Top 20 Most Paused MonsterVerse Moments
#20: The Opening Credits Easter Eggs
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“Godzilla” (2014) From the very outset, with the release of “Godzilla” in 2014, Legendary made it clear that they had big plans for the MonsterVerse. This is a dramatic franchise that takes its monsters seriously. That being said, it also knows how to have fun! In the opening credits of “Godzilla,” the cast is introduced by having their names placed in various lines of text about monsters that seem to have been pulled from secret government documents. This text is then promptly redacted. With a quick trigger finger, you can pause the film to read all these fun little facts. The highlight is when the name “Walter Malcolm” momentarily appears on screen during Bryan Cranston’s credit, referencing his roles on “Breaking Bad” and “Malcolm in the Middle.”
#19: The Maser Turret
Top 20 Best MonsterVerse Moments
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) While the MonsterVerse is very much building a universe of its own, the writers involved clearly have a deep love and respect for the original Toho Godzilla films. The vast majority of these references will go unnoticed by casual viewers, but even diehard Godzilla fans might have missed this one. When Godzilla is approaching the underwater Monarch base, we see G-Team member Jackson Barnes prepping the defenses should the Titan become aggressive. Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed that the onscreen display reads “maser turret.” This is a nod to the maser cannons, which were a staple of the Toho franchise. We don’t learn much about them, but more scientifically-minded fans may want to pause the moment to take note of the onscreen technical specs.
#18: Marlow's Jacket
“Kong: Skull Island” (2017) Now… where have we seen that design before? You can scour the history of Godzilla and you won’t find it. John C. Reilly’s Lieutenant Hank Marlow is clearly a bit of an eccentric. We blame the island, but his jacket suggests that he’s always been cut from a different cloth; that doesn’t exactly look like a standard Air Force issued uniform. And so fans hit pause for a closer look at “bad for your health.” It turns out that filmmaker Jordan Vogt-Roberts is an anime fan, and this jacket is actually an homage to the 1988 film, “Akira.” Funnily enough, however, as fans pointed out, it also works as a nod to John C. Reilly’s character from “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,” Dr. Steve Brule.
#17: Ford's Room
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“Godzilla” (2014) A real blink-and-you’ll-miss-it little detail, there’s a vintage kaiju poster in the 2014 “Godzilla.” Early in the film, we’re taken to the Brody family home. Considering just how concerned Bryan Cranston’s Joe Brody is about the nuclear plant’s seismic activity, chances are that you weren’t paying much attention to the decor. If you pause the film at just the right moment, however, you can see a poster in Ford’s room depicting a kaiju attack in the style of the early Toho films. It’s a fun nod to the history of the franchise and some foreshadowing, but it also raises questions. The monsters in question look a LOT like the MUTOs. Maybe Monarch hasn’t done such a great job keeping the Titans under wraps.
#16: The Briefing Room
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“Godzilla” (2014) With so much intense discussion going on in this scene, you don’t really have much time to process the archival images and clips being cast onto the projector. Like Ford, the viewer is really just trying to keep up with what we’re being told by doctors Vivienne Graham and Ishirō Serizawa. Be that as it may, the briefing is accompanied by some pretty cool visuals. On repeat viewings, it’s worth letting yourself pause whenever the camera cuts to the projector screen to really appreciate the attention to detail that went into the presentation. There are no major bombshells in terms of easter eggs, but it certainly adds to the worldbuilding.
#15: The Protest
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) You’ve gotta love the creativity on display at a protest. When you’ve only got a poster board to work with and you want it to be legible from a distance, you need to be efficient with your words! You cut right to chase and say what you mean! Pausing this news footage, you can make out a few of the different signs being wielded by the protestors. And it would seem that the crowd is, generally-speaking, not very Kaiju friendly. The visible signs say stuff like “Titans = Monsters” and “Kill the TITANS.” There’s even one sign that says “DESTROY ALL MONSTERS!,” in a nice nod to the 1968 kaiju film of the same name, which starred Godzilla.
#14: The Kaiju Map
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) The third MonsterVerse film was something of a mixed bag - and we’re not just talking about the variety of monsters on display! It divided critics, who took issues with the dialogue and character motivations. No one can fault the viral marketing campaign that led up to the film, however. The Monarch website was packed with juicy details and invited fans to explore a world map detailing the location of the various Monarch outposts and the Kaiju contained within. Many of them, however, are classified, and so there’s still value to checking out the monarch map when it appears onscreen in the film. We suspect that these films still have more secret details just waiting to be uncovered.
#13: Foreshadowing Emails
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) Speaking of little details, have you taken the time to check out Madison Russell’s emails? There’s some fairly compelling, juicy stuff in there. She might only be 12 years old, but Madison’s inbox is full of scientific, nature-focused news articles that show just how preoccupied she is with the end of the world. To those watching the signs, the planet is clearly teetering on the edge of a major ecological catastrophe, as supported by these emails about the next great extinction event and declining bee populations. Madison’s inbox also gives us insight into her strained relationship with her father, Kyle Chandler’s Dr. Mark Russell.
#12: Rodan vs. Ghidorah
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) There’s nothing subtle about this scene. We’re not pausing this moment to take note of small details or an onscreen easter egg. No, we’re pausing the movie at various points in this clash to just marvel at the magnificence of these two Titans as they take to the skies. Say what you will about the movie’s human characters, but there’s not much you can say against the titular monsters. Brought to life with cutting edge CGI technology, Rodan and Ghidorah both have a number of pause-worthy scenes throughout the film, but it’s the moment just before they collide that you’ll likely want to use as your desktop background.
#11: Is That… Anguirus?
Top 20 Most Paused Movie Moments
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) There are so many Titans in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” it can be hard to keep track. Some are only onscreen for a matter of mere seconds. One that you likely missed altogether, however, was Anguirus. This kaiju, which is similar in appearance to an ankylosaurus, first appeared in the 1955 film “Godzilla Raids Again.” While we don’t see it in the flesh, we do get a glimpse of what we assume to be Anguirus’ bones. When the Monarch team visits Godzilla’s underwater lair, there’s a lot to take in. After the warhead is detonated, the ensuing blast illuminates much of the environment, including a large skeleton. It’s only in-frame for a split second, so pausing is essential to getting a proper look.
#10: The Fishtank & the Butterfly
Another Top 10 Most-Paused Movie Moments
“Godzilla” (2014) Mothra has always been one of the more popular kaiju. As such, when Legendary Pictures announced their plans for the MonsterVerse, fans were naturally anxious to see if the fan-favorite character would make an appearance. In the lead up to the film’s release, there was even speculation that the MUTOs were in fact Mothra’s minions. In the end, fans had to wait until 2019 for Mothra’s grand unveiling, but Legendary did throw in some small teasers to tide fans over in the meantime. When the Brody men revisit their home in Janjira, the word “Mothra” can be seen on the old fish tank. There’s also a poster of a butterfly in the classroom scene that bears a striking resemblance to Mothra.
#9: King Ghidorah's Alpha Roar
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) It’s just SO freaking epic. First Ghidorah establishes dominance over Rodan. Then he throws down with Godzilla. Then… he survives the detonation of the oxygen bomb, which nearly killed Godzilla. But, earning the King in its name, Ghidorah simply refuses to be beaten. And so with all would-be challengers having been put squarely in their place, Ghidorah ascends to the summit of Isla de Mara volcano and lets out a fearsome cry. If there was ever any doubt about Ghidorah being a worthy match for Godzilla in the MonsterVerse, this surely put all such concerns to rest. The scene can only be described as painterly. Between the clouds, lightning, and lava, it is both terrifying and beautiful.
#8: End Credit News Stories
Top 10 Most Paused Movie Moments
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) There’s nothing quite like a news story flashing on-screen to make you want to push pause. The end credits of “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” feature a number of eye-catching headlines, and those anxious to know where the MonsterVerse is headed will want to pause on each one to read the snippets that appear in-frame. The headlines cover the activities of the Titans, Monarch’s increased transparency, the hollow earth, the positive environmental impact of the Titans, and Godzilla’s ongoing role as humanity’s protector. We also see what looks to be a new Mothra egg. The most compelling headlines, however, are about Skull Island, the home of King Kong. In a nice touch, the monsters also get credited for having performed as themselves.
#7: All Hail the King
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) There was a fairly vocal minority of fans who found this scene to be a tad bit cheesy. But hey, if “The Lion King” can do it, why not the MonsterVerse? Wherever you land in the argument as to whether the Titans would literally bow or not when showing submission, there’s no denying that it makes for an epic sight. And just from a cinematic perspective, it feels unprecedented in its scale. Perhaps most crucially, however, the scene is another opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with the Titans, including some that only appear briefly in the film. If we’re being honest, we don’t really want to spend much time with the giant spider-looking one. That one we would prefer to keep at a distance.
#6: Godzilla Enters Boston & Charges Ghidorah
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) Ghidorah might have size on his side (not to mention the ability to regenerate his heads), but you simply can’t beat Godzilla's “can-do” spirit. After Dr. Serizawa’s inspiring sacrifice, a supercharged Godzilla steps back into the ring for another round. And by “the ring,” we mean the city of Boston. The two alpha Titans charge at one another in what has to be one of the film’s coolest moments. There’s no one single frame that you want to stare at; you just want to watch it progress in frame-by-frame slow motion, appreciating the epic charge every step of the way. Sure, it would be nice if it was a bit more brightly lit, but the darkness does add to the ambience.
#5: Mothra's Transformations
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) While all the major titans in King of the Monsters made an impression in their own way, Mothra’s the one that really stole our hearts. Beautiful to behold and central to one of the film’s most thrilling and emotional moments, Mothra also stole the show. But of all the moments we shared with her, it’s her transformation that made the biggest impression. Scratch that - her TWO transformations. Mothra initially emerging from her egg was thrilling. But you want her to stop moving for a second so you could get a good look at her larval state. As for when she comes out from behind the waterfall, it's beautiful enough to bring a tear to your eye!
#4: King Ghidorah Is Coming
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“Kong: Skull Island” (2017) Kong’s solo outing was an undeniably fun ride. There just weren’t that many scenes that needed to be paused to be appreciated. A good old-fashioned, pulpy, action-centric monster movie, it’s all about movement. Skull Island earns a spot in our top 5, however, thanks to its awesome end credit scene. After watching Kong firmly establish his dominance over the creatures of Skull Island (not to mention the not so welcome visitors), we were treated to a slideshow of archival footage teasing a wider world full of monsters. The cave paintings aren’t on screen very long, so the pause button comes in handy to study the outlines of Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. The best of the bunch teases the epic showdown to come.
#3: Godzilla's Rebirth & Atomic Breath
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“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) There’s a reason why this image was used on the movie poster. Godzilla firing his atomic breath into the sky is easily one of the most iconic poses that the kaiju has ever struck, be it in the MonsterVerse or the Toho films. Freshly irradiated after his nuclear bomb of a wake up call, Godzilla emerges from his undersea abode brimming with energy and ready for a fight. It’s beautiful in its own right, but it's the symbolism of the moment, at this point in the film, that earns it a place on the podium. Speaking of Godzilla’s atomic breath though, his kiss of death in the 2014 film definitely warrants a quick pause as well.
#2: A Familiar Friend in the Nuclear Pulse
Top 20 Most Paused Horror Movie Moments
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019) Humans, schmumans! The relationship between Godzilla and Mothra is the one that we came here to see. Sadly, neither Mothra nor Godzilla are strong enough to overcome the great King Ghidorah. And so, in keeping with their symbiotic relationship, Mothra sacrifices herself, transferring her life force or energy into Godzilla in the process. This is basically Godzilla having gone Super Saiyan. Godzilla is so nuclear-charged that man-made structures are literally melting around. But when he emits a targeted pulse at Ghidorah, it actually takes on the form of Mothra (accompanied by her cry) showing that she gave him more than just power. It’s easy to miss on the first viewing, but you can clearly see her shape once you know to look for it.
#1: The First Full Godzilla Reveal
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“Godzilla” (2014) Godzilla has been an international icon for decades. In North America, however, it’s fair to say that he’s often struggled to find his footing. Thankfully, that all changed in 2014. Sure, fans might have been disappointed with the titular kaiju’s limited screen time, but when he did finally reveal himself to cinemagoers, jaws hit the floor. He was larger than we ever could’ve imagined and the CGI was flawless. Seeing his spiny back breaking through the water was a great tease. Filmmaker Gareth Edwards then upped the ante by having his colossal feet step into frame. When we finally came face to face with Godzilla and got to see him in all his glory, that’s an image we wish we could’ve paused in the theater.
