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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Breaking the Fourth Wall Gags

In film, tv and on stage, sets are frequently built with just three walls so as to allow access for the camera and production crew. (This is not always the case on film). On stage in particular, the fourth wall is the one where the audience or viewer sits.

Thus ‘breaking the fourth wall’ is where the illusion of that invisible wall being there is broken and characters will address the audience direct or step outside the illusion of the set being a real place. Much of this ventures into the field of Meta-Fiction where characters are able to step outside the medium they are in or the world of fiction is treated as though it is another dimension.

Works included here are ones that are not full works of meta-fiction, where the fourth wall is usually broken for the purpose of comedic or sometimes surrealistic effect or that of unusual narrative voice.


The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)

1 June 200420 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Children’s Film/Small Furry Creature’s Adventures

Director: Gary Halvorson
Actors: Mandy Patinkin, Vanessa Williams, Kevin Clash, Steve Whitmire, …
Category: Fantasy

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000)

2 July 20005 February 2020

Rating: ★★

Characters From a Cartoon Series Enter the Real World

Director: Des McAnuff
Actors: Robert De Niro, Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, Randy Quaid, …
Category: Fantasy

Aladdin (2019)

17 August 20193 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Disney Remake/Arabian Nights

Director: Guy Ritchie
Actors: Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Marwan Kenzari, …
Category: Fantasy

Annette (2021)

11 September 202120 February 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Surrealist Musical

Director: Leos Carax
Actors: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg, Devyn McDowell
Category: Fantasy

The Ape Man (1943)

19 April 200425 November 2024

Rating: ★

Mad Scientist Becomes Ape Man

Director: William Beaudine
Actors: Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Louise Currie, Henry Hall, …
Category: Horror

Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

19 October 20029 February 2021

Rating: ★★

Spy Movie Spoof

Director: Jay Roach
Actors: Mike Myers, Beyoncé Knowles, Michael Caine, Verne Troyer, …
Category: Science Fiction

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

14 June 19997 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Spy Movie Spoof

Director: Jay Roach
Actors: Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Verne Troyer, Seth Green, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Bat (1959)

21 January 201030 October 2019

Rating: ★

Old Dark House Thriller

Director: Crane Wilbur
Actors: Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price, Lenitra Lane, Gavin Gordon, …
Category: Horror

The Bat Whispers (1930)

1 February 200124 June 2022

Rating: ★★★★

Old Dark House Comedy-Thriller

Director: Roland West
Actors: Chester Morris, Una Merkel, Maude Eburne, Gustav von Seyffertitz, …
Category: Horror

The Beast With Five Fingers (1946)

14 August 200129 April 2021

Rating: ★★★

Disembodied Hand

Director: Robert Florey
Actors: Peter Lorre, Robert Alda, Andrea King, J. Carrol Naish
Category: Horror

Bugsy Malone (1976)

4 May 201710 March 2020

Rating: ★½

Gangster Film Cast With Children

Director: Alan Parker
Actors: Scott Baio, Jodie Foster
Category: Fantasy

The Cat and the Canary (1939)

11 July 201124 May 2023

Rating: ★★★

Old Dark House Comedy

Director: Elliott Nugent
Actors: Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, George Zucco, Gale Sondergaard, …
Category: Horror

The Dead Don’t Die (2019)

14 September 20197 October 2022

Rating: ★★½

Zombie Comedy

Director: Jim Jarmusch
Actors: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, …
Category: Horror

Deadpool 2 (2018)

10 November 20188 October 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Marvel Comics Superhero

Director: David Leitch
Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Morena Baccarin, …
Category: Science Fiction

Deadpool (2016)

14 February 201610 October 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Marvel Comics Superhero

Director: Tim Miller
Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, …
Category: Science Fiction

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

12 October 20246 April 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Comic-Book Superheroes/Crossover

Director: Shawn Levy
Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew McFadyen, …
Category: Science Fiction

Deathtrap (1982)

6 March 20014 July 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Whodunnit Parody/Ira Levin Adaptation

Director: Sidney Lumet
Actors: Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon
Category: Fantasy

Deranged (1974)

11 April 20051 April 2020

Rating: ★★★★

True Life Necrophile Ed Gein Biopic

Director: Jeff Gillen, Alan Ormsby
Actors: Roberts Blossom, Leslie Carlson
Category: Horror

Dr Giggles (1992)

2 January 200028 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Psycho Medic

Director: Manny Coto
Actors: Larry Drake, Holly Marie Combs, Cliff De Young, Michelle Johnson
Category: Horror

Dr Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966)

4 July 200118 March 2025

Rating: 0­

Mad Scientist/Spy Spoof

Director: Mario Bava
Actors: Vincent Price, Fabian, Franco Franchi, Ciccio Ingrassia, …
Category: Science Fiction

Forbidden City Cop (1996)

12 May 200415 June 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Gonzo Hong Kong Comedy/Period Spy Film

Director: Stephen Chow, Vincent Kuk
Actors: Stephen Chow, Carina Lau
Category: Fantasy

Funny Games (1997)

2 April 199929 March 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Sadism and Torture

Director: Michael Haneke
Actors: Susanne Lothar, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Category: Horror

Funny Games U.S. (2007)

26 October 200829 March 2021

Rating: ★★★

Sadism and Torture

Director: Michael Haneke
Actors: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, …
Category: Horror

George of the Jungle (1997)

19 January 20082 April 2021

Rating: ★★★

Cartoon in Live-Action/Jungle Hero Parody

Director: Sam Weisman
Actors: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, John Cleese, …
Category: Fantasy

Ghost Chasers (1951)

29 December 202125 November 2024

Rating: ★★½

Idiots Try to Expose a Medium Comedy

Director: William Beaudine
Actors: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Lloyd Corrigan, Bernard Gorcey, …
Category: Fantasy

Gintama (2017)

31 May 20229 December 2022

Rating: ★★

Live-Action Anime Adaptation

Director: Yuichi Fukuda
Actors: Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, Kanna Hashimoto, Hirofumi Arai, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

6 December 20024 December 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Muppet Movie

Director: Jim Henson
Actors: Diana Rigg, Charles Grodin, Jack Warden, Peter Falk, …
Category: Fantasy

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

6 December 20024 June 2022

Rating: ★★

Malicious Creatures

Director: Joe Dante
Actors: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, John Glover, Dick Miller, …
Category: Fantasy

Hectic Knife (2016)

6 January 20176 July 2021

Rating: 0­

Gonzo Vigilante Film

Director: Greg DeLiso
Actors: Peter Litvin, J.J. Brine, Georgia Haege, John Munnelly, …
Category: Fantasy

Hitchcock (2012)

1 December 201230 May 2023

Rating: ★★★★

The Making of Psycho

Director: Sacha Gervasi
Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Danny Huston, Scarlett Johansson, …
Category: Horror

The Holy Mountain (1973)

21 December 200012 December 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Transcendental Mysticism

Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Actors: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Category: Fantasy

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil (2011)

7 May 201125 August 2021

Rating: ★

Animation/Fairytale Parody

Director: Mike Disa
Actors: Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, Glenn Close, Joan Cusack, …
Category: Fantasy

The Hypnotic Eye (1960)

18 December 201325 October 2021

Rating: ★★★

Hypnotism Disfigurements

Director: George Blair
Actors: Jacques Bergerac, Allison Hayes, Merry Anders, Guy Prescott
Category: Horror

The Icicle Thief (1989)

23 May 200327 October 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Characters Enter a Film/Comedy

Director: Maurizio Nichetti
Actors: Maurizio Nichetti, Caterina Sylos Labini, Federico Rizzo, Heidi Komarek
Category: Fantasy

Invasion of Alien Bikini (2011)

17 October 20114 May 2019

Rating: ★★★

Gonzo Alien Seduction/South Korean Comedy

Director: Oh Young Doo
Actors: Hong Youngguen, Eun-Jung Ha
Category: Science Fiction

Killer Tomatoes Eat France (1992)

2 February 200331 August 2021

Rating: ★★

Genre Spoof

Director: John De Bello
Actors: Marc Price, John Astin, Steve Lundquist
Category: Science Fiction

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

3 June 20175 December 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Animation/Lego Universe Superheroes

Director: Chris McKay
Actors: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Zach Galifianakis, …
Category: Fantasy

The Lego Movie 2 (2019)

23 March 20195 December 2024

Rating: ★★★

Animation/Adventures in the Lego Universe

Director: Mike Mitchell
Actors: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Tiffany Haddish, …
Category: Fantasy

The Lego Movie (2014)

7 February 20145 December 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Animation/Adventures in the Lego Universe

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Actors: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, …
Category: Fantasy

The Mask (1994)

11 September 20046 July 2023

Rating: ★★

Zany Comic-Book Superhero

Director: Chuck Russell
Actors: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Greene, Peter Riegert, …
Category: Fantasy

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

16 September 200524 November 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Absurdist Parody of the Arthurian Legends

Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Actors: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, …
Category: Fantasy

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)

1 June 200110 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Absurdist Comedy Skits

Director: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam
Actors: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, …
Category: Fantasy

The Muppet Movie (1979)

2 February 20016 September 2022

Rating: ★★★★

Muppet Movie

Director: James Frawley
Actors: Charles Durning, Mel Brooks, Orson Welles, Paul Williams, …
Category: Fantasy

The Muppets (2011)

19 November 201112 January 2025

Rating: ★★★½

Muppet Movie

Director: James Bobin
Actors: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, …
Category: Fantasy

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

22 March 201413 January 2025

Rating: ★★½

Muppet Movie

Director: James Bobin
Actors: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, Salma Hayek, …
Category: Fantasy

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

27 February 200313 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Muppet Movie

Director: Frank Oz
Actors: Dabney Coleman, Art Carney, James Coco, John Landis, …
Category: Fantasy

Notzilla (2020)

28 November 202228 November 2022

Rating: ★★★

Japanese Monster Movie Parody

Director: Mitch Teemley
Actors: Tifani Ahren Davis, Frederic Eng-Li, Tim Bensch, Samantha Russell, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Oracle (1953)

27 February 200327 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Greek Oracle/Predicting the Future

Director: Pennington Richards
Actors: Michael Medwin, Joseph Tomelty, Virginia McKenna, Mervyn Johns, …
Category: Fantasy

The Pirate Movie (1982)

22 January 20137 August 2020

Rating: ★★

Gonzo Pirate Musical

Director: Ken Annakin
Actors: Christopher Atkins, Kristy McNichol, Bill Kerr, Garry McDonald
Category: Fantasy

Princes and Princesses (1999)

3 May 20015 December 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Animated Fairytale Anthology

Director: Michel Ocelot
Category: Fantasy

Range 15 (2016)

14 April 201721 February 2025

Rating: 0­

Zombie Comedy

Director: Ross Patterson
Actors: Mat Best, Nick Palmisciano, Jarred Taylor, Vincent Vargas, …
Category: Horror

Rango (2011)

13 March 201121 February 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Animation/Talking Animal Western Homage

Director: Gore Verbinski
Actors: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, …
Category: Fantasy

The Reluctant Dragon (1941)

18 April 202219 April 2022

Rating: ★★★

Live-Action/Part Animated Tour of Disney Studios

Director: Alfred L. Werker
Actors: Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford
Category: Fantasy

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)

5 January 200627 February 2025

Rating: ★

Genre Spoof

Director: John De Bello
Actors: George Clooney, John Astin, Anthony Starke, Steve Lundquist, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again (2016)

4 December 20164 March 2025

Rating: ★

Gender-Bender Rock Musical/Frankenstein Spoof

Director: Kenny Ortega
Actors: Laverne Cox, Tim Curry, Ryan McCartan, Victoria Justice, …
Category: Science Fiction

Rubber (2010)

4 October 20108 November 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Killer Car Tire/Meta-Fictional Monster Movie Parody

Director: Quentin Dupieux
Actors: Stephen Spinella, Wings Hauser, Jack Plotnick, Roxane Mesquida, …
Category: Fantasy, Horror

Sausage Party (2016)

20 August 20166 March 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Animation/Talking Supermarket Produce

Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon
Actors: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Salma Hayek, …
Category: Fantasy

Sexcula (1974)

5 November 201325 March 2024

Rating: ★

X-Rated Frankenstein Spoof

Director: Bob Hollowich
Actors: Debbie Collins, John Alexander (ii)
Category: Horror

Shaolin Soccer (2001)

1 April 200315 December 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Flying Martial Arts and Soccer

Director: Stephen Chow
Actors: Stephen Chow, Yut Fei Wong, Patrick Tse
Category: Fantasy

She Kills (2016)

20 July 20163 October 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Woman with a Vagina Possessed by Satan

Director: Ron Bonk
Actors: Jennie Russo, Trey Harrison, Michael Merchant, David Royal, …
Category: Horror

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

31 July 200714 March 2025

Rating: ★★

The Simpsons Film Spinoff

Director: David Silverman
Actors: Dan Castellanata, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, …
Category: Fantasy

Space Zombie Bingo!!! (1993)

2 October 20202 October 2020

Rating: ★

Deliberately Bad SF Film

Director: George Ormrod
Category: Science Fiction

Spaceballs (1987)

10 March 20041 October 2020

Rating: ★★

Star Wars Parody

Director: Mel Brooks
Actors: Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Rick Moranis, John Candy, …
Category: Science Fiction

Tarzoon, Shame of the Jungle (1975)

9 February 20219 February 2021

Rating: ★★

Animation/Adult Tarzan Parody

Director: Picha, Boris Szulzinger
Actors: Johnny Weissmuller Jr, John Belushi, Judy Graubart, Brian Doyle-Murray, …
Category: Fantasy

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)

16 March 202015 January 2024

Rating: ★★★

Animation/Comic-Book Superhero Team

Director: Aaron Horvath, Peter Rida Michail
Actors: Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Temptation of Dr Antonio (1962)

22 December 201115 November 2023

Rating: ★★★

Giant Anita Ekberg Steps Off a Billboard

Director: Federico Fellini
Actors: Anita Ekberg, Peppino De Filippo
Category: Fantasy

Tone-Deaf (2019)

28 December 202024 August 2021

Rating: ★★★

Wannabe Serial Killer Black Comedy

Director: Richard Bates Jr.
Actors: Amanda Crew, Robert Patrick, Kim Delaney, Ray Wise, …
Category: Horror

The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976)

13 January 20138 July 2025

Rating: ★★

Animation/Comic-Book Character

Director: René Goscinny, Henri Gruel, Albert Uderzo', Pierre Watrin
Category: Fantasy

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

4 November 201117 December 2022

Rating: ★★½

Gonzo Stoner Film

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Actors: Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris, Tom Lennon, …
Category: Fantasy

Winnie the Pooh (2011)

14 July 201110 June 2025

Rating: ★★★

Disney Animation/Talking Animals

Director: Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall
Actors: Jim Cummings, Bud Luckey, John Cleese, Craig Ferguson, …
Category: Fantasy

The Wizard of Gore (1970)

12 May 19993 October 2019

Rating: ★★★

Splatter Magician

Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis
Actors: Ray Sager, Judy Cler, Wayne Ratay
Category: Horror

YatterMan (2009)

19 May 201129 March 2023

Rating: ★★★

Anime TV Series in Live-Action/Gonzo Giant Robot Heroics

Director: Takashi Miike
Actors: Sho Sakurai, Kyoko Fukada, Saki Fukuda, Sadao Abe, …
Category: Science Fiction

Zardoz (1974)

26 January 201118 June 2025

Rating: ★

Barbarian Disrupts Utopia of Immortals

Director: John Boorman
Actors: Sean Connery, Charlotte Rampling, Sara Kestelman, John Alderton, …
Category: Science Fiction

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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