Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 480th Edition

Welcome to the 480th Edition of my series.  This is a pretty cool number and hard to believe in 20 weeks from now I will have the 500th Edition.  Don't worry, I won't be doing any kind of countdown.  I will get to my recommendations for the week.

Behind the Candelabra (2013):  This is part four of my Matt Damon series.  Steven Soderbergh directed this movie based on the autobiography with Scott Thorson, played by Damon, which centers around his relationship with legendary pianist and entertainer Liberace, played by Michael Douglas.  When Thorson first meets Liberace he is a fairly modest and timid man but falls in wealth and excess.  Scott is shut out from the outside world by Liberace who always prefers to stay home and gets some plastic surgery at the recommendation of Liberace.  He soon begins to rebel and Liberace finds another lover getting Scott mostly kicked to the curb.  Scott Bakula, Debbie Reynolds, Dan Aykroyd, Rob Lowe, David Koechner, and many others co-star in this HBO movie.  Douglas does a great job as Liberace and I hardly recognized him.  Other performances were good as well and this movie is available on HBO On-Demand

The Queen (2006):  I go from the flamboyant world of Liberace to our queen of England.  Stephen Frears directed this film where they deal with the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana.  Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth and decides to have her family lay low with the death of Diana and deal with the matter privately within the family.  The public does not like that the royal family have not addressed the public about the situation which makes matters difficult for newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair, played by Michael Sheen.  James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Helen McCrory, and many others co-star.  Mirren does a really good as the queen.  Frears does a very good job of putting it together with footage of Diana and even portraying that the royal family are human.

The Girl by the Lake (2007):  This is my Italian movie for the week.  Andrea Molaioli directed this film based on the novel by Karin Fossum.  Toni Servillo stars as police commissioner Sanzio who is called upon to investigate the murder of a young girl in an Italian town.  Sanzio has his own problems like an ill wife who no longer recognizes and does not know how to tell his daughter.  He also investigates the murder and has a lot of suspects as well as uncovers a lot of secrets in his murder investigation.  This is a really good murder mystery and will keep you guessing.

Chip 'an Dale (1947):  This is my animated Disney short for the week.  Donald Duck is looking for a log for his fire and the one he tries to get have two chipmunks of the title.  When he takes the piece of wood, their acorns are part of it and do what they can to get their acorn stash back.  This was the first starring vehicle for Chip and Dale who would become very popular and even that cartoon series I watched CHIP AND DALE'S RESCUE RANGERS.  This is easily worth a look and very enjoyable one.

Charlie Chan in Paris (1935):  Our Asian detective, played by American actor Warner Oland, is in Paris where he is hired to investigate forged bonds but his undercover agent is killed and must investigate a murder instead.  Keye Luke, an actual Asian, makes his debut in the series as Lee who helps his dad investigate the murder and scams happening in Paris.  Keye Luke also adds a good element of the father/son relationship.  This is a very interesting climax through the Paris sewers and a really good twist.  This is part of a Charlie Chan boxed set my dad got me for Christmas.

Helter Skelter (1976):  Tom Gries directed this tv movie which is centered around the investigation of the Sharon Tate murder among others which were done by the women of Charles Manson's, played by Steve Railsback, hippie cult.  George DiCenzo plays the prosecutor Vincent Buliosi who was looking to get Charles Manson charged with the actual murders even though he did not do the direct kill.  Nancy Wolfe was very creepy as Manson woman Susan Atkins.  This was a really good tv movie showing the investigation of a very bizarre time.  I have never understood why Charles Manson is so revered for what he did and the way people buy shirts and stuff but I guess that is just me.  Railsback plays the part of Manson to perfection.  This is not for everyone but very compelling if you have a good stomach.

Too Late For Tears (1949):  This is from the Film Noir boxed set my dad got me and on there this is called KILLER BAIT but imdb refers to this title.  Lizabeth Scott and Arthur Kennedy star as married couple Jane and Alan Palmer who are just driving down the road and a speeding car throws out a bag of a lot of money which ends up in their car.  They disagree over what to do with the money where Alan is looking to turn it over but Jane persuades him to keep it and shows a lot of traits making her a femme fatale.  Dan Duryea plays Danny Fuller who claims the money is his.  This is really my favorite genre from this era and this was very enjoyable.

For Greater Glory:  The True Story of Cristiada (2012):  Dean Wright directed this chronicle on the Mexican war the Cristeros War which happened from 1926 to 1929.  Mexican president Calles, played by Ruben Blades, decides to ban Catholicism which provokes a group of religious people who form a militia to fight the government.  Andy Garcia stars as former general Enrique Gorostieta who is an atheist but fights with the locals for their freedom.  Mauricio Kuri, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Oscar Isaac, Peter O'Toole, Nestor Carbonell, Eva Longoria, Bruce Greenwood, Bruce McGill, and many others co-star in this film.  I was not aware of this time period and was pretty informative with Garcia giving a good performance as the general.  It is sad that religious oppression happens on both sides where in some places religion is a requirement but on this one it is banned.  It is hard to find that happy medium in this world.  I really thought this was very compelling and thought provoking.

Tristana (1970):  This is my foreign film for the week which is directed by Luis Bunuel.  Catherine Deneuve stars as the title character whose mother has died and is entrusted to the guardianship of the respected and older Don Lope, played by Fernando Rey.  He refers to himself as her father but has a weakness for women and also forms a relationship with her.  Tristana has another man who she actually loves in Horacio, played by Franco Nero, but finds that a relationship with him will be really complicated with her situation.  it is a very compelling film where we see what can happen in a class like system and even shows the price of bitterness leading into a pretty good climax.  It is hard to describe this any further but foreign film buffs should really take a look at it and if you are tolerant of subtitles.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Benjamin Franklin (2002):  I end the week with this PBS documentary of the man who we know from the $100 bill and some witty one liners.  This documentary goes far more in-depth starting with his childhood where he was the youngest of 17 children.  It goes into his early life where he self-taught himself many things like in journalism, science, and inventions.  It also goes into his rise as a known inventor, diplomat, and even politician.  It also goes into where he was able to convince France to help us in the Revolutionary War to become who we are today.  This was a man of many trades helping with electricity, protection from lightning, our country, and many other things.  I could go on and on about this man who would qualify to become a Jack of all Trades.  The part that surprised me the most was his invention of the Glass Harmonica which was used by many well known composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Handel.  Since doing 1776, I have become more interested in political figures from this era and like the way they have actors reflecting on some of the historical moments.  Colm Feore, Dylan Baker, and Anthony Heald have contributions to this documentary.  It is a very informative documentary which gave me a lot of new information and was a good watch.  I will look to do these kinds of documentaries more often.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Matt Damon, Frank Sinatra, Woody Allen, Catherine Keener, and many others.  Continue to read for a new segment.



TRIPLE FEATURE IN THE HOUSE OF CALLIES

Last Friday night after work, I decided to hang out with my friend and fellow karaoke junkie Chris who always has very interesting movie suggestions so allowed him to choose for our movie night.  He gave three very diverse selections of things he has been suggesting for a while now.  Here are the three.

C.S.A.:  The Confederate States of America (2004):  This was our first viewing Kevin Willmont directed this very politically incorrect mockumentary which is kind of shot like something from PBS and has fake commercials.  This takes place in an alternate modern-day world where the south had won the Civil War.  It is a world where things like slavery still exist and links historical references in a different way like a movie about the fall of Lincoln since he lost the war from real-life director D.W. Griffith and shot like his silent films even with the title cards.  This is not for everyone but is a very interesting look on how the this world might have been if the south had won.  this should be taken for what it is which is satire and to not take it the wrong way.  Keep in mind those commercials were actual products from segregation era of out time.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Devil's Carnival (2012):  Our second feature is only about an hour and quite a bit different but still quite bizarre.  Darren Lynn Bousman directed this very dark musical where lost souls enter a version of hell which is in a very weird carnival.  Many lost souls find their way like with a kleptomaniac, a concerned father, and a gullible teenager.  This is based on three stories from AESOP'S FABLES including THE DEVIL AND HIS DUE, THE DOG AND ITS REFLECTION, and THE SCORPION AND THE FROG.  Terrance Zdunich portrays Lucifer and is who makes it all happen.  It is from the same director of REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA and has alums Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega, Bill Moseley, and Nivek Ogre as well as newcomers Sean Patrick Flannery, Jessica Lowndes, Emilie Autumn, among many others.  There are some really good musical number and very dark imagery.  Chris let me know there is to be a sequel soon.  This is also available on Instant Netflix.

Antichrist (2009):  Chris has been on me for awhile to watch this one and he made this our final viewing.  Lars Von Trier directed this horror film which was pretty much a psychological horror film.  I never really looked into the background of this movie so with this title, I was mostly expecting all kinds of satanism, maybe some sort of demons but found I was quite wrong.  As I learned, this is more of an experimental art film.  Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg star as a married couple and are credited as He and She.  They must deal with the grief of losing a child who jumped out a window while they were having sex in another room.  The wife becomes very depressed and her psychiatrist husband decides to take her home in attempt to treat her depression even though it is against the rules to treat loved ones.  They decide to go to a remote cabin in the woods where they look to confront their fears.  These two actors carry most of the film where they experience a lot of lust and violence.  It is quite hard to put this in words, it really holds nothing back as Chris told me.  It also does a really good job portraying someone going through withdrawal of anti-depression pills as she became very dependent upon.  There are some very graphic scenes in terms of sex and violence as well as some very bizarre imagery.  This is by no means for everyone but I was very compelled by the story and the imagery.  Dafoe and Gainsbourg work so well together and carry the film well.  If you are easily offended and don't have a great stomach, this is not for you.  For those who find this interesting, it is available on Instant Netflix

I pretty much was prepared for some pretty unusual selections and Chris did not disappoint.  I know many people would not have gotten through this whole triple feature but hope to do this again sometime.  This is finally the end for this week.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 479th Edition

Welcome to the 479th Edition of my series.  Not a lot of new things are going on so I won't say a lot on this opening paragraph.  I know there is a lot of talk now on the Academy Awards and towards those people feel were snubbed and those who they thought deserved.  I take it as a very subjective and try not to get real worked up about it.  This is the time of year though where I hit the movie theaters more often so I may include some nominees very soon.  I will now get onto my selections for the week.

Green Zone (2010):  This is part 3 of my Matt Damon series.  Paul Greengrass directed this film that takes place around the beginning of the invasion of Iraq.  Damon stars as Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller who is charged with finding the weapons of mass destruction but becomes very suspicious of the intelligence he has received and teams up with Wall Street reporter Lawrie Dayne, played by Amy Ryan, to uncover the truth.  Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Igal Naor, and many other co-star in this film.  Kinnear was good in a rather villainous role and Damon also did a really good job.  This was quite thought provoking and fast paced at the same time.  This is based on the book IMPERIAL LIFE IN THE EMERALD CITY by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran.  Much of the soldiers in the film are actual soldiers.  This was pretty well done and worth a look.

In the Name of the Father (1993):  Jim Sheridan directed this film based on the autobiography of Gerry Conlon called PROVEN INNOCENT.  Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Conlon who is a small-time thief in Belfast becomes implicated for a bombing that he did not commit along with his friends and even his father, played by Pete Postlewaite.  He is forced to confess which puts him in prison along with his dad.  They had been rather distant with each other through the years but start to become closer in prison where Gerry forms a new admiration for his dad.  Emma Thompson stars as British attorney Gareth Peirce who does everything possible to prove their innocence.  Saffron Burrows, Corin Redgrave, and Tom Wilkinson all have parts in this film.  This was a very powerful and moving film.  With the title of the book, I think you can all predict how it ends but it is very compelling to see how it all unfolds.  Day-Lewis and Postlewaite work well together.

Top of the Lake (2013):  This is my BBC mini-series for the week.  This starts with a 12 year old girl named Tui, played Jaqueline Joe, who is pregnant and tries to kill herself.  She is stopped before it happens and detective Robin Griffin, played by Elizabeth Moss, investigates what has happened which finds her deep in small town secrets and in some ways reliving her past.  Thomas Wright, Peter Mullan, David Wenham, Holly Hunter, XENA alum Lucy Lawless, and many others co-star in this mini-series.  This is a rather dark series at times but is also very compelling.  It also has some beautiful scenery, well-written characters, and good performances.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

On Ice (1935):  This is my animated short and have one from Disney for the week.  This had multiple situations like Mickey Mouse teaching Minnie how to ice skate.  It also shows Goofy doing some interesting ice fishing and Donald Duck strapping skates to Pluto and laughs at him when doing so.  This leads to a climax between Mickey and Donald.  This had quite a bit of action for 8 minutes and packed in the to characters very well.

Suddenly (1954):  This is one of the movies my dad got me which was a Film Noir boxed set.  This takes place in a small town where the president is expected to visit.  Frank Sinatra stars as John Baron who is in town along with two others with the intent on assassinating the president.  They find the place to commit the act is at the home of the Bensons which consists of a mother named Ellen, played by Nancy Gates, her son Pidge, played by Kim Charney, and her father in law, played by James Gleason.  It starts out with these people and with Ellen being against guns because of her husband dying in the war.  Sterling Hayden co-stars as Sheriff Tod Shaw who has feelings for Ellen but she still is not over her husband dying.  He tries to point out to her that guns can be beneficial.  They are all present at the home when Baron takes the home hostage.  This has a great tension to it and has an interesting pro-gun message to it.  Sinatra does a great job as a villain who has no compassion whatsoever.  I also liked Sterling Hayden in his more toned down role.  As I look further into this, it is said that Lee Harvey Oswald viewed this movie days before he killed Kennedy.  This is available on Instant Netflix and on the public domain so is probably easily obtainable.

La Cage Aux Folles (1978):  This is my French film for the week which is based on the play by Jean Poiret.  Ugo Tognazzi plays Georges who owns the nightclub of the title.  His son has announced his marriage and his future in-laws want to meet his family but is in a complicated situation.  His father is gay and has a lover named Albin, played by Michel Serrault, who is a drag queen so he asks his father to play it straight for his future in-laws.  Georges agrees to go along but finds it very difficult among those around him leading into a lot of comical situations.  There is a musical version but this is not the musical but still pretty well done.  This would years later be remade into the 1996 comedy THE BIRDCAGE which stars Robin Williams.

Frances (1982):  Graeme Clifford directed this film on Hollywood.  Jessica Lange stars as real-life '30s actress Frances Farmer made it pretty big but never held back on her opinions and has a hard tie especially after her domineering mother Lillian, played by Kim Stanley, has her committed to an asylum.  Sam Sheperd co-stars as her loyal friend Harry York.  Anjelica Huston and Kevin Costner have early bit roles.  There is not a lot to say but is a very compelling look at the dark side of Hollywood in this era.  Lange plays the part of Frances to perfection.

A Dog of Flanders (1959):  This is one of those boy and his dog stories that I admit I can be a sucker for at times and this one became no different.  Donald Crisp and David Ladd star as Jehan and Nello Daas who are grandfather and grandson.  They are poor but very kind and hardworking.  They make ends meet by selling milk locally.  Nello dreams of becoming and artist and makes the most of what he has in order to create art.  Theodore Bikel co-stars as local artist Piet who starts to mentor Nello but things become difficult when he dies.  I guess I have gone on without going into the dog part.  Nello finds a dog that has been left for dead and clearly abused so they take him into their loving home.  This is a very touching and emotional story where I usually manage to shed tears and this was no different.  This is a really good one for the family to watch and could have a really good double feature with OLD YELLER.

Murder by Decree (1979):  Bob Clark directed this movie based on the characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Christopher Plummer and James Mason star as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. James Watson investigate murders done by Jack the Ripper and find quite the conspiracy in order to protect the Ripper.  They do a good job of tying historical fact into the fictional detectives.  It is also one of the first times where Watson was more of a partner than the bumbling sidekick which would become even more emphasized years later with Jude Law in the role.  David Hemings, Susan Clark, Anthony Quayle, John Gielgud, Frank Finlay, and Donald Sutherland co-star in this Homes tale.  Plummer and Mason are a very good combination and is a really good Gothic tale.  This is available on Instant Netflix and really is worth a look.

Infernal Affairs (2002):  I end the week with this Hong Kong film that would be the inspiration to Scorsese's 2006 film THE DEPARTED.  Alan Mak directed and co-wrote this action film.  Tony Leung stars as Chen Wing Yan who starts out as a young police officer who is sent as a mole to infiltrate the mafia referred to as the Triads and his assignment becomes a lot longer than was ever intended.  Andy Lau stars as Inspector Lau Kin Ming who is a member of the Triad and sent to go undercover in the police force.  It takes them through years where their jobs are clearly taking a toll.  This tells a really good story and has very good performances.  The American remake is pretty good but credit must be given where it is due.  I also really liked the way it ended.  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 which so far includes more Matt Damon, Helen Mirren, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 478th Edition

Welcome to the 478th Edition of my series.  Tonight are the Golden Globe awards which I will be recording as I will be going to Valhalla for some karaoke this evening.  I do watch the movie award shows but I don't go all nuts about who wins and does not win since it really is just a bunch of people's opinions.  We got hit with some pretty crazy weather this week but we are all here to talk about it.  I will get to my selections for the week.

The Informant (2009):  This is part two of my Matt Damon series.  Steven Soderbergh directed this film which is based on a true story.  Damon stars as Mark Whitacre who works his way up to the company of ADM but discovers price fixing activities and decides to report it to the FBI where he becomes a spy for them.  In the process, his good deeds go to his head and he begins to come up with a lot of lies where his world begins crashing down around him.  Melanie Lynskey co-stars as Whitacre's wife Ginger who is always supportive of her husband no matter what he does and even justifies everything he does just like Mark who seems to think he is always doing a good thing but alienating everyone around him that does not necessarily deserve it like the FBI agents who helped him.  Scott Bacula, Rusty Schwimmer, Joel McHale, Clancy Brown, Tony Hale, Ann Cusack, Patton Oswalt, Frank Welker, Tom and Dick Smothers, and many others co-star in this film.  This film takes a really good comedic take where the narration comes from Damon as Whitacre.

Keep Off the Grass (1970):  This is my short for the week in this story centered around Marijuana.  A high schooler named Tom has started smoking pot and his parents find a joint in his home.  He immediately points out the hypocrisy to his dad for drinking and smoking in which his dad still believes that the pot is more dangerous.  He challenges his son to do his own research on the effects.  Tom decides to go around the world of marijuana to parties and see the effects on other people.  These days we are seeing more and more that it is no worse the any other drug out there and this is one of those "warning" movies so this is something to watch for what it is worth and might even want to get high while doing so and possibly make this the pre-movie before REEFER MADNESS.  This was on the TCM show Underground Shorts.

To Hell and Back (1955):  This is my war selection for the week.  Jesse Hibbs directed this film based on the autobiography of the movie title by Audie Murphy who is considered to be the most decorated WWII soldier of all time.  Murphy stars as himself depicting his early years in Texas growing up and poverty where he is forced to grow up early.  Eventually, he must take care of his siblings at the age of 18 when his mother dies.  He decides to join the military where many did not think he had what it takes due to his short size but proved everyone wrong with his bravery and resourcefulness and moves up the ranks while racking up medals.  This is a really good tribute to the military and really ranks up in the genre.

Road to Perdition (2002):  This is my mafia film for the week.  Sam Mendes directed this film based on a graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner.  Tom Hanks stars in this film as mafia hitman Michael Sullivan in this Depression era Chicago film.  Tyler Hoechlin co-stars as Michael's 12 year old son Michael Jr. who witnesses his father and partner Connor Rooney, played by Daniel Craig, gun down an associate which Rooney sees him and decides he must cover his tracks.  Rooney is able to kill his wife, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, and the younger song.  Michael must protect his kid while looking for retribution for what Rooney did.  Paul Newman co-stars as Connor Rooney's father John who has also been a father figure to Michael but cannot turn on his own flesh and blood.  Jude Law co-stars as a very ruthless hitman who has been hired to kill Michael.  Ciaran Hinds, Dylan Baker, Stanley Tucci, and many others co-star in this mafia film.  I really enjoyed this mafia film and behind all that violence is really a pretty moving story on redemption and retribution.  Hanks is great in his role and worked well with Hoechlin.  This is Paul Newman's last live-action feature film.  This movie works well on many levels and deserves a look.

Girl With Green Eyes (1964):  Desmond Davis directed this film based on the novel by Edna O'Brien.  I took interest in this when I found this dvd at the library and saw Peter Finch is in this movie.  I don't really know much about Peter Finch beyond his iconic role as Howard Beale in NETWORK when he told everybody to open that window and yell "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore".  Rita Tushingham plays the awkward farm girl Kate Brady who has moved to Dublin.  She soon meets writer Eugene Gaillard, played by Finch, who is quite a bit older and quietly pursues him.  He resists in the beginning but eventually they form a romantic relationship but things are complicated when she finds out he is married, though getting a divorce.  The relationship contains a lot of factors which include age and Kate's catholic family.  Lynn Redgrave co-stars as Kate's more outgoing roommate Baba but gets ignored while she pursues Eugene.  This is a very interesting love story that has a pretty violent climax involving Kate's Catholic background.  This movie has always been quite under the radar and can be a good watch.

Oceans (2009):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzand.  This was filmed in the ocean areas through the world which documents the animals, the environment and the effect we are having on the environment.  Pierce Brosnan narrates this documentary.  This has some very amazing footage of the oceans.  Perrin and Cluzand also directed the documentary WINGED MIGRATION which has become one of my favorite movies.  I cannot say this one topped it but this still was very enjoyable and a good one for the family.

Charlie Chan in London (1934):  My dad got me a few DVDs for Christmas and this boxed set of Charlie Chan is one of them and it is during the Warner Oland era.  Oland plays the famed Chinese detective who is just about to leave London until a young socialite named Pamela Gray, played by Drue Leyton, whose brother is to be executed saying that he did not commit the murder.  Charlie sets out to do what he does best and find the real killer.  A young Ray Milland co-stars as Pamela's fiance Neil and is her brother's attorney but believes he is guilty much to the dismay of Pamela.  Oland is probably the most known Charlie Chan and no he is not Chinese but still does a good job in the role.  This is a pretty well done who done it and a must for Charlie Chan fans.

All is Lost (2013):  J.C. Chandor wrote and directed this one man film which stars Robert Redford.  Redford stars as a man in the middle of the ocean stuck on his yacht.  The ship appears to have a hole and must work to fix it enough to get out.  In the process, he must battle a violent storm and other elements.  He is clearly very resourceful in his ways.  What is really interesting about this movie is that there is very little dialogue and I mean just a couple times in the movie he speaks when trying to ask for help but is unsuccessful.  We do not have Redford talking to himself or creating a friend like Tom Hanks in CASTAWAY when he was stranded alone on an island.  There is also very little music played.  What we rely on is the actions of one man's survival.  Chandor and Redford put together a great movie with the limited people involved in it.  I really liked this movie and believe it deserves more exposure.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Paleface (1948):  This is part two of my two-part Bob Hope series.  Last week I featured SORROWFUL JONES and I noticed on the cover photo I posted it asked "Better than Paleface?" and with that being a question I must say no.  Of everything I have watched of Mr. Hope, this is my favorite.  Jane Russell stars as the frontierswoman Calamity Jane and is recruited to find out who is smuggling rifles to the Indians.  When an agent also assigned to go undercover as her husband turns up dead, recruits inept dentist "Painless" Peter Potter, played by Hope, as her husband.  Peter goes along but has no idea his wife is actually Calamity Jane.  Jane also kills some Indians and makes it look like Peter is the one who did it making everyone including Peter believe he is a big hero.  This is a very good western parody with a lot of great comedic moments.

Great Expectations (1998):  I did the routine again where I come up with a few titles for the 10th pick which fit the edition, number them off, then ask a Facebook friend who has been supporting to come up with a number.  This week I chose Todd who I know through theater but have never had the pleasure of actually working with him except some brief unofficial improv comedy training.  Alfonso Cuaron directed this modern day version of the classic novel by Charles Dickens.  Ethan Hawke stars as Finn who has been renamed from the character's name in the novel which was Pip.  As a child, he meets young Estella, played by Gwyneth Paltrow in the adult years, and shortly after that is summoned by the wealthy and crazy Ms. Dinsmoor, played by Anne Bancroft, who is the aunt of Estella.  From childhood Finn becomes very fascinated with Estella but her aunt warns him that she will only hurt him in the end.  As an adult, Finn becomes a successful artist in New York and becomes reacquainted with Estella.  He tries to win her love but is still seemingly unattainable.  Robert De Niro, Chris Cooper, Hank Azaria, Josh Mostel, and many others co-star in this modern-day tale loosely based on the classic novel.  I really had a hard time really describing this movie but was very intrigued by what I saw and the interaction of Finn and Estella and I believe all the characters were renamed in this movie.

Well, that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Matt Damon, Emma Thompson, Holly Hunter, Frank Sinatra, and many others.  Continue to read for the returning Fun and Useless Facts segment.  I'm sure there are plenty I have missed so feel free to add more in the comments.



FUN AND USELESS FACTS

Matt Damon (The Informant) and Chris Cooper (Great Expectations) were in the 2002 film THE BOURNE IDENTITY.

Jennifer Jason Leigh (Road to Perdition) and Robert De Niro (Great Expectations) were in the 1991 film BACKDRAFT.

Matt Damon (The Informant) and Tom Hanks (Road to Perdition) were in the 1998 film SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

Paul Newman (Road To Perdition) and Robert Redford (All is Lost) were partners in crime in the 1969 western BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and the 1973 film THE STING.

Matt Damon (The Informant) and Robert De Niro (Great Expectations) were in the 2006 film THE GOOD SHEPHERD which was directed by De Niro.

Audie Murphy (To Hell and Back) played Billy the Kid in the 1969 film A TIME FOR DYING which was Murphy's last movie.  Paul Newman (Road to Perdition) was in the 1958 movie THE LEFT HANDED GUN.

Matt Damon (The Informant), Jude Law (Road To Perdition), and Gwyneth Paltrow (Great Expectations) all star in the 1999 film THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY.

Daniel Craig (Road To Perdition) and Pierce Brosnan (Oceans) have been the last two James Bonds.

Tom Papa (The Informant) and Robert De Niro (Great Expectations) were in the 2002 mafia comedy ANALYZE THAT.

Daniel Craig (Road To Perdition) will play me in my biopic THE RISE AND FALL OF SHAUN BERKEY.

Thomas F. Wilson (The Informant) plays Detective Scott Turner in the 1990 tv movie TURNER AND HOOCH.  Tom Hanks (Road To Perdition) in the 1989 comedy TURNER AND HOOCH.  The 1990 tv movie did not seem to ever go far.

Robert Redford (All is Lost) was cast in the 1982 film THE VERDICT but dropped out and would ultimately go to his friend Paul Newman (Road to Perdition).

Tony Hale (The Informant), Stanley Tucci (Road to Perdition), and Ciaran Hinds (Road To Perdition) were in the 2008 animated movie THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX.

Daniel Craig (Road to Perdition) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Great Expectations) were in the 2006 movie INFAMOUS.

Joel McHale (The Informant) and Dylan Baker (Road to Perdition) were in the 2004 film SPIDER-MAN 2.

Pierce Brosnan (Oceans) and Chris Cooper (Great Expectations) were in the 2010 film REMEMBER ME.

Ann Cusack (The Informant) and Tom Hanks (Road to Perdition) were in the 1992 film A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.

Robert Redford (All is Lost) and Chris Cooper (Great Expectations) were in the 1998 film THE HORSE WHISPERER.

Ann Cusack (The Informant) and Hank Azaria (Great Expectations) were in the 1996 comedy THE BIRDCAGE.

Paul Newman (Road to Perdition) and Anne Bancroft (Great Expectations) had cameos in the 1976 comedy SILENT MOVIE.

Clancy Brown (The Informant) and Daniel Craig (Road to Perdition) were in the 2011 Sci-Fi western COWBOYS AND ALIENS.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 477th Edition

Welcome to the 477th Edition and my first installment of the year.  I hope everyone is adjusting well to this new year.  I also hope those with resolutions are doing well with them but if not just don't worry about it.  I hope to have a good year this year and have never really had a "bad" year so I'm sure this will be no different.  I can't think of anything else to ramble on about so I'll just get to the selections.

Turn Left at the End of the World (2004):  I start the year out with this foreign selection which was written and directed by Avi Nesher.  This takes place in a desert village in Southern Israel in the '60s.  Two immigrant families move into this village where one is from Morocco and the other is from India.  Both families have a hard time adjusting except that the daughters form a close friendship which is to the dismay of locals because of things like race difference.  Some of this movie is a coming of age and another part of it is dealing with big change like movie to another country.  This was a pretty well done film showing that prejudice can happen wherever one goes and the struggles that go along with it.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008):  This is part two of my two-part Kristen Bell series.  I recall when I first heard about this movie, I was in Chicago with my mom when we were trying out for the first year of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT.  There were billboards all over town that talked about how much they hate this girl named Sarah Marshall.  I was pretty sure this was some sort of advertising and finally learned it was this movie.  Nicholas Stoller wrote this movie which was written by Jason Segal who stars in this movie as Peter who has just broken up with his tv star girlfriend Sarah Marshall, played by Kristen Bell.  He decides to get away and go to Hawaii unbeknownst to him that Sarah was there with her rock-star boyfriend Aldous, played by Russell Brand.  Peter is still clearly very sad and meets hotel clerk Rachel, played by Mila Kunis, who he becomes friends with and slowly forms a relationship with her while trying to get over Sarah.  Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, William Baldwin, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Gedde Wattanabe and many others co-star or have cameos in this comedy.  Also to all you RENEGADE fans from the '90s out there, look for Branscombe Richard who was Bobby Sixkiller, in a small part.  This was a pretty fun comedy that gave me a lot of laughs.  There is also a very amusing musical involving Dracula.  This is not exactly for the family but is a great one for the adults of both genders to watch together.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004):  This is part one of a Matt Damon series that could go for about nine parts.  This is the second part of the Bourne series where Damon reprises his role as the amnesiac Jason Bourne who is trying to start a new life with his girlfriend Marie, played by Franka Potente, but must go back to the life he tried to get away from when as assassination attempt on his life goes awry.  He must look for why the CIA is still after him in this action packed film.  Paul Greengrass directed this film based on the novel by Robert Ludlum.  Brian Cox, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Michelle Monaghan, and many others co-star in this action film.  I thought this was a good sequel or continuation, not sure of the classification.  There are some really good action scenes and really good performances.  This is a good one for Guys Night.

Spreadin' the Jam (1945):  This is my musical short for the week about a woman short on her rent and about to be evicted.  When her neighbors learn of this, they throw a rent party and everyone breaks out into song and dance.  What a group of neighbors to come together like they did.  This was rather amusing and worth the 10 minutes.

The Real Glory (1939):  Henry Hathaway directed this film which is set against the backdrop of the Moro Rebellion.  Gary Cooper stars as Lieutenant Canavan and part of the United States army in 1906 that were in the Philippines.  They look to protect the natives from ruthless invaders.  David Niven, Andrea Leeds, Reginald Owen, Broderick Crawford, and Kay Johnson co-star in this war drama.  This is Gary Cooper's entry into that golden year of film and while it does not measure up to some, this still entertains very well with more good action and performances.

Ode to Billy Joe (1976):  Max Baer Jr. directed this film which is inspired by the song by Bobbie Gentry.  Glynnis O'Connor stars as small-town teenage girl Bobbie Lee Hartley.  Robby Benson stars as the title character who professes his love to Bobbie Lee but is very difficult with many saying she is too young and a secret from Bobbie Lee.  This really captures southern life very well in the '50s and O'Connor and Benson work very well together.  Robby Benson is most known as the voice of the Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and was very good to see him in his younger days.  Director Baer is most known as Jethro in THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES and does a really good job behind this camera in this teenage love story but was much more.

Sorrowful Jones (1949):  This is part one of a two-part Bob Hope series.  Bob Hope stars as the title character who is a New York bookie.  When a bet goes wrong, he ends up with a little girl, played by Mary Jane Saunders, whose father never returns.  Sorrowful now must care for the young girl in hopes her father will return and finds that having a child gets in the way of his free wheeling lifestyle.  Lucille Ball co-stars as his ex-girlfriend and burlesque performer Gladys who is more of a parental figure.  In the process, he also must evade crooked gangsters.  I liked this comedy on unexpected parenting.  William Demarest, Bruce Cabot, and Thomas Gomez star in this film.  It is a remake of the Shirley Temple movie LITTLE MISS MARKER.  I felt like the three main people worked well together and was a pretty likable Bob Hope vehicle.

Eye of the Dolphin (2006):  Michael D. Sellers directed and co-wrote this movie.  Carly Schroeder stars as Alyssa who is a teenage girl whose mother dies and even after a year has not adjusted to her death.  When she is suspended from her school, her grandmother Lucy, played by Katherine Ross, decides to take her to the Bahamas to meet her father James, played by Adrian Dunbar, who Alyssa has been told was dead.  James is an independent dolphin researcher and has no idea that he has a daughter.  He is also in danger of losing his research facility to a tourist attraction which he does not feel is right.  Alyssa and James slowly form a connection and Alyssa learns to communicate with the dolphins and tries to help him stop a tourist attraction from happening.  GLEE co-star Jane Lynch co-stars as the main person looking to get the tourist attraction.  This is a decent family movie that was a bit predictable but to be expected in this type of movie.  It is family oriented towards maybe older kids as it does depict struggles of a teenage girl.  Animal lovers and environmentalists will really like this one.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Giant (1956):  George Stevens directs this epic taking place in Texas and dealing with family strife, greed, and prejudice.  Rock Hudson stars as Jordan Benedict who goes by the name Bick.  He is a Texas rancher who goes to Maryland to purchase a prized horse and in the process meets Leslie, played by Elizabeth Taylor, and marries her.  Through the years, they have children and the marriage has a lot of ups and downs with Bick's need to be in charge of everything.  James Dean in his last movie plays Jett Rink who is at first a ranch hand and later an oil tycoon who becomes the main rival of Bick.  A young Dennis Hopper plays Bick and Leslie's son Jordan who is expected to take over the family business but wants to pursue a different life much to the dismay of his father.  He also must deal with a lot of prejudice when marrying a Mexican woman.  Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, Mercedes McCambridge, Sal Mineo, Rod Taylor, Chill Wills, and many others co-star in this film.  I have always said this is my favorite of James Dean's big three.  What I really liked is how Rock Hudson starts out as rather unlikable and James Dean is the one to feel sorry for and it changes slowly throughout the movie.  I also thought they did a really good job of aging Hudson and Taylor at their young ages at the tie.  James Dean is from a town less than an hour from where I live and at one point had a museum but have heard that got closed.  They do still have an annual festival where people from around the nation come for with the showing of the older cars.

Family United (2013):  I end with this Spanish comedy which was chosen on my number method where I came up with a list of titles from this particular year and that I got from Netflix and HBO On-Demand and asked my friend Shera for a number where this was a result.  Daniel Sanchez Arevalo wrote and directed this comedy of a family reuniting for the wedding and is around the time of the World Cup final.  The beginning of this movie shows the patriarch of the family when he was with their mom and their love for the movie SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS where they tried to do the same routine with their children but stopped at five when the mother leaves the family.  Years later, they all have their own lives where the youngest is to get married and are all together in the end to deal with the joy, sorrow, and struggles of a family.  This had some very well written characters dealing with everyday struggles.  It looks like this is no longer on HBO On-Demand so I'm not sure how obtainable this one is but if you like the foreign cinema this would be a good watch.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes more Matt Damon, Tom Hanks, Lynn Redgrave, Pierce Brosnan, and many others.