Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave—This third installment of Nick Park’s stop-motion-animated series is definitely up to par. The character of the toothy inventor, Wallace, finds a love interest in Wendoline, an equally toothy wool shop owner. This thoroughly enjoyable film is far from feature length, having a runtime of about half an hour, so don’t think you’re finding a way to kill too big a chunk of your Wednesday night.
The Exorcist—A classic study in turning your stomach into knots. From beginning to end, William Fredkin proves that he has what it takes to direct a thoroughly revolting horror film. The story of a devil possessed 12-year-old, The Exorcist manages to, despite what today would be regarded as relatively primitive effects, bring William Peter Blatty’s novel to life. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, but overall, a worthy piece of celluloid.
Crocodile Dundee—At this point, even if you haven’t seen this 1986 film, you’ve seen all the jokes elsewhere. A passable bit of fluff that made its mark for leading the Australian invasion into American culture in the mid- to late-1980s. The plot is old-fashioned and hokey, but well implemented. The take home lesson? Never underestimate the humor power of drag queens.
