Tulips Shall Grow (1942)

Although uncredited at the time, Tulips is Ray Harryhausen's first commercial work as chief animator. It’s set in what appears to be Holland. In a beautiful village with idyllic windmills, a pair of lovers, Jan and Janette, fear for their lives when an invading military force known as The Screwballs move in.
The aggressors resemblance to Nazi soldiers is certainly no coincidence, given that Dir. George Pal had previously lived in Holland and, furthermore, left his home (in Prague) to escape their rise to power.
The simple animation gets more adventurous and complicated as the danger level increases, but thanks to Harryhausen it's always astonishing.

4 high kicks out of 5

The Time Machine (1960)

A classic sci-fi based on the renowned H.G. Wells novella (1895) of the same name. The celebrated adaptation's most enduring aspect is perhaps the time-travelling device itself, which may be the most iconic of its kind in the history of cinema, but the film is also a fun adventure with poignant commentary on the destructive nature(s) of mankind through the ages.
Rod Taylor is the daring Victorian time-trotter. Although not a very charismatic character, his scientific drive nevertheless gives him an edge.
The FX are more memorable; the use of time-lapse, composites, miniatures and stop-motion animation really bring the journeying to life.

3½ instruction sirens out of 5