The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends (April 13th, 2025)

This series will highlight my weekly journey through previously released films, whether they are rewatches for me or new discoveries. Here are my picks:     

Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000)

To what lengths would you go to eliminate the daily annoyances in life? Bong Joon ho explores the darker side of humanity and the consequences of our actions with his early dark comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite. The script for this film is sharp, engaging, and hilarious for sure. Joon-ho shows his penchant for dynamic filmmaking and his good eye for interesting visual storytelling. The people (as always) in his films are not perfect people and some are quite dastardly. An out of work professor begins killing dogs because their barks annoy him. This sets in motion a series of increasing wild and disturbing occurrences that engross and engage the audience from start to finish. A strong cast, rich themes, and bold filmmaking shines a light on this modern auteur.

Spaceballs (1987)

Do you like Star Wars and can appreciate a silly send-up of all its fantasy, science fiction, and adventure tropes? Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs has exactly what you need! The adventures of Captain Lone Starr, Barf, Princess Vespa, and Dot Matrix make for a fun and silly romp through all types of clever (and not so clever gags). There are plenty of comedic standouts with Rick Moranis’ hilarious spoof on Darth Vader (Dark Helmet) being the key to it all. His dark humor and silly physical gags make for the perfect combo. Brooks himself pulls double duty too with his dastardly and idiotic President Skroob as well as the obviously Jewish master of the Schwartz, Yogurt (that’s right…just plain Yogurt). There are so many fun references to science fiction classics like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien. The play-on-words, double entendre, and just plain silly parodies make for an endlessly fun time.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

What is the pinnacle of the legendary comedy troupe Monty Python? Monty Python and the Holy Grail is an endlessly hilarious romp with endless possibilities. The narrative might be a loose adaptation of King Arthur’s exploits with the Roundtable, but it is a consistent string of comedy gold. Every scene feels like it would be the funniest scene in its own movie. Even the opening credits are filled with silly gags and ridiculous humor. The whole company get plenty of opportunities to show their comedic chops with Graham Chapman holding down the film as the straight man (Arthur). This is 90 minutes of non-stop laughs with plenty of intelligent elements from its Grail lore to political elements to Christian commentary. The laughs keep escalating all the way until the end, which just might be one of the most ridiculous and absurd endings to any film ever.

Zoolander (2001)

How can a film so idiotic be so smart? Ben Stiller’s early 2000s comedy can find humor in so many things from start to finish. Stiller’s titular male model, Derek Zoolander, is not the dumbest character in the film…but he is darn near close. Zoolander is flashy, zippy, and just plain silly. Stiller is an absolute hoot in the title role but there are so many other fun additions to the cast. The real star turn comes from Will Ferrell who delivers every line with humor, sass, and theatrics. Mugatu is an all-time comedy villain, and the memes show just how funny he is. Owen Wilson is so fun (and hot right now) as Hansel and Jerry Stiller’s Maury Ballstein is one of the funniest parts of the film as well. The insane number of cameos is just fun but even the minor roles bring the goods (Jon Voight didn’t need to act so hard as Zoolander’s South Jersey coal miner father). There are so many quotable lines and memes from this film that it will probably surprise you. Almost 25 years later, Zoolander is still a comedic gem.

Friday (1995)

How much could possibly happen in one day in the hood? Plenty when it comes to F. Gary Gray’s comedy Friday. Ice Cube is just your regular 22-year-old dealing with job problems, a slacker best friend, girl problems, and a neighborhood bully. But it is the screenplay from Cube himself and this impressive comedic ensemble that brings so much to the table. There are plenty of challenging themes and motifs that are injected into this comedy like gangs, drugs, and other criminal enterprises. There are some cathartic moments in the climax of the film as you get to see Cube’s Craig finally step up to be an adult. But the fun is the main attraction with Chris Tucker’s Smokey being a consistent generator of laughs. But the film is full of talented performers from young Nia Long and Regina King to Tiny Lister to the always hilarious John Witherspoon. Friday is a fresh and unique comedy worth exploring for sure.

Idiocracy (2006)

We just might be making our way to the future in Mike Judge’s comedy, right? Idiocracy is a wild ride that features plenty of commentary on humanity, society, capitalism, and politics. The story is a hilarious concept with your most average man imaginable, portrayed perfectly by Luke Wilson, is accidently put in hibernation for 500 years only to discover that humanity has become impressively dumb over that time. This lean comedy is full of hilarious (if not on-the-nose) references and gags about the corporate machine and how foolish and gullible people can be when those in power tell them to do the dumbest things imaginable. Idiocracy hits on a whole new level in a post 2016 election in the United States. This might have aged from a filmmaking standpoint, but it is uncomfortably hilarious from a thematic and comedy standpoint.

The Host (2006)

How do you make a creature feature feel fresh and interesting in the 21^st century? You follow the blueprint set forth by Bong Joon ho with his incredible film, The Host. This film starts off fast and intense with some well staged, sharply directed, and emotionally impactful monster movie thrills. The setting up of this film feels perfect to leverage plenty of layers in this screenplay. The top-notch performances add layers as we feel for this family who desperately try to get their teenage daughter back from the monster. The tone balances the dark humor, satire, horror, and rich emotions as well. The way the film skewers the interference by America in so many things makes this film have a real and relevant impact. The climax of this film weaves together all the rich elements of the film and delivers a devastating and impactful conclusion to an expertly crafted cinematic experience.

Amadeus (1984)

How powerful can music be? Milos Forman crafted a masterpiece of cinema on the bones and legacy of one of the greatest musicians in the history of humanity. But Amadeus is so much more than just a biopic. The framed narrative is quite compelling as the tale of Mozart is told through the eyes of a jealous peer, Antonio Salieri. But it is Salieri’s perspective that brings so much depth and intrigue to this film. An aged and suicide Salieri tells the tale of his failure in the shadow of Mozart. Forman explores the meaning of faith and religion through the eyes of a man whose faith was shattered due to his own arrogance and delusions. F Murray Abraham delivers an incredible performance as Salieri whose storytelling ability is exquisite. The performance of Tom Hulce as the rambunctious, juvenile, and erratic Mozart is a revelation as well. The technical prowess of the film is off the charts as Forman crafts a film so elegantly perfect. The music is the key as well with impressive performances from a variety of operas and the film writing of Mozart’s requiem is one of the best scenes in the history of cinema. Masterpiece.

Asteroid City (2023)

Just how creative can Wes Anderson possibly get? Asteroid City is one of Anderson’s most ambitious films to date from a creative standpoint. The framing device of the whole film is so unexpected. The exploration of putting a stage play together threads into the structure of the film is such a fluid and creative way. The way it adds layers to the overall experience is impactful including the amazing “balcony” scene that adds plenty of emotion. But then you have the bright, colorful, and charming desert town tale which is so much fun and poignant. The ensemble cast is just insane with Jason Schwartzman and Scarlet Johansson both delivering incredibly deep and rich performances. The music (from popular songs to Desplat’s score) is the perfect topping for the whole experience. This film explores loss in a respectable way and dives headlong into the existential exploration of the world around us. The technical prowess of Anderson is off the charts, and this is such a unique cinematic experience.

It Happened One Night (1934)

What is the quintessential screwball comedy? One of the earliest and most beloved is Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night. This has all the trappings that make this type of classic comedy so great. The ridiculous set up of a rogue journalist chasing after a runaway heiress is hilarious. The bus trip up the coast just opens the door to so many fantastic comedy set-ups. The hitchhiking scene is one of the most iconic comedy moments in film with a fantastic subversion to the masculine man trying to save the day. The silly humor is fantastic with fun character actors like Alan Hale delivering silly and memorable side characters. But the combination of Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert is the true winning ingredient. Gable is slimy and suspected while Colbert is naïve and spoiled. Watching their growth together really works and makes for a believable and fun romantic comedy. A must-see, all time classic for sure.