Audiences have been flocking to theaters to see giant monsters since the early years of film. From the stop-motion puppets of the 1930s to the computer-generated destructive deities of recent years, these gigantic beasts never fail to entertain, even if the monster movie genre has waned at the American box office in recent years.

When Japanese film juggernaut Toho announced a reboot of its Godzilla franchise, I could feel a nostalgic tug on my heartstrings. The concept of a gigantic lizard plowing through billions of dollars in real estate was a concept I held dear throughout my elementary school days. And while the years have broadened my tastes a bit, there is never a time when Godzilla doesn’t get me a little excited.

So in light of the release of Godzilla: Resurgence (as well as a desire to express my childlike nerdiness), I’ve prepared a list of the five essential monster movies out there. For fans of fun, lighthearted camp, these should be required viewing:

King Kong (1933)

Is it dated? You bet. But it’s also one of the most influential movies ever made and a great example of early Hollywood special effects. More than 80 years later, it comes across as mostly charming. The sight of a giant gorilla scaling the Empire State Building is still incredibly striking, and the beast itself makes for a compellingly flawed hero. The fact that Kong’s pain can be felt through a puppet’s animated gaze is an achievement unto itself.

Godzilla (1954)

Before Godzilla became just a guy in a rubber suit fighting monsters, he was an allegory for the costs of nuclear war in this surprisingly grim film from director Ishiro Honda. The story follows a group of young scientists as they struggle to decide whether to capture Godzilla for study or simply destroy him. Even though it’s easy to see the silliness in this one 60 years after its release (the destroyed buildings look more like models with every passing day), it’s worth watching for its meaningful postwar message.

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Those looking for a laugh should check out this madcap monstrosity, which features Godzilla teaming up with a brightly colored robot named Jet Jaguar (an unapologetic Ultraman rip-off) to defeat a bug monster. Also included: American actor Robert Dunham as the toga-wearing emperor of “Seatopia.” This movie is beyond stupid, and is best known for being mocked on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. But it’s so unintentionally hilarious that excluding it seemed disingenuous. So bad, it’s incredible.

Pacific Rim (2013)

Guillermo del Toro’s love letter to creature features is the highest-budgeted film on this list, and arguably the most entertaining. While the attempts at character drama fall flat, watching giant robots (Jaegers) fight giant monsters (Kaiju) in extravagantly detailed environments has never been more awesome to look at. This is basically Transformers, but it’s actually good.  And there’s already a sequel in the works. Sign me up.

Godzilla (2014)

Director Gareth Edwards’ take on Godzilla’s origin story includes the best human performances in the genre. The decision to portray the titular King of Monsters as an unstoppable force of nature pays huge dividends. Even if the big guy himself is only onscreen for around 10 minutes, his presence looms so large over the film’s two hours that it’s hard to even notice. This is the best monster movie since the original Godzilla and a great piece of popcorn entertainment. Think Jaws, if the shark was the size of a skyscraper.

Watch the trailer for Toho’s Godzilla: Resurgence below: