Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 411th Edition

 

Welcome to the 411th Edition of my long-running series.  I am now 0-3 in Fantasy Football so not looking good but it is not over yet.  Next week starts the annual Madness contest so I decided to give a little preview here featuring serial killers, creating life, Tolkien, and a Hunchback.  I just got out of auditions for ANNIE at the Muncie Civic Theater which I should find out this week if I got a part.  I will now get on

Ted (2012):  I start the week out with this very raunchy comedy which includes a teddy bear but is by no means a children's film.  I have been meaning to see it but then I realized I had to check it out soon when my friend Sirena referred to me as a Thunderbuddy and let me know it was from this movie.  Seth McFarlane directed, co-wrote, and provides the voice of the title character.  Mark Wahlberg stars as John who was picked on a lot as a child.  When he becomes eight years of age, he gets a teddy bear that he calls Ted and then wishes that he were alive and a friend.  For some reason the wish becomes true and they become best friends and Thunderbuddies for life.  They both grow up together and at 35 years of age John is still quite a slacker while Ted is very foul-mouthed and crude.  Mila Kunis co-stars as John's girlfriend Lori who is growing tired of John being so irresponsible and makes him choose between her and Ted.  This was a comedy that went to many mixed opinions and there were even times where even I was saying wtf but yet I could not take my eyes off the film.  I expected the raunchiness but I did not expect it to be a rather dark comedy mostly due to the weird father and son combination.  Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Warburton, Patrick Stewart and many others have parts in this film including some celebrities playing themselves including Sam Jones who is known for playing Flash Gordon in Ted and John's favorite movie FLASH GORDON.  I did enjoy this movie, I laughed a lot, and I am glad that now I have a thunderbuddy.  This is available on HBO On-Demand.

H.H. Holmes:  America's First Serial Killer (2004):  This is my documentary for the week which features serial killer H.H. Holmes who is billed as the first American serial killer.  He began his life of crime in the late 1800s and was actually a doctor which was his front to be a serial killer.  He designed a hotel that was made for his victims in which he killed in a variety of ways.  This documentary follows his life as a criminal mastermind and even got the nickname Torture Doctor.  Through the years, I have heard a lot about serial killers like Ted Bundy, David Berkowitz, Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer, and many others but I had never really heard of him until I came across this title when looking for selections on Instant Netflix which I had not watched until Ashley posted a status about watching a documentary about him on the History Channel which I guess was different from this one.  This was a very interesting documentary on a person who put up quite a front as a successful doctor but was really a very sick man.  This is available on Instant Netflix and is a great viewing if you are into these types of documentaries.

Music Land (1935):  This is my Disney animated short for the week.  This is a love story among musical instruments which consist of a Princess Violin and a Prince Sax who are in a forbidden love due to being in feuding kingdoms.  This is a really fun short film with a really good story and very well done with the musical instruments.  This is findable through Youtube and should really get a look, especially classic animation buffs.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959):  I actually had the pleasure of viewing this on a big screen at Cornerstone Center For the Arts in Muncie and being put on by the local group Scarevania.  They put on a very fun pre-show that lead into all of us seeing the best bad movie of all time directed by "The Worst Director of All Time" Ed Wood.  The plot here is that aliens resurrect the dead into essentially zombies to stop the humans from making what is called a Solbonite which I guess is a sun-driven bomb.  In Wood's defense to some extent is that he did have a very low budget to work with on his very ambitious project.  Bela Lugosi is in his last role here and dies during the filming.  To replace Mr. Lugosi, Wood cast his dentist Tom Mason and being much taller than Bela, they had the bright idea for him to cover his face with his cape so sometimes you see Lugosi and sometimes you see some guy covering his face with his cape.  Other legends include Vampira, Tor Johnson, and Criswell.   This has to be appreciated for what it is which is a b-movie classic which have cardboard tombs, really bad looking flying saucers, not great acting, among other things that make it what it is today.  The Scarevania group really made this experience fun by doing their own commentary and antics.  This group has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/scarevania and have a website at http://www.scarevania.com.

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957):  As someone who is more of a casual viewer to the horror genre, this has always been my favorite franchise.  I love the idea of a scientist who has good intentions of creating life but finds there is a price of playing God as many might say.  There is also that really emphasised theme of fearing the unknown as this creature he creates is seen as a monster and becomes one due to the fear of others.  In 2007, I had the pleasure of being in a great version at Muncie Civic Theater where I played a psychotic gravedigger who helped Victor Frankenstein in his quest to create life.  In the movie world, I have seen quite a few versions and consider this my favorite.  Terence Fisher directed this entry into Hammer Films which is based on the novel by Mary Shelley.  Peter Cushing stars as Victor Frankenstein who becomes obsessed with the origins of life.  He then successfully re-animates a dog thought dead so then sets out to create a person, much to the dismay of his tutor turned partner Paul, played by Robert Urquhart.  Also in his life is his cousin Elizabeth who then becomes his fiance which makes Paul stay to protect her from harm.  Christopher Lee plays the creature in this film who tries to be good but never was able to learn the world.  I really love the way the story was told here and the ending.  I usually do not consider myself very OCD but I cannot tell you how many times I have given the lecture that the Frankenstein is Victor Frankenstein and that the creature really does not have a name.  This is the first of many teamings of Cushing/Lee which have always been my favorites in this genre.  Most people when they think classic horror probably think the stuff of Universal but I have usually preferred movies of Hammer films myself and hope to get more exposure with this one.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971):  I went on a bit of a road trip over the week so I wanted something from this era that I could rent from itunes and sync to my ipod touch and I thought what better than this one.  Mel Stuart directed this musical adaptation to the children's book by Roald Dahl.  Gene Wilder stars as the title character who runs a chocolate factory and has been reclusive for years but holds a contest for five kids to get a tour of his place.  They each must get a golden ticket.  Peter Ostrum stars as a very poor but very kind boy named Charlie who is determined to get that golden ticket and through persistance finally gets it opting to take his Grandpa Joe, played by Jack Albertson, with him.  The other kids are not as kind and respectful as Charlie and learn the hard way they must follow directions.  This is really one of my favorite musicals from this era and really prefer this version to Tim Burton's version years later.  This is a rather dark story but they don't have to really shove it down your throat with the cinematography.  Wilder is great in the title role and the Oompa Loompas are also very entertaining with their musical numbers.  This is one of those that I never get tired of and one of the better musicals from that era in my humble opinion.

The Lord of the Rings (1978):  This is an animated version of the classic fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien which was directed by Ralph Bakshi.  This is centered around a young hobbit named Frodo who is charged with destroying a ring that was created by the dark lord Sauron.  He must set out on quite a journey with the help of wizards, humans, elves, and dwarves.  This movie is a little over two hours long so is not quite everything in the epic that Peter Jackson brought us many years later.  It is obviously a rather condensed version which really takes place in the first half of the story.  Despite not having the fully story, it was still fairly well done with vocal talents that include John Hurt and Anthony Daniels.  It is also some very well done animation that was done from Bakshi which was really pretty realistic.  This may not be for younger kids but the older crowd may really enjoy this underrated adaptation.

Robyn Hitchcock:  Sex, Food, Death... and Insects (2007):  This is another documentary for the week which takes a look at the singer of the title.  I will admit that I had not heard of this person until I recorded this from the Sundance network.  He is an English singer/songwriter who has lyrics of surrealism and comedic elements and has been able to gain quite a following.  This takes place in a time of his life in 2006 where he was recording a group of new songs that included collaborations from R.E.M. member Peter Buck, Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones, and Gillian Welch.  This was a pretty insightful documentary that goes some into his background but if looking for a life story this is not it.  This is a good way to get to know the wory of Robyn Hitchcock if you have not yet.

Lipsett Diaries (2010):  This is my modern day short film for the week which is an animated one taking a look at filmmaker Arthur Lipsett who died in 1986 at the age of 49 years of age.  A narrator recounts the life of a bad childhood, a mother who abandoned him, and an unhappy adult life.  He was known for some very innovative short films in the 60s that influenced filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas even if he did not do any feature films that I am aware of.  This movie took hand drawn images, montage of clippings, and a few otehr elements.  This was a pretty good use of animation that uses Lipsett's collage animation style and a good way for people to look into Arthur Lipsett which I now intend to do because of this short film.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996):  I end with this Disney film that is based on the classic novel from Victor Hugo.  This story centers around a deformed bellringer named Quasimodo, voiced by Tom Hulce, in the 15th century of France.  All his life, he is raised by corrupt goverment official Frollo, voiced by Tony Jay, who makes Quasimodo believe that he is the only one who cares and the rest of the world is evil.  Quasimodo soon decides from encouragement of his gargoyle friends to sneak out of the home to go to an annual festival where he soon meets a very accepting gypsy girl named Esmerelda, voiced by Demi Moore, and an honorable soldier who does not like Frollo's ways named Phoebus, voiced by Kevin Kline.  Esmerelda leads a group of gypsies who are opposing Frollo's oppressive ways which makes Quasimodo slowly see the evil of his caretaker.  Other voices include Jason Alexander, David Ogden Stiers, and Charles Kimbrough.  This is a pretty dark tale so might not be for little children but is a very compelling Disney film.  For me, I like Disney the best in the 90s and music wise this is really my favorite.  Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz write some really good musical numbers, has some really good action, and is a pretty good Disney story in my opinion.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 410th Edition

Welcome to the 410th Edition of my series.  I am now 0-2 in Fantasy Football but I'm hoping that Trent Richardson's move to the Colts will benefit me.  I will soon find out.  I will now get to my selections for the week so read on and enjoy.

Saturday Night Live:  The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse (2006):  This is technically not really a movie but since it's my blog I can choose to include it.  This is a best of on the TV Funhouse segment from Robert Smigel who had a series of amusing animated sketches.  Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell voice Ace and Gary of the Ambiguously Gay Duo who are also the hosts of the show.  In between segments they are in search of Jimmy Fallon who they really seem to like which lead into some pretty funny moments.  There are also a lot of good ones like the Ambiguously Gay Duo, one on Michael Jackson, one on Mr. T, the X Presidents, and many others.  This DVD has some pretty good segments and some I did not like as much but the good outweighs the bad in this good part of SNL.

Corvette Summer (1978):  Mark Hamill stars in this movie is in the same year as the first STAR WARS and while this by no means topped the sci-fi classic, this is still fun to watch.  Hamill plays Kenneth who is about to graduate high school and his shop class designs a beautiful red corvette which gets stolen.  Most of the people in the class and the teacher let it go but not Kenneth.  He goes off on an obsessive search that leads him to Las Vegas where he meets Vanessa, played by Annie Potts, who tries to help him track the car down.  There is not much more to describe this movie which is quite flawed and a bit overacted by Hamill but is a great guilty pleasure if looking for some entertainment.  Besides, where can you go wrong when you have Hamill and even an appearance from Danny Bonaduce?  This is available on Comcast On-Demand.

Bacall to Arms (1946):  This is my animated short for the week which is from Warner Brothers.  These are some pretty fun times where a bunch of people and animals are in the movie theater to see the feature TO HAVE... TO HAVE... TO HAVE which stars Bogey Gocart and Laurie Bee Cool.  This has some pretty funny disruptive moments in the theater and even Bogey telling someone to be quiet.  The obvious Bogart and Bacall characterizations are great.  This can be found on Youtube.

The Boxing Girls of Kabul (2012):  This is my documentary for the week which takes a look at a few women in Afghanistan who are training to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in women's boxing.  This takes a look at the trials and tribulations they must go through as well as the difficulty of being a woman in Afghanistan trying to do what they are doing.  It also takes a look at families and their mixed reaction to their loved ones competing in boxing.  Some are positive about it but others do not like the danger that boxing brings.  This is one that has not gotten a lot of exposure but it pretty inspiring to watch and one must respect the courage of these women who participate when they have very limited if any rights where they live.  I came across this on Instant Netflix and not even sure how I found it but I am glad I did.

Borderline (1930):  Kenneth Robeson wrote and directed this rather daring film for this era.  This is my silent film for the week which stars Paul Robeson as Pete whose wife or girlfriend Adah, I was not very clear on that one, has an affair with a white man named Thorne who is actually married and causes his wife to go crazy.  This is actually a part of the Paul Robeson Criterion Collection which has quite a few of his movies.  It was very interesting to see an interracial relationship in a movie of this era and deals with quite a bit of taboos.  It is also one of the few from this era where the blacks like Pete and Adan are not so much servants.  Many say that Sidney Poitier broke the color barrier but it really started with Paul Robeson.  The jazzy music score which is included in the Criterion Collection version really works in this film.  This is a must for classic movie buffs.

Hulk Vs. (2009):  This is my animated superhero movie of the week which obviously consists of the Incredible Hulk.  This movie has two different stories where he finds himself in battle with Thor and Wolverine.  The first story is where he ends up in Asgard where Loki manipulates the Hulk in order to destroy his brother.  In the second story, circumstances bring the Hulk into battle with Wolverine.  These were pretty decent stories and I liked the one with Thor better.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Father of the Bride (1950):  This is part two of my two-part Elizabeth Taylor series.  Vincente Minnelli directed this comedy which stars Spencer Tracy as Stanley who is the title character of the movie and is dealing with the many concerns of his daughter's wedding including the emotional, financial and organizational pain of it.  Taylor plays that daughter Kay who is getting married and has always been close to her father but finds things to be a bit difficult.  John Fontaine co-stars as the matriarch of the family Ellie.  Spencer Tracy does very well and this is a very well done portrait on a father who must deal with all the change coming in his life.  There is a very good comedy-drama that is worth a look.

Battle Royale (2000):  This is my Japanese film for the week and in many ways is the original HUNGER GAMES but a lot more violent.  I will say right now that this is not for everyone but is a very well-done film.  Kinji Fukasaku directed this film where the futuristic Japanese Government has forced 42 ninth grade students into killing each other under the Battle Royale Act.  They are forced to compete in a Battle Royale to the death and it there must be a winner otherwise the whole group dies.  There are many different groups that are focused upon.  This movie has a great blend of action, comedy, and drama and kept my attention throughout the film.  You must have a good stomach to get through it though as it has some pretty brutal violence.  This is available on Instant Netflix and is a great watch.

Cat Ballou (1965):  This is my western comedy for the week.  Jane Fonda stars as the title character in the film who was a law abiding citizen until her father, played by John Marley, was gunned down and becomes an outlaw due to the corruption she witnesses.  She hires a gunman named Kid Shelleen, played by Lee Marvin who also plays another gunman she is going after named Strawn.  Marvin is possibly has his best performance in this duel role as gunmen on different sides of the law.  Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye play minstrels who are singing a lot about Cat Ballou and are very funny in what they do.  That is possibly where the Farrelly Brothers got the idea for the singers in THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.  This is a western parody I have always enjoyed and was glad to bring it for this week.

Next Floor (2008):  I end this week on this really weird short film.  This takes place in a rather high class banquet in a rather sick and grotesque world.  An unexpected sequence of abundance ruins the endless symphony of abundance.  This has about everything from dark comedy, drama, and weirdness.  This is a very interesting and compelling short film that can be watched on Youtube if you can tolerate what was at the table during the banquet.

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 Mila Kunis, Bela Lugosi, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 409th Edition

Welcome to the 409th Edition of my long running series.  I am as of now 0-1 in my Fantasy Football league but hopefully I can get an even record after Monday night.  Now on a bright now, my team the San Francisco 49ers are now 1-0 so I am happy about that.  I am right now trying to win a karaoke contest at Folly Moon.  I am unsuccessful so far but I'll just keep plugging away.  That is about all I have to say so I'll just get one with my recommendations for the week.

The Beaver (2011):  Jodie Foster directed and co-starred in this film which stars Mel Gibson as Walter Black.  Walter is a very successful ad executive who has delved into depression and anger while unsuccessfully trying to kill himself.  It gets to the point where he is kicked out of his home.  He then comes up with a very interesting coping mechanism in a beaver puppet.  He then uses the beaver to talk to himself and then try to reconnect with his family.  This movie will probably get a lot of mixed emotions but I really enjoyed this one.  It was really quite bizarre but an interesting movie showing the dealings of anger and that it can take unusual mechanisms to get through it.  Jodie Foster co-stars as his wife who is trying to deal with the new version of her estranged husband while Anton Yelchin co-stars as his older son who is very bitter.  Jennifer Lawrence also co-stars.  This movie in some ways is very uplifting but at the same time, it was quite downbeat.  I will also call the movie quite bizarre but I really enjoyed it.

How to Vote (1936):  This is one of my short films for the week.  This is from the Robert Benchley series of comedic shorts.  He is the replacement spokesperson for a political candidate to promote that person but clearly is not a very good public speaker.  He stumbles upon his words and is just not sure what to say.  This is a very entertaining 10 minutes and one of the better from that era.

Make Mine Music (1946):  This is my Disney film for the week and one that is more overlooked.  This is in the tradition of FANTASIA but while that movie used a lot of classical music, this one used more contemporary music.  It has many different animation sequences which use people like the Andrews Sisters, Nelson Eddy, Dinah Shore, Benny Goodman, and many others.  A couple of my favorite sequences were CASEY AND THE BAT and PETER AND THE WOLF, but there were some other decent ones while some were not great.  This was still some pretty fun sequences and one I'd like to get more on the radar.

Howl (2010):  Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman directed and wrote this film based on a part of poet Allen Ginsberg.  James Franco plays Allen Ginsburg who is put on trial in 1957 for his his poem of the movie title for obscenity.  It also focuses on events that lead to the counterculture artist and poet that he became and what lead into him writing it.  James Franco, Jon Hamm, David Strathairn, Bob Balaban, Mary-Louise Parker all co-starred in this film.  It also has some really interesting animation sequences that show the poem's surreal style.  Franco was very good as Ginsburg in a very important part of his life that begged the question of what was acceptable in society.

The Sandpiper (1965):  Vincente Minnelli directed this movie which was a teaming of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  Taylor plays the very free spirited Laura Reynolds who is a single and unwed mother who teaches her son her way not wanting him in a traditional schooling system.  Her son Danny runs into legal problems and is forced into a private school ran by Reverend Dr. Edward Hewitt, played by Richard Burton. Hewitt looks to convince Laura that the school is really not so bad and slowly wins her over beginning an affair even though Hewitt is married which obviously leads to some trouble.  Eva Marie Saint, Charles Bronson, and Robert Webber all co-star.  It was interesting to see Bronson in the character he played.  This was a bit of Hollywood fluff but it was not bad with the leads pretty good in their roles and another movie on the list that challenges the system.

Captain America (1979):  This is a tv movie of the superhero which never really got off the ground.  This is more of a guilty pleasure but probably better than the 1990 movie which I have yet to see.  Reb Brown plays Steve Rogers who becomes injected with a serum that makes him a lot stronger and develops the persona of the title.  This really has nothing to do with the origin story so take that for what it is worth.  Brown does the best he can in this script.  It is a guilty pleasure more than anything.  This was not exactly the start of a franchise but something that can be fun to watch with some friends.

To Have and Have Not (1944):  Howard Hawks directed this film based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway but understand that it bears little resemblance to the novel.  Humphrey Bogart stars as Harry Morgan who runs a ship for hire on the island of Martinique during WWII.  When he is desperate for money, he takes a job for the resistance to transport a fugitive from the Nazis to Martinique while romancing Slim, played by Lauren Bacall in her film debut and the first of many teamings together.  Hoagy Carmichael, Walter Brennan, and Sheldon Leonard all star in this film that has quite a bit of action for a film of this era and the dialogue is even a bit racy for its time.  The movie does well despite being altered with the novel which is considered Hemingway's worst and Hawks made a bet with Hemingway that he could change it to a successful film which he won.

The Evil Dead (1981):  I decided to feature the start of the great franchise that has had two very good sequels, a remake I have heard good things about, and a musical which I hope to one day be in.  Sam Raimi directed this rather ground breaking horror comedy which was made on a very low budget and would go onto become the cult classic that it is today.  Bruce Campbell stars as Ash who goes on a vacation with some friends to a cabin in the woods that appears to be demonic like the demonic tree, among lots of other things making Ash take charge turning him into the hero to many in the movie world.  Raimi and Campbell pretty much got their careers started in this movie and are the only ones whose film careers really soared after it.  This is not for everyone and if you do not have a good stomach, this is not the one.  Otherwise, this is a very well-done action film that succeeded on many levels.  After watching this, it might be a good idea to read Bruce Campbell's autobiography IF CHINS COULD KILL, CONFESSIONS OF A B-MOVIE ACTOR which describes the difficulty of getting this movie filmed which might make you appreciate it more.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Enter the Dragon (1973):  This is my martial arts film for the week and possibly the best of the era and the best for Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee stars as Lee who goes undercover to infiltrate a crime lord named Han and goes undercover into a martial arts tournament which Han hosts.  John Saxon co-stars as Roper who is a martial artist on the run from the mafia and ends up in the tournament.  Jim Kelly co-stars stars as Williams who is harassed by racist police officers and defends himself against him and then uses a police getaway car to get to the island.  This is really a big showcase of martial artists around the world like Bob Wall, Bolo Yeung, Angela Mao, and many others.  This has some really good fight scenes and is possibly the best of the martial arts genre, especially of its time.  A young Jackie Chan is an extra and a young Sammo Hung is also in it.  Anybody into this genre should give this a look and give credit where it is due.  An interesting fact about this is that Lee accidentally struck Jackie Chan with a fighting stick where Lee apologized and told him he could always be in his movies but Lee died three weeks before the premier.

This Way Up (2008):  I end the week with this Oscar nominated animation short film.  A father and son who work at a funeral parlour are trying to get a coffin where it is supposed to be but their hearse is flattened by a boulder.  They must then do what they can to get the coffin their running into all kinds of funny obstacles as well as a really interesting scene in which appears to be hell.  This really was a lot of fun and the animation was very well done.  This is worth a watch if it can be obtained.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike.  Stay tuned for next week.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 408th Edition

Welcome to the 408th Edition of my long-running series.  It's good to see the real football season start.  I have my fantasy team ready so now I'll see forth if this one is any good.  Right now I can't really think of anything else to say so I'll just get on with this week's picks.

Waiting for 'Superman' (2010):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Davis Guggenheim.  This movie takes a look at the flawed education system and stories from a handful of kids and their families.  It also takes a look at the teachers and how many of them are mostly immune from firing when they become tenured no matter how bad they are at their job and it does not take them long to get it unlike a college professor whose tenure takes many years.  This movie does a great job at bringing these issues to the surface for us to think and really wanted to convey how we need to put the needs of the child first.  It was sad that there were kids concerned about their future because they might come from some poor family.  This is something that really deserves a watch.

White Peril (1956):  This is my documentary short for the week.  This takes a look at the 'Snow Patrol' and the type of work that they do.  They measure snowfall and take core samples of snow to measure the weight and density.  This is information that is used to determine the water runoff in the spring to translate into supplies of fresh water.  This is nothing great but rather interesting.

The Lodger (1927):  This is my silent film for the week and very early Alfred Hitchcock which many call the movie that really made him.  This takes place in London where a serial killer called "The Avenger" is on the loose.  Mr. and Mrs. Bunting own a lodge in which a mysterious man, played by Ivor Novello, comes to get a place to rent and they start to believe him to possibly be the killer.  This contains a lot of Hitchcock's touches and this is the first to really showcase them and really moves well for a silent film.  This is the first movie where Hitchcock makes one of his famed cameos.

Anna Karenina (2012):  This is the latest version based on the famed Leo Tolstoy novel.  This time Keira Knightley plays the title character who is not in the happiest of marriages with her husband Count Alexei Karenin, played by Jude Law, but has a son who she really loves.  She soon meets a cavalry soldier named Count Vronsky, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who they form an attraction which changes everyone's lives.  Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly McDonald, Olivia Williams, and Alexandra Roach all co-star.  Last week, I featured the 1935 version last week and this one is more expanded.  I felt in this one that Law portrayed Karenin as less villainous but just as a man of the higher class who does what he must which I kind of liked.  It is shot in a pretty interesting way and was pretty enjoyable for me.

Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967): I now bring you the film that really made the director in Martin Scorsese and the actor in Harvey Keitel.  Keitel stars as J.R. who is a young Italian-American in New York.  He soon meets a girl, played by Zina Bethune who did not seem to have a name in this movie, who he becomes romantically involved with and even get married.  J.R. soon learns that she was once raped and cannot handle it.  This is really one of the first of the Scorsese films to deal with the catholic guilt theme that he likes to use.  This is Keitel's first credited screen role and the start of a very good career and for Scorsese who would later work together a few more times.  This is mostly of worth to watch for the early work of the stars and the leads work very well together.

Two Soldiers (2003):  This is another one of my short films for the week that was about 40 minutes.  Aaron Schneider directed this film which takes place in Mississippi right around the time of Pearl Harbor.  Ben Allison and Jonathan Furr star as brothers Pete and Willie.  Pete is around 19 and Willie is about 10 years of age and are clearly very close.  When Pearl Harbor happens, Pete decides to enlist must to the dismay of Willie.  He is very determined to join his older brother in the military to be with him and sets out to go to Memphis where his brother is at the time.  Ron Perlman co-stars as a very compassionate colonel who looks to help Willie however he can.  This is based on a story from William Faulkner in 1942 by the Saturday Evening Post.  This was a pretty moving film and was nominated in the best short category in the Oscars.

Dawn at Socorro (1954):  This is my western for the week.  Rory Calhoun stars as gunslinger Brett Wade who has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis. He soon arrives at the town of the title where he tries to help a saloon girl named Rannah Hayes, played by Piper Laurie, from being a saloon girl for life.  Lee Van Cleef and Edgar Buchanon co-star in this western.  I suppose this could have been inspired from Doc Holiday due to his tuberculosis but Wade was not as flamboyant as Doc Holiday.  This had some pretty good action scenes and a pretty good story.  This is available on TCM On-Demand.

Following (1998):  I brought early Martin Scorsese and now I bring early Christopher Nolan.  Jeremy Theobold stars as a young writer named Bill who likes to follow people so that he can get material for his work.  He soon meets a man named Cobb, played by Alex Haw, who confronts Bill about what he is doing and is himself a burglar.  Cobb soon takes Bill under his wing to show him how to break and enter homes.  They soon burgle a woman's flat where Bill takes an interest in her seeing photographs of the woman, played by Lucy Russell.  He soon becomes involved with this woman but many twists and turns follow as Cobb has ulterior motives of his own.  This is a pretty interesting suspense film and is well shot in black and white form.  This is Nolan's directorial debut and is available on Instant Netflix.

Life of Brian (1979):  I now bring some Monty Python and their second feature film.  Terry Jones directs this one where Graham Chapman stars as the title character who is mistaken as a messiah after joining an anti-Roman political organization.  Usual Python actors John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman co-star.  This is a very good and irrelevant religious satire that can bring a lot of laughs as long as you're not easily offended.  It also has the famous song ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE.  The six actors all played many different characters though there were other people.  This movie was banned in many countries being cited for blasphemy.  Look for Beatles member George Harrison in an uncredited cameo as Mr. Papadopolous.  I don't think much needs to be explained her.  The opening sequence was very funny which was kind of a James Bond parody.  If you like good British humor, you should give this a watch and rewatch if you haven't seen it for awhile. 

The Spine (2009):  I end the week with this animated short film from Chris Landreth.  This is a very offbeat CGI animation film that takes place in group therapy where each person has a very unique issue.  I had first heard of Landreth when seeing his 2004 short film RYAN which I cite to this day as one of my favorites so I thought I would check this one out.  This movie did not top it for me but still entertains and has some very clever animation and a good story.  This is actually available on Youtube though I recorded from the Sundance channel.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Jodie Foster and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 407th Edition

 

Welcome to the 407th Edition of my series.  I look forward to next week when the actual football season starts and I now have my fantasy team put together.  Please keep my friend Brittany in your prayers.  She was in a bad motorcycle accident and broke her pelvis.  She got out of the hospital, she will live but has a long road ahead for rehab but thankfully she is alive.  With that being said, I will now get on with my selections for the week.

Comedy Central Roast of Denis Leary (2003):  This is part five of my five-part Christopher Walken series who was one of the roasters for Leary.  I know this really is not a movie but it is my blog and I'll include it if I want to.  I have always enjoyed the very daring comedy of Leary who has no problem smoking and drinking on stage.  Jeff Garlin hosts this roast for Denis which includes Jim Breuer, Dane Cook, Nick DiPaolo, Michael J. Fox, Gina Gershon, and many others who give their insults and then their compliments.  If you enjoy this type of thing and are a Denis Leary fan, I think you will enjoy this one.

Home on the Range (1940):  This is my animated short for the week that takes part out in the farm to the title song.   This has a cow and a calf bedding for the night but the calf is frightened by a shadow but turns out to be a jackrabbit.  The big conflict is a wolf who is trying to get to them.  This is a pretty harmless animated short that just goes along to music and no dialogue and is an extra on last week's feature BOOM TOWN.

Anna Karenina (1935):  This is likely the first notable film adaptation of the novel by Leo Tolstoy.  Clarence Brown directs this adaptation which stars Greta Garbo as the title character.  Anna is in a loveless marriage with Karenin, played by Basil Rathbone, but have a child together, played by Freddie Bartholomew.  She soon meets Count Vronsky, played by Fredric March, who she falls in love with and tries to get a divorce from Karenin but is not given one.  Despite this, they carry on with their relationship giving up everything including their social status.  Maureen O'Sullivan, May Robson, and Reginald Owen all co-star in this film.  This is a very good adaptation to the literary classic with Garbo very good in the title role.

Les Miserables (1952):  As people see I have lately gotten into a kick on this classic Victor Hugo story as I included the 1935 version last week and a few weeks ago featured the Liam Neeson version.  Lewis Milestone directed this adaptation to the novel.  Michael Rennie, who was fresh off his success with the sci-fi classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, plays Jean ValJean who feels the need to help his starving family who cannot afford food nor can he find work to obtain the money and ends up breaking into a home to steal bread.  In this era of 19th Century France, everything was very black and white and in their eyes, he broke the law and was sentenced to a long term in prison.  He finally gets paroled but even then getting the label of convict, he gets shunned by society for finding work and just getting food that he can pay for but the restaurant will not serve him.  He then meets a very noble priest, played by Edmund Gwenn, who then helps him to start a new life.  Valjean then starts his new life with a new name and becomes very respected and successful but then finds he can never escape the presence of obsessed police officer Javert, played by Robert Newton, who is looking to arrest him for violating his parole.  The other story is with the persecuted Fantine, played by Sylvia Sidney, is dying and asks Valjean to care for her daughter Cosette, played by Debra Paget.  I have become a big fan of the musical which made me want to look into other versions and find this is a story that still stands today which I think is why it is still very popular.  Cameron Mitchell, Elsa Lanchester, and Joseph Wiseman also co-star in this adaptation.  At this point, I know I will not get an unpredictable story and if I do, then they are butchering what they should not which I did not find here.  What I was looking for were elements that might have set it apart from others.  What I liked about the priest in this one is that I saw more of the priest trying to help Valjean morally.  In most versions, the priest does take him in for food and shelter but in this one I found more dialogue where the priest looked to help him become a better person to make that necessary change.  I also thought they portrayed Javert really well in this one as just an obsessed cop.  When Valjean is getting out, he actually shows a rather good side when Valjean is about to be screwed over the money owed and Javert does not let it happen.  For this character, the law was what revolved around him and there were no gray areas even being asked at one point if he is a machine.  Also, there was a really good story with Marius, played by Cameron Mitchell, who is in love with Cosette but has a hard time getting through Valjean and the interaction between Marius and Valjean was very well played.  I actually enjoyed this more than I did the 1935 version which I hope I can get more exposure and I plan on looking into other versions in the future.

1776 (1972):  This is my musical for the week and is really one of my favorites.  I know this should have been done around July 4th but again, it's my blog and I'll just do it when I want to do it.  This is the musical version of how the Declaration of Independence came about on July 4th of 1776.  The basic story is that congressman John Adams, played by William Daniels, wants independence from British rule and along with Benjamin Franklin, played by Howard Da Silva, are able to convince the young Thomas Jefferson, played by Ken Howard, to write up their declaration and hope that the other states will go in with them.  Sherman Edwards wrote the music for this really well done musical.  Daniels was great as the rather unlikable Adams who had some ideas that were really ahead of their time and sometimes misunderstood.  Da Silva was a very believable Franklin who always had a pretty good sense of humor but got the job done.  Blythe Danner co-stars as Martha Jefferson who Thomas longs to be with making it hard for him to write what they need.  This is a very hard musical to do in theaters with it requiring 26 men which cannot be doubled.  I would love to one day do this show and would take about any part.  This has a great story, performances and songs and I feel has always been a bit under the radar so hopefully it will get a little notice now.

Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957):  This is my cheesy sci-fi film and is directed by Roger Corman who I seem to be on a kick with right now.  The simple story is that a team of scientists are on an island to study the effects of nuclear tests only to be stranded.  They soon find that the nuclear tests have quite an effect on the crabs who have mutated into giant, intelligent monsters.  This is really a must for B-movie fans and is rather fun.  This would be good for a group of friends to get together and just have a great night of commentary.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Superman:  Unbound (2013):  This is my animated superhero movie of the week.  In this movie, Superman must take on the cyberkinetic Brainiac who has taken over many worlds by actually capturing them and one of the worlds he takes is the world of Kandor in Krypton.  Helping him is his cousin Supergirl who is staying on earth but who lives on Kandor.  This was a darker look at the Superman legend and meeting one of his biggest matches.  Supergirl is also portrayed very well as more bitter than Superman and does not possess the ethics of Superman but tries to go along as much as she can when saving her planet.  I will admit this is really my first look at Brainiac and was a very well developed character who matched the Krypton cousins with just about everything he had.  I also really liked the drawings of the characters as well as very good portrayals.  This one has a PG-13 rating due to the violence of this movie so may not be for the family but still very enjoyable for adults.

Wyatt Earp (1994):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Lawrence Kasdan.  Kevin Costner plays the legendary lawman in this one which goes a lot more in-depth than other movies that have been done.  Most movies on Wyatt mostly consist of leading up to the OK Corral shootout in Tombstone but this one starts from his later childhood, even to later times in his life that most people do not portray.  Dennis Quaid plays Doc Holiday which I actually liked him better than Val Kilmer in TOMBSTONE which came out in 1993.  The other two members of that side of the OK Corral shootout are Linden Ashby playing Morgan Earp and Michael Madsen playing Virgil Earp.  In the beginning, Gene Hackman plays the Earps father during their childhood and have some good moments in those scenes.  Jeff Fahey, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Pullman, Isabella Rossellini, Tom Sizemore, JoBeth Williams, Mare Winningham, James Gammon, Mackenzie Astin, Jim Caviezel, and many others co-star in this western epic that was received to many mixed opinions.  Some did not like the casting of Costner as Earp but I think he played the part pretty well.  Another element different from others is this one portrays more of Earp's dark side and portraying him as more human than hero which is really a more accurate portrayal of the legendary historical figure.

Waking Ned Devine (1998):  This is my Irish film for the week which was wrote and directed by Kirk Jones.  In this comedy, the title character, who is part of a local and small village, wins the lottery and dies of a heart attack when hearing of the great news.  Ian Bannen and David Kelly co-star as loyal friends Jackie and Michael who believe that Ned would want them to split the winnings with the town.  They soon form a scheme and let the people in town know of their scheme to split the winnings between everyone but find secrets are not always easy in that town.  This is a very good-hearted comedy of a small town pulling together even if it is not very legal but have good intentions.  Bannen and Kelly are very fun and work very well together in this really good independent film which has many laughts.   Fionnula Flanagan and James Nesbitt also co-star in this film and this is available on Instant Netflix which is really worth a watch to help get more exposure.

A'Mare (2008):  I end this week on this short film from Italy.  Martina Amati co-wrote and directed this short film which centers around a couple boys named Andrea and Felice who mostly live their lives at sea. They soon find a man floating who they look to save and while helping him to float they must worry about if there will be any rescue and who the man is.  I found this one and recorded it from Sundance and is a pretty well done 15 minutes with good performances from the kids which is from their point of view and worth the time to check it out if found.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week.