Category: Celebs

“The Faculty” (1998) directed by Robert Rodriguez / Z-View

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The Faculty (1998)

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Screenplay: Kevin Williamson; story by David Wechter, Bruce Kimmel

Stars: Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Josh Hartnett, Shawn Hatosy, Salma Hayek, Famke Janssen, Piper Laurie, Christopher McDonald, Bebe Neuwirth, Robert Patrick, Usher, Daniel von Bargen, Elijah Wood, Jon Abrahams, Danny Masterson, Harry Knowles and Jon Stewart.

Tagline: Six students are about to find out their teachers really are from another planet.

The Plot…

When some members of the Herrington High faculty begin to act strangely, only a few students notice. Delilah (Brewster) and Casey (Wood) secretly see two teachers turning another faculty member and realize aliens are involved.

Only four of their closest friends believe what is happening.  As more of the faculty and students are turned the six students realize it is up to them to stop the alien takeover.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Faculty is like a love letter to horror movies of the 1950s geared to high school students with a nice helping of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing.

The Faculty features Jordana Brewster and Usher’s film debut.

Bebe Neuwirth and Robert Patrick own their scenes.

The Faculty (1998) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“14 Hours” (1951) starring Paul Douglas and Richard Basehart / Z-View

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14 Hours (1951)

Director: Henry Hathaway

Screenplay: John Paxton; based on The Man on the Ledge by Joel Sayre

Stars: Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes, Debra Paget, Agnes Moorehead, Robert Keith, Howard Da Silva, Jeffrey Hunter, Martin Gabel, Frank Faylen, Jeff Corey, James Millican, Donald Randolph, Richard Beymer, John Cassavetes, Ossie Davis, Leif Erickson, Brian Keith, Rusty Lane and Grace Kelly.

Tagline: From the edge of the ledge he defied them all!

The Plot…

Robert Cosick (Basehart) has climbed out on the 15th story ledge outside his hotel room.  Cosick is threatening to jump.  The first officer on the scene is street cop Charlie Dunnigan (Douglas).  Dunnigan begins talking to Cosick in an attempt to get him to come back in.

When Dunnigan’s Chief and the police psychologist arrive, Dunnigan is sent back down to help with crowd control.  Cosick refuses to talk with anyone but Dunnigan, so he’s brought back up.

On ground level a crowd has formed.  It’s a circus atmosphere. Some want Cosick to jump while others are betting on the time he comes off the ledge.

As the minutes turn into hours, the chance of a safe outcome grows smaller.  The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

14 Hours features the film debut of Grace Kelly, Joyce Van Patten and John Cassavetes.  In addition, Jeffrey Hunter, Brian Keith and Ossie Davis have bit parts.

14 Hours is based on a real incident from 1938.  After a 12 hour standoff, a man jumped 17 stories to his death.

To Catch a Killer (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Operation Blood Hunt” – Rampage Jackson, Louis Mandylor, Sonia Couling & Jonathan Rhys Meyers vs Werewolves – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Both the poster and trailer for Operation Blood Hunt cries out for a drive-in theater showing.  It’s low budget, horror with “C” level stars.  Sometimes a fun drive-in movie is just what is needed.

Deal me in.

In 1944, a band of Special Forces are sent to a remote Pacific island to solve the mystery of missing Marines. They uncover a deadly secret: werewolves. Now, they must outwit and outfight the supernatural to survive. Welcome to Operation Blood Hunt.

Cast: Quinton Rampage Jackson, Louis Mandylor, Sonia Couling, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

On Demand and On Digital, October 4th, 2024.

“Chaplin: Spirit of the Tramp” – The Teaser is Here!

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I’m a Chaplin movie fan.  So I plan to check out Chaplin: Spirit of the Tramp when it comes to streaming.  Check out the trailer and maybe you’ll be on board too.

Deal me in.

World Premiere – San Sebastian International Film Festival
Genre: Documentary
Director: Carmen Chaplin
Language: English
Countries of Production: Spain, BeNeLux, UK, France
Producers: Wave of Humanity, Basque Films, Atlantika Films, Kwanon Films, Roy Export SAS, Submarine Sublime
Running Time: 86 minutes (excluding credits)

“Breakout” (1975) starring Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall & Jill Ireland / Z-View

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Breakout (1975)

Director: Tom Gries

Screenplay: Howard B. Kreitsek, Marc Norman; based on THE TEN SECOND BREAKOUT by Elliott Baker

Stars: Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall, Jill Ireland, Randy Quaid, Sheree North, Jorge Moreno, Emilio Fernández, Paul Mantee, Alan Vint, Alejandro Rey, Roy Jenson, Sidney Clute, Chalo González and John Huston.

Tagline: Sentenced to 28 years in prison for a crime he never committed. Only two things can get him out – A lot of money and Charles Bronson!

The Plot…

Jay Wagner (Duvall) is framed for murder and sent to a Mexican prison.  All hope is lost.  Unwilling to give up, Jay’s wife, Ann (Ireland) turns to Nick Colton (Bronson).  Colton is a pilot with a crazy plan that just might work.

What Colton doesn’t know is the people that framed Jay will go to any length to see he never leaves prison.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tom Gries directed two Charles Bronson films in 1975; this one and Breakheart Pass.

Believe it or not, this film was based on a real life Mexican prison escape using a helicopter.

With Charles Bronson and Robert Duvall starring, I was hoping for a better movie.

Breakout (1975) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Arnold” (2023) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger / Z-View

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Arnold (2023)

Director: Lesley Chilcott

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, Sylvester Stallone, Linda Hamilton, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, Jay Leno, Franco Columbu and Ivan Reitman.

Tagline: A city at the center of chaos. A detective with special skills. A madman testing her limits.

The Plot…

Arnold is a three part mini-series on the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Each episode has a focus: 1) Athlete, 2) Actor and 3) American.  Arnold shares photos, videos and behind-the-scenes stories.  He is surprisingly frank about his life, including mistakes he’s made along the way.

It would have been easy for Arnold to just put the spotlight on his successes. Kudos to him for speaking frankly about his triumphs and shortfalls.

Arnold (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Breakheart Pass” (1975) starring Charles Bronson / Z-View

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Breakheart Pass (1975)

Director: Tom Gries

Screenplay:  Alistair MacLean; based on BREAKHEART PASS by Alistair MacLean

Stars: Charles Bronson, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, Charles Durning, Ed Lauter, Bill McKinney, David Huddleston, Roy Jenson, Rayford Barnes, Scott Newman, Robert Tessier, Joe Kapp, Sally Kirkland, Eddie Little Sky, Paul Frees (voice) and Archie Moore.

Tagline: Death rode the express to Breakheart Pass.

The Plot…

A train is heading to Fort Humbold, a remote frontier outpost.  The soldiers at the fort have reported a diphtheria outbreak.  The train carries medical supplies, replacement soldiers, and civilians including Governor Fairchild (Crenna) and his fiancée Marica (Ireland), the daughter of the fort’s commander.  Also on board are U.S. Marshal Pearce (Johnson) and his prisoner, John Deakin (Bronson).

As the train gets further from civilization, people started turning up murdered.  There is a killer or killers on board.  To complicate matters, outlaw Levi Calhoun (Tessier) has joined with Chief White Hand (Little Sky) to rob the train of the weapons being taken to the fort.

No one knows who can be trusted.  As the bodies pile up, secrets are revealed and a conspiracy unfolds.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Breakheart Pass is a real location in Nevada’s Rocky Mountains.  And yes, trains pass through it.

The railroad cars that go off track and are destroyed weren’t miniatures.  They were actual full-sized train cars.

Archie Moore, the longest fighter to hold the light heavyweight title, has a featured role.  Moore fought in three weight divisions over his career.  He held the light heavyweight title for ten years!  His boxing record was 186 – 23.

Breakheart Pass is an under-rated Charles Bronson film.

Breakheart Pass (1975) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“No Questions Asked” (1951) starring Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl, George Murphy & Jean Hagen / Z-View

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No Questions Asked (1951)

Director: Harold F. Kress

Screenplay: Sidney Sheldon; story by Berne Giler

Stars: Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl, Jean Hagen, Richard Anderson, Moroni Olsen, Danny Dayton, William Phipps, Howland Chamberlain and Robert Osterloh.

Tagline: M-G-M presents the inside story of the men and their women in the “stolen goods” racket.

The Plot…

Steve Keiver (Sullivan) wants to marry Ellen Sayburn (Dahl).  Trouble is he can’t afford her lifestyle.  Not on his insurance investigator’s salary.  When some valuable furs are stolen, Keiver gets a brainstorm.  It’s risky, but Ellen is worth it.

Keiver meets with some locally known mobsters.  Keiver puts out word he will accept the furs, no questions asked.  In turn he will pay them $7,500 of the $10,000 insurance reward.  Keiver will keep $2,500 for his trouble.

Surprisingly, Keiver’s deal is accepted.  Keiver takes the money to buy a ring for Ellen. Then he learns that she’s with someone else.  So when mobsters come to Keiver with more stolen goods, he’s more than eager to act as the go-between with the insurance companies.  The insurance companies like getting the goods back, but aren’t too happy with Keiver.  The cops even less so.  But he’s not doing anything illegal.  Immoral maybe, but not illegal.

As Keiver gets in deeper with the crooks, it’s only a matter of time before things go sideways.  And when things go bad, people get killed.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

No Questions Asked  has an interesting idea that quickly loses steam.

No Questions Asked (1951) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“London After Midnight” directed by Tod Browning, starring Lon Chaney – The Lost Film

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London After Midnight is a lost film from 1927.  It was directed by Tod “Dracula” Browning and starred Lon “The Man of One Thousand Faces” Chaney.

London After Midnight was one of eight films Browning and Chaney made together,  The last known copy of the film was destroyed in the MGM vault fire of 1965.  I continue to hope another copy of the film will turn up one day.

“Alien Romulus” (2024) directed by Fede Álvarez / Z-View

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Alien Romulus (2024)

Director: Fede Álvarez

Screenplay: Fede Álvarez, Rodo Sayagues; based on characters by Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett

Stars: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu, Rosie Ede, Daniel Betts and Ian Holm (facial and vocal reference).

Tagline: They went looking for a new life. It found them.

The Plot…

In the year 2142, on the distant mining planet LV-410, workers live on a planet barely hospitable.  When the mining company, Weyland-Yutani, unilaterally extends all miners contracts, six friends come up with a plan to escape.

The team consists of…

  • Rain (Spaeny) – an orphan whose only “family” is…
  • Andy (Jonsson) – an android programmed by Rain’s late father to protect her at all costs
  • Tyler (Renaux) – Rain’s ex-boyfriend and brother to…
  • Kay (Merced) – Tyler’s pregnant sister
  • Bjorn (Fearn) – Kay’s lover
  • Navarro (Wu) – Bjorn’s adopted sister

The plan is to board a derelict spacecraft recently discovered in low orbit.  Andy will interface with the ship’s operating system.  Then they will access the crio-chambers that will allow them to escape to civilization.

Easy-peasy.

But the best laid plans often go sideways.  The friends quickly realize they’re in a fight for their lives when they discover xenomorphs on the ship.

And the xenomorphs discover them.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Alien Romulus takes place between Alien and Aliens.  There are many easter eggs / callbacks to both of those films (and others in the franchise including video games).

Fede Álvarez’s direction is top notch.  He was the right choice to revitalize the franchise.

David Jonsson is amazing as Andy.  I’d never seen Jonsson act before, but he is someone I will watch for.

Alien Romulus (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Killer Heat” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Richard Madden – The Poster & Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Killer Heat starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Richard Madden.  Looks pretty good so…

Deal me in.

Jealousy can drive you to the edge. KILLER HEAT, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Richard Madden, is streaming on Prime Video September 26.

“‘Salem’s Lot” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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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.