Ranking Every Joe Dante Movie Part 1 - re:View

Quick Overview

The video ranks Joe Dante's filmography, starting with "Piranha" at number 12 and "Burying the Ex" at number 11, highlighting Dante's recurring actors like Dick Miller and themes of childhood nostalgia and visual Easter eggs, while noting that his best work occurs when he has creative freedom.

Key Points: Joe Dante's filmography is being ranked, with "Piranha" placed at number 12 and "Burying the Ex" at number 11. Dick Miller is a consistent presence in Joe Dante's films, appearing in "literally every Joe Dante movie," including "Piranha," "The Howling," and "Burying the Ex." Joe Dante often incorporates visual Easter eggs and references to 1950s monster movies and cartoons, a theme evident from his early work like "Piranha" to "Looney Tunes: Back in Action." The "Twilight Zone" segment directed by Joe Dante is considered one of his best works, noted for having "very little interference" and "really one of the best things he's ever done." "Burying the Ex" is criticized for its "lifeless" music, "sitcomy" humor, and a performance by Anton Yelchin that is tonally at odds with the film, though the leads' chemistry is praised. "The Howling" is noted for its strong atmosphere and cinematography by John Hora, but criticized for being "overstuffed with characters" and suffering in comparison to "An American Werewolf in London" due to its werewolf makeup and transformation sequences. The discussion also touches on the significance of cinematographer John Hora, who worked on many of Dante's key films and has cameos in others, and the unique way Dante uses actors like Dick Miller in small roles to make them memorable.

Context: This video is a film review where the hosts embark on a journey to rank the filmography of director Joe Dante, similar to a previous ranking of John Carpenter's films. They discuss Dante's directorial style, recurring actors, and the common themes found in his work, such as childhood nostalgia and visual gags. The review begins by establishing the criteria for ranking, excluding co-directed films and anthologies, while acknowledging the quality of his "Twilight Zone" segment. The discussion is spurred by Joe Dante's recent auction of personal movie props, including the "Rosebud" sled from "Citizen Kane," which he acquired for free. The hosts then delve into ranking his films, starting from the bottom.