THE DANMAN CAN

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.

"Everyone in Japan is lonely." More than a quarter century on,  Audition   (1999) doesn't pack quite the same punch that it did when I first saw it, but it's still a very good film with a level of reserve and depth—touching upon loss, longing, the Japanese patriarchy, and child abuse—lacking from some of director  Takashi Miike 's other work. While I understand it's intentional (in order to lull the audience), barring a few jarring scenes starting at the 43-minute mark,  Audition  is a very slow, ordinary drama (in both look and tone) until its final, unforgettable act. I get that the build-up approach is necessary and makes the ending that much more shocking (at least the first time), but I think there are other films that do the "slow burn to a crazy climax" thing just a bit better. However, those last 35 minutes really are something—hallucinatory, revolting, disturbing, but, at times, beautifully and dramatically shot. "To live means to appro...

"And we didn't even get to tell you the secrets of the universe." Joe Dante 's Explorers (1985) is a goofy but charming sci-fi adventure featuring the (cinematic) film debuts of Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix . It's uneven, the characters are underdeveloped, and much of the comedy falls flat (no shade on Robert Picardo ), but it's hard to deny the earnestness and the fun production design and makeup effects (by Rob Bottin ). Joe Dante Feature Films Ranked