G-FEST XIX Dates Released

The word on the street--OK, on Facebook--is that G-FEST XIX will convene July 13--15, 2012, at the Crowne Plaza in Rosemont. There had been some talk about a possible change of venue, but apparently the deal is done!

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Kaiju Modeler

Our first G-FEST (XVI, featuring Guest of Honor Kenji Sahara) was punctuated by a raffle win from the Kaiju Modeler booth. It was an awesome Godzilla 1964 from a Paradise kit. However, the best thing to come out of that was making contact with the Kaiju Modeler himself, and learning, to our astonishment, that he lived a mere twenty miles away from us in Northeast Ohio. Matt E.'s been a great friend to us ever since, and we were really happy to see him this year.

Finally...Fake Monsters

Two years and one new home later, our G-Fantis poster is at last properly displayed!

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Kaiju Kindness

As the Awards Luncheon was wrapping up, we said a tentative good-bye to our guests. Here's Noriko Higuchi and Andy.

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Lucky Winners

Door prizes are a part of the fun at the Awards Luncheon, and Andy and I both walked away with some cool stuff this year! As you can see, Andy ended up with a King Ghidorah model kit (which included a Bullmark t-shirt), and I received a Japanese language book about Toho Studios, whose cover was created by Shinji Higuchi, as well as a t-shirt that he had brought for the purpose of giving away. It has as its main feature the formula for a special effects explosion!

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Shinji Speaks

The Mangled Skyscraper was presented to Shinji Higuchi, special effects wizard and director in his own right. In Mr. Higuchi's remarks, he mentioned that his G-FEST experience had rekindled his desire to make a kaiju film. You can imagine the response those words received.

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Awards Luncheon

This year's Awards Luncheon was highlighted by the presence of our friends Jake and Tom. The luncheon is a nice part of the weekend--a chance to relax, enjoy a little more standard dinner fare and to let our special guests know how much they are appreciated.

Postcards from G-FEST 18: Android M-11

Robert Scott Field is known within Godzilla fandom for his role in "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah," but among G-FEST-goers, he's even better known for being a genuine friend of the fans. With an endless stream of intriguing stories to tell and an affable nature to match, he's become a mainstay of the G-FEST experience and is invaluable for his abilities as a translator and goodwill ambassador. We certainly enjoyed his company on our trip to the Field Museum, and here he is at the CKC Dealer's Room table, with the M-11 t-shirt designed by Tom.

Now Playing: Gamera the Brave

We're screening "Gamera the Brave" today in Monsterland HQ, and are having a great time. In many ways, this is the perfect "kid's kaiju" movie, as it deals with raising a baby Gamera from the moment it hatches from the egg!

The special effects are exceptional and the story is straighforward and heartfelt. I suppose some might object to the cuteness of the heroic creature, but within the parameters of the story, it just works. The relationship between Toru and Toto/Gamera adds a new layer to the "friend of children" theme, since Toru actually saves Gamera's life early in the film!

A new villainous monster is introduced in "Gamera the Brave," a frilled lizard named Zedus, who has some effective, menacing scenes, like when he tail-whips Gamera into a high rise, then scales the building to finish the job with a hideous tongue-lashing.

"Gamera the Brave" is a winsome meditation on grief, friendship, and the powerful love that children have for their pets, starring a giant flying turtle. If you can read that sentence without rolling your eyes, you owe it to yourself to see this feel-good kaiju film!