Reviews

Avengers: Endgame is an incredible, riveting, highly entertaining and very emotional film, and a brilliant end to the Marvel's Infinity Saga. My first time viewing left me speechless and pleasantly surprised, and I had high expectations. Just like Infinity War before it, it is a masterful film that managed to meet the massive expectations of fans, delivering perfectly on story and character development in a ways I couldn't even expect.

While some may think it has a slow beginning, you've come to care so much about the characters and story that it's still investing. The story is intriguing and filled with countless twists and turns that keep you hooked. Seeing each of the characters continue and close their story arcs is very satisfying and poignant, especially how they concluded the stories of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers; you could not ask for a better ending for these characters then what this movie delivers. While some seemed to have a problem with Smart Hulk, I really quite liked him and it was a satisfying conclusion to the conflict between Banner and Hulk. And what they did with Thor is a testament to how much the Russos cared more about characters then eye candy or fanservice; it is completely understandable, realistic, and human to see him devastated after everything terrible that has happened to him, crushed by his own failure, and its great when he begins to believe in himself again. The film balances its emotional scenes perfectly with its comic relief as to make a film that feels appropriately heartfelt and somber while also not forgetting to let its audience have a little fun. The huge final battle is an absolute feast for the eyes and never fails to get me giddy. It has to be one of the most astounding battles ever on film. There exist no lapses in the visual effects, the music is perfect, and acting is excellent, the entire cast gives top-tier performances.

An excellent film and a perfect follow-up to Infinity War and ending to the Infinity Saga.

Avengers: Infinity War is a film so powerful and good that instead of being crushed by the weight of its expectations, it lifted them up and launched them out into space. Packed with epic, intense action, fantastic character work, and a powerful ending, it doesn't get much better then this. It's especially remarkable when you remember just how much buildup there was to this film and how massive the expectations were, you would think it would be almost impossible to meet, but Infinity War does it so well it makes it look easy.

The story is exhilarating, it moves at a brisk pace which really makes you feel the immense stakes and how urgent the situation is. Every single character is handled extremely well and are all in character. The film makes sure to pay attention to what spot they're in in their character journey since the last film each respective character was in and continues their development. It maintains continuity and brings every character together in a way that's organic and serves the story perfectly. Tony Stark finally gets to fight the thing he has been tormented by and preparing for years to fight, Steve Rogers and most of the other Avengers are fugitives of the law and thus are more rugged, Bruce Banner is still dealing with his conflict with the Hulk (continuing what was established Thor: Ragnarok), Thor is dealing with the grief of losing everything, manifesting in personal vengeance towards Thanos, and much more. But perhaps the best thing about the film is the characterization of Thanos, one of the best villains in cinema since Darth Vader from Star Wars (which was the intent of the Russos, specifically saying that the wanted to make "the next Darth Vader"). He is a ruthless, insane and narcissistic monster, but he still has honorable traits, respects his enemies, he has a very flawed perspective of how to save the universe but believes it whole-heartedly, and even a fatherly love towards Gamora. He's terrifying but also humanized, and it just works perfectly.

The computer generated effects, especially those that brought Thanos to life, are perfect, as is the soundtrack. While MCU scores are typically regarded as forgettable, Alan Silvestri's score for Infinity War is anything but. The performances are impeccable as well, there's not a single unsatisfying or uneven performance. Josh Brolin as Thanos, Robert Downey Jr. As Tony Stark, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, Benedict Bumberbatch as Doctor Strange, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda and Zoe Salanda as Gamora in particular stick out to me and knock it out of the park.

In conclusion, Infinity War is the best MCU film and one of the best films to have come out in the past 10 years, and I don't think you could ask for more. Infinity War (along with its sequel, Avengers: Endgame) isn't just a movie, it's an experience.

This special contains all of the things that made Walking with Dinosaurs so revolutionary: it's brilliant storytelling, poetic narration, exhilarating and gorgeous soundtrack, great atmosphere, exemplary animation, and amazing authentic documentary-making. As such, Ballad of Big Al is also a masterpiece, and since this was made a year later and production probably lasted longer on this special then it did for each individual episode of WWD, it looks even more polished when it comes to the visuals, having better animatronics and an improved Allosaurus model from the original series, one that not only looks more aesthetically pleasing (not that the one from the original series looked bad though) but more scientifically accurate (it's almost as if they come hand in hand...). It's easily one of the best depiction of Allosaurus in any media, and is probably one of the best reconstructions of an animal in the entire Walking with Series.

The special tells the story of the life of an individual Allosaurus known from a very complete specimen nicknamed "Big Al". We see his entire life from when he first hatched to his unfortunate young death. A standout scene is the Battle of the Salt Plains in which the Allosaurus gang up to isolate a weak and sick Diplodocus from its herd. Everything from the magnificent camera work to the incredible soundtrack is awe-inspiring and masterful. From beginning to end, Ballad of Big Al is riveting, exciting, and actually makes you sympathize with it's main character, just like the best the Walking with Series has to offer, and this definitely is among them.

You would think that the next film in the franchise after the original masterpiece would be one of the better ones, but unfortunately, Godzilla Raids Again is actually a boring mess and a huge letdown. The story is a simple monster vs. monster story that mostly revolves around the monsters. Two pilots find Godzilla and Anguirus on an island. The two monsters arrive in Osaka and battle to the death, with Godzilla standing victorious, They then bury Godzilla under ice. That's pretty much it. This would be fine... if the characters weren't cardboard. The characters are incredibly dull and uninteresting. Every scene with them, except for the scene in which Dr. Yamane makes a very brief return, just loses me. I couldn't name any character in this film (except for Kobayashi as I hear many synopsis' for the film mention his name) with a gun to my head. Sitting through this film is an absolute chore and makes me want to fall asleep and it's mostly because of the characters. The characters take up the majority of the screentime unfortunately, and they are so forgettable I can't even really remember anything that happens in the movie between the monster scenes even right after watching it. One good thing this film does, though, is introduce the concept of monster vs. monster. Anguirus, the new monster who is a very welcome addition and goes on to become one of the best and most recognizable monsters in the franchise, is portrayed decently here. His suit looks ok. It isn't bad, but every portrayal of the character forward is superior. Godzilla doesn't look that good, either, way inferior to how he looked in the previous film, the main problem being the proportions. He is way to skinny, ugly, and the suit doesn't look very polished. He's actually kind of an eye sore, but the worst is still to come. The special effects are pretty mediocre as well, nothing is really impressive and there are many flaws. But one other redeeming quality is Godzilla's fight with Anguirus, which is pretty ferocious, animalistic, and brutal, but the rest of the action is forgettable. Not even the score is really that remarkable. The loss of Akira Ifukube is felt hard. It does it's job, but isn't at all memorable and is not something really worth looking up or going back to listen too. Overall, Godzilla Raids Again is just lackluster in pretty much every category. One good fight is really all this film has to offer. While it's predecessor proved how amazing kaiju movies can be, this one shows just how disastrous they can be.

King Kong vs. Godzilla is pure entertainment. It pits the two most famous giant monsters of all time against each other in a fun ride that's sure to give kaiju fans their fill. Though it does have some objective flaws, it delivers. The story serves as nothing more then a way to get the two titular kaiju to clash as well as for other entertaining set pieces to occur, such as King Kong's battle with the giant octopus on the island and Godzilla's battle with the military, and it works. Rather then over-complicating itself, it serves it's purpose of delivering the royal rumble to us in a logical way. The characters are charmingly airheaded and likable, with Mr. Tako especially making for a quite entertaining character. Godzilla's design is improved from the previous film, looking more reptilian and much less derpy and barebones. King Kong's design, however, looks pretty ugly, but it doesn't bother too much in most scenes. The Giant Octopus is wonderfully executed, with the use of real octopi mixed with stop motion and puppets. Though the matte shots and puppetry are pretty crude, the rest of the effects look pretty good. They aren't groundbreaking but meet the standards of a Godzilla film made in this time. The fights are easily the best aspect of the movie, especially the final battle, which is one of the most exciting and enjoyable monster battles ever. Akira Ifukube is back for the soundtrack and it was a great decision to bring him back, as here he creates the classic Godzilla theme that is still remembered and is constantly played in Godzilla media everywhere, and the rest of the music is also very memorable and enjoyable. Overall, King Kong vs. Godzilla is a very fun entry in the Godzilla series that despite it's technical flaws delivers the entertaining ride fans expect.

Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster has been considered a classic by many kaiju fans, and for good reason: introducing Godzilla's arch nemesis, the titular monster King Ghidorah. And while it is overall an entertaining flick, it does have it's flaws. The story is rather simple: Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah all show up at the same time, and Mothra has to convince Godzilla and Rodan to fight Ghidorah with her. It's pretty simple stuff and works effectively. One of the categories where it faults, though, is the characters. While they're likable enough that you're not bored, they're not really particularly memorable or interesting either. They're one-dimensional but the plot happening with them is interesting enough that it keeps you invested during the human scenes. King Ghidorah looks great, Mothra Larva is an improvement over her previous appearance, and Godzilla looks good too, but Rodan's design is a downgrade from his debut film, but he still looks fine, and the overly dopey look has yet to come. Godzilla's character ark occurs here, where he goes from destroyer to defender, though the reason why he decides to help against Ghidorah after refusing several times is questionable. He just sees Mothra get blasted and suddenly decides to help. The same is true for Rodan, and even more questionable, is what exactly this Rodan is. In the original Rodan, there were two: a male and a female. Both were killed. Then one Rodan comes out of the same mountain in this movie, and it's supposedly a male. Did the male regenerate? Did the male actually not die? Is this they're unknown offspring? It's unknown even to this very day, not even official Toho books ever really clarify. While it's nice to see Rodan appear in a Godzilla movie, this is rather jarring. The special effects, while quite a bit looks impressive considering the especially big time constraints, it does falter quite a bit during the Godzilla and Rodan fight, especially with the cringey puppetry. Despite this, the fights are entertaining, with Godzilla and Rodan's fight still being a joy to watch, and having quite a few memorable moments. And of course, the final battle with all four monsters is also quite entertaining, even more so, and the special effects in that scene are a big improvement, and everywhere else they are consistently well-done. Akira Ifukube once again delivers the goods with this film's soundtrack; his music sours. It's no wonder many of it is still used and remembered today. Overall, Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster is a flawed movie, but it's positives outweigh the negatives and is an enjoyable and memorable entry in the franchise. It's not one of the best, but it's far, far from the worst.

Please, don't waste your time. Just go watch Walking with Dinosaurs. If you've already watched it, rewatch it. This series basically just craps all over scientific accuracy. Sure, Walking with Dinosaurs made it's mistakes, but almost nothing here is accurate, as the dinosaurs are portrayed as vicious monsters practically thirsty for blood, always roaring and ripping each other apart when most of the time it's nonsensical (while Walking with Dinosaurs actually portrayed them as the real animals they are and the science was cutting edge for the time, while here, this series was inaccurate when it aired). Most of the fights don't make any sense and are not scientific, only made to appease action junkies rather then show how dinosaurs actually lived. It claims to be like a Dinosaur CSI where it shows actual situations shown with fossils, but these are highly exaggerated. The fights are much more violent and action-packed then what actually happened. It's like comparing actual human fights to the fights in the Mortal Kombat games. It's portrayal of dromaeosaurs (Deinonychus and Dromaeosaurus) is particularly horrendous, basically ripping off Jurassic Park instead of showing the beautiful creatures they actually were. The only episode that's actually pretty cool and that I would recommend is Deep Sea Killers, the only reason I'm giving this series two stars. But every other episode is a steaming pile of garbage that should be avoided if you want to learn anything.

Words cannot describe simply how amazing and awe-inspiring Walking with Dinosaurs is. It's downright incredible and without a doubt the best dinosaur documentary out there, with unparalleled atmosphere and authenticity when it comes to raw documentary making combined with brilliant storytelling. No documentary of it's caliber on the subject of prehistoric life has been made since (except for it's special, The Ballad of Big Al). Even though some of the science has become inaccurate over time, it's still very informative and it's so beautifully-made that it still holds up after all these years. Everything from the stories, to the special effects, to the soundtrack, to the narration, to it's general extraordinary presentation are just absolutely fantastic. It's simply art.

One of the things that makes this documentary so great is that the dinosaurs (as well as other Mesozoic animals featured like pterosaurs and marine reptiles) are portrayed as real animals as they actually were, not ferocious, fantasy movie monsters always out for the kill like most media unfortunately does. The hunts and confrontations are presented in a realistic manner, and the program shows plenty of other aspects of the animal's biology (their behavior and lifestyle). It's shot as if the film crew actually went back in time and filmed these animals in their natural habitat, as they actually shot in real locations. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful; it makes great use of the real locations its shot in, and every frame legit looks like paleoart. The CGI and animatronics were exemplary for their time and still hold up pretty well today for the most part, making the documentary even more believable. The animal models for the most part look great and accurate for their time, and they're shot in a very believable way. The animation of the movements of the animals is fantastic as well, the animals moving very naturally and convincingly with an astounding attention to detail. It makes them look so realistic and lifelike. This incredibly realistic portrayal of Mesozoic life is amplified by Benjamin Bartlett's brilliant, awe-inspiring music score that brings a huge presence of grandeur and emotion. The soundtrack is full of wonder, excitement, suspense, ambience, and even tragedy. It's excellent in it's own right and perfectly fits the series.

The stories are excellent and compelling, as you actually come to care for the animals each episode follows. The first episode, New Blood, takes place in the Late Triassic of Arizona and focuses on one of the earliest dinosaurs, Coelophysis, as well as other Triassic animals such as the large archosaur Postosuchus and the lumbering dicynodont Placerias. It tells the story of how the dinosaurs came to be the dominant clade on Earth. The following episode, Time of the Titans, looks at the Late Jurassic megafauna of Colorado: Diplodocus, Allosaurus, Brachiosaurus and Stegosaurus. We mainly follow a creche of young Diplodocus as they grow into an immense size, having to overcome hazards such as predators and the very environment they live in. Cruel Sea explores the Late Jurassic oceans of Oxfordshire and it's inhabitants, such as Ophthalmosaurus, Cryptoclidus, and Liopleurodon. The tragic global migration of the giant Early Cretaceous pterosaur Ornithocheirus is followed in Giant of the Skies as he travels halfway across the world to the mating grounds. The pentultimate episode, Spirits of the Ice Forest, examines Early Cretaceous Antarctica, which was home to polar dinosaurs such as Leaellynasaura, Muttaburrasaurus, and a polar allosaur. It delves into how each of the different animals have adapted to live in this unique environment. The final episode, Death of a Dynasty, takes place in Late Cretaceous Montana at the brink of the K-Pg mass extinction event from the focal point of a Tyrannosaurus trying to reproduce in a volcanic environment. It also features other giant, iconic Late Cretaceous dinosaurs such as Torosaurus, Anatotitan, and Ankylosaurus, and it ends with the climactic meteor impact that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs forever. It ends on a fittingly somber, haunting yet slightly positive note when it brings up that one group of dinosaurs survived the extinction, being one of the few dinosaur documentaries to actually acknowledge that birds are dinosaurs, despite being the first.

Overall, this documentary is a masterpiece and makes for an exceedingly engaging and riveting viewing experience, full of grandeur, excitement, emotion, and education. It allows people to view dinosaurs in a new light, as the amazing and majestic creatures they really were. It's simply gorgeous, and genuinely shows how magnificent and extraordinary the dynasty of the dinosaurs truly was.

Mothra vs. Godzilla is one of the most solid entries in the Godzilla franchise and is widely praised for being one of the best. It's story about corporate greed and how humanity needs to help one another more often is especially relevant and powerful, with the scene in which our protagonists must convince the Infant Island natives to help them being one of the most striking scenes in the franchise. However, it's execution isn't flawless. The film doesn't do enough to show just how threatening Godzilla is and how much they need Mothra to fight him, as his destruction scene isn't anywhere near as powerful as the original and is actually kind of laughable, and the military fights are placed weird. One was cut for petty reasons but would've helped the film's problem, making the American release that included this scene the superior version, and the other strangely takes place after the first fight with Mothra, which feels too late. The subplot of the children trapped on the island at the end also feels contrived and shoved in to try and give the second fight more stakes. Though the characters don't have arks throughout the film, they are especially well-acted and the villain in particular is quite memorable. Mothra, despite being one of the earliest versions, is actually one of if not the most well-executed incarnations of the character with an excellent puppet. Her imago and larva designs are both great. Godzilla looks great here too, as this film has one of his most iconic designs, though, as said earlier, the threat he poses to Japan doesn't feel as horrific as the movie's writing demands. The special effects are top notch for the Showa era, though they do have their hiccups most of it is pretty fantastic. Akira Ifukube delivers an excellent score once again with great Godzilla and military themes as well as Mothra's beautiful music. The songs the Shobijin sing are especially beautiful. Overall, despite it's flaws, Mothra vs. Godzilla is still an above-average entry in the franchise.

Godzilla: Planet Eater is easily the worst of the anime trilogy (and considering the anime trilogy is garbage as a whole that's really saying something) and the 2nd worst Godzilla film ever. The only one that tops this is Godzilla's Revenge, and it could even be argued that it's still better. It has all of this religious and philosophical mumbo-jumbo that doesn't make sense in the slightest manufactured from cardboard characters and lackluster action. The story is extremely nonsensical and perplexing. I was bored (I could barely force myself to pay attention), perplexed, and extremely disappointing. There was so much cringe in this film too, especially that extremely forced sex scene between Haruo and one of those twin girls. The animation is also lackluster; the humans are stiff and move like androids, the painting backdrops (especially in the caves) lack any detail, and the dream sequences just extremely badly animated and put together. Ghidorah is also at his worst here, basically being a bunch of noodles with teeth. Don't waste your time with this film, or the trilogy as a whole for that matter.

Godzilla vs. Biollante is one of the most unique and highly entertaining Godzilla films in the franchise. It's story is one of the most coherent and well-written in the franchise, with it's many subplots handled superbly. The military side and the scientific side both make for interesting plot lines that never leave you bored. It's characters are also just as well-written and interesting. Doctor Shiragami is one of the franchise's most resonant characters as a stoic scientist who has become reclusive after the death of his daughter. Him and another scientist, Doctor Kirishima, make for an interesting duo of two scientists with different ideals, with Kirishima thinking more ethicly while Shiragami thinks more logically. Miki Saegusa makes her first appearance her as a psychic girl who creates a bridge between the kaiju and the humans as the series goes on, and this film makes for a good introduction of her. Colonel Gondo is another very memorable character, with his cocky attitude and wits making him very likable. Biollante is by far one of the best kaiju in the franchise, with an incredible unique design that is executed flawlessly. Godzilla also looks excellent, with a fantastic new design that has become the most iconic and well-known Godzilla design, so much so that the look was retained for the entire rest of the Heisei series, with minor changes. Godzilla is once again portrayed as a destructive force of nature, but at the same time, him responding to Biollante's cries for help and not attacking her until she attacked him show signs that, like the birds in the previous film, Godzilla has an innate desire to find something like him. Biollante is a complex creature that shows beauty but at the same time terror, due to being a Godzilla-rose hybrid as well as being part human. The special effects are also exemplary, with this film sporting some of the best, most solid effects works in the entire franchise. The fights between Godzilla and Biollante are also highly entertaining and especially brutal. And to top all of this off is a great score that is a mix of remastered classic Godzilla themes composed by Akira Ifukube and new music composed by Koichi Sugiyama, which is a mix of suspenseful music, music that sounds like it came straight out of a horror film, somber music, and even a rock version of the Godzilla theme. Overall, Godzilla vs. Biollante is an exemplary Godzilla film that hits home in every category.

The story, characters, special effects, acting, and music are all fantastic, but there is one category in which the film unfortunately fails at: the pacing of the monster action, which is quite a detriment to the film's enjoyability. The first act is rather well-paced, effectively building up to a rather exciting fight on Planet X, but afterwords, it focuses completely on the humans until the last ten minutes of the film, and while there are many great human scenes here, eventually it drags out too long and it gets to the point where the audience is desperate for more monster action and wishes it could just pick up the pace a little. Once it finally does give you more monster action, though, it is fun. Overall, it's definitely one of the better films of the Showa series, with a lot of things going for it, but it's bad pacing keeping it from being satisfying all around.

The original Pacific Rim is easily one of the best kaiju films ever made and one of the absolute best times I ever had in the cinema, so I had high hopes for the sequel... that were unfortunately squandered by the disappointment of what we got. The story is nonsensical and just goes all over the place, the characters are very poorly developed and written (what a pathetic waste of Mako), the soundtrack is forgettable (literally can't remember a single track), and the special effects, while up to standard with most Hollywood blockbusters, is definitely a step down from the original. The original Jeager cockpits and sets in general look a lot more realistic and interesting then this, which just feels rather cheap and generic, and the weight of the Jeagars and kaiju in the battles is lost, making this not feel like Pacific Rim in it's action sequences and instead feel like a Michael Bay Transformers movie. This feels like nothing more then an attempt by the studio to make a franchise that was started by a very passionate film into something that can be made for cheap, and it clearly shows.

The original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is quite an enjoyable entry in the franchise and definitely an improvement then it's three predecessors, but it's not without it's flaws. The story is simply another alien invasion story, this time about aliens who are actually rip-offs of the apes from Planet of the Apes. There's a prophecy about a monster that will arise and destroy Japan while two monsters will save it. They think the destroyer is Godzilla when he appears and destroys some stuff, but it's revealed to be an imposter, while the humans and aliens fight over a statue to awaken King Caesar. The story is entertaining but at the same time the reusing of aliens over and over for these last few entries makes it feel stale, and so do the characters, as they are another cast of forgettable, shallow archetypes with nothing to them. None of the characters, except maybe the alien commander, really resonate and are one-dimensional. In fact, you can actually end up mixing them up. Also, the aliens in this film make no sense, with some of their decisions being rather questionable, and the reveal that they are actually space apes raises a lot of questions, such as why they suddenly lose their human-like intelligence when they revert back to their true forms, and why they need help from the human scientist to fix Mechagodzilla, which they created from their own technology. The ape makeup and the effect of them transforming also look atrocious. The monster side of things, however, makes up for these somewhat lacking areas. Mechagodzilla looks great, with a design resembling a menacing cartoon villain, Godzilla's design is a vast improvement over the previous one and is definitely one of the best Showa Godzilla designs, Anguirus looks just as good as ever, and King Caesar is another creative new monster that adds a mammalian touch to Godzilla's vast array of kaiju. The special effects are also an improvement over the last few entries and quite well done, with many satisfying and entertaining monster scenes and tons of awesome explosions. Masaru Sato delivers probably his best musical score here, as his music is fun and jazzy while also being foreboding. Overall, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is a decent, enjoyable Godzilla film. While it lacks in delivering compelling human characters, it delivers in satisfying kaiju action that will leave any Godzilla fan entertained.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is one of the most popular Godzilla films and a fan favorite, and it definitely deserves it's high ranking among other films of the franchise, as it's one of the better entries.

The story is a particularly intriguing and creative one, introducing elements never seen before in the franchise. The time travel plot is refreshing and keeps the franchise from getting monotonous and recycling the same alien invasion plot we saw several times in the later Showa series. It's an extremely ambitious and fresh concept that keeps the franchise from feeling stale and keeps you engaged through the whole ride, with so many twists and turns that you won't be able to predict what comes next.

The story also has several messages. First, through the time travel story, it drives home that no matter how hard we try, we can't go back and erase the mistakes of the past. We're stuck with the consequences and can only press forward, as they try to negate Godzilla's existence via time travel, only for Godzilla to have been created anyway, just through different means. This film also delves into how nations can become corrupt and too powerful (the Future Japan the Futurians try to stop) and how groups of people, while they can have noble and understandable motivations (the Futurians), can go too far in their methods and become extremist.

The characters are here above average and keep your interest between the action scenes. Kenichiro Terasawa, our main male protagonist, is a writer who is initially obsessed with being well-known and leaving a legacy through his writing but grows into a more selfless person. Emmy Kano is a Japanese Futurian woman who initially takes a part in her fellow Futurian's plan, but defects and helps Japan after learning of their true intentions and believing they are going too far in their methods. Mr. Shindo is a former commander of a Lagos Island garrison in World War II that was saved by the Godzillasaurus that lived on the island, the one who eventually becomes Godzilla, and therefore, somewhat naively, sees Godzilla as his savior. This connection between Godzilla and Shindo all culminates in a beautiful scene that is one of the franchise's most impactful. Wilson and Glenchiko, the other two Futurians whose goal is to destroy Japan and recreate it under their direction, are the main villains of the film, and as said before, work, as their goal is understandable but their methods are too far. Miki Saegusa also returns in a supporting role, which is welcoming.

However, there are a couple minor problems. The effects of the time traveling aren't really explained that well, and as a result it can create misconceptions in the mind of the viewer, and it makes it seem like there are a bunch of plot holes. It's never really made explicitly clear that time travel works as branching timelines in the film itself, leading to some confusion. Also, while the Japanese acting is quite good, the acting and lines given to the American soldiers in the WWII sequence are flat out embarrassing at times. The only American actors that do a good job are Wilson, Glenchiko, and M11 (his line delivery is robotic, but it is an android, so it's only fitting and it's probably an intentional choice).

King Ghidorah looks better than ever in both design and execution, being very imposing, threatening, and having stunning fluidity in his movements (for the most part). Mecha-King Ghidorah looks even more impressive and makes for one of the Heisei series' most complex and astounding creations. The ferocious animalistic design for Godzilla introduced in Godzilla vs. Biollante is polished and perfected in this entry, and the Godzillasaurus suit convincingly pulls off its dinosaurian appearance and it's resemblance to Godzilla. Both Godzilla and King Ghidorah are portrayed as nuclear abominations that are monsters not because of their choices, but because of mankind's use of nuclear weapons. King Ghidorah is presented in a more villainous way then ever before, as even though he isn't as malicious in terms of personality as the Showa incarnation, his presentation here feels more threatening and has more punch, and he still fights viciously when not being controlled by the Futurians. Godzilla once again acts as an indestructible force of nature that, while he can be helpful to mankind by wiping out greater threats, is still destructive and at this point in the series, a villain. Godzilla is very clearly angry throughout almost the entirety of his screentime, but it also starts shows his softer side, as he actually shows remorse for Mr. Shindo. And the ending is very resonant, as it shows that no matter what, Godzilla will always rise again. This film essentially defines Godzilla's character, showing each side of his personality in a way that it feels perfectly natural and not at all jarring. The ferocity of both of these beasts is pulled off in this film better then the vast majority of entries in the franchise.

The special effects are very imaginative, spectacular, and impressive once again with very little flaws, especially the very well-done interior UFO and ship sets, the teleportation effects, and the animatronics. The effects aren't perfect, as some of the matte shots and green screen work look quite funky at times, the fighter jet sequence is quite underwhelming, with King Ghidorah looking somewhat stiff, and a couple shots of M11 running super fast are laughable (there are some where the footage is sped up which look good, but then there's a couple where it's clear he's on a conveyor belt slowly making running motions), but it's mostly consistent. The action sequences are incredibly entertaining with some of the best battles in the franchise and stunning city destruction scenes. Godzilla and King Ghidorah's first fight in Hokkaido is a ton of fun and the best confrontation between the two ever put on film, and the final confrontation between Godzilla and Mecha-King Ghidorah, while mostly a beam battle, is very dramatic, thrilling, and exciting nonetheless due to its direction.

Finally, Akira Ifukube produces a very catchy, classic score with many restored themes from the Showa series that sound better than ever and are a definite ear worm, as well as new themes that are very memorable. It gives the film a very classic Godzilla feeling that simply cannot be replicated otherwise.

Overall, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is one of the most exciting, spectacular, and imaginative entries in the Godzilla franchise that, despite it's flaws, is very well-made all around.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is a quite controversial film in the franchise, with some loving it and some hating it. And while I don't hate it, I unfortunately find it to be a step down from it's predecessors and is more of a mixed bag. The story seems like it would be a simple Godzilla vs. an evil monster story, but is instead riddled with pointless subplots that not only drag the film out but distract it from exploring much more interesting aspects, such as developing Godzilla's relationship with his son and focusing the story more on SpaceGodzilla himself rather then throwing in a bunch of Project T, Mafia, and forced love story stuff that ultimately leads to nowhere and doesn't effect the main plot of the film or the next film in any way. If the film had removed those pointless subplots and instead devoted more time to giving Godzilla and LittleGodzilla more screentime together, it would've been more focused and emotionally investing like Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. One particular deleted scene that would've helped save this movie from mediocrity is Godzilla trying to free his son from his crystal prison: seeing this would've not only showed the audience how much Godzilla cares about his son, but it would've shown the characters too. Speaking of the characters, there are some good one's but some not so much. By far the best character is Akira Yuki, a soldier who has dedicated his life to trying to kill Godzilla as revenge for losing his friend, Colonel Goro Gondo from Godzilla vs. Biollante in the aforementioned film. Throughout the film, he regains his humanity through his connection with Goro's sister, Chinatsu Gondo, who has romantic feelings for him. This film definitely would've been stronger had it focused on these two characters more then the bland G-Force soldiers Koji and Kiyo that have nothing too them and the forced romance between Koji and Miki. Miki, due to going to Godzilla's side in the last film, spends the film concerned for Godzilla and LittleGodzilla's life, but, despite this making sense, becomes a bit too obnoxious while doing so, even saying that all men are the same and only think about fighting. One of this film's strengths, though, is the monsters. SpaceGodzilla looks fantastic and menacing, Godzilla still looks great, Moguera's design is very much improved from his original design in The Mysterians, and LittleGodzilla, while not quite as good as BabyGodzilla and Godzilla Junior, is adorable and sympathetic. After his character ark in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla is actually the protagonist for the first time in the Heisei series, which is welcome. In fact, I kind of wish that there was more films between Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah to show off Godzilla being more of an anti-hero and to develop his relationship with his son more. SpaceGodzilla, on the otherhand, represents all of the hatred and rage Godzilla once had in him: he is a creature full of rage and hatred and no sympathy. Moguera is a lifeless robot like Mechagodzilla but once again, the monsters are given so much personality that it doesn't disappoint. LittleGodzilla really hasn't changed in terms of personality since he was BabyGodzilla in the previous film, still being an innocent baby that now has grown to care for his adoptive father, Godzilla. The special effects in this film, while there are some quite impressive sequences, there are some embarrassing ones too, like the space battle, though the positive outweighs the negative. The fight choreography is not as good as previous Heisei films either, with not nearly as much physical fighting as them, but the final battle is still engaging and the first battle on Birth Island is solid. Finally, since Akira Ifukube refused to do the soundtrack for this film, Takayuki Hattori did this score this time around, and while not as good as Ifukube, he still delivers a memorable, catchy, and sometimes beautiful score. Overall, while not as solid as the previous Heisei films, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla is still enjoyable. It doesn't reach it's potential, but for what it is it's still a decent entry in the franchise.

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah ended the Heisei series on an extremely high note, as it is another excellent Godzilla film and a great, satisfying finale to the series, more so than the series' proceeding and succeeding it.

The film's extremely apocalyptic stakes and dark tone make for a very gripping narrative, and it's connections to the original 1954 Godzilla film make it feel even more so, particularity the moral debate about the whether the oxygen destroyer should be used again despite Dr. Serizawa's sacrifice. It's very clear throughout the film, with the many nods to the original, that the filmmakers had great respect and care for it, and this film finally answers many questions about the aftermath of the original it's Showa sequels never bothered to answer. With both the threat of Godzilla melting down being imminent and a new creature created from the oxygen destroyer running amok, it becomes very tense and dramatic, and the film perfectly escalates in the action throughout it's run time, pacing itself very nicely.

For our characters, we get the descendants of Dr. Yamane's adoptive son who act as two opposing sides to the oxygen destroyer argument. Kenichi, having a very scientific and logical mindset, wants to use the oxygen destroyer against Godzilla, while reporter Yukari, who thinks more morally, considering the dangers the oxygen destroyer could bring to the world and how Dr. Serizawa died to keep the invention a secret, opposes the idea. We also have a scientist named Dr. Ijuin who has discovered how the oxygen destroyer works and initially wants to use it to benefit the world, but changes his mind after seeing it's true destructive power in the form of Destoroyah. Miki Saegusa returns once again in her best-acted role since Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and her debate with Meru Ozawa, another psychic who is set up to take Miki's place once her powers fade, make for interesting drama as it is in their hands to decide the fate of Godzilla Junior after his survival is known. G-Force is back once again and it's members retain their personalities seen in previous films, though the stern Commander Aso seems to have warmed up to Godzilla since the past films. Finally, Emiko Yamane makes a return in a very welcome cameo where we finally see what happened to her after the original film. It's not only great to see an actual member from the original 1954 cast make a return, but her presence also emphasizes it's deep connections to the original all the more. The acting throughout the film is quite consistently good as well.

Moving onto the monsters, Destoroyah is easily one of the most badass and malevolent of all of Godzilla's foes, with a devilish design and multiple different and very unique forms, all of which look fantastic. Burning Godzilla is easily one of the best Godzilla suits ever made; it looks absolutely superb and menacing, and the nuclear meltdown he undergoes looks incredibly convincing. His death at the end of the film is easily the saddest scene in the franchise and is executed perfectly with great respect to the character. His portrayal in the film is simply a technical marvel. Finally, Godzilla Junior is the version of Godzilla's son we've all wanted to see: an awesome, grown-up one that can fight for himself. The monsters once again have tons of personality, with Godzilla clearly being enraged and in pain because of what's happening to him, Godzilla Junior being ferocious but still inexperienced and also having a soft spot for humans, and Destoroyah being a blood-thirsty remorseless being that only brings about destruction, and takes pleasure doing so. He represents all of the horrors that Dr. Serizawa feared the oxygen destroyer would bring to the world. He is truly the living incarnation of the oxygen destroyer.

The special effects are fantastic and break grounds for the franchise, with many scenes that are simple technical marvels, and considering that this had more time constraints and the smallest special effects budget of any Heisei film since Godzilla vs. Biollante, that's very impressive. Though there are brief parts where the time constraints take their toll (like King Ghidorah four films prior, while Destoroyah does flap his wings in the vast majority shots, there are a couple awkward shots where he doesn't, making it look a little odd), this was definitely Koichi Kawakita's last hurrah, and he went out with a bang. There are some jawdropping sequences that look amazing to this day. The film's battles are very dramatic and straight-up brutal, with tons of bloodshed, making for some of the franchise's most gripping fight scenes. It's high stakes and unpredictability also make these fights more suspenseful; you truly feel that nobody is safe from death. And finally, Akira Ifukube's soundtrack is once again excellent, with bone-chilling, exciting, gripping, and exceedingly somber music.

Overall, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is another very well-made Godzilla film and a great conclusion to the Heisei series.

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is a fantastic Godzilla film, easily the best Mechagodzilla film, and the best film of the Heisei era.

This film has a very compelling, well-written, intriguing, and elegantly simplicit story. It very much revolves around the monster action, which was a fantastic choice, as it allows for a very action-packed film with a very tightly knitted story.

At the same time, the characters are not left on the back burner, and are likable and interesting. Kazuma Aoki makes for a very charming lead who is initially a goofball but learns to take responsibility for his actions throughout the film and becomes a more competent man. Azusa Gojo is a very sympathetic protagonist with her touching mother-son relationship with BabyGodzilla pulling at your heart strings. Miki Saegusa is just as sympathetic and more developed then ever before as she begins to see Godzilla in a different light due to BabyGodzilla. All of the soldiers, commanders, generals, and scientists at G-Force each have their own motivations and character traits as well, such as the big, gruff Commander Aso who has a very deep vendetta against Godzilla. Even the side characters with not much screen time and very little lines have notable character traits, which is partially due to the really well-done acting.

The new Mechagodzilla design is sleek and awesome, looking smoother and more modern than the Showa incarnation, and it looks even better when it combines with the flying machine Garuda, making it look like an even more powerful killing machine. Godzilla looks just as great as ever, still retaining the iconic look introduced in Godzilla vs. Biollante with another excellent suit that happens to be my personal favorite. Rodan's redesign is more majestic and pterosaur-like, an improvement over his very derpy post-1956 Showa era design. He not only looks cooler, but more natural and believable. And finally, BabyGodzilla is a vast improvement over Minilla, looking absolutely adorable and yet still looking very lifelike, like a real theropod dinosaur infant. The three organic monsters are brought to life in such a way that they have their own personalities and could be considered actual dynamic, well-rounded characters on their own. Godzilla has his character ark here, as he starts out being the same rage-filled nuclear leviathan from the previous films only to become a father that can actually show compassion by the end of the film, as he spends the majority of it searching for BabyGodzilla, only to cross paths with Rodan and Mechagodzilla whenever he tries to do so. His goal is clearly to unite with and protect the infant Godzillasaurus to raise him as his own son, and he risks life and limb over it. He's still a badass throughout the film, but we also get to see a bit of his softer side. Rodan also has an emotional attachment to BabyGodzilla, but in a different way; since they were born in the same nest, he sees BabyGodzilla as his little brother and therefore does everything to protect him. BabyGodzilla is the heart of the film, as an innocent and intelligent being that cares deeply about those he sees as his parental figures. On the other side of things, Mechagodzilla moves and acts realistically for a robot, never making it seem like a living thing and therefore solidifying the theme of life vs. artificial life. The decision to make Mechagodzilla lifeless also supports this theme and, along with BabyGodzilla and our main characters, helps drive the audience to an emotional connection to the monsters as the film progresses.

One of the most powerful and unique aspects of the film is indeed the conflict it brings about within the characters and even the audience. It begins with Mechagodzilla being the good guy and Godzilla being the bad guy, but by the middle, it becomes greyer rather than black and white, with both G-Force and Godzilla having reasons to be doing what they're doing and both are reasonable from their point of view. This also creates high stakes and tension with the battles between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla, making for some of the most gripping fight scenes in the franchise.

The special effects are incredibly solid and well-done, with some astounding attention to detail. Despite the film's abundance of action scenes, there aren't any extremely noticeable lapses in the quality of the visual effects: all of it looks top notch (with the exception of some brief funky matte shots that don't look the best, and the prop used when Mechagodzilla is flying does look kind of wonky, though definitely better then the Showa one). In particular, the animatronic heads for all three monsters look notably impressive and extremely organic. The film is also packed with tons of exhilarating and memorable action sequences that are spread out so well that it's very well-paced and highly entertaining. Godzilla and Rodan's battle on Adonoa Island is one of the most exciting fights in the franchise, and the battles where Godzilla and Rodan fight Mechagodzilla are very excitingly choreographed and directed and have no shortage of physical brawling.

And finally, Akira Ifukube's musical score is brilliant; while he usually always delivers fantastic scores, this one is particularity good, with very many memorable, riveting, and haunting yet beautiful pieces.

Overall, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is an absolutely fantastic Godzilla film all around. It succeeds in practically every category and therefore is definitely one of the finest and most consistently entertaining entries in the entire franchise.