Category: Z-View

“Free Solo” / Z-View

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Free Solo (2018)

Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth, Chai Vasarhelyi

Stars: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Jimmy Chin and Sanni McCandless

The Pitch: “Alex Honnold plans to free solo climb Yosemite’s 3,000 ft high El Capitan and will let us film it!”

Tagline: Live Beyond Fear

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Alex Honnold is one of the most skilled mountain climbers of all time.  His love of climbing has taken him to the best known and most dangerous peaks anywhere.  His ability to climb these  mountains has made him one of the very few professional climbers in the world.

Honnold often climbs “free solo” — without ropes or any safety gear.  Many of the best known free solo climbers have died, which isn’t surprising considering that any mistake that causes a fall is usually fatal.  Honnold plans to do what no one has ever done before – –  to free solo climb Yosemite’s 3,000 ft high El Capitan or die trying.

This documentary does an excellent job of introducing the audience to Honnold and his eccentricities.  Honnold’s personal quirks have cost him relationships but help with his focus and drive.  The film makers are tasked with presenting the climb and staying out of Honnold’s way.

Watching Honnold’s climb is scary, exhilerating and will leave you in awe at how close to the edge (literally and figuartively) free solo climbers live.  If you plan to watch I promise moments where you will push back away from the screen and find yourself wiping the sweat from your palms.

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“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) / Z-View

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Director:  Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Screenplay: Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman from a story by Phil Lord

Stars: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Zoë Kravitz, Nicholas Cage, Liev Schreiber and Chris Pine.

The Pitch: “Let’s make an amazing animated Spider-Man movie featuring all of the various versions of Spidey!”

Tagline: Enter a universe where more than one wears the mask.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a beautifully animated movie that is a joy to watch and a love letter to comic books.  That’s because Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is unlike any other animated movie ever.  It actually looks like a comic book come to life right down to the zip-a-tone dot patterns, captions and sound effects come to life.

The story involves young Miles Morales bitten by a radioactive spider and empowered with, you guessed it, spider-like powers.  Miles finds himself the heir to Spider-Man when Peter Parker is killed trying to stop Wilson The Kingpin Fisk from opening up a portal to other dimensions.  Miles has no idea how to use his new powers or to stop Fisk.  Fortunately, when the portal opened alternate universe versions of Spider-Man came through.  These versions of Spider-Man team with Miles to try to stop Fisk and get back to their rightful dimensions before they disintegrate.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has well-developed characters, humor and suspense.  It’s beautiful to watch and a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

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“Bird Box” / Z-View

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Bird Box (2018)

Director: Susanne Bier

Screenplay: Eric Heisserer based on the novel by Josh Malerman

Stars: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson, Jacki Weaver and B.D. Wong.

The Pitch: “Let’s turn the apocalyptic novel Bird Box into a movie!”

Tagline: Never Lose Sight of Survival.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

When an unknown global pandemic strikes a diverse group of strangers find themselves barricaded in a house.  They soon discover that unknown entities are causing people who see them to go crazy and kill themselves or others.  As the time they’re holed up grows longer and supplies grow smaller, they become as much a threat to each other as the unknown that awaits outside.

I’m a huge fan of apocalyptic movies where strangers must find a way to get along to survive.  Bird Box falls into this category and doesn’t disappoint.  Although this is clearly a Sandra Bullock showcase, she is surrounded by an excellent supporting cast.   Trevante Rhodes is especially good.

Fans of The Mist, World War Z and the like should really enjoy this new twist on the apocalypse.

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Midnight Mystery #1 / Z-View

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Midnight Mystery #1 is part of a four-issue mini-series published by Alterna Comics.

Writer: Bernie Gonzalez
Artist: Bernie Gonzalez
Colorist: Bernie Gonzalez
Letterer: Wes Lochner
Cover Artist: Bernie Gonzalez

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Follow the strange adventures of detective Zeke King as he goes from case to horrifying case. In this issue: King’s latest case goes from freaky to fatal when he’s hired to find the lost son of a deceased horror host! The mystery begins in this new supernatural horror series!

Bernie Gonzalez’s Midnight Mystery is the Alterna series I was most looking forward to and it lived up to all of my expectations.  Gonzalez created a fun issue that quickly introduces us to Zeke King’s world and things to come.  I grew up watching Sammy Terry introduce late night monster movies and love that Count Karloff (a perfect name for a horror host) is used in the first Zeke King arc.  The issue ends with a cliffhanger and left me wanting more.  What better praise for a comic?

Gonzalez’s writing, like his art, is clear and supports the story in a lean, efficient way.  Many folks compare Gonzalez’s art to Darwyne Cooke and I don’t disagree but I also see the influence of Alex Toth and Paul Grist.

Bring on issue 2!
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“Creed II” (2018) / Z-View

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Creed II (2018)

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Screenplay: Sylvester Stallone,  Juel Taylor

Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Russell Hornsby, Wood Harris, Milo Ventimiglia, Andre Ward and Brigitte Nielsen.

The Pitch: “The Rocky/Creed saga continues!”

Tagline: None.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

After winning the Heavyweight Championship, Adonis Creed under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa is on top of the world.  He’s ready to marry Bianca and start a family, his step-mother has accepted that he’s a fighter and Rocky is doing better with his cancer battle.  The bad thing about being on top of the world is there is always someone who wants to take your spot.

Victor Drago, son of Ivan Drago is a monster of a man.  He’s been winning fights by devastating knockouts and has his sights on Creed’s title.  A Drago/Creed match-up would be a boxing fan’s and promoter’s dream.  Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed in an exhibition boxing match.  Rocky traveled to Russia to fight and beat Ivan Drago in a follow-up match.  After that fight Rocky was never quite the same and Drago disappeared from the boxing scene.  A fight between Apollo’s son (who is trained by Rocky) against Victor Drago, (trained by his father, the man who killed Apollo) is a bout that sells itself.

The idea that Drago didn’t just lose the fight to Rocky Balboa, he lost everything – his standing in his country, the privilege being the best fighter brought him, the honor and prestige granted a superior athlete and most importantly his wife.  Drago has lived with this hurt and humiliation for over 30 years.  It has hardened him and made him bitter.  Drago has, as Rocky says, “raised (his son) in hate.”  Ivan and Victor travel to the US to issue a personal challenge to Adonis who instantly wants to take the fight.  Rocky doesn’t want it and refuses to train Adonis.  To give away more would be wrong.

Any time a sequel follows a successful, wildly popular movie, expectations are high.  Creed II lives up to them.  Of course the actors do a great job – the movie is again perfectly cast with all the main players returning to reprise their characters.  New additions, Russell Hornsby as promoter Buddy Marcell and Florian ‘Big Nasty’ Munteanu as Victor Drago are excellent in their roles and add to the Rocky/Creed universe.

The story rises well above the reprise of a Creed/Drago replay.  Creed II has (as it should) call backs to the earlier Rocky movies but they feel natural.  Hats off to screenwriters Stallone and Taylor for avoiding clichés, providing unexpected turns and excellent dialogue. Director, Steven Caple Jr., had big shoes to fill and does so.  Sly Stallone, nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Creed, should get a nomination for Creed II and this time he should win.  Also, Dolph Lundgren should be given kudos — his scene with Sly early on was my favorite of the movie.

The movie works so well because it doesn’t just focus on the fight drama.  Each of the major characters has a life beyond just the scenes that they appear in.   Milo Ventimiglia and Brigitte Nielsen appearances were icing on the cake.

Creed II will of course appeal to fans of the Rocky/Creed series, and to all who love great movies.  Bring on Creed III.

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“Overlord” (2018) / Z-View

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Overlord (2018)

Director: Julius Avery

Screenplay: Billy Ray, Mark L. Smith from a story by Billy Ray

Stars: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbæk and Bokeem Woodbine.

The Pitch: “Think Saving Private Ryan meets Dawn of the Dead.”

Tagline: None.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

A team of soldiers is flown deep into enemy territory the night before D-Day.  Their mission to destroy a Nazi radio tower is essential to the success of the Allied invasion.  When their plane is blown from the sky, a few of the soldiers survive.  In order to complete their mission they will find themselves against a company of Nazis and something much, much worse.

Overlord starts out as a straight war movie, becomes a tense drama and then goes full tilt horror.  The action in each genre smoothly integrates and the end result is a scary, roller coaster of a movie that satisfies and leaves you hoping for another ride.  While Overlord‘s trailers give you the broad strokes, there are enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most jaded horror movie/zombie fan.

When the movie was over I turned to my wife and said, “The guy who played Ford would make a great Snake Plissken.”  She responded, “You know that he’s Kurt Russell’s son, right?”  Truth be told, I didn’t, but stand by my opinion that he would make a great Snake Plissken and Overlord will make a nice addition to my movie collection.

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Reviews That Resonate!

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Recently Christopher McQuarrie sent out the following in a Tweet…

After 25 years of making them, I’ve learned to measure movies not in terms of quality, but of resonance. Some resonate with me. Others don’t. Some resonate with the masses, others don’t. I wasted years of creative energy arguing quality. I was wrong even when I was right.

That quote really, pardon the expression, resonated with me.  So many times when I was reviewing a movie (book, tv show, etc.) and tried to grade it, the end result felt wrong.  There are movies (books, tv shows, etc.) I absolutely love that fall short of being classics, but I don’t love them any less.  At the other end of the spectrum there are movies (books, oh, you get what I mean) that are considered classics that I can’t stand.

Arguing the point with someone who felt differently was, ah, pointless.  So I’ve decided to change up my ratings.  The grades are gone.  Now we have a simple number system that indicates how the movie resonated with me.

Your mileage may be different.  And the cool thing is we’d both be right.

 

Den of Thieves (2018) / Z-View

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Den of Thieves (2018)

Director: Christian Gudegast

Screenplay: Christian Gudegast and Paul Scheuring

Stars: Gerard Butler, Jordan Bridges, Pablo Schreiber, Evan Jones,O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, Cooper Andrews and Michael Bisping.

The Pitch: “Think The Shield meets Heat!”

Tagline: None.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Big Nick Flannagan (Butler) leads a LA Sheriff’s office strike force on the trail of an elite team of thieves who’ve staged several bank robberies executed with military precision.  Flannagan’s team considers themselves a gang with badges and they’re not above doing whatever it takes to solve cases. When they find themselves head-to-head with thieves that are their equals it becomes clear that a final showdown is looming.

Den of Thieves is more than just a good guys vs bad guys or heist movie.  I really liked it and the 2 hours and 20 minutes flew by.  Everyone with me felt the same.  It was interesting in that the most likable character wasn’t Big Nick Flannagan, yet, like The Shield‘s Vic Mackey, you find yourself pulling for him.  Den of Thieves hits all the right notes and has a great twist ending that I won’t spoil.  I have a feeling that Den of Thieves will be one that I like even better on subsequent viewings.

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Pathfinder (2007) / Z-View

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Pathfinder (2007)

Director: Marcus Nispel

Screenplay: Laeta Kalogridis

Stars:  Karl Urban, Clancy Brown, Moon Bloodgood, Russell Means and Ralf Moeller

The Pitch: “Indians and… what for it… Vikings!!”

Tagline: Two Worlds, One War. The Ultimate Battle Begins.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A Viking child left behind after a brutal battle with American Indians is taken in by the tribe and raised to manhood as an Indian Warrior.  When the Vikings return years later, his loyalty is tested.

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This Island Earth (1955) / Z-View

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This Island Earth (1955)

Director: Joseph Newman

Screenplay: Franklin Coen and George Callahan

Stars:  Jeff Morrow, Faith Domergue, Rex Reason and Russell Johnson

Tagline: 2-1/2 YEARS IN THE MAKING ! …to bring you sights of FANTASTIC AMAZEMENT never before possible on the motion picture screen!

The Plot:  Beware of Spoilers…

Dr. Cal Meacham is a well-known scientist who mysteriously receives components and instructions to create a never-before-seen communication machine.  Once constructed, Meacham is contacted by a strange being who offers Meacheam a chance to join his research team.  Meacham accepts and is taken to a secret location where he meets other scientists, including Dr. Ruth Adams, a former girlfriend.  When strange things begin to happen Meacham, Adams and another scientist discover that they are working for aliens preparing for war!

Thoughts…

The special effects should be listed as a star!

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Harvey (1950) / Z-View

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Harvey (1950)

Director: Henry Koster

Screenplay: Mary Chase & Oscar Brodney from the play by Mary Chase

Stars:  James Stewart, Wallace Ford, William H. Lynn

The Pitch: “Let’s turn ‘Harvey’ into a movie!”

Tagline: The Wonderful Pulitzer Prize Play… becomes one of the Great Motion Pictures of our Time!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Folks know Elwood P. Dowd (Stewart) to be a bit, uh, eccentric.  After all he believes that his best pal is a six-foot tall invisible rabbit.  When his sister has had enough and decides to have Elwood committed a comedy of errors ensues.

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) / Z-View

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Director: James Gunn

Screenplay: James Gunn, Dan Abnett based on the Marvel comics

Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice), Michael Rooker,  Sylvester Stallone, Jeff Goldblum and Kurt Russell.

The Pitch: “Time to make another Guardians of the Galaxy!”

Tagline: You only get one chance to save the galaxy twice.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Although the Guardians are now considered heroes, they earn their living as mercenaries.  On the run after barely escaping with their lives from a job gone wrong (Thanks, Rocket!), they meet a being claiming to be Peter’s father.  Although he/it may be Peter’s dad, something’s not right…

Stallone’s cameo is a bonus!

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The Conjuring (2013) / Z-View

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The Conjuring (2013)

Director: James Wan

Screenplay: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes (as Carey W. Hayes)

Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston

The Pitch: “A remote house… spooky going-ons… evil!”

Tagline: None

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When strange things continue to happen in their remote farm home, Carolyn and Roger Perron contact paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warren’s discover that true evil lurks there

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Navy Seals vs. Zombies (2015) / Z-View

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Navy Seals vs. Zombies (2015)

Director: Stanton Barrett

Screenplay: Matthew Carpenter from a story by A.K. Waters

Stars: Ed Quinn, Michael Dudikoff, Rick Fox

The Pitch: “Zombies, and, wait for it… Navy Seals!”

Tagline: None (Perhaps the budget was so low they couldn’t afford one.)

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

The title says it all. Navy Seals are sent in to rescue folks during a zombie outbreak. High concept – low execution.

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The Last of the Mohicans (1936) / Z-View

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The Last of the Mohicans (1936)

Director: George B. Seitz

Screenplay: Philip Dunne based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper

Stars: Randolph Scott, Binnie Barnes, Henry Wilcoxon.

The Pitch: “Let’s turn the classic Last of the Mohicans into a movie!”

Tagline: James Fenimore Cooper’s Greatest Tale Of Rousing Adventure!

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
A classic love story set against the background of the Colonial Indian Wars. A half-breed Indian scout becomes entangled in a blood dispute between Magua and Colonial Munro, when Munro’s daughters are targeted for execution by Magua and his warriors.

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