Holy Unknown

Bernie (2011)   is a dark comedy-drama directed by Richard Linklater and written by Skip Hollandsworth and Linklater, based on true events. The film follows assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) in tiny Carthage, Texas, who befriends a wealthy, bitter widow named Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine). After enduring endless emotional abuse, Bernie shoots her and hides her body in a freezer, using her wealth for local charitable acts. The story is based on the 1998 article "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas" written by Skip Hollandsworth. Jack Black visited Tiede in prison to capture his mannerisms, while Shirley MacLaine relied on accounts from local residents for her role. Matthew McConaughey plays District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson, with his real-life mother, Kay, appearing as a town gossip. The film sparked real-world legal scrutiny, leading to Tiede's temporary release before a resentencing trial. 2011 • PG-13 • 1h 39m Rotten Tomatoes: 88% Holy Unkn...

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)   is a musical comedy directed by Frank Oz and written by Howard Ashman, adapting his and Alan Menken's off-Broadway show. Florist Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) gains success at a dark cost when he discovers a bloodthirsty plant, Audrey II. As bodies pile up, Seymour tries to protect his crush, Audrey (Ellen Greene), from her abusive dentist boyfriend, Orin Scrivello (Steve Martin). Because the Audrey II puppet couldn't move fast enough, scenes were shot with the actors moving in slow motion while lip-syncing to sped-up music. The film originally ended with a large-scale sequence of Audrey II conquering the city, but negative test screenings led Warner Bros. to spend millions reshooting a more optimistic ending. The memorable scene featuring Steve Martin was largely improvised on set. 1986 • PG-13 • 1h 34m Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Holy Unknown Grade: A Worldwide Gross: 39M Where To Watch

Ed Wood (1994)   is a fantastic biographical comedy-drama directed by Tim Burton and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The film follows the famously unsuccessful low-budget filmmaker Ed Wood (Johnny Depp) as he resiliently moves from project to project with an unshakeable confidence, assembling an eccentric circle of collaborators that includes icon Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). Tim Burton insisted on shooting in black and white, despite studio resistance, to match the visual texture of the era.  Johnny Depp avoided portraying Wood as incompetent, instead modeling his performance on upbeat optimism. Martin Landau spent months studying Bela Lugosi’s films and interviews, working with a dialect coach to capture his accent; his performance earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. 1994 • R • 2h 7m Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Holy Unknown Grade: A+ Worldwide Gross: 5.8M Where To Watch

Multiplicity (1996) is a comedy directed by Harold Ramis and written by Chris Miller . The film follows Doug Kinney ( Michael Keaton ), a construction foreman overwhelmed by work and family demands, who agrees to be cloned to manage his time. As additional copies are made, each generation becomes less stable, turning a practical solution into a series of complications. The role of Doug Kinney gave Michael Keaton the chance to play multiple distinct characters in the same film, something Harold Ramis encouraged him to push as far as possible in performance rather than effects. Keaton developed separate personalities for each clone, including the more childlike “Steve,” which became one of the film’s most memorable elements. The concept originated from a short story by Chris Miller , which Ramis expanded into a domestic comedy about time, identity, and responsibility.  1996 • PG-13 • 1h 57m Rotten Tomatoes: 46% Holy Unknown Grade: B+ Worldwide Gross: 21M Where To Watch

The Firm (1993) is a legal thriller directed by Sydney Pollack and written by David Rabe , Robert Towne , and David Rayfiel , based on the novel by John Grisham . The film follows Mitch McDeere ( Tom Cruise ), a Harvard Law graduate who joins a Memphis firm offering wealth and control. As he settles in, the firm’s structure reveals surveillance, secrecy, and unexplained deaths. When federal investigators approach him, Mitch realizes he is already inside something he cannot easily leave. Filmed in Memphis, Tennessee, with additional scenes in Massachusetts and the Cayman Islands, the production used real law offices and residential areas to ground the firm’s controlled environment. Sydney Pollack chose to change the ending from John Grisham ’s novel, replacing a more direct legal resolution with a strategy-driven outcome. Tom Cruise worked with Pollack to present Mitch as observant and reactive rather than overtly heroic. Gene Hackman joined the film after early discussions consid...