Welcome to the 929th edition of my series. It is not much longer now before we perform 12 ANGRY JURORS in Rushville, IN at the Historic Princess Theatre. Information is at the bottom of this. I don't really have much to say right now so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.
All is True (2018): This is part three of my Kenneth Branagh trilogy. Branagh directed this film which was written by Ben Elton. Branagh also stars as playwright William Shakespeare in his last days. Judi Dench co-stars as his wife Anne and Kathryn Wilder and Lydia Wilder co-star as his daughters Judith and Susanna. William's theater that he runs accidentally burns to the ground and makes the decision to never write again much to the surprise of his family. He also must deal with the lost time he has had with his family and also deals with his late son Hamnet, played by Sam Ellis. Ian McKellan, Nonso Anozie, Jack Colgrave Hirst, John Dagleish, Eleanor de Rohan, Phil Dunster, Hadley Fraser, Gerard Horan, and many others co-star in this film. Branagh has done a lot of Shakespeare in his career so how fitting that he would play William Shakespeare. This was a pretty good look at the famed playwright and deserves a look.
A Stupid and Futile Gesture (2018): This is my tribute to Martin Mull who recently left us. David Wain directed this comedy which takes a look at National Lampoon co-founder Douglas Kenney, played by Will Forte while Mull co-star as "Real Doug". Domhnall Gleeson co-stars as Doug's partner and co-founder Henry Beard. Annette O'Toole, Harry Groener, David Wain, Camille Guaty, Brad Morris, Carla Gallo, River Overton, Mark Metcalf, David Krumholtz, Michell Hurwitz, Matt Walsh, Elvy, Matt Lucas, Natasha Lyonne, Ed Helms, Jackie Tohn, Jon Daly, Seth Green, John Gemberling, Rick Glassman, Rick Glassman, Joel McHale, Emmy Rossum, Max Greenfield, Finn Wittrock, and many others co-star in this film. This is shot partly like a documentary, most notably with Mull. While this is funny, it is also very sad at times with Kenney's ego getting in the way of him a lot. National Lampoon is very significant to the comedy we know today. This is available to watch on Netflix.
Opus (2023): Neo Sora directed this concert film on Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto in his last performance before his death. He has contributed a lot of soundtracks to film including MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE and THE LAST EMPEROR. This movie is simply Sakamoto being filmed at his piano and playing his music. No interviews take place in this film but features a lot of good music and is good to watch or just have on the background. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Old Hag (1906): This is my silent short for the week which was directed by cinema pioneer Georges Melies. A Penniless Troubadour consults the Fairy Carabosse about his future but offends her by paying with a bag of sand. This soon becomes a battle of good and evil. What is most notable are some of the very innovative techniques that Melies would use. This is available to watch on Max as well as a lot of other works by Melies.
Don't Look Now (1973): This is part two of my six-part series for Donald Sutherland who recently left us. Nicolas Roeg directed this psychological thriller which is based on a story by Daphne Du Maurier. Sutherland and Julie Christie star as married couple John and Laura Baxter whose daughter drowned. When they are in Venice, they meet elderly sisters Heather and Wendy, played by Hilary Mason and Clelia Matania, with Heather claiming to be a psychic seeing visions of their late daughter. Laura is intrigued but John resists the notion but he starts seeing psychic visions of his own of their daughter. Massimo Serato, Renato Scarpa, David Tree, Sharon Williams, Adelina Poerio, and many others co-star in this film. This is some horror that does not have a lot of gore but gives us a very uncomfortable feeling. It is hard to really describe any further except that it is very disturbing and compelling. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and Pluto TV.
Sweet Smell of Success (1957): Alexander Mackendrick directed this film which is based on the novel by Ernest Lehman. Tony Curtis stars as up and coming press agent Sidney Falco who is asked by corrupt columnist J.J. Hunsecker, played by Burt Lancaster in one of his most iconic roles, to break up a relationship of his younger sister and a jazz musician. Susan Harrison and Martin Milner co-star as J.J.'s sister Susan and jazz musician Steve Dallas. Jeff Donnell, Sam Levene, Joe Frisco, Barbara Nichols, Emile Meyer, Edith Atwater, and many others co-star in this film. This is set against the New York City backdrop and the corruption of Hunsecker. I realized this could relate to SCARFACE in the overprotective older brother. I suppose in a way we could also relate this to WALL STREET in the relationship between the characters played by Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen. Curtis and Lancaster work great together in this film. This is available to watch on MGM +, Pluto TV, and the Criterion Channel.
Angels in the Dust (2007): Louise Hogarth directed this documentary that takes part in South Africa. This takes a look at therapist Marion Cloete who had the privileged life in Johannesburg along with her husband and two daughters. They leave their privileged life to go to a poor village in South Africa where they help to provide food, shelter, and clothing to lots of children, many of which are orphans. This takes a look at the ups and downs of their life but shows how they never give up. This is available to watch on Peacock, Tubi, and on Docurama which can be obtained with a subscription from Prime.
The Rescuers (1977): This is part one of a trilogy for Bob Newhart who recently left us. John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Art Stevens directed this Disney animated film. Newhart and Eva Gabor star as mice Bernard and Miss Bianca who work for the Recscue Aid Society which is a United Nations for the mice. They are charged with rescuing an orphan girl named Penny, voiced by Michelle Stacy, who has been kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters Madame Medusa, voiced by Geraldine Page, and Mr. Snoops, voiced by Joe Flynn. Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, Jim Jordan, John McIntire, Bernard Fox, George Lindsey, John Fiedler, and many other co-star in this Disney film. This is at a time when Don Bluth worked for an animated department in Disney before forming his own successful animated studio. The Madame Medusa character has gone rather overlooked in the way of Disney villains through the years. This was going to be an animated series and while they had their sequel THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER, the TV series got reworked into CHIP AND DALE'S RESCUE RANGERS that we know today. This is a lot of fun and is available to watch on Disney Plus.
It Should Happen to You (1954): This is part two of my Jack Lemmon trilogy where I include another screwball comedy. George Cukor directed this comedy which was written by Garson Kanin. Judy Holliday stars as Gladys Glover who wants to make it in New York City. She meets documentary filmmaker Pete, played by Lemmon, who falls in love with her right away but Gladys has other things on her mind. She soon starts getting fame when she gets her name on a billboard and becomes involved with playboy Evan Adams III, played by Peter Lawford, while Pete longs for a more simple relationship. Michael O'Shea, Vaughn Taylor, Connie Gilchrist, Whit Bissell, and many others co-star in this comedy. This is a satire on what we know now as virality with Gladys managing to take the city by storm for just having her name on a billboard and slowly becoming famous. This is Lemmon's film debut having done a lot of work in television and became the ultimate romantic comedy figure in my opinion.
Bait (2019): I end the week with this British independent film which was directed and written by Mark Jenkin. Edward Rowe stars as local fisherman Martin who now without a boat due to his brother Steven, played by Giles King, repurposing it as a tourist tripper. Martin is very lost in an already dysfunctional family. Chloe Endean, Simon Shepherd, Linn Waite, Stacey Guthrie, and many others co-star in this film. This is more of a character driven film with a really effective black and white cinematography. This is hard to really explain further so just give it a watch. It is available to watch on Hulu.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks for the next edition which so far includes Donald Sutherland, Jack Lemmon, Katherine Hepburn, Melanie Griffith, and many others.
THE KAOTIC MOVIE THEATER
The Room (2003): I was hanging out at Carrisa and Arto's house and I had the dvd on had which Carrisa accepted so we watched this epic film. Tommy Wiseau wrote and directed this movie and also stars as banker Johnny who will soon be getting married to his fiance Lisa, played by Juliette Danielle. Lisa is carrying on an affair with Johnny's best friend Mark, played by Greg Sestero. Carolyn Minnott, Robyn Paris, Greg Ellery, and many others co-star in this movie. The James Franco movie THE DISASTER ARTIST is about the making of this movie. This has lived on as a guilty pleasure and as a cult movie which has been shown from time to time in theaters. It is also remembered for some of the quotes like Wiseau's very dramatic line of "you're tearing me apart, Lisa". It was such a bad movie that became really good and one of the most remembered and talked about movies of all time. Part of this is possibly that we could really see Wiseau's passion in this project.
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