Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Getting on Tony Harris‘ commission list wasn’t easy. It filled up fast and actually took more than a couple of conventions to make it. But when I did, Tony came through with a winner. As you can see above, Tony opted to draw Sly Stallone as Johnny Kovak from the very underrated film, F.I.S.T.. What a knockout! I love this piece as much today as the day I got it.
Hard Boiled (1992)
Director: John Woo
Screenplay: Gordon Chan, Barry Wong; story John Woo
Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai.
Tagline: As a cop, he has brains, brawn, and an instinct to kill.
The Plot…
Hong Kong Police Inspectors “Tequila” Yuen and his partner Inspector Benny Mak are watching gun smugglers during an exchange. When a rival gang shows up a shootout takes place. Several gangsters, civilians and Benny Mak are killed in the battle.
Tequila vows revenge. Tequila learns that Alan, one of the gang leader’s most trusted killers, is an undercover agent. Tequila reaches out to Alan and proposes that they work together to bring the gangsters down.
They’re going to need a lot of bullets.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The famous scene where Chow Yun-Fat does the “staircase slide” while firing was improvised on the set.
The hospital gun battle runs a good thirty minutes including one three minute single take scene.
When first released and for many years after, Hard Boiled was considered the apex action film.
Hard Boiled (1992) rates 4 of 5 stars
The Sopranos by Rich Pellegrino. If you’re a fan, you may have already seen this piece, but even still, it’s worth several looks. If you’ve never heard of Pellegrino, click on the link and enjoy his art.
I can’t tell you how excited I was to get this piece from Craig Hamilton. Craig is a true “artist’s artist.” I had the pleasure of spending most of a Heroes Con 2004 seated next to Craig (I was hanging out with my best bud, John Beatty). All weekend Craig was sketching and interacting with fans. It’s always cool when someone whose art you admire turns out to be as nice as the work they produce.
I love that Craig came up with a reflective shot of Jack Carter. In the movie there is this exchange between Cyrus Paice and Carter…
Cyrus Paice: Wait a minute, Jack. All of a sudden you care? All of a sudden, what are you, some fuckin’ goodguy? Hmm? Hey, you’re the bad brother, remember?
Jack Carter: I know who I am.
Carter is a Vegas enforcer… a thug. He knows the choices he made have brought him to this point.
Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Director: Taylor Hackford
Screenplay: Jonathan Lemkin, Tony Gilroy; based on THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE by Andrew Neiderman
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, Tamara Tunie, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Debra Monk, Vyto Ruginis, Laura Harrington, Pamela Gray, George Wyner, Chris Bauer, Heather Matarazzo, Leo Burmester and Craig T. Nelson.
Tagline: The newest attorney at the world’s most powerful law firm has never lost a case. But he’s about to lose his soul.
The Plot…
Kevin Lomax is a young, newly married hotshot lawyer. Kevin has never lost a case. That could change when Kevin comes to realize his client, a teacher, accused of molesting a student, is a guilty pervert. Kevin considers his options. He could excuse himself from the case. He could not do his best and allow his client to be found guilty. Kevin makes a decision. He brings the young girl to the witness stand and destroys her credibility. His client gets off and Kevin’s undefeated streak is intact.
When John Milton’s big time New York City law firm offers Kevin a job, he is surprised… and interested. Taking the position would mean uprooting his wife and moving from a small suburban home to the big city. He’d get a lot more money and prestige, but have less time for his wife. There’d be temptations that would be hard to resist.
But it’s not like he’d be selling his soul. Right?
Court is in session!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Keanu Reeves accepted a lower salary in order that there was enough money in the budget to get Al Pacino. When Pacino learned of this, he donated to charity the same amount that Reeves lowered his pay.
The boxing match that takes place in the film was an actual title fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Bryant Bannon. Jones won by a second round TKO.
Keanu Reeves turned down Speed 2: Cruise Control but chose to make Devil’s Advocate instead.
In the last scene of the film Al Pacino looks into the camera breaking the fourth wall and speaks his last line. I love it.
Devil’s Advocate (1997) rates 4 of 5 stars
Sly Stallone is Rocky by Paul Gulacy!
Back in the late 70s to 1983, I bought and sold original comic art and sketches. My favorite series at the time was Master of Kung Fu by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy. I loved Gulacy’s art.
It was so cool to discover Paul was as nice a person as he was great as an artist. We’d talk on the phone from time to time. I commissioned Paul to draw Sly Stallone as Rocky Balboa and this is the end result. It was a dream come true for this Gulacy / Stallone fan.
When I graduated college, I sold my original art collection except for one piece. You guessed it, this one. When I started collecting sketches again a few decades later, I opted for a Stallone character theme. So, it is true to say, this was the piece that started it all for me.
My #1 goal at HeroesCon 2023 was to get a sketch from Sanford Greene for my Stallone Sketch Collection. Mission accomplished!
Check out Sanford’s very cool take on Sly as Jack Carter! (Side note – The BITTER ROOT series is AMAZING!!)
Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (2025)
Directed by: Joe Berlinger
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes is a three episode limited series that features vintage unheard recordings as well as modern day interviews with David Berkowitz, some survivors of his attacks and those involved in capturing him.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
If you’re at all familiar with the Son of Sam killings, there is nothing earth shattering presented. The recordings didn’t provide insight. Although Berkowitz confessed to all of the murders, he’s changed his story over the years.
The Last of Us: Season 2 (2025) earns 2 of 5 stars.
Stuber (2019)
Director: Michael Dowse
Screenplay: Tripper Clancy
Stars: Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Mira Sorvino, Natalie Morales, Iko Uwais, Betty Gilpin, Karen Gillan, Steve Howey, Rene Moran, Amin Joseph and Christine Horn.
Tagline: Saving the day takes a pair
The Plot…
Six months ago L.A. Detective Vic Manning’s partner was killed by Oka Tedjo, a notorious drug kingpin. Vic blames himself. He lost his glasses in pursuit and was seconds late to his partner being gunned down.
Vic decides to get eye surgery so he won’t need glasses. The operation was a success, but it will be a few days before Vic’s vision returns to normal. The time off will do him good. But when one of his informants gives Vic info on the location of Oka Tedjo, Vic knows he can’t wait.
Vic’s nearly blind, so he calls an Uber to take him to killer’s location. Stu, a timid man, shows up. One thing leads to another a Stu finds himself partner to a nearly blind cop on a mission to catch a killer.
The meter is running!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani had fun chemistry. It was nice seeing Mira Sorvino. Bautista gives a funny performance as a nearly blind cop. Stuber is a much better film than expected.
Stuber (2019) rates 3 of 5 stars
I like the subtlety of this Sinners poster by @TyHDesign.
One of my all-time favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz. The concept art above was created by production designer Jack Martin Smith. You can see a bigger version by clicking on the photo or the source link. If you go with the source, you can check out three other of Mr. Smith’s pre-production paintings.
Source: Vincent Alexander.
Andrew Charipar is a Florida artist that I met going to conventions throughout the state. Andrew was always friendly. Getting a sketch at any show Andrew attended was mandatory.
In addition to his work as an artist, Andrew owns and manages Misfit Corner Comics in Jacksonville, Florida.
Here we have Andrew’s take on Sly Stallone as Deke DaSilva from Nighthawks!
Tulsa King starring Sly Stallone – The Third Season Teaser is Here!
I. Can. Not. Wait.
Sylvester Stallone is back as Dwight Manfredi in Tulsa King. In Season Three, as Dwight’s empire expands, so do his enemies – and the risks to his crew. Now, he faces his most dangerous adversaries in Tulsa yet: the Dunmires, a powerful old-money family that doesn’t play by old-world rules, forcing Dwight to fight for everything he’s built and protect his family.
New Season of Tulsa King Streaming September 21, exclusively on Paramount+.
National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
Director: John Landis
Screenplay: Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller
Stars: John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst, Mark Metcalf, Mary Louise Weller, Martha Smith, James Daughton, Douglas Kenney, James Widdoes, Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Bruce McGill, Donald Sutherland, John Vernon, Cesare Danova, Verna Bloom, Stephen Bishop, Otis Day and Kevin Bacon.
Tagline: It was the Deltas against the rules… the rules lost!
The Plot…
1962. Dean Vernon Wormer has had enough from the antics of the Delta Tau Chi fraternity. Wormer wants Faber College to be respectable… even if he has to play underhanded. So Wormer enlists Greg Marmalard, President of the elite Omega Theta Pi fraternity to join him. Wormer places the Delta house on “Double Secret Probation” and the plan is set in place to rid the campus of the Delta‘s once and for all.
What Wormer didn’t take into consideration is that although the Delta ringleaders, John “Bluto” Blutarsky, Robert “Hoov” Hoover, Eric “Otter” Stratton, Daniel Simpson “D-Day” Day, Donald “Boon” Schoenstein as well as new pledges Larry “Pinto” Kroger and Kent “Flounder” Dorfman are flunking out of college, they won’t be expelled without a fight!
Toga Party!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
John Belushi improvised his cafeteria scenes of loading his tray and “I’m a zit!” Belushi also improvised the scene where he suddenly grabs Stephen Bishop’s guitar and smashes it into the wall.
After the success of Animal House, DeWayne Jessie legally changed his name to Otis Day and he began touring with a band he named Otis Day and the Knights.
For three days work, Donald Sutherland was offered a percentage of Animal House’s gross or $75,000.00. Sutherland opted for the cash. Had he taken the percentage he would have made three or four million dollars more. Interesting to note, that even though Sutherland only appeared in a few scenes he made more than John Belushi, the movie’s star. Belushi made $40,000.00.
Animal House features Kevin Bacon and Karen Allen’s feature film debuts.
1962 as selected for Animal House because the writers thought it was America’s last innocent year. The climatic homecoming parade occurs on November 21, 1963, the day before President Kennedy’s assassination.
The actor who played the bass player in Otis Day’s band was legendary blues artist Robert Cray! Cray was unknown at the time.
Animal House has an amazing supporting cast!
When Animal House was released I was the perfect age for it. I had just graduated high school the year before and was enjoying my freshman year in college.
National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) rates 5 of 5 stars
Jack Carter by the legendary Michael Golden!
I’m still in awe that there is a piece by Michael Golden of a Stallone character in my collection. And I owe it all to my best buddy, John Beatty.
John teamed with Michael Golden on The Nam. They’ve been friends for decades. Over the years John has done several Stallone pieces for me. From time to time he’s surprised/gifted me with Sly art from friends and folks he’s worked with. It would be hard to top this one.
