Category: Movies

Thomas Boatwright and Jack Carter

Posted on by

Thomas Boatwright is back and Jack Carter is with him.  Over the years I’ve gotten several Stallone pieces from Thomas.

If you’d like to see more of Thomas Boatwright’s art check out his blog. Send him some love.

If you get commissions, you should consider a piece from Thomas. He keeps you totally in the loop on his progress, finishes his commissions on or ahead of schedule, has very reasonable prices, is a fantastic artist and always gives you more than you’re expecting!   – Craig

The 35 Best Heist Movies

Posted on by

The Playlist recently posted their choices for The 35 Best Heist Movies.  There are a lot of great movies on this list.  In an effort to narrow it down, I decided to choose from movies where one heist was the focus of the film.

So using just their list here are three of my favorites…

“Rififi” (1955)
Yes, we know. This is the grandaddy of all heist films, the one that tops everyone’s list and is name dropped constantly. But if you haven’t seen the film (and by God, you should remedy that situation quickly) don’t get suckered into thinking this is just some cinematic touchstone that everyone talks about but no one really watches. If anything, Jules Dassin’s “Rififi” remains the template and the standard, with a centerpiece heist sequence that is still yet to be topped. The plot is standard stuff: four guys target a jewelry store, plan the perfect job and things don’t quite go as planned. But Dassin’s masterstroke is the 30-minute, nearly completely silent heist (no dialogue, no soundtrack) that brilliantly throws viewers right into the heart-pounding, tension filled robbery. A masterpiece in every sense of the word, “Rififi” remains the torchbearer for the genre with very good reason.

“The Getaway” (1972)
Based on a novel by the poet laureate of hard pulp Jim Thompson, directed by feminist favorite Sam Peckinpah, and starring a Steve McQueen firmly in the midst of a cocaine-soaked marriage breakdown, “The Getaway” rises out of a dense fog of testosterone: it doesn’t get any more boys-night-in than that. Ali McGraw (somewhat miscast, to occasionally charming effect) uses her wiles to free husband “Doc” McCoy (McQueen) from prison. After a botched bank robbery, the bickering pair go on the run with the loot, pursued by cannon-fodder cops and a variety of goons, led by the astonishingly repellent and malevolent Rudy (Al Letteria). Perhaps inevitably, it all culminates in a bloodbath in El Paso, and a tender reconciliation for the then real-life lovers. This is by no means top-tier Peckinpah; both he and McQueen were desperate for a no-nonsense hit after the commercial failure of “Junior Bonner” (1972). Nevertheless, all the staples are there — stunningly edited montages, patented slo-mo bullet ballet — and “The Getaway” is a solid, straight-ahead action flick that’s always fun to wander into the middle of on late night T.V. Possibly not Robert Evans’ favorite film though…

“The Asphalt Jungle” (1950)
John Huston’s 1950 noir may be better known now for the films it influenced (at least half the titles on this list, notably “Rififi”), and for an early luminous performance by Marilyn Monroe, but the film, creaky though it is in places and marred by some didactic, moralistic dialogue, is still a compelling piece in its own right. The narrative arc, (a man has a plan, gets a gang together, pulls off a heist, only to have chance and human nature foil the scheme) has become pretty much the heist film template, but details like the corruption of the police force and the careful characterizations of the gang members keep the proceedings fresh. And while censor-friendly debates on the nature of criminality abound, it’s clear where Huston’s sympathy actually lies; it is power, not lawbreaking, that corrupts here, so the only people with any sort of a code are those on the very bottom of the food chain: Sterling Hayden’s petty hood; the girl who loves him; the hunchbacked getaway driver and the safe-cracking family man. Disgust is reserved for those further up the hierarchy, whose degenerate desires eventually thwart them (both the mastermind and the front/fence character – a suave Louis Calhern – are undone by their interest in young nubile girls), while Hayden’s Dix is rewarded for his staunch, if misplaced loyalty, and perverse nobility, with the kind of tragic, theatrical, poetic death; the greatest honor a movie criminal in oppressive ‘50s America could hope for.

15 Movie Twists EVERYONE Missed The First Time Around!

Posted on by

Padraig Cotter and ScreenRant present 15 Movie Twists EVERYONE Missed The First Time Around!  The article is well worth a read.  It was hard choosing but here are three of my favorites…

11. BUTCH IS THE ONE WHO KEYED VINCENT’S CAR – PULP FICTION
For some reason that’s never really explained in Pulp Fiction, Vincent Vega has a big problem with Butch, with the two briefly squaring off while standing at the bar together. Even Butch seems confused by this, and the encounter does Vincent no favors when he later comes out of the bathroom in Butch’s apartment to find the boxer pointing a machine gun at him; it doesn’t end well John Travolta’s character.

It turns out that Butch got some revenge earlier in the story when Vincent complains that someone keyed his car while he was in the club. The movie doesn’t reveal who did this, but it’s not hard to conclude that it was Butch himself. This was just a fun fan theory for many years, with Quentin Tarantino later confirming during an interview that it was absolutely correct, and that he wanted viewers to make this connection for themselves instead of spelling it out for them.

1. VERBAL ACCIDENTALLY CONFESSED DURING THE INTERROGATION – THE USUAL SUSPECTS
The Usual Suspects is one of the most cleverly constructed thrillers ever, with a script that’s layered with clues and secrets. Watching it again always seems to reveal some little detail fans missed, like Verbal not being able to use a lighter during his interrogation because his hand isn’t steady, yet in flashback, he uses it to fire a gun.

There are lots of clues to Verbal’s real identity when you know what to look for, but the movie flat-out gives away the major twist halfway through; it’s just that no one ever catches it. During the interrogation, Kujan becomes angry with Verbal’s constant stalling, yelling and screaming at him.

Verbal starts stammering nervously under this barrage, accidentally sprouting “I did, I did kill Keaton!” before correcting himself. Since Kujan is shouting over him, the line is hard to catch, and it just sounds like gibberish.

14. CYPHER ALLOWS THE CALL TO BE TRACED IN THE OPENING SCENE – THE MATRIX
It’s no secret that the sequels to The Matrix weren’t well received back in 2003, but if anything, they made the iconic original look even better. The first film was the perfect combination of high concept sci-fi, pitch-perfect casting, stylish action, and quotable dialogue, and it reminded everyone that Keanu Reeves is a national treasure.

While Hugo Weaving’s Agent Smith is the villain everyone remembers, Joe Pantoliano’s Cypher also made an impression. He’s a rebel who grows disillusioned with the fight against the machines and makes a deal so he can return to The Matrix, leading him to murder part of the crew before they can put an end to his plan.

What some viewers probably don’t notice is his slippery nature right from the opening scene, where he talks with Trinity over the phone. Although it seems like an accident, Cypher’s allowing their call to be traced and leading the Agent’s straight to her door. It’s subtle nod for sure, but it’s one many fans may not have noticed.

The Best Cult Movies You Should be Obsessed With

Posted on by

Zoe Delahunty-Light and Gamesradar.com present The Best Cult Movies You Should be Obsessed With.  Here are three of my favorites…

22. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)
The film: Plan 9 dips well below “so bad it’s good” and into “I can’t believe someone has made this on purpose”. The someone in this case being trash king and Burton muse Ed Wood. Plans one to eight having all failed, the alien invaders apparently skip straight to the one where they use plates on string to overcome the Earth.

Join the cult: Plan 9 was redeemed from oblivion when it was sold to TV stations and shown in the late movie slot to audiences who understood its special qualities. Now, it lives forever on the internet where you can download it free.

29. They Live (1988)
The film: Rowdy Roddy Piper finds a pair of sunglasses that show the world how it really is. That is, teeming with skull-face aliens and controlled by a hypnotising television broadcast. You could do a Marxist analysis on the consumer culture stuff, but really you’re in for the “chew bubblegum and kick ass” moment, right?

Join the cult: Everything you need to become an enlightened alien hunter is right there in your petrol station 24-hour market. Bubble gum, shades… actually, you’ll need to cast around a bit for the firearms.

19. The Warriors (1979)
The film: Gritty thriller about the leather-clad, face-painted gangs of New York. When street visionary Cyrus is gunned down The Warriors are blamed, and must escape from the Bronx to their Coney Island home, chased by hundreds of rival urchins.

Join the cult: Recreate every step of The Warriors’ midnight journey with a guide from a New York gang nostalgia site…

+++++

Just wondering… no Escape from New York?  The Thing?  Highlander?

11 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE ANDY GRIFFITH DID BEYOND ‘THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW’!

Posted on by

MeTV  presents 11 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE ANDY GRIFFITH DID BEYOND ‘THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW’!  Here are three of my favorites…

HE TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL.
After graduating from the University of North Carolina, Griffith hopped from Chapel Hill to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he taught drama at Goldsboro High School for a few years. Go Mighty Cougars!

HE PLAYED SHERIFF ANDY TAYLOR ON FOUR DIFFERENT TV SERIES.
Okay, we are going to spend a little time talking about Andy Taylor. The Sheriff pulled off the rare feat of appearing on four different shows — The Danny Thomas Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

HE WAS NOMINATED FOR TWO TONY AWARDS FOR HIS WORK ON BROADWAY.
Griffith took to Broadway in 1955, starring in Ira Levin’s comedic drama No Time for Sergeants. Roddy McDowell, seen here hanging from his leg, played Griffith’s buddy. The Tony Awards honored Griffith with a nomination for Distinguished Supporting or Featured Dramatic Actor at the 1956 ceremony. He lost to Ed Begley. Four years later, he earned a nomination for Distinguished Musical Actor for his lead role in Destry Rides Again.

 

Baby Driver (2017)

Posted on by

Baby Driver (2017)

Director: Edgar Wright

Screenplay: Edgar Wright

Stars: Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Lily James, Kevin Spacey and CJ Jones.

The Pitch: “Hey, Edgar Wright has this cool idea for a crime love story wrapped around a killer soundtrack!”

Tagline: All you need is one killer track.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Baby is a young getaway driver working off a debt to a crime boss.  Baby has one more heist to drive and he’s out debt-free.  Then Baby meets the girl of his dreams and things get complicated, not because of her but because preparation for the job goes sideways.  People die and Baby finds himself on the run from his team and the cops.

Edgar Wright has created a cool, action-packed love story wrapped around bigger than life characters all moving through life to their own internal soundtrack.  The more I think about Baby Driver the more I like it.  Wright’s story is a fable or yarn that has all of the characters you’d want, played by people you’d cast.  Yeah, Baby Driver deserves an “A”.

Rating:

He Walked by Night (1948)

Posted on by

He Walked by Night (1948)

Director: Alfred L. Werker (as Alfred Werker), Anthony Mann (uncredited)

Screenplay: Crane Wilbur and John C. Higgins with additional dialogue by Harry Essex

Stars: Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and Jack Webb

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime docu-drama”

Tagline: From the Homicide Files of the Los Angeles Police.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When an off-duty cop stumbles onto a robbery, the thief, an intelligent cold-blooded killer (Basehart) guns him down.  With no real leads, LA police Sgt. Marty Brennan (Brady) leads a unit to catch the killer.  Told in a psuedo-documentary style.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars.

Joshua Greathouse Gets Carter!

Posted on by

This amazing watercolor was created by Joshua Greathouse. When I saw that Greathouse was taking pre-show commissions for HeroesCon, I contacted him about a Get Carter piece.  Man, did he nail it!

The funny thing is, when I picked up the art, Greathouse told me it was the second piece he’d ever done for me.  I was sure it was the first.  Greathouse went on to say he’d done a Rocky sketch for me at another show several years ago.  That night I checked my online posted art and there was nothing by Greathouse.  Of course I have many pieces that have not been scanned and posted yet.  When I returned home I found the piece Greathouse was talking about.  You won’t believe his growth as an artist.  I’ll post the Rocky piece soon.

In the meantime, if you’re a sketch collector, check out Greathouse on the web.  You can find him here and here.

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Posted on by

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Director: Kriv Stenders

Screenplay: James McFarland

Stars: Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, Alice Braga,  Luke Hemsworth and Bryan Brown

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime comedy!”

Tagline: Once is never enough

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When hitman Charlie Wolf (Pegg) fails to kill his target, he finds himself drawn into three interwoven cases of infidelity, revenge, blackmail and murders!

Rating:

 ‘Dracula’: 7 Things A Series About the World’s Most Famous Vampire Should Have

Posted on by

A new tv series based on Dracula is in the work.  Seems there has been a lot of grumbling from fans worried about the potential success of a new series based on the infamous Count…

…these concerns aren’t unjustified — Dracula-centered television shows are notoriously short-lived, and while there are a multitude of shows centered around the supernatural, there aren’t that many dedicated to the main vamp himself. NBC took a stab at it in 2013 with “Dracula,” a British-American horror drama… Though promising, the series only lasted one season.

Gabrielle Kiss and IndieWire came up with ‘Dracula’: 7 Things A Series About the World’s Most Famous Vampire Should Have.  Here are the three that I think are most important…

5. Make Dracula a Bit Ruthless
Rumor has it that Dracula was based off of Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler. It’s said that Vlad Dracula (meaning son of the dragon, or son of the devil) would dip chunks of bread into buckets of blood drained from the people he killed, usually after he invited them to a feast and then immediately impaled them at the dinner table (he always finished his dinner afterwards, bodies and all, in case you were wondering). So it would be nice if that same sense of ruthlessness could be brought to the new adaptation of “Dracula.” There’s no rule that states you can’t be suave and merciless (just ask Klaus Mikaelson of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”).  (I agree.  Dracula didn’t become King of the Vampires and live as long as he did without being ruthless.  He’s a vampire!)

6. Give Him a Sense of Humor
Speaking of “The Originals,” let’s bring in some of that dark humor and wit that makes characters like Klaus Mikaelson a baddie that we love to hate (but just can’t). That same natural charisma and use of offhanded sardonic remarks should be applied to our newest Dracula, because that’s what the audience connects to. It’s also what keeps people coming back for more, everyone needs a tension breaker once in awhile. (His sense of humor should arise from the fact that he’s amusing himself.  Saying things and making jokes not for others but his own amusement.  He believes himself to be above mere humans.  So it will be very interesting when a human catches his innuendo and responds.  Dracula will know he’s perhaps met his match.)

3. Tell the Original Story
While a lot of vampire stories have spawned from the original “Dracula,” there haven’t been nearly as many that actually tell Dracula’s story. Bring back characters like Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing! They don’t have to share the spotlight with Dracula, but they’re relatively new characters to the younger generation, and they would help inspire interesting plot points for the new show (something the previous “Dracula” series lacked).  (While I go back on forth on the era – modern or 1890’s, I do believe that the original story, even if slightly modified should be the basis for the series.)

They Live by Night (1948)

Posted on by

They Live by Night (1948)

Director: John Boorman

Screenplay: Charles Schnee and Nicholas Ray based on the novel by Edward Anderson

Stars: Cathy O’Donnell, Farley Granger and Howard Da Silva

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime love story about a young couple in a doomed relationship!”

Tagline: “We’re in a Jam!”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A young escaped convict who hopes to prove his innocence falls in love with a woman helping to hide and nurse him back to health.  Persuaded to assist in a couple of robberies by the cons who helped him escape only draws more heat to catch them.  When the young couple attempt to get away and start a new life, they find the cops closing in.

Rating:

Point Blank (1967)

Posted on by

Point Blank (1967)

Director: John Boorman

Screenplay: Alexander Jacobs and David Newhouse & Rafe Newhouse based on the Donald E. Westlake novel written as Richard Stark

Stars: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn, Carroll O’Connor, Lloyd Bochner, John and James B. Sikking

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s get Lee Marvin to star in a crime movie!”

Tagline: There are two kinds of people in his up-tight world: his victims and his women. And sometimes you can’t tell them apart.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Walker (Marvin) is double crossed and left for dead after helping his friend steal money to pay off his friend’s mob debt.  Walker recovers and vows to get revenge and his share of the money.

 

Rating:

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Posted on by

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick & Michael Herr & Gustav Hasford from the novel by Gustav Hasford

Stars: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Kevyn Major Howard,  Arliss Howard and Ed O’Ross.

The Pitch: “Hey, Kubrick wants to make a war movie!”

Tagline: One rifle, one gun. One for killing, one for fun.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Full Metal Jacket follows a bunch of young, raw recruits from boot camp to war in Viet Nam.  One of Kurbrick’s best movies with special props to R. Lee Emey and Vincent D’Onfrio.

 

Rating: