Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
American Primeval. Peter Berg directed this six episode limited series that premieres on January 9, 2025. Starring Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin.
Deal me in.
Civilization and civilized are two different words entirely.
Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin star in American Primeval, a gripping new limited series from director Peter Berg.
Coming Jan. 9, only on Netflix.
As we start 2025, let’s take a look at the BEST OF 2024. I hope you see something that you enjoyed or gets you interested to check out. Here we go…
Movies and Television Series
In 2024, I watched 396 movies and tv series. That number is down 13 from last year. My favorite films and limited series released in 2024 included (in alpha order):
Books
In 2024, I read 46 books (up 25 from last year) My favorites from this year included (in the order I read them):
My Most Popular Posts of the Year
I continue to find some surprises in what became my most popular posts each year. Here are the top ten for 2024 and some thoughts for each…
My All-Time Most Popular Posts
It’s always interesting to see which topics resonate with fans and continue to be popular long after their initial post.
The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga (2024)
Director: Chapman Way, Maclain Way
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Kevin Curtis had to give up his career as an Elvis impersonator when he married and started a family. Curtis got work as a janitor at the North Mississippi Medical Center. When Curtis went into an off-limits area he told everyone who would listen that he found a severed head there. Ultimately Curtis was fired. Curtis claimed the hospital was involved in black market selling of illegally harvested human organs.
Curtis became obsessed with conspiracy theories about the black market for human organs. Curtis reached out to Steve Holland, his local House of Representatives legislator. When Holland wouldn’t help Curtis, a feud developed. Curtis discovered that Holland owned several funeral homes. This led to Curtis’ belief that Holland was involved in the human organs black market.
As Curtis became more obsessed with overlapping conspiracy theories his life crumbled. Curtis’ relationship with his brother (also an Elvis impersonator) ended. After Curtis discovered his wife was cheating on him with James Everett Dutschke, they divorced. Dutschke was a member of mesa, a karate instructor and wanna-be politician. Curtis and Dutschke hated each other and each kept upping the ante in their feud.
Ultimately Curtis was arrested for sending Rican in a letter to President Obama, Judge Sadie Holland, and Senator Roger Wicker. Curtis claimed he was innocent and Dutschke set him up. Dutschke said Curtis was unhinged.
Both Dutschke and Curtis are known liars. This time one of them is telling the truth.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
If you can get past the all over the place opening of The Kings of Tupelo, you’re in for a tale that is hard to believe. The over the top, Southern to the bone characters are real people that would fit nicely in a Joe Lansdale novel or The Dukes of Hazard. I liked visiting, but wouldn’t want to live there.
The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was… (2024)
Director: Hamish Hamilton
Screenplay: Jamie Foxx
Stars: Jamie Foxx.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
About a year ago Jamie Foxx was hospitalized. His family clamped down on news about the cause of Foxx’s illness. No photos. No interviews. So… of course speculation and rumors ran rampant. Jamie Foxx had died. Jamie Foxx was replaced by a clone. Jamie Foxx had been poisoned. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Thankfully Jamie Foxx fully recovered. It took a lot of time and intensive rehab, but he did it. And now Jamie Foxx wants to set the record straight.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Jamie Foxx: What Happened Was is billed as a comedy special. Which is unfortunate. If you tune in to see Foxx’s comedy, you’ll get glimpses. The laughs are mixed with a lot of Foxx talking about getting sick and his recovery. Much of that is NOT funny. And that’s fine… if you’re not expecting an all-out comedy special.
Jamie Foxx is talented. He’s a comedian. An actor. A singer. His impressions rock. This special gives us glimpses of those talents and reminders of Foxx’s past success. They’re found as Foxx talks about his stroke and recovery. If you tune in thinking you’ll get a brief summary of what happened to Jamie followed by a comedy special, you’ll be disappointed. I blame that on how the special was advertised.
Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was… (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.
American Primeval – The second teaser is here. I was sold with the first.
Deal me in.
This is America, 1857.
Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin star in American Primeval, a gripping new limited series from director Peter Berg.
Coming Jan. 9, only on Netflix.
The Night Agent: Season 2 trailer is here. I enjoyed the first round. Bring on the second.
Deal me in.
The fate of the nation relies on one man. The Night Agent Season 2 returns January 23, only on Netflix.
The trailer for the limited series, Zero Day starring Robert DeNiro, Jesse Plemons with Matthew Modine and Angela Bassett is here!
Deal me in.
In the wake of a devastating cyber attack, a former President (Robert De Niro) is tasked with finding the perpetrators and seeking truth when another attack is imminent — but is the greatest threat a foreign power, or from within? The new limited series ZERO DAY is the first series for #RobertDeNiro and premieres February 20.
Art Evans died on Saturday, December 21, 2024. The cause of death was complications from diabetes. Mr. Evans was 82.
Art Evans began his career as a stage actor. His first screen appearance was in 1972. Mr. Evans had an uncredited role in the early Brian DePalma film, Sisters. In 1975, Art Evans received his first credited role in the television movie The Orphan and the Dude. For the next forty plus years Mr. Evans appeared in movie and television roles.
Television projects that feature Art Evans include: The Orphan and the Dude; Chico and the Man; Police Woman; Minstrel Man; Roosevelt and Truman; King (3 episodes); Some Kind of Miracle; The Cracker Factory; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; MASH; Skag; The Boy Who Drank Too Much; World War III; The Fall Guy; The Seduction of Gena; Hill Street Blues (3 episodes); American Playhouse; Long Time Gone; Nine to Five (12 episodes); 227; In the Heat of the Night; Doogie Houser MD; Midnight Caller; A Different World (2 episodes); Mad About You (2 episodes); CBS Schoolbreak Special; Roc; Family Matters; Dream On; Walker, Texas Ranger; LA Heat; Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction; After All; City of Angels; The X-Files; Monk; Everybody Hates Chris; Lincoln Heights (2 episodes); The Sarah Silverman Program; Pretend Time (2 episodes); Last Man Standing; Beauty and the Baller (3 episodes); A House Divided (3 episodes); Real Husbands of Hollywood and The Proud Family Louder and Louder (2 episodes).
Feature films that Art Evans appeared in include: Sisters; Claudine; Death Wish; Amazing Grace; Leadbelly; Fun with Dick and Jane; The In-Laws; The Main Event; The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again; Christine; A Soldier’s Story; Tough Turf; Into the Night; Fright Night; Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling; Ruthless People; Native Son; White of the Eye; The Mighty Quinn; Adventures in Babysitting; Die Hard II; Revenge of the Nerds; Trespass; CB4; Tales from the Hood; The Story of Us; Interstate 60; Young Cesar; Shades of Ray and Church.
I probably first saw Art Evans in Death Wish. I know by the time he appeared in Die Hard 2, I recognized him from his many guest appearances on television and movies. My favorite Art Evans roles are the parts he played in Die Hard 2 and A Soldier’s Story. Of course I always liked his performances in everything I ever saw him in.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to Art Evans’ family, friends and fans.
The 1923 Season 2 trailer is here. Loved the first season.
Deal me in.
1923 season 2 premieres February 23, only on Paramount+.
The poster and trailer for The Pitt, starring Noah Wyle is here!
I like the idea of a 15 hour limited series about 15 hours in a big city emergency room.
Deal me in.
In The Pitt, every hour counts.
#ThePitt, a new Max Original Series from John Wells, Executive Producer of ER and The West Wing, and starring Noah Wyle, premieres January 9 on Max.
Reacher is back for season three as the poster clearly shows. The teaser below gives us a taste.
Deal me in.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The new season of #REACHER hits February 20.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey (2024)
Director: Joe Berlinger (Eps. 1-3)
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
In a crime that rocked the nation, six year old JonBenet Ramsey was reported as kidnapped. The kidnappers left a long ransom note (reported as looking like mom’s writing; written on mom’s writing pad) asking for $188,000 in exchange for the safe return of JonBenet. ($118,000 is the amount that dad received as a Christmas bonus and is an odd amount to request at any rate.)
The police came. So did family friends who received word of the kidnapping. The police allowed everyone in the house. An officer suggested that dad check the house again. Dad found JonBenet bound with her mouth tapped on the floor in a downstairs play room. Dad took the tape off her mouth and brought her upstairs.
The case made national news. Speculation ran wild. The parents and JonBenet’s nine year old brother became the main suspects. The parents reported behaviors seemed suspicious. A grand jury was paneled. No one was ever charged.
This documentary explores the mistakes the police made, the evidence that was withheld and the push to make JonBenet’s parents the main suspects.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
It’s a shame how the reporters were not given the full facts of the case. The only reason that occurred was to put pressure on JonBenet’s parents. Much was made of the ransom note (and it still needs to be explained) but handwriting experts said it was NOT her mother’s writing. That was never to my knowledge reported. Much was also made about there being no footprints in the snow near the broken window that the killer supposedly used. While there was some snow in the front of the house, there was no snow on the ground near the window side. So of course there were no footprints in the snow. There were many things like this that is pointed out in the documentary.
We also learn of several child molesters that were considered suspects. One even had repeated phone calls admitting to killing JonBenet.
This documentary is an eye-opener. Not into who actually did the killing, but how the public’s perception of the killing was manipulated.
I hope someday we do learn the truth and the killer is brought to justice.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.
We are on a roll today. Here we have two posters and one trailer for American Primeval. Peter Berg directed this six episode limited series that premieres on January 9, 2025. Starring Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin.
Deal me in.
Only one goal matters: survival. Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin star in American Primeval, a gripping new limited series from director Peter Berg.
Coming Jan. 9, 2025, only on Netflix.
We have the poster and trailer for On Call, the new series which premieres on PRIME VIDEO on January 9th. On Call stars Troian Bellisario, Brandon Larracuente, Lori Loughlin, Eriq La Salle and Rich Ting.
Bellisario and Larracuente play a veteran and rookie teamed to fight crime in Long Beach, California.
On Call looks to be worth a look.
Deal me in.
Cross: Season 1 (2024)
Created by: Ben Watkins; based on the ALEX CROSS novels by James Patterson
Director: Nzingha Stewart (Eps. 1-2); Craig Siebels (Eps. 3-4); Stacey Muhammad (Eps. 5-6); Director X (Ep. 7); Carl Seaton (Ep. 8)
Teleplay: Ben Watkins (Ep. 1); Aiyana White (Ep. 2); Ron McCants & Sam Ernst (Ep. 3); Blaize Ali-Watkins & Jim Dunn (Ep. 4); Gary Lundy (Ep. 5); Ali Salerno; story by Ali Salerno & Sonja Perryman (Ep. 6); Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (Ep. 7);Ben Watkins & Aiyana White (Ep. 8)
Stars: Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd, Jennifer Wigmore, Eloise Mumford, Ryan Eggold, Stacie Greenwell, Sharon Taylor, Karen Robinson, Mercedes de la Zerda, Siobhan Murphy and Johnny Ray Gill.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
D.C. Detective Alex Cross (Hodge) and (his best friend since childhood) Detective John Sampson (Mustafa) are assigned the case of a well known Black Lives Matter activist, Emir Goodspeed, found dead in his car. Initial reports indicate an accidental drug overdose. Cross examines the evidence and believes it was murder. The powers that be want the case quickly wrapped up.
Chief Anderson orders Cross to quit making waves. Cross digs deeper. He finds evidence that Goodspeed was the victim of a serial killer. Chief Anderson, not convinced, orders Cross to stand down. Only Cross’ partner, John Sampson and one other person believe Cross is right. The other person is the serial killer.
Cross doesn’t know how connected and powerful the serial killer is. He’s about to find out.
Cross also doesn’t realize the killer who murdered Cross’ wife (and was never caught) is coming back for more revenge.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I absolutely loved this season. Alex Cross isn’t a perfect hero by any stretch. He’s suffering from the unresolved murder of his wife. Often deaths in movies/television shows have little ramifications for the heroes. That isn’t the case here.
Cross is populated with characters and a great cast. Standouts are Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa (who plays my favorite character), Ryan Eggold and Johnny Ray Gill.
The story feels grounded in reality which makes us more willing to accept the connections of the serial killer. I loved the twists and the secondary story that doesn’t immediately become clear that it’s not part of the main crime.
I am looking forward to season 2.
Cross: Season 1 (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.
