Category: Celebs

“Uncontained” (2025) written, directed by and starring Morley Nelson / Z-View

Posted on by

Uncontained (2025)

Director: Morley Nelson

Screenplay: Morley Nelson

Stars: Morley Nelson, Peter O’Meara, Brett Zimmerman.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When a zombie-like apocalypse began, most people sought shelter from the spread of the virus.  Now, several years later, even the most remote havens are in danger.

Dan, a former soldier, lives in the wilderness.  He is capable and feels safer on his own, never staying in one place for long.  Then Dan comes across a remote home.  He discovers two children, a boy and his sister living there.  There mother ventured out and never returned.  Dan knows the children cannot survive on their own.

Reluctantly, Dan becomes their caregiver unaware that danger is closing in.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

Morley Nelson, a former police officer, wrote, produced, directed and played the lead in Uncontained.

Don’t go in expecting a typical low-budget zombie gore fest.  Uncontained is more of a character study with an unexpected twist. I give Nelson props for having the guts to make a slower placed zombie flick.

I’ll be interested to see if Morley Nelson continues to write, direct and star in his own productions or if he’ll get an opportunity in Hollywood.

Uncontained (2025) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Rocky” Legacy by Leo Leibelman!

Posted on by

Leo Leibelman is a freelance artist who has provided art for comics, trading cards, novels, instructional materials, film storyboards and more.  Leo Leibelman takes commissions.

Hope you dig his Rocky painting as much as I do.

“It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa

“The Strip” (1951) starring Mickey Rooney and Sally Forrest / Z-View

Posted on by

The Strip (1951)

Director: László Kardos

Screenplay: Allen Rivkin

Stars: Mickey Rooney, Sally Forrest, William Demarest, James Craig, Louis Armstrong, Tom Powers, Vic Damone, Monica Lewis, Don Anderson  and Tommy Rettig.

Tagline: Torchy romance tingling with mystery and throbbing with the rhythm of Dixieland along the glamorous avenue of night clubs!

The Plot…

When Stanley Maxton is released from a long hospital stay due to injuries sustained in the Korean War, he heads for LA..  He dreams of becoming a successful drummer and owning his own club some day.

A chance encounter earns Stanley a high-paying job working for mobster Sonny Johnston. In no time Stanley has money, a fine car and flashy clothes.  Then he meets Jane Tafford.  She’s a nightclub dancer who dreams of becoming a movie star.  Stanley falls hard.

So hard, he quits working for Sonny and takes a lower paying job as a drummer at the club where Jane is a dancer.  But it’s no go.  Jane is only interested in becoming a star and a nightclub drummer can’t help her with that.

Stanley takes Jane to meet Sonny.  Stanley figures Sonny’s mob connections can get Jane an audition.  Problem is, even though he’s married, Sonny falls for Jane.  This puts Stanley and Sonny at odds.

So when a woman is murdered, and evidence points to Stanley, he knows who set him up.  Time is running out to prove his innocence.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

The Strip earned one 1952 Academy Award nomination…

  • Nominee for Best Music, Original Song – For “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Oscar Hammerstein II

The Strip is as much (if not more) a musical than a crime noir. The film features songs performed by Vic Damone, Monica Lewis, Jack Teagarden, and Louis Armstrong, floor show routines by Sally Forrest as well as drum solos by Mickey Rooney.

The film features an unexpected dark (for a musical featuring Mickey Rooney) twist.

Louie Armstrong, Vic Damone and Monica Lewis play themselves.

The Strip (1951) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Crime 101” starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry – A New Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Crime 101 starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry – A New Poster and Trailer are Here!

Get an inside look at the making of #Crime101 starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry. Experience it in theaters and IMAX on February 13.

Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back.

Adapted from Don Winslow’s acclaimed novella of the same name, the film is written and directed by Bart Layton (American Animals, The Imposter). Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte round out the cast.

“Prisoners of the Ghostland” starring Nicholas Cage, Sofia Boutella and Bill Mosley / Z-View

Posted on by

Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)

Director: Sion Sono

Screenplay: Aaron Hendry, Reza Sixo Safai

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Nick Cassavetes, Bill Moseley, Tak Sakaguchi.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

In an apopalyptic future, a bank robber known as Hero is saved from execution by the Governor of Samurai Town.  Samurai Town is a settlement that is a mixture of Japanese and cowboy cultures.  Outside of Samurai Town lies a barren wilderness known as Ghostland.  Those that live in Ghostland are crazed outcasts who kill intruders.

The Governor offers Hero the option to survive.  All Hero has to do is venture into the wasteland, find the Governor’s grown “granddaughter” (sex slave) who has run away, and safely return her to Samurai Town.  Hero will have five days to complete the mission.

Hero will wear a specially designed suit that contains explosive charges.  Should he violate one of the rules explained by the Governor, a charge will explode.  Should Hero fail to return in five days with the Governor’s “granddaughter” all of the explosives in the suit will detonate.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

When I saw the trailer for Prisoners of the Ghostland, I thought it would be either a fun Escape from New York type movie or something just too weird for me.  Sadly it was the latter.  I tapped out at about 35 minutes when one of Hero’s test-e-quels is blown off.

Not even Sofia Boutella was enough to make me want to continue.

Nicholas Cage has been quoted as saying that Prisoners of the Ghostland “might be the wildest movie I’ve ever made, and that’s saying something.” Indeed.

As always, your mileage may vary.

Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021) rates 1 of 5 stars.

Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

The Poster and Trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure are Here!

A film by Steven Spielberg. Disclosure Day is in theaters 06.12.26.

If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people.

We are coming close to … Disclosure Day.

Universal Pictures is proud to release a new original event film created and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars SAG winner and Oscar® nominee Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place), Emmy and Golden Globe winner Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown), Oscar® winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Kingsman franchise), Eve Hewson (Bad Sisters, The Perfect Couple) and two-time Oscar® nominee Colman Domingo (Sing Sing, Rustin).

Based on a story by Spielberg, the screenplay is by David Koepp, whose previous work with Spielberg includes the scripts for Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Combined, those films earned more than $3 billion worldwide. Koepp also wrote the script for this 2025’s Jurassic World Rebirth.

Disclosure Day is produced by five-time Academy Award® nominee Kristie Macosko Krieger (The Fabelmans, West Side Story) and by Spielberg for Amblin Entertainment. The executive producers are Adam Somner and Chris Brigham.

Steven Spielberg is one of the industry’s most successful and influential filmmakers. The top-grossing director of all time, Spielberg has helmed such blockbusters as Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones franchise and Jurassic Park.

Among his myriad honors, he is a three-time Academy Award® winner, including Oscars® for Best Director and Best Picture for Schindler’s List, which received a total of seven Oscars®, and for Best Director for Saving Private Ryan. His most recent film, The Fabelmans, was released by Universal in 2022 and received seven Academy Award® nominations, including for Directing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Picture.

Website: http://disclosuredaymovie.com
Facebook: / disclosuredayfilm
Instagram: / disclosureday
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@universalpics…
X: https://x.com/disclosureday
Hashtag: #DisclosureDay

“The Perfect Storm” (2000) directed by Wolfgang Peterson; starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg / Z-View

Posted on by

The Perfect Storm (2000)

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Screenplay: William D. Wittliff; based on THE PERFECT STORM by Sebastian Junger

Stars: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane, William Fichtner, John Hawkes, Allen Payne, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Karen Allen,
Bob Gunton, Christopher McDonald, Cherry Jones, Rusty Schwimmer, Janet Wright, Dash Mihok, Josh Hopkins and Michael Ironside.

Tagline: In the Fall of 1991, the “Andrea Gail” left Gloucester, Mass. and headed for the fishing grounds of the North Atlantic. Two weeks later, an event took place that had never occurred in recorded history.

The Plot…

Fishing boat Captain Billy Tyne has been on an unlucky streak.  His last several outings have come up short.  Small hauls equals small pay.  Billy and his crew all need more cash.  So when Billy asks them to join him on one last last-season trip, they all agree.

After a short dry spell, the crew hits gold.  They bring in thousands of pounds of fish.  The season has been saved once they get the fish to port and collect the dough.

They might be delayed a bit.  Two massive storms have formed between the ship and port.  The safe thing will be to wait far away until the storm passes.

Then the ship’s ice machine breaks down.

If they wait out the storm, the fish will spoil.  They won’t get a payday.  All the work during the season will be for nothing.  Or… they can head for port and go right through the storms.  It will be risky but they think they can make it.

They have no idea the storms will converge into something no one could have expected.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

None of the fish seen in the film were real.  Because director Wolfgang Peterson was an animal-rights supporter, the fish in the film were either animatronics or rubber.

The Perfect Storm (2000) rates 3 of 5 stars.