200 Items Or Less: Body Parts (1991)

A few thoughts: Starting off with an impressively realistic car crash sequence, this slasher-thriller wastes no time getting into the meat of things, which is basically just an alternate take on The Hands of Orlac, Mad Love, etc. With this unrealistic premise the movie takes a fairly grounded and somewhat logical approach. The main character, played wonderfully by Jeff Fahey, slowly descends into madness but the actions he takes and the conclusions he comes to are reasonable, rational, and make him an easy character to empathize with. Story-wise, well, there's really nothing that happens here to set it apart from the many other versions of the same basic story. It moves in predictable ways, but the journey there works and the twist, while not ingenius, was executed well. It's a competently constructed thriller, and the performances are good enough to keep you invested. No, this isn't a groundbreaking film at all, but it does a good job at telling its story, and gives Brad Dourif a few great moments -- and that's always welcome.

Top 100 Favorite Horror Movies (2018 edition)

100.	Creature From The Black Lagoon dir. Jack Arnold, 1954

200 Items Or Less: Death And Cremation (2010)

A few thoughts: It became evident right away during this movie that it wouldn't be the quality of its production nor performances by (most of) the main cast that would make it worth watching. No, it's fairly clear that there is one reason alone that this movie exists or is it at all enjoyable: Brad Dourif. One of my favorite quirky nutcase character actors, and while this is not exactly career-defining material, he proves once again that regardless of the role or quality of the movie or show he appears in, he always brings his A-game. Now that that's out of the way, I feel the plot and production needs to be addressed. This is a very standard revenge horror story blended with an awkward teen outsider drama, meeting right in the middle. It's simple, but it works. The sound design is uneven and horrible, and visually it's very obviously cheap. This isn't an impressive movie, regardless of the budget. With substandard acting and an especially awful performance by the police officer who shall remain nameless, this is a pretty cheap production in virtually every way.

TV Alley: The Adventures Of Brisco County, Jr.

The Adventures Of Brisco County, Jr.

Created by Carlson Cuse & Jeffrey Boam
1993 - 1994

A wild west adventure show with a little sci-fi twist, Brisco County, Jr. follows Bruce Campbell as the titular lawyer-turned-bounty hunter as he hunts down the vicious gang who killed his father. Although it only ran the one season, the show has built up a decent cult following over the decades thanks to its wonderful sense of humor and creative action.

200 Items Or Less: Cronos (1993)

A few thoughts: Guillermo Del Toro's directorial debut, and while it may not be as polished as some of his later films, still stands as one of the most interesting and effective films of his career. While the screenplay has a few pacing issues and never quite allows itself to get going in the ways you might expect, this vampire movie doesn't tell a typical story and for that I am grateful. The performances are good, the cinematography is good, the set design is good, blah blah blah, it's all a very visually pleasing experience, and the unique take on vampires makes for another cool looking aspect. There are a few shots where the camera begins to bob before cutting to the next scene, which was definitely odd, but never so distracting that it took away from the experience. There isn't a whole ton more for me to say about this, other than that I didn't find many things wrong with it, but didn't ultimately love it as much as I hoped I would this time around. But it's still really cool.

200 Items Or Less: Hands Of The Ripper (1971)

A few thoughts: One of Hammer's more surprisingly underappreciated films of the 1970s, this story about the twisted spawn of Jack the Ripper is both beautiful to look at and horrifically violent at the same time. Even more than is normal of the gothic horrors of this studio, the set design and costuming in this film is terrific, and it all looks especially wonderful thanks to the lighting and cinematography which features excellent use of sweeping shots and heavy shadow. The blood is, of course, bright red and plentiful -- it may be overly dramatic and theatrical, but such is the style of these films. The moral ambiguity of the characters create an odd and upsetting atmosphere, making it both difficult to predict and hard to decide who is the actual protagonist within the story. Since this isn't a sequel, the story never feels like a rehash of anything in spite of its "daughter of something evil" set up. It's a familiar kind of story, but not one I can recall ever seeing before in this incarnation. It may not be the most revolutionary film ever produced by Hammer, but does stand as one of the best they made during the tail end of their heyday.

200 Items Or Less: Rambo III (1988)

A few thoughts: There's a secret to watching movies like this that most serious film critics don't seem to understand or have any interest in discovering: you have to be willing to shrug and not care. It's so simple, this is not the kind of movie that's designed to be taken seriously, so judging it on the same scale as something like Citizen Kane or Sunset Boulevard is not only missing the point entirely, but a huge disservice to all movies involved. This is a big, dumb action movie with one goal in mind: to entertain audiences with ridiculous escapism. Gone is the emotional power of the first Rambo movie. It couldn't have made that work as well for the sequels anyway. The plot? Doesn't matter. Does it make sense? Shut up. This is a pure action movie with no need to be anything more. Rambo rides on a horse, kills dozens of people, and the bad guys get slaughtered for being bad. You know what you're getting into with this and it succeeds in all the ways it needs to. Guns, guts, and 'splosions. Is it great? Not at all. But it doesn't need to be.

TV Alley: Angel

Angel

Created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt
1999 - 2004

Following Angel's departure from Buffy The Vampire Slayer at the end of season 3, this show focuses on Angel (and a few sidekicks) as they open a detective agency to rid the streets of L.A. of supernatural menaces.

200 Items Or Less: The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)

A few thoughts: Often credited as the first horror movie ever produced by Hammer, this science fiction film wastes absolutely no time, starting off with a rocket ship crashing to Earth within the first 2 minutes. Shot in black and white and taking place in a modern setting, nothing about this movie really screams "Hammer", but it still holds a place of importance within the studio and makes for a pretty entertaining film to boot. Sadly, in spite of how fast the movie comes to the point, it takes its sweet time to do anything with it. It's a weird sort of pacing issue, making me think it might have been better off developing characters a little while longer before jumping into the main thrust of the plot. Still, at only 75~ minutes, even the slow parts don't drag on too long. While it isn't a straight up alien invasion movie, it does an excellent job at establishing the threat of this strange mutation that could very well wipe out life on earth. Not a masterpiece or anything, but a movie I still enjoy that helped move Hammer in the right direction.

200 Items Or Less: The Cremator (1969)

A few thoughts: A "horror" movie more in the literal sense than is traditional for the genre, this Czech film about a cremator finds humor in the darkest of places, while still remaining unsettling and difficult to look away from. With a fantastic lead performance, Rudolf Hrusinsky adds quirks and subtle details to his role (brushing his well-groomed hair with the same comb he uses on dead bodies), slowly revealing more and more layers to his madness as the story progresses -- was he always this psychotic and delusional, or just impressionable enough to allow Nazi ideology into his twisted mind? This isn't an easy film and doesn't offer easy answers. With that signature Czech new wave editing and cinematography, this is a very interesting film to look at, from its tight close-ups to the split-second shots that flicker past before you even know it. It might be unpleasant to watch in many respects but visually it's still very striking. Thanks to some great pacing, visuals, and an excellent main character/performance, this movie succeeds in all sorts of ways.

200 Items Or Less: Night Of The Big Heat (1967)

A few thoughts: A movie I find hard to classify as anything but a disappointing waste of talent. A missed opportunity on virtually all fronts, this whole story feels like little more than an extended Twilight Zone episode without any sort of twist or satisfying resolution. With two of my favorite actors (Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee), neither of which receiving enough screentime, and directed by one of my favorite directors (Terence Fisher), it felt like it should have been so much more than it was. With only one subplot that actually had me even remotely engaged - involving one of the main characters and his secretary with whom he once had an affair - there wasn't much drama to be found elsewhere. The sound design gave me blistering headaches, as it implemented long stretches of high-pitched squealing, and while it made sense for them to do this, plot-wise, it still made for some pretty unpleasant chunks of time. The aliens were basically sight-unseen, the acting was solid, and the concept had potential. It just didn't come to fruition.

Top 10 Ed Harris performances

4-time Oscar nominee and 0-time winner, Ed Harris is the kind of actor who's often forced into supporting roles in spite of having all the talent required to earn him the lead in far more projects and he's ever been given. In often angry and intense roles, Harris can steal the show with little screen time, or perhaps more importantly serve the movie or show he's in by taking a back seat in crucial and reserved roles.

200 Items Or Less: Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972)

A few thoughts: A much needed change of pace for a series that had been slowly going downhill, this movie takes Dracula and Van Helsing out of the 1800s and puts them in a modern setting. The first movie in the series to feature both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing since Horror Of Dracula from 1958, this definitely brought Hammer Dracula back to life in a lot of ways. Not only is the setting updated, the music fuses funk and disco with the classic gothic horror style, creating an entirely new tone for the film with its soundtrack. Visually, the movie takes a similar approach, giving the modern setting an injection of classic flair -- fog, stone walls, etc. It's really quite unique. Seeing Cushing and Lee face off again after so many years (this is the 7th movie in the series, and only the second time they're featured together) is more than exciting, and their brief interactions are some of the best in the series. This is one of the most unconventional horror films Hammer ever produced, and it's kind of amazing for it.

TV Alley: Millennium

Millennium

Created by Chris Carter
1996 - 1999

A spin-off of Chris Carter's far more popular series The X-Files, Millennium follows ex-FBI agent Frank Black as he uses his psychic visions to hunt down killers and psychopaths. He's also being vetted and recruited by a bizarre and mysterious cult-like organization known as the Millennium group, who have seemingly unlimited resources, a gray moral compass, and a belief in an apocalypse that will occur at the end of the 20th century.

200 Items Or Less: Scars Of Dracula (1970)

A few thoughts: The first Hammer Dracula film I didn't like, this sixth entry lacks the menace, atmosphere, and pacing of the first several in the series. I felt like I was watching this movie for hours, yet it's only 90 minutes long. While there are a few cool shots and moments, a majority of this movie feels like treading water. Not only this, but Christopher Lee is given a lot of dialogue this time around but still very little to actually say. The lead performance by what's-his-face is an absolutely unconvincing bore, and while Michael Ripper and Michael Gwynn are both pretty great, they are given far too little screentime to save the picture. One more thing that stood out to me as particularly lousy was all the effects used in this movie -- for example, in several shots there are bats flying around that look less convincing than the ones used in the original Dracula from 1931. While each previous film had slowly gotten worse throughout the series, this was the first time I would actually call one of these movies pretty bad. Such a shame.

Top 10 Nathan Fillion performances

I don't plan on only making these top 10 lists of massive cult actors, but this seems to be the direction I've been heading in, so I might as well commit. This time, I'm covering another charming actor who hasn't had quite the successful career he deserves, but has enough of a following to keep him from ever fading into total obscurity.

Top 10 Bruce Campbell performances

B-movie legend and King of the Chin Bruce Campbell turned 60 last month, and because of how incredibly lazy I am, I've just now decided to make this countdown list. Also, I wanted to catch up on a few of his movies and shows that I've missed, and since I don't have to fit anything inside any sort of timetable, here we are.

200 Items Or Less: Excalibur (1981)

A few thoughts: An exhaustingly long adaptation (in spite of only being 140 minutes long) of the story of Arthur, Merlin, the sword in the stone, and the quest for the Holy Grail, this movie has flashes of brilliance but never manages to overcome several of its more major flaws. As I briefly touched on before, this movie drags on for far longer than it seems like it should. Without much focus or direction, the story wanders along until it's basically said everything it wants to say. It's not incredibly long, but feels like it is, which is far worse. The acting, apart from a few performances here and there, is pretty awful. Very few of the performers feel like they're even trying, stiffly delivering lines as if they're being read straight from the script without inflection. And finally, King Arthur is so unlikable, I never once found myself interested in seeing him succeed, in spite of being the protagonist of the film. It's hard to care about a story like this when you don't have anyone to root for. It looks great, but has too many fundamental flaws to live up to its potential.

200 Items Or Less: Taste The Blood Of Dracula (1970)

A few thoughts: The fifth entry in the Hammer Dracula series (which begins just moments after the previous film), this is where the series started to lose some of its general appeal. I'm not entirely sure why, though, since with the addition of Ralph Bates to the main cast, there is more than just one great performance to anchor the film. Bates is a total madman in this movie, and I kinda love it. I enjoy the cinematography, which is both conventional and occasionally experimental. As is always the case in these films, Christopher Lee makes for a daunting Dracula, whose dialogue is again kept to a minimum. In an odd plot turn (it's full of those), the movie turns into a sort of "you're next" revenge story with Dracula orchestrating killings. It's weird because this is very unlike Dracula, whose primary goals have always been more centered on staying alive, feeding, seducing women, etc. but it works alright within the film, even if the motivation is a bit forced and awkward. This is the weakest of the first 5 Hammer Dracula films, but I still enjoyed it.

200 Items Or Less: Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

A few thoughts: A fairly muddled and generic sci/fi action thriller about people who wipe parts of their memories to be used as mules to transfer information through their brains. And the main person in the movie whose brain has been emptied in order to transfer this information is Keanu Reeves, which makes a lot of sense considering how bad his acting is here -- perhaps he deleted the part of his memory that knew how to do that. I'm not sure how much of this movie is meant to be funny, but it kind of works as an unintentional comedy at times thanks to this acting. The real highlights, though, are Dolph Lundgren and Udo Kier. Dolph plays a deeply religious assassin, and Udo as a piece of slime trying to get his hands on precious, valuable information. It's just a shame so much emphasis is placed on Keanu, who just doesn't seem to know how to make this material work. I like the guy, but he is an abominably bad actor. It's an average script and the action is fairly well-handled, but it doesn't do anything great. Just passable at best. Slightly worse than that, though.

TV Alley: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Created by Joss Whedon
1997 - 2003

A high schooler with the destiny to be the once-in-a-generation girl who kicks and stabs vampires to death is forced to sideline her personal life in order to live up to this prophecy. Along the way she makes friends of all varieties as she faces off against evil and still tries to live a normal life.

200 Items Or Less: Fortress (1992)

A few thoughts: A Stuart Gordon-directed sci/fi dystopian prison break drama with a bizarre lead performance by Christopher Lambert (who seems to be doing a Werner Herzog impression) and a whole ton of cliches. In spite of its failures, however, a few key supporting performances make this movie worth watching and actually pretty entertaining. Kurtwood Smith plays the main antagonist, a villain who actually has some depth to him. Maybe the writing isn't amazing, but he elevates the material and makes him feel more fleshed out than I expected. The other best performance is by Jeffrey Combs, because of course he's great in it. This is the perfect kind of quirky role for him, but has a wirey hippie sensibility that you rarely see in his performances. Storywise, there's nothing particularly amazing about this movie, and all the necessary steps are taken to make it a pretty standard and effective screenplay. Prison break movies are generally pretty easy to predict, and this is no different. It tells its story, it's pretty fun, and gives two great actors plenty of material.

200 Items Or Less: The Valley Of Gwangi (1969)

A few thoughts: The last dinosaur movie Ray Harryhausen ever worked on, this western fantasy was originally conceived by Willis O'Brien [King Kong, The Lost World], and believe me when I say that makes total sense. This movie feels a lot like the King Kong story, minus a lot of the depth, charm, and ingenuity. That's not to say the animation isn't terrific, because it is (Harryhausen never disappointed), but story and character-wise this movie feels very unoriginal. The main attraction here is of course the dinomation, and the gimmicky joy of seeing a T-Rex walking around in a western setting, surrounded by people with cowboy hats and six-shooters. It's the most simplistic kind of pleasure, so it's no wonder this film has gained a following since its release. The acting is pretty bland, making the underwritten characters all the more uninteresting, but again this isn't the point or purpose of the movie. You're here to see cowboys share the screen with dinosaurs, and that's exactly what you get. It isn't mindblowing, but it's fun to watch in a disposable sort of way.

200 Items Or Less: Army Of Darkness (1992)

A few thoughts: Although I'm not a huge fan of Evil Dead 2 (largely due to what I consider relentless failed attempts at humor), this follow-up is even more ridiculous and somehow I like it better. Set during medieval times, this movie embraces the campiness and craziness, and manages to make the most of this setting. It desperately wants to entertain the audience, and while I found it a bit annoying at times, I mostly enjoyed the insanity this time around. There are tons of weird effects shots, some look pretty good and others look like a pile of garbage, but in the end it all works due to how hard it's trying to be something big and fresh and new. Bruce Campbell brings a ton of energy to the role as he did in the previous one, and he gets a ton of funny and memorable one-liners. The cinematography and editing is fast and sharp, the set design is intricate (enough), the action is fun and the perfect level of corny...what else is there to say? I don't love it, but I have the feeling it could become a favorite of mine eventually. Only time will tell.

200 Items Or Less: The Company Of Wolves (1984)

A few thoughts: Fantasy has found its way into the mainstream over the past 15-20 years, and while I like Lord Of The Rings, Game Of Thrones, and Harry Potter as much as the next rational human, it's this brand of fantasy that I most often find myself gravitating towards. One of the things I really love about this movie was how it felt so much like a classic werewolf fairy tale. Although the creature effects are at times pretty shoddy, the context in which they take place has a bizarre charm to it that makes them work. The gore can get pretty intense, which contrasts the somewhat light nature of the rest of the movie -- a sort of midway point between Grimm and Disney. This is a story about storytelling, which adds layers to the plot in bizarre and creative ways. There were moments I felt like I was watching an anthology, but the way the overarching narrative weaves in and out felt far more natural than most anthologies. This is a beautiful looking movie with wonderful atmosphere, good performances, and full of visual and narrative creativity.

200 Items Or Less: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)

A few thoughts: Everyone knows the TV series but relatively few people seem aware of the movie that came out only a few years before -- and honestly while I enjoyed this movie, I don't see this as a particularly bad thing. It's hard not to compare the two, but it's fairly crucial to the enjoyment of it that you try not to go into this with the same level expectations, even if the cult following here is somewhat justified. The action scenes are dumb but fun due to the actors clearly having a fun time with it, and the dialogue is also pretty hit or miss -- you'll either find it hilarious or insufferable. I found myself mostly in the former, though it sometimes teetered on the fence. The script definitely had Joss Whedon all over it, implementing his usual subversive techniques, although the end product was clearly out of his hands. I enjoyed the cast, which ranged from serious to cartoonish, but it's Swanson's lead who makes it all work. Hauer was also fun. This isn't great but I enjoyed myself and it was pretty short so it never had a chance to wear me out.

200 Items Or Less: The Phantom Of The Opera (1989)

A few thoughts: What would happen if the Phantom of the Opera were blended with Freddy Krueger? Someone felt the need to not only ask this question, but provide everyone with the answer for it as well, resulting in exactly what you might have expected. Never the kind of actor to approach a role with subtlety, Robert Englund gives an over-the-top performance as the Phantom, really putting emphasis on the violent and psychopathic side of the character. Apart from his performance, the main highlight here is the set design and lighting. This is a surprisingly visually-appealing film, even when some of the camera movements feel a little amateur. A much more violent adaptation of the often highly romanticized story, this stands as one of the few to actually succeed as a horror movie. No, this isn't a particularly great film, but to dismiss it as so many others have would be a shame. It's an intriguing take on the story, and while it doesn't have too many other good performances, Englund carries it and makes the whole thing come together nicely in the end.

200 Items Or Less: Angel Heart (1987)

A few thoughts: Since I only write about specific genre films on here (check out my 200 items or less page on that), I feel like I'm cheating a little bit by writing about this one. But since it's so good, I don't mind bending the rules to include it. A psychological neo-noir horror mystery thriller with heavy religious themes and symbolism, this is the kind of film that's hard to box into a corner -- and that's one of the many things I love about it. Although one might find the twist ending a bit gimmicky, predictable, and/or lame, the way it's handled and functions to cap off the story is terrific, making every piece of the puzzle suddenly fit into its respective place. Mickey Rourke gives one of the best performances of his career here, fully letting the time and place absorb into him. He feels like a sleazier version of a Bruce Willis character from the 1950s. Robert De Niro does a solid job with his mysterious supporting role but never immerses himself like Rourke did. This is a dark film, with great cinematography, editing, and a cool plot.

TV Alley: V

V

Created by Kenneth Johnson
1984 - 1985

Following two different miniseries covering the alien invasion, hostile takeover of Earth, and the revolution(s) that take place to battle the invaders, V is a sci-fi series that didn't last long enough to tell a really interesting story, and by halfway through its 19 episode run, fell flat with the realization that the story it tells didn't need to be told to begin with.

200 Items Or Less: Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark (1973)

A few thoughts: A cheesy and accidentally funny horror movie about a bunch of people dressed as tiny imp gorillas that live in the walls of a house and terrorize the residents. This is the kind of garbage I watch, for some reason. The running time being roughly 75 minutes makes this an easy sort of thing to put on without having to make any sort of investment, and honestly that's one of the best things about it. This is a dumb movie with dumb characters who do dumb things while being tormented by dumb looking monsters. One thing that isn't dumb about it is the indoor lighting (the stuff that takes place outside at "night" is bad though), which is very reminiscent of Italian horror, skillfully implementing natural light with unnatural greens, reds, and blues. Not spooky in the least, thanks to the monstrous monster design (which is oddly adorable, I might add), but there is a sort of atmosphere that could have worked had they shrouded their villains in shadow and not given them as much face time. It's funny, pretty bad, and very easy to watch. So don't expect much.

200 Items Or Less: From A Whisper To A Scream (1987)

A few thoughts: I got this movie in a two-pack with the wonderful 'Theatre Of Blood', so decided to plug it in and give it a whirl. I expected virtually nothing from it, and the result was an anthology that hasn't stood the test of time, but is still reasonably enjoyable. Vincent Price appears in the wraparound story, telling tales about the evils of his town, Oldfield. There are 4 segments within this framework, and while none are particularly great or terribly original, I enjoyed them all for what they were. The first one was easily my favorite, thanks to a hilarious and somewhat creepy performance by Clu Gulager. The second and third segments fly by pretty quickly (both involving voodoo), and then the fourth and final segment shows up. Basically, this particular story would suck if it weren't for the always-drunk-and-often-seated Cameron Mitchell, who always brings a sort of sweaty charm to films he appears in. This is one of Vincent Price's last movies, and while it isn't on par with his best work, is still a testament to how solid he always was. What a sport.

TV Alley: Firefly

Firefly

Created by Joss Whedon
2002

The roguish captain of a space vessel and his crew take on several passengers and travel from planet to planet for jobs while trying to evade authorities. A major cult success cancelled after just over a dozen episodes, Firefly has carved out of space for itself as one of the most popular science fiction shows of the 21st century.

200 Items Or Less: The Ghost (1963)

A few thoughts: Barbara Steele appeared in her fair share of gothic horror films, and while this is by no means the best movie she acted in, it does stand as one of the most compelling single performances she's given. A not-really-sequel-but-almost-feels-like-it-should-be to 'The Horrible Dr. Hichcock', Riccardo Freda shows off yet again how much he's in love with having characters drink potions (see: 'Lust Of The Vampire'), and how little he cares about pacing. At roughly an hour and a half, this movie felt at least an hour longer than that. Repetitive, but still full of spooky atmosphere, this movie does a good job at utilizing its setting and giving the leads plenty of material to work with. Sadly, that material isn't particularly good. As mentioned before, Barbara Steele is pretty great here, and this film affords her many opportunities to utilize an arsenal of expressions and emotional frazzlement. I loved the imagery, setting, and the plot had some nice twists, but overall the pacing was way off, which kept me from caring too much about the story.

Top 100 Star Trek episodes

With what I would describe as mild spoilers, I've counted down the 100 episodes of the first 5 (kinda 6) shows that I consider the best, most important, or just my favorites. Really, it all comes down to which ones I liked the most. There are obviously plenty more that were forced off this list, and even now that I'm finishing it up I'm finding more than a few it wish I would have included, but the simple fact of the matter remains that I love this franchise too much to narrow it down to pretty much any number that wouldn't take me 6 months to type up. No honorable mentions, because then I'd probably accidentally leave even more out, and then I'd feel like a total moron, so we'll just jump into the top 100 without any of the fluff. Oh, and don't focus too much on the specific ordering -- the exact order of a list like this would be impossible for me to be totally satisfied with, so in certain instances an episode will be put where it is just because I like the way it looks next to that number. In general, this is *about* where I'd have them, though, so the numbers aren't totally arbitrary.

Now let's do the list. Welcome to my top 100 favorite Star Trek episodes list. Happy skimming.



100. Yesteryear (TAS)

200 Items Or Less: A Lizard In A Woman's Skin (1971)

A few thoughts: Probably my favorite Fulci (at least that I can recall right now, this very instant), which blends bizarrely nightmarish atmosphere with a fairly straight forward giallo plot. As could be expected of pretty much any Italian horror/crime film, the lighting is pretty cool and the acting is pretty lousy -- these movies care a lot more about mood and vibe than they do with traditional goodness. The story itself kept me on my toes. I never quite knew what to expect, and when answers are given, twists reveal more than what seemed on the surface to be a pretty simple case. Though it doesn't exactly feature the most shocking plot twist I've ever seen, it was still relatively unexpected and didn't feel cheap. I've had my issues with Fulci movies in the past, but this one has me wanting to second-guess myself and give him another try. The gore effects are VERY Italian, blending what looks like red finger paint with semi-realistic blood. What more can I say? This is what giallo looks like, and it's a pretty good one as well.

TV Alley: The Sopranos

The Sopranos

Created by David Chase
1999 - 2007

Tony Soprano, (sorta) head of a New Jersey Mafia family and patriarch of a dysfunctional literal family, starts going to therapy. This is how the show begins, but the paths it takes beyond this are far more captivating.

Writing about this show has been done to death, which normally wouldn't really stop me, but since I have almost nothing new

Favorite Movies of 1950

Most of the movies featured on this list are ones I haven't seen in years, but here's a very very brief countdown of my favorites of 1950. More of these lists to come.


10. Cinderella
One of the early Disney classics that's more part of my childhood than it is something I go out of my way to watch now, but still a lovely movie with beautiful animation.

9. In A Lonely Place

200 Items Or Less: The Vault Of Horror (1973)

A few thoughts: Sixth of the seven horror anthologies released by Amicus during the '60s through the '70s, and the only one that doesn't feature Peter Cushing. Uh oh, that can't be good. Well, it actually was good, though not quite on the level of several others. As could be expected, this movie has cool production design, atmospheric music, and plenty of fun tales to tell -- one of which is only about 5 minutes long and because of that doesn't even feel worth mentioning. The other four, however, are all pretty solid, if slightly unoriginal. There's a story about a man trying to find and kill his sister, one about an overly controlling husband, a story about a magic rope, and the final being about an artist (played by Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor Who) who finds revenge through his paintings. Since the segments are all so short, none of them ever overstay their welcome, and the concepts are solid enough to be entertaining even when they aren't they most mindblowingly unique. The framework is very basic, but it ties the whole thing together. Overall, this is a pretty standard anthology, but an entertaining one.

TV Alley: Rome

Rome

Created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald, and Bruno Heller
2005 - 2007

HBO had a brief lapse and good judgment during the mid 2000s where they prematurely cancelled several of what are now considered some of the best shows they've ever produced. One, the western drama Deadwood. Two, the supernatural dust bowl fantasy Carnivale. And three, this historical drama about politics and life in ancient Rome.

200 Items Or Less: The Old Dark House (1963)

A few thoughts: An unfortunate misfire from one of my favorite horror directors (William Castle) and my favorite horror studio (Hammer). Where do I start with this movie? I guess with the acting. Pretty much everyone in the cast didn't seem to know what the hell they were doing -- with the exception of Robert Morley, who actually got a few laughs out of me. Tom Poston, in particular, seemed like a very poor casting choice, too self-aware and "comedic", while still never being even remotely funny. This was a strange horror comedy that had potential to be actually funny, but instead drowned in its weak attempts at slapstick and wackiness. It was very awkward. The murder mystery part of the story was also pretty easy to figure out, rounding out a pretty feeble script and ending in a predictably unsatisfying sort of way. Again, I really enjoyed Robert Morley's performance, and the set-up was a nice difference from the 1932 James Whale adaptation, but this loose remake is really unnecessary and actually less funny than the original -- which ironically wasn't even fully trying to be a comedy. Go figure.

TV Alley: House

House

Created by David Shore
2004 - 2012

A brilliant, egomaniacal, drug-addicted, misanthropic diagnostic doctor and his team take on bizarre and mysterious cases with no clear-cut cures. While it took me forever to actually get into this show, considering my general disinterest in medical dramas, now that I've finished it I can safely say it was one of the most satisfying shows I've ever seen.

200 Items Or Less: Wishmaster (1997)

A few thoughts: Starting right off with a sequence full of some totally awesome effects work, the movie quickly does away with the practical and jumps into more CG territory. And not just any CG -- late '90s CG. Simply the best! Well, let's be fair, there are tons of practical effects throughout, but the CG is two lousy not to complain about. Basically, this is a Hellraiser rip-off, blending fantasy, folklore, and body maiming brutality. Unsurprisingly, Hellraiser is much better, but that doesn't mean there aren't things to like about this. As mentioned before, the practical effects and makeup are great, Robert Englund has a nice supporting role that's completely ham-free, and Andrew Divoff makes for a very entertaining and corny villain. With tons of cameos from horror stars like Angus Scrimm, Tony Todd, and Kane Hodder, and directed by Robert Kurtzman (known largely for his prosthetic/makeup work), this is a horror movie filled with little nuggets for fans of the genre. It's just not quite good enough to really stand on its own.

TV Alley: Boston Legal

Boston Legal

Created by David E. Kelly
2004 - 2008

Spin-off of the popular legal drama The Practice, Boston Legal follows the often cartoonish exploits of the law firm Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Sometimes cripplingly "comedic", the show is held together by two lead performances and the wonderful chemistry they share on screen.

From the beginning, you can tell this is

200 Items Or Less: 2001 Maniacs (2005)

A few thoughts: A movie of almost admirable sleaziness, this loose remake of the splatter classic 'Two Thousand Maniacs' by Herschell Gordon Lewis follows the same basic story as the original, but with more gore, sex, and general exploitation-iness. What else could you expect from it? This movie establishes pretty quickly how serious it's meant to be taken: not at all. This is pure trash through and through, and it doesn't ever pretend to be anything else. Apart from a particularly over the top and entertainingly lively performance from Robert Englund, the cast is mostly there for looks alone. The protagonists are all attractive and young, so they don't have to know how to act. Seeing Eli Roth's name in the credits wasn't a surprise to me at all, considering the kind of characters the movie is filled with. It's designed to be a guilty pleasure, so shouldn't be judged as anything but just that. Oh, and did I mention Lin Shaye's in this, too? She and Englund really are what works best here. The rest of the movie is dumb, but entertaining enough...I guess.

TV Alley: Lost

Lost

Created by Jeffrey Lieber, Damon Lindelof, and J.J. Abrams
2004 - 2010

A flight from Sydney, Australia crashes on a mysterious island where bizarre and unexplainable events take place with regularity. Following a huge ensemble cast of characters, this sci-fi/fantasy drama was massively popular right out the gate, but while it's viewership slowly declined, the quality stayed high throughout, ending the series on a terrific note.

200 Items Or Less: The Curse Of The Werewolf (1961)

A few thoughts: An incredibly flawed movie with flashes of brilliance, this is by no means one of Terence Fisher's best, but still has some solid cinematography, makeup, and pacing. Even though most of the movie doesn't feature any werewolf action at all, there's enough going on character-wise to keep this from becoming too big of an issue. The film is half over before the titular werewolf even shows up -- which is a shame, because Oliver Reed is (of course) brilliant in his first starring role. It's a bizarre and somewhat experimental approach, and it mostly works. Sadly, there are a few casting issues (particularly the romantic lead) and with the lack of werewolf scenes, you do become a little lost in the backstory and lore, forgetting at times what movie you're supposed to even be watching. The werewolf is unique looking, and I wish there was more of him, but thanks to Reed's physicality and intensity, he makes what little he's there for really count. Again, not one of the best Hammer films out there, but it's still solid and has some pretty grisly scenes. What more do you need?

Top 50 Favorite Movies (2018 edition)

It was about 5 years ago that I released my top 50 favorite movies list on this blog, and since then my taste has changed quite a bit. I also made 2 separate top 100 actors lists that would look totally different now for similar reasons, but that's one I need to come to terms with rebooting yet again. I can't hardly complain about Marvel repeating the same formula again and again if that's all I'm going to do as well.

Anyway, I already made this top 50 list and broke it into 10 different parts so I could get away with not having to write too much all in one chunk while still releasing the lists every few days. Well, now for the sake of organization and just making it easier on everyone who wants to see the list, I'm gonna take what I've got and shove it all into one neat spot. Not all the writing will be here, but I'll include links as I go along if people want to read what I have to say, for whatever reason.

Here's what I got. My 50 favorite movies right now, no frills.

Top 50 Favorite Movies, Part 10 (#5-1)

And now we enter the finale. Previously, I talked about a biting chamber drama, a wonderfully exaggerated blaxsploitation parody, the pinnacle of modern action, a whimsical adventure comedy, and a nihilistic film about death. Thanks to everyone for reading.

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5. Ed Wood, 1994
dir. Tim Burton
Drama/Comedy

About 10 years back I started going out of my way to watch more movies, and like most people Tim Burton was one of the first filmmakers I really started to get attached to. I already liked Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, etc. but when I saw about this movie I was immediately intrigued. Finally, I rented it from the library and fell in love with it. There is an attention to detail and a genuine love for the subject that I found

Top 10 James Spader performances

I had planned on making an updated favorite actors list, but that's just too much work and honestly I can see my opinion changing again before I could ever even finish posting it, so instead I'll just unload a few top 10s of some of my prospective top 50 favorites. James Spader was a more recent one for me as I only just finished Boston Legal, but needless to say I've been very impressed by him and enjoyed him a great deal -- especially lately. Anyway here's the top 10 I mad of the things I've seen him in. Enjoy.


10. Lincoln (2012)

TV Alley: American Gothic

American Gothic

Created by Shaun Cassidy
1995 - 1996

A corrupt, supernatural small-town Sheriff goes to any lengths to draw a young orphan into his web, while other forces (like the spirit of the boy's dead sister) try to keep him at bay. It only ran one season, much like Shaun Cassidy's other series Invasion, but packed enough mystery and Intrigue into its short time on the air to fill several seasons.

Top 50 Favorite Movies, Part 9 (#10-6)

Previously on Jeffscpresents.blogspot.com, I mentioned a few movies. A coming of age journalistic music dramedy, a tragic romance set in the not too distant future, a pseudo-sequel to a classic zombie movie, one of the most ambitious sci-fi movies of its time, and a Greek mythology adventure fantasy. A great batch, but there are better ones. Here they are.

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10. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, 1966
dir. Mike Nichols
Drama

The ultimate chamber/bottle drama, this is the kind of movie you can only like and appreciate if you have a fondness for acting and dialogue, because that's 95% of what this movie is. Pair the incredible cast and dialogue (strangely enough there has been some contention over whether the screenplay is really responsible for a bulk of the dialogue) with that wonderful

200 Items Or Less: The Bad Seed (1956)

A few thoughts: What would you do if you had reason to believe your daughter was a killer? Luckily I don't have to answer that, but how well this movie poses that question is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Perhaps the first great "evil child" movies, The Bad Seed has a simple premise executed in a simple way, but manages to work thanks to some great performances and pacing. It establishes certain truths early on, slowly revealing more and more as it goes along. Posing questions of nature over nurture, there is a bit of half-cocked pseudoscience to play here, but it all works within the context of the story. I like how 90% of the movie takes place within one building, allowing the dialogue and interplay to tell the story. For a movie that's almost entirely dialogue, I was particularly impressed at how detailed the descriptions are, conjuring up images far more disturbing than anything they could have actually shown. Patty McCormack is wonderfully evil, and Nancy Kelly is tremendous as a mother at the end of her emotional tether. Sick, twisted, and excellent.