19 Best Monster Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · June 27, 2026

Monsters never really go away, they just get reinvented. This list starts with the original 1954 Godzilla, a radioactive stand-in for the atomic bomb, and runs through Jaws, Alien, The Thing and Predator before ending up at Godzilla Minus One, where a traumatized former kamikaze pilot faces the beast in wrecked postwar Japan. King Kong, from 1933, is in the mix as well, because pretty much every one of these owes him something.

Godzilla (1954)

01

Godzilla (1954)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 94% Metacritic 79

The original Godzilla, a radioactive metaphor for the atomic bomb, rises from the sea to destroy Tokyo.

Directed by Ishirō Honda · 1h 36m · Rated NR

4 wins & 2 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

02

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 99% Metacritic 81

A traumatised former kamikaze pilot confronts Godzilla in devastated postwar Japan.

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki · 2h 05m · Rated PG-13

Won 1 Oscar44 wins & 62 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Shin Godzilla (2016)

03

Shin Godzilla (2016)

IMDb ★ 6.9 RT 87% Metacritic 66

A sudden Godzilla attack exposes the sheer bureaucratic paralysis of the Japanese government.

Directed by Shinji Higuchi & Hideaki Anno · 2h 00m · Rated PG-13

13 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Predator (1987)

04

Predator (1987)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 65% Metacritic 47

An elite rescue team is hunted one by one by an invisible alien in the jungle.

Directed by John McTiernan · 1h 47m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar3 wins & 6 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Thing (1982)

05

The Thing (1982)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 85% Metacritic 57

A shapeshifting alien picks off an Antarctic research team one paranoid reveal at a time.

Directed by John Carpenter · 1h 49m · Rated R

1 win & 5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Aliens (1986)

06

Aliens (1986)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 93% Metacritic 84

A colonial marine unit is sent to confront a whole hive of the creatures that nearly killed Ripley.

Directed by James Cameron · 2h 17m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars20 wins & 25 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, fuboTV, Philo, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Alien (1979)

07

Alien (1979)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 93% Metacritic 89

The crew of a commercial spaceship is hunted one by one by a nearly unkillable creature.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 1h 57m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar19 wins & 22 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Jaws (1975)

08

Jaws (1975)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 97% Metacritic 87

A shark terrorises a resort town that refuses to close its beaches for the summer season.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 04m · Rated PG

Won 3 Oscars16 wins & 21 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

King Kong (1933)

09

King Kong (1933)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 97% Metacritic 92

A film crew's expedition to a mysterious island brings a giant ape back to a fatal New York premiere.

Directed by Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack · 1h 40m

4 wins & 8 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Gremlins (1984)

10

Gremlins (1984)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 86% Metacritic 70

A cute new pet spawns a horde of destructive monsters on Christmas Eve.

Directed by Joe Dante · 1h 46m · Rated PG

8 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Tremors (1990)

11

Tremors (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 88% Metacritic 65

A small desert town is besieged by giant underground worms that hunt by vibration.

Directed by Ron Underwood · 1h 36m · Rated PG-13

5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Host (2006)

12

The Host (2006)

IMDb ★ 7.1 RT 93% Metacritic 85

A mutated river creature snatches a girl, and only her chaotic family will actually go looking for her.

Directed by Bong Joon Ho · 2h 00m · Rated R

30 wins & 37 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel, Warriors and Gangsters Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Cloverfield (2008)

13

Cloverfield (2008)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 78% Metacritic 64

A birthday party is interrupted by a massive creature attack, filmed entirely on a handheld camcorder.

Directed by Matt Reeves · 1h 25m · Rated PG-13

5 wins & 34 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Godzilla (2014)

14

Godzilla (2014)

IMDb ★ 6.4 RT 76% Metacritic 62

A modern reboot treats Godzilla as a force of nature responding to man-made monsters.

Directed by Gareth Edwards · 2h 03m · Rated PG-13

7 wins & 31 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

15

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

IMDb ★ 6.7 RT 75% Metacritic 62

A 1970s expedition to an uncharted island discovers Kong and far worse creatures beneath it.

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts · 1h 58m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar1 win & 24 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, tru TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

16

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

IMDb ★ 6.3 RT 75% Metacritic 59

Two of cinema's biggest monsters are pitted directly against each other.

Directed by Adam Wingard · 1h 54m · Rated PG-13

3 wins & 20 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: TNT, TBS, tru TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

King Kong (2005)

17

King Kong (2005)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 84% Metacritic 81

A film crew's expedition to a mysterious island brings a giant ape back to a fatal New York premiere.

Directed by Peter Jackson · 3h 08m · Rated PG-13

Won 3 Oscars47 wins & 104 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pacific Rim (2013)

18

Pacific Rim (2013)

IMDb ★ 6.9 RT 72% Metacritic 65

Giant robot pilots defend Earth from a portal spewing out sea monsters one city at a time.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro · 2h 11m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award7 wins & 48 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Godzilla (1998)

19

Godzilla (1998)

IMDb ★ 5.5 RT 20% Metacritic 32

A mutated iguana attacks New York City in a critically panned American reboot.

Directed by Roland Emmerich · 2h 18m · Rated PG-13

10 wins & 13 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.