Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
The poster and trailer for Hard Kill are here. Pretty generic looking on both counts, don’t ya think?
The work of billionaire tech CEO Donovan Chalmers is so valuable that he hires mercenaries to protect it, and a terrorist group kidnaps his daughter just to get it.
Dominic Fortune: It Can Happen Here and Now is a paperback that collects the four issue Dominic Fortune mini-series published by Marvel Comics under their MAX imprint.
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The depression’s going strong, so when Dominic Fortune is hired to bodyguard Jock Madison, Vaughn Lorillard, and P.T. Oakley, three drunk and disorderly Hollywood stars, he jumps at the chance to pick up what looks like a few easy bucks, and maybe have a few laughs in the bargain. But when the trio of old school hambones and horndogs prove to be a bigger pain than he anticipated – and he accidentally stumbles across a conspiracy headed by mysterious American businessman Malcolm Upshaw and Delatriz Betancourt, the recklessly sexy granddaughter of Confederates who fled Reconstruction for South America – Fortune finds himself in hot water… with the fate of the USA at stake!
Dominic Fortune is an adventurer, but the depression has left him with few opportunities. So when Fortune is offered good money to babysit three out of control Hollywood movie stars, he takes the offer.
The hardest part of the job is keeping the three boozers from getting drunk enough to kill each other or make the papers. That is until Fortune stumbles across a potential Nazi plot to attack the United States. Fortune follows the clues and learns that the plan is real, the President’s life and the future of our country are at risk.
I’m a big fan of Howard Chaykin and Dominic Fortune is one of my favorite characters that he’s created. Because this story first appeared under the Marvel Max imprint (which was designed for mature readers), Chaykin doesn’t hold back on the adult situations. Yep, that means there is nudity and profanity. Not all Dominic Fortune stories are for “mature readers”, but this one is, so if that offends you, this yarn isn’t for you.
I had fun reading Dominic Fortune: It Can Happen Here and Now. The adult content didn’t bother me (but could have easily been toned down without effecting the story). Dominic Fortune going against Nazis is a natural. Chaykin’s art is always a plus. Delgado’s colors were nice. He and Chaykin made a good team.
If you purchase the trade paperback, bonus material is included that was not reviewed above. The trade also contains a previously only digital story: Astonishing Tales: Dominic Fortune written by Dean Motter and drawn by Greg Scott, along with the Dominic Fortune stories from Marvel Preview #2 by Howard Chaykin and Marvel Premiere #56 by Chaykin and Terry Austin.
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Here we have the Project Power poster and trailer which asks, “What would you risk for five minutes of power?” I’m not sure, but I will risk a couple of hours to check out this movie.
What would you risk for five minutes of pure power?
On the streets of New Orleans, word begins to spread about a mysterious new pill that unlocks superpowers unique to each user. The catch: You don’t know what will happen until you take it. While some develop bulletproof skin, invisibility, and super strength, others exhibit a deadlier reaction. But when the pill escalates crime within the city to dangerous levels, a local cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) teams with a teenage dealer (Dominique Fishback) and a former soldier fueled by a secret vendetta (Jamie Foxx) to fight power with power and risk taking the pill in order to track down and stop the group responsible for creating it.
The Shadow of Violence has a positive buzz. The poster above and the trailer below hint of the reasons for it.
Godless (2017)
Director: Frank Scott
Screenplay: Frank Scott
Stars: Jack O’Connell, Michelle Dockery, Scoot McNairy, Merritt Wever, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Tantoo Cardinal, Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterson and Keith Jardine.
The Pitch: “Scott Frank, the screenwriter of Logan and A Walk Among the Tombstones has a screenplay called Godless. It’s really good, plus he’ll direct it!”
Tagline: Welcome to no man’s land.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The wild west in the 1880s was at times a Godless place.
Roy Goode is on the run. He’s being hunted by the notorious outlaw, Frank Griffin and his gang of marauders. Griffin has let it be known that he will kill any person, family or members of a town that provide comfort or safe passage to Goode. Although that sounds like an idle threat, every man, woman and child living in the town of Creed was brutally murdered by Griffin and his gang when they learned Goode had spent time there.
Now Goode, recovering from an injury, has found himself in LaBelle, a small town where a mining accident killed almost every man living there. If Goode leaves town, Griffin and his gang will still kill the townspeople. If Goode stays, he’ll die with them. One thing is for sure… when Griffin and his gang get to LaBelle there will be a reckoning.
I can’t sing the praises for Godless enough. Scott Frank, the writer and director has created a classic. Godless features a big cast and each role was filled perfectly. Each character feels real and we’re provided their backstory seamlessly as the story moves forward.
The story is told in 7 episodes and although I hated to see Godless end, the story was done. An advantage of being a self-contained story (and Frank makes excellent use of) is that all bets are off on who lives and who dies.
Godless is one of those rare shows/movies that resonated with me in all aspects and gets my highest recommendation.
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Here is the poster and trailer for Fear City: New York vs the Mafia. Consider me in.
Killadelphia Volume 1: Sins of the Father is a paperback that collects issues 1 – 6 of an on-going series published by Image Comics. .
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
Featuring the show-stopping talents of Spawn series artist JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER, and the writer behind such hit shows as Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Marvel’s Runaways, and Starz’s American Gods–RODNEY BARNES.
When a small town beat cop comes home to bury his murdered father-the revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr.-he begins to unravel a mystery that leads him down a path of horrors and shakes his beliefs to their core.
The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality…
…and vampires.But the mystery goes even further when Jimmy’s investigation leads him to uncover the source of the outbreak is long-thought dead President of the United States John Adams–a man secretly biding his time as he builds an undead army to start a new and bloodier American revolution.
There’s a reason they coin a phrase, “you can’t go home.” Welcome to Killadelphia.
Collects KILLADELPHIA #1-6
Killadelphia is a book you should be reading if you like intelligently written and beautifully drawn horror comics.
Rodney Barnes’ idea of a modern day vampire uprising in Philadelphia led by a centuries old founding father is so audacious that we’re lucky Barnes took his story past the idea stage. Killadelphia is a very cool, very creepy tale that paints a big picture universe introduced to us through believable characters who find themselves in an unbelievable situation.
Modern day vampires? Yeah, right. Read Killadelphia and you’re response will become: Modern day vampires? Yeah! Right!
Jason Shawn Alexander provides realistic art for Killadelphia which supports the story; you believe what you’re seeing. The characters look like real people (some of whom are vampires). Alexander has drawn scenes that will creep you out and perhaps inspire nightmares… which is exactly what great horror fiction should do. I hope that Barnes and Alexander stay together as long as Killadelphia tales are told.
Luis NCT’s colors provide nuance and emphasis that enhance each scene and his contribution to the success of Killadelphia shouldn’t be overlooked.
I thought that Killadelphia would be a good comic. I underestimated it. Killadelphia is an exceptional comic and one all horror fans should try.
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Criminal Macabre: The Big Bleed Out is a four-issue mini-series and paperback published by Dark Horse Comics. .
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
I first became aware of Steve Niles nearly two decades ago. Niles was the author of two novels (Savage Membrane and Guns, Drugs & Monsters) featuring Cal McDonald that I highly recommend.
McDonald is a tough as nails detective who deals with things that go bump in the night. After the two novels, McDonald appeared in a number of comic book mini-series written by Niles teaming with different artists. And that brings us to Criminal Macabre: The Big Bleed Out…
Supernatural detective Cal McDonald, found wandering the streets as a disheveled vagrant, is ripped from his self-imposed retirement to resume his monster-killing career.
But Cal is reluctant to return to the fray. What has the hard-bitten investigator so shaken? It’s a long story that begins with a beautiful woman who happens to be a vampire . . . and ends with a bang.
It’s great to have Cal McDonald back. Who doesn’t love a cynical tough guy who sees the real monsters that walk among us?
The Big Bleed Out follows McDonald as he meets and begins to fall for a mysterious woman who happens to be a vampire. The romance doesn’t seem to have much of a chance since McDonald is normally a vampire killer. Meanwhile, Mo’Lock, McDonald’s quasi partner, has gone into the sewers of LA to see if he can discover who/what is down there killing people.
Being a Cal McDonald fan I was excited to see his return. This was my first time seeing Nemeth’s art and I liked quite a bit of what he brought to the table. It was interesting to see McDonald falling under the spell of a vampiress and unintentionally venturing into a nest of them. The romance and its eventual outcome moved at a pretty quick pace with a few surprises along the way. And let’s not forget that Mo’Lock has his hands full with a sewer monster! Overall, this was a fun read.
Criminal Macabre: The Big Bleed Out is a nice addition to the Cal McDonald universe.
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That Texas Blood #1 is part of an on-going series published by Image Comics.
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
CRIMINAL colorist and first time solo artist JACOB PHILLIPS and writer CHRIS CONDON break onto the scene with a brand-new ongoing series! Like Paris, Texas gut-punched by No Country for Old Men, this mature neo-Western crime series kicks off when the search for a casserole dish leads to a dark and tense confrontation on Sheriff Joe Bob Coates’ 70th birthday.
“CHRIS & JACOB pull off something remarkable here. A vivid and bright story that nails a thorough sense of foreboding and darkness. A shocking amount of talent for a duo so fresh to comics!” —CHIP ZDARSKY (SEX CRIMINALS, Daredevil)
If you’re a comics fan, you’ve probably already heard the hype on just how good That Texas Blood #1 is. Believe it.
A synopsis of the issue wouldn’t do it justice. Most folks would read it and say, “Not much happens.” They’d be wrong. Condon and Phillips lull us with a pace that mirrors small town life. All is well, until it isn’t and then things go bad in a hurry. Now we’re left with a questions about a suicide, a possible murder and a sinister (Satanic?) killing from the past.
That Texas Blood #2 can’t get here fast enough.
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Dick Tracy Forever is a four-issue mini-series and paperback published by IDW. .
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
I was never a huge fan of Dick Tracy. I’d read some of the comic strips and had seen the Warren Beatty movie. I knew that Dick Tracy was a straightlaced cop who had an interesting gallery of weird-looking villains. Oh, and he had this really cool video watch! That was about the extent of it.
When I saw the preview cover of Dick Tracy Forever by Michael Oeming, I knew I had to give the series a go. I’m a fan of Oeming’s art and thought his take on Tracy would be interesting. Thankfully, I wasn’t wrong.
Oeming created interconnected stories featuring Dick Tracy through the years taking Tracy from the 1930’s to the future. The tales are fun and show Tracy as being more than just a straight-laced cop (although at the core, he is a law and order guy). I liked that his girlfriend/wife was more than just a damsel in distress. Oeming introduces a couple of new characters that deserve to stick around. Oh, and let’s not forget that cool video watch! I was already a fan of Oeming’s art, now we can add his writing as well.
Taki Soma’s coloring perfectly supports the story. Dick Tracy newspaper strips and comics were known for the coloring limitations of their time. Soma gives Dick Tracy Forever the feel of the old stories but adds shading and subtlety when needed (at times leaving the art black and white in support of the story).
I really liked Dick Tracy Forever but wondered if true Dick Tracy fans felt the same way. They do! Amazon and Comixology reviewers gave it nothing less than 4 of 5 stars. So if you don’t take my word, you can take theirs. 🙂
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Mark Birrell at ScreenRant looked at Metacritic ratings for all eight Rocky movies. I thought it would be interesting to compare Metacritics’ rankings with mine. Your mileage may differ.
|
Metacritic |
Craig |
8. Rocky IV (40) |
8. Rocky V (55) |
7. Rocky V (55) |
7. Rocky IV (40) |
6. Rocky III (57) |
6. Rocky II (61) |
5. Rocky II (61) |
5. Creed II (66) |
4. Rocky Balboa (63) |
4. Rocky III (57) |
3. Creed II (66) |
3. Rocky Balboa (63) |
2. Rocky (70) |
2. Creed (82) |
1. Creed (82) |
1. Rocky (70) |
Dead Body Road: Bad Blood #1 is part of a six-issue mini-series published by Image Comics.
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
Bree Hale has left a lot behind in her life. Crime. The military. But she can’t leave behind her own family, and when the local crime boss puts a hit out on her brother, there’s nothing she won’t do to save him. Absolutely nothing. Skybound’s pulse-pounding action series returns, with writer JUSTIN JORDAN (REAVER, LUTHER STRODE) and artist BENJAMIN TIESMA delivering an explosive tale of revenge like you’ve never seen before!
I am huge fan of Dead Body Road. If you haven’t read it you should. Dead Body Road: Bad Blood isn’t a sequel (but could be set in the same universe) and is on track to be just as good.
Writer, Justin Jordan, has returned and this time he’s brought with him artist Benjamin Tiesma. Tiesma is an excellent choice. Jordan and Tiesma are joined by colorist Matt Lopes and letterer Pat Brosseau who create a solid team.
Bree Hale is a woman with a mysterious past that involved both military and criminal experience. Bree has left that all behind (she hopes) and now runs a bar where the biggest problem is dealing with folks who drink to much.
When a detective comes in asking questions about her brother, she can honestly say she hasn’t seen or heard from him. The detective isn’t convinced, but what can he do? At closing time a hardcase Bree’s never seen before comes in looking for her brother. She tells him the same thing she told the detective. He leaves but Bree knows it isn’t over. She’s being dragged into whatever mess her brother has made and it could get them both killed.
Dead Body Road: Bad Blood is everything a good crime comic should be. I cannot wait for issue two.
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Dan Grant, at Top 10 Films, in honor of the 45th anniversary of the release of the first summer blockbuster presents: 45 Things About “Jaws” You Might Not Know. Before you click over, here are three of my favorite Jaws facts as well as my thoughts on each…
4. Richard Dreyfuss’ casting – Richard Dreyfuss originally turned down the role of Hooper because he thought making the movie would be a pain in the ass. After he saw himself on big screen in the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz he thought he was so awful that his career would be over and he immediately called Steven Spielberg to ask if he could have the role.
(Funny the difference a day or perceived poor performance can make. – Craig)
9. Percy Rodriguez’s iconic trailer voice-over – Percy Rodriguez did the voice-over in the trailer for Jaws. When the producers first came to him, they wanted an upbeat, happy-sounding and almost adventurous voice-over for the trailer. It was Percy’s idea to have a darker and brooding and ominous sounding tone. It worked a treat.
He eventually got his way and many people credit lines in the trailer like “there is a creature that is alive today which has survived millions of years of evolution” and “it was as if God created the devil and gave him (dramatic pause) Jaws”, as major reasons why people flocked to the theatre to see it.
(Watching the “Jaws” trailer attached to this fact at Grant’s post it reminded me of how, in the pre-internet days, important a trailer was to the success of a film. The “Jaws” trailer made you want to see the film. Much credit needs to go to Percy Rodriguez. He was right to push for a darker, more ominous tone! – Craig)
14. Dreyfuss’ surprise – Richard Dreyfuss was so disillusioned with the movie that after his time on set was done, he proceeded to trash it on several different talk shows in the United States. But when he saw the film opening day, after he left the theatre, he jumped into Roy Scheider’s arms and exclaimed “He did it! He did it!” Roy asked him who he meant and he said “Spielberg, Spielberg actually did it!”
(Sounds like Dreyfuss was going through a period of seeing the glass half-full. He only agreed to star in “Jaws” because he thought he was so terrible in his previous film that he wouldn’t be offered more roles. Then filming wraps on “Jaws” and Dreyfess downplays how good it is… until he sees it with an audience. – Craig)
Here are the poster and trailer for Devil’s Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge. Yeah, the poster is pretty generic and the movie looks like it would be the second feature at a drive-in, but sometimes those second features were fun!
DEVIL’S NIGHT DAWN OF THE NAIN ROUGE Exclusive Trailer
PLOT: A military veteran who returns home, works in law enforcement and she’s assigned to a supernatural case that’s surrounded by urban myth and legend.
CAST: Jesi Jensen, Nathan Mathers, Sam Logan Khaleghi
DIRECTOR: Sam Logan Khaleghi
