Category: Z-View

Takers (2010) / Z-View

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Takers (2010)

Director: John Luessenhop

Screenplay: Peter Allen & Gabriel Casseus and John Luessenhop & Avery Duff

Stars: Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon, Michael Ealy, Idris Elba, Paul Wakler and Zoe Saldana.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie about a pair of cops after a gang of thieves and will put in two twists at the end!”

Tagline: “Everyone’s after something.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A very successful group of thieves finds a huge score suddenly placed before them by a team member who just go out of prison.  The short time for prep before the score is going to be as much of an issue as the pair of cops that they don’t know are on their trail.

There are a couple of nice twists near the end of the film.

 

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) / Z-View

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Director: J.J. Abrams

Screenplay: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman & Damon Lindelof based on characters created by Gene Roddenberry 

Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Peg, John Cho, Benedict Cumberpatch, Bruce Greenwood and Peter Weller.

The Pitch: “Isn’t about time for a new Star Trek movie?”

Tagline: “Beyond the darkness, lies greatness.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

After a super-powered genius leaves Star Fleet in shambles and Earth in crisis, Kirk and crew track him to Klingon territory.  Before it’s over Kirk and his Enterprise team will face off against the terrorist, Klingons and Star Fleet.

 

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The Legend of Tarzan (2016) / Z-View

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The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

Director: David Yates

Screenplay: Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer based on the Tarzan stories created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie and Djimon Hounsou.

The Pitch: “Isn’t about time for a new Tarzan movie?”

Tagline: “Human. Nature.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

John Clayton aka Tarzan [Skarsgård] is living a wealthy life in England with his beautiful wife Jane [Robbie] when they are lured back to Africa under false pretenses. Jane is kidnapped and Tarzan goes to save her.  Soon Tarzan finds himself pitted against a native tribe [he did kill the chief’s son] and an army.  Of course Tarzan isn’t called the King of the Jungle for nothing.

 

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Dark Was the Night (2014) / Z-View

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Dark Was the Night (2014)

Director: Jack Heller

Screenplay: Tyler Hisel

Stars:  Kevin Durand, Lukas Haas and Steve Agee.

The Pitch: “Hey, anybody remember the movie ‘Prophecy’?”

Tagline: “Evil’s Roots Run Deep”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Strange things are happening and the townspeople are on edge.  Giant cloven hoof prints going through town, pets and livestock turning up missing or mutilated, strange sounds at night have people jumpy.  Some think that a legendary creature is back.

They’re not far off.

Bonus points for the ending.  Minus points for the CGI.

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The Courier (2012) / Z-View

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The Courier (2012)

Director: Hany Abu-Assad

Screenplay: Brannon Coombs, Pete Dris

Stars: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Josie Ho, Til Schweiger, Miguel Ferrer, Lili Taylor, Mark Margolis and Mickey Rourke.

The Pitch: “I’ve got an idea for a new ‘Transporter’ movie!”

Tagline: “He delivers”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A transporter courier is hired to deliver a briefcase containing who knows what.  He’ll be paid a million dollars if he meets the deadline.  If he is late his family will be killed.

I’m a Jeffrey Dean Morgan fan and The Courier starts out fun enough with a girl held at gunpoint on a plank from the top of a roller coaster.  The clock is clicking down — will the courier get the money there in time.

I won’t spoil it for you but after that intro we’re off and running (the clock is ticking again after all).  Great cast and a fun movie right up until the very end.  Things seem rushed and convoluted as the movie comes to a close.  Mickey Rourke has a glorified cameo.

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Creed (2015) / Z-View

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Creed (2015)

Director: Ryan Coogler

Screenplay:  Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington

Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Andre Ward, Tony Bellew, Ritchie Coster and Graham McTavish.

The Pitch: “I’ve got an idea for a new ‘Rocky’ movie!”

Tagline: “Your legacy is more than a name”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Adonis Johnson-Creed is the illegitimate and widely unknown grown son of Apollo Creed.  Fighting is in his blood.  When Adonis decides to give pro boxing a go, he seeks out Rocky Balboa to train him.  Rocky isn’t interested but before it is over Adonis and Rocky will both face the fights of their lives.

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Cabin in the Sky (1943) / Z-View

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Cabin in the Sky (1943)

Director: Vincente Minnelli, Busby Berkeley (uncredited)

Screenplay: Joseph Schrank based on the musical by Lynn Root

Stars: Ethel Waters, Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, Lena Horne, Butterfly McQueen, Louis Armstrong, Rex Ingram, Kenneth Spencer, and Duke Ellington.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie version of ‘Cabin in the Sky!’”

Tagline: “Broadway’s big, fun-jammed music show is on the screen at last–crowded with stars and songs and spectacle in the famed MGM manner!”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Little Joe [Anderson] dies after being shot during a night of gambling and fast women. Before his soul can be claimed, Little Joe’s wife, Petunia [Waters] prays so hard for Little Joe that angels show up just as the Devil’s soldiers prepare to wisk him away.  A decision is made that Little Joe will be returned to the living and have six months to earn his way heaven or be claimed by the devils.  The catch is Little Joe will remember none of this.

The devils plot to place every obstacle possible in Little Joe’s path from fast women like Georgia Brown [Horne] to fast cash and no-account friends.  Will Joe make it to the Cabin in the Sky?

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O.J.: Made in America (2016) / Z-View

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O.J.: Made in America (2016)

Director: Ezra Edelman

The Pitch: “The make a documentary like ‘Making a Murderer’ but with the most famous murder trial in American history!”

No Tagline.

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

An amazing documentary that explores in detail the trial of OJ Simpson for the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman as well as the history of the years leading up to the murders. And not just the history of OJ and Nicole, but also the United States – the evolution of civil liberties, the reputation of the LA police, the rise of O.J. Simpson’s celebrity as a sports and movie star and how these different factors came together to create a climate that gave us the OJ Simpson murder trial.

The documentary takes us past the criminal trial to the civil trial, OJ’s life following it and the subsequent activities and trial that cost OJ Simpson his freedom.

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Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) / Z-View

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Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)

Director: Charles Lamont
Screenplay: D.D. Beauchamp and Howard Christie from a story by John Grant.
Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Robert Paige and Anita Ekberg.

The Pitch: “How about Abbott & Costello go to Mars?”

No Tagline: “THEY’RE OUT OF THIS WORLD ON A MISGUIDED MISSLE!”

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Abbott and Costello accidently launch a rocket destined for Mars. It ends up in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. Bud and Lou think they’re on Mars after interacting with locals. When they get back on the rocket they’re joined by two escaped cons and all four of them end up on the planet Venus which is ruled by women. Will Bud and Lou get back to Earth? Will they even want to?

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The Night Stalker (2016) / Z-View

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The Night Stalker (2016)

Director: Megan Griffiths
Screenplay: Megan Griffiths
Stars: Bellamy Young, Lou Diamond Phillips and Louis Herthum.

The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie about the real life serial killer known as ‘The Night Stalker’.”

No Tagline.

The Plot…

A young woman [Young] is given the job to get to know Richard Ramirez aka “The Night Stalker” in an effort to find out if he is responsible for a murder attributed to another man who is sentenced to die for it.

Thoughts…

Phillips is convincing as The Night Stalker.

The drawings that are seen in Richard Ramirez’s cell are actual drawings done by Ramirez.

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I Died a Thousand Times (1955) / Z-View

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I Died a Thousand Times (1955)

Director: Stuart Heisler
Screenplay: W.R. Burnett
Stars: Jack Palance, Shelley Winters, Lori Nelson, Lee Marvin, Lon Chaney, Jr., Earl Holliman and Dennis Hopper.

The Pitch: “Let’s remake ‘High Sierra.’”

Tagline: “The Story Behind The Terrifying 60-Day Hunt For Desperado ‘Mad-Dog’ Earle!”

The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…

Roy Earl [Palance] an infamous bank robber [think Dillinger] is sprung from prison by an old crime boss who wants Earl for a big robbery. Obligated for his freedom, Earl drives west to check out the set up.

Once he meets up with his old boss, Earl discovers the robbery plan is good and the money is right, but his partners are young, inexperienced thugs [Marvin & Holliman] looking to make a name for themselves… plus they have a woman [Winters] with them and everyone knows women and crime plans don’t work out.

Before it is over there will be a robbery, people killed, double-crosses and a manhunt for the “Mad Dog Killer” Roy Earl.

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Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) / Z-View

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Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez

Screenplay: Frank Miller

Stars: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Powers Boothe, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Lloyd, Jaime King, Stacy Keach, Lady Gaga and Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez.

The Pitch: “It is time for Sin City 2.”

Tagline: “There is no justice without sin.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

If you enjoyed Sin City, you’ll want to come back for a second anthology of Frank Miller yarns.  Rourke, Alba, Dawson, Willis and King all reprise their original roles.  Brolin is excellent as he  picks up the role played by Clive Owen and there is an explanation from the original Sin City stories explaining the change in his look.  Eva Green is perfect as Ava.  Gordon-Levitt is also a welcome addition to the cast.  I hope there won’t be a seven year gap until the next Sin City tale.

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Everest (2015) / Z-View

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Everest (2015)

Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenplay: William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy
Stars: Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa, Thomas M. Wright, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal and Robin Wright .

The Pitch: “The true story of mountaineers stranded on the highest mountain in the world during one of the worst blizzards imaginable.”

Tagline: “Never let go”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The tagline says it all.

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Hercules (2014) / Z-View

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Hercules (2014)
Director: Brett Ratner
Screenplay: Ryan J. Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Rufus Sewell and Joseph Fiennes.

The Pitch: “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is Hercules.”

Tagline: “Before he was a legend, he was a man.”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Hercules (Johnson) travels with a band of mercenaries travel the world working for the highest bidder.  After they have trained a warlord’s army they learn that his motives were not what they seemed.

Johnson is a great Hercules and I like the idea that his fellow mercenaries add freely to his reputation to make their enemies more fearful.  I would have liked to have seen less CGI, less team Hercules and more HERCULES!

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Standoff (2016) / Z-View

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Standoff (2016)
Director: Adam Alleca
Screenplay: Adam Alleca
Stars: Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne and Ella Ballentine.

The Pitch: “A hitman, a little girl who witnessed the murder and the only man who can save her are trapped in a remote house…”

Tagline: “A Deadly Game Only One Can Survive”

 

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A hitman (Zishburne) tracks a little girl (Bird) who witnessed a murder to a rural house owned by a grieving vet (Jane).  A psychological battle punctuated by high power weapons ensues.

Fishburne is outstanding as the hitman determined to leave no witnesses.

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