Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Deal me in!
When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s highly anticipated TV series Alien: Earth from creator Noah Hawley. FX’s Alien: Earth original series coming in 2025, only on Hulu.
The poster and full trailer for Smile 2 have arrived. I enjoyed the original Smile, so I’m looking forward to the sequel.
Would it kill you to smile? Watch the New Trailer for #Smile2 – Only in theatres October 18. #SmileMovie
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
I love seeing artists’ takes on Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. This one was created by Tony Moore!
The Living Ghost (1942)
Director: William Beaudine
Screenplay: Joseph Hoffman; Howard Dimsdale (original story)
Stars: James Dunn, Joan Woodbury, Paul McVey, J. Farrell MacDonald.
Tagline: SPOOK CHASER… A reckless sleuth follows the trail of a white ZOMBIE!
The Plot…
When wealthy banker Walter Craig disappears, his best friend, Ed Moline (McVey) hires retired PI, Nick Trayne (Dunn) to find him. Trayne has his hands full. Everyone is suspect and that includes Craig’s ex-wife Helen, his daughter Tina and her fiance Arthur, his sister Delia, her husband George, Craig’s friend Tony, Craig’s secretary and even Cedric the butler
When Walter Craig turns up in a zombie-like state, the case changes from a missing person to a who dunnit.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
What could have been a fun old dark house murder mystery/comedy ends up being a lackluster affair. The title indicates a ghost but we end up with more of a zombie. Not that a ghost would have livened things up.
The Living Ghost (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my favorite characters. I love seeing different artist’s take on the big lug. Today we have Vlad Legostaev’s riff! You can see more of Vlad’s art at his Instagram page.
RACING THE LIGHT: AN ELVIS COLE AND JOE PIKE NOVEL by Robert Crais
First sentence…
Josh agreed to meet her at the Coffee Club, which was where they met the first time he interviewed her.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Adele Schumacher wants Elvis Cole to find her missing son. She’s more than willing to pay since she brought a bag of cash (and a very professional security detail). Her son, Josh, is a podcaster. Adele believes her son stumbled on to a story big enough to get him killed. Elvis isn’t so sure, but he takes the case.
At first it appears that Josh may have just run off with his porn star girlfriend. But as Elvis digs deeper he wonders if the geeky young podcaster really did discover a story that some well placed politicians and a crime cartel are willing to kill to keep secret.
Elvis won’t have to wonder long. Soon he is marked for execution. That is nothing new for Elvis and his partner Joe Pike. But the love of Elvis’ life, Lucy Chenier, and her son, Ben are in town. And they could become collateral damage.
+++++
I’m a huge fan of Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole and Joe Pike tales. Each new novel is an automatic pick-up. They’ve never disappointed. RACING THE LIGHT is no exception.
Rating:
The classic Universal Monsters by Eric “The Goon” Powell.
Bloodshot (2020)
Director: David S. F. Wilson
Screenplay: Jeff Wadlow, Eric Heisserer; story by Jeff Wadlow; based on Bloodshot by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, Bob Layton
Stars: Vin Diesel, Eiza González, Toby Kebbell, Talulah Riley, Lamorne Morris, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson,
David Dukas, Charlie Bouguenon, Alex Anlos and Guy Pearce.
Tagline: Being a hero is in his blood.
The Plot…
Ray Garrison (Diesel) is an elite US Marine. Shortly after a successful mission, Garrison and his wife go on vacation. In short order they are kidnapped by a terrorists led by Martin Axe (Kebbell). Garrison refuses or is unable to provide the information Axe wants. Axe then executes Garrison’s wife and kills Garrison.
Or so he thinks.
Garrison wakes up in a laboratory. Although Garrison was dead, he’s been resurrected by Dr. Emil Harting (Pearce). Experimental nanorobotics have replaced Garrison’s blood. He’s now super strong and almost instant healing powers. Harting thinks he has created a super soldier to do his bidding.
Garrison has plans of his own…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Based on the popular Valiant comic series.
Lamorne Morris, an American, plays a Brit. Toby Kebbell is British plays an Australian. Guy Pearce is Australian plays an American.
I thought I would like Bloodshot more.
Bloodshot (2020) rates 2 of 5 stars.
The art above presents an interesting character/artist combo. The character is Sabre made famous by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy. Hamilton used the figure above for this piece.
Lethal Weapon (1987)
Director: Richard Donner
Screenplay: Shane Black; Jeffrey Boam (uncredited)
Stars: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Jackie Swanson, Ebonie Smith, Bill Kalmenson, Lycia Naff, Don Gordon, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Jason Ronard, Blackie Dammett, Mary Ellen Trainor, Jack Thibeau, Ed O’Ross, Joan Severance and Al Leong.
Tagline: After 20 years on the force, police detective Roger Murtaugh has come face-to-face with the most dangerous killing machine in Los Angeles… his new partner.
The Plot…
Martin Riggs (Gibson) was a Special Forces Ranger. Now he’s a Los Angeles police Sergeant. Since the unexpected death of his wife, Riggs’ behavior has become erratic. Riggs’ Captain thinks Riggs is faking it to get early retirement. The police psychologist isn’t so sure. So the Captain teams Riggs with 20 year veteran Homicide Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Glover). The Captain figures Murtaugh will keep Riggs in line.
Murtaugh quickly discovers Riggs ain’t faking it.
An old friend of Murtaugh contacts him for help. The friend’s daughter is into drugs, prostitution and pornography. When Murtaugh and Riggs investigate, they discover a high level para-military organization acting as a drug cartel.
Now Murtaugh and Riggs are marked for death. If the cartel doesn’t kill them, Riggs’ death wish might.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Director Richard Donner dedicated the film to legendary stuntman, Dar Robinson, who died shortly after filming was completed.
Gibson was 30 playing a character that is 38. Glover was 40 playing a 50 year old.
Blackie Dammett whose real name is John Kiedis plays a drug dealer that gets The Three Stooges treatment from Gibson. Dammett is the father of Anthony Kiedis from Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Richard Donner brought in Jeffrey Boam for an uncredited rewrite of Shane Black’s script. Donner thought Black’s take was too dark. Boam was brought in again for a clean-up on Lethal Weapon 2. Boam then wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 3.
Traci Wolfe played Murtaugh’s teenage daughter that had a crush on Riggs. At the time of filming Wolfe was 26 and Gibson was 30.
Lethal Weapon is one of my all-time favorite films. Notice I didn’t just say “action films”. Everything about this one is right.
Lethal Weapon (1987) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Jonathan Maberry recently directed fans to Nellie Andreeva’s Deadline article ‘John Wick’s Chad Stahelski To Develop Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger Novels As TV Series. Here are a few highlights before you click over…
I’ve been a fan of Maberry’s Joe Ledger tales since the very first. They are all excellent. I hope the series adapts one novel each season.
That’s the art for Comic Book Artist #7 featuring Paul Gulacy. Gulacy’s art combined with Doug Moench’s writing keep me reading comics even when girls and sports were taking up more and more of my time.
Vampyr (1932)
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Screenplay: Christen Jul, Carl Theodor Dreyer; based on the story In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu
Stars: Julian West, Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Jan Hieronimko, Sybille Schmitz and Henriette Gerard.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Allan Gray, a drifter walking through the countryside takes a room at an inn. Late that night he is awakened from his sleep by a stranger in his room. The man leaves a note, “To Be Opened Upon My Death” and quickly leaves. Gray attempts to follow the man and arrives at a castle. Looking in he sees an old woman and shadows of people although no one else is seen. The shadows appear to move on their own.
As Gray investigates further he will find the old man shortly before the gent is murdered. Gray opens the note which speaks of demons called vampyrs. Gray believes that the old man’s young daughter is becoming a vampyr.
Can she be saved? Must she be destroyed? Gray must decide. The clock is ticking.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Many consider Vampyr a classic. For whatever reason it didn’t resonate with me. Your mileage, as always, may vary.
Although it was created when sound films had arrived, it still presents much information in title cards used in silent films.
Most of the characters in this film were not played by professional actors.
Vampyr (1932) rates 2 of 5 stars.
I’ve been looking forward to the poster and trailer for Apartment 7A starring Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally. I’m not disappointed.
Deal me in.
An ambitious young dancer Terry Gionoffrio (Julia Garner, Ozark) dreams of fame and fortune in New York City, but after suffering a devastating injury, an older, wealthy couple (Dianne Wiest, I Care a Lot, and Kevin McNally, Pirates of the Caribbean film series) welcomes her into their home in the luxury apartment building the Bramford.
When fellow resident and influential Broadway producer (Jim Sturgess, Across the Universe) offers her another chance at fame, it seems that all her dreams are finally coming true. However, after an evening she can’t fully remember, disturbing circumstances soon have her second-guessing the sacrifices she’s willing to make for her career as she realizes that something evil is living not only in Apartment 7A, but in the Bramford itself.
Additional supporting cast includes Marli Siu (Everything I Know About Love), Andrew Buchan (All the Money in the World), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean) and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka).
Apartment 7A is streaming on Paramount+ on September 27 in the U.S. and Canada, Latin America and Brazil and on September 28 in the U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Australia. Availability in additional international Paramount+ markets to come at a later date. The film will also be available for purchase on digital beginning Friday, September 27.
Zeke King by Bernie Gonzalez. Are you a Midnight Mystery fan? I am.
