THE DANMAN CAN

Doomsday   (2008) wears its influences proudly on its sleeve and writer/director  Neil Marshall  is perfectly okay with that. It's an intentional mashup/homage, but in the best sense (the way the Italians did so often in the '80s), effortlessly swinging from genre to genre, as good exploitation films do. Doomsday  cribs liberally from three cult classics from 1981— Escape From New York  ( review ),  Mad Max 2   ( review) ,   and  Excalibur ,   and throws in a bit of  28 Days Later   (2002) ( review ),  Aliens   (1986) ( review ) and   The Warriors   (1979) ( review ) for good measure. It would be a better film if the characterization weren't so thin, the tropes so heavy, and the action/editing so quick-cut. I wish the production design, costumes, and vehicles had more time to shine. And yet I always have a good time with this movie, which never seems to take itself too seriously. It's loud, it's gory, it's fun, and, yes, it's silly at times, but it continues

Dario Argento 's  Opera  (1987) is one bizarre  giallo . The film is mind-bogglingly scattershot, both tonally and editorially (even more so than 1985's  Phenomena  (reviews here , here , here , and here )—with so many disparate elements and influences—to the point of being comical. Some also complain about the seemingly random placement of heavy metal cues during murder scenes, but that's one aspect that's never bothered me (in fact I love those moments). It's frustrating because, while  Opera  doesn't make a lot of sense and drags in spots, it also contains some of Argento's most riveting and audacious cinematography and most inventive set pieces (the peephole kill in particular is a highlight of Argento's entire career). The movie is a bit like a fever dream, a glorious (operatic, even) mess, and for that I can't help but appreciate it. Dario Argento Films   Ranked Top 20 Directors Giallo Feature Films   Ranked

Simply put,  Sidney Lumet 's  1974 film  of  Agatha's Christie 's 1934 novel  Murder On The Orient Express   is one of the best adaptations of one of the best whodunits ever written. The absolutely stacked ensemble is perfectly cast, the shots are well staged, and the whole affair is terribly fun. I know there is a lot of love for  Peter Ustinov 's portrayal of Belgian detective  Hercule Poirot , but I've always loved and preferred  Albert Finney 's lone outing in the role. Having read eleven of the Poirot mysteries, including the titular one of this review, Finney's performance is very much in line with how I imagine the character when I'm reading the novels. Lumet's version of the story will always remain a favorite—a film I can put on at virtually any time and enjoy immensely. Sidney Lumet Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors