20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

[6] An army rocket returning from Venus crash lands in the Mediterranean, releasing a Venusian creature that wreaks havoc in Italy. This matinee monster movie is better than most of its kind. The first thirty minutes are surprisingly strong, building…
Mysterious Island (1961)

Mysterious Island (1961)

[6] Civil War soldiers escape capture in a hot air balloon only to become stranded on an uncharted island inhabited by mutant creatures. Mysterious Island is more than just another showcase for effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen. I enjoyed the survival…
King Kong (1933)

King Kong (1933)

[8] King Kong, the grandfather of all monster movies, is an ambitious visual effects extravaganza servicing a fast-paced adventure story. The film's action set-pieces have inspired generations, whether its Kong's clashes with prehistoric creatures on spooky Skull Island or his…
King Kong (2005)

King Kong (2005)

[8] After finishing The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson tackled a remake of his favorite film, King Kong. Jackson's remake is largely faithful to the 1933 original, while generously expanding the storyline and embellishing some of the characters. Jackson…
The Black Cauldron (1985)

The Black Cauldron (1985)

[5] There was definitely potential. A dark Disney movie based on Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, about a farm boy's brave attempt to stop a demonic king from conquering the land with his army of skeletal warriors? Sign me up!…
Clash of the Titans (1981)

Clash of the Titans (1981)

[8] Special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen brings Greek myths to life in Clash of the Titans. The story centers on heroic Perseus, favored son of Zeus, who must accomplish several deadly chores in order to save his beloved Andromeda from…
All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

[6] Don Bluth's films (The Land Before Time, The Secret of NIMH) tend to be too mature for children and too immature for adults. Consider All Dogs Go to Heaven, where one moment you have cutsey critters singing a cringe-worthy…
Twilight: New Moon (2009)

Twilight: New Moon (2009)

[2] A bunch of sad, scowling, mopey teenagers cry and whine for two hours because they're afraid to fuck each other. Some of them are vampires, some of them are werewolves, but nothing ever comes of it. And the main…
9 (2009)

9 (2009)

[6] Shane Acker's computer-animated post-apocalyptic fantasy is visually interesting, but the characters are bland and the story is wobbly. The movie is a tonal quagmire, trying to balance its dark and dreary subject matter with a kid-friendly PG-13 rating. The…
Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 2 (1999)

[8] Pixar returns to the toy box for another adventure with Woody, Buzz, and all the other toys who helped make the first Toy Story so memorable. This time around, Woody is kidnapped by a toy collector and the other…