Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 234th Edition

Welcome to the 234th Edition. This week I pay tribute to the late Lynn Redgrave. I have been very busy lately with work and then rehearsals for my show so it has been hard to put these together and this probably is not one of my better ones but some where unexpected gems so I am mostly satisfied here.

Julia (1977): Fred Zinneman directed this movie based on an autobiographical novel from playwright Lillian Hellman. Jane Fonda plays the part of Lillian Hellman who is experiencing writer's block and focuses on a friendship with her friend of the title name, played by Vanessa Redgrave. Julia comes from a high-class background and to Vienna to study such people like Freud and Einstein. She soon becomes an activist against fascism during Nazi Germany. She then enlists Lillian to do some very dangerous jobs which she accepts reluctantly and puts that test on their friendship. Jason Robards plays Lillian's mentor and sometimes lover. Hal Holbrook, Meryl Streep and SMALLVILLE co-star John Glover co-star in this film where Streep makes her debut in what was the start to a great career.

Beautiful Losers (2008): This is my documentary for the week which takes a look at many underground artists in the '90s. This takes a look at such people as Spike Jonze, Mike Mills, Harmony Korine, and many others. The artists here start their careers where they do not have any formal education but they use lots of trial and error to come up with such beautiful works of art innovation. This was something I watched instantly through Netflix. I don't really have much to say except that is a very good documentary and young artists may relate very well to this film.

Lackawanna Blues (2005): I found this HBO movie on On-Demand when I was at my dad's house. This is based on a one-man play written by Ruben Santiago Jr. which focuses on the relationship he has with his guardian Rachel Crosby in 1950s-60s Lackawanna, New York. Marcus Carl Franklin plays Santiago whose mother and father had a hard time making end's meet for him and is taken in by the very soulful Rachel Crosby, played by S. Epatha Merkerson. Ruben then grows up knowing many colorful characters and grows up in a world of rhythm and blues. The real-life Santiago plays the part of Freddie Cobbs and actually performed this on Broadway where he voices 20 different characters. Other supporting plays include Delroy Lindo, Lou Gossett Jr., Macy Gray, Jimmy Smits, Jeffrey Wright, Julie Benz, and many others. This was a very well-written script and a nice performance from Franklin as well as Merkerson.

So Your Wife Wants to Work (1956): This is my short film for the week which stars George O'Hanlon as Joe McDoakes and Phyllis Coates as his wife Alice. Alice decides she wants a job much to the dismay of her husband. He finally gives in and gets her hired where he works but demands his boss give her jobs that will drive her out. Each job she gets she does a very good job which makes it very difficult for her husband. This is the last of many of these shorts with the Joe McDoakes character and no I have not seen any of the others so I do not know what the others are about but this was very funny and the movie dvd I got it from will be featured in the near future.

There's Something About Mary (1998): This is part two of an ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT alum Jeffrey Tambor series whose movie ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL I featured last week and this will likely be the last for that series. I now bring you the Farrelly Brothers and what I believe is their best piece of work. I remember when this movie first came out and I went with my dad and stepmom to go see it and we all just laughed very hard. Ben Stiller stars as Ted, who is a writer, and wants to reunite with the title character, played by Cameron Diaz, who were supposed to go to prom together but due to some unfortunate circumstances could not go. Many years later, he learns that Mary is in Florida and hires Private Investigator Ted Healy, played by Matt Dillon, to find Mary for him where he does his job but then forms his own infatuation for Mary which leads into a battle of many men who love Mary. There were so many funny moments here and great comedic performances. Lee Evans, Chris Elliott, Lin Shaye, W. Earl Brown, Sarah Silverman, and many others. Jonathan Richman wrote and sung a lot of his music in this movie where even he has some pretty funny moments.

Tender Mercies (1983): I watched this one instantly on Netflix. Robert Duvall stars as broken-down country singer Mac Sledge. He finds work with a widow named Rosa Lee and her son while he forms a relationship with Rosa Lee where he tries to put his life back together and even attempts a comeback for his career. Betty Buckley plays his first wife Dixie who is very bitter towards him and Ellen Barkin plays his daughter who tries reconnecting with her father much to the dismay of her mother. This movie has no special effects, no big budget, no real scandalous moments, but a script which only works if you have good actors to bring the characters to life and that is what was accomplished here. Duvall was great as Mac Sledge where he sings his own music and even writes a couple of the songs. Tess Harper was very good as Rosa Lee who gave very unconditional love to Mac. Buckley was impressive as Dixie and sang very well. This was a very low-key movie but very beautiful and inspiring.

Anita and Me (2002): This is my tribute to the late Lynn Redgrave who plays the small but pivotal role of Mrs. Ormerod in this British film. This movie really focuses on the character Meena which is the "me" part of the movie. She is a 12 year old girl whose parents are Indian and move to '70s English Midlands. Meena then meets the title character who is 14 years old, tall, blonde, and beautiful and Meena wants to be accepted into her circle of friends. Meena's parents still want to teach her Indian tradition which does not fit into Anita's world. This is a very good character study of a young girl who just wants to live her own life and the troubles of growing up when first you're 12 years old but second a minority. Chandeep Uppal makes a very good debut here as Meena. This is more my coming of age film for the week.

Beau Brummel (1924): This is part two of a John Barrymore and Mary Astor series whose movie MIDNIGHT I featured last week and this is my silent film for the week. Barrymore plays George Bryon Brummel who is a British officer who loves Lady Margery, played by Mary Astor. She loves Brummel but giving into family pressure, she marres Lord Alvanley. Brummel then goes off the deep end where he falls into disfavor and only Lady Margery can help him. This is really for silent film buffs and focuses on a real-life person. Barrymore was very good in the title role.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968): This is another made for tv movie I obtained which stars Jack Palance in the title role of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror novel. It is the classic story where the noble Dr. Jekyll wants to prove that each person has a good side and evil side where he invents a formula which turns him into Mr. Hyde making his experiment go very wrong when Hyde slowly takes over Jekyll. This story is very similar to Mary Shelley's classic FRANKENSTEIN in terms of a scientist who has very good intentions but then the intentions go completely awry. Palance played both parts very well. This was a pretty good adaptation. My favorite is probably the version in the 30s with Fredric March but this one works pretty well also and should have more exposure.

Maniac (1934): This is part of a Horror Classics boxed set I purchased when trying to finish this edition. We have an ex-Vaudeville actor who works for a mad scientist. That scientist is then killed where the actor decides to impersonate him which leads him into a road of madness. This is not what you get if you are looking for some great classic, even horror classic. If you want some horror classic, go with older versions of the previous film I featured. This is one of those "so bad it's good" type things which has an interesting concept but poorly executed. Luckily it was only 51 minutes of a bad transfer but still some pretty entertaining moments.

Well, that is it for this week. I seemed to focus a lot on various artists where painters, writers, singers, etc. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Judi Dench, Daniel Craig, Gary Cooper, director Marcel Pagnoc, and many others and no I do not have a James Bond film some of the names may indicate.