Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 385th Edition

 

Welcome to the 385th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is having a good Easter.  It turned out to be a pretty long day for me with my flat tire but I got everything addressed and am home now writing this blog. I just recently started volunteer work at my local library which is the first volunteer experience, besides community theater, I have had since my college days.  It is something I believe I will enjoy.  I'm really ready for that warmer weather to start coming about.  It's gotten nicer but I hear it's supposed to get back into the 40s again but will get back to the 50s.  I suppose we cannot get 80s right now but maybe the 60s or 70s would be nice.  Remember, on April 13th we have an Action Packed Wrestling show in Chesterfield where I will be bringing back a couple wrestlers to the promotion like I did the last show.  As the talent agent of Action Packed Wrestling, I will see to it that I fix everything that is wrong.  I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Choking Man (2006):  I start this week out with this independent film wrote and directed by Steve Barron.  Octavio Gomez Berrios stars as Jorge who is an Ecuadorian dishwasher and extremely shy.  He soon develops a fixation on the new Asian waitress Amy, played by Eugenia Yam, but is constantly tormented by his co-worker Jerry, played by a pre-BREAKING BAD Aaron Paul, and his domineering roommate.  Mandy Patinkin co-stars as the restaurant owner.  This is something that received mixed reactions and while I did not find it great, there were elements I liked.  I did enjoy some of the animation sequences in this movie.  It is also an interesting psychological thriller and something quite different with this unlikely protagonist.  This is available on Instant Netflix and worth a look.

Carnage (2011):  This is part one of a two-part John C. Reilly series and a two-part Jodie Foster series.  Roman Polanski directed this comedy-drama which is based on the play by Yasmina Reza.  This movie centers around two sets of parents who get together do discuss the altercation between their sons.  Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly star as Penelope and Michael Longstreet are the parents to the boy that was injured.  Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz star as Nancy and Alan Cowan who are the parents to the boy that injured the other one.  They have a meeting which starts out as a civil discussion but then escalates into more of an altercation that goes beyond their kids fighting and more about their parenting, lifestyles, and marriage issues.  The four actors were very well cast in this film and do a good job.  It also has some pretty funny moments but also an interesting look about handling the bullying of children.  I would like to see this done as a play sometime.

Summer Hours (2008):  This is my French film for the week which was written and directed by Olivier Assayas.  Edith Scob plays Helene who is 75 years of age and understands she will not be around forever.  She then has her three children over for a visit to discuss what to do with her uncle's art collection and when she dies, they must all decide what they want to do but must also think realistically.  Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, and Jeremie Renier play the three kids.  This is a very good film about family coming together but must be realistic about the future.  This is a pretty touching film and deserves a watch as long as you can watch a movie with subtitles.

The Miracle of Sound (1940):  This is my short film for the week which features MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer showing how sound gets into film.  It then shows a screen test for Greer Garson for BLOSSOMS IN THE DUST.  The rest of this short film features a montage of actors and upcoming films for the year.  One must remember that sound was still on the rise in film since 1927 was the first talkie.  It is also good for any movie buff and is interesting to see in that era how it worked.  Enclosed is a photo of Douglas Shearer who did a lot for sound in movies in this era and takes us into that world.

The Roaring Twenties (1939):  Raoul Walsh directed this gangster film which was more of a statement for veterans who have a hard time finding work especially during the depression which is where this takes place..  James Cagney stars as WWI veteran Eddie Bartlett who is just getting out of the army and expects to get his job back at the auto shop that he had been promised.  When going back there he finds that his position was taken and that his former employer cannot afford to hire him back.  After Eddie cannot find a job, he then takes to a very successful operation which was bootlegging.  Humphrey Bogart co-stars as Eddie's friend George who joins him in bootlegging but becomes one of the problems in  the operation.  This is a much different gangster film for Cagney where in much of his movies, he was straight out ruthless but this one it shows the circumstances of why he joins.  Priscilla Lane, Jeffrey Lynn, and Gladys George all co-star in this film that happened during the Golden Year for film.  This is the year that boasts titles like THE WIZARD OF OZ, GONE WITH THE WIND, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, and many others.  This movie holds up very well and was very enjoyable in my opinion.  This would mark Cagney's last gangster film for ten years as he wanted to look into different roles.

Get Carter (1971):  Mike Hodges directed and wrote the screenplay based on the novel by Ted Lewis and is my British film for the week.  Most probably know the 2000 remake which stars Sylvester Stallone.  This is the original that stars Michael Caine.  Caine stars as British gangster Jack Carter whose brother dies under mysterious circumstances in which he suspects is murder.  He then sets out to investigate his brother's death and will not stop or hold anything back.  This is a pretty violent film and is not for everyone.  I do always enjoy Caine in action films though.  Some may not like it for the way it may glorify a gangster like Carter.  Britt Ekland co-stars in this film as Anna.  This is actually based on a real gangster named Jack Carter that this movie was based upon and was very critical of the movie.

Dumbo (1941):  Now I bring in a more family oriented film that is a Disney classic.  We first meet a stork who is giving animals their children.  Now I'm not sure where this stork concept started but this really emphasizes how it's a stork that delivers babies.  Circus elephant Mrs. Jumbo finally gets her elephant baby who she calls Jumbo Jr.  The elephants of the group are full of women and Jumbo seems to be the only nice one as the others are very judgmental of her baby elephant because of his really big ears.  One of them soon dubs the baby elephant as the title name.  Dumbo soon gets separated from his mother and also finds he does not fit in the circus act with the other elephants.  He soon gets relegated to doing work with the clowns.  He soon meets a very energetic mouse named Timothy who does not judge Dumbo for his ears and tries to help him get to good spirits eventually exposing a pretty cool gift that Dumbo has.  This is a movie that really teaches acceptance and has some pretty funny moments.  There is some crows later in the movie and one even named Jim but they are pretty funny while being a bit stereotypical.  There is also a really good pink elephant sequence.  This is available on Instant Netflix and glad to see more Disney available there now.

Joe Kidd (1972):  This is my western for the week which was directed by John Sturges and written by Elmore Leonard who was more known for his novels made into a movie but this just appears to be a screenplay.  Clint Eastwood stars as the title character who is a former bounty hunter and has a small run in with the law.  John Saxon co-stars as a leader of a Mexican group named Luis Chama whose land claims are denied and burned in a fire which really sets them off.  Robert Duvall plays a wealthy landowner named Frank Harlan who brings in a group of killers to track Chama and wants Joe involved going so far as to paying his legal fines.  He's at first reluctant to join but then Chama does some things that are very unsettling to Joe.  Once joining, he realizes they are not a good group of people.  This is a pretty good Eastwood western and his westerns tend to be my favorite.  This is also available on Instant Netflix.

Peter Gabriel:  New Blood (2011):  This is my concert video for the week which you might have guessed includes Peter Gabriel.  Everyone who knows me well enough knows that I am a big Peter Gabriel fan and is my favorite singer.  I had the pleasure of seeing him in 2003 in concert.  I have just about every cd he has put out and about every live dvd.  This comes from his latest album NEW BLOOD where he makes orchestral arrangements of some of his biggest songs and has an amazing orchestra.  It also includes some of his remakes from the SCRATCH MY BACK albums.  I also own live dvd SHAKING THE TREE and GROWING UP and like those better in terms of her is more active on stage but this has its moments too.  There are a lot of good art work in the background.  I also like that he does not have SLEDGEHAMMER on this one.  I also like on this one that he does his song WALLFLOWER which is not usually performed live and is even better cd versions.  Other singers he has on hand is his daughter Melanie who is very talented in his own right as well as female singer Ane Brun.  Peter Gabriel is someone who is very underrated in my opinion and if people listen to him past SLEDGEHAMMER, they might find they like him the way I do.  I first heard about Peter when I was in middle school or so and started seeing his very interesting videos.  I really took note of him as a singer when I was visiting my dad's house and listening to his DMX which I believe was a satellite radio where I heard his song GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS and then slowly became a full-fledged fan and have never turned back.  I have mostly gotten away from the mainstream music scene and have tastes that flow from Gabriel.  This is a very good live performance and deserves a look.

Hero (2002):  I end this week with this Hong Kong film directed by Yimou Zhang.  Jet Li stars as a nameless assassin in ancient pre-unified China who is looking to assassinate the tyrant ruler, played by Daoming Chan.  To get to this ruler, he must defeat three assassins where they go into flashbacks from different points of view as he tells Emperor Qin the story of how he defeated these assassins.  Donnie Yen, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, and Ziyi Zhang all co-star in this story.  The first time I saw this movie, I did not think a lot of it but then when I watched it a second time, it really stood out for me.  There are a lot of good fight scenes and a great music score.  I found that it is a very well told story with some of Hong Kong's best.  I call this the third of a trilogy which consists of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS and this complements the two very well.  This is based on a true story but could not find enough information to determine if it has any accuracy but a beautiful film either way.

HONORABLE TV MENTION

House of Cards (2013- current):  I decided to include a tv series this week so I included this rather ambitious series.  Kevin Spacey stars as the Majority Whip Frank Underwood who gets passed over for for a position he was promised and looks to manipulate his way to president in modern day Washington D.C.  Kate Mara co-stars as reporter Zoe Barnes who feels she is not getting much respect and forms an unusual alliance with Underwood that benefits her career and his quest in politics.  Robin Wright co-stars as Frank's ambitious wife Claire who is along for the ride.  This had quite an array of directors like David Fincher and Joel Schumacher.  I found that this is a remake of a British mini-series of the same title in 1990.  When this first came out, I expected to see an episode per week but they released the whole season at the same time and was very successful.  This is only available on Instant Netflix and I'm now ready for season two.

Well that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Drew Barrymore, more John C. Reilly, Martin Scorsese, more Jodie Foster and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 384th Edition

Welcome to the 384th Edition of my series.  I have an audition on Tuesday for a paid acting gig at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in the summer called FAIRIES, LIGHTS, and SPRITES so I will give it my all to return to their in hopes of being in this show.  I'm just hoping and praying to see this weather get better but no matter what I will continue to give you these.  Now I will get on with my selections.

Fantasia 2000 (1999):  I start this week out with this updated version of the 1940 Disney classic FANTASIA where this has new animation sequences to go along with classic forms of music including a new one with Donald Duck and shows the most famous segment from the series THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE.  Originally, this was intended to be more of a yearly thing where they would put out different animation sequences but that obviously did not happen and this is a great companion piece to the original with some very good sequences like THE PINES OF ROME, RHAPSODY IN BLUE, and many others.  This version has celebrities like Steve Martin, Angela Lansbury, Penn and Teller, James Earl Jones, among others to introduce us to the sequences which I enjoyed.  It would have been great if they achieved what they set out to do and make this more annual but at this point I don't want one that has a bunch of computer animation.  In this one, they showed that many great things can happen with paper animation and that it still has value.  This along with the original would make a great double feature.

The Ides of March (2011):  Last week I featured THE CANDIDATE which was a more comedic look into a political campaign.  This week, I show this one that is a bit more serious.  George Clooney directed and co-starred in this film based on the play FARRAGUT NORTH by Beau Willimon.  Ryan Gosling stars in this film as an idealistic campaign staffer named Stephen Meyers who is working for Governor Mike Morris, played by George Clooney, who is running for president.  This focuses on them in Ohio trying to win the state.  Stephen believes in Morris until he learns of some possible scandalous issues that makes him question his integrity and his loyalty.  Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Paul Giamatti, and Max Minghella all co-star in this interesting look into one's campaign.  I would like to see theaters looking into getting this as a play.  It's more of a drama but it does not become a political thriller and is really worth a look.

10 Items or Less (2006):  Brad Silberling wrote and directed this independent comedy.  Morgan Freeman plays an actor who is preparing for an upcoming role.  He ends up in a small-town grocery store where he meets a quirky cashier named Scarlet, played by Paz Vega, and form an unexpected friendship.  When Freeman's ride does not show up, they strike up a road trip where he helps Scarlet with a job interview.  This is a pretty good buddy comedy with the two mismatched actors working very well together.  Jonah Hill, Bobby Cavanagh, Anne Dudek, and Jim Parsons all have cameo appearances to keep this film going.  What I like about this movie is the well-written dialogue and how the two main characters come to understand each others background more.

One Who Came Back (1951):  This is my documentary short for the week.  This features a US Army Corporal named George Kritzman who recounts a combat wounding during the Korean War.  This makes mention of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital which might be the first mention of the group.  Kritzman recounts going from hospital to hospital but wanting to get back to his family.  This is a pretty good look at the account of a soldier.

Naughty Marietta (1935):  This is my musical for the week which is the first vehicle for the duo Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.  MacDonald plays a rebellious French princess named Marie who is about to be forced to marry so runs away and forms a different identity.  She then ends up at Colonial New Orleans and soon meets Captain Richard Warrington, played by Eddy. They are a very mismatched couple with different values but slowly fall in love but things are complicated when the royal family is looking for Marie.  Frank Morgan and Elsa Lanchester co-star and are very amusing in their parts.  This is a pretty decent musical from this era that is not as fluffy as many musicals from that era making me enjoy this one more than others I have seen.  This has some pretty good action scenes and good music numbers.

Slap Shot (1977):  George Roy Hill directed this raunchy hockey comedy.  Paul Newman stars as Reggie Dunlop who is a player/coach for a minor league hockey team called the Charlestown Chiefs.  They are a losing team and things do not get better when the local mill closes and the team is in danger of folding.  Dunlop does not want to let this team go and finds success becoming a "goon" team becoming very violent which the fans love.  His big acquisition to get this violent team going is the Hanson Brothers, played by Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson, and David Hanson, who look to inflict as much violence possible.  Dunlop also starts a rumor that they are negotiating with someone in Florida to buy the team which keeps the team motivated.  The team is becoming more popular and successful than ever but at what cost?  Strother Martin, Jennifer Warren, Lindsey Crouse, and Jerry Houser all co-star.  This is a very fun one to watch.  Many years later they came out with many straight to video sequels which I have never watched and I don't see them matching the greatness of this one.  Also for you ECW fans out there, keep in mind that the Dudley Boys were inspired by the Hanson Brothers in this movie.  I believe this is some underrated Paul Newman that needs more exposure and is available to watch on Instant Netflix as well as the sequels.

Kit Carson (1940):  This is my western for the week which focuses on the real-life frontiersman.  Jon Hall plays the title character who along with his men join Captain John C. Fremont, played by Dana Andrews, on his way to California.  They initiate a plan to free California from Mexican control but are subject to some Indian attacks.  Lynn Bari co-stars as Delores Murphy who becomes a love interest to Carson.  There is a lot of action in this western and like any western, especially from this era, they take a lot of dramatic license though from what I research a lot is pretty accurate like his fights with the Indians.  Ward Bond and Clayton Moore co-star in this western.  I really did not know much background on Kit Carson but find he is a rather interesting historical figure and this movie does a pretty good job portraying him.

Big Miracle (2012):  This is my inspirational movie for the week and is a true story that happened in a small town in Alaska during the Reagan administration.  THE OFFICE alum John Krasinski stars as reporter Adam Carlson who stumbles upon three whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.  When putting this story out, his ex-girlfriend Rachel, played by Drew Barrymore, decides to join him.  Rachel is an animal activist who is determined to save these whales which were named Fred, Wilma, and Bam-Bam.  In this, the whole community comes together hoping to save these whales.  One of the things that interested me is the motives.  There were some politicians who did not to help but gave in for PR reasons and the competition among the reporters to get the story.  CHEERS alum Ted Danson, VERONICA MARS alum Kristen Bell, Tim Blake Nelson, PICKET FENCES alum Kathy Baker, NEWS RADIO alum Stephen Root, Vinessa Shaw, John Michael Higgins, Dermot Mulroney, and Bruce Altman all co-star.  I really enjoyed this one and is good for the family.

Foxy Brown (1974):  So I go from an inspirational film to one that is not so inspirational nor is it one you want want to have for the family.  This is my Blaxploitation film for the week that stars Pam Grier as the title character.  The story centers around her government agent boyfriend who is murdered and Foxy is out for some revenge against a group lead by Miss Katherine, played by Kathryn Loder, who puts on a front as a modeling agency.  Foxy then goes on the inside to seek revenge.  This movie holds nothing back.  It has some pretty extreme violence and is very politically incorrect.  Grier is very good as the title character which made me enjoy the movie.  Like many movies of the genre, the black people are usually the good guys and most of the white people in the movie are white making for some reverse racism I guess you would call it.  Sid Haig co-stars in this film.  If this sounds like something you would want to watch, it is available on Instant Netflix.

Daddy Longlegs (2009):  I end this edition with this independent film written and directed by Ben and Joshua Safdie.  Ronald Bronstein stars as Lenny who gets his two sons for a couple weeks but is a very irresponsible single father and puts them in dangerous situations.  Lenny does whatever possible to make his time with the kids memorable but must juggle his job and other parts of his life.  The plot I described is about as far as I can go without really giving too much away.  It is a very interesting look at single fatherhood and his obvious lack of experience in that department.  The Safdies apparently based this movie on their childhood with the father.  There was a lot of mixed opinions upon this film and while not great, I still found it to be quite interesting effort.  Maybe people's reasons are that Lenny really has no fatherly instincts and does stupid things but this could be a realistic interpretation even if one may not like what they see.  Bronstein does a pretty good job as Lenny and portrays him where he is not hated, just someone who does not have responsibility no matter how much he tries.  Real-life brothers Sage and Frey Ranaldo play his kids and give a good authentic brother portrayal.  I feel it is worth a look.

Well, that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Mandy Patinkin, Kate Winslet, Juliette Binoche, James Cagney, Michael Caine, Jet Li, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

Steve Martin (Fantasia 2000) plays Dr. Orin Scrivello D.D.S. in the 1986 musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.  My Facebook friend Sean played the part in a Muncie Civic Theater production at Muncie Civic Theater.

Steve Martin (Fantasia 2000) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) were in the 1992 movie LEAP OF FAITH.

Steve Martin (Fantasia 2000) and Melinda Dillon (Slap Shot) had cameos in the 1979 film THE MUPPET MOVIE.

Steve Martin (Fantasia 2000) and M. Emmet Walsh (Slap Shot) were in the 1979 comedy THE JERK.

Steve Martin (Fantasia 2000), Bruce Altman (Big Miracle) and John Krasinski (Big Miracle) were in the 2009 comedy IT'S COMPLICATED. 

Bette Midler (Fantasia 2000) and Danny Devito (10 Items or Less) were in the 2000 movie DROWNING MONA.

Bette Midler (Fantasia 2000) plays Rose Hovick in the 1993 tv movie GYPSY.  My Facebook friend Joanne played the part in the musical GYPSY at the Anderson Mainstage Theatre.

Bette Midler (Fantasia 2000) and Marisa Tomei (The Ides of March) were in the 2012 comedy PARENTAL GUIDANCE.

Bette Midler (Fantasia 2000) and Vinessa Shaw (Big Miracle) were in the 1993 witch comedy HOCUS POCUS.

James Earl Jones (Fantasia 2000) plays Genie in the 1986 episode of FAERIE TALE THEATRE called ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP.  My Facebook friend Ben played Genie in a production of ALADDIN at The Artist's Studio which was in Fishers, Indiana.

James Earl Jones (Fantasia 2000) and Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) were in the 2005 animated movie ROBOTS.

Angela Lansbury (Fantasia 2000) plays Mrs. Lovett in the original Broadway production of SWEENEY TODD:  THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET.  My Facebook Friend Linda played the part in a 2011 production at Jay County Civic Theater where I played Beadle Bamford.

George Clooney (The Ides of March) and Drew Barrymore (Big Miracle) are in the 2002 film CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND.

George Clooney (The Ides of March) and Tim Blake Nelson (Big Miracle) escaped prison to pursue a hidden treasure in the 2000 film O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU.  Stephen Root (Big Miracle) also appears as the radio station man.

George Clooney (The Ides of March) and Michael Ontkean (Slap Shot) are in the 2011 film THE DESCENDANTS.

George Clooney (The Ides of March), Stephen Root (Big Miracle), and John Krasinski (Big Miracle) are in the 2008 film LEATHERHEADS.

BATMAN FRANCHISE
-George Clooney (The Ides of March) plays Batman in the 1997 movie BATMAN AND ROBIN.
-Morgan Freeman (10 Items or Less) plays Lucius Fox who helps Bruce Wayne with much of his costume and other things in the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
-Danny DeVito (10 Items or Less) plays the Penguin in the 1992 film BATMAN RETURNS.
-Drew Barrymore (Big Miracle) plays Sugar which was one of Two-Face's girls in the 1995 film BATMAN FOREVER.
-Stephen Root (Big Miracle) voices villains like the Penguin and Killer Croc in the animated series BATMAN:  THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.
-John Michael Higgins (Big Miracle) voices the Riddler in the animated series BATMAN:  THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) and Jonah Hill (10 Items or Less) were in the 2011 film MONEYBALL.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) and Paul Newman (Slap Shot) were in the 1994 film NOBODY'S FOOL.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March) and Melinda Dillon (Slap Shot) were in the 1999 film MAGNOLIA.

Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) and Ted Danson (Big Miracle) were in the 1998 film SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) and Bobby Cavanale (10 Items or Less) were in the 2011 film WIN WIN.

Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) and Danny Devito (10 Items or Less) were in the 1999 film MAN ON THE MOON.

Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) and Swoosie Kurtz (Slap Shot) were in the 1994 film SINGLES.

Paul Giamatti (The Ides of March) and Sid Haig (Foxy Brown) were rivals in the 2009 animated film THE HAUNTED WORLD OF EL SUPERBEASTO.

Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March) will be playing my friend Ashley in my biopic THE RISE AND FALL OF SHAUN BERKEY.

Evan Rachel Wood (The Ides of March) and Stephen Root (Big Miracle) have both had stints on the HBO vampire series TRUE BLOOD and both were vampires.

Bobby Cannavale (10 Items or Less) and Paul Newman (Slap Shot) are part of the alumni of the Lee Strasberg acting institute.

Jim Parsons (10 Items or Less) and John Krasinski (Big Miracle) had cameos in the 2011 film THE MUPPETS.

Rhea Perlman (10 Items or Less) and Ted Danson (Big Miracle) both starred in the hit sitcom CHEERS.

Jonah Hill (10 Items or Less) and Kristen Bell (Big Miracle) were in the 2008 film FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL.

Morgan Freeman (10 Items or Less) and John Michael Higgins (Big Miracle) are in the 2007 comedy FUN WITH DICK AND JANE.

Frank Morgan (Naughty Marietta) played both the gatekeeper and the wizard in the 1939 film THE WIZARD OF OZ.  My Facebook friend Gary played the Gatekeeper and my other Facebook friend Russ played the Wizard/Professor Marvel in a 2006 version at Muncie Civic Theater.

Drew Barrymore (Big Miracle) and Antonio Fargas (Foxy Brown) were in the 1984 horror film FIRESTARTER.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 383rd Edition

Welcome to the 383rd Edition of my series.  I hope you've all had a good St. Patrick's Day.  Next week, my friends Ashley and Stephen return for one night only and play at the Folly Moon from 7-8 so come on out if you can.  I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012):  I start this week off with one of the most successful films from the year which was directed by David O. Russell and adapted from a Matthew Quick novel.  Bradley Cooper stars as former teacher Pat Solitano Jr. who has just been released from a mental institution for his bi-polar disorder and beating up the lover of his wife Nikki who has since put a restraining order on him.  He moves back with his parents and tries to reconnect with them and hopes to reconnect with his wife.  Robert De Niro is great as his football crazed father and Jacki Weaver is good as his mother.  In his hoping to reconnect with his wife, he meets a girl named Tiffany, played very well by Jennifer Lawrence, through some of his friends and form a bit of a love/hate relationship.  Tiffany has issues of her own but together, they begin to help each other making Pat see things a bit different.  Cooper appears to finally be getting out of his HANGOVER typecast in this very good performance.  Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Dash Mihok, among others co-star in this well-done independent film.  Going into this, I honestly did not really know what to expect or what the movie was really about but really liked it.  I liked that it took place in Philadelphia after I had visited there last summer and plan to visit again this summer.  I also liked Tucker more than I have in a more toned down role.  The acting, story, and characters made this a great watch for me and feel it has deserved all the awards it has been given.

Marley and Me (2008):  This is part two of my Jennifer Aniston series.  Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston star as John and Jennifer Grogan who when we first see them have just gotten married.  John is advised to get his wife a dog in order to stall her "biological clock" so he does just that and gets a dog they call Marley.  They find this dog has no self-discipline and have a very hard time controlling the dog, even when he becomes fully grown.  John works for a newspaper and becomes a columnist and is able to use the antics of Marley for his new column which becomes very entertaining to readers.  The couple soon begins having kids and having a family where while Marley is wild, he is still very loving to the family.  This is more a portrait about a family through the years where the dog is a part of that family and it focuses on the ups and downs of real-life.  I really did not know what to expect but I really liked this movie and is a good family movie that can teach everyone the value of family.  Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, and Alan Arkin co-star in this movie.  I did not know until afterwords that this is based on a true story and based on a book by the real John Grogan.  It is also interesting and accidental that both of my movies are at least partly filmed in Philadelphia.

Che (2008):  This is part two of my two-part Julia Ormond series in which she plays interviewer Lisa Howard.  This is two-part film that focuses on Argentine doctor Ernesto "Che" Guevara which was directed by Steven Soderbergh.  This focuses mostly on him and Fidel Castro, played by Demian Bichir, who lead a military effort to overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.  Benicio Del Toro plays Guevara and does a very good job.  He portrays a man who really believes in the cause and will do whatever he can to see that it happens which make him very revered as well as reviled through the years.  This is based on writings Che which include REMINISCENCES OF A CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR and something called BOLIVIAN DIARY.  Franka Potente, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Lou Diamond Philips, and Matt Damon all have parts in this rather compelling biopic  Through the years Guevara has gone onto being quite the pop-culture icon as a revolutionary with that iconic photo that people use and even parody with other things.  He is seen by many as a freedom fighter.  Others will dismiss his hero ways and consider him more of an executioner than anything.  This is in some ways from the point of view of Guevara as it was based on his writings and portrays him as human and really believes in his cause so people can take it how they want.  Both parts are available on Instant Netflix and they are borth a little over two hours each so about four and a half hours total but be aware that they are mostly English subtitles.  Del Toro was the perfect casting and worth a look.

Hoppy-Go Lucky (1952):  This is my animation short for the week which feature Sylvester the Cat and his bigger cat friend Benny who always refers to Sylvester as George.  Benny is determined to get a mouse as as a pet and wants Sylvester to get it for him.  He soon encounters the Hippety Hopper who he believes is a giant mouse but is really a kangaroo.  Sylvester makes many unsuccessful attempts so Benny tries on his own but is not much more successful.  These characters are based on the characters George and Lennie from the Steinbeck novel OF MICE AND MEN and if you have read the book or seen any film or play adaptations it really shows here.  I don't really know much background on the Benny character since we all know Sylvester would go onto being one of the main characters.  This was a very funny short that is well worth a watch.  It is something that can be found on youtube.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963):  This is my Italian movie for the week directed by Mario Bava.  Leticia Roman plays a tourist named Nora whose vacation takes a turn for the worst when she witnesses a murder which is suspected to be from a serial killer called the Alphabet Killer.  At first, no one believes her because the body was not found but is determined to get to the truth.  John Saxon co-stars as Dr. Bassi who comes to believe Nora and helps her investigate the murders.  This is the start of the Giallo films and is a great start.  Giallo is a very significant part of the horror genre and Bava was one of the best.  This is a very intriguing and well-done film available on Instant Netflix.

Our Hospitality (1923):  This is my silent comedy for the week which stars Buster Keaton who also co-directed.  Keaton stars as Willie McKay has lived in the city for many years due to a family feud that his mother did not want him to be part of but returns to claim his estate.  When returning he meets a woman who turns out to be one of the Canfields which his family has feuded with for years and puts his life in danger by the men in her family.  This is an obvious jab at the real-life Hatfield and McCoy name and a not so subtle renaming of the families. This is a great satire and in my opinion Keaton's best movie.  He performed some pretty extreme stunts like the waterfall scene.  This movie is available on Instant Netflix and is a must for any silent movie buff and is a comedy that many can enjoy.

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003):  This is part two of my two-part Johnny Depp series.  Robert Rodriguez directed this which is the third part of his "Mariachi" trilogy.  In 1992, he directed the Mexican independent film EL MARIACHI which starred Carlos Gallardo as the title character who is mistaken for an assassin who carries a guitar full of guns and shows how the mariachi becomes who he becomes.  The next one came in 1995 and you may know that as DESPERADO which Antonio Banderas takes over the role and possible what got him the mainstream exposure here in the United States.  In this one, Banderas reprises his role as the assassin.  This takes place in both the modern era and flashbacks from El Mariachi.  In this one, he is hired by a corrupt CIA agent named Sands, played by Johnny Depp, to go after a powerful drug lord.  In some ways, this is my guilty pleasure as this movie has some pretty good stylized shooting scenes.  One of the problems is there is less focus on the main character and more on Sands.  That being said, Depp is a lot of fun as the psychotic cop who always has his own motives for doing things.  Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Willem Dafoe, Enrique Iglesias, and many others.  While I liked the first couple better, this was still a lot of fun and always enjoy it when I see Mickey Rourke who always had his chihuahua with him.  This is a good way to end a  good trilogy and this one is available on instant Netflix but don't overlook the first two movies in the trilogy.

Bedtime for Bonzo (1951):  I found this at my local library and it is something my Dad likes so decided to give it a shot.  Our former president Ronald Reagan stars as Professor Peter Boyd who is engaged to be married to the dean's daughter, played by Lucille Barkley.  The dean becomes really uneasy about this arrangement when finding out that his father was a habitual criminal.  He then decides to take in a lab chimp named Bonzo in an experiment to prove that it is the environment that affects the reaction to right and wrong.  Diana Lynn co-stars as Jane who is hired as the housekeeper and to be the mother figure to Bonzo.  This is a very fun movie and possibly Reagan's best in his film career.  This actually became more popular during Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign and is at least worth a look.

The Candidate (1972):  I figured this political satire would be fitting for the times we are having.  Michael Ritchie directed this film and Jeremy Larner wrote the Oscar winning screenplay.  Robert Redford stars as attorney Bill McKay who always fights for the everyday people.  He is the son of a former politician, played by Melvyn Douglas, and is soon asked to run for senate in a race where he does not stand a chance nor do they intend for him to win.  With this, he is under the understanding that he can handle the campaign in his own way and unexpectedly begins to win over more and more people with his ideals.  This is a formula that most notably started with the 1939 classic MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON where a more everyday, idealistic person gets to be a politician and portray that person that we all want in office.  This movie does a very good job with it and Redford is really good as Bill.  Peter Boyle, Karen Carlson, and Allen Garfield co-star in this well-written political comedy.

X-Men (2000):  I end with this Marvel film.  Bryan Singer directed this superhero film which in some ways started a resurgence in this genre, especially with Marvel.  I watched that cartoon some on tv when I was a kid after school and admit this was the only real exposure I ever had of them so I cannot judge this movie based on the comic book.  This movie is more of an introduction movie where we first meet Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, and Rogue, played by TRUE BLOOD star Anna Paquin, who are a couple loners and mutants trying to figure themselves out and have a chance encounter.  Unexpected circumstances lead them to a private mutant academy where they meet the X-Men and find their identity.  One of the main ideas about this movie is that it takes place in a world where there are humans and mutants which are people who have special powers.  In this world, the mutants are quite feared by the humans who fear the unknown.  The main characters that are X-men in this one are its leader Professor Charles Xavier, played by STAR TREK alum Patrick Stewart, Cyclops, played by James Marsden, Storm, played by Halle Berry, Jean Grey, played by Famke Janssen, and the two I mentioned.  Xavier is determined to win over the humans and co-exist with them but his team is being challenged by his former friend Magneto, played by Ian McKellan, and his guys which mainly consist of Sabretooth, played by Tyler Mane, Mystique, played by Rebecca Romijn, and Toad, played by Ray Park.  This is the movie which made Hugh Jackman famous in America who was perfect in terms of his looks and personality to be Wolverine.  The other casting choices were pretty good as well.  It then leads up into a good climax in the statue of liberty.  I have heard that these characters were created by Stan Lee as a statement against segregation which may very well be true.  There were some X-men characters that appear in more minor roles, some of which have bigger parts in the sequels.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Steve Martin, Maris Tomei, Morgan Freeman, Paul Newman, Drew Barrymore, Pam Grier, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 382nd Edition

Welcome to the 382nd Edition of my series. On April 13th, we have a wrestling show for Action Packed Wrestling in Chesterfield, IN at the Mill Creek Civic Center.  I recently obtained some flyers and for the first time due to my new persona in the promotion, my name got put on the flyer which was really cool to me.  For years, I have been the ring announcer for a few promotions which I have always enjoyed but in this promotion we developed a character for me which really got me over with the crowd.  I see this as a new acting opportunity and I would love it if people could come check this show out.  Last week, when I was at my Dad's house and he was reading this he suggested that I include pictures so I did just that this week.  I'm still learning the process.  Now onto my recommendations for the week.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008):  This is part one of a two-part Julia Ormond series.  I start the week out with this film which was directed by David Fincher and based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Eric Roth wrote the screenplay.  We start this movie in the modern era where an aging Daisy Williams, played by Cate Blanchett, is on her deathbed and asks her daughter Caroline, played by Julia Ormond in the modern era, to read the diary of her friend of the title character.  In these scenes, Blanchett is nearly unrecognizable as the much older version of her character and did a great job of playing the character through the years.  The story of Benjamin Button, played very well by Brad Pitt, begins where he was born into an old man but then grows younger and younger.  Daisy is a friend of him throughout his life and eventually form a relationship but it becomes complicated because of his getting younger.  Tilda Swinton, Elias Koteas, Taraji P. Henson, Jason Flemying, among others co-star in this film.  This went onto a lot of acclaim but still gets very mixed opinions.  I thought it was a very beautifully told story with very good performances.  It is also a more toned down film for Fincher and his first movie to be rated PG-13 after having many R-rated films.  This movie is slow paced so if it's a lot of action you want, this is not it. This is a very moving and emotional story for those who want that type of film.

Live from Baghdad (2002):  This is my HBO movie for the week which is based on a group of CNN reporters in Iraq during the Gulf War.  Michael Keaton stars as reporter Robert Wiener who takes a group of reporters with him to Iraq after their invasion of Kuwait and before the war officially started.  Wiener is very daring and looks to get an interview with Saddam Hussein while considering journalistic ethics.  Helena Bonham Carter, Lili Taylor, Bruce McGill, David Suchet, among others co-star in this film.  I really liked Carter's more toned down performance in this movie and Keaton played the part of Wiener very well.  This movie takes a good look at getting the story they are looking to get and the competition among other networks in their attempt to get the story.  This is based on a book by the real-life Robert Wiener who also helped write the script.

Horrible Bosses (2011):  This is part one of a Jennifer Aniston two-part series.  This is my workplace comedy for the week that I'm sure many have at least thought the things that were being thought but never put forth a plan.  ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT alum Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis are three good friends and are have a very unhappy situation at work where their bosses are not very good.   Jason Bateman plays Nick and works for a corporation and expected a promotion from his boss, played by Kevin Spacey, but the boss puts himself in the position.  Charlie Day plays Dale who is a dental hygienist and his female boss, played by FRIENDS alum Jennifer Aniston, who is very conniving and makes unwanted advances at Dale then finds ways to blackmail him.  Jason Sudeikis plays Kurt who works a factory job and was liking it until his boss, played by Donald Sutherland, died and his incompetent son, played by Colin Farrell, takes over.  They each have reasons that they cannot just quit and come up with hypothetical reasons to kill their bosses.  They soon hire a murder consultant, played by Jamie Foxx, to help them. Ioan Gruffudd has a rather amusing cameo.  Julie Bowen, Ron White, and Bob Newhart also have parts in this comedy.  This is by no means for everyone and is very politically incorrect but was a very fun comedy.  I really enjoyed Aniston in her stepping out of her comfort zone in her villainous role as a mean dentist who shows that Sexual Harassment can be done on both sides.  This is a pretty well-done comedy and made me laugh all the way through.

Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land (1931):  This is my animated short for the week which was one of the "Censored 11" and this cartoon was wrong on many levels.  First, we have a Mickey Mouse knockoff named Piggy who has a lot of resemblance and the cartoon on many levels resembled Disney's STEAMBOAT WILLIE.  There was also a character named Uncle Tom so there were some moments of racism but that was nothing new from that era.  This is one for entertainment purposes and classic cartoon short buffs.  In looking up this character Piggy, I find this is a very short-lived character and likely Looney Tunes trying to take a stab at Mickey Mouse.  I found this on my Pub-D-Hub app on my Roku player which plays public domain material.

Mad Monster Party (1967):  This is an animated monster parody which was made coming off the success of stop-animation shows like RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and FROSTY THE SNOWMAN.  This was a stop-animation show which brought all the classic monsters together like Dracula, the Mummy, the Creature of Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and many others.  Boris Karloff provides the voice for Dr. Frankenstein who is about to announce his retirement from the monster making business and from the board.  He soon names his nephew Felix as his successor causing friction among the monsters and Frankenstein's assistant Francesca.  Phyllis Diller voices the part for the monster's mate and Allen Swift provides many of the voices for the male characters including Felix which is an obvious James Stewart impersonation and Frankenstein's henchman which was an obvious Peter Lorre impersonation but both were very funny.  This is a very fun monster parody that would be great for October but still fun nonetheless.

Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955):  I now focus on a story on forbidden love.  Jennifer Jones stars as Dr. Han Suyin who is a Eurasian doctor who meets a newsman named Mark Elliot, played by William Holden, who is a war correspondent in Hong Kong.  Mark begins to pursue her and slowly they fall in love, they find that their friends do not like the idea of a cross-cultural relationship.  Jennifer Jones plays someone who is half European and half Asian so I saw some believability and accepted that she was not Asian but she was good in the movie.  The cinematography in this film is quite good and it is a pretty moving and complex story that is more than just the love story mentioned.  William Holden is always watchable for and is good in this movie.  This is actually based on a true story from an autobiography by Dr. Han Suyin.  It was interesting to read that the two leads did not get along very well but worked well enough together to hide it.  This is one that I would not mind seeing remade if done by the right people and have an actual Asian in the lead female role but this movie is still good and is available on Instant Netflix.

Fallen Angel (1945):  This is my film noir for the week.  Otto Preminger directed this film which stars Dana Andrews as a con man named Eric who makes his way to a small town who becomes interested in a waitress named Stella, played by Linda Darnell, who does not seem to have much interest and believes that if he has more money, she would take more interest in him.  He soon meets a woman named June Mills, played by Alice Faye, who takes an interest in him much to the dismay of her sister, played by Anne Revere.  Things heat up when a local murder happens.  If I talk to much about this movie, I would probably be giving a lot away.  I have found that my favorite genre from this era seems to be the Film Noir, especially those from 20th Century Fox.  These movies were always quite realistic and much darker than most from that era.  They also for the time did quite a bit of pushing the envelope.  This is a very well done film with people who may be unknown today but still have a lot of talent.  This is a must for those into this genre.

American Experience:  Annie Oakley (2006):  This is an episode of the PBS documentary series and one on famed sharpshooter and wild west icon Annie Oakley.  This is about an hour long but was very informative.  I never really knew a lot about Oakley except for a biopic of her from the 30s and working backstage for the musical ANNIE GET YOUR GUN years ago.  I knew some basic things like her relationship with Frank Butler, her nearly flawless shooting abilities, and she was a big part of the Buffalo Bill Wild West show.  This goes into her difficult childhood and even her retirement years which I did not know anything about.  A couple weeks ago I featured an episode on Eugene O'Neill and after seeing this one,  I'm liking this show more and more.  This is a very informative documentary on the wild west legend.

The Story of Jacob and Joseph (1974):  This is another tv movie for the week and is my biblical movie for the week.  This kind of shows two stories.  Keith Mitchell stars as Jacob who cheats his brother Esau, played by Julian Glover, out of his birthright through a scheme with his mother who favors Jacob.  Jacob soon must flee and then gets cheated himself in his years in exile and must make amends.  He soon has a few sons, one of which was Joseph, played by Tony Lo Bianco, who is then betrayed by his jealous brothers and sold into slavery.  This second story you'll see resembles that very popular musical JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and this is a more dramatized version of it.  While Joseph is in slavery, he wins over the Egyptian pharaoh, played by Joseph Shiloach, and becomes prime minister of Egypt only to the pharaoh.  I got this as a dvd from the library and decided to give it a shot and it is not bad for a tv movie.  It is also a pretty well-told biblical story and worth a watch especially those who are religious.

Benny and Joon (1993):   This is part one of a two-part Johnny Depp series..  Aidan Quinn and Mary Stuart Masterson star as the title characters who are brother and sister.  Benny is a car mechanic who devotes himself to taking care of his sister Joon who is mentally ill but also struggles.  Joon has a mental illness but is very artistic.  Under unusual circumstances, they take in an eccentric man named Sam, played by Johnny Depp.  Sam is a very unusual person who is inspired by the actions of Buster Keaton and has rather unorthodox ways of cooking and housekeeping.  He soon connects with Joon which becomes hard for Benny to handle.  Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, THE SHIELD alum CCH Pounder, Dan Hedaya, and William H. Macy all co-star.  This is a really good love story that is far more than a love story.  Depp is great in this role and it made me realize more and more how much better I like Johnny Depp in the 90s.  Masterson also puts on a good performance with her and Depp working very well together.  This is a beautiful film with great characters that deserves a watch.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Cate Blanchett, more Jennifer Aniston,, more Julia Ormond, Mario Bava, Buster Keaton, more Johnny Depp, Ronald Reagan, Robert Redford, Anna Paquin, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button director) directed Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Helena Bonham Carter (Live From Baghdad) in the 1999 film FIGHT CLUB.

Michael Keaton (Live From Baghdad) was considered for the part of Jack Sparrow in the 2003 film PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:  CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL which would ultimately go to Johnny Depp (Benny and June). 

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button director) directed Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Kevin Spacey (Live From Baghdad) in the 1995 film SE7EN where they were on opposite sides of the law and have quite a showdown.

Helena Bonham Carter (Live From Baghdad) and Johnny Depp (Benny and Joon) have worked together many times, mostly under director Tim Burton.

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button director) directed the first two episodes of the tv series HOUSE OF CARDS which stars Kevin Spacey (Horrible Bosses) and co-stars Mahershala Ali (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).  This tv series is only available on Instant Netflix and is a great series so if you have it, this would be good to support and if you do not have Netflix, maybe consider starting with the free sample they give and consider it at least for instant programming.

Lili Taylor (Live From Baghdad) and Johnny Depp (Benny and Joon) were in the 2009 film PUBLIC ENEMIES.

David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button director) directed Elias Koteas (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and John Carroll Lynch (Live From Baghdad) in the 2007 film ZODIAC.

Lili Taylor (Live From Baghdad) and Aidan Quinn (Benny and Joon) both studied acting at the Piven Theater Workshop.

Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) was considered for the part of Clarice Starling in the 2001 movie HANNIBAL which would ultimately go to Julianne Moore (Benny and Joon).

Paul Guifoyle (Live From Baghdad) and Kevin Spacey (Horrible Bosses) were in the 1997 film L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.

Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) was in a 1988 episode of 21 JUMP STREET which starred Johnny Depp (Benny and Joon)

Hamish Linklater (Live From Baghdad) guest starred in some episodes of the tv series THE BIG C which stars Laura Linney (American Experience)

Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses) were married for over five years and appeared in some episodes of the tv series FRIENDS which starred Aniston.

John Carroll Lynch (Live From Baghdad) and Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2011 alien comedy PAUL.

Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Aidan Quinn (Benny and Joon) are brothers in the 1994 film LEGENDS OF THE FALL and fight for Julia Ormond (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).

Michael Keaton (Live from Baghdad) and Lindsey Sloane (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2010 film THE OTHER GUYS.

Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) plays Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the 2003 movie THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.  Boris Karloff (Mad Monster Party) played the parts in the 1953 movie ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE.  Allen Swift (Mad Monster Party) voices the duel personality in this week's feature MAD MONSTER PARTY.

Michael Murphy (Live From Baghdad) and Donald Sutherland (Horrible Bosses) were in the 1970 film MASH.

Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Johnny Depp were in the 2001 film FROM HELL.

Hamish Linklater (Live From Baghdad) and Ioan Gruffudd (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2005 film FANTASTIC FOUR.

Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2001 movie ROCK STAR.

Colin Farrell (Horrible Bosses) and Johnny Depp (Benny and Joon) were both "Imaginarium Tonys" in the 2009 film THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS.

Jared Harris (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) is shot by Lili Taylor (Live from Baghdad) in the 1996 film I SHOT ANDY WARHOL.  They also worked together in the 2005 film THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE.

Michael Keaton (Live From Baghdad) and Julie Bowen (Horrible Bosses) were in the 1996 film MULTIPLICITY.

Bruce McGill (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Ioan Gruffudd (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2008 film W.

Kevin Spacey (Horrible Bosses) and Phyllis Diller were in the 1998 animated movie A BUG'S LIFE.

Jared Harris (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Johnny Depp (Benny and Joon) are in the 1995 film DEAD MAN.

John Carradine (Fallen Angel) played Dracula many times, most notably in 1945 film HOUSE OF DRACULA.  Allen Swift (Mad Monster Party) voiced the role in this week's feature MAD MONSTER PARTY.

Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) plays outlaw Jesse James in the 2007 film THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD.  Colin Farrell (Horrible Bosses) plays James in the 2001 movie AMERICAN OUTLAWS.  Who can guess which of the two movies I like the best?

Laura Linney (American Experience) and Kevin Spacey (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2003 film THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE.

Cate Blanchett (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Colin Farrell (Horrible Bosses) were in the 2003 film VERONICA GUERIN.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 381st Edition

Welcome to the 381st Edition of my series.  Glad for it to finally be March now and look forward to the weather getting better.  I'm not really going to get too much into my thoughts on the Academy Awards so I will now get on with my selections.

Out of Sight (1998):  I start the week out with this comedy-drama based on the novel by Elmore Leonard and directed by Steven Soderbergh.  George Clooney stars as career bank robber Jack Foley who escapes from a jail with the help of his partner in crime Buddy, played by Ving Rhames.  To make things complicated, US Marshall Karen Sisco, played by Jennifer Lopez, happens to be near the area and gets kidnapped in the process.  Jack and her soon take a bit of a liking to each other despite being on different sides of the law and making their jobs a lot more complicated.  Jack is looking to do one more robbery but has other rivals on his trail while forming his unusual relationship with Karen.  Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, Catherine Keener, Dennis Farina, Albert Brooks, and Luis Guzman co-stars.  There are also uncredited cameos from Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson.  I enjoyed this this movie and felt it did Leonard justice.  I credit Elmore Leonard a lot for getting me through high school when we had to read so many pages of a book each semester and he was the author I chose the most and one that I actually wanted to read which I have never really been much of a reader.  Later, there was a short-lived series called KAREN SISCO which starred Carla Gugino which was very good but unfortunately did not get the viewers.  Clooney was fun as Jack who was very charming as the robber and one of Lopez's better movies.  This movie is available on Instant Netflix.

Sideways (2004):  This is part two of my two-part Paul Giamatti series.  Alexander Payne directed this independent film.  Giamatti stars as Miles who is hoping to get a novel published and still not over his marriage.  Thomas Haden Church stars as his friend Jack who is a television actor just about to get married but does not remain very faithful.  Together they go on a road trip into some wine tastings.  In the process, they meet a couple women.  GREY'S ANATOMY alum Sandra Oh plays Stephanie who takes a liking to Jack not knowing that he will soon be married.  Virginia Madsen plays Maya who really likes Miles and who Jack is trying to get him closer.  This movie is more character driven than anything where Miles and Jack learn a lot about themselves and must deal with the consequences of their actions.  There were some pretty funny moments within serious situations.  The four leads were very good in their performances.  This is not a family film and it is not for everyone.  There is a bit of nudity so if that is something you cannot handle, this is not for you but if you can get past that, this is a great independent film from a very good director.

Tit for Tat (1935):  This is my short film for the week which stars the legendary comedy duo of Laurel and Hardy.  Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy play the new owners of an electronic repair store.  Across the street is a grocery store and they try to offer their hand in friendship to the owner, played by Charley Hall, but he is convinced that Ollie is trying to seduce his wife.  They soon carry out comical attacks on each others businesses.  This was a very funny short film and possibly their best work.  This was actually nominated for an academy award for best short film.  I believe Abbott and Costello are a little more known but I believe these guys are just as good, especially with this comedy short.  This is a must for classic comedy buffs.  

They Made Me a Fugitive (1947):  This is my British film-noir for the week.  Trevor Howard stars as Ex-RAF flyer Clem Morgan who decides to join a gang lead by the sadistic Narcy, played by Griffith Jones.  Clem is soon framed for a murder of a cop.  When in prison, he escapes and sets out to prove his innocence.  Sally Gray co-stars as Sally Connor who helps Clem when he breaks out and becomes a love interest.  This is a very good look at the British underworld in this era and has some very intense scenes like an encounter with an unhappy wife when Clem first escapes.  It also has good performances from a cast that does not go onto be very known nor is this movie very known but is a hidden gem.  This is available on Instant Netflix so if you have that, then this is a great one to check out.

Harry and Tonto (1974):  Paul Mazursky co-wrote and directed this film.  Art Carney stars as Harry who is a retired teacher in New York who has lived in the same apartment complex for many years but is forced out so that a parking garage can be made.  He soon moves in with his kids but finds he needs to go elsewhere.  Along with his beloved cat Tonto, he sets out for the adventure of a lifetime when meeting new friends, visiting family, and saying goodbye to old friends.  Carney in an Oscar winning performance carried this movie so well and it is a character driven film that will then stick with you.  Ellen Burstyn, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Larry Hagman, Melanie Mayron, and Chief Dan George all make appearances and also do a good job.  This is a great movie about a man and his can and the man getting to experience many things he never did in his younger days.  This is a very moving film that just about anyone can relate to and enjoy.

The Burning Bed (1984):  This is my tv movie of the week which stars CHARLIE'S ANGELS alum Farrah Fawcett.  Most people when they think of Farrah think of that show and her hairstyle she inspired in the 70s.  Also, she is an icon to CHARLIE'S ANGELS even though she was only on the show for season one but if you are to look into her best performances, I believe this is it.  This is based on a true story where Fawcett stars as the real-life Francine Hughes.  In 1977, she kills her abusive husband by setting the bed on fire while he is still asleep and stands trial for murder.  This movie uses a lot of flashbacks to show the events that lead up to the killing of her husband Mickey Hughes.  It shows him very abusive and at first stays believing it's best for the kids, she realizes she is in a very bad situation for everyone.  When trying to away from him, she finds it is not very easy due to both sides of the family, even Francine's mother who has that mindset that it is best for the kids for them to stay together.  The law also did not make it very easy for her to leave him so in the end she takes matters into her own hands.  Richard Masur co-stars as her very noble public defender attorney who understood there was a reason and did everything possible to give her the best legal defense and did.   When this movie was made and when the killing happened, I do not believe that domestic abuse was really much out in the open at the time so this was likely an eye-opener to many.  When the killing and confession happened, they looked to treat it as a simple murder case.  That trial created a legal precedent for future cases of domestic violence.  I'm going to start getting personal here.  Domestic violence is not okay and hitting your wife or girlfriend is not love.  Also there are more overlooked cases of women being abusive to men, likely because the men are raised to not hit a female and that is not right either.  It is obviously more common though with the man and if you are in that situation, you should look to get out.  Saying "he only hits me and not the children" is not an excuse.  He has not struck the children yet but it can still happen and if the children do not get hit, then they must listen or look in on horror and when that child is older they have not learned any other way to handle a situation.  I know I'm probably just stating the obvious but it still happens so if I get through to one person in this part of the blog, then that is great.  As for the movie, it is a very well-done tv movie and possibly one of the best.  This is not for everyone but is a good depiction on Domestic Violence.

People Will Talk (1951):  I now go to a more upbeat film than the last selection.  Joseph Mankiewicz directed this film adapted from a play by Curt Goetz.  Cary Grant stars as Dr. Noah Praetorius who is a gynecologist and very controversial in the medical world for his unorthodox but seemingly effective methods.  He soon befriends a patient named Deborah Higgins, played by Jeanne Crain, who is pregnant and becomes suicidal after finding out that she is pregnant by an ex-boyfriend which was far more looked down upon in that era than it is today.  As he is trying to help her, they soon fall in love.  Hume Cronyn co-stars as Professor Elwell who starts a witch hunt on Praetorius which jeopardizes his career and livelihood.  This movie has some pretty funny moments and had its more realistic moments.  This was something that was not popular at first but has gained a bigger following through the years.  Finley Currie and Walter Slezak co-star in this really good medical comedy-drama.  Much of what went on was likely very unknown in the medical world.  This is available on Instant Netflix and is worth a view and even bigger following.  Grant is a lot of fun as Pretorius.

Escape from Alcatraz (1979):  Don Siegel directed this prison film which is a dramatization of the one possible escape from the infamous prison.  Clint Eastwood stars as lifer Frank Morris who ends up in Alcatraz and after seeing some of the living conditions, decides to come up with an escape plan which many had tried but none were successful.  He then brings in the Anglin brothers, played by Jack Thibeau and Fred Ward, in on this plan and set up a long term plan knowing it is a very difficult job.  No one knows if this escape was successful but no body had ever been found and there have been claimed sightings of the men through the years.  It is also said that mobster Bumpy Johnson arranged for a ship to pick them up but it is still something I do not believe we will ever really know.  Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, among others co-star.  Danny Glover has a bit-part as an inmate and makes his debut.  This is a very compelling prison film giving a good depiction on life in Alcatraz which the prison was closed a year after the escape happened becoming one of the main tourist locations in San Francisco.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Where Do We Go Now? (2011):  This is my foreign film of the week which takes place in a small village in Lebanon.  Lebanese director Nadine Labaki directed this comedy-drama where Christians and Muslims have lived peacefully for many years but tensions escalate over some misunderstandings even resulting in a killing.  The women of the village band together for some rather comical ways in order to ease the tensions between these groups of men.  I really want to help get these foreign language films more exposure and was glad to give this funny but realistic look into a small village in the country and making the most of what they have in the small village.  This has a pretty good message and is well done.  This is available on Starz On-Demand.

Sling Blade (1996):  I end this week with what I believe is the best work from Billy Bob Thornton who wrote, directed and starred in this great character study.  In 1994, this was presented as a short film which pretty much shows the opening scene of this movie.  Thornton stars as a mentally handicapped man named Carl, who after many years is being released from an insane asylum after being in there since he was 12 years old when he killed his abusive mother and her boyfriend.  Upon his release, he returns to his small town finding it has changed a lot and finds it very hard to adapt to his life as a free man.  He soon meets a young boy named Frank, played very well by Lucas Black, and forms an unlikely friendship.  His peace that he finds is compromised with Frank's mother's abusive and mean boyfriend Doyle, played very well by country singer Dwight Yoakam.  John Ritter also co-stars in this film as Vaughn and I did not even know that was Ritter at first.  J.T. Walsh, Natalie Canerday, Robert Duvall, Jim Jarmusch, among others have parts in this independent film. This is the first exposure I had to Thornton and seeing him now, it is so hard to believe he is playing this character and if I did not know he was in this movie, I do not believe I would recognize him.  I also saw this is adapted from his play and I would really love to see a theater put this on and with my typecast, I would probably be considered for Doyle but it would be quite an honor.  This is a great film about overcoming hardship and life in a small town.  This is available on Instant Netflix and it deserves a watch.  This is one of my favorites.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Jennifer Aniston, Boris Karloff, William Holden, Laura Linney, Julianne Moore, and many others.