“When We Were Kings” (1996) / Z-View

When We Were Kings (1996)

Director:  Leon Gast

Starring:  Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown, B.B. King, Spike Lee, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, The Spinners and Howard Cosell..

Tagline:  The untold story of the Rumble in the Jungle.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When We Were Kings is the Academy Award-winning documentary of the championship fight between the undefeated (40-0) Heavyweight Champion of the World, George Foreman and his challenger, Muhammad Ali, who was a 4-1 underdog.  Promoter, Don King had contracts that paid each fighter $5 million and the backing of Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire, who saw the fight as an opportunity to shine a positive light on his country.  To that end, the fight became a culminating event of a festival that included performances by The Spinners, B.B. King and James Brown.

Leon Gast, using archival footage and interviews does an excellent job in presenting the backstories of Ali and Foreman as well as the fight’s historical significance.  Ali had refused to enter the draft, became a Muslim and had changed his name from Cassius Clay.  While many Americans had developed a dislike for Ali, he was dearly loved by the population of Zaire.  George Foreman, was an Olympic Gold Medalist who proudly represented the USA, was the undefeated Champion of the World and the man who many thought would destroy Ali. The stage was set for what many thought would be the fight to end Muhammad Ali’s career… and yet, Ali once again shocks the world!

When We Were Kings is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen.  It pulls you in, sets the historical context of the events, provides backstories on the key players while at the same time being entertaining.  When We Were Kings rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Catching Killers” Season 2 / Z-View

Catching Killers: Season 2 (2022)

Produced by :  Simon Dekker and Diana Sole Walko

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Catching Killers is a documentary series focused on the capture of notorious killers as told by the actual investigators who caught them.  There are four episodes in season 2.

Season 2, Episode 1: Bind, Torture, Kill: BTK.  Although I  knew the story of the BTK killer, this episode was exciting and engrossing.  Over the course of nearly two decades the BTK killer violently tortured and then murdered ten people including an entire family of 4.  After the murders BTK w0uld send taunting letters to the media and police describing his kills and threats of more to come,  Despite leaving few clues during his 17 year murder spree, it was a stupid mistake that led to his capture.

Season 2, Episode 2: Thrill Kills: The Phoenix Serial Shooter.  In 2005 through 2006, a pair of serial killers were stalking the streets of Phoenix, Arizona.  These shotgun killers would find people on deserted sidewalks and blast as they drove by.  The final victim count included six fatalities and several dozen people wounded.

Season 2, Episodes 3 & 4: The Toronto Village Killer.  Talk about creepy!  This case involved men who were missing and thought to be the victim of a cannibal killer!  These two episodes produced the most suspense of the series.  The police actually saved a man who was about to become the latest victim.  Unfortunately, there’s a denouncement at the end of the episode that takes a little luster off the capture.

“Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking” (2021) / Z-View

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking (2021)

Director:  Francesco Zippel

Screenplay: Francesco Zippel

Starring:  Oscar Micheaux, Chuck D, Jacqueline Stewart, Morgan Freeman  and Mario Van Pebbles..

Tagline:  None.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Oscar Micheaux was a writer, director and producer of both silent and sound movies.  Micheaux has been called “the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century.”

Oscar Micheaux has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was honored by the Director’s Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America has an annual award named after him, he is in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, his image has appeared on a US postage stamp, and there are multiple Film Festivals named after him! Sadly all of these accolades came posthumously.  Outside of serious fans of film history, few know about Oscar Micheaux.

I first learned of Oscar Micheaux because he was the writer/director of Body and Soul starring Paul Robeson.  Thanks to Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking, I now know the life story of Micheaux.  What an amazing story it is.

Micheaux didn’t let any obstacle hinder him.  At a time when there weren’t as many opportunities for people of color, Micheaux was able to raise funds to create films that he would write, direct, produce and even personally distribute from town to town!  He would then use the funds from his current film to finance his next movie.  More importantly Micheaux created films of substance that still resonate today.  Micheaux’s films dealt with race relations and featured complex characters in modern day settings.   I wish more people knew about Oscar Micheaux.  Thanks to Francesco Zippel we can.

Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Murderville” Season 1 (2022) / Z-View

Murderville: Season 1 (2022)

Directors:  Brennan Shroff (Eps.1 -2); Iain Morris (Eps. 3 – 6)

Teleplay: Marina Cockenberg (Ep.1, 4);  Krister Johnson (Eps. 1 – 2, 4); Kerry O’Neill (Ep. 2); Anna Drezen (Ep. 3); Hannah Levy (Ep. 5); Adriana Robles (Ep. 5); Jack Kukoda (Ep.6)


Starring:  Will Arnett, Haneefah Wood, Lilan Bowden, Phillip Smithey, Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Murphy, Sharon Stone and Ken Jeong.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Detective Terry Seattle (Arnett) likes to think of himself as rugged, intelligent and capable.  Sadly, he’s not.  In each episode Detective Seattle is teamed with a new guest star who is tasked with solving a murder.  The conceit of the series (and it’s a good one) is that the guest star is never given a script or access to the set until it is time for his/her scene.  If you enjoy improv comedy, you’ll probably like Murderville.

Each episode has a basic framework: Detective Seattle meets his new partner, they’re sent to solve a murder that has three suspects.  After interviewing each potential murderer, everyone is brought together and the guest star has to say who the killer is and the clues that led to that conclusion. Then the actual killer and clues are disclosed.  A cool aspect of the show is that we can play along and see if our suspect is guilty.  I was wrong as often as I was right.

There’s also an overarching mystery that runs throughout the six episodes.  Fifteen years ago, Detective Seattle’s partner (Jennifer Anniston) was murdered.  There were few clues and her murder was never solved,,, (at least until the last episode of the season)!

I enjoyed the mystery aspect as much as the improvisation in each episode.  It was as fun guessing the killer as guessing which actors would break character or try to hide a smile/laugh.  I enjoyed Murderville and hope it gets a second season.  Murderville rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Race with the Devil” (1975) / Z-View

Race with the Devil (1975)

Director:  Jack Starrett

Screenplay:  Lee Frost, Wes Bishop

Starring:  Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, Lara Parker, R.G. Armstrong and Jack Starrett.

Tagline:  If you’re going to race with the devil, you’ve got to be as fast as Hell!.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Frank (Oates) and Roger (Fonda) are vacation with their wives (Swit and Parker) driving backroads across the country.  They make camp one night far from any town.  As the evening winds down, Frank and Roger share a few beers and stories when they see in the distance a huge bonfire.  They go closer for a better look and witness a satanic cult performing a human sacrifice!  Frank and Roger are seen and the chase is on.

I saw Race with the Devil on its initial release in June of 1975.  I was 16 and the perfect audience for a film that was a combination horror, action and car chase mashup.  I re-watched RwtD many times over the years and while it’s not quite as good as 16 year old me remembered it to be, it’s still fun.  If you like drive-in type movies. and don’t think too hard about the plot, then you’ll have an enjoyable ride if you Race with the Devil.

“The Mummy” (1999) Trivia That May Surprise You!

Todd Gilchrist at Mental Floss came up with some surprising trivia about the 1999 reboot of The Mummy which he calls Unwrapping 16 Facts About The Mummy.  Before you click over, here are three of my favs and my thoughts on each…

FILMMAKERS SPENT MANY YEARS TRYING TO REVIVE THE MUMMY.  (While I did know this, I wasn’t aware that at one point George (Night of the Living Dead) Romero was recruited to write and direct the reboot. – Craig)

AT ONE POINT, DANIEL DAY-LEWIS WAS BEING EYED TO PLAY THE MUMMY.  (While I could see Day-Lewis playing the Brendan Fraser role, would the producers really wanted Daniel Day Lewis as the Mummy?  He’d be, uh, under wraps for most of the film! – Craig)

STEPHEN SOMMERS WON UNIVERSAL OVER WITH HIS CONTEMPORARY APPROACH. (Writing Rick O’Connell as an Indiana Jones-type character and adding in the humor was genius! – Craig)

Interestingly enough, I didn’t care for The Mummy (1999) but greatly enjoyed the sequel, The Mummy Returns (2001). 

“Elvis” – Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Starring Austin Butler & Tom Hanks – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

The Elvis trailer did exactly what a great trailer should do.  I had little to no desire to see Elvis until I saw the trailer.  Now I want to see the film.

From Oscar-nominated visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.

The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

Starring alongside Hanks and Butler, award-winning theatre actress Helen Thomson (“Top of the Lake: China Girl,” “Rake”) plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh (“Moulin Rouge!” “Breath,” “Hacksaw Ridge”) portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon, and DeJonge (“The Visit,” “Stray Dolls”) plays Priscilla. Luke Bracey (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Point Break”) plays Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”) plays Dixie Locke, David Wenham (“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, “Lion,” “300”) plays Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “The High Note”) plays B.B. King, Xavier Samuel (“Adore,” “Love & Friendship,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) plays Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”) plays Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

Also in the cast, Dacre Montgomery (“Stranger Things,” “The Broken Heart Gallery”) plays TV director Steve Binder, alongside Australian actors Leon Ford (“Gallipoli,” “The Pacific”) as Tom Diskin, Kate Mulvany (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hunters”) as Marion Keisker, Gareth Davies (“Peter Rabbit,” “Hunters”) as Bones Howe, Charles Grounds (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Camp”) as Billy Smith, Josh McConville (“Fantasy Island”) as Sam Phillips, and Adam Dunn (“Home and Away”) as Bill Black.
To play additional iconic musical artists in the film, Luhrmann cast singer/songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard, Austin, Texas native Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.

Oscar nominee Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) directed from a screenplay by Baz Luhrmann & Sam Bromell and Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, story by Baz Luhrmann and Jeremy Doner. The film’s producers are Luhrmann, Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss. Courtenay Valenti and Kevin McCormick executive produced.

The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Mandy Walker (“Mulan,” “Australia”), Oscar-winning production designer and costume designer Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), production designer Karen Murphy (“A Star Is Born”), editors Matt Villa (“The Great Gatsby,” “Australia”) and Jonathan Redmond (“The Great Gatsby”), Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Thomas Wood (“Mad Max: Fury Road”), music supervisor Anton Monsted (“Australia,” “Moulin Rouge!”) and composer Elliott Wheeler (“The Get Down”).

Principal photography on “Elvis” took place in Queensland, Australia with the support of the Queensland Government, Screen Queensland and the Australian Government’s Producer Offset program.
A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, A Bazmark Production, A Jackal Group Production, A Baz Luhrmann Film, “Elvis” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is set to release in theaters in North America on June 24, 2022, and internationally beginning 22 June 2022.

KING SUCKERMAN by George Pelecanos


King Suckerman by George Pelecanos

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1st edition (August 1, 1997)

First sentence…

Wilton Cooper reached for the speaker, counterclockwised the volume.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay are long-time buddies who still hang out and shoot hoops despite the fact that they’re no longer kids. Clay owns a record store and Karras makes a living doing odd jobs and selling a little weed from time to time.  After a session on the courts, Karras has a meeting lined up with Eddie Spags. Spags isn’t his usual source, but Karras’ contact has vouched for Spags.  Clay agrees to tag along.

When they get to the meeting, Spags is finishing up a deal with four strangers.  There’s a bag of money on the table.  Karras and Clay realize the thugs aren’t there for a little pot.  Wilton Cooper, the leader of the four men is an ex-con sociopath with a death wish.  Cooper’s crew consists of Bobby Roy Clagget (on the run after using a shotgun on his boss) and slow-witted brothers, Ronald and Russell Thomas.

Things get tense when Cooper makes a smart remark to Clay and he responds.  One thing leads to another and Clagget starts to bring his shotgun in to play.  Clay quickly disarms him and without thinking grabs the money on the table.  Karras and Clay then make a quick exit.

As they’re driving away, Clay is as shocked as Karras that he took the money.  They’re even more shocked when it turns out to be $20,000.  Clay figures he’ll return the cash once things cool down.  But there’s no cooling down a psycho who wants Karras and Clay dead and has a crew to back him up.

Pelecanos creates a great sense of time and place (Washington, D.C. in 1976).  His characters are authentic and if you’ve read some of his other books will see an overlap with characters from this one.  King Suckerman is another excellent Pelecanos crime novel and rates 4 of 5 stars.

Rating:

RIP: Frank Pesce

Frank Pesce, the memorable character actor of movies and television, died on February 6th at the age of 75.  Mr. Pesce’s girlfriend, Tammy Scher reported the cause of death to be dementia-related.

Frank Pesce began his career in 1976 with a role on Police Story.  Mr. Pesce then stayed busy alternating between feature films, guest spots on tv series and appearances in movies made for television.

Some feature films that Mr. Pesce appeared in include: Rocky, Paradise Alley, American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, MIdnight Run, Lock Up, Donnie Brasco, Grudge Match, The Expendables, Reach Me and Creed!

Frank Pesce’s television appearances include roles in: Kojak, Knight Rider, The Greatest American Hero, Hardcastle and McCormick, Miami Vice, Airwolf, Cagney & Lacey, Matlock, Who’s the Boss, Jake & the Fatman and Karen Sisco.

What a career Frank Pesce had!  I love that he developed friendships with stars like Sly Stallone, Robert Forester and Tony Danza.  The fact that Mr. Pesce was used so often (and many times repeatedly by stars/directors) speaks to his professionalism.  I always enjoyed a Frank Pesce appearance!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frank Pesce’s family, friends and fans.

“The Contractor” Starring Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland and Ben Foster – The Trailer is Here!

The trailer and the cast for The Contractor, starring Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland and Ben Foster, is enough to get me to watch.

Chris Pine stars in the action-packed thriller as Special Forces Sergeant James Harper, who is involuntarily discharged from the Army and cut-off from his pension. In debt, out of options and desperate to provide for his family, Harper contracts with a private underground military force. When the very first assignment goes awry, the elite soldier finds himself hunted and on the run, caught in a dangerous conspiracy and fighting to stay alive long enough to get home and uncover the true motives of those who betrayed him. Also starring Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs and Eddie Marsan.

Featuring: Chris Pine, Kiefer Sutherland, Ben Foster, Gillian Jacobs, Eddie Marsan

MASTERS OF COMICS by Joel Meadows / Z-View

Masters of Comics by Joel Meadows

Softcover: 184 pages
Publisher: Insight Comics (June 4, 2019)

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

I love seeing the workspace of creative folks.  It’s cool seeing how they set up the areas where they make the magic.  If you feel the same, then Masters of Comics may be just what you’re looking for.  Joel Meadows takes us into the studios/work spaces of 21 masters of comic art.  A chapter is given to each showing at least one shot of his/her work area and a short, informative interview.  Artists include:

Rafael Albuquerque
Lawrence Campbell
Travis Charest
Frank Cho
Dave Johnson
Michael Kaluta
John Paul Leon
Milo Manara
Shawn Martinbrough
Dan Panosian
Sean Phillips
Frank Quietly
Eduardo Risso
P. Craig Russell
Tim Sale
Yuko Shimizu
Bill Sienkiewicz
Posy Simmonds
Walter Simonson
William Simpson
J.H. Williams III

Masters of Comics rates 4 of 5 stars.
Rating:

“Pieces of Her” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

I haven’t read the book, but the poster and trailer have my interest up in Pieces of Her.  Toni Collette is always a plus so…

Deal me in.

What if everything you thought you knew about your life was a lie? Based on the NY Times Bestseller by Karin Slaughter, and from the Producers of Big Little Lies and The Undoing, Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote star in the new edge-of-your-seat thriller series, Pieces of Her.