Godzilla Minus One (2023)
I only know of Godzilla as a concept and this was a great movie to start with that exceeded my expectations. I chose to see the black and white “minus color” version which I don’t regret. It sets the right atmosphere and it shows that they put a lot of effort into this version. I found it to be strongest in the first half. The trauma in Shikishima really shows and Godzilla is pretty freaking scary. The minesweeper scenes on the ocean are tense and looks spectacular in black and white. The trauma builds to become nationwide and people will have to come together to fight the monster. The plan and execution of the final battle is well done but also where I was a little less engaged, because it went into standard monster fighting fare. What stands above everything else, is the overarching message of choosing life which I really appreciated in such a movie. A nice contrast to the usual “sacrifice yourself for the greater good” that usually happens.
Rating: 4