We’re no doubt in store for a whole lot of exciting monster action in Jurassic World (review), which chomps and tears its way into theaters this weekend. I don’t know about you, but I simply cannot wait for this one, as it’s been way too long since dinosaurs have attacked the big screen.
While we wait for the return of those lovable, computer-generated dinosaurs, we wanted to hold you over with a list of recent movies that will get you in the proper mood for Colin Trevorrow’s reboot of the franchise that Steven Spielberg made us fall in love with all those years ago.
So here are 9 recent giant monster movies that should do the trick!
Before directing Godzilla’s triumphant return to the big screen, Gareth Edwards made a much smaller movie called Monsters – in fact, it was Monsters that directly led to Edwards making his way to Hollywood and landing the Godzilla gig. Set against the backdrop of a monster invasion, Monsters is at its heart a surprisingly human drama, and dare I say, it’s a superior film to Edwards’ Godzilla. The actual monsters are kept to a minimum, but they’re pretty damn cool-looking once you see them.
If it’s destruction and a whole lot of exciting monster action that you’re looking for, then Pacific Rim is your movie. Guillermo del Toro’s love letter to Kaiju cinema, Pacific Rim pits giant robots against giant monsters, and the result is a highly entertaining ride that feels like you’re watching Del Toro play around with the biggest, most expensive toys ever made. His love for monster movies bleeds through, and it’s hard not to have a blast with this one.
One of my personal favorite giant monster movies in recent years is 2006’s The Host, which hails from South Korea. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the film centers on a giant monster that emerges from the Han River, the result of Americans dumping bottles of formaldehyde into the sewer system. It’s a political commentary if you want it to be and a family drama when it chooses to be, but above all else The Host is one hell of a monster movie, featuring one of the most truly impressive CG creations in the history of giant monsters.
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In 2008 American filmmaker Matt Reeves made a name for himself with the J.J. Abrams-produced Cloverfield, which put a found footage spin on the giant monster movie. An allegory for post-9/11 anxieties and fears, the movie features a massive monster rampaging through New York City, swiping the head off the Statue of Liberty and leaving complete destruction in its wake. Cloverfield is one of the best monster movies of the past decade as well as one of the most effective uses of the POV filmmaking style.
In 2011 J.J. Abrams brought another memorable monster to the big screen in Super 8, which he wrote and directed. Originally thought to be a prequel or sequel to Cloverfield, given inherent similarities in the concept, Super 8 turned out to a loving homage to the films of Steven Spielberg and can in many ways be seen as a spiritual remake of E.T. – with a bit more death and destruction. A monster movie with a whole lot of heart, Super 8 absolutely nailed that Spielberg vibe and brought a whole lot of cinematic magic back to the big screen.
Andre Ovredal brought giant monsters to Norway with Troll Hunter, a found footage film about college students making a documentary about an alleged bear poacher. As it turns out, the man doesn’t hunt bears but rather massive trolls. In a humorous twist the trolls have a particular hatred for Christians, and they can smell the blood of a Christian from a mile away. Armed with a fun sense of humor, Troll Hunter is one movie you absolutely must experience, and it features several jaw-dropping giant monsters, which are some of the most impressive – and massive – we’ve seen.
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Frank Darabont’s The Mist is unquestionably the most controversial and ballsy monster movie to come along in recent years, equipped with a brutal ending that I will certainly never forget. In the film, which stars Thomas Jane, the residents of a small town hole up in a grocery store while all sorts of monsters roam free outside, and they range from flying beasts to a mostly-unseen creature with massive tentacles. The Mist is an all-out monster mash, and if you’ve already seen it, I encourage you to check it out in black & white. That version, available on the DVD, is a real treat.
Fun is the name of the game in Grabbers, an Irish-British production that is tailor made for fans of horror-comedies like Shaun of the Dead. Directed by Jon Wright, the 2012 film has one of the most clever monster movie concepts of them all, centered on an octopus-like beast that is deathly allergic to alcohol – prompting the protagonists to hole up in a local bar and get as drunk as they possibly can. Needless to say, it’s one film that pairs up quite nicely with your booze of choice.
The Syfy network has churned out all sorts of monster movies in recent years, including films like Sharktopus and Sharknado. My advice? Ignore them all and cuddle up on the couch with Big Ass Spider! instead. The Mike Mendez-directed film is quite frankly the sort of movie that all those crappy Syfy efforts fail to be, as it’s a genuinely entertaining slice of B-movie fun. The characters are fun to hang out with, the monster is awesome, and Mendez totally knocks this one out of the park.
Are there any other recent monster movies that you’d recommend? Comment below, and add them to the list!