Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
It is being reported that The Expendables is heading to FOX television as “an event series based on the movies, with the franchise’s writer and star Stallone executive producing alongside the films’ producer Avi Lerner and NCIS veteran Shane Brennan… as showrunner.”
Awesome news for Stallone and Expendables fans.
Source: Deadline Hollywood.
The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a riff on ‘Taken’ with Bruce Willis!”
“Are you nuts? We can’t afford Bruce Willis.”
“Sure we can if we don’t make him the star. We put him in a scene or two at the start and end of the movie. Glorified cameo, but list him first in the credits and put him first and biggest on the poster!”
“Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “Mercy is for the weak.”
The Overview: When an auto mechanic’s [Jason Patrick] daughter gets caught up with bad men, the mechanic goes to get her. Oh, and get this, the auto mechanic was once the most feared hit man in the city.
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Film School Rejects posted 36 Things We Learned from John McTiernan’s Predator Commentary by Rob Hunter.
Here are five of my favorites from the list…
2. Producer John Davis developed the script with the idea that it was “Rocky meets Alien, I guess,” but McTiernan liked the idea of it feeling closer to King Kong. “Bunch of guys go to an island, and go deeper and deeper in, and shazam the thing they’re chasing turns out to be a lot bigger than they thought, and they have to turn around and run away!”
5. He points out that this was his first studio film, and it’s actually only his second feature period after the moody horror thriller, Nomads. “Terrifying in a lot of ways, and a learning experience in a lot of other ways.”
7. Carl Weathers came onboard because McTiernan wanted an actual actor to work against Schwarzenegger. The director had to fight to get a quality actor in the role. It’s unclear if Weathers was a first choice.
9. Shane Black was cast because McTiernan and producer Joel Silver wanted a writer on the set. “And he has a great wise-ass manner.”
14. Before they could cast Sonny Landham the insurance company insisted that the production provide a bodyguard, “not to protect Sonny, but to protect other people from Sonny.”
The piece is definitely worth a read if you get a kick out of behind-the-scenes information.
Criminal Special Edition is a one-shot published by Image.
CRIMINAL COMES TO IMAGE! To celebrate the return of CRIMINAL to print, BRUBAKER & PHILLIPS return to their awardwinning title for the first time in years for a 48-page special sure to thrill their readers, old and new alike! It’s 1976, and Teeg Lawless is doing 30 days in county jail with a price on his head, his only safe company from the savagery a beat-up old comic magazine his dead cellmate left behind. It’s CRIMINAL like you’ve never seen it before, with a comic within the comic and all those slick ‘70s thrills!
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The Good
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Criminal Special Edition
Rating:
Antonios Papantoniou breaks down Brian DePalma’s Union Station gunfight scene from The Untouchables where he pays homage to Eisenstein’s “Odessa Steps” scene from Potemkin.
If that sounds confusing, just sit back and enjoy classic film-making and tell me you’re not smiling ear-to-ear when Andy Garcia says, “I got him.” and shortly after “Two.”
Conan Red Sonja: The Age of Adventure is a mini-series published by Dark Horse.
Conan and Red Sonja unite to stop a sorcerer-priest from creating a new age in Hyborian warfare! Exposed to a deadly toxin, barbarian and she-devil race against time to save themselves!
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The Good
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Conan Red Sonja #2
Rating:
Mental_Floss posted 15 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines by Sean Hutchinson. Here are three of my favorites from the list…
1. ARNOLD CAME BACK—BUT AT A PRICE …
Arnold Schwarzenegger was paid $29.25 million to star in T3.
11. THE PRODUCTION CREATED AN ENTIRE STREET FOR ONE SCENE …
Several city blocks used during the crane chase sequence were created because the production needed a level of destruction that wouldn’t be possible on a real street.
12. … AND SCHWARZENEGGER FOOTED PART OF THE BILL.
During the crane chase sequence, The Terminator—hanging from the crane—swings through an entire building façade. The studio didn’t want to foot the bill for the sequence, so Arnold Schwarzenegger put up his own money to complete the scene.
Escape From New York is an on-going series published by Boom Studios.
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Diego Barreto
Colorist: Marissa Louise
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Are you ready for…General Plissken? The independent state of Florida has forced Snake to train their troops for the inevitable war with the United States. But you know Snake, he’s not exactly “Employee of the Year.” He’s just trying to find his freedom, and may anger two warring factions in the process!
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The Good
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Escape from New York #3
Rating: 2 out of 5
The Dead Lands has an Apocalypto feel to it and that’s a good thing. The green band trailer is below. After watching it, I’m on board.
Men of Wrath is a five issue mini-series created by Jason Aaron & Ron Garney published by Marvel.
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ron Garney
Colorist: Matt Milla
Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher
“Jason Aaron and Ron Garney pull no punches in this darkly magnetic read” – IGN “This is one messed up comic book that I took sheer delight in reading” – Comics Beat “These are talented creators telling a gut punching tale” – Comicosity Bear witness as JASON AARON (Southern Bastards, Original Sin) & RON GARNEY (Wolverine:Weapon X, Thor: God of Thunder) bring the story of the Raths to a bloody conclusion. It all started with some sheep. It won’t end until everyone is dead.
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The Good
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The Ugly:
Men of Wrath #5 is for mature readers due to mature language and violence.
Rating:
On February 27, 2015, USAToday posted Every “Rocky” Movie, Ranked by Chris Chase.
For details check out the piece, but here are Chris’ rankings and mine. We differ quite a bit, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
|
Chris Chase
|
Craig Zablo
|
| 6. Rocky V | 6. Rocky V |
| 5. Rocky Balboa | 5. Rocky II |
| 4. Rocky II | 4. Rocky IV |
| 3. Rocky | 3. Rocky III |
| 2. Rocky III | 2. Rocky Balboa |
| 1. Rocky IV | 1. Rocky |
Grzegorz Domaradzki created the poster above and now Grey Matter Art under license from StudioCanal has announced new officially licensed, limited edition screen prints with two variant editions for Sylvester Stallone and First Blood fans.
For more information and to see the above poster and the variants in larger format check out Gotham News and Grey Matter Art.
I think on this lazy Sunday, we should take five with Dave Brubeck. While you listen why not check out Dave Brubeck: 5 Little Known Facts About the Take 5 Jazz Pianist?
Shaft #3 is part of an on-going series published by Dynamite. Shaft created by Ernest Tidyman.
Writer: David F. Walker
Artist: Bilquis Evely
Colorist: Daniel Miwa
Cover Shown: Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz & Ivan Nunes
John Shaft didn’t go looking for trouble; it came looking for him, and in the process, a lot of people died. Devastated by the murder of a friend, Shaft wants answers and revenge-though not necessarily in that order. With vengeance on his mind and cold steel in his hand, Shaft finds himself caught up in a brewing gang war that threatens to consume the city. Everyone from the Mafia to the police wants Shaft to do their dirty work, but no one realizes that’s all part of his plan.
*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***
The Good:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
Shaft #3 should appeal to fans of the Shaft movies and is for mature audiences due to adult language.
Rating:
Like millions of other viewers I enjoyed the recent Saturday Night Live anniversary special. Like any series that spans 40 years, SNL has had its ups and downs.
Truth be told, I haven’t watched SNL regularly for years… more like decades. But I sure tuned in to see the special.
My favorite parts were the scenes from the first years with the original cast and Celebrity Jeopardy, but even the stuff that wasn’t great was enjoyable.
Norm Macdonald sent out a series of tweets about preparations in the week leading up to the SNL 40th Special and they’re entertaining and informative. Thankfully the Gothamist pulled them all together for an easy read.
