Welcome to the 305th Edition of my series. I am glad to inform that at
the Anderson Buffalo Wild Wings, the wrestling PPV will be shown. My
petition efforts from last month must have worked. I am right now 0-1
in Fantasy Football. Hopefully this week I can bounce back. SWEENEY
TODD rehearsals are coming along well and I know if I can do this show, I
can do just about anything as difficult a show this is. Now I will get
to the selections for this week.
Beautiful Girls (1996): This
is part four of my four-part Natalie Portman series where I bring some
of her much earlier work. Timothy Hutton stars as Willie who is a piano
player at a crossroads in his life and is returning home to his small
town in Massachusetts to his friends that have their own problems with
life and love. His other guy friends consist of Matt Dillon, Michael
Rapaport, and Noah Emmerich which the movie really focuses on the men.
Some of the women include Lauren Holly, Mira Sorvino, and Uma Thurman.
Rosie O'Donnell is also quite amusing in her role as Gina. Natalie
Portman plays a 13 year old ahead of her time that Willie turns to for
advice. This is a film that many can relate to especially the guys so
don't dismiss the title of this film as a chick flick. It is a
comedy-drama that both sides can enjoy. One thing I found interesting
was a restaurant owner calling his appetizers "apps" which is now a
slang term for applications for a device but this movie used that term
long before the apps we have today. This is available on Instant
Netflix.
Departures (2008): This is my Japanese film for the
week. This is about a cellist named Daigo who becomes unemployed in the
group he was with and takes a job at a funeral home preparing for the
dead. He answered the ad for a place called the movie title believing
it would be a travel job but seeing it was a funeral home. It was a job
that others that he knew, including his pregnant wife, really looked
down upon but Daigo was finding the job rewarding. This was another
very good comedy-drama and this one on the journeys of life and death.
This won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2009.
Buddy
the Gee Man (1935): This is my animated short film for the week which
used the Warner Brothers character Buddy. In this short he is a
detective being sent to a prison to expose the corrupt warden leading to
some musical numbers and some amusing gags. This is mostly for lovers
of classic animation. This can be found on the DVD for the James Cagney
film G MEN.
Battle Hymn (1957): Douglas Sirk directed this war
film which stars Rock Hudson in this true story. Rock plays Colonel
Dean Hess who has a lot of guilt on his mind after inadvertently bombing
a German orphanage in WWII. His guilt leads him to become a minister
but feels he is a failure there as well so rejoins the military in the
Korean War. There he wants to help set up an orphanage for children but
finds that will not be an easy task. This is not the best work for
Sirk and Hudson but still watchable. This is available on Instant
Netflix.
Moonraker (1979): This is my James Bond film for the week coming from
the Roger Moore era of Bond. In this one James Bond, is sent to
investigate a shuttle that has been abducted. He then is lead to Drax
industries who do not have the best intentions in the world. Michael
Lonsdale plays Hugo Drax who has some big plans that are not good and
reminded me of Hitler when watching it where I learned the character was
kind of based on him in terms of his intentions. Lois Chiles is Bond
Girl Holly Goodhead. Richard Kiel also reprises his role as the
invulnerable steel-toothed but clumsy Jaws. I suppose this is a sci-fi
James Bond and is by no means in the best of Bond but still entertains.
The big highlight that is worth watching is the beginning where Bond
must fight a man in the sky for a parachute after being pushed off a
plane. This is available on Instant Netflix.
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004): This is my Canadian film focusing on
fictional Nightclub DJ Frankie Wilde. This is shot like a documentary
even having real-life djs reflect. Paul Kaye plays Frankie Wilde, who
is a very good DJ even after losing his hearing. He also has a lot of
problems with drugs where he disappears into a world of the drugs,
depression and hallucinations. He then tries to learn to adjust without
hearing hoping to make a comeback. This was a pretty good look into
that industry and good independent film.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959): This is to my knowledge the
first film based on the popular novel by Jules Verne. James Mason stars
as Sir Oliver Lindenbrook who leads a group down a volcano in Iceland
hoping to find the title place. Pat Boone plays his assistant Alec
McKuen and even sings a little bit. Arlene Dahl plays Carla who they
reluctantly take in on their journey. The last person on this
exhibition was big man Hans who did any muscular work and had his great
duck with him. James Mason was great for the lead and ended up being
being a well-done film. This is available on Instant Netflix.
The White Ribbon (2009): This is my German film for the week which
takes place during WWI. This takes place in a small village where many
strange events happen and must be investigated to how they are
connected. This is a very hard story to explain. It is not the most
upbeat film of all time but it is beautifully shot in black and white
and moves very well with multiple stories.
The Point (1971): This is another animated selection for the which I
came upon when I was at the library. I remember as a kid watching this a
lot at my Dad's house. This movie takes place in an unusual kingdom
where everyone has a pointed head except for Oblio whose head is more
like our heads. An evil count is then able to convince everyone that he
is an outlaw just because he does not have the same head and is
banished to a place called Pointless Forest. Oblio and his trusted dog
Arrow then go on a journey meeting many colorful characters and learning
that different is okay. This is a good, psychedelic children's story
that shows the price of segregation. Singer Harry Nilsson wrote and
sung a few songs on the soundtrack and even helped write the story.
Former Beatle Ringo Starr narrates this story and does the voice for the
father in the beginning. The voice of Oblio is Mike Lookinland who is
most known as Bobby Brady in THE BRADY BUNCH. This is a movie for the
whole family and does a great job teaching acceptance.
Wendy and Lucy (2008): I end with this independent film which stars
DAWSON'S CREEK alum Michell Williams and directed by Kelly Richardt.
Williams plays the character of Wendy who is living a very difficult
life and wants to go to Alaska for a good job. Things get complicated
though when her car breaks down and other things happen. Lucy is her
dog and best friend but loses the dog when she is arrested on an act of
desperation. She then must figure out a way to get the car fixed and
looks everywhere to find her job. This is a very honest character study
and a movie driven by characters with a good performance from Michelle
carrying a lot of this movie. This movie is available on Instant
Netflix.
Well, that is it for this week, stay tuned for next week which so far includes Dustin Hoffman and many others.
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