Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 689th Edition

Welcome to the 689th Edition of my series.  Nothing much to report right now.  I am glad this is the last week of January and will look to survive February.  I will get on with my selections for the week.

Paddington (2014):  This is part three of my Nicole Kidman trilogy.  Paul King directed this update to to a children's book series by Michael Bond.  Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw, is a Peruvian bear who is in London searching for a home.  He meets the Brown family, played by Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Samuel Joslin, and Madeleine Harris, and is taken in but being told it is temporary.  Things are looking up for Paddington but things change when he is targeted by museum taxidermist Millicent, played by Kidman, who is determined to stuff the rare bear.  Geoffrey Palmer, Emelda Staunton, Michael Gambon, Matt Lucas, Julie Walters, Jude Wright, Kayvan Novak, Peter Capaldi, Jim Broadbent, and many others co-star.  I have not read any of the books of Paddington but this is a pretty fun movie and seems to be a good way to reintroduce Paddington and have a resurgence on the books.

Don't Talk (1942):  This is my short film for the week which is part of the "Crime Does Not Pay" series.  This focuses on industrial sabotage during wartime where FBI agent Jack Sampson, played by Donald Douglas, investigates a shipment of manganese that blows up at a plant.  Their investigation leads to waitress Beulah, played by Gloria Holden, who plays into the scheme.  This one is a bit convoluted but still of interest.  I always enjoyed this series and this particular one is available on Youtube.

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962):  This is a much later work from the comedy trio and one of their very few feature length films which were in this era.  Our stooges for this movie are Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe, played by Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita.  The first two are the originals but I understand Curly Joe was brought in for the feature length movies.  The stooges work for a drug store where their inventor friend Schuyler, played by Quinn Redeker, manages to invent a time machine and things go awry when they get it to work but takes them to ancient Greece and meet the tyrannical King Odius, played by George Neise, and a young Hercules, played by Samson Burke.  Vicki Trickett, Hal Smith, John Cliff, and many others co-star in this comedy.  I don't think I need to into too many details of the plot.  I thought this was a pretty funny feature from the Stooges after them doing years of short films.  I usually enjoy comedies where a modern person ends up in an older era.  Joe DeRita had some big shoes to fill and I'm sure he did not impress everyone but I thought he made the most of being a much later stooge.  This is available on Amazon Prime.

Zero Day (2003):  Ben Coccio directed this film in which he co-wrote with his brother.  Cal Robertson and Andre Keuck star as a couple of troubled high school students who tire of being made fun of and plan a school shooting.  The movie is from a first person point of view where they are filming themselves in the plot with the intention of the video being found after the shooting.  This is a very dark subject matter and probably not easy for some to watch.  Some points of interest are that they point out the flaws of other shootings and let know that the parents are not to blame.  This is very disturbing to watch but unfortunately rather realistic.  This does have a good low-budget look having using a home camera that is being made by high school students.  This could be something for parents to watch with their kids and then have a discussion on it afterwards.

Nancy Drew...Reporter (1939):  William Clemens directed this movie based on the famed detective character by written by a number of authors using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.  Bonita Granville stars as amateur sleuth Nancy Drew who is the reporter for the school newspaper and finds a real assignment that involves a murder.  She does an investigation believing the accused is not guilty.  John Litel, Frankie Thomas, Dickie Jones, Mary Lee, and many others co-star in this movie.  I did not really know that the character of Nancy Drew went back so far but was first written 1930 and is a character that has lived on through many generations.  This is a pretty good B-movie that is available on Hoopla.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017):  Denis Villeneuve directed this sequel that takes place 30 years after the first movie.  Ryan Gosling stars as the new blade runner officer K who unearths a long buried secret that can plunge what is left of society into chaos.  K decides to track down the missing Rick Deckard, reprised by Harrison Ford, to find more answers.  Robin Wright, Edward James Olmos, Mark Arnold, Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis, Lennie James, Barkhad Abdi, Sean Young, and many others co-star in this sci-fi film.  Former WWE champion Batista has a small but very compelling scene at the beginning.  This is not a real action packed sci-fi movie but more of a psychological one.  It will be good to start with the first one and this is not a rehash sequel.  This does require some attention in order to keep up with the story.

Titanic (1943):  Obviously the most known version is James Cameron's blockbuster from 1997 and another pretty well known version is the one in 1953.  This is a German film and one commissioned by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels.  This has the usual sort of storyline with fictional characters and subplots as well as true events leading to the sinking.  This makes the Germans to be the heroes and the sinking of the titanic being the fault of British and American capitalism.  One point of interest is the the director credited in Herbert Selpin who was arrested during filming for speaking out against the Nazi regime and found hanged in prison the next day.  Werner Klingler was the second director that was never credited for this movie.   This is interesting to watch for historical purposes and is still a compelling watch.

Pina (2011):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Wim Wenders.  This is more of a tribute to the late German choreographer Pina Bausch than a documentary.  Much of her dancers reenact her dance numbers and reflect on the times they had with Pina.  It is hard to go into much more detail about this movie but is pretty well done with the unusual dance numbers.  Wenders is probably most known for WINGS OF DESIRE but is very versatile and shows with this film.

Retaliation (1968):  This is my Japanese gangster film for the week which was directed by Yasuharu Hasebe.  Jiro is just getting out of prison and the gang he was part of was mostly disbanded except for the aging boss who remains sick in bed.  Jiro is offered a job to settle a dispute over two rival gangs and promised control over the land if he succeeds.  The promise is broken and Jiro is driven to desperate measures.  This is a rather complicated story but still of interest being an early Japanese gangster film.  I don't believe they were ever referred to as Yakuza so not sure how that works.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

The Tiger and the Snow (2005):  I see I'm on a streak of foreign films and end with this Italian film which is co-written and directed by Roberto Benigni.  Benigni also stars as Attilio de Giovanni who teaches poetry in Italy.  He has an unrequited love towards Vittoria, played by Nicoletta Braschi, who travels to Iraq with their friend Fuad, played by Jean Reno, during the second Gulf War and getting injured and comatose in the process.  Attilio goes to Iraq putting his life on the line and doing what he can to save her.  Tom Waits, Emilia Fox, Giuseppe Battiston, and many others co-star in this film.  Waits plays himself in a rather amusing cameo.  Benigni is likely most known for his movie LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL which is centered around the holocaust and more than anything is a drama that has a lot of comedy because Benigni is a funny person making the the most of a horrid situation. This one is no different and is a very moving story about love more than anything.

Well, that is it for this week but I do have "Movie Time in the Town of Pottersville". Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Carole Lombard, Treat Williams, and many others.

MOVIE NIGHT IN THE TOWN OF POTTERSVILLE

End of Watch (2012):  I watched this on Friday when I went to go hang out with Stephanie and she presented me with this movie that she has on DVD which I had not seen so I went along.  David Ayer wrote and directed this film which is shot in a documentary style.  Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena star as L.A. cops Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala who are partners and friends.  They have themselves filmed on their times on the job and in their personal lives much to the dismay of their colleagues.  Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, America Ferrera, and many others co-star in this film.  This is this a very rough and gritty film that is not for everyone.  Gyllenhaal and Pena work very well together.  It is a really good look about a couple cops trying to get through their shift in having to see such horrific things and maintaining their sanity.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 688th Edition

Welcome to the 688th Edition of my series.  Looks like we survived a pretty crazy night.  I was fortunate enough to not lose electricity, I hope everyone is getting it back and is still doing okay.  Good luck to anyone who has someone still in the playoffs.  There is not much else happening so I'll just get on with my selections

Big Little Lies (2017):  I start the week out with what is technically a tv series but is referred to as a limited series so since I make the rules I decide what qualifies as a movie.  This is part 2 of my Nicole Kidman trilogy.  This centers around a rather snobby town of people with seemingly perfect lives but each episode we get through, we continue to know there is no such thing as a perfect life.  The show centers around mothers Madeline, played by Reese Witherspoon, Celeste, played by Kidman, and new girl in town Jane, played by Shailene Woodley who each have an issue of sorts.  Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, Darby Camp, Alexander Skarsgard, Adam Scott, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordling, Iain Armitage, Sarah Baker, Sarah Burns, Merrin Dungey, and many others co-star in this series.  I feel I have described what I can without giving too much away.  One cool thing about this is the focus on musical AVENUE Q.  This has seven episodes where it slowly leads into a payoff on each episode.  This has some pretty well written characters as well as quite a bit of suspense.  I guess there is a second season starting sometime this year.

Little Swee'pee (1936):  This is my animated short for the week which centers around Popeye and we are introduced to baby Swee 'Pea.  Olive has Popeye take him to the zoo where he spends most of his time rescuing Swee 'Pea from various zoo animals.  Most of these focus on Popeye fighting with Bluto for the affections of Olive Oyl.  In this one, we get some fun interactions of Popeye trying to survive a baby.  This is something that can be found on Amazon Prime as part of the "Cartoon Classics Vol. 3" and is easy to find on Youtube.

Auntie Mame (1958):  Morton DaCosta directed this comedy based on the novel by Patrick Dennis.  Rosalind Russell stars as the free-spirited title character who takes in her orphaned nephew Patrick, played Jan Handzlik when young and Roger Smith when older.  While they become very close, Patrick's father's trustee Dwight does not approve of her lifestyle, played by Fred Clark, making the relationship with Mame's nephew complicated through the years.  Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne, Patric Knowles, Joanna Barnes, Pippa Scott, Lee Patrick, and many others co-star in this film.  Most know this as the popular stage musical MAME that came out in 1966.  This story works very well either way.  Russell brought a lot to Mame Dennis and while two and a half hours long, it is worth the time as it comes a lot of time in her life.  There are some very funny and emotional moments in this film and deserves a look.

Liberal Arts (2012):  Josh Radnor wrote and directed this this film and he also stars as the 35 year old admissions officer Jesse.  When going back to his old alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he meets college student Zibby, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and as they get to know each other, they slowly fall for each other forming a relationship.  While there, he connections with a few other interesting people that help him understand his life more.  Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, Elizabeth Reaser, John Magaro, Kate Burton, Robert Desiderio, Zac Efron, Kristen Bush, Ali Ahn, and many others co-star in this film.  This is one that is driven by the characters and script.  There is some really well written dialogue including some amusing nerd arguments.  Also of interest is this is the first movie from Olsen that was not rated R though she would go onto play Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This is available to watch on Hulu.

Time to Die (1966):  This is my western for the Mexican western for the week which was directed by Arturo Ripstein.  Jorge Martinez de Hoyos stars as Juan Sayago who is a gunman being released from prison after 18 years for killing someone in a dual.  He returns to his hometown in hopes of living a normal life but the sons of the man he killed are hellbent on revenge.  Marga Lopez and Enrique Rocha co-star in this western.  This western kind of has shades on the 1950 film THE GUNFIGHTER with an aging gunslinger trying to live a normal life but is haunted by their past.  This is one that has gone overlooked through the years but is now obtainable on Amazon Prime and is a must for western and foreign film fans.

I am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Sam Jones and is based around the making of Wilco's fourth album YANKEE TANGO FOXTROT which includes a song of the title.  This documents some of the history of the ups and downs of the alternative rock band and how the album in focus is quite different from their other work.  I don't feel anyone has to be fans of Wilco to be interested by this documentary and can appreciate their hard work with the band.

Salt of the Earth (1954):  This is a movie based on a real-life strike in New Mexico against the Empire Zinc Mine which was put on by Mexican-Americans for the safety issues that go on in their job. This movie made quite a statement. This is also a look at feminism because of the wives who played a big part of the strike and getting the changes made but the husbands did not feel they should have been involved. I was very intrigued by this film and was a very good watch to me. Much of the people involved including director Herbert J. Biberman, screenwriter Michael Wilson, producer Paul Jarrico, and composer Sol Kaplan were "blacklisted" at the time where funding had to be found elsewhere and they had a hard time finding a location. They decided to make this movie as pro-communist as possible to fit the crime they had been accused of doing. It was the only American-made blacklisted film of all time. Actress Rosaura Reveultas was a pretty big actress in Mexico and was accused of communism during the Cold War scare and was deported from the United States and never made another U.S. film again but continued to work in Mexico. Many real-life members of International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter workers appear as extras as supporting members. This was a very realistic look at the treatment of minority workers and them standing up to them. This is available on Hoopla and is one that I believe everyone should watch if they have a chance.

Tuck Everlasting (2002):  This is my live-action Disney selection for the week.  Jay Russell directed this movie based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt.  GILMORE GIRLS alum Alexis Bledel stars as Winnie Foster who comes from a very wealthy and proper family but she wants to be more free spirited.  When she is able to get away and leave the home she meets Jesse Tuck, played by Jonathan Jackson, who is part of a family that has immortality.  Winnie and Jesse fall in love but Winnie must decide if immortality is really something she wants in life.  William Hurt, Sissy Spacek, Scott Bairstow, Ben Kingsley, Amy Irving, Victor Garber, Elizabeth Shue, and many others co-star in this film.  This is the theatrical film debut for Bledel.  This is a pretty good look at the price of immortality and is a thought provoking family movie.  It is also a musical as I look further into it.

Lord of the Flies (1963):  Peter Brook directed this adaptation based on the classic novel from William Golding.  A group of young boys survive a plane accident and are left to fend for themselves.  James Aubrey stars as Ralph and Hugh Edwards stars as Piggy and are the rational ones trying to prevent savagery but unable to do so after awhile and end up splitting into two factions.  I remember having to read this book in high school and then watch the movie.  I remember not liking this at all but as I watch it now, I see it is a very compelling story.  This is a very believable story no matter what age range get put into it for people trapped in some way and not being able to co-exist.

To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (1995):  I end the week on this comedy which was directed by Beeban Kidron and is part two of my two-part John Leguizamo series.  Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and Leguizamo all star as drag queens who set out on a road trip only to break down in a small and rather conservative town.  This happens on a weekend and cannot fix their car until Monday when they get the part needed so they are stranded in the town.  They do what they can to make the most of their situation and help the locals that are having their own situations.  Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, Jason London, Chris Penn, Melinda Dillon, Beth Grant, Alice Drummond, Marceline Hugot, Jamie Harrold, Mike Hodge, Michael Vartan, and many others co-star and there are some pretty amusing cameos.  This was made in a time where this sort of lifestyle was far more unacceptable that it is now.  While this was a very funny movie, it was also very eye-opening and has a really good message about acceptance of one another.  The leads did a great job as the drag queens and each had their own qualities and flaws to complement each other.

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

T

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 687th Edition

Welcome to the 687th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is having a good new year so far.  I am glad to say that I am officially done filing for my last scenes in the local movie ASTRO GIRL FROM PLANET ZOLTRAN.  I got to play the corrupt president in this movie.  I think there is still more they need to film and will keep posted of anything happening.  There is not much else going on so onto my selections for the week.

Moulin Rouge! (2001):  This is part two of a two-part Ewan McGregor series, part one of a possible Nicole Kidman trilogy, and part one of a possible two-part John Leguizamo series.  Baz Luhrman directed and co-wrote this very unusual musical.  This takes place in the year 1899 and the musical numbers are mostly music from the 20th century in which they work in very well to make me believe it was that year.  Ewan McGregor stars as Christian who is a poet making his way to Paris to and joins up with a group of Bohemians.  He goes to the nightclub of the Moulin Rouge and is mistaken for the Duke by Satine, played very well by Nicole Kidman, who is supposed to meet up with the Duke but finds Christian instead.  They slowly form a very dangerous affair as the Duke, played by Richard Roxburgh, covets Satine.  Jim Broadbent stars as Harold Zidler who runs the Moulin Rouge and is very amusing in his role, especially his cover of Madonna's LIKE A VIRGIN.  Leguizamo, Jacek Koman, Matthew Whittet, Natalie Mendoza, Lara Mulcahy, David Wenham, and many others co-star in this film.  Most who know me well enough know this is one of my favorite movies.  It is interesting how when I show this movie to friends, their first though is that Harold Zidler is the villain due to things like his outgoing personality and the kind of place he runs.  He really is not the villain and does what he must and is pretty caring towards his employees like Satine even if we may not agree with him.  My favorite scene is the scene when he covers the Queen song THE SHOW MUST GO ON and it shows more of his human side.  This also has some amazing cinematography with very good performances.

You're the Greatest, Charlie Brown (1979):  This is my animated short for the week which is technically a tv special but as I've said before this is my blog and I can define movie however I want.  We join Charles M. Schulz's world of Peanuts which centers around the Junior Olympics.  Peppermint Patty and Marcie talk Charlie Brown into joining the contest with Snoopy posing as the Masked Marvel.  They must go against the arrogant Freddy Fabulous and Charlie Brown proves to be a formidable competitor.  This is for fans of the gang and the character of Charlie Brown that so many can relate.

Daisy Kenyon (1947):  This is my romantic drama for the week which was directed by Otto Preminger and based on the novel by Elizabeth Janeway.  Joan Crawford stars as the title character who is in a relationship with an attorney named Dan O'Mara, played by Dana Andrews.  Dan refuses to get a divorce with his wife Lucille, played by Ruth Warrick, and Daisy meets returning veteran Peter, played by Henry Fonda, who she forms a relationship with but does not love.  Peggy Ann Garner, Connie Marshall, Nicholas Joy, Art Baker, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a really good movie from this era on a love triangle which goes a little above love triangle.  This is a pretty intense drama and likely pretty controversial for its time with good performances from the leads.

Runaway (1984):  This was presented at the Muncie Public Library as part of their Attack of the Movie series.  Michael Crichton wrote and directed this sci-fi film which takes place in a very not so distant future.  Tom Selleck stars as police officer Jack Ramsey whose assignment is specializing in malfunctioning robots.  He uncovers some murder happening from robots by none other than Kiss member Gene Simmons.  Cynthia Rhodes, Stan Shaw, G.W. Bailey, Joey Cramer, Anne-Marie Martin, Michael Paul Chan, and many others co-star in this sci-fi movie.  This may take place in a future but not that far and not much more advanced than it was at the time or even now.  Some might be disappointed that it does not have real fancy futuristic cinematography or technology but it makes the movie more believable in my opinion.  Crichton was mostly an author and most known for JURASSIC PARK but was known to get behind the camera some.  This is worth a look especially for sci-fi enthusiasts and if for nothing else to see Gene Simmons.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935):  James Whale directed the sequel to the 1931 classic FRANKENSTEIN.  This continues with Boris Karloff reprising his role as the creature where he is learning more about the world.  He soon even learns to speak which is something he did not do in the first one.  In this one, he has an encounter with a blind man which is a common scene in just about any adaptation of the horror classic.  The creature meets a blind hermit who is the first person that does not fear him as he does not see him and form a friendship.  A lot of what Frankenstein is about is the fear of the unknown and the blind man does not see the unknown.  When the creature, is separated he sets out in pursuit of Dr. Henry Frankenstein who is reprised by Colin Clive.  Henry is about to get his life together and is soon getting married.  Things then become more complicated when being visited by Doctor Pretorius, played by Ernest Theisger, who is even madder than Dr. Frankenstein.  The creature then demands he is made a mate and Frankenstein does not agree until Pretorius kidnaps his fiance, played by Valerie Hobson.  Elsa Lanchester plays the Bride but is billed as "?" like Karloff was in the first one.  Lanchester is credited though as playing FRANKENSTEIN author Mary Shelley who in the beginning is explaining how her story continues.  Una O'Connor, Dwight Frye, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, E.E. Clive, Lucien Prival, O.P. Heggie, and many others co-star in this film.  This is probably my favorite horror franchise and even had the honor of being in a stage version where I played an evil grave digger.  In these, Frankenstein is portrayed as more of a mad scientist and even change his name from Victor to Henry which I never really understood.  This is possibly my favorite movie from classic Universal horror.

Brave (2012):  This is my Disney Pixar selection for the week.  Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and Steve Purcell directed this Pixar film taking place in Scotland.  Kelly MacDonald stars as Merida who is the daughter of the King and Queen, voiced by Billy Connelly and Emma Thompson, and prefers archery and adventure over the responsibility of being a princess.  Merida makes a deal with a witch, played by Julie Walters, in hopes of things getting better but have unintended consequence that she must fix.  Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Steven Cree, Patrick Doyle, John Ratzenberger, and many others provide their voices.  Pixar comes through once again which is deep down a story of a mother and daughter trying to have a better understanding of each other.  There are also a lot of humorous moments and a good one for the family to watch.

Baby Face Nelson (1957):  I came across this movie last week when doing my Fun and Useless Facts segment and became very curious to see Mickey Rooney playing Baby Face Nelson making this part one of a two-part Mickey Rooney series.  Don Siegel directed this biopic of the famed gangster which stars Rooney is a much darker role than usual.  This documents him getting out of prison and his time in the Dillinger gang.  Carolyn Jones, Cedric Hardwicke, Leo Gordon, Anthony Caruso, Jack Elam, John Hoyt, Elisha Cook Jr., Ted de Corsia, Robert Osterloh, Thayer David, Dabbs Greer, Lisa Davis, Emile Meyer, and many others co-star in this film.  From what I understand, this is not to be watched if looking for absolute historical accuracy.  It is still a pretty good story with Rooney doing very well as Nelson.  This was quite controversial in its time with people like J. Edgar Hoover believing it glorifies crime.  I was not able to find any sort of copy anywhere except watching on Youtube which is not the best transfer in the world but still watchable.

Eighth Grade (2018):  Bo Burnham wrote and directed this film in his directorial debut.  Elsie Fisher stars as Kayla Day who is an awkward and introverted teen trying to survive her last week of the eighth grade.  She expresses herself in the way of video blogs but in reality is a sullen teen quiet around her single father and peers I guess trying to find herself.  Josh Hamilton co-stars as her very patient father.  Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan, Daniel Zolghadri, Fred Hechinger, Imani Lewis, Luke Prael, Missy Yager, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a movie that I'm sure many relate to and to the youth reading this, I just want to tell you that there is life after middle and high school.  I was not Mr. Popular myself but now know how ridiculous "popularity" is within school.  Burnham is a known stand up comedian whose career started rather similar when he was a teen posting Youtube videos and from my understand it kind of a biography on him in a way except the protagonist is a girl.  Fisher has gotten a lot of recognition for her own performance in this film.  This is a very well-done film about growing up and trying to survive school having quite the reception.

Airport '77 (1977):  Jerry Jameson directed this disaster movie which is based on the novel by Arthur Hailey.  Jack Lemmon plays lead pilot Don Gallagher for a flight where Phillip Stevens, played by James Stewart, is flying in a group of V.I.P.s to the grand opening of his art collection.  Some art thieves hijack the plan and things go awry when they are trapped underwater forcing Gallagher to use his resourcefulness to save the passengers.  This has quite the all star cast in Lee Grant, Brenda Vaccaro, Joseph Cotten, Olivia de Havilland, Darren McGavin, Christopher Lee, Robert Foxworth, Robert Hooks, Monte Markham, Kathleen Quinlan, Gil Gerard, James Booth, Monica Lewis, Monica Lewis, Maidie Norman, M. Emmet Walsh, and many others.  I must admit to being guilty of stereotyping when seeing Lee is in the movie and my first thought was "Oh, he must be one of the hijackers" which was not true.  This type of movie was very popular in this movie which involves a disaster of sorts, an all-star cast, and many sub-plots.  This is also the third part of the Airport series and looks like these can be watched in any order.  I looked into the first two but they did not fit into the week due to actors and such.  If not taken too seriously, this is pretty fun and entertaining and enjoyed seeing Lemmon in a heroic role.

Dead Man Walking (1995):  This is part two of a two-part R. Lee Ermey series.  I am sorry to say this is not a movie about the Undertaker.  Tim Robbins goes behind the camera on this one as the director of this film which is based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean who is portrayed by Susan Sarandon in this film.  Sister Prejean is a New Orleans nun who befriends death row inmate Matthew Poncelet, played by Sean Penn, who is getting closer to execution and tries to help him spiritually while also getting a stay of execution.  Ermey, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry, Celia Weston, Lois Smith, Scott Wilson, Roberta Maxwell, Margo Martindale, Larry Pine, Clancy Brown, Peter Sarsgaard, Jack Black, Jon Abrahams, and many others co-star in this film.  Robbins was able to make a very compassionate film about a dark subject matter.  Sarandon and Penn work well together in their interactions.  This does have some pretty disturbing scenes depicting the crimes but if you can get past that, this is a very moving film based on a true story.

Well, that is it for this section but I have three other segments that involve book and film so read on.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Nicole Kidman, Rosalind Russell, Allison Janney, and many others.

MOVIE TIME AT THE SHERA

The Goonies (1985):  This was actually watched on New Year's Day at Shera's house but decided to put it off until this week when doing my "Fun and Useless Facts" segment.  Shera asked me to get a cabbage to start the new year so I went ahead and got one and joined her and her friend Brent as the food got made and watched this '80s classic.  Richard Donner directed this film where Steven Spielberg gets a writer credit for the story and Chris Columbus gets the writer credit for the screenplay so quite the collaboration going on here.  Sean Astin and Josh Brolin star as brothers Mikey and Brand Walsh whose home is up for foreclosure and set out to save their home when finding a treasure map.  They are joined by their friends played by Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, and Jonathan Ke Quan.  Ke Quan is likely most known for being Short Round in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM which came out around the same time and is probably the most amusing in this movie with his inventions.  They must get past villains Mama Fratelli, played by Anne Ramsey, and her sons Jake and Francis, played by Robert Davi and Joe Pantoliano.  John Matuszak co-stars as the memorable character Sloth.  This group of villains is based on Ma Barker and her sons.  It was good to revisit this popular '80s classic which shows us that Samwise and Thanos are brothers.

MOVIE TIME IN THE TOWN OF POTTERSVILLE

The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey (2012):  This was also viewed last week but put off to this week.  A couple weeks ago, Stephanie and me were looking for a 3D blu-ray to rent and take to her parents' home to watch on their state of the art system but were unable to find anything.  Knowing how much she is into these movies, I found this one at the library so we tried again.  Many will be shocked to learn this is my first time to see any of these as the LOTR films comes as a bit of a mixed bag for me and never really became a favorite of mine.  These movies based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien come from director Peter Jackson and take place before LORD OF THE RINGS telling the story of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman while also played by Ian Holm in a cameo of scenes of him reflecting on his younger days as well as Elijah Wood having a cameo as Frodo.  Bilbo is approached by Gandalf, reprised by Ian McKellan, to take the journey with a group of dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield, played by Richard Armitage, to Lonely Mountain.  Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Dean O'Gorman, Aidan Turner, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, Manu Bennett, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, and many others co-star in this film.  I had no idea what to really expect but I found myself actually enjoying this movie and the 3D element was pretty cool as well.  Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS was an actual book trilogy but this story was expanded by Jackson to be a trilogy.  I'll try to get the other two watched at some point, likely with Stephanie and am actually wanting to view them now.

THE BOOKWORM CORNER

Buseyisms:  Gary Busey's Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth by Gary Busey and Steffanie Sampson (2018):  I decided to add a new segment and yes that is Roddy McDowell as the Bookwork in the '60s BATMAN sitcom.  I admit I am extremely far from being a book worm though I am trying to read more.  My mom bought me this book for Christmas knowing what a fan I am of our modern day philosopher Gary Busey.  This book is an autobiographical book on Busey's life starting at childhood, his rise into acting, his addictions and recovery, and the life-changing motorcycle accident.  He also has a glossary of what he calls Buseyisms which for those who have never watched him are anagrams he makes into works like the title for example and even motivation meaning "moving our thoughts into victory and truth in overcoming negativity" as well as many other profound things.  I first took note of Busey in the 2003 Comedy Central reality show I'M WITH BUSEY which entertained me to the extreme.  Many people I know dismiss him for his outlandish personality which I find very enjoyable and if you can get past his weirdness, he is really a very insightful person.  I'm not usually big on reality television but Busey is very much an exception.  His co-author Steffanie Sampson is his wife who talked him into writing a book about his complex life.  This is a very insightful and inspirational book that I was able to read in a fairly quick manner.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 686th Edition

Welcome to the 686th Edition of my series.  This is my first post of the new year and hope everyone is enjoying their new year so far.  Nothing really new happening in my life right now so I'll just get on with my selections.

Toy Story 2 (1999):  I start the new year out with the Disney Pixar sequel which was directed by John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, and Lee Unkrich.  In this one, Andy, voiced by John Morris, is away at a summer camp and Woody, reprised by Tom Hanks, gets taken by a greedy toy store owner named Al, voiced by Wayne Knight.  Woody learns that he is the last part of a collection for a short lived series called "Woody's Roundup" where he meets Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl, voiced by Joan Cusack, and Stinky Pete the Prospector, voiced by Kelsey Grammar, who are all to be sold to Japan for a very large payment to Al.  Buzz Lightyear, reprised by Tim Allen, leads the other toys to rescue Woody and bring him back to his rightful owner.  Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, Estelle Harris, R. Lee Ermey, Laurie Metcalf, Jonathan Harris, Jodi Benson, Joe Ranft, Andrew Stanton, Bob Bergen, Rodger Bumpass, and many others co-star in this film.  Only in this scenario do we ever get to see Tom Hanks and Tim Allen starring together.  This is a really good continuation of the first TOY STORY and not a rehash sequel like some tend to do.  This might also make some feel really guilty of getting rid of their toys.  There is a part four coming out later this year and have high hopes for it.  This is a really fun family watch and also has a lot of emotional depth as well.

Blade Runner (1982):  I continue with this sci-fi classic which was directed by Ridley Scott and based on the novel by Philip K. Dick.  Harrison Ford stars as blade runner Rick Deckard and is the equivalent of a police officer.  This takes place in a dystopian future where synthetic humans known as replicants have been created and after things go wrong they are to be "retired" which is another word for killed.  Deckard is a burnt out cop who reluctantly agrees to go after a group of fugitive replicants lead by Roy Batty, played by Rutger Hauer.  When meeting Rachael, played by Sean Young, Deckard concludes she is a replicant believing she is human and his job becomes more complicated when forming a relationship with her.  Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James, Joe Turkel, Joanna Cassidy, James Hong, Morgan Paull, Kevin Thompson, and many others co-star in this film.  I would also like to add that this movie takes place in the year 2019 and this was not purposely done to end up on my first post of the year, it just happened happened that way.  This sci-fi film is a very compelling and deep film which is an examination of the impact of technology on human society.  I think this is one of those movies that has become more and more popular through time.

Shallow Grave (1994):  This is part one of a two-part Ewan McGregor series.  Now I turn to a more unknown movie with this really interesting British crime film was directed by Danny Boyle.  Christopher Eccleston, Kerry Fox, and Ewan McGregor all co-star as roommates who bring in a flatmate that ends up dead and end up discovering a huge stash of cash.  They all have different ideas on how to handle the situation which leads to problems with other criminals but more between each other.  Ken Stott, Keith Allen, Colin McCredie, and many others co-star in this crime film.  There are a lot of dark comedy elements to this movie.  I think what interested me the most is the change in all three of the main characters.  For Boyle, this was his motion picture that he directed, he had directed tv movies and mini-series but this was the first feature film and would go onto do things like TRAINSPOTTING, 28 DAYS LATER, and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE which would go onto quite a bit of popularity.  This was a really good start and remains a pretty underrated film that deserves a look.

All This and Rabbit Stew (1941):  This is my animated short for the week which features Bugs Bunny.  Usually Bugs goes against hunter Elmer Fudd but in this one goes against an unnamed black hunter which as far as I know was the only appearance of this character.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  This is an interesting watch for historical purposes as this is part of the "Censored 11" which happened in 1968 where they were banned from syndication due to the racist elements.  This is clearly a very stereotypical portrayal of a black man but these were different times when these came out.  These are likely only going to be put out through public domain.  This is available to watch on Youtube.

Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936):  John Cromwell directed this film based on a book by Frances Hodgson Walpole.  Freddie Bartholomew stars as American boy Ceddie who learns he is the long-lost heir of a British fortune and is sent to live with the cold and unsentimental grandfather the Earl of Dorincourt, played by C. Aubrey Smith.  Ceddie is a very friendly and accepting young boy who does not know of his grandfather's personality and the Earl cannot help but take a liking to his grandchild slowly bringing out a better side in his personality.  Delores Costello, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stevenston, Mickey Rooney, Constance Collier, Una O'Connor, Jackie Searl, Jessie Ralph, and many others co-star in this film.  I am not always into films taking place in this era but found this to be a pretty moving story with a lot of really good characters to add to the enjoyment.

Blacula (1972):  This is Blaxploitation's answer to the vampire genre.  William Crane directed this vampire film which stars William Marshall as the African prince Mamuwalde in the 18th century.  Mamuwalde goes to see Count Dracula, played by Charles Macauley, in hopes he can help him with the slave trade but instead turns Mamuwalde into a vampire dubbing him Blacula and imprisons him in a tomb.  In the modern-day, some antique collectors buy the coffin not knowing an imprisoned vampire was in the coffin.  When they open it, the vampire becomes loose and wreaking havoc all over town.  Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas, Thalmus Rasulala, Gordon Pinsent, Elisha Cook Jr., and many others co-star in this film.  Marshall was likely most known for this role and would later go onto be the King of Cartoons in the tv series PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE.  This follows the classic Bram Stoker novel to a certain extent.  This is really better than it should be, especially with Macauley's performance as the title character.  If you like vampire movies and have not seen this one, keep an open mind and give it a shot.

Batman vs. Two-Face (2017):  This is my second animated selection for the week.  Adam West and Burt Ward reprise their roles of Batman and Robin from the popular '60s sitcom which is their second and last animated appearance.  As far as I know, the sitcom never had the character of Harvey Dent, voiced by William Shatner, who becomes mutilated in a lab accident and embarks on a crime spree.  Julie Newmar reprises her role as Catwoman who plays a rather significant role.  Jeff Bergman, Sirena Irwin, Thomas Lennon, Lee Meriwether, William Salyers, Lynne Marie Stewart, Jim Ward, Steven Weber, Wally Wingert, and many others co-star in this animated movie.  Meriwether plays Catwoman in the 1966 movie based on the television sitcom.  This is an homage to the '60s sitcom so is a rather campy but fun Batman movie that gives reference to just about all the villains from the show in some way.  I was also amazed at how Ward manages to keep his youthful voice when playing Robin.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

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 not much of a team player team player like Claire wants.  Camilla Sparv, Jim McMullan, Kathleen Crowley, Dabney Coleman, Karl McMullan Vogler, 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.

Hondo (1953):  This is my western for the week.  John Farrow directed this western based on a story by Louis L'Amour.  John Wayne stars as army scout Hondo Lane who stumbles into a town that is Apache territory.  He meets inhabitants Angie and Johnny, played by Geraldine Page and Lee Aaker, who are mother and son and believe they are safe with the Apache treaty.  Hondo knows better and does what he can to protect them.  Ward Bond, Michael Pate, James Arness, Rodolfo Acosta, Leo Gordon, Tom Irish, Paul Fix, and many others co-star in this film.  The dog in this movie was the original screen Lassie.  This was originally shot in 3-D.  This is a pretty decent western with some good blend of action and romance with Wayne on the top of his game with Page making a good film debut.

The Giver (2014):  I end the week with this sci-fi film and realize I have done quite bit in the way of sci-fi and fantasy this week.  Phillip Noyce directed this film which is based on a novel by Lois Lowry.  This takes place in a Utopian type of society where it is a community without war, pain, and suffering but not of free will.  Upon graduation, teens are chosen for their new line of work.  Brenton Thwaites stars as Jonas who is leaving childhood and chosen to the rare world of Receiver of Memories.  Jeff Bridges co-stars as the title character who gives Jonas memories before the even the Ruin happened making Jonas learn of feelings like love and fear.  As Jonas learns more, he finds there is a more sinister plan at hand.  Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgard, Odeya Rush, Cameron Monaghan, Taylor Swift, Emma Tremblay, and many others co-star in this film.  Streep is the head of the Elders and is the villain in this movie.  This is a pretty interesting watch and cannot judge it upon the novel as I have not read it.  Bridges has tried for a long time to get this movie off the ground and in the '90s was going to cast his father Lloyd Bridges as the Giver.

Well, that is it for this week but I decided to start the year out with the "Fun and Useless Facts" segment.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Nicole Kidman, Joan Crawford, Boris Karloff, Emma Thompson, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I decided to start the year with this segment.  As always, I focused more on connections between actors in other movies rather that interconnections.  There are plenty I could use from Pixar but decided not to go that far.  I am sure there are plenty of other connections and feel free to comment.

Tom Hanks (Toy Story 2) and Meryl Streep (The Giver) were in the 2017 film THE POST.

Tom Hanks (Toy Story 2) and Daryl Hannah (Blade Runner) were lovers in the 1984 comedy SPLASH.  Charles Macauley (Blacula) co-stars as the president.

Tom Hanks (Toy Story 2) and Ewan McGregor (Shallow Grave) were in the 2009 movie ANGELS AND DEMONS.

Tom Hanks (Toy Story 2) and Ken Stott (Shallow Grave) were in the 2007 film CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR.

Joan Cusack (Toy Story 2) and Harrison Ford (Blade Runner) were in the 1988 comedy WORKING GIRL.

Joan Cusack (Toy Story 2) and Cameron Monaghan (The Giver) were in the popular Showtime series SHAMELESS.

Joan Cusack (Toy Story 2) and Jeff Bridges (The Giver) were in the 1999 movie ARLINGTON ROAD.

Kelsey Grammar (Toy Story 2) and Harrison Ford (Blade Runner) were in the 2014 action movie THE EXPENDABLES 3.

John Ratzenberger (Toy Story 2) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1977 film A BRIDGE TOO FAR, the 1978 and 1980 SUPERMAN movies, and the 1981 film REDS.

Laurie Metcalf (Toy Story 2) and Odeya Rush (The Giver) were in the 2017 film LADY BIRD.

R. Lee Ermey (Toy Story 2) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1988 film MISSISSIPPI BURNING.

Tim Allen (Toy Story 2) and M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runner) were in the 2004 holiday movie CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS.

Wayne Knight (Toy Story 2) and James Hong (Blade Runnder) were in the 2008 animated movie KUNG FU PANDA.

Harrison Ford (Blade Runner) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1974 film THE CONVERSATION.

Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner) and Katie Holmes (The Giver) were in the 2005 superhero film BATMAN BEGINS.

M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runnder) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1998 movie TWILIGHT and no not the vampire movie of the same name.

M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runner) and Meryl Streep (The Giver) were in the 1982 film SILKWOOD.

M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runner) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1980 movie BRUBAKER.

M. Emmet Walsh (Blade Runner) and Charles Macaulay (Blacula) were in the 1977 disaster movie AIRPORT '77.

Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1989 movie THE PACKAGE.

Ewan McGregor (Shallow Grave) and Meryl Streep (The Giver) were in the 2013 film AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY.

Guy Kibbee (Little Lord Fauntleroy) and John Wayne (Hondo) were in the 1948 film 3 GODFATHERS.

Mickey Rooney (Little Lord Fauntleroy) and Elisha Cook Jr. (Blacula) were in the 1957 movie BABY FACE NELSON which I am now curious to see as Rooney plays the famed bank robber in the title character.

Burt Ward plays Dick Grayson with the alter ego of Robin in this week's feature BATMAN VS.TWO FACE as well as various live-action and animated series.  Brenton Thwaites (The Giver) plays Dick Grayson with the alter egos of Robin and Nightwing in the newer series TITANS.

John Wayne (Hondo) plays lawman Rooster Cogburn in the 1969 film TRUE GRIT and the 1975 film ROOSTER COGBURN.  Jeff Bridges (The Giver) plays Rooster Cogburn in the 2010 film TRUE GRIT.