Jeff Goldblumis keeping booked and busy with the upcoming release ofThor: Love and ThunderandJurassic World: Dominion; he’s the king of bizarro sci-fi and horror. There’s something very satisfying about watching Goldblum at work.
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With his undeniably suave persona, Goldblum draws our attention to the screen to the point we can’t – and frankly, don’t want to – look away. He can do funny, he can do thrilling, and he can certainly do scary. Nothing appears to be a challenge for the star, but between blockbusters, there comes a few doozies; yet Goldblum keeps us entertained through the good, the bad, and the wacky.
‘Transylvania 6-500’ (1985)
IMDB Rating: 4.9
Technically a spoof of the genre,Transylvania 6-500is an easily entertaining way to pass 90 minutes of the day. The 1985 horror-comedy takes the classic staples of monster movies and inflicts its own comical twist on famous figures like Dracula and Frankenstein.
Transylvania 6-500isn’t to be taken seriously in the slightest. If you grew up watching it, chances are you’ll still love it in today’s pop culture as it provides nostalgic comfort for the era it was released. Nothing screams campy quite like Jeff Goldblum andEd Begley Jr.hunting for monsters in a peculiarly, weird, inexplicable scenario. It’s something that shouldn’t work, butTransylvania 6-500is a joy from start to finish.
‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ (2016)
IMDB Rating: 5.2
Sometimes it’s ok for movies not to have a follow-up, especially two decades after the original.Independence Day: Resurgenceintroduces an entire new group of viewers – as well as retaining fans of the first – to Jeff Goldblum battling it out with aliens.
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Unfortunately, the sequel lives in the shadow ofIndependence Day,and it comes clearly to viewers that this is an unnecessary chapter that needed to be explored. The action sequences at least hold some allure to the film, but all that you’ll find yourself thinking is: how many times will aliens invade this place, and why aren’t they winning?
‘Hideaway’ (1995)
IMDB Rating: 5.3
Hideawayis another entry featuring an impressive ensemble, though the dream duo ofAlfred Molinaand Goldblum are maybe the movie’s only saving grace.
The plot is dull and tedious. There’s nothing to make it stand out or pop amongst the horrors of the 90s. Its biggest flaw is perhaps the use of CGI effects that come across as questionable at best; this aside,Hideawayfalls into the trap of becoming too predictable and ultimately fails to keep viewers engaged for long.
‘Mister Frost’ (1990)
IMDB Rating: 5.9
This stylish horror-thriller follows Goldblum as a sadistic serial killer whose presence at a psychiatric facility raises questions about his true identity.
Mister Frostworks because Goldblum is phenomenally convincing at playing the part; his character, Mr. Frost, toys with the minds of viewers and supporting characters over whether he truly is Satan incarnate. The opening sequence is deeply unsettling but sets up the nature of the film very well; this is one Goldblum performance that isn’t to be missed.
‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ (2018)
IMDB Rating: 6.1
In 2015, movie-goers strapped in to watch history repeat itself with a next-gen style revival of theJurassic Parkfranchise – titledJurassic World. The first addition is fantastic stand-alone outside the original trilogy; it throws in just enough nods to be nostalgic without being overt or a huge cringe-fest.
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WhenChris PrattandBryce Dallas Howardreturned formore Dino actionthree years later, so did Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm in a brief but crucial in bringing the series back to its roots.Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdomstarts off strong, though is let down by a feeble attempt to reinvent the wheel. If fans are hoping to catch Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) fire cheeky quips and schmooze his way around, they will be left unsatisfied with most of Goldblum’s scenes being shown in the trailer.
‘The Sentinel’ (1977)
IMDB Rating: 6.3
This forgotten70s supernatural horrorconsists of an all-star cast with the likes ofChris Sarandon,Christopher Walken, andBeverly D’Angeloin leading and supporting roles; Goldblum is of the latter in a minor bit part.
Considering a mass of negative responses towards the film upon its release,The Sentineldoes maintain an eerie atmosphere. Critics have hailed the movie as being offensive for its exploitation of physical disabilities, which has been a leading factor in a strong distaste forThe Sentinelover years. However, more recently,The Sentinelhas been revised for having a star-studded cast, the cinematography, and genuinely creepy scenes.
‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (1997)
IMDB Rating: 6.5
The Lost World: Jurassic Parklacks the punchof its predecessor, but makes up for its mishaps by upping the terror and violence, and takes the drama off the island and onto the mainlands. If we’ve learned anything from theJurassic Parkfranchise, it’s that humans are the real villains.
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Unlike the first film, Goldblum has his screen time significantly increased with this feature and is promoted to lead the charge against the man-made prehistoric beats. We get to dive into details about Ian’s life that bring a depth to his character thatJurassic Parksteers away from; it makes sense, this is kind of his time to shine after all.The Lost Worldis actually one of the stronger sequels to come out of the series, and with a scene like the hunters in the tall grass, who can fault this?
‘Independence Day’ (1995)
IMDB Rating: 7.0
It might not hold the most compelling of narratives, butIndependence Daydoes establish itself as an ultimate guilty pleasure. The film is frustratingly lackluster in delivering layers of development to the characters; however, that is likely what appeals audiences toIndependence Day, giving it a charming quality.
With big Hollywood names such asWill Smith,Bill Pullman, and a youngMae Whitman, Goldblum has a solid team of talent to work with. While suffering from a slightly weak plot, the design behind the aliens and the scenes of their attacks are surprisingly unsettling to see. It is a disaster film in every sense, filled with explosions and action, and isworthy of viewing once every July 4!
‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ (1978)
IMDB Rating: 7.4
Invasion of the Body Snatchersis a classic component of horror cinema. Fans and critics applauded its ability to match the uneasy tone of the 1956 cult original and stands well on its own two feet.
Goldblum stars asDonald Sutherland’s close friend and writer Jack Bellicec; Jack is one of the first to fall victim to the eponymous unearthly body snatchers and spends the rest of the film as a duplicate without any sort of human attachment.Invasion of the Body Snatchersis iconic. Most people will surely recall the infamously haunting image of Sutherland’s Matthew towards the film’s conclusion as all hope for humanity begins to dwindle.
‘The Fly’ (1986)
IMDB Rating: 7.6
David Croneberg’s 1986 remake ofThe Flycomes nearly thirty years after the original, and is atruly grotesque, twisted and sickening filmto endure. Goldblum teams up alongsideGeena Davisonce again as brilliant scientist Seth Brundle and his journalist lover Veronica Quaife as they suffer the consequences of an experience gone horrifically wrong.
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Boththe movie and Goldblum’s performance received high praise, going on to become critically acclaimed for its use of effects too. There is a deeper, morally heartbreaking undertone present throughoutThe Fly; it offers far more gore than its 1958 predecessor ever could have imagined, and while those aspects are memorable, it’s the tragedy of Brundle’s journey that sticks with and touches the audience.
