Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 849th Edition

Welcome to the 849th edition of my series.  We're in the changing weather time of year and I hope everyone is coping okay.  I don't have a lot to say right now so I will just get on with my selections for the week.

I Know this Much is True (2020):  This is part three of my Mark Ruffalo trilogy.  I start the week out with this mini-series that was directed by Derek Cianfrance and based on the novel by Wally Lamb.  Ruffalo stars in a duel role where he plays twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in this story of tragedy, betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness.  Thomas suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and Dominick tries to look over his brother but has problems of his own.  John Procaccino, Rob Huebel, Gabe Fazio, Kathryn Hahn, Melissa Leo, Rosie O'Donnell, Archie Panjabi, Michael Greyeyes, Donnie Masihi, Rocco Masihi, Imogen Poots, Marcello Fonte, Philip Ettinger, Bruce Greenwood, Juliette Lewis, Aisling Franciosi, Harris Yulin, Joe Grifasi, and many others co-star in this limited series.  This is really hard to describe but looks at the parallel lives of these brothers through the years.  Ruffalo gave everything he had to both roles but in different ways.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Widows (2018):  Steve McQueen directed this film based on the novel by Lynda La Plante.  A group of dead criminals leave their widows with their debt.  Viola Davis stars as Veronica who decides to take fate into her own hands by bringing in fellow widows Linda, played by Michelle Rodriguez, and Alice, played by Elizabeth Debicki, as well as Belle, played by Cynthia Erivo, who is recruited to be their driver.  Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia- Rulfo, Coburn Goss, Alejandro Verdin, Bailey Rhyse Walters, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Molly Kunz, James Vincent Meredith, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Eric C. Lynch, Michael Harney, Jacki Weaver, Garrett Dillahunt, Kevin J. O'Connor, Lukas Haas, Matt Walsh, and many others co-star in this film.  This is very intense to say the least and is a very complex film with all kinds of twists and turns.  This is available to watch on FXNOW.

Children of a Lesser God (1986):  This is part two of my William Hurt trilogy in homage to his recent death.  Randa Haines directed this film based on the play by Mark Medoff.  Hurt stars as new speech teacher James Leeds who works with a group of deaf high school students.  He takes interest in their janitor Sarah, played by Marlee Matlin, who is deaf herself.  They fall in love and form a relationship but they learn the hardships of adjusting to each other's world.  Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco, Bob Hiltermann, E. Katherine Kerr, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very beautiful story of love and the hardship of a relationship to two totally different people.  I did not really know much of what to expect but was pleasantly surprised.  I feel this movie has gone onto be quite underrated even though Matlin won an Oscar for her performance.  This is available to watch on Hoopla Digital and Pluto TV.

The Old Hag (1906):  This is my silent short film for the week which was directed and written by Georges Melies.  He also stars as the Fairy Carabosse who is consulted by a penniless troubadour looking to see his future.  After the troubadour pays in a bag of sand, the Carabosse seeks vengeance.  I included Melies a few weeks ago and decided to look further into him.  He is most known for his sci-fi short A TRIP TO THE MOON and has been called "the Father of Sci-Fi" and with this one could be "the Father of Fantasy" as well.  It is always interesting to watch from this era and see the color tinting they would do.  This is available to watch on HBO Max as well as other shorts by Melies.

Le Amiche (1955):  This is my Italian film for the week which was directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and based on the novel by Cesare Pavese.  Eleonora Rossi Drago stars as Clelia who returns home in Turin to start a new salon.  In the process, she involved with a troubled young woman named Rosetta, played by Madeleine Fischer, and her three wealthy friends.  Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, Valentina Cortese, Yvonne Furneaux, and many others co-star in this Italian film.  This is a good post WWII film on trying to understand an attempted suicide and sorting through the own love lives.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and imdb tv.  

The Cars that Ate Paris (1974):  Peter Weir directed this film about many in the town of Paris causing car accidents and then selling any valuables they can.  The Paris in this movie is not the most known town in France, nor is it even in Texas like the movie.  This one takes place in the Paris that is in Australia.  Terry Camilleri stars as Arthur who was in an accident that he survived but kills his brother.  John Meillon, Max Gillies, Bruce Spence, Chris Haywood, Max Phipps, Melissa Jaffer, Tim Robertson, and many others co-star in this Australian film.  This is part of Australia's New Wave and a bit of a weird film.  This would also lead to a lot of other car-themed movies in Australia.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.  

Kung Fu Killer (2014):  This is my Hong Kong martial arts film for the week which was directed by Teddy Chan.  Donnie Yen stars as martial arts expert Hahou Mo who gets imprisoned for accidentally killing someone.  When a vicious killer named Hung, played by Fung Yu-Sau starts starts killing people in the martial arts world, Mo offers to help the police in exchange for his freedom.  Charlie Yeung, Bing Bai, Alex Fong, Siu-Wong Fan, Xing Yu, David Chiang, and many others co-star in this martial arts film.  Lots of great fighting and action going on in this film with Yen on the top of his game.  Through all the awesome fight scenes is a pretty good story to go along.  This is available to watch on streaming apps like Crackle, Plex, Pluto TV, and Tubi as well as Amazon Prime with a subscription the Hi-Yah! programming.

The Boys in the Band (1970):  William Friedkin directed this film based on the play by Mart Crowley.  This centers around a group of gay friends that are having a party where things get intense when a heterosexual friend joins the party.  Kenneth Nelson, Peter White, Leonard Frey, Frederick Combs, Cliff Gorman, Laurence Luckinbill, Keith Prentice, Reuben Greene, and Robert La Tourneaux star in this film.  This is a movie driven by the characters and the script and is hard to really describe.  This was likely very controversial in its time as most would know in this era, being gay was not as accepted as it is today.  The playwright Crowley would only agree to do this movie if he could retain his original cast from the play.  He was able to retain his cast which are still relatively unknown but they still made this work.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947):  Peter Godfrey directed this film that is based on the play by Martin Vale.  Humphrey Bogart stars as struggling artist Geoffrey Carroll who meets Sally, played by Barbara Stanwyck, and get married after the passing of Geoffrey's invalid wife.  Sally becomes concerned as she witnesses Geoffrey's behavior and learns more about his past.  Alexis Smith, Nigel Bruce, Isobel Elsom, Patrick O'Moore, Ann Carter, Anita Sharp-Bolster, and many others co-star in this film noir.  This is a more unknown movie from Bogey and one that deserves more exposure.  This is a pretty dark film that is best to watch with not much pre-knowledge of the film.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Play the Game (2009):  I end the week with this romantic comedy which was written and directed by Marc Fienberg.  This is not a movie about the wrestler Triple H.  Paul Campbell stars as David Mitchell who is quite the ladies man and decides to teach his widowed Grandpa Joe, played by Andy Griffith, to get the attention of the women and find a companion.  He also takea interest in a girl named Julie, played by Marla Sokoloff.  Doris Roberts, Liz Sheridan, Clint Howard, Rance Howard, Geoffrey Owens, Juliette Jeffers, Marie Caldare, Bunny Levine, Monica Garcia, Sergio Enrique, Michelle Pierce, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a pretty fun romantic comedy that would be a really good date movie.  It is also of interest to see Griffith in his last role.  This is available to watch on imdb tv.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Scarlett Johansson, Nicolas Cage, Anne Hathaway, Bette Davis, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 848th Edition

 

Welcome to the 848th Edition of my series.  I have one more performance today of MURDER AT CAFE NOIR.  It starts at 4 pm and is at the Pulse Opera House.  It has been a very fun show.  I don't have much more to say now so I'll just get on with my selections.

Agora (2009):  This is part five of my five-part Rachel Weisz series.  Alejandro Amenabar directed and co-wrote this historical Roman drama.  Weisz stars as the teacher Hypatia who through the years teaches much of the future leaders.  She also must deal with a couple of her students in Orestes, played by Oscar Isaac, and Davus, played by Max Minghella, both of which have feelings for her.  Ashraf Barhom, Homayoun Ershadi, Sami Samir, Richard Durden, Oshri Cohen, Charles Thake, Harry Borg, Yousef Sweid, Clint Dyer, George Harris, Michael Lonsdale, Amber Rose Revah, and many others co-star in this historical drama.  This is a very complex movie that is hard to explain.  Religion is used a lot to oppress the people and is very clear in this movie.  This is available to watch on Filmrise and on imdb tv.

Smoke (1995):  I had no idea this was going to be a tribute selection to William Hurt and have decided to turn this into a trilogy.  Wayne Wang directed this comedy on New York City life.  Harvey Keitel stars as Auggie Wren who owns the local smoke shop and tries to appreciate the little things in life.  William Hurt stars as writer Paul Benjamin who is a disheartened writer and has a near death that sets up a series of events.  Forest Whitaker, Stockard Channing, Harold Perrineau, Jared Harris, Ashley Judd, Giancarlo Esposito, Jose Zuniga, Stephen Gevedon, Deirdre O'Connell, Victor Argo, Michelle Hurst, Erica Gimpel, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a nice slice of life film with Keitel and Hurt putting on great performances.  It has the perfect blend of comedy and drama.  This is available to watch on Showtime. 

Dark Waters (2019):  This is part two of my Mark Ruffalo trilogy.  Todd Haynes directed this film based on a New York Times article by Nathaniel Rich.  Ruffalo stars as attorney Rob Bilott who takes on an environmental agency that has had a long history of pollution resulting in the harm of many.  When Bilott is consulted by a family friend whose cows have died in masses, he is reluctant but learns that is the least of what is going on, he puts everything on the line.  Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper, Louisa Krause, Kevin Crowley, Bruce Cromer, Denise Dal Vera, Abi Van Andel, John Newberg, Barry Mulholland, Jeffrey Grover, Jim Azelvandre, and many others co-star in this film.  Ruffalo also produced this movie so must have been something he was pretty passionate about.  This is a very eye-opening look at what has happened in our world.  This is also available on Showtime.

Freudy Cat (1964):  This is my animated short for the week which features Sylvester, voiced by Mel Blanc.  Sylvester is a very paranoid cat, convinced that kangaroo Hippety Hopper is everywhere.  Sylvester Jr. takes his dad to a cat psychiatrist and confides in him about the "giant mouse".  This takes past clips and weaves them in with the psychiatrist session.  This is a pretty fun few minutes and is the last to feature Sylvester Jr. and Hippety Hopper.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Rembrandt (1936):  Alexander Korda directed this biopic on the famed painter Rembrandt van Rijn who we simply know as Rembrandt.  Charles Laughton plays the famed painter whose work offends his patrons and is quite the starving artist while he was alive as he focused on what he wanted rather than what was wanted politically.  Elsa Lanchester co-stars as Henrickje who was his maid but forms a relationship with but unable to marry.  Like many painters from this era, his work becomes far more known in today's society.  Gertrude Lawrence, Edward Chapman, Walter Hudd, Roger Livesey, Sam Livesey, Allan Jeayes, John Clements, Raymond Huntley, Abraham Sofaer, Austin Trevor, and many others co-star in this biopic.  Laughton really brings Rembrandt to in this moving biopic.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

The Small Back Room (1949):  Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger directed this WWII film based on the novel by Nigel Balchin.  David Farrar stars as British scientist Sammy Rice who is a bomb disposal expert.  There are lots of booby-trapped explosives dropped by Nazi bombers and look to dispose them before more people die.  He also has a lot of personal issues in which he turns to pills and alcohol for.  Jack Hawkins, Kathleen Byron, Leslie Banks, Michael Gough, Cyril Cusack, Milton Rosmer, Emrys Jones, Walter Fitzgerald, Renee Asherton, Sidney James, Sam Kydd, Michael Goodliffe, Geoffrey Keen, Robert Morley, and many others co-star in this film.  This is also known as the title of HOUR OF GLORY.  This is a compelling WWII story that takes place outside of the battle lines with a good performance out of Farrar.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Collection.

The French Dispatch (2021):  Wes Anderson directed this film and co-wrote with Roman Coppola, Hugo Guinness, and Jason Schwartzman.  This centers around the outpost of a fictional American newspaper in the 1960s that is published in" The French Dispatch Magazine".  This is an anthology of short stories, all of which are quite strange in a Wes Anderson sort of way.  Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Lea Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothee Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Matthieu Amalric, Steve Park, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Bob Balaban, Henry Winkler, Lois Smith, Tony Revolori, Denis Menochet, Larry Pine, Morgane Polanski, Felix Moati, Christoph Waltz, Cecile de France, Guillaume Gallienne, Rupert Friend, Alex Lawther, Tom Hudson, Stephane Bak, Hippolyte Girardot, Liev Schreiber, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Elizabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Griffin Dunne, Anjelica Huston, and many others co-star in this film.  I would have loved to have seen Wes Anderson and his team of writers together in a room coming up with these stories.  Anderson is an acquired taste for some and there is no disputing that he is very different.  There is no other explanation I can give on the homage to the world of journalism.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Those Calloways (1965):  Norman Tokar directed this live-action Disney film based on the novel SWIFTWATER by Paul Annixter.  Brian Keith stars as Cam Calloway, a small town New England man that lives with his wife Lydia, played by Vera Miles, and son Bucky, played by Brandon De Wilde.  Cam, along with his son, dreams of building a sanctuary for wild geese that migrate overhead but is thwarted at every try.  With the help of some of his community, his dream might finally come true.  Walter Brennan, Ed Wynn, Linda Evans, Philip Abbott, John Larkin, Parley Baer, Frank DeKova, Roy Roberts, John Qualen, Tom Skerritt, Paul Hartman, Russell Collins, John Davis Chandler, Chet Stratton, and many others co-star in this Disney film.  This is a family oriented film with Brennan and Wynn coming in with the comic relief when needed.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957):  This is part three of my Burt Lancaster trilogy.  Alexander Mackendrick directed this film of corruption.  Lancaster stars as Broadway columnist J.J. Hunsecker who employs unscrupulous press agent Sidney Falco, played by Tony Curtis, to prevent his sister from marrying a jass musician.  Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, Jeff Donnell, Sam Levene, Joe Frisco, Barbara Nichols, Emile Meyer, Edith Atwater, and many others co-star in this film.  This goes far deeper than just the plot I described.  Lancaster and Curtis are great as the unlikable characters they play and give a good look at the world of corruption in journalism.  This might make a good double feature to go along with WALL STREET.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Behind the Burly Q (2010):  I end the week with this documentary which was directed by Leslie Zemeckis.  This takes a look at the early days of burlesque with interviews by people who were involved.  Alan Alda is also interviewed being the son of comedian Robert Alda and grew up in that world as a child.  This also features the comedy duo of Abbott and Costello who got their start and has interviews with Costello's daughter Chris Costello.  I have seen a little burlesque in the modern era and always enjoy it since having friends that take part in it.  It was really good to see some of these early days of burlesque.  This is available to watch on Broadway HD and is really worth a watch.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Mark Ruffalo, Viola Davis, William Hurt, Donnie Yen, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 847th Edition

Welcome to the 847th edition of my series.  I go an hour into the future as we fall victim to Daylight Savings Time once again.  This needs to be abolished but enough on that for now.  We had our first weekend of MURDER AT CAFE NOIR this weekend and have one more this weekend at 4 pm and one more weekend next weekend.  It has been very well received and more can make it out.  Tickets are $15 and can be obtained through https://pulseoperahouse.org/ or by calling 260-375-7017.  I will get on with my selections for the week.

Stealing Beauty (1996):  This is part four of my five-part Rachel Weisz series.  Bernardo Bertolucci directed and co-wrote this film that is mostly a coming of age story and a love story in some ways.  Liv Tyler stars as young adult Lucy who travels to Italy where she stays in a place where her late mother had a connection and is looking for love, truth and a deeper connection with herself.  Jeremy Irons, Sinead Cusack, Joseph Fiennes, Jason Flemying, Jean Marais, Donal McCann, D.W. Moffett, Ignazio Oliva, Stefania Sandrelli, Francesco Sicilliano, and many others co-star in this film.  This film is a work of art which will make some really like it and some not such much.  Tyler is stunning in many ways and is perfect for her role where she gets to know herself more.  This is also her first leading role in her career.  There is some great interaction between her and Irons.  

Tom of Finland (2017):  Dome Karukoski directed this biographical film on Finnish artist Touko Valio Laaksonen who is better known as his pseudonym Tom of Finland.  Pekka Strang stars as the title character who was in WWII and would become known for his controversial art that emphasized gay pornography, a lot of which was exaggerated.  It was hard enough for him to be a gay man but did become a very respected member of the LGBT community.  Seumas F. Sargent, Lauri Tilkanen, Taisto Oksanen, Jessica Grabowski, Sliim Maaten, Leif Edlund, Niklas Hogner, and many others co-star in this biographical film.  I had never heard of this person before I saw this movie.  I can see how he is very significant to the LGBT community.  This is a good look at the controversial artist and who he was as a man.  This is available on Amazon Prime with a subscription to Dekkoo.  

Thor:  Ragnorak (2017):  This is part four of my four-part Anthony Hopkins series where he reprises his role of Thor's father Odin.  This is also part one of a possible Mark Ruffalo trilogy.  Taika Waititi directed this superhero film which is the fourth in the series.  Thor is imprisoned on the island of Sakaar and must escape from that planet to get back to Asgard where the evil Hela, played by Cate Blanchett, is trying to destroy it.  With the help of the Hulk, played by Ruffalo, Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson, and Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, he is able to escape in hopes of saving Asgard.  Jeff Goldblum, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel House, Clancy Brown, Tadanobu Asano, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Georgia Blizzard, Amali Golden, Luke Hemsworth, Sam Neill, Charlotte Nicdao, Matt Damon, and many others co-star in this film.  This is my favorite of the Thor series.  This has a lot of action and is even pretty funny.  I also really like the music score of Mark Mothersbaugh that went along well with the movie.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Baby Butch (1954):  This is my Hanna-Barbara animated short that features our favorite cat and mouse Tom and Jerry.  This features an alley cat that poses as a baby which Tom falls for and is able to raid the fridge every chance he gets.  The mouse, and clearly the smarter of the cat and mouse duo, Jerry sees right through it and puts a stop to it.  There are some fun gags in this short and is worth a few minutes.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Pygmalion (1938):  Anthony Asquith and Leslie Howard co-direct this film based on the play by George Bernard Shaw.  Howard also stars as Professor Henry Higgins who bets that he can take flower girl Eliza Doolittle, played by Wendy Hiller, from the gutters and pass her off as a proper British lady.  Wilfrid Lawson, Marie Lohr, Jean Cadell, David Tree, Everley Gregg, Leueen MacGrath, Esme Percy, Violet Vanbrugh, Irene Browne, and many others co-star in this film.  Years later, this would be written to be a musical in which we now know as MY FAIR LADY.  This is a fun look at British class and British snobbery.  This could be a good double feature to follow up with the musical version.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

The Balcony (1963):  Joseph Strick directed this film based on the play by Jean Genet.  Shelley Winters stars as Madame Irma who runs a brothel which satisfies the erotic fantasies of her customers.  Peter Falk co-stars as the Madame's old friend who happens to be a police officer and asks her to impersonate a missing queen during a revolution and have some of her own employees to play people who have died.  Lee Grant, Peter Brocco, Joyce Jameson, Jeff Corey, Ruby Dee, Leonard Nimoy, Kent Smith, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very bizarre film to say the least but is quite compelling.  I am pretty sure this is the first time I have seen Falk with a mustache.  It is also of worth to see a young Leonard Nimoy.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.  

The Fallout (2021):  Megan Park wrote and directed this film of teens dealing with grief after a tragedy.  Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, and Niles Fitch star in this film where they survive a high school shooting together and each have their own ways of dealing with the tragedy while forming a unique bond.  Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, Julie Bowen, Shailene Woodley, Christine Horn, Austin Zajur, Yindra Zayas, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a sad but very touching film on how tragedy effects everyone directly and indirectly involved.  This has unfortunately become a sad reality for many in this age.  This was really worth a look and available to watch on HBO Max.

The Angry Red Planet (1959):  Ib Melchior directed and co-wrote this sci-fi film.  This centers around the first spaceship two Mars and only two of the four are alive.  One is unconscious due to an alien growth while the other is traumatized blocking out the memories of what happened.  They must soon deal with some alien retaliation.  Gerald Mohr, Nora Hayden, Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen, Paul Hahn, J. Edward McKinley, and many others co-star in this sci-fi movie.  Melchior makes the most of his limited budget and time given to make this movie.  This is good for sci-fi B-movie lovers and is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

The Unforgiven (1960):  This is part two of my potential Burt Lancaster trilogy.  John Huston directed this western based on the novel by Alan Le May and has nothing to do with Clint Eastwood's western of the same name.  This centers around the Zachary family where Lancaster stars as Ben.  Tensions arise when learning of his sister Rachel, played by Audrey Hepburn, was stolen from a local Kiowa tribe.  Audie Murphy, John Saxon, Charles Bickford, Lillian Gish, Albert Salmi, Joseph Wiseman, June Walker, Kipp Hamilton, and many others in this western.  This is a decent and underrated western.  This is Hepburn's only western of her career.  This is available to watch on Prime.

The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010):  I end the week with the independent film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell.  This is a coming of age sort of movie of a group of teens navigating through the suburban wonderland of Detroit in search of love and adventure.  There is no linear plot but a few characters in fairly realistic situations.  Slaire Sloma, Marlon Morton, Amanda Bauer, Brett Jacobsen, Nikita Ramsey, Jade Ramsey, and many others co-star in this film.  This is something that just about anyone can relate to at some point in their lives.  It also works with the relatively unknown cast.  This is available to watch on Hulu. 

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Rachel Weisz, Harvey Keitel, Anne Hathaway, Charles Laughton, Tilda Swinton, Vera Miles, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 846th Edition

Welcome to the 846th Edition of my series.  I am off work this week while I prepare for next weekend which is the opening of MURDER AT CAFE NOIR.  Dates and times are at the bottom and it is going for two weekends.  Tickets are $15 and $5 for children 12 and under.  Tickets can be reserved online at http://pulseoperahouse.org or by calling 260-3757017 so I hope to see some familiar faces out there.  I will now get on with my selections.

The Light Between Oceans (2016):  This is part three of my five-part Rachel Weisz series.  Derek Cianfrance directed this film which is based on the novel by M.L. Stedman.  Michael Fassbinder and Alicia Vikander star as married couple Tom and Isabel.  Tom is a lighthouse keeper and eventually meets Isabel as they fall in love.  Isabel is unable to have children of her own but they find a baby girl in a rowboat where the adult has died.  They take in the child as their own but learn the mother, played by Weisz, is still looking for her which complicates the lives of many.  Jack Thompson, Garry McDonald, Anthony Hayes, Benedict Hardie, Emily Barclay, Bryan Brown, Stephen Ure, Peter McCauley, Leon Ford, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Caren Pistorius, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very beautiful and sad story filmed in Australia so some great scenery as well.  Fassbinder and Vikander are great together as a couple through their ups and downs.

Freejack (1992):  This is part three of my possible four-part Anthony Hopkins series.  Geoff Murphy directed this sci-fi movie which is based on a novel by Robert Sheckley.  Emilio Estevez stars as race car driver Alex Furlong who is seemingly dead but is in another dimension in the future where his body will be replaced by an ailing rich man.  Alex fights for survival and hopes to revive his relationship with his fiance Julie, played by Rene Russo.  Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger co-stars as mercenary Vasendak who is in heavy pursuit of Alex.  Jonathan Banks, David Johansen, Amanda Plummer, Grand L. Bush, Frankie Faison, John Shea, Esai Morales, Wilbur Fitzgerald, Jerry Hall, and many others co-star in this sci-fi movie.  This is some harmless fun for a group of friends.  This has some good '90s special effects and can be enjoyed if not taken too seriously.  How can one go wrong with a little Mick Jagger?  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

The Tune (1992):  Bill Plympton directed this animated movie and co-wrote with P.C. Vey and Maureen McElheron who also wrote the music.  This centers around a singer named Del, voiced by Daniel Neiden, who is in love with Didi, played by McElheron.  He is also on thin ice to write a new song for his demanding boss but just cannot bring it to a finish.  He ends up in an the alternate world of Flooby Nooby where he meets various people that are looking to teach him to write a song from the heart.  Marty Nelson, Emily Bindiger, Chris Hoffman, Jimmy Ceribello, Ned Reynolds, Jeffrey Knight, Jen Senko, and many others provide their voice in this animated film.  This seems to be Plympton's answer to ALICE IN WONDERLAND.  This also has a very versatile soundtrack.  Plympton has been an independent animator since the late '70s and has written some pretty clever shorts and feature films.  This particular movie is available on the Criterion Channel and Prime with a subscription from Shout! Factory TV.  It is also available on TUBI along with some of his other work.

The Hilarious Posters (1906):  This is my silent short from the week where I go way back in time.  Georges Melies directed this unusual silent short of a wall full of advertising posters come to life.  This is some pretty clever effects for this time period.  Melies is most known for A TRIP TO THE MOON which is said to be the first sci-fi movie of all time.  He is also portrayed in 2011 film HUGO.  This is available to watch on HBO Max along with other works by the pioneering filmmaker Melies.

Adam's Rib (1949):   This is my courtroom movie for the week which is also a Tracy/Hepburn vehicle.  George Cukor directed this courtroom film that takes an early look at the double standards between men and women.  Tracy stars as assistant district attorney Adam Bonner who gets the case of an unhappy wife that shoots her husband when finding him with another woman.  Hepburn co-stars as Adam's wife Amanda who decides to take the case and oppose her own husband in the courtroom.  Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell, David Wayne, Jean Hagen, Hope Emerson, Eve March, Clarence Kolb, Emerson Treacy, Polly Moran, Will Wright, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a great blend of comedy and drama with the leads being perfect together.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Valdez is Coming (1971):  This is part one of a possible Burt Lancaster trilogy.  This is my western for the week which was directed by Edwin Sherin and based on the novel by Elmore Leonard.  Lancaster stars as Mexican-American sheriff Bob Valdez who tries to get compensation for a widowed wife of a man that was wrongly accused.  His efforts get him attacked and left for dead where he must resort to violence to get justice and revenge.  Susan Clark, Frank Silvera, Jon Cypher, Richard Jordan, Barton Heyman, Hector Elizondo, and many others co-star in this western.  This is a very action packed and dark western with Lancaster rising to the occasion.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Swan Song (2021):  Todd Stephens wrote and directed this film.  Udo Kier stars as the aging and flamboyant Pat Pitsenbarger who is in a nursing home but was at one time a respected hairstylist.  He leaves the nursing home to do a favor for a late friend.  He relives his younger days in his journey where he ends up in a gay bar where they have a drag show.  Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans, Michael Urie, Stephanie McVay, Tom Bloom, Shanessa Sweeney, Bryant Carroll, Shelby Garrett, Dave Sorboro, Annie Kitral, Eric Eisenbrey, Jonah Blechman, and many others co-star in this film.  This is mostly a character driven film where Kier is great as Pitsenbarger.  This is a very good look at the LGBT community as well as forgiveness and redemption.  This is available to watch on Hulu and is worth a look.

Soleil O (1967):  Med Hondo wrote and directed this race drama.  This centers around an immigrant, played by Robert Liensol, from Mauritania who decides to go to Paris in hopes of a better life.  When getting there, he learns that racial inequity is a thing there where whites are favored even if they have less skill.  This is part of the French New Wave and is rather surreal at times, especially in the beginning.  There is drama, comedy, musical numbers, and even some animation.  This is hard to explain any further from what I did but this is something that is clearly just as relevant today.  You'll laugh, cringe, be sad, among other thing.  This was as low-budget as it gets but the filmmakers still managed to make a good movie combining Africa and France.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.   

The Importance of Being Earnest (1952):  This is my British comedy for the week which was directed by Anthony Asquith and based on the play by Oscar Wilde.  This is kind of a comedy of errors when Algernon, played by Michael Denison, learns that his friend Earnest creates a fictional brother and poses as that brother leading to all kinds of misunderstandings.  Richard Wattis, Walter Hudd, Edith Evans, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin, Margaret Rutherford, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a fun look at the flaws of upper British society.  This is a must for those that love British comedy and is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Can't Buy Me Love (1987):  Steve Rash directed this '80s comedy.  Patrick Dempsey stars as outcast Ronald Miller who tires of his status at school and decides to pay the popular Cindy Mancini, played by Amanda Peterson, a sum of a thousand dollars to be his pretend girlfriend for a month.  He learns more about "popularity" which soon goes to his head and alienates those who have always cared about him.  Courtney Gains, Tina Caspary, Seth Green, Sharon Farrell, Darcy DeMoss, Dennis Dugan, Devin DeVasquez, Eric Bruskotter, Gerardo Mejia, Cort McCown, Ami Dolenz, Max Perlich, and many others co-star in this movie.  I took to this movie a lot more than I thought I would.  I thought it would be some '80s beauty and the nerd sort of romantic comedy but it goes a lot deeper.  I found this to be a satire on the price of "popularity" and something I related to a lot unfortunately.  This is available to watch on Hulu.

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