Category: Movies

“Bloodthrist” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Bloodthrist has the look and feel of a drive-in movie.  And who doesn’t like a good drive-in movie once in a while?

Lionsgate’s BLOOTHIRST, starring Costas Mandylor, Tara Reid and Robert LaSardo, will be available on digital and on demand on October 31. After the apocalypse, only two tribes remain: desperate humans and the roving vampires that feed on them. Across the desolate West, John Shepard (Costas Mandylor, Saw IV) seeks the aging head vampire, hoping to destroy him and free mankind. But when Shepard and his posse of native sons and farmer’s daughters joins forces with a local militia, they learn that they’re closer to the Master than they think…

“Killers of the Flower Moon” – The Final Trailer is Here!

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The final trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon – a Martin Scorsese picture. In theaters everywhere October 20.

At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder. Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), Killers of the Flower Moon is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. Also starring Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion, Killers of the Flower Moon is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese, based on David Grann’s best-selling book.

Hailing from Apple Studios, Killers of the Flower Moon was produced alongside Imperative Entertainment, Sikelia Productions and Appian Way. Producers are Scorsese, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Daniel Lupi, with DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Adam Somner, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, John Atwood, Shea Kammer and Niels Juul serving as executive producers.

George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” Alt Print by Paul Mann!

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Paul Mann, Bottleneck Gallery and Image Ten have teamed to create a new alt poster for George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.  There are three variants of this limited edition print.  All are 24×36 and hand-numbered.  You can see a bigger version of this one as well as the green and blue variants by clicking here. (You can even get one if supplies last.)

“Mr. Sardonicus” (1961) / Z-View

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Mr. Sardonicus (1961)

Director: William Castle

Screenplay: Ray Russell

Stars: Oscar Homolka, Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton, Guy Rolfe and William Castle.

Tagline:  YOU decide the fate of Mr. Sardonicus during the “Punishment Poll”! Vote “mercy” or “no mercy” right in your theatre seat!

The Plot…

The year is 1880.  Sir Robert Cargrave (Lewis), a world famous physician gets a letter from Maude (Dalton), his former lover.  She requests that he come meet with her husband in a matter of great importance.  Because Cargrave still has feelings for Maude he goes.

Her husband is the rich and feared  Baron Sardonicus (Rolfe).  Upon arrival at Castle Sardonicus, Cargrave is greeted by Krull (Homolka), Sardonicus’ disfigured servant.  When he meets Maude, she says that if Cargrave cannot cure her husband, Baron Sardonicus will take it out on her!  Baron Sardonicus enters the room so she cannot say more.  Cargrave is shocked to see that Sardonicus wears a mask.

We learn that Baron Sardonicus’ face is hideously disfigured.  Sardonicus expects Dr. Cargrave to cure him.  If he doesn’t then Maude will be “punished”.  As Dr. Cargrave decides his next move, he learns that as deformed as Sardoniscus’ face is, his sadistic behaviors are even worse.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

William Castle, the King of Movie Gimmicks, came up with a winner.  Before the start of the film, William Castle tells the audience that the cards they were given on entry will decide the ending of the film.  Before the last scene, Castle will return to tell the audience to hold up cards with glow-in-the-dark thumbs.  Sardoniscus will either be given “mercy” or not depending on how the majority of the audience votes. Thumbs up equals mercy.  Thumbs down, no mercy.   Truth be told, there was only one ending – no mercy.

Most William Castle films focus on horror and jump scares.  Mr. Sardonicus places emphasis on suspense.

Mr. Sardonicus (1961) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Mother” starring Jennifer Lopez / Z-View

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The Mother (2023)

Director: Niki Caro

Screenplay: Misha Green, Andrea Berloff, Peter Craig from a story by Misha Green[1]

Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Joseph Fiennes, Jesse Garcia, Yvonne Senat Jones, Gael García Bernal and Edie Falco.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

“The Mother” (Lopez) is an unnamed ex-military, soldier brokering an arms deal between two of her former lovers, ex-SAS Captain Adrian Lovell (Fiennes) and arms dealer Hector Álvarez (Bernal).  When she discovers that they are both also involved in child trafficking, she turns FBI informant.

While “The Mother” is at a safe house being interrogated, and nearly ready to give birth, the safe house is attacked.  All of the FBI agents except, William Cruise (Hardwick) are murdered.  Cruise is badly wounded, but saved by “The Mother”, who is also wounded and nearly loses her baby.  Realizing she is a marked woman and her child would always be in danger, “The Mother” agrees to put the baby up for adoption with three conditions:
1.  The baby will be put in a good, safe home
2.  Cruise will send her a birthday photo every year
3.  Cruise will let her know if the child is ever in danger

Cruise agrees. The child is adopted and named Zoe (Paez). “The Mother” moves to Alaska to live off the grid.

Twelve years later Cruise contacts “The Mother”.  Zoe who is in grave danger.  Álvarez has learned where she is and is planning to kidnap her.  Together Cruise and “The Mother” move to save Zoe, but will they be too late?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Jennifer Lopez is more than capable to play an action hero.  Unfortunately, The Mother is content to coast.  The story hits all the marks you’d expect.  It feels like moviemaking by numbers.  There are no surprises. It does have enough star power and action to hold our attention.  Unfortunately except for Lopez, the stars are under-used.  I’d have loved to have seen Omari Hardwick and Edie Falco given more to do.

While “The Mother” is an okay way to spend a couple of hours, Jennifer Lopez and her co-stars deserved better.  So did the audience.

The Mother (2023) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Fences” (2016) written by August Wilson, directed by Denzel Washington, starring Denzel Washington & Viola Davis / Z-View

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Fences (2016)

Director: Denzel Washington

Screenplay: August Wilson based on his play Fences

Stars: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby,
Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Mele, Lesley Boone and Rachelle Beinart.

Tagline:  Some people build fences to keep people out – and other people build fences to keep people in.

The Plot…

Troy Maxson (Washington) is a bitter, angry, 56 year old black man.  Once a talented baseball player, Troy was never given a chance to play in the big leagues due to his race.  Then World War II came.  Now that Troy is older, the color-barrier in baseball has broken.  But Troy is too old to play.  So he makes his living as a garbage collector.  Even there Troy see discrimination.  All the drivers are white.  All the workers doing the heavy lifting are black.

Troy’s wife, Rose (Davis) sees times are starting to change.  Cory (Adepo), Troy and Rose’s son, is a bright student and talented football player.  A college is interested in giving Cory a scholarship, but Troy won’t sign the paperwork.  He wants Cory to get educated in a job that will always provide an income.

Troy sees barriers everywhere and is bitter about how life has treated him, never realizing that he is building barriers for himself and his family as well.  Despite Troy’s flaws, Rose loves him.  Sadly Troy’s choices are going to have terrible consequences for his family and friends.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Fences (2016) was honored at the Academy Awards:

Academy Award Wins:

  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis

Academy Award Nominations:

  • Best Motion Picture of the Year: Todd Black, Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Denzel Washington
  • Best Adapted Screenplay: August Wilson

“Fences” was first a Broadway play.  It opened in 1987 and went on to win Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Actor (James Earl Jones), and Best Featured Actress (Mary Alice).  “Fences” was revived in 2010.  It won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor (Denzel Washington), and Best Actress (Viola Davis).  All five adult actors from the revival reprise their roles in the film.

Although August Wilson is the only credited screenwriter for the film, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Tony Kushner did uncredited work.  They didn’t want their names on the credits to insure that Wilson alone received any writing honors or awards.

Denzel Washing and Viola Davis were rightfully nominated for Academy Awards.  Their roles in Fences may be their best performances ever.  Everyone in the supporting cast is wonderful.

It was fun to see Saniyya Sidney as a very young girl.  Sidney would go on to co-star in The Passage a few years later.

Fences (2016) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Vindicta” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster doesn’t do much for me, but the trailer has my attention!

DIRECTED BY: Sean McNamara
STORY BY: Steven Paul
SCREENPLAY BY: Ian Neligh
STARRING: Elena Kampouris, Sean Astin and Jeremy Piven
EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: Scott Karol and Charles Cooper
PRODUCED BY: Steven Paul

About Vindicta: When a city is terrorized by a sadistic serial killer, a seasoned detective and a newly recruited paramedic are forced into a deadly game of vengeance, only to discover the key to stopping the bloodshed lies in unlocking the truth of their own haunted pasts. Elena Kampouris (Children of the Corn), Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings franchise), and Jeremy Piven (Entourage) star in this edge-of-your-seat thriller from the director of On a Wing and a Prayer.

“The Burial” starring Jamie Foxx & Tommy Lee Jones – The Trailer is Here!

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Deal me in.

Check out the official trailer for The Burial, in theaters October 6 and coming to Prime Video on October 13.

Inspired by true events, when a handshake deal goes sour, funeral home owner Jeremiah O’Keefe (Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones) enlists charismatic, smooth-talking attorney Willie E. Gary (Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx) to save his family business. Tempers flare and laughter ensues as the unlikely pair bond while exposing corporate corruption and racial injustice in this inspirational, triumphant story.

Song: GOLDEN by Aloe Blacc & Tim Myers

“Blood & Gold” (2023) / Z-View

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Blood & Gold (2023)

Director: Peter Thorwarth

Screenplay: Stefan Barth, Peter Thorwarth

Stars: Robert Maaser, Jördis Triebel, Alexander Scheer, Marie Hacke, Connor Long and Roy McCrerey.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

The end of the war is close at hand.  Von Starnfeld, a disfigured SS Commandant, leads his unit into a small German village.  Von Starnfeld knows there’s gold hidden somewhere in the town.  He just doesn’t know where.  Von Starnfeld is willing to torture or kill anyone and everyone if it will get him the gold.  Only a German deserter and young woman are willing to take a stand against Von Starnfeld and his Nazis.  Let the fun begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Blood & Gold contains all of the things you’d want in a World War II movie:

  • It starts off with a bang.
  • A handsome hero
  • A woman willing to risk her life to help our hero
  • A disfigured, evil SS Leader
  • An evil, sadistic Second-in-Command to the SS Leader
  • Nazis who enjoy their power and use it to do bad things
  • Plenty of hand-to-hand fights
  • Plenty of shootouts
  • A couple of twists and a surprise or two

Blood & Gold isn’t a great movie, but it is a good one.  If it sounds like something you’d like, give it a shot. 

Blood & Gold (1972) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Bikeriders” – The Trailer is Here!

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From writer-director Jeff Nichols (“Loving,” “Midnight Special,” “Mud”), 20th Century Studios and New Regency, “The Bikeriders” is a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members, starring Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve,” “The Last Duel”), Austin Butler (“Elvis”) and Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Revenant”). “The Bikeriders” opens in U.S. theaters on December 1.