Mothra (1961)

The début film for Toho's other famous kaijū begins with a typhoon in the Pacific. It forces a ship's crew to seek refuge on Infant Island, a place believed to be radioactive. A return expedition there uncovers something wondrous, which the less moral members of humanity typically disrupt, enslave and exploit. Their selfish actions bring an island god incarnate to their door.
Not inherently evil — in fact, with intentions that are objectively good — Mothra nevertheless brings death and destruction to much of Tokyo, with a force that's interestingly similar to the one that wrecked the sailors' ship.
Action scenes are typical of kaijū films of the era, with some quality miniature buildings, but the exotic flora and Polynesian-esque culture stand out.

3 mysteries of life out of 5

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)

The twenty-first film has a stupid name but please don't hold that against it. Personally, I loved it, and if you like your special effects built by hand in the real world then the space scenes will maybe make your day, too.
Spiky rocks hurtle towards Earth, crash landing on a mostly uninhabited island in the Pacific. Godzilla is laying low. Space Godzilla is building up!
Oh, mankind. If you can't kill something then you try to control it. Haven't you learned yet that hubris often leads to retribution with sharp teeth?
The story gives us two evils and allows us to decide if we're going to side with the lesser of them. If your sympathies are up to the task, I believe that's the way to go in order to get the most from the film.
The script has a few problems, but I don't understand the negative response of some fans. For his part, Dir. Yamashita delivered the goods in style.

3½ energy fields out of 5

Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)

In the nineteenth film a space rock hits the Pacific, missing land but the aftereffects are far from harmless. Elsewhere, on Infant Island, an Asian Indy Jones makes me shake my head disdainfully. Can the divine moth save the day and the film from crap Spielberg-isms?
There aren't enough active roles; most of the humans are onlookers, either from the sidelines or safely tucked in front of monitors. The ones that do get involved had potential, but the slide to a more kid-friendly attitude (again!) meant the relationship was kept out of murky waters.
Mothra spends a lot of time in larval form. It's a long time before the unleashed imago form lights up the screen. But what's perhaps more of an issue is that the writer(s) seemed to have no idea what to do with Godzilla. The film should really be called Mothra vs ______, with special guest Godzilla.

3 harmonies out of 5

Godzilla × Mothra × Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003)

aka Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Having been licking wounds for a whole year, Godzilla returns to finish the job. It's time to reset the counter... [00] Days Since Last Kaijū Attack.*
It's a grudge match. No one is safe. Measures must be taken. The military are warned against using their biggest gun, reminded of their previous folly, but when have men of war ever not wanted to fire a weapon they own? You might as well ask Godzilla to respectfully go around a building when the most direct route is obviously to go right through it!
The plot is more simplistic than the previous film, leaving more time for action, something that it readily plays up to. When fights are as spectacular as what's on display it's not ignominious to favour them. (In combat, nothing pleases me more than seeing Mothra.) As such, I'm scoring it by adjusted criteria.

*GxMxM is a sequel to GxM (2002). It’s the 27th film in the series and the 4th in the Millennium era. Interestingly, it also references the first Mothra film (1961).

4 big heart beats out of 5

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

They thought it was an earthquake. It was no earthquake.
Godzilla's back. And so too are a trio of popular kaijū, who together may just be able stop the bully before it wrecks everybody's shit... again.
Being freed from continuity means GMK can add what it wants to the mythos, as long as it doesn't contradict the original 1954 film. One such addition is an odd spiritual side that will have some fans screaming heresy. Personally, I felt it could've been better balanced but I was okay with it existing.
The creatures got a makeover. Baragon looks ace. Mothra is somewhat wasp-like (but still awesome). Ghidorah's facial features and size were modified. So too were Godzilla's; I didn't like Godzilla's very much, the beer-belly was the wrong kind of silly. Regardless of personal feelings (why no Shobijin or song?!), it's an excellent film in its own way. It even makes Ghidorah cool.

It’s the 25th film in the series and the 3rd in the Millennium era (i.e. standalone, alternative sequels to the 1954 original).

4 leading examples out of 5

Rebirth of Mothra III (1998)

I confess I'm not clear on why the golden menace King Ghidorah does what he does when he first appears, but I can forgive the lack of a full explanation because I'm super-happy to get more of Mothra.
The story requires some sizeable acceptances of movie logic on the part of the viewer, it all goes a bit crazy once or twice, but it retains a sense of fun which acts as a kind of buffer against too much nitpicking. It also manages to deliver the kind of action you expect to see while simultaneously expressing the notion that love in all its forms, both good and bad, can give the strength needed to overcome impossible odds. It sounds sickeningly twee when written down but it works okay in context.

3½ true selves out of 5

Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)

The peace of Infant Island is shaken when the Elias sisters sense something threatening on the horizon. The ocean is being contaminated and it’s up to them and a trio of schoolchildren to put a stop to it before a fierce aquatic terror rises from the deep and destroys all marine life.

It’s a more kid-friendly sequel that works the three youngsters into the plot a lot better than the previous film did, but it’s not as good overall. Their adventure had a slight Lucas and Spielberg influence that I really disliked.

Mothra (well, technically Mothra’s son, Mothra Leo) is super-brave and keeps the excitement meter high every time he swoops in on his rainbow-coloured wings. He has some powerful attacks that his mother lacked, which was eyebrow-raising and convenient.

3 showers of miracle piss out of 5

Rebirth of Mothra (1996)

The first in a trilogy of Heisei era ‘Rebirth’ films for Mothra. It’s a children’s adventure story with upfront and important messages about the value of a stable family unit and the environment, and if you somehow fail to pick up on the lessons they’re sledge-hammered home at the end.
The transparent nature of the story doesn't weaken the magical spectacle of the action; it too is able to inspire a young mind: Mothra is colourful and furry in her imago form, and looks delicate, but she goes selflessly against a larger foe for both the greater good and to protect what she loves.
Fighting alongside the winged kaijū is courageous youth and tiny women, showing that even little people can make a big difference.

3 calls for loved ones out of 5

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

It's easy to see why Final Wars split fan opinion so much. Kitamura made a kaijū film that's packed with outside influences, and even though it references much of the series history it's not always complementary to the tone.
It's a sci-fi adventure set on Earth, with at least a dozen creatures pulled from retirement for an all out monster brawl that's pure insanity. Just when you think it can't possibly have any more deus ex machinas in its arsenal it pulls another one from somewhere, bundled with stupid-fun and a pre-made 'Why the hell not?' coupon for the viewer to immediately redeem.
It's a two-hour film, but the pace rarely slows down because it sacrifices character development to keep the excitement thundering along.

It's the 28th film in the series overall and the 6th and final entry in the Millennium era (i.e. standalone, alternative sequels to the 1954 original).

3½ giant wake up calls out of 5

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

The ninth* Godzilla movie has eleven kaijū in all, gathered together and housed on an island named Monsterland (not to be confused with Monster Island). The world will be in trouble if the high tech (i.e. piss-poor) barriers ever break, so let’s hope that never happens, eh?
If that wasn't enough, there’s a second threat that may well have had a hand in orchestrating the first. It never rains but it pours.
It’s fun but some of the kaijū are wasted; they're relegated to a spectator role while the usual suspects screech and thump their way to the finale.

3 invasions out of 5

*Rodan’s fourth and Mothra’s fifth. I'm not going to mention all the others. I’d be here all day if I had to list their origins and appearances.

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

aka Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster

The series returns from the terrors of outer space to the horrors of the deep sea; I’m happy with that, because some of the things that live down there are more alien than many sci-fi concepts anyhow.
Four guys get washed ashore on an island and flaff around for a while before the bad guys and their James Bond-esque nuclear bomb-making facility is introduced. If that wasn't bad enough, the creature attack is by a giant, cumbersome, unimaginative lobster. The slide into the ridiculous is cemented by the addition of some very dodgy music.
Putting the lobster-suited guy in shallow water was a cheapo way to imply scale on a reduced budget. It’s not as much fun as model cities being stomped, but the change in environment is worked well into the plot.

Ebirah was new but the film was Godzilla's 7th and Mothra's 4th.

2½ rubber legs out of 5

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

If proof were needed that adding more monsters to a film doesn't necessarily make it better, look upon exhibit A. It’s the first to feature King Ghidorah, but what’s not evident from the title is that it’s also the fifth Godzilla film and continues the story of Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964).*
A storm of meteorites lights up the night sky, bringing with them the three-headed King of destruction. Meanwhile, the big G and Rodan are going head to head, dragging the franchise into new territory. There are elements of slapstick creeping into the bouts. Nut shots were okay, but did we really need a game of keepie-uppie with a rock? Bloody hell.

*If you want to keep track of the other monsters, it's the third outing for Mothra and the second for Rodan who each had their own series.

2½ stubborn creatures out of 5

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

Forget that rubbish King Kong entry. M vs G is how to do a crossover!
There are two main villains, the angry Godzilla and a greedy businessman, but only one of them gets to wear a rubber suit in public.
It takes place mostly outside the city in an open landscape, so the sets are more expansive and less claustrophobic. That extra room gives Mothra space to swoop and fly around in. I really like Mothra's imago form. She’s colourful, noble, fights to the bitter end and has her own cool theme song.
It contains a similar kind of explosive imagination and charm as Ray Harryhausen's Sinbad films, but in a very, very Japanese way.
There's no doubt that the first film had more socio-political depth, but for pure awesomeness in the Shōwa era I go with Mothra vs. Godzilla.

3½ super-conductive metal nets out of 5