The Godzilla franchise has been alive for quite some time now. Almost 40 films, countless relaunches—and still, the world hasn't learned not to mess with the giant lizard with the capacity to spew atomic breath. The MonsterVerse is Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures' attempt at "Westernizing" the concept, and so far, they have done a solid job of it. But the roots of Godzilla are still alive. Gojira, as the monster is known in the country where it came from, is still kicking.
Godzilla: Minus One is Toho Studios' latest. Toho's 33rd film in the Godzilla franchise is still on the release schedule, which will bring it to Western audiences in just a couple of days, and critical acclaim has been instant. It tells the story of Japan dealing with a dinosaur-like creature in the aftermath of World War II. A nuclear holocaust is still a possibility, and as shaken as the country is by the effects of the war, they must deal with the huge lizard monster.
This one looks good enough to give the MonsterVerse a run for its money, and while we wait to confirm that with the release of Godzilla: Minus One, here are a couple of other Gojira films to get in the mood.
Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla
- Release Date
- May 14, 2014
- Director
- Gareth Edwards
- Cast
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Cameron Adams, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Godzilla (2014) tells the story of a U.S. Navy officer trying to come back home after a tour. However, the world gets shaken by crossfire. Godzilla, the giant lizard-like creature, is battling against kaiju creatures that have emerged after humans tried to contain a large organism that beams out nuclear power.
Why We've Included Godzilla (2014)
Starring Bryan Cranston (in one of his best underrated roles), Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, and Ken Watanabe, the first film of the MonsterVerse is a solid genre film with a star-studded cast that elevated the concept to respectable heights. Special effects are very good, and action sequences are massive enough to make this a film that's worth seeing on the largest screen possible.
You can rent or buy Godzilla (2014) on Prime Video.
The Meg (2018)
Meg
- Release Date
- August 9, 2018
- Director
- Jon Turteltaub
- Cast
- Ruby Rose, Jason Statham, Rainn Wilson, Jessica McNamee, Cliff Curtis, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
- Rating
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 113
- Main Genre
- Action
The Meg tells the story of a rescue diver whose past adventures are a thing of the past. After a tragic and failed rescue mission, he decided to retire. However, scientists and oceanographers attempt to recruit him for a rescue mission in the Deep Sea, where something unimaginable resides: a 75-foot-long Megalodon that's angry and will show it.
Why The Meg Makes the List
Yes, the concept of The Meg franchise is ridiculous, and save for a few moments, its sequel didn't blow people's minds. But the original, a creature feature ridden with B-movie tropes, is an entertaining film that doesn't get enough love. Jason Statham stars in his usual gruffy character with too much luck and delivers a less-than-memorable performance that will make you giggle every time he faces the giant shark. Still, the action sequences are quite fun and will make for a silly but notable movie experience.
You can stream The Meg on Max.
The Abyss (1989)
The Abyss
- Release Date
- August 9, 1989
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, John Bedford Lloyd
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Runtime
- 139
James Cameron's The Abyss tells the story of an underwater drilling crew that gets hired by the authorities to go on a rescue mission below the surface. Way, way below. What they encounter is extraordinary. Apparently, there's something residing in the deep sea that has never been in contact with our species until now. But as usual, dumb humans threaten what's essentially our civilization's most important moment.
Why We Included The Abyss
The modern classic The Abyss is a beautiful creature feature that stands alongside the best science fiction movies ever made. Cameron's ambitious style of filmmaking resulted in an immersive movie experience that, unfortunately, hasn't been enjoyed by many people because of the lack of decent releases since 1989. But, and this is a cause to celebrate, we will see its release soon.
The Abyss will be released on VOD platforms in December 2023.
Godzilla (1998)
The huge film that made a profit, but wasn't enough to consider it a success. Hollywood's modern reboot of Godzilla (1998) tells the story of New York City as a whole, trying to defend itself as momma Godzilla has come to the Big Apple to have babies. Of course, when the mini-dinos are born, the chances of surviving as a species are less in our favor.
Why Godzilla (1998) Is Similar
Roland Emmerich's film is not exactly the mess critics painted it out to be, and it's actually one of his best. It's just inconsistent in tone and too dependent on special effects. However, the late '90s experiment of a Western Godzilla reboot is an interesting glance into Hollywood's inability to cope with new concepts and its awkward attitude when readapting old ones. Unfortunately, people remember it the most because of its soundtrack. How does a duo by Jimmy Page and Sean Combs sound?
You can stream Godzilla (1998) on Hulu.
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Kong: Skull Island
- Release Date
- March 8, 2017
- Director
- Jordan Vogt-Roberts
- Cast
- Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Corey Antonio Hawkins, John Goodman, Jason Mitchell
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Runtime
- 118
Kong: Skull Island removes Godzilla from the picture and instead focuses on King Kong. It tells the story of soldiers and scientists who travel to a newly discovered island to investigate the presence of a monster. Such curiosity is lethal, to say the least, as that creature is the massive ape known as Kong, and he’s very pissed because we woke him up from his slumber.
Why Kong: Skull Island Belongs Here
A solid King Kong film in modern times. Kong: Skull Island is given life by a stellar cast that’s, undoubtedly, the best on the list. Its special effects are impressive, and the very opening scene featuring Kong’s introduction is noteworthy enough to give it a good spot on the list. It’s said that the film’s characterization of Kong as a hero or villain is quite notable.
You can rent or buy Kong: Skull Island on Prime Video.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
- Release Date
- May 29, 2019
- Director
- Michael Dougherty
- Cast
- Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Charles Dance, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Thriller
- Runtime
- 132
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the direct sequel to Godzilla (2014), and it’s probably the most epic of the franchise so far. It tells the story of Godzilla fighting King Ghidorah, a three-headed monster released during a terrorist attack, and he doesn’t come alone. Luckily, Godzilla gets some help from a titular monster by the name of Mothra.
Why Godzilla: King of the Monsters Makes the List
This is one great example of the "Godzilla vs. Titans" concept that’s been so successful throughout the decades. As it happens with just about every sequel out there, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is messier, louder and features destruction on a scale you haven’t seen before. Its last scene gives it enough of a reason for it to be here.
You can stream Godzilla: King of the Monsters on Netflix.
Pacific Rim (2013)
Pacific Rim
- Release Date
- July 11, 2013
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Cast
- Charlie Hunnam, Diego Klattenhoff, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
- Runtime
- 131
Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim features humankind trying its best to fight huge creatures that come from another dimension. Our only option is to use massive robots that are able to fight the colossal monsters. The film is an epic creature feature that’s heavily underrated, and not many people see it as one of del Toro’s worthy films that has actually aged well.
Why We Included Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim is an exciting feature that, even though it shows humans on a very insignificant scale, it has enough character drama to make us care and root for our species. That’s while the Jaegers don’t grab a container ship and use it as a word to fight the kaiju. Yes, we told you they were big.
You can stream Pacific Rim on Hulu.
Godzilla (1954)
Godzilla (1954) is best known as Gojira. It’s the first film of the kaiju concept of Godzilla and features Japanese citizens dealing with a monstrous creature wreaking havoc as fears of nuclear warfare start arising amidst the panic. It’s pretty cliché to say this, but the first one could still be considered the best.
Why Godzilla (1954) Is a Must-Watch
Produced by Toho, the pioneers of Japanese genre cinema, Gojira is one of the most important creature films of all time. Its effects may seem outdated (suitmation is a classic of the craft, but it didn’t evolve well), but it still holds up as a very decent product of its time. Its link to Godzilla: Minus One is direct and very relevant.
You can stream Godzilla (1954) on Tubi or Max.
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Godzilla Vs King Kong
The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another - the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong - with humanity caught in the balance.
- Release Date
- March 31, 2021
- Director
- Adam Wingard
- Cast
- Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza Gonzalez
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Runtime
- 1hr 53min
Godzilla vs. Kong features the events that take place right after Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The story is about King Kong being extracted from Skull Island by humans who need his help fighting Godzilla. They literally take him to the Hollow Earth, where the secret to fighting Godzilla lies.
Why Godzilla vs. Kong Makes the List
Adam Wingard’s contribution to the MonsterVerse is a solid sequel that heavily relies on style and special effects to make up for an interesting experience. It’s epic, just like you would expect, and features the best visuals of the entire franchise so far, which was curious considering its theatrical run was relatively short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can stream Godzilla vs. Kong on Max or Netflix.
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield
- Release Date
- January 15, 2008
- Director
- Matt Reeves
- Cast
- Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Annable
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
- Runtime
- 90
In Cloverfield, New York City, gets attacked in the middle of the night. Everything crumbles, the power goes out, and people panic. In "found footage" style, we accompany partygoers who are forced to run as an extraterrestrial creature the size of buildings pillages the city and destroys everything in its path.
Why You Should Definitely Watch Cloverfield
Cloverfield is the creature feature that elevated the found footage format in 2008 and validated a medium that most people associate with cheap and indie horror. In this case, home video is used to make a spectacular event seem more realistic, and everything results in one of the best monster films that’s not related to a familiar IP. It was undoubtedly inspired by Godzilla.
You can rent or buy Cloverfield on Prime Video.
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