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Well, it was 2004 when Godzilla, our beloved colossus, marked his 50th thunderous anniversary with an epic, monumental clash in Godzilla: Final Wars. For those who do not know, Ishirō Honda helmed and co-wrote the 1954 Toho release of Godzilla, the first flick in the franchise.

Despite the box office stumble of Godzilla: Final Wars, today we stand almost two decades later, celebrating the film’s transformation into a cult phenomenon. And as a seasoned Kaiju enthusiast who has followed Godzilla’s career from the depths of the Pacific to the climactic showdowns on the big screen, it’s informative to delve into the little-known stories behind the making of such a fan-favorite film.

Godzilla Final Wars | Toho Pictures

In a riveting encounter with Kaiju United, director Ryuhei Kitamura shared a candid account of the unconventional casting of former Mma titan Don Frye as Captain Gordon in his 2004 flick.

Casting Captain Gordon:...

The so-called "MonsterVerse" is nowadays as silly as the original Toho "Godzilla" sequels became. The franchise's first entry, 2014's divisive but successful "Godzilla," looks downright anomalous. Directed with impeccable scale and craftsmanship by Gareth Edwards, the film exercises careful restraint, escalating the spectacle to make it more satisfying. The palette is made from smog and fire, i.e. what Godzilla and his monster adversaries (the MUTOs) leave in their wake. As star Elizabeth Olsen noted, the film is cut from the cloth of the original 1954 "Godzilla," where the eponymous monster is an allegory for nuclear destruction and natural disasters. 

2014's "Godzilla" isn't perfect. It has a so-so script and Aaron Taylor-Johnson feels out of his depth as the lead (even if "The Fall Guy" proved he can be a movie star). Compared to the other MonsterVerse movies, though, it looks like "Jaws."

When Edwards' "Godzilla" went into production, the franchise was in a bad place.

With the 1995 release of "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah," Toho ended the Heisei era of their Godzilla films in earnest and, in an unprecedented move, handed the reigns of their most popular monster over to TriStar Pictures for a proposed three-picture deal. Rather than make a typical mid-budget film, TriStar elected to make a major summer tentpole, pouring about $150 million into production and hiring "Independence Day" director Roland Emmerich. The film was a 139-minute FX bonanza that reimagined Godzilla as a sleek, square-jawed iguana that terrorized New York City. The monster was small enough to hide inside skyscrapers and spent large portions of the film offscreen in New York's sewers.

The script was more comedic than awe-inspired, populated by chattering Noo Yawk characters whose reactions to Godzilla were more along the lines of "weary acceptance" than awe. The cast would end up featuring Matthew Broderick, Maris Pitillo, Jean Reno, Kevin Dunn, and...

Oi there, listen up! Amazon Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2024 includes another season of its biggest, bloodiest hit.

The Boys season 4 premieres its first three episodes on Thursday, June 13. Based on the trailers, The Boys is really leaning into the political side of its social satire with a presidential election underway and Homelander on trial for the small matter of killing a guy last season. The season will continue to air on Thursdays, culminating with the finale on July 18.

Amazon is really leaning into its sports offerings this month as well. Fans will get to watch the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and the Nwsl several times throughout June. That’s in addition to a couple of sports docs: Power of the Dream on June 18 and Federer: Twelve Final Days on June 20.

But if you’re looking for something even more explosive than Homelander and Roger Federer,...

Exclusive: Signature Entertainment has picked up UK & Irish rights to the roller coaster thriller Thrill Ride from Film Bridge International.

The deal was hashed out at the Cannes Market. The feature is directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, best known for the Bradley Cooper thriller The Midnight Meat Train, The Doorman, and Japanese genre actioner Godzilla: Final Wars. Producers are United Film’s Gabriel Georgiev, Ellen Wander, and Jordan Dykstra.

The pic tells the story of a group of people who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one by one to their deaths.

The deal was negotiated between Signature Entertainment’s Acquisitions and Development Executive Max Hart and Film Bridge International’s Managing Director Jordan Dykstra.

“Thrill Ride is one of the most eye-catching genre propositions the market has had to offer since our very own Fall,” Hart said.

Characters are more often associated with their iconographies, which provide them with an enduring legacy through the ages. When readers think of Sherlock Holmes, the pipe and the iconic hat immediately come to mind; the bat insignia is a cue to Gotham’s caped crusader; and similarly, the mention of Godzilla always evokes the mental image of the atomic monster unleashing its fierce, nuclear-powered breath—akin to the fire-breathing dragons of ancient mythology.

Atomic Breath has been an integral part of the big G’s identity since the character’s first appearance and has been showcased in almost all of Toho Studio’s 30+ cinematic ventures involving Godzilla. Irrespective of the tone and treatment of the movie, whether it’s the campy fun of the Showa era or the grounded, dark approach of the present Reiwa era, makers have always made sure that each version of Godzilla asserts their individuality through their respective atomic breath.

Horror fans have had a whole lot of zombie entertainment sent our way in the last couple decades, much of it broadcast on television by AMC. There have been so many flesh-eaters and brain-munchers on our screens, some of us are feeling zombie overload. But if you’re still looking for zombie stories that do things a little differently from the others, we have a recommendation for you: a Japanese film that mixes the walking dead with shootouts, swordfights, and lengthy martial arts fights. It’s called Versus – and if you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw.

Versus (watch it Here) was an independent production made by a bunch of unknowns, and many of the people involved with the movie remain unknowns to this day. It marked the feature directorial debut of Ryuhei Kitamura, who has gone on to have a solid career,...

Exclusive: Artist International Group has signed renowned Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura for representation.

First coming onto the scene in Japan with his ultra-violent zombie samurai action flick Versus, Kitamura directed his first English-language feature with the Bradley Cooper-led The Midnight Meat Train, an adaptation of the Clive Barker novel for Lakeshore Entertainment and Lionsgate.

Previously, Kitamura has helmed manga adaptations including the sci-fi actioner Alive; an epic samurai action pic based on Yu Koyama’s Aragami; Lupin the Third for Toho and Kadokawa; and The Three Sisters of Tenmasouinn. In television, Kitamura created the hit series Sky High before going on to direct a feature adaptation. Other notable credits include the 50th anniversary film Godzilla Final Wars, directing the narrative scenes in the bestselling video game Metal Gear Solid: The Twins Snakes, and his latest Japanese film, Love Death.

Additional English-language credits for Kitamura include Pathé’s No One Lives starring Luke Evans,...

Since making his feature film debut with the awesome zombie movie Versus in 2000, director Ryuhei Kitamura has brought us such movies as Alive, Aragami, Azumi, Sky High, Godzilla: Final Wars, The Midnight Meat Train, No One Lives, Lupin the 3rd, Downrange, The Doorman, and The Price We Pay. Now Deadline reports that Kitamura has signed on to direct the rollercoaster thriller Thrill Ride.

Scripted by Chad Law and Christopher Jolley, Thrill Ride will show us what happens when a group of people, including two young women, who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one-by-one to their deaths.

United Film’s Gabriel Georgiev, Ellen Wander, and Jordan Dykstra are producing the film, which is expected to start filming in Bulgaria at Pro Cinema Studios in the fourth quarter of this year. Film Bridge International will be presenting the...

If you want to watch a fun movie, watch a Ryuhei Kitamura movie. Whether it’s 2000’s Versus, 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars, 2008’s The Midnight Meat Train or 2022’s underseen The Price We Pay, Kitamura always knows how to deliver a wild and crazy good time.

Up next from Ryuhei Kitamura? Deadline reports that he’ll be directing Thrill Ride, which sounds a bit like the best parts of Final Destination 3… expanded into a feature film!

Deadline details, “the English-language film will tell the story of a group of people, including two young women, who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one-by-one to their deaths.”

Film Bridge International is launching the project for sales ahead of the Cannes market.

Chad Law and Christopher Jolley wrote the screenplay.

“Thrill Ride is exactly the type of high-concept based thriller...

Exclusive: Ryuhei Kitamura (The Midnight Meat Train) is set to direct roller coaster thriller Thrill Ride, which Film Bridge International is launching for sales ahead of next month’s Cannes market.

Production is being lined up for the fourth quarter of this year with filming due to take place in Bulgaria at Pro Cinema Studios.

Penned by Chad Law and Christopher Jolley, the English-language film will tell the story of a group of people, including two young women, who are trapped upside down on a roller coaster taken over by a mysterious saboteur threatening to drop them all one-by-one to their deaths.

Producing will be United Film’s Gabriel Georgiev, Ellen Wander and Jordan Dykstra. Casting is in process.

Japanese filmmaker Kitamura is known for Japanese and English-language movies including Godzilla: Final Wars, Bradley Cooper thriller The Midnight Meat Train, No One Lives with Luke Evans, Japanese action pic Lupin III,...

And, no, to rain on your parade right away, the three words were not "Lizard fights ape," although that would have served as a fine filmmaking motto for Adam Wingard's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." Those same three words might also have been a perfectly succinct review, and there is little going on in the MonsterVerse film beyond scads of deliberately silly monster action. The premise of "Godzilla x Kong" is pretty simple: Kong has moved to the Hollow Earth to rule over the monsters that live there, while Godzilla has remained on the Earth's surface to fight any rogue monsters that have the temerity to claim ownership of the planet. Kong discovers beneath Hollow Earth -- in Hollower Earth, I suppose -- that an entire species of Kong monsters has survived, all of them enslaved by the Skar King, a lanky giant gibbon. Godzilla is called to...

Worldwide box office April 12-14 RankFilm (distributor)3-day (world) Cume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) $49.2m $436.5m $33.7m $278.6m 72 2. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) $31.4m $452.6m $25.9m $279m 82 3. Civil War (A24) $30m $30m $4.3m $4.3m 18 4. Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram (Toho) $21.8m $21.8m $21.8m $21.8m 1 5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) $16.6m $160m $10.8m $63m 59 6. The Boy And The Heron (various) $12.4m $294.2m $12.4m $247.4m 19 7. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) $11.5m $683.9m $7.2m $411.8m 77 8. The First Omen (Disney) $11.5m $35.4m $7.7m $20.8m 52 9. Suga - Agust D Tour ‘D-Day’ The Movie...

With Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire squashing the box office and Godzilla Minus One earning that coveted first Academy Award for the series, talk of Godzilla is obviously high. As such, Godzilla: Final Wars director Ryuhei Kitamura recently revealed that the film was close to getting a Mechagodzilla redesign by none other than Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding artist Yoji Shinkawa.

In an interview with Kaiju United on the 20th anniversary of Godzilla: Final Wars, Kitamura–who was enlisted by Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima to direct the cut scenes in the Gamecube-exclusive Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes–revealed how he had gotten Shinkawa for Godzilla: Final Wars.

“When I worked on Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, I asked nicely to Kojima-san, can I borrow your genius designer? He asked, what are you going to do? And I said I’m going to do final Godzilla!

Is there any movie opinion more wrong-headed than saying that Godzilla isn’t my Godzilla? Sure, you might prefer the serious allegorical Godzilla from the 1954 movie or, more recently, Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One. Or you might like the goofier Godzilla from Godzilla vs. Gigan and the newest film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Heck, it is absolutely okay if the American Iguana monster Zilla is your jam.

The only thing that’s unacceptable, that’s absolutely dumb and worthless, is saying that a particular movie doesn’t understand Godzilla. A movie may botch everything else around the giant lizard monster, as happens often in the United States, but the lizard always works. Not only would every movie be improved by the inclusion of a giant fire-breathing monster, but the King of the Monsters fits in a wide range of movies, making him (or her!) pop culture’s most versatile star.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Godzilla and King Kong are ready to compete with Dune: Part 2‘s sandworms at the box office. The movie is a sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and the fifth film in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse franchise.

A still from Godzilla Vs. Kong

Internet trends have come and gone but the craze for Godzilla and King Kong has not diminished. The individual appearance of any of these monsters alone is enough to drive crowds to the cinema. The world has already witnessed an instance of the monsters sharing a screen, and the second one is almost out. The recent claims of Godzilla x Kong’s director have only added to the excitement, although the initial reviews are not very convincing.

Godzilla x Kong‘s Director’s Take on the Monster-Dominant Movie is Similar to Godzilla: Minus One Adam Wingard on the set...

Much like any other long-running franchise, "Godzilla" is filled with a great many would-be projects that never managed to see the light of day. Perhaps no scrapped project featuring the King of the Monsters is more consequential than what is most commonly known as "Godzilla 3-D." The film, which was in development in the early 2000s, was going to be a short filmed for IMAX made with American audiences in mind. It never came to be, but development of the project indirectly led to the creation of the MonsterVerse franchise, which kicked off with 2014's "Godzilla" and is still going strong today.

So, how do we go from theatrically-released short film to blockbuster-sized, American-produced theatrical feature? It's an odd, messy journey, and one that is a little heartbreaking in some ways for both fans and one of the franchise's most unique directors. Namely, Yoshimitsu Banno, who helmed 1971's "Godzilla vs. Hedorah,...

Godzilla is the most famous monster in movie history, so coming up with a transcendent design in the modern day is no easy feat. The original 1954 film used special effects that were groundbreaking at the time: a man in a massive suit knocking over miniature sets. The scaly monster in that picture changed filmmaking for good, and contemporary movies are still trying to conjure up that same level of awe.

The 2010s saw a resurgence of Godzilla and his monster kin, as the American MonsterVerse series revived the classic blockbuster form. In Japan, the Reiwa era ushered in modern classics like "Shin Godzilla" and "Godzilla: Minus One." Though these films may differ in story and style, they all build upon their predecessors, creating bigger, stronger, and more technically advanced creatures than ever before.

How do these monsters come to life? A lot of CGI, extensive green screen backgrounds, and a...

Clockwise from top left: Grogu in The Mandalorian (Disney+), Godzilla Junior in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Toho), flerken kitten in The Marvels (Marvel Studios), Wuba in Monster Hunt (Film Rise), Groot in I Am Groot (Disney+)Graphic: The A.V. Club

There’s a lot to talk about in the new...

Roland Emmerich's 1998 film "Godzilla" remains of the most widely seen in the Godzilla film series, and also remains one of the most broadly reviled. "Godzilla" is an unapologetically stupid film that has more in common with chintzy Irwin Allen disaster movies from the 1970s than it does with anything Godzilla-related. The film's ubiquitous ad campaign famously touted that "Size Does Matter," a churlish claim, given that the monster in the movie was smaller than any of the Godzillas seen to date. Indeed, the giant iguana-resembling reptile was small enough that it could slip into the subways of New York City and remain hidden for an entire day. 

Emmerich's "Godzilla" was initially planned as the first of three Godzilla movies to be made by TriStar pictures, and the studio was willing to spend a lot to make the first entry in their borrowed franchise (borrowed from Toho). The budget...

The taxonomy of Godzilla movies has been carefully considered and deliberately arranged for many years, cordoning off various "eras" of Godzilla movies — eras named after Japanese emperors — into their own, neatly distinguishable chronologies. 1954's "Gojira" through 1975's "Terror of Mechagodzilla" constitute the Showa era, encompassing 15 films. The series was rebooted in 1984 with "Return of Godzilla," and the second era, the Heisei era, ran through "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" in 1995. Roland Emmerich's 1998 English-language "Godzilla" is an oddity in that it exists outside of an era or a continuity. 1999 through 2004 — that is: "Godzilla 2000" through "Godzilla: Final Wars" — constitutes the Millennium era, although the continuity of one of the films in that era is questionable.

2016's "Shin Godzilla," like Emmerich's film, also exists in its own continuity. A trilogy of animated Godzilla films, also in its own universe, was released in 2017 and 2018. And, of course, the American Monsterverse series has been humming...

It takes a lot of skill, physical endurance, and a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to play Godzilla. The late great Haruo Nakajima — who played Godzilla in 12 of the Showa-era films from the original "Godzilla" through "Godzilla vs. Gigan" in 1974 — revealed in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that he modeled his movements on bears. He seemingly wanted Godzilla to look like he weighed a lot and lumbered appropriately. Nakajima was no doubt aided by the fact that the Godzilla suit weighed quite a lot and was difficult to move in. It was Nakajima who developed the signature "put up your dukes" movement for Godzilla, a gesture that gave the giant radioactive gorilla-whale a lot of personality.

When Nakajima retired from playing Godzilla, a few different actors took turns in the role until the making of 1984's "Return of Godzilla" (released as "Godzilla 1985" in the United States). In that film Kenpachiro Satsuma took over the role,...

We're in the midst of a Godzilla renaissance. The big guy stole the show in 2023 with the critically acclaimed "Godzilla: Minus One," then appeared on the Apple+ TV series "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," and battles King Kong once more on the big screen in Adam Wingard's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." We haven't even mentioned Netflix's "Godzilla" animated series or the slew of unique takes on the character released over the last decade, including the terrifying "Shin Godzilla." It's a great time to be a Gojira fan!

Of course, Godzilla enjoys the moniker "King of the Monsters" and with good reason: he's hard to stop. Since his debut in 1954, our hulking, spiky-tailed, nuclear pal has bought the farm only four times and typically wins his epic confrontations with other Kaiju. That's not to say he doesn't lose a fight, but more often than not, Godzilla runs slowly walks home with the trophy,...

Will Apple TV+’s monster mash continue?

The first, 10-episode season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (aka “the Godzilla series”) comes to a close this Friday, with the release of a rather epic finale. (You’ll cry, you’ll be on the edge of your seat, you’ll cheer.)

More from TVLineCriminal Record's Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo Tease a Polarizing Dynamic in Apple TV+ Crime DramaMonarch: Legacy of Monsters Finally Solved That Lee Shaw Mystery - and Then Set the Stage for a Wild FinaleTVLine Items: Killers of the Flower Moon Hits Apple, Modern Family Vet Visits Elsbeth and More

Official Season 2 renewal news,...

Godzilla has been an absolute staple of cinema dating back to the '50s, which is something very few characters of any kind can claim. From the original 1954 classic that served as an allegory for the terrors of the atomic bomb to blockbuster-sized, silly chaos in films like 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong," there has been much to enjoy over these many decades. But fans of the famous Kaiju are currently in the midst of arguably the single greatest moment we've ever had regarding this franchise. Hard as it may be to believe, it's difficult to deny.

Currently, director Takashi Yamazaki's wildly acclaimed "Godzilla Minus One" is in theaters and had the biggest domestic opening weekend ever for a live-action Japanese movie. That's because this is being hailed as one of the greatest "Godzilla" movies ever made, right up there with the original and 2016's "Shin Godzilla." It's that good.

Clockwise from top left: It Lives Inside (Neon), Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (Sony Pictures Releasing), The Matrix Resurrections (Warner Bros. Pictures) Image: The A.V. Club Every Godzilla film, ranked from worst to bestAcross four eras—Showa, Heisei, Millenium, and Reiwa—Godzilla has helped chart the course of...

Graphic: The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, Image: The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, Photo: Toho Studios, Chris McGrath (Getty Images), Neon, Warner Bros.Every Godzilla film, ranked from worst to bestClockwise from bottom left: Godzilla (2014) (Warner Bros.), Godzilla Vs.

Godzilla Minus One Photo: Toho Studios Nearly 70 years and more than 35 films into the series, it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of a skyscraper-sized lizard that Godzilla movies can still surprise you. He may not be the most flexible nuclear-powered dinosaur, but the concept is undeniably malleable. In this century alone,...

Godzilla Minus OnePhoto: Toho Studios

Nearly 70 years and more than 35 films into the series, it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of a skyscraper-sized lizard that Godzilla movies can still surprise you. He may not be the most flexible nuclear-powered dinosaur, but the concept is undeniably malleable. In this century alone,...

Stars: Saori Izawa, Akari Takaishi, Tatsuomi Hamada, Iwanaga Joey, Junpei Hashino, Atom Mizuishi, Tsubasa Tobinaga | Written and Directed by Yugo Sakamoto

Two years ago, Yugo Sakamoto’s quirky action comedy Baby Assassins came out of nowhere and blew me away with its story of Mahiro and Chisato two high school girls who live secret lives as assassins.

Now the girls are back in Baby Assassins 2 Babies, and they haven’t gotten any better at dealing with day-to-day things like paying their bills. A gym membership that’s been collecting late fees for five years and their insurance needs to be paid immediately. But when robbers strike the bank as they’re trying to, they intervene and get suspended from the Assassin’s Guild for using their skills off the clock.

But finding another job to pay the bills is the least of their problems. Makoto and Yuri are looking...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

Underworld 4K Uhd from Kino Lorber

Underworld will be released on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on December 19 as part of Kino Lorber’s Kino Cult line. It has been newly mastered in 4K from the 35mm original camera negative with Dolby Vision/Hdr.

Master of horror Clive Barker co-wrote the 1985 British horror film with James Caplin. George Pavlou (Rawhead Rex) directs. Denholm Elliott, Steven Berkoff, Miranda Richardson, Larry Lamb, Art Malik, and Ingrid Pitt star.

It has reversible artwork with its alternate title, Transmutations. Special features include a new commentary by Pavlou, an alternate cut, behind-the-scenes footage, and a gallery.

’80s Horror Print by Kevin Tiernan

Gallery 1988’s horror-inspired “Cover Your Eyes” exhibit is loaded with great artwork,...

U.S. audiences tend to accept Toho's earlier Godzilla movies as being high camp, usually thanks to Gen-x's half-remembered airings of late-'60s kaiju flicks broadcast on Uhf TV channels back in the 1980s. While there are some absurd and terrible Godzilla films from the Showa era (1954-1975), and many of them contained surreal, kitschy plot elements like invading aliens, one might also find several movies -- "Gojira," "Destroy All Monsters" -- that focus on Japanese national pride, the role of destructive weapons in the world, and a barely-simmering resentment lingering after a massive attack on the country. If modern superhero movies sprung from the U.S. subconscious as a fantastical revenge/preventative measure against 9/11, so too did Godzilla spring fully formed from the trauma left behind by the U.S.' atomic bomb attacks.

In the original "Gojira," that is literal. The titular creature, a stories-high amphibious animal,...

Stars: Gigi Zumbado, Stephen Dorff, Emile Hirsch, Vernon Wells, Erika Ervin, Tanner Zagarino | Written by Christopher Jolley | Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

The Price We Pay is directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, from a script written by Christopher Jolley, and stars Gigi Zumbado, Stephen Dorff, Emile Hirsch, Vernon Wells, Erika Ervin, and Tanner Zagarino; and follows a group of robbers and their hostage finding out that the farmhouse they’ve taken refuge in is far from the haven they thought it would be, forcing them to survive the owners’ onslaught…

Kitamura once again returns to the well of threadbare activities in secluded locations. This time, Jolley takes the helmer’s film to a farmhouse, and that’s right about where the plot developments end. It’s a simple and heavily disappointing choice to focus on nothing. After a prologue showing a prostitute being dumped at a quiet gas station and kidnapped by an as-of-yet-unseen figure,...

Takashi Yamazaki’s first feature, “Juvenile,” while nothing groundbreaking, was a charming directorial debut that teased the potential of the director’s talents moving forward. Sadly, the same cannot be said for his second movie, “Returner,” a visually ugly mess that fails to entertain with its action or engage with its sci-fi storytelling. Much of the production team returns, including visual effects companies Shirogumi and Robot Communications, as do some actors, notably Anne Suzuki, in a more prominent starring role. Starring alongside her is Takeshi Kaneshiro, who cinephiles may best recognize for his collaborations with acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar-wai. While “Returner” would be a box-office hit, it was met with generally negative reception.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

In 2084, a young soldier named Milly travels back in time to try and prevent an alien race known as the “Daggra” from raging war against humanity.

It’s the most spookiest time of the year, and you’ll find a smorgasbord of creepy content on the Hulu streaming service in October! Not only has the streamer secured recent theatrical releases like Cobweb and Slotherhouse for you, but Huluween is here again to make sure things go bump in the night.

Huluween highlights this year include the first season of Living for the Dead, which comes from the creators of Netflix’s popular Queer Eye. Join five queer ghost hunters – Alex Le May, Juju Bae, Ken Boggle, Logan Taylor and Roz Hernandez – as they travel to a range of the world’s most haunted locations in an attempt to help the living by healing the dead.

Hulu will also premiere Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House from director Andrew Renzi. The new documentary follows the story of “Navy Veteran turned master of horror” Russ McKamey. His home,...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Hulu! Oct. 1 kicks off the streamer’s annual Huluween offerings with dozens of spine-tingling series and films added to the platform, from horror classics like Stephen King’s “It” to new Hulu Originals like “Appendage.”

If you on the squeamish side, Hulu hasn’t forgotten you and will be adding dozens more titles this month and streaming major season premieres the day after they air, including new season of “The Simpsons,” “Bob's Burgers,” and more.

30-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month hulu.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Hulu in October 2023? “Appendage” | Monday, Oct. 2

Hulu’s latest original horror film “Appendage” joins the platform on Oct. 2 after its SXSW debut earlier this year. In it, Hannah, a young fashion designer who seems fine on the surface but secretly struggles with debilitating self-doubt begins to see her health decline...

The most famous kaiju in the world is set to make his triumphant rerelease to the big screen in more ways than one. The resurgence of Godzilla has blown up almost as big as the monster itself. The U.S. retried our hand at the gargantuan creature with 2014’s Godzilla, which aimed for redemption from the 1998 name-only version. That reintroduction spawned a monster-verse with King Kong getting his own reboot and culminating in a rumble for the film Godzilla vs. Kong. Not only is there to be a spin-off series with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters featuring the “Gorilla-whale,” but this December sees a new era with the Toho film Godzilla Minus One.

Fans of the series can now also celebrate the introduction of the Millennium series as Godzilla-movies.com reveals that special screenings of Godzilla 2000 will be shown at AMC theaters courtesy of Fathom Events. Fandango has listed the...

Take cover because the monster of mass destruction, Godzilla, is coming to Pluto TV next month, with a channel devoted to the kaiju legend — and a few other iconic monsters. Hey, come to think of it, Godzilla Goes to Pluto would be a great movie!

In an official statement, Pluto hyped their Godzilla channel with the following: “The King of the Monsters has made landfall on Pluto TV! Emerging in 1954, Godzilla has become a global icon and symbol that has transcended time and pop culture. After debuting as a terror that descended upon Tokyo, Godzilla has fought numerous foes and gained new allies over several distinct eras. While each film stands alone in its own moment in time, the evolution of Godzilla followed advancements and film and technology along with cultural trends, yet always staying rooted in the origins from 1954. Today, fans can celebrate one of the world’s most...

Stars: Jhey Castles, Lindsey Marie Wilson, Michael Paré, Presley Alexander, Jolene Andersen, Lauren Elyse Buckley, Phillip Andre Botello, Natalie Daniels, Josh Duhon | Written by Marc Gottlieb | Directed by Michael Su

The tagline for The Asylum’s latest film Monster Armageddon reads “Welcome to the Multiverse”. But the film actually has less in common with Marvel or DC’s concept of shared universes than it does with Toho’s monster mashes like Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla Final Wars.

As the film opens an unidentified object heading toward Earth takes out the Iss. At the same time a US Navy ship under the command of Ltc Madoyln Webb is attacked and sunk by a giant, one might even say mega, piranha. Could there be a connection? Of course, there is.

Dr. Quinn Ramsey head of NASA’s Mission Control is meeting with her father Tom only to have to quickly leave...

Spoilers follow.

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a film steeped in nostalgia, and frankly, even more nostalgia than we're used to.

Lots of movies try to evoke pleasant childhood memories of popular characters and stories, but in this film, almost every frame and every sound pays homage to the vast history of the beloved video game franchise. Iconic characters and locales, sound effects and musical themes; this is a movie that depends, in every way, on the audience's familiarity with the history of "Super Mario Bros." in all of its previous incarnations.

But the homages don't stop there, and they don't stop until the lights come up in the theater. The very last plot point in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is a weirdly explicit reference to a very weird movie, a movie that was notoriously unpopular and unsuccessful, and which failed to launch a popular franchise despite a big cast,...

Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Masatoshi Nagase | Written and Directed by Sogo Ishii

Electric Dragon 80.000 V’s opening narration, delivered by Masakatsu Funaki, informs us that dragons are not mythical creatures, they exist with the bodies of men. That’s followed by scenes of a young boy climbing an electrical pylon only to get a massive shock from the high-tension wires.

This does something to the part of his brain that “we inherited unchanged from lizards” and results in Dragon Eye Morrison frequently getting in trouble for fighting. Attempts to cure it with electric shock therapy only make it worse, turning him into a walking battery. Now an adult he collects lizards and plays guitar to work out his aggression. As the narrator puts it “what saved him from ruin was…The Electric Guitar” as we watch him play.

But ruin in the form of Thunderbolt Buddha has come looking for him.

Back in November, Fathom Events and Toho International teamed up to bring the 2002 Godzilla franchise entry Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla to U.S. theatres for the first time… and now they’re set to do the same thing for the 2003 Godzilla movie Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.! The film will be reaching 600 theatres across the United States on March 22nd.

Tickets are now available on FathomEvents.com, so check and see if Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is going to be playing at a theatre near you. For this screening, the film will be presented with English subtitles. The one-day event will also include a special showing of Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex, a short that debuted at the 2022 Japan Godzilla Festival as a sequel to the short G vs. G (2019) – never before seen on the big screen!

Directed by Masaaki Tezuka, who wrote the screenplay with Masahiro Yokotani, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. has the following synopsis:...

Godzilla feature films can be separated into six separate, distinct continuities. From Toho's 1954 original "Gojira" until "Terror of Mechagodzilla" in 1975, there were 16 films in the "Showa" era. Beginning in 1984 with "The Return of Godzilla" and running until "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" in 1995, was the "Heisei" era. Roland Emmerich's 1998 American film was, after the fact, folded into a new rebooted continuity which began in 2000 with "Godzilla 2000." That was the "Millennium" era. That era ran until 2004 and closed out with "Godzilla: Final Wars," a film where Godzilla fights just about every monster imaginable. In 2014, America took a crack at kaiju films again with a new "Godzilla," now part of a multi-film "MonsterVerse" era. Perhaps in response, Japan made "Shin Godzilla" in 2016, the only film to date in the "Shin" era. Shortly after "Shin Godzilla," there was also a trilogy of animated films on Netflix. Call those films the "Netflix" era.

Ryuhei Kitamura, the Japanese filmmaker behind the classic indie zombie horror Versus, not to mention Alive, Azumi, and even Godzilla: Final Wars, takes a stab at picking some of his favorite horror films now streaming on the Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox. Kitamura, who also directed the awesome adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Midnight Meat Train, the […]

The post Ryuhei Kitamura Selects Five Horror Movies to Stream on Screambox Now! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Japanese actor Akira Takarada, the star of the original 1954 Godzilla film, has died at the age of 87. No cause or date of death was given by Toho Studios, which produced that film and announced his death.

Takarada starred as Hideto Ogata in Godzilla, a sailor. His character was the liaison with the Japanese Coast Guard after the first ship that Godzilla sank sent out an Sos. He was also there at the film’s end to watch Godzilla die from the Oxygen Destroyer.

Toho wrote of his death on the official Twitter account for the film. “We are saddened to hear of the passing of Akira Takarada. May his memory continue to inspire the lives of many Godzilla fans.”

Takarada appeared in the 1956 American re-edit, Godzilla, King of the Monsters, with Raymond Burr. He was part of the ongoing Godzilla series, appearing in Mothra vs. Godzilla in 1964. Takarada returned to...

Takarada Akira, best known as a star in the early “Godzilla” films and Toho’s other kaiju (monster) and sci-fi movies from the 1950s and 1960s, died on Monday. He was 87. The cause of death has not been announced.

Born in 1934 in Japan-occupied Korea, Takarada came with his family to Japan in 1948 as a speaker of Mandarin Chinese and English. In 1953 he entered the Toho studio after passing the studio’s “New Face” audition. He made an impression in a major role as a Navy diver in the original 1954 “Godzilla” and thereafter was cast in series follow-ups including “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), “Invasion of Astro-Monster” (1965), and “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster” (1966).

Takarada also appeared in films by Ozu Yasujiro and Naruse Miko as well as musical films, melodramas, period dramas and other mainstay studio genres.

After the collapse of Japan’s studio system in the 1970s Takarada’s appearances in films...

Ryûhei Kitamura’s Versus (2000) is now available on Blu-ray from Arrow Video

A relentless one-of-a-kind sensory assault chock full of hyper-kinetic fight scenes, gangster shootouts, sword-slashing violence and gory zombie horror, Versus was a key title amongst the barrage of innovative horror and action movies that appeared as if from nowhere from Japan at the turn of the millennium, leading to a new wave of appreciation for Asian extreme cinema.

A mysterious face-off in a wooded clearing between two escaped convicts and a carload of sharply dressed yakuza holding a beautiful woman captive ends in hails of bullets and showers of blood. The location for this violent encounter is the mythic Forest of Resurrection, the site of the 444th portal of the 666 hidden gates that link this earthly domain to the netherworld and it didn t get this name for nothing. As one of the surviving prisoners escapes with the...

For this Tuesday, we don’t have a ton of Blu-ray and DVD releases on tap this week, but we do have some incredible titles coming out, once again proving that it’s quality over quantity. If you haven’t had a chance to see it just yet, Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor Uncut arrives on Tuesday on multiple formats, and coincidentally enough, Total Recall is getting a 30th anniversary 4K release this week, too, and the films pair extremely well for a double feature.

Other films headed home on December 8th include She Dies Tomorrow, Smiley Face Killers, a 2-Disc Special Edition release for Versus from Ryûhei Kitamura, Black Pumpkin, The Facility, and Sympathy.

Possessor Uncut

From the visionary mind of writer/director Brandon Cronenberg, Possessor is an arresting sci-fi thriller about elite corporate assassin Tasya Vos. Using brain-implant technology, Vos takes control of other people s bodies to execute high-profile targets.

James Hunt Jun 4, 2019

Think some parts of Godzilla: King Of The Monsters were crazy? Check out some of its non-Hollywood predecessors...

Since 1954, Godzilla has loomed large in popular culture. With 35 cinematic outings under his spines and a 36th (Godzilla vs. Kong) due for release next year, he’s the star of one of the longest-running and most prolific movie franchises ever, thanks to Japanese studio Toho.

One of the best things about Godzilla is that the idea is so simple it can work in almost any context. Across various media, Godzilla has been on sea, land, air, space, and (in one comic series) even the biblical Hell. He’s fought aliens, robots, King Kong, and the Avengers. There’s nothing this mutant monster can’t do.

And to prove it, here are some of crazier things we’ve seen him get up to in his non-Hollywood outings...

Son of Godzilla (1967)

Forget the extremely non-canon Godzooky.

One of the biggest names in special effects for the Millennium series of Godzilla films Yoshikazu Ishii was an often unsung hero of the staff for those films. Working mostly on the crew detailing the miniature sets during the monster battles, he has parlayed that love into a career as special effects director or director of special effects-heavy film,s as well as the odd horror film or two among his resume.

On the occasion of his recent film ‘Game Master Death Sushi’ screening at the 19th Japan Film Fest in Hamburg, we sat down with the director to ask a few questions about his early work in monster movies and the new film.

Asian Movie Pulse: What drew you into making movies, initially?

Yoshikazu Ishii: I wanted to make the audience to have fun

Amp: What especially about special effects photography do you find appealing?

Yi: It is to...