Category: Crime

IT DIES WITH YOU by Scott Blackburn / Z-View

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IT DIES WITH YOU by Scott Blackburn

Hardback: ‎ 304 pages
Publisher: ‎ Crooked Lane Books (June 7, 2022)

First sentence…

I was bouncing at the Red Door Taproom on a Friday night in January, which all but guaranteed I’d be earning every last cent of my paycheck.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Hudson Miller’s promising career as a boxer is on hold.  Suspended for a fight outside the ring, Miller now works as a bouncer as he waits for the commission to decide his future.  Late one night, Miller ignores a phone a call from his estranged father.  The next morning Miller learns that his dad was murdered in a robbery gone bad.  At least that’s what the cops are saying.

After the funeral, Miller is surprised to learn he is the new owner of his dad’s salvage yard.  Figuring it will pay more than bouncing, Miller decides to give it a try… at least until he can fight again.  Things go sideways when Miller learns that the salvage yard was the hub of illegal activities that may have played a part in his dad’s murder.  As Miller digs deeper, he finds himself alone and unsure of who he can trust.  His father’s only employee, Charlie Shoaf, a Viet Nam vet who doesn’t rattle easily warns Miller to leave it alone.  The cops are no help.  Miller is going to get answers even if it kills him.

IT DIES WITH YOU is Scott Blackburn’s debut novel.  He had me hooked from the first sentence.  He creates characters that feel real and you care about.  The mystery of who killed Miller’s dad propels them through a world that you can see outside your window if you live in the rural south.  I look forward to whatever Blackburn writes next.

Rating:

“Bad City” – Two Posters and Trailers are Here!

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Today we have two posters and two trailers for Bad City.  I like the first poster and trailer best, but the second poster and trailer would still be enough to get me on board.  Deal me in!

BAD CITY: Watch on Digital August 1, 2023 |
Long plagued by poverty and crime, Kaiko City has been torn apart by rampant corruption and growing violence between the local Yakuza faction and a notorious Korean crime boss. But when a mafia-connected businessman runs for mayor and begins systematically eliminating his opponents, a former police captain imprisoned for a brutal murder is released in a final desperate effort to reclaim the city.

Directed by: Kensuke Sonomura
Cast: Hitoshi Ozawa, Akane Sakanoue, Katsuya, Masanori Mimoto, Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi, Yasukaze Motomiya, Tak Sakaguchi, Kazuki Namioka, Mitsu Dan, Masaya Kato, Lily Franky, Rino Katase.

If you’re in the mood for breathtaking street fights, martial arts madness, compelling tales of gangsters, thrilling action sequences, and phenomenal acting, then come on over to Bad City. This is where you’ll find it all.

Welcome to Bad City, but beware: once you step in, you’re in for a wild ride of Japanese action-thriller mayhem, courtesy of director Kensuke Sonomura (known for his work on “Hydra,” “Baby Assassins,” and “I Am a Hero“). With his impressive background in stunts and action coordination, Sonomura delivers a hard-hitting tribute to V-Cinema, featuring the legendary Hitoshi Ozawa.

I’m a big fan of the first season of Interview with a Vampire.  Bring on season 2!


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“Along Came a Spider” starring Morgan Freeman / Z-View

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Along Came a Spider (2001)

Director: Lee Tamahori

Screenplay:  Marc Moss based on  Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Stars: Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott, Monica Potter, Anton Yelchin, Jay O. Sanders, Michael Moriarty,
Penelope Ann Miller and Christopher Shyer.

Tagline: A tangled web of danger and deceit…

The Plot…

When a senator’s daughter is kidnapped, the kidnapper contacts retired Detective and author, Alex Cross (Freeman).  The abductor wants to become famous by taunting the police with the hope that Cross will write a book about the case. Not all is as it seems…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Morgan Freeman and a twist ending are the highlights of this one.

Along Came a Spider (2001) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins / Z-View

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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Screenplay: Ted Tally based on The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Frankie Faison, Don Brockett, Stuart Rudin, Ted Levine, Roger Corman, Charles Napier and Chris Isaac.

Tagline: Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Brilliant. Cunning. Psychotic. In his mind lies the clue to a ruthless killer. – Clarice Starling, FBI. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Alone. She must trust him to stop the killer.

The Plot…

A serial killer the press calls Buffalo Bill is murdering women.  He then skins them and leaves their bodies in water without any clues. The FBI investigation is at a standstill.

Clarice Starling (Foster), an FBI agent still in training, is personally selected to interview Dr. Hannibal Lector (Hopkins).  Lector, known as Hannibal the Cannibal, is a serial killer with a genius IQ. He murdered and ate his victims.  Now held in a maximum security prison for the criminally insane, Lector may be the only one with insight on catching Buffalo Bill.

But can Lector be trusted?  The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Silence of the Lambs is an excellent adaptation of Thomas Harris’ best-selling novel.  It is rightully considered one of the finest movies ever made.

The Silence of the Lambs collected Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Justified: City Primeval” starring Timothy Olyphant | Season 1, Episode 3 Trailer – Backstabbers

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I am diggin’ the return of Raylan Givens!

Raylan and the Detroit Police round up some promising suspects, provoking Carolyn’s ire. Mansell and Sandy move on the Albanian mark. Things with Willa reach a breaking point. Watch new episodes of Justified: City Primeval Tuesdays on FX. Stream on Hulu.

| Visit Official Site https://fx.tv/JCP

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.

“A Haunting in Venice” starring Kenneth Branagh – The Trailer is Here!

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I’ve seen the first two Branagh Hercule Poirot movies and am looking forward to A Haunting in Venice even more than them!

Watch the brand-new trailer for #AHauntingInVenice, only in theaters September 15.

The unsettling supernatural thriller based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie and directed by and starring Oscar® winner Kenneth Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot, will open in theaters nationwide September 15, 2023.

“A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, “A Haunting in Venice” is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Reuniting the team of filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green (“Logan”) based upon Agatha Christie’s novel “Hallowe’en Party”. The producers are Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers. A brilliant acting ensemble portrays a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen (“Rosaline”), Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent”), Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Jude Hill (“Belfast”), Ali Khan (“6 Underground”), Emma Laird (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”), Riccardo Scamarcio (“Caravaggio’s Shadow”), and recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”).

FADEAWAY JOE by Hugh Lessig

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I’ve been reading a lot of good buzz on FADEAWAY JOE by Hugh Lessig.  Here’s the lowdown…

Perfect for fans of S. A. Cosby and Allen Eskens, Joe Pendergast must go all in one last time as he grapples with the ghosts of his past–and present–in this gritty, high-stakes thriller.

Sixty-four-year-old Joe has known violence his entire life. For forty years he’s worked as an enforcer for loan shark and close friend Maxie Smith, breaking more than a few bones along the way. When Maxie abruptly fires him, Joe isn’t sure where to lay the blame—on Maxie, the man he once considered his brother, or on the early-onset Alzheimer’s that made Maxie lose faith in him in the first place.

To keep his head above water, he begins to operate a food truck that’s barely getting by. Desperate to regain some purpose in his life, Joe makes a life-altering decision: he’s going to take down Maxie Smith by any means necessary, once and for all. However, his plan of revenge is sidelined when he meets twenty-two-year-old Paula Jessup, a wise-cracking amateur detective with a few scheming cards up her sleeve, who’s on the run from a trafficking ring she’s been investigating. The two form an unlikely bond: Paula needs some protection and Joe needs a purpose.

With the stakes running high and the clock ticking down—will this gamble pay off?

“The Rock” (1996) starring Sean Connery, Nicholas Cage & Ed Harris / Z-View

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The Rock (1996)

Director: Michael Bay

Screenplay: David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook, Mark Rosner from a story by David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook

Stars: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer, David Morse, William Forsythe, Michael Biehn, Vanessa Marcil, John C. McGinley, Gregory Sporleder, Tony Todd, Bokeem Woodbine, Greg Collins, Brendan Kelly, Steve Harris, Danny Nucci and Claire Forlani.

Tagline: Alcatraz. Only one man has ever broken out. Now five million lives depend on two men breaking in.

The Plot…

Brigadier General Francis Hummel (Harris) and a squad of mercenaries have taken control of Alcatraz Island.  They hold the tourists and tour guides hostage.  Hummel has given the government a timeline to pay $100 million which he will distribute to his mercenaries and the families of soldiers who died under his watch.  If he is not paid he has threatened to launch a VX rocket into San Francisco.

John Patrick Mason (Connery) is the only man to ever escape Alcatraz island.  Mason knows all the passageways and tunnels on the island by heart.  He has been held in solitary confinement for the last 30 years for stealing government secrets.  The military and FBI believe that Mason can covertly lead a US Navy Seal team onto the island.  The Seals will then take down Hummel’s mercenaries. Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Cage), the FBI’s top chemical weapons expert will disarm the rockets.  Of the many problems with this plan is that Mason may not be interested in helping the country that kept him prisoner for half his life without the benefit of a trial and Goodspeed has no field experience.

The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Rock is Michael Bay’s best film.  Bay uses his signature quick cuts to keep the movie moving.  He is also surrounded by an excellent cast from the leads down.  Standouts include Connery, Cage, Harris, Spencer, Morse, and Biehn.  You’ll see familiar faces (McGinley, Todd, Woodbine) in smaller roles.

The Rock is one of those films where everything comes together to create the perfect movie experience.

The Rock (1996) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Friends of Eddie Coyle” (1973) starring Robert Mitchum / Z-View

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The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

Director: Peter Yates

Screenplay: Paul Monash based on The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins

Stars: Robert Mitchum, Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Steven Keats, Alex Rocco, Joe Santos, Mitchell Ryan, Carolyn Pickman, James Tolkan and Jack Kehoe.

Tagline: It’s a grubby, violent, dangerous world. But it’s the only world they know. And they’re the only friends Eddie has.

The Plot…

Eddie Coyle (Mitchum) is a low-level criminal.  He was convicted of a truck hijacking and is waiting sentencing.  In an effort to get his conviction cleared, Coyle is secretly working as an informant for an ATF agent.  At the same time Coyle is dealing guns to a crew of robbers who have knocked off a couple of banks and look to take down more soon.  As the cops close in on the bank robbers, the time draws near for Coyle’s sentencing.  He’s going to have to make some moves to get out clean…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This is such a great 1970s cast for a crime film.  Great source material as well.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Raylan Givens is Back | “Justified: City Primeval” 

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Raylan is back and ready to show a whole new city who’s boss. FX’s Justified: City Primeval premieres July 18 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.

“Old Henry” (2021) starring Tim Blake Nelson & Stephen Dorff / Z-View

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Old Henry (2021)

Director: Potsy Ponciroli

Screenplay: Potsy Ponciroli

Stars: Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Gavin Lewis, Trace Adkins, Stephen Dorff, Richard Speight Jr., Max Arciniega, Brad Carter and Kent Shelton.

Tagline: You can’t bury the past.

The Plot…

Henry (Nelson) is a widower raising his teenage son on a remote farm in the west.  One day, on the outskirts of his farm, Henry finds Curry (Haze), a badly wounded man with a satchel of cash. Henry brings Curry back to the farm.  Curry claims to be a Sheriff on the run from the three robbers who stole the cash. Curry says that when the robbers show up they will claim to be Deputies, but they’re not.

Soon three men ride up.  They claim to be officers of the law who have tracked an outlaw to the farm.  They demand that Henry turn the outlaw and bag of cash over to them.

Henry has a decision to make.  No one is as they seem… including Henry.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Old Henry is a complete joy.  It’s a throwback western of the best kind.  I love the twists in the plot and how our allegiances shift as the movie progresses.  The ultimate reveal at the end is unexpected but completely right.

Stephen Dorff is, as always. excellent.  Tim Blake Nelson shines as Old Henry.

Old Henry (2021) rates 5 of 5 stars.