Welcome to the 837th edition of my series and the first of the new year. This is my first release of the new year. I am sure like many, there will be some ups and downs. I will do what I can to focus on the ups like I usually do. I'm not going to claim to be a "new me" or anything like that. I just hope I get to do what I love and be able to continue my job I got over the summer. I will shut up now and get on with my selections.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021): I start the week out with this current blockbuster and not to worry, I'm going to be pretty vague about this for those who still have not seen it though I suggest you get to it soon. I am seeing some mild spoilers being posted on Facebook at this time. Jon Watts directed this entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland reprises his role of Peter Parker whose identity of Spider-Man is now revealed. When asking Dr. Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, for help, things go wrong making Peter understand what it is like to be Spider-Man. My suggestion is to watch all the Spider-Man movies starting with the 2002 film SPIDER-MAN. I managed to go into this with ideas of what was to happen along with the basic plot but avoided trailers and any other write-ups before going to see this movie. This is all I will say, now go to check this out before people tell you more about it.
Renoir (2012): Gilles Bourdos directed this French biopic based on a work by Jacques Renoir. Michael Bouquet stars as aging painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir while his son Jean, played by Vincent Rottiers, returns from WWI and keep in mind Jean would go onto be a famed director but here is he still finding himself. The story is more based around Andree Heuschling, played by Christa Theret, who becomes a painting model for Pierre-Auguste and the love interest for Jean. Thomas Doret Romane Bohringer, Solene Rigot, Carlo Brandt, and many others co-star in this French film. This is a very compelling film on such an artistic family. It is hard to explain this much further than what I have. This is available to watch on Tubi.
Border (2007): Christopher Burgard directed this documentary which takes a look at the U.S./Mexico border crossings. This takes a look at multiple sides of the immigration issues happening in the United States. This takes a look at some of the Minutemen, some of the actual immigrants, farmers that live near the border and takes a look at the political end. This is a pretty eye-opening documentary that is very unbiased.
A Night on Bald Mountain (1933): This is my French animated short which was directed by Alexander Alexeieff and Claire Parker. This makes use of pin-screen animation in a fantasy story. This is something that rivals Disney animation and is quite the animated rush. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Apocalypse Now (1979): Francis Ford Coppola directed this film based on the novel HEARTS OF DARKNESS by Joseph Conrad. Martin Sheen stars as Vietnam soldier Captain Benjamin Willard who is sent on a mission that "does not exist". His mission is to assassinate the American General Walter Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, whose allegiance has shifted and is seen by the Cambodian people as a god. Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, G.D. Spradlin, Jerry Ziesmer, Scott Glenn, James Keane, Sam Bottons, Frederic Forrest, Colleen Camp, Marc Coppola, and many others co-star in this film. Duvall has always been my favorite part in this movie as Lt. Colonel Bill Kilgore who clearly enjoyed his role. When filming started, Fishburne was only 14 years of age and lied about his age to get into this movie. Sheen also struggled health-wise during the filming of this movie making him discourage his son Charlie Sheen from doing PLATOON years later. The story may be a bit far-fetched but I do not believe the portrayal of Willard is that way. It is a very dark look at the effects of war. The director's cut version called APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX is available to watch on Netflix but I would suggest watching the standard version first and then compare the two. I got this from my local library on Blu-Ray which has both version and has the documentary HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER'S APOCALYPSE which is about the making of this movie and is almost as interesting as this movie showing Coppola's struggle that in the end would pay off.
Susan Slept Here (1954): Now I get a little lighter in this comedy that centers around the world of Hollywood. Frank Tashlin directed this comedy which is based on the play by Steve Fisher. Dick Powell stars as comedy screenwriter Mark Christopher who is looking to write a drama. He takes in a teenage runaway in the 17 year old Susan Landis, played by Debbie Reynolds, so she can avoid spending time behind bars during the holidays. Taking her in complicates Frank's life both personally and professionally. Anne Francis, Glenda Farrell, Alvy Moore, Horace McMahon, Herb Vigran, Les Tremayne, Mara Lane, Rita Johnson, Maidie Norman, and many others co-star in this romantic comedy. This is Powell's last movie before going the television route. This is a pretty well-written comedy with the leads working very well together. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Ramen Shop (2018): Eric Khoo directed this Japanese coming of age film. Takumi Saitoh stars in this film as Masato who decides to go to Singapore and look into recipes from his late mother and meet some of his family from there. When there, his uncle teaches him to cook some of these things so that he can take it back to Japan. He also learns a lot about some tension within his own family. Seiko Matsuda, Mark Lee, Jeanette Aw, Tsuyoshi Ihara, and many others co-star in this film. This is more of a character driven film and is not only about a ramen shop. It is also a pretty moving film on the clash of cultures and really deserves a look.
Shadow of a Doubt (1943): This is part one of a possible five-part Joseph Cotten series. Alfred Hitchcock directed this Film Noir that was co-written by Thornton Wilder. Teresa Wright stars as the bored Charlie Newton who gets very excited when her much traveled Uncle Charlie Oakley, played by Cotten, comes into town. Things seem to be going well but Charlie notices some odd behavior of her uncle and wonders if he is the "Merry Widow" killer. MacDonald Carey, Henry Travers, Patricia Collinge, Hume Cronyn, Wallace Ford, and many others co-star in this film. I feel Travers has his best role in this movie that I have seen of him. If I explain this any furthur, I will give this away. Hitchcock really lives up to his name of "Master of Suspense" in this one. Hitch himself would refer to this one as his favorite work. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Die! Die! My Darling! (1965): Silvio Narizzano directed this horror film produced by Hammer Films based on a novel by Anne Blaisdell. Stefanie Powers stars as Patricia Carroll who is engaged to marry Alan, played by Maurice Kaufmann. She decides that it is only right for her to pay a visit to the Mrs. Trefoile, played by Tallulah Bankhead, whose late son Stephen she was engaged to and died in a car accident. Trefoile turns out to be quite the religious fanatic and shows she is very bitter towards Pat by imprisoning her in her home. Peter Vaughan, Yootha Joyce, Donald Sutherland, Philip Gilbert, and many others co-star in this horror film. This is Bankhead's final film before her death. Bankhead and Powers had quite the rivalry in this film and the tension between them was very believable. This also inspired a song of the same name by the Misfits.
The Prince of Egypt (1998): I end the week with some Dreamworks animation. Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells directed this biblical story. This centers around brothers Rameses and Moses, voiced by Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer, who grow up the best of friends until learning they both have different paths with Moses being adopted. Rameses becomes ruler of Egypt while Moses tries to free his people from slavery. Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and many others provide their voice. The animation in this movie rivals just about anything Disney has done through the years. It also has a really good soundtrack that I learned was written by Stephen Schwartz who has written popular musicals like GODSPELL, PIPPEN, and WICKED. This is available to watch on Tubi.
Well, that is it for this week but I return with my segment "Movie Time in the Town of Pottersville". Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Michelle Yeoh, Maria Bello, Rene Russo, Joseph Cotten, and many others.
MOVIE TIME IN THE TOWN OF POTTERSVILLE
Earlier in the week, I joined Stephanie as she was introducing our friend Alisha to part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): James Gunn directed this superhero film featuring a group of intergalactic outlaws that unite and turn out to be rather heroic. This group consists of Peter Quill, played by Chris Pratt, Rocket the Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana, Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel, and Drax, played by WWE Hall of Famer Dave Bautista. Quill steals a mysterious orb and learns there is a lot more to it and that it needed protected from Ronan, played by Lee Pace. Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Housou, John C. Reilly, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Haddock, Sean Gunn, Peter Serafinowicz, Christopher Fairbank, Wyatt Oleff, Brenden Fehr, Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof, Ralph Ineson, Rob Zombie, Josh Brolin, Seth Green, Lloyd Kaufman, and many others co-star or have bit roles. I admit, I knew nothing of these characters until this movie started. I recall Alisha saying when she was there that she did not watching it thinking it would be really stupid having a talking raccoon but found she really liked it. This has a lot of action, some great humor, a good soundtrack, and some really fun characters. This is available to watch on Disney Plus.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): James Gunn takes the helm as director once again in this sequel. The five people in the group mentioned reprise their roles. Quill learns more about himself as he meets his father Ego, played by Kurt Russell. Pom Klementieff joins the Guardians as Mantis in this film. Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Sylvester Stallone, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Michael Rosenbaum, David Hasselhoff, Ving Rhames, Michelle Yeoh, Miley Cyrus, and many others co-star or have bit roles. Cyrus provides the voice of Mainframe and Hasselhoff has a rather amusing cameo. Some people may not know that he was Nick Fury before Samuel L. Jackson in the the 1998 movie NICK FURY: AGENT OF SHIELD. This captures the greatness of the original while having more emotional depth. This is also available to watch on Disney Plus.
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