Last year, the Music Box Theater had a Godzilla vs. Music Box festival, and I went on opening night to see Shin Godzilla and Godzilla Minus One. I really liked Shin Godzilla, but I love Godzilla Minus One. What united the two of them is the idea that the government fails to both appreciate and meet the challenge posed by Godzilla. In both films, it is the commitment of individuals and the duty they feel to their fellow citizens that meet the moment (the moment is Godzilla).
In the Japanese films Godzilla is often the personification of some collective threat. The character was initially a stand in for atomic bombs, which actually, makes a lot of sense. In the case of Shin Godzilla the giant atomic fire-breath reptile is a stand-in for the government response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011. In the case of Godzilla Minus One, he is a stand-in for COVID-19 and the government response to it.
Now, if you are going to take a chance on one of these films I highly recommend Godzilla Minus One. While it is a stand-in for COVID-19, it is set in post-WW2 Japan. The “minus one” refers to the fact that they lost the war and are “back to zero.” Every character in the film has experienced tremendous loss. They find each other, and in the process, begin to rebuild their lives. All of that is threatened by the appearance of Godzilla. The government is unable to help defend against this threat. Rather than turn themselves over to defeat, these characters come together to defeat Godzilla themselves. After losing so much to war they are prepared to fight one more time. However, as one character says, “that’s why this time I’d take pride in a citizen led effort that sacrifices no lives at all! This next battle is not one waged to the death, but a battle to live for the future.”
Why am I thinking about Godzilla Minus One right now? Well, because we are in a particularly difficult moment in history. On particularly bad news days we might find ourselves looking to the horizon and hoping that the calvary will come riding in on white horses to get us out of this mess. We might be tempted to look at Democratic politicians and wonder which one of them is going to “save us.”
Nobody is coming to save us, folks. Here’s the thing though - we don’t need them to save us. This is on us. It always has been on us. We have to look out for one another. Eventually somebody might become the avatar for our collective desires and to achieve our shared goals, but we gotta stop looking for them.
Look at what happened to Jimmy Kimmel this week. Seriously, look at what happened. This time last week it was dire. The power of the state (with an assist from corporations looking to merge) was used to silence a comedian.
We didn’t let it happen.
People got loud. They got bold. They cancelled Disney+ subscription. People that lived close to a Disney Park showed up and protested. We created the environment in which it cost this corporation more to anger us, then it did to acquiesce to the state
No Democrat led this charge. No person in the public eye told us to do it. We did it. First as individuals, and then together. We did it.
Then, on Tuesday night Jimmy Kimmel came back to his show and delivered a monologue for the ages.
This is not right vs left, it’s American vs Anti-American. It’s right versus wrong.
We have to remember to continue to be bold, be loud, and to be peaceful. Above all, we can never lose sight of the fact that we are all in this together. Together, we can meet the challenge of the moment and secure the promises of the future.