Aquaman

This review comes with a bit of a disclaimer: Truth be told, Aquaman is my all-time favorite superhero and has been since I was a little kid, so I was all in on this movie from the very first trailer. If you're looking for a purely objective view on this particular film, then take this blog post with a grain of salt because I'm coming at this one as fan who never thought he'd get a live-action, big budget, Aquaman film. 

Aquaman is the latest live-action superhero flick based on a DC character. Directed by James Wan, the film stars Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman, Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Willem Dafoe and, of course, Jason Mamoa as the title character. The acting is pretty solid overall, and the story kept me engaged throughout. Being a comic book film and with significant portions taking place under water, I was a little worried going in that the CGI effects would be distracting but I feel that most of it was done well. 

While I don't know how this one will hit with audiences overall, for any fans of Aquaman this one offers a bit of everything that makes those comics interesting: It features Aquaman's two most iconic villains Ocean Master and Black Manta, sea monsters from the Trench, Mera, and Atlanteans fighting with tridents... it's all there. 

I had a blast with this one, and it's the most fun I had with a comic book movie this year.
4.5 out of 5 


*Also, If you want to know how all of the DC films stack up for me you can click HERE to see my rankings

Disney's Live-Action Revival

Over the past few years Disney has been caught up in a wave of remaking some of there classic properties with a "but now it's live-action" twist and, as it turns out, there is big money to be made there. While all of these are "live-action" (or at the very least live-action mixed with photo realistic animal characters like 2016's The Jungle Book), and not animation remakes, the approach to retelling the story and the quality of the films has varied. Some of the movies are simply a straight remake with an extra song or minor details thrown in, while others try to put a spin on the story you grew up with. 

Like I already stated Disney is riding this trend with no signs of stopping. Just looking at next year, there are three of these films coming out! Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King are all due for release in 2019, with other remakes in various stages of production to come out over the next few years.

So, what's come out so far, and how do these films stack up? Disney did make the occasional attempt at adapting their animated classics to live-action in the 90's with 1994's The Jungle Book and 1996's 101 Dalmatians, but I'm just going to focus on this current wave of films starting in 2010. I'll also keep updating this list as these movies come out.

The Good:

The Jungle Book (2016)

Christopher Robin (2018)

Maleficent (2014)

The Watchable:

Cinderella (2015) 
Aladdin (2019) 

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Skip:

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

There was also a remake of Pete's Dragon in 2016 but the original was already a live-action/animation hybrid, so I didn't count it. There was also a Nicholas Cage movie called the Sorcerer's Apprentice in 2010 which was a fantasy-action flick that I think was just using the Fantasia segment of the same name to sell tickets... I believe there's a bit in there with the brooms and buckets of water, but I don't remember. I found both of those film pretty underwhelming, in case you were curious. Also, I haven't seen Dumbo (2019) yet.

10 Superhero Movies Everyone Should See

Usually entries to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series focus on an individual actor or filmmaker. I have previously written posts about Tom Cruise, Sean Connery, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and many others. However, the topic of which Superhero films people should see came up recently in a conversation and it felt like a good fit for this series. If you're not familiar with how I make these lists, they aren't necessarily a 'Best of' or 'Top 10', It's merely 10 films that I feel best represent the topic overall. If you're a big fan of comic books, like myself, then you probably will go see any superhero flick that hits theaters. For those with a more casual interest in the genre, these are what I consider some notable selections. 

*Also, for anyone wondering, the only films considered were those featuring superheros. So comic/graphic novel adaptations like Road to Perdition, 300, Sin City, and V for Vendetta are films I thought were best left for a different day.

#10 Logan (2017)

Hugh Jackman played the popular X-Men character Wolverine for 17 years and did a fantastic job overall. But it was his last film in the X-Men universe that gave us arguably his best performance.

#9 Watchmen (2009)

I know people are split on Watchmen but whatever your view on how the source material was handled, it is still a well-made, visually striking film, worth watching at least once.

#8 The Avengers (2012)

Even though the X-Men franchise had been showing that superhero teams in movies could work since 2000, this was the first time we saw heros from several different franchises come together in a major motion picture. It was a game-changer.

#7  Blade (1998)

Blade isn't perfect, the CGI especially hasn't held up, but it's still a cool movie. The story is interesting, it's a solid action-horror mashup, Wesley Snipes is awesome, and the quality of the film should be appreciated even more when you consider the status of comic book movies at the time. Blade came out just a year after Batman & Robin, Spawn, and Steel.

#6 Superman (1978)

It's been 40 years since this one hit theaters and I think for a lot of people, myself included, Christopher Reeve is still the definitive live-action Superman.

#5 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy isn't my favorite of the Marvel films but it stands out because it came at a time when many where looking at comic book movies and saying "Let's make them gritty". The folks at Marvel on the other hand were saying "Let's get weird and do the one with the sentient tree and talking racoon".

#4 Wonder Woman (2017)

This is far from the best film on the list but, it was the first wildly successful, female-led, comic book movie, and for that alone it's worth watching. Plus, it's pretty good until the third act.

#3 Ironman (2008)

To date the MCU consists of 20 films and it is the all-time highest grossing film franchise of all time, and it all started with Ironman. It might not be everyone's favorite MCU film but, it's hard to deny its impact.

#2 Hellboy (2004)

I just really like the Hellboy films and it's my list... Go watch Hellboy, it's a fun movie.

#1 Batman (1989)

Comic book movies have always had a pretty spotty track record. Sure, the MCU films have helped to establish some quality standards (and even then not all of those films are great) but I think it was Tim Burton's Batman that was the high water mark for the genre for a long time.


 Honorable Mentions: The Incredibles (2004), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2016), X-Men (2000), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Spider-Man (2004), Batman (1966)

What are your 'must-see' superhero film? Leave a comment below.
-and-
To check out the other entries in this series click HERE

Today's Movie: Black Mass

Black Mass is a 2015 crime film starring Johnny Depp, and it's about real life Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger. I like a good crime-drama and this is a film I had been meaning to get around to watching for some time but, it just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the stack. Right off the bat, I've never been a big Johnny Depp fan. Sure, there are a few gems but, I think too many of the movies that make up his his filmography involve him putting on a wacky costume, over-acting, and doing a dumb voice (see: Mortdecai, The Lone Ranger, Dark Shadows, 2010's Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films etc.). That being said, I think he's good in this film.

The film starts off in 1975 with Bulger as a fairly small-time criminal, but soon shows him making a deal with FBI agent John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) to become an informant. This arrangement between the two allows Bulger to operate and gain power while Connolly diverts the heat to other crime bosses. Intercut throughout the movie are quick scenes with older versions of members from Bulgers gang giving statements to the FBI and, even though in some films this can be distracting, I think they pulled it off in a way that enhanced the film.

Overall, this is a solid film that I'd recommend to anyone who is interested in organized crime stories. At times it felt a little longer than it's two-hour runtime but, the subject matter is compelling enough that I can excuse a scene or two that drag a bit too long.

I give this one a 3.5 out of 5

A Look Back At Porky's

The 1980's gave us a number of films which are today considered by many to be cinematic classics. Films like Ghostbusters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Raging Bull, Back to the Future, Blade Runner, Scarface, and Full Metal Jacket... There was also the 1981 film Porky's

Porky's was one of those films that came out during the post-Animal House, sex-comedy wave along with things like 1983's Screwballs and 1984's Revenge of the Nerds. I like Porky's overall and I'm not ashamed to admit that I get a bunch laughs out of its lowbrow humor whenever I watch it but, like a lot of 80's movies, it hasn't aged all that well. If you've never seen the film, the plot is pretty thin. Set in Florida in the 1950's, it centers around a group of sex-obsessed high schoolers who get into a bunch of wacky shenanigans and that's pretty much the foundation upon which the movie is built. The "Porky's" of which the movie is named after, is a nightclub deep in the Florida everglades. The boys get thrown out of the club one night, and seek to get revenge on Porky, the club's owner. 

While it does have it's funny moments, and features a memorable scene involving a peephole in the girl's locker room shower, it isn't a movie I'd really recommend to anyone in 2018. If you're looking for a fun, even if dated, comedy about some high school-age guys trying to get laid I'd recommend going back to the 'American Pie' films over Porky's. However, if you've never seen this one and you want to check it out, it's harmless dumb-fun.

2.5 out of 5

Escape Plan

Despite my love of all things 80's-action, never got around to this 2013 film starring two of the 1980's biggest action icons Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Escape Plan has a fairly basic premise; Ray Breslin (played by Sylvester Stallone) works as a specialist with a security firm, testing the reliability of maximum security prisons. It's established early on that there is no prison he cannot escape from. That is until he excepts a job trying to escape from a new type of prison designed specifically to be Breslin-proof. Once in the new prison, codenamed 'The Tomb', Breslin quickly realizes that he's been played and this time he doesn't his team as safety net to extract him from the location. The movie takes a couple of twists and turns, people aren't who they say they are, etc. so I won't spoil the plot for anyone who hasn't seen it and wants to.

Even though the film is far from perfect, I do think it's worth checking out. The cast is pretty good for the most part; alongside Stallone and Schwarzenegger, the film also stars the likes of Vincent D'Onofrio, Jim Caviezel, and Sam Neill (a big plus because Sam Neill isn't in enough movies). The actual 'escape plan' is, of course, pretty convoluted and relies as much on luck as anything else. 

 Is it Stallone's best? No, but it's never boring and overall, I had fun with it.

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Also, if you're a fan of Stallone and/or Schwarzenegger,

 then check out "10 Sylvester Stallone Movies Everyone Should See" and "10 Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies Everyone should See" on this site.

My Favorite Sports Movies

In addition to my love of movies, I'm also a big sports fan. So, when the two forms of entertainment meet the result is some of my favorite films to watch time and time again. This isn't going to be a "Best Sports Films Ever" type of list. These are just some of my favorites. Now, this list was getting WAY too long so I pared it down to the fifteen films I've gone back to most frequently.

#15 The Longest Yard (1974)

This is one of Burt Reynolds' best known films and one that I can't help but watch every time it pops up on one of the movie channels. Unfortunately the 2004 remake with Adam Sandler wasn't nearly as good.

#14 Days of Thunder (1990)

I don't have much to say about this one... Sure, it's the worst critically received film on the list, but I still find it really entertaining. 

#13 Raging Bull (1980)

38 years later and this still holds up as one of Scorsese's best works and one of De Niro's best performances. A fair argument could be made that it's the best film on this list.

#12 The Stratton Story (1949)

This is the film on here that the least amount of people reading this have probably seen. It's based on the true story of Monty Stratton, a baseball pitcher who makes a comeback after having his leg amputated, and it is a fantastic movie. Check it out if you've never seen it. 

#11 Cinderella Man (2005)

This film about James J. Braddock, a boxer who is forced by injuries to retire and later defied the odds to become Heavyweight Champion of the World, is one of the better boxing movies out there in my opinion. 

#10 Jerry Maguire (1996)

"Show me the money!"

Yea, it's a movie about a sports agent, but it's a really good movie about a sports agent.

#9 Moneyball (2011) 

Who would've thought a movie about the analytics of baseball could be this entertaining. Moneyball is well written, well directed, and features what I think is Brad Pitt's best performance.

#8 The Hustler (1961)

Is Billiards a sport? Well, Google and ESPN at 2am say it is. Plus, The Hustler is a phenomenal film, so it makes the list. 

#7 Happy Gilmore (1996)

I've lost count how many times I've seen Happy Gilmore and I still get a bunch of laughs out of it every time. Sandler's schtick got old after a while, but in the mid-90's he was on top of his game and Happy Gilmore still holds up.

#6 The Wrestler (2008) 

This isn't one of those feel-good sports movies where the lovable underdog wins the big championship and everyone is happy in the end. But, if you want to see a great movie with a terrific performance by Mickey Rourke, then this is a must-see.

#5 Field of Dreams (1989)

It's become a tradition of mine to watch this one a few days before Opening Day each year. It's the most sentimental film on the list, but it doesn't take it too far.

#4 Caddyshack (1980)

This is one of those rare movies that when the final credits role, and the Blu-ray returns to the home menu, I can press play and watch it all over again. 

#3 Bull Durham (1988)

"Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls, it's more democratic" - 'Crash' Davis

I love this movie.

#2 Slap Shot (1977)

A few sports-comedies made the list, but this one is arguably my favorite of the bunch. Paul Newman is great in the film, and despite my love of the sport, it's the only hockey movie to make the list.

#1 Rocky (1976)

Since 1976 everyone who makes sports movie, is hoping that they are making the next Rocky. I wrote a whole blog entry on the Rocky film franchise a while back (you can check that out by clicking HERE) and the original Rocky film still stands out as not only my favorite film in that series, but as my all-time favorite sports movie.

Some movies that just missed the cut: Rocky IV (1985), Miracle (2004), Creed (2015), The Natural (1984), The Mighty Ducks (1992), Hoosiers (1986) A League of Their Own (1992), All the Right Moves (1983), The Sandlot (1993), Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story (2013)

What are some of your favorite sports films?

Leave a comment below.

The Grinch: A New Holiday Classic -or- A Big Lump of Coal?

The Grinch is the latest feature-length adaptation of the classic 1957 Dr. Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The film follows the book's basic outline about a grouchy, green, character who lives alone with his dog Max, just outside of the Christmas-loving town of Whoville... and this is where the problems start. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a pretty short book with a very simple premise and, unlike the 1966 T.V. special, this is a hour and a half long movie. As a result, there is a lot needed to pad the runtime and nothing that was added really enhances the story in any sort of meaningful way. This is an Illumination film, and I got pretty much everything I've come to expect from that studio: good animation, exaggerated visuals, a lackluster story and characters, and a healthy dose of slapstick. Unfortunately, despite a few decent gags, the movie as a whole just isn't that good. As far as the voice acting goes, Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch and his performance is ok, but Pharrell Williams narration is distractingly bad throughout. 

 Overall, it isn't as aggressively dumb as the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey, and it isn't unwatchable. I just didn't find it particularly entertaining. I took my 6 year old to see it and he had a blast. So, if you also have little kids it'll probably keep them entertained for 90 minutes. I just wouldn't recommend this one for anyone else.

1.5 out of 5

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic about the band Queen, but it primarily focuses on Freddie Mercury (the band's most recognizable member). Although the film looked very interesting, I tried to temper my expectations going into this one. The early reviews I had heard were mixed and while I do like the occasional musical-biopic, I've seen way more bad than good. 

I thought this one was decent for the most part. Rami Malek, who plays Mercury in the film, did an outstanding job and it's a movie about Queen so the music throughout the film is awesome. That being said, it seems like the filmmakers played it a bit too safe and the result was a fairly by-the-numbers, watered down, retelling of the band's history. It's also not edited or paced particularly well and, although his role is minor, everytime Mike Myers pops up in a scene it took me out of the movie.

Overall, while I didn't enjoy this movie as much as films like 2005's Walk the Line or 1991's The Doors, I still had a good time. It's a crowd-pleaser that I'd recommend any Queen fan go and check it out.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

The Harry Potter Films

As you can imagine, since I write a movie blog, I love movies and I watch a ton of them. However, there is occasionally a popular film or even a whole franchise that never piqued my interest. This was the case with the 'Harry Potter' movies. People would frequently recommend them to me, but all I knew about the series was acquired through a sort of pop-culture osmosis; My brother is a big fan of both the films and books, I knew of actors like Daniel Radcliff and Emma Watson, I knew that it was about some kids who do magic, and I knew that the franchise made boatloads of money (over 7.7 billion dollars at the box-office). Unfortunately that never was enough to convince me to put in the 19+ hours required to watch them all. Plus, I've never been that big on fantasy films in general.

Then recently it happened. I gave in. I crumbled under years of people telling me that I needed to watch these movies. Well, better late than never I suppose. I picked up the 8-film Blu-ray box set and, over the course of several nights, finally watched the 'Harry Potter' films. I've gone into many individual movies with no expectations and little-to-no prior knowledge of the source material before, but never a whole series of films... so this was going to be an interesting experience either way. None of them are bad, and a few I actually really enjoyed. It's a bit of a mixed bag, but I jotted down a couple of my thoughts after each one.

 Now, I never read the books, I've never taken a deep dive in to any Harry Potter lore, and I obviously have no personal nostalgia for any of these films. So, if you're a diehard fan of these movies, don't get upset if I didn't like a couple.

Let's start with 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. There are a few parts that drag a bit as characters have to spout off a bunch of exposition in order to build the world but, I never read the books so some of that was helpful.  I thought this one was decent.

Next up is the 2002 film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. While there are a few good moments in the film, this was one of my least favorites of the bunch. It feels about a half hour too long, and a lot of stuff just seems to happen regardless if it's important to the story or not.

And now we move on to the third film in the series, 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The first two films in the series were fine, but this is the first one that I really, whole-heartedly enjoyed. It's a little darker in tone, and the plot seems more focused. Sirius Black (played by Gary Oldman) first appears in this one and he's one of the highlights of the series for me. I'll definitely re-watch this one in the future.

Halfway there. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released in 2005 and is the forth film in the franchise. Having just watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which I really liked, just a few days earlier I was ready to be impressed. As it turns out this one was a 50/50 split for me. At times I thought this was the best one so far, and at other points I felt the complete opposite.

Moving on to the fifth film in the series, 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and... I didn't care for this one. It's not bad, just kind of boring. It has one of the shortest runtimes in the series (about 8 mins shorter than the series average) but the film feels like the longest to me. It's hard to put my finger on, but I just wasn't into this movie. This one did have a different screenwriter than the other seven, so maybe that was it.

Released in 2009, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth film in the series and I think it's one of the better ones. Not much to say about this one, it's a good blend of style and substance, and I was pretty entertained throughout. 

Movie #7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 from 2010. I'm never a fan of splitting a film into two parts because part 1 never has a satisfying conclusion, and that's the case here as well. With that being said, I didn't dislike this entry in the series. Some of the quieter and exposition heavy scenes can drag a bit but, I thought it was still pretty engaging throughout... and I was kind of glad when Dobby died.

Now on to the thrilling conclusion, 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. This one has a lot of action and tying up loose ends going on. As a result, it was one of the only films in the franchise that didn't feel as long as it's runtime. This one wasn't my favorite, but I feel like it was a solid end to the series.

My general reaction when the end credits would roll after each of these movies ranged from "Hey, that one was pretty good" to "Well, maybe the next one will be better". However, while some of the films in the series feel a bit too long and there are some unintentionally funny moments scattered throughout, I did get invested in the story, I liked a number of the characters, and I enjoyed the movies overall more than I expected to. I found the series as a whole to be an intriguing balance of whimsical fun and drama. It stumbles on more than one occasion but when it works, it really works and I can see why so many people kept coming back for each new installment.
I'm obviously not a die-hard fan of these movies, and I should probably see them all at least one or two more times each before giving a definitive ranking, but after going through the series once here's how they stack up for me:

1) Prisoner of Azkaban

2) Deathly Hallows Pt.2

3) Half-Blood Prince

4) Goblet of Fire

5) Deathly Hallows Pt.1

6)  Sorcerer's Stone

7) Chamber of Secrets

8) Order of the Phoenix 

As always, if you have a suggestion for a review leave a comment below. Also, I'm curious as to how others rank these movies -and- Is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and it's sequel worth checking out?

Halloween (2018)

Halloween is the latest sequel to 1978's Halloween, but not a sequel to 2007's Halloween. Jamie Lee Curtis is back as Laurie Strode in a film that basically ignores every other sequel in the franchise's long history. To be honest, as far as follow-ups to the original Halloween go, this is one of the better ones.

The movie catches up with Laurie 40 years after that fateful Halloween night in the original film. That traumatic event left her as something of a paranoid recluse; she lives way out in the woods, has a strained relationship with her daughter, she converted her basement into a panic room, and she spends her free time preparing for the day when she'll get the opportunity to kill Michael Myers. As it turns out she's about to get her chance. Michael is set to be transferred from his current rehabilitation facility to a new location, but he escapes en route and just starts killing again.

Overall, I think fans of the Halloween franchise are going to enjoy this one. It's back to basics; there is no ancient Druid curse and no sign of Busta Ryhmes, just a guy in a mask killing people in a small town on October 31st. John Carpenter isn't back in the Director's chair for this film but he did return to do the musical score, and it's one of the true highlights of the film. I don't think this one is going to become one of those staple films that I pop in every October, but it's an entertaining slasher flick and I had fun with it. 
3.5 out of 5

High Anxiety

Though not as well known as Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, or Spaceballs, 1977's High Anxiety is actually one of my favorite Mel Brooks films. The movie stars Brooks movie regulars Madeline Khan, Harvey Korman, and Cloris Leachman, as well as Mel Brooks himself. It is a parody of suspense films, particularly those of Alfred Hitchcock and most notably the 1958 classic Vertigo.

(watching these two back-to-back works as a solid double-feature)

In the film Mel Brooks plays Dr. Richard Thorndyke, a psychiatrist that suffers from a condition known as 'High Anxiety' and who has just accepted a job as the new Director at the 'Psycho-Neurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous'. The previous Director, Dr. Ashley had recently died, and there are some suspicious goings on at the institute. For example; there is one patient whose family is paying $12,000 a month for his recovery, and yet his file shows that each time he shows signs of getting better he conveniently suffers another psychotic breakdown. Once Thorndyke starts to suspect that Nurse Diesel (played by Cloris Leachman) and Dr. Montague (played by Harvey Korman) are exaggerating the illnesses of wealthy patients to keep them institutionalized longer, the two hatch a scheme to frame him for murder. 

There are a ton of great gags and memorable scenes in this film. All of the actors are on top of their game and each one gets some great lines. Mel Brooks and Alfred Hitchcock are two of my all-time favorite filmmakers so this is a movie that hits the mark for me and it's one I come back to time and time again.

Overall, while I don't think anyone will consider this one Mel Brooks' best, I definitely recommend it.

5 out of 5

The Addams Family

Released in 1991, The Addams Family received mixed reviews from critics but it did very well at the box-office. The film of course is based on the 1960's TV show of the same name, which it itself was based on a cartoon in The New Yorker. The plot here is pretty thin; The Addams family has a lot of money stashed away. The family's lawyer happens to owe a bit of money to a loan-shark, and notices that her son bears a striking resemblance to Gomez Addams' long lost brother Fester. So the lawyer and the loan-shark hatch a plan to pass this man off as Fester and have him steal the money. In the end two con artist get their comeuppance when it turns out that the imposter really is Fester and he just had amnesia for the last 25 years.

Despite the less than complex plot, I think the film works because it features such a watchable cast. Raul Julia as Gomez Addams and Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams are both terrific, and I'll watch Christopher Lloyd in just about anything. That being said, the real standout, scene-stealer in the film is Wednesday Addams played by Christina Ricci. She has some of the funniest lines and it's obvious why she was given a bigger role in the sequel (1993's Addams Family Values). 

Overall, you get what you'd expect from The Addams Family; a fun comedy about a spooky family living in an ordinary world. It's a solid movie worth going back to from time to time, particularly around Halloween.

3 out of 5

Western Wednesday: The Star Packer

The Star Packer is a 1934 John Wayne film, and was one of NINE films to star 'The Duke' that year (the others being The Lucky Texan, Blue Steel, 'Neath the Arizona Skies, The Lawless Frontier, The Trail Beyond, Randy Rides Alone, West of the Divide, and The Man From Utah). 

In the film Wayne's character, John Travers, becomes sheriff of a small town after the previous sheriff is shot and killed. This town and folks occupying the surrounding outskirts are, as usual, being hassled by some outlaws. What's interesting is that this particular group of outlaws is being given orders by a mysterious man known only as "The Shadow". So it's up to Travers, and his faithful native-american sidekick Yak, to set up a trap and capture "The Shadow" and his gang, thus saving the town.

This is a relatively short film with a runtime of only about an hour and it's pretty easy to find if you want to check it out. You'll frequently see it bundled in John Wayne DVD compilation packs and it's free on Amazon Prime Video. That being said, it definitely isn't one of Wayne's better films, and not a "must-see" unless you're a big John Wayne fan determined to go through his whole filmography.

1.5 out of 5

The Wolf Man

"Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright."

I love all the classic Universal monster movies but The Wolf Man from 1941 is probably my favorite (with 1931's Frankenstein being a close second). It's a movie I've referenced in numerous blog post, including '10 Movies to Watch in October' but interestingly enough I've never written anything in-depth about it.

 The film stars Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, a man who returns to his family's estate after learning that his brother has passed away. While back in town Larry becomes interested in a woman named Gwen (played by Evelyn Ankers), who runs an antique shop. One afternoon while visiting her shop, he purchases a walking stick decorated with a silver wolf on the top. Later that night, Larry attempts to rescue Gwen's friend Jenny from what he believes to be an ordinary wolf. He kills the wolf with his new walking stick, but Larry was bitten during the encounter. Soon After, a gypsy tells Larry that the wolf that bit him was actually her son Bela (played by Bela Lugosi) in the form of a wolf. She also tells Larry that since he was bitten by a werewolf and lived, he will turn into one himself. From there Larry struggles to control his condition, occasionally turning into the Wolf Man and lurking in the foggy woods outside the village. In the end he's killed by his own father, with the silver-topped walking stick. 

While so many modern horror films rely on jump-scares and gore, The Wolf Man is engaging because it's a well made film with a good story, and an atmospheric score. Lon Chaney Jr. is great in the movie and every time I watch it I feel bad for Larry Talbot. He was just trying to do the right thing, he didn't ask to become a werewolf and he never turns into a stereotypical evil monster. He's just a regular guy with an unfortunate curse he can't control. 

Overall, it's a pretty short movie, with a runtime of only about an hour and ten minutes, but that doesn't make the story feel any less developed. Film critic Leonard Maltin once called it "One of the finest horror films ever made", and I couldn't agree more. I definitely recommend this film to any one interested in going back to check out some classic horror flicks, and it's a perfect film to pop in if you're looking to for a movie to get yourself into the Halloween spirit. 

5 out of 5