TheRetroCritic

Ed Wood directs this masterpiece of mediocrity which stars Bela Lugosi as mad scientist Dr Erik Vornoff and Tor Johnson as his lumbering disciple Lobo. And although entertainment-wise it's no Plan 9 From Outer Space , there is definitely plenty to enjoy here. For one thing the dramatic score is pretty unforgettable and is about as perfect as an OTT monster movie can hope for. Then there's Bela Lugosi who defines the word HAM but does so with so much style that he is actually rather good. The slight story is essentially just an excuse to include stock footage of an octopus and atomic blasts. Ed Wood certainly doesn't disappoint here as his titular Bride acts more wooden than the sets themselves, scenes drag on for what seems like forever and the plot digs more holes into itself than...something with lots of holes. Damn metaphors... Overall, although the pace is a tad more soporific than Plan 9, there are enough ridiculous moments and clunky lines to make Bride Of The

Had I been informed years ago, pre- The Hangover , that a (sort of) remake of John Hughes' classic Trains, Planes and Automobiles was in the pipeline, I would have no doubt called for Todd Phillips' head on a stick whilst sharpening my trusty pitchfork. However, after Robert Downey Jr's glorious comeback and Zach Galifianakis' impressive bearded breakthrough the prospect of seeing these two travel across America together feels like a real treat to say the least. And that's just what Due Date is: a treat. Sure it's derivative and reminiscent of countless other road movies ( Tommy Boy , Dumb & Dumber ) but it can stand proudly next to the best of them as a hugely entertaining, very funny little gem that's frankly hard to resist. Steve Martin may have been uptight back in the day but here, Downey Jr is one angry, cynical guy and is never shy of punching kids in the stomach or spitting in dogs' faces. As for Zach, our John Candy, his retarded buffoon