Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 345th Edition

Welcome to the 345th Edition of my series. This week, I pay tribute to Ann Rutherford and Victor Spinelli. I am still in rehearsals for THE PRODUCERS which is going pretty well. I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Thor (2011): I start this week out with some Marvel that was directed by Kenneth Branagh. Chris Hemsworth stars as the title character who lives in a place called Asgard and is a very powerful warrior but quite arrogant. Anthony Hopkins co-stars as his father Odin who casts him out of Asgard to live on Earth. Tom Hiddleston co-stars as Thor's younger brother Loki who has always been jealous and takes over Asgard but not in a very good way becoming a rival of Thor. Thor must adjust to a much different world of Earth and soon meets a group of scientists including Jane Foster, played very well by Natalie Portman, who forms an alliance with Thor against the wishes of others. Soon, forces from Asgard invade Earth and Thor must use his strength to stop what his brother is starting. This was a very good superhero film that had good special effects with also good performances. Like all the other Marvel films, you must stay after the credits as there is a little bit left in the movie. Stellan Skarsgard, Rene Russo co-star as well as a Samuel L. Jackson cameo as Nick Fury. You can also see Jeremy Renner in an uncredited appearance as Hawkeye who we get to know better in THE AVENGERS. This movie ranks pretty high in the superhero genre with a great casting of Hemsworth who made his career with this film. This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001): Wes Anderson directed and co-wrote this film on a rather dysfunctional family. Gene Hackman stars as Royal Tenenbaum who announces that he has a terminal illness and looks to reconnect with his estranged family. Anjelica Huston plays his estranged wife Etheline who is seeing another man named Hank, played by Danny Glover. Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Luke Wilson all play their children who are all geniuses in their own way but have not really lived up to full potential and all have a hard time reconnecting with their father. Owen Wilson co-stars as a family friend and co-wrote the screenplay. Alec Baldwin narrates the movie in spots and Bill Murray co-stars. This is one that is really hard to describe but it was so well-cast and acted. This is not one to watch if what you are expecting is an all-out comedy. This has some dark and rather depressing moments but still delivers laughs. I also enjoyed the cinematography and the way it was shot. It is not for everyone but is something that is quite different and Wes Anderson fans will like it.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa (2005): This is my Anime selection which is based on the tv series. This is centered around the character Edward Elric who along with his brother Alphonse, lost their mother. They try to resurrect their mother and they fail which left Alphonse in a suit of armor and Edward losing a leg and arm. In this movie, Edward is on the other side of the gate and befriends someone who looks like his brother. He soon learns that Germans are planning on opening the gate and attacking the home of him and Al. This one has a little homage to classic cinema including director Fritz Lang as a character. This is one for Anime fans but you might want to become familiar with the series first.

Monkey Doodle (1931): This is my animated short for the week and a very weird animated short written by Les Elton. It is about a monkey going about his business. One interesting part is him riding a big dog and when that dog could not go, he gave him oil to drink. There are no words to really describe this except to watch and see how weird this short film is. I found this on my Pub-D-Hub app on my Roku player and this is available on Instant Netflix.

Carrie (1976): Brian de Palma directed this film based on the book by Stephen King. Sissy Spacek plays the outcast teenager who has telekinetic powers. She is very shy and gets made fun of a lot at school. One student feels bad and gets her boyfriend to ask Carrie to prom. Another student is very angry and plots a big prank not know she has some powers and drives Carrie to the edge in the very infamous prom scene. Piper Laurie plays Carrie's crazed mother who does not make anything easier for her daughter at home. This is billed as horror but is so much more than horror. We see someone who much of us can relate to who gets made fun of and abused a lot. A young John Travolta co-stars as one of the people involved in the prank. Nancy Allen and P.J. Soles also co-star in this great thriller. I have heard that a musical has been made of this and I am interested in that possibility. Spacek played the part of Carrie very well and Laurie was great as her religious crazed mother. This is the first one of King's books to be adapted into a movie.

The Adventures of Don Juan (1948): This is my tribute to actress Ann Rutherford who recently left us and plays the part of Donna Elena in this film. Errol Flynn stars as the title character in this swashbuckler film. Don Juan damages some of the plans through his womanizing. He soon meets Queen Margaret, played by Viveca Lindfors, who he tries to change his ways and get her out of a loveless marriage with the Duke which leads to a lot of trouble with the king. This had been Flynn's first swashbuckler film in about eight years and considered by many to be his best. This is one to watch for some action and some good fencing scenes. Robert Douglas was very good as the corrupt Duke.

Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002): This is my Danish film for the week. Jamie Sives stars as the title character who is always trying to commit suicide but gets saved by his brother Harbour, played by Adrian Rawlins. Together they run a bookstore they inherited by their father. Soon, a woman named Alice, played by Shirley Henderson, forms a relationship with Harbour whose life gets more complicated. Alice has books she always sells them from the hospital she was working at. Wilbur must also learn to grow up when Harbour's health gets bad. Mads Mikkelson also has a part as a doctor. This is a pretty compelling independent film that is driven by characters.

Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950): This is my Film-Noir for the week and no this has nothing to do with that book of poems by Shel Silverstein. Otto Preminger directed this movie which stars Dana Andrews as Detective Mark Dixon who uses some pretty brutal methods in order to get his guys. His vicious nature soon gets the best of him and gets demoted. He soon starts questioning a witness who he ends up accidentally killing. He then looks to pin it on a mobster but an innocent person gets arrested instead. Gene Tierney co-stars as Morgan who he takes a liking to and her father is the one who was arrested. I really enjoyed this entry to the genre and was pretty daring for the era. This was very well directed and acted and is available on Instant Netflix. This is one of a few collaborations between Preminger and Andrews and may have another one next week.

The Return of the Pink Panther (1975): This is my tribute to Victor Spinelli who recently left us and in this movie plays the part of a hotel concierge. This is also part one of a Christopher Plummer series which I know will have at least two parts but possibly three This is a sequel to THE PINK PANTHER where Peter Sellers reprises his role as Inspector Clouseau who is hired when the jewel the Pink Panther is stolen once again. Christopher Plummer co-stars as Sir Charles Litton who was the Phantom who stole it the first time but no longer leads that type of life and is framed. He sets out to do his own investigation to clear his name. Herbert Lom also co-stars as Chief Inspector Dreyfus who is fed up with Clouseau's stupidity and makes many comical attempts to kill him. Like the last movie, it has a great opening sequence and I felt like this one topped the first one. This is a fun entry into the series. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Charlie Wilson's War (2007): I end this week with this political film that is based on a true story. This is part one of two-part Amy Adams series but might be three. Mike Nichols directed this film that stars Tom Hanks as the title character. Wilson is a womanizing congressman in the 80s who learns about a brutal Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He learns about this through Houston socialite conservative Joanne Herring. He soon dedicates his career to getting the Afghan mujahideen some weapons to fight off the Soviet Union. Helping Wilson is maverick CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, played very well by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt co-star in this political film. Tom Hanks was also great as Wilson and the movie actually brought some laughs. This is a good movie of an unlikely politician and being able to lead one of the biggest CIA covert operations of all time.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Amy Adams, Qi Shu, core Christopher Plummer, and many others. I brought back Fun and Useless Facts so keep on reading if you want.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I decided to find some facts but did not do anything on Marvel or Shakespeare.

Josh Dallas (Thor) has said he used Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Don Juan) as his inspiration for his character Fandral.

Natalie Portman (Thor) and Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War) worked together in the 2004 film CLOSER which was directed by Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson's War director).

Tom Hiddleston (Thor) and Owen Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums) were both in the 2011 film MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

Anthony Hopkins (Thor) and Gwyneth Paltrow (The Royal Tenenbaums) played father and daughter in the 2005 film PROOF. My Facebook friends Michael Kleeberg and Erica Dumond played their parts in a version at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater.

Rene Russo (Thor) and Danny Glover (The Royal Tenenbaums) were in the 1992 film LETHAL WEAPON 3 and 4.

Rene Russo (Thor), Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums), and John Travolta (Carrie) worked together in the 1995 film GET SHORTY. Ben Stiller (The Royal Tenenbaums) played an arrogant director the part was cut.

Samuel L. Jackson (Thor) and John Travolta (Carrie) were Hitmen in the 1994 film PULP FICTION.

Samuel L. Jackson (Thor) idolized Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Don Juan) growing up.

Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War) were in the 2001 film THE MEXICAN though Hackman was uncredited.

Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums) was the first choice to play Hannibal Lector in the 1991 film SILENCE OF THE LAMBS which would ultimately go to Anthony Hopkins (Thor)

Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums) like many others this week have said they idolized Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Don Juan)

Gwyneth Paltrow (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War) were in the 1991 film HOOK.

Alec Baldwin (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Anthony Hopkins (Thor) co-starred in the 1997 film THE EDGE.

Alec Baldwin (The Royal Tenenbaums) played Dan in the 1988 film TALK RADIO. My Facebook friend Jeff Shull played the part in a 2010 version at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater which I was in as well.

Sissy Spacek (Carrie) and Bill Murray (The Royal Tenenbaums) were in the 2009 film GET LOW.

John Travolta (Carrie) read for the part of Allen Bauer in the 1984 film SPLASH which would ultimately go to Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War) as well as the part of Forrest Gump that Travolta declined.

Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Don Juan) plays Fletcher Christian in the 1933 film IN THE WAKE OF THE BOUNTY which was his film debut. Anthony Hopkins (Thor) plays Christian's rival Captain Bligh in the 1984 film THE BOUNTY

Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson's War director) directed Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums) in the 1996 film THE BIRDCAGE.

Christopher Plummer (The Return of the Pink Panther) plays Captain Von Trapp in the 1965 film THE SOUND OF MUSIC. My Facebook friend Sean Heline played the part in a version at Anderson Mainstage Theatre last year.

Stellan Skarsgard (Thor) and Christopher Plummer (The Return of the Pink Panther) are family in the 2011 film THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.