Welcome to the 932nd edition of my series. This week is the start of the regular season for the NFL. I have my fantasy team together and I will be cheering on for the 49ers in hopes they will have another good year. I don't really have anything else going on at this time son on with my selections for the week.
The Next Karate Kid (1994): Christopher Cain directed this fourth installment of the franchise. Daniel LaRusso has likely grown up and maybe has his car company. Pat Morita reprises his iconic role of Mr. Miyagi and when visiting a widowed friend, he meets her granddaughter Julie Pierce, played by a young Hilary Swank. Julie is very angry, and bitter having lost her parents and not fitting in at school. Miyagi decides to take her in and teach her karate just like he did Daniel to help him to the right path in life. She must also deal with a group of bullies being led by the football coach Dugan, played by Michael Ironside, and headed by Ned, played by Michael Cavalieri, who is one of the players. Constance Towers, Chris Conrad, Arsenio Trinidad, Walton Goggins, Jim Ishida, Rodney Kageyama, Seth Sakai, and many others co-star in this movie. Okay, so this is probably unnecessary, but it was good to see a young Swank and Goggins before they became big. It would be good to see the character Julie Pierce in COBRA KAI but as far as I know that will not be happening, but the series is not over yet. Morita and Swank did have pretty good chemistry between each other to make it watchable. I supposed Ironside's character is the replacement for Kreese. This is available to watch on Netflix
That's Him (1918): This is my silent short comedy for the week. Gilbert Pratt directed this short which stars silent film legend Harold Lloyd. Lloyd has gotten married to Bebe Daniels and they are about to have a honeymoon but Lloyd loses the train tickets and he must go on a mad scramble to find them. Snub Pollard co-stars as a robber and sets up Lloyd for a robbery leading to the complications. This gave a warning beforehand that blackface makeup was being used which was by a train conductor. This has some pretty funny moments in it with Lloyd. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977): This is part four of my five-part Donald Sutherland series where like on the last edition, he has a cameo appearance. John Landis directed this experimental sketch comedy film which was written by the iconic trio of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. This has a series of highly irreverent skits with the main one being A FISTFUL OF YEN which parodies Bruce Lee mainly from ENTER THE DRAGON. Evan C. Kim, Bill Bixby, George Lazenby, Marilyn Joi, Marcy Goldman, Barry Dennen, Robert Starr, Henry Gibson, Rick Baker, Branscombe Richard, and many others co-star in this comedy. This led to a lot of future comedies from the director and writers including ANIMAL HOUSE the next year which Landis also directed. This was kind of a variety show which I suppose is similar to GRINDHOUSE in some ways. It is also very politically incorrect so if you offend easy, this might not be the one. This is available to watch on Prime, Peacock, Freevee, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, TUBI, and Shout Factory TV which requires a subscription through Prime.
As of Yet (2021): Taylor Garron and Chanel James directed this Covid film that Garron also wrote and even stars. When I say Covid film, it is not about the virus or anything like that. It is about the time were we were mostly in lockdown. Garron stars as Naomi who is trying to make the most of her life in these crazy times and we see her communicate with her friends and family as well as a possible relationship. Eva Victor, Amir Khan, Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Yedoye Travis, and many others co-star in this movie. I am sure many of us can relate to this film. It is actually quite engaging with Garron very charismatic in the lead as she makes the most of lockdown. Some of the best scenes are the communication with Naomi's roommates and their obvious disagreements.
12 Angry Men (1957): Sidney Lumet directed this film which is based on a teleplay by Reginald Rose. This centers around a jury who is to deliberate a verdict in a murder trial. While this seems like an open and shut case, juror #8, played by Henry Fonda, feels there is doubt and wants to discuss the trial while the eleven other jurors believe the defendant is guilty. Fonda then tries to convince the others of possible reasonable doubt and jurors 3, played by Lee J. Cobb, and 10, played by Ed Begley, prove to be the toughest to convince. Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Joseph Sweeney, George Voskovec, and Robert Webber play the other jurors. Having just done this show, I thought this was the right time to revisit this film. I had the honor of plays Cobb's role of juror #3 who is the angriest of all these jurors. Times were different in this era including a lot of smoking was going on in that jury room. This was a very intense film where it was felt. Lumet make his directorial debut in the way of a feature film and was hired by Fonda who was the producer of this movie. Fonda always regarded this as one of his favorite movies and it is ranked up really high as one of my favorite plays I have done. This also inspired a remake and tv shows to do episodes like this one. This is available to watch on TUBI.
Sheena (1984): John Guillermin directed this movie that is based on the comic series SHEENA: QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE by Will Eisner and Jerry Iger. CHARLIE'S ANGELS alum and Bond girl Tanya Roberts stars as Sheena who has been raised in the African jungles by the mystical Shaman, played by Elizabeth of Toro. A group of mercenary type people invade the island and Sheena must rely on her gifts of communicating with animals to protect her tribe. Ted Wass co-stars as reporter Vic Casey who is at first out for a story but finds there are more important things and helps Sheena in her fight. Donovan Scott, France Zobda, Clifton Jones, John Forgeham, Errol John, Bob Sherman, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Gant, Nick Brimble, and many others co-star in this movie. This is a lot of B-Movie fun where we get to see a lot of action and animals. This is a comic series that started in 1938 where I supposed this was the answer to a female version of Tarzan. It was a tv series in 1955 for abotu a year or so and no live action movie was ever made until this one. In the later years, they would develop another TV series that would star BAYWATCH babe Gena Lee Nolin. I feel we could have had some movie versions in the earlier years that maybe could starred Fay Wray and maybe even have a collaboration with Tarzan but that never happened. Also, according to the Ramones, Sheena is a punk rocker but we did not get to see that side of her in this movie or the later tv series. This is available to watch on Prime.
The Story of O (1975): Just Jaeckin directed this French film which is based on a novel by Dominique Aury who used the name Pauline Reage. I will start with the description on the Criterion Channel which says "Before the was 50 Shades of Gray, there was the Story of O" if that tells you anything. Corinne Clery stars as O who is a photographer and is taken to a chateau where she is subject to the world of bondage and more. Udo Kier, Anthony Steel, Jean Gaven, Christiane Minazzoli, Martine Kelly, and many others co-star in this very controversial film. This is not for everyone and I won't use words that will get me red flagged like the last time. It is a very interesting piece of arthouse cinema for those who are into that type of film. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel, Pluto TV, and CONtv which requires a subscription through Prime.
Knox Goes Away (2023): Michael Keaton directed this film which was written by Gregory Poirier. Keaton also stars as contract killer John "Aristotle" Knox who learns he is having a fast-moving form of dementia. When his son Miles, played by James Marsden is in some trouble, he does what he can with the time he has left before his dementia fully sets in to save him. Ray McKinnon, Paul Perri, Joanna Kulig, Edwin Garcia II, Nicole Reddinger, Suzy Nakamura, John Hoogenakker, Dennis Dugan, Charles Bisset, Lela Loren, Jay Paulson, Sasha Neboga, Al Pacino, and many others co-star in this action film. This is a very well done film with Keaton doing a really good job in front of and behind the camera. It is also a gritty but moving story that kept me engaged all the way through. This is available to watch on Max.
Desert Fury (1947): Lewis Allen directed this Film Noir which is based on the novel by Ramona Stewart. John Hodiak stars as gangster Eddie Bendix who has been suspected of murder and gets involved with the casino owner's daughter Paula, played by Lizabeth Scott. People around them do what they can to break them apart, all going through some rather extreme measures to do so. Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor, Kristine Miller, William Harrigan, James Flavin, Jane Novak, and many others co-star in this film. Corey makes his film debut as Johnny's henchman Eddie and their dynamic kind of remined me of Mr. Burns and Waylon Smithers on THE SIMPSONS if that means anything. This movie comes at you from many angles so this will require some attention. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Pecker (1998): John Waters wrote and directed this comedy and satire on fame. Edward Furlong stars as Baltimore teen Pecker who is also a photographer. When a New York art dealer named Rorey, played by Lili Taylor buys one of his photographs at a local art show and invites Pecker and his friends to an art gallery in New York City. When Pecker's newfound fame comes about, the lives of those around him become more difficult including his girlfriend Shelley, played by Christina Ricci. Mary Kay Place, Martha Plimpton, Bess Armstrong, Brendan Sexton III, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst, Jean Schertler, Lauren Hulsey, Mo Fischer, and many others co-star in this comedy. Also, look closely for WWE Hall of Famer Stacy Keibler who can be seen briefly on the bus. This is the usual sort of unusal comedy from John Waters and has an array of colorful characters as well as some of his regular actors and actresses. This is available to watch on the Criterion Collection.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple of weeks which so far includes Jack Lemmon, Bette Midler, Paul Muni, Gena Rowlands, and many others.
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