Borrowed Wives (1930)

IMDb plot summary: Peter has to be married by midnight or else his inheritance goes to his uncle... Who happens to live in a "haunted house".

Directed by Frank R. Strayer. Starring Rex Lease, Vera Reynolds, and Paul Hurst.

Borrowed Wives is a 1930 comedy about a man who is set to receive an inheritance from his grandfather as long as he is married by a certain time. He has plans to do so, but his fiancee's plane is delayed and he is forced to find another woman to pose as his new wife at the last minute, and chaos ensues. The plot and stakes in this one are beautifully simple, and they have a great deal of fun playing with all the ways this could go wrong. It's not an incredible or terribly memorable film -- I didn't walk out of this film necessarily remembering any of the specific jokes, but I did have a general sense of having had a good time, and sometimes that's all you need from your movies. It feels very much like one of those infinite playful mysteries that local community theaters put on as a reliable crowdpleaser, and it is that.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Borrowed Wives > The Blues Brothers

Borrowed Wives < In the Name of the Father

Borrowed Wives > Dan in Real Life

Borrowed Wives < The Country Girl

Borrowed Wives > Logan

Borrowed Wives < There Will Be Blood

Borrowed Wives > Moonwalker

Borrowed Wives > Moby Dick

Borrowed Wives > Orgazmo

Borrowed Wives > Monsters Vs. Aliens

Borrowed Wives < Nine to Five

Final spot: #1257 out of 3821, or 67%.

The People Under the Stairs (1991)

IMDb plot summary: Two adults and a juvenile break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children. There, they must fight for their lives.

Directed by Wes Craven. Starring Brandon Quintin Adams, Everett McGill, and Wendy Robie.

The People Under the Stairs is a horror film that follows Fool, a young boy who becomes entangled in a nightmarish journey when he breaks into a seemingly abandoned house to steal a valuable coin. The film masterfully weaves social commentary and horror, creating a thought-provoking yet terrifying narrative. Fool stands out among other protagonists in the genre for not only his intelligence but especially his empathy. These surprising traits add depth to the story and make his survival a compelling focal point. Much of the film's brilliance lies in its restraint, revealing only fragments of the disturbing backstory. This enhances the horror, as our imagination fills in the gaps. Another one of the film's strengths is its unexpectedly empowering conclusion, which serves as a satisfying resolution to the characters' struggles. This contrast to traditional horror endings sets "The People Under the Stairs" apart, leaving viewers with a sense of hope and victory. If this is what Wes Craven is capable of, I really have to pay deeper attention to his filmography. This film demonstrates that he can create a film that is both chilling and thought-provoking in all the right ways.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The People Under the Stairs > The Blues Brothers

The People Under the Stairs > Elf

The People Under the Stairs < Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

The People Under the Stairs > Jeopardy

The People Under the Stairs > The Fabelmans

The People Under the Stairs > Black Panther

The People Under the Stairs > Breaking Away

The People Under the Stairs > Grease

The People Under the Stairs > Short Term 12

The People Under the Stairs < Cam

The People Under the Stairs > Network

Final spot: #482 out of 3820, or 87%.

Nate and Hayes (1983)

IMDb plot summary: A swashbuckling adventure which takes place in the mid-1800's on the South Pacific islands where bloody raids and battles were once the rule of the day.

Directed by Ferdinand Fairfax. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Michael O'Keefe, and Max Phipps.

Nate & Hayes is an adventure film that follows swashbuckling pirate Captain Bully Hayes and his unexpected companion Nate Williams, as they navigate treacherous waters and dangerous foes in the South Pacific. This was part of my watchthrough of John Hughes' screenwriting credits, and I definitely noticed traces of his comedic style sprinkled throughout. Tommy Lee Jones' portrayal of a pirate is... unusual at best, but kind of fascinating, and the film commendably leans into a buddy comedy trope that doesn't rely on "which of us gets the girl." However, despite these unique elements, Nate & Hayes suffers from a lack of depth and ultimately doesn't leave much of an impression. Worse, the film's take on race definitely has not aged well, and it makes several of the scenes of our characters cavorting around quote-unquote "exotic" locations nearly unwatchable. At best it's bland, at worst it's actively unpleasant.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Nate and Hayes < The Blues Brothers

Nate and Hayes < National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Nate and Hayes > Joseph: King of Dreams

Nate and Hayes < A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy

Nate and Hayes > Fedora

Nate and Hayes > First Man

Nate and Hayes < The Omen

Nate and Hayes < Avanti!

Nate and Hayes < Diana: The Musical

Nate and Hayes > Alfie (2004)

Nate and Hayes < The Machinist

Final spot: #3158 out of 3819, or 17%.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)

IMDb plot summary: Affable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students.

Directed by Eli Craig. Starring Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, and Katrina Bowden.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil revolves around two well-intentioned hillbillies, the titular Tucker and Dale, whose vacation takes a nightmarish turn when a series of misunderstandings lead a group of college kids to believe they're psycho killers. The film's comedy really leans into the farcical nature of these misunderstandings with fatal consequences, and it works perfectly. At least one of the death scenes got a genuine out-loud laugh from me. But more surprisingly, the movie stands out for its unexpected depth of empathy. While it plays with the country vs. city stereotypes, it portrays both Tucker and Dale as relatable and endearing characters, while also giving the city kids more complexity than mere caricatures would get. This blend of humor, horror, and heart is perfectly balanced, with comedic moments complementing rather than detracting from the tension. Overall, I'm glad I finally got around to watching Tucker and Dale. It's a delightful and refreshing horror-comedy, proving that a twisted premise and genuine empathy can make for a strangely charming horror experience.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The Blues Brothers

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > Key Largo

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil < Secretary

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > Jeopardy

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The Fabelmans

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The Last Unicorn

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > 56 Up

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > Women Talking

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The Map of Tiny Perfect Things

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > Network

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The Legend of 1900

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil > The White Tiger

Final spot: #478 out of 3818, or 87%.

Them! (1954)

IMDb plot summary: The earliest atomic tests in New Mexico cause common ants to mutate into giant man-eating monsters that threaten civilization.

Directed by Gordon Douglas. Starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, and Joan Weldon.

Them! tells the story of a small town in the desert plagued by mysterious deaths, and the team of scientists and researchers who come in to investigate. While it's pretty well-known in pop culture what the cause of all this is, the movie doesn't reveal it until much later in the film, so I'll keep it a surprise in my review. The opening scene with the police picking up a terrified silent young girl wandering along in the desert sets a haunting tone that the rest of the movie doesn't quite hold -- but the movie is still very good. While the dialogue occasionally gets heavy-handed, the movie excels in crafting a sense of mystery with how skillfully it's paced. And it was delightful to see a female researcher given as much expertise as her peers, despite being objectified by other men around her. This was the first in a series of movie recommendations given to me along the theme of "horror movies with social commentary," and it fit that bill perfectly. Definitely worth watching!

How it entered my Flickchart:

Them! > The Gray Man

Them! > Dark Passage

Them! < Secretary

Them! < Jeopardy

Them! > Kismet

Them! > Au Revoir Les Enfants

Them! < Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Them! > Don't Drink the Water

Them! > Picnic at Hanging Rock

Them! < Mildred Pierce

Them! > Split

Final spot: #749 out of 3817, or 80%.

The War Zone (1999)

IMDb plot summary: An alienated teenager, saddened that he has moved away from London, must find a way to deal with a dark family secret.

Directed by Tim Roth. Starring Ray Winstone, Lara Belmont, and Freddie Cunliffe.i

The War Zone is a British drama focusing on a teenage boy who finds out that his older sister is in an incestuous relationship with their father, and how this knowledge begins to tear the family apart. This is a very difficult movie to watch, unsurprisingly with that plot. The core three actors, Lara Belmont, Ray Winstone, and Freddie Cunliffe, turn in some really tremendous performances that make this an even tougher watch because they feel like such real fleshed-out characters. The script doesn't quite stick the landing, and I can't actually imagine wanting to watch it again due to the unpleasant subject matter, but I think it's mostly pretty well done.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The War Zone > The Gray Man

The War Zone < Key Largo

The War Zone < The Family Man

The War Zone < The Trouble with Harry

The War Zone < 12 Angry Men (1997)

The War Zone > Happythankyoumoreplease

The War Zone > Bonnie and Clyde

The War Zone > The Wrestler

The War Zone > Patsy & Loretta

The War Zone < The Last Castle

The War Zone > John Carter

Final spot: #1793 out of 3816, or 53%. This feels low but TCDNL.

Band of Brothers (2001)

IMDb plot summary: The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.

Starring Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, and Ron Livingston.

Band of Brothers was a ten-episode miniseries following one real-life World War II army platoon throughout the war. The miniseries is impeccably well-made, with clearly a ton of preparation and effort going in to bringing these men's stories to the screen, and following them over the course of the war, seeing who stays, who moves, who lives, and who dies, brings it home in a way it's harder to do in a 90-minute movie. As a result, it was easier for me to get to know the characters than it is in a typical war film. I especially found the final episode very moving, as the soldiers struggle to adjust to life after the war ends. It is definitely an undertaking to watch this, and I don't see myself doing it again any time soon, but I'm glad I made it happen at some point.

How it entered my Flickchart:

Band of Brothers > The Anderson Tapes

Band of Brothers < Safe

Band of Brothers < Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)

Band of Brothers > Liberal Arts

Band of Brothers > Blazing Saddles

Band of Brothers > Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Band of Brothers > The Age of Adaline

Band of Brothers > Creation

Band of Brothers < Die Hard

Band of Brothers > The Romantics

Band of Brothers < The Night Before

Final spot: #1440 out of 3811, or 62%.