Welcome to the 698th Edition of my series. It's good to see the weather getting warmer and good to see we are getting closer to A FEW GOOD MEN. Opening night is on Friday at the Marion Civic Theater at 7:30. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 pm and Sunday shows are at 2 pm. Shows are April 5-7 and April 12-14. We have been working like crazy to get this thing together and now it comes to life. If you are in the area, please come see me as a religious obsessed marine. There is not much else going on so I will just get to my selections for the week.
Charlotte's Web (2006): This is part four of my four part Steve Buscemi series where he provides the voice of Templeton the Rat. Gary Winick directed this live action version of the classic novel by E.B. White. Dakota Fanning stars as Fern who is the daughter of a farmer and stops the killing the a runt pig which would go onto be named Wilbur, voiced by Dominic Scott Kay. Wilbur is still in danger of being killed for food and meets a nice spider named Charlotte, voiced by Julia Roberts, who lives in his pen. They form a friendship and Charlotte looks to find a way to save Wilbur's life. John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba McEntire, Robert Redford, Thomas Haden Church, Andre Benjamin, Abraham Benrubi, Kevin Anderson, Essie Davis, Gary Basaraba, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Beau Bridges, and many others co-star in this family movie. Sam Shepard provides the narration. I found this live-action adaptation to be pretty enjoyable. I'm hoping this helps people who have arachnophobia to have a newer respect towards spiders and not fear them so much. I found Buscemi's performance as the rat to be the most entertaining part of the movie. This is one that can be watched by the family and venture to say this has made some people become vegetarians. This could be a good to watch as a double feature with the movie BABE which both have a rather similar statement.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017): I go from an adaptation of a book centering around a spider and farm animals to an adaptation of a famous murder mystery. Kenneth Branagh directed this adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie. Branagh also stars as detective Hercule Poirot who decides to leave on the Orient Express train where a murder occurs and must investigate everyone on the train to get to the bottom of the situation. Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr., Josh Gad, Derek Jacobi, Lucy Boynton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, Willem Dafoe, and many others co-star in this film. I will first say that I have never read the book and it has been awhile since I have seen the 1974 version. I did enjoy what I saw and thought the characters were well developed and well cast. I am going to seek out the other version at some point but was guessing throughout in this version which was worth a look.
Snitch (2013): This is part two of my Susan Sarandon trilogy. Ric Roman Waugh directed this film that is based on a true story. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson stars as successful business owner John Matthews whose son Jason, played by Rafi Gavron, was arrested for drug trafficking and has a harsh sentence for a first time offender. The Rock offers to go undercover for the DEA in hopes of laying the smackdown on the drug cartel in order to get his son's sentence reduced. Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal, Michael Kenneth Williams, Melina Kanakaredes, Nadine Velazquez, Benjamin Bratt, Lela Loren, JD Pardo, David Harbour, Harold Perrineau, and many others co-star in this film. This is a pretty compelling watch and focuses on the minimum sentence laws that can be very unjust for people with minimal involvement. This is based on a 1992 case where a man named James Settembrino assisted prosecution to get a lower sentence for his son who was serving ten years.
Educated Fish (1937): This is my animated short for the week. This centers around a school of fish and one that is very rebellious and will not listen to his teacher. He soon ventures out to the real world to learn that education is important. This has some pretty fun elements and worth a few minutes. This is available on Amazon Prime as part of "Cartoon Classics Vol. 3".
All About Eve (1950): Joseph L. Mankiewicz wrote and directed this film into the cutthroat world of theater. Bette Davis stars as the established and aging theater actress Margo Channing and Anne Baxter stars as Eve Harrington who makes her way into the group as a seemingly innocent fan offering to help wherever she can but has other deceptive plans. George Sanders co-stars as the cynical theater critic Addison Dewitt who is the only person that sees through Eve. Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Gregory Ratoff, Barbara Bates, Marilyn Monroe, Thelma Ritter, and many others co-star in this film. This is a really good look at the world of theater. This is an early role for Monroe and has a very amusing line about a butler. There is not much else I can say except that it is one of the best from the era. I also learned this has been done as a play in London starring Gillian Anderson so sounds like a play that would be up my alley.
Katherine (1975): Now I follow with a tv movie which was written and directed by Jeremy Kagan and based on a true story. Sissy Spacek stars as Katherine Alman who is born into a wealthy family but goes her own path in becoming part of a radical group against Vietnam the Vietnam war. Henry Winkler co-stars as her love interest Bob Kline. Art Carney, Julie Kavner, Jane Wyatt, Joe De Santis, Hector Elias, Jenny Sullivan, Rene Enriquez, Mary Murphy, Todd Bridges, and many others co-star in this tv movie. This is likely the first time I have ever featured Todd Bridges in this series. This is shot in semi-documentary format. This is based on the life of Diana Oughton who was an Illinois heiress and joined the radical group Weather Underground. Spacek does well as the title character. This is available on Amazon Prime and deserves more exposure.
Mary and Tim (1996): I follow with another tv movie which was directed by Glenn Jordan and based on the novel by Colleen McCullough. Tom McCarthy stars as Tim who is a mentally challenged young man who works hard in his community and ends up getting hired by an older and lonely widowed woman named Mary, played by Candice Bergen. This focuses on the friendship and love between these much different people. Richard Kiley, Louise Latham, Kelli Williams, Shirley Knight, and many others co-star in this tv movie. This is a remake of the 1979 film TIM which stars a young Mel Gibson. I feel both versions have their qualities and like this movie just as much as the 1979 movie. Bergen and McCarthy are great together and this really deserves a watch.
Thunderball (1965): Now I bring in the fourth James Bond film which was directed by Terence Young and stars Sean Connery as Agent 007. Bond must take on S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent Emilio Largo, played by Adolfo Celi who steals two nuclear warheads. Claudine Auger co-stars as Domino who is Largo's mistress not knowing that her brother was murdered by him. Luciana Paluzzi, Rik Van Nutter, Molly Peters, Martine Beswick, Bernard Lee, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, Philip Locke, Anthony Dawson, and many others co-star in this film. Paluzzi is good as the female villain and Auger has always been one of my favorite Bond girls. Maybe that is why this is my favorite from the Connery era. I also like a lot of the underwater action scenes and other elements that have always drawn me to this Bond film. I admit I'm more into the Daniel Craig era of Bond but still get into the older ones. This is available on Netflix.
Joan of Arc (1948): Now I bring a historical biopic which was directed by Victor Fleming in his last film and based on the play by Maxwell Anderson. Ingrid Bergman brings this fifteenth century heroine to life. This starts out with the young farm girl Joan of Arc claiming to hear voices from heaven asking her to lead God's army against Orleans and the crowning of Charles VII as King of France. She gets arrested and put through a painful political trial and must question her principles and calling. Francis L. Sullivan, J. Carrol Naish, Ward Bond, Shepperd Strudwick, John Emery, Leif Erickson, Cecil Kellaway, Jose Ferrer, Selena Royle, Robert Barrat, John Ireland, Alan Napier, and many others co-star in this film. I don't think Joan of Arc movie will ever beat the silent film THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC. Bergman brings the martyr to life very well as she tried for a long time to get this movie off the ground. I saw the version that is 145 minutes long as opposed to the 100 minute version and venture to say this one is a lot better.
At Close Range (1986): I end the week with another movie based on a true story which I seem to be doing a lot of this week. James Foley directed this film which stars a young Sean Penn as Brad Whitewood Jr. whose estranged criminal father Brad Sr., played by Christopher Walken, comes back into his life luring his son into a life of crime. Penn's real-life brother Chris Penn co-stars as his brother Tommy in the only movie they worked together in and their mother Eileen Ryan plays their grandmother. Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Tracey Walter, R.D. Call, David Strathairn, J.C. Quinn, Candy Clark, Kiefer Sutherland, Crispin Glover, Noelle Parker, Alan Autry, and many others co-star in this film. This is loosely based on gang leader Bruce Johnston Sr. who lead a gang in the late '70s which involved his family. This is not an upbeat movie by any means but is extremely compelling. This is also the introduction of Madonna's hit song LIVE TO TELL where we hear the haunting instrumental music throughout the movie and eventually hear the song as a whole. This is available on Amazon Prime.
Well, that is it for this week but continue on for my "Fun and Useless Facts" segment. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Susan Sarandon, and many others.
FUN AND USELESS FACTS
I decided to bring this segment back for the week. I felt I have enough to work with so here are some facts. As always, I use actors from different movies and don't to a lot of actors within the same movie unless another actor from another movie is connected. I also could have a lot more useless facts but I stopped after a certain amount. Feel free to comment on connections you find.
Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web) and Susan Sarandon (Snitch) are stepmother and mother in the 1998 movie STEPMOM.
Johnny Depp (Murder on the Orient Express) and Mary Stuart Masterson (At Close Range) were lovers in the 1993 film BENNY AND JOON.
Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web) and Tom McCarthy (Mary and Tim) are in the 1997 action movie CONSPIRACY THEORY and the 2009 movie DUPLICITY.
Dwayne Johnson (Snitch) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) were in the 2003 action comedy THE RUNDOWN.
Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web) and Kiefer Sutherland (At Close Range) were in the 1990 horror film FLATLINERS and were engaged to be married for a brief period of time.
Dwayne Johnson (Snitch) was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in the 2005 movie CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY which would ultimately go to Johnny Depp (Snitch)
Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web) and Benjamin Bratt (Snitch) dated between 1997-2001
Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) and Barry Pepper (Snitch) were in the 2005 movie RIPLEY UNDER GROUND.
Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web) and Sissy Spacek (Katherine) play daughter and mother in the 2018 series HOMECOMING.
Benjamin Bratt (Snitch) and Kiefer Sutherland were in the 2014 mini-series 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY.
Susan Sarandon (Charlotte's Web) tried to save the soul of death row inmate Sean Penn (At Close Range) in the 1995 film DEAD MAN WALKING.
Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) and Benjamin Bratt (Snitch) were in the 1994 action film CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER.
Steve Buscemi (Charlotte's Web) works for Chris Penn (At Close Range) in the 1992 film RESERVOIR DOGS.
Judi Dench (Murder on the Orient Express) plays Queen Elizabeth I in her later years in the 1998 film SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. Bette Davis (All About Eve) plays the queen in the 1939 film THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX and in the 1955 film THE VIRGIN QUEEN.
Steve Buscemi (Charlotte's Web), Johnny Depp (Murder on the Orient Express), and Crispin Glover (At Close Range) were in the 1995 western DEAD MAN. Buscemi is uncredited in his role as a bartender.
Susan Sarandon (Snitch) portrays Bette Davis (All About Eve) in the 2017 series FEUD.
Steve Buscemi (Charlotte's Web) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) are in the 1990 film KING OF NEW YORK and the 1994 film PULP FICTION.
Anne Baxter (All About Eve), George Sanders (All About Eve), and Alan Napier (Joan of Arc) were in the '60s sitcom BATMAN where Baxter plays the recurring roles of Olga and Zelda, Sanders played the part of Mr. Freeze in a couple episodes, and Napier was a regular as everyone's favorite butler Alfred.
Steve Buscemi (Charlotte's Web) and Judi Dench (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 2004 animated movie HOME ON THE RANGE.
Sissy Spacek (Katherine) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) were in the 1999 comedy BLAST FROM THE PAST.
Steve Buscemi (Charlotte's Web) and Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 2000 prison film ANIMAL FACTORY which Buscemi also directed.
Henry Winkler (Katherine), Julie Kavner (Katherine), and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) were in the 2006 comedy CLICK.
John Cleese (Charlotte's Web) and Dwayne Johnson (Snitch) were in the 2009 animated movie PLANET 51
Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) and Sissy Spacek (Katherine) were in the 1997 film AFFLICTION.
John Cleese (Charlotte's Web) plays weapons manufacturer Q in the Pierce Brosnan Bond Era and starts out as R until Desmond Llewellan of this week's 007 feature THUNDERBALL passes the torch to him to become Q in the 1999 Bond movie THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH.
Celeste Holm (All About Eve) and Jane Wyatt (Katherine) were in the 1947 film GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT.
John Cleese (Charlotte's Web) is a mentor to Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express) in the 1994 film MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN.
Benjamin Bratt (Snitch) and Candice Bergen (Mary and Tim) were in the 2000 comedy MISS CONGENIALITY.
John Cleese (Charlotte's Web) and Sean Connery (Thunderball) were in the 1981 film TIME BANDITS.
Susan Sarandon (Snitch), Richard Kiley (Mary and Tim), and Millie Perkins (At Close Range) were int the 1985 mini-series A.D.
Kathy Bates (Charlotte's Web) and David Strathairn (At Close Range) were in the 1995 film DELORES CLAIBORNE.
Josh Gad (Murder at the Orient Express) and Tom McCarthy (Mary and Tim) were in the animated 2015 movie PIXELS.
Kathy Bates (Charlotte's Web) and Henry Winkler (Katherine) were in the 1998 comedy THE WATERBOY.
Tom McCarthy (Mary and Tim) and Sean Penn (At Close Range) were in the 2006 movie ALL THE KING'S MEN.
Kathy Bates (Charlotte's Web) and Susan Sarandon (Snitch) were in the 1990 movie WHITE PALACE.
Tom McCarthy (Mary and Tim) and David Strahtairn (At Close Range) were in the 2005 film GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK.
Robert Redford (Charlotte's Web) and Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 2004 film THE CLEARING.
Louise Latham (Mary and Tim) and Sean Connery (Thunderball) were in the 1964 film MARNIE.
Robert Redford (Charlotte's Web) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 1996 movie UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
Leslie Odom Jr. plays Dr. Arbuthnot in this week's feature MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and Sean Connery (Thunderball) plays Col. Arbuthnott in the 1974 film MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.
Robert Redford (Charlotte's Web) and David Strathairn (At Close Range) are part of a heist team in the 1992 action movie SNEAKERS.
Desmond Llewelyn (Thunderball) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) are in the 1985 Bond movie A VIEW TO A KILL.
Thomas Haden Church (Charlotte's Web) and Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) play villains to Spider-Man in Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN trilogy.
Barry Pepper (Snitch) and Tom McCarthy (Mary and Tim) were in the 2006 war film FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS.
Abraham Benrubi (Charlotte's Web) and Sean Penn (At Close Range) were in the 1997 movie U TURN.
Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) declined the role of Vivian Ward in the 1990 comedy PRETTY WOMAN which would ultimately go to Julia Roberts (Charlotte's Web).
Dakota Fanning (Charlotte's Web) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) were in the 2004 film OUT OF TIME.
Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) and Susan Sarandon (Snitch) were in the 1987 film THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK.
Dakota Fanning (Charlotte's Web) and Sean Penn (At Close Range) were daughter and father with Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) representing Penn in his custody battle for Fanning in the 2001 movie I AM SAM
Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) and Christopher Walken (At Close Range) were in the 1992 film superhero film BATMAN RETURNS and the 2007 musical HAIRSPRAY.
Gary Basaraba (Charlotte's Web) and Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express) are in the 1988 film THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST.
Johnny Depp (Murder on the Orient Express) and Barry Pepper (Snitch) were in the 2013 movie THE LONE RANGER.
Beau Bridges (Charlotte's Web) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 1989 film THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS.
Judi Dench (Murder on the Orient Express) plays MI6 head M in the Pierce Brosnan era and some of the Daniel Craig era. Bernard Lee plays M in this week's feature THUNDERBALL as well much of the early franchise.
Sam Shepard (Charlotte's Web) and Penelope Cruz (Murder on the Orient Express) were in the 2000 film ALL THE PRETTY HORSES.
Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express) plays Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot in this week's feature MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Francis L. Sullivan (Joan of Arc) played the detective in an episode of the series THEATRE PARADE on the episode THE WASP'S NEST.
Sam Shepard (Charlotte's Web) and Willem Dafoe (Murder on the Orient Express were in the 2013 film OUT OF THE FURNACE.
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