“Extended Family”: Season 1 (2023) starring Jon Cryer / Z-View

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Extended Family: Season 1 (2023)

Created by:  Mike O’Malley

Directors:  James Widdoes (eps. 1, 3); Ali LeRoi (eps. 2)

Screenplay: Mike O’Malley (ep. 1); Jim Vallely  (ep. 2); Ajay Sahgal (ep. 3)

Stars: Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer, Sofia Capanna, Finn Sweeney and Lenny Clarke.

Tagline:  Marriages End. Families Don’t.

The Plot…

Jim (Cryer) and Julia (Spencer) are divorced.  Rather than have the kids move back and forth between parents, the parents have decided the children will stay in the same house and they parents will move in during their periods of custody.  Matters are complicated when Julia gets engaged to Trey Taylor, the super rich owner of the Boston Celtics.

Let the hijinks begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I tuned in because of Jon Cryer.  I stuck around because it sometimes takes a show an episode or two to get going.

Episode One was bad.  One of the kids’ goldfish dies.  There’s a lot of drama about how to best approach this. They ultimately get a new goldfish to spare the child’s feelings. Turns out the kid doesn’t get upset over the fish’s death.  She’s upset over the divorce.  The parents apologize to her and everyone goes to a Celtics game.

Episode Two was bad.  Julia invites her fiance, Trey to spend the night while she is watching the kids.  Jim is upset because according to the “divorce constitution” that they wrote, he should have been consulted.  They argue. Jim ultimately agrees to Trey staying over.  Then Trey can’t sleep on the mattress that used to be shared by Julia and Jim.  So he buys a new mattress.  Constitutional crisis!  Then they settle that and painting the bedroom becomes an issue.  You guessed it.  Constitutional crisis.

More like series crisis, says I.  I’ll try one more episode.

Episode 3 was bad.  Jim has had the kids for a week on his own.  When Julia returns, Jim heads home.  She learns the daughter doesn’t like math and earned a C- on her test.  Her son is hooked on a violent video game.  She thinks that her kids are going to be failures.  She tries some things that don’t work.  She calls Jim back and he doesn’t see the problem.  Trey gets involved.  The kids end up concerned that there will be no future because of climate change.

Strike three.  I’m out.  Your mileage may vary but Extended Family is not for me.

Extended Family: Season 1 (2023) earns 1 of 5 stars.

RIP: Carl Weathers

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Carl Weathers died peacefully in his sleep on February 1, 2024.  He was 76.

Carl Weathers attended St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Louisiana on an athletic scholarship.  Mr. Weathers was an athlete who excelled in football, boxing, gymnastics, soccer, wrestling and judo.  At San Diego St. University, Carl Weathers played defensive end for the Aztecs football team.  As an undrafted free agent, Mr. Weathers was picked up by the Oakland Raiders in 1970 to play linebacker.  When he was released the following year, he headed to Canada where he played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.  In the off seasons, Carl Weathers returned to the states to earn a earned a bachelor’s degree in drama.  In 1974, Mr. Weathers retired from football to pursue a career in acting.

Carl Weathers’ first feature film role was uncredited.  He played a demonstrator in Magnum Force.  Mr. Weathers’ first television role was as a jealous husband in an episode of Good Times.  Carl Weathers breakout role was as Apollo Creed in Rocky.  He would return to that role three more times.  Other of Carl Weathers’ signature roles include: Fortune Dane in Fortune Dane (1986); Colonel Al Dillon in Predator (1987); Jericho Jackson in Action Jackson (1988); Adam Beaudreaux in Street Justice (1991); Hampton Forbes in In the Heat of the Night (1993); Chubbs in Happy Gilmore (1996); Joe Clark in The Shield (2003); Combat Carl in Toy Story 4 (2019) and Greef Karga in The Mandalorian.  Although he would alternate throughout his career acting in feature films and television roles, Carl Weathers also branched out as a director and producer.

Television appearances of Carl Weathers include: Good Times; Kung Fu; S.W.A.T.; The Six Million Dollar Man; Cannon; Switch; McCloud; Starsky and Hutch; Barnaby Jones; The Streets of San Francisco; The Defiant Ones; Fortune Dane (6 episodes); Tour of Duty (9 episodes); Street Justice (44 episodes); In the Heat of the Night (28 episodes); The Shield (2 episodes); ER; Brothers (13 episodes); Chadam (3 episodes); Psych; Arrested Development (4 episodes); Toy Story of Terror; Regular Show (2 episodes); Colony (7 episodes); Chicago Fire (2 episodes); Chicago PD (4 episodes); Chicago Justice (13 episodes); Magnum PI (2018); Law and Order: Special Victims Unit; Star vs the Forces of Evil (10 episodes) and The Mandalorian (9 episodes).

Feature film appearances of Carl Weathers include: Magnum Force; Friday Foster; Rocky; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Semi-Tough; Force Ten from Navarone; Rocky II; Death Hunt; Rocky III; Rocky IV; Predator; Action Jackson; Happy Gilmore and Toy Story 4.

Projects that Carl Weathers directed include: Renegade; Silk Stockings (8 episodes); Pensacola: Wings of Gold (2 episodes); 18 Wheels of Justice (3 episodes); Sheena (5 episodes); Hawaii 5-0: The Last O.G. (2 episodes); Law & Order; Chicago Med (2 episodes) and The Mandalorian (2 episodes).

When I think of his career, of course his role as Apollo Creed first comes to mind. Sly Stallone posted a touching tribute to Carl Weathers tonight that spoke to his importance in making Rocky a success.  Part of what Sly Stallone said:  “We lost a legend yesterday. My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. Rest in power and keeping punching.”  My favorite Carl Weathers story occurred when he auditioned for the role of Apollo Creed.  Mr. Weathers was told that the writer of Rocky would be reading with him.  As the audition continued, Carl Weathers felt he wasn’t doing well.  He told the producers, “I’d do better if I was reading with a real actor.”  Sly said he knew right then Carl Weathers was the choice to play Apollo.

Although it only ran for six episodes, I was a fan of Carl Weathers’ Fortune Dane series.  I’ve been planning to seek it out for a re-watch.  The same could be said for his feature film Action Jackson.  Of course everyone loves his role in Predator and I’m no exception.  Anything that Carl Weathers was in was better because of him.

I was truly surprised by Carl Weathers’ death.  He was always in shape and appeared to be the picture of health. Some celebrity deaths hit harder than others.  Carl Weathers death was like a head-on car crash.  In addition to his acting, directing and producing, Carl Weathers will be remembered for his positive attitude.  He focused on the good in people.  He was humble and appreciative of his fans.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Carl Weather’s family, friends and fans.

“For Heaven’s Sake” (1926) starring Harold Lloyd / Z-View

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For Heaven’s Sake (1926)

Director:  Sam Taylor

Screenplay: John Grey, Ted Wilde, Clyde Bruckman, Ralph Spence (titles)

Stars: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Noah Young, Paul Weigel

Tagline: There’s a new Lloyd comedy in town. You have laughed yourself hoarse at every one you have ever seen, but when you see him trying to “uplift” a gang of underworld crooks you will think you never laughed before.

The Plot…

J. Harold Manners (Lloyd) is a millionaire who accidentally sponsors a mission to provide relief to the poor.  When the publicity hits the newspapers that the J. Harold Manners’ Mission has opened, J. Harold goes down to have his name taken off the mission.  He’s embarrassed and doesn’t want to come off as a publicity seeker.

At the mission J. Harold meets Hope (Ralston), the daughter of the man running the mission.  J. Harold is attracted to Hope.  When she tells him the mission isn’t getting many folks coming in.  J. Harold decides to get down and out people to the mission by going through the poor section of town and provoking them.  The idea is they will chase him back to the mission.

What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This was a tough production for Harold Lloyd.  Many scenes were cut (but later used in his film Speedy).  Lloyd reportedly wasn’t happy with the final product.  Surprisingly, For Heaven’s Sake became one of Lloyd’s most successful films and the 12th highest-grossing film of the Silent Era.

For Heaven’s Sake (1926) rates 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: William O’Connell

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William O’Connell died on January 15, 2024.  He was 94.

Mr. O’Connell served in served in the Korean War as a 1st Lieutenant in the 45th Infantry.

William O’Connell acted in television and feature films.  His best known role was on Star Trek where he played Thelev, an alien whose mission was to kill Captain Kirk and destroy the Enterprise.  Mr. O’Connell was also a favorite of Clint Eastwood with appearances in five of his movies (Paint Your Wagon, High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Every Which Way But Loose and Any Which Way You Can).

Television appearances of William O’Connell include: Highway Patrol; Peter Gunn; Dr. Kildare; Thriller; The Twilight Zone; Dennis the Menace; The Travels of Jamie McPheeters; My Three Sons; The Outer Limits; Rawhide (2 episodes); Bonanza; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; The Munsters; Batman; Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats; The Lucy Show; Ironside; Star Trek; Petticoat Junction (4 episodes); Mannix; Mission Impossible; Julia; The Wild, Wild West; Green Acres; Gunsmoke; Daniel Boone (3 episodes); Love American Style (2 episodes); The Odd Couple (2 episodes); Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Charlie’s Angels; Quncey, M.E. (2 episodes) and The Dukes of Hazzard.

Feature film appearances of William O’Connell include: Swingin’ Along; The Warlord; ice Station Zebra; Paint Your Wagon; Which Way to the Front; The Culpepper Cattle Co.; High Plains Drifter; Big Bad Mama; The Outlaw Josey Wales; Every Way But Loose and Any Which Way You Can.

William O’Connell was the quintessential character actor.  It’s hard to say when I first saw him because he appeared in so many of the television shows I watched as a kid.  If I had to pick a favorite William O’Connell role it would be either in Star Trek or The Outlaw Josey Wales.  On Star Trek he had the bigger part, but Mr. O’Connell was so memorable as the ferryman in Josey Wales that I had to also include it.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to William O’Connell’s family, friends and fans.

“The Mad Doctor of Market Street” (1942) / Z-View

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The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942)

Director:  Joseph H. Lewis

Screenplay: Al Martin

Stars: Una Merkel, Lionel Atwill, Nat Pendleton, Noble Johnson and John Eldredge

Tagline: GENIUS – OR FIEND?

The Plot…

Dr. Ralph Benson (Atwill) changes his name and boards a passenger ship after a man dies during one of Benson’s crazy experiments.  While on the ship Benson is recognized so he lures the man to a secluded area and throws him overboard.  A fire breaks out on the ship.  Benson and five others are the sole survivors.  Their lifeboat lands on an island populated by natives ready to kill them.

Benson learns that the Chief’s wife is on her deathbed.  Benson claims he can cure her.  When a shot of adrenaline revives the woman, the Chief thinks Benson has magical powers.  Benson sets himself up as a god.  He plans to continue his experiments starting with the other survivors.  Trapped on an island with a mad doctor and natives ready to kill them, the survivors have little chance for life.

Unless…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Mad Doctor of Market Street is about what you’d expect for a low budget B film of the early 40s.  The murders are tame or appear off screen.  There’s an attempt at humor.  The one surprising thing and it is pretty grim even though it appears off screen is — BIG SPOILER ALERT — the fire that alerts the search party that there are survivors on the island comes from the natives burning the doctor alive!

The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“The Why Files: Season 2” (2021) / Z-View

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The Why Files: Season 2 (2021)

Creator:  Andrew Gentile

Stars: Andrew Gentile

Tagline: Where Cool Nerds Laugh and Learn

The Plot…

The Why Files started as a weekly Youtube podcast where the host, Andrew Gentile looked at myths, legends, strange phenomena and more.  Gentile approaches each subject with respect and the right touch of humor.  After explaining the subject he then explains what part is true, debunks parts that can be and admits if the truth isn’t known.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Andrew Gentile is an excellent host.  His sidekick is a Hecklefish that adds humor.

Some of my favorite episodes from season two include: Apollo 20: The Secret Mission to the Moon; The Mysterious Case of the Circleville Letters; The Truth Behind Possession and Exorcisms; How a UFO Caused the Battle of Los Angeles; Bigfoot Aliens KGB? Dyatlov Pass Explained; John Titor: Time Traveler, Soldier, Savior; Visitor from Another Dimension: the Man from Taured; What Lies Below? The Denver Airport Conspiracy; Valiant Thor: A UFO, the Pentagon and a 3-year Mission to Save the World..

The Why Files: Season 2 (2021) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare” directed by Guy Ritchie; starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González & Alan Ritchson – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González and Alan Ritchson.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare – In theaters April 19. Starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Henrique Zaga, Til Schweiger, with Henry Golding, and Cary Elwes.

Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.

“Synchronic” (2019) starring Anthony Mackie / Z-View

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Synchronic (2019)

Director:  Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

Screenplay: Justin Benson

Stars: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Ally Ioannides and Ramiz Monsef

Tagline: Time is an illusion

The Plot…

Steve (Mackie) and Dennis (Dornan) are New Orleans paramedics.  Recently they’ve been getting calls where the victims have used a new street drug called Synchronic.  The drug often leaves the user incoherent or dead under unusual circumstances.  One person appeared to be victim of a sword fight, another died from the bite of a poisonous snake not found in the state and yet another was found stabbed with an ancient sword.

While at a local smoke shop, Steve is able to purchase several Synchronic pills.  A man claims to be the chemist who invented Synchronic attempts to buy the pills from Steve.  He offers much more than Steve paid.  The chemist wants to destroy the pills. Later Steve learns that the chemist believes the pills allow young people who take Synchronic to easily travel through time.  Adults, because of their body chemistry, have problems when taking the pills.

When Dennis’ daughter (Ioannides) doesn’t come home and can’t be found, Dennis and Steve learn she was last seen at a party where Synchronic was available.  Steve believes that the only hope to find her is to take the Synchronic himself…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like well done time travel films and Synchronic qualifies.

Anthony Mackie is always good and this outing is no exception.  Ally Ioannides doesn’t have a lot to do, but I enjoyed seeing her.  She’s grown up since Into the Badlands.

OWNING UP by George Pelecanos

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George Pelecanos has a new one coming out.  Actually four new ones if we want to be accurate.  Here’s the lowdown…

Four blistering novellas, drawn together by themes of strife, violence, and humanity; “Every time I read one of George Pelecanos’s novels, I’m left a little awed.” (Dennis Lehane)

When the son of the Carusos is involved in a hold up, the family home comes under siege in the form of a no-knock warrant. Months after the cops destroyed their home, the Carusos struggle to return to normal. Elsewhere, two former inmates reunite by chance on the set of a TV production. Both have found their way on the straight and narrow path, that is, until one sees the potential for an easy grift. A teenage boy must step into the man he’d like to be as a hostage crisis grips his hometown. A woman adrift meets a man tied to her grandmother’s past, an encounter that awakens her to a bloody history that undergirds the place she grew up.

Pelecanos’ portraits are characterized by shades of grey, resisting the mold of heroes and villains, victims and perpetrators, good and evil. At once streetwise and full of heart, Owning Up grapples with random chance, the bind of consequence, and the forked paths a life can take.

OWNING UP by George Pelecanos drops February 6, 2024.