“Transmission” – Amazing One Take Short by Mikhail Parkhomenko!

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Transmission is a short created by Mikhail Parkhomenko.  It’s less than a minute long, tells a story in dramatic fashion in one take all filmed with a drone.  After the video, there is a link to see how Transmission was done.  It’s also worth a look.  I’d love to see Parkhomenko given a big budget action film!

Transmission — a short looped thriller shot in one long take entirely on a fpv drone. Shot on GoPro 11. Part of “Impossible Shot” series.

“Luther: The Fallen Sun” (2023) starring Idris Elba / Z-View

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Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

Director:  Jamie Payne

Writer:  Neil Cross (based on characters Cross created for the BBC Television series)

Stars: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis, Dermot Crowley, Vincent Regan, Ross Waiton and Carl Spencer

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (Elba) is on the case of a serial killer who first kidnaps and blackmails his victims. When the serial killer, David Robey (Serkis) learns that Luther is closing in, Robey uses his use wealth and technology to learn of illegal steps that Luther took in the past to bring criminals to justice.  Luther stands trial and is sentenced to prison.

While in prison, Robey taunts Luther with a video showing Robey committing a recent murder.  Luther works with friends to set up a prison break so that he can track down Robey.  With the police on his trail, Luther closes in on the killer.  Robey knows Luther is coming and has a plan to make Luther his next victim.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

It’s great to see Elba return to the character that made him famous.  I’d love to see more Luther movies.  There was talk that Elba would make a great 007.  The ending of Luther: Fallen Sun makes that unnecessary.

Kudos to Jamie Payne for his direction.  I look forward to seeing what Payne does next.

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“So Long Mr. Chumps” (1941) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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So Long Mr. Chumps (1941)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Clyde Bruckman, Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent, Bruce Bennett, Bud Jamison and Blackie Whiteford

Tagline: NUTTIER THAN EVER!

The Plot…

The boys find an envelope full of bonds and return the it to the rightful owner.  The grateful man offers our guys a $5,000 reward if they can find an honest man to run his business.  After repeated unsuccessful attempts, Larry, Curly and Moe realize that an honest man is being held in jail.  Our boys decide the best plan of action is to get arrested and then get the man out.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bruce Bennett’s birth name was Herman Brix.  He was an Olympic athlete and actor under his given name.  He also played Tarzan in the movies.  Feeling he was typecast as Tarzan, Brix changed his name and went on to in both low budget features as well as major motion pictures such as Sahara with Bogart, Mildred Pierce with Joan Crawford, Dark Passage with Bogart and Bacall, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre with Bogart, Sudden Fear with Joan Crawford and Gloria Grahame and Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart.

In the last scene Curly breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience.

Moe stops Curly from smoking a cigarette, Curly continues to pull out bigger and bigger smokes until he’s finally lighting up a cigar that’s a couple of feet long.

So Long Mr. Chumps (1941) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“No Dough Boys” (1944) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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No Dough Boys (1944)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent and Christine McIntyre

Tagline: You’ll Go Slap-Happy When the Stooges Go Jap-Happy!

The Plot…

The boys are dressed as Japanese soldiers for a photo shoot. Unfortunately for our guys there are reports that three Japanese soldiers on the loose in the city. While on a lunch break, Larry, Curly and Moe are mistaken for the real thing.  As they run for their lives, our guys end up ducking into an apartment that is a secret Nazi hideout.  The spy who runs things, Hugo (Dent) believes that our boys are the escaped Japanese soldiers… until he doesn’t.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Curly starts to light a cigarette when Moe points to a sign and asks Curly what it says.  Curly responds, “Hey, you! No Smoking!”  Moe: “Well?”  Curly: “It says you, not me. Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck.”

Curly later performs the invisible pipe gag (made famous by Laurel & Hardy in two films: Way Out West and Blockheads).

No Dough Boys (1944) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“My Movie Favorites” Survey

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A buddy of mine posted this with his choices and challenged his friends to do the same.  The only rule is you cannot use the same movie twice. How close are my choices to yours?

Favorite movie: Rocky
Movie that makes you remember your childhood: The Wizard of Oz
Favorite Tom Hanks movie: Saving Private Ryan
Favorite 80’s movie: Rocky III
Favorite comedy: Arsenic and Old Lace
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Favorite courtroom movie: 12 Angry Men
Favorite horror movie: Night of the Living Dead (68)
Favorite gangster movie: The Godfather
Movie with the best soundtrack: Sharkey’s Machine
Favorite Christmas movie: A Christmas Story
Favorite sequel: Rambo
Favorite remake: True Grit
Favorite western: The Outlaw Josey Wales
Favorite war film: Aliens
Favorite romance film: Casablanca
Favorite buddy cop movie: Lethal Weapon
Favorite Foreign film: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Favorite car chase movie: Smokey and the Bandit
Favorite Kung Fu film: Enter the Dragon
Favorite animated film: The Iron Giant
Favorite anime film: Don’t watch
Favorite Disney film: The Incredibles
Favorite Tom Cruise film: Top Gun: Maverick
Favorite Bruce Willis film: Die Hard
Favorite basketball movie: Inside Moves
Favorite soccer movie: Victory
Favorite Football Movie:  The Longest Yard (1974)
Favorite boxing movie: Rocky Balboa
Favorite when animals attack film: Jaws
Favorite heist film: Heat
Favorite musical: Guys and Dolls
Favorite fantasy film: Highlander
Favorite science-fiction film: Terminator 2
Favorite post-apocalyptic film: Planet of the Apes
Favorite ghost film: The Changeling
Favorite Eddie Murphy movie: 48 Hours
Favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger film: Sabotage
Favorite Sylvester Stallone film: Get Carter
Favorite biography film: Raging Bull
Favorite vigilante film: Billy Jack
Favorite gambling film: The Hustler
Favorite serial killer film: Se7en
Favorite film about musicians: Streets of Fire
Favorite Superhero Spoof: Last Action Hero
Favorite Alfred Hitchcock film: North by Northwest
Favorite documentary: Who Killed Malcolm X?
Favorite action film: Mad Max: Fury Road
Favorite mystery movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite disaster film: 28 days later
Favorite spy movie: Casino Royale (2006)
Favorite superhero movie: Samaritan
Favorite parody movie: Young Frankenstein
Favorite Screwball comedy: Blazing Saddles
Favorite Private Detective film: The Maltese Falcon
Favorite historical film: The Adventures of Robin Hood
Favorite surrealist film: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Favorite Nicolas Cage film: Con Air

“Three Little Beers” starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Three Little Beers (1935)

Director:  Del Lord

Writer:  Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Bud Jamison, Charles Dorety and Jack Kenney

Tagline: Some foam, eh, kid?

The Plot…

The boys are beer delivery men who discover that their company is having a golf contest with a $100 prize.  While on their route, our guys find themselves next to a golf course, of course.  They decide to get in some practice.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Curly on top of a giant stack of beer barrels in a fully loaded truck will bring a smile to your face no matter how many times you see it.  And you know what happens when the truck and our guys end up on a hill.

Moe gets a funny one-liner when he sinks a shot and Larry says, “It went into the hole!” Moe sadly responds, “Just my luck.”

Three Little Beers (1935) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Master Gardener” from writer/director Paul Schrader, starring Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver & Quintessa Swindell – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the looks of Master Gardener from Paul Schrader, Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver & Quintessa Swindell.

Directed by Academy Award® nominee Paul Schrader based on his original screenplay, MASTER GARDENER follows Narvel Roth (award-winner Joel Edgerton), the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He is as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill (three-time Academy Award® nominee Sigourney Weaver). When Mrs. Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, chaos enters Narvel’s spartan existence, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all.

In theaters May 19. Directed by Paul Schrader
Starring Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver and Quintessa Swindell

“Sing a Song of Six Pants” (1947) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947)

Director:  Jules White

Writer:  Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Vernon Dent, Phil Arnold, Cy Schindell and Jules White (voice)

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys run a dry cleaning shop and if they don’t get some fast cash, they’re going to lose their business.  When a safe cracker ditches the police and leaves his clothes in their shop, the boys find his cash.  They get an idea that when he returns they’ll capture him for the reward money.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At the start of Sing a Song of Six Pants we see several signs in the window of their dry cleaning shop.  One of the signs advertises “altercations” (not alterations).  I wonder if that was a happy accident.

Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Florida Man” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Deal me in!

Under the sun. Under the gun. Discover the mystery behind the meme in FLORIDA MAN, a new Netflix limited series from creator Donald Todd (Ugly Betty, This Is Us) that follows a struggling ex-cop (Edgar Ramírez) forced to return to his home state of Florida to find a Philly mobster’s runaway girlfriend. What should be a quick gig becomes a wildly spiraling journey into buried family secrets, and an increasingly futile attempt to do the right thing in a place where so much is wrong.

Also starring Abbey Lee, Anthony LaPaglia, Otmara Marrero, Lex Scott Davis, Emory Cohen, Clark Gregg, Isaiah Johnson, Paul Schneider and Lauren Buglioli.

“Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat” (2022) / Z-View

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Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat (2022)

Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg

Writers: Cristoph Grøndahl, story by Live Bonnevie, Erik Skjoldbaerg, Sebastian Torngren Wartin

Stars: Kristine Hartgen, Carl Martin Eggesbø and Billy Campbell.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

1940.  World War II rages.  Norway is a neutral country.  Because most of the world’s iron ore passes through the port at Narvik, both England and Nazi Germany have diplomats in the city.  In April, a force of German soldiers arrive in the city as part of a takeover.

Ingrid Tofte (Hartgen) is a young, married hotel worker.  Her husband, Gunnar (Eggesbø) is a corporal in the Norwegian army. Ingrid and Gunnar have a baby that is their world.  When the Nazis arrive, Gunnar is part of a unit sent to blow-up a bridge to delay Nazi advancement.  Ingrid, because she speaks two languages is picked to help Nazis as they attempt their takeover of the city.  If either Ingrid or Gunnar are exposed both will surely be executed.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Narvik is at it’s best when showing the dangers and choices that individuals are forced to make as the Nazis move in.  Some choose to wage war while others lay down their arms.  It would be a difficult choice to fight. You’re facing overwhelming odds and then your commanding officer hands over his pistol to the invading commandant!  Some soldiers dropped their weapons, took off their uniforms and ran away.  Others find a different officer and plan for future attacks.

Civilians had to make tough decisions to make as well.  Cooperate with the Nazis and lose your way of life. Try to run or stay and fight and you could lose your life.  If you had small children, the decision was even more difficult.  And if your child’s life is on the line, what would you do?

If I had any nits to pick, it would be with the film’s length.  When the tension is on and the battles are raging, the film is at it’s best.

Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat (2022) rates 3 of 5 stars.