Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) is the very definition of a kitchen sink Godzilla movie, and the 70s Toho offerings had several of them. More evil aliens (these when hurt or killed have human face "masks" fade into ape faces) want to conquer the world, equipping their cause with a giant mechanical version of Godzilla that can fly, fire missiles and lasers, and take a lot of abuse without wavering. Scientists, archeologists, and Interpol agents try to either resurrect a monster that protected a royal family many years ago in Japan (that looks like a giant ferocious poodle to me) named King Caesar or stop the aliens from their global conquering plot. Once again the aliens are arrogant and overconfident which proves to be their undoing. Godzilla spends a majority of time out of the plot while our Japanese heroes hope to intrude upon the aliens' headquarters and find a way to infiltrate their controls and undermine their efforts. King Caesar just looks ridiculous to me and with all the emphasis on it in the plot, this creature does very little besides get thrown around and watch Godzilla emerge from the drink to help rescue it from embarrassment. Godzilla doesn't just run roughshod over his mechanical counterpart, enduring neck wounds that geyser blood streams, explosive blasts to the torso that wind him, and laser fire that maim him. Meanwhile King Caesar hides behind a rock and joins Godzilla eventually when a magnetic pull weakens Mechagodzilla, pulls it towards the monster lizard, and a head twist decapitation leaves the aliens without their prize global weapon. It appeared Godzilla was once again a heel, using wrestling terms, and attacking Japanese civilization (and ally monster, Anguirus), pounding buildings and unleasing its atomic breath on power plants/factories. Later two Godzillas meet and lost lizard skin reveals one as Mechagodzilla. You even have shootouts and hand-to-hand fighting between our heroes and the aliens as desire for a statuette that would awaken Caesar brings plenty of physical violence. Alien titanium, scalding prison cells, ape-face aliens, cave mural prophesies, and monster awakening through the "red moon"; like I said, kitchen sink Kaiju plot nonsense. And Godzilla striking his Bruce Lee pose when staring down Mechagodzilla...yeah, it is absurd and too much fun. ***1/2
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The motion capture animation process for Zemeckis'
A Christmas Carol (2009) has always been incredible to me, particularly with what you can do creatively such as faces alternating when the ghosts want to prove a point to Scrooge. This is aesthetically a dream adaptation. The Gothic London and its spooky night is so rich and vivid. It is a pleasure for the eyes. The talent involved in such an undertaking really get to flex their ingenuity and grace us with fine detail. But I don't necessarily feel anything beyond the wow for its visual presentation. Seeing Christmas Present wither from this grand, larger-than-life giant to a gaunt, sickly state before ultimately deteriorating to skeletal remains turning to dust inside an incredible clock is a magnificent experience, but I never get ache or teary-eyed. There is that fab moment where Scrooge is being shown by Grim Reaper Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, on the stairs of weary Bob Cratchett's home, as the two lock face-to-face...Bob doesn't see Scrooge but the moment gives the miser pause as he realizes his character errors in the treatment of his clerk. The extended horse chase of miniature Scrooge is a big effects extravaganza that I never felt was necessary beyond its desire to show off what the animation team can do, as squeaky-voice Ebenezer visits the pawn bum willing to take the rags and items from off the hands of servants wanting to cash in on valuables taken questionably, having to dodge the massive rat and look up at his fellow moneylenders dish about his funeral. Seeing Scrooge try and get rid of Christmas Past through the use of his funnel, with the resistant force skyrocketing towards space is again simply added to prove what the animation department is capable of. In terms of following the dialogue and characters I thought the writers did get most of the finer points in the film. Carrey gives it his all but I never felt much for anyone else. Even Oldman as Cratchett and Marley and Firth as Fred didn't do a lot for me. But Hoskins goes all the way with Fezziweg. Oh, and the creative use of Ignorance and Want...great stuff. ***1/2
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