Welcome to the 978th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is hanging in there in these crazy times.  I've been busy with GEORGE WASHINGTON ATE MY HOMEWORK in Connersville.  I play an absent-minded scientist who invents a time machine.  My lab assistant and her friends mess with it and bring in a few historical figures into the modern era.  This will be in the first couple weekends of May.  I am also ring announcing for Guilty by Affiliation Wrestling on April 25th at the Boys and Girls Club in Muncie.  I will shut up and get on with my selections for the week.

Steel Magnolias (1989):  Herbert Ross directed this which is based on the play by Robert Harling who also wrote the screenplay.  This centers around a local beauty salon which is run by Truvy, played by Dolly Parton, who has just hired the rather mysterious Annelle, played by Daryl Hannah.  They also have a tight knit group of women including M'lynn, played by Sally Field, Clairee, played by Olympia Dukakis, Ouiser, played by Shirley MacLaine, and M'lynn's daughter Shelby, played by Julia Roberts.  They all try to be there for one another and gossip on their town and relationships.  Tom Skerritt, Sam Shepard, Dylan McDermott, Kevin J. O'Connor, Bill McCutcheon, Ann Wedgeworth, Jonathan Ward, Bibi Besch, Janine Turner, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very popular play done at community theaters.  The play features the six women in the salon which for the movie they expand and cast for other characters.  I have had friends suggest I try out for one of husbands and I have to tell them they were just written for the movie.  This was a very good movie adaptation of comedy, love, and tragedy.  This is available to watch on Paramount Plus and Pluto TV.

How to Make a Killing (2026):  John Patton Ford wrote and directed this dark comedy.  Glen Powell stars as Becket Redfellow whose mother was disowned by their very wealthy family.  He is still determined to inherit and willing to go through some extreme measures to do so for those who stand in the way.  Margaret Qualley and Jessica Henwick co-star as very significant characters for Becket.  Nell Williams, Sean C. Mitchell, Ed Harris, Grady Wilson, Maggie Toomey, Bill Camp, James Frecheville, Topher Grace, and many others co-star in this film.  This is A24's answer to the 1949 comedy KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS.  This is very dark and fun with Powell great in the lead role.  Make your way to the theaters for this one if still around.

Gangster Squad (2013):  Ruben Fleischer directed this mob film which is based on the novel by Paul Lieberman.  Josh Brolin stars as L.A. cop John O'Mara who tires of his town being run by the mobster Mickey Cohen, played by Sean Penn.  With the help of his wife Connie, played by Mireille Enos, he puts together a team of cops to go after the mob and to bring down Cohen.  Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Holt McCallany, Wade Williams, James Landry Hebert, Ambyr Childers, Mick Betancourt, Mac Brandt, Brandon Molale, Michael Papajohn, Jeff Wolfe, Anthony Molinari, Austin Highsmith Garces, Jack McGee, Anthony Mackie, Robert Patrick, Michael Pena, Giovanni Ribisi, Jon Polito, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a pretty compelling dramatization on the ganster world and similar a lot THE UNTOUCHABLES.   I thought Penn did a great job as Cohen with Brolin also very good as his rival.  Gosling also brings a lot to the table and makes it more interesting in my opinion.  

I am Somebody (1970):  This is my documentary short for the week which was directed by Madeline Anderson.  This takes place in 1969 where a group of black women who worked at the hospitals went on strike due to their very low pay.  This features Coretta Scott King trying to help their cause.  This is a very overlooked period of our history that deserves a look.  This is about a half an hour long and is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Heat Lightning (1934):  Mervyn LeRoy directed this crime film which is based on the play by Leon Abrams and George Abbott.  Aline MacMahon stars as Olga who runs a gas station business along with her younger sister Myra, played by Ann Dvorak.  Olga does what she can to protect her sister from the horrors of the world while her past catches up to her when her criminal ex-boyfriend George, played by Preston Foster, comes into town.  Lyle Talbot, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Ruth Donnelly, Theodore Newton, Willard Robertson, Harry C. Bradley, James Durkin, Jane Darwell, Edgar Kennedy, and many others co-star in this pre-code film.  This was pretty racy for its era and is a pretty good hour-long film.  This is MacMahon's first time to get top billing and makes the most of it in her performance.  I suppose this is an early feminist film.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel. 

Citizen Kane (1941):  Orson Welles directed and co-wrote this classic film along with Herman J. Mankiewicz.  Welles also stars as Charles Foster Kane and is a very thinly veiled basing on William Randolph Hearst.  This starts with Kane uttering his last word "rosebud" and dying.  This prompts reporter Jerry Thompson, played by William Alland, to uncover the meaning behind his last word.  Through interviews of people in Kane's life, we get to know him through flashbacks.  Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, Ray Collins, Erskine Sanford, Everett Sloane, Paul Stewart, and many others co-star in this film.  This is possibly the most talked about movies of all time where the drama around the film is almost as interesting as the film itself.  This is fresh after the radio broadcast of WAR OF THE WORLDS which was put on by Orson Welles and his studio Mercury Productions which is much of the cast.  William Randolph Hearst was not a fan of this movie and did everything he could to stop the movie which is possibly why it was a box-office flop at the time.  Watch the movie, then look into the controversy surrounding it with the documentary THE BATTLE OVER CITIZEN KANE.  

The Mountain Between Us (2017):  Hany Abu-Assad directed this film which is based on the novel by Charles Martin.  Kate Winslet and Idris Elba star as Alex Martin and Ben Bass who both feel they are in a hurry to get where they need to go and flights are delayed.  Alex gets the idea to hire a private pilot in Walter, played by Beau Bridges, to fly them out there.  The plane crashes when Walter is suffering a stroke while flying resulting in his death but they survive in a remote mountainous area.  Alex and Ben, along with Walter's dog, must try to get along in order to survive and find a way out while hitting many obstacles along the way.  Dermot Mulroney, Linda Sorenson, and many others co-star in this film.  I thought this was a pretty moving film with Winslet and Elba having really good on-screen chemistry.  This is available to watch on Cinemax.  This could be a good double feature to go along with TITANIC to show the survival of Kate Winslet.

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950):  Felix E. Faust directed this Film Noir.  Lee J. Cobb stars as Lt. Ed Cullen who witnesses his girlfriend Lois, played by Jane Wyatt, kill her husband.  While Cullen tries to cover things up, his brother Andy, played by John Dall, is assigned the case.  Lisa Howard, Harlan Warde, Tito Vuolo, Charles Arnt, Marjorie Bennett, Alan Wells, Mimi Aguglia, Bud Wolfe, Morgan Farley, Howard Negley, William Gould, and many others co-star in this Film Noir.  Dall is more of the lead in this film as the very determined detective not knowing he is investigating his own brother.  This is a pretty compelling story that just needs to be watched as I don't have much more explanation to give without giving things away.  This is available to watch on Kanopy, Prime, MGM +, Pluto TV, Plex, and the Roku Channel.  

Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965):  Joseph Cates directed this very psychological thriller.  Juliet Prowse stars as disco hostess Norah who is being stalked by a sexual predator.  Jan Murray co-stars as Detective Dave Madden who takes a personal interest in the case and maybe a little too personal.  Sal Mineo, Elaine Stritch, Daniel J. Travanti, Frank Campanella, Bruce Glover, Tom Aldredge, Rex Everhart, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very bizarre and disturbing movie to say the least.  This is shot in black and white I thought enhanced the very disturbing feel of the film.  This gained a cult following in the '90s that got it a re-release in theaters.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel, Prime, and Plex.

American Animals (2018):  Bart Layton directed this film which is based on true events.  Evan Peters, Blake Jenner, Barry Keoghan, and Jared Abramhamson star as a group of young men who come up with a very bizarre heist.  Warren, played by Peters, comes up with most of the plan.  There are also interviews with the real-life people and their reflections on what happened.  Ann Dowd, Udo Kier, Bruce McGill, and many others co-star in this film.  This does a great job in telling the story while making it part documentary of the real people involved giving the perspective.  This was a great project that came together well and just very strange events.  This was a very underrated film which deserves a look.  This is available to watch on TUBI, Pluto TV, Plex, and the Roku Channel.

Well, that is it for this week but I'm bringing my Fun and Useless Facts segment so read on for that one.  Tell me what you like and dislike and I'll be back in a couple weeks which includes Michael Fassbender, Christopher Walken, Doris Day, Anna Paquin, and many others.

FUN AND USELESS FACTS

Sally Field (Steel Magnolias) and Emma Stone (Gangster Squad) were in the 2012 superhero film THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and its 2014 sequel THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2.  

Sally Field (Steel Magnolias) and Beau Bridges (The Mountain Between Us) are married in the 1979 film NORMA RAE.

Sally Field (Steel Magnolias), Bill Camp (How to Make a Killing), and Bruce McGill (American Animals) were in the 2012 film LINCOLN.

Sally Field (Steel Magnolias) and Ed Harris (How to Make a Killing) were in the 1996 movies EYE FOR AN EYE.

Julia Roberts (Steel Magnolias) and Ed Harris (How to Make a Killing) are engaged in the 1998 movie STEPMOM.

Julia Roberts (Steel Magnolias) and Nick Nolte (Gangster Squad) are rival newspaper reporters working together in the 1994 romantic comedy I LOVE TROUBLE.

Julia Roberts (Steel Magnolias) tries to prevent Dermot Mulroney (The Mountain Between Us) from getting married in the 1997 comedy MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING.  They were also in the 2013 film AUGUST:  OSAGE COUNTY which also features Sam Shepard (Steel Magnolias).

Sam Shepard (Steel Magnolias) and Ed Harris (How to Make a Billion) were astronauts in the 1983 film THE RIGHT STUFF.

Sam Shepard (Steel Magnolias) and Ryan Gosling (Gangster Squad) were in the 2004 film THE NOTEBOOK.

Sam Shepard (Steel Magnolias) and Robert Patick (Gangster Squad) were in the 2012 movie SAFE HOUSE.

Tom Skerritt (Steel Magnolias) and Giovanni Ribisi (Gangster Squad) were in the 1999 movie THE OTHER SISTER.

Dylan McDermott (Steel Magnolias) and Evan Peters (American Animals) have been in the popular anthology series AMERICAN HORROR STORY.

Margaret Qualley (How to Make a Killing) and Emma Stone (Gangster Squad) are in the 2023 film POOR THINGS.

Margaret Qualley (How to Make a Killing) and Ryan Gosling (Gangster Squad) are in the 2016 film THE NICE GUYS.

Grady Wilson (How to Make a Killing) and Holt McCallany (Gangster Squad) are son and father in the 2023 film THE IRON CLAW.  Wilson plays the younger version of Kevin Von Erich.

Ed Harris (How to Make a Killing) and Anthony Mackie (Ganster Squad) are in the 2013 film PAIN AND GAIN.

Ed Harris (How to Make a Killing) and Bruce McGill (American Animals) were in the 1995 film APOLLO 13.

Bill Camp (How to Make a Killing) and Barry Keoghan (American Animals) were in the 2017 film THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER.

James Frecheville (How to Make a Killing) and Barry Keoghan (American Animals) were in the 2018 film BLACK '47.

Josh Brolin (Gangster Squad) and Kate Winslet (The Mountain Between Us) form a relationship in the 2013 film LABOR DAY.

Nick Nolte (Gangster Squad) and Berry Keoghan (American Animals) are in the 2026 film CRIME 101.

Giovanni Ribisi (Gangster Squad) and Kate Winslet (The Mountain Between Us) were part of the AVATAR franchise which is so far a trilogy.

Michael Pena (Gangster Squad), Kate Winslet (The Mountain Between Us), and Ann Dowd (American Animals) were in the 2016 film COLLATERAL BEAUTY.

Robert Patrick (Ganster Squad) and Ann Dowd (American Animals) were in the 2006 film FLAGS OF OUR FATHER.

Kate Winslet (The Mountain Between Us) and Evan Peters (American Animals) were in the 2021 mini-series MARE OF EASTTOWN.

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Welcome to the 977th edition of my series.  Next weekend I will be performing in the SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL at Connersville, and I am in the opening play, THINGS MENDED.  I also took a role in their next show GEORGE WASHINGTON ATE MY HOMEWORK where I am a wacky inventor and scientist.  Also, on April 25th I will be ring announcing for the wrestling promotion Guilty By Affiliation in Muncie at the Boys and Girls Club.  Tonight are the Oscars, whoever wins will win in my opinion.  I'm not that obsessive so I'll just get on with my selections for the week.

The Penguin (2024):  I start the week out with this mini-series which was created by Lauren LeFranc.  This follows the events from the 2022 superhero film THE BATMAN where Colin Farrell reprises his role of Oz Cobb aka the Penguin.  Cobb tries to rise up in the criminal underworld of Gotham City by trying play rival crime families against each other.  One side was the Falcone family, lead mainly by Sofia Falcone, played by Cristin Milioti, and the other side was the Maroni family, lead mainly by Salvatore Maroni, played by Clancy Brown.  Rhenzy Feliz co-stars as Victor Aguilar who is a young punk kid that gets taken in by the Penguin.  Deidre O'Connell, Carmen Ejojo, Theo Rossi, Daniel J. Watts, David H. Holmes, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Aria Shahghasemi, Robert Lee Leng, Kenzie Grey, Myles Humphus, Michael Zegen, Jared Abrahamson, James Madio, Francois Chau, Aleksa Palladino, Jayme Lawson, Mark Strong, and many others co-star in this mini-series.  A lot of this is a psychological profile between Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone.  Milioti was the standout in this series in my opinion.  It is a really good look at the rise of a villain.  I suppose Batman was very busy when all this was going on.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Chef Donald (1941):  This is my classic Disney animated short for the week which was directed by Jack King.  This features Donald Duck who is listening to a radio cooking program and decides he wants to make waffles.  He tries to follow directions but gets distracted and ends up using rubber cement instead of baking powder.  This leads to comic situations with Donald's struggle to get rid of the rubber cement.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Sunset Boulevard (1950):  Billy Wilder directed this slice of Hollywood film.  William Holden stars as the struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis who when trying to get away from debt collectors, he ends up at a remote mansion on Sunset Boulevard.  He finds that faded silent film star Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson, lives there along with her butler Max, played by Erich Von Stroheim.  Norma cannot let go of the fame and convinces Joe to help write a new screenplay for her big comeback which turns out to be pretty dangerous.  Nancy Olsen, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough, Jack Webb, Cecil B. Demille, Hedda Hopper, Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson, H.B. Warner, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a very iconic film with a lot of memorable lines.  Much of the actors play themselves including Demille and Keaton.  Many actors struggled to make the transition from Silent films to the "talkies" which is what this movie conveyed.  Swanson was someone who was mostly a silent film actress and did some television after but was very intrigued by this role.  This has a touch of drama, dark comedy, film Noir, and other things.  It also inspired the musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  Also, for all you All Elite Wrestling fans, the wrestler "Timeless" Toni Storm.  This is available to watch on Paramount Plus.

Black '47 (2018):  Lance Daly directed this period drama.  James Frecheville stars as Feeney who deserts the British Army to be reunited with his family in Ireland.  He finds that his family is affected by a famine going on and by the British occupation, driving Feeney to vengeance.  Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Freddie Fox, Barry Keoghan, Moe Dunford, Sarah Greene, Jim Broadbent, Aidan McArdle, adn many others co-star in this film.  This is a very good vengeance film on going after corruption.  Frecheville carries the movie very well and we can get behind his vengeance.  This is available to watch on Acorn TV, AMC +, and Pluto TV.

Big City Blues (1932):  Mervyn Leroy directed this pre-code film which is based on the play NEW YORK TOWN by Ward Morehouse.  Eric Linden stars as the idealistic Bud Reeves who is leaving small-town Indiana for a better life in New York City.  He meets his cousin Gibby there and introduces Bud to the chorus showgirl Vida, played by Joan Blondell.  While he falls for Vida, a murder happens at a party where Bud is suspected.  Jobyna Howland, Ned Sparks, Grant Mitchell, Guy Kibbee, Inez Courtney, Thomas E. Jackson, Humphrey Bogart, and many others co-star in this film.  This was not Bogart's debut film but it was his film for Warner Brothers where he would go onto work a lot for in the future.  I suppose this is satire on the saying of "the grass isn't always greener on the other side".  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

A Simple Favor (2018):  Paul Feig directed this film which is based on the novel by Darcey Bell.  Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie Smothers who is a single mother and has a parenting vlog.  She befriends fellow mother Emily, played by Blake Lively, who is a secretive upper-class woman even if they are extremely different.  After Emily asks Stephanie for a favor, she disappears and Stephanie tries to piece together what happened.  Henry Golding, Joshua Satine, Glenda Braganza, Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, Aparna Nancherla, Dustin Milligan, Danielle Bourgon, Gia Sandhu, Zach Smadu, Andrew Moodie, and many others co-star in this film.  I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  This has a lot of dark comedy along with it being a psychological thriller with all kinds of twists.  Kendrick is entertaining no matter what she does in my opinion.  This is available to watch on Moviesphere.

The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963):  Vincente Minnelli directed this film which is based on the novel by Mark Toby.  Glenn Ford stars as the widowed father Tom Corbett who is trying to raise his son Eddie, played by Ron Howard.  Eddie believes it is time for his dad to be remarried but wants it to be to his neighbor Elizabeth, played by Shirly Jones, instead of his other choice in Dollye, played by Stella Stevens.  Dina Merrill, Roberta Sherwood, Jerry Van Dyke, and many others co-star in this film.  This is part romantic comedy, but it is also a drama in the way of Tom and Eddie dealing with death.  This is a pretty funny and moving film involving a father and son.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Singles (1992):  Cameron Crowe directed this film of a group of young Seattle adults.  This centers around romances and potential romances between two couples.  One of them was between Steve and Linda, played by Campbell Scott and Kyra Sedgwick, who were unsure on whether to commit to each other.  Bridget Fonda co-stars as coffee-shop waitress Janet who fawns over local rock star Cliff, played by Matt Dillon.  Sheila Kelley, Jim True-Frost, Bill Pullman, James Le Gros, Allie Walker, Eric Stoltz, Jeremy Piven, Tom Skerritt, Peter Horton, Bill Smillie, Christopher Masterson, Paul Giamatti, Alicia Roper, Tim Burton, Debi Mazar, and many others co-star or have cameos in this film.  Pearl Jam members Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, and Stone Gossard made up the rest of the fictional band Citizen Dick which Cliff fronted.  This also centers around the Grunge scene of this era which is one of the things Seattle is known for.  Alice in Chains and Soundgarden made appearances in this film.  This centers around some very good characters and a great soundtrack for fans of Grunge music.

The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970):  Basil Dearden directed this film which is based on the novel THE CASE OF MR. PELHAM by Anthony Armstrong.  Roger Moore stars as Harold Pelham whose life seems to have changed after surviving a car accident.  He is told of things that he never did and finds he has a doppelganger out there unless he is just going insane.  Kevork Malikyan, Thorley Walters, Anton Rodgers, Olga Georges-Picot, Freddie Jones, John Welsh, Edward Chapman, Laurence Hardy, and many others co-star in this thriller.  I had never heard of this and was intrigued by Roger Moore when I came across this.  Moore does a great job in this film and is a very underrated performance for him.  It is hard to really describe this one further so just check this out. This is available to watch on Kanopy.

Mark Twain and Me (1991):  I end the week with this film which was directed by Daniel Petrie and based on the book ENCHANTMENT:  A LITTLE GIRL'S FRIENDSHIP WITH MARK TWAIN by Dorothy Quick.  Amy Stewart stars as the 11-year-old Dorothy Quick who gets to meet her idol Samuel Clemons which we know more as Mark Twain, played by Jason Robards.  Clemons takes a liking to Quick, and they form a friendship in the later years of his life.  Talia Shire, R.H. Thomson, Fiona Reid, Anna Ferguson, Chapelle Jaffe, Colin Fox, Susan Coyne, and many others co-star in this film.  This is based on true events and was a very beautiful story of the importance of friendship.  Robards is a perfect Twain and works well with Stewart.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Well, that is it for this week.  Tell me what you like and dislike and I will be back in two weeks which so far includes Julia Roberts, Ed Harris, Emma Stone, Orson Welles, Kate Winslet, and many others.

Welcome to the 976th Edition of my series.  I hope everyone is hanging in there in these crazy times.  We are not very far from my next play in Connersville, everything is at the bottom of this page.  I will shut up now and get on with my selections for the week.  

The Line King:  The Al Hirschfeld Story (1996):  I start the week with this documentary which was directed by Susan Warms Dryfoos.  This takes a look at the artist Al Hirschfeld who has made a living for over 70 years by doing caricature work of celebrities.  This also goes into his personal life in general starting from his childhood.  Interviews and footage include Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, Carol Channing, Joan Collins, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Dolly Haas, and many others.  Al was born in 1903 and was still alive while this documentary was being done and has since died in 2003 at the age of 99 so just short of the three digits.  He did live quite the life, and this was a very fun and informative documentary.  This is available to watch on TUBI, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, and Shout!  Factory TV with a subscription from Prime.  

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022):  This is part two of my Colin Farrell trilogy.  Martin McDonagh wrote and directed this film on an ended friendship.  Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson reunite to star as longtime friends Padraic and Colm who live in a remote coast in Ireland.  Colm decides that they are no longer friends and ends the friendship.  This leaves Padraic very confused and as time goes on, Colm takes extreme measures to ensure their friendship is no more.  Kerry Condon, Jon Kenny, Barry Keoghan, David Pearse, Aaron Monaghan, and many others co-star in this film.  This has a rather subtle darkness to it and waits for the right moments to get dark.  It is hard to really explain further except to convey possible consequences of the kinds of decisions that Colm made.  

Standing Up, Falling Down (2019):  Matt Ratner directed this film which was written by Peter Hoare.  Ben Schwartz stars as Scott who is forced to move back home having failed in L.A. as a stand-up comedian.  He forms a friendship with an alcoholic dermatologist named Marty who is having his own issues.  Grace Gummer, Eloise Mumford, John Behlmann, David Castaneda, Kevin Dunn, Debra Monk, Nate Corddry, Caitlin McGee, and many others co-star in this movie.  The movie centers around a stand-up comedian but the movie is more of a drama with humorous characters in the leads.  I felt like this was a pleasant surprise having known nothing about the movie going into it.  Schwartz and Crystal are great together as they try to help each other through their struggles.  

Excelsior!  The Prince of Magicians (1901):  This is my short film for the week which I go back a few years.  Georges Melies wrote and directed this very early short film.  He also stars as the wizard Excelsior who does some very clever tricks in this two-minute film.  I suppose Melies is one of the founding fathers of film and managed to do some pretty clever things that hold up pretty well today.  This and many other of his short films are available to watch on HBO Max.  

Imitation of Life (1959):  I suppose this plays into Black History Month.  Douglas Sirk directed this film which is based on the novel by Fannie Hurst.  Lana Turner stars as aspiring actress Lora Meredith who takes in a homeless black woman named Annie, played by Juanita Moore, and her biracial daughter Sarah Jane, played by Karin Dicker in the younger years and later by Susan Kohner in the later years.  Sandra Dee co-stars as Lora's daughter Susie who is ignored a lot as her mom starts getting more successful.  John Gavin, Robert Alda, Dan O'Herlihy, Troy Donahue, and many others co-star in this film.  This is a movie that takes place in a pretty long period of time.  This focuses on a lot of different things but I feel the main part involves the biracial Sarah Jane who is determined to pass as white much to the heartbreak of her mother.  This is a remake of the 1934 film of the same name which goes in a little different route but still carries the same messages.

Give 'Em Hell Harry (1975):  This one plays right into President's Day from last Monday.  Steve Binder and Peter H. Hunt directed this one-man show based on the play by Samuel Gallu.  James Whitmore stars as our former president Harry S. Truman in this one-man show.  Much of this is about the 1948 presidential election and reflecting on his times.  Whitmore was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor and is still the only actor to be nominated for a cast of one.  Whitmore is able to carry this movie by himself and still keep our interest.  A good double feature could be with SECRET HONOR where Philip Baker Hall plays Richard Nixon in a one-person cast.

Two Minutes Late (1952):  This is my Danish Film Noir for the week which was directed by Torben Anton Svendsen.  This centers around a troubled marriage between Max, played by Poul Reichhardt, and Grete, played by Grethe Thordahl.  When Grete forgets her bag in the store, she learns a murder happens where everyone is a suspect.  Johannes Meyer, Bjorn Puggaard-Muller, Karl Stegger, and many others co-star in this Film Noir.  This is a pretty intriguing and also very detailed.  It is hard to really describe beyond what I have so just give it a shot if possible.  This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.

Solo Mio (2026):  Charles and Daniel Kinnane co-directed and co-wrote this romantic comedy along with Kevin James who also stars in the film.  James stars as Matt Taylor who is about to married in Rome and is left at the altar.  He decides to go on with the honeymoon anyway and along the way he meets the local cafe employee Gia, played by Nicole Grimaudo.  They form a connection and liking to one another, but Matt has a hard time coming clean about his real reason for being there.  Julie Ann Emery co-stars as Heather who stands up Matt at his wedding.  Jonathan Roumie, Kim Coates, Alyson Hannigan, Julie Cerda, and many others co-star in this romantic comedy.  Andrea Bocelli and Ed Sheeran have cameos as themselves.  This was a very pleasant and fun movie to watch in the theaters.  James has come a long way from THE KING OF QUEENS and still shows he can get the girl even if he may not have the conventional looks for a leading man.  

The Teacher (1974):  Howard Avedis directed and wrote this movie which features a teacher.  Angel Tompkins stars as the very hot teacher Diane Marshall who starts a relationship and affair with the recently graduated Sean, played by Jay North.  She also has a stalker in Ralph, played by Anthony James, who obsesses over Diane and is very bitter towards Sean.  Marlene Schmidt, Barry Atwater, Med Flory, Quinn O'Hara, Sivi Aberg, and many others co-star in this movie.  I came across this when looking for something else and was intrigued by the idea of seeing Jay North of DENNIS THE MENACE fame.  Also, as Van Halen would say, I was hot for teacher who was on summer break so we never got to see her teach.  I did not watch this expecting some big blockbuster, just a little entertainment and an older Jay North who had more of a Mrs. Robinson than a Mr. Wilson as his neighbor.  This is available to watch on Netflix.  

John Wick:  Chapter 2 (2017):  Chad Stahelski directed this action sequel which was written by Derek Kolstad.  Keanu Reeves reprises his role of the title character in this sequel who is supposed to be retired from being an assassin.  Wick returns to the criminal underworld to pay a debt to crime lord Santino D'Antonio.  He also finds there is a high price on his head and many are after him.  Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Common, Claudia Gerini, Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, Tobias Segal, John Leguizamo, Bridget Moynihan, Thomas Sadoski, Erik Frandsen, David Patrick Kelly, Perry Yung, Franco Nero, Peter Serafinowicz, Peter Stormare, and many others co-star in this action sequel.  Reeves is on the top of his game is this worthy sequel.  Lots of violence as expected but is also very deep in the characters and easy to get behind John Wick.  I would say watch the original first which like this one and the others are available on HBO Max.

Well, that is it for the week, but continue on for my segment "Holiday Corner" where I look at Valentine's Day, Black History Month, President's Day, and even National Girls and Women in Sports day.  Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for the next couple weeks which so far includes Colin Farrell, William Holden, Anna Kendrick, Ron Howard, and many others.

HOLIDAY CORNER

This section plays into Valentine's Day, Black History Month, President's Day, and even National Girls and Women in Sports Day which was February 4th.

The Merry Gentleman (2008):  This starts out around Christmas but then plays into Valentine's Day a bit to qualify for this segment.  Michael Keaton directed this film which was written by Ron Lazzeretti.  Kelly MacDonald stars as Kate Frazier who has left her abusive husband and is trying to start a new life in Chicago.  She befriends a man having emotional crisis and is even suicidal in Frank Logan, played by Keaton, not knowing that he is a professional killer.  Bobby Cannavale, Darlene Hunt, Tom Bastounes, Guy Van Swearingen, Larry Neumann Jr., Greg Mills, and many others co-star in this film.  Lazzeretti was originally going to direct but was having health issues so Keaton stepped up to take the helm in his directorial debut.  This is a strangely moving and poetic film in my opinion with MacDonald and Keaton working very well together.  This has a really good holiday feel to it, especially the unique way that the characters Kate and Frank meet.  This is available to watch on TUBI, Pluto TV, Plex, and Fandor with a subscription with Prime.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019):  This plays into Black History Month in my opinion with the cast and references to historical figures and such.  Joe Talbot directed and co-wrote this film.  Jimmie Fails, who also co-wrote, stars in this film as himself and returns to San Francisco seeing that is not the same place had had left.  He tries to reclaim the home his family lost.  Jonathan Majors, Rob Morgan, Tichina Arnold, Mike Epps, Finn Wittrock, Danny Glover, Willie Hen, Jamal Trulove, Antoine Redus, Thora Birch, and many others co-star in this film.  It is hard to explain this beyond what I already did.  I guess this is semi-autobiographical to Jimmie Fails as he is playing himself.  It is an A24 movie if that means anything.  This is included on Prime, TUBI, Pluto TV, Plex, and the Roku Channel.

Hairspray Live (2016):  This live musical plays into Black History Month with the protagonist being a champion for ending segregation.  Kenny Leon and Alex Rudzinski directed this live NBC special which is based on the musical by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.  Maddie Baillio stars as the teen Tracy Turnblad who dreams of getting on her favorite tv show.  This takes place in the '60s where segregation is happening and Tracy tries to end it.  Harvey Fierstein co-stars as Tracy's mother Edna Turnblad and originated the role on Broadway.  Dove Cameron, Kristin Chenoweth, Garrett Clayton, Ariana Grande, Derek Hough, Jennifer Hudson, Martin Short, Ephraim Sykes, Paul Vogt, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Billy Eichner, Sean Hayes, Andrea Martin, Rosie O'Donnell, Ricki Lake, and many others co-star in this live NBC special.  This does have quite the cast and might be the best of the NBC shows.  This is a great story about all types of people coming together and how everyone is beautiful in their own way.  I know a lot of fans of this musical hate the original John Waters movie from 1988 which was a lot sleazier but still trying to give that same message.  I just feel credit music be given where it is due as we would have this beloved musical we have now.  This is available to watch on Broadway HD.

Hamilton's America (2016):  This documentary plays into President's Day with the musical it is based off of former presidents as the characters and former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama are featured.  Alex Horwitz directed this documentary which delves into the creation of the popular musical HAMILTON.  Lin-Manuel Miranda discusses how his vision came to be after reading ALEXANDER HAMILTON by Ron Chernow.  This also has interviews with much of the cast and those involved with the production.  This is a very well-done documentary on how that musical came to be and the analysis on the historic figures in the show.  This is available to watch on the archive.org website.

Newsies:  The Broadway Musical (2017):  This is another live musical and this one also plays into President's Day as this features our former president Teddy Roosevelt, played by Kevin Carolan, who was Governor during this era.  Jeff Calhoun and Brett Sullivan directed this live musical which is based on the musical written by Alan Menken.K  Jeremy Jordan stars as the charismatic newsboy Jake Kelly who is the leader of a group of teenage "newsies".  When Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the distribution price at their expense, he leads the group in a strike to take a stand for what is right.  Kara Lindsay, Ben Funkhauser, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Steve Blanchard, Aisha De Haas, Ethan Steiner, Michael Dameski, and many others co-star in this musical.  This was a movie in 1992 which at the time was a financial failure but has gained a big following since this Broadway musical.  This is also something that most community theaters have tackled at some point.  This has a lot of great song and dance numbers while also being a very inspirational story of banding together.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus.

Is That Black Enough For You (2022):  This documentary obviously plays into Black History Month.  Elvis Mitchell directed and narrated this documentary which takes a look at the portrayals of blacks in film.  This talks some about the early days of film including the stereotypes and the use of blackface makeup.  It also takes a look at the progression of blacks in film and takes a good look into the Blaxploitation era.  Margaret Avery, Harry Belafonte, Charles Burnett, Suzanne de Passe, Antonio Fargas, Sheila Frazier, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Dee Williams, Zendaya, and many others give interviews into their own thoughts.  This is a very eye-opening documentary and very well detailed.  Mitchell gives a very in-depth look to this history.  This is available to watch on Netflix.  

Air (2023):  This plays into Black History Month as the movie centers around NBA legend Michael Jordan, played by Damian Young.  Ben Affleck directed this docudrama which was written by Alex Convery.  This takes place in 1984, and they let us know with all the music and references to the year.  Matt Damon stars as Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro who sees something big with the rookie Michael Jordan.  At the time, Jordan and his parents were looking at signing with Converse or Adidas and it took some convincing for Sonny's bosses to take Jordan into consideration rather than look at multiple players.  Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Chris Tucker, Matthew Maher, Gustaf Skarsgard, Barbara Sukowa, Jay Mohr, Joel Gretsch, Michael O'Neill, Marlon Wayans, and many others co-star in this film.  Jordan was my childhood idol and I will still maintain better than Lebron but that's for another day.  I never really thought about the behind-the-scenes element of a lot of Jordan's success with the Nike element.  We all know by now he is associated with Nike so I think everyone will know how it ends.  I guess this is really a story about the rise of the Nike brand.  This also has a great soundtrack for '80s music fans like myself.  This is available to watch on Prime and Peacock.

The Mighty Ducks (1992):  This is associated with National Girls and Women in Sports day and there were a couple of girls on the teen hockey team.  Stephen Herek directed this hockey movie which was directed by Steven Brill.  Emilio Estevez stars as attorney Gordon Bombay who gets himself into some trouble and is sentenced to the last thing he would ever want which is to coach a peewee hockey team.  Gordon played himself as a kid and is haunted by the memory of his missed shot as well as his authoritarian coach, played by Lane Smith.  He finds that the team is terrible and slowly tries to help them get better.  Joss Ackland, Josef Sommer, Joshua Jackson, Elden Henson, Shaun Weiss, M.C. Gainey, Matt Doherty, Brandon Quentin Adams, Aaron Schwartz, Garette Ratliff Henson, Margarite Moreau, Jane Plank, Jussie Smollet, Vincent LaRusso, and many others co-star in this sports film.  This is nothing new by any means and this could easily be compared to THE BAD NEWS BEARS.  This is formulaic but that is what it is supposed to be in my opinion.  Also, this inspired an actual NHL hockey team which other sports movies cannot claim.  It was also good to see a young Joshua Jackson long before he would be famous on DAWSON'S CREEK.  This was a childhood favorite of mine and is great to revisit.  This is available to watch on Disney Plus 

The Suicide Squad (2021):  I decided to associate this with President's Day due to the authoritarian Presidente General Silvio Luna, played by Juan Diego Botto, who is one of the main targets for the Suicide Squad.  James Gunn directed and wrote this superhero film.  Viola Davis stars as Amanda Waller who runs Belle Reve and gets together a group of supervillains and forces them to become heroes.  This mainly consists of Rick Flag, played by Joel Kinnaman, Bloodsport, played by Idris Elba, Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, Peacemaker, played by former WWE champion John Cena, Ratcatcher 2, played by Daniela Melchior, Polka-Dot Man, played by David Dastmalchian, and King Shark, voiced by Sylvester Stallone.  Michael Rooker, John Ostrander, Nathan Fillion, Jai Courtney, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Pete Davidson, Sean Gunn, Steve Agee, Jennifer Holland, Dee Bradley Baker, Alice Braga, Peter Capaldi, Joaquine Cosio, Lynne Ashe, Taika Waititi, and many others co-star in this film.  The 2016 movie of the same name excluding the word "the" at the beginning of the title unfortunately left a lot to be desired.  This was a great reboot of what the story should have been.  This was a very fun action film with a great blend of action and comedy.  The team put together worked together very well and inspired a spinoff series for Peacemaker.  This is available to watch on HBO Max.

Send Help (2026):  I'm ending with this one which I associate with President's Day with the character Bradley Preston being named president of the company in the beginning.  Sam Raimi directed this psychological horror film which was written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.  Rachel McAdams stars as Linda Liddle who feels very mistreated at work and is upset she was passed over for the Vice President position.  Dylan O'Brien stars as the arrogant Bradley Preston who as mentioned becomes the president of the company.  On a business trip, the plane crashes leaving Linda and Bradley as the sole survivors on the island.  Edyll Ismail, Dennis Haysbert, Xavier Samuel, Chris Pang, Thaneth Warakulnukroh, Emma Raimi, Kristy Best, Francesca Waters, and many others co-star in this psychological thriller.  Also, look for Bruce Campbell who is in the photo of Bradley's father.  This has a lot of suspense, power struggles, dark comedy, you name it.  Some have said there are elements of MISERY, CAST AWAY, LOST, and the popular reality series SURVIVOR which is referenced a lot in this film.