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

God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand (2006)

A young boy named Sou dreams of nasty things that eventually come to pass, but quite often to people he's never met. The premonitions take their toll, requiring the boy's sister to step in and help out.
The questions that arise during the first half hour lure us into the bloody strangeness, while the mystery drives the sister onward, but it doesn't last. It doesn't explain many of the important things, which is something I was hoping for and may be the reason I didn't like it as much as I otherwise could've. Plus, the film's best scene is also its worst scene, which was very annoying.
Ultimately, it's an interesting horror oddity from Japan that goes to some very dark places, yet fails to shed light where it was needed.

2½ coloured clues out of 5

Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)

The assassins that survived the explosive bloodbath of the first film's finale set out to bring an end to the one remaining Lord, because while civil war is still a possibility their mission objective is incomplete.
It’s still colourful but besides the occasional ridiculous villain (and the web fight) the majority of the action is less comic-booky. Some will say it’s also less eventful because of that, but the shift to a more sedate and personal journey was to my liking, meaning I preferred it over the first film.
Aya Ueto appears to be more comfortable with the role as Azumi and certainly more confident in her swordswomanship.

3½ last words out of 5

Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006)

D Note 2 continues the story from the point the first film ended. The twisty-turny battle of wills being fought between Light Yagami and the mildly eccentric L grows even more dangerous for both sides.
Misa Amane plays a pivotal role, helping put the moral nature of Light into a deeper perspective. Among other things the emotionally damaged Misa also offers up food for thought about state control and the dual natures of ambition and infatuation.
Shinigami Gelus gets hardly any screen time but evokes more emotion in a short scene than anyone else manages in over two hours.

2½ new leaves out of 5

Death Note (2006)

The Death Note is a book that causes the death of anyone whose name is written on its pages. Any fool can use it, but it takes a sharp mind to fully exploit its uses; that mind belongs to a College student, Light Yagami.
The film isn't as good as the manga or anime that preceded it, but for a TV production it does okay. The shorter running time means it lacks the depth or complexity inherent in the source, but the biggest problem is with the Shinigami (Death God). Ryuk could've been amazing, but he's rendered in a cartoonish CGI that doesn't fit with the realistic aesthetic of the rest of the film. The argument that he's supposed to appear otherworldly won’t change my mind about that. He deserved better.
It's the first half of the story only, with a cliffhanger ending, so it's advisable to already be in possession of Death Note 2 before you begin watching.

3 helpful statistics out of 5

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)

The final entry in the Heisei era Gamera trilogy is the best of the lot. Of course there’s kaijū fights, but even better is the story. It explores, from the perspective of one orphaned girl, what it means to have been in the thick of the action during GOTU (1995) and watched everything you love be destroyed: the cold and callous name for which is collateral damage.
The visible enemy resembles something from a JRPG. There’s tentacles that admittedly would be more challenging (however not impossible) to do without CGI, but I wish they’d been less liberal with it elsewhere, because it's the only stain on an otherwise astonishing display of super-detailed models and guys in rubber suits being awesome.

4 steps toward extinction out of 5

Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996)

The second Heisei era Gamera is a sequel to GOTU (1995).  A meteor shower over Sapporo brings with it some unwelcome visitors that quickly begin killing hapless civilians. The JSDF, still on the alert from the year before (see first film), are equally as quick to pull out the big guns but when has that ever been any use against a kaijū?
The turtle is needed once more. And while we’re at it let’s bring back Asagi Kusanagi in case we need another quick plot resolution.
With 60+ years of kaijū history to study and learn from it’s perhaps not surprising that the villainous Legion creature is spectacular. It towers over the townspeople and leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.
We got short-changed when it came to cover art. The Japanese theatrical poster is much better. You can check it out HERE.

3½ one-eyed bandits out of 5

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)

Gamera's ninth outing is the first of three in the Heisei era reboot. It's a kaijū movie that builds tension in the usual way by having a small group of humans tracking the destruction left by the beast(s) before the eventual reveal. The beasts are familiar giant, carnivorous, featherless birds.
There’s an ecological message beneath the chaos, but it’s the destruction of model cities that most people want to see and it doesn't disappoint.
Gamera (the creature) is awesome. He looks like a fat, stumpy turd on radar but when he surfaces he’s towering and menacing with none of the bad comedic decisions that were forced upon him in some of the previous films.

3½ shadows of evil out of 5