Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992)** 1/2 (out of 4)Japan once again has major fears as Godzilla is back and storming towards the country looking for much more destruction. The Japanese people are in luck as Mothra is back in action and willing to take on Godzilla as well as Battra, a dark butterfly who went to the bad guys club.I must admit that I found this film to be slightly more entertaining than the previous entry, GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH simply because you didn't have to wait as long to get to the actual monsters. You know, I will freely admit that I enjoy watching these movies but I'm not a die hard fan of them and quite often while watching them I wonder who these were meant for. Were they adults who enjoyed watching the previous entries as children? Was this made for the children of Japan? I'm not really sure who they were made for but there's some childish charm to be had with them.For my money the best thing about this film are the various battle scenes. Yes, the special effects can be a bit childish and silly but to me that's part of the charm. I mean, if you're willing to believe that a giant butterfly is going to battle Godzilla then do we really need special effects like something in JURASSIC PARK? The film manages to have a child-like attitude and it's best that the viewers don't take this too seriously because, after all, we're dealing with a movie about monsters and little fairies that can predict things. I mean, what about the song these fairies sing to Mothra? The Godzilla costume looks quite good here and for the most part I liked the look of Battra. As for Mothra, he's a cute and cuddly little monster but he might be too cute for his own good. With that said, once the three are battling it certainly makes for a fun picture and one that fans should enjoy. As far as the rest goes, it is quite silly as the human characters are complete bores and there's really nothing fascinating about the actual story.

The 90's series makes way for Mothra. This time she's from the cosmos, as are her mini-twin lady friends. We're also introduced to Battra. One of the best things about this film is way each monster teeters between hero and villain. Each has a mission of their own, but they aren't exactly evil. It makes for much more interesting fights, and even a little depth to monster smash ups. The film begins as a strange Indiana Jones adventure film. Crumbling temples, rickety bridges etc. It adds for a little bit of unexpected fun before entering the world we are familiar with. Almost like if a Bond film started with a monster attack. Sure it's cheap and unoriginal, but for a film that has some boxes to tick, it's nice to have some variety. There is a heavy feminine touch to this movie. Toho trying to bring in the ladies to push up the box office receipts. The monsters have a lot more love and care, and we see a broken family at the heart of all this. This film really made me sit up during the destruction scenes. In broad daylight, it still looked real. The filmmakers now confident to compose images of monsters in the background and people in the foreground. It allows for some tremendous shots of absolute chaos, and stops the streets from seeming too empty.

There's no doubt that the strings show on the puppets in this movie; yet exactly for that reason, I suspect this was intentional. The Toho SFX crew isn't stupid - and they've successfully erased the string that wags Godzilla's tail for decades. So I can't imagine that they just slipped up here. I think the strings were supposed to show.Why might they do that? Well let's start by getting real here - the Godzilla series is essentially a series of photographed puppet shows with spectacular explosions. But while most audiences think the emphasis here is on the spectacular explosions (that obviously need excellent SFX to be credible), in reality the emphasis is on "puppet show." Puppeteering is almost a lost art. The Godzilla series arrived at exactly the time historically when professional live-performance puppeteering disappeared from our cultures (West and East), and also at the same time that movie special effects were beginning to crank into high gear. Thus the Godzilla films record the last of professional puppeteering, but in such a way as to obscure that very fact through deployment of extravagant effects.However, if you know what you're doing is recording puppet shows, it's inevitable that you'd want to poke fun at that very fact now and again - and the Godzilla series is filled with such moments, with exception of the first original film.Allowing this film to be a puppet show means that different criteria must be applied to it than are applied to, say, Star Wars or Alien. Appreciation of a puppet show does not require "willing suspension of disbelief" - one can always see the strings. Instead, what the audience enjoys is the skill with which the puppeteer brings inanimate wood to life, as well as the humor puppeteers use to construct all their stories.With this in mind, Godzilla and Mothra Battle for Earth is really a pretty good puppet show. It is beautifully designed and well-photographed; the script is rich in humor; the monsters have strong and well-defined personalities; the back-story is fairly interesting but doesn't detract from the central conflicts; and the music is just wonderful.It is probably not all that a die-hard Godzilla fan might want; but it is certainly the definitive appearance of Mothra.it is really intended for the young - and for the young-at-heart; like all really good puppet shows.I enjoyed it thoroughly, and hope the reader does too; it feels good and, if you recognize what's really going on, it's an important record of a lost art; that makes it good all the way around.

I liked this movie and I think those twin girls are quite cute in fact I'll share the entire movie with you SPOILERS!!!!!!!: A meteor has been spotted and is going to hit a trench in the ocean as it hits it wakes up Godzilla! An archaeologist named Takuya Fujita who also likes to steal breaks into a temple in Thailand. Then he takes an ancient idol suddenly there is an earthquake Takuya barely escapes but finds himself in front of a Thai army who arrest him and take him to jail. He gets 3 visitors: Dobashi from Godzilla VS King Ghidorah, Andoh who is working with a corporation in Tokyo, and Takuya's ex-wife Masako. Takuya is promised freedom but he Andoh, and Masako will have to explore an island near Indonesia called Infant Island. While they are exploring they have a close call with a bridge then they discover a huge egg. They want to know how it got there then 2 voices say in unison "It's Mothra's egg" then the 2 1-inch girls called the Cosmos walk from a flower. They tell the 3 about Mothra and the Black Mothra Battra they fear that the meteor has awoken Battra. The Cosmos allow the egg to be taken to Japan. Back in Tokyo scientists pick up a wake in the ocean they think that it's Godzilla but one says it's Battra. The egg is loaded onto a huge barge and sets sail for Japan. Meanwhile Battra emerges in the city of Nagoya and tears through the streets destroying tanks, and laser cannons with orange rays from his horn and purple rays from his eyes and obliterates almost all of the city. The 3 explorers on a ship near the barge hear about what happened at Nagoya and they pick up something huge on their radar and discover that it's Godzilla. Then the egg hatches and Mothra a big brown caterpillar climbs out then Battra appear and Godzilla and Battra battle underwater as a terrified Mothra swims back to Infant Island. Suddenly an underwater volcanic eruption swallows Godzilla and Battra the 3 explorers end up in Manila in the Phillippines and Takuya and Mesako have a drink together. Then next morning the Cosmos have disappeared Andoh has stolen them and took them back to Tokyo for his boss Tomokane. Tomokane wants to keep the Cosmos but they beg not to be. Takuya and Mesako return to Tokyo and Mesako is quite mad and their daughter Midori left in care of Mesako's sister is waiting for Mesako and Midori wants to see Takuya but he has left. Mesako goes to Mt Fuji and tells her sister's husband (I forgot his name) about the Earth wanting revenge then a small earthquake rocks the mountain. Back at Tokyo the Cosmos go to a window and sing a beautiful song which summons Mothra from Infant Island into the ocean heading for Japan. Takuya snatches the Cosmos from Andoh while he wasn't there and places them in a wicker box. Mesako tells Dobashi about Mothra but Dobashi doesn't care Mothra must be attacked and killed. Mothra is attacked in Tokyo Bay by ships but destroys them. Mothra appears in Tokyo and begins destroying the city. Mesako, Midori, and the telepathic girl Miki go to the hotel where Takuya is staying. Mesako now knows that Takuya wants to sell the Cosmos for $1,000,000 he wants to be remarried Mesako says that if he sells the Cosmos it won't be possible but if he doesn't then they can work something out. Miki runs in and tells them that Mothra is getting close and the have get out of the building. Then Mothra smashes into the building Midori begs the Cosmos to tell Mothra to stop destroying Tokyo. They tell Mothra to stop then while Mothra begins leaving the army fires at her she slowly crawls to the Diet building and curls next to it and turns herself into a cocoon. Tomokane sees what happened and ordered Andoh to get the Cosmos but Andoh refused. Then Mt Fuji suddenly erupted and Godzilla emerged Dobashi and other scientists find out that he is heading for Yokohama. Miki tells Takuya and Mesako that Godzilla is coming then the cocoon suddenly lights up then the Cosmos sing a very beautiful song as Mothra now a beautiful butterfly emerged and flew off to go kill Battra who is still alive and turned into his adult stage. Tomokane is furious and fires Andoh but Andoh doesn't care. The army tries to redirect Godzilla back into the ocean but fail. Then astonished bystanders in an amusement park in Yokohama watch as Mothra flies over them. But their awe is short lived however by loudspeakers announcing that Godzilla is approaching Yokohama and they must evacuate the amusement park. Mothra spots Battra and Battra gives chase to Mothra by firing purple rays from his eyes at her. Then Godzilla appears in Yokohama and Battra and Godzilla battle and Godzilla throws Battra wounding him and knocking him unconscious. Mothra appears and fires rays from her antennae at Godzilla and revives Battra. Then Mothra and Battra begin battling Godzilla Mothra emits lightning bolts from her wings then Godzilla throws her and she lands next to a giant ferris wheel. Then Godzilla knocked the wheel down as it's about to crush Mothra Battra grabs the wheel and drops it on Godzilla. Then Mothra and Battra join forces and Godzilla can take no more he drops to the ground and Battra and Mothra pick up Godzilla and transport him. Godzilla bites into Battra's neck killing him Mothra lets the two drop into the ocean. The next day the Cosmos tell everyone that a giant asteroid is going to hit the Earth in 1999 and completely destroy it. Mothra must go into space and destroy it Midori asked Takuya and Mesako who are going to be remarried if Mothra will be back Takuya said that they will and until that time they must take good car of the Earth. Beautiful/Sad music plays as Mothre serenely flies off into space. Really good movie 10/10