Welcome to the 924th Edition of my series. Hope everyone is doing well in these times. It has been great with the better weather, at least for me. I don't have much else happening right now so I'll just get on with my selections.
A Little White Lie (2023): This is part three of my possible five-part series for M. Emmet Walsh who recently left us. Michael Maren directed this comedy which is based on the book SHRIVER by Chris Belden. Kate Hudson stars as Simone Cleary who is a University employee who believes she has found a reclusive writer to deliver the keynote address to save the school's literary festival. It turns out she finds a handyman in Shriver, played by Michael Shannon, who shares the name of this person. MIAMI VICE alum Don Johnson, COBRA KAI star Peyton List, Wendie Malick, Zach Braff, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Jimmi Simpson, Perry Mattfeld, Kate Linder, Tiffany Bank, Romy Byrne, Mark Boone Junior, and many others co-star in this comedy. This is a pretty fun story and even has some light twists and turns to it. Shannon and Hudson work well together and the rest of the cast complements it. This is available to watch on Hulu.
Blue Bayou (2021): This is part two of my possible four-part Alicia Vikander series. Justin Chon wrote and directed this independent film. He also stars as Korean-American Antonio who struggles but has everything he wants with his wife Kathy, played by Vikander, and daughter Jessie, played by Sydney Kowalske. When some trouble happens, Antonio face possible deportation on account of a loophole for people who were adopted overseas. He must confront his past and resort to some extreme measures to pay for legal support. Mark O'Brien, Linh-Dan Pham, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Emory Cohen, Geraldine Singer, Toby Vitrano, and many others co-star in this film. This takes a look at the Child Citizenship of 2000 law that was passed and the flaws of it not addressing those that turned 18 before that year. This is a pretty moving film with a well-written script that show how one person's actions can effect someone for life. This is available to watch on Freevee.
Black Sun (2005): This is my documentary for the week which was directed by by Gary Tarn who also wrote the music. This takes a look at artist Hugues de Montalembert who was blinded in 1978 but would continue to make art. This is not a linear documentary taking a look at his life with people being interviewed and all that. This uses imagery with narration from Montalembert who talks about his life and what is it like being blind. It is hard to explain anything much further but was a good insight into a complex artist and one I knew nothing about until I watched this. This is available to watch on Tubi, the Roku Channel, and Plex.
Dumb-Hounded (1943): This is my animation short for the week which was directed by Tex Avery. This features Droopy the dog that is after the Wolf who has escaped from prison. The wolf things he is one step ahead but underestimates the hound dog. This is the first appearance of the character Droopy who was created by Hanna-Barbara. This can be found on Vimeo.
Sinners in Paradise (1938): James Whale directed this adventure romance film. A plane headed to China crash lands on an isolated island headed by a man named Jim Taylor, played by John Boles, who seems content on the island and reluctant to help the others. Madge Evans stars as Anne Wesson who is a nurse escaping a loveless marriage and hoping to do work for refugees. Bruce Cabot, Marion Martin, Gene Lockhart, Charlotte Wynters, Nana Bryant, Milburn Stone, Don "Red" Barry, Morgan Conway, Willie Fung, and many others co-star in this film. I suppose thi could be referred to as an early GILLIGAN'S ISLAND and maybe LOST. This is a pretty fun adventure film from this era and something different for James Whale is most likely for directing the 1931 version of FRANKENSTEIN. This is available to watch on Prime, Tubi, and MGM +.
It's Good to be Alive (1974): This is part three of my possible four-part series on Louis Gossett Jr. who recently left us. Michael Landon directed this tv movie which is based on the book by Roy Campanella. Paul Winfield stars as baseball legend Roy Campanella who had a really good career going in the negro leagues and managed to transition to the major leagues as part of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Unfortunately, his career would be cut short due to a car accident and would be confined to a wheelchair the remainder of his life. Gossett co-stars as his therapist Sam Brockington who tries to help Campanella in his upper strength and give him a better lease on life. Ruby Dee, Ramon Bieri, Joe De Santis, Ty Henderson, Julian Burton, and many others co-star in this biopic. Campanella has been a bit forgotten through the years but is said to have been the best catcher of all time. This mostly focuses on Campanella adjusting to his paralysis and the relationship with Brockington. This is available to watch on Tubi and the Roku Channel.
Osama (2003): Siddiq Barmak directed this Afghan film. This takes place in Afghanistan where the Taliban has risen to power where women are unable to work. Marina Golbhari stars as a young girl whose family consists of her mother and grandmother. To support her family, she must pose as a boy and hope to not get caught by the Taliban. There is a lot of significance to this film as it is the first movie to be made in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban. This is not an easy movie to watch but it has a lot of value and deserves a look. This is available to watch on Prime and MGM+.
Pushover (1954): Richard Quine directed this Film Noir which is based on a novels by Thomas Walsh and Bill Ballinger. Fred MacMurray stars as Detective Paul Sheridan who is going undercover who is out to investigate a bank heist. He soon meets Lona McLane who is the girlfriend of one of the robbers when learning that Sheridan is a cop, she seduces him into a big money scheme. Philip Carey, Dorothy Malone, E.G. Marshall, and many others co-star in this Film Noir. This is Novak's first credited role and gets to start quite a career. MacMurray plays a rather similar role in the classic DOUBLE INDEMNITY in terms of being corrupted by money. This is a very intriguing film and the extreme measures required for the heist were very well done. This could be a good double feature to go along with DOUBLE INDEMNITY.
The Swimmer (1968): Frank Perry directed this film that is based on a story by John Cheever that was published in the New Yorker. Burt Lancaster stars as Ned Merrill who returns to his suburban neighborhood at a friend's pool. He then gets the idea that many others are having a pool party so that he can make his way to each pool. The more pools that Ned gets to, the more we learn how unstable Ned really is. Janet Landgard, Janice Rule, Marge Champion, Kim Hunter, Charles Drake, Bernie Hamilton, House Jameson, and many others co-star in this film. Lancaster felt this was his best movie and cites it as his favorite. It goes a lot deeper than just someone that is a swimmer and is a rather depressing odyssey. This is very intriguing and really deserves a look. This is available to watch on Prime.
Nick Knight (1989): I am going to see Rick Springfield on Friday at the Brown County Music Center so I thought I'd just include him in this edition. Farhad Mann directed this tv movie. Springfield stars as the title character Nick Knight who is a detective and he is also a vampire. A series of murders point to his make La Croix, played by Michael Nader. In the process, Knight is looking to cure his vampirism to become human again and atone for his past sins. John Kapelos, Robert Harper, Richard Fancy, Laura Johnson, Craig Richard Nelson, Fran Ryan, Cec Verrell, Jack Murdock, and many others co-star in this movie. This is technically a pilot for a tv series which did not get off the ground until 1992 and would be renamed FOREVER KNIGHT. Most of this cast would be recast with the exception of John Kapelos who plays Nick's partner Don Schanke. I have seen most of that series and this movie was still quite enjoyable that combines the detective and vampire world. I was able to find this on Youtube.
Well, that is it for this week but reading for my new series "Movie Time with the Dad". Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks which so far includes Louis Gossett Jr., Alicia Vikander, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sidney Poitier, and many others.
MOVIE TIME WITH THE DAD
I spend last weekend at my Dad's house so I decided to make a category of what we watched. My dad does not like his photo being shows so I used the photo of his favorite chair.
All Things Must Pass (2015): Dad was on his Youtube TV app and looking through his recorded movies deciding upon this documentary. Colin Hanks directed this documentary which takes a look at the rise and fall of Tower Records. This includes a lot of interviews including Russ Solomon who changed record stores and it also helped the careers of many. Heidi Cotler, David Geffen, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Elton John, and many others interview about their times. I don't think I ever made it into one of these myself but it looked like a great place to work. This is a very well done documentary and I'm sure many felt a sense of nostalgia when watching it. This is available to watch on Peacock, Freevee, Tubi, Pluto TV, and many other streaming apps.
One False Move (1991): When I witnessed Dad coming across this one, I insisted we check this out. Carl Franklin directed this independent action film. Bill Paxton co-stars as the overzealous small-town police chief Hurricane Dixon who is informed by the FBI that a group of criminals might be coming to his town. Billy Bob Thornton co-stars as Ray Malcolm who is one of the criminals on the run along with his girlfriend Fantasia, played by Cynda Williams, and their accomplice Pluto, played by Michael Beach. Jim Metzler, Earl Billings, Natalie Canerday, Robert Ginnaven, Kevin Hunter, and many others co-star in this independent film. This is a very intense film that is full of secrets and I realize I have a lot of rather dark selections. Williams is someone who is from my town of Muncie and I have had the pleasure of meeting her on a handful of occasions. This is a very well written script which is driven by its cast. This is available to watch on Pluto TV.
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