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.