Films like Masters of the Universe.

Masters of the Universe (1987) reads as Sombre, breathless, extreme action / fantasy, surreal in texture. Ambivalent, epic, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) poster
1. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation1997

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Conan the Destroyer (1984) poster
2. Conan the Destroyer1984

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) poster
3. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace1987

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) poster
4. Johnny Mnemonic1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Mortal Kombat (1995) poster
5. Mortal Kombat1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

DragonHeart (1996) poster
6. DragonHeart1996

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the world-sized stakes — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) poster
7. Battle for the Planet of the Apes1973

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Time Machine (2002) poster
8. The Time Machine2002

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Fantastic Four (2005) poster
9. Fantastic Four2005

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Outlander (2008) poster
10. Outlander2008

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Scorpion King (2002) poster
11. The Scorpion King2002

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Timeline (2003) poster
12. Timeline2003

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

These are Masters of the Universe’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →