Welcome to the 315th Edition of my long running series. I hope everyone
had a good Thanksgiving. I will now be rehearsing this week for THE
NUTCRACKER and on December 2nd and 3rd, we will be performing it during
the Luminaria Walk at Minnetrista Cultural Center so bring your family
out for a nice festival and to see a different version of the classic.
By the way this is free. Let's now get to this week's recommendations.
Anvil!
The Story of Anvil (2008): This is part two of my two-part
rockumentary series and last week I used a documentary on the Pixies.
Anvil is heavy metal band who formed in the 80s who had a lot of
influence towards other bands but had very limited financial success.
This movie focuses on the band members reflecting on the times and the
family's thoughts towards them continuing to make music without having a
lot of commercial success. It takes a good look into the personal
lives of the band members who have to work regular jobs. It is
something that I relate to a little bit. While I may not be a musician,
I am a community theater actor and work at a call center but the
theater is something that I enjoy doing even if I am not being paid
though I have thought about a career in the industry. This also shows a
European tour in 2006 and then shows the making of their 13th album.
This is something that any entertainer like musicians, actors, and many
others can relate upon and was a very entertaining documentary. This is
available on Instant Netflix.
The Damned United (2009): This is
my sports drama for the week that focuses on football coach Brian
Clough. Remember, this takes place in Britain so this is the sport we
Americans refer to as soccer. He gets the coaching job of Leeds United
after years of hating their dirty style and wants to bring more
integrity. STAR TREK alum Colm Meaney plays the previous coach Don
Revie and we see through flashbacks Clough's resentment to him. Timothy
Spall plays his assistant Peter Taylor who does not always agree with
Clough's big ego. Sheen played this part of the egotistical coach very
well and this movie is based on a true story. This is not the usual
inspiration sports film but a character study on someone who has a big
ego but wants to make things right when no one else around him will.
Speak
(2004): This is my Showtime film for the week. Pre-TWILIGHT star
Kristen Stewart stars as Melinda who is entering high school and having a
hard time adjusting. She is also labeled a "squealer" because of her
calling the cops on a summer party. She becomes a selective mute not
being able to tell people of a horrible event that happened at the party
but must find the strength to move on with her life. She also has a
difficult relationship with her family also harboring the secret from
them. Stewart was really pretty good in this film and it was a well
done movie that I hope to put on the radar. Steve Zahn co-stars as an
art teacher who helps get through to Melinda with art. This is one of
those that many of us can relate to for when we were in high school.
The
Birth, the Life, and the Death of Christ (1906): This is my short film
for the week though at 33 minutes was probably considered feature
length at this time. This is directed by one of the first female
filmmakers Alice Guy which shows just as the title says. It was a
pretty well done silent film and has many different small scenes to
convey the life of our savior. This is available on a dvd called
GAUMONT TREASURES: THE FILMS OF ALICE GUY. I got this on DVD from
Netflix.
The Phenix City Story (1955): This is actually a true
story that takes place in a little town of Alabama of the name. This is
a semidocumentary which features a crime syndicate who are taking over
the town. Richard Kiley stars as attorney John Patterson who is just
coming back from the army and already seeing that his town is not in
good hands. He then becomes the reluctant hero to make the town a
better place. The beginning I thought was the best when it had a
"newscast" explaining what we were in for and getting opinions of
townspeople. This is part of a Film Noir boxed set and my next feature
comes from the same DVD. Martin Scorsese considers this movie one of
his favorites.
Dial 1119 (1950): This is the other movie on the
DVD. Marshal Thompson stars as Gunther who has escaped from a mental
institution. He soon murders a bus driver and then takes refuge in a
bar where he takes the patrons hostage. I really like the way this
movie played out. When in the bar, it had us get to know the characters
before he did his thing. The one thing I was a bit upset about was
that they were watching a wrestling match and no I don't know who these
guys were, where they cut to that multiple times but then he made them
turn it off. Otherwise a good hostage movie that has gone quite
unknown.
Junebug (2005): Embeth Davidtz stars as "outsider" art
dealer Madeleine who goes from Chicago to North Carolina to meet her
in-laws and to pursue an unusual artist in that town. She finds that
most of her in-laws are not the most welcoming besides her pregnant
sister-in-law played by Amy Adams. Alessandro Nivola plays her husband
George. This is an interesting independent film which is really driven
by the characters and makes us really analyze this dysfunctional family.
Annie
Oakley (1935): This a semi-biographical film based on the title
character, played very well by Barbara Stanwyck. Annie Oakley is quite
the female sharpshooter who gets hired to be part of Buffalo Bill's
traveling show. She soon becomes tutored by Toby Walker, played by
Preston Foster, who forms a relationship but becomes a big jealous when
he must share the top billing. This is most known as the musical ANNIE
GET YOUR GUN but this one entertains quite well with Stanwyck and the
re-enacted Buffalo Bill show. This is available on Instant Netflix.
Splendor
in the Grass (1961): This is based on the play by William Inge.
Warren Beatty stars as Bud Stamper who comes from a pretty wealthy
family. Natalie Wood stars as Wilma Loomis who comes from a more poor
family. They form a relationship in which the families do not approve.
Pat Hingle plays Bud's father Ace who is determined for him to go to
Yale. This movie takes place during the depression and is a great movie
of forbidden love with a very good ending. Elia Kazan directed this
brutally honest film. Warren Beatty was good in his film debut. This
is quite the classic drama.
Saving Private Ryan (1998): I end
this week with this WWII drama directed by Steven Spielberg. This war
film started a resurgence in this genre and was a very thoughtful film
from Spielberg. Tom Hanks stars as Captain John Miller whose unit is
assigned to find the title character who has lost three of his brothers
and then get him home to his family. About the first 30 minutes of the
film are of a very brutal battle which holds nothing at all back showing
the horrors of war. Once you get past this part, it is not as violent
for if you don't have a good stomach. Tom Sizemore co-stars as Mike who
is a good friend of John. Matt Damon plays Private James Ryan and does
not come onto the film until near the end. Spielberg cast Damon
wanting an unknown actor for the part not knowing he would become an
overnight star in GOOD WILL HUNTING which was out when this came out.
Other people in the unit include Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Edward
Burns, Barry Pepper, Jeremy Davies, and Paul Giamatti. Look for a young
Nathan Fillion in a scene that is a little more humorous. Ted Danson
and Dennis Farina also have cameos in this film. The principal actors
all went through actual boot camp training in preparation for the film.
Spielberg did not have Matt Damon go through the training so that the
actors would resent him in the scene where they show resentment towards
him. Many veterans thanked Spielberg for his beginning scene for not
holding back and showing the brutality of war. This is quite possibly
the best war movie of all time and should be viewed at least once.
Well,
that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike. Stay
tuned for next week which so far includes Kate Winslet, Jason Lee, and
many others
FUN AND USELESS FACTS
Timothy Spall (The
Damned United) plays Beadle Bamford in the 2007 film SWEENEY TODD: THE
DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. I played the part last October in a
production of it at the Jay County Civic Theater.
Jim Broadbent
(The Damned United) sang the song LIKE A VIRGIN in the 2001 film MOULIN
ROUGE. My Facebook friend Ashley has played that song in bars and
coffee shops where she has been booked.
TWILIGHT FRANCHISE
-Michael Sheen (The Damned United) plays the vampire Aro
-Kristen Stewart (Speak) stars as Bella Swan
Timothy
Spall (The Damned United) plays Rosencrantz in the 1996 film HAMLET.
Steve Zahn (Speak) plays the part in the 2000 version of the film.
Richard
Kiley (The Phenix City Story) plays Richard Bravo in the 1985 tv movie
BAD SEED. My Facebook friend Terry played the part in a version years
ago at Anderson Mainstage Theatre.
Scott Wilson (Junebug) and Timothy Spall (The Damned United) were in the 2003 film THE LAST SAMURAI.
BATMAN FRANCHISE
-Ben McKenzie (Junebug) does the voice for Batman in the animated 2011 film BATMAN: YEAR ONE.
-Pat Hingle (Splendor in the Grass) plays Commissioner Gordon in the 90s live action films
Amy Adams (Junebug) and Timothy Spall (The Damned United) worked together in the 2007 film ENCHANTED.
Tom
Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) and Amy Adams (Junebug) were in the 2007
film CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR and the 2002 film CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.
Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) was a manager to Steve Zahn (Speak) in the 1996 film THAT THING YOU DO!
Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) and Elizabeth Perkins (Speak) are love interests in the 1988 film BIG.
Tom
Hanks (Saving Private Ryan) and John McIntyre (The Phenix City Story)
were in the 1989 film TURNER AND HOOCH which was McIntyre's last film.
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