Category: Z-View

“The Bad Shepherd” (2024) directed by Geo Santini; starring Christos Kalabogias, Scotty Tovar, Justin Taite, Brett Zimmerman and Geo Santini / Z-View

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The Bad Shepherd (2024)

Director:  Geo Santini

Screenplay: Ryan David Jahn

Stars: Christos Kalabogias, Scotty Tovar, Justin Taite, Brett Zimmerman, Annie Gonzalez and Geo Santini.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Paul, John, Leonard and Travis — four friends loaded into one truck driving on a remote dirt road for a weekend hunting.  The truck accidentally strikes and kills a woman walking alone. When the friends get out to check on the woman’s condition, they find she’s dead.

Not far from the dead woman is a bag full of cash.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Bad Shepherd is a low-budget crime/horror/thriller.  I love the twist.  The acting was fine — especially Scotty Tovar and Geo Santini.  Kudos also to Santini for his direction.  After viewing the movie, the title makes me smile.

The Bad Shepherd (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution”: Season 2 (2024) / Z-View

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TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 2 (2024)

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jeremy Corbell talks (on and on) about the risks and rewards of what he does and why he does it.

Jeremy Corbell meets with politicians (just drops in as he’s proud to say).  He lets them know he has an secret whistleblower that has an “explosive report” that is going to change everything.  Corbell is glad he can trust these politicians.  Once this report is made public the world will know the truth!

Jeremy Corbell is at the November 13, 2024 UAP congressional hearing.  One of the politicians he trusts is running the committee.  The whistleblower’s report that Corbell shared with politicians in his one-on-one meetings is going to be entered into evidence.  The world will know the truth!  Except when the document is shared, it is not credited to Corbell for bringing it forward.  Another man gets the credit.  The information provided is seen as, interesting.  Corbell feels betrayed.

But he will carry on to bring the truth about UFOs forward.

Thoughts…

There is even more filler in the three episodes of season 2.  Tons of slow motion shots of Corbell walking.  Tons of shots of him talking on his cell phone to various people.  Riding in Ubers.  Sitting on a chair in a big empty set (see below) and looking quietly into space or at his hands.  Talking about the dangers to him and his family.  But. He. Must. Get. The. Truth. Out.

The most interesting thing in the six episodes (of seasons 1 and 2) is the “jellyfish” UFO.  We learn nothing more about it in season 2.

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  If Jeremy Corbell ever says he has some evidence that is going to change everything, I think I’ll just wait until everything changes.

TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 2 (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution”: Season 1 (2024) / Z-View

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TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 1 (2024)

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jeremy Corbell is at the forefront of a movement to get the government to admit they know that aliens have and are visiting the earth.  Corbell is in regular contact with government and military whistleblowers who want the truth to come out.

A government hearing concludes there is no evidence of aliens.  Corbell says the committee is lying and the whistleblowers have been put at risk.

Video footage of “new” UFOs, including a “jellyfish” type flying object are discussed as well as theories about what these things could be.

Thoughts…

There is a lot of filler in the three episodes in season 1.  Opinions differ widely about Jeremy Corbell.  Is he a huckster or someone truly passionate about getting the truth out.  There seems to be a lot of “I’ve been told this and when it comes out it will change everything.”  Why not just tell it now?

The most interesting thing in the three episodes is the “jellyfish” UFO.  I would have liked to have heard an in-depth discussion from “experts” on what it could be.

There are three more episodes in season 2.  I hope they’re better.

TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 1 (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962) directed by Robert Aldrich; starring Bette Davis & Joan Crawford / Z-View

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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

Director:  Robert Aldrich

Screenplay: Lukas Heller; based on WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE by Henry Farrell

Stars: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono, Wesley Addy, Anne Barton, Marjorie Bennett, Bert Freed, Anna Lee, Maidie Norman, Dave Willock, Russ Conway, Maxine Cooper, Robert Cornthwaite, Michael Fox and Barbara Merrill.

Tagline: Things you should know about this motion picture before buying a ticket: 1) If you’re long-standing fans of Miss Davis and Miss Crawford, we warn you this is quite unlike anything they’ve ever done. 2) You are urged to see it from the beginning. 3) Be prepared for the macabre and the terrifying. 4) We ask your pledge to keep the shocking climax a secret. 5) When the tension begins to build, try to remember it’s just a movie.

The Plot…

1917.  Baby Jane Hudson is a national treasure.  The child actress/singer is in such demand that vaudeville stages across the nation are sold out for every performance when she’s in town.  Baby Jane dolls are all the rage.  Unfortunately success has spoiled the little girl.  Little Jane realizes that she’s the family money-maker. She has the power to call the shots.  That means bossing her father/manager around, ignoring her mother and mistreating her slightly older sister Blanche.

When movies become all the rage, Baby Jane learns that the magic is gone.  She’s aged out of being the cute little girl performing on stage. The Jane Hudson that shows up on screen isn’t a very good actress.

But Blanche Hudson is.  Audiences love her and studios want her in their pictures.  If her parents were still alive Blanche would be the breadwinner.  Thankfully Blanche treats Jane better than she was treated when their roles were reversed.

That was decades ago.  A terrible accident crippled Blanche and cut short her movie career.  Now it’s just Blanche and Jane living in the big old mansion bought with Baby Jane‘s money.  Thankfully Blanche’s movie career provided the funds for Blanche and Jane to survive.  But those funds are dwindling.  Jane’s drinking and mistreatment of Blanche is getting worse.

Wheelchair bound and confined to the upstairs floor, Blanche is getting worried.  Baby Jane is planning a comeback… but has a few things she plans to do first.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was nominated for five Academy Awards winning one…

  • 1963 Nominee Best Sound – Joseph D. Kelly (Seven Arts-Warner Bros. Glen Glenn Sound Department)
  • 1963 Nominee Best Cinematography, Black-and-White – Ernest Haller
  • 1963 Nominee Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Victor Buono
  • 1963 Nominee Best Actress in a Leading Role – Bette Davis
  • 1963 Winner Best Costume Design, Black-and-White – Norma Koch

Betty Davis created her own make-up look for the film.  She say her character as never washing her face and each day adding another layer of make-up.  At first, the director and producers felt it was too over-the-top.  When the author visited the set, he said Davis looked just as he imagined Baby Jane.  The studio and director made the right decision to keep Davis’ look.

This features Victor Buono’s feature film debut.  It was also the only time he was nominated for an Oscar.

If the beach house seen at the end of the movie looks familiar, you may be remembering it from director Robert Aldrich’s 1955 film, Kiss Me Deadly where it was also seen at the end of the movie.

Kudos to Robert Aldrich for another excellent film.  More people should be aware of him.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail” (2024) written & directed by Laurent Bouzereau / Z-View

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Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail (2024)

Director:  Laurent Bouzereau

Screenplay: Laurent Bouzereau

Stars: Elvis Mitchell (narrator), Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Balsam, Raymond Burr, Anthony Dawson, John Gavin, Cary Grant, Tippi Hedren, Grace Kelly, Martin Landau, Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, Curtiss Cook, Eva Marie Saint and James Stewart.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Laurent Bouzereau explores how Alfred Hitchcock’s 1929 film Blackmail foreshadows many of the themes and techniques that would make Hitchcock one of the world’s most famous directors.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Blackmail was made right as silent films were transitioning to “talkies”.  Hitchcock made Blackmail to be shown in either format.  To accomplish this some scenes were shot differently.  This documentary showcases the scenes side by side.

If you’re a die hard Hitchcock fan, this is for you.  If not, your mileage may vary.

Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

EDENVILLE OWLS by Robert B. Parker / Z-View

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EDENVILLE OWLS by Robert B. Parker

First sentence…

The radio in our living room was about four feet tall.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The year is 1945.  The war is over.  Bobby is in eighth grade.  No longer a kid, but not grown either.  His best friends are Russell, Nick, Billy and Manny.  Oh, and we can’t forget Joan.  She’s been a best friend forever, but that relationship may be changing.

The school doesn’t have a basketball team so Bobby and the boys decide to start one.  They hope to get into the state tournament.  That could be a problem.

A bigger problem is what is going on with their favorite teacher, Miss Delaney.  She’s the pretty new teacher that is a favorite of the gang.  Bobby saw a mean looking man arguing with her.  Then Miss Delaney showed up with bruises on her face.

Bobby and the gang decide to investigate.  What they discover keeps them from going to adults.  It’s dangerous but Bobby and the team decide to help Miss Delaney.

+++++

I’m a huge Robert B. Parker fan.  His Spencer series influenced a generation of writers.  His Cole and Everett westerns were fun.  So when Parker decided to write young adult fiction, I decided to go along for the ride.  Kids should enjoy it even more.

Rating:

“Back in Action” (2025) starring Jamie Foxx & Cameron Diaz / Z-View

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Back in Action (2025)

Director:  Seth Gordon

Screenplay: Seth Gordon, Brendan O’Brien

Stars: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Kyle Chandler, Jamie Demetriou, Andrew Scott, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Ben VanderMey, Tobi Bamtefa and Glenn Close.

Tagline: They’re living their best lies..

The Plot…

Fifteen years ago Matt and Emily were CIA operatives… and lovers.  That all changed when they discovered Emily was  pregnant. The left the organization without any goodbyes and changed their identities.  Since then Matt, Emily and their two teenage kids have been living a normal life.

That all changes when foreign factions and the CIA come after Matt and Emily.  On their last mission they kept a device that could change the world.

Now on the run with their children, they have to figure a way out.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I tapped out after 57 minutes.  Your mileage may vary.

Back in Action (2025) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Shutter Island” (2010) directed by Martin Scorsese; starring Leonard DiCaprio / Z-View

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Shutter Island (2010)

Director:  Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: Laeta Kalogridis; based on SHUTTER ISLAND by Dennis Lehane

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Ted Levine, John Carroll Lynch, Elias Koteas, Robin Bartlett, Nellie Sciutto, Joseph Sikora, Curtiss Cook, Joseph McKenna and Jackie Earle Haley.

Tagline: Someone is missing.

The Plot…

1954.

US Marshall Edward “Teddy” Daniels (DiCaprio) is sent to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane.  Only the most violent and mentally ill patients are housed there.  The Ashecliffe Hospital sits on Shutter Island, located just outside of Boston Harbor.  The island rests high above sea level, with sheer cliffs on all sides. The only way in or out is through a number of secured gates attached to the only pier.

Just before departing for Shutter Island Marshall Daniels meets his new partner Officer Chuck Aule (Ruffalo).  Daniels and Aule arrive on Shutter Island just ahead of a hurricane that is rapidly approaching.  Daniels brings Aule up to speed.  They are there to find a missing patient named Rachel Solando.  Solando was there because she drowned her three children.  How she could have gotten off the island is a mystery.  The fact that she cannot be found on the small island seems impossible.  Daniels and Aule are there to resolve the case.

Daniels tells Aule that he asked for the case.  Daniels goes on to say that another of the insane criminals housed on Shutter Island is arsonist Andrew Laeddis.  One of Laeddis’ victims was Daniels wife who died in one of Laeddis’ fires.

As Daniels and Aule speak with the doctors and police officers on staff, Daniels begins to feel that things are not as they seem.  The patient interviews add to Daniels’ concerns.  When Daniels speaks to patient George Noyce privately, Noce informs him that the doctors are lying to him.  Noyce goes on to say that patients are subjected to horrible experiments.  Some are even lobotomized before they can speak out.

With this new knowledge, Daniels plans to leave the island and come back with support.  The only problem is the hurricane keeping all boats away.  Daniels and Officer Aule had been separated.  When Daniels asks about Aule, he is told that he had no partner.

Daniels realizes he’s trapped on the island and nothing is as it seemed. Daniels is outnumbered and outgunned. He’s got to find a way to survive and escape… from a place where escape is impossible.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Shutter Island is based on Dennis Lehane’s book of the same name.  Both the novel and the movie get my highest recommendation.

Shutter Island is an anagram for Truths and Lies.  As Daniels gets deeper and deeper into the mystery, the weather gets worse and the skies darker.  The storm passes and the skies clear, once the mystery is solved.  Unfortunately sunny skies may not mean a happy ending.

There are subtle clues throughout the movie as to what is actually going on.  I won’t give them away, because discovering them as you watch the film is part of the fun.  There’s even more enjoyment watching the film again and seeing how everything is right before our eyes.

Shutter Island (2010) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“American Primeval” (2025) written by Mark L. Smith; directed by Peter Berg; starring Taylor Kitsch & Betty Gilpin / Z-View

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American Primeval (2025)

Created by: Mark L. Smith

Director: Peter Berg

Teleplay: Mark L. Smith

Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, Kyle Davis, Tokala Black Elk, Mustafa Speaks, Nick Hargrove, Alex Fine, Andrew P. Loga, Irene Bedard, Kim Coates and Shea Whigham.

Tagline:  No one survives alone.

The Plot…

1857.

A wagon train heading into the west is attacked. Isaac Reed, a frontiersman who had been trailing the group manages to get Sara Rowell and her son Devin away to safety.  Abish, a newlywed Morman bride shows courage as the surviving women are killed.  Abish’s life is spared, but she taken captive by one of the Paiutes.  Everyone else is left for dead.

Although badly wounded and partially scalped, Jacob Pratt survives.  Jacob is determined to find his bride Abish.

The attack on the wagon train appeared to be by Native Americans.  Although there were some Paiutes that participated, the massacre was led by a Morman militia.  The Mormans, led by Brigham Young, are determined to make this area of the west, their stronghold.  When it is learned that Abish survived and could identify that Mormans were involved in the raid, a squad is sent to find and kill her.

Bounty hunters are on the trail of Sara Rowell and her son.  Sara is wanted for the murder of a man back east.

As the US calvary prepares for revenge against the Shoshone (thought to have massacred the wagon train), bounty hunters are closing in on Isaac Reed, Sara, Devin, and Two Moon, a young Native American girl who joined their group.  At the same time the Morman soldiers are hunting Abish.

Each group will face more battles with the other groups, wolves, and the elements.  Most will not survive living in American Primeval.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

American Primeval writer Mark L. Smith also wrote The Revenant (2015).

Shea Whigham always raises the bar when he appears in a scene.

Arrows have never appeared so fast and dangerous as they do in this one.

American Primeval (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Tarzan Triumphs” (1943) starring Johnny Weissmuller / Z-View

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Tarzan Triumphs (1943)

Director:  Wilhelm Thiele

Screenplay: Carroll Young, Roy Chanslor ; story by Carroll Young; based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Frances Gifford, Johnny Sheffield, Stanley Ridges, Sig Ruman, Philip Van Zandt,
Pedro de Cordoba, George Lynn and Cheetah.

Tagline: A new exciting beauty arouses Tarzan’s fighting heart…as ruthless killers from the sky invade his jungle kingdom on a rampage of murder and worse! You’ll see…NEW TARZAN THRILLS by the thousand!

The Plot…

World War II rages, but until now has not reached the jungles of Tarzan.

Until now.

A squad of Nazi paratroopers has taken over the the lost city of Palandrya.  The Nazis are using the citizens as slave labor to mine rare minerals.  When the Nazis kidnap Tarzan’s adopted son, Boy, Tarzan is drawn into the war.

“Ungawa!”

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tarzan Triumphs was Johnny Weissmuller’s seventh outing as Tarzan.  Those films were made at MGM.  This movie came from RKO.  Along with Weissmuller, the studio got Johnny Sheffield (as Boy) and Cheetah.  Maureen O’Sullivan (who played Jane in the previous films) was under contract with MGM.  That’s why Jane is in England during this film.

World War II was still being fought when Tarzan Triumphs was made.  Sol Lesser, the executive producer of Tarzan Triumphs said it was suggested by the US State Department that having Tarzan fight Nazis would be a great morale builder.

If the fort where Tarzan and Boy are held captive looks familiar, it could be because it was the same set used in Gunga Din.

When it comes to killing Nazis even Boy, Cheeta and Boy’s pet elephant take part.

The final scene with Cheetah “talking” on the radio and Nazis in Germany thinking it is Hitler speaking is classic.

If you like Tarzan films of this era, Tarzan Triumphs is one of the better ones.

Tarzan Triumphs (1943) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Landman”: Season 1 (2023) written by Taylor Sheridan; starring Billy Bob Thorton, Demi Moore & John Hamm / Z-View

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Landman: Season 1 (2023)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace

Director: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-2); Stephen Kay (Eps. 3-5; 8-10); Michael Friedman  (Eps. 6-7)

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-10)

Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Paulina Chavez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, James Jordan, Demi Moore, Jon Hamm, Colm Feore, Mustafa Speaks, Mitchell Slaggert, Alex Meraz, Octavio Rodriguez, Ben Browder, Robyn Lively, Emilio Rivera, Andy García and Michael Peña.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Tommy Norris (Thorton) oversees operations for the M-Tex oil company.  It’s Tommy’s job to make sure everything runs smoothly and the company makes money.  That means Tommy is in charge of it all – from land purchases, hiring and firing of staff, oil well production, dealing with lawsuits, local law, gangs and whatever else might impede M-Tex’s profit margin.

Monty Miller (Hamm) owns M-Tex.  Although he’s a billionaire (on paper), if the oil market crashes, he could lose everything.  If the price of oil stays at the “sweet spot” where oil production can expand and profits are made, Miller will become even richer.  As many people go broke as get rich in the oil business.  And if the rich stay in the business, they risk losing it all.  No wonder Monty Miller has had several heart attacks.

This season Tommy will deal with…

  • … his son Cooper (Lofland) wanting to learn the oil business from the bottom up.  A tragic accident will change everything.
  • … his teenage daughter, Ainsley (Randolph) coming to live with him.  Ainsley is beautiful and loves attention.  Her mother has let her run wild and now it’s too late to tame Ainsley.
  • … his ex-wife, Angela (Larter) wanting to get back together. Angela has always used her good looks to get what she wants. Everyone (including Tommy) knows letting Angela move back in is a bad idea.  Tommy’s just too in love with her not to try.
  • … accidents on the job.  Men get injured and some killed.  Tommy has to navigate making sure the men are taken care of and the company maximizes profits.  These two things don’t always align.
  • … cartels using the oil fields for drug deals.  When a drug shipment is destroyed, the cartel boss tells Tommy the oil company must pay.   This puts a target on Tommy’s back.
  • … a hotshot young attorney, brought in by Monty.  She immediately takes a dislike to Tommy.  He feels the same towards her.
  • … escalating troubles with the cartel.  Jimenez, the midlevel Mexican crime boss, sees Tommy as the problem.  Jimenez is used to eliminating problems.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

We all know Taylor Sheridan can write and direct.  He also attracts others at the top of their fields to assist with those chores when he doesn’t himself.  For Landman Season 1, Sheridan writes every episode and directs the first two.

Stephen Kay helms six of the ten episodes.  Kay is known for directing episodes of The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, The Punisher, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, 1883, 1923 and one of my favorite films, Get Carter (2000).  Michael Friedman directs two episodes of Landman.  He’s known for direction on Lioness and Yellowstone.

The casting from the biggest to the smallest roles is on point.  Standouts include:

  • Billy Bob Thorton was born to play Tommy Norris.  Thorton is an excellent actor, and I’ve loved him in several roles.  This may be my favorite.
  • Ali Larter is excellent in a role that I love to dislike.
  • Michelle Randolph plays Elizabeth Strafford in 1923.  What a different character than the one she plays in Landman.  She’s excellent in both.  I guess that’s why they call it acting.
  • Jacob Lofland is more than holding his own.  I’ve seen Lofland before in Mud and Justified, but in Landman he shines.
  • Paulina Chavez has to walk a fine line in her role.  It would be easy to not like her character, but Chavez is doing a great job to get across the inner struggles of her choices.  The scene with her character telling Tommy she won’t be disrespected is a winner.
  • Kayla Wallace owns her role as the lawyer who goes for the throat in every interaction.  I’d never seen Wallace before in anything, but she’s one to watch.  Check out the scene when she tells the room full of attorneys, “This isn’t a negotiation…”
  • James Jordan is fun to watch.  He has a supporting role in this and Lioness.  He helps make both shows so good.
  • Jon Hamm – who doesn’t enjoy Jon Hamm’s acting.  He brings it every time out.  Hamm is very believable as the billionaire in danger of losing it all, but not afraid to take a risk.  It’d be easy to play this guy either “too cool for school” or “unsure of what to do next” — Hamm has the right mix.
  • Colm Feore – I’ve loved him in every scene he’s in.  Great addition to the show.
  • Michael Peña, Emilio Rivera and Andy García – had small but impactful roles.  It’s always nice when the right people are placed in every role.
  • Demi Moore – I think her role is going to become even more important in Season 2.

Taylor Sheridan has another winner.

Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Life of the Party” (1920) starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle / Z-View

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The Life of the Party (1920)

Director:  Joseph Henabery

Screenplay: Walter Woods; based on The Life of the Party by Irvin S. Cobb

Stars:  Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, Winifred Greenwood, Roscoe Karns, Julia Faye and William Boyd.

Tagline: A fast and festive fun frolic in five acts and forty antics. Filled with gambols, girls and giggles and all fussed up with joy.

The Plot…

Algernon Leary (Arbuckle) is a lawyer approached by Milly Hollister and ladies from the Better Babies League.  Business men from a milk consortium have worked together to drive up the price of milk. Algernon is attracted to Milly and agrees to take on the case.

Judge Voris, who is hearing the case has been secretly paid off by the consortium.  The Judge has his sights on a higher office and discrediting Algernon is first on his list.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Life of the Party is Arbuckle’s second full length feature.  It lacks to fun and joy of his shorts.

The Life of the Party (1920) rates 2 of 5 stars.

A SINGLE SHOT by Matthew F. Jones / Z-View

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A SINGLE SHOT by Matthew F. Jones

First sentence…

Before the sun is up, John Moon has showered, drunk two cups of coffee, and changed into his blue jeans, sweatshirt and Timberland hiking boots.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

John Moon has lost a lot.  First it was the family farm.  Then his wife and child.  His work at the factory doesn’t pay enough.  Times are tough.

It’s not hunting season, but John decides to risk another poaching fine. John hikes deep into the woods.  He spots a big stag and takes a shot.  The wounded beast runs off.  John doesn’t want the buck to suffer and tracks it.  Deeper in the woods, John bends down to check the trail.  He hears movement and looks up to see a flash of brown and white.  John fires and hears the animal fall.

As John is walking to where the buck fell, he’s suddenly surprised by the wounded animal charging him.  He’s gored in the shoulder as he strikes the stag with his rifle.  The buck goes down and is soon out of its misery.  John is confused.  He thought he killed the buck with his second shot.

John pushed through the brush to where he heard the animal fall.  It was a young woman.  She’s dead.  Killed by John. John’s sick.  He broke the hunter’s code.  Be sure of what you’re shooting before you pull the trigger.  John considers his options.  Turning himself in won’t change anything for the girl.  It’ll destroy his family.  And put him in prison.  Why was she out here anyway?

John decides to bury her.  He looks around. Nearby is a small cave opening.  John decides that will be the girl’s final resting place.  As he checks it out, John discovers a metal box full of money.

John makes another decision.  It’s an easier one.  He takes the money.  Places the body in the cave.  Says a prayer.  Then does his best to remove any evidence he was there.  Finished, John hikes out.

 John is paranoid as the days pass.  Bad men have a way of finding what’s theirs.  And soon they will.

Rating:

“Backfire” (1950) starring Edmond O’Brien, Virginia Mayo and Gordon MacRae / Z-View

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Backfire (1950)

Director:  Vincent Sherman

Screenplay: Ivan Goff, Larry Marcus, Ben Roberts; story by Larry Marcus

Stars:  Edmond O’Brien, Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Dane Clark, Viveca Lindfors, Sheila MacRae, David Hoffman, Monte Blue, Russ Conway,  John Daheim, John Dehner and Ed Begley.

Tagline: A double-cross that doubled back…with a blonde on the end of it!

The Plot…

1948.  Although the war is over, Bob Corey (MacRae) is still in a military hospital recovering from injuries.  One surgery to go and Bob will just need some rehab to be good as new.  Then he plans to marry his nurse, Julie Benson (Mayo) and open a ranch with his best friend Steve Connelly (O’Brien).  Bob and Steve have been best friends since serving together in the war.  Steve regularly visits Bob… until he doesn’t show up one day.

Late one night as Bob recovers from his final surgery a strange woman appears in his room.  She wakes Bob and tells him that Steve was crippled in a terrible accident.  She says that Steve wants to die but she refuses to help him commit suicide.  As Bob falls back to sleep, the woman disappears.

Bob leaves the hospital determined to find his friend.  As he follows clues, Bob doesn’t get much help.  The police are looking for Steve for other reasons.  A gambler named Lou Walsh (whose very name scares people) seems involved some how.  But who is Lou Walsh?

As Bob gets closer to the truth, people begin to get murdered.  The killer now has his sights on Bob and his fiancé Julie.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The movie was filmed in 1948, but not released until 1950.  In those two years Mayo and MacRae had become bigger stars and so their names were moved up to the top in advertising materials.

Backfire (1950) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Special Ops: Lioness” aka “Lioness”: Season 1(2023); created by Taylor Sheridan; starring Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly with Morgan Freeman and Nicole Kidman / Z-View

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Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 (2023)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan

Director: John Hillcoat (Eps. 1-2; 7-8); Anthony Byrne (Eps. 3-4); Paul Cameron  (Eps. 5-6)

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-2; 4-8); Taylor Sheridan; story by Taylor Sheridan and Thomas Brady (Ep. 3);

Stars: Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Hannah Love Lanier, Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly, Thad Luckinbill, Celestina Harris, Stephanie Nur, Martin Donovan, Max Martini and Morgan Freeman.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Joe McNamara (Saldaña) is a CIA squad leader in charge of the Lioness program.  Their mission is to take out Asmar Ali Amrohi.  Amrohi finances terrorism throughout the world.  The plan is to give Sergeant First Class Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira) a false identity and get her close to Amrohi’s daughter, Aaliyah (Nur).  Then given the opportunity, Cruz will kill Amrohi or call in an air strike to take out everyone in Amrohi’s vicinity.

Problems arise when Cruz begins to feel a true friendship for Aaliyah.  Meanwhile Joe deals issues at home and the Senate Oversite Committee.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

One of my favorite parts of the show are the characters that make up the Lioness squad.  The show features a great mix of side missions, Joe’s home problems as well as dealings with politicians.

Taylor Sheridan has another winner.

Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 rates 4 of 5 stars.