THE DANMAN CAN

I've never read Tom Wolfe 's 1987 book  The Bonfire Of The Vanities ,  but Brian De Palm a's 1990 film  is well known as a commercial and critical bomb, as well as failing to capture the essence of the novel. I only saw the film for the first time 3 years ago and with both viewings, I can agree that something feels missing, but I also don't think the film is "bad". In fact, sadly, it's still a relevant portrayal of America's (and WASP s', in particular) views and behaviors when it comes to politics, class, greed, and racism. It's a bit like the subdued 90s version of  The Wolf Of Wall Street  (2013). You can find my  Brian   De Palma Feature Films Ranked  list  here .

On Interpol 's sixth album they continue to mine their NYC post-punk sound in a mostly business-as-usual fashion but that's never been a bad thing where they are concerned (except for maybe their lackluster 2019  self-titled LP). Marauder  (2018) does offer a few diversions from their usual sound, most notably in the drumming of the last two full songs, "Party's Over" and "It Probably Matters". "The Rover" is a banger of a single (as the kids these days say).

White Denim 's newest LP  Performance  (2018), at a lean 33 minutes, is their shortest to date, but looking back none of their albums run longer than 39 minutes. On Performance  they continue to follow a similar trajectory that The Black Keys  have, that of an early bluesy raw sound now filtered through a more accessible "pop" lens. But while The Black Keys went stale for me on their last LP Turn Blue  (2014), White Denim is still cranking out winners. White Denim have always had a bit "jammier" sound than the Keys though and  Performance finds them channeling The Clash at the beginning of "It Might Get Dark",  The Kinks on "Good News", and as always throughout their discography Thin Lizzy . There's also some nice synth stylings on songs like "Moves On" and "Sky Beaming". Performance  is a great driving record—the kind you can listen to in its entirety on a shortish commute or round-trip during errands.

Dead Alive   (1992), Peter Jackson 's heavily Raimi -inspired gore-fest, remains a ridiculous, hilarious, offensive, disgusting, infantile good time and holds up as a hugely crowd-pleasing cult classic. The inventiveness of the gore gags—which seem to arrive in endless supply—has yet to be topped. Top 10 Horror Films (1990–2010)

The Lair Of The White Worm  (1988), much like another (cult classic) horror film of the same decade, Re-Animator  (1985), is a campy, crazy film based on an early 20th century story by a legendary author (in the case of Re-Animator,    H.P. Lovecraft ; in the case of this film, Bram Stoker ). While it's more goofy and spoofy than Crimes Of Passion (1983) and not as existential as Altered States (1980), it's still trippy, titillating and pure Ken Russell . A fun little flick.

On the surface,  Texas By The Tail (1965) isn't as pulpy, hard-boiled or as deeply rooted in crime as the bulk of Jim Thompson 's novels, but it nonetheless involves grifting, a femme fatale of sorts, extortion, and tough guys. Tail   is an entertaining yarn with that Thompson touch and yet somehow more "lighthearted" than his usual fare.

With  BlacKkKlansman  (2018), Spike Lee  deftly tackles difficult subject matter by battling it with humor and it mostly works. The film has its moments of gravitas and, obviously, those of a disturbing nature, but I do think that some of the characters are presented as a bit too oafish (though, sadly, probably not that unrealistically).  BK actually plays more like a (funny) cop drama or a blaxploitation film than a true biography (and if I'm not mistaken a lot of the events portrayed are exaggerated or invented for the silver screen). The lead actors, color palette, production design and soundtrack are all excellent (though the score by Lee's longtime collaborator Terence Blanchard falls short of feeling authentically 70s). Striking, drifting closeups of the faces of black college students, audience members during a speech, are particularly beautiful and a highlight. While the recent real-life footage that closes BK feels relevant to the topic, it also feels ...

The directing trio behind Turbo Kid (2015) return for Summer Of '84  (2018), a very effective serial killer thriller that on the surface appears to be cut from the same cloth as  Stranger Things   and It   (2017) (and there are certainly similarities, namely the nostalgia), but in some way has more in common with The Guest (2014) and It Follows   (2014). Throw in dashes of  The 'Burbs   (1989)   and  Stand By Me   (1986) and you've got the tone down. The four teenage leads are all excellent and the synth score by Le Matos is another winner. Not every choice (or lack of) works and certain characters and plot points feel underdeveloped, however the film takes an unexpectedly dark turn that sets it apart.

Paul Verhoeven is not a subtle director and neither is Spetters  (1980) a subtle film. At times a raunchy sex comedy, at times a shocking downbeat drama and at times a dirt bike showcase, the film   is troubling in the way that it portrays attitudes towards women and homosexuals but also feels quite realistic at times. Interestingly, it has more male than female nudity—including several erect penises and male on male oral sex (not something you'd see in any of the director's American films where he seemed to revel more in over the top violence). There seems to be some kind of message that the director is trying to make about freedom, following one's dreams, success, faith, and love but it kind of gets lost in the excess. Verhoeven has always been a controversial director, inciting protests of his films regarding treatment of his characters and Spetters  is no exception. While it's no masterpiece, it's affecting and well-made.

Wolfen  (1981) is a slow burn psychological horror thriller from director Michael Wadleigh ( Woodstock (1970)), his only narrative feature. An interesting and strong cast (lead Albert Finney in particular lends the film much of its gravitas), a moody and mysterious horn-heavy score by James Horner , occasional grisly violence, and innovative use of Steadicam and a Louma crane to create the subjective "heat vision" perspective of the wolves (an effect popularized 6 years later in Predator ) make Wolfen  a memorable movie that holds up well on repeat viewings.