Shin Godzilla
Shin Godzilla
Directed by Hideaki Anno & Shinji Higuchi
Photographed by Kosuke Yamada
2016
Starring: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi
As a fervent Monster movie fanatic, I was more than excited when I heard Toho Studios released a more up to date version of Godzilla, me being resenting of Hollywood's lame attempt to bring the massive reptile to more familiar lands. Shin Godzilla is vibrant and colorful and playful, something not too easy to do when dealing with mass destruction of a city. Anno and Higuchi worked collectively to direct this adaptation and the outcome is fascinating. When watching the film, I feel like I'm reading a comic book. The quick cuts from setting to setting, from one situation to another make me feel like I'm flipping through manga. The pastel colors and cinematography was where my focus was throughout the film, however. The beautiful colors and contrasts, the set decoration, the wardrobe, the choice of composition-- all of these elements added to what truly came out to be an exceptional film. There is definitely an abundance of anime influence present, as the directors come from working in this field. This is where the film's oddity comes from, but it works more than well because both Anno and Higuchi know how to tell a story in that way. They ultimately made an anime with real live actors, and it's fucking dope!
