Welcome to the 902nd Edition of my series. I have started rehearsing for SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS. It is good to be going back to all-out villainy as I play the character Morris Wiggins. The dates of the show are on the bottom and I will get to my selections for the week.
E.T.: Extra Terrestrial (1982): I start the week out with this classic that was directed by Steven Spielberg. Henry Thomas stars as the 10 year old Elliott who meets and befriends a friendly alien. A young Drew Barrymore co-stars as Elliott's little sister Gertie. The kids do what they can to help E.T. get back to his planet. Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, K.C. Martel, Sean Frye, C. Thomas Howell, Erika Eleniak, and many others co-star in this film. I think just about everyone has seen this and I don't need to explain much more. I saw an outside viewing in my town and was great to watch it in this way. There are all kinds of iconic scenes and lines. I also loved the Comcast commercial where Henry Thomas reprises his role of Elliott who now has a wife and children of his own and reunites with E.T. This is a very moving film that in some ways is about friendship and maybe not fearing the unknown so much. I suppose with what people are saying these days that this film is now more relevant that ever.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006): This is part three of my Alan Arkin trilogy. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris co-directed this road trip comedy. This centers around the Hoover family lead by married couple Richard and Sheryl Hoover, played by Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette. Sheryl must take in her suicidal brother Frank, played by Steve Carrell. Their son Dwayne, played by Paul Dano, dreams of being a jet pilot and is taking a vow of silence. Arkin co-stars as Richard's raunchy father who is helping his granddaughter Oliver, played by Abigail Breslin, with a dance routine for the upcoming Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. After she learns that she has been chosen, the family set out to go from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, California even if they have a very unreliable vehicle and are not in the best financial situation. Jill Talley, Justin Shilton, Gordan Thomson, Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, Beth Grant, and many others co-star in this comedy. This is a very fun road trip with flawed but likable characters. It is a great look at a rather dysfunctional family all coming together. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Race (2016): Stephen Hopkins directed this sports biopic. Stephan James stars as 1930s athlete Jesse Owens who would excel in track and field and become the first of his family to go to college. First having to deal with segregation, Jesse attends Ohio State where the more open-minded track and field coach Larry Snyder, played by Jason Sudeikis, is impressed by his ability to the point Snyder believes he can get Owens to the Olympics in Berlin. Berlin was run by Hitler at the time and Owens has even more to deal with but most know the story. Eli Goree, Shanice Banton, Carice van Houten, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt, David Kross, Jonathan Higgans, Tony Curran, Amanda Crew, Barnaby Metschurat, Chantel Riley, Vlasta Vrana, Shamier Anderson, Jesse Bostick, Moe Jeudy-Lamour, and many others co-star in this biopic. This is a good look at someone who had to deal with segregation and Nazi Germany where quite a statement was made when Owens won. This is available to watch on Netflix.
Tribute to the Teachers (1977): This is my documentary short for the week which was written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami. Kiarostami goes around in Iran to interview teachers and pay tribute to this timeless profession. Kiarostami would go onto have a good and long career with movies like CERTIFIED COPY, and THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES. This is about twenty minutes and is worth a look as this is pretty relevant today. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
For the Defense (1930): John Cromwell directed this legal film. William Powell stars as slick attorney William Foster who successfully manages to get criminals acquitted. He becomes romantically involved with Irene Manners, played by Kay Francis, who is two-timing him though wants to marry him. While driving with her other man Jack, played by Scott Kolk, she kills a man but Jack takes the blame where William must consider his ethics. William B. Davidson, Thomas E. Jackson, James Finlayson, Charles West, Bertram Marburgh, and many others co-star in this legal drama. This is loosely based on New York attorney William Fallon. Powell was perfect as the attorney and would be the third of six films with the duo of Powell and Francis. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Son of Dracula (1943): Robert Siodmak directed this entry into the Universal franchise. Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Count Alucard so just spell that backwards. Louise Allbritton co-stars as Katherine and fears death to the point that she wants Alucard's gift of eternal life but when it happens she wants rid of him. Frank Craven co-stars as Dr. Brewster, the one person who sees the name of Alucard when spelled backwards. Robert Paige, Evelyn Ankers, J. Edward Bromberg, Samuel S. Hinds, Adeline De Walt Reynolds, Pat Moriarty, Etta McDaniel, George Irving, and many others co-star in this vampire film. As far as I know this is Chaney's only turn as Dracula and would go onto John Carradine in later films. McDaniel co-stars as a servant and is the older sister of Hattie McDaniel. This sequel stands on its own as it does have its own story. This is available to watch on Flex and Tubi.
Clerks III (2022): Kevin Smith wrote and directed this sequel to the 1994 film that started it all and its even more raunchier 2006 sequel. Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson reprise their roles of convenience store owners Dante and Randal. Randal survives a heart attack and wants to write a movie about the convenience store that started it all. Jason Mewes and Smith also reprise their roles of Jay and Silent Bob and help out with the movie. Trevor Fehrman, Amy Sedaris, Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Fred Armisen, Melissa Benoist, Danny Trejo, Ben Affleck, Ethan Suplee, Freddie Prinze Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, Bobby Moynihan, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Kate Micucci, Harley Quinn Smith, and many others co-star or have cameos. I'm not even going to try to say this is better than the first two and maybe I'm just a sucker for nostalgia. I still thought there were plenty of funny moments and played a good homage to the rest of the franchise. I would get familiar with the first two though before seeing this one. This is available to watch on STARZ.
The Philanthropist (1975): Stuart Burge directed this tv movie that is based on the play by Christopher Hampton. Ronald Pickup stars as philologist Philip who along with his wife Celia and their circle of friends discuss forms of love, playwriting, and many other things. James Bolam, Charles Gray, and Jacqueline Pearce also co-star in this film. It is hard to really describe this one. It is mostly filmed in the apartment like a play. It is of interest to see a young Helen Mirren. This was a play in 1971 and was nominated for a Tony Award for best play.
Night and the City (1950): Jules Dassin directed this Film Noir based on a novel by Gerald Kersh, more on that later. Richard Widmark stars as Harry Fabian who is a small-time grifter always looking for that big score. When at a wrestling show, he meets famous wrestler Gregorius, played by real-life wrestling legend Stanislaus Zbyszko, and believes he can hit the big time as a wrestling promoter. He attempts to con everyone around him and leads himself into trouble. Gene Tierney co-stars as Mary Bristol who is Harry's love interest but has trouble with his conning ways. Googie Withers, Hugh Marlowe, Francis L. Sullivan, Herbert Lom, Mike Mazurski, Charles Ferrell, Ada Reeve, Charles Farrell, and many others co-star in this film. Dassin was in the process of being blacklisted at the time so he had to get this movie made as soon as possible and never read the actual book so he mostly wrote his own story. Zbyszko was a much earlier professional wrestler as he retired in 1934 and had a great acting turn but this would be his only film. This is also a good look at wrestling from this era. Accurate to the book or not, this was a really compelling story that deserves a look. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop (2009): I end with this Hong Kong film which was directed by Yimou Zhang. Ni Dahong stars as noodle shop owner Wang whose wife, played by Ni Yan, is having an adulterous affair. Wang plays to murder his wife and her lover Li, played by Shenyang Xiao, but goes awry when double crosses happen. This has been described as a blend between thriller and screwball comedy. . It is also remake of the 1984 Coen Brothers film BLOOD SIMPLE. This does stand on its own and would make a good double feature.
Well, that is it for this week but continue on for my segment "Tube Time." Tell me what you like and stay tuned for the next two weeks which so far include Jet Li, Boris Karloff, Kristen Bell, Roger Corman, and many others.
TUBE TIME
With my decision to release these every two weeks instead of every week, I now have more time to watch tv shows so I will be having these every so often.
iZombie (2015-2019): Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright developed this CW series which is based on a Vertigo comics series of the same name by Chris Robinson and Michael Allred. Rose McIver stars as Liv Moore who dies and becomes a zombie. The zombie rules are a little different where zombies can funtion like humans if they eat brains. Liv conveniently takes a job at the morgue and gets help from medical examiner Ravi, played by Rahul Kohli, who is aware of Liv's condition. The brains have an interesting side effect where Liv retains the personality of the brain she is eating and also receives visions. With this ability, she helps Detective Clive Babineaux, played by Malcolm Goodwin, to help solve murders. Ali Michalka co-stars as Liv's best friend Peyton who works as the prosecutor and Robert Buckley co-stars as Major Lilywhite who is Liv's ex-fiance and is a very significant part of this show. David Anders co-stars as fellow zombie Blaine Debeers who is a more scheming zombie and the main antagonist of the series. Bryce Hodgson, Jessica Harmon, Robert Knepper, John Emmet Tracy, Jason Dohring, Kurt Evans, Nathan Barrett, Leanne Lapp, Tongayi Chirisa, Michah Steinke, Eddie Jemison, Daran Norris, Andre Tricoteux, Carrie Anne Fleming, Steven Weber, Ryan Jefferson Booth, Adam Greydon Reid, Emily Aneke, Ryan Beil, Jennifer Irwin, Molly Hagan, Sarah-Jane Redmond, Quinta Brunson, Francis Capra, Ken Marino, Patrick Gallagher, Enrico Colantoni, Devon Gummersall, Erica Luttrell, Skyler Day, Natalie Alyn Lind, Rachel Bloom, Christopher Lowell, Percy Daggs III, Rick Fox, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Andrea Brooks, Francoise Yip, and many others had a recurring role, a few episode stint or one episode. The Rob Thomas that helped develop the show is not the guy from Matchbox 20 though that Rob Thomas had an amusing cameo as himself. This was a show that really should not have been that good but really was good. McIver is perfect as Liv like showing her making a meal with a brain and the personality that she retains for a little bit. It was also a really good series about fearing the unknown and even a moving series at times. This had a little of everything and was five seasons long. This is available to watch on Netflix.
