Best Godzilla Movies

I'll help with this. I'm going to try and take as much personal favoritism and bias out of this response as I can.

1. Godzilla (1954)

2. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

3. Monster Zero (1965)

4. Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster (1964)

They wouldn't necessarily be my top favorites, but I think those are probably amongst the series best in terms of directorial style, characters, story creativity and the movies that the rest of the series take the most ques from. If you wanted to throw some modern films in the mix to shake things up a bit I think Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) probably represent the peak of artistic sensibilities in the latter eras.

1954 aside (because we know it's the top one), godzilla vs biollante would be a pick for me

1. Godzilla (1954)

2. Godzilla (1984)

3. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

4. GMK (2000)

5. Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster (1964)

6. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

7. Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Lol of COURSE you pick Monster Zero GMan. Then again, my avatar is also in one of my picks so fair's fair I guess. 

For the record, I still believe you should watch the films/get more familiar with the franchise before writing an article, but eh, here are my 2 cents all the same. 

1. Gojira (1954):

While the special effects are dated, and political messages in the film lack resonance with modern audiences, this was a GREAT movie for its time. And not just a great Godzilla movie, but a great film, period. It was nominated for the Japanese equivalent of an Oscar for Best Picture and it won the Japanese "Oscar" for Special Effects.

The imagery of cities burning (like Tokyo fire-bombing burning...not Transformers explosion burning), crowded hospitals treating peope for radiation poisoning, and other WWII-esque imagery is reported to have made several movie goers cry in the theatre. At a time when making films about Hiroshima and Nagasaki was illegal, Godzilla provided the most powerful political allegory of any film (Godzilla film or otherwise) before or since.

As if that wasn't enough, the original Godzilla spawned a whole new genre of special effects and filmmaking style. It wasn't considered ''cheesy'' by its generation. On the contrary, it was actually something similar to 'The Matrix' or 'Avatar' of its time effects wise.

Admittedly, we are probably too removed from Godzilla's original context for the film to have the same impact. Honestly, when I watched it, I found it kind of boring. But that doesn't mean I can't retroactively appreciate it for what it was. 

2. GMK (2001):

This movie is somewhat controversial among G-Fans for how much it changed. But for me, I felt the series had retread the same ground so many times, it was about time somebody tried something fresh. For this movie, they gave Godzilla a new origin story, changed the cinematography, focused the political themes around Japanese youth culture, and even made Ghidorah a good guy.

I personally appreciated Godzilla's return to his status as a villian. This movie was also slightly darker than some of the other films, focusing more on the human suffering and impact of Godzilla's attacks, rather than having it be 100% Transformersesque spectacle destruction. 

Objectively, this movie is a little over the top. It definitely isn't grounded. Non-G fans would probably have a hard time taking it seriously. However, for fatigued Godzilla fans who were tired of seeing the same thing over and over again, this movie felt like the swift kick in the ass the Godzilla series needed. 

Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (1974):

Ok, this movie is straight up, cheesy, sci-fi camp. However, as camp goes, it did really change the tone/direction of future Godzilla movies. 

As suitmation special effects became increasingly unable to compete with rival effects in film making, Godzilla movies in the mid-late 60's starting to become increasingly marketed to children, rather than adults who less forgiving of the aging effects than kids were. This led to such catastrophes as 'Son of Godzilla' and 'Godzilla's Revenge' among others. 

Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla finally returned Godzilla to the realm of young adult/adult films, with monsters spurting blood, people being strangled, and a slightly more serious tone. While Godzilla still played the typical Showa-era 'Earth Defender' role, Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla really layed down the brickwork that the Heisei series would later pick up and run with, making Godzilla movies for an older age group from then on out.

Godzilla vs King Kong (1962):

I might catch some flak for this pick, but hear me out. This movie is probably not as technically good as some of the other movies listed. But it is entertaining and iconic in its own right. Furtheremore, this movie really defined the new direction of Godzilla movies with aplomb.

After the success of the 1954 version, audiences were incredibly disappointed with the shameless cashgrab that was 'Godzilla Raids Again' in 1955. The negative reception of the masterpiece's sequel led Toho to take a mini-break from the character while they decided what direction to go with it.

In 1962, Godzilla vs King Kong, was Toho's answer. Marketed outright as a mega monster brawl, this movie definitively decided to move Godzilla way from its somber and political origins. Owning this fact, helped Godzilla vs King Kong greatly at the box office, as audiences didn't feel misled about what the movie was. This movie succeeded at being exactly what it said it was going to be...a feat few movies can duplicate.

This movie came out when suitmation and miniature effects still held up, and as such, it wasn't actually viewed as cheesy. Sure, the plot was outlandish and simplistic, but the effects were genuinely entertaining at the time. Going to see Godzilla vs King Kong would have been very similar to seeing Transformers or The Amazing Spiderman-2 nowadays, enjoyable spectacle meant to appease the eyes more than the brain.

This movie truly deserves credit for setting up a market for 'Godzilla vs. ...' movies, which Toho would spend the better part of a decade milking to death. Like it or hate it, this movie does deserve credit for defining what Godzilla would become. 

And seeing as how you were a good sport and asked for best, in addition to worst, here's take for the top 4 worst Godzilla movies:

1. Godzilla's Revenge:

Over use of stock footage, overly simplistic plot, Minilla, the whole thing winds up being a dream anyway??? Uncool dude...uncool

2. Godzilla vs Megaguirus

Overly weak opponent...very long, dull build up to a very anti-climatic fight. Not much pay off even in the cheesy goodness department. 

3. Godzilla Raids Again

Horrendous. Terrible sequel to the 1954 original. Less than 6 months from start of production to release...total cash grab. In the American release they even renamed the monster from Godzilla to Gigantis so audiences didn't associate this crap with Godzilla.

4. Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla

Inconsistent plot, dull fight scenes, the return of Minilla for a pretty stupid plot device, overall, just weaker than the Heisei films before or after.

1. Godzilla vs Destroyah

2 Godzilla vs Biollante

3. Godzilla king of the Monsters

1. godzilla 1954

2. godzilla vs monster zero 1965 a.k.a. invasion of astro monster

3. godzilla vs destroyah

4.gmk 2001 :)

ok i think im just going to put down the ones i liked the least:)

They Are: ALL MONSTERS ATTACK(GODZILLA'S REVENGE)

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA

GODZILLA 1998

Okay I understand two of those but mind if I ask why Terror of Mechagodzilla is in the bottom for you?