Movie of the Week: Alligator

It's on netflix, but this youtube version is nice quality and divided up into a mere six chapters. This is what a creature feature should be; thrilling, fast-paced and funny. Universally loved by all, critics and Joe Blows alike. Wikipedia sez:

While the film is both low-budget and derivative of the formula established by the 1975 film Jaws, it has regularly received praise from critics for its (intentional) satirizing and wit, lack of pretension, and the performances of the human stars. Vincent Canby of the New York Times praised the film, saying, "The film's suspense is frequently as genuine as its wit and its fond awareness of the clichés it's using."

Screenwriter John Sayles also penned "Piranha" and "The Howling". With "Alligator", that makes for a trifecta of enjoyable horror films if there ever was one. Listen closely to his dialogue to pick up on film and TV references. And when the Alligator finally shows itself, it's an extremely impressive animatronic. Unlike CGI monsters, it has real screen presence and star power.