A few years ago at a film festival in Switzerland, Raya & I saw a little film out of New Zealand called WE DO IN THE SHADOWS that had us rolling in the aisles. Now that hilarious movie has become an equally hilarious TV series. Vampires in Staten Island!

And for something completely different, there's BLINDED BY THE LIGHT, a lovely little feel-good film (based on a true story) about a Pakistani kid in Luton, England who becomes the world's biggest Bruce Springsteen fan. I think I've seen this one four times already.

The newest Marvel movie, CAPTAIN MARVEL, is a lot of fun.

Just got back from THE WRECKING CREW. Great, just great. Made me want to put on my old albums.

I mentioned Excalibur earlier. There's much to admire about John Boorman's film. The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the movie includes some wonderful performances.

Harvey, the gentle, whimsical 1950 film, based on a popular stage play, starring Jimmy Stewart and a giant invisible rabbit.

The fantasies of Thorne Smith are little read today, but were once very popular, and the 1937 film version of Topper (with Cary Grant) almost made my list.

Yes, of course it's a fantasy film. Unless you believe that the Ark of the Covenant really does have the power to melt Nazis. All of the Indiana Jones films have their moments (well, except for the last one, maybe), but Raiders stands head and shoulders above the rest. Lawrence Kasdan's screenplay was much stronger than any of the sequels, the concept was fresher, and Harrison Ford actually seemed to be having a good time playing Indy.

No, not the animated film from Disney. (And not the CBS series I worked on back in the '80s either.) The 1946 French version, perhaps better known by its original French title, La belle et la bête. Written and directed by the legendary Jean Cocteau, this classic remains the definitive take on the tale, and helped to inspire Ron Koslow when he created his television version. In an era when depicting actual blood on screen was frowned upon, Cocteau had the Beast's hands smoke whenever he returned from a hunt, a lovely and poetic image that remains powerful today.

Fascist Spain meets Faerie in this grim and gritty tour de force by writer/director Guillermo del Toro. Some terrific performances in this one: Sergi Lopez as the authoritarian, sadistic Capitan Vidal, Maribel Verdu as the housekeeper (and rebel spy) Mercedes, and young Ivana Baquero as the Capitan's dreamy stepdaughter Ofelia… but it is the creatures of the labyrinth and fairy world who make this film so memorable. Del Toro's visual style is as vivid and disturbing as it is unique.

Disturbing, twisted, and strangely beautiful, this Alex Proyas masterpiece is a hard film to categorize. I could have put it on my list of the top 10 science-fiction films just as easily. Or on a list of top 10 horror films. It would not even be out of place on a list of the finest noir films.

The frightening thing about Holy Grail is that it may very well be the best version of the Matter of Britain ever put on film.

This underrated 1981 fantasy was a co-production between Disney and Paramount, but it ranks well above most of Disney's live action from the period. It's surprisingly dark, and delivers some nice twists and turns along the way. Vermithrax Perjorative is the best dragon ever put on film (the dragons in Reign of Fire are a close second) and has the coolest dragon name as well.

Romantic fantasy done right. Richard Donner directed this 1985 medieval romance from a story and script by Edward Khmara. Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer starred as the star-crossed lovers, cursed so they can only share a few brief moments together at dawn and dusk; she turns into a hawk during the day, and he transforms into a wolf by night. Both are at their best and most beautiful in this one.

Films don't get much more classic than this. What a cast! Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, the guy who replaced Buddy Epson as the Tin Woodman whose name I always forget, Margaret Hamilton (never been a better Wicked Witch, never will be), Frank Morgan's avuncular rapscallion of a Wizard (MGM wanted W.C. Fields for the role, which would have been a hoot) and of course Judy Garland as Dorothy (MGM wanted Shirley Temple for that role, which would have been… ah… sweet). And we can't forget her little dog Toto. The music is marvelous, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" became one of Garland's greatest hits, and numerous lines from the film have become part of our common culture.

William Goldman's 1973 novel was a delight, and Rob Reiner's 1987 film version brought it masterfully to the screen. With Goldman handling the adaptation himself, the movie managed to capture all of the book's charm and wit--no easy task. The casting was perfect in this one.