Welcome to the 852nd edition of my series. I hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend however celebrated. At 5 pm eastern time today, my radio play LOST HORIZON airs one more time on https://www.weciradio.org/. It will eventually be on the Richmond Radioworks podcast which is at least available on Spotify. On Saturday, April 23rd, I'm a guest on TOM CHERRY'S OLD TIME RADIO SHOW at 3 pm which is a monthly show done in Farmland where they pay homage to the old days of radio. I think that is enough for now so I will get on with my selections for the week.
Raising Arizona (1987): This is part three of a possible six-part Nicolas Cage series. The Coen Brothers wrote and directed this dark comedy. Cage stars as ex-con H.I. McDunnough who marries ex-police officer Ed, played by Holly Hunter. They want children but they cannot have any of his own and cannot adopt due to H.I.'s criminal past. After learning a successful businessman has quintuplets, they feel he needs help and kidnap one of them thinking they are doing them a favor. Things become complicated when a couple prison escapees, played by John Goodman and William Forsythe, come to their house. Trey Wilson, Sam McMurray, Frances McDormand, Randall 'Tex' Cobb, T.J. Kuhn, M. Emmet Walsh, and many others co-star in this dark comedy. This is one of Cage's best roles in my opinion. This has a lot of that Coen Brothers dark humor.
Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914): This is my silent short for the week which was directed by Mabel Normand and also stars. Charlie Chaplin co-stars in this short film where essentially the Tramp character debuts though this is a blueprint for his iconic character. Normand was very popular in her own time and had her own character named Mabel. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Death on the Nile (1978): John Guillermin directed this film which is based on the novel by Agatha Christie. Peter Ustinov stars as Christie's famed detective Hercule Poirot who is on a cruise going down the Nile but as one would expect he gets put to work when a newlywed heiress is murdered. He must question a colorful array of characters and finds just about everyone on that ship has a motive. Mia Farrow, Simon MacCorkindale, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles, Bette Davis, Jon Finch, Olivia Hussey, I.S. Johar, George Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jack Warden, Harry Andrews, Sam Wanamaker, and many others co-star in this murder mystery. This has quite the all-star group of murder suspects and is a pretty compelling adaptation of the novel. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022): Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert wrote and directed this this film that is really just what the title describes. Michelle Yeoh stars as Chinese immigrant Evelyn who is brought along through multiple universes to try saving her own universe. Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tallie Medel, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., Biff Wiff, Sunita Mani, Aaron Lazar, Brian Le, Andy Le, Narayana Cabral, Chelsey Goldsmith, Anthony Molinari, Dan Brown, and many others co-star in this film. I honestly was not really aware of this movie until I was looking at the movie times and had a very convenient time for me and sounded interesting enough. I was blown away by this movie, though I really can't put into words about what it was really about. I believe part of the theme is to be appreciative of what you have. This has everything from martial arts which is to be expected with Michelle Yeoh. There are also some elements of wrestling in this movie and so much more. This is also a pretty original kind of film. Yeoh shows her more comedic side in this film and does a great job. This was worth my trip to the movie theaters.
Footlight Glamour (1943): This is an entry of the popular Blondie and Dagwood series which was based on the long-running comic strip series which was directed by Frank Strayer. Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake star as Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead. Dagwood gets hired for a new plant and the boss also wants him to watch his daughter Vicki, played by Ann Savage, but upsets him when she is cast in a play. This is based around a local play in which Dagwood gets cast even though he has no experience and does not want to be in it which leads to much of the comedy. Larry Simms, Jonathan Hale, Irving Bacon, Danny Mummert, and many others co-star in this comedy. Lake is very funny as the bumbling Dagwood. This is available to watch on imdb tv.
Leave No Trace (2018): Debra Granik directed this film based on the novel MY ABANDONMENT by Peter Rock. Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie star as father and daughter combo Will and Tom who try living off the grid and live in the forests of Portland, Oregon for a long time. Things happen where they are caught and put into social services with the expectation they live a more normal life like living in a home and going to school and all that stuff. Tom starts to embrace this more conventional life but Will still wants to still be more in the outside world. Michael Draper, Peter Simpson, Dana Millican, Alyssa McKay, Jeff Kober, Spencer S. Hanley, Isaiah Stone, Dale Dickey, and many others co-star in this independent film. This is a very deep meaning film on the conventionality of today. Foster and McKenzie work well together as father and daughter. This could make a good double feature to go along with the movie CAPTAIN FANTASTIC. This is available to watch on Hulu.
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971): Melvin Van Peebles wrote and directed this Blaxploitation film that has one onto be one of the most iconic of this genre. Van Peebles stars as male prostitute Sweetback who saves a Black Panther from a couple of corrupt white cops which puts him on the run and looks to make it Mexico while fleeing the cops and Hell's Angels. John Dullaghan, Simon Chuckster, Mario Van Peebles, Rhetta Hughes, John Amos, Lavelle Roby, and many others co-star in this Blaxploitation film. Melvin's 13 year old son Mario plays the younger Sweetback. This is his film debut and would go onto have a really good career in his own right but is in a scene in this movie that likely would not get over well these days. This also has a good soundtrack by Earth, Wind, and Fire early in their career. This is not for everyone, do your research on the Blaxploitation and make your judgment. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch (2008): Jerome Salle directed this French action film which is based on a comic book by Jean Van Hamme and Philippe Francq. Tomer Sisley stars as Largo Winch whose adoptive father is murdered. The problem is that Largo's adoption was kept secret and must race to prove his legitimacy, find his father's killers, and save his father's financial empire. Kristin Scott Thomas, Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic, Melanie Thierry, Gilbert Melki, Karel Roden, Steven Waddington, Anne Consigny, Radivoje, Benedict Wong, and many others co-star in this film. This is kind of modern-day sort of James Bond movie in terms of the action and globe travel. This has some really good action scenes and is quite a bit of fun. This is available to watch on Hoopla Digital.
Moonrise (1948): Frank Borzage directed this film noir. Dane Clark stars as Danny Hawkins whose father was executed for murder when he was a child. This results in all the kids bullying him about it in school, mostly by Jerry Sykes, played by Lloyd Bridges in the adult years, and never lets up when they are adults. They get into a fight resulting in Jerry's death and Danny struggles with his guilt and is afraid to talk to the police. Gail Russell, Allyn Joslyn, Rex Ingram, Harry Morgan, David Street, Selena Royle, Harry Carey Jr., Irving Bacon, Houseley Stevenson, and many others co-star in this film. This takes a look at the effects of bullying which will always be a relevant topic. Clark plays the role of Danny to perfection and is an underrated performance in the world of film.
8 Mile (2002): Curtis Hanson directed this movie on the rap world. This takes place in Detroit where Eminem stars as young white rapper Jimmy 'B-Rabbit' Smith who dreams of a career in hip-hop and to get out of his location. As creative as B-Rabbit is, he struggles to find the nerve to perform a local rapoff and has a lot of other struggles in life. Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Evan Jones, Omar Benson Miller, De'Angelo Wilson, Eugene Byrd, Taryn Manning, Proof, Michael Shannon, Chloe Greenfield, Anthony Mackie, Xzibit, and many others co-star in this film. The interesting thing that some may not know is that Eminem is actually a rapper in real life. Mackie makes his film debut and co-stars as B-Rabbit's rival Papa Doc and we learn Falcon has nothing on Eminem. This is what resulted in Eminem's hit song LOSE YOURSELF. I admit, when Eminem first came out, I could not stand him and wanted nothing to do with this movie when I first heard about it. As I started listening to him more though, I started becoming a fan. This is a pretty inspiring film of someone trying to achieve his dreams in life.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan, Frank Capra, Jodie Foster, and many others.
No comments:
Post a Comment