Category: Z-View

“House of Dracula” (1945) – Starring Dracula, Wolf Man and Frankenstein! / Z-View

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House of Dracula (1945)

Director:  Erle C. Kenton

Screenplay:  Edward T. Lowe Jr. from a story by Dwight V. Babcock, George Bricker

Stars:  Lon Chaney Jr. , John Carradine, Onslow Stevens, Martha O’Driscoll, Lionel Atwill, Glenn Strange and
Skelton Knaggs

Tagline: Frankenstein’s Monster … Wolf Man … Dracula … Mad Doctor … Hunchback

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Dracula (Carradine) shows up at Dr. Franz Edelmann’s (Stevens) castle and asks Edelmann to cure him from being a vampire.  Edelmann agrees to try.  Soon after, Lawrence Talbot comes knocking.  Talbot wants the doctor to cure him from being a werewolf.  What are the odds?  As the commercials say, but wait, there’s more!  As the doctor works to cure both Dracula and Talbot, he discovers the Frankenstein monster in mud under his castle!

Doctor Edelmann is using his own blood for the transfusions with Dracula and this is causing the doctor to experience symptoms of vampirism.  Soon enough we have Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, the mad doctor and his hunchback assistant creating havoc!  Having the top three classic Universal monsters in the same film is every kid’s dream!

John Carradine isn’t my favorite choice for Dracula, but why nitpick when we also get Wolfman and Frankenstein?  Lon Chaney Jr. as Lawrence Talbot isn’t as whiney as normal and that’s a good thing.  Glenn Strange makes a fine Frankenstein.  While House of Dracula isn’t a classic, the kid in you will enjoy it!

House of Dracula earns 3 of 5 stars.

Stephen King’s Storm of the Century (1999) / Z-View

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Storm of the Century (1999)

Director:  Craig R. Baxley

Screenplay:  Stephen King

Stars:  Tim Daly, Debrah Farentino, Colm Feore, Jeffrey DeMunn, Casey Siemaszko and Stephen King

Tagline: Give him what he wants and he’ll go away.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

As the residents of the small remote Little Tall Island off the coast of Maine, prepare for a blizzard that is predicted to be the storm of the century, a murderer is discovered sitting in a chair, eating cookies next to the corpse of the old woman that he beat to death with a cane.  Mike Anderson (Daly), store owner and part-time constable and his deputy bring the stranger in to the jail cell located in the back of Anderson’s store.  Because of the storm, all transportation to the island is shut down.  They’ll have to hold him until the storm passes.

The man gives his name as André Linoge (Feore). He tells Anderson and those watching, “Give me what I want, and I’ll go away.”  Linoge has information about Anderson and others that no one could possibly know.  He also seems to have ability to make folks do things against their will.  When two people commit suicide and “Give me what I want and I’ll go away” is found written beside them, they start to believe that Linoge is a demon.  As the storm worsens, Linoge displays more powers, inflicting hallucinations and causing people to commit murder.  If they give Linoge what he wants, will he really go away?  And what could he possibly want?

Storm of the Century is a three part mini-series that creates a slow burn as we’re introduced to Linoge and come to realize that he may be more than an evil man.  Tim Daly was excellent as the level-headed, moral part time constable/store owner.  Jeffrey DeMunn was perfect as the unlikable town manager.  Equally as good was Colm Feore as the menacing  André Linoge.  As a viewer, you cannot help but think about what you would do in that situation.  Would you give him what he wants?

Storm of the Century earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Most Dangerous Game” (2020) Starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz / Z-View

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Most Dangerous Game (2020)

Director:  Phil Abraham

Screenplay:  Nick Santora

Stars:  Liam Hemsworth, Sarah Gadon, Christoph Waltz, Zach Cherry and Chris Webster

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When Dodge Tynes (Hemsworth) learns that he has an inoperable brain tumor, his only worry is providing for his pregnant wife after he’s gone.  A nurse gives Dodge a card for the Tiro Fund, a foundation that helps people with terminal illnesses.  Trio CEO, Miles Sellars (Waltz), meets Dodge and tells him he’s a perfect candidate for assistance.  As a former athlete who still jogs daily, Dodge is in shape and this will help if he agrees to the deal.

The deal is Dodge agrees to be prey for five hunters.  Every hour that Dodge is alive, money will be wired into his account.  If he survives 24 hours, he wins the hunt and his family will have over 24 million dollars.  If he is killed before the game ends, his wife will keep all money in the account.  Once the game starts, there is no stopping it.  If Dodge tells anyone about the game, he will become prey forever.  He cannot leave the city and he must carry a phone that will give his location for 15 seconds every hour.

Ultimately Dodge agrees to play the game… and the race is on.  But can Sellars truly be trusted?  What information is he hiding from Dodge… and how will that impact the game?

Most Dangerous Game is based on the short story The Most Dangerous Game written by Richard Connell in 1924.  It has been adapted many, many times and when done right, never gets old.  Most Dangerous Game gets it right.  Originally seen on the Roku channel as 7 or 8 minute episodes, it has now been compiled into a 2 hour and 7 minute film.  Since each episode had to get the viewer to want to see the next, there are a ton of great action scenes, cliffhangers and twists.

Liam Hemsworth is believable as the former athlete trying to stay alive.  Christoph Waltz brings the right amount of cocky arrogance to his part.  Sure, the hunters are cliches (the Englishman who plays by the rules, the martial arts chick, the cowboy, the priest, and an aging hippie), but that’s part of the fun.  I had a blast watching Most Dangerous Game and wish more movies followed the format.

Most Dangerous Game earns 4 of 5 stars.

Rob Zombie’s “The Munsters” (2022) / Z-View

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The Munsters (2022)

Director:  Rob Zombie

Screenplay:  Rob Zombie based on the television show The Munsters by Allan Burns, Chris Hayward

Stars:  Cassandra Peterson, Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Richard Brake, Daniel Roebuck, Dee Wallace, Sylvester McCoy, Pat Priest, Jorge Garcia, Catherine Schell and Butch Patrick

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

The Munsters was a television comedy that ran for two seasons from September 1964 to May 1966.  The show featured a family of monsters living in the suburbs.  The family consisted of Herman Munster, based on Frankenstein’s monster; his vampire wife, Lilly; their son Eddie (a werewolf); Lilly’s father, Grandpa who was a vampire and their niece, Marilyn who was pretty by conventional standards (but the family thought of her as unattractive).  The comedy came from neighbors’ reactions to the Munsters and the family’s interactions with each other and normal folks.

Rob Zombie’s reboot explores how Herman and Lilly first fell in love.  I wanted to like The Munsters.  While I wasn’t a huge fan of the original series, I did watch it as a child.  My wife who is just a few months younger than me was a huge fan.  She had high hopes for the reboot.  We started watching and she was ready to bail after the first few scenes.  Ultimately we stuck with it for about 30 minutes before tapping out.

Part of the problem is the movie starts with several scenes and no Munster in sight.  Instead we have a mad scientist and his halfwit hunchback, Floop (I kid you not.  His name is Floop.  Is that supposed to get a cheap laugh?) robbing graves.  When Floop is sent to retrieve the brain of one of the world’s smartest men, he instead brings back the man’s brother’s brain.  The world’s smartest man and his brother, who happens to be one of the world’s dumbest men both conveniently (for the joke to work) died within hours of each other.

Meanwhile Grandpa is trying to hook Lilly up with a Nosferatu-looking vampire.  We get to see them on a date.  Lilly’s brother (a werewolf) is trying to get Grandpa to sell the house.  Meanwhile the mad scientist is creating Herman.  Oh, and there’s scenes of Grandpa watching Transylvania tv talk shows.

Does this sound like fun or anything even remotely funny?  If you think so, then give The Munsters a go.  It wasn’t for me… or my wife who is a Munster‘s fan.  Of course your mileage may differ.

The Munsters earns 1 of 5 stars.

“Corrective Measures” (2022) Starring Bruce Willis and Michael Rooker / Z-View

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Director:  Sean Patrick O’Reilly

Screenplay:  Sean Patrick O’Reilly based on Corrective Measures by Grant Chastain and Fran Moyano

Stars:  Bruce Willis, Michael Rooker and Tom Cavanagh

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Overseer Devlin (Rooker) is Warden of a maximum security prison for super powered villains.  When Payback, a vigilante is sent there, things heat up.  Payback sees himself as an avenger who kills super powered villains and the prison is full of them.  In addition as Devlin works out his plan for an early retirement, Lobe (Willis), an evil genius with secret powers is working on his own plan for an early release.

Corrective Measures is a low budget film.  And the amount and type of effects used throughout the film are evidence of it.  Willis and Rooker aren’t given much to do and the film would probably benefited from having their salaries go to unknown actors and a bigger effects budget.  Then again, having Willis and Rooker’s names on the poster probably got more eyes on the film.

State of Emergency earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Lou” (2022) Starring Allison Janney & Jurnee Smollett / Z-View

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Lou (2022)

Director:  Anna Foerster

Screenplay:  Maggie Cohn, Jack Stanley

Stars: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green, Ridley Asha Bateman, Matt Craven and Daniel Bernhardt

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Hannah (Smollett) lives on a small, remote island with her daughter Vee (Bateman).  The island is sparsely populated with much of it wilderness.  Hannah’s nearest neighbor is her landlord, Lou (Janney).  Lou is a grumpy, older woman who keeps to herself.

While a storm rages, Vee is kidnapped by her former special forces psycho father (Marshall-Green).  All phone lines are down so Hannah runs to Lou’s place for help.  Surprisingly, Lou seems to come alive.  She arms herself with a pistol and rifle.  Lou tells Hannah she will track and bring back Vee.  Hannah says that her ex-husband is former special forces and he’s crazy.  Lou says she can handle it and starts off.  Hannah follows.  There’s more to Lou than Hannah realized, but can Lou really save her daughter?

Who’d have thought Allison Janey could be an action star?  Surprisingly, she pulls it off!  The fight scenes and action beats are believable.  Janey’s best acting occurs when she comes off as a tired old lady lost in the woods and then takes on two men!  Logan Marshall-Green maintains the right balance as the crazy dad/pitiful son.  Jurnee Smollett and Ridley Asha Bateman are perfect for their roles and look like they could actually be mother and daughter.  If you’re a fan of action movies, you should enjoy Lou.  I did.

Lou earns 3 of 5 stars.

“State of Emergency” (2011) / Z-View

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State of Emergency (2011)

Director:  Turner Clay

Screenplay:  Turner Clay

Stars: Jay Hayden

Tagline: When the dead walk, the living… run.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When a chemical plant explodes, a toxin is released that turns people into blood thirsty cannibals.  The area is put on a military lockdown and survivors are to hunker down until help arrives.  Jim (Hayden) makes it to a farmhouse where three others have sought shelter.  Will they survive each other and the cannibals until help arrives?

State of Emergency is a low-budget, but well done film.  It is helped by a likeable cast, a decent story and able direction.  If you’re a fan of the genre, you should enjoy State of Emergency.

State of Emergency earns 3 of 5 stars.

JAEGER Written and Illustrated by Ibrahim Moustafa / Z-View

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Jaeger is a 48 page graphic novel written and illustrated by Ibrahim Moustafa, with letters by Nate Peikos of BLAMBOT,  Jaeger was first published as a web comic where it was nominated for an Eisner Award.

Idris Morel was a freedom fighter captured and tortured in a Nazi prisoner of war camp during World War II.  Now Morel is a  French-Algerian spy who tracks down and eliminates Nazi war criminals who have escaped justice.  Nazis speak in hushed whispers of the silent avenger they call “Der Jaeger” (the Hunter).  They live in fear that Der Jaeger will come for them.  As his body count grows, Morel’s obsession with revenge pushes him to the brink… will he become what he fights?

Ibrahim Moustafa has created what could have been a traditional World War II revenge tale and added twists to make it his own.  Nazis are easy targets, but the ones in Moustafa’s tale aren’t one dimensional bad guys.  I also like that Moustafa’s hero of the tale isn’t American or British.  He’s put the World part of the War back into the mix.

I really enjoyed Moustafa’s art.  It isn’t over rendered and the colors that Moustafa uses enhance each page.  The storytelling is straightforward with excellent use of inset panels to draw the reader’s eye to what’s most important.  The graphic novel comes with a choice of three different cover artists:  Dennis Calero, Phil Hester or Ibrahim Moustafa.  The graphic novel also contains a five page bonus section with character studies, page and cover roughs and a Jaeger commission.  I enjoyed Jaeger and could see additional tales of The Hunter.

Jaeger earns 4 of 5 stars.

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022) / Z-View

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The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022)

Director:  Emma Cooper

Appearances: Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmy Hoffa, John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Peter Lawford

Tagline: The brighter the star, the darker the truth.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Anthony Summers, who wrote the Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe, shares snippets of some of the 650 interviews he did while researching the book. The documentary uses actors/actresses to lip sync to the recordings.  I found this distracting. It gave the movie a tabloid feel.  I was hoping for some new information, but if you know Marilyn’s story as well as the most popular theories of her death, there’s nothing new here.

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes earns 2 of 5 stars.

Into the Ashes (2019) Written & Directed by Aaron Harvey, Starring Luke Grimes, James Badge Dale, Frank Grillo & Robert Taylor / Z-View

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Into the Ashes (2019)

Director:  Aaron Harvey

Screenplay:  Aaron Harvey

Starring: Luke Grimes, Frank Grillo, Marguerite Moreau, James Badge Dale, Rob Mello and Robert Taylor

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Nick Brenner (Grimes) used to run with a rough crew.  But he got smart and got away.  He moved to another town, found the woman of his dreams and married.  Nick’s holding down a job at a furniture store and making things work with his father-in-law, the local sheriff (Taylor).  The past is behind him… or so he thinks.

When his crime partners show up unexpectedly the unthinkable happens.  Nick is plunged back into his criminal past.  Both Nick and his father-in-law will have to decide how far their willing to go when nothing can fix what’s been done.

Hats off to Aaron Harvey for writing, producing and directing Into the Ashes.  What could be a simple revenge film was instead a layered tale that respected the audience’s intelligence.  The film features a strong cast of relative unknowns outside of the always good Frank Grillo and Robert Taylor.  Rob Mello and Marguerite Moreau deserve special praise for their small but impressive roles.  I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about Into the Ashes and look forward to Aaron Harvey’s next film.

Into the Ashes earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Morbius” (2022) / Z-View

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Morbius (2022)

Director:  Daniel Espinosa

Screenplay:  Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless

Starring: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Keaton

Tagline: The line between hero and villain will be broken.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Michael Morbius (Leto) is a brilliant doctor who uses vampire bat blood to cure himself from a rare degenerative blood disease.  The process also gives Morbius powers associated with vampires (heightened senses, super speed and strength), but also a need for human blood.  When Morbius hungers, he loses control and all around him are in danger.

When Morbius’ friend Milo (Smith), who suffers from the same rare blood disease realizes that Morbius has found a cure, he goes through the process and becomes a vampire.  While Morbius sees himself as a monster and looks for a cure; Milo embraces being a vampire.  He sees himself as the next step in evolution and enjoys feeding on humans.  The police believe that Morbius is responsible for Milo’s murders.  Morbius struggles to find a cure with the police and Mio out to kill him…

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Morbius.  While the movie is set within the Marvel Universe, it played out pretty much as a standalone film.  Leto is perfect as the slightly strange Dr. Morbius.  When the movie started I felt it carried a vibe similar to the under-rated television show The Passage (which is a good thing).  I’m not a big superhero movie fan, but I enjoyed this one.

Morbius earns 4 of 5 stars.

“I Came By” (2022) / Z-View

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I Came By (2022)

Directors:  Babak Anvari

Screenplay:  Babak Anvari, Namsi Khan from a story by Babak Anvari 

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Percelle Ascott, George MacKay, Kelly Macdonald, Franc Ashman and Varada Sethu

Tagline: None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Toby (MacKay) and Jay (Ascott) are best friends.  For kicks they like to sneak in to rich people’s homes and leave the graffiti message, I Came By painted on one of their walls.  These hijinks have gotten media attention wondering who these bold social activists could be and what the message means.

When Jay learns that his wife is pregnant, he tells Toby his I Came By days are over.  He wants to be there for his child and he won’t risk getting arrested over nonsense.  Jay becomes angry and says they’d already picked out their next target, Hector Blake (Bonneville), a judge that Jay believes is a hypocrite.  When Toby stands firm, Jay says that he’ll go alone.

And he does.  When Jay breaks into Blake’s mansion he hears noises from the basement.  What he discovers sets off a chain reaction that plays out in surprising and bold ways.  I Came By is well written, well acted and well directed.  I was impressed with the screenwriters’ ability to create a story with surprises and a director who trusted the viewer’s intelligence.  I Came By easily rates 4 of 5 stars.

I Came By earns 4 of 5 stars.

“End of the Road” (2022) / Z-View

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End of the Road (2022)

Directors:  Millicent Shelton

Screenplay:  Christopher J. Moore, David Loughery

Starring: Queen Latifah, Ludacris, Mychala Lee, Shaun Dixon, Beau Bridges, Frances Lee McCain and Keith Jardine

Tagline: There’s No Turning Back..

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Brenda (Latifah), her two children, Kelly (Lee) and Cam (Dixon) along with Brenda’s brother, Reggie (Ludacris) are on a cross-country road trip.  Late at night in their hotel they hear a commotion and gunshot in the next room.  They go over to find a man dying from a bullet wound.  Brenda gives first aide until help arrives.

The next morning, Brenda provides what little information she has to the police.  Sheriff Hammers (Bridges) wants her to stick around, but Brenda says she’s available by phone. The family leaves.  Before too long Brenda receives a call from someone saying he knows who she is and he wants his money back!  Brenda hangs up, only to learn that Reggie took a satchel of cash from the hotel room while Brenda was giving first aide.  Now a brutal killer is on their trail… he wants his money and will kill everyone to get it!

End of the Road starts off well enough.  A family on the road in peril is a idea.  The problem is there’s never any mystery to who the killer is and while the family is placed in dangerous situations, the way the movie unfolds we know that there’s no real danger.  There is a tense situation at the start of the movie between two rednecks in a truck blocking the path of Brenda’s car.  Reggie is ready to fight, but Brenda is able to calm him and get the thugs to move on.  Later Brenda is trapped by a group of white supremacists and she turns into some sort of fighting machine, beating up some and shooting another!  In the final act of the film (get ready for a big spoiler!), we learn Sheriff Hammers is the killer!  We’re supposed to believe that 81 year old Beau Bridges is a physical threat to a woman who handed a butt-whoopin’ to Mace’s (UFC fighter Keith Jardine) skinheads?

What could have made this film work is to change the look and feel to a 1970s blaxploitation movie.  Since every major white character the family interacts with is racist or bad, it wouldn’t have been too difficult.  Throw in a soundtrack that echos Lalo Schifrin or Isacc Hayes and we’d have something.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen and we’re left with an OK movie that should have been better.

End of the Road earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Goodnight Mommy” (2022) Starring Naomi Watts / Z-View

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Goodnight Mommy (2022)

Directors:  Matt Sobel

Screenplay:  Kyle Warren  based on Goodnight Mommy (2014) written and directed by Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala

Starring: Naomi Watts, Cameron Crovetti, Nicholas Crovetti, Peter Hermann, Jeremy Bobb and Crystal Lucas-Perry

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When twin brothers, Elias and Lukas arrive at their mother’s remote home for the summer, they’re surprised to find her face covered in bandages.  She explains that she’s had cosmetic surgery. Pretty quickly they see that their mother isn’t acting normal… and they begin to wonder if it is their mother!  When she takes their cell phone they have no way to contact anyone and mom’s behavior is getting worse.

Goodnight Mommy is a fun ride in the tradition of The Twilight Zone or a good M. Night Shyamalan film.  There are at least three “What?!” moments.  I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Goodnight Mommy.

Goodnight Mommy earns 4 of 5 stars.

“It Came From Outer Space” (1953) / Z-View

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It Came From Outer Space (1953)

Directors:  Jack Arnold

Screenplay:  Harry Essex from a story by Ray Bradbury

Starring: Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake and Russell Johnson

Tagline: Terror In 3-D… Reaching From The Screen To Seize You In Its Grasp!…

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When John Putnam (Carlson) and his fiancé, Ellen Fields (Rush) see a meteorite crash nearby, they go to investigate.  What they discover is an alien spaceship.  They escape to inform the town folk, but no one believes them… until people begin to act strange!

When I was a kid, I didn’t like It Came From Outer Space.  There’s more suspense than action.  The aliens look goofy instead of scary.  It’s also a movie where the aliens don’t want to cause harm.  Like ET, they just want to get home.  I recently re-watched It Came From Outer Space, it’s not great but it’s also not a bad way to spend 81 minutes.  ; )

It Came from Outer Space earns 3 of 5 stars.