“The League” (2023) / Z-View

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The League (2023)

Director:  Sam Pollard

Writers:  Bob Motley, Byron Motley

Stars:  Hank Aaron, Monte Irvin, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson and Maya Angelou

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The League details the birth, rise and demise of the Professional Negro Baseball Leagues and the outstanding players who made it popular.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The League shows that black players have been playing baseball since it’s invention.  It wasn’t until the major leagues wouldn’t allow players of color to participate that the Negro leagues came to be.  Cities that had a Negro League team saw their economies improve.  Fans saw a faster paced, more exciting game.

The League does an amazing job of presenting the social issues and history that brought about the formation of Negro Professional Baseball Leagues.  In addition to learning about the stars who played the game we learn about the folks behind the scenes who made the leagues possible.

The League earns my highest recommendation.

The League (2023) earns 5 of 5 stars.

Conan by Patrick “Patch” Zircher!

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Recently Patrick “Patch” Zircher announced that for a $100 donation (or more) to any homeless charity, he would create a pencil drawing for the person making the donation.  Zircher took on several dozen commissions.  The idea caught on.  Artists who saw what “Patch” was doing offered the same deal!  By the time Zircher called an end to the offer, over $10,000 had been raised for homeless shelters!

I got in.  Patch created his riff on Sly Stallone as Jack Carter for me.  I’ll post it once the original arrives.  In the mean time, Patch posted his take on Conan for a person who made a donation.  I love it.  If you want to see more of Patch’s art (as well as the commissions he took on for this project), you can here.

“MLK: The Assassination Tapes” (2012) / Z-View

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MLK: The Assassination Tapes (2012)

Director:  Tom Jennings

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. is documented using primary sources, some never seen/heard from television and radio reports as well as police communications.  Director Tom Jennings does an amazing job of setting up the events that brought Dr. King to Memphis as well as his assassination and aftermath.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

MLK: The Assassination Tapes gets my highest recommendation.

MLK: The Assassination Tapes (2012) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“A Murder at the End of the World” (2023) starring Emma Corrin and Clive Owen / Z-View

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A Murder at the End of the World (2023)

Created by:  Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij

Directors:  Brit Marling (eps. 1, 5 – 6); Zal Batmanglij (eps. 2 – 4, 7)

Teleplays: Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij (eps. 1, 4, 6 – 7); Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij and Melanie Marnich & Rebecca Roanhorse (ep. 2); Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij & Melanie Marnich (ep. 3); Brit Marling (ep. 5)

Stars: Emma Corrin, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, Louis Cancelmi, Clive Owen, Joan Chen and Alice Braga.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Darby Hart (Corrin) is an amateur detective and author of a book detailing how she solved a cold case where a serial killer had murdered several women.  Darby accepts an invitation from billionaire Andy Ronson (Owen) to attend a retreat being held in a remote location in Iceland.  Ronson has invited nine people from different walks of life who think out of the box.

When Darby arrives, she is surprised to discover that Ronson has used his billions to create a home that is like a fortress from the future.  Artificial Intelligence responds to commands throughout the mansion. Even more surprising is that her former boyfriend, Bill Farrah (Dickinson) is there.  Bill was her partner when she followed clues to solve the cold case. They haven’t seen each other in six years.

Ronson explains that the guests are there to brainstorm ideas to make the future better.  The guests mingle and begin to get to know each other.  After everyone has retired for the night, Darby decides to go to Bill’s room.  Through the window Darby sees Bill on the floor bleeding and taking his last breaths.  By the time Darby gets help, Bill has died.

It’s obvious Bill was murdered.  Since no one else could have gained entrance to Ronson’s estate, the murderer is one of them.  Will Darby figure who before the killer strikes again?  Who can she trust?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

A Murder at the End of the World is a clever whodunnit.  Emma Corrin is outstanding as Darby, the socially awkward amateur sleuth.  I love that the story takes place in a rarely used location.  If you’re a fan of Nero Wolfe, Benoit Blanc and/or Hercule Poirot then give this one a shot.

A Murder at the End of the World (2023) earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire” – Exclusive Clip (2024) Jacob Anderson from IGN Fan Fest 2024 and Season 2 Poster!

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I’m looking forward to Season 2.  Hopefully it will be as good as the first.

Jacob Anderson, star of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, gives us an exclusive sneak peek at Season 2 with this clip as part of IGN Fan Fest 2024. Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire premieres on May 12, 2024 on AMC and AMC+.

“RED RIGHT HAND”: House Shootout Scene – The Poster and Clip is Here!

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House Shootout Scene | RED RIGHT HAND (2024) Exclusive Movie CLIP HD

PLOT: Cash is trying to live an honest and quiet life, but when Big Cat forces him back into her services, he proves capable of anything to protect the town and the only family he has left.

RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2024

GENRE: Action, Thriller

STARS: Andie MacDowell, Orlando Bloom

THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips is Coming!

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THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips is coming.  We can get it on April 9th.  Here’s the lowdown…

A Western that is as haunting as it is thrilling, THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE tells the dark origin of THAT TEXAS BLOOD’s Ambrose County as only Jacob Phillips and Chris Condon can!

Montgomery Enfield and his gang of outlaws find themselves in the crosshairs of an aging Texas Ranger and a newborn county that’s hungry for law – by any means necessary.

Collects THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #1-6

FULLY LOADED by Jimmy Broxton Is Coming!

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FULLY LOADED by Jimmy Broxton is a 100-page deluxe softcover.  Described as…

Blade Runner meets Sin City in a Neo-noir, Cyberpunk crime thriller. Art to die for, a story to kill for, and a shattering finale you wouldn’t see coming in a 100 years.

Here’s the synopsis…

Would you choose to live forever in a future where everything that’s cruel, criminal and corrupt is the order of the day?

Carson Blake certainly didn’t.

A former special forces operative turned gun for hire is lured out of retirement to save the family of a man who once saved his life. He must face his own demons as well as those around him as he’s drawn into a brutal web of deceit and betrayal, where the worst excesses of human greed and desire extend from the darkest alleys to the glittering palaces of the authoritarian elite.

It’s 2065, Carson Blake is 100 years old, fully loaded, and tired of asking nicely.

A 100-page deluxe softcover, written and illustrated by Jimmy Broxton. Published by Verity Comics in association with Scratch Comics Publications. Exclusively available from Zoop.

Will appeal to fans of: American Flagg, Sin City, Blade Runner, A Clockwork Orange, Mad Max, Tarkovsky and Roger Corman.

FULLY LOADED is crowdfunding on Zoop through March 22nd.

“Lincoln’s Last Day” (2015) / Z-View

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Lincoln’s Last Day (2015)

Director:  Molly Hermann

Writer: Molly Hermann

Cast: William Frasca, Tuesday Beebe, Fritz Klein and William Mark McCullough

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Everyone knows that John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln.  What many don’t know is that Booth was in a conspiracy that as he killed Lincoln, his associates would also kill Secretary of State William H. Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson.  Lincoln’s Last Day details the plot as well as an almost hour by hour movement of all involved.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Lincoln’s Last Day is extremely well done.  Seeing actual artifacts worn by Lincoln on his last day as well as the derringer Booth used to kill the President add gravitas.

Lincoln’s Last Day (2015) rates 5 of 5 stars.

CANARY by Scott Snyder and Dan Panosian is Coming!

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The CANARY trade paperback by Scott Snyder and Dan Panosian is set to premiere on June 25th.  Here’s the synopsis…

In 1884 a mine collapsed into itself. What was the dark substance found 666 feet underground?

Blending modern horror, historical fact and Western lore, Scott Snyder and Dan Panosian have created a uniquely terrifying thriller with Canary.

During the final days of the Gold Rush, one mining company in Utah pulled up radioactive Uranium, and then the mine then collapsed in on itself. Legends sprung up about the mine being cursed or even haunted.

Now the Frontier is closed and the gold and silver mines have dried up. The country is becoming “civilized,” and yet, in one stretch of the Rocky Mountains, a terrifying, new kind of violence is suddenly emerging. Random killings. People going mad and murdering neighbors and classmates without real cause. When a schoolboy kills his teacher with a hatchet, a famous federal marshal named Azrael William Holt is called in to investigate the killings. What he and a brilliant young geologist uncover is stranger and more horrifying than anything they could have ever imagined.

“Tommy” (2017) / Z-View

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Tommy (2017)

Directors:  Gentry Kirby, Erin Leyden

Tagline: His Toughest Fight Was Outside the Ring

The Plot…

Tommy Morrison rose from poverty and a broken home to co-star in Rocky V, and become a World Champion Boxer.  Morrison was on top, but his inability to control his addiction to drugs, partying and women led to his downfall.  Morrison made repeated comebacks, but sabotaged himself every time.  Finally he received news that ended his career and ultimately his life.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tommy Morrison’s story is a sad one.  This is especially true since Morrison’s own behavior caused his downfall.  I give him credit for his initial press conference when he announced he had HIV.  Sadly, his behavior went south after that.  He had a doctor give him bicep implants, he claimed he no longer had HIV and he began getting in trouble with the law (DUIs, drugs and weapons convictions, etc.).  He continued to lie and cheat on the two women he truly loved him.

Tommy Morrison with better self-control could have had a career in boxing and maybe even movies or television.  I thought it was funny that Tommy’s boxing nickname was “The Duke” because John Wayne was a distant relative.  It’s funny because it wasn’t true and Morrison was surprised no one ever checked.

Tommy (2017) rates 5 of 5 stars.

BRUCE LEE: IN MY OWN PROCESS by Bruce Lee is Coming!

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Bruce Lee fans are going to love this.  BRUCE LEE: IN MY OWN PROCESS by Bruce Lee is set to premiere on April 23rd.  Here’s the synopsis…

‘Many of you know that I am a martial artist by choice, an actor by profession, and, by daily actualizing my potentiality through soulful discoveries and daily exercising, I hope to become also an artist of life.’ – Bruce Lee

‘I venture that 95% of people have heard of Bruce Lee. They might not know everything about him, but they know his name. Isn’t that just incredible? And what excites me about this book is that it’s an opportunity for the reader to have a better understanding of why you continue to know his name.’ – Shannon Lee

‘Bruce draws you in with his martial strength and prowess, fascinates you with his aggression and superlative masculinity, and then you go deeper and learn about his philosophy, his depth as a thinker and a scientist, and that really hooks you.’ – Ang Lee

‘Bruce Lee exemplified discipline and finding your own path to success while committed to doing something you love.’ – Tony Hawk

‘Every time he spoke I would shudder because it was like poetry. He was like the first Asian rapper without a beat!’ – Steve Aoki

Bruce Lee’s blockbuster movies, pioneering martial arts practice and motivational philosophy continue to inspire millions worldwide. Published in the fiftieth year of his passing, In My Own Process celebrates Lee’s legacy as a martial artist, actor and philosopher, offering readers the definitive book of his spectacular career.

Collating rare photographs, drawings and writings, In My Own Process opens up the Bruce Lee family archives. A wealth of fascinating items are shared, including handwritten poems; personal affirmations and diary entries; movie scripts; workout regimes; teaching notes; martial arts drawings and philosophical observations. Hundreds of photographs reveal Bruce Lee in action, starring in classic movies such as Enter the Dragon, as well as during private moments away from the spotlight.

Reflecting on key areas of his life, in 1973 Bruce Lee wrote a series of letters titled ‘In My Own Process’. Lee’s writings introduce the chapters of his career, from developing his philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, to his first screen test, to his big Hollywood breakthrough.

Alongside an extensive commentary in Lee’s own words, contributions from today’s leading figures in music, film, and sport examine Lee’s work and legacy, including Oscar-winning movie director Ang Lee, prolific actor and martial artist Jackie Chan, world-renowned skateboarder Tony Hawk, basketball superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more. Exclusive interviews with Lee’s associates and family members, such as his close friend and training partner, Dan Inosanto, add further personal insight.

In partnership with the family of Bruce Lee, Genesis Publications is proud to present In My Own Process, the official book documenting the life and work of one of the most significant cultural icons of all time.