Welcome to the 889th Edition of my series. I don't really have a lot to talk about right now so I'll just get on with my selections for teh week..
Heavenly Creatures (1994): This is part two of my possible six part Kate Winslet series. Peter Jackson directed this film that is based on a true story. Kate Winslet stars as English teen Juliet Hulme who is new to her school and befriends the more shy Pauline Parker, played by Melanie Lynskey. Together, they form quite the friendship and create their own fantasy world which concerns the adults around them which leads to violence. Sarah Peirse, Diana Kent, Clive Merrison, Simon O'Connor, Jed Brophy, Peter Elliott, Gilbert Goldie, Geoffrey Heath, Kirsti Ferry, Darien Takle, Elizabeth Moody, Liz Mullane. This is based on the Parker-Hulme murder case in 1954 which is a fascinating story in general. Winslet and Lynskey were a great duo and both make their film debuts so quite and argument can be made in a best debut discussion. It is also some early work for Jackson that deserves a look.
Stealing Cars (2015): Bradley Kaplan directed this film that takes a look at the juvenile detention system. Emory Cohen stars as Billy Wyatt who ends up in a juvenile detention camp after a number of crimes. While in there, he earns the respect of the inmates with his charisma and intelligence but not so much the guards. John Leguizamo, Paul Sparks, Heather Lind, Mike Epps, Al Calderon, Jeff Lima, Leopold Manswell, Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy, Grace Van Patten, Deema Aitken, Tariq Trotter, Chance Kelly, David H. Holmes, and many others co-star in this movie. This could be considered a juvenile COOL HAND LUKE which could be a good double feature. This is a pretty moving film that takes a look at the juvenile system and just about survival. It is also a good look at broken families as we learn more about Billy throughout the film.
The Pianist (2002): Roman Polanski directed this film that is based on the novel by Wladyslaw Szpilman, played by Adrien Brody. Szpilman was a Polish Jewish pianist struggling to survive in the Warsaw ghetto during WWII during the Nazi rule as he gets separated from his family. Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox, Michal Zebrowski, Ed Stoppard, Maureen Lipman, Jessica Kate Meyer, Julia Rayner, Wanja Mues, Richard Ridings, and many others co-star in this Holocaust drama. This is based on a true story and the climax with his encounter with the German officer has always stuck in my mind. Brody does very well as Szpilman and even learned the piano for the movie. This is not always easy to watch but is very rewarding if you can get through it. The actual Wladyslaw Szpilman died during pre-production of this film.
Fast and Furry-ous (1949): This is my animated short for the week which features the iconic duo of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. This is the introduction of this duo where Wile tries to catch Road Runner with all his Acme traps. This could also be a good psychological study where a good argument could be made that Road Runner is a figment of Wile's imagination. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Theodora Goes Wild (1936): Richard Boleslawski directed this screwball comedy. Irene Dunne stars as Theodora Lynn who is a respected member of a small town and tries to hide her identity after writing a racy novel under a pen name. Melvyn Douglas co-stars as Michael Grant who is Theodora's illustrator and takes a liking to her while also harboring his own secret. Thomas Mitchell, Thurston Hall, Elisabeth Risdon, Margaret McWade, Spring Byington, and many others co-star in this comedy. I suppose this would go into the "pre-code" category. This was the first comedy for Dunne as she had always been in dramas and transitioned well. This is a pretty fun movie from this era and delivers a lot of laughs. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Torn Curtain (1966): This is part one of a trilogy for Alfred Hitchcock and Paul Newman and as far as I know their only collaboration. Hitchcock directed this espionage film and Newman stars as Professor Michael Armstrong who is going to Denmark to attend a physics conference. Michael's assistant and fiancee Sarah, played by Julie Andrews, attends with him and fears he might be defecting to East Germany. Lila Kedrova, Hansjorg Felmy, Tamara Toumanova, Ludwig Donath, Wolfgang Kieling, and many others co-star in this film. It's unfortunate that Andrews likely gets overlooked in a discussion of Hitchcock women but she was one. This is by no means one of Hitch's top films but even so it is still very watchable though he apparently did not have a good working relationship with Newman.
Knock at the Cabin (2023): M. Night Shyamalan directed this horror mystery which is based on the novel THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay. Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge play the gay couple Eric and Andrew and are vacationing with their adopted daughter Wen, played by Kristen Cui. They are having a great time until a group of strangers lead by WWE Hall of Famer Dave Bautista and tell them they must do an unspeakable act to save the world from apocalypse. Rupert Grint, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, McKenna Kerrigan, Ian Merrill Peakes, and many others co-star in this horror film. I will start by saying that this is Shyamalan if that means anything. I think if I say much else I will give it away. It was good to see Grint playing a rugged and rough character with Bautista also doing well as a seemingly everyday guy and forced to resort to extreme measures. This is still in the movie theaters.
The Passionate Friends (1949): David Lean directed this romantic drama that is based on the novel by H.G. Wells. Ann Todd stars as Mary Justin who is the wife of banker Howard, played by Claude Rains. She reunites with her old flame Steven Stratton, played by Trevor Howard, who she was in love with but refused to marry feeling that just the love is not enough. They light the flame again and things get complicated. Betty Ann Davies, Isabel Dean, and many others co-star in this drama. This is a much different story by Wells who is usually known for his sci-fi. This is a very deep movie from this era and could be compared to Lean's BRIEF ENCOUNTER which has a similar premise of having an extramarital affair but is a very different story. This could be a good double feature. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Organization (1971): Don Medford directed this crime movie. Sidney Poitier reprises his iconic role of Virgil Tibbs in his third and final outing. A group of vigilantes enlist his help to expose a drug ring controlled by a big business. While reluctant to operate outside the law, Tibbs goes rogue to help clear them of a murder they did not commit. Barbara McNair, Gerald O'Loughlin, Sheree North, Fred Allen Garfield, Bernie Harrison, Graham Jarvis, Raul Julia, Ron O'Neal, James A. Watson Jr., Charles H. Gray, Jarion Monroe, Daniel Travanti, and many others co-star in this film. It was good to see Poitier once more as Mr. Tibbs and finds himself in a very gray area. Watching IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and THEY CALL ME MR.TIBBS might help but this movie stands on its own so it is not absolutely necessary.
Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001): I end the week with this Mexican film which was directed by Alfonso Cuaron and co-written with his brother Carlos Cuaron. Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna star as teen friends Julio and Tenoch who meet twenty-something Luisa Cortes, played by Maribel Verdu, and embark on quite the road trip. Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Veronica Langer, Maria Aura, Arturo Rios, Andres Almeida, Diana Bracho, Emilio Echevarria, Mara Aura, Juan Carlos Remolina, Silverio Palacios, and many others co-star in this film. This is a coming of age story more than anything. This is a very well directed and acted film that is driven by its script and actors. This is available to watch on AMC+ and IFC Films Unlimited.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks which so far includes Paul Newman, Kathy Bates, Jean Arthur, and many others.
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