I’m a sucker for a great anthology film, which supplies you a number of tales for the value of 1. Whereas I are inclined to gravitate in direction of horror anthology films, I additionally love movies that current collections of shorts from all completely different genres. The query is, what’s the finest story from every of one of the best anthologies in cinematic historical past?
Sin Metropolis, “Hartigan And Nancy’s Story”
Whereas the definitive and most heartfelt phase from 2005’s Sin Metropolis is definitely named after its brightly coloured fundamental antagonist (performed by Nick Stahl), it’s higher referred to as the story of Det. Hartigan (Bruce Willis) and Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba). Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s placing adaptation of Miller’s noir-inspired graphic novels is bookended by the two-parter wherein a hard-boiled detective goes to jail for a younger abuse sufferer and stays dedicated to defending her from her attacker years later.
Creepshow, “They’re Creeping Up On You!”
Is it any marvel that the creepiest phase from director George Romero and author Stephen King’s 1982 basic, Creepshow, applies the phrase “creepy” in its literal definition? “They’re Creeping Up on You!” stars E. G. Marshall as a rich, germophobic, cantankerous recluse whose penthouse turns into infested with cockroaches.
Monty Python’s The Which means Of Life, “Mr. Creosote”
The ultimate movie written by and starring all six members of Monty Python, 1983’s The Which means of Life, presents a sequence of sketches with a philosophical throughline… when they don’t seem to be reveling in pure absurdity. That being, probably the most iconic and, arguably, hilarious bit can also be probably the most shamelessly ludicrous and disgusting. It stars director Terry Jones as Mr. Creosote, a cartoonishly overweight frequent patron of a flowery French restaurant who arrives for a dinner that he by no means finishes, resulting from his incessant vomiting, which lastly ends when he explodes.
Twilight Zone: The Film, “Nightmare At 20,000 Toes”
The 1983 characteristic adaptation of Rod Serling’s quintessential horror anthology TV present is usually overshadowed by the disastrous manufacturing of John Landis’ phase, throughout which three folks died in a helicopter crash. Nevertheless, the movie ought to be famous for its amusing reinterpretations of basic Twilight Zone episodes, particularly George Miller’s model of “Nightmare at 20,000 Toes,” starring a superb John Lithgow because the disturbed man who spots one thing sinister on the wing.
The French Dispatch, “The Non-public Eating Room Of The Police Commissioner”
With The French Dispatch, director Wes Anderson presents 5 tales in a single, framed as articles run within the closing challenge of the titular information publication. One of the extensively famend segments stars Academy Award nominee Jeffrey Wright as a meals critic wrapped up in a ransom plot.
Not all animated anthology films are for youths. Simply take a look at the mature animated film basic from 1981, Heavy Metallic, which is made up of assorted weird sci-fi fantasy tales, comparable to “Den.” John Sweet voices the title position of this phase, who’s a meek, lanky teen who finds an orb that sends him to a different planet the place he’s remodeled right into a hulking hero.
Paris, Je T’aime, “Bastille”
Paris, je t’aime is a set of shorts from varied filmmakers that contain romance within the titular French metropolis, which vary from humorous to even scary. But, one of the acclaimed segments is a bittersweet quick from director Isabel Coixet a few man (Sergio Castellitto) who is ready to go away his spouse (Miranda Richardson) for his mistress (Leonor Watling), till she reveals one thing that adjustments him eternally.
Espresso And Cigarettes, “Cousins”
Jim Jarmusch’s Espresso and Cigarettes from 2003 is a set of shorts starring celebrities as themselves, with “Cousins” being one distinctive exception. Whereas Oscar winner Cate Blanchett does painting herself right here, she additionally disappears into the position of her fictional brunette relative, Shelly, as they each meet at a resort foyer for a clumsy reunion.
V/H/S, “Newbie Night time”
One of the standard modern horror anthology movie franchises is the V/H/S sequence, which is a set of quick discovered footage thrillers. Essentially the most revered phase from the 2012 authentic, which was later tailored into the 2016 characteristic Siren, is known as “Newbie Night time,” wherein three male buddies, one in all whom wears glasses geared up with a hidden digicam, unwittingly deliver a hungry succubus (Hannah Fierman) to their motel room.
Fantasia, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
Followers of Disney animated films most likely can not get sufficient of 1940’s Fantasia, which is a showcase of the studio’s finest animated shorts as much as that time. The signature phase, which loosely impressed a live-action characteristic starring Nicolas Cage, is “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” which stars Mickey Mouse because the assistant to a magic-wielder who tries to get out of doing chores together with his boss’ enchanted hat, however finally ends up inflicting extra hassle.
4 Rooms, “Room 309: The Misbehavers”
Some anthology films inform one full story with their particular person tales, comparable to 1995’s 4 Rooms, which follows the misadventures of a bellhop named Ted (Tim Roth) at Los Angeles’ Resort Mon Signor on New Yr’s Eve. The quartet of segments are directed by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Quentin Tarantino, and Robert Rodriguez, the latter of which helmed, arguably, the funniest phase, “The Misbehavers,” wherein Ted is requested to babysit the devilishly unruly son and daughter of a rich couple (performed by Antonio Banderas and Tamlyn Tomita).
Tales From The Hood, “KKK Comeuppance”
Tales from the Hood is a permanent basic of Black horror cinema starring Clarence Williams III as an eccentric funeral director who entertains three younger males with tales about his most weird clientele. Certainly one of its scariest, funniest, and most refreshingly socially aware segments stars Corbin Bernsen as a racist Southern senator taunted by dolls possessed by the souls of slaves who used to work on the plantation residence he now makes use of as an workplace.
The Kentucky Fried Film, “Scot Free”
From director John Landis and Airplane! masterminds Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, 1977’s The Kentucky Fried Film is a basic parody movie that includes uproarious vignettes and a number of the most amusing faux commercials in popular culture historical past. As an example, one fake advert promotes a board recreation referred to as Scot Free, which challenges gamers to efficiently perform a political assassination with out getting caught.
Mickey’s As soon as Upon A Christmas, “Mickey And Minnie’s Reward Of The Magi”
A enjoyable straight-to-video ’90s film that may quickly turn into a vacation custom in my house is 1999’s Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmas, which presents a trio of heartwarming vacation tales narrated by Kelsey Grammer and starring a few of Disney’s most iconic animated characters. Mickey and Minnie lead the strongest phase, primarily based on O. Henry’s seminal quick story, “The Reward of the Magi,” which is a superb reminder of the true worth of exchanging presents, complemented by a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells” led by Mickey on harmonica.
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs”
Joel and Ethan Coen returned to the Western style with 2018’s Netflix authentic launch, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which tells a number of tales set within the Previous West. Maybe one of the best of the bunch is the primary phase, which shares its identify with the movie’s title and stars Tim Blake Nelson because the eponymous singing cowboy who makes a shocking impression on a small city.
Black Sabbath, “The Drop of Water”
Certainly, the influential heavy metallic band Black Sabbath named themselves after Mario Bava’s 1963 horror anthology hosted by horror film icon Boris Karloff. The Italian thriller is most revered for a deeply unsettling phase referred to as “The Drop of Water,” wherein a nurse pays the last word worth when she snatches a hoop off the finger of a lately deceased medium.
New York, I Love You, “Section Eleven”
The American counterpart to Paris, Je T’aime, 2008’s New York, I Love You, goes out with a bang in its closing and, arguably, finest phase from director Josh Marston. It’s a tender portrait of a bickering aged couple, performed by Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman, strolling to Coney Island on their 63rd wedding ceremony anniversary.
Batman: Gotham Knight, “In Darkness Dwells”
Celebrated Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy performs the Caped Crusader in all six animated segments from the underrated Batman film, 2008’s Batman: Gotham Knight. It’s actually difficult to select a favourite, but when we need to go off of pleasure alone, I might select director Yasuhiro Aoki’s “In Darkness Dwells,” wherein the Darkish Knight takes on Killer Croc, who has been contaminated by Scarecrow’s concern toxin.
Tales From The Darkside: The Film, “Lover’s Vow”
Simply my favourite phase from 1990’s feature-length counterpart to creator George A. Romero’s hit horror anthology sequence, Tales from the Darkside, is “Lover’s Vow.” It stars James Remar as a struggling artist who witnesses his buddy being killed by a gargoyle, which affords to let him reside if he guarantees by no means to inform a soul about what he noticed. Quickly after, he meets the love of his life (performed by Rae Daybreak Chong), and shortly turns into tempted to disclose his darkish secret to her. This contemporary interpretation of a Japanese folks legend referred to as “Yuki-onna” concludes with a killer twist.
Predator: Killer Of Killers, “The Protect”
Director Dan Trachtenberg’s animated anthology flick, 2025’s Predator: Killer of Killers, is perhaps the franchise’s finest because the 1987 authentic, if not ever, for the best way its gorgeous tales deepen the lore behind one in all cinema’s scariest aliens. Earlier than all three decades-spanning segments culminate into one grand finale, Viking warrior Ursa’s story, “The Protect,” succeeds as a superbly animated, strikingly choreographed, and in the end heartbreaking story of vengeance that options one hulking behemoth of a Predator.
Sorts Of Kindness, “R.M.F. Eats A Sandwich”
Anybody who has ever seen a movie by Yorgos Lanthimos sometimes is aware of what kind of madness to anticipate from the Greek filmmaker, however he actually lays it on thick with one more and more perplexing story after one other in 2024’s Sorts of Kindness. The third, closing, and most weird story must be “R.M.F. Eats A Sandwich,” which is the story of an try and deliver a deceased particular person again from the useless.
Kwaidan, “Hoichi The Earless”
Most followers of the 1964 basic Japanese horror film Kwaidan take into account the strongest phase to be “Hoichi the Earless,” which is a visually entrancing story of a blind musician requested to carry out an account of the Story of the Heike by a bunch of spirits.
Cat’s Eye, “Quitters, Inc.”
Author Stephen King teamed up with Cujo director Lewis Teague for a trio of tales related by the looks of a stray feline… and Drew Barrymore in a number of roles. The phase from 1985’s Cat’s Eye that finest represents its freakishly weird and darkly comedic edge is “Quitters Inc.,” starring James Woods as a person who enrolls in a program to crush his smoking behavior and discovers there are grave penalties for breaking the principles.
XX, “The Field”
XX is a set of 4 quick horror movies directed by ladies, which I, admittedly, want I favored as a lot as I hoped to once I first heard about it. Nevertheless, I used to be nonetheless fairly impressed with author and director Jovanka Vuckovic’s mysterious and deeply upsetting adaptation of writer Jack Ketchum’s quick story, “The Field,” wherein a boy takes a glance inside a field held by a stranger on a subway and, from that time on, refuses to eat.
The Animatrix, “The Second Renaissance – Half I And II”
The mysteries of The Matrix are additional revealed in a 2003 assortment of animated shorts aptly referred to as The Animatrix, probably the most amusing story being author and director Mahiro Maeda’s two-parter, “The Second Renaissance.” Serving as a prequel to the groundbreaking 1999 movie, it explains how the oppressive machines that created the Matrix got here to be from a extra empathetic perspective, tracing their rise from private assistant robots to harbingers of the apocalypse after struggling to attain independence and co-existence amongst mankind.
Three… Extremes, “Lower”
Three of probably the most provocative filmmakers within the historical past of Asian horror cinema – Fruit Chan, Park Chan-wook, and Takashi Miike – group up for a trio of intense tales launched in 2004 as Three… Extremes. A phase that particularly helps the anthology reside as much as its identify is Park’s “Lower,” starring Lee Byung-hun as a filmmaker held captive by a vengeful background actor he has labored with previously.
Ghost Tales, “Dibakar Banerjee”
Named after the filmmaker who helms, arguably, one of the best phase from the spooky, Hindi-language anthology movie, 2020’s Ghost Tales, “Dibakar Banerjee” is the socially aware, allegorical story of a person who finds himself in a rundown village the place two kids, a boy and a woman, declare they’re the one survivors of a transformative, lethal phenomenon. It began when the woman’s father all of the sudden took on beastly qualities and started consuming the locals, whereas the remaining adults, to keep away from ending up on the menu, began indulging in the identical feeding habits, inflicting them to endure the identical metamorphosis.
Amazon Girls On The Moon, “Mondo Apartment”
A number of administrators contributed to the 21 sketches featured in Amazon Girls on the Moon, the 1987 religious successor to The Kentucky Fried Film that begins with, arguably, its funniest and most splendidly cartoonish bit. Comic and future late-night TV host Arsenio Corridor leads this uproarious show of bodily comedy as a person experiencing one more and more horrific occasion of dangerous luck after one other.
All Hallows’ Eve, “Terrifier”
Years earlier than the hit creepy clown film Terrifier and its sequels took the slasher style by storm, Artwork the Clown was first launched in a brief movie of the identical identify by Damien Leone wherein he stalks an harmless girl touring down an remoted highway at night time. The terrifying story would later seem in, and function one of the best phase from, Leone’s 2013 anthology movie All Hallow’s Eve, which includes the horrifying harlequin (then performed by Mike Giannelli) as a recurring presence all through.
Lust Tales, “Anurag Kashyap”
Arguably the strongest phase from the Emmy-nominated, romantic Indian anthology, Lust Tales, comes from director Anurag Kashyap and follows a lady (performed by Radhika Apte) indulging in extramarital affairs.
Physique Baggage, “The Fuel Station”
Horror grasp John Carpenter stars in 1993’s Physique Baggage because the ghoulish host of the made-for-TV anthology, initially optioned as a sequence for Showtime, who presents the tales behind the newest clientele at a morgue. Carpenter additionally directs the strongest and most grounded phase, starring Alex Datcher as a comfort retailer graveyard shift attendant having her first day on the night time a serial killer is introduced to be on the unfastened.
Twenty Bucks, “Jimmy And Frank”
There isn’t a recognized, official title for what’s extensively thought-about one of the best of the interconnected tales from 1993’s Twenty Bucks, which is a star-studded comedy following the travels of a $20 invoice and the tales it stumbles upon alongside the best way. The story in query follows a pair of thieves named Jimmy (Christopher Lloyd) and Frank (Steve Buscemi), whose mistrust in each other over the eponymous invoice proves to be their downfall.