Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
“From the Amazon’s forbidden depths came the Creature from the Black Lagoon”
“Not since the beginning of time has the world beheld terror like this!”
Ruiz Burgos has created an alt Creature from the Black Lagoon poster worthy of the original film. Don’t you agree?
Frankenstein (2025)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro; based on FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz, Mia Goth, Charles Dance, David Bradley, Kyle Gatehouse, Lauren Collins, Ralph Ineson, Peter MacNeill and Burn Gorman.
Tagline: Only monsters play God.
The Plot…
1857. The Horisont, a ship sailing to the North Pole, has become trapped in ice. While attempting to free the vessel, the crew finds a badly injured man named Victor Frankenstein. They bring him aboard and begin treating his wounds.
Not long after, a huge scarred man with incredible strength attacks the ship. Several of the crew are injured or killed. The monster demands that Victor Frankenstein be turned over to him. Instead the Captain orders his men to fire upon the creature. The shots break the ice around the monster and it sinks away.
As the crew rejoices, Victor Frankenstein says that the creature can not be killed. It will return and attack again. Frankenstein says he knows this because he created the monster.
This is his (and the creature’s) story…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Guillermo del Toro licensed Bernie Wrightson’s illustrations from Wrightson’s FRANKENSTEIN graphic novel adaptation to be used in pre-production of the film.
Del Toro has created a beautiful adaptation. It is well cast, well directed and well acted. The set designs are award-worthy. I enjoyed the experience of watching it, but his Frankenstein is not one I feel I will be re-watching much.
Frankenstein (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Happy Thanksgiving! Greeting above created by John Rivoli of Icons In Art!
What do you think of the 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple poster? The trailer drops next week.
I love this Rocky print by Chris Koehler. It’s so symbolic and iconic. You have Rocky fists taped and clenched ready to climb the steps to face Apollo who is already in the ring. Beautiful.
Here’s a bit of what Chris Koehler had to say about this piece…
Take some Stallone, add some Carl Weathers, baby you got a stew going! …my tribute to Rocky, one of the greatest love stories ever told… This was a dream project as I’m a huge fan of Rocky; I’ll even go to bat for Rocky V. Prints will be available online soon…! I hope you dig it 🥊
First Shift (2024)
Director: Uwe Boll
Screenplay: Uwe Boll
Stars: Gino Anthony Pesi, Kristen Renton, Garry Pastore, Brandi Bravo, Daniel Sauli, Aaron Berg, Onye Eme-Akwari, Tom Ukah, Cate Bottiglione, Tamara Della Anderson and Willie C. Carpenter.
Tagline: Day One, Duty Calls
The Plot…
A hard-nosed NYPD cop is teamed with a new fresh-faced recruit from Atlanta. They have different styles, but unless they can come together as a team, they won’t survive day one.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Gino Anthony Pesi and Kristen Renton have enough on-screen chemistry to make this one watchable… if you can’t find something better.
First Shift (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Here’s a new poster for We Bury the Dead. I like it a lot better than the first. What do you think?
40 Acres (2024)
Director: R. T. Thorne
Screenplay: R. T. Thorne, Glenn Taylor, Lora Campbell
Stars: Danielle Deadwyler, Kataem O’Connor, Michael Greyeyes, Tyrone Benskin, Mimi Côté, Patrick Garrow, John Tench, Derek Barnes and Elizabeth Saunders.
Tagline: Get off our land.
The Plot…
In a post-apocalyptic future Hailey Freeman’s family struggles to survive. They have become self-sufficient by farming and hunting on a remote piece of land. There are a few other small groups who have created farms or outposts as well. They stay in contact using shortwave radios. When a couple of the groups fail to respond, it is learned that a gang of cannibals are killing everyone in the communities. They feast, steal what they can and move on.
The cannibal tribe is now heading towards the Freeman farm.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
40 Acres was written by R. T. Thorne, Glenn Taylor, Lora Campbell in the screenwriting debut. It also marks R.T. Thorne’s directoral debut.
Danielle Deadwyler is a force to be reckoned with!
40 Acres deserves a wider-audience.
40 Acres (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Rich Hennemann is an amazing freelance artist. A few years ago I picked up his sketchbook and a sketch and I was hooked. Since then I’ve gotten several sketches from Rich.
Rich’s riff on Rocky Balboa is one of the first pieces I got from him. There will be more art from Rich Hennemann art in my future. If you’re a sketch collector, you owe it to yourself to get a piece as well.
This Creature from the Black Lagoon painting by Andrew Robinson is awesome.
Among Those Present (1921)
Director: Fred C. Newmeyer
Screenplay: Hal Roach, Sam Taylor, H. M. Walker
Stars: Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Aggie Herring, James T. Kelley and William Gillespie.
Tagline: A triple barreled comedy shot with laughter.
The Plot…
The O’Brien family are newly rich. Although Mrs. O’Brien wants to be accepted among society’s elite, her husband and daughter could care less. In an effort to rub elbows (and hopefully make new friends) Mrs. O’Brien hires a “society pilot” to guide her. He says she should host a fox hunt. She invites all the wealthy society elite.
When Mrs. O’Brien learns that Lord Abernathy is in town, she orders the “society pilot” to get him to the party. Unable to get Lord Abernathy to come, the pilot resorts to hiring a hotel bellboy to impersonate the Lord. The bellboy is way out of his comfort zone.
Sound the horn. Start the hunt!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Two years after the release of Among Those Present, Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis were married. The union lasted until her death in 1969.
Among Those Present (1921) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Sly Stallone and Rocky fans are going to love ROCKY. THE COMPLETE FILMS by Sylvester Stallone and editor, Paul Duncan. This 9.84″ x 13.39″ hardback will clock in at 320 pages.
Here’s the lowdown…
Rocky Balboa is the Philadelphian icon who took on the world and won. The original “Italian Stallion,” the gutsy fighter who rose above the odds to boxing glory, and a rags-to-riches legend in the business of making movies.
Ever since Sylvester Stallone unleashed his impassioned title character in 1976, the resilient fighter has earned his place in history as a symbol of tenacity and courage and a legend of cinematic success.
The story of Rocky the movie is as exciting as that of its eponymous boxer. Shot on a tight budget, with the virtually unknown Stallone writing the script as well as taking on the lead role, it became a surprise overnight sensation, generating millions in box-office revenues, notching up three Oscar wins, and transforming Stallone into a global star as an actor, writer, and director.
The Rocky phenomenon developed into a franchise of six films, including Rocky Balboa in 2006. In collaboration with Sylvester Stallone and MGM, this tome brings you all the guts and all the glory of the complete Rocky story.
Copious images, including many on-set pictures from famed sports photographer Neil Leifer, come together with precious archival material from the Academy Library and MGM archive to reveal the making of an enduring action hero as much as a movie masterpiece.
A foreword by Stallone and vintage interviews over the course of his career bring insight into the development of the hero and the franchise, as well as privileged access to the tenacity, spirit, and passion that characterized Rocky behind the scenes as much as on screen.
ROCKY, ROCKY BALBOA, and all related ROCKY Trademarks, Logos and Materials © 1976–2025 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ROCKY. THE COMPLETE FILMS drops on February 9, 2026. Pre-orders are available now.
It’s cool how Christopher Shy leans into the creepy, horror aspect of Beetlejuice in his alt poster.
Good Night, and Good Luck (2025)
Director: Micah Bickham, David Cromer
Screenplay: George Clooney, Grant Heslov
Stars: George Clooney, Mac Brandt, Will Dagger, Christopher Denham, Glenn Fleshler, Joe Forbrich, Jennifer Morris, Michael Nathanson, Andrew Polk, Aaron Roman Weiner and Fran Kranz.
Tagline: We will not walk in fear, one of another
The Plot…
U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy leads investigations into individual citizens’ private lives in an effort to route out communists and get them blacklisted. CBS journalist and broadcaster, Edward R. Murrow, arguably the most popular newsman of his time, takes a stand against McCarthy despite the problems and dangers it could cause him and others around him.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Good Night, and Good Luck first appeared as feature film directed by George Clooney. In the film, Clooney played Fred Friendly. David Strathairn took the role of Edward R. Murrow. Clooney said the reason he didn’t take the lead in the movie was, “Murrow had a gravitas to him that at 42 years old I wasn’t able to pull off”.
Good Night, and Good Luck was the first ever live televised global broadcast of a Broadway play.
It’s ironic how events in the 1950s echo current events.
Good Night, and Good Luck (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Connor by Yvan Quinet is, of course, an alt poster for Highlander. Like all of Quinet’s art, it is money. Connor is available as a limited edition print…
You can see more of Yvan Quinet’s art at his website and/or his Instagram page.
