Category: Celebs

“Murderville” Season 1 (2022) / Z-View

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Murderville: Season 1 (2022)

Directors:  Brennan Shroff (Eps.1 -2); Iain Morris (Eps. 3 – 6)

Teleplay: Marina Cockenberg (Ep.1, 4);  Krister Johnson (Eps. 1 – 2, 4); Kerry O’Neill (Ep. 2); Anna Drezen (Ep. 3); Hannah Levy (Ep. 5); Adriana Robles (Ep. 5); Jack Kukoda (Ep.6)


Starring:  Will Arnett, Haneefah Wood, Lilan Bowden, Phillip Smithey, Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Murphy, Sharon Stone and Ken Jeong.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Detective Terry Seattle (Arnett) likes to think of himself as rugged, intelligent and capable.  Sadly, he’s not.  In each episode Detective Seattle is teamed with a new guest star who is tasked with solving a murder.  The conceit of the series (and it’s a good one) is that the guest star is never given a script or access to the set until it is time for his/her scene.  If you enjoy improv comedy, you’ll probably like Murderville.

Each episode has a basic framework: Detective Seattle meets his new partner, they’re sent to solve a murder that has three suspects.  After interviewing each potential murderer, everyone is brought together and the guest star has to say who the killer is and the clues that led to that conclusion. Then the actual killer and clues are disclosed.  A cool aspect of the show is that we can play along and see if our suspect is guilty.  I was wrong as often as I was right.

There’s also an overarching mystery that runs throughout the six episodes.  Fifteen years ago, Detective Seattle’s partner (Jennifer Anniston) was murdered.  There were few clues and her murder was never solved,,, (at least until the last episode of the season)!

I enjoyed the mystery aspect as much as the improvisation in each episode.  It was as fun guessing the killer as guessing which actors would break character or try to hide a smile/laugh.  I enjoyed Murderville and hope it gets a second season.  Murderville rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Mummy” (1999) Trivia That May Surprise You!

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Todd Gilchrist at Mental Floss came up with some surprising trivia about the 1999 reboot of The Mummy which he calls Unwrapping 16 Facts About The Mummy.  Before you click over, here are three of my favs and my thoughts on each…

FILMMAKERS SPENT MANY YEARS TRYING TO REVIVE THE MUMMY.  (While I did know this, I wasn’t aware that at one point George (Night of the Living Dead) Romero was recruited to write and direct the reboot. – Craig)

AT ONE POINT, DANIEL DAY-LEWIS WAS BEING EYED TO PLAY THE MUMMY.  (While I could see Day-Lewis playing the Brendan Fraser role, would the producers really wanted Daniel Day Lewis as the Mummy?  He’d be, uh, under wraps for most of the film! – Craig)

STEPHEN SOMMERS WON UNIVERSAL OVER WITH HIS CONTEMPORARY APPROACH. (Writing Rick O’Connell as an Indiana Jones-type character and adding in the humor was genius! – Craig)

Interestingly enough, I didn’t care for The Mummy (1999) but greatly enjoyed the sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001). 

“Elvis” – Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Starring Austin Butler & Tom Hanks – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The Elvis trailer did exactly what a great trailer should do.  I had little to no desire to see Elvis until I saw the trailer.  Now I want to see the film.

From Oscar-nominated visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.

The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

Starring alongside Hanks and Butler, award-winning theatre actress Helen Thomson (“Top of the Lake: China Girl,” “Rake”) plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh (“Moulin Rouge!” “Breath,” “Hacksaw Ridge”) portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon, and DeJonge (“The Visit,” “Stray Dolls”) plays Priscilla. Luke Bracey (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Point Break”) plays Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”) plays Dixie Locke, David Wenham (“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, “Lion,” “300”) plays Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “The High Note”) plays B.B. King, Xavier Samuel (“Adore,” “Love & Friendship,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) plays Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”) plays Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

Also in the cast, Dacre Montgomery (“Stranger Things,” “The Broken Heart Gallery”) plays TV director Steve Binder, alongside Australian actors Leon Ford (“Gallipoli,” “The Pacific”) as Tom Diskin, Kate Mulvany (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hunters”) as Marion Keisker, Gareth Davies (“Peter Rabbit,” “Hunters”) as Bones Howe, Charles Grounds (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Camp”) as Billy Smith, Josh McConville (“Fantasy Island”) as Sam Phillips, and Adam Dunn (“Home and Away”) as Bill Black.
To play additional iconic musical artists in the film, Luhrmann cast singer/songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard, Austin, Texas native Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.

Oscar nominee Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) directed from a screenplay by Baz Luhrmann & Sam Bromell and Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, story by Baz Luhrmann and Jeremy Doner. The film’s producers are Luhrmann, Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss. Courtenay Valenti and Kevin McCormick executive produced.

The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Mandy Walker (“Mulan,” “Australia”), Oscar-winning production designer and costume designer Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), production designer Karen Murphy (“A Star Is Born”), editors Matt Villa (“The Great Gatsby,” “Australia”) and Jonathan Redmond (“The Great Gatsby”), Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Thomas Wood (“Mad Max: Fury Road”), music supervisor Anton Monsted (“Australia,” “Moulin Rouge!”) and composer Elliott Wheeler (“The Get Down”).

Principal photography on “Elvis” took place in Queensland, Australia with the support of the Queensland Government, Screen Queensland and the Australian Government’s Producer Offset program.
A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, A Bazmark Production, A Jackal Group Production, A Baz Luhrmann Film, “Elvis” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is set to release in theaters in North America on June 24, 2022, and internationally beginning 22 June 2022.

RIP: Frank Pesce

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Frank Pesce, the memorable character actor of movies and television, died on February 6th at the age of 75.  Mr. Pesce’s girlfriend, Tammy Scher reported the cause of death to be dementia-related.

Frank Pesce began his career in 1976 with a role on Police Story.  Mr. Pesce then stayed busy alternating between feature films, guest spots on tv series and appearances in movies made for television.

Some feature films that Mr. Pesce appeared in include: Rocky, Paradise Alley, American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, MIdnight Run, Lock Up, Donnie Brasco, Grudge Match, The Expendables, Reach Me and Creed!

Frank Pesce’s television appearances include roles in: Kojak, Knight Rider, The Greatest American Hero, Hardcastle and McCormick, Miami Vice, Airwolf, Cagney & Lacey, Matlock, Who’s the Boss, Jake & the Fatman and Karen Sisco.

What a career Frank Pesce had!  I love that he developed friendships with stars like Sly Stallone, Robert Forester and Tony Danza.  The fact that Mr. Pesce was used so often (and many times repeatedly by stars/directors) speaks to his professionalism.  I always enjoyed a Frank Pesce appearance!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frank Pesce’s family, friends and fans.

“The Contractor” Starring Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland and Ben Foster – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer and the cast for The Contractor, starring Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland and Ben Foster, is enough to get me to watch.

Chris Pine stars in the action-packed thriller as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut-off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself hunted and on the run, caught in a dangerous conspiracy and fighting to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Also starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs and Eddie Marsan.

Featuring: Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan

“The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil” / Z-View

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The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)

Director:  Won-Tae Lee

Screenplay: Won-Tae Lee

Starring:  Ma Dong-seok, Mu-Yeol Kim  and Kim Sungkyu.

Tagline:  Don’t let the devil win.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A gangster, after barely surviving a brutal attack, reluctantly joins forces with the one cop who believes a serial killer is active in the area.  The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is a stylish, violent tale written and directed by Won-Tae Lee.  The charismatic, Ma Dong-seok (of Train to Busan fame) plays the gangster and was one of the reasons I wanted to check out the film. The fact that Sylvester Stallone optioned the rights for an American reboot with Ma Dong-seok returning was another.

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil was a fun ride.  Ma Dong-seok is already on my stars to watch list.  I’m going to add writer./director Won-Tae Lee as well.    The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Lucy and Desi” Directed by Amy Poehler – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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This is the Lucy and Desi story that I want to see!

From director Amy Poehler, Lucy and Desi explores the unlikely partnership and enduring legacy of one of the most prolific power couples in entertainment history. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz risked everything to be together. Their love for each other led to the most influential show in the history of television, I Love Lucy.

RIP: Ivan Reitman

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Ivan Reitman, writer, director and producer, died in his sleep on February 12th at the age of 75.  No cause of death was been given.

Ivan Reitman is best known for directing the megahit Ghostbusters, but he also directed 24 other films including: Meatballs, Stripes, Twins and Kindergarten Cop.  Mr. Reitman also served as a producer on over 60 films including: National Lampoon’s Animal House, Ghostbusters, Twins, Kindergarten Cop, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and Beethoven to name just a few.

I first became aware of Ivan Reitman because of his involvement with Animal House.  A year later I saw Meatballs, my favorite Ivan Reitman directed film, on it’s initial release.  It’s interesting that Ivan Reitman got his start producing low budget horror films like Cannibal Girls, Shivers, The House by the Lake and Rabid (directed by David Cronenberg and starring Marilyn Chambers) before he found his sweet spot with comedies.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ivan Reitman’s family, friends and fans.

“Reacher: Season 1” / Z-View

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Reacher: Season 1 (2022)

Directors: Thomas Vincent (Ep.1); Sam Hill (Ep. 2); Stephen Surjik (Ep. 3); Christine Moore (Ep.4); Norberto Barba (Ep. 5); Omar Madha (Ep. 6); Lin Oeding (Ep. 7); M.J. Bassett (Ep. 8)

Teleplay: Nick Santora (Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer); Cait Duffy (Eps. 1 – 8); Aadrita Mukerji (Eps. 1, 3, 6); Scott Sullivan (Ep. 3, 5, 7);  Season 1 based on Lee Child‘s novel The Killing Floor.

Starring:  Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Maria Sten, Chris Webster, Bruce McGill and Willie C. Carpenter.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jack Reacher, an ex-Military Police Investigator, arrives in the small town of Margrove and is immediately arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.  Getting cleared of the charges shouldn’t be a problem.  Getting out of Margrove alive could be.  Corrupt cops, a crooked politician and a rich backer want Reacher dead before he can piece together the puzzle of it all.

If you’re a fan of Lee Child’s Reacher series, you’re going to love this adaptation.  If you haven’t read the novels, but are a fan of thoughtful action thrillers, you’ll still enjoy the series.

Alan Ritchson plays Reacher and he’s physically right for the part.  Reacher is a 6’5″ inch monster of a man.  The books play up Reacher’s size/strength and with Ritchson in the role this adaption does as well.  But Reacher is the opposite of big and stupid — he pays attention to details, has an analytical mind and doesn’t suffer fools.  Ritchson is perfect as Reacher.

The other parts are also well cast and acted.   Malcolm Goodwin is the straight-arrow cop with a secret in his past.  Willa Fitzgerald is as much a partner in resolving the crime as she is a love interest for Reacher.  Maria Sten plays Frances Neagley.  I loved her character and hope we haven’t seen the last of her.

Reacher is lightning in a bottle.  It’s one of those rare shows that everyone seems to love.  Reacher currently has an 8.5 rating at IMDb.com.  6 of the 8 episodes have an 8.6 or higher rating.  The other two episodes are rated 8.4 and 8.5.  At Rotten Tomatoes, Reacher is rated at 88%!  As for me, I give Reacher: Season 1,  5 of 5 stars.

“Wander” (2020) / Z-View

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Wander (2020)

Director:  April Mullen

Screenplay: Tim Doiron

Starring:  Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, Katheryn Winnick, Heather Graham and Raymond Cruz.

Tagline:  The conspiracy is real.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Arthur Bretnik (Eckhart) has been on the verge of a mental breakdown since his wife and daughter were killed.  He believes their deaths were covered up to hide a vast conspiracy.  Bretnik’s paranoia has increased to the point that he lives in an old trailer out in the desert where he hosts a conspiracy podcast.

When he is hired to investigate a mysterious death in the small town of Wander, Bretnik begins to uncover evidence that his ideas about a conspiracy may not be crazy after all.

Wander does just that.  It wanders.  The story is all over the place.  I kept thinking it would pull together for a satisfying conclusion.  Sadly it didn’t.  Wander has an excellent cast, but even they couldn’t save this film.  Usually I only rate films as NOT FOR ME when I don’t complete watching them (but after allowing plenty of time for the story to develop).  I watched all of Wander but couldn’t give it 2 stars.  Wander rates 1 of 5.

“Nightmare Alley” (2021) / Z-View

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Nightmare Alley (2021)

Director:  Guillermo del Toro

Screenplay:  Guillermo del Toro, Kim Morgan (based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham)

Starring:  Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn, Holt McCallany and Jim Beaver.

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When we first see Stanton Carlisle (Cooper) he has set fire to a house containing a dead body.  Carlisle gets a menial job with a traveling carnival/freak show.  It is there Carlisle learns he has the ability to read and manipulate people.  Working with  mentalist Madame Zeena and her alcoholic husband, Pete, Carlisle learns the tricks of the trade.

Realizing that he has the knowledge needed for a successful nightclub act, Carlisle talks Molly into leaving the carny.  Two years later, Carlisle and Molly have hit the big time.  She loves him and he says he loves her.  All is roses until Dr. Lilith Ritter interrupts the act to prove Carlisle is a fraud.  He is able to salvage the performance.

Ritter invites Carlisle to her office where he learns that she’s a psychologist.  Both realize that with the information Ritter could provide about her rich clients, a fortune could be made using Carlisle’s talents.  Soon they are having an affair and working as partners to fleeces some rich and dangerous people.  But is Carlisle conning Ritter or she playing him?

Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley takes us on a dark journey.  His Nightmare Alley provides more backstory than the 1947 film and doesn’t shy away from the horrific aspects of carnival life in the days before “freak shows” were outlawed.  del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is exceptionally well cast.  Bradley, Blanchett, Dafoe and Mara are the main stars and they shine.  What del Toro did by getting Collette, Jenkins, Perlman, Steenburgen, Strathairn, McCallany and Beaver in supporting roles is make every scene a winner.

In a movie full of amazing performances, Bradley Cooper shines.  Some of his standout scenes include manipulating the Sherriff who has come to shut down the carnival and arrest performers.  This is when Carlisle discovers his gift of reading people.  The surprise lie detector test scene and the final scene of the film (which I won’t spoil) are also memorable.

Nightmare Alley won’t appeal to everyone despite all that it has going for it.  The lead characters are not good people and they make bad choices.  There’s no upbeat ending.  With that said, I loved Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley.  It took me to another time and place.  I was hooked on the mystery; intrigued by the characters and impressed by the cast.  Nightmare Alley stayed with me long after the movie was over.  I rate it 5 of 5 stars.

Bruce Lee by Jason Raisch – Limited Edition Prints to Benefit the Bruce Lee Foundation!

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555Jason Raish created the limited edition print above for a collaboration with Shoe Palace, Bottleneck Gallery to  benefit the Bruce Lee Foundation.

100% of the profits from this print will go directly to the Bruce Lee Foundation.  There is also a variant gold edition.  Both will be on sale starting Friday, February 4th at noon EST through Sunday, February 6th, ending at 11:59 pm EST at Bottleneckgallery.com!

Humphrey Bogart’s Best Films!

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Humphrey Bogart is one of the world’s most famous actors.  Bogart appeared in over 80 films, was nominated for 3 Best Actor Oscars (winning one).  Bogart wasn’t your typical leading man.  He wasn’t particularly tall (5’8″), or muscular and he didn’t have classical good looks.  Yet, the ladies loved him and he was considered a man’s man.  On screen Bogart held your attention.  Although he was just 57 when he died, Bogart left us with many great films.  Here are my five favorites…

1.  Casablanca  (1942): Many consider Casablanca to be not only Bogart’s best film, but the best film of all time.  It is a classic.  I never tire of watching Casablanca and had this been the only film on his resume, it would have still made him famous.

2.  Key Largo  (1948):  has grown on me over the years.  I’ve always loved it, but Key Largo gets better with each new viewing.  Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G. Robinson and Lionel Barrymore round out the cast.

3.  The Maltese Falcon  (1941): Bogart plays PI, Sam Spade.  The film is based on Dashiell Hammett’s classic novel, with a screenplay and direction by John Huston (his first time directing).  The Maltese Falcon features an all-star cast; joining Bogart are Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Ward Bond and Elisha Cook, Jr.  

4.  The Big Sleep (1946):  Bogart plays PI, Phillip Marlowe.  Howard Hawks directs this classic that also stars Lauren Bacall and Martha Vickers.  Dorothy Malone has a small role, but what an impact she makes! 

5.   To Have and Have Not (1944):  Howard Hawks again directs Bogart and Bacall who are joined by Walter Brennan in an adaptation of Ernest Hemmingway’s classic novel.       

Bogart made several other films that almost made my top five:  In a Lonely Place, The Caine Mutiny, The African Queen, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Harder They Fall are also all excellent films.   

“The Last Duel” / Z-View

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The Last Duel (2021)

Director: Ridley Scott

Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener & Ben Affleck & Matt Damon (based on the book by Eric Jager)

Starring:  Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck.

Tagline:  The truth has different versions.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The Last Duel is the true story of the last trial by combat officially sanctioned by the King of France.  The battle took place on December 29, 1386, between Knight Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Squire Jacques Le Gris (Driver).  They had been friends who once fought side-by-side. Over the years de Carrouges felt cheated by Le Gris.  He was also jealous of Le Gris’ friendship with Count Pierre d’Alençon (Affleck), a relative of the King.  The duel was a result of de Carrouges’ wife accusing Le Gris of rape.

The Last Duel is told in three parts, each being the truth as seen by Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Marguerite de Carrouges.  This is an interesting method of story presentation (a la Rashômon), but adds to the length of the tale, which could benefit from being shorter.

The acting is first rate.

This may be Damon’s best performance ever.  His character is a volatile, angry man who feels (and is) slighted by Count Pierre d’Alençon.  I admired de Carrouges’ willingness to sue royalty, confront Le Gris and the Count to support his wife’s accusation… but also know his abrasive personality caused him many problems.

I was surprised by how good Ben Affleck is in his role as the Count.  His performance here was as good as in The Tender Bar!

The Last Duel rates 4 of 5 stars.