Category: Movies

“Rocky” Getting 50th Anniversary Limited Theatrical Release Plus Sneak Peak of “I Play Rocky”

Rocky, the Academy-award winning best picture, will be returning to theaters this November to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film’s release.

This limited release will feature a 4K version of the original film plus an exclusive look at the upcoming Sylvester Stallone biographical feature, I Play Rocky directed by Peter (Green Book) Farrelly, with an introduction from the I Play Rocky cast.

Finally a film to get me back into a theater!  For more details check out…

Rocky Will Receive 50th Anniversary 4K Run In Theaters at Bleeding Cool.

Talk About a Stranger (1952) starring George Murphy, Nancy Davis, Bill Gray, Lewis Stone and Kurt Kasnar / Z-View


Talk About a Stranger
(1952)

Director: David Bradley

Screenplay: Margaret Fitts; story by Charlotte Armstrong

Stars: George Murphy, Nancy Davis, Billy Gray, Lewis Stone, Kurt Kasznar, Kathleen Freeman and Stanley Andrews.

Tagline:  It Sends Chills Down Your Spine!

The Plot…

A mysterious man who has moved into a remote house that had sat abandoned gets on the wrong side of a twelve year old boy.  The child decides to make the man’s life hell.

And does.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The boy’s parents sure give him a lot of freedom!  Of course it was a different time.

Talk About a Stranger (1952) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War” starring John Krasinski – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

I like the poster and trailer for Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War.  Hopefully the movie will be as good.

Deal me in.

No operation stays dark forever.

Stream Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, May 20 on Prime Video.

When CIA analyst Jack Ryan stumbles upon a suspicious series of bank transfers his search for answers pulls him from the safety of his desk job and catapults him into a deadly game of cat and mouse throughout Europe and the Middle East, with a rising terrorist figurehead preparing for a massive attack against the US and her allies.

“Tin Soldier” (2025) starring Scott Eastwood, John Leguizamo, Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro / Z-View


Tin Soldier
(2025)

Director: Brad Furman

Screenplay: Brad Furman, Jess Fuerst, Pablo Fenjves; story by Brad Furman, Jess Fuerst

Stars: Scott Eastwood, John Leguizamo, Nora Arnezeder, Jamie Foxx, Rita Ora, and Robert De Niro.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The Bokushi aka Leon K. Prudhomme is a cult leader up to bad things.  Emmanuel Ashburn recruits Nash Cavanaugh, a former soldier with PTSD, to infiltrate Bokushi’s cult.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Who would have thought that a movie starring Scott Eastwood, Jamie Foxx, Robert De Niro and John Leguizamo could be terrible.  I tapped out after just 25 minutes.

Tin Soldier (2025) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“The Outpost” (2019) starring Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry-Jones and Orlando Bloom / Z-View


The Outpost
(2019)

Director: Rod Lurie

Screenplay: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson; based on  THE OUTPOST: AN UNTOLD STORY OF AMERICAN VALOR by Jake Tapper

Stars: Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Taylor John Smith, Jonathan Yunger and Orlando Bloom,.

Tagline: The mission was survival.

The Plot…

During the war in Afghanistan, Camp Keating, a US army base is situated in a valley surrounded on all sides by steep mountains.  It is the absolute worst location to defend.

So when hundreds of Taliban soldiers attack from all sides… the mission becomes survival.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The lead actors in the film played real soldiers who survived the actual battle.  Some of the background soldiers were actual soldiers.

Stars Scott Gibson and Milo Gibson are the sons of Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson.

The Outpost (2019) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Brother Orchid” (1940) starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Southern and Humphrey Bogart / Z-View


Brother Orchid
(1940)

Director: Lloyd Bacon

Screenplay: Earl Baldwin; Jerry Wald (uncredited); Richard Macaulay (uncredited); based on Brother Orchid by Richard Connell

Stars: Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy, Cecil Kellaway, John Ridgely and Tom Tyler.

Tagline: Not Since “A Slight Case of Murder” has there been such a hysterical homicide, such mad mirth!

The Plot…

Little John Sarto rose from the streets to become head of a crime syndicate.  He’s rich.  People fear him, but he doesn’t want that.  Sarto craves to be respected.  To have… class.

So Sarto suddenly decides to give up his life of crime and become a gentleman of leisure.  Sarto turns his syndicate over to his second in command, John Buck.  He tells his girlfriend, Flo that he’s going to Europe and he’ll see her when he returns.

Things don’t go as planned in Europe.  Every move Sarto makes is a bad one.  He loses money on every deal.  Five years pass and Sarto is broke.  So he heads back to the states where he plans to regain control of his syndicate, and hook back up with Flo.

But it’s been five years.

Flo still loves Sarto, but thought he’d left for good.  So she has a new man.  John Buck and the crew felt abandoned when Sarto left.  Buck isn’t going to give up control of the gang.  So he puts out a hit on Sarto.

Sarto is caught off-guard and barely escapes with his life.  He finds himself injured and outside of a monastery.  The monks don’t recognize the infamous crime boss and take him in.  Sarto plans to stay there until he heals…

… then he will get his revenge.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Brother Orchid is one of five films that Robinson and Bogart made together.  It is the only one where neither of them is killed.

Brother Orchid (1940) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Being Eddie” (2025) starring Eddie Murphy / Z-View

Being Eddie (2025)

Director: Angus Wall

Stars: Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, Charlie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Elvis Mitchell,
John Landis, Pete Davidson, Jerry Bruckheimer
and Kevin Hart.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Eddie Murphy, friends and those who have worked with him, sit for interviews to discuss Eddie’s amazing career.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Some of the awards Eddie Murphy has won over the course of his career include: an Emmy, a Grammy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Murphy also earned an Academy Award nomination for for Best Supporting Actor.  Murphy has had success as a comedian, television star, movie star, and singer.

While at times Eddie does seem to have a bit of an ego, who wouldn’t with all that he has achieved.  There was a tv show that I watched as a kid, it was about an old gunfighter.  He had a catchphrase: “No brag, just fact.”   I think of Eddie now as that old gunfighter.  He’s not bragging, just stating facts about his career.

I was surprised at how personable and down-to-earth Eddie comes off as.  So many stars, especially who attain superstar status at an early age, self-destruct.  Eddie Murphy seems to be in a great place.

I look forward to where Eddie Murphy’s career leads next.

Being Eddie (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Last Showgirl” (2024) starring Pamela Anderson, Dave Bautista & Jamie Lee Curtis / Z-View


The Last Showgirl
(2024)

Director: Gia Coppola

Screenplay: Kate Gersten

Stars: Pamela Anderson, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Billie Lourd, Dave Bautista, Linda Montana, Jason Schwartzman and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Shelley Gardner has been a showgirl at the Las Vegas Le Razzle Dazzle Revue for thirty years.  At one time the Vegas shows were top line entertainment.  But times have changed.  They no longer have the prestige or class they once held.  Worse still, attendance has declined.

When Shelley learns that her show is closing, she’s not sure what’s next.  All she has known is the Le Razzle Dazzle Revue.  There’s not much demand for a 57 year old dancer.  Her last audition was three decades ago.  Dance styles have changed.  So have dancer expectations.

How will Shelley survive?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Jamie Lee Curtis appears as a former showgirl who drinks too much.

Dave Bautista is excellent.

The Last Showgirl (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.

O.G. (2018) starring Jeffrey Wright, William Fichtner and Boyd Holbrook / Z-View


O.G. (2018)

Director: Madeleine Sackler

Screenplay: Stephen Belber

Stars: Jeffrey Wright, William Fichtner, Boyd Holbrook, Mare Winningham, Yul Vazquez, Ryan Cutrona, Ato Essandoh, Kevin Jackson and David Patrick Kelly.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Louis has spent the last 24 years in prison for murder.  Over time, Louis turned his life around.  He distanced himself from prison gangs.  He worked to make his life a positive contribution.  Louis’ good behavior and true rehabilitation has earned him parole in the next few weeks…

… if nothing changes.

Gang tensions are rising.  When a new young inmate is brought into the prison, Louis sees the kid being set up to take a fall.  If Louis intervenes he risks his own release.  If he does nothing, the kid could be killed or worse.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Jeffrey Wright is an amazing actor.

O.G. was filmed at the Indiana Pendleton Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison.  Many of the prisoners and guards were actual prisoners and guards.

O.G. (2018) rates 3 of 5 stars.