Godzilla Minus One

Toho Studios has produced 33 Godzilla films. 38 If you count the Americanized recuts, the 1998 disaster of a film, and the ongoing Legendary Monsterverse.

GODZILLA MINUS ONE was a welcome surprise when it came out. In an era when Hollywood movies preach politics and virtue signaling, this movie was a prime example of when you let story tell itself instead of being mired in identity politics and everything else bogging down films these days. Not only did it win an academy award, it was considered one of 2023’s best films.

Godzilla films are generally not known for character development and this movie has quite a bit of it actually. The movie begins when kamikaze pilot Shikishima feigns mechanical issues on his plane to avoid what is probably a destined demise. The mechanics discover his lie but before they can do anything, a premutated Godzilla attacks the island and kills everyone except Shikishima and lead mechanic Tachibana. Shikishima had the opportunity to kill Godzilla using his plane’s 20mm cannons but he freaks out. He spends a good chunk of the movie brooding that he escaped death while others died.