Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
In addition to being a fantastic artist, Francesco Francavilla is a fan of vintage horror films. The Dracula poster is just one of five classic Universal Monsters posters that he created. In addition to Dracula, there are also posters for The Wolfman, Frankenstein, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Invisible Man. You can see them all by clicking over to Browse the Stacks.
SALT is a short horror film by Rob Savage. This guy should be making features!
SALT – Short Horror Film from Rob Savage on Vimeo.
Overlord (2018)
Director: Julius Avery
Screenplay: Billy Ray, Mark L. Smith from a story by Billy Ray
Stars: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbæk and Bokeem Woodbine.
The Pitch: “Think Saving Private Ryan meets Dawn of the Dead.”
Tagline: None.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
A team of soldiers is flown deep into enemy territory the night before D-Day. Their mission to destroy a Nazi radio tower is essential to the success of the Allied invasion. When their plane is blown from the sky, a few of the soldiers survive. In order to complete their mission they will find themselves against a company of Nazis and something much, much worse.
Overlord starts out as a straight war movie, becomes a tense drama and then goes full tilt horror. The action in each genre smoothly integrates and the end result is a scary, roller coaster of a movie that satisfies and leaves you hoping for another ride. While Overlord‘s trailers give you the broad strokes, there are enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most jaded horror movie/zombie fan.
When the movie was over I turned to my wife and said, “The guy who played Ford would make a great Snake Plissken.” She responded, “You know that he’s Kurt Russell’s son, right?” Truth be told, I didn’t, but stand by my opinion that he would make a great Snake Plissken and Overlord will make a nice addition to my movie collection.
Rating:
Stan Lee has died at the age of 95. Lee was a writer, editor, publisher, creator or co-creator of some of the most popular comic characters the world has ever seen. Lee began his career in comics in 1939, but it was in the early 1960’s that he hit his stride. Teaming with Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby they created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk and so many other heroes beloved by children and adults throughout the world. Under Lee’s leadership Marvel soared.
I had the good fortune to see Stan Lee at HeroesCon a few years ago. My wife and I were attending the HeroesCon annual art auction. It was probably 9 or 9:30 and the auction was well underway when a murmur went through the crowd. Stan Lee had entered the banquet hall! The crowd became quiet as Stan took the microphone and said a few words. When he’d finished, the crowd erupted with applause. I’ve rarely seen a person who so captivated such a huge crowd.
Thanks Stan for the hours and hours of entertainment you provided or inspired. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Lee’s family, friends and fans.
This Sin City poster by Greg Staples was just too cool not to share. See more of Greg’s art here and a slightly bigger version at Movie Poster Movement.
I am the Night looks good!
Creed II – Introducing Viktor Drago.
Kevin Lawlor and ComingSoon.net present All the James Cameron Movies Ranked. Using just Lawlor’s list, here are three of my favorites with my comments…
The Terminator (1984): came out of nowhere to put James Cameron on the radar as a writer/director to watch. Originally Arnold was to play Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn’s role) and O.J. Simpson would be the Terminator! Thankfully that didn’t come to pass and we ended up with a classic!
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991): You have to give it to Cameron for flipping the script and not only making the Terminator the hero, but also coming up with an adversary that could make Arnold the underdog.
Aliens (1986): Cameron took the Alien concept to the next level with Aliens. A great script, a great cast teamed with Cameron to make his masterpiece..
12 Round Gun looks like a pretty good movie. I’m a bit worried that the trailer gives too much away, but we’ll see.
Rob Hunter and Film School Rejects present the 10 Best, Bloodiest, and Battiest Horror Sequels. Using just Hunter’s list, here are three of my favorites with my comments…
- The Exorcist III (1990): While none of The Exorcist sequels lived up to the quality or scare quotient of the original, The Exorcist III holds its own with the tale of a police detective’s investigation of a serial killer leads him to a hospital psych ward. According to the IMDB, The Exorcist III features “one of horror cinema’s scariest scenes” involving a murderer, a nurse and some giant pruning sheers. I wholeheartedly agree.
- Dawn of the Dead (1978): While the social commentary undertone is a bit heavy-handed and the motorcycle gang’s pie throwing at the zombies is a bit much, DotD is still a very decent follow-up to the classic Night of the Living Dead.
- Blade 2 (2002) Ah, finally a sequel that surpasses the original. While I’m not a fan of the original Blade, I absolutely love everything about Blade 2.
Nate Williams and ComingSoon present the 10 Best Ridley Scott Films. Here are three of my favorites with my comments…
- Black Hawk Down: is a movie that can suck me every time I am flipping channels and come across it. Soldiers in an impossible situation – in a foreign land, against overwhelming odds and it is all true.
- Alien: A simple concept — a haunted house in outer space — but it is much, much more. First of all the terror isn’t a ghost but an alien seemingly designed to kill. It bleeds acid for God’s sake! We’d never seen a creature like it and it’s method of reproduction is a real killer!
- Gladiator: Scott’s masterpiece takes us back to Rome to tell the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius, the commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. who will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. ‘Nuff said.
Alfred Hitchcock was the first director I learned to know by name. I’ve always been an Alfred Hitchcock fan so I was delighted to see Nate Williams and ComingSoon present the 10 Best Alfred Hitchcock Movies. Here are three of my favorites with my comments (and Hitchcock films that didn’t make the cut that should have)…
- Rope: I love that Hitch was able to film the movie (in 1948 no less) as if it was shot in one complete take. He did this in order to give the feeling of real time as if seeing the action unfold on stage as in a play. So, kuddos to Hitchcock for this technical achievement. Unfortunately, many times I think this technical aspect overshadows the fact that Rope is a suspenseful movie. And the question isn’t who will be murdered or who committed the murder, but how will they be caught — what will trip them up?
- Psycho: was a groundbreaking film well ahead of its time. I love the fact that it starts off like a crime caper, moves into a murder mystery and wraps up as a horror film. Hats off to Hitch!
- North by Northwest: For my money, North by Northwest is Hitchcock’s finest film. Cary Grant was never better and the supporting cast (Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau…) were perfect. There was the right blend of action, suspense and humor. It doesn’t get any better than North by Northwest.
Three Hitchcock films that would have made my Top 10, but didn’t make Williams’ list are Lifeboat; Saboteur and The Birds!
Scott Beggs and /Film present 12 Horror Movies That Should (or Shouldn’t) Have Won Best Picture. So, let’s look at Beggs’ choices and the Best Picture Winner for that year and decide…
The Phantom of the Opera (1925) vs Nothing
As Beggs points out, the Academy Awards didn’t begin until 1927 so my decision is NO CHOICE.
Frankenstein (1931) vs Cimarron
While I haven’t seen Cimarron, I have seen Dracula that was released the same year and Dracula would be my choice for the Horror Movie That Should Have Won.
Psycho (1960) vs The Apartment
The Apartment has been on my to be viewed list for quite a while. Since I haven’t seen it, I’ll abstain from a choice.
Night of the Living Dead (1968) vs Oliver
I am a huge NOTLD fan, but part of the appeal is it is NOT a Hollywood, Oscar-winning type movie. I prefer NOTLD to Oliver. I even prefer NOTLD to Rosemary’s Baby which also came out the same year. Still, I think my vote for the Best Picture would go to Oliver.
The Exorcist (1973) vs The Sting
I’ve seen and enjoyed both but I would have given the Best Picture Award to The Exorcist.
Jaws (1975) vs One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Both are classics films but the my nod would have went to Jaws.
Alien (1979) vs Kramer vs Kramer
Alien easily gets the win from me
The Shining (1980) vs Ordinary People
The Shining would get my vote over Ordinary People but Raging Bull should have been the real winner. (I know, I know, we’re talking horror movies vs the actual winners, but c’mon, Raging Bull!)
The Thing (1982) vs Gandhi
At the time I would have went with Gandhi, but now my choice would be The Thing.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) vs The Silence of the Lambs
Ah, I guess I’ll go with The Silence of the Lambs.
The Babadook (2014) vs The Birdman
I didn’t care for the Babadook and I haven’t seen The Birdman so for me No Choice.
Get Out (2017) vs The Shape of Water
Get Out was excellent, but I’d give the Oscar to The Shape of Water.
Asher looks pretty good. Definitely worth checking out. Makes me wish we could see Stallone return as Jack Carter.
Nate Williams and ComingSoon present the 10 Best Bruce Willis Movies. Here are three of my favorites with my comments…
3. The Last Boy Scout: Willis is great in his role of a cynical detective teamed with an ex-football player investigating the player’s girlfriend’s murder. Perfect mix of action and humor.
2. The Sixth Sense: Although M. Night Shyamalan (writer & director) is the real star of The Sixth Sense, Willis does a fine job as the lead.
1. Die Hard: Can you imagine anyone other than Bruce Willis as John McClane? Die Hard changed the genre and now movies are described referencing it. Die Hard on a Ship… Die Hard on a Plane… Die Hard at the White House… yet none (not even the Die Hard sequels) managed to equal the original.
Other Bruce Willis movies that were worthy…
