Aug 5

Aug 5 9 Dinosaur Films You Should Definitely Watch and One You Definitely Shouldn't

They died out millions of years ago but returned from the dead to entertain our fat popcorn stuffing faces. Here are nine films with dinosaurs I think are worth watching and one that definitely isn't.

1. Jurassic Park

Ok so it's an obvious one but no list of dinosaur films would be complete without Spielberg's masterpiece. A film just as much about the folly of man as it is about our favourite prehistoric pals wreaking havoc, it is impossible to deny that Jurassic Park is one of the greatest films ever made. That T-rex attack alone is possibly the most tense, viceral and downright beautiful (from an effects point of view) moment in action movie history. For an alternate take, find out why it sucks here.

2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park

A slightly disappointing follow up to the original, The Lost World is still a very good and entertaining action adventure movie. It has huge set pieces like the tandem T-rex attack on the field trailers, the raptors in the long grass and the rex rampage in San Diego. What about the gymnastics scene, you ask? We don't talk about that. Sorry Kelly.

3. The Land Before Time

A film I've seen almost as many times as Jurassic Park, The Land Before Time is an animated family adventure following a group of juvenile dinosaurs who, when separated from their parents during a mass exodus to find The Great Valley, have to work together to make their own way there. It's a classic coming of age story where children of different backgrounds are forced to come together to overcome adversity. The hand drawn animation is downright beautiful, the story is captivating, frightening and heartwrenching and the voice acting is top notch. A true classic that deserves to be celebrated. Just forget about those straight to video sequels.

4. The Land That Time Forgot

The survivors of a torpedo attack manage to overthrow the German U-Boat that sank their ship. Somehow, when trying to navigate to the United States they lose their way and find themselves sailing into a lost prehistoric world where dinosaurs and neanderthals still survive. The Americans and Germans must learn to work together to survive in this new and dangerous world. Inevitably tensions rise and the existing inhabitants of the island don't take kindly to unwanted visitors. Based on a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs (best known for his Mars series), The Land That Time Forgot is a lot of fun but its age shows and the effects are quite dated. Despite that, it's still very much a worthwhile watch on a rainy afternoon.

5. Dinosaurus

When the perfectly preserved frozen bodies of a Brontosaurus, a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Caveman wash up on a Carribean island, the inhabitants are excited about such a fascinating scientific discovery. Excitement swiftly turns to terror when the prehistoric popsticles are struck by lightning and reanimated. The Caveman and Brontosaurus befriend a young boy while the Tyrannosaur inevitably goes on a savage and bloody rampage. Dinosaurus is extremely dated with poor special effects and some suspect acting but it's a highly entertaining film culminating in a truly awesome final standoff with the T-Rex.

6. Ice Age

Probably the only genuinely funny thing Ray Romano has ever been involved in, Ice Age is a wonderful CGI animation that will delight both adults and children alike. Ok so it's a bit if a cheat as this is more a prehistoric film but it's my list so I can put it on here if I want! Much like The Land Before Time, the film throws together a bunch of unlikely prehistoric creatures (a wooly mammoth, a sabre-tooth tiger and a sloth) who have to work together to return a human baby to its parents whilst traversing the ice ravaged land. Genuinely hilarious, well acted and stunning to look at, Ice Age is a family favourite that has spawned a number of decent sequels.

7. Godzilla

So I was originally in the "Godzilla is not a dinosaur" camp until I read this article, so now that I'm converted, the original Japanese classic can be added to my list. Like some of the other films on this list, Godzilla is incredibly dated but there's nothing quite like watching a gigantic radioactive monster destroy a major city. Just remember to steer clear of the terrible American remake from 1998.

8. Dinosaur 13

The only documentary on this list, Dinosaur 13 is the story of "Sue", the most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. Two years after "Sue" was recovered, government officials seized her remains on the basis that she had been stolen from federal land. The documentary details the discovery of "Sue", the circumstances concerning her capture and the 10 year long legal battle to have her released from storage in a warehouse. Dinosaur 13 is fascinating, unbelievable and heartbreaking. Essential viewing.

9. The Valley of Gwangi

Having only watched The Valley of Gwangi for the first time very recently I haven't had a great deal of time to fully digest how I feel about it. However, I've included it mainly for the impressive (for the time) special effects which were created by none other than stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen. The film follows a group of Wild West circus performers that travel to a forbidden valley to bring back prehistoric creatures to be part of their show. They capture Gwangi (an Allosaurus) and unveil him in their circus act but inevitably he escapes and runs amok. I have a really difficult time rooting for the human characters as they are cruel and motivated purely by their own financial gains and because of this I found myself empathising mostly with Gwangi and the other dinosaurs. The end of the movie is actually quite horrific. Not a great film but worth a watch for dinosaur fans.

So those are the nine you should watch... now for the one you shouldn't...