Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 120th Edition

Welcome to the 120th Edition of my blog. I want to thank everyone who takes time to read these things I put together. I have things going on right now in my life, I have a job that I'm not too crazy about plus right now I can't do the community theater that I so love but I know things will change and I will be back on that stage, just not right now, but maybe by summer. I won't give you all the story of my life but other things have happened lately but what's great to know is that no one can take this away from me. I love trying to figure out the ten movies that will fit into this installment and I get going. My local library, DVR, and Netflix are my three greatest sources. Well, I know you're sick of hearing about me and I don't blame you so let me give you ten different movies for the week.

'Breaker' Morant (1979): There seems to be a lot of dispute from sources I have seen on whether this movie was made in 1979 or in 1980. Bruce Beresford directed this adaptation of a play by Kenneth G. Ross. Beresford is Australian and is known for Hollywood films like DRIVING MISS DAISY, HER ALIBI, and DOUBLE JEOPARDY. This was one he made while he was still in Australia and is a true story of three Australian soldiers in the Boer War who are being tried for war crimes for executing prisoners, even though they were acting under orders. Harry "Breaker" Borant is a very historical figure and a folk hero to some in Australia and he was also a poet but quite amateur according to Beresford in his commentary. There is always debate as to his character and even to his accomplishments through his life and career. Edward Woodward played the title character very well. I was able to get this on Netflix on DVD and it includes a good commentary from Beresford with some interesting opinions on his thoughts on musical scores, something he did very little of in Australia but states it is insisted by American producers.

Poseidon Exposion (1973): This is my Grindhouse pick for the week and this does not relate to the title of the POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Mircea Dragan directed this Romanian film written by Ioan Grigorescu. This is actually based on an event which happened in 1970 in Romania where a burning ship is loaded with 80,000 bags of fertilizer which make the ship threaten to explode if nothing is done and the explosion would destroy the whole town. A group of firefighters and others try to do whatever possible to avoid this situation. The sound and dubbing are horrible but the movie could be worse.

The Damned Don't Cry (1950): Vincent Sherman directed this story based on something called CASE HISTORY and Harold Medford and Jerome Weidman wrote the screenplay. Joan Crawford stars as Ethel Whitehead who has quite a transformation in this film. We start out with a murder which seems to show she was somehow involved so we flashback on what lead into this. She starts out as a housewife who wants to see her son happy and gets him a bike, much to the dismay of her husband and when he is accidently killed on the bike, Ethel decides to start over and leaves. She ends up meeting a mobster and realizing that her sex appeal is what will get her money and falls more and more into there going from man to man. She also meets a a simple accountant named Marty who she forms a friendship with and gets him involved who also has an interesting character change as well. Joan Crawford was pretty much the movie. I'm not saying that the other actors weren't good, but they did not have the star power. This movie is somewhat based on Mafia Mistress Virginia Hill and her relationship with Bugsy Siegal This also had a good director's commentary by Vincent Sherman who gave some good insight into Crawford. It's unfortunate the legacy of Crawford, many people when they think of Joan Crawford just think of MOMMIE DEAREST which I admit has been on here but I don't believe it has much accuracy. This movie was not nearly as good as MILDRED PIERCE, which I believe is her best movie and one of the best of that era, but this still entertains.

Two Hearts in Wax Time (1935): Here is my short from the week and I know I have had three short films the last three weeks which all come from the same DVD and you have my word that it will be revealed next installment. This was a pretty amusing musical short which takes in a department store where an employee who seems to drink a bit too much finds that the mannequins are coming to life and perform quite a musical number. This might be hard to make into a feature film but it's worth 17 minutes.

Cinderella (1950): This is my Disney pick for the week. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske directed this Disney classic. I made the pick because I recently saw a stage version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein version which was nothing like this one but since I already have seen that version from the 60s, I decided that since I hadn't seen this in some time, that I would check it out. My friend and MASH co-star Kellin starred in the stage adaptation who was phenomenal as Cinderella and I am proud to have a picture with Cinderella that I got taken when I was there. My D.K. MOLAR co-star Katie and another MASH co-star Wes, played chorus roles and also did a good job. Now to the Disney version. They took many of the usual formulas, like the harmony with nature and animals plus the recent money-maker, the promotion of Disney Princesses with Cinderella as the epitomy of a princess. We all know the basic story of Cinderella whether it is Disney, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and whoever wants to do their own spin. It is also a term attached to an underdog who might go all the way.

Light Sleeper (1992): Paul Schrader wrote and directed this tale of a drug dealer having trouble going straight. I believe this came from the Independent Film Channel and this have been a great channel to me. Willem Defoe stars as John LeTour, a recovering addict and a drug dealer who is having moral trouble with the job and is still not over the wife who left him. Susan Sarandon also stars as a handler of his and Dana Delany is the woman John can't seem to get over who has issues of her own. Look for some interesting bit parts including ALIAS alum Victor Garber, Sam Rockwell, and even SNL and JUST SHOOT ME alum David Spade, yes I said it, David Spade. Defoe and Sarandon are great and I loved the music, most notably seems to be by Michael Been. The music fits perfectly into the story.

Kurt Cobaine About a Son (2006): This is the Co-Op selection of the week. AJ Schnack directs this interesting documentary which doesn't so much look into life of Cobain but of what is possibly through the eyes of Cobain. The narration comes from interviews with Kurt Cobain and with it is some imagery of what might have been his life. It's really hard to explain and Travis, who puts on this great Co-Op series, would explain it much better than me. Well, who am I kidding here, Travis should become a film professor with the expertise he has toward film which is far from the expertise I might have. This is probably not for everyone, even Cobain fans might have mixed opinions. I will also say that the music played is not from Nirvana, but songs from people who inspired him. He has some interesting insight into the band which was a band who didn't seem to always get along and had issues with them that they would later deal with Courtney Love on the same issue after his death.

The Man From Snowy River (1982): This is my second Australian film for the week. George Miller directed this movie which was based on an epic poem of the same name by Banjo Patterson. This was a western which starred Tom Burlinson as an 18 year old named Jim Craig who lived for years on his father's farm but must move on after his death. He goes to work for a ruthless farmer, played by Kirk Douglas, and he later falls for his daughter. Kirk Douglas is great as the very old-fashioned Harrison but this is not his only role. He also plays his estranged brother who is friends with Jim and things begin to happen after the brothers finally reunite. The poem is historical and is debated on who it might be based upon but it is said to be a true story which inspired both a movie and a stage musical. This is definetly famous in Australia and Banjo Patterson is a very historical figure there.

White Men Can't Jump (1992): Ron Shelton wrote and directed this clever basketball comedy which stars CHEERS alum Woody Harrelson which I believe was his breakthrough in the world of film and Wesley Snipes who believe it or not after more than two years of this blog makes his debut on Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations. Both of these guys are basketball hustlers who try to make a living off of it and they realize that together they can make a lot of money by using the race card which is the title of the movie. Rosie Perez plays Harrelson's wife and is very amusing as someone whose dream is to go on JEOPARDY. This movie might not be for everyone, it has quite a bit of profanity, racial slurs, maybe even stereotypes but if you can get through those, you'll find a very funny movie and even a message on how winning is not always black and white plus the dangers of hustling on both the money and the personal life. The basketball scenes looked very well and both actors have had some experience and Woody and Wesley made quite a team.

Far From Heaven (2002): The last film might have had some racial slurs but they were pretty comedic but now we get a little more serious. Todd Haynes wrote and directed this film which took place in the 50s and centered on a family Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid are married couple Cathy and Frank Whitaker. Cathy learns of a dark secret of Frank's and becomes friends with a negro named Raymond, played by 24 alum Dennis Haybert which was quite a taboo thing in that era which sparks a lot of rumors within the town. It was sad that it had to be that way in that town and how segregated it was. It will never be perfect but it is much better today. We can all at least be friends and interracial relationships are far more acceptable today than in this time period which got in the way of their relationship. Both Moore and Quaid are great in their roles which I feel both go to be totally different from their performances in the past. This was another IFC selection so expect more of these.

Well, that is it for this week, good luck this week to everyone in March Movie Madness and I will release the results on Wednesday so if please post your lists on the blog I released and have them preferably by Sunday but since I won't release this until Wednesday I'll probably be lenient, but if it is not out by the time I release my results you'll just have to take a zero.