Elf (2003)
[8] Will Ferrell stars as a human adopted by Santa Claus and raised as an elf in this absurd but disarmingly sweet comedy from director Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Mandalorian). At the ripe old age of thirty, Ferrell's character…
The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
[7] In this potpourri of Middle-Eastern folklore, a banished king (John Justin) and a street boy (Sabu) team up to stop an evil magician (Conrad Veidt) from marrying a beautiful princess (June Duprez). The Thief of Bagdad tries to combine…
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
[4] Aliens in flying saucers contact a scientist about their plan to enslave all the humans of Earth! This atomic age flick is slow going until the last ten minutes, when effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen gets to destroy Washington D.C.…
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)
[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…
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
[5] This monster romp was the first solo effort by effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. All the stop-motion animation has the usual Harryhausen charm, including a famous scene where the dinosaur rages down Wall Street and chomps on a policeman. Unfortunately,…
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…
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
[5] This atomic-age monster movie features a giant octopus that attacks San Francisco. With the help of special effects maestro Ray Harryhausen, the creature topples some skyscrapers and whacks a piece out of the Golden Gate bridge. Unfortunately, the visual…
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)
[4] In this Sinbad adventure, the famed sailor is trying to wed a princess (imagine that), but can't get her brother's blessing until he reverses an evil spell that turned the brother into a baboon. The story isn't much, but…
H.G. Wells’ First Men in the Moon (1964)
[7] A British couple and a mad scientist embark on the world's first trip to the moon and end up getting more than they bargained for in this colorful fantasy featuring visual effects and animation by Ray Harryhausen. First Men…