Movies you should and shouldn't watch before watching the new Godzilla movie.

Okay, a new Godzilla movie is out, and the Americans are at it again. So, here's my what-to-watch list before you head to the theaters and watch it.

Godzilla or Gojira(1954)

US Title: Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

If you head to the theaters to watch the new Godzilla movie without seeing the source material, you must feel bad about yourself.

The first movie of all three series(Showa, Heisei, and the Millenium series), this movie tackles about nuclear paranoia while mixing it with the American monster genre.

A strong story and message, the acting and VFX may be dated but it will always be timeless, even 60 years later today.








Godzilla or The Return of Godzilla(1984)

US Title: Godzilla 1985






Merely a few years after Godzilla's disappearance in the movies, the "King of the Monsters" returns in the movie that starts the second series.

Although the American version is tweaked with scenes adding Canadian actor Raymond Burr reprising his role from the first movie as Steve Martin(the '54 version was also tweaked for the American audiences), it's still pretty much the same.

This revamp takes what made the first Godzilla movie fearsome and awesome both and gave it a necessary update for the next generation of monster movie aficionados.




Godzilla 2000: Millennium(1999)

The last movie to have a North American run until the Legendary Pictures remake and the first movie in the Millenium series, this movie also ignores the previous continuity except for the 1954 classic and is also considered as a sequel to the original movie.

And in this movie, Godzilla still proves that he is the king by fighting an alien and defeating it. There's no more that need be said, just watch it.












Destroy All Monsters(1968)

The ninth entry in the first series of the franchise and the twentieth kaiju movie made by Toho, this was supposed to be the last movie in the Godzilla franchise, giving it a bigger budget.

Set in the late 20th century, this movie has all the kaijus made by Toho at the time. And of course, Godzilla proves that he is the one and only king again by fighting all the kaijus, which means... WE. ARE. FUCKED. UP.


REALLY.










Godzilla: Final Wars
 

The 28th movie in the franchise, the 6th movie in terms of the Millennium era and the last Godzilla film to be actually made by Toho, Godzilla is more of an homage than an actual Godzilla movie.

Celebrating the king's 50th birthday, Director Ryuhei Kitamura picked the beast and the worst(and by worst, I mean the '98 Godzilla by Tristar) for the king to battle. I mean, what else is a good way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Godzilla?










King Kong vs. Godzilla

The third movie of the franchise, this movie pits Godzilla against the 8th wonder of the world, King Kong.

Instead of stop-motion that was used in the original Kong movie, they used Godzilla's ground rules, which included suit-mation.

Who'd win in this battle, the 8th wonder of the world or the king of the monsters? You decide.











YOU SHOULDN'T WATCH THIS MOVIE, PROMISE.

Godzilla(1998)

When I say don't watch this movie. Don't. Watch. This. Movie.

Even Roland Emmerich can't save this movie from impending disaster. The only film disaster Emmerich made, this movie was supposed to be the first one in a trilogy of American Godzilla movies. Oh, the horror.

This movie trades the mutated Godzillasaurus with a mutated lizard just to join the Jurassic Park bandwagon. I mean, this movie just has everything from Jurassic Park, just labeled as Godzilla.






So don't watch this. Ever. Never ever.