Category: Z-View

“The English” (2022) starring Emily Blunt & Chaske Spencer / Z-View

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The English (2022)

Directors:  Hugo Blick

Teleplay: Hugo Blick

Stars: Emily Blunt, Chaske Spencer, Stephen Rea, Steve Wall, Malcolm Storry, Nicholas Aaron, Tadhg Murphy, Rafe Spall and Julian Bleach

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Years after the Civil War, an English noble woman, Cornelia Locke (Blunt) has come to the western frontier.  She is hunting the man responsible for her son’s death.  Eli Whipp (Spencer), a Pawnee by birth and a former US Calvary Scout, is riding to Nebraska to claim a plot of land.  Their paths cross.  After overcoming a shared “obstacle” Locke and Whipp decide to travel together.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The English easily made my best of 2022 list.  It is well written, well directed and well cast.  I had never seen anything by Hugo Blick, the creator, writer and director of The English.  I’ll definitely search out more of his work.  Emily Blunt picks out interesting projects and is always good in them.  She served as an Executive Producer on The English.  I’d seen Chaske Spencer before, but never in a starring role.  Spencer is perfect as Eli Whipp.  I look forward to seeing him as a lead in future productions.  Kudos to The English‘s cinematographer, Arnau Valls Colomer.  There are so many shots that would make beautiful paintings.

The English at it’s core is a love story/tale of revenge.   But it doesn’t take the expected path.  Having an English noble woman on the western frontier coupled with a Pawnee who isn’t accepted by Native Americans or Whites makes for interesting interactions. There are twists in every episode as we learn more about Locke and Whipp’s past.  When The English ended, I found myself wanting to revisit the characters.  Not because the series had an unsatisfying conclusion (far from that!), but because I enjoyed it so much.

The English earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Mutts to You” (1938) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Mutts to You (1938)

Director:  Charley Chase

Screenplay: Al Giebler, Elwood Ullman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent, Bud Jamison and Cy Schindell

Tagline: Their dog-gone daffiest laugh show!

The Plot…

The boys own a dog grooming shop.  When they see a baby alone on a doorstep, they think the child has been abandoned.  They take the baby home only to read in the newspaper that the child was kidnapped!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Another of Curly’s favorites.  He was a devoted dog lover and reportedly spent all his spare time between shots playing with the dogs!

The automated dog grooming scenes are classic!

Mutts to You earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Love” (1919) starring Fatty Arbuckle / Z-View

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Love (1919)

Director:  Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle

Screenplay: Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Vincent Bryan

Stars: Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle

Tagline: AS A LOVE-MAKER FATTY IS ABOUT THE FUNNIEST EVER SEEN

The Plot…

Fatty and Winnie are in love.  The only problem is Winnie’s father.  He’s ordered Fatty to stay away.  Her father wants Winnie to marry Al.  Al is the son of a rich landowner.  Al’s father has promised to give Winnie’s dad a huge plot of land if he can convince Winnie to marry his dimwit son.

Fatty’s running out of options, so he disguises himself as a maid to get hired as help for Winnie’s upcoming wedding.  Now Fatty has two problems: 1) He needs to stop the wedding and 2) Winnie’s dad is attracted to him!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Love moves at a brisk pace with constant sight gags, pratfalls and slapstick.  Almost everyone gets a shot at falling into the well.  There’s a three-way broom fight that will bring a smile to your face.  Of course the story has a happy ending with Fatty almost getting married twice.

Love earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Goofs and Saddles” (1937) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Goofs and Saddles (1937)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Stanley Blystone, Theodore Lorch, Hank Mann and ‘Snub’ Pollard

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys are the best scouts in the cavalry, Buffalo Billious (Curly), Wild Bill Hiccup (Moe) and Just Plain Bill (Larry).  They’re sent to catch dangerous cattle rustlers.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Goofs and Saddles is another generic Stooges’ short.  The funniest scene involved Curly and Moe playing cards with a killer.  They’re attempting to cheat with Larry running interference.

Goofs and Saddles earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Watcher”: Season 1 (2022) / Z-View

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The Watcher: Season 1 (2022)

Directors:  Ryan Murphy (episodes 1, 3); Paris Barclay (episodes 2, 4); Jennifer Lynch (episodes 5, 7); Max Winkler (episode 6)

Teleplay: Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan (episodes 1 – 5); Ian Brennan & Reilly Smith (episode 6); Ian Brennan & Reilly Smith & Todd Kubrak & Ryan Murphy (episode 7)

Stars: Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Mia Farrow, Terry Kinney, Henry Hunter Hall, Isabel Gravitt, Luke David Blumm, Jennifer Coolidge, Christopher McDonald, Noma Dumezweni, Margo Martindale, Richard Kind, Seth Gabel, Michael Nouri and Susan Merson

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Soon after Dean, Nora and their two kids move into their beautiful dream house, anonymous threatening letters begin to arrive.  As the letters become more menacing, it becomes clear that whoever is sending them has access to their house.  The letters contain information about their kids, private conversations and are always signed The Watcher.

The police are unable to help.  Dean and Nora install a new security system. It doesn’t stop the strange events.  The letters keep coming.  As Dean and Nora become more paranoid, every neighbor becomes a suspect.  They cannot sell the house because they mortgaged everything to afford the place.

Who is The Watcher?  What does he/she want?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Watcher is based on real events.  A family purchased their dream home and began receiving threatening letters from a stalker who signed off as The Watcher.  The family ultimately sold the house at almost a $400,000 loss and moved out of town!  The Watcher was originally conceived as a limited one season series.  Thanks to good ratings, a second season was ordered.

I enjoyed The Watcher.  For me the journey was better than the destination.  In all fairness, I thought this was a limited series of one and done.  Therefore I was looking for a definite conclusion.  I’m not sure if the ending was the one planned or if it changed due to a second season order.

The Watcher is extremely well cast. Mia Farrow is perfect as an irritating, crazy neighbor. Jennifer Coolidge is a scene stealer as the unlikeable “friend”.  Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale are excellent as the leads.  Familiar faces show up in supporting roles: Terry (Oz) Kinney, Christopher (Family Law) McDonald, Margo (Justified) Martindale; Richard (Spin City) Kind and Michael (Flashdance) Nouri.  I’d never seen Noma Dumezweni and Henry Hunter Hall before, but will be watching for them in the future.

The story has twists and turns in every episode.  As the tension increases, so do mistakes made by Nick and Nora as far as blaming the wrong (?) people.  As unbelievable as the twists become, because the story is based on a real incident and because the acting is so good, I went with it.  The Watcher was a fun ride.  I just wish the final episode was more satisfying… but then again, that might have negated the need for a season two.

The Watcher earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Whoops, I’m an Indian” (1936) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Whoops, I’m an Indian (1936)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman from a story by Searle Kramer, Herman Boxer

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Bud Jamison, Blackie Whiteford and Al Thompson

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys go on the lam when they’re caught cheating cowboys in a saloon.  To make their escape they disguise as two Indian braves (Larry and Moe) and a maiden (Curly).  When a big, rough Frenchman takes a liking to the maiden, well, what could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Whoops, I’m an Indian is a fairly generic Stooges’ short.  I thought the funniest part was this exchange between Pierre as he carries his Indian Maiden (Curly) upstairs after they were married…

Pierre: “Now for our honeymoon! For you I have the grand surprise!”

Curly: [dressed as a Native American woman] “So do I if ya only knew it!”

That was pretty risqué for 1937!

Whoops, I’m an Indian earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Leap Year” (1924) starring Fatty Arbuckle / Z-View

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Leap Year (1924)

Director:  James Cruze, Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle (uncredited)

Screenplay: Walter Woods from a story by Sarah Y. Mason

Stars: Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Stanley Piper (Arbuckle) lives with his rich uncle.  As his Uncle prepares for a trip, he warns Stanley about falling in love with every woman he meets.  Stanley is in love with just one woman.  But through a series of mix-ups several women believe that Stanley has proposed to them… and they’re all heading to see Stanley at his Uncle’s mansion.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle was at one time arguably the most popular actor in Hollywood.  He was also one of the highest paid!  Arbuckle was a breakout star from his appearances in shorts for Keystone Studios.  Roscoe Arbuckle served as a mentor to Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Bob Hope.

Arbuckle was making his move into feature length films when he was charged with rape and manslaughter in the death of actress Virginia Rappe.  He was tried three times!  The first two trials resulted in hung juries.  Arbuckle was acquitted in the third trial.  For all intents and purposes, Roscoe Arbuckle was finished as a big Hollywood star.  He didn’t work much and when he directed it was under the name William Goodrich.  Roscoe Arbuckle died in his sleep in 1933.  He was just 46 years old.

Leap Year was completed in 1921, but because of the scandal it wasn’t released in the United States until 1981 for a limited run.  1924 is listed as the year of release due to the film being shown in Finland.  Leap Year showcased Fatty Arbuckle in his final feature length film.

Leap Year earns 3 of 5 stars.

Half-Wits Holiday (1947) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Half-Wits Holiday (1947)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Zion Myers

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent, Barbara Slater, Theodore Lorch, Symona Boniface, Emil Sitka and Al Thompson

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Half-Wits Holiday is a reboot of the Stooges’ 1935 short Hoi Polloi (which was an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion).  The Stooges’ would rework the same plot again in their 1958 short Pies and Guys.  Two college professors make a bet: one believes he can turn anybody into a gentleman.  The other professor chooses three bumbling repair men (Larry, Curly and Moe) as the test subjects.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Half-Wits Holiday features Curly’s last outing as one of The Three Stooges.  For the previous two years Curly had suffered a series of small strokes. They were taking a toll.  Curly’s endurance was down. His timing was off.  During the final day of filming a giant pie fight was scheduled..  Curly was to play a major part in the mayhem.  As the scene was being prepared, Curly suffered a major stroke and was rushed to the hospital.  The scene had to be shot without him.

In 1947, in the third Stooges short filmed with Shemp, Hold that Lion!  Curly gets a cameo. and is nearly unrecognizable with a full head of hair.  This is the only time all four Stooges appeared together.

Half-Wits Holiday earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields” (2022) / Z-View

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Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (2022)

Director:  Jessica Dimmock

Stars: Tim Miller

Tagline: None.

The Story…

There’s a 25 acre area of land a little over 25 miles south of Houston that runs along Interstate 45.  This area is known as The Texas Killing Fields.  Thirty-three bodies of brutally murdered young girls and women were found in this patch of land.  Even more young girls and women from this area are still missing.

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields focuses on four of these victims.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I don’t know which is crazier: that so many girls and women disappeared with no trace and no murderer caught for years, or that there were TWO killers working independently using the same dumping ground.

I was surprised to learn that Tim Miller’s (founder of Texas EquuSearch) daughter was one of the victims.  Miller founded Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team.  They provide assistance to families of lost and missing persons.  I became aware of Miller and his organization when he participated in the search for Caley Anthony.  I had no idea Miller’s daughter was the victim of a serial killer.

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields has a compelling story, but was a bit padded at three episodes.  I felt bad for the innocent men accused of being the killers.  I was glad to find that two killers (could there have been more) were arrested and convicted.

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields earns 3 of 5 stars.

“A Ducking They Did Go” (1939) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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A Ducking They Did Go (1939)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Andrew Bennison

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Vernon Dent

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) are tricked by conmen into selling tickets to a non-existent duck hunting club. Surprisingly the boys sell all of their tickets… to policemen and the mayor.  Now our guys have to find some ducks for hunting and fast.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

A Ducking They Did Go is solid from start to finish.  The highlight is Curly having it out with a duck who gets the best of him.

A Ducking They Did Go earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Bullet Train” (2022) directed by David Leitch, starring Brad Pitt / Z-View

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Bullet Train (2022)

Director:  David Leitch

Screenplay: Zak Olkewicz based on Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka (Sam Malissa – Translator)

Stars: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Bad Bunny and Zazie Beetz

Tagline: The end of the line is just the beginning.

The Plot…

An operative with the code name Ladybug (Pitt) boards a bullet train with a simple job: Retrieve a briefcase full of cash.  Ladybug has had a string of bad luck. He hopes this easy assignment is just what he needs.  Little does Ladybug know that several assassins are on the train.  Each killer has his/her own agenda, but when paths cross people die…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

When Bullet Train was first announced, I was stoked.  I loved the idea of several assassins on a bullet train fighting it out.  David Leitch’s track record as a director: John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw made him the perfect choice to helm the production.  The novel by Kōtarō Isaka was a best-seller.  Everything was coming together to make a cool movie.

I bought Isaka’s book and could not get into it.  The assassins were high school students.  One of them droned on and on about Thomas the Train.  It’s rare that I don’t finish a book.  I quit this one.  Then the ads started to appear for the movie.  They made it look like a COMEDY with a little action.  Not what I was hoping for.  Still, I was willing to give Bullet Train a chance.

I’m glad I did.  Yes, Bullet Train is full of quirky characters.  Yes, it has comedy.  But there’s more than enough action to balance it out.  I liked the story.  Leitch keeps things moving.  His background in stunts and previous directing gigs serves him well.  The cast plays things straight so as an audience we buy in.  Brad Pitt was the perfect choice to star and he’s got a great supporting cast.  Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds have uncredited cameos that are the icing on the cake.

Bullet Train exists in it’s own universe.  It’s crazy, quirky and I’m glad I made a visit.

Bullet Train earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Uncivil Warriors” (1935) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Uncivil Warriors (1935)

Director:  Del Lord

Screenplay: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Heinie Conklin and Bud Jamison

Tagline: Two Laughtereels with Moe Howard, Jerry Howard, Larry Fine.

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) are sent behind enemy lines to spy on the Confederate army.  They take on the identities of Lieutenant Duck, Captain Dodge and Major Hyde.  All is going well until Major “Bloodhound” Filbert arrives with news that there could be spies about.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Uncivil Warriors marks the first time that the Stooges use the “Everybody knows Charlie” gag to get past a guard.  It also contains the popular gag where something is coated with icing and the Stooges eat it.  This time it’s a feather potholder. (In later productions they use bubble gum or soap.)

Uncivil Warriors features as much wordplay humor as physical gags and it works.  Every scene has laughs.  It’s especially funny seeing the boys work together to try to fool “Bloodhound” Filbert.  Larry slipping out to pose as Moe’s father; Curly coming in as Moe’s wife!  The scene with the African-American baby was cut for many early television broadcasts!

Uncivil Warriors earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Beer Barrel Polecats” (1946) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Beer Barrel Polecats (1946)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Gilbert Pratt, Felix Adler, Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Robert B. Williams, Vernon Dent, Bruce Bennett, Al Thompson and Blackie Whiteford

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) can’t find a beer anywhere.  Their solution?  Become bootleggers.  Making the beer shouldn’t be a problem.  But it is.  Selling the beer to a cop, an even bigger one.  Life in prison is never easy.  Especially if you’re a Stooge.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Beer Barrel Polecats was first short filmed after Curly had suffered a stroke.  Curly looks much thinner than usual.  In fact he’s not much larger than Moe or Larry.  The stroke also affected Curly’s endurance and performance.  Because of this, director Jules White used footage from In the Sweet Pie and Pie (1941) and So Long Mr. Chumps (1941) to pad the production.  In those scenes Curly is noticeably heavier with more expressions and body language.

Beer Barrel Polecats earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Three Loan Wolves” (1946) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Three Loan Wolves (1946)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Harold “Tiny” Brauer

Tagline: Here Today – Pawn Tomorrow

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) own a pawn shop and have a young son named Eggbert.  Eggbert wants to know which of the Stooges is his real father.  So the boys explain that years ago a woman left Eggbert there. She never returned.  The story is told in flashback.  There’s a subplot with gangsters trying to shake down our guys.  This is the first Stooges short where Larry gets center-stage!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Three Loan Wolves was filmed near the end of Curly’s career.  He’d had several small strokes and lost a lot of weight prior to filming.  His timing was off and he didn’t have much stamina.  By all reports his performances were becoming unpredictable.  Director Jules White decided to make Larry the central character for this one.  Most of Curly’s lines were then given to Larry.  Larry does a, pardon the expression, fine job.  It’s bittersweet knowing that the change was due to Curly’s illness.

Harold “Tiny” Brauer is one of two people (the other being Emil Sitka) to work with all six Stooges.

Three Loan Wolves earns 4 of 5 stars.

“The Raven” (1935) starring Boris Karloff & Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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The Raven (1935)

Director:  Lew Landers aka Louis Friedlander

Screenplay: David Boehm based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Stars: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lester Matthews, Irene Ware, Samuel S. Hinds, Spencer Charters and Ian Wolfe

Tagline: While this mad surgical genius chanted “The Raven,” horrible screams rose up from his torture chamber below!

The Plot…

Dr. Richard Vollin (Lugosi), who is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe, is called out of retirement to perform a life-saving operation on Jean Thatcher (Ware).  The operation is a success.  Jean and Dr. Vollin become friends.  As the friendship grows, Vollin becomes obsessed with Jean.

When escaped killer Edmond Bateman (Karloff) shows up at Dr. Vollin’s mansion asking for a facelift, Vollin comes up with a sick plan.  He performs the operation, but turns Bateman into a hideous looking monster.  Vollin says he will fix Bateman’s face if Bateman will help him kill Jean’s fiance and father.  Vollin plans to murder them using methods based on Edgar Allan Poe stories.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Bela Lugosi had the leading role in The Raven, Boris Karloff got top billing.  In addition Karloff earned $10,000 to Lugosi’s $5,000.  Lugosi was reportedly unhappy to learn this news.

The idea of disfiguring an escaped murderer to make him do your bidding is an interesting take.  Credit to the writers to wrap that idea around an obsession with Edgar Allan Poe.   I wish the end result was as good as the ideas.

The Raven earns 2 of 5 stars.