Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 858th Edition

Welcome to the 858th edition of my series.  I hope everyone is having a good holiday weekend however celebrated.  I am fortunate to have a job where I get the weekend and Memorial Day off work.  I don't really have anything else going on right now so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.

Mandy (2018):  This is part eight of my ten part Nicolas Cage series.  Panos Cosmatos directed and co-wrote this horror film.  Cage stars as Red Miller who lives in a cabin in the woods with his girlfriend Mandy, played by Andrea Riseborough.  Mandy gets kidnapped by a crazed cult leader, played by Linus Roache, prompting Red to go all out to save her and does it the Nicolas Cage way.  Ned Dennehy, Olwen Fourere, Richard Brake, Bill Duke, Alexis Julemont, Hayley Saywell, and many others co-star in this horror film.  This is Nicolas Cage to the core right here so will be for some but not for others.  I was a little disappointed that Nicolas Cage did not sing the Barry Manilow song of the title.  Other than that, this was a lot of fun and worth a look.  This is available to watch on AMC+ with a subscription to Prime.

Mother and Child (2009):  Rodrigo Garcia directed and wrote this film centering around parenting I suppose.  This centers around three characters in Karen, Elizabeth, and Lucy.  Annette Bening stars as Karen who gave up her child when she got pregnant at 14 years of age.  Naomi Watts stars as Elizabeth who is the daughter Karen gave up and lives as a very successful attorney.  Kerry Washington stars as Lucy who has not been able to conceive and along with her husband looks to adopt.  Samuel L. Jackson, David Ramsey, Eileen Ryan, Cherry Jones, Elpidia Carrillo, Carla Gallo, Marc Blucas, S. Epatha Merkerson, Michael Warren, Jimmy Smits, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Shareeka Epps, David Morse, Amy Brenneman, Tatyana Ali, Gloria Garayua, Elizabeth Pena, Lawrence Pressman, Britt Robertson, LisaGay Hamilton, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a really moving story that is carried by the script and the performances.  These are some really good interconnected stories on motherhood and loss.

The Last Shot (2004):  I had no intentions of this paying tribute but in the days after I saw this movie, I learned of Ray Liotta's death and will be doing a serious out of Liotta.  Jeff Nathanson wrote and directed this comedy on the FBI and the world of film.  Matthew Broderick stars as struggling filmmaker Steven Schats who finally gets recruited by Joe Diamond, played by Alec Baldwin, but is really an FBI agent trying to set up a sting on mobster Tommy Sanz, played by Tony Shalhoub.  Toni Collette, Calista Flockhart, Tim Blake Nelson, Buck Henry, Ray Liotta, Ian Gomez, Troy Winbush, Tom McCarthy, W. Earl Brown, Evan Jones, Glenn Morshower, James Rebhorn, Michael Papajohn, Jon Polito, Sean Whalen, and many others co-star in this comedy or have cameos.  This is based on a true story of a real-life sting in the '80s.  This was a lot of fun and had some laughs.  I believe this has gone down as a bit underrated.  Broderick and Baldwin make a good duo and this could also be a good Matthew Broderick double feature to go along with THE PRODUCERS.

The Four Troublesome Heads (1898):  This is my short film for the week which was directed by Georges Melies.  This is also a very early one, possibly the oldest I have included.  This is only about a minute long but is really cool to see the early days of film and some special effects that hold up today.  Melies plays an illusionist and manages to detach his own head.  This is available to watch on HBO Max as well as many other works by film pioneer Melies.

The Mummy's Hand (1940):  Christy Cabanne directed this adventure horror that is the first Universal follow-up to their 1932 classic THE MUMMY though this is not really a sequel.  Dick Foran and Wallace Ford star as out of work archaeologists Steve Banning and Babe Jenson who go to Egypt after discovering evidence of the burial place of Egyptian princess Ananka.  They end up awakening the mummy Kharis who is out for revenge and looks to reunite with his love that he believes is Marta, played by Peggy Moran.  Eduardo Ciannelli, George Zucco, Cecil Kellaway, Charles Trowbridge, Tom Tyler, and many others co-star in this Universal film.  This is a decent B movie horror which has some comedy and would have a couple other sequels from Universal.  It's always a good time for a mummy movie.

The Power and the Glory (1961):  This is my tv movie for the week which was directed by Marc Daniels and based on the novel by Graham Greene.  I will also add that this has nothing to do with the WWF tag team Power and Glory in the early '90s that consisted of Paul Roma and Hercules Hernanzez.  Laurence Olivier stars as a Catholic priest sent to '30s Mexico to preach but not received well by the Mexican government as they send a secret agent to assassinate him.  Julie Harris, George C. Scott, Martin Gabel, Roddy McDowell, Keenan Wynn, Patty Duke, and many others co-star in this tv movie.  This is a remake to the 1947 film THE FUGITIVE and could make a good double feature.  This makes the most of the low budget and is a pretty decent tv movie.  This is available to watch on Hoopla Digital and Tubi.

Passing (2021):  Rebecca Hall directed this film which is based on the novel by Nella Larsen.  Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga star as biracial friends Irene and Clare who reunite years after high school in the 1920s New York City.  Irene identifies as black and has married a black doctor in Brian, played by Andre Holland.  Clare identifies as white and passes herself off with a prejudice husband in John, played by TRUE BLOOD alum Alexander Skarsgard, which leads to some complications.  Bill Camp, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Justus Davis Graham, Ethan Barrett, Ashley Ware Jenkins, and many others co-star in this film.  This is Hall's directorial debut and is a project she has been working on for many years.  This is a very moving and thought provoking story.  This is available to watch on Netflix.

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977):  John Carlos directed this sci-fi horror movie.  This takes place in rural Arizona where a lot of farm animals are mysteriously dying.  William Shatner stars at veterinarian Rack Hansen who figures out that that some deadly tarantulas are killing the animals and humans.  Tiffany Boling, Woody Strode, Lieux Dressler, David McLean, Natasha Ryan, Altovise Davis, Joe Ross, Marcy Lafferty, and many others co-star in this sci-fi movie.  Keep in mind, this was riffed by the Rifftrax guys so take this for what it is which is not any sort of award winning movie.  If not taken too seriously, it can be a lot of fun.  The tarantulas did not look extremely scary which kind of reminded me of the movie FROGS which could be a good double feature.  This is available to watch on Prime with or without Rifftrax.

Jitterbugs (1943):  Malcolm St. Clair directed this movie which stars the iconic trio of Laurel and Hardy.  Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy star as Stan and Ollie who team with a small-time conman in Chester Wright, played by Robert Bailey, to help out a young singer, played by Vivian Blaine.  Douglas Fowley, Noel Madison, Lee Patrick, Robert Emmett Keane, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a later production for the comedy duo and they still manage to entertain.  Oliver Hardy has a few scenes without Stan Laurel which was very rare.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling (2007):  I end the week with this documentary that was produced by the WWE and plays into my special segment.  This takes a look at the Texas promotion of World Class Championship Wrestling which was run by wrestling legend Fritz Von Erich.  The promotion mostly centered around his sons David, Kevin, Kerry, Mike, and Chris Von Erich though mostly the first three names on that list.  Their main rivals were the faction the Fabulous Freedbirds that included Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts, and Jimmy Garvin.  While this promotion had a lot of success in the '80s, tragedy, among other things proved to be the downfall as Kevin is the only survivor of the brothers.  Interviews include wrestling figures Kevin Von Erich, Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts, Jimmy Garvin, Bill Irwin, Gary Hart, Jerry Lawler, Dusty Rhodes, Jim Ross, Skandor Akbar, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Dory Funk Jr., Verne Gagne, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, and Gerald Brisco.  This documentary shows the triumph and the tragedy as the title indicates and is very informative.  This is available to watch on Peacock.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Dennis Hopper, Ray Liotta, Colin Farrell, Goldie Hawn, and many others.

THE BOOKWORM CORNER

Lance by Chance:  Wrestling as a Von Erich by Lance Vaughn and Vinny Berry (2021):  What I did not mention in my last movie selection was this man named Kevin Vaughn who would become the "cousin" of the Von Erichs named Lance Von Erich.  The documentary selection glosses over this wrestler and for years we knew every little of this guy.  He did not grow up a wrestling fan but shortly after the death of David Von Erich, he was discovered while playing golf.  Fritz Von Erich wanted to keep the Von Erich trio going and at this time Mike Von Erich was not ready.  Vaughn decides to go through the training and is sent to Portland to Don Owen's promotion where he would become Ricky Vaughn for a few months and then brought back to Texas as a Von Erich.  He would last about a year and a half but would leave feeling overworked and underpaid which resulted in the infamous moment where Fritz Von Erich breaks kayfabe and exposes him as not a Von Erich.  That lie would be one of the downfalls of WCCW.  I have always been curious about this guy and when I learned of this book, I immediately started reading it.  He had stayed out of the limelight for many years until this book and would do a few shoot interviews.  My friend Sign Guy interviews the author Vinny Berry who worked very closely with Vaughn to get this book written.  He is a very intriguing person who would go onto wrestling in Africa which most people do not know about and managed to become a very successful businessman through his decade of being a professional wrestler.  Sign Guy's podcast can be found at https://www.blogtalkradio.com/turnbuckle_turmoil/ where he interviews many people in the independent wrestling world including myself a couple of times from when I was a ring announcer.  This is a good read from an obscure member of the wrestling world.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 857th Edition

Welcome to the 857th Edition of my series.  I release this on the day that is apparently my birthday.  In these crazy times, just know I will not raise the prices of reading this movie blog.  I don't have much else happening so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.

Rumble Fish (1983):  This is part eight of my ten part Nicolas Cage series where I start a little earlier in his career being directed by his uncle.  Francis Ford Coppola directed this film based on the novel by S.E. Hinton.  Matt Dillon stars as high school youth Rusty James who is the leader of a small gang but cannot live up to the reputation of his older brother the Motorcycle Boy, played by Mickey Rourke.  He also must deal with his alcoholic father, played by Dennis Hopper, and his troubled relationship with Patty, played by Diane Lane.  Cage, Diana Scarwid, Vincent Spano, Chris Penn, Lawrence Fishburne, William Smith, Michael Higgins, Glenn Withrow, Tom Waits, Sofia Coppola, Tracey Walter, and many others co-star in this film.  This is more of a character driven story of struggle, jealousy, envy, to name a few.  In some ways the cinematography from Stephen H. Burum got to be the star of this movie as well.  This is available to watch on Peacock.

The King (2017):  This is one of two documentaries featured tor this week.  Eugene Jarecki directed this documentary that takes a look at the legacy and the effects that Elvis Presley has had through the years on society and the American Dream.  This has interviews with James Carville, Chuck D, Ethan Hawke, Emmylou Harris, Mike Myers, Alec Baldwin, Ashton Kutcher, and many others get interviewed for this documentary.  Others being interviewed are people who knew him or those that lived near him.  Keep in mind, this is not really a biographical look at Elvis but more of an analysis of Elvis and society in general.  This is available to watch on Prime with a subscription to Curiosity Stream and can be watched for free on Pluto TV.  

The King of Staten Island (2020):  I follow up with another king which was directed by Judd Apatow.  Pete Davison stars as Scott Carlin who has not really adjusted to life after his firefight father died.  He spends most of his days smoking pot but also dreams of being a tattoo artist though has a hard time being able to do what must be done.  Marisa Tomei co-stars as Scott's mother who does not know what to do with her grown slacker son and Bel Powley stars as Scott's love interest Kelsey.  Bill Burr, Ricky Velez, Lou Wilson, Moises Arias, Carly Aquilino, Steve Buscemi, Maude Apatow, Pauline Chalamet, Giselle King, Lynne Koplitz, Joseph Paul Kennedy, Nina Hellman, Kevin Corrigan, Pamela Adlon, Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Smigel, and many others co-star in this film.  This is presented as a comedy and does have its funny moments but leans a lot toward the drama genre, maybe character study.  I was not sure what to expect or where this was going but I like where it went.  This was a moving story about a young man forced to try getting his life together.

Butterfly (1967):  This is my short film for the week which was directed by Shirley Clarke.  This is an experimental and abstract film protesting the Vietnam War.  This has a mother with her child along with Brahms' LULLABY along with gunshots.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Dragnet Girl (1933):  This is my Japanese film for the week which was directed by Yasujiro Ozu.  Kinuyo Tanaka stars as Tokiko whose boyfriend Joji is a washed-up boxer turned gangster.  Joji is looking for redemption through a sister of an up and coming gangster but Tokiko is not having it.  This is a silent film as Japan had not made the full transition to sound route as early as we did in the United States.  This is still a very compelling story to watch and is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Alice in Wonderland (1951):  Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske directed this Disney adaptation to the Lewis Carroll novel that also looks at ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS.  Alice, voiced by Kathryn Beaumont, who just can't sit still having stories read to her and encounters a white rabbit, voiced by Bill Thompson, and follows him down a rabbit hole where she encounters a lot of interesting characters along the way.  Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, Jerry Colonna, Verna Felton, J. Pat O'Malley, and many others lend their voice to this Disney classic.  This is a pretty fun adaptation of the classic story with some really good animation.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Loving Pablo (2017):  Fernando Leon de Aranoa directed this biopic based on the book Virginia Vallejo, played by Penelop Cruz.  Vallejo is a journalist and strikes up a relationship with infamous drug dealer Pablo Escobar, played by Javier Bardem.  She starts out on cloud nine but as time goes on, she sees him more for the violent person that is and works with the DEA to bring him down lead by Shepard, played by Peter Sarsgaard.  Julieth Restrepo, Oscar Jaenada, Fredy Yate, Ricardo Nino, and many others co-star in this biopic.  This is taken from Vallejo's point of view.  Bardem had declined past offers to play Escobar but finally liked this one as he was portrayed as human this time instead of a black and white drug dealer.  Vallejo has said she liked Cruz's portrayal of her.  

Weekend (1967):  This is my French film for the week which was directed by Jean-Luc Godard.  Jean Yanne and Mireille Darc star as married couple Roland and Corinne Durand who take a weekend trip to see the Corinne's parents.  Things take a turn for the worst as they run into a lot really bizarre situations.  This is a surrealistic film and is really difficult to explain this movie beyond the words bizarre and violent.  It is also not for everyone but sure has its audience.  This is available to watch on HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.

Blithe Spirit (1945):  David Lean directed this comedy based on the Noel Coward.  Rex Harrison and Constance Cummings star as married couple Charles and Ruth Condomine who arrange for the local mystic Madame Arcati, played by Margaret Rutherford, to give a seance.  The side effect is that Charles's late first wife Elvira, played by Kay Hammond, returns from beyond the grave making things difficult for the couple.  Hugh Wakefield, Joyce Carey, Jacqueline Clark, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty funny movie of the supernatural and the world of ghosts.  This is a good trio with Hammond looking good as a ghost.  This is also available on both HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.

Of Fathers and Sons (2017):  I end the movie with the second of my two documentaries.  Talal Derki directed this documentary and went quite to the extremes to get it made.  He returned to his homeland in Syria where he gains the trust of a radical Islamist family that is part of the terrorist organization the Al-Nusra Front.  It is mostly a movie where the cameras are going and we witness a family of terrorists where the children are also being trained.  This is hard to watch sometimes but is a very interesting look where no sides are really taken.  

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, Annette Bening, Toni Collette, Laurence Olivier, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 856th Edition

Welcome to the 856th Edition of my series.  It's been great seeing this warmer weather lately.  That's about all I really have today so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.

Guarding Tess (1994):  This is part seven of my Nicolas Cage series which I believe will be a 10 part series.  Hugh Wilson wrote and directed this comedy though has a pretty serious climax.  Nicolas Cage stars as secret service agent Doug Chesnic who continues to be assigned to widowed former first lady Tess Carlisle, played by Shirley MacLaine, much to his dismay.  Doug finds Tess to be very difficult to deal with and they must both learn how to tolerate one another.  Austin Pendleton, Edward Albert, James Rebhorn, Richard Griffiths, John Roselius, David Graf, Don Yesso, Noble Willingham, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a pretty fun movie with Cage and MacLaine making a really good duo.  As I said before, this has a lot of comedic moments along with a more serious climax.  

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2017):  Dallas Jenkins directed this movie which was written by Andrea Gyertson Nasfell.  Brett Dalton stars as washed up former child star Gavin Stone who gets carried away one night and must do community service.  He is assigned to a megachurch for community service ran by Pastor Allan Richardson, played by D.B. Sweeney, whose daughter Kelly, played by Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, is directing the annual passion play.  Gavin decides to pretend to be a Christian for an opportunity to act.  WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, Neil Flynn, Tim Frank, William Matthews, Kirk B.R. Woller, Christopher Maleki, Allie Long, and many others co-star in this Christian film.  This was also produced by WWE Films and is a Christian oriented movie but I don't feel it was real heavy-handed about it.  It was more about a man trying to get his life together and has a good message about commitment.  There is also the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels so who would want to miss out on that?  This is available to watch on Netflix.

Motherless Brooklyn (2019):  Edward Norton directed this film that is based on the novel by Jonathan Lethem.  Norton also stars as private detective Lionel Essrog who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome and looks to solve the murder of his mentor and friend Frank Minna, played by Bruce Willis.  He learns that he is weaving a web of deception as he gets closer to the murderer.  Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Suplee, Cherry Jones, Bobby Cannavale, Dallas Roberts, Josh Pais, Michael Kenneth Williams, Leslie Mann, and many others co-star.  This takes place around the '50s and Tourettes might not have been out yet as the syndrome is more implied.  Norton played the part well and met up with many members of Tourette's Association of America to prepare for the role.  

Of Thee I Sting (1946):  This is my animated short for the week which is for Looney Tunes.  This is a WWII spoof which looks at an army which consists of mosquitos as they prepare for attack.  As always, Mel Blanc provides his voice.  This is a much different animated short and is pretty funny.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Too Much Johnson (1938):  Orson Welles directed this silent comedy which is based on the play by William Gillette, yes you read that right about a silent comedy.  The basic storyline is a woman who has two lovers and one must chase the other.  Joseph Cotten, Edgar Barrier, Arlene Francis, Ruth Ford, Mary Wickes, Eustace Wyatt, Orson Welles, and many others co-star.  Many say CITIZEN KANE was Welles' film debut but this came before.  Welles had trouble getting this film released and actually never got it finished in the way of editing.  It would become the lost film by Orson Welles.  It was never released until many years later.  This is mostly of interest for historical purposes.  Much could be implied by the title but I don't think it was anything extreme at this time.  This is available to watch on TUBI and Pluto TV.  

Dry Summer (1963):  Metin Erksan directed this Turkish film.  A farmer named Osman, played by Erol Tas, who claims to own the water in the village and manages to block it from others but is met with a violent dispute among the villagers.  Osman does what he can to get what he wants including using his own brother.  This is a very intense film that I could not take my eyes off of when watching.  This is considered a landmark film from Turkey and does hold up well.  This is one of Martin Scorsese's favorite movies.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Doctor Strange and the Multitude of Madness (2022):  Sam Raimi returns to the superhero genre in this latest from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  With this being rather freshly out, I will limit what I say about this film.  Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role of Doctor Strange which follow the events of SPIDER-MAN:  NO WAY HOME and deals further with the multiverse.  Elizabeth Olsen co-stars as Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch and kind of follows her events from WANDAVISION so would be a good watch before this one.  Benedict Wong also reprises his role of Wong and Xochitl Gomez debuts in the MCU as America Chavez who plays a very significant part.  I will just leave it at that.  I really enjoyed myself watching this entry.  I went out to the Alex Theater in Alexandria, Indiana for this first time and got to watch this for ten bucks which included the movie and popcorn so I feel I got my money's worth and was good to support a locally owned movie theater.

Julie (1956):  Andrew L. Stone wrote and directed this Film Noir.  Doris Day stars as Julie Benton who is now happily married until she sees her husband Lyle's, played by Louis Jourdan, dangerous behavior when getting jealous.  Julie's friend Cliff, played by Barry Sullivan, helps as much as he can but no one can prove anything for Lyle so the police are helpless as Julie tries to survive.  Frank Lovejoy, Jack Kelly, Ann Robinson, Barney Phillips, Jack Kruschen, John Gallaudet, Carleton Young, Hank Patterson, and many others co-star in this film.  This is another very intense film with Day more serious than usual.  This also leads to quite the climax in the airplane.  This is also available to watch on the Criterion Channel.   

Trick Baby (1972):  Larry Yust directed this crime film based on the novel by Robert Beck.  Kiel Martin and Mel Stewart star as Philadelphia con men White Folks and Blue Howard who use their opposite race as part of the con.  Things get crazy and they don't know who to trust including each other.  Vernee Watson, Don Fellows, Ted Lange, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a gritty look at the Philadelphia scene in this era.  This has gone onto be a rather underrated con film with Martin and Stewart making a good con duo.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019):  I end the week with this French film that was written and directed Celine Sciamma.  This takes place at the end of the 18th century where Noeme Merlant staras as painter Marianne who is obliged to do a painting of Heloise, played by Adele Haenel, before her wedding.  Heloise is not happy about what is essentially a forced engagment.  As Marianne and Heloise get to know each other, the more intimate things become.  Luana Bajrami, Valeria Golino, Armande Bouanger, and many others co-star in this film.  This is wonderfully acted and shot really well where each scene is like a painting.  This is essentially an arthouse film which may not be for everyone.  This is also a pretty moving film with a lot of emotional depth.  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 Nicolas Cage, Marisa Tomei, Penelope Cruz, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 855th Edition

Welcome to the 855th Edition of my series.  I will start by saying Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there whether a mom to a human, animal, or an alien.  I don't really have much else going on right now so I will just get to the selections.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022):  This is part six of my Nicholas Cage series where Cage plays the struggling actor Nick Cage.  Tom Gormican directed and co-wrote this comedy that parodies Nicolas Cage and even some of his iconic characters.  Pedro Pascal co-stars as cage's superfan Javi Gutierrez who leads a very dangerous life.  Cage is also recruited by CIA operative Vivian, played by Tiffany Haddish, and is in for a very action packed adventure.  Sharon Horgan, Paco Leon, Neil Patrick Harris, Lily Sheen, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Katrin Vankova, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This was nothing short of lots of fun and laughs.  I admit I am a bit of a sucker actors parodying themselves like Bruce Campbell in MY NAME IS BRUCE, Jean Claude Van Damme in JCVD, and even Michael Bolton in the Netflix special MICHAEL BOLTON'S BIG, SEXY, VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL.  Nicolas Cage plays himself to perfection and is a great script.  I also feel there was a certain statement being made by Cage in this movie.  This was worth the trip to the movie theaters.

Mallrats (1995):  I follow up with some more comedy that was written and directed by Kevin Smith.  Jeremy London and Jason Lee star as TS and Brodie whose girlfriends Brandi and Rene, played by Claire Forlani and Shannen Doherty, dump them for different reasons.  The guys turn to the mall to seek refuge and with the help of some of their friends including our heroes Jay and Silent Bob, played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, they set out to win their girls back.  Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Renee Humphrey, Ethan Suplee, Priscilla Barnes, Brian O'Halloran, Sven-Ole Thorsen, and Stan Lee himself co-star in this comedy.  This is Smith's follow-up from CLERKS and inter-connects a little bit.  This is also very raunchy like his first movie.  This is very fun if you don't offend easy.

Queen and Slim (2019):  Now I get more serious with this film which was directed by Melina Matsoukas.  Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith star as Slim and Queen who go on a first date together.  Things take an unexpected turn when they get pulled over and the police officer goes too far resulting in Slim killing the officer.  Queen feels they have no choice but to run and go viral when the video gets put out.  Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny, Flea, Sturgill Simpson, Indya Moore, Benito Martinez, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Bryant Tardy, and many others co-star in this film.  This will really get you thinking and can spark quite a discussion.  This came out at a really good time with the Black Lives Matter movement.  I also believe that every police officer should watch this.  This is not an easy watch but an important one.  This is available to watch on FXNOW.

How to Sleep (1935):  This is my comedy short for the week which is a Robert Benchley short.  Benchley is a lecturer to talks about the stages of sleep while struggling for his own sleep.  This was a pretty funny few minutes.  Robert Benchley did a long series of comedy shorts from this era.  This is on the dvd for A NIGHT AT THE OPERA which was featured last week.

Tobacco Road (1941):  John Ford directed this comedy/drama that is based on the novel by Erskine Caldwell and the play by Jack Kirkland.  Charley Grapewin stars as Jeeter who struggles to make it in rural Georgia and whose family farm is being threatened by a local bank.  Marjorie Rambeau co-stars as his wife Bessie and Gene Tierney and William Tracy co-star as their kids Ellie May and Dude.  Elizabeth Patterson, Dana Andrews, Slim Summerville, Ward Bond, Grant Mitchell, Zeffie Tilbury, Irving Bacon, and many others co-star in this film.  This is hillbilly life to the core and probably perpetuates about every stereotype.  Tracy seems to define over the top in his role as Dude and is intriguing to watch.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967):  This is my homage to the late Robert Morse who recently left us.  David Swift directed this movie adaptation on the popular musical by Frank Loesser.  Morse stars as window washer J. Pierrepont Finch who reads the book of the title and looks to move up in the corporate world of where he works.  Michelle Lee, Rudy Vallee, Anthony Teague, Maureen Arthur, Carol Worthington, Ruth Kobart, Jeff DeBenning, Robert Q. Lewis, Paul Hartman, Dan Tobin, John Holland, Justin Smith, Murray Matheson, and many others co-star in this musical.  Morse is a lot of fun as Finch and is a good movie adaptation.  Many years later, Daniel Radcliffe would play the role of Finch on stage.  This might also be a good double feature to go along with THE HUDSUCKER PROXY.  This is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto TV so go get your musical fix for free.

At Any Price (2012):  Ramin Bahrani directed and co-wrote this film.  Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron star as father and son duo Henry and Dean.  Henry runs a shady agricultural business and wants nothing more than his son to follow in his footsteps.  However, Dean dreams of being a professional race car driver.  The business is threatened by scandal.  Kim Dickens, Heather Graham, John Hoogenakker, Dan Waller, Maika Monroe, Clancy Brown, Ben Marten, ChelcieRoss, and many others co-star in this character driven film.  Quaid and Efron are a good father and son.  It is not always easy to watch but is a pretty compelling film.  This is also the last movie that Roger Ebert gave four stars.  

Lilies of the Field (1963): Ralph Nelson directed this film based on the novel by William E. Barrett.  Sidney Poitier stars as travelling handyman Homer Smith who comes across a group of East European Catholic nuns.  Mother Maria, played by Lilia Skala, believes that Homer is the answer to their prayers and that Homer was sent from God to build a chapel.  Homer tries to get away but continues to be compelled to stay.  Franchesca Jarvis, Stanley Adams, Dan Frazer, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty touching film with a good performance out of Poirtier.  This is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto Tv.

The Man I Love (1946):  Raoul Walsh directed this film based on the novel by Maritta M. Wolff.  Ida Lupino stars as Petey Brown who comes to visit her family and lands a job at small time hood Nicky Toresca's, played by Robert Alda.  While there, she falls in love with down and out ex-jazz pianist San Thomas, played by Bruce Bennett, but has other issues with her siblings and Toresca and has a choice to make.  Andrea King, Martha Vickers, Alan Hale, Delores Moran, John Ridgely, Don McGuire, Warren Douglas, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty intense and dark film with Lupino great as Petey.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Roma (2018):  I end the week with this film written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron.  This centers around a middle-class Mexican family in the '70s and mostly focuses on the maid Cleo, played by Yalitza Aparicio.  She works for Antonia and Sofia, played by Fernando Grediaga and Marina de Tavira, and takes care of their four children.  Things get complicated when Antonia leaves for his mistress and Cleo learns she is pregnant.  Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa, Nancy Garcia Garcia, Veronica Garcia, Jorge Antonio Guerrero, Latin Lover, and many others co-star in this film.  This is more of a character driven film and Cuaron was able to make it very watchable with his direction and cinematography.  Aparicio also does well carrying to story in the ups and downs of her employment.  This is available to watch on Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week.  Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Shirley MacLaine, Edward Norton, Orson Welles, Doris Day, and many others.