Start off the new year with What to Watch

No movies to suggest today, just a holiday greeting from the folks at What to Watch. Hope your Christmas was bright and your New Year is grand. I'll be back with a new list starting next week, so stay tuned! In the meantime, here's the star from one of my favorite movies. Can you guess which one?

Jennifer Jones dead at 90

Jennifer Jones died Thursday at age 90.

Though few of today's generation probably knows her name, they may recognize her as Bernadette in "The Song of Bernadette," which pops up on television around Easter.

Jones was one of Hollywood's hottest stars starting with "Bernadette" in 1943. For the next decade, she starred alongside Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, William Holden, Rock Hudson, Charlton Heston and Claudette Colbert.

But unlike many of her peers, Jones was a private person and with the exception of her love affair with producer David O. Selznick and divorce from actor Robert Walker, steered clear of the limelight. As a result, she is not nearly as remembered as her contemporaries such as Katharine Hepburn, Betty Davis and Ingrid Bergman.

Her performances starting with "Bernadette" are unforgettable, however.

Here are six of her finest roles available on video or DVD.

"The Song of Bernadette" (1943) -- Jones won an Oscar for her performance as the peasant girl who claims a vision of the Virgin Mary leads her to discover the healing fountain at Lourdes. Other stars include Vincent Price, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper and Lee J. Cobb. See if you can watch it without shedding a tear.

"Duel in the Sun" (1946) -- Jones (pictured above with Gregory Peck) plays against type as a sexy half-breed who turns a Texas family upside down when she comes to live with them. Other stars include Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotten and Lionel Barrymore.

"Love In a Many-Splendored Thing" (1955) -- Jones is an Eurasian doctor who has an affair with an American reporter (Holden) against the backdrop of the Communist takeover of China.

"Ruby Gentry" (1952) -- Jones is a woman who marries a rich man while she still carries a torch for another. Other stars include Charlton Heston and Karl Malden.

"A Farewell to Arms" (1957) -- Jones is an English nurse who falls in love with an American soldier (Rock Hudson) in Italy during World War I in this remake of the Hemingway story.

"The Towering Inferno" (1974) -- Jones is one of a dozen stars in this disaster epic about a fire in a high-rise that was released 35 years ago today (thanks to Mike Pfaff for that nugget). Other stars include Paul Newman, William Holden, Steve McQueen and O.J.

'Christmas Story' cast members to lead Hammond yuletide parade on Saturday

Fans of "A Christmas Story" have the chance this weekend to meet some of the cast members who will be acting as grand marshalls at a Christmas parade at 10 a.m. Saturday from Gavit High School in Hammond, where late author Jean Shepherd grew up and where the holiday classic is set.

On hand will be Ian Petrelle "Randy," Zack Ward "Scut Farkas," Yano Anaya "Grover Dill," Scott Schwartz "Flick," and Tedde Moore "Mrs. Shields." After the parade, all of them will be signing autographs and posing for pictures from noon to 5 p.m. at the Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Drive, Hammond. There is a $20 fee for autographs.

All of them will also be on hand at a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, followed by another autograph and photo session from noon to 4 p.m.

There also is an exhibit about the movie on display through Jan. 3 at the welcome center.

Complete information on the parade, breakfast, autograph session and exhibit can be found at http://www.achristmasstorycomeshome.com/

And what better way to get into the spirit of the season than by watching Christmas movies. Here are six available on video and DVD that are fun for the whole family.

"A Christmas Story" (1983) -- Peter Billingsley stars as Ralph, a little boy who really, really, really wants a BB gun for Christmas circa 1938. Other stars include Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin and the folks who will be at the parade on Saturday. If you want to follow the adventures of Ralph, Randy, Mrs. Parker and the Old Man, check out "It Runs in the Family." The movie picks up the story the following summer with the BB gun gathering dust in a corner of Ralph's bedroom.

"The Bishop's Wife" (1947) -- Cary Grant is an angel sent in answer to a prayer by David Niven, who dreams of building a cathedral. Other stars include Loretta Young, Monty Woolley, James Gleason and Elsa Lanchester.

"Scrooge" (1970) -- Albert Finney stars as the Dickens character given a chance at redemption on Christmas Eve in this musical version of the story. Other stars include Edith Evans and Kenneth More as two of the ghosts Scrooge encounters.

"Christmas Vacation" (1989) -- Chevy Chase must deal with a lost Christmas bonus, a houseful of unwanted relatives, snobby neighbors and wild animals as he attempts to celebrate the holiday in his own way in this goofy comedy. Other stars include Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, Randy Quiad, Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) -- James Stewart stars as George Bailey, who comes to realize that he's had quite an impact on the people of Bedford Falls in this Frank Capra classic. Other stars include Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Ward Bond and Gloria Graheme.

"Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) -- Edmund Gwenn stars as Kris Kringle in this timeless classic about a young mother and daughter finally believing in Santa Claus. Other stars include Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, John Payne and Gene Lockhart.

Low-budget master Roger Corman to get honorary Oscar

There's a joke in Hollywood that low-budget filmmaker Roger Corman could negotiate a deal in a phone booth, film the movie in the same booth and finance it with the loose change he found. The joke is not far from the truth.

Corman, whose Hollywood legacy includes films with titles such as "Candy Stripe Nurses," "The Terror," "The Masque of the Red Death" and "Bloody Mama," was legendary for making movies quickly and on shoestring budgets. He has the record, if you will, of completing a movie in two and a half days. The film was called "Little Shop of Horrors" and starred a little-known actor named Jack Nicholson. "Shop of Horrors" went on to inspire a big budget remake and a theater production.

Corman, 83, on Saturday will receive an honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his lifetime achievement in filmmaking. Corman has 385 credits for producing, 56 for directing, six for writing and 32 for acting.

Besides producing entertaining movies for 50-plus years, Corman also has a sizable reputation for mentoring many of today's best directors including Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard and Jonathan Demme. They are just some of the graduates of what Hollywood calls the Roger Corman Film School.

A lot of actors also got career boosts from Corman including Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Dennis Hopper and William Shatner.

Perhaps not so well known is that Corman was instrumental in the 1960s of introducing American audiences to the works of international filmmakers including Sweden's Ingmar Bergman, Italy's Federico Fellini and Japan's Akira Kurosawa.

Here are six movies available on video and DVD that are testament to the lasting legacy of the Corman Film School.

"Frankenstein Unbound" (1990) -- Corman wrote the screenplay for this take on the Frankenstein story, which he also directed. Stars include John Hurt, Raul Julia, Bridget Fonda and Jason Patric. It was the last film Corman directed.

"The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) -- Director Jonathan Demme was a graduate of the Corman Film School and he cast his mentor as FBI Director Hayden Burke in this thriller about the FBI using serial killer Hannibal Lecter to catch another murderer. Stars include Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster and Scott Glenn.

"Von Richthofen and Brown" (1971) -- Corman directs this biopic about the World War I ace known as the Red Baron (John Phillip Law) and the Canadian aviator Roy Brown (Don Stroud), who shot him down. The aerial scenes are outstanding.

"The Wild Angels" (1966) -- Corman got some flack for this film he directed about the Hell's Angels, but some film critics say it was the first film to capture the youth movement of the 1960s. Stars include Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Michael J. Pollard and Gayle Hunnicutt.

"Boxcar Bertha" (1972) -- Corman had a way of spotting talent. One of his finds was Martin Scorsese, who directs this movie about a Depression-era union leader (David Carradine) and his girlfriend (Barbara Hershey) getting revenge on an uncaring railroad mogul. Other stars include Barry Primus, Bernie Casey and John Carradine.

"The Terror" (1963) -- Corman boosted the careers of many actors including Jack Nicholson, who stars as a Napoleonic officer who tracks a mysterious woman to an even-more-mysterious castle. Other stars include Boris Karloff and Dick Miller.

Lest we forget: Movies about America's veterans

Three of my best friends in high school enlisted in the service within a couple of years of graduating.

John joined the Army and wound up in West Germany. Carl and Mike joined the Navy on the buddy system. Mike got out after two years but wound up re-enlisting and I lost touch with him. Carl was a lifer from the beginning. Over the next 20 years, he bounced around the globe. He spent time in Iceland, Scotland, Hawaii, Southern California and on a speck of dirt in the Indian Ocean called Diego Garcia. Vietnam was about over so none of them went there.

A few years ago, one of my nieces married a member of the Tennessee National Guard. He's been to Iraq twice.

College and neighborhood friends had kids that joined up. A couple of them joined the Marines. One of them was an Army tank driver. All of them wound up in Iraq. All of them came home in one piece.

I always think of them around Veterans Day, which is next Wednesday. I thank God they all came home safe and sound.

Hundreds of movies have been made about the military. Some of them were about great generals, such as "Patton." Some were about war heroes, such as "To Hell and Back" about World War II soldier Audie Murphy. Some were about famous battles or attacks, such as the Japanese sneak attack on Hawaii in "Pearl Harbor."

Movies have been made about every war the United States was involved in from the Revolution against Great Britain (Mel Gibson's "The Patriot") to Iraq ("Courage Under Fire"), and that includes the Indian wars as well as our war with Mexico.

Not as well known are the movies that take place after the troops come home.

World War II inspired some such as "Some Came Running" about a vet returning to his hometown and "The Men" about paralyzed vets trying to adjust.

There were a lot of movies about Vietnam veterans who came home disabled. "Coming Home" is about a paralyzed soldier falling in love with an officer's wife. "Taxi Driver" is about a vet who has anger issues. "First Blood" is about a vet who is lost in America.

Many movies have a character's wartime experiences in the background. Al Pacino's Michael Corleone is a war hero in "The Godfather," Denzel Washington's  detective Easy Rawlins is a World War II veteran in "Devil in a Blue Dress," and Jack Nicholson's detective Jake Gittes knows what to do with a hand grenade in "The Two Jakes."

As we get ready to pay tribute to the men and women who served, here are six movies that focus on veterans after they have returned from the battlefield. All are available on video and DVD. Lest we forget.

"The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) -- Three veterans (Dana Andrews, Harold Russell and Fredric March, pictured above) meet on a plane carrying them home after the end of World War II and become fast friends. Then they find their lives will never be the same again. Other stars include Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Hoagy Carmichael.

"Home of the Brave" (2006) -- Four soldiers caught in a bloody ambush just days before leaving Iraq find it hard adjusting after returning from the Middle East. Stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel (pictured at left), 50 Cent and Brian Presley.

"Born on the 4th of July" (1989) -- Tom Cruise stars as paralyzed Vietnam vet Ron Kovic who becomes an anti-war activist because he thinks his country has betrayed him in this Oliver Stone bio-pic. Other stars include Tom Berenger, Frank Whaley and Stephen Baldwin.

"The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) -- A Korean War veteran (Frank Sinatra) discovers a fellow POW (Laurence Harvey) has been brainwashed into becoming an assassin in this thriller. Other stars include Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury and James Gregory. Avoid the remake, which takes place after the first Iraq war.

"The Razor's Edge" (1984) -- Bill Murray is outstanding as a World War I veteran who embarks on a quest to find the meaning of life. Other stars include Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks and Denholm Elliott.

"Jacknife" (1989) -- Robert De Niro stars as a Vietnam vet who has managed to make peace with his demons and tries to help Army buddy Ed Harris do the same while romancing Harris' sister (Kathy Baker).  Tom Isbell co-stars as the buddy that didn't make it home.

Halloween Six-Pack: Films that will scare your pants off

Tis the witching season.

Halloween is upon us and you are looking for movies that will scare your pants off.

Forget slasher movies. Unstoppable killers such as Jason from the "Friday the 13th" franchise just aren't scary.

Zombie movies are fun, but they mostly feature gore, which may be nasty and messy but it really isn't scary.

Giant creature movies are another genre that just doesn't scare us. Some are better than others such as "Them" about giant ants, but it comes up short in the terror department. Others are just plain silly including "Night of the Lepus" about giant bunnies ravaging a Southwestern community. C'mon. Giant bunnies? At least the giant grasshoppers in "Beginning of the End" were attacking Chicago.

Monster movies also aren't very scary. Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy and the Wolfman may be classic monsters, but they don't make us shake in our theater seats.

Horror movies come in all shapes and sizes, but here are six, all available on video and DVD, that should send chills down your spine in time for Halloween.

"Frailty" (2001) -- Bill Paxton stars and directs this film filled with twists and turns about a man and his sons on a mission from God to kill demons only they can see. Other stars include Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe and Missy Crider.

"Psycho" (1960) -- Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece about a woman (Janet Leigh) who steals thousands of dollars from her boss and then checks in to the Bates Motel. Leigh reportedly said the movie's famous shower scene so unnerved her she was unable to ever again take a shower. Other stars include Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam. It was remade in color a few years ago but the original is better.

"Halloween" (1978) -- Director John Carpenter kick-started the slasher craze with this film about a killer who returns to his home town on Halloween after escaping from a mental hospital in downstate Illinois. The theme music is absolutely haunting. Stars include Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Nancy Loomis and P.J. Soles. The film inspired several sequels, and Rob Zombie has resurrected the franchise with his own twisted take on Michael Meyers and company.

"The Exorcist" (1973) -- William Friedkin delivers one of the scariest films ever about a young girl (Linda Blair) possessed by a demon and the Catholic priests who arrive to rescue her soul. Other stars include Ellen Burstyn, Lee J. Cobb, Jason Miller and Max von Sydow. A couple of sequels followed this version.

"The Haunting" (1963) -- There's not a single headless body or ounce of blood squirted in this film about three people and a psychic researcher who spend some time in a haunted house and rile up the spirits within. Stars include Julia Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn and Richard Johnson. Avoid the crappy remake that came out a few years ago.

"The Omen" (1976) -- Gregory Peck is the new U.S. ambassador to Great Britain who discovers that his son may indeed be the anti-Christ of biblical prophecy. Other stars include Lee Remick and David Warner.
It also inspired several sequels and was remade a few years ago. Stick with the original.

'Twilight Zone' celebrates 50th anniversary

Who knew in 1959 that the "Twilight Zone," a show that creator Rod Serling had a devil of time getting on the air, would turn into one of the medium's greatest and lasting success stories?

Now, half a century later, episodes are shown nightly on the SyFy Channel, which also hosts an annual marathon every New Year's Eve.

A couple of Christmases ago, I bought my brother a book called the "Twilight Zone Companion." The book has all kinds of information about the show such as a listing of episodes, their stars and the date it first aired. He said it was one of the best presents he ever got.

I used to work with a fellow named Tony Baranek, who claims to have every episode on tape. Every now and again we'd start discussing the show. One night I think we talked about the show for hours.

Few shows from that era are still popular today. A big part of that is today's generation doesn't generally embrace movies and TV shows that aren't shown in color, and shows from that era were filmed in black and white. It didn't make a lot of sense filming TV in color since nobody had color televisions in the 1950s and early 1960s.

"Twilight Zone" has stood the test of time. That's probably due to great writing, great acting and a haunting theme song.

 Everyone has a favorite episode. Most people probably have several favorites. All of the show's 156 episodes are available on video and DVD. Here are six of my favorites. If you have a favorite you'd like to share, post a comment here or on Facebook.

"Time Enough at Last" (Nov. 20, 1959) -- Burgess Meredith, who appears in four episodes, stars as a henpecked bank teller whose habit of lunching in the bank's vault saves him from a nuclear attack. This episode has probably the finest ending of them all.

"To Serve Man" (March 2, 1962) -- Lloyd Bochner stars in this episode about a race of giants that arrives on Earth and puts an end to war and hunger. As he's about to embark on a visit to their planet, Bochner finds out their true reason for coming to our planet. Richard Kiel co-stars as the alien leader (seen in photo above).

"People Are the Same All Over" (March 25, 1960) -- Roddy McDowall stars in this episode about an astronaut's fears that the people on another planet will be radically different from people on Earth.

"King Nine Will Not Return" (Sept. 30, 1960) -- Robert Cummings stars as a World War II pilot stranded alone in the North African desert with his crashed bomber. Or is he? This episode is the first to feature the familiar theme song and Rod Serling's on-camera narration.

"The Night of the Meek" (Dec. 23, 1960) -- Art Carney stars as a department store Santa fired for being drunk who gets once last chance at redemption.

"The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms" (Dec. 6, 1963) -- Three members of a National Guard tank unit start seeing and hearing strange things when they find themselves at the site where George Custer's 7th Cavalry was annihilated by the Sioux.

Watch "Twilight Zone" for free at:

http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/

http://www.fancast.com/tv/The-Twilight-Zone/97525/full-episodes

Zombies are not just an American problem

Zombies are fast becoming the undead of choice in moviemaking circles.

The latest entry is a horror comedy called "Zombieland," which opens Friday. Jesse Eisenberg stars as a nerd who escapes becoming a zombie appetizer because he religiously follows his 47 rules for survival that include "always look in the back seat of a car" and "beware of bathrooms." Eisenberg's fellow survivors include Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin.

Zombies have been climbing out of their graves for decades in Hollywood. Zombies were first introduced as movie villains in 1932's "White Zombie." For the next 70 years or so, zombies were reanimated corpses that shuffled along and while vicious were easy enough to avoid. You could also destroy them by cutting off their heads or shooting them in the head.

Perhaps the greatest zombie movie of this era was George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead." Romero's zombies were reanimated by some kind of radiation and were running amok outside of Pittsburgh. By movie's end, gangs of armed men were traipsing about the countryside gunning down the undead and a few survivors who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Romero also introduced the idea of an

apocalypse with zombies munching on the living and spreading the condition through a bite, cut or blood.

Modern zombies still like to eat the living but they are increasingly fast and sometimes even have the ability to learn. Zombies in Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" are remarkably fast on their feet and once infected with the Rage virus turn into zombies within moments. Zombies in the "Resident Evil" series have embraced this change and its zombies evolved from shufflers in the first entry in 2002 to being able to nimbly climb towers and chase down the living in 2007's "Resident Evil: Extinction."

American zombie movies have ranged from sheer horror as in "Night of the Living Dead" to teen comedy such as "My Boyfriend's Back" to satire including "Return of the Living Dead" with its punk zombies with pink hair. Nazi zombies that can walk across the ocean floor menace a group of people on a Pacific island in "Shock Waves."  Motorcycle mamas take on a swarm of the undead in "Chopper Chicks in Zombietown." And a scientist probably wishes he hadn't brought the dead back to life in "Re-Animator."

American filmmakers have no monopoly on zombie films. Flesh-eaters are featured in movies from around the world. New Zealand moviemaker Peter Jackson tried his hand at the genre in 1992 with "Braindead." Italian zombie movies such as "Zombi 2" are infamous for their excessive gore. Even the French have zombie movies such as "The Grapes of Death" in which poisoned wine turns the populace of a small town into killer zombies.

Zombie movies have their own United Nations with titles produced in a host of countries including Scotland, Egypt, Thailand, Mexico, Columbia, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

Here are six films available on video and DVD for zombie lovers interested in hosting their own international zombie film festival.

"Shaun of the Dead" (2004) -- Simon Pegg stars as a store manager whose life takes an unexpected turn when zombies descend on London in this horror comedy. There's some gore but plenty of laughs as Pegg decides to lead a band of survivors to the safest place he knows, his favorite pub. Other stars include Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost and Lucy Davis.

"Dead Meat" (2004) -- Some kind of zombie infection is being spread from slaughtered animals to people in this Irish horror flick with a cast of unknowns and that was shot on a limted budget. Stars include Marian Araujo and David Ryan.

"[REC]" (2007) -- A television reporter and her cameraman spending the night at a Madrid fire station soon find themselves trapped in a building infested with zombies in this Spanish film that was remade last year as "Quarantine." Stars include Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge Serrano and Pablo Rosso.

 "Undead" (2003) -- An Australian fishing village is hit by a swarm of meteorites that turn most of the residents into killer zombies in this horror film from Down Under. As usual, a small band of survivors try to escape without being eaten alive. Stars include Felicity Mason, Mungo McKay, Rob Jenkins and Lisa Cunningham.

"Zombie Lake" (2001) -- Nazi soldiers drowned in a pond by resistance fighters during World War II eat skinny-dipping girls and pester the townsfolk in a small village in this quirky zombie movie from France. Turns out, one of the women in town was fathered by one of the Nazis stuck in the lake. Leave it to the French to make a zombie father-daughter love story. Stars include Howard Vernon, Anouchka and Pierre-Marie Escourrou.

"Cemetery Man" (1994) -- Rupert Everett stars as the caretaker of an Italian cemetery who is quite accepting of the fact bodies buried in his cemetery always come back to life a week later and he has to kill them a second time to keep them from escaping. Other stars include Francois Hadji-Lazaro as his assistant caretaker, Mickey Knox and Fabiana Formica.

Henry Gibson was quite the character

Henry Gibson was living proof that you don't have to be a star to be popular in Hollywood.

Gibson, who died Monday after a brief battle of cancer, was 73. Most recently he had a recurring role as a judge on the William Shatner-James Spader legal comedy "Boston Legal." To many baby boomers, he will best be remembered as the Southern poet on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In."

Gibson was a frequent guest on many television series as far back as the 1960s on shows such as "Bewitched" and "Mister Roberts." He made his film debut as a college student in the Jerry Lewis comedy "The Nutty Professor" in 1963.

Gibson didn't make a lot of movies in his career, but he made the most out of his performances in them. He was memorable as the voice of Wilbur the pig in "Charlotte's Web" and equally memorable as Clifford Stool in "Evil Roy Slade" and Dr. Eugene Nortz in the Lily Tomlin comedy "The Incredible Shrinking Woman."

Here are six of Henry Gibson's more memorable performances. All of these movies are available on video or DVD.

"The Blues Brothers" (1980) -- Gibson co-stars as the head Illinois Nazi seeking revenge after Jake and Elwood (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) make them jump off a bridge in this musical comedy. Other stars include Cab Calloway, John Candy and Carrie Fisher.

"The Long Goodbye" (1973) -- Gibson co-stars as Dr. Verringer in Robert Altman's take on private detective Philip Marlowe's (Elliott Gould) investigation into a woman's murder. Other stars include Sterling Hayden and Mary Rydell.

"Nashville" (1975) -- Gibson co-stars as country singer Haven Hamilton in this Altman film about the craziness and wacky characters at a political convention. Other stars include Keith Carradine, Shelley Duvall and Ned Beatty.

"Long Gone" (1987) -- Gibson co-stars as the owner of a second-rate minor league ball club in the 1950s South. Other stars include Chicagoans William Petersen as the player-manager and Virginia Madsen. Teller from Penn & Teller also co-stars as Gibson's son.

"The 'burbs" (1989) -- Gibson co-stars as Tom Hanks' new neighbor Dr. Werner Klopek in this goofy comedy about life in one messed up subdivision. Other stars include Rick Ducommun and Bruce Dern.

"Magnolia" (1999) -- Some critics said Gibson's bitter barfly character was the best thing about this Tom Cruise movie. Other stars include Julianne Moore, William H. Macy and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

'Dirty Dancing' star Patrick Swayze remembered

Actor Patrick Swayze lost his battle with pancreatic cancer this week. The star of "Ghost" and "Dirty Dancing" was 57.

Swayze was a rare kind of Texan. Not only did he play football but he was an accomplished dancer who practiced with the Joffrey Ballet among other troupes.

The dancing came in handy for his role as a dance instructor at a 1960s Catskills resort in his biggest hit "Dirty Dancing."

Swayze also was one of those rare Hollywood types who stayed married to the same woman for more than 30 years. He met his future wife, Lisa Niemi, when she was 15 and a dance student at his mom's Houston dance studio. They married in 1975. They starred in one movie together in 1987's "Steel Dawn" about a warrior who helps survivors in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

In his career, Swayze co-starred with some of Hollywood's bigger names. He was a soldier looking for his missing father in Vietnam in Gene Hackman's "Uncommon Valor." He was Jamie Lee Curtis' married boyfriend in "Grandview U.S.A." He was a hockey player alongside Rob Lowe in "Youngblood."

Swayze's younger brother Don also is an actor/stuntman. He was a stuntman on his brother's "Letters From a Killer.''

Swayze most recently starred in the made-for-cable show "The Beast," which was filmed in Chicago right after it was disclosed he had pancreatic cancer. He told talk show host Barbara Walters earlier this year that his alcoholism and heavy smoking probably played some part in his contracting the deadly disease.

Here are six films representative of Swayze's career in Hollywood.

"Dirty Dancing" (1987) -- Swayze became a leading man with his performance as dancer Johnny Castle in this unexpected hit about a girl's (Jennifer Grey) summer vacation at a Catskills resort in the early 1960s. Other stars include Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston and Cynthia Rhodes.

"Ghost" (1990) -- Swayze cemented his place as a screen heartthob with this film about a man's journey into the afterlife after he's murdered. Other stars include Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn and the late great Vincent Schiavelli as an angry spirit that teaches Swayze's character the ropes.

"To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar" (1995) -- Swayze branched out big time with a performance as a crossdresser in this quirky comedy also starring Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo as fellow crossdressers. Other stars include Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner and Chris Penn.

"Red Dawn" (1984) -- Swayze really broke through with his performance as a resistance fighter in the early days of a World War III being fought in America's midsection. Other stars include C. Thomas Howell, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey.

"Point Break" (1991) -- Swayze stars as a surfing bank robber being pursued by FBI agent Keanu Reeves in this quirky crime film. Other stars include Gary Busey, Lori Petty and James LeGros.

"Next of Kin" (1989) -- Swayze stars as a Chicago cop who has to deal with big city crooks and gun-toting backwoods relatives after his brother (Bill Paxton) winds up dead. Other stars include Liam Neeson, Adam Baldwin, Helen Hunt and Andreas Katsulas. Look for a young Ben Stiller as the mobster's son.

Hollywood salutes America's working men and women on Labor Day

Besides being the traditional end of summer, Labor Day is the day to honor America's working men and women.

We won't comment on the fact that almost 10 percent of Americans are without jobs, the highest percentage in 26 years. We also won't point out that many Americans with jobs -- from the fry chef at McDonald's to the pharmacist at the corner drugstore -- will be at work on Monday.

Labor Day is still a three-day celebration often punctuated by parades (Frankfort's parade is at 1 p.m. Sunday), cookouts and, more recently, fantasy football drafts. In other words, it's a party.

Over the years, movies have featured about every kind of job out there.

Doctors and nurses have been portrayed in dozens of movies including "The Interns," "Patch Adams" and "Medicine Man."

Lawyers and judges were featured in films such as "Anatomy of a Murder," "Presumed Innocent" and "The Verdict."

Modern cowboys fall in love in "Brokeback Mountain," while Old West cowboys try to bring in the herd in "Red River."

Coal miners use violence against uncaring owners in "The Molly Maguires," while unionizing efforts are followed in "Matewan."

Fishermen face an unruly Mother Nature in "The Perfect Storm," while a milkman trades his cartons for boxing gloves in "The Kid From Brooklyn."

A young man's family sell electric appliances while he pursues a music career in "That Thing You Do."

Secretaries rebel against an uncouth and sexist boss in "Nine to Five," while a one-handed baker steals his brother's fiance away in "Moonstruck."

A woman fights for better working conditions at a Southern textile plant in "Norma Rae," while a man tries to connect with a student in "Teachers."

Here are six films available on video and DVD that are a tribute of sorts to working Americans.

"All the President's Men" (1976) -- Two Washington Post reporters (Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, pictured above) work tirelessly to uncover the Watergate conspiracy that helped bring down Richard Nixon's presidency. Other stars include Jack Warden, Martin Balsam and Hal Holbrook. Also worth viewing: "The Paper" and "Call North Side 777."

"The Choirboys" (1977) -- Police officers in Los Angeles blow off steam and fight bureaucratic higher ups in this film based on Joseph Wambaugh's novel. Stars include Charles Durning, Louis Gossett Jr., Perry King, James Woods and Randy Quaid. Also wort watching: "Fort Apache: The Bronx."

"Backdraft" (1991) -- Chicago firefighting brothers (Kurt Russell and William Baldwin) battle each other as they hunt an arsonist in this Ron Howard film. Other stars include Robert De Niro, Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Scott Glenn. Also worth watching: "Ladder 49."

"Blue Collar" (1978) -- Three bored autoworkers (Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto and Richard Pryor in a straight role) get drunk one night and break into the union office and set in motion a chain of events. Also worth viewing: "Gung Ho" and "Tucker: Man and Machine."

"The River" (1984) -- A man (Mel Gibson) fights the weather, a banker and other hardships to save his family farm. Other stars include Sissy Spacek, James Tolkan and Scott Glenn. Also worth watching: "A Place in the Heart."

"Tin Men" (1987) -- Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito are rival aluminum-siding salesmen in 1963 Baltimore in this Barry Levinson film. Other stars include Barbara Hershey and John Mahoney. Also worth watching: "Used Cars" and "Glengarry Glen Ross."

'Inglourious Basterds' rewrites history as its heroes kill Nazis

Quentin Tarantino rewrites history in his latest film, "Inglourious Basterds," about American soldiers on a killing spree during World War II.

Brad Pitt stars as an American officer who leads a team of soldiers brutally killing Nazis in occupied France in the days after the D-Day landings in Normandy. The team hatches a plot to kill Hitler and other Nazi elite after learning they are supposed to attend a film premiere in Paris.

Tarantino is noted for violence in his films, especially the squirting blood that coats Uma Thurman after she hacks her way through Lucy Liu's samurai army in "Kill Bill." This time, the violence is appropriate. "Basterds" is a war movie, after all. It's also a revenge movie, which in Tarantino's case always ends in lots of bloodshed.

Tarantino is not the first filmmaker to target Nazis. Hitler and his kind were real-life monsters. They make great screen villains.

World War II films often focus on real-life exploits, such as Audie Murphy's life story as a soldier in "To Hell and Back." Some films tackle actual incidents, such as the specially-made bombs used to destroy German dams in "The Dam Busters."

Other movies about the war in Europe are about ways the Allies got back at the Germans. Some are serious, such as Frank Sinatra leading a prison escape aboard a train in "Von Ryan's Express." Others are just silly, such as Sylvester Stallone's "Victory," about a soccer match between a German team and a team of Allied prisoners.

Sometimes movies are about soldiers looking out for themselves, such as the caper film "Kelly's Heroes," with Clint Eastwood leading a platoon on a mission to knock over a bank filled with German gold.

A lot of World War II movies are about secret missions. "Operation Crossbow" is about infiltrating the base where German scientists are working on rockets. "The Guns of Navarone" is about a mission to blow up a German gun defending a sea lane in Greece.

Not all World War II films are about the Allies. James Coburn is a German officer fighting a losing battle against the Soviets in "Cross of Iron." Peter O'Toole is a highly decorated but sexually disturbed German officer suspected of murdering a prostitute in occupied Poland.

Here are six films available on video and DVD that are all about "killing Nazis," as Brad Pitt's character claims in "Basterds." Be warned: They are violent.

"The Dirty Dozen" (1967) -- The grandfather of killing Nazi movies. Lee Marvin is assigned to train a dozen condemned prisoners and then unleash them on a chateau of Nazi officers in the days before the D-Day landings. Other stars include Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, Charles Bronson and Donald Sutherland.

"Where Eagles Dare" (1968) -- A British officer (Richard Burton) and an American officer (Clint Eastwood) try to free a captured American general being held at an impregnable mountain castle. Also stars Mary Ure.

"The Keep" (1983) -- Nazis occupy a Romanian castle and free an evil force that starts killing Germans. The SS then has to work with a Jewish scholar who knows what evil has been released and a Greek guardian who has come to recapture the evil. Stars include Scott Glenn, Alberta Watson, Jurgen Prochnow and Gabriel Byrne.

"The Heroes of Telemark" (1965) -- Norwegian resistance fighters try desperately to destroy a Nazi plant building heavy water for use in the German atomic bomb program. Stars include Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Ulla Jacobsson and Michael Redgrave.

"Defiance" (2008) -- Three real-life Jewish brothers decide to fight back when the Nazis invade Belarus. In addition to killing Nazis, the Bielski brothers save more than 1,000 Jews from the death camps. Stars include Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Mark Feuerstein and Jamie Bell.

"Play Dirty" (1968) -- British soldiers set out to cross North Africa to blow up Rommel's fuel dump not knowing that they are being betrayed at almost every turn. Stars include Michael Caine, Nigel Green, Nigel Davenport and Harry Andrews.

Movies good enough to eat

Meryl Streep delivers another great performance as celebrated French chef Julia Child (at right) in the new film "Julie & Julia," while Amy Adams co-stars as the real-life housewife who sets out to cook every recipe in Child's first cookbook.
"Julie & Julia" bounces back and forth between Child's time learning to cook while in France in the 1950s with her diplomat husband (Stanley Tucci) and a few years ago when an American woman decides to blog about her experiences trying to make all the recipes in Child's first French cuisine cookbook.
The Southland's own Jane Lynch also co-stars as Child's sister, and she's getting a lot of buzz and even some Oscar talk for her performance.
Hollywood loves to make movies about working people, but cooking is one of those occupations that filmmakers have broached only occasionally.
There have been lots of movies about restaurants, such as "My Dinner with Andre," but the focus wasn't on the food or the cooks.
The Whistlestop Cafe is central to the story in "Fried Green Tomatoes," there was too much other action to call it a movie about cooking.
"Waiting" is a funny comedy about the goings-on at a trendy chain restaurant but again the food was secondary.
"The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" has a lot of elements of a cooking movie including an incredible cannibalism scene but doesn't quite make the cut.
If cooking or food is your passion, here are six films available on video and DVD that I think you'd like. Bon appetit!

"Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe" (1978) -- George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset star in this timeless whodunit about a killer who is bumping off the great chefs of Europe. Robert Morley steals the movie as a food snob. I don't think you'll figure out who the killer is until he (or she) is revealed.

"Tortilla Soup" (2001) -- Hector Elizondo is a master Mexican food chef raising three daughters (Jacqueline Obradors, Elizabeth Pena and Tamara Mello) and coming to grips with the realization he will eventually lose all three. Other stars include Raquel Welch.

"Spanglish" (2004) -- Adam Sandler is a great chef who just wants to run his restaurant but his insecure wife (Tea Leoni) scrambles things for everyone when she hires a Mexican woman (Paz Vega) to be their housekeeper. Other stars include Cloris Leachman.

"Big Night" (1996) -- Two brothers (Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci) in 1950s New Jersey pin their hopes for saving their Italian restaurant on a special dinner for singer Louis Prima in this underrated gem. Other stars include Minnie Driver, Isabella Rossalini, Liev Schreiber and Allison Janney.

"Chocolat" (2000) -- A small French village will never be the same after a single mother (Juliette Binoche) moves in and opens a chocolate shop. Other stars include Johnny Depp, Alfred Molina and Judi Dench.

"Caffeine" (2006) -- A battle of the sexes breaks out among the staff at a London cafe in this under appreciated British comedy. Stars include Marsha Thomason, Mena Suvari, Katherine Heigl and Breckin Meyer.

Aliens are among us

The new aliens-among-us movie "District 9" scored surprisingly big at the box office over the weekend taking in more than $37 million.

In "District 9," a South African cop becomes the hunted after he is assigned to move a couple of million alien refugees from one slum into another and is accidentally infected with alien DNA.

Reel-life alien visitors to Earth often are treated badly even when they aren't trying to take over the planet through global warming, as in 1996's "The Arrival" with Charlie Sheen.

And who can blame humans for shooting at extraterrestrials trying to wipe us out in alien invasion movies such as "Independence Day" or "War of the Worlds."

Not all aliens are bad, however. Some are just looking for a good time, such as in "Earth Girls Are Easy" or "Mars Needs Women."

Some alien visitors are here to help, such as Starman sent to protect Earth from Nazi-type invaders in the Japanese camp classic "Attack From Space."

Still other alien visitors land here by accident, such as the black alien being chased through Harlem by outer space bounty hunters in "Brother From Another Planet."

Sometimes alien visitors want our help, such as the alien seeking water for his dying planet in "The Man Who Fell to Earth."

Here are six films available on video and DVD that feature aliens among us. Do you know who your neighbor really is?

"Men In Black" (1997) -- Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith (pictured above) work for a government agency that tracks alien visitors to Earth. Their job becomes a lot harder when an alien killer (Vincent D'Onofrio) shows up and threatens to start an interstellar war. Other stars include Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub and Linda Fiorentino. More aliens visit Earth in the sequel "Men In Black II."

"Alien Nation" (1988) -- Alien refugees called Newcomers are slowly making lives for themselves in Southern California until a plot is discovered that might turn humans against the Newcomers in this sci-fi thriller. James Caan stars as a human cop partnered with the first Newcomer detective played by Mandy Patinkin. Terrence Stamp co-stars as a Newcomer drug dealer.

"Superman" (1978) -- Christopher Reeve stars as Superman, the only survivor from the planet Krypton, sent to Earth by his father (Marlon Brando) to protect mankind. Other stars include Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, Ned Beatty and Valerie Perrine.

"They Live" (1988) -- A drifter (Roddy Piper) finds a pair of sunglasses that allows him to see aliens who have taken over the planet and their subliminal messages in this camp sci-fi film. Other stars include David Keith and Meg Foster.

"The Hidden" (1987) -- An alien cop (Kyle MacLachlan) in the body of a dead FBI agent hunts an alien bad guy who keeps hopping from one human host to another in this quirky sci-fi thriller. Other stars include Michael Nouri, Claudia Christian and Clu Galager.

"Cocoon" (1985) -- A ditzy boat captain (Steve Guttenberg) and a handful of retirees (Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn and Don Ameche) stumble across four aliens (led by Brian Dennehy) who are trying to rescue comrades stuck in cocoons on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for millenia. Other stars include Tahnee Welch and Tyrone Power Jr., children of Raquel Welch and Tyrone Power.

TV characters you want on your side

While watching U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon cling to life "In Plain Sight" the other night, I started thinking about what TV character I'd like looking out for me in the event I ever needed looking after.

My wife and I decided there are characters who you want on your side if you've been scammed or cheated, such as Timothy Hutton's crew of grifters in TNT's "Leverage." The grifter, hitter, hacker and thief that work with Hutton's mastermind are about evening the score. They even took on crooked bankers trying to milk the bailout in a recent episode.

We also decided that if you were a crime victim, you'd want Kyra Sedgwick's Brenda Leigh Johnson from TNT's "The Closer" on the case. She's like a pit bull once she sets her sights on solving a crime.

Those guys are tough but nice. What about the TV characters who are tough but not so nice?

The litmus test my wife and came up with was what TV cop/detective/righter of wrongs would do violence in his or her pursuit of the bad guys who did one of us wrong.

One character we decided could be violent but would try to out-think the bad guy was "In Plain Sight's" Marshall Mann. In last week's season finale, Mann tried to reason with the leader of a gang responsible for shooting his partner. If Mann wouldn't resort to violence to pry the information out of that scumbag, chances are it's just not in his character.

We compiled what we think are six of the baddest TV characters that you would definitely want on your side. All of these shows are available on video and DVD.

"NYPD Blue" -- Dennis Franz's New York City Detective Andy Sipowitz was not above using violence when he deemed it necessary. He's the kind of TV cop you'd want on your side if a relative was missing or you wanted to squeeze the information out of a suspect. Although he mellowed in later seasons, Sipowitz no doubt would have killed if someone threatened his family or loved ones.

"NCIS" -- Mark Harmon's NCIS agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a dogged pursuer but as a former Marine sniper he has the killer instinct, which he used to kill the drug dealer who murdered his wife and daughter. Gibbs would not hesitate to use violence to defend one of his team.

"Saving Grace" -- Holly Hunter's Oklahoma City Detective Grace Hanadarko is small but packs a punch. She won't abuse a suspect but she'll use violence if necessary to take down a bad guy. Even as she pals around with an Angel named Earl, you can't help but believe she'd kill someone who threatened her family, friends and fellow cops.

"The Shield" -- Michael Chiklis' Los Angeles Detective Vic Mackey (pictured above) murders a fellow cop in the series pilot, so we know he's got the killer instinct. In fact, it's hard to keep track of all the people he killed during the show's run. Mackey would knock down doors, beat people and maybe even kill to help a friend or loved one. Just make sure you stay a friend or loved one.

"Burn Notice" -- Jeffrey Donovan's Michael Weston is the star, but Gabrielle Anwar's ex-IRA bomber Fiona Glenanne is the shoot-first character on this USA Network hit series. She'd definitely kill to protect Weston and his mom, and she'd probably not hesitate to kill to protect Sam (Bruce Campbell), even though they bicker a lot.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" -- Chris Noth's Detective Mike Logan left the original series after punching out a New York City councilman, it's not hard to imagine he'd use violence to protect his family, friends, partner or fellow cops. He's a good cop but he'll push the envelope when needed.

Got a favorite TV bad ass? Let me know.

John Hughes comedies are ageless

John Hughes was able to tap into teen angst like no other director, which was why he was able to churn out a string of hit comedies such as "Sixteen Candles" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" during the 1980s.
Hughes died of a heart attack Thursday while visiting family in New York City. He was 59 and hadn't directed a film since "Curly Sue" in 1991.
While he stopped directing, Hughes continued to write stories and screenplays including "Maid in Manhattan" in 2002 with Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes. In fact, Hughes was a more prolific writer than director. He helmed only eight movies but is credited with writing 38 films including hits such as "Home Alone," "National Lampoon's Vacation," "Pretty In Pink" and "Mr. Mom."
He also continued producing movies including "Home Alone 3" in 1997.
But his greatest success came as a young man directing one hit after another from 1984 to 1990.
Hughes is credited with helping launch the careers of many stars including John Cusack and Molly Ringwald in "Sixteen Candles," Bill Paxton in "Weird Science" and Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club." Many of his frequent stars came to be known as the Brat Pack.
Hughes graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook and based most of his movies in the Chicago area. His favorite reel-life town was Shermer, Ill., based on an early name for Northbrook. Most of his hits were filmed in Chicago, as well.

Even though his movies are all at least 20 years old, they continue to make people laugh. Here are six of his best comedies. All are available on video and DVD and many are regularly shown on cable. No doubt one of the cable channels will hold a John Hughes marathon in the next week or so.

"Sixteen Candles" (1984) -- Hughes burst onto the Hollywood scene with this teen comedy about a young girl (Molly Ringwald) who is heartbroken because everyone has forgotten her 16th birthday while planning her older sister's wedding. Other stars include Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, John Cusack and Gedde Watanabe as Long Duc Dong.
"The Breakfast Club" (1985) -- Hughes scored a second straight hit with this film about five high school students who discover they have much in common while serving a Saturday detention. The students (Hall, Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Emilio Estevez) bond while tormenting their teacher (Paul Gleason).
"Weird Science" (1985) -- Two nerdy students (Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith) create a woman of their dreams (Kelly LeBrock), who then helps them learn to stand up for themselves. Other stars include Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Paxton as Chet.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986) -- Matthew Broderick stars in this Hughes comedy about a student determined to enjoy a day off of school despite the best efforts of the principal (Jeffrey Jones) to catch him goofing off. Other stars include Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey and Edie McClurg.
"Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987) -- Hughes made an easy transition from teen comedy to adult comedy with this film about a dedicated family man (Steve Martin) desperately trying to get home to Chicago from New York in time for Thanksgiving dinner despite a winter storm. His only companion on his trek is an annoying salesman (John Candy). Other stars include Laila Robbins and Edie McClurg.
"Uncle Buck" (1989) -- John Candy stars as a man reluctantly pressed into service by his brother and sister-in-law to watch their kids during a family emergency. Other stars include Amy Madigan, Laurie Metcalf, Jean Louisa Kelly and Macaulay Culkin.

Having a baby Hollywood-style

My daughter is going to have a baby girl on Monday (unless she decides to follow her own timetable and show up sooner).
I figured a great way to count down the days would be to watch movies about expectant parents.
Hollywood has produced lots of movies about pregnancy and expectant parents over the years.
Rene Russo is a pregnant cop trying to get Mel Gibson to marry her in "Lethal Weapon 4," the last of the series. He finally pops the question after she goes into labor.
Mia Farrow learns some disturbing news about her husband and his family as she gets closer to having her child in "Rosemary's Baby."
Molly Ringwald is an honor student whose high school career gets derailed when she and her longtime boyfriend find out she's expecting in "For Keeps?"
Mother and newlywed daughter find out they are expecting together in the sequel "Father of the Bride 2."
Tina Fey hires a woman to have her baby in "Baby Mama," while a woman wants to have a baby but hires a woman to carry the child because she doesn't want to gain weight in "Baby Fat."
Baby movies aren't just American, either. A British couple try about everything to conceive a child in the comedy "Maybe Baby." And a pregnant woman is the world's last hope in the British end-of-the-world thriller "Children of Man."
Here are six movies about expectant parents that will hopefully keep my daughter's mind occupied as the countdown continues. All are available on video and DVD.
"She's Having a Baby" (1988) -- Expectant father Kevin Bacon is a basket case after his wife (Elizabeth McGovern) finally conceives a baby in this John Hughes comedy. Other stars include Alec Baldwin, Holland Taylor, William Windom and Daniel Dugan.
"Knocked Up" (2007) -- Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl (pictured above) unexpectedly hook one for a one-night stand and find themselves expecting in this comedy about a surprise pregnancy. Other stars include Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann.
"Juno" (2007) -- Ellen Page is 16 and pregnant and ready to have a baby in this comedy written by Lemont native Diablo Cody. Other stars include Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janey and J.K. Simmons.
"Nine Months" (1995) -- Hugh Grant's life takes a definite turn after longtime girlfriend Julianne Moore tells him her news. Other stars include Tom Arnold and Chicago's own Joan Cusack, and Robin Williams.
"Paternity" (1981) -- A successful New Yorker (Burt Reynolds) decides he wants a child but not a wife, so he recruits Beverly D'Angelo to deliver his baby. Things then get complicated for the non-couple. Other stars include Norman Fell, Paul Dooley and Elizabeth Ashley.
"Junior" (1994) -- Here's one for all the women who wonder how big a baby a man would be if he ever got pregnant. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a scientist who decides to carry a baby with some help from fellow scientists Danny DeVito and Emma Thompson. Other stars include Frank Langella and Pamela Reed.

Hollywood witches not all toil and trouble

The gang from Hogwarts is back in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which opened this morning to record crowds at midnight showings across America.
In this installment, Harry and company must again fight off the growing presence of evil Voldemort while continuing to explore their feelings for one another. The characters (and the actors) aren't kids any more.
Harry and company are witches and wizards of the good sort. They co-exist peacefully with ordinary folk, us Muggles.
Not all Hollywood witches are the good sort. Anjelica Huston is the leader of a plot by witches to rid the world of children in "The Witches." Palos native Robin Tunney turns on her witch girlfriends after they try to kill her in "The Craft." Bette Midler and her sisters try to gain immortality after coming back to life after 300 years in the dark comedy "Hocus Pocus."
And there's a whole nasty genre of witch movies with titles such as "Daughters of Satan" and "Satan's School for Girls" in which the girls are just plain evil.
Many Hollywood witches, though, have a good side. Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer realize the error of their ways and use witchcraft to defeat the devil (Jack Nicholson) in "The Witches of Eastwick." Angela Lansbury uses her powers to defend Britain from Nazi invaders during World War II in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks."
Here are six films available on video and DVD that feature witches who turn out not to be mean and nasty.

"Bell, Book and Candle" (1958) -- Kim Novak is a witch living in New York City who casts a love spell on her handsome neighbor (James Stewart) and then finds herself falling in love with him in his adult comedy. Other stars include Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold and Elsa Lancaster. Avoid the 1976 made-for-television version, it's a stinker. Plans are in the works for a remake but no names have been officially attached to the project.
"Practical Magic" (1998) -- Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are sisters who learn their witchcraft from their aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) after their mother dies. Then it's up to Bullock to save her free-spirited sister after she falls in with a nasty guy. Other stars include Goran Visnjic and Aidan Quinn.
"The Wizard of Oz" (1939) -- Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) gets a lot of help from the good witch Glinda (Billie Burke) after she drops a house on a bad witch and starts a blood feud with her sister (Margaret Hamilton) in this family classic that was my daughter's favorite movie while she was growing up. Other stars include Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley.
"Four Rooms" (1995) -- A coven of witches (Madonna, Lili Taylor, Sammi Davis, Valeria Golina, Ione Skye and Alicia Witt) descends on a hotel on New Year's Eve to free their goddess from her prison in the first of four stories in this Tim Roth comedy. Roth is called upon to help out with the plan after Skye shows up without her part of the potion.
"I Married a Witch" (1942) -- A witch (peek-a-boo actress Veronica Lake) comes back to life to torment the descendant of the man (Fredric March) who burned her at the stake by stealing him from his fiancee. Then she drinks the love potion by mistake and falls in love with him with the usual hilarious results. Other stars include Cecil Kellaway and Susan Hayward.
"Teen Witch" (1989) -- Robyn Lively (pictured above) stars as an unpopular high school student who discovers she's descended from the Salem witches and inherits their powers. She then uses her powers to become the most popular girl in the school and win the heart of the football star. Other stars include Dan Gauthier, Caren Kaye and Dick Sergent.

Dolton native joins Oscar voters

BULLETIN: Jane Lynch received a Golden Globe nomination today for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the conniving and bitchy cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester in the Fox musical comedy "Glee." Here is a video six-pack written a few months ago when the Dolton native was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Dolton native Jane Lynch, who so effectively lay down granny law in "Talladega Nights," is one of the recent newcomers invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the 6,000 or so Hollywood types who vote on the Oscars each year.
Lynch is among the busiest actors in Hollywood as she bounces with ease back and forth between feature films and television.
Just this week, she announced that because of her role in the new Fox comedy "Glee," which will air this fall, she must bow out of her role in "Party Down," a comedy show on the Starz cable channel that was recently picked up for a second season. In "Glee," Lynch portrays a cheerleading coach who is the enemy of a high school's tarnished Glee Club.
Hopefully, her new gig won't prevent her from reprising her terrific role as the shrink who tries to help Charlie Sheen cope in the CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men." Her give and take with the self-absorbed Charlie is priceless. She also had a great recurring role on "Boston Legal" with William Shatner and James Spade.
Lynch will also be seen on the silver screen this year as Julia Child's sister in the upcoming "Julie & Julia." You can hear her as the voice of a dinosaur in the recently released "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs."
She's also not been afraid to appear in movie shorts, including a turn as the title character in "Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother," which is an 18-minute film told from the view of a soap opera star being replaced by her stepdaughter, Snow White.
Lynch has been plying her trade in movies and TV since the late 1980s and eagle-eyed viewers might recall her as a doctor colleague of Harrison Ford's Dr. Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive."
Here are six performances available on video and DVD that highlight the Thornridge High School graduate's career so far.

"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006) -- Lynch co-stars as Will Ferrell's mom who helps her son bounce back as a racecar driver after his emotional collapse. She also lays down granny law to control Ferrell's wild children. Other cast members include Chicago-area natives John C. Reilly and Michael Clarke Duncan, and Gary Cole, Amy Adams and Leslie Bibb. Talladega Nights

"The 40 Year Old Virgin" (2005) -- Lynch co-stars as Steven Carell's boss who constantly reminds him that she's available to help him shed his virgin status. Other stars include Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks and Kat Dennings. 40 Year Old Virgin
"A Mighty Wind" (2003) -- Lynch co-stars as a former porn star who now leads a folk band with John Michael Higgins in this Christopher Guest improv movie about a folk music reunion. She even throws in a mention about her south suburban roots. Other stars include Guest, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy and Bob Balaban. A Mighty Wind
"Best In Show" (2000) -- Lynch's portrayal as a lesbian dog trainer in another Guest improv movie, about a national dog show, is considered to be her breakthrough role. Other stars include Guest, Posey, O'Hara, Levy, Higgins, Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge and Michael Hitchcock. Best In Show
"Role Models" (2008) -- Lynch co-stars as the psycho mentoring director who makes Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd rethink their decision to act as big brothers for a couple of inner-city youths instead of going to jail after they go on an energy-drink induced wild ride. Other stars include Bobb'e J. Thompson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Elizabeth Banks. Role Models
"The L Word" (2005 to 2009) -- Lynch co-stars in 15 episodes as a high-powered lesbian divorce lawyer who becomes an occasional friend and lover to the Southern California women this Showtime series was about. Stars include Jennifer Beals, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner and Pam Grier. The L Word

Farrah Fawcett was more than big hair, pretty face

Farrah Fawcett's funeral is today. The 62-year-old actress died last week after a lengthy battle with cancer.
While the Texas native will always be associated with "Charlie's Angels," the 1970s television series that catapulted her to fame, her filmography shows that she was more than just a blond with big hair and a big smile, and that she had some acting talent to go with a killer body that helped her sell more than 8 million posters in the late 1970s.
Fawcett started out in television in the late 1960s with guest roles in shows such as "The Flying Nun," which was the springboard for Sally Fields' career.
She added a few small parts in films such as "Myra Breckinridge" and "Logan's Run" before hitting the big time as one of three female detectives who work for a heard-but-never-seen boss in "Charlie's Angels."
Like some other TV stars, Fawcett bolted after a single season. But she was successfully sued by the producers and appeared in a few later episodes as part of the settlement.
And like many other TV stars who quit a hit show, her film career didn't immediately take off. Her big break came in 1984 with "The Burning Bed," a made-for-television film about a battered woman.
Along the way she dumped her husband, actor Lee Majors, and took up with actor Ryan O'Neal. They were together from 1980 to 1997, had a son together, and remained close until the end.
Fawcett caused quite a stir in 1995 when she posed for Playboy magazine. She was 48. Her issue was one of Playboy's best sellers.
Fawcett continued to make movies, such as "Man of the House" with Chevy Chase, and television appearances, including a rambling 1993 visit to David Letterman's show that was to haunt her for years. Her last acting performance was in 2004.
She and best friend Alana Stewart did produce a documentary chronicling her battle with cancer. You can catch "Farrah's Story" for free at IMDB.com or at hulu.com.
Here are six films that are representative of her career. All are available on video or DVD.

"The Burning Bed" (1984) -- Fawcett's big break after "Charlie's Angels" came in this made-for-television film about a battered woman who is raped by her abusive husband (Paul Le Mat) and she sets his bed on fire after he goes to sleep. Other stars include Grace Zabriskie and Richard Masur. The Burning Bed
"Extremities" (1986) -- Reviews were mixed about Fawcett's performance as a woman who turns the tables on a rapist (James Russo) and astounds her friends with the lengths she is apparently willing to go to exact her revenge on her attacker. Other stars include Alfre Woodard and Diana Scarwid.
"Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story" (1987) -- One of three biopics Fawcett did in the late 1980s, about Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton's inability to find true love. Other stars include Anne Francis, Kevin McCarthy and Nicholas Clay. She also starred as Nazi hunter Beate Karsfeld and photographer Margaret Bourke-White.
"The Apostle" (1997) -- Fawcett co-stars with writer, director and star Robert Duvall in this film about a Texas preacher who starts anew as a radio preacher in Louisiana.
Other stars include Billy Bob Thornton, June Carter Cash and Miranda Richardson.
"Dr. T and the Women" (2000) -- Fawcett co-stars with Richard Gere as his nutty wife in this comedy about a Dallas gynecologist and the wildly different women in his life. Other stars include Helen Hunt, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Kate Hudson and Tara Reid.
"Sunburn" (1979) -- Fawcett poses as Charles Grodin's wife while they try to unravel an insurance scam in this light comedy that was one of the films Fawcett did after leaving "Charlie's Angels." Other stars include Art Carney, Joan Collins and William Daniels.

Wedding season brings laughs

Wedding plans in real life are emotional and stressful, sometimes painful, and always expensive.
Reel-life wedding plans use those same truisms and milk them for laughs. Who doesn't laugh at Martin Short's wedding planner character in Steve Martin's version of "Father of the Bride"? And who can't help but smile when Rowan Atkinson attempts to marry a couple in the British wedding comedy "Four Weddings and a Funeral"?
Hollywood has been making fun of weddings and marriage for decades.
Julia Roberts stars as a bride with commitment issues in the comedy "Runaway Bride" with Richard Gere.
Matthew McConaughey is a confirmed bachelor until he meets Jennifer Lopez in "The Wedding Planner."
In "Made of Honor," Patrick Dempsey stars as a man who is asked to be Michelle Monaghan's maid of honor during her wedding in Scotland.
Debra Messing hires a male escort (Dermot Mulroney) to be her companion in "The Wedding Date" and then falls for the guy with the usual hilarious results.
Blushing bride Kate Hudson runs off with Liv Tyler instead of the groom in "Dr. T and the Women."
Molly Ringwald's family forgets her 16th birthday because they are so fixated on her sister's wedding in "Sixteen Candles."
Here are six comedies available on video and DVD that make light of wedding plans.

"The Heartbreak Kid" (2007) -- Ben Stiller finally finds the woman (Malin Akerman) of his dreams, marries her and then discovers on their honeymoon she's more than he thought. Making matters worse, he then meets the real woman (Michelle Monaghan) of his dreams. Also stars Jerry Stiller.
"My Best Friend's Wedding" (1997) -- Julia Roberts sets out to sabotage the wedding plans of her best friend (Dermot Mulroney) after he asks her to be part of his bridal party. Other stars include Cameron Diaz, Rupert Everett, Philip Bosco and Rachel Griffiths.
"Muriel's Wedding" (1994) -- Toni Collette loves Abba, hates her life in Porpoise Spit, Australia, and dreams of her wedding day. Then her day arrives and she only wants to share it with her new best friend (Rachel Griffiths).
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002) -- A Greek woman (Nia Vardalos) has to endure her family's constant meddling as she meets and prepares to marry a non-Greek (John Corbett) man in this outstanding comedy. Other stars include Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin and Ian Gomez (Vardalos' real-life husband).
"The Wedding Singer" (1998) -- Adam Sandler escapes from a bad engagement and then tries to help Drew Barrymore do the same in this comedy about a couple that never seems able to connect. Other stars include Christine Taylor, Angela Featherstone and Matthew Glave.
"Moonstruck" (1987) -- A widow (Cher) from Brooklyn is all set to get remarried to Danny Aiello until she meets her fiance's brother (Nicolas Cage) and falls for him in this romantic comedy. Other stars include Vincent Gardenia.

Hollywood has never met a movie it couldn't make again and again

Movie remakes in a perfect world would take a so-so film and make it better.
Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. As a result, Hollywood remakes rarely are better than the original film and often beg the question, Why?
"The Taking of Pelham 123" is the latest movie remake to come out of Hollywood. The Tony Scott film starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta (deliciously wicked) is about crooks holding a New York subway train for hostage. Robert Shaw led the bad guys in the original and Walter Matthau was the transit cop pitted against him.
Coming in September is a remake of "Fame," a film about New York's high school for performing artists. Plans have been announced for a remake of Kevin Bacon's "Footloose."
They follow a host of recent movie remakes including "Halloween," "Friday the 13th," "The Last House on the Left," "3:10 to Yuma," "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
Some movies have been remade more than once.
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" has been remade twice and loosely inspired a couple of other movies.
Other movies, such as "The Three Musketeers" and "Beau Geste," are seemingly remade by each new generation of actors.
Sometimes a director will take a second shot at his own work. George Romero has made "Night of the Living Dead" at least three times. Alfred Hitchcock made two versions of "The Man Who Knew Too Much."
Every now and then an actor will star in remakes by different directors. John Wayne starred in "Rio Bravo," "El Dorado" and "Rio Lobo," which are essentially the same movie about a family threatened by a bad guy and defended by a besotted sheriff and his gunslinger pal.
Many Hollywood remakes are of foreign films, such as "Three Men and a Baby," "Victor/Victoria," "The Ring," "The Departed" and "The Italian Job."
Here are six Hollywood movies that are as good or better than the originals.

"Father of the Bride" (1991) -- Steve Martin stars in this remade of the Spencer Tracy comedy about a father's attempt to arrange a wedding for his daughter (Kimberly Williams). Other stars include Diane Keaton, George Newbern and Martin Short. There has been one sequel based on Tracy's sequel to the original.
"Ocean's Eleven" (2001) -- George Clooney stars in this Steven Soderbergh remake of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack classic about a plan to knock over some Las Vegas casinos. Other stars include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Elliott Gould and Scott Caan. There have been two sequels to the Clooney version.
"King Kong" (2005) -- Peter Jackson does a great job remaking the original 1933 classic with Jack Black as a filmmaker who takes a crew to a secluded island and finds the big ape. Other stars include Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Colin Hanks. Great use of special effects in this remake.
"The Magnificent Seven" (1960) -- John Sturges transplants Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" into the American West and delivers a stunning remake about gunslingers hired to protect a Mexican village from a bandit's gang. Stars include Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Robert Vaughn.
"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986) -- Frank Oz does an incredible job turning Roger Corman's film about a man-eating plant into a musical starring Rick Moranis and Ellen Green as star crossed lovers. Other stars include Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin and Bill Murray.
"The Thing" (1982) -- John Carpenter makes full use of special effects in his version of the 1951 sci-fi classic "The Thing from Another World." Kurt Russell stars in this film about an alien running amok at an Antarctic research station. Other stars include Wilford Brimley, T.J. Carter, David Clennon and Keith David.

Will Ferrell may be busiest actor in Hollywood

Like him or not, you can't deny the simple truth that Will Ferrell is one of the busiest actors in Hollywood.
His latest film, "Land of the Lost," is the 25th movie role he's had since 2000. This includes feature films, such as "Step Brothers" and "Semi-Pro," voice-only roles such as "Curious George," and uncredited performances such as in "Wedding Crashers."
Ferrell, 42, just keeps churning out comedies. Not bad for a guy who was considered by many to be a disappointment when he joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in 1995 after a stint with the Groundlings comedy group in Los Angeles. He beat out Steve Carell to get that plum assignment.
Fast forward 14 years and Ferrell is now considered to be among the finest to come out of the "SNL" finishing school for comedians. And he's among the most popular film comedians in America.
Not all of his movies succeed. "Bewitched," based on the television series of the 1960s, is one that missed. But that doesn't stop him, and that's the mark of a pro.
Like many who have preceded him in Hollywood, Ferrell uses a lot of the same people in his movies. His stock company includes David Koechner and Andy Richter.
Here are six movies available on video and DVD that show off Ferrell's talents.

"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006) -- Ferrell's portrayal of a disgraced NASCAR driver seeking redemption is hilarious. Other stars include Dolton's own Jane Lynch, Chicago's own John C. Reilly, Gary Cole, Amy Adams and Sacha Baron Cohen.
"Old School" (2003) -- Ferrell considers this his breakout movie and who can disagree. This comedy about three guys (Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson being the other two) who start a college fraternity is laugh out loud funny. Other stars include Jeremy Piven, Ellen Pompeo, Juliette Lewis and Leah Remini.
"Blades of Glory" (2007) -- Ferrell teams up with Jon "Napoleon Dynamite" Heder in this comedy about two banned figure skaters who find a loophole that allows them to compete as a doubles team. Other stars include Will Arnett, "SNL" colleague Amy Poehler and Jenna Fischer.
"Elf" (2003) -- Ferrell stars as a super-sized North Pole elf who goes to New York to connect with his real family in this Christmas comedy. Other stars include James Caan as his real father, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner as Santa, Zooey Deschanel and Mary Steenburgen.
"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (2004) -- Ferrell stars as an oblivious television anchorman in 1970s San Diego whose life takes a turn when Christina Applegate joins him as co-anchor. Other stars include Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Steve Carell and David Koechner. Watch for the battle of the news teams with cameos by Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Tim Robbins and Luke Wilson as rival anchormen.
"Kicking & Screaming" (2005) -- Ferrell is a family man who gets the chance to coach his son's soccer team. That pits him against his win-at-all-costs father (Robert Duvall), a coaching legend. But Ferrell does have Mike Ditka (as himself) on his side. Other stars include Kate Walsh and Musetta Vander.

Nominate suggestions for future columns to bubbabong1@hotmail.com

David Carradine found dead in Bangkok

Actor David Carradine, best known to baby boomers as Caine from "Kung Fu" and to younger audiences as Bill from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies, was found dead Wednesday in a Bangkok hotel room. He had apparently hanged himself.
Carradine, 72, was the oldest son of noted actor John Carradine and patriarch to a Hollywood dynasty. He was half-brother to actors Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine and Michael Bowen. Two of his children are actors, daughters Calista Carradine and Kansas Carradine. He also had two acting nieces, Ever Carradine (daughter of Robert) and Martha Plimpton (daughter of Keith).
Carradine moved easily between television and movies. His role as Caine in television's "Kung Fu" from 1972 to 1975 made him a star. He then starred as his character's grandson in "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" from 1993 to 1997.
He also starred in movies ranging from Martin Scorsese's first hit "Boxcar Bertha" in 1972 to Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films in 2003 and 2004.
He was an action star of sorts in the 1970s, starring in several low budget films such as "Cannonball" and "Deathsport."

Over the years he worked with a number of great directors including Scorsese, Tarantino, Hal Ashby and Ingmar Bergman.
Besides acting for more than 40 years, Carradine was a producer, director, writer and editor. He also was a musician and had composed music for at least one film and had and contributed songs to movie soundtracks. He was also an accomplished artist.
Here are six of his best performances that are available on video or DVD.

"The Long Riders" (1980) -- A Western with a twist. All of the sets of brothers in the movie are played by real-life acting siblings. David, Keith and Robert Carradine are the Younger brothers, while Stacy and James Keach are Jesse and Frank James. Stars include Randy and Dennis Quaid, Christopher and Nicholas Guest and Pamela Reed.
"Boxcar Bertha" (1972) -- Martin Scorsese directs Carradine and then girlfriend Barbara Hershey in this film about a union organizer and his prostitute girlfriend during the Depression. Other stars include Barry Primus, Bernie Casey and John Carradine.
"Bound for Glory" (1976) -- Carradine stars as folk singer Woody Guthrie during his travels during the Depression. Other stars include Melina Dillon, Ronny Cox and Gail Strickland.
"Kill Bill" (2003 and 2004) -- Carradine is Bill in these Tarantino films about a woman (Uma Thurman) seeking revenge on the people who almost killed her and stole her baby. Other stars include Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah and Michael Madsen.
"Death Race 2000" (1975) -- Carradine stars as Frankenstein, a driver in a futurisic American road race where teams earn points by running over pedestrians in this cult classic. Other stars include Sylvester Stallone and Mary Woronov.
"Kung Fu" (1972 to 1975) -- All three seasons of the show about a young Chinese man wandering the American West are available. He later portrayed this character's grandson in "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues."

For more information on David Carradine's film career or to leave a message for his family visit http://www.david-carradine.com/