Welcome to the 805th edition of my series. Last night I got to celebrate my birthday with some alcohol and karaoke and was a great night. Next weekend on Saturday, May 29th, my friend Ashley returns to town and along with our mutual friend Heather, is putting on a music festival at Elm Street Brewing Company that starts at 4:30 and going until 11 pm. If you are in or around the area, come on out, I have a photo near the bottom.
Blackkklansman (2018): Spike Lee directed this film which is based on the book by Ron Stallworth which is based on a true story. John David Washington stars as Ron Stallworth who is an African-American police officer in Colorado in the '70s and managers to infiltrate a local KKK branch by posing as a white man over the phone. Since being able to infiltrate them in person was a little hard for him for obvious reasons, his colleague Flip Zimmerman, played by Adam Driver, manages to infiltrate them in person. Topher Grace co-stars as Klan leader David Duke and plays the role all too well. Isiah Whitlock Jr., Brian Tarantina, Arthur J. Nascarella, Ken Garito, Alec Baldwin, Michael Buscemi, Laura Harrier, Damaris Lewis, Ato Blackson-Wood, Corey Hawkins, Dared Wright, Faron Salisbury, Ryan Eggold, Jasper Paakkonen, Paul Walter Hauser, Ashlie Atkinson, Harry Belafonte, and many others co-star in this film. While this is hard to watch at times with the racism, it is partly a comedy with Washington playing the gutsy Stallworth and Driver complementing him very well. This is a very relevant watch for today no matter what era.
Bad Education (2019): I continue with another true story which was directed by Cory Finley and based on an article by Robert Kolker in New York Magazine. Hugh Jackman stars as the beloved superintendent of New York's Roslyn school Frank Tassone. He seems like the perfect superintendent until student reporter Rachel Bhargava, played by Geraldine Viswanathan, uncovers an embezzlement scheme involving Tassone and his assistant superintendent Pam Gluckin, played by Allison Janney, that becomes the biggest embezzlement scheme in school history. Ray Romano, Welker White, Annaleigh Ashford, Sung Yun Cho, Justin Swain, Laura Patinkin, Katherine Narducci, Alex Wolff, Ray Abruzzo, and many others co-star in this HBO movie. This was also played in a comedic way in times while not hiding what was going on with the scandal. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Grandma (2015): Paul Weitz wrote and directed this comedy. Lily Tomlin stars a Elle whose granddaughter Sage, played by Julia Garner, turns to her after becoming unexpectedly pregnant to get the money for an abortion being afraid of her mother, played by Marcia Gay Hardin. Elle does not have the money at the time so they look to raise the money necessary in the short amount of time. Judy Greer, John Cho, Nat Wolff, Laverne Cox, Elizabeth Pena, Colleen Camp, Sam Elliott, Lauren Tom, and many others co-star in this comedy. Not really looking at the plot, I was expecting one of those raunchy comedies in the vein of maybe BAD GRANDPA but I was wrong in my assessment. Tomlin is great in her role and while this is a comedy, it deals with some very serious subject matter. This is obviously not for everyone but is a pretty moving story.
Ye Olden Days (1933): I decided to bring on some Disney animation for my short film for the week which takes a look at some early Mickey. Minnie Mouse is being forced to wed the prince which is Goofy though apparently known as Dippy Dog at the time which I was not aware of that name. He is even a bit of a villain in this short. Minstrel Mickey, with the help of Clarbell Cow, comes to the rescue. This is a pretty fun animated royalty short. This is available to watch on Disney Plus.
The Villain (1979): This is my western comedy for the week which was directed by Hal Needham. Before the legendary Mick Foley was Cactus Jack, Kirk Douglas stars as bank robber Cactus Jack who faces a hanging so do avoid it with an assignment to rob Handsome Stranger, played by a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in a rare western appearance, who is very strong but also rather naive. Ann-Margret co-stars as Charming Jones who accompanies Handsome on his journey and makes advances on him. Paul Lynde, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Robert Tessier, Mel Tillis, and many others co-star in this western comedy. Take this for what it is, a comedy and a parody to the western genre. I mean, where can you go wrong with Kirk Douglas and Arnold Schwarzenegger? This is essentially a live action Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon.
Arsenic and Old Lace (1943): Frank Capra directed this adaptation of the play by Joseph Kesselring. Cary Grant stars theater critic Mortimer Brewster who has everything going for him including getting married to his fiance Elaine, played by Priscilla Lane. When going to tell his aunts Abby and Martha, played by Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, he discovers that his seemingly innocent aunts have been killing men by poisoning their wine. He cannot bring himself to turn them in but things get complicated when his brother Jonathan, played by Raymond Massey, and his henchman Dr. Einstein, played by Peter Lorre, come to the house and have their own crime to cover up. John Alexander co-stars as the other brother Teddy who believes he is President Teddy Roosevelt which comes into handy for his aunts for the dead bodies. Jack Carson, Edward Everett Horton, James Gleason, Grant Mitchell, Edward McWade, and many others co-star in this comedy. As I have mentioned in the other versions, I just got done being in a version myself playing Teddy, one of my favorite roles. This is a timeless comedy that has remained funny through the years. Boris Karloff originated the role of Jonathon on stage but had to choose between the movie and the play so Massey took the role and had the makeup resemble Karloff. This is a great dark comedy that can be enjoyed by all ages and generations.
Head-On (2004): This is my German/Turkish film for the week which was written and directed by Fatih Akin. Sibel Kekilli stars as 20 year old Sibel who wants to get away from her controlling Turkish parents. She meets a 40-something male named Cahit, played by Birol Unel, who is having a lot of problems on his own being addicted to drugs and alcohol and asks him to marry her out of convenience. They start to get closer as time goes on. This is a very human story of two people dealing with a lot of issues coming together. This is one that has gone overlooked through the years but hope to get it on the radar.
Bad Girls go to Hell (1965): This is my exploitation b-movie for the week which was written and directed by Doris Wishman. Gigi Darlene stars as housewife Meg Kelton who becomes upset that her husband Ted, played by Alan Feinstein, has to go to work on a Saturday. When she was taking out the trash, the janitor attacks her and tries to rape her leading to his death. She goes on the run only to get used and abused no matter where she goes. This is what it is, a sexploitation film and a b-movie.
Foreign Correspondent (1940): I continue with the Hitchcock kick I've been on lately. The Master of Suspense directed this film that takes place during WWII. Joel McCrea stars as American reporter John Jones who is rather naive which was why he was chosen to go to Europe to investigate a secret treaty agreed between two European countries but gets more than he bargains for when there is far more to it. Laraine Day co-stars as Carol who helps John track down a group of spies. Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Albert Basserman, Robert Benchley, Edmund Gwenn, Eduardo Ciannelli, Harry Davenport, Martin Kosleck, Frances Carson, and many others co-star in this spy thriller. It's hard to describe this beyond what I have but is a movie full of action and suspense. The reporter John Jones is loosely based on Edward R. Murrow. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Neighbors (1981): John G. Avildsen directed this dark comedy which is based on the novel by Thomas Berger. John Belushi stars as Earl Keese who along with his wife Enid, played by Kathryn Walker live in a rather remote area which has an abandoned house next door. Earl's quite content gets ruined when the couple Vic and Ramona, played by Dan Aykroyd and Cathy Moriarty, move in and drive him crazy. Most know John and Dan from THE BLUES BROTHERS but this was another teaming. Originally, they were cast the other way around where Belushi was to be the obnoxious neighbor but prior to filming they decided to switch for him to play more against type. Unfortunately, this is also Belushi's last movie. This was worth a watch to see the reunion of Belushi and Aykroyd.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far inlcudes Kevin Costner, Reese Witherspoon, Lillian Gish, Frank Langella, John Huston, and many others.
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