Godzilla vs Kong

After waiting an eternity, Godzilla vs Kong was finally released last Wednesday. Thanks to covid-19 adding a few more delays, the movie was released to theaters and streaming via HBO Max. That's how I watched it, at home with some takeout from a steakhouse Saturday night. I'd love to have watched it on release day, but as I've said before here- my work schedule makes watching movies hard during the week. Not to mention I had just got my internet back after a EF-4 tornado went through my town last week. After all the delays, a few more days didn't seem that bad.

I loved this movie. Which you probably guessed already. I've been very happy with the Monsterverse's use of Kong and Godzilla and the world they gave them to play in. Ultimately this movie was the planned culmination of the series. So depending on how the pendulum swings it could be the last movie or the start of a new phase. Considering how successful it's been so far, hopefully they'll let them fight for a few more movies.

Speaking of success, the movie is pulling the kind of box office you'd expect in a big budget Hollywood blockbuster before covid-19 changed everything. That's pretty amazing. While the toys have been selling steadily at my local Walmarts, they were completely cleared out Saturday morning. Considering the extra stock they put out a few days more and that's awesome. Finding a Mechagodzilla might prove to be a challenge. If that's due to a successful movie making people want monsters toys, then I'm happy to share in the selection.

Kong's Going To Whoop Your Ass

One of the Christmas gifts from my Mom was the Giant Kong figure by Playmates. Seeing how a certain trailer is pretty popular right now, it seems like a good time to talk about this toy. As you could guess this Kong as he appears in the upcoming movie. It's been 48 years since his last adventure in Skull Island and he's grown up quite a bit since then.

In case the 'giant' part of Giant Kong wasn't very clear, this isn't the standard figure. It's a much larger toy. The standard Kong figure has a bit more articulation and accessories, this is a big ass monkey your going to stomp around while yelling. The figure is 11 inches tall and looks really great. His head swivels as does his feet. There's basic shoulder and upper leg articulation. I'm sure he can hold something in his right hand if you put something there. This guy has a lot in common with the last Giant Kong by Playmates, but still just enough to make him different.

I had honestly figured this would be a repaint of the prior Giant Kong toy with some paint differences and maybe a new head. I was wrong, even though the figure has the same basic stature and articulation as the last one. This is a newer, beefier Kong with a big beard. In story he's bigger and older now (he was pretty young in Skull Island, they made a point to say that) so he's got to be more battle hardened looking. He's been whooping all sorts of ass in the past 48 years and now he's ready to kick that suddenly evil Godzilla's ass. *cough* 

It's a pretty good Kong toy. I've been a steady fan of these Playmates Godzilla and Kong toys as readers know. They're pretty fun and don't cost very much. It's hard to complain about that. Somebody will, but not me. This Kong costs around $20 and is exclusive to Walmart here in the states (not sure for other countries). This is a good King Kong toy. I can't say enough good about it, so let's watch that trailer again!

I Don't Say He's Got To Go

I've not been covering Playmates Godzilla vs Kong toys here much for no particular reason. So I thought I'd do something about that as I have some and plan on buying more. With the movie's release date changed again (I fucking swear...) it seams like a good time. 

I've talked about Playmates general Godzilla line here before and have been pretty positive about it. This isn't the same line, it's literally an action figure line. Not soft or hard vinyl, action figures similar to the Godzilla toys Trendmasters produced in the 90's. I can only hope these guys get Cyborg Armor too. That'd be freaking amazing. *cough*

As you can probably guess the line has multiple versions of Godzilla and Kong in it. There's also a few other kaiju from the Monsterverse thrown in for good measure. Today I'm talking about the Godzilla with Heat Ray figure. I first typed 'hat' instead of ;'heat' and now I really want to see Godzilla with a hat ray.

This figure is from the standard assortment (there's a giant/mega size class as well) and might be the same mold as the Godzilla with Radio Tower figure. I don't have that one yet, but it looks like it is. The difference would be the paint job and included accessory. 

This figure has a much darker skin with super nice looking translucent blue back plates. He comes with a 'heat ray' burst of flames meant to represent his atomic breath. The 'heat ray' part is the same colored plastic as the back plates, which looks nice. Clearly Godzilla is charging up that blast. 

His mouth is articulated to open or close. Obviously when inserting the 'heat ray' piece, you'll need it open. It doesn't just prop up in there either. There's a little ball joint that inserts into his upper mouth. Usually these companies bullshit that kinda of thing, so I found the insertion point pretty nice. 

The figures in the standard range have removable battle damage similar to older Jurassic Park toys. Just a satisfying chunk of meat that can get ripped off exposing the gore underneath. The chunk is a rubbery piece that snaps into place pretty well and doesn't fall off easily. Godzilla is reasonably articulated. Head swivels, half the tail is on a ball joint (has to be snapped on after opening package). Legs move at his hips and arms on shoulders for tearing high tension wires down.

No matter who makes the figure, you can only expect so much articulation on a Godzilla toy. Anything over that is a plus. It's a good figure, I can't really find any faults with it. For all the negativity I've seen in kaiju groups on the Playmates Godzilla toys, I've been steadily enjoying them. Each his own I suppose. The line is exclusive to Walmart here in the states. I kinda love it.

TOHO + Legendary Announce Licensees for "Godzilla vs. Kong"

Two Iconic Titans to Clash On-Screen and at Retail with Exciting Godzilla vs. Kong Global Programs

The epic blockbuster’s retail and merchandise partnerships to provide fans a robust offering of products and experiences in time for the November 20, 2020 release

BURBANK, Calif., February 20, 2020 – In anticipation of Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures’ feature film Godzilla vs. Kong, rumbling into theaters on November 20, 2020, Legendary and Toho Co. Ltd. announced an exciting slate of licensees that will deliver a diverse offering of merchandise and experiences to fans timed to the release of the blockbuster film. International toy titan Playmates has been named master toy partner with forthcoming products themed to Godzilla vs. Kong, as well as additional product lines featuring Legendary’s Monsterverse and Classic Toho Monsters. Film partnerships also include: leading global manufacturer of licensed apparel and accessories, Bioworld; the preeminent designer and manufacturer of costumes, Rubies; leading pop culture consumer product company Funko; interactive live-action adventure escape room producer 60Out; and virtual reality content studio, the Virtual Reality Company (VRC); within the categories of toys, apparel and accessories, costumes, collectible novelty toys, escape rooms, and location-based VR experiences, respectively.

“Godzilla and Kong permeate every aspect of pop culture, and we are excited to bring them back to the forefront of the zeitgeist with our best in class partners,” said James Ngo, Executive Vice President, Franchise Management at Legendary Entertainment. “We are also working to expand this program into gaming, fashion, sports, food & beverage, and more, in order to create additional entry points for fans to engage with these two larger-than-life titans.”

“Godzilla has become a beloved international figure since its first film nearly 65 years ago,” said Keiji Ota, Chief Godzilla Officer (CGO) of Toho.  “We’re thrilled to work with these companies to bring the awesome power of Godzilla vs. Kong to life with toys and products for kids of all ages.”

Additionally, the Godzilla vs. Kong publishing program, which is being rolled out by Legendary Comics, will include two graphic novels, an art book, novelizations, and children’s books, offering fans a chance to delve deeper into the adventures of the great Godzilla and mighty Kong.

About Godzilla vs. Kong:

On November 20, 2020 comes the next chapter of the Monsterverse, Godzilla vs. Kong, which stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Jessica Henwick, Julian Dennison, Lance Reddick, with Kyle Chandler and Demián Bichir and is directed by Adam Wingard. In a time when monsters walk the Earth, Godzilla vs. Kong explores humanity’s fight for its future as the titans are set on a collision course resulting in a spectacular battle for the ages. Fans can join the conversation by using the official hashtag: #GodzillavsKong on social media.

About Legendary:

Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world's most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $17 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com.

About Toho:

Toho Company, Limited, is a Japanese entertainment studio focused on the development, production, exhibition, and distribution of powerful content for motion pictures, television and theater. Founded in 1932, it remains a prominent force in bringing brands and original storytelling with versatile talents to audiences worldwide. Its subsidiaries include Toho Cinemas, the highest grossing exhibition company in Japan. To learn more, visit: www.toho.co.jp/en/.

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Thanks to Rogers & Cowan for proving Zone Base readers with this news!

Godzilla King of the Monsters

As usual, due to my work schedule and honest time preference these days, my early tickets had been purchased for a peaceful Sunday morning showing. I won't mince words and I'm not going to spoil anything either. This was a love letter to Godzilla fans. An outright big budget kaiju throwdown by Hollywood that managed to be so authentic and fan serving that I'm almost concerned that I'm still asleep and won't be at the movie until later.

A straight shot of pure adrenaline is the bloodline in a movie full of monster madness with Monarch going full G-Force trying to keep up with all the madness. You had bad guys vs good guys and holy crap Ghidorah in his most threatening appearance maybe ever.

The monsters were on point with little things that went with each one making them more like living beings than special effects. Rodan felt so pure with his burning wings and slightly self serving behavior. Mothra is a giant breathe of wholesome and goodness. Godzilla seems like an old soldier who's going to keep fighting until there's nothing left to give. Ghidorah was a force of nature and omg each head had it's own personality. God(zilla), I loved that.

I want to send the movie crew a thank you letter for this movie. I loved it so very much and have been on cloud 9 since leaving the theater. Looking forward to Kong vs Godzilla next year, but getting a copy of this movie feels even further away. Pure exhilaration.

King Ghidorah, 3 heads are better than 1

It's hard to see the hype for the upcoming Godzilla: King of Monsters without getting excited, though the past few days my focus has been mostly on Ghidorah. There's badass and then there's King Ghidorah level badass. Depending on the movie, Ghidorah's orgin's change, though I'm mostly fond of his space alien roots from the Showa era. There's something special to a monster from outer space who's based on a hybrid of the Hydra and Orochi who's purpose is to destroy.

Godzilla forever mofo

 Last week the news that Toho plans to start a new Godzilla series after 2020 hit and the kaiju fans went nuts. I've been waiting to talk about it here as I wanted to see if anymore news would come before I started talking about it. Some were upset that it was outright said there wasn't going to be a Shin Godzilla sequel. Personally, I liked Shin Godzilla, but don't want a sequel. I'd much rather have a return to traditional Toho Godzilla movies. As Monsterverse rages on, the 2020 time frame is the same as when talks of Shin Godzilla 2 were going around. I believe it's part of Toho's deal with Legendary as so the movies don't compete with one another (which would really be self defeating, all it takes is a look at the time frame between current Toho Godzilla movies and Legendary's time frame to get the idea). With Legendary's Godzilla 2 and King Kong vs Godzilla coming in 2019 and 2020 respectively, it's clear as to why the 2 year wait. Allegedly there will be a span of 1-2 years in between Toho releases, which is standard Godzilla series timing. Realistically, they're probably going to be filming the first movie during this time.

I'm very, very, very excited. It's no secret how much I love Legendary Pictures offerings in the genre, but Toho is king of the giant monster movies and a new series from them is super exciting for a life long fan. Fortunately this new era is during the modern age where watching a foreign movie isn't that much of a challenge anymore. Gone are the days of finding bootleg dub jobs on VHS while waiting for an American release that's often limited in release. As the US releases of Shin and the animated movies show, the turn around for a US release is pretty quick.

The prospect of these being on Netflix in the US like the animated movies just made me scream in excitement out loud.

Mobile Suit Jaeger

Seeing how Pacific Rim is a live action robot cartoon (for some people the point is now out of the atmosphere over their heads), Legendary Pictures has this awesome poster for Uprising in Japan. Drawn by Masami Obari, it intentionally invokes Gundam imagery. Hopefully the film is successful over there as here it did similar to the originals numbers. I don't expect another sequel (I never thought this one would ever happen), but man would love more.

Pacific Rim Uprising

Cancel the Apocalypse again!

Earlier today, at about 4:20 I saw Pacific Rim Uprising and I'm just now coming down from the adrenaline rush. Without giving any spoilers my thoughts are simple. I liked it. I liked it a whole lot. That was a damn good follow up and a worthy continuation to the Pacific Rim storyline. I really liked the developments since the last movie and how things are set to go forward assuming they make more movies. I know they plan to and before I go any further consider this a spoiler warning even though I don't consider what I'm going to say is an actual spoiler.

Potential spoilers below!

There's intention to crossover Pacific Rim in with Monsterverse (I CALLED IT), you can look the movie up on Wikipedia and see the citations for yourself. That however isn't a big issue here. Here the big issue is expanding the setting to allow the series to go forward, which they did with full robot cartoon love letter madness. I really liked some of the kaiju's methods and the evil Jaegers (that's in the trailers, so not spoilery). The final battle was amazing on an apocalyptic and insane level.

Though the cheesy dialog is often cited as a problem by critics without much sense of awareness. Point blank, this movie is 100% for it's intended audience with no apologies or compromise. Just like with the original it's chock full of homage and even has a few extremely happy Easter eggs.

The only problem I had with the movie is the story moves just a touch too fast. While I could easily keep up with what was going on, I could see where someone else might not. It does stand out from the originals more slow paced pacing leading up the final act. Though with the original masterpiece I wanted more Kaiju vs Jaeger action, something Uprising makes up for in abundance. There's crazy action everywhere with Jaegers taking center stage. So essentially the sheer amount of robot carnage made up for the breakneck pace of the storyline. I've already seen folks in toku groups compare it to Godzilla Final Wars. Which while it might come at you at a crazy pace, it's not near as crazy or as epileptic as Final Wars.

My minds a mush of colors and rovot insanity in the best of ways. Pacific Rim Uprising was an absolute blast and gets my approval as a big fan of the original movie. I want more and I want it now.

NOW!

Uprising this weekend!

I'm so very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very excited for Pacific Rim Uprising this weekend.

Strangely my local theaters are a bit limited on showtimes for it, which is very perplexing. This was the same issue I had watching the new It this past fall. I don't understand why either, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I had wondered if the big success of Black Panther had caused my theaters to have more showings of it creating a shortage of showtimes for other movies, but no, it's slowing down in showtimes, so I can't figure out what exactly is causing this. It's a Legendary Pictures movie, which Kong Skull Island was and it had plenty of showtimes at my local theaters. It's a Universal release, so one would think it would be really wide spread. Strange, really strange.

Either way, with my birthday less than two weeks away, this will be the ideal way to begin ringing it in. Come to think of it, it's pretty similar to last year with March kicking off with the Switch release, then Toylanta, followed by Kong Skull Island and the Power Rangers movie before my birthday. This year it it's been Toylanta and Pacific Rim Uprising. Like, somebody decided to make March big ass monster movie month.

Sounds like a good idea.

Reset the Clock

／#立ち上がれイェーガー❗️
＼

⚠️緊　急　指　令⚠️
次世代型イェーガー起動させて、超ド級合体KAIJUを撃破せよ！

フォロー&RTでイェーガー起動💥成功すれば報酬としてイェーガーフィギュアほか豪華賞品を贈呈🎁結果はすぐに返ってくるぞ👍
詳細は⇒https://t.co/n6q5ssVJL8#パシリム pic.twitter.com/aOzIQdVc5L

— パシフィック・リム 公式 (@PacificRim_JP) March 8, 2018

Damn, I'm so excited for this.

War Ready

 Just a few more weeks.

Pacific Rim Uprising trailer!!!

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD

Wow.

The time to cancel the apocalypse has come again!

In 2018, I'm getting a birthday present from Legendary Pictures.

Monster Planet of Awesome

Hold onto your seats.

I probably say the words Universal Studios about 20 times an hour. It's an amazing theme park that features some amazing experiences. Recently when I went, I rode the newly opened Skull Island: Reign of Kong ride and was both amazed and blown away by the mixture of 4D screen simulation and classic dark ride elements. It really took you into the experience of having an adventure on Skull Island and being caught between Kong and some dinosaurs. The entire ride was part of the experience, even the line was part of the attraction. That's some of the magic that only Universal Studios can bring to life. You are literally plopped out of reality and dropped into the movie each ride is based on.

So what if they made a Godzilla ride? Well, they do have an attraction at Universal Studios Japan...

As part of Universal Studios Japan's knack on making cool attractions based on various anime and video games, currently they have a 4D movie experience where you get to ride out a Godzilla attack in the new (and wonderful) Shin Godzilla setting. It's pretty awesome and I'd love to see it make an appearance at the Florida resort. Though, real talk, that's way too off the beaten path for a mainstream audience at a US theme park. So if anything, it would have to be based on the Legendary version of Godzilla. Which I wouldn't complain about. That would actually be somewhat amazing as there's already instances of Monsterverse inside the resort. Skull Island is based on the 2005 Peter Jackson King Kong. But that IS King Kong in some form. There's a Jurassic Park Island as well, which isn't technically Monsterverse, but Legendary is behind the Jurassic World series and that's pretty damn close. So, you can squint and just accept it like I do. I mean, in Jurassic World, they had a shopping area that looked ALOT like City Walk. Just humor me and imagine Universal Studios changing their tagline to 'Run for your life like you mean it!'

So as I find myself imagining the possible scenario for a USF Godzilla attraction, I find myself  thinking it would be perfect to retrofit the Shrek attraction as a 4D experience with Godzilla. It's not far from the Transformers ride, so I wouldn't have to walk far to hop from one to another (it's my daydream after all). Not to mention Monsters Café is nearby and naturally matches up with the theme on it's own (and it's really good food too). The theater could have all those seat shaking moments, blasts of water, heat, lights, and smells to go with the movie. All while the façade could be right out of Monster Island. It would be rad. Ideally, I'd love a simulator ride or a hybrid ride like Skull Island. But I'm thinking within the confines of the park already and going with the rumor that the Shrek attraction will close soon (the one in Hollywood will soon after all).

He just needs a pink bow.

Now here's where I really start reaching. You see there's a Sanrio store at Universal Studios. That's Hello Kitty and her pals. Well... Hello Kitty is a Godzilla character. As in, in the early 90's there was a Godzilla simulator ride at the Sanrio theme park in japan. Part of the ride film featured Hello Kitty as an in universe character.

The clip of Hello Kitty is edited out of the ride footage online

So, work with me here. Hello Kitty store... Godzilla attraction... get a hamburger at Monsters Café... ride Transformers. They could even sell the Hello Kitty Transformers figures because ...

Don't look at me like that.

Kong: Skull Island

The movie Toho would have made.

I don't think I'm spoiling in this post, but just incase I am, this post may contain spoilers. So there, I gave you more warning than Wikipedia.

I had been anticipating Kong: Skull Island for awhile now and with Toylanta being held on opening weekend, I had to wait a week to watch it. So last night the wife and I saw it and OMG it was great. The movie is part of Legendary Pictures Monsterverse, which so far is just Kong and Godzilla (the Legendary Pictures version), though Pacific Rim would fit right on it. It's a Legendary Pictures film series, and as I'll get to in a few sentences, fits pretty well into the ongoing story. For the record, I wish Legendary made the Transformers and Power Rangers movie.

As a long time kaiju fan, this is the King Kong movie I've wanted for a long time. I would say the King Kong movie I've always wanted, but the Toho Kong movies (King Kong vs Godzilla, and King Kong Escapes) are in the same vein. So I'll say the movie I've wanted for a very long time, because Kong as a super hero doesn't get explored often. Though, Legendary is doing it's part to contribute to that cause.

The movie is wonderful. Taking place as Vietnam is wrapping up, we see a military group of helicopter pilots provide escort for a Monarch expedition into the largely known Skull Island for testing. The testing (which includes explosions) upsets the wildlife and drives Kong out to defend his land. The surviving military and Monarch  members find their way to the pick up point for rescue and along the way discover the giant (and dangerous) wildlife Skull Island has to offer. Separated into two crews, one discovers a long lost fighter pilot and villagers were they learn about Kong and the dangerous monsters living in Skull Islands hollow core. The other crew, hellbent on revenge for the loss of their comrades get into various skirmishes with that not so friendly wildlife.

The movie establishes Kong as one of the guardians of Earth, like Godzilla. It's beautifully filmed, paying homage to Apocalypse Now, and featuring some extremely gorgeous visuals. The scenes of the villagers place of worship and Kong in the sunset are particularly impressive. It's only weak points are easy to ignore for the most part. Some of the scenes are edited in a way that seems a little clip show like. This is a common complaint I've had with a lot of recent movies, so I think it may be the result of a newer editing trend that may just not working so great with me.

While several newer movies this editing style doesn't gel so well for me, making movies seem like a series of scenes or clips and not so much like a flowing narrative. Fortunately Kong's moments like that are much fewer than other recent movies that I've found moments like this few and not so distracting. Other complaints could be found in some of the human characters seemed two dimensional. Which, in all honesty is a common complaint in most big budget movies as well as pretty common in kaiju movies. So the movies lesser parts were easy to overlook in greater sum of awesomeness.

I said above Pacific Rim would fit easily into Monsterverse, and this movie opens that door even more. The Pan Pacific Defense Corps was created in response to the 2014 kaiju attack that took the military weeks to stop. The M.U.T.O attack, which took a long time to end was in Godzilla 2014. The resulting kaiju attacks came from a portal in the Pacific Ocean. Skull Island, which is home to many giant monsters (I'm not spoiling the entirety of it) and even is hollow, providing monsters in the center of the earth a way to come to the surface. Skull Island just happens to be in the Pacific Ocean.

So, OMG IT WOULD BE SO AWESOME IF GYPSY DANGER TEAMED UP WITH KONG AND GODZILLA AND....wait...

Hey, what if we got a Legendary Pictures version of Jet Jaguar?