Category: Celebs

“Invaders from Mars” (1953) starring Helena Carter, Arthur Franz and Jimmy Hunt / Z-View

Posted on by

Invaders from Mars (1953)

Director: William Cameron Menzies

Screenplay: Richard Blake; story by John Tucker Battle

Stars: Helena Carter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Morris Ankrum, William Phipps, Milburn Stone, Fay Baker, Barbara Billingsley, Peter Brocco, Charles Cane, John Eldredge, Luce Potter and Richard Deacon.

Tagline: Murderous Martian creatures from out of space!

The Plot…

Late one night a thunderstorm wakes young David MacLean (Hunt).  Looking out his bedroom window David sees a flying saucer land just beyond a hill out back.  David runs to wake his parents, but they brush it off thinking David had a bad dream.

The next morning in order to appease his son, David’s dad agrees to go check things out.  When dad returns, he is cold and emotionless towards David.  Before too long David sees his mother and neighbors behaving the same way.  So he goes to the police.  They don’t believe him either… but a county health care physician, Dr. Pat Blake (Carter) does.

Dr. Carter takes Jimmy and contacts the military.  Will they be too late to stop an alien invasion… even if they do believe her?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Richard Deacon appears uncredited as an Military Police officer.  It was his feature film debut.  Deacon would become most famous for his role as Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Invaders from Mars is famous for it’s ending… was it just a dream?

The film starts off pretty good.  It has a nightmare quality and rightly so, but is hurt by too much stock footage and cheap looking “invaders”.

Invaders from Mars (1953) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Wolf Man” starring Julia Garner – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Wolf Man starring Julia Garner, the poster and trailer are here!

Deal me in.

What if someone you loved became something else? #WolfManMovie only in theaters January 17.

—
From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man.

Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without.

The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama) and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).

Wolf Man is directed by Whannell, whose previous films with Blumhouse include The Invisible Man, Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3. The screenplay is written by Leigh Whannell & Corbett Tuck, Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo (Dumb Money).

The film is produced by Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum and is executive produced by Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner and Leigh Whannell. Wolf Man is a Blumhouse and Motel Movies production.

Mr. McMahon (2024) / Z-View

Posted on by

Mr. McMahon (2024)

Director: Chris Smith

Stars: Vince McMahon, Lou Albano, Muhammad Ali, Tony Atlas, Steve Austin, Bob Backlund, Richard Belzer, Eric Bischoff, Mark Calaway, Johnny Carson,  John Cena, Bob Costas, Bret Hart, Jimmy Hart, Paul Heyman, Hulk Hogan, Dwayne Johnson, Cyndi Lauper, King Kong Bundy, Linda McMahon, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Dave Meltzer, Bruce Prichard, Scott Hall, Owen Hart, Booker Huffman, Paul Levesque, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Peter Fanene Maivia, Rocky Johnson, Jerry Lawler, Kurt Angle and Anderson Cooper.

Tagline: Mastermind. Madman.

The Plot…

Vince McMahon, the CEO and driving force behind World Wrestling Entertainment, was cooperating with a docuseries on his life.  Mr. McMahon gave access to hours of interviews and access to vintage footage.  Wrestlers, promoters and others who worked with and/or competed against Vince McMahon were interviewed.

During the production of this documentary, multiple allegations against Vince McMahon came to light.  These allegations included payoffs, sexual abuse and more.  Once the news of the charges became public knowledge, Vince McMahon broke off all cooperation with the docuseries.  The producers continued and completed the series without McMahon’s assistance.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mr. McMahon does an excellent job of showing an overview of the history of professional wrestling and how Vince McMahon changed the business forever.

If you’re a fan of professional wrestling, this docuseries is required viewing.  It is informative and entertaining.

Vince McMahon deserves credit for taking professional wrestling into the mainstream, for making the WWE a billion dollar company and for his ability to bounce back from setbacks.  With that said, Vince McMahon does not come off as a good person.  If the allegations are true, he’s even worse.

Mr. McMahon (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Apartment 7A” (2024) starring Julia Garner / Z-View

Posted on by

Apartment 7A (2024)

Director: Natalie Erika James

Screenplay: Natalie Erika James, Christian White, Skylar James; story by Skylar James; based on ROSEMARY’S BABY by Ira Levin

Stars: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest, Kevin McNally, Jim Sturgess, Rosy McEwen, Anton Blake Horowitz, Patrick Lyster and Andre Lillis.

Tagline: Rosemary was not the first.

The Plot…

Terry Gionoffrio (Garner) is a dancer who came to New York with big dreams.  Terry has a lead role on Broadway when she badly breaks her ankle during a performance.  When her ankle heals, Terry struggles during auditions.  Her bright future seems over.  Terry’s reputation precedes her.  She has become known as “the girl who fell”.

Unable to get a job dancing and with her bills piling up, Terry is running out of options. Then Terry meets a nice older couple named Minnie (Wiest) and Roman Castevet (McNally).  A friendship between the three develops.  Minnie and Roman offer to help Terry get back on her feet.  They live in the Bramford apartment building and say she can live in Apartment 7A rent-free.

How could Terry refuse such a generous offer?  The Castevets are godsend!

Terry will come to learn that the Castevets are the farthest thing from a godsend.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Apartment 7A is a prequel to Rosemary’s Baby.  If you haven’t seen the original film, it won’t hurt your enjoyment of Apartment 7A.  You will get a bigger kick out of the final scene if you have.

If you only know Julia Garner from Ozark, you may not recognize her.  She does an excellent job here as well as in Ozark.

Apartment 7A (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes”- The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

The poster and trailer for Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes are here.  I’m a Bogart fan and look forward to see this one.

Narrated in his own words, the first official documentary to explore the remarkable life and legacy of Hollywood legend and cultural icon Humphrey Bogart. Framed around the five key women in his life, the film intricately weaves together his most important relationships against a backdrop of world events giving a fresh and captivating perspective on one of Hollywood’s most revered stars.

In Select Theaters November 15

“Murder by Death” (1976) written by Neil Simon, starring Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Elsa Lanchester,David Niven, Maggie Smith, Nancy Walker, Estelle Winwood and James Cromwell / Z-View

Posted on by

Murder by Death (1976)

Director: Robert Moore

Screenplay: Neil Simon

Stars: Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Elsa Lanchester,
David Niven, Maggie Smith, Nancy Walker, Estelle Winwood and James Cromwell.

Tagline: By the time Eileen Brennan, Truman Capote, James Coco, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, Elsa Lanchester, David Niven, Peter Sellers, Maggie Smith, Nancy Walker and Estelle Winwood figure out whodunnit, you’ll die laughing.

The Plot…

The eccentric and wealthy Lionel Twain (Capote) invites the five greatest detectives in the world for dinner. The guests include…

  • Sam Diamond (Falk) and his sexy assistant Tess Skeffington (Brennan)
  • Sidney Wang (Sellers) and his son Willie Wang
  • Monsieur Milo Perrier (Coco) and his chauffeur, Marcel (Cromwell)
  • Jessica Marbles (Elsa Lanchester) and her nurse, Miss Withers (Winwood)
  • Dick (Niven) & Dora Charleston (Smith) and their pet pooch, Myron

The guests arrive to Twain’s remote creepy old mansion.  They are  unaware that others were invited.  When everyone sits down for dinner, Twain pushes a button that locks all doors and windows.  He then announces that someone will be murdered at midnight.  Twain says that he will give one million dollars to the detective that solves the crime.

Slightly before midnight the butler is found dead.  Then right after midnight, Twain’s body is discovered.  He’s dead from twelve stab wounds.

Let the game begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Murder by Death is a parody of the great “old dark house” and movie detective whodunits of the past.  Sam Diamond is a hardboiled dick from the mold of Sam Spade.  Sidney Wang and his son is based on Charlie Chan and his #1 son.  Monsieur Milo Perrier is modeled on Hercule Poirot.  Jessica Marbles was inspired by Miss Marple. Dick & Dora Charleston are stand-ins for Nick and Nora Charles.

The theatrical film debut of James Cromwell.  It is also the final theatrical film of Nancy Walker.

The animated cartoon drawings of the detectives at the start  of the film were created by Charles Addams, the creator of The Addams Family.

The doorbell screams are Fay Wray’s from King Kong.

If you’re a fan of the type of movies parodied, you should enjoy this.  Everyone gets a moment to shine.

Murder by Death (1976) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Tarzan’s Revenge” (1938) / Z-View

Posted on by

Tarzan’s Revenge (1938)

Director: D. Ross Lederman

Screenplay: Robert Lee Johnson, Jay Vann, based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Stars: Glenn Morris, C. Henry Gordon, Hedda Hopper, Joe Sawyer, George Meeker, Howard Hickman and Al Thompson.

Tagline: TARZAN CALLS AGAIN…and new thrills sweep the jungle wilds!

The Plot…

An expedition into the jungles of Africa runs into trouble with a dangerous tribe.  Tarzan to the rescue.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tarzan’s Revenge is really bad.  Poor acting equal to the poor story and direction.  Tarzan’s yell will make you laugh.

Glenn Morris gets the least amount of screen time of any actor who has played Tarzan.  For that you’ll be thankful.

Tarzan’s Revenge (1938) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Get Fast” starring Lou Diamond Phillips and James C. Clayton – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

The poster and trailer for Get Fast scream fun drive-in movie.

Deal me in.

US Release Date: November 15, 2024

Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Bradley Stryker, Alisha-Marie Ahamed, Fei Ren

Synopsis: After a heist goes wrong, a thief and a troubled orphan must rescue his kidnapped partner from a ruthless drug lord and her charming hitman. With guns, cars, and explosions, their escape is a high-stakes race against time.

“I Am Not Your Negro” (2016) directed by Raoul Peck / Z-View

Posted on by

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

Director: Raoul Peck

Screenplay: James Baldwin, Raoul Peck based on Remember This House by James Baldwin

Stars: James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Robert F. Kennedy, Harry Belafonte, Dick Cavett, Bob Dylan, Sidney Poitier, Ray Charles, Doris Day, Gary Cooper, Tony Curtis, Joan Crawford, Rod Steiger, Richard Widmark, Fay Wray, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Michelle Obama, George W. Bush, Stepin Fetchit, Audrey Hepburn, J. Edgar Hoover, Coretta Scott King, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Samuel L. Jackson (narration).

Tagline: In “Remember This House” Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished -a radical narration about race in America, through the lives and assassinations of three of his friends: Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers and Malcolm X. using only the writer’s original words.

The Plot…

Author and activist, James Baldwin intended to write a book exploring racism in America through his eyes and what he learned from his friends civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Medgar Evers.  Baldwin started the manuscript but died before it was finished.

Filmmaker Raoul Peck decided to make a documentary using Baldwin’s manuscript, his words from interviews and writings to create a film that would envision Baldwin’s planned book.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Nominated for 2017 Academy Award Best Documentary Feature.

James Baldwin was a fascinating speaker.  He was intelligent, perceptive and had the ability to hold an audience in the palm of his hand.

I Am Not Your Negro (2016) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Curse of the Demon” (1957) directed by Jacques Tourneur, starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacGinnis / Z-View

Posted on by

Curse of the Demon (1957)

Director: Jacques Tourneur

Screenplay: Charles Bennett, Hal E. Chester based on Casting the Runes in MORE GHOST STORIES OF AN ANTIQUARY By M. R. James

Stars: Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Maurice Denham, Reginald Beckwith.

Tagline: Who will be the next in line to defy the curse?

The Plot…

Dr. John Holden (Andrews) arrives in London to attend a paranormal and psychic phenomena convention.  Holden’s friend, Professor Harrington is set to expose  Dr. Julian Karswell (MccGinnis) as a fraud.  Shortly before the convention is to begin Professor Harrington is found dead in his car on a remote road.  The cause of death is listed as electrocution.

Dr. Holden is approached by colleagues of Professor Harrington.  They believe that Karswell was behind Harrington’s death.  Holden is skeptical.  At Professor Harrington’s funeral, he meets the Professor’s niece, Joanna (Cummins).  Joanna shares her uncles’s diary with Holden.  It describes Karswell’s power over the black arts.  Holden is skeptical.

Holden is openly skeptical when he meets Karswell.  Even after Karswell gives a demonstration of his power, Holden brushes it off.  Karswell is insulted and tells Holden he will die within three days.

When Holden learns the truth it is too late.  Someone will face the curse of the demon, but how can Holden make sure it’s not him?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I’ve always liked Curse of the Demon.  I’ve found that I enjoy it more with each viewing.  It’s a smart, psychological thriller with a great payoff.

Niall MacGinnis steals the show as Dr. Julian Karswell.

Kudos to director Jacques Tourneur for creating a stylish thriller in what could have been a 1950s drive-in monster movie.

In England, the country where the film was made, it was titled Night of the Demon and the running time was 13 minutes longer.

Martin Scorsese has listed Curse of the Demon as one of his favorite films.

Curse of the Demon (1957) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Bikeriders” (2023) starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy / Z-View

Posted on by

The Bikeriders (2023)

Director: Jeff Nichols

Screenplay: Jeff Nichols, based on THE BIKERIDERS by Danny Lyon

Stars: Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Toby Wallace, Happy Anderson, Paul Sparks, Paul Dillon and Norman Reedus.

Tagline: Freedom belongs to the fearless.

The Plot…

The history of the Vandals Motorcycle Club laid out through stories told by Kathy Bauer (Comer) to a photographer planning a book.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

It’s interesting to see how the Vandals Motorcycle Club morphed from a small bikeriders outfit into a motorcycle gang with chapters throughout the country.  It became so big that those that started the club could no longer control it.

The Vandals are a real motorcycle club.

Tom Hardy and Judy Comer are standouts in an excellent cast.

The Bikeriders (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Scandals! Then & Now (1998) / Z-View

Posted on by

Scandal! Then & Now (1998) 

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Scandal! Then & Now explores six scandals that shocked the world…

  • Resurrection in LA: The Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson.  Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Church and one of the first evangelists to use radio to spread the word was world famous.  Her sermons and faith healing drew thousands.  When McPherson went swimming one day and disappeared, it was thought she drowned.  The world mourned. Then weeks later, McPherson reappeared saying she had been kidnapped.  But the facts didn’t add up…
    Written and directed by Simcha Jacobovici and David Harel.
  • Silenced Star: The Rise and Fall of Fatty Arbuckle.
    Written and directed by Tim Wolochatiuk
  • Unspoken Lies: George and Viola McMillan and the Windfall Mine Fraud.
    Written and directed by Simcha Jacobovici
  • Brothers in Blood: Leopold and Loeb.
    Written and directed by Tim Wolochatiuk
  • Southern Knights: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank.
    Written and directed by Yuval Daniel
  • Crossing the Line: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, the First Black Champion Boxer
    Written and directed by Roger Pyke

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I enjoyed the series.  I was aware of the Aimee Semple McPherson, Fatty Arbuckle, Leopold and Loeb and Jack Johnson scandals.  Still it was interesting to revisit them.  The Viola McMillan and the Windfall Mine Fraud and the  Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank scandals were new to me.

Scandal! Then & Now (1998)  rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Armor” starring Jason Patric and Sylvester Stallone – The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

Armor starring Jason Patric and Sylvester Stallone – The Trailer is Here!

Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone and Jason Patric star in an action-packed, thriller about the lengths one man will go to save what’s left of his family and reclaim his own life. James and his son Casey are armored truck drivers tasked with delivering a suspicious package. After a violent ambush on the road, James and Casey are trapped until they discover the value of what they have been carrying and join forces to outgun and outwit their attackers.

The cast also includes Dash Mihok, Josh Wiggins, Blake Shields, and Erin Ownbey. Lionsgate will release the Justin Routt-directed action film in theaters and on digital and On Demand on November 22, 2024.