Category: Z-View

“AKA” (2023) starring Alban Lenoir / Z-View

Posted on by

AKA (2023)

Director: Morgan S. Dalibert

Screenplay: Morgan S. Dalibert, Alban Lenoir

Stars: Alban Lenoir, Eric Cantona and Kevin Layne.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Adam Franco (Lenoir) is a French government agent assigned to infiltrate the Pastore crime family.  To do so Franco will need to gain the trust of the cartel’s leader, Victor Pastore (Cantona).  Once done, Franco will be able to take down the entire Pastore mob.  When Pastore’s son is kidnapped by a rival gang, Franco puts his mission at risk to save the kid…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Alban Lenoir isn’t a traditionally handsome movie star.  He gives off a Charles Bronson vibe.  Lenoir shows a greater range in AKA than in some of his previous outings and he’s more than effective in his action scenes.  I’d love to see him return for another outing as Adam Franco.

If you’re a fan of action movies with heart you should enjoy AKA.

AKA (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Virtuoso” (2021) starring Anson Mount, Abbie Cornish & Anthony Hopkins / Z-View

Posted on by

The Virtuoso (2021)

Director: Nick Stagliano

Screenplay: James C. Wolf, Nick Stagliano

Stars: Anson Mount, Abbie Cornish, Anthony Hopkins, David Morse and Richard Brake. 

Tagline: Every betrayal begins with trust.

The Plot…

To repay a debt, an assassin known as The Virtuoso (Mount) is given the time (5pm) and location (a small town diner) where he will find his target (who is also a hitman), but no other information.  When he arrives at the diner, there are several possible targets: a couple eating dinner, a lone man having a meal, the waitress and a Deputy Sheriff.

Not everyone is who they seem to be.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I thought the plot was interesting.  But truth be told, would a “virtuoso” assassin take an assignment knowing only the time and location of his target?  There are other things that his character does that brings into question his talent as a master assassin.

The Virtuoso features a first person narration that just doesn’t work.  A little of that goes a long way and there’s a lot of that.

The Virtuoso (2021) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Blacklight” starring Liam Neeson / Z-View

Posted on by

Blacklight (2022)

Director: Mark Williams

Screenplay: Nick May, Mark Williams from a story by Nick May, Brandon Reavis

Stars: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn

Tagline: They’re gonna need more men

The Plot…

Travis Block (Neeson) is a government agent who has done a lot of shady things in his past.  Now, he wants to retire to spend time with his granddaughter.  When Travis finds out that his boss is authorizing hits on citizens, Travis finds himself in the fight of his life.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I can usually make it through a Liam Neeson action film.  I tapped out of Blacklight after 44 minutes.  I’m not alone.  Blacklight currently has a 4.8 rating on IMDb.  On Rotten Tomatoes Blacklight has an 11% favorable rating.  Your mileage may vary.

“Elysium” (2013) written/directed by Neill Blomkamp, starring Matt Damon & Jodie Foster / Z-View

Posted on by

Elysium (2013)

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Screenplay: Neill Blomkamp

Stars: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, William Fichtner, Faran Tahir and Adrian Holmes.

Tagline: Rebel Against.

The Plot…

The year is 2154.  The Earth’s rich have moved to a giant orbiting space station named Elysium.  There things are great.  The air is fresh, they have the best food, even parks with trees and grass.  The advances in medical technology make it possible to cure most disease on Elysium.  On Earth it is a different story.  The population lives in poverty.  The air is tainted, the food bad.  A job, if you’re lucky to get one, pays poorly.

When Max Da Costa (Damon) is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation while at work, he is told he has five days to live and then fired.  Da Costa, with nothing to lose, joins a rebel group planning a coup on the Elysium government,

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I liked Elysium.  It is filled with a cast of great actors.  Matt Damon, the always-amazing Jodie Foster and William Fichtner are standouts.  The story isn’t bad, but perhaps writer/director Neill Blomkamp hit the nail on the head when he said,

“I feel like I executed all of the stuff that could be executed, like costume and set design and special effects very well. But, ultimately, it was all resting on a somewhat not totally formed skeletal system, so the script just wasn’t there; the story wasn’t fully there.”

If Elysium sounds like something you’d like, you probably will.  It’s not a bad way to spend a little less than two hours.

The Price We Pay (2022) starring Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff & Gigi Zumbado / Z-View

Posted on by

The Price We Pay (2022)

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura

Screenplay: Christopher Jolley

Stars: Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Gigi Zumbado, Vernon Wells, Tyler Sanders and Erika Ervin.

Tagline: Reap what you sow.

The Plot…

A pawn shop robbery goes sideways when Alex (Hirsch) gets gun crazy and kills the owner.  Grace (Zumbado), an innocent bystander, is forced to drive the crooks away in her car.  Although Cody (Dorff) assures Grace she’ll be released unharmed, she isn’t sure Alex feels the same.  Hours later when Grace’s car breaks down on a country road, Grace, Cody and Alex walk to the only house around.  They convince a teenager to allow them to stay in his grandfather’s barn.  Grandpa should be home soon.  What Cody and Alex don’t realize is they are no longer are the ones to be feared…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I’m a fan of the crime/horror genre. The Price We Pay has a nice set-up with an interesting cast.  Stephen Dorff is always good. The more I see of Emile Hirsch, the more I like his crazy characters. Gigi Zumbado is new to me, but I expect we’ll be seeing more feature roles in her future.  Vernon Wells is scary as the crazy Grandpa.  Erika Ervin as Jodi is even more frightening.

With all this praise so far, you may be wondering why did I only give  The Price We Pay a “2” rating.  It’s because the director goes way over the top with gore.  Of that I’m not a fan.  Some gore is okay, but I prefer the worst of it be left to the imagination.  So, if you’re a gore-hound adjust your expectations accordingly!

Samuel Fuller’s “The Big Red One” (1980) starring Lee Marvin / Z-View

Posted on by

The Big Red One (1980)

Director: Samuel Fuller

Screenplay: Samuel Fuller

Stars: Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Cicco and Kelly Ward.

Tagline: The real glory of war is surviving.

The Plot…

A battle-tested Sergeant (Marvin) leads a squad into battle after battle throughout World War II.  Although new recruits are added to the team, the four soldiers with the Sarge from day one are the focus of the story.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Samuel Fuller, who wrote and directed The Big Red One, actually served in World War II in the 1st Infantry Division known as The Big Red 1.  Fuller received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart over the course of his military career.  Many of the events that happen in the film, are from Fuller’s experiences.

Samuel Fuller’s initial cut for The Big Red One was four hours.  It and a two hour cut were both rejected.  I’d be interested in seeing a longer version.  It felt like we moved from battle to battle with little over-all meaning to the outcome of the war.  Also, the new recruits added to the unit as the film progressed were basically Star Trek red shirts.

The Big Red One (1980) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Notorious” (1946) directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman / Z-View

Posted on by

Notorious (1946)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Screenplay: Ben Hecht

Stars: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains and Louis Calhern.

Tagline: “The screen’s top romantic stars in a melodramatic masterpiece!

The Plot…

Alicia Huberman (Bergman) is the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy.  Although she didn’t agree with her father’s politics, she has been painted with the same brush.  Upset with her life, Alicia has taken to drinking and partying.  When she is recruited to become a spy by US Government agent, T. R. Devlin (Grant), Alicia accepts.  Her assignment is to infiltrate a group of Nazis in Rio de Janeiro with Devlin as her contact.  She must attempt to seduce Alex Sebastian (Rains), one of the top ranking Nazis.

As time passes, Devlin and Alicia fall in love.  As the demands of her seduction of Sebastian increase, so does the strain on Devlin and Alicia’s relationship.  When Sebastian asks her to marry him, Alicia must make a decision that will put her relationship with Devlin as well as her life in danger.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Grant and Bergman have great chemistry.  In the original script Bergman’s character was a call girl.  In the filmed version it is obvious that she’s a loose spirit with a liberal attitude.  Quite risqué for the time.  Grant and Bergman have an extended scene where they kiss.  At the time the Hayes Code required kisses to last no more than three seconds.  Hitchock got around this by having them barely separate to talk as they kissed.

Hitchcock knows how to work a movie.  Grant wants to stop Bergman from doing what needs to be done, but he wants her to stop of her own accord so he says/does nothing.  Bergman wants Grant to tell her not to do what needs to be done, but when he says, nothing, she thinks he doesn’t care.  They both fail to do what both want to be done…

I love the ending.

Notorious (1946) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The End” (1978) starring Burt Reynolds & Dom DeLuise / Z-View

Posted on by

The End (1978)

Director: Burt Reynolds

Screenplay: Jerry Belson

Stars: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Dom DeLuise, Strother Martin, David Steinberg, Joanne Woodward, Norman Fell, Myrna Loy, Kristy McNichol, Pat O’Brien, Robby Benson and Carl Reiner.

Tagline: “After all, what are friends for?”

The Plot…

Sonny Lawson (Reynods) learns that he’s got a fatal blood disease.  There is no cure. He will die a slow painful death.  So Sonny decides to end his life.  But first he visits his girlfriend, family members and a priest.  When Sonny fails at his suicide attempt, he ends up in a mental institution. There Sonny befriends a fellow patient named Marlon Borunki (DeLuise).  Borunki is happy to help his new friend die… even after Sonny changes his mind and wants to live!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The End doesn’t really come alive (see what I did there?) until Dom DeLuise shows up.  There are some truly funny scenes from there on.  Most are with DeLuise and Reynolds, but Burt has a funny extended solo scene where he bargains with God to stay alive.

Reynolds plays a very unlikeable character.  If he were more likeable, the audience would want him to live.  The End features a great cast, but there are so many characters that they aren’t given much to do.  Robbie Benson as a young priest gets the most laughs (outside of Reynolds and DeLuise).  Sally Field is always a welcome addition.  I wish The End started in the mental institution with DeLuise wanting to help Reynolds by killing him. Then Reynolds learns that he’s not really dying, but DeLuise doesn’t know or care… he’s on a mission.  Give me an hour and a half of that!  But that would be another movie.

The End (1978) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Knock at the Cabin” (2023) directed by M. Night Shyamalan starring Dave Bautista / Z-View

Posted on by

Knock at the Cabin (2023)

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Screenplay: M. Night Shyamalan, Steve Desmond, Michael Sherman based on The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay

Stars: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Abby Quinn and Kristen Cui.

Tagline:  Save your family or save humanity. Make the choice.

The Plot…

Eric (Groff),  Andrew (Aldridge) and their little daughter Wren (Cui) are vacationing at a remote cabin deep in the woods.  When four people with weapons take them prisoner, Eric and Andrew are told if they don’t willingly kill a member of their family, all humanity will die.  The clock is ticking.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

M. Night Shyamalan has a cameo in a commercial for an air fryer that plays on a tv in the background of a scene.

The four people who show up at the cabin represent the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

I continue to be impressed with the variety of roles that Dave Bautista takes on and excels at.

As you watch Knock at the Cabin, you can’t help, but wonder what you would do in the same situation.

Knock at the Cabin (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Mulholland Falls” (1996) starring Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Chazz Palminteri, John Malkovich & Treat Williams / Z-View

Posted on by

Mulholland Falls (1996)

Director: Lee Tamahori

Screenplay: Pete Dexter from a story by Pete Dexter, Floyd Mutrux

Stars: Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Treat Williams, Daniel Baldwin, Andrew McCarthy, John Malkovich, Kyle Chandler  and Ed Lauter.

Tagline:  This isn’t America, this is Los Angeles

The Plot…

A special four-man team of LA Detectives consisting of Lieutenant Maxwell Hoover (Nolte), Ellery Coolidge (Palminteri), Eddie Hall (Madsen), and Arthur Relyea (Penn) have been granted authorization to take aggressive actions when dealing with criminals.  Gangsters have taken to calling them The Hat Squad.

When a prostitute named Allison Pond (Connelly) is found dead in the desert with every bone in her body broken, the case is assigned to The Hat Squad.  A piece of radioactive glass is found embedded in Pond’s foot.  Soon the detectives receive a film of Pond having sex with various men… including Detective Hoover and  retired General Thomas Timms (Malkovich).  Following leads puts the team at odds with each other and the US Military.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Hat Squad was based on a team of detectives that was truly empowered to take more drastic measures to fight crime.

Mulholland Falls features an amazing cast.  Standouts include Nolte, Palminteri, Malkovich and Williams.

I liked the reveal and subsequent action scene after the murderer is known.  Also the final scene between Nolte and Griffith is handled in a non-Hollywood way.

Mulholland Falls (1996) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“300” (2006) /Z-View

Posted on by

300 (2006)

Director: Zack Snyder

Screenplay: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael B. Gordon based on 300 by Frank Miller, Lynn Varley

Stars: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender, Andrew Pleavin, Rodrigo Santoro  and Eli Snyder.

Tagline:  Spartans, tonight, we dine in hell!

The Plot…

Based on Frank Miller’s classic graphic novel, 300 tells the story of King Leonidas (Butler) who led an army of 300 Spartans against a Persian force of over 100,000.  Persian King Xerxes (Santoro) planned to rule the world. His army was decimating every country in his path.  King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans would meet the Persians in the mountain pass of Thermopylae known as “the Gates of Hell”.  There they would make their stand.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

There has never been a movie adaptation that follows the source material as well as 300.  Zack Snyder’s respect for Frank Miller’s graphic novel is evident in every scene.  That’s not to say that Snyder didn’t have an impact on what we see.  Using Miller’s panels as storyboards, Snyder has created a stylized film that is  a thing of beauty.

300 (2006) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Locksmith” (2023) starring Kate Bosworth & Ryan Phillippe / Z-View

Posted on by

The Locksmith (2023)

Director: Nicolas Harvard

Screenplay: John Glosser, Joe Russo, Chris LaMont

Stars: Kate Bosworth, Ryan Phillippe, Ving Rhames and Noel Gugliemi.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Miller Graham (Phillippe) was just released from prison.  Graham is determined to go straight and get back with his wife, Beth (Bosworth) and daughter.  The crooked cops who set Graham up have other ideas and when a friend needs help, Graham finds himself on the wrong side of the law.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I hoped The Locksmith would be better.  I like Bosworth, Phillippe and Rhames.  Unfortunately, the decisions that Phillippe’s character makes are so stupid that I couldn’t muster much sympathy for him.  Just a few of his bad decisions: He agrees to rob a mansion that has armed security. He never cases the joint or makes a plan.  He parks his truck right outside the fence of the property.

The best character in the movie is played by Ving Rhames.  He doesn’t get much to do except tell Phillippe to get his act together, play with Phillipppe’s daughter and then be murdered.  Don’t worry though, there’ s a little scene to wrap up the film to show he’s gone but not forgotten.  (Unlike the movie which will soon be.)

The Locksmith (2023) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo” (2019) / Z-View

Posted on by

Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo (2019)

Director: Brett Harvey

Writers:  Scott Dodds, Brett Harvey

Stars: Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Michelle Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez.

Tagline: I owe a debt. A debt to society

The Plot…

The life and times of Danny Trejo.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Danny Trejo is one of the most easily recognized stars in Hollywood.  Trejo has over 445 acting credits on his resume.  With that said, it was an amazing journey to get to his current status since Trejo spent much of his childhood addicted to drugs and in juvenile detention.  As a young adult Danny Trejo served time at San Quentin for drug and robbery convictions.

Yet despite all that, Danny Trejo turned his life around.  Now when he’s not on location filming for his latest project, Danny Trejo spends his time speaking at prisons, youth centers and giving back to the community that used to fear him.

Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo (2019) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Charlie Chan in “Black Magic” (1944) starring Sidney Toler / Z-View

Posted on by

Black Magic (1944)

Director: Phil Rosen

Screenplay:  George Callahan based on characters created by Earl Derr Biggers

Stars: Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Frances Chan and Frank Jaquet.

Tagline: Weirdest case of the screen’s top sleuth!

The Plot…

Charlie Chan (Toler) is ready to head home to Honolulu when he gets called to investigate a murder that occurred during a seance attended by his daughter. The occultist was killed by a gun that cannot be found and a bullet that didn’t go through his body but also cannot be found!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This is the only Charlie Chan film where he is assisted by his daughter instead of one of his sons.  Also his daughter, Frances Chan is played by an actress named Frances Chan!

Mantan Moreland is back to provide comedy relief.

When Charlie is asked a question about his investigation, Chan asks the man, “Can you keep a secret?”  The man responds, “Of course.”  Charlie says, “So can I” as he walks away.

Black Magic (1944) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Cold Pursuit” (2019) starring Liam Neeson / Z-View

Posted on by

Cold Pursuit (2019)

Director: Hans Petter Moland

Screenplay:  Frank Baldwin based on In Order of Disappearance by Kim Fupz Aakeson

Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Micheál Neeson, Tom Bateman, Domenick Lombardozzi, Jim Shield, Aleks Paunovic, Glenn Ennis  and Emmy Rossum.

Tagline: Revenge is best served cold.

The Plot…

Citizen of the Year, Nels Coxman (Neeson), is a mild-mannered Colorado snowplow driver.  When Coxman learns that his son was murdered by members of a drug cartel, he decides to take out as many members of the cartel as he can.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Cold Pursuit is one of those movies that gets better as it goes along.  That’s because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, provides interesting characters and more plot twists that expected in a “revenge flick”.

Liam Neeson is always good.  Standouts in the supporting cast include…

  • Tom Bateman as Trevor “Viking” Calcote, the unhinged drug lord
  • Emmy Rossum as Kim Dash, a young, eager police officer
  • Domenick Lombardozzi as Mustang, one of Calcote’s enforcers
  • William Forsythe as Brock “Wingman” Coxman, a retired hitman

Stick around for the end credits — there’s not another scene but the credit design adds to the fun.

Cold Pursuit (2019) rates 4 of 5 stars.