They creep! They destroy! They wreak havoc! Monster movies have been a part of entertainment culture for over 100 years. From the grainy imagery of the infamous blob spilling out onto the street to engulf its victims to the black-and-white visuals of Godzilla stomping through the city, there is something special about these iconic films.
Now, monster movies are more than just a campy B-movie you can watch on a Saturday night. The modern ones pull you in as if it's really happening outside your window. They have you believing there must be something lurking inside the deep and hiding in the darkest shadows of the forest. Netflix has a treasure trove of some of the best monster movies of the modern era.
'Godzilla Minus One'
Godzilla is one of the most classic monsters depicted in films, having existed since the first movie was released in 1954. Can you believe that "Godzilla Minus One" is the 37th film? It's set at the end of World War II and focuses on kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki). He gets away from a raid and brings his plane to Odo Island for repairs. The base is attacked by a giant monster. After returning home and struggling with guilt from being the only survivor, Shikishima teams up with a group of veterans to take down Godzilla before it destroys anyone else.
This latest contribution to the Godzilla film canon won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, among numerous other awards. For good reason, too, as the effects in this film are excellent.
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'Troll'
For those into Scandinavian folklore, you'll appreciate "Troll." Set in Dovre, Norway, the movie takes on a familiar trope of a monster waking up due to mankind encroaching upon its territory. Nora (Ine Marie Wilmann) grew up hearing the stories of the trolls. Years later, as a scientist, she's brought in to investigate the death of a group of workers drilling in the Norwegian mountains. She begins to suspect those childhood tales are true and joins with scientist friends to investigate and stop the creature before any more deaths happen.
This is a campy movie, but the visual sight of the humongous troll makes it worth watching. It's a true monster movie at its core, so if you go in with that mindset, you'll enjoy it.
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'Under Paris'
While sharks aren't technically monsters, they certainly can be under the right movie circumstances. In "Under Paris," the World Triathlon Championships are being hosted on the river Seine. Still grieving from the loss of her husband from a shark attack, Sophia Assalas (Bérénice Bejo) learns there is a huge shark swimming in the river. She teams up with police commander, Adil (Nassim Lyes), to prevent a possible blood bath.
Of course, as with any shark-themed monster movie, there are plenty of shark attacks to enjoy while watching. Also, the film itself is a bit of a stretch, especially if you happen to know anything about sharks and the Seine River. However, anyone who watches monster movies knows you'll have to suspend disbelief to enjoy it anyway. If you can, you'll be glad you took the time to watch this one, campiness and all.
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'Monster Run'
"Monster Run" is a Chinese film adapted from a book by A. Lee Martinez. Ji Mo (Jessie Li) doesn't exactly have any friends. The problem is that she has the ability to see monsters, and no one else can. That is until one day at the grocery store she works at, she meets monster hunter Meng (Shawn Yue). Turns out, those monsters she has been seeing weren't all in her mind after all.
There's a generous use of CGI, but that is one of the film's major highlights. The monsters created for this movie are incredible-looking. The acting isn't top-notch, and the script could have used some work, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the film. Plus, Kara Wai is plenty enjoyable as the villain, Lotus.
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'The Ritual'
Based on Adam Nevill's book of the same name, "The Ritual" tells the story of four friends who honor the death of a close friend by trekking through a Northern Swedish forest. However, things aren't entirely as they seem on their hiking trail. Weird images, nightmares, and more haunt them as they make their way, eventually becoming lost. The monster isn't visible throughout much of the movie, but its presence is there, always lurking close by the hikers.
Director David Bruckner ("Night House") takes advantage of how naturally isolating forests are to enhance the chilling qualities of the movie. If you love monster movies with more creep factor than camp, this one should be added to your list.
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