Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 372nd Edition

Welcome to the 372nd Edition of my series. This is my last post of the year and I hope you all have a good New Years and a good 2013. I decided to go ahead and do some holiday selections since it is still December. I'm not feeling so well right now but I will not let that stop me from giving you my recommendations for the week.

I am David (2003): Paul Feig directed this film which stars Ben Tibber as the title character who is a 12 year old boy that escapes a Communist concentration camp in Eastern Europe. He then sets out on a journey with very little possessions and a letter to get to Copenhagen, Denmark. Along the way, he meets various people slowly losing his inability to trust. James Caviezel co-stars as a fellow prisoner in flashback scenes. Joan Plowright co-stars as a very noble woman who takes in David. This movie was very touching to me and I did tear up in this film. It is a very beautiful independent film with Tibber doing a very good job as David. Stewart Copeland, who was the drummer for the Police, writes a good music score.

Finding Neverland (2004): This is part two of my Johnny Depp series which will possibly have six parts and last week included SLEEPY HOLLOW so this is quite a jump. This is another inspirational film where Depp plays J.M. Barrie who is known as the writer of PETER PAN. Barrie has a play which flops and he has a hard time coming up with his next one. He soon meets a widowed mother named Sylvia, played by Kate Winslet, and her four sons who he becomes very close to which sets him off in writing his most famous work. There are a lot of good fantasy sequences in which come into play when he is with the kids. Dustin Hoffman, Julie Christie, Freddie Highmore, Mackenzie Crook, and many others co-star in this very touching film. Depp is a lot lighter than usual in his role which is a good change for him. This is a true story on the events that brought about his most famous work.

Saint Ralph (2004): I continue my inspirational selections. Michael McGowan wrote and directed this film that takes place in the 50s. Once again, I focus on a story that revolves a lot around kids. Adam Butcher stars as the title character who is a ninth grade Catholic school student whose mother is very sick and gets into a coma being told it would take a "miracle" for her to wake up. Ralph is soon forced to be on the school's cross-country team and when asking about the Boston Marathon, the coach Father Hibbert, played by Campbell Scott, tells him it would be a miracle if any of them win. He then gets the idea to join the Boston marathon and that maybe winning that would be the miracle his mother needs. Father Hibbert soon agrees to coach him after seeing how hard he was training even if he did not think he had a chance to win. They do have problems with the school's headmaster Father Fitzpatrick, played by Gordon Pinsent, who is against the idea. Jennifer Tilly co-stars as his mother's nurse and later helps him with building physical strength. This also has a very good soundtrack including singer Gord Downie doing a cover to Leonard Cohen's HALLELUJAH which is the clearest version of that song I have heard to date. This is another very inspirational film that I hope to get on the radar.

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964): I decided to use this tv special as one of my selections and unfolds the story of that famous reindeer. Rudolph is born with an unusual feature of a red nose and is not accepted by his community and his father tries to cover the nose but to no avail. On the other story, we have an elf named Hermie who does not feel he fits in making toys and wants to be a dentist instead which causes dismay among the elf community. Soon, they come together in search of a community that will accept them leading them to an island of misfit toys who have not found someone who wants them. They soon must deal with a big snowstorm when making their way back to the community and if you know the song, you know what happens. I used to see this all the time at my dad's when I was a kid and am glad to revisit these this time of year. Burl Ives is the narrator.

If I were Free (1933): This is a story of an extramarital affair. Irene Dunne stars as Sarah who is not happy in her marriage and Clive Brook co-stars as Gordon who also has a difficult marriage. They soon get together forming their affair. They go through this affair but are frowned upon by society and this was probably rather taboo in that era. This is not a bad b-list romance movie and is worth a look if you like movies from this era.

Carol for Another Christmas (1964): I came across this movie when looking for TCM selections and it caught my interest starting with Sterling Hayden being the star but then making it a variation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This is a TV movie that has been rarely shown and rarely released. Joseph Mankiewicz directed this movie while Rod Serling wrote the screenplay. Sterling Hayden stars as Daniel Grudge who is the equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge who is a rich businessman who lost his son Marley who was killed in WWII. He then becomes opposed to any American involvement for international affairs so refuses to help. He is soon visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future where in the past sees his involvement in WWI, in the present sees a lot of homeless and poor people from around the world and in the futures sees kind of a post-apocalyptic society that resulted from his refusal to help the cause. This actually takes place in the cold-war era. Ben Gazzara co-stars as his nephew Fred. Steve Lawrence, Pat Hingle, and Robert Shaw all play the ghosts and give very interesting portrayals. Peter Sellers has a very amusing part in the future scene. Brit Eklund and Eva Marie Saint co-star. I described this as Rod Serling's TWILIGHT ZONE CHRISTMAS CAROL and was really quite dark but one I really enjoyed. I'd like to see a wider release of this movie and hope that TCM will continue to show this. If you can find it, I think you'll enjoy it.

Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time (2007): This is actually a live concert video of Nine Inch Nails performing their a lot of their music which is about 90 minutes. This is strictly a concert performance, there is no documentary nor does the band talk between songs. I have always liked Nine Inch Nails so i enjoyed this DVD but if you do not like that band, this is not for you. I do not believe NIN fans will be disappointed. This may not be technically a movie but it's my blog and I can decide what qualifies as a movie.

Born to Kill (1947): Robert Wise directed this film-noir which stars Lawrence Tierney who stars as murderer Sam Wild. He soon makes his way into the life of a divorcee who has a lot of money but obsesses over her half-sister Helen, played by Claire Trevor, who is a lot more compatible with Sam than her sister. This is a hard movie to really describe but I will say this is a very dark film from that era. Tierney is good in his villainous role and Trevor is also good in her role where neither character is really likable. Tierney is probably most known in Tarantino's 1992 film RESERVOIR DOGS as Joe. This is a good, early film from him and a good entry into the genre that has gone overlooked and a good entry from director Robert Wise in a diverse career that includes WEST SIDE STORY and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946): This is my annual view every year on Christmas Eve on NBC. Frank Capra directed this inspiring film which stars James Stewart as small-towner George Bailey. He has plans to leave the small-town of Bedford Falls but things change when his father dies and he must take over his father's business in order to prevent corrupt businessman Mr. Potter, played very well by Lionel Barrymore, from taking over the business and the town. He is a very giving man but slowly becomes frustrated where an angel named Clarence, played by Henry Travers, is sent down to show George a life where he had not been born. Donna Reed, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond, and many others co-star in this inspirational holiday classic. Look closely in the beginning for Carl Switzer who is most known for playing Alfalfa on THE LITTLE RASCALS. I never cease to shed a few tears every time I watch it. This movie went unknown for many years but the public domain status got it more exposure and has been an NBC tradition for years.

The Town (2010): I end with this crime film which Ben Affleck directs and stars and we all know Affleck is at his best when directing. He stars as long-time thief Doug Macray whose latest job results in taking a hostage to get away and is the bank manager Claire, played by Rebecca Hall, who they blindfold and let go. He soon learns that she lives in the same town and forms a relationship with Claire and Claire not knowing he was the one who took the bank hostage. Doug must also deal with his friend and colleague James, played very well by Jeremy Renner, who does not like the idea of Doug getting involved with Claire. MAD MEN star Jon Hamm plays Agent Frawley who is close on the trail of Doug. This movie had some great heist scenes as well as Affleck and Hall working well together. I also liked the FBI scenes of them planning their bust. Affleck does a great job in this film and deserves a watch. Titus Welliver, Pete Postlewaite, Chris Cooper, and many others co-star.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Johnny Depp, Clark Gable, Mickey Rourke, and many others. Continue to read for the "Fun and Useless Facts" segment.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I focus mostly on interrelated facts in this segment and if you see anything I miss, please comment.

Joan Plowright (I am David) played Daisy in the 1992 tv movie DRIVING MISS DAISY. My Facebook friend Judy played the part in a production years ago at Muncie Civic Theater that went other places afterwards.

Johnny Depp (Finding Neverland) played Sweeney Todd in the 2007 film SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. Victor Garber (The Town) was the first person to play the part of Anthony on the Broadway musical of Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. I had the pleasure of playing the unscrupulous Beadle Bamford in a 2011 production at the Jay County Civic Theater.

Joseph Mankiewicz (Carol for Another Christmas director) directed Sheldon Leonard in the 1955 film GUYS AND DOLLS where he played Harry the Horse. I played the part in 2010 version at the Belfry Theater which is so far the only show I have done there. My portrayal was quite different that the portrayal from Leonard.

Lawrence Tierney (Born to Kill) plays famed bank robber John Dillinger in the 1945 film DILLINGER. Johnny Depp (Finding Neverland) plays Dillinger in the 2009 film PUBLIC ENEMIES.

Walter Slezak (Born to Kill) plays Geppetto in the 1957 tv movie PINNOCHIO. Burl Ives (Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer) plays Geppetto in the 1968 tv movie PINNOCHIO. My Facebook friend Ben played the part in a musical called GEPPETTO in a production at Anderson Mainstage Theatre.

Isabel Jewell (Born to Kill), Thomas Mitchell (It's a Wonderful Life), Frank Faylen (It's a Wonderful Life) and Ward Bond (It's a Wonderful Life) were in the 1939 classic GONE WITH THE WIND.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL FRANCHISE

-Ben Tibber (I am David) played TINY TIM in the 1999 tv movie A CHRISTMAS CAROL

-Kate Winslet (Finding Neverland) played Belle in the 2001 animated movie CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL who was Ebenezer's fiance but left him when he became very greedy.

-Lionel Barrymore (It's a Wonderful Life) played Ebenezer Scrooge for many years in a radio broadcast of A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Claire Trevor (Born to Kill) and Thomas Mitchell (It's a Wonderful Life) were in the 1939 western STAGECOACH.

Ward Bond (It's a Wonderful Life) and Elisha Cook Jr. (Born to Kill) were in the 1941 classic THE MALTESE FALCON.

H.B. Warner (It's a Wonderful Life) plays our savior Jesus Christ in the 1927 film THE KING OF KINGS. James Caviezel (I am David) plays Christ in 2004 film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.

Sheldon Leonard (It's a Wonderful Life) plays FBI founder J. Edgar Hoover in the 1978 film THE BRINK'S JOB. Pat Hingle (Carol for Another Christmas) plays Hoover in the 1992 tv movie CITIZEN COHN.

Pete Postlewaite (The Town) and Julie Christie (Finding Neverland) were in the1996 movie DRAGONHEART

Pete Postlewaite (The Town), Blake Lively (The Town), and Julie Christie (Finding Neverland) were in the 2009 movie NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU

Titus Welliver (The Town) plays famed mobster Al Capone in the 1991 movie MOBSTERS in his younger days. Ben Gazzara (Carol For Another Christmas) in the 1975 movie CAPONE.