Welcome to the 998th edition of my series. This is my 21-year anniversary, I know I can't believe it either. I just want to thank everyone from past and present for your support. My blog can now legally drink alcohol. I will just shut up now and get on with my selections for the week.
The Secret Agent (2025): For this selection, I chose our RIP wild card Udo Kier who left us in November of 2025. This was also the final film role of his career. Kleber Mendonca wrote and directed this Portuguese political thriller. Wagner Moura stars as technology expert Armando who gets caught up in the political turmoil in 1977 Brazil and is forced to flee the country with his young son. He would later join a resistance group. Hermila Guedes, Alice Carvalho, Udo Kier, Isabel Zuaa, Maria Fernanda Candido, Thomas Aquino, Gabriel Leone, Laura Lufesi, and many others co-star in this film. It is quite long and is very detailed. It has very good look at systematic oppression and political resistance. This is available to watch on Hulu.
Frankenstein (1931): For this selection, I chose a My Own Madness wild card in author Mary Shelley who gave us our iconic story of FRANKENSTEIN that still lives on today. I suppose she is out mother of horror. James Whale directed this adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel. Colin Clive stars as mad scientist Henry Frankenstein who becomes obsessed with creating a person with various body parts. The Monster, played by Boris Karloff, comes to life and escapes into a world unprepared that fears the unknown. Mae Clarke, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, Frederick Kerr, Lionel Belmore, Marilyn Harris, and many others co-star in this classic horror film. This is probably the most iconic movie version of all time and would have quite the franchise through Universal. There are lots of iconic moments in this film. This is available to watch on Prime and Peacock.
Hot Cars (1956): For this selection, I chose a My Own Madness wild card in Joi Lansing. Don McDougall directed this Film Noir which is based on the novel by H. Haile Chace. John Bromfield stars as car salesman Nick Dunn who tries to be an honest man and learns he has been selling stolen cars which does not sit well with him. He also falls into desperate times when his son needs an operation. Joi Lansing, Mark Dana, Robert Osterloh, Dabbs Greer, and many others co-star in this B-list Film Noir. This is only about an hour long and is a pretty compelling story. Lansing is good as the Femme Fatale in this story where desperate people do desperate things. This is available to watch on MGM+.
Spaceballs (1987): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card Screaming Mad George who was a big part of the special effects of this film. Mel Brooks directed this comedy which spoofs STAR WARS. Bill Pullman stars as star-pilot for hire Lone Star and John Candy stars as Lone-stars half-man, half-dog sidekick Barf. King Roland, played by Dick Van Patten, hires them to rescue his spoiled daughter Princess Vespa and her droid assistant Dot Matrix, voiced by Joan Rivers in a rare movie performance. Ric Moranis plays the clumsy villain Dark Helmet while Mel Brooks plays the corrupt President Skroob. Brooks also voices the role of Yogurt. George Wyner, Michael Winslow, Lorene Yarnell Jansson, John Hurt, Sal Viscuso, Ronny Graham, Jim J. Bullock, Leslie Bevis, Jim Jackman, Mike Pniewski, Sandy Helberg, Stephen Tobolowsky, Rhonda Shear, Brenda Strong, Dom Deluise, and many others co-star in this parody. This is a very fun parody which mostly spoofs STAR WARS but also spoofs other things like an amusing scene that parodies ALIEN. There will be a sequel coming next year which features Pullman, Brooks, Zuniga, and Moranis. This is available to watch on MGM +, and Prime.
Hi, Mom! (1970): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card Gerrit Graham. Brian De Palma directed and co-wrote this dark comedy. Robert De Niro stars as Vietnam veteran Jon Rubin who rents an apartment and films people in the apartments without their knowledge. When that business venture fails, he joins theatre troupe and joins a social experiment to teach white Americans what it is like to be black. Allen Garfield, Lara Parker, Charles Durning, Jennifer Salt, Paul Bartel, Gerrit Graham, and many others co-star in this dark comedy. Yes, the description I gave sounds rather absurd. This is very early work for both De Palma and De Niro before they would become as big as they are now. It does have its funny moments and is good seeing this early comedic role for De Niro. This is available to watch on Prime, Tubi, and Plex.
Oscar (1991): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card Tim Curry. John Landis directed this gangster comedy which is based on the play by Claude Magnier. Sylvester Stallone stars as gangster Angelo "Snaps" Provolone who makes a promise to his dying father, played by Kirk Douglas, to leave the world of crime and become an honest businessman. This obviously becomes very complicated with the world around him. Ornella Muti, Peter Reigert, Chazz Palminteri, Joey Greco, Richard Foronjy, Yvone De Carlo, Don Ameche, Richard Romanus, Arlene Sorkin, Eddie Bracken, Robert Lesser, Art LaFleur, Kurtwood Smith, Vincent Spano, Marisa Tomei, Martin Ferrero, Harry Shearer, William Atherton, Mark Metcalf, Tim Curry, and many others co-star in this comedy. I thought this was rather convoluted at times but still laughed quite a bit. This is an underrated role for Stallone in my opinion. This is available to watch on Prime.
Mister Roberts (1955): For this selection, I chose My Own Madness wild card Betsy Palmer who had a career long before her iconic role of Mrs. Voorhies. John Ford directed this Navy film which is based on the novel by Thomas Heggen. Henry Fonda stars as Lieutenant Roberts who longs to fight in WWII but continues to be forced to stay on a US Cargo ship. He is also at odds with the rather tyrannical captain, played by James Cagney. This is partly a comedy, and most of the comedic moments come from the lazy Ensign Pulver, played by Jack Lemmon. William Powell, Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Philip Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Ken Curtis, Robert Roark, Harry Carey Jr., Patrick Wayne, and many others co-star in this film. This is Powell's final movie as he declared retirement after this one. This is a good look aboard the activities of a Naval ship. I guess there was a lot of on-set drama but this end result still holds up well.
Psycho Beach Party (2000): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card and BUFFY alum Nicholas Brendan. Robert Lee King directed this dark comedy which is based on the play by Charles Busch who also wrote the screenplay while also co-starring as Captain Monica Stark. Lauren Ambrose stars as Chicklet who becomes the first girl surfer at Malibu Beach. She also suffers from dissociative disorder and also a foul-mouthed alter ego. Murders are happening at the beach leaving Chicklet as a suspect. Nicholas Brendan, Thomas Gibson, Kimberly Davies, Matt Keeslar, Beth Broderick, Amy Adams, Andrew Levitas, Kathleen Robertson, Nathan Bexton, Buddy Quaid, Jennica Bergere, Channon Roe, Ruth Williamson, David Chokachi, and many others co-star in this comedy. This is a parody on the beach movies of the '60s and mainly GIDGET. This is a pretty fun B-movie if not taken too seriously. It pays great homage to those popular beach movies. This is available to watch on TUBI and on Strand Releasing with a Prime account.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card Diane Ladd. Martin Scorsese directed this film which was written by Robert Getchell. Ellen Burstyn stars as the recently widowed Alice Hyatt who does not have a lot of skills to go on and makes the decision to move to Monterrey, California in hopes of having a music career and to make a better life for her son, played by Afred Lutter III. Along the way, they get stuck in Tucson, Arizona where Alice takes a waitress job and learns a lot of about life along the way. Billy Green Bush, Lelia Goldoni, Harry Northup, Murray Moston, Harvey Keitel, Lane Bradbury, Diane Ladd, Vic Tayback, Valerie Curtin, Jodie Foster, and many others co-star in this film. This is a good slice-of-life kind of story and shows how sometimes you must take what you can get I suppose. This also would become a situational comedy on network television. This is available to watch on Youtube.
Collateral (2004): For this selection, I chose RIP wild card Chuck Russell who was an executive producer for this film. Michael Mann directed this action film which was written by Stuart Beattie. Jamie Foxx stars in this film as L.A. cab driver Max who longs to own his own limousine service one day. One night, he picks up a charming man in Vincent, played by Tom Cruise, who turns out to be a hitman and forces Max to help him. Mark Ruffalo co-stars as Detective Ray Fanning who is hot on Max's trail. Jada Pinkett-Smith, Peter Berg, Bruce McGill, Irma P. Hall, Barry Shabaka Henley, Bodhi Elfman, Debi Mazar, Javier Bardem, Jason Statham, and many others co-star or have a cameo in this film. I think this is possibly Tom Cruise's best performance. This was also a really good thriller in general with some good suspense. This is available to watch on Paramount Plus and Pluto TV.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and I will be going back to the biweekly format now with what so far includes Lars Von Trier, Emma Watson, Laura Dern, Ingmar Bergman, Steven Spielberg, Rachel McAdams, Orson Welles, and many others.
FUN AND USELESS FACTS
Udo Kier (The Secret Agent) and Harvey Keitel (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) were in the 2019 horror film THE PAINTED BIRD.
Udo Kier (The Secret Agent) and Kris Kristofferson (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) were in 1998 superhero film BLADE.
Udo Kier (The Secret Agent) and John Hurt (Spaceballs) were in 1993 movie EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES.
Boris Karloff plays the Monster in this week's feature FRANKENSTEIN and a couple of the Universal sequels. Rober De Niro (Hi, Mom!) plays the Monster in the 1994 film MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN. My Facebook friend Russ played the Monster in a 2007 play at Muncie Civic Theater where I played the evil gravedigger Peter Schmidt.
John Candy (Spaceballs) and Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts) were in the 1991 film JFK.
Bill Pullman (Spaceballs) and Peter Berg (Collateral) were in the 1994 film THE LAST SEDUCTION.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom), Sylvester Stallone (Oscar), Harvey Keitel (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), and Peter Berg (Collateral) were in 1997 film COP LAND.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) tries to save preteen prostitute Jodie Foster (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) from her pimp Harvey Keitel (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) in the 1976 film TAXI DRIVER which was directed by Martin Scorsese (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore director).
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) was directed by Michel Mann (Collateral director) in the 1995 heist film HEAT.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) and Chazz Palminteri (Oscar) were in the 1993 film A BRONX TALE.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) and Jason Statham (Collateral) were in the 2011 action film KILLER ELITE.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) and Debi Mazar (Collateral) were in the 1990 film GOODFELLAS.
Robert De Niro (Hi Mom) plays Max Cady in the 1991 film CAPE FEAR. Javier Bardem (Collateral) plays Max Cady in the 2026 series CAPE FEAR.
Sylvester Stallone (Oscar) and Jason Statham (Collateral) are part of a mercenary group in THE EXPENDLES franchise.
Sylvester Satallone (Oscar) and Bruce McGill (Collateral) are in the 1993 action film CLIFFHANGER.
Marisa Tomei (Oscar) and Jamie Foxx (Collateral) were in the 2021 superhero film SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME.
Marisa Tomei (Oscar) and Bruce McGill (Collateral) were in the 1992 comedy MY COUSIN VINNY
Mark Metcalf (Oscar) and Nicholas Brendan (Psycho Beach Party) were in the 1997 vampire series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Metcalf plays the Master which was mostly for the first season while Brendan co-stars as Xander throughout the entire series.
Mark Metcalf (Oscar) and Bruce McGill (Collateral) were in the 1978 comedy NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE.
Chazz Palminteri (Oscar) and Debi Mazar (Collateral) were in the 1994 comedy BULLETS OVER BROADWAY.
Thomas Gibson (Psycho Beach Party) and Tom Cruise (Collateral) were in the 1999 film EYES WIDE SHUT.
Martin Scorese (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore director) directed Tom Cruise in 1986 film THE COLOR OF MONEY.
Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) and Bruce McGill (Collateral) were in the 2008 political biopic W.
Harvey Keitel (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) and Debi Mazar (Collateral) were in 2005 movie BE COOL.
Tom Cruise (Collateral) was considered for the role of Lone Star in this week's feature SPACEBALLS which would ultimately go to Bill Pullman.
