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.
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