Of all the giant monsters to grace the silver screen, I love me some Godzilla. Ever sense I was a child, I’ve been watching his silly, rubber suited monster classics. There completely cheesy, laughable, and good entertaining fun. Obviously, I prefer movies with more quality, but every once in a while, I’ll feel a pull back to a childhood favorite, and take nothing but joy from watching Godzilla.
No matter how old I get, I’ll always have a reserved sense of fondness for cinematic giant monsters, and Godzilla has had the longest legacy of them all by far. What makes him an interesting character is how he alternates between being a hero and villain, depending on which film or series you watch. As of 2021, Godzilla has had 33 theatrical motion-picture movies, and yes … I’ve seen every one of them. So, to celebrate my all-time favorite movie monster, here’s a quick list of my personal favorite Godzilla movies. Now before I begin, I should note that the Godzilla franchise in one that varies in quality. Granted, monster movies in general are an acquired taste, but even by its own genera standards, the Godzilla films are infamous for their varying levels in quality. Select films in the series are praised as great movies that just happen to have a monster in it, while other films are considered embarrassing even by B-Movie standards. As such, I’m going to split this countdown into two different groups … my top 10 general favorite Godzilla movies … and my top 5 Godzilla guilty pleasures. Yes … I’m one of those fans who’ll even take joy from the really goofy instalments in the series. With all that established, let’s begin with …
My Top 5 Biggest Godzilla Guilty Pleasures
#5 “Godzilla VS Megalon” (1973)
#4 “Godzilla VS Space Godzilla” (1994)
Yeah … it’s hard to take a film seriously when “Space Godzilla” is in the title. As you’d expect, this venture features Godzilla battling an evil doppelganger from space, who’s kidnaped the Big-G’s infant son, and plans to dethrone the King of the Monsters. Now, in order to rescue his baby and defeat his new opponent, Godzilla has to form an alliance of convenience with yet another giant robot called Moguera. While Godzilla’s adversary in this movie has one of the stupidest names ever, it’s still a real treat to see the Big G battle another Godzilla who’s even more powerful than he is. For me, this is a really fun entry from the second series, and features some awesome monster battles. Then there’s also the lead girl named Miki, who’s been a main stay character throughout the second series, and probably one of the most memorable human characters from the franchise. This was the first entry to put her in the lead role, which highlights her character, and demonstrates how useful she can be … especially with her own unique telepathic powers.
#3 “Godzilla VS The Sea Monster” (1966)
For this instalment, an evil organization is using an islands human inhabitance as slaves to build bombs and other weapons. No one can escape because the bad guys control a giant sea monster that guards the island. Now, it’s up to our favorite rubber suited monster to liberate the island people, stomp-out the bad guys, and defeat the monster. Just about every Godzilla movie features giant monsters destroying big cities, which is great, but this movie has a very refreshing setting that feels rather appropriate for Godzilla. Truthfully, I’ve always loved Island-set adventures, so this film fits right into my wheel house. Franchise regular Mothra also joins in on the action, and it's always great to feature her alongside Godzilla. Aside from a refreshingly simple premise, this film actually has a memorable collection of human characters, including a villain with an eye patch, which is reminiscing of the doctor from the first film. There’s also a beautiful island girl, who’s so hot she actually gets Godzilla’s attention. No joke, Godzilla actually displays some King Kong characteristics in this film. While this instalment has never really stood out to fans, and won’t bring any new viewers to the series, it’s still always stuck with me as both a delightful, and memorable entry.
#2 “King Kong VS Godzilla” (1962)
After breaking free from an iceberg, Godzilla unleashes his wrath on everything that happens to be within walking distance. Little does he know that another monster is on the approach, and aims to put an end to Godzilla’s destructive rampage … and naturally, it’s none other than the giant ape King Kong. This is it, the two most famous and iconic giant movie monster’s face-off in a cheesy, yet epic battle to the death. Even though it’s nothing truly spectacular, there’s a simple charm that comes from seeing these two titans clash, and the result is one of the most memorable rubber-suited monster battles of all time. This marked the first time that either monsters appeared in color, and it set the campy tone of the series moving forward. Despite being generally favored by fans, “King Kong VS Godzilla” is still undeniably one of the silliest films in the series, with Kong depicted as a drunken underdog, and Godzilla as a straightforward bully who takes joy from his destructive powers. Oh, and there's also this giant octopus thrown into the mix … which is a memorable bonus. Speaking personally again, this was yet another early Godzilla movie for me to view when I was just a little kid, and it also happened to be the very first King Kong movie I ever saw. As such, I’ll always have nostalgic fondness for this one, even if it is really silly.
#1 “Godzilla” (1998)
When a mysterious giant lizard-monster emerges from the ocean, it singles out New York city as a place to begin nesting, and raising a family of hundreds of baby lizard monsters. Now, the only thing stopping this creature from reproducing is the French Secret Service, a failing news reporter, and a scientist who bears a striking resembles to Ferris Bueller. This movie has an infamously bad reputation for being one of the worst disaster movies of all time, and even Godzilla fans seem to hate it. However, I personally can’t help but look back fondly on this film as … the one that started it all. This was my childhood introduction to Godzilla, this is where I became a fan, this is when I was introduced to the classic monster movie formula, and as such … I have a Big … soft … nostalgic spot for this film ... even though it’s obviously not that great. While the creature in this film bears little resemblance to Godzilla, it’s somehow always stuck with me as a memorable creature design. It may not be high-class entertainment, but it’s little more then what I generally want from a movie with a giant monster stomping through a city. Maybe it wasn’t a proper representation of Godzilla, as well as populated with stock characters, and chalk full of goofy sequences … but, I still find this to be a harmlessly derivative monster flick ... and hands-down my biggest guilty pleasure of all the Godzilla movies. With those taken care of, let’s move onto the higher-class films in the series …
My Top 10 Favorite Godzilla Movies
#10 “Godzilla vs King Ghidorah” (1991)
Of all the giant monsters to regularly battle Godzilla, the three headed dragon named King Ghidorah is his greatest rival by far, and his personal arch nemesis. While this 1991 matchup wasn’t their first meeting, it’s the only film to feature these two giants alone, with no other giant monster’s present, making this their most epic, and personal battle. The story revolves around visitors from the future, who offer the people of Tokyo a means to be rid of Godzilla permanently … the objective … erase Godzilla from history. What follows is a wild time-traveling adventure, complete with betrayals, the revealed origins of Godzilla’s most powerful foe, along with an enhanced Mecha-Gedra, and the emergence of a new Godzilla. It’s without question one of the big G’s most outlandish offerings, but with solid action, a unique premise, and easily the most thrilling showdown between Godzilla and his longest standing adversary King Ghidorah.
#9 “Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla” (1974)
While King Ghidorah is the big G’s greatest enemy, Mechagodzilla is my personal favorite ... I just have a thing for evil double-gangers. Mechagodzilla combines both the exciting presence and menace that was lacking from the previously mentioned “Space Godzilla”, but he still retains the campy charm of the series, and is all around an icon among Godzilla’s rouges. When a group of aliens invade earth, and secretly pose as humans, they also dispatch their Mechanized menace to pose as the real Godzilla … and have it waist everything in sight, turning the public opinion against Godzilla. Well, the real Godzilla is none to happy with this imposter, and through a riveting battle get’s Mechagodzilla to reveal his true form. Unfortunately, even with it’s identity exposed, Mechagodzilla is more then a match for the giant lizard. Thus, Godzilla’s only hope for beating this robotic doppelganger lies within the prophesy of a mysterious Lion God called King Caesar, who might just even the playing field for our rubber suited hero. While admittedly a campy entry in the series, it still stands out as a high mark, and the last great classic of the original Godzilla series. Also, despite its campy tone, this entry also dabbles into Sci-Fi horror, and I distinctly remember this one scaring me as a little kid. Mechagodzilla again is all around an awesome foe, and his introduction movie will always stand as a treasured entry in the first series.
#8 “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019)
In this sequel to the 2014 American “Godzilla” reboot, the mighty lizard has succeeded in bringing peace to the planet with his constant dominance over the other titans of the planet. However, many humans still wonder how much trust they can put into a giant monster with a will of its own. Soon, a radical terrorist group aim to take control over Earth’s giant monsters. Too bad, they overstep their bounds by reawakening Godzilla’s arch foe King Ghidorah, who challenges the big-G for the crown to rule over all giant monsters. While this epic monster mash stumbles with a clunky narrative, an overabundance of exposition, and a really cheesy script … it still gives me exactly what I went to the movie for. The sheer spectacle is there, the monsters are awesome, the battles are exciting, and seeing Godzilla tangle with his arch nemesis King Ghidorah on the big screen is absolutely going to satisfy my inner fan boy. While King Ghidorah has always been an awesome presence, he’s never looked as good as he does in this film, as he’s brought to life with state-of-the-art effects, and is given more personality, as his three heads don’t always get along with each-other. It was also very exciting to see such iconic monsters like Rodan and Mothra in an American produced Godzilla picture. While certainly not a movie for everyone, it still gave me just enough that it felt perfectly satisfying, and it left me very happy to see yet another Godzilla movie here in the US.
#7 “Godzilla VS Mothra” (1992)
Not all giant monsters are evil, as some like the giant butterfly Mothra just want to maintain peace in nature. However, humans better take good care of the planet, or else Mothra’s enraged brother Battra will be forced to straighten them out through destructive force. Things can only get more destructive with a rouge Godzilla on the loose, who’s view of a perfect world is seeing everything in sight get incinerated. Now, Mothra must find a way to make peace with her wicked brother, and if the two can learn to work together, they may be able to spare the people of Japan from the wrath of Godzilla. While the original 1964 “Mothra vs Godzilla” is often regarded as one of the greatest classic entries in the series, I personally prefer this 1992 remake. The giant butterfly Mothra is undeniably one of Godzilla’s most famous opponents, and this is the movie that introduced me to her. As such, I’ll always have more nostalgia tied to this entry, as opposed to the first. Also, this is the only Mothra film to feature her dark-brother Battra, who I feel adds more flavor to the Mothra mythology. It may not be the original classic, but this is personally where my fondness for Mothra stems from, and it’s definitely a high-mark in Godzilla’s second series.
#6 “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S” (2003)
Mechagodzilla returns on my countdown once again, but this time he’s the underdog hero, while Godzilla is the ruthless villain. Following after the events of 2002’s “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla”, the military prove successful in fighting off the Big-G with their new Mecha-soldier. However, Godzilla is still preparing himself for a second lethal attack, and he’s especially enraged that Mechagodzilla was built around the bones of the first original Godzilla. This action also angers the giant butterfly Mothra, who is willing to aid the humans in their battle against Godzilla, but only if Mechagodzilla is shut-down for good. This film is notable for bringing back the original human lead from the 1961 “Mothra” classic, and it also brings back Mothra’s mystical twin fairies … in their attractive new redesigns I might add. While the premise is as simple as they get, the payoff is beyond satisfying, with an epic three-way showdown between Godzilla, Mothra and Mechagodzilla in the heart of Tokyo, and some of the best destructive action of the whole franchise. While this wouldn’t be the last movie to feature Mechagodzilla, I’ve always viewed it as their iconic final battle, and it’s always refreshing to see their hero and villain roles reversed from the first film.
#5 “Godzilla” (Gojira) (1954)
When a mysterious radioactive monster emerges from the Ocean, it chooses to unleash Hell on the innocent people of Japan. The creature eventually becomes world famous after adoring the name Godzilla. Now, the only hope to vanquish this titan is a reclusive scientist who’s developed a new bio-weapon … one that may be even more dangerous than Godzilla himself.
Despite the outdated effects, and straightforward monster movie premise … you just can’t beat the atmosphere, characters, tone, and subtext of the original. While a dark and exciting creature feature, it also offers a surprisingly human touch, with a potent, even sobering postwar commentary. After all, it’s based on the real horrors of the atomic age, making this an effective time capsule of a film, and one that still holds-up over the years. Objectively, this is the best of Godzilla’s movies by far … but I personally wouldn’t call it my absolute favorite either. There are other entries that appeal to me for different reasons, but regardless, this is the exceptional entry in the series that I’d absolutely recommend to viewers not familiar with the character. Godzilla will always be one of the great movie monsters, and his 1954 picture is absolutely a terrific classic in its own right. Obviously, rubber suited monster movies will always be an acquired taste for different views, but I still regard this film as a step above typical B-movie fluff, and would encourage anyone to see it at least once, as it may just give you more then what you’d expect from the genera. It’s surprisingly human, it’s consistently engaging, it’s genuinely exciting, it’s effectively atmospheric, and it’s even tragic without relying on bland soap-opera clichés.
#4 “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004)
A sinister race of aliens once again invade Earth, and unleash all the giant monsters across the planet … with the ever-imposing Space-foe Gigan leading the charge, and a mysterious new Monster X on the approach. With Mothra outnumbered, Earths only hope lies with its greatest threat … Godzilla. Without a doubt, the most straightforward, and consistently entertaining of all Godzilla's movies is this epic monster mash, appropriately titled "Final Wars". For twelve years, this movie stood as the very last Godzilla movie released from Japan … and it’s an absolute blast. While completely devoid of things like a compelling plot, substance, or layered humans … this film makes-up for it with an unhinged sense of fun and non-stop action. At the end of the day, I generally just go to a Godzilla movie for fun … and this film supplies it in gallons. For us longtime fans of the series, we’re treated to a rock-solid, action packed thrill ride, that matches its monster brawls with spaceship battles, kung fu martial art fights, car chases, and just about every classic Godzilla adversary is featured in one film. This includes the long-awaited return of Gigan, who’s never looked cooler, along with the inevitable return of the three headed Dragon King Ghidorah, Godzilla’s son Minia, the giant butterfly Mothera, the winged terror Rodan, The Sea Monster, the Big G’s very first rival Anguirus, and even the first American Godzilla is present. It’s just an all-out monster mash, with lots of destruction, a colorful cast of comic-book style human characters, and lots of cheesy, yet exciting monster battles. It’s simply the ideal Godzilla movie that I still enjoy watching … just for simple escapist fun.
#3 “Godzilla VS Destroyah” (1995)
Godzilla emerges once again from the ocean … but something’s different about him this time. He’s suddenly glowing read, and seems to be falling apart. Sense he was born from Nuclear radiation, it seems that now he’s melting down like a Nuclear reactor. Bad timing, because a new threat, colorfully referred to as “The Destroyer”, has also emerged, and seems to have originated from Godzilla’s DNA. This movie marked the final entry of the second series, which means that the Big-G finally meets his match … and yes, even dies … making this, perhaps, the most tragic monster movie ever. It’s cheesy like any rubber suited monster movie, but it’s done with so much flair, excitement, intensity, and admiration toured this iconic monster. In his final battle, Godzilla teams up with his son to battle the lethal new Destroyah monster, who’s undeniably one of the most spectacular foes to challenge Godzilla head on. He’s also a menace that ties directly into the events of the original first movie, which makes it feel like a story that’s come full circle. It’s a campy, yet epic send-off for the mighty beast, and one that I highly recommend to any fans of the series.
#2 “Godzilla vs Kong” (2021)
After saving the Earth from a number of deadly monsters, Godzilla seems to have finally snapped, and is going on a rampage. Meanwhile, the giant ape King Kong fears that he’s being hunted, goes off on a journey to find a new home, and maybe discover the place of his origins. However, no-matter how deep Kong travels, all roads will lead to a matchup with his long-standing cinematic rival Godzilla. As stated above, I’ll always have fondness reserved for that goofy 1960’s “King Kong vs Godzilla”, and yet … ever sense I was about seven years old, I always dreamt of seeing a modern-day blockbuster with the two most iconic giant monsters. Well, my childhood dream finally came true … this crossover gave me everything I wanted … then it gave me more … and then it gave me things I wasn’t even expecting. Needless to say, that seven-year-old boy that still resides inside me was giddy from head to toe. Not only do the monster battles thrill, as well as shot beautifully, but the film also delivers an enjoyably outlandish premise involving a journey to a hidden world, with all kinds of imaginative wonders, atmospheres, and designs to behold.
The humans obviously aren’t very interesting, but I was still able to cost on committed performances, as well as a genuinely heartfelt connection between Kong and a little girl. Throw in a deeply satisfying final battle with Godzilla, King Kong, and even a surprise return of my favorite of the big-G’s foes Mechagodzilla … and what more could a long-time viewer of both character franchises ask for. It’s obviously nothing deep, meaningful, and it’s admittedly ridiculous on every level … but that’s always been the appeal of the franchise, and I found this to be the most fun entry of the franchise to date.
Before I reveal my personal #1 favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions …
“Godzilla vs Monster Zero” (1965)
“Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla” (2002)
“Godzilla vs Gigan” (1972)
“Mothra vs Godzilla” (1964)
"Godzilla" (2014)
#1 “Godzilla: Minus One” (2023)
Thanks for reading my countdown, hope you enjoyed it, and if
your new to Godzilla, and curious to view some of his films for yourself, then
I hope my list gave you an idea on where to start.
As always … continue to enjoy whatever movies you love.
