Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 633rd Edition

Welcome to the 633rd edition of my series.  This is my last post of the year.  I hope everyone had a good holiday however celebrated and here's to the upcoming 2018.  For those of you that like to celebrate beyond the holidays, I have a couple of holiday selections.  Unfortunately in fantasy football, I came up short and ended up in second on account of that last play made but I still win money so I'll be able to move on with my life.  Not much else happening right now so I'll get on with my selections for the week.

Bridge of Spies (2015):  I start the week out with this film based on a true story that reunites Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.  Steven Spielberg directed this cold war film which stars Tom Hanks as attorney James B. Donovan who is recruited by the CIA to defend immigrant Rudolf Abel, played by Mark Rylance.  Abel is arrested for espionage and Donovan gets the task of defending the Russian to assure he gets a fair trial much to the dismay of everyone else.  MASH alum Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Austin Stowell, Jesse Plemons, and many others co-star in this historical cold war drama.  The Coens co-wrote the script along with  Rylance is great as Rudolf Abel who is a rather fascinating figure many do not know about.  I was a big vague in my explanation and goes way beyond the arrest and trial for espionage and was a very important part of the cold war with Russia.

Lone Star State of Mind (2002):  I go from a drama to a more irrelevant crime comedy.  David Semel directed this crime comedy.  DAWSON'S CREEK alum Joshua Jackson stars as Earl Crest who has always lived in a small Texas town and is engaged to marry his stepsister Baby, played by Jaime King.  Earl has also been entrusted to take care of Baby's inept cousin Junior, played by D.J. Qualls, and must get involved when Junior and his friend Tinker, played by Ryan Hurst rob a pizza delivery boy and end up with a bag of $20,000 which turns out to be drug money.  VAMPIRE DIARIES alum Matthew Davis, John Mellencamp, Sam McMurray, Thomas Hayden Church, Jules Douglas, Elizabeth Barondes, Rodger Boyce, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a rather unknown comedy and I got quite a few laughs out of this film with the dumb criminals.

The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005):  This is part one of a possible four-part Catherine Keener series.  I follow with another raunchy comedy directed by Judd Apatow and co-wrote with THE OFFICE alum Steve Carell who stars as the title character Andy who is very nerdy and has worked for a long time at the local electronics store.  When invited by his co-workers, played by Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogan, to play a poker game, it comes out that Andy is a virgin so they look to get him laid.  In the process, Andy meets Trish, played by Keener, and forms a friendship and relationship with her.  Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Gerry Bednob, Shelley Malil, Kat Dennings, Jordan Masterson, Chelsea Smith, Jonah Hill, Mindy Kaling, Loudon Wainwright III, Kimberly Page, Lee Weaver, Kevin Hart, and many others co-star in this comedy.  Tsis is the feature directorial film from Apatow that was the start of these raunchy comedies and has helped the careers of many of the actors named off.  This is not for everyone but in the end, I thought this did have a good message.

Falling Hare (1943):  This is my animated short for the week with Bugs Bunny and one of many WWII propaganda shorts from this era.  Bugs is at an army air field relaxing and eating a carrot while reading the book "Victory Through Hare Power" and is laughing at the though of gremlins until he encounters a gremlin trying to sabotage a missile.  He has one of his more difficult battles with this gremlin and has some references of WWII.  This is available on Amazon Prime as part of "Patriotic Cartoon Classics".

Scrooge (1935):  This is one of my post-Christmas selections.  This is a more unknown adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic with Seymour Hicks plays the miser Ebenezer Scrooge.  I think just about everyone knows this story of the man who hates Christmas and is informed by the ghost of his business partner Jacob Marley that he will be visited by three ghosts and is given a glimpse of his life and those around him in the past, present, and future.  Donald Calthrop, Mary Glynne, and many others co-star in this film.  This is the first adaptation with the advent of sound and Hicks played Scrooge in a 1913 short movie.  I thought Hicks played the part a lot meaner than others.  Those still in the spirit can watch this on Amazon Prime on the Hoopla Digital website.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946):  This is my annual holiday film that I have been watching since my late high school days.  Last year, I got to make my debut at the Marion Civic Theater in a production of this story as Mr. Gower in possibly the most intense scene I have ever been in dealing with young George Bailey.  I usually either watch it with my dad or mom when it airs on NBC just depending where I am.  Frank Capra directed this film where I believe that the message conveyed is anything one person does to help another can make a big difference no matter how small the favor might seem at the time.  James Stewart stars as small-town boy George Bailey who wants to get out of Bedford Falls but things always happen and ends up staying there.  He marries his childhood friend Mary, played by Donna Reed, and has four kids.  He does what he can to prevent Mr. Potter, played by Lionel Barrymore, from taking over the town and screwing everyone over.  Something happens where George feels he has hit rock bottom and contemplates suicide.  An unusual angel named Clarence, played by Henry Travers, comes down to stop him and show him a world that would have happened had he not been born.  Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, H.B. Warner, and many others co-star in this film.  I always look forward to seeing this one and am always moved to tears each time.  It always reminds me of how little things can be a lot bigger than they appear.  Please ring some bells and help angels get their wings.

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The Secret of the Grain (2007):  Abdellatif Kechiche wrote and directed this French film on what I guess could be referred to as "the French dream".  Last week I featured him as an actor in the American movie SORRY, HATERS and now I feature him as the director and writer.  Habib Boufares stars as Slimane who has worked at a local shipyard for many years but loses his job.  He gets severance pay and decides to try opening a couscous restaurant on a boat.  It seems unrealistic but keeps at it with the help of his fractured family.  Hafsia Herzi, Alice Houri, Olivier Loustau, and many others co-star in this film.  This is not a very upbeat movie but I with Slimane through the movie in him pursuing a dream along with the others trying to help him despite tensions.

Horrors of Spider Island (1960):  This is my MST3K selection for the week.  A group of dancers survive a plane crash and end up on a deserted island inhabited by a pretty big spider which bites their manager making him turn into a monster that really looked more like a werewolf.  The women on the island seemed more concerned about their appearance than getting off the island or that their manager is I guess a giant spider.  This episode had some of the funnier comedy sketches in my opinion like a parody of FLASHDANCE.  This is perfect for the B-movie lovers out there.

Real Life (1979):  Albert Brooks makes his directorial debut in the mockumentary which spoofs the 1973 reality tv program AN AMERICAN FAMILY.  Brooks plays documentary filmmaker also named Albert Brooks who wants to create a reality program that documents an everyday family.  He convinces the Yeager family, played by Charles Grodin, Frances Lee McCain, Lisa Urette, and Robert Stirrat to take part in this groundbreaking series.  His idea is to let them be themselves but continues to try doing things "for the good of the show" and starts a descent into madness.  Dick Haynes, J.A. Preston, James L. Brooks, Norman Bartold, Harry Shearer, and many others co-star in this film.  I had never heard of this and am so glad I came across this comedy so I hope this gets it more exposure.  This came out long before the rise of reality tv that we know today.  Brooks is hilarious as the unscrupulous filmmaker and really liked the ending.

The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo (2005):  I end the week with this PBS documentary about Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.  Rita Moreno narrates this documentary which mostly goes into her paintings and the very complicated relationship she had with fellow artist Diego Rivera as well as her struggling health after a really bad accident that cut her life short in the long run.  Lila Downs provides the voice in parts for Frida.  In 2002, there was a biopic called FRIDA which starred Salma Hayek as the artist so that might have inspired this documentary to look further into her life.  This did give a good look into the short life of Frida and show some really good paintings, mostly self-portraits, beyond her most known painting of "The Two Fridas" like some that were symbolic of her health.  People in the art world might want to make a double feature of this and FRIDA.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far include Laura Dern, Catherine Keener, Sean Connery, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 632nd Edition

Welcome to the 632nd Edition of my series.  I am excited to announce that I am in the finals for one of my two fantasy football leagues after quite the win last week.  The other league I did, I am nowhere close.  I have decided to make another announcement of something I am doing next week.  Many who know me know I am a two time contestant on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT which was in 2009 and 2011 and have also said that I am retired from those kinds of shows.  Recently some friends of mine have talked me out of this "retirement" to audition for THE VOICE on January 14th which is happening in Indianapolis.  I doubt anything will come from this but I said that last time.  I hope everyone is having a good holiday and and a good new year.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017):  I start with this likely Oscar nominee which was written and directed by Martin McDonagh.  Frances McDormand stars as Mildred Hayes whose teenage daughter Angela, played by Kathryn Newton in flashback scenes, was raped and murderd and no one has been arrested.  Mildred takes it upon herself to challenge the law enforcement to step up their efforts by purchasing those three billboards with a very controversial message which targets the local Chief Willoughby, played by Woody Harrelson, and leads to quite a feud with the Ebbing police department, mostly in Officer Dixon, played by Sam Rockwell.  Caleb Landry Jones, Kerry Condon, Abbie Cornish, Lucas Hedges, Zeljko Ivanek, Amanda Warren, Sandy Martin, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes and many others co-star in this film.  McDormand is extremely compelling as always as Mildred.  This is a very dark comedy but also a very intense film to say the least.  I made my rare appearance into the movie theaters into the recently renovated recliner seats to check this out and it had me very engaged with a rather unpredictable story.

A Visit to Santa (1963):  This is my holiday short and not much better than last week's SANTA AND THE ICE CREAM BUNNY.  This shows a couple of kids being advised by their mother to go to sleep or Santa will not come.  Santa soon sees their letter which is requesting to see how Santa lives and pretty much has these kids abducted to see the North Pole before Christmas in a magic helicopter.  This has been riffed by the Rifftrax guys in the past so a good B-movie short for the holidays.

A Christmas Carol (1951):  I bring this timeless classic story by Charles Dickens that I think just about everyone knows at least the basics.  Brian Desmond Hurst directed this definitive version which stars Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge.  I have seen many versions of this story on film and stage and this one has some scenes I have not seen used in the past that involve Scrooge's sister Fan and Jacob Marley, played by Michael Hordern.  Mervyn Johns, Hermione Bradley, George Cole, Rona Anderson, Ernest Thesiger, Peter Bull, Patrick Macnee, and many others co-star in this holiday classic.  With most people knowing the story I won't go any further into my description.  This is a very good version with some saying Sim is the best Scrooge in film and he does do a great job.  It is also very well done during the ghost scenes and works on many levels.  I have been in two versions of the story and hope to one day take on the role of Jacob Marley and maybe even Ebenezer Scrooge in a few years.

A Dog Named Christmas (2009):  Now I bring a movie for the Hallmark crowd in this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.  Peter Wernet directed this tv movie based on the book by Greg Kincaid.  Noel Fisher stars as Todd McCary who is as the plot says "developmentally challenged" which I'm pretty sure is autism but do not know for sure.  He is a 20 year old boy living on the farm with his mom and dad Mary and George, played by Linda Emond and Bruce Greenwood, and has a big liking for taking care of animals.  He learns of a program from an animal shelter to adopt a dog for Christmas which they promote they can take back on December 26th.  He takes an interest and must convince his dad who does not feel it is a good idea for him to have a dog but as we learn more about George, we learn it goes a lot deeper.  Through more convincing, Todd talks his dad into getting a dog but is adamant about getting the dog back on the day after Christmas.  Ken Pogue, Carrie Ruscheinsky, Sonja Bennett, Carrie Genzel, Trenna Keating, Josh A. Young, Anna Mae Wills, and many others co-star in this tv movie.  I was surprised to learn the Fisher is the same person that plays the part of Mickey in SHAMELESS and is pretty much the opposite of his character in this one  Keep in mind, this is one of those inspiration Hallmark movies which some may not like but they do have their audience, especially this time of year.  Yes, this is pretty predictable but still a good holiday watch.

The Hatchet Man (1932):  When looking for a movie from this era, I thought how can I pass up the opportunity to see Edward G. Robinson as a Chinese man?  Well, I just could not pass this one up.  William A. Wellman directed this film which is based on a play by Achmed Abdullah and David Belasco.  Robinson stars as Wong Low Get in the Chinatown district of San Francisco where he basically inherits the title of Hatchet Man which is one that executes upon orders given and must execute his longtime friend Sun, played by J. Carrol Naish, who understands what is to happen but asks he look after his daughter Toya, played by Loretta Young as an adult, and marry her when she becomes of age.  Dudley Digges, Leslie Fenton, Edmund Breese, Tully Marshall, Charles Middleton, E. Alyn Warren, Edward Peil Sr., and many others co-star in this film.  Yes, these are all white men I named off and mostly play Chinamen.  This was pretty common in this era just like many white actors used blackface to portray blacks.  This is not bad and is based on real-life events of the Tong Wars.

Sorry, Haters (2005):  Jeff Stanzler wrote and directed this independent film.  I don't even know where to start in trying to describe this film.  Robin Wright stars as the very troubled Phoebe who gets into the cab of the Syria born Ashade, played by Abdellatif Kechiche, and changes their lives forever.  He tells her his life story like his brother being brother being detained as a "2nd tier suspect" and is looking for financial assistance to get an attorney which Phoebe claims she can do it for him and not pay so he goes along with her but learns she is not what she seems.  Elodie Bouchez, Asif Mandvi, Sandra Oh, Fred Durst, and many others co-star in this film.  I think I have put down enough on the film without really giving too much away.  I put this in and did not know what to expect and truly received the unexpected.  This is not an upbeat film but very compelling and a very well-written.

Holiday Affair (1949):  Now I bring the holiday romantic comedy.  This is part two of a possible Janet Leigh trilogy.  Don Hartman directed this romantic comedy based on the story CHRISTMAS GIFT by John D. Weaver.  Leigh stars as the widowed Connie Ennis who has a song Timmy, played by Gorden Gebert, and is engaged to marry Carl, played by Wendell Corey, who Timmy does not want as a stepdad.  Connie soon meets sales clerk Steve Mason, played by Robert Mitchum, who she strikes up conversation with and also inadvertently gets him fired.  She feels obligated to help him and Timmy takes an immediate liking to Steve.  Connie must also rethink her life.  Griff Barnett, Esther Dale, Henry O'Neill, Harry Morgan, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very rare romantic comedy for Robert Mitchum who is known to play far more darker roles but does well in the romantic lead in this comedy.  This is one of the more underrated holiday films.

Maze (2000):  Rob Morrow directed, co-wrote, and co-stars in this romantic drama.  Morrow stars as Lyle Maze who is an artist with Tourette Syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder.  His friend Mike, played by Craig Sheffer, is on a humanitarian mission and tends to his pregnant girlfriend Callie, played by Laura Linney, helping her through the pregnancy while also falling in love with her.  Robert Hogan, Gia Carides, Betsy Aidem, Larry Flaherty, Wally Dunn, Ken Leung, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty well-written film that has some very good performances and a really good story and script.  This also is one that revolves around the characters.  It also has a very interesting first person point of view when having Tourette reactions.  This is a romantic drama with a lot of emotional depth from the characters to get behind them.

They Call Me Trinity (1970):  This is my western comedy for the week which was written and directed Enzo Barboni.  Terence Hill stars as drifter Trinity who visits his brother Bambino, played by Bud Spencer in a town where he is the sheriff.  Actually, he is the sheriff because he broke the leg of the real sheriff and is posing as the sheriff at the time.  They have a lot of differences but agree to team up to take on a land baron trying to get rid of Mormon settlers.  Gisela Hahn, Farley Granger, Luciano Rossi, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a parody towards the spaghetti western.  This is one of a few teamings of Hill and Spencer and this one is their fifth time and many say this is their best one.  There are a lot of really funny moments like how Trinity has his horse trained, trying to teach the Mormons to fight, and many other times.

Filly Brown (2012):  I end the week with this film centering around the music industry.  Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos co-directed this film which stars JANE THE VIRGIN star Gina Rodriguez as aspiring hip-hop artist Majo Tonorio who lives on the lower-class streets of L.A. and struggles to keep her family together while considering a decision that would make more money but compromise her principles.  Jenni Rivera, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jorge Diaz, Edward James Olmos, Emilio Rivera, Noel Gugliemi, and many others co-star in this film.  Rodriguez is really good in this film.  Unfortunately, Rivera makes her deut as Majo's sister and this would be her only movie as she died in a plane accident shortly after the film.  This is a really good look at the hip hop industry and is available to watch on the Hoopla Digital website.

Well, that is it for this week but I had an additional segment called Movie Night in Pottersville so continue reading.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Tom Hanks, and many others.

MOVIE NIGHT IN POTTERSVILLE

The Wrestler (2008):  This was viewed last Friday at the home of Harry Potter's much cooler sister Stephanie and her fiance Drew.  It started earlier that day when Steph asked me to come over and kill a spider so I headed over to save her life.  Her and Drew had watched this another time making me wat to watch it in their home and do this segment so we put in the movie.  A little bit later into the viewing our friends Sean and Kenya joined us and educated them a little bit on wrestling and the type of wrestler this movie is based upon.  When I first heard about this movie, it was hard to contain my excitement.  When I first saw the title I for a moment thought "Oh another READY TO RUMBLE and NO HOLDS BARRED" but when I read into it more, I realized this is a drama about wrestling which stars none other than Mickey Rourke so that enhanced my interest in addition to being a fan and as someone who has had involvement in the industry.  Darren Aronofsky directed this film which is really more of a character study than anything.  Rourke stars as wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson who is past his prime but cannot get out of the industry and still working for smaller promotions while working at a grocery store.  Even in his deteriorating health, he still has delusions of getting back on top with a rematch from years ago against his rival the Ayatollah, played by real life wrestler Ernest Miller known as the Cat in WCW.  Marisa Tomei co-stars as Pam who works at a strip club that Randy frequents and while he likes her, she has a rule for herself against dating customers.  Evan Rachel Wood co-stars as Stephanie who is Randy's estranged daughter that he is trying to reconnect with after so many years.  This is a character who probably had some success in the 80s but then burned bridges with things like his drug problems.  At one point, Nicolas Cage was cast in this role due to producers not believing Rourke can draw money.  Cage pulled out and Aronofsky was able to cast Rourke which was who he always wanted.  I am grateful to Nicolas Cage for pulling out and I'm really not that anti-Nicolas Cage but know that Rourke was just perfect for this part.  I also believe that Aronofsky did a good job of casting Rourke and Wood as father and daughter.  I'm not sure if it was intentional but I notice Evan Rachel Wood has a pointed chin like Rourke.  Tomei and Wood did good in their supporting parts.  In this viewing, I noticed something about Tomei's character was that she had a really bad tattoo on her back.  As I pointed out to Stephanie, we agreed that it was probably a bad tattoo job and the best she could get.  Keep in mind, that is not her real tattoo but found that to be an interesting character point for her.  The wrestlers that fought and that were backstage were all actual wrestlers.  For those who do not know, I have worked for some independent wrestling promotions as a ring announcer and at one point even a managerial character.  I have met many people like Randy Robinson and it was a pretty accurate movie regarding wrestling which can be a rather dark world.  I think the most depressing scene in my opinion was when Randy attended an autograph session at a local American Legion and when he is seeing what he has become in the way of a has-been.  Even if you do not like wrestling, this is something that can still be enjoyed.  There have been some complaints about how it ended but I won't spoil it but encourage you to message me and discuss it.  I was glad to be able to watch this movie among my friends and even provide a little bit of commentary to it.  I also got to discuss wrestling quite a bit with Stephanie who I learned is a huge Undertaker fan.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 631st Edition

Welcome to the 631st Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is having a good holiday however it is to be celebrated.  After having a playoff bye in the fantasy football playoffs last week, I am in the semi-finals.  I am hoping Kirk Cousins is able to pull through after having to take out Carson Wentz who got injured.  Not much else happening at the moment so I will just get on with my selections for the week.

A Father...a Son...Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2005):  I start the week out with what is one of three documentaries for the week.  Lee Grant directed this film that takes a look at father and son actors Kirk and Michael Douglas.  This takes a look at their relationship and careers.  A lot of the documentary is interviewing them together and being very honest with each other.  There is one point that Kirk still seems bitter about not being cast in ONCE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S nest which he originated on stage and Michael was a producer for the movie.  Other highlights include Academy Awards footage of Kirk and his frequent co-star Burt Lancaster.  This was a really good Hollywood documentary that while rather touching pulls no punches.

La Haine (1995):  This is my French film for the week which was written directed by Matthieu Kassovitz.  This follows the lives of Vinz, played by Vincent Cassel, Hubert, played by Hubert Kounde, and Said, played by Said Taghmaoui, after a violent riot in the French suburbs where there is a lot of tension with the police with revenge being vowed for a friend in a coma.  It is hard to put this one into words.  It is a really good look at social tension that can come from prejudice which is similar to a later selection this week.  This is a very gritty and realistic look into the French suburbs.

Pet Shop Boys:  A Life in Pop (2006):  This is my second documentary for the week which takes a look at the music industry.  This takes a look at the Pet Shop Boys and the meeting of members Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.  They are known for their techno music and meaningful lyrics.  Their most known songs are WEST END GIRLS and OPPORTUNITIES.  A couple interesting things about them that I did know know is that they wrote a musical called CLOSER TO HEAVEN and that they presented the silent film BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN in London's Trafalgar Square where they wrote a live musical score to go with it which sounded really good from what I heard.  Interviews include Robbie Williams, Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, and Brandon Flowers of the Killers.  I have always enjoyed their music a lot and was really good to get some insight on them.  This came out after they had been together for 20 years.

20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang (1933):  This is my musical short for the week which parodies last week's feature I AM A FUGITIVE FROM THE CHAIN GANG which is from that DVD.  In this short, a group of people escape due to really harsh conditions.  They learn that life outside of prison is not much better and that the prisons have made some reforms that include steak dinners and stage shows for entertainment and try to get back.  To understand and appreciate this, you have to watch the movie it parodies first and this one.  This does glorify prison life a bit but it is a parody.  The feature does not glorify it and it did a lot for prison reform.

Pushover (1954):  This is my film noir for the week.  Richard Quine directed this film based on the novel by Thomas Walsh.  Fred MacMurray stars as Paul Sheridan who is assigned to strike up a friendship with Lona McLane, played by Kim Novak, which is the girlfriend of the man, played by Philip Carey, suspected of engineering a bank heist.  She slowly corrupts Paul in her own scheme to kill her man.  Dorothy Malone and E.G. Marshall co-star in this film noir.  MacMurray is most known for his Disney films but shows that he can play in a pretty intense drama along with DOUBLE INDEMNITY.  Novak makes her film debut as the femme fatale.  Another great entry into the Film Noir world which is my favorite genre from this era.

Harper (1966):  Jack Smight directed this crime drama based on the novel by Ross MacDonald.  Paul Newman plays his first detective character in private investigator Lew Harper.  He is hired by the wealthy Mrs. Sampson, played by Lauren Bacall, to find her kidnapped husband.  Like most detective stories, this leads into far for than what he bargains for but not more than he can handle.  Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Janet Leigh, Arthur Hill, Pamela Tiflin, Robert Wagner, Shelley Winters, Harold Gould, Roy Jenson, Strother Martin, and many others co-star in this film.  Newman is pretty good as the cool detective.  This might have been inspired to be made upon the rise of James Bond but do not know that for sure.  Either way, this is a good detective story that will keep people guessing.

Crash (2004):  Paul Haggis directed and co-wrote this film which features multiple stories in a 36 hour period in Los Angeles.  This takes a look at the racial tensions of misunderstandings and can cloud the judgement of many.  This takes a look at many races and what can happen to cause possible prejudice in other people.  It also shows the redemption that can happen.  There are many different plots in the film, each one quite compelling.  Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraser, Michael Pena, Keith David, Loretta Devine, Tony Danza, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Terrence Howard, Daniel Dae Kim, Ludacris, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, Marina Sirtis, Larenz Tate, and many others co-star in this film.  I thought Dillon's police officer character was the most interesting in this film.  This film does a great job showing racism comes from everywhere and is a learned behavior.

Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (1972):  This is my holiday B-movie for the week that goes along quite well with the 1959 movie SANTA CLAUS and the later SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.  In this one, Santa's sleigh gets stuck in Florida just days before Christmas and due to the weather, it was too much for the reindeer so they headed back without Santa.  Also, no I don't know why Santa and the reindeer were going out days before Christmas.  They kids there try to find a suitable animal but none of them can do it and these include a pig, sheep, donkey, and gorilla, none of which are able to fly like the reindeer.  After Santa is done trying animals and singing his annoying song, he tells the kids of Hans Christian Anderson's THUMBELINA which starts a whole new movie of its own until it is done.  I don't know much about this story so I have no idea how accurate this is but done well on the acting and production values.  When the story is over, we finally meet this Ice Cream Bunny whose only appearance as far as I know was in this movie.  He must be the black sheep brother to the Easter Bunny I guess and even the Ice Cream bunny did not have much in the way of ice cream.  Also in this movie Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn have cameo appearances. I don't think much more needs to be said except this is available on Amazon Prime.  You can watch this in two ways, one is with RIFFTRAX commentary from MST3K alums Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett or you can watch without and make your own commentary.  It is appearing the only version available without is on a Roku player but could not find on my computer.

3 Godfathers (1948):  In a sense, this is a holiday selection and a variation on the Three Wise Men.  John Ford directed this western which stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, and Harry Carey Jr. and not it's not that commentator from the Cubs.  This trio is a group of outlaws on the lam after a robbery and come across a dying woman and her baby who she requests they take the baby safely across the desert.  They risk everything to accommodate to the dying wish.  Ward Bond, Mae Marsh, Mildred Natwick, Jane Darwell, Guy Kibbee, Dorothy Ford, Ben Johnson, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty good biblical variation with what might be one of John Wayne's best movies.

Hooligan Sparrow (2016):  I end the week with the third documentary of this week.  I have done film and music so now I do more of a political one.  This takes a look at China and of activist Ye Haiyan aka Sparrow who seeks justice for for a school master who sexually abused six girls.  She does this at the risk of just about everyone including the government, police, and even her neighbors at one point.  This is a pretty good and sad look at the conditions and justice system of China and the everyday citizens standing up to it.  This is available to watch on 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 Frances McDormand, Bruce Greenwood, Edward G. Robinson, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 630th Edition

Welcome to the 630th Edition of my series.  The playoffs have started in my fantasy league and this one is more like the NFL playoffs that go three weeks and take the top six teams.  I ended up in second place and was able to get a bye for this week so will play next week and hope to win it all.  There is not much else happening so onto my selections.

Joyeux Noel (2005):  I start the week out with this WWI holiday film which is based on a true story.  Christian Carion wrote and directed this film based on the WWI unofficial and unauthorized event which is referred to as "the Christmas Truce".  This happened in 1914 where French, British, and German soldiers all agreed not to a ceasefire during Christmas Eve.  This is the most known occurrence of what happened and is told through the eyes of multiple characters.  Diane Kruger, Benno Furmann, Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, Dany Boon, Daniel Bruhl, Lucas Belvaux, Ian Richardson, and many others co-star in this film.  There is still some war footage in the the film so there is some pretty brutal violence but still a pretty moving film.  My own hometown of Muncie wrote a radio play of this event in which I auditioned for but unfortunately was not cast.  This is in both the French and German languages for those that just cannot do subtitles but for those that can, they should give this a shot.

Arthur Christmas (2011):  This is my animated movie for the week and a holiday movie.  This takes place around the north pole and the title character Arthur, voiced by James McAvoy, is the younger and clumsy son of an aging Santa Claus, voiced by Jim Broadbent, and the North Pole has come a long way with the technology and is no longer just a reindeer and sleigh but many other state of the art vehicles with a mission control group seeing over the homes.  Arthur discovers that one home was missed which does not sit well with him and along with his grandfather, voiced by Bill Nighy, who was Santa and not liking the newer ways, they set out on a sled in hopes of getting gifts to the missed child.  Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jenson, Marc Wootton, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Ramona Marquez, Michael Palin, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Robbie Coltrane, Joan Cusack, Rhys Darby, Jane Horrocks, Iain McKee, Andy Serkis, Dominic West, and many others provide their voices in this animated holiday movie.

Hugo (2011):  Martin Scorsese directed this film based on the book by Brian Selznick. Asa Butterfield plays the title character who is an orphan living in the walls of a train station after his father dies. He learns how to keep the clocks going so he sneaks around there so he does not get put in an orphanage. Before his father dies, they have a robot they were trying to get working so he spends his life trying to fix it and stealing from a crank vender, played by Ben Kingsley, who he finds has an unexpected connection.  Sacha Baran Cohen, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, and Christopher Lee co-star. Christopher Lee had a small but very good part and was probably the most light-hearted character I have seen him play after years of seeing him playing parts like Dracula, Saruman, Count Dooku, among others. What this movie really is however is an homage towards the early days of cinema.  This movie has a great story and very educational into the pioneering days of film but will not give anything more away.   Years ago, I saw this in the theaters and purposely did not read anything into this and it was the best way to watch it in my opinion.  This is a pretty fun animated movie for the family to watch and an interesting take on the North Pole and how things have progressed due to technology.

Human Reproduction (1950):  This is my short film for the week which is one of those dated sex education videos.  A young boy learns he is to become a big brother and is curious on how babies are made so dad must explain to him.  This is mostly a straight forward short that talks about the human reproductive system and I believe one of the first educational shorts they showed in classes.  This is available on Amazon Prime with "Sex Education Films".

I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932):  Mervyn LeRoy directed this film based on the book by Robert E. Burns which the movie was written about but changed the name. Paul Muni stars as James Allen who gets home after serving in WWI and hoping to do more than be an office clerk in his hometown.  He decides he wants to be an engineer after some of his experiences in the army and becomes a bit of a drifter.  He ends up being a the wrong place at the wrong time and with the wrong person who ends up robbing a restaurant and James gets blamed.  He gets sentenced to the chain gang to a rather long sentence.  While he tries to serve it, the brutal conditions provoke him to make an escape.  Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Noel Francis, Preston Foster, Allen Jenkins, and many others co-star in this film.  Watching this again, I realized this is a LES MISERABLES sort of story so those that have seen Les Mis and then see this will likely understand what I am talking about so make this a double feature.  I have always liked Paul Muni and feel he has gone onto become a very underrated actor from this era who was just as talented if not more than the famous names out there today.  This movie did do a lot for prison conditions and the brutal chain gang.  Another interesting thing about this movie was that the real-life Robert E. Burns was pardoned after the release of this film after being on the run.

Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964):  This is my MST3K selection for the week.  Sergio Ciani stars as Hercules who is going against the evil Queen Samara.  Samara has aligned herself with aliens and demanding sacrifice of her own people to awaken a moon goddess.  There is not much else that I need to say I don't think.  It is a pretty fun camp classic if you are not expecting greatness.  Joel and is robots riff well into this one.  This like the rest of MST3K is available on Netflix.

Holiday Inn (1942):  I bring another holiday film that is mainly a Christmas movie but takes a look at many holidays.  Mark Sandrich directs this film that stars Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as Jim Hardy and Ted Hanover who are sometimes partners but always seem to be romance rivals.  Jim gets tired of working all the time and has the ultimate idea to open a hotel and only have it open on the holidays so that he gets more days off.  Ted is also able to make his way into the business with his smooth ways which set off some tension.  Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, Walter Abel, Louise Beavers, Irving Bacon, and many others co-star in this film.  I have always enjoyed this, mostly with the thought of the great idea for the business and seeing Bing Crosby in blackface also makes this worth it.  Irving Berlin wrote the music to these holidays and wrote some very clever songs.  He also introduced us to WHITE CHRISTMAS which Crosby sings putting the idea into the head of many people to think we just need a white Christmas when we really do not need it but I have always let that pass.  Anyone who knows me though knows I hate snow.

Lady Bird (2017):  I decided to make my way into the theater to see this film I have heard good things about and no this is not about former first lady Lady Bird Johnson.  I had not been there for a long time and for the first time saw the recliner chairs they put into our local theater.  Greta Gerwig wrote and directed this coming of age film which stars Saorise Ronan as Christine McPherson whose nickname is Lady Bird.  She is a senior in high school from the "wrong side of the tracks" in Sacramento, California and shows her struggles in life with a relationship, school play and trying to apply for colleges.  Timothee Chalamet, Odeya Rush, Laurie Metcalf, Kathryn Newton, Lucas Hedges, Laura Marano, Beanie Feldstein, Lois Smith, Tracy Letts, Andy Buckley, Stephen Henderson, and many others co-star in this film.  It is hard to describe this one further as it really revolves around the character of Lady Bird.  I thought Ronan did a good job of making her a mostly everyday person that many can relate.

The Silencers (1966):  Phil Karson directed this spy comedy which is based on the novels by Donald Hamilton and maybe came out due to the rise of James Bond.  Dean Martin stars as Matt Helm who is an agent in retirement but is talked out of it to go after an organization called Big O who has a plan called Operation:  Fallout which if happens could start WWIII so the charismatic Matt Helm must try to stop this plan.  Stella Stevens, Daliah Lavi, Victor Buono, Arthur O'Connell, Robert Webber, James Gregory, Nancy Kovack, Roger Carmel, Cyd Charise, David Bond, and many others co-star in this comedy.  I did not know that Dean Martin played this kind of character and it is part of a series in which this is the first.  This is nothing great but did have some pretty funny moments and some rather clever weapons that could compete with the ones they made in the Bond films.

Little Fish (2005):  I end the week with this Australian film.  Rowan Woods directed this movie that takes place in the Little Saigon district outside of Sydney.  Cate Blanchett stars as Tracy heart who is a recovering drug addict and clean for four years.  She is trying to make it in life managing the local video shop but is looking for more in life but struggles to get the loan she needs from the bank to get to become a partner in the business.  Her ex-boyfriend Jonny, played by Dustin Nguyen, claiming to be clean and a stockbroker but is not who he claims.  Desperate for the money, she joins Johnny and her brother Ray, played by Martin Henderson, in a drug deal.  Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, Joel Tobeck, Lisa McCune, Susie Porter, Nina Liu, and many others co-star in this film.  This is another one that centers around the characters and showing how difficult it can be for a drug addict to move forward in life.  The good script and performances drive this crime drama and relatively unknown film.

Well, that is it for the week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far include Michael Douglas, and many others.