Sterling North – New Comic Series from Don Lee, Christopher Priest & Jae Lee!

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Ma Dong-seok aka Don Lee is best known to American audiences for his role in Train to Busan.  Lee, an international movie star is teaming with Christopher Priest and Jae Lee to create a new comic series, Sterling North.  The series will be published through Dynamite Entertainment.  Here’s the lowdown…

The man once known as Jonathon Smith has suffered a horrific accident, and is faced with extensive facial reconstruction surgery and memory loss. What his wife doesn’t know is that he did in fact die, but a top level CIA agent codenamed “Sterling North” has taken his place in order to rout out terrorists and other looming threats. Faced with the challenges of blending into a new life, the complications and conspiracies continue to mount. Sterling North may realize that the true enemies are often those closest to us…

For more details check out Bleeding Cool’s Don Lee, Christopher Priest and Jae Lee’s New Comic, Sterling North.

I’m a Don Lee fan.  Sterling North will be on my pull list for my local comic shop. As for Don Lee movies, in addition to Train to Busan, I highly recommend The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil,

“Encounters” (2023) / Z-View

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Encounters (2023)

Director: Yon Motskin

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

There are many documentaries that explore the idea that humans have had encounters with extraterrestrial beings.  What sets Encounters apart from most of those is that Encounters focuses on situations where several, sometimes dozens, of people experienced the same event.

Encounters is a four episode mini-series.

In the first episode the encounter took place over Central Texas. Dozens of people saw an UFO followed by US aircraft.  Although there were official denials at first, radar data confirmed what people said they saw. The incident was covered in national and international news.  One man became so obsessed it cost him his business and his marriage.

The second episode covers another famous encounter.  In 1994, over sixty children at a  Zimbabwe school claimed to have seen a spaceship and alien.  A prominent psychologist tested the students and said results indicated they were telling the truth.  This episode features interviews with some of the same children who are now adults, dealing with the impact of their encounter.

The third episode details an encounter at a small Welsh village that led to multiple UFO sightings.

The four episode explores the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. There were multiple UFO sightings observed and filmed by many witnesses.  The encounters took on a religious/spiritual aspect for many of those involved.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

I am always impressed by people who seem to have nothing to gain (and often a lot to lose) who come forward with their stories.  Some witnesses are more believable than others.  Encounters presents a mixed bag.

My favorite episodes were the first and fourth.  The first because of the sheer number of folks who came forward.  I would like to know more about the man who lost everything because of his obsession with the encounter.  The fourth episode provided video of the UFOs flying over a nuclear plant that began to have a meltdown due to an earthquake.  After the UFOs appeared, the readings began to change to a safer output.  I’d like to hear more experts weigh in on that.  I also enjoyed the religious/spiritual aspect witnesses in this episode displayed towards the encounters.

Encounters (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

John Benteen’s FARGO: HELL on WHEELS graphic novel – adapted by Howard Chaykin

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John Benteen’s Fargo: Hell on Wheels graphic novel – adapted by Howard Chaykin just launched today on Zoop.  I immediately jumped on board.  Here’s the lowdown…

Legendary comic book creator Howard Chaykin launches his first ever crowdfunding campaign!

A 96+ page prestige format, action packed, hardcover graphic novel starring soldier of fortune Neal Fargo, based on the legendary ‘Fargo‘ paperback series by John Benteen! Imagine if Conan was an American in the early 20th century. He still wouldn’t be as hard as Neal Fargo. Adapted, written and illustrated by the inimitable HOWARD CHAYKIN!

Supporters of the campaign are in for massive treats, as there are art contributions to the book by a murderer’s row of artists, including Gary Frank, Butch Guice, Eduardo Risso, Denys Cowan, Mahmud Asrar, Ron Garney and lots more, with a variant cover provided by Dave Johnson!

Here are two sample pages from Howard Chaykin.

Art by Dave Johnson and Walt Simonson!

Pinups by Denys Cowan and Giancarlo Bernal!

Pinups by Dan Panosian and Cully Hamner!

If this hits the right notes, then get on board before the train pulls out.  John Benteen’s Fargo: Hell on Wheels graphic novel – adapted by Howard Chaykin.

“Lawmen: Bass Reeves” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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It’s cool that Bass Reeves is getting a series.  I first posted about him back in 2013: The Life and Times of Deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves.  I ended the post with…

I’m somewhat surprised Bass Reeves’ life story hasn’t been turned into a movie or tv series.

Now eight years later we’re getting a Bass Reeves series.  I always said, we’re ahead of the curve here.  ; )

From Executive Producers Taylor Sheridan and David Oyelowo comes the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West: Bass Reeves. Lawmen: Bass Reeves, follows the journey of Reeves (Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.

Stream the series premiere of Lawmen: Bass Reeves on November 5, exclusively on Paramount+.

The Twilight Zone’s Best Twist Endings!

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Devin Meenan came up with a list of The 6 Best Twist Endings In Twilight Zone History, Ranked. The list is a good one. Before you click over to read Devin’s rankings and rationale, below is how I’d rank them.  I also included three that didn’t make Devin’s list and my rationale for each.

Beware of spoilers!

06. Eye of the Beholder
05. A Nice Place To Visit
04. Time Enough At Last
03. The Midnight Sun
02. The Invaders
01. To Serve Man

  • Nightmare at 20,000 Feet:  We know there really is a creature on the wing of the plane. THAT isn’t the twist.  The twist is when we realize that if Shatner’s character hadn’t taken drastic action, the gremlin would have crashed the plane killing everyone! We learn this as Shatner’s character is strapped to a gurney to go back to a mental institution.
  • The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street: This episode has one of the great twists of the series.  Neighbors have turned on each other resulting in at least one murder.  Each thinks the other could be the “alien”.  The things leading to this are mundane.  Lights going on and off.  A car starting.  In the midst of the mayhem the camera pulls back and we see the two aliens causing the events.  The aliens realize it doesn’t take much to get humans to turn on each other.  A world takeover will be easy.
  • Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?:  This episode contains a double twist.  We’ve spent the episode wondering who is the alien (if there really is one).  The reveal is that one of the passengers is indeed an alien.  He/It brags to the counterman that an invasion to take over the earth is coming.  Then we get the 2nd twist.  The counterman reveals that he/it is an alien as well.  His race is aware of the other aliens’ plan to take over the earth.  His “people” have intercepted and wiped them out.  The earth will be theirs!

“The Adjustment Bureau” (2011) starring Matt Damon & Emily Blunt / Z-View

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The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Director: George Nolfi

Screenplay: George Nolfi based on “Adjustment Team” by Philip K. Dick

Stars: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Michael Kelly, Anthony Mackie, Terence Stamp and Pedro Pascal.

Tagline: Your Future Has Been Adjusted

The Plot…

David Norris (Damon) was the leading candidate for a Senate seat.  A foolish college prank that Norris pulled years ago blew up on Social Media and cost him the race.  As Norris, thinking he’s alone, goes over his concession speech he meets Elise Sellas (Blunt).  There’s an instant attraction between the two.  He gets her first name and phone number before she has to run off and he has to give his speech.

The next day, Norris plans to call Elise.  He’s surprised to discover that a group of well dressed men are going to do everything in their power to keep the two apart.  Norris is told that if he and Elise get together it will ruin “the plan”.  As crazy as it sounds, this plan will change the world.  Norris sees enough to realize he’s not dealing with humans.  He also realizes that he’s got to see Elise again… no matter the cost.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

The Adjustment Bureau crosses into several genres (sci-fi, romance, drama) and works well in each. 

The Adjustment Bureau will leave the viewer thinking about free will, destiny and how far would he/she would go to be with someone… even at the expense of the “greater good”.

Matt Damon and Michael Kelly are excellent. Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie and Terence Stamp give performances that take the film to another level.  Watch for Pedro Pascal.  He has a cameo as a Maitre D’.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) rates 4 of 5 stars.

TOO MANY BULLETS by Max Allan Collins / Z-View

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TOO MANY BULLETS by Max Allan Collins

Publisher: Titan Books

First sentence…

At the end of this narrative, certain guilty people go free.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When Robert Kennedy asks Nate Heller to be his bodyguard, Heller agrees.  How could he refuse?  Nate and Bobby had been friends for years.  Plus security is a service that Heller and his agency provides.  Nate agreed even when Bobby’s demands made protecting him nearly impossible.  “No guns” and Nate as the only bodyguard. That’s how Nate Heller came to be present when Robert Kennedy was assassinated.

Of course the conspiracy theories started almost immediately.  The same people who killed John Kennedy got to Robert.  It was the mafia, the C.I.A., the… you fill in the blank.  It was a conspiracy.  There’s no way it was a lone gunman.  Heller didn’t buy into any of it.  He was there.  Hell, he was one of the first to grab Sirhan Sirhan as the little murderer was still firing.  No, they got the right guy.

Then Heller begins to hear things that don’t add up.  The number of bullets for instance.  By almost every account, there were more bullets fired than Sirhan’s gun could hold.  There were witnesses who saw more than one gunman.  Their reports were dismissed without merit.  Plus Sirhan Sirhan’s lawyer didn’t present evidence that could have brought doubt as to if he acted alone.  Then there were the questionable characters all around the periphery of the assassination.  Even though Nate was there, he was starting to have questions.

So Nate Heller decides to do his own investigation.  What he discovers isn’t in any history book and just might get him killed.

+++++

I’m a huge fan of Max Allan Collins’ Nate Heller series.  Heller is a fictional detective who finds himself in the middle of real crimes.  Heller ages in real time as the series progresses. His tales are fiction mixed with extensive research and historical fact. Heller has been in the mix on everything from the Lindbergh baby kidnapping/murder to the suspicious death of Marilyn Monroe and much more. It’s fun watching Heller interact with famous (and infamous) folks right out of our history books. Equally enjoyable is Collins’ take on the crimes and what may have really happened.

TOO MANY BULLETS is another great addition to the Nate Heller legacy.  It gets my highest recommendation.

Rating:

“GEORGE A. ROMERO’S RESIDENT EVIL” – The Poster & Trailer for The (NEW 2024) Documentary is Here!

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George Romero directing a Resident Evil movie was announced.  It should have been a no-brainer to combine Romero with the Resident Evil property.  Yet, it never happened.  I’m looking forward to this documentary to find out why.

Deal me in.

In 1998, Constantin Film set out to adapt the greatest horror video game franchise of all time, hiring legendary film director George A. Romero. Now, Key 13 Films, in association with Point Five Films and director Brandon Salisbury set out to uncover the mystery behind why Romero’s vision was never produced.

George A. Romero’s Resident Evil is a stylized documentary, utilizing archived footage, unearthed documents, and newly filmed interviews with a wide variety of personalities. The documentary combines elements from Capcom’s hit video game series and the raw, visceral style of George A. Romero to full immerse the audience in a cinematic horror aesthetic.

Now, audiences everywhere will experience the “darkest day of horror the world will never know”, as they uncover the unrequited vision of… George A. Romero’s Resident Evil

DIRECTOR: Brandon Salisbury

“Strays” (2023) starring Ashley Madekwe / Z-View

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Strays (2023)

Director: Nathaniel Martello-White

Screenplay: Nathaniel Martello-White

Stars: Ashley Madekwe, Samuel Paul Small, Maria Almeida and Justin Salinger.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The movie opens with a Cheryl, young bi-racial woman, discussing concerns about racial discrimination and finances with her sister.  Cheryl places a note for her husband on the refrigerator and leaves. Later we see her ignore calls from her husband.

We then shift forward several years.  Neve is a bi-racial woman married two a white man.  They have two bi-racial high-school aged children.  The family is well off.  Neve works as the Deputy Headmistress at the elite private school her children attend.  Neve is very high strung. Her world seems to be coming apart.  Neve has issues with “blackness”.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Strays is described as a horror thriller. I gave up looking for horror or thrills after 32 minutes.  The movie moved at a snail’s pace.  It was obvious that Cheryl and Neve are the same person.  Neve’s character is unlikable and that didn’t help.  Ashley Madekwe was excellent in the role.  I look forward to seeing her in better productions in the future.

Strays currently has a 4.8/10 rating on IMDb.  It has a 2.1/5 audience rating.  As for me…

Strays (2023) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Day of the Dead 2: Contagium” (2005) / Z-View

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Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005)

Director: Ana Clavell, James Dudelson

Screenplay: Ryan Carrassi, Ana Clavell

Stars: Justin Ipock, Laurie Maria Baranyay, John F. Henry III.

Tagline: Every day has a beginning

The Plot…

In 1968, the Ravenside facility was a military hospital.  A biological experiment there accidentally turned soldiers into zombies.  Immediately things were out of control.  A private stole one of the vials and placed it in a thermos.  The soldier was killed trying to escape but the thermos was never found.  Thankfully the zombie uprising at the facility was contained. Word of it never leaked out.

Now Ravenside Memorial Hospital serves people struggling with mental illness. When one of the patients finds a thermos, you know what is about to take place.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

This movie was titled in an effort to cash in on George Romero’s success with zombie films.  It has NO relationship to Romero or any of his movies.

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium’s tagline is “Every day has a beginning.”  The same can be said for the movie.  It had a beginning and it began badly.  I hoped it would get better.  It didn’t. I tapped out after 41 minutes.

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium currently has a 2.3/10 rating in IMDb.  

Day of the Dead 2: Contagium (2005) rates 1 of 5 stars.

“Gemini Man” (2019) starring Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen & Benedict Wong / Z-View

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Gemini Man (2019)

Director: Ang Lee

Screenplay: David Benioff, Billy Ray, Darren Lemke from a story by Darren Lemke, David Benioff

Stars: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong, Ralph Brown, Ilia Volok.

Tagline: Who will save you from yourself

The Plot…

Henry Brogan (Smith) is an assassin for a secret US government agency.  He’s the best in the business, but the kills are starting to weigh heavy.  Even though he’s “taking out” really bad people, it’s getting harder to pull the trigger.  So after his last kill, Henry retires to a cabin by the sea at Buttermilk Sound, Georgia.

Soon after, Henry is contacted by a former partner.  Henry learns that he was given bad intel for his last hit.  The guy Henry assassinated wasn’t the threat to our government that Henry was led to believe.  When Henry’s former partner is killed, Henry knows he’s next.

What Henry doesn’t know, is that one of the agents sent to kill him is his clone.  If Henry’s the best assassin ever, how can he beat a younger, stronger version of himself?

Henry better figure it out and fast.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Gemini Man has an interesting plot.  The technology of 2019 is good enough to make a young Will Smith acting/fighting with his older self work. 

Will Smith makes a good hero.  He’s matched by an equally good villain in Clive Owen.  Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Benedict Wong are standouts.  Winstead is believable in the quiet moments as well as when the action revs up.  Wong provides restrained comic relief.

The action scenes come at a rate that allows you to go with the flow instead of thinking, this is a pretty by-the-numbers story. 

Where the movie goes off the rails is the last battle between old Will, Winstead, young Will and a large number of heavy armored and armed agents.  Despite the fact that they’re outnumbered and outgunned, Will and Winstead leave cover repeatedly to move forward. They kill agents by shooting them in the neck. Since the agents are wearing bulletproof helmets and armor, that’s the one shot that will take them out. 

Then if you can accept that 51 year old Will has repeatedly battled 21 year old Will to a standstill, you also have to buy that 55 year old Clive Owen who has spent the last few decades behind a desk can also hold his own in a fight with the best assassin in the business.  If your suspension of disbelief is still hanging in, wait until they bring out an even younger clone of Will Smith to kill the 21 year old clone and the original. 

I was tempted to rate Gemini Man a “2” but until that last battle, it was a solid “3” so I’m going with that.

Gemini Man (2019) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Your Lucky Day” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I love the poster for Your Lucky Day.  The trailer gives away a lot, but it looks good.

Deal me in.

YOUR LUCKY DAY | In Theaters November 10, On Digital November 14 |
After a dispute over a winning lottery ticket turns into a deadly hostage situation, the witnesses must decide exactly how far they’ll go—and how much blood they’re willing to spill—for a cut of the $156 million.

Directed by: Daniel Brown
Cast: Angus Cloud, Elliot Knight, Jessica Garza, Sterling Beaumon, Mousa Hussein Kraish, Jason Wiles, Sebastian Sozzi, Spencer Garrett, Jason O’Mara