The Return of My 3 Favorite Shows

It won't come to any of you as a surprise that my top three favorite TV shows are all genre shows. And while I'm very excited to see them returning soon, I'm actually sad that my favorite show (possibly of all time), will be returning for its final season.

J.J. Abrams' "Fringe" took a season to really find its footing but once it did, it turned into one of the smartest; most complex and most compelling shows ever (Sorry "Lost" - you were good, but not this good). 

Set 20 years in the future, the final season of "Fringe" is about the fight against the mysterious 'Observers' and their bid to take over the planet after destroying it in their own present (our far future). Encased in the amber developed by the alternate Earth's own Fringe team for 20 years, Olivia; Peter; Walter and Astrid are released to help Olivia's and Peter's daughter fight the invaders that have suppressed humanity for so long. We got a glimpse of this future in last season's penultimate episode and I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for this final season. Terrific writing and the single best cast on TV make "Fringe" must-see-TV in my house. And shame on the Television Academy for never even nominating the astounding Anna Torv, John Noble and the rest of the cast for their consistently remarkable performances. The true heart of "Fringe" has always been the very real characters we have come to know and love. I hope they get the send-off they deserve.

The final season of "Fringe" starts Friday, September 28th on FOX.

Of course, last season, FX, along with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk literally redefined TV horror with their sexy, creepy and oh-so-watchable "American Horror Story." Set in a very haunted Hollywood mansion inhabited by a very dysfunctional family and their over-the-top neighbor, "AHS" was the kind of show people either loved or hated. I loved it. The new season brings us a new story, with a new set of characters, many of whom are played by returning members of the first season's ensemble. Set in an East Coast insane asylum in the 1960's, "American Horror Story Asylum" stars Jessica Lange; Zachary Quinto; James Cromwell; Chloe Sevigny; Joseph Fiennes; Sarah Paulson; Evan Peters; Clea Duvall and Adam Levine. The promos have been super creepy, making me desperate to know what's in store:

"American Horror Story Asylum" premiers October 17th on FX.

Finally, AMC set a new bar for TV horror with their amazing Zombie Apocalypse series "The Walking Dead," based on the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman. The show is so good, Uncle P's mother, who usually hates genre movies and TV, loves it! While some fans complained that season 2 took too long to get going, I knew the pay-off would be worth the wait. And boy, was it ever! Season three promises to be even better. Rick and his fellow survivors set themselves up in an abandoned prison, while fan-favorite characters Michonne and The Governor are introduced. The producers are promising both tons more 'walkers' and even more human conflict. This season's tagline: "Fight the dead. Fear the living."

"The Walking Dead" returns on Sunday, October 14th on AMC. Hopefully, Carl will learn to stay put when he's told to.

More, anon.
Prospero

The Horror...

Surprisingly, out of 284 posts on Caliban's Revenge with the label "Movies," there are only 123 with the label "Horror." Considering it always has been my favorite genre, I'm quite puzzled to find that less than half my movie posts were about (or at least mentioned) Horror Movies.

In December of last year, as the decade was closing, I made a list of the Top Ten Horror Movies of the Decade, but I don't think I've ever done a Top Ten Horror Movies of All Time. And since I'm still in Anniversary Celebration mode, I figured "What he hell? Why not?" So here, for the first time ever, is Uncle Prospero's 10 favorite Horrors of all time. And just so you know... I have tried to be as selective as possible in separating Horror from her two cousins, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, though it wasn't always easy, as you will see. So, without further ado and mostly chronological order...

10. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari -- 1919

Director Robert Wiene's German Expressionist Horror masterpiece concerns a carnival hypnotist and his "somnabulist" slave, Cesare. Weird angles; portrait-like set-ups; light and shadow juxtaposition; surrealist sets... name a trait of German expressionism - it's in The Cabinet... (all puns intended). Wiene, along with directors like Fritz Lang, Carl Bose and F.W. Murnau, was already trying to experiment with and redefine the fledgling American art form. Considered by many to be the first actual Horror Movie and told primarily as a flashback, the film also features a "twist" ending worthy of O'Henry - long before M. Knight Shamalamadingdong's father was born.

9. The Phantom of the Opera -- 1925

In the late 90's, I was lucky enough to attend a Halloween screening of Rupert Julian's original film version of Gaston Leroux's novel in the chapel (really a Cathedral) at Princeton University. The movie was accompanied by a live organist who played the original score. Let me tell you, when Mary Philbin's Christine pulled the mask off of Lon Chaney's Erik, there were still genuine screams among the audience. What else needs to be said about a 70+ year-old movie that still makes girls scream?

8. Dracula -- 1931

Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi became a star with his performance in the stage version of Bram Stoker's Gothic novel about the Carpathian blood-sucker, so it was only natural that directo Tod Browning cast him the movie version. Probably the first horror movie I can remember seeing, Dracula is still a fascinating, atmospheric film. All that having been said, the Mexican version (shot on the same sets at night) is technically a better movie.

I apologize in advance for the tool hosting this clip, but it was the best example I could find:

7. The Bride of Frankenstein -- 1935

Gay director James Whale's masterpiece sequel is both horrific and hilarious, featuring wonderfully daft performances from Colin Clive and Ernest Thesinger as Dr. Pretorious. A study in style:

6. Cat People -- 1942

Producer Val Lewton (I Walked with a Zombie) and director Jacques Tournier created this creepy story about metamorphic race or leopard people. Paul Schrader's 1982 remake, starring Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell was a special-effects shocker, but couldn't hold a candle to the oh-so-atmospheric original.

6. Psycho -- 1960

How much more can anyone say about the single most influential Horror movie ever, made a master filmmaker at the height of his career? Psycho not only changed filmmaking, but also changed audience attendance habits. Hitch insisted that no one be allowed in the theatre 10 minutes after the movie started and audiences have arrived for movies before showtime, ever since.

5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre -- 1974

Director Tobe Hooper makes his first appearance on this list with his low-budget tale of a cannibalistic family of lunatics was inspired (as was Psycho) by Kansas serial killer Ed Gein and his house of horrors, which included furniture made from human bones. Showing no actual gore, Hooper (making his first of two appearances on this list) made a terrifying movie that would eventually establish the 80's slasher phenomenon. It intoduced an iconic Horror villain (Leatherface) and Hooper's 1986 sequel, set mostly in the tunnels beneath an abandoned amusement park, is as close to a filmed nightmare as I care to come.

4. Halloween -- 1978

Another low-budget shocker from director John Carpenter, Halloween started a Horror sub-genre that still thrives, today. Slasher movies were a staple of 1980's Horror and the recent (though rather lame) remakes of TCM, Halloween and Friday the 13th prove the staying power of the genre. It also made a star out of Jamie Lee Curtis and a cult celebrity out of PJ Soles.

3. The Evil Dead/Evil Dead 2 - 1981/1987

Director Sam Raimi (the only other director with two films on this list) made his mark with this cheapie about a group of teens in an abandoned cabin in the woods, who unwittingly unleash an army of Canderian demons. The sequel is basically a comedic remake which inspired an hysterical Off-Broadway musical.

2. Poltergeist -- 1982

Stephen Spielberg produced Tobe Hooper's biggest hit (and best film) about a suburban family plagued by the restless spirits of people who have had a development built atop their graves in one of the few movies in which both my sister and I can tell you what's happening simply by hearing the score. Closets, televisions, clown dolls and tennis balls have never been the same. "It knows what scares you..."

1. Drag Me to Hell -- 2009

Sam Raimi returned to the genre that made his career in one of the most exciting, disgusting and hilarious Horror movies of the last 30 years. Christine pisses off an old gypsy woman, and is cursed to be dragged to hell by the demon Lamia...

Honorable Mentions:

Alien -- 1979

Sorry - Ridley Scott's take on bad 50's Sci-Fi is a classic "Dark House" horror movie, despite being set in space.

Trick 'r Treat -- 2008

Micheal Dougherty's anthology is the most fun I had seeing a horror movie since Drag Me... and I am looking forward to both its sequel and whatever else Dougherty has in store:

Yes, there are plenty of Horror movies I love, but these are my favorites. And don't even start in on me about The Exorcist - a very good, but not scary (to me, at least) film. So, what are your favorite Horror movies? You know I love to hear from you.

More celebration, anon.
Prospero

2009 Favorites (So Far)

Is there a sadder marquee than that? I think not. Still, with 20+ days left in 2009 and several movies yet to see, here are my picks for my favorite movies of 2009, so far. Remember, these may not be the best movies of the year, but they are simply my favorites of 2009. I haven't seen everything (I don't get free passes or advance screenings, and I certainly can't afford to see everything, as much I'd like to). And while one or two may still get bumped from my final Top Ten come this January, they are the 8 movies I enjoyed most this year.

You can argue, trash, agree or disagree. I don't care (and my feelings aren't easily hurt).

Coming in at Number 8: Coraline

Henry Selig's stop-motion version of Neil Gaiman's tale about a little girl who stumbles upon an alternate world that isn't quite as perfect as it seems was delightfully dark and creepy. A joy for Stop-Motion fans, Gaiman fans and Selig fans alike. Pure fun.

Number 7: Watchmen

Zach Snyder's version of the supposedly "unfilmable" graphic novel may not be the best Superhero movie ever made, but it's striking visuals and grim tone make it the best anti-superhero movie ever made.

Number 6: Zombieland

Hilarious performances, cracker-jack writing and that amazing Bill Murray cameo all combined to make Zombieland the funniest zombie movie since Shaun of the Dead (even if the evil you-know-whats scared the crap out my dear D).

Number 5: Star Trek

JJ Abrams' re-boot of the classic franchise was original, reverent, exciting and a whole lotta fun. Perfectly cast and using state-of-the-art special effects, Star Trek may the second most fun movie I saw last summer. And personally, I can't wait for Abrams' follow-up.

Number 4: Trick 'r Treat

Michael Dougherty's long-delayed festival fave anthology is everything you could want from a Halloween movie: Scary, funny, original and creepy, Trick 'r Treat went Direct to DVD, but deserved a theatrical release. I hope Dougherty's planned follow-up gets the big-screen wide release it should.

Number 3: District 9

Neill Blomkamp's feature debut is not just a Science Fiction tale about aliens, but rather a story about Mankind's Inhumanity. Striking, disturbing and brilliant, District 9 is one of those movies that stay with you long after you've seen it. Brilliant.

Number 2: Drag Me To Hell

Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man; The Evil Dead Trilogy) makes a triumphant return to horror with this tale about a bank employee cursed by a gypsy. I saw this film with the cast of my summer show and we spent the entire film screaming and jumping into each other's arms. Absolutely the most fun time I've spent in a movie theatre in a long, long time.

Number 1: Moon

Duncan Jones' feature debut is a provocative and insightful story that hearkens back to 70's Sci-Fi like Silent Running and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Am Oscar-worthy performance by Sam Rockwell is just the start of this intelligent, quiet picture about an astronuat/miner spending his days counting down to the time when he gets to return to his home and family, only to discover that his whole life may well be a lie. Simply brilliant.

Look for my full Top Ten of 2009 in January, when I've had a chance to see all the amazing films that December has to promise. I'm still looking forward to seeing Up In the Air; The Princess and the Frog; Avatar; Nine; It's Complicated; A Single Man; Sherlock Holmes and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. That's a lot of movies to see in three weeks, but I think I can do it. And I hope that I get to see most of them with most of my usual suspects...

And what are your favorite movies of the past year? My Least Favorites coming up soon.

More, anon.
Prospero

My Favorite Cult Movies

I've always sought out bizarre and unusual films. Sometimes they are wonderful and brilliant and sometimes they are just trashy and weird for the sake of being weird. Some of them are visionary works of indie genius and some of them are... well, not. Whatever the reasons, the movies below have captured my fancy and I love them as much as I love any of the great Hollywood films. A caveat: not all of the clips I've gathered here are for everyone, and some contain a bit of nudity (not much, but a bit - bare breasts, mostly). Still, if you have the time (and can find them - some of them are particulary obscure), I recommend them all. Here then, is the list of my favorite cult movies, in no particular order:

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Liquid Sky (1982)

Russian director Slava Tsukerman and writer/star Anne Carlisle created this 1982 sci-fi musical about aliens who land on a rooftop across the street from a model/singer (Carlisle) who also happens to deal heroin. The aliens live off the endorphins produced by both heroin and orgasms, and soon everyone Carlisle sleeps with ends up dead. Surreal, punk-infused mayhem, Liquid Sky was the first movie I actually drove into Center City Philadelphia to see at an art-house cinema (The Ritz 5). I saw it with my art-major friend, Deb and we both loved it, though I'm not sure how well it holds up today. It's certainly a fascinating look at the times. "Delicious, delicious. Oh, how boring."

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Freaks (1932)

Best known for the 1931 Bela Lugosi version of Dracula, Director Tod Browning's Freaks was banned for decades because it was deemed too disturbing. It tells the story of a beautiful trapeze artist who marries a circus midget. When it is discovered that she only did so because he has money, the midget's friends band together to take revenge on the gold-digger and turn her into one of their own. The film featured actual sideshow performers which include several micro-cephalics and an appearance by the Hilton Sisters, conjoined twins who would eventually become teh subject of the underrated but truly brilliant stage musical "Sideshow."

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Pink Flamingos (1972)

Director John Waters has long since gone mainstream (Hairspray; Serial Mom), though his most outrageous and depraved movie set the benchmark for outsider filmmaking. Featuring Waters' personal muse, Divine as Babs Johnson, Pink Flamingos tells the story of the search for the "Filthiest Person in America." Incest; egg fetishes; a singing asshole and a grown woman in a playpen (the incomparable Edith Massey) are just a few of the many bizarre sights to be seen - not to mention the infamous dog-poop eating at the end. Singer Cyndi Lauper even managed to reference it on her first solo album ("Oh, Eggman, I love you!"). Not for the weak-stomached, I watched this movie on VHS at home, while a college student. My sister (in high school at the time) was making cookies and I begged her to stay in the kitchen several times.

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Re-Animator (1985)

Based on the H.P. Lovecraft short story 'Herbert West: Re-Animator,' this horror film was notoriously released without an MPAA rating. West (Jeffrey Combs of The 4400) plays a medical student who invents a formula that brings the dead back to life, with disasterous results. It features a scene that gives new meaning to the phrase 'giving head' and cemented Combs' career as an indy-Horror icon.

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Plan Nine from Outer Space (1959)

Often considered "The Worst Movie Ever Made" (though Lord knows, I've seen worse), Plan Nine is the Holy Grail of bad movies. Cult hero Ed Wood, Jr. made this movie based on 5 minutes of footage he'd managed to capture before the death of his friend and film hero, Bela Lugosi. It's about aliens using ressurected corpses to take over the world and features TV Horror Hostess Vampira, wrestler Tor Johnson and Wood's usual cadre of talentless bozos. Cardboard sets, wooden acting and hilariously bad dialog are just the beginnning of this awful and hilarious sci-fi flop. "Because all of you of Earth are idiots!"

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Brazil (1985)

Visionary director and former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits; The Brothers Grimm) has said that Brazil is part of a trilogy which starts with Time Bandits and ends with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, in which he depicts the world as he thinks it should be. Grim, weird and obsessed with ductwork, it features Robert DeNiro as a terrorist plumber with a plan, Katherine Helmond as a plastic-surgery addicted mum and Jonathan Pryce as a beauraucrat caught up in the machinations of a dsytopian government. If you see this film , make you sure see the Director's Cut and not the sanitized studio version. Simply devastating.

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Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)

1985 was a big year for cult movies, and director Tim Burton (Batman; Big Fish; Sweeney Todd) made his feature film debut with this tale about a boy and his bike. Paul Reubens' Pee Wee character went on to his own CBS Saturday morning show (itself a cult phenom, until Reubens was caught - literally - with his pants down in a Florida adult theatre). Wrtten by Reubens and the and the late, great Phil Hartman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure is still one of the funniest and most quotable movies to come out of the 1980's. Watch for appearances from Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson, Dee Snyder, James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild. "I know you are, but what am I?"

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Perhaps the best known and most beloved cult movie of all time, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was a commercial disaster when it was originally released. Based on the stage musical by Richard O'Brien, Rocky Horror became a phenomenom in the late '70's at midnight shows across the country. I was introduced to it while working my first professional theatre gig as a teenager, and immediately fell in love with it. Tim Curry reprised his stage roll as Frank N. Furter, a transvestite mad scientist from the planet Transylvania, who wants to create a perfect man to be his lover. O'Brien is Riff-Raff; Oscar winner Susan Sarandon is Janet Wiess and Barry Bostwick (an original cast member of Grease) is Brad Majors in this musical send-up of horror and sci-fi movies and so much more. "Don't dream it - be it."

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Forbidden Zone (1980)

Richard Elfman (husband to Jenna and brother to Danny) made this quirky little fantasy film starring Herve Villechaize ('Fantasy Island') and Susan Tyrell (Crybaby). In the basement of the Hercules' family home, lies a door to a giant intestine which leads to the Sixth Dimension. Forbidden Zone tells the tale of the Hercules family's attempt to rescue their daughter from the Sixth Dimension's evil King (Villechaize). Frequent Tim Burton collaborator Danny Elfman (then leader of the band The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo - later just known as Oingo Boingo) wrote the music and appears as Satan in the above clip. Oingo Boingo are probably best known for their theme song to another '80's cult classic, Weird Science. Forbidden Zone gives new meaning to the word "bizarre" and is probably best viewed while under the influence (not that I'm advocating that, but it certainly can't hurt).

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They Live (1988)

Horror icon John Carpenter (Halloween; The Fog) wrote and directed this sci-fi parable about aliens who have sublty and subversively taken control of the planet, using subliminal messages to enslave the human race. Former wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper stars as Nada, a down-on-his-luck jerk who discovers the plot with the help of a pair of filtering sunglasses. Keith David (The Thing; There's Something About Mary; Coraline) is on hand as a doubting Thomas and Meg Foster (she of the exceptionally pale blue eyes) is the reporter who claims not to believe. Funny, oddly sexy and oh-so-weird, They Live isn't exactly a good movie, but I find myself watching it every time it shows up on TV. "I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I am all out of bubble gum!"

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Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

The most recent film on this list, John Cameron Mitchell's transsexual fantasy punk-rock Off-Broadway musical translates brilliantly to film. Mitchell plays the titular Hedwig, whose botched sexual reassignment surgery left her with an 'angry inch' and a need to express herself through music. When the rock star Tommy Gnosis (Michael Pitt) steals her songs (they were lovers, once-upon-a-time), Hedwig and her band The Angry Inch start following his tour, playing to fans in a series of seafood restaurant chains called 'Bilgewaters.' Through songs and diatribes, Hedwig relays her story of love, rejection and redemption. The clip above is of my favorite number from the movie, "The Origin of Love," composer Stephen Trask's take on Plato's creation myth.

There are probaly a dozen or more cult movies I love, but these are my favorites. Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know.

More of this, anon.

Prospero

Forgetten Gems: "The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T."

It sounds like a horror movie, doesn't it? And to be honest, that's probably what made me watch this 1953 musical fantasy in the first place. Seeing "Seussical" last night brought it all back, and I was embarassed to admit that I'd left it off several previous lists.

The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T is a live-action dream fantasy from non-other than Dr. Seuss, himself. It tells the story of young Bart Collins, forced by his mother to take piano lessons from Dr. Terwilliger, whom Bart is convinced is an evil genius, bent on taking over the world (and stealing his mom). Bart's only hope is the handsome plumber, August Zabladowski, who may or may not be sweet on Bart's mom, Heloise. The action takes place when Bart falls asleep while playing Dr. T's own composition "10 Little Happy Fingers" (part of 'The Terwilliger Method').

Directed by Roy Rowland with production design by Rudolph Sternad and Art Direction by Cary Odell, Dr. T is the epitome of Seussian humor and design, from the curvy wobbly architecture to the zany, colorful costumes and so silly (but perfect) rhyming lyrics. It screams "Seuss," though he reportedly had his name removed from the initial prints (IMDb credits him for both story and screenplay - I'll have to pop in my old VHS copy to see the credits, there).

The title role is played by versatile character actor, Hans Conried, who that same year voiced Captain Hook in Disney's classic Peter Pan. The part is perfect for Conried, who is clearly having a marvelous time, as evidenced by this clip of the number "Do-Mi-Do Duds" (which is also a pretty good example of the lyrics and costumes I was just talking about):

I just love the way Conried's costume is put together like a puzzle. And while the song's lyrics are exceptionally silly, Conried attacks the song with gusto, practically relishing in its ridiculousness.

Top billing went to Mary Healy (who?) as Heloise and the incredibly generic Peter Lind Hayes (who?) as the plumber. Both are fine and have nice voices (and I can imagine SNL's Will Forte as Zabladowski in the unneccesary Tim Burton remake). Tommy Rettig plays Bart, part Dennis Mitchell and part Beaver Cleaver; a typical 1950's kid with a big imagination.

And while I could find no credit for choreography, I can't help but mention the movie's best dance number, 'The Dungeon of Screechy Violins,' in which dozens of half-naked prisoners play outrageous musical instruments in the movie's most homo-erotic scene. The music is practically Gershwinesque (Gershwinian?), but the dancing is so very gay. Watch closely and you may catch a glimpse of young George Chakiris (West Side Story):

Wow! And I'll bet you thought xylophone players were gay before you even saw that!

The movie features a chase by twins (conjoined by the their beards - I kid you not) on roller skates; hypnotism; pickle juice; uniformed thugs; a piano big enough to seat 500 imprisoned boys and a possibly nuclear weapon created with an air-freshener, the contents of Bart's pockets and and a hearing aid.

Delightful family fun, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T is bizarre and hilarious, and deserves to be seen. If you've never seen it, I urge you to seek it out. I promise you'll have fun.

More of this, anon.

prospero

My favorite Fantasy Films

So, it is finally time to complete the troika started so long ago. We've talked about my favorite Horror and Science Fiction films. Now we get into that murkier category, Fantasy, under which Horror and Sci-Fi are often lumped. I contend that all fiction is fantasy, but who am I to say? Taken in it's more limited definition, Fantasy films are about quests; ogres; giants; fairies; gnomes; dwarves;, elves; orcs; wizards; warlocks; warriors; knights; damsels; dragons; flying monkeys; princes and princesses; evil stepmothers; magic potions; poisoned fruit; talking mirrors; flying carpets; magic lamps; talking animals; flying nannies; flying automobiles; magic candy factories and a brave young hero(ine) who saves the day. Quite a list of criteria, don't you think? Even excluding Horror and Sci-Fi, there are more Fantasy sub-genres than you can count. So, how do you pick a favorite? I suppose by the ones that make me smile most. In no particular order, here are my favorite Fantasy Films:

The Princess Bride Rob Reiner's 1987 adaptation of William Goldman's novel (he also wrote the screenplay) is just as fresh and funny and quotable as ever. The equally gorgeous Cary Elwes and Robin Wright Penn are perfectly cast as lovers bound by destiny. Mandy Patinkin; Wallace Shawn; Andre the Giant; Peter Cook; Christopher Guest; Chris Sarandon; Mel Smith; Billy Crystal and Carol Kane all contribute to one the 80's best ensemble casts, ever. If the ROUS's don't get you, and the six-fingered man doesn't suck most of the life out of you, and if you have the tiniest of romantic bones in your body, you will love this movie as much as I and most of my contemporaries do. "Have fun schtormin' the castle, boys!"

The Thief of Bagdad Fellow Hungarian Alexander Korda's 1940 version of the 1001 Arabian Nights story is populated with a cast made up entirely of white people, with one exception - Indian actor Sabu (whose performances many now consider as racist as Amos 'N' Andy) in the title role. But the story is pure fantasy and the special effects by Lawrence Butler, are phenomenal for their time. Directed by five mostly uncredited men (including Korda's brother, Zoltan) The Thief of Bagdad may seem silly by today's standards, but it still holds up and inspires a sense of wonder when taken on face value. The villain in the piece (Conrad Veidt) also served as the model for Disney's Aladdin villain, both of whom are named Jaffar.

Enchanted Speaking of Disney, they finally managed to poke fun at themselves (albeit only after Dreamworks did so wonderfully and sharply in Shrek -- but more about that in a moment) with this tale of an animated fairy princess who suddenly finds herself thrust into the "real' world of modern Manhattan. When Princess Giselle (Amy Adams in a brilliantly hilarious and dead-on performance) runs afoul of Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon having the time of her life), she finds herself banished to modern day new York, where she is taken in by kindly lawyer, Robert (hottie Patrick Dempsey). Pursued by her Prince Edward (equally hot James Marsden) and Narissa's evil henchman, Nathaniel (Timothy Spall), Giselle inspires music and mayhem wherever she goes (the scene where cockroaches, pigeons and sewer rats clean Robert's apartment is just pricelessly funny). A sweet, funny and romantic musical for the whole family.

Moulin Rouge And speaking of musicals, Aussie auteur Baz Lehrman practically reinvented the genre with this 2001 romantic fantasy about bohemian ideals in the late 19th Century. Gorgeous Nicole Kidman and breathtaking Ewan MacGregor are star-crossed lovers Satine and Christian in fin-de-siecle Paris. Genius character man Jim Broadbent is The Moulin Rouge's ambitious owner/producer Harold Zidler; funnyman John Leguizamo is Toulouse Lautrec and Richard Roxburgh is the slimy Duke who wants Satine for himself. Combining a plot as creaky as an old boot, music from some of modern rock's geniuses, original songs and spectacular visuals, Lehrman creates a unique and stylized vision of a Paris that never was. A lush, romantic and gorgeous film, Moulin Rouge is as much a fantasy as any movie on this list (it even has a fairy).

Stardust I first read Neil Gaiman's novel on the afternoon train home from New York while appearing as Louis XIV for NYC Ballet's education department in the winter of 2000. I'm not much of a modern comics fan, though I was aware of The Sandman and the tremendous following it had. I loved the book and have since become a fan of his other "adult" novels such as Neverwhere and Anastasi Boys. So I was excited to learn that Stardust was being adapted for the screen. I wasn't prepared, however, for the goregous, funny and nearly perfect fairy tale that director Matthew Vaughn created. Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfieffer are hilarious while Clare Danes and Charlie Cox make an irresistably adorable couple. One of my favorite films of the new Millenium

Pan's Labyrinth Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece is both thrilling and horrifying. The story of a young girl living with her step-father (a brutal General) under Franco's reign of oppression who escapes to a fantasy world where she is actually a long-lost princess is so powerful, it makes me weep. And the cheek-suturing scene makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. The first true Film Masterpiece of the 21st Century.

King Kong (1933 & 2005). the 1933 original is the movie that made me fall in love with movies. Peter Jackson's amazing 2005 remake is an homage to movies from a man who obviously loves movies. Dino DiLaurentis' bizarre 1979 version deserves (and gets) no respect.

Krull Director Peter Yates' bizarro sci-fi/fantasy is a wierd mix of Knights and Stormtroopers, featuring a bunch of actors most people never heard of again (it always puzzled me as to why the simply gorgeous Ken Marshall never became a star). It's fun and silly and loaded with then (1983) state-of-the-art effects. The kind of movie you either love or hate, Krull isn't a masterpiece by any means, but I always seem to enjoy it when I catch it on cable.

Titus Julie Tamor's adaptation of Shakepeare's first play, Titus Andronicus is a mix of genres and styles jumbled into a black comedy about revenge, amputation, rape and cannibalism. High drama in 1480 - bizarre fantasy in 1999. Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming and a young Jonathan Rhys Meyers have a high time chewing the scenery and the score by Tamor's husband, Eliot Goldenthal, ranks among my favorites. A striking and original take on a dark and gloomy tale.

Shrek Yes, it has spawned two terrible sequels (and a third is on the way), but the original is hilarious and a valuable lesson on tolerance. It pokes fun at Disney all the way along (it was produced by DreamWorks), has terrific voice cast headed up by Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow, and it makes me smile, a lot. And they lived happily ever after...

Well, I guess it's time to move on to other genres, now. I think next will be Comedy. And as soon as "The Skin of Teeth" closes, I'll be back to revieweing movies (yay!)

As always, more of this anon.

Prospero

Favorites Addended

I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post. I kind of got caught up in pre-production for "The Skin of Our Teeth," I guess. But now, with the show's first read-through tomorrow night, I have a few minutes to finally post something new. Well, almost new.

Actually, I wanted to add two films to my prior "Favorites" lists, which I can't believe I forgot in the first place.

First, I am shocked that I forgot to add A.I. to my list of favorite Sci-Fi movies. Spielberg's masterful re-telling of Pinocchio, started out as a collaboration with the late, great Stanley Kubrick. After Kubrick's death, Spielberg went ahead and made the movie, which divided critics and audiences. Personally, I think it's one of his best works. Based on the short story, "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss, A.I. tells the story of David (Haley Joel Osment), a robotic child purchased to ease the grief of Monica (Francis O'Connor), whose own son is languishing in a persistant vegetative state. When her son surprisingly recovers from his coma, David proves to be inadvertently dangerous and is abandoned by his "mother" (in one of filmdom's most heart-wrenching scenes). Left with only Teddy (a robotic teddy bear in the Jiminy Cricket role, voiced by Jack Angel) to guide him, David must make his through a world where many have come to despise the Mechas (robots), despite being quite dependant on them for everything from domestic chores to sex. David eventually meets up with sexbot-on-the-run, Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) at the Flesh Fair - an event where robots are elaborately destroyed as entertainment. Joe helps David in his search for both his real father, a scientist (William Hurt) who modeled David after his own deceased son; and the Blue Fairy (voiced by Meryl Streep) from Pinocchio, whom David hopes will turn him into a 'real' boy. A.I. was derided as overlong (146 minutes) and too dense, comments which never would have been made had Kubrick made the movie. But it is dense subject matter, which requires some time to cover, and Spielberg does so brilliantly. With two astounding performances from Osment (I dare you not to cry when Monica abandons him in the woods) and Law (his sad, yet resigned Joe is probably the most human character in the film); a very funny voice cameo by Robin Williams (as the Einstein-inspired, holographic Dr. Know); stunning robotics from the late Stan Winston and a very distant future populated by sentient machines, A.I. may well be Spielberg's Sci-Fi masterpiece. While writing movie reviews for the now-defunct PhillyOut.com, I chose it as the Best Film of 2001. I stand by that choice, today. And I have to give at least an honorable mention to another Spielberg masterwork, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which I first saw in Paris with French subtitles. As a high-school Junior, it set my imagination on fire. When it was re-released with an extended ending a year later, I was even more excited by this awesome 'what if?' movie.

The other omission occurs on my list of favorite Horror movies. Neil Marshall's The Descent is the first movie since Se7en to actually creep me out. A group of adventurous women meet each year for a wild and dangerous week of fun. A year after a whitewater rafting trip, which ends in a traumatic accident, they meet in the American South for a caving expedition. They end up lost and trapped in a an unexplored cave system, only to finds that they are not as alone as they think. Writer-Director Marshall (Dog Soldiers; Doomsday) sets up a claustrophobic scenario from the get-go, trapping the women deep underground as a cave-in blocks their return route. But he then ups the ante by adding a tribe of cannibalistic humanoids who are stalking our heroines as they make their way through the dark and foreboding underworld. When I first saw this film, I found myself feeling trapped and having some breathing issues. But with the introduction of the monsters, I found myself on the verge of panic as I tried desperately to see what might be lurking in the dark. Featuring strong female characters, hideous monsters and increasingly claustrophobic dread, The Descent is surely one of the best horror movies of the last 10 years. If you haven't seen it, make sure you rent the original British version, which features a very different (and decidedly darker) ending than the American cinematic version.

My Favorite Sci-Fi Movies

Science Fiction has a rather broad definition, especially when it comes to movies; it can encompass a large variety of film styles. For me, it usually has to involve robots (in all their various incarnations); aliens; space travel and/or genetic mutations - or indeed, any combination(s) thereof. We'll talk about Fantasy and Horror later, though they are often (and mistakenly) lumped into a descriptive troika (Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Horror). Today, I am focusing on my definition of Science Fiction and the movies that I love which fit that definition. So, without further ado, my choices for the best Sci-Fi movies ever.

E.T. : The Extra-Terrestrial - Who else but Steven Spielberg could come up with an ugly, lovable alien with Christ-like powers, capable of inspiring awe, fear, love and tears? This 1982 classic inspired an international catch-phrase ("E.T. phone home."), shot a candy to the top of the sales charts (Reeses's Pieces) and inspired imitators galore. When an alien is accidentally left behind by his crew, it is up to our young hero Elliott (Henry Thomas) to help him get home before the toxic environment and government agents can kill him. Young Drew Barrymore made her film debut, Dee Wallace got the role of her lifetime and Spileberg forever cemented himself as an auteur of family adventure all in one fell swoop. A classic along the lines of The Wizard of Oz, E.T. is the movie that made us all believe that bicycles can fly and purity of heart will always win out over cold, clinical science.

Metropolis - The first silent film I can remember falling in love with, Fritz Lang's chilling 1927 tale of a dystopian future where the rich live in a fabulous city while slaves toil underground to support them, is both prophetic and allegorical. When a rich young man (Gustav Frohlich), living in Pleasure Garden discovers the preachings of young Maria (Brigette Helm), he realizes the error of his father's ways. But an evil inventor (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) creates a robotic doppelganger of the beautiful Maria, who prompts the slave laborers to continue to serve their evil, mechanized masters. Utilizing amazing (for the time) SFX, Metropolis serves as a warning to those who would allow technology to destroy their humanity. Recently discovered missing footage means that Lang's masterpiece may very well be seen in its entirety for first time in over 80 years!

2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick's visionary 1968 film, based on a novel by Arthur C. Clarke, remains an enigma to many viewers. Gorgeous Kier Dullea stars as Dave Bowman, an astronaut assigned to explore the origins of a mysterious black obelisk discovered on the Moon. Obtuse, bizarre and downright puzzling, 2001 was both a watershed FX film and a hotly debated story about the nature and origins of man. It introduced audiences to the concept of artificial intelligence (the iconic HAL 9000) and pioneered an impending explosion of movie special effects.

Godzilla (Gojira) - After WWII, the Japanese were obsessed with the possible effects of radiation that followed the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Toho Studios response was the giant T-Rex-like Godzilla, a fire-breathing behemoth who brought destruction upon the unsuspecting people of Tokyo. Raymond Burr (TV's Perry Mason) was brought in to film additional scenes for the American release of the movie that started the atomic monster craze of the 50's and early 60's. In subsequent films, Godzilla became a sort of Japanese hero, protecting Nippon from all sorts of other rubber-suit monsters. A 1998 remake, by director Roland Emmerich, became one of Hollywood's biggest flops.

Alien - In 1979, writers Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shussett reworked a 1950's stinker (It! The Terror from Beyond Space) into one of the most iconic and claustrophobic Sci-Fi movies of all time. Under the direction of Ridley Scott (more on him later), Alien introduced audiences to the art of H.R. Gieger and made a star out of Sigourney Weaver (who would go on to appear in no less than three sequels). Taut, dark and oh so scary, Alien gave rise to one of the greatest movie taglines of all time: "In space, no one can hear you scream." It also freaked out audiences world-wide with its infamous "chest-burster" scene.

Forbidden Planet - What's not to love about this 1956 classic that's basically "The Tempest" in outer space? Starring Leslie Neilson, Walter Slezak and Sandra Dee, Forbidden Planet is the first movie to be scored exclusively using a theremin (more about my theremin obsession in a later post) and is the film that introduced the world to iconic Robbie the Robot. Great fun.

Aliens - in 1986, future "King of the World" James Cameron directed what is quite possibly the best sequel ever. Nearly 80 years after dispatching the original Alien, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is rescued from hyper-stasis and called upon to lead a team of Marines on a rescue mission to the planet where she and the crew of the Nostromo first encountered the acid-blooded beasties of the original film. A virtual rollercoaster ride of a movie, Aliens is both a Sci-Fi and an action film, combining tension, explosive action and the ultimate "battle of the bitches" in one amazing movie.

Dark City- Director Alex Proyas (The Crow; I, Robot) wrote this astounding 1998 noir movie about a man (Rufus Sewell) in search of his true identity. He soon discovers that his actual memories have been supplanted by alien beings who want to discover the true nature of Human emotions. Aided by a mad scientist (Kiefer Sutherland, in one his best performances), Sewell soon discovers that he naturally possesses the powers which the aliens can only achieve through mechanical manipulation. The amazing supporting cast, which features Jennifer Connolly (A Beautiful Mind), Richard O'Brien (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and William Hurt, all help to create a world both alien and familiar. And the early CGI FX are just terrific.

Blade Runner - For a while, it looked like director Ridley Scott was going to make a career based solely on Science Fiction movies. His 1982 masterpiece originally featured a terribly written narration, forced on the film by the studio, who apparently thought audiences were too stupid to be able to follow the plot. Harrison Ford stars as a cop who specializes in hunting down rogue Replicants (genetically engineered artificial people with short life spans hard-wired into their genetic codes). Scott's futuristic Los Angeles is a dark, forbidding place filled with monolithic skyscrapers, holographic billboards and pollution so bad it rains constantly. A box-office failure when it first came out, at least 2 subsequent Director's Cut versions have elevated Blade Runner into the best Science Fiction film of all time.