“Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula” – A New Clip!

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I loved Train to Busan.  The follow-up, set in the same world (and the same director) is called Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula.  Although I’ve heard that Peninsula isn’t as good (TTB is a tough act to follow), I still look forward to seeing it.

Here’s a clip to hold us over.

Four years after South Korea’s total decimation in TRAIN TO BUSAN, the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us PENINSULA, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world. Jung-seok, a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive. When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the best—or worst—of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances.

“Death on the Nile” – The Trailer is Here!

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Although I’ve never read an Agatha Christie novel, I enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express starring Kenneth Branagh.  After seeing the trailer below for his return as Hercule Poirot (along with an all-star cast) in Death on the Nile, I’m looking forward to the sequel even more.

Maybe I should check out one of Christie’s novels. Hmmm.

Murder was just the beginning. Watch the new trailer for Death on the Nile, in theaters this October 23.

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short. Set against an epic landscape of sweeping desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids, this tale of unbridled passion and incapacitating jealousy features a cosmopolitan group of impeccably dressed travelers, and enough wicked twists and turns to leave audiences guessing until the final, shocking denouement.

Death on the Nile reunites the filmmaking team behind 2017’s global hit Murder on the Orient Express, and stars five-time Academy Award® nominee Kenneth Branagh as the iconic detective Hercule Poirot. He is joined by an all-star cast of suspects, including: Tom Bateman, four-time Oscar® nominee Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders and Letitia Wright.

Death on the Nile is written by Michael Green, adapted from Christie’s novel, and is produced by Ridley Scott, Mark Gordon, Simon Kinberg, Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund and Kevin J. Walsh, with Matthew Jenkins, James Prichard and Matthew Prichard serving as executive producers.

Silent Films, Anyone?

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I wonder how many reading this can name all three of the gentlemen above?  Probably just about everyone knows Charlie Chaplin (far right), but the other two?  The man in the middle is Buster Keaton and the guy leading the pack is Lon Chaney.  These men were the stars of their day, when movies had no sound.

My guess is we lost a few readers when they saw the title of this post and even more dropped off before getting this far.  If you’re reading now you’re hopefully either a fan of silent movies or are open to checking some out.  As for me, I’m a fan.  

Most folks who like silent movies started with the comedies.  There were so many made by greats such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Fatty Arbuckle.  The great thing about silent film comedy is that most of the gags are ageless.  The first silent movies I remember seeing were comedies, but my enjoyment of silent film really took off with the discovery of silent horror movies.

Lon Chaney was the king of silent horror films starring in classics such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Unknown, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and so many others.  Chaney was equally adept in crime films and dramas.  Known as The Man of 1,000 Faces, Chaney created his own make-up for each role.  If you lean more to horror, crime films and dramas, then Lon Chaney is the star to look for.

If comedy is more to your liking, then I’d suggest checking out Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill, Jr., The General or Sherlock, Jr.  Perhaps you want to go to the best known silent film star, Charlie Chaplin.  My suggestions for you would be The Kid, The Circus, Shoulder Arms or almost any of Chaplin’s work in silent films.  Charlie Chaplin is one of the few silent film stars who transitioned to talkies and continued to be successful.

TCM is a great source for silent films.  I recorded and have been making my way through many of Charlie Chaplin’s films that are new to me.  TCM runs silent films each week late on Sunday night and at various times throughout each month.  Check your listings and give some a go.  You, of course can also find great silent movies on other channels, streaming and dvd.

If you’re a fan of silent films or check some out, let me know your thoughts and send some recommendations my way.  Don’t be silent about your favorites.  ; )

“The Secrets that We Keep” – Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the looks of the poster and trailer for The Secrets That We Keep.  Hope you do as well.

In post-WWII America, a woman (Noomi Rapace), rebuilding her life in the suburbs with her husband (Chris Messina), kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her. Directed by Yuval Adler from a script by Ryan Covington and Yuval Adler.

“Young Wallander” – The Trailer is Here!

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Check out the trailer below for the new Netflix series Young Wallander. Wallander first appeared in novels created by Swedish author, Henning Mankell.  Kenneth Branagh played Wallander in a series that ran from 2008 to 2016.  Young Wallander is a prequel and here is the synopsis and then the trailer.  Looks pretty good!

Uncover the case that made the man.

Kurt Wallander (Adam Pålsson) fresh out of police academy witnesses a brutal crime and is pulled into solving it under the wing of superintendent Hemberg (Richard Dillane).

Criminal Deluxe Edition, Volume 3 by Brubaker & Phillips is Coming!

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Fans of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips will be glad to hear that on October 27, 2020, the Criminal Deluxe Edition, Volume 3 Hardcover will be released!  I can’t wait.  Here’s what it will contain…

This oversized deluxe hardback collects several short stories and novellas from the most award-winning team in the history of comics in a fantastically-designed book full of extras — illustrations, selected articles, interviews, behind the scenes looks, painted covers… and much much more! Collects the SAVAGE SWORD OF CRIMINAL and DEADLY HANDS OF CRIMINAL magazines, the novellas MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES and BAD WEEKEND, and issues 1 and 4 of the newest run of the CRIMINAL monthly series, two full length short stories about the LAWLESS family.

A true collector’s edition must-have for any fan of the best in crime comics.

The Criminal Deluxe Edition, Volume 3 is available for pre-order now.  

The Strange Case of the Circleville Writer – A True Modern Day Mystery!

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Until today, I had never heard of The Circleville Writer.  This true modern day mystery involves a mysterious person who sent multiple letters to people detailing their infidelities and advising them to confess. 

The Circleville Writer wrote about cheating spouses, child molesters and more.  The letters continued to arrive and then signs started appearing around the city making the same claims. Before it was over there was a murder, an attempted murder, booby traps and a prison sentence… but not for the Circleville Writer!  He/she was never caught and the allegations about the different people he/she wrote about were proved to be true!

For full details check out Top 10 Strange Facts About The Circleville Writer by Benjamin Welton posted at Listverse.

James Mangold on the Making of “Cop Land”

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Bilge Ebiri at Vulture recently interviewed James Mangold about his experience directing Cop Land for Miramax.  Mangold details the behind-the-scenes action to get the script sold and the film made.

It’s interesting to note that Cop Land went from being a script that didn’t sell to one of the hotest scripts on the market.  Companies wanted just the script, actors wanted to star in it and Mangold wasn’t about to sell it without him at the helm.

The amazing cast – Stallone, DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Michael Rappaport, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Patrick, and Janeane Garofalo – also may have actually overscaled the film.  Also, despite the amazing performance by Stallone, his Rocky/Rambo fans didn’t get what they were used to and non-Stallone fans thought it would be another typical Sly action film so they avoided it!

Check out what Mangold has to say in Behind the Fantasy of the 1997 Movie Cop Land.

“Attack of the Unknown” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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If there ever wondered what a classic drive-in movie looked like, then check out the poster and trailer for Attack of the Unknown.  It has everything you’d expect, B-level stars, questionable effects and monsters.  I just might like this one.  You know I love me a good drive-in movie.

Synopsis: A SWAT team transporting a vicious crime syndicate boss find themselves trapped inside a county detention center as the world burns around them. They have no communication with the outside world and must band together to escape the bloodthirsty alien forces attacking them. Attack of the Unknown stars Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street, Night at the Roxbury, If looks could Kill) Tara Reid (American Pie) and Robert LaSardo (Nip/Tuck, General Hospital, CSI Miami, Gang Related, NYPD Blue).

Cast: Richard Grieco, Tara Reid, Robert LaSardo

“Arkansas” / Z-View

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Arkansas (2020)

Director: Clark Duke

Screenplay: Clark Duke and Andrew Boonkrong (based on the novel by John Brandon)

Stars:  Liam Hemsworth, Clark Duke, Michael Kenneth Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Eden Brolin, Chandler Duke, John Malkovich and Vince Vaughn.

The Pitch: “Clark Duke wants to turn Arkansas the book into Arkansas the movie!”

Tagline: Kyle and Swin are working their way to the top…but the top has other plans.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Kyle (Hemsworth), a low level drug courier, finds himself working with Swin (Clark) on a delivery.  Neither would have never chosen the other to be a partner, but it’s what the boss wants.  And the boss is a ruthless, mysterious Arkansas drug kingpin known only as Froggy.

Things go smoothly for Kyle and Swin until they don’t… and then the deadly retribution spiral begins.

I loved Arkansas.  Great cast – Hemsworth has never been better – and Duke impressed me with his acting/directorial debut.   Malkovich and Vaughn make everything better and this is no exception.  I also enjoyed seeing Michael Kenneth Williams and Vivica Fox in supporting roles.  Eden Brolin (Josh Brolin’s daughter) is an actress I hadn’t seen before and she was excellent.  Brad William Henke and Jeff Chase have small but impressive, important roles.  Arkansas has the right mix of tension and humor.

Arkansas may be too quirky for some, but I loved it.


Rating:

“One of Those Days” by Yehuda & Maya Devir

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I recently discovered (very late to this party) the web comic One of Those Days by Yehuda and Maya Devir.  With a wonderfully fun art style, the jokes hit home and leave you looking forward to their next installment.

Based on the wildly popular webcomic, One of Those Days chronicles the life and love of Yehuda and Maya Devir as they take on the minutiae of marriage, the ups and downs of daily life, and the paradigm shift of new parenthood.

Yehuda and Maya Devir began illustrating their life in comics when they moved into their first apartment together in Tel Aviv as newlyweds. In the years since, One of Those Days has become one of the biggest webcomics on the Internet, with millions of followers around the world. Yehuda Devir grew up on superhero comic books, and the Devirs’ visual style is downright kinetic and bursting with life.

In this collection—the first time that the Devirs’ comics have been compiled in one volume—they share stories that are heartwarming, hilarious, and universally recognizable. So even for those who don’t feel like pulling out an assault rifle to wage war on a kitchen cockroach, the Devirs’ challenges and triumphs are instantly familiar to anyone who’s had one of those days.

RIP – James “Kamala” Harris

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James Harris better known as the professional wrestler Kamala the Ugandan Giant has died at the age of 70 due to complications from Covid-19.

Harris began his pro wrestling career in 1978 after meeting Hall of Fame Wrestler Bobo Brazil.  In his early years Harris wrestled under the names, Ugly Bear Harris, Big Jim Harris and Bad News Harris.  In 1982, Harris signed with promoter Jerry Lawler’s Continental Wrestling Association.  Harris and Lawler created the Kamala character — a giant headhunter brought to the US from the jungles of Uganda.

Harris wrestled for all of the major companies and was a fan favorite.  When my sons and nephews were young, I took them to a live wrestling event where Kamala was one of the featured stars.  I overheard the boys telling my youngest son, Chris, that Kamala was a cannibal and a headhunter who ate little kids.  They went on to tell Chris that if Kamala got hungry he would begin slapping his belly and then climb out of the ring to look for a meal.  (Slapping his belly was a signature move for Kamala and he did it in every match.)

Needless to say when Kamala came out to wrestle Chris seemed to move a bit closer to me with eyes as big as saucers watching the Ugandan giant enter the ring.  Sure enough, part way through the match he began to slap his belly.  Chris grabbed my hand, and said, “C’mon dad.  Time to go, Kamala’s getting ready to look for a meal!”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to James Kamala Harris’ family, friends and fans.

“Away” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Away is a new series that premieres September 4th on Netflix.   I like the synopsis and trailer.  Yep, I’ll be tuning in.

Away is a thrilling, emotional drama on an epic scale that celebrates the incredible advancements humans can achieve and the personal sacrifices they must make along the way. As American astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank) prepares to lead an international crew on the first mission to Mars, she must reconcile her decision to leave behind her husband (Josh Charles) and teenage daughter (Talitha Bateman) when they need her the most. As the crew’s journey into space intensifies, their personal dynamics and the effects of being away from their loved ones back on Earth become increasingly complex. Away shows that sometimes to reach for the stars, we must leave home behind.

Created by Andrew Hinderaker, the series is executive-produced by showrunner Jessica Goldberg, Jason Katims, Matt Reeves, Andrew Hinderaker, Edward Zwick, Hilary Swank, Adam Kassan and Jeni Mulein.”

“The Stunt Double” Short by Damien Chazelle

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The Stunt Double is a short film shot entirely on an iPhone by Academy Award® winner Damien Chazelle.  This is a really well done short with a nice surprise ending.

A journey through cinema history is reimagined for the vertical screen in Damien Chazelle’s “The Stunt Double,” a short film Shot on iPhone 11 Pro.

Watch as classic genres are flipped on their side, from action movies to silent films, spy flicks to westerns, reframing and modernizing the movie magic we know and love.