Category: Comics

NOIR BURLESQUE by Enrico Marini / Z-View

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NOIR BURLESQUE by Enrico Marini (writer/artist)

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Terry Cole agreed to one job to pay of his brother-in-law’s debt to a gangster named Rex.  It was a jewelry store robbery.  The heist went sideways when the getaway driver panicked and left early.  Terry made it out, but the haul came up short.  There wasn’t enough to cancel the debt.

To make matters worse, Terry discovers that Rex’s fiancée is Terry’s former lover.  Terry knew her as Debbie, but she now goes by Caprice.  Caprice is gaining a reputation as a burlesque entertainer.  Caprice dreams of stardom and Rex has the money and pull to help her get it.  Still, the attraction to Terry is still there.  And Terry feels the same.  Caprice loves the sex with Terry, but loves the idea of stardom more.

Rex learns of their past relationship and believes that they’ve started seeing each other.  (They have.  But is it lust or love?)  Rex orders Terry to do another job to finish paying off his brother-in-law’s debt.  It’s a suicide mission to rip off Rex’s competition — an Italian mobster.  If Terry is successful, Rex will kill him.

Terry is outmaneuvered and outgunned.  Or is he?  Terry has a secret and a plan that just might save his life.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

If you’re a fan of crime fiction and film noir, NOIR BURLESQUE is for you.  It’s obvious that Enrico Marini loves the genre.  Set in the 1950s, Marini checks off all the boxes expected for a fun crime story.  It’s got the stoic tough guy anti-hero, the sexy former lover who is as apt to shoot you as she is to make love to you, the jealous crime boss, the little tough guy and the big dumb lug henchmen.  It’s got sex (more than in older film noir, but nothing too graphic).  And more than a couple of twists.

I’ve been a fan of Marini’s art for a while, but this is the first story I’ve read by him.  I hope it won’t be my last.  (And I’d love to see more NOIR BURLESQUE tales.)

NOIR BURLESQUE by Enrico Marini (writer/artist) rates 5 of 5 stars.

Rating:

“Bloodshot” (2020) starring Vin Diesel / Z-View

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Bloodshot (2020)

Director: David S. F. Wilson

Screenplay:  Jeff Wadlow, Eric Heisserer; story by Jeff Wadlow; based on Bloodshot by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, Bob Layton

Stars: Vin Diesel, Eiza González, Toby Kebbell, Talulah Riley, Lamorne Morris, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson,
David Dukas, Charlie Bouguenon, Alex Anlos and Guy Pearce.

Tagline: Being a hero is in his blood.

The Plot…

Ray Garrison (Diesel) is an elite US Marine.  Shortly after a successful mission, Garrison and his wife go on vacation.  In short order they are kidnapped by a terrorists led by Martin Axe (Kebbell).  Garrison refuses or is unable to provide the information Axe wants.  Axe then executes Garrison’s wife and kills Garrison.

Or so he thinks.

Garrison wakes up in a laboratory.  Although Garrison was dead, he’s been resurrected by Dr. Emil Harting (Pearce). Experimental nanorobotics have replaced Garrison’s blood.  He’s now super strong and almost instant healing powers.  Harting thinks he has created a super soldier to do his bidding.

Garrison has plans of his own…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Based on the popular Valiant comic series.

Lamorne Morris, an American, plays a Brit. Toby Kebbell is British plays an Australian. Guy Pearce is Australian plays an American.

I thought I would like Bloodshot more.

Bloodshot (2020) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Atomic Blonde” (2017) directed by David Leitch, starring Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman & Sofia Boutella / Z-View

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Atomic Blonde (2017)

Director: David Leitch

Screenplay:  Kurt Johnstad based on The Coldest City by Antony Johnston, Sam Hart

Stars: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Toby Jones, James Faulkner, Bill Skarsgård, Sam Hargrave, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Til Schweiger, Declan Hannigan and Sofia Boutella.

Tagline:  Talents can be overrated.

The Plot…

1999.  The cold war rages.  When a MI6 agent is executed and microfilm containing The List of every active secret agent is stolen, Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is sent undercover to Berlin.  Her mission is to recover The List at all costs.

Lorraine is warned that a KGB double agent only known as The Satchel is active in the area.  Immediately after arriving in Berlin, an assassination attempt on Loraine is attempted.  She barely survives. Loraine then meets her contact David Percival (McAvoy), an MI6 deep undercover agent.  As Loraine works to find The List, she encounters Delphine Lasalle (Boutella) who claims to be a French agent.

Not sure who she can trust, Lorraine must find The List before it falls into enemy hands.  Failure to do so will cost the lives of dozens of agents… including her.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

David Leitch co-directed John Wick.  He decided to do this film rather than John Wick Chapter 2.

Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves trained together.  Reeves was getting in shape for John Wick Chapter 2.

There is a fight scene that moves up/down stairs and through several rooms that last about ten minutes.  It appears (thanks to clever editing) to be done in one continuous shot.

Charlize Theron, James McAvoy and Sofia Boutella are perfect.  The supporting cast is amazing.

David Leitch has created an action classic.

Atomic Blonde (2017) rates 5 of 5 stars.