Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 819th Edition

Welcome to the 819th edition of my series.  I've been pretty busy with work and CLUE rehearsals but can always find a little time to release these.  Come see me as Colonel Mustard October 7-10 at the Marion Civic Theater and will have more details in the coming weeks.  I will get on with my selections for the week.

Temple Grandin (2010):  This is part three of my possible five-part David Strathairn series.  Mick Jackson directed this HBO biopic which is based on the novel EMERGENCE which was written by Temple Grandin and Margaret Scariano.  Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin who is autistic and with the help of her parents and teachers is able to overcome many obstacles to earn a PH.D.  She has developed a lot of humane ways to handle livestock and has helped a lot in the autistic community.  Strathairn, Catherine O'Hara, Julia Ormand, Stephanie Faracy, Barry Tubb, Melissa Farman, Steve Shearer, Richard Diller, and many others co-star in this biopic.  Danes plays Grandin to perfection in this movie.  These days, there is a lot more awareness of autism but Grandin grew up in a time where it really was not that known and had a lot to overcome but had the right support system.  Grandin also has her own website in templegrandin.com and has a lot of good insight into autism.  This is available to watch on HBO Plus.

The Magic of Belle Isle (2012):  Rob Reiner directed and co-wrote this character driven film.  Morgan Freeman stars as Monty Wildhorn who is an alcoholic and western novelist.  He is also wheelchair bound and mostly giving up on everything.  While house sitting for a nephew, he slowly befriends his neighbor, single mom Charlotte, played by Virginia Madsen, and her three daughters, played by Madeline Carroll, Emma Fuhrmann, and Nicolette Pierini.  They are all able to help him find the inspiration again.  Kenan Thompson, Ash Christian, Fred Willard, Jessica Hecht, Kevin Pollak, Boyd Holbrook, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty simple movie as the tagline goes, "A Re-Coming of Age Story".  That is a pretty accurate description of this movie.  This is a very moving and feel-good movie driven by a good script and performances.  This is available to watch on Hoopla Digital.

In the Fade (2017):  My first two selections were feel good ones but this one not so much.  This is my German film for the week which was written and directed by Fatih Akin.  Diane Kruger stars as Katja who has a rather perfect life with her husband Nuri, played by Numan Acar, and her son Rocco, played by Rafael Santana.  Katja is left alone when her husband and son were killed by a nail bomb and she is determined to have justice.  Denis Moschitto, Samia Muriel Chancrin, Hanna Hilsdorf, Laurens Walter, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very intense film of a person who essentially loses everything.  Kruger excels very well in the lead so someone very easy to get behind.

Life in a Medieval Town (1965):  This is my short film which is from the Coronet film series and is just as it sounds.  This is from the point of view of a young serf of life in a medieval town.  This appears to be one of the later Coronet shorts.  Most of them try to give advice, this one attempts history.  Keep in mind the Rifftrax guys used this short in their recent showing that features HOBGOBLINS.  This can be found on Youtube, among others from this "educational" franchise.

Intermezzo (1936): This is my Swedish film for the week which was directed and co-written by Gustaf Molander.  Ingrid Bergman stars as piano teacher Anita Hoffman whose job is meant to just be an instructor to a daughter of married couple Professor Holger, played by Gosta Ekman, and Anita Brandt, played by Inga Tidblad.  This couple has really lost its love and the professor falls in love with Anita changing all of their lives forever.  Erik Berglund, Hugo Bjorne, Anders Henrikson, Hasse Ekman, Britt Hagman, and many others star in this film.  This is a tearjerker love story to say the least and the first time I have seen this version.  Bergman would move to the states in a later time and this would get an American remake in 1939 which is good in its own right.  This version is available to watch on HBO Max.

The Prince and the Showgirl (1957):  Laurence Olivier directed this film based on the play by Terence Rattigan.  Olivier stars as the Regent who sees a show and takes a liking to the showgirl Elsie, played by Marilyn Monroe.  She becomes entangled in political intrigue the longer she stays.  Richard Wattis, David Horne, Jeremy Spenser, Sybil Thorndike, Harold Goodwin, Jean Kent, and many others co-star in this film.  It is hard to describe this beyond what I have.  Monroe is able to hold her own with Olivier and manages to work very well with him.  This was also produced by Monroe's own production company.  The 2011 movie MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is based on the making of this movie so could be a good double feature.

Time (2020):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Garrett Bradley.  This takes a look at Fox Rich whose husband Rob is serving a 60 year sentence for armed robbery which they both did.  Fox is campaigning to get her husband an early release.  It also takes a look at her family and the business she is running.  Fox did do some time with a plea bargain it is good to see how she adjusted after and became a successful businesswoman.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and might want to look into this further as there are some things left out.

Black Peter (1964):  This is my Czech film for the week which was directed and co-written by Milos Forman in his directorial debut.  This centers around a 17 year old boy named Petr, played by Ladislav Jakim, who is working a job he is not very good at and constantly getting lectured by his father.  This is part of the Czech New Wave movement from this era and as mentioned Forman makes his big debut which would turn out to be quite a career.  This is a good look at the difficult life of a teen just trying to get by in life.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

In a Lonely Place (1950):  This is my Film Noir for the week which was directed by Nicholas Ray and based on the novel by Dorothy Hughes.  Humphrey Bogart stars as screenwriter Dixon Steele who becomes the prime suspect in a murder but his neighbor Laurel, played by Gloria Grahame.  They form a relationship but as she gets to know Dixon, the more she second guesses his innocence.  Frank Lovejoy, Carl Benton Reid, Art Smith, Jeff Donnell, Martha Stewart, Robert Warwick, Morris Ankrum, William Ching, Steven Geray, and many others co-star in this film.  Before anyone asks, no this is not the Martha Stewart we know today.  I believe this is possibly Bogey's best performance of his career and feel the same way about Grahame who I believe is a bit underrated.  This is a very compelling story that deserves a look.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Auntie Edna (2018):  I end the the week with this animated pixar short that spins off from THE INCREDIBLES.  Edna, voiced by Brad Bird, agrees to babysit Jack-Jack for Bob, voiced by Craig T. Nelson.  Jack Jack displays all kinds of powers as Edna is both intrigued and concerned.  This is a pretty fun animated short but would likely be best to get acquainted with the franchise first.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Holly Hunter, Peter Sellers, Alfre Woodard, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 818th Edition

Welcome to the 818th Edition of my series.  I am excited to announce that I return to the Marion Civic Theater for my fifth show and my second show there this years.  I am to play Colonel Mustard in CLUE.  This is the play not the musical version that some might be thinking.  It is fixing to be a fun role and one right up my alley.  Now, I will get to my selections for the week.

Rust and Bone (2012):  Jacques Audiard directed this French film. Matthias Schoenaerts stars as Alain who is a fighter and a single father struggling to make it in life and as a father.  Marion Cotillard co-stars as Stephanie who is a killer whale trainer and has a life-changing accident.  They are both drawn to each other trying to find salvation in their struggle.  Celine Sallette, Louli Landers, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a brutally honest character film of the struggle and mistakes made in life.  While not the most upbeat film of all time, it is moving in some ways with a great performance from Cotillard.

My Dinner With Herve (2018):  This is part two of a possible five-part series with David Straithairn.  This is my HBO movie for the week which was directed by Sacha Gervasi.  Jamie Dornan stars as struggling journalist Danny Tate who meets actor Herve Villachaize, played by Peter Dinklage, who is known mostly for being Tattoo in the Bond movie THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN and the popular tv series FANTASY ISLAND.  Tate manages to get an interview with Villachaize, albeit a very difficult interview, who reflects on his life both personally and professionally.  Harriet Walker, Lawrence Ubong Williams, Jim Sturgeon, Daniel Mays, Sabina Franklyn, Oona Chaplin, Michael Elwyn, Alex Gaumond, David Strathairn, Mark Umbers, Helena Mattsson, Doug Cox, Andy Garcia, Mark Provinelli, Robert Curtis Brown, Mireille Enos, Ashleigh Brewer, Wallace Langham, Alan Ruck, and many others co-star in this biopic.  This is based on an interview that director Gervasi did shortly before Villachaize took his own life.  Dinklage was great as the dwarf actor and was a passion project for him as he could relate to Villachaize.  I also have to admit that I did not recognize Andy Garcia who portrays FANTASY ISLAND star Ricardo Montalban.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

My Octopus Teacher (2020):  This is my documentary for the week which was directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed.  Craig Foster is a swimmer and filmmaker reflecting on his times with an octopus where they form an unlikely bond with one another.  He talks about his observations of the octopus and how it is an intelligent sea creature.  This is a pretty moving documentary and really an unlikely well told story where we get behind an octopus.  This is available to watch on Netflix.

Are You Popular? (1947):  This is my short film for the week and decided to turn to the Coronet Instructional Films.  This takes place in the high school world where we explore long-time concept of popularity within school.  I don't know that we really got an answer to the question of the title but I at least was entertained in this nine minutes.  These were meant to be instructional at the time but are more for entertainment these days.  Rifftrax and MST3K have used a lot of these in their shows.  This is public domain and is available on Youtube and probably other platforms.

Between the Lines (1977):  Joan Micklin Silver directed this film that centers around an underground newspaper in Boston.  They learn they are about to be taken over by a big business and struggle as they contemplate their futures.  John Heard, Lindsay Crouse, Jeff Goldblum, Jill Eikenberry, Bruno Kirby, Gwen Welles, Stephen Collins, Lewis J. Stadlen, Jon Korkes, Michael J. Pollard, Lane Smith, Joe Morton, Richard Cox, Marilu Henner, Raymond J. Barry, Gary Springer, Susan Haskins, Charles Levin, Guy Boyd, and many others co-star in this film.  I had never heard of this movie before I came across this on the Criterion Channel.  It was very enjoyable and just hard to explain as their were a lot of subplots for the characters as they contemplate what will happen to their paper.  I found some comparisons of some of Robert Altman's films and I can see that.  Much of the cast got their first early exposure in this film.  As mentioned, this is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and really deserves a look.

The Old Maid (1939):  This is my period piece for the week which was directed by Edmond Goulding and based on the novel by Edith Wharton.  Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins star as cousins Charlotte and Delia Lovell who struggle in a lie of many years involving their family.  George Brent, Donald Crisp, Jane Bryan, Louise Fazenda, James Stephenson, Jerome Cowan, William Lundigan, Cecilia Loftus, Rand Brooks, Janet Shaw, William Hopper, and many others co-star in this film.  I was trying to write a description on this film but just couldn't do it which I know is very common for me.  Davis and Hopkins work well together with Hopkins holding her own with Davis and playing off their real-life feud.  This might have gotten lost in the shuffle coming out in the Golden year of film as they call it.  Either way, this is a pretty fascinating film even if I can't really find a way to describe it beyond what I have without giving a lot away.

My All-American (2015):  Angelo Pizzo directed this and wrote the screenplay on this film based on the book COURAGE BEYOND THE GAME:  THE FREDDIE STEINMARK STORY by Jim Dent.  Finn Wittrock stars as Freddie Steinmark whose short stature forces him to work harder in the game of football that he loves.  His play on the high school field gets noticed by Texas Longhorns coach Darrell Royal, played by Aaron Eckhart, who gives him a scholarship.  Just as things are looking up for Steinmark, he suffers an injury leading to a life-changing diagnosis.  Robin Tunney, Sarah Bolger, Rett Terrell, Michael Reilly Burke, Juston Street, Danny Boaz, Alex MacNicoll, Richard Kohnke, Eddie Davenport, and many others co-star in this film that is based on a true story.  Pizzo also wrote the sports movies HOOSIERS and RUDY.  This movie really rounds out a trilogy of inspirational sports films and this one holds its own very well among the other two that were named.  

The Sword in the Stone (1963):  Now I bring some classic Disney animation.  Wolfgang Reitherman directed this film based on the book by T.H. White.  This takes a look a young, orphaned boy named Wart, voiced by Rickie Sorensen, who would go onto become known as King Arthur.  A wizard named Merlin, voiced by Karl Swenson, trains Merlin and gives him an education in hopes this will help him go further in life.  Sebastian Cabot, Ginny Tyler, Martha Wentworth, Norman Alden, Alan Napier, Barbara Jo Allen, Mel Blanc, and many others co-star in this animated film.  There have been all kinds of takes to the Arthurian legend through the years and this is Disney's.  This was a more fun take of the legend and even has some musical numbers written by Richard and Robert Shertman.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Let There Be Light (1946):  Here is another documentary for the week which was directed by John Huston with the narration coming from his father Walter Huston.  This takes a look at some mentally traumatized WWII veterans as they go through psychiatric treatment while trying to prepare for life after war.  At this time, trying to maintain that perfect image of the United States of America, the United States Government suppressed the release of this documentary and would not get a release for over 30 years.  This is a pretty compelling look at the effects of war.  This is available on the Blu-Ray copy of the 2012 film THE MASTER.  It is also available on the Criterion Channel and is only about an hour long.

The Naked Gun 2 1/2:  The Smell of Fear (1991):  Last week I featured the first of this comedy trilogy and now I bring the second.  David Zucker directed this comedy and rejoined his co-writers in Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams.  Leslie Nielsen reprises his role of Lt. Frank Drebin and learns his ex-girlfriend Jane's, reprised by Prescilla Presley, new beau Quentin Hapsburg, played by Robert Goulet, is involved in a kidnapping plot.  George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Richard Griffiths, Jacqueline Brookes, Anthony James, Lloyd Bochner, Tim O'Connor, Peter Mark Richman, and many others co-star in this comedy sequel.  This is a very fun sequel with some great gags and if you like the first one, no reason to not like this one in my opinion.  This is available to watch on Paramount Plus.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Claire Danes, Morgan Freeman, Diane Kruger, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 817th Edition

Welcome to the 817th Edition of my series.  I hope we're all doing okay in these times.  I may have some announcements next week but for now I'll just get on with my selections.

Rocketman (2019):  I start the week out with this musical fantasy biopic which was directed by Dexter Fletcher.  Taron Egerton stars as Reginald Dwight who we would know better as Elton John.  This focuses on his breakthrough years upon his meeting with his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, played by Jamie Bell.  It also focuses on him dealing with his alcoholism and sexual identity.  Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gemma Jones, Steven Mackintosh, Tom Bennett, Matthew Illesley, Kit Connor, Charlie Rowe, Tate Donovan, Ophelia Lovibond, and many others co-star in this film.  Egerton plays Elton John to perfection and even does his own singing.  He was also the voice in the animated movie SING where he sang I'M STILL STANDING.  Elton John was also a producer on this and worked very closely in the production.  This is essentially a musical set to Elton John's music while portraying John in his early years.  I would say if you just don't like Elton John, this would not be a good watch but for the fans, this was very well done.

The Naked Gun:  From the Files of Police Squad (1988):  David Zucker directed this comedy and co-wrote with his partners in crime Jim Abrahams and his brother Jerry Zucker.  Leslie Nielsen reprises his role of police detective Frank Drebin from the short lived cult series POLICE SQUAD. Ricardo Montalban co-stars as Vincent Ludwig who is out to assassination Queen Elizabeth II and Drebin must work to protect the queen and stop Ludwig.  Prescilla Presley co-stars as Jane Spencer who becomes Drebin's love interest.  O.J. Simpson, George Kennedy, Susan Beaubian, Nancy Marchand, Raye Birk, Joe Grifasi, Lawrence Tierney, and many others co-star in this comedy spoof.  Many gags abound in this comedy that spoofs James Bond in some ways but many other things as well.  Nielsen is comic gold in this film and is the start of possibly the best comedy trilogy of all time.

Icarus (2017):  This is my sports documentary this week which was directed by Bryan Fogel.  Fogel looks to uncover the truth about doping in sports so as a biker himself, he decided to experiment with the help of Russian scientist Grigory Rodchenkov.  Rodchenkov was part of a cover-up in the Olympics and decides to tell all in this documentary.  This is a pretty eye-opening documentary that starts as a personal experiment but then goes into whistleblowing.  This is available to watch on Netflix. 

Three Little Wolves (1936):  This is my classic Disney animation short film for the week.  This centers around the big bad wolf who has three kids.  We do still have three pigs, two of which like to make jokes by using the wolf whistle when it is not needed and being warned by Practical Pig that if they keep lying, no one will believe them.  This one does have a lot of action and does even get a bit intense.  I know I've been doing a lot of Looney Tunes lately since I got HBO Max so decided to go back to Disney Plus for this week.

The McKenzie Break (1970):  This is my war movie for the week which was directed by Lamont Johnson and based on the novel by Sidney Shelley.  This takes place in a Scottish POW camp during the last days of WWII where a lot of German soldiers are being held.  This looks at both the German side plotting and escape and the British side in preventing the escape.  Then the attempted escape happens making all hell break loose.  Brian Keith, Helmut Griem, Ian Hendry, Jack Watson, Horst Janson, Alexander Allerson, John Abineri, Constantine Gregory, Mary Larkin, Gregg Berger, and many others co-star in this film.  Most of us know THE GREAT ESCAPE but most don't really know this escape film which is really well done.  This could make a good double feature for those that like this genre.

Seven Men From Now (1956):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Budd Boetticher.  Western star Randolph Scott stars as ex-Sheriff Ben Stride who blames himself for the murder of his wife and is out to avenge her death.  Gail Russell, Walter Reed, Lee Marvin, John Larch, Don 'Red' Barry, and many others co-star in this western.  I thought Marvin was the best part of the movie who was essentially a vigilante along for the ride but has his motives.  This was kind of a comeback role for Scott and the first of seven collaborations between Boetticher and Scott.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel as well as some of their other collaborations.

Louder Than Bombs (2015):  This is part one of a possible five part series for David Strathairn  Joachim Trier directed and co-wrote this film  which is essentially about dealing with loss.  Gabriel Byrne stars as Gene and Jesse Eisenberg and Devin Druid star as his sons Jonah and Conrad.  They all must confront their feelings about Gene's late wife, played by Isabelle Huppert, and the mother of his sons.  Amy Ryan, Ruby Jerins, Megan Ketch, David Strathairn, Rachel Brosnahan, Russell Posner, and many others co-star in this film.  This shows how all three have different ways of dealing with their grief which also distances them at the same time while Gene does when he can to get his family together.  This is not the most upbeat movie of all time but is a really good look at dealing with grief with good performances.  This is available to watch on 

Black Like Me (1964):  Carl Lerner directed this film which is based on the novel by John Howard Griffin.  This is based on a true story where Griffin as journalist who decides to go undercover as a black man in the deep south.  He beyond blackface and with the help of his doctor, he was able to turn his skin into a darker color to blend in.  Sorrell Booke, Roscoe Lee Browne, Al Freeman Jr., Will Geer, Robert Gerringer, Clifton James, John Marriott, Lenka Peterson, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty interesting movie where a man goes to some extremes to blend in.  I had never heard of this movie until I came across it at my local library and is really worth a look.

Boyfriend in Sight (1954):  This is my Spanish film for the week which was directed by Luis Garcia Berlanga.  A young girl goes to the beach with her parents in hopes that they will find her a suitable fiancee.  They want to with a successful engineer while she falls in love with a student of her age.  This goes beyond the relationship with a lot of very funny gags to go along with it.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

The Slow Escape (1998):  I end the week with this documentary short which was directed by Sativa Peterson.  Peterson also narrates this as she contemplates to the story of a 23 year old waitress near her that went missing and the circumstances surrounding it.  This is a very well done documentary short that uses horror movie footage to convey her point.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and was worth the 20 minutes..

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Marion Cotillard, Peter Dinklage, Jeff Goldblum, Bette Davis and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 816th Edition

Welcome to the 816th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is doing well in these crazy times.  I don't have a lot going on right now so I'll just get to my selections.

Nobody (2021):  I start the week out with this action film which was directed by Ilya Naishuller and written by Derek Kostad.  BETTER CALL SAUL star Bob Odenkirk stars as Hutch Mansell who is just trying to lead a normal and keep his family safe.  After a robbery in his home, some pent up rage happens and sets off the dangerous Yulian Kuznetsov, played by Aleksey Serebryakov.  Kuznetov learns though that he is messing with the wrong person.  Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, Colin Salmon, Rza, Billy MacLellan, Araya Mengesha, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, Aleksandr Pal, Humberly Gonzalez, Edsson Morales, J.P Manoux, Adrian McLean, and many others co-star in this action film.  Lloyd shows a more violent side than usual and Odenkirk does well as the action lead.  This was a very pleasant surprise to me and was extremely enjoyable in my opinion.

Lumumba (2000):  Raoul Peck directed this biopic.  Eriq Ebouraney stars as the very controversial leader of independent Congo Patrice Lumumba who was able to free the Congo of Belgium imperialism but at a very high price.  This takes a look from his younger days up to his assassination.  Alex Descas, Maka Kotto, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty moving and underrated biopic as well as an underrated historical figure for that matter.  

Life During Wartime (2009):  Todd Solands wrote and directed this ensemble film.  This is honestly a bit hard to describe but I feel the movie revolves around the character Timmy, played by Dylan Riley Snyder, whose mother Trish, played by Allison Janney, is about to remarry and his father Bill, played by Ciaran Hinds, is a pedophile having just being released from prison.  That is the main part but other things happen as well.  Shirley Henderson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Lerner, Renee Taylor, Paul Reubens, Charlotte Rampling, Ally Sheedy, Rich Pecci, Gaby Hoffman, and many others co-star in this film.  This is not upbeat by any means but sometimes that's what brings the humor.  This is a rather fascinating piece that is not for everyone.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

From Hare to Heir (1960):  This is my animated short for the week.  This features Yosemite Sam who is in another character as Sam, the Duke of Yosemite which is essentially a spoiled rich boy.  Bugs Bunny comes into the picture and promises Sam a pretty large sum of money but must behave to get it.  This is some pretty funny stuff with Sam doing everything he can to not lose his temper.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.  

The Mayor of Hell (1933):  Now I bring this film that takes a look at the flawed juvenile system which is directed by Archie Mayo.  James Cagney stars as former gangster Patsy Gargan who is now deputy commissioner who does not like the conditions at the detention center and with the help of nurse Dorothy, played by Madge Evans, he looks to better the facility.  Arthur Byron, Allen Jenkins, Dudley Digges, Frankie Darro, Sheila Terry, Robert Barrat, Allen 'Farina' Hoskins, Harold Huber, Dorothy Peterson, G. Pat Collins, Edwin Maxwell, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a precursor to what we would come to know as the Dead End Kids.  This is a really good and early look into the juvenile system and is really worth a look.

The Big Street (1942):  Irving Reis directed this film that I suppose is a romance but that does not even scratch the surface.  Lucille Ball stars as nightclub singer Gloria and Henry Fonda stars as busboy Little Pinks who is a big fan of Gloria even though she does not seem to return it.  Gloria gets into a scuffle with a mobster ex-boyfriend which leaves her paralyzed with Pinks taking care of her no matter how ungrateful she may seem.  Barton MacLane, Eugene Pallette, Agnes Moorehead, Same Levene, Ray Collins, Marion Martin, William T. Orr, George Cleveland, Vera Gordon, and many others co-star in this film.  Lucille Ball cites this as the favorite of her films.  The dynamic between Fonda and Ball was pretty interesting to see.  This is one that has gone a bit overlooked so hoping to give this some help.

48 Hours (1982):  This is not that news magazine that we all know, this is a buddy action comedy which might be the start of the subgenre.  Nick Nolte stars as the hard nosed cop Jack Cates who is out to catch a killer and is assigned the furloughed convict Reggie Hammond, played by Eddie Murphy in one of his best roles, as a partner.  What more do I need to say?  Annette O'Toole, Frank McRae, James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, Sonny Landham, Brion James, Kerry Sherman, Jonathan Banks, James Keane, and many others co-star in this action comedy.  Murphy makes his feature film debut in this one and it was a good one.  This iconic '80s film has a great blend of action comedy and could be a good double feature to go along with MIDNIGHT RUN. 

Moontide (1942):  This is my film noir for the week which is directed by Archie Mayo and based on the novel by Willard Robinson.  Jean Gabin stars as Bobo whose fears he might have committed a murder while drunk.  He plans to flee but saves suicidal waitress Anna, played by Ida Lupino, and falls in love with her.  As things seem to get better, Bobo's friend Tiny, played by Thomas Mitchell, tries to blackmail Bobo about the murder.  Claude Rains, Jerome Cowan, Ralph Byrd, Victor Sen Yung, Chester Gan, Robin Raymond, Arthur Aylesworth, Arthur Hohl, and many others co-star in this film noir.  This is a pretty compelling film that has a lot of suspense with a really good climax.

Bye Bye Birdie (1963):  George Sidney directed this popular musical comedy by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams.  Dick Van Dyke stars as Albert who along with his girlfriend Rosie, played by Janet Leigh, look to get the recently drafted rock star Conrad Birdie, played by Jesse Pearson, onto the Ed Sullivan show and having a lucky fan kiss him goodbye before he goes into the military.  Ann-Margret co-stars as Kim who is that lucky fan but her father, played by Paul Lynde, and boyfriend Hugo, played by Bobby Rydell, aren't making this easy for her.  Maureen Stapleton, Mary LaRoche, Michael Evans, Robert Paige, Bryan Russell, Milton Frome, Trudi Ames, Frank Albertson, and many others co-star in this musical.  Ed Sullivan also plays himself in a cameo appearance.  While it seems a bit cheesy, this was rather accurate to the times in this film.  This is a parody towards Elvis who was drafted to the military himself.  

Fine (2018):  I end the week with this short film which was directed by Michelle Lulic.  Lulic also co-stars as Amy who is with therapist Dr. Porter, played by Courtney Latrice.  They get into very deep discussion and we learn more as it goes on.  It is hard for me to explain any further from there being only five minutes long.  Make no mistake, these are five effective minutes.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and is worth five minutes of your time.

Well, that is all for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Leslie Nielsen, Randolph Scott, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 815th Edition

Welcome to the 815th Edition of my series.  I don't really have a lot going on right now.  I don't have any plays at this time but that could change soon.  I will just get on with my selections for the week.

Powder Blue (2009):  Timothy Linh Bui directed and co-wrote this ensemble film, not really sure what to call it.  This centers around the characters of stripper Rose-Johnny, played by Jessica Biel, mortician Qwerty, played by Eddie Redmayne, suicidal priest Charlie, played by Forest Whitaker, and ex-con Jack, played by Ray Liotta, who are brought together under a mixture of circumstances on Christmas Eve.  Lisa Kudrow, Patrick Swayze, Kris Kristofferson, Sanaa Lathan, Chandler Canterbury, Ravi Patel, Don Swayze, Riki Lindhome, and many others co-star in this film.  This is Swayze's last feature film which was acutally shot in 2007 and months before his cancer diagnosis.  I was very intrigued watching this and interested to see what's going to happen to each of the characters and how they intersect.  This movie can bring out just about any emotion.  I know I said it takes place on Christmas Eve but it's not really a holiday film, just takes place at the time.  This could be a good holiday selection for those who don't want something real sappy.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Odor of the Day (1948):  This is my animated short for the week that centers around a homeless dog looking for a place to stay but getting turned away.  Wellington the dog comes onto a home of a skunk, likely not the controversial Pepe Le Pew, more on that later.  When Wellington gets to the house, he does not know it is owned by a skunk who uses his smell to try to drive him away starting a game of one upsmanship.  This was a different sort of skunk in many ways including this one could not talk.  Many have said it is Pepe who has come under some controversy in this culture we are in today.  This is available to watch on HBO Max as part of the Looney Tunes collection.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Sergio Leone and is the conclusion of "The Man With No Name" trilogy.  Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef star as the three title characters who come across some information of a buried treasure and are all out to get it.  Rada Rassimov, Antonio Casale, Antonio Casas, and many others co-star in this Spaghetti western.  I don't think I need to give much description which could be called the granddaddy of the Spaghetti western.  It also has what might be the most memorable music score from Ennio Morricone that just about anyone has heard at some point.  This works on just about every level with the performances, action, cinematography, music, you name it.  Make a night for A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, and then this one.

I am Not Your Negro (2016):  Raoul Peck directed this documentary which is based on some writings by James Baldwin on civil rights activists Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers.  Samuel L. Jackson narrates this documentary which takes a look at the three named people as well as race in modern America.  It also looks at their portrayal in film through the years.  This is based on Baldwin's unfinished manuscript for a novel.  This is a pretty eye-opening documentary that everyone should probably take a look at sometime.  I honestly did not know much about Medger Evers but this gave me a better look.  This is available to watch on Netflix and Hoopla Digital.

Scarface (1932):  Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson directed this film based on the novel by Armitage Trail.  Paul Muni stars as gangster Tony Comonte who is trying to get to the top through very violent means.  This is a very thinly veiled portrayal of Al Capone in which much of the events that happened in this movie were based on real events like a scene resembling the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.  Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, C. Henry Gordon, George Raft, Boris Karloff, Edwin Maxwell, and many others co-star in this gangster film.  Many will likely know more about that movie made in 1986 and yes that is a remake of this film.  Both of these movies stand alone with one another.  This is a loosely based portrayal on Al Capone while Al Pacino's character Tony Montana is a Cuban refugee living in America and trying to rise to the top of the drug world.  Capone was said to have had a copy of this movie and really liked it.  This was a very daring movie to make during its time with Capone being on the rise.  I say watch this and the 1986 remake which will make a great double feature.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Year of the Fish (2007):  David Kaplan wrote and directed this modern-day variation of CINDERELLA which takes place in New York's Chinatown.  An Nguyen stars as Ye Xian who is the equivalent of Cinderella who takes a job at a massage parlor which is more than that and gets relegated to cleaning jobs when she refuses to do the jobs given to her.  Ken Leung stars as Johnny who is a musician and takes a liking to Ye being the equivalent of the prince.  Tsai Chin, Randall Duk Kim, and many others co-star in this film.  This is an interesting enough take on the timeless story that was really worth a look.  

Saturday Night Fever (1977):  John Badham directed this iconic disco film.  John Travolta stars as the 19 year old Tony Manero who has a difficult home life and escapes to the local disco nightclub.  The club is having a dance competition and discovers Stephanie on the dance floor and makes her his partner.  Barry Miller, Joseph Cali, Paul Pape, Donna Pescow, Julie Bovasso, Martin Shakar, Sam Coppola, Nina Hansen, Fran Drescher, and many others co-star in this film.  This goes much deeper than just the world of disco and is really more of a coming of age story with some rather dark undertones at times.  Another star of the film was the Bee Gees soundtrack which was for a long time the best-selling soundtrack until THE BODYGUARD.  This was mostly a star-making role for Travolta.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Notorious (2009):  George Tillman Jr. directed this biopic on the late rapper the Notorious B.I.G and will tell you right now it is not a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name.  Jamal Woodward stars as Christopher Wallace who would go onto be known as the Notorious B.I.G. in his short but memorable life.  This starts from his childhood going to his rise to the rap world up to his tragic end.  Derek Luke stars as Sean Combs and Anthony Mackie stars as Tupac Shakur.  Dennis L.A. Wright, Marc John Jefferies, Christopher Jordan Wallace, Ricky Smith, Angela Bassett, Cyrus Farmer, David Costabile, Julia Pace Mitchell, Naturi Naughton, Aunjanue Ellis, Kevin Philips, John Ventimiglia, and many others co-star in this biopic.  The actor Christopher Jordan Wallace is the actual son of the Notorious B.I.G. who potrays his father at the age of 12 years of age.  This was a pretty good and sad biopic of the rap icon.  

Vertigo (1958):  Alfred Hitchcock directed this film based on the novel by Pierre Boileau.  James Stewart stars as retired cop John 'Scottie' Ferguson who left the force after contracting vertigo.  He is hired by his friend Gavin, played by Tom Helmore, to watch his wife Madeleine, played by Kim Novak, who he believes is in danger to herself. This case causes Scottie to go off the deep in questioning what is real and what is not real.  Barbara Bel Geddes, Henry Jones, Raymond Bailey, Ellen Corby, Konstantin Shayne, Lee Patrick, and many others co-star in this film.  To go further on the plot will just give too much away in my opinion.  I will say this is as Hitchcockian as it gets and is a very deep story.  An interesting fact about this movie is that the title sequences by Saul Bass were computerized making this the first movie to use computer graphics.  This is also the last time Hitchcock and Stewart would work together with Hitchcock apparently feeling that Stewart was "too old".  This also has quite the music score from Bernard Herrmann which fits the tone perfectly.  It also has a really good and brief animated sequence along with a very well shot dream sequence.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Colette (2020):  I end the week with this Oscar-winning documentary short which was directed by Anthony Giacchino.  This takes a look at Colette Marin-Catherine who was a French resistance fighter against the Nazis in WWII.  For many years, Colette refused to go to Germany until a young history student named Lucie Fouble convinces her to visit the concentration camp where he brother was killed.  Obviously this was very difficult for both the young and the old so both people in this situation.  This was a pretty moving documentary short on facing the past and well done with the limited time they had.  I was able to watch this on Youtube.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Christopher Lloyd, Allison Janney, and many others..