Welcome to the 322nd Edition of my series. In this weather, I spent a
lot of time at home watching movies so I got a lot done here and for
next week. Last night the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Saints so
now they will play the winner of the Giants and Packers game and are one
game out of the Super Bowl. I have not been able to say that for my
team in years. Tonight I'll be watching the Golden Globes to look into
future selections for my blog as I try to find past work with winners on
awards shows to add to my Netflix. Now let's get out your queues and
check out what I have.
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999): This is
part two of my Christian Bale series in which he co-stars as Demetrius
in this adaptation to the much done Shakespeare play. To say I have
ever really gotten this story would be an absolute lie. There's so many
things going on in this film. You got four young people in love but
the fairies like Puck, played by Stanley Tucci, make things very
complicated. There is also an amateur acting troupe led by Nick Bottom,
played very well by Kevin Kline, which have the most comedic moments.
Sam Rockwell is also part of that troupe as Francis Flute. Rupert
Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Calista Flockhart, Rupert Everett, and many
others co-star. I believe that fans of Shakespeare will like this
version but if you're not into Shakespeare you might want to read on
some to get other selections. Many theaters do this play and is
probably the most done Shakespeare play. I tried out for it one time
and did not get a part. I'd likely fit the acting troupe the most.
As
Good as it Gets (1997): This is part one of a two-part Jack Nicholson
series. This is my romantic comedy for the week which stars Jack
Nicholson as author Melvin who is very cranky, difficult, and
obsessive-compulsive. Greg Kinnear plays Simon who is a gay artist that
lives across the hall from Melvin and has a hard time being around him.
Helen Hunt plays Carol who is a waitress and the only person at her
restaurant who can handle Melvin and is also a single mother with a sick
child. The three of these people form an unlikely friendship through
their circumstances the title really does not do it justice as it is
better. This is a very funny movie but also has a good message and is
very moving. The stars of the film worked very well together. Cuba
Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Yeardley Smith, and many others co-star.
This movie is over two hours but moves like it is one and a half.
Sniffles
and Sneezes (1955): This is my short film for the week and chose an
educational short for this one. I always like these classic shorts
where they are trying to educate us and here we learn how to prevent a
cold as well as what to do in the event of a cold. It does give some
good insights but lends to paranoia as well making this quite
entertaining. I found this on the Pub-D-Hub app on my Roku player.
Solaris
(1972): This is the original version of the film that was made in
Russia. This is my sci-fi film for the week which which centers around
the Solaris mission and a base of a planet that has intelligence. When
one of the scientists disappear, Kris Kelvin is sent to replace him. He
encounters two other scientists who are cold and secretive. He soon
sees his wife who has been dead for many years. He soon finds himself
questioning the reality around him. This is a very thought-provoking
sci-fi film in which close attention must be paid and might require a
second viewing. This does have some great cinematography and
performances. Foreign film buffs must check this out on the Criterion
Collection.
Gunga Din (1939): This is my war film for the week
which takes place in 19th century India. Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen,
and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. play British Soldiers who are sent to India to
stop a murderous cult but find they are entering a trap and must fight
for their lives. Sam Jaffe plays the title character who was born in
British India and always wanted to join the British army but was not
allowed to do so but does what he can to help them with much trouble and
is a water boy for them. Jaffe played the part pretty well and was
believable in his performance. This has quite a blend of action and
comedy and is quite violent for a film of that era. This is actually
based on a poem by Rudyard Kipling. This was a fun movie that has a
good story and never bores. Much of the rituals is based on fact and
the cult is called a Thuggee cult which was their organized crime. In
1939, this was the second grossing film behind GONE WITH THE WIND in a
year that included things like THE WIZARD OF OZ, MR. SMITH GOES TO
WASHINGTON, and many others in the Golden Year for film.
Earth
Girls are Easy (1988): This is my guilty please Sci-Fi comedy for the
week. Geena Davis plays valley girl hairstylist Valerie who encounters
three aliens who land in her pool. Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey and Damon
Wayons play these aliens and she takes a liking to the one played by
Goldblum after her boyfriend, played by SNL alum Charles Rocket. Carrey
and Wayons have their own good time in the valley learning about our
planet. There are also a few campy musical numbers in the film. There
is a great dream sequence which includes Robby the Robot, among others.
Carrey ends up doing a pretty good James Dean impersonation. This is
one for fun if that is what you are looking for in a film. This is
available on Instant Netflix.
The Member of the Wedding (1952):
This movie comes from the Stanley Kramer dvd set my dad got me for
Christmas and he produced. Kramer bought the rights from the play
written by Carson McCullers. Julie Harris stars as Frankie Adams who is
a boyish 12 year old who is very smart but in a very unhappy stage of
her life. Much of the movie focuses on her at home with her black maid
Bernice, played well by Ethel Waters, and a young boy next door John
Henry, played very well by Brandon De Wilde. She also is upset that her
brother is marrying and will soon be leaving and develops delusions
that she will run away with them. The three stars were in the original
play version on Broadway. This takes place in the poor south and
Harris is very dramatic even at times making me think "the female James
Dean" but felt what she did worked in her tough dealings with
adolescence. This is a very good film that is driven by characters.
Bodyguards
and Assassins (2009): This is my Asian film for the week that takes
place in 1905 Hong Kong. A revolutionary named Sun Wen is expected to
arrive to discuss plans for a revolution and a better Hong Kong. Many
members of Tongmenhui must prepare to protect him in his arrival knowing
there are assassins looking to kill Sun Wen. Donnie Yen plays the part
of Sum Chung-Yang in a different role than I am used to seeing. He is a
constable who will do anything for money. Usually he plays a more
high-class person who knows what he wants instead of someone who has
been disgraced and must find a reason to do good. He was really just a
part of the movie though and not really a star. This film shows many
martial artists who wanted a better China and were willing to give their
lives for it to happen. This movie has martial arts but is more of a
drama than anything and was a very moving film with a good cast and good
music score. This is a great entry into the world of Hong Kong film
and is available on Instant Netflix.
The Daydreamer (1966): This
is a very interesting tale that is a fictional account on Hans
Christian Anderson as a teenager who is the son of a shoemaker that does
not make money. He runs away hoping to find the "Garden of Paradise".
While running away, he has many daydreams that lead into stop-motion
animation versions of his most known stories THE LITTLE MERMAID, THE
EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, and THUMBELINA. This was a pretty amusing movie
that I came across on TCM that had quite a cast like Ray Bolger, Patty
Duke, Margaret Hamilton, Boris Karloff, and many others.
The
Spectre (2010): This is my animated short from the week that comes from
DC Showcase which last week I used the animated short that includes
Superman and Captain Marvel and this is the second of four from that
series. The Spectre was first a cop named Jim Corrigan who was murdered
and then becomes as the title says. He then brands a very dark brand
of justice to those who do wrong. This is only 12 minutes long and is
really just a way of introducing the character. In this movie he is
first Jim Corrigan investigating a murder and then becoming the Spectre
when finding the people involved. This character is more of a vigilante
than a hero and is a very unconventional superhero. If you like a more
dark superhero character, this is one to check out. It will be
interesting if they use him for a feature length film. The only other
appearance besides the comic books was on a couple episodes of BATMAN:
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD where Mark Hamill voiced the character while Gary
Cole voiced the character on this one and also has the voice of Alyssa
Milano.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like
and do not like. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Jason
Statham, Ryan Gosling, more Jack Nicholson, Mickey Mouse, and many
others.
FUN AND USELESS FACTS
At one time Kevin Kline
(Midsummer Night's Dream) was set to star in this week's feature AS GOOD
AS IT GETS but it never came to be.
BATMAN FRANCHISE
-Christian
Bale (Midsummer Night's Dream) has played the part of Batman in the
Christopher Nolan era and will play in in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
-Michelle Pfeiffer (Midsummer Night's Dream) played Catwoman in the 1992 film BATMAN RETURNS
-Jack Nicholson (As Good as it Gets) plays the Joker in the 1989 film BATMAN
-Jim Carrey (Earth Girls are Easy) plays the Riddler in the 1995 film BATMAN FOREVER
Cary
Grant (Gunga Din) plays Mortimer Brewster in the 1944 film ARSENIC AND
OLD LACE. My Facebook friend Rick played the part in a 2010 version at
Anderson Mainstage Theatre in which I played Lieutenant Rooney.
Boris
Karloff (The Daydreamer) plays the Creature of Frankenstein for
Universal in the 30s. My Facebook friend Russ played the part in a 2007
version of FRANKENSTEIN at the Muncie Civic Theater where I played a
psychotic grave digger.
Ray Bolger (The Daydreamer) played the
Scarecrow in the 1939 film THE WIZARD OF OZ. My Facebook friend Corey
played the part in 2006 version at the Muncie Civic Theater where I
played the Winkie General. Corey also played Puck in a Muncie Civic
Theater production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and Stanley Tucci played
the part in this week's feature a MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
Patty
Duke (The Daydreamer) provided the voice for the Little Mermaid in this
week's feature THE DAYDREAMER. My Facebook friend Becca played the
part in a version of THE LITTLE MERMAID at Lee's Theatrical Productions.
Kevin Kline (Midsummer Night's Dream) played the father of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. (Gunga Din) in the 1992 film CHAPLIN.
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