Sunday, February 14, 2016

February 14 - Picnic at Hanging Rock

Today’s movie is a period mystery with scenes that happen on February 14. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK

On February 14, 1900 [00:35 to 39:51] teachers Miss McCraw and Poitiers and students Miranda, Irma, Edith, Rosamund and Marion from Appleyard College take a trip to the rock for a picnic. However, Sara, who is attracted to Miranda is left behind. After the meal, Miranda, Irma, Marion and Edith climb the rock and are noticed by Michael Fitzhubert, who is there with his aunt, uncle and their valet, Albert. Miranda, Irma and Marion enter a recess in the rock and Edith runs screaming down the rock. It is soon determined that the three girls and Miss McCraw are missing and a search by the police turn up nothing. Michael and Albert return to the rock. Albert finds Michael delirious, and later finds Irma unconscious and bruised. Irma claims to have no memory of what happened. When she visits the school for the last time her classmates attack her demanding to know what occurred on the mountain. Miss Lumley resigns and Mrs. Appleyard tells Sara that she is being removed as her tuition has not been paid. Sara is later found dead, an apparent suicide and Mrs. Appleyard’s body is later discovered at the base of Hanging Rock.

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (Buccaneer Books, Cutchogue, NY, 1967) at page 2 and in the film at 00:20 and 5:15 tell us it is Valentine’s day, which is February 14^th, as per Holidays, Festivals and Celebrations of the World ed. by Helene Henderson (Omnigraphics, New York, 2005) at page 576

Producers – Hal McElroy and Jim McElroy

Director - Peter Weir

Screenwriter - Cliff Green

Runtime – 1 hour 55 minutes

Released – August 8, 1975

Cast –

Anne-Louise Lambert as Miranda, Rachel Roberts as Mrs. Appleyard, Dominic Guard as Michael Fitzhubert, Helen Morse as Mlle. de Poitiers, John Jarratt as Albert Crundall, Margaret Nelson as Sara Waybourne, Wyn Roberts as Sgt. Bumpher, Karen Robson as Irma Leopold, Christine Schuler as Edith Horton, Jane Vallis as Marion Quade, Vivean Gray as Miss McCraw, Martin Vaughan as Ben Hussey, Kirsty Child as Miss Lumley, Jacki Weaver as Minnie, Frank Gunnell as Mr. Whitehead , Tony Llewellyn-Jones as Tom, John Fegan as Doc. McKenzie, Kay Taylor as Mrs. Bumpher , Peter Collingwood as Col. Fitzhubert, Garry McDonald as Const. Jones, Olga Dickie as Mrs. Fitzhubert, Jenny Lovell as Blanche

Monday, February 8, 2016

February 8 - The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

Today’s movie is a period drama with scenes that occur on February 8. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX

Robert Devereux, 2^ndEarl of Essex returns to London after defeating the Spanish at Cadiz. Instead of the welcome he expected the Queen berates him for not capturing the Spanish treasure fleet and he leaves court. Essex and the Queen love each other and each grapples with how to express that love, each refusing to make the first step towards a reconciliation. However, after Irish rebels crush the English, The Queen uses this as an excuse to recall Essex. She intends to appoint him Master of Ordnance in London, but his enemies at court, including Sir Walter Raleigh and William Cecil, goad Essex into accepting command of the army sent to Ireland. However, Raleigh and Cecil trick Penelope Grey, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, who also loves Essex into intercepting the letters Essex and the Queen send to each other. Without support, Essex is defeated by the rebels, who ship his army back to England. On February 8, 1601 [1:11:29 to 1:29:28] Essex and his army march on the Palace. Elizabeth convinces Essex she will accept him as a co-ruler, but once he disperses his forces, he is arrested, convicted of treason and beheaded.

Elizabeth I by Anne Somerset (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1991) at page 541 gives the date of Essex’s rebellion.

Producer - Hal B. Wallis

Director - Michael Curtiz

Screenwriters - Norman Reilly Raine and Aeneas MacKenzie

Awards – The film was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Color Cinematography, Best Sound Recording, Best Special Effects and Best Original Score Oscars at the 12^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 46 minutes

Released – November 11, 1939

Cast –

Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I

Errol Flynn as Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex

Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray

Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon

Alan Hale, Sr. as Earl of Tyrone

Henry Daniell as Sir Robert Cecil

Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh

Henry Stephenson as Lord Burghley

James Stephenson as Sir Thomas Egerton

Nanette Fabray as Margaret Radcliffe

Thursday, February 4, 2016

February 4 - Super 8

Today’s movie is a science fiction film with a scene that happens on February 4. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

SUPER 8

On February 4, 1979 [00:59 to 4:02], the day after Elizabeth Lamb’s death in an industrial accident, her son Joe mourns, while her husband, deputy sheriff Jack, blames her co-worker Louis Dainard for her death. Four months later Joe’s best friend Charles Kaznyk is making a Super 8 zombie film for a contest, along with Preston, Martin and Cary. Charles also recruits Alice Dainard to star in the film. While filming at an abandoned railway station, their biology teacher, Dr. Woodward crashes his truck into a train, causing a huge wreck that Charles’s camera records, as the kids run away. They find some strange white cubes. The Air Force arrives to investigate the crash and strange things start to happen. All dogs in the town run away, people go missing and mechanical and electrical devices are mysteriously stolen. Deputy Lamb confronts Col. Nelec, the head of the investigation and is arrested. Alice goes missing. Charles and Joe watch the film of the accident and see a creature escaped from the wreck. The Air Force starts a huge wildfire and uses it as an excuse to evacuate the town. The kids return to town to rescue Alice and Jack Lamb escapes. At the school, the kids find Dr. Woodward’s hidden films and notes. They learn that an alien crashed in 1958, but instead of helping it return home, it was kept a prisoner. Woodward decided to help it and caused the train crash. The kids are arrested by the Air Force, but the bus carrying them is attacked by the creature and they escape. They return to the town, where the Army is attacking the creature. Joe and Cary climb into a tunnel underneath the cemetery’s garage. They rescue Alice and some other missing people. Joe talks the alien into leaving. The metal cube and metal objects coalesce around the water tower which becomes a spacecraft. The alien blasts off for home.

Mrs. Lamb’s date of death is given at 53:50 on her tombstone

Producers - J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and Steven Spielberg

Director - J. J. Abrams

Screenwriter - J. J. Abrams

Runtime – 1 hour 52 minutes

Released – June 9, 2011

Cast – Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb, Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard, Kyle Chandler as Jack Lamb, Riley Griffiths as Charles Kaznyk, Ryan Lee as Cary McCarthy, Ron Eldard as Louis Dainard, Gabriel Basso as Martin Read, Noah Emmerich as Colonel Nelec, David Gallagher as Donny, Bruce Greenwood as the alien, Zach Mills as Preston Scott, Amanda Michalka as Jen Kaznyk, Glynn Turman as Dr. Thomas Woodward, Michael Hitchcock as Deputy Rosko, Caitriona Balfe as Elizabeth Lamb, Joel McKinnon Miller as Sal Kaznyk, Beau Knapp as Breen, Jessica Tuck as Mrs. Kaznyk, Dan Castellaneta as Izzy, Richard T. Jones as Overmyer, Dale Dickey as Edie, Colin Mathews as Crazy Beto's Customer, Brett Rice as Sheriff Pruitt, Katie Lowes as Tina

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

February 2 - American Sniper

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on February 2. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

AMERICAN SNIPER

Chris Kyle is a hunter and rodeo rider. After a break-up with his girlfriend, news of a terrorist incident motivates him to join the US Navy, where he becomes a SEAL sniper. He gets married, but is soon deployed to Iraq. He becomes well known as a sniper and a bounty is put on his head. When he is home between tours, his war experiences make it hard for him to reintegrate into his family and society. In Iraq Kyle kills the best known enemy sniper. Back at home he finds helping other vets enables him to put the war behind him. On February 2, 2103 [2:01:14 - 2:04:01] he says goodbye to his family as he prepares to go shooting with another vet.

The date is given in the film at 2:01:17

Producers - Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan

Director - Clint Eastwood

Screenwriter - Jason Hall

Awards – The film won the Best Sound Editing Oscar. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing at the 87^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 2 hours 12 minutes

Released – November 11, 2014

Starring –

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle

Sienna Miller as Taya Kyle

Max Charles as Colton Kyle

Luke Grimes as Marc Alan Lee

Kyle Gallner as Goat-Winston

Sam Jaeger as Captain Martens

Jake McDorman as Ryan "Biggles" Job

Cory Hardrict as 'D' / Dandridge

Navid Negahban as Sheikh Al-Obodi

Eric Close as DIA Agent Snead

Eric Ladin as Squirrel

Kevin "Dauber" Lacz as himself

Brian Hallisay as Captain Gillespie

Keir O'Donnell as Jeff Kyle

Marnette Patterson as Sarah

Leonard Roberts as Instructor Rolle

Sunday, January 31, 2016

January 31 - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Today’s movie is a comedy with a scene that happens on January 31. Watch and enjoy this movie tonight.

ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE

Ace Ventura is a very eccentric and broke pet detective in Miami, Florida. When Snowflake the Dolphin mascot for the Miami Dolphins football team is stolen, the owner orders employees Roger Podacter and Melissa Robinson to him. They hire Ventura, who locates a rare gem in the dolphin’s tank that he thinks came from a 1984 Dolphins AFC championship ring. His attempts to locate the ring that is missing a stone fail until he learns about Ray Finkle, a player who was not in the team photo he used. Podacter dies in an apparent suicide that Ventura proves to be murder. Ventura learns that Finkle blamed Miami quarterback Dan Marino for causing him to miss the game winning field goal in the 1984 Super Bowl. Finkle went insane with revenge and was committed. At the mental institution where Finkle was committed, Ventura uncovers evidence that Finkle has transformed himself into “Lois Einhorn”, a detective who is in charge of the Snowflake case. On Super Bowl Sunday, January 31, 1993 [1:08:38 – 1:22:54] Ventura tracks Einhorn/Finkle to where she/he has stashed the kidnapped Marino and Snowflake. Ventura rescues both in time for a halftime return to the Super Bowl game.

Producer - James G. Robinson

Director - Tom Shadyac

Screenwriters - Jack Bernstein, Tom Shadyac and Jim Carrey

Runtime – 1 hour 26 minutes

Released – February 4, 1994

Cast –

Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura

Courteney Cox as Melissa Robinson

Sean Young as Lt. Lois Einhorn / Ray Finkle

Tone Lōc as Emilio

John Capodice as Sgt. Aguado

Dan Marino as Himself

Noble Willingham as Riddle

Troy Evans as Roger Podacter

Raynor Scheine as Woodstock

Udo Kier as Ronald Camp

Frank Adonis as Vinnie

Tiny Ron as Roc

David Margulies as Doctor

Bill Zuckert as Mr. Finkle

Alice Drummond as Mrs. Finkle

Rebecca Ferratti as Sexy Woman

Friday, January 29, 2016

January 29 - Mayerling

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on January 29. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

MAYERLING

Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria doesn’t get along with his parents or his wife so he has affairs and dabbles in supporting Hungarian revolutionaries. Then he meets Mary Vetsera. Rudolf entertains Edward the Prince of Wales on a visit. People act to keep Rudolf and Mary apart. His father appoints him inspector general of the armed forces, while her parents send her away. However Rudolf tracks her down in Venice and they consummate their relationship. After the failure of a Hungarian uprising leaves Rudolf implicated and he sees there is no future in his relationship with Mary, he decides on suicide. He and Mary go to his hunting lodge at Mayerling where on January 29, 1889, they have one last night together. [1:59:51 – 2:09:06]. Early the next morning, Rudolf shoots Mary, then himself.

Producers - Robert Dorfmann and Maurice Jacquin

Director - Terence Young

Screenwriter - Terence Young

Runtime – 2 hours 20 minutes

Released – October 22, 1968

Starring –

Omar Sharif as Crown Prince Rudolf

Catherine Deneuve as Baroness Mary Vetsera

James Mason as Emperor Franz Josef

Ava Gardner as Empress Elisabeth

James Robertson Justice as Edward, Prince Of Wales

Geneviève Page as Countess Larisch

Andréa Parisy as Princess Stéphanie

Ivan Desny as Count Josef Hoyos

Fabienne Dali as Mizzi Kaspar

Véronique Vendell as Lisi Stockau

Howard Vernon as Alfred, 2nd Prince of Montenuovo

Irene von Meyendorf as Countess Stockau

Mony Dalmes as Baroness Helen Vetsera

Bernard Lajarrige as Loschek

Maurice Teynac as Moritz Szeps

Charles Millot as Count Taafe

Jacques Berthier as Archduke Jean Salvator

Roger Pigaut as Count Karolyi

Véronique Vendell as Lisl Stockau

Lyne Chardonnet as Hannah Vetsera

Monday, January 25, 2016

January 25 - Eagle Eye

Today’s movie is a thriller with a scene that happens on January 25. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

EAGLE EYE

Jerry Shaw attends the funeral of his twin brother Ethan, an Air Force officer on January 25, 2009 [10:36 to 38:00]. Afterwards he finds $750,000 in his bank account, guns and classified documents in his apartment. In spite of a warning call from a woman to run, he is arrested by the FBI. The woman on the phone arranges for his escape and directs him to Rachel Holloman, who she controls by threatening her son, Sam, who is on the way to Washington, DC to play at the State of the Union. The woman arranges for a powerful crystal explosive to be placed in a necklace and has a sonic trigger placed in Sam’s trumpet. Ethan’s job was to monitor ARIIA, an advanced supercomputer and Jerry and Rachel learn that the woman’s voice directing them is that of ARIIA. After the President ignored ARIIA’s advice in an operation, ARIAA decides to remove the executive branch down to Defense Secretary Callister, who agreed with ARIIA. Jerry was recruited by ARIIA because as Ethan’s twin he can override biometric locks set by Ethan and activate the plan. Rachel is given the necklace to wear at the speech and her son will be there to trigger the explosion that will wipe out the leadership. However, Jerry with the help of two FBI agents who now believe he is innocent help him to stop the plan and shut down ARIIA.

The date is given in the film at 19:30

Producers - Steven Spielberg, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Pat Crowley

Director - D. J. Caruso

Screenwriters - John Glenn, Travis Adam Wright, Hillary Seitz and Dan McDermott

Runtime – 1 hour 58 minutes

Released – September 26, 2008

Cast –

Shia LaBeouf as Jerry and Ethan Shaw

Michelle Monaghan as Rachel Holloman

Julianne Moore as the voice of the super computer ARIIA

Rosario Dawson as Zoë Perez

Michael Chiklis as George Callister

Anthony Mackie as Major William Bowman

Ethan Embry as Toby Grant

Billy Bob Thornton as Tom Morgan

Anthony Azizi as Ranim Khalid

Cameron Boyce as Sam Holloman

Monday, January 18, 2016

January 18 - Million Dollar Arm

Today’s movie is a sports dramedy with a scene that happens on January 18. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

MILLION DOLLAR ARM

J. B. Bernstein and his partner Ash Vasudevan are sports agents whose stars are all retiring. Bernstein gets the idea to look in India for new talent among cricket players and convinces an investor, Will Chang to pay, provided the new talent is ready within one year for a major league tryout. In spite of learning that the pitching motions for baseball and cricket are totally different, Bernstein and veteran scout Ray Poitevint head to India. The first kids who try out are complete failures, until on January 18, 2008 [33:21 – 35:54] in tryouts at Lucknow they discover speedballers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel. Bernstein takes the boys to America, but basically abandons them. Their tryout for the major leagues is a failure as they are too nervous to pitch correctly. Bernstein arranges for new tryout for the Pittsburgh Pirates scout, who missed the first one. This time the pair relax and pitch so well that the Pirates offer both a contract.

In the movie at 1:55:10 it gives the date they were signed to a contract with the Pirates as November 18, 2008. At 1:55:25 it says that this was ten months to the date after Rinku and Dinesh first picked up a baseball.

Producers - Joe Roth, Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray

Director - Craig Gillespie

Screenwriter - Thomas McCarthy

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Released – May 6, 2014

Cast –

Jon Hamm as J. B. Bernstein

Aasif Mandvi as Ash Vasudevan

Suraj Sharma as Rinku Singh

Madhur Mittal as Dinesh Patel

Bill Paxton as Tom House

Lake Bell as Brenda Fenwick

Alan Arkin as Ray Poitevint

Pitobash Tripathy as Amit Rohan

Allyn Rachel as Theresa

Darshan Jariwala as Vivek

Tzi Ma as Will Chang

Bar Paly as Lisette

Rey Maualuga as Popo

Sunday, January 17, 2016

January 17 - The Four Feathers(2002)

Today’s movie is an adventure film with a scene that happens on January 17. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

THE FOUR FEATHERS

Harry Faversham a newly commission British officer celebrates his engagement to Ethne. It is announced that the regiment is being sent to Sudan to rescue “Chinese” Gordon. Harry has serious doubts about the ethicality of the war and resigns his commission. His father, three friends, Edward, Jack and Trench and fiancé all disown him, with Ethne and three friends sending him the white feather of cowardice. When he learns the regiment has come under attack, Harry journeys to the Sudan alone and becomes allied with Abou Fatma, an Arab. They discover the fortress of Abu Klea to which the regiment is marching has been overrun by the enemy. Harry sends Abou to warn the regiment, but they disregard him and march onwards. On January 17, 1885 [1:08:16 to 1:19:54], the regiment is attacked and has to form a defensive square. Edward Castleton, who had given Harry a feather is killed in this battle. Harry saves Jack’s life after he is blinded during the battle and gets him transported back to England, where Jack becomes engaged to Ethne. Harry rescues Trench from the prison where he was placed after being captured and returns with Trench to England. When Jack learns it was Harry who saved him, he releases Ethne from their engagement. Ethne reclaims her feather and Harry as her fiancée.

Director - Shekhar Kapur

Producers - Paul Feldsher, Robert Jaffe, Stanley R. Jaffe and Marty Katz

Screenplay - Mark Pellington, Bruce Joel Rubin, Greg Brooker, Michael Schiffer, Risa Bramon Garcia and Hossein Amini

Released –September 20, 2002

Runtime – 2 hours 11 minutes

Starring –

Heath Ledger as Harry Faversham

Wes Bentley as Jack Durrance

Djimon Hounsou as Abou Fatma

Kate Hudson as Ethne Eustace

Rupert Penry-Jones as Tom Willoughby

Kris Marshall as Edward Castleton

Michael Sheen as William Trench

Alex Jennings as Colonel Hamilton

James Cosmo as Colonel Sutch

Angela Douglas as Aunt Mary

Tim Pigott-Smith as General Faversham

Lucy Gordon as Isabelle

James Hillier as Drunken Corporal

Saturday, January 16, 2016

January 16 - The Public Enemy

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on January 16. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

THE PUBLIC ENEMY

Young Tom Powers and his pal Matt Doyle fence what they steal to “Putty Nose”. Putty Nose convinces them to move up to breaking and entering, but when things go wrong, leaves the pair in the lurch. Tom’s older brother Mike tries and fails to keep Tom on the straight and narrow before he enlists in the Marines when the USA enters World War I. On January 16, 1920 [24:00 to 25:00], the day before prohibition takes effect, “Paddy” Ryan recruits the boys into his bootlegging gang. Matt and Tom acquire girlfriends, with Matt marrying Mamie. Tom later dumps Kitty and falls for Gwen. Tom later kills Putty Nose for betraying them. When Paddy’s partner Nails Nathan is killed in an accident, this precipitates a gang war. After Matt is killed by a rival gang, Tom single handedly goes to get revenge, but is wounded in the shoot-out. In the hospital, he promises Mike that he will reform, but Tom is kidnapped by his rivals and killed.

Ardent Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition by John Kobler (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1973) at page 11 gives the date Prohibition began.

Producer - Darryl F. Zanuck

Director - William A. Wellman

Screenwriter - Harvey F. Thew

Runtime – 1 hour 23 minutes

Released – April 23, 1931

Cast –

James Cagney as Tom Powers

Jean Harlow as Gwen Allen

Edward Woods as Matt Doyle

Joan Blondell as Mamie

Donald Cook as Mike Powers

Leslie Fenton as Nails Nathan

Beryl Mercer as Ma Powers

Robert Emmett O'Connor as Paddy Ryan

Murray Kinnell as Putty Nose

Friday, January 15, 2016

January 15 - Gideon's Trumpet

Today’s movie is a courtroom drama with a scene that happens on January 15. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

GIDEON’S TRUMPET

Impoverished Clarence Earl Gideon is arrested for breaking into a pool hall. He asks the judge to appoint an attorney to represent him, but this request is denied. Gideon defends himself, but loses the case, is convicted and sentenced to five years in jail. In prison he studies in the prison library and writes a petition to the US Supreme Court. It decides to hear his case, which makes Gideon a hero to the other inmates. The Supreme Court appoints attorney Abe Fortas to represent him. On January 15 1963 [55:04 to 1:11:31]oral arguments are held in the Supreme Court. The court rules in his favor and at a new trial with an attorney Gideon is acquitted.

Director – Robert L. Collins

Producers - Robert H. Justman and David W. Rintels

Screenwriter – David W. Rintels

Released – April 30, 1980

Runtime – 1 hour 44 minutes

Starring –

Henry Fonda as Clarence Earl Gideon

Jose Ferrer as Abe Fortas

John Houseman as Earl Warren

Fay Wray as Edna Curtis

Saturday, January 9, 2016

January 9 - Another Life

Today’s film is a drama with scenes that happen on January 9. Watch this film tonight.

ANOTHER LIFE

Edith Graydon is a dreamer who eventually marries shipping clerk Percy Thompson, but carries on an adulterous affair with merchant sailor Frederick Bywaters, a friend of her brothers. Her letters to him reveal her hopes for a future with him and her attempts to kill her husband. Finally Frederick kills Percy. Edith says she had no part in the murder, but in spite of Frederick’s testimony that he impulsively acted alone, both are convicted. On January 9, 1923 [1:32:34 to 1:36:13] Edith and Frederick are hung.

Date given in film at 1:32:35

Director - Philip Goodhew

Producers - Chris Craib and Lora Fox Gamble

Screenplay - Philip Goodhew

Released - February 2, 2001

Runtime – 1 hour 41 minutes

Starring –

Natasha Little as Edith Graydon Thompson

Nick Moran as Percy Thompson

Ioan Gruffudd as Frederick Bywaters

Imelda Staunton as Ethel Graydon

Rachael Stirling as Avis Graydon

Tom Wilkinson as Mr Carlton

Diana Coupland as Mrs Lester

Daniel Brocklebank as Newnie

Elizabeth McKechnie as Mrs Thompson

Gyuri Sarossy as Archie

Friday, January 1, 2016

January 1 - Fruitvale Station

Today’s movie is a drama with scenes that happen on January 1. Watch this film tonight.

FRUITVALE STATION

On the last day of 2008, Oscar Grant argues with his girlfriend, tries to get his old job at a grocery store back and decides to not sell pot. He goes to his mother’s birthday party and then on to the New Year’s festivities in San Francisco. On January 1, 2009 [00:36 – 1:59; 52:44 – 1:19:50] while returning to Oakland he is recognized by a former customer of the grocery store. As a result he is spotted by a former fellow inmate who assaults Grant. This causes BART police to intervene. At the end of the ensuing confrontation, Grant is shot in the back by a BART police officer and later dies.

The date is given in the film at 00:40

Producers - Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker

Director - Ryan Coogler

Screenwriter - Ryan Coogler

Runtime – 1 hour 25 minutes

Released – January 19, 2013

Starring –

Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant

Octavia Spencer as Wanda Johnson

Melonie Diaz as Sophina Mesa

Ahna O'Reilly as Katie

Kevin Durand as Officer Caruso

Chad Michael Murray as Officer Ingram

Ariana Neal as Tatiana

Caroline Lesley as Steph

Jonez Cain as Danae

Thursday, December 31, 2015

December 31 - While You Were Sleeping

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene that happens on December 31. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

Lucy Moderatz is a young woman who works as a ticket taker for the Chicago Transit Authority, and gradually develops a crush on an attractive guy who passes through her ticket booth everyday. The guy comes through her booth and while standing on the platform two punks try to mug him. He falls onto the tracks and is knocked out. Lucy keeps him from being run over by the train. At the hospital a nurse mistakenly thinks Lucy is the fiancée of the unconscious man. When his family arrives, they like Lucy, so she decides not to tell them that she is not Peter’s fincee, as she thinks this might cause his grandmother to have a heart attack. Lucy goes to the delayed Christmas celebrations with the family of Peter Callaghan. Peter’s brother Jack goes to Lucy’s apartment house. The obnoxious son of the owner lies and tells Jack that he is dating Lucy. Lucy, who learns Peter has a cat goes to his apartment to feed it and runs into Jack. Jack is suspicious of her relationship with Peter, but when Lucy tells them that Peter only has one testicle, a fact that she accidentally learned from a co-worker of Peter, they naturally believe her. Saul, Peter’s godfather who has learned the truth tells her not to tell the family yet. Lucy goes with Jack to deliver a sofa to Peter’s apartment and learns Jack no longer wants to work with his father in the estate furniture business, but wants to make furniture. Lucy and Jack are attracted to each other, but don’t want to acknowledge it. Lucy has to fight off the unwanted attentions of the landlord’s son and Peter’s family gets the mistaken idea Lucy is pregnant. On December 31, 1994 [59:36 to 1:06:46] Jack follows Lucy to a New Year’s Eve party. Then Peter wakes up, but when he doesn’t know Lucy, they think he has amnesia. Jack finally tells his father how he fells about the business. Saul persuades Peter to propose to Lucy. Then Ashley shows up. Peter had proposed to her, but she said no and moved to Portugal. Peter rejects Ashley and proposes to Lucy who accepts. Jack visits Lucy, but when she asks if he can giver her any reason why she should not marry Peter, he says he can’t. Just as the wedding is about to begin, Lucy stops it. She confesses all and says she loves Jack. Ashley arrives and objects to the wedding, while Lucy sneaks out. Later Jack slides an engagement ring into her token tray. He comes into her booth and with the entire Callaghan family watching he proposes. They get married and honeymoon in Florence, her favorite city.

A wonderful romantic comedy. Just quirky enough to get out of the usual track of such films. Jack Warden and Glynis Johns steal the show with their performances.

Sign at 1:02:31 says “Happy New Year”

Screenplay - Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric LeBow

Producer - Roger Birnbaum and Joe Roth

Director - Jon Turteltaub

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Released - April 21, 1995

Starring -

Glynis Johns as Elsie

Peter Gallagher as Peter Callaghan
Bill Pullman as Jack Callaghan

Jack Warden as Saul

Peter Boyle as Ox Callaghan

Monica Keena as Mary Callaghan

Sandra Bullock as Lucy Moderatz

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

December 30 - The Deliberate Stranger

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on December 30. Watch this film tonight.

THE DELIBERATE STRANGER

In 1974 Ted Bundy is a handsome law student living in Seattle with his girlfriend. Meanwhile the police are investigating a series of disappearances of young women. Witnesses come forward saying they had been approached by a young man who called himself ‘Ted’ who drove a VW bug. Ted leaves Seattle for law school in Utah. The police start to find the bodies of the missing girls and Ted’s girlfriend starts to suspect him. Ted continues killing girls. Then a girl escapes from Ted. The Seattle police use a new innovation, a computer, to look for links in the cases and the Great Basin police forces start to work together on the case. Ted is arrested for evading arrest. The girl who he tried to kidnap identifies him. We learn that Ted was illegitimate. Ted is convicted of kidnapping. He is indicted for murder in Colorado. Ted escapes from the courthouse, but is recaptured. On December 30, 1977 Ted escapes again from the county jail where he was being held pending trial. [2:40:33 to 2:44:39] He is arrested a month later in Florida after he had killed several more girls. Ted is convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

A very scary movie. Mark Harmon did an excellent job of portraying Ted. He conveyed the surface ordinariness of Ted while hinting at the evil beneath. .

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (Signet, New York, 2001) at page 271 and the film at 2:41:13 give the date of his successful escape

Producer - Marvin J. Chomsky

Director - Marvin J. Chomsky

Screenplay - Hesper Anderson

Running Time - 3 hours 5 minutes

Released - May 4, 1986

Starring -

Mark Harmon as Ted Bundy

M. Emmett Walsh as Sam Davies

Frederic Forrest as Robert Keppel

George Grizzard as Richard Larsen

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

December 29 - Marley and Me

Today’s movie has a scene that happens on December 29. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

MARLEY AND ME

John Grogan had a dog while growing up. After his marriage to Jenny they move from Michigan to Miami and get jobs at competing newspapers. Jenny soon gets major stories, while he gets stuck with obituaries and such. When Jenny hints about wanting to have kids, John’s friend Sebastian suggests he get her a dog to take care of. They adopt a Labrador retriever and name him Marley. He soon turns out to be a disobedient dog. John is pressured into writing a twice-weekly column, even though he really wants to write hard news. Marley is so poorly behaved that he is expelled from a dog obedience school and also almost kills himself and the Grogans by leaping out of the car on the way to be neutered. Marley’s antics provide much of the material for John’s increasingly popular column. Jenny gets pregnant, but loses the baby early in her pregnancy. They go to Ireland on a second honeymoon, but Marley terrifies the dog sitter, who can’t control him during the thunderstorms that occur frequently in south Florida. Jenny gets pregnant again and has two boys in succession. After a neighbor is stabbed in a robbery they move to a more expensive and safer neighborhood. John reluctantly agrees to write a daily column to get his salary doubled. Jenny gets postpartum depression and feels overwhelmed. She insists they give Marley away, but later relents. Sebastian meanwhile lands a job with the New York Times, the apex of a newspaper reporter’s career as far as John is concerned. With Jenny’s blessing he takes a news reporter’s job in Philadelphia, but soon realizes he’s a better columnist than reporter. Marley, who is 14 by this time, has an attack of gastric dilation volvus and almost dies. When he has a second attack the vet says he would not survive surgery. John decides to have Marley euthanized on December 29, 2003 [1:40:08 to 1:48:24]. The family buries him in their front
yard.

A sweet and funny story. It functions both as the story of a marriage and a dog movie. Both Anniston and
Wilson give very natural performances here.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan (Collins, New York, 2007) at page 178 gives his death date

Producers - Karen Rosenfelt and Gil Netter

Director - David Frankel

Screenplay - Scott Frank and Don Roos

Runtime – 2 hours 1 minute

Released – December 25, 2008

Starring –

Owen Wilson as John Grogan

Jennifer Aniston as Jenny Grogan

Eric Dane as Sebastian Tunney

Alan Arkin as Arnie Klein

Haley Hudson as Debbie

Kathleen Turner as Ms. Kornblut

Monday, December 28, 2015

December 28 - The Amityville Horror (1979)

Today’s motion picture is a horror film with a scene that happens on December 28. Watch this film tonight.

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR

In a house in Amityville, New York a family of six is murdered. A year later the Lutz family looks at the house and buys it. While they are cleaning their priest arrives to visit. Flies appear in the room he’s in and a voice tells him to “Get Out!”. When he tries to call the Lutzs to tell them about this the phone line is all static and the phone burns his hand. The father, George Lutz feels cold in the house, their son falls downstairs and light bulbs explode. George starts waking up every morning at 3:15 a.m. (which he later learns is the time of the murders) and finds lights on and closed windows are now up. Objects move themselves and black muck appears in the toilets. When a nun visits, she senses evil. Mrs. Lutz has a nightmare and on the way to see the Lutzes, the priest’s car malfunctions. When Mrs. Lutz’s brother gets married $1500 of his money disappears and a babysitter is trapped in a closet. Their priest’s superiors think he’s nuts to be suggesting a supernatural cause of these problems. On December 28, 1975 a couple visit the Lutzs and the wife, Carolyn feels fear. [58:14 to 1:03:22] A window tries to crush the son’s hand. George wakes up at 3:15 again and sees flies in the room. Windows and the front door are blown off their hinges. The police are called. Mrs. Lutz tries to call the priest, but only gets static. Mrs. Lutz has a vision of a man and then of eyes in the window. George goes to a bar and uncharacteristically for him almost gets in a fight. Their friend Carolyn says the house was built by a witch from Salem. She identifies a spot in the basement where their dog digs. They find a red room and have a vision of the killer. Carolyn gets possessed briefly. The Lutzes try blessing the house themselves. The priest is blinded and the Lutzes fight about the house. Mrs. Lutz reads about the murders. George is apparently possessed by the killer’s spirit and the walls start to bleed. They flee, but George goes back to save the dog. He almost drowns in a pool of muck that appears in the basement, but the dog saves him. They all leave.

I remember the buzz this film generated at the time. However, it now seems kind of a yawner. The story seems kind of over the top and told with a “can you believe this’ kind of style. Actually, no I can’t but if you like horror films you might be interested in one of the first in the genre.

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1977) at page 5 gives the date they moved in as December 18, which is day one, so day 11 as given at 58:33 is December 28.

Awards- Lalo Schifrin's musical score was nominated for an Academy Award, but lost

Director - Stuart Rosenberg

Runtime - 1 hour 57 minutes

Released - July 27, 1979

Starring - James Brolin as George Lutz, Margot Kidder as Kathy Lutz, Rod Steiger as Father Delaney, Don Stroud as Father Bolen, Murray Hamilton as Father Ryan , Helen Shaver as Carolyn

Sunday, December 27, 2015

December 27 - Behind Enemy Lines

Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with scenes that happen on December 27. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES

Lieutenant Chris "Longhorn" Burnett and his pilot Lieutenant Jeremy "Smoke" Stackhouse are assigned to fly a photo recon mission on Christmas day by Rear Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart after Burnett annoys the Admiral by announcing he plans to resign his commission. Burnett talks Stackhouse into veering off-course over the demilitarized zone where they photo Serb Bozniack forces burying massacred civilians in mass graves. The Serbs shot down the plane, but both Burnett and Stackhouse eject. The Serbs find Stackhouse and execute him. The French Admiral commanding NATO forces refuses to let the admiral launch a rescue mission. The admiral leaks the story of Burnett’s shootdown to the press. On December 27, 1995 [1:02:32 to 1:38:58] Burnett is picked up by Bosniak guerillas. The Serbs attack, but Burnett changes uniforms with a dead Bozniak soldier and flees. The Serbs present the dead body wearing his uniform as Burnett’s, which causes a NATO rescue mission to be aborted. Burnett returns to his ejection seat and activates the beacon, notifying the Navy and the Serbs of his location. The admiral, in defiance of orders leads a rescue mission. Burnett kills the sniper tracking him, finds the disk with the photos of the mass graves and escapes with the rescue force. The Admiral is retired while Burnett stays in the Navy.

Producer - John Davis

Director - John Moore

Screenwriters - David Velez and Zak Penn

Runtime – 1 hours 46 minutes

Released – November 30, 2001

Starring –

Owen Wilson as Lieutenant Chris "Longhorn" Burnett

Gene Hackman as Rear Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart

Gabriel Macht as Lieutenant Jeremy "Smoke" Stackhouse

Charles Malik Whitfield as Captain Glen Rodway, USMC

David Keith as Master Chief Tom O'Malley

Aleksander Krupa as General Miroslav Lokar

Joaquim de Almeida as Admiral Juan Miguel Piquet

Vladimir Mashkov as Sasha the tracker

Marko Igonda as Colonel Viktor Bazda

Eyal Podell as Petty Officer Kennedy

Geoff Pierson as Admiral Donnelly

Aernout Van Lynden as Himself

Saturday, December 26, 2015

December 26 - The Crossing

Today’s motion picture is a war movie with scenes that happen on December 26. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

THE CROSSING

The Continental Army retreats to the Delaware River and crosses into Pennsylvania to escape the British. They barely get away and their condition is very bad. Washington makes a personal reconnaissance towards Trenton. The other two-thirds of the army arrive. Washington proposes and organizes an attack across the river against the Hessians at Trenton. They cross the river, but it takes longer than anticipated. In spite of being two hours late, on the morning of December 26, 1776 they surprise and defeat the Hessians. [57:00 to 1:26:27] The Continental army then retreats across the river.

A matter of fact film about this famous event. It’s not quite as heroic as myth would have it. This film does show that it was Washington’s refusal to lie down and die that saved the revolution. Everyone else is totally pessimistic about this plan.

General George Washington by Edward G. Lengel (Random House, New York, 2005) at page 185 gives the date

Producer - Robert W. Christiansen, Delia Fine and Rick Rosenburg

Director - Robert Harmon

Screenplay - Howard Fast

Awards – Nominated for the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Movie, Miniseries or a Special Emmy.

Running Time - 1 hour 29 minutes

Released - January 10, 2000

Starring -

Jeff Daniels as George Washington

Roger Rees as Gen Hugh Mercer

Sebastian Roche as Col. John Glover

David Ferry as Gen, Nathaniel Greene

Nigel Bennett as Gen. Horatio Gates

Friday, December 25, 2015

December 25 - Toy Story

Today’s motion picture is a fantasy adventure film with scenes that happen on December 25. Watch and enjoy this movie tonight.

TOY STORY

In a world where toys are alive when people aren’t around, Woody, a pull string cowboy toy is the leader of the toys of Andy Davis. At his birthday party, which has been moved up, since the family is getting ready to move, Andy gets a Buzz Lightyear space ranger toy. Buzz believes he is a real space ranger and not a toy. When Andy can only take one toy on a trip to Pizza Planet, Woody’s efforts to ensure he gets taken results in Buzz accidentally getting knocked out the window, causing the other toys to turn on Woody. Buzz climbs in the car and on the way to Pizza Planet he and Woody fight and end up having to stow away on a delivery truck to try and get back to Andy. However at Pizza Planet they both end up being taken by Andy’s toy abusing neighbor, Sid. While at Sid’s house Buzz learns he is a toy and becomes depressed, until Woody tells him he can have purpose by bringing happiness to Andy as his toy. With the help of Sid’s toys Buzz and Woody escape just in time to reach the truck carrying Andy’s toys but Sid’s dog causes Buzz to be left behind. Woody tries to save him with Andy’s remote control car, RC, but at first the other toys refuse to help him, until they see Woody and Buzz together. RC’s batteries die, but Woody lights the rocket Sid had taped to Buzz. They take flight and Buzz uses his wings to cut the rocket free before it explodes and they float down into the Davis’s car. At their new home on December 25, 19__ [1:12:00 to 1:13:25] Andy gets a puppy for Christmas.

The first installment in the fantastic Toy Story franchise.

Producers - Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold

Director - John Lasseter

Screenwriters - Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow

Awards – The film won a Special Achievement Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Original Score, Best Original Song and Best Original Screenplay Oscars at the 68^thAcademy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 21 minutes

Released – November 22, 1995

Voice Cast - Tom Hanks as Sheriff Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Annie Potts as Bo Peep, John Morris as Andy Davis, Laurie Metcalf as Andy's mother, Erik von Detten as Sid, R. Lee Ermey as Sarge, Sarah Freeman as Hannah, Joe Ranft as Lenny