Shameless Self Expression

Ginger Rogers stars as former showgirl ‘Johnny’, engaged to businessman Louis (Stanley Baker). They’re living happily on the French Riviera, though Louis is still technically married, albeit separated. They divorce will come through any day, he promises. Of course it will, of course he does. The kicker is that industrialist Louis’ business is actually controlled by his wife’s family, though he’s ‘helped’ the business through some lucrative, but highly unethical practices. Basically, Louis and his right-hand man Luigi (Eddie Byrne) are in the business of counterfeit coins. Oh, and he’s probably lying about the whole divorce thing, too. Herbert Lom plays a shifty loser acquaintance of Johnny, who is also connected to unscrupulous Louis. Jacques Bergerac plays a nice guy French potter whom Johnny meets after a minor car wreck, and falls for. Louis isn’t going to be too happy about that. John Le Mesurier can be briefly seen at the baccarat table, Ferdy Mayne plays a police detective. ...

After his release from Joliet (prison), Jake Blues (John Belushi) and his loyal brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) attempt to reunite their blues band for enough money-making gigs to help out the struggling orphanage they were raised in. Along the way they seemingly piss off the entire state of Illinois, including state troopers, the local Nazi faction (headed by Henry Gibson), a country and western band (led by the intimidating Charles Napier), and a mystery woman on a violent vengeance streak (Carrie Fisher). Steve Lawrence plays an agent, Ben Piazza a snobby restaurant patron, Steven Williams is an angry cop, Twiggy plays a motorist Elwood gets sweet on, and Cab Calloway plays Jake and Elwood’s father figure and blues mentor Curtis. The Blues Brothers Band is comprised of the likes of Steve Cropper, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn, Willie ‘Too Big’ Hall, Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy, Murphy Dunne,   Alan ‘Mr. Fabulous’ Rubin, Tom ‘Bones’ Malone, and ‘Blue’ Lou Marini.   People might think it’s st...

19 year-old Tish (Kiki Layne, in an impressive feature debut performance) breaks the news to her extended family that she is expecting a child with her currently incarcerated boyfriend Fonny (Stephan James). Fonny was charged with a rape he very likely didn’t commit (Hint: Racist white cop with an axe to grind against Fonny). Tish’s parents (Regina King and Colman Domingo) are taken aback but supportive. Fonny’s parents on the other hand…not so happy. Fonny’s dad (Michael Beach) is pleased enough, but the rest of their bible-bashing family (especially closed-minded old biddy Aunjanue Ellis) are extremely displeased, causing disharmony between the two sides of the family, and even within Fonny’s. Meanwhile, Fonny’s white lawyer isn’t terribly optimistic of an acquittal (Hint: Young black male vs. All-white jury in 70s America). However, Tish is undeterred in her support of her man, whilst mother King is undeterred in her support of her daughter. Diego Luna and Dave Franco have small rol...

Steve Martin (in apparently his favourite of his own films) plays an uptight marketing exec hoping to make it home to Chicago from NY to spend Thanksgiving with his wife (Laila Robins) and kids. Unfortunately, his meeting with boss William Windom runs long, he can’t find a cab (Kevin Bacon, in a very funny cameo, steals one from him), and when he finally gets to the airport...the flight has been cancelled due to snow and rerouted to Kansas. His first class ticket actually turns out to be a mistake, and he ends up in the cheap seats instead. He also has the misfortune to be seated next to an obnoxious, overweight, chatty, shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy, also apparently his favourite film of his own) who may or may not have stolen another cab from him. Although a perfectly sweet and friendly man, Candy immediately rubs the rather impatient Martin the wrong way, and unfortunately, this plane trip will not be the only meeting between the two. Candy appears to be playing the human...