Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 585th Edition

Welcome to the 585th Edition of my series.  I look forward to the ROYAL RUMBLE tonight and next week we have the Super Bowl.  I will be the first to admit, I am excited for Lady Gaga performing at the halftime show.  I know others will get angry and I find that no matter who gets put in the halftime show, it will get a very mixed reaction.  I for one say Peter Gabriel for the Super Bowl halftime show next year.  I don't really want to touch on politics and nothing else is really going on right now so on with my selections for the week and I have brought back the "Fun and Useless Facts" segment

The Age of Adaline (2015):  Lee Toland Krieger directed this film which was written by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz.  Blake Lively stars as Adaline Bowman who is born in the turn of the 20th century and at 29 years of age is in a car wreck that for some reason renders her ageless and immortal.  She goes through many years living this way and starting new lives in the fear that her secret will get exposed so she tries not to let herself get close to anyone.  She soon meets a philanthropist named Ellis Jones, played by Michiel Huisman, who through pe(rsistence wins her heart and must reexamine what she wants in life when meeting the parents, played by Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker, of Ellis.  Ellen Burstyn, Amanda Crew, Lynda Boyd, Richard Harmon, Hugh Ross, Anthony Ingruber and many others co-star in this film.  This movie really examines the price of immortality.  Lively is great as the title character as well as GAME OF THRONES alum Huisman as her love interest.  I also noticed that they might have done the best old/young casting in Harrison Ford as Ellis's father and Anthony Ingruber in flashback scenes of that character.  I thought Ingruber captured the personality of Ford very well in his mannerisms and even vocal patterns while looking like a young version anyways.  This is available on Amazon Prime.

The Last of the Mohicans (1992):  This is part two of my two-part Daniel Day-Lewis series.  Michael Mann directed this adaptation of the popular novel by James Fennimore Cooper.  Day-Lewis stars as Hawkeye who is the adopted son of the Mohican tribe.  Along with his adopted father Chingachgook, played by Russell Means, and his brother Uncas, played by Eric Schweig, they are looking for another home and when a traitorous scout leads them to an ambush putting them into the middle of the French and Indian War.  Madeleine Stowe, Jodhi May, Steven Waddington, Wes Studi, Maurice Roeves, Patrice Chereau, Terry Kinney, Pete Postlewaite, Colm Meaney, Dylan Baker, Jared Harris, Tom McGowan, Sebastian Roche, and many others co-star in this film.   This has had more than one adaptation, most notably in 1936 where Randolph Scott plays Hawkeye and I really believe this one is far better with Day-Lewis perfect for his role and felt there was more authenticity in this one.  There is also some great cinematography and music score to go along with the performances.

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993):  Chris Columbus directed this comedy which stars Williams as divorced father Daniel Hillard.  As his ex-wife Miranda, played by Sally Field, is looking for a housekeeper, he puts his acting skills and vocal skills to use as a older female housekeeper of the title name so that he can see his children, played by Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson, more often.  Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Polly Holliday, Robert Prosky, Martin Mull, Paul Guilfoyle, and many others co-star in this film.  Williams is his usual hilarious self but watching it this time gave me a realization of the message in this film.  I feel this movie takes a look at the price of having the courts decide custody and also maybe discovering abilities that were never possessed like cleaning skills Daniel learned being this character.  An interesting thing I learned about this movie is while it is rated PG-13, there were rated R and NC-17 edits of this film.

The Water Nymph (1912):  This is my silent short for the week which was directed by silent era legend Mack Sennett who also co-stars in this film.  Mabel Normand stars in this comedy as a girlfriend meeting the father of her boyfriend with some comical results.  Normand was a very significant actress of this era who worked a lot with Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle and broke a lot of rules on how women were supposed to act.  This is something that would be enjoyed by silent film buffs.

Up the Down Staircase (1967):  Robert Mulligan directed this film based on a novel by Bel Kaufman.  Sandy Dennis stars as idealistic teacher Sylvia Barrett who takes a teaching job in an urban area in her first year and gets far more than what she bargained for.  She does what she can to get through to the troubled high school youth when much of the school staff has mostly given up.  Patrick Bedford, Eileen Heckart, Ruth White, Jean Stapleton, Sorrell Booke, Roy Poole, Florence Stanley, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a good look on an idealistic teacher trying to get through to very troubled kids with Dennis doing a great job in her part and the unknown cast also doing very well in its authentic look

Third Man on the Mountain (1959):  This is my Disney film for the week and a live action one directed by Ken Annakin.  James MacArthur stars as Rudi who lives in Switzerland which is covered by mountains and whose father was a famous mountain climber and succumbed making his family not want him to pursue climbing mountains.  He does not listen to his family and after he done washing dishes at his job, he goes out and climbs mountains and dreams of climbing the most dangerous one of them all in the Citadel.  Soon, he meets famous mountain climber Captain John Winter, played by Michael Rennie, who takes in interest in Rudi and includes him on the epic climb in hoping to be the first to climb the Citadel.  Janet Munro, James Donald, Herbert Lom, Laurence Naismith, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a good family film and is a rather inspirational one as well on following your dreams.

The Fault in our Stars (2014):  Josh Boone directed this film based on the novel by John Green.  Shailene Woodley stars as the teenage Hazel who is a cancer patient with very little hope of survival but tries to make the most of however long she has in her life.  Her well-meaning parents, played by TRUE BLOOD alum Sam Trammell and Laura Dern, feel she needs a support group in which she does not want but goes out of respect.  While there, she meets fellow cancer patient Gus, played by Ansel Elgort, and they meet and fall in love with each other in a life-changing journey.  Nat Wolff, Lotte Verbeek, Willem Dafoe, Emily Peachey, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a very enjoyable film which yes it is a love story but so much more.  In some ways it is a story about expecting the unexpected.  Woodley and Elgort were very well matched together and make a great couple helping each other through their struggle with cancer.  I openly admit to tearing up to this film a few times.  Those who are a fan of the book, it sounds like this was pretty faithfully done.

Downhill Racer (1969):  Michael Ritchie directed this skiing film.  Gene Hackman stars as U.S. Olympic Ski team coach Eugene Claire who is trying to get together his ski team after his top player gets injured.  Robert Redford stars as skier David Chappellet who is a very good skier but not a very friendly person nor is a team player like Claire wants.  Camilla Sparv, Jim McMullan, Kathleen Crowley, Dabney Coleman, and many others star in this sports film.  This is a really good look at the world of skiiing and the various people involved.  It comes down to a really good climax skiing climax.  This is some very good early Hackman and early Redford that deserve a look.

Boomerang! (1947):  This is part two of a two-part Elia Kazan series.  No, this is not that 90s movie with Eddie Murphy.  This is a crime drama based on a true story.  Dana Andrews stars as prosecutor Henry Harvey where a murder of a respected priest happens in a small Connecticut town.  Through the investigation of the police, they find that a man named John Waldron, played by Arthur Kennedy, is the murderer and while he denies it, no one will believe him.  The more Harvey talks to Waldron, the more he believes in his innocence and looks to prove his innocence while having his superiors and police force bringing down his neck to actually prosecute him.  Jane Wyatt, Lee J. Cobb, Cara Williams, Sam Levene, Taylor Holmes, Robert Keith, Ed Begley, Karl Malden, and many others co-star in this true crime film-noir.  Kazan was determined to make this look as authentic as possible.  It was filmed close to where the incident happened and is shot some like a documentary adding a really good element.  Andrews is great as the noble prosecutor who looks past his duties to do what he feels is right.  This is still available on the tcm.com website and on the release day of this blog is its last day if you have time to catch it.  A very underrated film from this era.

Biutiful (2010):  I end the week with this Spanish film where I seem to be focusing a lot on death and immortality this week and no this one is not about immortality.  Alejandro G. Inarritu directed and co-wrote this film which stars Javier Bardem as Uxbal who is a single father and has an illegal job in helping illegal immigrants.  He soon finds that he is terminally ill and is trying to make things right with his life and his children.  He also is looking for a better home for his children than their manic depressive and abusive mother Marambra, played by Maricel Alvarez.  Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Eduard Fernandez, Chikh Ndiaye, and many others co-star in this film.  Bardem is great as a man trying to make things right for the people around him and while it is rather dark and melancholy, it does have touches of hope as Inarritu has said.

Well, that is it for this week but I did bring back my "Fun and Useless Facts" segment so continue reading.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which includes Michael Keaton, John Ford, james Mason, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I return with this segment of my blog where I pretty much link up actors from different movies.  I did not use any interconnections unless I could find someone else from another movie.  I am sure there are plenty of other things so if you find any, please comment.

Blake Lively (The Age of Adaline) and Pete Postlewaite (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2010 film THE TOWN.

Lynda Boyd (The Age of Adaline) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 2005 film AN UNFINISHED LIFE.

Hugh Ross (The Age of Adaline narrator) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1994 western WYATT EARP.

Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline) and Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2013 comedy sequel ANCHORMAN 2:  The Legend Continues.  Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline), Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans), and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1999 movie RANDOM HEARTS.  Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline) and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1997 film AIR FORCE ONE.

Ellen Burstyn (the Age of Adaline) and Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2012 mini-series POLITICAL ANIMALS and the 2000 film REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.

Ellen Burstyn (the Age of Adaline) and Laura Dern (The Fault in Our Stars) were in the 1974 film ALICE DOESN"T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.  Dern was a little girl and an extra as a girl eating an ice cream cone.

Michiel Huisman (the Age of Adaline) and Laura Dern (The Fault in Our Stars) were in the 2014 film WILD.

Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1993 film GERONIMO:  AN AMERICAN LEGEND.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Willem Dafoe (The Fault in our Stars) were part of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.  Baker was Dr. Curt Connors who would later become the Lizard but Raimi let go of the reigns to early and Dafoe plays Norman Osbourne who becomes the Green Goblin.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Pierce Brosnan (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 2005 comedy THE MATADOR.

Tom McGowan (The Last of the Mohicans), Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire), and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) are in the 1996 comedy the BIRDCAGE.

Daniel Day-Lewis (The Last of the Mohicans), Jared Harris (The Last of the Mohicans), and Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 2012 biopic LINCOLN where Day-Lewis and Field were married as Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1998 mini-series FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON.

Eric Schweig (The Last of the Mohicans), Jodhi May (The Last of the Mohicans) and Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1995 movie THE SCARLET LETTER.

Colm Meaney (The Last of the Mohicans), Jared Harris (The Last of the Mohicans), and Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1992 film FAR AND AWAY.

Pete Postlewaite (The Last of the Mohicans) and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1997 film AMISTAD.

Russell Means (The Last of the Mohicans) and Jean Stapleton (Up the Down Staircase) were in the Disney animated film POCAHONTAS 2:  Journey to the New World.

Polly Holliday (Mr.s Doubtfire) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1976 film ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.

Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1984 film THE NATURAL.

Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1996 movie EXTREME MEASURES.

Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) was directed by Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) in the 1994 film QUIZ SHOW.

Robert Mulligan (Up the Down Staircase director) directed Karl Malden (Boomerang) in the 1957 film FEAR STRIKES OUT.

Roy Poole (Up the Down Staircase) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1980 film BRUBAKER.

Ruth White (Up the Down Staircase), James MacArthur (Third Man on the Mountain), and Ed Begley (Boomerang) were in the 1968 western HANG 'EM HIGH.

Willem Dafoe (The Fault in Our Stars) holds his employer Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) captive in the 2004 film THE CLEARING.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 584th Edition

Welcome to the 584th Edition of my series.  It's politics as usual and very sad how they make some people so hateful towards one another and maybe I'm supposed to become that way but just cannot do it so that is all I will say.  Not a lot of other things happening so on with my selections.

Gandhi (1982):  This is part one of a possible Daniel Day-Lewis trilogy where in this film he has a small speaking role in the beginning.  I start the week out with this biopic on civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi, played to perfection by Ben Kingsley, who fought for the India's independence from the British empire.  Richard Attenbourough directed biopic on the civil rights leader from his beginnings as an attorney who is mistreated which inspires his movement for independence and involving non-violence to get what he wants.  Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Ian Charleson, Saaed Jaffrey, Geraldine James, Amrish Puri, Ian Bannen, Richard Griffiths, Day-Lewis, and many others co-star in this film.  This covers a lot of ups an downs in the life of Gandhi and is a very well done biopic of a man who inspired people like Martin Luther King in his own civil rights movement.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011):  I bring a little more humor now in this documentary by Morgan Spurlock who takes a look at the world of advertising.  Spurlock sets out to make a documentary about branding, advertising, and product placement that is financed by getting sponsors to fund what he is doing penning the slogan, "He's not selling out, he is buying in".  This is a very humourous while rather interesting and informative.  There are things like what he is to do when someone sponsors him and the demands that sponsor can make.  This has happened more since the internet and things like DVR where people just don't see those commercials any longer.  I have mixed opinions on how I feel about this, I usually do not think much of it though there are some obvious scenes from tv and film that are just advertising.  I for one feel that if someone like an auto company becomes a sponsor, then they are obligated to show the car in some way in the movie or tv series.  This is a good look on part of the film process which is advertising.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981):  Now I bring a little more family entertainment from Jim Henson and his Muppets.  The story of this is that Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo are struggling reporters who go to Britain to interview a rich victim of jewel thieves and get help from her secretary Miss Piggy.  Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, and Richard Hunt all provide the voices of our favorite muppets while live action actors include Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg, John Cleese, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, Jack Warden, Peter Falk, and Steve Whitmire.  This is the second feature film of the Muppets after THE MUPPET MOVIE.  This is available to watch on HBO On-Demand.

What Do You Think? (1937):  This is my short film for the week which takes a look at extrasensory perception.  This is based around a screenwriter named Basil who experiences some strange events happen making him a bit late but then realizing these events saved his life and explores if telepathy exists.  This is a pretty good few minute entry.  Jacques Tourneur directed this short and would go onto direct films like CAT PEOPLE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE.

One Foot in Heaven (1941):  Irving Rapper directed this biopic which is based upon a memoir by Hartzell Spence is the eldest son of William Spence.  Fredric March stars as William Spence who has a promising career in the medical world but decides that his calling is as a minister.  His fiance Hope, played by Martha Scott, accepts this decision despite the dismay from her own parents who had high hopes for their future son-in-law.  This really documents the highs and lows of the lives of him and his family.  Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart, Harry Davenport, Laura Hope Crews, Grant Mitchell, Grant Mitchell, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a rather unknown film by today's standards.  It is a good look at a minister trying to live his faith but is also human at the same time and how it can be rather difficult for the kids to be expected to live up to higher standards than other kids.

Carry on Cleo (1964):  This is a series of British comedies that are part of the "Carry On" series with a variety of storylines and this one is based in Roman times.  Kenneth Connor and Jim Dale star as Hengist and Horsa who are two Britons captured and enslaved by the invading Romans.  They eventually get caught in a power struggle which involves Julius Caesar, played by Kenneth Williams, Cleopatra, played by Amanda Barrie, and Marc Antony, played by Sidney James.  This is the 10th Carry On film that is out of 31 comedies.  This is a pretty funny take towards the history of Rome and Connor does a great portrayal of Caesar in my opinion while Barrie is also very good as Cleopatra while Connor and Dale also do good as the fictional characters that make the story happen.  For people who enjoy British humor, this is a series that maybe you should take a look at with this being a pretty good entry into the series.

How I Live Now (2013):  Kevin Macdonald directed this film that is based on a novel by Meg Rosoff.  Saoirse Ronan stars as Daisy who is an American teen sent to live with some British relatives.  She meets her distant cousins in Isaac, played by Tom Holland, Eddie, played by George Mackay, and Piper, played by Harley Bird.  She also meets her Aunt Penn, played by Anna Chancellor, who seems to be very busy in her efforts to prevent a World War 3.  This is set around a world that is on the verge of a war and is more about trying to make the most of such horrible times.  I also feel this is about the maturity of Daisy who starts out rather distant and cynical and slowly starts to warm up to them even forming a relationship with Eddie.  It is very difficult to explain this film except that it is not exactly a war movie, just one that is based around a war and people still trying to live their lives.  This is based on a young adult novel but still accomodates to the older ones and the rather underrated Ronan gives a good performance.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Sea of Grass (1947):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Elia Kazan and based on a novel by Conrad Richter.  Katherine Hepburn stars as St. Louis resident Lutie who marries cattle baron Jim Brewton, played by Spencer Tracy, after a short courtship.  Lutie begins to learn that Jim is considered a tyrant by much of the community and begins to disagree with his ways leading to a separation and estrangement from their kids.  Robert Walker, Melvyn Douglas, Phyllis Thaxter, Edgar Buchanon, Harry Carey, Robert Armstrong, and many others co-star in this film.  This is the fourth of nine teamings out of Tracy and Hepburn.  Their first three were romantic comedies and they try something different to limited success.  I thought this was at its best in the later scenes when the kids are grown and Jim sees what his rigidity has cost him and the people around him in life.  Mostly to watch to see a more different Tracy/Hepburn entry.

Terminal Island (1973):  I guess you could call this my exploitation film for the week.  This takes place in a world where the death penalty becomes abolished and convicted murderers are to live on an island together where they can do as they please on the island but not leave.  The island is run by the tyrannical A.J., played by Don Marshall, where women are treated as sex slaves and a group becomes tired of their ways and a power struggle develops.  A young Tom Selleck co-stars in this film as Dr. Milford.  Phyllis Davis, Marta Kristen, Barbara Leigh, Roger Mosley co-star in this cult film.  I have heard that many versions have been edited but this did not seem that way.  Fans of the exploitation film should enjoy this and it was good to see a pre-Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck.  I found this on TCM On-Demand and is still available on the day of the release of this edition.

Lamb (2015):  I end the week with this independent film.  Ross Partridge directed this film based on the novel by Bonnie Nadzam.  Partridge also stars in this film as David Lamb who is having some marital, employment, and family issues in the city of Chicago.  He sees a group of kids and one of which as a dare asks him for a cigarette.  He takes interest in this 11 year old girl named Tommie, played by Oona Laurence, who he sees that the other kids she hangs with are not friends and slowly sees that her parents, which consist of a mother, played by Lindsay Pulsipher, and stepfather, played by Scoot McNairy, do not treat her very well and is afraid for her future.  David decides that he needs to show Tommie what he feels is much better and takes her on a road trip to take her to the Rockies.  I must also add that he did this without informing anyone that he was doing it so essentially is kidnapping her.  Jess Weixler, Tom Bower, Jennifer Lafleur, Joel Murray, and Ron Burkhardt co-star in this film.  I know with what I explained, many will be turned off by this but if you can get past it, the movie becomes quite thought provoking in my opinion.  The two main characters are having a very tough time in life and do not feel they have anyone that cares, then they find each other and form a very unusual bond even if it is very wrong but maybe understandable.  Partridge and Laurence worked very well together and was well performed by this relatively unknown cast.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and can be a good watch for people like me that are never able to see anything as black and white.

Well, that is it for the week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Harrison Ford, Daniel Day-Lewis, and many others.