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Sam Mendes Feature Films Ranked James Bond Feature Films Ranked

Sergio Sollima 's Revolver (1973) is an introspective, downbeat poliziottesco  that addresses the failings of machismo and authority, as well as the corruption of the latter. Despite some shortcomings, Revolver is a powerful, politically charged crime drama which manages to show a certain restraint.  Ennio Morricone provides a beautiful, driving score with a haunting theme, " Un Amico ," which Quentin Tarantino repurposed for  Inglourious Basterds  (2009). Sergio Sollima Films Ranked

1987's  Mankillers delivers on its title's promise: men are killed (and many, at that). Like  The Dirty Dozen   twenty years before it, MK follows a team of prisoners (quickly and barely) trained for a suicide mission, but swaps the gender, lowers the budget, reduces the skill levels, and adds a decent helping of exploitation. There's plenty of '80s staples: s limeballs, scantily clad babes, feathered hair, mullets, cocaine, uplifting power jams ( Exhibit A , Exhibit B ), a training montage. If you're in the mood for a low-rent, female-fronted  Commando   (1985) that looks like it was shot in a producer's backyard, this could scratch the itch. These aren't quite the bad bitches you might hope for but they certainly waste a lot of douchey dudes.

With Drive   (2011), Nicolas Winding Refn distilled the essence of noir and the fairy tale, along with the action, crime, and western genres into a blood-drenched, neon-soaked, slow burn romance. Via a perfect cast, minimal dialogue, assured visual design, and an inspired soundtrack plus score by Cliff Martinez , NWR and crew created a modern masterpiece. I hadn't watched the film for a full nine years and it has lost none of its heart, artistry, or luster. Recommended for fans of The Driver (1978) [ review ], Thief (1981) [ review ],  Point Blank   (1967) [ review ],  To Live And Die In L.A. (1985) [ review ], and Bronson (2008) [ review ]. Nicolas Winding Refn Ranked The Danman Top 100 Films (2019 Edition) Top Films Of 2011

James Bond Feature Films Ranked  

Children Of The Damned (1964) is a "thematic sequel" to 1960's  Village Of The Damned   ( review ), which again posits a group of children, miraculously born without sexual reproduction, who function via group-think and who have the power to read and control minds. COTD isn't as creepy as its predecessor—choosing rather to present its protagonists as potentially purer versions of humans (which calls to mind 1951's  The Day The Earth Stood Still )—but it's a solid little sci-fi follow-up film.

If I can just get a minor nitpick out of the way up front—it really bothers me that there is no colon in the title of Jurassic World Dominion  (2022). I don't understand why there isn't one (the other Jurassic Park films that necessitate colons have them) and I am of the firm opinion that there should be. Now that I've said my piece on that subject... JWD  was solid summer blockbuster fare but overall a letdown. The situations all felt too familiar and the melding of legacy ( Park trilogy ) and new ( World  trilogy) characters approach is already played out from other franchises. Some of the technical aspects were a bit wonky as well—I found the editing very choppy on numerous occasions and there were scenes that were lit far too dimly. On the plus side, a few action sequences were legitimately thrilling (even if they felt more like they belonged in a James Bond film). Chris Pratt did his holding-his-hand-up-and-looking-intense thing just fine, Bryce Dallas ...

Writer  Dan O'Bannon  and director  Tobe Hooper  crammed  Lifeforce   (1985) to the brim with everything and the kitchen sink—space vampires, zombies, over the top acting, ridiculous dialogue, gonzo special effects, breakneck pacing, explosions, London in shambles—all set to a gigantic, rousing score by  Henry Mancini .  Steve Railsback  goes off the rails in one of the most oddball lead performances that truly has to be seen to be believed.  Mathilda May   hypnotizes every male character (and viewer) with her clothes-defying performance and impossibly perfect features.  A lot of films get labeled as "bonkers" or "batshit," but  Lifeforce   is one that truly deserves those descriptors. Even by  Golan  and  Globus  standards it's nuts.   The Cannon Group   gave Hooper $25 million and a sandbox and he created an insane sci-fi freakout that flopped tremendously ...

Candyman  (1992) is one of the best horror movies of the 90s and remains a genre classic almost 20 years on.  Bernard Rose 's film deftly walks that delicate line between class and trash—treating its  Barker -based subject matter with respect but not shying away from the grue or the tropes that, when handled this well, we love. While it’s still problematic,  Candyman  is a bloody gothic-cum-urban tale of social status, racial inequality, fear, and romance with a grimy yet beautiful visual style.  Tony Todd ’s magnetic charisma, a compelling performance by  Virginia Madsen , and an exceptional and exquisite score by  Philip Glass  only sweeten the deal. Top 10 Horror Films (1990–2010)  

Angel Olsen 's newest studio effort, Big Time  (2022), is a lovely and sparse, country-tinged album that strays from its more lush, orchestrated, and sometimes synthesized predecessor, 2019's All  Mirrors . This more organic approach will appeal to fans of  Neko Case  and  Harry Nilsson . Big Time  is a grower, an album that might come off as simplistic on a first listen, but which rewards with subsequent spins, if you're willing to let it envelop you.