Ranking the Millenium Films

[Giganfan]

When you think about it, the entire Millennium series is an indictment of Shogo Tomiyama as a producer. for Godzilla 2000, when they should have brought in some fresh blood to re-ignite the franchise, here comes Takao Okawara to direct because "his films made the most money". With Masaaki Tezuka he had a guy that was obviously very passionate about making Godzilla movies, if not completely inexperienced at filmmaking, and basically said "Do as your told". And then, he has no problem keeping Shusuke Kaneko on a short leash with his movie, but Ryuhei Kitamura gets to go "balls-out" and absolutely ape-sh*t on the franchise (though to be fair, I enjoyed Godzilla Final Wars to some degree). Sure, give the man credit for keeping the series alive, but talk about wrong-headedness. I mean, he paired "GMK" with a cartoon hamster on the second-half of a double bill, for goodness sake! How was anyone supposed to take that film seriously?!!

[lhb412]

[klen7]

i recently rewatched all the Millennium films except Megaguirus (will watch that at G-Fest most likely) and some of them have grown on me a lot.

The biggest change would probably be Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla jumping up a few notches and Tokyo SOS dropping to possibly last place (that will depend on this upcoming Megaguirus viewing)


So if i were to rank them at this point it would be

- GMK
- Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
- Godzilla 2000
- Godzilla Final Wars
- Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
- Godzilla Tokyo SOS

Which looks like the same list Pkmatrix had

[Pkmatrix]

[Jorzilla]

[Tomzilla]

Ranking the Millennium Films is akin to memory. It's going to change through the progress of time, regardless of how I originally felt. Here it goes:

1) GMK

Well, I actually like watching this film all the way through. That's a deal breaker right there. I like the story, the human characters are interesting, and the monster scenes are extraordinary. It's easily the best film in the Godzilla Millennium series. It's always enjoyable to watch.

2) GxMG

I didn't think I'd still like this film. My problems with it, ironically, stemmed from a lack of interest in the monster plot. Now the monsters are entertaining and the fights were properly choreographed, but Godzilla himself was uninteresting. Kiryu turned out to be who I was rooting for. But Kiryu alone didn't warrant repeated viewings, until I started watching the film for a very different reason. Instead of watching it for the monsters, I watched it for the humans. BIG, positive difference.

3) Godzilla: Tokyo SOS

While inferior to its predecessor, it's still entertaining, and I thought the monsters were more interesting this time around than in the previous installment. Regrettably, the human character plots weren't interesting. Oh well.

4) Godzilla 2000

I used to love this movie. It used to be one of my favorite Godzilla films. Now I can barely watch it. I'll give it credit for having one of my favorite Godzilla designs, which is saying a lot, because I wasn't always a fan of it. Furthermore, Orga is a monster I'd proudly welcome back. He deserves to be in another film, with a better plot. Orga's character and story has so much potential.

5) Godzilla X Megaguirus

Honestly? I pop this in only to watch the monsters. That's about it. It's very forgettable. In fact, I almost forgot to include it on my list.

6) Godzilla: Final Wars

I've said it once and I'll say it again, watch this film only with a group. It's a party film. If you don't take it seriously and you're not really paying attention, maybe because you're too busy flirting with the person sitting next to you or you're engaged in discussion completely unrelated to the film, you will forgive this film for its many flaws. If you take it seriously, however, it will fail you. This film has consistently failed my repeated viewing sessions throughout the years.

[Dr Kain]

My list may change in the next few months since I am going to start rewatching the series, but right now, my list is:

1. GMK
2. Tokyo SOS
3. Godzilla x MechaGodzilla
4. Godzilla 2000
5. Godzilla Final Wars
6. Godzilla x Megaguirus

The main reason I pick Tokyo SOS over its predecessor is because the first one just feels like what it is, a prologue to SOS. There really is no middle or even an actual ending, it kind of just stops. At least, that is what it feels like to me.

I really liked Megaguirus went it first came out, but the more I watch it, the less I like it. The fight is laughable, but it is how the story just feels out of place and random. While all of the Millennium movies were meant to be a sequel to the original, something just feels off about his one. It worked fine for the others, but it does not work for this one for some reason. It does not seem to be its own story as it seems like it was the middle to something that never existed.

As for Final Wars, I still have mixed feelings toward it. It really isn't a Godzilla movie, but as a Kitamura movie, it is wicked awesome. However, because it has Godzilla and a crap ton of monsters, it comes off better than Megaguirus, because unlike Megaguirus, I don't get bored during it.

[jellydonut25]

G2K wasn't meant to be a sequel to the original. It's just a Godzilla adventure. In that way, it's rather Showa-esque.

[MekaGojira3k]

[jellydonut25]

[Dr Kain]

[H-Man]

GMK
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Godzilla 2000
GXM
Godzilla Final Wars

There are some great moments in all of these movies, but otherwise I don't think highly of these at all.

[Goji 84]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Psycho Soldier]

Nowadays, I guess I'd rank the films like this:

G2K
GMK (which swaps places with G2K depending on my mood)
GFW
GxMG
Tokyo SOS
Megaguirus

I have to admit, I find it hard to get excited about TSOS. It does have its merits, but overall, I can't help but think it's a dull pastiche of GxMG, Mothra, and Mothra vs. Godzilla. I guess you could say something similar about GFW, but the difference is subjective - GFW doesn't bore me.

[tbeasley]

GMK - Best contemporary Godzilla film. Pairs well with the original.
G2K - A nice, simple introductory film for newcomers, particularly younger people.
GXMG | GMMG - Might as well put these together. I prefer the first and Mothra makes the second worth watching.
GXM - Not a good start for Tezuka but it's better than the below...
GFW - Worst Godzilla film alongside SpaceGodzilla (or GINO if you want to count that).

Overall I think Heisei and Millennium rank about the same to me, both have their hits and misses (as does Showa, honestly). ROG, Biollante, King Ghidorah (time travel stuff aside) and GMK work the best as films but I do enjoy G2K and the Mechagodzilla films from both eras.

[Jorzilla]

1) GMK
I'm increasingly becoming indifferent towards this movie, I expect in a few years my tastes might change enough for Tokyo SOS to surpass.

2) Tokyo SOS
This movie has its faults but I really do like the monster interaction in this film, even if the plot is a bit wonky. With a another re-write I think it could have been really good.

3) G2K
This film continues to surprise me whenever I watch it. Sure it has its problems but its always one of the more 'fun' Godzilla movies to watch. Particularly that last battle.

4) GxMG
I really liked the tone of this film and the debate around Japanese re-armament (which should have been explored in more depth). Less hamsters please. Also going for a serious movie to a comical action film in the second half was a huge misstep even if it was 'fun.'

5) GxM
There is a large gap between this movie and Mechagodzilla. I liked that Tezuka tried to make, in fact I was interested in it right up until the Meganulans start hatching. Then the film falls apart and is rather boring. Megaguruis is terribly executed except in a minority of scenes. Godzilla's leap used to bother me but now I kind of dig it. I also wish the Osaka destruction sequence used more miniatures instead of matte shots because at least the film would have had visual consistency. If this movie had played as pure ham I would have liked it a lot more than its attempt to balance serious with cheese.

6) GFW
Whenever I think about this film for too long I get angry. That's all I have to say about it.

7) GINO (Yeah, I'm calling it Millennium, deal with it )
I'm not sure who had it worse: Star Wars fans with Episode 1 or Godzilla fans with Roland Emmerich's POS. I tried to like this as a kid, but even back in the day I found it boring, then I found it offensive.

[pikmintaro]

Here is my list from least liked to most liked, because I like all of them.

#6 Godzilla X Mechagodzilla: Although I love this version of Mechagodzilla, it's still my least liked of the Millenium films, I just wish Kiryu's rampage had gone on a little longer, and that Godzilla didn't just stand still when he first encountered him, I still enjoy it though.
#5 Tokyo S.O.S: I looooooove this movie's homages to Showa Mothra, and all the fights and nearly everything about it, like with most Godzilla movies I just wish the monster action wasn't constantly being interrupted by the humans.
#4 Godzilla vs Megaguiras: I really enjoyed Megaguiras as a monster, and the homages to some of the goofiness from the Showa era, this is a true movie for the fans of the older films, I don't think it's as good as the Mechagodzilla ones, but I still enjoyed it more.
#3 Godzilla 2000: A huuuuuge breath of fresh air after the GINO nightmare, I loved the new version of Godzilla and the Y2K Bug tie-in thing with the alien, Orga was also a cool and original design.
#2 Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah All Monsters All Out Attack: I don't have much to say about this one (Like the previous ones lol.) I just think it's the best of the Millenium films (And better than most of the Heisei, and quite a few of the Showa ones.) and also one of the most enjoyable for me, although I've seen a lot of people whining about it lately, apparently they couldn't adapt or handle a mystical element for just one movie guess all the movies have to be the exact same thing repeated over and over and over right?
#1 Godzilla Final Wars: This is it the big numero uno, my favorite Millenium film, one of my top favorite Godzilla films, and one of my favorite movies in general, this is the Godzilla movie that I constantly dreamed about as a child, and an absolute perfect ending for the series (so far) Godzilla couldn't have gotten a better, or more action packed 50th birthday bash than this, and this is one of the only Godzilla movies where I think Godzilla can truly be considered the KING of the monsters, all the hate for it really sickens me, it's underrated to criminal levels, and I have very little respect for the people who hate it *Glares at the above post* as far as I'm concerned there are only two types of Godzilla fans, the ones who enjoy GFW (Like James Rolfe, and Matt Frank and any fan I actually care to listen to.) and the ones who hate it (I'd rather watch GINO then be anywhere near them, the moment I come into a thread and see people badmouthing FW with the same opinionated drivel I've heard a million times in the past I just and exit the thread.) that's all there is to it, I stand by this opinion and I will take my love of Final Wars with me to the grave
My one complaint about it was their use of Hedorah, if you aren't going to actually use him then why put him in the movie? I don't have a problem with Godzilla annihilating his sorry sludge ass, but I would have liked to see him rampage a bit, the rest of the movie is pure Kaiju bliss for me though.

[klen7]

[eabaker]

[davezilla]

from best to worst:

G: Tokyo SOS
G2k
GMK
GxM
GxMG
GFW

These are mostly just personal preferences. I got kind of sad after GxM because Toho decided to go on a recycling the same monsters rampage. I think it's fine to recycle a monster as long as you introduce new villains in the film. I'd like to see the amount of kaiju in the Tohoverse to increase. I guess that's why I appreciate Orga and Megaguirus so much. I like GMK but I don't love it...I'd probably love it if it was Anguirus and Varan. Yeah I know I would. Would someone please revive Varan. I love that monster's design!

I remember seeing GFW in the theater in Boston, super excited and went with a couple of friends who aren't big Gfans like myself. They enjoyed it. I ended up HATING it. To me Godzilla isn't about being all powerful and able to overcome his opponents in 2 seconds, it's about his perseverance and his ability to rally back and kick some booty. So him just mauling other monsters and running right through them...DUMB and BORING! Why even bother designing the suits *coughHedorahcough*

[DannyBeane]

[Jorzilla]

Tokyo SOS has really appreciated in my eyes. I do like Tezuka, I think he understands the franchise even if he was forced to re-hash a lot of monsters.

Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack [2001]
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. [2003]
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla [2002]
Godzilla 2000: Millennium (Godzilla 2000) [1999]
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus [2000]
Godzilla: Final Wars [2004]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[daikaijusaurus]

1. Godzilla 2000
I saw this in theaters and to this day (or maybe until I see Legendary's Godzilla in theaters), I never had so fun with an audience. The music and sound effects on the big screen was amazing! Whenever Godzilla showed up and kicked the crap out of everything the audience would go crazy...with me leading the way I definitely prefer the US cut of this movie, it's a lot more fun and powerful!

2. Godzilla Final Wars
I'm on the side of pikmintaro when it comes to this movie. This movie is complete awesomeness from beginning to end! It's just over the top craziness, with everybody and everything fighting everything and everybody! Monsters fighting monsters, mutants fighting monsters, monsters fighting spaceships, mutants fighting mutants, monsters fighting spaceships, etc., etc., etc. And to this day, I have never seen such a badass Godzilla...ever! And Don Frye...awesome!

3. GMK
While I was was quite disappointed with KG and Mothra being thrown in there (yet again!) instead of Angilas or Varan, this is a very well made film with the most evil Godzilla ever. I enjoyed the characters and the plot and loved the music. They could've come up with a better title though...

4. Godzilla X MechaGodzilla
I didn't have too much of a problem of them bringing back MechaGodzilla again, my problem with this movie was that it was nothing original. If they did more with Godzilla's bones and MechaGodzilla going out of control, I would've enjoyed this a lot more.

5. Godzilla X Megaguiras
There are a lot of things I like about this movie, but my main problem is Megaguiras. I am just so tired of seeing Godzilla battle flying kaiju bugs (Battra, Mothra, Mothra, Mothra and again Mothra!).

6. Godzilla Tokyo SOS
Same problem. If they had to bring back Mothra again then do something more original than just a remake of Mothra Vs Godzilla with MechaGodzilla thrown in. I really wished they did something more with Kameba, introducing him as another threat or even an ally of Mothra so that we would have Mothra, MechaGodzilla and Kameba Vs. Godzilla.