Category: Humor

“London Calling” (2025) directed by Allan Unger, starring Josh Duhamel, Jeremy Ray Taylor with Rick Hoffman and Aidan Gillen / Z-View

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London Calling (2025)

Director: Allan Ungar

Screenplay: Levin Menekse, Quinn Wolfe, Allan Ungar

Stars: Josh Duhamel, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Rick Hoffman, Aidan Gillen, Neil Sandilands, Brandon Auret, Milton Schorr, Dumani Siphosethu Mtya, Karl Thaning  and Arnold Vosloo.

Tagline: Answer the call

The Plot…

After Tommy Ward accidentally killed a London cartel lord’s son, Tommy escaped to the United States.  Now Tommy wants to go back to London since that is where his son lives.  Harry, Tommy’s current employer offers Tommy a deal.  If Tommy will teach Julian (Harry’s son) to become a man, Harry will get Tommy safe passage back to London.  All Tommy has to do is take Julian on a hit.

Taking Julian along is a dangerous proposition.  It becomes worse when Tommy becomes a target himself.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor had good on-screen chemistry.  There were some funny moments, but the film became to over-the-top for me.  Your mileage, as always could vary.

London Calling (2025) rates 2 of 5 stars.

RIGHTEOUS TRASH by Nick Kolakowski / Z-View

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RIGHTEOUS TRASH by Nick Kolakowski

First sentence…

It was midnight but I was still wide awake in bed when the security lights in the back yard blazed to life.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jake Halligan needs a break.  He’s not making much as a bounty hunter.  If his finanaces don’t improve, he could lose everything.  His land.  His wife.  His daughter.

When Jake’s crazy sister, Frankie unexpectedly returns from Mexico, Jake doesn’t know what to expect.  Frankie has come back to restart her illegal arms business.  Jake wants no part of it.

Frankie is the best shot Jake (or nearly anyone) has ever seen.  Frankie plans to enter and win Crazy Bill’s world famous shooting contest. Frankie knows the grand prize money will give her the startup cash she needs.  There’s just one problem.  She has to win.

Jake has faith in Frankie.  Although the contest draws crack shots from around the country, Frankie is the best.  Even on a bad day, Frankie would be tough to beat.  Jake decides to take a leap of faith.  He goes to a loan shark and borrows $100,000.00.  He’s going to bet it all on Frankie winning.  If she does Jake can pay off the loan plus interest and be flush again. But if Frankie doesn’t win, Jake will lose everything including his life.  The loan shark told him as much.

Soon Jake and Frankie are the targets of rival gangs, corrupt politicians, and Federal Agents.  Oh, and let’s not forget the loan shark who wants his money… or Jake dead.

+++

RIGHTEOUS TRASH is the third outing for Jake and Frankie.  If you’re a fan of crime stories featuring non-stop action with a nice mix of humor, then this one is for you!

Rating:

“Dobermann” (1997) / Z-View

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Dobermann (1997)

Director: Jan Kounen

Screenplay: Joël Houssin

Stars: Vincent Cassel, Tchéky Karyo, Monica Bellucci.

Tagline: Are you ready for a Good Time?

The Plot…

Dobermann, a daring and charismatic criminal and his gang of outlandish misfits are hunted by a sadistic cop and his team off oddballs.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Dobermann is styish and over-the-top.  Too much so for me.  I tapped out after 33 minutes.  Your mileage, as always, may vary.

Dobermann (1997) rates 1 of 5 stars.

THE BURGLAR IN THE RYE: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery by Lawrence Block

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THE BURGLAR IN THE RYE: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery by Lawrence Block

First sentences…

The lobby was a bit worse for the wear.  The large oriental carpet had seen better days, lots of them.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bernie Rhodenbarr is a witty, mild-mannered book lover.  Bernie can usually be found running his used bookstore.  Where Bernie is never sledom found is at his second profession.  Bernie’s a thief.

Alice Cottrell, the former teenage lover of the world-famous, reclusive author Gulliver “Gully” Fairborn visits Bernie in his bookstore.  Gully is the author of NOBODY’S BABY, the novel that influenced a generation.  Even Bernie felt the book had a positive impact on his life, changing the way he looked at the world.  Instead of a sequel or following up NOBODY’S BABY, Gully became a traveling recluse.  He wanted no publicity and his life kept private.

Anthea Landau. Gully’s former agent, kept years of Gully’s private letters.  She plans to auction them off in a few days keeping the money for herself.  Gully wants the letters destroyed.  Anthea wants to pay Bernie to steal them before the auction.

Bernie decides t0 take possession of the letters.  Landau lives at The Padington, a once famous, but no rundown hotel.  Bernie takes a room.  Getting into Landau’s apartment late at night is a breeze.  Bernie quietly enters her bedroom and after a brief search finds the letters.  As he’s exciting, Bernie sees a huge knife sticking out of Landau’s chest.

She wasn’t sleeping.  She was dead. Recently murdered.

And now the cops are about to enter the room.

If Bernie can’t find a way out, and discover who killed Landau, he’ll  take the fall.

+++

THE BURGLAR IN THE RYE is the ninth Bernie Rhodenbarr novel.  Each story features a murder mystery full of witty dialogue, a healthy does of humor, interesting characters, multiple suspects and a conclusion where Bernie brings everyone together to explain the intricacies of the tale and expose the murderer.

Bernie Rhodenbarr tales are always fun.

Rating:

“They Will Kill You” directed by Kirill Sokolov, starring Zazie Beetz, Heather Graham & Patricia Arquette – The Posters and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have three posters and a trailer for They Will Kill You directed by Kirill Sokolov, starring Zazie Beetz, Myha’La, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette.  This looks like crazy fun.

Deal me in!

From New Line Cinema and Nocturna comes THEY WILL KILL YOU. The film unleashes a blood-soaked, high-octane horror-action-comedy in which a young woman must survive the night at the Virgil, a demonic cult’s mysterious and twisted death-trap of a lair, before becoming their next offering in a uniquely brazen, big screen battle of epic kills and wickedly dark humor.

THEY WILL KILL YOU stars Zazie Beetz, Myha’La, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette.

Directed by Kirill Sokolov and written by Sokolov & Alex Litvak, the film is produced by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Dan Kagan, and executive produced by Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder, Carl Hampe, Litvak and Sokolov.

Behind the camera, Sokolov is joined by director of photography Isaac Bauman, production designer Jeremy Reed, editor Luke Doolan, costume designer Neil McClean and visual effects supervisor Marc Smith. The composer is Carlos Rafael Rivera, the music supervisor is Andrea von Foerster and the casting director is Richard Delia.

New Line Cinema and Nocturna present THEY WILL KILL YOU, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, only in theaters in North America on March 27, 2026, and internationally beginning on 25 March 2026.

“I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” (2026) / Z-View

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I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2026)

Director: Marina Zenovich

Stars: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Ryan Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Kevin Nealon, Paul Shaffer and Lorne Michaels.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Saturday Night Live premiered on October 11, 1975, and it was obvious from the start that Chevy Chase was going to be the breakout star.  When Chase anchored the “News Update” segments viewership would spike.  He came off as funny, goofy, personalble, girls thought he was cute and guys liked him as well.  And man, could he take a pratfall.

The only surprise when Chase left Saturday Night Live for Hollywood was how quickly it happened. He didn’t even complete the show’s second season.

Chase’s first starring role in a feature film (Foul Play) hinted at great things to come.  But his films were hit (Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation) or miss (Oh! Heavenly Dog; Under the Rainbow).  The misses started to outnumber the hits.  Rumors surfaced that Chase was “hard to work with” or worse still, just an ass.

I‘m Chevy Chase and You’re Not explores Chase’s life warts and all.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

I was a Chevy Chase fan at the start of his career.  I thought Chase was going to be a big star.  And he was for a bit. Chase would have been on top longer, if not for his behavior. Maybe it was the drugs (which he discusses).  Maybe it was his ego.  Maybe it was unresolved issues from his childhood.  More likely it was a combination of all of these things.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not is interesting and informative even without the participation of folks who declined to be interviewed (Steve Martin, Martin Short, the entire cast and crew of Community – except for Jay Chandrasekhar who directed one episode with Chase).  Their silence says a lot.

After seeing I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, I have a better understanding of the man and his career.  He often appears to be his own worst enemy.  Yet, at 82, Chase still has a quick (often inappropriate) wit even if he can no longer take a pratfall.

I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not (2026)

“Stealing Home” written by Charlie Huston, directed by Darren Aronofsky; starring Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio and Benito Martinez Ocasio / Z-View

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Caught Stealing (2025)

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Screenplay: Charlie Huston; based on CAUGHT STEALING by Charlie Huston

Stars: Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Griffin Dunne, Shaun O’Hagan, Action Bronson, Matt Smith, Nikita Kukushkin, Yuri Kolokolnikov, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Oleg Prudius, Liev Schreiber, Benito Martinez Ocasio, Bad Bunny, Carol Kane and Vincent D’Onofrio.

Tagline: 2 Russians, 2 Jews and a Puerto Rican walk into a bar…

The Plot…

Henry “Hank” Thompson was a baseball phenom headed to the big leagues straight out of high school.  Then a tragic auto accident left a friend dead and Hank with a career-ending injury.  A career that never even had a chance to get started.

That was ten years ago. 1988.  Now Hank is a New York City bartender.  He drinks too much, lacks real ambition, and still loves The San Francisco Giants.  Oh, Hank also loves Yvonne.  She’s a positive influence and it looks like they may have a future.  Life is good.  Except for his nightmares about the car crash. What could have been and what was.

Still, with Yvonne, life is on the right track.

When Hank’s neighbor, Russ Miner has to leave for a few days to visit his hospitalized father, Hank is talked into taking care of Russ’ cat.  It isn’t long after, that two Russian mobsters show up.  They’re looking for Russ.  When Hank cannot give the thugs the answers they want, they beat Hank nearly to death.

Detective Elise Roman questions Hank. She thinks he’s withholding information.  He’s not.  Detective Roman informs Hank that the Russians are dangerous. (No kidding.)  Worse still, his neighbor Russ works for the infamous Drucker brothers.  The Drucker brothers are known killers, but never leave anyone alive willing to testify against them.  Detective Roman warns Hank that with the Russians and the Druckers after him, he won’t have long to live.  Neither will anyone close to him.  If the Russians don’t get them, the Druckers will.

Hank has no clue what everyone is looking for.  Hank understands if he doesn’t figure it out, he’s dead… and so are his family and friends.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

Charlie Huston’s Henry “Hank” Thompson trilogy (STEALING HOME / SIX BAD THINGS / A DANGEROUS MAN) earned the #1 spot in my favorite books of 2006.  They get my highest recommendation.  Although the movie makes changes from the novel, I still loved the adaptation.

Stealing Home is exceptionally well cast.  It is my favorite Austin Butler film.  It would be cool to see the rest of the Hank Thompson trilogy adapted and Butler make the transformation to A DANGEROUS MAN.  Zoë Kravitz is perfect as Hank’s love interest.  Kudos also to Regina King, Griffin Dunne, Shaun O’Hagan, Liev Schreiber, Bad Bunny, Carol Kane and Vincent D’Onofrio.  They shine.

Stealing Home has a couple of shocking twists.  It also has the right mix of suspense, humor and action.  I loved it.  Stealing Home gets my highest recommendation.

Stealing Home (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Yes, Timmy, There is a Santa Claus!” by John Beatty & Craig Zablo

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Merry Christmas!

Several years ago John Beatty and I teamed up to create “Yes, Timmy, There is a Santa Claus!”  John pencilled, inked and colored what I wrote.  The story was published in a charity Christmas comic by Tim Gordon.  

Every couple of years I like to repost the story.  What you see below is the result of our efforts.  I hope that you enjoy them.