THE DANMAN CAN

Without ever being gratuitous,  Paul Schrader 's Affliction (1997) is one the bleakest, most downbeat explorations of toxic masculinity and alcoholism ever put to film. Strong performances across the board, intentionally bland cinematography (set in a fictional town in snowy northern New Hampshire), and a moody, ominous score by Michael Brook  create a chilling portrait of tragedy. Paul Schrader Feature Films Ranked

Kind Hearts And Coronets  (1949), perhaps the best of the  Ealing comedies , is a misanthropic romp, full of gallows humor, wonderful performances, and economic writing/direction by  Robert Hamer. Dennis Price  plays our antihero, Louis Mazzini, who casually murders the members of the D'Ascoyne family, in order to inherit the title of duke (robbed of him due to his mother marrying below her social class). The eight D'Ascoyne family members that Louis murders are all famously (and splendidly) brought to life by  Alec Guinness . Price gives a delightfully dry performance and it's hard not to root him on, even though Louis himself is a bit of a cad. Along with his gleeful murder spree, our protagonist carries on an affair with a married woman, Sibella (deliciously played by  Joan Greenwood )—every bit the equal of the plotting and vengeful Louis. Although not necessarily a film of the laugh out loud variety,  Kind Hearts And Coronets  is a classic of British comedy, a bleak ye

Takes the last joke from  Shaun Of The Dead   (2004) ( review ) and makes it into a feature film (as my friend Jon put it), but does so as a really pleasing satire of  Douglas Sirk ian melodrama and 1950s sci-fi. I'm a sucker for exaggerated '50s nostalgia (when it’s done well) and Fido (2006) successfully fuses this aesthetic (via vivid pastels) with the "zom com" to create a satisfying film. It doesn't necessarily offer any surprises, but it's a funny and entertaining treat, bolstered by a top notch cast of character actors ( Carrie-Anne Moss , swoon ).

A quintessential "old dark house" story, Paul Leni ’s The Cat And The Canary (1927) is a delightful blend of gothic scares and physical humor. An early Universal horror film, this highly influential silent German Expressionist work features great performances, wonderful sets, brisk pacing, exciting action, and fun intertitles.

Very well cast, lots of bloody fun, and doesn't outstay its welcome. Good solid horror comedy. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett Feature Films Ranked

Not the best Italian  Escape From New York   (1981) ( review )/ Mad Max 2  (1981) ( review )/ Barbarella  (1968) ( review ) rip-off, but one of them. Predates ideas used in  Hell Comes To Frogtown   (1988) ( review ) and  Children Of Men   (2006) ( review ) (and features  Picasso 's Guernica , also used in the latter), but with a quarter of the budget and even more wackiness. It's kind a slow film, the sets are really cheap (charmingly so) and the action just isn't exciting enough. The Oliver Onions (kings  Guido and Maurizio De Angelis ) score is groovy synthpop though. Recommended for fans of 1990: Bronx Warriors (1982), Raiders Of Atlantis (1983), and  Doomsday   (2008) ( review ). Sergio Martino Feature Films Ranked

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981) is one of those films that I could tell I was going to love right from the get-go (it's also a film I wish I had seen much sooner). The opening tragedy is really something and sets the mood perfectly. The singular  Susan Tyrell is marvelous as an unhinged lunatic who slowly unravels over the runtime (watching her go cuckoo is an absolute joy).  Bo Svenson 's character is easy to hate as a relentlessly homophobic cop. On that note, the film is interesting for tackling homophobia and portraying a positive gay character ( Steve Eastin ) in a way that few other films at the time were (and also for inverting the "final girl" and boyfriend roles). If you are in the mood for a hilarious, campy, exploitative psycho-slasher with an Oedipal bent and a deliciously satisfying, over the top ending,  BBNM will not disappoint. Recommended for fans of   What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?  (1962) ( review ), and  Silent Night, Deadly Night  (198

There is no denying that the  1933 original  is a better film than  King Kong   (1976), due to its historical significance and then revolutionary special effects courtesy of  Willis H. O'Brien . But I'll be honest,  Fay Wray 's incessant screaming does wear a bit thin after a while. In  John Guillermin 's big budget remake for producer  Dino De Laurentiis , forty-three years later, there is a greater sense of tragedy, eroticized violence, and a solid handling of topics like celebrity, plundering of natural resources, and colonialism. There's a good deal of humor as well, most of which works. All the while the film remains an exciting action adventure thriller.  The buildup to Kong's reveal has a wonderful sense of tension, backed effectively by  John Barry 's mysterious and beautiful score.  Carlo Rambaldi 's special effects, along with  Rick Baker  and  Rob Bottin 's makeup effects may not hold up all that well these days (but let's be honest ne