Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendation- 902nd Edition

Welcome to the 902nd Edition of my series.  I have started rehearsing for SHERLOCK HOLMES:  THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS.  It is good to be going back to all-out villainy as I play the character Morris Wiggins.  The dates of the show are on the bottom and I will get to my selections for the week.

E.T.:  Extra Terrestrial (1982):  I start the week out with this classic that was directed by Steven Spielberg.  Henry Thomas stars as the 10 year old Elliott who meets and befriends a friendly alien.  A young Drew Barrymore co-stars as Elliott's little sister Gertie.  The kids do what they can to help E.T. get back to his planet.  Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, K.C. Martel, Sean Frye, C. Thomas Howell, Erika Eleniak, and many others co-star in this film.  I think just about everyone has seen this and I don't need to explain much more.  I saw an outside viewing in my town and was great to watch it in this way.  There are all kinds of iconic scenes and lines.  I also loved the Comcast commercial where Henry Thomas reprises his role of Elliott who now has a wife and children of his own and reunites with E.T.  This is a very moving film that in some ways is about friendship and maybe not fearing the unknown so much.  I suppose with what people are saying these days that this film is now more relevant that ever.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006):  This is part three of my Alan Arkin trilogy.  Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris co-directed this road trip comedy.  This centers around the Hoover family lead by married couple Richard and Sheryl Hoover, played by Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette.  Sheryl must take in her suicidal brother Frank, played by Steve Carrell.  Their son Dwayne, played by Paul Dano, dreams of being a jet pilot and is taking a vow of silence.  Arkin co-stars as Richard's raunchy father who is helping his granddaughter Oliver, played by Abigail Breslin, with a dance routine for the upcoming Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant.  After she learns that she has been chosen, the family set out to go from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach, California even if they have a very unreliable vehicle and are not in the best financial situation.  Jill Talley, Justin Shilton, Gordan Thomson, Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, Beth Grant, and many others co-star in this comedy.  This is a very fun road trip with flawed but likable characters.  It is a great look at a rather dysfunctional family all coming together.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Race (2016):  Stephen Hopkins directed this sports biopic.  Stephan James stars as 1930s athlete Jesse Owens who would excel in track and field and become the first of his family to go to college.  First having to deal with segregation, Jesse attends Ohio State where the more open-minded track and field coach Larry Snyder, played by Jason Sudeikis, is impressed by his ability to the point Snyder believes he can get Owens to the Olympics in Berlin.  Berlin was run by Hitler at the time and Owens has even more to deal with but most know the story.  Eli Goree, Shanice Banton, Carice van Houten, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt, David Kross, Jonathan Higgans, Tony Curran, Amanda Crew, Barnaby Metschurat, Chantel Riley, Vlasta Vrana, Shamier Anderson, Jesse Bostick, Moe Jeudy-Lamour, and many others co-star in this biopic.  This is a good look at someone who had to deal with segregation and Nazi Germany where quite a statement was made when Owens won.  This is available to watch on Netflix.

Tribute to the Teachers (1977):  This is my documentary short for the week which was written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami.  Kiarostami goes around in Iran to interview teachers and pay tribute to this timeless profession.  Kiarostami would go onto have a good and long career with movies like CERTIFIED COPY, and THROUGH THE OLIVE TREES.  This is about twenty minutes and is worth a look as this is pretty relevant today.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

For the Defense (1930):  John Cromwell directed this legal film.  William Powell stars as slick attorney William Foster who successfully manages to get criminals acquitted.  He becomes romantically involved with Irene Manners, played by Kay Francis, who is two-timing him though wants to marry him.  While driving with her other man Jack, played by Scott Kolk, she kills a man but Jack takes the blame where William must consider his ethics.  William B. Davidson, Thomas E. Jackson, James Finlayson, Charles West, Bertram Marburgh, and many others co-star in this legal drama.  This is loosely based on New York attorney William Fallon.  Powell was perfect as the attorney and would be the third of six films with the duo of Powell and Francis.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Son of Dracula (1943):  Robert Siodmak directed this entry into the Universal franchise.  Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Count Alucard so just spell that backwards.  Louise Allbritton co-stars as Katherine and fears death to the point that she wants Alucard's gift of eternal life but when it happens she wants rid of him.  Frank Craven co-stars as Dr. Brewster, the one person who sees the name of Alucard when spelled backwards.  Robert Paige, Evelyn Ankers, J. Edward Bromberg, Samuel S. Hinds, Adeline De Walt Reynolds, Pat Moriarty, Etta McDaniel, George Irving, and many others co-star in this vampire film.  As far as I know this is Chaney's only turn as Dracula and would go onto John Carradine in later films.  McDaniel co-stars as a servant and is the older sister of Hattie McDaniel.  This sequel stands on its own as it does have its own story.  This is available to watch on Flex and Tubi.

Clerks III (2022):  Kevin Smith wrote and directed this sequel to the 1994 film that started it all and its even more raunchier 2006 sequel.  Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson reprise their roles of convenience store owners Dante and Randal.  Randal survives a heart attack and wants to write a movie about the convenience store that started it all.  Jason Mewes and Smith also reprise their roles of Jay and Silent Bob and help out with the movie.  Trevor Fehrman, Amy Sedaris, Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Fred Armisen, Melissa Benoist, Danny Trejo, Ben Affleck, Ethan Suplee, Freddie Prinze Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, Bobby Moynihan, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Kate Micucci, Harley Quinn Smith, and many others co-star or have cameos.  I'm not even going to try to say this is better than the first two and maybe I'm just a sucker for nostalgia.  I still thought there were plenty of funny moments and played a good homage to the rest of the franchise.  I would get familiar with the first two though before seeing this one.  This is available to watch on STARZ.   

The Philanthropist (1975):  Stuart Burge directed this tv movie that is based on the play by Christopher Hampton.  Ronald Pickup stars as philologist Philip who along with his wife Celia and their circle of friends discuss forms of love, playwriting, and many other things.  James Bolam, Charles Gray, and Jacqueline Pearce also co-star in this film.  It is hard to really describe this one.  It is mostly filmed in the apartment like a play.  It is of interest to see a young Helen Mirren.  This was a play in 1971 and was nominated for a Tony Award for best play.   

Night and the City (1950):  Jules Dassin directed this Film Noir based on a novel by Gerald Kersh, more on that later.  Richard Widmark stars as Harry Fabian who is a small-time grifter always looking for that big score.  When at a wrestling show, he meets famous wrestler Gregorius, played by real-life wrestling legend Stanislaus Zbyszko, and believes he can hit the big time as a wrestling promoter.  He attempts to con everyone around him and leads himself into trouble.  Gene Tierney co-stars as Mary Bristol who is Harry's love interest but has trouble with his conning ways.  Googie Withers, Hugh Marlowe, Francis L. Sullivan, Herbert Lom, Mike Mazurski, Charles Ferrell, Ada Reeve, Charles Farrell, and many others co-star in this film.  Dassin was in the process of being blacklisted at the time so he had to get this movie made as soon as possible and never read the actual book so he mostly wrote his own story.  Zbyszko was a much earlier professional wrestler as he retired in 1934 and had a great acting turn but this would be his only film.  This is also a good look at wrestling from this era.  Accurate to the book or not, this was a really compelling story that deserves a look.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop (2009):  I end with this Hong Kong film which was directed by Yimou Zhang.  Ni Dahong stars as noodle shop owner Wang whose wife, played by Ni Yan, is having an adulterous affair.  Wang plays to murder his wife and her lover Li, played by Shenyang Xiao, but goes awry when double crosses happen.  This has been described as a blend between thriller and screwball comedy.  .  It is also remake of the 1984 Coen Brothers film BLOOD SIMPLE.  This does stand on its own and would make a good double feature.  

Well, that is it for this week but continue on for my segment "Tube Time."  Tell me what you like and stay tuned for the next two weeks which so far include Jet Li, Boris Karloff, Kristen Bell, Roger Corman, and many others.

TUBE TIME

With my decision to release these every two weeks instead of every week, I now have more time to watch tv shows so I will be having these every so often.

iZombie (2015-2019):  Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright developed this CW series which is based on a Vertigo comics series of the same name by Chris Robinson and Michael Allred.  Rose McIver stars as Liv Moore who dies and becomes a zombie.  The zombie rules are a little different where zombies can funtion like humans if they eat brains.  Liv conveniently takes a job at the morgue and gets help from medical examiner Ravi, played by Rahul Kohli, who is aware of Liv's condition.  The brains have an interesting side effect where Liv retains the personality of the brain she is eating and also receives visions.  With this ability, she helps Detective Clive Babineaux, played by Malcolm Goodwin, to help solve murders.  Ali Michalka co-stars as Liv's best friend Peyton who works as the prosecutor and Robert Buckley co-stars as Major Lilywhite who is Liv's ex-fiance and is a very significant part of this show.  David Anders co-stars as fellow zombie Blaine Debeers who is a more scheming zombie and the main antagonist of the series.  Bryce Hodgson, Jessica Harmon, Robert Knepper, John Emmet Tracy, Jason Dohring, Kurt Evans, Nathan Barrett, Leanne Lapp, Tongayi Chirisa, Michah Steinke, Eddie Jemison, Daran Norris, Andre Tricoteux, Carrie Anne Fleming, Steven Weber, Ryan Jefferson Booth, Adam Greydon Reid, Emily Aneke, Ryan Beil, Jennifer Irwin, Molly Hagan, Sarah-Jane Redmond, Quinta Brunson, Francis Capra, Ken Marino, Patrick Gallagher, Enrico Colantoni, Devon Gummersall, Erica Luttrell, Skyler Day, Natalie Alyn Lind, Rachel Bloom, Christopher Lowell, Percy Daggs III, Rick Fox, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Andrea Brooks, Francoise Yip, and many others had a recurring role, a few episode stint or one episode.  The Rob Thomas that helped develop the show is not the guy from Matchbox 20 though that Rob Thomas had an amusing cameo as himself.  This was a show that really should not have been that good but really was good.  McIver is perfect as Liv like showing her making a meal with a brain and the personality that she retains for a little bit.  It was also a really good series about fearing the unknown and even a moving series at times.  This had a little of everything and was five seasons long.  This is available to watch on Netflix. 

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 901st Edition

Welcome to the 901st edition of my series.  I have a couple announcements before getting to my selections for the week.  Today at 5 pm Eastern time and next Sunday at the same time the radio play PRINCESS O'HARA is getting aired on https://www.weciradio.org/ through Richmond Radioworks where I reprise my role of Harry the Horse that I played in GUYS AND DOLLS in 2010.  Also, I start rehearsals for tomorrow for SHERLOCK HOLMES:  THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS where I play the role of Morris Wiggins.  I will keep updated in the next few weeks on that show so now I will shut up and get to my selections.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984):  Steven Spielberg directed this prequel to the 1981 classic RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.  Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones where he teams up with the unwilling night singer Willie, played by Kate Capshaw, and his resourceful 12 year old sidekick Short Round, played by Ke Huy Quan.  They end up at a distressed village in India where a sacred stone was stolen and believe it resulted in evil spirits abducting their children.  Indy agrees to look for the stone where he goes up against a cult like group lead by the crazed Mola Ram, played by Amrish Ruri.  Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, Roy Chiao, David Yip, Ric Young, Philip Tan, Dan Aykrody, and many others co-star in this film.  With the success of Raiders, there was just no way they could not follow up.  This takes us on quite the adventure of all kinds of obstacles.  I admit I cringed at some of the gross-out gags at times but still found to be a fun adventure with quite the climax.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus and on Showtime.

Lend a Paw (1941):  This is my animated short for the week which features Mickey Mouse and Pluto.  Pluto becomes jealous of Mickey's new kitten and must make decisions based on his devil and angel self.  He must make his ultimate decision when the kitten falls in a well and whether or not to save it.  This is Mickey's only Oscar winning film having won best animated short subject.  This is also available to watch on Disney Plus.  

Dracula's Daughter (1936):  Lambert Hillyer directed this sequel to the 1931 classic DRACULA.  This picks up right where the predecessor left off after Van Helsing, played by Edward Van Sloan, has killed Dracula.  Oops, I guess I left a little spoiler.  Scotland Yard is not aware of vampires and Van Helsing must explain his actions.  Meanwhile, Countess Marya Zaleska, played by Gloria Holden, comes into the picture and is the daughter of Dracula being a vampire herself.  She believes if she destroys Dracula's body that she will finally be free of his influence.  Otto Kruger, Marguerite Churchill, Gilbert Emery, Irving Pichel, Halliwell Hobbes, Belly Bevan, Nan Grey, Hedda Hopper, Claud Allister, Edgar Norton, E.E. Clive, and many others co-star in this sequel.  This is loosely based on a short story called DRACULA'S GUEST.  This is a pretty decent sequel that eventually goes its own direction that sets out into its own story.  This is part of the DRACULA boxed set for Universal.

Wanda Sykes:  Sick and Tired (2006):  This is my live performance selection for the week which was directed by Michael Drumm.  Obviously this featured comedian Wanda Sykes where she makes comedy of societal issues going on.  She tackles everything from politics, sex, racism, homosexuality, abortion, and many other things.  Fans of stand up and Wanda Sykes should really enjoy this one.  

The Other Side of Hell (1978):  This is part two of my trilogy of Alan Arkin who recently left us.  This is my prison movie for the week which was directed by Jan Kadar and based on a non-fiction book called THE SHOE LEATHER TREATMENT by Bill Thomas.  Arkin stars as Frank Dole who is having a lot of mental issues and is told he will be sent to a hospital for the criminally insane where he will receive rehabilitation.  Instead he winds in more of an insane asylum where brutality is a normal thing.  Roger E. Mosley, Morgan Woodward, Shay Duffin, Richard L. Hawkins, Al Checco, Leonard Stone, Nicky Blair, and many others co-star in this movie.  This is a pretty intense film with a great performance by Arkin.  It also takes a good look at the flaws of our legal system.  This is available to watch on Fandor with a Prime subscription, as well as free streaming apps like Freevee, the Roku Channel, and Tubi.

Ordinary People (1980):  This is part three of my Robert Redford trilogy where he goes behind the camera this time.  Redford directed this film that is based on the novel by Judith Guest.  Timothy Hutton stars as Conrad whose brother dies an accidental death leaving him very guilt ridden and suicidal.  Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore co-star as his parents who are also dealing with the death of their older sons in different ways.  Judd Hirsch co-stars as Conrad's counselor who is trying to help him get through his death.  M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth McGovern, Dinah Manoff, Fredric Lehne, James Sikking, Basil Hoffman, Quinn K. Redeker, Mariclare Costello, Meg Mundy, Elizabeth Hubbard, Adam Baldwin, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a great movie in dealing with the death of a loved one and how everyone deals a little differently.  It is a sad but very moving film and deserves a look.  This is available to watch on Paramount Plus and AMC Plus.   

Fear and Desire (1953):  Stanley Kubrick directed this philosophical war film in his feature film debut.  Frank Silvero, Kenneth Harp, Paul Mazursky, and Stephen Colt star as four soldiers trapped behind enemy lines.  They have a plan to escape but get sidetracked by a young girl and an enemy general.  This is some very early work for Kubrick and he ended up not liking this and did everything to get it destroyed but did not have the rights.  I thought it was the start to something great and did hold my interest.  In some ways remined me of THE THIN RED LINE.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and Prime as well as free streaming apps Freevee and Tubi.

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revoloution Could Not Be Televised) (2021):  This is my documentary for the week which was presented as part of the Cinemuncie series at my local library by Dennis the Library Menace.  Questlove directed this documentary about the forgotten music festival of 1969 the Harlem Cultural Festival.  This took place in the span of six weeks and went on around the time of the more known music festival in Woodstock which was about 100 miles away.  There are performances by Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, the 5th Dimension, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and many others.  There is also footage of a lot of activist figures and interviews with the citizens.  The moon landing took place during this and we got a much different take from the lower income crowd.  This gives us a lot of music and social commentary and the reminder of another huge music fest.  A good double feature could be to do this one along with WOODSTOCK.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus and Hulu.

Lone Wolf and Cub:  Sword of Vengeance (1972):  This is my Japanese film for the week which was directed by Kenji Misumi and based on manga series on the same name.  Tomisaburo Wakayama stars as Ogama Itto who is disgraced and becomes a Ronin along with his infant son becoming a sword for hire and avenging his clan.  This was a very popular story in this era and this is part one of a six film series.  It was also turned into a tv series.  This is a pretty compelling film and does not hold back in the way of gore.  This is available to watch on Max and the Criterion Channel.

Derrick Magnum (2023):  I end the week with this short film that was written and directed by my own Facebook friend Jeffrey Scott Richards.  Jackeem Sellers stars as the title character who had it all being a big director.  He loses everything when his wife posthumously publishes a tell-all book that talks about misconduct he had toward her.  Years later, he tries to earn redemption with his grown son Matt, played by Christian Rushing.  I thought at first I was seeing a documentary but looked further into it and saw that was not the case.  We think we might know the direction it is going but in the end we really do not know the direction.  This won best drama in the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival.  I will let know when this becomes available for the public.

Well, that is it for this week but continue on for my segment "A Day with Juliet".  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next two weeks which so far includes Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette,  William Hurt, William Powell, and many others.

A DAY WITH JULIET

A Place Among the Dead (2020):  BUFFY and ANGEL alum Juliet Landau wrote and directed this psychological horror film.  This is a combination of fact and fiction where is directing a documentary and looking into a link between narcissism in the film industry and vampirism.  Gary Oldman, Robert Patrick, Ron Perlman, Lance Henrikson, Anne Rice, Joss Whedon, Mariana Klaveno, Charlaine Harris, Meadow Williams, Tom Holland, Kim Newman, and many others co-star in this independent film.  I got to see a special screening of this movie.  This has been getting shown through interactive screening events and festivals and has been quite successful.  This was a pretty compelling film that is shot like a documentary.  This is one that may require multiple screenings and one may pick up on different things each screening.  This will be available for the public in October of this year.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 900th Edition

Welcome to the 900th edition of my series.  Yesterday I attended my first Renaissance festival in New Castle Indiana where I was part of the Marvelously Terrible Shakespeare Company.  We did very abridged versions of OTHELLO and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.  I would be willing to do this next year if I am available.  On August 26th, come to the Elm Street Brewery in Muncie for the Maybell Music Festival.  I will be doing a duet with my friend K.J.  That is about all I have for now so I will just get on with my selections for the week.

42 (2013):  This is part four of my five-part Harrison Ford series.  Brian Helgebrand directed this baseball film that is based on a true story.  Chadwick Boseman stars as the legendary Jackie Robinson who is known for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball and becoming the first black person to play.  Ford stars as Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey who decides to really shake things up and bring in the first black player.  When going through prospects in the Negro Leagues he decides upon Robinson who would have a tough adjustment to make.  T.R. Knight, Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni, Ryan Merriman, Lucas Black, Andre Holland, Alan Tudyk, Hamish Linklater, John C. McGinley, Toby Huss, Max Gail, Brad Beyer, James Pickens Jr., Gino Anthony Pesi, Brett Cullen, Jesse Luken, and many others co-star in this film.  This is not an all-out biopic on Robinson.  This shows Robinson playing in the Negro Leagues right before Rickey brought him in to start in the minor leagues into his rookie year with the Dodgers.  This is a very inspirational movie in the time of segregation when one man must overcome hate while others must rethink their own viewpoints.  This is available to watch on Prime with a subscription to Cinemax. 

Miller's Crossing (1990):  The Coen Brothers directed this gangster film that is based on works from Dashiell Hammett.  Gabriel Byrne stars as Tom Reagan who is the main adviser to the crime boss Leo, played by Albert Finney.  He becomes stuck in the middle of a mob rivalry under rival crime boss Johnny Caspar, played by Jon Polito, and in a complicated relationship with Leo's girlfriend Verna, played by Marcia Gay Harden.  John Turturro, J.E. Freeman, Mike Starr, Al Mancini, Tom Toner, Steve Buscemi, Olek Krupa, Michael Jeter, Lanny Flaherty, John McConnell, Danny Aiello III, Michael Badalucco, Sam Raimi, Frances McDormand, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a gangster film the Coen Brothers way.  It is pretty complicated to give any more explanation.  Just give it a go and I doubt you'll be disappointed.

The Old Man and the Gun (2018):  This is part two of my Robert Redford trilogy.  David Lowery directed this film that is based on a true story.  Redford stars as bank robber Forrest Tucker who is very charming and likable while being a career criminal being being in and out of prison.  In his older age, he is on the run with detective John Hunt, played by Casey Affleck, on his trail and maintaining a relationship with a woman named Jewel, played by Sissy Spacek, who loves him despite his criminal ways.  Danny Glover and Tom Waits co-star as Forrest's partners being dubbed the Over the Hill Gang but what a trio.  Tika Sumpter, Ari Elizabeth Johnson, Teagan Johnson, Gene Jones, John David Washington, Barlow Jacobs, Augustine Frizzell, Lisa DeRoberts, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Elizabeth Moss, Keith Carradine, and many others co-star in this movie.  This has a really good blend of comedy and drama with Redford announcing this would be his last movie.  This could be a good double feature to go along with CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.

Lonesome Luke, Messenger (1917):  This is my silent short for the week which was directed by Hal Roach.  Harold Lloyd stars as Lonesome Luke who is delivering a message and find himself in a girl's seminary.  Bebe Daniels and Snub Pollard co-star in this silent short.  This was a lot earlier in Lloyd's career when he played this character and this was the 59th of 67th short that he was do as Lonesome Luke and before he would become his more iconic character.  Silent comedy buffs should enjoy this one and this is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Wait Until Dark (1967):  This is part one of a trilogy for Alan Arkin who recently left us.  Terence Young directed this film that was based on a play by Frederick Knott.  Audrey Hepburn stars as the recently blinded Susy Hendrix and has recently gotten married to Sam, played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who is off on business.  As Susy is trying to adjust, a group of thugs lead by Harry Rote, played by Arkin, scheme to get into her apartment looking for something that Sam has agreed to watch unbeknownst to Susy.  She tries to thwart the criminals with the help of her youth neighbor Gloria, played by Julie Herrod.  Richard Crenna, Jack Weston, Samantha Jones, and many others co-star in this thriller.  I thought this was Hepburn's best performance and Arkin plays a very unlikable villain to perfection.  This is a great suspense thriller that holds up today.

Bus Stop (1956):  Joshua Logan directed this romantic comedy which is based on the play by William Inge.  Don Murray stars as the naive and socially inept cowboy Bo Decker who is in Phoenix for a rodeo.  While at a cafe, he encounters performer Cherie, played by Marilyn Monroe, and becomes convinced she is the one even though she is resistant of him.  Arthur O'Connell, Betty Field, Eileen Heckart, Robert Bray, Hope Lange, Hans Conried, Max Showalter, and many others co-star in this film.  I know I labeled this as a romantic comedy but it is not an all out comedy like a lot of Monroe's work and does lean toward drama at times.  Wanting to do more in her career, Monroe decided to go to New York City and study under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio with this being the first after leaving the school.  This was also produced under her own studio Marilyn Monroe Productions which would be the first of two and the other being THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023):  Christopher McQuarrie directed the latest installment of the popular action franchise.  Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt and his loyal IMF teammates Luther, played by Ving Rhames and Benji, played by Simon Pegg, as they must retrieve a dangerous new weapon from getting into the wrong hands.  Hayley Atwell co-stars as the mysterious and uneasy ally of the team in Grace.  Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Frederick Schmidt, Cary Elwes, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, Indira Varma, Rob Delaney, and many others co-star in this installment of the franchise.  This was supposed to come out a couple years ago but was delayed by Covid and looks like the next one may get delayed due to the strike.  This has been a very enjoyable action franchise and was great to see this one in theaters.  I will just say this is a very good continuation of the franchise with Cruise still up to the game.  I would recommend having knowledge of the other six films before seeing this one.   

Port of Call (1948):  This is my Swedish film for the week which was directed by Ingmar Bergman.  Nine-Christine Jonsson stars as Berit who is out of reformatory school and wanting to get away from her overbearing mother.  She falls in love with sailor Gosta, played by Bengt Eklund, who slowly gets to know Berit's past and has a hard time getting past it.  Mimi Nelson, Berta Hall, Birgitta Valberg, Sif Ruud, and many others co-star in this Swedish film.  This is a really well done love story of two rather difficult people.  This is some earlier Bergman that really deserves a look.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

F.I.S.T. (1978):  Norman Jewison directed and co-wrote this film along with Sylvester Stallone and Joe Eszterhas.  Stallone stars as Johnny Kovak who is fed up with working conditions and becomes part of the trucking industry union.  As he rises up the ranks, Senator Madison, played by Rod Steiger, begins to question his means and possible mob connections.  Peter Boyle, Melinda Dillon, David Huffman, Kevin Conway, Tony Lo Bianco, Cassie Yates, Peter Donat, John Lehne, Henry Wilcoxon, Richard Herd, and many others co-star in this union film.  I guess this is relevant for what is going on in the film industry right now.  This is loosely based on union boss Jimmy Hoffa.  This is a rather underrated film for Stallone who is fresh off his ROCKY success.  

Secondhand Lions (2003):  Tim McCanlies wrote and directed this coming of age story.  Haley Joel Osment stars as Walter whose mother puts him on a couple of his wealthy and eccentric uncles in Texas.  Robert Duvall and Michael Caine co-star as his Uncles Hub and Garth who are not used to having a kid around and must warm up to each other.  Walter becomes more intrigued as he hears their adventure stories.  Kyra Sedgwick, Nicky Katt, Josh Lucas, Michael O'Neill, Deirdre O'Connell, Eric Balfour, Christian Kane, Kevin Haberer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Jennifer Stone, Adrian Pasdar, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very moving story and is a lot of fun.  Duvall and Caine do well in their characters that are a little rough around the edges but have a heart of gold.  This is a good one for the family.

Well that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks which so far include Harrison Ford, Alan Arkin, and many others.

Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations- 899th Edition

Welcome to the 899th Edition of my series.  With the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike going on, I will continue to bring these out every two weeks.  I hope that soon someone can come to a reasonable agreement but I'll just leave it at that.  In other news, that strike will not stop the New Castle Renaissance Festival from happening on July 29th.  I will be performing abridged versions of OTHELLO and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.  It is free and see https://www.nchcrenfest.org/schedule for the events.  I will shut up now and get on with my selections for the week.

Things to do in Denver When You're Dead (1995):  This is part three of my trilogy of the late Treat Williams.  Gary Fleder directed this film that was written by Scott Rosenberg.  Andy Garcia stars as Jimmy the Saint whose business is struggling and turns to crime lord "the Man With the Plan", played by Christopher Walken, to help him.  To get what he wants, Jimmy must to a crime favor four him and recruits Pieces, played by Christopher Lloyd, Franchise, played by William Forsythe, Easy Wind, played by Bill Nunn, and Critical Bill, played by Treat Williams, to help carry it out.  Things go extremely awry and they struggle to stay alive.  Steve Buscemi, Jack Warden, Fairuza Balk, Gabrielle Anwar, Bill Cobbs, Marshall Bell, Glenn Plummer, Don Stark, Willie Garson, David Stratton, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Don Cheadle, Tiny Lister Jr., and many others co-star in this flim.  I believe this is one of the best performances from Williams as the violent and psychotic Critical Bill.  This has a great cast and holds nothing back in terms of violence and dialogue so take precaution there.

Witness (1985):  This is part three of my four-part Harrison Ford series.  Peter Weir directed this crime film.  Harrison Ford stars as Philadelphia detective John Book who must protect an Amish boy named Samuel, played by Lukas Haas, after he is the sole witness to a murder.  John uncovers corruption at the highest level and hides out with the Amish after an attempt on his life is made.  Kelly McGillis co-stars as Samuel's mother Rachel who forms a relationship with John much to the dismay of the Amish community.  Josef Sommer, Jan Rubes, Alexander Godunov, Danny Glover, Brent Jennings, Patti Lupone, Angus MacInnes, Viggo Mortensen, Ed Crowley, Timothy Carhart, and many others co-star in this film.  Mortensen makes his feature film debut in this movie and was the start of a great career.  This is a good look at an Amish community and there were some real-life Amish people to witness the filming.  Ford gets his first and only nomination for an Academy Award in this film.  This also has a really good action climax where Ford must rely on his wits to survive.

The Best We've Got:  The Carl Erskine Story (2022):  Ted Green directed this documentary about someone local.  This takes a look at Carl Erskine who has lived most of his life in Anderson which is about a half hour from where I live and that is where I was born.  This takes a look at his childhood in Anderson and when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers where he had quite a career that included two no hitters.  It also looked at his post career as a great humanitarian that did not go along with societal viewpoints but what he thought was right.  I had the pleasure of seeing a viewing at the Mill Creek Civic Center in Chesterfield.  I hope this gets more exposure in the years to come.  The website https://www.carlerskinefilm.com/ is where you can go to purchase on dvd, get streaming options, and where there are screenings and broadcasts.  This is a man that people should know about and learn from.

The Colours (1976):  This is my Iranian short film for the week which was directed by Abbas Kiarostami.  This is more geared towards kids and has narration about the value of colors and their association.  This also features footage of consumer culture prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution.  This is a pretty fun short film about colors and is only about ten minutes long.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Dracula (1931):  This is a little preview to the Madness this year which has a vampire theme.  Tod Browning directed this film that is based on the novel by Bram Stoker.  Bela Lugosi stars as Count Dracula who makes a deal with real estate agent Renfield, played by Dwight Frye, to finalize Carfax Abbey in London.  In the process, he also makes Renfield a slave getting him committed to an institution while going after Mina Seward, played by Helen Chandler.  Edward Von Sloan co-stars as Van Helsing who must convince those close to him that vampires exist and that Dracula is indeed a vampire.  David Manners, Herbert Bunston, Frances Dad, Charles K. Gerrard, and many others co-star in this horror classic.  Lugosi is probably the most iconic portrayal of Dracula and had played the role in a play prior to this film.  This was the start of the Dracula franchise through Universal and is always worth a look no matter the time of year.

Cover Girl (1944):  This is my musical for the week which was directed by Charles Vidor with music written by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin.  Rita Hayworth stars as nightclub dancer Rusty Parker who dreams of becoming a Broadway star.  The nightclub she works at is owned by her boyfriend Danny McGuire, played by Gene Kelly.  As she becomes more successful, Danny worries she will leave and things get complicated to make a long story short.  Phil Silvers, Lee Bowman, Jinx Falkenburg, Eve Arden, Leslie Brooks, Otto Kruger, Jess Barker, and many others co-star in this musical.  Kelly got a lot of control when making this film and made a lot of things work as well as a lot of things similar to what we would see in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.  Long before Billy Idol would sing DANCING WITH MYSELF, Gene Kelly managed to make it happen in this movie.  

The Campaign (2012):  This is my political comedy for the week which was directed by Jay Roach.  Will Ferrell stars as Congressman Cam Brady who is under some scandal and the powers-that-be appoint Tim Wattley, played by Zach Galifianakis, to run against him.  Tim is far more idealistic while Cam is willing to do whatever is necessary in their comical campaign.  Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine LaNasa, Sarah Baker, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Cox, Karen Maruyama, Grant Goodman, Randall D. Cunningham, Madison Wolfe, Thomas Middleditch, Josh Lawson, Heather Lawless, Jack McBrayer, Taryn Terrell, and many others co-star in this political comedy.  This is politically incorrect to the core so to those easily offended, I do not recommend this one.  I thought this was a hilarious parody to politics and unfortunately may not be much of a stretch these days from real-life politics.   

The Strange One (1957):  Jack Garfein directed this Film Noir which was written by Calder Willingham.  This takes place in a military academy where Ben Gazzara stars as the manipulative Jocko De Paris whose actions get someone expelled.  Through various pressures, he tries to silence those around him leading the rest to take matters into their own hands.  Pat Hingle, Peter Mark Richman, Arthur Storch, Larry Gates, Clifton James, Geoffrey Horne, James Olson, Julie Wilson, George Peppard, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very disturbing and compelling film.  I have never believed in hazing or humiliation of any kind just to fit into a group.  This is the film debuts of Gazzara and Peppard and early performances for others.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969):  This is my western for the week which was directed by George Roy Hill.  Paul Newman and Robert Redford stars as the title outlaws.  They are the leaders of the Hole in the Wall Gang and when a train robbery they have a posse hot on their trail.  Katherine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones, Jeff Corey, George Furth, Cloris Leachman, Ted Cassidy, Kenneth Mars, Donnelly Rhodes, and many others co-star in this historical western.  This has always ranked as my favorite western.  I always enjoyed the blend of action, comedy, and humor this film brings and the great duo of Newman and Redford.  This is available to watch on Max. 

For Sama (2019):  I end the week with this documentary which was directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts.  Waad is a Syrian woman living through the uprising in Aleppo.  While fighting oppression, she has a daughter named Sama and has a tough decision to make.  This has some really good footage and some that is very hard to watch.  It is hard to describe this documentary much further but is a good watch.  This is available on Prime with a PBS Documentaries subscription.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next one in two weeks which will include Harrison Ford, Gabriel Byrne, Sissy Spacek, Harold Lloyd, and many others

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