Category: Celebs

“JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

I’m not one for crowds, but the New Orleans Jazz Fest just might be worth it.

JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY

Directed By: Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern

Featuring: Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett, Katy Perry, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many others.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, aka “Jazz Fest,” is the signature annual music and cultural event of the city and has been called America’s greatest festival. Celebrating the music, food, and arts and crafts of all of Louisiana since 1970, Jazz Fest is an essential showcase of the rich heritage of the region, and hundreds of thousands attend the event each year. Local music heroes are joined on 14 stages by some of the most important figures in entertainment, highlighting the connections between Louisiana culture and the world.

JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY weaves together live performances and interviews from the 50th anniversary of the iconic festival, featuring some of the biggest names in the music industry, along with a wealth of archival documentary footage from the past half century. This film not only captures the Festival in all of its beauty and glory, but also delves deep into the rich culture of The Big Easy.

Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (2018) / Z-View

Posted on by

Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes (2018)

Director:  Robert S. Bader

Writers:  Robert S. Bader, Dick Cavett

Starring:  Muhammad Ali, Dick Cavett, Joe Frazier, Woody Allen, Jimmy Breslin, Jim Brown, Howard Cosell, Angelo Dundee, Louis Farrakhan, Martin Luther King, Jerry Lewis, Joe Louis, Thomas Hauser. Lester Maddox. Norman Mailer, Malcolm X, Michael Marley  and Larry Merchant.

Tagline: None.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes is a wonderful documentary chronicling the life and boxing career of Muhammad Ali using clips from the Dick Cavett Show as the glue holding it together.  Ali not only led an interesting life, but lived in interesting and turbulent times.  It is fascinating to see how social changes and outside influences impacted Ali’s career.  As Ali matured he became more of his own man, the only three-time heavyweight champion and the most famous athlete in the world.  It’s an interesting journey and rates 5 of 5 stars!

“21 Bridges” (2019) / Z-View

Posted on by

21 Bridges (2019)

Director: Brian Kirk

Screenplay:  Adam Mervis, Matthew Michael Carnahan

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons, Taylor Kitsch and Keith David.

Tagline:  The Only Way Out is Through Him

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A couple of small time thieves get a tip on a cocaine stash of 30 kilos.  When they go to rip it off, they discover 300 kilos!  Cops show up and the thieves kill them all.  Detective Andre Davis (Boseman) is assigned to bring in the cop killers.  As the bodies pile up, Davis begins to realize that there is more at play than a simple robbery gone wrong.  The conspiracy runs deep and Davis doesn’t know who he can trust.

21 Bridges is a fast paced action thriller that is well cast and directed.  Sienna Miller is believable as a tough female detective.  Boseman and J.K. Simmons are always good.  Keith David doesn’t have a lot to do, but is also a welcome addition to the cast.  21 Bridges rates 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Johnny Brown

Posted on by

Johnny Brown, actor and singer, died on March 3, 2022, at the age of 84.  No cause of death was reported.

Mr. Brown began his career as singer.  He toured with Sam “the man” Taylor.  In 1961, Johnny Brown released an album of his own.  Sammy Davis Jr. became a mentor to Johnny Brown and this led to Brown’s role in Golden Boy on Broadway.  His first movie role was in Sammy Davis’ film, A Man Named Adam.

Johnny Brown was a regular on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.  His contract on Laugh-In prevented him from accepting the role of Redd Fox’s son on Sanford & Son.  After Laugh-In, Mr. Brown was a regular on Good Times,  Other major appearances include the shows: Love American Style, Night Gallery, Maude, Chico and the Man, Gimme a Break, Archie Bunker’s Place, The Jeffersons, Fantasy Island and Family Matters.

Johnny Brown always made me smile.  I’ll miss seeing him pop-up in surprising places.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Johnny Brown’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Mitchell Ryan

Posted on by

Mitchell Ryan, the actor of stage and screen, died yesterday from heart failure at the age of 88.  Mr. Ryan’s career spanned over 60 years, so depending on your age you may know him best from his work on Dark Shadows, Lethal Weapon, Dharma & Greg or any of his well over 130 credits.

Mitchell Ryan began his career in a theater production of Thunder Road.  His Broadway credits include Wait Until Dark, Medea and The Price.  In 1958, he earned his first screen credit in the Robert Mitchum film, Thunder Road.  For the rest of his career, Mitchell Ryan alternated between television and feature films.

A few of his major television roles included the shows: Naked City, Dark Shadows, The High Chaparral, Cannon, Chase, Having Babies, The Chisholms, Hardcastle & McCormick, Dallas, Renegade, Murder She Wrote and Dharma & Greg.

Some of his more memorable film roles were in: High Plains Drifter, Electra Glide in Blue, Lethal Weapon, and Judge Dredd.

Mitchell Ryan was always a welcome addition to any movie or tv show.  He played a great bad guy – one who came off as smart, tough and just a bit arrogant.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ryan Mitchell’s family, friends and fans.

“All the Old Knives” Starring Chris Pine & Thandiwe Newton – The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

All the Old Knives starring Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton looks interesting.  Since it is on Prime, it’s an easy choice to check it out.

A modern-day espionage thriller that follows Henry (Chris Pine) as he investigates Celia (Thandiwe Newton), a past flame from their days as CIA intelligence officers in Vienna, who is now under suspicion of having been a double agent. Using flashbacks to weave together multiple timelines, All the Old Knives peels back the layers of their past romance and exposes the truth behind a devastating terrorist attack they were unable to stop.

“Lockdown” Starring Michael Paré & Bai Ling – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

From time to time you hear read me lamenting about the loss of drive-in theaters and the types of movies often shown there.  While drive-ins have gone the way of flip phones, the genre of movies they featured still thrive.  Lockdown starring Michael Paré and Bai Ling is a prime example. For many drive-in movies, the poster is often as good or better than the film.   That may be the case with Lockdown.  At any rate, deal me in.

In this action thriller staring Michael Paré (Gone) and Bai Ling (The Crow), hell on earth erupts as three savage criminals take over a prescinct and hold the police force hostage.

“Bullet Train” Starring Brad Pitt & Directed by David Leitch – The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

While I didn’t care for the book, I am looking for Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt and directed by David Leitch.  Check out the trailer and see if you agree.

Getting back on the job is never as easy as you think… especially with the world’s deadliest assassins on board. Take a ride with Brad Pitt in #BulletTrainMovie, exclusively in movie theaters July 15. Visit our site: https://www.bullettrainmovie.com

Follow Us on Social: https://www.facebook.com/BulletTrainM…

https://www.instagram.com/BulletTrain…

https://www.twitter.com/BulletTrain

Subscribe to the Sony Pictures YouTube Channel for more exclusive content: http://bit.ly/SonyPicsSubscribe

An original movie event, Bullet Train is a fun, delirious action-thriller from the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch. Brad Pitt headlines an ensemble cast of eclectic, diverse assassins – all with connected yet conflicting objectives – set against the backdrop of a non-stop ride through modern-day Japan.

Directed by: David Leitch
Screenplay by: Zak Olkewicz
Based upon the book Maria Beetle by: Kotaro Isaka
Produced by: Kelly McCormick David Leitch Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio.

“Code 8” (2019) / Z-View

Posted on by

Code 8 (2019)

Director:  Jeff Chan

Screenplay:  Chris Pare  (from a story by Jeff Chan)

Starring: Robbie Amell, Stephen Amell and Sung Kang.

Tagline:   Fear is the most dangerous power.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

In the future a small percentage of the population have special powers.  Conner Reed (Robbie Amell) is one of the few.  Because his mother needs an expensive medical procedure, Reed falls in with a group of criminals who have use for Reed’s special abilities.  Will Reed’s special abilities be enough when he has cops and criminals after him?

Code 8 features a pretty straight forward story with ambitious special effects for a low budget film.  This is especially impressive considering that Code 8 was made thanks to crowdfunding dollars! Watch the credits for an amazing list of backers.  Code 8 was a fun ride and earns 3 of 5 stars.

Sam Peckinpah’s “The Westerner” Starring Brian Keith / Z-View

Posted on by

The Westerner: Season 1 (1960)

Creator :  Sam Peckinpah

Directors:  Sam Peckinpah (Eps. 1; 3; 6; 12;13); André De Toth (Ep. 2; 8); Bernard L. Kowalski (Ep. 4); Don McDougall (Ep. 5); Ted Post (Ep. 7); Bruce Geller (Ep. 9); Tom Gries (Ep. 10); Elliot Silverstein (Ep. 11)

Writers:  Robert Heverly (Ep. 1-2);  Sam Peckinpah (Ep. 1-2; 4; 8); Bruce Geller (Ep.3; 6; 12; 13); John Dunkel (Ep. 4), E. Jack Neuman (Ep. 5); Cyril Hume (Ep. 7); Jack Curtis (Ep. 8); Milton S. Gelman (Ep. 9); Tom Gries (Ep. 10); Jack Curtis (Ep. 11)

Stars:  Brian Keith

Guest Stars:  Warren Oates; R.G. Armstrong; John Dhener; Arthur Hunnicutt; Sam Jaffe; Slim Pickens; Robert Culp; Michael Ansara

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The Westerner is an under-rated series that ran for just one season.  It was created, produced, written (or co-written) and often directed by Sam Peckinpah,  Brian Keith starred as Dave Blassingame, a cowboy who drifted from town to town with his dog, Brown.

The Westerner wasn’t your typical cowboy show.  Peckinpah demanded authenticity in the look of the sets, wardrobes and stories.  When Blassingame rode into town, he looked like he had spent miles in he saddle.  The saloons weren’t brightly lit with beautiful showgirls waiting to dance.  No, these were frontier towns where tough men and women fought to survive.  Peckinpah was offered a second season if he toned down the series to make it more like the other westerns of the time.  Peckinpah declined.

Here are my favorite episodes from the series…

Jeff (Episode 1):  Blassingame has been searching for his old flame, a sweet girl he called “Jeff”.  When he finds her she is working in a frontier town tavern as a prostitute.  Her pimp is an ex-prize fighter who doesn’t plan to give her up.

School Days (Episode 2):  Blassingame hears screams and rides to the house to find a man who has just killed a school teacher.  Blassingame shoots the man in self-defense.  In an effort to contact the authorities and get the man first aide, Blassingame takes him to the nearest farmhouse… which happens to be where the man lives with his two brothers!

Hand on the Gun (Episode 12):  Dave is working with other men catching wild horses to sell.  A young man new to the frontier asks to join them.  The kid wears his gun low like a gunfighter.  When asked about it, he shows that he is a quick draw artist and teases the men spinning his gun, pointing it at them.  Blassingame says he’ll take on the kid to show him the ropes if he keeps his gun holstered.  The kid agrees even though we all know that’s a promise he won’t keep…

Brown (Episode 3); The Courting of Libby (Episode 6); The Painting (Episode 13):   Reoccurring character Burgundy Smith (John Dhener) shows up in three episodes.  Smith is a con man, card cheat who is always looking for a quick buck.  At times he’s Blessingame’s partner although just as often his nemesis.  These three episodes were humor heavy.

Overall I really liked The Westerner.  It is available on dvd and through streaming.  I rate it 4 of 5 stars.

EW Presents “An Oral History of THE SHIELD” is a Must Read for Any Fan of the Show!

Posted on by

Derek Lawrence at Entertainment Weekly has put together a must-read piece for any fan of The Shield.  An Oral History of The Shield features recollections from Shawn Ryan (series creator), Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins, Kurt Sutter,  Glenn Close as well as other cast regulars, guest stars, writers, directors, and FX executives.

Take a bow Mr. Lawrence! 

“When We Were Kings” (1996) / Z-View

Posted on by

When We Were Kings (1996)

Director:  Leon Gast

Starring:  Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown, B.B. King, Spike Lee, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, The Spinners and Howard Cosell..

Tagline:  The untold story of the Rumble in the Jungle.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When We Were Kings is the Academy Award-winning documentary of the championship fight between the undefeated (40-0) Heavyweight Champion of the World, George Foreman and his challenger, Muhammad Ali, who was a 4-1 underdog.  Promoter, Don King had contracts that paid each fighter $5 million and the backing of Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire, who saw the fight as an opportunity to shine a positive light on his country.  To that end, the fight became a culminating event of a festival that included performances by The Spinners, B.B. King and James Brown.

Leon Gast, using archival footage and interviews does an excellent job in presenting the backstories of Ali and Foreman as well as the fight’s historical significance.  Ali had refused to enter the draft, became a Muslim and had changed his name from Cassius Clay.  While many Americans had developed a dislike for Ali, he was dearly loved by the population of Zaire.  George Foreman, was an Olympic Gold Medalist who proudly represented the USA, was the undefeated Champion of the World and the man who many thought would destroy Ali. The stage was set for what many thought would be the fight to end Muhammad Ali’s career… and yet, Ali once again shocks the world!

When We Were Kings is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen.  It pulls you in, sets the historical context of the events, provides backstories on the key players while at the same time being entertaining.  When We Were Kings rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking” (2021) / Z-View

Posted on by

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking (2021)

Director:  Francesco Zippel

Screenplay: Francesco Zippel

Starring:  Oscar Micheaux, Chuck D, Jacqueline Stewart, Morgan Freeman  and Mario Van Pebbles..

Tagline:  None.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Oscar Micheaux was a writer, director and producer of both silent and sound movies.  Micheaux has been called “the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century.”

Oscar Micheaux has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was honored by the Director’s Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America has an annual award named after him, he is in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, his image has appeared on a US postage stamp, and there are multiple Film Festivals named after him! Sadly all of these accolades came posthumously.  Outside of serious fans of film history, few know about Oscar Micheaux.

I first learned of Oscar Micheaux because he was the writer/director of Body and Soul starring Paul Robeson.  Thanks to Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking, I now know the life story of Micheaux.  What an amazing story it is.

Micheaux didn’t let any obstacle hinder him.  At a time when there weren’t as many opportunities for people of color, Micheaux was able to raise funds to create films that he would write, direct, produce and even personally distribute from town to town!  He would then use the funds from his current film to finance his next movie.  More importantly Micheaux created films of substance that still resonate today.  Micheaux’s films dealt with race relations and featured complex characters in modern day settings.   I wish more people knew about Oscar Micheaux.  Thanks to Francesco Zippel we can.

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking rates 4 of 5 stars.