The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends (MAY 12th, 2024)

 In a cluttered and overwhelming world of cinema, it is literally impossible to watch it all (trust me…I try). There is a hard balance between rewatching your favorite films, new releases, and films from your ever growing watchlists. But there are so many gems in film history to enjoy so it is a great way to utilize your movie watching time. But how do you decide what to watch? Queue The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends! This series will highlight my weekly journey through previously released films (whether they are rewatches for me or new discoveries. Here are my picks:

Mulan (1998)

What was one of the most action-packed animated films during the Disney Renaissance? Mulan.  A young woman must disguise herself as a man to replace her father in a draft. A war between the Mongols and China breaks out and our hero must learn to be a soldier and fight for honor and her country. Luckily, her house spirits give her a wonderfully fun sidekick in Mushu. Eddie Murphy showed why he is the best animal sidekick in an animated movie with his energetic and hilarious vocal performance (years before Shrek did the same). The music is a bunch of jams like “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” (with a great vocal performance from Donny Osmond). Ming-Na Wen delivers a top-notch leading turn and Miguel Ferrer makes for an intimidating villain. The rest of the cast is filled out with Asian acting legends from James Hong to Pat Morita to George Takei and you have quite the ensemble cast as well. The action is thrilling. The stakes are huge. This is a wonderful addition to the Disney animation lexicon.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

What started the resurgence of Disney animation in the late 1980s? The Little Mermaid. This colorful and musical fantasy finds a young mermaid in love with a dashing prince on the high seas. Ariel is willing to give up anything (including her beautiful singing voice) to a sea witch to make this happen. Elements of the story have not aged well over the past 35 years, but this is still a wonderful, animated adventure that the whole family can enjoy. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken put the film world on notice as they were the perfect pair to fill this film with iconic musical numbers. Ariel’s banger “Part of Your World” set the stage for Disney princess songs for decades. “Under the Sea” is one of the most popular songs in any Disney film. “Poor Unfortunate Souls” is part of a great string of villain songs from the 80s into the 90s. This is a wonderfully fun adventure with high sea action in its climax (giant Ursula is still frightening today). This is an all timer for Disney.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Why don’t we get more “slice of life” animated films out there? Kiki’s Delivery Service is one of the few and a rare entry for such films released for the whole family. Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest animated directors of all time and this lowkey 80s effort captures the whimsy and magic of a witch’s tale while still delivering a relatable and authentic coming-of-age story. Kirsten Dunst (in the English dub) is great as the young and charming witch named Kiki. Phil Hartman is a wonderful addition as his sassy and fun feline companion, Jiji. They do their thing making deliveries on broomsticks as they meet wonderful new people (and some snotty ones as well). The climax might have a thrilling dirigible incident but most of the film is perfectly happy just capturing the wonders of growing up and finding oneself. This film has wonderful messages and captures the beauty of Miyazki’s worlds so well.

Encanto (2021)

How much has Encanto grown in popularity over the last few years? Upon its release back in 2021, it came to theaters and did perfectly fine. Disney made some money at a time when the box office was quite cooled off. But once this beautiful and colorful extravaganza about family hit Disney+, it blew up! This is a Disney animated film without a proper antagonist. There is no classic “Disney Villain”. What we do get is a story deeply resonant and full of great themes. Generational trauma is the true obstacle here as Mirabel, the outcast of the Madrigal family, tries to save her family and the magic that gives girls her family their powers. This beautiful film finds the wonderful powers in each family member, and they are so much fun to see on screen. The voice cast is filled to the gills with Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecillia Botero, John Leguizamo, and Diane Guerrero. But the music…the music is incredible. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is a certified banger that is a head worm, deep meaning to the story, and a great piece of music. “Waiting on a Miracle” and “What Else Can I Do?” are deep meaningful songs for the characters in the film. It all starts with the exposition dumping and extremely catchy “The Family Madrigal”. This is top tier modern Disney animation for you.

Coco (2017)

What is one of the best films that Pixar has released in the past 10 years? Coco. Disney made a horrible mistake dropping a 25-minute Frozen short before this film, but once Coco begins, you are hooked. This is a story of loss, music, and family. Our young protagonist is transported to the Land of the Dead as he must find his long-lost great-grandfather and find his passion for music. This is a fun and fantastical adventure, but it is the deeply human moments and drama that make this film such a classic. The final sequence between Miguel and his grandma, Coco, is deeply emotional and will make you cry by the end. The world of the dead is brought to life vividly with its bright and varied colors. There is non-stop energy in this film and takes Miguel and the down-on-his-luck Hector on a great adventure. Hector’s voice performer Gael Garcia Bernal does a great job with “Everyone Knows Juanita”. The biggest jam might just be “Un Poco Loco”. But the multiple versions of “Remember Me” (especially the one sung by Miguel in the end) deliver impressively. Benjamin Bratt is pitch perfect as the world-renowned musician Ernesto de la Cruz. There are twists and turns and plenty of heart to make this a top-notch cinematic experience.

Back to the Future (1985)

What does a perfect look like? Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future. There is nothing in this film that needs to be improved upon. The screenplay is sharp, funny, clever, and deep. The amount of detail in this script is insane as every little detail connects back to something. Zemeckis expertly incorporates visual storytelling to minimize the amount of exposition that needs to be given. Every new watch you pick up on more details to the story. The score from Alan Silvestri is iconic and perfect as it captures the audience’s imagination and brings out so much emotion and sense of adventure. The time travel logic is sound and never feels like it is cheated. Michael J. Fox is insanely charismatic and makes a fantastic movie hero for the 1980s. Christopher Lloyd makes for one of the greatest movie scientists of all time as Doc Brown. The story is wild and exciting with incredible suspense especially with the climactic lightning strike and return home. This is one of the most beloved films ever and if you haven’t seen it…do yourself a favor.

The Batman (2022)

What is the Batman film that captures the detective/noirish elements of the original comic the best? The Batman. Matt Reeves leaned heavily into this “world’s greatest detective” element of Batman and created a serial killer tale filled with organized crime and government corruption. The Riddle gets such a fresh take creating a Zodiac Killer type killer with dark side of the internet vibes. This younger and disconnected Bruce Wayne/Batman struggles to balance even being Wayne at all. He is Batman…all the time. But a new connection with Selina Kyle (Catwoman) allows him to open and this investigation into The Riddle and the mafia influences in the Gotham City government pushes him to evolve from a dark fixture of vengeance to a beacon of hope. What makes this film stand out so much in this long-time franchise is the technical prowess of Matt Reeves and his team. The use of darkness and shadow penetrates throughout. The camera work and framing are bold and engrossing. Michael Giacchino’s score is towering and powerful. This is one of the best Batman films of all time (the best in my humble opinion) and needs to be experienced.

The Poseidon Adventures (1972)

What is the big-time disaster movie that really started it all? The Poseidon Adventure. This star-studded disaster film brought it all to the table in an impactful way. The cast is incredible with Gene Hackman anchoring the ensemble as a pastor who is pushed by the situation to lead his flock to safety. Ernest Borgnine is the perfect foil to Hackman’s pastor as great tension is built between these two leaders throughout the film. Shelley Winters is fantastic and brings so much emotion and authenticity to an older woman wanting to get back to her grandson. Throw in the likes of Red Buttons, Roddy McDowell, and Jack Albertson and you have quite the ensemble. The emotions are there because this film takes its time to set up human beings we can get behind. The production design is at the next level and detailed and looks great with all the water effects coming in. This is a thrilling ride for two hours with plenty of shocks and thrills around every corner.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)

How do you pay homage to arguably the greatest western in the history of cinema? You honor the essential elements, but you make it your own! Jee-woon Kim takes The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and its iconic trio dynamic and places it in a brand-new context. Manchuria, 1940. The conflict between the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans are a fever pitch. This war time setting channels the American Civil War elements of Leone’s classic, but this new setting opens the door to genre bend between western and martial arts film. The humor is certainly heightened for this version of the story and the “weird” of its title is certainly there. The dynamic trio of Korean stars, Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, and Jung Woo-sung, are insanely charismatic and make this experience that much better. The soundtrack is killer as well with so many great banger songs giving the film great personality. This Asian western is an awe-inspiring reimagining that is worth every second.