Mr. Inbetween: Season 1 (2018) / Z-View

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Mr. Inbetween: Season 1 (2018)

Written by: Scott Ryan

Directed by: Nash Edgerton

Stars: Scott Ryan, Justin Rosniak, Brooke Satchwell, Nicholas Cassim, Chika Yasumura, Damon Herriman, Matt Nable and Firass Dirani

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Ray Shoesmith is a professional criminal/killer with an anger problem.  Ray’s also juggling his responsibilities as a divorced dad with a young daughter and is caretaker of his older brother who suffers from a degenerative neural disease.

In season one Ray…

  • helps out a best friend whose wife found his “unusual” porn collection
  • meets a potential new girlfriend
  • deals with a punks who rude to his daughter
  • takes on a hit that goes sideways
  • has trouble keeping his cool at court-ordered anger management sessions
  • helps a friend with a corpse…
  • refuses to apologize to a crime boss he offended (and has to deal with the ramifications)
  • learns an undercover cop is on to him
  • has two hitman kidnap him (thankfully one is pretty dumb)

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Scott Ryan has created a likable character that does terrible things.  Mr. Inbetween has a great mix of drama and comedy.  The humor comes from the situations that Ray finds himself in.  There’s a scene so shocking, funny and outrageous in episode three that to give it away would be a sin.  The show is well written, acted and directed.  Each episode clocks in between 21 and 32 minutes which makes it perfect if time is short.

Mr. Inbetween: Season 1 (2018) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Hot Stuff” (1956) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Hot Stuff (1956)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler, Elwood Ullman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Christine McIntyre, Philip Van Zandt, Vernon Dent, Jock Mahoney, Gene Roth and Emil Sitka.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Our boys are government agents assigned to protect a scientist developing a super rocket fuel.  When foreign spies mistake Larry for the scientist, they kidnap him, Moe and Shemp.  If Larry cannot come up with the formula for the super rocket fuel, it’s curtains for our guys.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hot Stuff (1956) is a reworking of the Stooges’ 1949 short Fuelin’ Around.  It makes use of quite a bit of footage from the original.

Hot Stuff is also the first short to use Joe Palma as a stand-in for Shemp since he had recently died.  Palma would usually have his back to the camera or as in the scene shown below would be wearing a fake beard or or something to obscure his face.  This gave rise to the term “Fake Shemp”.

Hot Stuff (1956) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Rock Hudson was one of the biggest stars of his time.  Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed looks well done.  Since it’s on MAX, it’s a no-brainer to give it a shot.

A Hollywood icon. A legendary impact.

A new @HBO original documentary from Stephen Kijak examines the life and legacy of one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. #RockHudson: All That Heaven Allowed premieres June 28 on @streamonmax.

“The League” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The League looks awesome.  Deal me in.

Opening exclusively in AMC Theatres the week of July 7
Available on digital July 14
http://theleaguedocumentary.com/

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI), executive produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (Oscar-winning SUMMER OF SOUL), Tariq Trotter (DESCENDANT), and produced by RadicalMedia, THE LEAGUE celebrates the dynamic journey of Negro League baseball’s triumphs and challenges through the first half of the twentieth century. The story is told through previously unearthed archival footage and never-before-seen interviews with legendary players like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil – whose early careers paved the way for the Jackie Robinson era – as well as celebrated Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron who started out in the Negro Leagues. From entrepreneurial titans Cumberland Posey and Gus Greenlee, whose intense rivalry fueled the rise of two of the best baseball teams ever to play the game, to Effa Manley, the activist owner of the Newark Eagles and the only woman ever admitted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, THE LEAGUE explores Black baseball as an economic and social pillar of Black communities and a stage for some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game, while also examining the unintended consequences of integration.

Directed by Sam Pollard
Executive Produced byAhmir “Questlove” Thompson, Tariq Trotter
Produced by RadicalMedia

“Special Ops: Lioness” starring Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly w/ Morgan Freeman & Nicole Kidman – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Special Ops: Lioness looks great.  Deal me in!

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS, inspired by an actual US Military program, follows the life of Joe (Zoe Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA’s spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Michael Kelly), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA’s efforts to thwart the next 9/11.

The series stars Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly with Morgan Freeman, and Nicole Kidman.

Stream the two-episode premiere of Special Ops: Lioness on Sunday, July 23, exclusively on Paramount+. Then stream all-new episodes on Sundays.

Special Ops: Lioness will also release globally on Paramount+ on July 23.

RIP: Pat Cooper

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Pat Cooper, the stand-up comedian and actor, died on June 6, 2023.  He was 93.

Pat Cooper, born Pasquale Caputo, began his career as stand-up comedian in the 1950s.  His big break came after an appearance on The Jackie Gleason Show in 1963.  Pat Cooper would go on to create comedy albums, provide the opening act for top stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr. and many others.  Pat Cooper would also headline shows in Vegas, Atlantic City and other entertainment locales.

Pat Cooper also appeared on television and in movies.

Some of Pat Cooper’s television appearances include: Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine (3 episodes); Vega$; Charlie’s Angles; LA Law and Seinfeld.

Some of Pat Cooper’s feature film appearances include: Silent Predator; Analyze This and Analyze That. 

In 1981, Pat Cooper went on Tom Snyder’s Tomorrow where Mr. Cooper insulted many top celebrities while at the same time telling how great he was.  This would become his trademark act in later years when he would go on The Howard Stern Show (and other programs) and his short temper would ignite and he’d insult others while explaining that he was “A-List!”  Some times his grown children would phone in and he’d get into arguments with them.

I was driving on the highway to a friend’s house one day while listening to Howard Stern.  Pat Cooper wanted to come in, unannounced and have a segment on the show.  Howard eventually let Mr. Cooper in and Pat Cooper went ballistic.  He was ranting that he was a big star, that Howard said he could come any time he wanted, that he was A-List, etc.  I was laughing so hard, I truly had to pull off to the side of the road.  Pat Cooper was one of a kind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pat Cooper’s family, friends and fans.

“Poor Things” starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo & Willem Dafoe – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I don’t care much for the poster, but am diggin’ the trailer for Poor Things.  Deal me in.

In Theaters September 8th

From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbott

10 All-Time Best Action Movies!

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Josh Keslinger at CBR.com came up with his list of the 10 Best Action Movies Of All Time, Ranked.  Before you click over to see his rationale and the trailers for each, here’s how our rankings compare.  I’m a fan of all of these films, but this is how I’d rank them today.

Keslinger

Zablo
10. Heat (1995) 10. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
09. John Wick (2014) 09. Police Story (1985)
08. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 08. Léon: The Professional (1994)
07. Indiana Jones & The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981) 17. Heat (1995)
06. The Matrix (1999) 06. Indiana Jones & The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
05. Léon: The Professional (1994) 05. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
04. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) 04. The Matrix (1999)
03. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) 03. John Wick (2014)
02. Police Story (1985) 02. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
01. Die Hard (1988) 01. Die Hard (1988)

One more thing before you click over, I would have found a place for Enter the Dragon… and that would be the #1 spot.

“Husbands Beware” (1956) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Husbands Beware (1956)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler, Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Maxine Gates, Christine McIntyre and Emil Sitka.

Tagline: Wildest and wackiest battle of the sexes yet!

The Plot…

After Larry and Moe marry Shemp’s sisters, they learn what a terrible mistake they’ve made.  Then Shemp learns that if he marries before the day ends, he’ll inheirit a fortune!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

If the second half of Husbands Beware sounds familiar, it should.  The entire second half except for a few seconds at the end is lifted from the Stooges’ 1947 short, Brideless Groom.

This was the first Stooges’ short released after the death of Shemp.

Husbands Beware (1956) rates 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: The Iron Sheik

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Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known as The Iron Sheik, died today at the age of 81.

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri was born in Damghan, Iran.  He was a talented amateur wrestler and represented Iran on the Greco-Roman wrestling team in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.  Following the Olympics, Mr. Vaziri moved to the United States.  In 1971, he was the gold medalist in the Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling championships.  He then served as an assistant wrestling coach for the 1972 US Olympic team.

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri began his wrestling career in 1972.  Capitalizing on his heritage, Mr. Vaziri shaved his head, grew a thick mustache and wore wrestling boots with toes that curved up.  He wrestled under the names The Great Hossein Arab and “Hussein Arab” before taking on the moniker of The Iron Sheik.  His character, ability in the ring and to work an audience made him a headliner.  Over the course of his career The Iron Sheik wrestled for all of the major wrestling organizations winning multiple championships in each.  The Iron Sheik was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to The Iron Sheik’s family, friends and fans.

“Confidential Informant” starring Dominic Purcell, Mel Gibson, Nick Stahl & Kate Bosworth – The Trailer is Here!

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Here’s the trailer for Confidential Informant starring Dominic Purcell, Mel Gibson, Nick Stahl and Kate Bosworth.  I’d give it a shot.

This gritty crime thriller starring Mel Gibson tells the tale of two narcotics agents hunting for a cop killer during a crack epidemic. Hoping for leads, Moran (Dominic Purcell, “Prison Break”) and Thorton (Nick Stahl, Sin City) pay off a junkie informant. To provide for his wife (Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns) and son, Moran involves the stool pigeon in a deadly scheme. This causes the partners to come under the scrutiny of a suspicious internal affairs agent, leading to an explosive finale…

RELEASE DATE: June 27th, 2023

CAST: Dominic Purcell, Mel Gibson, Nick Stahl

“Sympathy for the Devil” starring Nicholas Cage & Joel Kinnaman – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Sympathy for the Devil looks pretty good.  Deal me in.

In Theaters and On Demand July 28

Starring Nicolas Cage, Joel Kinnaman
Directed by Yuval Adler
Written by Luke Paradise

After being forced to drive a mysterious passenger (Nicolas Cage) at gunpoint, a man (Joel Kinnaman) finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse where it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems.

“Hot Ice” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Hot Ice (1955)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Elwood Ullman, Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Kenneth MacDonald, Christine McIntyre, Ray Corrigan and Blackie Whiteford.

Tagline:  All tangled up with a girl-crook and a lady-gorilla

The Plot…

After barely graduating from a detective school, Larry, Shemp and Moe apply for jobs at Scotland Yard. They’re hired as janitors. While cleaning the grounds they get a lead on the stolen and priceless Punjab diamond. Our boys decide to follow-up. The lead takes them to a hotspot for tough-guy criminals and a pet gorilla. What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hot Ice (1955) is a mash-up of two Stooges’ 1948 shorts, Crime on Their Hands and The Hot Scots.  It makes use of footage from both.  Director Jules White loved recycling old Stooges’ shorts and inserting a few new scenes to create “new” stories.  Despite the fact that Hot Ice used a lot of footage from two shorts directed by Edward Bernds, only Jules White was created as the director.  C’mon, man!

Hot Ice (1955) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Blunder Boys” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Blunder Boys (1955)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Benny Rubin, Kenneth MacDonald, Emil Sitka, Frank Sully and Al Thompson.

Tagline:  Turkish Night In A Ladies’ Bath!

The Plot…

After a stint in the army the boys decide to become detectives.  They graduate with the lowest honors and are assigned to capture a slippery criminal known as The Eel.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Sadly, Blunder Boys was the last Stooges’ short to feature new footage of Shemp.  He died of a heart attack within three weeks of its release.

Blunder Boys was a take-off of the popular Dragnet television series.

In one scene Larry holds up his middle finger when making a point.

Blunder Boys (1955) rates 3 of 5 stars.