Category: Movies

American Heist (2014) / Z-View

Posted on by

American Heist (2014)

Director:  Sarik Andreasyan

Screenplay: Raul Inglis

Stars: Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster and Akon.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a crime movie!”

No Tagline

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

James Kelly [Christensen]’s older brother, Frankie [Brody], just got out of prison for a crime they did together.  Now Frankie’s back in town just at the time James was making a real go of things with his business and girlfriend.

Despite his best efforts, James gets pulled into a bank heist that could cost him everything.

Rating:

Wild Card (2015) / Z-View

Posted on by

Wild Card (2015)

Director:  Simon West

Screenplay: William Goldman

Stars: Jason Statham, Milo Ventimiglia, Stanley Tucci, Sofía Vergara, Jason Alexander and Anne Heche.

The Pitch: “Jason Statham and a bunch of star cameos in a William Goldman script about a Vegas bodyguard.”

Tagline: “Never bet against a man with a killer hand.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Nick Wild [Statham] is a Vegas bodyguard who helps a female friend out of a tough situation only to learn that he was messing with the son of a powerful mobster.  What’s a bodyguard to do but play the hand he was dealt.

I’m a Jason Statham fan, but Wild Card was a letdown.  I was disappointed that most of the all-star cast show for a scene or two and then are never to be seen again.  It also didn’t help that Wild is a gambler who does something very stupid towards the end of the movie. Stanley Tucci is great in his limited screen time.

Rating: 2 of 5 stars.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) / Z-View

Posted on by

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Director:  Dan Trachtenberg

Screenplay: Josh Campbell & Matthew Stuecken and Damien Chazelle.

Stars: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr. and Bradley Cooper (voice).

The Pitch: “JJ Abrams wants to make a film in the Cloverfield Universe.”

Tagline:  Monsters come in many forms.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Michelle [Winstead], after leaving her boyfriend, is involved in a terrible car wreck.  When she wakes up she is in an underground bunker with two men;  Howard [Goodman] and Emmett [Gallagher].  Michelle is told that she was saved by Howard who saw the wreck and brought to the bunker for her protection.  Howard further explains that the United States is under attack.  He’s not sure if it’s another country or aliens.  Communications are down.  The air outside is poisonous.

Emmett confirms Howard’s story and claims he forced his way into the bunker when the attack was just getting underway.  Because they are deep underground and the attack is on-going there is no way for Michelle to verify their story.  But why would they lie…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

10 Cloverfield Lane is a throwback to movie-making that relies on an excellent script and great acting.  I really, really enjoyed this movie and would love to see more Cloverfield yarns. (And this is coming from someone who did not like the original Cloverfield!)

Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman are amazing in their roles.

Michelle’s fiance is never seen, but she does get a message from him on her cell.  His voice is Bradley Cooper’s.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) rates 5 of 5 stars.

Rating:

“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” (2014) / Z-View

Posted on by

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Director:  Kenneth Branagh

Screenplay: Adam Cozad and David Koepp based on characters created by Tom Clancy

Stars: Chris Pine, Kierra Knightley, Kevin Coster and Kenneth Branagh.

The Pitch: “Maybe Chris Pine is the right guy to bring back Tom Clancey’s Jack Ryan!”

Tagline: Trust No One.

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Let’s call this Jack Ryan: Year One.

Jack Ryan (Pine) is an economic major in college when 9-11 hits.  Ryan enlists in the service and is severely injured when his chopper is shut down in Afghanistan.  Ryan earns the attention and (affection of his female doctor – Knightley) as well as the attention (but no so much affection) from CIA agent Thomas Harper (Costner) for Ryan’s strong will in rehab.  Costner secretly recruits Ryan to become a CIA analyst.

Several years pass with Ryan secretly working for the CIA (not even his longtime girlfriend and former nurse know).  Ryan uncovers a Russian’s (Branagh) plot to destroy the US economy.  Harper sends Ryan to Russia strictly as a behind-the-scenes agent to dig into financial reports — things go south and Ryan finds himself in 007-land.  Before it’s over Ryan has to save his wife and the good ole USA.

Rating:

Maggie (2015) / Z-View

Posted on by

Maggie (2015)

Director:  Henry Hobson

Screenplay: John Scott 3

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin and Joely Richardson.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a zombie movie with Arnold!”

No Tagline.

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A viral outbreak is causing people to turn into zombies.  Wade Vogel’s [Schwarzenegger] daughter, Maggie [Breslin] has been bit.  She will slowly turn into a zombie.  There is no cure.

Rather than take her to quarantine, Vogel brings her back to his farm much to the dismay of Maggie’s stepmother.  Vogel elects to stay by her side to protect her until she turns.  Schwarzenegger and Breslin turn in heart-wrenching performances as the father helpless to save his daughter, and the young daughter who has had her future stolen.

If a zombie character study is your cup of java, then you’ll love Maggie.

Rating:

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) / Z-View

Posted on by

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

Director:  Robert Florey

Screenplay: Robert Florey from a story by Edgar Allan Poe

Stars: Sidney Fox, Bela Lugosi, Leon Ames (aka Leon Waycoff) and Arlene Francis.

The Pitch: “Horror movies sell.  Let’s combine Edgar Allan Poe and Bela Lugosi.”

The Tagline: “Innocent Beauty – this was her wedding eve. On the wall a shadow . . the beast was at large grinning horribly-cruelly. What was Her Fate?”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bela Lugosi is the insane scientist, Dr. Mirakle who secretly experiments with blood transfusions from his circus ape to women he kidnaps.  Despite the fact that each woman dies, Mirakle continues his experiments. (Hey!  Isn’t that the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?)

When the ape takes a liking to a woman in the audience, she becomes his next victim… Camille L’Espanaye [Fox] is up for the next Apefusion unless her fiance can convince the police what the madman is doing.

If you’re a Bela Lugosi fan, then you’ll enjoy this more than those who aren’t.

 

Rating:

San Andreas (2015) / Z-View

Posted on by

San Andreas (2015)

Director: Brad Peyton

Screenplay: Carlton Cuse from a story by Andre Fabrizio & Jeremy Passmore

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario and Paul Giamatti.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie with the Rock.”

The Tagline: “ A rescue pilot survived an earthquake, this is what happens next…”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The San Andreas fault has triggered a series of major earthquakes causing buildings to fall, tsunami waves and an ever-increasing series of dangerous situations.  Think collapsing super-structures, electrical fires, panicked crowds and more.  Ray Gaines is a rescue pilot trying to get to his estranged wife and teenage daughter and nothing is going to stop him.

San Andreas takes us back to a time when disaster movies were the rage – think The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, well, you get the idea.  Now add in modern special effects and The Rock and I think you smell what I’m cooking.

Rating:

Triple 9 (2016) / Z-View

Posted on by

Triple 9 (2016)

Director: John Hillcoat

Screenplay: Matt Cook

Stars: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Gal Godot and Norman Reedus.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a gritty crime movie — look at the cast we have lined up!”

The Tagline: “A deadly heist needs a killer distraction”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A crew of dirty cops are being blackmailed.  In order to get out from under, the cops plan a huge heist during a Triple 9 (that they will manufacture).  A triple 9 is code for “cop down” and the cop going down is the rookie not in their crew.

I was hoping for more [look at that cast!], but I did like Triple 9.

Rating:
>

The Revenant (2015) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Revenant (2015)

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Screenplay: Mark L. Smith & Alejandro G. Iñárritu (based in part on Michael Punke‘s novel)

Stars: Leonardi DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.

The Pitch: “Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio want to make a movie together.’”

The Tagline: “Revenant: (n. One who has returned, as if from the dead.)”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

An 1820 expedition into the frontier for beaver finds itself under attack by Indians.  While making their escape, scout Hugh Glass is savagely mauled by a bear.  Fearful that they will be found by the marauding Indians, the Captain of the expedition leaves Glass and his young son in the care of John Fitzgerald [Hardy] who promises to stay with Glass until Glass dies.  Fitzgerald will then catch back up to the expedition.

When Glass doesn’t die, Fitzgerald decides to help things along.  He is caught by Glass’ son burying Glass alive.  Fitzgerald kills Glass’ son and leaves Glass for dead.  Glass slowly recovers and must make his way across the frontier fighting Indians, and the elements with his goal of revenge giving him a reason to live.

I liked The Revenant quite a bit, but probably not as much as most.  The action scenes were amazing.  The cinematography was beautiful.  No complaints with the acting or direction.  I did feel that a bit too much time was spent looking up a trees and with Glass’ visions.  The ending was unexpected and didn’t quite ring right with me.  Still, I really liked The Revenant and all the awards it won may be an indication that I’m picking nits.

Awards Won:

  • Academy Award: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Academy Award: Best Achievement in Directing – Alejandro G. Iñárritu
  • Academy Award: Best Achievement in Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki
  • Golden Globe: Best Picture [Drama]
  • Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama – Leonardo DiCaprio
  • Golden Globe: Best Director – Motion Picture – Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Another 70 wins & 156 nominations.

Rating:

Bone Tomahawk (2015) / Z-View

Posted on by

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Director: S. Craig Zahler

Screenplay: S. Craig Zahler

Stars: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, David Arquette, Sid Haig, Michael Pare, and Sean Young.

The Pitch: “S. Craig Zahler is a writer/director to watch.  Let’s give him the 1.8 million he needs to make ‘Bone Tomahawk.’”

The Tagline: “May the Lord have mercy and grant you a swift death.”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A raiding party of cannibalistic Troglodytes are led to farm on the outskirts of a small western town.  The cannibals kill some settlers and kidnap others.  The town folk are too frightened to go after them except for the Sherriff [Russell], the injured husband [Wilson] of the woman kidnapped [Simmons],  the old deputy [Jenkins] and a gunfighter [Fox].

What begins as almost a character study turns into one of the most tense, frightening and violent movies in recent history.  The characters are so well written/played that I loved their interactions and the pace leading up to the action.  It was also fun seeing name actors in smaller roles.  Jenkins as the old deputy is a joy!

S. Craig Zahler moved to the must-watch list with Bone Tomahawk.

Rating: