Godzilla vs. Kong (Adam Wingard)

[Dukefrukem]

The 36th film in the Godzilla franchise

[Dukefrukem]

Even though we talked about Godzilla being cooler, I think I gravitate to Kong more.

[Irish]

We need a separate poll for actual King Kong versus Godzilla, and I will need to bribe Ezee E with chicken sandwiches to make sure that poll comes out right.

[Dukefrukem]

BTW I'm making home made chick-fil-a sandwiches tomorrow night.

This was better than King of the Monsters and Godzilla. But not Kong Skull Island.

[megladon8]

Duke is it true that...

The two of them team up to take down Mechagodzilla, so there really is no winner?

If so, that is lame as hell. Especially after the director (?) specifically stated otherwise.

[Dukefrukem]

Your first part is true, but there's a scene that precedes that event that is, in the directors eyes, a declarative winner.

[megladon8]

Your first part is true, but there's a scene that precedes that event that is, in the directors eyes, a declarative winner.

Okay cool. I'm happy to hear it wasn't a 100% cop out.

[Wryan]

This was utterly silly and ridiculous, and I kind of loved it. The Hollow Earth stuff was awesome and made my little Vernian heart sing. The implementation of MG was fun, the humans weren't too annoying, the action was exciting, and they even made time to fit in some dumb sci-fi bullshit. They fit a surprising amount of stuff in this! I would have liked a more "definitive" winner, but I guess in this day and age that's just not likely to happen. But I found this very satisfying and well-balanced overall.

[Dukefrukem]

The sun inside the Hollow Earth makes zero sense. Silly doesn't even begin to describe his film.

[Wryan]

I also liked Julian Dennison in this. He's funny and has a great presence. "We just had an assembly about this."

He was pretty good in Deadpool 2 too.

[Skitch]

I just got to his introduction, yeah I really like that kid.

[Scar]

This was gloriously ridiculous. Fucking loved it.

[Skitch]

Just getting the inner earth stuff. Ya know, I love bonkers cinema.

[Wryan]

My local probably-not-real-IMAX theater has this in standard and "XTREME"--whatever the absolute fuck that means.

Should I?

[Wryan]

https://i.redd.it/bnfmj7ehmmq61.jpg

[Scar]

During a normal year, I would’ve loved watching this at my favorite theater.

[Scar]

I think the last twenty minutes killed skitch.

[Skitch]

I quite enjoyed it. Could've been longer by me. Of course its got plenty of ridiculous stuff, imo, every Godzilla and Kong movie is chock full of ridiculous stuff. Its why I especially like entries like Godzilla 2000 and Final Wars, they really embrace the ridiculous.

Hell even if we go with "classy" entries like Jackson's Kong...how directly the shit did they get Kong on the boat? All hands on deck and heave ho? Please, 500 people couldn't budge that gorilla. Same with Godzilla vs Kong, how did they get the net under Kong for the helicopters? The key for these movies is you can't get hung up on such details (unless you're just not into them, which is fine). Once you start getting technical with these films, every single thing is stupid. Why are there twins that can talk to a moth?

I know what to expect from these films, and I dig it. I just roll with it. If its not your thing I get it.

I really enjoyed all the inner earth stuff. Really cool/weird ideas.

I also really like Adam Wingard.

[Morris Schæffer]

Lol Did Kong pull a Martin Riggs?!

;)

Last 45 minutes are what it's all about. Nicely lit, coherent tableaus full of pretty amazing, if hardly original special effects and as Skitch said some wondrous sights like the Earth's inner core or something like that.

I'm no longer in awe of these creatures and the danger they represent to humanity. This is actually where I prefer Emmerich's film. It's got some better build-up, doesn't go all out right away and it's just monster vs. mankind. In these newer movies it's not really monster vs. humanity, but rather monster vs. monster. And while that results in some colossaly scaled battles, it's really a glorified boxing match.

[Dukefrukem]

Lol Did Kong pull a Martin Riggs?!

;)

Last 45 minutes are what it's all about. Nicely lit, coherent tableaus full of pretty amazing, if hardly original special effects and as Skitch said some wondrous sights like the Earth's inner core or something like that.

I'm no longer in awe of these creatures and the danger they represent to humanity. This is actually where I prefer Emmerich's film. It's got some better build-up, doesn't go all out right away and it's just monster vs. mankind. In these newer movies it's not really monster vs. humanity, but rather monster vs. monster. And while that results in some colossaly scaled battles, it's really a glorified boxing match.

Wingard says he was inspired by Akira for that final sequence, but I think he just took it directly from Pacific Rim (Which is clearly the best big monster movie in the last few years).

[Skitch]

Hmm. I'm not sure I saw an Akira influence outside of "big monster, city damage", which wouldn't be much. Did I miss an angle?

[Dukefrukem]

Hmm. I'm not sure I saw an Akira influence outside of "big monster, city damage", which wouldn't be much. Did I miss an angle?

Just the final sequence from Neo Toyko to Hong Kong along with the shot of Kong being pushed back by the Fire Breathe.

https://www.polygon.com/interviews/22361923/godzilla-vs-kong-2021-director-adam-wingard-fight-scene-inspiration

[megladon8]

https://i.postimg.cc/QMWPKVTs/humor-tweets10.jpg

[Skitch]

Just the final sequence from Neo Toyko to Hong Kong along with the shot of Kong being pushed back by the Fire Breathe.

https://www.polygon.com/interviews/22361923/godzilla-vs-kong-2021-director-adam-wingard-fight-scene-inspiration

Ohh the hong kong backdrop design. Yeah I totally see that.

[Peng]

Surely one day they would re-figure out the alchemy that makes Kong: Skull Island’s human part the best one of MonsterVerse, a roster of fun, colorful characters that complement, and not distract from, the monster spectacle. 2014’s Godzilla, though still my favorite, is a great idea of humans used as mostly comparative scale that is dragged down by having the dullest, least movie-star charisma actor of the cast being the human focus. Meanwhile, the human part of Godzilla: King of the Monsters is such nihilistic dumb (Thanos Farmiga still memorable for all the wrong reason) that takes up so much time, compounded by most monster action being cloaked in rain, dust and darkness.

The new one’s human part is regrettably in the 2019 vein, but at least they’re comparatively swift and used as fast connective plot issues between the two monsters. And Wingard really delivers on the monster action, finding inventive, fresh, and most of all clear visuals to represent the clash of two titans, whether on sea, bathed in eye-popping neon city lights, or among broad daylight’s ruins in the last showdown. I still miss Edwards’ majestic and mythic awe a bit, but trading that for a fluid, stylish grand clobbering time of giddy action is fine enough by me. 7/10

[megladon8]

Yeah, I don't think it can be overstated how effective Edwards' eye for immense scale is.

Godzilla 2014 made kaiju scary again.

[amberlita]

I really enjoyed that and none of it made sense and I <3 Kong.

I'm not interested in nitpicking the plot or anything because that's beside the point, but two things I think I was supposed to understand but did not:

1. Why did anybody think that going to the Hollow Earth was going to save the planet?
2. So...what was Godzilla's deal?

Where these explained and I just missed them?

[Wryan]

I think it was theorized by Mexican Elon that the Hollow Earth possessed a power source that would help them tilt the odds in their favor against a rampaging Godzilla and thus give humanity a fighting chance if worse came to worse.

Second, since they were using one of Ghidorah's skulls to human-interface with MechaG, I think Godzilla sort of "felt" it whenever they tested it. And hence he went straight to what he thought was an old enemy and wrecked shit to try to get at him. He did the same when he sensed Kong out and about.

[Dukefrukem]

I think it was theorized by Mexican Elon that the Hollow Earth possessed a power source that would help them tilt the odds in their favor against a rampaging Godzilla and thus give humanity a fighting chance if worse came to worse.

Second, since they were using one of Ghidorah's skulls to human-interface with MechaG, I think Godzilla sort of "felt" it whenever they tested it. And hence he went straight to what he thought was an old enemy and wrecked shit to try to get at him. He did the same when he sensed Kong out and about.

The skull thing made no sense. It should have been a brain in a jar type scenario. (Yes I realize the hilarity in that sentence)

[Mal]

Garbage, I hated almost every minute of it. Only gave it more than a zero because the effects are good and the final fight was fun. Other than that, I'm going to pretend this never happened.

[Dukefrukem]

I mean, it is kinda neat seeing the evolution of these movies and giving the director's freedom to do whatever they want. Godzilla is super dark and gritty and grounded from the human perspective. And by the time we reach this movie, we are flying around in space ships going through portals into hollow earth.

I think this is why I like Skull Island most. It has the most artistic freedom visually.

[Mal]

I absolutely hated Kong: Skull Island so goddamn much. Ugly, awful acting, awful script. Godzilla vs. Kong is THANKFULLY a little bit better than that. And Godzilla: King of the Monsters is silly, yet it attempts and succeeds with action and big moments despite its problems. I do have Godzilla bias though, I find everything surrounding the lizard more interesting than Hollywood's Kong.

[megladon8]

I absolutely hated Kong: Skull Island so goddamn much. Ugly, awful acting, awful script. Godzilla vs. Kong is THANKFULLY a little bit better than that. And Godzilla: King of the Monsters is silly, yet it attempts and succeeds with action and big moments despite its problems. I do have Godzilla bias though, I find everything surrounding the lizard more interesting than Hollywood's Kong.

I feel like my brain is a tree and you're those cookie elves.

[Skitch]

I feel like my brain is a tree and you're those cookie elves.

You found the words for my speechlessness

[DFA1979]

That ruled. A lot. Honestly if I saw KOTM again I probably wouldn't like it half as much and the 2014 Godzilla held up well to a rewatch. I have a feeling this one will too. It was very pro Kong which is fine since the original also was and despite some obvious predictable moments I was left with a big dumb grin on my face. I liked the first ocean fight the best though-that was pretty wicked.

I'm guessing that Toho will probably only make their versions from here on out though just because it's their baby although I'm not sure who Godzilla would fight next. Also that little girl was adorable and she loved Kong so much that it almost made me cry. Seriously anytime something happened to him and she got sad I felt like I did during Up with the old man and the house.

Oh and I think this one had the best human to monster balance. In the 2014 one the people were around but were sketched pretty thin. KOTM was more about the monster fights. GVK actually had characters I gave a crap about one way or another.

[DFA1979]

I really liked Kong Skull Island. That one is a blast. Not a great movie by any means but a lot of fun and any movie with John C. Reilly as a Cubs fan who gets stuck on an island and no one takes him seriously enough gets a fresh rating from me. His line about no one listening to him despite being on the island for years is something I relate to working retail. Plus yey Samuel L. Jackson.

[Skitch]

I can relate without the last two words "working retail". Literally no one listens to me, ever.

[Wryan]

You're gonna have a hard time convincing me that Kong: Skull Island is ugly.

[quido8_5]

This movie is entertaining as fuck. ***

[megladon8]

This was fully self aware of how dumb it was, and endearingly earnest in its love for what it was doing.

So much fun.

[Scar]

This was fully self aware of how dumb it was, and endearingly earnest in its love for what it was doing.

So much fun.

When Kong started hopping across battleships, I realized this and was totally invested.

[megladon8]

When Kong started hopping across battleships, I realized this and was totally invested.

For me it was when Kong started signing.

Godzilla charging up Kong's axe is one of my favorite movie moments in recent memory.