Marv by Mandy War!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have a Marv by Mandy War.
Category: Crime
“The Alto Knights” (2025) directed by Barry Levinson, starring Robert De Niro / Z-View
The Alto Knights (2025)
Director: Barry Levinson
Screenplay: Nicholas Pileggi
Stars: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Kathrine Narducci, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Rispoli, James Ciccone, Wallace Langham, Ed Amatrudo, Mike Seely and Brian Scolaro.
Tagline: The most dangerous enemy is an old friend
The Plot…
Frank Costello and Vito Genovese grew up together as best friends. They became notorius crime bosses for different families. When Costello plans to retire he informs Genovese. Genovese smells a doublecross. Soon a gang war irrupts. Who will survive?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Who cares? I tapped out after about 30 minutes.
A lot of the movie is voice overs played as old time photos appear. I also thought having De Niro play both parts was more distracting than it should be.
Although Robert De Niro plays both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, an actor was hired to play opposite De Niro during filming. De Niro felt it was needed to get the best performance. So the actor would play Costello while De Niro acted as Genovese. The De Niro and the actor would switch parts and redo the scenes. The actor hired has been kept a secret.
The Alto Knights (2025) rates 1 of 5 stars.
“Goodfellas” Alt Poster by Huan Do!
Check out this awesome Goodfellas alt poster by Huan Do.
“The Wire” Season 4 created by David Simon / Z-View
The Wire: Season 4 (2006)
Created by: David Simon
Teleplay by:
- (eps. 1,13) David Simon from a story by David Simon, Ed Burns;
- (ep. 2) David Mills from a story by Ed Burns, David Mills
- (ep. 3) Richard Price from a story by Ed Burns, Richard Price
- (ep. 4) Dennis Lehane from a story by Ed Burns, Dennis Lehane
- (eps. 5, 11) Ed Burns from a story by David Simon, Ed Burns
- (ep. 6) Eric Overmyer from a story by Ed Burns, Eric Overmyer
- (ep. 7) William F. Zorzi from a story by Ed Burns, William F. Zorzi
- (ep. 8) Richard Price from a story by Ed Burns, Richard Price
- (ep. 9) Kia Corthron from a story by Ed Burns, Kia Corthron
- (ep. 10) Eric Overmyer from a story by Ed Burns, Eric Overmyer
- (ep. 12) George Pelecanos from a story by Ed Burns, George Pelecanos
Directed by: Joe Chappelle (eps. 1, 12); Christine Moore (ep. 2); Seith Mann (ep. 3); Jim McKay (ep. 4); David Platt (ep. 5); Dan Attias (ep.6); Anthony Hemingway (ep. 7); Agnieszka Holland (ep. 8); Alex Zakrzewski (ep. 9); Ernest Dickerson (ep. 10, 13); Brad Anderson (ep. 11)
Stars: Aidan Gillen, Jim True-Frost, Domenick Lombardozzi, Reg E. Cathey, Jamie Hector, Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, John Doman, Clarke Peters, Robert Wisdom, Seth Gilliam, Corey Parker Robinson, Frankie Faison, Dominic West, Deirdre Lovejoy, Andre Royo, J. D. Williams, Chad Coleman, Glynn Turman, Robert F. Chew, Method Man, Hassan Johnson, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Felicia Pearson, Michael Kostroff, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Delaney Williams, Amy Ryan, Paul Ben-Victor and Michael K. Williams.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
With Stringer Bell dead, Marlo has expanded his crew to take over the Barksdale territory. The police are surprised that Marlo’s expansion hasn’t led to dead bodies. It has, but Marlo has figured a way to keep them under cover. Chris and Snoop continue taking bodies but they never turn up.
Herc, on the Mayor’s security detail figures it will be an easy way to promotion. Then Herc accidentally learns something that may cost him his job.
Councilman Carcetti continues his efforts to become Baltimore’s new Mayor. Carcetti’s rise in the polls forces Mayor Royce to take stern actions. Dirty tricks and questionable ethics are par for the course.
Michael’s willingness to do what it takes to control his corner impresses Marlo. Omar bids his time until he is ready to make his move against Marlo’s organization.
Former Major Crimes Unit Officer Roland ‘Prez’ Pryzbylewski takes a teaching job at a local high school. Ex-con Cutty, trying to stay out of trouble with his parole officer begins working as a truant officer. Bubbles is repeatedly beaten and robbed by a street thug. His police friends are no help. When Bubbles has reached his limit, he plans revenge that backfires in a way that will haunt him for life.
Deputy Commissioner Rawls sees the shifting political sands as an opportunity for advancement. Former Baltimore Police Major Howard “Bunny” Colvin accepts a position supported by a government grant to work with the most disruptive high school students. The plan isn’t supported by district or state guidelines, but seems to be working.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Wire was a Nominee for a 2005 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series – George Pelecanos (writer/story by), David Simon (story by) for the Middle Ground episode
Each season of The Wire builds upon the last. The series continues to be well written, well directed and well acted.
The series spends as much time with the criminals as the cops. This season we get political intrigue, the impact politics has on police work and a local at students headed in the wrong direction and their impact on school settings. Kudos to the writers for making each character and storyline important.
I cannot wait to start season 5.
The Wire: Season 4 (2006) earns 5 of 5 stars.
BLUE MOON: A JACK REACHER NOVEL by Lee Child /-View
BLUE MOON by Lee Child
First sentence…
The city looked small on a map of America.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The Greyhound bus was about to pull into town. Reacher, sitting several seats behind, notices an old man with a thick bank envelope sticking out of his pocket. A seat ahead of Reacher, a greasy haired man was also eyeing the packet. It wouldn’t take a crystal ball to see what was going to happen when the senior citizen exited the bus. So Reacher decided to get off as well.
Sure enough, when the time was right (or so he thought) the greaser made his move. Reacher ended the robbery but not before the old timer was knocked to the ground. Reacher made sure the would-be thief went down too. The creep would wake up with bruisers and maybe a little more respect for his elders.
As Reacher handed the envelope back to the old man, he realized the geezer was carrying $15,000 or maybe more. It turns out the old guy was in debt to some very bad people. The old guy’s daughter had cancer. Insurance was slow to pay and the cancer was fast-moving. So the old man borrowed from Albanian gangsters. The excessive interest was causing finanacial ruin to the old man and his wife. They’d soon lose their house.
Reacher decides to intervene. He’s pretty sure he can square things with the loansharks. That’s before he learns that the Ukranian gangsters have an uneasy true with a Albanian gang. That gives Reacher an idea. If it works, the old couple will be out of debt and a lot of gangsters will be dead. If his plan fails, the old couple might be killed. Worse still, Reacher would suffer a slow torturous death.
But once in a Blue Moon… everything goes just right. Perhaps this will be one of those times.
+++
BLUE MOON is the 24th in the Jack Reacher series. All the Reacher novels are fun rides. BLUE Moon is one of the best.
Rating:
“The Rip” starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck & Directed by Joe Carnahan – The Teaser is Here!
Whoa! Check out the teaser for The Rip starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck & Directed by Joe Carnahan.
Deal me in!
Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on.
Starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck & Directed by Joe Carnahan.
The Rip is only on Netflix, January 16.
“Charlie Chan on Broadway” (1937) starring Warner Oland / Z-View
Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)
Director: Eugene Forde
Screenplay: Charles Belden. Jerome Cady story by Art Arthur Robert Ellis, Helen Logan
Stars: Warner Oland, Keye Luke, J. Edward Bromberg, Leon Ames, Marc Lawrence, Douglas Fowley and Lon Chaney Jr..
Tagline: DEATH STRIKES TWICE IN MANHATTAN’S GAYEST SPOTS!
The Plot…
Charlie Chan (Oland) and his son Lee (Luke) are in pulled into the murder investigation of a woman who knew political secrets and had threatened to tell all.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Lon Chaney Jr, appears uncredited in one of his first roles.
This was Warner Oland’s 15th and second-t0-last outing as Charlie Chan.
Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Marv by Dave Fowler
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have a Marv by Dave Fowler.
HATCHET GIRLS by Joe R. Lansdale / Z-View
HATCHET GIRLS: A HAP AND LEONARD NOVEL by Joe R. Lansdale
First sentences…
“Wait a minute, now. You’re saying you want us to deal with a pig problem?” Leonard said.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Hap and Leonard agree to help a poor single mother raising several children. She has a pig problem. When Hap and Leonard say they’ll take care of it, they got much more than imagined. Turns out the hog was attacking the woman and her kids every chance it got. When Hap and Leonard arrived, the porker attacked them too.
Never ones to back down from a challenge, Hap and Leonard finally trap the hog. In doing so they discover the woman’s neighbors are making meth and the piggie knows how to access the stash. No wonder the oinker was so hyped-up all the time.
The cops are called. An investigation finds no only the make-shift meth lab, but bodies buried in the back yard. This brings Hap and Leonard smack dab in the middle of drug dealers, crooked cops, a mysterious crime boss who is called the Benefactor and worse still, a gang of women looking to take over the area’s drug trade. The women, are smart, tough and ruthless. Every one of them is a cold-blooded killer, who uses a hatchet to finish the job.
Unfortunately for Hap and Leonard, they’ve become targets for all involved.
+++
HATCHET GIRLS is the fourteenth in the series. If you like crime stories with the perfect mix of humor, action and mystery, then HATCHET GIRLS (and all of the Hap and Leonard tales) are for you!
Rating:
‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” – The poster and trailer are Here!
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery – The poster and trailer are Here!
Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his most dangerous case yet in the third and darkest chapter of Rian Johnson’s murder mystery opus.
Starring Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.
“Out of the Past” Cool Alt Poster by Erik J. Kreffel!
When you think film noir, Out of the Past has to be on the short list. This cool alt poster was created by Erik J. Kreffel. You can see more of Kreffel’s art at his website or by following his Twitter stream.
SCAR IN THE SKY by J. Todd Scott!
J. Todd Scott’s SCAR IN THE SKY drops this coming Friday. Here’s the lowdown…
Lightning never strikes twice —until it does.
A killer is hunting down survivors of lightning strikes in this dark and twisting thriller, perfect for fans of J. H. Markert and Richard Chizmar.
Everything changed for Andi Ellis when she was struck by lightning and her heart stopped. Andi was resuscitated, but she was never the same—electronics strangely malfunction in her presence: clocks can’t keep time; batteries swiftly die. And while many lightning strike victims are left with temporary “lightning tree” markings, on her they are permanent scars.
Years later Andi, her eight-year-old daughter, and a fellow lightning strike survivor have fled Texas and Andi’s dangerous ex to go off the grid in a strange and secluded desert community.
Meanwhile, two private investigators pursue a US senator’s missing daughter who they find too late. When searching for information on the strange lightning scars on the girl’s body, they find themselves pulled into an FBI investigation—people who have been struck by lightning are being murdered.
As the death toll mounts, the task force traces the killer farther west—closer and closer to Andi Ellis and her daughter, and the haven she’s carefully created.
Thriller and horror readers will be enthralled by the dark turns in SCAR IN THE SKY.
SCAR IN THE SKY paperback
SCAR IN THE SKY hardback
LADY MAYHEM written by Jenny Lynn Wright, illustrated by Karl Slominski / Z-View
LADY MAYHEM written by Jenny Lynn Wright, illustrated by Karl Slominski
Publisher: Calculated Rebellion
When her father dies under suspicious circumstances a young woman returns to the city she left years before. It was labeled an accident. She knew it wasn’t. The cops wouldn’t investigate. No charges were filed.
The woman begins to dig. She discovers her dad was a bookkeeper who learned things about many bad people. He was starting to work with an honest cop. Before they could prove enough, an “accident” happened. Now everyone was ready to move on.
Except his daughter.
They didn’t know she was coming. But they’d soon learn.
And they’d call her Lady Mahem.
+++++
LADY MAYHEM is Jenny Lynn Wright and Karl Slominski’s love letter to revenge stories. The kind you’d find in ’80s movies, as well as comics like The Punisher and Miller and Darrow’s Hard Boiled. Wright and Slominski love their inspirations and it shows on every page.
They’ve set their story in a corrupt town in the not too distant future. This opens up opportunities for interesting visuals with flying cars and advanced weaponry. Some things don’t change though. We’ve got crooked cops, ruthless crime lords, one honest cop and a murdered parent with a grown child out for vengeance. Only this time it’s a woman. A very capable woman.
They call her Lady Mayhem.
Rating:
“Tulsa King” Season 3 starring Sly Stallone – The Trailer is Here!
The trailer for Tulsa King: Season 3 is here and it is lit, slaps, fire, cool and, well, you get the idea.
Deal me in.
Only Tulsa is fit for this king. 👊
The new season of #TulsaKing premieres September 21 on Paramount+!
After serving 25 years in prison, Dwight Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) is unceremoniously exiled by his mob boss to set up shop in Oklahoma. Dwight slowly builds a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet: Tulsa.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Andrea Savage, Jay Will, Martin Starr & Max Casella
