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.