Category: Crime

The Batman Who Strikes Fear Into the Hearts of Evil-Doers by Dustin Nguyen!

Posted on by


Batman is a character that can work in just about any setting/genre.  Is your Batman the world’s greatest detective?  Do you prefer Batman when played as camp?  Or maybe you like Batman teamed with other superheroes?  Would you prefer as much time be given to Bruce Wayne?  Maybe you like Batman as a mentor to Robin?  Then again, maybe an old man Batman like Frank Miller cooked up is the one that resonates best for you?

While I’ve enjoyed all the versions of Batman described above (and many more), my favorite has always been the Batman that is a creature of the night.  The Batman who just being seen strikes fear into the hearts of evil-doers.  The Batman that is never seen in daylight and is thought by some to be an urban legend.  You know, the kind of Batman in the drawing above by Dustin Nguyen.

“Brothers by Blood” aka “The Sound of Philadelphia” (2020) / Z-View

Posted on by

Brothers by Blood aka The Sound of Philadelphia (2020)

Director:  Jeremie Guez

Screenplay: Jeremie Guez; based on BROTHERLY LOVE by Pete Dexter

Stars: Matthias Schoenaerts, Joel Kinnaman, Maika Monroe, Nicholas Crovetti, Antoni Corone, Michael McFadden, Joshua Lacey and Ryan Phillippe.

Tagline: Loyalty Has a Price

The Plot…

Peter and Michael are cousins raised together in a family of criminals from childhood.  Now adults, the two of positions of power within the Irish mob.  Tensions have been high between the Irish and Italians.  To make matters worse, Peter’s behavior has grown increasingly erratic.  Michael will need to make some tough choices before they are made for him.  He will also have to come to grips with the tragedy that cost his sister and father’s lives years ago.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was expecting more.

Brothers by Blood aka The Sound of Philadelphia (2020) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Sly Stallone is The Tulsa King by Rich Hennemann!

Posted on by

Rich Hennemann is a freelance artist. A few years ago I picked up his sketchbook and a sketch and I was hooked. Since then I’ve gotten several sketches from Rich.

For this piece I requested Sly Stallone as Dwight Manfredi from the hit television series Tulsa King.   Rich absolutely nailed it.  I couldn’t be more pleased.  There will be more art from Rich in my future.  If you’re a sketch collector, you owe it to yourself to get a piece as well.

“Nuremberg” – The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

Judgment is coming.
The official trailer #1 for NUREMBERG, only in theaters November 7.

The Allies, led by the unyielding chief prosecutor, Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon), have the task of ensuring the Nazi regime answers for the unveiled horrors of the Holocaust while a US Army psychiatrist (Rami Malek) is locked in a dramatic psychological duel with former Reichsmarschall Herman Göring (Russell Crowe).

Written & Directed by: James Vanderbilt
Based on the Book: THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST By Jack El-Hai

Starring: Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, Leo Woodall, and Michael Shannon

“Ivory King” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

We have the poster and trailer for Ivory King.

Deal me in.

King Ivory features a star-studded ensemble including James Badge Dale (The Departed), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water), Michael Mando (“Better Call Saul”), Rory Cochrane (Black Mass), Ritchie Coster (The Dark Knight), George Carroll (The Town), Sam Quartin (Candy Land), newcomer Jasper Jones, Academy Award®-nominee Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves), and Academy Award®-winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter).

Based upon extensive research with law enforcement, gangs, inmates, migrants, and addicts, all walks of life intersect in this fentanyl exposé. With potency one hundred times that of heroin and nearly undetectable at the border, fentanyl has flooded the market, triggering a tidal wave of overdoses, crime, and addiction.

Work hits too close to home for Tulsa drug cop, Layne West (Dale), when his son, Jack (Jones), becomes an addict. In conjunction with his partner, Ty (Carroll), and FBI counterpart, Beatty (Cochrane), West makes it his mission to take down those responsible, including the Mexican cartel’s local shot-caller, Ramón Garza (Mando), Indian Brotherhood War Chief, Holt Lightfeather (Greene), who controls state-wide trafficking from inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester a.k.a. “Big Mac,” and the local Irish Mob family outfit, led by George “Smiley” Greene (Foster), along with his mother, Ginger (Leo), and uncle, Mickey (Coster). As Holt educates West: “The cartels want your kids, the next generation, who want what is new, and fentanyl is new.”

“The Outfit” (1973) starring Robert Duvall, Karen Black, Joe Don Baker and Robert Ryan / Z-View

Posted on by

The Outfit (1973)

Director:  John Flynn

Screenplay: John Flynn, Walter Hill (uncredited); based on THE OUTFIT by Richard Stark

Stars: Robert Duvall, Karen Black, Joe Don Baker, Robert Ryan, Timothy Carey, Richard Jaeckel, Sheree North, Felice Orlandi, Marie Windsor, Jane Greer, Henry Jones, Joanna Cassidy, Tom Reese, Bill McKinney, Anita O’Day, Archie Moore, Tony Young and Elisha Cook Jr..

Tagline: Nobody plays rougher than The Outfit…Except maybe Earl, Cody and Bett!

The Plot…

When Earl Macklin gets out of prison, his girlfriend Bett picks him up.  She drives to a motel and informs Earl that his brother was recently murdered.  Late that night a man breaks into the hotel room and attempts to kill Earl.  Earl survives and gets the upper hand.  He then tortures the man for information.

Earl’s brother robbed a syndicate bank.  That’s the reason he was killed.  They sent the killer to take out Earl so he wouldn’t seek revenge.  Earl lets the killer live on the condition he takes a message to the people that hired him.  The message: The Outfit owes him $250,000.00.  If they pay, Earl will go away.  Until they do, Earl is going to cost them money that he’ll keep.  And they will still owe him the quarter million.

Earl wants his money.  And he doesn’t care how many people he has to kill to get it.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Film legend, Robert Ryan’s last released film. He was also in Executive Action filmed after The Outfit, but released first.

The Outfit features Joanna Cassidy’s film debut.

Former Light Heavyweight Champion Archie Moore has a role as a tough guy.  Moore held the light heavyweight boxing title for ten years — longer than any champ in that division.

The great (and eccentric) character actor Timothy Carey appears in a supporting role.  Same could be said of Elisha Cook, Jr.

The Outfit (1973) rates 4 of 5 stars.

Get Carter by Jarrod Alberich aka The Yard Sale Artist!

Posted on by

Jarrod Alberich aka The Yard Sale Artist created the Jack Carter piece for pick-up at HeroesCon.  I’ve known Jarrod for years.  He’s a fun guy and an easy artist to deal with.

Jarrod calls himself The Yard Sale Artist because he uses materials that he finds at yard sales, thrift stores and so on. Jarrod passes those savings on to his customers with reasonable prices.

CEREMONY: A SPENCER NOVEL by Robert B. Parker / Z-View

Posted on by

CEREMONY: A SPENCER NOVEL by Robert B. Parker

First sentences…

“She’s a goddamned whore,” Harry Kyle said.  “And I don’t want her in this house again.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

April Kyle, a high school student ran away from home.  Although her parents don’t know exactly where she is, they know what she’s become.

A teenage prostitute.

Susan Silverman, a counselor, meets with her parents.  Susan’s lover, a hard case private eye named Spenser could find April.  Spenser could bring her home.  But April’s dad is too self-righteous to care for his daughter because of what she’s become.  Dad doesn’t want April back.  April’s mom is too weak to stand up for her child.  Spenser is ready to walk away.  He can’t stand April’s father.

But Susan cares.  She convinces Spenser to find April.  If April stays on the streets she certain for an early grave.  Spenser agrees to find April, but will only bring her home if she agrees.

What sounds like an easy job, find a high school girl who has gone down the wrong path, turns out to be anything but.  Spenser is soon at odds with Trumps, a pimp with a stable of hoes, as well as people (some who are very “connected”) who specialize in trafficking kids.

Spenser and Hawk are on the case.  Let the fun begin.

+++

CEREMONY was published in 1982.  It’s as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.  Maybe even more relevant now since it deals with child-trafficking.  Also if written today, I have no doubt that many would make accusations that Parker was making a comment by naming a pimp Trumps.

I’m a huge fan of Robert B. Parker’s tales… especially those involving Spenser.  Not many authors would be willing to have their main character save a teenage girl from a life on the streets using Spencer’s solution.

Rating:

“Dredd” (2012) starring Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey / Z-View

Posted on by

Dredd (2012)

Director:  Pete Travis

Screenplay:  Alex Garland; based on Judge Dredd by John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra

Stars: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Jason Cope, Tamer Burjaq and Deobia Oparei.

Tagline: Judgment is coming

The Plot…

In a dystopian future law officers are given authority to become judge, jury and executioner (as needed).  These police are called Judges.  The bring law and order to the Mega-City One where 800 million residents eke out a living.

Judge Dredd, a veteran officer is tasked to assess Cassandra Anderson. If Anderson survives the day making appropriate decisions and leving correct setences, she will become a Judge.

Dredd and Anderson are called to the Peach Tree Towers.  There they find three murder victims who had been tortured and skinned before being tossed from one of the 200 storey towers.  The Peach Tree Towers are the home base of Madeline “Ma-Ma” Madrigal.  Ma-Ma is head of a notorius drug cartel.  She was sending a message through the torture murders of the three victims.

Dredd and Anderson capture one of Ma-Ma’s soldiers and decide to take him in for questioning.  Ma-Ma is not going to let that happen.  Ma-Ma and her crew take control of the building’s security room.  They disrupt communications going in or out of the towers.  Ma-Ma then lowers the Tower’s nuclear blast shields.  No one is getting in or out.

Ma-Ma then announces over the Towers communication system that a bounty has been placed on the heads of Dredd and Anderson.  Anyone who kills them will be rewarded.  Anyone who helps them will, along with their families, be executed.

Alone and outnumbered, with no help coming, Dredd and Anderson decide to take the fight to Ma-Ma and her cartel.

Prepare to be judged.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In the comics that Judge Dredd is based on, Dredd is never seen without his helmet on.  Karl Urban refused to take his helmet off for any scenes.

Although Pete Travis is listed as the director of Dredd, many say that Alex Garland directed most of the movie.  Karl Urban has stated this as well.

Karl Urban is excellent as Judge Dredd.  The same for Lena Headey as Ma-Ma.

Dredd (2012) (1932) rates 4 of 5 stars.