Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 437th Edition

Welcome to the 437th edition of my series.  I will let know that THE GOOD DOCTOR is coming along very well.  The show is on May 8th, 9th, and 10th and I will give details as it gets closer to time.  I will now get to my selections for the week.

Killing Them Softly (2012):  I start the week out with this action movie from Andrew Dominik who wrote the screenplay based on a novel by George V. Higgins.  Brad Pitt stars as mob hitman Jackie Cogan who is hired after a high profile poker game is robbed by three amateurs.  The criminal economy suffers as a result of the robbery and is up to Jackie to restore order.  James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta, Max Casella, Sam Shepard, and many others co-star in this film.  This has some really good performances like from Pitt and has some good black humor in it.  It does not come close to THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD which reunite Dominik, Pitt, and Shepard for this film but this movie still highly entertains.

Looking for Richard (1996):  This is part four of my Al Pacino series.  This is a documentary in which he directs where he looks into the meaning and significance of Shakespeare's play RICHARD III.  He interviews many people like James Earl Jones and Kenneth Branaugh while even staging it which feature actors like Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Winona Ryder, and Aidan Quinn.  To my knowledge, this never became any sort of feature length play or film but in scenes that were shot, the actors did a very good job.  More than anything this is more of an homage to Shakespeare who Pacino is a fan of his work.  This took Pacino four years to make and is very clear with his various looks like his level of beard and hair at times.  This is some really good work from Pacino and gives us a good homage into Shakespeare and his very complicated play which he looks to make it easier for the audience to understand.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

A Morning Stroll (2011): This is my animated short for the week which was written and directed by Grant Orchard.  This short film consists of a New Yorker walking past a chicken who then goes to knock on the door.  This shows three different time periods.  The first one is 1950s where the animation is a more minimalist style.  Then he goes into the modern day where we see a simpler CGI look.  The third is in a zombie future which uses more darker CGI and pretty clever.  This is a really good look at three different animation styles.  This was nominated for best animated short in 2012.

Command Decision (1948):  This is my military movie of the week.  Clark Gable stars as WWII General Dennis who makes some very difficult decisions in sending squadrons on suicide missions in order to destroy Germany's factories for fighter planes.  He must fight his congressmen and his own chain of command to continue what he believes will lead to victory.  He also hides his emotional turmoil which brings him down further.  Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, Edward Arnold, and many others co-star in this military drama based on a play by William Wister Haines.  I thought this was really best best performance I have seen from Gable.  He really tones it down and really lessens the smart aleck personality he usually shows and shows more emotional depth in this one that focuses on the emotional turmoil of war.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968):  This is my western of the week which was directed and co-written by Sergio Leone.  Claudia Cardinale stars as Jill McBain who goes home to find her new husband and family slaughtered.  Jason Robards co-stars as the coffee loving Cheyenne who is the prime suspect of the murder but convinces Jill he did not do it and befriends her to look for the real killer.  Joining them is Harmonica, played by Charles Bronson, who plays the harmonica very well but also shows he can shoot.  Henry Fonda co-stars as gang leader Frank, played by Henry Fonda in a rare villain turn, who is behind the murders.  Fonda was reluctant to do the role until Leone convinced him that he wanted the shock factor of Fonda being a villain.  There are many really good subplots, a really good Ennio Morricone scene, great characters, shootouts and many other things to keep this Spaghetti Western going.  This is available on Instant Netflix and is a very fun one.

Detour (1945):  This is my film noir for the week which was directed by Edgar Ulmer.  Tom Neal stars as Al Roberts who is hitchhiking to Hollywood to join his girl Sue, played by Claudia Drake.  He is picked up by a sleazy gambler who ends up dead and fearing the police, he takes the identity.  Ann Savage co-stars as Vera who is well aware he is not the person he says and gets Al deeper into trouble through her blackmail.  I have always said that this is really my favorite genre from that era and this is really one of the best ones.  I don't want to explain anymore as I might give too much away but it has possibly the most clever endings I have seen from this era.  Savage was great in her role.  I found this on a Roku app called Premier and is worth a look for fans of this era and genre. 

Female (1933):  Michael Curtiz directed this film that I guess you could say focuses on female dominance.  Ruth Chattererton stars as Alison Drake who is the successful owner and manager of an automobile factory and even sleeps with the employees some.  George Brent co-stars as inventor Jim Thorne who does not operate the way she does which begins complications and her rethinking her lifestyle.  This is a rather rare film from this era showing a woman just as successful in the workplace as the man and holds her own with the men in her world.  This is a very interesting from from that era and very compelling as well as being rather underrated.

Palindromes (2004):  Todd Solondz wrote and directed this independent film.  This is centered around a 13 year old girl named Aviva who is actually played by many different actresses of many looks.  Aviva is determined to become a mother and when nearly succeeding, her parents, played by Ellen Barkin and Richard Masur, put a stop to it.  When this happens, she runs away and takes a bit of a road trip throughout a lot of the United States ending up in many awkward situations.  This is something that I put in the category of the WTF movie of the week.  I had no idea what to think of it, it was not upbeat by any means but then I could not take my eyes off it out of intrigue especially the Mama Sunshine scene.  This is not for everyone but is a very intriguing watch.

Scream of Fear (1961):  Now I bring a Hammer films selection which are mostly British horror films.  Susan Strasberg stars as the wheelchair bound Penny Appleby.  She grew up with divorced parents and when her mother dies, she accepts an invitation to live with her father.  Her father was away but meets her stepmother who is very welcoming.  Soon after she gets there she starts to see her father who appears dead but is the only one who seems to be seeing these images.  She believes her stepmother, played by Ann Todd, and Dr. Gerrard, played by Christopher Lee, are trying to drive her insane.  This is a very suspenseful film that keeps the suspense without getting really gory.  Lee cites this movie as the best one Hammer Films made. 

21 Grams (2003):  Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu directed this multiple story film where they come together in the end due to a tragedy.  Sean Penn stars as a critically ill mathematician named Paul.  Naomi Watts co-stars as Cristina who is a grieving mother.  Benicio Del Toro co-stars as Jack who is an ex-con and a born again Christian trying to get his life together.  One tragedy changes these lives forever.  Danny Huston, Eddie Marsan, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melissa Leo, and Clea Duvall all co-star in this film.  This is another one that if I don't want to give too much away.  The movie goes out of sequence a lot which could be the director's way of making sure you pay attention but then rewards in the end.  This is a movie which is driven by good characters and performances as well as the direction.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Al Pacino, Ryan Gosling, Red Skelton, Mel Gibson, Bette Davis, Laurence Olivier, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 436th Edition

Welcome to the 436th Edition of my series.  I'd like to make a shout out to the new coffee shop in Downtown Muncie called the Caffeinery which opened this week.  I went there this week and is really nice place and atmosphere.  It is good to see a coffee shop open back up again and hope people in that area will support it.  I've been busy in my rehearsals but still find time to get work done.  I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Angels in America (2003):  This is part three of my Al Pacino series.  I start the week out with this HBO mini-series which was directed by Mike Nichols and written by Tony Kushner who adapted his own play into this mini-series.  There are multiple stories which come together in this tale that takes place in 1985 during the start of the AIDS crisis where no one really knew how to handle it.  Al Pacino stars as attorney and right wing fixer Roy Cohn who has AIDS but tries to hide it and the lifestyle which lead to it.  Patrick Wilson co-stars as Joe Pitt who is a republican candidate and Mormon who is in the closet and in a loveless marriage with Harper, played by Mary-Louise Parker, who has her own problems with pills.  Justin Kirk co-stars as Prior Walter who has been out of the closet and learns he has AIDS.  His lover for four years Louis, played by Ben Shenkman, bolts out.  Prior must then deal with the breakup, the physical effects of his sickness and even an angel who is inviting him to be a prophet in death.  Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Jeffrey Wright, James Cromwell, and many others co-star.  This is a six-hour mini-series where they are separated by six episodes that are about an hour long.  Streep, Thompson, and Wright were very good in their multiple roles with Streep even playing a rabbi at one point.  The rest of the cast also did a very good job.  This takes a very good look at our society at the time with the religious and political effects of the AIDS crisis.  Kushner wrote the controversial play in 1993 and won a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts.  This still remains very significant and compelling and is available on HBO On-Demand.

Keeping the Faith (2000):  Seems like I'm taking a religious route this week and this is more the comedy.  Ed Norton directed and co-stars in this comedy as Father Brian Finn.  Ben Stiller co-stars as the more progressive rabbi Jake Schram.  Despite their different religious backgrounds, Brian and Jake are childhood friends and remain that way into their adulthood.  DHARMA AND GREG alum Jenna Elfman co-stars as Anna Riley who was their friend in childhood but had to move away.  Anna returns to town and while they are able to catch up some tension arises.  Jake forms feelings for Anna but must consider the ethics as she is not Jewish.  Brian also has feelings for her even though he is a priest and is supposed to remain celibate.  Anne Bancroft, Eli Wallach, Ron Rifkin, Milos Forman, Holland Taylor, Rena Sofer, and Stuart Blumberg co-star in this romantic comedy.  Blumberg wrote the screenplay.  This is a pretty fun romantic comedy with well-written characters and a very interesting love triangle.  I also thought the three leads worked very well together.  I also liked the way each of the guys had to deal with the superiors on the way they were trying to get their message across but making it more fun which did not always go over well.  This is a good comedy with a lot of laughs but also making a bit of a statement.

Dimanche/Sunday (2011):  This is my animated short film for the week which was written and directed by Patrick Doyan.  This is a short film from the perspective of a boy who appears to be very bored on a typical Sunday where he goes to church, goes to see Grandma and so on.  He finds amusement in putting coins on a track, something a lot of people did in their childhood.  The short is also a statement towards the industrial age and the effects it has like showing the factory being shut down.  This is a simple but effective animated tale which was done in Canada.  This is available on Starz On-Demand on the Oscar nominated short films from 2012 which contains all the nominated shorts from that year as well as the live-action shorts.

Images (1972):  Robert Altman directed and wrote this thriller based on the book by Susannah York who stars as Cathryn.  Cathryn is a schizophrenic housewife who is haunted by terrorizing apparitions and beings to kill them off not knowing the line between reality and fantasy.  Rene Auberjonois co-stars as her husband Hugh who has a hard time understanding his wife.  There is a very limited cast and York manages to really carry this movie which really focuses on the mind of a schizophrenic.  This is a rare sort of film for Altman who I have never seen do a thriller like this one.  York played the part to perfection and was very sympathetic despite being very disturbing.  John Williams also wrote a really good and haunting music score that goes along perfectly with the tone of the film.  It is really hard to explain this further but was a very well done thriller and deserves a look.

Jesse James (1939):  This is part one of a two-part Henry Fonda series.  Henry King directed this look into the life of the famed outlaw from the script written by Nunnally Johnson.  Tyrone Power stars as the title character while Henry Fonda co-stars as his brother Frank.  This is one of the first notable portrayal on the gang and immediately took to portraying these brothers as Robin Hood figures.  In this movie, railroad agents are forcing people off their land including the James family which then makes Jesse resort to a life of crime they begin robbing banks and trains.  If one is looking for historical accuracy, I do not believe we will get much here.  I am more in favor of 2007 film THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD which shows how his so-called heroism is surrounded by the hype.  Another fact that is really irrelevant is that by the time James was killed by Ford, Frank had already left.  John Carradine plays Ford in this movie and is portrayed more as an opportunist who is just looking to get a reward while the 2007 movie shows there was a lot more to the reasoning for Ford in his assassination of James.  This movie is still a pretty compelling and even fun movie to watch despite being a pretty fictional account in many ways.  Nancy Kelly, Randolph Scott, Henry Hull, Lon Chaney Jr., and Donald Meek all co-star in this film.  This might have been the start to portraying outlaws as anti-heroes.  This is a pretty good take to the legend of Jesse James and is enjoyable if you can accept it for what it is but then follow it up with the 2007 film mentioned.

In a Lonely Place (1950):  Nicholas Ray directed this film noir. Humphrey Bogart stars as struggling screenwriter Dixon Steele who has quite a temper and violent tendencies.  He takes home a woman in order to tell him about a book he did not want to read and when she leaves she is murdered making Dixon a suspect.  His neighbor Laurel Gray, played very well by Gloria Grahame, is able to give him an alibi to clear his name which starts a relationship between the two and their own investigation on who might have killed this person.  Laurel slowly sees the violent tendencies toward Dixon and has no idea what to think.  This is a much later movie for Bogart and possibly one of his best performances in his complex performance.  Grahame also has a more toned down role from her typical tramp characters like in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.  This is a very suspenseful and compelling film with a great story, characters, and performances.  This is availabled through the app Crackle and is really worth it.

Rookie of the Year (1955):  This is my older short for the week which is an episode of a tv series called SCREEN DIRECTORS PLAYHOUSE.  John Ford made a rare television appearance as the director of this half hour show which starred John Wayne a sportswriter named Mike Cronin.  He took interest in a rookie player named Lyn, played by John's own son Patrick Wayne, and recognizes him as the son of one of the players who was banned due to the Black Sox scandal.  Ward Bond co-stars as Buck who is trying to start a new life and his kids do not know of his past.  Mike is determined to get a story but must decide if it is the right thing.  Vera Miles and James Gleason also co-star in this one.  This was not a bad 30 minutes.  This was on TCM On-Demand but I caught it on its last day.  Looks like this is a pretty good show to look into.

Killer Joe (2011):  William Friedkin directs this movie which is based on a play by Tracy Letts.  Emile Hirsch stars as Chris who is in a lot of debt.  He learns that the mother he hates has a very high insurance premium and gets his father Ansel, played by Thomas Haden Church, who is now divorced from her to go along with his plan to have the mother knocked off.  They learn of Joe Cooper, played very well by Matthew McConaughey, who is a police detective but moonlights as a hitman.  They are not able to pay him up front like he wants to he takes Chris's sister Dottie, played by Juno Temple, as a retainer until he is fully paid.  Gina Gershon co-stars as Ansel's current wife Sharla who is also very significant to what is happening.  When things go fourth, everything that can go wrong, goes wrong.  This is quite violent and is not for everyone but I was just glued to the screen in intrigue.  I would be interested to see what it would be like to see the play version of this and would be very interested to be in it so I say Muncie Civic Theater needs to look to get it to their studio theater.

Death Race 2000 (1975):  I continue my unusual selections and bring this one produced by Roger Corman and directed by Paul Bartel.  This takes place in a dystopian future during an annual brutal car race where not only are you trying to win by going over the finish line but collecting points by killing pedestrians.  David Carradine stars as their most famous driver going by Frankenstein who not only must deal with his rival drivers but also a resistance group trying to stop the race.  Sylvester Stallone co-stars in an earlier role as Machine Gun Joe who is more the villain of the film.  The Jason Statham movie of the same name is a remake but not quite the same.  This one was more of a satire and a lot weirder.  This is not for everyone but is enjoyable if you can suspend your disbelief and tolerate a sick society who takes pleasure in pedestrians dying.  In looking into the making of this movie, I learned the cars didn't run most of the time so had to be pushed a lot of the time but a great job making it look believable  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Waiting Room (2012):  I end the week with this documentary directed by Peter Nicks.  This takes a look at an Emergency Room in Oakland where the employees struggle to get through everyone in the waiting room and much of whom are uninsured.  Much of this is taking a look at certain patients showing their concern and frustration of what they are going through.  It also shows a hard-working staff who is doing the best they can but have a lot of hard choices as well as red tape.  This is a pretty straight-forward documentary and not shoved down one's throats like many documentaries.  This is also available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Brad Pitt, more Al Pacino, Clark Gable, more Henry Fonda, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 435th Edition

Welcome to the 435th Edition of my series.  As I announced last week, I am going to be in the Neil Simon play THE GOOD DOCTOR which was to be in April but now it is being bumped up to May and I will give more details soon.  It is now time to get you all my recommendations for the week.

Insomnia (2002):  This is part two of my Al Pacino series that could actually go a couple months.  Christopher Nolan directed this thriller.  Pacino stars as Detective Will Dormer and along with his partner Hap, played by Martin Donovan, coming to a small investigate a murder of a teen.  In trying to apprehend the suspect, Will accidentally shoots Hap.  While dealing with this guilt, he must also deal with the suspect Walter Finch, played by Robin Williams in a darker than usual role.  Will must also deal with local police officer Ellie, played by Hilary Swank, who is doing her own investigation towards Hap.  Paul Dooley, Nicky Katt, Maura Tierney, and Joshua Jackson all co-star in this film.  This is a really well put together mystery with Pacino and Williams working very well together.  Swank is also very good in her role.  Nolan does a great job with this film and deserves a look.

Hitchcock (2012):  Last week I featured Alfred Hitchcock's SPELLBOUND and now I feature his biopic.  Sacha Gervasi directed this film which shows Hitchcock's efforts to film PSYCHO when movie studios did not want to touch it.  Anthony Hopkins stars as the Master of Suspense who becomes obsessed over the novel PSYCHO and becomes determined to make it no matter what it takes.  Helen Mirren co-stars as his wife Alma whose marriage gets some tension during her husband's obsession.  Scarlett Johannson co-stars as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel as Vera Miles, and James D'Arcy as Anthony Perkins and all do a really good job as the PSYCHO actors and Hopkins doing really well as the famed director.  Danny Huston, Michael Wincott, Kurtwood Smith, Ralph Macchio, and many others co-star in this really fun biopic.  It was a very interesting story of how a classic that almost never was if it was not for the great efforts of Hitchcock who was at the peak of his career and had nothing else to prove showed he still had it.  This is available on HBO On-Demand.

Black Girl in Paris (2013):  This is my short film for the week which was written and directed by Kiandra Parks and based on a novel from Shay Youngblood.  Zaraah Abrahams stars as Luce who is a struggling writer in Paris.  She soon meets a prostitute named Eden, played by Tracey Heggins, and forms quite a bond experiencing new adventures and self-discovery.  I have been trying to focus on some more modern day shorts and was a pretty good 20 minutes with good performances.  This is also available on HBO On-Demand.

Richard Pryor:  Live in Concert (1979):  This is my stand-up concert for the week featuring the groundbreaking comedian.  In 78 minutes, Pryor covers many topics and holds nothing back to either the white or black audience and makes fun of himself just as much as he does everyone else.  He shows his great delivery, material, and many funny topics no matter how mundane they would usually be.  Pryor is considered by many to be one of the best comedians of all time and many cite him as an inspiration.  This was the first stand-up concert to be filmed live and was considered very risky at the time with Pryor's topics and language.

A Free Soul (1931):  This is a rather detailed crime drama.  Lionel Barrymore stars as alcoholic attorney Stephen Ashe who successfully defends local mobster Ace Wilfong, played by Clark Gable, in a murder trial.  Stephen's free spirited daughter Jan, played by Norma Shearer, begins to date Ace much to the dismay of her father which puts a lot of tension between them as she does not like his alcoholism.  Leslie Howard and James Gleason co-star in this really compelling film.  Gable and Howard would much later be in the 1939 classic GONE WITH THE WIND and have quite an encounter in this one.  It is also a pretty daring movie for its time and before Hollywood adopted the Hayes Code which ruined many a film.  This is a very complex early film and a must for classic movie buffs.

Jeremy (1973):  Arthur Barron wrote and directed this film on first love.  Robby Benson stars as the title character who is a shy high school Sophomore and really loves playing the cello.  Glynnis O'Connor stars Susan who is a senior and a dancer.  He really likes her but has a hard time coming up with what to say and Susan takes even more of a liking to him after hearing him play his cello.  This movie does a great job of developing this young relationship and friendship.  I had never heard of this but found it when I was at the library and recognized Benson as the voice of the Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST but had not really seen anything else so I decided to check this out which turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.  The two leads were great.  I found them both to be very relating especially Jeremy.  This is one that just about anyone can get into and unfortunate that it has remained so underrated.

I'll Be Seeing You (1944):  Joseph Cotton stars as a soldier named Zachary Morgan who is on medical leave and suffering PTSD.  On a train, he meets a woman named Mary Marshall, played by Ginger Rogers, on a train and strike up a bond.  What Zachary does not know is that Mary is on an eight day Christmas furlough from prison for manslaughter where she accidentally killed a man trying to rape her.  Mary really likes him but does now know how to approach him.  Ginger Rogers is far more known for her singing and dancing musicals with Fred Astaire but shows her more dramatic side in this one.  A teenage Shirley Temple co-stars as Mary's cousin Barbara.  This would have obviously been more fitting for December but is still a very enjoyable one to watch.  Both characters had great back stories which bring them together.

Meek's Cutoff (2010):  Kelly Reichardt directs this movie that takes place in 1845 Oregon.  A group of settlers are looking to get over the cascade mountains.  They hire a mountain man named Stephen Meek, played by Bruce Greenwood, who claims to know a short cut but things don't seem to be getting any better.  The settlers must face the hunger, thirst and their faith in each other.  The group encounters a Native American and all have mixed opinions on handling him.  They must choose to trust the seemingly unreliable Meek or the one seen as the enemy.  Michelle Williams stars as Emily who tries to keep things together.  Will Patton, Zoe Kazan, Paul Dano, and Shirley Henderson all co-star in this film.  This is a pretty decent depiction of the Oregon Trail that much of us grew up on in school on the more old school computers.  This is not the most fast paced movie of all time but has well-written characters, good music and good cinematography and is pretty realistic.

Everybody's Fine (2009):  Kirk Jones directed and co-wrote this film and I find it pretty cool that I start with Pacino and end with De Niro which was in no way intentional.  Robert De Niro stars as retired widower Frank Goode whose four kids bail on him for a reunion.  Against doctor's orders, Frank sets out to see each of his kids who are pretty spread out.  He has an artist son named David, played by Austin Lysy, a daughter named Amy, played by Kate Beckinsale, who is an ad exec, another daughter named Rosie, played by Drew Barrymore, who is a Vegas performer, and a son named Robert, played by Sam Rockwell, who is a conductor in a symphony.  He soon learns that none of them are as well off as he hoped and as well off as he pushed them in childhood.  He also finds there is some resentment from the children.  Frank must reflect on his parenting and must reconsider what he wants from his children.  Lucian Maisel, Damian Young, James Frain, Melissa Leo and many others co-star in this film.  De Niro is really good in this film.  This is a very honest portrait and a movie which gets driven by characters which I really like.  This is available on Instant Netflix and was another very pleasant surprise for me.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you hate and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Al Pacino, Edward Norton, and many others.



FUN AND USELESS FACTS

Christopher Nolan (Insomnia director) directed Scarlett Johansson in the 2006 film THE PRESTIGE.

Al Pacino (Insomnia) and Robert De Niro (Everybody's Fine) were in the 1974 film THE GODFATHER PART II, the 1995 film HEAT, and the 2008 film RIGHTEOUS KILL.  The first movie they were son and father, the second they were rivals on each side of the law, and in the last one they are partners on the police force.

Al Pacino (Insomnia) and Helen Mirren (Hitchcock) were in the 2013 HBO movie PHIL SPECTOR.

Al Pacino (Insomnia) was a client to Danny Huston (Hitchock) in the 2010 HBO movie YOU DON'T KNOW JACK.

Hilary Swank (Insomnia), Sam Rockwell (Everybody's Fine), and Melissa Leo (Everybody's Fine) were all in the 2010 film CONVICTION.

Hilary Swank (Insomnia) and Ralph Macchio (Hitchock) have both been karate kids.

Maura Tierney (Insomnia) and Anthony Hopkins (Hitchock) were in the 1999 movie INSTINCT.

Robin Williams (Insomnia) and Kurtwood Smith (Hitchcock) were in the 1989 film DEAD POETS SOCIETY.

Robin Williams (Insomnia) does the voice for the Genie in 1992 film ALADDIN.  My Facebook friend Ben played the part in a version at the Artist's Studio in Fishers, IN.

Robin Williams (Insomnia) and Robert De Niro (Everybody's Fine) star in the 1990 film AWAKENINGS.

Robin Williams (Insomnia) and Richard Pryor (Richard Pryor:  Live in Concert) were in the short lived 1977 tv series THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW.

Robin Williams (Insomnia) and Bruce Greenwood (Meek's Cutoff) were in the 1997 comedy FATHER'S DAY.

Nicky Katt (Insomnia) and Kurtwood Smith (Hitchcock) were in the 1996 film A TIME TO KILL.

Martin Donovan (Insomnia) plays John F. Kennedy in the 2002 tv movie RFK.  Bruce Greenwood (Meek's Cutoff) plays Kennedy in the 2000 film THIRTEEN DAYS.

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchock) plays Robert in the 2005 film PROOF.  My Facebook friend Michael played the part in a production at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater production.

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchock) plays Captain Bligh in the 1984 film THE BOUNTY.  Clark Gable (A Free Soul) plays Bligh's rival Fletcher Christian in the 1935 film MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY.

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchock) plays Dr. Michael Grant in the 1976 tv movie DARK VICTORY.  George Brent (The Great Lie) plays the equivalent Dr. Frederick Steele in the original 1939 film DARK VICTORY.

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchcock) was considered for the role of Jack Byrnes in the 2000 comedy MEET THE PARENTS which would ultimately go to Robert De Niro (Everybody's Fine).

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchcock) and Bruce Greenwood (Meek's Cutoff) were in the 2005 film THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN.

Anthony Hopkins (Hitchcock) and Zoe Kazan were in the 2007 movie FRACTURE.

Helen Mirren (Hitchcock) plays Queen Elizabeth I in the 2005 HBO mini-series ELIZABETH I.  Bette Davis (The Great Lie) plays the famed queen in the 1939 film THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX.

Scarlett Johansson (Hitchock) and Sam Rockwell (Everybody's Fine) were in the 2010 film IRON MAN 2.

Toni Collette (Hitchcock) and Paul Dano (Meek's Cutoff) were in the 2006 comedy LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.

Michael Stuhlbarg (Hitchcock) and Sam Rockwell (Everybody's Fine) were in the 2012 film SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS.

Leslie Howard (A Free Soul) and Norma Shearer (A Free Soul) plays Juliet in the 1936 film ROMEO AND JULIET.  My Facebook friend Jim and Kasey played the parts in a 2013 version in Farmland for Shakespeare Under the Stars which I played Paris, the one who wants to marry Juliet but is very unsuccessful in my pursuit.

Leslie Howard (A Free Soul), Clark Gable (A Free Soul), and Hattie McDaniel (The Great Lie) were all in the 1939 classic GONE WITH THE WIND.

Leslie Howard (A Free Soul) and Bette Davis (The Great Lie) were in the1934 film OF HUMAN BONDAGE and the 1936 film THE PETRIFIED FOREST.

Lionel Barrymore (A Free Soul) is the great-uncle to Drew Barrymore (Everybody's Fine).

Robby Benson (Jeremy) plays the Beast in the 1991 film BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  My Facebook friend Sean played the part in a 2005 version at Muncie Civic Theater where I played LeFou.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 434th Edition

 

Welcome to the 434th Edition of my long-running series.  I'm glad to see it has warmed up a little bit and I hope it is here to stay.  I would also like to announce that this week I am starting rehearsals for a play called THE GOOD DOCTOR.  This is a comedy from Neil Simon and will be at the Guyer Opera House in Lewisville, IN.  This is my second show in that theater and the first one was THE PRODUCERS.  Performances are April 11, 12, and 13 so will keep posted on this next project.  I will now get to my movie recommendations for the week.

Face/Off (1997):  I start the week out with this action film from director John Woo.  John Travolta stars as FBI agent Sean Archer who still grieves for his son who was killed by his enemy Castor Troy, played by Nicolas Cage, when he was trying to kill Sean.  In a sting operation, he finally gets Castor Troy who is then in a coma.  Just when he thought it was finally over, he learns that Castor planted a bomb.  Interrogation towards Troy's henchmen does not work especially towards his brother Pollux, played by Alessandro Nivola.  Archer then agrees to a very unusual operation by agreeing to have his own face removed and being replaced with that of Troy so that he can look to get some information our of his brother.  Things get even worse when Castor Troy awakens from his coma only to find himself without a face so he forces the doctor to give him Archer's face.  Joan Allen, Dominique Swain, Gina Gershon, Nick Cassavetes, Harve Presnell, Colm Feore, James Denton, John Carroll Lynch, CCH Pounder, Thomas Jane, and Margaret Cho all co-star in this action film.  This movie has some great action scenes that only John Woo can bring us.  The leads also do a good job of changing their characters.  I also felt that behind all the violence it is also a pretty moving story.  This is a rather unrealistic but still very fun if your disbelief can be suspended for a little bit.

Rent (2005):  I now bring a musical that takes place in New York City during the start of the AIDS crisis.  Chris Columbus directed this musical that is based on the musical by Jonathan Larson.  The story centers mostly around roommates Mark and Roger.  Anthony Rapp stars as Mark who always has his camera with him trying to make a film.  He is dealing with his ex-girlfriend Maureen, played by Adele Dazeem I mean Idina Menzel, leaving him for an attorney named Joanne, played by Tracie Thoms.  Roger, played by Adam Pascal, is dealing with AIDS and is trying to get a song written and has an uneasy love interest named Mimi, played by Rosario Dawson.  Rounding out this group of friends is Collins, played Jesse L. Martin, his boyfriend Angel, played by Wilson Jermaine Heredia, and property owner Benny, played by Taye Diggs.  This movie centers around this group of friends and their life struggles.  There are some great musical numbers in this film.  Also look for comedian Sarah Silverman in a cameo appearance.  All but Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms are part of the original Broadway cast though Thoms joined a later broadway cast which can be found on DVD.  I also want to stress that I did not intentionally go from a John Travolta movie to an Idina Menzel movie on account of what happened at the Oscars it just happened.  This is full of good performances and good musical numbers and is available on Instant Netflix.  Also, I just sang the song LIGHT MY CANDLE with my dear friend and karaoke partner Brittany which is called No BS and I feel we did it justice.


The Adventures of Edson Jean (2013):  This is my short film for the week.  The person in the title is the real-life person who directed, wrote, and stars.  Edson Jean is a college student who is in need of funding for financial aid and turns to a neighborhood connection man to get the money in a quick period of time.  He soon goes through a lot of mishaps in his pursuit of the money.  This is a pretty funny short film that I see has not really had much exposure but is being featured right now on HBO On-Demand.

The Public Enemy (1931):  This is my gangster movie for the week directed by William Wellman.  James Cagney stars as Tom Powers who is a bootlegger and violent gangster.  His life is frowned upon by his straight laced brother Mike, played by Donald Cook, and his mom seems rather naive to Tom's ways.   An event leads to a war which puts the life of Tom on the line.  Cagney was originally cast as one of the secondary characters but Wellman saw some star power in him and cast him as the lead which created a star in that era.  There are some very memorable scenes like Tom hitting a woman with a grapefruit. Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Mae Clarke, and Joan Blondell all co-star in this film.  This is possibly the best gangster movie from this era and does a great job of portraying the characters in childhood up to their adult life.

The Stork Club (1945):  I now bring more of a romantic comedy and I am pretty sure this is the first time I have looked into Betty Hutton.  Her name does not seem to really live on today but saw a lot of comedic range and a good singing voice.  She stars as nightclub singer Judy Peabody at the place of the title struggling to make a living.  She soon saves the live of a rich man named J.B., played by Barry Fitzgerald, but does not let on who he really is and poses as a guy who is in the same class as her while anonymously rewarding her with a lot of money and an apartment.  Judy's husband returns from overseas and believes she is now with someone leading into many misunderstandings.  This movie has some really funny moments and some pretty good musical moments.  This is one that has been overlooked but deserves some exposure.

Bobby Deerfield (1977):  This is part one of an Al Pacino series that I have planned for the next few weeks.  I know there will be at least two parts.  Sydney Pollack directed this love story that just happens to feature auto racing.  Pacino stars as the title character who is very suspicious of how a wreck happened to his friend and is leery to continue until he gets answers.  He soon meets a cancer patient named Lillian, played by Marthe Keller, who is terminally ill.  They soon form a relationship where even though Lillian is one dying, she tries to teach Bobby how to live more.  The two leads worked very well together and is a pretty touching movie.  This is a more different Pacino movie and deserves a look if you can obtain it.

Spellbound (1945):  I now bring one from the "Master of Suspense" Alfred Hitchcock.  Ingrid Bergman stars as psychiatrist Dr. Constance Peterson who works at the Green Manors mental asylum.  Gregory Peck stars as Dr. Edwardes who is a known psychiatrist joining the facility.  The two of them strike up a relationship but it becomes more clear that this person is not Dr. Edwardes but an amnesiac imposter who is wanted for questioning.  Constance puts her reputation and career on the line to help the amnesiac piece together events in his life that lead to him posing as Dr. Edwardes.  Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming, and Norman Lloyd all co-star in this Hitchcock film.  This movie takes a look at psychoanalysis and is one of the first of its kind.  There is also a really good dream sequence done by Salvador Dali.  I really enjoyed this and the two leads.  I also really like the way the movie ended and the camera work done. 

Open Hearts (2002):  This is my Danish film for the week which was directed by Susanne Bier.  Sonja Richter stars as Cecillie who has gotten engaged to her boyfriend Joachim, played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas.  Their whole world changes when Joachim is involved in an accident which leaves him paralyzed.  Marie, played by Paprika Steen, was driving the car when it happened and out of guilt she asks her doctor husband Niels, played by Mads Mikkelson, to to help Cecillie get through these tough times.  Niels' help towards Cecillie slowly turns into an affair which changes the lives of all those around him.  This is part of the Dogme 95 movement of film where they made films based on story, acting, and theme and without the use of special effects or elaborate technology.  I do not believe I have seen the others, but this one was really well done in terms or story and performances that drove the film. 

A Fistful of Dollars (1964):  Sergio Leone directed the first of "The Man With no Name" trilogy and this is a western remake of Kurasowa's samarai film YOJIMBO.  Clint Eastwood stars as an anonymous but deadly gunfighter who rides into a town of warring factions.  He soon decides to scheme to play the two factions off against each other and to make a profit in the process.  This was a pretty groundbreaking western which for one introduces an anti-hero character and it also really shows the brutality of a gunfight.  It is also carried very well my Ennio Morricone's original score.  This was a very good start to the trilogy that only gets better in my opinion.  Everything from the characters, the action, the cinematography worked very well.  This is also in some ways Eastwood's breakthrough role.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Millennium Actress (2001):  I end this week with this Anime film from Satoshi Kon which actually pays homage to the film industry.  A long-time studio is being torn down and tv interviewer Genya tracks down the aging former actress named Chiyoko who has lived reclusively for many years since leaving the world of acting.  Genya soon gives her a key which triggers a lot of memories for Chiyoko who soon relects on her movie career through the years and why she got involved.  As she relives her career, the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred for Chiyoko and Genya.  I usually limit my anime selections and usually enjoy most the Studio Ghibli anime but this one really kept my interest and was very cleverly made.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and what you dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Al Pacino, Helen Mirren, Clark Gable, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 433rd Edition

Welcome to the 433rd Edition of my series.  I want to take this time to make a plug towards my friends both of which are named Brittany.  They are both local artists for hire and made me a really nice card for my friend's birthday so instead of going to Wal-Mart or some store chain consider hiring Brittany and Brittany by supporting local artists.  Go like their page at https://www.facebook.com/BrittanyandBrittany.  Tonight, I will be watching the Academy Awards like usual in this really bad weather. I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Batman:  Mask of the Phantasm (1993):  I start the week out with this animated superhero movie.  I believe this is one of the first of the animated Batman films.  Kevin Conroy provides the voice to the caped crusader and finds the in Gotham City there is another vigilante in town knocking off mob bosses in which Batman is being implicated.  Also in Bruce Wayne's life, his ex-fiancee Andrea Beaumont, voiced by Dana Delany, returns which complicates things for Bruce.  The Joker, voiced by Mark Hamill which is really his best work in my opinion, also returns looking to get to the vigilante.  This is a very good portrayal of Batman which has some really good action sequences and animation.  Stacy Keach and Abe Vigoda provide their voices to this movie.  This is possibly one of the best Batman movies and compares with most of the live-action ones.

Pleasantville (1998):  I now go from a superhero movie to this homage to 50s sitcoms.  Gary Ross wrote and directed this really clever comedy.  Tobey Maguire stars as 90s teen David who really loves the title sitcom and when breaking the remote, he acquires a new remote through a tv repairman, played by Don Knotts, and along with his sister Jennifer, played by Reese Witherspoon, are sucked into the series where they are now the kids of the show where they are in a world of old fashion values, innocence and naivete.  Their loving parents are played by William H. Macy and Joan Allen.  Jennifer is more rebellious and begins to shake it up a bit hoping to bring a little color to the black and white world.  As the world changes, the more people go from black and white to color with an interesting parody towards segregation.  Jeff Daniels, J.T. Walsh, Marley Shelton, Jane Kaczmarek, Paul Walker, and many others co-star.  BUFFY alums Danny Strong and Marc Blucas has cameo appearances as well.  I really thought Ross did a great job with this complex comedy begging the question if a perfect world is really the answer. 

Frozen (2013):  Now I go to the world of Disney and a more current film directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck.  This movie starts with two sisters.  The oldest one named Elsa, voiced by Idina Menzel, and the younger one is named Anna, voiced by VERONICA MARS alum Kristen Bell.  Elsa has special powers of being able to turn things into ice and her parents mostly shut her off from society with Anna wondering why they cannot be friends anymore.  As adults, Elsa's emotions trigger her powers to turn the kingdom of Arendelle into an eternal Winter.  Anna soon teams with mountain man Kristoff, voiced by Jonathan Groff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and a funny snowman named Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad, to find Elsa and try to help her as well as save the kingdom from an eternal winter.  In the process, she uncovers a more sinister plot.  Alan Tudyk and Ciaran Hinds also provide their voices.  Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez wrote some really good song numbers including DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN.  Idina Menzel shows off her great voice and Kristen Bell shows she is pretty good herself.  This is a really fun and moving animated film that is good for the family.

Hi De Ho (1937):  This is my musical short for the week which stars famed musician Cab Calloway as himself.  Cab's mother is concerned that he spends his days listening to music and pretends to lead an orchestral band.  Soon, a gypsy shows Cab actually leading an orchestra.  This is not a bad short movie and shows off some of Calloway's songs.  

Hobson's Choice (1954):  This is my Criterion selection for the week which was directed by David Lean.  This is a British comedy which stars Charles Laughton as Henry Hobson who runs a successful bootmaker shop in the 19th century.  He is a widowed man who also likes to go to the pub a lot and tries to run the lives of his three daughters.  He also decrees no marriage to them but then his oldest daughter Maggie, played by Brenda de Banzie, sets her sights on the shop's best bootmaker Will Mossop, played by John Mills.  The two of them soon form a rival company.  This does have some very funny moments including Laughton who I don't think I have really seen in a comedic role.  It also does a great job of portraying the class from that era as well as the evolution of Will who starts out as just a simple bootmaker but slowly becomes less naive to the world. 

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962):  Robert Aldrich directs this tale of sibling rivalry.  Bette Davis and Joan Crawford star in this film as sisters and actresses Baby Jane Hudson and Blanche Hudson.  As children Jane had more fame but as grown ups Blanche became the more successful actress while Jane did not get as much fame.  As adults they live together where Blanche is confined to a wheelchair and Jane is very bitter of the success that Blanche had in their acting careers making her do things like intercept fan letters but even resorting to violence.  Davis gives a very intense performance as Jane who continues to relive her childhood and is delusional over her fame.  The two stars were said to have one of the biggest Hollywood feuds of all time.  In looking further into this it does appear the rivalry was quite a bit exaggerated until after this movie.  These two did work very well together and is a very compelling film.

The Racket (1951):  This is my film noir for the week.  Robert Ryan stars as ruthless gangster Nick Scanlon who is very old-fashioned about his ways and is very violent.  Robert Mitchum stars as the honest police captain Thomas McQuigg who goes after Scanlon and his gang.  McQuigg must also deal with the corruption on his own force as well as the politicians on Scanlon's side.  Both of the leads are two believable tough as nails characters who are both engrained in their ways.  Lizabeth Scott and William Talman also co-star in this gritty film that has gone very overlooked through the years like many of this genre.  I usually favor this genre from this era and this no-nonsense film deserves a look. 

The Living Daylights (1987):  I now bring James Bond and the first of two portrayals by Timothy Dalton.  Bond first must organize the defection of KGB General Georgi Koskov, played by Jeroen Krabbe, who makes it look like his superior General Leonid Pushkin, played by John Rhys-Davies, has become very corrupt.  Bond is soon sent to assassinate General Pushkin but does not buy Koskov's story.  His investigation soon leads him into Afghanistan where he must deal with a war crazy American arms dealer named Brad Whitaker, played by Joe Don Baker.  He also meets beautiful cellist Kara Milovy, played by Maryam D'Abo, who is the girlfriend of Koskov.  Andreas Wisniewsky, Desmond Llewelyn, Robert Brown, Walter Gotell, Caroline Bliss, and John Terry co-star in this Bond film.  I really like the title theme song which was sung by 80s band A-Ha.  I will now say that I am in the minority when it comes to really liking Dalton as Bond.  I have seen all the Bond films and believe they all have their qualities in some way but I favor the darker portrayal of Bond that him and Daniel Craig bring to the role.  This one is in some ways more of a spy thriller and has some great action scenes.

Easy Rider (1969):  Dennis Hopper directed and stars in this film about two counterculture bikers going from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of the American Dream.  Hopper and Peter Fonda star as Billy and Wyatt.  Along their trek to Mardi Gras, they meet up with many different people including a drunken lawyer named George, played very well by Jack Nicholson.  This takes a look at a lot of things during the 60s like the hippie movement, drug use and the communal lifestyle.  It also shows the prejudice at the time of hippies and judging by the way they look like not being able to get service at a restaurant.  Hopper, Fonda, and Terry Southern wrote this film which stands the test of time today.  Hopper and Fonda did not write a full script and much of the crew were actual hippies at communes that would do things like hold the cameras.  This also had a good soundtrack from people like Steppenwolf and the Band where the music really fit the film.  Bridget Fonda and Phil Spector have cameos in this film.  This was a very well done low-budget film which is one of the most significant films of all time. 

A Different Tree (2013):  I decided to end on this short film directed by Steven Caple Jr.  Morgan Ashley stars as Pearl Washington who is assigned a family tree project but does not feel complete without putting info about her father who she has never seen.  She soon sets out to find her father much to the dismay of her mother Jada, played by Tracie Thoms.  This was a USC Graduate Film and they did a good job with the movie and the cast.  This is available on HBO On-Demand and I am featuring this before any comments have even been made on the imdb website.  This has always been a very overlooked genre of film so I hope to get this some more exposure.

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