Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 585th Edition

Welcome to the 585th Edition of my series.  I look forward to the ROYAL RUMBLE tonight and next week we have the Super Bowl.  I will be the first to admit, I am excited for Lady Gaga performing at the halftime show.  I know others will get angry and I find that no matter who gets put in the halftime show, it will get a very mixed reaction.  I for one say Peter Gabriel for the Super Bowl halftime show next year.  I don't really want to touch on politics and nothing else is really going on right now so on with my selections for the week and I have brought back the "Fun and Useless Facts" segment

The Age of Adaline (2015):  Lee Toland Krieger directed this film which was written by J. Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz.  Blake Lively stars as Adaline Bowman who is born in the turn of the 20th century and at 29 years of age is in a car wreck that for some reason renders her ageless and immortal.  She goes through many years living this way and starting new lives in the fear that her secret will get exposed so she tries not to let herself get close to anyone.  She soon meets a philanthropist named Ellis Jones, played by Michiel Huisman, who through pe(rsistence wins her heart and must reexamine what she wants in life when meeting the parents, played by Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker, of Ellis.  Ellen Burstyn, Amanda Crew, Lynda Boyd, Richard Harmon, Hugh Ross, Anthony Ingruber and many others co-star in this film.  This movie really examines the price of immortality.  Lively is great as the title character as well as GAME OF THRONES alum Huisman as her love interest.  I also noticed that they might have done the best old/young casting in Harrison Ford as Ellis's father and Anthony Ingruber in flashback scenes of that character.  I thought Ingruber captured the personality of Ford very well in his mannerisms and even vocal patterns while looking like a young version anyways.  This is available on Amazon Prime.

The Last of the Mohicans (1992):  This is part two of my two-part Daniel Day-Lewis series.  Michael Mann directed this adaptation of the popular novel by James Fennimore Cooper.  Day-Lewis stars as Hawkeye who is the adopted son of the Mohican tribe.  Along with his adopted father Chingachgook, played by Russell Means, and his brother Uncas, played by Eric Schweig, they are looking for another home and when a traitorous scout leads them to an ambush putting them into the middle of the French and Indian War.  Madeleine Stowe, Jodhi May, Steven Waddington, Wes Studi, Maurice Roeves, Patrice Chereau, Terry Kinney, Pete Postlewaite, Colm Meaney, Dylan Baker, Jared Harris, Tom McGowan, Sebastian Roche, and many others co-star in this film.   This has had more than one adaptation, most notably in 1936 where Randolph Scott plays Hawkeye and I really believe this one is far better with Day-Lewis perfect for his role and felt there was more authenticity in this one.  There is also some great cinematography and music score to go along with the performances.

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993):  Chris Columbus directed this comedy which stars Williams as divorced father Daniel Hillard.  As his ex-wife Miranda, played by Sally Field, is looking for a housekeeper, he puts his acting skills and vocal skills to use as a older female housekeeper of the title name so that he can see his children, played by Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson, more often.  Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Polly Holliday, Robert Prosky, Martin Mull, Paul Guilfoyle, and many others co-star in this film.  Williams is his usual hilarious self but watching it this time gave me a realization of the message in this film.  I feel this movie takes a look at the price of having the courts decide custody and also maybe discovering abilities that were never possessed like cleaning skills Daniel learned being this character.  An interesting thing I learned about this movie is while it is rated PG-13, there were rated R and NC-17 edits of this film.

The Water Nymph (1912):  This is my silent short for the week which was directed by silent era legend Mack Sennett who also co-stars in this film.  Mabel Normand stars in this comedy as a girlfriend meeting the father of her boyfriend with some comical results.  Normand was a very significant actress of this era who worked a lot with Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle and broke a lot of rules on how women were supposed to act.  This is something that would be enjoyed by silent film buffs.

Up the Down Staircase (1967):  Robert Mulligan directed this film based on a novel by Bel Kaufman.  Sandy Dennis stars as idealistic teacher Sylvia Barrett who takes a teaching job in an urban area in her first year and gets far more than what she bargained for.  She does what she can to get through to the troubled high school youth when much of the school staff has mostly given up.  Patrick Bedford, Eileen Heckart, Ruth White, Jean Stapleton, Sorrell Booke, Roy Poole, Florence Stanley, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a good look on an idealistic teacher trying to get through to very troubled kids with Dennis doing a great job in her part and the unknown cast also doing very well in its authentic look

Third Man on the Mountain (1959):  This is my Disney film for the week and a live action one directed by Ken Annakin.  James MacArthur stars as Rudi who lives in Switzerland which is covered by mountains and whose father was a famous mountain climber and succumbed making his family not want him to pursue climbing mountains.  He does not listen to his family and after he done washing dishes at his job, he goes out and climbs mountains and dreams of climbing the most dangerous one of them all in the Citadel.  Soon, he meets famous mountain climber Captain John Winter, played by Michael Rennie, who takes in interest in Rudi and includes him on the epic climb in hoping to be the first to climb the Citadel.  Janet Munro, James Donald, Herbert Lom, Laurence Naismith, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a good family film and is a rather inspirational one as well on following your dreams.

The Fault in our Stars (2014):  Josh Boone directed this film based on the novel by John Green.  Shailene Woodley stars as the teenage Hazel who is a cancer patient with very little hope of survival but tries to make the most of however long she has in her life.  Her well-meaning parents, played by TRUE BLOOD alum Sam Trammell and Laura Dern, feel she needs a support group in which she does not want but goes out of respect.  While there, she meets fellow cancer patient Gus, played by Ansel Elgort, and they meet and fall in love with each other in a life-changing journey.  Nat Wolff, Lotte Verbeek, Willem Dafoe, Emily Peachey, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a very enjoyable film which yes it is a love story but so much more.  In some ways it is a story about expecting the unexpected.  Woodley and Elgort were very well matched together and make a great couple helping each other through their struggle with cancer.  I openly admit to tearing up to this film a few times.  Those who are a fan of the book, it sounds like this was pretty faithfully done.

Downhill Racer (1969):  Michael Ritchie directed this skiing film.  Gene Hackman stars as U.S. Olympic Ski team coach Eugene Claire who is trying to get together his ski team after his top player gets injured.  Robert Redford stars as skier David Chappellet who is a very good skier but not a very friendly person nor is a team player like Claire wants.  Camilla Sparv, Jim McMullan, Kathleen Crowley, Dabney Coleman, and many others star in this sports film.  This is a really good look at the world of skiiing and the various people involved.  It comes down to a really good climax skiing climax.  This is some very good early Hackman and early Redford that deserve a look.

Boomerang! (1947):  This is part two of a two-part Elia Kazan series.  No, this is not that 90s movie with Eddie Murphy.  This is a crime drama based on a true story.  Dana Andrews stars as prosecutor Henry Harvey where a murder of a respected priest happens in a small Connecticut town.  Through the investigation of the police, they find that a man named John Waldron, played by Arthur Kennedy, is the murderer and while he denies it, no one will believe him.  The more Harvey talks to Waldron, the more he believes in his innocence and looks to prove his innocence while having his superiors and police force bringing down his neck to actually prosecute him.  Jane Wyatt, Lee J. Cobb, Cara Williams, Sam Levene, Taylor Holmes, Robert Keith, Ed Begley, Karl Malden, and many others co-star in this true crime film-noir.  Kazan was determined to make this look as authentic as possible.  It was filmed close to where the incident happened and is shot some like a documentary adding a really good element.  Andrews is great as the noble prosecutor who looks past his duties to do what he feels is right.  This is still available on the tcm.com website and on the release day of this blog is its last day if you have time to catch it.  A very underrated film from this era.

Biutiful (2010):  I end the week with this Spanish film where I seem to be focusing a lot on death and immortality this week and no this one is not about immortality.  Alejandro G. Inarritu directed and co-wrote this film which stars Javier Bardem as Uxbal who is a single father and has an illegal job in helping illegal immigrants.  He soon finds that he is terminally ill and is trying to make things right with his life and his children.  He also is looking for a better home for his children than their manic depressive and abusive mother Marambra, played by Maricel Alvarez.  Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Eduard Fernandez, Chikh Ndiaye, and many others co-star in this film.  Bardem is great as a man trying to make things right for the people around him and while it is rather dark and melancholy, it does have touches of hope as Inarritu has said.

Well, that is it for this week but I did bring back my "Fun and Useless Facts" segment so continue reading.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which includes Michael Keaton, John Ford, james Mason, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I return with this segment of my blog where I pretty much link up actors from different movies.  I did not use any interconnections unless I could find someone else from another movie.  I am sure there are plenty of other things so if you find any, please comment.

Blake Lively (The Age of Adaline) and Pete Postlewaite (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2010 film THE TOWN.

Lynda Boyd (The Age of Adaline) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 2005 film AN UNFINISHED LIFE.

Hugh Ross (The Age of Adaline narrator) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1994 western WYATT EARP.

Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline) and Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2013 comedy sequel ANCHORMAN 2:  The Legend Continues.  Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline), Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans), and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1999 movie RANDOM HEARTS.  Harrison Ford (The Age of Adaline) and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1997 film AIR FORCE ONE.

Ellen Burstyn (the Age of Adaline) and Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) were in the 2012 mini-series POLITICAL ANIMALS and the 2000 film REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.

Ellen Burstyn (the Age of Adaline) and Laura Dern (The Fault in Our Stars) were in the 1974 film ALICE DOESN"T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.  Dern was a little girl and an extra as a girl eating an ice cream cone.

Michiel Huisman (the Age of Adaline) and Laura Dern (The Fault in Our Stars) were in the 2014 film WILD.

Wes Studi (The Last of the Mohicans) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1993 film GERONIMO:  AN AMERICAN LEGEND.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Willem Dafoe (The Fault in our Stars) were part of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.  Baker was Dr. Curt Connors who would later become the Lizard but Raimi let go of the reigns to early and Dafoe plays Norman Osbourne who becomes the Green Goblin.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Pierce Brosnan (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 2005 comedy THE MATADOR.

Tom McGowan (The Last of the Mohicans), Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire), and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) are in the 1996 comedy the BIRDCAGE.

Daniel Day-Lewis (The Last of the Mohicans), Jared Harris (The Last of the Mohicans), and Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 2012 biopic LINCOLN where Day-Lewis and Field were married as Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Dylan Baker (The Last of the Mohicans) and Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1998 mini-series FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON.

Eric Schweig (The Last of the Mohicans), Jodhi May (The Last of the Mohicans) and Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1995 movie THE SCARLET LETTER.

Colm Meaney (The Last of the Mohicans), Jared Harris (The Last of the Mohicans), and Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1992 film FAR AND AWAY.

Pete Postlewaite (The Last of the Mohicans) and Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) were in the 1997 film AMISTAD.

Russell Means (The Last of the Mohicans) and Jean Stapleton (Up the Down Staircase) were in the Disney animated film POCAHONTAS 2:  Journey to the New World.

Polly Holliday (Mr.s Doubtfire) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1976 film ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.

Robert Prosky (Mrs. Doubtfire) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1984 film THE NATURAL.

Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) and Gene Hackman (Downhill Racer) were in the 1996 movie EXTREME MEASURES.

Paul Guifoyle (Mrs. Doubtfire) was directed by Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) in the 1994 film QUIZ SHOW.

Robert Mulligan (Up the Down Staircase director) directed Karl Malden (Boomerang) in the 1957 film FEAR STRIKES OUT.

Roy Poole (Up the Down Staircase) and Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) were in the 1980 film BRUBAKER.

Ruth White (Up the Down Staircase), James MacArthur (Third Man on the Mountain), and Ed Begley (Boomerang) were in the 1968 western HANG 'EM HIGH.

Willem Dafoe (The Fault in Our Stars) holds his employer Robert Redford (Downhill Racer) captive in the 2004 film THE CLEARING.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 584th Edition

Welcome to the 584th Edition of my series.  It's politics as usual and very sad how they make some people so hateful towards one another and maybe I'm supposed to become that way but just cannot do it so that is all I will say.  Not a lot of other things happening so on with my selections.

Gandhi (1982):  This is part one of a possible Daniel Day-Lewis trilogy where in this film he has a small speaking role in the beginning.  I start the week out with this biopic on civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi, played to perfection by Ben Kingsley, who fought for the India's independence from the British empire.  Richard Attenbourough directed biopic on the civil rights leader from his beginnings as an attorney who is mistreated which inspires his movement for independence and involving non-violence to get what he wants.  Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Ian Charleson, Saaed Jaffrey, Geraldine James, Amrish Puri, Ian Bannen, Richard Griffiths, Day-Lewis, and many others co-star in this film.  This covers a lot of ups an downs in the life of Gandhi and is a very well done biopic of a man who inspired people like Martin Luther King in his own civil rights movement.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011):  I bring a little more humor now in this documentary by Morgan Spurlock who takes a look at the world of advertising.  Spurlock sets out to make a documentary about branding, advertising, and product placement that is financed by getting sponsors to fund what he is doing penning the slogan, "He's not selling out, he is buying in".  This is a very humourous while rather interesting and informative.  There are things like what he is to do when someone sponsors him and the demands that sponsor can make.  This has happened more since the internet and things like DVR where people just don't see those commercials any longer.  I have mixed opinions on how I feel about this, I usually do not think much of it though there are some obvious scenes from tv and film that are just advertising.  I for one feel that if someone like an auto company becomes a sponsor, then they are obligated to show the car in some way in the movie or tv series.  This is a good look on part of the film process which is advertising.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981):  Now I bring a little more family entertainment from Jim Henson and his Muppets.  The story of this is that Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo are struggling reporters who go to Britain to interview a rich victim of jewel thieves and get help from her secretary Miss Piggy.  Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, and Richard Hunt all provide the voices of our favorite muppets while live action actors include Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg, John Cleese, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, Jack Warden, Peter Falk, and Steve Whitmire.  This is the second feature film of the Muppets after THE MUPPET MOVIE.  This is available to watch on HBO On-Demand.

What Do You Think? (1937):  This is my short film for the week which takes a look at extrasensory perception.  This is based around a screenwriter named Basil who experiences some strange events happen making him a bit late but then realizing these events saved his life and explores if telepathy exists.  This is a pretty good few minute entry.  Jacques Tourneur directed this short and would go onto direct films like CAT PEOPLE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE.

One Foot in Heaven (1941):  Irving Rapper directed this biopic which is based upon a memoir by Hartzell Spence is the eldest son of William Spence.  Fredric March stars as William Spence who has a promising career in the medical world but decides that his calling is as a minister.  His fiance Hope, played by Martha Scott, accepts this decision despite the dismay from her own parents who had high hopes for their future son-in-law.  This really documents the highs and lows of the lives of him and his family.  Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart, Harry Davenport, Laura Hope Crews, Grant Mitchell, Grant Mitchell, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a rather unknown film by today's standards.  It is a good look at a minister trying to live his faith but is also human at the same time and how it can be rather difficult for the kids to be expected to live up to higher standards than other kids.

Carry on Cleo (1964):  This is a series of British comedies that are part of the "Carry On" series with a variety of storylines and this one is based in Roman times.  Kenneth Connor and Jim Dale star as Hengist and Horsa who are two Britons captured and enslaved by the invading Romans.  They eventually get caught in a power struggle which involves Julius Caesar, played by Kenneth Williams, Cleopatra, played by Amanda Barrie, and Marc Antony, played by Sidney James.  This is the 10th Carry On film that is out of 31 comedies.  This is a pretty funny take towards the history of Rome and Connor does a great portrayal of Caesar in my opinion while Barrie is also very good as Cleopatra while Connor and Dale also do good as the fictional characters that make the story happen.  For people who enjoy British humor, this is a series that maybe you should take a look at with this being a pretty good entry into the series.

How I Live Now (2013):  Kevin Macdonald directed this film that is based on a novel by Meg Rosoff.  Saoirse Ronan stars as Daisy who is an American teen sent to live with some British relatives.  She meets her distant cousins in Isaac, played by Tom Holland, Eddie, played by George Mackay, and Piper, played by Harley Bird.  She also meets her Aunt Penn, played by Anna Chancellor, who seems to be very busy in her efforts to prevent a World War 3.  This is set around a world that is on the verge of a war and is more about trying to make the most of such horrible times.  I also feel this is about the maturity of Daisy who starts out rather distant and cynical and slowly starts to warm up to them even forming a relationship with Eddie.  It is very difficult to explain this film except that it is not exactly a war movie, just one that is based around a war and people still trying to live their lives.  This is based on a young adult novel but still accomodates to the older ones and the rather underrated Ronan gives a good performance.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Sea of Grass (1947):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Elia Kazan and based on a novel by Conrad Richter.  Katherine Hepburn stars as St. Louis resident Lutie who marries cattle baron Jim Brewton, played by Spencer Tracy, after a short courtship.  Lutie begins to learn that Jim is considered a tyrant by much of the community and begins to disagree with his ways leading to a separation and estrangement from their kids.  Robert Walker, Melvyn Douglas, Phyllis Thaxter, Edgar Buchanon, Harry Carey, Robert Armstrong, and many others co-star in this film.  This is the fourth of nine teamings out of Tracy and Hepburn.  Their first three were romantic comedies and they try something different to limited success.  I thought this was at its best in the later scenes when the kids are grown and Jim sees what his rigidity has cost him and the people around him in life.  Mostly to watch to see a more different Tracy/Hepburn entry.

Terminal Island (1973):  I guess you could call this my exploitation film for the week.  This takes place in a world where the death penalty becomes abolished and convicted murderers are to live on an island together where they can do as they please on the island but not leave.  The island is run by the tyrannical A.J., played by Don Marshall, where women are treated as sex slaves and a group becomes tired of their ways and a power struggle develops.  A young Tom Selleck co-stars in this film as Dr. Milford.  Phyllis Davis, Marta Kristen, Barbara Leigh, Roger Mosley co-star in this cult film.  I have heard that many versions have been edited but this did not seem that way.  Fans of the exploitation film should enjoy this and it was good to see a pre-Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck.  I found this on TCM On-Demand and is still available on the day of the release of this edition.

Lamb (2015):  I end the week with this independent film.  Ross Partridge directed this film based on the novel by Bonnie Nadzam.  Partridge also stars in this film as David Lamb who is having some marital, employment, and family issues in the city of Chicago.  He sees a group of kids and one of which as a dare asks him for a cigarette.  He takes interest in this 11 year old girl named Tommie, played by Oona Laurence, who he sees that the other kids she hangs with are not friends and slowly sees that her parents, which consist of a mother, played by Lindsay Pulsipher, and stepfather, played by Scoot McNairy, do not treat her very well and is afraid for her future.  David decides that he needs to show Tommie what he feels is much better and takes her on a road trip to take her to the Rockies.  I must also add that he did this without informing anyone that he was doing it so essentially is kidnapping her.  Jess Weixler, Tom Bower, Jennifer Lafleur, Joel Murray, and Ron Burkhardt co-star in this film.  I know with what I explained, many will be turned off by this but if you can get past it, the movie becomes quite thought provoking in my opinion.  The two main characters are having a very tough time in life and do not feel they have anyone that cares, then they find each other and form a very unusual bond even if it is very wrong but maybe understandable.  Partridge and Laurence worked very well together and was well performed by this relatively unknown cast.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime and can be a good watch for people like me that are never able to see anything as black and white.

Well, that is it for the week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Harrison Ford, Daniel Day-Lewis, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 583rd Edition

Welcome to the 583rd Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is having a good year so far.  I ran into an old friend this week and let me know that my post last week made him want to see LAYER CAKE and he really liked it.  It is moments like those that make me glad I started this over a decade long weekly blog series.  I don't have much else going on right now so onto my selections.

D.C. Cab (1983):  I start out with this guilty pleasure 80s comedy which was directed and co-written by Joel Schumacher.  Adam Baldwin stars as the naive and good natured Albert Hockenberry who moves to the D.C. area to join his late father's army buy Harold, played by Max Gail, in his run-down cab business.  This is a struggling business and a very misfit group that includes Mr. T, Gary Busey, Paul Rodriguez, Bill Maher, among others.  The main premise is that Harold gets kidnapped and the cab group is finally motivated to work together.  Charlie Barnett, Gloria Gifford, Marsha Warfield, Otis Day, Irene Cara, John Diehl, Bob Zmuda, Timothy Carey, and many others co-star in this film.  This is very politically incorrect comedy with a lot of 80s fun.  I mean where can you go wrong with Mr. T and Gary Busey?  This is available on HBO On-Demand.

Bruno (2009):  I follow up with even more political correctness directed by Larry Charles and stars Sasha Baron Cohen, who also co-wrote, as the gay and flamboyant Austrian reporter Bruno.  Bruno has a fashion based show which is the most popular German-speaking show outside of Germany but disgraces himself prompting him to move to Los Angeles to look for fame in America.  This is a follow-up to his hit film BORAT and essentially filmed the same way in staging prank encounters.  This does not beat his previous one and at times does make me turn my head.  There were still some very funny moments like him targeting the Westboro Baptist Church and a song called DOVE OF PEACE which includes Sting, Bono, Snoop Dogg, Chris Martin, Elton John and Slash.  This may take pushing the envelope to a different level so use your judgement.

Rio 2 (2014):  Now I follow up with something more family oriented.  Carlos Saldanha directed and co-wrote this sequel to the hit animated bird film from 2011.  Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway reprise their roles as Blu and Jewel who are now the parents of three and living in a home for protection.  They decide to set out to find other birds of their kind and go to the Amazons where Blu meets his father in law Eduardo, voiced by Andy Garcia, and resumes his rivalry with his rival Nigel, voiced by Jermaine Clement.  A lot of this is Blu trying to adjust to a world of birds after being mostly domesticated all his life.  Another part of it are mean humans trying to destroy the Amazons.  Jake T. Austin, Kristin Chenoweth, Rachel Crow, Miguel Ferrer, Jamie Foxx, George Lopez, Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, Natalie Morales, Rita Moreno, Tracy Morgan, Will.I.Am, and many others provide their voices in this sequel.  It does not beat the first one but still fun to watch with some very colorful animation and catchy music numbers.  I probably relate more to Blu in liking to be in a home with electronics and simpler life.

The Battle of Midway (1942):  This is my documentary short for the week which was a war propaganda short for the United States Navy and directed by John Ford.  This goes into what the title indicates which was a battle with Japan.  There is a lot of really good footage from naval photographers and there is a little bit of dialogue from Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell.  Ford and cinematographer Joseph H. August were wounded by enemy fire while shooting the film.  This was put together pretty well to promote our military during WWII and is worth about 18 minutes.

Tomorrow (1972):  Joseph Anthony directed this play that is based on a story by William Faulkner who adapted it from a play by Horton Foote.  Robert Duvall stars as lonely farmer Jackson Fentry who takes in a pregnant woman named Sarah, played by Olga Bellin, and helps her through pregnancy even becoming involved in their lives changing his life forever.  This came out in the same year as Duvall's star-making film THE GODFATHER and I am pretty sure this was first.  This is as low-budget as it gets but the director Anthony managed to make a beautiful film with this low-budget with Duvall and Bellin giving great performances in this more character driven film.  Duvall has cited this one as one of his favorite films and I had never heard of this until I found it on TCM On-Demand which is no longer available.  This is told in flashback and has a rather neat twist in my opinion so hopefully this is obtainable for everyone to check out.

The Big House (1930):  This is my prison film for the week.  Robert Montgomery stars as Kent who is a first time offender serving time for manslaughter in which he killed someone while driving drunk.  He clearly has a hard-time adjusting to his new life with his cell-mates John Morgan, played by Chester Morris, and long-time inmate Butch, played by Wallace Beery.  Part of this was propaganda for the prison system like the warden not wanting to put him with certain criminals to the point of putting him in a cell by himself but lack of funding did not give much choice.  This was a very popular genre in this era to show that prison was not a place to be and this movie conveys that very well, especially in the rather violent climax.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973):  This is my British film for the week.  Glenn Jordan directs this film based on the classic horror novel by Oscar Wilde.  Shane Briant stars as the title character who becomes the subject of a portrait by an admiring artist, played by Charles Aidman.  When the painting is done, Dorian becomes upset with the thought that the person in the painting will stay young while he will just get old and has the thought of the painting aging while he stays young.  After this, he becomes rather cruel and sees the painting changing its looks to the point of being hideous through his sinful acts.  This is a pretty good adaptation of the novel and noticed how like a lot of classic horror it has someone who has good intentions, maybe just obsession but goes awry.  This is available on the website hoopladigital.com and usually takes a card to a local public library.

Manchester By the Sea (2016):  Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed this film which stars Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler whose brother Joe, played by Kyle Chandler, dies and learns through his brother's will that he has been appointed to care for his teenage son Patrick, played by Ben O'Brien when younger and Lucas Hedges when older.  Lee struggles with this unexpected news and recalls through flashback moments that made him leave the town of Manchester and distance himself from the past which seems that his brother arranged for this to happen with some financial help in hopes his brother will get his life together.  Michelle Williams, Gretchen Mol, Tate Donovan, Kara Hayward, Josh Hamilton, Matthew Broderick, and many others co-star in this film.  These days, I actually try to stay away from previews and really started hearing about it through award shows and noticing how Affleck and Williams have been getting acting nominations.  In this mode, I kind of thought it was maybe some love story between the two and learned I could not have been more wrong.  It was really quite depressing and bleak at times but really kept me in through Affleck's performance in someone who punches someone in a bar, has a very foul mouth, has made some bad mistakes in life but still manages to get sympathy in his ability to convey emotion which I believe he does better than just about anyone.  This is another movie that is character driven and is really pretty unpredictable.

Rachel and the Stranger (1948):  This is my western for the week which was directed by Norman Foster and based on a story by Howard Fast.  William Holden stars as widowed farmer David Harvey who lives with his song Davey, played by Gary Gray, and is trying to raise his song the way he feels his wife would have with bible studies, an education, and manners despite his admiration for family friend and adventurous Jim, played by Robert Mitchum.  David decides to purchase an indentured servant named Rachel, played by Loretta Young, and marries her in hopes that she will be a mother figure to Davey.  At first, the guys don't really take to Rachel until Jim comes back and seeing that he is taking a liking to her while also showing that Rachel is more than a "bonds woman".  This is a pretty simple movie but still quite watchable movie about a widowed farmer that does not have a lot of action until the climax.

The Gruffalo (2009):  I end the week with this half hour animated short film.  Max Lang and Jakob Schuh direct this animated film based on a children's book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.  A mouse is determined to get a nut and in his journey he encounters a fox, an owl, and a snake, all of which invite him for dinner but the mouse suspects he is their dinner and makes up a very scary creature of the title to scare them but soon learns he is not making up the character.  Helena Bonham Carter, James Corden, Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt, Rob Brydon, and Robbie Coltrane all provide their voices in this short.  This is a pretty good telling and has some really good animation but I must say that anytime I see a fox now I cannot help but wonder what the fox says.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Martin Sheen, John Cleese, Fredric March, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 582nd Edition

Welcome to the 582nd Edition of my series.  I've just been trying to survive this freezing weather and glad to announce that I won my fantasy league this year.  There is not too much else going on so far so I will just get to my selections for the week.

Fences (2016):  Denzel Washington directed this film based on a play by August Wilson who also wrote the screenplay before his death in 2005.  Denzel stars as Troy Maxson and I am just going to post the imdb plot on this one in "An African-American father struggles with race relations in the United States while trying to raise his family in the 1950s and coming to terms with the events of his life."  The reason I am doing that is because I feel this is best to watch the way I did and using that phrase "the less you know, the better".  Viola Davis co-stars as Troy's wife Rose who does great as the wife trying to keep things together.  Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Mele, and many others co-star in this film.  This would not be the one to see if looking for something really inspirational but was a film driven by characters.  This was first done on Broadway in 1987 in which James Earl Jones starred and done again in 2010 in which Denzel Washington and Viola Davis reprise their roles in this film from.  This is a really good look at a black family in this era and I thought it was going to be this year's A RAISIN IN THE SUN but I was quite wrong.

Fog City Mavericks (2007):  Gary Leva directed this film industry documentary on film achievements in San Francisco.  Some of the filmmakers featured are from San Francisco and some decided to go there feeling they had more freedom there than in Los Angeles.  Some of the main people featured are George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Clint Eastwood.  It has a segment about the studio American Zoetrope founded by Coppola and Lucas which did a lot for film in which many say "can't be done".  It also has a really good segment on Pixar Studios and how it started in San Francisco.  Peter Coyote narrates this documentary that also features Brad Bird, Chris Columbus, Sofia Coppola, Milos Forman, Philip Kaufman, Irvin Kershner, John Lasseter, Anthony Minghella, Saul Zaentz, Charlie Chaplin, and many others.  I think what interested me the most was the one on producer Saul Zaentz who is admired for his guts on movies he has produced. I also liked the segment on Chaplin who joined San Francisco and where he got his movie studio giving him freedom in his projects.  This was very insightful and if I was to pursue a film career, I think I'd rather go to San Francisco where it is more like a film community.

Layer Cake (2004):  Matthew Vaughn directed this British crime film which is based on a novel by J.J. Connelly who also wrote the screenplay.  Daniel Craig stars as a successful cocaine dealer and not really having a name except credited as XXXX.  He plans a retirement but gets a very tough assignment on the eve of his retirement making him question who around him can be trusted.  Tom Hardy, Jamie Foreman, Sally Hawkins, Burn Gorman, George Harris, Tamer Hassan, Colm Meaney, Ben Whishaw, Sienna Miller, Jason Flemyng, Michael Gambon, and many others co-star in this film.  This has a lot of action and even some comedy.  This was shortly before Craig became my favorite James Bond and gives a good and flashy performance as the rather charismatic drug dealer who prefers the term businessman.  This is also the movie in which Barbara Broccoli saw that made her believe he would be a good fit for Bond.  A good soundtrack, some cool characters, good action scenes, and some comedy make this worth a watch.

Poetry of Nature (1939):  This is my short film for the week and is a Pete Smith Specialty.  This takes a look at the wildlife in the California redwoods.  This centers around a black crow and his adventures like an encounter with a scarecrow which he does not fear.  Smith's narration brings life to these animals and brings in some laughs.  A short film for the Golden Age of Cinema as many say on year 1939.

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958):  Raoul Walsh directed this western comedy which is based on a short story by Jacob Hay.  Kenneth More stars as British gentleman Jonathan Tibbs who is an arms dealer and believes the wild west is the place to do it ending up in the lawless town of Fractured Jaw.  When there, he inadvertently stops an Indian attack mostly due to his naivety.  Due to other accidental occurrences that happen, he is appointed sheriff while the Indians make him a "blood brother".  Jayne Mansfield co-stars as Kate who is a tough female saloon owner and nightclub singer with her voice being dubbed by Connie Francis when singing.  Robert Morley, Henry Hull, William Campbell, Bruce Cabot, and many others co-star in this film.  This was a different sort of western comedy in my mind having an English gentleman get in over his head and underestimating the sort of town he is going.  Kenneth More is great as Jon and was worth a look.

Track of the Moon Beast (1976):  This is my b-movie for the week.  Chase Cordell stars as Paul Carlson who during a meteor storm gets part of the meteor lodged in his body.  The side effect is him turning into a giant reptilian monster at night going on murderous rampages.  Leigh Drake co-stars as his girlfriend Kathy who does not want to give up on Paul to get cured of his problem.  I don't think I need to explain much more.  Let's just say this earned its place into an episode of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 so if you're looking for something that is actually good this may not be the one.

The Kill Team (2013):  This is second documentary for the week.  This takes a look at a military unit in Afghanistan and war crimes that happened within that unit.  It centers around Private Adam Winfield who tried to report murders that were going on along with the help of his father, they went unheeded and got threats of his life from the unit.  He is eventually put on trial for war crimes among others.  Much of this centers around Adam and his parents who stand by him no matter what happens.  It is hard to really describe this film which is rather compelling but at the same time quite sad.  There are interviews on just about every side of the story.  This is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Invitation to the Dance (1956):  Gene Kelly directed this film which I think qualifies as an experimental film.  This has three stories all in which Kelly stars.  One is called CIRCUS where Gene is a circus clown who is in love with a trapeze artist but is taken forming a love triangle.  The second one is RING AROUND THE ROSY where he plays a marine in a love story centering around a gold bracelet.  The third one is SINBAD THE SAILOR in which he plays Sinbad and has some animation from the Hanna-Barbera team.  Now for the kicker, this movie has no dialogue except some audience cheer moments and is all set to dance.  This was at the time considered a flop likely because it is not really for a mainstream audience.  It was an interesting idea and has some very good dancing out of Kelly and some really good animation in the last segment.  It is really hard to put this one into words but was a good effort by Gene Kelly.

A Patch of Blue (1965):  Guy Green directed this film based on a novel by Elizabeth Kata.  Elizabeth Hartman stars as Selina D'Arcey who is an uneducated blind girl mostly imprisoned to her apartment home by her abusive mother Rose-Ann, played by Shelley Winters, and grandfather played by Wallace Ford.  She does get times where she can just hang out at the park where she meets a friendly black man named Gordon Ralfe, played by Sidney Poitier, who she forms a friendship and even relationship with much to the dismay of her mother who is also racist and remember this took place in the '60s.  I think this is my favorite Sidney Poitier film and has gone onto be very underrated in my opinion with even him citing this as one that holds a special place in his heart.  This is the debut of Elizabeth Hartman and makes a great debut but unfortunately becomes plagued by depression leading to a suicide a couple decades after the film.  Poitier is also good as a very rational black man who becomes determined to get Selina out of her abusive home.  One thing I noticed and liked is that the two people most looked down upon in the film which were a blind girl and a black man where the most reasonable people in the film.  This is one that I will refer to as a beautiful film and hope to get more people to see this movie.

Louis C.K.:  Chewed Up (2008):  I end the week with this stand-up special with Louis.  Technically this is a tv special but I make the rules so I can decide what is a movie on this blog.  This is about an hour long stand-up special from C.K. mostly just talking about everyday life.  The first part appears to be an homage to George Carlin and talking about what he feels is the misuse of words and when they are okay which is similar but different to Carlin's routine.  The part of him talking about abbreviating works like the "N-word" was very interesting and really made me think.   Most of his other material is his personal life and on parenting.  He does get pretty daring at times but C.K. fans will love it.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Gary Busey, Sasha Baron Cohen, Anne Hathaway, Henry Fonda, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 581st Edition

Welcome to the 581st edition of my series and the first of the new year.  I hope everyone is having a good new year and hope that you all have a good 2017.  I look forward to seeing what the year brings and I'm one of the few it seems that will say I had a good 2016.  At the same time, I have never referred to any year as a "bad year" as I feel they all will have their ups and downs and I guess I just try to make the good outweigh the bad.  Here's to the beginning of the new year and now my selections.

I'm Not There (2007):  Todd Haynes directed and co-wrote this film based on different aspects of Bob Dylan.  Marcus Carl Franklin, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Richard Gere, and Cate Blanchett each play Dylan in different ways and different parts of his life.  They all have different names as none of the are named "Bob Dylan" in the film.  Kris Kristofferson does the narration while Julianne Moore, Peter Friedman, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood, Michelle Williams, David Cross, Craig Thomas, Benz Antoine, Richie Havens, and many others co-star in this unconventional biopic.  Blanchett does a great job in her part of the film while I felt Bale also does a great job.  It also is shot in many different ways like some of it is like a documentary while other parts are more like a conventional film but the whole thing comes together very well in the end.  I don't really have much more explanation to give except that it is a must if you are at least a casual Bob Dylan fan.

Rocky Mountain Grandeur (1937):  This is my short film for the week and is part of the Traveltalks short film series.  This takes a look at the Rocky Mountains in the springtime like with tourist time and some of the various activities like swimming in the mountain lakes and horseback riding in the mountain trails.  This is a pretty informative eight minutes and worth a look in my opinion.

A Tale of Two Critters (1977):  This is essentially another short film but is a lot longer than the last selection and is about 48 minutes.  I found this when it was on TCM On-Demand and noticed it was from Disney though appears to not have had much exposure since there was not much on imdb.com about it like no fan reviews and an empty message board.  Jack Speirs wrote and directed this film that takes a look at a bear cub and a raccoon which form an unlikely friendship when they are swept away down a river from their families.  They must look to each other for survival and learn things that have not been taught yet by their parents.  This really works with the narration of Mayf Nutter who essentially tells the story and the song TRAVELIN' ON.  I guess I'm a sucker for animals being featured in a movie and this is one for the family, just one that seems to have been forgotten by Disney but remembered by TCM.  This can rented and bought for streaming on Amazon.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008):  This is set during WWII and is seen through the eyes of an 8 year old boy named Bruno, played by Asa Butterfield, whose father, played by David Thewlis, is the commandant of a concentration camp which is rather close to their new home.  Bruno is rather unaware of what is happening and befriends a boy named Shmuel, played by Jack Scanlon, who is in the concentration came and can talk across the barbed wire fence.  Vera Farminga and Amber Beattie co-star as Bruno's mother and older sister that also play significant parts.  Cara Horgan, Rupert Friend, David Hayman, Jim Norton, and many others co-star in this film.  It is a very sad but moving story of a boy who does not understand what is happening and the horrible things going on around him under his own nose.  It also conveys in many ways the consequences of being left in the dark of what is happening like his father mostly being secretive about what he is doing.  This is available on Instant Netflix and is a really well-done and well-performed film on the Holocaust.

Charley's Aunt (1941):  Archie Mayo directed this film adaptation of the play by Brandon Thomas.  Richard Haydn and James Ellison play Oxford students Charley and Jack who manage to get fellow student Babbs Babberley, played by Jack Benny, top pose as Charley's aunt Donna Lucia, played by Kay Francis.  Babbs is being the chaperone for Charley and Jack in their visits with Amy and Kitty, played by Anne Baxter and and Arleen Whelan.  He manages to play his art of a woman so well when faculty members Stephen Spettigue, played by Reginald Owen, and Sir Francis Chesney, played by Laird Cregar.  Benny plays this part to perfection and maybe one of the first known performances of a man playing a woman.  This also has a lot of very funny moments and is a fun watch.

The Honorable Woman (2014):  This is my mini-series for the week, brought by the BBC network.  Maggie Gyllenhaal stars as Nessa Stein who inherits her father's arms business and uses what she has in hopes to promote a reconciliation between the Iraelis and Palestinians.  In this she must deal with a lot of conflict and betrayal in her quest.  Stephen Rea, Andrew Buchan, Lubna Azabel, Janet McTeer, Katherine Parkinson, Tobias Menzies, Lindsey Duncan, Igal Naor, Genevieve O'Reilly, and many others co-star in this mini-series.  This consists of eight episodes that are about an hour each.  Gyllenhaal carries this very well with Rea also really good as the MI6 agent of the middle east.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966):  This is my western comedy for the week which was directed by Fielder Cook and centers around a game of poker.  Henry Fonda and Joanne Woodward star as married couple Meredith and Mary who are coming through and are about to buy a farm in San Antonio.  Meredith hears of a poker game and wants to go watch in which Mary reluctantly allows showing that he obviously has a gambling problem.  As he sits there, he cannot resist but to join in using the money they already have and begins to lose it.  Mary must take over when Meredith has a heart attack and must quickly learn the way of poker leading into some interesting situations.  Jason Robards, Paul Ford, Charles Bickford, Burgess Meredith, Kevin McCarthy, Robert Middleton, John Qualen, and many others co-star in this film.  I didn't really know what to expect but came out really enjoying it.  They managed to make a good western and not have a lot of gun action within it.  Everything was centered around the poker game going on and made the most of it.  This is some rather unknown Fonda and deserves some more recognition.

The Incredible Petrified World (1959):  We will call this my bad movie of the week.  A group of adventurers set out on the depths of the ocean and end up underwater through some caverns but somehow come into another world where an older man informs them there is no way out.  I don't have much more explanation that that unfortunately.  John Carradine co-stars in this film and had quite a career in his mixture of both good and bad movies.  Fans of B-movies should get a kick out of this one.

Hero (2002):  Yimou Zhang directed this martial arts film.  This takes place in Ancient China and Jet Li stars as the nameless assassin who defeats three warriors, played by Donnie Yen, Tony Leung, and Maggie Cheung, all out to assassinate the King of Qin, played Daoming Chen.  The king summons the nameless one to tell him about the defeat of his warriors leading to a lot of Rashomon types of flashbacks.  Ziyi Zhang co-stars in the film in a more minor role than others but still gets to do some fighting.  I feel this is the second of a trilogy, I suppose the Ziyi Zhang trilogy which stars with CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, then this one, then HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS which I actually consider the best of these three.  These are the three known ones that have the fantasy sort of fight style that involves flying.  I will admit this took me a couple watches to really get into  but find I enjoy it more every time with some of these twists and turns of Nameless explaining his story.  It has some really good fight scenes, beautiful scenery, and a really good music score.  This has its audience and is going to have some that do not like it.  This is available on Instant Netflix.

Meru (2015):  I end the week with this documentary on a group of mountain climbers.  Married couple Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi directed this documentary and Chin is one of the climbers.  This takes on a group of elite climbers looking to climb the seemingly impossible Mount Meru in the Indian Himalayas.  In 2008, they made an attempt but fell short of getting to the top of what they call "Shark's Fin".  Through lots of adversity, they decide to attempt it again.  This is one of those kinds of things I'll never understand why anyone would want to do but I understand that other people's passions are more dangerous than others and these guys were very determined.  This does take a good look at the intense climbing that almost always happens in really cold weather.  This is available on Amazon Prime.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Denzel Washington, and many others.