THE DANMAN CAN

Basket Case  (1982) is a trash classic, a key Z flick—featuring atrocious acting and terrible effects but plenty of blood and fun. It was clearly made with passion and heart, and while it's really not a "good" film, it's incredibly rewatchable and delicious comfort/junk food cinema. Frank Henenlotter Feature Films Ranked

Nonsensical nunsploitation. Nunsensical? You betcha. Bruno Mattei 's The Other Hell  (1981) is a cheapo  Carrie  (1976) ( review )/ The Exorcist (1973) ( review )/ Inferno   (1980) ( blogpost ) knockoff that plods along for most of its runtime. There are a few fun moments (zombie nuns, natch) and some weirdly incongruous use of Goblin songs from their excellent albums Roller  (1976) and Il Fantastico Viaggio Del "Bagarozzo" Mark  (1978), but mostly this is forgettable schlock (just like all the Mattei films I've seen). Bruno Mattei Films Ranked

Alex Proyas '  The Crow   (1994) was an important film for me as a teenager. I'm fairly certain that I saw it multiple times when it was released theatrically (it celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday). I've owned it on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, and now 4K UHD (looking the best it ever has)—I've watched it many times. Over the years, it's lost some of its luster, but I still like a lot about it. The film's soundtrack was perhaps even more important to me and I still like it a lot as well. Though it's nowhere near as egregious as in  Dark City  (1998) ( review ), the same rapid fire editing that I really dislike is also present in The Crow . It's almost as if Proyas either doesn’t get enough coverage or trims down way too much in the editing—there are all these connective shots that seem to be missing. As in DC , The Crow  also features wonderful production and costume design, but Proyas never gives it enough time to be appreciated or the film enough time t

Paul Leni 's The Man Who Laughs (1928) is melodrama and tragedy embodied. This affecting, horror-adjacent adaptation of  Victor Hugo 's 1869 novel  features an iconic (uncredited)  Jack Pierce makeup and a committed realization by  Conrad Veidt . As well, there are wonderful performances by the beautiful  Mary Philbin  (compelling and empathetic here) and the saucy  Olga Baclanova  (who bears a striking resemblance to 1980s-era Madonna ). The permanent rictus grin of the titular character was an acknowledged influence on that most famous Batman villain . The film is a bit long, but the pacing, action (particularly the exciting finale which even features some swashbuckling), and its influence more than make up for it. Recommended for fans of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923),  The Phantom Of The Opera   (1925) ( review ) , Freaks (1932) ( review ), and  The Elephant Man  (1980) ( review ). Paul Leni Feature Films Ranked

Paul Leni ’s  Waxworks   ( Das Wachsfigurenkabinett ) (1924), is an entertaining, if uneven, anthology in the  German Expressionist  style starring three titans of German silent cinema. The wraparound concerns a writer ( William Dieterle ) who takes a job crafting stories about waxwork show exhibits. The first segment, regarding the Caliph of Baghdad  ( Email Jannings ), is occasionally amusing, but too long and hasn't aged well. The middle episode, about  Ivan The Terrible  ( Conrad Veidt ), is the best (and darkest) one. The final part, featuring Jack The Rippe r/ Spring-Heeled Jack ( Werner Krauss ), is quite good but frustratingly brief and leaves the viewer wanting more. I didn't enjoy Waxworks  as much as the other Leni picture that I've seen (so far), 1927's  The Cat And The Canary  ( review )—to be fair, they are vastly different types of movies—but there is still entertainment (and historical) value to be found in this nearly 100-year-old film (!) for those th

I'd argue that The Departed (2006) is  Martin Scorsese 's funniest film. Funnier than  The King Of Comedy  (1982) ( review ). Funnier than  After Hours   (1985) ( review ). Not a better film than either of those, but still immensely enjoyable. Of course, the ridiculously over the top Massachusetts accents are part of the hilarity (as a lifelong New Englander, I can't help but both love and hate them), but then again the entire movie is over the top. I've seen Infernal Affairs (2002)—the original film which The Departed  remade—a few times and I like that film a lot too. At one point, I liked IA more than The Departed , but over the years the edge has gone to Scorsese's Boston transplant, as I find it has much more of a directorial stamp and—along with a stacked cast and plenty of memorable dialogue (including some wonderful profanity)—a lot of replay value.  Martin Scorsese Feature Films Ranked Top 20 Directors