Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 368th Edition

Welcome to the 368th Edition of my long running series. This is my first entry of the month and I will have some holiday selections but will be limited. I lost in Fantasy Football last week but I still have my wild card so far so hopefully I'll put this one away and keep that lead if not retake my division. I will now get on with my selections for this week.

The Book of Eli (2010): I start the week out with this post-apocalyptic tale from the Hughes Brothers. Denzel Washington stars as the title character who is a drifter possessing a book that could hold the key to save humankind. He soon encounters a mobster named Carnegie, played by Gary Oldman, who takes his own interest in the book and tries to get it for himself. Mila Kunis stars as Solara who is sent to get the book but ends up joining Eli instead. Jennifer Beals, Michael Gambon, Tom Waits, and Malcolm McDowell co-star. I prefer the post-apocalyptic tale THE ROAD over this one but this movie still has its moments. Oldman returns to his villain roots after years of playing Commissioner Gordon and Sirius Black and makes a good return. There are also some good action scenes and pretty compelling.

Marwencol (2010): This is my documentary for the week. This is filmed in a small New York town about a man named Mark Hogancamp. Hogancamp is a man who was attacked severely and was left brain-damaged. His way of coping with this new life is to create his own WWII-like world through dolls and action figures and creating stories with each one through pictures. He also bases some characters upon other local people. Soon, his work is discovered by a New York gallery and is seen as art forcing Hogancamp to choose between his fantasy world and the real world. This was a very interesting documentary and person. There is a very good website on this film on http://www.marwencol.com and the movie is available on Instnat Netflix.

Bad Santa (2003): This is a holiday selection and this is for those who do not want to see those sappy tv movies. Billy Bob Thornton stars as Willie who is a con man who gets employed at the mall as Santa in order to rob stores. Tony Cox co-stars as his partner in crime Marcus who not only plots a heist but must keep Willie in line. Things become complicated for Willie when he meets a troubled 8 year old boy. This is by no means for everyone as Thornton is very foul-mouthed and couples could make a deal to agree to watch a more moving holiday film then follow with this one. Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, John Ritter, and many others co-star is this politically incorrect holiday comedy. This is John Ritter's last movie.

Music Made Simple (1938): This is my comedy short for the week which stars Robert Benchley. Benchley fills in as a replacement music critic but shows his lack of knowledge and has some technical difficulties. This is part of a series of comedy shorts that star Benchley. This is about eight minutes long and is pretty funny.

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): This is part one of a two-part Mark Hamill series. This is my bad holiday selection which came out shortly after the first STAR WARS. I actually obtained this from my stepbrother Mike as I have always wanted to check this out of curiosity. In this special they celebrate Life Day and it shows Han Solo and Chewbacca. Chewbacca is trying to get home to his family but is delayed as the Empire is trying to kill them. We then meet Chewbacca's very anxious family that consist of his father, son, and wife who never make appearances again throughout the rest of the series. Many parts of this movie are of Wookies talking to each other but we don't even get subtitles. There are also other celebrities that make appearances Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Diahann Carroll, Harvey Kormann, among others. Arthur and Carroll even have musical numbers as well as Jefferson Starship and a musical number from Princess Leia which is not one of her brightest moments. There is also an animation sequence which introduces us to Boba Fett. Maybe that is the best part of this movie of which many will wonder what the actors were thinking. George Lucas wants to destroy every copy of this movie and apparently was not involved in the making of it. So if you are actually looking for quality, this really is not it. This is more to watch for laughs. Now there are segments available on Youtube.

The House on Telegraph Hill (1951): Robert Wise directed this film noir. Valentina Cortese stars as Victoria who is a survivor of the holocaust and assumes an identity of someone who died in order to get the United States. She soon arrives in San Francisco to see her "son" and falls in love with Alan, played by Richard Basehart, who is the boy's guardian. She soon finds that there is more to her situation and finds her life is in jeopardy. Fay Baker co-stars as their nanny Margaret who is not very welcoming of Victoria. This is a pretty good story that works without a really known cast. This is available on Instant Netflix and something for people who really like the film noir genre.

Read My Lips (2001): This is part two of my two-part Vincent Cassel series. Jacques Audiard co-wrote and directed this French film. Emmanuelle Devos stars as Carla who is nearly deaf and works as a secretary who feels unappreciated for her hard work. She soon decides to hire an ex-con named Paul who has no experience in what he does but has other reasons for hiring him. She soon becomes involved in his life and even helps him on some jobs with her lip reading skills. This is a good French film that has both good performances and script. Cassel and Devos work very well together. Part of it shows the difficulty of an ex-con getting work shown when Paul's parole officer was shocked when he got the job. It also does a good job of showing the darkness of the workplace. This will be great to watch as long as you're okay with English subtitles.

Air Force (1943): Howard Hawks directed this war drama paying tribute to the air force. An air force unit arrives in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack and must prepare for an attack on the Japanese. Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy, John Garfield, and many others are part of this unit. The highlights include the air battles that are very well shot. It has quite a bit of action for a movie of that era. It also has a group of good, diverse characters. This was an obvious tribute to the military as it is filmed while WWII was still going on but it is a very good look at a unit.

The Princess Diaries (2001): This is my live-action Disney film for the week which was directed by Garry Marshall. Anne Hathaway stars as teen Mia Thermopolis who is quite the geek and invisible to most. She is having a hard enough time getting through high school but soon meets her estranged grandmother Clarisse, played by Julie Andrews, who is a queen in her country and informs Mia that she is heir to the throne which complicates her life even more as she must learn more to be proper. This is probably my only family oriented movie of the week. Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, and Mandy Moore all co-star in this comedy which really focuses on the difficulty of high school life then learning some big news. Hathaway is great in her debut in this film and has come a very long way. If you are looking for something to watch with your young daughter, this would probably be one that the parents can also enjoy.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976): I end this week with this thriller which stars a young Jodie Foster who is a lot more villainous than usual. She is a 13 year old girl named Rynn who lives in a home at a seaside community. It is soon clear that she appears to be alone and does whatever she must to protect her freedom of living alone including murder. Martin Sheen co-stars as Frank who lives in the community and is clearly a sleazy person who is no better than Rynn. If you are looking for a lot of violence, this really is not it but it does carry well with the atmosphere. It is also of interest to see such a young Jodie Foster and realized that in this part of her life is when she played the more sleazy roles like in TAXI DRIVER whereas now she usually plays the female hero like when playing Clarice. I will say that Martin sheen makes reference to Frankenstein's monster and not addressing it by just Frankenstein which is one of the few OCDs I have. This movie is available on Instant Netflix and I believe is worth a watch.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and what you do not like and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Patrick Stewart, more Mark Hamill, and many others. This week, I have my "Fun and Useless Facts" segment to check out.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I mostly looked for inter-related facts and not two people that were in the same movie. If there is anything you want to point out that I may have missed, go ahead and leave a comment.

BATMAN FRANCHISE

-Gary Oldman (The Book of Eli) plays Commissioner Gordon in the Christopher Nolan trilogy

-Mark Hamill (Star Wars Holiday Special) voices the Joker on many of the cartoons

-Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) plays Catwoman in the 2012 film THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Gary Oldman (The Book of Eli) hijacks Harrison Ford's (Star Wars Holiday Special) plane in the 1997 film AIR FORCE ONE

Mila Kunis (The Book of Eli) and Vincent Cassel (Read My Lips) worked together in the 2010 film BLACK SWAN

Tom Waits (The Book of Eli) plays Buck Merrill in the 1983 film THE OUTSIDERS. Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa) plays the part in the short-lived 1990 tv series.

Tony Cox (Bad Santa) and Mila Kunis (The Book of Eli) are in the upcoming 2013 film OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

Lauren Tom (Bad Santa) and Malcolm McDowell (The Book of Eli) are in the 2004 movie IN GOOD COMPANY which was featured a couple weeks ago.

Mila Kunis (The Book of Eli) has cited the tv show 8 SIMPLE RULES to being her favorite which starred John Ritter (Bad Santa)

Alex Borstein (Bad Santa) and Mila Kunis (The Book of Eli) play mother and daughter in the popular animated series FAMILY GUY

Octavia Spencer (Bad Santa) and Malcolm McDowell (The Book of Eli) are in the 2009 film HALLOWEEN II

Carrie Fisher (Star Wars Holiday Special), Art Carney (Star Wars Holiday Special) and John Ritter (Bad Santa) are in the 1978 tv movie RINGO

James Earl Jones (Star Wars Holiday Special) plays Malcolm X in the 1977 movie THE GREATEST. Denzel Washington (The Book of Eli) plays Malcolm X in the 1992 film MALCOLM X

Vincent Cassel (Read My Lips) and Bernie Mac (Bad Santa) were in the 2007 film OCEAN'S THIRTEEN

Arthur Kennedy (Air Force) plays Pontius Pilate in the 1961 film BARABBAS. Gary Oldman (The Book of Eli) plays Pilate in the 1999 tv movie JESUS

Charles Drake (Air Force) plays Dr. Sanderson in the 1950 comedy Harvey. My Facebook friend Sean played the part in a 2012 version at Muncie Civic Theater.

Julie Andrews (The Princess Diaries) plays Maria in the 1965 musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC. My Facebook friends Katie, Shanna, and Alaina have all played the part in various stage productions.

Julie Andrews (The Princess Diaries) plays Ethel Thayer the 2001 tv movie ON GOLDEN POND. My Facebook friend Phoebe played the part in a recent production at the Muncie Civic Studio theater which she won a Best Actress award for at the Civies.

Julie Andrews (The Princess Diaries) plays Cinderella in the 1957 tv movie CINDERELLA. My Facebook friend Kellin played the part at the Artists Studio which was in Fishers, IN.

Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) played the Princess in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS in a theatrical production in New Jersey. My Facebook friend Katie played the part in a Muncie Civic Theater production of the musical.

Heather Matarazzo (The Princess Diaries) and Jennifer Beals (The Book of Eli) have both been in the series THE L WORD.

Jodie Foster (The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane) and Denzel Washington (The Book of Eli) worked together in the 2006 film INSIDE MAN

Jodie Foster (The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane) and Jennifer Beals (The Book of Eli) both attended Yale at the same time.

Martin Sheen (The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane) and Harrison Ford (Star Wars Holiday Special) were in the 1979 film APOCALYPSE NOW.

PRESIDENTIAL FRANCHISE

-Michael Gambon (The Book of Eli) plays Lyndon Johnson in the 2002 tv movie PATH TO WAR

-Art Carney (Star Wars Holiday Special) plays Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1960 tv movie THE RIGHT MAN

-Martin Sheen (The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane) plays John F. Kennedy in the 1983 mini-series KENNEDY

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 367th Edition

Welcome to the 367th Edition of my series. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday. This week, I have a rarity in which I have four animated selections which include Warner Brothers, Disney, Nickelodeon, and DC Universe. I was scheduled to be in a December play called HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS but due to complications of scheduling conflicts and finding a full cast, the show got pulled until next year. If I am available I will look to be in the show as it appears to be a good show. Today, I look to keep my win streak in Fantasy Football going and to keep my division lead. I had a slow start from Thursday but the game is still going and I'm not out yet. I will now be posting my selections for this week.

The Apartment (1996): This is part one of a two-part Vincent Cassel series. This is my French film for the week which was written and directed by Gilles Mimouni. There was a comedy of the same title which starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley Maclaine and while it was a bit racy for its time, it has nothing to do with this one. Vincent Cassel stars as Max who is now engaged, soon to go to Tokyo. Things change though when he believes he sees his old love Lisa, played by Monica Bellucci, and becomes obsessed with finding her. His search soon leads to someone named Alice, played by Romane Bohringer, who looks similar to Lisa and has her own motives. This is a very good French thriller taking us into quite a web of deceit but requires your full attention.

The Fifth-Column Mouse (1943): This is my animated short brought from Warner Brothers. This is a short where there is a cat intent on eating mice. This was all I was expecting but found this was quite different. This cat was out to get mice but most escape to their mouse hole except one. The cat then tells the mouse that he will not hurt them as long as they pamper to the cat. The mice reluctantly agree but soon see that all the cat wants is the mice and the mice soon prepare for war. I really had no idea what to expect but was an interesting war propaganda cartoon where if they tried that with our current war they would never get away with in. In WWII though, it appeared to be far more acceptable. I always enjoy watching these kinds of cartoons and is worth a look.

The Sword in the Stone (1963): This is my Disney selection for the week and their take towards the Arthurian legend. This one shows Arthur when he is just a boy who aspires to be a squire. He soon meets the wizard Merlin who sees far more in Arthur and decides to take him in while mentoring and educating the young boy who is destined to be King Arthur. This is something I watched a lot as a kid and was the first King Arthur exposure I ever had. The legend is portrayed in so many ways both light and dark. Merlin was a charming wizard in this one but gets portrayed more villainous in others. This is a good beginning to King Arthur showing him to become the king.

What Price Hollywood? (1932): George Cukor directs this portrayal of the world of Hollywood. Constance Bennett stars as a waitress, who soon meets alcoholic director Max Carey, played by Lowell Sherman, who helps her to break into the film industry. This is a rather dark look at Hollywood at the time and is said to be the original A STAR IS BORN which has three versions in the 30s to the 70s. Sherman was known to be an alcoholic in real-life so his character models him in some ways. This is a great pre-code film that was probably quite controversial at its time and overlooked today so I hope to put this one on the radar.

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004): This is part two of my two-part Scarlett Johansson series. This is my Nickelodeon animated selection which is based on the popular cartoon series. In this movie, King Neptune's, voiced by Jeffrey Tambor, loses his crown and Spongebob's boss Mr. Krabs is being made to look like he did it but did not. Spongebob and his best friend Patrick Star leave Bikini Bottom to find that crown and clear Mr. Krabs. I have always been a casual fan of the show. I know it's criticized by some believing it's a bit inappropriate for kids but I don't really see that myself. Alec Baldwin, Clancy Brown, and David Hasselhoff co-star in this animated film. If you like Spongebob, I think you'll like this one.

Escape from Fort Bravo (1953): This is my western for the week. William Holden stars as hard-nosed Union soldier Captain Roper. He keeps guard of a prison full of confederate soldiers. Eleanor Parker co-stars as Carla Forrester who comes into town and making Roper fall in love with her not knowing she is there arranging a prison break which is quite clever. Things get even more complicated when the Indians invade and Roper cannot stray his feelings for Carla. This is a pretty clever western directed by John Sturges and I'm always ready to watch William Holden who I feel is quite underrated. John Forsythe and Polly Bergen also co-star.

Grass (1999): This is my marijuana documentary for the week which was directed by Ron Mann. This movie takes a look at the drug which was brought into the United States in the early 20th Century by the Mexicans and immediately looked down upon. It shows politician Harry Anslinger who was able to convince the world of how horrible the drug was and pass all kinds of laws. It has a lot of very interesting footage from old propaganda movies, educational videos, and political speeches. The most famous of the propaganda films is REEFER MADNESS but contains a few others. It mainly documents Marijuana's role in the war on drugs and even the spending on that drug throughout the years as well as others trying to prove that it really is not any more harmful than alcohol. Woody Harrelson narrates this film and even did it for free due to his being a pot activist. I am not a pot smoker myself but I do believe in the legalization of it as I do not see it as being harmful. I know many people who smoke pot and have never witnessed any dramatic effects and feel that people who get drunk are usually even worse. This was mostly clips put together but was done so in a very good way. This is a very funny and insightful documentary that should get viewed. My dad found this on http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/grass in which it can be viewed for free.

Rocky II (1979): Sylvester Stallone took the director chair in this sequel to his classic 1976 film which helped make him the star he is today. This picks up right where the first one left off. Stallone reprises his role as Rocky who has just married Adrian, played by Talia Shire, and is about to become a father. He is also trying to adjust to his life after his big fight which he intended to be his last one but finds that it is very difficult for him to work other jobs. On the other side, Carl Weathers reprises his role as Apollo Creed who does everything possible to goad Rocky into accepting a rematch which we all know finally happens. I did enjoy the scenes with Rocky adjusting to that life for Adrian and her being uneasy about him returning. I have always talked about making a musical out of this where the first act is the based more on the first film and the second act is based more on this one. I think this has a lot of potential. After seeing this again, I find that this one is my favorite of the series. It has that great scene of Rocky training and running up the steps. Last summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Philadelphia where these movies are filmed and had the pleasure of seeing the statue and much to my surprise, my ability to actually run up the steps myself. If you don't believe me, just ask Ashley. Stallone wrote, directed and stars in this great sequel to a great series of film. The music from Bill Conti is possibly the most motivational music in film and if he wrote music for an exercise video I might be inclined to do it. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Trust (2010): FRIENDS alum David Schwimmer directed this independent film. Liana Liberato stars as high school freshman Annie who uses the internet to communicate with another guy she has not met in person. After months of this communication through chat and phone, they finally meet but turns out to not be the person that Annie expects and turns out to be an online sexual predator taking advantage her. The movie then deals with the aftermath of what happened. Clive Owen and Catherine Keener co-star as her parents Will and Lynn who deal with what happened in different ways and struggle to support their daughter. Will is determined to get his revenge while Lynn just wants to be there for their daughter. Liberato is very good as Annie who struggles to come to terms with what happened to her. Owen and Keener are also both very good in their parts. This movie is full of well written characters and each of them dealing with such a bad situation. The plot could be something very Lifetimish but writers Andy Bellin and Festinger along with director Schwimmer make this movie so much more. The movie also makes quite a statement. This movie is available on Instant Netflix.

DVD REVIEW: WONDER WOMAN (2009)

PREVIEWS

Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008): This is a preview to the video game of the big lego craze where everyone escapes from Arkham Asylum and Batman and Robin must save the day. I'm not a video gamer so I don't really know what it's like.

Inkheart (2008): This is a movie preview and I have never seen this one. The preview has some fantasy sequences and I saw Brendan Fraser but did not see much else.

Scooby-Doo and the Samarai Sword (2009): This is one of the many Scooby-Doo straight to video movies. The gang then goes to Japan to go after some ghost. The animation looked good but I just was not big on the way Fred looked.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996): This is a DVD series and the first season of the popular animated series.

FEATURE FILM

Wonder Woman (2009): This is a look at Wonder Woman at her origins and her becoming Wonder Woman. Keri Russell voices Princess Diana who lives among the Amazons and shut off from the world of men. Soon, a pilot named Steve Trevor, voiced by Nathan Fillion, lands on the island and is taken prisoner. Soon, there is a betrayal among the Amazons and Ares, who was imprisoned there, goes free. Diana is then charged to take Steve home and stop Ares. The animation in this movie was great as well as the voice acting. I liked that this movie was quite violent and more than a lot of animated movies that people see. The beginning shows Diana's mother at war with the God of War where a lot of blood was shed and Ares becomes captured. Alfred Molina, Marg Helgenberger, Oliver Platt, Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madson, and many others co-star. With comic book movies, I have come to believe that Marvel usually does best in live-action while DC usually does best in animation and this helps my opinion.

FEATURE FILM WITH COMMENTARY

The commentary is from the producer, writer, and director. They reflect on the story and some of the difficulties like where they said it is a lot more difficult to draw multiple women characters but pulled it off on this one. It does lend good insight and might be good for people aspiring to go into animation.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Batman: Gotham Knight: This is a 10 minute look at this anime version of Batman and the making of it. This is one I had not seen but does look interesting.

Green Lantern: A First Look: This is another 10 minute look at the animated movie GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT that was coming out at the time. It starts taking a look at the origins of Green Lantern and how the characters changed with the time. It is a pretty insightful look at the basic story of the Green lanterns.

Justice League: The New Frontier: From Graphic Novel to animated movie: This is another 10 minute look at this Justice League movie talking about the comic series and then it getting put to a good 70 minute movie. This is probably my favorite of the Justice League movies which takes place during the McCarthy era where even superheros have been affected.

Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess: One more 10 minute look talking about the featured movie and a basic history of Wonder Woman who is the first female superhero. It also talked about how the character was created in a time where woman where seen as people in the household and showed that women can do things men do.

OVERALL DVD

I really enjoyed the movie. The short documentaries were quite insightful though I would have liked to see a more detailed documentary on Wonder Woman. I did like hearing about the origins and history of Green Lantern. Overall, you can learn a lot from it though I usually prefer a making-of documentary to audio commentary with exception to BUBBA HO-TEP.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Mila Kunis, Billy Bob Thornton, Harrison Ford, more Vincent Cassel, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 366th Edition

Welcome to the 366th Edition of my series. I now have a three-way tie going in my division of Fantasy Football and am on top due to points. I hope to continue my current four game win streak. This week is Thanksgiving and I hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving. I am just going to let know that I am thankful for a great family, great friends, and for the things I am most proud of like this blog, the acting I have done, my ring announcing in the world of professional wrestling, and even the photography I have been doing. I will now get onto my selections for this week.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): When I was in Columbus, Indiana, I checked out their independent movie theater the Yes Cinema and thought this might be interesting. Something rare in the film industry where the author of the novel, Stephen Chbosky, wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Logan Lerman stars as introverted freshman Charlie who is still coping with a suicide of his friend as well as his own mental illness. He also tries to prepare himself for the hazing from the seniors. He soon meets a senior named Patrick as well as his senior stepsister Sam, played by post-Harry Potter Emma Watson, who become friends to him. Watson shows she is far more than Hermione in a really good performance. Charlie soon forms a liking for Sam despite their age difference and a dark past that she has had. Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, and Joan Cusack all co-star. I liked Cusack's more low key than usual performance. I have not read the book since I am not much of a reader, though I'm trying to get into reading. In watching the movie, I really enjoyed it and if the book got butchered, it is the fault of the author who probably thought he is the only one who would know his vision so took it upon himself to do the inevitable film. I remember my freshman year and how difficult it was so many can relate to the Charlie character as well as the other two characters. There are also some great references to THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. There is also a good soundtrack with songs from people like The Smiths so where can you go wrong when the Smiths are featured in a soundtrack? These are the kinds of movies I want to support in the movie theaters.

In Good Company (2004): This is part one of a two-part Scarlett Johansson series. Now I bring this workplace comedy from the Weitz Brothers and this may hit home with some. Dennis Quaid stars as Dan who is a 51 year old executive who has been with his company for many years and learns his company is being restructured. He is soon demoted and gets Carter, a 26 year old as his new boss. THAT 70S SHOW alum Topher Grace plays Carter who tries to still make Dan feel he is included. One interesting element is that it shows these two characters kind of paralleling each others. Dan is dealing with the news that he will become a father again as well as his daughter going to a far more expensive school. We then see Carter who is moving up very fast in the corporate world but finds that it is not all it is cracked up to be and is dealing with a divorce. Just when things could not become more complicated, Dan finds out his daughter Alex, played by Scarlett Johansson, is dating Carter. Marg Helgenberger, David Paymer, Philip Baker Hall, Selma Blair, and Malcolm McDowell have parts. McDowell is uncreditted and this would have been a great loophole in The Madness if I had known about it. This is a pretty decent comedy on the corporate world that can be realistic.

Rudo Y Cursi (2008): This is my Mexican movie for the week which takes place in the world of Soccer. Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal star as brothers of the title nicknames whose names are Beto and Tato. They are in a lower-class close knit family and play local games of soccer a lot. They are soon discovered by a talent scout named Batula who recruits them in a professional league with each going to different teams. In their new found fame and money, each of them give into different temptations. Beto develops a gambling addiction and Tato dates a model and his publicity is affecting his play especially when he sees his fiance with another man. This is a good foreign sports film of showing what can happen when losing focus of what is more important at the time. This is another good blend of comedy and drama that my first two choices have displayed.

A Knight for a Day (1946): This is my Disney short for the week which features Goofy. This takes place in the middle ages where Goofy is a lowly squire named Cedric whose master Sir Loinsteak becomes subdued and he takes his place against champion Sir Cumference with some comical results. This is a good Disney short and should be viewed if you can get it.

You Only Live Twice (1967): Now I bring some James Bond into the picture being played by Sean Connery. Agent 007 must investigate abductions of space shuttles before a war breaks out. Bond works with the Japanese secret service to investigate these findings which lead to the terrorist organization the SPECTRE. This time Bond gets some beautiful Japanese girls played by Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama. Karin Dor plays a good female villain working for SPECTRE. Donald Pleasance plays Ernst Stavro Blofeld and is the first time they show the character's face. It is also the model for Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies. Charles Gray plays a character named Mr. Henderson and would go onto play Blofeld in the 1971 James Bond film DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. This is not the greatest Conney Bond or Bond but still has some good moments to make this enjoyable in my view.

The Story of Temple Drake (1933): This movie is based on the William Faulkner novel called SANCTUARY. Miriam Hopkins plays the title character who is rather rebellious and is loved by good hearted attorney Stephen Benbow, played by William Gargon, but she does not love him enough. She soon ends up at a house of a gang of bootleggers who soon rape her and make her a sex slave. Soon, one of the members is killed but not by the person accused and Stephen defends that person slowly seeing what Temple has become. Jack La Rue plays the leader of the gang named Trigger. This was already a controversial book and was a controversial decision just to do the movie even before the Hayes code. This was a very well done movie that while controversial was still a good story. I usually enjoy these types of movies from that era the most. Hopkins was very good as the title character.

The Epic Journey of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (2012): I decided to do a WWE documentary this week. For those of you who do not know, that actor Dwayne Johnson was a big star in the World Wrestling Federation which then become World Wrestling Entertainment. This documentary briefly touches upon his childhood being born into a wrestling family consisting of his grandfather "High Chief" Peter Maivia and his father Rocky Johnson. It then touches some of his college football background when he was on the Miami Hurricanes and was then on the practice squad on the Canadian Football League. It was soon after that when Johnson decided to go into wrestling following in his family's footsteps. It leaves out the time he was in the United States Wrestling Association which I'm aware he used a name called Flex Kavana. It starts with his debut in SURVIVOR SERIES '96 where takes the name Rocky Maivia and is the winner. He starts out as a babyface, a wrestling term for good guy, but crowds would always boo him, maybe because he just tried too hard to be good. He then became popular when he did a heel turn, a bad guy in wrestling terminology, and then won the fans over with his work on the microphone where he became very entertaining making fans want to watch every week. He would soon be known for many different catchphrases. It focuses a lot on his feuds with people like Mankind, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin and even Hulk Hogan. In time through his career he decided to pursue the film industry and slowly left wrestling to make movies but making occasional appearances. There was a lot left out but I guess they just wanted to choose the most important things to make it two hours. Now I know a lot of wrestling fans criticized his move into acting but I know being involved in the industry that it can really take a toll being on the road all the time and while it is choreographed, taking falls onto that wrestling ring can really take a toll on the body. This includes interviews from his parents, his ex-wife Dany, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Vince McMahon, and many others. This is probably for mostly wrestling fans and always enjoy featuring these documentaries from time to time.

Pardners (1956): This is part two of my two-part Dean Martin series. Last week, I featured him with his Rat Pack actors Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. This time he is in his famous comedy duo with Jerry Lewis. Lewis plays spoiled rich boy Wade Kingsley Jr. and Dean Martin plays rancher Slim Mosely Jr. whose fathers were partners and were murdered. Wade does not want the life his mother wants for him and wants so bad to be a cowboy and Slim is experiencing financial trouble getting help from Wade and becoming unexpected partners. They have done better work than this but this is not a bad western parody. I liked the beginning where they played their fathers. I checked this out at a library which features Lewis and Martin. This is one of the last great comedy duos and one to take a look upon.

Black Sunday (1960): This is my Italian Horror film for the week directed by Mario Bava i. Barbara Steele stars as Princess Asa Vajda who was executed as a witch and many years later returns from the grave hoping to take the body of a lookalike descendant also played by her. This movie has a great opening scene that gets right to the point and is a great horror films becoming one of the most iconic horror films. Barbara Steele is also a very iconic female horror villain. This movie conveys a lot of very disturbing images without showing a lot of violence. This is available on Instant Netflix and a very important entry into Gelato.

The Aura (2005): This is my Argentinian film for the week. Ricardo Darin stars as Esteban who is a taxidermist. He has always dreamed about committing the perfect crime and believes that the cops and criminals are both stupid when it comes to heists. He is soon invited to a hunting trip and finds the opportunity to finally create this perfect crime. He also soon finds out that nothing is as easy as it seems when he gets to the real thing. This was a very clever film with a great performance from Darin. This is available on Instant Netflix and is a must if you do not mind subtitles.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and what you dislike and stay tuned for next week which so far includes Monica Bellucci, and many others. Continue to read as I have added some to this one.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

I haven't really done this in a while but decided I wanted to do it. If you find your own fun and useless fact just go ahead and comment as I'm sure I missed many.

Marg Helgenberger (In Good Company) and Dylan McDermott (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) were in in the 1994 movie THE COWBOY WAY.

Philp Baker Hall (In Good Company) and Joan Cusack (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) were in the 1999 movie CRADLE WILL ROCK.

Philip Baker Hall (In Good Company) did some guest spots on the tv series THE PRACTICE which starred Dylan McDermott (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

Malcolm McDowell (In Good Company) plays Dr. Loomis in the Rob Zombie era of HALLOWEEN. Donald Pleasance (You Only Live Twice) was the first Dr. Loomis starting in the 1978 film HALLOWEEN.

Malcolm McDowell (In Good Company) provides the voice for Professor Moriarty in the 2010 movie TOM AND JERRY MEET SHERLOCK HOLMES. My Facebook friend Sean played the part of Professor Moriarty in a Muncie Civic Theater version of SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Sean Connery (You Only Live Twice) and Dennis Quaid (In Good Company) team up in the 1996 film DRAGONHEART

Sean Connery (You Only Live Twice) plays King Arthur in the 1995 film FIRST KNIGHT. Malcolm McDowell (In Good Company) plays the part in the 1985 movie ARTHUR THE KING.

Donald Pleasance (You Only Live Twice) plays Dr. Seward in the 1979 film DRACULA. My Facebook friend Kevin played the part in a production of Muncie Civic Theater.

Charles Gray (You Only Live Twice) plays the narrator in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. My Facebook friend Joe played the part in a production at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater.

Miriam Hopkins (The Story of Temple Drake) plays Ivy Pearson in the 1931 film DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. My Facebook friend Nikki played the part of Lucy Harris which is equivalent of Ivy in a Muncie Civic Theater production of JEKYLL AND HYDE: THE MUSICAL.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 365th Edition, 7 year anniversary

Welcome to the 365th Edition of my blog and it is also the 7 year anniversary! I know, I can't believe it either. I want to thank all my supporters through the years and I hope to continue to build more supporters after this. This week is a little more thematic that usual where I decided to use movies with the number 7 in it. This week has more foreign films than usual. I probably won't do this in the future but with all the connotations on that number, I decided to do it here. I will now get onto the selections for the week.

Se7en (1995): The start to something obvious but still a good film. David Fincher directed this film where detectives search for a murderer who uses the seven deadly sins in order to justify their actions. Morgan Freeman is a veteran detective named William Somerset and Brad Pitt plays Detective David Mills who just joins the force. They must do what they can to learn more on the sins to get more into the mind of the killer leading into a great climax. Gwyneth Paltrow plays David's accepting wife and Kevin Spacey plays the part of John Doe. This is a very graphic film but if you can gest past that, this is a great detective film.

Seven Days (2010): This is my French Canadian film for the week. Claude Legault stars as Dr. Bruno Hamel who is leading such an ideal life in a happy marriage with a beautiful daughter. Soon their lives change for the worse when their daughter is found raped and murdered. When the killer is found, Bruno kidnaps him and tortures him promising to turn himself in when he kills and tortures him in seven days. Bruno's wife and everyone else do not agree with his methods and appeal him to stop and turn himself in. I know this is something any father would want to do if they go through something horrible like this but his methods were ruining the marriage and his own life so I was not in agreement though I understand but the movie still entertains. This is by no means for everyone but if you don't mind subtitles and can get past the graphic violence, this might be for you as it moves very well and used no music. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Seven Swords (2005): I originally intended to use the Japanese classic SEVEN SAMURAI but when I came across this title, I decided to check this out instead. Tsui Hark directed this martial arts epic during 1600s China. The new government outlaws martial arts of any kind and has very severe consequence if the law is broken. Soon, seven skilled swordsman lead by Donnie Yen come together to bring down the emperor. This movie has some great action scenes and a pretty good story so a must for Hong Kong fans.

Seven Chances (1925): Buster Keaton directed and stars in this silent comedy. The silent legend plays Jimmie Shannon who is a financial broker who is nearly bankrupt but then learns of his grandfather's will leaving him 7 million dollars. In order to get the money, he must marry by 7 pm on his 27th birthday which is today. He tries to pursue the woman he loves but a misunderstanding leads him to have to search for someone else unless she can find him. This is a pretty comical film from that era that silent buffs will enjoy, especially the falling rocks scene. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964): This is part one of a two-part Dean Martin series. This is a variation on the Robin Hood legend which takes place in prohibition-era Chicago and is a musical that stars the three main Rat Pack members of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. Sinatra stars as Robbo who does not want to lose his territory. Martin plays John who would be the Little John character and is a hustler in this film. Davis plays Will who is very good with the gun and is usually Will Scarlett in Robin Hood films. Peter Falk co-stars as Guy Gisborne who is a racketeer and has a mob boss killed. He soon looks to take over the mob but Robbo refuses to go along. Soon Robbo gives money to an orphanage and becomes the toast of the town and Gisborne does what he can to have him knocked off. Bing Crosby co-stars as Allen Dale who runs the orphanage and sees Robbo as a Robin Hood helps him to keep his image. Barbara Rush co-stars as Marian who is the daughter of the killed mob boss and wants Robbo to knock off those responsible. Edward G. Robinson plays the mob boss that is killed but is not credited. This was a pretty entertaining movie with some pretty good musical numbers and a clever variation to the legend.

Call Northside 777 (1948): This movie have three 7's and is my Film Noir for the week. This movie takes place 11 years after a murder that happened in Prohibition era Chicago. James Stewart plays Chicago reporter P.J. McNeal who is sent to investigate the murder of a police officer after the paper sees an ad which promises a $5000 reward to anyone who can find the right killer. It turns out to be the convicted murderer's mother who believes in his innocence. McNeal takes the case but remains very skeptical and out to get a story but through further questioning begins to believe he is innocence and stops at nothing to prove it. Lee J. Cobb co-stars as the editor of the paper who assigns McNeal to investigate. Richard Conte plays Frank who is in prison for the murder but may be innocent. There is also a good scene with a lie detector and the person administering it was the inventor Leonarde Keeler. This is a very overlooked Stewart film and a very well moving story keeping you in suspense without having a lot of violence. This movie is based on a true story of a man named Joseph Majczek.

7 Days in September (2002): This is my documentary for the week which takes place in New York on September 11th, 2001 where it starts from that horrible day in our history. Many documentary filmmakers were on hand and filmed some footage of what they saw and put it together in this movie. It starts where they show the World Trade Center where the plane had crashed. It then shows footage of rescue workers and New Yorkers reflecting on this rough time period. This is an event that my generation will always remember and I remember that day and the anger and emotion it caused me. I did not lose anyone I know but I hated the thought of all these people losing their loved ones. There is some rather interesting footage in this film like some people on Ground Zero arguing about what should happening but then realizing it is not doing any good as well as a child getting so emotional about what happened where he appeared like an adult in a child's body. If one does not want to watch this, it is understandable but this was a rather compelling documentary which gives a good look at the everyday people of New York. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Seven Up! (1964): This is my documentary short for the week. This is the first part of a British documentary series where a handful of seven year old children are asked their opinions on certain matters in the world. Most of them are from a high class British school and have interesting answers to things. This is a series that is done every 7 years where they reinterview each of the kids to see how their viewpoints have changed. This one is available on Instant Netflix.

The Seventh Seal (1957): Ingmar Bergman wrote and directed this Swedish classic. Max Von Sydow is plays a knight in the era of the Black Death named Antonius Block. Antonius soon encounters Death, played by Bengt Ekerot, and challenges Death to a game of chess. In this game cultural turmoil happens causing everyone around him to deal with it in different ways. Block also searches for meaning in what could be his last days. The interaction between Block and Death is great. It also does a great job of showing dark imagery balanced out by lighter times. This is considered by many to be Bergman's best and is one that may need multiple viewings. Bergman has named this as his favorite.

7 Khoon Maaf (2011): I end this week with this Bollywood film. Priyanka Chopra stars as Susanna who is in search for love and finds marriage but not seemingly what was hoping for after the marriage. Each of the husbands end in some mysterious deaths. This movie is a drama but in some ways a dark comedy. For those who do not know the term Bollywood, they are movies made in Bombay, India. For those who do know the term, most would think some lavish musical focusing on some big family and maybe someone being forced to marry one they do not. This one is much different. Like any Bollywood film, there are some musical numbers but they happen for a reason. Chopra was very good in her role and it had a very interesting way of ending the film. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and what you hate. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Paul Rudd, Scarlet Johannson, Sean Connery, The Rock, more Dean Martin, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 364th Edition

Welcome to the 364th edition of my series. My Fantasy football team is now 5-3 and I'm looking to tie for the lead in my division. I am now second in my division but number one in scoring in my lead. This is the last of The Madness. It has been a fun time but ready to move onto my usual selection process. In HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, I got a third part in the show so I am now in a straight play with three parts so I'm sure this will be interesting and I hope to rise to the challenge. Now let me get onto my movie selections.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011): I start this week out with this animated DC movie. In this movie, main Green Lantern Hal Jordan prepares a new recruit for an upcoming battle. He soon tells her stories about some of the first Green Lanterns and some of the others. Nathan Fillion voices Hal Jordan in this film. If you are looking for a movie centered all around Hal Jordan, this will not be the one but it does go into some pretty good stories so fans of Green Lantern may enjoy this but should have some background before watching. Jason Isaacs, Elizabeth Moss, Henry Rollins, and Arnold Vosloo also lend their voices to the movie.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998): This is Jamie Lee Curtis's 1st film in the franchise since 1981 in HALLOWEEN 2. In this movie, Curtis reprises her iconic role as Laurie Strode who works at a private school and under a different name hoping to stay away from her brother Michael Myers. Myers soon tracks her down there and targets her son John, played by Josh Hartnett in his debut film. Laurie must soon face her past and once again stand up to Michael Myers. Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adam Arkin, Janet Leigh, LL Cool J, and many others co-star. Steve Miner directed this sequel to what John Carpenter started. This sequel may not be a John Carpenter film but it gives respect to what he started and pays homage and is possibly the best sequel of the franchise.

Let the Right One In (2008): This is my vampire film for the week and my foreign film. Tomas Alfredson directs this film which focuses on a boy named Oskar who is bullied by the kids at school. He soon meets a young girl named Eli who turns out to be a vampire. They soon form an unusual friendship and she teaches him to stand up to the bullies. He also understands that she needs blood to live so he must decide how far he is willing to go. In 2010, there was a remake called LET ME IN and I will say I liked that one better but this one is still very enjoyable. This is available on Instant Netflix and if you can get past the gore and English subtitles, this might be for you.

Scenic Grandeur (1941): This is my short film for the week that is from the Traveltalk series. This one takes a tour through the Northwestern United States like Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake in the state of Washington. It also shows some of Alaska. This is a pretty informative few minutes.

The Mummy (1932): I now bring you my Univeral Horror classic for the week. Boris Karloff stars as Imhotep who was condemned to die. In the modern day, in an expedition, a scroll is found and Imhotep is soon brought back to life. He then sets out to reunite with his former love who appears to have been reincarnated. Usually, I favor Hammer films and even more modern films at times but in this franchise, this one has not been topped and the best of the Universal horror films in my opinion. Karloff is very good as the title character who poses as a scholar named Ardeth Bay. There is also some good use of camera on some of the flashbacks and one that is being watched in the modern day. This is available on Instant Netflix

The Noose Hangs High (1948): This is my Abbott and Costello film for the week. Our comedy duo are a couple of window washers who are mistaken by a bookie to be messengers sent to pick up $50,000. With this misunderstanding, they soon begin to do the wrong thing and are then caught up in a mob war where the rival gangsters believe they are smart mobsters. There is a funny bit with Costello at the dentist. This one is not their best but a good, overlooked effort that is available on Instant Netflix.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994): This is a shout out to my good friends Becky and Ashley who are some very good hula hoopers and this movie gives the fictional account on the invention of the hula hoop. The Coen Brothers directed this satire to the working place and the corporate ladder. We first see Waring Hudsucker, played by Charles Durning, commit suicide after some bad business decisions. This leaves Sidney Mussburger, played by Paul Newman, who comes up with a big idea to make a lot of money by putting a moron in charge and when stock falls low enough they can buy it back at a cheap price. Tim Robbins stars as an idealistic college graduate named Norville Barnes who is looking for work and gets hired there for the mailroom. He soon presents his idea for an invention and Mussburger believes he is the perfect person to be put in charge. Jennifer Jason Leigh co-stars as reporter Amy Archer who investigates Norville's promotion. Bill Cobbs, John Mahoney and Bruce Campbell co-star in this comedy. This is a very funny movie but even has a message as to how power can corrupt and how the corporate world is very cutthroat. The character of Norville Barnes is from my town of Muncie, Indiana and has a very amusing fight song. I'm not sure if the Muncie College of Business Administration was ever a real college but cool to hear the Coen Brothers reference my town.

Eyes Without a Face (1960): This is Travis's selection for the Co-Op film series which is a French horror film. A surgeon named Dr. Genessier has a daughter whose face was disfigured in a car accident. Along with his assistant Louise, they kidnap young women with the intention of using their face on his daughter. Each experiment fails resulting in the death of the kidnapped women but Genessier does not give up. This is a horror film but in some ways beautiful. Edith Scob plays the daughter who usually wears a mask and does a good job of conveying her emotions through that mask. Billy Idol would soon write a song of the same name which pays tribute to this movie.

I Spit on Your Grave (1978): Camille Keaton stars as aspiring writer named Jennifer who moves to a cabin to finish her work. She is soon raped and humiliated by four of the local men. When she recovers, she sets out to get revenge on the people who wronged her. This is an exploitation film to the core and is by no means for everyone. The rape is very graphic and holds nothing back which could be good in some ways to show that the act of rape is very wrong. When Jennifer goes on her killing spree, those scenes hold back no violence and revenge. Camille Keaton is the great niece of the legendary Buster. This movie is available on Instant Netflix and can be enjoyable if you like this type of film.

Zombieland (2009): I start this week out with this zombie comedy. Jesse Eisenberg stars as a shy college student who believes he is the only survivor and explains what rules you must go by to survive the zombie apocalypse. He soon meets a gun-toting no-nonsense survivor in Woody Harrelson who refers to himself as Tallahassee and refers to Eisenberg as Columbus. They soon meet two female survivors in Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin who are very resourceful in their survival. I admit, I have taken a liking to Emma Stone lately with her acting and personality so I enjoyed her as Wichita. They soon all team up hoping to get to an amusement park they believe is free of zombies. This is a good zombie film which has some great comedy including a hilarious cameo with Bill Murray.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week. Keep reading for the last week of the Madness which so far includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Donnie Yen, Buster Keaton, and many others.

The Madness: Week 5

This is the last week of the annual contest and I always enjoy doing these and it is a good way to clean out my Netflix queue. As always, I use the four 6 system.

The Amazing Screw-On Head (2006, 22 minutes, 666): This is an adaptation of Mike Mignola's comic book series. Screw-On Head is Lincoln's number one adviser and must take on Emperor Zombie. This has zombies and even vampires and is a pretty fun 22 minutes. I now propose that next year we make Abraham Lincoln a wild card so any movie that features Lincoln counts. (2.5 points)

-Bonus point: Vampire

-Bonus point: Vampire to bat

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009, 90 minutes, 666): Bruce Campbell animated loophole. (2 points)

Eyes Without a Face (1960, 88 minutes, 666): This is a foreign horror film so it should count (2 points)

Fight Club (1999, 139 minutes, 666): This is my Rob Bottin Loophole. (2.5 points)

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011, 84 minutes, 666): This comic book movie should qualify because it has a lot of sci-fi elements. (2 points)

Gremlins (1984, 106 minutes, 666 1/2): Another good horror comedy. (2 points)

Halloween Dinner Theater (2012, 2 hours, 666 1/2): This was a play put on in Farmland and was a cabaret style show that features the Wolf Man, Dracula, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein's monster, and many others. It also has scenes where they act scenes of Edgar Allen Poe. This show was very enjoyable an well put together by Darrin. My facebook friends Tom, Sean, Jessie, Julie and Barry were some of the actors featured. (2 points)

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998, 86 minutes, 666): No explanation needed here to qualify this one. (2 points)

The Howling (1981, 91 minutes, 666): This werewolf movie with Dee Wallace needs no explanation. (4 points)

-Bonus point: Werewolf

-Bonus point: Man to wolf and vice versa

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994, 111 minutes, 666): This one counts because of Bruce Campbell. (2 points)

I Spit on Your Grave (1978, 101 minutes, 66 1/2): This exploitation film is billed as horror and has some very graphic violence. (2 points)

Let the Right One In (2008, 115 minutes, 666): This is a vampire film so qualifies. (3 points)

-Bonus point: Vampire

The Mummy (1932, 73 minutes, 666 1/2): Boris Karloff makes this count no matter what but no explanation is needed. (2 points)

-Bonus point: 1932

The Noose Hangs High (1948, 77 minutes, 66 1/2): This is my Abbott and Costello loophole. (3 points)

-Bonus point: 1948

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012, 102 minutes, 666 1/2): I'm just going to give this a shot to being a loophole. This is a really good independent comedy/drama. What I want to argue is that there is a play within the movie of ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW which also has movie clips. (2 points)

Se7en (1995, 127 minutes, 666 1/2): This should count because of a serial killer. (2 points)

Seven Days (2010, 105 minutes, 66 1/2): I feel this foreign film should qualify due to the torture elements of him torturing the man who killed his daughter.

Train (2008, 94 minutes, 66 1/2): Thora Birch stars in this film as part of the college wrestling team and go to Europe for a meet. They soon miss their train and board a train that turns out to be the wrong train as soon they many are captured, tortured, and killed and must fight for survival. (2 points)

X-Men: First Class (2011, 132 minutes, 666): This should count for the mutants and such. This is a good origin story centering around Professor X and Magneto and their lives they were destined for. (4 points)

-Bonus Point: Shapeshifter in Mystique

-Bonus Point: I think Hank McCoy's transforming from Man to what we know now as Beast should count.

Zombieland (2009, 88 minutes, 666): This zombie comedy should qualify with no problem. (2 points)

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 363rd Edition

Welcome to the 363rd Edition of my series. This is week 4 of The Madness with one more week left. I am now in a play called HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS where I play the part of Korean war vet Bill as well as the radio announcer. This is being put on by the Grace Episcopal Church and is being performed at the Muncie Civic Studio Theater on December 14, 15, and 16. I will now get to my recommendations for the week.

Batman Returns (1992): I start the week out with Tim Burton's sequel to the 1989 BATMAN. Michael Keaton reprises his role as Bruce Wayne who secretly becomes Batman. Danny DeVito co-stars as the Penguin who is out to destroy Batman and teams with a corrupt businessman named Max Shreck, played by Christopher Walken. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Selina Kyle who then becomes Catwoman who has her own agenda. I believe Pfeiffer is the best Catwoman and a lot better than Halle Berry whose Catwoman does not count in my book. Devito is great as the Penguin who does what he can to turn Gotham City against Batman. Michael Gough and Pat Hingle reprise their parts as Alfred and Commissioner Gordon. Look for Paul Reubens, best known as Pee Wee Herman, in the beginning. Doug Jones also has an amusing part as the thin clown. In Tim Burton's Batman franchise, he is the one who started the more dark portrayal of Batman which I enjoy more and it would soon go to Joel Schumacher who did a more cheesy take to Batman which is still appealing to some.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004): This is the third movie of the Potter series where Harry Potter and friends return to Hogwarts. Gary Oldman joins the cast as Sirius Black who is an escaped convict and coming after Harry Potter. David Thewlis also joins the cast as Lupin as well as Timothy Spalls intoduction as Peter Pettigrew. Michael Gambon makse his first appearance playing Dumbledore after Richard Harris died. Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, and many others reprise their respective roles in this decent film series. This one is my favorite in the Potter series. Alfonso Cuaron takes over the director chair from Chris Columbus and delivers very well.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010): Eli Craig directed and co-wrote this great and very underrated horror spoof. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine play the title characters who are a couple hillbillies looking to do work on their new cabin in the woods. Soon, a group of college students vacation there and assume that due to their looks and some of their actions that they are a couple in-bred psycho killers leading to very violent but hilarious results. The college students are on the attack of the hillbillies in the reversal of roles. I also thought that a certain portion of the film gives a good message that can really address a lot of stereotypes. Fans of the genre will love this and if you have a good enough stomach for violence, I think this will be a very enjoyable comedy that should get more recognition. This is available on Instant Netflix.

The Fabulous Fraud (1948): This is my short film for the week. This is a documentary short that takes a look at Dr. Anton Mesmer who discovered Hypnotism and then debates its legitimacy. I do not totally dismiss it myself but I need someone to do it to me for me to really buy into it. I am not really sure of the accuracy of this short film but interesting to watch for entertainment reasons and it is interesting to watch.

Alien (1979): Ridley Scott directed this sci-fi classic that started a successful franchise. Sigourney Weaver stars in her first of four appearances as Ellen Ripley who is part of the Nostromo vessel where they encounter an alien that is not like E.T. and must fight for survival. John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, and Yaphet Kotto all co-star in this high ranking sci-fi film. There is not much else that I can say except it has some good action, acting and everything else so this is one that should be viewed.

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964): This is another Toho film for the week and the two legendary Japanese monsters in an epic battle. A greedy developer brings an egg to the beach that turns out to belong to the island of Mothra and then Godzilla awakes again wreaking havoc over Tokyo and Mothra is their only hope. Most of the entertainment is through the battle and those mini-twins that see over Mothra. This is also available on Instant Netflix and is worth a look.

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996): This is my vampire entry for the week from Robert Rodriguez and co-wrote from Quentin Tarantino. George Clooney and Tarantino star as Seth and Richard Gecko who are brothers and escaped criminals. They soon take a family, played by Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, and Ernest Liu, hostage in hopes of getting over the Mexican border. Things change when they take refuge at a Mexican bar not knowing it is full of vampires. Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, John Saxon, Kelly Preston, Fred Williamson, and many others have appearances. This is one that is not for everyone but i really enjoyed this entry into the vamp genre. Rodriguez did a great job directing though some scenes appear that Tarantino may have helped direct like a trunk scene and a scene that emphasizes bare feet. This has a great blend of action, horror, and comedy. This is available on Instant Netflix.

Tammy and the Bachelor (1957): After all the violent selections so far, I bring this more light-hearted comedy. Debbie Reynolds stars as the title character who is a very unsophisticated but good-hearted southern girl. Leslie Nielson stars as Peter who is from a more upper-class family but becomes fascinated by Tammy. Walter Brennan and Fay Wray co-star in this comedy. This is a very fun comedy doing a good job of combining upper class and lower class. In some ways, the character of Tammy reminds me of an older Shirley Temple in terms of her ability to be able to charm just about anyone.

Orphan (2009): Now I go back to the violence in this horror thriller. Vera Farminga and Peter Sarsgaard star as married couple Kate and John. They are in counseling trying to repair their marriage. They soon decide to adopt a Russian girl named Esther, played by Isabelle Fuhrman. Their son Daniel does not take to her but their deaf-mute daughter Max becomes intrigued but soon sees she is very manipulative. Esther begins to wreak havoc all over the place which Kate notices but John refuses to listen. This is a really good psychological thriller which disturbed me more by having a real-life person instead of someone just possessed. Aryana Engineer played the part of Max and is in real-life deaf and mute and plays her part so well. There was a couple scenes where they use subtitles and the scene is shown from her own point of view which was very good. Fuhrman was great as Esther.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928): This is a Co-Op film series selection from Travis and I end this week on a silent film. This movie chronicles Joan of Arc's trial of heresy. Carl Theodore Dreyer directed this film and used the trial documents to put this movie together. Maria Falconetti plays the part of Joan of Arc very well. There are a lot of really surreal images on close-up shots. This movie was thought to have been lost but was rediscovered in a mental institution in Oslo, Norway. This was originally done with no music score but in 1995, Richard Einhorn recorded a really good music score to it. The one that was shown was shown with a soundtrack by the band called Joan of Arc. I really prefer the one from Einhorn but Joan of Arc still did a my favorites and I would love to get a copy of that one. I think it is great that many people have the respect for this film to do a soundtrack. I will say this is my favorite silent film and on my five year anniversary blog I used this one as the only silent film of my 100 selections. I believe this is a silent film that even those who are not into them can enjoy a lot as it is so well done and stands today.

Well that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Nathan Fillion, Michelle Williams, Boris Karloff, Bruce Campbell, and many others. Keep on reading for week four of the Madness.

THE MADNESS: Week 4

Here are my selections for this week and as usual, I use the four 6 system.

Alice in Wonderland (1999, 133 minutes, 66): This tv showing of the Lewis Carroll book, I did not really enjoy it that much. I just prefer the 1985 version and I'm not really a fan of it anyways. This counts because of fantasy but either way it counts because of Gene Wilder. (2 points)

Alien (1979, 117 minutes, 666): This sci-fi horror film should get me minimum points. (2 points)

Batman Returns (1992, 126 minutes, 666): This is a superhero film that should be counted with the rules saying "think Batman over Superman" and it was a pretty dark story. (2 points)

Daybreakers (2009, 98 minutes, 666): Not a bad entry to the vampire genre where humans are becoming vampires. (3 points)-Bonus point: Vampires

Enchanted (2007, 107 minutes, 666 1/2): This Disney film qualifies due to an enchantress. I really enjoyed this one that started out as a SNOW WHITE type cartoon and then the princess is banished into the horrible world of New York City. I love Amy Adams in this film. (2 points)

Fertile Ground (2011, 95 minutes, 66 1/2): This is a horror film of a married couple moving into a house and is haunted by the husband's ancestors which effects the wife a lot. Many do not like it but I found it to be a decent effort. (2 points)

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996, 108 minutes, 666): This is obvious on what counts for this one. (4 points-Bonus Point: Vampires-Bonus Point: Tom Savini's trnasformation was a lot more extreme so should count.

Galaxy Quest (1999, 102 minutes, 666): Most of the time this would not count but this year it is a sci-fi loophole. This is a pretty good sci-fi comedy about a cast of a cancelled sci-fi series and a group of aliens who believe they are the real thing and ask for their help against an evil alien. (2 points)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010, 146 minutes, 666): This is part one. A lot of people did not seem to get into this one with it being more of a lead-in film. I still thought they did a good job and a longer story that needed to be told and they did not want to give a four hour film. Also, where can you go wrong with them using a Nick Cave song. (3.5 points)-Bonus Point: Lupin a werewolf

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011, 130 minutes, 666 1/2): This is the thrilling conclusion to the great series. (3 points)-Bonus point: Lupin a werewolf

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005, 157 minutes, 666): This is the 4th in the series which introduces pre-TWILIGHT Robert Pattinson, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes. (4 points)-Bonus point: Malfoy turning into a rat

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009, 153 minutes, 666): This is the sixth entry in the series where Jim Broadbent joins the cast. (4 points)-Bonus point: Lupin is a werewolf

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007, 138 minutes, 666): This is the 5th entry which introduces Helena Bonham Carter. (4.5)-Bonus point: Werewolf: Sirius Black-Bonus point: werewolf transformation

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004, 141 minutes, 666 1/2): This is the third entry into the Harry Potter series and counts with all the witches and wizardry. (4.5 points)-Bonus point: Sirius Black (werewolf), Professor Lupin (werewolf), Peter Pettigrew (Shapeshifter)-Bonus point: Man to wolf transformations as well as a rat to man transformation.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003, 201 minutes, 666): The conclusion to Peter Jackson's take on the Tolkien trilogy. It's got good elements, but not always my thing. (4.5 points)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, 76 minutes 666 1/2): Not much explanation needed here for why this qualifies. This is possibly one of Tim Burton's best. He did not direct but he produced and co-wrote the screenplay. Danny Elfman wrote a great soundtrack and shows off his singing voice as Jack Skellington when singing. (5 points)-Bonus points: Vampire, werewolf, and golem in Sally

Orphan (2009, 123 minutes, 666): This horror thriller that focuses on a psychotic and murderous child. (2 points)

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, 90 minutes, 6666): I discussed this one with Elizabeth and agreed that due to the pagan and wiccan elements and Joan of Arc burning at the stake. (5 points)-Bonus point: Silent and triple points.

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001,142 minutes, 666 1/2): This documentary of the controversial director should qualify because one of the interviewees is wild card Malcolm McDowell. This is a very informative documentary towards the films he made. If you want to learn about his personal life, this may not be for you. (2.5 points)

Tammy and the Bachelor (1957, 89 minutes, 666): This is my Fay Wray loophole. 3 points-Bonus point: 1957

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010, 89 minutes, 666 1/2): This slasher parody should count for the minimum. (2 points)

Wilderness (2006, 93 minutes, 66 1/2): I believe this is a British horror film. A group of juvenile delinquents are sent to an island to teach them how to get along better but instead must survive an archer and a group of very vicious dogs. (2 points)

TOTAL POINTS: 71.5?

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 362nd Edition

Welcome to the 362nd Edition of my series. I am now 3-3 in Fantasy football but am still in it so I'm not giving up now. This is week three of five for The Madness where I am quite a bit down but still enjoy the ride. I will now get to my selections for the week.

Easy A (2010): I start this week out with this modern-day variation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's THE SCARLET LETTER. Emma Stone stars as Olive, who is a high school student who is a clean-cut student and not real known. Things change though when she makes up a fictional story of a weekend affair with a college students which starts her on the rumor mill. Soon, she agrees to make up a story for a bullied student which then escalates into a lot more. Recently controversial actress Amanda Bynes plays religious fanatic Marianne who looks to make Olive's life more difficult because of all the rumors. So far this is her last movie and her fame comes from legal issues. I really hope she can get it together. Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Thomas Haden Church, Malcolm McDowell, Lisa Kudrow, and many others co-star. I really enjoyed this comedy and I really like Emma Stone. I also really liked the way it was narrated from a web cam series that Olive was doing. This is a good comedy and a good homage to THE SCARLET LETTER so you might look to get a basic idea of what that story is about to understand the references in the film.

The Lost Boys (1987): This is my vampire feature for the week which was directed by Joel Schumacher. We start with a couple brothers Michael and Sam, played by Jason Patric and Corey Haim, who move from a big town to a much smaller town. Michael soon falls in with a gang who Sam believes are vampires. Kiefer Sutherland plays the lead vampire David. Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander star as the Frog Brothers who claim to be vampire hunters and help Sam to save Michael from a bad fate. Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrman, and Alex Winter co-star in this film. This is one of the most iconic vampire films from this era. It also has a great soundtrack including CRY LITTLE SISTER from Edgar McMann. This is a very fun vampire film that combines horror with comedy.

The City of Little Men (1938): This is my short film for the week which is a documentary on the real-life Boys Town which was a movie in the same year that starred Spencer Tracy as Father Flanagan. This short film features the real-life Father Flanagan and talking about his place where he takes in troubled boys looking to give them a better life and in real-life he saved many young boys and gave them the future they might have never gotten. This film documents what goes on at the place and him making the kids empowered. The movie is great but I believe this gives a little more insight about what they do withing Boys Town. This business still exists to this day and founding this organization made way for better juvenile laws.

1941 (1979): This is my WWII spoof for the week which was directed by Steven Spielberg. This movie takes place in California right after the Pearl Harbor attack where a military group fears an attack there. Jon Belushi is great as Captain Wild Bill Kelso. Robert Stack is great as a military man who loves DUMBO and is crying to the movie and singing along. Dan Aykroyd, Treat Williams, Warren Oates, Nancy Allen, Pattie Lupone, Slim Pickens, John Candy, and many others co-star. Legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune leads the Japanese army who observes the American soldiers and aligns himself with a German captain played by Christopher Lee. A young Mickey Rourke makes his feature film debut as one of the soldiers but a very small part. There are some really funny scenes like the Japanese disguising themselves as Christmas trees and the opening scene spoofing JAWS. This was considered a flop for Spielberg but is still a fun film to watch.

You See Me Laughin' (2002): This is a Co-Op film series selection from Travis and my documentary for the week. This takes a look at blues singers from Mississippi. Most of them stay there and enjoy the small followings that they have. Much of these people were self-taught and wrote their own music. A recording agency called Fat Possum records who tries to get their music out but also deal with people who are not looking for a big career. The highlight of this movie is the interviews with the various blues singers. You can look into some of this music on http://www.fatpossum.com. This movie was very well received and attended at the viewing including a lot of music majors offering some good insight.

Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956): Last week, I included the Japanese version GOJIRA and this is what people call the American version. This is a reedited film from the 1954 movie where Raymond Burr is added as a reporter named Steve Martin. This is where the creature forms out of atomic testing and wreaks havoc all over Tokyo. The 1954 version is a lot better but this one still works well and good to watch this one if you do not like Japanese subtitles. This one is available on Instant Netflix.

Ghost Town (2008): Ricky Gervais stars in this comedy as dentist Bertram Pincus who has a near death experience and gains the ability to see ghosts who all want something from him when he is not a friendly person. The main ghost is Frank, played by Greg Kinnear, who wants him to break up an impending marriage with his widowed wife, played by Tea Leoni. He soon finds himself loving his wife. I really enjoyed this comedy and Gervais was a lot of fun. I consider this the comedic version of THE SIXTH SENSE.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951): Robert Wise directed this sci-fi film where an alien named Klaatu, played by Michael Rennie, along with his robot Gort visit the cold-war era Earth. Soon after the ship lands, the town automatically assumes it is just and invasion of Earth and must save their planet. All Klaatu wants to do is to deliver his message that if we continue to war the way that we do that the world will be destoyed and offers how to do that. This is a sci-fi movie that still holds up and has a great message in it. Patricia Neal co-stars as the mother of a family he is staying with who soon learns that he is an alien but helps him when realizing he has good intentions. This also talks about how we fear the unknown. This is possibly the best sci-fi film from that era and is a good movie not "so bad it's good" like many from that era.

A Boy and His Dog (1975): L.Q. Jones co-wrote and directed this film which stars a young Don Johnson as Vic who is a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world who travels along with his aging dog Blood that advises him of what is best but other people cannot hear the dog past the bark. He is soon lured into an underground society where citizens have not been able to reproduce for a long time. They use him to impregnate a woman and then get rid of him. This is a pretty good post-apocalyptic film and some great dialogue scenes between Vic and Blood. It was also a good performance from Don Johnson. This is available on Instant Netflix and is worth a look especially if you like the post-apocalyptic genre.

The Village (2004): This is part one of a two-part Sigourney Weaver series. M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed this film. This is a more atmospheric thriller. It takes place in a small, isolated countryside where one side is humans and the others are creatures. For a long time, they have made a pact to not cross into each other's area but things appear to change. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Lucius Hunt who crosses the land to seek medical supplies and that is when strange things begin happening. Bryce Dallas Howard co-stars as Ivy, who is blind but aware of things around her and decides to go to the other side to get some necessary supplies. William Hurt, Jesse Eisenburg, Judy Greer, Michael Pitt, and Adrien Brody all co-star. This is a pretty good thriller and moves in some ways especially with Howard's great performance as Ivy who you are with throughout the film.

Well, that is it for the recommendations. Stay tuned for next week which so far includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Gary Oldman, more Sigourney Weaver, Quentin Tarantino, Fay Wray, Peter Saarsgard and many others. Keep reading for week 3 of The Madness.

THE MADNESS: WEEK 3

These are my selections for this week and I do my ratings based on the four 6 system.

Batman: Year One (2011, 64 minutes, 666 1/2): This is a great animated film of Batman which focuses on Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City and becoming Batman as well as Jim Gordon, a very incorrupt cop who transfers to a town full of corruption where Catwoman also tries to make a name for herself. On the rules, it says on comic book films "think Batman over Superman" so I figured I'd try to get this included. (2 points)

A Boy and His Dog (1975, 90 minutes, 666): This post-apocalyptic film should qualify for the minimum points. (2 points)

DC Showcase: Catwoman/The Spectre (2010, 28 minutes, 66 1/2): These are two short films of these characters. Catwoman looks to stop a mysterious shipment in a cargo ship. The Spectre is a detective who becomes a dark figure and takes extreme justice to those involved in a murder. The issue with these are for one they are two short in my opinion. This is my first exposure to The Spectre and I'm not sure how I feel about this character. I don't really mind the killing part and each one is quite different which makes it intriguing but it seems to come to easy for the character. Maybe I just need to do a little more background. Catwoman is a pretty dark story and The Spectre is a very dark character and had some pretty brutal killings. (1.5 points)

-bonus point: Vampire that bites one of the victims before the killings

Deep Blue Sea (1999, 105 minutes, 66 1/2): I feel this shark film should qualify. A group of researchers are looking for an Alzheimer's cure by genetically enlarging the shark's brains which then makes them even more smart and more deadly. (2 points)

Easy A (2010, 92 minutes, 666 1/2): I loved this high school comedy which has not horror elements whatsoever but has wild card Malcolm McDowell to make this a loophole. (2 points)

Ed Wood (1994, 127 minutes, 666 1/2): This biopic counts because it is about wild card Ed Wood as well as wild card Bela Lugosi. This is my favorite of the Burton/Depp collaborations. (5 points)

-Bonus point: Lugosi in the movie makes a live appearance for a variety series as Dracula

Ghost Town (2008, 102 minutes, 666): This is a comedy and should qualify because there are ghosts in the movie making this my ghost loophole. (2 points)

Godzilla (1956, 80 minutes, 66 1/2): This is a creature feature that needs no argument for qualification. (4 points)

-Bonus point: 1956

-Bonus point: The destruction of Tokyo

Historically Accurate Ghosts (2012, 2 hours 666): This was an actual event where I played real-life Muncie resident Thomas S. Neely where I spoke in front of his grave. This was education and not creepy but I was still considered a ghost. (2 points)

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010, 75 minutes, 666): In this Justice League animated movie, a Lex Luthor from another dimension who is very heroic in his dimension and asks the Justice League to help with some of their enemies. I believe this has plenty sci-fi/fantasy elements like the multiple dimensions, and the character J'onn J'onzz who is an alien. (2 points)

The Lost Boys (1987, 97 minutes, 666 1/2): Not much needed to qualify this one. (3 points)

-Bonus point: Vampire

1941 (1979, 146 minutes, 66 1/2): This war spoof qualifies because of Christopher Lee. (2.5 points)

The Simpsons: Replaceable You (2011, 22 minutes, 666): This episode may not be Treehouse of Horror but there is a scene with Itchy and Scratchy which parodies Frankenstein. (1.5 points)

-Bonus point: Golem

The Vampire Diaries (2009, 42 minutes, 666): This show is really growing on me and this episode was one of the first where the Sandafor brothers had more of a battle between the two. (2 points)

-Bonus point: Vampire

The Village (2004, 108 minutes, 666): This Shyamalan film is a thriller and has some creatures so should get me minimum points. (2 points)

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter (2009, 27 minutes, 66 1/2): This is about a mariner returning home but to horrific results. The dark elements should make this qualify. I just don't know much into the background of Watchmen so maybe I should check it out more. (.5 points)