“Sinners” directed by Ryan Coogler & starring Michael B. Jordan – The New Poster and New Trailer are Here!

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I’m diggin’ the new poster and trailer for Sinners.

Deal me in!

The night belongs to sinners. #SinnersMovie only in theaters April 18.

From Ryan Coogler — director of “Black Panther” and “Creed” — and starring Michael B. Jordan comes a new vision of fear: “Sinners.”

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”

Written and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Coogler, “Sinners” stars Jordan (the “Black Panther” and “Creed” franchises) in a dual role, joined by Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld (“Bumblebee,” “True Grit”), Jack O’Connell (“Ferrari”), Wunmi Mosaku (“Passenger”), Jayme Lawson (“The Woman King”), Omar Miller (“True Lies”), and Delroy Lindo (“Da 5 Bloods”).

The film is produced by Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Ryan Coogler. The executive producers are Ludwig Göransson, Will Greenfield and Rebecca Cho.

Coogler’s behind-the-camera artisans include his “Black Panther” franchise collaborators: director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler, editor Michael P. Shawver, Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, and Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents A Proximity Media Production: “Sinners.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters only nationwide on April 18, 2025, and internationally beginning on 16 April 2025.

“The Channel” (2023) written & directed by William Kaufman; starring Clayne Crawford and Max Martini / Z-View

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The Channel (2023)

Director:  William Kaufman

Screenplay: William Kaufman; story by Paul Reichelt

Stars: Clayne Crawford, Max Martini, Nicoye Banks, Juliene Joyner, Jaren Mitchell, E.K. Spila, Linds Edwards, Todd Jenkins, Gary Cairns, Mike Lobo Daniel, Paul Rae, Jay Moses, Tyler Galpin  and Michael Thomas.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jamie’s daughter needs a life-saving operation.  So he agrees to join his brother Mic and a crew of ex-soldiers on a bank robbery.  When the heist goes sideways, cops are killed.  Now the FBI has brought in a crack team and the city has been locked down.

Mic was already on edge. Now he’s out of control.  As the cops and FBI close in the body count rises.  Family got Jamie into this mess… now family might get him killed.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Channel has enough action to entertain.  While it at times feels like a low-budget Heat, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  The run-in with the gang bangers with the acid bath is memorable.

Max Martini can be seen on The Lioness Season 2 as Tracer.

The Channel (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Happy Face” – The Poster and Teaser are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Happy Face has my attention.  This could be good.

Stream the two-episode premiere of Happy Face on March 20, followed by new episodes every week.

Inspired by a true-life story, Happy Face tells the story of Melissa Reed, daughter of Keith Jesperson, aka the Happy Face Killer. After decades of no contact, Keith forces his way back into his daughter’s life, and Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. In the process, she must face a reckoning of her own identity.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S BUCKSKIN by Robert Knott / Z-View

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ROBERT B. PARKER’S BUCKSKIN by Robert Knott

First sentence…

An all-day celebration had been taking place.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The fever has come to Appaloosa.  Gold was discovered just north of town on land owned by two groups.  A group of business men led by Henry Baptiste own one piece.  The other belongs to the McCormick brothers.  The McCormicks bought their land from Baptiste before the gold was found.  Now Baptiste has regrets, but the McCormicks aren’t selling the land back.  Tempers have flared.  Both sides brought in gunmen.

First a miner disappeared.  Then another was found dead.  Now one of the Baptiste’s men has been murdered. So US Marshall Virgil Cole and his Deputy Everette Hitch are called in.  

Meanwhile, miles away, a sociopathic escaped convict hooks up with a mysterious woman with grudge.  The woman plans to use the psycho as an instrument of retribution.  The escaped con and his muse head for Appaloosa.

The citywide Appaloosa Days festival is going to be one to remember.

Rating:

“Special Ops: Lioness” aka “Lioness”: Season 2 (2023); created by Taylor Sheridan; starring Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly with Morgan Freeman and Nicole Kidman / Z-View

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Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 2 (2024)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan

Director: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-2); Michael Friedman (Eps. 3-4); Stephen Kay  (Eps. 5-8)

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-8)

Stars: Zoe Saldaña, Lays la De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Genesis Rodriguez, Michael Kelly, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Thad Luckinbill, Hannah Love Lanier, Nicole Kidman, Bruce McGill, Jennifer Ehle, Martin Donovan, Taylor Sheridan, Celestina Harris, Martin Donovan, Max Martini, Kirk Acevedo, Robyn Lively,
Jay Huguley, Demián Castro and Morgan Freeman.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Joe McNamara (Saldaña) is a CIA squad leader in charge of the Lioness program.  When a cartel sends assassins to the US, a Congresswoman is kidnapped and family massacred.  Joe’s team is sent to Mexico to retrieve the Congresswoman.

After the mission, it is decided that the leadership of the cartel is getting too bold.  A message will be sent on Mexican soil.  It will be Joe and the Lioness program that delivers it.  The new recruit to the program has the connection needed, but can she be trusted… when it’s a family member she will betray?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Season two is even better than season one.  It starts with a bang and never lets up.

Taylor Sheridan writes every episode, directs the first two and even shows up acting in some.

Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 2 rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Smuggler’s Cove” (1948) starring Leo Gorcey and the Bowery Boys / Z-View

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Smuggler’s Cove (1948)

Director:  William Beaudine

Screenplay: Tim Ryan, Edmond Seward; based on Smuggler’s Cove 1933 serial in Blue Book Magazine by Talbert Josselyn

Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Martin Kosleck, Paul Harvey, William ‘Billy’ Benedict, David Gorcey, Benny Bartlett, Eddie Gribbon, Gene Roth, Emmett Vogan and John Bleifer.

Tagline: They’re SLY SPIES…In a Harum-Scarem Adventure!!

The Plot…

Slip mistakenly believes he’s inherited a creepy old remote mansion.  He takes the gang to see his new digs.  What none of them know – but will soon find out — is a gang of criminals are using the deserted house as a base of operations!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Smuggler’s Cove is one of the best of all the Bowery Boys movies.  The old house is full of hidden passages, paintings used for spying, false panels — everything you’d expect in a film of this era.

Smuggler’s Cove (1948) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Jack Carter & John Wick: Gang War by Meesimo!

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Every year the Cartoon Art Museum does a fundraiser.  Artists take on commissions with the funds raised going to support the Museum.  It’s a great cause by awesome artists who share their talents in an effort to support the Museum.

This year one of the two artists I commissioned was Christian “Meesimo” Meesey.  As you can see, I asked for Stallone from Get Carter and Keanu Reeves as John Wick.  Meesimo said, “Okay…” and took the art to the next level!  My scan doesn’t do the piece justice.  Not only does it cut off a bit of the right side of the art including the girl’s knife, but the tones are so much nicer in person.

I cannot thank Meesimo enough for this sweet addition to my Stallone art collection.

“The Bad Shepherd” (2024) directed by Geo Santini; starring Christos Kalabogias, Scotty Tovar, Justin Taite, Brett Zimmerman and Geo Santini / Z-View

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The Bad Shepherd (2024)

Director:  Geo Santini

Screenplay: Ryan David Jahn

Stars: Christos Kalabogias, Scotty Tovar, Justin Taite, Brett Zimmerman, Annie Gonzalez and Geo Santini.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Paul, John, Leonard and Travis — four friends loaded into one truck driving on a remote dirt road for a weekend hunting.  The truck accidentally strikes and kills a woman walking alone. When the friends get out to check on the woman’s condition, they find she’s dead.

Not far from the dead woman is a bag full of cash.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Bad Shepherd is a low-budget crime/horror/thriller.  I love the twist.  The acting was fine — especially Scotty Tovar and Geo Santini.  Kudos also to Santini for his direction.  After viewing the movie, the title makes me smile.

The Bad Shepherd (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution”: Season 2 (2024) / Z-View

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TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 2 (2024)

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jeremy Corbell talks (on and on) about the risks and rewards of what he does and why he does it.

Jeremy Corbell meets with politicians (just drops in as he’s proud to say).  He lets them know he has an secret whistleblower that has an “explosive report” that is going to change everything.  Corbell is glad he can trust these politicians.  Once this report is made public the world will know the truth!

Jeremy Corbell is at the November 13, 2024 UAP congressional hearing.  One of the politicians he trusts is running the committee.  The whistleblower’s report that Corbell shared with politicians in his one-on-one meetings is going to be entered into evidence.  The world will know the truth!  Except when the document is shared, it is not credited to Corbell for bringing it forward.  Another man gets the credit.  The information provided is seen as, interesting.  Corbell feels betrayed.

But he will carry on to bring the truth about UFOs forward.

Thoughts…

There is even more filler in the three episodes of season 2.  Tons of slow motion shots of Corbell walking.  Tons of shots of him talking on his cell phone to various people.  Riding in Ubers.  Sitting on a chair in a big empty set (see below) and looking quietly into space or at his hands.  Talking about the dangers to him and his family.  But. He. Must. Get. The. Truth. Out.

The most interesting thing in the six episodes (of seasons 1 and 2) is the “jellyfish” UFO.  We learn nothing more about it in season 2.

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  If Jeremy Corbell ever says he has some evidence that is going to change everything, I think I’ll just wait until everything changes.

TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 2 (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution”: Season 1 (2024) / Z-View

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TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 1 (2024)

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jeremy Corbell is at the forefront of a movement to get the government to admit they know that aliens have and are visiting the earth.  Corbell is in regular contact with government and military whistleblowers who want the truth to come out.

A government hearing concludes there is no evidence of aliens.  Corbell says the committee is lying and the whistleblowers have been put at risk.

Video footage of “new” UFOs, including a “jellyfish” type flying object are discussed as well as theories about what these things could be.

Thoughts…

There is a lot of filler in the three episodes in season 1.  Opinions differ widely about Jeremy Corbell.  Is he a huckster or someone truly passionate about getting the truth out.  There seems to be a lot of “I’ve been told this and when it comes out it will change everything.”  Why not just tell it now?

The most interesting thing in the three episodes is the “jellyfish” UFO.  I would have liked to have heard an in-depth discussion from “experts” on what it could be.

There are three more episodes in season 2.  I hope they’re better.

TMZ Presents: UFO Revolution: Season 1 (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.