The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends (October 26th, 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:     

King Kong (1933)

What is the original creature feature that set the bar for decades to come? King Kong was a miraculous feat of filmmaking back in 1933. It is still impressive to look at all these years later. The special effects in this adventure film are quite impressive with all the stop motion animation of animals. You have the giant ape along with plenty of other dinosaurs as well that come to life with some amazing cinematic magic. There is a nice dash of romance, plenty of thrilling adventurous moments, and some terrifying moments as well. The production design is incredible by balancing the thick jungles of the island as well as the big city feel of New York. This film is so iconic with one of the most thrilling climaxes of all time on top of The Empire State Building. 90 years later, King Kong is still a well-placed, impeccably directed, and engaging film.

The Dark Crystal (1982)

What is one of the most creative and bold fantasy films ever made? Jim Henson and Frank Oz, with the rest of The Jim Henson Company, accomplished something so special with The Dark Crystal. The world building is creative, beautiful, and impressive. The production design is incredible with the castles, fields, marshes, and all. The character design is something so special with Gelfling, Mystics, Skeksis. The puppetry is second to none with the amount of detail put into everything is downright incredible. The story is simple yet effective as it tells a story full of wonder, love, greed, chaos, and harmony. The music is big, bold, and beautiful. For 90 minutes, you are lost in another world that is completely engrossing. The Dark Crystal is a special film that has been creating a sense of wonder for over 40 years.

The Warriors (1979)

Why is The Warriors such a beloved cult classic? This has a great high concept idea of a gang being chased around the Burroughs by a whole bunch of strange and offbeat crews. The titular crew is made up of a compelling variety of characters from noble warriors to hateful rogues. All the different types of gangs make this such a strange and unique experience. There is even one gang dressed in baseball uniforms and painted faces. There are plenty of thrilling moments sprinkled throughout director Walter Hill’s film. The action is well-shot and intense. There is an overall raw and visceral atmosphere around the film with a killer synth score from Barry De Vorzon (and accompanied by a Joe Walsh theme song). The Warriors is a cool, thrilling, and unrelenting crime/thriller with plenty of personality and young angst.

The Hangover (2009)

What is one of the most iconic comedies of the 00’s and 2010’s? Todd Phillips really found something special with The Hangover. This is such a basic idea of a Bachelor’s Party going wrong, but this one went SO wrong that it turned into an era defining comedy. The trio of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis really make this film with their completely different and clashing character work. Galifianakis became a megastar because of how hilarious his turn was in this film. Full of booze, drugs, boobs, and other wild ingredients, The Hangover is a wildly entertaining ride with plenty of twists and surprises along the way. Mike Tyson. Ken Jeong. Heather Graham. Mike Epps. This comedy is so hilarious and raunchy that it changed comedy with its humongous box office receipts. Dive-in for a wild Vegas comedy full of quotable lines and iconic imagery.