Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Poker Face is a 10-episode “mystery-of-the-week” series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
Deal me in. Check out the trailer below and let me know if we need to save you a seat!
The poster and trailer for Vertical Freedom will freak out anyone afraid of heights. I’d check this out when it comes to streaming.
Directed by: Doug Lee
Synopsis: Vertical Freedom highlights six diverse tower climbers who overcome personal struggle and everyday danger to perform extraordinary work at very high levels to connect us all. It chronicles the triumphs, challenges, and tragedies of tower climbers Robert Gallegos, Sean Gilhooley, Andrew Lealofi, Ky Nguyen, Kelsey Olson, and Angelo Wiggins as they traverse the country and work at extreme elevations to enable connectivity including breathtaking aerial footage of some of the most hard-to-reach communication towers in the United States.
How about this cool painting of Chow Yun Fat by Tony Stella? You can see more of Tony Stella’s art at his website or his Instagram page.
Hot Water (1924)
Director: Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor
Screenplay: Thomas J. Gray, Sam Taylor, Tim Whelan, John Grey
Stars: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Josephine Crowell, Charles Stevenson and Mickey McBan.
Tagline: A cyclonic comedy of newlyweds and meddling relatives!
The Overview: Beware of spoilers…
Hubby (Lloyd) is a confirmed bachelor who cannot understand someone wanting to get married. In his dash to get to a wedding on time, Hubby knocks down a woman (Ralston). As he helps her to her feet, their eyes meet… and the next thing you know they’re married. What follows are three vignettes of Hubby’s married life.
As Hubby heads home from work, Wifey asks him to pick up a “few” things from the store. While at the store Hubby wins a live turkey. Hubby has a tough time making it to the trolley and home with more groceries than he can carry and a live turkey!
When Hubby’s mother-in-law, brother-in-law and nephew show up unexpectedly, Hubby decides to take them for a ride in his new car. Runs-ins with other autos and the police are just part of the fun.
The third episode involves his sleepwalking mother-in-law, a potential murder and possible ghosts!
The segments were hit and miss for me. I liked the third episode the best.
Hot Water earns 2 of 5 stars.
Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941)
Director: Jed Buell, William Beaudine (uncredited)
Screenplay: Lex Neal from a story by Walter Weems
Stars: Mantan Moreland, F.E. Miller, Maceo Bruce Sheffield and Marguerite Whitten.
Tagline: The First All Colored Cast Feature Comedy Ever Made!
The Overview: Beware of spoilers…
Wallingford (Miller) and Schenectady Jones (Moreland) are buddies serving time in the county jail. Wallingford sees a newspaper article about a rich man who died and left his hotel to any living relative that he may have had. Since the man’s last name was Jones and he was from the same area as Schenectady, Wallingford asks his buddy if he may have been related to the rich old man. The two discuss the life of luxury that would come from being a rich hotel owner. As Schenectady falls asleep he dreams…
Miller and Moreland can be favorably compared to Abbott and Costello. Both duos are funny. Miller, like Abbott is the brains of the two and takes advantage of his partner. The difference is that Miller is more of a true friend. Mantan Moreland is one of the most under-rated comedians in Hollywood. He has great timing and his line and non-verbal reactions are priceless.
The set-up of owning a hotel presents great opportunities for gags as different guests arrive. We get a magician, a Lonesome Ranger, a guest with a gorilla, an invisible man, and more. Each different arrival provides laughs. The main storyline involves Brutus Blake (Sheffield) looking for money hidden somewhere in the hotel and hoping that midnight arrives before Moreland can pay the balance owed on the hotel’s mortgage.
Mr. Washington Goes to Town earns 4 of 5 stars.
Chris Miller created this cool 40th anniversary tribute poster for First Blood! You can see more of Chris Miller’s art on his Twitter or Behance page.
Leslie Jordan, the actor, singer, writer and internet sensation, died this morning, the result of a car wreck. Mr. Jordan’s car hit the side of a building. Preliminary results indicate that a medical episode may have led to the crash. Mr. Jordan was 67.
Leslie Jordan moved to Los Angeles in 1982. Standing just 4’11”, speaking with a strong Southern drawl, and openly gay, Leslie Jordan was a memorable character. Although he struggled for a few years, in 1986, Leslie Jordan got his first television role on The Fall Guy. After that ice-breaking role, Mr. Jordan continued to act on television, in feature films, on the stage and he even branched out into writing and singing!
Some of Leslie Jordan television appearances include: The Fall Guy; Night Court; Murphy Brown; Newhart; The People Next Door (10 episodes); Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Top of the Heap (6 episodes); Perfect Strangers; Reasonable Doubts (16 episodes); Bodies of Evidence (16 episodes); Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; Hearts Afire (27 episodes); Coach; Star Trek: Voyager; Wings; The Pretender; Dharma & Greg; Ellen; Maximum Bob; Nash Bridges; Alley McBeal; Boston Public (5 episodes); Monk; Reba; Boston Legal (6 episodes); Hidden Palms (5 episodes); Sordid Lives: The Series (10 episodes); 12 Miles of Bad Road (6 episodes); Desperate Housewives; Supernatural; Con Man (6 episodes); American Horror Story (10 episodes); Will & Grace (17 episodes); Fantasy Island and Call Me Kat (36 episodes).
Some of Leslie Jordan’s feature film appearances include: Moving; Hero; Jason Goes to Hell; Sordid Lives; The Help; Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel; The United States vs Billie Holiday and Until We Meet Again.
In addition to being an accomplished stage actor; Leslie Jordan was also a playwright. Some of his plays and stage shows include: Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel; Like a Dog on Linoleum; Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far and My Trip Down the Pink Carpet.
Leslie Jordan was also a singer. His gospel album Company’s Comin’ was released in 2021. Mr. Jordan was also a hit on Instagram with 5.9 followers at the time of his death.
Leslie Jordan was probably best known for his recurring role on Will & Grace. Until his popularity reached the level where he was a well known actor/comedian; Mr. Jordan would appear on the screen and you’d instantly recognize “that funny guy”! I never saw Leslie Jordan in a role where I didn’t appreciate his performance. He was especially funny in his many Instagram posts. He was the kind of Hollywood celebrity that appeared genuine. I’m going to miss seeing him pop up in new roles, but I am thankful for his many, many performances that will be around forever.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Leslie Jordan’s family, friends and fans.
The poster is ok, but the trailer for 1899 has me ready to tune in. I hope that this will be a limited series. If not, we could end up with the same problem that plagued Lost, spinning wheels with multiple new plot lines that had no specific end.
On their journey across the vast and treacherous Atlantic Ocean, the passengers of the Kerberos encounter the biggest mystery of their lives. Welcome to 1899, a deeply immersive new series from the creators of Dark.
Invisible Ghost (1941)
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Screenplay: Al Martin, Helen Martin
Stars: Bela Lugosi, Polly Ann Young, John McGuire and Clarence Muse, Laurence Criner and Emil Van Horn
Tagline: THE PHANTOM KILLER STRIKES! Only a terrified woman knows the secret of this ghostly murderer…who strikes in the night and leaves no clues—but his victims!
The Overview: Beware of spoilers…
Dr. Charles Kessler (Lugosi) hasn’t been the same since his wife left him several years ago. Kessler hasn’t seen or heard from her since. His grown daughter, Virginia (Young) and Evans (Muse) their butler accommodate Dr. Kessler’s eccentricities. When one of the Kessler’s servants is killed, Virginia’s fiancée Ralph Dickson (McGuire) is arrested, tried, sentenced to death and executed in the electric chair!
Soon Ralph’s twin brother, Paul shows up. He doesn’t believe that Ralph could have committed the murder… but if Ralph didn’t, who did? As Paul, Dr. Kessler and Virginia follow the clues, they get closer to the unbelievable truth that could get them all killed!
Surprisingly, Invisible Ghost features no one that’s invisible and not a single ghost. Perhaps the title is evidence to how much thought was put into the story. Bela Lugosi deserved better… and so did poor Ralph.
Invisible Ghost earns 2 of 5 stars.
Check out the great Christopher Reeves/Superman drawing by Neal Adams!
|
|
|
Jim Ivey died on July 13, 2022, at the age of 97. Jim led an amazing life which you can read about here. On October 9, 2022, 25 of Jim’s friends came together to celebrate him.
The photos above are of the front and back covers of a booklet that Charlie Moffitt put together. It contained photos, drawings and remembrances of Jim by many of his friends. Thanks to Charlie for putting the booklet together and also Mike Kott & Sue Cornwell who paid for the printing costs so that everyone got a copy.
|
|
|
Our celebration was at an Outback Steakhouse. Twenty-five of Jim’s friends attended. John Beatty wanted to, but his mother passed away two days prior. I printed a sheet of Jim Ivey caricatures for everyone. Jim liked to say if 100 artists drew the same person, the drawings would all be different, yet each would capture an aspect of the person. It reminded me that Jim had friendships with each of us, but like the caricatures, the relationships were all slightly different.
It was great seeing so many of Jim’s friends who were also friends with each other because of Jim. We shared a meal, and many wonderful memories. There was a lot of laughter and we kept things low key – just as Jim would have wanted.
Mike Kott shares a Jim Ivey story!
Charlie shows Frank the proper way to hold a baby.
Everyone ignoring the waitress when the bill comes.
Cliff prepares to strangle Doralya.
The All-American Boy (we might have to revisit that nickname) tells the story of Jim Ivey’s slow motion fall during a poker game.
Bill and Rob recreating the Keep on Truckin’ pose.
Rob found Joy’s homemade cookies… so did everyone else! Yummy!
Joy shares an art book that Jim gave her.
Cliff’s smile means something is up.
Wild Bill Black and me… it looks like my hair had a stroke.
When Jim was approaching his mid-80s, he sent me a letter that contained the full page below. Jim came up with advice for himself since he was over 80. I always thought it contained great advice for any age, so I made a copy for everyone attending.
Jim will be missed, but never forgotten.
The Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser Omnibus will be released on June 27, 2023. Here’s the lowdown:
Fritz Leiber ranks among the giants of fantasy and science fiction visionaries, capturing multiple Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards and influencing a generation of writers.
And his most renowned creations are the swashbuckling Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories.
Collected here are adaptations of some of the finest of these tales—including the Hugo and Nebula Award winning “Ill Met in Lankhmar”—by comics legends Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola, Dennis O’Neil, Al Williamson, and more. Join the hulking barbarian and the diminutive rogue as they battle swordsmen, necromancers, and flagons of strong drink!
Collects Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser: The Cloud of Hate and Other Stories.
Pre-orders are available now!
Law of the Jungle (1942)
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Screenplay: George Bricker, Edmond Kelso (additional dialogue)
Stars: Arline Judge, John ‘Dusty’ King, Mantan Moreland, Arthur O’Connell, Laurence Criner and Emil Van Horn
Tagline: A Story to Thrill You and Chill You to the Rhythm of Jungle Tom-toms!
The Overview: Beware of spoilers…
Enemy agents attempt to blackmail Nora Brooks (Judge) into transporting important papers out of Africa. Brooks refuses instead running into the jungle. There she meets explorer Larry Manson (King) and his assistant, Jeff Jones (Mantan). With enemy agents leading hostile natives after them, Manson, Brooks and Jones have little chance for survival…
Not even Mantan Moreland’s comedy relief can save Law of the Jungle.
Law of the Jungle earns 2 of 5 stars.
Mickaël Journou created the cool Samaritan poster above. You can see more of Journou’s art at his Instagram or Twitter pages.
Harlem on the Prairie (1937)
Director: Sam Newfield, Jed Buell
Screenplay: Fred Myton, F.E. Miller (additional dialogue)
Stars: Herb Jeffries, F.E. Miller, Mantan Moreland, Consuelo Harris, Maceo Bruce Sheffield and Spencer Williams
Tagline: KING OF THE JUKE BOX AND RADIO NOW SEEN IN FULL FEATURE!
The Overview: Beware of spoilers…
Jeff Kincaid (Jeffries) is riding to the next town when he comes across Doc Clayburn’s (Williams) medicine show. Kincaid joins them for dinner and a few songs. Kincaid and Clayburn’s daughter, Connie (Harris) are obviously attracted to each other. What no one knows is that outlaws have their eye on Clayburn. Years ago, Clayburn ran with a group of bank robbers. Clayburn was the only one who wasn’t killed and the outlaws want the gold he has hidden. After some more songs and comedy from Crawfish (Miller) and Mistletoe (Moreland) things will come to gunplay when the outlaws attack.
Herb Jeffries was a popular singing radio star who decided to try acting. Jeffries wanted to play a black singing cowboy leading man along the lines of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Harlem on the Prairie is played straight (with some comedic moments) just like a Rogers or Autry film. Jeffries riding a beautiful white stallion makes a serviceable lead. Spencer Williams has great facial expressions telling more of his story without a word. Mantan Moreland and F.E. (Flournoy Eakin) Miller provide comedy relief. If you’re a fan of singing cowboy films, then give Harlem on the Prairie a shot.
Harlem on the Prairie earns 3 of 5 stars.
