Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Two posters and a trailer have me looking forward to El Eternauta coming in 2025.
Deal me in!
After a deadly snowfall kills millions, Juan Salvo and a band of survivors fight against an alien threat controlled by an invisible force. Based on the iconic Argentinian graphic novel, THE ETERNAUT will premiere in 2025.
The poster and trailer for Don’t Move are here.
Deal me in!
A woman alone in the forests of Big Sur must escape a serial killer with just 20 minutes left before her body completely shuts down. From legendary producer Sam Raimi DON’T MOVE coming October 25.
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Screenplay: Jeremy Saulnier
Stars: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen, Daniel H. Chung, Dana Lee, C.J. LeBlanc, Brannon Cross, Chelsea Bryan, Al Vicente and James Cromwell.
Tagline: Their laws. His rules.
The Plot…
Terry Richmond (Pierre) gets word that his younger brother has been arrested in the small town of Shelby Springs. If his brother can’t come up with $10,000 for bail, he’ll be transported to the state prison to wait until trial. Terry knows if his brother is sent to prison, he’ll be marked for death because of problems with a gang leader serving time there.
So Terry lets his business partner buy him out of the restaurant they co-own. Terry then takes the $30,000 and heads directly to Shelby Springs. If the bail isn’t paid by the end of the day, his brother heads to prison and certain death. Just outside of the city limit, Terry is pulled over. The cop gives Terry a hard time. Despite that, Terry stays polite and calm. This seems to upset the officer more. Then the cop discovers Terry has $30,000 in cash.
Despite Terry’s explanation, the cop confiscates the cash. The officer says that until Terry can prove the money is from a legit source, the town will keep it as a civil forfeiture. The cop leaves with the cash. Terry heads into town.
Terry meets with Chief Sandy Burnne (Johnson) and explains the situation. The money is from a legit source and he needs to pay his brother’s bail to keep him from certain death. Burnne listens, then tells Terry to hit the road. He can sue to get the money back, but that will cost more than the amount he’s lost.
The clock is ticking on saving his brother. Chief Sandy Burnne has a small police force backing him up. What none of them know is Terry Richmond is a close combat expert who used to train marines. Terry is a patient man. Even a patient man has his limits.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Aaron Pierre has a career as an action star if he wants it. Don Johnson is always good, but here he’s at the top of his game.
John Boyega was originally set to star and had filmed some scenes. Boyega then left the production, opening the door for Pierre.
Rebel Ridge is like an updated First Blood. Expect several twists and a rousing good time.
Kudos to writer and director Jeremy Saulnier. He’s a talent to watch.
Rebel Ridge (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Dave Johnson is one of the top tier artists that can do it all. The Rev may be best known for his covers, but his sketches never disappoint. Here we have The Rocketeer and Betty.
The Killer (2024)
Director: John Woo
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland, Josh Campbell, Matt Stuecken; based on The Killer by John Woo
Stars: Nathalie Emmanuel, Omar Sy, Sam Worthington, Diana Silvers, Saïd Taghmaoui, Tchéky Karyo and Aurélia Agel.
Tagline: A classic. Reloaded.
The Plot…
Zee (Emmanuel) is a hit woman known as The Queen of the Dead. On a job, Zee successfully eliminates all of her targets. Unfortunately Jenn Clark, a singer is wounded, causing her to losing her sight. Although Zee had been hired to execute everyone, she takes pity and allows Jenn to live.
This decision turns Zee’s employers against her. Now Zee has a crime cartel and the police on her trail. An unlikely alliance with a police inspector may be her saving grace.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Killer (1989) is a classic. I’m a huge fan of it, so I was looking forward to see what Woo would do with the remake. Sadly, it fell far short of my expectations.
There had been talk of a The Killer remake for years. In 1992, Walter Hill and David Giler worked up a script. The hope was Richard Gere and Denzel Washington would star. Nicholas Cage had expressed interest if a remake was ever created.
The Killer (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Check out this poster for Nosferatu. Are ya diggin’ it? I am. What to see a king-of-the-vampires-sized version? You can, at IMPAwards.
The poster and trailer for Mr. Crocket surprised me. It looks like a bit of scary fun.
Deal me in!
Parents, meet your worst nightmare. #MrCrocketHulu premieres October 11.
Deal me in!
Gerard Butler (Plane, Has Fallen series) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Out of Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) return in the sequel to 2018’s action-heist hit Den of Thieves.
In DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA, Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera – in theaters January 10! Starring Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr
Check out this cool alt poster for Dr. No by Adam Hughes.
IndieWire recently posted their choices for The 75 Best Horror Movies of All Time. It’s an eclectic list. Of the 75 films listed, I’ve seen 44. Using just their list, here are my top ten in alphabetical order. I picked films that I felt were the scariest (we’re talking horror after all), and not necessarily the best.
Sorcerer (1977)
Director: William Friedkin
Screenplay: Walon Green basede on LE SALAIRE de la PEUR by Georges Arnaud
Stars: Roy Scheider, Amidou, Ramon Bieri, Peter Capell, Jacques François, Frank Pesce, Tom Signorelli and Joe Spinell.
Tagline: WANTED. Four men willing to drive a cargo of death to escape a life in hell.
The Plot…
Four men, on the run from their home countries have ended up in a small South American village. They are:
All four men have by accident ended up in the same poor South American village. They eek out a meager living working long hours for an American oil company. When one of the company’s oil wells explodes, the only way to put out the resulting fire is by explosion.
Two truckloads of highly explosive nitroglycerin need to be transported to the oil well. The journey will go through rainforests, over raging rivers, dangerous mountain roads, and areas where bandits kill travelers. The company offers a huge bonus for any drivers willing to attempt the suicide mission.
Nilo, Kassem, Victor and Jackie are selected. The four men will have to overcome personal differences and all of the obstacles of the trip… even then not all will survive.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Stephen King has said that Sorcerer is his all time favorite movie.
Director William Friedkin said that the shoot was plagued by malaria, food poisoning and injury. Friedkin contacted malaria and lost 50 pounds.
The decaying bridge scene over a raging river is a classic. Despite looking like it could collapse at any moment, it was a special effect masterpiece. It cost $1 million to construct. The water below was only one and a half feet deep. Friedkin created the visual effect of a raging river using wind machines, helicopters and huge water hoses. The visuals are amazingly real.
Reportedly Friedkin wasn’t happen with Scheider in the starring role. Friedkin wanted Steve McQueen. McQueen would only agree if his wife, Ali McGraw was also cast. Friedkin refused, so McQueen dropped out. Friedkin then went after Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman and Kris Kristofferson without success. Friedkin agreed to have Scheider take the lead. Friedkin later called it the worst casting decision he ever made.
The film has achieved a cult status, but was considered a failure when released.
The final scene is a classic. A sound effect lives the viewer to determine the ending.
Sorcerer (1977) rates 4 of 5 stars.
The poster and trailer for Brothers starring Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage, Taylour Paige, M. Emmet Walsh, Jennifer Landon, with Brendan Fraser and Glenn Close are here!
Brothers tells the story of a reformed criminal (Josh Brolin) whose attempt at going straight is derailed when he reunites with his sanity-testing twin brother (Peter Dinklage) on a cross-country road trip for the score of a lifetime. Dodging bullets, the law, and an overbearing mother along the way, they must heal their severed family bond before they end up killing each other.
Family is a life sentence. Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage, Taylour Paige, M. Emmet Walsh, Jennifer Landon, with Brendan Fraser and Glenn Close star in #BrothersMovie, streaming on Prime Video October 17th.
SCENE OF THE CRIME by Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael Lark (artist), Sean Phillips (artist)
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Jack Herriman is surprised when he gets a call from his dead father’s former partner, Detective Paul Raymonds. Jack’s dad was assassinated in the line of duty when Jack was a teenager. Jack didn’t deal with the loss well and made some bad choices. Detective Raymonds helped Paul along the way.
But that was years ago. Jack turned his life around. He got clean. Jack began working as a Private Investigator. Detective Raymonds wants Jack to find a missing woman named Maggie. Maggie is the daughter of Raymonds’ mistress.
Finding Maggie is surprisingly easy. She’s a free spirit. Jack follows the leads and meets her. After some back and forth, they decide to talk over a meal. Maggie agrees to call her mother and reassure her she’s safe. There’s chemistry between Jack and Maggie. As he drops her at her hotel room, they both agree they’ll see each other again.
The next morning Maggie is found murdered in her hotel room. In a bag is $10,000 in cash.
Now the case is personal. Jack is determined to find Maggie’s killer. The trail will lead to other crimes, a family conspiracy and secrets that are as sickening as they are shocking.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
SCENE OF THE CRIME was the first time that Ed Brubaker worked with both Michael Lark and Sean Phillips. Brubaker would go on to have celebrated runs on Daredevil and Gotham Central. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips would go on to create the Criminal series and so many other classic tales.
The book also contains the following extras…
SCENE OF THE CRIME by Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael Lark (artist), Sean Phillips (artist) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Rating:
Frank Miller’s Daredevil took comics to new heights. Here are three of the characters Miller used to make it so. Click on the art to see a Miller-sized version.
Jonathan Maberry’s new Joe Ledger is titled BURN TO SHINE: A JOE LEDGER AND ROUGE TEAM INTERNATIONAL NOVEL. It’ll be released on March 4, 2025 (and in my mitts the same day). Here’s the scoop…
Rogue Team International joins Joe Ledger in a new, tension-filled mission to stop a wave of bioterrorism from devastating the country in the fourth installment of bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s ongoing series.
A covert group is infiltrating the world’s most secure bio-weapons research sites. All across the country, people are acting as human ‘disease bombs’ by infecting themselves and walking into public places. And heavily-armed groups of illegal private soldiers are massing for some unknown strike.
Joe Ledger and the members of Rogue Team International, still reeling from the devastation and heartbreaking losses of their last mission, are forced into relentless action to try and save the country, if not the entire world.
Old enemies are rising and joining forces to hit Joe and his team with one devastating blow after another. What is the end game for all of this madness and terror? Outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outgunned, Joe Ledger has to find a way back from the fires of grief in order to make a stand between these enemies and millions of potential innocent lives. But Joe has allies, too. His team, the vicious fighters of Arklight, and friends who may or may not be entirely human.
A war of darkness and light is coming. Who will stand? Who will fall? And how will anyone ever survive?
