“Havok” (2025) written & directed by Gareth Evans, starring Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Timothy Olyphant and Forrest Whitaker / Z-View

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Havok (2025)

Director:  Gareth Evans

Screenplay: Gareth Evans

Stars: Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Justin Cornwell, Quelin Sepulveda, Serhat Metin, Gordon Alexander, Forest Whitaker, Michelle Waterson, Jill Winternitz and Timothy Olyphant.

Tagline: No law. Only disorder.

The Plot…

Lawrence Beaumont is a politician with clout.  Beaumont also has info that he uses to blackmail Detective Walker into doing his bidding.  Beaumont’s only son, Charlie, gets caught up in a drug deal where a cartel leader’s son is killed.  Charlie is blamed and marked for death.  Beaumont tells Walker he’ll never bother him again if he brings Charlie safely home.

Now Walker is looking for Charlie.  So are members of the triad as well as every honest and crooked cop in town.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

 I absolutely loved everything about Havok.  It has a great story and direction.  Kudos to writer/director Gareth Evans.  It is extremely well cast.  Standouts include: Tom Hardy, Jessie Mei Li, Timothy Olyphant, Forest Whittaker, Yann Yann Yeo and Michelle Waterson.  The violence and action are over-the-top without being excessively gory.

I know I will revisit Havok in the future since I’ve already watched it twice!

Havok (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday by Steve Bryant!

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My favorite Val Kilmer role is Doc Holiday in Tombstone.  It’s a shame that Kilmer didn’t win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that performance.  In fact he wasn’t even nominated.  Kilmer’s performance may not have won the Academy Award, but movie fans have not forgotten how amazing he was.

Steve Bryant created the awesome piece above.  You can see more of Bryant’s art here.

“The Bondsman”: Season 1 (2025) starring Kevin Bacon / Z-View

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The Bondsman: Season 1 (2025)

Created by Grainger David

Directors: Sanaa Hamri (Eps.1-2); Thor Freudenthal (Eps. 3-4); Lauren Wolkstein (Eps. 5-6); Catriona McKenzie (Eps.7-8)

Teleplay: Grainger David (Ep. 1); Erik Oleson (Ep. 2, 6, 8); Erik Oleson & Grainger David (Eps. 3-4, 7); Erik Oleson & Satinder Kaur (Ep. 5)

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Nettles, Beth Grant, Damon Herriman, Maxwell Jenkins, Jolene Purdy, Denitra Isler, Mike Kaye, K.D. O’Hair, Jay Ali, Dave Macomber and Robert Daniel Souris.

Tagline:  He’s gonna catch hell.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bounty hunter Hub Halloran has tracked his latest bail jumper to a seedy hotel when he is ambushed.  Despite his best efforts, Hub’s throat is cut and he dies.

The next day Hub is resurrected.  In short order Hub learns that…

  1.  He really did die.
  2. “Lucky” Callahan, his wife’s boyfriend set up the ambush.
  3.  He’s been brought back by the devil to kill demons that escape hell.  Should he refuse to accept the jobs, then he will be returned to hell.

Hub now has two things on his mind, protecting his ex-wife and son from “Lucky” Callahan and killing the next demon to escape from hell.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The series episodes are less than 30 minutes each.  Not a bad way to spend half an hour.

Matlock: Season 1 (2025) earns 3 stars.

“Stand Your Ground” starring Daniel Stisen, Peter Stormare and Eric Roberts – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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https://craigzablo.com/?p=38805

Stand Your Ground is what I affectionately call a “drive-in” movie.  Check out the poster and trailer.  Directed by Fansu Njie, Stand Your Ground stars Daniel Stisen, Peter Stormare and Eric Roberts.

Deal me in.

Former Special Forces operative, Jack Johnson, seeks vengeance after his wife’s murder, igniting a brutal war against a local crime lord’s family.

“Wolf Man” (2025) directed by Leigh Whannell, starring Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott / Z-View

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Wolf Man (2025)

Director:  Leigh Whannell

Screenplay: Leigh Whannell, Corbett Tuck

Stars: Julia Garner, Christopher Abbott, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Ben Prendergast, Leigh Whannell, Rob MacBride and Benedict Hardie.

Tagline: Protect your own.

The Plot…

Blake and Charlotte still love each other (and their daughter, Ginger), but their marriage has been strained lately.  So when Blake gets notice that his father has been declared dead, after going missing for seven years, Blake decides that a trip to his childhood home in the remote Oregon woods might be the right move.  Charlotte reluctantly agrees.

The home is deep in the wilderness.  No cell phone reception.  No neighbors close by.  No towns either.  A one lane dirt road in/out.  As darkness falls, and they’re close to the old home, a creature appears standing in the road.  Blake swerves to miss it and crashes through brush down the incline.  The creature attacks them and Blake’s arm is terribly clawed.  They make it to the farmhouse.  All the windows have bars and the door is reinforced as well.

As they huddle inside, the creature attempts to get in.  Unable to call for assistance, and unsure how long before the creature finds a way in, Charlotte wonders how things could be worse.

Then she notices her husband is starting to change…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

 There are some cool scenes where we get what the people are saying and hearing and as the camera pans it changes to how the Wolf Man perceives it.

I wish Blake and Charlotte were better developed characters.  Also they both make bad choices that put their families in danger.

Wolf Man (2025) rates 3 of 5 stars

“The Narrow Margin” (1952) starring Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor / Z-View

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The Narrow Margin (1952)

Director:  Richard Fleischer

Screenplay: Earl Felton, story by Martin Goldsmith, Jack Leonard

Stars: Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, Jacqueline White, Queenie Leonard, David Clarke, Don Beddoe, Paul Maxey, Peter Brocco, George Chandler  and Harry Harvey.

Tagline: ‘THAT BULLET’S MEANT FOR ME!” – Suspense every speeding second aboard a stream-lined limited…as syndicate killers seek to find and silence mystery woman headed for the Grand Jury!

The Plot…

Detective Sergeant Walter Brown (McGraw) and his partner, Sergeant Gus Forbes (Beddoe) are tasked to safely bring Mrs. Frankie Neall (Windsor) from Chicago to LA.  Mrs. Neall is a big time mobster’s wife.  She’s turning state’s evidence that will bring down the mob. So she’s been marked for death.

The plan is to get Mrs. Neall on a train that is going straight from Chicago to LA.  Problem is, more than one mob hitman will be on the train as well.

All aboard!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

 The Narrow Margin was nominated for one Academy Award for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story – Martin Goldsmith, Jack Leonard

Much of The Narrow Margin was made using a handheld camera.  It was one of the first movies to be filmed this way.

Howard Hughes, who owned RKO (the studio that made the movie), liked The Narrow Margin so much, he wanted to not release it and immediately remake it with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell.  Hughes thought with the new cast and a few script changes the remake could be a major hit.  The Narrow Margin‘s release was held up for two years until Howard Hughes decided to get out of the movie business and sold his interest in RKO.

The Narrow Margin has a great plot twist that most folks probably won’t see coming.

The Narrow Margin (1952) rates 4 of 5 stars

“Predator: Badlands” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Predator: Badlands – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Deal me in.

The director of Prey welcomes you to a world of hurt. Experience Predator: Badlands on the big screen, in theaters and IMAX November 7.

“Predator: Badlands,” which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, Brent O’Connor.

“Merton of the Movies” (1947) starring Red Skelton / Z-View

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Merton of the Movies (1947)

Director:  Robert Alton

Screenplay: George Wells, Lou Breslow based on MERTON OF THE MOVIES by Harry Leon Wilson and Merton of the Movies by George S. Kaufman, Marc Connelly

Stars: Red Skelton, Virginia O’Brien, Gloria Grahame, Leon Ames, Alan Mowbray, Douglas Fowley and Morris Ankrum.

Tagline: Red Skelton’s Howling Hit About Hollywood!

The Plot…

Merton Gill is a theater usher who loves movies.  Not only does Merton love them, but he dreams of being a movie star.  Only thing is, Kansas is a long way from Hollywood.  When Merton accidentally stops a robbery, he gets his fifteen minutes of fame.  The story even reaches Hollywood.

A movie star and his manager decide to cash in on Merton’s fame.  They make a big production about bringing Merton to Hollywood to be the star’s protégé.  When Merton arrives in Hollywood, there are press conferences, and Merton is treated like a king.  After a few days, the publicity dies down and the star gives Merton a ticket home.  Merton is crushed.

Despite having no experience, Merton decides to stay.  He’s more determined than ever to become a star.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Merton of the Movies featured Virginia O’Brien in her last starring role.

Buster Keaton was announced to star at one point.

Merton of the Movies (1947) rates 3 of 5 stars

RIP: Will Hutchins

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It was announced today that Will Hutchins died yesterday, April 21, 2025.  Respiratory failure was listed as the cause of death.  Mr. Hutchins was 94.

Will Hutchins was born Marshall Lowell Hutchason.  As a child Will Hutchins appeared as an extra in W.C. Fields’ Never Give A Sucker An Even Break.  Mr. Hutchins majored in Greek drama at Pomona College in Claremont, California. Will Hutchins served two years in the Army Signal Corps.  After his enlistment Mr. Hutchins, using the GI Bill, enrolled at UCLA and began to pursue an acting career.

A Warner Bros. talent scout discovered Mr. Hutchins.  It was at this point that Marshall Lowell Hutchason became Will Hutchins.  He began getting roles on both television and in films.  Will Hutchins is best known for his starring role on the television Sugarfoot.  When the series ended Mr. Hutchins continued acting until 2010.

Some of the television projects that feature Will Hutchins include: Warner Bros. Presents; Conflict (3 episodes); Matinee Theater (4 episodes); 77 Sunset Strip; Maverick (2 episodes); Cheyenne; The Roaring 20s; Bronc; Surfside 6; Sugarfoot (69 episodes); Howie; Gunsmoke; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Take Me To Your Leader; Perry Mason; Hey Landlord (31 episodes); Blondie (16 episodes); Love American Style; The Horror At 37,000 Feet; The New Perry Mason; Emergency!; Chase; Movin’ On (2 episodes); The Streets of San Francisco and The Quest.

Some of Will Hutchins’ feature film appearances include: Bombers B-52; Lafayette Escadrille; No Time for Sergeants; Merrill’s Marauders; The Shooting; Spinout; Clambake; Shangani Patrol; Magnum Force; The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington; Roar; Maverick and The Romantics.

My favorite Will Hutchins role was Tom “Sugarfoot” Brewster.  It ran in the afternoons when I was a kid.  Mr. Hutchins played Tom Brewster a correspondence school lawyer who headed west to seek his fortune.  Brewster was far from your typical stoic, tough cowboy.  And I loved it.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Will Hutchins’ family, friends and fans.

“Alien Earth” – The Poster and Public Service Announcement is Here!

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How about a poster and public service announcement for Alien Earth?

The IGN World Guide for Alien: Earth launched today, Earth Day 2025, and it provides fans of the acclaimed sci-fi horror franchise an exclusive look at the FX-Hulu series coming this summer. As part of this launch, we’ve partnered with FX on this tongue-in-cheek Earth Day public service announcement. We’re also rolling out a series of short videos across our social media channels this week chronicling the gestation of a xenomorph.

When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (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 in FX’s highly anticipated TV series Alien: Earth from creator Noah Hawley.

Alien: Earth is set in 2120 when five corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold – wield the power of nations, and proprietary advancements in technology provide the promise of a new tomorrow.

Lead by Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast which includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille and Moe Bar-El.

FX’s Alien: Earth original series coming in Summer 2025. Watch on Hulu.

“Sly Lives” (2025) / Z-View

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Sly Lives (2025)

Director:  Questlove

Stars: Sly Stone, Greg Errico, Larry Graham, Jerry Martini, Vernon Reid, D’Angelo, Cynthia Robinson, Clive Davis, Jimmy Jam, Nile Rodgers, Terry Lewis, André 3000, George Clinton  and Chaka Khan.

Tagline: Baited…by a million dollars – and all they had to do was REACH!

The Plot…

Follows the rise and fall of Sly Stone.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At the age of 19, Sly Stone (whose real name was Sylvester Stewart) was a popular LA disc jokey and record producer.  He started the group Sly and the Family Stone.  At the time they were unique because of the group’s make-up (men and women, multiple races).  Sly wrote and produced many of their songs.

Some of Sly and the Family Stone hits include: Dance to the Music, Everyday People, Stand!, I Want to Take You Higher, Hot Fun in the Summertime, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) and Everybody Is a Star.

The band’s popularity was on the rise, they were selling out concerts with multiple hit records and then Sly became addicted to drugs.  This led to him being late or even missing show dates.  His output dwindled along with the band’s popularity.  Multiple drug arrests, the breakup of the band and continued drug dependency…

Yet, Sly Stone’s music stood the test of time.  Sly and the Family Stone influenced many other bands of the era.  A younger generation of song writers discovered and sampled his music.  It took years but Sly Stone finally got his life together.

Sly Lives! is an excellent documentary that presents the life and career of Sly Stone… warts and all.

Sly Lives (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars