Daily Archives: March 14, 2021

Lisa’s Week In Review: 3/8/21 — 3/14/21

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

We lost an hour but, soon, we will have gained a whole new slate of Oscar nominees.  So, everything evens out!

Anyway, I’m feeling a little under the weather — and before anyone asks, it’s just a cold and not the COVID, so I’m going to lay down and wait for the Oscar nominations to be announced!  While I wait, I’ll think back to all of the movies and television shows that I watched over the previous 7 days.

Good thing I made a list!

 

Films I Watched:

  1. A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2020)
  2. Airplane! (1980)
  3. American Strays (1996)
  4. Baffled (1973)
  5. The Boston Strangler (1968)
  6. The Bounty (1984)
  7. Breathless (1983)
  8. The Crush (1993)
  9. Eureka (1983)
  10. Hitcher in the Dark (1989)
  11. Invitation to Hell (1984)
  12. Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
  13. King Dinosaur (1955)
  14. Malicious (1995)
  15. Marjoe (1972)
  16. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (2019)
  17. One Foot In Heaven (1941)
  18. Schizoid (1980)
  19. Thoth (2001)

Television Shows I Watched:

  1. 9-1-1
  2. 9-1-1: Lone Star
  3. 20/20 on ID
  4. American Idol
  5. The Bachelor
  6. Bar Rescue
  7. City Confidential
  8. Deadly Women
  9. The District
  10. Evil Twins
  11. Friends
  12. Grammy Awards
  13. Hell’s Kitchen
  14. Hill Street Blues
  15. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
  16. Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court
  17. Married With Secrets
  18. Nightmare Next Door
  19. Obsession: Dark Desires
  20. People Magazine Investigates
  21. Saved By The Bell
  22. Seinfeld
  23. Selling Mega Mansions
  24. South Park
  25. Unsolved Mysteries
  26. The Voice
  27. WKRP In Cincinnati
  28. Yes, Minister

Books I Read:

  1. The Vanishing Half (2020) by Brit Bennett

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019, dir by Quentin Tarantino)

Music To Which I Listened:

  1. Ali Barter
  2. Britney Spears
  3. The Chemical Brothers
  4. Daft Punk
  5. DJ Snake
  6. Islands
  7. Kaiser Chiefs
  8. Karate Guns & Tanning
  9. The Killers
  10. Laurence-Anne
  11. Muse
  12. The Prodigy
  13. The Psychedelic Furs
  14. Saint Motel
  15. St. Vincent
  16. Selena Gomez
  17. Taylor Swift

Awards Season:

  1. PGA Nominations
  2. Detroit Film Critics Society Winners
  3. BAFTA Nominations
  4. Phoenix Critics Circle Nominations
  5. DGA Nominations
  6. African-American Film Critics Winners
  7. American Society of Cinematographers Nominations
  8. Eddie Nominations
  9. Austin Film Critics Nominations
  10. Georgia Film Critics Association Winners

Links From Last Week:

  1. Reid between the lines – the Joy Reid saga tells us what’s “acceptable” in the media
  2. Last summer, Disney promised change. Then the first Black ‘Bachelor’s’ season unraveled

News From Last Week:

  1. ‘Nomadland’ Production Sound Mixer Michael Wolf Snyder Dies at 35
  2. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Interview: ‘Trash-a-thon,’ ‘Bomb,’ ‘Terrible State’ Among U.K. Reactions
  3. Piers Morgan leaving ‘Good Morning Britain’ after storming off set over his attacks on Meghan
  4. Pepe Le Pew Will Not Make an Appearance in Space Jam 2 After His Scene Was Cut
  5. “They thought they had identified another political star,” Sources Say That Andrew Cuomo’s Tortured Pandemic Memoir Scored A Seven Figure Advance
  6. Teen Vogue Staff Rail Against New Editor-in-Chief’s Past Tweets Mocking Asians
  7. US box office notches strongest weekend since the pandemic began
  8. A Bucks County woman created ‘deepfake’ videos to harass rivals on her daughter’s cheerleading squad, DA says
  9. ‘Bye Bye Morons’ Wins Best Film, ‘Another Round’ Wins Best Foreign Film at France’s Cesar Awards
  10. It’s 2021 and ‘Avatar’ Just Overtook ‘Avengers: Endgame’ as Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time
  11. Sharon Osbourne: ‘CBS Blindsided Me’ With Heated Piers Morgan Discussion on ‘The Talk’
  12. Piers Morgan Demands Apology From CBS’ ‘The Talk’ After Sharon Osbourne Clarifies Racism Stance
  13. Former ‘The Talk’ Host Holly Robinson Peete Says Sharon Osbourne Complained She Was Too ‘Ghetto’
  14. Chris Harrison is out as host of the next ‘Bachelorette’ season
  15. Here Are Your 2021 Grammy Winners

Links From The Site:

  1. I shared my personal Oscar nominations!  I paid tribute to Jack Smight!  I shared music videos from The Prodigy, Karate Guns and Tanning, islands, Ali Barter, and Laurence-Anne! I reviewed The Boston Strangler and One Foot In Heaven!
  2. Erin shared: The Jet Set, The Hunter, Mail-Order Passion, The Lone Deputy, Hell Hath No Fury, Love-Crazy Millionaire, and Riverfront Girl!
  3. Jeff shared Ten Essential Chuck Norris Films and Ten Essential Michael Caine films!  He shared a music video from Pet Shop Boys and then another music video from Pet Shop Boys!
  4. Ryan reviewed This Wasn’t What I Had In Mind, Open All The Way, and Black Clouds Rolling In!

More From Us:

  1. For SOLRAD, Ryan reviewed I Never Promised You A Rose Garden!
  2. Ryan has a patreon!  You should consider subscribing!
  3. At Days Without Incident, Leonard shared: Fight For You (by H.E.R.)
  4. At Pop Politics, Jeff shared: The Harry and Meghan Thing, A Trip to Half Price Books, A Little From Alex Ross, Overhead Today, A Short Review of Biden’s Speech, How I Miss Baltimore, and Happy Pi Day!
  5. At her photography site, Erin shared: Trunk, Light, Tree, Green Grass, Chimney, Old Cameras, and Old Projectors!
  6. At my music site, I shared songs from Saint Motel, The Killers, Muse, Daft Punk, Islands, St. Vincent, and Kaiser Chiefs!
  7. At my online dream journal, I shared: Last Night’s Flooded House Dream, Last Night’s Island Dream, Last Night’s Renaissance Faire Dream, Another Dream About A Flooded House, Last Night’s Audition Dream, Last Night’s Motorcycle Crash Dream, and Last Night’s London Dream!

Want to see what went on last week?  Click here!

10 Bloody Essential if Lesser Known Michael Caine Films

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

A Shock to the System (1990, directed by Jan Egleson)

Today is the 88th birthday of the great actor and British cultural icon, Sir Michael Caine!

As I did with Chuck Norris earlier this week, I want to commemorate Michael Caine’s birthday by sharing ten of his essential roles.  Since 1950, Michael Caine has appeared in over 130 films and countless TV productions.  Trying to narrow his long and prolific career down to just ten films is not easy, nor is it really necessary.  All of Caine’s films are worth watching, even the ones that he made during the period where he basically accepted every part that he was offered.  Because he’s so prolific and because so many of his films are already well-known and regarded as classics, I’ve decided to focus of listing ten of his lesser-known but no less essential roles.

  1. A Hill in Korea (1956, directed by Julian Aymes) — This nearly forgotten war film is significant because it featured Michael Caine in his first credited screen role.  (He had appeared in three previous films but wasn’t credited.)  A veteran of the Korean war, Caine was hired to serve as a technical advisor and he was given the small role of Private Lockyer.  Years later, Caine would say that, “I had 8 lines in that picture and I screwed up 6 of them.”  The film is a standard war film and Caine is barely onscreen but everyone had to start somewhere and this film did allow Caine to appear opposite Stanley Baker, Robert Shaw, and Harry Andrews.
  2. Billion Dollar Brain (1968, directed by Ken Russell) — In 1965, Michael Caine shot to stardom by playing the working class secret agent, Harry Palmer, in The Ipcress File.  Caine went on to play Palmer in four more films.  Billion Dollar Brain finds Harry trying to keep a computer and a mad millionaire from starting World War III.  This was Ken Russell’s first major feature film and, through not as flamboyant as some of his later films, Billion Dollar Brain still feels like Harry Palmer on acid.  Caine gives a typically good performance, as does Karl Malden in a key supporting role.  Caine’s future Eagle Has Landed co-star, Donald Sutherland, has a small, early role.
  3. Zee and Co. (1972, directed by Brian Hutton) — Caine is married to Elizabeth Taylor and having an affair with Susannah York.  This is the type of movie that probably could have only been made at a time when studio system veterans like Elizabeth Taylor were trying to prove that they could keep up with the new wave of filmmakers and stars.  Providing proof of his acting abilities, Caine somehow keeps a straight face and gives a credible performance while Taylor emotes all over the place.  The end result is loud, vulgar, and undeniably entertaining.
  4. Beyond The Poseidon Adventure (1979, directed by Irwin Allen) — I’m including this film as a stand-in for all of the films that Caine made strictly for the money.  It’s a ludicrous film but hard not to enjoy.  Michael Caine plays a tugboat captain who, with the help of Sally Field, attempts to salvage the cap-sized Poseidon before the luxury liner finally sinks.  Also showing up: Telly Savalas, Slim Pickens, Peter Boyle, and Billion Dollar Brain‘s Karl Malden.
  5. Mona Lisa (1986, directed by Neil Jordan) — The same year that Michael Caine appeared in his Oscar-winning role in Hannah and Her Sisters, he also played a gangster named Mortwell in Mona Lisa.  Caine is chillingly good in a rare villainous role.
  6. The Fourth Protocol (1987, directed by John MacKenzie) — This underrated spy thriller features Michael Caine as a world-weary British spy who has to stop KGB agent Pierce Brosnan from detonating a nuclear device.  This is a well-made spy thriller and it’s interesting to see Caine (who started his career as the anti-James Bond in the Harry Palmer films) acting opposite future Bond, Pierce Brosnan.
  7. Without A Clue (1988, directed by Thom Eberhardt) — This genuinely funny comedy stars Caine as Sherlock Holmes and Ben Kingsley as Dr. Watson.  The catch is that Holmes is actually a clueless actor who was hired by Watson to pretend to be a great detective.  When Prof. Moriarty targets Watson, Holmes is forced to actually solve a case on his own.  Caine and Kingsley make for a surprisingly good comedy team.
  8. A Shock to the System (1990, directed by Jan Egleson) — In this very dark comedy, Caine plays an executive who, sick of being passed over for promotions and criticized by his wife, decided to just kill everyone who annoys him.  This is one of Caine’s best performances and this underrated film’s satire feels just as relevant today as when it was released.
  9. Blood and Wine (1997, directed by Bob Rafelson) — This underrated neo-noir gave Michael Caine a chance to act opposite Jack Nicholson.  The two iconic actors bring out the best in each other, playing partners in a jewelry heist gone wrong.
  10. Is Anybody There? (2008, directed by John Crowley) — In this low-key but emotionally effective film, Caine plays an elderly magician who is suffering from the early stages of dementia.  Having entered a retirement home, he befriends the son of the home’s manager and the two of them search for evidence of life after death.  Though the film didn’t get much attention in the States, Caine described it as a favorite in his most recent autobiography, Blowing The Bloody Doors Off.  75 years-old when he appeared in the film, Caine proved that he could still take audiences by surprise and create an unforgettable character.

What If Lisa Picked The Oscar Nominees: 2020 Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

With the Oscar nominations due to be announced tomorrow, now is the time that the Shattered Lens indulges in a little something called, “What if Lisa had all the power.” Listed below are my personal Oscar nominations. Please note that these are not the films that I necessarily think will be nominated. The fact of the matter is that the many of them will not. Instead, these are the films that would be nominated if I was solely responsible for deciding the nominees this year. Winners are listed in bold.

I should also point out that I’ve only nominated films that were actually released in 2020.  Undoubtedly, Nomadland, Minari, Judas and the Black Messiah, and The Father will do very well with the Academy tomorrow but, as far as I’m concerned, they’re 2021 films and not eligible for my nominations.  They will be eligible next year, when I do my 2021 edition of What If Lisa Had All The Power.

It should also go without saying that I’ve nominated films that I’ve actually seen.

You’ll also note that I’ve added four categories, all of which I believe the Academy should adopt — Best Voice-Over Performance, Best Casting, Best Stunt Work, and Best Overall Use Of Music In A Film.

Click on the links to see my nominations for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2010!)

Best Picture

The Assistant
Bad Education
First Cow
The Girl With A Bracelet
i’m thinking of ending things
Lovers Rock
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
Soul
The Vast of Night

Best Director

Stéphane Demoustier for The Girl With A Bracelet
Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman
Charlie Kaufman for i’m thinking of ending things
Steve McQueen for Lovers Rock
Andrew Patterson for The Vast of Night
Kelly Reichardt for First Cow

Best Actor

Ben Affleck in The Way Back
Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
John Boyega in Red, White, and Blue
Hugh Jackman in Bad Education
Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods

Best Actress

Alison Brie in Horse Girl
Sidney Flanigan in Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Julia Garner in The Assistant
Melissa Guers in The Girl With A Bracelet
Sophia Loren in The Life Ahead
Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actor

Brian Dennehy in Driveways
Aldis Hodge in One Night In Miami
Orion Lee in First Cow
Clarke Peters in Da 5 Blood
Paul Raci in The Sound of Metal
J.K. Simmons in Palm Springs

Best Supporting Actress

Jane Adams in She Dies Tomorrow
Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Cooke in Sound of Metal
Allison Janney in Bad Education
Chiara Mastroianni in The Girl With A Bracelet
Talia Ryder in Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Best Voice Over Performance

Jack Cruz in What Did Jack Do?
Bruce Davis in The Vast of Night
Tina Fey in Soul
Jamie Foxx in Soul
Nick Offerman in Frances Ferguson
Chris Pratt in Onward

Best Original Screenplay

The Assistant
Palm Springs
Possessor
Promising Young Woman
Soul
The Vast of Night

Bad Education

Best Adapted Screenplay

Bad Education
Emma
First Cow
The Girl With A Bracelet
i’m thinking of ending things
The Outpost

Best Animated Feature Film

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Onward
Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs
Soul

Best Documentary Feature Film

Alabama Snake
Athlete A
The Mystery of D.B. Cooper
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind
The Social Dilemma
Tread

Best International Feature Film

Figurant
The Girl With A Bracelet
Gunpowder Heart
The Hater
The Life Ahead
The Shock of the Future

Best Live Action Short Film

Basic
Figurant
Host
Run/On
Waffle
What Did Jack Do?

Best Documentary Short Film

Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business
John Was Trying To Contact Aliens
Lions in the Corner
Quilt Fever

Best Animated Short Film

Canvas

If Anything Happens I Love You

Best Original Score

Call of the Wild
First Cow
Mangrove
Possessor
She Dies Tomorrow
The Shock of The Future

Best Original Song

“Boss Bitch” from Birds of Prey
“Diamonds” from Birds of Prey
“Everybody Dies” from The Outpost
“Future Shock Work in Progress” from The Shock of the Future
“Gratia Plena” from Fatima
“Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Jah Jah Ding Dong” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Metamorph” from Gunpowder Heart
“The Spirit of Christmas” from The Christmas Chronicles 2
“True Love’s Flame” from What Did Jack Do?

Best Overall Use of Music

Bill & Ted Face The Music
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Lovers Rock
Proising Young Woman
The Shock of the Future
Soul

Best Sound

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Lovers Rock
The Outpost
Possessor
The Shock of the Future
Sound of Metal

Best Production Design

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Emma
First Cow
i’m thinking of ending things
Possessor
The Shock of the Future

Best Casting

The Assistant
First Cow
Lovers Rock
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
The Vast of Night

Best Cinematography

First Cow
i’m thinking of ending things
Lovers Rock
Mank
She Dies Tomorrow
The Vast of Night

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Bill & Ted Face The Music
i’m thinking of ending things
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Promising Young Woman

Best Costume Design

Emma
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Fatima
First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Tesla

Best Film Editing

Extraction
i’m thinking of ending things
The Outpost
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
The Way Back

Best Stuntwork

Bad Boys For Life
Birds of Prey
Bloodshot
Extraction
The Hunt
The Outpost

Best Visual Effects

The Christmas Chronicles 2
The Midnight Sky
The Outpost
Possessor
Radioactive
Tesla

Films By Number of Nominations

8 Nominations — First Cow, Promising Young Woman

7 Nominations — Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, i’m thinking of ending things

6 Nominations — The Girl With A Bracelet, Lovers Rock, The Outpost, Shock of the Future, Soul, The Vast of Night

5 Nominations — Palm Springs, Possessor

4 Nominations — The Assistant, Bad Education, Sound of Metal

3 Nominations — Birds of Prey, Emma, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, She Dies Tomorrow, What Did Jack Do?

2 Nominations — Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Christmas Chronicles 2, Da 5 Bloods, Extraction, Fatima, Figurant, Gunpowder Heart, Hillbilly Elegy, The Life Ahead, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Onward, Tesla, The Way Back

1 Nomination — Alabama Snake, Athlete A, Bad Boys For Life, Basic, Bettye Saar: Taking Care of Business, Bloodshot, Call of the Wild, Canvas, Driveways, Frances Ferguson, The Hater, Horse Girl, Host, The Hunt, If Anything Happens I Love You, John Was Trying To Contact Aliens, Lions in the Corner, Mangrove, Mank, Midnight Sky, The Mystery of D.B. Cooper, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, One Night in Miami, Quilt Fever, Radioactive, Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs, Red White and Blue, Run/On, A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, The Social Dilemma, Tread, Waffle

Films By Number of Oscars Won

3 Oscars — The Girl With A Bracelet, Promising Young Woman

1 Oscar — The Assistant, Bad Education, Driveways, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Figurant, First Cow, Frances Ferguson, If Anything Happens I Love You, i’m thinking of ending things, John Was Trying To Contact Aliens, Lovers Rock, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Outpost, Palm Springs, Possessor, Shock of the Future, The Social Dilemma, Soul, Sound of Metal, The Vast of Night, What Did Jack Do?

Tomorrow, the Oscar nominations will be released and we’ll see if how much or, more likely, how little the Academy and I agree upon!

Artwork of the Day: Riverfront Girl (by Harry Barton)

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by Harry Barton

She was willing to do anything to put her grubby life behind her.  Even hang out in front of the bait shop!  We’ve all been there.  Everyone knows the bait shop is the best place to be if you’re looking for a eccentric millionaire who likes to fish.

This cover is from 1965.  We’ve featured much from Harry Barton in the past and we will probably feature much from him in the future.

Music Video of the Day: Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) by Pet Shop Boys (1985, directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Yesterday, I shared the first video for Opportunities.

Today. I’m sharing the second version.  The second version was released after the song itself was remixed and re-recorded.  This is the version that subsequently became a hit for the Pet Shop Boys.  This is the version that is currently being unironically used by Allstate in their commercials.

(As much as I complain about this song being used by Allstate, it did lead to both Opportunities and West End Girls reentering the charts.)

The director of this video is the Polish artist and filmmaker, Zbigniew Rybczyński.  Before directing this video, he won the 1982 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for Tango.

Enjoy!