Shaun Berk's 10 Movie Recommendations

Welcome to the 179th Edition. This has been a very difficult one to put together due to my "rules". Some go into the next couple of weeks while others just won't be used for now. I am bringing back the Random Myspace Profile selection this week which has two selections. Next week will definitely use one but possibly two bust as always things are subject to change which this week's edition is a big example. In all this trouble, I have been lead to some pretty unusual selections, making most of my movies pretty unknown. I am later than usual but I hope it was worth the wait so read on for this week's selections.

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943): I start with a western here which stars Henry Fonda and Dana Andrews as drifters passing through a town where they are reluctant to join other drifters after the murder of a farmer and the theft of the cattle. They then come across three men in possession of cattle who are immediately suspected and captured where the town is determined to bring out their brand of justice on the spot. Look for Anthony Quinn in an early role and one of the most iconic westerns which is kind of western noir.

Annie Hall (1977): I decided to bring some Woody Allen into this week's blog. This is probably Woody's most known work where he plays neurotic comedian Alvy Singer who reflects on his relationship with the title character through flashback and in the present with some Felliniesqe techniques. Diane Keaton plays the title character who is a singer and has a pretty difficult relationship with Alvy. Look for a young Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum and Paul Simon even has a pretty good part. Sigourney Weaver also makes her debut in a scene at the end in a non-speaking part and even Truman Capote has a cameo. It also has a great animation sequence as well. This is not for everyone and it might take more than one viewing.

The Green Pastures (1936): I must say that I really liked this one which was probably a pretty daring film to do. It shows many of the biblical people like Gabriel, Moses, Noah, Adam and Eve and a few others in a rural setting. That part is not real controversial but in this era, an all-black cast was but they pulled it off so well. Rex Ingram was great as "De Lawd" who begins to question the existence but knows people like Moses and Noah will accomplish what they must. It was some very nice storytelling and good portrayals of the characters and I thought this was just as good as many of the religious epics out there. Many talented people from that era co-star and definitly something for the family to watch and even churches would not hurt by showing this one for it is quite educational towards the bible while putting it in a good rural setting.

A Corner in Wheat (1909): This is my short for the week and as you see by the year a very early short. This was a very early film for film pioneer D.W. Griffith and shows a very interesting social commentary showing the farmers working as hard as possible but not coming up with much and the corporate group that takes the money from them and they celebrate. It then comes down to a riot as the farmers are fed up with corporate society. This was a pretty big production for something that was about 10 minutes. You can find this on a dvd called Biograph Shorts which is a compilation of many of Griffith's early films before he made his big epic A BIRTH OF A NATION and it was released by the great Kino Video. Director Mack Sennett has a very small part and he is known for being one of the first to direct the legendary Charlie Chaplin before he struck out on his own.

Notes on a Scandal (2006): This is part of the Random Myspace Profile selection process and for this one I chose Mike. Judi Dench stars as a veteran teacher named Barbara who is close to retirement and is not the most liked person due to her tough and no-nonsense manner. She then befriends the new art teacher Sheba Hart, played very well by Cate Blanchett, who Barbara learns she is having an affair with a student. She then becomes very obsessive with Sheba and becomes more than a friend. Bill Nighy is also very good as Sheba's husband. Great performances and a suspenseful storyline make a great watch.

Black Snake Moan (2006): Craig Brewer wrote and directed this film which stars Samuel L. Jackson as Lazarus, who is a god-fearing blues singer that has had a pretty dark past and when going home finds a young girl named Rae, played by Christina Ricci, who is beaten nearly to death. Rae also has a very dark past and is a very wild woman who seems to have a pretty low self-esteem. Lazarus believes that he is there to save her soul and sets out to do so into some rather extreme measures. N'sync singer Justin Timberlake plays Rae's boyfriend who is going off to the military and he is pretty good in his small part. The other two stars I feel have their best performances and really drew me in from the beginning making me care for even Rae. I am grateful to have watched this one.

The Lion (1962): I found this one on AMC. William Holden stars as Robert Hayward, who is wrote to by his ex-wife asking him to come to Africa to observe his estranged daughter, Tina, whose best friend is a lion. Tina's stepfather is the hunter and has no problems with her behaviour but her mom becomes more and more concerned. The big highlight of this movie is the scenery in Kenya but still an interesting storyline and worth a watch since the movie is apparently pretty unattainable.

Down By Law (1986): Jim Jarmusch wrote and directed this really nice comedy-drama where three totally different people meet and bond in a jail cell. Tom Waits plays Zach, an unemployed disc jockey. John Lurie is Jack, a small-time pimp. Roberto Benigni is Bob, an Italian tourist. Each is shown a part of their life leading up to their arrest and to their meeting in a jail cell where they slowly become friends. Bob ends up knowing an escape route and set out for the rest of their lives. This is something that really just needs to be watched to really understand what I am saying and why I really liked it. Ellen Barkin and Nicoletta Braschi both have small roles. Great performances from the leads and a good, early performance from Roberto Benigni.

Bad Lieutenant (1992): Abal Ferrera directed this unusual tale of a corrupt NYC cop who has a drug and gambling addiction and is in debt to many people. He also takes advantage of young girls, among many other things. When a nun is raped, he then begins to reflect on his life and tries to change but that change is not very easy with his debt and his big bet where the Mets must win and becomes very obsessive there.. Harvey Keitel stars as this corrupt police officer and the nun rape scene had some rather disturbing imagery. This is a pretty unknown Keitel film and is definetly not for everyone but a pretty decent character study. I usually like Keitel but I am beginning to find that scream of his to be quite strange. I have seen it in more than one of his movies, Keitel fans might know what I mean.

Paranoid Park (2007): I intended to use this one next week but decided through all the selections to pull it into this week. Gus Van Sant directed this adaptation to a Blake Nelson novel and focuses on a young skateboarder named Alex, played by Gabe Nevins, who is being questioned by a detective on a death of a security guard where evidence of a skateboard is found. He also has other issues like his parents separating and the issues with him and his new girlfriend. He decides to write about the death to relieve himself of the guilt. It does a good job of going through the present and with the use of flashback to show what happens. Van Sant does a good job using a cast of unknowns like he has been known to do in the past to pull off a pretty deep film.

Well, that is it for this week. Stay tuned for next week which is starting with some pretty unknown movies. Tell me what you love and what you hate.

FUN LITTLE TRIVIA

Henry Fonda plays Tom Joad in the 1940 film THE GRAPES OF WRATH. My facebook friend Ryan played the same role in a Muncie Civic Theater production of the show.

James Bond Franchise (not nearly as long as last week's)

-Woody Allen (Annie Hall) plays Jimmy Bond in the 1967 Bond spoof CASINO ROYALE

-Christopher Walken (Annie Hall) plays Max Zorin in the 1985 Bond film A VIEW TO A KILL

-Judi Dench (Notes on a Scanday) plays M in the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig era

Christopher Walken (Annie Hall) was one of the first people considered for the lead role in this week's feature BAD LIEUTENANT which would ultimately go to Harvey Keitel

3 NOTES OF A SCANDAL actresses have played Queen Elizabeth I
-Judi Dench was an older Queen Elizabeth in the 1998 film SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
-Cate Blanchett played the role in the 1998 film ELIZABETH and the 2008 film ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
-Anne-Marie Duff played the role in the 2005 mini-series THE VIRGIN QUEEN

William Holden (The Lion) turned down the title role in the 1955 film MR. ROBERTS which would ultimately go to Henry Fonda (The Ox-Bow Incident)

Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant) helped Samuel L. Jackson (Black Snake Moan) out of quite a jam in the 1994 film PULP FICTION