Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 559th Edition

Welcome to the 559th Edition of my series.  I am now on a road to get back into the world of community theater.  I have a few prospects in consideration that are in Muncie, Anderson, and many Marion in the last half of the year so I will keep everyone posted on that one.  For now there is not too much going on so I'll just get on with my selections for this week and the return of Fun and Useless Facts.

Mean Girls (2004):  This is part one of a possible Rachel McAdams trilogy.  Mark Waters directed this comedy based on a book by Rosalind Wiseman while the screenplay was written by Tina Fey who also co-stars.  Lindsey Lohan stars as Cady Heron who has been home schooled all her life in Africa but move to the United States and at 15 years old starts at an actual high school.  Naive to this new world, she meets with the group called the "plastics", played by McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried, which are a group of rather unkind girls.  She gets assimilated into the group but soon tries to bring them down making them stoop to their level and hurting many others in the process.  Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Franzese, Neil Flynn, Jonathan Bennett, Rajiv Surenda, and many others co-star.  Seyfried for me was my favorite as she was perfect as the "dumb girl" and makes her feature film debut.  I'm not going to do a Lohan bashing here as I am just trying to focus on the film.  This might be her best one and was a very well written comedy on how the quest for "popularity" can cloud judgement.  I used to do what I could to get into the "popular" crowd but did very stupid things to try and realize much later in life how unimportant it is and to be popular within your own group.  I felt this movie conveyed this very well while also delivering a lot of laughs in this clever comedy.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Seeing Hands (1943):  This is my short film for the week and while this is a Pete Smith Specialty, this is a more serious and informative one than the usual comedies.  This is a true story about someone named Ben Helwig who as a child was blinded.  In his adult life, he wants to help with the WWII effort but has a hard time getting anyone to let him help with his blindness.  Soon, he gets discovered working on wood projects and despite his blindness can do just about anything with hands as the title indicates.  I was glad to come upon this on TCM and learn about this man.

Medium Cool (1969):  Haskell Wexler wrote and directed this very independent film.  Robert Forster stars as John Cassellis who is a tv reporter who likes to report about violence in the ghetto and racial tensions.  A disagreement with his employer gets him fired and finds freelance work covering the Democratic National Convention and when doing so, a lot of violence erupts.  Verna Bloom, Peter Bonerz, Marianna Hill, Peter Boyle, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a very different film and at the time was deemed to be rated X though in 1970 it was named rated R.  This was shot is a documentary style and manages to combine non-fiction and fiction.  It has a very authentic feel to it with a good performance out of the underrated Forster who was given his most exposure years later by Quentin Tarantino in JACKIE BROWN.

Million Dollar Arm (2014):  This is my sports film for the week which was directed by Craig Gillespie and the screenplay was written by Tom McCarthy.  This is based on a true story where Jon Hamm stars as struggling agent J.B. Bernstein who learns of the popular game Cricket in India and decides there is potential in that market.  He goes out there to take a look at players in an open challenge and guarantees two winners to go to the United States for a Major League Baseball tryout.  Finds two people in Rinku, played by Suraj Sharma, and Dinesh, played by Madhur Mittal, who win though not cricket players.  These guys know nothing about baseball so J.B. must get them ready for the tryout and in the process learns humanity and takes more than being strictly business and career oriented.  Pitobash, Lake Bell, Alan Arkin, Aasif Mandvi, Bill Paxton, and many others co-star in this film.  I really enjoyed this inspirational film of the slow change that happens in a man that started out with a publicity stunt to save his job into realizing what he must do to help these people and their dreams.

Cocaine Fiends (1935):  This movie is also referred to as THE PACE THAT KILLS but I say COCAINE FIENDS makes a much better title.  This is one of the many drug propaganda movies of this era which was meant to scare everyone but the exaggerated effects of the drugs make it worthy of the RIFFTRAX and MST3K crew.  This actually came out just a little before the 1936 REEFER MADNESS which remains the most popular of these types.  One thing I did not know until a little research is that THE PACE THAT KILLS is a 1928 movie and this is a remake that uses some of that footage with additional footage into this one.

Love and Other Drugs (2010):  This is more of my romantic comedy for the week.  Edward Zwick directed this film based on a book by Jamie Reidy.  Jake Gyllenhaal stars as pharmaceutical sales rep Jamie Randall who meets a free-spirited girl named Maggie, played by Anne Hathaway, as she is experiencing early states of Parkinson's Syndrome.  They slowly begin to fall in love with each other making Jamie rethink his player ways.  Oliver Platt, Josh Gad, Hank Azaria, Gabriel Macht, Judy Greer, George Segal, Jill Clayburgh, and many others.  Gyllenhaal and Hathaway's contrasting personalities worked very well for the film.  It also takes a good look into the world of Parkinson's syndrome.   I also enjoyed Azaria as the doctor torn over who to invest with.  Good romantic comedy with good commentary around it.

Gypsy (1962):  This is my musical for the week.  This is based on Burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee, played by Natalie Wood, and is mostly based on her childhood days and late teen years to when she becomes Gypsy Rose Lee.  Rosalind Russell co-stars as her domineering mother Rose who is determined to see her other daughter June, played by Ann Jillian, succeed on Broadway but June tires of her mother's ways and leaves the group making her turn to Louise, her name before Gypsy, who is less talented but find her way into the world of burlesque stripping.  Karl Malden co-stars as Herbie who is Rose's love interest and helps with the traveling act.  Paul Wallace, Parlay Baer, Morgan Brittany, Roxanne Arlen, and many others co-star in this film.  Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim wrote the music of the film.  Wood does very well going from the timid and cooperative girl into what she would become in Burlesque.  This is a pretty entertaining film adaptation of the popular musical.

The Poker House (2008):  This is part two of a two-part Jennifer Lawrence series.  Lori Petty makes her directorial debut in this film based in her younger years before she would become an actress.  Lawrence stars as the 14 year old Agnes who is the character based on Petty and forced to grow up very quick to help raise her younger sisters after her mother, played by Selma Blair, turns to prostitution and has a lot of drug and alcohol problems as well as an abusive boyfriend.  Chloe Grace Moretz, Sophi Bairley, Casey Tutton, Javon Johnson, Bokeem Woodbine, ORIGINALS alum Danielle Campbell, Andrew Rothenberg, David Alan Grier, and many others co-star in this film.  This is not very easy to watch and is not without flaw as it is a bit all over the place at times.  It still caught my interest and had some very good performances, especially Lawrence, to keep me going.  This is available on the website hoopla.com.

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952):  This is my religious film for the week.  This is based on an event in 1917 in Portugal.  Susan Whitney, Sammy Ogg, and Sherry Jackson star as three kids in the country who have visions of a lovely lady in the clouds and is asked to return on the 13th of each month to help bring a miracle to the town.  Word spreads very quick and the anticlerical government does everything they can to destroy the church but the children stand by their stories.  Gilbert Roland co-stars as the agnostic but very friendly Hugo who is friends with the kids and adds a little comic relief to the film.  Frank Silvero, Jay Novella, Richard Hale, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty well done religious film with a music score by Max Steiner that really helped.  The performances of the three peasant children were also very good.  This is part of a boxed set called Films of Faith for those into these kinds of movies.

Jack Reacher (2012):  I end the week with this action film.  Christopher McQuarrie directed this film based on the novel ONE SHOT by Lee Child.  Tom Cruise stars as the title character who floats under the radar a lot and is requested by an alleged sniper who is accused of murdering five people.  Reacher becomes known and while helping the sniper's attorney, he is also looking to find out for absolute sure that the accused is guilty leading to a few twists.  I believe this is a character of a few novels and I cannot judge from the books since I am not really much of a reader though I'm trying.  For me it was a pretty enjoyable action film as well as having some pretty well-written characters.  Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, David Oyelowo, Werner Herzog, Robert Duvall, Josh Helman and many others co-star in this film.  Duvall had a rather amusing cameo near the end.  If you are looking for some fun action, this might be a good choice.

Well, that is it for this week though I have returned with my Fun and Useless Facts segment.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Rachel McAdams, George Stevens, Tom Hanks, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I found some time to do one of these segments.  I don't focus on anyone in the same film and I know there are probably many other facts I did not catch so if you think of any, by all means leave your comments.

Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs) were a married couple in the 2015 film SOUTHPAW.

Marianna Hill (Medium Cool) and Robert Duvall (Jack Reacher) were in the 1974 film THE GODFATHER PART 2.

Daniel Franzese (Mean Girls) and Tom Cruise (Jack Reacher) were in the 2005 sci-fi remake WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Jon Hamm (Million Dollar Arm) and Jill Clayburgh (Love and Other Drugs) were in the 2011 comedy BRIDESMAIDS.

Neil Flynn (Mean Girls) and Tom Cruise (Jack Reacher) were in the 1999 film MAGNOLIA.

Bill Paxton (Million Dollar Arm) and Tom Cruise (Jack Reacher) were in the 2014 sci-fi film EDGE OF TOMORROW.

Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls) and Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs) were daughter and mother in the 2012 film LES MISERABLES.

Bill Paxton (Million Dollar Arm) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs) were in the 2014 film NIGHTCRAWLER.

Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls) and Bill Paxton (Million Dollar Arm) were daughter and father in the HBO series BIG LOVE.

Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs) and David Oyelowo (Jack Reacher) were in the 2014 sci-fi film INTERSTELLAR.

Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) and Robert Forster (Medium Cool) were in the 2009 comedy GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIEND'S PAST.

Oliver Platt (Love and Other Drugs) and Jennifer Lawrence (The Poker House) were in the 2011 film X-MEN:  FIRST CLASS.

Tina Fey (Mean Girls) and Jon Hamm (Million Dollar Arm) have been in the Netflix series UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT.

Peter Boyle (Medium Cool) and Oliver Platt (Love and Other Drugs) were in the 1998 comedy DOCTOR DOLITTLE.

Neil Flynn (Mean Girls) and Gregory Alan Williams (Million Dollar Arm) were in the 1989 comedy MAJOR LEAGUE.

Bill Paxton (Million Dollar Arm) plays outlaw Frank James in the 1995 movie FRANK AND JESSE.  Gabriel Macht (Love and Other Drugs) plays Frank in the 2001 movie AMERICAN OUTLAWS.

Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls) and Allyn Rachel (Million Dollar Arm) were in the 2014 film A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST.

Judy Greer (Love and Other Drugs) and Chloe Grace Moretz (The Poker House) were in the 2013 horror remake CARRIE.

Neil Flynn (Mean Girls) and Tzi Ma (Million Dollar Arm) were in the 1996 film CHAIN REACTION.

Robert Forster (Medium Cool) and Judy Greer (Love and Other Drugs) were in the 2011 film THE DESCENDANTS.

Amy Poehler (Mean Girls) and Judy Greer (Love and Other Drugs) were recurring characters in the sitcom ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

Jennifer Lawrence (The Poker House) and Josh Helman (Jack Reacher) are in the 2014 film X-MEN:  DAYS OF FUTURE PAST and X-MEN:  APOCALPYSE.

Ana Gasteyer (Mean Girls) and Judy Greer (Love and Other Drugs) were in the 2000 comedy WHAT WOMEN WANT.

Robert Duvall (Jack Reacher) plays Major Frank Burns in the 1970 film MASH.  My friend Bill played the part in a 2007 play at Lee's Theatrical Productions in which I was Walt "Painless Pole" Waldowski.  Unfortunately, Bill decided to deactivate his Facebook account so I cannot tag him.

Tina Fey (Mean Girls) and Chloe Grace Moretz (The Poker House) were in the 2014 film MUPPETS MOST WANTED.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 558th Edition

Welcome to the 558th Edition of my series.  I am finding it a struggle this year to find a paid fantasy football league.  Not much else happening at the moment so on the the selections.

The Piano Teacher (2001):  This is part four of my four part Michael Haneke series.  Isabelle Huppert stars as Erika who as the title might indicate is a piano teacher but there is a lot more to her.  On the side she visits a sex shop and watches dvds there.  She also lives with a rather domineering mother.  A student named Walter, played by Benoit Magimel, decides to audition for her class knowing her masochistic ways and tries to pursue her.  I will say this is probably my least favorite of the four Haneke films I have featured but this still has some good moments.  Huppert is great as Erika and works very well with Magimel up to the climax at the end.  If there is anything I learned about Haneke, it is that he does not make it easy for the viewers.

Summer of '63 (1972):  This is my short film for the week.  This is one of those Sid Davis social guidance films.  This deals with STDs where it starts with Dr. Monk Monahan talking about how he was a irresponsible high school senior and the events that made him want to be a doctor.  This mainly is to be a message on STDs.  It is always good to visit some Sid Davis shorts every once in a while.

Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940):  John Cromwell directed this adaptation on our 16th president.  This starts from his younger days in Kentucky up until he becomes president.  He is portrayed as a humble and hard-working southern man who wins over the the town in Illinois he is living in slowing going into politics after running a store and becoming the postmaster.  Ruth Gordon co-stars as his wife Mary Todd and is portrayed as very conniving which I have heard is quite accurate.  Gene Lockhart co-stars as Stephen Douglas, the man Lincoln would have very legendary debates with politically.  Howard Da Silva also co-stars in this film.  Massey's portrayal of Lincoln is my favorite that I have seen so far and would go onto play the part on stage.  This was a pretty good and inspirational look the former president.  I also like that it goes a little into his fighting and in real life he was known to do carnival wrestling where people would challenge him but never win.

Lady Gaga Presents:  The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden (2011):  This is my concert film for the week and I am not ashamed to say I am a Lady Gaga fan.  This was an HBO special and performing songs like POKER FACE, YOU AND I, BAD ROMANCE, and many others.  I have been known to sing BAD ROMANCE on karaoke from time to time and had the honor of being able to video record my dear friend Ashley singing YOU AND I in my home.  She also talks some autobiographically and does some very quick changes to transition to other songs.  I know some referred to her as a Madonna rip-off but I feel she has her own image and has come very far even since this.  One thing I did not understand is that since this was an HBO special, why they bleeped out profanity but I'll let that go.   I'm glad to call myself a freak.

The Petrified Forest (1936):  This is my film noir for the week which was directed by Archie Mayo.  Bette Davis stars as small town girl Gabrielle who works at the family restaurant but wants nothing more than to get away.  Leslie Howard co-stars as Alan Squier who is a broke man who stumbles into town.  Humphrey Bogart plays escaped convict Duke Mantee who also ends up in the restaurant and holds the place hostage where tensions come to a halt.  Genevieve Tobin, Dick Foran, Porter Hall, Charley Grapevine, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a film that where every character had a lot interest and is great to see how things will unfold.  This is quite a classic film and maybe Bogart's best performance at least in this era of his career before he would become more of a leading man.  This is also a breakthrough film for him that Howard helped him get.

Gravity (2013):  Alfonso Cuaron directed and co-wrote this sci-fi film.  Sandra Bullock stars as medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone who is on her first mission.  George Clooney stars as veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski who is on his last mission before his retirement.  They are the survivors of a shuttle disaster which was destroyed leaving Ryan and Matt alone in space to fend for themselves.  Ed Harris also has a voice cameo in this sci-fi thriller.  Bullock and Clooney give good performances and carry this space movie quite well in my opinion.  I know some did not like this film but I thought this was a very good story on fighting for survival.  It also had some really good cinematography.  In some ways I wonder if it is more drama than sci-fi with a story that could be realistic.  This was on Blu-Ray and what I had from the library can be watched in 3D if you have that kind of tv and this would probably be a good one to watch in that way.

Godzilla Raids Again (1955):  This is the second film to feature the infamous Godzilla who would become quite an icon in the years to come.  In this one, Godzilla is found feuding with another monster named Anguirus while both destroying Osaka, Japan in the process.  Do I really need to say much about this one?  It did not top the 1954 classic GODZILLA by any means but was still pretty fun to watch.  Anguirus is the first creature that Godzilla fought but would later bury the hatchet and sometimes helped Godzilla in battle like against Mechagodzilla.  I recorded this from El Rey where I can always turn to the if I need something.

Fire in Babylon (2010):  This is my documentary for the week. This documentary takes a look at the sport of Cricket and a team in the West Indies in the 70s and 80s.  It shows how they started out struggling to make it, then becoming a huge success.  I believe they were also the team helped break the color barrier in this sport.  This has interviews with many of the players that were involved.  I will say that I really know nothing about cricket and this documentary did not really make me learn anything about it.  I can see it is more violent than I thought.  As far as I know, it has never been an American game, at least not one that had any success like other parts internationally.  It is still a pretty informative documentary that focuses on a team and very interesting to watch.

Charlotte's Web (1973):  This is a childrens film based on the book by E.B. White that takes place on a farm where we have a pig named Wilbur, voiced by Henry Gibson, who is very scared knowing that his owner will likely butcher him. He soon makes friends with an aging spider of the title character who does what she can to keep him alive which turns the pig into a local celebrity. This movie deals a lot with friendship, loyalty, acceptance, and just life in general. Just about any of us can relate to Wilbur or some other animal in the movie. Debbie Reynolds does the voice of Charlotte and worked for free due to her love for the book. Paul Lynde lends a lot of comic relief as Templeton the Rat. Danny Bonaduce even does a voice in the movie for Avery, the brother of Fern who seems to understand the animals. One thing that was mind blowing was knowing that the voice of Wilbur would years later be a recurring judge on BOSTON LEGAL who hated "jibber jabber".  This is absolutely something that the kids can watch and understand which can teach a lot of life lessons.

Joy (2015):  This is part two of a two-part Isabella Rossellini series where she is essentially the reluctant benefactor for Joy.  I am also making this part one of a two-part Jennifer Lawrence series.  David O. Russell directed this film which reunites SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK actors Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro.  Lawrence stars as the real life Joy Mangano who would become a very successful inventor but had to struggle first as a single mother trying to make it.  De Niro stars as her father and in SLP was the father of Cooper while Cooper co-stars stars the head of QVC who is trying to help Joy push her miracle mop invention.  Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Rossellini, Susan Lucci, Laura Wright, Diane Ladd, Maurice Benard, Donna Mills, Ken Howard, Melissa Rivers, and many others co-star in the film.  Lucci, Wright, Benard, and Mills are soap opera icons ironically in a soap opera that Joy's mother Terry, played by Madsen, is obsessed over.  Rivers portrays her own mother Joan Rivers in this film.  This did get some mixed opinions and while I don't feel it tops SLP, I still really liked it and the struggle it shows of not giving up, especially in the rather cutthroat world of inventing.  Russell took some of the events of the true story but still spun it some to make it his own film like added characters.  I did like how it portrayed a pretty dysfunctional and complicated family but still very loving, even with the ex husband staying in the lives of the family.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Rachel McAdams, Robert Forster, Bill Paxton, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Wood, Jennifer Lawrence, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 557th Edition

Welcome to the 557th edition of my series.  There is not a lot going on this week.  No announcements to make so I'll just get on with my selections.

Amour (2012):   This is part three of my four part Michael Haneke series.  Haneke wrote and directed this French film on a octogenarian couple.  Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva star as retired couple Georges and Anne.  When they are eating breakfast, Anne ends up having a stroke leading into a physical and mental decline.  Georges becomes her caretaker in respect of her wishes to not end up in a nursing home.  Isabelle Huppert co-stars as their daughter Eva.  This is a very brutally honest look at an aging couple whose love is really tested in these difficult times.  I really should not go any further into this as it will give it away.  In this journey of Haneke, I find that he tries to paint an honest portrait which may not always be upbeat but one that can really bring someone in on the ride.

My Summer of Love (2004):  Pawel Pawlikowski directed this film based on a novel by Helen Cross.  Natalie Press stars as Mona who is a working class girl and meets Tamsin, played by Emily Blunt, who is the upper class girl.  They form a friendship and even turns into more of a relationship where they try to help each other experience life more but deception comes with it.  Paddy Considine co-stars as Mona's ex-con brother Phil who is a born-again Christian and comes into play regarding the relationship of Mona and Tamsin.  It is very hard to describe this one.  It is a rather compelling, even dark drama with very good performances by the leads.  Considine's newly religious ways might even make a religious person cringe in how he goes about it.  The remote location of the film also helped its feel.  This is a very well done character driven film and really worth a look.

Big Night (1996):  This is part two of my two-part Ian Holm series.  Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci co-directed and Tucci co-wrote with Joseph Tropiano.  Tucci and Tony Shalhoub star as brothers Secundo and Primo who own a struggling Italian restaurant and gamble it all in hopes of saving the restaurant.  Holm stars as fellow restaurant owner Pascal who offers to call his musician friend to help them out.  Marc Anthony, Minnie Driver, Isabella Rossellini, Liev Schreiber, Campbell Scott, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a really good movie on running a restaurant and the struggle to keep it going while keeping integrity to their restaurant.

Bar Rac's Night Out (1937):  This is my short film for the week and is a comedy short in this Pete Smith Specialty.  Bar-Rac is a raccoon out to get food for his family but has encounters with other animals like a bobcat that might keep him from finding what he wants.  Smith's narration always adds enjoyment to these comedy shorts that might not work otherwise.  This was a fun few minutes from the point of view of a raccoon.

Anchors Aweigh (1945):  This is part one of my two-part Dean Stockwell  This is my musical for the week and the first of three teamings for Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.  They star as sailors Joseph Bailey, played by Kelly, and Clarence Doolittle, played by Sinatra.  Like their later teamings, Sinatra plays the more innocent and naive while Kelly being the experienced one and a player to a degree.  They are sailors on leave in L.A. and both looking for love and helping a young singer, played by Kathryn Grayson, get an audition at MGM studios.  Dean Stockwell, Pamela Britton, and many others co-star in this film.  Stockwell was amusing as a child who wanted so bad to be a sailor and who lead them to his aunt Susan, played by Grayson, where Sinatra takes immediate interest and Kelly is more reluctant in his wanting to get out more into town.  Lots of fun music numbers and a pretty good story to go along.  This is the start of a good musical duo.  I found there is a dvd of all their movies that also include ON THE TOWN and TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME.

The Conformist (1970):  Bernardo Bertolucci directed this Italian film based on the novel by Alberto Moravia.  Jean-Louis Trintignant stars as Marcello who is an assassin taking a job for Mussolini and courting a beautiful young woman named Giulla, played by Stefania Sandrelli, as well as an assignment where he is to assassinate an old teacher for political reasons.  A flashback works well to tell the story of who Marcello becomes in the modern era.  This was a very well shot film with some very good visuals and a good performance out of Trintignant as the conflicted hitman.  This is available on Amazon Prime and is good for the foreign film buffs out there.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013):  This is my Disney film for the week and one that goes into the making of their own 1964 film MARY POPPINS.  John Lee Hancock directed this film which stars Tom Hanks as Walt Disney who has made a promise to his daughters to get their favorite book MARY POPPINS made into a movie even if it takes 20 years just to have a meeting with the reluctant British author P.L. Travers, played by Emma Thompson.  While she finally says yes, she says no to a lot of his vision that survived the film and had to dig deep to appeal to her even going behind her back with her stubbornness.  It also goes into a flashback storyline of her as a child, played by Annie Rose Buckley, of her inspiration for her story.  Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, Kathy Baker, Andy McPhee, Rachel Griffiths, and many others co-star in this making-of film.  In reality, Travers was never fully satisfied with the final product even being reluctant to give the rights to do a stage musical.  This was a very good making-of story even if liberties were taken for dramatic effect like a fictional visit that Disney makes to Travers's home.  It is still a very compelling story on an iconic Disney film that could be a really good family double feature having this following MARY POPPINS.

The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945):  This is my film noir for the week.  George Sanders stars as Harry Quincey who is a small-town person living with his two sisters Lettie, played by Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Hester, played by Moya MacGill.  He forms a relationship with a colleague Deborah, played by Ella Raines, which brings him a lot of happiness but the selfish Lettie does what she can to stop the relationship for her own needs.  In looking into this film, I learn that MacGill is the mother of Angela Lansbury.  I always enjoy darker movies from this era and this was a pretty decent unknown film of desperation.  This is also available on Amazon Prime.

Oedipus Rex (1967):  This is my second Italian film for the week.  Pier Paolo Pasolini directed this more modern day take to the Greek tragedy which was first written by Sophocles in 428 BC.  This takes place in Italy where a baby is born a jealous father abandons the baby who is rescued by King Polybus and Queen Merope and raises him as their own and in this tale call him Edipo, played by Franco Citti.  This is a very dark film to something that is already very dark.  Most know the basic story of Oedipus Rex and what happen with his parents with this taking it to a new level.  Some might recognize Citti who played the part of Calo in THE GODFATHER.  This is another one that is available on Amazon Prime, getting my money's worth this week with that subscription.

The Big Short (2015):  I end the week with film based on the U.S. Mortgage housing crisis of 2005 which was directed by Adam McKay and based on a book by Michael Lewis.  Christian Bale stars as Michael Burry who is an ex-physician turn Scion Capital hedge fund manager and proceeds to bet against the housing markets with the banks when he believes that the housing market is on a bubble that will explode in the next few years.  In the second story, Steve Carrell co-stars as Mark Baum who is very tired of the corruption in the financial industry.  In the third story, Brad Pitt co-stars as retired investment banker Ben Rickert who decides to join a couple more small time investment bankers.  These are three stories, all based on true ones, which are parallel and come together in the end. Ryan Gosling, Peter Epstein, Marisa Tomei, Rafe Spall, John Magaro, Finn Wittrock, Melissa Leo, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a really good look at our financial situation and learned I probably could not take part in the financial industry unless a low level position.  I admit I could not explain the financial scheme which happened in the film but still very enjoyable film which is very informative but has a sense of humor to go along.  This is available on Instant Netfix.

Well, that is it for this week but have returned with my segment of "Movie Night at the Shera" so continue on.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far include Michael Haneke, Bette Davis, Sandra Bullock, and many others.

MOVIE NIGHT AT THE SHERA

The Filth and the Fury (2000):  I had this movie on DVD from the library so I sent Shera a pic of the DVD and agreed to check this one out.  Julien Temple directed this documentary on the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.  This goes in depth with the lives of each member and how the band got together in their rise and rather quick fall but would always be known.  There are a lot of interviews with the surviving members like Johnny Rotten and a lot of archival footage most notably some really interesting animation sequences from Temples 1980 film THE GREAT ROCK 'N' ROLL SWINDLE which was more of a mockumentary from what I understand.  I will say it was probably the animation sequences that had me most intrigued but still was very interested in the film.  One of the things that Shera and me discussed was trying to understand why the band was okay showing archival footage and images but how they were darkened in the modern interviews so if anybody can lend any insight on that, be my guest.  A good double feature on this might be to follow up with the 1986 film SID AND NANCY which is a biopic on Sid Vicious with Gary Oldman playing the part to perfection.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 556th Edition

Welcome to the 556th Edition of my series.  Not a lot going on for me right now.  On July 22nd, PIGFOOT gets a premier at the Gnawbrew Festival so after that is done, I will keep everyone informed when it becomes public.  There is a lot of negativity happening lately but recently started seeing a little bit of hope.  I never thought it would be in the form of an app and certainly never thought it would be in the form of Pokemon.  I will admit I really know nothing about Pokemon but have seen the joy it has brought to people playing the Pokemon Go app.  I was pretty much sold yesterday when I was at a coffee shop getting this done and seeing a friend rushing outside to catch a Pokemon that she found on the app and went various other places within the building, then to see that enjoyment brought a smile to my face.  People are getting out more, getting more exercise in their quest to catch Pokemons, not sure if it is supposed to be plural, and more importantly, people meeting others in what I have learned are called "Pokespots".  I've gone on about that so now I'll get on with the recommendations.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007):  I start the week out with this French biographical film.  Julian Schnabel directed this film based on the autobiography by Jean-Dominique Bauby.  Mathieu Amalric stars as Bauby, though Jean-Do to his friends, who has a great life as the editor of Elle magazine but has a massive stroke resulting in a rare diseased called locked-in syndrome which leaves him fully paralyzed except that he has the use of his left eye.  The movie goes back and forth between flashbacks and the modern day.  In the modern-day, Jean-Do's therapists teach him an alphabet communication where they name of the alphabet and he blinks at the letter he wants, then blinks once for yes and twice for no if they believe they know the word he wants.  Marie-Josee Croze co-stars as his speech therapist Henriette who helps him write a book through their communication while Jean-Do is trying to connect with people of his past.  Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny, Niels Arestrup, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hinds, Max Von Sydow, and many others co-star in this film.  The first 40 minutes are of Jean-Do's point of view where he first comes to the realization of his paralysis.  It kinds of reminded me of JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN where he is slowly seeing how his life has changed for the worse.  Schnabel is an American director but decided to make this a French film to stay true to the story which works very well in this film.  This is a very sad but inspirational tale as well as being very realistic.  

Land Ho! (2014):  I declare this one my unexpected gem for the week.  Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens co-directed and co-wrote this independent film.  Earl Lynn Nelson and Paul Eenhoorn star as elderly ex brother-in-laws Mitch and Colin.  Mitch seems to live life on the fly while Colin lives a more routine way of life and Mitch convinces him to take a trip to Iceland in the road trip comedy.  While there, they relive their youth through nightclubs, spas, and rugged campsites.  This is also a very good look at aging and friendships.  Nelson and Eenhoorn play off each other perfectly and are some very well-written characters with the actors bringing them to life very well.  Nelson is a cousin of Martha Stephens and has just gotten into the acting game at an older age but was perfect as Mitch.  I find that Eenhoorn has a little more experience but not much and he got into acting at an older age as well unless he started out in theater.  The story and dialogue has me in all the way through and is one that really deserves a look.  

Amazing Grace (2006):  Michael Apted directed this film which is based on a true story and takes place in the late 1700s.  Ioan Grufford stars as British politician William Wilberforce who lead a campaign to have slavery abolished.  This shows his struggle and frustration in his efforts where he gives up due to an illness but finds inspiration to try it again.  Albert Finney co-stars as John Newton who was a priest and friend of William and also wrote the title song we know today which serves as part of William's inspiration.  Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell, Youssou N'Dour, Cirian Hinds, Toby Jones, and many others co-star in this film.  This is about a man who stood up for what he believed even if not very many people were by his side.  This was a very good and moving depiction of these events.  It also has good attention to detail in this period piece. 

Kings of the Turf (1941):  This is my classic short for the month and is part of "The Sports Parade" series.  I know many might be thinking an early look at football but that is not the case in this short on horse racing and centered around a horse named Mortimer and his future in horse racing.  This goes into the differences between a trotter, pacer and show horse.  Knox Manning gives the narration of the film.  It is a pretty insightful few minutes.

I Was Born, But... (1932):  This is my Asian film for the week and is my silent film for the week.  I know it's the 30s and by now most are doing sound but director Yasujiro Ozu decided that there is still a market for silent film and made this one silent.  This is centered around the adolescent boys Keiji and Ryoichi, played by Tamio Aoki and Hideo Sugawara, where they are being bullied at their new school and skip school not wanting confront these bullies.  The other part is when they are at a social gathering for their dad's work and are disappointed when they see he has to suck up to people for his job and that he is not the man they had the illusion that he was a very important person at work.  Tatsuo Saito and Mitsuko Yoshikawa co-star as the parents of the boys.  This is a coming of age film that is both a comedy and drama.  It also takes a look at how difficult middle management can be like the patriarch of the film is and I suppose the illusion he must maintain.  This is available through the Criterion Collection on DVD.

Mary, Queen of Scots (1971):  This is part one of a possible two-part Ian Holm series.  This is my royalty film for the week which was directed by Charles Jarrott.  This is a depiction on the rivalry between Mary Stuart, played by Vanessa Redgrave, who was named Queen of Scotland and Elizabeth Tudor, played by Glenda Jackson, who was the Queen of England and now know her as Elizabeth I or The Virgin Queen.  It shows Elizabeth doing what she can so that Mary does not get her thrown.  Patrick McGoohan, Timothy Dalton, Nigel Davenport, Trevor Howard, Ian Holm, and many others.  There is some admitted liberties taken in the film like a couple of encounters between the two that apparently never happened but added interest to the film.  I never knew how much Redgrave's daughter Joely Richardson looks like her mother until I watched this one.  Timothy Dalton also gives a very interesting and flamboyant portrayal of the scheming and spoiled Henry Stuart.

The White Ribbon (2009):  This is part two of my possible four part Michael Haneke series.  This is one of those that is really hard to explain.  It takes place in a German village in 1913 Germany.  Haneke has said it is about the roots of evil which in this film are both religious and political.  It is centered around many negative happenings in the village that may have disturbing implications for the future.  Christian Friedel, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur, Ursina Lardi, and many others co-star in this film.  This is shot in all black and white and really helps the dark tones employed in the movie.  Many of the things that happen are drawn from real incidents in Germany in the 1920s-1940s.  Friedel made his film debut as the schoolteacher who in a sense was the main character who kind of helped things come together and courts a young nanny.  Ulrich Tukor was also a very significant element as a pastor quite strict with his children and is the reason for the title.  While difficult to describe, it is really worth a look but might need a couple viewings.

Coffy (1973):  I decided to go the Blaxploitation route on this one.  Jack Hill wrote and directed this film which stars Pam Grier as the title character.  By day she is a nurse and by night, she is a very ruthless vigilante out to kill the drug pushers who wronged her sister.  Booker Bradshaw, Robert DoQui, William Elliot, Alan Arbus, Sid Haig, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a pretty popular genre in this era that was very stereotypical and a lot of reverse racism along with a cult following.  This is considered by many to the best of the Blaxploitation films.  Pam Grier is always very watchable and does not disappoint in this one.  It had some great action in it and really was better than FOXY BROWN in my opinion.  This was available to watch on Comcast On-Demand in the Impact part of the free movie section.  For those who partake in the Madness every October will be able to watch this one because of our wild card Sid Haig.

Paths of Glory (1957):  This is my war/trial film for the week.  This is an early effort from director Stanley Kubrick based on the novel by .  This is centered around a French unit in WWI which made a judgement call to pull back on a suicide mission and three men were put on trial for cowardice.  Kirk Douglas stars as the commanding officer Colonel Dax who volunteers to defend the ones on trial.  Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, Wayne Morris, Richard Anderson, Bert Freed, Timothy Carey, and many others co-star in this film.  Kubrick approached Douglas for the movie and Douglas accepted in regards of its importance.  The trial scenes depicted a lot of corruption and politics within the military.  The war scenes were depicted pretty accurately and did not glorify war in any way.  This is loosely based on a true story of four soldiers executed for not following orders.  Very good early Kubrick and a very good war film that has gone overlooked through the years.

Like Water For Chocolate (1992):  I end the week with this Mexican film directed by Alfonso Arau based on the novel by Laura Esquivel.  I already had this on my schedule to watch but a couple weeks ago my mom came across this and decided to watch it despite the subtitles and really enjoyed it even though she is not one for subtitles.  Limi Cavazos stars as Tita who is the youngest and by family tradition is not to marry but is to take care of her mother Elena, played by Regina Torne, until her death.  Tita meets and falls in love with a man named Pedro, played by Marco Leonardi, but is forbidden love with the family tradition so Pedro ends up marrying Tita's sister Rosauro, played by Yareli Arizmendi.  I watched this with the thought that Elena might very well be the most domineering mother in film of all time.  This is a very moving and sad tale of forbidden love and how others need to be considered when it comes to family tradition.

Well, that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Michael Haneke, Emily Blunt, Minnie Driver, Gene Kelly, Emma Thompson, and many others.