Netflix surprisingly streams sci-fi hit that smashed into this year's Oscars

There may well be a new Godzilla movie in cinemas right now, in the form of Godzilla x Kong, but arguably the best film in the franchise was released last year and wasn't hyped quite so much.

Godzilla Minus One was released globally last December and, even though the original is in Japanese, it smashed the box office in both Asia and the west – making a combined total of around $116 million on an estimated $15 million budget.

The movie then smashed its way in the Academy Awards earlier this year, snagging the Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Now you can find out why for yourself because, as a nice surprise, Netflix has secured the streaming service rights to carry it everywhere save for Japan and France – and in 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for Netflix Premium members, to boot.

GODZILLA MINUS ONE Official Trailer - YouTube

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Made by Toho, the originator of the Godzilla films and studio behind the vast majority of releases since the 1954 debut, the latest goes back to post-war Japan and revisits the monster's origin.

It is rated 98% by both critics and viewers alike, putting it on a pedestal far above the Monsterverse movies of the last decade that have been made in co-production with Warner Bros.

Minus One was directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who has a strong history in animated features and TV episodes – which partly explains the excellent visual effects. And the movie has a strong cast, including Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe.

There's also a version dubbed into English, lead by Darren Bennet (Road House), Ell (General Hospital) and Nelson Lee (Ahsoka), which is the default for Netflix. However, you can switch back to the Japanese original with subtitles (our preferred option).

The film runs for just over two hours – a rare treat these days, when directors are keen to keep us in our seats for over three – and it's available to watch on Netlfix across multiple streaming devices now.