THE DANMAN CAN

To celebrate his centennial, I decided to watch the only  Mel Brooks  movie that I hadn't seen, 1991's Life Stinks .  Trading Places (1983) [ review ] took a similar idea and did it much better.  LS is an uneven film with underdeveloped ideas and characters. It's easy to see why it's his least regarded picture, but there are some good, funny (if non sequituresque) bits in it regardless, and Lesley Ann Warren is charming. Mel Brooks Films Ranked

Like the film's namesake dance show host,  John Waters ' Hairspray (1988) is (intentionally) corny as hell, but it also has a heartfelt, earnest message about being true to yourself and having pride in who you are. While I prefer my Waters filthy, there's enough oddball outsiders and amusing dialogue to give Hairspray his stamp, and I can't deny the fun, fashion, and killer tunes of his mainstream hit. John Waters Feature Films Ranked

I've lived to see  John Waters '  Desperate Living   (1977) restored in 4K (and it looks great!). I first paid a visit to Mortville when I bought a VHS tape of the film in the late '90s. DL is slightly less offensive than JW's opus, 1972's  Pink Flamingos  [ review ] but just as much fun.  Divine 's presence is sorely missed.  Mink Stole  almost makes up for his absence by stealing every scene she's in (including  one of the best line deliveries ever in any film , in a movie jam-packed with priceless dialogue), but  Edith Massey  gives her a run for her money. I love the  Dreamlanders  and I love this picture. A trashterpiece. John Waters Feature Films Ranked

Siege (aka Self Defense ) (1983) is a taut and lean, mean and downbeat thriller. A simple and singular picture with a gritty realism and an eerie synth score, Siege is a cool little Canadian genre gem. Recommended for fans of Assault On Precinct 13 (1976) [ review ], Vigilante (1982) [ review ], and Green Room (2015) [ review ].

Carl Reiner 's Summer Rental (1985) is light on plot but full of lighthearted fun, with plenty of laughs from the always lovable John Candy  (and Richard Crenna makes a great foil). Carl Reiner Films Ranked

I'm me babe I'm free babe Peter Weir Feature Films Ranked

One of  Stanley Kubrick 's  93 favorite films and an influence on  George Miller 's  Mad Max  (1979) [ review ],  Peter Weir 's cult feature debut, The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) concerns the secrets surrounding the strange inhabitants of a small town. A surreal slow burner building to a violent, frenetic finale. Recommended for fans of  The Wicker Man  (1973) [ review ] , Calvaire (2004), and Eddington (2025) [ review ]. Peter Weir Feature Films Ranked

Mario Bava ’s Four Times That Night (1971) is a visually inventive, if obviously problematic, sex comedy and very much a product of its time. Bava's comedic take on  Rashomon  (1950)—while certainly not one of his best efforts—features fantastic  production and costume design and solid performances. Mario Bava Feature Films Ranked

A lusty and tragic psychological thriller full of obsession, manipulation, and melodrama, Macabre (1980),  Lamberto Bava 's solo directorial debut, is a bit a slow burner, but it's beautifully shot, features a tense, hypnotic score, and good (if appropriately over the top) performances—all building to an explosive and disturbing finale. Lamberto Bava Films Ranked

 Marking its centennial this year, The General remains an impressive and amusing action comedy and Buster Keaton 's defining film.