Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Today we have a new poster for Underwater.
When I was a kid, in the years before the dawn of the internet, easy access to trailers and movie news, a movie poster was often THE thing that made folks want to see a movie. If the poster was good, if it made you want to see the movie, you did. Often the poster was better than the movie.
I’m getting that vibe for Underwater. I really like this poster. I’m not sure I’m going to feel the same about the movie.
The trailer (not so much the poster) for 6 Underground makes it look like a fun way to spend way to spend a couple of hours.
Mike Mignola is mainly known as the writer/artist who created Hellboy, but he’s done so much more. For example, Mignola created the covers for the three issue mini-series The Frankenstein Dracula War. Above is the cover to issue three. You can see all three covers in a bigger version at The Bristol Board.
Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes by Ace Atkins
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
First sentence…
“Whoever said, ‘It never rained in Southern California lied.”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Gabby Leggett left her wealthy Boston family and went to Hollywood to become a star. Beautiful, talented and after making a popular commercial Gabby’s star was on the rise.
Then Gabby Leggett disappeared.
Spenser is hired by Gabby’s family to find her. In Hollywood the suspects include 1) Gabby’s ex-lover (and her current agent), 2) a powerful womanizing movie producer, 3) a “self-help” sisterhood some would call a cult led by an ex-con scam artist and 4) Armenian gangsters. Spenser does what he does best, irritating all suspects until his life is threatened. Then things get even more interesting. Gabby may or may not be dead, but many are going to die before Spenser finds out.
Ace Atkins creates another welcome Spenser tale.
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Rage by Jonathan Maberry
Paperback: 462 pages
Publisher: Griffin
First sentence…
If the world is on all four wheels and nothing is burning, you’ll never hear from guys like me.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
A bio-weapon released on a small island off the coast of Korea turns men, women and children into raging killers. Making things worse, a video shows what appear to be US soldiers behind the terrorist attack.
As North Korea, China, and the US begin to posture for all out war, Joe Ledger leads the newly formed Rogue International team to the island. Finding himself commanding elite soldiers from North and South Korea along with members of his old squad, Ledger will learn that there is a traitor among them.
As the clock clicks down, the virus spreads and rumors that the US was behind the bio attacks leaks to the media. Rogue International must find the source of the Rage attacks and prevent further terrorist actions before its too late. A mission like this comes with a high cost — and hats off to Maberry because he has the reader worried about one thing and delivers something more surprising and equally as devastating. And then hits the reader with something even worse.
Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger novels never disappoint.
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Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are coming back strong with a new graphic novel titled Pulp.
Max Winters, a pulp writer in 1930s New York, finds himself drawn into a story not unlike the tales he churns out at 5 cents a word – tales of a wild west outlaw dispensing justice with a six-gun. But will Max be able to do the same, when pursued by bank robbers, Nazi spies, and enemies from his past?
One part thriller, one part meditation on a life of violence, PULP is unlike anything the award-winning team of BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS have ever done. A celebration of pulp fiction, set in a world on the brink. And another must-have hardback from one of comics most-acclaimed teams.
Pulp premieres May 26, 2020. I cannot wait.
Last of the Independents by Matt Fraction (Writer) and Kieron Dwyer (Artist) was first published nearly 20 years ago. Here’s part of what I said when I reviewed it back in 2007:
Last of the Independents is Fraction’s love letter to the creators and fans of the movie “Charley Varrick”. Like in the movie, a middle aged guy and his crew knock off a small town bank only to discover it’s mob money that they’ve stolen. There are other similarities, but never does this feel like anything more than a tip of the fedora to a movie, a genre and an era that had an enormous impact on crime fiction fans. Fraction’s story and script are first rate. He drops us in as the bank is being robbed and introduces us to the main characters quickly without wordy exposition. In fact, he often lets Kieron Dwyer’s art tell the tale. Dwyer’s art is perfect for the graphic novel. [I’ve been a fan of his work for some time and hope to someday see a piece by him in my Stallone Gallery.] Last of the Independents rates an “A”.
On May 26, 2020, Last of the Independents will get a new hard cover printing! It has already received my highest recommendation, so if this sounds like something you’d like, jump on board.
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The poster and trailer for the new 007 film, No Time to Die is here and it’s a good one!
The photos above, of the beautiful young woman and the scary looking hag are sadly the same person. Blanche Monnier was a wealthy aristocratic woman who was reported as dead by her family and then kept prisoner for 25 years. The mystery isn’t why they did this, but who finally tipped off the police.
This is just one of the Top 10 Unsolved Mysteries Involving Celebrities you’ll read about if you check out Jamie Frater’s interesting post at Listverse. Others include:
Check out the trailer below for the new series, Messiah, which premieres January 1st on Netflix.
A CIA officer investigates a charismatic figure whose followers believe that he can perform miracles. Is he a divine entity or a dangerous con artist?
You just know this is going to be controversial. It’s got me interested and I’ll tune in.
What do ya think of the Black Widow poster and trailer? I’ll probably wait to check it out when I can stream it.
Collin Schlicht created this retro Pulp Fiction poster. You can see a larger version by clicking on the photo above. Want to check out more of Collin’s art? Click here to go to his site.
A woman and young boy are chased through the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Battered and exhausted, they protect something highly valuable and extremely dangerous.
THE KID is a 6 minute proof-of-concept short film directed by Nicholas Wenger and starring Ellen Wroe (Animal Kingdom) and Evan Alex (Us). The feature screenplay is currently being written.
I want to see The Kid as a feature film or limited tv mini-series. Wenger has shown he has the writing and directing chops — I hope someone finances his vision. Perfectly cast — keep Wroe and Alex. The Kid needs to be made! Click on the link in the description. You can thank me later! ; )
Gerardo Moreno is back, and this time he’s brought with him a potential sequel to Cobra starring Sylvester Stallone. Not only do I dig the poster but props also to Moreno for his suggested title, Angel of the City: Cobra II.
If you”d like to see more of Gerardo’s art click here!
The Irishman (2019)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenplay: Steve Zallian based on the book by Charles Brandt
Stars: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, and Jesse Plemons.
The Pitch: “Martin Scorsese wants to do a new gangster movie!”
Tagline: His story changed history.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
On his deathbed in 2003, Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, a former bodyguard and alleged mob hitman confessed to a killing that if true would resolve a mystery that has remained unsolved for decades. Sheeran’s confessions (of that murder and more) became the basis of I Heard You Paint Houses: The Inside Story of the Mobsters, the Teamsters & the Last Ride of Jimmy Hoffa by Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran and Charles Brandt. That book became the inspiration for The Irishman.
The Irishman re-teams Scorsese, De Niro, and Pesci, then adds Pacino for good measure. De Niro plays Sheeran who accidentally meets and becomes friends with mobster, Russell Bufalino (Pesci). As the years pass Sheeran works his way into Bufalono’s inner circle because of his willingness to take care of business. Sheeran’s choices take him down a road that leads inevitably to the loss of his family, friends and the betrayal of those he cares about.
The Irishman is getting almost universal praise. It should. Scorsese is in top form and gets the best performances from De Niro and Pacino that we’ve seen in years. Pesci gives his best performance ever. Pesci deserves all of the awards he’ll receive for this role. I was worried that Pacino would be too over the top for his role as Hoffa, but he reined it in and pulled it off.
Now to the two nits, many are picking: 1) The de-aging CGI and 2) the length of The Irishman.
I’ll admit that at first the CGI is distracting. As the film went on it became less so. Scorsese has said that a lot of attention was paid in the de-aging scenes to make sure the main actors (all 70+) moved age appropriately for their scenes. (“Uh, Al, let’s do that again. Remember when you’re getting out of the chair in this scene, you’re 45.”) There were a couple of scenes where the faces look younger but the body movements don’t have the same snap as a younger man. Minor distractions in my opinion, but some folks are complaining big time so your mileage may vary.
The second nit some are picking is the length of The Irishman which clocks in at 3 hours and 29 minutes making it the longest movie Scorsese has directed, and reportedly the longest mainstream film released in decades. I thought the film moved at the right pace. I was never bored. I never checked my watch. It didn’t feel like a three hour plus movie. Again your mileage may vary.
I loved The Irishman.
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