Category: Celebs

“Dead Money” starring Emile Hirsch, David Keith, India Eisley, Jackie Earle Haley & Rory Culkin – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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How about the poster and trailer for Dead Money starring Emile Hirsch, David Keith, India Eisley, Jackie Earle Haley, Rory Culkin and Peter Facinelli?

Deal me in.

DEAD MONEY is in theaters and on digital September 13

Directed by Luc Walpoth
Starring: Emile Hirsch, David Keith, India Eisley, Jackie Earle Haley, Rory Culkin, Peter Facinelli.

When a home poker game is robbed by armed men, pro poker player Andy and his girlfriend Chloe get caught in the middle. Now, Andy must play the best poker of his life at the biggest game in town to save his and Chloe’s lives.

“Rebel Ridge” starring Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson & Annasophia Robb – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Rebel Ridge starring Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and Annasophia Robb. It definitely is following the First Blood framework.  I like what they’re showing.

Deal me in.

A former Marine grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief. He didn’t start this fight, but he will finish it.

Rebel Ridge, the next film by Jeremy Saulnier, comes to Netflix September 6th.

“Knox Goes Away” (2023) directed by and starring Michael Keaton / Z-View

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Knox Goes Away (2023)

Director: Michael Keaton

Screenplay: Gregory Poirier

Stars: Michael Keaton, Ray McKinnon, Paul Perri, Suzy Nakamura, Dennis Dugan, James Marsden, Jimmy Ortega, Lela Loren, Sasha Neboga, Marcia Gay Harden and Al Pacino.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

John Knox (Keaton) is a hitman.  Knox has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.  It’s a rapid moving form of dementia.  Knox has just a few weeks before his grasp of reality will be gone.  As Knox stoically puts his affairs in order his estranged son, Miles (Marsden) comes to him.

Miles is distraught and needs help.  The kind of help that would be difficult under the best circumstances.  Knox realizes that with his rapidly diminishing capacity it will be next to impossible.

But what’s a father to do?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Knox Goes Away is an amazing film.  It is smart, has heart and features my all-time favorite performance by Michael Keaton (who also directed it).

James Marsden is excellent in his role as Knox’s troubled son.

Al Pacino gives a restrained performance.  Hooo-ha!

Knox Goes Away (2023) 5 of 5 stars.

“Midnight Run” (1988) directed by Martin Brest, starring Robert De Niro & Charles Grodin / Z-View

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Midnight Run (1988)

Director: Martin Brest

Screenplay:  George Gallo

Stars:  Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Foronjy, Robert Miranda,  Jack Kehoe, Wendy Phillips, Danielle DuClos, Philip Baker Hall, Tom McCleister, John Toles-Bey, Scott McAfee and Martin Brest.

Tagline: Monday… Escape with their lives from New York… Tuesday… Impersonate F.B.I. agents in Chicago… Wednesday… Steal plane in New Mexico… Thursday… Almost kill each other by accident… Friday… Almost kill each other on purpose…

The Plot…

Jack Walsh (De Niro) is a bounty hunter hired to bring in Jonathan Mardukas (Grodin).  Mardukas shouldn’t be a problem.  He’s just an accountant who embezzled his employer.  The gig should be easy… a midnight run.

Then Walsh learns that Mardukas’ employer is a Mafia boss.  The amount Mardukas stole was $15 million dollars.  Walsh also discovers the FBI is looking to capture Walsh.  To make matters worse, another bounty hunter is also after the reward.  With the mob, the FBI and a rival bond recovery agent on his trail, this will be anything but a midnight run!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Before Charles Grodin was cast, Cher, Robin Williams, Albert Brooks, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Steve Martin and Bruce Willis were considered.  The film would have been very different if any of them were cast.

Midnight Run would make a great double feature with Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  They are both about two guys who don’t like each other at first who in working together to get somewhere on a tight timeline develop a friendship.

Midnight Run (1988) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Cannonball!” (1976) starring David Carradine / Z-View!

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Cannonball! (1976)

Director: Paul Bartel

Screenplay: Paul Bartel, Donald C. Simpson

Stars: David Carradine, Bill McKinney, Veronica Hamel, Gerrit Graham, Robert Carradine, Belinda Balaski, Judy Canova, Archie Hahn, Carl Gottlieb, Mary Woronov, James Keach, Dick Miller, Stanley Bennett Clay, David Arkin, John Herzfeld, Louisa Moritz, John Alderman, Paul Bartel, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Martin Scorsese, Don Simpson, and Sylvester Stallone..

Tagline: The annual Trans-American outlaw road race – A cross country demolition derby without rules!

The Plot…

The annual Trans-America Grand Prix is an illegal cross-country road race.

Ex-con Coy “Cannonball” Buckman (Carradine) hopes to win the race. If he does, Coy is guaranteed a spot on the Modern Motors racing team. Coy’s biggest competition in the race is Cade Redman (McKinney) who is also racing for the spot on the Modern Motors racing squad. Other racers include a couple of young lovers, a country western singer, three waitresses, a German racer, a wealthy couple’s driver, and others.

Once the race starts anything goes and it becomes a high speed demolition derby. Not everyone will survive and only one can win.

Start your engines!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

After the success of Death Race 2000, producer Sam Gelfman wanted another, but more realistic car chase movie. Gelfman brought back Death Race 2000 director, Paul Bartel and the movie’s star David Carradine. Bartel was not interested, but needed the money. It was Bartel’s idea to include cameos of his friends who were writers and directors.

Cannonball is Veronica Hamel’s first credited feature film role.

Sly Stallone appears in one scene and is uncredited.

Cannonball! (1976) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“The Bricklayer” (2023) directed by Renny Harlin, starring Aaron Eckhart / Z-View

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The Bricklayer (2023)

Director: Renny Harlin

Screenplay: Hanna Weg, Matt Johnson, based on THE BRICKLAYER by Paul Lindsay

Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Nina Dobrev, Clifton Collins Jr., Tim Blake Nelson, Ilfenesh Hadera, Ori Pfeffer, John T. Woods, David Kennedy and Johanna Harlin.

Tagline: Some secrets are deadly.

The Plot…

Steve Vail (Eckhart) is a retired CIA operative who now makes his living as a bricklayer. When a series of murders links back to the CIA, Vail is brought back to find the traitor.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was expecting a better movie since it starred Aaron Eckhart and was directed by Renny Harlin

The Bricklayer (2023) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Child 44” (2015) starring Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace & Joel Kinnaman / Z-View

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Child 44 (2015)

Director: Daniel Espinosa

Screenplay: Richard Price, based on  CHILD 44  by Tom Rob Smith

Stars: Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Mark Lewis Jones, Karel Dobrý and Jason Clarke.

Tagline: How do you find a killer who doesn’t exist?

The Plot…

Leo Demidov (Hardy) was a Russian hero in World War II. After the war Leo became an Agent for Russia’s Ministry of State Security. When a child is found dead by railroad tracks, Leo’s investigation points to murder. But in Stalin’s Russia, murder only occurs in capitalistic societies. Leo is told to list the cause of death as accidental and move on.

Leo digs deeper and discovers many children have been murdered along the train line. All of the killings have been listed as accidents. A serial killer is actively preying on children. Leo is warned to drop his investigation. Failure to follow orders will make Leo an enemy of the government. But if he complies more children will be slaughtered.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Child 44 is based on Tom Rob Smith’s awesome novel of the same name.

The film was banned in Russia.

The first cut of Child 44 was reportedly five and a half hours long. I think the material might have been better served as a limited series. The movie is still good, but I think that there might have been an even better one with the additional footage.

Child 44 (2015) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“In Search of the Last Action Heroes” (2019) / Z-View

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In Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019)

Director: Oliver Harper

Screenplay: Oliver Harper, Timon Singh

Stars: Scott Adkins, Shane Black, James Bruner, Ronny Cox, Boaz Davidson, Steven E. de Souza, Bill Duke, Mark Goldblatt, Jenette Goldstein, Jeffrey Greenstein, Mario Kassar, Al Leong, Mark L. Lester, Sheldon Lettich, Peter MacDonald, Eric Roberts, Cynthia Rothrock, Paul Verhoeven, Vernon Wells, Michael Jai White and Graham Yost.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

A look at the action films of the 80s and 90s featuring interviews with some of the folks who made them.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

If you’re a fan of action movies, especially those made in the 80s and 90s, this one is for you. The filmmakers cover the whole action movie range from big budget franchise flicks to low budget direct to video movies. Interviews with writers, directors and some of the best known “B” movie stars.

In Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987) written & directed by John Hughes, starring Steve Martin & John Candy / Z-View

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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Director: John Hughes

Screenplay: John Hughes

Stars: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Carol Bruce, Olivia Burnette, Martin Ferrero, Larry Hankin, Richard Herd, Susan Kellermann, Matthew Lawrence, Edie McClurg, George Petrie, Gary Riley, Charles Tyner, Diana Castle, Ben Stein, Troy Evans, Richard Fike, William Windom and Kevin Bacon.

Tagline: What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey.

The Plot…

Advertising executive, Neal Page (Martin) is beat. A boring business trip to New York City has left Neal ready for family time.  Thanksgiving is in a couple of days and Neal is flying home tonight.

Or so he thinks.

An accidental encounter with shower curtain salesman, Dell Griffith (Candy) costs Neal his cab.  Which is par for the course for Neal going forward.  Once on the plane he finds himself squeezed in next to Dell.  When their plane is diverted because of weather, Neal discovers no other flights are scheduled.  To make matters worse all hotels are sold out.  So when Dell offers to share the room he was able to book, Neal agrees.

The next morning, they discover weather has grounded all flights.  Neal just wants to get home.  Dell suggests that they forget the plane and take a train.  Neal agrees.

Neal and Dell are just two guys who want to get home in time for Thanksgiving.  What else could go wrong?

Everything.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ leads are perfectly cast and features my favorite John Candy role.

“Those aren’t pillows!” is the first thing I think of when someone mentions this film.

The first cut of the film was reportedly over three hours long.  John Hughes then edited it down to two hours.  Some of the scenes from that cut (that didn’t make the final film) appear in trailers.  The released cut of Planes, Trains and Automobiles was one hour and 33 minutes.

Michael McKean and Kevin Bacon are the fourth and fifth credited stars.  Both appear in just one scene.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Fast X” (2023) starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez & Jason Mamoa / Z-View

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Fast X (2023)

Director: Louis Leterrier

Screenplay: Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin; story by Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin, Zach Dean based on characters by Gary Scott Thompson

Stars: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Scott Eastwood, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior, Joaquim de Almeida, Rita Moreno, Pete Davidson, Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Rooker  and Jason Momoa.

Tagline: The end of the road begins

The Plot…

Years ago, Dom (Diesel) and his crew took down drug lord Hernan Reyes (de Almeida).  Reyes lost his life and the family fortune.  Once that happened, Reyes’ son, Dante (Mamoa) began planing the ultimate revenge.

Now the time is right.  Dante is ready to wipe out Dom, his family and his crew.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise when it first started.  Each film got bigger and more outrageous.  Now they’re to the point, that physics and logic are out the window.  Put your mind in neutral and you’ll enjoy the ride… if there’s nothing better to watch.

The word family is said 56 times.  That’s about once every two and a half minutes.  C’mon, man.  We get it.  Family is everything.

Fast X was originally supposed to be the first of a two part finale.  Now it has expanded to a three part ending.

Jason Mamoa plays against character as a flamboyant, androgynous nut.  He’s a hoot and brings a needed freshness to the franchise.

Fast X (2023) rates 2 of 5 stars.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S BURIED SECRETS: A JESSE STONE NOVEL by Christopher Farnsworth!

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I’m a fan of Robert B. Parker.  I’m also a Christopher Farnsworth fan.  So when I learned that Farnsworth was selected by Robert B. Parker’s estate to continue the Jesse Stone series, I took notice.  Here’s the lowdown…

Police Chief Jesse Stone investigates the mystery behind a dead body found strewn with photos of murder victims and placed on top of $2 million in cash, before a mob of hit men converge on Paradise.

Just another day in Paradise . . .

Chief of Police Jesse Stone is on his way home from a long shift when a call comes in for a welfare check on an elderly resident of the wealthy seaside town of Paradise, Massachusetts. Inside a house packed with junk and trash is a man’s dead body. It’s a sad, lonely end, but nothing criminal . . . until Jesse finds the photos of murder victims strewn around the corpse, on top of a treasure trove of $2 million in cash.

Jesse takes on the case and finds a trail leading to an aging mobster who will do whatever it takes to keep the past from coming to light. Before long, Jesse has a price on his head as hit men converge on Paradise to take back the cash and destroy any remaining evidence. But the real danger might be coming from inside his own department. Jesse Stone must unearth the truth buried under the wreckage of a dead man’s life . . . before he winds up in the ground himself.

BURIED SECRETS drops on February 4, 2025.

“Fast Charlie” (2023) starring Pierce Brosnan / Z-View

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8Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Christopher Matthew Cook, Toby Huss, Fredric Lehne, David Kallaway, Anissa Matlock and Sharon Gless.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

For years Charlie Swift (Brosnan) has been a fixer and friend of mob boss Stan Mullen (Caan).  When a young gangster sees an opportunity to move up, he has Mullen and his crew wiped out.

Only one problem.

Charlie Swift survived.  Now Charlie’s out for vengeance.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Fast Charlie is based on Victor Gishler’s crime novel GUN MONKEYS. (Highly recommended!)

This is James Caan’s last role. Mr. Caan had late-stage COPD and was confined to a wheelchair for his performance.

Pierce Brosnan played James Bond in four films.  In Fast Charlie, one of Charlie’s guns is a a Walther PPK, which was James Bond’s weapon of choice.  When Charlie is about to kill Benny, he is in front of a cabinet labeled number 7.  Bond, of course was 007.

Fast Charlie (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Alfred Hitchcock: His Ten Best Films!

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Alfred Hitchcock was the first director that I knew by name.  He remains one of my favorite film makers.  He made a number of great movies over his career.  Here are my top ten…

01. “North by Northwest” (1959) – A mild mannered advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies. Now he’s targeted for death by the enemy agents and wanted for (a framed) murder by US officials.  Nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color and Best Film Editing.

02. “Psycho” (1960) – A crime movie that morphs into a horror film.  Groundbreaking. Nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Director; Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White.

03. “The Birds” (1963) – One of the movies that I could “stay up late” to watch when I was a kid.  Birds begin attacking and killing humans.  The concept in a lesser director’s hands would be ridiculous.  Not in Hitchcock’s.  Nominated for one Academy Award: Best Effects, Special Visual Effects.

04. “Rope” (1948) – Two intellectuals think that they’ve committed the perfect murder. Through creative planning and editing, Hitchcock creates a film that appears to be done in one continuous shot. 

05. “Lifeboat” (1944) – During World War II nine survivors end up in the same lifeboat. Eight are American or British.  One is German from the U-Boat that sank their ship. Nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Director; Best Writing, Original Story and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.

06. “Rear Window” (1954) – A man confined to a wheelchair believes that he witnessed a murder in the apartment across the way. Nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Director; Best Writing, Screenplay; Best Cinematography, Color and Best Sound, Recording.

07. “Notorious” (1946) – The daughter of a Nazi spy is recruited by the U.S. government to go undercover.  How far will she go to get the needed info?  And what will the Nazis do to her if she is discovered? Nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

08. “Foreign Correspondent” (1940) – A bored New York reporter is sent to London.  There he discovers a group of foreign agents working to prepare Germany for war.  Nominated for six Academy Awards: Best Picture; Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Writing, Original Screenplay; Best Cinematography, Black-and-White; Best Art Direction, Black-and-White and Best Effects, Special Effects.

09. “The 39 Steps” (1935) – This one has it all.  Mistaken identity, spies, a man on the run, suspense, comedy and romance.  

10. “Saboteur” (1942) – During World War II, when a U.S. aircraft factory is blown up, the wrong man is accused.  Now on the run, the man must find a way to prove his innocence.

“Hudson Hawk” (1991) starring Bruce Willis / Z-View

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Hudson Hawk (1991) 

Director: Michael Lehmann

Screenplay: Steven E. de Souza, Daniel Waters story by Bruce Willis, Robert Kraft

Stars: Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, Richard E. Grant, Sandra Bernhard, Don Harvey, David Caruso, Andrew Bryniarski, Lorraine Toussaint, William Conrad (voice) and Frank Stallone.

Tagline: Catch the excitement. Catch the laughter. Catch the Hawk.

The Plot…

Eddie “Hudson Hawk” Hawkins, the semi-famous cat burglar, was just released from prison.  One his first day out, Hawk’s parole officer and others want to blackmail Hawk into stealing a few famous pieces of art.  The final thefts will involve creations made by Leonardo da Vinci.

Hawk doesn’t want to go back to prison or be killed so he reluctantly agrees.  Little does he know the motives behind the blackmailers are nothing short of world domination!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hudson Hawk performed poorly at the box office and with critics.  Part of the problem was the marketing.  It was advertised as an action film.  Audiences expected something along the lines of Die Hard.  What they got was more of a live action Looney Toons.

This marks William Conrad’s last outing as a narrator.

Hudson Hawk isn’t a great film.  It’s a screwball action comedy.  Yeah, it’s over-the-top.  It’s unrealistic.  But if you go in with the understanding that what you’re watching takes place in a cartoon-like world, you should have a fun ride.

Of course your mileage may differ.

Hudson Hawk (1991) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Bad Monkey” starring Vince Vaughn – The Trailer is Here!

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Here’s the trailer for Bad Monkey starring Vince Vaughn.  I like the looks of this one.

Welcome to the shady side of paradise where Vince Vaughn has a long list of unusual suspects. Bad Monkey premieres August 12 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_BadMonkey

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel and enduring cult favorite, BAD MONKEY tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.

The ensemble cast also includes L. Scott Caldwell (“The Fugitive”), Rob Delaney (“Catastrophe”), Meredith Hagner (“Search Party”), Natalie Martinez (“La Promesa del Retorno”), Alex Moffat (“Saturday Night Live,” “Holidate”), Michelle Monaghan (“Gone Baby Gone”), Ronald Peet (“First Reformed”), Jodie Turner-Smith (“Queen & Slim”), with special guest star John Ortiz (“American Fiction”) and guest stars Zach Braff (“Scrubs”), Ashley Nicole Black (“Ted Lasso”), Scott Glenn (“The Leftovers”) and Charlotte Lawrence in her television debut.

Hailing from Warner Bros. Television, “Bad Monkey” is developed by executive producer and showrunner Bill Lawrence through his Doozer Productions. Jeff Ingold, Matt Tarses (“Scrubs”), Marcos Siega, Vaughn and Liza Katzer are also executive producers.

Song: “Baby Did A Bad Thing” by Chris Isaak https://apple.co/BabyDidABadThing