Godzilla stomping back to theaters

[Tribal Warfare]

Godzilla stomping back to theaters via Legendary

By Ace Fernandez
Well, well, well ... look who's getting back in fighting shape.

Everyone's favorite gigantic, havoc-wreaking lizard, Godzilla, is on his way back to the big screen via Legendary Pictures, which has acquired the rights to develop and produce a new feature based on the iconic Toho Co. character. Warner Bros. will co-produce, co-finance and distribute through its deal with Legendary, and Toho will roll out the film in Japan.

Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers are also producing; Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will be executive producers on the project.

The last major Godzilla outing, an American, New York-set version from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, grossed $376 million worldwide in 1998 despite fielding equally major criticism. Toho quickly produced "Godzilla 2000," in which the big beast took on an evil UFO, the following year.

But the Godzilla franchise juggernaut has survived decades of permutations (he first appeared in 1954), dozens of films, books, video games and merchandising tie-ins and seems perpetually ready to rear up again for new audiences.

The new film is shooting for a 2012 release.

"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Added Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, "Godzilla is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which Warner Bros. and our partners at Legendary are best known."

The two companies have partnered on such global properties as "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," "Superman Returns" and "The Hangover," which have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. Together, they have a remake of "Clash of the Titans" stomping into theaters Friday.

[Deberg_1990]

reviews are gonna start creeping out here in the next day or two. I guess it had its big premiere over in France today. Jeffrey Wells even dug it and hes one of the snobbiest critics around.



http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2...my/#more-47705

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Rausch

That clip seems to portray big G as a "protector" to some degree like he was in the cheesy 70's flicks.

Not a slam, just a comment on his motivation/intelligence...

Those 70's flicks were so cheesy, they were cool.

We don't get to see nearly enough of that in this day and age.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Those 70's flicks were so cheesy, they were cool.

We don't get to see nearly enough of that in this day and age.

In the 70's and 80's there were actually enjoyable B movies.

Now they're mostly unwatchable crap, even in the MST3000 or Best Of The Worst sense...

[Rausch]

Positive review by The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/f...la-review.html

Luke warm to negative review by Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmen...tle-substance/

Obviously, possible spoilers in both...

[Rausch]

A mostly positive review from IGN:

THE VERDICT

Legendary Pictures' Godzilla origin story carries the weight of unwieldy expectations, but rather than buckle, it is ultimately a fantastic - though imperfect - example of the genre. Gareth Edwards both depicts what is beloved about this magnificent creature and creates a film that is distinctly its own entity, one that brings Godzilla to gorgeous new life. The Easter Eggs and nods to previous versions and additional suitmation favorites will likely be appreciated by sharp-eyed aficionados. If Edwards’ installment serves as your introduction to the King of the Monsters, though, there’s plenty for you to enjoy as well.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/11/godzilla-review

[Rausch]

Mostly negative review by the guardian:

Spoiler!

The story has been told so many times that you can call it with your eyes closed. America is living happily, America is in peril, America confidently thinks it can solve its problem with guns, America can't, America panics, America is saved by a single bloke. America has now been under existential threat so many times, and from so many adversaries, that you wonder why anyone even bothers trying to assemble a military response any more. Just ask that plucky individual to do it by himself, it tends to work.

As well as draining the film of any true suspense, the dramatic premise of Godzilla is delivered entirely po-faced. There's some kind of subtext about the abuse of nuclear power, perhaps an environmentalist thread too. It's all a bit muddled. But whatever the message is, it's delivered at the expense of humour. Even Cranston, who in his role as eccentric whistleblower is channeling the spirit of Malcolm in the Middle, gets just one joke to deliver. "I don't get many visitors," he says when Taylor-Johnson pays a visit to his conspiracy pit. Even that comes over as sad.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014...st-look-review

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

reviews are gonna start creeping out here in the next day or two. I guess it had its big premiere over in France today. Jeffrey Wells even dug it and hes one of the snobbiest critics around.



http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2...my/#more-47705

Thanks, I enjoyed this review. I like the fact that he seems kind of ambivalent about the ending, but still happy/satisfied. I'm in the same boat, having enjoyed the original as well as the "savior of humanity" versions of Godzilla.

[keg in kc]

Quint's review from AICN (about the only reviewer left there that I respect): http://www.aintitcool.com/node/67271

I thought this part was particularly interesting:

I ended up talking with producer Thomas Tull and while I was thanking him for helping me out with the tickets a Japanese man came up and Tull immediately looked nervous. “So, what did you think?” The man answered that he and his colleagues were amazed with the movie and couldn't believe how perfectly Godzilla was captured. “This is the Godzilla from my childhood.” He said this with a hand over his heart, I swear to God. Tull looked taken aback, both relieved and amazed at the same time. After the man left, Tull leaned over to me and said, “He's the head of Toho."

[Ceej]

I've convinced my wonderful fiancée to see this one with me. Pretty stoked.

[New World Order]

Yeah, this looks awesome.

[007]

Originally Posted by bowener

A quick search turned up this image (scroll to number 3).

Here

**** it... for the lazy.

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Quint's review from AICN (about the only reviewer left there that I respect): http://www.aintitcool.com/node/67271

I thought this part was particularly interesting:

“This is the Godzilla from my childhood.” He said this with a hand over his heart, I swear to God. Tull looked taken aback, both relieved and amazed at the same time. After the man left, Tull leaned over to me and said, “He's the head of Toho."

Well, if you want an endorsement, thats probably the best you can get.

[Sure-Oz]

I heard its good but takes sometime for Godzilla. Mixed reviews are out there but I'm thinking most will like

[sd4chiefs]

So far with 25 reviews it is at 84% on the tomatometer.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/godzilla_2014/

[keg in kc]

Could have seen it free tonight, but didn't feel like driving an hour...

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I heard its good but takes sometime for Godzilla. Mixed reviews are out there but I'm thinking most will like

I think its sort of an interesting test for modern audiences. We have all sort of become conditioned to expect non stop destruction and amazing special effects from start to finish.

For instance, If this were "Michael Bays Godzilla" there would be an action scene every 10 minutes.

Do we (myself including) still enjoy the slow reveal and teasing anymore? Like the older movies that didnt have the modern special effects.