Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
What We Do in the Shadows is one of my favorite current shows. If you don’t watch it, you should consider checking it out. If you do watch, you know how good it is. Below is the teaser for season 3 which premieres on September 2nd!
A look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who have “lived” together for hundreds and hundreds of years in Staten Island.
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Rob Hunter at Film School Rejects posted 29 Things We Learned from Barry Sonnenfeld’s ‘Get Shorty’ Commentary. Before you click over here are three of my favorites and my thoughts on each…
They did about thirty takes of the scene where Chili (Travolta) punches Bones (Dennis Farina). (It always surprises me when I read about shots that require so many takes. 30 seems like a lot to film a scene of a guy getting punched. It’s not like the actor’s are forgetting dialogue. – Craig)
Sonnenfeld is also a producer on the film because he brought the film to Danny DeVito‘s attention after reading the novel on a cruise. He envisioned DeVito as “the perfect Chili Palmer,” but they went with Travolta who ended up being the perfect Chili Palmer. DeVito bought the rights, and they were off to the races. (DeVito as Chili Palmer? Even DeVito didn’t see that. Travolta was the right choice. – Craig)
Preview audiences were asked what their least favorite scenes were, and their number one pick was Ray hitting Fay (Hart) because you should never show a man hitting a woman. “My feeling was, first of all, it’s okay for them not to like this scene. You’re not supposed to hit a woman… (Exactly. The audience shouldn’t like that scene, but it should stay in the movie. What kind of bad guys do we end up with if they never do anything the audience doesn’t like? – Craig)
Here we have the poster and trailer for Risen. The poster is okay and the trailer is better. This kind of reminds me of Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Arrival (2016). I’ll check it out at some point.
Disaster unfolds when a meteor strikes a small town, turning the environment uninhabitable and killing everything in the surrounding area. Exobiologist Lauren Stone is called to find answers to the unearthly event. As she begins to uncover the truth, imminent danger awakens and it becomes a race against time to save mankind.
Saeed Saeed, at The National News, posted his choices for Sly Stallone’s Most Underrated Movies. You know how I enjoy lists, so using just Saeed’s choices, here are how I’d rank them.
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Saeed |
Zablo |
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1. Nighthawks (1981) |
1. Nighthawks (1981): Ahead of it’s time and solid through and through. |
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2. Cobra (1986) |
2. Cop Land (1997): One of Sly’s finest performances and he’s in with heavy hitters. Sly more than holds his own. |
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3. Over the Top (1987) |
3. Over the Top (1987): Granted it’s a sentimental story that stretches credibility, but it is not as bad as many would believe. That’s the definition of underrated. |
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4. Demolition Man (1993) |
4. Demolition Man (1993): The opening had so much potential but ventures too far into silliness for me. Plus fans love Demolition Man. |
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5. Cop Land (1997) |
5. Cobra (1986): Had soooo much potential. Cool character, cool idea for a movie but needed to be fleshed out more. Still fans dig it. |
Saeed’s list is a good one. If I had created the list I would have put Sly’s Get Carter in the first spot. Not only does it contain scenes with some of Sly’s finest acting, but the cast is solid, the story is strong and the director shows great flourishes. Get Carter is not a perfect film (few are), but in my opinion it is Sly’s most underrated.
Ben Sherlock at ScreenRant came up with a list of 10 Action Stars Who Haven’t Appeared in the Fast Saga (But Would Be Perfect). You know how I am with lists. So here is Sherlock’s top ten compared to my rankings of his choices and my thoughts on each…
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Sherlock |
Zablo |
| 10. Jean-Claude Van Damme | 10. Sigourney Weaver: Fast & Furious just doesn’t seem like the best fit for her. |
| 09. Jet Li | 09. Jackie Chan: I’m a fan, but unless they want to increase the comedy, then Jackie may not be the right one to go to. |
| 08. Sylvester Stallone | 08. Liam Neeson: Liam could be a good fit, but he has several films scheduled where he stars so… |
| 07. Liam Neeson |
07. Arnold Schwarzenegger: would be a great addition especially if the Rock comes back in the same film. Who wouldn’t want to see those two square off… |
| 06. Sigourney Weaver | 06. Nicolas Cage: Crazy Nick Cage playing a crazy bad guy – sign me up. |
| 05. Keanu Reeves | 05. Keanu Reeves: I think with John Wick sequels and BRZRKR lined up, the movie would have to wait. Might be worth it though. |
| 04. Jackie Chan | 04. Danny Trejo: Trejo seems like a natural for the F&F universe. |
| 03. Danny Trejo | 03. Jean-Claude Van Damme: I can totally see JCVD in a F&F film. He would be a cool villain. |
| 02. Arnold Schwarzenegger | 02. Jet Li: Could actually be my top choice. He would provide a lot of opportunity for international appeal and great action scenes. |
| 01. Nicolas Cage | 01. Sylvester Stallone: I have to put my main man first. Truthfully, I’d rather see Sly do Hunter or one of his other starring roles though. |
How about a fun mash-up. Originally performed by Little Roger and the Goosebumps, our version is by Puddles aka The Sad Clown with the Golden Voice. If you ever get a chance to see Puddles perform live, you should take it. I did and would do it again! Yep, I’m a fan.
Get this single here: https://smarturl.it/s7pnpj
This mash up was created by Little Roger and the Goosebumps. I asked Roger Clark if he would be cool with me covering this and he said that was ok with him. He’s a swell fella. This video is from my Sequestered Summertime Streaming Show on VEEPS streaming platform. I’ll be continuing my streaming shows until I can get back on the road.
Get the original and more from Little Roger and the Goosebumps here: https://littleroger.bandcamp.com/albu…
Derek Ennis played guitars.
Tim DeLaney played bass, drums, keys, mixed and engineered.
Puddles sang it.
William Smith died on Monday, July 5th at the age of 88. No cause of death was reported.
William Smith had an amazing life, and a career that spanned 78 years! His first role was an uncredited part in The Ghost of Frankenstein in 1942. William Smith was eight years old at the time. Mr. Smith continued to get small parts in films until he went into the US Air Force.
William Smith served as a pilot where he flew secret missions over Russia. His work earned him CIA and NSA clearance. While in the service, William Smith’s love of fitness and sports continued. He won arm wrestling and weight lifting championships. He compiled a 31-1 record as an amateur boxer. Around this same time, William Smith attracted the attention of MGM and was offered a contract.
In 1961, William Smith landed a starring role on the tv series, The Asphalt Jungle. When the series ended William Smith never hurt for roles. He would go on to work in both television and film throughout the rest of his career, amassing an astounding 274 acting credits.
William Smith starred in the following television series: Zero One; Laredo; Rich Man, Poor Man (Books I and II); Hawaii 5-0 (the last season) and Wildside.
When he wasn’t appearing on his own series, William Smith kept busy guest starring on others. This is just a taste of some apearances: Combat; Perry Mason; Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Batman; I Dream of Jeannie; The Guns of Will Sonnett; Lassie; Here Come the Brides; Daniel Boone; Dan August; The Mod Squad; Columbo; Mission Impossible; The Six Million Dollar Man; The Rockford Files and Gunsmoke.
William Smith was no stranger to feature films. He might be best known for Every Which Way But Loose with Clint Eastwood. Some of my favorite William Smith film appearances include: CC & Company; The Ultimate Warrior; Scorchy; Conan the Barbarian; Rumble Fish and Red Dawn.
When I was a kid I loved when William Smith showed up in a tv show or movie. I knew that the hero was in for a rough time or else he was lucky to meet the character Smith was playing. As I moved into my teen years I continued to enjoy William Smith’s appearances, but also started to wonder why he wasn’t get the big push as an action star. Perhaps he just stayed too busy and liked the variety of parts he was offered. If he enjoyed them half as much as we did, he was a very happy man.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to William Smith’s family, friends and fans.
I like both the poster and trailer for No Man of God starring Luke Kirby and Elijah Wood. The title ain’t bad either. I plan to check this one out.
Starring Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino and Robert Patrick
Directed by Amber SealeyIn 1980, Ted Bundy was sentenced to death by electrocution. In the years that followed, he agreed to disclose the details of his crimes, but only to one man. During the early days of the agency’s criminal profiling unit, FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier met with the incarcerated Ted Bundy in the hopes of understanding the psychology of the serial killer and providing closure for the victim’s families. As Hagmaier delves into Bundy’s dark and twisted mind, a strange and complicated relationship develops that neither man expected. Based on actual transcripts of interviews between FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier and the incarcerated Ted Bundy, No Man of God is “nothing short of riveting. It is a must-see” (Reel News Daily).
The poster and trailer for Sweet Girl starring Jason Momoa are here and both look good. I’m a Momoa fan and Sweet Girl looks like fun. Deal me in.
A devastated husband (Jason Momoa) vows to bring justice to the people responsible for his wife’s death while protecting the only family he has left, his daughter (Isabela Merced).
Today we have the poster and trailer to Kingdom: Ashin of the North. Billed as a special episode, but at 92 minutes, I see it more as a spinoff movie.
I’ve enjoyed both seasons of Kingdom and Kingdom: Ashin of the North is written by Kim Eun-Hee. who wrote both seasons as well. I had no idea this was coming, so call me surprised and deal me in!
This summer, a 92 minute thirst for blood begins.
Kingdom: Ashin of the NorthA Kingdom Special Episode: Kingdom: Ashin of the North
Coming July 23, only on Netflix
Michele Debczak at Mental Floss posted the list of America’s 25 Biggest Restaurant Chains. I thought it might be interesting to share my favorite food or drink at each. Perhaps we have the same taste…
I enjoy documentaries, movies and television shows about UFOs. I’m intrigued by the Roswell incident and other ufo/alien reports that feel like they could be true. It is interesting that the government has admitted that there are things out there that and they don’t know what they are.
Below is a trailer for Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified. Because it will be on Netflix, I’ll check it out. Based on the trailer it may not be worthy. I hate the poor cgi aliens and ufos in the trailer. And the guy that says, “Nobody’s seen it or knows where it’s at” doesn’t inspire confidence in the quality of the series. Still, you never know…
Original factual television series featuring the most recent information and proof exposing the most top-secret government projects that handled contacts with and cover-ups of, extraterrestrial presence on Earth.
Terminator 2 is consider by many to be not only the best film in the Terminator series, but also the best movie that Arnold Schwarzenegger ever made. It’s interesting to note that initially James Cameron had no interest in a sequel, Arnold didn’t like the idea of playing a good terminator and Linda Hamilton just wanted to be crazy. You’ll learn the reasons behind these facts and a whole lot more if you click over to Todd Gilchrist’s 20 Facts About Terminator 2: Judgment Day at Mental Floss. Before you do, here are three of my favorites and my thoughts on each…
JAMES CAMERON WANTED BILLY IDOL TO PLAY THE T-1000. (Cameron wanted a different body type for the T-1000 and Billy Idol was his first choice. Idol was in a motorcycle wreck that led to Robert Patrick getting the part. I believe that Idol’s celebrity would have taken from the impact of the T-1000 and it would have looked like stunt casting. I also believe that Patrick was a better choice for the role – he’s an excellent actor! – Craig)
TERMINATOR 2 ESSENTIALLY MADE ITS MONEY BACK BEFORE IT EVEN PREMIERED. (This is an amazing fact when you consider that Cameron was paid $6 million dollars, Arnold was paid $15 million, Linda Hamilton got $1 million and the total budget was $102 million dollars. – Craig)
SEVERAL VERSIONS OF T2 HAVE BEEN RELEASED, BUT JAMES CAMERON HAS A FAVORITE. (It’s the theatrical release and I agree. – Craig)
Here we have the poster and trailer for Val. The poster is interesting and the documentary should be as well. I hope that it is insightful as well. Val Kilmer is one of the most under-rated actors still alive. His performance in Tombstone should have won the Oscar and he made everything he was in better. Sadly, Val Kilmer got throat cancer which impacted his life and career. I look forward to seeing Val when it premieres on August 6th.
Who is Val Kilmer? He’s Batman. He’s Iceman. He’s Jim Morrison. And he’s a lifelong filmmaker. Get re-acquainted with the legend on August 6.
J. Edgar Hoover is an interesting character. The fact that he was the head of the FBI and able to stay in office for decades, that even President’s feared him, and that he had “the goods” on anyone who was anyone has always intrigued me. He wasn’t a good guy and there are many rumors that surround his personal life.
Scott Beggs touches on many of these things and more in 20 Surprising Facts About J. Edgar Hoover. Before you click over, here are three of my favorites and my thoughts on each…
.J. EDGAR HOOVER DIDN’T HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE UNTIL HE WAS 43. (This was the same year his mother died and there is speculation “that Hoover, who persecuted Black civil rights leaders, had a secret African-American heritage.” Wouldn’t that be something? I wonder if the rumors are true. – Craig)
RICHARD NIXON WAS AFRAID OF J. EDGAR HOOVER. (Hoover apparently had “dirt” on every President and they were afraid to fire him. It is especially telling that “Richard Nixon, thought Hoover might ‘bring down the temple’ if he were sacked.” We have learned over the years the indiscretions of many of our Presidents but Hoover had the goods at the time. – Craig)
J. EDGAR HOOVER HAD WHAT WAS POSSIBLY THE WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF PORNOGRAPHY. (Reportedly it contained photos of celebrities and politicians. The craziest rumor about it: That it contained nude pictures of Eleanor Roosevelt given to him by W.C. Fields!? Really?? Also, why would he keep the collection — perhaps for his own enjoyment or more likely to have something on these folks should he ever need to it. – Craig)
