Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 706th Edition

Welcome to the 706th Edition of my series.  It's good to finally see some nice weather for a change.  I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend however celebrated.  I don't have much going on at this time so I will just get on with my selections for the week.

Hands of Stone (2016):  This is part two of my Robert De Niro series that could go six parts.  Jonathan Jakubowicz directed and wrote this biopic which is based on boxer Roberto Duran, played by Edgar Ramirez, and his legendary manager Ray Arcel, played by De Niro.  This is mostly based on their relationship that lead to a championship bout with Sugar Ray Leonard, played by Usher Raymond, but also based on their personal lives.  Ruben Blades, Ana de Armas, Ellen Barkin, John Turturro, Oscar Jaenada, Jurnee Smollet-Bell, Ilza Ponko, Anthony Molinari, Rick Avery, Robb Skyler, Joe Urla, Eliud Kauffman, Reg E. Cathey, and many others co-star in this film.  I thought this was a good boxing film that focused well on the two main people in Duran and Arcel in their troubled lives.  This would be a good double feature to watch along with De Niro's RAGING BULL where I learned when filming that movie, De Niro met Arcel in which he portrayed.

Doggone Tired (1949):  This is my animated short for the week which was directed by Tex Avery.  This centers around a very energetic hunting dog who needs his sleep to be ready for rabbit hunting.  A very clever rabbit does what he can to keep the dog awake.  There is a little bit of human dialogue, otherwise everything between the animals is non-verbal and the rabbit's actions toward the dog with the dog's reactions do all the talking necessary.  Lots of interesting cartoon violence and lots of humor in this animated short.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime as part of the "Cartoon Classics Vol. 3" series.

In Harm's Way (1965):  I saw this in a showing of the "Coffee and Classics" series at my local library.  Otto Preminger directed this film that is based on the novel by James Bassett.  This centers around WWII where John Wayne stars as U.S. Naval Captain Rock Torrey who must reprimand his friend Cammander Paul Eddington, played by Kirk Douglas after Pearl Harbor.  Eddington later gets a chance to prove himself again the Japanese.  The movie mostly centers around the friendship of to characters as well as Rock with his love interest in military nurse Maggie, played by Patricia Neal, and him trying to connect with his son Jere, played by Brandon De Wilde, who is now in the military and has not seen since he was a little kid.  Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Jill Haworth, Dana Andrews, Stanley Holloway, Burgess Meredith, Franchot Tone, Patrick O'Neal, Carroll O'Connor, James Mitchum, George Kennedy, Bruce Cabot, Barbara Bouchet, Tod Andrews, Larry Hagman, Henry Fonda, and many others co-star in this film.  De Wilde is probably most known as the boy from the classic western SHANE.  This is Wayne's last black and white film.  This is pretty good movie centered around the navy but really around the characters.  There are some pretty intense scenes in the movie and is not always easy to watch which I feel in some ways should be that way in war films.  This could be good to have a double feature with FROM HERE TO ETERNITY.

The Simpsons Movie (2007):  This is part two of my two-part Hank Azaria series.  This very popular and long running animated series gets the movie treatment.  Homer, voiced by Dan Castellaneta, accidentally pollutes the town's water supply which results in a dome being put over Springfield and with him and the rest of the family, voiced by Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, and Yeardley Smith, become fugitives.  Corrupt EPA boss Russ Cargill, voiced by Albert Brooks, looks to take advantage of the situation by destroying Springfield.  Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Marcia Wallace, Russi Taylor, Maggie Roswell, Joe Mantegna, and many others provide their voices.  To enjoy this, you must be a fan of the series.  I have always been a casual fan but enjoy it when I see it usually and thought this was a fun movie that some could say was just an extra episode.

An Inn in Tokyo (1935):  This is my silent film for the week which was directed by Yasujiro Ozu.  Takeshi Samamoto stars as Kihachi who is a single and unemployed father with two sons and struggling to find work.  Through his struggles, he manages to hit it off with a cafe owner and begins to rethink his life.  This is a statement on the struggle of the common man and has been a common theme in our own country and can happen anywhere else we go.  I am also sure some will see the year and not be able to believe this is a silent film.  In the United States, we were well into the "talkie" films with some exception to Charlie Chaplin.  Japan had started doing them in 1930 but I don't think they had the budget or technology to do them regularly so they made a lot more in the '30s period.  Regardless of whether or not they talk in this movie, it is still a very compelling film that stays relevant today.  This can be found on the Criterion Collection.

The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (2001):  This is my second one that was featured at the Muncie Public Library as part of their "Attack of the Movie" series.  Larry Blamire wrote and directed this film that is essentially an homage to the old B-movies.  Blamire also stars as scientist Dr. Paul Armstrong who along with his wife, played by Fay Masterson must look to save the world and find an Atmospherium.  There is also an alien couple, played by Andrew Parks and Susan McConnell, and a mad scientist, played by Brian Howe, who are after it for the own reasons.  Jennifer Blaire, Dan Conroy, Robert Deveau, and Darrin Reed co-star in this comedy.  I had never heard of this until it was presented.  Blamire and the cast do a great job of making this into a bad movie and was extremely funny and enjoyable.  Blaire was also very amusing as Animala and clearly had a very fun time.   Much of the cast was very experienced and had to put a lot of effort to be bad enough to achieve the vision of a B-movie.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and really deserves to get more exposure.

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978):  This was another presentation from Muncie Public Library showing what is technically the second STAR WARS movie.  My last selection was meant to look like a bad movie that is funny, this one is just unintentionally funny and so bad that it is rather enjoyable.  Han Solo, played by Harrison Ford, and Chewbacca, played by Peter Mayhew, are trying to get to Chewbacca's planet Kashyyyk for Life Day which is the equivalent of Christmas in this universe but get themselves into a battle with the empire.  The other storyline going on involves Chewbacca's wife, son, and father who await Chewy to get home so we have some wookies talking to each other a lot but have no subtitles to know what they are saying.  This is the only time we would ever see these particular wookies in a STAR WARS film.  Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker, and James Earl Jones reprise their roles from the 1977 film.  There is also an animated sequence that introduces Boba Fett which might be the best part of this movie.  Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Diahann Carroll, Harvey Korman, and even Jefferson Starship have cameos in this movie with some of them having musical numbers as well as Carrie Fisher.  George Lucas has seen to it that any copies found need to be destroyed so this is not one that will be included on any of the boxed sets of the STAR WARS franchise.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016):  Tim Burton directed this fantasy film which is based on the book by Ransom Riggs.  Asa Butterfield stars as Jacob whose grandfather, played by Terence Stamp, has been telling stories to him all his life that seem impossible but learns these stories might be true.  He finally meets the title character, played by Eva Green, who runs a home of youth that have special abilities which is in danger from others that use their powers for evil.  Jacob learns that he is not as normal as he thought and that his own "peculiarity" is what they need to save them.  Ella Purnell, Judi Dench, Samuel L. Jackson, Rupert Everett, Allison Janney, Chris O'Dowd, Finlay MacMillan, Lauren McCrostie, Georgia Perberton, Milo Parker, Raffiella Chapman, Pixie Davies, O-Lan Jones, and many others co-star in this film.  I have not read the book so I cannot judge on account of that but still a pretty enjoyable fantasy movie in my opinion with really good visuals set against an interesting WWII backdrop.

The Burglar (1957):  This is my film noir for the week which was directed by Paul Wendkos and based on the novel by David Goodis.  Dan Duryea stars as professional burglar Nat Harbin who along with his associates rob a wealthy spiritualist.  Most of the movie is dealing with the aftermath of this crime on on both the criminal and cop sides.  Jayne Mansfield, Martha Vickers, Peter Capell, Mickey Shaughnessy, and many others co-star in this crime drama.  This has not gotten much attention through the years.  I did feel that it captures the tension very well with the characters and has some good twists in there.  This really is worth a look and is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

The Favourite (2018):  This is my royalty biopic for the week which was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.  In the early 18th Century England, a frail Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman, occupies the country while her close friend Lady Sarah, played by Rachel Weisz, governs the country.  Emma Stone co-stars as Abigail who is a new servant that Sarah takes under her wing but soon form a bit of a rivalry toward the Queen.  James Smith, Nicholas Hoult, Mark Gatiss, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very interesting look at royalty showing they are high class but act no different than anyone else is what I took from this film.  There are some very obscene scenes and may not be for everyone as I did this "wtf" at times.  It is still a very compelling film with good performances and Colman, Weisz, and Stone being a very good trio.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 705th Edition

Welcome to the 705th edition of my series.  Wednesday is my birthday so what better way to celebrate that at the Mark in Muncie for karaoke.  It is great seeing the weather getting nice again.  There is not much else happening at this time so I will just get on with my selections for the week.

West of Memphis (2012):  I start the week out with this documentary which was directed by Amy Berg and produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh.  This is a documentary that is based on the infamous West Memphis Three which were Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley.  As most know, these were three 17 year olds accused of the horrific murders of some children in Arkansas and convicted under very questionable evidence.  They have all since been released and are now moving forward in their lives.  Some might say that the last thing we need is another documentary on these guys after there have been three documentaries that have been done on HBO all called PARADISE LOST.  This is a really good companion piece that takes a closer look at the evidence and shows all the people that came together including a group of celebrities that included Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, Henry Rollins, Eddie Vedder, the Dixie Chicks, and many others.  It also looks at some things that have been found since the third PARADISE LOST film as well as interviews from the loved ones involved.  There is also a really good music score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis that I just had to mention as a Nick Cave fan.  I do recommend watching the mentioned documentaries that were on HBO before watching this one but this goes along with them very well.

The Octopus (1928):  This is my short film for the week which was directed by Jean Painleve.  This takes a look at some underwater footage of an octopus and some of the things an octopus does in their lives.  Painleve did a lot of early documentaries mostly on sea life and I suppose was kind of a pioneer in this regard for the animal documentaries we love today.  This could have had a little music to it but that is okay, it was still interesting footage and is available on the Criterion Channel.

Roots (1977):  This is my mini-series for the week which is a dramatization based upon author Alex Haley's book about his family line.  This starts with Kunta Kinte, played by STAR TREK alum Lavar Burton in his younger days and by John Amos in his older days, who was born a free man in an African village then captured to be taken to America and enslaved.  Once enslaved, he is renamed Toby and was determined to become free.  The other characters mainly focused upon are Kunta's daughter Kizzy, played by Leslie Uggams, and his grandson Chicken George, played by Ben Vereen.  BRADY BUNCH alum Robert Reed, Louis Gossett Jr., Lynda Day George, Olivia Cole, Madge Sinclair, Lloyd Bridges, Georg Stanford Brown, Chuck Connors, Lorne Green, Sandy Duncan, Ralph Waite, Brad Davis, Edward Asner, Ji-Tu Cumbuka, Hilly Hicks, Vic Morrow, Lynne Moody, Lillian Randolph, Thayer David, Austin Stoker, O.J. Simpson, Scatman Crothers, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, George Hamilton, Burl Ives, John Schuck, Ian McShane, Richard Roundtree, Brion James, Cicely Tyson, Yvonne De Carlo, Yaphet Kotto, and many others co-star in this mini-series.  This spans over 100 years so no one is really the "star" of the movie and there is no one that was in all six episodes.  This was a very landmark showing.  I don't think it is the first mini-series but I know they were really on the rise yet.  This was a really good look towards these years and the kinds of lives they lead as well as their efforts to become free.  This has six episodes that were about a hour and a half each and is really worth a look.

A Goofy Movie (1995):  This is my Disney feature for the week which was directed by Kevin Lima.  After many years of making us laugh in shorts, supporting roles, and tv shows, Goofy, voiced by Bill Farmer, gets his first feature film.  His high school son Max, voiced by Jason Marsden, has a crush on Roxanne, voiced by Kellie Martin, and tries to impress her but getting trouble at school in the process.  When Goofy gets word of this, he is made to believe Max is a troubled kid and that he needs to take him on a fishing trip much to the dismay of Max who finally gets the date he is looking for with Roxanne.  Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Wallace Shawn, Jenna von Oy, Frank Welker, Kevin Lima, Jo Anne Worley, Julie Brown, Joey Lawrence, and many others provide their voices to this very fun and maybe underrated Disney film that seems overlooked in my favorite period of Disney which is the '90s.  This takes road trips to a new level and is a really good look at the bonding of a father and a son with Goofy as funny as ever.

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955):  I had the family selection and now I get far more serious.  Otto Preminger directed this film which is based on the novel by Nelson Algren.  Rat Pack member Frank Sinatra stars as Frankie Machine who is a skilled card dealer and drug addict and just getting out of prison.  He tries to go clean but returning to his location does not help.  Eleanor Parker co-stars as his wheelchair bound girlfriend Zosh who is a big part of his problem.  Kim Novak, Arnold Stang, Darren McGavin, Robert Strauss, and many others co-star in this film.  Sinatra rises to the occasion in this much different role for him as the addict trying to go clean.  This is a great early look at addiction and the effects that it has on everyone around them.

The Wizard of Lies (2017):  This is part one of a possible six-part Robert De Niro series and part one of a two-part Hank Azaria series.  We have had the wizard of Oz who was not the most honest man in the world but did not compare to the real-life Bernie Madoff in his lies.  Barry Levinson directed this HBO movie that is based on the book by Diana Henriques and Laurie Sandell.  De Niro stars as Madoff who has run a seemingly successful business but in the end robbed $65 billion from unsuspecting victims in the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.  Michelle Pfeiffer co-stars as Bernie's wife Ruth whose life as well as their children's lives change when learning of Bernie's theft.  Nathan Darrow, Alessandro Nivola, Michael Kostroff, Kathrine Narducci, Steve Coulter, David Lipman, Hank Azaria, and many others co-star in this HBO movie.  This was partly shot as a documentary with those involved in his life giving interviews about their times with Madoff.  Co-author Henriques plays herself when interviewing Madoff in prison.  This does a really good job of not only focusing on Bernie but also focusing on how other people in his life were effected by what he did.  This has some very good performances and digs very deep on Madoff's criminal activity.

The Widow Couderc (1971):  This is my French film for the week which was directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre and based on the novel by Georges Simenon.  Simone Signoret stars as the title character who as indicated and has a dark family history regarding her father and son and is running a farm.  Alain Delon co-stars as Jean Lavigne who is a drifter that arrives at the farm and gives the widow some help in turn getting work from her.  They form a relationship but jealousy ensues when Jean starts talking to her beautiful daughter-in-law Felicie, played by Ottavia Piccolo.  This is a bit of a love story but a very dark and complex one.  It is not real easy to explain beyond what I already have without giving spoilers.  It is not for everyone but foreign film buffs should really enjoy this one.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel

Crazy/Beautiful (2001):  I follow up with another love story which was directed by John Stockwell.  Jay Hernandez stars as Carlos who is a poor but very hard working high school senior trying to do well to get to a good college.  Kirsten Dunst stars as Nicole Oakley who is very self-destructive and a black sheep of her family lead by her congressman father Tom, played by Bruce Davison.  Nicole takes a liking to Carlos and form a relationship but it becomes very complicated with the different type of people they are in life.  Miguel Castro, Taryn Manning, Rolando Molina, Soledad St. Hilaire, Lucinda Jenney, Taryn Manning, Richard Steinmetz, and many others co-star in this film.  Like my last selection, this is a pretty complex love story and far from a romantic comedy.  I really thought Dunst did a really good job of portraying this troubled character and I know a few who can really relate to her.  This is a really good story on working through differences and how much love can help someone.

The Law and Jake Wade (1958):  This is my western for the week which was directed by John Sturges and based on the novel by Marvin H. Albert.  Robert Taylor stars as the title character who is a reformed criminal trying to start a new life as a marshal.  He helps his former partner Clint Hollister, played by Richard Widmark, escape as one last favor.  Jake's past comes to haunt him when Clint and his gang make him take him to a buried loot by abducting him and his fiance Peggy, played by Patricia Owens.  Robert Middleton, Henry Silva, Deforest Kelley, Eddie Firestone, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a pretty action packed western from this era.  Widmark has gone onto be a very underrated actor but was a really good villain.  When watching this, I came to the thought that actor Walton Goggins could portray him in a biopic.  The western is not on of my favorite genres but I really enjoyed this one and think it has gone a bit overlooked so looking to get on the radar.

Julieta (2016):  I end the week on this Spanish film which was directed by Pedro Almodovar and based on three story stories from the book RUNAWAY by Alice Munro.  Emma Suarez stars as the title character in the modern era and Adriana Ugarte stars the younger version of the title character in the flashbacks.  This is another rather complex story of Julieta trying to reconnect with her estranged daughter Antia, played by Priscilla Delgado, after twelve years.  Flashbacks show how we end up where we are in the modern era and the dots connect very well.  Daniel Grao, Imma Cuesta, Dario Grandinetti, Michelle Jenner, Pilar Castro, Nathalie Poza, Susi Sanchez, Joaquin Notario, and many others co-star in this foreign film.  This is one that requires full attention as it jumps around a lot but is one that can be very rewarding if given the chance and okay with subtitles.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Robert De Niro, John Wayne, Albert Brooks, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 704th Edition

Welcome to the 704th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is enjoying their Mother's Day however celebrated.  I don't really have any selections that are very "motherly" but hope you'll still read on anyways with the return of the "Fun and Useless Facts" segment.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007):  This is part three of my Jeremy Renner trilogy where he plays James Gang member Wood Hite.  Andrew Dominik directed this film based on the novel by Ron Hansen.  I believe this one to be a rather misunderstood film.  Some when they hear the name Jesse James, they automatically think western and then either they don't like westerns or it was not enough of one.  I believe this to be more of a drama and character study more than anything.  This mostly focuses on the relationship between Jesse James and Bob Ford from when Ford joins the James Gang up to his life after he kills Jesse.  The title already gives away that particular part and anyone that has any history knowledge usually knows what happened.  Many movies on Jesse James portray him as an outlaw but as a Robin Hood figure but this one is different.  This shows how the heroism of Jesse James is surrounded by the hype on articles and dime novels that people write.  Casey Affleck stars as Bob Ford who has always idolized Jesse James, played by Brad Pitt, and when he finally joins he begins to realize that Jesse is not the man portrayed in novels and is really very ruthless and a cold-blooded killer.  Sam Shepard has a part in the beginning as Frank James who is at the end of his life of crime and leaves around the time Ford joins.  Mary-Louise Parker, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Schneider, Alison Elliot, Zooey Deschanel, Pat Healy, James Carville, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a movie in my opinion that works on every level.  Affleck was phenomenal as Bob Ford and Pitt also does a great job as Jesse James.  The cinematography by Roger Deakins is beautiful.  Even the narration and the music score by Nick Cave comes in at the absolute right times.  In many ways, this is a story of the disappointment that one might have when meeting their idols.  If you are looking for some action packed western, then find another Jesse James movie but if you are looking for a more realistic interpretation, this is it.  This movie is both compelling and beautiful in so many ways.

High and Dizzy (1920):  This is my silent comedy short for the week which was directed by Hal Roach.  Silent comedic legend Harold Lloyd stars as Dr. Hale who is just getting out of college and gets tipsy with a friend while encountering a sleepwalking girl he must deal with that he also really likes.  This is some very early Lloyd and was a start to a lot of his stunt comedy that he would go onto be known for.  Lloyd has not gone onto be quite as known as Chaplin and Keaton have but still has his own image and is every bit as good in my opinion.  I do not usually comment on the featured photo but it shows how far we have come as this was 26 minutes and at this time billed as a two part special.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

The Lineup (1958):  Don Siegel directed this crime drama which stars Eli Wallach as Dancer who along with his mentor Julian, played by Robert Keith, and their driver Sandy, played by Richard Jaekel, are instructed to pick up some Heroin but gets picked up by unsuspecting tourists and they kill many get killed in their pursuit of the Heroin.  Lt. Ben Guthrie, played by Warner Anderson, leads the police on the hunt for the criminals.  Mary LaRoche, William Leslie, Emile Meyer, Marshall Reed, Raymond Bailey, Vaughn Taylor, Robert Bailey, and many others co-star in this film.  I think what sticks out to me most is how Wallach was a villain to the core with no redeeming qualities at all which might be something he was rather underrated at in playing villain characters.  This is a very suspenseful and probably pretty daring movie from this era that has quite the action climax at the end.

Begin Again (2013):  This is part two of a two-part Mark Ruffalo series.  ONCE director John Carney directed this film on the music industry.  Mark Ruffalo stars as Dan who has just been fired from his job as a music producer and decides to drink himself away at a bar while having a chance encounter toward a singer named Gretta, played by Keira Knightley, who he believes has some raw talent and is marketable.  She is having her own problems with a recent breakup with her boyfriend Dave, played by Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine, after his new found fame as a singer.  Dan is soon determined to help Gretta get herself out there as a singer and they find many clever ways using the limited resources that they have.  Catherine Keener, Hailee Steinfeld, Rob Morrow, Ceelo Green, James Corden, Yasiin Bey and many others co-star in this film.  I really enjoyed this one and thought Knightley did a pretty good job on the singing.  I also thought it was a good story on a father trying to reconnect with his teen daughter, played by Steinfeld.  This has a good soundtrack, story and cast and is a really good homage to the independent music scene.

The Iron Rose (1973):  This is my French film for the week which was directed by Jean Rollin.  Francoise Pascal and Hugues Quester star as a young couple who decide to go to a cemetery on a date.  As it gets darker, their fears begin to consume them and are unable to leave in this more visual horror film.  It is really hard to put this one into any real words.  It might need more than one viewing and it is a horror film without a lot of blood and gore so horror fans can decide in that regard.  It is also a really good watch for foreign film buffs.

Marshall (2017):  Now I go to a biopic which was directed by Reginald Hudlin.  Chadwick Boseman plays a young Thurgood Marshall who at this point in his life is an attorney working for the NAACP and goes throughout the country to defend African-Americans wrongly accused.  His latest case leads him to Bridgeport, Connecticut where a black man named Joseph Spell, played by Sterling K. Brown, who is wrongly convicted of the rape of his employer Eleanor, played by Kate Hudson.  Josh Gad also co-stars as attorney Sam Friedman who is used to criminal court and only intends to introduce Marshall as council but he must become lead council when a racist judge forbids Marshall to speak in court.  Dan Stevens, James Cromwell, Keesha Sharp, Roger Guenveur Smith, Derrick Baskin, Barrett Doss, John Magaro, Ahna O'Reilly, Jussie Smollet, TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a really good look at Marshall in this era where racism is really on the rise.  It was also a really good dynamic of Boseman and Gad having to co-exist to get their client a fair trial.

Two-Faced Woman (1941):  Now I turn to this romantic comedy which was directed by George Cukor.  Melvyn Douglas stars as Larry Blake who meets ski instructor Karin Borg, played by Greta Garbo, and takes a liking to her to the point of taking ski lessons.  Next thing we know they are married which puts Larry in a whole different world.  He goes back to New York to work on the magazine he works for but Karin refuses to go.  When learning of his old flame Griselda, played by Constance Bennet, she decides to go and claim to be Karin's wife.  Roland Young, Robert Sterling, Ruth Gordon, and many others co-star in this film.  This is the third of the three films of Douglas and Garbo as well as Garbo's last movie.  This is a bit unrealistic but it is still pretty funny with Garbo in her "dual" role.  It was also considered very immoral at this time so a bit controversial.  This was worth a look so go ahead and have a Garbo/Douglas day starting with their first two being YOU DESIRE ME from 1932 and their most famous of the three in the 1939 NINOTCHKA.

Basic Instinct (1992):  Paul Verhoeven directed this film which was directed by Joe Eszterhas.  Michael Douglas stars as Detective Nick Curran who has some violent tendencies and is assigned to investigate the murder of a former rock star which leads him to crime novelist Catherine Tramell.  Tramell was the girlfriend at the time and is the prime suspect with the murder happening the same way it does in her novel.  Nick finds it very difficult for him to overcome temptation.  George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Dennis Arndt, Bruce A. Young, Dorothy Malone, Wayne Knight, Daniel von Bargen, Stephen Tobolowsky, Benjamin Mouton, Jack McGee, and many others co-star in this film.  What can I say about this movie?  It has the very famous and imitated scene where Sharon Stone is in the interrogation room in the leg spreading scene.  It is a very interesting and provocative movie to say the least with Douglas and Stone working well together.

The Girl Most Likely To... (1973):  This is my tv movie for the week which was directed by Lee Phillips and written by Joan Rivers who I did not know has a writing background.  Stockard Channing, in her first credited role, stars as college girl Miriam Knight who is very smart and well-meaning but gets bullied because of her looks.  She gets into a car accident where her looks change drastically for the better as she is beautiful and ravishing but is very vengeful as she goes after those who tormented her.  Edward Asner co-stars as Detective Ralph Varone who is investigating the local murders going on in town.  Jim Backus, Joe Flynn, Chuck McCann, Carl Ballantine, Cyril Delevanti, Fred Grandy, Annette O'Toole, and many others co-star in this dark comedy.  I had never heard of this movie until I found it at the library.  It was pretty funny and is some very underrated work from fashion critic Joan Rivers.

The Wind Rises (2013):  For the second week in a row I end the week with some Studio Ghibli anime and this one was directed by Hayao Miyazaki.  This is based on a real person named Jiro Horikoshi, voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who designed the Japanese fighter planes during WWII.  This starts out into his childhood, into his younger years where he has his vision up to Japan's involvement with WWII.  Voices for the American version include John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short, Stanley Tucci, Mandy Patinkin, Mae Whitman, Werner Herzog, William H. Macy, Elijah Wood, and many others.  This is a really good and complex story and a really good addition to the Studio Ghibli series.  Like last week's selection, this is more of an anime drama.  It is a very good story of sticking to dreams and a more adult oriented story but appropriate enough for kids.

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.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I don't do this often but I had more time and enough people to work with to come up with a few connections and as always I do not focus one people within the same movie.  I know there is plenty more I could have done and might have missed so feel free to comment on something I could have missed.

Mary-Louise Parker (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Michael Douglas (Basic Instinct) were in the 2009 film SOLITARY MAN.

Mary-Louise Parker (The Assassination of Jesse James) and James Cromwell (Marshall) were in the 2003 mini-series ANGELS IN AMERICA.

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Kate Hudson (Marshall) were in the 1999 film 200 CIGARETTES.

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James) and John Magaro (Marshall) were in the 2016 film THE FINEST HOURS.

Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Wayne Knight (Basic Instinct) were in the 1995 dark comedy TO DIE FOR.

Sam Rockwell (The Assassination of Jesse James) and William H. Macy (The Wind Rises) were in the 2002 comedy WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD.

Sam Rockwell (The Assassination of Jesse James) and James Cromwell (Marshall) were in the 1999 film THE GREEN MILE.

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE
-Jeremy Renner (The Assassination of Jesse James) plays Clint Barton aka Hawkeye.
-Mark Ruffalo (Begin Again) plays Bruce Banner aka the Hulk
-Chadwick Boseman (Marshall) plays T'Challa aka Black Panther
-Michael Douglas (Basic Instinct) plays Hank Pym who was the Ant-Man in his younger days.

Garret Dillahunt (The Assassination of Jesse James), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Wind Rises) and Emily Blunt (The Wind Rises) were in the 2012 film LOOPER.

Paul Schneider (The Assassination of Jesse James) and John Krasinski (The Wind Rises) were in the 2009 film AWAY WE GO.

Pat Healy (The Assassination of Jesse James) and William H. Macy (The Wind Rises) were in the 1999 film MAGNOLIA.

James Carville (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Emily Blunt (The Wind Rises) were in the 2011 action movie THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU.

James Carville (The Asassination of Jesse James), John Krasinksi (The Wind Rises), and Emily Blunt (The Wind Rises) were in the 2011 film THE MUPPETS.

Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Wind Rises) were love interests in the 2009 film 500 DAYS OF SUMMER.

Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Edward Asner (The Girl Most Likely To...) were in the 2003 comedy ELF.

Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Kate Hudson (Marshall) were in the 2000 film ALMOST FAMOUS and they went to high school together in real life.

Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James) and James Corden (Begin Again) were in the 2016 animated movie TROLLS.

Zooey Deschanel (The Assassination of Jesse James), Sam Rockwell (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Yasiin Bey (Begin Again) were in the 2005 Sci-Fi comedy THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.

Brad Pitt (The Assassination of Jesse James) and Catherine Keener (Begin Again) were 1991 film JOHNNY SUEDE.

Brad Pitt (The Assassination of Jesse James) and John Magaro (Marshall) were in the 2015 film THE BIG SHORT.

Eli Wallach (The Lineup) and Michael Douglas (Basic Instinct) were in the 2010 movie WALL STREET:  MONEY NEVER SLEEPS.

James Corden (Begin Again) and Emily Blunt (The Wind Rises) play husband and wife in the 2014 musical INTO THE WOODS.

Mark Ruffalo (Begin Again) and Stanley Tucci (The Wind Rises) were in the 2015 film SPOTLIGHT.

Rob Morrow (Begin Again) and Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) were in the 1996 film LAST DANCE.

Catherine Keener (Begin Again) and John Magaro (Marshall) were in the 2013 film CAPTAIN PHILIPS.

Catherine Keener (Begin Again) and Daniel Von Bargen (Basic Instinct) were in the 2002 movie S1MONE.

James Cromwell (Marshall) and Elijah Wood (The Wind Rises) were in the 1998 disaster movie DEEP IMPACT.

James Cromwell (Marshall) and Daniel Von Bargen (Basic Instinct) were in the 1999 movies SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS and THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER.

Jussie Smollett (Marshall) and Elijah Wood (The Wind Rises) were in the 1994 comedy NORTH.

Kate Hudson (Marshall) and Wayne Knight (Basic Instinct) were in the 2016 animated movie KUNG FU PANDA 3.

Wayne Knight (Basic Instinct) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Wind Rises) were in the sitcom 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN.

Wayne Knight (Basic Instinct) and Edward Asner (The Girl Most Likely to...) were in the 1991 film JFK.

Bruce A. Young (Basic Instinct) and William H. Macy (The Wind Rises) were in the 2001 movie JURASSIC PARK III.

Daniel Von Bargen (Basic Instinct) and William H. Macy (The Wind Rises) were in the 1998 movie A CIVIL ACTION.

Stephen Tobolowsky (Basic Instinct) and William H. Macy (The Wind Rises) were in the 2007 comedy WIND HOGS.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 703rd edition

Welcome to the 703rd Edition of my series.  I guess I should have something from the STAR WARS franchise but as usual with holidays did not really think it through.  I don't really having anything going at this time so I'll just give my selections for the week.

The Wizard (1989):  I saw this at my local library where they were showing this movie for its 30th anniversary.  Todd Holland directed this movie which stars WONDER YEARS alum Fred Savage as Corey Woods who runs away with his mentally unstable younger brother Jimmy, played by Luke Edwards.  Jimmy is determined to get to California so Corey decides to help his brother get there.  Along the way they meet a girl named Haley, played by Jenny Lewis, who decides to tag with them and they soon learn that Jimmy is quite the natural at video games which are games on the original Nintendo system.  They also learn of a video game championship that they believe Jimmy can win so they set out to make it to that championship.  Wendy Phillips, Beau Bridges, Christian Slater, Beth Grant, Jackey Vinson, Frank McRae, and many others co-star in this movie.  Also look for a very young Tobey Maguire.  Vinson's antagonist character Lucas kind of the character Johnny Lawrence in THE KARATE KID.  I kind of liked the scenes with Bridges and Slater as father and son looking for Corey and Jimmy but also playing Nintendo along the way and was pretty comical watching Bridges play.  I had not revisited this movie until it was shown at the library.  I still had vague memories of this movie and how cool it was at the time.  I now see it was a big advertisement for Nintendo and mostly to promote SUPER MARIO BROS 3 which had not come out yet.  It also has a pretty good message about how a family can be torn apart through divorce and tragedy.  This was good to revisit and bring back some memories.

Trumbo (2015):  Now I go the biopic route in this film that was directed by Jay Roach and based on a book by Bruce Cook.  Bryan Cranston stars as screenwriter Dalton Trumbo who was caught in the middle of the Red Scare that was going on at the time and along with many others was blacklisted in Hollywood for his beliefs.  This takes a look at the paranoia happening at the time of him getting blacklisted where he continued to write under alias names to the point of winning a couple Academy Awards under different names.  It also shows the toll it takes on his wife and kids in his need to keep going in Hollywood.  Michael Stuhlberg, Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Stephen Root, David Maldonado, John Getz, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, David James Elliott Toby Nichols, Madison Wolfe, James DuMont, Alan Tudyk, Louis C.K., Richard Portnow, Roger Bart, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Meghan Wolfe, Mitchell Zakocs, Mattie Liptak, Becca Nicole Preston, Dean O'Gorman, Chritian Berkel, Rick Kelly, and many others co-star in this film.  Cranston is great as Trumbo and Mirren is also very good as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.  It is also a very good look at a dark time in Hollywood and in the country in general.  This would be a good double feature to watch along with the 2005 film GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK which is about broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow's crusade against Joe McCarthy's Red Scare.

Serenades (2001):  Mojgan Khadem directed and co-wrote this Australian drama. Alice Haines stars as Jila who is the daughter of an Aboriginal mother and Afghan father and grows up with her mother's family and through a kind missionary.  Things happen where she must live with her devout Muslim father and wants to marry her childhood friend, played by Aden Young, but is forced into a loveless marriage from her father.  David Gulpulil, Nick Lathouris, Rodney Afif, Netta Yashchin, and many others co-star in this film.  It is hard to describe this much further.  It is a beautiful film in its scenery and the story on forbidden love.  This may not have an all star cast but their actors rise the the occasion and is driven by its well written script so hopefully this gets it more exposure.

Musical Mountaineers (1939):  This is my animated short for the week which features Betty Boop.  I came across this last week when researching my selection of OUR HOSPITALITY which was one of last week's features and a parody on the real-life Hatfield/McCoy feud.  In this short, Betty runs out of gas in a place called Feud County where she is mistaken for a Hatfield by some hostile hillbillies who are won over by her singing and dancing.  This was a pretty fun few minutes that also parody the real-life Hatfields and McCoys that fought each other during the Civil War era.  I was able to find this on Youtube.

Mon Oncle (1958):  This is my French comedy for the week which was directed by Jacques Tati who also stars as Monsieur Hulot.  Hulot is a socially awkward yet very likable man who gets a job working for his brother-in-law Charles Arpel, played by Jean-Pierre Zola.  He is also very adored by his nephew and has a hard time fitting into the comical technologically advanced home of his family.  Adrienne Servantie, Betty Schneider, and many others co-star in this French film.  This is a very funny and light-hearted film that is driven by its script and by the physical comedy of Hulot who does not say much but conveys himself very well through movement.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Across 110th Street (1972):  Barry Shear directed this film which is based on the novel by Wally Ferris.  Yaphet Kotto and Anthony Quinn star as very mismatched NYPD cops Lieutenant Pope and Captain Matelli who must team up to prevent a local gang war happening.  Paul Benjamin, Antonio Fargas, Anthony Franciosa, Andrea Frierson, Joe George, Paul Harris, Gloria Hendry, Richard Ward, Burt Young, and many others co-star in this film.  This has elements that could lead one to believe this is Blaxploitation but goes pretty well beyond that genre.  This does a great job of splitting time between the gangsters and the police officers leading into a good action climax.  It also has a really good soundtrack from Bobby Womack.  I also learned that Quinn was originally just supposed to be executive producer but took the role of Matelli when other actors including John Wayne turned down the role.  I would have liked to have seen Wayne in a role like this one but it probably went against all his standards as the Duke.  Either way, good watch from this era for those that enjoys this genre.

Avengers:  Endgame (2019):  This is part two of my Jeremy Renner trilogy and part one of a two-part Mark Ruffalo series.  I decided I'd better just make my rare trip to the movie theater to avoid the spoilers, even the small ones.  I will continue to honor this no spoiler rule so I will not be going into the plot except that it continues from last year's AVENGERS:  INFINITY WAR.  I have really enjoyed this Marvel Cinematic Universe series that has been put together so well that leads to what now might be my favorite in this one.  For me, this was absolutely awesome and so worth the three hours though I didn't know that was such a big deal as I saw many three hour jokes being made before and after this came out.  I'm also not even going to go into the actors except the ones mentioned as part of a series.  Spoilers are slowly abounding so if you do not want to see spoilers I suggest getting to the movie.  If you've never seen anything from the MCU, then watching this will have you very lost.  If that is the case, maybe it is time to give these a chance starting with 2008 film IRON MAN that was the first of 21 movies leading to this epic conclusion that that part of it.

Les Miserables (1952):  Lewis Milestone directed this adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel.  Michael Rennie stars as Jean Valjean who was arrested for stealing a loaf of bread in a desperate attempt to help is family and is finally being paroled after a decade of hard labor.  Upon his release, he finds it impossible to find work with his status as a convict and with the help of a very noble priest, played by Edmund Gwenn, he is able to start a whole new life while having to violate his parole.  Robert Newton co-stars as police officer Javert whose view of the law is very black and white and relentlessly pursues Valjean.  Debra Paget, Sylvia Sidney, Cameron Mitchell, James Robertson Justice, Joseph Wiseman, and many others co-star in this film.  Rennie is likely most known a Klaatu in the 1951 Sci-Fi classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and has a more underrated performance in this film.  If you have seen any other versions or read the book, you will pretty much know what happens.  This was put out long before that musical that we love today came out which is one of my favorite musicals and is a really good version has went onto become more unknown.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974):  This is my tv movie for the week which was directed by John Korty and based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines.  Cicely Tyson stars as the 110 year old Jane Pittman whose life interests journalist Quentin Lerner, played by Michael Murphy, to pursue her for an interview.  This flashbacks from her younger days as a former slave into her days into the modern era of the movie which was during segregation.  Richard Dysart, Will Hare, Katherine Helmond, Dudley Knight, Rod Perry, Roy Poole, and many others co-star in this tv movie.  This was a very good tv movie that can rank with any other other feature films.  Tyson plays the title character to perfection in all of her featured eras.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and is really worth a look.

Only Yesterday (1991):  I end the week with some Anime from Studio Ghibli.  Isao Takahata directed this film which is based on the Manga by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuuko Tone.  This centers around the 27 year old office worker Taeko who is visiting her family in the countryside.  We also get to know Taeko as in her childhood through flashbacks while she rethinks her city lifestyle.  Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Alison Fernandez, Hope Levy, Shephanie Sheh, Madeleine Yen, Jaden Betts, Grey Griffin, Tara Strong, and many others lend their voice to the American version.  Usually when we think Anime, we think of action, sci-fi, and fantasy.  This is more coming of age anime that is more drama than anything.  This is still a very good Anime selection showing that any genre can be done.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Brad Pitt, Harold Lloyd, Eli Wallach, Keira Knightley, and many others.