“Strange New Worlds”: Season 3 – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Strange New Worlds: Season 3 – The poster and trailer are here.  Loved the first two seasons, bring on the third!

One series. Infinite Adventures.

The new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres July 17 with two episodes. New episodes will be available to stream every week, exclusively on Paramount+.

In Season 3, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of Season 2’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve. An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.

Explore the Star Trek universe on StarTrek.com and relive all of your favorite moments at StarTrek.com/Where-to-Watch! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

JOE LEDGER: SECRET MISSIONS, VOLUME 2 by Jonathan Maberry / Z-View

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JOE LEDGER: SECRET MISSIONS VOLUME TWO by Jonathan Maberry

First sentence…

The card was tucked into the cleft of a crack in the vinyl of my old Ford Escape’s dashboard.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Joe Ledger is an ex-Army Ranger and ex-Baltimore police detective.  Ledger was recruited and is now an agent for the United States’ several-levels-above-top-secret Department of Military Sciences.  This organization deals with threats not only to the US, but the world.  Most of their missions involve stopping terrorists using advanced technology to create bio-weapons.  Some of Ledger’s assignments have ventured into the realm of the supernatural… and while Ledger might not believe in that “stuff” — his team has to deal with it.

JOE LEDGER: SECRET MISSIONS VOLUME  TWO features six tales.  Five by Maberry and one (Mr. Church’s Day Off) by Ray Porter.

  • Three Guys Walk into a Bar – A serial killer (killers?) has come to Pine Deep.  Police Chief Malcolm Crow and Deputy Mike Sweeney might be a bit put out when a PI named Sam Hunter and Joe Ledger show up.  But before long, they’ll be glad the two have arrived.  A serial killer is a terrible thing.  What’s come to Pine Deep is much, much worse.
  • Alter Boy – Toys was damned.  Things he had done in the past assured it.  Even the name everyone called him, Toys, was a moniker he hated.  But he lived with it.  Just like he lived with memories of acts for which he could never atone.  No matter how much good he did Toys knew his soul would never be saved.  Then Toys met a woman.  And over time as their relationship deepened Toys began to have hope.
  • Dog Days – New recruits to the  Department of Military Sciences (and other US agencies) hear stories about Joe Ledger and his dog partner Ghost.  Their exploits are legendary.  How a warrior and his canine became partners (family?) was born from tragedy.  Dog Days is that tale.
  • Twilight Falls – Over the Sahara desert a jet leaves chemtrails.  Shortly after whatever life below falls over dead.  Men, women, children… even camels.  This has happened several times.  Whoever is behind the jet may be testing efficiency for a mass event.  Ledger, Top and Bunny perform a HALO drop.  Easy in.  Getting out not so much.
  • All the Devils are Here – In 1971 a natural gas field in the desert of Turkmenistan collapsed.  It created a huge crater which filled with methane gas.  Geologists thought it would quickly burn off.  The fire has been raging since.  The locals call it the Gates of Hell.  An insane man with access to The Unlearnable Truths believes the fiery crater is a true door to hell.  And the psycho plans to open it.
  • Mr. Church’s Day Off – When you’re a hands-on leader of an international organization responsible for keeping the world safe, do you ever get time off?

If you’ve never read any of the Joe Ledger novels, this is a good jumping on point.  Don’t let the Volume Two in the title scare you.  You’ll get a nice taste of the kind of tales that feature Ledger along with some crossovers from other characters/situations in the Maberry universe.

Jonathan Maberry has another winner!  Joe Ledger tales are the best!

Rating:

“Psycho II” (1983) starring Anthony Perkins and Meg Tilly / Z-View

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Psycho II (1983)

Director:  Richard Franklin

Screenplay: Tom Holland, based on characters created by Robert Bloch

Stars: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Robert Loggia, Hugh Gillin, Claudia Bryar, Robert Alan Browne, Lee Garlington, Jill Carroll, Chris Hendrie, Tom Holland, Osgood Perkins  and Dennis Franz.

Tagline: It’s 22 years later, and Norman Bates is coming home.

The Plot…

Twenty-two years have passed since the murders that made Norman Bates infamous have passed.  Norman has spent that time in a mental institution.  His therapist believes that Norman is now sane.  Therefore a judge rules that Norman be set free.

Norman returns home with plans to re-open the Bates Motel.  In the meantime, he takes a job at a local diner.  When Mary, a waitress at the diner, suddenly becomes homeless, Norman offers her a place to stay.  She reluctantly accepts.  Not long after, Norman begins to get messages from his dead mother.

Norman begins to fear for his sanity and Mary’s safety.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Making a sequel to an Alfred Hitchcock classic is a tale, dangerous order.  Psycho II fills the bill better than you might expect.

The actor playing a young Norman Bates is Anthony Perkins’ son Osgood.

The original Bates house was able to be used for this sequel, but the hotel had to be rebuilt.

The scene where Norman plays the piano is actually Anthony Perkins playing.  He was an accomplished pianist.

Robert Bloch’s novel PSYCHO II and the movie sequel tell different stories.

Critics praised Anthony Perkins and Meg Tilly’s on-screen chemistry.  In reality, they didn’t get along.  Perkins actually wanted her fired after filming was underway.  Tilly called making the film the worst experience of her career.  She didn’t attend the movie’s premiere.

Dennis Franz steals every scene he’s in.  Franz could play a sleazy character with the best of them.

Psycho II (1983) rates 4 of 5 stars

“Solomon Kane” (2009) starring James Purefoy / Z-View

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Solomon Kane (2009)

Director:  M. J. Bassett

Screenplay: M. J. Bassett; based on characters created by Robert E. Howard

Stars: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Mark O’Neal, Christian Dunkley-Clark, James Babson, Marek Vasut and Pete Postlethwaite.

Tagline: Fight evil… With evil.

The Plot…

In the year 1600, Solomon Kane is a ruthless mercenary.  Kane and his raiders steal and plunder.  During an attack on a fortress, demons appear. Kane’s crew are killed.  A Devil’s Reaper says that Kane has led a life of sin.  The Reaper has been sent to claim Kane’s soul.  Kane barely escapes.

Shaken to his core, Kane joins a monastery and renounces violence.   After a year Kane is forced to leave.  As Kane walks, unsure of where his path will lead, he is attacked by highwaymen.  Kane refuses to fight back.  Badly beaten, Kane is left for dead.

The Crowthorns, a Puritan family finds and nurses Kane back to health.  The Crowthorns are on a journey to the New World.  Kane accepts an invitation to join them.

Without warning, they are attacked.  Kane is able to fight off his attackers. Meredith Crowthorn, the young daughter is kidnapped.  The rest of the family is killed.   Kane learns that a cult making raids to collect slaves.

Kane is determined to rescue Meredith.  He believes that if successful, he will redeem his soul.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Solomon Kane was originally planned as a trilogy.  The two sequels were never made.

Solomon Kane (2009) rates 2 of 5 stars

“Plane” (2023) starring Gerard Butler & Mike Colter / Z-View

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The Plane (2023)

Director:  Jean-François Richet

Screenplay: Charles Cumming, J. P. Davis; story by Charles Cumming

Stars: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Evan Dane Taylor, Paul Ben-Victor, Daniella Pineda, Otis Winston, Joey Slotnick, Jessica Nam and Tony Goldwyn.

Tagline: The crash was only the beginning.

The Plot…

Due to a sudden violent storm a flight bound for Honolulu loses power. Turbulence violently tosses the airliner.  A crew member and police officer are killed during the sudden shake-up.  The cop was bringing in Louis Gaspare, a suspect for murder.

When the plane loses power, the pilot, Brodie Torrance has just minutes to make an emergency landing.  With no other options, Torrance sits down on a small island.

Brodie tells the to passengers grab available food and water.  He gets them off the plane. Brodie then takes the still handcuffed Gaspare with him. The two set out to find if other people live on the island.

The others on the island are a rebel militia that specializes in kidnappings for ransom.  If the ransom isn’t paid, they think nothing of beheading their victims.  The militia have learned of the plane’s arrival.  They’re armed and heading to capture a planeload of hostages.

It will be up to Brodie and Gaspare to protect the passengers until help arrives.  What chance does a pilot and suspected murderer have against a small army?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Plane reminded me of a throwback action film of the 1980s.  That’s a good thing.

A sequel for Mike Colter’s character, Louis Gaspare, is in pre-production.  Tentatively titled Ship, it picks up after Louis disappeared into the jungle.  His participation in the showdown with the militia, leads to an international manhunt. Gaspare sneaks aboard a cargo ship and discovers it’s transport for a human trafficking ring.  Deal me in!

The Plane (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars

Luc Besson’s “Dracula: A Love Tale” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale – The trailer is here.

Although the poster and trailer leave out “A Love Tale” that is reportedly the official title of the film.  Besson wrote the screenplay which he adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel.  Dracula: A Love Tale stars Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz and Zoë Bleu.

DRACULA Trailer International (2025) Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, Matilda De Angelis, Luc Besson

“The Man in My Basement” – The Trailer is Here!

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The Man in My Basement trailer is here.

It’s based on a novel by Walter Mosley.  Mosley also co-wrote the screenplay.  That alone is enough to get me on board.  I’ve had Mosley’s novel on my to-be-read-bookcase for far too long.  I need to change that.

Down on his luck, Charles Blakey (Corey Hawkins) agrees to rent his basement to a mysterious stranger (Willem Dafoe), unaware he may be letting in a force much darker than he imagined.

“Alien: Earth” – The Trailer is Here!

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The Alien: Earth trailer is here.

And I like it!  Deal me in.

We were safer in space.

Alien: Earth. OFFICIAL TRAILER.   #AlienEarthFX premieres August 12 on ‪@FXNetworks‬ | ‪@hulu‬ and with #HuluOnDisneyPlus.

When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, “Wendy” (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.

FX’s Alien: Earth is created for television and executive produced by Noah Hawley.

“Strange Days” (1995) directed by Kathryn Bigelow, starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett & Juliette Lewis / Z-View

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Strange Days (1995)

Director:  Kathryn Bigelow

Screenplay: James Cameron, Jay Cocks; story by James Cameron

Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, Tomas Milian, Tom Sizemore, Michael Wincott, Vincent D’Onofrio, Glenn Plummer, Richard Edson, Josef Sommer, Nicky Katt, Michael Jace, Jim Ishida, Todd Graff and William Fichtner.

Tagline: you know you want it

The Plot…

1999 is almost over.  The New Year is almost here.  Civil unrest rules.  The streets of LA are full of soldiers and cops.

Lenny Nero, an ex-cop, makes his living selling illegal SQUID recordings.  Using a small machine that plays the SQUID recordings and with the proper headset, a user is able to watch and experience whatever was recorded.  Think virtual reality on steroids.  The user sees and feels all of the sensations.

Lenny is still reeling. The love of his life (or so he thought), Faith Justin left him.  Or so he thought. Faith dreams of being a singer.  She’s now hooked up with music promoter, Philo Grant.

It’s been a bad couple of days.  Now Lenny has discovered that cops are looking for him.  He has no idea why.  It can’t be because of the recordings he sells.  He’s too careful.  Maybe Philo Grant is behind his problems.  That would make sense.

What Lenny doesn’t know is he has the key to a murder conspiracy.  And it isn’t just the cops he can’t trust.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Strange Days is a sci-fi murder mystery love story.  And it works on all levels.

When Faith Justin is singing, it’s Juliette Lewis’ voice we hear.

James Cameron did uncredited editing on the film.

Loretta “Mace” Mason, played by Angela Bassett, is an awesome character.  She could have carried her own spin-off.

Strange Days (1995) rates 5 of 5 stars

“Mobland”: Season 1 (2025) created by Roan Bennett, starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren / Z-View

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Mobland: Season 1 (2025)

Created by: Ronan Bennett

Director:  Guy Ritchie (Eps. 1-2), Anthony Byrne (Eps. 3-4, 9-10), Daniel Syrkin (Eps. 5-6); Lawrence Gough (Eps. 7-8)

Teleplay by:  Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth 

Starring: Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Anson Boon, Geoff Bell, Teddie Allen, Mandeep Dhillon, Emily Barber, Janet McTeer, Jordi Mollà , Jasmine Jobson, Luke Mably, Daniel Betts and Emmett J Scanlan.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot… (beware of spoilers)

Two London crime families, the Harrigans and the Stevensons have long existed with an uneasy truce.  That changes when Tommy Stevenson, the only son of crime boss Richie Stevenson, disappears.  Tommy was last seen with Eddie Harrigan, the grandson of Conrad Harrigan.  Conrad is the patriarch of the Harrigans.

As the two families prepare for war, Harry Da Souza, a fixer for the Harrigans at first works to keep the peace.  When actions from both families make peace impossible, Harry must…

  • make sure his wife and daughter are safe
  • consider opportunities to leave the Harrigans
  • find the mole selling out the Harrigans
  • attempt to save two kidnapped Harrigan family members set to be executed
  • put himself in a position of “owing a favor” to an international cartel operative
  • deal with Eddie Harrigan’s violent, psychotic outbursts while staying loyal to the family
  • and much, much more

Harry sees that Conrad is losing his grip.  Ten years ago, no one would have come against the Harrigans.  Now Richie Stevenson’s family may have the upper hand.  Complicating things is Conrad’s wife, Maeve, sees herself as the power behind the throne.  Maeve not only encourages Eddie in his antics, but also takes steps to increase the friction between the Harrigans and the Stevensons.

Harry is considered a valuable player.  He is calm and cool in the worst situations.  Harry knows how to resolve the worst complications.  Harry realizes that Conrad’s leadership is faltering.  Harry also knows that Maeve and Eddie would like Harry “gone”.  With his wife ready to take his daughter and leave him, Harry knows their lives are as at risk as his.

The powder keg is going to explode.  Not all will survive.

Thoughts…

Mobland features an amazing cast.  Tom Hardy is perfect as the fixer Harry Da Souza.

Pierce Brosnan has never been better.  His portrayal of Conrad Harrigan is 180 degrees from the cool, Bond-type character he does so well.  This role shows Brosnan’s range.

Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan shows a different side of her as well.  Her Maeve is a devious, power-hungry, smart, scary woman who more than holds her own with the men around her.

Geoff Bell as Richie Stevenson is a formidable foe.  Bell gets to show his range in this role.

Anson Boon as Eddie is perfect.  Boon plays a cocky, arrogant, crazy young wanna-be who is at times scary and other times weak, but always despicable.

Paddy Considine, Janet McTeer, Jasmine Jobson, Emmett J Scanlan and Mandeep Dhillon all also shine.

Kudos to the writers for creating a series with so many varied and interesting characters.  The twists and turns as the tension ratchets up make for must-see viewing.  I cannot wait for season two.

Mobland: Season 1 (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Order” (2024) starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult and Tye Sheridan / Z-View

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The Order (2024)

Director:  Justin Kurzel

Screenplay: Zach Baylin; based on THE SILENT BROTHERHOOD: INSIDE AMERICA’S RACIST UNDERGROUND by Kevin Flynn, Gary Gerhardt

Stars: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, George Tchortov, John Warkentin and Marc Maron.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

FBI Agent Terry Husk is relocated to a small town in Idaho.  Husk is looking for a change of pace.  The long hours he put in on major cases took a toll on his marriage.  He hopes his wife and daughter will eventually join him.

When a member of the Aryan Nation goes missing, leads indicate he was murdered.  As Husk digs deeper he learns that a series of bank robberies as well as a counterfeiting scheme are being used to raise money for a major terrorist act.

Husk is joined by Deputy Jamie Bowen.  They need evidence to bring down the anarchists before their plan is launched.  The clock is ticking.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

While based on real events, the FBI Agent Terry Husk is fictional.

The Order (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars

“Wolfs” (2024) written & directed by Jon Watts, starring George Clooney & Brad Pitt / Z-View

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Wolfs (2024)

Director:  Jon Watts

Screenplay: Jon Watts

Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Kymbali Craig, Linda Carola, Vladimir Sizov, Sammy Horowitz and Frank Trigg.

Tagline: They’re not partners. They’re not friends. They’re… Wolfs.

The Plot…

Margaret (Ryan), a Manhattan District Attorney gets a hotel room with a young man she just met.  When the man unexpectedly dies, Margaret uses a number she was given in case of emergencies.

Soon a fixer (Clooney) arrives to clean up the mess.  As the fixer prepares to remove the body, another fixer (Pitt) arrives.  He says the the hotel owner called him.  She was watching via a hidden camera.  The two fixers argue about who will do the job.  They reluctantly agree to team for the clean-up and disposal of the body.

Then a cache of drugs is found on the body.  The hotel owner convinces the fixers to find and return the drugs to their original owner.  Burdened with a dead body and drugs, the fixers learn much to late that nothing is as it seems.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Apple wanted and announced a sequel, but writer/director Jon Watts refused, even returning advance money he’d been given.  Watts was upset because at the last minute, Apple decided to not give Wolfs a theatrical release.

George Clooney’s character’s BMW’s New York license plate is 3ABM582. Winston Wolf, (played by Harvey Keitel), the fixer in Pulp Fiction, drove an Acura NSX with the California license plate is 3ABM582.  It’s also interesting to note we never learn the names of Clooney or Pitt’s characters.  But the title of the movie is Wolfs which sounds like a call back to Winston Wolf.

I liked the movie, but expected more with Clooney and Pitt as the leads.

Wolfs (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars

Guillermo del Toro’s “FRANKENSTEIN” – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN is here.  I’m going to check it out.  My worry is that too many viewers will expect the Universal movie Frankenstein and not Mary Shelley’s novel.

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, FRANKENSTEIN is on Netflix this November.

Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, with Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley’s classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. #TUDUM