The 10 Best Godzilla Movies of All Time

Godzilla, the undisputed King of the Monsters, is one of the most famous beasts in cinema history. I am a life long fan of his. His films are a bigger part, if not in fact the main part, of what began my interest in monsters and horror films. And, without him, I don't know if I would be into the genre, let alone be writing about it. Including the anime (of which I am NOT a fan of) and American films there are a total of 36 Godzilla movies, which vary in quality. The following though are the creme-de-la-creme and are presented in ascending order.

10. Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah (1991)- This wild flick is the third entry in the Heisei period in the series. A triumphant return of Godzilla's greatest foe, King Ghidorah, it has time travel and some really fun and crazy plot twists. Included among these is the fuckin' awesome Mecha-King Ghidorah! The climatic battle rocks real hard!

9. Godzilla 1984/ The Return of Godzilla (1984)- This is better known in the US as Godzilla 1985, but the original Japanese cut is the vastly superior one. It's a darker more violent flick and the first in the Heisei series. You can read my full review here.

8. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)- The final entry in Showa series is a return to the darker and more serious tone of the early films. A direct sequel to the preceding film, Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla, you can read my review of it here. 

7. Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)- I've loved this fan favorite ever since I was a kid. It introduces one of the Big G's most persistent foes, the robotic terror known as Mechagodzilla. This, though, remains the best movie that he was featured in. Check out my review of it here.

6. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters Attack (2001)- Sometimes referred to as Godzilla: GMK, this is an imaginative, dark, and deadly serious take on the classic Toho monsters. Godzilla is possessed by the dead souls of those who died in the Pacific War. The other monsters are re-imagined as Guardian Monsters. The destruction scenes hold much more gravitas, than they had for a very a long time.

5. Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)- The final entry in the Millennium series (as well as being the last Godzilla flick for several years), this incredibly fun and absolutely bonkers movie tends to split fans. But, I am in the camp of it being awesome as fucking hell. My full review of it is here.

4. Godzilla Vs. Destroyah- The final entry in the Heisei series this an exciting, ass kicker that also has a lot of heart. Featuring a brand new, super powerful and scary looking, and evil monster in the form of Destroyah (his only appearance thus far), it's a truly excellent monster mash. My full review is here.

3. Destroy All Monsters (1968)- Featuring many of Toho's finest, and not necessarily finest, beasts. this fun and beloved spectacle is a most for monster fans. Sure it is a lot slow in some spots, but the film always holds your interest. The destruction scenes are cool, but it is the climatic battle that truly shines. In it, all the monsters team-up to battle the evil King Ghidorah in one of the best battles in the entire series.

2. Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964)- Without a shadow of a doubt, this classic is one of the finest kaiju movies ever made. It is also the second best entry in the entire series. Godzilla is intimidating and deadly force of destruction, while Mothra solidifies herself place as one of the greatest heroic monster ever. A childhood favorite, I'll never forget TV Guide describing it as something to the effect of: "It's excellent FX makes this a must for horror fans". Fully fucking agreed.

1. Godzilla (Gojira) (1954)- Come on man, you knew this would be number one right? The only entry in the series, that can truly be called horror, it is one of the greatest sci-fi/ horror movies ever made. Especially in it's classic uncut/ non-Raymond Burr, original Japanese version. A dark, somber masterpiece that is a powerful and haunting take on the horrors of nuclear warfare. A huge personal favorite, I have watched this one many times and will watch it many more.





That concludes this list. Agree or disagree with it? What would your top 10 Godzilla films ranking look like? Let me know in the comments section below.