Gender: Male
Status: Single
Age: 27
Sign: Gemini
City: Muncie
State: Indiana
Country: US
Signup Date:
08/18/05
|
Blog Archive
[ Older
Newer ]
|
|
 |
|
Sunday, August 24, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 145th Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 145th Edition of my long-running series. Recently, we lost both Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes so this week I pay tribute to them. I don't have much to say so I will recommend my movies for the week.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955): I start this week with this John Sturges classic which stars Spencer Tracy as a drifter named Macreedy who is coming through a small town called Black Rock who does not lead onto why he is there but the people in the small town are not welcoming to Macreedy. This movie does not seem to get the recognition it deserves but is a great movie to check out and is a great mystery.
Stand By Me (1986): I choose my Facebook friend Angie this week who I went to High School with. Rob Reiner directed this film based on the novella THE BODY by Stephen King showing he can do non-horror. What else can be said about this 80s classic which stars STAR TREK alum Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and SLIDERS alum Jerry O'Connell as friends who go in search of a dead body of a teenager but much be careful of a knife-wielding gang lead by a young 24 alum Kiefer Sutherland. This is a great coming-of-age story which everyone should view. Also look for John Cusack as Wil Wheaton's late brother and Richard Dreyfuss as "the writer".
Son's Room (2001): This is my foreign film of the week which was directed, written, and starred by Italian Nanni Moretti. Moretti stars as a psychoanalyst who seems content in life and in his job but experiences an unexpected tragedy with his family. He then must pull together when his family and his patients need him most. This was a very moving film which I was pulled into from the beginning and was a great effort by Moretti who was involved in about every aspect of the film.
Three Tough Guys (1974): This is my unexpected tribute to Isaac Hayes which I meant to do next week but this was the Grindhouse film I had slated for this week and conveniently it had Isaac Hayes. Isaac Hayes plays Lee in his film debut who is a cop but is kicked off the force and teams up with a priest to take down a gang in revenge of a friend. Blaxploitation star Fred Williamson stars as the villain of the game. The normal movie watcher may not like this but if you understand the Blaxploitation genre, you will have a lot of fun.
China's Stolen Children (2007): This is my documentary for the week which I found on On-Demand at my dad's house. This movie takes a look at the child laws in China and takes a look at people who had to sell their children or lose their children due to these strange laws. This takes a look at couples who decide they must sell their children, a tracker who people hire, and one of the traffickers. Each person is filmed so that you understand each one. This is very depressing but it had a lot of impact in China on the "One Child Policy"
Some Like it Hot (1959): Billy Wilder directed this classic comedy which was directed by Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis star as out-of-work musicians who accidently witness the St. Valentines Day Massacre. They then disguise themselves as females to join an all-female band lead by Marilyn Monroe who has her own problems. They do what they can to keep away from the mafia but complicate things a lot. The three leads were great and they did a great job of making a hilarious movie about a serious situation like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Army of Darness (1992): Sam Raimi directed the third part in the great EVIL DEAD trilogy which once again stars my hero Bruce Campbell as Ash who is trapped in 1300 AD where he must battle a group of zombies and tries to escape back to his own world. It was unfortunate that the Civic Theater was not able to do EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL but maybe someday they will. This is not for all tastes and reading this I think you'll figure it out if you are or not. Lots of comedy and violence make this a great watch.
The Body Snatcher (1945): Robert Wise directed this horror classic written by Robert Louis Stevenson which has Boris Karloff and Bela Legosi in their last movie together. Henry Daniell stars as a ruthless doctor who hires Karloff to steal bodies for him. Legosi portrays Daniell's servant who is in a small but good role. Karloff was great in this role considered by many to be his best. Horror buffs must check this out, everyone else use your own judgement.
Mr. 3000 (2004): I now pay tribute to the late Bernie Mac. Bernie stars as a washed-up baseball player who learns that his 3000 hits had a mistake which made three hits not work. He then decides nine years later to go back into baseball to get those three hits. This was surprisingly quite good. He starts out as a very self-centered person worried about himself and not so much the team but when going back he sees a teammate who is just like him and sees his error. It was a very funny movie and a well-written comedy.
Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937): This was an era where we seemed to love Non-Japanese people playing Japanese detectives. We had many people play Charlie Chan, we had Boris Karloff playing Mr. Wong, and we now have Peter Lorre playing the title detective here. This is the second movie with Peter Lorre as this character and was great as the detective which was different than his usual roles. He then finds himself searching for seven scrolls which reveal the tomb for Genghis Khan and must stop others from getting these scrolls. Peter Lorre makes this movie worth watching.
Well, that is it for this week, hopefully next week I can make an announcement of the next play I am in. Please leave your comments telling me what you like and what you hate. Stay tuned for next week which will include a tv mini-series, an early Stallone film, another depressing documentary and Laurel and Hardy.
7:45 PM
-
4 Comments - 8 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Sunday, August 17, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 144th Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 144th Edition of my series. I think this week only has a couple mainstream films so you'll need to check out the rest. I don't have much to say except get your Netflix Queues, hopefully they got it together like say they do, and read on.
Smiles of a Summer Night (1955): I kick off the 144th Edition with Ingmar Bergman in this romantic comedy. This movie takes place in a small town at the turn of the 20th Century and centers around an attorney named Fredrik whose untrusting wife meets his former mistress which lead into a lot of crazy things. This was a great romantic comedy and underrated Bergman.
American History X (1998): I chose my facebook friend Curtis for this one who was in a class of mine at Ball State. Tony Kaye directs this disturbing and to a point, inspiring film which stars Edward Norton as Derek who is a skinhead who gets a wake-up call in prison. Edward Furlong is his younger brother Danny who Derek sees is becoming him after getting out of prison. I had seen this a couple other times but this is the first time I have ever really analyzed the movie the way I did. I am about to say some things, please don't take them to be racist. I do not condone anything that the skinheads do or have done. However, this is a movie where not only the whites need to take a look at but I really feel the black race should look at this too. There really is not a side chosen in this movie except that we all need to take a look at ourselves because ultimately segregation is what leads to this racism. In a scene where Danny has an encounter with a black kid, it is after that person is beating up a nerdy kid in the restroom. We all just need to have a discussion here because the racism worked both ways but the whites chose the wrong response by joining the skinheads. This has a parallel storyline from the modern-day where Derek gets out of prison and sees that he must help Danny and in his early days of being a skinhead and ending up in prison where ironically a black prisoner is who helps him change. I think I have said plenty here but this is one of the rare times that I get very serious.
Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips (1944): We now take a look at a bit of more racism though in a more humorous way and we must consider the times. Yes, this is a Bugs Bunny short where he is in WW2 Japan and must contend with a stereotyped Japanese soldier and even a sumo wrestler. I found this controversial Bugs Bunny cartoon on Youtube. This would never get over today but when watching it just remember, it was the times and an interesting way of showing their political views.
Ripley's Game (2002): I found this one of the IFC channel. John Malkovich plays Tom Ripley, a character made famous by Matt Damon in THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. Though Malkovich is older, it's really not a sequal. Mr. Ripley hires a terminally ill man to murder a Russian gangster after one of his business partners asks for his help. John Malkovich was great at Tom Ripley but I did like the other movie mentioned better. However, this movie should have been under the radar like it has been.
Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007): I chose this because I recently met Doug Jones, who plays Silver Surfer, in the local movie MY NAME IS JERRY. I know this is not nearly as good as the two great superhero movies of this year which are IRON MAN and THE DARK KNIGHT but I was still entertained by this one which was better than the first one in my opinion. Ione Gruffudd (Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), DARK ANGEL alum Jessica Alba (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Chris Evans (Johnny Storm/Human Torch) and THE SHIELD star Michael Chiklis (Ben Grimm/The Thing) all reprise their roles. Reed and Sue are trying to get married but an alien who is sent to destroy the world kind of gets in the way. They reluctantly team up with Dr. Doom, in a role reprised by CHARMED alum and NIP/TUCK star Julian McMahon, to stop the world from impending doom. Stan Lee has a funny cameo here. While Doug Jones plays the Silver Surfer, it is PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE alum Laurence Fishburne who does the voice.
5 Against the House (1955): This was a very interesting heist film that I found on TCM's Kim Novak marathon. Four friends go to a casino in Vegas and after hearing that the Casino cannot be robbed, a brainy college student hatches a plan to rob it. The four friends go along with the robbery but one of them does not go along like everyone else. Guy Madison was good as the leader of this group who falls in love with night-club singer Kim Novak. This was a good, early casino heist film which does not get much notoriety today.
Shelter Dogs (2003): This is my documentary and this was very hard to watch and I watch these movies so that you can make your judgement on if you want to see it or not. This takes a look at the world of animal shelters which contain dogs that people either don't want or must give up. It mostly takes place in a shelter in New York run by Sue Sternberg who tries to give her dogs in the shelter the best lives possible but must analyze each dog for things like aggression and make the difficult decision of euthanization, one of which was shown on screen which was very difficult. I had two cocker spaniels and for each of their deaths my mom was present when they were at the end of their ropes and had to be put to sleep. I'm glad I did not have to go, I can't imagine how she felt or how I would have felt. We now have three great dogs. Again, it was very difficult for me to watch but I did develop a respect for this animal shelter though.
The Octagon (1980): I believe this is the first ever Chuck Norris movie I have ever shown. I found this early Chuck role on AMC when searching for a movie in the 80s. Chuck Norris plays a retired martial-arts champion who must protect a woman from a group of Ninjas of the title. If you want a movie with great performances and a great storyline, this is not what you want. If you want some entertainment, invite your friends over to check out this movie where Chuck Norris seems to hear a lot of voices in his head and has some pretty lame pick-up lines but is made up by the climatic fight scene in the end.
Mad Love (1935): I chose this movie in the Peter Lorre marathon on TCM where he is a brilliant surgeon whose obsession with an actress clouds his judgement. Colin Clive plays the husband of the actress who he obsesses with and he gets his hands smashed. Lorre agrees to give him the surgery but the hands seem to be a little mean. Many may know Clive from FRANKENSTEIN and THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN where he played Dr. Henry Frankenstein. Lorre was great and creepy as the bald-headed surgeon who would go to have a great career and this performance gained a lot of admiration from Charles Chaplin.
Go Kill, and Come Back (1967): This is my Grindhouse movie for the week which is a Spagetti Western with shades of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. We have three gunmen vying for a buried treasure with George Hilton playing The Stranger so guess who this seems to be a ripoff of from the film I mentioned. This was a little bit better storyline wise than the 8th movie I featured.
Well, that is it for this week, Tell me what you love and what you hate.
CONNECTION TIME
I'm bringing back the connection segment this week, I finally got time to work on it.
-Edward Norton (American History X) and John Malkovich (Ripley's Game) were in the 1998 film Rounders
-Edward Furlong (American History X) plays John Connor is Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Lena Headey (Ripley's Game) plays his mom Sarah Connor in the tv series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Small world I know.
-Beverly D'Angelo (American History X) and Chris Evans (Fantastic 4) were in the 2007 film Terra
-Beverly D'Angelo (American History X) and Laurence Fishburne (Fantastic 4) are in the upcoming 2008 film Black Water Transit
-Ethan Suplee (American History X) and Ray Winstone (Ripley's Game) were in the 2003 film Cold Mountain
-Ethan Suplee (American History X) and John Malkovich (Ripley's Game) were in the 2006 film Art School Confidential
-Stacy Keach (American History X) and Laurence Fishburne (Fantastic 4) were in the 1980 tv movie A Rumor of War
-Elliot Gould (American History X) and Julian McMahon (Fantastic 4) were in the 1992 film Wet and Wild Summer
-Joe Cortese (American History X) and Kerry Washington (Fantastic 4) were in the 2004 film Against the Ropes
-Ray Winstone (Ripley's Game) and Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic 4) were in the 2004 film King Arthur
-John Malkovich (Ripley's Game) and Doug Jones (Fantastic 4) were in the 2002 film Adaptation
1:01 AM
-
5 Comments - 12 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Monday, August 11, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 143rd Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 143rd Edition of my blog series. It has been a long week but I do still have 10 movies to recommend to all of you so read on.
True Romance (1993): Tony Scott directed this crime caper written by Quentin Tarantino who sold this script in order to fund his 1992 independent hit RESERVOIR DOGS. Christian Slater stars as Clarence a poor, bachelor who meets a hooker named Alabama and falls in love with her and Alabama still has people to contend with like her pimp, played greatly by Gary Oldman. I know I speak a lot of Oldman but I just don't think I can say enough. There is quite a cast here that consists of Christopher Walken, Michael Rapaport, Dennis Hopper, and many others. Also look for SOPRANOS alum James Gandolfini who has a very disturbing and violent scene with Alabama. This was very fun to watch and fans of Asian films will love all the references.
Passport to Pimlico (1949): Henry Cornelius directed this unknown comedy which centers around an unexploded WW2 bomb which accidentally detonates revealing a treasure. The civilians to what they can to get this treasure while the British government tries to regain control. Nothing great but an entertaining film worth a watch.
Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003): I decided to record this documentary of the life of Chaplin going from his childhood until near the end of his life. It was very insightful with many peers and fans of Chaplin being interviewed. Not much else can be said here but a great documentary showing some interesting unknown films.
Roman Holiday (1953): William Wyler directed this romantic comedy which starred Audrey Hepburn in her first starring role. Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, a princess in Rome who does not like her structured life as the princess and sets out to see the world. Gregory Peck plays Joe, a reporter who finds her drunk and forms a relationship with her pretending ignorance over her identity with intentions to write a big story but I think you know the next part.
The Element of Crime (1984): This was a very interesting film and to say I got it would be a lie. It was about a cop under hypnosis hoping it will help him find a serial killer. It had some very bizarre imagery and some dark images and it was more of a narrative that you really had to pay attention.
Jaws (1975): Steven Spielberg directed this movie which made many people afraid to go in the water. In the small town of Amity, a shark starts to terrorize people. A police chief (Roy Scheider), a marine scientist (Richard Dreyfuss), and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw) set out to stop this shark. These were three totally different people going after this shark. It's quite a classic that may be a bit dated but still very fun to watch.
Ugly Duckling (1939): This was my Disney short for the week that I came across. I was once in an Ugly Duckling story called HONK!. This was a fun 9 minutes of the Hans Christian Anderson classic of a duck that looks different from the others and one I really felt for.
Once (2006): This is one that may get mixed opinions. This is a modern-day musical of a Dublin man and woman who meet and agree to write music together. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova wrote the music that they sang. I can't really explain much here, if you don't like musicals you might like this one.
The Pumpkin Eater (1964): In the Anne Bancroft marathon on TCM I chose this one which also starred Peter Finch. Anne Bancroft is a single mom of many who meets a Hollywood writer, played by Finch, who leads other affairs which provokes her to do things as well. This was another rather underrated film that should get more recognition.
Volunteers (1985): Tom Hanks and John Candy star in this comedy in the Peace Corps. Tom Hanks plays a Ivy Leaguer in debt to a bookie who flees with the Peace Corps to get away. This was one of Hanks' early comedy roles. John Candy was also funny. This is an 80s comedy worth watching.
Well, that is it for this week, forgive my writing skills this week, I put this together in a hurry but please leave your comments as to what you like and what you hate
1:27 AM
-
6 Comments - 14 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Sunday, August 03, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations-142nd Edition
Welcome to the 142nd Edition of my blog. I just made my film debut as an extra in the upcoming 2009 film MY NAME IS JERRY. If I should appear in this movie, it will be in the funeral scene. It was a long but fun day in my suit and tie for about five hours. I met actor Doug Jones who plays the Silver Surfer in FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER and as Abe in the HELLBOY movies. He was a pretty good guy and I didn't really picture him looking like that since he is usually in some kind of make-up in his roles. I also met DRAKE AND JOSH alum Allison Scagliotti who also stars in this movie. The other actor in this movie but not present at the time is THAT 70s SHOW alum Don Stark who was Donna's Italian father. It's good to finally be able to say that I was in a movie even if I don't show up on screen. OKLAHOMA went very well but it is now over so I don't know what I am going to do now, well I will work on these so get out your queues and get ready.
Beat the Devil (1953): John Huston directed and co-wrote this script with Truman Capote which stars Humphrey Bogart in this satire of deceit and greed. Bogey stars as a married couple with Gina Lollobrigida who are on their way to Africa and come across four criminals, one of them is an older Peter Lorre. All of them are headed to buy land apparently loaded with Uranium and they meet a mysterious British couple which make funny things happen. It's a very underrated Bogart film that should be checked out.
Shattered Glass (2003): Billy Ray directed this independent true story which stars Hayden Christianson (spelling? I really don't care though) as Stephen Glass, a young reporter who was found to be fabricating his compelling stories. I'm not usually a fan of Hayden but I did find myself kind of liking him in this movie. Peter Saarsgaard plays the head of the magazine who has the unenviable task of being his boss and having to do what he had to no matter what the opinion is of others. This movie did a good job of having both characters be understood and even Glass for his fabrication of his work. This is a decent independent film that I found on IFC. BIG LOVE star Chloe Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, and Hank Azaria co-star.
Annie Was a Wonder (1949): This is a John Nesbitt short film which I found on TCM. A couple weeks ago I featured his short film OUR OLD CAR. John narrates this story of Annie Swenson, played by Kathleen Freeman, an immigrant who became the housekeeper in the Nesbitt household and telling the story of her impact in their lives through the years. These are fun short films that John Nesbitt wrote about his personal life.
Spartacus (1960): Stanley Kubrick directed this movie of the slave who makes a violent revolt against the Roman army, along with other slaves. Kirk Douglas stars as the title character who only wants freedom. Peter Ustinov is funny as the Gladiator trainer. There is really not much to say here except we have quite a classic here which also stars Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Tony Curtis and many others. We also have the great "I'm Spartacus" scene. Just check it out. Anthony Mann was the original director but he had a falling out with Douglas, so Kubrick was brought in late.
The Seventh Seal (1957): Ingmar Bergman directed this Swedish classic. Max Von Sydow plays the knight Antonius Block, a knight during the crusades in the time of the Black Death. Death, played by Bengt Ekerot, tells Block it is his time but Block challenges him to a game of chess. They then must deal with the harsh times in their own different ways. It is a visual masterpiece which looks at the meaning of life. The image of the death character has been used a lot including BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989): I come to you with the comedy duo of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in this 80s comedy. If you're looking for a blockbuster, this may not be it. The plot is rather absurd but the movie is still quite entertaining. Wilder plays a deaf man and Pryor is a blind man and when becoming friends, they are set-up for a murder where they must work together to clear their names. Look for a young Kevin Spacey as one of the criminals. The two leads make this worth watching and the aspect of the blind helping the deaf and vice versa.
Gone With the Wind (1939): I decided to view this one after learning that Evelyn Keyes who plays Suellen recently died. Victor Fleming is credited as the director though he was brought in late like Kubrick in SPARTACUS and also has his name to other 1939 classic THE WIZARD OF OZ. What can really be said about this epic about Civil War life in the south. We have Vivian Leigh who stars as Scarlet O'Hara who is rather snobby but is willing to do whatever she can to survive and for her loved ones. Scarlet is in love with Ashley, played by Leslie Howard, who is to marry another woman but at a party meets the immortal Rhett Butler, played by Clark Gable who have a loving but destructive relationship. This movie depicts life very well in the south. Hattie McDaniel plays the servant who seems to have a lot of authority in the house and she was the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award when she won Best Supporting Actress. We also have many quotes that still live on through time like the most memorable "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" which required a $5000 fine by the Hollywood Production Code to be able to use that line and that was a lot of money in those days.
Chicago (2002): This is part two in my musical series. Rob Marshall directed this musical which helped bring popularity back to the genre. Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb wrote this musical and has been around for a long time. This movie takes place in Chicago if you haven't already guessed. Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as a nightclub singer named Velma who is arrested for murder for killing her husband and sister. Renee Zellweger stars as Roxie Hart who is an aspiring singer who kills her boyfriend and is arrested. They must fight for publicity and do whatever it takes to get it. Richard Gere stars as smooth attorney Billy Flynn in what I believe is his best role. Queen Latifah is great as the head of the prison Mama. All the actors did a great job in the musical. The musical numbers were a bit strange at times with them doing the music in an imaginary world. Both the Muncie and Anderson theaters have made attempts to get this show but it always gets resigned at the last minute so that community theaters can't do it. I would like to play the role of Amos someday which was played by John C. Reilly here and he is the husband of Roxie who don't seem to have a happy marriage. This is something that apparently John Travolta had a chance but once again turning it down where Richard Gere gets the role.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997): This is one of the many movies that started the teen horror craze. PARTY OF FIVE alum Jennifer Love Hewitt, BUFFY alum Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr. all star as high school buddies who hit someone and assume him dead and vow to never speak of it again. Hewitt plays Julie James who gets a card in the mail with the title on it a year later. This was nothing great but a classic in my opinion compared to its sequal.
Atonement (2007): Joe Wright directed this interesting movie. I really had to pay attention and I had my doubts at times but I did end up liking this. We focus on the Tallis family and the 13 year old Briony accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit which changes the course of life for many people. Keira Knightly plays the older sister. We first see Briony at age 13 played by Saoirse Ronan and I really believed her deception. Romola Garai plays her grown up. Both unknown actresses did a good job in their role and I really liked the ending.
Well, that is it for this week. Leave your comments of what you like and what you hate, I know this one will contain some mixed opinions.
12:58 AM
-
4 Comments - 8 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Sunday, July 27, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 141st Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 141st Edition of my blog. Last week I said I would have more mainstream films in this one but I was wrong, due to time and my rules, I came up with some unexpected picks. I have two more performances for OKLAHOMA outside at the Minnetrista Cultural Center. I won't know what to do when this show is over. I heard some bad news last week. The Muncie Civic Studio Theater was slated to do EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL but due to rights issues, it will not be a go. I was really looking forward to trying out for it so hopefully, I can do another show in October. Well, enough about me, here we go.
History of the World-Part 1 (1980): I got to learn about history the Mel Brooks way. We see the dawn of man in a hilarious segment with Sid Caesar. We then go into the Roman empire, the Spanish Inquisition and the French Revolution. Mel Brooks stars as many roles through the ages. Gregory Hines is funny is his film debut as Josephus. Dom Deluise is amusing as Caesar. Also look for Hugh Hefner and even John Hurt as Jesus during the Last Supper. Check out this wonderful show of history if you're not too serious. There was also a scene in the Spanish Inquisition that reminded me of a dance scene we do in OKLAHOMA. They must not have ever gotten around to a Part 2 like they said in the film.
Hairspray (2007): We now have the musical version of that sleasy 1988 film which I like. Nikki Blonsky stars as the pleasantly plump Tracy Turnblad who dreams of being a dancer on the Corny Collins Show but must first take a stand against segregation which is geared towards her and a group of black friends she makes. John Travolta stars as her mother Edna and Christopher Walken is her father Wilbur. They are very fun as her supportive parents and have a very amusing, maybe disturbing, duet song together. I must say, I never thought I would see Walken and Travolta as husband and wife. Christopher Walken also got to show that he can be a versatile actor. Zac Efron also was quite good after being in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL for so long. If you want a great musical and can't afford to see it on stage, this is the one to see. I hear there is a sequal though.
State of Grace (1990): I found this one on IFC and I could not pass up Gary Oldman. Sean Penn stars as Terry Noonan, who is a cop returning to his old town in an undercover role but finds it is hard after rekindling with old friends and must choose between his loyalty. Gary Oldman is awesome as a young gangster who while quite violent has a kind streak. Ed Harris stars as a local mob boss. Sean Penn's future wife Robin Wright also stars as an old flame. Also look for Burgess Meredith in a fun, small role. The performances here make this worth watching and must be followed closely.
Leap Year (1921): I decided to use this "Fatty" Arbuckle movie which was considered to be a feature film at the time due to being an hour long. Unfortunately, this was one of the last movies the legendary silent film comedian got to do before his rape scandal ruined his career even though he was acquitted of any wrong-doing. He is the only person to have worked with all three of the "Big Three" which include Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and the man who is featured in the next movie. Here, Fatty plays a man who wants to do good but gets in trouble when giving marriage advice to his female friends, leasing to some hilarious misunderstandings.
The Life of Harold Diddlecock (1947): I came across this one by chance and is the last film of "The Third Genius" Harold Lloyd which I suppose you can call a sequal to his 1925 classic THE FRESHMAN. This shows the title character 20 years after his triumph on the football field who is now a mild-mannered clerk who is fired from his job after 20 years and turns to alcohol which lead into some funny moments. Margaret Hamilton who is best known as The Wicked Witch of the West in THE WIZARD OF OZ has a good, small role. It is by no means Lloyd's best but it wasn't a bad one to go out on, some have had worse.
Halls of Montezuma (1950): This is my war movie for the week which was directed by Lewis Milestone. This was a great tribute to the Marines which stars Richard Widmark as a Lietenent who at times reflects on his times as a teacher and what that has done for him in the marines. He must lead an attack on a Japanese base. Jack Palance, Jack Webb, Robbert Wagner, and Karl Malden also star in this tribute to the Marines.
Our Time is Up (2005): This is my short film for my week which is on my 2005 Oscar-winning and nominated short films. Kevin Pollak stars as a psychiatrist who is very organized, mild-mannered and tells all his clients that things will happen in "due time" until he learns he only has six weeks to live and develops a more honest approach to get through to his clients. LOST star Jorge Garcia plays the gardener.
The Warrior (2001): This is my foreign-language film for the week which takes place in 1900s Feudal india. Irfan Khan stars as Lafcadia who is a ruthless enforcer to a local crime lord but experiences a moment of enlightenment and when this happens he must go on the run through the Himalayas and fight for redemption. This was definetly interesting to watch and quite moving.
Man From Planet X (1951): I was looking for something rather short and I found this sci-fi film. A crashed rocket ship is discovered and they see a visitor who looks like a strange alien lands and leaves people in fear over what his motives might be and a scientist takes quite a fit of interest in this person as well. This was a pretty decent sci-fi movie which sci-fi fans will love and it is worth a look.
Return of the Tiger (1979): This is my Grindhouse martial-arts film for the week. Bruce Li stars in this film and must stop a drug operation. This is something that will be of worth to martial arts films, and notice that it is Li, not Lee. Bruce Lee had died a few years before this one and this Bruce Lee look-a-like Chung Tao Ho was recruited to be his "replacement" and made quite a few movies but did not like being Bruce Lee and preferred to play himself.
Well, that is it for this week, stay tuned next week for the 142nd Edition
6:26 PM
-
4 Comments - 8 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
|
The Dark Knight, one of a billion reviews
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
I just got home from seeing the movie of the above title and I just released what is most likely the 50 billionth blog for it but what is most shocking is that I am writing a one-movie review or an attempt at a review instead of my usual 10 movie recommendations where most picks don't come from current theater movies which is not going to change because this will not be on any upcoming installments of my blog series. I'll put it to Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations when I am ready.
Christian Bale returns for his second outing as the caped crusader in a role played by such people as Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and George Clooney. Both Keaton and Bale portray this role more darkly and humanistic and that is what I like to see and that goes for James Bond as well. It was interesting to see Bruce question whether what he is doing is right or not and to admit that he is not the type of hero that Gotham City needs. One interesting thing I noticed about Bale which I have never seen with any other superhero role and I could be wrong but I liked how he disguised his voice when he was wearing his Batman outfit and talked normal as Bruce Wayne.
Now we have the late Heath Ledger in his final role as the Joker. I wondered what kind of approach he would take to the character but I was willing to give him a chance when I saw his name come up as the next Joker even though it is not someone I would have given the first thought to and he sure did not disappoint. If I had no idea who Heath Ledger was or who was playing the Joker, I would have never guessed it would be that same guy from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. In Tim Burton's 1989 version of BATMAN, we got to see Jack Nicholson who just had so much fun, maybe too much sometimes. With Ledger, we still get the humor but he was just more believable to me than Nicholson in terms of his villainy, is that even a word? In other words, I had more fear of Ledger than I did with Nicholson. In this movie, anything the Joker did, the town would blame Batman for the happening because he was supposed to be that hero that never let anything happen but we all knew that he was doing his best and that he is human. It is too bad that we can't judge his performance while he is still alive.
Now we have Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes for the role of Rachel Dawes who is dating District Attorney Harvey Dent and for those of you who that person is, I will not give it away. Aaron Eckhart plays the role of Dent who is determined to stop crime in Gotham City and who even Bruce Wayne sees that is the type of hero that the town needs. Gyllenhaal was good in her role and I liked her more than I did Katie Holmes. Eckhart was great as Harvey Dent who understood that at the time Batman was needed while not necessarily liking him.
Next we have Gary Oldman, one of my favorite actors, playing Commissioner Gordon who is just Lieutenant for now. Once again, I could be wrong but Gordon seems to actually work instead of only relying on Batman all the time. Oldman is known, and sometimes just too unknown as an actor, for playing more villainous and dark roles but here we see him play an absolutely noble person. Michael Caine returns as Alfred and this is the first time I have seen Alfred actually question a little bit of what Bruce Wayne does, especially in BATMAN BEGINS. Morgan Freeman reprises his role of Lucious Fox who is to Bruce Wayne/Batman what Q is to James Bond.
Other actors include DEAD ZONE star Anthony Michael Hall, Nestor Carbonell, William Fichtner, and Eric Roberts. Also I noticed on imdb.com that Cillian Murphy, who played the Scarecrow in the last movie was credited in that role and if someone can tell me where he is in this movie I would appreciate it. All the actors here did their part making this top 2008's other great superhero movie IRON MAN where both characters have a lot of similarities and I have kind of thought of Iron Man as Marvel's answer to Batman in terms of their reliance on intelligence to fight evil instead of having supernatural powers.
All in all, this movie was great from start to finish and contained an ending which I would have never guessed making me wonder how this would even be continued. The scenery was great, the action was great as well as all the other elements. Christopher Nolan once again directed this movie and did a great job with a cool homage in the beginning of the movie to HEAT. That is my very rare film review. My next installment of movie recommendations so far include Mel Brooks, a musical, a movie with Gary Oldman and two movies containing silent film legends though one is silent, the other is a talkie. This is nothing any of you have not seen but I felt inclined to actually write something myself that is my effort to write a review but I think you would rather me do my usual blog though.
10:21 PM
-
5 Comments - 12 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Sunday, July 20, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 140th Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 140th Edition of my blog series. I just got done with a weekend of OKLAHOMA performances. The show went pretty well and I look forward to next week to performing again. This week, I chose a lot of rather unknown films which include a tv mini-series, a silent, some indies and foreigns. So get out your queues and read on.
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944): Now I know I mentioned doing mostly unknowns but this one is a classic here. This is part 5 of my Cary Grant series and likely the last for now and Frank Capra directed this classic. This is a very dark comedy based on a play by Joseph Keesling where I feel bad when I laugh but one cannot help it. Cary stars as Mortimer Brewster, a drama critic who just got married and when going to visit his elderly aunts, he finds that they are killing lonely, old men and the aunts feel they are doing them a favor. Things get rather awkward when Mortimer's brother Jonathan, played by Raymond Massey who has just escaped prison. Peter Lorre is fun as Jonathan's henchman who gave him the face of a famous actor you might recognize in the movie.
The Inheritors (1998): This is my German film for the week. This movie takes place on a farm where a murdered farmer leaves his farm to four of his employees who were abused for years. The four peasants are reluctant at first but decide to try to take on a ruthless land baron. Tension also happens with these new-found owners when there was no structure to the system and that they had never owned a farm before. This is a very interesting and depressing film.
Our Old Car (1946): I found this short film on TCM which takes a look at the American car through the generations of one family. This is a documentary written by John Nesbitt who takes a look at his own life and family. This was a very fun movie and definetly something for car lovers.
Bent (1997): This is my British film for the week which stars the man who will play me someday in THE RISE AND FALL OF SHAUN BERKEY Clive Owen in an early role where he stars as Max in Nazi Germany. His problem was not that he was a Jew but that he was gay and they were held on a lower scale. He plays a rather selfish person who tries to pass himself off as a Jew but forms a relationship with another prisoner in a concentration camp. Mick Jagger is amusing in a small role where he plays a cross-dressing nightclub singer. My local community theater actually put on the play of this which starred my myspace friend Ric as Max's boyfriend in the beginning. This was a very moving and sad film which takes a look at life in a concentration camp.
The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967): This is my French musical for the week which was directed by Jacques Demy which was kind of a follow-up to THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG which I actually liked better but this one was still pretty fun and interesting to see Gene Kelly singing in French. Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac star as twin sisters, one a dance teacher and the other a piano composer. They are both looking for love and they each encounter each other's ideal partner. Gene Kelly is fun in his supporting role. This has some pretty good music and a must for Kelly fans.
Disco Pigs (2001): Now I take you to Ireland for this dark movie directed by Kirsten Sheridan which take a look at two teens played by Cillian Murphy and Elaine Cassidy. They were born just minutes apart and for all their lives formed a twin-like relationship. They call each other Pig and Runt. They eventually develop a very reckless lifestyle and a life of crime. For those of you who don't know who Cillian Murphy is, he can best be remembered as the Scarecrow in BATMAN BEGINS. It is interesting how these actors have some resemblance to Clark Kent and Lana Lang in SMALLVILLE. This is something I really did not know what to expect when watching it and it is definetly not for everyone. There is not anything real upbeat about this movie but if you like dark, here you go.
Broken Trail (2006): This is an AMC western mini-series which stars Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church as cowboys who are on a job to transport a herd of horses but the job becomes complicated when they take in 5 abused and abandoned Chinese girls who are being sold into slavery and they must protect them from some enemies. While reluctant, these cowboys are hit with nobility and do what they have to in order to protect the girls while getting the horses where they need to be. This was a very good western series and good performances by the leads. It was good to see the blending of the western and Asian world while not using martial arts like in SHANGHAI NOON and the lesser-known ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA AND AMERICA which was the last in the Jet Li series. I liked those two I named off but it was refreshing to see this one too.
The Racket (1928): Lewis Milestone directed this silent gangster film which was produced by Howard Hughes and thought by many to be lost but was found later. Louis Wolheim stars as ruthless mobster Nick Scarsi who is obviously based in many ways on Al Capone and Thomas Meighan stars as the determined police officer out to catch Scarsi. This seems to be a rather groundbreaking and daring film which was originally a Broadway play starring Edward G. Robinson who would go on to become a gangster legend.
Kung Fu Punch of Death (1973): This is my Grindhouse martial-arts film for the week which is very entertaining with both the English dubbing and they bad timing on the fights but still tells a decent story. It is obviously for Martial arts fans only. There is not much more to say on this one.
The Postman Fights Back (1981): This is something that I bought for 5.50 from Wal-Mart that has been sitting on my shelf for some time and when the need for an 80s film came around, I chose this early Chow Yun-Fat film which was directed by Ronny Yu. Chow is one of four people hired to transport a suspicious package. This had some martial arts and a lot of really good fight scenes and definetly worth a look for a young Chow Yun-Fat.
Well, that is it for this week. Next week will be more mainstream films. If you live near the Muncie area, you should come check out OKLAHOMA from Thursday-Saturday. Also, when finished, please leave your comments telling me what you like and dislike.
7:38 PM
-
4 Comments - 8 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Sunday, July 13, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 139th Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 139th Edition of my long running blog. Oklahoma starts this friday so if you're near Muncie, come check it out. I really don't have much else to say so get out your queues and start reading.
Juno (2007): Jason Reitman directed this independent comedy. This movie kind of reminds me of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. No, not because of the storyline but because of the following it recieved. Both were independent movies going into the mainstream with a very mixed reaction which I'm sure I will get here. Ellen Page plays the title character, a teen who ends up becoming pregnant. She then looks for a good set of parents to adopt her baby and finds a yuppie couple played by ALIAS alum Jennifer Garner and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT alum Jason Bateman. When meeting these people, everyone is forced to search their soul. This movie was nominated for academy awards and should it have been? I really don't know. This by no means is something that will live on in my soul but I found it to be rather entertaining and I thought Ellen Page was very good in her role. I found the character pretty likable so I guess some judgement might be on how you view the character.
A Bronx Tale (1993): I end my long Robert de Niro series with his directorial debut which is based on the play which was written by the star Chazz Palminteri. De Niro plays Lorenzo in 1960s Brooklyn as a city bus driver who was underpaid but very proud. Lillo Brancato makes his film debut as his son Calogero who wants a little more than what his dad has but is still proud of his dad. Chazz Palminteri plays the local mobster in the area, Sonny, who befriends Calogero and becomes like a second father to him. I really analyzed this movie more than ever this time and it was interesting to me how his father hated him being around Sonny who he did not want his son to become like. However, it was Sonny who kept him on the right path with the friends that Calogero hung out with who were an even worse influence which Lorenzo did not seem to think much of. This movie really deals with growing up in an urban area and takes on some pretty touchy subjects. Look for Joe Pesci in a cameo. I hate to hear about Brancato right now and the murder charges he is being brought up upon.
The Yes Men (2003): The Facebook friend I chose here was Jerry who was in a Political Science class with me. This is my documentary for the week which takes a look at anti-corporate people Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum who go around the world impersonating people from the World Trade Center and use amusing pranks to look at the dark, corporate world. This movie had some pretty funny moments. I did not like it as much as some and have liked many of the other documentaries featured here more but I still enjoyed this since they share some of my views.
Penny Serenade (1941): This is part 4 of 5 in my Cary Grant series. This movie has the most serious role from Grant I have seen where he and his wife look to adopt a child. Irene Dunne plays his wife and she remembers through a stack of records of their times together in both joy and tragedy. This one is quite the tearjerker and one that just needs to be seen. There is not much more to say here.
River's Edge (1986): This is part 2 of my Keanu Reeves series. Tim Hunter directs this strange movie of a town who reacts strangely to a murder done by a high schooler who shows off the body to his friends. Crispin Glover stars as Layne who does what he can to keep his friend from getting caught. Once again, I really don't have much more to say but that it was a rather bizarre film. Dennis Hopper has a very amusing, small role. Character actor Daniel Roebuck also stars who went on to become a decent character actor but it was too bad that not very many people really know him and even I haven't really put much mention to him but I felt this was his best performance. This movie also stars Ione Skye.
Wide Awake in Nothing (2004): This was a strange short film I found on IFC which takes place in a bleak, futuristic world where everyone seems to be slaves in a factory. The boss is very domineering and is finally challenged by his new employee. This was quite interesting. I don't know how easy it will ever be to find but I'll give the filmmaker Paul Lingas his due.
Small Town Girl (1936): William Wellman directed this romantic comedy which stars Janet Gaynor as Kay Francis as a small-town girl who is unhappy with life in the small town and wants to get away. Robert Taylor stars as a wealthy man who meets Kay and takes her on a night in the town. After a drunken night, they find themselves married the next morning. They then try to stay married for 6 months for publicity reasons but you all know how the story goes. James Stewart is fun in an early role.
Daughters of Darkness (1971): Harry Kumel directed this erotic vampire tale. A newlywed couple honeymoons in a French hotel and meet some rather strange people which changes their lives forever. This is the vampire genre and if you don't like that genre very much, you may not like this one. It is rather strange and disturbing at times. To a point, it reminds me of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW just on the aspect of a newlywed couple ending up in the wrong place.
The Ladies Man (1961): Notice the year, this is not the Tim Meadows SNL skit. Jerry Lewis stars here as the title character Herbert Heebert who after graduating college, finds his fiance with someone else. He then finds a job in a mansion he finds is populated by women where he becomes their slave and finds himself overwhelmed. I really enjoy the old Jerry Lewis films and I found this one to be one of his best.
Oklahoma (1955): I end with the show in which I am in starting on Friday which features my myspace and facebook friends Corby (Curly), Jennifer (Laurie and the musical director), Andrew (Will), Kristen (Ado Annie), Jason (Ali Hakim), Sean (Ike Skidmore), Katie F. (Gertie) Kyle (Judd), Joseph (Cord Elam) Lisa, Caity, Nick, Casey, Lindsey. I had never seen this movie but figured it was time to watch it. It was interesting to watch it and compare it to ours. We have a couple young cowboys, Curly and Will, who return to town to seek their loves but find that their is competition. Curly wants Laurie, played by Shirley Jones in her great debut, but finds that the hired hand Judd, played by Rod Steiger, has his own interests which lead to a rather violent feud. Will seeks Ado Annie but finds she is with the peddler Ali Hakim. This movie omits Judd's solo song LONELY ROOM, maybe because it was too dark for the movie and Ali Hakims humorous song IT'S A SCANDAL but everything else from the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic remains and I feel that our version is coming along quite well and hope to see many people there.
Well, that is it for this week, I will return next week with a lot of more unknown films which consist of a tv movie, some foreign films and some independent films. Leave your comments, tell me what you liked, what you did not like and if you don't like my first choice, please say so but I ask that you comment on one of my other 9 films if you have seen any of them.
-Jason Bateman (Juno), Robert De Niro (Bronx Tale), and Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale) all provided American voices in the 2006 film Arthur et Les Minimoys
-Jason Bateman (Juno), Michael Cera (Juno) and Ione Skye (River's Edge) were in an episode of the tv series Arrested Development
-Allison Janney (Juno) and Chazz Palminteri (Bronx Tale) were in the 1996 film Faithful
-Allison Janney (Juno) and Crispin Glover (River's Edge) were in the 2000 film Nurse Betty
-J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Keanu Reeves (River's Edge) were in the 2000 film The Gift
-Cameron Bright (Juno) and Robert De Niro (Bronx Tale) were in the 2004 film Godsend
-Cameron Bright (Juno) and Chazz Palminteri (Bronx Tale) were in the 2004 film Running Scared
-Robert De Niro (Bronx Tale) and Jerry Lewis (Ladies Man) were in the 1982 film King of Comedy
-Joe Pesci (Bronx Tale) and Dennis Hopper (River's Edge) were in the 1989 film Catchfire
-Cary Grant (Penny Serenade) and James Stewart (Small Town Girl) were in the 1940 film A Philadelphia Story
-Irene Dunne (Penny Serenade) and Robert Taylor (Small Town Girl) were lovers in the original 1935 version of Magnificent Obsession
12:59 AM
-
6 Comments - 12 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
|
I really don’t know what I’m writing about here
I'm sitting here just determined to write a blog separate from my usual 10 movie recommendations but I'm having writer's block just trying to think of something great to say that has not been said or done. I mean, I wrote a blog on Gary Busey which compared him to people like Socrates, I have explained how I put together each weekly blog. I have also done one showing all the plays and musicals I have done and I can't even think of much to say about wrestling so what else is there. Most of my readers know that I want to write ROCKY: THE MUSICAL and my autobiography THE RISE AND FALL OF SHAUN BERKEY which will eventually be directed by Oliver Stone and starring Clive Owen as myself.
I suppose one thing that I have never explained here is my thoughts on wedding rings. I believe they were invented by a jeweler to make money and that jeweler put into everyone's heads in order to love someone, you must buy them a ring. Then, another jeweler came up with an idea to build upon this money maker by inventing the "engagement" ring which brought in money to jewelers everywhere. This love stuff can be pretty costly sometimes and I suppose that I would have to give in if I meet someone and decide to get married though I don't really intend to but who knows?
Now let's talk politics a bit, many people call themselves republicans and many say they are democrats but I refuse to label myself. Which side am I supposed to believe, republicans will want me to take their side and democrats will do everything possible to tell why I should be with them. I suppose I lean more towards the democrats but when it comes to it, they are all just politicians. Plus those people who are so strong towards their side just seem to think they are better than everyone who disagrees. We need the Jefferson Smith's of the world to come and unite. Let's find all the heads of the Boy Rangers and every idealist like them and get back what our founding fathers intended.
So what else could there be to say about me? Here's something many of you will disagree upon. I prefer Robert Plant with his solo music than with Led Zeppelin. I just feel that more thought is put to his solo work, especially SHIP OF FOOLS. I love that song.
I enjoy the more important discussions in life like football, movies, wrestling, television, music, and things to do with Pop Culture. What the hell is the news going to do besides continue to pump us full of fear? Kevin Smith knows what is important to discuss in our society and you can learn a lot by watching his Jay and Silent Bob movies.
I guess I'll just end here saying thank you. Thanks to all the people who read my weekly blog which I don't know how I have lasted this long and if not for you I'm sure I would have stopped by now. Thanks to all the people who I know in real life and who have been friends and family to me. I know not everything in my life is the way I want it right now, mostly my job that is, but all you keep me going.
9:12 PM
-
4 Comments - 13 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
|
Saturday, July 05, 2008
|
Shaun Berk’s 10 Movie Recommendations- 138th Edition
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
Welcome to the 138th Edition of this long-running series. I now must pay tribute to George Carlin and Cyd Charisse who I have included in this blog. Thanks to everyone who has supported me through the years. Here are the 10, get out your netflix and blockbuster queues and read on.
Heat (1995): This is part 4 of most likely 5 of my Robert de Niro series. Michael Mann directed this historical crime drama. Not historical in terms of any kind of true story but historical where we finally see the first on-screen encounter between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. The only other movie they were both in was THE GODFATHER PART 2 but they were in different eras. This was a crime drama which takes a look at a veteran cop named named Vincent Hanna played by Al Pacino and a master thief named Neil McCauley played by Robert De Niro. Each life was quite parallel to each other. Vincent was in a troubled marriage while trying to crack a case gone wrong and Neil must pick up the pieces of a robbery gone bad while starting a relationship. This movie had quite a cast with Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Natalie Portman and many others. It is too bad that Tom Sizemore is only known these days for his drug problems and many don't know him as a great character actor as he showed here. This was an exciting two and a half hours where as much violence as there was, we could still care about the two main characters.
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989): I now pay tribute to the late George Carlin who plays Rufus. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves play the title slackers whose band Wyld Stallions is in Jeopardy if Ted (Reeves) fails history and goes to military school. Enter Rufus from the future whose world lies in the balance if the Wyld Stallions break up. Rufus brings them a time machine which looks more like a phone booth where Bill and Ted are able to pick up Billy the Kid, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon and many others. This was definetly in my top comedies of the 80s and a lot of fun with the two title characters with a history on education.
It's Always Fair Weather (1955): I now pay tribute to Cyd Charisse. Stanley Donen stars in this musical which stars Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse re-unite after SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, and Michael Kidd all play WW2 veterans who reunite after ten years but see that along with their changed lives, their friendship is fading. Cyd Charisse plays Kelly's love interest. Kelly is a boxing manager and Cyd plays a boxing fan and putting on the greatest musical number of all time in a boxing gym giving me hopes that my dreams of writing ROCKY THE MUSICAL are not impossible. There is also a great roller skate dance number from Gene Kelly. If you like musicals, I think you'll enjoy this underrated film. If you don't, you probably won't like it.
American Movie (1999): This is my documentary for the week which was suggested to me by Rod at Wishbone Gifts in Downtown Muncie. We take a look at Wisconsin boy Mark Borchardt who is determined to direct a horror film even with hardly any money. It shows how he must do a little convincing and even conning in order to get budgeting for his horror film. He must get some friends and unwilling family to be in the movie. This was a great look at the making of an independent film. It is good to know that since this movie Mark Borchardt, while not having the greatest career, is finding work in the film industry since his short film COVEN. I must say that I really envied him in show ways where no matter what you think of him, you can't knock his effort and determination.
Blonde Venus (1932): This is part 3 of what might be 5 of my Cary Grant series even though he was more of a supporting character in this piece focusing on a love triangle. Josef Von Sternberg directed this movie which stars Marlene Dietrich as a former nightclub singer named Helen whose husband, played by Herbert Marshall, is dying and needs an expensive cure in Germany. Helen must then return to the nightclub scene to raise the money where she becomes the title character and gets into some trouble where she meets a millionaire named Nick played by Cary Grant who she prostitutes herself to in order to make some money to raise her son. This was a pretty intense film and definetly worth watching.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002): If all you do is skim through these, I have no problem with that but if you can see this sentence please keep reading. It is movies like these that is the reason I do this blog and what I hope to be able to get exposed. You might have forgotten about Bill and Ted so go re-watch that if you want but this should not be passed up. Phillip Noyce directs this true story of a family of Aborigines whose three daughters are kidnapped by the Australian government who think they are doing the children some big favor by teaching them more modern ways but show them a very strict world. The daughters escape from the school and set out on a 1500-mile journey back home. The leader of the Australian government is played by Kenneth Branaugh but that doesn't need to be known. The musical score is very beautiful and written by none other than Peter Gabriel which is how I learned of this movie I must admit when I bought the soundtrack because of Peter. This movie had my attention all the way through and it really got to me. If you have Netflix or Blockbuster, this should go on your queue. I don't usually do that but I feel I must for this one. If it doesn't sound like your kind of movie then avoid it but if you want a great independent film, here you go.
Frank and Tony (1973): This is my Grindhouse pick for the week. This is one of the better movies in this boxed set and by far one of the better transfers to DVD. Tony Lo Bianco stars as a small-time thug who meets his idol Frankie, played by western veteran Lee Van Cleef, in prison. They slowly become friends and plan an escape from prison and go after who put them there. This is a buddy movie, mafia style and has some pretty good action.
Home Movies (1940): This is my short film for the week which I got off of the dvd of MY FAVORITE WIFE which is a Robert Benchley short on making as the title says. He is showing some footage to some friends showing how anyone can do it but things begin to go wrong. Robert Benchley has some pretty funny short films and this is one of them.
Eight Below (2006): Frank Marshall directed this Disney movie. I'll probably get some mixed opinions on this one but I can't impress everyone. Paul Walker stars as Jerry, an antarctic explorer who while taking someone on an exhibition experiences some very severe weather and must evacuate. He had some injuries so he did not know that his dogs were left behind and lobbies to go back to get them. What I thought was really good about this movie was the dogs who had to fend for themselves in the cold weather and how they teamed up to survive. These kinds of movies are always hard for me to watch but I got through it but I'm sure PETA was not very happy about this movie.
Ugetsu (1953): This is my Japanese movie for the week which takes place in 16th Century Japan in the time of war where two peasant brothers seek their fortune. One looks to seek money sellling his wares like dishes and the other really wants to be a samarai no matter what it takes. Each one takes off into a pretty dark world. This was definetly something that kept my attention the whole way through and something quite unpredictable making this a Japanese classic.
Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned next week for the 139th Edition and read on to see the connections.
-Al Pacino (Heat) and Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted) were in the 1997 film The Devil's Advocate.
-Robert de Niro (heat) and Kenneth Branaugh (Rabbit-Proof Fence) were in the 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
-Val Kilmer (Heat) and Bruce Greenwood (8 Below) were in the 2007 film Deja Vu
-Jon Voight (Heat) and Paul Walker (8 Below) were in the 1999 film Varsity Blues
-Jon Voight (Heat) and Bruce Greenwood (8 Below) were in the 2007 film National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
-Tom Sizemore (Heat) and Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted) were in the 1991 film Point Break
-Tom Sizemore (Heat) and Bruce Greenwood (8 Below) were in the 1992 film Passenger 57
-Ashley Judd (Heat) and Bruce Greenwood (8 Below) were in the 1995 tv movie Naomi and Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge and the 1999 film Double Jeopardy
-Hank Azaria (Heat) and Kenneth Branaugh (Rabbit-Proof Fence) were in the 1998 film Celebrity
-Jeremy Piven (Heat) and George Carlin (Bill and Ted) were in the 2003 film Scary Movie 3
-Bud Cort (Heat uncreditted) and George Carlin (Bill and Ted) were in the 1999 film Dogma
-Keanu Reeves (Bill and Ted) and Kenneth Branaugh (Rabbit-Proof Fence) were in the 1993 film Much Ado About Nothing
-George Carlin (Bill and Ted) and Jason Biggs (8 Below) were in the 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and the 2004 film Jersey Girl
3:06 PM
-
8 Comments - 12 Kudos
- Add Comment
|
|
|
