Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
American comic book fans probably know Goran Parlov for his work with the Punisher character. I love Parlov’s art and this is my favorite piece by him. You can see more of Goran Parlov’s art here.
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.
This trailer for Reptile has my attention. Deal me in!
A mysterious murder. A hardened detective. A truth more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone star in REPTILE premiering October 6.
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.
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The Top 10 Best Action Adventure Movies |
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Keslinger |
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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: |
THAT is one fine Wolverine drawin’ by Mike Deodato.
Deodato gets that Wolverine is short, thick, muscular, and hairy. Wolverine is the best at what he does and what he does isn’t very nice.
Bravo!
If you’d like to see more of Mike Deodato’s art, you can at his Instagram page.
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.
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.
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The 10 Greatest TV Shows of All Time |
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Doll |
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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 – 06. Lost (2004-2010) – Watched every episode. Thought it went off 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 |
It would be tough to find a more iconic Batman piece than the one above by Enrico Marini. You’ve got Batman on the Bat Signal surrounded by bats with Gotham City in the background.
Well played, Enrico Marini! (On another note, I am looking forward to Marini’s Noir Burlesque which comes out next month!)
While the City Sleeps (1956)
Director: Fritz Lang
Screenplay: Casey Robinson based on The Bloody Spur by Charles Einstein
Stars: Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Howard Duff, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Sally Forrest, John Drew Barrymore, Ida Lupino, Robert Warwick, Mae Marsh, Larry J. Blake and Celia Lovsky.
Tagline: Sensational LIPSTICK Murderer
The Plot…
The Lipstick Killer has the city on edge. He continues to murder women and leave taunting messages. The killings are coming with greater frequency. The news media is having a field day.
Amos Kyne (Warwick) died leaving his son, Walter (Price) in charge of the Kyne News Media conglomerate (newspaper, television, wire service). Walter has little business sense. He decides his best bet is to create an Executive Director to run the corporation. Walter offers the job to his top reporter/television commentator, Edward Mobley (Andrews). Mobley turns him down flat.
Walter then tells the head of each arm of the conglomerate that whoever breaks the story of the capture of The Lipstick Killer will become the new Executive Director of Kyne News Media. All three men want the job and are willing to go to great lengths to get it. Although Mobley doesn’t want the position, he agrees to help his friend get it. Mobley goes on live tv and taunts the killer. This puts Mobley and his fiancé in the killer’s path.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Vincent Price is perfectly cast as the smarmy son placed in charge of a business that he has no idea how to run.
There’s a lot of romance drama at the expense of serial killer drama.
There was a real serial killer dubbed The Lipstick Killer a decade prior to the release of While the City Sleeps!
While the City Sleeps (1956) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Christopher Shy has created an interesting alt poster for First Blood. I like how Shy gives us insight into Rambo’s mind after learning his friend died from Agent Orange and then being harassed by Teasle. Everything around Rambo is either memories or disjointed/fractured. Well done, Christopher Shy!
Werewolf by Night was a surprise hit. Just as cool is JK Woodward’s inkwash art featuring the character… and if you look in the background you might find a guest appearance of another Marvel comics horror character! You can see more of Woodward’s art on his Twitter stream.
Out of the Past (1947)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Screenplay: Daniel Mainwaring based on Build My Gallows High by Daniel Mainwaring
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Webb, Steve Brodie, Virginia Huston, Paul Valentine and Dickie Moore.
Tagline: A MAN – Trying to run away from his past… A WOMAN – Trying to escape her future!
The Plot…
Jeff Markum (Mitchum), a private eye, is hired by an underworld figure named Whit (Douglas). Whit wants his girl back. She shot him and stole $40,000. Whit doesn’t care about the money, he just wants Kathie back. Whit promises no harm will come to Kathie (Greer). He loves her. Whit says Markum will understand once he meets Kathie. Money is no object. Kathie could be anywhere in the world, but Whit trusts Markum will find her and Whit will pay for it.
Markum catches up with Kathie in Acapulco. She is beautiful. There’s a mutual attraction between Markum and Kathie. Kathie admits she shot Whit, but denies taking his money. Markum doesn’t contact Whit. As the days (and nights) drag on, Markum and Kathie decide to run away together.
They know that Whit will send someone to find them…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Much of Out of the Past is told in flashback that brings us up to speed and then the story is carried forward. This storytelling device is effectively used.
Out of the Past is a classic for many reasons:
Out of the Past (1947) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Laurent Carbonelle is killing it with alt posters for classic movies! How about this sweet one for Night of the Hunter? You can see more of Carnonelle’s art here.
Stormy Weather (1943)
Director: Andrew L. Stone
Screenplay: Jerry Horwin, Seymour B. Robinson (story), Frederick J. Jackson, H.S. Kraft (adaptation)
Stars: Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers, Dooley Wilson, and Matthew ‘Stymie’ Beard.
Tagline: If you like good singing, dancing and fun you are sure to get your money’s worth from this picture! We heartily recommend it as a cure for “the blues.”
The Plot…
Through a series of flashbacks Bill Williamson (Robinson) tells the story of his life from his return from fighting in World War I to being a respected performer. He tells of the struggle to get started and all of the ups and downs along the way… and of meeting the love of his life, the talented performer Selina Rogers (Horne).
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Bill Williamson’s story is the fictionalized account of Bill Robinson’s life. The character played by Lena Horne was created for the movie. Although it is Bill Robinson’s story, Lena Horne got top billing.
The flashback aspect of Bill talking to some children and then fading to scenes he’s describing took me out of the story and reminded me each time, we’re watching a movie.
My favorite scenes (other than the performances) occur early in the film when Bill and his buddy, Gabe (Wilson) are just back in the states from the war. Gabe is broke, but trying to impress a girl and things keep getting worse and worse as he convinced her money is no object and she believes him!
As to the performances, they are the reason to watch the film. Performers include Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra, Fats Waller (in his final film; Waller died at the age of 39, before the year was out), The Nicholas Brothers, Dooley Wilson and Cab Calloway.
Stormy Weather (1943) rates 3 of 5 stars.
