The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends (June 29th, 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:     

Godzilla (1954)

What is the king of all kaiju movies? The original Godzilla is a near perfect creature feature that combines awesome monsters, practical action, rich characters, world-building, and thematic elements that give the film more depth. Godzilla came out less than 10 years after the dropping of nuclear bombs on Japan. These horrific events give depth to this nuclear threat as it acts as an allegorical representation of America. The design of the titular creature is incredible, and all the destruction comes to life with such detailed and impressive miniature work. This film set the tone for all Godzilla films to follow. There is strong character work that gives the audience characters they can invest in. Human conflicts are just as interesting and compelling as the wild practical effects and action. Ishiro Honda crafted a layered and compelling film that engages all the way up to its harrowing finale filled with complex emotions.

Godzilla (2014)

What mileage was left in the Godzilla franchise 60 years after the original’s release? Gareth Edwards had something special up his sleeve with this slow burning and epically scaled kaiju film. The special effects are top notch here with some impressive designs of Godzilla and the two antagonistic MUTO that the monster king must go toe-to-toe with. The opening sequences offer a one-two punch of intrigue then emotional heft that pulls the audience in. Bryan Cranston delivers one of the best performances you will find in any of these big Kaiju films as he steals the first act with plenty of emotion. There are plenty of awesome moments from the Hawaiian tsunami, the assault on the train carrying a nuclear weapon, and the hatching of one of the MUTO. But this epic film builds up an amazing showdown featuring some of the coolest monsters fighting in any Godzilla film. The choice to shoot from the human perspective gives the film an unmatched sense of scale and the choices of music give it quite the impactful feel. This sets the stage for this new Legendary/Warner Bros Godzilla franchise which has yet to live up to this strong entry.

A Man Escaped (1956)

How does one deliver an endlessly tense and engrossing prison film? Robert Bresson made the choice to strip down his film A Man Escaped and delivers a slow burning and expertly crafted thriller. Bresson delivers a beautiful black-and-white cinematic experience that is precisely blocked and framed in every shot which sets up a gorgeous visual experience that never short-changes the audience from great tension and suspense. This film takes inspiration from the harrowing prison break of POW Andre Devigny which makes for a compelling cinematic experience. Much of the film is anchored on the reserved yet affecting performance of Francois Leterrier. A Man Escaped is one of the best prison break films you will find and highlights how much can be accomplished with a stripped down and suspenseful ride.

Happy Gilmore (1996)

What is the greatest gold movie of all time? This might be a stretch…but Happy Gilmore is certainly the funniest. Adam Sandler channels his 90s comedy persona as an abrasive man-child who finds his way into a world of professional golf. Happy Gilmore has plenty of funny moments with Happy’s wild behavior on the links. The brawl that he has with Bob Barker of The Price is Right fame is an all-time movie fight. Chris Macdonald’s Shooter McGavin is a top-tier comedy antagonist with his smugness and condescending behavior. Their final showdown in the Tour Championships is one of the best conflicts in sports moviedom. There are other standout characters from Carl Weathers’ one-handed golfer who shows Happy how to really golf (especially with their trip to the mini-golf course) to Ben Stiller’s evil and abusive orderly at the nursing home. Endlessly quotable and fast-paced, Happy Gilmore is one of Sandler’s peak 90s efforts.

The Wedding Singer (1998)

What is the most heartwarming and charming film from Adam Sandler’s 90s run? The Wedding Singer. Sandler creates one of his most charming and empathetic protagonists in Robbie Hart who is a dreamer and romantic. His dreams are crushed when he is stood up at his wedding and falls in love with a fellow wedding worker, Julia. The chemistry between Sandler and Drew Barrymore is off the charts with so much charm and electricity in their connection. The cast is filled with great performances from Christine Taylor to the whole early Sandler crew, and some shining moments from Steve Buscemi and Jon Lovitz. All the music moments are excellent including the wild “Love Stinks” performance from a depressed Robbie. There is plenty of heart in this charming comedy that really should get more recognition as one of Sandler’s best films.

Under the Skin (2014)

What is one of the most unique and unnerving cinematic experiences you can find in movies? Under the Skin. This is such a compelling film with Scarlett Johansson starring as a mysterious alien who has a series of engagements with strangers. This is a fascinating exploration of what makes us human. This is an unexpected cinematic experience that has little structure but finds our alien engaging in human experiences of all types. Johansson’s performance is subtle and unnerving that captures this evolution throughout the film. Jonathan Glazer is a unique director who creates one of the most unnerving cinematic experiences. The visuals in Under the Skin channel moments from 2001: A Space Odyssey with some of the colorful designs floating in darkness. Each time this alien confronts the strangers, we see a space that is pure darkness and leaves the characters and audience in a deeply vulnerable place. Under the Skin is not a film for everyone but there is a bold cinematic experience that awaits.

Are You Being Served? The Movie (1977)

What is your favorite British television series? Are You Being Served? is an iconic British sitcom that finds all the fun gags you can get working in a department store…and plenty of cheeky bits of humor as well. A wild opportunity found this show getting the big screen treatment as the crew at Grace Brothers get to go on vacation together. The first act of the film has all the fun department store gags you expect from this beloved show before they fly off on the most absurd and wild vacation imaginable. Revolutions, seduction, mistaken identity, and all other types of shenanigans run amuck. Each of the hilarious ensemble of this show get their moments to shine with some expert work by John Inman (the obviously gay and flamboyant Mr. Humphries) and Mollie Sugden (the opinionated and confident Mrs. Slocombe). This might be a bit stretched for the set up, but it still delivers plenty of laughs along the way.