their Own Dimension!

Pacific Rim
2013 
PG-13  132 Minutes
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Written by Guillermo del Toro & Travis Beacham
Starring Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi & Idris Elba




Tag Lines:
Go Big or Go Extinct.
To Fight Monsters, We Created Monsters.








Alternate Titles:
Titanes del Pacífico (Pacific Titans)  - Argentina
Огненият пръстен (Ring of Fire)  -  Bulgaria
Titanes del Pacífico (Pacific Titans)    -  Bolivia
Círculo de Fogo  (Circle of Fire)  -  Brazil
Titanes del Pacífico  (Pacific Titans)  -  Chile
Útok na Zemi  (Attack on Earth)  -  Czech Republic
Vaikse ookeani võitlus  (Pacific Battle)  -  Estonia
Hyökkäys Maahan  (Attack to Earth) -  Finland
Το δαχτυλιδι της φωτιας  (The Ring of Fire)  -  Greece
Bitka za Pacifik  (Battle for the Pacific)  -  Croatia
Tűzgyűrű  (Ring of Fire) -  Hungary
Ugnies ziedas  (Ring of Fire)  -  Lithuania
Titanes del Pacífico  (Pacific Titans)  -  Mexico
Titanes del Pacífico  (Pacific Titans)  -  Peru
Batalha do Pacífico  (Battle of the Pacific)  -  Portugal
Cercul de foc  (Ring of Fire)  -  Romania
Bitka za Pacifik  (Battle for the Pacific) -  Serbia
Pacifički prsten  (Pacific Ring)  -  Serbia

Pasifik Savasi  (Pacific War)  -  Turkey

"Today we are CANCELLING the Apocalypse!"

                                                           - Stacker Pentecost

If you ask anyone close to me, especially my wife, what I'm really like, they'll likely tell you that I'm just a big old man child.  I love monster movies, video & board games and I have the sense of humor of a 5 year old.  I think farts of funny, so sue me.  Having said that, there are certain things in this world that make me full on revert back to childhood and squee with delight like a kid on Christmas morning.  One of those things is Kaiju and giant robots.  I've been watching Godzilla movies since I can remember.  I LIVED for Creature Double Feature on Saturday afternoons and when I got a little old and TNT started to play Godzilla marathons all night on MonsterVision, cable television was at it's penultimate for me.  Weekday mornings before school were filled with Voltron and Gigantor.  After school it was Transformers and GoBots.  I couldn't get enough.

"That's great Matt, you love this stuff!  Get on with the review already!"

Okay, okay, my bad.  

Pacific Rim is quite simply the best giant robot vs Kaiju film made in the last twenty five years.  End Review.

"Seriously?  That's the whole review, huh?"

More, eh?  Well, okay, if you insist.  

I watched the 3D version (naturally...I'm a 3D junkie) and I have to say that some of the visuals were absolutely stunning in the third dimension.  I'm sure it's equally fantastic in two.  We've certainly come a long way from the toy tanks and rubber monster suits of the 20th century....not that there was anything wrong with those, mind you.

So where do Kaiju come from?  In this case, they start to come through a rift that forms in the Pacific Ocean.  Apparently on the other side of this rift is another dimension.  After getting it's ass handed to itself a few times, humanity creates the Jaeger Program, setting aside the worlds differences to combat the new threat.  A Jaeger (which is derived from the Germon word for hunter) is a gigantic robot that is controlled by two pilots who are linked together mentally in what's called a Neural Handshake.  The interface to control a Jaeger is too much for one person to handle, so each pilot controls one half of the robot....being linked mentally they are able to act in tandem as a single unit.

Pacific Rim hit all the right notes for me and there was a lot of fun to be had with the movie.  It wears it's love of Kaiju films on it's sleeve and it's very readily apparent, especially in some of the creature designs, especially one codenamed Knifehead, who is an homage to Guiron from the 1969 classic Gamera vs Guiron (aka Attack of the Monsters).  The acting is a bit wonky in places, but I thought that actually helped keep the vibe of the movie fun.  No one should go looking for dramatic depth, this is a B monster movie on a triple A budget.  The dialog is epic and cheesy and a hell of a lot of fun and the two-plus hour run time seemed to go by in a blink.

Midnight Cinephile Tally

Death Toll:  A whole lot of people die.  

Nude-O-Meter:  That'd be a zero, friend.

Monsters Party:  Hell yeah there are monsters!  Kaiju a plenty!

Final Thoughts

For me, it simply doesn't get much better than this.  Giant robots beat the snot out of giant monsters by sea, on land and even in the air.  This is everything I used to imagine a Godzilla film could be when I was a kid.  Now, we just have to wait a year to see what Godzilla 2014 has to offer!  LONG LIVE KAIJU!

Final Rating

FIVE OUT OF FIVE PIZZA ROLLS!