With “The End of Oak Street” hitting the big screen this weekend, it’s got movie fans in the mood for anything that features dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures. When you talk about the best dinosaur movies, there’s basically a default answer: “Jurassic Park.” But what about the dino-themed flicks beyond Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic (and its numerous sequels)?
Considering the enduring popularity of dinosaurs, the competition to be the best dinosaur movie not called “Jurassic Park” is surprisingly sparse. Nevertheless, I’ve still been able to round up five movies vying for the title. These range from action-focused efforts to family movies that put a more colorful spin on the long-extinct oversized lizard-like creatures.
So while you won’t find “Jurassic Park” on this list (nor any of the “Jurassic World” movies), here’s the best alternative dinosaur movies to consider streaming this weekend.
‘The Land Before Time’ (1988)
“The Land Before Time” might look like a children’s Saturday morning cartoon, and while it’s definitely a movie suitable for the whole family, don’t be surprised if it has you bawling your eyes out. This animated film gives “Bambi” a run for its money in the “making adults tear up” department. Steven Spielberg also worked as an executive producer on the film, giving it a slight connection to “Jurassic Park.”
The movie centers on Littlefoot, a young herbivorous dinosaur, separated from his herd by an earthquake. Meeting fellow orphaned dinos, Littlefoot and his new pals set out on a quest to locate the fabled Great Valley and be reunited with his family. The good news is that if you enjoy the first “Land Before Time,” then there are 13 (yes, 13!) sequels. Just be aware these are all direct-to-DVD fodder, and don’t match the quality of the original.
Watch "The Land Before Time" on Netflix now
‘65’ (2023)
Cards on the table, I’m not a fan of “65.” I even ranked it among my least favorite movies of 2023. But that’s just my personal opinion. I’ve included it on this list because of its respectable 64% viewer score on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that at least some people enjoyed this sci-fi thriller. One of those people would be my colleague Alix Blackburn, who argues it’s “one of the most underrated sci-fi thrillers” and advises you to “ignore the critics.”
Kylo Ren himself, Adam Driver, plays an interstellar astronaut named Mills, who crash-lands on Earth. Only it’s our planet 65 million years in the past. If the bumpy landing that destroyed his craft wasn’t enough to deal with, prehistoric Earth is home to some very dangerous creatures: dinosaurs. Mills faces a desperate battle to find a way home while taking a fellow survivor under his wing, a young girl named Koa (Arriana Greenblatt).
Watch "65" on Hulu now
‘King Kong’ (2005)
I’m maybe stretching the definition of a dinosaur movie here. After all, “King Kong” is really about an oversized ape wreaking havoc across NYC. But before he’s transported to the Big Apple, Kong is ruling over Skull Island, a mysterious location that is home to not just the skyscraper-climbing ape but also plenty of dinosaurs. And it’s hard not to have fun watching King Kong punch a pack of dinos in the face. Tell me that doesn’t sound appealing to you?
This epic Peter Jackson movie, which gives his “Lord of the Rings” movies a run for their money with an equally butt-numbingly long runtime, is actually the second remake of the 1933 original. It stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody and Andy Serkis, and follows a group of filmmakers in the 1930s as they travel to Skull Island to shoot a movie. Once on location, they encounter King Kong and more exotic dangers on the tropical island.
Watch "King Kong" on Prime Video (buy/rent) now
‘The Good Dinosaur’ (2015)
“The Good Dinosaur” is a memorable movie in Pixar’s canon, but not necessarily for the right reasons. The movie marked the end of the animation studio’s hot streak and became its first box office failure. The family adventure film struggled to recoup its large budget, and its messy development cycle was evident on screen. But it’s still a charming Pixar movie at its core, with strong animation and a cast of likable characters.
Perhaps taking cues from “The Land Before Time,” in “The Good Dinosaur,” a young apatosaurus (those are the dinos with really long necks) named Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is separated from his family during a rainstorm and must team up with a feral child (Jack Bright), whom Arlo happens to blame for the death of his father (Jeffrey Wright), to return home. It’s your classic story of unexpected friendship on a grand adventure.
Watch "The Good Dinosaur" on Disney+ now
‘One Million Years B.C.’ (1966)
“One Million Years B.C.” caused quite the stir upon its release in 1966, and it wasn’t because of its big-screen depiction of dinosaurs. Second only to Princess Leia in the iconic swimwear department, Raquel Welch dons a fur-covered bikini, which became an enduring image and was used aggressively in the film's marketing. But looking beyond the uncomfortable objectification of its female lead, this ‘60s movie is still a Hollywood classic.
Naturally, it’s aged considerably in the decades since release, so if you want incredibly lifelike CGI dinosaurs, steer well clear, but if you can appreciate old-school effects, this movie has its charms. It sees a caveman, Tumak (John Richardson), exiled from his tribe, before wooing Loana (Welch) from a rival group. Together they venture out into the harsh prehistoric world and face all sorts of hurdles, including dinosaurs, earthquakes and more.
Buy "One Million Years B.C." (DVD) at Barnes & Noble now
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