Boise Longpig Hunting Club by Nick Kolakowski / Z-View

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Boise Longpig Hunting Club by Nick Kolakowski

Trade Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books

First sentence…

We came home from the movies to find our front door kicked open, both floors ransacked, half the food in our fridge missing.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jake Halligan comes home to find his house ransacked and a naked, dead woman in his gun safe.  Jake’s never seen the woman before, and has no idea who killed her.  The list of thugs, gangbangers, and assorted criminals Jake has tracked down (he’s a bounty hunter) is just too large.  Then Jake learns that the woman wasn’t the only murder victim.  As he gets closer to the killer(s), Jake, his ex-wife and sister are kidnapped. Soon they find themselves involved in what can only be called The Most Dangerous Game.

Nick Kolakowski has taken a classic tale and modernized it.  The Boise Longpig Hunting Club is full of memorable characters, action and humor.  Kolakowski provides situations that we’ve seen before, but he puts an unexpected twist on them that leaves us shocked and/or smiling.  I like Jake Halligan, his supporting characters and look forward to the follow-up, Rattlesnake Rodeo (which is already sitting in my to be read pile).  As for the  Boise Longpig Hunting Club, it rates 5 of 5 stars.

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“Hellblazers” – The Trailer is Here!

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From time to time you hear read me talking about drive-in movies.  They feature c-level celebrities or stars from the past in low budget films usually in the horror genre.  Even when they’re not great (which is often) they can be fun. Hellblazers looks like it qualifies as a drive-in movie.

Stars from the past?  Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, Bruce Dern, Meg Foster, Billy Zane.  Check.

Low budget?  Check.

Horror genre?  Check.

Fun?  I’ll get back to you after I watch it.  So deal me in.

Focused on unleashing hell on earth, a satanic cult conjures up a demon and sets to the task of feeding it the populace of a nearby southwestern town.

CAST: Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, Bruce Dern, John Kassir, Meg Foster, Edward Finlay, Ed Morrone, Billy Zane

DIRECTOR: Justin Lee

“Murderville” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I love the idea behind Murderville the Netflix limited series that premieres on February 3rd.  Will Arnett plays a detective who is joined by celebrity guest stars each week to solve a crime.  The catch is the guest stars aren’t given a script and have to adlib their way through the episode!.  Murderville sounds like fun!  Deal me in.

Solving crimes is hard. Improv comedy is harder. All 6 episodes of Murderville starring Will Arnett stream February 3rd, only on Netflix.

“The French Connection” / Z-View

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The French Connection (1971)

Director: William Friedkin

Screenplay:  Ernest Tidyman (based on the book by Robin Moore)

Starring:  Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Ray and Tony Lo Bianco.

Tagline:  The time is just right for an out and out thriller like this.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Let me say from the start most folks like The French Connection much more than me.  The French Connection was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won five (Best Picture, Best Actor – Hackman; Best Director, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Film Editing – Gerald B. Greenberg).  When a movie gets that many awards, is the number three box office champ for the year and a reviewer only gives it 3 of 5 stars, your mileage will probably differ.

My biggest problem with The French Connection is the lead characters.  Detective Buddy Russo (Scheider) isn’t given much to do other than be Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle’s reluctant sidekick.  ‘Popeye’ Doyle (Hackman) is a loud, unlikeable screw-up.

Let me count some of the ways Doyle irritates me.  When following the drug importing mastermind, Popeye gets made and played on the subway.  Doyle “commandeers” a citizen’s car to chase a sniper making a getaway on an El-train.  During the chase he causes multiple wrecks, nearly runs over a lady pushing a baby carriage, and destroys the car he “borrowed”.  When Doyle gets into a footrace with the sniper he ends up shooting the guy in the back.  The movie culminates with Doyle accidentally shooting an FBI agent and the drug importing mastermind getting away.

Despite the nits I picked, The French Connection has its moments.  It features one of the most popular car chases in movie history.  Friedkin’s documentary feel influenced filmmakers and it is an excellent example of 70s films (anti-heroes, gritty city settings, good guys don’t always win).

The French Connection rates 3 of 5 stars (but again I stress, your mileage may vary!).

“Welcome to Sudden Death” / Z-View

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Welcome to Sudden Death (2020)

Director: Dallas Jackson

Screenplay:  Dallas Jackson, Gene Quintano

Starring:  Michael Jai White, Michael Eklund and Gary Owen.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The biggest problem with Welcome to Sudden Death was the marketing.  No, really.  Hear me out.

Welcome to Sudden Death was advertised as an action-packed remake of the Jean Claude Van Damme movie, Sudden Death.  And it is, but… and this is a big but… the reboot is a comedy with action.  Folks went into the Michael Jai White version thinking that they were getting a straight up serious action movie.  They didn’t and they were rightly disappointed.  If Welcome to Sudden Death had been sold as a comedy/action film then audiences wouldn’t have judged it so harshly.  Sure, they may have felt it wasn’t funny enough or the mix of action/comedy wasn’t right, but they would have gone in with different expectations.

I had read that the original Sudden Death was supposed to be more of a comedy, but that aspect was toned down when JCVD came on.  Welcome to Sudden Death was going to play up the yuks along with the action, I was interested.

While Welcome to Sudden Death isn’t the funniest movie or the best action film you’ll ever see.  If you go in knowing that, you shouldn’t be disappointed.  The tone is less serious than the original, but not as far out as say, The Naked Gun.  Michael Jai White does a good job as the hero.  I loved Gary Owen as the reluctant sidekick.  The bad guys are over the top, the plot is what you’d expect, but if you want a few laughs and to see Michael Jai White kick butt, then I say, Welcome to Sudden Death.

I liked Welcome to Sudden Death as well if not better than the JCVD original  I rate it 3 of 5 stars.

Blood Stained Teeth by Christian Ward, Patrick Reynolds and Heather Moore is Coming!

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Blood Stained Teeth is a new ongoing comic series by Christian Ward (writer), Patrick Reynolds (artist) and Heather Moore (colorist).  Launching on April 27th from Image Comics, Blood Stained Teeth…

…follows Atticus Sloane—misanthrope, criminal, ass****, and vampire—who lives in a world where blood isn’t the only thing vamps crave. And for the right price, he’ll make you a vampire too. After all, immortality isn’t cheap.

The idea for Blood Stained Teeth is a new spin on vampires and I like it.  The preview ad above and preview art below has me sold.  If you’re on board as well be sure to let your local comic shop know to order you a copy.  If you’d like to read more about the series and see more preview art, you can at AIPT.

RIP: Louie Anderson

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Louie Anderson, born Louis Perry Anderson, died today at the age of 68, from blood cancer.  Louie was a stand-up comedian, actor, author and game show host.  

Louie Anderson began his career as a stand-up comedian but soon began making appearances with small roles in movies.  A comedy special led to more acting roles, his own animated television show (Life with Louie which ran for three seasons and won two Emmys) and a live action series (The Louie Show).  Louie continued to act on television, in feature films, as well as doing stand-up comedy and game show hosting throughout his career.  Along the way he found time to author four books!

Louie Anderson was such a likeable person that his appearances on talk shows, tv guest spots and movie roles were always welcome.  Louie’s stand-up comedy put him in a league with the very best.  He will be missed.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Louie Anderson’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Meat Loaf

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Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, but who later changed his name to Michael, has died at the age of 74.  No cause of death was announced.  Although best known for his record-breaking best selling album Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf was also an accomplished actor.  He appeared on Broadway, had notable roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show,  Black Dog and Fight Club.  

Meat Loaf’s musical career started right after high school when his bands opened for acts such as Van Morrison, Janis Joplin and The Who.  For the next 50 plus years, Meat Loaf did what he loved best – entertaining.  He alternated between touring, putting out new music and acting.

In a time when disco was king, Bat Out of Hell became an international best seller.  It was an album that everyone knew about and most owned.  It was odd that this guy who appeared in The Rocky Horror Picture Show could sing.  And, boy, could he sing!  It was always a pleasure to see Meat Loaf pop up in television and film roles.  One of my favorites is The Salton Sea with Val Kilmer. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Lee Aday’s family, friends and fans.

“The Tender Bar” (2021) / Z-View

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The Tender Bar (2021)

Director: George Clooney

Screenplay:  William Monahan (based on the memoir by J.R. Moehringer)

Starring:  Ben Affleck, Tye Sheridan, Daniel Ranieri, Lily Rabe, Christopher Lloyd, and Briana Middleton.

Tagline:  Publishing is heading towards memoir

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The Tender Bar is a coming of age story of a little boy named JR (no periods) being raised by his single mom and an assist from his cool Uncle who owns a bar.  Affleck plays the Uncle while Ranieri and Sheridan play the boy/man.  The movie is well cast and that helps keep interest up as the subplots come and go.  Will JR graduate high school?  Will he get into Yale?  Will he get a good job?  Will it work out with his love interest?  Will he become a writer?  Will he and his dad ever reconcile?

As I said, The Tender Bar is well cast.  Standouts include Affleck and Sheridan.  Rabe, Middleton and Max Martini as JR’s deadbeat dad aren’t given a lot to do but are very good.  The bar patrons are also fun even if they’re mainly there to order the next round.  “Back ’em up!”

The Tender Bar isn’t a great film, but it’s not a bad movie to watch with your better half.  I rate it 3 of 5 stars.

Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka / Z-View

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Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

First sentence…

Tokyo station is packed.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bullet Train is an international best seller about five assassins on a Japanese bullet train trying to retrieve a mysterious suitcase before one of the others can get to it.  Descriptions of the book that compared it to a stylish modern day yakuza film directed by Quentin Tarantino got my interest.  When I learned that Bullet Train was being made into a action thriller directed by  David (John Wick franchise) Leitch starring Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt and Zazie Beetz.  I was sold.

I went into Bullet Train with high expectations for a fast moving, exciting tale with interesting characters and action.  What I got was far from that.  The assassins are on the train.  They have names like The Prince, Tangerine and Lemon.  There’s a subplot about a hospitalized boy in danger.  Instead of action we get tons and tons of talk.  Some of the assassins (and the main psychopath) are school children.  Two that work together (Tangerine and Lemon) spend pages and pages talking about Thomas the Train.  The dialogue often seemed forced at best.

I seldom quit a book before finishing it.  I’m usually a pretty good judge of what I’ll like.  Bullet Train sounded like exactly the type of story I’d love.  Sadly it wasn’t.

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Love & Bullets Megabomb Edition by Nick Kolakowski / Z-View

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Love & Bullets Megabomb Edition by Nick Kolakowski

Trade Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Shotgun Honey Books

First sentence…

Listen.  At some point, a poor sap will look at you and say, “This is the worst day of my life.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bill is a conman on the run from the Rockaway Mob.  They want Bill dead and the two million dollars that he stole from them back.  Lucky for Bill, his girlfriend, Fiona is on the lam with him.  Fiona’s got brains and can handle herself.  As this modern day “Bonnie and Clyde” try to stay alive they find themselves at odds with crocked cops, hired assassins, other criminals, an Elvis impersonator, a government hit man and more.

The Love & Bullets Megabomb Edition is actually a reworking of three novellas featuring Bill and Fiona (A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps; Slaughterhouse Blues and Main Bad Guy), but thanks to some clever re-editing and additional material, it reads like one rollicking adventure.  I absolutely loved the characters, plus the right mix of violence, humor and heart.  Kolakowski has the ability to make all of his major characters not only unique in voice and look, but the feel that any of them could be the “star” of their own tale.  I blazed through Love & Bullets Megabomb Edition loving every page.  I was so impressed by Nick Kolakowski that I immediately ordered three more of his novels.   

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