“There Are No Saints” (2022) starring José María Yazpik, Paz Vega with Ron Perlman and Tim Roth / Z-View

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There Are No Saints (2022)

Director: Alfonso Pineda Ulloa

Screenplay: Paul Schrader

Stars: José María Yazpik, Shannyn Sossamon, Paz Vega, Tommy Flanagan, Ron Perlman, Tim Roth and Neal McDonough.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Neto Niente, a former mob enforcer known as The Jesuit, was just released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit.  Things get worse when his ex-wife’s husband kills her and kidnaps his son.  Now Niente is on a quest to save his son.

Things don’t always go as planned.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The film reportedly was a tough production.  Screenwriter, Paul Schrader was originally set to direct.  Because of production delays, Schrader moved on.  Oscar Isaac was originally set to star, but dropped out when the film lost financing.  Brian Cox was originally in the cast.  Reshoots were required when he dropped out and was replaced by Ron Perlman.

If you’re expecting a happy ending, don’t.  This one is brutal and dark.

There Are No Saints (2022) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“The Rip” (2026) written & directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno with Scott Adkins and Kyle Chandler / Z-View

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The Rip (2026)

Director: Joe Carnahan

Screenplay: Joe Carnahan, story by Joe Carnahan, Michael McGrale

Stars: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, Kyle Chandler, Daisuke Tsuji, Nestor Carbonell, Lina Esco, Cliff Chamberlain, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Marco Morales, Sal Lopez, Angel Rosario Jr. and Scott Adkins.

Tagline: Count the money. Count it again. Count on no one.

The Plot…

Rumors of crooked cops in the Miami-Dade Police Department are gaining traction.  When Captain Jackie Velez is murdered, suspicion falls on her Tactical Narcotics Team.  The TNT consists of Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Detectives J.D. Byrne, Mike Ro, Numa Baptiste, and Lolo Salazar.  One or more of them may be dirty.

Just before the end of the day, Dumars recieves a tip about a house in a new subdivision containing drug money.  It is the only occupied house in the area.  Dumars informs the team that it is supposed to contain $100,000 to $200,00 in cartel cash.

Desi Molina answers the door.  Desi is a young woman who recently inherited the house from her grandmother.  She lives alone.  Desi reluctantly lets the team in.  The search of the house reveals a hidden space in the attic.  The team discovers $20 million dollars in cash.

Lieutenant Dumars tells the team that they are not going to follow standard protocal.  Normally they would call in the location and amount of the seizure.  Dumars says he’s worried about crooked cops.  Dumars orders the team to give him their cell phones.  One or more of them could be crooked.  Or is Dumars one of the bad cops?

Then a call comes to the house. Dumars answers.  The voice on the other end says to take the amount of money called in and leave the rest.  They have 30 minutes to comply.  If they don’t everyone in the house will be executed.

Dumars and the team aren’t sure how to proceed.  Was it the cartel or dirty cops calling?  How did they know the money had been found?  Who can they trust?  What is the best thing to do?

The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I went in to The Rip thinking it would be good.  I was wrong.  It was great.  I absolutely loved it.  Writer/director Joe Carnahan has crafted a story that has mystery, tension, suspense and action.  Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are joined by Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Sasha Calle, and Kyle Chandler.  All are perfectly cast.

I love the mystery of who to trust.  The tension continues to mount as the minutes tick off.  Trapped with a team that may not have your back in a deserted subivision.  Afraid to call back-up because of dirty cops with the cartel closing in.

The Rip gets my highest recommendation.

The Rip (2026) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Running Man” (2025) directed by Edgar Wright, starring Glen Powell / Z-View

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The Running Man (2025)

Director: Edgar Wright

Screenplay: Michael Bacal, Edgar Wright based on THE RUNNING MAN by Stephen King

Stars: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, William H. Macy, Alyssa Benn, David Zayas, Greg Townley, Karl Glusman, Joey Ansah, James Frecheville, Lee Pace, Sean Hayes, Chris Rogers, Debi Mazar and Jayme Lawson.

Tagline: Survive 30 days while the world hunts you down.

The Plot…

In a dystopian future, most of the population lives in poverty.  Those lucky enough to have jobs barely get by.  The masses spend their days glued to the television watching game shows where contestants can win large sums of money.  The most popular is The Running Man hosted by Bobby Thompson.  Contestants actually risk their lives to play.  They are called runners, and are given $1,000 as well as a 12 hour head start.  Then, if they can survive 30 days, they will win one billion dollars.  Life changing money.  But there is a risk.  In addition to the show’s hunters, any one in the country can kill a runner.  If a citizen kills the runner, they win a small cash prize.

When Ben Richards is unable to afford needed medicine for his daughter, he decides to try out for a television show.  He hopes to win enough cash to pay for his daughter’s meds.  Richards is shocked when he is picked to appear on The Running Man.  He doesn’t want to die, but if he could somehow win, his family would be set forever.

Let the game begin!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who starred in the original The Running Man, appears on money used in the movie.

Stephen King’s novel, written in 1982, is a futuristic tale set in 2025, the same year as the film’s release.

The film starts out well enough, but by it’s very nature is so over the top that Geln Powell’s character, despite finding himself in tough situations, never really feels in danger.

The Running Man (2025) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Police Story” (1985) directed by and starring Jackie Chan / Z-View

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Police Story (1985)

Director: Jackie Chan

Screenplay: Jackie Chan, Edward Tang

Stars: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung.

Tagline: From the master of action comes more screen excitement than you’ve ever seen.

The Plot…

Sergeant Chan Ka-Kui, an undercover officer in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force was part of a task force to bring down crime lord Chu Tao.  Things go sideways.  Now Tao wants revenge and his target is Sergeant Chan.

Step back, Jackie Chan is ready to roll!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Police Story is famous for several big stunts and set pieces.  In one, Jackie slides several stories down a pole of Christmas lights in a mall.  In this stunt, Chan burned his hands, injured two vertebrae and dislocated his pelvis.  The pole slide was done in one take, without rehearsals and without the use of wires.

Sly Stallone paid homage to a Jackie Chan action beat in Police Story.  In Tango & Cash, Stallone’s character stops a semi, the same way that Chan stops the bus.

Police Story (1985) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Death by Lightning” (2025) written by Mike Makowski, directed by Matt Ross, starring Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman and Betty Gilpin / Z-View

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Death by Lightning (2025)

Created by: Mike Makowsky; based on DESTINY OF THE REPUBLIC: A TALE OF MADNESS, MEDICINE AND THE MURDER OF A PRESIDENT by Candice Millard

Director:

  • Matt Ross (Eps. 1-4)

Teleplay:

  • Mike Makowsky (Eps. 1-4)

Stars: Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Shannon, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford, Nick Offerman, Laura Marcus, David Nykl, Alfie Tempest, Paula Malcomson, Barry Shabaka Henley and Vondie Curtis-Hall.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Congressman James Garfield went to the 1880 Republican National Convention to give a nomination speech.  Garfield’s oratory was so powerful that through an unlikely series of events he became the party’s nominee.  Although an underdog, Garfield won the election and became the 20th President of the United States.

Charles Guiteau, an ex-con, chronic liar and thief has dreams of glory and fame.  Guiteau admires Garfield and feels their destiny’s are intwined.  But they are not.

So Guiteau decides to kill the man he admires.  Guiteau shoots Garfield in the back.  Garfield is bedridden and in pain for months.  Eighty days after being shot he dies.  James Garfield was President just 200 days.  But his Presidency had a positive impact to this day that few realize.

Charles Guiteau dreamed of fame.  He was executed for his crime and is largely forgotten except to historians.

This is their story.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Death by Lightning is an amazing, but true story.  Although a dramatization, it sticks very close to the actual events.  Kudos to Mike Makowsky, who wrote the teleplay for all four episodes, and to Candice Millard who wrote the book which inspired the project.

The cast is amazing.  Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Shannon, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Bradley Whitford and Nick Offerman give performances that deserve awards.  They are amazing.  It was also nice to see Barry Shabaka Henley and Vondie Curtis-Hall appear.

Death by Lightning gets my highest recommendation.

Death by Lightning (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

FEVER HOUSE by Keith Rosson / Z-View

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FEVER HOUSE by Keith Rosson

First sentences…

Tim Reed sits in the driver’s seat of his ancient and rust-punched Datsun hatchback, balancing a screwdriver on the tip of his finger.  Hutch and Tim are killing time, waiting for some poor guy to come home so they can terrify him and, if necessary, perform grievous harm to the architecture of the man’s body.  It’s the usual deal: reluctance to pay a debt owed.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Tim and Hutch are leg-breakers for Peach Sorreno.  Although the two are more than willing to throw a beatdown on deadbeats who’ve borrowed from Peach, when Tim and Hutch show up to collect, more often than not they come away with money.  That’s par for the course and the way it’s been working that night.

Until they get to Wesley.

Wesley’s a methhead. He claims he has no money.  When Tim and Hutch search Wesley’s apartment, they find a severed hand in his refrigerator.  Tim and Hutch decide to take Wesley and the hand to Peach’s warehouse.  There they’ll sort out what to do next.

What Tim and Hutch don’t know, but will soon learn is the hand causes anyone near it to get violent, murderous thoughts.  These urges become so strong and persistant that those under the influence lose control and act on them.  They will brutally murder anyone near.  Worse still, the killed by a person under the influence of the demon hand, reanimate as zombies with the same sadistic killing urges.

As the madness spreads two factions work to recover the hand…

  • Peach Sorreno knows Tim and Hutch had the hand, but do they still?  Sorreno wants it badly, and brings in Nick Coffin, one of his “fixers” to resolve the issue.

 

  • A US government black ops organization that deals with the occult has been searching for the hand.  Under the direction of David Lundy (who wants the demon hand to weaponize it), two field agents, John Bonner and Samantha Weils are boots on the ground.

With each passing minute, the fevor spreads.  One infected becomes two.  Two become four.  If the hand isn’t recovered and destroyed, it could be the end of the world.

+++

When I started FEVER HOUSE I expected a crime novel with horror overtones.  What I got was an epic, crime/conspiracy/horror/demonic/apocalyptic tale that I absolutely loved.  I’ve already purchased the sequel and it’s nearing the top of my next-to-read pile.

FEVER HOUSE gets my highest recommendation.

Rating:

“The Wrecking Crew” (2026) starring Dave Bautista and Jason Mamoa / Z-View

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The Wrecking Crew (2026)

Director: Ángel Manuel Soto

Screenplay: Jonathan Tropper

Stars: Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Jacob Batalon, Morena Baccarin, Maia Kealoha, Stephen Root, Miyavi, David Hekili Kenui Bell, Lydia Peckham, Branscombe Richmond, Stephen Oyoung and Claes Bang.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Jonny Hale is a reservation cop living in Oklahoma.  James Hale is a Navy Seal living in Hawaii.  The two are half brothers who haven’t seen each other in ten years.  When their father is killed in a hit and run, Jonny returns to Hawaii for the funeral.

Jonny believes that his father was murdered.  Although unconvinced at first, James comes around when it becomes clear the Yakuza were involved.

Now Jonny and James have teamed to find the killers.  Hawaiians should take cover.  Things are about to get crazy.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Wrecking Crew features David Hekili Kenui Bell final film role. He died on June 12, 2025.

Dave Bautista and Jason Mamoa have great chemistry.  Kudos also to Jacob Batalon, Morena Baccarin and Stephen Root.

I wanted to like this film more, but it was a bit too over-the-top to be taken seriously.  They really leaned into the humor to the point that I never felt concerned for the duo’s safety.  The action (with a couple of gory scenes as well) is ratcheted up to match the humor.  Still, watching Bautista and Mamoa tear through the bad guys isn’t a bad way to spend an hour and half.

The Wrecking Crew (2026) rates 3 of 5 stars.