Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Dave Merrell created this sweet alt Pulp Fiction poster. Merrell is a freelance artist based in Manchester, England. If you’d like to see more of Dave Merrell’s art, you can at his site. You can also find him on Facebook and PosterSpy.
It’s no secret I’m a sucker for a great crime/noir/detective story. Steranko wrote and drew one of my favorites: Chandler: Red Tide. A remastered version has been rumored for years. Perhaps one day we’ll get it. Until then I have my original copy to keep me happy.
Raylan and Carolyn cross the line, as Raylan attempts to make it out of Detroit alive.
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.
Chris Berning aka Alt Fiction has created a worthy alt poster for one of my favorite crime/horror mashups, From Dusk Till Dawn. You can see more of Berning’s art here.
“Kill a few people, they call you a murderer. Kill a million and you’re a conqueror.”
John Cordero created this cool alt Cliffhanger poster and even added the quote with his post of it. THAT is a true Stallone fan. You can see more of Cordero’s art here.
Extraction 2 (2023)
Director: Sam Hargrave
Screenplay: Joe Russo based on Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Fernando León González
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Idris Elba and Daniel Bernhardt.
Tagline: Prepare for the ride of your life.
The Plot…
Tyler Rake barely survived his last mission. For nine months he’s been in physical therapy. When Rake learns that his ex-wife’s sister Ketevan and her two children are being held in foreign prison, he is determined to break them out. Ketevan’s husband, Davit Radiani, is a high ranking member of the Nagazi, one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the country. If Rake can break into the prison and get them out, the Nagazi will go to the ends of the earth to kill Rake and bring them back.
Cue the action!!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Sam Hargrave (director), Joe Russo (writer) and Chris Hemsworth (star) return from the original. There is talk of them reteaming for a third Extraction film. Fingers crossed.
Although Extraction 2 doesn’t start as quickly with action as the original, there is a “one take” action sequence that runs over 20 minutes in the first act. Once the action starts, it doesn’t let up.
The extended prison break scene is getting a lot of positive buzz (and rightly so), but my favorite scene is a fight that takes place on the glass overhang of a skyscraper.
I would love to see a third Extraction film.
Extraction 2 (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Wow! Original recordings of Ed Gein interviews. Deal me in.
Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein premieres September 17th, 2023- only on MGM+
This MGM+ original docuseries follows the horrifying grave robber and serial killer Ed Gein whose crimes inspired such iconic films as Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. With new reveals and never-before-heard recordings, viewers will be transported to late-1950s Middle America and submerged in Gein’s perverse mind. The series explores Gein’s upbringing and twisted relationship with his mother, his early grave robbing and murders, and the police’s discovery of his terrifying house of horrors.
Richard Stark’s Parker The Complete Collection by Dawyn Cooke gets my highest rating. If you’re a fan of great crime fiction, then this is for you!
The groundbreaking and multiple award-winning graphic novels by Darwyn Cooke, collected in their entirety for the first time in one softcover volume.
Collecting the four Parker graphic novels (The Hunter, The Outfit, The Score, and Slayground) as well as two shorts (The Man with the Getaway Face and The Seventh). These stories encompass all Darwyn Cooke’s sequential stories of Parker.
This trailer for Reptile has my attention. Deal me in!
A mysterious murder. A hardened detective. A truth more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone star in REPTILE premiering October 6.
While the City Sleeps (1956)
Director: Fritz Lang
Screenplay: Casey Robinson based on The Bloody Spur by Charles Einstein
Stars: Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Howard Duff, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Sally Forrest, John Drew Barrymore, Ida Lupino, Robert Warwick, Mae Marsh, Larry J. Blake and Celia Lovsky.
Tagline: Sensational LIPSTICK Murderer
The Plot…
The Lipstick Killer has the city on edge. He continues to murder women and leave taunting messages. The killings are coming with greater frequency. The news media is having a field day.
Amos Kyne (Warwick) died leaving his son, Walter (Price) in charge of the Kyne News Media conglomerate (newspaper, television, wire service). Walter has little business sense. He decides his best bet is to create an Executive Director to run the corporation. Walter offers the job to his top reporter/television commentator, Edward Mobley (Andrews). Mobley turns him down flat.
Walter then tells the head of each arm of the conglomerate that whoever breaks the story of the capture of The Lipstick Killer will become the new Executive Director of Kyne News Media. All three men want the job and are willing to go to great lengths to get it. Although Mobley doesn’t want the position, he agrees to help his friend get it. Mobley goes on live tv and taunts the killer. This puts Mobley and his fiancé in the killer’s path.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Vincent Price is perfectly cast as the smarmy son placed in charge of a business that he has no idea how to run.
There’s a lot of romance drama at the expense of serial killer drama.
There was a real serial killer dubbed The Lipstick Killer a decade prior to the release of While the City Sleeps!
While the City Sleeps (1956) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Out of the Past (1947)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Screenplay: Daniel Mainwaring based on Build My Gallows High by Daniel Mainwaring
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Webb, Steve Brodie, Virginia Huston, Paul Valentine and Dickie Moore.
Tagline: A MAN – Trying to run away from his past… A WOMAN – Trying to escape her future!
The Plot…
Jeff Markum (Mitchum), a private eye, is hired by an underworld figure named Whit (Douglas). Whit wants his girl back. She shot him and stole $40,000. Whit doesn’t care about the money, he just wants Kathie back. Whit promises no harm will come to Kathie (Greer). He loves her. Whit says Markum will understand once he meets Kathie. Money is no object. Kathie could be anywhere in the world, but Whit trusts Markum will find her and Whit will pay for it.
Markum catches up with Kathie in Acapulco. She is beautiful. There’s a mutual attraction between Markum and Kathie. Kathie admits she shot Whit, but denies taking his money. Markum doesn’t contact Whit. As the days (and nights) drag on, Markum and Kathie decide to run away together.
They know that Whit will send someone to find them…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Much of Out of the Past is told in flashback that brings us up to speed and then the story is carried forward. This storytelling device is effectively used.
Out of the Past is a classic for many reasons:
Out of the Past (1947) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Laurent Carbonelle is killing it with alt posters for classic movies! How about this sweet one for Night of the Hunter? You can see more of Carnonelle’s art here.
Raylan and Mansell show down. Watch new episodes of Justified: City Primeval Tuesdays 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.
One of my favorite noir movies is The Big Heat, directed by Fritz Lang, starring Glen Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando (Marlon Brando’s sister), Lee Marvin and Carolyn Jones. This nice 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.
Point Break (1991)
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Screenplay: W. Peter Iliff from a story by Rick King, W. Peter Iliff
Stars: Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey, Lori Petty, John C. McGinley, James Le Gros, John Philbin, Bojesse Christopher, Julian Reyes, Daniel Beer, Chris Pedersen, Anthony Kiedis, Lee Tergesen and Christopher Pettiet.
Tagline: 27 banks in three years. Anything to catch the perfect wave!
The Plot…
Johnny Utah (Reeves), a rookie FBI agent, is assigned to a task force assembled to bring down a gang of bank robbers dubbed “The Ex-Presidents”. They earned their nickname because each member of the crew wears the mask of, you guessed it, an ex-president. The Ex-Presidents have successfully hit 27 banks over a period of three years. They leave few clues and are in and out within 90 seconds.
The leader of the FBI task force, Pappas (Busey) believes that the Ex-Presidents may be surfers. Pappas gets clearance for Utah to go undercover. Soon Utah befriends a charismatic surfer named Bhodi (Swayze). Bhodi’s crew distrusts Utah at first, but begins to warm to him when they see he’s as much of an adrenaline-junkie as they are. As their friendship develops, Utah begins to suspect Bhodi and his crew are the Ex-Presidents. Loyalties are about to be tested…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Patrick Swayze did his own skydiving and surfing for the film.
Point Break was Keanu Reeves first action movie. Kathryn Bigelow wanted Reeves for the Johnny Utah role. The studio wanted a higher profile star. Stars considered included Johnny Depp, Val Kilmer, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen and Matthew Broderick.
Kathryn Bigelow’s next feature film following Point Break was Strange Days which is another excellent film!
Point Break (1991) rates 5 of 5 stars.
