12.30.2009

Epic Fan Fic "Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny" completed!

By Donny:
"It is terrifying how quickly time seems to go by. As of a week ago I managed to complete Mothra & Godzilla: Future Destiny. After two difficult years of strenuous work and dedicated study, the piece of fan fiction managed to turn out well with positive feedback.I would like to reach out to those aspiring fan fiction writers out there who are discouraged by the complexities of producing a piece of literature---regardless the size. I cannot begin to name the number of times I wanted to give up, or thought that it was a lost cause but I feel that determination pulled me through successfully. There were days when I thought my writing was awful, and times when I thought my writing was phenomenal. I was self-conscious about what people thought about my work, but I realized that it really doesn't matter what other people think. What matters is what the writer thinks---if the story completes that person in some fashion.If there are ever difficulties whether it be being stuck in a rut of writer's block or something as simple as not knowing something, get help! Don't be afraid to ask someone else their opinion because that's what makes a writer improve---constructive criticism and reflection.I must say, it has been so fun writing Future Destiny Book I. While I am sad that it is finished (and happy at the same time), I am definitely looking forward to writing Book II.Here are links to two of the locations the story is posted at:

What was Christmas for me

Well, like I said, I didn't attend the Atlanta screening of DAM, presented by the Silver Scream Spook Show, making it two that I have missed since GMK a year ago. With that being as it is, Christmas went the way it would have if there was no DAM screening: buying memorabilia. More specificaly, I have continued the quest to get a good majority of G3 merchandise. So, though it does expose my family's ebay name, here are links to the things I have thus far bought off of ebay:
Along with that, I also bought some stuff in store, including:
And the remake of my favorite horror film (which isn't made by John Carpenter):
I know that it is unusual for me to make personal posts like this with this blog, but it is the end of 2009 so remembering what Jack Burton always says when the lighting crashes, the rain comes down in sheets thick as lead, and the pillars of heaven shake: "What the hell?"

12.26.2009

S.S.S.S. Update

Due to unforseen circumstances, me and my family cannot attend this round of the S.S.S.S. Sorry everyone.

-Evan

12.24.2009

2009 In Review


NOTE: I HAVE WRITTEN THIS BEFORE THE DAM SHOWING
Well, 2009 is over with and we are now over with the first decade of the new millennium. 2009 has been a very good but yet a very bad year for me, but I do not have much to complain about. So what exactly happened in 2009 with me? Let’s see…
Kicking off the year in January was the theatrical screening of GMK at the Atlanta, GA theatre, the "Plaza Atlanta". Seeing a Godzilla film on the big screen was quite mystifying. But the other stuff surrounding it, like the free memorabilia and the merchandise which I got, brought a new dimension to it. Quite frankly, I have and will keep on calling it a "mini-G-FEST". January also ushered in an era in which I have started taping off of my computer screen rare footage of Godzilla-related stuff. This includes trailers, event footage, 8mm film, and just a plethora of material.
February was a pale time for me. I ensued "Operation GOJIRA" for the umpteenth time. Later I would find that it was a big waste of time. March was just as a bland. April, still bland. Well, bland except for one factor: my friends supporting me. I have three friends specifically who have supported me by sending me, for lack of a better term, gifts. And I got to thank these people for showing me a lot of stuff. This is merchandise such as "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Godzilla" by Ed Godziszewski, DVD copies of the Toho Unused SFX tape, Godzilla Fantasia, Legend of Godzilla, and a lot more other stuff. They know who they are and if they are reading this, I would like to thank them again for their continued support.
May - specifically the end - was the genesis of something special. THIS BLOG! Out of the wanting to get Kaiju Galaxy forums more active and wanting to have a blog which would become, in time, a beacon of information for all. While this is slowly happening, there are still some knots which needs to be undone. But most of those knots have been untangled.
June was mainly inactive, with July being a threshold. First day of June, I was blessed to finally see what is my favorite kaiju film ever, "Gamera 3: Incomplete Struggle". And it is exactly that, my favorite kaiju film. Gamera is treated like a human character, it is dark and yet fun. The only thing I could really count against it would be the lack of the rumored cut ending of Gamera and Gyaos still duking it out with a sign of humanity either on the brink of or is already extinct.

July came, and I spent what time I had for the rest of the break on the forums. There were two forums of special note which I should mention: Clubtokyo and Tohokingdom. With Tohokingdom, I was allowed back on after a year’s suspension. And right now, it is actually quite cool. Thanks partially to Tohokingdom, I have learned some things, such as fine lining my skills of critically and personally ratings films and such. On the other side is Clubtokyo Forums. Except that I acted cocky. I acted on the defensive too much, and argued points which I was wrong about. That, and my big mouth. Through my ranting, I also became an infamous member. Then at the end of the month -coinciding with a funeral - my blog was hacked (I was tricked into giving away information). And another person - or the same - tricked me into thinking he was a certain person. So, in the end, I got banned from Clubtokyo (maybe the best thing for a while) and the possible end of a friend ship (I post comments on the aforementioned friend’s blog every now and then).
August was spent getting stuff back in gear for the school year. Starting high school! Though this is a subject I never talk about, I might as well let out some details for once. School has been going great. And in fallowing my late father’s footsteps, I decided to have the classes that you are allowed to choose consisting of computers (something I am naturally good at), physical fitness (if you saw me in real life, though I can hold my own it hasn’t helped any), and the thing which my father took up - engineering.
September was to be a good month, with "Rodan" being shown at the Plaza Atlanta. Though I didn’t go due to my mother suddenly getting ill, though one thing happened: my love for the critically terrible Children of the Corn series being resurrected once the remake came out after hearing for years on end about an eight film which never came into fruition. And now since a second remake is on the way, I am happy.

October and November consisted of just running the blog, keeping people updated with news and such while getting along with school with nothing really getting into the way. December is now here, and along with a renewed interest in Super Sentai due to news of the original MMPR being re-aired in HD and tweaked special effects (which alarms me ever so slightly, hopefully SciFiJapan will do a report on this shenanigans). Also, not to mention a restored love for "The Big-O" since seeing the official adult swim boards going a little slow along with the release of the Chogokin figure.

This year has been a good year, starting good with a mediocre middle and ending with flying colors. My collection is bigger, I am a moderator on two of my favorite forums, I can scratch being published in G-FAN off my bucket list (and I am still writing stuff, I hope to get a piece on G3 in soon with pictures from my collection). I want to thanks the friends I have had and the friends I have made along the way for making this such an awesome year.

12.23.2009

Kaiju Double Feature In Florida

Are you alone this Christmas? Do you find yourself with nothing else to do after comming home from a relative's house after the most peaceful night of the year? Well, you are in luck! The SantaFe College is hosting for the rest of the Fridays and Saturdays of this month a double feature of "Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster" and "Gamera vs. Jaiger". More information can be found here:
If you going to Florida to see these screenings and you are North of Georgia, don't forget to also stop by the Plaza Atlanta to see a 35mm screening of "Destroy All Monters" this Saturday!

12.21.2009

Looking for Someone Who Can Speak Japanese

Currently, my good friend and fellow Georgian citizen Avery Guerra has found out of an independent kaiju film that is like Gamera: "Ichimotsu", or also known as "Daikaiju Gami" for the rated G reasons. You can read about it here: http://roberthood.net/blog/index.php/2009/12/22/a-rival-for-gamera/
The point is that the film is not going to reach US shores in a legible form unless someone who is fluent in Japanese - in all three forms (writing, speaking, and reading) - is willing to translate the film for free. If you know of someone, leave a comment and please let me speak to you about this. Some canidates are already being looked through by me, but still drop me a message below. This is important!

12.17.2009

Gift from GVAMP

Well known for being a head honcho over at Tohokingdom forums, GVAMP has asked me to post three templates for e-mails to diffrent companese onto the blog. These templates are mainly for the news that Sony within the next three years may release all their Heisei Godzilla/Mothra titles onto DVD on quality releases along with G2K. Also included is stuff for the Ultraman fans who wants to write to their favorite TV station to have them show their favorite Japanese Super Hero on TV. However, GVAMP asks that you send e-mails to only companese that own multiple stations. Here are the templates:

MESSAGE NO. 1
To Whom It May Concern:

I’ve read recently online that your company is considering reissuing your Godzilla titles from the 1990s series along with the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy. I must say that it’s a wonderful idea because I would love to have proper releases for most of these films. “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah” and “Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle For Earth” were released in Pan and Scan format on DVD. If you are indeed planning on re-issuing these titles, I would buy the set or individual releases in a heartbeat. Also, something I would like to see on the discs would be the trailers for the films. I’m not expecting deluxe editions of these films but a trailer would be nice, as well as complete prints of the film (no missing credits) and proper English subtitles.

Thank you,


MESSAGE NO. 2
To Whom It May Concern:

Dear ,
I was curious if you had any plans or would be interested in licensing any of the TV shows from the Ultraman TV series. I think it would be a big hit especially if you got the license for some of the older stuff. I know for a fact that I would watch it since I’m a huge fan of that type of show. If you have any plans to license it when could we expect it to air on ? If you don’t have any plans then you should at least consider it.

Thank you,


MESSAGE NO. 3
To Whom It May Concern:

Dear , I was wondering if you would be interested in releasing any thing from the TV shows in the Ultraman series? I know there’s a lot of interest in the older stuff, mainly "Ultraman". I know that Ultraman has been released by BCI and now Millscreek but the thing with those releases are that they aren’t sanctioned by Tsuburaya, the company responsible for creating the character. I won’t bore you with back story but the company had legal issues with another company and they where cleared up recently. I know a lot of fans would buy a reissue of the first set if you worked close with Tsuburaya in releasing it since they have all the original materials for the show (something that wasn’t utilized in the first set). Other possible series you could look into would be "Ultra Q", which was a precursor to "Ultraman". Also consider "Ultraseven" which was the second show in the series. Another good show to release would be "Ultraman Nexus" since it’s very popular with fans. The reason I contacted your label is because I know your label has released many genre titles so I figured you’d be the ones to contact.

Sincerely,

12.16.2009

KaijuGalaxy Updates

Well, Donny Winter (co-founder of the KaijuGalaxy community) has an update for us reguarding the main site:

"After much difficult work and effort, the Kaiju Galaxy website has undergone a face lift giving it a more professional appearance. Of course there are still some kinks to work out, but that should be done in good time. Here is a list of the newest features:

-A 6 selection tool bar.
-Drop down buttons on each button
-Easier navigation

More centered and professional look. Feel free to browse the site and submit feedback through our “guest book” and “e-mail” feature. I'd like to personally thank Sahra Rau (wolfprincess2007) for the hard work she has put into the site's new look."

Thanks Donny and Sahra!

12.13.2009

2 Weeks Notice - DAM

Well, it is two weeks till DAM. The holidays are seemingly upon us and I hope that all who read this blog - especialy fans living in Georgia - are comming to see this film which was originaly given a wide theatrical release 40 years ago this year. So, while we think about the upcomming DAM showing, let's also think about the other tokusatsu films the Plaza Atlanta - in association with the Silver Scream Spook Show - has shown this year!



And just for the hell of it...



12.09.2009

Godzilla's Green... Again... For "Godzillabout"


News seems to be going slow this day and age. However, it seems like a new fashion in kaiju merchandise is going on - mostly with cell phones. Enter "GODZILLABOUT". A set of officialy made icons have been produced and are being used on cell phones and jackets (do not know if the jackets are official or fan made though). Check it out!

Check out the link!

12.07.2009

Monster Attack Team... No Worries

If any of you have tried visiting the official site for the ressurected Monster Attack Team fanzine and found it alarming that the link is no longer working. No worry! I have spoken to Michael Keller and here is where the site is moving to:

12.03.2009

Limited Figure From "Mothra vs. Godzilla"

Nothing much is being presented news wise in the Godzilla side of things. Or for that matter Gamera, though in terms of Ultraman stuff those of you who are interested are sure to want to know that next month the Ultraman Belial action figure is comming out. So, here is just something which I found which I thought was interesting. How many of you have seen the 1980 re-release poster for "Mothra vs. Godzilla"?

The artist who drew the picture of Godzilla on the poster is L. Matsumoto. The art of Godzilla on the poster is obviously not the Mosu-Goji suit. Instead, it is Matsumoto's interpretation of the Shodai-Goji design. Recently, the design has been blessed with a 40 CM tall vinyl embodiment limited to 100 copies. The link below shows a plain grey version of the figure. The image below is of a red hard copy on display.

Link:
http://www.zerogoodsuniverse.com/assort/goods/godzila_black.html

12.01.2009

Review: CHAW (2009)


WARNING: Major Spoilers Ahead.

What happens when you mix baby pigs, a small town, talking dogs, a cop with a pregnant wife, a mentally handicapped mother, a crazy woman, and a hunter hung up on a hook in a Saw-esque barn about to be cut up because the same aforementioned woman wants him to call her mommy? You get the newest monster film out of Korea: Chaw. But how does Chaw fair? Well, thanks to my friend Keith, I got a copy (complete with making of, deleted scenes, ect.) and I saw the film.

ALTERNATE OPENING: If I had to compare Korean monster films to other monster films, here is how it would go: Gwoemul would be Gojira, D-War would be Gamera, Yonggary (both) would be Guilala, and last but not least Chaw would be Jaws. The film is a thrill ride that sometimes uses old monster film "jump scene" tricks and puts then into new use and much more.

Unlike it’s predecessors, CHAW takes place in South Korea’s beautiful country side. The colors are nice and strong for all of the sets. This is the biggest stand out with the film. And many of the forested areas are of a creepy air - forests, an orange orchard, and other plant places with dense vegetation. Some of this plays on one of the reasons why "Children of the Corn" had at least a little bit of eeriness: a dense field of organized plants is creepy. But the forest scenery is also creepy. The hunter’s expertise in finding stuff makes it interesting and the boar’s roar is something which makes your heart feel a little disturbed. It also serves as a not-so-well-told underlying message in the film: the problems with cross breeding. More on that when you actually see the film.

Like it’s Japanese genre counterparts, Chaw takes the rout of being comedic mixed with horror. Much like the film "Gwoemul", the film does keep a current feeling of dread and terror through out the film. Such gimmicks such as the usual shot of someone walking and then all of a sudden getting hit by something are used to good effect with this film. The comedy does work though in most cases, such as when they were filming the examination of the boar’s fecal matter and hair. But there are times which it is unneeded. Sure, the actors deliver solid performances but it is sometimes not the performance that is flawed, but what they have to do. This brings me to some complaints.

But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some moments of brutality, especially if you are an animal lover like me. Though it makes me a paradox though since I live in Georgia - a state which part of it’s economic gain is it’s hunting appeal due to the vast forests we have in this state. The first two and a half minutes of the film is actually hunting footage. Deer, boar, and other beasts are shown being killed. Brutality is also sprinkled through out the film, like the scene when the boar’s children are killed. They use pig noises for the squals and stuff and well, just keep in mind that you need to do what you need to do to. That thought is going to keep those more animal inclined through the film.

Other than the times of unnecessary comedy, a thing I have beef with is an unexplored plot device. I haven’t seen the deleted scenes, but there could have been a sub plot in which the only cast member under 14 could have been shown to have had ties with the boar (evidently, the boy’s guardian knows that he is feeding the boar human food!) Another gripe I have is not so much with the film as much as the people who have reviewed this film. Many say that the CGI is bad. While higher than SciFi Channel standards, the CGI is not the best. But it is good enough. Why grade the CGI so badly? There isn’t even that much of it in it. In my opinion, if CGI was such a problem, they should have had Younggu-Art do the touch ups. For what CGI there is in the film, I feel it gets the job done.

While not a terribly great film, the film is a good film and again makes the monster part of Korean cinema look good. It is better than what SciFi Channel produced and critically better than D-WAR (not personally though). When the film gets distribution in the states, I hope a lot of you take it upon yourselves to watch the film. It is sure to be a fun thrill ride.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recomended

More On Book "The Heisei Godzilla Chronicle"

Here are some links to a lucky Japanese fan's blog who went to some events which were done to celebrate Koichi Kawakita's 20th anniversary of taking over the Godzilla series and the new book "The Heisei Godzilla Chronicle". Enjoy!


http://blog.livedoor.jp/yakannabe/archives/51336556.html
http://blog.livedoor.jp/yakannabe/archives/51336625.html
http://blog.livedoor.jp/yakannabe/archives/51337360.html
http://blog.livedoor.jp/yakannabe/archives/51338882.html