10 Underrated 90s Movies Volume Four - Creature Features | Johnson County Library

The Relic

DVD - 1999

I love "The Relic." It’s spooky throughout, scary at points, and, yeah, maybe a little cheesy here and there, but it is never boring. The end se...Show more I love "The Relic." It’s spooky throughout, scary at points, and, yeah, maybe a little cheesy here and there, but it is never boring. The end sequence in particular is nuts. Thrills and chills aside, there’s also something very cozy about it. I love a good natural history museum and I love cool monsters, so putting a cool monster in the Field Museum in Chicago is a stroke of genius as far as I'm concerned. Bringing the city’s elite together for a fancy party and trapping them in the museum with the monster is another. It’s just a great, fun movie. Show less

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Deep Rising

DVD - 2018

"Deep Rising" tanked when it was released, and I have no idea why. I was very tuned into new releases at the time and I barely remember hearing ...Show more "Deep Rising" tanked when it was released, and I have no idea why. I was very tuned into new releases at the time and I barely remember hearing anything about it. Looking back at the reviews now I see that it was roundly dismissed. I didn’t catch up with it until a few years ago, and when I finally did I was shocked by how great it is. This movie deserves classic status. It’s a top-notch blend of action, crime, and horror with a great cast and perfect pacing. Most importantly, it is pure fun. It’s about a luxury cruise liner that gets sabotaged so some criminals can rob the wealthy tourists on board. Unfortunately for the criminals, they arrive at the ship and find it’s mostly empty of humans, but not at all empty of… something else. If you like monster movies and/or 90s action movies and you haven’t seen "Deep Rising" yet, do not hesitate! Show less

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Congo

DVD - 1999

I was almost seven when "Jurassic Park" came out and swept the world. I begged my parents for months to let me see it, and eventually they gave ...Show more I was almost seven when "Jurassic Park" came out and swept the world. I begged my parents for months to let me see it, and eventually they gave in and took me to the dollar theater way late in its run, and I still remember that experience. I was obsessed with it for months, then years. I read the junior novelization over and over again, and eventually read the actual book. An official sequel wouldn’t come along until 1997, but in the meantime 1995 brought "Congo." It was based on the novel by Michael Crichton and shared a producer with "Jurassic Park"… and it starred one of the Ghostbusters! How could you go wrong?! I immediately started begging my parents to let me see it, and shortly after my ninth birthday my dad took me. There was truly no way I wasn’t going to enjoy "Congo" as a child, but apparently the general critical reception was poor. However, my main man Roger Ebert appreciated it for what it was: A fun jungle adventure story. “False sophisticates will scorn it,” he wrote. “Real sophisticates will relish it.” Congo is a ridiculous film in some ways, but it is very fun, it has wonderful mutant ape monsters, a killer cast, and it has a great jungle vibe. Hard to beat. Show less

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Arachnophobia

DVD - 1999?

Imagine Steven Spielberg’s cozy 80s small-town America invaded by super-lethal spiders, and you’ve got Arachnophobia. It’s been one of my favorites ever s...Show more Imagine Steven Spielberg’s cozy 80s small-town America invaded by super-lethal spiders, and you’ve got Arachnophobia. It’s been one of my favorites ever since I was a kid, and I think it does an unusually good job of balancing the story of the characters and the deaths around town, pulling you in emotionally before throwing caution to the wind in the third act and giving you what you’re there for. Jeff Daniels and John Goodman are great in it, and the sheer number of spiders in the film is nuts. This is one of those movies where, after you’ve watched it, a hair on your neck will move slightly in the breeze and you’ll flip out. Show less

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Demon Knight

DVD - 2003

"From Dusk Till Dawn" was originally supposed to be a sequel to "Demon Knight," so if - after "Dusk" - you’re looking for an...Show more "From Dusk Till Dawn" was originally supposed to be a sequel to "Demon Knight," so if - after "Dusk" - you’re looking for another movie with a handful of people trapped in a small space being attacked by demons, you should definitely check this one out. "Demon Knight" isn’t quite as good as "Dusk," but it’s a lot of fun and the monsters are very cool. It does a good job of mixing adventure, humor, and horror in ways where no tone ever overwhelms the other, which is really pretty hard to pull off. Highly recommended! Show less

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Alien Resurrection

DVD - 1999

"Alien: Resurrection" is not a good movie compared to "Alien," and it’s possibly also not a good movie compared to most other movies, ...Show more "Alien: Resurrection" is not a good movie compared to "Alien," and it’s possibly also not a good movie compared to most other movies, but it’s a pretty fun, dark sci-fi movie with a bunch of people trapped on a ship in outer space. It’s a little aimless and dumb, but it’s full of weird ideas and disgusting violence, sure to please fans of "Event Horizon" and other space horror. Mainly it’s something to see because it looks so freaking good (if you have the stomach for it). The aliens look better than ever, and the monstrous lab experiments will make your skin crawl. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director of Amelie, directed this after two other visually sumptuous 90s pictures ("Delicatessen" and "The City of Lost Children"), and his talents are on full display here. Show less

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Phantoms

DVD - 2021

"Phantoms" is a truly bonkers movie that I somehow only recently caught up with. I was interested in it when it came out, but terrible reviews c...Show more "Phantoms" is a truly bonkers movie that I somehow only recently caught up with. I was interested in it when it came out, but terrible reviews combined with no word-of-mouth kept me away for over twenty years. And you know, I really do understand the bad reviews because this movie is completely nuts, but "Phantoms" deserves a new appreciation. It starts off with two young adult sisters entering a Colorado mountain town that is strangely empty of life. They discover a dead body, then more, and I won't say anything else because it's best to go into this one as blind as possible. It takes wild turns every ten minutes, but somehow stays enough on the rails to make it to a pretty decent ending. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece, but if you've ever wanted a movie that was akin to the dream you might have after spending an evening drinking, watching the "X-Files," reading an HP Lovecraft story, and then falling asleep while listening to "Coast to Coast AM" on the radio, this is it. At the very least, I guarantee you will not be bored. Show less

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Everything Ernest 3 Movie Collection

DVD - 2015

"Ernest Scared Stupid" terrified me as a child. I rented it because a kid on the bus recommended it, and for about a month in 1992, I could not ...Show more "Ernest Scared Stupid" terrified me as a child. I rented it because a kid on the bus recommended it, and for about a month in 1992, I could not turn off the lights in my room at night without having visions of horrifically ugly trolls running at me from the dark corners or crawling out from under my bed so they could steal me away from my comfy home. No movie has ever scared me more. Many years later, I can watch this (and do!) and appreciate the cozy small-town Halloween vibes, the gross-out humor, and (the man the myth the legend) Ernest. But I also have to admire how perfectly constructed this is to be kiddie nightmare fuel while just appearing completely stupid to adults. It's about disgusting, oozing trolls that turn kids into wooden dolls by touching them and then take them away to the woods, where their souls exist forever, frozen in these dolls, never to be reunited with their parents. No parents, complete loss of autonomy, you never get to grow up, a monster that can strike anywhere at any time... under the guise of a comedy for kids, you have a very effective horror film for them. Also, the creatures are pretty remarkable here. Low budget, but super-gross effects work. Kudos to all involved. Show less

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The Island of Dr. Moreau

DVD - 2017

"The Island of Dr. Moreau" is a very bizarre film with a terrible reputation (see the documentary “Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stan...Show more "The Island of Dr. Moreau" is a very bizarre film with a terrible reputation (see the documentary “Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau” to learn more about the very painful making of this movie), but there’s a lot to love in here. First off, it’s hard for me to dislike a rainy jungle movie. You put heavy downpour and lots of tropical trees in a movie, and I’m there, I don’t even care what’s going on. Secondly, the creature makeup is really spectacular. Third: It’s pretty darn creepy! There is a lot of unsettling imagery and the themes are the types of things that will keep you up at night. Unfortunately, the story gets kind of bungled. You can see that they’re really reaching for big ideas but the pieces start to fall off the ship as the picture moves along, and by the end it just never quite gets to a satisfying place. Still, it’s worth a watch for the atmosphere and the bizarreness. Show less

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An American Werewolf in Paris

DVD - 1998

A more collegiate answer to the high school horror shenanigans of the late 90s, "An American Werewolf in Paris" is a loose sequel to the much-be...Show more A more collegiate answer to the high school horror shenanigans of the late 90s, "An American Werewolf in Paris" is a loose sequel to the much-better-known "An American Werewolf in London." The story is kind of wonky and the CGI is distractingly bad, but there is some fun to be had here if you pretend it’s completely unrelated to the original film. I mostly remember enjoying the spooky old Parisian settings and the glimpses we get of a secret society of werewolves that preys on tourists (it feels like a precursor to the "Hostel" films in that way), but there are some good scares and laughs throughout. Show less

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The Frighteners

DVD - 1996

The Frighteners is that rarest of things: A horror comedy that actually works. It's not a perfect film, but it balances mystery, horror, and comedy very w...Show more The Frighteners is that rarest of things: A horror comedy that actually works. It's not a perfect film, but it balances mystery, horror, and comedy very well, thanks in large part to the lovable Michael J. Fox and also to the skillful direction of Peter Jackson. The special effects aren't quite as special a quarter-century later, but the story is so good that they're easy to look beyond. Show less

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Godzilla

DVD - 1998

The 1998 remake of "Godzilla" is one of the purest examples of a bloated 90s blockbuster, and although I don't love it, I do enjoy it. It was ju...Show more The 1998 remake of "Godzilla" is one of the purest examples of a bloated 90s blockbuster, and although I don't love it, I do enjoy it. It was justifiably panned by critics when it came out, partially because the characters are often weak suggestions at cliches that could make actual characters, partially because it's way too long and the story is sloppy and confused, and partially - I suspect - as a backlash to the massive marketing push leading up to its release (critics used to resent such things). However! "Godzilla" 1998 is not without its charms. First of all, it's fun. It comes from an era where blockbusters had more of a sense of humor and lightness to them. The "internet fan" (the 35 year-old guy who is going to run to his blog, social media, vlog, etc. and complain that you aren't taking his beloved franchise ~seriously~ enough) wasn't really a studio preoccupation yet. Secondly, there are some solid set pieces here. The scene with the old guy running at the dock is an all-time classic in my book, and the baby godzillas on the loose at Madison Square Garden is both fun and the logical culmination of this movie trying to out-Jurassic-Park "Jurassic Park." Yeah, it needs to be trimmed down by about thirty to forty minutes, but it's a fun way to kill an evening, and at least it's better than "Godzilla" 2014. Show less

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Starship Troopers

DVD - 2007

You really can't talk 90s creature features without mentioning "Starship Troopers." It has some of the coolest aliens/monsters ever committed to...Show more You really can't talk 90s creature features without mentioning "Starship Troopers." It has some of the coolest aliens/monsters ever committed to film, and boy does it use them well. It's not a horror movie (I'd put it under sci-fi or action), but the "bugs" are absolutely terrifying and no usually-horror-going gorehound will be disappointed. I almost didn't put it on this list, because I don't know if it's actually "underrated," as it actually seems to have grown in popularity and acclaim since its release (even spawning several sequels), but it is 1000% a creature feature. Show less

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Tremors 2

Aftershocks

DVD - 1998?

"Tremors" is one of my all-time favorite movies, yet until recently I'm pretty sure I had never seen "Tremors 2: Aftershocks." Much to...Show more "Tremors" is one of my all-time favorite movies, yet until recently I'm pretty sure I had never seen "Tremors 2: Aftershocks." Much to my delight, it's pretty good! It's not on the level of the first film, but it successfully ups the ante without losing the charm of the original. In "Tremors 2," Earl (Ward) is pulled out of retirement to help a Mexican drilling company that is being plagued by the graboids. There are so many, they decide to call on Burt (Michael Gross, the lovable weapons enthusiast from the original) to get in on the action. Things go relatively well at first, but then the worms start splitting open, unleashing a new, above-ground menace. As far as the creatures go, there's some dated CGI, but also plenty of well-done practical effects. Overall, "Tremors 2" is good, messy fun. Show less

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Moon

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And now for a few that aren't in the JCL collection, but might be obtainable through Interlibrary Loan or elsewhere... First off, "Bad Moon" is ...Show more And now for a few that aren't in the JCL collection, but might be obtainable through Interlibrary Loan or elsewhere... First off, "Bad Moon" is a fun little werewolf movie starring Mason Gamble (Dennis the Menace). He lives alone with his lawyer mother in a somewhat remote house in the Pacific Northwest, when one day his uncle comes to visit. His uncle, as you may have guessed, has an unfortunate little secret. The film feels somewhat small-scale, like a short story, but it’s an enjoyable, overlooked little monster movie that’s worth checking out. Show less

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Faculty

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The Faculty is a very fun, very well-made mash-up of the science fiction and teen slasher genres. Heinlein’s “The Puppet Masters” and Finney’s “The Body S...Show more The Faculty is a very fun, very well-made mash-up of the science fiction and teen slasher genres. Heinlein’s “The Puppet Masters” and Finney’s “The Body Snatchers” have been adapted countless times in film and television, and The Faculty is a solid adaptation, noteworthy among the other versions in how perfectly it encapsulates the late 90s/post-Scream horror era (The Faculty was written by Kevin Williamson, of Scream and Dawson’s Creek fame). It has some pretty great/gross effects, and a handful of action sequences that make it a great way to kill a Saturday night. Show less

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lawnmower_Man_(film)

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Some people absolutely hate this movie, but I love it. It's a lightly trashy sci-fi movie about a sweet, mentally less-able man who is experimented on and...Show more Some people absolutely hate this movie, but I love it. It's a lightly trashy sci-fi movie about a sweet, mentally less-able man who is experimented on and becomes hyper-intelligent and vicious. In its best moments it's a critique of the type of intelligence our culture values and an exciting sci-fi movie. In its worst moments it's kind of ridiculous. But this is exactly the kind of movie you'd randomly pick up at the video store or catch on cable and have a fun afternoon with, and sometimes that's all I need. Be sure to watch the Director's Cut, as it adds a lot to the story. Show less

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species_(film)

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Species is technically not a very good movie, but I find it to be a very fun film, and I’m making the list, buddy. This is Natasha Henstridge’s film debut...Show more Species is technically not a very good movie, but I find it to be a very fun film, and I’m making the list, buddy. This is Natasha Henstridge’s film debut, and in Species, she’s existing at a level of beauty that I have to imagine set some kind of world record. Fortunately for the men in the movie she is looking for a partner, but unfortunately for the men in the movie, she is an killer alien straight out of the Alien movies (HR Giger – famous for his creature design on Alien – worked on Species). It’s a great premise and there are a handful of good scenes (plus Michael Madsen!) in Species that make it a worthwhile watch. The downside is that the direction is pretty clunky and Ben Kingsley is laughably bad in it. Show less

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus_(1999_film)

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I didn’t catch up with Virus until very recently, and it pleasantly surprised me. It’s about a high-tech ship that’s been taken over by some kind of alien...Show more I didn’t catch up with Virus until very recently, and it pleasantly surprised me. It’s about a high-tech ship that’s been taken over by some kind of alien consciousness that is set on killing off humanity. It’s a solid story with a good cast and some great practical effects. Virus is one of a handful of high-budget action/horror/sci-fi movies of the 90s that bombed, but deserves to be seen now. Show less

10 Underrated 90s Movies: Volume Three - Thrillers

https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/list/share/546950857/1928968809

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Looking for more underrated 90s movies? Check out volume three in my series here. Looking for more underrated 90s movies? Check out volume three in my series here. Show less