Category: Z-View

CASSIDY’S GIRL by David Goodis / Z-View

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CASSIDY’S GIRL by David Goodis

First sentence…

It was raining in Philadelphia as Cassidy worked the bus through heavy traffic on Market Street.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A few years ago Jim Cassidy was flying high.  Literally.  Cassidy was a well paid airline pilot.  Life was good.  Really good.

But that was then.

Cassidy was piloting a plane that crashed.  78 people were on board.  Eleven survived.  Cassidy was one of them.  The airline needed a scapegoat.  Cassidy was made to order.  They said Cassidy had been to a party the night before.  He had.  They said when he was flying the plane that crashed, he was drunk.  He wasn’t.

That didn’t matter.  Cassidy was fired.  He lost his pilot’s license and was lucky not to be put on trial.

Since then Cassidy’s life spiraled.  He lost everything.  He drank too much.  Way too much.  After a night of of boozing it up, he and Mildred, another drunk, got married.  It was a match made in hell.

Cassidy drives a bus by day while Mildred spends the time at a nearby bar drinking.  Cassidy comes home to find her drunk or still at the bar.  Then he starts drinking.  They fight.  Have sex.  Rinse and repeat.

Then Cassidy finds Mildred and Haney Kenrick getting friendly at the bar. Cassidy decides he’s had enough.  He tells Mildred he’s leaving her.  She asks for another chance.  Even though Cassidy is done, Kenrick wants Cassidy out of the way…

… and Kenrick has a plan.

+++

David Goodis takes us into a world of drunks, schemers and losers beaten down by the world and their own frailties.  CASSIDY’S GIRL is noir at it’s darkest.  I like the duality of the title. If I have any nit to pick, it is the ending is a bit too pat and upbeat for all that has come before.

This is my third Goodis novel and he’s yet to disappoint.

Rating:

“The Long Walk” (2025) / Z-View

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The Long Walk (2025)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Screenplay:  JT Mollner; based on THE LONG WALK by Stephen King.

Stars:  Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Roman Griffin Davis, Josh Hamilton, Judy Greer and Mark Hamill.

Tagline: The task is simple: Walk or Die

The Plot…

Following a civil war, the US has become a military dictatorship.  Each year and event known as The Long Walk is held.  Fifty boys, one from each state, is randomly selected to particpate in the televised event.

The boys are given food and water.  Once The Long Walk starts it goes until there is one winner.  Participants must walk at a sustained speed of atleast 3 miles per hour.   Fall below that speed and a warning is issued.  After the third warning, the walker is executed.

The Long Walk ends when only one person left.  The winner gets a big cash prize and one wish answered.  The event is held to inspire patriotism and work ethic in a country working to recover from a great economic depression.

Friendships are formed as the boys begin their trek… but there can be only one survivor.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In Stephen King’s novel the participants must maintain a walking speed of 4mph.  King asked that the speed be changed to 3mph for the movie.  He felt that 4mph was unrealistic for the distance they had to cover.

Way back in 1988, George “Night of the Living Dead” was attached to direct an adaptation of The Long Walk.

In a cast of exceptional actors, David Jonsson and Mark Hamill are standouts.

Kudos also to JT Mollner for his excellent screenplay.

I thought the ending was the weakest part of an exceptional movie.  I have since learned that there was an alternate ending.  I would have preferred the alternate ending much more. ***SPOILER ALERT***  In  the alterate ending, Pete spares the Major’s life. A postscript reveals Pete mails three envelopes filled with cash are mailed each month to Hank’s widow, Ray’s mother, and Art’s grandmother.

The Long Walk (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Wild Angels” (1966) directed by Roger Corman, starring Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern & Diane Ladd / Z-View

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The Wild Angels (1966)

Director: Roger Corman

Screenplay:  Charles B. Griffith, Peter Bogdanovich (uncredited)

Stars: Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Buck Taylor, Norman Alden, Gayle Hunnicutt, Dick Miller and Michael J. Pollard.

Tagline: Their credo is violence…Their God is hate…and they call themselves ‘The Wild Angels’

The Plot…

When “Loser’s” motorcyle is stolen, his Wild Angels’ brothers head down to Mexico to get it back.  A run-in with another gang and the cops leaves Loser in bad shape.  When Loser dies, the Wild Angels decide to give him a grand send-off.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Roger Corman used real Hell’s Angels as extras.

The Wild Angels features Diane Ladd’s feature film debut.

The Wild Angels (1966) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“I.S.S.” (2023) / Z-View

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I.S.S. (2023)

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Screenplay:  Nick Shafir

Stars:  Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbæk.

Tagline: The war on Earth will be decided in space.

The Plot…

Kira Foster and Christian Campbell are American asatronauts who just arrived to the I.S.S. (International Space Station).  There they meet American Commander Gordon Barrett and Russian cosmonauts Weronika Vetrov, Nicholai Pulov and his brother Alexey Pulov.

Kira and Christian are happy to discover the comradery among the group.  Everyone works as a team with no political rifts.  The astronauts and cosmonauts are truly friends.

Kira is in awe of Earth seen from the ISS.  Awe changes to terror as Kira witnesses nuclear explosions appear across the planet.  The rest of the ISS crew stares in disbelief as the explosions light up the Earth.   Attempts to contact ground support fail.

Commander Gordon recieves a secret coded message from US ground control.  Russia initiated an attack on the US and nuclear war commenced.  Gordon is told take control of the ISS “by any means necessary”.  Gordon secretly informs the US astronauts of their orders.  He is sure that the cosmonauts have received the same message from their government.

The war on Earth will be decided in space.  

Blast off.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

 I love the concept of American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS when a nuclear war breaks out.  While the movie is good, it fell short of my expectations.

I.S.S. (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Little Big Man” (1970) starring Dustin Hoffman / Z-View

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Little Big Man (1970)

Director: Arthur Penn

Screenplay:  Calder Willingham; based on LITTLE BIG MAN by Thomas Berger

Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey, Chief Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Aimee Eccles, William Hickey, James Anderson, Alan Oppenheimer, Thayer David, Annette O’Toole and Richard Mulligan.

Tagline: Little Big Man Was Either The Most Neglected Hero In History Or A Liar Of Insane Proportion!

The Plot…

Jack Crabb is 121 years old.  A historian records Jack as he recounts his life story.  According to Jack, his parents were killed by Indians.  Jack and his sister were taken captive.  His sister escaped, and Jack was raised for a few years by the Indians.  Jack was given the name Little Big Man.

While still in his teens, Jack is “rescued” and sent to live with Reverend Silas Pendrake and his young sexually unfulfilled wife.  From there Jack’s life took unexpected twists and turns including…

  • Jack’s time with a traveling snakeoil salesman
  • Jack’s adventures as a feared gunslinger known as the Soda Pop Kid
  • Jack’s time as Wild Bill Hickok’s close friend
  • Jack’s married life as a partner in a general store
  • Jack’s travels west, attacked by Indians (again) and reunited with his Indian family
  • Jack’s troubles with a Contrary brave
  • Jack’s run-ins with General George Armstrong Custer
  • Jack’s claim to be the only white man who survived the Battle at the Little Big Horn
  • and even more

Jack aka Little Big Man is Either The Most Neglected Hero In History Or A Liar Of Insane Proportion!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Chief Dan George was a 1971 Academy Award Nominee for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role.  This was the first time a Native American received an Academy Award nomination.

There was an actual historical figure named Little Big Man.  He was an Oglala Lakota warrior who did fight at the Battle of Little Big Horn.

When Dustin Hoffman’s character is adopted, Faye Dunaway plays his new mother.  Hoffman is four years older than Dunaway in real life.

Little Big Man features Annette O’Toole’s film debut.

Little Big Man (1970) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Pitch Black” (2000) directed by David Twohy, starring Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Keith David & Cole Hauser / Z-View

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Pitch Black (2000)

Director: David Twohy

Screenplay:  Ken Wheat, Jim Wheat, David Twohy; story by Ken Wheat, Jim Wheat

Stars:  Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Claudia Black and Keith David.

Tagline: Don’t be afraid of the dark. Be afraid of what’s in the dark.

The Plot…

A transport spaceship crashlands on a remote planet.  Only a handful survive:

  • Carolyn Fry – ship’s pilot
  •  Imam Abu al-Walid – an Islamic holy man, escorting three students to a New Mecca
  • Ali, Hassan and Suleiman – students traveling with Imam Abu al-Walid
  • Jack – a young person traveling alone
  • Shazza and Zeke – a couple
  • Paris – a wealthy man
  • William J. Johns – a bounty hunter/cop traveling with his prisoner
  • Riddick – a dangerous killer in the custody of Johns

The survivors come together in an attempt to assess their situation and chances of survival.  Their ship is beyond help.  When they discover a deserted outpost, their hopes rise…

But they soon discover that the planet is about to enter a prolonged eclipse.  The planet will be in complete darkness the entire time.  On this planet when the sunlight fades, dangerous creatures return to the surface.

Don’t be afraid of the dark. Be afraid of what’s in the dark.  It’s about to get very dark.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The ship’s crash landing is amazing — especially seen on a theater screen.

Pitch Black is the film that made Vin Diesel a star.

In the original Pitch Black screenplay Riddick dies at the end.  Diesel and Twohy liked the character and thought they could make more films about him.  So far we’ve gotten The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (an animated video) which bridges Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick film. Another feature film, Riddick, was released in 2013.

Pitch Black (2000) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Lethal Weapon 2” directed by Richard Donner, starring Mel Gibson & Danny Glover / Z-View

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Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

Director: Richard Donner

Screenplay:  Jeffrey Boam; story by Shane Black, Warren Murphy; based on characters created by Shane Black

Stars: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland, Derrick O’Connor, Patsy Kensit, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Steve Kahan, Mark Rolston, Jeanette Goldstein, Nester Serrano, Grand L. Bush and Dean Norris.

Tagline: The magic is back!

The Plot…

LA Detective Martin Riggs and his partner, Detective Murtaugh are tasked with keeping Leo Getz alive long enough to testify in a federal case.  When an attempt is made on Getz’s life, Riggs and Murtaugh discover that Arjen Rudd, a South African diplomat, has put together a crime organization using “diplomatic immunity” to further his enterprise.

Without hard evidence Riggs and Murtaugh can’t move forward with an arrest.  When Arjen Rudd discovers that Riggs and Murtaugh are inquiring about him, Rudd uses his politcal influence to get them ordered to back off.

Any bets on if that will happen?

The magic is back!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Lethal Weapon 2 was nominated for one Academy Award for Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing – Robert G. Henderson, Alan Robert Murray

Lethal Weapon 2 earned more money at the box office than the original film which is unusal for a sequel.

Shane Black’s original script for Lethal Weapon 2 was a much darker and more action-oriented film than what was made.  In the end of Black’s script Riggs is killed saving Murtaugh.  The studios wanted Riggs to live because they wanted more sequels.  So Jeffrey Boam was brought in to write the screenplay.

Lethal Weapon 2 features a reunion of sorts – Jenette Goldstein (Meagan Shapiro) and Mark Rolston (Hans) also appeared in Aliens (1986), as Vasquez and Drake.

Joe Pesci is perfect as Leo Getz.

Lethal Weapon 2 leans much more into comedy than the original.

Lethal Weapon (1987) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Bury Me Twice” (2022) / Z-View

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Bury Me Twice (2022)

Director: Steven LaMorte

Screenplay:  Flip Kobler, Cindy Marcus

Stars:  Danny Hansen, Lelia Symington, Chase Mullins.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

A detective is hired to find a reporter’s missing sister.  Along the way he finds the source of a zombie outbreak.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bury Me Twice looked like something I’d like.  A stylish, mix of detective mystery and zombie horror.  Unfortunately for my taste it was trying too hard.  Much of the movie is obviously done with CGI sets.  There (again for my taste) were too many repeated effects.  Scenes were overly “foggy”.  A photo of someone would be shown and then the person in the picture would move.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.

I think if this is something you’d like, you might like it.  Right now on IMDb it has a 5.8/10 rating with 50% rating it a 9 or 10.  As for me, I tapped out after 25 minutes.

Bury Me Twice (2022) rates 1 of 5 stars.

WISDOM CORNER by David Heska Wanbli Weiden / Z-View

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WISDOM CORNER by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

First sentence…

I surveyed the wreckage around Wisdom Corner.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Virgil Wounded Horse wants to walk a different path.  He’s given up drinking.  He’s given up violence.  He no longer works as the reservation’s paid vigilante.

When a members of the Pine Ridge 705 gang make a move to take-over Pudge Iron Shell’s business, Virgil agrees to attend a meeting to reason with the thugs and get them to move on.

The meeting goes sideways.  One of the goons charges Virgil.  Virgil answers by giving the hood a disfiguring injury.  Virgil and Pudge escape.

Now the stakes are raised.

Virgil knows that the 705 bangers will respond.  He can handle himself, but what if they target his family and friends?

When Benny Many Wounds, a respected Rosebud Lakota medicine man, elder, and good friend of Virgil’s is murdered, Virgil suspects the Pine Ridge 705 gang is responsible.

And they may be.

Virgil has to be sure.  Soon there are several suspects.

  • The 705 crew.  Benny was an outspoken leader on the reservation.  Killing Benny would send a strong message that 705 gang was here.
  • Mitch Gagnon and land developers.  Gagnon has big political aspirations and is backed by developers looking to build on sacred land.  Benny was an outspoken opponent.
  • A mysterious hacker who has been leaking documents that tie the reservation’s leadership (including Benny) to covering up atrocities.  Perhaps the hacker took things to another level.

Virgil seeks justice for Benny’s death.  Whether the 705 gang are behind Benny’s death or not, Virgil knows they have unfinished business.  Violence has found Virgil Wounded Horse… and now he welcomes it.

+++

Rating:

“House of Numbers” (1957) starring Jack Palance / Z-View

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House of Numbers (1957)

Director: Russell Rouse

Screenplay:  Don Mankiewicz, Russell Rouse; based on HOUSE OF NUMBERS by Jack Finey.

Stars:  Jack Palance, Harold J. Stone, Barbara Lang, Edward Platt and Timothy Carey.

Tagline: The Most Fascinating Puzzle a Man Ever Faced…and his love depended on the solution!

The Plot…

Arnie Judlow is serving a life sentence for murder.  When Arnie throws a guard over the third floor railing during an altercation, he realizes he may get the gas chamber.  Authorities are waiting to see if the guard recovers or dies.

Arnie comes up with a daring plan.  There is a construction area in the prison. It is off limits to prisoners. Guards just make casual checks there.  Arnie realizes if he can get into the construction zone overnight, he could do “something” that would get him over-the-wall.  The only problem is that during the night count, he would be discovered missing.  The guards would then search every square inch of the prison until they found him.

Arnie knows his plan would work if he could work out a fix for the night count.  And it dawns on him.  If Bill, Arnie’s twin, could sneak into the prison and take his place for the night count, Arnie could setup his escape plan.

Arnie convinces his brother, if the guard dies, Arnie will get the death penalty. The only way to save him is to take Arnie’s place overnight.  Bill realizes, the plan has little hope to succeed, but it is Arnie’s only chance.

Bill agrees to take Arnie’s place overnight.  If all goes well, Bill will get out the next day and Arnie will escape that night.

The best laid plans…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Jack Palance plays both Arnie and Bill.

Much of the movie was filmed in San Quentin.

Arnie’s escape plan is so over the top, I was lured in just to see if it would work.

Timothy Carey who is always interesting to watch has a small part.

House of Numbers (1957) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Widow’s Bay” Season 1, starring Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root / Z-View

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Widow’s Bay: Season 1 (2026)

Created by: Katie Dippold 

Director:

  • Hiro Murai (eps. 1-3; 9-10)
  • Sam Donovan (eps. 4; 7)
  • Andrew DeYoung (eps. 5; 8)
  • Ti West (ep. 6)

Screenplay:

  • Katie Dippold (eps. 1; 10)
  • Kelly Galuska (ep. 2)
  • Neil Casey (ep. 3)
  • Mackenzie Dohr (ep. 4)
  • Colton Dunn (ep. 5)
  • Alberto Roldán (ep. 6)
  • Dave Harris (ep. 7)
  • Emma Ketchum (ep. 8)
  • Bobak Esfarjani (ep. 9)

Stars:  Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Stephen Root.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Tom Loftis is Mayor of the small island town called Widow’s Bay.  Tom, now a widower and single parent, moved to the island to marry his wife.  As mayor, Tom’s major goal is to turn Widow’s Bay into a tourist town.  Some of the residents are all for the idea.  There are others who feel the island is cursed and bringing more folks to the island will create major problems.

Tom sees the naysayers as silly and superstitious.  But when strange things begin to happen, Tom tries to find rational reasons for them.  Soon enough Tom and the islanders are dealing with ghosts, a killer clown, time warps, a Sea Hag, a serial killer and more.

Welcome to Widow’s Bay!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Widow’s Bay received 19 Prime-Time Emmy award nominations.  Results will be announced September 4th.

  • Nominee for Outstanding Comedy Series
  • Nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Matthew Rhys
  • Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Stephen Root
  • Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Kate O’Flynn
  • Nominee for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series – Hiro Murai, For episode “Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series – Katie Dippold, For episode “Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Dale Dickey
  • Nominee for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) – David Fleming (composer), For episode “Our History”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Music Supervision – Toko Nagata (music supervisor), For episode “Beach Reads”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation – Matt Yocum (co-supervising sound editor), Sang Jun Kim (co-supervising sound editor), Goeun Everett (sound effects editor), Ryan A. Sullivan (sound effects editor), Nate Underkuffler (music editor), Leslie Bloome (foley artist). Shaun Brennan (foley artist), For episode “What to Expect on Your Trip”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation – Tim Hoogenakker (re-recording mixer),  Larry Benjamin (re-recording mixer),  Kevin S. Parker (production mixer),  Scott Michael Smith (scoring mixer), Judah Getz (ADR mixer),  Leslie Bloome (foley mixer), For episode “What to Expect on Your Trip”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Hamish Linklater (as Richard Warren), For episode “Seasickness”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Betty Gilpin (as Sarah Westcott Warren), For episode “Our History”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single Camera Comedy Series – Isaac Hagy (editor), For episode “Our History”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single Camera Comedy Series – Kyle Reiter (editor), For episode “Welcome To Widow’s Bay!”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single Camera Comedy Series – Jen Bryson (editor), For episode “What To Expect On Your Trip”
  • Nominee for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series – Allison Jones (casting by), Emily Buntyn (casting by), Lisa Lobel (location casting), Angela Peri (location casting)
  • Nominee for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour) – Christian Sprenger (director of photography)
  • Nominee for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour) – Steve Arnold (production designer), Peter Borck (supervising art director),  Jennifer Engel (set decorator), For episode “Lodging”

As you can tell from the award nominations above, critics and viewers overwhelming like Widow’s Bay.  I enjoy it, but not as much as most folks.  I feel a bit of inconsistency due to the monster of the week format.  There are overarching storylines, but they take a back seat to dealing with each week’s ghost/sea hag/serial killer, etc.

Congrats to Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root for their well deserved Prime-Time Emmy acting nominations.

As always your mileage may vary, but for me Widow’s Bay rates a three.

Widow’s Bay: Season 1 (2026) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Man on Fire” (1987) starring Scott Glenn / Z-View

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Man on Fire (1987)

Director: Elie Chouraqui

Screenplay:  Elie Chouraqui, Sergio Donati, Fabrice Ziolkowski; based on MAN ON FIRE by A. J. Quinnell.

Stars:  Scott Glenn, Brooke Adams, Danny Aiello, Joe Pesci, Paul Shenar, Jonathan Pryce and Jade Malle.

Tagline: For an ex-CIA agent, the job of bodyguard for a twelve-year old girl should have been a breeze…

The Plot…

Christian Creasy is a burned-out ex-C.I.A. agent. Creasy used to be one of the best.  That was before the deaths that Creasy has seen (and been a part of) as a soldier and C.I.A. agent finally took their toll.

Creasy reluctantly accepts the job of bodyguard for a wealthy Italian family.  His job will be to protect their twelve-year-old Samantha.  By the nature of his job Creasy spends a lot of time with Sam.  Her parents are often too busy, so Creasy takes their role.   As time passes, Sam gets Creasy to drop his tough exterior.

Creasy is gravely wounded during Samantha’s kidnapping.  Despite life-threatening injuries, Creasy knows that every passing hour, makes it less likely Samantha will be returned alive.  Creasy is determined to get her back alive… even if it kills him.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tony Scott was considered to direct, but ultimately Elie Chouraqui was selected.  Scott would direct the 2004 (and vastly superior) adaptation.  If Scott had made the film in 2007, he hoped to get Marlon Brando or Robert De Niro to star.

Brooke Adams, Danny Aiello, Joe Pesci and Jonathan Pryce get very little screen time.

Man on Fire (1987) clocks in at 92 minutes but seems longer.  The supporting cast could have been put to better use.  Come to think of it so could the stars.

Man on Fire (1987) rates 2 of 5 stars.

THE LAST GOOD GUY by T. Jefferson Parker / Z-View

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THE LAST GOOD GUY by T. Jefferson Parker

First sentence…

There’s this scene in old detective movies where the investigator sits in his office, waiting for someone to come in and hire him.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Roland Ford realizes that a beautiful woman with secrets who hires a private investigator to find a missing family member is cliche.  But that’s exactly what happens when Penelope Rideout enters Ford’s office to hire him to find her missing little sister.  Ford’s definitely attracted to Penelope, and that helps his decision to take the case.

Daley is Penelope’s fourteen year old sister.  Penelope has been her guardian since their parents died.

Ford discovers that Daley was seen with a twenty-something man later found murdered. Ford also learns Daley is somehow mixed up with Reggie Atlas, a charismatic Christian nationalist preacher. Atlas owns a secluded compound that is heavily guarded.  A ten-foot tall fence, multiple security cameras and armed guards indicate something sinister.

Ford’s instincts tell him that Penelope has lied to him… but he isn’t sure where the truth ends and the lies begin.  He just knows a child is missing and he may be her last hope.

+++

Rating:

“Valley of Gwangi” (1969) starring James Franciscus / Z-View

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The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

Director:  Jim O’Connolly

Screenplay: William Bast, Julian More, Willis H. O’Brien

Stars:  James Franciscus, Gila Golan, Richard Carlson, Laurence Naismith, Freda Jackson, Gustavo Rojo.

Tagline: Cowboys Battle Monsters in the Lost World of Forbidden Valley.

The Plot…

Tuck Kirby, a stuntman working in a traveling Wild West Show ventures into the Forbidden Valley.  There he discovers a world that never changed.  Dinosaurs and other creatures thrive there!  Kirby and other cowboys from the show decide to capture an allosaurus called Gwangi.  They figure once they have the monster in the show, they’ll become rich.

What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Willis O’Brien, the genius behind the stop-motion animation effect in King Kong, had an idea for a follow-up film.  It was to be called Valley of the Mists.  Cowboys would discover a world of dinosaurs and bring one back to civilization.  World War II, budget constraints and changes in studio leadership brought about the demise of the project.  Years later, Ray Harryhausen (Willis’ mentee who went on to great success in stop-motion animation) brought forth the idea which became The Valley of Gwangi.

The Valley of Gwangi was adapted into a comic book published by Dell and released in December 1969.

The Valley of Gwangi was in production for one and a half years due to the extensive use of stop-motion animation.  The dinosaur roping sequence alone took two and a half months to complete.   During the production of Gwangi, the studio management changed.  The new regime didn’t have faith in the film and released it with little publicity.

I saw The Valley of Gwangi at a drive-in when it was first released.  I was ten or eleven.  The perfect age for a cowboys and dinosaurs movie.  I loved it.  Viewings as an adult are still fun, but some of the luster is gone.

The Valley of Gwangi brought its star James Franciscus to my attention.  I next saw him the following year in Beneath the Planet of the Apes and the year after that in the tv series Longstreet (with occasional guest star Bruce Lee!).

The Valley of Gwangi (1969) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Raid: Redemption” (2011) written & directed by Gareth Evans, starring Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian / Z-View

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The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Director:  Gareth Evans

Screenplay: Gareth Evans

Stars:  Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno, Ray Sahetapy and Tegar Sathya.

Tagline: 1 Ruthless Crime Lord, 20 Elite Cops, 30 Floors of Hell

The Plot…

Rama, a rookie cop is part of a squad sent in to take down the notorius crime lord Tama Riyadi.  Riyadi along with his crime bosses Andi and Mad Dog have made a large apartment building their headquarters.  Although some law-abiding citizens live in the building, many of the apartments are rented by Riyadi’s drug dealers and crooks.

The raid starts off well… until one of Riyadi’s lookoouts sounds an alarm.  Riyadi calls in reinforcements and announces to all of the residents the police are there.  Anyone who kills a cop will get to live rent-free forever.

Rama hopes to survive to get home to his pregnant wife.  Outumbered and outgunned, Rama and the police squad are in a battle for their lives.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although the tagline says “30 Floors of Hell” the apartment building has just 15 stories.

Gareth Evans originally wanted to film in a prison, but the budget wouldn’t allow it.  So Gareth changed the location to an apartment building.  The success of the film allowed the sequel to be set in a prison.

The Raid: Redemption is a favorite of action fans.  It felt as if Gareth Evans took the plot of Bruce Lee’s Game of Death and said, “Let’s go bigger.”  Coincidentally, The Raid: Redemption and Dredd starring Karl Urban share a similar plot and were released within months of each other.

The Raid: Redemption (2011) rates 4 of 5 stars.