Welcome to the 947th Edition of my series. I just wish everyone well and hope we're all getting through these crazy times. I don't have a lot going on right now but could have some announcements in a couple weeks. For now, I'll just shut up and get to my selections.
John Adams (2008): I start the week out with this mini-series which was directed by Tom Hooper and based on the book by David McCullough. Paul Giamatti stars as the second president of the United States in John Adams. This takes a look at his earlier days as an attorney starting with the Boston Massacre of 1770 which makes him take more of a political stand. It also shows his times as vice president and president. Laura Linney co-stars as John's loyal wife Abigail Adams who also serves a lot as his adviser. Adams struggles to balance political life and his family. Stephen Dillane co-stars as John's political colleague and rival Thomas Jefferson who does not always agree with Adams. John Dossett, Sarah Polley, Samuel Barnett, David Morse, Andrew Scott, Danny Huston, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Steven Hinkle, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Trainor, Tom Wilkinson, Michael Hall D'Addario, Rufus Sewell, Justin Theroux, Zeljko Ivanek, and many others co-star in this mini-series. This is a seven-episode series and episodes range around 60-90 minutes long. This is a great story with a lot of authenticity to detail. Giamatti and Linney were perfect together as John and Abigail. This is available to watch on Max.
The Three Stooges (2000): This is part three of my five-part Joel Edgerton series. James Frawley directed this tv movie that takes a look at the iconic comedy team. Paul Ben-Victor stars as Moe Howard who was essentially the leader of the Stooges as he is at a low point of his career in the '50s believing everything is over. He is pestered by tv executive Tom Cosgrove, played by Edgerton, to make a comeback and starts to look back at the beginning of his career. Moe, along with his brother Shemp, played by John Kassir, and Larry Fine, played by Evan Handler, are on Vaudeville being taken in by Ted Healy, played by Marton Csokas. They have issues with their pay and Ted's alcohol problems and manage to break away to get a tv deal with Shemp getting replaced by their other brother Curly, played by Michael Chiklis, where they rise to fame quickly in the physical comedy. Rachael Blake, Anna Lise Phillips, Jeanette Cronin, Joel Edgerton, Linal Haft, Brandon Burke, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Peter Callan, Laurence Coy, and many others co-star in this tv movie. This was a pretty good look at the comedy team and were a lot like the people they played on television. This was also pretty well cast as far as the Stooges go and for those unfamiliar, I would suggest looking up some of their comedy shorts. This is available to watch on TUBI and the Roku Channel.
Semi-Pro (2008): Kent Alterman directed this basketball comedy which takes place when they had the American Basketball Association. Will Ferrell stars as Jackie Moon who is the coach and player for the Flint Michigan Tropics and learns their team has a chance of getting in the NBA. For any hopes of getting into the NBA, they must improve their team a lot. Woody Harrelson co-stars as Monix, who has had a long career in the NBA and joins the ABA team to be closer to his wife. Monix could also prove the answer they need to get better. Andre 3000, Maura Tierney, Andy Daly, Will Arnett, Andy Richter, David Koechner, Rob Corddry, Matt Walsh, Jackie Earle Haley, DeRay Davis, Josh Braaton, Jay Phillips, Peter Cordell, Pat Kilbane, Patti LaBelle, Tim Meadows, Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Wiig, Ed Helms, and many others co-star in this comedy. I thought this was a lot of fun with the usual sort of Ferrell comedy so take that for what it is worth. Harrelson also added a lot to it to the movie. This is not an award-winning film by any means but is very enjoyable if not taken too seriously.
La Jetee (1962): This is my short film of the day which was written and directed by Chris Marker. A man in the wake of World War 3 must explore his memories. This is told with narration and still images. This was the main inspiration for Terry Gilliam's 12 MONKEYS. This is a very disturbing short film with haunting imagery. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Bad Seed (1934): I follow up with another French film but this one a comedy. This is also not the same story of the 1956 film of the same name which is about a murderous young girl. Alexander Esway and Billy Wilder directed this comedy. Pierre Mingand stars as Henry Pasquier whose wealthy father Dr. Paquier, played by Paul Escoffier, announces he will no longer be supporting his playboy lifestyle. Henry's father also sells his Buick roadster and later sees the car with the keys in the ignition and was unable to resist taking the car in order to keep a date. This gets him in trouble full of many misadventures with a gang. Danielle Darrieux co-stars as Jeannette who will become Henry's love interest. This is Wilder's directorial debut and was hiding out in Paris at Hotel Ansonia which was a haven for members of the German film industry who were hiding out from the threat of Hitler and the Nazi Party. This is hard to describe much further than what I already have but is a good action comedy. This is available to watch on Kanopy which requires a library card from one who uses that service.
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959): Terence Fisher directed this Hammer version of the classic novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Peter Cushing stars as Sherlock Holmes and Andre Morell plays his assistant Dr. Watson. They are hired by Sir Henry Baskerville, played by Christopher Lee, to investigate an alleged family curse of a supernatural hound that takes revenge on the Baskerville family after his father dies under mysterious circumstances. Francis De Wolff, Miles Malleson, Ewen Solon, John Le Mesurier, Helen Goss, Sam Kydd, and many others co-star in this Hammer film. With it being Hammer films, this was more of a horror take on the story. This was apparently going to be a series of Sherlock Holmes, but audiences did not like it when there are no monsters turning up so those plans were scrapped. Cushing was a very good Holmes and this movie still holds up very well. This is available to watch on Prime, TUBI, and Plex.
A Bronx Tale: The Original One Man Show (2024): Chazz Palminteri wrote and directed this one man show which I believe was a revival of his own show that was done in 1989. This is based on Palminteri's on childhood from the Bronx where he talks a lot about the relationship with his father and the relationship with the local gangster Sonny who would be another father figure in his life. In 1992, Robert De Niro would purchase the rights to make a movie and met Palminteri's demands that he writes the screenplay and would play the role of Sonny. The 1992 film of the same name was a very underrated film in my opinion. I did not know until I watched this that Palminteri based this on his own youth in the Bronx. This has also since been turned into a Broadway musical and maybe one day I could play the role of Sonny. This is also available to watch on Kanopy.
Saint Jack (1979): Peter Bogdanovich directed this film which is based on the novel by Paul Theroux. Ben Gazzara stars as Jack Flowers who is a pimp in '70s Singapore hoping to live return to the United States in a life of luxury. Denholm Elliott, James Villiers, Joss Ackland, Rodney Bewes, Mark Kingston, Lisa Lu, George Lazenby, Peter Bogandavich, and many others co-star in this film. This is more of a character study on the character of Jack Flowers and his complicated life. It is hard to describe beyond that description except that it is a pretty compellling story. Gazzara puts on a great performance as the title character and is able to carry the movie very well. They did meet a lot of controversy from the Singaporean government in its portrayal of corruption. This is available to watch on Prime, Freevee, TUBI, Shout! Factor TV, The Roku Channel, Plex, Pluto TV, Fandor, CONtv.
Rio Bravo (1959): Howard Hawks directed this western which is based on a short story by B.H. McCampbell. John Wayne stars as Sheriff John T. Chance who has his hands full when arresting Joe Burdette, played by Claude Akins, for murder. Knowing he would deal with this brother Nathan, played by John Russell, he gets together alcoholic gunslinger Dude, played by Dean Martin, a young gunslinger Colorado, played by Ricky Nelson, and his aging deputy Stumpy, played by Walter Brennan. The sheriff also takes a liking to a gambler named Feathers, played by Angie Dickinson. Ward Bond, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Estelita Rodriguez, and many others co-star in this western. I thought this was a very well done western and possibly John Wayne's best. This would be Ward Bond's last feature film after a long career. The other characters were very well written and there is even a good music number by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson.
Foxes (1980): This is part one of a possible Laura Dern trilogy. Adrian Lyne directed this coming-of-age story. Jodie Foster, Cherie Currie, Marilyn Kagan, Kandice Stroh star as four teenage friends in Jeanie, Annie, Madge and Deirdre. They all have very different personalities, and each have something going on in their lives in San Fernando Valley part of Los Angeles in a world of alcohol, drugs, and sex. Jeanie is trying to settle down, but Annie does not make that easy in her drug problems. Scott Baio, Sally Kellerman, Randy Quaid, Lois Smith, Adam Faith, Sloan Roberts, Mary Margaret Lewis, Grant Wilson, Fredric Lehne, Robert Romanus, Laura Dern, and many others co-star in this film. Dern has more of a cameo scene later in the movie during the party scene and was her first credited role. This is Lyne's first theatrical film to direct and started quite a career in the world of provocative films. This can be seen on Youtube.
Well, that is it for this week, but I have a new segment called "Presidential Madness" so read on. Tell me what you like and dislike and I'll be back in two weeks with Jennifer Lawrence, Laura Dern, and many others.
PRESIDENTIAL MADNESS
I have a handful of selections that have included past presidents in some way. I don't have any fictitious presidents for this year, maybe next year.
America: The Motion Picture (2021): Matt Thompson directed this animated film that takes a very interesting look at the history of America where much of the timelines are combined. When George Washington's, voiced by Channing Tatum, best friend Abraham Lincoln, voiced by Will Forte, is murdered by Benedict Arnold, voiced by Andy Samberg, George puts together a team to take on Arnold and King James, voiced by Simon Pegg. George teams up with Samuel Adams, voiced by Jason Mantzoukas, Thomas Edison, voiced by Olivia Munn, Paul Revere, voiced by Bobby Moynihan, and Geronimo, voiced by Raoul Max Trujillo, to take on the British which are led by Benedict Arnold and King James. Judy Greer and Killer Mike also co-star in this animated action comedy. This might lack some of the historical accuracy and some could be turned off by the gore. Apparently, Washington died before Lincoln was born so there is no way they could have been best friends. I did love the homage to the '90s series RENEGADE which introduced Geronimo and was a favorite of mine when I was in middle school. This is politically incorrect adult animation and a different take on how America would come to be. This is available to watch on Netflix.
Hamilton (2020): I use another live performance of the musical that took America by storm. Thomas Kail directed this musical which was written by Lin-Manuel Meranda and based on the book by Ron Chernow. This centers around founding father Alexander Hamilton, played by Meranda, who would end up on the $10 bill. This takes a look at his friendship with Aaron Burr, played by Leslie Odom Jr., and we all know where that would lead in the end. Daveed Diggs co-stars as Hamilton's main rival Thomas Jefferson. Chris Jackson co-stars as our first president George Washington who is portrayed as a father figure to Hamilton. Phillipa Soo, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Anthony Ramos co-star in this live musical. This uses a mostly hip-hop soundtrack and uses "color-blind" casting. I love the music in this and was a very interesting way to look at the history of our founding fathers.
Forrest Gump (1994): Robert Zemeckis directed this film which is based on the novel by Winston Groom. Tom Hanks co-stars as the title character who has an I.Q. of 75 but has a lot of loyalty. Sally Field co-stars as Forrest's mother who encourages him to be whoever he wants to be. He becomes an accidental inspiration of history going to Vietnam, winning medals, and meeting presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. What Forrest really wants though is to be with his childhood sweetheart Jenny, played by Robin Wright in the adult years. Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Michael Conner Humphreys, Rebecca Williams, Bob Penny, Sam Anderson, Margo Moorer, Peter Dobson, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Hanna Hall, Geoffrey Blake, Haley Joel Osment, and many others co-star in this film. I felt that Forrest's encounters with presidents made this a worthy selection to this category. I think most people who have wanted to see this probably have by now. There are a lot of historical moments from the '50s to the '70s that get referenced in this film. Through the years, I have seen people villainize the Jenny character for the way she treats Forrest. I kept an open mind in revisiting the movie and I find it is not that black and white. She was Forrest's only friend in childhood and they went their separate ways in adulthood. I felt in the adult years that Jenny did not want Forrest to be exposed to her own messed-up world she was living in at the time. I still feel this is a very touching man of such childlike innocence from Forrest and the loyalty he has toward his friends. I feel we could use a few Forrest Gumps in our world. This is available to watch on Paramount Plus and Pluto TV.
Vice (2018): Adam McCay wrote and directed this political biopic which centers around former vice president Dick Cheney. Christian Bale stars as Cheney which takes place from his younger days into his days as the vice president. Amy Adams co-stars as his wife Lynne Cheney who always did what she could to keep him in line. Sam Rockwell co-stars as our former president George W. Bush. Steve Carrell, Alison Pill, Eddie Marsan, Justin Kirk, LisaGay Hamilton, Jesse Plemons, Bill Camp, Don McManus, Lily Rabe, Shea Whigham, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Tyler Perry, Cailee Spaeny, and many others co-star in this film. When thinking of who should portray Dick Cheney, most likely would not think of Christian Bale. However, Bale went to extreme measures to be able to pull off playing the role. There is a lot of dark comedy to this movie. I also thought this movie had the best narration in a film in my opinion with Plemons. This is available on Fawsome and Moviesphere.
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994): There is a cameo from a Bill Clinton impersonator so I went ahead and included the conclusion to the trilogy. Peter Sagal directed this comedy sequel and as far as I know there are only three of these movies. I haven't found the ones between one and this one. Leslie Nielson reprises his role of Frank Drebin who retires from the police squad much to the delight of his wife Jane, reprised by Prescilla Presley. However, Frank just couldn't stay away and infiltrates a gang of terrorists who plan to detonate a bomb at the Academy Awards. George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Fred Ward, Kathleen Freeman, Anna Nicole Smith, Ellen Greene, and many others co-star in this comedy. There are a lot of celebrity cameos playing themselves. Like the first two, this parodies a lot of movies and delivers a lot of laughs. I would recommend watching the first two and then this one. This is available to watch on Paramount Plus and Pluto TV.
Newsies (1992): This Disney musical features a cameo from Teddy Roosevelt who was the governor at the time so I am qualifying this to make this segment. Kenny Ortega directed this musical which is based on the New York City newsboy strike of 1899. Christian Bale stars as Jack Kelly who leads the newsboys and things get complicated when the newspaper raises the prices making it more difficult for them to sell papers. Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall, Ann-Margret, David Moscow, Luke Edwards, Max Casella, Gabriel Damon, Marty Belafsky, Arvin Lowe Jr., Aaron Lohr, Michael Lerner, and many others co-star in this classic Disney musical. When this came out, it was a huge flop and was the lowest grosing live-action Disney movie of all the time. Through the years though, it has gained a cult following and even has a Broadway musical now. This is available to watch on Disney Plus.
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002): This is the perfect viewing for President's Day as it portrays John F. Kennedy into his later years. Don Coscarelli directed this film on nursing home life which is based on the novel by Joe R. Lansdale. Bruce Campbell stars as an aging Elvis Presley who is now living in a nursing home. One might say that Elvis died back in 1977, but that is not true. The person who died that day was a man named Sebastian Haff whose name Elvis took to lead a quieter life. Ossie Davis co-stars as John F. Kennedy who is also in a nursing home. Many might say that JFK was assassinated and that Davis is a black man. What happened is JFK survived the assassination attempt but was turned black by the government. There is a mummy, played by Bob Ivy, at the nursing home feeding off souls of the patients. Elvis and JFK must team up to save the nursing home. Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Larry Pennell, Reggie Bannister, Daniel Roebuck, Daniel Schweiger, Harrison Young and many others co-star in this film. This plot described seems rather absurd. However, it is strangely compelling in my opinion. Many call this movie the CASABLANCA of our time and rightfully so. The DVD has the best commentary track of all time where Bruce Campbell is in character as "The King". This is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto TV.
