Category: Crime

“The Power of the Dog” / Z-View

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The Power of the Dog (2021)

Director:  Jane Campion

Screenplay: Jane Campion based on the novel by Thomas Savage

Starring:  Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee  and Keith Carradine.

Tagline:  What it means to be a man.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

It’s 1923 and brothers Phil (Cumberbatch) and George (Plemons) share a large cattle ranch on the Montana frontier.  The brothers work well together, but are as different as night and day.  George speaks and dresses like a well-educated man (which he is).  Phil comes across like a roughneck alpha male cowboy who is quick to make fun of those not up to his manly standards.

Phil doesn’t like it when George suddenly marries and brings his new wife, Rose (Dunst), home to the ranch.  Phil likes it even less when Rose’s college-age son, Peter (Smit-McPhee) shows up for the summer.  Peter is a sensitive, effeminate young man and an easy target for Phil.

Things take a turn when Peter discovers a long held secret of Phil’s.  Suddenly Phil wants to help Peter become more of a cowboy… but Phil could have an ulterior motive.

The Power of the Dog is held together by strong acting and direction that pull the viewer in.  I love how we’re led down a path where we think one of two things are going to happen and suddenly the film comes to an unexpected (but logical) ending.  For me, The Power of the Dog earned 4 of 5 stars.

“Reacher: Season 1” / Z-View

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Reacher: Season 1 (2022)

Directors: Thomas Vincent (Ep.1); Sam Hill (Ep. 2); Stephen Surjik (Ep. 3); Christine Moore (Ep.4); Norberto Barba (Ep. 5); Omar Madha (Ep. 6); Lin Oeding (Ep. 7); M.J. Bassett (Ep. 8)

Teleplay: Nick Santora (Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer); Cait Duffy (Eps. 1 – 8); Aadrita Mukerji (Eps. 1, 3, 6); Scott Sullivan (Ep. 3, 5, 7);  Season 1 based on Lee Child‘s novel The Killing Floor.

Starring:  Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Maria Sten, Chris Webster, Bruce McGill and Willie C. Carpenter.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jack Reacher, an ex-Military Police Investigator, arrives in the small town of Margrove and is immediately arrested for a murder he didn’t commit.  Getting cleared of the charges shouldn’t be a problem.  Getting out of Margrove alive could be.  Corrupt cops, a crooked politician and a rich backer want Reacher dead before he can piece together the puzzle of it all.

If you’re a fan of Lee Child’s Reacher series, you’re going to love this adaptation.  If you haven’t read the novels, but are a fan of thoughtful action thrillers, you’ll still enjoy the series.

Alan Ritchson plays Reacher and he’s physically right for the part.  Reacher is a 6’5″ inch monster of a man.  The books play up Reacher’s size/strength and with Ritchson in the role this adaption does as well.  But Reacher is the opposite of big and stupid — he pays attention to details, has an analytical mind and doesn’t suffer fools.  Ritchson is perfect as Reacher.

The other parts are also well cast and acted.   Malcolm Goodwin is the straight-arrow cop with a secret in his past.  Willa Fitzgerald is as much a partner in resolving the crime as she is a love interest for Reacher.  Maria Sten plays Frances Neagley.  I loved her character and hope we haven’t seen the last of her.

Reacher is lightning in a bottle.  It’s one of those rare shows that everyone seems to love.  Reacher currently has an 8.5 rating at IMDb.com.  6 of the 8 episodes have an 8.6 or higher rating.  The other two episodes are rated 8.4 and 8.5.  At Rotten Tomatoes, Reacher is rated at 88%!  As for me, I give Reacher: Season 1,  5 of 5 stars.

“The Tourist” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The Tourist is a six episode mini-series streaming on HBOMax.  I like the look of the trailer (the poster is ok).  Deal me in.

After being run off the road, a man wakes up in an Australian hospital with amnesia. A single clue starts him along a frantic journey to remember who he is and why someone wants him dead. In the small town of Burnt Ridge, any news is big news, and not everyone can be trusted. Shifting alliances, uncertain connections, and dark truths lurk just within reach, as the harsh conditions of the Australian outback set the stage for a painful reckoning.

The Tourist is streaming March 1 on HBO Max.

WINTER COUNTS by David Heska Wanbli Weiden / Z-View

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Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Ecco (August 25, 2020)

First sentence…

I leaned back in the seat of my old Ford Pinto, listening to the sounds coming from the Depot, the reservation’s only tavern.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When folks on the Rosebud Indian Reservation need help that the law can’t provide, they go to Virgil Wounded Horse.  Virgil’s solution isn’t always legal, but he gets results. While some view Virgil as a hero, others see him as a half-breed thug who has turned his back on tribal traditions.  Virgil uses the money he receives for “resolving situations” to raise his nephew, Nathan.  Both of Virgil’s parents and his sister are dead.

Virgil is offered a large amount of money to track down the source bringing heroin onto the reservation.  He follows leads that take him to Denver.  There Virgil learns that drug cartels are involved.  When Nathan is almost killed and framed for heroin possession, Virgil realizes that he may have been set up.

David Heska Wanbli Weiden is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation so it’s no wonder Winter Counts presents such a vivid picture of life on a reservation.  And it’s not often pretty.  Weiden’s setting is unique, as are his characters, but the problems they face are universal.

Winter Counts is one of my favorite novels from last year and I’m far from the only one praising Weiden. Winter Counts won the Macavity Award for Best Novel, the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, the Thriller Award for Best First Novel and was an Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel.  Winter Counts was also selected as a Best Book of 2020 by Publisher’s Weekly, CrimeReads and GoodReads.

I’m looking forward to David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s follow-up.  Winter Counts rates 5 of 5 stars.

Rating:

The New Elvis Cole Novel (RACING THE LIGHT) by Robert Crais is Coming!

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As you can see from the photo above Robert Crais has the cover to his next Elvis Cole book.  Racing the Light will drop on November 1, 2022.  Here’s the synopsis…

Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner Joe Pike are back on the case in this brilliant new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.

Adele Schumacher isn’t a typical worried mom. When she hires Elvis to find her missing son, a controversial podcaster named Josh Shoe, she brings a bag filled with cash, bizarre tales of government conspiracies, and a squad of professional bodyguards. Finding Josh should be simple, but Elvis quickly learns he isn’t alone in the hunt — a deadly team of mysterious strangers are determined to find Josh and his adult film star girlfriend first.

With Elvis being watched and dangerous secrets lurking behind every lead, Elvis needs his friend Joe Pike more than ever to uncover the truth about Josh, corrupt politicians, and the vicious business cartels rotting the heart of Los Angeles from within. And when Elvis Cole’s estranged girlfriend Lucy Chenier and her son Ben return, Elvis learns just how much he has to lose…if he survives.

Written with the heart, humor, and relentless suspense for which Crais is famous, Racing The Light delivers Elvis Cole’s most dangerous case yet.

Pre-orders for Racing the Light are available now! Deal me in!

“Wander” (2020) / Z-View

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Wander (2020)

Director:  April Mullen

Screenplay: Tim Doiron

Starring:  Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, Katheryn Winnick, Heather Graham and Raymond Cruz.

Tagline:  The conspiracy is real.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Arthur Bretnik (Eckhart) has been on the verge of a mental breakdown since his wife and daughter were killed.  He believes their deaths were covered up to hide a vast conspiracy.  Bretnik’s paranoia has increased to the point that he lives in an old trailer out in the desert where he hosts a conspiracy podcast.

When he is hired to investigate a mysterious death in the small town of Wander, Bretnik begins to uncover evidence that his ideas about a conspiracy may not be crazy after all.

Wander does just that.  It wanders.  The story is all over the place.  I kept thinking it would pull together for a satisfying conclusion.  Sadly it didn’t.  Wander has an excellent cast, but even they couldn’t save this film.  Usually I only rate films as NOT FOR ME when I don’t complete watching them (but after allowing plenty of time for the story to develop).  I watched all of Wander but couldn’t give it 2 stars.  Wander rates 1 of 5.

THE DEVIL’S OWN PISS AND OTHER STORIES by Whiskey Leavins / Z-View

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The Devil’s Own Piss and Other Stories by Whiskey Leavins

Trade Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: Independently published (April 12, 2021)

First sentence…

The Devil, or should I say, a devil, needed a double-thirteen to win.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Let’s start with The Devil’s Own Piss and Other Stories‘ very cool cover.  If you see that cover art and don’t pick up the book for a closer look, then stop reading this now and go get your eyes checked.  Rafael Andres from CoverKitchen. please take a bow!

Thankfully, the stories in The Devil’s Own Piss and Other Stories are worthy of such a cool cover.  There are over 30 tales populated by Lucifestus and other devils, the dangerous Troupe Brothers, movie stars, influencers, space aliens, regular folks, famous folks from history and many others.  You won’t find everyone in every tale, but often the stories overlap.  What they do have in common is humor.

My favorite stories involved Lucifestus.  He’s an honest-to-goodness, well, maybe not goodness, but he is a devil.  Lucifestus is huge, red and barrel-chested.  He sports a pointy goatee and a blue-black slicked back ducktail.  Oh, and he has these huge horns.  You won’t see his real appearance unless he wants you to.  He could be sitting right next to you in a bar and you’d see a dude that looks like Tom Waits.  Lucifestus is a hard-drinker, who loves to gamble so he’s often found in bars or racetracks.  He doesn’t cheat, and offers tempting wagers for everything from something that would humiliate the loser to the loser’s soul.  I loved every tale with Lucifestus and am ready for more.

The other tales are funny and a nice change of pace.  As the cover indicates, The Devil’s Own Piss and Other Stories is definitely an R-Rated Book.  If you’re easily offended, then this isn’t for you.  I loved it.  Whiskey Leavins is the guy you’d want to buy a few beers (and I don’t drink) and wait for the stories to flow.

Rating:

ZERO SAINTS by Gabino Iglesias / Z-View

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Zero Saints by Gabino Iglesias

Trade Paperback: 196 pages
Publisher: Broken River Books

First sentence…

I didn’t hear those pinches cabrones coming.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

In Zero Saints, Gabino Iglesias created one of the most intense opening chapters in memory.   Fernando, a drug dealer/crew leader, is beaten and taken to an abandoned house.  Secured to a chair is Fernando’s friend.  Fernando is forced to watch a heavily tattooed gangbanger (with insane black eyes) slowly torture and behead his buddy. The message is clear: Give up your territory or die.

Fernando knows a war has arrived.  His odds of survival are slim.  So with his back against the wall, Fernando recruits a Russian gun thug (who owes him a favor) and a crazy blood simple buddy to join him in a last ditch chance at payback.

Iglesias takes what could be a simple tale of revenge and peppers it with gangbangers, drug dealers, hitmen and a touch of the supernatural.  Fernando isn’t your typical protagonist. He’s unable to save his friend, others close to him die and he fears the Mara Salvatrucha cartel (especially the one with the black eyes).  Fernando moves through a gritty underworld that exists in many big cities, but is only safely visited in stories like Zero Saints.

Zero Saints was my first book by Gabino Iglesias.  I look forward to reading many more (hopefully including tales of Fernando and his supporting cast… well, those who lived).

Rating:

“No Exit” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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That’s a clever poster and enticing trailer for No Exit.  Deal me in.

Trust no one. #NoExit starts streaming on @Hulu February 25.

In “No Exit,” Havana Rose Liu (“Mayday”) makes her feature film leading role debut as Darby, a young woman en route to a family emergency who is stranded by a blizzard and forced to find shelter at a highway rest area with a group of strangers. When she stumbles across an abducted girl in a van in the parking lot, it sets her on a terrifying life-or-death struggle to discover who among them is the kidnapper. Directed by Damien Power (“Killing Ground”) from a screenplay by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari (“Ant-Man and the Wasp”) based on Taylor Adams’ 2017 novel and produced by PGA Award winner Scott Frank (“The Queen’s Gambit”), the film stars Havana Rose Liu, Danny Ramirez (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Top Gun: Maverick”), David Rysdahl (“Nine Days”), Dale Dickey (“Winter’s Bone”), Mila Harris (“Young Dylan”) and Dennis Haysbert (“Breakthrough”).

Jack the Ripper – 10 People Suspected of Being the Killer!

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Vince Guerrieri at Mental Floss came up with a list of 10 People Suspected of Being Jack the Ripper.  It ranges from the highly unlikely (Lewis Carroll) to the probable (Aaron Kosminski).

Patricia Cornwell has DNA evidence that Jack the Ripper was Walter Sickert.

My guess is that the Ripper was Kosminski or Sickert.  I’d be interested in hearing who others think Jack the Ripper may have been.

“Nobody” / Z-View

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Nobody (2021)

Director: Ilya Naishuller

Screenplay: Derek Kolstad

Starring:  Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside and RZA.

Tagline:  Never underestimate a nobody.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Hutch Mansell lives a mundane life.  He has a wife (they are drifting apart), a son and daughter.  His job is routine and he’s in a rut.  Things get worse when burglars break into his house to rob it and Mansell does nothing to stop them.  His son sees him as a coward, and the rest of the family looks at him with pity.  What they don’t know is that Mansell used to worked as a CIA “auditor” who was sent in as a last resort to “clear the books”.

As Mansell’s anger builds he goes looking for the two thieves.  When five thugs on a bus begin to terrorize a young lady, Mansell takes out his rage on the would-be tough guys, hospitalizing all of them.  Unfortunately one of the mooks is the brother of a crazy Russian crime boss who will bring the full weight of his organization down on Mansell and his family.

Let the good times roll!

Nobody can be described as John Wick light.  Bob Odenkirk is surprisingly effective as the former CIA auditor and Nobody shows how talented he is.  To go from Sal Goodman to Hutch Mansell is more than a stretch.  The scene on the bus is fun and surprisingly violent.  I referred to Nobody as John Wick light and the humor is what takes it down a notch.  Plus when Mansell’s dad (Lloyd) starts blowing away a Russian hit squad you know we’re in a different universe.

I really enjoyed Nobody.  It was a fun ride with plenty of action and humor.  It rates 4 of 5 stars.

Fronteras (2018) / Z-View

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Fronteras (2018)

Director: Andrew Dean

Screenplay: Andrew Dean

Starring:  Cortez Chappell, Steven Sean Garland and Wade Everett

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Shane Estes, a Hispanic Border Patrol Agent, is recruited to join an effective Strike Force team brought in to wipe out the local drug trade. If the team is successful, Estes will get a promotion, but he finds the Strike Force’s methods immoral and illegal.  Estes’ boss wants Estes to finish the assignment.  As the pressure mounts Estes finds himself at the point of no return.

Fronteras has the set-up for an excellent movie.  Sadly the execution falls short.  Fronteras rates 2 of 5 stars.