Rage: A Joe Ledger Novel by Jonathan Maberry

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Jonathan Maberry has a new Joe Ledger novel, Rage, coming out on November 5th and I can’t wait.  Here’s the synopsis:

Rage is the first title in Jonathan Maberry’s brand new Joe Ledger spin-off series of international weird science thrillers.

A small island off the coast of Japan is torn apart by a bioweapon that drives everyone―men, women, and children―insane with murderous rage. The people behind that attack want Korea united or destroyed. No middle ground. No mercy. And they are willing to punish any country that stands in the way―the United States, China, and Japan could all be consumed by a plague of pure destructive slaughter.

Joe Ledger leads his newly formed band of international troubleshooters in their first mission to stop the terror cell, fighting alongside agents from North and South Korea. With the lives of billions at stake, Ledger is willing to bring his own brand of terror to this frightening new war.

Rage is the first of the new adventures of Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can pre-order Rage here.

Rob Schamberger Wrestled with How to Make a Career in Art

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Robert Schamberger wanted to be a comic book artist but wasn’t setting the world on fire.  So he decided to branch out into other types of art — especially painting.  Despite making gallery sales, he still hadn’t found his niche.

After some thought Schamberger decided to combine his love of art with his love of professional wrestling.  He started doing paintings of professional wrestlers.  A successful Kickstarter followed.  Then within a year, the WWE contacted Schamberger and brought him on board as their resident artist.  Schamberger’s story is an inspiring one in that he worked to figure out how to make his love of art become his career.

Source: Syfy.

Peter Stults Presents Buster Keaton in “Mad Max: Fury Road”

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Peter Stults‘ Movies from an Alternate Universe – movie posters re-imagined how they would look and who would star in them had they been made in a different era.

Peter Stults has created eight volumes of re-imagined posters.  Today, we have one from that eighth volume.

I say again, “Wouldn’t you love to see a book of Stults’ Movies from an Alternative Universe?”  Kickstarter, Mr. Stults?

Although Mr. Stults didn’t ask,  here are a few movie/star suggestions:

    • The Big Heat starring Sylvester Stallone…
    • Highlander starring Errol Flynn…
    • Lethal Weapon 3 starring Marlon Brando, Woody Strode and Lou Costello

Tom Reilly and The Boxer!

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I’d never seen Tom Reilly’s art until last week when I learned…

Tom Reilly is an artist from Mount Desert Island, Maine. He is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, with a BFA in Illustration. Tom’s work has been included in exhibits such as the Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Exhibition, the Rhode Island School of Design Illustration Triennial Exhibition, and the 2017 MoCCA Arts Festival. Tom is also an Eagle Scout, and his dad keeps telling him to let people know this, because it might get him a job one day.

I really liked the art Tom had created for what looked to be a series called The Boxer.  I reached out to find out where I could purchase the comic/graphic novel only to learn there wasn’t one. (There should be!)

If so inclined, you can check out more of Tom’s art and follow him on Twitter.

Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, from Worst to Best

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Riley Jones at Goliath has ranked Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, from Worst to Best.

Ok.  I’ll play along.

For those interested, here’s my ranking of Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, from Worst to Best episodes…

09.  Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007)

08.  Inglourious Basterds (2009)

07.  Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

06.  Django Unchained (2012)

05.  The Hateful Eight (2015)

04.  Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)

03.  Jackie Brown (1997)

02.  Pulp Fiction (1994)

01.  Reservoir Dogs (1992)

All the Way Down by Eric Beetner / Z-View

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All the Way Down by Eric Beetner

TPB: 276 pages
Publisher: Down and Out Books

First sentence…

As Dale rode up in the elevator he thought, This is it, they know everything.  I’m fired and then off to jail.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Dale is a crooked cop who gets a chance at redemption if he can save the mayor’s daughter, Lauren. She’s being held captive in an abandoned building by a local gang.  Being on the gang leader’s payroll will get Dale in the building and to the top floor where Lauren is being held.  It will take a miracle and a lot of people dying for Dale and Lauren to get out alive.

All the Way Down, reads like a cross between Game of Death, Die Hard and The Raid: Redemption.  It’s an action-packed page-turner as Dale and Lauren work their way down, floor-to-floor meeting different folks out to kill them.  To complicate matters, thanks to Dale’s efforts, his wife is now in the crosshairs of gang members who want her dead… and does the Mayor really want Lauren brought out alive?

I’m a big Eric Beetner fan and All the Way Down doesn’t disappoint.

Rating:

Every Episode of The Twilight Zone, Ranked from Worst to Best

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Oktay Ege Kozak at Paste took on the monumental task for Every Episode of The Twilight Zone, Ranked from Worst to Best.  While I’ve never ranked every episode of The Twilight Zone, I have Z-Viewed every TZ episode.

For those interested, here’s my ranking of The Top 10 Twilight Zone episodes…

10.  The Eye of the Beholder (Season 2, Episode 6)

09.  The Howling Man (Season 2, Episode 5)

08.  Time Enough at Last (Season 1, Episode 8)

07.  The Invaders (Season 2, Episode 15)

06.  The Midnight Sun (Season 3, Episode 10)

05.  The Shelter (Season 3, Episode 3)

04.  Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up (Season 2, Episode 28)

03.  To Serve Man (Season 3, Episode 24)

02.  The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (Season 1, Episode 22)

01.  Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (Season 5, Episode 3)

The “Dark Side of the Ring” Trailer is Here!

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The Dark Side of the Ring is a 6 episode series airing on Viceland and premieres April 10th.

From backstage controversies to mysterious deaths and unsolved homicides, this series explores the darkest stories from the golden age of professional wrestling, and tries to find truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality. From backstage controversies to mysterious deaths and unsolved homicides, this series explores the darkest stories from the golden age of professional wrestling, and tries to find truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality.

Kevin Costner’s 10 Best Roles

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Nate Williams and ComingSoon present the 10 Best Kevin Costner Roles.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ll admit to not having seen Hidden Figures, Molly’s Game, Field of Dreams or Bull Durham.  With that said, my top ten best Kevin Costner roles (not movies) would be a lot different.  Here’s mine…

10.  The Bodyguard

09.  Criminal

08.  No Way Out

07.  Waterworld

06.  Dances with Wolves

05.  Silverado

04.  The Untouchables

03.  JFK

02.  Revenge

01.  Open Range

“Us” / Z-View

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Us (2019)

Director: Jordan Peele

Screenplay: Jordan Peele

Stars: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex.

The Pitch: “Jordan Peele is ready to do his next film.  It’s about – ” “Do it!”

Tagline: From Jordan Peele, writer/director of ‘Get Out,’ comes a New Nightmare.

The Overview:

Us is a beautifully crafted movie that works on two levels:

1) It provides just under two hours of entertainment for those looking for a scary movie
2) It provides plenty of food for thought after the movie is over looking at the symbolism and depth of thought Peele put into creating a great horror film.  In fact, I liked Us even better the more I thought about it.

Gabe Wilson has decided to surprise his wife (Adelaide) and two children (Zora and Jason) with a Santa Cruz beach vacation.  Surprisingly, Adelaide is against the trip because of a frightening event that happened to her there when she was a child.  Despite, her concerns, Adelaide relents and the family heads for the beach on a vacation that they may not survive.

There’s no denying that a major part of the appeal of Us is writer / director Jordan Peele.  Peele knows how to create a suspenseful scene, uses just the right amount of humor, cranks up the tension and layers the story so there’s more than just what’s happening on the screen for those who take the time to look.  Peele should also be credited for surrounding himself with an awesome cast. Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke are excellent actors and come across as just plain likeable (I hope that’s not just acting.)  As do Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex  who play the kids.

Us is one of those movies that will entertain and provide the audience plenty to talk about long after the film has ended.  Because I like my reviews to be spoiler free,  I’m not going to say more but I definitely recommend /Film’s ‘Us’ Movie Explained: Exploring the Biggest Questions and Craziest Twists in Jordan Peele’s Film.   I’d be more than happy to discuss symbolism, plot twists, your opinions of Us and more in the comments section of this post — so if you venture there beware of spoilers.

Rating: