Actually, thanks to Comcast for thinking of all of us who don't live for televised sports during this Thanksgiving season!
My gratitude for this MGM+ Film Festival, and its wealth of good movies that I'd never even heard of, is overflowing!
In fact, it was the very first one I watched.
"Planes, Trains, And Automobiles" is one I try to catch every year.
Hey, that looks and feels like a pun, doesn't it?
(smile!)
Also, I have one more clarification before I start my summation.
Not all of the movies were on MGM+, so I extended the "+" to include them.
That symbol is made for being inclusive!
(smile!)
After all, the kennel club dog show will soon be on, and this movie is a great send-up on that tradition!
Written/directed/starring Christoper Guest, it was slap full of names I knew!
Fred Willard as the dog show emcee -
Ed Begley, Jr. as Hotel manager for the event -
Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara -
Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins as a gay duo -
Christopher Guest (and his bloodhound) -
Jennifer Connolly and Jane Lynch, for the lesbian crowd -
Larry Miller and Linda Kash -
Fred Willard as the dog show emcee -
Ed Begley, Jr. as Hotel manager for the event -
Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara -
Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins as a gay duo -
Christopher Guest (and his bloodhound) -
Jennifer Connolly and Jane Lynch, for the lesbian crowd -
Larry Miller and Linda Kash -
Wow, what a cast!
It just couldn't help but be funny!
Continuing on the 'holiday comedy' theme was "Pieces Of April" from 2003.
I admit, it was the fact that it had the same name as the 1973 song I knew that first caught my attention, but I'm glad it did!
Not that it had anything to do with the Three Dog Night hit, but, still.
'April' (Katie Holmes) is the family fuckup, charged by her father (Oliver Platt) to host the 'perfect' family feast for the dying mom (Patricia Clarkson).
But her oven is broken and she has to seek help from multiple neighbors in her apartment building while the family is en route.
Hilarity naturally ensued!
Hilarity naturally ensued!
Claire Danes is the Star that falls from the land of Faerie to the land of Wall.
Soon, she has a passel of people trying to capture her!
'Tristan' (Charlie Cox), the boy born of both worlds, is after the fallen Star as a token of
love for desired girlfriend, 'Victoria'.
love for desired girlfriend, 'Victoria'.
'Lamia' (Michelle Pfeiffer) is one of three witch sisters after the fallen Star's heart, seeking returned youth and beauty.
Septimus (Mark Strong), the 7th son of the king (Peter O'Toole) of Stromhole, wants the Star's heart, too, so he can rule forever.
Robert Deniro has a fun role as 'Captain Shakespeare', the cross-dressing leader of pirates
who harvest lightning - LOL!
Nice to see a young Henry Cavill as 'Humphrey', the fiance of 'Victoria'.
Robert Deniro has a fun role as 'Captain Shakespeare', the cross-dressing leader of pirates
who harvest lightning - LOL!
Nice to see a young Henry Cavill as 'Humphrey', the fiance of 'Victoria'.
I'd definitely see this again!
The same can be said of "Every Day", which had an interesting premise.
In the 2018 movie, a spirit inhabits a different body every morning, but just for the one day, and has done this all its life.
Now, the spirit is 16 years old and has leapt into the body of 'Justin' (Justice Smith), leading
to an impromptu day of hookie from school with his girlfriend, 'Rhiannon' (Angourie Rice), leading to an intense connection, something the spirit has never had before.
But just before midnight, the spirit is out of that body and 'Justin' is back to being the self-absorbed teen jock he was, recalling none of that day.
The spirit bounces from one teen to another, trying to reconnect with 'Rhi' through the new bodies it inhabits, and eventually tells her of this spiritual-physical disconnect that it has.
to an impromptu day of hookie from school with his girlfriend, 'Rhiannon' (Angourie Rice), leading to an intense connection, something the spirit has never had before.
But just before midnight, the spirit is out of that body and 'Justin' is back to being the self-absorbed teen jock he was, recalling none of that day.
The spirit bounces from one teen to another, trying to reconnect with 'Rhi' through the new bodies it inhabits, and eventually tells her of this spiritual-physical disconnect that it has.
She realizes that first day it had with her, in the body of 'Justin', was what she wanted to have more of, so the two of them manage to have a relationship, kinda sorta.
Really nice "what if" movie!
Both had an old-time feel, too, though one was much older than the other.
The holiday-themed "Prancer" came out in 1989, whereas the musical Western, "Rawhide", is from a full half-century earlier.
Both had names that drew me in: Sam Elliott and Lou Gehrig, respectively.
I'm glad they were name droppers!
In the first, Sam Elliott is the widowed dad of a son and a headstrong daughter, 'Jessica', who is convinced she has found an injured reindeer who is Prancer and that she must return him to Santa by Christmas Eve.
Cloris Leachman, at 63 years old, plays the rich old lady the girl works for to buy oats for the animal.
Abe Vigoda is the local vet the girl talks into healing the animal.
Cloris Leachman, at 63 years old, plays the rich old lady the girl works for to buy oats for the animal.
Abe Vigoda is the local vet the girl talks into healing the animal.
Michael Constantine as the store Santa she talks into passing a letter to Santa about her returning Prancer (only he takes it to the local newspaper as a 'feel good' story for the town's readers).
And there's a surprise for me: a young 14-year-old Johnny Galecki (TBBT's Leonard!!!) is there as 'Billy', one of her teasing classmates!
Very nice!
And there's a surprise for me: a young 14-year-old Johnny Galecki (TBBT's Leonard!!!) is there as 'Billy', one of her teasing classmates!
Very nice!
Now, let's address why the baseball player was in a Western, shall we?
The year was 1938 and Lou Gehrig had been 'The Iron Horse' for the New York Yankees for 15 years.
He was the first athlete pictured on a Wheaties box and had not yet begun having the disease that would kill him at age 37.
"Rawhide" was an opportunity for him to portray a man ready to retire from the sports world, ready for a quiet life on a cattle ranch.
I'm glad his publicist pushed him into the one and only film he ever made!
He even sang a number ("Drifting") with Smith Ballew, the lawyer ('Larry Kimball') he engages to fight against the Ranchers Protection Association, an extortion group that rivaled any in New York City.
Yes, I'm glad I found this one!
There wasn't any baseball, but it was wonderful seeing Gehrig still in his prime, healthy, shape.
It's been years since I saw this, but I hadn't remembered how much bullying that 7-year-old child received from his classmates and others.
(My great-nephew, Bert, is 9 years old and he was bullied around by his 12-year-old brother and 16-year-old cousin pretty hard over at Tony's on Thanksgiving. Tony, Laura, and I all got onto them about that, too.)
Good thing 'Charlie' had 'Linus' to cheer him along!
Then, as football was eating up the night, I bounced back to MGM+ to catch "City Of Ghosts", a 2002 international suspense written by/directed by/starring Matt Dillon.
In it, he's part of a sham disaster insurance company (based in New York City) that's been found to be penniless when a hurricane strikes Florida and the claims come rolling in.
He manages to convince the police that he knew nothing, then he flies out to Asia to seek out his partner (Stellan Skarsgard) and dad (James Caan), ending up in Cambodia.
That's when the lies and deceit really hit the fan.
Rather telling when "Both Sides, Now", sung in Khmer, plays as the end credits start rolling!
It wasn't until afterward that I realized that both of these movies had something in common: the use of frequent, moody, instrumental interludes between the spaced-out bits of dialogue and action.
If not for seeing them both so close together, I never would have picked up on that.
Right time, right place, amazingly enough.
I started with two thrillers, one set in the ocean, the other in the sky.
"Run Silent, Run Deep" is a phrase familiar to all Naval personnel, whether or not they ever had submarine duty; I was born the year it was made.
It starred a 57-year-old Clark Gable as 'Cmdr Richardson', the one whose sub was destroyed a year earlier at Bungo Strait in Area 7.
Now, he's commanding a new sub and heading right back there to try to find and destroy the vessel that sank his sub and every other in that area.
Burt Lancaster is 'Lt. Bledsoe', who first disagrees, but comes to believe in the Commander.
Don Rickles (32 years old) is great as a wise-cracking sailor on the crew!
Now, he's commanding a new sub and heading right back there to try to find and destroy the vessel that sank his sub and every other in that area.
Burt Lancaster is 'Lt. Bledsoe', who first disagrees, but comes to believe in the Commander.
Don Rickles (32 years old) is great as a wise-cracking sailor on the crew!
"Red Eye", from 2005, starts off with Lisa (Rachel McAdams) and Jackson (Cillian Murphy) having a meet-cute at the airport when their flight to Miami is delayed.
That premise is furthered when her seat turns out to be right beside his!
That premise is furthered when her seat turns out to be right beside his!
She's a hotel manager, and he's a manager, too, but of political assassinations and that sort of thing - that's why he targeted her, as he needs a politician to be moved from his usual room to one with bayside access, and he has her dad as leverage to make it happen.
Good flick, and the action scenes benefit from Was Craven as director.
I found two that were perfect for me!
The 1940 "Beyond Tomorrow" was 'horror' because it had three ghosts.
It's set in NYC, where 3 wealthy men - 'Michael', 'Chad', and 'Charlie' - get stood up for Christmas Eve dinner, so they throw their wallets into the street, vowing to take in any honest people who return them.
Enter 'James' of TX and 'Jeannie' of NY, two sweet young people who end up falling in love until his singing voice leads him away.
The three rich men die in a plane crash, but return as ghosts to help the two.
Really was a wonderful movie, with great singing by Richard Carlson ('James').
I especially liked "Jingle Bells" with everyone, from the cook and maid to the butler and valet singing in their native languages!
Enter 'James' of TX and 'Jeannie' of NY, two sweet young people who end up falling in love until his singing voice leads him away.
The three rich men die in a plane crash, but return as ghosts to help the two.
Really was a wonderful movie, with great singing by Richard Carlson ('James').
I especially liked "Jingle Bells" with everyone, from the cook and maid to the butler and valet singing in their native languages!
"Night Of The Comet", from 1984, mixed its 'horror' of zombies with the material-world antics of valley girls in Los Angeles.
'Reggie' (Catherine Mary Stewart) spends the night inside a cinema, only to find the city totally deserted, except for piles of clothing where people should be.
Concerned, she goes home to find her sis, 'Sam' (Kelli Maroney) alive, but no one else there, just piles of their clothes.
The radio station is still on air, so they go only to find it was all recorded, without a live DJ or anyone else except 'Hector' (Robert Beltran), a trucker also drawn to the station.
A group of scientists (led by Geoffrey Lewis) come to town to round up any survivors, hoping for a cure before they become zombies like all the others who didn't vaporize when exposed to the comet's radiation.
Nice touches of humor!
The radio station is still on air, so they go only to find it was all recorded, without a live DJ or anyone else except 'Hector' (Robert Beltran), a trucker also drawn to the station.
A group of scientists (led by Geoffrey Lewis) come to town to round up any survivors, hoping for a cure before they become zombies like all the others who didn't vaporize when exposed to the comet's radiation.
Nice touches of humor!
Actually, "Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen" wasn't so much a documentary as it was a recording of a live show.
Filmed in 1988, I was surprised to find how tame it was!
I was also surprised to find I only knew two of the comics: a 23-year-old Chris Rock and 35-year-old Tim Allen.
Wow.
The others featured were Monty Hoffman, Larry Scarano, Stephanie Hodge, John Fox, Thea Vidale, Otto Petersen, Joey Gaynor, Bill Hicks, Steven Pearl, and Jackie Martling.
Even though I looked them up, I still don't recall ever seeing them.
The other documentary, "Danica", was all about Danica Patrick and her life behind the wheel of race cars, up until 2017.
She started with go-cart driving in 1992 at age 10, because her sister was into that sport.
By the time she was 14, Danica was winning every race.
By the time she was 14, Danica was winning every race.
After training in England for several years, she found a sponsor and became an Indycar driver, eventually winning at that in Japan in 2008 at age 26.
Then she decided to go for being a NASCAR driver.
At the film's end, she was a 35-year-old entrepeneur of Somnium wine, Warrior clothing, and exercise videos and books.
I found this look at the life of a woman in a man's field very relatable.
Both of my choices were dark comedies, favorites of mine!
"Pocket Listing" was an insight into high-end real estate, written by and starring James Jurdi, a charming fellow who reminded me very much of Bruce Willis during his years "Moonlighting".
In this 2015 movie, he's 'Jack Woodman', a slick hustler working for Burt Reynolds until he's found doing sales for himself, not the company.
Out he was tossed, stuck managing a slum project he'd just bought to flip, until Euro-trash mobster Rob Lowe shows up wanting him to sell his $20-million estate on the beach for $12-million, because he needs the cash.
Lots of back stabbing and betrayal, lots of humor!
(Sadly, nothing about James Jurdi since 2018.)
"Hawks" has two favorite actors in a movie reminiscent of "The Dream Team".
"Hawks" has two favorite actors in a movie reminiscent of "The Dream Team".
In this 1988 film, Anthony Edwards is an American football player on an exhibition tour in Europe when he falls terribly ill.
He comes to in a hospital in London, sharing a room with English lawyer, Timothy Dalton, who is currently in remission.
The lawyer decides the footballer needs something to perk up his spirits, so they steal an ambulance and head for Amsterdam to visit Paradise, a favorite brothel.
On the way, they meet Hazel and Maureen and have an adventure -
truly a lovely movie, with the most fun I've ever seen Dalton have!
truly a lovely movie, with the most fun I've ever seen Dalton have!
(I may recommend this one to JinHi, who has had a break from chemotherapy for the last few months and is now starting a new regimen.)
I should add that neither are new to me, either!
"The Story Of Santa Claus" (1996) was a gift from meTV, featuring the musical stylings of Ed Asner and Betty White as the Claus couple, with Tim Curry as Nostros, the wizard elf.
ABC was the source of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", from 1969.
This was also an animated holiday musical, featuring songs from Fred Astaire (as the mailman with all the answers!) and Mickey Rooney ('Kris Kringle').
Those were well worth including in this film festival!
Now, I'm off to turn on the heated mattress pad!
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