Welcome to the 920th edition of my series. While THE INVISIBLE MAN: A LIVE RADIO PLAY came to an end, I am now in rehearsals for my second round of RADIUM GIRLS at the Elwood Opera House in Elwood, Indiana. Last year, I was in the production in Anderson. Next weekend is Easter weekend so I hope everyone has a good holiday however celebrated. I will be at the Squared Circle Expo wrestling convention on Friday and Saturday so I am excited for that one. I don't have much else happening so I'll just shut up and get on with my selections for the week.
One Life (2023): This was the result of me going to AMC Screen Unseen and this was the mystery film. James Hawes directed this WWII drama which was based on the book IF IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE: THE LIFE OF SIR NICHOLAS WINTON by Barbara Winton, played by Lena Olin. Anthony Hopkins star as Nicky Winton whose wife wrote the book in the modern era while Johnny Flynn plays him in the WWII era. Winton was a young broker in the months leading up to WWII Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. While there, he found there were families that fled from the Nazis and with the help of a team around him, he would help get children out. Helena Bonham Carter co-stars as Nicky's mother in the earlier era who would help him in his cause. Tim Steed, Matilda Thorpe, Daniel Brown, Alex Sharp, Jiri Simek, Romola Garai, Jonathan Pryce, and many others co-star in this film. I was pleasantly surprised with this selection. This is a very beautiful and moving film about doing what is right. This is one that deserves a look in the theaters and has a wider release now.
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall (2017): Shawn Christensen directed and co-wrote this mystery film. Logan Lerman stars as Sidney Hall who we get to see in different eras. Sidney writes a novel that becomes an unexpected success and would disappear for years. Elle Fanning co-stars as Sidney's love interest Melody. Kyle Chandler, Michelle Monaghan, Blake Jenner, Nathan Lane, Margaret Qualley, Yahya Abdule-Mateen II, Tim Blake Nelson, Janina Gavankar, Darren Pettie, Alex Karpovsky, Michael Chen, Avery Whitted, Ariane Rinehart, Sean Cullen, and many others co-star in this film. This movie does a lot of jumping but is not too hard to follow with everything coming into place. There is a lot to follow and if I say anything else, I'm just going to likely spoil it. This is available to watch on Prime with a subscription to Cinemax.
Woman Walks Ahead (2017): Susanna White directed this historical western drama. Jessica Chastain stars as widowed painter Catherine Weldon from Brooklyn and goes to the Dakotas in hopes of doing painting a portrait of Sitting Bull, played by Michael Greyeyes. While there, Catherine gets a very hostile reception by the military there including Silas Groves, played by Sam Rockwell. She also forms a bond with Sitting Bull and becomes embroiled in the Lakota peoples' struggle over their rights to the land. Louisa Krause, Ciaran Hinds, Chaske Spencer, Monika Crowfoot, David Midthunder, Bill Camp, and many others co-star in this historical drama. Greyeyes plays Sitting Bull very well in this dramatization of this part of his life. This is a really story with great scenery and is worth a look. This is available to watch on Prime with a subscription to Cinemax.
Voyage to the Sky (1937): This is my educational French short film for the week which was directed by A.P. Dufour and Jean Painleve. This is a documentary short that takes a look at our universe. They start with our own Earth and to the further limits to our universe. This is a bit dated but still very interesting and worth about ten minutes of your time. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Invisible Woman (1940): A. Edward Sutherland directed this Universal sequel that is more of a sci-fi comedy than a horror film. Virginia Bruce stars as model Kitty Carroll who answers an ad for the eccentric Professor Gibbs, played by John Barrymore, to essentially become a guinea pig for his invisibility machine. Kitty has her own ulterior motives like getting back at her unfriendly employer. John Howard co-stars as Richard Russell who is more of a benefactor for Gibbs and becomes Kitty's love interest. Charles Ruggles, Oscar Homolka, Edward Brophy, Donald MacBride, Margaret Hamilton, Shemp Howard, Anne Nagel, Kathryn Adams, Maria Montez, CHarles Lane, and many others co-star in this comedy. Shemp Howard was known for his role as "the Third Stooge" in the THREE STOOGES. This is the third in Universal's THE INVISIBLE MAN series. This was meant to be more fun and it really was a lot of fun. Barrymore was also very enjoyable in his comedic role as a scientist. This is part of the boxed set for THE INVISIBLE MAN.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964): Stanley Kubrick directed and co-wrote this very dark comedy. Sterling Hayden stars as General Jack D. Ripper who is very paranoid and makes unauthorized orders for a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Peter Sellers co-stars in three roles including President Muffley, Captain Mandrake, and the crazed title character Dr. Strangelove. President Muffley tries to work with his staff to prevent nuclear war. George C. Scott, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, Peter Bull, James Earl Jones, Peter Bull, Tracy Reed, Jack Creley, and many others co-star in this dark comedy. This has a lot of very iconic moments and a very memorable performance from Sellers in his three roles. We get everything from not being allowed to fight in a war room, owing Coke products, some great George C. Scott Rants, and many other things. This is available to watch on Max.
Mamma Mia! (2008): This is part five of my five-part Amanda Seyfried series. Phyllida Lloyd directed this Musical which uses the music of Abba. Seyfried stars as bride-to-be Sophie who really wants to have her father in the wedding but does not know for sure who is her father. She knows it is one of three people so she invites these three people which include Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, and Colin Firth and to her surprise they all answer the invitations leading to complications. Meryl Streep co-stars as Sophie's mother who cannot believe she is seeing three of her past flames. Heather Emmanuelle, Rachel McDowall, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Ricardo Montez, Mia Soteriou, Enzo Squillino Jr, Dominic Cooper, Philip Michael, and many others co-star in this musical. This has become a very popular musical to be done and is enjoyed by many. If you just absolutely hate Abba they I guess this is not for you. The numbers were arranged very well and the cast does a really good job. If you're looking for an upbeat and feel good movie to see, this would be a very good choice. This is available to watch on Netflix.
The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956): Raoul Walsh directed this drama which is based on the novel by William Bradford Huie. Jane Russell stars as Mamie Stover who is a San Franciscan prostitute being run out and settles in Hawaii. She hopes to start a new life but can never fully get out of her previous life. She forms a relationship with writer Jim Blair, played by Richard Egan, and while they fall in love, Jim is called into the military complicating their relationship. Joan Leslie, Agnes Moorehead, Joan Leslie, Agnes Moorehead, Jorja Curtright, Michael Pate, Richard Coogan, Alan Reed, Eddie Firestone, Jean Willes, and many others co-star in this movie. This is a pretty decent movie that takes place during the backdrop of Pearl Harbor. With all the standards at the time, apparently this had to be toned down. Jane Russell still satisfies either way as the title character. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The End (1978): Burt Reynolds directed this dark comedy. He also stars as Wendell who is given a few months to life. He decides that he just wants to go and tries to attempt suicide which always goes awry. Dom DeLuise co-stars as mental patient Marlon Borunki who tries to assist Wendell in his attempts and is the most comedic in this movie. Strother Martin, Sally Field, David Steinberg, Joanne Woodward, Norman Fell, Myrna Loy, Kristy McNichol, Pat O'Brien, Robby Benson, Carl Reiner, and many others co-star in this comedy. I had not heard of this movie until I came across it. Once I found it, the movie did catch my interest and was quite intrigued by the plot. It is not quite as bleak as it seems and did move in some ways in my opinion. This is some more unknown early Reynolds and does deserve a look. This is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto TV.
The Equalizer (2014): This is part five of my five-part Denzel Washington series. Antoine Fuqua directed this updated movie to the popular '80s tv series. Washington stars as Robert McCall who is trying to lead a much simpler life than the one he had before. He spends a lot of time at an evening cafe reading books and observes a young girl named Teri, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, who he sees is in danger with a group of Russian gangsters prompting him to go back to his old, violent ways. Marton Csokas, David Harbour, Haley Bennett, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, David Meunier, Johnny Skourtis, Alex Veadov, Vladimir Kulich, and many others co-star in this action film. I might have seen an episode or two of the series so I can't make a judgment in that regard. I thought this did have a really good story and some good interaction between Washington and Moretz. This is also Washington's first series of films having this be the first of a trilogy. This is available to watch on the NBC app.
Well, that is it for this week but I am bringing back my "Tube Time" segment. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks which so far includes Margot Robbie, Robin Wright, Betty White, Burt Reynolds, Annold Schwarzenegger, Glenn Close, and many others.
TUBE TIME
I Am Groot (2022-2023): This is where I am right now in my Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline binge. Vin Diesel reprises his role as the voice of the humanoid tree Groot of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He is in baby form and is still trying to learn the world. Bradley Cooper makes a guest appearance as the voice of Rocket. Fred Tatasciore, Terri Douglas, Kaitlyn Robrock, James Gunn, Bob Bergen, Jeffrey Wright, Trevor Devall, Dee Bradley Baker, Scott Menville, Kari Wahlgren, and Matthew Wood provide their voice in this series.. This is just a series of shorts that last maybe 3-5 minutes and there are 10 episodes in total so it does not take that long to get through. They are pretty humorous and this is available to watch on Disney Plus. To those that want to do a timeline binge of the MCU, here is the link that does a really good job of updating on https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a825774/marvel-cinematic-universe-in-chronological-order/
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