THE DANMAN CAN

Blow me down , I will never understand the disdain and disrespect aimed at Robert Altman ’s Popeye (1980). I know it underperformed at the box office, and critics weren't too kind to it, but I absolutely adore this film. I watched it many times when I was young (not quite an infink, as the titular character would say, but pretty young), and I continue to get nothing but pleasure from this movie, which is almost as old as I am. Casting is tremendously important to a film like this, and the filmmakers nailed every choice (down to the small roles that only those familiar with E.C. Segar ’s strip would recognize). Robin Williams isn’t exactly the comic strip Popeye, and he's not quite the Fleischer cartoons Popeye, but he’s Popeye nonetheless. And he’s sublime. His muttering, his movement, the faces he makes—all memorable and endlessly amusing. Shelley Duvall was born to play Olive Oyl . She embodies everything about the character—her mannerisms, her physicality, her voice, h...

It was a whole lot of fun to see David Wain 's Wet Hot American Summer (2001) in a theater for its 25th anniversary (almost on the date that the film takes place, August 18th). I hadn't watched WHAS  in 10 years (yikes!), and it gets funnier each time I see it (it had been a while since I had laughed that much). It puts me in the mood to revisit the two very solid Netflix miniseries as well.

"Simple just shit itself." This was my first revisit of  Kevin Smith 's Red State (2011) since 2012. I wasn't as impressed as I was on my first viewing, but I still think it's a well-made, interesting mashup of genres with solid performances (and a far better film than several others by Smith). Kevin Smith Feature Films Ranked

🎵 Oo-wooo 🎵 "They blew up Congress!" (laughing) Tim Burton Feature Films Ranked

"Donald, you are a real card-carrying cunt." Based on Mart Crowley 's (who also wrote the screenplay) 1968 play ,  William Friedkin 's  The Boys In The Band (1970) (which utilized the entire stage cast) involves a group of queens in Manhattan at a birthday party crashed by a square, hetero (?) friend. Full of manic energy, acerbic dialogue delivered in rapid-fire succession, and dramatic camerawork, Friedkin's film is a funny but sad, self-reflexive, self-criticizing, and self-pitying work—tackling stereotypes while remaining humanist. "What's so fucking funny?" "Life. Life's a goddamn laugh riot." William Friedkin Feature Films Ranked

"It's classified, ice cream man. It's classified." Ice Cream Man (1995) is not a very, very, very good film, but it is a happy, happy, happy good time. Recommended for fans of  Jack Frost  (1997) [ review ],  Uncle Sam (1996) [ review ], and  The Tripper (2006) [ review ].

Abel Ferrara 's Body Snatchers (1993), the third film adaptation of Jack Finney 's 1955 novel , holds up quite well on rewatches. Despite some faults (an unnecessary voiceover, for example; characters lacking depth, for another), the movie is exceptionally lit and shot, has a solid cast (MVP Meg Tilly ), and adds an interesting dynamic  to the well-known alien invasion story with the military aspect (via  Larry Cohen ). Stuart Gordon was originally slated to direct (and he's still credited for the screenplay), but the film ended up with Ferrara (his first of two Hollywood pictures made in 1993; the other being  Dangerous Game   [ review ]). The first half of the film is a slow buildup, but the second half ramps up the action and effects, which are both very well done. It's a mostly straightforward, even "classical filmmaking" affair (and clocks in at an economic 87 minutes), particularly for Abel, but there are enough juicy moments to keep it exciting. Abel ...

It's interesting how "hot button" films like this age—how you process and reevaluate them at certain points in your life, based on the zeitgeist and politics of the time.  Falling Down  (1993) is a film that I've seen numerous times and one that I've always liked a lot. As a character study and a modern day odyssey, it's top notch.  Michael Douglas ' performance is perfect. As a tense piece of entertainment, it's really good. ( James Newton Howard 's propulsive score is also particularly great.) It feels realistic, for the most part, and seems to want to comment on mental illness, domestic/gun violence, capitalism, racism, and inequality ("not economically viable") in a broad sort of way. A key question, though, is how much are we supposed to sympathize with our protagonist—he who terrorizes innocent people due to his own breakdown? Just how bad should we feel for our white middle class hero who goes on a rampage in L.A.? The film makes t...

"Die someplace else." Released in the middle of a stretch of excellent crime dramas,  The Outfit  (1973) is a lean and mean, no frills thriller with economic direction by  John Flynn  (of  Rolling Thunder   (1977) [ review ] fame). Populated by a stellar cast of character actors, the film contains biting dialogue and a funky/jazzy score by the underrated  Jerry Fielding . It beautifully captures the tone of  Donald E. Westlake 's (writing as Richard Stark)  Parker  character, also adapted in films such as  Point Blank   (1967) [ review ] and  Payback   (1999). "You send a guy out to kill somebody, maybe his feelings get hurt." Recommended for fans of  The Mechanic  (1972) [ review ],  Prime Cut  (1972) [ review ], and  Charley Varrick   (1973). John Flynn Films Ranked

With  Drive   (2011),  Nicolas Winding Refn  distilled the essence of noir and the fairy tale, along with the action, crime, and western genres into a blood-drenched, neon-soaked, slow burn romance. Via a perfect cast, minimal dialogue, assured visual design, and an inspired soundtrack (R.I.P. Kavinsky ) plus score by  Cliff Martinez , NWR and crew created a modern masterpiece. A consummate film that loses none of its heart, artistry, or luster upon revisits. Recommended for fans of  The Driver   (1978) [ review ],  Thief   (1981) [ review ],  Point Blank   (1967) [ review ],  To Live And Die In L.A.   (1985) [ review ], and  Bronson   (2008) [ review ]. Nicolas Winding Refn Ranked The Danman Top 100 Films (2024 Edition) Top Films Of 2011