Anyway (you'll probably see this word a lot; it's just one of those words I use far too often), There have been a few great films in the last few years that I thought I'd mention. Why? Not sure. Probably the same reason I enjoy heavy metal. And like music, I'm not interested in extreme movies; not a fan of gore or over-the-top antics; I just like a good monster.
After seeing a recent preview for the new Godzilla movie, I think it just got the juices flowing...
Pacific Rim is probably the most recent movie of this category; definitely not one of Del Toro's best flicks, but a lot of fun watching immense robotic weapons defending humanity against otherworldly dinosaurs! The acting, as one friend pointed out, isn't great, but that's not generally why I watch movies about monsters. Pacific Rim is kind of a cross between the Tranformers movies and the Godzilla franchise, but with arguably better acting than the former and cooler special effects than the later.
Another one worth mentioning is the oddly humorous Irish import, Grabbers. Something has fallen from the skies near an island town off the coast of Ireland. Very original, I know, but the story gets crazier and funnier. The creatures that are discovered are relatively small and would land somewhere between a starfish and a Pompeii Worm, but obvioiusly things get worse as the town discovers these things grow quickly and enjoy non-inebriated flesh whenever they can get it! Sound corny? Well, yeah... it is... but it's also one of the funniest horror/monster movies I've seen in a while. Kind of a Shawn of the Dead-version of the kind of sci-fi invasion movies I remember seeing as a kid. Good Stuff...
Another import, this time from South Korea, is The Host. Unfortunately, there is another, bigger-name movie that came out a few years ago with the same name. Just look for the one with the humongous tail coming out of the water and you'll be alright; otherwise, all bets are off.
All of this got me thinking; and that can be a dangerous (or obnoxious) thing. Why do I like big monster movies? Why do I like any monster movies, for that matter?
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| Probably the greatest book Stephen King has ever written... and it's non-fiction... |
I think this is a fundamental part of the good monster movie for me. I like knowing the zipper is going up the back, while at the same time getting completely sucked into a story. I don't think anything freaks me out (or turns me off) more, as a movie-goer, than a psychopathic killer. Okay, stories involving exorcisms and demons (from a Christian perspective) ... and zombies - Sorry, Brad and Shane - bother me, too, but nothing quite like the "real" evil that lives among us.
If you think about it, an over-sized reptilian or simian creature that crushes cars underfoot and knocks down buildings in its path is far more fun than scary, generally. Man? A psychotic killer? Someone that looks like an ant from the fifteenth floor of a building? Freakin' creepy.... he could disappear at a moments notice and we wouldn't find him until long after it's too late for some innocent victim. A humongous creature from the sea... or outer-space... or some primitive undiscovered island? Where's he going to go?
Okay, I think I'm going off track a little, again.
I grew up watching Godzilla movies on our little color TV, after school. If it wasn't Godzilla, it was Mothra... or Son of King Kong... or Mighty Joe Young. I had visions of a great monster coming up out of the ocean, on the horizon, when we'd go to the beach. I also remember thinking, once or twice, how cool... and scary!... it would be to see a giant reptilian form slowly arising behind the hills in the distance. I had similar thoughts about flying saucers, but that's another blog...
Big monsters are cool and fun. Large teeth, great appetites, and the mystery surrounding a massive creature that comes out of virtually nowhere? Good stuff.
