king kong vs godzilla (1962)

AKA Kingu Kongu tai Gojira
"King Kong could tear Tokyo apart with its bare hands and we wont give him the chance."
A pharmaceutical company seeks out a berry that only grows on a Pacific island. Whilst there they find a giant ape - Kong and decide to bring it back to Japan as an exhibit. Meanwhile Godzilla decides to make another appearance...
By this time we all know what to expect with the franchise, fun escapism of the rubber suit variety.

ghidorah the three headed monster (1964)

AKA San Daikaijû Chikyû Saidai no Kessen
"These monsters are as stupid as human beings."
A detective (Yôsuke Natsuki) is assigned protection duty for a visiting princess (Akiko Wakabayashi) but the plane she is on explodes and everyone believes she has perished, not knowing she has been spirited away. Meanwhile a women who looks the same foresees Earth's destruction by a powerful monster arriving in a meteor and the detective sets out to find her.
The first of the Godzilla series to portray the monsters in a comical light setting the stage for a family friendly version of the lizard king.

godzilla: king of the monsters! (1955)

"Tokyo, a smoldering memorial to the unknown"
American reporter Steve Martin (Raymond Burr) happens to be in Tokyo just as the authorities are investigating some mysterious ship sinkings off the island of Oda. The islanders suggest that they were caused by an ancient monster...
The Americanised version of the original Godzilla, intercutting Raymond Burr and liberal usage of voice over, that cannot match the original.

war of the monsters (1966)

AKA Gamera vs. Barugon, Daikaijū kettō: Gamera tai Barugon, Great Monster Duel: Gamera vs. Barugon
"The lives of all our people will be in danger.
After a brief introduction to Gamera we are transported to a remote island where a small group are hunting an opal stashed in a forbidden cave. Upon retrieval one of the gang betrays the others stranding one of the gang on the island. There an islander tell's the stranded man that their opal is not really a jewel and they have to retrieve it! But they are too late as a lizard, Barugon, hatches and sets about destroying Kobe and in turn attracting Gamera...
This creature feature was bought by AIP who Americanised it for television, presenting a monster not as compelling as Godzilla, but with a nice crime drama sub-plot.

godzilla minus one (2023)

"Is your war finally over?"
The dying days of WWII and Kamakazi pilot Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) lands on Odo island stating his plane is faulty, only to be attacked by Godzilla, who destroys the base and killing most of the engineers there. Back in post-war Tokyo Shikishima, suffering PTSD, ends up looking after Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and an unrelated baby she has promised to care for. Together they struggle to survive, until he gets a job on a minesweeper clearing up deep sea mines. Things start to look up, unfortunately he then comes into contact with an atomically enlarged Godzilla and involved in a plan to kill the monster once and for all.
Mixing real drama with an enhansed monster producing a poignant and enjoyable film.

gappa: the triphibian monsters (1967)

aka Daikyojû Gappa.
"A monster!"
A Japanese theme park wants to stock up on some exotic animals and sends some people to a South Seas island to gather some. The island is home to a tribe that worship the mysterious deity Gappa, and initially welcome the Japanese expedition, until a baby reptile appears following an earthquake. As despite their warnings, the scientists decide to take the creature back to Tokyo. So they only have themselves to blame when mom and dad turn up looking for their kid.
A Kaiju that doesn't look on the creatures as monsters, but as doting parents, and lacks much of the crash, bang, wallop of others in the genre.

attack of the giant leeches (1959)

aka Demons of the Swamp.
"Laugh if you want, but that weren't anything that nature put out there!"
After the town drunk maintains he's seen a giant creature in the swamp, he's laughed at. But then people start disappearing, and they stop laughing. Eventually local Game Warden Steve Benton (Ken Clark) gets wind that somethings up, along with Dr Greyson (Tyler McVey). Will they discover what's eating the locals, and can they defeat them?
Low budget monster flick, featuring Jan Shepard as the inevitable love interest. Produced as a drive-in quickie, this has its moments, and makes for a passable 60 minutes, if you like cheesy creature features.

the giant gila monster (1959)

"Have you heard the reports of a "giant lizard"?"
Some hot-rod kids from hicksville come across a giant gila monster, and one, Chase Winstead (Don Sullivan), stops rocking and rolling long enough to help stop it ruining the city.
One of the lowest budget 50's monster movies out there, bad acting, bad script, bad special effects, but still it has enthusiasm and to me cheap and cheerful is good.

tremors (1990)

"They only respond to vibration, right?"
Perfection, Nevada is a nowhere place which Valentine McKee (Kevin Bacon) and Earl Bassett (Fred Ward), plan to leave as soon as possible. But before they can, they run into what becomes known as graboids, huge tunnelling creatures that eat anything that they come across, hunting by seismic vibrations in the earth. They team up with what is left of the townsfolk in an attempt to survive, amongst them seismologist Rhonda (Finn Carter).
Fun monster movie, blessed with a script that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Tremors II: Aftershocks (1996)

"Man Burt, you put a whole new shine on the word 'overkill'."
The owners of a Mexican oil refinery seek out Earl Barrett (Fred Ward), and pursuade him to go down there and rid them of their pesky graboid problem. He teams up with Grady Hoover (Christopher Gartin), and geologist Kate Reilly (Helen Shaver) to sort out the problem, but with more than they can handle, Earl seeks help from his old friend Burt Gummer (Michael Gross), and his big guns.
Cheerful low budget hit, gets a cheerful follow-up. The law of diminishing returns applies here, but it still makes for a diverting 90 minutes.

dragon wars (2007)

aka D-war.
"I keep trying to understand, but none of this is making any sense."
simplistic tale of man (Jason Behr) trying to protect girl (Amanda Brooks) from an evil serpant, who wants to use her energy to destroy the world. Culminates in a huge CGI battle fest, if you get that far.

godzilla vs gigan (1972)

aka War of the Monsters. Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan. Earth Assault Order: Godzilla vs. Gigan. Godzilla on Monster Island.
"Something funny going on, you better check!"
Aliens arrive with a plan to conquer earth using Gigan and King Ghidrah, but thankfully Godzilla and Anguirus stand in their way.
Godzilla gets to chat with his mate Anguirus before pounding a couple of alien monsters. All in a days work for our friendly giant reptile.

godzilla vs megalon (1973)

aka Gojira tai Megaro.
"Jet Jaguar, lets go now."
Megalon and Gigan are sent by the undersea nation of Seatopia to attack the surface peoples of the earth. Meanwhile some scientists have developed Jet Jaguar, a robot, to help. But then the Seatopians steal the robot and use it to control their monsters, crafty devils that they are. Can the scientists regain control of Jet Jaguar, and where the hell is Godzilla whilst Tokyo is being trashed yet again?
This the thirteenth Godzilla is the only one to feature Jet Jaguar and Megalon. Contains the usual fun, fighting and plenty of city trashing.

cloverfield (2008)

"Oh my God! What is that?"
A leaving party is being held for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who is moving from New York for a job in Japan, filmed by one of his friends, but during the night an earthquake happens, followed by a series of explosions. The party goers spill into the street in panic and glimpse what looks like a large creature attacking New York. Evacuation of Brooklyn beings, but Rob only has thoughts of his would be girlfriend who is injured in an apartment being attacked.
A Godzilla meets blair witch project, where the story unfolds via a domestic video camera. Generally a well made and breathless ride, with a few plot holes to annoy those picky souls like me, but then we accept that a 200 foot monster is chomping his way though NYC easily enough!

son of godzilla (1967)

AKA Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son. Kaijûtô no kessen: Gojira no musuko.
"...it appears to be teaching its son. "
A team of weather changing scientists are conducting a number of tests on an island when one goes wrong, creating a radioactive storm. This causes some animals, to mutate and grow. The scientists try and study these creatures when they uncover a giant egg. The egg is cracked open and produces a baby Godzilla. When some mutant preying mantises attack it the youngesters distressed cries bring Godzilla to the island. Cue Godzilla teaching the youngster how to stomp monsters and blow smoke rings.
Not one of the better Godzilla films, mainly due to a lack of stomping city action.

destroy all monsters (1968)

AKA Kaijû sôshingeki.
"I didn't think Tokyo would escape this terror, but Rodan, Godzilla and Manda are all here at the same time."
The year is 1999, and the United Nations has established a base on the moon and quarantined all the monsters on Ogasawara Island, otherwise known as Monsterland. There the authorities are studying Godzilla, Rodan, and the rest of the creatures. Unfortunately an alien race, the Kilaaks, take over the island and control the monsters and scientists based there. They then try to use them in an attempt to conquer the world. It falls to astronaut Katsuo Yemabe (Akira Kubo) and his crew to stop the Kilaaks and get the monsters back onto the island.
Like the WWE of monster movies, they are all here, wreaking havoc all over the planet. Unplug your brain, and enjoying the smashing. There goes Tokyo again...

the monster that challenged the world (1957)

"From the instant they're born, they're hungry."
An earthquake unleashes a giant sea-monster into California's Salton Sea, near a military base. With the mysterious death of three naval personnel, Lt. Commander John Twillinger (Tim Holt) is sent to investigate the case, but this case may be more than he can cope with!
A 50's creature feature that follows the usual patern, hero military guy, with love interest in tow, this being played by Audrey Dalton, (unusually for the times playing a single parent). One of the better 50's monster films, with better special effects than one should expect from the budget and some nice character development to sustain the interest whilst waiting for the creature to appear.

invasion of the astro-monster (1965)

AKA Kaijû daisenso. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero. Invasion of the Astros. Monster Zero.
"Your request is unusual..."
Astronauts Glen and Fuji (Nick Adams and Akira Takarada) travel to a newly disovered Planet, which has been trying to communicate with Earth. While there the astronauts meet the people of the planet who say they are being attacked by Ghidora. The aliens ask to "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan to rid themselves of the monster. In exchange they will pass on a formula to eradicate cancer. But is there a more sinister reason behind their request?
Those pesky aliens are at it again. Why do we trust them...Meanwhile Godzilla gets to smash up another planet, and stomp some monster butt.
Japanese, Ishirô Honda, Sci-fi,

godzilla vs mechagodzilla (1974)

AKA Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster. Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster. Gojira tai Mekagojira.
"Look at that!"
Aliens have built a mechanical version of Godzilla, in order to be able to take over the world, but they don't count on Godzilla getting a second wind and the help of some humans.
The first appearance of Mechagodzilla on film and he wastes no time in whipping Godzilla to within an inch of his life. The fights and general pacing of the film leave you breathless, as they trash the Japanese countryside. Not one with a major plot, but that's not why you watch Godzilla for after all!
Japanese, Monster, Horror, Jun Fukuda,

ebirah, horror of the deep (1966)

AKA Godzilla vs The Sea Monster. Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Big Duel in the South Seas. Gojira, Ebirâ, Mosura: Nankai no daiketto. Big Duel in the North. Big Duel in the North Sea. Ebirah, Terror of the Deep. The Great South Seas Duel.
"It could be Mothra's asleep at present. Our prayers will reach its source and it will arrive. Yes, I'm sure Mothra is soon going to hear us!"
A man is lost at sea and his brother with some friends tries to find him, but their lucks not in as they encounter Ebirah, a giant lobster, who smashes their yacht. They wash up on an island, where some terrorists are making heavy water, and have enslaved the local islanders to do this. To avoid capture the friends team up with an escaped native girl and hide in some caves. There they stumble on a sleeping Godzilla and they devise a plan to awaken in the hope that the monster will help them defeat the gang and free the slaves. Que monster fight number one, before Godzilla then takes on Mothra in the second bout of the evening.
One of the lesser Godzilla adventures, mainly because it takes some time to get to him, but once he arrives the film livens up considerably, with some great fight sequences.