Category: Crime

“Blood Crime” (2002) / Z-View

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Blood Crime (2002)

Director: William A. Graham

Screenplay:  Mark Lawrence Miller, Preston A. Whitmore II

Starring:  James Caan, Johnathon Schaech and Elizabeth Lackey.

Tagline: Revenge can be murder.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Daniel Pruitt (Schaech) and his wife Jessica (Lackey) are camping in the woods.  Daniel leaves Jessica for a snack run to a nearby store.  When he returns, Jessica has been brutally attacked.  As he races to get her to the hospital, he sideswipes a semi.  When the driver gets out, Jessica identifies the man as her attacker!  Daniel severely beats the trucker and leaves him in the back of the semi.

When Daniel gets to the hospital, Jessica identifies an orderly as her attacker!  Daniel sees a group of officers and demands to see the Sheriff McKenna (Caan).  McKenna tries to put Daniel off, but relents and says, “Walk with me. Give me a minute.”   They go to another room where a body is covered by a sheet.  When the sheet is lifted, it is the trucker that Daniel beat up…  who happens to be Sheriff McKenna’s son!

Daniel didn’t kill the Sheriff’s son, but the evidence makes him look guilty!  Daniel believes that whoever attacked Jessica is also the murderer.  Daniel is running out of time to prove his innocence and find the person who did the crimes. Sheriff McKenna plans to murder whoever killed his son and Daniel looks guilty.  As you can imagine it all comes to a, uh, smashing ending.

Blood Crime rates 2 of 5 stars.  Not even James Caan can save this one.

“Tulsa King” Starring Sylvester Stallone – The Teaser is Here!

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We’ve all been waiting for the first teaser/trailer for Tulsa King.  It is here and doesn’t disappoint!

TULSA KING follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone), just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Okla. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a “crew” from a group of unlikely characters, to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet. The series also stars Andrea Savage (“I’m Sorry”), Martin Starr (“Silicon Valley”), Max Casella (“The Tender Bar”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Irishman”), Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”), Jay Will (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), A.C. Peterson (“Superman & Lois”) with Garrett Hedlund (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”).

The series will be executive-produced by Sheridan, Winter, Stallone, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin and Allen Coulter. Braden Aftergood is also set to executive-produce.

“Mind Over Murder” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Mind Over Murder.  I don’t know this case, but plan to tune in.

From acclaimed filmmaker Nanfu Wang, the HBO Original six-part documentary series #MindOverMurder chronicles the bizarre and psychologically complex story of six individuals who were convicted for the 1985 murder of a beloved 68- year-old grandmother, Helen Wilson, in Beatrice, Nebraska. Despite five of the individuals originally confessing to the crime, the “Beatrice Six” as they became known, were exonerated by DNA evidence in 2009, a turn of events that divided the rural town and incensed the family of Helen Wilson. As the filmmakers track the case from the murder, through investigation, trial, exoneration and two civil suits, shifting perspectives cloud the truth; a stranger-than-fiction tale emerges that raises salient questions about the reliability of confessions and memory in criminal cases.

“Black Bird” – The Trailer is Here!

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Wow!  Black Bird.  Deal me in.

When serving time, you’ll do anything for a chance at freedom—even if that means facing a suspected killer. Inspired by true events, Dennis Lehane’s newest Apple Original Series stars Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser. Black Bird arrives July 8 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_BlackBird

Inspired by actual events, when high school football hero and decorated policeman’s son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.

Ensemble cast includes Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear and Ray Liotta.

Black Bird is developed and executive produced by Lehane. The first three episodes are directed by Academy Award nominee Michaël R. Roskam (“Bullhead,” “The Drop”), who also serves as executive producer. Lehane, Egerton and Roskam executive produce alongside Richard Plepler through his EDEN Productions; Bradley Thomas, Dan Friedkin and Ryan Friedkin executive produce through Imperative Entertainment; Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert executive produce through EMJAG Productions; and Kary Antholis also executive produces, along with the book’s author James Keene. Jim McKay and Joe Chappelle also direct. The limited series is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios.

Song: “Cuckoo! (Songs From “Friday Afternoons”, Op.7)” by Benjamin Britten https://apple.co/Cuckoo_BenjaminBritten

RIGHTEOUS by Joe Ide / Z-View

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Righteous by Joe Ide

Hardcover: ‎ 336 pages
Publisher: ‎Mulholland Books

First sentence…

Isaiah was seventeen years old when his older brother, Marcus, was killed in a hit-and-run..

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Isaiah Quintabe, who everyone calls IQ because of his superior intellect, is back.  Ten years have passed since IQ’s brother, Marcus, was killed.  Isaiah gets by taking on “cases the police can’t or won’t touch.”  They don’t pay much, but Isaiah doesn’t need much.

Out of the blue IQ gets a call from Sarita Van.  Sarita was Marcus’ girlfriend back in the day.  IQ and Sarita haven’t spoken in years.  Now she needs IQ’s help.  Sarita’s sister, Janine and her boyfriend Benny, are degenerate gamblers.  Not only are loan sharks closing in, but they’ve done something to get a Chinese crime cartel after them as well.  IQ agrees to go to Vegas to rescue Sarita’s sister and try to work out something with the Chinese cartel.

In IQ’s mind, he’ll save Sarita’s sister, come back the hero and maybe have a life with Sarita.  If only.

Lucky for IQ, his occasional partner (and former gang banger), Dodson agrees to accompany him.  Things are much worse than IQ could imagine.  Soon he finds himself at odds with a loan shark and his seven foot enforcer, the Chinese cartel and Seb, a crime lord who uses a cane made from a human femur and whose intellect rivals IQ’s.   Janine and Benny are on the run and it is up to IQ to find and save them.  He’ll be lucky if he can save himself.  Oh, and now he has information that his brother was targeted to be killed.  It wasn’t a simple hit-and-run!

Joe Ide has another winner.  Righteous rates 5 of 5 stars.

Righteous Hardcover
Righteous Trade Paperback
Righteous Kindle

“Batman” (2022) / Z-View

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Batman (2022)

Director:  Matt Reeves

Screenplay:  Matt Reeves, Peter Craig, based on Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, John Turturro  and Andy Serkis

Tagline:  Unmask The Truth

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A sadistic, extremely intelligent psycho killer is murdering political figures in Gotham City.  At each murder scene, the killer who has been dubbed The Riddler, leaves a message for Batman (Pattison).  Meanwhile Selena Kyle aka Catwoman (Kravitz) is investigating the disappearance of one of her friends.  When Batman and Selena realize that their investigations overlap, they form an uneasy alliance.  As the Riddler’s body count goes up, it becomes clear that the corruption goes deep… perhaps all the way to the Wayne Foundation and Batman’s father.

The Batman doesn’t feel like a super hero movie.  Instead it plays out more like a mystery or a noir thriller.  That’s a good thing.  Even the music doesn’t scream SUPER HERO.  Let’s break it down…

The Story: I liked the story and was surprised that Bruce Wayne’s dad was shown in a different light.

Batman:  Robert Pattison makes an excellent Batman.  I liked that they played up the “strike fear into the hearts of criminals” aspect.  Criminals would hear Batman’s heavy footsteps coming closer in the dark before they could see him.  This is a more violent Batman but not (usually) excessively so.

Bruce Wayne:  The way they portrayed Bruce Wayne threw me a bit.  A times I thought he looked like a young John Cazale or  Cesare from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Having Bruce Wayne as a recluse does help to explain why he isn’t seen in public more often.

Selina Kyle aka Catwoman:  Zoë Kravitz owns this role.  She’s tiny but believable as a tough woman.  The screen loves her and she stole every scene she was in.

The Riddler:  The new take on this character is money.  He was smart, frightening and crazy.  The Zodiac Killer on steroids.  Paul Dano deserves an ovation!

The Penguin: Colin Farrell is unrecognizable under the make-up and latex, but his character doesn’t look made-up.  Farrell did a fine job.

Carmine Falcone: John Turturro was amazing.  He had the crime boss / godfather part down pat.  Turturro’s role was one of my favorite parts of the movie.

Alfred:  I like the new direction they took with Alfred.  No longer the old man with amusing quips, this is the Alfred that served as Bruce Wayne’s bodyguard and mentor from childhood to adult.  Andy Serkis nailed the part.

Jim Gordon:  Jeffrey Wright  makes a great Jim Gordon.  Wright is such an under-rated actor, I was glad to see him in The Batman.

The Batmobile:  Batman’s car didn’t look like any of the previous Batmobiles.  It looked like a built up car that could do what needed to be done.  I liked that and the fact it was never referred to as “the Batmobile.”  I also loved the scene where the criminals could hear the monstrous motor revving, before they saw it.  Again playing up the strike fear into the criminals.

The Batcave:  I loved the brief look we got at it.  All of those bats flying around was a great touch.

The Batman exceeded my expectations.  I hope the entire team returns for a sequel.  The Batman earned 4 of 5 stars.

“My Name Is Julia Ross” (1945) / Z-View

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My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)

Director:  Joseph H. Lewis

Screenplay:  Muriel Roy Bolton, based on the novel  The Woman in Red by Anthony Gilbert

Starring:  Nina Foch, May Whitty, George Macready and Roland Varno

Tagline:  She went to sleep as a secretary … and woke up a madman’s “bride”!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Julia Ross (Foch) is getting desperate. She’s out of work and behind on her rent. The man she loved, Dennis Bruce (Varno) has left to marry another.  Julia has applied for jobs, without luck.  When she sees an ad for a personal secretary, Julia heads to the agency.  Mrs. Hughes (Whitty) says the job pays well, but requires a dedicated person. She asks if Julia has family or a boyfriend.  Julia has neither and is hired on the spot.  Mrs. Hughes needs Julia to come to her house immediately.

Julia returns to her apartment to get her personal items.  As she is leaving, Dennis Bruce shows up.  He’s come to his senses and realizes he loves Julia.  She is happy and explains that she’s starting a new job.  She gives Bruce Mrs. Hughes’ address and agrees to meet him the following evening for dinner.

Julia goes to Mrs. Hughes’ house, is greeted and shown to her bedroom.  Julia wakes up two days later in a different bedroom.  This one is on the upper floor of a mansion.  Julia learns that she’s in a different town and her name isn’t Julia Ross. Her name is Marion and she’s suffering from a mental illness.  Mrs. Hughes is her mother-in-law!  She assures Julia that she and her son Ralph are going to do everything in their power to nurse her back to health.

Julia cannot understand why this is happening.  Why would Mrs. Hughes and Ralph take such extreme measures to make her think she’s crazy?  Either Julia has suffered a nervous breakdown and is Marion, or Ralph and his mother have plans that put Julia’s life in danger.  But why?  Julia will find out if it kills her.

I would have never watched My Name is Julia Ross if it wasn’t for Turner Classic Movies Noir Alley hosted by Eddie Mueller.  My Name is Julia Ross is that rare breakout film that deserves more attention.  Originally released as a “B” movie, it became the first feature on many double bills.

My Name is Julia Ross wastes little time setting up the plot and moves at a brisk pace throughout.  Clocking in at just 65 minutes, the film packs in plot twist after plot twist and ratchets the tension as Julia comes to realize she’s not crazy, but is trapped by a madman and his mother!  Hats off to George Macready as the insane and sadistic Ralph Hughes who can’t wait to kill Julia (and is ready to kill his own mother)!

I also appreciate the ending.  Although it wraps things up quickly, there is a moment that will bring a gasp from audiences.  Nina Foch had a long career as a tv actress.  I’m surprised she didn’t do more features.

My Name is Julia Ross rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet – We have the poster and trailer.  I like both.  Deal me in.

Web of Make Believe: Death, Lies and the Internet is a 6-part anthology series from director Brian Knappenberger, Luminant Media and Imagine Documentaries that tells stories of people caught in the dark and twisted web of modern misinformation and digital deception. Haunting, bizarre and up-to-the-moment relevant, the series explores consequences of “SWATing”, takes a chilling trip down the rabbit hole of white supremacy, joins a Federal hunt for the suspect of a brazen IRS heist and dives into Russian election interference. Rich with distinctive characters and surprising plotlines, reality is distorted when the ordinary American household collides with a chaotic web of misinformation.


Source: First Showing.

IN the CUT by Frank Zafiro / Z-View

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In the Cut by Frank Zafiro

Trade Paperback: ‎ 248 pages
Publisher: ‎ Code 4 Press

First sentence…

Rolling up on trouble shouldn’t feel so cold.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Boone has been a prospect with the Iron Brotherhood for a year.  The life of a prospect sucks, but offers a great reward if you can withstand the crap jobs and disrespect full IB members give you.  The payoff is that you become a full member of the Iron Brotherhood.

A couple of months ago, Boone met Faith.  She’s not a motorcycle club groupie and not really like any other woman Boone’s ever known.  He may be in love with her.  Maybe.

That’s not the only indecision in his life.  Boone sometimes wonders if a life in the Iron Brotherhood will give him want he wants.  Then something happens that forces his decision and there’s no turning back.  Things heat up when rumors that someone around the club is feeding cops information.  The Iron Brotherhood is on full alert and has greenlit the rat for execution.

Frank Zafiro is back with the second story in his SpoCompton trilogy.  It’s cool that Jake Stankovich (from At Their Own Game) shows up a couple of times.  As In the Cut unfolds, we see the hell that a motorcycle gang club prospect goes through to become a member.  We also come to understand why a person would be willing to go through that (the gang becomes family) and why the club needs to harshly vet potential members.

Zafiro set In the Cut up so that the first “mystery” is will Boone get in the club or not.  As a reader, we feel the pain of Boone’s indecision about that and his relationship with Faith.  Once word comes that the club has a rat, the tension escalates and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough.  And, oh THAT ending.  I didn’t see it coming and loved it.

In the Cut rates 4 of 5 stars.

In the Cut TradePaperback

In the Cut Kindle

Rating:

“Witness to Murder” (1954) / Z-View

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Witness to Murder (1954)

Director:  Roy Rowland

Screenplay:  Chester Erskine, Nunnally Johnson (uncredited)

Starring:  Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, Gary Merrill,  Jesse White and Claude Akins

Tagline: No one would believe what she saw that night… not the police… not her friends… no one — but the murderer himself!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Looking out of her window one evening, Cheryl Draper (Stanwyck) witnesses a murder committed in an apartment across the way.  The murderer sees the police arrive, and by the time they get to his room, he’s hidden the body in an empty apartment.  Albert Richter (Sanders) greets the police as if he’s been awakened from a sound sleep and he couldn’t be more accommodating.  The police report back to Miss Draper that she was mistaken.

The next day Miss Draper sees Richter putting a trunk into his car and driving away.  She’s convinced that he’s disposing of the body.  Draper decides to get into his apartment to find evidence and then go to the police.  Unfortunately for Cheryl Draper, it’s like the movie’s tag line says: No one believes what she saw that night… not the police… not her friends… no one — but the murderer himself!

Witness to Murder was released in 1954, the same year as Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.  The release year isn’t the only thing the films have in common,  The plots of each have someone witness a murder in an apartment across the way and no one believes it but the murderer.  Hitchcock’s film is a classic, and Witness to Murder is under-rated.

Witness to Murder wastes no time to get the story going.  The black and white photography adds a feeling of menace.  Although Barbara Stanwyck is the first billed star, it is George Sanders who steals the show.  While the “insane” woman aspect of the movie is dated, Sanders’ portrayal of a sociopathic killer who is always steps ahead of the witness and cops could have been written today.  Several familiar faces show up: George Sanders, Gerry Merrill, Jesse White (the Maytag repairman!) and even an unbilled Claude Akins.

Witness to Murder is a fun ride.  Clocking in at a fast-paced one hour and twenty-three minutes, it’s a journey you might enjoy.  I did and that’s why I give Witness to Murder 4 of 5 stars.

AND SOMETIMES I WONDER ABOUT YOU by Walter Mosley / Z-View

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And Sometimes I Wonder About You by Walter Mosley

Trade Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard; Reprint edition (April 19, 2016)

First sentence…

Taking the local train from Philly to New York’s Penn Station may not be as smooth as the Acela’s ride but it gets the job done for a few dollars less and sometimes, like that Monday afternoon, the car is nearly empty and a man has time to think.   

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Leonid McGill is a legitimate tough guy.  He’s a former boxer, a full time PI and sometime criminal.  While riding the train from Philly, a beautiful woman, Marella Herzog asks McGill to get her safely to a cab.  He says he will for a price: if he walks her to the cab and there is no incident, the price is a handshake and kiss on the cheek.  If he has to play bodyguard, the price is $1,500.00.  Marella asks, “Isn’t that price high?  “I couldn’t be trusted for less” is McGill’s response.

McGill has to take action when a man with a knife attacks Marella.  McGill leaves the man unconscious with a broken arm and gets Marella to a cab.  The attraction between Leonid and Marella is undeniable.  She invites him up to her hotel for payment.  He agrees to come by later.

As And Sometimes I Wonder About You unfolds, McGill becomes more involved with Marella.  She’s beautiful, smart, as lustful as McGill and cannot be trusted.  Why are people after her?  She has something they want, but what?  McGill realizes that she’s everything he could want in a woman (if she doesn’t kill him), but McGill has so much going on…

  • There’s his wife who is currently wasting away in a sanitorium.
  • Hiram Stent, who yesterday wanted to hire him to find his cousin, was found murdered.  Mr. Stent said his cousin was set to inherit a million dollars.  McGill felt the case was fishy and declined.
  • Then last night McGill’s office was broken into and one of the building’s security guards killed.
  • Plus, McGill’s adult son has gotten himself involved with a mysterious “underground” gang that the police have been trying to take down with the only result being more dead bodies.
  • Oh, and McGill’s estranged father is about to show up.

If this sounds like too much going on, it is for Leonid McGill, but not the reader.  Mosley keeps all plot threads going without any confusion.  Don’t think that everything all ties together and is resolved with a bow.  A couple of the plot threads are related, but others aren’t.  This seems realistic.  Too often in detective novels there is one case and nothing else comes up until it is resolved.  (If only life would cooperate like that.)

McGill is a tough guy, but he isn’t invincible.  He doesn’t have a heart of gold and has done some pretty terrible things in the past.  McGill is flawed, but has a (tarnished) code of honor.  Walter Mosley has written so many excellent novels.  And Sometimes I Wonder About You is one of them.  It rates 5 of 5 stars.      

Rating:

And Sometimes I Wonder About You Trade Paperback

And Sometimes I Wonder About You Kindle   

“The Killer is Loose” (1956) / Z-View

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The Killer is Loose (1956)

Director:  Budd Boetticher

Screenplay:  Harold Medford from a story by John Hawkins and Ward Hawkins

Starring:  Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Fleming, Wendell Corey,  Alan Hale Jr., Michael Pate and John Larch

Tagline: He was no ordinary killer… She was no ordinary victim… This is no ordinary motion picture!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Leon Poole (Corey) is a mild-mannered teller who police learn was the inside man on an an attempted bank robbery.  As police go to arrest Poole at his apartment, he decides to shoot it out with them.  When Detective Sam Wagner (Cotten) returns fire, he accidently kills Poole’s wife.

Poole is captured, tried and convicted. Before Poole is escorted out of the courtroom, and while staring at Detective Wagner’s wife, Poole calmly states that he will one day get his revenge.

Two years later Poole escapes from prison.  It turns out that Poole is a sociopath who has nothing on his mind other than killing Detective Wagner and his wife.  As the murders pile up, it is clear that Poole is on his way to extract his revenge and no amount of police will stop him!

GUNSHINE STATE by Andrew Nette / Z-View

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Gunshine State by Andrew Nette

Trade Paperback: 306 pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books (February 12, 2018)

First sentence…

The high-pitched whine of the power drill tore through the confined space of the back office.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Gary Chance is an ex-military truck driver, part time bouncer, and part time thief.  What he isn’t, is a killer.  When an in-and-out robbery ends with two people dead, Chance is on the run and forced to go back to work for the Chinaman.

Chance is quickly offered a job.  A crew is in place to rip off Freddie Gao, an extremely wealthy man who is flying into town for a weekend of gambling (he always loses) and whoring.  Gao has security and his father is a well-connected and feared criminal.  Chance can see holes in the crew’s plan, but there are holes in any plan.  All Chance has to do is drive… and hope there are no hiccups.

When members of the crew pull a double-cross a lot of people die and Chance is set-up to take the fall.  Now on the run from the police and Gao father’s gangsters, Chance looks to clear his name and get revenge on everyone who set him up.  Odds aren’t good, but there’s a Chance.  ; )

Andrew Nette has written a fast paced crime story populated by believable characters.  Chance is a likeable (anti)hero.  The story flows with the action moving between Australia to Thailand, but never becomes a travelogue.  Nette puts Chance through the ringer, but the story and twists don’t seem forced.  Gunshine State is a crime story that entertains from start to finish.  It earns 4 of 5 stars.    

Rating:

Gunshine State Trade Paperback

Gunshine State Kindle