planktonrules

Most of the older Godzilla films are focused on the monster smashing cities and plastic airplanes and tanks attacking him. However, with "Shin Godzilla", the monster actually is secondary and it's told in a documentary style. The focus is on the behind the scenes actions by the government...complete with meetings, press conferences as well as trying to decide how to spin this attack! It's a rather jaded view of the government and instead of providing answers, they just seem more concerned about how this will make them look or not screwing up...and as a result, the government seems loathe to actually take any action. As for the Americans...well, they are more than willing to nuke Godzilla...even though this means hitting Japan! This makes for a strange movie...but I appreciate this because it's not just another guy in a rubber suit stomping on stuff film.

Considering this was made in more recent years, it's not at all surprising that the special effects seem extraordinarily good compared to the 1950s-70s Godzilla movies. In particular, the explosions and destruction look amazingly real. My only complaint is that when Godzilla was in his early pre-evolution form, it DID look a bit fake...though once it evolved, it, too, looked pretty amazing. As a result, the action and terror level seem much greater than in early incarnations of this beast.

While I'd not say this film is on par with the latest (and greatest) Godzilla film, "Godzilla Minus One" (which I rated a solid 10), it is very good and looks good nearly a decade later. I also appreciate how it's been subtitled, not dubbed. However, I have one very minor quibble. A Japanese actress is supposed to be playing a person who is a native English speaker...but her English pronunciation was terrible and she just sounded like someone phonetically reciting her lines...which, it turns out, she was!

Overall, an excellent Godzilla picture...one which is very adult and intelligent...one that might just appeal to folks who want more out of a kaiju picture than just the old rubber suit and plastic sets.

In December, 1952, conditions were just right for a catastrophe in London. With a temperature inversion, warm air above held the colder air over the city....and it prevented pollution from leaving. As a result, the city came to a standstill--with yellow air, vehicles unable to drive because visibility was nearly zero and a whole bunch of deaths. These 2000 or so deaths affected folks with poor immune systems and pre-existing lung problems.

This show has two main aims. First, it was a history lesson and folks who lived through it told their stories. Second, at times the show attempted to explain the various factors which made this smog worse...such as the sudden abundance of cheap and smoky coal. All in all, it's very well done and well researched. My only reservation is that it was also a bit overlong and might have had a greater impact without it being about 90 minutes (broken into two parts).

The episode begins on September 1, 1939...the day WWII began in Europe*. As such, it's not surprising that folks are tense.

James has a problem. When he visited his father-in-law's farm to TB test, one of the animals turned out to be positive. As much as he'd like to do otherwise, if he doesn't report the man, James will likely lose his license to practice. Then...something horrible happens.

As for Tristan, he's very serious about his latest girlfriend, the veterinarian's daughter. She must be rather serious, too, as she invited him home to meet her parents. And, Tristan actually likes the idea of taking the relationship to the next level.

And finally, now that war is here, the first of what might be many pets is left on the Farnon doorstep...and Siegfried insists the sweet Springer Spaniel must go. He's worried that more locals will start dumping their pets on him...and a government circular actually is encouraging folks to put their pets down now that war is here!

This is a far from 'feel good' episode....as it's very tense and sad. And, to make it worse, James feels a strong compulsion to join the army. It's excellent in every way...just sad.

*While many textbooks mark this date as the beginning of WWII, many in Asia would beg to differ as the war there actually began several years earlier, when Japan invaded China.