Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
True Detective starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis is on my “must-see” list. Check out the poster and trailer. It may end up on yours too.
How far would you go to find the answers? HBO Original Series True Detective: Night Country, starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, premieres January 14 on Max.
Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection (2022)
Director: Kelvin Mao
Stars: Dave Stevens, Thomas Jane, Billy Campbell, Joe Johnston, Brinke Stevens, Bruce Timm, David Mandel, Danny Bilson, William Stout, James R. Silke, Bill Wray, Scott Shaw and Mark Evanier.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Dave Stevens was a professional artist best known for creating The Rocketeer. The Rocketeer quickly became a fan favorite comic book series. It was later adapted as a feature film. The Rocketeer is what most people think of when Dave Stevens’ name comes up.
What many don’t know is that Dave Stevens worked inking comic strips before creating The Rocketeer. He also drew storyboards for Hanna-Barbera’s animated shows. Later Dave Stevens provided storyboards for Raiders of the Lost Ark and Michael Jackson’s Thriller! He was married to actress Brink Stevens. He helped popularize Bettie Paige with a new generation. When he discovered that Ms. Paige was still alive, he befriended her. Dave Stevens made sure that Bettie Paige received money from people profiting off the use of her likeness.
Dave Stevens was an artist obsessed with perfection. He wanted every drawing, every page, every panel, every line to be as he pictured it in his mind. Despite being an award-winning artist, and considered the reigning king of pinup artists, Dave Stevens was hampered by his quest for perfection. It caused his output to be slow. Mr. Stevens had high standards for his art, himself and those few he considered friends.
Drawn to Perfection explores all aspects of Dave Stevens life and career. We hear from his family, friends and even Dave himself through vintage interviews. If you’re at all interested in learning more about Dave Stevens, then Drawn to Perfection is the place to start.
Storm Fear (1955)
Director: Cornel Wilde
Writer: Horton Foote based on STORM FEAR by Clinton Seeley
Stars: Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Dan Duryea, Lee Grant, David Stollery, Dennis Weaver, Steven Hill and Chet Huntley.
Tagline: IT HITS LIKE A THUNDERBOLT!
The Plot…
A bad winter storm is coming. Fred Blake (Duryea), his wife Elizabeth (Wallace) and their son, David (Stollery) live in a remote mountainside farm house. Fred is a sickly and unhappy man. Just before the storm hits, Fred’s estranged brother, Charlie (Wilde) and two others show up. Charlie has been shot in the leg. The bullet is still lodged there. His companions are Benji (Hill), a nervous, bully and Edna (Grant). Obviously the three are on the run from the law.
As the storm hits, Fred learns that the three robbed a bank. A police officer was killed in the process. Charlie promises they will take off when the weather clears. But as the night progresses, we learn secrets that had been long buried. Worried that the family will become witnesses against them, Benji plans to kill them all, including Charlie.
It won’t be long until sunup…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Storm Fear marked Cornell Wilde’s feature film directorial debut.
Lee Grant had been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in 1951’s The Detective. It was her first feature film. Because of Joseph McCarthy’s red scare, Grant was blacklisted and didn’t get another feature film role until Cornell Wilde cast her in Storm Fear. Grant would then go on to a long career as an actress, director and producer. She was nominated three more times for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, winning in 1976 for her role in Shampoo.
I was surprised to learn that Eddie Muller is not a fan of Storm Fear. I’m not one to argue with the Czar of Noir, but Storm Fear resonated with me.
Flagpole Jitters (1956)
Director: Jules White
Writer: Felix Adler, Jack White
Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, David Bond, Vernon Dent, Richard Alexander, Ned Glass and Frank Sully.
Tagline: The Three Stooges hit a new high in low-down laughs
The Plot…
The boys are working as janitors to raise money for their invalid neighbor, Mary. Their goal is to get enough dough that Mary can have an operation to allow her to walk again. A criminal known as The Great Svengarlic hypnotizes Larry, Shemp and Moe to dance on a flagpole high above the street. While the crowd watches Svengarlic’s act, his accomplices rob a jewelry store.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Flagpole Jitters (1956) is a reworking of the Stooges’ 1949 short Hokus Pokus. It makes use of quite a bit of footage from the original. In the original Mary was faking her disability, in this one she’s not. Changing this aspect of the short weakens the ending.
Flagpole Jitters is the last Stooges’ short that features new footage of Shemp. He died less than five months after the filming of this one.
The funniest scene is when Shemp gets physical with the insurance adjuster! (And that came from the original short.)
Hot Stuff (1956) rates 2 of 5 stars.
I don’t know the game, but I am a Walter Goggins fan and the Fallout trailer looks interesting. Since it’s on PRIME, deal me in.
Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them. From executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators of Westworld, starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins and more. Arriving April 12 on Prime Video.
Tony Stella can do no wrong. Check out his Bruce Lee portrait above and then if you want to see more of Stella’s amazing art, head over to his website.
The poster is okay, but the trailer rocks.
Deal me in!
This is her Odyssey. #Furiosa – Only in Theaters 2024
Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth star in Academy Award-winning mastermind George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 30 years ago with the seminal “Mad Max” films. Miller now turns the page again with an all-new original, standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the multiple Oscar-winning global smash “Mad Max: Fury Road.” The new feature from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures is produced by Miller and his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Babe”), under their Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner.
As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
Taylor-Joy stars in the title role, and along with Hemsworth, the film also stars Alyla Browne and Tom Burke.
Miller penned the script with “Mad Max: Fury Road” co-writer Nico Lathouris. Miller’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes first assistant director PJ Voeten and second unit director and stunt coordinator Guy Norris, director of photography Simon Duggan (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “The Great Gatsby”), composer Tom Holkenborg, sound designer Robert Mackenzie, editor Eliot Knapman, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and colorist Eric Whipp. The team also includes other longtime collaborators: production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, each of whom won an Oscar for their work on “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, in Association with Village Roadshow Pictures, A Kennedy Miller Mitchell Production, A George Miller Film, “Furiosa.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters only nationwide on May 24, 2024 and internationally beginning on May 22, 2024.
Here’s another clip from Fast Charlie is based on Victor Gishler’s novel GUN MONKEYS. This one features Pierce Brosnan and James Caan. Fast Charlie is shaping up to be on par with the book. If so, we’re in for a treat.
Deal me in.
ComingSoon is debuting an exclusive Fast Charlie clip from the Pierce Brosnan-led upcoming action thriller. The film is set to debut in select theaters and through video-on-demand platforms on Friday, December 8.
“Charlie Swift, aka ‘Fast Charlie,’ is a fixer with a problem: the target he’s whacked is missing his head,” read the synopsis. “And he must prove it’s the intended target to the man who paid for the hit — New Orleans’ most prominent and most ruthless mobster, Beggar Mercado. Charlie enlists Marcie Kramer, the victim’s ex-wife and a woman with the backbone and skillset Charlie needs. Dragging Marcie back into a past she was determined to escape sends the two of them on a wild and unpredictable odyssey that’s unexpectedly amusing, action propelled, and ultimately heartfelt. Along the way, Charlie and Marcie fight to protect the legacy of Charlie’s best friend and mentor, Stan Mullen, while bringing down Beggar and his entire operation.”
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, James Caan
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Release Date: 12/8/23
Frances Sternhagen died on November 27, 2023. Ms. Sternhagen was 93.
Frances Sternhagen was an award-winning actress who appeared on stage, television and in movies in a career that spanned nearly 70 years. During her career she was nominated for seven Tony awards (winning two) as well as three Primetime Emmy award nominations.
Some of Frances Sternhagen’s television appearances include: Love of Life; The Secret Storm; Omnibus; Studio One (2 episodes); Play of the Week (2 episodes); The Defenders; Profiles in Courage; The Doctors (42 episodes); NET Playhouse (2 episodes); Great Performances (2 episodes); Spencer (1985 – 7 episodes); At Mother’s Request (2 episodes); Golden Years (7 episodes); Tales from the Crypt; Cheers (7 episodes); The Road Home (6 episodes); The Outer Limits (1985); Law & Order (2 episodes); The Simpsons; Sex & the City (10 episodes); ER (21 episodes) and The Closer (16 episodes).
Some of Frances Sternhagen’s feature films include: Up the Down Staircase; The Hospital; Starting Over; Outland; Bright Lights, Big City; Misery; Doc Hollywood; Raising Cain and The Mist.
My favorite Francis Sternhagen role was when she played Dr. Marian Lazarus in Outland. She and Sean Connery had great chemistry. Another favorite role is when she played Irene Reppler in The Mist. Any time Francis Sternhagen appeared the production improved.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frances Sternhagen’s family, friends and fans.
Tony Stella created the art above for the 50th anniversary of Enter the Dragon. Hard to believe that it’s been 50 years. Even harder to believe that Bruce Lee’s been gone that long as well.
Deal me in.
The untold truth behind the tragedy.
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial premieres December 6 https://apple.co/_JohnLennonMurderWit…For the first time, key figures from John Lennon’s life and death reveal what happened on the night of his killing.
It wouldn’t be hard to guess that I’m a huge fan of Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone and created by Taylor Sheridan. I’m looking forward to season two. Above and below is the coverage provided by TV Guide before the show hit the airwaves. Click on the photo below to get a Tulsa King-sized version. 
Elliot Silverstein died on November 24, 2023. Mr. Silverstein was 96.
Mr. Silverstein’s career began in 1955 when he directed eleven episodes of the tv series Omnibus. For the next forty years Elliott Silverstein directed television projects and feature films. When Mr. Silverstein retired from directing he taught film at the University of Southern California.
Mr. Silverstein was nominated for a Directors Guild Award in 1965 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for Cat Ballou. In 1985, he won the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America. In 1990, the Directors Guild named him a DGA Honorary Life Member Award.
Some of Elliot Silverstein’s television projects include: Omnibus (11 episodes); The United States Steel Hour (2 episodes); Suspicion (2 episodes); Alcoa Theater (2 episodes); The Westerner; Route 66 (5 episodes); Have Gun – Will Travel; Naked City (8 episodes); Dr. Kildare (14 episodes); Channing (2 episodes); Breaking Point (2 episodes); The Twilight Zone (4 episodes); The Doctors and The Nurses (4 episodes); The Defenders (4 episodes); Kraft Suspense Theater (3 episodes) and Tales from the Crypt (4 episodes).
Some of Elliot Silverstein’s feature films include: Cat Ballou; The Happening; A Man Called Horse and The Car.
I’m not sure the first time I saw something directed by Elliot Silverstein since he directed several shows I watched when I was young. My favorite project directed by Mr. Silverstein is The Obsolete Man episode of The Twilight Zone.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Elliot Silverstein’s family, friends and fans.
Jean Knight, born Jean Caliste, November 22, 2023, of natural causes. Ms. Knight was 80.
Jean Caliste began singing professionally after she graduated high school. In 1965, Ms. Caliste was signed to Jet Star/Tribe records. At that point she changed her professional name to Jean Knight. With Jet Star./Tribe she released four singles. Although she attracted local attention, the records never took off nationally. Jean Knight began working as a baker to make ends meet.
In 1970, songwriter Ralph Williams and record producer Wardell Quezergue heard some of Jean Knight’s songs. They brought her in to Malaco Studios for a recording session where she recorded Mr. Big Stuff. The song was shopped to several record companies. It was rejected by everyone. Then in 1971, King Floyd’s hit Groove Me went to #1 on the R&B charts. It was recorded at Malaco Studios. At that point the producer at Stax records remembered another song recorded at Malaco Studios. That song was Mr. Big Stuff,
When Mr. Big Stuff was released it shot to the top of the charts. It went to #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts. It sold over two-million copies and was awarded gold and platinum status. The song was also nominated for a Grammy award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. Although Ms. Knight never had another major hit, she continued touring for years.
Mr. Big Stuff is one of those songs that everyone knows the words to. Years after it was popular, I gave my best friend the nickname Big Stuff. It gradually morphed into Big Time. He’s sometimes still called that today when friends from our group get together.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jean Knight’s family, friends and fans.
The Accountant (2016)
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Screenplay by: Bill Dubuque
Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, John Lithgow, Alison Wright, Jason Davis, Robert C. Treveiler, Seth Lee, Ron Prather and Jean Smart.
Tagline: Calculate your choices.
The Story:
Christian Wolff (Affleck), a mathematics savant, was diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum as a child. His father, a military vet, forced Christian to deal with the things that triggered him. Dad also provided martial arts and weapons training for Christian and his brother.
Now an adult, Wolff uses his math talents as an accountant to criminal enterprises. He operates out of a small office that is a front. Wolff also owns several businesses used to launder money. Wolff is hired by Lamar Blackburn (Lithgow), the billionaire owner of Living Robotics, to check his books. What Wolff discovers puts in motion a chain of events that result in several murders. At the same time Wolff is dealing with this, he learns that the Treasury Department has been investigating him and are about to close in.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Ben Affleck is excellent as Christian Wolff. He is supported by an amazing cast. Standouts include Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow. Kudos to the always excellent Jon Bernthal, who owns every scene he’s in.
The Accountant features a cool twist that I didn’t see coming.
I’d love for Affleck and Bernthal to return in a sequel.
