Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
This teaser for Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness works.
Deal me in!
Larry David returns. We’re celebrating. Everybody’s kissing.
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is coming June 26 to HBO Max.
This cool art titled Meathouse Rocky was created by Dosbrak and is available as a signed, limited edition print with three variants.
“All I wanna do is go the distance” – Rocky
Predator: Badlands (2025)
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Screenplay: Patrick Aison; story by Patrick Aison, Dan Trachtenberg; based on characters created by Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Stars: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.
Tagline: First hunt. Last chance.
The Plot…
The creatures we know as Predators are actually named Yautja. The Yautja are raised by a code: Yautja are prey to none. Friend to none. Predator to all. The weak are killed rather than bring shame to their clan.
Dek is a Yautja reaching adulthood. He is considered a runt. Dek’s father, the clan leader has decided Dek will bring shame to the clan. In order to prove his worth Dek travels to Genna, a place so dangerous it is called the “Death Planet”. There Dek plans to hunt and kill a Kalisk, one of the few creatures feared by Yautja.
On the planet Dek will face multiple dangers he couldn’t imagine. He will also learn that the Yautja code isn’t always true…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Elle Fanning is excellent as the andriod Thia. The character could have come off as irritating, but Fanning’s performance had the right balance. Dek gets irritated (as he should) but the scenes provide the right amount of humor.
Predator: Badlands has a different tone from other films in the franchise. There is a “cute” creature that shows up. If it was just “Disney” cute, it would have not worked (for me). But there is something about it that we don’t see at first that adds another layer and I liked it. There is also a scene involving Thia (well, part of her) that gets a laugh and may have gone a bit too far… but why nitpick about a fun change of pace?
Terminator 2: Judgment Day gave Dan Trachtenberg the inspiration to turn the antagonist of the original film into the protagonist of the sequel.
The logo that appears on the back of Thia’s eyes are the classic Weyland-Yutani logo that was featured on the synth Andy’s eyes in Alien: Romulus.
I had my doubts about making a Predator the hero of a film but hats off to Trachtenberg, he did it. I enjoyed Trachtenberg’s Prey as well. I wonder what he will do in going for a trifecta.
Predator: Badlands (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.
WWE: Unreal – Season 2 (2026)
Director: (Eps. 1-5) Terrell Riley, Steve Trout
Stars: John Cena, Michael Coulthard (Michael Cole), Aoife Cusack (Lyra Valkyria), Walter Hahn (GUNTHER), Paul Levesque (‘Triple H’), Colby Lopez (Seth Rollins), Pat McAfee, Stephanie McMahon, Bruce Prichard, Rebecca Quin (Becky Lynch), Demi Bennett (Rhea Ripley), Mark Calaway (The Undertaker), Shane Helms, Paul Heyman, Brian James (Road Dogg).
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…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
When I was a kid everyone involved in professional wrestling worked to make sure that it was thought of as “real”. Then in 1989, Vince McMahon announced professional wrestling wasn’t a legitimate sport, but instead was sports entertainment. The bumps and injuries are real, but the match outcomes are predetermined. Pro wrestling fans didn’t care.
I haven’t watched pro wrestling in years, but I was interested in the behind-the-scenes access. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, WWE Unreal got me interested in watching again.
WWE: Unreal – Season 21 (2026) rates 5 of 5 stars
Navajo Joe (1966)
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Screenplay: Piero Regnoli, Fernando di Leo; story by Ugo Pirro
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Aldo Sambrell, Fernando Rey.
Tagline: There’s no escaping his one-man vendetta of unrelenting violence!
The Plot…
When a gang of outlaws murders his entire village for scalps, Navajo Joe vows revenge.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
When Burt Reynolds was offered the chance to go to Italy to film Navajo Joe, he reached out to Clint Eastwood. Eastwood had achieved fame for A Fistful of Dollars and A Few Dollars More. Eastwood said it was a good experience and raved about director Sergio Leone. Reynolds thought Navajo Joe was going to be directed by Sergio Leone. He was mistaken. The director was Sergio Corbucci. Reynolds tried to walk away, but the contracts had already been signed.
To make matters worse, Corbucci thought Marlon Brando was going to be the star of the film. Needless to say, Reynolds and Corbucci didn’t get along. Making the film wasn’t a fun experience for either man.
Burt Reynolds said in interviews it was the worst professional experience he ever had and “the film was only shown in prisons and airplanes because the audience couldn’t leave.”
Who am I to argue with Burt Reynolds.
Navajo Joe (1966) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Tony Stella created this cool widescreen poster for the release of Bruce Lee’s Golden Harvest films. Click on the art above to see a bigger version.
Naked Ambition (2023)
Director: Dennis Scholl, Kareem Tabsch
Writer: Dennis Scholl
Stars: Bunny Yeager, Dita Von Teese, Larry King.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Bunny Yeager started her career as a model. She transitioned to behind the camera and became one of the most popular cheesecake photographers working. Bunny’s work with Bettie Page sent both into the popular culture stratosphere.
This is her story.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Bunny was one of the first photographers for Playboy and even discovered Playboy’s first Playmate of the Year. Bunny then went on to have her photos in more mainstream magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Esquire and Redbook to name a few. Bunny’s photos of Ursula Andress exiting the water on the beach for the James Bond film Dr. No are perhaps her most famous shots.
When magazines became more graphic, Bunny refused to follow the trend and her photos became less in demand. Bunny Yeager’s photos saw a resurgence of popularity in the 1990s.
Naked Ambition (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.
I love Mat Peg’s art. Look at the thought put into this Night of the Hunter poster.
It’s in the style of an old time photograph. Mitchum, the serial killer preacher has his love/hate finger tats in view. He’s holding both his knife and the little girl he threatens with it. She’s holding the doll that secretly carries the money Mitchum’s character is willing to kill for. The title of the movie and stars’ names are scratched in as if with the knife.
Brilliant.
I am a huge fan of Joe Dellagatta’s art. You can imagine my surprise to find out I never posted this piece I was lucky enough to get from him way back in 2016. It is so cool to see Sly Stallone as Cobra in Dellagatta’s unique style.
Tura! (2024)
Director: Cody Jarrett
Screenplay: Cody Jarrett
Stars: Tura Satana, John Waters, Margaret Cho, Dita Von Teese and Pamela Des Barres.
Tagline: How One Woman’s Quest for Revenge Changed Hollywood and the World Forever
The Plot…
Tura Satana, the actress best known for her role as Varla in the cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! had a life that is hard to believe. Raped as a child, Tura learned the martial arts in order to get revenge on the men who abused her since justice was denied in the courts. As an adult, Tura got revenge on each individual who had assaulted her.
But that would come later in life.
At fifteen, Tura ran away to California. She lied about her age and began working as a burlesque dancer. Soon Tura was making big money as a stripper. This led to a friendship with Harold Lloyd (yes, THAT Harold Lloyd of silent movie fame). Tura became a nude model for Lloyd (and others).
Then came her acting career with roles in Irma la Douce staring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine and Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed? starring Dean Martin and Elizabeth Montgomery. Television roles on Burke’s Law and The Man from UNCLE followed. Then came Tura’s breakout role in Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. After that Tura appeared in just four more films and one television appearance before retiring from acting.
After the filming of The Doll Squad, Tura was shot by a former lover. Her acting career was finished… for now. Over the years Tura earned a living working in a hospital and later as a dispatcher. When Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! gained new popularity as a cult hit, Tura Santana’s popularity also surged. She began to occassionally act and make appearances at fan conventions.
Tura is her life story.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
It’s hard to believe Tura’s life story… even the parts that are easily proven. So we’ll go with the famous saying, (and I’m parphrasing), “When the legend is better than the truth, go with the legend.”
Tura! (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Assault on VA-33 (2021)
Director: Christopher Ray
Screenplay: Scott Thomas Reynolds
Stars: Sean Patrick Flanery, Michael Jai White, Mark Dacascos, Weston Cage, Gina Holden, Abigail Hawk, Brittany Underwood, Rachel True, Max Adler and Rob Van Dam.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Jason Hill plans to have lunch with his wife at the Veteran’s Affairs hospital where she works. After lunch Jason is going to take his daughter to soccer practice. But that all changes when terrorists take over the hospital. They’re after a General being treated there. With the General and several staff as hostages, the terrorists have the upper hand.
Jason manages to not get caught during the takeover. When local police believe his call for help to be a prank, Jason realizes it’s up to him to save the day.
I think Jason’s daughter may be late to practice. Jason to the rescue – STAT.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Sean Patrick Flanery and Gina Holden play husband and wife in Assault on VA-33. They also played a married couple in Saw 3D.
Pro wrestler Rob Van Dam plays the terrorist who stays in the van. He is never shown being killed or driving away. His character just disappears. It would have been funny if after the credits rolled, at the very end they should him still sitting in the van.
Assault on VA-33 (2021) rates 2 of 5 stars.
This very cleverly designed Reservoir Dogs alt poster was created by Sahin Düzgün?. Sahin is a graphic designer, poster artist and movie lover from Berlin, Germany.
Here is what Sahin had to say about his design: Sharp suits, sharp dialogue, and a story that changed indie cinema forever. Happy Reservoir Dogs day, Mr. Tarantino!
Mr. Pink: Why can’t we pick our own colors?
Joe: No way, no way. Tried it once, it doesn’t work. You get four guys all fighting over who’s gonna be Mr. Black, but they don’t know each other, so nobody wants to back down. No way. I pick. You’re Mr. Pink. Be thankful you’re not Mr. Yellow.
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010)
Director: Kevin Munroe
Screenplay: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer; based on Dylan Dog by Tiziano Sclavi
Stars: Brandon Routh, Sam Huntington, Anita Briem, Peter Stormare, Taye Diggs, Mitchell Whitfield, Laura Spencer, Laura Spencer, Marco St. John, Kyle Clements and Kurt Angle.
Tagline: Living investigator. Undead clients. Zombie partner.
The Plot…
Dylan Dog at one time fought the things that go bump in the night. He gave it up when his wife was killed by vampires. Since then Dylan has worked as a private eye on normal cases.
That all changes when Elizabeth Ryan comes to Dylan for help. Her father was killed by something strange. Now Dylan is back… and the case will bring him into contact with vampires, werewolves, zombies and something worse.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
One of the vampires is named Sclavi. Tiziano Sclavi created Dylan Dog.
At one point a character calls Dylan Dog, “Superman”. Brandon Routh who plays Dylan Dog of course played Superman in an earlier film.
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night leans a bit more into comedy than I’d prefer. Even still I would have liked to have seen a sequel.
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2010) rates 2 of 5 stars.
I first met Doug Dabbs in 2011 at Heroes Con. I was heading out from the show and saw his art. If there had been time, I’d have got a sketch on the spot.
I told Doug I would get a piece from him in 2012 and I did. Two in fact. This piece is Doug’s take on Sly as Barney Ross from The Expendables. I love Dabb’s use of white and negative space, plus his figure work is on point.
Neil Sedaka died yesterday at the age of 86. No cause of death was given.
Neil Sedaka was a singer and songwriter who graduated high school at the age of 17 and began his professional career in music the following year. Although Neil Sedaka was a founding member of The Tokens, he soon departed for a solo career. Hits quickly followed. From 1958 to 1963, Mr. Sedaka charted 14 top 30 hits. During this same period, Neil Sedaka wrote or co-wrote hits recorded by other artists including Connie Francis, The Everly Brothers, The Monkees, The 5th Dimension and Tom Jones just to name a few.
Although Mr. Sedaka’s singing career in the US dipped in the mid 60s, he continued to have a strong career as a songwriter and singer overseas. In 1975, Neil Sedaka returned to the US charts with the #1 hit, “Laughter in the Rain”.
Although Mr. Sedaka officially retired from songwriting in 2022 and sold his music catalog in 2024, he continued to make live appearances and perform on social media with his last outing taking place in December 2025.
Some of Mr. Sedaka’s greatest hits include: Breaking Up is Hard to Do; Bad Blood; Laughter in the Rain and Calendar Girl.
Hits written or co-written for others include: “Love Will Keep Us Together” – Captain & Tennille; “Ring Ring” by ABBA; “Where the Boys Are” – Connie Francis; “Lonely Night (Angel Face)” – Captain & Tennille; “Crying in the Rain” – The Everly Brothers; “Workin’ on a Groovy Thing” – The 5th Dimension; “Puppet Man” – Tom Jones; “When Love Comes Knockin’ (At Your Door)” – The Monkees; “The Girl I Left Behind Me” – The Monkees; “I Go Ape” – The Monkees and “Rainy Jane” – Davy Jones.
What an amazing career! Neil Sedaka was a wonderful singer and songwriter. His performances always left me smiling.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to Neil Sedaka’s family, friends and fans.
