RIP: Terry Funk

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Terry Funk died today.  Mr. Funk was 79 years old.

Terry and his older brother, Dory Jr., were the sons of Dorothy and Dory Funk.  Their father, Dory Funk Sr. was a high school state and college champion amateur wrestler.  After a stint in the Navy, Dory Sr. became a professional wrestler and later a wrestling promoter.  So both Funk boys grew up in a professional wrestling family and both would become professional wrestlers.

Terry Funk began his professional wrestling career in 1965, competing in his father’s Western States Sports Promotion.  His older brother, Dory was already an established wrestler.  They made a formidable team.  Terry would go on to wrestle and win championships for all the major promoters as well as on the independent circuit.  Later in his career when many wrestlers contemplate retirement, Terry Funk excelled as a hardcore champion, participating in extremely violent matches.

Terry Funk won multiple championships in promotions across the country.  Mr. Funk is in the following Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame:

  • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1995)
  • Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2004)
  • Hardcore Hall of Fame (2005)
  • NWA Hall of Fame (2009)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (2009)
  • St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010)
  • George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2010)
  • International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2021)

Terry Funk also branched out into acting.  His first role was a major one in Sylvester Stallone’s Paradise Alley.  Mr. Funk would go on to act in television and feature films.

Some of Terry Funk’s television appearances include: Wildside (6 episodes); Timestalkers, Swamp Thing; Quantum Leap; Tequila and Bonetti (11 episodes); The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Thunder in Paradise.

Some of Terry Funk’s feature film appearances include: Paradise Alley; Over the Top; Road House; Rambo III (stunts) and Rocky V (stunts).

I was familiar with Terry Funk’s wrestling as a kid growing up in Indiana.  Then when we moved to Florida, Terry Funk was a popular bad guy for years.  My favorite Terry Funk role, by far, is when he played Frankie the Thumper in Paradise Alley.  Mr. Funk and Sylvester Stallone got along well as evidenced by Terry Funk’s appearances in Over the Top, stunt work for Rambo III and Rocky V.

The fact that Terry Funk was able to wrestle for decades is evidence that he was a legitimate tough guy.  It’s impressive that everywhere Mr. Funk wrestled, he excelled.  Look at the number of Wrestling Hall of Fames feature him.  He was one of a kind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Terry Funk’s family, friends and fans.

“EXPEND4BLES” (2023) – The Official Red Band Trailer is Here!

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EXPEND4BLES – Only In Theaters September 22. Starring Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, with Andy Garcia.

A new generation of stars join the world’s top action stars for an adrenaline-fueled adventure in Expend4bles. Reuniting as the team of elite mercenaries, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Sylvester Stallone are joined for the first time by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia. Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table. But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give “new blood” a whole new meaning.

“Extraction 2” directed by Sam Hargrave, starring Chris Hemsworth / Z-View

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Extraction 2 (2023)

Director: Sam Hargrave

Screenplay: Joe Russo based on Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Fernando León González

Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Idris Elba and Daniel Bernhardt.

Tagline:  Prepare for the ride of your life.

The Plot…

Tyler Rake barely survived his last mission.  For nine months he’s been in physical therapy.  When Rake learns that his ex-wife’s sister Ketevan and her two children are being held in foreign prison, he is determined to break them out.  Ketevan’s husband, Davit Radiani, is a high ranking member of the Nagazi, one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the country.   If Rake can break into the prison and get them out, the Nagazi will go to the ends of the earth to kill Rake and bring them back.

Cue the action!!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Sam Hargrave (director), Joe Russo (writer) and Chris Hemsworth (star) return from the original.  There is talk of them reteaming for a third Extraction film. Fingers crossed.

Although Extraction 2 doesn’t start as quickly with action as the original, there is a “one take” action sequence that runs over 20 minutes in the first act.  Once the action starts, it doesn’t let up.

The extended prison break scene is getting a lot of positive buzz (and rightly so), but my favorite scene is a fight that takes place on the glass overhang of a skyscraper.

I would love to see a third Extraction film.

Extraction 2 (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein” – The Trailer is Here!

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Wow!  Original recordings of Ed Gein interviews.  Deal me in.

Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein premieres September 17th, 2023- only on MGM+

This MGM+ original docuseries follows the horrifying grave robber and serial killer Ed Gein whose crimes inspired such iconic films as Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. With new reveals and never-before-heard recordings, viewers will be transported to late-1950s Middle America and submerged in Gein’s perverse mind. The series explores Gein’s upbringing and twisted relationship with his mother, his early grave robbing and murders, and the police’s discovery of his terrifying house of horrors.

“Rebel Moon” – The Official Teaser Trailer is Here!

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A new universe awaits on Netflix, starting December 22. From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.

RICAHRD STARK’S PARKER THE COMPETE COLLECTION by Dawyn Cooke

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Richard Stark’s Parker The Complete Collection by Dawyn Cooke gets my highest rating.  If you’re a fan of great crime fiction, then this is for you!

The groundbreaking and multiple award-winning graphic novels by Darwyn Cooke, collected in their entirety for the first time in one softcover volume.

Collecting the four Parker graphic novels (The Hunter, The Outfit, The Score, and Slayground) as well as two shorts (The Man with the Getaway Face and The Seventh). These stories encompass all Darwyn Cooke’s sequential stories of Parker.

“The Family Stallone”: Season 1 (2023) / Z-View

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The Family Stallone: Season 1 (2023)

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Flavin-Stallone, Sophia Rose Stallone, Sistine Rose Stallone, Scarlet Rose Stallone, Frank Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Vincent Piazza and Al Pacino.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The Family Stallone gives us a peek at the life of, you guessed it, the Stallone family: Sly, Jennifer, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Season 1 feature eight episodes…

S1.E1 ∙ Meet the Stallones: We get a peak behind the scenes on Tulsa King.  The girls pull a prank on Sly that looks to set him off!

S1.E2 ∙ The Currency of Time: Sly realizes the clock is ticking and nothing is more valuable than time and how you spend it.  The girls visit Uncle Frank’s house.  Any time Frank is on, expect great tv.  I’d love a tour of his house since it contains so much memorabilia.  A reality show with Frank would be out of control.

S1.E3 ∙ Leaving the Nest: The focus is on Scarlet (who is heading off to college) and Jennifer who is suffering from empty nest syndrome.

S1.E4 ∙ The Show must Go On: Scarlet and her boyfriend break up and the girls worry how she’ll take it.  Sly heads to Atlantic City with Frank who will be performing.  Right before showtime, Frank gets unexplained nose bleeds.  (I wish we got more of Sly & Frank in Atlantic City.)

S1.E5 ∙ Unwaxed and Unfiltered: Scarlet and Sly head to Oklahoma for their roles in Tulsa King. I love the behind-the-scenes stuff for the series.  Frank, who admits he’s never watched Sistine & Sophia’s Unwaxed podcast, wants to be featured on an episode.  The girls have some concerns. They don’t know what Frank may say and they don’t want any blowback.  Sly encourages them to have Frank on since he’s family.

S1.E6 ∙ The Stallones Go West: Sophia was born with a hole in her heart and it’s time for her annual check-up. The reality is there are some things that fame and fortune can’t control.

S1.E7 ∙ Green Light Fight: Sophia is working on a novel.  Sistine sells her first script for a horror movie.  Sister drama ensues.

S1.E8 ∙ Philadelphia Story: Sly wants a family trip to Philadelphia, but Scarlet has just started college and doesn’t want to leave for the weekend.

I’m not a fan of most reality shows.  Truth be told if this wasn’t about Sly and his family, my interest level wouldn’t be near as high.  It’s cool to see Sly hanging out for pizza with Al Pacino and Dolph Lundgren, visiting Arnold’s office, Sly’s office and the Stallone house.  The affection that the Stallone’s have for each other is evident.

Bring on Season 2!

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

The Top 10 Best Action Adventure Movies!

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Josh Keslinger at CBR came up with a list of The Top 50 Greatest Action Adventure Movies.  I decided to play along and using just his list of 50, came up with my top ten.  Below you can see my top ten compared to his, as well as some movies that didn’t make his top 50 that would have made mine.

The Top 10 Best Action Adventure Movies

Keslinger

Zablo

10. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

09. Raiders of the Lost Ark

08. Police Story

07. The Dark Knight

06. The Matrix

05. Leon: The Professional

04. Aliens

03. Gladiator

02. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

01. Die Hard

10. Terminator – Arnold was originally going to be Reese and O.J. Simpson the Terminator!

09. Highlander – There can be only one. All the sequels fell short.

08. Predator – THAT Predator design was so unique!

07. Mad Max: Fury Road – Took “car” movies to a new level.

06. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – A rare sequel that improves on the original.

05. Last of the Mohicans – A movie I can watch anytime.

04. John Wick – Took Keanu Reeves to the next level of stardom and kickstarted a franchise.

03. Aliens – James Cameron did it again. He made a sequel that improved on the original.

02. Enter the Dragon – Bruce Lee’s finest film and the best martial arts movie, by far, of it’s time… or ever.

01. Die Hard – Gets better with every viewing. Spawned a ton of “knock offs”.

Movies That Didn’t Make Keslinger’s Top 50 That Would Have Made Mine Include:
Rambo (2008); World War Z; The Army of the Dead; Extraction; Apocalypto

“Shane” (1953) directed by George Stevens, starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur & Van Heflin / Z-View

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Shane (1953)

Director: George Stevens

Screenplay: A. B. Guthrie Jr., Jack Sher based on  Shane by Jack Schaefer

Stars: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon De Wilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan,
Elisha Cook Jr., Douglas Spencer, John Dierkes, Ellen Corby, Edith Evanson and Leonard Strong.

Tagline:  There never was a man like SHANE. There never was a motion picture like SHANE.

The Plot…

Shane (Ladd), a gunfighter hoping to escape his past, befriends Joe Starrett (Heflin), his wife Marian (Arthur) and their young son Joey (De Wilde) when he stops for water at their small farm.  When Joe invites Shane to stay on, Shane sees the possibility of a quieter life.  But when Rufus Ryker’s men show up trying to run Starrett off, Shane knows that his gunfighter days aren’t over.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Shane was nominated for six Academy Awards: Best Picture; Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Palance); Best Actor in a Supporting Role (De Wilde); Best Director; Best Writing Screenplay; and won for Best Cinematography, Color (Loyal Griggs).

Shane is a classic western.  Everything came together to make it so.  George Stevens’ direction, coupled with a first rate story, and top notch cast make for a film deserving the accolades and love it’s received.

Shane is Alan Ladd’s best film and it reinvigorated his career.  It is Jean Arthur’s final feature film.  She came out of retirement to make it as a favor to director George Stevens.

Shane (1953) rates 5 of 5 stars.

The Greatest TV Shows of All Time…

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Katie Doll at CBR came up with her list of The 10 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.  Before you click over to read her thoughts on each, here are how I’d rank her choices, my thoughts and some shows that would have made my list that didn’t make hers.

The 10 Greatest TV Shows of All Time

Doll

Zablo

10. Mad Men (2007-2015)

09. Succession (2018-2023)

08. Lost (2004-2010)

07. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

06. Seinfeld (1989-1998)

05. The Simpsons (1989-present)

04. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

03. The Wire (2002-2008)

02. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

01. The Sopranos (1999-2007)

* Mad Men (2007-2015) // Succession (2018-2023) // The Wire (2002 –
2008) // The Simpsons (1989-present) – Never Seen

06. Lost (2004-2010) – Watched every episode. Thought it went off
the rails towards the end.

05. The Sopranos (1999-2007) – Watched every episode. Great show!

04. Game of Thrones (2011-2019) – Watched every episode. Loved it!

03. Breaking Bad (2008-2013) – Watched every episode. Loved it!

02. Seinfeld (1989-1998) – Watched & rewatched. Loved it!

01. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) – Often imitated, never duplicated!

Shows I would have included: Justified; The Wild, Wild West; The Passage; The Strain; The Shield; Columbo.The English, 1883; Tulsa King