HANGING AND BURNING: A KING OLIVER NOVEL by Walter Mosley!

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A new Walter Mosley tale is always welcome.  We have one coming on October 20th when HANGING AND BURNING: A KING OLIVER NOVEL drops.  Here’s the scoop…

A dying gangster’s plea sends Joe King Oliver on a quest for a missing woman across America’s coasts ― unraveling a dark and violent family history along the way―in this engrossing new novel from one of the most celebrated and acclaimed crime writers at work today.

Joe King Oliver is the big man you call to solve the most delicate and dangerous of problems. Fresh off unraveling the mystery of his own parents’ fates, King finds himself accepting (again at his grandmother’s request) a case from Arman Babylon, a powerful Los Angeles gangster now dying from cancer.

Babylon’s granddaughter, Twyla Mann, has been missing for years, and he’s desperate to find her before he passes. The search pulls King into the Babylons’ stained past and the cold case of Dalia Shorts, a torch singer who vanished without a trace and whom Arman was once suspected of killing.

As King follows her trail from L.A. to New York and back, he’ll realize nothing is what it seems as he uncovers a pattern of violence that has targeted the women around Babylon for decades. How much will King be willing to risk to finally set things right?

Pre-orders are available now.

“The Green Pastures” (1936) / Z-View

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The Green Pastures (1936)

Director: Marc Connelly, William Keighley

Screenplay:  Sheridan Gibney; based on OL’ MAN ADAM AN’ HIS CHILLUN by Roark Bradford and Ol’ Man Adam an’ His Chillun by Marc Connelly.

Stars:  Rex Ingram, Oscar Polk, Eddie Anderson, Ernest Whitman.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

A group of six young black children are listening to an elderly black man during Bible study.  One of the little girls begins to visualize her perception of the stories…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Green Pastures was one of only six feature films in the Hollywood Studio era to feature an all-black cast.  They were Hallelujah! (1929); Hearts in Dixie (1929); The Green Pastures (1936); Cabin in the Sky (1943); Stormy Weather (1943) and Carmen Jones (1954).

The Green Pastures was banned in Australia, Finland and Hungary because in the film God is shown as dark-skinned.

The Green Pastures was based on the novel OL’ MAN ADAM AN’ HIS CHILLUN by Roark Bradford and the Ol’ Man Adam an’ His Chillun Pulitzer Prizing winning Broadway stage play by Marc Connelly.

At times the film comes off as a bit patronizing.

The Green Pastures (1936) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Steven Fain Gets Carter!

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Steven Fain is a fan artist who occasionally takes commissions.  I first saw Fain’s art on a bookmark for Anthony Neil Smith’s character Billy Lafitte (I highly recommend the Lafitte novel series if you like crime/hardboiled fiction).  I subscribed to Steven Fain’s substack and saw more of his art which I liked.

So I reached out to request a sketch.  I suggested two characters (Stallone from Tulsa King or Get Carter).  Steven liked both ideas, so I ordered both!

“Night and the City” (1950) starring Richard Widmark / Z-View

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Night and the City (1950)

Director:  Jules Dassin

Screenplay:  Jo Eisinger, Austin Dempster, William E. Watts based on NIGHT AND THE CITY by Gerald Kersh.

Stars:  Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Googie Withers, Hugh Marlowe, Francis L. Sullivan, Herbert Lom and Mike Mazurki.

Tagline: The inside story of London after dark.

The Plot…

Harry Fabian is a hustler and con man.  Fabian believes he is one big idea away from riches. Only his ideas never pan out.  Fabian’s a hustler. His enthusiasm has brought others along only to see him fail.  Fabian has worn out his chances with the few folks with money to invest.

Then Fabian gets THE idea that will TRULY make him wealthy.

Through a chance encounter Fabian befriended, Gregorius the famous Grecko-Roman wrestler.  Although older now, Gregorius is still a tough man.  Gregorius’ son, Kristo is a professional wrestling promoter.  Kristo’s star attraction makes him a lot of money.  Gregorius cannot stand fake professional wrestling.

Fabian’s plan is to promote a professional wrestling match.  It will put him at odds with Kirsto; which is a dangerous place to be.  But Fabian will maneuver Gregorius to take his side.  A match between Kristo’s star and Gregorius will be a huge money-maker.

Fabian borrows money from a few dangerous people.  Then puts his plan in motion.  If it doesn’t work perfectly… if Kristos doesn’t kill him, the loansharks will.

“The best laid plans of mice and men…”

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mike Mazurki is one of my old-time chacter actors.  Here he plays a professional wrestler called the Strangler.  Mazurki was once a professional wrestler in real life.

Stanislaus Zbyszko, who plays Gregorius, the Greco-Roman wrestler was a Greco-Roman wrestler in real life … and this was his only film role.

Richard Widmark is perfect as Harry Fabian.  This is my favorite Widmark film.

Night and the City is one of the classic noirs.

Night and the City (1950) rates 5 of 5 stars.

THE NOWHERE MAN: AN ORPHAN X NOVEL by Gregg Hurwitz / Z-View

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THE NOWHERE MAN: AN ORPHAN X NOVEL by Gregg Hurwitz

First sentences…

A naked selfie.

      It starts with that.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Evan Smoak was a child with no family. Raised in a secret government off-the-books program, Evan and other children like him became known as Orphans. Evan was Orphan X.

As children the Orphans were trained to become the ultimate assassins. As adults, they were perfect for black bag assignments. Able to kill with their hands, or any weapon, the Orphans possessed every strategy to covertly and alone complete a mission. The added bonus, if caught or killed, because they had no family, the government had plausible deniability.

Orphan X became legendary among the Orphans and their handlers. Outside of the program, Orphan X was someone spoken about in whispers.

Finally, Evan Smoak had enough of the killing. He escaped and set up a new life. Instead of taking lives, he saved them. Smoak found people with nowhere to turn and rescued them.

Smoak is aware that in just a few days a young woman will be taken from a cargo ship and sold as a sex slave.  Smoak’s plan to rescue her goes sideways when he is kidnapped.

Smoak wakes from his drugged stupor to discover he’s in a remote mountain mansion. He’d been out long enough that he’s not sure he’s even in the United States.  René Peter Cassaroy kidnapped Smoak to gain access to his considerable bank account.  Cassaroy has a squad of trained mercenaries, 24 hour camera and audio surveillance, guard dogs and snipers.   Come Monday morning, Smoak will give him access and then be set free.

Yeah, right.

Smoak knows that it will take all of his skills and training to overcome the odds and escape.  Plus the clock is ticking.  He needs to not only escape but do so in time to save the young woman on the cargo ship.

The clock is ticking.

+++

I love that Smoak was kidnapped not because he was an Orphan, but because of his wealth. 

René Peter Cassaroy doesn’t provide a physical challenge.  It’s his brains (and mercenaries) that make him so dangerous.  Cassaroy would make a great James Bond villain.

It’s interesting to see how Smoak’s mind works and that each set-back makes his escape (or survival) less likely.  And if he doesn’t escape, the girl is doomed.

And if that wasn’t enough, Hurwitz ups the ante.  To say more would be to say too much.

Rating:

“WWE Unreal” Season 3 / Z-View

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WWE: Unreal – Season 3 (2026)

Director: (Eps. 1-5) Terrell Riley, Chris Weaver

Stars: John Cena, April Menendez (AJ Lee), Phillip Brooks (CM Punk), Colby Lopez (Seth Rollins), Rebecca Quin (Becky Lynch), Bronson Rechsteiner (Bron Breakker), Brock Lesner, Allen Jones (AJ Styles), Dominik Óscar Gutiérrez (Dominik Mysterio), Gionna Jene Daddio (Liv Morgan).

Tagline: It’s More Real Than You Think

The Plot…

WWE Unreal gives fans unprecedented access behind-the-scenes at how professional wrestling works.  Cameras are allowed into the writers’ room as the executives on the creative team prepare for the WWE next big events.

This season…

  • John Cena’s farewell tour comes to an end
  • AJ Styles returns
  • Bron Breakker gets a big push when Seth Rollins is injured
  • Preparations for the Royal Rumble play out
  • Injuries to Breakker and Bronson Reed cause plans to change again
  • Wrestlemania 42 arrives

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

When I was a kid professional wrestlers went out of their way to make sure that fans thought it was “real”.  In 1989, Vince McMahon announced professional wrestling was sports entertainment.  The bumps and injuries are real, but the match outcomes are predetermined.  Pro wrestling fans didn’t care.

I haven’t regularly watched pro wrestling in years, but I continue to be interested in the behind-the-scenes access.  WWW Unreal let’s us see behind the curtain and I’m here for it.

WWE: Unreal – Season 3 (2026) rates 4 of 5 stars

BETTER EVERY DAY: AN ACTION PLAN FOR A FULL LIFE by Arnold Schwarzenegger is Coming!

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Arnold Schwarzenegger fans are going to love this.  His book BETTER EVERY DAY: AN ACTION PLAN FOR A FULL LIFE drops on January 12, 2027.  Here’s the lowdown…

From the global icon and number one New York Times-bestselling author of BE USEFUL, a candid and practical set of lessons for building a flywheel for endless growth and deepening purpose

Success is not an outcome; it’s a way of being. Arnold Schwarzenegger learned long ago that joy does not come from making it to the winner’s circle, and that’s not entirely in our control anyway. Happiness comes from the work it takes to get there. It comes from what we do when we’re hungry, not when we’re full. Happiness is about today.

BETTER EVERY DAY, Arnold shares what he’s learned about the path of continual improvement. It starts with simply beginning—the small steps that lead to momentum, the foundation for everything that follows. From there, habit formation and identity building follow. Then deeper challenges strengthen durable willpower and resilience. As we build, we find community, strengthening connection, which refines meaning and purpose and forges an indestructible engine of success.BETTER EVERY DAY breaks it down into twelve building blocks; they can be thought of as steps on a twelve-month journey, but the time span is flexible. These are universal rules for life.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has surpassed every goal he has set for himself in his epic journey through the highest realms of sports, entertainment, politics, and philanthropy. Now the goal is to help people achieve a growth mindset, bring them back into balance, and help them to flourish. There has never been a best that didn’t start with better. Better starts today.

Pre-orders are available now.

Brad Bird’s “Ray Gunn” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn is coming soon.  Today we have the poster and trailer.

Deal me in.

Academy Award winner Brad Bird, the visionary director of The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and The Iron Giant, brings you a whole new world to investigate…

In Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, private eye Raymond Gunn (Sam Rockwell) is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova (Scarlett Johansson).

Watch Ray Gunn – in select theaters December 4 and on Netflix December 18.

“The Crash” (2026) / Z-View

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The Crash (2026)

Director: Gareth Johnson

Tagline: Was it an accident?

The Plot…

Mackenzie Shirilla was behind the wheel when the car she was driving plowed into a brick wall at high speed. The car accelerated without ever hitting the brakes or attempting to swerve. Her boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend Davion Flanagan were killed in the crash.  Mackenzie survived, was charged and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Mackenzie’s defense was that she suffered a medical blackout that caused the crash.

The Crash covers the case through interviews with Mackenzie, her parents, Dominic’s father and sister, Davion Flanagan’s father and sister, friends who were with the group the night of the incident, as well as the prosecutor and defense attorney.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

MacKenzie comes off as an entitled spoiled narcissist.  It’s hard to imagine her boyfriend putting up with her for as long as he did.  Sadly it’s not hard to see how she turned out this way.  Her parents are interviewed.  She could do no wrong in their eyes. They had no guardrails for her behavior and made (and continue to make) excuses for all of her bad decisions.


The Crash (2026) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare” (2026) / Z-View

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The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare (2026)

Director: Skye Borgman

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

On November 13, 2022, a 911 call was made in the small college town of Moscow, Idaho.  Police arrived to the off-campus house and found a quadruple homicide.  Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle had all be brutally stabbed to death.

This is the story of the investigation, widespread speculation that ran rampant until a suspect was caught and ultimately sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment in prison without the possibility of parole.  The story is told through news clips, interviews with law enforcement, as well as family and friends of the victims.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Moscow, Idaho hadn’t had a murder since 2015.  They weren’t experienced in dealing with homicides — especially four at one time.  When news of the murders was released it rocked the nation.

The series does an excellent job of presenting the victims as real people.  Many of the theories that appeared once the murders were public knowledge are covered.  If you followed the case as it unfolded, you know this story.

The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare (2026) rates 3 of 5 stars.