Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, we’re counting down our favorite movies with a mammal in the title! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
Black Panther is a movie with many great qualities that consistently receives much-deserved praise. It’s full of wonderful actors and a story that stands out amongst its peers in the MCU. Since everyone always discusses the obvious reasons to love it, I want to highlight my favorite aspect: the music. As I walked from the theater after my second viewing in as many days back in 2018, I told anyone who would listen that the score would win an Academy Award, and I was right! The music composed by Ludwig Göransson is both unique and beautiful. There are so many songs to love, like “Warrior Falls,” “Busan Car Chase,” and “Killmonger’s Challenge.” The standout, though, is “Wakanda,” which plays leading up to the grand entrance into Wakanda. It’s peaceful to start, but when the brass instruments start playing at the sight of the grand city below, it’s magic. “Wake Up T’Challa” is another excellent addition which plays as T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is confronting his father in the ancestral planes. It helps deliver the emotional punch of the scene. The two tracks I love the most are “Killmonger” and “A King’s Sunset.” The latter, which plays during Killmonger’s “death” (I refuse to believe he is dead), is hauntingly beautiful. It has everything needed to successfully bring the climax of the film to a close. The next time you watch Black Panther, make sure you pay extra attention to the score; I guarantee you will not be disappointed. (Nick Ferro)
Planet of the Apes is an iconic franchise with a wide range of quality, from the truly great to the so bad it’s unintentionally funny (I’m looking at you Tim Burton and Mark Wahlberg). The 1968 original was a unique piece of science fiction executed to perfection with groundbreaking prosthetic makeup and a powerful performance from Charlton Heston. It is quick-paced and philosophical, a combination rarely achieved. The reboots make up the most consistently great trilogy ever. They’re an inventive imagining of how a society of intelligent apes could rise to prominence, starting with a man-made medicine gone wrong. Following the footsteps of its predecessor, the trilogy thrives on groundbreaking effects and stunning cinematography. War for the Planet of the Apes is a poignant conclusion, but Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the greatest of all. The first half is a slow burn, but it’s filled with moments of smoldering intensity. The humans and apes toeing the line between peace and war is a will-they-won’t-they as engaging as Ross and Rachel on Friends. Koba is the perfect villain because you always understand his motivation and often agree with it. Andy Serkis is masterful as Caesar, both for motion capture and performance, as he tries to find balance between protecting his family and keeping the peace. The human performances are also dynamic, highlighted by Jason Clarke and Gary Oldman, but you may just find yourself rooting for the apes. (Jason Mack)
This week, I went back to the water source of unseen films for the supplies to write this, as I decided to watch Dances with Wolves for the first time ever. Starring Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, and Graham Greene, it’s a movie that shows the death of the old west as the United States expands into the frontier and the conflicts with the people who already made it their home. I really enjoyed how it depicts Dunbar’s (Kevin Costner) attempts to communicate with the Pawnee, and the lessons it provides on acceptance, as opposed to hostility. The feel of the callback to wild lands and a respect of nature and the wilds, compared to the “civilization” later brought to the area, is beautiful to see. I wish I had gotten to it sooner, but overall, I well and truly believe that this one is worth taking the time to view. (Joseph Davis)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there’s not a production studio that’s got a better track record (albeit limited) than Cartoon Saloon. The third of the so-called Irish Folklore Trilogy, Wolfwalkers follows a young hunter’s apprentice, Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), who comes to Ireland with her father on a mission to hunt down the last of the wolves hiding deep in the forest. Her mission gets complicated when she befriends a wild girl and is introduced to the world of the mystical wolfwalkers, similar in mythology to a werewolf, minus the sinister undertones. The exploration of Irish mythology, as with the other entries in the trilogy, is fascinating. What really helps Wolfwalkers stand out is the breathtaking animation. When you’re watching a Cartoon Saloon production, you know it. Nothing else looks like it and there’s an undeniable quality to the craft. It’s no coincidence that they’ve produced four films and have four Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations. Fingers crossed they make it five-for-five in short order. (Jake Bourgeois)
Who is the perfect director to bring to life a story of a deformed and brutally chastised man? David Lynch, of course! Post Eraserhead, but before every other crazy, weird endeavor, The Elephant Man found Lynch creating his most “normal” film. The crisp and gorgeous black-and-white. The incredible performances by John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins. A brutal tale of suffering and isolation. This is the classic tale of looking beyond the cover of a book that helps elevate an unexpected biopic. Producer Mel Brooks wanted this story told. Lynch wanted to make sure you experienced the journey of John Merrick. Hurt wanted you to feel every step of the way. This is one of the most unlikely stories to hit the silver screen, but it also became one of the most emotionally affecting cinematic experiences of the early ‘80s. This might feel out of place in Lynch’s filmography, and the “elephant” in the title doesn’t quite meet the expectations it sets, but it is an essential piece of cinema. (Shane Conto)
The now-celebrated filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino, made his directorial debut with the unconventional heist film, Reservoir Dogs. With a cast of colorful characters, both literally and figuratively, Tarantino paints a vibrant canvas of mayhem following a botched robbery. This film contains what would later be signature elements of his cinematic style: rich dialogue, vibrant characters, out of sequence storytelling, and iconic moments with iconic music. Some of the members of this cast would become regulars of future Tarantino projects, such as Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, and especially Michael Madsen. Madsen would make a name for himself with his role as the psychotic Mr. Blonde, the human powder keg who revels in his cold-natured insanity. While there are no real titular character in this ensemble, Keitel’s Mr. White is the most relatable and relatively calm character among his criminal brethren. Reservoir Dogs is timeless modern classic with a cast of vivid criminals that keep shining bright through every rewatch. (Joe Vargas)
One of the most harrowing war films to come out of Hollywood, The Deer Hunter brings together an all-time cast and an absolutely heart-wrenching story to show the absolute horrors of war. It’s not your typical war film with lots of battle scenes and a drill sergeant in the characters’ faces. Michael Cimino’s film is one about the ways war affects the people at home, as much as it is about the soldiers. Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and the late, great John Cazale give emotionally rich performances, but Christopher Walken gives what is likely his best performance as Nick, who’s eventually broken by Vietnam. This isn’t a hoo-rah, ultimately hopeful war film (even if it does believe in the people it tells a story about), but that’s perhaps even more of a reason to experience it. (Robert Bouffard)
“Attica, Attica!” Dog Day Afternoon can be considered a groundbreaking film for several reasons. Firstly, movies about bank robberies weren’t as common back in 1975, and this was one of the first mainstream ones to show not just the robbery, but more importantly, how everything that could go wrong, does go wrong. Secondly, this was Al Pacino after the first two Godfather films, and he had to prove those were no coincidence; he wasn’t the legendary Al Pacino we know today. And thirdly, the now famous “Attica!” line (that was improvised by Pacino, by the way) was groundbreaking too, as it highlights an injustice of massive proportions, as we have learned only recently. I haven’t seen it yet, but the documentary Attica from 2021 should be eye-opening from what I have heard. But even if we put all these things aside (we shouldn’t, but let’s try), this film proves why the 1970s might have been the best decade for movies. Hollywood was going through its realism phase, with many directors and actors on the verge of becoming legends and telling darker stories about real, flawed people. And Dog Day Afternoon is one of those films that earned their legendary status simply by being an on-the-edge-of-your-seat thrilling drama. If you’ve somehow missed this jewel, you should correct that, as it might be Pacino at his peak, along with the director Sidney Lumet firing on all cylinders. (Luke Burian)
We all have our favorites regarding the Disney Renaissance period, but we can all agree The Lion King is at the top of the list. Inspired by Hamlet,the story follows a lion cub, Simba (Matthew Broderick), who follows in succeeding his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), as king of the Pride Lands. But his villainous uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) wants the throne from his brother, and he kills him to do so. He tricks Simba into believing he was at fault for his father’s death and exile. After years of living carefree with a meerkat and a warthog named Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), and being reunited with his old friend, Nala (Moira Kelly), and his shaman, Rafiki (Robert Guillaume), Simba remembers who he is and goes home to take back the Pride Lands from his uncle. With a fantastic ensemble cast, The Lion King is one of the most mature animated films that resonates with adults as much as children. I could watch it a million times and never be bored. The tragic moment of Simba trapped in the gorge still pulls at the heartstrings. After 20 years, the jokes memorable lines still land, it has one of the best soundtracks of the ‘90s, and doesn’t lack in heart; the Lion King carried on a franchise, but I find myself returning to where it all started. (Chantal Ashford)
Quite possibly one of the greatest movies of all time, and one which walked away with five Oscars, is The Silence of the Lambs. The movie tells the story of FBI cadet, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who is sent to interview famous cannibal serial killer, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). To keep from spoiling anything, that’s all I am saying. I was unfortunate in finding out beforehand some of the big twists and turns — it is one I wish I could have seen unspoiled. It is definitely the best movie Jonathan Demme ever did. This one film spawned two TV shows and three movies featuring Lecter and Starling. Foster and Hopkins more than earned their Oscars for their performances in this movie. The story Starling tells that earns this movie’s name sake and spot on this list is impactful and powerful, and it shows how good Foster is. Also, it’s baffling that Hannibal isn’t even the main killer in the movie, and his role is the more memorable of the two killers. I instantly fell in love with this one, and it will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. (Austen Terry)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Are you looking for a live action/animation hybrid murder mystery that is way more adult than it needs to be? What about a movie that hints that Goofy is a spy, where Donald Duck and Daffy Duck riff off each other on stage, or where Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny go parachuting with Mario? Well have I got the movie for you: the 1988 classic, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The head of Acme, Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), is dead, and it looks like Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleuscher) is the culprit. It’s up to toon-hating Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) to solve the case. This absolutely has to be the most bonkers movie ever that definitely doesn’t hold up with 2022 eyes, and they would never make a sequel (wait, they apparently are developing a sequel). It also has to be Christopher Lloyd’s most bonkers and bizarre role. He plays Judge Doom, an evil man with a chemical that can destroy the Toons. This is the only time we see Walt Disney and Warner Bros. Toons interacting together, and they were only allowed if they each had the same amount of screen time. The animation doesn’t hold up very well, but this is still a good way to spend an hour and 45 minutes. (Austen Terry)
Pig
Have you ever wondered what would happen if John Wick had a pig instead of a dog? Well in 2021, none other than Nic Cage showed us just what that would look like via the appropriately titled feature, Pig. Criminally underrated on IMDB (6.9? For real?), Pig takes us on a journey through some amazing Cage-isms, including lots of gravelly sounding one liners and some out-of-nowhere action and violence, which all coalesce into an absolutely amazing film! Alex Wolff and Adam Arkin provide genuinely heartfelt performances as well. It features a heartbreaking and unexpected, yet perfectly climactic third act that somehow manages to use a dinner to delve into the ways we grieve and forgive was the perfect way to win my heart. If you haven’t already seen this, make it a priority! (Matt Lawson)
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street is a great movie about the joys of excess and the plights of greed. Martin Scorsese created an amazing film with powerhouse performances and rich lessons about the power that wealth has in American society. The film centers around Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his rags-to-riches story with money being made in the stock market. It introduced us to Margot Robbie, and that within itself makes the film worth a watch. Not very many performers could have gone toe-to-toe with DiCaprio and come out on the other end with a memorable performance. This is the movie where I also finally came to the conclusion that Jonah Hill can actually act. I thought Moneyball was a fluke, and this solidified his status as an A-List performer. The real joy of this movie, though, is the messaging about excessive lifestyles. Everything is supersized, and it’s a way for us to really see just how extravagant Jordan’s life is, while also living as a degenerate and criminal. The Wolf of Wall Street is a performance art piece, and it can be both headache-inducing, while also being extremely funny. (Mike Hilty)
12 Monkeys
A movie that I believe gets often overlooked in the realm of time travel films is 12 Monkeys, starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe, and Christopher Plummer. Willis’ character, Cole, is sent back in time from the year 2035 to 1996 to discover and prevent the dispersion of a deadly virus that wipes out humanity by the mysterious group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. As time travel movies are concerned, it hits all the usual beats: a person is sent back, he is deemed crazy by his peers, he provides some form of proof that he is telling the truth, and through a series of events, is brought full circle to an event that happened in his past. While it seemingly does check all of the boxes of your typical film, 12 Monkeys is far from ordinary and cookie-cutter. The performances from each of our main characters is outstanding, and the intertwining of the events that are caused by the time travel is exciting and connect in all the right ways which makes the endings final moments give you a sense of connectivity and hopefulness for their seemingly doomed future. Despite the film’s age, 12 Monkeys is worth multiple viewings and bends your brain in the best way possible! (Jeff Alan)
The Humans
A24 is known for turning what might seem like a typical family drama into a quasi-horror flick, and that’s exactly what happened with The Humans. Written and directed by Stephan Karam, the film depicts a small family’s Thanksgiving gathering. There are no ghosts or scary monsters, and there are no serial killers; the horror villain is actually lasting familial trauma. Karam slowly builds to a crescendo as the past is repeatedly brought up, and each member of his his small, six-person cast consisting of Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, and June Squibb shows up, as it builds to a lovingly haunting final shot. It’s based of Karam’s own one-act play, but it’s an incredibly cinematic movie. Watching it just might help you understand yourself and your family better. (Robert Bouffard)
The Batman
Now, I know what you’re thinking: this could have been about Batman, or Batman Begins, two major touchstones in the evolution of superhero movies. The Batman may yet turn out to be that in the future, but it certainly hasn’t left its mark (beyond being a rousing box office success) just yet. I do think it’s an interesting thing to talk about, though, because it seems to follow the evolutionary trend in Batman portrayals — darker, moodier, grittier, more grounded with every iteration. However, Batman just may be the one superhero who that approach works with. As we’re getting ever closer to simply looking at a man in a suit of armor in a setting that is otherwise completely played straight and grounded in reality, The Batman does what none of its predecessors have done and frames the phenomenon of Batman as an inherently negative thing — or at least, a thing that inherently spawns negativity if not directly addressed and dealt with by Bruce Wayne. The idea of taking something absurd and heightened like a billionaire beating up petty criminals in a costume and turning it into a character study both makes it a respectable new take on a story we’ve seen being set up far too often already, and means that we might possibly some day finally be able to agree that there is artistic value in superhero movies. (Chris Bakker)
The Power of the Dog
Admittedly, at first I was a hater of The Power of the Dog. I didn’t actually hate it, but I certainly thought it was slow, boring, and overrated. After watching it a second time, and given nearly a year of time to think about it, I realized that I am slow, boring, and overrated. I love this film, and when Criterion announced it for their collection this month, I made sure it was on my wishlist. The film is long, but it is intentional with every second. My view on it is that if you don’t see where it’s going, everything can seem tedious and unnecessary. But when you see the full scope, you can see this film’s beauty, and not just in it’s gorgeous cinematography. I don’t particularly consider myself a western fan either, but this film is not really in the western genre. I’d compare it more to films like The Game, Oldboy, or The Dark Knight before I’d compare it to something like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. If you’re like me and think this film doesn’t deserve to be a high contender on this list, then I would strongly suggest you give it another shot! (Aaron Schweitzer)
Lion
Imagine being alone hundreds of miles from your home in a country as crowded as India. Then imagine being a small child who can’t speak the local language of Bengali, and who has no money or knowledge of the area to get home. That is the utterly terrifying situation Saroo (Sunny Pawar) finds himself in. When people show up to try and help, it’s difficult for him to know who he can trust, and even when he can trust them, there is only so much they can do. There is little dialogue in the first half, as the story is told most through what Saroo sees and thinks, as he ultimately has to accept he isn’t going to find his mother and must find a new life in Tasmania. The second half follows Saroo 20 years later (now played by Dev Patel), trying to find his home as he continues to live with the guilt of his family not knowing where he is, or if he is alive. This is undoubtedly the less exciting part of the story, and some of the conflicts during this part are a bit forced, but it does have an emotionally satisfying payoff. Nicole Kidman received an Oscar nomination for this as Saroo’s adopted mother, Sue Brierley, as did Patel. Both are deserved, but I think Pawar is the actual standout performance. It’s easy to tell what he thinks throughout his experience just through his facial expressions. (John Tillyard)
Isle of Dogs
Despite living under the shadow of Fantastic Mr. Fox, Isle of Dogs remains my favorite of Wes Anderson’s two stop-motion animated films. Bryan Cranston’s vocal performance as our lead dog is as excellent as you would expect, and Anderson’s usual acting troupe certainly comes to play, but the film’s A+ animation steals the show. Consisting of 130,000 individual photographs placed one right after the other, stop-motion animation has never looked more fluid or dynamic than it does in Isle of Dogs. For all the hoopla surrounding the film’s technical elements, including Alexandre Desplat’s expectedly perfect musical score, Anderson is not given enough credit for how much heart and warmth his movies have. Despite his perfectionistic shooting style and dry sense of humor, Anderson never loses sight of the fact that Isle of Dogs is, at its core, a film about the love between a boy and his dog. (Foster Harlfinger)
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is one of the few films on this list that can be considered career-defining. You do not mention the great Bill Murray movies without naming this one in the top three. This doesn’t get to be one of the all-time greats for no reason. A lesser actor over acts and goes full slapstick, but the deadpan from Murray makes him more relatable. He gets more broken as the days go on, going to extremes to make do with his newfound… power? That is another one of the great things about this movie: we never truly learn what caused the time loop; it just happens and ends, and we move on and love every minute of it. This movie is a ’90s icon. Groundhog Day is so well known and beloved that it literally spawned a whole genre. (Scott Batchelor)
Kung Fu Panda
The animated movies of 2010s were dominated by Pixar. With movies like Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles,and WALLE, it is hard for any other studio to compete with them. Cars and Toy Story were in midst of becoming franchises, and DreamWorks, Pixar’s only real competition, needed another franchise. Sure, they had Shrek, but after that franchise’s abysmal third entry, DreamWorks needed a hit that they could get more than one movie out of. Casting Jack Black as a panda who becomes a Kung Fu master, they got exactly the kind of story that could be franchised. Funny, action-packed, and filled with talent to support Black (Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Ian McShane, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, and James Hong), it is a roaringly fun ride. With a story about destiny and individuality, the young viewers are reminded that they can become anything, and that they are not limited by where they come from or what they look like. A perfect message for kids everywhere. (Samuel Nichols)
Jojo Rabbit
Few films in recent years have walked the tonal tightrope as successfully as Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi’s dark comedic romp about a young Hitler Youth member with the fascist dictator as his imaginary friend. The title alludes to a nickname derisively given to young Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) during a Hitler Youth summer camp, and is a departure from the title of the novel from which the film was adapted, Caging Skies. Waititi deservedly received the Best Adapted Screenplay for his work tinkering with the source material — which itself is a much bleaker take that I found missed the moments of levity that are sprinkled throughout the film. The lead performance by Davis is a revelation, and the supporting cast of Waititi (who plays Hitler), Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie, Sam Rockwell, and others all understood the assignment. It’s a film that can make “Heil Hitlers!” hilarious (and simultaneously stress-inducing), while bringing tears to your eyes with a pair of shoes. (Jake Bourgeois)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Some movies are just so powerful, they can transport you into a different world. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a beautiful example of one. It tells the compelling and heartwarming story of the three Pevensie siblings who discover the enchanted land of Narnia in the back of an old wardrobe closet. Things go amiss in the magical land when The White Witch (Tilda Swinton) holds one of the siblings captive. Obviously, this film has all the makings of a good fairytale, since it’s based off the beloved C.S. Lewis book, but the visual effects really make it stand out. The talking animals that live in Narnia are so realistic. Even though this movie was made 17 years ago, the CGI effects can compete with films made in recent years. Aslan the Lion, and king of Narnia (Liam Neeson), is the most striking animal of all. This CGI lion has so much emotion; it almost makes him worthy of the Oscar for Best Actor. Luckily, The Academy did recognize this film with nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Mixing, and it won Best Makeup. The star-studded cast, impressive visual effects, and stunning cinematography make The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe a classic fantasy movie to watch over and over again. (Diana Gebbia)
Also See: Lamb, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Four Lions, Shaun the Sheep Movie, The Killing of a Sacred Deer