Category: Z-View

“Hellboy” (2019) / Z-View

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Hellboy (2019)

Director:  Neil Marshall

Screenplay by:  Andrew Cosby based on the world and characters created by Mike Mignola

Starring:  David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim and Thomas Haden Church

Tagline  Demons Have Demons Too.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

In the final days of World War II, the Nazis make a last ditch effort to win the war by attempting to summon demons from Hell.  Lobster Johnson and American forces stop the Nazis, but not before a demon child that will be called Hellboy appears.  Hellboy is raised by Professor Trevor “Broom” Bruttenholm (McShane) to fight things that go bump in the night.  You know, witches, demons and the like.

Vivienne Nimue, the Blood Queen (Jovovich) has a plan to get Hellboy to turn his back on humans and rule as her King.  Normally we wouldn’t have to worry, but lately Hellboy has been having self-doubt and “daddy issues.”

I’m a fan of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy as well as the first two Hellboy films starring Ron Perlman and directed by Guillermo del Toro.  While I would have loved them to return for a third film, I was open to a new director, star and take on the character.  When the first posters/photos started coming out, I liked the look.  Sadly the movie is nowhere as bad ass as the publicity materials.  Hellboy has a cool appearance, but is physically too small.  He should be huge,  In the film he looks to be the height of an average person.  Hellboy also came off as whiney.  If Hellboy doesn’t work, the film is in trouble.

As to the story, it’s all over the place.  We get the origin of the Blood Queen.  We get the origin of Hellboy.  We get extended scenes of Hellboy fighting giants.  We get Hellboy fighting a pig-fairy,  We get Hellboy fighting a one-eyed witch.  In between we get Hellboy complaining to his “dad”, showing what a rebel he is by refusing to take his feet off Winston Churchill’s desk and jokes that often fall flat.

I wanted to like Hellboy, but can only give it 2 of 5 stars.

I Dood It (1943) / Z-View

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I Dood It (1943)

Director:  Vincente Minnelli

Screenplay by:  Sig Herzig, Fred Saidy

Starring:  Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, Sam Levene, Lena Horne, Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra and Butterfly McQueen

Tagline HAPPY DAYS AND SWEET MUSIC WITH RED SKELTON AND ELEANOR POWELL

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

By day Joseph Rivington Renolds (Skelton) works at a hotel’s dry cleaning shop.  By night, Renolds “borrows” a tux from the shop and attends a Broadway show.  It’s the same show every night because Renolds is in love with the show’s star, Constance Shaw (Powell).  Through a misunderstanding when Renolds and Shaw meet, she thinks he’s a mining tycoon.  They end up getting married!  Things become strained when the truth comes out and the stakes are raised when Renolds discovers a bomb hidden in the basement of the theater!

Red and Eleanor make a great couple.  Lena Horne performs!  Butterfly McQueen has a small role that I wish had been expanded.  Eleanor Powell performs a memorable dance with lariats that is worth the price of admission.  I Dood It rates 3 of 5 stars.

Lovely to Look At  (1952) / Z-View

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Lovely to Look At  (1952)

Director:  Mervyn LeRoy

Screenplay by:  George Wells, Harry Ruby, Andrew Solt (additional dialogue) based on Roberta by Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach

Starring:  Kathryn Grayson, Red Skelton, Howard Keel, Marge Champion, Gower Champion, Ann Miller and Zsa Zsa Gabor

Tagline: One of the Grandest Romantic Musicals in Years!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Three buddies, Al Marsh (Skelton), Tony Naylor (Keel) and Jerry Ralby (Champion) are having no luck raising money to back their musical.  Their luck seems to have changed when Al gets a letter from France informing him that his Aunt died and left him 50% ownership in dress salon.  The boys go to France to sell Marsh’s percentage and use it for their musical.  That’s the plan until they meet Stephanie (Grayson) and Clarisse (Champion) the ladies who own the other 50%.

Lovely to Look At didn’t resonate with me.  The production numbers were okay, but not great.  Even Skelton’s bits felt flat.  For these reasons Lovely to Look At rates 2 of 5 stars.

The Strange One (1957) / Z-View

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The Strange One  (1957)

Director:  Jack Garfein

Screenplay by:  Calder Willingham based on his play End as a Man

Starring:  Ben Gazzara, Pat Hingle, Peter Mark Richman, Arthur Storch, Larry Gates, Clifton James and George Peppard

Tagline: You’ll never forget BEN GAZZARA as the louse, “Jocko”

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Cadet Staff Sergeant Jocko De Paris (Gazzara) is a senior at Southern Military College.  De Paris bullies and torments underclassmen.  One of De Paris’ favorite things to do is force young cadets into situations that benefits him, but if caught would get the cadets expelled.  Because of his reputation and force of character, no one will stand against him until…

It’s interesting to note that The Strange One features the film debuts of Ben Gazzara and George Peppard.  Kudos also to Arthur Storch for his portrayal of Cadet Simmons.  The Strange One earns 3 of 5 stars.

Ship Ahoy  (1942) / Z-View

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Ship Ahoy  (1942)

Director:  Edward Buzzell

Screenplay by:  Harry Clork, Irving Brecher (uncredited),Harry Kurnitz (uncredited) from a story by Matt Brooks, Bradford Ropes, Bert Kalmar

Starring:  Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton, Bert Lahr, Virginia O’Brien and Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich

Tagline:  “Red”, Radio’s Bad Boy, Is Good In This One!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Tallulah Winters (Powell) is a dancer who performs with Tommy Dorsey.  As they are about to leave on a ship bound for Puerto Rico, Tallulah is duped by Japanese spies into carrying a prototype magnetic mine with her.  Tallulah thinks she is working for the US government.  On board the ship Tallulah meets Merton K. Kibble (Skelton), a prolific writer of pulp stories.  They are well on their way to falling in love when she overhears Kibble dictating a story and believes he is talking about her.  Confusion ensues as the Japanese try to get the prototype and Kibble tries to get the girl…

If you’ve never seen a Red Skelton movie, this is one I’d recommend to try first.  It’s a lot of fun.  There are love story and spy subplots.  Bert Lahr provides comedy relief — he and Skelton make a great team.  Plus you get Frank Sinatra singing in his movie debut!  (I also learned that Buddy Rich was with Tommy Dorsey and that the word “groovy” was in use in 1942!)  Ship Ahoy is a fun trip and rates 4 of 5 stars.

Killer Joe (2011) Starring Matthew McConaughey / Z-View

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Killer Joe (2011)

Director:  William Friedkin

Screenplay by:  Tracy Letts (based on his play of the same name)

Starring:  Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon and Marc Macaulay

Tagline: A totally twisted deep-fried Texas redneck trailer park murder story.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Chris Smith (Hirsch) is debt to Digger Soames (Macaulay) to the tune of $6 grand.  If Chris doesn’t raise the cash soon, he’s a dead man.  Then Chris gets the idea to have his mother killed for her life insurance.  Chris talks to his dad, Angel (Church), who quickly comes on board. He has no love for is ex-wife, but plenty of love for the idea of quick cash.  Likewise, Angel’s wife (Gershon) is in.  The tough sell is going to be Dottie (Temple), Chris’ sister.  They’re right, it takes about a minute for Dottie to like the idea.

Chris and Angel know of a hitman called Killer Joe (McConaughey).  Killer Joe agrees to the hit, for $25,000 paid up front.  When Chris and Angel can’t come up with the money, Killer Joe agrees to keep Dottie as a retainer.  As the time for the hit gets closer, Joe’s relationship with Dottie takes a turn.  Chris begins to have doubts about the plan, but it’s too late… too late for a lot of folks.

Killer Joe is a surprisingly dark, violent, funny (at times) tale of murder for hire. It is well written, well cast and well directed.  Thomas Haden Church plays the stupidest man in one of the stupidest families I’ve ever seen.  I like the twist in regard to who started the idea of the hitman murder.  With that said, I’m rating Killer Joe just 2 of 5 stars.  There’s a scene involving Angel’s wife, a fried chicken leg and Killer Joe that goes way over the line.  Killer Joe was released with an NC-17 rating for “graphic disturbing content involving violence and sexuality, and a scene of brutality.”  This is a movie that divides audiences.  I can see why people would really like it, and also why people would be turned off to it.  That’s not a bad thing, just be aware that your mileage may vary.

Killer Joe rates 2 of 5 stars.

The Flying Ace (1926) / Z-View

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The Flying Ace (1926)

Director:  Richard E. Norman

Screenplay by:  Richard E. Norman

Starring:  Laurence Criner, Kathryn Boyd, Boise De Legge, Harold Platts,  Lions Daniels, George Colvin, Sam Jordan, R.L. Brown and Steve Reynolds

Tagline: SIX SMASHING REELS OF ACTION!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When a $25,000 railroad payroll is stolen under mysterious circumstances, Captain Billy Stokes (Criner), a World War I flying ace who has returned to his job as a railroad detective, is assigned to solve the mystery.  Captain Stokes, with the able assistance of his one-legged partner, Peg (Reynolds) are up to the task.

The Flying Ace features an all African-American cast.  I love The Flying Ace poster above.  The movie has humor, thrills, mystery with a subtle love story subplot.  If you enjoy silent movies, you should give The Flying Ace a go.  It earns a 4 of 5 star rating!

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) / Z-View

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The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

Director:   Alan Rafkin

Screenplay by:  James Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum and Andy Griffith (uncredited)

Starring:  Don Knotts, Joan Staley, Liam Redmond, Dick Sargent,  Skip Homeier, Reta Shaw and Charles Lane

Tagline: G-G-GUARANTEED! YOU’LL BE SCARED UNTIL YOU LAUGH YOURSELF SILLY!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Luther Heggs (Knotts) is a typesetter for the local newspaper.  He dreams of being a reporter.  Luther also dreams of having Alma Parker (Staley) as his girl.  Unfortunately Luther becomes an easy target for jokes when his reports of a murder turn out to be just a drunk knocked unconscious by his wife.  Ollie Weaver (Homeier) a reporter for the newspaper is especially cruel to Luther and to make matters worse, Ollie is dating Alma!

Luther gets a chance at redemption when his boss assigns him a story — Luther will spend the night in a haunted house where a brutal murder occurred years ago.  Despite his fears, Luther spends the night.  Strange things happen that could lead to solving the murder mystery… if anyone will believe Luther!

Don Knotts starring in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a natural.  Knotts was built to play Luther.  Luther’s dream girl, Alma was played by Joan Staley and she was also built — she was a Playboy playmate of the month!  Fans of The Andy Griffith Show will recognize the similarities between The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and an episode of the tv show.  It was Andy Griffith who suggested that the episode would make a great feature film starring Knotts if the idea was expanded for a new character.  Knotts recruited James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, writers on The Andy Griffith Show to come up with a screenplay.  Knotts also suggested Alan Rafkin (who directed several episodes of the tv show) to helm the feature.  There are also cast members in the movie who appeared on the tv series.

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken rates 4 of 5 stars (and higher if you’re a kid).

Dark Winds Season 1 (2022) / Z-View

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Dark Winds Season 1 (2022)

Director:  Chris Eyre (Eps 1, 2, 5, 6), Sanford Bookstaver (Eps 3, 4)

Teleplay by:  Graham Roland (Ep 1), Anthony Florez (Ep 2),  Maya Rose Dittloff & Razelle Benally (Ep 3), Billy Luther (Ep 4), Erica Tremblay (Ep 5), Maya Rose Dittloff (Ep 6)  // Based on the Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman

Starring:  Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Deanna Allison, Noah Emmerich, Eugene Brave Rock and Rainn Wilson

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Sheriff Joe Leaphorn (McClarnon) and his Deputy, Bernadette Manuelito (Matten) are the law for the whole Navajo reservation.  When bank robbers make their escape in a helicopter are last seen flying over the reservation, FBI Agent Whitover (Emmerich) is sent in.  Leaphorn and Whitover don’t like each other, but have worked together in the past to resolve cases.

A new Deputy, Jim Chee (Gordon) joins the team.  Chee is a college educated officer who left the reservation to better himself.  Leaphorn is unaware that Chee is actually an FBI agent sent undercover by Agent Whitover to keep him informed of the investigation.  As Leaphorn, Manuelito and Chee follow the clues, it appears that members of  the Buffalo Society, a group of Navajo radicals may be involved in the bank robbery.  And Chee isn’t the only person who isn’t what he/she seams…

Dark Winds provides a good mystery in a setting that we don’t see too often.  There is a feeling of respect and authenticity to Navajos due to the writers all being Native American.  I was happy to see that Dark Winds was renewed for Season 2.  Dark Winds Season 1 rates 4 of 5 stars.

TROUBLE IS WHAT I DO by Walter Mosley / Z-View

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Trouble is What I Do by Walter Mosley

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher Mulholland Books; 1st edition (February 25, 2020)

First sentence…

“Mr. McGill?” Mardi Bitterman said over the intercom that connects her desk at the front of our office complex to mine at the far end.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Leonid McGill is a legitimate tough guy.  He’s a former boxer, a full time PI and sometime criminal.  Often his cases are dangerous and involve people you’d cross the street to avoid.  This time the case sounds simple,.  Phillip “Catfish” Worry, a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman wants McGill to deliver a letter to his granddaughter before her upcoming wedding.  What complicates the situation is Catfish’s granddaughter and her father are unaware that Catfish is her grandfather.  She is from a wealthy white family that runs is social circles that trace their linage back to the Mayflower.

What starts out as a simple case becomes anything but.  McGill can handle himself. Few men give McGill pause.  Stone cold killers, Hush and Eckles, are two who do.  If they want you dead, you better have your will written.  Still McGill presses on.  McGill’s simple case turns into one he may not survive…

I love the Leonid McGill series and Trouble is What I Do rates 5 of 5 stars. 

Trouble is What I Do Hardback
Trouble is What I Do Paperback
Trouble is What I Do Kindle

“Bathing Beauty” (1944) Starring Esther Williams & Red Skelton / Z-View

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Bathing Beauty (1944)

Director:   George Sidney

Screenplay by:  Dorothy Kingsley &Allen Boretz and Frank Waldman, adaptation: Joseph Schrank,  based on a story by Kenneth Earl & M.M. Musselman and Curtis Kenyon / uncredited George Oppenheimer

Starring:  Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Basil Rathbone, Jean Porter,  Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra, Lina Romay, Donald Meek and Margaret Dumont

Tagline: M.G.M’s Mammoth Technicolor Musical Spectacle!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

New York producer, George Adams (Rathbone) is afraid that he’s going to lose his number one song writer, when Steve Elliott (Skelton) marries Caroline Brooks (Williams).  So Adams hires a woman to show up to the wedding claiming she’s married to Steve.  The woman brings three red headed boys as proof!  The ruse works even though Steve and Caroline both said, “I do.”  Caroline runs out saying that she’s getting an annulment.

Caroline returns to the all-girl college where she was a gym teacher.  Using a technicality to enroll in the all-girl college, Steve plans to prove his innocence.

Bathing Beauty was advertised as M.G.M’s Mammoth Technicolor Musical Spectacle and lives up to it’s billing.  The movie is heavy on song & dance broken up by short comedy scenes highlighting Skelton’s clowning ability.  Bathing Beauty is also the film that features one of the most copied water dance numbers. It’s the one with dozens of bathing beauties doing a side dive into the pool as the camera glides past.  Ester Williams is easy on the eyes (so is Jean Porter) and Red Skelton is just plain likeable.   If you’re looking for light hearted fun, you could do a lot worse than Bathing Beauty which rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Brimstone” (2016) Starring Guy Pearce & Dakota Fanning / Z-View

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Brimstone (2016)

Director:   Martin Koolhoven

Screenplay by:  Martin Koolhoven

Starring:  Guy Pearce, Dakota Fanning, Emilia Jones and Kit Harington

Tagline:  Retribution is coming

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Brimstone is the story of Liz (Fanning), the Reverend (Pearce) and their twisted relationship.  The story is told out of order, so when we first see Liz, she is a young married woman.  The Reverend shows up to the wilderness town where she lives and we quickly learn that he means to harm Liz and her family.  As the story unfolds we learn that their relationship goes back to Liz’s childhood and no matter where she runs, the Reverend finds her.

I wanted to like Brimstone.  It has an interesting premise.  I’m a fan of Guy Pearce, Dakota Fanning, Kit Harrington and westerns.  The set up for Brimstone leaves the audience with many questions and as the story unfolds most are answered.  What turned me off was the slow pace, excessive and redundant violence and an ending that left me wishing I’d checked out before the nearly 2 and a half hour run time.

Guy Pearce is an excellent actor and he convincingly plays one of the most despicable characters you can imagine.  Dakota Fanning is Pearce’s equal as far as acting goes, and perhaps it is their talents that kept me watching.  Kit Harrington takes some getting used to with his southern accent, but he isn’t in the film for much more than a glorified cameo.  The film is divided into four parts 1) Revelation 2) Exodus 3) Genesis 4) Retribution and loses me in the last section.  I was having doubts about the film before, but it is when Liz pulls a Riddick in Pitch Black move to escape being tied to a post that I realized my doubts were well founded.

Throughout the movie we believe that the Reverend is out to get retribution.  My interpretation of the ending is that despite it being a downer, Liz is the one to get poetic justice.  If that’s the case the ending just doesn’t work for me.  Everyone but one person in Liz’s life is murdered and Liz commits suicide.  Plus there’s the whole question if the Reverend is a real person or something else.

I wish I liked Brimstone more but I also realize it just wasn’t for me.  For that reason Brimstone gets 1 of 5 stars.

Posse (1993) / Z-View

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Posse (1993)

Director:   Mario Van Peebles

Screenplay by:  Sy Richardson, Dario Scardapane

Starring:  Mario Van Peebles, Stephen Baldwin, Billy Zane, Charles Lane, Paul Bartel, Blair Underwood, Richard Edson, Richard Gant,  Pam Grier, Isaac Hayes, Robert Hooks, Reginald Hudlin, Richard Jordan, Big Daddy Kane, Tom Lister Jr.,  Tone Loc, Aaron Neville, Nipsey Russell, Woody Strode, Melvin Van Peebles, Reginald VelJohnson and Stephen J. Cannell

Tagline: The Untold Story of the Wild West

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

A group of Buffalo soldiers led by Jesse (Van Peebles) is ordered by Colonel Graham (Zane) to steal a Spanish gold shipment.  If the Buffalo soldiers are successful, Graham plans to kill them and take the gold.  Instead, the Buffalo soldiers steal the gold and go on the run!

Jesse’s posse heads west and have many adventures with Colonel Graham and his raiders never far behind.  Everything comes to a head when Jesse’s posse attempts to help the people of a small frontier town.  A crooked sheriff has learned a railroad is coming through and the land is going to be valuable.  The Sheriff is running the townsfolk off or killing them.

Mario Van Peebles acts and directs (with style).  Billy Zane makes a fun scenery-chewing villain.  It’s a blast seeing so many familiar faces in supporting roles.  I’m surprised there were never more Posse movies since this one rates 3 of 5 stars.

“D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?” (2022) / Z-View

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D.B. Cooper: Where Are You? (2022)

Director:   Marina Zenovich

Screenplay by:  None

Starring:  Tom Colbert

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

On November 24, 1971, a man the press mistakenly labeled D.B. Cooper (he actually bought the ticket using the name Dan Cooper) hijacked a plane.  He claimed to have a bomb, demanded $200,000.00 and four parachutes.  The plane landed.  The cash and parachutes were brought on board.  Everyone except the pilot and a few other crew members were allowed to leave.  The plane was refueled and took off.  Somewhere in flight, during a rainstorm at night, the hijacker (with the cash) parachuted from the plane.  He was never caught.

D.B. Cooper: Where Are You? is more about Tom Colbert (and folks like him) who are obsessed with finding D.B. Cooper than the actual case.  There have been thousands of leads called in to the F.B.I. and despite the resources available to them no one was ever arrested.  What’s interesting is the number of amateur sleuths who believe that they know who D.B. Cooper was/is.  There are enough of these folks that there is an annual D.B. Cooper convention where “fans” show up to hear the latest theories, buy the newest books, t-shirts and more.

If you’re looking to a definite answer as to who D.B. Cooper is/was, this is not the documentary for you.  It’s amazing how many viable suspects were interviewed and thought to potentially be D.B., yet no one was ever charged.  I also enjoyed the look at the folks who have made the D.B. Cooper case a big part of their lives.  D.B. Cooper: Where Are You? earns 4 of 5 stars.

“The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1981) Starring Jack Nicolson & Jessica Lange / Z-View

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The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

Director:   Bob Rafelson

Screenplay by:  David Mamet based on the James M. Cain novel The Postman Always Rings Twice

Starring:  Jack Nicholson, Jessica Lange, John Colicos, Michael Lerner, John P. Ryan and Anjelica Huston

Tagline:  In the heat of passion two things can happen. The second is murder.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Frank Chambers (Nicholson) is a drifter who plans to scam a meal from a roadside diner and move on.  When the diner’s owner, Nick Papadakis (Colicos), offers Chambers a job, he declines… then he catches a look at Papadakis’ young wife (Lange).  Chambers takes the job,

Soon he and young Mrs. Papadakis are involved in a low-rent romance.  As things heat up, their thoughts turn to cold-blooded murder.  With Mr. Papadakis permanently out of the way, they’ll have each other and the diner to themselves.  They think they’ll be on the way to easy street, but depending on how things turn out it could be the electric chair!

This film is the fourth version of James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice.  It was David Mamet’s first produced screenplay and had Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in the lead roles.  My expectations were high.  Sadly, I was disappointed.  The advertisements for the film boasted of the heat between Nicholson and Lange.  I didn’t feel it.  Chambers and Papadakis’ wife need to be so in love (or at least in lust) that they’re willing to risk everything.  I had the feeling that either of them could have moved on without a glance back.  The love scenes weren’t loving or even sexy.

I’m a huge fan of the 1946 movie version starring Lana Turner and John Garfield which I thought was a 5 star film.  This could have influenced my feelings toward the remake which earns 2 of 5 stars.