THE DANMAN CAN

"Some are born to sweet delight. Some are born to endless night." Dead Man  (1995) remains my favorite  Jim Jarmusch  film. To me it's the perfect blend of his style—road movie, existential trip, lyrical dialogue, sumptuous black and white visuals, dry and darkly tinged wit, ensemble cast—all wrapped up in the western genre. There is so much to appreciate about this film. Just to name a few things: 1.  Robby Müller 's gorgeous cinematography. This man shot some incredible films with some of the best directors:  Repo Man   (1984) [ review ],  Paris, Texas  (1984) [ review ],  To Live And Die In L.A.  (1985) [ review ],  Breaking The Waves  (1996), along with Jarmusch's  Down By Law  (1986) [ blogpost ],  Mystery Train  (1989) [ blogpost ], and  Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai   (1999) [ review ].  Dead Man  may just be the most impressive thing he ever filmed though. 2.  That  ...

It's hard to believe that  Salem's Lot  (1979) was only the second adaptation of a  Stephen King  story. It's also hard to believe that I somehow only managed to watch it for the first time in 2018. King had only written six books by the time that  SL  started filming, so it makes sense (and I say  only  six because he's been incredibly prolific over the course of his career). It's just I sometimes forget that "King Fever" didn't truly ramp up until the '80s (with three feature films based on his works released in 1983 alone). Speaking of the '80s, just six months after  Lot  aired,  Stanley Kubrick 's vastly superior  The Shining   (1980) [ review ] was unleashed—still one of the best King adaptations (and I don't care what the man himself thinks about it). Salem's Lot  aired as a miniseries on CBS over two nights, totaling just over 3 hours in runtime. There was also a theatrical cut (released in Europe and air...

 "This is what I call a timely interruption! Though what'll come of it, the devil himself only knows!" Michael Curtiz Feature Films Ranked

While it certainly can't compare to 1982's  Conan The Barbarian   [ review ] and it's even a step below 1984's  Conan The Destroyer  [ review ], Red Sonja (1985) is still a fun film, which I think gets a bit of a bad rep. I love '80s fantasy/sword and sorcery pictures and I hadn't seen RS since I was a teenager, so this was an enjoyable revisit. Though the story is lacking, Brigitte Nielsen is good in the lead role, and the production design and practical effects are easy to appreciate. Richard Fleischer Feature Films Ranked

"If it's all right with you, you can give me two dollars extra for making me nervous." Delmer Daves Feature Films Ranked   Elmore Leonard Feature Film Adaptations Ranked

"Can you find the wolves in this picture?" Martin Scorsese 's  Killers Of The Flower Moon  (2023) is a compelling, visually captivating, richly woven story delivered by an octogenarian.  Robbie Robertson 's final score is moody, droning, and hypnotic—reminiscent of the bass-playing of  Mark Sandman  (of  Morphine ) and the scores of  Nick Cave  and  Warren Ellis . The accompanying soundtrack of old blues and indigenous music marries perfectly to the movie. The sense of authenticity and genuineness is impressive, but thankfully the film never tips into documentary territory and retains its emotional core. Recommended for fans of  There Will Be Blood   (2007) [ review ],  The Irishman  (2019) [ review ],  Heaven's Gate   (1980),  Days Of Heaven   (1978) [ review ], and  Boardwalk Empire   (2010–2014). Martin Scorsese Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors Top Films Of 2023

 "Peking duck or Kung Pao chicken?" Tsui Hark 's revolutionary sisterhood action comedy,  Peking Opera Blues (1986), is a wild genre-mashing ride featuring frenetic energy, genuinely surprising tonal shifts, and a whopper of a finale. Bonus points for using songs from Peter Gabriel 's 1985 Birdy soundtrack , which I recognized before confirming on Wikipedia .

"In 22 seconds, I could break your fucking spine. In 22 seconds, I could pinch your head off like a fucking insect and spin it all over the fucking pavement. In 22 seconds, I could put 22 bullets inside your ridiculous gut. What I seem unable to do in 22 seconds is to keep you from fucking up my film!"

R.I.P.  Sam Kieth  (January 11, 1963 – March 15, 2026), my favorite comic book artist, responsible for my favorite comic book,  The Maxx  (later an animated series on MTV). I was so taken by Sam's art that I had a page from the first issue of The Maxx  tattooed on my back (by the also insanely talented Cory Kruger, who did my entire backpiece; pictured below). Sam wrote and/or illustrated many, many other comics as well, all worthwhile, and I have no doubt in my mind that I missed something from my collection in the images below.  Kieth had a one-of-a-kind (and instantly recognizable) voice and style, often blending techniques and media in ways that no other comic artist did. His work ran the gamut from child-like sketches to beautifully painted fine art, and his stories were deeply human and characters deeply (often endearingly) flawed. You'll be missed, Sam .

Another perfectly serviceable, entertaining film by Radio Silence , purveyors of perfectly serviceable, entertaining films. Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come (2026)* includes some fun (if a few underutilized) additions to the cast and some creative kills, but it's a touch longer than it needs to be and I wish the visual style was a little more distinctive. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett Feature Films Ranked *The title card for the film does not include the "2" and, personally, I think it's better without it (also, it's not necessary).