Star Pick with William Ragsdale

I was fortunate enough to sit down with legendary heavyweight boxer Gerry Cooney not too long ago. One of the biggest punchers to ever grace the bright lights of the ring, his career spanned from 1977 to 1990, a final record of twenty-eight wins and only three losses (twenty-four of those victories came by way of knockout). A towering six feet, six inches, and with an impressive eighty-one inch reach, the offensive minded boxer dismantled two legends of the sport, Ron Lyle and Ken Norton – leading him to a match with the great Larry Holmes, a spectacular bout that went into the thirteenth round, ending with Cooney losing by TKO. After three more convincing wins, Cooney faced two more formidable foes, Michael Spinks and George Foreman, the latter bringing an end to his illustrious career.

Whiplash, the story of a talented drummer who is pushed to the edge by a more than intense, militarist-style instructor, took the world by storm in 2014-2015 and has continuously gained steam ever since. The simple yet effective tale that consists of a battle of the wills helped the film earn three Academy Awards: including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons as well as Best Achievement in Film Editing and Sound Mixing. Whiplash has also landed at number 45 on IMDb’s top 250 films list.

One of those rare movies that has been slowly reappraised with time, Kenny Ortega’s 1993 Disney family flick Hocus Pocus was panned by critics upon its release. Much like other films, including It’s a Wonderful Life, television played a major role in its rejuvenation (as well as its release for home purchase), finding a more than willing audience each and every Halloween as part of ABC Family’s 13 Days of Halloween – grabbing well over two million viewers (record breaking numbers) and transforming it into a true cult classic. At the third annual CAPE (Cornwall and Area Pop Expo), I chatted with up and coming actress Kimberly Leemans. Getting her start on America’s Next Top Model back in 2007, she has transitioned into the realm of television and film. Perhaps best known for her turn as Crystal in the first Hilltop episode, 2016's "Knots Untie", in the hit television show The Walking Dead, she had the unenviable task of punching fan favourite Rick right-off-the-bat. . . she is then taken down by Michonne. Still wandering around in the zombie filled world, we will have to wait and see when she reappears.

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s to mid 90s will fondly recall the wide array of quality animated shows that graced the television screen. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Rupert and Dragon Ball Z may come to mind, perhaps the only three shows that acclaimed voice actor, and today’s Star Pick John Stocker, did not do a voice on in this era of superlative children’s programming. Working since the 1960s, Stocker has been an integral part of the animated field for more than forty years. With one hundred and thirty seven acting credits alone, the sometimes voice director has an illustrious pedigree, to say the least. Beginning with perhaps his most acclaimed turn, henchman Mr. Beastly in The Care Bears, he gave the character a maniacal laugh for the ages, along with a rich, textured voice that brings to life the entertaining yet clumsy hijinks of the never successful villain who had a good heart deep down.

Pulling its title from the novel (written by James Jones) that it is based on, Terence Malick’s 1998 film, The Thin Red Line, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards, brings together a who’s who ensemble cast to tell the tale of an intense World War 2 story set in the Pacific Theatre, specifically, the Guadalcanal Campaign. Over the past several weeks you have read about the filmmakers behind the Tribeca Audience Award winning movie, Here Alone – first, producer Noah Lang, and secondly screenwriter David Ebeltoft. Today’s Star Pick will feature the motion picture’s director, Rod Blackhurst. An up and coming director in the business, he has had great success from the beginning. The first time I came across some of his work, funnily enough, was by accident.

Whether you’ve seen The Sting or not, it is nearly impossible not to recognize its main theme, titled "The Entertainer". A feel good, catchy, ragtime tune that is heard on and off from very beginning to utter end, it is Marvin Hamlisch’s reworking of the 1902 song by Scott Joplin that adds an auditory flair to the piece. It is this classic cinematic work that screenwriter David Ebeltoft, scribe of the Tribeca Audience Award Winner Here Alone, highlights as being his favourite. An up and coming writer in the business, his union with director Rod Blackhurst and producer Noah Lang (who was featured in last week’s Star Pick) seems like it is going to be a fruitful one, as the film making team have already announced two more features, You Were Once Called Queen City and North, following their first united effort – which has just been released and is doing very well in both theatres and online.