Category: Movies

RIP: James Earl Jones

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James Earl Jones died today.  Mr. Jones was 93.

James Earl Jones attended the University of Michigan.  Initially he was a pre-med major, but in his junior year Mr. Jones switched to drama.  He as a stage carpenter, stage manager and actor at the Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee, Michigan.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in drama.  After graduation, James Earl Jones attended Ranger School. He attained the rank of first lieutenant before his discharge.

Once out of the service, Mr. Jones moved to New York to pursue a career as an actor. In 1957, Mr. Jones became an understudy on Broadway.  Just a few months later James Earl Jones earned a feature role.  In the 1960s, James Earl Jones appeared in several productions of William Shakespeare’s plays.  He also began getting guest roles on television.  Then in 1964, Mr. Jones appeared in his first feature film, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove.  For the rest of his career, James Earl Jones stayed busy, accepting roles for stage, television, and feature films.

Some of James Earl Jones’ honors include…

  • 1971 Oscar nomination as Best Leading Man for The Great White Hope
  • 2012 Oscar winner Honorary Award
  • 1987 Ace nominee Actor in a Comedy Series for Faerie Tale Theater: Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
  • 1991 ACE winner Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for Heatwave
  • 1991 Ace winner Actor in a Dramatic Series for Third and Oak: The Poolhall
  • 1998 Daytime Emmy nominee Outstanding Performer in Children’s Programing for CBS Schoolbreak Special
  • 2000 Daytime Emmy winner Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Special for Summer’s End
  • 1964 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for East Side/West Side
  • 1990 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for By Dawn’s Early Light
  • 1991 Primetime Emmy winner Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for Heatwave
  • 1991 Primetime Emmy winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Gabriel’s Fire
  • 1994 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Picket Fences
  • 1995 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Under One Roof
  • 1997 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Frasier
  • 2004 Primetime Emmy nominee Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Everwood
  • 1970 Grammy nominee Best Spoken Word Recording for The Great White Hope
  • 1977 Grammy winner Best Spoken Word Recording for Great American Documents
  • 2001 Grammy nominee Best Spoken Word Album for Children for “The Christmas Miracle Of Jonathan Toomey (Susan Wojciechowski) (Album)”

Television projects that feature James Earl Jones include: Monitor; East Side/West Side; Channing; The Defenders (2 episodes); Camera Three (2 episodes); Dr. Kildare (4 episodes); Guiding Light; As the World Turns; Tarzan (2 episodes); NET Playhouse; NYPD (2 episodes); The UFO Incident; Jesus of Nazareth (4 episodes); Roots: The Next Generations; Paul Robeson; Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones; The Atlanta Child Murders (2 episodes); Highway to Heaven; LA Law (2 episodes); By Dawn’s Early Light; Heat Wave; Gabriel’s Fire (22 episodes); Mathnet (9 episodes); Pros and Cons (12 episodes); Square One Television (4 episodes); Garfield and Friends; Lincoln; Sesame Street; Law & Order; American Playhouse; The Vernon Johns Story; Picket Fences; Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; Signs and Wonders (4 episodes); Under One Roof (6 episodes); People: A Musical Celebration; 3rd Rock from the Sun (19 episodes); Rebound: The Legend of Earl “The Goat” Manigault; Touched by an Angel; Frasier; Stargate SG-1; Homicide: Life on the Street (3 episodes); The Simpsons (3 episodes); Merlin (2 episodes): Recess (2 episodes); Summer’s End; Everwood (3 episodes); Two and a Half Men; House; The Big Bang Theory; Great Performances (2 episodes); Agent X (2 episodes); Star Wars Rebels (5 episodes) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (4 episodes).

Feature films that feature James Earl Jones include: Dr. Strangelove; The Comedians; The Great White Hope; The Man; Claudine; The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings; The Greatest; Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope; Exorcist 2: The Heretic; Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back; Conan the Barbarian; Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi; Gardens of Stone; Matewan; Coming to America; Field of Dreams; The Hunt for Red October; Patriot Games; Sneakers; Sommersby; The Sandlot; Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult; The Lion King; Clear and Present Danger; Judge Dredd; Cry the Beloved Country; A Family Thing; Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; The Lion King; Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker and Coming 2 America.

I probably first saw James Earl Jones on Tarzan.  I first took notice of him with The Great White Hope.  After that I noticed him whenever he popped up in a movie of television appearance. I was thrilled that James Earl Jones provided the narration for Sly Stallone’s Judge Dredd.   Mr. Jones could do it all.  What an amazing career and legacy.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to James Earl Jones’ family, friends and fans.

“Killer’s Game” starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, with Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley – Two Posters and the Second Trailer are Here!

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TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT

We have two posters and the second trailer for Killer’s Game starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, with Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley

In the new action-comedy THE KILLER’S GAME, when top hitman Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella) , he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late.

The Killer’s Game – in theaters September 13! Get tickets now: https://www.thekillersgame.movie/tick…
Starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, with Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley.

“Hold Your Breath” starring Sarah Paulson – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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THERE’S SOMETHING EVIL IN THE AIR

Here are the poster and trailer for Hold Your Breath starring Sarah Paulson.

If you breathe him in, he’ll make you do terrible things.

HOLD YOUR BREATH. Starring Sarah Paulson, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Amiah Miller and Annaleigh Ashford. Streaming only on ‪@hulu‬ October 3rd. #HoldYourBreath

Directed by: Will Joines, Karrie Crouse

Screenplay by: Karrie Crouse

Produced by: Alix Madigan, Lucas Joaquin

Cast: Sarah Paulson, Annaleigh Ashford, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Amiah Miller, Bill Heck

Take You Back: Sylvester Stallone’s “Paradise Alley”Sneak Peak

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The first sneak previews of Sylvester Stallone’s Paradise Alley took place on September 8, 1978.  Sly wrote, directed, starred and even sang the title song.  As Dave Buzan says…

This incredibly underrated Stallone film had the misfortune of following “Rocky,” so audiences were expecting something quite different.

It’s a strong movie that deserves more recognition than it has received over the years.

Source: Dave Buzan.

Scared Stiff (1953) starring Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis / Z-View

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Scared Stiff (1953)

Director: George Marshall

Screenplay: Herbert Baker, Walter DeLeon; based on The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey, Charles W. Goddard

Stars: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Lizabeth Scott, Carmen Miranda, Dorothy Malone, William Ching, Jack Lambert, Leonard Strong, Henry Brandon, Chester Clute, Earl Holliman, Frank Fontaine and Bing Crosby & Bob Hope.

Tagline: They’re making a spook-tacle of themselves!

The Plot…

Mary Carroll (Scott) receives word that she has inherited an island estate.  She also receives death threats and warnings that the place is haunted.  Throwing caution to the wind Mary boards a ship to claim her inheritance.  Joining Mary on the trip is nightclub singer, Larry Todd (Martin) and his buddy Myron Mertz (Lewis).

They three arrive at Mary’s castle… cue the ghosts and zombies!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Scared Stiff is based on the play The Ghost Breaker.  It was previously adapted in the movie The Ghost Breakers starring Bob Hope.  George Marshall directed both Scared Stiff and The Ghost Breakers.

Scared Stiff features Carmen Miranda’s last film appearance.

Frank Fontaine has an uncredited cameo as a drunk.  I recognized him from his appearances as Crazy Guggenheim on The Jackie Gleason Show.

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby have an uncredited cameo.  The previous year, Martin & Lewis made an uncredited cameo in Hope & Cosby’s Road to Bali film.

Scared Stiff is advertised as a comedy/horror film.  It takes forever to get to the horror aspect and then it’s not that funny.  I prefer the Bob Hope version, The Ghost Breakers.

Scared Stiff (1953) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“At War with the Army” (1950) starring Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis / Z-View

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At War with the Army (1950)

Director: Hal Walker

Screenplay: Fred Finklehoffe; based on the play At War With the Army by James Allardice

Stars: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Mike Kellin, Danny Dayton, Polly Bergen and Douglas Evans.

Tagline: America’s Funniest Guys Are GI’s!

The Plot…

Vic Puccinelli (Martin) and Alvin Korwin (Lewis) were nightclub performers before the war.  Now Vic is a Sergeant and Alvin a private at a stateside army base.  The change in their status has caused some problems between the two.

To complicate matters, Vic wants a transfer to active duty.  Alvin just wants a weekend pass to see his wife and new baby.  Add to the mix confusion about a woman that may be pregnant and who the father is.

Martin and Lewis are at war with the army.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At War with the Army is in public domain.  Beware of shoddy copies.

Although Martin and Lewis had appeared together in films twice before, At War with the Army was their first starring roles as a team.

To Catch a Killer (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Wolf Man” – The Teaser Trailer is Here!

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“Wolf Man” – The teaser trailer is here!

From the Director of The Invisible Man, #WolfManMovie is in theaters January.

—
What if someone you loved became something else?

From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man.

Golden Globe nominee Christopher Abbott (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner Julia Garner; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth; Hullraisers, Coma).

But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without.

The film co-stars Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The Sojourn Audio Drama) and Benedict Hardie (The Invisible Man).

Wolf Man is directed by Whannell, whose previous films with Blumhouse include The Invisible Man, Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3. The screenplay is written by Leigh Whannell & Corbett Tuck, Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo (Dumb Money).

The film is produced by Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum and is executive produced by Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner and Leigh Whannell. Wolf Man is a Blumhouse and Motel Movies production.

“Tall in the Saddle” (1944) starring John Wayne, Ella Raines & Ward Bond / Z-View

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Tall in the Saddle (1944)

Director: Edwin L. Marin

Screenplay: Michael Hogan, Paul Fix; based on TALL IN THE SADDLE by Gordon Ray Young

Stars: John Wayne, Ella Raines, Ward Bond, George ‘Gabby’ Hayes, Audrey Long, Elisabeth Risdon, Donald Douglas, Paul Fix, Russell Wade, Emory Parnell, Harry Woods,  and Clem Bevans.

Tagline: A Man Looking For TROUBLE…could always find it in Santa Inez!

The Plot…

Rocklin (Wayne) a big stoic cowboy arrives in Santa Inez.  Rocklin has come to town to take the foreman job at Red Cardell’s ranch.  Only problem is Red was recently murdered.

Despite some run-ins and encouragement to move on, Rocklin is determined to find out who killed Red.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Ward Bond was a friend and regular co-star of John Wayne.  They appeared in 23 films together.

If you’re a fan of old school westerns, you should enjoy Tall in the Saddle.

Tall in the Saddle (1944) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Megalopolis” – The IMAX Poster and new trailer is here!

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The IMAX Poster and new trailer for Megalopolis is here!

I’m not sold on the movie yet, but it does seem to demand being seen in a theater.

Deal me in.

MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.

MEGALOPOLIS: The Ultimate IMAX Experience on September 23. In theaters & IMAX everywhere September 27. Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman

“To Catch a Killer” (2023) directed by Damián Szifron, starring Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo and Ralph Ineson / Z-View

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To Catch a Killer (2023)

Director: Damián Szifron

Screenplay: Damián Szifron, Jonathan Wakeham

Stars: Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn, Jovan Adepo, Ralph Ineson, Richard Zeman, Dusan Dukic, Jason Cavalier, Darcy Laurie, Mark Camacho, Marcello Bezina and Maurizio Terrazzano.

Tagline: A city at the center of chaos. A detective with special skills. A madman testing her limits.

The Plot…

A sniper from a high rise begins shooting New Year’s Eve rooftop partiers.  Dozens of people are killed.  The sniper is fast and efficient.  One shot.  One kill.  Police throughout the area are called to respond.  An explosion rocks the building used by the sniper.  As people begin pouring out of the structure, street cop, Eleanor Falco (Woodley) begins recording faces and tells other officers to do the same.

Special Agent Lammark of the FBI (Mendelsohn) is put in charge of the case.  He learns that Eleanor had the presence of mind to record those exiting the building.  Lammark speaks with her and is quickly impressed with her frankness and intuition.  Lammark invites Eleanor to join him and FBI agent Jack McKenzie (Adepo) on the case. She accepts.

Lammark gets some pushback from higher ups at the FBI.  Eleanor had applied to the Bureau and been rejected.  She had no college and things in her background that made her unacceptable.  Lammark stands his ground and Eleanor is kept on the team.

The sniper killed dozens of people.  Another mass killing is coming soon.  As Lammark, Eleanor and McKenzie work the case, the public outcry intensifies.  Politicians and FBI brass put the pressure on Lammark.

Then they get the break they need…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I absolutely loved To Catch a Killer.  Shailene Woodley, Ben Mendelsohn and Ralph Ineson give power house performances.  This is Damián Szifron’s first time directing an English language film and he hit a home run.  Kudos also to Damián Szifron and Jonathan Wakeham for their screenplay.

To Catch a Killer (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Smile 2” – The Poster and Full Trailer are Here!

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The poster and full trailer for Smile 2 have arrived.  I enjoyed the original Smile, so I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Would it kill you to smile? Watch the New Trailer for #Smile2 – Only in theatres October 18. #SmileMovie

About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

“The Living Ghost” (1942) / Z-View

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The Living Ghost (1942)

Director: William Beaudine

Screenplay: Joseph Hoffman;  Howard Dimsdale (original story)

Stars: James Dunn, Joan Woodbury, Paul McVey, J. Farrell MacDonald.

Tagline: SPOOK CHASER… A reckless sleuth follows the trail of a white ZOMBIE!

The Plot…

When wealthy banker Walter Craig disappears, his best friend, Ed Moline (McVey) hires retired PI, Nick Trayne (Dunn) to find him.  Trayne has his hands full.  Everyone is suspect and that includes Craig’s ex-wife Helen, his daughter Tina and her fiance Arthur, his sister Delia, her husband George, Craig’s friend Tony, Craig’s secretary and even Cedric the butler

When Walter Craig turns up in a zombie-like state, the case changes from a missing person to a who dunnit.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

What could have been a fun old dark house murder mystery/comedy ends up being a lackluster affair.  The title indicates a ghost but we end up with more of a zombie.  Not that a ghost would have livened things up.

The Living Ghost (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.