Category: Movies

“Are Brunettes Safe?” (1927) starring Charley Chase / Z-View

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Are Brunettes Safe? (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charley Chase, Lorraine Eason Will Walling.

Tagline: You can only choose one.

The Plot…

Charley plays a newspaper advice columnist.  Charley gets a letter from a man saying he hasn’t seen his mother in years and he will not be able to return home.  The man encloses a photo of himself.  Charley is surprised to see that the man looks exactly like him.

That’s when Charley gets an idea.  Charley will travel to the man’s small town.  He’ll visit the man’s mother and see if he can impersonate the man.  It’ll make a great human interest story.

What Charley doesn’t know, but is about to find out: the man is infamous in the town!  He is wanted for robbing the town’s bank.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Are Brunettes Safe? is a 20 minute silent film from Hal Roach, the producer famous for Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd and Our Gang shorts.

Are Brunettes Safe? (1927) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Eternity” (2025) starring Mile Teller, Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner / Z-View

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Eternity (2025)

Director: David Freyne

Screenplay:  Pat Cunnane, David Freyne

Stars: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Barry Primus and Betty Buckley.

Tagline: You can only choose one.

The Plot…

Larry and Joan have been married for 65 years.  Although they’ve been together for a lifetime, it is Joan’s second marriage.  When she was very young, Joan was briefly married.  Her husband, Luke, was killed in the Korean War.

Although Joan has terminal cancer, it is Larry who dies first when he chokes on a pretzel.

When Larry awakens as a young man, he discovers he’s in the afterlife.  Anna, Larry’s Afterlife Coordinator explains that he must decide in which themed afterlife he wants to spend his eternity.  Once selected, a person cannot change their theme.  Eternity theme salespeople are constantly touting their products.

Larry decides to wait for Joan to make his eternity selection.  That way they can always be together.  Soon enough Joan arrives.  Larry is surprised to find that Joan’s first husband, Luke has also waited for her.  He also wants to spend eternity with her.

Joan is faced with an impossible choice.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Eternity is better than I anticipated.  The Afterlife Coordinators are a hoot.  I also got a kick out of the different themes available for eternity.

Eternity (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Incredible Mr. Limpet” (1964) starring Don Knotts / Z-View

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The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)

Director: Arthur Lubin

Screenplay:  Joe DiMona, Jameson Brewer, John C. Rose; based on MR. LIMPET by Theodore Pratt

Stars: Don Knotts, Carole Cook, Jack Weston, Andrew Duggan and Paul Frees (voice).

Tagline: The man who turned into a fish… and became America’s deadliest secret weapon!

The Plot…

War War II rages.  Henry Limpett, a mild-mannered bookkeeper, would love nothing more than to enlist and help the war effort.  Each time Henry’s tried he’s been rejected due to his many health issues.

Henry, his wife and his best friend George go to Coney Island for the day.  As Henry is looking down into the ocean, he falls.  Henry can’t swim so George dives in to save him.  Despite several attempts, George is unable to find Henry.  Everyone believes Henry has drowned.

But he hasn’t.  Somehow Henry Limpet has turned into a fish!  Even more amazing as a fish, Henry has a power that may help turn the tide of the war!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The film moves from live action to animation once Limpet turns into a fish.

It’s funny how much the fish looks like Don Knotts — or is it how much he looks like a fish?

I saw the film when it was first released. I was five and the theater was full of kids.  We loved it.  I recently re-watched it again with my grandson who is six.  He enjoyed it as well.  Your mileage may vary depending on your age and the audience you’re watching with.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Rambo III” – Mick McGinty’s Rare Prelims for the Announcement Poster!

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Rambo III was initially going to be directed by Russell “Highlander” Mulcahy.  Two weeks into production, Mulcahy left due to creative differences. Peter MacDonald was brought in, and the rest is history.

But when Rambo III was first announced one of the ads had Rambo on horseback with a crossbow.  The art above is some of the studies created by Mick McGinty before the final piece was created.  Click on the photo above to see a trilogy-sized version.

“Kill” (2023) / Z-View

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Kill (2023)

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Screenplay:  Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Stars: Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Ashish Vidyarthi, Abhishek Chauhan, Harsh Chhaya and Tanya Maniktala.

Tagline: This journey is one-way.

The Plot…

Amrit and Tulika are in love and wish to be married.  Amrit is an Army commando.  Tulika, the daughter of a wealthy businessman.  Tulika’s father has arranged for her to be married to the son of a wealthy business associate.

Tulika’s father has arranged for the family to travel by train to New Delhi for the wedding.  Amrit and his commando buddy Viresh have secretly booked passage on the train as well.  Amrit’s plan is to get Tulika to elope with him.

All of that changes when a large group of ruthless bandits enters the train. There plan was to rob everyone, but when they learn that a rich business man is on board they decide to rob everyone and kidnap his daughter.

As the express train barrels along it will be up to Amrit and Viresh to save the day.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Reportedly this film is based on a real event.  In 2010, a retired Nepal commando traveling on the Maurya Express single-handedly took on 30 – 4o bandits.  Although he was severely wounded, he killed three and wounded eight of the terrorists.

Kill was nominated for eight International Indian Film Academy Awards and won five.  It was nominated for fourteen Filmfare Awards and won six.

Most reviewers like this film better than me.  I thought it was good, but became a bit redundant.  As always, your mileage may vary.

Kill (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“4Got10” starring Dolph Lundgren, Johnny Messner, Vivica Fox and Danny Trejo / Z-View

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4Got 10 aka The Good, the Bad, and the Dead (2015)

Director: Timothy Woodward Jr.

Screenplay: Sean Ryan

Stars: Johnny Messner, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Vivica A. Fox and Michael Paré.

Tagline: Who can you trust?

The Plot…

Brian Barnes comes to.  He’s in the desert, has been shot and is surrounded by several dead bodies.  The sound of a cop car pulling up is what woke him.  Brian closes his eyes and plays dead.

Sheriff Olson and his Deputy get out.  They quickly survey the scene.  In the van they find cocaine and bags of money.  A drug deal gone sideways.  There’s three or four million in cash just sitting there.  The Deputy says he’s going to call in for backup.  Sheriff Olson says, “Hold up… That’s a lot of money…”

Olson throws out the idea that they keep the cash.  The Deputy thinks Olson is joking.  He moves to make the call.  Sheriff Olson shoots the Deputy in the back.  As Olson moves to get the cash, he realizes Brian is alive.

Brian wounds Sheriff Olson and takes off with the cash.  As Brian fights to remember why he was at the drug deal, he must stay on the run.  Sheriff Olson, a relentless FBI agent and the drug lord who lost his son and cocaine when the drug deal went bad are closing in.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The plot is better than the finished film.

4Got 10 aka The Good, the Bad, and the Dead (2015) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Patient Zero” (2018) starring Matt Smith, Natalie Dormer and Stanley Tucci / Z-View

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Patient Zero (2018)

Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky

Screenplay: Mike Le

Stars: Matt Smith, Natalie Dormer, John Bradley, Clive Standen, Agyness Deyn and Stanley Tucci.

Tagline:  Find the Disease. Find the Cure.

The Plot…

A virus has wiped out most of the population. Once infected humans quickly become enraged, unable to think or communicate.  A large group of civilians, soldiers and CDC scientists have found shelter in an underground bunker.

The scientists bring in captured infected for study to find a cure.  They’re surprised to discover that one of their test subjects, a former professor, doesn’t show the normal signs of infection.  Even more shocking is the professor’s ability to understand and communicate  with those infected.   The scientists believe the professor could be the key to a cure.  The professor believes that he (and others like him) are the next step in human evolution.

As the scientists work on a cure, the professor has a plan of his own…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Fans of Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger tales will be disappointed to learn that this film has nothing to do with the first novel in his series.  Still, fans of zombie movies should enjoy this one.

Patient Zero (2018) rates 3 of 5 stars.