So you’ve just watched Godzilla Minus One and/or Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, and you’re thinking, “I want to check out more Godzilla, but there are so many movies; where do I begin?” Well, you are in luck, friend. I, a lifelong Godzilla super fan, am here to tell you the TOP 10 Godzilla films, why you should watch them, and where to watch them. Godzilla Minus One is a masterpiece and we loved it; you can read the full review here.
Before we start, this list will focus mainly on the Toho films. So, if you want more on the Legendary Monsterverse films, stay tuned for another piece on that.
First, let’s discuss the Godzilla eras, starting with the Showa era. This is where it started with the first film, Gojira, and ran from 1954 – 1975. So, every movie released during this time falls into this era. After that was the Heisei era, which ran from 1984 – 1995; this was the first “reboot” of Godzilla, which started a new series, visual style, and look of Godzilla. Then there is the Millennium era (1999 – 2004), and finally, the Reiwa era, which started in 2016 to now. You might be asking, why should I care about the era? The short answer is that knowing the era will give you an idea of what to expect from a film from each era. Also, you do not need to watch any of the films in a particular order. Only a few films relate to one another, which is most prominent in the Heisei era of films but does not affect the viewing experience very much.
This list is based on which films I believe are the most interesting based on Godzilla’s character, the monster action, the tone of the film, and pure entertainment value. Godzilla’s character refers to his motives and temperament. In many of the 70s films, Godzilla is a kind-hearted, friendly guy just looking to protect people. While these movies are fun, they are very basic, and Godzilla is a bit of a doof. I prefer the more menacing Godzilla, who tends to be a bit more vengeful and downright nasty at times. This plays right into the monster action. The best Godzilla fights are the more serious ones when the enemy kaiju are very dangerous or the humans are desperately trying to stop him. This directly affects the film’s tone: the darker, the better. These elements combined build upon the overall entertainment that each film presents.
So here we go!
10. Godzilla Vs Destroyah (1995 – Heisei)
Godzilla vs Destroyah makes the list for one major reason. It is a horror film, and I love horror! This was the last film in the Heisei era and is loaded with death. People die gruesomely, Godzilla Junior dies gruesomely, and Godzilla has a nuclear meltdown and dissolves on screen. Spoiler Alert! Destroyah himself is one of my least favorite baddy kaiju, but he is damn powerful and horrible. There is a scene of a couple getting brutally murdered by a small young Destroyah, which feels straight out of a B-rated dinosaur horror film. They definitely treated this film like it was a last hoorah for the big man, and he certainly goes out with a bang! Or at least this version of him. *Even though this movie is the first on the list, it doesn’t mean you should watch it first. It is the summation of the previous two films, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) and Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994).
Where to watch: Available to rent and purchase across TV apps.
9. King Kong vs Godzilla (1963 – Showa)
It was the first giant monster movie battle royale to feature the biggest and baddest from the East and the West. King Kong faces off against Godzilla in this schlocky clash of the titans. Unrelated to the new Godzilla vs Kong Legendary film, this movie was originally scripted with a different monster and later changed to feature King Kong. There are a lot of elements of this film that go against all of Godzilla and Kong’s cannon, like Kong being powered up by electricity and Godzilla being afraid of it, smh. BUT! It is still a fun ride and really silly, and at times, laugh-out-loud ridiculous. Plus, we have so many great gifs from it.
Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray available for purchase, available to rent and purchase across TV apps.
8. Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: All Out Attack (2001 – Millennium)
This is one of the few movies where Godzilla is actually the bad guy and kinda terrifying as he has those black soul-less shark eyes. In a fun and interesting twist, King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Baragon are the three guardian monsters trying to protect the Earth from the threat of Godzilla, who, in this film, is a straight evil badass, and I love it! I may be in the minority here, but I always prefer when the big G tears shit up and lays waste to other monsters and isn’t trying to be their bestie.
Where to watch: Available to rent and purchase across TV apps. YouTube
7. Godzilla Raids Again (1955 – Showa)
Godzilla Raids Again is the second Godzilla film made and the last in black and white. It’s the first to feature a versus-style of the Goji movies. This movie came out right after the original and briefly acknowledged the first film by showing footage of Godzilla’s attack. However, in this film, Godzilla and Anguirus are “dinosaur-like creatures” that have survived to the present day and are now locked in a death battle for dominance, and they will crush all of Japan in their bout to be the king. This one makes the list as it is another darker-toned film and features menacing versions of both Godzilla and Anguirus as they wrestle and smash everything in their path. One of the unique elements of the particular movie is that it doesn’t rely on the slowed frame rate usually used to make the monsters seem larger and foreboding. In fact it’s often sped up, making the action here look fast and violent. No other Godzilla film has done that. Plus, Godzilla himself has an incredibly gnarly roar!
Where to watch: Pluto TV, Streaming on HBO MAX
6. Shin Godzilla (2016 – Reiwa)
You may have noticed a trend by now, but I love the darker films that keep Godzilla true to his intended nature. He IS a force of nature and one to be feared. Shin Godzilla does what the original film did in that it is a facsimile of current geopolitical times. For Shin, it directly reflects the Japanese government’s inability to handle a natural disaster of such a scale properly. In this case, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011. Acclaimed director Hideaki Anno, known for the Evangelion anime, was at the helm of this movie. This film focuses heavily on the people in the government trying to deal with the threat of Godzilla and how to get people to safety. Godzilla is pure nightmare fuel in Shin as he is much more grotesque and disturbing in appearance and behavior. He also causes utter devastation with a single use of his atomic breath! It is one of my favorite looking designs, and I love the purple color palette for him and his death lasers.
Where to watch: Fandango, DVD/Blu-ray available for purchase
5. Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla (1974 – Showa)
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla makes the list as it is the best and my favorite versus film of the Showa era. Most Showa-era films are silly and lighthearted, making Mechagodzilla stand out from the rest. Not only is Mechagodzilla one of my favorite villains, but he is also brutal. This is one of the only films to feature blood and graphic violence from the era. Hell, Mechagodzilla rips Anguirus’s tongue out of his mouth. Granted, it looks like Vodka sauce, BUT STILL! This is also my favorite version of Godzilla in this era per his design and attitude. Let’s admit that King Caesar is a cute floppy dog companion that adds some comedy relief. To this day, I get pumped when I see Godzilla magnetize himself to heal and counter Mechagodzilla’s attacks. Not to mention the iconic head twist at the end…
Where to watch: Pluto TV. Streaming on HBO MAX
4. Godzilla 2000 (1999 – Millennium)
Godzilla 2000 was the first Godzilla movie that I was able to see in theaters, and it was amazing! I saw it four times! Godzilla 2000 was the return and redesign after Godzilla’s meltdown in Destroyah. This version is still one of my favorites as I thought Godzilla looked like a cute dog, and I will never forget the first time I saw a trailer for this movie, watching Fox Kids after school and losing my goddamn mind! Godzilla 2000 certainly had some of the best effects for its time, and the action is top-notch. The big bad is a UFO that steals Godzilla’s DNA to try to become him; interesting, but the story is mostly forgettable. The final battle against “Orga” was fun but ended weirdly when Orga tried to consume Godzilla, just to get blasted from the inside!
Where to watch: Available to rent and purchase across TV apps. YouTube
3. Godzilla vs Biollante (1989 – Heisei)
Godzilla vs Biollante is hands down the best of the versus films as it maintains much of the dark and serious tones of its predecessor, Godzilla 1985, and acts as a transition to the ‘90s era of monster movies. It is a direct sequel to Godzilla 1985, where Japan is still recuperating from the last attack. A scientist uses G-cells and splices them with his dead daughter’s DNA that was spliced into a rose in a very Parasite Eve fashion. Years later, the flower with the G-cells mutates into a giant plant monster, and Godzilla is released from the volcano in which he is napping. The ensuing battles are brutal and awesome. It is also one of the few times we see Godzilla use his energy as an outward blast attack from his body. Love it!
Where to watch: DVD/Blu-ray available for purchase, available to rent and purchase across TV apps.
2. Godzilla 1954 (Gojira – Showa)
The original that started it all is a classic filmmaking masterpiece and shouldn’t be missed- Godzilla or Gojira ages like fine wine. Unlike most of the films, the original is very serious as it is a direct reflection on the effects of nuclear weapons and man playing God. Because this is one of the most dramatic films, it may be confusing to watch after all the silly ones, but I assure you the monster-smashing action is top-tier, and the human element and plot are some of the best (and are actually relevant). If you really want to watch these films, you cannot miss the original first appearance of our favorite fire-breathing monster.
Where to watch: Pluto TV, Streaming on HBO MAX
1. Godzilla Returns (1984,1985 – Heisei)
There are a few reasons why this is #1 for me, the main being the most childish. This movie was released in the US in the same year I was born, and as a kid, I took that to mean that it was “My Godzilla movie.” I used to sit and watch this movie with my 12” Godzilla action figure by my side and yell, shout, and cry. YES! I used to cry at the end every time, at least until I saw Godzilla VS Biollante and learned that the G-man lived. For real reasons, though, this is the best Godzilla movie because of its dark and mature tone and themes. If you watch the Japanese cut Godzilla Returns (1984), you will see and experience an even darker and almost horror-esque version of the film (way to go, US censors). It is also still one of the best-looking and cleverly shot Godzilla films to have come out of Japan.
Where to watch: Sadly, Godzilla 1985 is one of the most difficult films to watch today unless you are willing to pay for the rather expensive DVDs, Blu-rays, or VHS on eBay and Amazon. I can say there was a very good fan-made edit of the English version on YouTube, but it has since been taken down. Godzilla 1985 is caught in the turmoil of distribution legal battles, so fingers crossed that it gets resolved one day and we get a new version of this awesome film.
You may notice I tend to prefer the more serious films, which, more often than not, Godzilla is more of a threat. I find these films far more entertaining, and Godzilla is usually more of a badass in them. Do you agree with my list? Which are your favorites?
