Gareth Edwards' story is so inspiring. He rose from an idealistic amateur fresh from university to directing a new instalment of arguably the most famous movie monster of all and a spin-off of one of the most successful and well-known film franchises of all time. As an aspiring actor, writer, director and a current university student, I'm always being told how difficult the profession is, how I should've started when I was younger, how I need more experience and a back-up plan, etc. but learning about Gareth Edwards proves that there's always a chance of success, no matter how new you are and how hopeless it may seem.
This was hands down one of the best inspirational stories I've ever heard. He did everything from going to school, volunteering to work for free, and even grabbing a hand full of people and a camera then going across the world just to make his dream come true.
Dude, your channel definitely resurrects looking at the "art aspect" of film while also offering and presenting a more dynamic view to the audience. You really reignite my interest in film from this aspect. Thanks!
Its amazing how this small indie film has better CG than 100 million dollar movies. Its all down to giving the artists the time they need to implement the CG correctly.
I loved the film, and I respect the director even more having seen this short. It's a film about people, flavored perfectly with the aliens. The ending is almost a twist, with the aliens stealing the spotlight in a really touching and beautiful way. The way the couple is mesmerized by the alien courtship is such a perfect matching to their own path. I really dig this movie.
So many people say "they focus more on the people than the monster" for movies, honestly that's become the norm. Movies that focus on the monsters dont really get made any more. It would be a change of pace these days
And just about every time I see that sort of movie I get bored waiting for the next monster battle. It's even dumber in a franchise like Transformers where the robots are sentient and could be off having interesting adventures without any human characters present.
I really enjoyed this movie when I saw it without knowing anything about who made it or how it was made. Knowing all of this now I can appreciate it so much more. Thanks!
Wow. So much work in this movie. I also loved godzilla. I still get shivers when he shows up for the first time. Just amazingly done! Im excited for rogue one. Those trailers look way more interesting then episode 7. This guy shits out amazing visuals :)
I'm still amazed at how he managed to make CG look this good on such a low budget, all while not pre-compositing anything. Meanwhile, huge 300 million budgeted CG fests look like fake garbage.
I'm from the future, I didn't like Rogue One the 1st time, but then i watched it again and again and i was like Wow this is soooo much better than Episode 8
Great video as usual. I like your "exploring" series. It gives me reason to see films I might not otherwise give a chance, and makes other films I've seen worth checking out again to take something else away from it. Great job! Your work is appreciated.
I saw this movie for the first time while I was traveling for work and thought it had wonderful cinematography and a very compelling, yet very subtle, story and theming. Then when I realized near the end of the movie that I was seeing the devastated Galveston Island, upon which I was living at the time and walked past the same wreckage and ruins during my daily routine, that this was not just simply a movie but also a statement about lives changed and the times in which we live.
Saw this movie and thought it was very well done. I was expecting almost exactly the end description but was happy with that. From Dusk til Dawn didn't seem like a Vampire movie, until it was
This video has given me a lot more respect to Gareth Edwards. I may have not been a biggest fan of his Godzilla., but I admire his creativity and way to be artistic while on a shoestring budget. Kinda reminds me of Robert Rodriguez.
I went to Barnes & Noble to buy my missing They Live DVD and got Krull too. A older gentleman suggested since I like those two movies I should check out your Channel. He said "he'll review a movie, any movie in such a way you now have to see it". He was right and now I'm hooked on your Channel. It helps that we have the same taste in movies. I too didn't care for Fury Road. It was a nonstop action sequence but in a bad way. It felt like being on a roller coaster that was an hour and a half long. Seems like a great idea at first but after 30 minutes you just want it stop. That's my take on Mad Max Fury Road.
I have to watch this film again! Been so long, I love it so much. I hope Gareth Edwards makes a strong return with his next film. His artistic eye is one of the freshest I ever saw.
Thank you for all the work you've put into your series. I've enjoyed every damn one of them and am grateful that you take an appreciative and well-researched POV as you try to dig out the pith of these movies. This one (Monsters) hit me hard because it has always been one of my favorite movies...The leads' performances and the direction (that scene with the candles during some festival...ooooh! The boats on the rivers...) it all was so perfect. I love it so much that I'm afraid to rewatch it for the 3rd or 4th time. ANYway. When you described it in your sting as "Before Sunrise" *with tentacles* that sealed the deal: you get it. You got it. You shared the import and senseness of the film without diminishing it or being precious. Thanks for all your work. SIncerely, --jesse
2:07 I remember watching the movie Europa Report a short time after Monsters and thinking - this would be the perfect prequel! Good film that, if you're into low-budget hard sci-fi :)
I saw this movie, i really like it. Gareth Edwards is one of my favorite film directors of all time and i really liked Godzilla 2014, rogue one and monsters. Though not great films by cinema standards, they still were very well directed and made and it's served as inspiration for me to become a filmmaker!
I rented MONSTERS from the library and I enjoyed it. But I think the main reason why Godzilla 2014 wasn't received too well by the fans is becuz they focused TOO MUCH on the human characters and NOT the monsters. A Godzilla movie should be about Godzilla, that's like having a Lone Ranger movie be about Tonto. Anyway, great video.
That's not true. The reason it did so poorly is because the best main character was killed early, leaving a bunch of boring people. Then he recreated his Monsters and left Godzilla out of its own movie until the end.
The sequel was less boring as it delivered more focus on the monsters. Problem was it had the annoying preachy mother character who pretty much had to die at the end after all the destruction she had helped cause through her misguided belief.
Plus the script for Godzilla was total shit. You could record me going back and forth from my bed to the bathroom barfing with a hangover and make it seem more interesting with a little narration and some cgi.
@@jeffumbach Completely disagree on this. The sequel was the Godzilla version of the Michael Bay Transformer movies - Bad Script, Terrible Characters (wasting Great actors), No sense of scale and just relied on the audience wanting to just see fight after fight (which gets boring). I don't think the 2014 Movie was perfect but I was more invested in it as a whole and cared about what happened to the characters. I am sorry you didn't get involved in the first one but at the end of the day, it's personal.
This is inspirational. I had already given up on my dream filmmaking career after dropping out of college and working with a mediocre slasher film crew. A few more re-watches of this video and I might be able to renew my career goals. :D
You know I was just rolling thru your playlist, sir. I appreciate your reviews run the gamut from Troma Films to highly produced films and covering a good portion of genres....
So glad to see an 'Exploring...' on this, one of my favourite indie movies of all time. I loved the movie when I first saw it in a UK cinema and became fascinated with the story of its production after subsequently watching the DVD extras showing Edwards doing all of the VFX on a home computer in his bedroom. This kind of guerilla filmmaking (whilst still keeping the epic vision) is missing from the majority of western cinema nowadays. Edwards deserves everything that's coming to him after almost single-handedly creating such a tour de force.
yeah, that was debunked a long time ago. Hell, the photos of the fence on the southern border people used as evidence turned out to be a section of the fence on the US/Mexico border. www.snopes.com/mexico-guatemala-border/
Great video as always! I've loved this movie ever since I first watched it. Generally movies with this much CGI are not my cup of tea either, but Mr. Edwards really did some fantastic work here. I'm very happy Hollywood has taken notice of him and his talent. Are you looking forward to Rogue One as much as I am?
Before Sunrise with tentacles!! That was so hilarious! I loved the movie and I feel that moving to "traditional" movies takes away from the world a style that could have refreshed the tired film age we live in now. I get it, he needs to live his life, but I see it as a missed opportunity to make more Monsters.
_Monsters_, a really solid indie film. When I first heard what it was really about, I compared it favorably to the _War_ _of_ _the_ _Worlds_ book - a man travelling cross-country through a war zone against giant aliens (Tripods/Monsters).
I loved this film and Godzilla. Really never understood the flack both of them caught. I also make the comparison if Jaws with the Godzilla film he did too. Constantly teasing a sight of Godzilla at various points in the film until the eventual climax. Loved it.
I've enjoyed it when I first watched, but I didn't liked the ending. I've recently rewatched it and enjoyed it even more. This one of the most atmospheric films out there in my opinion.
Fantastic as always, Cecil! I really did like Monster. My gripes were the pacing and at times the acting, but seeing this behind the scenes, my respect for Edwards only grows. What I like is that Edwards in this film is able to get the most out of whatever resources he has given. To me, what really showcases an amazing director isn't just how many resources they have, but how they can properly utilize them whenever they are much more scarce. And for Edwards, much like Cameron, he was able to make use of every effort. Most people criticize the 2014 Godzilla film for focusing on the human characters. And while I'll admit they'd ranged from good to not good, it honored the spirit of the original film which arguably had less Godzilla and was more of a character study kind of in the vein of Dracula. I digress. Needless to say, it is this reason why I am pumped for Rogue One. Despite being a fan, Edwards clearly wants to make his mark on the brand and I believe he can do it in a dynamite way. That said, it kind of sucks he wants to back away from Hollywood for a while. But then again, dealing with studio executives and their demands, I can understand why.
I love this movie and I admire the passion of this director...he made the impossible to make this movie with a super-tiny budget and the results are simply amazing... I get a "Romero" feeling based on the kind of movies he made since, focused on characters rather then on the monsters, which are there to set the tone and the situation. Most amazing of all is that Dark Territory ( the "sequel" ) went into the Hollywood machine and turned into generic crap...well done Hollywood, you done it again!
This is one of my favorite movies. I stumbled upon it on Showtime or something and was impressed and moved with the story and how it's told. I recommend it all the time.
Thank you for doing this video! I now have way more appreciation for this amazingly beautiful film. Quick question though did you see the sequel? I haven't watched but curious of your thoughts on it.
This made me think about the movie in a very different light. I have it in my dvd-collection but I never got back to watch it more than once. Perhaps its time? Excellent exploration!
I remember seeing this film afew years ago. I liked it, but the scene I liked beat was at the gas station. I want spoil it but man it is just amazing and beautiful.
I seen this movie when it came out, was hoping for a little more monster action but still loved the story, got super excited when monsters Dark Continent came out but was the opposite, I loved the monsters especially the end when he sees the Goliath standing up but the story and acting was terrible.
I always was a little confused about this movie after seeing it the 1st time. Thanks Bruh, U cleared up everything with this vid & now I can watch again and understand the direct plot cue's alot better. Much props!! =)
I watched this expecting _Cloverfield._ It was so much more. The two protagonists slowing fall for each other during the course of the film. As they do, their attitudes toward each other changes from indifferent to protective. Just a great film.
What makes you decide on what film to cover for the week? Do you take requests? I was just wondering because I really enjoyed your "Spiders" coverage and would love if "Spiders 2: Breeding Ground" was covered because that's one of my favorite monster movies ever.
Crazy to think a passion project like this got him the Director spot for the reboot of the most popular monster movie series. Not to mention the first anthology star wars movie.
Monsters is an excellent movie. I really liked everything, the road trip and the last scene, with the two animals speaking to each other. It is poetic and beautiful.
+GoodBadFlicks I just watched both movies today and I wish they would make a third one. They should keep the story in the same universe, however they should again change the style, tone and main theme to show another POV. The first was a love story in the midst of chaos, the second was about the madness of war, I think they should make the third about finding hope at the bottom. *Short synopsis:* A mother, father and their last remaining child are one of the many new families to join a burgeoning homeless population brought on by the collateral damage caused by the military and monsters fighting. One parent tries to handle their losses anyway they can, and the other parent try to support the family through increasingly profitable - yet dangerous - jobs to get them out of poverty. Meanwhile, the child has to learn how to survive the streets and monsters to support his family his own way. What do you think, Cecil?
You're amazing. I love all your videos. I wish I could see your older videos, as I happen to love Class of 1999. I think you should do a good bad review on Surviving the Game with Ice-T. One of my favorites.
Have you considered doing something about the original "Crazies"? I think I've seen almost everything on your channel and didn't see it. The movie "Session 9" is also great. Either way, I'll be tuned in. Great stuff, much appreciated.
The story about making `Monsters' is way more interesting than the movie itself, and the only reason it has the respect it has is because of how Edwards made it. Personally I think it's average, at best. Godzilla was an absolute mess. Nobody cared about the human characters Edwards kept focusing on. When you're making a Godzilla movie, people want to see Godzilla. Yes it needed a human story too, but the balance was heavily tipped the wrong way. All this is why I have concerns about Rogue One. I've no doubt the visuals will be great (as they seem in the trailers) but even the characters seem very cold and dull. I hope i'm wrong, i really do. But for me Edwards does not have a good track record.
And here we are now and Rogue One's characters ARE cold and dull, so much so that the cynical droid has more life and personality than most of the humans and aliens. Looking back, both Rogue One and Godzilla had some checkers to their development, be it reshoots or years of rewrites, and maybe he's working with what he's given. I don't know how much power he has as a director over the script, but I just want him to put more effort into making the characters interesting. I heard he split from the Godzilla sequel to work on some smaller-scale projects, so here's hoping that without the grime of the big-budget studio Rube Goldberg machine he can improve to fix this flaw that so far is quite consistent in his small filmography.
Couldnt agree more, when i first watched monsters i didnt think of it as anything special, but the story behind it, made me respect the craft and hard work behind it.
Haven't seen Monsters yet, but I totally hated Godzilla! The humans were stupid and uninteresting as could be just could not stand it. On the other hand, I loved Rogue One. I think its my second or third favorite Wars movie (but not story). Now I don't know what to make of this fellow.
We also want a good kaiju fight, showing each individual kaiju with special abilities, we don't need to watch the pilot of a tank or Jet fighter talk about how politics are fucked up in the Kaiju Infested world, This is an example of what to see in a Godzilla or basically any Kaiju movie ever made, but NO, if Gareth Edwards directed my example plot, he would focus on the Fucked Up politicians exploiting Kaiju for an somewhat "evil" political gain. This is why Godzilla messed up on the main focus, GODZILLA KICKING KAIJU ASS.
Thanks for the great video. I love each one of your episodes especially due to all the research that goes behind them. I would just like to point a geographical issue, Mexico is not in Central America rather it is part of North America. If I understood correctly the movie was shot in Guatemala, Belize, Mexico and the U.S. While the first two are considered part of Central America this is not the case of Mexico, especially the "infected zone" that was shown in the movie. Anyhow. I do love all your reviews and especially the "exploring" series.
Gotta love how my México never fails to deliver, that damn riot was national news, but i never knew Monsters was being filmed while that happened, hay mi lindo México xD
I swear to christ, even though Godzilla popularized giant monster movies it also made the surrounding fandom into a cancerous shit hole of complaints. Seriously, the point of this movie was to focus on the human main characters as much as possible in a world where monsters are part of the norm. So why the fuck would focusing on the monsters the whole damn movie make any sense? Oh, that's right, it wouldn't! Seriously, not every giant monster movie needs to focus on the monster. Because to me "one hour and forty-five minutes of Godzilla attacking New York with no dialog except screaming and some roars" doesn't exactly sound all that entertaining.
I tried to watch the movie when it was recommended in Half in the Bag, but when they tried to pass Calderon Guardia Hospital (a Costa Rican hospital, I walk in front of it *every day*) as if it was in Mexico the movie completely broke and I couldn't watch a minute more of it.
Gareth Edwards' story is so inspiring. He rose from an idealistic amateur fresh from university to directing a new instalment of arguably the most famous movie monster of all and a spin-off of one of the most successful and well-known film franchises of all time. As an aspiring actor, writer, director and a current university student, I'm always being told how difficult the profession is, how I should've started when I was younger, how I need more experience and a back-up plan, etc. but learning about Gareth Edwards proves that there's always a chance of success, no matter how new you are and how hopeless it may seem.
This was hands down one of the best inspirational stories I've ever heard. He did everything from going to school, volunteering to work for free, and even grabbing a hand full of people and a camera then going across the world just to make his dream come true.
Wait so the guy who was selling the ferry tickets was just a local? He was pretty good.
Thoughts exactly the same !
My thought exactly. Someone has to sign him up for another project!
Dude, your channel definitely resurrects looking at the "art aspect" of film while also offering and presenting a more dynamic view to the audience.
You really reignite my interest in film from this aspect. Thanks!
Thank you! That means a lot ^^
Captain Of A Starship what is the name of your ship?
Loved this film. Rented it back in the day and was blown away by it.
See? CGI is not the enemy. It's it lazy implementation that ruins movies.
Its amazing how this small indie film has better CG than 100 million dollar movies. Its all down to giving the artists the time they need to implement the CG correctly.
GoodBadFlicks I know right? Although Edwards' Godzilla looked amazing!
Looking at you, Black Panther.
Also bad scripts.
@@GoodBadFlicks time, and of course very dim scenes, the darker it is the easier cg is to do
I loved the film, and I respect the director even more having seen this short. It's a film about people, flavored perfectly with the aliens. The ending is almost a twist, with the aliens stealing the spotlight in a really touching and beautiful way. The way the couple is mesmerized by the alien courtship is such a perfect matching to their own path. I really dig this movie.
WOW I thought the CGI was not very impressive UNTIL you said nothing was Green-screened. This film is just the gift that keeps on giving.
So many people say "they focus more on the people than the monster" for movies, honestly that's become the norm. Movies that focus on the monsters dont really get made any more. It would be a change of pace these days
31FilmTalk Agree. I am thinking about a possible good idea for a movie where the main character is a avian-like monster.
Don't call the fucking movie Godzilla then.
And just about every time I see that sort of movie I get bored waiting for the next monster battle. It's even dumber in a franchise like Transformers where the robots are sentient and could be off having interesting adventures without any human characters present.
I mean they need a story, I guess they could do something like shin godzilla we’re there is no main character
@@mytwosense9135 Gareth's godzilla had about the same amount of screentime as the first Godzilla, so it's appropriate
I really enjoyed this movie when I saw it without knowing anything about who made it or how it was made. Knowing all of this now I can appreciate it so much more. Thanks!
Wow. So much work in this movie.
I also loved godzilla. I still get shivers when he shows up for the first time.
Just amazingly done!
Im excited for rogue one. Those trailers look way more interesting then episode 7.
This guy shits out amazing visuals :)
I'm still amazed at how he managed to make CG look this good on such a low budget, all while not pre-compositing anything. Meanwhile, huge 300 million budgeted CG fests look like fake garbage.
I'm from the future, I didn't like Rogue One the 1st time, but then i watched it again and again and i was like Wow this is soooo much better than Episode 8
Great video as usual. I like your "exploring" series. It gives me reason to see films I might not otherwise give a chance, and makes other films I've seen worth checking out again to take something else away from it. Great job! Your work is appreciated.
Thank you so much! These take a lot of time so its always good to know its appreciated :)
I'm still waiting on that Tremors one. Any chance it's coming soon?
I saw this movie for the first time while I was traveling for work and thought it had wonderful cinematography and a very compelling, yet very subtle, story and theming. Then when I realized near the end of the movie that I was seeing the devastated Galveston Island, upon which I was living at the time and walked past the same wreckage and ruins during my daily routine, that this was not just simply a movie but also a statement about lives changed and the times in which we live.
Saw this movie and thought it was very well done.
I was expecting almost exactly the end description but was happy with that.
From Dusk til Dawn didn't seem like a Vampire movie, until it was
One of my favourites. Choice of the actors was spot on.
This video has given me a lot more respect to Gareth Edwards. I may have not been a biggest fan of his Godzilla., but I admire his creativity and way to be artistic while on a shoestring budget. Kinda reminds me of Robert Rodriguez.
I'm so glad you made an exploring video for Monsters. The creation and filming of the film is so interesting considering its tiny ass budget.
I went to Barnes & Noble to buy my missing They Live DVD and got Krull too. A older gentleman suggested since I like those two movies I should check out your Channel. He said "he'll review a movie, any movie in such a way you now have to see it". He was right and now I'm hooked on your Channel. It helps that we have the same taste in movies. I too didn't care for Fury Road. It was a nonstop action sequence but in a bad way. It felt like being on a roller coaster that was an hour and a half long. Seems like a great idea at first but after 30 minutes you just want it stop. That's my take on Mad Max Fury Road.
Wow thanks! That's really cool to hear. If you see him again tell him I said thank you :)
You're just a popcorn guy.
Seriously man this channel has such high quality content. Keep up the good work
One of my favorite movies and inspirations as a filmmaker/VFX artist
"before sunrise with tentacles", that sounds like hentai...
I have to watch this film again! Been so long, I love it so much.
I hope Gareth Edwards makes a strong return with his next film. His artistic eye is one of the freshest I ever saw.
Thank you for all the work you've put into your series. I've enjoyed every damn one of them and am grateful that you take an appreciative and well-researched POV as you try to dig out the pith of these movies.
This one (Monsters) hit me hard because it has always been one of my favorite movies...The leads' performances and the direction (that scene with the candles during some festival...ooooh! The boats on the rivers...) it all was so perfect. I love it so much that I'm afraid to rewatch it for the 3rd or 4th time.
ANYway. When you described it in your sting as "Before Sunrise" *with tentacles* that sealed the deal: you get it. You got it. You shared the import and senseness of the film without diminishing it or being precious.
Thanks for all your work.
SIncerely,
--jesse
2:07 I remember watching the movie Europa Report a short time after Monsters and thinking - this would be the perfect prequel!
Good film that, if you're into low-budget hard sci-fi :)
"They expected 'Cloverfield', but got 'Before Sunrise' with tentacles." I think that sounded a lot better in his head.
Yeah, that just sounds like hentai :/
I saw this movie, i really like it. Gareth Edwards is one of my favorite film directors of all time and i really liked Godzilla 2014, rogue one and monsters. Though not great films by cinema standards, they still were very well directed and made and it's served as inspiration for me to become a filmmaker!
This is one of my absolute favorite films ever.
I loved this film, often the stories behind a film are just as interesting as the film itself
I love the thought of just everyday life but there's just giant monsters roaming around indifferent to us
You should do a review on Descent (2005) I would love to hear your opinion on it.
Excellent ending
Which one? There was a different ending for American audiences...a more audience pleasing one.
Paul Dennett With her daughter and the cake in the cave.
+Gang Squad I agree.
That's my fav.
I rented MONSTERS from the library and I enjoyed it. But I think the main reason why Godzilla 2014 wasn't received too well by the fans is becuz they focused TOO MUCH on the human characters and NOT the monsters. A Godzilla movie should be about Godzilla, that's like having a Lone Ranger movie be about Tonto. Anyway, great video.
That's not true. The reason it did so poorly is because the best main character was killed early, leaving a bunch of boring people. Then he recreated his Monsters and left Godzilla out of its own movie until the end.
The sequel was less boring as it delivered more focus on the monsters. Problem was it had the annoying preachy mother character who pretty much had to die at the end after all the destruction she had helped cause through her misguided belief.
Plus the script for Godzilla was total shit. You could record me going back and forth from my bed to the bathroom barfing with a hangover and make it seem more interesting with a little narration and some cgi.
@@jeffumbach Completely disagree on this. The sequel was the Godzilla version of the Michael Bay Transformer movies - Bad Script, Terrible Characters (wasting Great actors), No sense of scale and just relied on the audience wanting to just see fight after fight (which gets boring). I don't think the 2014 Movie was perfect but I was more invested in it as a whole and cared about what happened to the characters.
I am sorry you didn't get involved in the first one but at the end of the day, it's personal.
@@Fed804 agree although i would have cared more if bryan cranston lived atleast an hour longer
This is inspirational. I had already given up on my dream filmmaking career after dropping out of college and working with a mediocre slasher film crew. A few more re-watches of this video and I might be able to renew my career goals. :D
You know I was just rolling thru your playlist, sir. I appreciate your reviews run the gamut from Troma Films to highly produced films and covering a good portion of genres....
So glad to see an 'Exploring...' on this, one of my favourite indie movies of all time. I loved the movie when I first saw it in a UK cinema and became fascinated with the story of its production after subsequently watching the DVD extras showing Edwards doing all of the VFX on a home computer in his bedroom. This kind of guerilla filmmaking (whilst still keeping the epic vision) is missing from the majority of western cinema nowadays. Edwards deserves everything that's coming to him after almost single-handedly creating such a tour de force.
I was really surprised how well made this movie was .
Building a giant wall hmm sounds familiar
Yeah, but this is to keep the aliens out.....ooooohhhhh...
...and the aliens are gonna pay for it!!
It's a nice wall. Let's make it real.
it gotta be a wall to keep all kinds of aliens but gotta watch out for those coyotes and their spaceships
yeah, that was debunked a long time ago. Hell, the photos of the fence on the southern border people used as evidence turned out to be a section of the fence on the US/Mexico border. www.snopes.com/mexico-guatemala-border/
"Before Sunrise" with tentacles is exactly "Spring".
not everyday your second feature film is a new installment of a popular franchise
You should explore Dog soldiers or Hills have eyes.
Dog Soldiers doesn't get enough love in general
@@pghbeaster To date, Dog Soldiers is bar none my favorite Werewolf movie. The way they made them all tall and spindly looking still creeps me out.
3:42 I worked in that office as a runner a few years back
It's Vertigo Films' office in London
Great video as always! I've loved this movie ever since I first watched it. Generally movies with this much CGI are not my cup of tea either, but Mr. Edwards really did some fantastic work here. I'm very happy Hollywood has taken notice of him and his talent.
Are you looking forward to Rogue One as much as I am?
Before Sunrise with tentacles!! That was so hilarious! I loved the movie and I feel that moving to "traditional" movies takes away from the world a style that could have refreshed the tired film age we live in now. I get it, he needs to live his life, but I see it as a missed opportunity to make more Monsters.
This is a really great video. Keep it up. You should try to do more like these.
So refreshing to not see an inane "first" comment.
_Monsters_, a really solid indie film. When I first heard what it was really about, I compared it favorably to the _War_ _of_ _the_ _Worlds_ book - a man travelling cross-country through a war zone against giant aliens (Tripods/Monsters).
I loved this film and Godzilla. Really never understood the flack both of them caught.
I also make the comparison if Jaws with the Godzilla film he did too.
Constantly teasing a sight of Godzilla at various points in the film until the eventual climax. Loved it.
I've enjoyed it when I first watched, but I didn't liked the ending. I've recently rewatched it and enjoyed it even more. This one of the most atmospheric films out there in my opinion.
Fantastic as always, Cecil!
I really did like Monster. My gripes were the pacing and at times the acting, but seeing this behind the scenes, my respect for Edwards only grows. What I like is that Edwards in this film is able to get the most out of whatever resources he has given. To me, what really showcases an amazing director isn't just how many resources they have, but how they can properly utilize them whenever they are much more scarce. And for Edwards, much like Cameron, he was able to make use of every effort.
Most people criticize the 2014 Godzilla film for focusing on the human characters. And while I'll admit they'd ranged from good to not good, it honored the spirit of the original film which arguably had less Godzilla and was more of a character study kind of in the vein of Dracula. I digress. Needless to say, it is this reason why I am pumped for Rogue One.
Despite being a fan, Edwards clearly wants to make his mark on the brand and I believe he can do it in a dynamite way. That said, it kind of sucks he wants to back away from Hollywood for a while. But then again, dealing with studio executives and their demands, I can understand why.
I love this movie and I admire the passion of this director...he made the impossible to make this movie with a super-tiny budget and the results are simply amazing...
I get a "Romero" feeling based on the kind of movies he made since, focused on characters rather then on the monsters, which are there to set the tone and the situation.
Most amazing of all is that Dark Territory ( the "sequel" ) went into the Hollywood machine and turned into generic crap...well done Hollywood, you done it again!
This is one of my favorite movies. I stumbled upon it on Showtime or something and was impressed and moved with the story and how it's told. I recommend it all the time.
I love this movie! It was great that Edwards was able to bring this style to Godzilla, and I have high hopes for Rogue One.
Thank you for doing this video! I now have way more appreciation for this amazingly beautiful film. Quick question though did you see the sequel? I haven't watched but curious of your thoughts on it.
This made me think about the movie in a very different light. I have it in my dvd-collection but I never got back to watch it more than once. Perhaps its time? Excellent exploration!
Exploring Shaun of the Dead?
Hot Fuzz!
Kyle Roy Both!
and also the world's end
Not a Good Bad Flick, definitely a Good Good Flick.
@@whowantsabighug i mean hes covered tons of films he likes
An utterly stunning underrated gem of a movie with a sublime soundtrack.....
You just made me consider watching this movie again someday.
Plus, 'Before Sunrise with Tentacles' is even better than the actual title.
Appreciate the work you put into your videos!
Love these. "The People Under the Stairs" would be a good one
He really must be really talented, He made Godzilla & STAR WARS into sleep aid.
Thank you, mr gareth edwards you inspirational to make filmmaker great again !!!! .
Gareth Edwards should do something for Halo. Have him direct a Flood horror game.
Saw this on netflix and loved it! Awesome video mr. Cecil!
The "monsters" ended up having beautiful moments. It was a pleasant surprise.
I remember seeing this film afew years ago. I liked it, but the scene I liked beat was at the gas station. I want spoil it but man it is just amazing and beautiful.
Just discovered your channel from your "The Fly 2" review. Good stuff, dude, subbed.
Thanks for the sub!
+GoodBadFlicks Are u going to make a video about Michael Cimino since he passed away
+GoodBadFlicks what are your thoughts on only God forgives
Same here,except it was 2 years ago.
For me, that is.
The movie was alright but the fact that he did all of the special effects himself is absolutely amazing considering how good everything looks.
thanks for the review, I love this movie. to me it's the 3rd best love story in a movie.
2:26 see they built a wall
I seen this movie when it came out, was hoping for a little more monster action but still loved the story, got super excited when monsters Dark Continent came out but was the opposite, I loved the monsters especially the end when he sees the Goliath standing up but the story and acting was terrible.
I would like to see a explore on one of Adam Wingard films.
It's a shame that Edwards dropped out from Godzilla 2. He understood what Godzila truly is.
loved this movie, i also started seeing scoot mcnairy in alot of movies afterwards
I always was a little confused about this movie after seeing it the 1st time. Thanks Bruh, U cleared up everything with this vid & now I can watch again and understand the direct plot cue's alot better. Much props!! =)
This was a great video. Very inspirational!
I know, I was just thinking, "Now this is how you do it.." right until the part about the decapitated heads.
I watched this expecting _Cloverfield._ It was so much more. The two protagonists slowing fall for each other during the course of the film. As they do, their attitudes toward each other changes from indifferent to protective. Just a great film.
Man, this was really interesting!
I kinda wanna see an extended cut of this movie. Maybe not a 4 hour cut but still an extended cut
2:27 - Wow... Donald wasn't kidding around...
What makes you decide on what film to cover for the week? Do you take requests? I was just wondering because I really enjoyed your "Spiders" coverage and would love if "Spiders 2: Breeding Ground" was covered because that's one of my favorite monster movies ever.
Crazy to think a passion project like this got him the Director spot for the reboot of the most popular monster movie series. Not to mention the first anthology star wars movie.
Thank you for this. I now have a reason to check it out.
You should mention the excellent soundtrack by Jon Hopkins - truly beautiful and works so well with the visuals and monsters.
Monsters is an excellent movie. I really liked everything, the road trip and the last scene, with the two animals speaking to each other. It is poetic and beautiful.
i love this movie and i love this video! thanks for putting this up!
Hey Cecil, you going to do an 'Exploring Monster: Dark Continent' eventually?
Probably not, they kind of threw a lot of what made the original so good out the window.
GoodBadFlicks phooey and pshaw, it wasn't bad. Oh well, whatever you pick next I'm looking forward to seeing.
+GoodBadFlicks I just watched both movies today and I wish they would make a third one. They should keep the story in the same universe, however they should again change the style, tone and main theme to show another POV. The first was a love story in the midst of chaos, the second was about the madness of war, I think they should make the third about finding hope at the bottom.
*Short synopsis:*
A mother, father and their last remaining child are one of the many new families to join a burgeoning homeless population brought on by the collateral damage caused by the military and monsters fighting. One parent tries to handle their losses anyway they can, and the other parent try to support the family through increasingly profitable - yet dangerous - jobs to get them out of poverty. Meanwhile, the child has to learn how to survive the streets and monsters to support his family his own way.
What do you think, Cecil?
You're amazing. I love all your videos. I wish I could see your older videos, as I happen to love Class of 1999. I think you should do a good bad review on Surviving the Game with Ice-T. One of my favorites.
Or Remo Williams.
That's called genius Creativity. I would think ANY producer/film company would seek out Edwards for pretty much anything.
When do you plan on Exploring Road Warrior and Thunderdome? You said you would eventually cover it in your Mad Max vid
Have you considered doing something about the original "Crazies"? I think I've seen almost everything on your channel and didn't see it. The movie "Session 9" is also great. Either way, I'll be tuned in. Great stuff, much appreciated.
watched this movie a while back...and i kept on thinking "surely that's not CGI" ...but apparently it is...great animation job!!
The story about making `Monsters' is way more interesting than the movie itself, and the only reason it has the respect it has is because of how Edwards made it. Personally I think it's average, at best. Godzilla was an absolute mess. Nobody cared about the human characters Edwards kept focusing on. When you're making a Godzilla movie, people want to see Godzilla. Yes it needed a human story too, but the balance was heavily tipped the wrong way.
All this is why I have concerns about Rogue One. I've no doubt the visuals will be great (as they seem in the trailers) but even the characters seem very cold and dull. I hope i'm wrong, i really do. But for me Edwards does not have a good track record.
And here we are now and Rogue One's characters ARE cold and dull, so much so that the cynical droid has more life and personality than most of the humans and aliens. Looking back, both Rogue One and Godzilla had some checkers to their development, be it reshoots or years of rewrites, and maybe he's working with what he's given. I don't know how much power he has as a director over the script, but I just want him to put more effort into making the characters interesting. I heard he split from the Godzilla sequel to work on some smaller-scale projects, so here's hoping that without the grime of the big-budget studio Rube Goldberg machine he can improve to fix this flaw that so far is quite consistent in his small filmography.
Couldnt agree more, when i first watched monsters i didnt think of it as anything special, but the story behind it, made me respect the craft and hard work behind it.
i actually enjoyed this movie and was way better than godzilla
Haven't seen Monsters yet, but I totally hated Godzilla! The humans were stupid and uninteresting as could be just could not stand it. On the other hand, I loved Rogue One. I think its my second or third favorite Wars movie (but not story). Now I don't know what to make of this fellow.
We also want a good kaiju fight, showing each individual kaiju with special abilities, we don't need to watch the pilot of a tank or Jet fighter talk about how politics are fucked up in the Kaiju Infested world, This is an example of what to see in a Godzilla or basically any Kaiju movie ever made, but NO, if Gareth Edwards directed my example plot, he would focus on the Fucked Up politicians exploiting Kaiju for an somewhat "evil" political gain. This is why Godzilla messed up on the main focus, GODZILLA KICKING KAIJU ASS.
do you ever sleep? i swear, every time i cut on the compooter, i see a new vid.
Not very much, I'm a working machine. :)
don't burn yourself out.you're my fav movie channel, so take care.
LOL, its cool I'm just kidding. I have a good schedule is all. I do need a vacation but can't afford one right now.
Oh and thanks! Glad you enjoy the show :)
GoodBadFlicks
you do such a good job, that if i get a notification for your channel, i hide at work and watch it. youre the best, Cecil.
Thanks for the great video. I love each one of your episodes especially due to all the research that goes behind them. I would just like to point a geographical issue, Mexico is not in Central America rather it is part of North America. If I understood correctly the movie was shot in Guatemala, Belize, Mexico and the U.S. While the first two are considered part of Central America this is not the case of Mexico, especially the "infected zone" that was shown in the movie.
Anyhow. I do love all your reviews and especially the "exploring" series.
Mexico is Central America
Gotta love how my México never fails to deliver, that damn riot was national news, but i never knew Monsters was being filmed while that happened, hay mi lindo México xD
I swear to christ, even though Godzilla popularized giant monster movies it also made the surrounding fandom into a cancerous shit hole of complaints. Seriously, the point of this movie was to focus on the human main characters as much as possible in a world where monsters are part of the norm. So why the fuck would focusing on the monsters the whole damn movie make any sense? Oh, that's right, it wouldn't!
Seriously, not every giant monster movie needs to focus on the monster. Because to me "one hour and forty-five minutes of Godzilla attacking New York with no dialog except screaming and some roars" doesn't exactly sound all that entertaining.
Thank you for exploring this movie. Made us want to watch it, and we loved it!
What a cool story, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
This film is a great example of how CGI can be used to make a good film better and, not be used out of laziness. This is a great film.
Great job as always, but I'm surprised you didn't mention anything about how the ending is at the beginning of the movie.
I tried to watch the movie when it was recommended in Half in the Bag, but when they tried to pass Calderon Guardia Hospital (a Costa Rican hospital, I walk in front of it *every day*) as if it was in Mexico the movie completely broke and I couldn't watch a minute more of it.
I was surprised to learn there’s a sequel
Love the creativity of the director.