Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
I’m a Stephen King fan and ‘SALEM’S LOT is one of my favorite novels by him. Loved the 1979 mini-series adaptation, and am looking forward to the new film.
Check out the poster and trailer.
Deal me in.
They used to tell stories about this place.
Based on Stephen King’s terrifying novel, the new Max Original film #SalemsLot, from the creator of The Conjuring Universe and a producer of It, premieres October 3 exclusively on Max.
Nick Kolakowski has a new novel coming out on March 25, 2025. WHERE THE BONES LIE sounds like a winner…
Centered around the small California town of San Douglas, Where the Bones Lie is an electrifying new mystery noir novel, perfect for fans of Jordan Harper.
For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home sweet home. He’s spent years helping to disappear the film industry’s worst secrets, and it’s left him a cynical burnout who loves bourbon a little too much. But when a young woman named Madeline Ironwood comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees it as a chance for redemption.
Madeline is the daughter of Ken Ironwood, a notorious smuggler and murderer who disappeared 20 years ago. Ken’s skeleton was recently discovered in a barrel at the bottom of a dried-up lake, and Madeline wants to know who killed him.
Dash agrees to help, and as this desperate daughter and jaded cynic claw their way through a world of sun-bleached secrets, crooked cops, and Hollywood thugs, they soon uncover a massive conspiracy involving some of LA’s most powerful people.
Get ready for a fast-paced, darkly funny thriller with a twist you won’t see coming
Preorders are available now.
Revenge of the Creature (1955)
Director: Jack Arnold
Screenplay: Martin Berkeley, story by William Alland
Stars: John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield, Nestor Paiva, Grandon Rhodes, Dave Willock, Robert B. Williams, Charles Cane, Bill Baldwin, Clint Eastwood, Brett Halsey and Ricou Browning.
Tagline: ALL-NEW 3-D THILLS!
The Plot…
An expedition returns to the Amazon’s Black Lagoon. They capture the Creature and bring it to the Ocean Harbor Oceanarium in Florida. Professor Clete Ferguson (Agar) and Helen Dobson (Nelson) are the two main scientists studying the beast.
The Creature becomes enamored with Helen. When the Creature escapes, it goes after Helen. As one of the movie’s taglines says, “Monster Escapes! Terror Seizes City! …a woman’s beauty the lure for his dangerous desires!“
Oh my!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Revenge of the Creature was originally released in 3D, but theaters could request a regular version. The studio released both since the 3ED craze was dying.
Marineland in Saint Augustine, Florida doubled for the Ocean Harbor Oceanarium. I was in heaven as a kid when I went to Marineland and was able to walk the same paths as The Creature from the Black Lagoon!
Revenge of the Creature falls short of the original.
Ricou Browning appears again (uncredited) playing the Creature. He did appear on-screen as one of the lab technicians. Interestingly enough, Clint Eastwood also appears uncredited as a lab worker.
Revenge of the Creature (1955) rates 3 of 5 stars.
The poster and trailer for Unit 234: The Lock Up are here. It stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Don Johnson and Jack Huston.
Deal me in.
After the discovery of an unconscious man in a locked unit, the lone employee of a remote storage facility must fight to survive the night.
Overtime is hell for Isabelle Fuhrman in this tense white-knuckle thriller. After a shocking discovery of an unconscious man in a locked unit, the lone employee of a remote storage facility must fight to survive the night against a ruthless gang, dead set on retrieving their precious cargo – at any cost.
Starring Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan: First Kill), Don Johnson (Knives Out) and Jack Huston (Kill Your Darlings), Unit 234: The Lock Up is written by Derek Steiner and directed by Andy Tennant (Fool’s Gold).
LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN By Ace Atkins (writer) and Marco Finnegan (artist)
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Nick Travers is a Tulane University blues historian. You’d never know that by just looking. Nick played pro ball for the New Orleans Saints. But those glory days are behind him. Now still a young man, Nick spends time at JoJo’s bar drinking too much and listening to Fats make his sax sing.
Fats is an old-time bluesman and Nick’s friend. Fats’ gambling and drinking often eat up his paycheck before the week is over. So when Fats takes a break, Nick offers to buy him a meal. As they’re talking Fats says that he’s in love. Real love. He’s found a woman and she’s something.
Two days later Fats is dead. Self-inflicted gun shot is the reported cause.
Nick is given the task to clean out Fats’ apartment. It’s a sad job. Too many memories. Then it gets worse. Nick realizes that Fats’ beloved saxophone is missing. Nick is determined to learn who took it.
As Nick begins looking for the sax, he gets information that leads him down a different path. One that involves human trafficking, rich and powerful men and the woman that Fats loved.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I first became aware of Ace Atkins when he took over writing Robert B. Parker’s Spencer novels. Atkins was the perfect choice to continue the series. Which led me to Ace Atkins’ Quinn Colson novels. Each new novel became a must read. So when I learned that Ace had done a graphic novel with Marco Finnegan, it was a quick buy. I wasn’t let down.
Atkins has created a great protagonist. A college professor built like a thug. A bluesman. Someone willing and able to right wrongs and go the distance for a friend. The Nick Travers novels have now moved to my “must-get” list.
Marco Finnegan was a great choice to create the art for this graphic novel. Finnegan was an Atkins fan and actually reached out to Ace with samples of his art. The two hit it off and the end result was LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN. Finnegan’s art is black and white with gray wash which is an excellent choice for a noir story. I’m a fan of Marco’s art thanks to LAST FAIR DEAL.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Chris Brunner’s wraparound cover. It’s the icing on the cake.
LAST FAIR DEAL GONE DOWN By Ace Atkins (writer) and Marco Finnegan (artist) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Rating:
Here’s Richard Amsel’s poster for The Big Sleep. Back in the 1970s, Amsel was one of the most popular artists working. His art graced record and magazine covers, movie posters and more. Sadly, Richard Amsel died when he was just 37 years old.
Fall (2022)
Director: Scott Mann
Screenplay: Scott Mann, Jonathan Frank
Stars: Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Mason Gooding, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jasper Cole, Julia Pace Mitchell.
Tagline: Fear reaches new heights.
The Plot…
Becky (Currey), her husband Dan (Gooding) and their best friend Shiloh (Gardner) are free climbing a mountain when Dan slips and falls to his death.
A year passes.
Becky quit climbing. She drinks too much and sometimes thinks of ending it all. Shiloh is now an internet star. She livestreams her daring climbs. Shiloh visits Becky and hoping to end her depression invites Becky to join her on a climb. Shiloh plans to scale a 2,000 foot decommissioned television tower that sits in a remote desert location.
Becky reluctantly agrees. Both women are having such a blast climbing that they miss some danger signs. They make it to the top of the tower. Then a mishap sends the only ladder crashing down. Stuck 2,000 feet on a small perch in the middle of nowhere… what chance do they have?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Fall was surprisingly good. You’re almost guaranteed to get sweaty palms and stomach butterflies.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s role is so small it’s more of a cameo.
Fall (2022) rates 4 of 5 stars.
The poster is pretty generic, but I like the trailer to Depravity.
Deal me in.
When three residents suspect their reclusive neighbor is a serial killer, they break into his apartment only to uncover a hidden fortune in stolen art. But their discovery turns into a nightmare as they’re ensnared in a sadistic game of survival, where every corner hides a new horror. Outsmart the killer, or become his next victim.
Starring Victoria Justice, Devon Ross, Taylor John Smith, and Dermot Mulroney. From the writer of THE FIGHTER and THE FINEST HOURS.
In Theaters and On Digital October 11, 2024
Wolverine by Marco Turini!
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary (2019)
Director: Ben Berman
Screenplay: Ben Berman
Stars: John Edward Szeles (aka The Amazing Jonathan), Eric André, Criss Angel, Penn Jillette, Max Maven, Scott ‘Carrot Top’ Thompson and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.
Tagline: Magic. Meth. Mayhem.
The Plot…
The Amazing Jonathan was a magician/comedian who regularly appeared on television, in Vegas and around the country. But that was decades ago. After being diagnosed with a fatal heart condition, Jonathan gets the itch to perform again. Ben Berman agrees to create a documentary of Jonathan’s final tour.
Berman begins filming. The Amazing Jonathan has earned enough to live in a mansion and never work again. The stress of preparing for the tour, let alone the actual performing could kill him. So why not live out his final days in the comfort from the wealth he’s earned? Then Berman learns that Jonathan still smokes meth regularly.
Death wish, maybe?
As the documentary continues, Berman discovers that The Amazing Jonathan has another documentary crew filming… and another… ultimately there are four crews with each thinking that they have the rights to The Amazing Jonathan’s story.
The film starts out interesting enough. I remember seeing The Amazing Jonathan perform many times on television. His act was entertaining. As the documentary continued, I began to lose interest. Jonathan comes off in a bad light. It’s not just smoking the meth. What kind of person enters deals with multiple crews for the same thing. And the documentary director decides to smoke meth with Jonathan to prove… what?
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary (2019) rates 2 of 5 stars.
James Earl Jones died today. Mr. Jones was 93.
James Earl Jones attended the University of Michigan. Initially he was a pre-med major, but in his junior year Mr. Jones switched to drama. He as a stage carpenter, stage manager and actor at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in drama. After graduation, James Earl Jones attended Ranger School. He attained the rank of first lieutenant before his discharge.
Once out of the service, Mr. Jones moved to New York to pursue a career as an actor. In 1957, Mr. Jones became an understudy on Broadway. Just a few months later James Earl Jones earned a feature role. In the 1960s, James Earl Jones appeared in several productions of William Shakespeare’s plays. He also began getting guest roles on television. Then in 1964, Mr. Jones appeared in his first feature film, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. For the rest of his career, James Earl Jones stayed busy, accepting roles for stage, television, and feature films.
Some of James Earl Jones’ honors include…
Television projects that feature James Earl Jones include: Monitor; East Side/West Side; Channing; The Defenders (2 episodes); Camera Three (2 episodes); Dr. Kildare (4 episodes); Guiding Light; As the World Turns; Tarzan (2 episodes); NET Playhouse; NYPD (2 episodes); The UFO Incident; Jesus of Nazareth (4 episodes); Roots: The Next Generations; Paul Robeson; Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones; The Atlanta Child Murders (2 episodes); Highway to Heaven; LA Law (2 episodes); By Dawn’s Early Light; Heat Wave; Gabriel’s Fire (22 episodes); Mathnet (9 episodes); Pros and Cons (12 episodes); Square One Television (4 episodes); Garfield and Friends; Lincoln; Sesame Street; Law & Order; American Playhouse; The Vernon Johns Story; Picket Fences; Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; Signs and Wonders (4 episodes); Under One Roof (6 episodes); People: A Musical Celebration; 3rd Rock from the Sun (19 episodes); Rebound: The Legend of Earl “The Goat” Manigault; Touched by an Angel; Frasier; Stargate SG-1; Homicide: Life on the Street (3 episodes); The Simpsons (3 episodes); Merlin (2 episodes): Recess (2 episodes); Summer’s End; Everwood (3 episodes); Two and a Half Men; House; The Big Bang Theory; Great Performances (2 episodes); Agent X (2 episodes); Star Wars Rebels (5 episodes) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (4 episodes).
Feature films that feature James Earl Jones include: Dr. Strangelove; The Comedians; The Great White Hope; The Man; Claudine; The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings; The Greatest; Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope; Exorcist 2: The Heretic; Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back; Conan the Barbarian; Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi; Gardens of Stone; Matewan; Coming to America; Field of Dreams; The Hunt for Red October; Patriot Games; Sneakers; Sommersby; The Sandlot; Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult; The Lion King; Clear and Present Danger; Judge Dredd; Cry the Beloved Country; A Family Thing; Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; The Lion King; Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker and Coming 2 America.
I probably first saw James Earl Jones on Tarzan. I first took notice of him with The Great White Hope. After that I noticed him whenever he popped up in a movie of television appearance. I was thrilled that James Earl Jones provided the narration for Sly Stallone’s Judge Dredd. Mr. Jones could do it all. What an amazing career and legacy.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to James Earl Jones’ family, friends and fans.
TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT
We have two posters and the second trailer for Killer’s Game starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, with Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley
In the new action-comedy THE KILLER’S GAME, when top hitman Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella) , he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late.
The Killer’s Game – in theaters September 13! Get tickets now: https://www.thekillersgame.movie/tick…
Starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, with Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley.
THERE’S SOMETHING EVIL IN THE AIR
Here are the poster and trailer for Hold Your Breath starring Sarah Paulson.
If you breathe him in, he’ll make you do terrible things.
HOLD YOUR BREATH. Starring Sarah Paulson, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Amiah Miller and Annaleigh Ashford. Streaming only on @hulu October 3rd. #HoldYourBreath
Directed by: Will Joines, Karrie Crouse
Screenplay by: Karrie Crouse
Produced by: Alix Madigan, Lucas Joaquin
Cast: Sarah Paulson, Annaleigh Ashford, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Amiah Miller, Bill Heck
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my favorite characters. I love seeing different artist’s take on the big lug. Today we have Marv and Nancy by Karsten! You can see more of Karsten’s art at his Instagram page.
THE WAYS OF WOLFE by James Carlos Blake
First sentence…
Axel Wolfe stole a white Ford Fairmont out of the zoo parking lot, then followed Duro’s black Mustang up to I-30 and then eastward a few miles to an exit near a shopping mall.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Axel Prince Wolfe was a married college student whose future was assured. On track to take a position of honor in the Wolfe family’s law firm. Axel would have a position of power to various Wolfe family criminal endeavors. Success and riches were assured.
When an opportunity for a big money heist came his way, it was too much for Axel to resist. He went in with his best friend, Billy, and a Mexican stranger. When things went sideways Billy and the new guy took off. Axel was arrested and convicted. A thirty year prison sentence took away everything.
Axel disgraced his family. His wife took off. His young daughter would grow up refusing to see him.
After two decades in prison, with another decade to go, Axel get the opportunity to escape. He takes it. Axel and Cacho, an inmate with cartel connections make it out. Now Axel and Cacho are on the run into the badlands. With state and local cops dogging their trail and Federales on the Mexican side waiting, the chance for survival is slim.
But if he does survive Axel will see his daughter… and have his revenge.
+++++
James Carlos Blake has created a universe where the Wolfe family’s history spans decades. It’s interesting (and fun) to see how Wolfe’s on both sides of the border work together in respectable/legal as well as criminal enterprises.
I’ve never been disappointed by any of James Carlos Blake’s novels, but his Wolfe tales are always moved to the top of my to-be-read pile.
Rating:
