The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Reviewer Recommends (March 1st, 2026)

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

Muriel’s Wedding (1994)

Can you enjoy a film about a pathological liar who hurts everyone around her? Well, if the film is filled with ABBA needle drops like Muriel’s Wedding, then heck yes! P.J. Hogan’s Australian dark comedy is quite the experience with a killer lead performance from Toni Collette in one of her earliest roles. A social outcast who loves ABBA and dreams of getting married someday does plenty of underhanded things to escape her existence in her small Australian town. She runs off with an old acquaintance Rhonda (portrayed with so much charisma, empathy, and charm by Rachel Griffiths) and starts a new life that takes her through plenty of wild shenanigans. There are plenty of serious twists along the way, but Hogan balances the drama and humor quite well. The “Waterloo” performance by Muriel and Rhonda is worth the price of admission but there is plenty to get out of this powerful journey of growth that our titular protagonist takes use on (in all its Australian glory).

Space Jam (1996)

What do you get when you take one of the greatest basketball players of all time and put them in a movie with one of the most beloved groups of cartoon characters of all time? You get Michael Jordan with the Looney Tunes in Space Jam! This is not exactly a great film, but it is so darn fun. A group of aliens hold the Tunes hostage and are forced to play a game of basketball for their freedom. The aliens steal the skills of some of the NBA’s best players and go toe-to-toe with Jordan and the Tune Squad. There are plenty of famous names from Bill Murray to Larry Bird to Danny DeVito. The Looney Tunes all get their time to shine with plenty of physical comedy, pop culture references, and sharp dialogue. The climactic basketball game is a joyous experience for sure. This is a fun and exciting experience for less than 90 minutes.

Matilda (1996)

How does Danny DeVito bring this beloved Roald Dahl story to life? There is plenty of charm, whimsy, and thrills that DeVito delivers through his direction of Matilda. This is a wonderful film that balances the darker edge of Dahl’s work with a 90s pizzazz. There are some fun needle drops that inject some personality along the way and plenty of charming special effects that bring out the titular young heroine’s powers to life. Mara Wilson delivers a charming and endearing performance as the extremely intelligent, well-read, and super powered protagonist. Her family are the worst of people with Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman chewing up the scenery portraying her awful parents. Embeth Davidtz is the charming and kind Miss Honey who is the supportive teacher that Matilda has always needed in her life. But then you have Pam Ferris’ Trunchbull who just might be one of the greatest villains in all of children’s media. Magical and charming, Matilda is a sweet adaptation of this iconic film.

The Game (1997)

What is one of David Fincher’s most underseen films in his filmography? The Game dropped in between Seven and Fight Club and unfortunately was overshadowed by both. But this thriller has plenty of its own merit. This is a film filled with mystery, and you are never quite sure what is happening and what are all parts of an elaborate fantasy crafted by this professional company. Fincher injects plenty of atmosphere and thrillers into this film which looks fantastic with its textures and rich cinematography. Howard Shore’s score is also quite poignant and impactful as it elevates the tension in the film as well. Michael Douglas delivers an intense and paranoia-driven performance that anchors the whole experience. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way to make this a worthwhile thriller.

Onibaba (1964)

Who doesn’t love some good old-fashioned Japanese folk horror? The 1960s were a great time for horror in Japanese cinema and Kaneto Shindo’s Onibaba is certainly one of the most prolific. This is the twist about two women who hunt and kill samurai and sell all their belongs to make a living. But a man comes into their life who slowly seduces the younger of the two women. Unfortunately for the elder, she comes face to face with a horrifying samurai figure with a haunting mask. This demon samurai is one of the most iconic characters in Japanese samurai cinema. Some of the visuals featuring the demon are just so visually striking. This film is deeply affecting with its exploration of religion, repression, and control. This is an unnerving and twisted cinematic experience with quite the shocking and affecting climax that lasts with you long after the credits roll.

Cosi (1996)

Are you ready for a dash of Australian humor and a bunch of future Australian stars in early roles? Cosi will certainly scratch that itch! Ben Mendelsohn stars as a director who gets hired to direct an opera with a crew of psychiatric hospital patients. Mendelsohn is charismatic and handsome even if his character Lewis is not the easiest character to root for. You are treated for an oddball and varied crew of patients who are brought to life by fully committed turns. Toni Collette, Barry Otto, Jacki Weaver, Pamela Rabe, Paul Chubb, and David Wenham. They all get their moments to shine (especially Collette who is a star in the making). You even get a bit of Rachel Griffiths as Lewis’ partner. The final performance of their opera is so darn charming and plenty of fun for sure. This is certainly a fun yet flawed film worth a watch.

Rebecca (1940)

What is the film that started Alfred Hitchcock’s leap to Hollywood? Rebecca is the lone film of Hitchcock’s to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and it certainly deserves it. This psychological drama finds a charming young woman (played so earnestly by Joan Fontaine) falling for a brooding and mysterious man Maxim de Winter (slyly crafted by the great Laurence Olivier). But Fontaine’s protagonist learns quite quickly that her new home is haunted by the specter of the titular first wife of Maxim. The mystery of her death looms big and Hitchcock crafts a strikingly gorgeous film with some impressive moments of craft. Judith Anderson and George Sanders inject some compelling supporting characters into this already complex dynamic. This is some old-fashioned filmmaking with plenty of craft, tension, and suspense.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

How do you make an effective sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street? Just ask Chuck Russell because Dream Warriors is an absolute blast! Freddy Krueger is back and stronger than ever with plenty of great quips and wild kills. The TV, puppet, and drug needle kills are all so creative and some of the best you will find in slasher films. Quips like “Welcome to prime time, bitch!” are just iconic at this point. This film does a great job of building off Nancy’s journey so far in the first two films in the franchise and adding a whole new crew of memorable characters. Patricia Arquette leads the way with a strong turn as a young woman who can bring others into dreams. This group dynamic makes the film more unique and allows or the characters to put up a real fight against the iconic slasher villain. The excellent score and hair metal needle drops give the film plenty of more personality as well. Dream Warriors is certainly one of the best sequels in the franchise.

From Hand to Mouth (1919)

Who doesn’t love a little slapstick comedy injected into their day? Harold Lloyd was one of the big three kings of cinematic comedy in the late 1910s and into the 1920s. A film like From Hand to Mouth is a good showcase of his empathetic charm and physicality. Lloyd plays a small-time “criminal” who is just desperately stealing food and such to survive. His life turns upside down when he runs into a tricky situation with Mildred Davis’ The Girl who is kidnapped to steal her inherited fortune. The real-life connection between Lloyd and Davis pops on screen while Lloyd flees for his life and fights for it in a series of fun chases and brawls. Hal Roach breathes plenty of lie into this rousing comedy that is worth the 22-minute investment.

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)

Where does the journey of Musashi Miyamoto take him in the second leg of the Samurai Trilogy? Duel at Ichijoji Temple is an entertaining and thrilling middle chapter in the story of Miyamoto. This samurai finds himself stuck between his love for Otsu and his love for the sword. Years away from the woman who loves him, Miyamoto finds himself focusing on a conflict with the Yoshioka School and his two antagonists, Sasaki and Yoshioka. Toshiro Mifune brings great presence, a sense of cool, and an internal struggle that is quite dynamic. The fight sequences in this film are expertly shot in beautiful Eastmancolor by director Hiroshi Inagaki. This film sets up what should be a thrilling and powerful final chapter while leaving some heartache to linger with you as those credits roll.

The Land Before Time (1988)

Who wouldn’t want to go on a grand adventure with a group of young dinosaurs? The Land Before Time was such a fixture in the childhoods of kids in the 90s as it was a wondrous world of dinosaurs. The many five characters are so charming and bring plenty of heart and soul to the film. The death of Littlefoot’s mom in the first act is still one of the most emotionally devastating moments for so many kids at the time. Don Bluth brings this prehistoric world to life with rich animation, plenty of thrilling chases, and a dangerous landscape filled with pitfalls. The music from James Horner is also top notch as well. This is a wonderful ride for just 69 minutes and delivers a good message about friendship (with a sense of adventure injected in) along the way.

The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (1994)

How do you follow up such an iconic animated film from one of the great animation filmmakers like Don Bluth? The Great Valley Adventure is quite different tonally from The Land Before Time and it does not reach its height either. But that does not mean The Great Valley Adventure is a bad film. This one just leans a little heavier into the child demographic with catchy musical numbers and a much shinier and less textured visual style. Our five dinosaur friends make a new one, a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex named Chopper, as they attempt to navigate the appearance of carnivores in their perfect little utopia. This is a charming if not sillier entry, but it does still deliver some joy along the way as the first of thirteen sequels in this franchise.

The Awful Truth (1937)

It is hard to resist a screwball comedy starring Cary Grant, isn’t it? The Awful Truth was a Best Picture nominee and a winner for Best Director for Leo McCarey. The pedigree is there and the chemistry between Grant and Irene Dunne is quite palpable. The story is an intriguing one as we have a married couple moving towards an amicable divorce, but both parties seem like they might not want to break things off for real. The banter and shenanigans that Grant and Dunne get up to are funny with plenty of sarcasm and slapstick. You have some strong supporting turns with Ralph Bellamy even getting an Oscar nomination or Best Supporting Actor. Over the course of 90 minutes, enjoy this charismatic duo try so hard to not love each other and fail miserably.

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956)

Does Hiroshi Inagaki stick the landing with the final film in The Samurai Trilogy? Duel at Ganryu Island is a moving and powerful conclusion to the journey of Musashi Miyamoto. His life is now one of solitude and peace as he lives on the outskirts of a village away from the love of women and the sword. But a final challenge is levied by the intense, skilled, and unnerving swordsman Kojiro Sasaki. Otsu and Akemi both find their way back into Musashi’s life as he prepares for his final showdown that awaits one year hence. The film is still gorgeous with its striking color and camera work. The final duel is excellent in visuals, choreography, and suspense. Toshiro Mifune shows so much range in his final turn as our samurai hero in this grand finale.