Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Raylan is back and ready to show a whole new city who’s boss. FX’s Justified: City Primeval premieres July 18 on FX. Stream on Hulu.
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis and Boyd Holbrook. Raylan Givens left the hollers of Kentucky and is balancing life as a U.S. Marshal with being a part-time father. A chance encounter sends him to Detroit and on a collision course with a violent sociopath and a formidable defense attorney.
Thomas Leatham and Calum Russell at Far Out came up with their list of The 10 best Sylvester Stallone movies. Before you click over to see their thoughts on each film, here is how our rankings compared. I also included some Stallone films that would have made my list, but didn’t make theirs.
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Leatham & Russell |
Zablo |
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10. Cobra (George P. Cosmatos, 1986) 09. The Suicide Squad (James Gunn, 2021) 08. Demolition Man (Marco Brambilla, 1993) 07. Rocky IV (Sylvester Stallone, 1985) 06. Cliffhanger (Renny Harlin, 1993) 05. Nighthawks (Bruce Malmuth, 1981) 04. First Blood (Ted Kotcheff, 1982) 03. Cop Land (James Mangold, 1997) 02. Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2016) 01. Rocky (John G. Avildsen, 1976) |
10. The Suicide Squad (James Gunn, 2021) 09. Demolition Man (Marco Brambilla, 1993) 08. Cobra (George P. Cosmatos, 1986) 06. Cliffhanger (Renny Harlin, 1993) 06. Rocky IV (Sylvester Stallone, 1985) 05. First Blood (Ted Kotcheff, 1982) 04. Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2016) 03. Nighthawks (Bruce Malmuth, 1981) 02. Cop Land (James Mangold, 1997) 01. Rocky (John G. Avildsen, 1976) |
Old Henry (2021)
Director: Potsy Ponciroli
Screenplay: Potsy Ponciroli
Stars: Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Gavin Lewis, Trace Adkins, Stephen Dorff, Richard Speight Jr., Max Arciniega, Brad Carter and Kent Shelton.
Tagline: You can’t bury the past.
The Plot…
Henry (Nelson) is a widower raising his teenage son on a remote farm in the west. One day, on the outskirts of his farm, Henry finds Curry (Haze), a badly wounded man with a satchel of cash. Henry brings Curry back to the farm. Curry claims to be a Sheriff on the run from the three robbers who stole the cash. Curry says that when the robbers show up they will claim to be Deputies, but they’re not.
Soon three men ride up. They claim to be officers of the law who have tracked an outlaw to the farm. They demand that Henry turn the outlaw and bag of cash over to them.
Henry has a decision to make. No one is as they seem… including Henry.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Old Henry is a complete joy. It’s a throwback western of the best kind. I love the twists in the plot and how our allegiances shift as the movie progresses. The ultimate reveal at the end is unexpected but completely right.
Stephen Dorff is, as always. excellent. Tim Blake Nelson shines as Old Henry.
Old Henry (2021) rates 5 of 5 stars.
The Salton Sea (2002)
Director: D.J. Caruso
Screenplay: Tony Gayton
Stars: Val Kilmer, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Goldberg, Luis Guzmán, Doug Hutchison, Anthony LaPaglia, Peter Sarsgaard, BD Wong, R. Lee Ermey, Meat Loaf and Danny Trejo.
Tagline: If You’re Looking For The Truth, You’ve Come To The Wrong Place.
The Plot…
Danny Parker (Kilmer) survived a tragic incident and now runs with drug addicts and criminals. But all is not as it seems. As the tagline says, “If you’re looking for truth, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
When I first watched The Salton Sea, I was almost ready to tap out when Val Kilmer does something (I won’t give it away) that told me, not all is as it seems. I had gone in to the film cold and wasn’t aware of the tagline or the plot. I love the twists and reveals throughout The Salton Sea.
D.J. Caruso has assembled a great cast. The standout though is Vincent D’Onofrio as Pooh-Bear, a noseless, crazy drug dealer. D’Onofrio, as he is apt to do, owns every scene he’s in.
On my initial viewing of The Salton Sea, I rated it 5 of 5 stars. I recently rewatched The Salton Sea and it could be because I knew the plot twists/reveals that I dropped the rating to 4 of 5 stars (which is, of course still really good).
The Salton Sea (2002) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Deal me in!
Ridley. Joaquin. Napoleon. In theaters November 22
Directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by David Scarpa, “Napoleon” stars Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military leader. The film is an original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine, played by Vanessa Kirby. The film captures Napoleon’s famous battles, relentless ambition and astounding strategic mind as an extraordinary military leader and war visionary. An Apple Studios production in conjunction with Scott Free Productions, “Napoleon” is produced by Scott, Kevin Walsh, Mark Huffam and Phoenix, with Michael Pruss and Aidan Elliott serving as executive producers.
Back in January of 2005, I posted about meeting the legendary comic artist, Joe Kubert. Here is part of what I wrote then:
I had the good fortune to meet Joe Kubert in the early 80’s. He was Guest of Honor at one of Jim Ivey’s OrlandoCons. Joe Kubert was there to pick up his Ignatz award. At the time Mr. Kubert was also promoting a series that he was to write and draw for DC called The Redeemer. Sad to say it never appeared.
Another thing that Joe Kubert worked on that never appeared is, interestingly enough, a proposal for a Rocky Balboa newspaper strip. Mr. Kubert told me that he was approached to work on a daily newspaper strip and that he had in fact worked up character sheets, some daily samples, etc. Sadly the strip was never picked up.
You can imagine how excited I was to hear that JOE KUBERT had drawn Rocky Balboa. I asked Mr. Kubert if the art was available for sale, but it wasn’t. I then asked if I could buy Xeroxes but again, Mr. Kubert politely declined. Man, you just know that those pieces look great… maybe someday we’ll get the chance to see them in a treasury of his work.
The two strips you see above (click on the art to see them biggie-sized) are samples that Joe Kubert created for the proposed Rocky Balboa newspaper strip. These are the only two I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure how many others he may have drawn. One thing I am sure of: Any strip Joe Kubert drew would contain great art.
Code of Silence (1985)
Director: Andrew Davis
Screenplay: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack, Mike Gray story by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack
Stars: Chuck Norris, Henry Silva, Bert Remsen, Mike Genovese, Nathan Davis, Molly Hagan and Dennis Farina.
Tagline: Eddie Cusack’s a good cop having a very bad day.
The Plot…
Sergeant Eddie Cusack (Norris) is in charge of a stakeout to take down some big time drug dealers. The stakeout goes sideways when the drug dealers are ripped off and killed. The thieves get away and Cragie, an alcoholic cop on Cusack’s team. accidentally kills a kid. Cragie then plants a gun on the kid to make the killing look legit. Cusak finds himself alone as he looks to bring Cragie to justice and find the killers.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Code of Silence was originally offered to Clint Eastwood as a potential Dirty Harry film but Eastwood passed.
This was director Andrew Davis’ first action movie. He would go on to direct action classics like Above the Law; Under Siege and The Fugitive.
I saw Code of Silence when it was initially released and liked it much better then than on a recent re-watch.
Code of Silence (1985) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Vidhi Narula at Collider posted The 10 Best Sylvester Stallone Movies, According to Reddit. How the list doesn’t contain a single Rocky or Rambo film is beyond me. Before you click over to get Narula’s thoughts on each film, here is how I’d rank the Reddit choices.
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10. Cop Land (1997) |
Zablo 10. Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) |
Renfield (2023)
Director: Chris McKay
Screenplay: Ryan Ridley from a story by Robert Kirkman based on Dracula by Bram Stoker
Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Brandon Scott Jones and Adrian Martinez.
Tagline: Stop serving. Start living.
The Plot…
Renfield (Hoult), Dracula’s (Cage) servant for the last 90 years, has come to realize he’s in a toxic relationship. He wants out. Unfortunately, Dracula is not ready to let him go.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Nicholas Cage would be one of the last actors I would consider to play Dracula, but since Renfield is a comedy, it all works out.
I thought it was cool that Chris McKay took a couple of scenes from the original Dracula film and superimposed Cage’s face for Dracula and Hoult’s for Renfield.
The idea that Renfield realizes he’s in a toxic relationship and attends meetings with others looking to get out of bad relationships creates for some funny business.
Renfield (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Check out these cool character posters for Justified: City Primeval. I am so psyched for this!
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Black and Blue (2019)
Director: Deon Taylor
Screenplay: Peter A. Dowling
Stars: Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter and James Moses Black
Tagline: The truth made her a target.
The Plot…
After a stint in the Army, Alicia West (Harris) has returned to her tough New Orleans neighborhood as a police officer. Alicia quickly learns that although she grew up there and is black, everyone now sees her as “blue”. This is driven home from her interactions with people she grew up with — they distrust the police and she’s now one of them.
When Alicia agrees to pick up an extra shift, she paired with a veteran cop. They take a couple of calls and then he tells her to wait in the car while he enters a building. When Alicia hears a gunshot, she leaves the car and heads to help her partner. She’s surprised to see him with some undercover cops as they murder a drug dealer. When Alicia is seen, one of the cops shoots her. Wounded and on the run, Alicia becomes the target of cops and the gangbangers when word is put out that she executed the drug dealers!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Naomie Harris is excellent as the rookie cop, wounded and alone with no one to trust and everyone wanting her dead. Tyrese Gibson and Frank Grillo are always welcome additions to any cast. The real surprise for me is Mike Colter. Colter plays a huge, scary drug lord determined to avenge the murder of his nephew. He owns every scene he’s in.
Black and Blue (2019) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Based on a true American Story. Killers of the Flower Moon, in theaters October.
At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), “Killers of the Flower Moon” is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. Also starring Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion, Killers of the Flower Moon is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese, based on David Grann’s best-selling book.
Hailing from Apple Studios, Killers of the Flower Moon was produced alongside Imperative Entertainment, Sikelia Productions and Appian Way. Producers are Scorsese, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Daniel Lupi, with DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Adam Somner, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, John Atwood, Shea Kammer and Niels Juul serving as executive producers.
Song: “Stadium Pow Wow (feat. Black Bear)” by The Halluci Nation https://apple.co/StadiumPowWow
Malone (1987)
Director: Harley Cokeliss
Screenplay: Christopher Frank, William P. Wingate
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, Kenneth McMillan, Cynthia Gibb, Scott Wilson, Lauren Hutton, Tracey Walter and Dennis Burkley.
Tagline: He didn’t start the fight… but he’ll sure as hell finish it.
The Plot…
Malone (Reynolds) is a retired C.I.A. assassin. While driving across country, Malone’s car breaks down outside a small town. He pushes the car to the only gas station for miles and meets the owner, Paul Barlow (Wilson) and his teenage daughter Jo (Gibb). Barlow allows Malone to stay at his house while they wait for the car part to arrive. Malone learns that a rich man named Delaney (Robertson) is buying up all the property in the area and is putting a squeeze on Barlow. When thugs are sent to convince Barlow to sell, Malone steps in. Soon Malone finds himself going against Delaney and his former allies at the C.I.A..
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Does it get any more mid-80s than Burt Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, Kenneth McMillan, Cynthia Gibb, Scott Wilson and Lauren Hutton?
Burt Reynolds described Malone as a retelling of Shane and he’s not far off… except the young boy is now a teenage girl with the hots for Malone.
If you’re a Burt Reynolds fan you’ll enjoy Malone more than a non-fan so keep that in mind as you consider my rating. I’m a Reynolds fan.
Malone (1987) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Heat (1987)
Director: Dick Richards, Jerry Jameson
Screenplay: William Goldman based on his novel Heat
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Karen Young, Peter MacNicol, Howard Hesseman, Diana Scarwid, Joseph Mascolo, Alfie Wise and Joe Klecko.
Tagline: Nick Escalante isn’t a violent man by nature. He’s just good at it. Protection is his business. Especially when it comes to his friends
The Plot…
Nick Escalante (Reynolds) is a Vegas bodyguard. When a female escort is brutalized by a mobster’s son named Danny DeMarco, Escalante agrees to help her get revenge. Things go sideways when the DeMarco calls in hitters to take out Escalante.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
There’s a fun subplot with Peter MacNicol playing a rich, timid man who wants Escalante to teach him to be tough.
Heat was a troubled production. Burt Reynolds and director, Dick Richards didn’t get along. At one point Reynolds punched Richards, who then left the production. Jerry Jamison was brought in to direct until Richards eventually returned. Richards sued and won $500,000 from Reynold for the assault.
If you’re a Burt Reynolds fan, you’ll like Heat better than nonfans since the movie gets a lot of mileage from Reynolds likeability.
Heat (1987) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Blaine Turner at Movieweb posted Sylvester Stallone’s 18 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes. You know me and lists. So using just the films ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, here’s how I compare.
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Rotton Tomatoes 18. Demolition Man (1993) – 62% 17. The Lords of Flatbush (1974) – 64% 16. Rocky III (1982) – 65% 15. Escape to Victory (1981) – 67% 14. Shade (2003) – 67% 13. The Expendables 2 (2012) – 67% 12. Cliffhanger (1993) – 68% 11. Rocky II (1979) – 70% 10. Nighthawks (1981) – 71% 09. F.I.S.T. (1978) – 73% 08. Cop Land (1997) – 75% 07. Rocky Balboa (2006) – 77% 06. Death Race 2000 (1975) – 82% 05. Creed II (2018) – 83% 04. First Blood (1982) – 86% 03. Antz (1998) – 92% 02. Rocky (1976) – 92% 01. Creed (2015) – 95% |
Zablo 18. The Lords of Flatbush (1974) – 64% 17. Death Race 2000 (1975) – 82% 16. Antz (1998) – 92% 15. Escape to Victory (1981) – 67% 14. Demolition Man (1993) – 62% 13. Creed II (2018) – 83% 12. Shade (2003) – 67% 11. Rocky II (1979) – 70% 10. Cliffhanger (1993) – 68% 09. F.I.S.T. (1978) – 73% 08. The Expendables 2 (2012) – 67% 07. First Blood (1982) – 86% 06. Creed (2015) – 95% 05. Rocky Balboa (2006) – 77% 04. Cop Land (1997) – 75% 03. Nighthawks (1981) – 71% 02. Rocky III (1982) – 65% 01. Rocky (1976) – 92% |
